#but also hot i guess in narrator's eyes

[quin-ns]

Eventually (Coriolanus Snow x Reader)

Word count: 6.7k

Summary: Coriolanus could appreciate irony, but the one person he desires more than anything wanting nothing to do with him pushes him to new territory

Tags: (18+), cw: noncon, dark!coriolanus, deeply implied stalker!coriolanus, unreliable narrator coriolanus (boy is delusional tbh, no one is doing more mental gymnastics than him), pre-mentor era, obsession, unprotected sex, choking (only for like a second), virginity status undisclosed but as I was writing I began to imagine this being the first time for both of them—it’s not even implied tho, so do with that what you will

A/N: a character as evil as him I couldn’t conceive writing fluff for. he’s bad and guess what I’m not gonna fix him, but I also can’t make him not-hot so… hehe. please read the tags and proceed with caution <3

hunger games masterlist

You wanted nothing to do with him, and that made him crazy.

No, if anything, you were the crazy one. Coriolanus hadn’t done anything but try to be your friend, but you snubbed him without reason.

Coriolanus did a good job at keeping the financial situation of his family a secret. No one knew, and he doubted you were an exception. Yet, it was as if you looked down upon him.

Although, you’d grown fond of Sejanus, so even if you did know, status wasn’t a concern of yours. It was something he admired, yet questioned all at once. There had to be a reason for your dismissal. A reason you couldn’t bring yourself to even offer a smile back. It’s not like he was asking a lot.

It’s not like he wasn’t trying, either. He’d gotten used to trying to make people like him, to see him as better than he was, but it was never this hard. It would’ve been so much simpler if you just told him to his face what your problem was, but whenever he came around, mostly when you were talking to Sejanus—they were friends, it was the perfect excuse—you just went quiet. You’d greet him, make no effort to continue the conversation, then excuse yourself.

All Coriolanus wanted to know was why.

“You’re watching her again,” Clemensia whispered to him, eyes flicking between him and the paper in front of her.

They were class partners, but Coriolanus was beginning to think he spent too much time with her.

“Who?”

Clemensia let out a small chuckle, mocking him. The professor at the front of the class looked up, and Coriolanus quickly looked down at his paper, taking his eyes off of you.

“You’re too obvious,” she muttered, a smirk in her voice. “Maybe that’s why she doesn’t like you. Because you stare at her too much.”

She didn’t get a response—it didn’t deserve one. Coriolanus questioned why he ever told her anything. She made him sound like some sort of stalker. Which, for the record, he was not.

His eyes managing to find you frequently wasn’t a crime, and neither was crossing your path. Maybe it wasn’t a coincidence most of the time, but it’s not as if he was harming you by watching you. He doubted you noticed anyway.

Seeing you nearly everyday had been enough to keep him sated, but then Sejanus started talking about you. Through no fault of his own, Coriolanus learned things about you. What he came to know made him curious to discover more. Even if you did not seem keen to let him.

Being content with what he had didn’t keep its appeal for long. Not when you were right there, your presence taunting him. Making him want what you would not let him have.

“You just need to talk to her, Coryo,” Tigris told him one evening, when he revealed everything to her. “Not in class and not with Sejanus. Just you. Let her know the real you and I promise she’ll like what she sees.”

Coriolanus took his cousin’s advice to heart. She was much more empathetic than him, she had to be onto something, right?

Everything changed when Coriolanus sat across from you at a study table in the library.

As beautiful as you were from a distance, being up close was something else entirely. He could admire you for hours and never get tired.

You looked up at him, he smiled and said hello just like Tigris advised. The smile you returned seemed forced, and you ignored that he had spoken.

It upset him, but not as much as when you got up and walked out. It was the last straw. Coriolanus was following you into the hall before he could think better of it.

He caught up to you, dropping his hand to your shoulder to make you turn around and face him. When you did, you looked surprised. That wasn’t what made Coriolanus hesitate, but the realization that he had never been this close to you before. Not even sitting across from you compared to touching you.

His heart skipped a beat.

“What do you want?” you questioned, a level of annoyance he thought to be unearned in your voice.

His heart started again.

“Have I done something to you?” Coriolanus confronted you, feeling a familiar sense of agitation creep over him. He had to know. “To make you feel such distaste for me?”

“I don’t dislike you, Coriolanus,” you replied, calmly after recovering from your initial shock. “I’m just… indifferent to you.”

The answer confused him more than it did enrage him. He smothered the latter feeling as he observed you.

“You’re… indifferent,” he stated, not asking. His feet shifted beneath him. It hurt, for some reason. “Why?”

Your eyes narrowed ever so slightly, studying him. It was the same way you’d look at your books when you were struggling with a subject, lingering behind in class or the library until a triumphant smile crossed your face.

Only, that smile never came. Your expression just faded back to normal.

“You shouldn’t put so much weight on what other people think of you,” you advised, stepping closer to him. His breath caught in his chest. You smelled sweet, like flowers. “Especially not someone you don’t even know.”

It was then, he realized, you hadn’t moved closer to him with purpose. You’d been on your way moving past him. His eyes focused on your back as you walked away, figuring out what to say.

“I’d like to know you,” he announced earnestly, verbally trying to pull you back. “If you’d only give me a chance.”

You slowed to a stop, looking over your shoulder. Coriolanus felt as if he was on display as your eyes raked over him, determining for yourself his sincerity.

“You’re friends with Sejanus, aren’t you?” you wondered. It wasn’t what he expected, but Coriolanus nodded. You sighed, which irked him to think it was pity. “If you’d like to join us for lunch I wouldn’t be against that.”

“I’ll see you then,” he said, but you were already turning away. He kept to himself that he had already tried in the past.

His friend was nice. Too nice for his own good, truthfully. It wasn’t as if Sejanus completely abandoned him the moment he befriended you. It was more like he split his time, attending to both friendships. The only thing Coriolanus held against him was that he never tried to reintroduce the two of you. Maybe even put in a good word.

At lunch Coriolanus found you and Sejanus quickly, he knew where you liked to sit.

“Hey, Coryo,” Sejanus greeted, smiling. “About time you decided to join us.”

Coriolanus put on a smile as he sat down. “Well, I would’ve sooner, but I wasn’t sure I was welcome before.”

The comment made you smirk, in on the joke as Coriolanus looked at you.

“Who’s to say you are now?” you sarcastically replied, as if you hadn’t been the one to invite him.

Well, “invite” was being generous, but he still seized the opportunity nonetheless.

“Ignore her, she can’t help herself,” Sejanus said with a chuckle, used to your humor.

This time, when he tried to talk to you, you engaged. In between discussions of classes and assignments, Coriolanus had to dodge your quick wit.

He liked the challenge, and the next day, he went back for more. Even walked right past Clemanisa and Arachne, who tried to invite him to their table with Festus. You were waiting for him.

He noticed you and Sejanus already talking.

When he sat across from you, you raised your brows. “Seeking refuge?”

Before he could ask what you meant, you nodded your head towards the girls he’d left behind.

You knew about his friends?

“You could call it that,” he replied, a smile starting to appear.

You nodded and hummed.

“Well, what are your qualifications?”

“Excuse me?”

“You joke too much, Y/N,” Sejanus lightly scolded you, interrupting whatever path you were going down, which made you laugh. “He’s going to think you don’t like him.”

“He knows I don’t mean anything by it,” you assured, looking at Coriolanus. “I’m just trying to figure him out.”

Your tone was filled with confidence, but your face… Coriolanus wasn’t sure how to place your underlying expression. You had a shield up, he knew that much, but what did that have to do with him? Were you trying to figure out if you could let it down for him? Or something else?

“Of course,” Coriolanus answered, not taking his eyes off of you. “I’m an open book.”

“Are you, now?” You folded your arms on the table. “Your friends love to gossip, and I don’t think I’ve heard that about you.”

“It’s not my fault if they don’t know how to read,” Coriolanus quipped, proud of himself for being so quick.

None of his friends had wronged him, but the joke at their expense was worth it for what followed after.

He made you laugh. Not just smile, but truly laugh. It was exactly what he wanted, and it actually worked. Awe didn't begin to describe how it felt.

Joining your table for lunch became the best part of his day. Sometimes he forgot Sejanus was even there, far too eager to see you. He saw you all the time, of course. Watching you was a habit he had yet to break, but this was different. You were aware of his presence, and he was able to speak to you. It didn’t matter that you still seemed weary, it was enough.

Even if you didn’t like him, you still had conversations with him, so that was something.

Sometimes, if you were deep in a discussion, debating ethics—your favorite topic—it would continue beyond just the table. He’d walk you to class, wanting to hear your voice just a second longer.

“I want to meet this girl,” His grandmother declared one night, after Coriolanus drifted to the topic of you over dinner. He’d been doing it more recently.

Tigris gave him a look, a light frown. There was no way to do that without you coming to his home, and he wasn’t going to let that happen.

“Let Coryo decide that, Grandma‘am,” Tigris insisted, patting the older woman’s shoulder.

“Well, he has feelings for Y/N,” she argued, looking at Coriolanus. He used your name enough that she remembered it. “And she likes him too—doesn’t she?”

Coriolanus gave a tight smile. “Yes, she does.”

Keeping up appearances.

“Well, that settles it, then,” Grandma‘am decided.

“I think it’s time you get to bed,” Tigris intervened, getting their grandmother up from her chair.

Later, when they were alone, Tigris asked him, “Does she even know how you feel about her?” She knew him too well. He took too long to answer. “You should tell her. From what you’ve told us, you two should be together. But it won’t happen unless you make it known how you feel.”

Coriolanus’s dreams were filled with you, as they usually were, but something was different the morning he woke up after the conversation with Tigris.

All he had to do was prove himself to you, and he knew that now.

Coriolanus found you in the library a lot, often pretending to stumble upon you. This time, he didn’t put on a facade.

“I thought I’d find you here,” he acknowledged, sitting down beside you. Often he’d sit across, but he was testing the waters. Seeing if you were put off by the proximity. “Studying for Featherly’s class?”

“I’m terrified for his test,” you confided, rubbing your temples as you hunched down at your book. “I feel like my mind has no room for anything else. I’ve memorized nothing.”

With a sigh, you sat up and pushed the book away.

“I can help you,” Coriolanus insisted, reaching for the book. He read over the page you were on, knowing he’d already perfected the subject. “You should’ve asked for me sooner.”

Maybe it was a little spiteful, but he hadn’t purposely meant it to come out that way. You still noticed it, taking your book back.

“I’m not asking for your help now, Coriolanus,” you muttered, looking at him out of the corner of your eye.

You were the last of his friends to still call him that. Most everyone else called him ‘Coryo’. Not you. But you were stubborn in many ways. This too, apparently.

“I didn’t mean anything against you,” he said lightly, even chuckling a little. It was forced, but he wanted to show he wasn’t being that serious.

Using your own words on you did not have the desired effect.

