#and I unfortunately don’t have the motivation to start another series

[pineapple-lover-boy]

Listen I know it was forever ago but what if after lesson 16, whenever the brothers mention how much MC reminds them of Lilith Mc is like, “Who?”

They’re grateful for what she did and honestly I love the thought of them being the only one to see her ghost and they’re besties but like

This is to piss the brothers off and stop them from comparing. They can talk about her. But not compare. Lilith supports this and does not want her greatx70 grandchild to be a walking memory.

[blublublujk]

bound 2 (falling in love)

oneshot

word count: 6.5k

genre: fwb to lovers

pairing: yoongi x reader

summary:

You and Yoongi were okay with being friends with benefits... until you weren't.

warnings: i tried to focus on fluff (did you catch it or did i fail), explicit sexual content; unprotected sex (they make love to each other), choking and breath play (hello it's yoongi), multiple orgasms, slight overstimulation, crying (is it really my ff if there's no crying involved), creampie, very cute aftercare and i think that’s all, this is more sweet than anything lol

a.n: believe it or not this wasn't apart of my drafts i wrote this all one night because i couldn't sleep so thank my insomnia for this, it was about time i write about yoongi :D

also i noticed a lot of you are reading it was destiny and love always wins and i wish you guys wouldn't only because i plan to rewrite some of it and continue them at a further time (chaptered ffs are so hard for me rn since i don't have all the time in the world to dedicate myself to them but i promise to be back with those two series) thank you for everyone who takes time to read what i write it really means so much and your comments have been so motivating. thank you so fucking much for 2k notes on good girl, gone bad i havent seen numbers like that ever im so so grateful, thank you from the bottom of my heart. i'll try to be back one or two more times this month and happy late birthday to me hehe <3

—> m.list

—> welcome me on ao3 & twt

—-

It happened again.

Another failed date to add to the sad list of people that simply will never workout for you.

The list was growing longer as months passed. When you started this list, it was barely the start of a very hot summer. Probably the hottest it’s been in years, one can only assume the winter will not be any easier. 

And you were right. Winter was only beginning and it was brutally cold. The streets were moist from the previous night of harsh rainfall. 

What better time to date and settle down than now. When the world gives you rain, settle for the warm arms of a lover.

Unfortunately, you made a grave mistake thinking this would come easy. Ten first dates later and you are still very single and loverless. 

It is not easy to go out during a time like now, suffering at the sight of happy couples and their stupid happy lives. Really, it should disgust you. It used to. The whole concept of devoting your entire life to someone. The need to constantly feel the tender touch of another person. The desire to fall in love and do it all over again, you get it now. At least, you think you do. 

“I don’t think this is gonna work.” The words fall from your mouth in a quiet rush. The man across you sits in silence before he smiles in his loss. 

“Don’t worry, I figured. It seems your mind was elsewhere. I know you don’t want to pursue anything romantically, and that’s fine with me, but is everything okay?” 

Is everything okay? Well currently, yeah you’re okay. As for your heart, it’s heavy and strangely, you feel there’s a hole in your chest and it needs to be filled. That would fix things, you think. You have been single for so long that you forgot what it was like to love and cherish someone. Not that you have ever truly loved or cherished anyone, but you’ve gotten close. If a silly relationship you had in your sophomore year of high school counts. Then yes, you’ve totally been in love. 

“I’m okay. Thanks for asking. I didn’t mean to lead you on, if it ever felt like I did.” The apology seems bitter in your mouth. Another failed fucking attempt. How difficult can dating be? Have you really been this disconnected with the world around you? 

“Don’t stress it! Things happen. I hope you can find what you’re looking for. See you… around?” The man’s understanding response makes you feel worse. Maybe you should consider deleting Tinder and finding love naturally, if that’s still a thing in the contemporary life. 

“Yeah, totally!” And like that you’re off to the next. Giving yourself plenty of time to bathe in your disappointment and miserably cry about your failed attempts at finding what you’ve been missing. Who knew dating could be so difficult?

The walk back home is just as cold as the outcome of today’s date. Your date insisted he could drive you home and if not that then pay for a cab, but you didn’t live too far from the restaurant you both met at. Though he insisted, you figured this walk could refresh you after yet another failure. You were starting to regret it as the cold wind started roughly hitting your skin. Preserving the chilly weather, you genuinely couldn’t wait to get home and wrap yourself in a bundle of warm blankets and comfortable clothes. 

Cold hands struggle to open your door, you blow on them with warm puffs of breaths, soon making your way in and getting comfortable in your humble apartment. 

yoon: you up?

And that, that is what made this harder. The fact that you knew there was someone completely capable of loving and caring for you the way you desired. You have seen it with your own eyes. Every time you ended up in his bed, in his arms, you felt it. Deep down you know something is there and that something beats everything else. Maybe you’re just delusional, but you look for him in everyone else and you hate it. Hate because you will never be anything more than his personal little whore that comes at the sound of his call. 

me: yeah

Normally, you aren’t dry over texts, especially not with him so he’ll see right through you. You’re hoping for once, he can ignore it. 

He won't. 

yoon: you ok?

me: been better

yoon: wanna talk about it?

me: no, i'm ok

yoon: ok, wanna come over? 

Yes, because during a time like this all you want is the comfort and warmth of someone else’s touch and Yoongi has never failed at giving that to you. But he is not yours.

And you are not his. 

me: not feeling well. sorry.

yoon: sick? 

A white lie never hurt anyone. 

me: yeah, throat hurts

yoon: im sorry 

me: it's not your fault maybe another time.

Though you really shouldn’t say that. There should be no next time. That way you don’t suffer any longer and drag him down with you, considering everything you’ve been feeling and dealing with lately. It’s not fair to Yoongi, but especially yourself.

He doesn’t reply anymore and you can’t even hide your disappointment. You aren’t disappointed at him, okay maybe a little bit at him, but mainly yourself and your recently found complicated feelings. 

You and Yoongi started this whole mess a year ago, before you even realized what you truly wanted. It started off with subtle flirting here and there. They say not to mess with coworkers, given that it can complicate things at work and one should never play with their main source of income, but you did it anyway. You are still young and he only made you feel younger, like a teenage girl crushing over her forbidden crush at church. It was silly, but Yoongi made it easy. 

The flirting turned to one thing, then another. 

“We shouldn’t, not here.” Yoongi had you pinned outside the club you both worked at, leaving trails of wet kisses down your throat.

“Five more minutes.” His words were muffled into your skin as his hands explored your body. Yoongi’s touch was always way too soft for his own good and you fell victim to his deadly warmth. 

“If Mr. Kim finds out, he’ll kill us and fire us both.” That was a bit dramatic on your part and you swore you felt the taller smiling against your neck.

Yoongi drops one last kiss on your cheek as his hot breath hits your ear. “Not if I kill him first.”

You gasped, pushing him off you with a quick smack to his chest. “D-Don’t even joke like that.” 

Yoongi just laughed. 

“Okay, okay baby.” The term of endearment fell from his lips too easily and you melted into the dark night. “See you after work?” 

You only nodded, not being able to deny his temporary warmth and sweet presence. Then he dropped a kiss on your lips, leaving you just as quick as when he first found you. You were fucked.

From there, it only got worse for your sake. Your heart could only take so much. 

Really, you should blame things on him. It was his fault you fell in love with him and his stupidly soft hands. It was all his fault! He left you no choice but to love the feel of his lips against your skin, to easily melt under his soft gaze, and find comfort in his unnecessarily warm bed. Yoongi was perfect. Everything you could ever want. 

That’s why it was so fucking hard. Dating was hard enough, but after feeling Yoongi’s intimate touch, you were a complete goner. Though he was far from it, Yoongi touched you like you were his and he would fuck you like a lover would. Kissing and making love to you as if you were the most beautiful woman on Earth. It was all too much. 

Fuck, you really needed to get a grip.

The knock on your door makes you jump from your couch. 

Ten minutes longer and you would have fallen asleep exactly where you were lying. In outside clothes and all. You didn’t even bother taking off the outfit you had carefully planned thinking that this lucky outfit would have finally taken you somewhere. It didn’t. 

“Coming!” There’s not a single person that should be outside your door, especially at this hour. Your feet make their way to the door regardless and the blood from your face drains when you see the person standing behind the door. 

Quickly, you unlock your front door, rushing the taller inside. “Hurry! It’s freezing! What are you doing out here?” 

Yoongi’s cheeks are surely frozen, a pink dust decorates his cheeks and the tip of his nose. It almost makes him look cute. You were far more gone than you imagined. 

He hustles inside, carrying a fairly large brown bag with him. He brought… groceries? 

“Took you long enough.” The taller one makes himself at home, laying his bag on your coffee table. 

“What are you even doing here?” You ask again. 

He ignores you. “Thought you said you were sick. You don’t look very sick?” 

Yoongi looks at you with a questioning look, his eyes wander your outfit and guilt starts eating your insides. 

You cross your arms, an attempt to hide yourself in shame, but what’s done is done. “I- I had plans.” 

“Yeah, I see that.” He simply says, standing awkwardly in your living area. 

If this doesn’t convince you to delete that forsaken app for the sake of your dignity and shameful behavior, you don’t know what will.

“Anyways, w-what brings you here?” 

“Brought you some stuff.” His hand waves over to the bag he carried inside. 

“Stuff?” You question, a bit dumbfounded, planted still in your place.

“Tea, cough drops, some soup I made earlier this week. Oh and flowers.” Yoongi doesn’t seem at all embarrassed or fazed about the situation. Not that he should be, but he speaks with a puff to his chest, as if he wanted to ensure you understood his every word and action. Like any concerned lover would be. As if he was yours and you were his.

Oh.

This was so so bad. For you and your weak heart. Fuck.

“I-“ 

He cuts you off before you even get to speak. “I don’t know if you’ll like it. It’s just some plain seaweed soup. Usually helps me when I’m sick. I’m not sure what flowers you like, or if you even like flowers. Do you? Their tulips. I did a bit of research before. My mom likes tulips. I figured you might like them too.” 

He did research? Double fuck! 

Yoongi was nervously rambling, now he was slightly embarrassed. Pink flushes his cheeks and it wasn’t the weather’s doing this time. 

“Yoongi…” You start breathlessly and in disbelief. 

“What?” He nearly stutters, his hand is shaking. He’s nervous. Who would have thought? 

“Why.” Is all you manage to ask. 

“You were sick.” Is all he replies. As if things were really that simple. What next? Would he come rushing to the hospital if you suddenly fell ill? God forbid, but it was a valid question. 

What was going on? For a second, you entertain the idea. Maybe he fell in love between the blurry lines of this complicated relationship. Were the shared intimate memories too special for him to forget too? You weren’t sure anymore, but what did this all mean? Maybe he loves you, as much as you love him.

Thoughts keep spinning and you wish there was an easier way to turn off your brain. Not now.

“I know, but why? Why all this? Why for me?” Your vulnerability is showing and it makes you feel weak. Maybe your hands are shaking too. 

“I don't understand?” Yoongi searches for the answer in your glossy eyes, he’s tempted to reach out and comfort you. Have you in his hands, but he’s too coward. He doesn’t want you to feel the shiver of his touch right now. His vulnerability peaks through as well. 

Why not you? It’s always going to be you. 

“I-I’m nothing to you.” There’s a shiver again and then you break. 

Yoongi doesn’t care anymore. He’ll consider the consequences later. Right now, none of it matters.

His hands hold your face, ready to wipe the tears that threaten to leak from your precious eyes. He hopes his hands aren't cold anymore from standing outside for so damn long, but he couldn’t stop himself, in his selfishness and all.

His hands shake slightly, trying to stay strong as he lays it all on the table. “Y/N, you’re everything to me.” He whispers, eyes never leaving yours.

You lay your own hands on his, you feel so delicate around him when you wrap warm hands around his cold wrists.

“I-I am?” You ask between sniffles. His hands are still pretty cold, but they’ll soon warm up against your soft skin. Nobody knows how desperately you need to be touched until you are and then it’s like little fireworks spark inside your body. It consumes you in the best way possible.

“Of course. I thought I made that obvious.” His eyes are soft, different to how he typically looks at you, but you’ve seen these same eyes before. They are no stranger. It’s similar to the look he gives you when you catch him staring at you while you are deep in work. He pretends to look away as if he wasn’t admiring you from afar and you pretend that you don’t notice his curious eyes. It’s the same look he has after you both end up in heated makeout sessions, behind the rusty club you both work at. And it’s definitely the same look he has while he settles on top of you, whispering sweet words of praise and promise.

Nothing should feel different but it just does, there’s something in the way he looks down at you that lets you know that everything you’ve been searching for has always been right here. Right where you’ve been all along.

The taller leans in and you freeze struggling to keep your eyes on his. Yoongi’s thumb brushes against your cheek with a soft touch. You were fragile between his hands and he’s willing to do anything to keep his precious flower safe. “Can I kiss you?” 

“Yes. Please.” You whisper back in a hurry, scared that this would be nothing but a dream. It wasn’t time for you to wake up yet.

His eyes zero-in on your lips and then he’s kissing you. It’s not much different from other times. After all, you guys have shared plenty of kisses, probably more than you should have considering you guys were friends with benefits, at most. But this time, the kiss isn’t just a careless lust-filled doing, no this time the kiss is a promise. The promise to never again allow you to question his feelings and intentions towards you. 

If Yoongi has to spend his whole life making this up to you, he simply would because that’s how much you meant to him. He can’t believe he even let this go on for this long. He should have been more clear and careful, but he doesn’t regret a damn thing. Not when he has all the time in the world to repair the time lost. And especially not when his reckless actions led him to this. To you.

Yoongi’s lips are soft and bend with yours with ease. He takes his time, never in a rush. Especially not when he has you in-hand. 

The taller doesn’t escalate the kiss. He keeps it sweet and gentle, like he always has been. “I’m so sorry baby.” 

Kiss.

“For?” 

Kiss.

Yoongi has the whole world in his hands right now as he looks down into the sparkles in your eyes and he’s never been so sure about anything in his life. “For being a fucking idiot.”

Kiss. 

“It’s okay.” A kiss is shared again. “I was an idiot too. I was just scared that you wouldn’t want that with me.” 

“Want what?” The taller questions, fingers trailing your face, admiring the imperfections and all. 

“A relationship, I mean. You seemed content with how our relationship already was. I was afraid of losing that. Of losing you.” You admit, eyes fluttering at his touch. 

“Of course, I want that. I want that and more. I-I’m not the best with relationships. I’m only saying this because I want to be open and honest with you. There’s not a second you aren’t on my mind. While at work, you are all I can see. In a crowd of a hundred, my eyes always find yours. I don’t know how to explain what you do to me. But I don’t mind. I think if I ever lost that, I would lose my mind. So I’m sorry if I ever made you feel the opposite. There’s so much more I want to say, but I just don’t know how. I want that. I want that so bad. A relationship and whatever more you give me. I might not be the best boyfriend but I’ll do whatever it takes. I- I love you.” Yoongi’s words are heartfelt and he’s so relieved. One because he’s been keeping this in for so long, any longer and he would have exploded, but second because he’s been dying to say those three words. He really does love you and Yoongi doesn’t love many people in life, but if he had to choose, it’s always gonna be you. 

The tears that were creeping on your eye-lids fall prettily down your face, but Yoongi comes to your rescue. He’s quick to wipe them off your pretty face, tempted to kiss them away, but he keeps that in for now. “Y-Yoongi… I love you too. So much. I think I always have. You are so easy to love. The way you look at me, care for me, and always show up for me. That says more about you than anything else. I tried dating to get over what I felt for you, as you can probably tell, but nothing worked. It was so easy, Yoongi. So easy to fall in love with you. You’re perfect and I don’t doubt that you’ll be the best even after all this. I love you.”

“I love you too, I love you. Fuck, I love you.” Yoongi kisses you again and this time he isn’t as gentle. His lips are still soft as ever as they curl around yours. His tongue comes out and you immediately allow access, letting him explore your mouth. The taste is much better now that there isn’t anything you both are holding back. Everything down on the line and you couldn’t be happier. The hole in your heart was never empty, it was just waiting for this exact moment to remind you that you’ve always had it all. 

“Yoongi.” In between breaths you call his name and Yoongi feels his knees lock. “Take me to bed.” 

Yoongi just nods in a trance with the way your tone drips of arousal. A long strand of hair falls on his face when he picks you up with ease off your feet. He takes you to the place he’s had the honor to visit a hundred times before, but it’s different this time, much different. 

In the process of it all, something falls and it causes you both to laugh until you run out of breath. 

“I can’t believe that just happened.” You laugh into his ear. “You owe me a new lamp. My mother bought me that, you know. House-warming gift.”

“Fuck, sorry.” Yoongi mumbles near a whisper as he grips you harder like he’s afraid he might drop you next and the idea makes you giggle because you know he would never purposely hurt you. “I’ll apologize to your mother directly. Buy you and her a new lamp, whatever it takes.”

“What makes you think you are meeting my mother?” You tease with a smile on your face, watching the blush rise on his cheeks. 

“Well, I figured we could, you know, if you would like–” Yoongi doesn’t often get shy about many things but he can’t keep calm around you and that kills him softly.

“I’m just teasing you.” You say and he bites his lip. “Of course you’ll meet my mother and my father and my nosy ass family. I hope you like annoying, persistent grandma’s that stuff you full. My grandma’s the worst of her kind, but she’ll love you.”

“I would love to.” Yoongi simply replies, still whispering as if you guys had to keep quiet or else you’d be in deep trouble. 

“Why are we still whispering?” You whisper back, roaming fingers through his long, gorgeous hair. He needs to remind you to thank his mother personally for insisting he keep his hair long because it made him look pretty and you could never disagree. Yoongi’s so pretty. 

“I-I don’t know.” 

You both smile at each other before sharing another kiss. It’s so sweet and if you weren’t already off your feet, you would be floating by now. He’s gentle when letting you drop into the sheets below, he finds space between your legs and you wrap them around his hips. Lips still in contact, never losing the plushy feel. 

Everything starts to feel hot. Your hips start to slowly grind against his begging for any sort of friction. But the kissing doesn’t stop. 

Not when you start whining against his lips. 

