#and not much has changed today but. I am secure in my hope for a better world. my belief in justice for those wronged.

[badolmen]

Not to be extreme but dear God hold onto hope.

Things will be better one day. People will sing and dance in colorful clothes under dazzling lights again. A parent will rock their child to sleep on a quiet night again. A grandparent will teach their grandchild to cook a family recipe again. People will laugh and cry and love and grieve in the most mundane of ways once more. This will happen no matter what you believe, but hoping and believing in such things will ease your heart and kindle your resolve to see it within your lifetime. Have hope, and you will give life to the world you hope to see.

[abdmusab]

Hello, my name is Musab. I am 22 years old and was studying medical equipment engineering at Al-Azhar University in Gaza. I had simple dreams, hoping my life would continue as I wished. I worked hard, hoping to build a future for myself and my family. But everything changed suddenly due to the war that devastated my life and my family, Even my pets.

The conflict took everything from me: my job, my passion for continuing my studies, my home, and most painfully, some of my family members who were lost in the destruction and bombing, Even my pets, who are an inseparable part of my family, are struggling alongside me. They too feel the fear and anxiety Our lives have been reduced to ashes, and we are left with nothing. We now live without money, food, or a livable shelter, struggling to survive with the barest of resources in harsh and unforgiving conditions.

Every day, I struggle to survive and try to continue my education under these harsh conditions.

Today, I appeal to anyone with a human conscience to offer us a helping hand. I don't ask for much, I just seek a chance to secure daily sustenance for me and my family, then shelter, and finally the ability to complete my studies to fulfill my dream of becoming an engineer and contributing to the rebuilding of my community. I believe that if I receive enough support, I can succeed and rebuild my life and the lives of my family.

My account has been verified by @90-ghost

[hannie-dul-set]

fire and brimstone (and you’re a moth made of gasoline) — THREE.

SYNOPSIS. having fought tooth and nail out of high school, university, and law school, only to end up working for a law firm that basically serves as a clean up dog after the biggest organized crime group in the district, you thought you couldn’t get any lower than this. 

the bar is in hell, and yet you’ve managed to limbo six feet beneath that. alternatively— na jaemin is the personification of hell, and your very existence just makes him even worse than he already is. 

PAIRING. na jaemin x female! reader. GENRE. gang! au, lawyer! au, office! au, comedy, drama, romance, very light angst, this is a sitcom, hate to love(?), a somewhat questionable power dynamic, asshole! jaemin (my beloved��my kryptonite…) but he’s also an idiot, jaemin has an eye contact thing, inspired by the manhwas “weak hero” and “study group.” WARNINGS. an abundance of criminal activity (including but not limited to organized crime, fraud, blackmail, DUIs, unethical and illegal occupational practices, etc.), blood and violence, suggestive themes, eventual non explicit sex, jaemin with a tattoo, legal inaccuracies because i am not familiar with south korean laws, so i’m just using my own country’s as reference. also because this is just a stupid thirst fic. who gives a damn. WORD COUNT. 5.8k.

NOTE. there was supposed to be more to this chapter, but it’d end up being way too long so i reserved it for the next one. anyway, hope you enjoy your first week at nalkeutta. feedback and comments much appreciated. happy reading! CHAPTER FOUR.

AFTER ONE ANGRY PHONE CALL, YOU FIND OUT MORE FROM MARK THE INTERNAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN JSS NALKEUTTA. Mark understands the precarious spot JSS is in, but can’t risk losing his major legal recourse whenever things get icky within his gang dealings. JSS recognizes the significant benefits it had been receiving by partnering with Nalkeutta, but this continued arrangement would be inimical in the long run.

So they came up with a very simple compromise. Nalkeutta will stop hiring lawyers from JSS if the firm simply hands over one of their lawyers to them, effectively cutting public ties between the two parties. However, Mark Lee will continue supporting JSS as a private investor, all while retaining the protection fee benefits that the firm has been enjoying thus far.

It’s a win-win situation for all. All except you.

You’re the only loser in this situation. These fuckers are tossing and trading you around like some sort of commodity.

“Are you happy that you’ve finally managed to poach me after all this time?”

Knowing very well how pissed you are, Mark offered to pick you up from your apartment. Today’s scheduled to be your first official day at Nalkeutta. He’s smiling in the driver’s seat of his fucking Bugatti, and it just makes you feel even shittier as your ass lands on the plush cushions of his unreasonably expensive car. “Seatbelt,” he simply tells you. You grunt and fasten it on. “I hope you’d change your mind about your transfer once you get a tour of our building.”

Oh, joy. A building tour. The best description for you and Mark in the car right now, driving down the sepia streets of Yeongdeungpo district, would be that of a chipper mom taking her angsty teen daughter to a birthday party, chin on palm, staring out the window and all.

He eventually pulls up to a tall, multi-windowed building. Very tall, wedged between two shorter establishments. You look at the towering building from inside the car, noticing the sign greeting you right above the well-mainted glass doors— Daybreak Security Company, it says. You release a scoff. Wow, what a disguise. 

Come to think of it, in the months you’ve worked with Nalkeutta, you’ve never actually been here before. Mark’s always the one visiting JSS, never the other way around, so there is the barest amount of curiosity here. “You can head in first and wait in the lobby,” he tells you. “I need to park this thing in the basement.” Your hand stops at the door handle, squinting back at Mark’s instruction. He laughs. “The staff are informed about your arrival. Most of them are out, anyway, so you have nothing to worry about.”

Dubious, but you don’t protest. Mark Lee stays hazarding by the sidewalk with one car window open, watching you as you make your way to the entrance. You tentatively look behind, only to be met by Mark’s close-eyed smile, waving a hand to prompt you inside the building. You grimace and spin your heels. What a psycho, you think, and you finally hear him restarting the car to leave once you’re already halfway through Nalkeutta’s doors.

Jeez. He and Doyoung are on the opposite ends of the boss spectrum— both equally despicable— but at least your former boss wasn’t as creepy or an active threat to your life. Heck, he was even a source of entertainment sometimes. You don’t think you can get away with the same disrespectful shit you’ve been pulling on Doyoung with Mark. The only reason why the latter has been letting you talk back so much is because he never saw you as a threat. Now that you’re in his territory, you can’t be so complacent.

Anyhow, you do as instructed and are currently waiting in the lobby, collecting curious stares here and there from an incorrigible amount of men coming in and out, and your best attempt at an impatient resting bitch face so that none of these fuckers try to talk to you is starting to be overcome by queasiness. When the hell is he coming back? You notice a group of guys in their early twenties whisper while sneaking glances at you from the corner— one of them you’re pretty sure you’d had to bail out before for a DUI.

Besides that glimmer of abnormality, the rest of the lobby is eerily normal, harboring the appearance of any other company office with potted plants and clean sofas and a receptionist corner. Granted, they are trying to pose as a very legal, very unsuspicious security company, but knowing what you know about Nalkeutta, it just makes you sick to the bones.

Eventually, Mark Lee shows up, emerging from the ground floor elevator near the couch you’ve been waiting on. You don’t even try to hide your annoyance. “Sorry, Had to take a phone call,” he says, smiling and sounding not very sorry at all while nudging you out of your seat. “C’mon, attorney. Let’s start the tour.”

You release a dead and pained groan. Mark pats you on the back for your enthusiasm, leading the way through.

Nalkeutta has four floors in total. The first floor is basically the entirety of Nalkeuta’s front— Daybreak Security Company, all decked out with an abundance of private meeting rooms for clients, consultation offices, and a bunch of flat out empty rooms labelled as storage, and bathrooms on each wing. There’s both a staircase and an elevator leading further up the floors or down to the basement parking lot. Mark says he’ll show you to your reserved parking spot later, and that alone is already tipping the scales between him and Doyoung on who is the better bad boss.

The second floor is reserved for the general office— divided into Nalkeutta’s four divisions and a common break area in the center, cushions and sofas already occupied by less than familiar faces. You don’t look at any of them and instead feast your eyes “You’ll also be stationed on this floor,” he tells you, smiling. “But we’ll save that part of the tour for last.”

Wow. You can’t wait to have another crowded cubicle sandwiched between roughed up gangsters who probably don’t know how to work a printer. Now that you think about it, it’s kind of uncanny that this notorious gang operates in a sterilized office setting. Mark Lee never fails to send you to the depths of discomfort.

“Now, to the next floor.” Up another level in the elevator are two very large conference rooms, an entire fucking gym area, and rooms and rooms of organized files and storages, each tightly chained with locks, but that’s not the point.

They have a gym here. There’s a freaking fully-equipped gym in the middle of all this corporate bullshit. Of fucking course there is.

“I’ll give you the keys to the locked rooms later,” he informs with a hum. “And you’re free to use the amenities up here.”

There’s no point hiding the sheer disgust on your face. “You’re offering me up to a biohazard chamber.” This is a male dominated building. You may be stereotyping, but you can’t imagine how hygienic these roughed up gangsters are. Mark always smells like baby lotion and fabric softener, but hospitals hide the smell of blood and death with a noxious amount of industrial chemicals and disinfectant. Look at him laughing at your repugnance. Evil, evil man.

“Alright, now let’s head up to the fifth floor.”

Riding up the elevator, you notice quickly that the uppermost floor has a lot less going on than the three below it. The first and only place Mark lets you enter is his private office— instructing you to knock thrice in case you have an urgent matter to discuss with him without informing him beforehand. The rest of the rooms on the floor are confidential, beyond your scope of authority.

He drops a set of keys onto your open palm. “But once you’ve worked with us for around three or four years, I might change my mind.”

It’s concerning how employee access to restricted information depends on the insane boss’s fickleness of mind. “Sure.” You pocket the keys. “Is there anything else I need to know?”

“Yeah,” he smiles. “Let me show you to your office.”

Your palm, still inside your slacks pocket, tightens around the keys. Office? No. No fucking way. Haha. He probably means just a cubicle. Your heart starts racing. Mark starts walking, and you hear the thumping in your ears coincide with your clacking heels against the hollow hallway. 

Office. Office. Your hopes are starting to rise up as the elevator brings you a level down. It dings. Mark leads you back into the fourth floor, and when you pass by the sets of cubicles divided in the open office area without your boss turning his head or stopping or even batting an eye— you start losing your shit. Holy crap. He stops in front of a close-doored room, interiors concealed by large blinds from the inside. 

There’s an acrylic placard attached to the door. It says Chief Legal Officer.

“This room is yours.”

When he opens the door, the first thing that greets you is the glistening name plate sitting parallel before you atop the sleek mahogany desk. 

It has your name on it. Gold. Avenir font. Engraved. Heavy enough to knock a man unconscious with one blow. You’re about to cry. Nevermind all that you said earlier. Fuck Kim Doyoung. Mark Lee is the best boss you could ever ask for.

“Hope the interior is to your liking, but you can change it up however you like.” 

That prompts you to actually take a look around, and holy shit— it’s almost as big as Doyoung’s office. There’s a substantial amount of organizers and cabinets. At the center sits a set of low, mustard settees and a small black coffee table to match. The floor is carpeted and lint-free. There’s a fucking mini fridge near the artificial potted plant in the corner. Your head snaps towards Mark. He laughs at your, speechless, open-mouthed, teary-eyed reaction to his surprise. 

“I’m guessing you’re satisfied with the office,” he says, looking like he’s about to say more but is interrupted by a silent buzz from his phone. He pulls it open, and his brows furrow for a split second. “Hmm. I still have to introduce you to Nalkeutta’s Executives, but something came up.” Mark pockets back his phone, and his usually pleasant expression takes over once more. “For now, I’ll let you get yourself settled in your office. I’ll send someone to pick you up in a while.”

The moment Mark Lee leaves the premises, you let out a scream, walk forward, drop down to your knees, and attempt to hug the entire length of your desk. 

“Oh my god,” you breathe out, cheek pressed against the cold surface of the red mahogany wood. “Oh my god, I’m naming you Savannah and you’ll be my new best friend.”

Savannah does not reciprocate your affections, but who gives a damn. You’re not sure how long you’ve been embracing your desk and inhaling the new office smell, but apparently long enough for someone to knock and push open your door with a sing-songy “Hellooo—!” The greeting quickly gets cut off the moment your widened eyes meet that of the intruder’s. Your knees are kissing the carpeted ground. Your head is cocked in a very uncomfortable manner in order to face the direction of the door— but not as uncomfortable as how the guy who just entered looks at the moment.

“Whoa, uh,” he double-takes. “Mark asked me to pick you up. You must be our new lawyer…?” 

You continue meeting the man’s gaze. You force your stiff shoulders back and slowly pull yourself up, patting down your pencil skirt. “Yes,” you start, promptly introducing yourself. “And you are?”

Very smooth. His gaze flickers down, making its way back up to meet your eyes— of which a wide grin starts to unfurl on his face. Your brow twitches. “Lee Haechan. Head of the Yoosun Department. My office is right across from yours.” He called Mark by his first name. Meaning, he must be one of his higher-ups. You wonder if it’s a Nalkeutta requirement to be rude and pretty in order to be promoted. “Nice to meet you, attorney. Seems like you’ll have no problem fitting right in.”

Haechan extends an arm for a handshake as if he didn’t just hit you with the worst insult you’ve been slapped with his fucking week. You respond with one firm shake before wiping the same palm against your blazer. 

He notices. You intended for him to notice. You beam at him with a smile. He’s still grinning, but slightly taken aback. “You’re fun.”

Mark has yet to orient you with the general organizational structure of Nalkeutta, but at the very least, there’s one thing you’re certain of.

“And you’re wasting time. What did Mark send you for?”

You answer to no one but him. Meaning, you’ve no reason to fake pleasantries with this Haechan guy. He barged into your office without waiting for admission. This guy needs to be taught a lesson.

“Oh, right,” he huffs. “He called us for a sudden meeting to meet the new head of our legal department, or something. I didn’t even know we had a legal department! Anyway, follow me, let’s head to the conference room. By the way, do you have a boyfriend?” The elevator doors close before you. You grace him with a response the moment he presses the floor button.

“You saw me in carnal embrace with my desk earlier. The only thing fucking me is my impending workload.”

Haechan chokes out a snorting laugh. “Holy shit,” he wheezes. “Is that a call for help? If so, I’m a pretty helpful guy.” 

You look at him, smiling. “Unless you’re a seventy-inch mahogany wood in width, I’m not interested.”

“Damn. High standards. I give, I give.”

You roll your eyes, taking the liberty of twisting the doorknob to the conference room before you. Your entrance is accompanied by a creak. At once, four sets of eyes immediately fall on you.

The first is the usual creepy ass gaze of Mark Lee, way too happy to see you. The next one is unfamiliar, covered by the glint of his glasses lens, but you don’t sense any animosity. The third is both blurry yet somewhat recognizable at the same time— a shiver down your spine when you meet his sharp glare. What the hell? This guy looks terrifying.