“Mmmhmmm,” you hummed.

Coriolanus tilted his head down, trying to get you to meet his gaze. You gave in, facing him, looking unamused.

He wanted to wipe that look away, but didn’t know how. If he could just make you like him—

Suddenly, your watch began to beep.

“Test time,” you grumbled, taking back your book and getting up.

Coriolanus followed you down the hall and into class. The tests were already on the desks, waiting. You two were early—he noticed that because of the clock on the wall.

He walked you to your seat and wished you good luck. To his surprise, you offered the same in return. Then, he went to his own. Other students filed in quickly after, professor Featherly being the last to enter the room.

The professor declared, “Begin,” then sat at his desk in the middle of the room and began to read.

The test wasn’t easy, but Coriolanus knew what he was doing. One look around the classroom and he saw that wasn’t the case for most other students. He felt a sense of pride, until his gaze landed on you. You were one row down and four seats to the left. He’d counted before. You were fiddling with your pencil, struggling to come up with what to write down.

While he could’ve been the first to finish, Coriolanus let other students turn their tests in before him. An hour passed by, but it moved quickly.

There were only a few students left when you finally got up. You radiated an anxious energy, much like the others, but Coriolanus didn’t care about the others.

Clemensia stuck her hand up in the air, waiting for the professor to notice her, distracting Coriolanus briefly. When the professor looked up and noticed her, Clemansia got her wish.

Coriolanus considered himself lucky, convincing himself with his own mantra frequently. As he watched you leave your test on Featherly’s desk and rush from the room, he realized how he could help you.

He quickly marked down the rest of his answers, having stalled so he could leave when you did. The professor was making his way away from the desk, while Coriolanus got up and went in the opposite direction.

With a swift, hard kick to the leg, the professor's desk wobbled and papers spilled off on the other side. It looked like an accident.

Featherly looked over his shoulder at the noise.

“Sorry,” Coriolanus apologized, kneeling down behind the desk to collect the papers.

Without anyone watching, he found your test. He had no time to change the written questions, but he made quick work of erasing and re-doing the multiple choice, with his own test and knowledge as reference.

He had to give you credit for getting a decent amount correct, but not enough for a passing grade.

When Coriolanus fixed that, he stacked together the papers and placed them back on the desk and exited.

Everyone was waiting in the hall. Against tradition, the professor graded tests directly after and would call students in to give the results. It was time consuming, and kept everyone on campus after hours, which was against the rules, but perhaps he’d gotten some kind of exception.

You were leaning against the wall opposite of the classroom, talking to some girl from the class—Coriolanus didn’t bother to learn her name. He wanted to go to you, but Sejanus got to him first instead.

“How do you think you did?”

Coriolanus shrugged, looking down at his friend. “Fine, I think.” That was the humble answer, right? “How about you?”

“Not perfect, but I passed.”

Clemensia trotted out then, a confident look on her face.

“What was so important you had to ask during the test?” Coriolanus couldn’t help but wonder. She’d unknowingly helped him, after all.

“Just clarity on a question, wanted to make sure I got it right,” she answered with ease.

“And did you?”

She gave Sejanus a look.

“Yes, of course.”

The last person exited the class, and professor Featherly closed the door. And so the grading began.

One by one, the professor called people in. There was no method to the order, it seemed likely he shuffled the papers or chose which one to grade next at random.

Time passed, Coriolanus didn’t know how much exactly, but it was beginning to get dark outside. Tigris would be worried until he got home, but she’d understand. His studies came first.

Eventually, Coriolanus realized it was dwindling down to be just you and him left. He was lucky today.

The third to last student was in the classroom, leaving you across the hall from one another.

You pressed your lips together before speaking.

“Do you think you did alright?”

The corner of Coriolanus’s lip twitched up at the sound of your voice.

“Yes, I think so,” he answered humbly. “What about you?”

You let out a self deprecating laugh. “When I said I was terrified, I wasn’t being dramatic.” You sighed, accepting your fate. “I’ll have to do perfect on the next one, I guess.”

“I can help you with that,” Coriolanus offered.

The smile he gave you spawned a mirror reaction. He knew he was charming, he had to be, and this time you actually seemed receptive to it.

“Maybe you can.”

The sound of a door opening made Coriolanus turn. Arachne was leaving, a smug look on her face as she thanked the professor.

Then the door closed, and the professor graded another test. There were only two left.

“I wish he wouldn’t do it like this,” you filled the silence. “The others don’t make us wait like this.”

“It builds suspense, I suppose,” Coriolanus mused. “Keeps us on our toes.”

“That’s not something I need right now.”

“At least you have good company,” he noted flirtatiously. He couldn’t help but grin at his own words, especially when you bite your lip to keep yourself from smiling.

“Could be worse, I supposed,” you retorted.

More time passed. The door opened again.

“Coriolanus Snow,” the professor addressed him next. “Your turn.”

As expected, Coriolanus did close to perfect. One answer off. Best in the class.

Back in the hallway, when he was done, Coriolanus waited with you. He didn’t announce he was staying, he just returned to his spot against the wall.

“Don’t keep a girl waiting. How did you do?” you asked, departing from the wall.

Coriolanus wondered where you were going, but then, you stood next to him, leaning back against the wall. There was still an arms length between the two of you, but it was something. You’d gone to him for once.

“You’ll think I’m full of myself if I tell you,” he teased lightly, which made you roll your eyes.

“Maybe I already think that, so just tell me,” you insisted.

The comment made him falter.

“Best in the class,” he divulged.

You almost looked impressed. “Good for you.”

The door opened.

“Y/N L/N, you’re up.”

“Wish me luck,” you said under your breath before following Featherly in.

“Good luck.”

Coriolanus waited for you, just like before. He tapped his foot. The professor didn’t actually go over the answers, he just told you the grade. You’d have no way of knowing what he did for you, but he’d be there to share in your excitement when you discovered how well you’d done.

Or, how well he’d done for you.

Not long later, you and the professor exited the class together.

“Wasn’t expecting you to still be here,” Featherly addressed Coriolanus. “You should get going. I’ll see you in class tomorrow.”

Then, he left you and Coriolanus alone in the hall, presumably leaving the building.

“So,” Coriolanus began with a smile. “How did you do?”

“He asked if I’d been studying with you. Apparently we had all the same answers,” you told him, crossing your arms. “Except when I asked him to show me my exam—which I did great on, apparently—I saw answers circled that weren’t mine.”

Coriolanus hadn’t expected you to find out so quickly, but a part of him was relieved you did. It meant he got to take credit, and he could show you that he really did want the best for you.

Or, he could always lie.

“You weren scared of failing,” he finally admitted. He offered a sympathetic smile. “So I helped.”

“No, you cheated!” you accused, causing his eyes to go wide. “You’ve implicated us both. If anyone finds out…”

“Don’t be so loud,” he hissed out in a whisper, stepping closer to you. The professor could still be in the building. He doubted anyone else would be. “I just wanted to help you, okay? You needed it, so I—“

“You helped, I get it. But I didn’t ask you to do that for me, Coriolanus. I have never asked you to do anything for me,” you sneered, somewhere between offended and betrayed.

He saw the way you scanned his face—his eyes. The pleading was beginning to seep through.

A wave of realization washed over you before he even opened his mouth.

“You didn’t have to ask me to,” Coriolanus said meaningfully, stepping closer to you. “I wanted to. I wanted to help you.”

You back hit the wall. The hallway was so empty it seemed as if the subtle sound still echoed.

“I’d do anything for you, don’t you get that?”

The sound of a large door closing carried from a distance.

Coriolanus reached for your face, wishing he could take away the concern that riddled your expression. Instead, he brushed a stray piece of hair from your face.

You swallowed. Why did you look so nervous around him? You were friends now, weren’t you? You never looked scared around anyone else. Why him? Why now? His own questions frustrated him.

“We’re not supposed to be on campus after hours,” you said calmly. It was the same tone you used when you first described your indifference to him. Coriolanus thought about that moment a lot. “Featherly already left. We should leave before we get caught.”

The corners of his lips twitched down.

“We’re still talking, though, aren’t we?”

You let out a shallow breath. You had no reason to look as scared as you did.

“I think we’re done.”

Coriolanus thought back to his cousin’s advice. He could’ve followed it better if she’d written it down, perchance.

“You’re so beautiful, you know that?” Coriolanus pondered, smiling to himself at the sight of you. “You caught my eye from the beginning and I—I couldn’t figure out why you wanted nothing to do with me.” You watched him carefully. He wondered if you could sense the dejectedness brewing. “Did you see something in me? Is that it?”

“I don’t know,” you admitted under your breath. “People like you, and you’ve been making an effort to be my friend, so I don’t know what told me to stay away from you, but something did. I’ve tried to ignore it, but I still…” you swallowed. “I don’t know.”

The confession should’ve been a relief. That’s what he imagined it would be. That you would admit the truth, and he could fix whatever misconceptions you had.

Coriolanus did not know what to do with “I don’t know”.

Staring down at you, Coriolanus noticed your back was against the wall. Literally. He hadn’t meant to put you there, but he had.

It got you to listen, didn’t it? He’d gotten an answer?

“Can we start over?” Coriolanus suggested, even throwing in a smile that would charm most anyone. It worked on you before. “We can forget all this mess.”

You blinked. You didn’t believe him.

For most people, he wouldn’t simply let numerous slights go, but for you, if it would fix whatever this was, if it meant the two of you could have a real chance, then he’d overcome his instincts—old and new.

“I’m afraid my memory is too good for that,” you finally said, looking up at him with defiance.

Defying what, was the question. It wasn’t as if you were enemies.

The thought made his jaw clench. He let out a laugh that was sharp. It lacked any sense of humor.

“Why can’t you just accept my apology?”

Your brows arched up, questioning him.

“That was supposed to be an apology?”

“Yes,” he confirmed. “But it’s not as if I owe you one.”

“I never said you did. I never said anything. You took it upon yourself to insert yourself into my life and now you are not happy with your place in it. You’ve overstepped, and you need to let me leave.”

Coriolanus frowned.

“You act like I’m keeping you here by force.”

You look up at him, silently telling him you believed he was.

That frustrated him further.

In an act that jarred even him, Coriolanus pressed his palms against your shoulders and pushed you back against the wall when you tried to move away.

“This is force,” he declared sternly, leaning down, making you maintain his gaze.

Everyone liked control, but he hadn’t used it in such a physical way before. It thrilled him in an odd way.

“Get your hands off me.”

“Why should I? You already think so poorly of me, why not let you be right?”

You moved again then, trying to catch him off guard and squirm away. But Coriolanus was quick to shove you back against the wall.

“We can still start over. If you would give me a chance, I think we can be good together.”

He let one hand rise to rest on your cheek. Your skin was so smooth. He inhaled deeply, resolve slipping further as his eyes fell to your lips.

If Coriolanus could just prove it to you, he was sure you’d understand what he meant.