Not even when Yoongi starts trailing his fingers down your waist and around your curves. He teases his fingertips against your waistline, soft to the touch. 

It’s not until you mewl loudly into his mouth, skillful tongue playing with yours, as you feel him start unbuckling your pants, button-by-button. 

Yoongi’s eyes are heavy-lidded, his gaze burning fire. “Gonna take care of you now, is that okay?” 

You furiously nod, coming up to kiss him once more, both your lips are raw and sensitive, but it gives you more of a reason to fix it with even more kisses. 

He drops one quick kiss onto your mouth before he trails down your jaw. Yoongi breathes in the sweet scent on your skin, wishing he could feel you even closer. “Smell so damn good.”

His voice is raspy against your ear and it makes you blush, while you feel his hand finally touch you where you had been aching with need. “Wanna hear you.”

Breathing lightly, you whisper. “Make me.” 

And of course, Yoongi makes you regret how fast you said the words because he delves his fingers forward with little resistance. Two fingers stretch you at the same time, gasping at the sudden sensation. 

By now, you were molded to fit Yoongi’s fingers. On days where you were really in need, you would take four, all at once. Yoongi was best at reading every expression, every crease and scrunch to your face, especially emotions. He knew exactly how to curve his fingers, the way to build you up, and bring you back down. Yoongi knew it all and he was so lucky too. 

He never anticipated it would have gone this far. It was just sex to begin with. But who were you both kidding, it was always much, much more. 

Yoongi curves his fingers in the way he’s used to and watches your mouth drop, sweet noises soon leaving your lips. “Feels good?” 

There’s no need to ask because he can tell. Your expression tells him everything he needs to know. That and the fact that you are dripping around his fingers but it’s sexier hearing it from you. 

“Yeah… f-feels so good.” With his other hand he tugs your clothes off, leaving you bare on the bottom. Remembering the first few times is a bit embarrassing, but Yoongi always made sure to take his time and make you feel comfortable. It was special and memorable in its own way, and Yoongi felt it too. 

This is unlike any first time, but it was technically the first time you could officially make love to each other until you fall lovesick and that had to be impossible around someone like Yoongi. 

“Hold your legs open for me, flower.” You try to ignore the warm feeling that buzzes in your chest, but you are sure your face says it all. Without another word, you spread your legs open, tucking both hands behind your thighs.

“Flower?” You breathe out with a bit of a struggle as his two fingers continue to pump deep inside you, brushing repeatedly against your g-spot. 

“Do you not like it?” Yoongi smiles slightly, biting his bottom lip while he watches you start to tremble, making the prettiest sounds. 

“I do. Why the new name?” Voice a bit unsteady but it does the job. Yoongi thinks of all the times he thought you were as pretty as a flower, which really was all the time. Especially, in the way he has you right now. Pretty, pretty as a flower. 

“I’ve always wanted to call you that. You’re pretty, sweet, delicate. Just like a flower.” He justifies his reasoning and you melt into puddles. 

“Yoongi.” Voice sweet as honey. 

“Yes baby.” He replies with ease.

“Make love to me, Yoongi.” 

There was a time in his life where Yoongi believed he could live without love. How foolish of him to think so. When he met you, it was a complete three-sixty. Suddenly, Yoongi started to look forward to his shit job. He looked forward to that time between breaks where he could admire you from the back like a pinning loser. Yoongi even started to like the walks he had to take to get to work because he knew that the path would eventually lead to you. He started looking forward to tomorrow's and to the bright future that led ahead. His mom would often complain that he was wasting his life away waiting for it to start, but Yoongi thinks life truly started the day he met you. 

It was a bit awkward because you couldn’t even look him in the eyes, intimated by the staff and new environment. You had previously worked in different bars so you assumed it would be no different and it wasn’t, but the intimidation of a new job was there nonetheless. Yoongi was there every step of the way. He had a crush on the new employee and you needed help on fitting in. Either way, your friendship was very platonic until it wasn’t. 

Yoongi knows he should have said something along the lines “hey, maybe we shouldn't be doing this anymore. I’m in love with you and I have been since you started working here” but the stupid words never made it out. He felt it would be too much to hear and it would only make him look like a complete loser. 

And you felt the same. It was silly really, because everyone around you knew it and there was no reason to fear someone as easy going and non-judgemental as Yoongi, nonetheless it brought you both here. After many failed dating attempts, you were finally happy and in the arms of someone who you truly love and want to be loved by. 

There was a time in his life where Yoongi believed he could live without love, now Yoongi believes your precious, sweet love brought him back to life and he wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. 

Clothes now discarded on the floor, heavy breathing filling the room, and Yoongi could get wasted on the smell of your intoxicating perfume. “Breathe flower.”

Yoongi felt you shiver at the sound of his words, throwing your head back as he thrusts you full of cock. He pushes inside you with gentle movements, struggling to keep himself up while feeling the tug of your warm velvet-like walls. 

You gasp feeling him hit your cervix in a calm, slow pace. It was breathtaking regardless of the gentle rhythm. “You’re so deep...”

“I know flower, breathe baby, breathe.” He is struggling to keep from coming inside you, overwhelmed by his own emotions as your eyes roll back, feeling the pressure rise in your belly. Without a condom, everything feels so different from other times, feeling every ridge and crease fold inside your drenching heat. You take him so nicely, like you always have. Like you’ve always belonged to him. 

You don’t even notice you stopped breathing until you start feeling lightheaded and desperate for fresh air. Breathing just as much as necessary so you don’t faint, you shake your head against his hold, his eyes watch yours, observing with curiosity. 

“No?”

“Mm, n-no.” You shake your head again, whimpering when you feel him kiss your cervix with his swollen tip, over and over and over. “Can– can you…”

“Can I what, pretty flower?” Yoongi rolls his hips a bit faster, feeling his orgasm build too quickly. He wishes he could have days with you like this always. Days to love and worship you from head to toe.

“Choke me.” You manage to say. “Don— don’t wanna breathe.” 

Yoongi growls deep, increasing his speed even more, desperate to fill the deepest part of your glistening folds. He feels you tense underneath, the sounds coming from your mouth are loud enough for your neighbors to hear, but Yoongi stopped giving a fuck about everything around him. 

He places a hand on your throat and squeezes gently, not blocking off your airways completely, but leaving you just enough air to work with. It drives you insane. The more you breathe, his rough thrusts take the air out from your lungs and the process repeats. It feels so good.  

“M-more. Harder.” You barely hear your own words, but Yoongi seems to understand because his dick is moving rapidly inside you, nearly splitting you in two. You wrap both hands around his wrist, loving the heavy weight against your chest. It’ll end too soon and it disappoints you in a way, but you have all the time in the world to make this up. “G-Gonna come.” 

Yoongi nods, concentrating on the way your face scrunches with pleasure. With love. The way your eyes tell him a story. God, Yoongi’s madly in love. “Come, my precious flower.” 

With those final words, you come on his bare slick cock, blossoming in the blissful afterglow. Yoongi doesn’t stop thrusting inside you, but he takes his hand off your throat, kissing your face gently when he sees tears start leaking down your cheeks. 

“It’s okay, you’re okay baby. Breathe for me. Slowly.” Yoongi’s words bring you back down and you throw your arms around him, crying against his shoulder. You don’t even know what invoked this strong emotion to sob your eyes out, but Yoongi allows it, caressing the back of your head. Yoongi doesn’t judge, he only holds you until you settle down. “It’s okay baby, let it out. Breathe, pretty flower.” 

“C-Come inside muh-me, please.” Even after all that, you still beg for him and Yoongi wants to laugh but for your sake and the fact that it’s endearing to him, he delivers accordingly without further questions. 

Right as he’s going to paint your walls white, he pushes himself up with one hand, still holding you with the other. “You sure?”

You’re confused about the sudden question, the tears still decorate your face but then you understand. “Birth control. Just come in me Yoongi, fuck me, fu-fuck.”

Yoongi doesn’t hesitate to regain his brutal pace, fucking you with purpose. Not that he doesn’t want kids in the near future, but he sure as hell doesn’t want any right now. He’s glad you are on the same page but maybe one day the conversation would spark and he wouldn’t want the mother of his kids to be anyone else but you. You were perfect for him. 

“Gonna come.” That’s the only warning you get, then he’s emptying himself inside your tight walls. He doesn’t stop rolling his hips, his slit leaking puddles, until he’s pumped himself dry. With one last thrust, he groans and carefully pulls out. 

He brings you with him, head falling against his chest as he continues to play with your hair, leaving kisses into your bare shoulders. “You okay baby?”

“Perfect. Feel so good.” You mumble into his skin, feeling around his waist. “I’m leaking your come into the sheets though.”

“I’ll take care of it, pretty flower.” You nod sleepily into his chest with a quiet ‘thank you’, feeling completely sated and satisfied, aching with exhaustion. “Sleep baby, I got you.”

With that, you fall deep into the shackles of sleep. Yoongi rubs your back until you completely fall asleep in his arms. He struggles to unwrap himself from your hold, but when he finally succeeds, he tucks you in and kisses your cheek a few times before getting up to clean up after the mess you both created. 

He’s light on his feet, bringing a warm towel to your slick folds and wipes as best he can, being gentle so you could continue to enjoy your sleep. Even like this, you look so beautiful and Yoongi is an extremely lucky man. 

Yoongi makes sure to also pick up the lamp he dropped from earlier as well. He blows out a breath of relief when he notices that the damage is nothing big and nothing that can’t be fixed. He’ll make sure to fix that as soon as he can. 

While he’s out there, Yoongi places the tulips into a vase and fills it with water, placing it near a window where it could grow and blossom beautifully near the sunlight. He even cuts the tips into slants because he had heard somewhere online they last longer that way, making sure to get rid of any dead leaves and petals. Yoongi couldn’t be happier.

After he’s done with the light cleaning, he washes his hands and feels the exhaustion hit him tenfold. He’s careful when placing himself back in bed, lifting your arm and placing himself underneath you. The man smiles when he feels you curl yourself around him, sleeping soundlessly. 

“I love you.” He whispers and even though you don’t say it back Yoongi feels it with the way you melt into his arms. Yoongi falls asleep easily that night. 

…

“Baby.” Yoongi hears someone call him and he ignores it. Sleep calls his name louder and he doesn’t feel like waking up right now so he groans and cuddles deeper into the bedsheets below him, unaware of the life around him. 

“Baby wake up.” You keep calling sweetly and it’s tempting but he persists.

“No. Don’t wanna.” Yoongi grumbles like an old man and you can’t help but to laugh. “Just ten more minutes.”

When you woke up the next morning, you were so thankful Yoongi had kept his promise. Your apartment was flawless and you were as clean as you could be. The tulips looked prettier today as the sun shined on the delicate petals. You even had time to warm the seaweed soup he brought from home and you couldn’t wait to get a taste. The smell alone is delicious and it warmed your home up nicely, you truly couldn’t wrap your head around the fact that this was no longer a dream but your reality. You could definitely get used to this. 

You drop kisses onto his warm cheeks until his eyes flutter open, almost similar to a cat. “There you are.”

Yoongi pulls you into his arms again with quiet noncoherent grumbles and closes his eyes once more. “Give me ten minutes.”

“It’s already been ten.” You whisper lightly laughing. 

“Oh. Ten more then.” You get comfortable on his chest and cuddle for a bit longer because you can’t say no to his cute sleepy self. 

Yoongi starts to sniff the air with curiosity. “Is that the seaweed soup I brought you?” 

“Mhm.” You hum. “Better get up soon before it burns.” 

That manages to be convincing enough and Yoongi forces himself up, with you in his embrace. 

“Wanna wake up like that forever.” He says, voice filled with sleep. 

“You can.” 

Yoongi snaps his heavy eyes towards you. “Are you–”

“Move in with me, Yoongi.” Yes, you skipped every step to this, but nothing was ever to code between you and Yoongi. One thing you were so sure of and that was spending the rest of your life with him. “Please.”

“I- yes, of course.” Yoongi wraps his arms around you for a tight hug, kissing your temple. “I love you. I love you and I’ll prove it to you every single day.” 

“I know, I love you too. I love you.” Those three words come out from your mouths so easily and it’s nice that you no longer have to ever hold back. The man of your dreams is in the palms of your humble home and he’s in love with you. This was better than any dream. 

“Let’s eat?” He says after some time of hugging and kisses being interchanged. 

You nod, letting him take you there. Your kitchen is filled with the cruel aroma of food and your tummy rumbles as you sit comfortably while you wait for him to serve you a bowl of the warm tasty soup. 

“I should be doing that. I’m a terrible host.” Yoongi shakes his head while smiling, the fluff of hair moving with him, then your phone dings. “Hold on, give me a second.” 

Your heart drops when you see it is a Tinder notification from a man you promised to get back to. You look over to find Yoongi serving your bowl, making his way to the table. He leans in puckering slightly and you immediately lean into the sweet sudden kiss while he places your meal in front of you. This Yoongi is new because it wasn’t often you could act domestically towards one another, however this was perfect and just what you needed. 

“Everything okay baby?” Yoongi asks while caressing your soft cheek and you immediately nod in his palm. 

“Yes, everything’s perfect.” You reply in awe. “Thank you Yoongi, for everything.”

For letting me love you and for loving me back. 

The older man just smiles and joins you for the meal. 

It turns out you didn’t need Tinder after all. 

You quickly delete the app off your phone and start to eat with the love of your life, conversation flows while you enjoy each other’s presence and fall deeper in love. 

Alike Yoongi, you couldn’t imagine it happening any other way. You were bound to fall in love, one way or another, but that man was meant to be yours as you were meant to be his.

[romanceclub-lovers]

Veronica. G author of "Dracula a Love story" answers a few questions from players.

💭 Vacation again?

No, there are personal circumstances and this is not a vacation.

💭 We are waiting and getting upset

I know, and therefore, I think few people are as bitter about the delays of history as I am .

💭 At least explain what's the matter.

Sorry, but no details. Whatever the motive, there will definitely be those who feel sorry and those who say “ha, that’s my reason too.” I don't want either one or the other. How to talk about what has not been fully completed. Maybe I’ll share when it’s all over.

💭 When will you continue writing dls? Why do you have time to answer questions and maintain social media. Write some posts, but not write the story itself? Do you think it's disrespectful to your audience who love your story?

Is there a difference for you - to write a complex, voluminous research paper for work/study or to answer a friend in a chat? These are completely different types of writing. In the first you concentrate and give your all, in the second you relax. I go to the page with my personal time, and communication with the audience lifts my spirits and inspires me.

💭 How did you start your journey as an author of stories at the Romance Club ? Should we expect another story from you?

I started like everyone else with a resume and a test assignment. I can't say anything about the new story.

💭 What is Anton’s fate after the departure of our friends and what about the fallow deer? I hope someone called the vet for them.

Of course, the fallow deer were cured. Anton also recovered, but his wife nags him that he lost such a job.

💭 Will there be an unhappy ending to the story?

Yes, as in all stories

💭 There is an opinion that the past and the present time are written by different people. Is someone really helping you, or are these players’ sick fantasies?

Maybe different parts of me.

💭Why do we get only an affair with Septentrion? Does this act as a spoiler or did you see him as a “demi-LI”?

This is my personal whim. Well, I like him, what can I do?

💭 Was the thread with Mehmed something you thought about when developing the story or did you decide to introduce it later?

Initially, Mehmed was not intended as a LI. But then I saw the potential in it and I became interested in developing it

💭 Many incidents and plot remains open. Will all this fit into 7 episodes?

The plot will be revealed, don’t worry. If it doesn't fit, we'll add series.

💭Mehmed's new appearance looks exactly like Ben Barnes. is this on purpose?

No, it's an accident. I only learned that he and Mehmed are similar from readers’ comments.

💭I love Mehmed very much, will there be more scenes with him?

Of course there will be more scenes

💭How would you describe the love of Laia and Vlad?

In one word, this is space.

💭I would like to know if we will see more of Zara and Dimitris, the development of their relationship?

We'll see

💭Will there be other characters from the past?

No.

💭Will there be an ending with Mehmed in the present?

There will be an ending (He's an endgame)

💭Are there any books by you? Is there a book planned on DLS or is its publication unlikely?

There are no books by me, I’m new to writing. Will they be - we'll wait and see.

Credit Art: @ratanslily

💭I would like to ask a question about the scene of Mehmed’s harassment in the first season, this is a topic that everyone is very curious about. As we know, Mehmed occupies a very important place in history for the Turks and keeps him alive in the hearts of every Turk without exception. That's why the Turkish side of the fandom enjoyed your story from the very beginning. But to be honest, this scene left us all disappointed... Even though Mehmed has had good character development so far, most people (including me, unfortunately) can't forget this scene from season one. As I already said, game aside, he is already one of the great glorious people in our history. I hope you have not misunderstood me, but we have been waiting for years for an explanation from both you and the management on this issue. I write this with all sincerity; Can you at least talk about this issue and explain?

Our short story is not a history book, but a fairy tale. Any fairy tale must have villains, otherwise the plot will not work. We had a wise and kind Sultan Murad, but someone had to do bad things. According to historical facts, Mehmed, during his first reign, was indeed an unprepared, too young ruler and made mistakes. That's why I chose him for a negative role. And I am very sorry that by doing this I offended some of the Turkish players. The image of Mehmed from the game has no relation to the historical Sultan, just as Cardinal Richelieu from the novels of Alexandre Dumas does not resemble the historical Richelieu - wise and respected in France .

Source note: TG PKR

[sassy-ahsoka-tano]

DADDY ISSUES - Part One: Motive

Character/Fandom: Elvis - Elvis (2022)

Prompt: You're just a waitress, nothing more. But when your cousin, Steve, gets into a jam and needs your help, you have no choice but to indulge him and become the front-row face of Elvis Presley's '68 Comeback Special. [ Fem!Reader ]

TW: None! Inaccuracies to the actual special probably lmao. this chapter is tame. the others won't be

Rating: Pg (but this series will be very NSFW, so minors save yourself the trouble + DNI)   ||     Word Count: 4644

A/N: it's finally hereeeee!! happy thirsty thursday hunnies + i hope you enjoy part 1 of the series! i promise smut will be forthcoming, but i have it plotted for almost every part so i wanted to start out with plot stuff instead 😅

Song Rec: motive - ari (feat. doja cat)

This is Part 1 of Daddy Issues. Find the rest of the series here!