And the last one feels like walking back into a den that you swore you’d never return to. 

Na Jaemin’s eyes flicker up from his phone the moment you enter. You stifle a swear under your breath and shoot your gaze down. He flashes you a smile. Ah, fuck. Of course he’d be here. It totally slipped your mind thanks to the high from your new office and Lee Haechan trying to hook up with you. You’ve yet to judge whether or not a sick new office outweighs having to deal with this sick freak’s face every day. 

“Attorney!” he chirps from across the room, comfortably lounging on one of the office chairs lining the long conference table. A squeak accompanies every time the chair swivels from left to right, back and forth. “Long time no see.”

Yeah, you hoped it’d stay that way, but when did the scales ever tip in your favor? You swallow down any attempt of fear trying to break out and turn your head to the side. “Mark, what are we discussing?”

Standing at the head of the table, your new boss smiles at you. Not because of your flat enthusiasm. No way. He seems to be amused that you just ignored Na Jaemin point blank. “Ah, yes. I wanted to properly introduce you to our division executives and give you a briefer on the company.”

The annoying swiveling sound has stopped. You don’t dare look at that side in the room throughout the rest of the meeting.

“Alright, now that everyone’s here, let’s get started.”

Nalkeutta is divided into four divisions, and the other four brutes you’re trapped in this room right now are the executives of those four divisions respectively. You already know Na Jaemin is the man in charge of Ganghak. Lee Haechan has Yoosun. Glasses is introduced as Huang Renjun, who’s in charge of Hyeongshin. Big scary guy is Daehyeon’s Lee Jeno.

There’s a familiar ring to all of these division names. They’re all high schools in Yeongdeungpo. It starts to all make sense when Mark Lee tells you that this gang of his was founded nine years ago. 

Nalkeutta started as a juvenile gang by a bunch of fucked up high schoolers. And those schools continue to serve as breeding grounds for scumbags like them. This shit is insane.

“Hold on.” 

Your voice echoes, freezing the entire room. You narrow your eyes at the very comprehensive diagram of Nalkeutta’s organizational structure Huang Renjun is presenting up front on a laptop screen. 

“There’s something wrong with this.” You get up from your seat. You squeeze past Mark and Renjun, taking control of the touchpad to zoom into the upper part of the chart. Your name is underneath Mark’s, and on the same level as the four executives, but that’s not the problem here. “Why am I the only one under the legal department?” you lift your head up as you say this, eyes firmly locked into Mark. “Where are the rest of the lawyers?”

Mark Lee attempts to look apologetic and remorseful. “Attorney,” he starts, walking up. “You know well how hard it is for Nalkeutta to establish trust between our partners. We are in fact extremely grateful that we managed to get someone we trust very deeply to finally work with us directly.”

This son of a bitch. They couldn’t have at least pretended to give a fuck about your position.

How—how does he expect you to manage the legal affairs of this messed up organization all by yourself? Your blood starts to simmer. Fuck it, it’s already boiling, and you’re just about to blow up when Mark Lee opens his mouth before you could.

“Anyhow, let’s talk salary.”

Goddammit. This guy sure knows how to pacify you.

Jeno hands him a binded folder. He smiles and hands it over to you. “This is our employment contract. Let me know if you find any issues so we can negotiate, but the important part is here.” 

You glance down at the part of the page he’s tapping. Yearly salary. Your eyes fly wide open when you see the numbers on the page.

150,000,000 KRW. 

Your head shoots up from the folder. You look at him like he’s joking. He isn’t.

“Does this meet your standards, attorney?”

Motherfucker. First, a new office. Now this. It’s like he wants to strip you from your rights to complain.

‎*‎

Your first job under Nalkeutta is accompanying Huang Renjun to a client meeting in Yeongdeungpo’s Chinatown.

“Good to have you around, attorney.”

Well. Client meeting is a stretch. The quote-unquote client is a mixed-martial arts gym under Hyeongshin that’s been paying protection fees very diligently until last month. Hyeongshin’s grunts were sent to sniff around the other week to see what was up, and the owner of the gym was caught rendezvousing with a Cheongang under the bridge connecting Yeongdeungpo and Map.

Cheongang. If Yeongdeungpo has Nalkeutta, Map is controlled by a different gang called Cheongang. You don’t have much intel on them, save for the fact that this district was once part of their territory until Mark Lee came into the picture. Needless to say, the two gangs don’t have the most amicable relationship. This is going to be less of a client meeting and more of a beatdown for sure.

“Why am I even here?” you grunt in the car on the way to your destination. Huang Renjun is scrolling through his ipad as he sits next to you. He’s kind enough to respond to your mindless grumbles.

“Having a lawyer around is always useful,” he simply says. “Mark says this is your first exposure to the organization’s operations. You don’t have to do anything. Just observe.”

You peer at the side mirror and look at the other two Nalkeutta cars trailing behind this one. Huang Renjun is actually a lot nicer than you expected. Considering your first introductions to Nalkeutta were Na Jaemin and Mark Lee, this guys is a breath of fresh air.

The air turns rancid the moment you cross the paifang gate, and you watch as all hell breaks loose at the Rongyu Mixed-Martial Arts Gym at four in the fucking afternoon.

“Gijeol-ah I thought we had a relationship!”

You wince at the sound of Renjun’s voice.

“How could you cheat on us with these ugly Cheongang pricks?”

The gym’s doors are closed, but there’s almost a dozen people guarding it— all looking like they’re one second away from jumping the nearest person and beating the shit out of them. A few moments later, the door rattles open. A head pops out. He looks like he’s about to crap his pants.

“You— you Nalketta fuckers ask for too much shit! How could you raise the protection fees overnight? That’s not fucking fair!

You really feel like you shouldn’t be here, but for once in your life, you feel pretty thankful that there are lines and lines of tank built men surrounding you as a protective shield.

“Well, it’s part of the contract you signed, Gijeol-ah! This is your fingerprint isn’t it?” Renjun taunts further, holding up a contract before tapping on the bottom right page. “If you were having trouble, you could’ve just gone to me directly. Hyeongshin is pretty understanding, you know. We even let you off with just a warning last time when you were three months late in paying your loans. You should’ve been grateful that you’re not under Ganghak or Daehyeon.”

Nevermind. You no longer feel safe. You hear the nearest Hyeongshin guy next to you crack his knuckles. Another one starts warming up. You won’t be surprised if one of them is currently frothing at the mouth.

Huang Renjun drops his hands down. He sighs and hands you the contract. 

“But you went off to stab us in the back, Gijeol-ah. Unfortunately this is as far as my understanding extends.” 

You briefly skim over it. Wow. Mark Lee put work into this. It’s vague enough to bypass statutory limitations. They’re using Daybreak Security Company as the legal entity to ensure the contract’s validity. You see a few questionable provisions that might void this contract. And that’s gonna be your job to fix. Lucky you.

“You— you can go and shove your understanding up your ass! I’m sick and tired of Nalkeutta’s bullshit!”

“You’re breaking up with us? That’s too bad.” It’s starting. Huang Renjun lands a hand on one of his men’s shoulder. “Give me a call once you’re done.”

With that, they start to move forward. Renjun walks up to you and you hear a yell and the sounds of fists being thrown the moment he spins you around and prods you to the opposite direction of the noise. Various thuds and screams flood you from behind, the sounds of bones crushing and bodies crashing getting dimmer as you both continue to walk back to the car. 

“You hungry, attorney?” Huang Renjun asks. “I know a good dim sum place nearby.”

“Wait, what the fuck, hold on,” you stop. He turns to you, brow raised. “We’re leaving? Just like that?”

Renjun narrows his eyes. “What? You want to watch that disgusting mess?”

With that prompt, you hesitantly turn around, and there you see a Nalkeutta guy swinging a metal bat straight into the ribcage of one Cheongag grunt. Oof. You wince. What a waste of a good sunset.

“I don’t fight. What’s the point of having men working under you if you won’t put them to good use?” The both of you make it back to the car. The driver inside greets Renjun, and the latter waves him off. “But if it’s a hard job, then I just transfer the case to Ganghak or Daehyeon. Usually Ganghak. Most of those guys are just like their psychopath of a boss.”

Yeah. This guy isn’t normal, either. What did you expect? At least he’s polite to you.

You slide into the backset. “Dim sum sounds nice.”

“Great.” He follows not long after, leaving an instruction to the driver. “Take us to Mama Hong’s.”

Renjun was right. Mama Hong has a killer dim sum selection, and you’d bookmark it on your maps if this place didn’t remind you of a massacre that’s currently ongoing. You can’t exactly enjoy your pork buns to the fullest knowing full well that someone’s head is getting bashed in right now. The silver lining is the fact that Huang Renjun is a good conversationalist and has not once called you a bitch nor tried to get in your pants in the past two hours that you’ve been with him. 

He’s a pretty cool guy. He joined the gang for money because he was a dirt poor immigrant in high school but then at one point he realized he was in too deep to quit.

It’s good to know you’re both stuck in Nalkeutta because you treasure your lives. It’s like Mark Lee has an invisible loaded gun perpetually pointed at your heads. What a way to bond in solidarity.

The sun had long set when Renjun received the text that the job was done. “Let’s go,” he tells you. “Two hours of overtime is good enough.”

See, this guy speaks your language. 

It takes another twenty minutes to get back to the Nalkeutta building, jotting another extra hour on your DTR. Meaning three total hours of overtime pay. Fucking amazing. If things continue speeding at this rate, then you won’t be entirely miserable working here. You’re already walking out the sliding doors of hell and thinking about harvesting your crops the moment you get home— but that’s exactly the moment the world decides that you haven’t filled your daily quota of dread yet.

“Attorney.”

Goddammit. You should know by now that the moment you think things are going well, god’s just gonna immediately spit in your mouth and tell you to enjoy it.

Na Jaemin lights the cigarette between his teeth, embers cascading onto the ground only for a good second before he stops on it to flash you a smile. “Took you fucking long enough,” he says. “Come with me. New recruits screening.”

Your brows furrow. When you don’t move for ten seconds too long, Na Jaemin’s smile drops.

“Mark’s orders. Notarize their contracts, or some shit.”

For fuck’s sake, you just clocked out. Disgruntled, you force your body out of its frozen state and you hear the psycho walking in front of you mutter something under his breath— something you’re not curious enough to find out. He leads you to a parking garage just a few blocks away, and it’s at this moment that you realize that maybe he lied to beat the shit out of you without anything knowing.

That fear is shut down when the dim, flickering lights of the rundown garage reveal seven teenage boys standing in one line as if they’re about to run a military drill. They’re all wearing Ganghak uniforms. This is some kind of sick mockery.

“Alright, you fucking maggots.”

Jesus christ. The way you flinch at Na Jaemin’s voice is purely instinctual— something that hasn’t been deeply ingrained into the seven boys before you, it seems, because they continue standing stiff and still with their chins up as Na Jaemin saunters up to them. He fishes something out from his pocket. You squint. It’s a car key. He clicks on it. You wince, a sudden glaring of lights from behind the boys.

“There’s only one car. There’s seven of you.”

You hear his voice speak as your vision readjusts.

“Get to it.”

Hold on a second.

“Hey, hurry the fuck up. Why aren’t any of you moving?” Your mouth gapes. You watch the realization slowly sink into the seven faces in front of you— an expression that Na Jaemin doesn’t share because more than anything, he looks pretty annoyed right now. He lets out a grunt and flicks his wrist up to check the time. The look on his face when he drops it back down is enough to send at least three of the kids stuttering. “If no one hits the ground in three seconds, you’re all fucking death for wasting my time. One. Two. Thr—”

The sound of a knuckle hitting a jaw. You shut your eyes and look away. 

There’s nothing enjoyable about watching a bunch of teenagers beating the shit out of each other, but your co-worker seems to fashion a different opinion. “Whew.”  A nasty grin spreads on his face, just as one of the boys drops onto dusty cement, no sign of getting back up any time soon. “One down. Can’t wait for this shitshow to be fucking over.”

You’re horrified as you look at him, but that’s the problem— you’re looking at him, and this doesn’t go under his notice. 

Na Jaemin locks into you. He tosses his unfinished cigarette behind and traps you into an unwanted conversation. “We haven’t seen each other in a while, attorney,” he starts with a hum. “You haven’t even spared me a hello since you got here. It’s almost like all those weeks we spent in prison together are nothing to you.”

Even if you want to talk to him, what the hell are you supposed to say to that?

You resign by flitting your eyes to the side and looking away. You hear a scoff and the sound of a lighter click, followed by the reintroduction of his foul cigarette smoke wafting through the air around you. “Want a hit?” he asks. You grimace. You get a feeling that he won’t appreciate being ignored a third time. So you force an answer out of your suffocating throat, and you try your best to make it entertaining so he doesn’t sock you in the face for being dull and boring.

“No, thank you,” you quickly say. “I intend on dying from heart failure, not from my lungs collapsing.”

He lets out a huff. You almost mistake it for laughter. “Either way, you die.”

“That’s true, but I don’t want my breath smelling like rot before the rest of my body does.”

Silence. Uh-oh. You’re met with a prolonged silence, followed by the click of his tongue and you notice him tossing the second cigarette like the first one, a little less willingly this time. God. There’s no place for your eyes around here. In front, there’s a teen battle royale and to your left is a bastard who gets triggered by eye contact. There’s nowhere for you to look but down, and even then you can still hear the cacophony of pained groans and punches hitting.

“Had fun on your little excursion with Renjun?”

Why the fuck is he trying to make small talk now? “A bit. He didn’t force me to watch a massacre and treated me out to dim sum. It was great.”

“Hah.” 

The hairs on the back of your neck jolt.

“Ain’t that pretty fucking nice.”

Why the fuck is he mad about that?

You snap your head up, about to look at Na Jaemin, but your attention is pried off from him when you hear the gravelled roar of one of the Ganghak students in front. Your eyes blur from the whiplash— then you notice one boy battered with deep heavy breaths, standing above his fallen peers. His eyes are wide. There’s multiple bruises on the visible parts of his skin. The weight of your worry is trumped by Na Jaemin’s sheer apathy.

“I—I did it,” the boy breathes out. “I did it, hyung-nim.”

Na Jaemin looked like he was just watching his favorite show earlier. Now he looks like he can give less than two shits about what this kid had just pulled off. “Name.” You can never fucking figure him out.

“Sion…Oh Sion.”

He grunts. “Yeah, congrats, whatever.” He tosses the car keys to the ground. It lands next to one of the writhing kids groaning in pain. “Now get lost.”

Na Jaemin’s heels turn back and he quickly starts walking away. You’re flabbergasted. Your feet move one way, then quickly reverse. What the fuck. What are you supposed to do now?