He leaned in cautiously, gauging your reaction. You didn’t flinch away. You tilted your chin up, even. That familiar skip of his heart returned.

Coriolanus’s lips only just brushed against yours before you reacted. He had a second of relief before you brought your knee up, jabbing him in the lower stomach, although he doubted that was where you were aiming. It was still enough of a shock to throw him off his game. He stumbled back, and in a flash, you were gone. You were running down the hall—trying to get away from him, like usual.

Only this time, he didn’t feel like letting you go.

Something he had slowly come to learn was when he wanted something, it wasn’t just going to be handed to him. Vying for the Plinth Prize highlighted that, alongside his childhood.

He caught you easily, hand snapping out like a snake to grip your arm and yank you back to him. You collided with his chest. It was like you weren’t even trying. Not really. Just toying with him.

“Am I a game to you?” Coriolanus hissed into your ear, wrapping you in his arms. “Something for you to play?”

“I haven’t done anything to you! I hardly even know you!” you defended, but it just made him hold you tighter.

“I know you,” he implored, fighting against your squirming. He lost balance and when you fell to the ground, you took him with you. Coriolanus got you onto your back, sitting on your thighs, gripping your wrists in his hands to keep you from swinging at him. You let out panicked breaths, staring up at him. “I know more than you think.”

Something about the position made the front of his pants begin to feel constricting.

“Coriolanus, you’re frightening me,” you enunciated, as if trying to reason with him.

“I’m not being unreasonable,” Coriolanus grit out, working to maintain his composure.

“What?” you questioned, brows pinching together, a deep frown on your face. Confused and scared. Coriolanus used to feel that way. “Just let me go.”

“And then what? You go back to ignoring me? No I can’t… I can’t go back to that. If you just give me a chance I can show you.”

Coriolanus didn’t know what happened next.

Tigris told him it was like he left his own head, sometimes. She said he’d get so caught up, he wouldn’t notice things. At the time he had laughed. If anyone stayed aware, it was him.

It wasn’t that he left his head, but got lost in it. Lost in his own inner monologue to realize what he was doing.

In this case, what he’d done.

Far too busy thinking of ways to convey everything he wanted to say to you, how to make you understand, visualizing your reaction, he’d already acted.

Maybe there were two people living in his mind. One with a conscience, one without. Or perhaps that was just something he used to justify his less than decent actions. An excuse. He’d never let himself know the truth. Not really. Not yet.

What he did know was what he could see. You, beneath him, clothes torn from your body. The only thing left was a shirt. Too much effort, apparently. Your wrists were snatched together in one of his hands.

The power stirred something within him.

One might say he was out of excuses when he reached for the zipper of his pants, but no one else was here, were they?

Your mouth was moving. Speaking. Maybe even yelling. Looking at him, looking around the room. He couldn’t hear a sound but his own heart thumping in his ears paired with his own eager breaths. Was that normal?

He moved, wedging himself between your legs, nudging them apart to make room for himself.

“It’s just us,” Coriolanus spoke, loud enough to hear himself. You flinched. “No one’s here.”

He gripped himself, stroking his cock, lining himself up with your entrance. His patience was running incredibly thin.

Tears pricked in your eyes. You stopped struggling at his words, accepting it for what it was. Good.

“Why are you doing this?”

He heard your voice clearly, that time, despite the strain in your tone.

Coriolanus observed you carefully, squeezing your wrists together in one hand and lovingly caressing your hip with the other.

He finally understood the answer you’d given before. He found it fitting now.

“I don’t know.”

To him, it was the truth.

The moment Coriolanus pressed himself inside of you, it was as if the rest of the world disappeared. After so long of wanting you in every way, shape, or form, this was long overdue.

“You’re perfect for me,” he breathed out. Coriolanus gave a shove of his hips, his gaze falling to your mouth as an unwilling yelp slipped out. “I knew you would be.”

You were tight, too tight, even. Unwelcoming. Yet still, you felt like home.

His hand—the one that was on your hip—drifted between your legs. He found your clit, running his thumb in small circles, trying to ease the pressure you must’ve been feeling.

Coriolanus did not want to hurt you.

He looked into unfocused eyes. Where were you? Were you trying to be somewhere else?

He let your hands go. You didn’t move to slap him or shove him or anything. You were learning.

He leaned over you more, reaching for you face with his now free hand, and ran his thumb over your cheek, encouraging your gaze to actually meet his. He smiled softly when you did. You got more beautiful every second he looked at you. It was even better when he could see you were present.

Coriolanus found himself unable to resist it, so he gave into the urge to press his lips to yours. A real kiss, this time.

Your lips were softer than he’d imagined. You made a noise when his tongue tasted your mouth. His kiss was hungry—aggressive, even. But he’d waited so long he didn’t know how to contain himself.

Your body reacted to his touch. Your bent knees inched up his hips to accommodate him, and your walls were becoming slick, accepting the invasion.

A deep moan escaped him, cock throbbing inside you at the feel. The sound was muffled by his lips pressed to yours, but he still felt vulnerable, giving himself to you in this way.

Coriolanus pulled back from the kiss, only to rest his forehead against yours and breathe out a small puff of air from his lips.

“I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want you. Not even the Plinth Prize,” he confessed in a whisper.

“What’s the difference?” You finally spoke, voice wavering. “You have to earn the prize?” The accusing tone felt like a slap.

“You don’t know what you’re saying,” Coriolanus muttered, eyes boring into yours. “You’ll see.”

He gave you one more searing kiss before moving his hips.

A gasp that morphed into a moan clawed its way up your throat. The sound was like music to his ears. He wanted to hear it again.

He began to move more consistently, finding a pace that suited him. Rough enough to keep you present, but not so harsh as to hurt you. He wanted you to enjoy yourself, even if you were trying to avoid it.

Still figuring you out, Coriolanus found your sweet spot with a hard thrust, causing you to wince. Instinctively, you tried to push him away, just like you had before, not wanting to surrender.

You stilled when you felt his hand. He hardly realized how he’d reacted until he felt your throat bob beneath his palm.

Coriolanus retracted his hand, like your skin and shot a volt through him. His movements slowed to a stop.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized earnestly, brushing the hand through your hair gently. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

Your chest heaved as you breathed shaky breaths through your nose. Your lips pressed together in a line.

You weren’t going to dignify him with a response. In a way, he understood.

Coriolanus locked his arms under your body and in a surge of strength, pulled you from the ground and into his lap. He hugged you against him, nuzzling his face into your neck.

“Forgive me,” he requested softly.

You shifted in his lap, adjusting yourself to find comfort in the new position. You did not speak.

He slammed his hips up, forcing a gasp from your lips. That was something, wasn’t it?

You pulled back, and he did it again. And again. And again.

You fell against him, jarred by the change in his movements as he thrust into you. He liked it, feeling you in his lap, your chest against his, leaving you no choice but to hold onto him.

His lips latched onto the skin of your neck as he moved, barring his teeth and nipping the skin. You reacted as if he were venomous, straining away from him, but he’d left his mark.

You could pretend all you wanted that you didn’t like him, but Coriolanus could feel your body reacting to his. He could feel the way your walls squeezed around him, drawing him in, and how your body quivered as he pushed you closer to your edge.

“Just let go,” Coriolanus whispered, holding you tighter. He cradled the back of your head against him as he moved inside of you. Soothing and rough at the same time. “It’s okay, I know you want to.”

“Shut up,” you hissed into his neck, hands finding his chest.

Were you really going to try and get away from him? It was a bit late for that.

Coriolanus moved his hand between your bodies, finding your clit with the pad of his thumb, speeding along the process.

“What was that?” he taunted, feeling your legs start to shake.

A moan tore from your throat as you came around him, body slumping against his as he shoved himself deeper inside you. He wanted to feel your body tensed around him.

“That’s it,” he drawled, pressing his face to the side of your head. He inhaled, letting your scent flood him. Every sense was overwhelmed by you and if anything, it made him hunger for even more.

You became more pliable in your daze, going easily when Coriolanus laid you back down on the cold ground. He planted one hand on the ground near your head, where he held most of his weight, while the other rested on the base of your neck. Not squeezing, just resting. Reminding you of before.

Now that he’d taken care of you, made you realize the pleasure he could inflict upon you, it was his turn. Coriolanus was relentless with the thrust of his cock inside you, stretching you around him, groaning with nearly every movement. You felt so good, he never wanted to leave the warmth of your body.

You shifted beneath him, squirming as the intense feeling. Coriolanus was tempted to drag it out, to watch your face as the pleasure became too much for you to handle.

If it wasn’t for the desire to fill you, to claim you, he would’ve. There would be more times after this, he’d ensure it. He didn’t own a lot, but he treasured the things that he did.

“I can’t let you go, not now.” He meant to keep it inside his head, but the words spilled out. “You’re the only thing I want.”

At that moment, it was true.

Coriolanus gave one final shove of his hips before spilling inside of you. It crashed over him in an unexpected wave. His whole body shivered with pleasure at the feel of your body milking him. You wanted him. Your denial would eventually fade. He was sure of it.

Coriolanus let out a heavy sigh of your name as he watched your face. You’d turned your head, wincing as he filled you to the brim.

“Hey,” Coriolanus said when he finished, voice low. He ran a delicate hand over your face, persuading you to open your eyes. “We’re okay.”

As much as he didn’t want to, Coriolanus withdrew from you. You’d given up fighting against him, so he took the opportunity to help you redress. You were so pliant, it was like dressing a doll.

You rested your arms on your knees when he made you sit up. He wasn’t keeping you from moving from the floor, you chose not to.

Coriolanus watched you cautiously, searching for the same fire in you before, trying to figure out if he’d somehow snuffed it out.

There was a nagging in his gut. It was only for a brief second, but his confidence wavered.

“Can you talk to me?” he pressed, laying a hand on your shoulder and he knelt across from you, pants readjusted.

It was as if nothing happened, but you both knew that was untrue.

“Why should I?” You wrinkled your nose as you focused on the ground.

“Because, I care about you,” Coriolanus replied without thought, gaze softening. “I want to make sure you’re okay.”

“I don’t think you care for me,” you said in a tone so hushed, Coriolanus wasn’t sure if you even meant for him to hear. Then, you met his eyes. The fire had only been dulled, not put out. “I think you’re a liar, Coriolanus Snow.”

His hands fell to clasp yours. He brought one to his lips, pressing a small kiss to the back of your palm. You eyed him as if he were some sort of predator, but he managed a smile nonetheless.

“Let me prove it to you, and you’ll come to learn you’ve been wrong about me all along.”

[blackkatdraws2]

I'm involved in a Stanley Reblog Chain and put effort into these drawings so I'll post them here too.

[The other characters belong to insomniphic / beartitled / and marionette-j2x]

[Just me rambling underneath!] ↓

Tumblr has a tag limit and it grates my nerves to no end to know that I can't ramble as much as I'd like to...

