#and the third was the hardest to script?

[freakurodani]

introducing two very good boys!!!

(be kind to sokka, food is scarce)

part 2 of the atla zombie au

[Part 1]

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[bobluvbot]

late night cravings

pairing: sirius black x afab!reader summary: you sneak off the night for a cheeky midnight snack, hoping sirius won’t notice (spoiler alert: he does, and he’s sulky about it)  wc: 4k cw: pregnancy & baby talk, descriptions of food and eating, brief allusions to sex (not directly stated), no physical traits of reader specified but sirius can hold things out of reader’s reach  a/n: so i had a lengthy angst fic for sirius’s debut on my blog and im halfway done on it but i cant seem to finish it bc it sends me to a depressing spiral each time <33333 so pls enjoy a very self-indulgent domestic excessively fluffy blurb with my beloved <33333 p.s this is not proofread so plz ignore mistakes ty <3

opening the tomato salsa jar turned out to be the hardest part. 

back in bed, you thought the trickiest part of your late night escapade from sirius black was his long limbs wound up tight with yours, even in low light of the small nightlight in the corner, you could still make out the intricate script and designs following the curves and dips of his strong arms, holding you close to his chest. 

you had it committed to memory by now, having explored sirius’s body well enough to memorize the way his skin feels against yours, with heartbeats and breaths falling in sync without much effort. 

judging by the way his breathing gets heavy after every exhale and the little snores that escape in between, you knew he was beyond knackered. it was day five of sirius’s new job as an deputy director at the auror office. the day he learned about the promotion was pure unadulterated happiness. after letting you know through an express owl, you mustered up enough vigor available to your seven months pregnant self to get out of the house and go to the local shops to get party supplies and food to celebrate sirius’s achievement. 

Coming in third out of the list of things he genuinely loved in this life, after you and his luscious locks of course, was his job as an auror. young sirius had never thought in his wildest dreams that he’d work at the ministry, much less actually enjoy it. can’t really blame sixteen year old sirius, starting an underground rock band with the marauders seemed like the perfect thing to do after gruelling hours of studying at hogwarts. 

defense against the dark arts came to him naturally, with some counterspells like second nature to him as being exposed with use of dark magic young gave him no choice but to grow up quickly and defend himself from the excruciating pain or the mind control that was from his own family’s doing. Winning the first wizarding war alongside his friends and found family has solidified sirius’s calling in eradicating the use of dark magic and making sure the next generation can have a safe and normal life without the looming threat of a megalomaniac sorting people with their blood status and taking over the wizarding world. 

that night, sirius walked into a dark and eerily quiet home that had his senses on overdrive. but when the lights turned on and he saw familiar faces of his loved ones all beaming with pride, and there you were in the center, looking ethereal and round and all his, with his favorite red velvet cake on hand and a ridiculously big balloon that says “congratulations” tied to the candle, he could have melted in a syrupy mess of gooey happiness right then and there if he hadn’t caught himself together last minute.

Sirius had thought– that after you agreeing to go on one date with him to hogsmeade, winning the quidditch cup and seeing the proud look on minerva’s face, going home for christmas break and euphemia welcoming him with a kiss on the cheek and a warm hug, remus teaching at the very same classroom you all were in years back, james and lily’s first kiss at the altar, holding little baby harry in his arms, you walking down the aisle with a bouquet of peonies in the most beautiful dress, and when you held his hand that one night and told him that you were expecting—- that he knew of love. but you do something extraordinary that has him scrambling to add to the endless list of why you’re the love of his life. he was so focused on you that he wasn’t prepared to catch pure muscle of james’s body as he flung himself to tackle his best friend in a hug. luckily, remus with a party hat was aptly standing between a toppling sirius and the living room wall, and he singlehandedly saved the two from creating a huge hole in the drywall. 

this was the life, sirius had thought after many hours of partying celebrating and eating, when he laid beside you in bed, limbs tangled, sated and dizzy and warm as you both came down from your highs. and he gets to spend it with you.

but as fun and exciting sirius’s new job is, it entailed an increased amount of responsibility as he was assisting the head auror. his least favorite part of the job was the boatloads of paperwork he has to deal with. An express owl almost dropped a howler letter into the soup you were making for dinner earlier that day and you opened it up panicking thinking it was an emergency. But no, it was just sirius whining that his hand hurt and is about to fall off and that he needs you to kiss it better. 

You did eventually, and one thing led to another and here you were, tucked in your husband’s warm embrace. you could stay here forever, only separating to drink water and bathroom trips, but the gnawing urge to eat something savory, sweet, tangy, and crunchy has possessed your entire being, the only way to quell it was to get up and go to the kitchen. the baby doesn’t seem to have a semblance of time yet, a fact you both envied and despised, because the clock on your nightstand said it was 3:48am in bold red numbers. A few months ago, you’d never be caught dead awake at this time, taking your precious sleep time seriously. The man himself would poke fun at you and say you’d gladly sleep through an earthquake or a housefire just as long as you get your seven to eight hours of sleep per day, and despite of your assumed role of contradicting and arguing with spontaneous and stubborn sirius, you had to agree.

But this was not about you anymore, or at least not quite yet for a good seventeen years, so you untangle yourself from sirius and your perfectly warm and cool side of the bed and waddle down the carpeted stairs, careful not to set foot on the creaky step that might risk waking sirius up. You need your secrets too, and you’re not in the mood to share food.

Grateful for the heavens that you and sirius stocked up on groceries two days ago, you had a wide selection of random items to munch on. A few days ago, you were introduced to the idea of a fluffernutter sandwich while scrolling through the short videos on your feed. Peanut butter and marshmallow fluff as spreads on their own was something you didn’t mind eating, but both together in a sandwich? You were enthralled, and the only way to quell the curiosity was to make it. So you did. 

You shovel and slather more than enough spread on each slice of bread, though you might have used the same spoon on both jars.. but who’s to tell you off otherwise, your snoozing husband upstairs? pfft. 

Smiling happily as if committing a particularly naughty crime, you place the spoon in your mouth, licking off the gooey mixture as you place the sandwich on a piece of paper towel (yes, you take the no dishwashing tonight seriously) on the table. humming, you mull over what to prepare next.

The baby needs something savory and tangy, but you’re not particularly keen on going through all the effort of heating up the soup from dinner, not to mention the amount of cutlery and dishes you’ll use for that, so you zero in on the tostada shells you chose rather than tortilla chips because its much more crispier. 

Opening the fridge, you see the laughing cow on a round packaging and decide its the one, so you grab two cheese wedges from it. 

Sirius had argued that the next aisle had actual, real blocks of cheese with a variety on display and that there was no point in getting artificially flavored ones. But you’ve gotten really good at giving him the stank face, which inadvertently ends 75 percent of nonsense bickering before it even starts; and since you’ve started showing more and more, sirius has admittedly gone softer on you, not that he was ever more but a pushover your entire relationship. Merely widening of eyes and a jut of your lower lip, even adding a slight tremble or two during times where you did actually fuck up, sirius can’t hold his stance longer than a minute before sighing and taking you in his arms. he might call you out for being a brat at times, but there’s no denying he loves it. And so the artificial wheel of cheese wedges got purchased and bagged home, and you’re meticulously spreading it over the golden shells, leaving little to no gaps of it bare. 

Laying it on another paper towel, your heart gets giddy on your chest knowing you’re in for a treat tonight. But not quite time to start munching, the baby reminds you that you still need something tangy to complete the meal. So comes your big predicament, should you get dill pickles or tomato salsa? 

It took you ten seconds too long of weighing down the pros-and-cons of choosing one and feeling like you made the wrong choice if you end up not liking it. It doesn’t help that the pregnancy hormones make you more anxious and tend to put you always on the verge of tears. So when the not-so-groundbreaking idea of just eating them both hits you, you feel the weight slide off your shoulders as you sigh. Because again, who’s gonna tell you that eating pickles this late at night can give you bad acid reflux, your snoozing husband? Pfft.

Snacking on some, you do manage to pick out the juiciest looking pickle chips and lay them atop of your tostadas. You and the little one are beyond excited to dive in. It’s looking like a mini upside-down pizza with the cheese spread first then the pickle as toppings. Only thing left now was the the tomato salsa slathered on top to seal the deal. 

Opening tight lids wasn’t an issue for you before, in fact, you took pride when friends hand you a jar or bottle to open because you could do it in a breeze. Chances were, the lid wasn’t even screwed on that tight, you were just built different, you’d say with a shrug once you give the items back. So when the tomato jar doesn’t budge after two attempts, you get puzzled.

Maybe your hands were slippery? You wipe them down with a tea towel and try again. No.

You weren’t holding it tight enough? Fingers held taut against the lid, you try three times. Still no.

Determined, you try different positions before letting the jar go, shooting it glares as if it’d get intimidated and just open up for you. You were also getting lightheaded, and passing out on the kitchen floor due to excessive stimulation of your vagal reflex because you were too stubborn to use magic or wake your husband up to open it for you doesn’t seem like the best way to spend the early Tuesday morning hours.

Magic was even out of the option (well, in your brain it was), because your wand’s tucked beside sirius’s on your nightstand, and frankly, you don’t have the patience to drag yourself upstairs just to flick a utility spell to open the wretched thing. So you do the next best option: lose hope. 

The disappointment was mutual between you and your baby. And the acid reflux did start to kick in, making your stomach grumble in both hunger and pain. This was all going so well until it isn’t, tears began to make its way up to your eyes.

“See, this is what you get for being greedy and eating all snacks by yourself,” sirius huffs behind you, deep voice still raspy with sleep. You didn’t even hear him getting out of bed and coming down the stairs, that’s how preoccupied you were with opening the jar.

He grabs the container away from you to open it, but not without throwing a scowl at your direction, handsome face contorted with furrowed eyebrows and downturned mouth, enough to express that he felt betrayed by this whole ordeal. If you were in a better mood, you’d poke his sides and tackle him playfully, teasing him for being sulky. But for now, you need the jar opened so you could eat in peace. You’ll deal with the sharing food issue later.

“t wasn’t supposed to take long,” you mumble, caught off guard and refusing to make eye contact, pretending the fridge magnets beside sirius’s head is ten times more interesting than his face. You don’t miss his raised eyebrow and snort at your response. 

The second attempt comes and he opens it with a satisfying pop. your mouth falls agape, eyeing the *now accessible* tomato salsa dip in disbelief. What the hell? 

And you couldn’t even take the smug grin spreading across sirius’s face by the millisecond. Refuse to. You try to snatch the open container away from him but he holds it higher and out of reach, making a show of puffing his chest, flexing his biceps, even giving it a kiss. This is all James’s doing, you need to have a talk with Lily soon about keeping these two separated.

“Sirius!” you try to plead your way out. the trademark innocent, pouty expression settles on your face like a second mask, hoping he’d go down this easy. 

It doesn’t work. He just chuckles, mocking your pleas and face while his free hand sneaks up and pinches your unsuspecting cheek to tease you further.

You yelp in mock outrage and swat his hand away, trying your best to keep your displeasure firm on your face, but you feel the giggles coming up. “This is why I sneak out alone to eat, you’re such a bully,” you huff, but take a seat in front of your makeshift spread. 

Sirius places the jar near you, but not without poking your exposed sides, armed with the knowledge that the easiest way to get you laughing (and eventually conceding in an argument) is knowing where your tickle zones are. “Oh yeah,” he drawls, plopping himself beside you. “That’s also why you’re the only one waking up with an upset stomach, stinking up our bathroom so early in the morning.”

Now this one got you appalled, embarrassed, disturbed, basically hit with all the feelings. You’ve been living together long before you got married, and he never brought up this issue until today. “That’s it. I’m leaving.” He makes a move to snatch the sandwich away but the embarrassment on your cheeks made you more agile, swatting his hand away and shielding the sandwich with your hands. “After I finish my meal,” you continue, shooting him a glare.

But see, one of the things that drove you nuts even way back at Hogwarts, was how Sirius Black mostly managed to outsmart you or be one step ahead of you in everything. After you turned him down without much thought whatsoever despite his grand declaration of interest, Sirius took it upon himself to show you (1) that you made a mistake for rejecting him, (2) that his ego won’t let you embarrass him like that again, (3) and that you won’t get rid of him that easily. Once he set his eyes on you, you were face to face with him in everything: grades, OWLs/NEWTs scores, Quidditch plays and bets, wins at the duelling club, even with the fucking gobstones tournament. He never let you catch a break.

Things were surely different now, since you vowed to be with him in sickness and health and untill death parts you both– hell, you’re carrying his child. So you figured maybe, maybe, he’ll let you catch a break this time. Let you eat in peace as you mull over his bathroom comment and how you’re going to get him back. 

But again, no. Unlike you, Sirius remembered to grab his wand from the nightstand. Not even batting an eye, he says nonchalantly, “Accio sandwich.” And the fluffernutter you protected with all your physical might managed to escape your watch, and land gracefully on his waiting palm. 

What irritated you more from this whole ordeal? The prodigal auror that climbed his way up the ranks and became the youngest deputy director, fully capable of complex spells and wielding different kinds of magic, felt the need to do a verbal Accio spell just to make a point to you.

Out of words, you just stare at him blankly. Too stunned to even cry in frustration because you knew you made a conscious, willing choice to be with this man. 

Maybe your best guilt-tripping expression comes best when you’re not trying. Color drains from his face when you remained silent and he scrambles to take a bite off the sandwich before handing it back to you, or rather placing it on your limp hand as you refuse to acknowledge it, still too hurt to budge. “‘m sorry, baby. Just wanted to eat with you since we didn’t get to earlier.”

He did arrive later than usual, deciding to finish the stack of case files and paperwork so he won’t have to sift through them again the next day. There were plans to wait for him before eating, but when the jitteriness and slightly nausea started to kick in, you had no choice in the matter. Sirius had been sulky and clingy the moment he got home, and as compromise, you stayed to watch him eat; listening and reacting animatedly as he ranted about his stressful day.

So you cut him off some slack, also exhausted from all the emotional stimulation sirius brought since he woke up. As a silent peace offering (also because you’re not ready to say sorry to his face), you slide the tostadas within his reach and finally take your bite of the goddamn sandwich. It was good, tasted as expected, sweet peanut butter. You’d probably have it again as a drunk at 3am meal.

Sirius also went and got snacks of his own: microwaved popcorn, pickles, toasted bread slathered with butter, and grapes. Together, you munched on the little spread of random food you could find in your kitchen at 4am in comfortable silence, which is surprising after the earlier bickering. No matter how cheesy it sounded in your head, sirius was the only person that can drive you to the brink of insanity and right back. You were in for a hell of a ride for the foreseeable future; and while there’s a lot of uncertainty right now and changes to be made when the little one gets here, you’re beyond happy that you get to do all this with him. 