“Hey!” You catch up to him, still looking back at the sight you’re leaving behind. “We’re leaving already? Doesn’t the kid need to sign a contract?” He’s walking way too fast. He leers at you with an annoyed grunt and starts walking even faster.

“I don’t have it. Fuck, whatever, he can do that shit tomorrow.”

“What?” It comes off as a screech. “I thought Mark asked me to be here!”

Na Jaemin suddenly stops. You bump into his shoulder and stumble back with a swear. When you draw your breath in to look up, you see that Na Jaemin is already looking at you with an intensity that burns away all the venom out of your throat, leaving nothing but silence behind.

“Mark didn’t say shit,” he spits out. You think he’s about to toss you into the nearest dumpster, but then you notice a wrinkle between his brows. It’s deep. It’s troubled. And then he lets out an exasperated groan. “Whatever.” 

Na Jaemin stomps away, leaving you in the dead of night to figure out what the fuck just happened.

‎*‎

Before making it back home to your apartment, you stop by a public phone booth to call an ambulance to the scene of the altercation. This is way too much overtime for your first official day, and the last hour wasn’t even paid because you already clocked out before Na Jaemin lied to your face just to make you watch a teenage fight right and throw a tantrum at the very end with no fucking explanation.

Needless to say, it was an eventful day. It gets even more eventful when you reach the door of your apartment, about to key in your passcode, until you notice a piece of paper sticking out from underneath the door gap.

Your brows knit together. You snap a picture of it before slipping it out of the door and finally letting yourself in, dropping your work bag onto the floor of your entryway to examine what had been lodged into your apartment.

It’s an envelope. A cream colored envelope with a few smudges on the paper.

You open it. You couldn’t be less prepared with what you’re about to read.

You’re fucking dead, bitch.

Wow. Now a literal death threat. It’s almost as if you’re not allowed to catch a fucking break.

fire and brimstone (and you’re a moth made of gasoline). © hannie-dul-set, 2025.

[omargazablog]

Omar's Story: A Call for Hope in Times of War‼️🆘

My name is Omar, a young man from northern Gaza, and a university student majoring in Information Technology and Design. My life was going well, filled with ambition and passion for a promising future. But since the war began on October 7, 2023, everything has changed.

With the start of the war, I found myself surrounded by destruction and fear. The university where I was studying, a place I considered a sanctuary for developing my skills and achieving my dreams, was completely destroyed. It turned into ruins amidst the devastation, leaving all my plans and dreams in limbo.

I have always been a distinguished and outstanding student in my studies. I had an indescribable passion for IT and design, and I aspired to contribute to building a better future for my country and my family. But the war destroyed all of that. It ruined my future, halted my educational journey, and took away the security I was seeking.

Today, I am in a difficult situation, trying with all my might to find a way out of this harsh reality. I need your help and support to continue my education and achieve my dreams. I am not only seeking an escape from the war but also a chance to reclaim my life and future. I am a distinguished and outstanding young man, and I believe I have much to offer if given the opportunity.

I ask you to support me in my campaign to reach safety and continue my educational journey. Your support will give me hope and strength to keep pursuing my dreams and return to my path to success. Help me become the person I have always dreamed of being and contribute to building a better future for myself and future generations.

Thank you for all the support you provide.

[dwaekkicidal]

Day 2

˚ʚLee Know x fem!Readerɞ˚

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ summary: Day 2 of my 1K follower celebration! Today is degradation with Minho♡

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ word count: 1k

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ warnings: fem!reader, daddy kink, degradation, name calling: ((cvm)slvt, stupid kitty, cvmdump), vibrator use(Lovense Lush), overstim, creampie (try to pee after sex pls <3), i dont think this counts as dp? 😭

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ notes: i feel like i couldve made this much more mean dom but >< hope you still enjoy

Read the other days here!

DO NOT republish or translate+post my work!

Ok.. so maybe you shouldn’t have pushed his buttons or flirted with his members all day…

Minho stares down at you, eyes hooded and lips pulled back in a smirk. He sat at the edge of the bed with his legs spread nice and wide as you sat between them with his cock down your throat. “My pretty little slut… Too bad she can’t take her Daddy’s cock all the way. Like she promised.” You whined loudly around his length, leaving vibrations around his tip and causing him to groan happily in response. 

Your head movements stop at the sound of a click. The vibrations between your legs go up a few notches and your legs try to slam shut around the small remote-controlled vibrator inside you; it has a little arm that sticks out and rests directly on your clit while the other side of it presses directly against your G-spot. You look up at him through teary eyes, mumbling pleas for him to turn it back down.

He already knows it's at too high of a speed for you to handle, let alone for you to not cum like he ordered, but your boyfriend is a huge menace and loves to see you struggle. So he doesn’t turn it down. He instead bucks his hips into your mouth, a nonverbal way of telling you to move on your own before he fucks your throat. When you don’t and only sit still to focus on breathing, he growls and pushes your head down harshly.

The suddenness of it makes you gag, but you push through and focus on hallowing your cheeks in hopes of distracting yourself from the constant vibrations between your legs. He moans loudly and throws his head back, berating you as he starts to fuck up into your mouth. “Stupid kitty. Can’t even suck my dick without my help… What am I gonna do with you?”

The mixture of his words and the unforgiving vibrations on your most sensitive spots have your orgasm crashing down on you. No matter how hard you tried to push it back, the vibrations were just too strong and had your legs shaking under you. Your hips move on their own and grind against the air, using the tiny movements of the vibrator to ride out your high.  You think you got away with it for a second from the way he keeps fucking your mouth, but Minho knows you all too well.

Fingers tangle in your hair and pull you off his dick, tightening even more at your scalp as he leans forward. “You fucking came, didn’t you?” You yelp and play dumb, looking up with tears pricking your eyes. He stares down unamused, eyes narrowing as his breath fans your face. For a second you almost have the balls to shake your head and lie, but the promise of a brutal punishment that his dark eyes hold makes you immediately change your mind. You were about to respond but you took too long for his liking, so he pulled you up more by your hair. “Answer me, slut.”

“Y-Yes! ‘m sorry Daddy. I tried to hold it.” He stares for a moment before sighing loudly and standing up. The hand in your hair stays attached and forces you to stand up on your wobbly legs. He uses the hold on your head to push you on the bed and settles between your legs. He stands there quietly as he spreads them and slowly ghosts his fingers over your inner thighs as the vibrations go down. You let out a sigh of relief and relax thinking he’s just going to stare, maybe even play with the vibrator more. The false sense of security almost sets in once he grabs a hold of the thin arm against your clit and moves it away, but ohhhhh are you so wrong.

He instead positions it upwards, holding it in place as his tip pokes at your entrance and eases in next to the vibrator. A gasp falls from your lips and you subconsciously use your foot to push him away due to the overstimulation and the new stretch quickly becoming too much. It works well but angers him in the process. He clicks his tongue and lands a series of stern slaps to your ass cheeks. Once he’s sure you’re going to comply and stop being a brat, he pushes in again.

“Biiig stretch..” He laughs at himself, going even deeper and stretching you out while simultaneously pushing the vibrator farther into your G-spot. When he finally bottoms out you feel yourself cum again, shaking and moaning loudly as the vibrations get turned up yet again. He stills his hips to coo at your trembling body, biting his lip at the way you squeeze around him so tightly. “Pretty little slut… You're nothing more than a hole for Daddy, huh kitty?” He waits for you to nod before he moves again, still savoring your desperate pleas.

The pace he starts off with is slow; he’s grinding his hips against yours while focusing on pushing the vibrator harder against you rather than fucking you. He was thoroughly enjoying the view. Enjoying the little personal show just for him until you started to resist again, forcing him to interrupt his entertainment in order to hold you down.

“None of that. You’re gonna fucking take it like the slut you are. Gonna remind you who you belong to because, apparently, you don’t fucking remember.” He revels in the feeling for a little longer before he grows impatient. His right hand holds the vibrator in place against your clit as he drags his hips back and forth, gradually speeding up until he’s pounding you.

All this pleasure all at once on your still sensitive body is all too much. It takes you little to no time to cum again, marking your 3rd orgasm in less than 20 minutes. Then, between being close from your mouth, you squeezing him snuggly, and the vibrator rubbing along his length with each thrust, he finds himself cumming right after you. 

“Mmmm.. Just like that... Now be a good little hole and take it all. Don't waste a single drop, slut.” His moans pitch and he fucks you harder despite your desperate pleas to slow down. He lets you milk him like this and watches as you cum a fourth time, eyes rolling into the back of your head as he slows. Once he deems it enough, the vibrator is turned off and he slowly pulls out.

He's careful as he does so, trying not to push your body too far despite the fact that this is a punishment. The vibrator is thrown on the other side of the bed before he hovers over you, showering your face with kisses and allowing you to catch your breath. You think it's finally over with how sweet he’s being, but he proves you wrong yet again.

He slaps his tip on your puffy folds, laughing meanly when you twitch away. “What..? You thought that was enough?” He barks out a laugh and slaps his dick against you harder then grinds against your glistening folds. “I’m not done with you yet, stupid brat. You’re gonna lay there and take as many loads as I say.”

Taglist:

@jiminssluttyminx @changisworld @juskz @linohumina @rylea08

@grandma143 @caught-in-the-afterglow @yaorzu-blog @jabmastersupriseee

[snakeredbirdbatkatana]

You Didn't Save me (I begged You Not To)

Lex Luthor is not a good man.

He is a literal supervillain, he's also more than aware of the consent issues of what he did when he created Connor.

Yet he is surprised by how furious Superman is making him.

Not that he isn't always angry with Superman but before it wasn't quite so personal.

It was a bigger issue what Superman stood for what he was but right now he's not picking the fight with Superman but with Clark Kent.

He has spent as much time as possible studying everything about kryptonian's from their weakness to their language.

Essentially, Superman should keep better track of his belongings.

Kon-El means abomination.

Lionel Luthor was never a kind man he knows exactly why he is who he is today. He still has slight scars from his fathers belt. Cruel words that years after his father's death, will still haunt his memories.

When he was younger he was friends with Bruce Wayne before being a Villain was his priority.

He remembers hiding at Wayne Manor a feeling of safety he had never felt before.

He's also more than aware that his old friend is running around as a Bat.

Bruce Wayne even as a child always stood for hope was always ready to change the world to stand for something better.

That's is why years later Lex Luthor is knocking on a door that he's not hundred percent sure he won't be turned away from.

Yet Kon-El means abomination.

"Mr. Luthor I was unaware Master Bruce was expecting you?"

Alfred looks older than Lex remembers for some reason the man always seemed above aging untouchable even by time.

"He's not, I need to speak with him please it's urgent."

He is a Luthor begging is below him, but right now he feels fourteen again, with the belief that the people within Wayne Manor can fix anything.

"Of course. Master Bruce is in his study, I will lead you please follow me Mr. Luthor."

He doesn't bring up how he knows the way. That he once ran chasing after Bruce hiding in that very study. That they had broken a vase playing like little boys did. He doesn't bring up crying, terrified that Alfred had promised him no harm should come to him in these halls.

He doesn't correct how he used to be Master Lex. He lost that privilege long ago.

It's been a very long time since he has laid eyes on Bruce Wayne he's seen the tabloids, even a passing glance at a gala but for some reason he didn't picture slight gray hair, a dark black suit, he imagined a Gotham Academy Uniform or a Nirvana Shirt that Lex always wanted to steel but never quite worked up the courage.

He doesn't even hear Alfred's depart he can't tear his eyes away from Bruce.

His throat is dry like all the moisture has somehow left since he walked through the doors.

He is Lex Luthor but right now he doesn't remember what that means.

"Kon-El means abomination did you know that?"

His voice weak. Bruce's face doesn't change, blank.

" I am not my Father. I don't know what to do but I refuse for my child to think he isn't loved by at least one of his parents."

He breathes.

"All those year ago, you told me that you would help that all I had to do was ask, I was an idiot, it's too late for me but not for him."

Bruce's voice startles him he hasn't realized how deep in his own mind he had sank.

"All you had to do was ask."

Bruce's face painted in the same smirk as if they were eighteen again smoking on the manors roof.

Lex Luthor is not a good person, but for Connor Luthor he will try he will rebuild bridges, bend his pride he will beg on his knees.

He never understood how a parent should be or what it really meant to wake up everyday and have your whole being dedicated to loving and protecting something.

As he watches the rise and fall of his child's chest wrapped in the arms of the third Robin safe in his penthouse behind security straight from Wayne Enterprises and he doesn't regret it.

He know's he would do it all over again and when next Sunday comes and he gets a invite to brunch that he never throught he would see again he knows it was all for the better.

[justpeaxchy]

'Orange Hues'

A/n: It's fall, what more can I say? Since it's my favorite season, I thought of this, so here you go! :) Warnings: mentions of Stoick's death, kind of short? Imo. Hiccup x !fem reader!

You weren't one to hate the wind as much. Especially when you had a dragon of your own. It was impossible to avoid the gale that rushed past you whenever you took to the skies, so you didn't mind it. In fact, it was most enjoyable that way. However, in your current situation, it didn't seem like one of your highly favorable moments.

You stood next to the Chief, arms folded across your chest, as you tried to ignore the ever-persistent current of air that blew against your hair, pursing your lips in annoyance. It was fine to experience that on your dragon with your secured helmet on, but having to deal with nearly the same conditions on land wasn't what you had hoped for.

Hiccup had came across another island, yet again, and he didn't waste any time in recording it in his map - or, at least, tried to. He needed a few rocks to keep the parchment paper down so he could carry out his intentions of marking down every detail his viridescent eyes found, a concentrated expression on his features as he continued to jot down as much as he could. Toothless, similar to his rider, didn't appear bothered by the weather, not even in the slightest.

'Who am I kidding, he's a dragon. He has scales, not hair.' You internally told yourself, playfully rolling your eyes at the Night Fury as he nudged your side. Your hand gently scratched underneath his chin, glancing at your own dragon who was laying beside Hiccup. It was funny, really. Whenever you two were together for longer periods of time, each of your dragons would go to the opposite rider. It stood true, even now, as Toothless grumbled in satisfaction, plopping down next to you as you gave him the scratches he silently asked for.

You glimpsed at the Chief, seeing his hand reaching up to pet your dragon's head as he finished up the last details of the map, glancing up one final time at the scenery around him before he sat up straighter, ignoring the wind that ruffled his auburn hair. "Alright, I think that's about it..!" He spoke, a carefree tone in his voice as he stood up and dusted his hands off. "We should probably be heading back now, I can't be out for long.." He remembered that he had to put away his map as your dragon nudged him, motioning his tail towards the paper, causing him to kneel back down.