Stanley and the bad bitch he pulled by being a loser. Imagine having a hot babe deform reality just to be together with you because he sensed you were feeling lonely without him. [WHEN IS IT MY TURN?!]

It's funny because with the general vibe of their AU, it would make sense for him to show up in the most flashy but also unnerving way possible. The Narrator's [Black's] arrival has to grab people's eyes since attention and views are what he's all about.

I wasn't sure what type of characterization they had so I just played it safe and [tried to] draw how my characters would respond instead of blindly guessing how the others would talk or act around each other. [My Stanley is antisocial and an anxiety-ridden freak.]

Also, I've been wondering what their height differences actually were when I saw my Stanley have to look up at Marionette's Narrator [since this guy is pretty damn tall] so I did a bit of digging and this was what I found.

I had a lot of fun making this by the way. It's been a while since I've participated in any Reblog Chains that involved character interactions and making comics, so it's a real throwback to when I first started posting TSP art in 2023.

Stanley here is an absolute social shutoff teehee, but he does talk back when talked to. His responses usually leave no openings to continue the conversation though. He's the type of guy to stay on the corner and watch everyone else.

As for the Narrator [Black] he's a bit strange. He's proper in public, but he doesn't think the other people are special [or not as special as he is at least]. He just doesn't care to be honest, he keeps to himself [along with Stanley] and that's it. It's a miracle for Stanley to have even pulled somebody like Black considering their personalities are the type to clash with one another. [They love each other though, genuinely. Despite how deranged they can be towards each other sometimes, that development took a long time to be nurtured into something healthier for those two.]

Also, 4th wall breaking in action!!!!!!!!!!!

Black didn't want to interrupt this comic since it was made for Stanley but after the other three came in he lost reservations and came in as well.

These two would probably just stay in their own spot [somewhere quiet and more alone]. This place is a bit too crowded for their liking. But I would be very happy to jump on any opportunity to make my guys interact with the others!!!!! Don't be afraid to throw a bone [prompt] for me to bite on, okay?

[Oh no, I just realized Black looks like he has boobs on the last picture. He DOES NOT have boobs!! Sorry man boob enjoyers, it's the lighting that made it look that way wuwuwu...]

[Copy and Pasting the tags of my other post because I am NOT re-writing all of this...]

[kingsandbastardz]

So I may have become a little obsessed lately with comparing the stuff that made it into the drama vs what was cut - a lot of things in dramas get censored out but sometimes they will still get released or leaked either via promo materials or fan photography.

The footage above is a reuters of the scene where DFS confronts LLH immediately after being cleared of Asura grass and llh tries to run off. Below are images of the expressions that do make it into the drama which are fascinatingly... different? And far less animated. These expressions are what you get because they chose to have CY be far more frozen appearing vs what was in the reuters, where he's still able to move his head a bit. I just particularly like this clip because it's one of the only examples I've seen behind the scenes of the 'over affectionate eyes' that I heard the director kept telling them to dial back on. Also just where are you looking, llh?

Below is promo photo from Xiao Shunyao Studios' weibo that is also seen used by iQiyi. It's DSF tortured and in the hot bath and he's talking to LLH.

This expression....

This loving expression does not make it into the drama at all. LMAO

I can't even guess where it would fit into it with the lines we're given -- was dialog cut? I have no idea. The closest is his sort of mixed-emotion, exhausted expression he has when saying "You're saving me unconditionally" but the vibe there is not the same as the one above.

And this last bit with the snow and rose petals during one of the bts videos - Cheng Yi narrates, saying something about how A'Fei "is also good at setting a romantic atmosphere!"

Except this is the deleted footage of DFS searching for LLH during the 3 months of the special episode. Reportedly not included due to his eyes/gaze being, again, too... something.

As if the snow wasn't romantic enough (Something something that old saying about white snow representing growing old together with your loved one), there's also pink rose petals. Both would be a lot already when taken individually - but they have BOTH flying across the screen. While the bereaved widow dfs wanders the street mournfully in search.

(Now I have to see if there are similar things happening with other characters as I rewatch lmao)

[joshusten]

honeysuckle (guy/honey, redacted audios)

Guy is having not-so-wholesome thoughts about his recently turned roommate-to-lover.

NSFW CONTENT!! (minors dni pls!)

(suggestive, making out, dirty thoughts, implied sexual content at the end)

3.2k+ words [ao3 link] [masterlist]

[cw/notes: idk man guy is horny and theres a lot of horny stuff but it's not SUPER explicit (i think) and plsplsss im asking for feedback bc this is the first time writing something this suggestive hope u enjoy!! OH also as always theres probably grammatical errors and guy might be OOC]

A HUGEEE thank you to the wonderful @slushiepizza for all the amazing suggestions and support throughout writing this fic!! this rlly would not be finished without ur help thank you for ur service in providing quality guy/honey content SHAKING U RN ILY!!!

Guy is a daydreamer.

Ask anyone who knows him, from his grade school teachers to his apartment neighbors, and they can attest that Guy never seems to run out of topics to talk about. Never a dull moment, much less a dull idea to mull over when he’s around.

In fact, his imagination is something he prides himself in. After all, as an aspiring writer, it’s what gives the very soul of all of the stories he wants to share with the world—whether it’s the exciting plot of a potential novel he has been writing (and rewriting) all night throughout the week or an epic fantasy he was able to make up on the top of his head and narrate to the kids by the playground of the middle-school he makes deliveries to.

Guy is a daydreamer. 

And it might be the very trait that would be the root of his current predicament.

Slow hands, languid movements

“Does this feel good, Honey?”

Heavy breaths, sharp gasps

“You can get r-rougher, babe. I can take it…”

Warm bodies, warmer lips

“M-mhm, Guy…”

Fuck. Their lips…

“Guy?”

Fuck.

“Guy!”

Fuck.

“Hello? Earth to Guy? You with us, buddy?”

Shit. Fuck. Fucking shit.

“Wh-wha-what? H-hi! Yeah, of course I am. I am here. On the earth. Present. With you guys,” Guy cleared his throat awkwardly after seeing the unconvinced, deadpan looks on his co-workers' faces. Rosa specifically had her brow raised in suspicion to which Guy responded with a nervous smile. “Uh, what’s up?”

“What’s up,” The woman repeated, “Is your constant staring into space! You almost burned the dough if it weren’t for me keeping an eye on you! I’m used to your head in another world but you’ve barely said a word for the past few hours!” The others nodded in agreement. 

Rosa's hard eyes softened, “Is everything okay with you? Something botherin’ you or what?”

Right. Dough. Pizza. He’s making pizza. He’s kneading dough. The flour clinging to his hands suddenly felt heavier, the scent of basil overwhelmed his nose and the chattering of the customers increased in volume but that meant that everything was starting to make sense. He took in his surroundings, which were quickly clearing up for him, to finally decipher that he was still in Max’s, in the kitchen and it was still his shift.

Definitely not with his recent roommate-to-lover and definitely not in their dimmed bedroom, straddling them on their bed with a delightfully sinful expression painted on their face as his shaky hands slowly creep up between their—

Oh my god.

The very thought of them already leaves Guy's legs feeling like jelly. These daydreams had been a problem for him for quite some time. It wasn't like it was a crime to get all hot and bothered over his partner! Yet, lately, an unexplainable sense of shame builds inside him whenever his mind wanders to more…impure scenarios with them. 

Because despite what anyone might think of him and how he jokes about it, he's a little scared of being intimate with someone—no—with Honey.

Oh fuck, someone asked him a question.

“Uh, yeah, I’m fine. Just a lil’ tired, I guess.”

And he isn’t lying, really. The fatigue of making pizzas and serving tables was no joke and, with all the very interesting fantasies occupying his mind, his shift slightly just got more difficult to get through than what he was used to. (Thank god he's not on delivery duty right now. He's self-aware enough to know he would get into an accident with his current situation)

His co-workers still looked suspicious but accepted his answer nonetheless, hurriedly going back to their tasks to avoid the wrath of their manager. The man let out a sigh of relief as he resumed his own tasks for the day.

As his grueling shift came closer to an end, he was more than ready to take the apron off and get the absolute fuck out of that kitchen.

—

Guy might actually be the first person in all of Dahlia to dread coming home to an apartment that he shared alongside his (literal!) dream partner who was waiting for him after a long, tiring day at work.

Honey, who was all bundled up in a blanket on the couch, paused the show playing on the T.V. to face their boyfriend and properly greet him, “Hey, welcome home. How’s work?”

“It was shit. Did you eat already?”

He saw them already heading their way to their small kitchen, reaching for something in the refrigerator. “Yeah, I left some for you in the fridge. We can heat it up if you want?”

“Nah, it’s okay. I ate back at the restaurant. What are you watchin’?” But before he could get a reply, Guy’s body stiffened when he felt a light shock from where Honey had suddenly touched his upper arm. 

Light touches.

Heavy panting.

Hot air.

“Oh, f-fuck, Guy. Do that again, hon. Please. Don’t stop, don’t—”

“ —think I didn’t hear you, mister! What do you mean your day was shit?” If Honey had noticed their boyfriend flinching at the mere tap on his shoulder, they didn’t comment on it. 

“U-uhm,” He coughed and shrugged lamely to hide his reaction. “Just the usual stuff.” The man put down all his stuff on the nearby coffee table. “C-can I just lay on your chest for a while? If it’s okay with you.”

Despite Honey’s aloofness, they can recognize when their partner is truly in need (And who could say no when their boyfriend’s usual chaotic self sounds so adorable being shy?) The gentleness in their gaze was enough to calm Guy’s frazzled mind, even just for a bit, before sitting on the sofa and patting on the empty spot beside them, albeit looking quite unsure on how to comfort him.

“C’mere. Do…do you wanna talk about it?"

Guy simply shakes his head before letting himself crash onto the couch and into his beloved's (with the second "e" pronounced!) welcoming arms—or, at least, what welcoming might look on Honey. He can feel the rigidness of their posture, remembering how awkward they can be with physical touch, yet here they are, going out of their comfort zone just to make sure he feels better. 

It makes him guiltier to know why he was acting like this in the first place.

“Can you…talk about your day instead, Honey?” 

They rolled their eyes with a fond smile, “Fine, but don’t think I’m letting go of it that easily, m’kay?” 

As Honey recounts the events of their day (which honestly isn't much), their stiff demeanor eventually relaxed to the point where they were more comfortable with absentmindedly giving affection, unaware that they’d been playing with Guy's hair for the past few minutes. The gentle massages on his scalp were a much-needed distraction for his mind.

That is until he felt a sharp tug from Honey in an attempt to untangle their fingers between his messy locks.

Fistfuls of hair.

Skin on skin.

Arched backs.

"Fuck, keep doin’ that, Honey. Oh–” 

“—shit! Sorry about that. Did I pull too hard?” Honey was already moving their fingers away from his head before Guy quickly (a little too quickly) halted the movement. Guy guided Honey’s hand back to its original place on his head, squeezing ever so slightly.