Sleep was beginning to creep up on you. Of course he notices this right when you do, so a warm arm wrapped across your back urges you to settle on his lap, bodies melding into the familiar crevices like puzzle pieces, though you both had to adjust certain angles to accommodate your growing belly. You sit like this for a while; your head tucked securely in the crook of his neck, steady breaths lulling you to sleep, while sirius’s hands instinctively finds its way under your sleep shirt and on the natural curve of your belly, lithe fingers stroking and drawing soothing circles anywhere he could reach. 

you wish you could stay like this forever– cozy and soft and safe– but alas, you were carrying sirius black’s offspring. the baby decides to reward you with a round of kicks, probably giddy after feeling their father’s touch. Sirius chuckles and coos at your bump, while a muffled groan leaves your lips from the sudden onslaught of movement, but still refusing to move from this comfortable position.

Smooth cold lips touch the side of your forehead and you relish in the feeling. “Does it ever hurt, love? All that kicking and wiggling?” 

“Not really,” a content sigh leaves your lips. “Feels strange at times, seeing your belly move on its own.” 

To prove your point, two tiny bulges make a split second appearance just above where Sirius’s hand lay. His thumb soothes the area lovingly.

“Definitely getting stronger though; Lily told me during the later months, harry for some reason loved to kick downwards, making bathroom trips more frequent than it already is. Not excited for that.”

He presses kisses on your forehead, temple, hairline, anywhere he could reach without moving too much. “Things that you do and endure for this ‘lil troublemaker,” sirius murmurs. He doesn’t need to say it out loud, you could feel his body reverberating with awe and fondness. You try to bask in it for as long as you could, but a passing thought makes its presence known to you again.

“Do i really make the bathroom stink?” it comes out whinier than you intended it to be but you just had to know for peace of mind. 

Sirius’s whole frame vibrates as he tries to stifle his laughter, taking you with him. He’s laughing at your expense but you feel your own giggles brewing in your belly. You try to hold it in for longer, preserving some self respect. “A little bit,” he says solemnly. You groan, earlier mortified feeling returning in full swing. It triggers another round of chuckles.

“But dove, it’s nothing that my deep love and adoration for my lovely strong hot and sexy wife can’t handle.” He says assuredly, and you curse yourself for being so down bad for this man as blood rushes to your cheeks from his words. Good thing it’s dim and your face is still tucked in the crook of his neck. 

You do pinch his arm in response, and both your laughters compliment the comfortable silence. 

“Although,” he says after a while. “The betrayal of you eating without me still hurts.” 

“Siri.. i’m sorry,” you mumble. “‘y looked so tired, Didn’t wanna wake you up.”

He tuts and doesn’t say much after that. In sirius dictionary, this means he just wants some affection from you— for you to dote on him and coax out his forgiveness, even if you both know he’s not really mad; judging by his arms still wrapped securely around your frame and steady breaths that tickle and fan on your bare skin. 

So you mimic his actions from earlier, planting tiny kisses on his neck, collarbones, jawline, anywhere your lips could reach. Kissing his cheek seem to do the trick, his fake scowl quickly coming undone as a bashful smile breaks through the frown, and his tiny dimple you love so much making an appearance. The muggle maternity books did say dimples are genetic, so an image of a little Sirius running around and smiling up at you with those dimpled cheeks is a warming thought. 

“I am charming all the lids to be stuck at night as soon as i wake up tomorrow for work.” You poke a sensitive spot on his side, making him jolt, but you couldn’t resist laughter as it bubbles out of the surface. “You’re insufferable, I can’t believe I married a psychopath.”

“And you let him knock you up too. I’d say it takes one to know one, hm?” 

[the-most-humble-blog]

<div style="white-space:pre-wrap"> <meta hobbit-aggression="underestimated"> <script> ARCHIVE_TAG="HOBBIT_WAR_PROTOCOL::OPERATION_FOURTH_BREAKFAST" EFFECT: size-based myth realignment, small-man combat reverence, fantasy fandom inversion TRIGGER_WARNING="dark humor, Tolkien disrespect correction, mythic supremacy, micro warrior worship" </script>

🛐 SHOUT OUT TO THE HOBBITS, YO

Definitive Edition (You asked for it. You got it.)

===

You think Hobbits were just cute?

Just background filler?

Just middle-earthy comic relief?

No.

Hobbits were the unsanctioned, untraceable, unkillable black-ops death units of Middle Earth. They didn’t flex. They didn’t brag. They didn’t even need boots.

They just showed up where legends got slaughtered and survived anyway.

🧠 Let’s Be Blunt:

If these dudes got sent after you? It wouldn’t matter if you were hiding in Putin’s panic room, in the secret compartment behind the third bookshelf, wearing a Kevlar onesie, praying to whatever gods you had left—

They would still find your stupid body draped over the tub like a jackass.

🩸 HOW I KNOW?

They ripped the most expensive piece of jewelry straight off a literal immortal super-zombie (Gollum) —who, mind you— was spitting some of the coldest nihilistic bars in literary history off the dome, in the dark, while dying of radiation poisoning, and still trying to kill them anyway.

🔥 Plus:

They bodied haters at every turn.

They carried the seduction equivalent of Satan’s engagement ring around their necks without folding.

Never wore shoes — because soft ground and sharp rocks weren’t real enough threats to register.

Didn’t even want your girl — because they had a real one waiting back home, making second breakfasts and setting tables for men who don’t break under temptation.

🛡️ And just for bonus brutality?

They didn't just topple armies. They didn’t just smoke an earthbound demon and his cultists.

They made it back in time for fourth breakfast.

🍞 But Let’s Go Deeper:

They weren’t warriors by trade.

No legendary bloodlines. No superpowers. No prophecy padding.

They were amateur gardeners with anxiety disorders.

And they still walked into Mordor.

Barefoot.

With backpacks full of bread and trauma.

No GPS. No backup. No support.

Just vibes. And a suicidal belief in goodness.

Let that sink in.

🧠 Here’s the Hardest Bar Nobody Talks About:

The literal President of Earth (Aragorn — son of Arathorn, King of Men, crown-wearer, sword-lord) the biggest swinging dick in all of human history did not puff his chest at them. Did not treat them like subjects. Did not treat them like side characters.

He kneeled.

He fucking trembled, knelt, and demanded that anyone who even thought about disrespecting them drop to their knees in submission and shame. Right there. In front of the goddamn world.

🩸 TL;DR

Hobbits were quiet Apex Predators.

Hobbits were Super-Delta-Navy-SEAL-Green-Berets of spiritual warfare.

Hobbits weren’t just survivors.

Hobbits were the grim reapers of the impossible.

And they did it:

With no boots.

With no ego.

With no TikTok motivational speeches.

While still making it home in time for fourth fucking breakfast.

🍄 But There’s More:

You thought Frodo cracked?

No.

That man was psychically tortured by the Eye of a 9000-year-old ghost fascist every night for months.

He still walked through volcanic hell for you.

He still held that ring like a live grenade and said:

"I'll take it, though I do not know the way."

🧠 THAT'S A BAR.

That’s a man.

Meanwhile, you get anxious about group chats.

You'd fold at a DMV appointment.

They climbed Mount Doom on a diet of lembas and hallucinations, while you cancel plans if your Uber takes more than 5 minutes.

🚫 Let’s talk Sam:

Samwise Gamgee, the only man in literary canon who:

Cooked, cleaned, and carried emotional weight for a broken billionaire heir

Fought spiders the size of SUVs

Got zero credit

Still kept showing up

And when Frodo collapsed?

He didn’t say “I can’t.”

He said:

“I can’t carry it for you… but I can carry you.”

💀 That line has ended bloodlines. That line has fertilized ovaries. That line got Elrond’s daughter wet in the next realm.

👑 LEGEND BEHAVIOR.

🌋 They walked straight into the devil’s bedroom, rang the doorbell, and spat in his eye socket.

And when it was over?

They didn’t ask for medals.

They didn’t make a podcast.

They didn’t sell rings on Etsy.

They went the fuck home.

🌾 Planted potatoes.

🧺 Married their sweethearts.

🥘 Took care of their village.

And that, my friends, is a level of masculinity the internet can’t even simulate.

Because it wasn’t performative.

It wasn’t flashy.

It was real.

🧠 And Let’s Be Honest:

If Frodo and Sam had Instagram, they would’ve posted ONE photo of the Shire and vanished.

No thirst traps.

No trauma threads.

Just vibes, green hills, and the unspoken flex of having SAVED. THE. WORLD.

💣 Meanwhile…

Legolas got highlights.

Aragorn needed therapy.

Boromir went full cokehead.

Gimli never moisturized.

Gandalf ghosted everyone post-victory.

And yet the Hobbits?

Kept the receipts. Held the line.

Taught their kids songs about Mordor and still smiled.

🥂 Raise your glass again.

To the mythic midgets of mayhem.

To the barefoot barbarians.

To the spiritually bulletproof men who walked into hell, barefoot, and walked out legends.

🛐 SHOUT OUT TO THE HOBBITS, YO.

🧠 Read more scrolltrap war poetry, cadence-based fandom corrections, and Blacksite Hobbit Doctrine at: 👉 https://linktr.ee/ObeyMyCadence 🛡️ Literary warfare. Platform correction. Mythic survival psychology. 🚪 Warning: This post causes fandom disillusionment, Tolkien re-reading, and spiritual side effects.

📊 SCROLLTRAP COMBAT STATS 📊

Shoes worn by Frodo: 0

Rings resisted: 1

Overlords dethroned: several

Times Sam gave up: never

Times Aragorn bowed: once

Breakfasts per day: minimum 4

Podcast appearances: 0

Emotional damage survived: infinite

Number of people who could do the same: maybe three, and one of them is dead

Reblog if you know strength isn’t loud. It just survives everything.

</div> <!-- END TRANSMISSION [FANDOM CORRECTION COMPLETE // ALL HAIL THE HOBBITS] -->

[beomcharms]

detest! [TEASER]

pairings: actor!soobin x actor!reader

genre: e2l, idiots to lovers, actor au

warnings: mentions of anxiety, jealousy, both characters are mean at times, probable smut in the full fic (none in the teaser)

wc: 2.9k (full fic-tba)

release date: tba

a/n: it’s finally here!!! every word in this fic was literally squeezed out of me. i really hope y’all like it :)

taglist: leave a comment or an ask and i’ll add you 🤍

.𖥔 ݁ ˖⌗﹒

TEASER BELOW CUT

The lights were too bright. You could already feel the headache coming on from trying to remember all your lines.

“So, tell me Y/N, how was it like working with The Choi Soobin” the interviewer asks you with a smile.

You sigh inwardly. This was the third time you were answering this question.

Plastering on a smile, you pretend to contemplate before parroting off your answer.

“Ohh… it was genuinely the best experience…” your voice felt alien even to your ears.

Soobin was not helping things in the slightest. Leaning back in his chair with a cocky smirk, he pretends to fall asleep while you answer. You on the other hand were pretty sure you couldn’t handle another one of his “improvisations” as he liked to call it, while he goes completely off script.

You give him a little nudge and the interviewer laughs.

“You seem pretty tired with these questions” he says with a smile.

“Y/N gives the same answer all the time” Soobin says in mock pout and you feel like smacking him down with a chair.

You laugh along giving him a little push and Ssobin takes hold of your hands.

“Be honesttt now” he drawls out and you glance at his eyes. They’re full of mirth.

“Whaatt I AM being honest” you say “To work with you was a dream come true” you say gently, sure that the fans would go wild over this clip.

“Aww you guys are cutee” the interviewer says, “Alright then I have one last question for you Y/N”

No. You knew what was coming next. You hated this question twice as much as the rest of them. You feel Soobin’s teasing energy radiating off of him.

“How difficult was it to shoot the kiss scene?”

There it was.

-.-

To say Soobin and you didn’t get along would be an understatement. To say you detested each other to a point where neither of you could look at one another without gagging would be a more appropriate deduction.

You don’t know when exactly the rivalry began. You both went to the same acting school and had done multiple projects together before. But you just couldn’t seem to work together. Soobin felt like you were too practiced and poised and you felt like he was not trying hard enough. To see him on the big screen before you only added to your existing dislike for him.

He never took anything seriously. This was your debut break and you were sure that Soobin was purposefully holding himself back in some scenes for this film to flop. And who exactly would they blame? A rising star with hundreds of fans or the newbie that no one really knew?

-.-

You sighed inwardly before answering the question.

“It was the hardest scene to shoot, we just couldn’t get the angle right and I’d like to thank Soobin for being so patient…” you smile a little and look at Soobin the way you practiced and he winks back at you.

The interviewer chuckles before wrapping up the interview, wishing you luck on your film and shaking your hands.

Finally the lights turn off and both Soobin and you slump back into your chairs in exhaustion.

You close your eyes for a moment trying to collect yourself when you feel a finger poking you.

Tiredly you open your eyes and stare at Soobin hoping the exhaustion in your eyes is enough for him to leave you alone. Doesn’t seem like it though.

“You should try to be a little more creative with your answers instead of vomiting the same ones with little to no variation you know? Fans like a person with charisma not someone dull, lifeless” Soobin says in a pompous manner.

If you had the energy you would’ve toppled him over and set him on fire but you don’t so you just shrug at him and get off the chair.

This seems to wind Soobin up more.

“Look at you. Already tired and boring and we haven’t even finished all our promotions yet. I told you-

“Hey Soobin” you cut across him, “Can you like you know, shut up?” you ask him calmly.

You hear both your managers snort which is enough to soothe your anger for now.

Soobin is about to start his retort when his manager cuts him off.

“That’s enough the two of you. We have a lot of schedules to plan and you both have to get through all of it while looking on the verge of love” he says.

That was the worst part. Acting in a film with Soobin was bad enough. Now you had to act like you were about to fall in love with him to truly sell your role.

Your managers go over your schedule and by the end of it you’re pretty sure one of you is going to kill the other by the end of it.

“So, to sum it up, we have the party, a photo shoot, an overseas event and ofcourse the premier after which you guys wouldn’t have to be within five feet of each other” your manager smiles at the last part.

“Excellent” you say with relief.

“Just what I need” Soobin echoes.

Getting up from your seat you both thank the staff for their help and patience before heading off to your dressing rooms.

“When will you be arriving at the party?” Soobin asks you casually.

“Why do you care” you sigh, removing your heels. You look over at him loosening his tie and look away, something about the way he tugged at it made your stomach clench. Maybe you were going mad from hunger.

“Fine, if this is how you wish to spend the rest of the promotions, that’s fine” he huffs out.