You folded your arms, trying to hide the fact that you wanted to stay a while longer. Hiccup had become Chief a year ago after Stoick's death, and he couldn't go flying with Toothless to discover new islands as much anymore. It made you truly realize that he was the Chief now, and he couldn't run away from it this time. You hadn't came to terms with how much you actually enjoyed going on those small trips with him - whenever you caught him doing so, at least. He managed to get by today and take you with him to go for another one of those flights, despite his new schedule attending to Berk.

Things changed so quickly, and you barely had enough time to wrap your mind around it all that Stoick was really gone, that he couldn't be there to scold Hiccup anymore, that he couldn't be the one going to chiefly meetings, that he couldn't be the one to gather Berk together for a meeting, and he wouldn't be the one taking care of a whole island of people. That was Hiccup's duty now. With your help, of course. You watched him take on the new responsibilities as best as he could, but there were moments when he felt overwhelmed, just like he had been before he even became Chief. You were glad that he was able to take the time and bring you with him today for a small break from it all, but you both knew that there wouldn't be as many opportunities to do what you two were doing now.

You had to grow up.

"Well, it has been a bit windy.." You muttered, your arms still folded as the last bits of wind flew past your face, "..But, uh, you sure you got everything you needed on the map?" You questioned, speaking out the unsaid words of 'Can we stay just a little longer?' You hoped that Hiccup would understand what you were really trying to say, and yet, at the same time, you didn't want to distract him from the things he needed to do at Berk.

Your eyes trailed to the side for a moment, blinking at the orange and red leaves that were scattered across the grass. It only heightened the exquisiteness of the whole area, and you'd be lying if you said it didn't catch your attention. Slowly turning back to Hiccup, who was watching your subtle actions with a questioning gaze, you faintly shrugged. "Y'know... We could stay for a couple of minutes..if you want to. It wouldn't harm anyone.."

You observed the brief conflict on his face, assuming that he did have something to do at Berk already. You felt a little...regret, for asking now; If you hadn't asked, he wouldn't be placed in the spot of having to say no to something you both wanted to do, "Actually... nevermind, we can just--" Your words fell short as Toothless suddenly bounded over towards the scattered leaves, a delighted grin on his face as he purposefully ran through them, causing colors of scarlet and ginger to fly up in the air. Your dragon was soon to follow afterwards.

With a slightly gaping mouth, you witnessed two dragons begin to play with leaves. Before you could say anything, however, Hiccup was by your side with an amused smile tracing his lips, "Well, looks like we'll have to stay now; Toothless looks like he doesn't plan on leaving anytime soon yet." He grinned, seeing your surprised expression, as he gently grabbed your hand and walked forward to where your dragons were, "Would you give me the honor of staying a little longer here with me?" He worded his question in a sarcastic manner, but you could tell he was making sure that you were willing enough to agree.

So, without wasting anymore time, you chuckled and pulled him forward, running towards the autumn-shaded leaves, feeling like a child again as you watched them fly over your head with a delighted smile, and trying to catch some as they fell back down again. Toothless must have done it on purpose, or he didn't know, but his tail had swung across a small pile of leaves right next to you and Hiccup, making you only see colors of red and orange for a moment. You couldn't help but giggle at the Night Fury's face when he realized what happened - at least, when you were finally able to view him.

Hiccup playfully smirked as an idea came to his mind, throwing even more leaves at Toothless 'in return' for his actions, but it only seemed to make the dragon more excited. Rolling his eyes at his best friend, the Chief turned to glance at you, snorting when he found a leaf still stuck in your hair. Trying to recompose himself, he cleared his throat and gestured towards your head, "You, uh, got something in your hair, Milady." He snickered, leisurely reaching out for the leaf, showing it to you right in front of your face as you realized what he meant.

You narrowed your eyes at him, seeing the teasing glint in his own. "I noticed something about your hair too.." You muttered, quickly extending your hands to ruffle his auburn locks, smiling to yourself when he stared at you with a gaping mouth, "It's messed up now... Or, actually, I kind of like it this way--" You were, once again, interrupted as your dragon suddenly came bolting past you both, chasing a specific leaf, causing you two to fall on the ground. Thankfully, it didn't hurt as much as you thought it would, and you landed next to each other, unlike the many times when you accidentally fell on Hiccup's prosthetic leg.

Despite the cause for being on the ground, you couldn't stop the laughter that came from you, holding your stomach as you grasped in as much air as possible. Hiccup shook his head, recovering from the sudden fall as he glanced at you. He felt the corner of his lips tug upwards at the sight, sitting himself up with his arms as he observed the different colored leaves that surrounded your form. It looked like a perfect moment captured in time as he kept his gaze on you, making sure that he would remember what he had seen.

He was glad that he decided to stay, just for a little longer.

[neodymiumcuilz]

Hello,

My name is Ahmad , and I am a 14-year-old.

The war destroyed our life and we lost everything.

Can you help me and my family?

Please Share, repost, and donate if you are able to donate.

Thank you for listening to me🙏 🙏 🙏

#167 on the vetted fundraising list created by @/el-shab-hussein and @/nabulsi

"Today, after 15 months of torment, displacement, and living in constant fear, my family and I find ourselves in an unbearably difficult situation. Life has become a daily struggle, and everything we once knew has turned to darkness. The impact of the genocidal war against Gaza has torn us apart, leaving us facing hunger, disease, and a deep sense of loss. Most devastating of all, my sister and I have been unable to attend school, robbing us of our dreams for a better future.Now, as we prepare to return to northern Gaza, where our home once stood, we carry with us the immense weight of loss. Our home is destroyed, and the emotional and physical scars are deep. The pain is unbearable for my family and me, but despite it all, we have not lost hope. We still dare to dream of a brighter tomorrow—a future where we can rebuild what was taken from us. My personal dream is to continue my education and achieve the goals that have always been within my reach, but now it seems so far away."

These are words from https://www.tumblr.com/ahmadfamely6

If you could visit his account, reblog and share the posts, share his campaign and story.

And most importantly, DONATE!!!

Donations are heavily appreciated and needed on these dire times. These are people who need your help, if you are able to, even the strongest donation can go such a long way and be life changing.

If you could share this to donators or do what you can to spread the word that would be great.

Please donate and share as much as possible.

Thank you all who read this.

[sweetheartsnips]

Daddy Cool - Chapter 4: Joseph Joestar

Summary: Joseph is your Daddy and spoils you with more than one present after a long day at work. Joseph is divorced here because infidelity/cheating leaves a bad taste in my mouth (I am a sap). ALSO this is pre Stardust Crusaders but he has his Stand here anyway because this is fanfic and I said so.

Tags: Old Joseph, sugar daddy relationship, daddy kink (surprise surprise), Hermit Purple as bondage, fingering, kitchen sex, creampie.

Words: 3.5k

Read on ao3 here!

A/N: I have been awfully sick the last few days and this has fic has consumed me. Hope you like it as much as I like soft dom Joseph. Happy reading, all readers <3

For other chapters in this series please see my JoJo masterlist

Joseph liked to buy you things. Small indulgences to welcome you home when you’d had a long day at work. Not that you needed to work, especially as hard as you did. He could comfortably provide for the both of you. But, stubbornly, you insisted. He admired that about you. You were so damn good at what you did, it was kind of kick-ass, really. He watched you handle everything thrown your way, balancing responsibilities with an almost effortless grace. Sometimes, it felt like you carried everything on your back, and you never once let it show.

Your brain was so busy with the big things, strategising, making things happen. You were just excellent like that. But sometimes, in all of that excellence, it forgot about the little things. And that is where he came in. 

To rub your shoulders, smooth your hair. To cook your meals with love and care. To change your oil, to fold washing just right, to remind you when your toothbrush was at the end of its life. 

You needed him to fit the sheet, secure your pantyhose, to kiss you sweet when sorrow shows. To charge your vibe, buy lace so fine, and fuck you stupid when stress plagued your mind. 

His gifts to you started off as bouquets of flowers: elegant periwinkle hydrangeas and bunches of pretty pink peonies. Anything to make your face light up, to remind you to pause, just for a second, and enjoy something purely for yourself. And God, that made him so happy. Especially after everything that went down with Suzi Q, after all the ways he'd failed before with this kind of thing. Your gorgeous smile made him feel like he could actually do something right. 

Flowers would not be enough for today. Not for you.

He wanted to spoil you.

You’d just earned a promotion–one that had come with more responsibility, more weight pressing down on your already overburdened shoulders. But he was so damn proud of you. You deserved more than petals that would wilt in a week.

So, in a jewellery shop he often sought out when he felt like giving you a little luxury, he found exactly what he was after.

Three rows of Vivienne Westwood pearls.

They were simple, elegant, timeless—just like you. They’d sit perfectly against your collarbones, an understated luxury. But it wasn’t just about the pearls. It was about what they meant. About what you meant to him.

He had them wrapped up carefully, tucked away in a small velvet box, waiting for you. And tonight, when you walked through that door, when you finally let the weight of the day slip from your shoulders, he’d be there. The way he always was.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

The door swung shut behind you with a quiet click. Sore feet, tense shoulders, exhaustion in your bones. 

And then you saw him.

Standing there in the soft glow of the evening, sleeves rolled halfway up thick forearms, top buttons undone just enough to reveal a glimpse of the broad expanse of his chest. The dusting of salt-and-pepper hair peeking through the neckline, the firm planes of muscle beneath his collarbones. It was like your Joseph belonged in some old Hollywood film, all charm and rough-edged handsomeness. 

Dangerous. That’s what he was. Far more than he ought to be. 

He pushed himself off of the counter casually, giving you a sly wink. “Hello, little fox.” His voice was thick and rich, like warm caramel melting over your skin. “I missed you, love.”

The tiredness in your body unravelled just a touch when he stepped forward, dragging you into his arms. His lips brushed against yours in a kiss so soft, so tender, it almost could have been forgotten. Almost. His beard tickled your chin as he pulled away. 

You looked up at him, an eyebrow raised playfully. “You bought me something again, didn’t you?”

His grin widened, eyes twinkling with mischief. “Am I that obvious?”

You returned his smile. “You get this look, all excited, like you physically can’t keep a secret.”

“You caught me.” His hands found your waist, firm but careful, guiding you toward the couch. “And before you say anything, just let me do this, alright? Just this once.”

A lie. You both knew it. There would be a hundred, no, a thousand more times after this.

You sighed, but there was no real fight in it. He saw the way the corner of your lips twitched before you finally relented, sinking into the cushions. “What did you get me?”

From his pocket, he pulled out a small velvet box, flicking it open with a quiet snap.

The air caught in your throat.

The rows of pearls gleamed in the dim light—shiny, crisp white ivory. They shimmered like something out of a dream, and for a moment, you could do nothing but stare, fingertips hovering over them like you weren’t sure if you were allowed to touch.

“Jesus, Mary, and… Joseph,” you breathed. “This is—”

He interrupted, before you could protest. “All for you.” His lips pressed against your temple, the warmth of his breath sending a shiver down your spine. “Good job with your promotion, sweetheart. I am so proud of you.”

The praise tickled your chest. You swallowed, still a little speechless, nodding slightly before he murmured, “Close your eyes.”

You obeyed.

His fingers ghosted over your shoulders, gathering your hair and sweeping it to the side, over your shoulder. He lingered at the nape of your neck, fingertips tracing a slow, deliberate path down your vertebrae, before he pressed a small, affectionate kiss there.

Big fingers clicked the clasp into place, and then you felt it.

The cool weight of the pearls settling against your collarbones, smooth beads resting against your skin. You exhaled slowly, fingertips brushing over them, still stunned. 

His hands lingered at your shoulders for a moment before sliding down the outsides of your arms before settling on your sides. Then he lifted you. A quiet gasp slipped from your lips as he scooped you up with effortless strength. Up and around, spinning you so you were facing him and your legs had nowhere to go but around his hips. Suddenly your pussy was far too close to the otherwise inconspicuous bulge in his pants he was trying to keep secret. But it was unlike Joseph to do well at keeping secrets. 

He tilted your face up with his spare hand, locking his lips with yours, stealing your words, as he swiftly navigated the two of you across the room. This time, he kissed deeper, slower—like he wanted to take his time with you. His hand cupped the back of your neck, fingers slipping beneath your hair as he angled your face just right, deepening the kiss. 

You let out a soft moan into his mouth as the back of your thighs were met with the kitchen countertop. The marble was cool beneath your skin, a stark contrast to the heat of his body that was now pressed flush against you, including between your legs. 

Your hands moved instinctively, gripping at the collar of his half-unbuttoned shirt, fingertips brushing against the coarse hair on his chest, trying to pull him impossibly closer. He made a low, approving sound in the back of his throat, before his hands started to wander.

Over your ribs, down your sides, over your hips–mapping out the shape of you.

Then lower.

Palms running down over the outside of your thighs, toying with your garter, before going higher, higher.

The first brush of his fingers against your inner thigh sent a shiver up your spine, your breath catching in between kisses. You barely had time to process before he was slipping beneath your skirt, his touch teasing yet intent. Your body tensed, anticipation curling hot in your stomach. 

And then– oh.

The first stroke of his knuckles against the damp fabric of your panties made your knees twitch, a helpless reaction to the sudden pleasure. He grinned, playful and knowing, his lips brushing against the corner of your mouth.

“So sensitive,” he murmured, like it delighted him.

“I-I…” Your breath stuttered when he did it again, pads of his fingers exploring, hooking into the hem and pulling them aside. 

Then, without warning, he sunk his two middle fingers inside you. They were met with far less resistance than you would have liked. Your fingers dug into his chest. You were already whimpering. 

Wet. Too wet. Embarrassingly so. 

A sinful squelching sound filled the space between you as he languidly pumped his fingers in and out of your wet cunt. The sound was obscene in the quiet of the room. Your face burned. 

Joseph stilled, as if savouring the realisation, and then his lips curled into a smirk. “That excited, huh?”

You shot him a mock scolding look, though your breathlessness ruined the effect. “Shut up…”

“Oh, I don’t think you want that.”

Before you could argue, he curled his fingers just right—up and against that spot that made your thighs tremble and your eyes clamp shut. The noise that tore from your throat wasn’t a moan, not quite, but something smaller, breathier. He caught it with his mouth, kissing you deep as he worked you open, patient but relentless. 

He pulled away to speak to you. “Look at me when I touch you, baby.”

That’s not fair, he was just kissing you! 

Your eyelids fluttered, but you forced them open, meeting his gaze. The heat in his eyes was enough to make your stomach flip. He was completely absorbed in the way your eyes were glazed over, how your jaw was half slack, the way your body responded to him.

“That’s it,” he praised, voice rich with satisfaction. “What a good girl.”