[ masterlist | taglist ]

🦋 mila

─────•~❉᯽❉~•─────

“Order up! Table seventeen.”

You let your slippery white shoes glide across the checked floor as you slide up to the counter. You grab the plate from off the rack and trot out from behind the counter to deliver it to table seventeen.

“I got a burger and fries?” you ask, placing the plate down and proceeding with the rest of the order. You load the family’s dirty dishes onto the tray and snatch up the ringing telephone as you pass by it.

“Chadney’s Restaurant, how can I help you?” you say into the speaker.

“Hi, I’m calling for Y/N?”

“Uh…yes, this is she?” you respond, setting the tray down. “I’m sorry, who is this?”

“Oh Y/N, perfect, this is Steve, your cousin,” the voice replies.

“Steve Binder? Why are you calling me at work? Didn’t your mom give you my new home phone number?”

“Yeah, but I knew you wouldn’t pick up. Listen, I’m in a bit of a bind at the moment, and I was wondering if you could do me a favor?”

“What kind of favor?”

“Well, seeing as you’re right across the way here, I was just wondering how many people are in the restaurant right now? Do you think any of them would be willing to come down here to be part of a live studio audience?”

You sigh, glancing around the restaurant quickly. It’s later in the afternoon, but because of the restaurant’s vicinity to NBC, it’s usually crowded most of the day. Only a few tables are empty.

“Yeah, it’s busy. I don’t know… there are some younger people. Who’s performing?”

“Elvis Presley.”

You feel your mouth drop open and your blood run cold.

“Y/N! We have orders ready to go out!” You wave a hand dismissively at your boss screaming from the kitchen.

“So, do you think anyone would be interested?” Steve presses.

“Yeah, maybe, I don’t know. Listen, I have to go. If you want them, you’ll have to come down here and get them yourself. I gotta go, Steve, bye.”

You click the phone down before he has a chance to protest and get back to work. You’re only able to run about two orders out before the door swings open and you glance up to see your cousin waltzing in with another man you don’t recognize.

“Hi everyone! If I could just have your attention please!”

Murmurs spread throughout the restaurant as forks and knives clink down onto the old yellowed ceramic plates. Silence settles before Steve continues.

“Hi all, I know this is sort of out of the ordinary, but my name is Steve Binder, and I work for NBC. We’re actually across the street right now gearing up to film a show with Elvis Presley, the King of rock’n’roll, I’m sure you’re all familiar. Unfortunately, we seem to have lost our audience. Again, I know this sounds strange, but would any of you be interested in attending the filming to be part of a live audience?”

You hear a gasp and turn to see your coworker and only true friend, Candy, standing next to you. She glances over at you with a big smile and nudges your arm with her elbow.

“Elvis!!” she whispers.

By the time Steve has finished with his announcement, practically everyone in the cafe has jumped out of their seats and rushed toward your cousin, cheering and jeering to get in line. You walk back behind the counter to put your apron away as Steve gestures the people funneling out of the restaurant toward the NBC Studios building across the street. You start stacking plates when you hear Steve’s voice behind you.

“Thanks for your help,” he says.

“Not a problem,” you respond, turning around to hug him. “Now, what’s this I hear about Elvis Presley?”

“Crazy, isn’t it? Bones Howe and I got a call from his producer, Jerry Schilling, about helping him reconnect with his previous persona, his famous image. We met him, talked for a while, and boom now we’re here.”

“That’s amazing!” Candy adds, walking up to lean against the counter. “You know your cousin here,” she gestures to you, “is like the biggest Elvis fan on the planet.”

“You don’t say. Actually…” his eyes light up and he points at you. “Y/N, you know, you’d be perfect for this. You’re exactly the kind of person we want to showcase on the special. Young, fresh, attractive, a real and authentic person. Do you think you could come with me now?”

“No. No, you know I can’t do that," you reply, shaking your head.

“Why not? There’s not a soul in this place, anymore.”

You look around and shake your head.

“There are still people here, and I’m still on the clock. I can’t just leave. I’ll get fired.”

“Ah, Y/N, lay off it. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, honey,” Candy says. “You should go!”

You shake your head and turn, trying to go back to work, but Steve speaks up again.

“I can get you a prime spot. Right in front of him. And your friend is welcome to come, too. C’mon, Y/N. Please.”

Memories flash through your mind. Fans screaming, police lights flashing, flashes of black fabric. You glance back into Steve’s bright blue eyes and feel anxiety rising in your chest. It gets harder to breathe and your fingers start to feel like they’re vibrating. You can’t do this. You shouldn’t do this. You’re not ready. But Steve’s pleading eyes are too strong for your will. You sigh deeply, running a hand over your face.

“Alright fine,” you respond. “Just give me a second to figure this out.”

Steve nods and you turn toward Candy with a deep breath. She wastes no time, jumping over the counter and grabbing onto your wrist to drag you into the kitchen where your boss, Frank, is cooking up a storm.

“What the hell’s going on out there?” Frank asks, wiping sweat from his forehead. “If you’re slacking, I can replace you quicker than a flash.”

“Well, that’s actually something we wanna talk to you about,” Candy says, and you frantically shake your head at her. “A Mr. Steve Binder from NBC Studios just stopped by and he’s looking for some people to join a live audience for a show they’re recording across the street. It’s an Elvis Presley show.”

“Is it one of those goddamn movies again?” Frank asks. “Cause if I have to hear one more word about those shitty films again, I’ll fire both of your asses.”

You shoot a pleading glance at Candy and mouth the word ‘no’, but she just rolls her eyes and shakes her head at Frank’s rude comment.

“No, it’s a musical performance, Frank. And don’t threaten us like that,” she responds, and you feel panic start to pump through your veins.

“What does any of this have to do with me, anyway?” Frank asks gruffly. “I don’t care what you do in your free time.”

“Y/N and I are leaving work early to go be a part of the audience,” Candy says, angrily. “That’s what it has to do with you.”

A clanging noise sounds as Frank drops his metal spatula onto the grill. You drop your head into your hands, clutching onto the roots of your hair and dreading what words will come next.

“What did you say?” Frank asks, turning around with an irate expression on his ugly, bulbous features. You know he isn’t really asking Candy to repeat herself but giving her a chance to change her answer. She keeps her mouth in a straight, flat line, refusing to budge.

“If you think you two little girls can just leave whenever the hell you want, you’re wrong,” he says, jabbing a fat swollen finger at you both. “You walk outta here right now, you’re fired. I don’t wanna see your damn face in here again, do you understand me?”

You falter, feeling all of the blood drain from your face. No, no, no. You can’t be fired. You need this job. But apparently, Candy doesn’t.

“So be it,” she says resolutely. “Come on, Y/N, let’s go be on live television.”

Before you have a chance to fall to your knees and beg for forgiveness from Frank, Candy’s fingers are latching onto your arm and dragging you away.

“Goddamn it! Fired!” Frank yells as you both dash out of the kitchen. “Do you hear me? FIRED! If I EVER see your faces in this restaurant again, I will-”

The rest of what he says is cut off when Candy slams the front door to Chadney’s, never to be opened again. Steve is waiting for you outside, and he perks up when you both approach him. You don’t hear a word of his greeting or Candy’s introduction. So many anxieties and worries are running through your brain. Your whole body feels cold and shaky, and all you can do is focus on remembering to breathe before you have a mental breakdown. The cold air-conditioned breeze shakes you back into consciousness when you walk into the NBC Studios building.

“Alright, so I’ll take you over to costuming and get you all set up, and then we’ll cart you out to the stage,” Steve explains as you dodge people running up and down the hallway with all kinds of props, costumes, and various objects.

“I thought you wanted ‘authentic people,’” you counter as Candy drags you along. You lean out of the way and nearly miss a man carting a huge stuffed moose down the narrow hallway.

“Oh, we do, but we want to make sure that everyone is styled as contemporarily as possible,” Steve says. “No offense to your uniforms.”

You quirk an eyebrow, not the least bit offended. You despise that faded blue dress with the hideous red Chadney’s logo over the left lapel. The creamy white tennis shoes are even more atrocious. Steve leads you both into the costuming room where there are dozens of people everywhere getting dressed in bright yellows, reds, greens, and blues.

“This is Barbara, and she’s gonna help style you today,” Steve says, gesturing to a middle-aged blonde woman with black squared glasses. “For Y/N, we want to put her in something extra stylish because she’s gonna stationed right in front of the camera.”

“Woah, woah, wait!” you say, holding your hands up. “What? No, Steve, I don’t want to be right in front of the camera. I would actually much prefer to get lost in the crowd as much as possible.”

“Don’t be silly. You’re everything we’re looking for as our front girl,” he says, dismissively waving his hand. “I think this one, Barb.”

You’re too busy having your third massive freak out in the last twenty minutes to pay attention to the fabric Steve pulls for you. Barbara shoves you behind a changing stall, pushing a hanger in your face. You reach for Candy only to see her being pulled away to a different stylist.

“Go ahead and get dressed, honey,” Barbara says hurriedly. “Then we’ll figure out what to do with your hair. Oh, before I forget, what shoe size are you?”

You just have enough time to shout your size at her before she’s running off among the chaos around you. You sheepishly duck behind the stall and yank your work uniform off. As quickly as you can, you pull the soft fabric of a dress over your skin. You glance down at the garment. It’s gorgeous. It has a deep red top with fluffy sleeves and little buttons. And the skirt portion is full of rust, orange, yellow, and white floral patterns. Surprisingly, the dress seems to fit very well, perhaps a bit small and tight in some places. By the time you’ve finished admiring it, Barbara is pulling you out to throw a pair of white gogo boots at you. You stuff your sweaty feet into them as Barbara pulls at your hair. It happens so fast that you can’t even comprehend how, but she somehow gets your hair into a beautifully relaxed beehive with a little orange headband that matches one of the colors on the skirt.

“You look great! Now get out there, we’re almost out of time,” she says, pushing you toward the door.

You really wish you could see yourself and at least know what you look like before you go out to be broadcast, apparently front and center, to the American public. But you get swept up by the other audience members rushing toward the stage. You aren’t really sure where you’re going, so you just mosey along with the big group and hope someone knows the right way. Eventually, you find yourself in a rough line, spanning out into the hallway. You can hear someone’s voice, it's familiar but you can’t place it, as he directs people around the tiny red stage in the middle of the room. You peer around the line to get a look at the man with the familiar voice and smile to yourself when you recognize his glasses and shaggy haircut.

Bones Howe, Steve’s business partner. You’d met here and there but would be surprised if he remembers you. You and Steve are cousins, yes, but not blood-related, so the times you see each other are rare. You step up after the older woman in front of you who reeks of cheap perfume.

“Y/N! Hi, nice to see you again. Wow, Steve was right, you look great. Just what we’re looking for,” he says with a big smile.

“Hi Bones,” you chuckle, feeling flattered at the fact that he remembers you.

“Alright so we’re gonna have you placed right here,” he says, pointing and pushing your back gently to guide you. “Now just a quick reminder to act natural but also remember that the camera will be on you the majority of the time. So just don’t pick your nose or do anything you wouldn’t want your mother to see. Thanks again for doing this!”

Before you can ask a question or say ‘you’re welcome,’ he’s gone. You shrug and take your place, once again directly by the stage. Just as you’re settling in, lazily glancing around to see if you can find Candy, someone slides in next to you.

“Hi! I’m Trixie!” a high-pitched voice says and a small hand reaches out beside you. You turn to see a beautiful woman, tall and curvy, with dark black hair and bright brown eyes. She’s wearing a turtleneck sweater, a plaid skirt, and matching knee thighs with heels. All in a vivid color of bright lavender that compliments her skin perfectly. You smile, reaching to shake her hand.

“Y/N,” you respond with a smile. “I love your outfit.”

“Thanks! I picked it out myself,” she says. “So, did you call in on the radio, too?”

“Uh…no, no I sort of…got picked, I guess,” you respond with furrowed eyebrows. Call in on the radio?

“Oh, very fancy! I called in as soon as I heard on the radio. Are you an Elvis fan? I’ve been to three of his concerts, own all his records, and seen all his films,” she says, leaning against the stage with a big smile.

“Yes, big fan!” you say, nodding. “I’ve also seen all his movies. And I’ve only been to one concert but it was…the best night of my life, honestly.”

Minus the riot that broke out after…

“Wow, that’s awesome! Which concert, I wonder if we could have been at the same one?”

“Russwood Park 1956,” you say with a deep breath.

“Wow, that must have been amazing! I remember reading about it in the papers,” Trixie says. “What was it like?”

Just as you’re about to answer, you hear that familiar voice again and glance up to see Bones kneeling down next to you.

“Ladies, if I could actually bother you both to sit up here on the stage, that would be incredible,” Bones says with a wink. “We want to make sure that it looks casual, like Elvis is just a regular guy hanging out with a bunch of kids. Alright, great!”

You look at Trixie and shrug with a nervous smile. You both hop up onto the stage, sitting sideways next to each other. You glance around you to see that a huge crowd has packed in behind you.

“Hi all and welcome to NBC Studios!”

Applause erupts all around you, and you gently clap your hands together.

“We’re so pleased to have all of you, and we’re super excited for the show. Just a few things before we get started to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible.”

He points up toward a flashing red light that says APPLAUSE. Very subtle...

“Now when that sign lights up, what do you do?” Bones asks.

The crowd erupts into applause again, and you shake your head at the sheer absurdity of it all. Bones continues to explain how things are going to work.

“And lastly, ladies and gentleman, this is television not radio, so when that goes on and you clap, let's see it on your faces.”

The crowd claps again, and you glance around to admire the variety of expressions on the faces of the audience members. Some are definitely more cut out for this acting natural thing than others.

“Now Elvis is performing tonight just for you so keep that in mind. Let that inspire you,” Bones says. “And without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, here’s Elvis Presley.

And there he is, indeed. Ironically in black, again, just like the last time you saw him. He takes the stage with a smile, and you drink him in. He looks incredible, tan and fit and happy, probably better than he had when you’d seen him last. But he seems nervous, a feeling which you hadn’t noticed the last time you’d seen him. He shakes himself out and glances around for a moment, nodding, before grabbing his guitar. You feel Trixie latch onto your hand and squeeze excitedly. You shoot her a smile as he begins to sing.

Heartbreak Hotel, one of your favorites. You feel a smile spreading across your face as his hips start to move back and forth with the beat of the song. His voice is incredible, even better than it had been when he was young. Back then, it was smoother, higher pitched. Now, it’s deep, rich, and raspy. A man’s voice. You bring a hand up to cover your mouth as he leans back, holding the microphone stand tightly. His eyes travel backward as a smirk crawls onto his face. And for a quick second, your heart stops and smile drops.

Had he seen you? No, it’s impossible. You’re kidding yourself and hoping for something that won’t happen. Something unbelievable.

So you think, until he tilts his head down and stares right at you. There’s no mistaking it this time. His eyes are trained on you for a few seconds until he removes the guitar and hands it off to a bandmate. He drops to his knees right in front of you and pushes his crotch up into your face. A sense of deja vu hits you like a brick. You suck in a sharp breath and throw a hand onto your face in embarrassment as you catch him wink at you. When he gets up to go back to center stage, you feel your chest release a shaky breath.

Despite everything in your body telling you this isn’t real, here you are again. Somehow almost in the exact same spot you had been during the performance in 1956 in Memphis. Right by the stage, right where you can see him. And he can see you. Your lips part, and you grip hard onto the fabric of the orange dress, feeling the blood once again drain from your face. You’d never thought you’d ever see him again. You couldn’t believe how lucky you’d been to see him the first time around at all. It’s 12 years ago now. You were only 16 then, now you were almost 30. Everything had changed that day. Your expectations for life, your standards for men, your understanding of sex. Everything.

You were just a face in the crowd, nothing special. Sure, you’d fought your way up to the front, but you were so small then. It was just easier for you to get there and weave through the crowd. You were just watching him in that black suit as he threw himself around onstage. You’d screamed with the other fans, gripped at the stage, overreacted like the teenage girl you were. There was nothing special about you. You were utterly ordinary. Until he’d knelt down by you, right in front of you, and reached out with his beautiful slender fingers, curled those fingers around your chin…

You absentmindedly reach up to touch the skin on your jaw, remembering the feeling of his strong grasp on the bones underneath the skin.

How it felt to have him touch you. You, out of everyone else in the crowd. He’d leaned so close to you, so close that you could see the beads of sweat on his skin, rolling down his dark black hair. He’d sang right to you. Right in your face as his eyes searched yours and he gripped onto your jaw. You’ll never forget the feeling of emptiness when he’d left your space. When he’d retreated from you. The need, the desire you felt to get him back. To have him next to you again. To have him that close to you. You would never forget that day in Russwood Park. Never.

You smile as you watch him, knowing that you’ll never forget this moment in time either. He moves around similarly to how he used to but with even more confidence now. He doesn’t have the body of a child anymore, but a man’s frame. Tall and thick. Your eyes gravitate toward his ass, and your mouth falls open as you watch it move. The full leather suit he wears hugs him in all the right places, especially there. You bite your lip at the way the fabric moves against him and shines in the light. A few people around you start to sing along, so you join in, clapping to the time. You drop your face into your hands, feeling heat creep into your cheeks as he wiggles around on stage again. You clap with a huge smile on your face as he speaks into the mic.

“It’s been a long time, baby. A long time,” he says.

After he performs, the crew brings a stool up onto the stage and he sits to chat about his career and where he’s at in his life right now.

“But that’s one thing about this tv special that I’m doing,” he’s saying, “They’re gonna let me do what I wanna do. Sing the music that I want. The music that I love. The music that makes me happy.”

You catch him glancing up at something, and your eyes follow his gaze to rest on a beautiful woman sitting in the upper sections. His wife, Priscilla. You recognize her from the magazine covers you’ve seen of them together. You’d been crushed when they’d gotten married. Of course you’re happy for them both and never at all expected that he would fall in love with you or anything like that. You knew it was implausible, but still, you had hope. Hope that was all but crushed when Mrs. Presley became a reality.