“Around 8-8:30 I guess” you answer him quietly. “Who are you bringing?” You ask him.

Soobin wishes to answer your question the same way you answered his but looking over at you with you tiredly massaging your feet he can’t find it in himself.

“No one” he says. “See you there then” he says walking out.

“Bye” you mutter.

-.-

Cameras flash everywhere as you get off the car. Reporters barge in poking all their mics into your face. Your manager tries his best to push them away and you try to hide your eyes from the flashes

“Is it true you and Soobin did not get along on the set?”

“Y/N look here look here”

“Oh she is such a bitch”

You try your best to drown it out and hurry to get into the hall.

Once inside, you finally let out the breath you weren’t even sure you were holding. The anxiety that threatens to choke you down finally takes her hand away from your neck. You breathe and look around.

The party is crowded. You look out for a familiar face and notice Beomgyu and Yeonjun a few feet off to the bar. They seem deep in conversation and you slowly make your way towards them.

“I’m telling you it was a disaster- she had the most horrifying voice- Hey Y/N” Beomgyu stops mid sentence greeting you with a grin. “Nice dress” he adds, winking.

“I could’ve dressed her in something better” you hear Yeonjun drawl out and you smile a little to yourself.

“I’d like to protect what little is left of my dignity Jun-ah” you tell him calmly and Beomgyu snorts.

The designer narrows his eyes at you while you warmly pull him into a hug. You had known Yeonjun and Beomgyu since college. Design students and drama students went hand in hand and Yeonjun had helped design your dresses for stages multiple times before.

“I’m gonna let that one slide, because I like you” he tells you in a warning tone and you laugh.

“So which new singer are we badmouthing now” you ask Beomgyu.

“Jiyung- like you won’t believe” Beomgyu huffs out in frustration. “I put her on mute for a while to prevent myself from killing someone in the recording booth”

Yeonjun and you try to hide your laugh as Beomgyu animatedly explains his producer shenanigans.

“I don’t know how long I can hold onto my sanity before I stop being a producer and start my own dog cafe or something” Beomgyu sighs.

You rub his arm in consolation.

“Well, what is up with you? How are the promotions and how is the love of your life doing?” Yeonjun asks you and you echo Beomgyu’s sigh.

“Don’t get me started. The new rumour in town is that he and I didn’t get along on set and I wonder what the staff is gonna come up with now to diffuse it” you say.

“It’s not entirely a lie now, is it ?” Beomgyu smirks a little.

“Yah-” you start.

“I’m not too sure though” Yeonjun says thoughtfully. “The kiss…. it looked a little too real”

“It’s called acting” you huff out. Having to think about the kiss scene twice a day was painful.

“Hmm… I’ve known you way too long for that excuse to be believable Y/N” Yeonjun’s tells you with a small smile.

“For what to be believable?” Soobin asks and you nearly jump.

“Jesus Christ atleast let people know of your presence you idiot “ you tell him clutching your chest.

“So dramatic” he mutters while shaking hands and bumping shoulders with beomjun.

“I believe our seats are over there” you tell him pointing towards the tables. The dinner was about to start and you didn’t need Soobin hearing anymore about the Kiss.

This would be a publicised event, with photographers calculatedly talking shots of celebrities for their stories so your team had decided to place you two next to each other for the fans.

You sit down next to Soobin adjusting your dress a little.

Soobin looks over at you and takes note of your exposed thighs and gulps a little.

“You couldn’t find anything shorter to wear?” He huffs out.

“No” you tell him smiling sweetly as he rolls his eyes.

The MC rambles on about the founders of the trust who were throwing the party as part of charity. You make a silent prayer to god to give you the strength to make it through the event.

-.-

Soobin had gotten up a while ago and was now deep in conversation with Zhang Hao at the bar and you feel bored out of your mind. You know Soobin sort of hates you but to leave you hanging like this all night was a bit much. You look around at the other tables watching people converse and you can’t help but feel a little out of place.

You sense someone watching you, glancing up and you notice Minho looking at you. You give him a small smile and he grins back at you.

Minho had reached out to you when you were done filming, congratulating you. Casual conversations wherein you wanted to engage more but rarely had the time to, left you both as acquaintances and nothing more and yet here he was looking like he wanted to start something.

Flustered, you look down on your plate. You sense more than see Minho getting up from his seat and walk towards you. When he reaches your side you look up at him again and he still has the smile on his face.

“Mind if I sit down?” He asks you.

“Not really” you reply and he sits down next to you.

“So, tell me, why is the prettiest girl in the room sitting all by her lonesome?” Minho’s eyes crinkle as he asks the question and you blush a little.

“Guess I’m not pretty enough for this crowd” you answer him, tilting your head a little.

“Now, let’s not lie” he tells you dragging the chair closer to yours.

Maybe the night wouldn’t be too bad.

-.-

Soobin is still completely oblivious to what’s happening around him when he hears your laughter and he turns around.

There you were sitting at the table, laughing onto- wait was that Minho?

Something inside Soobin twists. He had gotten up to grab drinks for the both of you when he got sidetracked by Zhang Hao who insisted on keeping the conversation flowing.

Soobin’s eyes narrow when he sees you holding onto Minho’s arm to keep yourself upright while he was looking at you with adoration that Soobin wanted to smack out of him.

“Hao, I really need to go now” he mutters to the boy beside him pushing his way past. “Later”

-.-

You don’t think you’ve laughed this hard in a while. Minho’s dry comments about everyone had you cracking up more than you thought it would’ve. He was witty and charming and you found yourself in hysterics when you felt a familiar presence behind you.

“Minho” Soobin calls out and you look around to see him towering behind you. He glances once at you and for some reason you feel like sinking further down into your seat.

“Hi Soobin!” Minho greets him with a smile, “I was just telling Y/N about the Chan debacle”

Soobin gives him a tight lipped smile before looking back at you.

“I think our manager is looking for us” he tells you.

“I just saw him a couple of minutes ago and he mentioned nothing” you tell him puzzled.

“Yeah I just ran into him and he says its time for us to leave.long day tomorrow” Soobin tells you in a cold tone.

“But we haven’t even danced yet!” You huff out.

“Yeah, I’m sure one dance wouldn’t hurt anybody” Minho says getting up from his seat and adjusting his suit, holding out his hand to you.

“You’re right, maybe we SHOULD dance” Soobin tells you grabbing your arm and pulling you upto your feet cutting across Minho.

“Wai-“ you say trying to shake Soobin’s hold on you but his grip is vice like. Looking over his shoulder you mouth a quick sorry to Minho.

“That was so unnecessary” you hiss at Soobin. “You knew he wanted to dance with me”

Soobin tugs you closer to him, his hand on the small of your back. “And you tend to be forgetful about the fact that we are being filmed currently” he whispers into your ear.

The whole purpose of the event had completely slipped from your mind. Ofcourse you were being filmed and how would it look if you danced with some other man while Soobin was right next to you?

You look up at him guiltily.

“Forgot about it, didn’t you” Soobin huffs out.

“Well, the cameras didn’t seem to matter to you all that much when you ran off with Hao” you mutter silently.

Soobin holds back his smile.

“Aw, did princess miss me that much?” Soobin asks you in a playful tone and you pretend to gag.

“Please. If it weren’t for the cameras I wouldn’t even stand five feet next to you” you tell him.

“As if I would be caught dancing with you on any other occasion!” Soobin tells you indignantly.

You look up at him with narrowed eyes “FINE”

“Yeah fine” Soobin retorts, resting both of his hands on the small of your back while yours wrap around his shoulders

“Besides what was he talking about? What’s so funny?” Soobin asks in a quiet tone.

You smile a little thinking of Minho’s jokes before looking up at Soobin.

“I don’t know, I haven’t laughed this hard in a while” you answer him honestly.

“He should’ve debuted as a fucking comedian then” Soobin spits out. For completely unknown, some might call it envy-not Soobin, reasons he hates the way you talk about Minho.

“Aw, is my little prince jealous?” You ask him sweetly and Soobin pretends to puke leaning away from you.

You both sway a little to the dance, falling into a rhythm. Having been forced to spend so much time with one another, you’ve grown used to how the other one moves and feels.

Soobin is just so tall that your arms hurt a little from the strain of reaching upto his shoulders.

“Can you like bend a little you giraffe” you ask him.

Soobin scoffs before leaning down. You gulp a little at the proximity, an action not missed by Soobin who leans in closer still, almost touching foreheads.

You look away into the distance trying to calm your rising heart rate. Hoping to God that the dim lighting is enough to cover up your red cheeks you look back up at Soobin who is smiling at you.

“What”

“You’re cute when you’re flustered” He laughs out.

“You’re delusional, if you think you make me flustered Choi” you answer him dryly.

“Really?” He asks you softly leaning down closer still to you.

“Mmhmm” you manage to make out, trying not to let your voice show how affected you are.

“You can’t act even to save your own life” Soobin tells you, leaning back and you feel the competitive spirit in you flare up.

Pulling him down by his tie, so that your faces are only a couple inches apart, you ask him a question that’s been on your mind for the last couple of minutes.

“Were the cameras really the only reason you dragged me away from Minho?” You ask him calmly, looking deep into his eyes.

Soobin feels like a fish out of water. To have you, in his arms, staring at him like this was as close to a sensory overload as it could get.

“I- I uh-“ Soobin stammers around. He wonders if his brain has turned to mush. What was the question again?

“You can’t act to save your life” you retort throwing back his line at him and letting go of his tie.

Soobin leans back away from you and finally feels like he can breathe normally again. This was the first project you worked on after college ended. If he were a little more honest, Soobin would’ve admitted that he missed having you around. Excitement slowly bubbles up in his stomach at the thought of spending more time with you

This was going to be a long promotion.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖⌗

🎧this is the end of the teaser!! i hope yall liked it, if you did please leave a comment/reblog/like it helps me out a ton and consider giving my other fics a read xoxo🎧

[oya-oya-okay]

THE RESULTS OF THE BIRTHDAY EVENT... THE RESULTS OF MY CONTEST!!!

Guys, it was really very difficult💔 I changed the winners a lot and went crazy. It was the hardest part. I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE SO DIFFICULT FOR ME😭😭😭

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR PARTICIPATING! ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE!💖💝💖💝 I'm very happy that you were able to pay attention to me and draw a drawing 2 months or even one day before the deadline!✊ I really wanted to evaluate everyone fairly!❤️❤️❤️

I took into account the carelessness of the work and the impressions they made on me🥺😭💖💖💖 I REALLY LOVE EVERY DRAWING, NO ONE SHOULD BE IN A CERTAIN 1ST, 2ND AND 3RD PLACE... YOU SHOULD ALL BE IN 1ST PLACE!❤️❤️❤️ SOOOOO

THE FIRST WINNERS!

@spade-12 @quartztwst

THE SECOND WINNERS!

@liyuviq @haeoflii

THE THIRD WINNERS!

@andminnequin (animation) @0ann3

YES, THERE ARE MORE OF YOU! XDDD

Winners, please read carefully!

I will give you 1 day after I publish this post so that you can come up with what you want✊❤️❤️❤️ Please, first winners, write a script for the comic, I mean exactly the text for dialog clouds (required‼️) and draw a storyboard (optional). Or you can just use two drawings✌️💖💕💕💕 YOU CAN ALL FIND REFERENCES FOR DRAWINGS!!!

This is oc x canon or canon x canon. ONLY TWO CHARACTER...!!!!‼️‼️‼️ Everyone must wear an NRC school uniform or a laboratory and physical education uniform. I'm very unsure about event clothing, but you can use casual clothing references if you want❣️

If it's going to be Octavinelle then you can use mermaids! Fem twst, after nrc or children too!!!

MY DEADLINE IS 2 MONTHS!!!

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH!!!🥳💝💖

I will write to you personally in dm, please make sure that your dm is open! I will change the winner if the winner does not respond to the post within 24 hours‼️‼️‼️

[bradleysass]

Mystery - @black-brothers-microfic - wc: 473 - Starchaser

James Potter was no idiot. Some might argue that point, but when it came to the matter of the mystery love notes appearing in his notebook, he had solved the case almost immediately.

It wasn’t exactly the hardest puzzle in the world. The handwriting alone was a dead giveaway—elegant script, meticulously neat, with the kind of flourish that only a certain brooding Slytherin could manage. But even if he had somehow ignored the handwriting, the contents of the notes were equally telling.

They were cryptic, sure, but only in a way that suggested Regulus Black believed himself to be far more subtle than he actually was.

James had found the first note tucked between the pages of his Transfiguration notes:

“The stars shine brighter when you’re around. I would find my way through any constellation to stand by your side.”

He had grinned like an idiot for the rest of the day.

The second note, left neatly on his desk after Potions:

“If gravity is constant, explain why I feel weightless around you.”

That one had nearly made him laugh out loud. Regulus was leaning into the dramatics, clearly, and James loved every bit of it.

Then there was the third note, which had been slipped into his Quidditch gloves:

“You’re an absolute menace, and yet, here I am—doomed, enchanted, utterly yours.”

At this point, James had started leaving notes in response, just to see what Regulus would do.

He had scribbled on the back of the next note he received:

“Merlin, you’re bad at being mysterious. Try harder, love.”

Regulus, predictably, had doubled down.

The next message was longer, written with the kind of care that suggested Regulus had sat and rewritten it a few times before deciding it was worthy of being delivered:

“If love is a riddle, then you are the answer I keep coming back to, no matter how many times I try to solve it.”

James had melted. Completely. Utterly. He had folded the note neatly and placed it in the pocket of his robes, knowing he would keep it forever.

When he finally cornered Regulus in the library, James didn’t say anything at first—just leaned down to press a quick, chaste kiss to the corner of his mouth. Regulus blinked, startled, but didn’t pull away. Instead, his lips twitched into the tiniest smirk.

“I take it you got my notes,” Regulus murmured, voice calm but eyes bright.

James grinned. “Hard not to when they’re practically screaming ‘Regulus Black is in love with me.’”

Regulus huffed. “That’s not what they said.”

“Mm. That’s what they meant.”

Regulus rolled his eyes, but he was smiling, so James took that as a win.

“Fine,” Regulus said, feigning exasperation. “Maybe I am. What are you going to do about it?”

James didn’t answer. He just kissed him again.

[haru-dipthong]

THE JURI EPISODE (My utena fansub ep 7)

This is my favourite episode of the whole show. My phone background has been the shot of the falling sword ever since I first saw it. I love everything about it, so I really wanted to be sure I did it justice in the translation!

ただもし彼女が本当に世界を革命する力があるというなら私がこの手で奪ってやるさ。

But if Utena truly possesses the Power to Revolutionise the World, I’ll steal it from them.