A whimper slipped from your lips, and his free hand came up, cradling your jaw as he kissed beneath your eye, slowly, softly. Like he had all the time in the world to savour you.

But you didn’t.

“I want you to fuck me,” you whispered, voice shaky, barely above a breath. “So bad…”

Joseph stilled for just a second, amused surprise flickering across his face. His fingers flexed inside you, dragging insistently along your soft front wall, over and over. “Oh, really?” he mused. “What a foul mouth you have, darling.”

You gasped, burying your face in his shoulder, frustration now burning at the edges of your pleasure. “C’mon…”

That earned you a small smirk. His fingers slowed, moving just enough to keep you wanting, but not enough to push you over the edge, and he knew it. “Mind your manners, love.”

Heat burned up your spine, stinging your cheeks, but you were never one to shy away when embarrassed. “Please, Daddy.”

A low groan rumbled in his chest, a sound of pure satisfaction. His fingers sped up again, stroking and thrusting inside you perfectly, making you mewl. But it wasn’t what you really wanted. 

“....Daddy?” 

He leaned in, brushing his nose against yours, his breath warm against your skin. As always, he didn’t want to make you beg. “You just need me to take care of you, don’t you, sweetheart?” A kiss to your cheek, barely there, just enough to leave you chasing after it. “Yeah?”

Your lips parted, breath uneven, a small, blissed-out smile tugging at the corners of your mouth. “Yeah.”

His hand cradled your cheek, thumb stroking over your flushed skin with slow, deliberate care. His expression was fond, warm, but plagued with hunger. 

“There’s my good girl.” His eyes dropped to your lips, then lower, down to where he was pulling his fingers out of your pussy. “Why don’t you take out my cock?”

Suddenly painfully aware of his absence inside you, you obeyed without hesitation, fingers making quick work of his belt and fly. Your eyes widened slightly as you freed him from the confines of his pants. He was so hard, the heavy weight of him throbbing hot against your palm. You gave an experimental squeeze, feeling the way his breath caught, how his jaw tightened as he bit down on his lower lip.

God, he was so big. You could hardly close your fist around the base. 

Joseph’s hands found your hips, fingers digging into the soft flesh as he adjusted you, dragging you closer to the edge of the counter, slipping your panties off in the process. Your legs wrapped around him on instinct, ankles locking behind the steely muscles of his lower back. 

The first push of him inside your warmth was dizzying.

Each inch stretched you open, slow and steady, filling you in a way that left your mind blank and your breath caught somewhere between a moan and a whimper. Your hands fisted in the fabric of his shirt, desperate for something to hold onto as pleasure snaked up your spine, the weight of your day melting away instantly. 

“You like being full of me, baby?” His voice was a low, wrecked murmur against your ear. “Stuffed so full of my cock that all you can think about is Daddy?”

A needy, broken sound tore from your throat. “Mmmnnn! Yesyes….” you were whining sounds, not even words.

His hand cupped the back of your neck, tilting your head up, forcing your eyes to his. “Use your words, baby.”

You swallowed hard, forcing your voice to work through the fog of lust in your mind. “I love it, Daddy.”

His hands tightened ever so slightly against the flesh of your sides, a perfect pairing to the thick, pulsing heat stretching out your depths. “‘Atta girl.” Then, with a sharp inhale through his teeth, he finally started to move.

The first drag of him pulling out, then sliding back into you, it was enough to have your head rocking back, eyes fluttering shut. He groaned low in his throat, a chesty sound, his grip on you steadfast as he found his rhythm—deep, deliberate. His cock reached all the sensitive spots inside you, every texture of him rubbing so perfectly against your walls, it was like you were made for each other. The familiar melody of flesh meeting flesh filled the kitchen, the wet sounds of your bodies working together, the breathy little whines spilling from your lips.

His forehead dropped against yours, as he spoke between husky breaths. “I’ve been thinking about you all day…about how your tight, needy pussy squeezes me…”

A shiver ran through you, desire tingling in your tummy. “Yeah?” you managed, voice barely above a strained whisper. “Even in the jewellery store?”

His pace stuttered for just a second before he let out a cheeky, naughty little laugh. “Especially in the jewellery store, sweetheart.” His teeth grazed your lower lip. “Am I bad for that?”

Your lips curled into a dazed, playful smile. “Absolutely rotten.”

He pulled back just enough to give you a mock pout, hips rolling into yours with a sharp, hard thrust that sent a jolt through your body and made your moans stutter. “You still love me though, don’t you?”

Your head bobbed in a frantic nod, unable to do anything but pant through the pleasure.

His smirk threatened to melt around the edges into an affectionate smile. “You little vixen…” His hands cradled you tighter, like he wanted to press into you, until his cockhead was kissing your cervix. Then, with a voice hoarse with affection, he whispered, “God, I love you.”

“Love you too…” you murmured breathily, giving him a loving smile. 

Your thighs tightened around his waist, locking him in place, refusing to let him go. It felt like your ankles were tied together—bound tight by more than just your sex dazed stupor. 

Joseph smirked against your mouth, his breath hot and uneven. “Oh, sweetheart, you’re not letting me go, huh?”

You barely noticed it at first, too lost in the overwhelming sensation of him fucking you silly. But then, the faintest flutter of something humming with quiet energy against your skin. You gasped as a cool, invisible force cinched tight around your ankles, keeping them locked together at the small of his back. Your head tilted back against the overhead kitchen cabinets, your eyes widening in surprise. 

He was using his Hermit Purple. You couldn’t see it, but he was such a tease–he used it like this when he was feeling cheeky sometimes. 

“Cheating,” you accused in a broken huff, nails digging into his shoulders.

“Call it what you want, baby,” he purred, snapping his hips up into you with a pistoning pace. “But I’d say it’s just me making sure you take every last drop.”

A strangled, pleading sound escaped your lips.

His hands slid down your body, one bracing against the small of your back, the other slipping between your thighs. He found that sensitive, swollen little bundle of nerves, rubbing slow, steady circles over it, dragging you closer and closer to your orgasm. The knot in your stomach curled tight, so tight, like an overstretched rubber band ready to snap.

His lips found yours again, desperate now, open-mouthed and hungry, like he was trying to eat up your pleasure. He swallowed every sound you made, every shaky little whimper, breathing them in as if he needed them like he needed air. 

And God, Joseph was such a vocal lover. 

His groans filled your ears, deep and guttural, muffled only by the messy press of his lips to yours. He whispered praises, utter filth, voice breaking with every slick, perfect drag of his cock inside you.

“You feel so good, baby girl.”

“God, I could stay buried in you forever.”

 “Such a tight little pussy—taking me so well.”

Each word, each dirty little admission, sent another shudder through your body, tightening the vice grip you had around him.

Then his hips stuttered, the steady, purposeful rhythm now falling apart into sloppy, needy slaps of his balls against your skin. His breath froze, his whole body tensing. “Shit—”

His groan was deep, drawn out, as he pushed all the way inside, hips flush against yours, his tip pressing up just perfectly against the entrance to your womb. Pumps of delicious liquid warmth spread deep inside you, filling you, making you gasp at the sheer heat of it. His spend flooded your walls, his cock twitching and pulsing with every spurt of his cum. 

The fullness was so warm. The feeling was so good. 

Joseph didn’t stop moving his hand, didn’t stop rubbing your clit, working you through it, coaxing you right into your own release. The pressure inside you shattered like glass, pleasure rocketing through your body, sparking every nerve in your body alight until your skin seared with hot, overwhelming bliss. Your face buried itself between his pectorals, muffling the sinful sounds of your broken moans and cries. Your nails dragged down his back, your thighs trembling around his waist as you drowned in your climax, his body against you a steady anchor in your reverie of lust. 

He purred, feeling your walls flutter and pulse around him, milking every last drop from him as he nuzzles his face into your hair.

“That’s it, baby,” he murmured, voice warm and breathless. “You’re so beautiful like this. A mess, all because of your Daddy." 

You couldn’t help but smile at the praise. Your chest heaved, the both of you clinging to each other. Your ankles were still locked behind him, held firm by his power that remained unseen to you. 

He let out a breathless laugh against your hair. "So… is this it for me? Am I trapped here forever? Because I gotta say, there are worse ways to go."

You let out a tired little giggle, running your fingers through the short hair at the nape of his neck, slightly damp with exertion. “Maybe.”

He scoffed dramatically, shifting his hips just enough to make you squirm. “You insatiable little fox. You’re gonna drain me dry, aren’t you? I’m going to be all shrivelled up, and it’s all your fault.”  

You hummed noncommittally, a teasing little smirk playing at your lips.

Joseph groaned, all mock suffering. “Fine, but if I die from exhaustion, you have to give my eulogy. You better make it good. Or else. ” His Stand tightened around your ankles, earning a little squeak from you. 

You grinned. "Oh, of course. I'll tell everyone you perished honourably. A soldier’s death.”

“Damn right I did.” He grinned, finally releasing your ankles out of Hermit Purple’s hold. "Now, let’s get you cleaned up so you don’t have to write my obituary sweaty and gross."

“I am not gross! You love me like this.” You protested indignantly, giving his chest a playful shove as he reluctantly let you slip out of his grasp.

Your mind, once frazzled with the stress of your day, now lay in a warm, blissful haze. Something so much better had taken its place. Him.

[neoraso]

out of my league | pwb

this was requested a year ago and i've literally been working on it since then on and off. to the original anon I AM SO SORRY.. 2k+ wonbin wants to play things cool until it gets to be too much,, enjoy~~~

wonbin honestly did not know how he managed to woo you with his confession (what he thought was a disaster), and keep you on top of that, for the last three months. every day, he waited for you to get up and leave him, after realizing that he was not cut out to be with someone he thought was as perfect as you. someone so well-rounded, so mature with a good sense of humor. he tried so hard to keep up and seem just as put-together around you, but he felt his affections bursting at the seams just over a text from you.

you on the other hand were also starting to wonder if his nonchalance would continue forever or if he’d give up the act- if it was an act (fingers crossed) . it was something that enticed you to begin with, how someone as gorgeous, talented, genuine and kind as him showed interest in you- albeit restrained- but sometimes you wondered what was going on inside his pretty little head.

it wasn’t really as if you doubted his feelings for you. if the deep and lingering kisses weren’t enough, the meals delivered to your door, or even the way he couldn’t help but squeeze you once more before letting you go were all little signs that he cared more than he let on. so when he couldn’t 100% hide his smile when he teased you or held his breath when you threw your legs over his lap, it made you wonder what it would take to get him to crack.

his behavior nor his stiff reactions had deterred you thus far from showing him how much you liked him, but lately it made you falter, wondering if maybe you were being too much.

by the grace of the gods, both you and wonbin were homebodies to the same extent, to the point of your friends joking that one day you’d melt into your bed together (which made you laugh and grab his hand while he turned his face and tried to will the tips of his ears to stop burning).  it was convenient in the way that you never stressed each other with expectations of outings but also made days like this, where he asked you to wear something “cute” and he’d pick you up for a day at the water gardens, more special.

whatever “cute” meant you weren’t really sure, it always stressed you out a bit to keep up with your boyfriend’s fashion tastes especially because he didn’t even seem to notice or draw attention to the outfits you wore- at least not verbally. he could never help smoothing down your sleeves or pinching the collar of your shirts, but it hadn’t slipped past you how he hesitated to grab the strings of your hoodies or sweats or clenched his fist instead of patting your head.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

wonbin picked you up in a very timely manner as per usual, waiting outside.

you opened the door to see your boyfriend sitting in his car, looking nothing short of debonair also as per usual. when he saw your head pop out of the crack of the door, bouncing as you hopped around putting your shoes on, he got out of the driver’s seat, trying to bite back the giggle burning in his throat from how adorable you were. he glided over to the passenger door, bending down when you reached him to kiss your cheek.

“hi baby.”

he said nothing more, humming at your breathless reply. opening the door, he waited until you were safely inside before shutting it and cooly making it back into his side.

were you on the verge of foaming at the mouth from how good he looked today? yes.

were you still going to keep your hands to yourself to push him to the edge? also yes.

every woman has their limit and after three months you had reached yours. you just hoped you knew him as well as you thought you did so that this plan would come to fruition.

you noticed him glance up at you while he secured his seat belt, reaching over and checking yours too. he faced forward changing the gear into drive as he cleared his throat and spoke out.

“you look nice today. i- well…yeah.”

his incoherence was solidified with a thick gulp.

you were used to his sentences that trailed off more often than not. they didn’t upset you and you never pushed him. it was cute really, and his friends had recently mentioned to you in passing how nervous wonbin was in reality, sometimes shutting down to avoid embarrassing himself.

nevertheless, you simply smiled and thanked him, waiting.

he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as you placed your hands in your lap, resisting the urge to turn your head and ogle at him for the duration of the trip. meanwhile, wonbin tried to keep his cool persona up on the 23 minute drive while also trying to decipher what kind of agenda you seemed be up to.

at first, he was worried he had done something to upset you, but you had responded to him with a bright voice and an even brighter smile- the one he wished he could tell you he loved so much. usually though, by now you would’ve tucked his hair behind his ear or squeezed his arm or leaned over the console to silently ask for a kiss, anything. it wasn’t like he felt like it was your responsibility to initiate affection, but you seemed to do it so naturally. and truthfully, it had been weighing on his mind for weeks, wondering if he held back too much.

when wonbin first met you, he had to overplay it cool so you wouldn’t be able to tell how nervous you made him and think he was a loser. he is also painfully aware that he’s indebted to sungchan for introducing you to the friend group and bringing you around again after seeing how taken with you wonbin was. of course, that���s not to minimize how you stuck around him at group hangouts for some reason he could not figure out, waiting on his words patiently and sweetly conversating with him until finding a sly way to ask for his number. if you were anyone else, he might’ve thought you only talked to him because of his looks, which had happened more often than not with girls, but as cliché as it sounded, you were different. everything about you was so grounding and inescapable, he fell for you almost instantly then retreated just as quick once he realized how deep it was getting. he often wondered if it scared you as much as it did him. he cursed himself every hour he held back over the next few weeks from sending you pictures of things that reminded him of you or just to tell you he missed you. of course, he was much more comfortable online than he was in front of you, when he was distracted by your glossy lips or the way you styled your hair, but it was a constant internal battle of how much was too much that might drive you away.

now, none of that should’ve mattered because he had you, but as your fingers danced over your skirt and you looked out the window, he ached to reach over and pinch your cheek or grab your smaller hands in his, but he was just… frozen. when he was up at night thinking about you, his mind often wandered to the way he treated you. he wondered if you could feel how much he cared about you. if he acted on his affections, would it scare you away? it shouldn’t have frustrated him the way his friends complimented your outfits or the way your girlfriends pulled you onto their laps and kissed your cheek goodbye in front of everyone, but it did. there was no reason to assume you would be opposed to him all over you, but a part of him wondered if his biggest appeal to you was this tough guy thing he had going on. he wondered if you would still like him as much if he was as vulnerable and playful as he wanted to be with you.

all of this speculating took up his brain power for the trip and he realized he hadn’t said anything since you left your house which was exactly the kind of blunder that kept him up at night. after he had parked, you stayed sitting for a beat, looking over at him with a shy smile that made him want to say screw the date and uncharacteristically pounce on you. you probably saw the error code printed on his forehead because you simply laughed and reached to unbuckle your seat belt.

sort of, he guessed, to make up for his silence, he practically leaped out of the car to open your door and help you out. as much as he worried about seeing a hint of disappointment in your eyes, he was so enamored with you and addicted to the exhilaration your presence gave him, he couldn’t help but look at you. there was no disappointment or judgment in your eyes, only adoration with a glimmer of mischief which made him squirm.

did he forget a milestone day? did he have something on his face?

he bit back the shaky inhale and smoothed his expression over again into a lopsided smirk,

“what is it?...” he tugged a strand of your hair to emphasize his antsiness without having to say it.