You shake off the slight disappointment that you feel trying to settle into your chest and enjoy the rest of the show. Even though Elvis’ back is toward you for the remainder of the taping, you still love hearing him talk about himself and his music. You’re having such a great time that what ends up taking three hours feels like three minutes. And you can forget, for that time, about the fact that you no longer have a stable income. You crane your neck as Elvis walks off the stage, smiling and waving to the crowd. You want to see as much of him as humanly possible. It could be the last time.

You watch as he stops momentarily to talk to a tall man with shaggy blondish hair. You turn to Trixie, who is gushing about the performance but glance back at Elvis out of the corner of your eye to see him gesturing toward your area of the stage. For a moment, your heart skips a beat but you shake yur head. No, he couldn’t possibly have singled you out again. That would make you too lucky. Way too lucky.

After the show, you’re ushered back into the costuming area and stripped of your clothes. You sigh and shrug back on your old uniform with all the ketchup and coffee stains. As soon as the fabric hits your skin, it’s a harsh reminder that you need to find a job. Like yesterday. You emerge from the changing station and gently place the dress on a table with other random pieces of clothing, but not before fishing out a small strip of worn paper. Trixie had written her name, address, and phone number on it. She’d said she’s looking for a roommate and, apparently, really likes you enough to consider you. Maybe it’s time for a move, after all.

“Thanks for your help, Barbara,” you say. She glances up at you with her magnified eyes and smiles warmly. “Hey, you wouldn’t happen to know where I can find Mr. Binder, would you? I have something I wanted to ask him about.”

“Upstairs, to the right in the recording studio,” she responds. “If you get lost just ask someone and tell them Barb sent you.”

You thank her again and place the white gogo boots on the floor next to the table. But as you turn to leave, Barbara’s voice stops you.

“Take them,” she says softly, gesturing to the boots and the dress. “They were made for you.”

You normally wouldn’t indulge such an offer, but now that you’re jobless, you figure some free stuff can’t hurt. You smile and reach down to grab the outfit, tucking it under your arm as you wind your way around the crowds and pockets of people. When you get upstairs, you take a moment to glance around at the posters on the wall. Your eyebrows raise as you see one for Star Trek. Very cool. Your eyes swing to the right and you see what looks like, to your untrained eyes, a recording studio. You debate knocking but aren’t sure if it’ll interfere with any of the recording process, so you just quietly step in and press your back to the wall.

“Cue the gospel number now,” Steve says quickly, and you lean away from the door as a lumbering fat man waddles in.

“No,” the fat man mumbles, “None of this will be in the special.”

He gestures toward two businessmen sitting across the doorway. You hadn’t even noticed them when you’d walked in, but they look displeased in their stiff black suits.

“Can you make a note that that should be in the special,” Steve says, and you chuckle to yourself. “Now let’s segue straight into the whorehouse dancers.”

Your mouth drops open and you throw a hand over your mouth. Steve continues to bring more crazy and wild aspects into the special, and you have to bite your lip to keep from laughing audibly. The way Elvis’ manager frantically looks from screen to screen wracks your body with silent hisses.

Suddenly, the cast and crew start running frantically and screaming. Your laughing stops abruptly and your attention is pulled to a crew member as they dash into the room.

“Robert Kennedy’s been shot!!”

─────•~❉᯽❉~•─────

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[thecoffeelovingfreak]

flash that angle, grind a smile

Pairing: Vil Schoenheit x gn!Actor!Reader

Writing Genre: story

Genres: fluff, pining, co-workers to friends to lovers

Words: 2.2k

Warnings: very brief discussion of poisoning & blood, it's my first time writing for Vil so hopefully he's not too out of character

Notes: I was listening to 'Sculptures of Anything Goes' by Arctic Monkeys and my mind started drifting to creating this fic -- so here it is! <3