BIG MOMENT! This is the first time one of the student council uses they/them for Utena. You may notice that the Japanese is 彼女, often translated as “she”. So why am I translating it as “they”?

In the fountain scene, Juri draws a parallel between Utena and Shiori. She begins to frame all of Utena’s behaviour through a lens of heterosexual lust/love, which makes her completely flip out as it makes her feel more alone than ever because (I believe) she saw a kindred spirit in Utena’s gender non-conformity, and sees that cameraderie dry up because of the phantasm of heterosexuality.

After the duel, Juri has rediscovered hope in herself and in the world. I believe part of this is because she realises she was wrong about Utena. Their duel is essentially over whether Utena is deserving of the ring, which, to Juri, is a question of whether Utena is really driven by heterosexual love. Through her loss she is forced to admit that she was wrong, that Utena is not motivated by heterosexual love for the prince, and there was and still is a cameraderie there. Using “they” is an admission that she was wrong, and an indication that she understands Utena a little more. It’s in direct contrast to the fountain scene when she calls Utena “a little girl”.

That’s my interpretation anyway. Anya’s interpretation is that Juri is distancing herself from Utena in this scene; that Juri has realised that “miracles are real, just not for me”. In this interpretation, “they” also makes sense — by gendering Utena as nonbinary, Juri reaffirms her position as the only girl in the duel system. She is attempting to process the idea that Utena is special by distancing them from womanhood (and therefore she, a woman, is doomed to live without miracles).

“Sure sure, there’s lots of narrative justification for it,” I hear you say, “but it’s simply not in the original japanese script!”

Well, actually, there’s justification for this too. 1. Utena’s use of 僕 (boku) is untranslatable — we lose that gendered meaning in translation. It needs to be added back in somewhere, and this is the place. It’s not a perfect compensation (boku is self-identifying while “they” is an external identification) but based on the narrative elements I’ve mentioned above, I think it’s acceptable. 2. Japanese rarely uses third person pronouns, and doesn’t have a gender neutral one. I think Juri uses it here because she doesn’t want to say Utena’s name (still a bit sore from the loss?) so I don’t see the gendering here as being important to keep in the translation.

-----

奇跡の力で勝てると自惚れてるがいい。

If you beat me with the power of miracles, you're entitled to your conceit. (from ohtori.nu)

If by some miracle you beat me, you can keep your shallow dreams. (my translation)

Like I said above, for Juri, this duel is about whether or not Utena is driven by heterosexual love. 自惚れる is usually translated as “to be conceited” but here, Juri is saying that she’ll allow Utena to keep pining for her lost prince with the alternative being that she will shatter Utena’s dreams. With that in mind I thought it better to phrase it in a way that extends and makes clear Juri’s resentment of Utena.

-----

奇跡を信じて。思いは届くと。

This was the hardest line in the whole episode. I went through several iterations:

Believe in a miracle, and your feelings will be returned.

If you believe in a miracle, he’ll love you back.

Just believe in miracles, and your love will be returned.

Miracles can happen. Your true love will love you back.

The phrase 思いは届く literally means “your thoughts will reach their destination”. In practice it means something like “your feelings will be understood and reciprocated”, and it was hard to find an English phrase that had a similar meaning while still sounding good as a repeatable quote. Anya’s keen eye for natural and polished dialogue really helped here, as they were able to pick the best sounding combination of first- and second-halves of the line. We ended up with

Believe in miracles, and your love will be returned.

-----

@dontbe-lasanya outdid themself again with this edit. It wouldn't be nearly as good without their help!

Be sure to follow for updates! You can find previous episodes here:

[thewinter-eden]

Blood Sugar Virus (9)

CHAPTER NINE

Genre: Horror, zombies, strangers to lovers, angst, suspense Pairing: Kang Yeosang x female!reader Warnings: based on the Wanteez Zombie episode, ages are based on current Ateez rather than the time at which the actual episode was filmed, descriptions of violence, fear, injury, language.

Story Summary: You (stage name Sugar) are the co-captain of a horror acting group. You and your guys are the ones the companies hire when they want to stage a zombie, ghost, or any vaguely horrific and dystopian episode. So when you get hired by Ateez to develop a zombie program, it's just another routine that you've done a million times. Everything's going exactly according to script--until suddenly it isn't, and it starts getting a little too real.

🏆 Esteemed Moot: @ramadiiiisme

⭐️ Reader Spotlight: @mrsminseochoi

< last chapter | masterlist | next chapter >

As the school comes alive with the worst cacophony of screaming alarms, you find yourself waiting to see what happens next. Will it be a rush of your friends, perfectly fine, acting like zombies to try to scare the shit out of your already scared-shitless clients?

Will it be more akin to an asylum riot with your friends gone mad?

Or—

“Nothing’s happening.” Wooyoung yells in your ear, somehow a hundred times louder than the clanging bells.

“Most of them should be on this floor.” You say. You know there’s a smaller group of them on the third floor—or there was supposed to be—waiting to play out the final scenes of the program, but the majority of them should have been on the second floor to freak out the rest of the teams.

Either way, you won’t waste your luck. You jog the last few steps up to the floor and turn the corner, headed for the classroom that Jongho was sent to.

He got stuck with possibly the hardest problem set, having to correctly recall the names of your teammates and match them to their pictures. Since he only met yourself and Rosé before the program started, he only has his memory of your orientation package to rely on.

If he solved it already, he’ll be up on 3 to try to free Rosé from Namjoon.

You hope to God they’re both okay.

You hope they’re all okay.

“There’s Jongho’s room,” you point ahead, and cast a glance over your shoulder. The coast is still clear, which bothers you more than the alternative.

Where is Yoongi? Where are Hoseok and Lisa? They should be beating down Jongho’s door by now.

Wooyoung tries the door, but it doesn’t open. “He’s got it locked,” he pounds his fist against the wood, barely heard over the alarms. “Jongho, it’s us!” He shouts.

Yeosang checks the window. “He’s in there. He’s fine.” Turning back to you with a relieved thumbs up, he joins Wooyoung in frantically knocking at the door. “Jongho, open up!”

Just as the door cracks open, you hear footsteps behind you. Spinning on your heel, hoping to find your group or your crew coming to your rescue, you’re relieved to find Hoseok at the other end of the hall, watching you and your companions attempt to gain access to Jongho’s room.

You throw a relieved grin over your shoulder. “Guys, it’s—” realization hits you with dumbing clarity.

Hoseok.

Hobie, with the brutalized hand that he didn’t even acknowledge.

Wooyoung and Yeosang are already in the classroom with Jongho, but at your excited voice Wooyoung pops his head out to see what you found.

Instead of meeting his eyes, you find him staring just over your shoulder.

It seems to happen in slow motion. His eyes go impossibly wide. Wooyoung jabs a hand out, grabbing your arm like a vice. He jerks you over the threshold, but not before a body collides with your shoulder like a bus.

You’re plunged into the room, falling against a desk, as Jongho and Yeosang slam the door behind you.

You’re fine, uninjured, but rattled.

By the time you’re back on your feet, you realize what’s happened.

Hobie had attacked you while your back was turned, and he’d hit you hard. If Wooyoung hadn’t pulled you out of the way, you would have been knocked off your feet, just like Jin had done.

Before anyone can check on you, you’re hurrying to the window, on your tiptoes to peer out into the hall.

Hoseok’s black eyes stare back at you.

The sight sends you stumbling back on your heels. “Hobie.” He can hear you through the single-pane glass, but he just stands there, panting.

There’s no recognition in his eyes, no trace of the playfulness that always brightens his face.

“Oh my god.” Your chest clenches, and you raise your hand to the glass. “Hobie, talk to me.”

At your voice, his entire body seems to flinch and he bursts forward, his face crashing into the glass like he doesn’t even know it’s there.

You jump back, heart shattering at the hunger in his features, the way his mouth just hangs open like he’s waiting for something to chomp down on.

“Well that was intense.” Jongho mutters. “I didn’t know football tackles were involved, I would have brought better shoes. Nobody told me this was a brawling game. I thought we weren’t allowed to do those anymore.”

Yeosang and Wooyoung give him disbelieving looks. “Dude, have you been in here the whole time?”

Jongho throws up his hands and gestures at the chalkboard where he’s been trying to match names to the faces of your friends. “What, and you solved your puzzle already? Look at the one I have to do by myself. I’ve never even met these people—no offense.” He throws the last comment at you, but you’re not listening.

Your gaze is still locked with Hoseok’s, watching him tap his forehead against the glass as though he can’t comprehend it unless he’s touching it.

Like all of his visual processing is just gone.

“What’s with her?”

There’s a thump as someone smacks Jongho’s arm, and then you vaguely hear a hurried explanation of what you’ve all just lived through.

“You’re messing with me.” Jongho scoffs.

“You wanna go out in that hallway and find out? That psycho will eat you alive.” Wooyoung hisses.

That snaps you out of it.

You turn on Wooyoung with a glare. “They’re not psychos. They’re the best people I’ve ever known. They’re just…” you don’t have an explanation. You don’t know what they are, but they’re not animals.

Wooyoung’s done apologizing. “Your friend would have crushed you to a fine powder if I hadn’t grabbed you. I know that you have known them and trusted them before today, but right now they are clearly not your friends. You have to stop trusting them. Or that,” he jabs a finger at your weeping bite wound. “Will happen again. And this,” he points at his own bloodied arm. “Will happen to the rest of us. I’m sorry, Sugar, I know this sucks beyond belief, but face the facts before you get eaten.”

You turn away. Of course he’s right, of course you should have run the moment you saw Hoseok.

It just doesn’t make any sense.

You grip the towels that are still slung over your shoulder. “We have Jongho now. Let’s find the others.”

Yeosang is watching you carefully, looking half sympathetic and half frustrated. “What do we do about Hobie?”

His use of the nickname helps. It grounds you. At least you don’t feel like they’re gonna go out there and try to throw your friend down the stairs.

“The room with Seonghwa, Hongjoong, and Mingi is across the hall. I can use a chair to keep distance between me and Hobie. Hopefully he’s the only one out there. You guys stay here and I’ll go check on them.” You bend to pick up a chair, clutching it seat-side to your chest.

Jongho’s gaping at you. “Wait, you guys are serious?” He points at your bite. “That’s real?”

“You wanna stick your finger in it and find out?” You grumble. You’re bracing yourself. The thought of going out there by yourself has your stomach twisting and cramping painfully, but you’re not going to ask world-famous Ateez to go out there and help you not get mauled to death.

“Uh, no, that’s okay.”

“Not that you shouldn’t go alone anyway because the guys could be hurt, but you really think you should go out there by yourself and try to make friends with the zombie again?” Wooyoung mutters, eyeing Hoseok through the window.

It severely bothers you that he’s just unironically referred to Hobie as a zombie, but it bothers you even more that your brain agrees with him. “I am carrying a chair as a shield, I can assure you I have no intention of making friends.”

“I’m just saying, I think we’re past the benefit of the doubt.”

“You think?” You snap back, and then close your eyes. Tensions are high, but there’s no good reason to be picking a fight with one of the people who doesn’t want to take a bite out of you. “Look, I’m sorry that I still want to think of them as harmless people, but I get it. My shoulder is a painful fucking reminder. And he,” You look to where Hoseok is shuffling aimlessly in the hallway. “He isn’t Hobie. I know that.”

“Still.” Yeosang picks up a chair of his own. “We’ve got better chances as a group. Jongho, let’s go.”

The youngest steps up, but doesn’t grab a chair. “At least one of us should have our hands free. You guys better not be pulling some stupid prank on me.” He wraps his hand around the door handle.

“It’s not a prank, trust us.” Wooyoung says seriously.

It’s a sobering moment when Wooyoung of all people is so serious.

Jongho looks shaken for the first time since the program started, and it doesn’t give you the satisfaction you had once hoped for.

You miss his fearlessness.

“Wait.” Yeosang’s body tenses, suddenly leaning away from the window. “Shit, where did they all come from?”

You move to stand beside him, pushing up on your tiptoes to see through the window again. The hallway is swarming with your team, a mad rush of zombie movements spurred by the still ringing alarms.

It looks like the program’s Fever Time, bodies surging past the window and crashing against each other, bumping into walls and the sound of howling and shrieking drowning out the bells.

“Who do you see?” Wooyoung asks. “Are they all—”

You’re already looking for faces.

Yoongi, Jisoo, Hoseok, Lisa.

Everybody but the two locked downstairs, the two tied up with San and Yunho, Namjoon, Rosé, and Jimin.

“A bunch of my group,” You say. “They’re all…they all look…”

They’re moving so wildly that you can’t track their expressions. But they’re moving with Hoseok, not against him, so you can only assume they’re all affected.

“Zombies.” Yeosang finishes flatly. “They’re all honest to god zombies.” He meets your eyes, waiting for you to crumble.

You don’t.

What’s the point?

“Okay, so we wait for the alarms to shut off —”

Wooyoung is cut off when you utter a panicked curse.

“What is it?”

“Hongjoong.” You back away from the window so Wooyoung can slip in next to Yeosang. “Hongjoong’s out there. He’s the one they’re chasing.”

You nod to Jongho and lift your chair in preparation. “Open the door, I’ll get him.”

The last thing you want to do is step out in the middle of a hoard, but you’d seen the leader’s face. Terrified, desperate, human.

“Have you got a death wish?” Wooyoung grumbles, hurrying to join you. “What is it with you and going alone?”

You don’t answer.

What are you supposed to say? That you’d rather be torn to shreds by your family than live with the guilt of letting Ateez suffer serious injury?

Jongho slides the door open on its track and you immediately rush over the threshold, clutching your chair.

The hoard is past you, all running after Hongjoong in the opposite direction. You slam your chair against the wall as hard as you can and your heart lurches at the enormous sound that bangs through the hall. “Hey!”

Almost as one, your friends screech to a stop and swing towards the noise.

There’s no way you can look into their faces, much less their eyes, so you bang the chair again. “Come on!”

“Sugar, what the hell?” Wooyoung snaps, still standing in the doorway.

“It’s not like Hongjoong can double back and run through them. Don’t follow me, I know the school.” You slam the chair one more time, and it gets the hoard going. They’re sprinting at you, rushing headlong straight for you.

You can’t run with a chair.

Hurling it as hard as you can in the hopes that someone will trip over it, you turn on your heel and bolt down the opposite end of the hall and pray to god they follow you.

You can hear them, footsteps pounding like a herd of elephants, voices growling and grunting, bodies tumbling and scrambling to get up again.

You just keep running.

Legs pumping, heart screaming in terror, you use the agony in your shoulder like a goad to keep you moving, and head straight for the supply room where Namjoon had stashed his bag before the program started.