“oh nothing,” you say slyly, “let’s go hm?”

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

the rest of the date went actually rather smoothly to (mostly) his surprise but you noticed a palpable shift the longer you didn’t give in to having your hands all over him.

the snacks he bought at the food stall for the both of you were put right up to your lips, the corner of your mouth wiped immediately as soon as a crumb fell on them. he moved you around with an arm around your shoulders and snuck pictures of you as you admired the fishes in the pond and the flowers lining the road you walked on with intertwined fingers. once you reached the main bridge that overlooked the water you led the way, leaning against the railing and sighing thoughtfully.

“you’re being extra sweet today bin.”

you didn’t even say it mischievously, staring straight into the pond that had started to glitter in the sun that had hit its peak. your stray hairs were blown messily in front of your face in the breeze, and he was trying his very best to not disturb the moment and move them back behind your ear for you. he really was trying his best but eventually all of his racing thoughts from the last few weeks bubbled up until he couldn’t take it anymore. he put his hand on your shoulder, getting you to look at him before turning you fully facing him. it seemed your plan had worked but now the reward was starting to make you apprehensive with the twitch of his eyebrows and each tentative breath he took. he had both hands on your shoulders as he opened and closed his mouth debating where to start.

“you’re so… pretty.”

your eyebrows quirked as you wondered where this was going.

“wonbin…what’s the matter?”

“nothing is the matter. well- no i guess that’s not true i…” he trailed off as his hands slid over your arms and pulled you into an embrace. he couldn’t focus on talking when you looked at him like that.

“i just love you.” he felt your breath stop and the sun burned against his back. he felt like he was sandwiched between two stars. “i love you and i honestly don’t know how to show you- i don’t want to show- i don’t want to pressure you or seem clingy but i am clingy. i think about you all the time, i don’t want to miss you anymore i want to be with you all the time and tell you everything i like about you. i don’t want to lose you. i’m sorry if it ever seemed like i wasn’t interested, you seriously scared me at first i didn’t want to mess anything up.”

he hard stopped there when he felt himself start to stumble over his own tongue and realized you hadn’t said a word. now he was sure he’d said too much. you surely didn’t realize what you were getting into when you-

“wonbin.” you spoke against his shoulder, your hair brushed against his lips where he held you.

“i feel like i can hear you freaking out.” you giggled when you said it, but he didn’t feel ashamed, he felt…lighter. he laughed with you and loosened the grip he had on your shirt.

you raised your hands to belatedly reciprocate his hug, running your nails against his spine making him shiver.

“i’m glad to know it’s not just me that’s obsessed.” you pulled away as he averted his eyes to the ground. emphasizing the circling of your arms around his lithe middle you kept your eyes on his face. “i thought maybe you were just shy, then i thought maybe you just weren’t affectionate like that.”

 he looked back at you, eyes round and swallowing thickly, with a childlike pout on his face, “no i’m just dumb.”

now you really laughed, and it made him smile that he could finally be so open. “i thought maybe you wouldn’t like me if i wasn’t cool… or something like that…”

“ah, so you think i’m shallow...“

his eyes rounded in panic.

“no! no not- not shallow not- it’s my own thing i ma-“

“i’m just messing bin.”

“ugh don’t do that!” he threw his head back in desperation. “ i think you’re lovely and sweet and too patient with me. i…”

he couldn’t remember what he was going to say because of your lidded gaze on him. he knew what you wanted because he wanted it just as bad so he leaned down and pressed his lips against yours. he drank in your sweet hum and nipped at your bottom lip when you couldn’t help but smile. his warm lips moved to the corner of your mouth and cheek when he gave up on kissing your teeth.

“so…” he snuck a kiss as you talked, “you love me bin?” he didn’t even mind the smirk in your voice when he gave an “mmhm” against your cheek. before pulling back in shock

“is that okay? you don’t have to say it back.” now the insecurity was setting in but he didn’t care when he was close enough to see every feature of your face.

“too bad, i love you too.”

“no it’s okay-oh. you really do?” he couldn’t have held back his smile even if he tried.

“yes, silly. now maybe we should continue this conversation at home i think people are starting to stare.” the idea that you were the shy one for once because of him made him feel like he was floating. it was more exhilarating to be this freely affectionate than to repress everything like his love was some sort of dark secret. you deserved nothing less than someone that was willing to give you the world and more. you deserved someone who told you every day how lucky they were to have you and he felt confident in becoming a man that was deserving of you.

he squeezed your cheeks together with one hand and leaned down to press a hard kiss against your face, chuckling when you yelped before slinging his arm over you. grinning as you both walked with purpose back to the car.

“you might actually get sick of me now you know.”

you rolled your eyes at him playfully, “not happening, w-”

“yes ma’am!” he cut you off, his heart racing in his newfound freedom. now he could slowly start to love you like he wanted and there's nothing you could do about it.

[cowboywritersworld]

Not a burden

General Masterlist | AEW Masterlist | Jay White Masterlist

Characters: Jay White, Reader, little girl, Renee Paquette

Plot: Reader is a single mother and a wrestler. She has a two years old little girl, who she has to bring always with her since the father has died when she was 5 months old and her family doesn't live in the States.

At work, when Reader has matches, Renee takes care of the little girl. That day, Reader's backstage segment runs longer, so Renee has to bring the little girl with her and when Reader finally comes back, Jay is entertaining her daughter.

A/N: divider by @strangergraphics.

@madhatterbri @5secondsofmoxley here we are, hope you enjoy it ❤️ I have more parts in mind for this.

Y/N gets off the taxi with her little daughter in her arms, taking then their bags and thanking the driver. Being a wrestler and a single mother sometimes is hard, but she has to do everything alone, given that the father is dead and her parents live in France.

"Mommy has an important match today, you are going to be a good girl with Auntie Renee, aren't you, little Peach?" She gently kisses her daughters forehead, putting her down when they get to security, to which she shows their badges.

"Will be a good girl!" Leonie smiled, holding her mother's hand with her tiny one.

"My perfect little peach."

Y/N takes her in her arms, walking to her locker room. The room is silent, no one is there and she sets her daughter down on a bench, starting to change into her ring gear and a sweatshirt.

Later she is set to win the Owen Hart Tournament and she is so excited about it. Sitting down, she starts to stretch to get warm, raising her head when she hears a knock on the door.

"I am sure it's auntie Renee. Can you please go open the door?" She asks her daughter gently, who nods enthusiastic at her.

"Sure mommy!" When Leonie got to the door she got on her tiptoes, carefully opening it. "Auntie Renee!" She hugs Renee's legs, which makes the woman giggle.

"Look who is here! My favorite little girl!" Renee takes her into her arms, smiling at Y/N.

"Hi Re. Thanks for helping me take care of her." Y/N stands up and gets Leonie's backpack to Renee.

"Oh, you know I love taking care of her! This precious little girl is so sweet and good." Renee ruffles Leonie's hair, chuckling when she protests.

"In case I should be late, you go with Re and sit still where she tells you, right Leonie?" Y/N kisses her daughter's forehead.

"Yes mommy."

Renee brings Leonie away, letting Y/N alone to finish getting ready and stretch a bit more. They both watch the match when it comes on, little Leonie cheering her mommy like her life depends on that. It is cute how much she loves wrestling and how supportive of her mother she is.

The little girl claps happily when her mommy wins, nuzzling tiredly against Renee. The interviewer kisses her forehead, looking at the clock for a moment: she had no more time and the celebration was going on longer that it should have.

"Leonie... I have an interview to make. You come with me and sit aside, waiting for Y/N, okay?" Renee asks very gently.

"Animals book?" At least she could do something while waiting.

"Sure!"

Renee rummages through her little backpack, from which she takes out the book. She walks hand in hand with Leonie, making her then seat on some crates at the side, making sure she wouldn't get filmed by the cameraman.

"Y/N will be here shortly, Leonie. I'll be where you can see me."

Renee smiles and opens her the book, before going to her spot to start the interview. Leonie sits there, looking interested at the little book, in awe. She loves animals and that one is her favourite book, even if she can't understand what is written on it. She lightly kicks her little legs, one of which hits the book and it falls on the ground.

The crate is high, Leonie tries to get down, but sighs frustrated and starts sobbing, making grabby hands towards it.

"Come on, you k-"

Jay White is walking by, talking with someone, when he hears someone sobbing. It seems like coming from a kid, but why would one be around there? He turns around and eyes the little girl, following where her little hands are pointing.

"Go ahead, I'll catch up with you later." He doesn't give any explanation as he reaches the little girl and bends down, taking the open book in his hands. "You like kiwis, little girl?" He asks, bending down enough so he is at her height, looking for a moment at the animal on the book.

"Yes!" She puts a hand on the book, smiling. "Thank you."

"What are you doing here? Where are your parents?" He lets her take the book back, deciding to sit down next to her.

"Auntie Renee." She points at the woman. "Mommy is out, match." She pats excited on the book, kicking her little legs once again.

"My name is Jay, what's yours, little girl?" Jay asks further, intrigued.

"Leonie!" She looks up at him and her eyes glow when she notices his necklace. For some reasons, that knife attracted her. "You like kiwis?"

"Do I like kiwis...?" He mutters to himself, scratching his beard thoughtful. "You want to know a secret? But you can't tell anyone." He smiles at her.

"Love secrets!" Her eyes sparkle as she giggles, waiting eagerly to know about it.

"Kiwis come from my home country. I come from New Zealand."He ruffles her hair." Pinky secret, right?"

"Yes! Pinky secret!"

When Y/N finally gets backstage, she isn't expecting to find her daughter with Jay. He has always been her crush ever since he came to AEW, but has never had the guts to tell him. She smiles as the two of them seem to go along so well, while they look together at her animals book.

She goes to sit next to her, motioning to Jay to be quiet, while Leonie is babbling something about the cat on the book.

Leonie is so focused on her babbling that she notices Y/N only when she decides to put her head against Jay's chest, starting to feel tired.

"Mommy!" She hugs her, while Jay takes the book, so it won't get broken.

"Hi little Peach. Have you had fun?" Y/N kisses her between the hair, purring.

"Yes! Jay is a very gentle man! And I was a good girl!" Leonie chuckles happily.

"Thanks for entertaining her. The segment after my win went longer than expected." Y/N says to Jay, who nods at her.

"It has been a pleasure. She was here alone while Renee did the interview, so I kept her company." Jay stands up, stretching his arms.

"Mommy, can we go to New Zealand one time?" Leonie looks up at her mom, eyes sparkling.

"Uh... Sure. Why, little Peach?" Y/N is confused, even more since Jay starts laughing.

"I wanna see the Kiwis!"

[justonemorewallflower]

So I normally post BSG related content here but today I wanted to take the time to talk about the Wednesday Season 2 Trailer that dropped today!!! Oh my God there is so much to unpack. I'm going to go over some of the stuff/the things that piqued my interest (mostly because I'm doing this at work haha) I'll probably make another post later about the rest or in more depth though I think I covered most of everything I wanted to. We shall see. But let's get into it!

WARNING: spoilers for season 1 (obviously)

Wednesday going through airport security. Probably just her going home because if I remember correctly her home is a ways away from Nevermore but I had been under the impression they just drove there since they used their car. So if that isn't her going home I'm not sure where she's going. Maybe though with the amount of weapons she has with her it is school or possibly somewhere for one of her investigations (this is an edit but maybe also potentially she is visiting Enid because I remember she asked her to over the break).

Does Pugsley have powers now? There's that little clip of the family driving in the car and he like hits the Jericho sign with like electricity or something of the sort. So that's interesting. Maybe he has powers similar to Uncle Fester?

No sign of Xavier. That doesn't necessarily prove whether or not Percy is in this season but it gives me the idea that he likely won't be. Not sure if they've recasted him or just wrote him off as he left Nevermore or something. But if there is no Xavier I personally am happy as I wasn't a huge fan of Xavier (and not just because of the love triangle stuff, I just didn't like him as a character in general he came off as creepy and stalkerish to me, just weird vibes I didn't like). Just my opinion.

They show Bianca during the dialogue of "every family has dark secrets" which leads me to believe they will be going into more of her family stuff which excites me because I was partly worried they weren't going to come back to that/just leave it as a loose end.

Tyler is also shown during the above dialogue too which gives me hope they'll be getting into more of him and the Hyde and maybe even his mother and all of that. Hopefully we'll get to learn more about his family and how his mother being a Hyde changed things for him and his dad.

With Wednesday bleeding out of her eyes I believe that has something to do with her psychic abilities especially her being a Raven as her mother warned her about that in Season 1, also because that content is shown during the line "and secrets can have deadly consequences." Since I believe most likely that relates to her visions that probably means her visions get stronger or more frequent, maybe even both. Or maybe more violent/realistic too possibly.

The scene with Wednesday and the Hyde I find so interesting I really wanna know what's going on there because he runs towards her but seems to stop/like he's not going to attack. The setting also seems to be maybe Willow Hill which leads me to theorize multiple things: either Tyler escaped from his cell, Wednesday let him out/helped him escape, or he was allowed to walk around the facility with her (but I highly doubt that based on how they had him locked up in his cell).

There still seem to be murders happening. Between a car accident and a scene with someone's glasses in the woods and that person screaming, etc. What's behind the murders this time? Not sure but I highly doubt Tyler since it has been shown he's locked up (unless he does escape and the murders are after that). A new potential creature or villain could be introduced, maybe potentially Wednesday's stalker (which I hope they get into).

No sign of Laurel. While it has never been confirmed that she was killed that was the idea we were given but again not confirmed so she could still potentially be around, but I hope not for everyone's sake, especially Tyler.