“No! It's okay, Honey. Just…keep it there.”

Honey gives him a knowing smirk, “You are acting so weird, you know that?”

“Just indulge in a poor man’s wishes, will you?” Guy dramatically lamented, really wanting to avoid the conversation and go back to relaxing and getting some rest. 

“Whatever you say, man,” They replied, resuming from where they left off with their story. 

As much as Guy would love to listen, his focus started wandering elsewhere as his mind drifted to sleep. 

The ticks of the clock, the scent of Honey’s body wash, the number of their eyelashes.

The texture of Honey's soft blanket.

Messy sheets.

Desperate thrusts.

Sweat dripping.

"Oh god, G-Guy, I think–I think I'm g-gonna–"

"--come?"

"H-huh?" Guy hadn't realized how hard he was gripping the throw pillow on his lap. At this point, he’s going to expose himself one way or another if he keeps being out of it. He tried his best to compose himself, hiding his distress behind a laugh. "S-sorry, Honey. Could you repeat that?"

Honey did a face, softly chuckling for a bit, before repeating their question. "I said; 'I'm gonna go buy a gift for Ollie’s birthday tomorrow morning, do you wanna come? It’s your day off tomorrow, right?”

“Uh, y-yeah. Of course. I’d love to, Honey!”

Honey stared for what felt like forever before making a face again, this time, looking like they had just been enlightened by something and letting out a snort that was so adorable, Guy almost forgot why he was avoiding their gaze.

"Pfft– Guy, you—" Honey said through their stifled giggles (that was a tell-tale sign of the belly laughs they only share with him and no one else). They never got to finish the sentence, trying but, ultimately interrupting themselves with their own laughter.

He smiled, happy to see them show this much emotion towards him when to others they tend to be more closed off (albeit, a little confused about what caused it so suddenly). “I'm what, Honey? Hey! I'm what? Do I have something on my face?”

“You’re—pfft!” 

Familiar playful slaps targeted his thighs with a faint sting he’s too far used to. He notices that their smile had their teeth showing, too busy laughing to cover it with their hand like they often do. 

Guy’s crumbling.

He knew his desires were seeping through the cracks and it took all of his willpower to resist tackling them then and there—to feel every inch of their body and give them every last bit of pleasure they rightfully deserved. But he can't. He shouldn't.

So, he opts for a kiss on the cheek instead. 

Something sweet enough to mask how hard his mind was reeling with overly aggressive affection. As he continued with his fleeting, featherlight attacks on Honey's face, his lips felt the smile that their mouth formed (accompanied by an out-of-breath “Guy, that tickles!”) and he found that pulling away was more difficult than he thought.

After a while of innocent pecks and bubbling snorts, Honey raised a hand to wipe a tear from their eye. They were looking directly at him now, eyes soft with their lips slightly parted and panting from laughing too hard.

Lips. Their lips.

“Guy, you good?”

A man can only have so much self-control before he breaks.

The next few moments felt like a blur. A hitched breath, a tightened grip. His lips hungrily meet theirs and the moan he immediately lets out was almost pathetic. But he couldn’t give a damn about anything other than the pleasurable weight grinding down on his crotch. 

They felt so good. Everything felt so fucking good. The spinning in his mind paired with the aching throb of his cock were all too much to handle that he can’t even tell if this was real or if it was the same fantasies that had been torturing him all day.

No. It’s real. It’s all real.

Despite the haze in his surroundings—despite all the noise—the only thing occupying Guy’s thoughts were the whimpers coming out of Honey that were better than anything he could have ever dreamed of. 

“Fuck,” He swore under his breath, the friction against his growing bulge breaking down any sense of sanity he had left. Guy squeezed their thigh a little harsher than intended, making Honey loudly moan out in surprise.

He took the opportunity to slip his tongue into their mouth, lapping up all the sounds he managed to coax out of them. Honey’s hands found their way to his hair, tugging like last time with more intent than before and it dragged out a needy whine from his throat muffled between their lips.

Unfortunately, the breathlessness he was experiencing isn't the same type he feels when he's around Honey and he remembered that humans do, in fact, need oxygen in their system. He pulled away from them for a quick breath, taking pleasure in how they desperately chased his lips with a soft whine, before immediately aiming at their jaw, sucking, licking, and biting skin as it trails down on their neck. 

Honey is quick to respond, their fingers ghosting the hem of his work uniform before sliding them up, keeping his squirming body steady by grabbing his waist with one hand as the other roams to his chest, the shirt riding up with it and they feel his heartbeat speed up against his ribcage.

The sensation leaves Guy lightheaded. He swore he could see stars, especially after their warm palms stroked past a particular spot he didn’t even know he was sensitive to. The action had him writhing under the weight on his lap and Honey’s sudden thrust against his clothed dick brought out a stuttered gasp from him with his hips bucking up involuntarily. 

“Shit, baby,” Honey whispered, the strain in their voice evident as they grind down harder just to hear Guy’s wanton moans one more time. “So fucking needy.”

Hot breaths.

Bare skin.

Intoxicating scents.

This felt like Deja vu.

Guy had seen this before. He dreamt of it so much that it felt like second nature for his body. During nights when his partner hadn’t been home yet and he was feeling oh so, lonely—so desperate. Nights when his imagination had gone truly wild, the same scenario that he had been replaying over and over again. The one where he would have them in a panting mess.

He vividly remembers what goes next. The movement is practiced—etched into his memory. Every bone, every nerve in his system practically has it memorized in its core. 

He pins them on the arm of their sofa, the air is hot and heavy. One final passionate kiss, one final slip of his tongue, one final grind between their legs, and his hands would reach down, down where they needed him the most to—

“A-ah, Guy, w-wait!” 

And just like that, Guy’s mind snaps back to reality. 

“Fuck, I’m so sorry.”

“I-it’s okay.”

“No, no, I’m really sorry. I–” He hurries to back away, pushing off his body and sitting upright with an arm’s distance away from an equally disheveled Honey. Fuck, they looked so pretty with their lips swollen like that. His eyes guiltily avoided the abundance of purple marks he wasn't even aware he left on their neck. Shit, focus!  “I don’t know what came over me. I’m–”

“Guy, it’s okay, I like it!” Honey cuts him off, not allowing their boyfriend to give himself to blame for something that didn’t even need his apologies. “I like it a lot. I was just…worried. Ever since you came home you were acting kind of off and I don’t want you to go through with this when I feel like something’s bothering you.”

Honey reaches out to him with concerned eyes, which should probably be an indicator for Guy of how odd he has been acting as of late. Their fingers find his knuckles, gently tracing circles on them as they patiently wait for his response.

Guy never knew his heart could beat faster, given how…intimate their latest activities were, but here he is, out of breath and falling in love all over again.

“I-I know this is kinda weird and I’m being really weird and everything is weird right now but I…uhm. Well, I guess you were right about me being all bark but no bite after all, eh?” He cringes at the way his voice cracked at the end and clears his throat for the nth time today.

“Okay, what I’m trying to get to is that…I've…been thinking about you…in a not-so-wholesome way for a while now. And I know, I know, this isn't new. I've flirted with you before and you already said you were okay with it, even with the raunchier ones but I'm just…"

Guy nervously looks away to the side, his eyes downcast to avoid Honey's curious stare. "This feels like a whole new thing now that we’re actually together and it really means a lot to me. Us. You're actually one of the best things to ever come into my life and I don't want my lack of…keeping it in my pants…to make you uncomfortable. I’m sorry for not saying anything sooner."

The deafening silence that followed his vulnerable confession might possibly be one of the worst things he ever had to experience. Then, a sudden giggle tore through the tense atmosphere.

Honey was laughing again.

“I-I’m sorry I didn’t mean to laugh but w-was that the thing that’s been bothering you?”

They moved closer to their boyfriend, that's currently sporting a comically betrayed look on his face. “I've noticed your hard-on already, Guy. And don’t worry, I've been…thinking about you like that too for a while now.”

Guy wished nothing more than to get swallowed by the ground beneath him.

“I–What the fu–YOU—!” Guy sputtered, not quite sure if he should feel relieved or embarrassed at the moment but one thing stuck to his thoughts, Honey felt the same.

“Honeeeey! You can't just say that and—I can’t believe you would—! Oh, you have no idea how much I've been through today!”

“I'm sorry!” But their shit-eating grin says otherwise and Guy can't help not to get mad anymore with that face. “Besides, it was kinda cute seeing you all flustered for once. Serves you right, you brat.”

“Oh wow, I’m the brat in this situation? You…torment me and now you degrade me with such scornful slander?” The man places a hand on his chest melodramatically. “I’m heartbroken, Honey…and still hard!”

"Hm…Well, then," Honey's half-lidded gaze directs itself to Guy's lips. The sultry tone of their voice tickles his brain in the best way possible. "Do you want me to—"

Guy lets out a surprised squeak as his back suddenly hits their sofa with a forceful 'thump!' Their hand is placed on the side of his head, fingers twisting around his curls. The other found its way on his thumping chest, carefully sliding downwards at an antagonizing pace.

"—lend you a hand? After all, I must’ve been quite the headache for you, in more ways than one." 

“Oh no,” Guy started, easily maneuvering their positions to have his partner on their back “No, no, no, you’ve been teasing me for far too long, Honey.”

“Let me," He drags his hips across theirs and he revels in the way Honey chokes on their breath. “Handle this. Is that alright with you, baby?” He wishes he could take a picture of this moment. Seeing them writhe under him was a sight he never wanted to forget.

Honey gulps before their lips form a nervously excited grin. Their pupils are blown wide in anticipation. "You better get to work then, Guy." 

Then, they slowly lean towards Guy to whisper their next words to his burning ears, “And don’t worry about being rough, hon. I can take it.”

Guy is a daydreamer.

But no daydream can ever compare to the reality he's going to be experiencing right now.

[depressedhouseplant]

🔞 Just Fucking Write - Day 51 🔞

Prompt: Boy Next Door (Wooyoung x Fem!Reader)

Tags: Narrator is female, oral (f receiving), unprotected sex (don’t do it), multiple orgasms

A/N: Let’s see how thirsty Wommys are

I was just finishing getting ready when I heard a timid knock on the door. My date for the event wasn’t supposed to be here for another ten minutes. A quick peek through the peephole revealed it was my next door neighbor.

“Problem?” I asked. It was the only reason Jung Wooyoung ever showed up at my door. He wasn’t the least bit subtle about checking me out.

“I need help with my sink again, but I guess you’re busy,” he said.

“Yes, I am,” I replied. My phone buzzed on the coffee table.

Hottie from Coffee Place: Something came up. Sorry for the last minute cancel. Will make it up to you.

“You’re joking,” I grumbled at the message.

“What happened?” Wooyoung asked, still standing in the doorway.