Maybe you should find a bigger room.

Maybe you should find a classroom and try to funnel them all inside. If you lock them in, then more than half of them would be secure. The classrooms have two doors, you should be able to enter through one and exit through the other, hopefully locking both before they can find their way out again.

But you know the next classroom is all the way to the end of the hall, and you can hear somebody gaining on you.

Your mind flashes back to Jin’s overpowering strength, and the force at which Hobie slammed into you. They seem stronger, faster than ever, like all of their physical inhibitions have just melted away.

Like the caution of self preservation is gone and their only focus in the world is to reach you.

Before you realize you’d made up your mind, you sprint right past the supply closet.

Classroom it is.

Someone’s hand scrapes your shoulder and adrenaline pushes you impossibly faster, the panic of being caught forcing you forward with speed you’ve never felt before.

You’ll never doubt the stories of adrenalized strength ever again.

The bells stop ringing.

Now you can hear them panting and snarling, mere inches behind you.

WOOYOUNG | YEOSANG | JONGHO

“Has anybody checked her mental state?” Wooyoung mutters as Hongjoong comes tripping back the moment he’s no longer being chased. “The woman just threw herself out as bait and let fucking zombies chase her. Think we should have said goodbye?”

Yeosang and Jongho are gaping at him.

“What?” Wooyoung mutters defensively. “I’m freaking out, sorry. She seems nice.”

“She just saved Hyung’s ass. ‘Nice’ is an insult.” Yeosang scolds him. “She also bandaged your arm without being asked.”

“While bleeding from her throat.” Jongho adds, even though he wasn’t there. He’s too surprised by the angry panic in Wooyoung’s face. “Calm down, hyung, she’s trying to help.”

“It’s her friends who are trying to kill us. Who’s to say they’re not back there conspiring on how to corner us? I mean she knows where we all are. And where’s the rest of them?”

“You guys!” Hongjoong is panting as he finally reaches them. “These zombies are freaking nuts. One of them grabbed my hair and nearly scalped me.” He doubles over, catching his breath. “How’s it going? Did you solve your puzzles? We’re still working on ours, but—” he finally notices them gawking at him. “What? Where’s Sugar?”

Jongho hooks a thumb over his shoulder. “Luring the zombies so you could get away?”

The leader’s jaw drops. “What? Whose idea was that? We’re supposed to be keeping her alive.” He punches a fist lightly to Jongho’s chest. “Why do you keep sacrificing her? Dammit, Jongho.”

“Hyung.” Yeosang grabs the leader’s shoulder, eyes skating the older man’s body for injury.

He seems fine. Out of breath, but fine.

“She did it on her own. These guys, her team, they’re actual zombies. They’re rabid or something. One of them bit her neck and attacked us. Another one took a chunk out of Woo’s arm, look. The game is over, someone locked us in here.” He’s barely making sense.

Explaining to his leader that the zombie game has turned horrifyingly real suddenly feels ridiculous, even though his chest is still pounding with adrenaline.

Hongjoong stares between the faces of his brothers. They stare back, shellshocked and waiting. After a moment of silence, he breaks out in a laugh. “Okay. Funny. So you guys got bit and didn’t have a cure? You’re part of the zombie team now?”

“No, hyung, look.” With a wince, Wooyoung pulls up the edge of his bandage and shows the raw wound that’s still bleeding down his arm. “These guys are actual zombies. They were actually hunting you. We’re not kidding. We had to lock Jin and Taehyung up downstairs. Kinda think they would have killed us.”

Hongjoong still looks skeptical, which is completely fair.

It’s insane.

“So…Sugar and her team…”

“Not Sugar.” Yeosang is quick to say. “They turned on her first. Jin bit her during the first Fever Time. She lured the zombies away so they wouldn’t attack you.”

“Yeah.” Wooyoung adds almost shamefully. “Yeah, she sacrificed herself for you.”

Hongjoong shakes his head in disbelief. “Fine. Okay. Sure. I’ll play along. So what’s next? Where are you guys headed?”

Frustrated with his lack of conviction, Jongho surges forward. “You left Seonghwa and Mingi in the classroom?”

“Yeah, they’re still working on our mission. Why?”

“Let’s get them. We have to get out of here.” Jongho takes the lead, checking the hall for any sign of Sugar or the zombies. He half expects to see all of them, that they caught up to her and turned her into one of them, but the hall is empty.

No sign of Sugar or anyone else.

He continues towards the classroom.

“This is for real, hyung.” Yeosang says seriously. “It’s insane and we don’t know what’s going on, but we’re not playing.” He points to Wooyoung’s elbow again. “One of them did that with his teeth.”

Hongjoong is quiet, the information turning over in his head. As they walk, he pinches the edge of Wooyoung’s bandage and takes another look. “Shit, Woo, that looks deep.”

“It is. The guy was gnawing on me while I was fighting him off. They’re sick or something.” He wraps his good hand around Hongjoong’s arm and holds on, his chair long since abandoned. “We just have to get out of here.”

“What about Sugar? What about her team? We’re escaping the school and leaving them locked inside?” Hongjoong questions, finally sounding somewhat convinced. His voice shakes, his eyes turning to Yeosang again.

“Until someone can come check them out.” Wooyoung decides. “Doctors or something. If they’re infected with something, they can’t just be let out. They’ll be attacking people all over the place.”

“How did this happen? This doesn’t happen. Zombies aren’t real.”

“Who knows?” Yeosang mutters. “Who cares? They’re literally out for blood. It doesn’t matter why right now.”

Jongho knocks at the classroom door and slides it open.

Seonghwa and Mingi appear, completely unharmed. “Hey guys. We can’t get this last stupid puzzle—”

Before Mingi can finish, there’s a guttural scream from somewhere further down the hall, and all six men freeze.

An enormous clamor of slamming wood and thumping bodies and scraping furniture follows, and another loud cry.

“God,” Wooyoung drops Hongjoong’s arm. “That sounds like San.”

< last chapter | masterlist | next chapter >

tag list : @mysterysold @threevracha @igotajuicyass @velvetmoonlght @nightshadeblooming @furfoxsake22

[bad-traffic-smp-ideas]

reenactment life :

everyone is assigned another player from third life and they have to act it out as accurately as possible. No script.

The winner is whoever commits the hardest to their character and/or whoever manages to get the closest to the actual storyline. This is decided by a vote at the end, after all the episodes have come out

“Commits the hardest” so it doesn’t have to be GOOD it just has to show PASSION

[yuzurujenn]

[2025.02.02] Sports Hochi - "2025 will be deeper and broader" - 5 days exclusive interview

2025.02.02 Yuzuru Hanyu: "2025 will be deeper and broader" - Exclusive interview published for five days from February 3rd

Professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (30) gave an exclusive interview to Sports Hochi by February 1st, where he shared his aspirations for 2025, expressing the words "deeper and broader."

The third installment of his ice story series, Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR, for which he serves as both performer and executive producer, will conclude with performances in Chiba (July 7 and 9 at Lala Arena Tokyo Bay).

The tour began with a performance in Saitama (Saitama Super Arena) in December last year, where he said, "It was a performance where I felt like I was able to show what I've worked hard for," and at the Hiroshima performance (Hiroshima Green Arena) in January this year, he said, "I felt like I wanted to put in a bit more effort."

Always striving for the best performance, he gives it his all in the two and a half hour one-man show. Even after turning professional, he continues to evolve as an athlete, seeking to deepen and broaden his journey. Starting from February 3rd, Sports Hochi will feature a series of exclusive photos and interviews with him over five consecutive days. (Takagi Megumi)

2025.02.03 Yuzuru Hanyu touched on philosophical books and Dazai Osamu, spun a story over three sleepless nights... Exclusive interview 1

First part of the exclusive interview with professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (30). He is both a performer and executive producer of the "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR,", which will conclude its run in Chiba (on the 7th and 9th at Lalaport Tokyo Bay Arena). Like in his previous two ice story performances, he also wrote the script for this one. The work, which touches on the philosophy of life as its theme, was completed after three sleepless nights of writing. In the preparation phase, Hanyu engaged with philosophy books as well as novels, including works by Osamu Dazai.

Hanyu also wrote the script for the two-and-a-half-hour ice show, which he skates solo. This time, he completed it after three days of staying up all night.

"During that time, I was practicing for two days (laughs). On the first day, I practiced, then came back and stayed up all night. After another practice, I stayed awake and kept writing. 'Oh, it's morning already.' Then I thought, 'Ah, it's the third day, time to practice.'"

Showing his incredible concentration, which has often amazed audiences in the past, Hanyu produced a well-crafted script.

"I felt that I had to write when the thoughts came to me, and I was simply worried about the deadline (laughs). But nothing was coming to me. I had pretty much the outline in mind, but figuring out the setting was the hardest part."

He incorporated philosophical concepts like "What is life?" and "What is 'I'?" into this ice story.

"It took me nearly two months to decide what I wanted to convey and select the programs that would make up that story. From there, the setting was roughly decided, the outline was decided, and the type of story I wanted to write was decided...'I have to write it,' I thought, and while I wrote bits and pieces, I wasn't satisfied with what I had done. So, I ended up discarding everything and started over from scratch."

Hanyu always writes by hand. He scribbles on paper. In the preparation stage, he read not only philosophy books like The Disaster of Birth but also novels. One of these novels was Osamu Dazai’s No Longer Human.

"I thought I should read Dazai. I hadn't really been exposed to novels like that up until now. The only book I had read properly was The Kojiki (The Record of Ancient Matters)."

The mention of The Kojiki is intriguing. He read it back in junior high school.

"There was a time for reading, and during that period, my mother handed me The Kojiki to read (laughs). I didn’t really have many opportunities to engage with novels or written text, and I wasn’t particularly good at it. So this time, I listened to the audio on Audible and read No Longer Human."

He followed the narration with his eyes, while also absorbing the text. He also spun stories in his past shows GIFT and RE_PRAY. During that process, he was told that his story was "like that of Osamu Dazai".

"This time, I really wanted to write it like a novel, I wanted to write a proper story. There were people who said that my writing style was somewhat similar, so I thought I had to study properly."

Once he made that decision, Hanyu was determined to learn everything he can.

"The way the words are used, and the story itself. I don't think there are many people who read 'No Longer Human' and go, 'I get it!' But it’s certainly valuable as an educational work of culture—to peer into human darkness and desires, to understand the very roots of them. I think it's worth having that kind of knowledge and worldview in your head."

2025.02.04 Yuzuru Hanyu: 'What to do about the 6-minute practice' and the Piano Collection... Exclusive Interview 2

This is the second exclusive interview with professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (30). One of the highlights of the "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR," which will conclude with a performance in Chiba (7th and 9th, Lala Arena Tokyo Bay), is the "Piano Collection." We asked him about the background to the creation of this nearly 10-minute feature-length work of five piano pieces, and his particular attention to detail.

In the first half of the ice story, "Piano Collection" has become one of the highlights. After performing a nearly 10-minute long medley of five piano pieces, he transitions directly into his short program from the Pyeongchang Olympics, Chopin's "Ballade No. 1." How did the idea for "Piano Collection" come about?

"First of all, there was the issue of what to do about the six-minute practice."

After turning professional, Hanyu has been incorporating the 6-minute practice into his solo shows. This innovative approach is based on his desire to "create a competitive atmosphere."

"This time, the premise was that I wanted to write it as a story, so I had the idea of scraping the 6-minute practice part. However, when I thought about the performance content up to that point, I realized that I needed to create something that could properly build up to it (Ballade), and if I could create something that could be properly organized as a program, I thought that would kill two birds with one stone."

The structure moves from the piano medley to the gold medal-winning performance. A breathtaking sense of tension enveloped the venue.

"Some people have said they liked seeing the official practice sessions, and I think the serious, stoic attitude of working towards a single goal is a form of expression in itself. When I thought about embodying that in the character Nova, I initially wanted to make the piano pieces incredibly stoic, turning them all into etudes (practice pieces). I had a strong image of ending with 'Ballade No. 1' after a series of etudes. That's the idea that started it all."

The five pieces that follow — Brahms, Bach, Scarlatti, Chopin, and Chopin again — were carefully selected.

"It was very difficult. I thought about arranging the pieces chronologically. For instance, showing the evolution from Bach to Chopin, and how they would eventually lead to Chopin, or conversely, I could start with Chopin, go back to the past, and then come back to Chopin again. I also considered making all the chords the same. I thought about many possibilities, but I realized that I wouldn't get anywhere by thinking on my own, so I consulted with (pianist) Kiyozuka (Shinya)."

The selection was then finalized with the help of Kiyozuka, a man he trusts, who suggested potential pieces.

"I said, 'I have this image, but what should I do?' From the start, I told him that I wanted to line up several pieces that were each just under a minute long. We discussed, 'If we line them up this way, it would form this kind of collection. What do you think?' But I also didn’t want to do too much editing. However, there were parts where I felt editing was necessary. It was really a trial-and-error process, and I was determined to include Baroque music. That's how it turned out."

Jeffrey Battle choreographed the five fascinating pieces. Which of the pieces is the toughest to skate to?

"They’re all tough!"

2025.02.05 Yuzuru Hanyu: "Ballade No. 1" is the "sound of destiny" - the second half of the performance is a determined effort... Exclusive interview 3

This is the third exclusive interview with professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (30). The final performance of the "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR" will be in Chiba (7th and 9th, Lala Arena Tokyo Bay), where he will perform "Ballade No. 1," his short program from the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. He is executing the same high-difficulty routine as back then, layering it with the 'Sound of Destiny.'

After performing a 10-minute "Piano Collection," composed of five pieces of music, Yuzuru Hanyu skates his short program (SP) "Ballade No. 1" from the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. As he had said, "It's all tough!" the routine includes not only jumps like the quadruples and triple axels, but also parts expressed with spins and steps, making the physical demand extraordinarily high.

"My feet were strained in the previous piece, 'Mass Dis'[Note 1]. Also, the costume change from 'Mass Dis' is quite difficult. While frantically changing into the 'Ballade 1' costume, I quickly put on my shoes and head out to the ice. I was panting and thinking, "I need to concentrate," when Brahms started. I recently made a mistake on the triple loop (the first jump)...I think I made a mistake once and it became a trauma. I couldn't get the loop right, so I was feeling anxious about the loop in the (next) Bach part. And after that comes the toe loop."

Scarlatti plays as soon as Hanyu landed the quadruple toe loop.

"That toe loop is extremely nerve-wracking. The following (triple) axel is also nerve-wracking, and it's tiring. It's like doing anaerobic exercise the whole time. It felt like I was getting ready, then doing anaerobic exercise again, then catching my breath and doing anaerobic exercise again, and so on and so forth."