Read it on ao3!

~~~

Silently sipping on your delightfully warm latte, you observed the scene being produced in front of you.

“And if the Grand Duke hears about this? What do you expect your fate to be then?” one of your co-stars voiced worriedly, trying to reason with the antagonist.

“My fate is of no concern to anyone but me.” Vil’s character Antoine glared at the man before continuing, “I’m sure there are plenty of cases for you to investigate in the city. Entertain yourself with one of them and move along now, Dorian… lest you find your destiny lying with His Highness.”

You fought back a chuckle, being mindful of the cameras still rolling.

Dorian seemed slightly dejected as he quietly left the Prince’s office – a physical foreshadowing of the character’s motives that were to be revealed later on in the series.

As the scene came to a close the floor manager called out, “And cut! Great work today everyone! Get a nice meal and a good rest – I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow!”

The formerly quiet set began bustling with various audio engineers, camera operators, runners, and assistants. Rising from your chair, you stretched before deciding to strike up a conversation with Dorian’s actor, Killian.

“Hi, Kil! Your performance was fabulous today!”

“Mine? We should be talking about yours! The dinner scene was phenomenal! The way you portray such a deceiving Marchioness is almost frightful.” he finished with a wink. Your bubbly conversation with your co-star continued for approximately fifteen minutes until you decided to bid him farewell.

—

After changing back into your everyday clothes and having your hair and makeup undone, you felt content to return to the trailer you would continue to call home for the weekend. As you finished gathering your things, you heard your favorite voice speak from behind you.

“Good evening, Y/n. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I would like to discuss our scenes for tomorrow’s filming.”

“It’s no trouble at all, Vil. Why don’t we talk in my trailer over salad?”

He looked contemplative for a moment before agreeing.

—

You had always held respect for Vil’s love of his craft, and seeing how dedicated he was to ensuring both his and your prime performances began turning that respect into admiration. Working on the newest season of Twisted Wonderland’s most popular historical drama for the last few months had brought you closer, and you felt yourself drifting nearer and nearer to the sea of love. It was always hard to decipher the blond’s feelings due to his consistent air of professionalism, and although sometimes it was irksome, at the end of the day it was yet another aspect of him to appreciate.

“Y/n? What’s got you so distracted?”

Your body jolted to attention as you focused back on your conversation, quickly sipping on a glass of lemonade you had gotten after dinner.

“Nothing, I apologize.” you laughed off lightly, “Please, continue.”

He eyed you with suspicion and knowing before clearing his throat.

“Anyways, as you know Antoine’s plan will be accelerating to prepare for the next season after the finale tomorrow, and the masquerade scene we will be filming will run the longest. Since our characters are slowly blossoming into each other’s love interests, I think the scenes of them dancing together will be the most important to master, especially since they represent the turning point in their relationship."

You nodded along to his words before asking, “Should we go over the dance one more time?”

“I would say that we could do it now, but unfortunately there is not enough space in here. We can arrive at the set earlier to rehearse, however.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Vil checked his watch before sighing, “As much as I wish to continue our meeting, I must prioritize my schedule. Tomorrow will be important, and I want to feel and look my best. So, if you’ll excuse me, I have to be off now. Have a great night, Y/n.”

You wished him a good night as well, before starting your own routine.

–

A huff exited the actor’s lips as he braided his hair – a pointless action as hair and makeup would style it accordingly – but alas his frazzled thoughts needed a calming activity. His brain continued pestering him by replaying your conversation last night. He knew why you were distracted, and the feelings behind it are what made him hesitate to take your offer. But upon further reflection both last night and this morning, he found that he was not entirely averse to the idea. You had become casual friends during the long period of filming, and he had to admit to himself that there were many things about you he found appealing.

A knock on his door broke him out of his thoughts.

He tied off the braid and adjusted his hair before rising from his vanity to answer it. Who else stood there but the single person who occupied his mind as of late.

“I figured now would be the perfect time to practice since it���s still early enough for the set to be empty. I also brought this for you,” you spoke, handing him a simple hot lidded cup. “It’s just green tea, as I thought that would be more your preference in comparison to coffee.”

“You would be correct.” he replied.

“Great! Now let’s go master these waltzes.” you smiled brightly, turning to the large building that was home to your ballroom.

—

The Grand Duke fell to his knees in his chambers. His muscles shook heavily and his heart tightened. Blood seeped from the corners of his lips.

A cut back to the masquerade.

When a passerby couple made eye contact with Antoine and nodded, you knew the plan was fulfilled.

The Prince chuckled as he leaned down to your ear and whispered, “Just what have you done, Marchioness?”

Your character smirked before replying, “I believe I should be asking you that question. After all, you have a reputation for being a prodigy in poisons.”

He coyly retorted, “Hm. Is that so?”

You made knowing eye contact while you continued your dance. Around and around the ballroom you spun, circling the Prince’s figure and weaving through his arms. When word of the ruler’s death made it to the grand party, the guests entered a frenzy.

The Prince and the Marchioness however, continued spinning about the floor.

“And cut!” the floor manager yelled.

You finished off your spin before steadying yourself.

Soon claps and cheers echoed across the extras, cast, and crew in celebration of the last day of filming. It was a bittersweet feeling, but knowing that you would be coming back next year helped lift the weight off of your heart.

The director made an announcement about a special event being hosted for every member of the cast, along with the stars of a new sci-fi series and an up-and-coming adaptation of a popular fantasy novel. It was to be hosted at one of Pyroxene’s most famous museums – L’histoire de la création.

Excitement bubbled around the room and as it fizzled out it was replaced by a contentedness over the crowd. After bidding your co-stars farewell, you went to your assigned room to change out of costume and put on a knitted sweater and trousers. You cleaned your face and applied simple skin care products before choosing to sit on your sofa and bask in your remaining time on the set with a book about the show’s time period.

About twenty minutes later a knock rapped on your door and you perked up upon hearing it.

Marking your place in the book, you approached and answered the door.

“Oh, hello, Vil.”

“Hello, Y/n.”

“Would you like to come in?”

“Yes, thank you.”

You opened the door wider and stepped to the side, allowing him to enter.

For being so notoriously put together, the actor carried traces of nervousness in his gaze.

"What did you need?" you queried.

"Not much, I simply had a parting gift for you."

Surprise blossomed on your face before you spoke, “It doesn’t seem like you to give out gifts to just anyone.”

He let out a sound somewhere between a huff and a laugh, “You’re not just anyone.”

Your heart jumped – what exactly did he mean by that?

Taking the gift with a slightly awkward thank you and opening the lavender-colored box, you were greeted by a shimmering gold bracelet. A heart embedded between daggers sat in the center, with two rows of amethyst vines leading to a clasp. It was dazzling, and seemed to carry the very essence of Vil.

“I… it’s beautiful, thank you, Vil.”

“You’re welcome, Y/n. I look forward to seeing you wear it.”

—

Completing the finishing touches on his outfit, Vil stepped gracefully into the night and to his awaiting chauffeur.

“Good evening, Francis.” he spoke, watching as the man opened his door.

“A lovely eve to you too, Mr. Schoenheit.” he replied, allowing the blond to step into the vehicle.

After Francis closed the door, the actor felt a peculiar mixture of nervousness and excitement begin bubbling inside of him. He never felt such a way at the prospect of attending events – they were simply another aspect of his work and another way for him to flaunt his efforts and attributes.

“To L’histoire de la création, correct?” his chauffeur questioned.

“Yes.” was his only reply.

When his eyes drifted from the rear view mirror and arrived at his reflection in the window, he observed his amethyst and gold earrings and came to a somewhat shocking conclusion.

He was looking forward to seeing you again – his heart was racing in fact.

It had been a month since you had last seen each other and he was ready to dismiss his feelings and get back to his former routine. But now, as old emotions dredged up, he had no choice but to reflect before coming face to face with you once more.

—

“We have arrived, sir.” the chauffeur spoke.

“Thank you, Francis.” Vil said, waiting for his door to be opened.

Reporters and the paparazzi stood along the carpet leading to the museum, and as soon as the model stepped out of the car, all of the flashing lights turned to him.

His fashion for the night consisted of his signature purple in the form of a button down, layered underneath a maroon vest with gold details. His black trousers matched with the onyx blazer he wore which ended after his torso in the front, and continued to lightly trail on the floor behind him. The coat held golden embroidery, matching with the gold jewelry he wore and the details on his sleek black heeled boots. To top it all off, his hair was tied into a braided bun with two curled stands left to frame his face.

Needless to say that he was sure to be going viral by the end of the night.

After traversing the media show with class, he finally entered the venue. Witnessing the lovely stone architecture embellished in gold after so many years made him feel a sense of nostalgia. Fellow actors and actresses cavorted across the space, looking at paintings, statues, and antiques from throughout Pyroxene’s history. A waiter came by carrying a tray of hors d’oeuvres, but the model waited patiently for one to bring drinks.

“Pleasure seeing you here.” you voiced from behind him.

Vil turned and gazed upon you for the first time in thirty days. Your outfit unknowingly complimented his, and he immediately felt that rumors would be circling. A raven and violet ensemble highlighted with gold – most notably the bracelet he gifted you on the last day of filming.

“I see you’re wearing my gift tonight.” he spoke mellowly, trying to keep a somewhat low-profile among the crowd.

“I’ve worn it everyday since you gave it to me.” you whispered.

For once, Vil Schoenheit was left speechless.

Trying to recover quickly he responded and lightly teased, “It must be timeworn by now. Would you like a new one?”

You chuckled before replying, “No. What I would really like is you.”

Did… you mean what he suspected you to?

“I’ve had a lot of time to look at what exactly I feel towards you. How exactly to handle it. And I’ve come to the conclusion that I should not repress these feelings just because of my public image. While you may not feel the same way, I at least wanted you to be aware.”

You most certainly did, it seems.

He took a few moments to ponder what to say. You waited patiently, visibly anxious to hear his thoughts.

“I must admit, Y/n, that what I feel for you is the same.”

You started beaming at his admission.

“I do wish however, that we keep this relationship private for the time being. Our images require great care and I would like for this to be something that is ours – not the world’s.”

“I accept your terms, Schoenheit.” you voiced playfully.

Throughout the rest of the eventide you would sneakily link your pinky in his, cast loving and frisky glances at each other from across the room, and meet to whisper in front of the renowned art.

It seemed that Vil was incorrect in his assumption, however, as the next day only photos and articles documenting his attendance to the event circled. He laughed lightly – it seemed that at the end of the day, you truly were some of the best actors.

[littleshadowlucy]

@voidbeau got it right, the inspiration for my last drawing of Argos was Possibly in Michigan! So they get a gold star ⭐️

More specifically this shot of it ⬇️

And because I am very happy with how it turned out, I wanted to talk about my art thoughts this time! :D

A little fact about when it comes to my artwork is that I draw it traditionally first before making it digital since it’s just easier for me, which means that these drawings can be in the making depending on my schedule and motivation, and this one took a while since I recently got a new job!

And while I was drawing this one I decided to go against having the flowers scattered around Argos since unfortunately flowers aren’t my strong suit and I didn’t want to repeatedly draw a single type of flower since I wouldn’t know what flower to choose so instead I decided to have Argos laying a flowerbed with things related to the series around him-

Now there are two obvious exceptions-

That being the barts spells and charms advertisement and the top left corner, so I’m going to explain why they’re there.

The flower in the top left corner is suppose to be a tuberose, though it’s probably not obvious since again, flowers aren’t my strong suit, the reason why it’s there is that apparently tuberoses can symbolize attraction, lust, and obsession for someone else, or the very least illicit and dangerous pleasures, and I thought it would perfect thing to add considering Mr. Plant and Argos’s relationship especially with the knife and letter we saw in Gardening with Argos 10 also scattered around!

While Bart’s spells and charms were added since Argos canonical has a shrine for Mr. Plant where he did manifestation to get Mr. Plant to think of him/want him and considering the fact that it’s hinted that they have other charms, I feel like Argos would have been the type of person to buy up their love charms if they have any and if he had access to it! Another fun fact, it was originally going to be an advertisement for Secret Admirer Mail since I fully believe that Argos was on the other end of the phone calls in that but decided to leave that idea for its own drawing in the future:)

Now Argos is holding three things, these being a photo of Mr Plant, a rose with noticeable thorns and the heart shop guy’s face

The rose is probably the easiest to explain since roses are the flower for romance, but I decided to make the thorns fairly noticeable to get the pain and pleasure symbolism, as well as every rose has its thorns symbolism, paired with a picture of Mr. Plant, it makes it obvious who those feelings are directed to

And I had Argos holding the head near his heart for the same reason, holding something close to your heart means that someone or something is very important to you, and I believe that it’s Argos’s most prized possession since when Mr Plant gave it to him, he realized that his feelings were returned and that’s when he and Mr Plant started dating

The soulmate flowers are there cuz when you think about it, it could honestly symbolize Plargos, atleast when looking at it with Argos in mind, Argos says that a soulmate flower would die if they don’t connect with another flower, and who was suppose to die in the series until their relationship came to save them? :)

the covetous flower is there since they just like Argos fr, atleast when it comes to Mr Plant, both of them are lovely to talk and they get attached and jealous fairly easily, I mean we never did see what the letter Mr Flower sent said 👀

Lastly the hearts around Argos are suppose to be the ones he got from the heart flower that he gives to Mr Plant, a continuous show of his love for him ❤️

Overall this was a fun art to draw and hopefully I can make more of these for y’all in the future, it feels my heart with such joy when people are enjoying my art, and it’s been such a godsend for my mental health

[kpop-addict25]

Unfortunately, I have officially moved on from Ninjago. Don’t get me wrong, I love this show but ever since Dragon’s Rising I got bored. It’s just not the same anymore because I grew up with the og series and I want to keep it like this. I will continue to watch the new series just to be in touch with it (Guess, I am all grown up now and I am not just saying this because I turn 18 in January).

Another thing I did was delete my Ninjago fanfics account from Wattpad. I am glad if someone in here has read them and I am sorry that I never finished some of my stories but this was something I was contemplating to do for a long time. I even tried to get back to writing the next year but I just couldn’t get back to the show as a whole (I also didn’t have much motivation to write anymore and ran out of ideas for my stories).

Yet, I have rejoined a fandom (which is a bit dead but is still kept alive, which is admirable). I will probably post my headcanons about it in here, so I can use tumblr more than I have done recently. If anyone knows it, it’s the game: Minecraft Story Mode.

Like, I used to be obsessed with this game 4-5 years ago and I just randomly thought of it recently. I replayed the games (because there are two seasons) two times already and I got back so many nice memories and nostalgia from it. It was like falling in love with something for the second time.

Anyway, this thing is too long already so I will leave it here. Thanks again for following me in here and Wattpad as well. I will understand if you start unfollowing me and I am glad that you enjoyed my Ninjago shitposts while they lasted!

[addictedtostorytelling]

i’ve been rewatching csi from the beginning (because i’ve never been able to make it past season 9 without grissom) and i’m finally up to the end of season 7… i have like 3 episodes left and i’m SAD. this team dynamic is so special to me and i feel this slow crawl of devastation that i’m (again) witnessing the end of what has been for 7 seasons. soon sara won’t be her usually cute and passionate self (in love too) that we get see in season 7, and she’ll leave, and then warrick is going to die, and grissom will leave… and nothing will ever be the same on this show. i don’t know how to get over it. how did you do it? how do i move on? how do i mourn this team dynamic that i’ve loved for so long and get used to new variations of the team? god, i wish grissom came back for a proper full ep earlier than the freaking series finale and the new show. i’m just… not sure how to enjoy without them all 😭

hi, anon!

yours is a very heartfelt question, and, unfortunately, i am probably the wrong person to answer it, because i never really "got over" the changes to the show post-s7, either.

not gonna lie to you: i have only watched the s10-s15 era of the show once through in its entirety.

the s8 and s9 angst i can deal with in order to get to the happy gsr ending in episode 09x10 "one to go." however, i hate all later seasons of the show beyond that point with all the salt that is in me, not only because of the cast turnover but also because the writing and production values of the show changed so much as to make the series (and the remaining characters) unrecognizable.

most of the time, i just straight-up ignore the fact that those seasons exist, preferring to imagine my own canon-divergent au version of the show (starting from the end of s7) instead.

i really do not engage with them unless someone sends me an ask.

that so, i can't exactly tell you how to learn to accept the new team or get comfortable in that altered narrative landscape. i never did, on either count.

instead, my advice is this: keep in mind you're not obligated to finish watching csi if doing so isn't enjoyable to you. you fell in love with a particular group of characters, story universe, and cast dynamic, and if those things went away or ship of theseus'd themselves into a production that is fundamentally different from the one you fell in love with in every way save name, you don't have to stick around anymore.

remember: you're watching this show as a hobby, not a job.

the #1 rule of fandom is to follow your bliss, so if you're not naturally motivated to finish the series—and especially if the thought of doing so is actively causing you dread—then you don't have to force the issue.

give yourself permission to say, "for me, the series ends with episode 08x01 'dead doll' or episode 09x10 'one to go' (or wherever you want to draw your line in the sand)" and then walk away.

if you need closure, write your own au version of what happens after that point or else find some fanfic author whose vision aligns with your own. keep living blissfully in your s1-s7 happy place with the original team graveyard, where grissom is the boss and sara stays in vegas and warrick doesn't die and they all keep solving cases together until retirement.

and then don't sweat it.

you're not being a "bad fan" or letting anyone down, and there's still plenty of material in the early seasons for you to engage with.

now.

if you absolutely feel you must finish the show (for whatever reason), i guess one thing i might suggest is to engage with work from fans who genuinely enjoy the later seasons. i know there are some folks in this fandom who adore the new characters and team graveyard version 2.0. they write meta and fic and make gifsets about it, and they have a total blast doing so. hanging around their blogs might help you to find things to appreciate.

another thing you might do is give yourself permission to "cherry-pick." watch just to see what happens. if there's stuff you like, go ahead and incorporate it into your conception of the show. the rest, discard. as i said above, you're not obligated to enjoy the show in a certain way and especially not "across the board." so if you like the fact sara has mother-in-law drama but hate the fact she gets divorced? then keep the first thing and toss out the second. if canon makes a stupid-ass decision, you can elect to ignore it.

and regardless of whether you ultimately decide to finish out your watch-through or not, don't forget: the beginning of the story—i.e., those seven golden seasons you so love—will always be there, and you can return to them as often as you want. the beauty of a story is that it exists in perpetuity. grissom, catherine, warrick, nick, sara, and greg will all still be there waiting for you, and you can continue to enjoy their dynamics however you best prefer them.

good luck, anon! if you choose to continue your watch, i hope you enjoy yourself. if not, then i hope you have fun mentally setting up shop in the early seasons.

i certainly do!

thanks for the question! please feel welcome to send another any time.

[divine-knight-hand]

Safely Endangered

Prequel: True Liberation

Series Masterlist || Loki Masterlist || Full Masterlist || Read on AO3

Summary: Five years before the events of Chapter 1, Y/N indulges in her weekly escape from the confines of life, but a few new faces in a dangerous situation serve to change everything she’s ever known.

Notes: I put a heck of a lot of time into this, for a work that has no sexy times in it. Hehehe! Also, it's very much giving a bit of old Wattpad vibes in my opinion, but I still like how it came out! I hope you do, too!!!

This piece features some German, which is yet another language I don't speak, so feel free to correct any mistakes I may have made.

Content Warnings: Graphic descriptions of violence and death, discussions of death at length, shootout scenario, cussing that would make a sailor blush, and brief religious imagery (again, just a sentence, but I wanted to give a warning, anyways)

Word Count: 4,776

Dividers by @cafekitsune

I hated my life. I had a boring job in a boring town, contributing absolutely nothing to a boring society. I had no ambitions, no goals, and nothing to look forward to. I just dragged myself through each day like a mindless drone. Then, I just went to the home that I still shared with my parents, laid my head down on my rock-hard pillow, and fought for sleep on my lumpy mattress every night just to do the whole thing all over again the next day.

In short, life sucked.

However, there was one night a week where I finally got a break from all the excruciating monotony. Friday nights, I went to a small nightclub in my town to drink and dance the week’s hardships away. At first, I thought it was foolish to get excited over some nightclub, but I realized that just the mere thought of doing something exciting and fun pulled me through the week. It kept me sane.

So, I made it an event. I dressed to the nines in the tightest dress I could find, found myself the pair of high heels most likely to break my ankles, and bought the shiniest jewelry I could afford.

It was a long process to get dressed each week, but Friday nights filled me with the motivation to do it, because I knew that at The Lively Vixen, I could taste what it meant to feel alive.

────༺ ♰ ༻────

The bass emanating from the DJ’s booth seemed to rattle the very foundation of the building. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, allowing its vibrations to move through my body and fill me with life. I’m here! I made it here another week.

I opened my eyes and made my way into the neon scenery. Bodies collided on the dance floor in a large vulgar mosh pit under the strobe of vibrant lighting, and the smell of alcohol tainted the air, tempting some dancers to step away from the party for a quick drink.

I headed straight to the bar, leaning against the table as I locked eyes with one of the bartenders. She was a petite blonde about my age with bright green doe eyes and a round face that sported a light dusting of freckles over the pale skin of her cheeks and nose. She was gorgeous. Unfortunately for her, that kind of beauty never came without consequence in her field of work.

“Don’t worry about me.” She’d said on one of my first visits to The Lively Vixen. “The creepiest men give the best tips.” Then, she winked and swayed her hips as she crossed the bar to take an order from a man who’d been staring at her the whole time.