“My date canceled on me 10 minutes before we needed to leave,” I waved him in.

“Where were you going?” he asked.

“This thing my parents are hosting. Some kind of charity event for an animal shelter. The oldest daughter has to always be there of course,” my bitterness bled through in spite of myself.

“I can come with you. If you need a date,” he offered.

“Thanks, but I think I might just stay in and claim I got sick,” I sighed.

“How formal? I think my tux is still pressed,” he replied.

“Very funny,” I rolled my eyes.

“No, I actually own a tux. Though given how short your dress is, I’m guessing a nice shirt and pants would suffice,” he took that as another shameless excuse to check me out. I didn’t mind as much the second time.

“How do you know you don’t wear a short dress to a black tie event?” I asked.

“I’m a second son. Of those Jungs,” he chewed his lip a little. “I know all about formal parties and impressing investors and birth order.”

“So that’s why you’re completely incompetent yet refuse to call maintenance when you break something in your apartment?” I smiled a little.

“And I might have a crush on the girl next door who can fix minor plumbing or electrical issues. I promise I’ve never broken anything on purpose,” he smiled back. I considered what he’d said. Neither of my parents would have their phones and if I messaged their assistants it wouldn’t get there in time. I wasn’t in the mood to get bitched out in the morning for not showing.

“Go get changed and I’ll meet you downstairs,”

My parents were shocked when I introduced Wooyoung as my date. Not much impressed them, but apparently the handsome son of the Jung Enterprises empire was one of them - even if he was the second son. Of course, he found out who I was in the process, but given he lived in the same middle class apartment I did he clearly shared my feelings on getting out from under your parents’ weight.

“Do you want to come in?” I asked after we got back.

“I’d love to,” he grinned.

“Thank you for coming. I appreciate it,” I told him.

“I had a good time. Though I think it was mostly the company,” he replied.

“So tell me more about this crush,” I pulled him down on the couch next to me.

“Well, she’s really hot, but she’s also nice. The first week I moved in I broke my sink and couldn’t find the number for maintenance so I went to ask her and she was able to fix it herself. She always smiles and says hi when we see each other in the hall. I’ve really wanted to ask her out, but she’s so pretty and nice she’s got to have a boyfriend already, but I just found out she doesn’t,” he said.

“So does that mean you’re gonna ask her out?” I asked.

“I think I’ll see if she’d like to go out to dinner tomorrow,” he replied.

“I think she can clear her schedule,” I grinned.

“Can I ask you something else?” he inched a little closer.

“Sure,” I replied.

“Can I kiss you?” he met my eyes.

“I thought you’d never ask,” I pulled him into me and joined our lips. Before I knew it, I was straddling his lap, holding his face in my hands, and letting his tongue do things in my mouth I never knew were possible.

“Do you want to take this to the bedroom?” he asked when we finally came up for air.

“Depends, what did you have in mind?” I traced patterns over his collarbone.

“I’d like to fuck you, if you’re up for it,” he looked up at me.

“I was hoping to get laid tonight,” I kissed his cheek.

“Great!” he immediately slapped his hand over his mouth. I couldn’t help but laugh.

“You’re cute,” I giggled as I walked him to the bedroom. “I even tidied up in anticipation.”

“Wow, you were into this guy,” Wooyoung observed.

“I’m over him now. Turns out my hot next door neighbor is into me,” I said. I pulled off my dress and lied down on the bed, my panties steadily soaking through as I looked up at him.

“Yes, yes he is,” he grinned and stripped completely. “Though if you don’t mind I’m going to tease your pussy first.”

“Don’t mind at all,” I opened my legs so he could get my panties off and get his face between my legs. If his tongue did magical things to my mouth, it was doing otherworldly things to my pussy. Under most circumstances, I would’ve been embarrassed by the noises coming out of my mouth. This time, I let myself groan and whine until Wooyoung literally held down my hips to make me come.

“Oh fuck,” I planted and pushed my hair out of my face after I finished.

“Now time for number two. You don’t mind no condom?” he said.

“No, I’m good if you are,” I replied, still trying to catch my breath.

“Perfect,” he gave me a peck on the lips then slid into me. “Hard? Slow? Don’t care?”

“You pick,” I told him.

“Then I think I’m gonna take you slow. At least let you catch your breath before I make you come again,” he grinned, lying on top of me and kissing me again. Our bodies slid against each other, sweat slicked and needy, as his hips moved against mine. Our kisses were slow and deep. This was different for me, very different, but I liked it.

“Time for you to come again,” he breathed against my ear. He pushed himself up over me and fucked into me harder. I could barely keep a grip on his arms, but managed to as he made me come a second time that night. My back bowed off the bed as I dug my nails into his biceps. I felt him start to empty into me a few seconds later.

“Fuck,” he breathed when we both finished. He rolled us over so I was on top.

“Amazing,” I kissed him. “Thank you.”

“For which part?” he asked.

“The whole night,” I replied.

“You’re welcome. Still want to go to dinner tomorrow?” he asked.

“Absolutely,” I grinned. “Assuming I decide to let you out of bed.”

“I knew I was good, but I didn’t think I was that good,” he laughed.

“Well, now you know,” I rested my head on his shoulder and traced circles on his chest, blissed out more than I’d been in a long time.

[markantonys]

This is actually really funny but I came across a post a few days ago arguing that the show made the characters more assholes than they were in the books and it was the most baffling post I ever read. Cause like they softened the characters in the show. Everyone is nicer and not as prickly I guess I would say. Which of course helps so much with the EF5 feeling like actual friends!

i feel like i've seen takes like that too and it is SO wild to me haha i guess maaaaaaaybe moiraine is more of an asshole in s2 than she was in the books? but that's because she's undergoing a major trauma she didn't undergo in the books, and also because by moving her from Mysterious Mentor to Actual Protagonist in these first 2 seasons, the show is endeavoring to portray her as a deeper, more layered, and therefore also a more flawed character since she's filling a main role rather than a supporting one.

then as for the kids, i can't imagine why anyone would think they're bigger assholes in the show! early book!nynaeve goes around beating people up with sticks and being an absolute terror to everyone around her, whereas in the show she's still got her fiery nature but it's toned down so that she feels more like someone who is a reasonable adult despite being hot-tempered (......okay, semi-reasonable. bless her <3). and one thing that really strikes me is how caring and tender she is with mat in 1x06 (and vice versa with him being so happy to see her) when in the books the two of them were so weirdly antagonistic to each other for most of the series. changes like that really make the EF5 friendships so much warmer, like you say, and it's especially great with nynaeve to show how fiercely devoted she is to ALL her people, including mat.

meanwhile, book!mat is allergic to admitting he cares about his own best friends, but in the show he's much more openly affectionate, though without losing his jokester nature. book!perrin is a condescending jerk in so much of his internal narration, but in the show he's a total sweetheart and so kind and lovable, and actually IS the gentle giant that book!perrin only claims to be. book!egwene is already flawless in my eyes, but she does seem to genuinely care about and respect her emond's field friends more in the show (in the books she sometimes viewed them as kinda like her cringe friends from home she doesn't want to be affiliated with now that she's moving onto bigger and better things haha tho ofc she did always care about them when push came to shove). i thought her jealousy-of-nynaeve arc in s2 was so well-handled because it was obvious how much love and respect she still has for nynaeve despite being frustrated with her currently, which felt like a realistic representation of a troubled time in a lifelong friendship and made egwene come across as sympathetic and relatable instead of as petty and jealous, as an arc like that could have easily reduced her to if not handled properly.

and rand, i suppose he has rougher edges and a hotter temper in the first 2 seasons than he did in the first 3 books, but that gives his character some much-needed grit and definition since his personality is pretty bland in the early books, and underneath that the show makes it so incredibly clear how much love he has for his friends and how kindhearted a person he is (just like they do with nynaeve despite HER temper)

[knightyoomyoui]

Jihyo x M Reader- “Catching Feelings”

I'M BACK!

Before I start, I wanna greet a Happy 26th Birthday first to our very own Park Jihyo, the goddess main vocalist, dancer and leader of TWICE!

Now before y'all explore this story that will kick-off Set 5, I just want to say that I never wanted or intended to mix this one with a smut, but I had to because I'm trying to explore other new things to input in my works.

That WAS my very first rule before I started this book but I guess I finally broke it.

So... since y'all know that this has a smut, I want also to remind everyone that this is my first time writing one so please try to understand me readers if I suck narrating it just like how I suck at writing a story.

Now, yeah... again let's start Set 5 shall we?

WARNING: includes mature content, smut, R+18

You woke up in the middle of 6AM in the early morning. Blinking your eyes rapidly as you recover your vision, you groaned with the soothing stretch of your newly awakened body.

Looking at the curtain covered window of your bedroom with your squinted eyes, you saw that the sun hasn't shine very bright yet, making you realize that you indeed woke up very early.

You checked the time in your cellphone before turning it off immediately due to your eyes can't endure the radiation coming from the bright screen of your device.

Placing it on the nightstand beside your bed, you stirred your body to the other side; whereas your sight stayed there for a minute.

A naked body of the woman was still sleeping peacefully. Her front compressed into yours, arm placed atop of your chest which squeezes her voluptous free breasts together.

But ofcourse, the very first thing that you admire the most at this woman beside you that effectively steals your glance whenever you look at her is the gorgeous face of your friend named Jihyo.

You may be asking to yourself, "wait wait, what did you just mentioned at the very last words?"

Yeah. the f- word. Yes, I did say that.

Friends.

Now you're shocked, I see.

But first, before I help the scenario to explain so that you can understand, let's watch them first as I nearly began to make you understand.

As your gaze descended to her nude body cuddling you sweetly, you discovered also that you were sharing the same lack of clothing as her right now. Both naked bodies wrapped in a thick white blanket.

It made you also remember what led to both of you looking like this in your queen-sized bed.

Here we go.

Last night, you just finishing washing the plate you used to eat the last remaining slice of cake from your birthday when you heard a streak of knocks on your door.

You peeked at the peephole, seeing Jihyo standing in front of your door. She was wearing her uniform from work which tells you that she just arrived home at this night hour.

Opening the door, she looked at you at you did the same as you greeted her.

"Hey, Ji. Why are you here?"