Then comes "Ballade No. 1," a high-difficulty routine starting with a quadruple Salchow and featuring two jumps in the second half: a triple axel and a quadruple-triple toe loop combination.

"Well, it’s tough. At first, I thought I could do it just fine. I thought it would work (laughs). But it turned out to be more difficult than I thought. Initially, I thought maybe I could just use the structure from the 2020 Four Continents Championship [Note 2], not the one from PyeongChang. I thought that was the final form, so I figured that would be fine. But when it came to 'the Sound of Destiny,' if I was told to 'play the sound of your own destiny,' I realized that it had to be the PyeongChang version."

This Ice Story has "sound" as one of its key themes. Right before taking his starting position for "Ballade No. 1," a narration is played: "Now, please play the 'sound' of your word 'destiny'."

"The destiny I have reached is of course "SEIMEI" (from my free program at the PyeongChang Olympics), but I think I was able to win because I was able to perform "Bara 1" without any mistakes there. There was a ritual (the piano collection) to get to that point, and I wanted to show that I had followed the path of destiny to reach it. It’s difficult, but I’m determined to stick with the two jumps in the second half."

He performs this after skating for over 30 minutes since the start of the show, on a smaller rink compared to a competition, in a dimly lit show venue.

"The trajectory has changed quite a bit, and I’ve had to change the choreography. The sharper the curve, the harder it was on my legs. I was experimenting with different things, and I did feel it was tough. But, I managed to do it once without any mistakes (at the Saitama performance), so I’m going to do my best."

Notes:

'Mass Destruction' - A track from the role-playing game Persona 3.

After the Pyeongchang Olympics, the rule that multiplied the base points of all jumps in the second half of a performance by 1.1 was revised, limiting it to the last one in the short program and the last three in the free program. After the revision, the composition of the Four Continents Championships was a quadruple salchow, a quadruple-triple toe loop combo, and a triple axel in the second half. Hanyu achieved a world-record score of 111.82 points in that competition.

2025.02.06 Yuzuru Hanyu: "Because I want to get better" Training research and dance basics... Exclusive interview 4

This is the fourth exclusive interview with professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (30). Since turning professional in July 2022, he has been taking on the unprecedented challenge of performing a two-and-a-half-hour ice show all by himself. The final performance of the "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR" will be in Chiba (7th and 9th, Lala Arena Tokyo Bay). While interacting with his body and researching training methods, he is focusing on building a body that balances endurance and explosive power. He has started gym training and also taking dance lessons. With an endless desire to improve, he is on the path to evolution. 

Training to build up the stamina needed to skate for two and a half hours while also mastering the explosive movements unique to figure skating is hard work.

"Explosive movements need to be practiced specifically for explosiveness, and for slow-twitch muscles [Note 1], it depends on how much practice I can do in full runs. I always feel like I have to think of them separately and train for them individually. For high-difficulty jumps, I approach them with techniques suited to their difficulty. Then, there's the stamina needed to skate for over two hours, as well as the grip strength required to tie my skate laces."

He changes costumes for each program and takes off his shoes each time. The laces of his skates need to be tied very tightly. Including encores, there are 15 songs in total. There are many moments, other than skating, that drain his physical energy.

"I’ve been pulling continuously for so long. Like in “Utai�� (the third performance), if I keep stretching my hands all the time (in choreography), I lose arm muscles. Of course, jumping also requires grip strength. So, I guess my grip strength is getting stronger as I go along. I have been lifting barbells recently. I do deadlifts and high cleans."

While interacting with his body and conducting further research, he has also started new machine-based training.

"That’s really to make sure I can maintain high output no matter how tired I am and also to make sure I can use my body effectively."

His physical condition is better than during his competitive days. He says he is currently at his leanest, and this is intentional. "For what purpose?" He immediately answered.

"I just want to get better. As I continue training to improve, I naturally get leaner. I feel like any excess has been eliminated. It’s close to the balance I had during the Helsinki World Championships in 2017. I’ve gained muscle mass since then, so I’m about 1.5 kg heavier, but I think the fat balance is the same as it was back then. I think it's ideal for myself."

He turned 30 in December last year. His physical strength and technique are evolving. "I’m amazed at how much more I can still do." He feels the possibilities for his future. His desire to improve knows no bounds. After completing "RE_PRAY" last April, he started taking dance lessons, which he had taught himself until then.

"I took a little lesson with MIKIKO (the choreographer). MIKIKO originally works in hip hop, and also jazz, or rather contemporary, so it's a variety of genres. When it comes to hip hop in particular, I've always said that I really don't have a solid foundation. I told her, 'I want to work on the basics.' She sent me a lot of videos and I worked on it."

Hanyu, who has the ability to effortlessly control his body in everything from classical music to intense pop tunes, gives himself a harsh self-evaluation which also reflects the potential for his growth.

"No, I realized I can’t do this much. There were really simple things that I couldn’t do at all. I practiced those simple things for about three months, and I wonder if I’ve gotten a little better, but I still feel like I have a long way to go."

[Note 1] Slow-twitch muscles are related to endurance, and fast-twitch muscles are related to explosiveness.

2025.02.07 Yuzuru Hanyu: From "full marathon" to "ekiden", increasing output to 2.5 hours... Final part of exclusive interview

This is the final installment of an exclusive interview with professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (30). He is both a performer and executive producer of "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR," which will kick off its Chiba performance at Lala Arena Tokyo Bay on the 7th. The two-and-a-half-hour solo show will reach its final series with some changes only possible with a tour. The pace distribution will change from a "marathon" to an "ekiden". He will pour his soul into every performance, keep his output high from the start, and fulfill his "expression" beyond his limits.

In the January performance in Hiroshima, he left an impression by using his body more expansively. What happened after the Saitama performance in December?

"After Saitama, I received criticism from (director) MIKIKO-sensei."

He shared this with a laugh.

"She told me, 'You had more power in "First Pulse" (the first piece), didn't you?' and I said, 'Ah, yes, that's right.' There were also some things like, 'Let's fix this here, let's fix that there.' I just said 'yes.' When I watched the video, I definitely agreed with her. The hardest part for me was recovering from the fatigue of the Saitama performance. After that, focusing and practicing the full run-through was also difficult because of time constraints. But I’ve been doing training to expand my own physical range of motion and mobility."

A two-and-a-half-hour solo performance, connecting each piece with full energy.

"I’m doing it with the momentum of an 800-meter sprint or a full marathon (laughs). In "RE_PRAY" (from the previous Ice Story), I felt like I was doing it with the breathing and exhaustion of a full marathon, but this time it's probably closer to a relay race (ekiden). Fans have said, 'It's like an ekiden,' which left an impression on me. For example, they said, 'The section of Ballade No. 1 is like a hill, right?' Each program can cover for each other even if one of them falters, so it's like a relay race. That made sense to me."

While the Saitama performance was more of a full marathon type, the pacing was changed for the Hiroshima performance.

"In Saitama, I kept a steady pace throughout, not varying much, but still consciously putting in effort where necessary. That was something I learned from RE_PRAY, and it was a success because of the practice I had done. In Hiroshima, I increased my output significantly, including for the new program. As a result, there were parts that didn’t go well, but I believe the expressive quality improved tremendously."

There was something to be gained from the two shows in Hiroshima, where the performances were performed with full power from the very start.

"I had never used my body in such a full range of motion before, like in “Poem” (“Eclipse/blue”) and "GATE OF STEINER. From start to finish, I was able to skate while immersing myself emotionally, which was a successful experience for me."

Through the cycle of questioning and reproduction, the tour will reach its final performance in Chiba.

"Right now, I’m trying out new knowledge and training methods. I've made some big updates between Saitama and Hiroshima. I’m still in the process, and my body is changing as I go. Like with RE_PRAY and GIFT, there were times when I sacrificed expression for the more intense parts, like Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso or Dark Messenger or Ballade No. 1. I want to continue training my body so that I can give my all without sacrificing expression."

Source:  https://hochi.news/articles/20250201-OHT1T51219.html?page=1https://hochi.news/articles/20250202-OHT1T51210.html?page=1https://hochi.news/articles/20250203-OHT1T51204.html?page=1https://hochi.news/articles/20250204-OHT1T51148.html?page=1https://hochi.news/articles/20250205-OHT1T51134.html?page=1https://hochi.news/articles/20250206-OHT1T51158.html?page=1

[dominickeating-source]

Star Trek Magazine (2002)

As ENTERPRISE approaches the end of its opening season, we catch up with Dominic Keating to get his view of Lieutenant Malcolm Reed, weapons officer and action hero.

After several months of ENTERPRISE's grueling weekly shooting schedule, Dominic Keating is as energetic as he was on day one. "I'm still cheery!" he says. "It's going well. It's been a hell of a ride, but I've really found my place, and I'm having a great time. And they're starting to look at Malcolm quite closely, and that's really fun."

MAJOR EPISODE

Dominic's biggest show so far has been 'Shuttlepod One,' aired in February, and he was delighted with it. "Dare I say it was quite the best work I've ever put into a camera lens. Connor and I had an amazing time; the chemistry between us was electric. It was a great dynamic, and I think the fact that I'm English adds an extra angle for an American audience, just in that I would be the voice of reason. Malcolm isn't all doom and gloom, although Trip refers to him as the Grim Reaper; he bares his soul, and it's a very moving moment when you actually get to see inside the somewhat brittle shell of this army man. He's becoming a real, breathing, living human being. This episode was groundbreaking--I can't say it in any other way; you see a side of this man that's real and that's very touching and vulnerable, and I just hope that episode does not just sit out there and never happens again."

The actors suffered real-life discomfort while making the show. "They froze the stage!" says Dominic. "That was the hardest part of the whole filming. They brought the temperature down inside this igloo that they had built, and put the shuttlepod in there. In the script we had turned down the thermostat in the shuttle to conserve oxygen, so, space being as cold as it is, the temperature inside the shuttle drops to below zero, so they wanted to see our breath.

SUFFERING ON THE SET

"The gag kind of worked, but you weren't seeing enough breath, so it became a hell of a process, which took about a day to figure out. They literally shot 20 seconds at a time, and in between they just filled up the shuttlepod with liquid nitrogen and turned on six huge, massive air-conditioning units that made a real din. We shot for three days like that, and it was hard! It was freezing cold, very noisy, and it was hard to listen and hear, and you never really got a run at a scene. If I'd had to do another day I'm sure I could have dug it up from inside of me, but at the end of the third day, when we knew it was over, my knees just buckled. But, like I say, we put some incredible stuff in the camera, and I think it's one of the finest hours."

Previously, 'Silent Enemy' had made it clear that Malcolm is pretty hard to fathom, and even his parents didn't know what his favorite food was. Dominic says, "That episode brought the audience's attention to the fact that you don't know much about this guy, and actually by the end of the episode you still don't know that much about him! But I was glad they didn't try to wrap me up in an hour's show. It was a great forerunner to 'Shuttlepod One,' where you really get to see the mettle of this guy."

AVOIDING CLICHÉS

Had Dominic been aware there was more to come? "Not really, no--like every other show I've worked on, they keep us pretty much in the dark. We're like mushrooms; every now and again they open the door and shovel some scripts on us! But I'm glad he's not two-dimensional, and I'm glad they didn't just make him this gun-crazy, buttoned-down Brit. I was fearful that ultimately that's what was going to happen to me on the show, but they haven't done that. And I remember saying that to Rick Berman after they'd offered me the job and I went to meet them all, 'I don't want to become a talking head over a console that just happens to be English; the money's great and everything, but I'd pull my hair out! And it hasn't become that, and I'm really happy. My fear, though, is whether they know where to find a normal episodic voice for Malcolm, so that he actually gets to be in the shows when he's not doing something extraordinary every few episodes--a place where he has a normal voice with the captain and the rest of the crew."

Despite being an ensemble show, it's usual in STAR TREK for a pair or threesome to become the main focus of attention, whether deliberately or naturally arising out of the chemistry between the actors. "There was a moment when I was fearful that it was Trip, T'Pol, and the captain, and I rang Brannon [Braga] and he said, 'Well, just hang in there; there's a long way to go yet.' And then they started looking at him, and I'm really happy about that. But if they wheel him out once every seven shows and give him a really cracking go, then I can play golf and go to the beach the rest of the days, and learn how to direct, and do something else."

ENSEMBLE CAST

"I look at this show and I think, 'Why can't it be like 'er': just a bunch of people working.' I think it would be just as feasible to make all these characters real human beings who happen to work on a starship, and to give them real emotions and put them in real situations, either on an alien planet or just working with each other. I think there's room for a lot of drama between them on the ship, and I hope they do it; I don't know whether they will. They have something of a formula that they know works, but I think with this incarnation they seem to be going for more human drama."

Dominic feels close enough to his character to recognize that he's using some of his own personality traits to help portray Malcolm. "I don't want to make him altogether me because 'altogether me' is not Malcolm Reed. But there's certainly an element of me; I nearly joined the army as a 17-year-old, and I was a very keen cadet officer in school, and so I'm kind of playing him like I was when I was at school aged 17, quite frankly! That's what I'm referring to in my little library of the Dominics I know. That side of me is the one he's closest to, when I was a teenager and a serious student thinking about joining the army, but of course I liked running off to the pub as well, trying to kiss all the girls! So he's multifaceted, I hope, but it takes me a while as an actor to appreciate that a character can have contrasting and conflicting character traits that aren't completely in sync with one another. Sometimes I find myself pulling a face or laughing inside about something and I think, 'Oh stop it; that's not very Malcolm,' and then I realize it could easily be Malcolm and not just me. I'm really exploring the character just as much as the writers are."

Dominic is also enjoying the more boisterous scenes. "Another thing I like that they're doing for me, of course, is that being the tactical officer I get to be the action man. In 'Sleeping Dogs' we were on a Klingon ship and Malcolm is in the thick of it, and gets beaten up by this Klingon supermodel. It was hard work--somehow I signed up to do the stunt myself, and we were wearing EVA suits; and, man, that's quite a trip, getting beat up in an EVA suit!"

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

If there's anything Dominic is not 100 percent happy with, it's being called Malcolm. "At the first meeting, apart from saying I didn't want him to be this and that, I also said, 'And do we have to call him Malcolm?' They must have listened because there's a moment in ˜Shuttlepod One™ where I have a dream sequence and I think we've been rescued and, as Archer and the doctor are leaving sickbay, T'Pol is hanging around, and then starts coming on to me and telling me that Vulcan's can't resist heroism and I acted unlike the rest of my species. She says, ˜May I call you Malcolm?™ and I say that that's fine but I've never liked the name because I always thought it was a bit too stuffy!"