As she neared where I was standing, I cocked my head with a playful smirk. “Hey, Jill! How’ve you been?”

“Absolutely terrible.” She remarked with a smile that convinced me otherwise, “You know the party doesn’t start ‘til you get here.”

“Well, consider the party here.” I opened my arms in a dramatic gesture as Jill clapped her hands.

“You never fail to be the highlight of my work week.” She giggled. If only she knew that she was part of mine, too. “Should I put you down for your usual?”

I place a hand over my heart in another dramatic gesture. “You know me so well. I would love that.”

“Alright! I’ll have your drink to you in just a moment.” Jill trotted to the back of the bar to prep it as the DJ switched songs across the room.

I perched myself on the stool right next to me and turned to survey the crowd as the mass of bodies jumped and clashed to Rihanna’s Please Don’t Stop the Music.

A dark shadow grabbed my attention as it flashed in the corner of my eye. I turned to look as four unfamiliar figures walked in the door.

A woman with soft features and hair that cascaded over her shoulders in honey brown waves had an arm locked in that of a tall muscular blond man with hair that stopped just past his shoulders and a beard that matched in hue.

Next came a slender woman about as tall as the blond, with raven hair that fell just above her mid-back. Her angular face wore an expression as dark as her eye makeup. I shuddered at the sight of her, a chill crawling up my spine.

The last person to walk in was a man about the same height, but he looked like he could be the raven-haired woman’s male counterpart. His own dark locks fell in a similar fashion to the blond’s, but they were slicked back in a more clean style and pulled away from his solemn expression. There was something intimidating about him… but alluring, as well.

Despite being in a nightclub, the group seemed to be dressed for a business negotiation. I assumed they must have been rich, but wondered what they could possibly be doing in a small town like mine. Every week I went to The Lively Vixen, I could recognize almost every face on the dance floor. I knew for a fact I never saw this group before. Why would they want to come here of all places?

As the four entered the club, walking in the direction of the VIP booths on the other side, the raven haired-man was the only one to glance in my direction as they passed me. Time itself seemed to slow down as we locked eyes.

I wanna take you away Let's escape into the music

Long after he looked away, I watched the group cross the club. I had to force my eyes away from them as one of the bouncers lifted a velvet rope and let them into one of the booths. 

The sound of Jill shouting my name over the music made me jump. “Your drink.” She motioned to the glass she’d just set on the counter in front of me.

“Thank you!” I grabbed the glass and began to sip on it as Jill glanced at the VIP booths.

“Great,” She remarked, “another bunch of rich weirdos.”

“They’re not the only ones?” I asked as I risked another glance at the booth.

“Nope!” Jill patted the countertop. Any sound her hand made against the wood was muted by the blaring music. “Four guys walked in with these boujee hoes practically kissing the ground they walked on just before you got here. Those women are just trying to get that bank, if you ask me. They’ll probably suck their guys off for a few grand later.”

“Jill!” I snorted at her bluntness.

“What? It’s gotta be true!” She waved her hand in a playfully dismissive gesture. “But, if I were them, I’d totally do the same. The whole bartender gig doesn’t pay much on bad tip days.”

“Yeah, well, maybe I’d skip the part that involves coming out to a club in the middle of nowhere.” I added as I took a sip of my drink.

“I’m with you.” Jill agreed. “Now, you go enjoy your night. Don’t let me keep you stuck here. Just come back once you get thirsty, okay?”

“Of course! And I’ll ask for you specifically.” I slid off of my stool and smiled, lifting my drink off the counter. “Take care!”

“I’m trying.” Jill playfully waved and left to go take more orders.

Normally, I’d head straight to the dance floor and shamelessly flirt with a new man or woman of my choosing before dirty dancing with them and letting them buy me a new drink, but tonight was different.

I couldn’t get the image of the four people in that VIP section out of my head. Specifically, I couldn’t stop thinking of that raven-haired man. I was frozen, just a few paces from the bar. Why are they here? What do all these rich people want?

I tried to refocus on the loud thrumming music and let it drown out my thoughts as I willed my feet to shuffle towards the dance floor.

Baby, are you ready 'cause it's gettin' cold Don't you feel the passion ready to explode?

Bang! Bang! Bang! I jumped as the jarring sound drowned out Rihanna’s voice. I hadn’t even made it to the edge of the dance floor when it sounded.

The mass of bodies in front of me froze as screams rang out across the room. My blood ran cold. This can’t be happening…

Bang! Bangbangbang! Bangbang! When the gunfire increased in frequency, the dance floor suddenly became a mob as everyone made a mad dash to the door.

I turned to run with them, but tripped over my own high heel and fell to my knees. My drink crashed onto the floor, the glass shattering.

The mob was coming too fast, and there was already a crowd forming at the door, so I crawled behind the bar as quickly as possible to avoid getting trampled and hide from whoever was firing their guns.

“Shitshitshitshitshit!” I hissed as I moved across the floor.

Once I got behind the bar, I quickly abandoned my heels in preparation for a quick escape. I peeked my head out to check the door, but a bullet narrowly missing my face startled me into reeling backwards and colliding with a body that was hunched behind the bar with me.

I gasped as I turned around to see the raven-haired man who seemed equally shocked. “What the hell are you still doing here?” He hissed.

“Trying not to get killed.” I scowled. “I could ask you the same thing.”

He raised his eyebrows at my response. “I would imagine my own reasoning was obvious. Unless you were watching me merely for my good looks.”

I instantly felt my cheeks burn as I muttered. “Well, you don’t have to be a douche about it.”

We jumped as the bullets grew closer to where we were crouched. The man quickly took to his feet and fired his own gun at the origin of the sounds before crouching back down to avoid another spray of bullets.

My eyes widened at the sight of his weapon. “You’re a part of this?”

“No, I’m merely a participating onlooker.” His voice oozed with a sarcasm that almost made me want to slap him across his gorgeous face.

Would it hurt if I slapped someone with sharp cheekbones? I shook the thought out of my head. Get it together! You’re in a life or death situation right now!

“We can’t stay here.” Before I could process what he was saying to me, he grabbed my arm and hoisted me to my feet before dragging me into the kitchen door by the bar. “Trust me if you value your life.”

“I don’t seem to have much of a choice in the matter-” I stumbled, making my attempt at sarcasm more pathetic than anything else.

The man’s grip on my arm tightened to the point where I was sure my skin would bruise. “Do find your footing, would you?”

I glared daggers at him before he dragged me around the kitchen island, dodging the bartenders who were ducking for cover. I scanned the room for Jill, but I couldn’t find her. Oh, god! I hope she’s okay…

Just then, a man wearing a black suit with red accents ran in with a pistol aimed in our direction. The raven-haired man simply pulled me behind him and fired his own gun. I looked over his shoulder just in time to see the man fall dead with a bullet wound in his head. A wave of nausea crashed into me as blood slowly oozed out of the wound, forming a puddle underneath his body.

The bartenders on the floor let out a unanimous blood-curdling scream at the sight of the carnage as the raven-haired man dragged me out of the kitchen and back into the club. Despite the DJ being gone, and the entire club being empty, the whole venue was still thrumming with loud music.

“Can you tell me what the hell is going on?!” I shouted at the raven-haired man before he shot and killed another man in a red and black suit.

He just raised his free hand to his ear and muttered something barely intelligible under the music. “H…any…ft?” After a heartbeat of silence he growled “Damnit!” before dragging me to crouch behind the DJ booth, bullets whizzing by us all the way.

“If you’re not gonna tell me what’s going on, can you at least tell me who you are?” I shouted over the music.

He cocked his gun, having just reloaded it, and winked. “I’m your savior, of course.”

I scowled. “Right… AH-”

I was dragged onto my feet by a large hand that gripped my hair. All I saw was a long black coat with a little flash of fur as a new mysterious figure held me in a chokehold. The raven-haired man took to his feet and aimed his gun at the both of us, clearly struggling to get a clear shot at the man behind me. The DJ booth finally stopped playing music–possibly due to reaching the end of its predetermined playlist–so I could hear their voices clearly.

“Let my men go or I kill her.” The figure’s voice sounded right by my ear with small traces of a German accent before I felt something cold and metal placed against my temple. I recognized it as the barrel of a gun before I even heard him cock it. My blood ran cold. Is this how I’m going to die?

The raven-haired man furrowed his brow as his gun was still trained on us. “Leave her out of this, Zemo. She’s merely a civilian. She doesn’t associate with us.”

“But you Sons of Odin love keeping people who aren’t in our business safe, don’t you?” Zemo seemed to tighten his grip on me. It was a wonder I could still breathe, but it did take some effort.

“Some of us care not for that little code.” The raven-haired man scowled.

What the fuck?! I wanted to scream. Are you trying to save me or not?

I reached my hands up to try to pry his arm from my neck, but it was futile. I had no experience in fighting like this. I felt that Zemo was inherently stronger than me.

“Let… me… go… asshole…” I gasped, desperate for a way out.

“Oooh, this one’s a bit… how do Americans say… spunky.” Zemo chuckled, amused by my struggle.

“Fuck you!” I spat before bringing my foot up behind me as sharply as possible.

“Umph!” Zemo doubled over as the back of my foot connected with his crotch.

I grabbed the hand that held his gun and pulled it to my mouth to bite it. Zemo was wearing gloves, so I had to bite down considerably hard before he felt the pain and dropped the weapon. I wrenched myself free from his grip before lunging at the gun on the floor. I quickly spun back around, aiming it at Zemo with shaking hands.

“Easy, prinzessin.” Zemo looked up at me with shock, his brown hair a little messy on top of his head. His voice, however, was still smooth and condescending, almost as if he was convincing me to sleep with him rather than convincing me not to shoot him. “It wasn’t personal. My fight is with the man behind you.”

“Shut up!” My voice wavered as my finger curled around the trigger. I couldn’t imagine actually killing Zemo. I didn’t even know who he was. Besides, It wasn’t like I’d taken a life before. I imagined I would break down shortly after firing at him, before spending the rest of my life in therapy. He did just threaten to kill me, though. Maybe it would have been well deserved.

“Stop.” The raven-haired man wrapped one arm around my shoulders, moving my aim down to the floor with the other. “Killing this man would not be a very good idea. Let me handle this.”

“Yes, prinzessin.” Zemo looked back at me smugly. “Leave this to the men, eh?”

My blood boiled. What the fuck did he just say to me? I couldn’t believe the audacity of this man. First, he tried to kill me, then he has the balls to make that sexist remark after literally being held at gunpoint? Oh, no. I was not going to let that fly.

Bam! Before thinking my actions through, I sent a bullet straight into his shin.

“AH!” Zemo fell over, clutching the bullet wound. “Sohn einer Hündin! Ah- Verdammt! Oh, Sheisse!” His face scrunched with pain as his brow began to mist with sweat.

Once I was frozen with the realization that I’d just shot someone, the raven-haired man quickly snatched Zemo’s gun from my hands, clearly amused by his suffering.

“I believe we should get going.” He grabbed my arm again and guided me towards the back exit.

“I won’t forget this, Odinson!” Zemo spat as we left.

Once we stepped outside, the chill of the night air made me shiver. There were no more neon lights. Just the stars sprinkled around the full moon in the night sky.

The raven-haired man noticed I was cold and removed his suit jacket, revealing the tight dress shirt underneath that left nothing of his upper body to the imagination. He threw it over my shoulders. “There you go.”

“Thank you.” I breathed.

Suddenly, the darkness was filled with flashing blue and red lights as sirens broke the silence. He grabbed my arm and led me into the closest tree line. “We can’t stay here. Let’s go now.” He hissed.

────༺ ♰ ༻────

Finally safe from the heat of the cops, we walked along the sidewalk, the raven-haired man insisting on taking me home. The shock of me firing a gun for the first time eased, but hadn’t faded.

“Do you think he’ll recover from that?” I shuddered.

“Zemo? Yes, he’ll be fine.” The man waved his hand dismissively. “Unfortunately.”

I watched as my dirtied bare feet traversed the cold sidewalk. “I have so many questions.”

The man stopped beside me and softly coaxed my head up to face him. “Well, I do have some time before I must return to my associates. So, ask away. I’ll answer whatever I can for you.”

I took a deep breath and started. “Who are you?”

“Well, I am-” He started before I cut him off.

“And don’t say you’re my ‘savior’.” I glared at him. “What is your name?”

He chuckled, thoughtfully rubbing his chin before responding. “I’m Loki. Loki Odinson.”

“Loki…” I softly tested his name on my tongue. It was a beautiful name, unlike anything I’d heard before. “Okay… Loki… What just happened?”

“That, my dear, is a long story.” He started, extending his arm to me. “Allow me to explain.” I took his arm in mine and we began walking along the sidewalk again. “My father, Odin, rules over one of the grandest mafia schemes in your realm.”

“My… realm?” I was nothing short of confused.

“Midgard.” He explained, “The realm of the human race.”

“You speak as if you’re not human.” I snorted.

“That would be because I’m not.” He stated as if he was speaking of the weather and not confirming the existence of otherworldly beings.

Normally, I’d have thought this guy was a loon, but that night was so eventful, I was too tired to be skeptical. “So, what are you?”

“I am a god.” Where I once was too tired to be skeptical, I had the energy to laugh. “What’s so funny?”

“You’re a god?” I wiped tears from my eyes. “Really?”

“Yes, I am.” With a wave of his free hand, he conjured a small firework show and held it out to me. “I am the god of mischief, and I specialize in illusions.”

My jaw went slack and my feet stopped working. “W- wow… That’s incredible.”

Loki closed his hand and gave my arm a light tug. “Do keep walking. I’d prefer to get you home sooner rather than later.”

We kept walking and I kept the questions flowing. “If you know magic, then why didn’t you just kill all those guys with your powers?”

“That would have been simpler, wouldn’t it?” He smirked. “Unfortunately, mankind has yet to accept the existence of beings of my caliber. Me using my powers… well, it would have caused a scene, to say the least. We can’t work if we’re attracting too much attention.”

“Understood.” My brain was creating questions faster than I could ask them. “So, you’re a god and you’re in the mafia… Those people you came into the club with, are they also part of the mafia?”

“Yes. Those are my sister, brother, and brother’s lover, to be exact.” I shuddered when I remembered the stoic raven-haired woman. That was his sister.

“And where does that leave Zemo?”

“He’s part of our rival organization, HYDRA.”

“HYDRA…” I saw my house slowly coming into view. “So, the shootout started because you two are enemies? Did they step onto your territory, or steal from you? …Or something like that?”

“Now, you’re overthinking it.” Loki softly chuckled. “Our conflict tonight began simply because they fired first.” I remembered how quickly everyone on the dance floor froze after the initial blast. Why would the members of HYDRA just start shooting like that?

“Mmhmm…” I took a moment to think over everything that he was telling me. “One more question: Why are you telling me all of this? Aren’t mafia systems usually secret?” We made it to the front steps of my house and sat beside each other on the bottom step.

“Well, first of all, that was two questions.” I sent an annoyed glance at him before he continued. “Second, I tell you this because I have a proposal for you.”

I gulped. “Is it one where I get to stay alive?”

Loki laughed aloud in a warm sound. “Of course! I didn’t save you to kill you. Counterproductivity is not in my nature. No, rather, I’m impressed by you.”

“You’re impressed by me?” I raised my eyebrows. “Trust me, I’m not that impressive.”

“Or so you were led to believe.” I raised my eyebrows at him, prompting him to continue. “The workings of your realm can be oh so tiresome, wearing down its strongest warriors into mindless sheep who are fooled by a false sense of independence. But, tonight… Tonight, I caught a glimpse of the real you, unburdened by this society. You fought a man who wronged you, and you nearly killed him. That was impressive.”

I cringed. “I think that’s also technically illegal.”

“Forget the legalities!” Loki rested a hand on my shoulder. “You have potential. Besides, what’s left for you here?” I thought about that. What was left for me here? I had a boring job in a boring town. I had no ambitions, no goals, and nothing to look forward to. I just dragged myself through each day like a mindless drone. Like a mindless sheep. I was in an endless cycle of uselessness.

When I didn’t answer immediately, Loki continued, “I’ll tell you what waits for you if you come with me.” He stood from the step and turned to face me. “You can have an escape from the illusion of choice, in favor of a life of true liberation. Know what independence truly looks like. Live a life where you’re not crushed under the fists of those who decide your worth.”

The sun began to rise behind him, the sky creating a hazy outline around his tall figure. I felt like a disciple who looked up to her god with admiration and awe. I wondered for a moment whether he’d bless me or cast his judgment on me. All I knew was that I trusted him with my life once, and now I felt I could do it again, and again, and again for as long as we both lived. I would do whatever he wanted me to. I trusted him fully and completely.

“Loki…” I began as a black limo pulled up on the street behind him. “What are you asking of me?”

The back window of the limo wound down to reveal the blond man from earlier. “Brother!” He shouted. “Make haste! Father waits for us.”

Loki didn’t even pay attention to the shouting blond. He just reached his hand out for me. “Join me. Shed the weight of your mundane life and join me. Feel the relief of true liberation. Join me and the Sons of Odin. Let me take you away.”

A heavy silence fell between us. My answer here would be my defining moment. Was I willing to cast everything I ever knew aside and start over with this man I just met? Then again, what did I have to cast aside in the first place?

I slid my hand into his and slowly rose to my feet, breathlessly answering, “Take me away, Loki.”

────༺ ♰ ༻────

Of course, I didn’t immediately leave with Loki at that moment. My parents were expecting me home. I explained to him that I needed to at least give them some excuse as to why I’d be suddenly moving out of the house. I gave him back his suit jacket and warmly smiled, thanking him for the opportunity before rushing into the house and packing my things. I didn’t have a lot to my name, so I was able to get by with two large suitcases.

When my parents inevitably confronted me, I’d already had my story straight. While I was out, a traveling modeling agent found me and offered me a full-time job in New York. They were extremely happy for me, we shared hugs, and they told me to make sure to reach out every so often.

That night, Loki returned to pick me up and take me to my new life. We left for New York City together and he helped me settle into my new life. He had Natasha, a former spy from Russia who turned to the Sons of Odin for a better life, teach me how to fight. He introduced me to his sister, Hela, the boss of the Death District of the Sons of Odin, and his brother, Thor, the boss of the Thunder District.

He even showed me his large penthouse. As it would turn out, he set aside a room for me down the hall from his. He apologized for the arrangement, saying it was temporary until he could find me my own space to live. I didn’t care. I was overjoyed that I’d be able to live with the man who came to The Lively Vixen and saved me.

I couldn’t tell whether Loki saved me from my life or myself that night. All I knew was that he’d breathed life into my walking corpse. He’d spared me from the mundane and I would be eternally grateful. He was my hero. My savior. My god of mischief.

It was six months into my training that I discovered my feelings for him didn’t stop at awe and admiration. I had fallen in love with him, and those feelings only grew each day I spent with him. It wasn’t until my ninth month with the Sons of Odin that I confessed my feelings to him, and surprisingly, he reciprocated, and even confessed that he was never looking for other living arrangements for me. So, I moved up the hall and we spent our first night together.

────༺ ♰ ༻────

“You look absolutely ravishing, my darling.” Loki’s eyes sparkled as we laid in bed together, facing each other.

“And you are such a charmer, my god.” I purred.

A growl rumbled from the back of his throat. “Oh, how I love when you call me that. It sets my very soul aflame.”

“Then I’ll be sure to use every breath I have left in my lungs to call you all the things you like.” I reached out to cup his cheek in my hand. “As long as you promise to call me yours.”

Loki and I leaned closer to each other until we were just a breath apart. “I promise.” He breathed before wrapping me in his strong arms and pulling me into a deep kiss. I let myself melt into him and we stayed in each other’s embrace until we drifted off to sleep.

Prinzessin - Princess

Sohn einer Hündin! - Son of a bitch!

Verdammt! - Dammit!

Sheisse! - Shit!

[skye-huntress]

She’s so Cheeky for a Commoner Volume 2 Thoughts

I’m back, and incidentally, I’m still be doing I’m in Love with the Villainess content. For clarification, She’s so Cheeky for a Commoner is a spin-off series that follows Claire’s point of view of the many events early in the series. However, it is not a complete retelling of the series, it only retells certain key moments, while sprinkling in entirely new scenes, new characters and story arcs, as well as occasionally giving the perspectives of different characters. It does not serve as a substitute for the original light novels, and you should still read those first if you don’t want to be spoiled.

Anyway, this particular book only covers Chapters 4 through 6 from the original series, with Chapters 7 and 8 presumably being covered in Volume 3. Spoilers below.

Starting off, we have the Scales of Love arc. My first point of interest was how much more conscious Claire was of Rae’s change of behaviour, and yet so oblivious to the cause.

The first big change is the conversation with Loretta and Pepi about their doubts and suspicions about Manaria. To be fair, those two didn’t become actual characters until the manga fleshed them out. Interestingly, they actually asked Rae for her opinion and took her observation into careful consideration. Turns out, Loretta also had another more personal reason why she was weary of Manaria.

Follow that up with Rae nearly dying in Claire’s arms and her going off at her precious Manaria for it. She seemed harsher here than in the anime.

It makes sense that after the “breakup” the first person to truly get a chance to console Claire without any ulterior motive would be Catherine. They are roommates after all. Also, we finally get to see what Catherine looks like. She’s so adorably and sweet, it’s all the more unacceptable that the rest of her family (who will likely be the death of her) are all complete scumbags and criminals. So Catherine manages to convince Claire to patch things up with Rae, unfortunately, while this conversation was happening, Manaria was escalating things yet again.

Personally, I think the anime did the confession best. Actually, my last post was a reblog of that scene.

Okay, so Claire is being congratulated and teased by Misha, the Princes and the minions. First interesting thing, we’re establishing the Rod is already into Rae and intends to pursue her but is letting Claire have her turn, I guess. Second interesting thing, everyone assuming it is a given that Rod will snatch Rae from Claire. To be fair, it is assumed at this point that Rod will be King, and none of them could imagine that Rae has such a fundamentally different view on marriage than the rest of them.

So now we enter that very weird stage in Rae and Claire’s relationship. They’ve finally acknowledged that Rae’s feelings are genuine and are requited, but they’re not actually together-together, yet. In Claire’s case, the issue is that all her social conditioning is telling her it is always the guy to make all the moves.

Apparently, Claire can get anxious whenever Rae acts overly familiar with anybody of the opposite gender. She knows Rae is gay, and will never fall for a man, but she doesn’t want any of them getting the wrong idea and thinking they can hit on her Rae.

Okay, so Loretta is also in love with Claire. I’m not surprised that so many characters are in love with our protagonists, but I find it somewhat comical that the canonically bi one only has other women falling for her, and it’s the lesbian who happens to also attract men. Claire is such a girl magnet, she might give even Manaria a run for her money if she really tried.

Also, unsurprisingly, Pepi has fallen for Loretta. Looks like that ship still has a chance to sail.