She did not respond. Instead, she maintained her unamused demeanor as she looked at you. Not interested to talk about it, so she walked inside while shoving you in through your chest. You were astonished when Jihyo lunges on you in a forceful kiss after you kicked the door shut. A chorus of her whimpers is being played as she pulls your head towards her, brushing her plump lips into yours and the rhythm of your wet tongues colliding. "Ji, what the-," you said after she let go. "I'm so exhausted right now...", she harshly pushed you again, this time with enough power to send you crashing back to the plush sofa behind you. You sat after landing on the cushions as a result of her push. What follows is Jihyo unbuttoning her blouse and throwing it away, showing her massive delicious breasts barely concealed by her white laced bra. You gulped as you felt hot from Jihyo's sudden increase in wildness, now that one of her most alluring parts of her body is entirely exposed exclusively for you. "I've been thinking about this before the last hour ran out so that the shift could end and I could leave...", she said as she grasped the waistband of your underwear and jersey shorts and dragged it down on your ankles, displaying your semi-erected cock extremely close to her face. "All I want to do is rest... with this..." She gripped your cock and massaged the tip at a dangerously slow pace, causing it to harden and enlarge as she felt the pulsate in her warm hands. You moaned as Jihyo began to stroke your cock at a slow pace. "... so please let me unwind by pleasuring you, daddy," Jihyo begged as she pressed her cheek on the length of your cock, accidentally making a cute face as your throbbing wood was there beside, successfully turning you on even more. You can only nod as you are rendered speechless by Jihyo's activation of the kink she prefers to have with you ever since you two began to engage in sexual activities on that night when you were both drunk. And that's when your friendship with Jihyo evolved into friends with benefits, with the lone rule she said that the two of you agreed on ensuring that you both remember it every time you two will do this.

"No romantic feelings involved okay? Just us doing sex, temptations and nothing more. Deal?", it rang onto your mind very detailed.

Jihyo was now sucking your length, even mixing it with a few of licks and slurps, never leaving any portion of your cock tainted with her saliva and your pre-cum. Not to mention that her tempo had increased and she was now aggressively bobbing her head up and down, gliding her mouth and tongue down your entire length, even attempting a deepthroat. "Have I told you before how much I love your cock, daddy~?", she seducively asked you as she paused before proceeding to involve your full balls as she played it on top of her palm. All you could do was groan and grunt, especially as you were towards the end of your endurance, causing the volume to rise.

Jihyo easily noticed it so she hurried her sloppy sucking more on your helpless pulsating cock.

"Aghhh Jihyo... I-I'm cumming... I'm cumming!"

With the final roar, you burst out a huge load of white cream inside her mouth which she just basically chugged it like she was just drinking a milk.

She lets out a refreshed sigh and showed you her empty mouth, proof that no signs of your thick semen left on her.

"You can still give me some more, right Daddy? I don't feel relaxed yet.", she said in a sultry tone.

"Don't worry, Jihyo. Daddy's still has a lot of energy left in him, and Daddy's is willing to share some for being such a nice girl.", you said, joining the flow of the kink. You stood up as you grabbed Jihyo's head as she also rose up along with you.

"But, shall we transfer to the bedroom to get ourselves cozy?", Jihyo agreed before you catched her as she crashed her body, wrapping her legs and arms around her waist and neck as the two of you shared another passionate kiss.

Dropping her to your bed, you quickly stripped off your shirt as well as the remaining fabrics still attached to her.

Aligning your cock in her pussy, you slowly inserted it inside and slowly thrusted on her as each bodies rocked in a missionary position.

You indulged on her jiggling huge mounds, sucking and flicking the hardended nipples with your tongue, adding another shock of pleasure within her as she moaned louder.

You massaged each orbs, giving and treating them equally by tasting each, even burying your face in the middle of her cleavage, comfortably feeling the softness of her breasts pressed on your cheeks.

"Oh yes... ugh... I know you love my tits daddy, mmh squeeze them harder please..."

You are very happy to oblige.

You followed what she said before locking again her mouth by kissing her. She trapped your head once again and even with her legs as she compressed her body even more to yours as you kept on fucking her.

She informed you that she was near to reach to orgasm so you pounded roughly onto her loving hole, thus creating a squeaking sound on the bed.

"Daddy... oh oh I-I'm cumming... mmh I'M CUMMINGGG!!!"

She lets out a loud moan as she sprayed  a waterfall of her juices around your cock that is still inside her and also staining the bedsheet with the extra residue escaped.

You still haven't cum yet so you maintained the intense hammering onto her tight little cunt as you can also feel that you are on the verge of meeting the end too.

"You're on a birth control right?"

"Yes, you can fill me up Daddy I need it so bad..."

Three last strong strokes and you did it, splashing a second load of your thick white creamy liquid inside her.

Both of you let out a huge exhausted breaths before Jihyo kissed you again. Refilling the energy again, Jihyo pushed you aside and sat at the top of your thighs where she helped you ride out your orgasm.

"It's working, Daddy. I'm getting energized again. But... please, let me do the work next so I can prove it to you.", she said before she squatted and rubbed the tip of her cock to her clit before bringing her body down to insert  your hard cock inside her.

You felt her walls clenched on you.

"Oh Jihyo... you're so damn tight!"

"You're so fucking big and thick daddy, I still can't believe I can have it all... you're stretching me so wide!"

And after that you two engaged into another intimate duel where she rode you in a cowboy position before engaging to a few more around your bedroom, name it being spooning, dogstyle, 69 etc.

Now very spent, you two decided to lay down together on your bed to finally have a legit rest, too exhuasted that both even forgot that neither of you haven't taken a dinner yet.

And that's what happened.

You felt Jihyo swirled her body slightly as she slowly woke up afterwards, groaning at the comfortable spot she's in. She looked at you and smiled.

"Good morning, Ji."

"Morning too, Y/NN", she greeted back. "It's still early yet right?"

"Yeah, can't believe we're already recharged after what we did last night.", you hilariously said.

"Don't feel so though. Why, do you?"

"Nah. I still feel drained also.", she nodded.

"I'm sorry for randomly visiting you in the middle of the night by the way. Perhaps you were busy or doing something important that maybe I unintentionally interrupted?"

"There's no problem, Ji. I wasn't even doing anything that can make me busy last night. I just finished eating my cake before you barged in."

"You sure?"

"I am, promise.", she pouted and lowered her head more, frown deepened as you recognized that she was still rather feeling sad about it.

"Ji, I swear you didn't made me think of you as if I want you to get out of house because I want to be alone, cmon now.", you pulled her head closer beside your chest as you combed her strands of hair gently. "Don't be sad, okay."

"I'm sorry with the mood swings, maybe the stress of having enormous amount of workloads in my office affects me still.", she sighed.

"It's fine, atleast you shared it now atleast that you have a reason.", you tried to cheer her up.

"Do you sincerely forgive me, YN?"

"I swear."

"I don't think you meant it."

"Eh? What's more do you want me to do, Ji?", you confusingly asked her.

"What I want?"

She unraveled her naked body by taking off the blanket covering her body. Her hands travelled down beneath your torso where she reached for your unerected cock and gave it some squeeze. To help it become hard again, she took your hand and guided it in her big tits where you began caressed and mashed it.

"This might be enough to make me fully convinced that I'm a nice girl for you again, daddy~", she bit her lips as she heard you let out a turned on whimper at how relaxing her touch feels on your now re erected cock again.

"Fine. Now turn yourself around and let daddy taste you. After this, we definitely need to have shower and breakfast because we haven't even got to ate dinner last night. I'm hungry", she chuckled at your statement.

"Alright, let's make it quick then. I'm starving too.", she replied, breaking off her "daddy's girl" role for a second.

THE NEXT DAY

You just returned from the house of your cousin who landed from his plane that brought him back to South Korea from Los Angeles after finishing his contract there abroad as a lab researcher.

The stay went on for 3 hours as both catched up immediately through times passed where each of you never had each other very near to spend it all as bestfriends. Before you left, he gave you a bar of Toblerone chocolate as his gift, one for you and one for Jihyo.

Remembering that you'll be able to pass through the road where Jihyo's beauty parlor is located, you decided to pay her a visit instead and invite her to come with you for a dinner.

Parking the car at the sidewalk, you were about to enter the parlor by opening the glass door when you saw something that made you halt.

Jihyo was talking to some other guy, sitting very close to each other and seemingly enjoying their conversation together, as you can see how Jihyo's face crumpling and her mouth widening from her laughter along with the guy.

You mindlessly became even more serious and transformed into very curious based from what you're seeing.

It had you invested to know who is this mystery guy.

But you shook all the thought away as you concluded it was just her co-worker anyways as you noticed that his outfit may be different to Jihyo but for sure it still belongs to their workplace as uniform.

So you just portrayed it as a simple close manager-employee connection.

You furrowed your eyebrows in perturbed at your own self as to why you were even thinking this very seriously.

It was just Jihyo's friend, you assured yourself. Why are you even calming yourself down, you asked confsedly to yourself.

Huffing some air, you grabbed the handle of the door and entered the parlor where your entrance garnered many attention from the people inside, including Jihyo who stopped her talking along with the guy.

"YN?"

"Yo."

"Hey... w-what are you doing here?", she  astoundedly asked you as she slowly stood up from her seat and walked towards you.

"Paying a visit. Well, I was from Namjoon's house to see him since he just arrived here earlier from LA."

"Wait, Namjoon oppa's back?!"

"Yup, for vacation. He said he wants to meet you also so... settled on day off?"

"It's on.", she accepted.

"So yeah... since I'm about to drive through this address anyway on the way back to my home so might as well do the same also... to see you.", you explained. "Dinner's on me, samgyup?"

"Oh my God yes please, I'm craving."

"Then samgyup it is."

"You're gonna wait here? My shift's about to be over in less than half an hour now anyways."

"Yeah... I could use some... haircut anyway to make me less bored.", Jihyo understood. She guided you to one of the vacant seats and being the special customer, she offered you her own service by doing your haircut by herself.

Nearly less than 5minutes remaining before her shift ends, Jihyo wrapped up your haircut as she take off the barber cloth on you, untangling it from behind your neck.

You checked yourself on the mirror with your fresh faded style haircut and to be honest, you were definitely impressed by Jihyo's skills.

"Wow, Ji. It looks so good.", you said as you tilted your head nack and forth to take a peek at the sides.

"You look even more handsome tonight, YN.", she said. Without noticing it, you didn't know that you blushed at her compliment especially when you glanced at her reflection on the mirror, smiling brightly while looking also at your fresh new look; signifying that her comment was very true.

"A-ah thanks.", you giggled. "Cmon, I can help you guys clean the place before we go.", she tried to insist but you pleaded for her to let you which she had no choice but to allow.

You arrived with her at the samgyupsal resto where you and her didn't waste any more time to enjoy the food and became delighted at each other's happy talks and yummy servings of food scattered around your table.

After having dinner with Jihyo, she requested to try the newly built parking lot theatre just beside the apartment standing few establishments away from the resto.

You learned that this theatre is only limited for 3 days for everyone who can manage to get a spot in the parking lot. It was actually a promo in return from the celebration of the apartment's 30th anniversary.

Fortunately, you spotted a slot available on the 3rd row just for you to park the car and prepare yourselves for the upcoming movie to be showed. In coincidence, it was Jihyo's favorite movie that was presented next. You watched it together where both of you laughed and cried at the mood of some scenes.

Now driving on your way back to your safe haven, you didn't noticed that Jihyo was already fell asleep after she became silent as she was summarizing to you what just happened to the movie you two just watched.