It looks like Pugsley will be joining Nevermore (he's in a Nevermore uniform) so he might get roped into some of the mysteries going on and Wednesday investigating but we'll also maybe just get to see how he fares at Nevermore.

Uncle Fester will be back which is exciting and maybe means more Addams Family members will appear.

It looks like there's a festival/carnival again which should be fun and I'm curious how it will be compared to the one in the first season. I think it would be really cool if they did a parallel of sorts.

I'm curious what's going on with the scene where Wednesday looks like she had been kidnapped almost at a table with a bunch of creepy dolls. I'm curious what's going on there in general, whether or not she actually got kidnapped (maybe by her stalker perhaps) or if she set it up herself.

Also just some of my thoughts I really hope Tyler gets a redemption arc of sorts or at least we get some sort of closure regarding him and everything with his mom and being a Hyde, etc. I hope they get into it more and show how his being a Hyde isn't really under his control. I'm also curious to see if he is masterless now (assuming Laurel is dead) or if he has a new master, potentially Wednesday like some people are theorizing. Also I would love for him and Wednesday to reconcile, whether that be as lovers or just friends. I just want them to be on good terms again.

Okay, that's all I have for now haha! Feel free to share your thoughts, theories or correct anything I may have gotten wrong. I just wanted to share my thoughts as I'm super excited and wanted to talk about it with others!

Also please keep in mind these are just my thoughts and opinions.

[celticcrossanon]

BRF Reading - 11th of May, 2024

This is speculation only

Cards drawn on the 11th of May, 2024

Question: How is King Charles going to respond to this Nigerian visit by Harry and Meghan?

Interpretation: He is going to let some secrets come to light.

Card One: The Two of Pentacles, in reverse

The Two of Pentacles is a card about balance, deciding where to put your energy, what areas will be profitable and what will not. In the reverse, it says that things are unbalanced, too much energy is going to the wrong areas, things are messy and disorganised, resources are overextended.

As an answer to my question, this tells me that King Charles is tired of having to spend his energy on the Harkles, he is tired of not seeing any return on his investment in his son (i.e. a change of behaviour),. He knows that things are out of balance. He knows that the Harkles are draining his time and energy. The energy is of someone who wants to right the balance, to rid himself of this drain on his energy. He is over dealing with his youngest son and he wants the balance to tip in his favour once and for all.

There is a very strong energy of "I am over this - I do not have the time, energy or patience to deal with this anymore" around this card. It feels like The King might come down heavily on the other side of the scale to restore the balance and tip it in his favour.

Card Two: The Four of Swords.

The Four of Swords is a card of retreat and rest, which is what the King has been doing with his cancer treatment and what he is still doing to some extent now, as he is not back to a full program of work yet AFAIK. It is also about resting and restoring your reputation after a defeat. I don't think the BRF have been defeated, but the energy of restoring your reputation is strong in this card. I think that King Charles wants to restore the battered reputation of the BRF and he is using his time of retreat to plan how to do that (along with everything else that he wants done, of course - this is not his only concern, just the one I am focusing on today).

In the picture on the card, the four swords make an eight spoked wheel, like a wheel of fortune. The King is ready to spin that wheel and turn it against the Harkles, to damage their reputation in the eyes of the world. There is a sense of peace around the card about having finally made this decision as well.

Card Three: The Ten of Pentacles

This is a card of legacy, heritage, tradition, family, roots, etc. I think that King Charles is going to fall back strongly on the tradition of the BRF and on the family. He is going to close the ranks even more and not leave any hole for Harry or leave things undone in the hope that Harry will come back and take them up.

We can see this in the recent public passing on of a military position from The King to Prince William - the role of Colonel-In-Chief of the Army Air Corps. We know this hurt Harry because of the PR he put out after the announcement. I think we will see more of this in the future - positions that have been left 'on hold' in case Harry comes back being given to other family members, showing that there is no place for Harry in the BRF and that he is not a member of 'The Firm".

Underlying Energy: The Moon in reverse

This is one of two main energies of this reading, and of the two, it is the dominant energy. The Moon is the card of lies, secrets, deceptions, things not being as they seem. In the reverse, those secrets are revealed. Light is shed on what is hidden or obscured, and things appear as they are in the sunlight and not distorted by the shadows of the moonlight. The King is going to give the go ahead or has given the go ahead for secrets about Harry and Meghan to be revealed (provided nothing happens to disrupt this energy). This is to restore the balance between the Harkles and the BRF, restore the reputation of the BRF, and to help secure their legacy and traditions, as per the cards above.

Underlying Energy 2: The Emperor

This is the second main energy of this reading. The Emperor is a card of authority, control, stability, structure and protection. It is the leader who protects his people, the father who takes care of all his family (and who does not sacrifice them for the sake of one son).

This is King Charles in his role as King, the leader, the defender of his people and his country. This is the person in authority who has a plan and who is going to carry it out, to restore stability to his throne. The King is going to act as the firm father who disciplines his wayward offspring instead of coddling them.

Whatever secrets are revealed as per The Moon in reverse card, they will be revealed with the consent of The King.

Conclusion:

Finally, the worm has turned. The King has had a gutful of his second son. He is over waiting for his second son to see sense and come home. Instead, he is going to take action to right the balance between them in his favour. He wants to restore the reputation of the BRF, reduce the reputation of the Harkles, and reaffirm the values of tradition, family, propriety etc that were associated with the BRF under the late Queen. To do all this he is going to release some secrets about the Harkles and let the truth behind their actions, which has been hidden until now, out into the light of day. Harry has not heeded the warnings from his father so Harry is about to get a dose of tough love from The King.

The overall energy of this reading is of someone (The King) who is completely fed up with the Harkles. He has run out of patience with them and he is finally going to take steps to repair and stop/limit the damage they have done to the BRF by releasing secrets about them.

Note: The next underlying energy after The Emperor was the Ace of Cups, which is a card of pregnancy. I'm trying very hard not to get my hopes up but I can't help hoping that the truth about Meghan's pregnancies is finally going to come out.

All we can do is wait and see what happens. The King could change his mind, and then the secrets will not be released, but I really hope he doesn't. This is the release of an energy against the Harkles that is long overdue.

[bloopitynoot]

Reading SVSSS: Chapter 7

For those who don't know, I am reading SVSSS for the first time and sharing my thoughts!

If you have not read it, there will be spoilers! Consider this a warning.

Also- if you want to follow along, I am aiming to post updates daily. You can find all the posts in the tag bloopitynoot reads SVSSS. You can also check out the intro post for context on my read.

A new day a new chapter! Today we get into the Water Prison. The real question: will Shen Qingqiu actually make it out?

No Charlie pics today, I have been abandoned at my reading/writing station, but I do have tea! Tea today is a blueberry jasmine.

Let's get into it!!!!

What the fuck?! Is this an acid lake? p89

Dang it really is crazy how after two accusations with zero evidence or proof that Shen Qingqiu actually did anything, he get's locked up in maximum security prison. p89

Right now I'm having war flashbacks from MDZS -> another protagonist out here doing their best with the rest of the world just making shit up about them for fun. RE: Little Palace mistress and her delusions of what SQQ did. She literally even says- he didnt say you did anything but I have a vibe. Like what? p91

We are gathered here today to all witness how Shen Qingqiu is once again refusing to acknowledge that he is indeed the Love Interest. Honestly, does anyone ever tell him? I live for the day the system changes his classification from villain to Love interest and actually tells him this. Idk if it happens, but now I need it to happen. Re: "what fit even less was the fact, in the original work, the Little Palace Mistress's refined iron whip had only been used for attacking love rivals" p93

Luo Binghe to the rescue!! p94 just catching that whip

Okay but when SQQ states that something is wrong with the script- is he actually on the path to understanding? or still clueless? I hope he sort of realizes what's happening, because dang this guy has 0 idea Luo Binghe would kill for him p95

OOP. "There is no need for Shizun to be so wary. If I wished to do something to you, I wouldn't need to touch you at all" p96

Re: point above about "is he understanding?" *deep sigh * SQQ has not learned at all and refuses to actively listen. He is still trying to follow the old script p.97. Okay but I do love how this guy is accidentally getting himself (in a weird way) romanced.

I honestly am pretty sure this is a dating sim XD "*to the system* Do you think we're playing a dating sim?!" p99

omg torture via demon blood is horrible. Like this is a worst nightmare, having little bugs in your organs NO THANKS. p101

I'm crying LOOOOOL two options; 1. the fake jade guanyin. 2. [Activate Small Scene Pusher] and gets his CLOTHES ripped off. Bro is now the lead in a period bodice ripper XD p102

*face palm* "Does it just take advantage of Luo Binghe's physiological disgust upon seeing a man's half-naked body?" p104. no my man, it is not disgust

oh no, giving him his outer robe made it more scandalous p104

RIP confirmed that that is the previous canon's sex robe p106

literally everyone has a feeling about what's up. Gongyi Xiao is eyeing SQQ, see's the robe and does indeed assume things about SQQ and Luo Binghe. How stupid is SQQ??? p107

Re: the note from Shang Qinghua to SQQ. Shang Qinghua is also an idiot, this guy had 1 job and that was to not fuck up the mushrooms. he goofed this exponentially. RIP those mushrooms. p109

Welp. Gongyi Xiao is realizing that Luo BInghe may not be as pure of heart as he thought p112

it's so much worse though- he really thinks that Luo Binghe assaulted SQQ and is now helping SQQ escape. p113

meanwhile SQQ is living in his own universe LOL no idea these are the assumptions. Also, IDK what's going to happen when Luo Binghe inevitably see's SQQ in Gongyi Xiao's robe. RIP GYX p115

Okay but SQQ I too would freak the fuck out if I had a walking/wake dream. Meng Mo's realm is no joke. p120-121

Dang Luo Binghe has become so strong. This dreamscape is insane. pp 124-126

again with the clothes ripping. I hope one day they enjoy this consensually. p127 (blessed be this canon for the fanfics)

in which SQQ does not realize that the fight in the dreamscape is indeed not a fight- it is most definitely foreplay. p128

I fucking KNEW IT Luo Binghe was NOT pleased with SQQ wearing Gongyi Xiao's robe. LOOOL. p130

but also I don't know what became of GYX but let's take a moment to remember him, I am sure he did not make it.

oh gosh more tragic SQQ backstory :( p132

I am glad I clocked it in the last chapter. Something was so fishy about the family that took him in and his "betrothal" my heart for SQQ :( :( :( p134

Okay get it Ning YinYing!!!! Re: her talking shit to and about Little Palace Mistress to her face! p138

yes she got slapped but still she did a pretty good job! and her sect siblings have her back.

That is it for today!!

Oh god. ofc we leave on a cliffhanger with a shady guy ready to super saiyan AND the next chapter is ominously titled "Death". I am not prepared for this!

[ohmygawdyoufoundnemo]

She Plays Bass

Bangchan x reader

•Part 1•

(Brief mention of 'noona', which means older female sibling or older sister in Korean, only because I am a couple of years older than Chan. If you're not a noona, don't worry too much. I just hope you enjoy this read while you're chilling🙏🏻)

EDIT: I made a few changes to this part, especially when I messed up with the whole start of the DominATE tour thing.

Y/N has hit the jackpot when passing her audition and joins Stray Kids on their world tour. But what happens when the leader meets the new girl?

✨

With the adrenaline still pumping through my veins from this whole morning, my leg starts to jiggle up and down waiting impatiently for my mum to pick up her phone. I could scream right now.

“Hello, darling. Are you on your way home?”

“Hi. Yeah I’m on the bus now.”

“Well, how did it go? Did they like you? Did you get it? Actually, tell me when you get back, ok? I’m just shopping at the moment.” I honestly feel like I could burst into tears, one: because I’ve just been running, which I never do, and two: the best news I could get after trying so hard to discover myself and where I want to be. I’m going on tour! Little old me is going to be playing to thousands of people worldwide!

“Ok. I’ll be home soon. Love you ma.”

“Love you too sweetheart.” We hang up and I could literally scream the roof of the bus apart. It seems too surreal to be true. After stressing so much this whole week about this audition, not being able to sleep and wondering what to play, it’s finally come fruition and a weight has just been lifted from my shoulders. The company came to London from South Korea for the auditions for new touring musicians for their groups, and now I’m going to be one of them! But the thing is, I have no idea what band I’ll be playing for or even when.

Later on that night over dinner, I tell mum of the events and some mishaps of everything that happened. She almost broke a rib or two pulling me into a hug when I told her that I would be officially touring with a band once I hear back from my agent.

“That is so exciting! My baby going into the world. I’m so happy for you!” She gives another big squeeze, swaying us from side to side just as my phone vibrates in my back pocket. “Oh! Who is it?” she asks before pulling away and cleaning up the dining table.

“I think it’s them. I’ll be right back. Hello?”

"Hello Y/N, it's Anna." My agent’s voice rang through the phone, easing the butterflies in my stomach for a moment.

“Hi Anna, how are you?”

“I’m very good! I also wanted to congratulate you on your audition today, they absolutely loved you! And we have a position lined up for you.”

“That’s great!” Already? That was quick!

“I just want to give you some more information about the success of your audition and going forward, within the company all travel and accommodation expenses are paid for so you don’t have to worry about anything. And, of course, if you have any insurance with your equipment we can help with that as well.“ This really is too good to be true! “With that being said, we would like to join us in Seoul for the start of the tour.”

Wait. What? SEOUL?!

“When? Is there a date when I would have to be there for rehearsals? Sorry, I’m a bit jittery.”

“That is ok. Rehearsals will be on the twenty-third of this month but we would like you to spend some time with us and the rest of the band around the fifteenth.” My feet instantly carry me to my room where they stop in front of my calendar. That’s in six days! “You will have time to explore a little bit of Seoul with one of our guides, you will also have your own hotel room set up, you will of course have the choice to explore the city on your own but in regards to security it would be...” I think I blanked out everything else Anna was saying. My ears were ringing, I was getting light headed looking around at all of my stuff in my bedroom. I’m going to South Korea to start a world tour with a band I don’t even know. Six days. Six days until I leave my home to bed hop in hotel rooms around the world for god knows how long! “So, what do you say?”

Before I can even think about my answer, my mouth opens, “Absolutely!” Shit! How much stuff should I pack?!

“That’s great news! Before I go, do you have any questions you would like to ask?”

“Is it alright to ask, the band that I’ll be playing with or for...”

“Ah, yes! I thought you’d might ask. Usually we don’t disclose this information until closer to the time but since you signed a contract with the company and will be joining us very soon there are no issues. So you will be rehearsing and being a touring musician for Stray Kids.”