Dole is a master strategist and he knows Claire well. Even if Rae didn’t tell him, he would know Claire has a growing interest in anything to do with Rae. He likely acted the way he did on the trip to Euclid to intentionally make Claire feel she couldn’t stay in their summer home, and make spending the night with the Taylor’s seem all the more appealing. An underhanded and effective way for Claire to get first-hand experience on what life as a commoner is really like.

One thing the original novels didn’t touch on was what Rae Taylor was like before she met Claire. I know the manga has been exploring what BC Rae was like. My impression is she was a lot like the Pope, Clarice. A very stark contrast to how the present Rae acts, it’s no wonder the minions were so confused. It is a wonder why Misha never questioned it sooner.

I feel like this whole chapter was more for Loretta and Pepi’s development. There wasn’t much going on on Claire’s part we weren’t already aware of.

One of the more interesting developments is Pepi being tutored by Misha on using siren magic. There is no way they are proposing the idea of using a magical instrument to boost Pepi’s magic without following through. Considering the potential consequences, Pepi is not likely to use it unless Loretta is in imminent danger, and the only major conflict left is the revolution, so that’s concerning.

There were hints of it earlier, but now it is confirmed we have a human trafficking conspiracy, and of course poor Catherine’s family is in the centre of it. It doesn’t even seem like they are trying too hard to hide it so it’s only a matter of time before their house of cards crumbles. The only problem with that is just like with what happened to the Aurousseau’s, typically in this world the whole family is punished for the same crimes regardless of their involvement. If Claire were to decide to take matters into her own hands, that a-hole, Clément wouldn’t hesitate to use Catherine as a human shield, figuratively and literally.

Enter everyone’s third favourite character, who apparently can never catch a break, Lily.

And now we’ve found out that Pepi’s father is part of the aforementioned conspiracy. Which means now I have to worry about her AND Catherine, AND Loretta since her fiance that her family set her up with is also in the thick of this mess. As much as Pepi is worried about her father, I say he should go to hell with the rest of them. Pepi should worry more about herself (and her future wife).

Wait, wait, wait. If even Catherine, who is viewed as less than a pawn by her family, knows about Yu, how well kept is this secret? Could Yu’s potential reign have been any more compromised? If the royal family wasn’t already screwed by Dole’s schemes, what Rae did would have been considered a huge favour to them.

As Catherine rightly points out, Claire has yet to make her own confession, which is a huge part of why her relationship with Rae is stalling.

Hold on, did we ever establish before if Lily’s alter ego had a name? Okay, I just checked and in Lambert’s part in the previous volume, he did refer to the nasked stranger as Alter. It’s been a year since I read that and the name doesn’t appear anywhere else so I’m not surprised I forgot.

I would not be surprised if Salas was using the Achard’s human trafficking operation for his supply of test subjects. Bastard was doing all sorts of human experimentation, so he had to get his victims somehow.

It took me a moment to realise where Misha’s train of thought was going, but I will grant her it makes a lot of sense for what little she knows. I actually wouldn’t have held it against her if she turned Rae in. Rae might not have either. Claire definitely would have, though.

One thing I’m glad they addressed even if it didn’t occur to me, how does Rae cast antidote magic without a wand? She’s in prison, she shouldn’t have a wand, but apparently Dole pulled some strings on the sly. Anything for his partner-in-crime/future daughter-in-law.

As for the Misaki vision, since I finished the series, I’ve actually suspected that was TAIM’s doing, since she’s pulled similar stunts before.

And as soon as Claire returns from visiting Rae, she immediately wants to declare war on Queen Riche. Which I’d be down with. That bitch got a better ending than she deserved.

Volume 3 will probably be the last. Will Pepi and Loretta get together? Will Catherine finally be freed from her family of criminals? Will the Achard’s finally get their comeuppance? And what the hell was Claire up to during the whole revolution chapter since she ditched Rae?

[thevindicativevordan]

Comics this week ?

Superman #10 - Wish the Old West story had gone longer and Terra-Man’s showing wasn’t as good as I hoped, but Redondo’s art still made this an enjoyable issue. Ending confirms Lena II is not the person wearing the Lexcorp power armor. Betting it's her aunt, Lena I (Lex's sister), last we saw of her she was imprisoned under Lexcorp tower by Lex during his SuperLex phase. Guess where the Revenge Squad breaks into during their assault on Lexcorp Tower? With Lex's extended family becoming more prominent, she's the only one left who hasn't shown up and is still alive.

Superman: Lost #10 - Final issue is out and it’s… interesting. On one hand the science of it all kinda makes sense and I can sorta follow along with how Priest managed to cut the proverbial Gordian knot he tied for himself. It all ends up being a fakeout of course, Hope’s baby isn’t Clark’s at all, it’s the kid of the guy she killed. Clark yanks a version of himself from earlier in the timeline and sends him back to Lois so she can get her husband back rather than the stranger he’s become. It’s an interesting approach in line with Priest’s love of messing with the timeline. Emotionally though… I dunno I don’t like how Priest ended up doing fake outs at every turn. Given this ends with there being two Supermen, one who is still the “classic” version and the other who has changed so much in 20 years, I don’t get why he didn’t just do the same story except Clark actually did cheat and had a kid with Hope. Ending would have been the same, he yanks an "unspoiled" version of himself from earlier in the timeline to be with Lois while white suit Superman accepts he’s changed too much to return to his old life. That would have been more satisfying to me personally, and taken more advantage of this being an Elseworld. Enjoyed the story all the same.

World’s Finest #23 - Gog's motive here reminds me of the motivation for the Big Bad of Arcaneum. Stories where the afterlife is a real thing raise interesting moral questions that I enjoy seeing explored. What Gog is doing is monstrous, but his plan to kill Darkseid via a suicide mission that will also guarantee all the heroes who die undertaking it get into Heaven/Valhalla is super fucked up because it does make a twisted sort of sense. If you know Valhalla is real and you know how to get there, is it a terrible thing to ensure that a bunch of people go there even if you use reprehensible means? They get to live forever in bliss after all. Of course the Supermen aptly demonstrate my feelings regarding that this issue. Looks like Darkseid is going to thin out the heroic ranks regardless unfortunately, maybe Gog will get what he wants after all.

GL: WJ #5 - I can't decide if John continuing to use a construct of his sister to set his mom at ease is wholesome or fucked up. Can something be both at the same time? I feel like it will end badly. Totally get why he does it, had a similar experience with my grandma. There's no happy ending where dementia is concerned. It does call attention to how both Stewart and the Queen are using the dead for their own purposes. Stewart is obviously morally better, he’s not enslaving his sister’s soul and all he wants is to help his mom, but it is a point of overlap between the two. Another great moment is where he tells Shepherd that heroes are as fragile as the people they protect, and flashes to his mom was so good. This series has done a great job showing John's emotional core beneath his stoic exterior.

JLvGvK #4 - Aquaman unleashing a Kraken to beat back the Monsterverse Kaijus is the kind of dumb fun I’m here for.

Hellblazer #1 - Team doesn’t miss a beat from where they left off, great start. For a second I was hoping to see Levi Kramel show up instead of Holland, but the swamp being turned into a golf course is the first acknowledgement I’ve seen of how the South has become more “business friendly” since the 80s when Moore wrote about the area.

Wonder Woman #5 - As a "Circe is Wonder Woman's archnemesis" believer, it made me happy that Sovereign was nervous about recruiting her and conceded she might possibly use him to her advantage rather than the other way around. Turning Steel into a pig before accepting the offer made me cackle too. Also as someone who thinks Grail doesn't have to suck, Sovereign respecting her enough to recruit her in person was a nice touch. Grail being the evil dominatrix certainly is one way to build her up as a foil for Diana. Glad King is not having all of the Wondy villains meekly follow Sovereign's lead, they all show that they're not lackies like Steel is by bullying him when he tries to recruit him. What the hell is going on with Angle Man though, I'm intrigued. Yara sounded off but I do think King mostly understood what drives each of the Girls. Yara's a hothead who cares underneath all her bravado, Cassie is the tomboy who became more comfortable with herself after meeting Diana, and Donna is Diana's little sister and thus the most like her. Donna challenging Diana to playing video games actually made me smile, do I like Donna now? I don’t know if I want to connect with that character given her convoluted nature, but King is winning me over. And yeah I loved how they decided fuck their oaths actually, they were going to help Diana like it or not.

Fantastic Four #16 - Lovely issue featuring the kids, I’m a sucker for whenever it’s shown that while she might be smarter than her dad, Val is still just a kid and makes mistakes. I also like how Franklin is portrayed as a capable pilot, something he has in common with his Uncle Johnny.

[taiyakiiwrites]

— DATING START! feat. DENKI KAMINARI

pairing(s): denki kaminari x gn!reader

wc: 0.7k+ words

content: denki being a simp, good vibes!! and some serious lovey dovey stuff at the end as a lil treat

notes: i’m thinking of making a series of relationship headcanons with class 1A. tell me what character you want to see next! hope you enjoy!

⇉ requests are open!! || main masterlist || rules

denki kaminari is a simple man: give him someone who has okay morals and who’ll give him attention and you got him interested

he likes having fun! once you two are dating, he’s immediately reeling you into adrenaline rushing activites:

rollerskating rinks! even if you’re shy, he’ll stay by your side, holding your hand as you’re holding onto the rail ㅠㅠ though whenever you’re ready, he’ll pull you into the center and dance with you to the funky 80s citypop playing on the speakers

and the lights with the music just make it so magical!!1!1

amusement parks! he will not budge from those carnival games until he wins you a teddy bear >:(( the whole day is just you and him running around the park from one ride to another and taking a bajillion photos

side note: he will do his best to take great photos of you. cause in the end, it’s a win-win: you get nice photos of yourself and a self-esteem boost, and he gets more photos of you to simp over and show off to his friends

“i know, my s/o is amazing? are you jealous? ‘cause you should be >:))”

the beach! no, this is not an excuse to see you in a swimsuit okay maybe that’s a reason but he enjoys the sun! from eating ice cream and relaxing on the sand, to making sandcastles and crying when they get destroyed by the waves ㅠㅠ

but when you guys aren’t outside, he enjoys playing video games with you. any game, really.

and no, he will not go easy on you.

this is war.

though, he likes it when you work together in games. he likes being on a team with you! and i get big nintendo vibes from him, so a lot of classic kirby and super mario

i personally think he really enjoys super mario galaxy ✨✨ it’s a way for him to calm down from the stress of everyday life, and with you by his side, it’s 1000x better

he also shows you his other interests! his manga collection, his music taste—you two like to listen to energetic and painfully basic 2000s pop music together whenever you need to get pumped up! for a big test, when you don’t feel motivated, or when you’re just plain bored :DD

he does love his paramore tho <33

and yes, he has tried to bake for you on special days (ie birthday, anniversaries, etc)

,,, but uh

let’s just say he’s been banned from the kitchen and will be chased down by bakugo if found within a 5 foot radius of the area

he’s a tad clingy in your relationship

okay, he’s very clingy

the idea that you chose him out of all of the other amazing students in UA baffles him, so he is not letting you

insecurity can get to someone!1!1!

expect many texts and calls throughout the day, though a majority of the texts will be memes 💀

he really does just want the best for you. he wants to learn about you! your family, hobbies, likes and dislikes, and everything that makes you you

unfortunately, it can make the relationship feel very one sided at times, since he’s always doing things for you. every time you do even the smallest thing for him, he is shocked. obviously, he loves it! but he doesn’t feel like he deserves it

ㅠㅠ

he tries to put a lot of effort in the relationship, because if he does, then it’ll seem like he’s worth your time. that he’s actually allowed to be with you.

he wants you to know that he cares, that he’s always there for you, but he’s terrified of making a mistake

denki hasn’t had a lot of experience in relationships, so he feels like he needs to constantly be perfect for you. and he has a lot of insecurities about himself, so stick by his side and reassure him when he gets too overwhelmed with his thoughts

denki does have trouble being serious when it comes to his own problems though, so you really have to dig. don’t worry about hitting a sore spot—of course he wants you to know all of this. it’s just that it’s hard sometimes to open up. vulnerability is scary, y’know?

just be patient with him. he’s thankful for every time you show that want to help him out

you two have a lot of fun together, but underneath all of the banter and silliness, he has your back

[eledritch]

hi ele!

i’m a fan of your writing, mostly your voltron fics but i’ve also read your dragon age, critical role, and captive prince stories, they are all so fucking good. where do i go to join your cult? /j

you’re insanely creative in your AUs or plot ideas, from plant porn to beauty in the beast with vampires but also magic schools with magic goddesses and incubi and cambions!

i was just wondering what inspires you when you’re coming up with ideas for fics and what normally comes first to you, the setting or plot or something else? plus, how did you develop such a strong sense of characterization? because across alternate universes and in every different life, your characters are so consistent and recognizable.

another way your creativity shines is the world building in your fics, it is always so fascinating and effortless, it’s a tantalizing background that really hooks me into the world of your stories. i don’t know if you have more notes on world building that didn’t make it into your fics but please know i would sell my soul for a napkin of extra notes for your fics. do you world build as you write or plan it in advance? and do some things you consider fic-canon not make it into the final edit or do you try to work everything you have in?

i know this is a lot, i’m very interested in your writing methods and how you develop so many amazing stories sorry! thanks for your many years of amazing writing and the time it took you to read this ask XD

Hi wow this is all so kind of you to say!! I'm so glad you enjoy my writing <3

so, I would say that usually when I am starting on a new story, I start with the characters and think about what kinds of situations, settings, conflicts, genres, themes, etc I want to write them in. Fantasy is one of my favorite genres because in many ways it feels the most flexible -- I am probably halfway between a pantser and a plotter in terms of story-planning, so I enjoy having space in my plots for them to change if I feel like they need to. I usually know the ending early on in the process tho.

Worldbuilding is one of my favorite aspects of writing and partly why I am so partial to writing AUs. I tend to do more planning for the worldbuilding up front than I do with the plot: my story worlds are scaffolds on which I can build the plot, if that makes sense. I've loved worldbuilding since I was a kid, and I think the best advice I can give for how to build story worlds is to read a lot of books. Books I read as a kid still influence how I worldbuild today (a few that come to mind are the Redwall, Series of Unfortunate Events, Narnia, & May Bird books), as well as videogames (Dragon Age always), places I've actually been, and honestly my academic reading/writing also definitely influences my creative writing, i.e., when thinking about how to write about social conflicts and cultural norms and especially colonization/empire in the worlds I write stories about.

For writing both characters and worldbuilding, I think it's really key to figure out how to suspend your readers' disbelief, and this starts with suspending your own disbelief. You have to believe in the worlds and characters you create. This means being comfortable with writing your characters in all kinds of situations, because people only show a lot of aspects of themselves (and therefore seem like real people, because people & their personalities & motives & backgrounds are complex) if they experience a lot of things. This may be why I gravitate towards writing stories with more dramatic tones and plots, because I find it much more fun to figure out characters by stressing them out. Seriously, I think characters solidify when they're placed in wild situations lol! And these don't necessarily need to be really serious perilous situations, but rather events and conflicts that fundamentally challenge the characters and force you to imagine how they might react in ways that feel true to how you've written them.

For example, one of my favorite character types to write is "kind of a bitch but like, a complicated bitch and kind of justified in their bitchiness because they're going through some stuff." Laurent from Captive Prince definitely falls under this; Keith from VLD, Essek from CR, and Astarion from BG3 also fit into this category (albeit all in really different ways and shades of bitchiness haha). I find these characters fun to write because they're characters who should probably change -- they also have clearly defined flaws and desires, which is great when you have to create a conflict and keep readers engaged/make readers get attached to these characters.

It's tough to root for a character who is consistently a bitch, never feels bad about it, has no reason for being that way, is never critiqued by other characters about it, and is not influenced to change by the narrative at all. It's a lot easier to root for a character who has some kind of inner conflict going on which is complemented by the outer conflict/s of the story. I'm especially fond of characters who have trust issues, because this is a flaw that obviously lends itself well to romance plots, but also can have some very interesting backstory implications and lead to really dynamic yet believable character development, as trust can be built incrementally and also wax and wane in a way that feels natural and builds narrative tension in a compelling way. It also allows you to work on other characters, since trust requires at least two people :)

Thank you for your questions!! I'm sure this is all over the place (it's finals week and dear god grad school finals week is actually hell) but best of luck in your own writing and I hope to share more fic soon~

[the-house-of-funny-cat]

finished playing silent hill 2 and loved it so much i wrote a whole review about it. here it is:

I guess I’m doing this now? Whenever there’s a game I beat I really want to talk about, I’ll do these kinds of game reviews on here. Silent Hill 2 was on my bucket list of games for quite a while, and I finally got around to playing it (though on an emulator, I don’t even have a PS2).

       Bit of backstory, earlier this year (I’d say September), me and my friends wanted to play through the whole Silent Hill franchise, kind of strange for me considering I really wasn’t the biggest fan of horror games.

But I’m so glad I did. Silent Hill has almost instantly become one of my favorite video game franchises, and a very refreshing take on the horror genre from what we have today. Survival horror outside the Resident Evil series by Capcom are largely unsupported today. I really miss this style of game, and the Silent Hill franchise really reinforces that.

       Starting with the plot, Silent Hill is a quite vague franchise. Even when you know who is creating and unleashing monsters upon the town, you never really know why. Silent Hill 2 does this much more than the original, however, as by the end of the game, I still didn’t understand why the monsters were here. While this would be a criticism to most other games, I think this fits the mysterious nature of Silent Hill well.

       James Sunderland, the protagonist, feels largely similar to Harry Mason, the protagonist of the first game, although his motivations are different. In the first game, Harry is searching for his missing daughter Cheryl, while here, James has received a letter from his late wife Mary saying that she was in Silent Hill. I won’t go into the ending of the game for those that still wish to play it, but the ending of the game is very impactful, and I did not see many of the twists coming at the end. (The hotel, if you know you know…)

To be honest, I didn’t really find the game that scary in a jumpscare-sense, but that’s not really what Silent Hill 2 is going for anyways. Silent Hill is a psychological horror series, and it rarely has jumpscares. Rather the locations and the music are doing the heavy lifting in the horror department.

The OST of Silent Hill 2, composed by Akira Yamaoka, is one of my favorite video game soundtracks of all time. Specifically, The Day of Night, A World of Madness, and Heaven’s Night are in the running for some of my favorite songs in video games. The music is what I’d describe as “hauntingly beautiful”, which fits the foggy atmosphere of Silent Hill perfectly. Despite its haunting nature, I actually find the songs to be good walking music, due to their mellow tone. Special mention goes to Black Fairy. It’s played at such a perfect time in the story, and it left me sitting there in shock at what happened with one of the most unnerving songs in gaming playing in the background, as the roof starts leaking.

Silent Hill as a franchise loves abandoned buildings, and so do I. Something about the locations in Silent Hill 2, from the deserted hospital that has an all-knowing elevator, to a luxury hotel that starts flooding with water, and even an underground labyrinth that had me saying “How deep into the Earth is James right now?!”. The locations in this game were some of my favorite parts, and they were very memorable to me.

The gameplay is unfortunately my least favorite part of the whole experience, but that in no way means that the gameplay is bad. The shooting of weapons could definitely be a bit faster, as especially during boss fights, it was hard to move quickly. I wasn’t really used to tank controls before getting into the franchise, but now that I’ve played two games in it, I’m pretty used to them.

Overall, this is an incredible game. It is now my favorite horror game (stealing the spot from FAITH, another fantastic horror game), and also my favorite game for the PS2. Silent Hill 2 is a great visualization of grief and is a good contender for the best horror game of all time. The game has recently been announced to get a remake for modern systems, and I cannot wait for this to come out. If you want a more deep and unnerving horror experience, I highly recommend Silent Hill 2.

[danielstalter]

The Babysitter

The Babysitter remains one of R.L. Stine’s most notorious books outside of his Goosebumps and Fear Street titles, and rightly so. Jenny was a relatable and endearing protagonist. Stine did an excellent job with the pacing, slowly building the tension with some genuinely unnerving scenes. On the downside, I had some problems with the motives of the villain and there was some really shoddy police work that was presented as exceptional. I was also baffled by one particular action of Jenny’s mother, which I’ll save for the full review below because of spoilers. I’ll just say that sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between bad/oblivious parenting and things that were still considered OK in the late 1980s. Overall, I really enjoyed this one in spite of its flaws.

Score: 3.5 Full Review: https://www.danstalter.com/the-babysitter/

The Babysitter II

The Babysitter II was a very middle-of-the-road sequel. The characters were solid and by far the strongest part overall. But for every element I liked, there was something of equal measure that I didn’t. The book had some very dated depictions of mental health, which were hard to look past. I hated Jenny’s psychiatrist from the jump. It was immediately apparent he was a bad fit for a traumatized teenage girl. I suppose he sucked in a believable way, but I can’t help but cringe at unhelpful depictions of therapy. It’s OK to break up with your therapist, folks. Jenny certainly needed to. The dream sequences also got really tiring after the first one. Unless the book is about dreams specifically, they just feel cheap. The kid that Jenny babysits for in this round was presented as a menace to society. Eli Wexner is a child genius, he has mood swings, he likes tarantulas, and he can be straight-up weird. I think he read more as an autistic kid with inexperienced and overwhelmed parents than anything threatening. I don’t know if that’s what Stine was going for, but that’s definitely what I got as the story progressed. The other reason I’m being hard on this one is that I guessed the plot twist way earlier than I usually do. I suppose the book holds up as a competent mystery if you aren’t familiar with any other books R.L. Stine has written. For me, it felt like a partial rehashing of the first book and a mix of things I’ve seen repeatedly in the Fear Street books. The Babysitter II wasn’t the worst, and it wasn’t the best. It’s a mostly competent sequel that just didn’t bring anything particularly new to the table.