TV AND FILM ROLES

Dominic's career back home in the UK included a regular role for six years on the comedy show, "Desmond's" as well as guest spots on major TV drama shows, including "Inspector Morse™ He has lived in the States for several years, and was already becoming familiar to TV audiences thanks to guest spots on "G Vs E" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and most recently, "The Immortal" in which he had a recurring role. I played the Prince of Darkness! That was really fun to do. And I've got a movie coming out called "The Hollywood Sign" with Burt Reynolds, Tom Berenger, and Rod Steiger, playing my first American role - I went to this audition for a part as a mob guy from New York, and they bought it and gave me the job! I showed up on the first day of shooting with an English accent, and they said, "What the...™

But for the next few years, Dominic's career will be centered on STAR TREK. Is he happy at the prospect? "Yeah, I am. It was a consideration for about nought point three seconds, but I'm at a time in my life where I want what this will give me, which is security. If I finish STAR TREK in seven years and perhaps do a couple of movies with these guys, that'll be great. And I'm going to start directing; I'm at the LA Film School and am taking classes there. I have to inform Rick [Berman] somewhere down the road that I'd like to direct, and if I show him that I really want to do it, he'll let me. They're wonderful like that."

FUTURE PROSPECTS

As for performing, I'm a good actor, I think.- if I can blow my own trumpet -"and a versatile one; and with a bit of luck, and a producer or director with some imagination, I could certainly go on and do other stuff that's far removed from STAR TREK. But if STAR TREK is the rest of my acting career from here on in, fine " particularly if they write stuff for me like "Shuttlepod one" I was utterly thrilled and complete doing that; it was everything I would ever want to do in front of a camera.

BIOGRAPHY

Dominic Keating was born in Leicester, England. Cast in a school play while at prep school, he developed an interest in acting that continued during boarding school, where he had the lead role in a Shakespearean play. He then attended University College in London, studying for a BA in history, but also continued to perform in several theater productions; his credits to date include "Live Class™ ,˜Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead","The Christian Brothers", and "The Best Years of Your Life."

While still in the UK, Dominic played the regular role of Tony in popular sitcom, "Desmonds" which ran for six years, and guested in one of Britaina's most popular TV detective shows, "Inspector Morse™ He moved to Los Angeles a few years back, and is best known to American TV audiences for guest roles in ˜The Immortal,™ in which he played the roll of Mallos, ˜G vs E",˜Special Unit 2,˜Buffy the Vampire Slayer,™ and ˜Poltergeist: The Legacy.™

He has also had several big-screen roles; he starred in ˜Jungle2Jungle™ opposite Tim Allen and Martin Short, and appeared in the Academy Award-winning movie ˜Almost Famous,™ and before signing on for ENTERPRISE, he filmed ˜The Hollywood Sign™ with Burt Reynolds. He also plans to take up directing, and is currently studying at the LA Film School.

Source: www.dominickeating.com

[ivanttakethis]

Cassio’s Log: Vol. 3

————————————————————

A sizable crowd had gathered in the lobby of Cassiopeia’s largest design studio the following morning.

Photographers, journalists, reporters, a few film crews, and lots and lots of Stargazers — Tov’s fans.

Some held homemade posters. Others had stars painted on their faces.

The room was abuzz with anticipation and hushed excitement.

Cassio had kept the content of the press conference purposefully vague, knowing that the media would take the bait and speculation would run wild, drawing the public’s attention.

It worked flawlessly.

They checked their watch.

One minute till the hour.

Almost showtime.

Cassio squared their shoulders, head held high, and stepped out on stage.

They smiled magnanimously as dozens of camera lenses shuttered, flashing bright lights in their direction. Their years on the runaway had successfully desensitized them to the overwhelming sensation. They’d learned to embrace it.

“Good morning, everyone.” Cassio said once they reached the podium.

They took a moment to angle the mic upward to account for their full height.

“I’m sure you’re all wondering what became of my pet-human Tov after she collapsed during the final round of Alien Stage Season 39.”

Cassio smothered the bitterness of the term pet and pressed on, “I am happy to announce that — by the blessing of the Great Anakt — she is still alive and currently recovering in the medical center downtown.”

Cheers erupted from the back of the room, surging forward.

More cameras shuttered and flashed.

Cassio ignored the din of the crowd as gracefully as they could. They had a script in mind for this event, and they weren’t going to deviate from it.

“As for what took place during Round 30, Tov unfortunately suffered a heart attack.” They said, tone solemn. “We decided to keep this information private as the competition progressed, but this is her third cardiac event since the season began.”

A chorus of gasps ripped through the audience.

“After both the first and second scare, I asked Tov if she wanted to withdraw from the season altogether. But she was adamant about continuing.”

A boldface lie.

Contestants couldn’t withdraw, even if they wanted to.

The only exception was medical emergencies, and those had to happen during a round to count.

It was all buried in the contract every contestant and guardian had signed ages ago.

The public wasn’t supposed to know.

But Wren did.

She must’ve read the exceptions and worked within those bounds to disqualify Tov.

Clever girl.

Just like her sister.

“Her heart has always been weak, ever since she was a child, and it simply gave out at the end.” Cassio said. “While this is not the outcome we’d hoped for, our focus is on Tov’s recovery and her future now that Alien Stage has ended.”

They took a deep breath and braced themselves against the solid weight of the podium.

Now came the hardest part of any press conference: questions and answers.

“I will now open the floor for questions.”

They could barely get the words out before reporters armed with film crews and microphones rushed up to the front of the stage, shouting over one another.

“Guardian Cassio, how did you feel when you learned that Tov survived?”

“When will she be released from the hospital?”

“Is Tov going to model for your fashion house again, Guardian Cassio?”

“Will she ever return to the stage?”

“Has Tov spoken with Cirrus yet?”

Cassio waited a moment for the roar to die down before answering.

“I was relieved when I heard Tov would survive.” They said. “I didn’t want her to suffer in death. The Great Anakt does not ask for suffering. Nonetheless, I am grateful that I can continue to care for Tov as her guardian.”

“As for her release, it is still unclear. Her heart attack was rather severe, so she still has several hurdles to clear before she can return home.”

“My hope is that Tov can return to modeling as soon as she is able. At this time, she is still one of Cassiopeia’s brand ambassadors.”

“However, whether or not she returns to singing will be her own choice.” Cassio looked to the back of the room where Tov’s fans were huddled together. “But I know she cares a great deal for her Stargazers. I have no doubt they will ultimately influence her decision.”

“And for Cirrus, while Tov has not had the opportunity to speak with them, she wishes them a warm congratulations on their win.” They round off their words with a gentle smile, rich in sincerity.

This was wholly true.

Before Cassio left the hospital yesterday, Tov had asked about Cirrus; how they were doing, if they seemed happy.

They couldn’t tell her much.

Cirrus hadn’t been paraded around in public and in the media as often as previous winners were.

And the one picture of them Cassio had seen, they looked far from happy.

Cassio kept that part to themselves.

“Any other questions before we wrap up for today?” They asked.

A pink, slender segyein with three green eyes pushed their way to the front of the crowd and held out their microphone.

“How does Alien Stage production feel about Tov’s survival?” They asked.

They can feel however they like.

Cassio didn’t say that.

It wasn’t very diplomatic.

They still needed public sympathy if this campaign was going to work.

So instead, they swallowed their words, smoothed out their facial expression, and said:

“Our discussions with the production team have only recently begun.”

They paused to look directly into the nearest camera, an unspoken challenge, “Aside from that, I cannot comment any further on the matter at this time.”

———

After saying their goodbyes to the last straggling reporter, Cassio was eager to return to their office.

The press conference should be on a broadcast or two by now, hopefully being received well.

As they headed for the stairs, a familiar voice called out to them.

“Cassiopeia.”

Cassio would recognize that voice anywhere. In this lifetime and the next.

It was the only voice they didn’t mind calling them by their full name.

They turned around and saw Ra’eon standing near the front entrance. She was wearing a white dress embroidered with red flowers.

Clematis flowers.

Oh, my Clematis…

Hope bloomed through the abyss…

That had been one of Ra’eon’s favorite songs. It was also the first song the Anakt Garden children learned to sing.

When Cassio heard Tov sing those lyrics for the first time in her clear and light voice, no taller than the back of a sitting chair, they almost fell to their knees.

It was painfully bittersweet to hear the words again, sung in the innocent voice of such a young child.

Ra’eon smiled and came closer, drawing Cassio out of their thoughts.

They shifted their form to be closer to her in height.

“Hello again.” She greeted with a slight dip of her head.

Cassio cleared their throat, their answering smile a bit shaky, “Hello to you too. Did you come for the press conference?”

“Not initially, no. I planned to come by today to see if you had some free time, since I’d be in the area.” Ra’eon said. “I know we have lunch scheduled for next week, so I understand if you’re busy.”

“No, I’m not busy at all.” They said, a little too quickly. “I have some time before I’m expected at the hospital this afternoon. Perhaps we could go for a walk in the park? There’s one not far from here.”

The broadcasts could wait.

They would wait.

———

The walk to the park was quiet between the two. But it was a comfortable silence, a familiar one.

Even still, Cassio was on pins and needles.

Where do I even begin?

They’d spent so much time thinking, over thinking, and then thinking some more about everything they would tell Ra’eon if they ever got the chance to see her again.

But now that the chance was here — sitting in the palm of their hands — they didn’t know how to start.

Ra’eon, as if sensing their hesitation, broke the silence first, “How is Tov recovering?”

Good, a topic Cassio knew they could talk about without issue. “She’s healing well, though her heart is showing signs of permanent damage.” They said. “The doctors aren’t sure if it was caused by this heart attack or the previous one. Thankfully it’s only minor.”

“Ah, that’s good to hear. I’ll have Wren bring her some treats next time she visits. I believe she mentioned vanilla candies were Tov’s favorite?” Ra’eon glanced over at them.

“Y-Yes, they are. She’s loved them since she was a child.” They said, stumbling through their answer.

Cassio could handle a room of hungry reporters and overzealous fans, sleazy producers and nameless lackeys, and yet a floral dress and bright grey eyes had them tripping over themselves.

How embarrassing…

“Those are Wren’s favorite too.” She chuckled. “It’s interesting how similar they are despite growing up separately.”

“Did you raise Wren yourself?” Cassio asked.

It was the first thing that came to mind, though they’d been wondering about Wren’s background since they first met.

Well, since Wren came up to them in the lobby of the hospital after Round 24 and introduced herself as a “friend�� of Tov’s.

They hadn’t had the chance to ask Tov about her either.

“Yes, from around the time she was eight years old. I was working for Anakt Garden then and they asked me if I would like to care for a human without a guardian.”

Cassio smiled, their heart warm at the thought. “So you finally got to become a guardian after all.”

Ra’eon had always wanted to adopt a pet-human. But back then, no segyein would sell to her.

They all deemed her appearance to be too “humanoid” to properly establish a master-pet relationship with a human child. It was devastating.

She left not long after that.

“Well, not quite.” Ra’eon said. “I’m technically Wren’s guardian, but I don’t have legal ownership of her. The Anakt Group became her legal guardian when she was enrolled in Anakt Garden. Then, after she graduated, her ownership was transferred to ZYNE Entertainment.”

ZYNE Entertainment? The pet-human talent agency?

I thought they only poached Anakt Garden graduates who didn’t qualify for Alien Stage.

“I see… That’s a rather interesting relationship.”

“On paper yes, but Wren refers to me as her guardian for simplicity’s sake. And I treat her just as I would any human I legally adopted.”

The pride in her voice was clear as day.

“I have no doubt about that. You’ve always been very maternal.” Cassio hesitated for a moment, before pressing on. “But if you’ve been caring for Wren since the girls were eight, that means you’ve been back for quite a while. Is there a reason why you didn’t reach out to me before now?”

Ra’eon’s smile faltered, and she looked away for a moment.

“After how we left things, I didn’t know if you would want to see me again.” She said quietly, “Especially because I couldn’t tell you why I was leaving or where I was going.”

Of course I’d want to see you. Cassio thought.

“You can tell me now. Only if you want to, of course.” They rushed to add.

“I do, and you deserve an explanation anyway.” Ra’eon slowed her pace near a park bench and sat down, patting the space next to her for Cassio to follow.

She turned to them once they were seated and took a deep breath. “You know my relationship with my mothers is very…”

“Complicated.” Cassio finished.

Dumpster fire would’ve sufficed as well.

Ra’eon gave them a thin, knowing smile, “Yes. Complicated.” She said. “When I was much younger, before I came here and went to school and met you, I enlisted in the armed forces on Thali to be independent of them. But there were stipulations.”

“What kinds of stipulations?” They asked, frowning.

“If the force was ever called upon, I would be required to return home for deployment.”

Cassio blinked, mouth slightly agape, “A-As a soldier?”

“No, no! As a medic. Not a soldier.” She said quickly. The shock and panic must’ve been clear on Cassio’s face.

“The deployment was classified. I couldn’t tell anyone what was going on without breaching protocol.” She continued. “I worked mostly with civilians in the hot zones, segyein and pet-humans. The younger humans took to me well because of my human-like appearance, so I ended up caring for them full time.”

“And that’s why you chose to work for Anakt Garden when you came back?”

Ra’eon nodded, “It was one of the only positions I considered.”

I’m sure it fit you well.

“I was worried for a long time, about how you were fairing.” She said. “But then I saw you on a television interview once, right after I got back. You looked so at ease, and I realized you were doing just fine without me.”

Ra’eon said those words without malice or sorrow or regret.

Only peace.

Only relief.

Cassio wanted to crumple in her arms.

I was a mess after you left. They wanted to say. I was absolutely miserable.

But that felt too personal, too intimate after so much time spent apart. Even if that time was nothing in comparison to both of their lifespans.

Maybe it felt like longer because of their humans.

Maybe Tov and Wren had grown and changed so much in such a relatively short period of time that it warped their sense of scale.

Maybe that was okay.

They have time now.

———

Tov was expecting Cassio to be at the hospital soon.

They’d spent longer than intended talking with Ra’eon at the park, skipped lunch, gotten pulled into an emergency meeting about next season’s photo spread, and now they were running late.

Cassio fished for the car keys in their bag as they quickly made their way through the parking lot.

“Guardian Cassiopeia!” A voice shouted over the traffic.

It sounded nothing like Ra’eon’s, but it was unfortunately familiar.

Cassio stopped mid stride, turning on their heel.

Their lofty mood curdled at the sight of Agent Pol behind them, arms folded, looking far too at ease for their liking.

Even behind the dark lenses of her sunglasses, Cassio could feel Pol’s gaze pierce their skin.

There was no sign of her partner.

A rabid dog off her leash. Oh joy.