~

Six days came and went so quickly that I could barely focus on anything. I nearly forgot my carry-on luggage, headphones and even my iPad which has all the bass and synthesiser recordings on it. Luckily my mum helped me with the checklist, knowing very well that I will forget something, before leaving me at the airport with Anna. Speaking of whom, after a very long journey, we are on our way to the hotel. Each part of this experience is so fast-paced with no time to take in the huge shift this has made to my life that I almost cocoon myself in my hoodie in the backseat of the car, yet the sight of the KSPO Dome won’t allow me to stay slumped for too long as Anna points out the venue from where we’ve stopped at the traffic lights.

“It’s huge!” I say to her in Korean, turning to Anna like an excited child seeing Christmas lights for the first time. She laughs at me. The thing about Anna is she’s also my agent as I was struggling to find any gigs in the past three years. The audition was like a big break for me to finally do something I love. She had also been the one to encourage me to learn Korean, when we first started talking while I attended college she had only learned the basics in English not too long before. So to save her more hardship and to learn something new, I took up a side quest to learn her language and she’s just embraced me and shares her culture with me.

“Wait until we get inside in a couple of days.” She says just as she goes to answer her phone. As we get closer, I pull on my Dr. Martens trying my best not to get dirt on the seat as well as getting concussed by the front passenger seat.

The butterflies are throwing up in my stomach.

~

I couldn’t close my mouth as I gawked out the window overlooking the city lights of Seoul. Every day since I’ve been here, I’ve done the same thing, wake up early to gawk at the sunrise, have breakfast, message my mum for a little while, stare out the window whilst getting dressed or brushing my teeth for my scheduled day with Anna, taking picture after picture of the tourist attractions. My legs hurt so much but it’s so worth it!

How am I here? Well, I know how but it’s like an out-of-body experience standing here in a hotel room, in a dream, on the same floor as Stray Kids. Rehearsals are tomorrow and my stomach is doing somersaults.

~

I’m still rubbing the sleep from my eyes, my body is too tired from the adventures I've had so far in the past three days to lug around my bass guitar on my back. I’m being lead through the maze of a hallway in the arena by a member of staff. Plus I hadn’t slept too well last night, I miss my mum, my cat, now I miss Anna but she’s a busy woman but I’m now left to my own sleepy devises at rehearsals and meeting everyone. I had already met the rest of my band the other night over dinner. They’re so cool and so welcoming! I also met the stylists for tonight which woke me up a little bit more after seeing my outfits for the next week. Chef’s kiss!

The engineers help me with setting up my equipment and my ear pieces that there's no time to really take in the gargantuan size of the dome. I hear the drums, guitar and keyboard echoing throughout the stadium, the sound of the music reverberating against the walls finally made the realisation hit me. I am but one small person which by tonight will be playing to thousands of people.

As reality sinks in, the cluster of instruments being tested in my ear pieces seems soothing the moment I lock them in.

~

The members were getting ready to go to the stage, the stylists getting everything prepared for later on tonight, their manager rushing about making sure everything is all good to go for rehearsals, Bangchan was writing little messages to STAYS on Bubble with some comments making him smile and blush when out of nowhere, Han makes a noise in surprise which causes the others to look up at what he’s pointing to. Chan looks up to see Han gesturing to the TV that was switched on for background noise, it was filming live footage from the stage. Chan gulped down some saliva when he saw a new band member setting up, which didn't go unnoticed by other members of staff either.

Is it warm in here?

“Who’s that? Is that a new bass player NMixx?” I.N. asks while glancing between his phone and the TV. Chan knew the question was to no one in particular but he was taken back to respond. She was pretty, really pretty. The breeze flowing through her hair pushes some strands over her shoulder as the band plays a random tune, the boys stare in wonder only for a few seconds before the camera shot changes to a scope of the venue.

“She was pretty!” Han exclaims as he’s being set up with equipment for soundcheck and being handed a microphone.

“Stop staring!" Minho gently swats at Han, "You’re getting drool all over the carpet!” scuffing up Han’s bed hair, the member of staff helping Han adjust his monitor waiting patiently for them to stop slapping each other.

“Hyung,” Chan finally looks away from the TV too to see Felix holding his spare t-shirt. “Can I borrow this?”

“Sure, go ahead.” Who was she? He asks himself just as she comes up on the screen again. She looks over at the cameraman, shyly waving and smiling. Chan couldn’t help but notice the colour of her big round eyes. Uh oh.

“Wow! Never seen Chan-hyung with big heart eyes before.” Changbin says getting the boys attention, pumping his chest at his leader. Chan just glares at him, trying to keep him at arms length but ends up breaking into a red-faced laugh while chasing him around the room.

~

“If you need help with anything, give us a signal.” He says, making the gestures of signals but I get distracted when I feel eyes on me. I glance over the soundman’s shoulder to see the group of guy’s looking over at me. Through my ear piece just as one speaks into their microphone, I hear, “Hey! Hello.” One waves at me, followed by the others. I wave back as he walks closer with a huge smile. “I’m Han." They each wave again. "What’s your name?” I introduce myself in Korean which surprises them and makes me laugh. “WOW! Oh, are you our new bass player?”

I nod, just as a song starts he jogs away.

"Let's get it!" We start with S-Class and go into Superbowl. The flow is so good! Me and the boys are really happy with it. I sort out my bass synthesiser for the next song just as another member comes into my peripheral.

“Hi.” I feel my cheeks grow warm as he smiles at me.

“Hello.”

“That was really good but I can’t hear the bass so well in my ...”

“Oh, yeah. They said they’ve been having minor technical issues with it but it should be better for tonight.”

“Cool! Err.... I’m Chris, by the way.”

“Y/N. It’s nice to meet you.” Is it really that warm out here?

“Hyung! Stop flirting with our new girl and get back here!” Minho yells away from the microphone causing Chan to shy away but ultimately wave at me with a ‘see you later’. Bangchan tackles Lee Know into a back hug with much retaliation.

This is going to be fun!

~

It’s been a couple of weeks since starting tour and it’s been amazing! Crazy busy with non-stop moving and airport travels and hotel bed hopping but other than that I can’t knock this experience. Especially since Stray Kids have taken me in. Almost every night we play, either Changbin, Han or mainly Felix come over and rock out with the band, hyping us up and wordlessly letting us know we were doing a great job.

Almost a month ago, I never would have thought I would be hanging with any of them, but usually Han comes over to play guitar with me playing songs before or after rehearsals. The chaos is real and it’s heart-warming to have so many people around who are so supportive and bring out the best chaos in you.

“Y/N noona?!” I glance up from my iPad taking out one of my airpods, I’m sat on the carpeted floor adjusting bass tones for the songs for the set to see Changbin sitting across from me, all dressed up for later on, which only reminds me that it’ll be my turn soon. Restless, full of bounding energy which he’s been told to save for tonight.

“Dwaeki?”

“Noona! I’m bored.”

“Where are the others?” I’ve only just noticed it’s just me, Changbin, I.N. and a couple of stylists in here. “How long have I been working?”

“Too long! Pay attention!” his whining makes me chuckle, I try to hide it to not upset him but he notices and starts getting irritable. “Stop laughing at me. I’m serious.” He starts smiling, not taking himself seriously.

“What do you want from me? What do you want to do?” he ponders for a moment.

“I don’t know. Help me!” while slumping his head on the table, he quickly retracts it with a small yet dramatic yelp in pain. I reach over to rub his forehead. He slaps the table as if offended which makes me laugh harder.

“Be careful Changbin! You want to be able to remember lyrics tonight.”

“Ah!” he pulls away with a sneaky look on his face. “NMixx.” He points to the live footage of NMixx on stage.

“What?” I ask as he quickly gets up and dances to the start of ‘Love Me Like This’. “I saw the video. You know it. Come on!”

“Absolutely not.” How did he know about that video?

“Noona! Noona! Noona!" I.N. starts chanting. Changbin pulls me up and before I know it, he’s filming us both dancing to the song, all while I.N. sits and watches. The others walk in just as me and Changbin finally finish. I must have gone red in the face when I saw Han and Bangchan just grinning.

“What’s going on?” Chan asks as I quickly go back to what I was doing before.

~

Changbin shows them the video of him and Y/N dancing along to NMixx. Bangchan sneaks a glance over at Y/N who’s too caught up in the new bass system that she’s been obsessed with for days now.

There’s a niggling feeling he just can’t shake off when he’s around her. He likes her a lot! She’s cool, amazing bass player and has a great flow with the band, she gets along really well the Kid's too. It’s like they just clicked, she takes care of them when he's too busy which gives him time to work or gives him a breather even just for a moment. She has a cool sense of style, right now she’s wearing her classic pink beanie, crop hoodie and black denim shorts and barefoot while sitting cross-legged at the table bobbing her head along to what she’s listening to whilst taking notes, there’s just something warm and natural about her. Even when she’s playing to thousands of STAYS, he’s always noticed that glow in her eyes while looking out at them, and her personality never changes. He recently saw a video shared around on TikTok of fans who had been watching our opening acts in quite an unbearable heat and while our set was being put together, she handed out extra water bottles for STAYS.

“Hyung?” Chan pulls his gaze away, not realising he’s probably been gawking at her for a bit, hoping that she didn't catch him doing it. He helps Felix adjust his necklace. “Hyung.” Chan hums in response to Felix as Y/N brings Seungmin his water bottle as he does his vocal warm-up just as Hyunjin tackles her in a side hug. “You’ve been quiet all day. Everything good?”

“Yeah. Really good.”

“You sure?” Felix asks peering over his shoulder with a little smirk, Chan couldn’t help but glance over at Y/N again to see her taking selfies with Hyunjin and Changbin. His heart flutters a little as she smiles at whatever Lee Know said about their poses which gets more of a response out of Changbin. “Why don’t you just tell her you like her?”

This brings Chan back to reality like a smack in the face.

“What are you talking about?” Felix gives him a knowing look. “I can’t just...do that. It’s complicated.”

“It doesn’t have to be complicated." Felix turns around to see Y/N giggling at Changbin and Lee Know bickering, nearly breaking out into a play fight. "She won’t break your heart, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Of course Felix would say that. The Kids practically adore her.

Lee Know keeps her at arms length but respects her and is fond of her, and her comebacks to his playful insults catch him off guard most of the time, they're not mean but just as good. Changbin see’s her like a sibling, and now a dance partner or someone he challenges when he tries to tease her because she’s our noona which sometimes makes her feel bad yet they have a special bond. Hyunjin has shown her more of his artwork, he even made her a picture for her birthday which she adores and she’s shown him how to create his own music. Han adores her because she works hard to help us sound better on stage and how caring she is to us. Felix, well he isn’t shy to the fact that they’ve become close friends and dotes on her. Seungmin, like Lee Know, shows a lot of respect for noona. And I.N., if any one of them follows her like a lost puppy, apart from Felix or Changbin when he’s in the mood to bother her or simply wants her attention, it’s him.

But where does that leave him? Chan breathes out a sigh. They get along really well but something feels stagnant. He isn’t worried about her breaking his heart though, he’s more worried he’ll explode with professions of adoration and scare her away.

~

“Where are you going?!” Chan calls out as Y/N hurriedly takes out her earpieces and takes off her equipment. The Kid’s keeping a distance from the firing line.

“Out for a walk! Is that ok with you?! God!” Y/N storms off stage, snatching her jacket from it's place on the bass holder on the way out. The others stare cautiously between the two, seven pairs of eyes following Y/N as she disappears around the side stage, then over to their leader who is almost red in the face. Rehearsals just finished but throughout the set, things just kept going wrong which ended up with the soundcheck taking longer than usual. If Chan were to name a few, the boys were more chaotic as usual but for some reason it just got to him today, then the sound system kept messing up which messed up their queues and they had to restart the song, Han and Seungmin’s microphones kept glitching, then Y/N said she had forgotten her iPad backstage which has all pre-adjusted bass tones on it, that was the final straw in the span of the two hours since the minor late start to rehearsals, that’s when Chan snapped. Not at everyone or anything, but at Y/N.

This confused the Kid’s so much after the new revelation they had witnessed over the past few months between their leader and their new bassist.

The air was thick with tension and it wasn’t great to be around. The members were silent, waiting for Chan to make the first move. He took a few breaths before turning around as he removed his ear piece from under his beanie.

“Sorry hyung.” Some of them mumble as he takes off as well.

✨

*So that was Part 1, I hope you enjoyed it! I know it's looooong but I haven't written anything like this in 3 years so I may have gotten a little excited or enthusiastic to get this out of my system*

[lonniemachin]

Amro reached out to me to help share his fundraising campaign. He is urgently trying to raise money to evacuate his family, including his 7 year old daughter Tala and 4 year old son Bakir, to Egypt. He has only raised €45 out of his €15,000 goal! Please donate, and if you can't donate, please share!!

From Amro's GFM:

My name is Amro Bakr. I am 37 years old from Gaza. I used to work as an accountant in a Palestinian establishment in Gaza. I have two kids Tala (7 years old) and Bakir (4 years old). We are an innocent family who woke up into a nightmare that costed us our health, our house, and our future.

Before October 7th, we had a simple life. I worked hard to create this family and to provide for them. I worked in different places until I secured a stable job. I built everything from scratch. Despite the challenges, our life was rich with love, hope, and gratitude. All we desired was a roof over our heads and a united family. However, everything changed after that day. We lost our home and our car in Gaza. Now, all we have left is the hope for survival.

My kids, Tala and Bakir. Tala was really excited about starting her new school year. She's a big fan of drawing. Bakir, well, he hasn't even stepped foot in a school. He's the real spark plug in our house, always full of energy and mischief, keeping the high spirit in the house.

Our struggles began when we had to leave our home and move in with my father-in-law. We stayed there for a month. Then, with alerts to flee from the north to the south, we headed to Deir Al Balah. Luckily, we found a dental clinic that contained us since November 2023 up until now.

During this time, we witnessed death in every possible way. The chaos in the streets, the constant fear of dying. There were countless nights when my kids couldn't sleep. We're struggling with starvation. It feels like we're slowly being killed. The water is polluted, and even finding it is a challenge. If we're lucky enough, we might come across a flour pack from aid. These crises keep hitting us day after day, but for how much longer? We used up our savings to make it this far, but it wasn't enough. Now, we're relying solely on aid, and I can see that soon, we won't be able to survive.

Today marks day number 182 of war. I've come to the realization that our only way to survive and live is by evacuating to Egypt. Unfortunately, we don't have the money needed for it. The cost of leaving is $5000 for each adult and $2500 for each child. Since we're 2 adults and 2 children, it will cost us $15,000 in total. We need this money to cover the expenses of evacuation. The money will be used to pay travel expenses through border.

I'm asking everyone with a compassionate heart to help us survive and start a new life in a place where we can find peace. I haven't lost faith in humanity yet. Your donations mean life for a family that is desperately hoping to exist.

Thank you.