Score: 2.5 Full Review: https://www.danstalter.com/the-babysitter-ii/

The Babysitter III

The Babysitter III felt like a sequel in search of a story. I’ll start with the good; at least Jenny wasn’t taking on yet another babysitting job after her experiences in the first two books. It changed the formula by introducing Jenny’s cousin Debra as this book’s titular babysitter. Unfortunately, I still saw the twist ending coming from a mile away. It had too many similarities to other Stine books. Everything he did here, he’s done it before and he’s done it better. There were a bunch of B-plot elements that ultimately served no purpose other than to throw the reader off the real trail. The B-plots are great for this function, but they work best when they also tie back into the main storyline. Almost none of them did. Jenny is also very clearly dealing with PTSD, but no longer appears to be in therapy or have any sort of support system in place. I’m used to dated and problematic depictions of mental health in these books, but this one just felt hard to watch. It was like one long, sad cringe. The book also relied on some characterization changes that I just couldn’t buy into. It made me wish the whole Babysitter series featured a different protagonist in each installment. Because the first Babysitter book was great; I consider it one of Stine’s best. The Babysitter II was less so but not bad. This one just felt phoned in. The ending of The Babysitter III does hold some promise for the fourth and final installment, but I can’t say I have a ton of confidence in that happening.

Score: 1 Full Review: https://www.danstalter.com/the-babysitter-iii/

The Babysitter IV

I did not go into this book with high expectations, so I was very pleasantly surprised when this book took a fresh direction. The Babysitter III had squeezed every last bit out of using Mr. Hagan as a villain, so I was happy to see that he was barely mentioned all in The Babysitter IV. In a lot of ways, this book was about Jenny reclaiming the narrative for herself. The way that Jenny’s past experiences caused her to question her own sanity at every turn made for a unique perspective that a lot of sequels miss out on. I figured out some of the twist ending early on, but I wasn’t bothered by it. What did bother me was how rushed the ending was. There was a whole other story received in the last few pages that deserved its own spotlight. It was a shame because I really liked the story it was telling, I just wanted more than an eleventh-hour info dump. I can’t be more specific without dropping massive spoilers, but almost all of the issues I had with this book stem from how it ended. I still liked The Babysitter IV more than I didn’t, and I was happy to see the final installment in the series end on such a strong note.

Score: 3.5 Full Review: https://www.danstalter.com/the-babysitter-iv/

[tealincubusspeckles]

Perspective Motivations

⚠️TRIGGER WARNING: desperation, emotional pain, aftermath of “parents”⚠️

➼ Miss Laws once said Mika is supposed to represent us. Hence, why Mika is a blank slate. But "we" have no real backstory except for a strict father who uses corporal punishment, a school bully, and two best friends.

In the Seduce Me series Mika or "we" was/were simply an unfortunate bystander who walked in on the aftermath her grandfather caused when he was exploring the limits of his magic. I firmly believe the Seduce Me series was NEVER about Mika. It was the story of an old human wizard testing his powers, 1 young demon boy who saw an opportunity to leave constant abuse from his father and the castle, 4 demon brothers who went to support and protect said brother in the new unknown environment of the human world, and 1 demon princess who wanted to save her kingdom.

➼ Mika/we are just the camera. We are the side character to a greater story. A story beyond the walls of Seduce Me. But that is the limitation of some dating sims. Probably those who played any of her other games can fill in this

...larger story of a Brute, Incubus, Dragon Demon named Aomaris who manages the demons of the Abyssal Plains with his wife named Mika by his side??

➼ I believe that Mika is a dreamer or adventurer at heart just like her grandfather was. We know from Seduce Me Asks tags that Mika was an A plus achiever meaning she is book smart. We know from the Seduce Me 1 games David Anderson, her father, dislikes Mika having interest in anything outside of academics. The conversations between the family are probably about school or nothing. In Seduce Me 1 Suzu says something that Mika can date if she wants. I am not sure if Suzu means that Mika can find someone new after being out of the dating scene for awhile? Or was Suzu was saying that Mika who never had a partner before should start being open to finding someone? I have a belief that someone raised to focus on academics could have secret boyfriends only their best friends know. But I remember Miss Laws saying that Mika was like pansexual or something? So, I assume that Mika has not met anyone that caught her heart in her life yet. To be honest, if I was to write Seduce Me, I cannot see how Mika could fall for bloody strangers who appeared in her new house. In fact, the only reason I can see that Mika had for simply dating one of the incubi brothers was because the brother/s saved her from Malix twice.

➼ Diana only appears to be the enemy in Seduce Me 1 if you go after one of the boys because you/Mika get in the way of her using a peaceful negotiation tactic. I am not the only one who thinks becuase of an AO3 post called "Mirror" by krys-loves-otome (KrysImeteriHikari). Additionally, Diana has more of an excuse written for her actions than Mika does. Another Tumblr user wrote something about how Seduce Me 2 seemed mainly like a Diana apology.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

 DIANA

Diana was a leader of the rebellion and as a leader people pick apart every move you make. As a leader your choice affects many lives. As a leader you carry the regret, responsibility, and death of others on your shoulder.

Remember, Diana lost her family because the boys did not return with her. Because MIKA got in the way of her original plan to make a peaceful truce with The Demon Lord. But we can't blame Mika for screaming at Diana for breaking in nor can we blame Mika for not asking Diana or the boys to plan against The Demon Lord. Since Mika never truly knew ANYTHING about the boys until Diana showed up. Let's not forget that The Demon Lord is an asshat who will kill everything in his way of getting complete control over the Abyssal Plains! The Demon Lord is true evil simply because he has the strength to do so and what good are morals if you can just kill opposition!

Diana is prideful just like Sam but that just the way of being a demon. Don't forget that humans are merely slaves or food sources to demons in the Abyssal Plains. In Seduce Me 1 K probably told Diana to talk with Mika and not harm her (unlocked in a secret ending I believe in Seduce Me 1). Diana could have easily killed Mika to get to the boys who were being housed in the mansion. But Diana is not evil at least not whole heartedly.

Now the following are just theories why Diana would consider harming Mika. Possibly the magic signature left behind on the portal when the boys crossed over is like the protection spell Mika has on her. If that is the case Diana might believe that it was Mika who helped the boys cross over and who is currently protecting them. Diana's route is probably the first time Diana finds Harold's grave. Maybe Harold's grave has a magic signature on it that ties all the pieces together for Diana. The pieces that Mika is simply a victim of circumstance and not the enemy.

Diana is also a victim of circumstance The Demon Lord is fighting and killing everything in his way of getting complete control. Diana was offering herself in marriage to the sons because in marriage the sons will gain control over the lands peacefully. Diana can't offer herself to the Demon Lord since he has many wives of his own and has already threatened to harm the Lilith Kingdom in the past. In a way by offering herself this way was sort of stupid since the collateral to her leaving means her kingdom is now at jeopardy and we see this outcome in Seduce Me 2. Then again at the time the authority in Lilith was not Diana, but her parents.

Diana did not want war between the kingdoms, so she offered to go after the boys since she want to secure protection of her kingdom through marriage. As a princess, not yet queen, she was already acting on behalf of protecting a bunch of other beings. To her, Mika is in the way of this peaceful plan.

Meanwhile, Mika wants the Love Interest for herself without figuring out why the boys are needed. Without asking the boys why they ran away from the demon world. Without suggesting that the demons stick their prideful heads together and work out a plan. She just screams at Diana to get out of the mansion and threatens Diana back. She does not consider that the boys are all adult men who are 20 and older! She does not consider that Diana is the boy's problem and not her own. (Let's not forget to mention the boys ESPECIALLY JAMES are highly aware of the responsibility they left behind. They are all technically in line for a throne.)

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 SAM

Sam never wanted to leave the demon world because he was a fighter, prideful, and he was confident in how to survive in the demon realm. Heck he even stole food to help others survive in the harsh environment. He only left because Damien and Erik wanted to leave the weight of their reputations. Matthew was on the fence, but he saw an opportunity to spread his wings from taking care of his mother. By Sam saying he wanted to go, he convinced James to go along with them. Sam left everything behind in the demon world. His home, his friends, and his way of life. He left the Abyssal Plains for the unknown in the human realm to be the support for his brothers because he needed them just as much as they needed him. Sam did not gain anything from the human world except a small vacation. Sam had to learn to feed off small fights that barely made him use his powers or making excuses to hold hands or kiss someone.

Sam is like a soda bottle you shake then open just a little bit, the bubbles threaten to spill out, and as you drink the bubbles burn your throat. Sam is used to using his energy around the castle or maybe a nearby forest. But, in the human world he cannot do that. Rather he must learn to go about things differently. Sam regrets coming over to the human world because HIS choice means the brothers are leaving the throne with targets on their backs. Leaving a position of power, say being a King, can have you killed if you try to come back. Meaning if Malix was not after them then at some point The Demon Lord could have sent an assassin after the boys. For something tells me The Demon Lord had not even an ounce of affection for his own sons.

In Sam's past he was a fighter because being a royal to an asshole king makes you a target. As a fighter blind rage does not get you far. This idea is something you either learn from teaching or through practiced experience. Sam although he may seem like the kind of person to ONLY punch things first, he isn't. In Seduce Me 1 Sam is prideful, but we see he does not jump into every fight around. When Erik and Matthew have a little tiff of who cooked the food he doesn't interrupt. He waits to see what happens; he says something after James calms the two. Meaning Sam doesn't egg on a fight just monitors it. Kind of like a referee. But if he feels that his pride is hurt, Sam is quick to threaten to start fighting someone. If you take the bait Sam will carry out his threat IF he deems a fight is worth it. Since although Sam finds it hard to apologize if told what he though was an attack on his pride wasn't, he will back down. As in the scene at dinner table Matthew was probably offended by Mika laughing, so he simply asks Mika why she was laughing to get clarification. When Mika responded Matthew was confused how Mika enjoyed watching them pig out but was glad, she was happy. Unlike Sam who SEEMED to get aggressive and angry to shut her up, so HE did not have to feel embarrassed.

Then again, I am the person on Tumblr who wrote a short were Mika was thinking how Sam only dates her because of obligation. In Sam's route he says something along the lines of 'if it wasn't for us, you wouldn't have been a target'. Sam clearly thinks that if he had not come to the human world and entered the mansion that Mika would be safe from harm. But it was Mika's choice to house the boys because she wanted pass on the kindness her grandfather gave her (and if you choose, Mika can face off with Malix after the House Party). SECOND, if one of the boys gets into Mika's favor, they secure a roof over their heads. Remember that Matthew even tells Sam off by saying "I haven't slept in a bed in weeks". Think about it if someone offers you there home you would try your best to be a good guest. However, what happens if your host starts to view you as more than just a guest? What would you do in Sam's shoes? For Sam Mika's house was just a detour along the way in the human world. Why would he settle for her when with his powers alone he can get anyone? " Leave!Me!Alone!" by AnotherCloudyDay is a fan-fiction on AO3 where Sam tells James that he is was getting bored of Mika as he was using her for energy. Let's be real humans are a food source to demons and Mika is willing to offer the boys energy when she shows interest in them. Making Mika an easier target than casting a spell on a stranger.

Mika had NO reason to house the boys but because of the kindness her grandfather showed her she wanted to pay it forward. The "romance" between Mika and anyone in the Seduce Me series seems forced. Mika was put in dangerous life situations to “bond” with her love interest. Meaning Mika basically "owes them for saving her". The boys probably play nice with Mika because she put a roof over their head in a way. Both situations do not equate to "Hey let's date"! BUT that is the downfall of most otome games.

Demons are powerful. The brothers are sons of The Demon Lord which makes them overpowered in comparison to most demons. Demons use their powers to fight each other to the death or use their powers for convenience. By taking the demon out from the demon realm they lose their way of fighting/releasing stress since humans who fight for no reason are typically arrested. Also, using magic in a place that doesn't have a lot of magical energy to replenish their reserves would drain them and worse can kill them. Meaning instead of snapping their fingers to fold clothes, the demon must now manually learn how to do each task. That's like sending physical letters or washing and hanging up all clothes by hand if technology gives up. It's a hassle because it takes time to do things manually. Demons in the Seduce Me universe who cross over to the human realm get to see the wonders of smelling grass for the first time. Since demons are too busy blasting spells at each other or are at war for territory. Rules of the demon realm are different than in the human realm. For a lot of human rules are based off logic and emotion! Demons CAN feel emotions, but they rely more on instinct, logic, and power. Coming to the human realm means learning new customs in each place you go to, so it's very confusing. Sure, demons will respect whatever they learn. Say you want to be called something specific, done! Demons themselves identify by many things all the time since spells can help them shape-shift for a short while.

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MOTIVATIONS

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James

• Next ruler of a demon kingdom. Brought up in demon ways but is cordial with other beings as a necessity for negotiations. Dealing with humans is mere child's play in comparison. 

• His Father was a person who probably used force more than empathy. If James did respond in kind way to others, he would be considered weak not only by his father but his mother. 

Personally as I said (in past posts) I view James as a bit entitled or rather used to people listening to his decisions. I do agree James has a good head on his shoulders but he was raised in a “household” of cruelty. Meaning if he ever feels that someone is out of line, he KNOWS how to put them in their place by force.

• His mother as we know can learn quickly and passed it on to James. Meaning she would drill her son to know as much as possible, so he did not have time to have dreams.

• 💛 James calculates events based on physical facts/knowledge. Although he knows there are possibilities, he tends not to indulge those thoughts too much (unlike Matthew). 

• James has a stone destiny for the throne. Aka Luck is always on his side because his mother scarified something in exchange for her son to rule.

I believe James gets burned with the cross in his route in Seduce Me 2 because James breaks the stone destiny with Mika. Although, I am not certain if he breaks the stone destiny when he is married to Iridessa.

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Erik

• The second born and probably only a couple of months, days, or maybe even minutes older than Sam.

• Raised to talk his way out of problems.

• People or even his mother probably kept telling him how beautiful he was so his mother pushed him to use his looks to his advantage.

• Erik is not dumb or a dog like rumors say. Those are just beings who felt hurt that Erik either refused to deal with them, felt he cheated even though they clearly had not verbally agreed to date, or people who were just jealous that he got attention by being good looking.

Let's be real if a person looks hot or pretty to some degree people talk and sometimes spread false rumors

• Erik could live apologetically but people would see him as fake. So, Erik had to learn to take all commentary in stride or ignore it. Legit this man has a false reputation, and he really cannot do anything about it. Since if people believe you to be a certain way even if you try and show them otherwise someone else will keep testing you until you snap.

• As a person raised in the public eye Erik learned quickly that even if he were to confide in someone word can spread quickly. He learned to wear masks to hide his true emotions. Probably lies to himself more than others.

• Erik is the loner of his brothers and probably is not really close to any of them. More like they all tolerate him, and he does the same for them. There are SUPER RARE occasions where they back him up though. VERY RARE.

• Erik is the eyes and ears to people who talk about his brother.

James probably uses Erik's verbal intel to his advantage. Sam knows the gist of rumors and hates when Erik or Matthew rubs them in his face. Erik is probably the King of Petty followed by Matthew. Damien knows the mental motivations of all beings so Erik can't really hide from him.

• Erik probably used magic as an escape from his mother's instructions. As she seemed to have other plans instead of having him study.

• ❤️ Erik's mother just wanted him to learn how to be a pretty accessory on the arm of a queen or king. Possibly because she wanted that for herself so why not train her son to do that? Heck she probably considers training her son to be a suave sliver tongue is a gift to anyone in the future who meets him. She never considers how Erik feels and makes him deal with ridicule alone. Probably she thinks it will help make him strong emotionally.

• Erik is part dream stalker demon, but demons rarely sleep in the demon world since the magic is sufficient to keep them up and running for days. Hence Erik’s power (entering dreams) was not used much. As a dream stalker Erik would have the ability to sense when people are daydreaming or when they have premonitions about something. However, I believe his limit is that he must be sleeping and in the same room with them. Miss Laws has stated that ERIK did NOT interrupt Mika's premonition dream (you know the one where Damien wakes Mika and says "You can't control your dreams"). What happened was this was Mika's FIRST Seer ability AWAKENING. Her ability was telling her Erik would "physically" be able to wake her from dreaming since he is able to move independently from the dream sequence. This could also be because Erik is more of the healer and support of the brothers. Aka Erik is not in the front lines so he would be the person to protect anyone who is struggling.

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Matthew

• Written off as just a young guy who probably does not know much.

• 💙 Matthew calculates every move he makes even calculating scenarios that are nearly impossible. Matthew is imaginative and creative. But that does not mean he is unprepared. Legit ask him for something BOOM he got that or maybe a mini version of that. You are goanna do that? Well, what if he throws this? MATTHEW IS THE ULTIMATE PLOTTING MACHINE. 

In Seduce Me 1 Matthew offers Mika a peace offering in the form of making Simon Tabby. However, I believe that Simon Tabby became twisted because possibly the idea of making toys reminds him of his mother he left behind. Secondly, Matthew offers to help Mika with the house party after Mika offers the house. Matthew sees the opportunity to have shelter (he even hushed Sam for it) and seeks to return her favor. On a warped note it is possible that Matthew’s actions are simply getting Mika to give him attention so he can swipe her energy easier. Recall this man in Seduce Me 1 when he is summoned to fight Malix. When Matthew showed up, he blocked his eyes from being seen using his hood so he can scan the room and then targeted the devils with deadly accuracy. 

• *Evil Matthew is just Simon Tabby with the goal of taking over the Abyssal Plains. Meaning he is ruthless, clever, and maniacal.

• Matthew is like Erik in that he is the eyes and ears of the castle. However, he uses what he knows for what most would consider pranks. But truly his pranks are just practice traps for the future. 

• Matthew knows how to hide his true intentions like a pro. It's scary. So long as you are not his enemy you will be fine... probably...

• *In Seduce Me 2 Matthew is written off as plainly insane like My Little Pony Pinkie Pie SMILE version. But Matthew is not. THE effects we see on Matthew is Madness. According to Miss Laws Madness is like a disease in the demon realm that is incurable. Those with madness are mainly driven by bloodlust and throw rationality out the window. Matthew's madness is as far as I know hereditary. Think of Matthew's madness like reoccurring anxiety.

Matthew feels happy in his new life with Mika. He feels regret that he left his mother to (basically) fight depression alone. He left his mother behind with The Demon Lord, HIS FATHER. A father who does not even care for his mother. His mother who gave up pride yet was still cast aside. These thoughts have probably been eating Matthew up for the past 2 years and now the Madness is getting worse. Matthew is getting possessive over Mika because his mother was once thrown away. Why should Matthew let go?

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Damien

• Touch starved and love starved baby.

• He lost his mother because of his innocent remarks about her thoughts. Her thoughts where she recalls every horror the Demon Lord does. Damien makes her relive every moment. Damien blames himself for her death EVEN THOUGH he could not understand the weight of her pain at the time. To convince him he is innocent is highly unlikely...or rather would take a lot of work.

• He does have a level of self-respect for himself. After all his mother did not kill him back then.

• His comfort and worth come from his brothers. James was often busy studying but would step in as the voice of reason and guidance. Erik was probably busy playing pretend and lying to himself that Damien tends not to hang around him much. Sam and Matthew were probably the people he grew up with and hung around the most. Sam being a person who is more likely to react first instead of letting every thought truly sink in. Matthew was probably one of the quickest to adjust to Damien's abilities. Truthfully almost strange how well Matthew could hide things from Damien. Damien would often attribute this to Matthew always having to many thoughts going on or that some times it seemed that Matthew did some actions on autopilot. Regardless, His brothers were kept in check whenever Damien would speak their thoughts out loud. Sometimes it was fun, other times it was a learning experience, and on some days they would attempt to block him out.

• He was not given access to reading or writing materials. So, once he learns how to do these things, he wants to share what he can do to everyone. Kind of like a child who knows how to ride a bike for the first time.

• Damien is extremely grateful for coming to the human world and takes in everything like a kid in a candy store. He knows beings can be bad and situations can be horrible. But his life is JUST NOW looking up so he cannot help but be a bit positive right?

• Damien is truly a man with nothing to lose except if he gains favor with Mika. Then Mika becomes his everything. To even dream of cheating when he saw the effects of abuse on his mother is unthinkable. Why would he put another person through emotional or physical pain? Damien is not like his father. Heck he is pretty sure none of his brothers want to be like their father either, at least he hopes so. Damien is the yandere of the group and loves you.

• Damien is the kind of guy who seems to like the normal things like walking through a crowded city, sitting in traffic, watching scenes pass by in a window, eating food, doing laundry, and wondering what else is there to explore. Let him explore life if you happen to find him somewhere strange just remind yourself, he is a big boy he'll come home. Remember this dude is 20.

• 🖤 When Damien left the demon world, he mostly gave up everything. Except his powers. If there was even ONE chance, he would take it if given the OPPORTUNITY to choose. Damien NEVER ONCE had the PRIVILEGE of having a choice. Who is Mika to take that away? (Diana could have phrased her deal with Damien better not going to lie but hey short time and well idk the writing was weird).