“Agent Pol,” They nodded in lieu of a proper greeting, “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I suppose a congratulations is in order.” She said, stepping closer.

“For what, exactly?”

“Your pet managed to survive the competition, even though she didn’t win. A heart attack right before she got her head blown off. Convenient, don’t you think?”

The smug curl of her lip aggravated Cassio’s temper.

“Has anyone ever told you that you have a habit of running your mouth without getting to the point?”

“That’s awfully defensive for someone who I haven’t accused of anything.”

They rolled their eyes, “You’re implying quite a lot. Now out with it.”

Agent Pol was smirking now, “I’m looking into the… suspicious nature of Tov’s incident during Round 30. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

“I’m afraid I don’t.”

“So you wouldn’t mind if I took a look in your car for anything out of place?”

They narrowed their eyes at her, “Do you have a warrant for the search?”

Agent Pol huffed a laugh, as if Cassio’s question was funny.

“There’s that defensiveness again. If you have nothing to hide, it shouldn’t be a problem.” She shrugged. “This only raises suspicions.”

“I simply know my rights, Agent Pol.” They said. “You need a valid reason to get a search warrant signed.”

“My valid reason is your sympathy for pet-humans. It’s clouded your vision; made you act irrationally.”

Irrationally?

Cassio forced a scoff, “Do you really think I would risk everything I’ve accomplished — everything I’ve built over the entirety of my adult life to save a pet?”

Another boldface lie.

No one needed to know that.

“You seem quite fond of her.”

“And you seem quite fond of your job.” They snapped, their patience worn thin and brittle. “If you continue to harass me or my human without the legal authority to do so, I’ll make sure you no longer have one. Have the day you deserve.”

Cassio flashed a fake, tightlipped smile and continued walking toward their car.

“It’s only going to get worse from here.” Pol called out to them after a few paces.

Okay.

That’s enough.

They stopped, turned around, and stalked back over to Agent Pol.

Now at their full height, they loomed over her, blocking the sun. Their shadow stretched long across her frame like bad omen.

They hoped there was fear in her eyes.

“Worse for who?” Cassio asked, low and foreboding, “Me? Or you?”

————————————————————

Super long log this time, but I had a lot to cover/set up for the future.

The AREPH isn’t done with Tov and Cassio yet, but Cassio isn’t going down without a fight.

Anyways, I love my big tall wife (gender neutral) and their ex-wife (not really) and whatever kind of segyein yuri they’ve got going on 😁

Shout out to @rockwgooglyeyes for coming up with “Cassiora” as a ship name for Cassio and Ra! So cute!!

Cirrus belongs to @cirrusoftheclouds.

Tagging: @chevalperd @apple8ees @lookatmysillies @neverforgetyou

[crownsandbishops]

Crowns and Bishops Behind the Scenes (part 1)

In today's extra long post, for the anniversary of Crowns and Bishops I will be giving you guys a peak behind the process of creating a comic for the Blog, in this case, Vine's Lore post! The Final one of the main set! For extra long asks like this I always start out by typing up a script, laying out exactly what I might want to say in response to the question at hand! Here's the full typed script for Vine's lore post [it ended up SUPER long, I think because I've had the most time to think about Vine's character and what I wanted for him haha!]

From there I start on the first panel, and as anyone who has seen my wips or just knows how I drew things, every Jir character starts their life as a circle!

I reuse some assets mostly for backgrounds to make the process go easier, such as these pillars and skulls in Narinder's realm!

Because mspaint doesnt have layers, different coloured outlines are used to create what is essentially different layers so that adjustment to one section doesn't affect another!

I kept this one mostly the same but adjusted the legs because it wasn't looking quite right!

for details like the shawl stripes I overlap the lines like this and then paste over it with the red being transparent, so only the details on the red remain!

When I'm happy with the main image I then add the text from the script!

It usually takes 4-5 iterations before I'm happy with placement, clarity and spacing! I also often have to account for the colours i use to make them the most readable against the background of each panel!

I look up reference images for this, like the standard way that a cloak like this one would be held together!

And since the Lands of the Old Faith is a closed-off continent in the preindustrial era any background will be confined to one of the five Bishop's lands! For this one I've chosen a forest like the one in this trailer for the game, but with an adjusted colour pallet!

I decided for the next panel, since Vine's mother's characterization was kind of a messed up allusion to the virgin Mary, that I should reference a biblical painting related to it and found this one

Though the cosmology and relations are different, the Seller was the obvious stand in for the Angel Gabriel in the picture!

Some panels start with the background, others with the character depending on what makes the most sense! Here I have a bit of both worked on but I'm focusing on drawing Vine!

For the ritual sacrifice Vine and his mother created a fake traitor's razor as the ceremonial dagger, and a clasp reminiscent of Gaap's, Narinder's most favoured vessel up to this point, as well as utilizing ceremonial paint and other decorations and representations related to Narinder!

When drawing imprisoned Narinder the hardest part tends to be fitting the veil properly above his opened third eye!

For the next panel, I show the intersection between the three vessels, as though Vine would've been born while Nelly was Narinder's vessel, Acedia does come before him in the order, so I had to square away how that would work!

When I initially decided on the order for Narinder's vessels I hadn't decided on the broad strokes of who they were and how they would've been chosen, so Acedia being before Vine but only for a single year between Nelly and Vine ends up quite silly!

If there's no real room like here, I'll sometimes extend the canvas to add black bars to add the text in.

I asked my chat for a follower form and was suggested Wolf, so the follower Vine is charming here was made a wolf!

I use this wall asset for the cult grounds in the background!

And I have various colour references for other things like Camellias and the outfits for non-cult affiliated denizens of the Lands!

( apparently, I can only have so many pictures so >:3 Part 2 awaits!)

[bengiyo]

Only Boo! Ep 8 Stray Thoughts

Last week, Moo got too excited the night before his audition and was late. Potae was off his game due to nerves, and he and Moo got into a fight about their mistakes. Jang, an idol, took a shine to Payos. Only Payos passed the audition. Kang rejected Shone, and has confirmed boyfriends with Moo.

If this show must contrive intimacy delays, I like the hand kissing as an indication that Kang wants to.

Episode 8: My Boo

I love that the date montage takes place over just a few days. Moo has been waiting and needs to get it in.

Oh ho, negotiating forms of address.

Kabedon!

I love Moo wanting to cook for Kang, and also that he's so serious about the tone they're using with each other.

This pre-separation anxiety feels very high school in a way that is landing solidly for me. I do like Moo a lot.

Oof, getting some Theory of Love flashbacks on Khai making Third deal with the girlfriends.

Once again glad that a confession was a fantasy because it felt so off. Another reminder to the audience.

Now which screenwriter is working out something in this script with this lament about who gets the opportunity versus who works for it the hardest?

I get that we don't have time to introduce more parents, by how is a minor signing this contract?

Okay, I like Moo glaring at Potae to speak nicely to Payos.

We're a bit late in the show, but I'm okay with Jang showing up as a complication for the side romance.

Moo's confidence about his attraction to Kang is so special.

I like Moo's song, but the tuning on the voices is strong.

I doubt Payos will confess this episode.

Are we back to wondering if the realities of public life will force Moo into the closet? I feel like I don't trust this show about this anymore.

This episode is so optimistic about the romantic future for our leads that I'm instinctively expecting a major crash at the end of this episode.

Did they intend to give Moo a graduation haircut??

I remain a fan of the teachers in this show. Reminding students that they are the ones who did the work to get through these challenges is the last lesson.

Not this teacher making me cry because he wanted to get his student's autograph.

Well well well, Payos managed to express it this episode.

This kiss feels like they worked hard on calibrating it for where the characters are and the experience level of the actors.

Interesting! We're progressing to cohabitation in college next week. That doesn't happen often. The only example that rushes to mind is Utsukushii Kare.

This was a fun episode that didn't end on a downer like I feared. I am never sure where this show wants to go, but I'm glad we got to see our leads transition into their sweet boyfriends era. I still don't know why Shone was in this show, because his absence meant nothing this week. I grow to love Moo more every week, and I wanna talk to this writing team about how they conceived Dynamite and Moo someday.

[lassofics]

Air Jordans

Word count: 923

Timeline: Season 1

Warnings: None

Summary: Keeley teams up with Colin for a product promotional video, but Colin is hilariously awkward on camera.

“Aw, Colin! You look stunning!” Keeley exclaims excitedly, bounding up to him with a wide grin.

Colin, dressed in his kit, just offers her a hesitant smile. “I’m… literally just wearing my kit.”

Keeley lets out a laugh. “No, I’m talking about your eyes. Is that… mascara?”

Colin just groans, knowing full well what the makeup artist had done. “I don’t wanna talk about it.”

Keeley grins, then just makes her way over to the camera. “Right. Well, you know your lines, yeah? You know how you’re going to say them?”

Colin looks up at the camera and suddenly feels a slight flutter in his stomach. It’s so stupid to him — he can perform in a football stadium filled with 50,000 people, but the second he steps in front of a camera, he starts to sweat more than he’d sweat in a ninety minute football match.

Keeley, always perceptive seems to sense this and offers Colin a soft smile. “Take a breath.”

Colin internally curses himself, realizing how fucking stupid he probably looks. Quickly trying to salvage his image, he somewhat exasperatedly replies, “I’m fine.”

Keeley, used to this kind of attitude from the boys, doesn’t let her smile falter. Instead, she just gets ready to press the record button.

“Right, then. From the top.” She grins, then presses the record button, causing Colin’s heart to leap into his throat.

“And… action!”

As soon as Keeley utters the word “action,” Colin immediately — and embarrassingly — forgets the entire script. His eyes go wide for a split second before he decides to just improvise. After all, this is only the first take.

“Hey,” he says, trying to channel some natural swagger by picturing Jamie Tartt. “It’s Colin. Got these new, uhh… Air Jordans.”

He kicks his foot up to demonstrate. “Whether I’m on or off the pitch, they make my feet feel, like, really good. Feels like I’m getting a foot massage every time I take a step, innit?”

Keeley tries her absolute hardest not to cringe, but after the mention of a foot massage, she just lets out a little noise of discontentment and stops the recording. Colin’s cocky grin, meant to emulate Jamie’s, fades immediately.

“So, uh…” Keeley bites her lower lip with an awkward smile. “Good start, but… try and stick to the script, yeah?”

Colin lets out a quiet groan, one that only he can hear, then nods. “My bad. I blanked.”

“That’s all right!” Keeley’s voice is sweet and encouraging, as usual. She flashes Colin another small grin. “Do you need to review it?”

Colin quickly shakes his head. “No, no…” He holds up a hand. “I’ve got it. I swear.”

“All right.” Trying to take some pressure off, Keeley decides not to call “action!” this time. Instead, she just presses the button to start recording. “Whenever you’re ready, Colin.”

This definitely helps. Colin runs a hand through his hair, then flashes the camera that same cocky grin.

“On the pitch, every move counts,” he starts, sounding much more confident this time. “But it’s not just about what you do on the field — it’s about how you walk off it, too.”

He grins, gesturing down to his shoe. “Air Jordans are built for performance, but designed for that off-duty look, too.”

Keeley, watching from behind the camera, grins and flashes him a thumbs up, nodding for him to continue. But the moment Colin shifts his gaze from the camera to her and back again, his mind goes black.

Quickly, he tries to save it. “They feel bloody great, and… and look at the design, too. Makes you look rich.”

Seeing Keeley’s face change, Colin quickly holds up a hand. “But… not in a… spoiled, rich boy sort of way.”

Keeley lets out a soft sigh and stops the recording. “Aw, you were doing so well! What happened?”

Colin, now embarrassed for the third time within five minutes, just groans and drops the act. “I don’t know! I blanked again!”

“Well, that’s still okay,” Keeley says gently, still trying to reassure him. “We can cut the video into different segments. That first part was perfect!”

Colin lets out a sharp exhale. He isn’t sure why this isn’t coming naturally to him. He wonders if any of the other lads have had this much trouble making promotional videos before.

Keeley offers him another soft smile. “Oi. You’ve got this. Just… be you, yeah?”

Colin nods, watching as Keeley hits the record button once more. He takes a breath, then launches right back into it.

"Whether I’m training hard, or just keeping it chill, they’ve got me covered. Comfort, support, and that iconic style. It’s all in the details."

He grins again, more naturally this time. “‘Cause it’s not just about the game, but how you own the moment. Air Jordans — step into greatness.”

Keeley lets out a little squeal as she stops the camera. “Oh my god, Colin! That was perfect!”

Colin, feeling genuinely proud of himself, just smiles even wider. “Thanks. Felt pretty good about that one.”

Keeley just giggles. “You should! You should be proud of yourself!”

The way she’s being so sincere and genuine actually warms Colin’s heart a bit. He feels like she could actually be a really good friend if he got to know her.

Plus, the way she’s openly queer makes him feel some sort of connection to her, but that’s a topic for another day.

“I am,” he finally responds, a gentler smile coming across his face. “I really am.”

[monakisu]

The bonus of Akechi being Prince Charming and Joker being Sleeping Beauty is that it leans into the ambiguous nature of Akechi's existence in third semester. After all, though Akechi is rebelling against the false reality the hardest, it is also literally his job to do so. Prince Charming wakes Sleeping Beauty and defeats Maleficent. Akechi wants to convince Joker to rebel against the false, dream-like reality and defeat Maruki. He's literally right on script. So does he have free will in Maruki's world? Who knows!

i like to think that goro does retain at least a modicum of free will, mostly because i am Delusional!! ☺️🧨💥

i don’t believe maruki ever intended for the fairytale parallels to play out like they did; if it WAS intentional, there’s no way a man so unabashedly confident in his messianic status would deign to degrade himself to the vile role of villain. if he’d viewed third semester in the structure of a typical hero’s story, he’d more than likely treat akira as a deuteragonist (the protagonist secondary to himself, of course!! maruki likes to view himself as tortured underdog who proved all of his adversaries wrong, chosen by a higher power to pursue his manifest destiny! 😑) since he was so instrumental in maruki’s rise to godhood, but goro takes less precedence in his mind. at best, he’s a gift for maruki’s favorite, his champion; at worst, he’s a hostage, a bargaining chip. so goro rising to the role of hero was more of a willful defiance of the script maruki tried to brand him with!! i think? haha 😖

ORRR u can attribute it to an even higher, abstract, cosmic power: “fate” or “coincidence” nudging him into this destiny, to help right a reality gone wrong! but that’s so nebulous… it requires a lot of speculation (and brainpower that i do not possess), so i prefer to think my babygirl was spectacular enough to resist a deity’s brainwashing out of sheer, bombastic rage, lol!!! 🧨💥☠️🧨💥