Opening your garage, you parked your car there and exited to carefully reach Jihyo and carry her in a bridal style as you don't want to disrespectfully disturb her sleep.

You led her to your bedroom where you nicely laid her there and fix her sleeping posture along with her pillow and the blanket to make herself more comfortable.

You just watched Jihyo undoubtedly muttering to yourself how she does look very beautiful and adorable when she's on her peaceful state.

You two are bestfriends for so long and yes you had slept with her on your several overnights together with her from young up until to these days where your relationship with her has somewhat changed now and less innocent compared from before.

You had the chance to witness her resting figure throughout the years but you don't know why only at these time you got so invested and drawed on her charming features.

It's like... unlike your normal friendship with her where you want to just spend your time with her... it evolved to the point where you don't want her to leave your sight at all also.

You clarified to yourself that it doesn't mean anything at all and it just normal to praise her beauty.

You can't break the rule. It reminded you.

"Yeppeuda.", you whispered and smiled timidly.

You patted her head and was about to head back on your living room to sleep on the couch for the night when it struck you with shock as you felt Jihyo's hand holding your wrist.

"J-Jihyo?!", you panickedly called her name.

"Where are you going?", she asked you while her eyes are half litted.

"Uhh at the c-couch. I'm going to sleep there."

"Why not here?"

"Huh?"

"Pabo, are you embarassed to sleep beside me? You're acting as if we never shared the same bed together, might include also our heated moments.", she teased you. You got embarassed hearing that.

"I-it's not that... I just want to give you privacy for t-tonight.", you reasoned.

"No. Sleep with me."

"Jihyo..."

"Please~~~", her tone became cuter which was impossible for your soft spot in your heart to resist.

"Aish, fine you baby.", Jihyo giggled and swept aside to give you some space. You laid beside her and switched the lights off.

"Goodnight, Y/NN."

"Goodnight, Ji."

You faced to the opposite direction, your face facing Jihyo's own.

You closed your eyes and sighed heavily as you tried to shut down your body to sleep although the weird uncomfortable sensation is distracting you.

It became even more useless when you suddenly felt her body wrapped onto yours, her small arms arms looped around your waist and her face buried in your back.

"Hehe... thanks for being my cuddle buddy.", she said before dozing off to sleep. You blushed harder as you heard her say it softly. Before you finally slept also, you glanced at her tender hands attached to your body.

3 DAYS LATER

"YN you there?", Jihyo shouted from inside the dressing area. She checked if you were still there waiting from outside while she's trying all the outfits caught her interest to be worth buying with. This is the third time she's about to change again into another outfit since the first two didn't satisfy you as you thought those two doesn't suit her. "Still here.", you said, although not going lie to yourself that the free sample of that men's cologne section right in front of you from the distance is irking your curiosity to check it by yourself which however, would cost your guard from Jihyo so you rather remained on monitoring.

"I'm done, what about this?", she opened the door and revealed herself again to you for the 3rd time.

You scanned her from head to tone and good heavens, you probably found already the perfect dress for her. Your eyes widened and jaw dropped at how it perfectly fits her.

She looks so immaculate and breathtaking to look at. Her spin as she twirls the hem of her dress and her short black hair to the air felt like she was moving slow-mo and all you have to do is to get mesmerized at her beauty as your heart beat intensifies and senses blackened like the usual admirer would feel whenever he/she sees his/her crush looking so dashing.

Admirer, yes. Your feelings for her grew for the past days and all of the signs threw you to the reality that you are indeed having a crush now on your bestfriend Jihyo when you decided to ask this concern with the help from your cousin Namjoon as you facetimed him last night.

You told him the entire story from what made you develop this strange feelings that only appears whenever she's around or when she's near at you, specifically the night where you visited her at the parlor and saw her conversing with her male co-worker which both seemed to be very happy having their time alone together.

Namjoon also guessed that the reason why you suddenly grown a loving romantic fond towards Jihyo is the fact that both of you were currently still single and never had any relationship from somebody else before. And also that you and her were frequently close to one another most of the time (not to mention, your intimacy moments with her ever since the friends with benefits rule  was installed after you and Jihyo accidentally had sex without each other's right consciousness due to alcohol), that might've led you to feel different when you see Jihyo almost expressing same level of emotions she's having to you on other guy.

It made you wonder when Namjoon inserted the question if there's a possibility that Jihyo could be feeling the same thing since she only had you as the guy whom she's very close with but you believe that it must've shrunk now that you have another contender to win her heart.

In addition, your cousin asked you on when do you plan to confess your feelings, you only answered if there's the time you finally mustered up the courage to tell her. Namjoon then cautioned to him that he must kept an eye on Jihyo to make himself aware if he ain't too late yet.

After your conversation with Namjoon ended, you got sad as you can't even tell him properly that confessing to Jihyo won't be that easy because of your "benefits" thingie going on between you and her. Ofcourse it would be super cringey and embarassing if you will just randomly gonna share to others that you're fucking your longtime bestfriend without any glimpse of deep admiration within one another.

You shrugged it off your mind as you remembered what happened last night to avoid ruining your mood and your  funtime with Jihyo. Focusing back, you were able to comment just as when she was about to woke your senses back up.

"That's fantastic. Jihyo that one's my pick.", you said, pointing at the red dress she's wearing.

"Really?", you nodded in confirmation.

"I mean... I have to agree with you. I'm also loving the design and style of this brand.", Jihyo said as she looked around below on her red dress. "Okay, it's settled. I'll wear this for tomorrow.", she grinned.

"Tomorrow? What do you in tomorrow?"

"Oh it's our boss' birthday. She and her husband invited us on her house to join them celebrate and we all accepted. Part of showing our gratitude for her kind treatment to us her employees, her invitation and respect if I may include.", she replied.

"Also...", Jihyo became flushed at the thought inside her head. You looked at her as you waited for her follow up.

"I wanted to showoff on Daniel when he meets me tomorrow.", she looked away, flustered from her prepared plan.

"So you b-brought me here t-to help you decide what clothes you're gonna wear to... i-impress him?", you nearly cracked your voice at the last words as the abnormal shots of your heart makes you wince painfully at how it hurts knowing the reason why she dragged you along with her in the first place.

You thought this day will only surround with you and her only.

Not including anyone...

Not even that guy... Daniel.

No one.

You may be sounding possessive but yeah... love can definitely turn you selfish.

What's even the point of disregarding that thought you were thinking earlier about your talk with Namjoon just to prevent your mood shift and destroying your day with her when she's literally the one instead who did the move?

You didn't want to hurt yourself about her but instead it all flipped backwards, she's the one who did it by herself to hurt you about... the reality of what she should be for you.

"Yup. You're a life-saver, YN.", she smiled sweetly at you and clasped her hands in gratitude. Hearing thank yous makes you happy that atleast it tells you that you are helpful but this one's an exception.

"If only you know how much I struggled thinking of what should I wear because I'm panicking that he might not notice how much I prepared also for him.", she sighed. "But I'll try this and still continue with my goal tomorrow, thanks to you YN.", she hugged the new red dress she finally preferred.

"Welcome.", you fakely smiled.

"Cmon, let's pay now to the cashier.", she walk away ahead from you who stood still at your position, stunned at the devastation you're feeling to hear that she's very motivated to chase for him.

Maybe it doesn't matter anymore either you do it or not, you won't win in result of both options anyways, you thought.

THE NEXT DAY

You were currently playing a song from your playlist while playing a guitar when you heard some knocking sounds coming from the person outside your front door.

Furrowing your eyebrows in curiousity, you peeked at the peephole to see who might that be and in your complete bewilderment, you didn't expect this person to be standing in your territory one day.

You opened the door to see the figure of this familiar man in your eyes who has the same height as yours, but what caught your attention more is Jihyo who looks very out of herself, clutching one of her arm around him who seems to be doing his best to support the drunk woman in her stance.

"U-uh... hello. Are you perhaps, YN?", he asked politely.

"I am. How did you know my name and... what happened to this one?", you asked back not leaving your stare at him as you pointed Jihyo who is mumbling nonsensical words and even being touchy and clingu at Daniel who seems uncomfortable at her unstable state.

"You're so cuteee Daniel mmmm~~", Jihyo blabbered while squishing Daniel's biceps. You began fuming in anger due to the jealousy you're getting from Jihyo's clingy actions.

"Jihyo has been saying your name over and over then I asked her who are you. She answered me simply as "bestfriend". Then I remembered that she once mentioned to me about you that you live in front of her house so I followed her address on the phone.", he summarized. " Oh and also... she drinked too many glasses of vodka. We tried to stop her but she didn't listen."

"My name is Daniel by the way.", he introduced himself before he passed Jihyo to you carefully. "I have to go now."

"Thanks.", you simply replied in a serious tone. Daniel just nodded before heading back on his car.

You and Jihyo entered your house and closed the door. You guided Jihyo who is laughing without in her normal conscience towards the bedroom.

You peruaded Jihyo to lay down on your bed but she fought back and instead pulled you closer to her as she tried to engage with you on a sloppy kiss.

"Daddy please punish your babygirl, I had fun without you... I am such a bad girl for daddy~", she pleaded as you struggled to get rid of yourself away from her grasp.

"No, Jihyo. Stop. No sex for tonight, you have to rest, You're drunk."

Being more well-built and stronger that her, you escaped her hold as you saw her pout where you speared yourself away from her. She began rolling and switching every angle in the bed as she groaned when she felt the comfy texture of it.

You saw her tried to catch you again by lifting herself up off the bed only to fail when her drunk state won over. "C-come here... daddy, I need you-", she hiccuped between her words before she slowly succumbed to sleep.

You sighed and shook your head at how problematic Jihyo is being for you tonight.  You helped to fix her sleeping posture to a comfortable one before you left the bedroom and sat silently rewinding the issue you're having with Jihyo regarding of you having a crush with her.

"Will still do anything for you, Jihyo... even if I lost, aren't I?", you mumbled to yourself before lowering your body down on the couch and stared at the ceiling during your reprocessing of thoughts.

1 WEEK LATER

Jihyo and Daniel were talking about that rude customer that they encountered earlier and spoke out their opinions and perspective about what happened. It stopped when both her and Daniel exited the parlor.

"I gotta go now Jihyo, I still have to take a visit first on my girlfriend before I go home."

Jihyo halted in her steps. Her wide smile she was encasing suddenly vanished when she heard of something she was wishing that she could've just misintepreted it or something.

"W-what?"

"I said, I gotta go now because my girlfriend told me she'll be waiting for me when the parlor closed.", Daniel laughed. He noticed that Jihyo was still staring seriously at him which he felt awkward looking back at her big rounded eyes.

"G-girlfriend?"

"Yeah girlf- wait, haven't I shared you about this earlier?", Daniel paused as he tred to remember if he did. "Ohhhh wait, I didn't! Now I understand why you got shocked. I thought you just didn't heard me well or something", he said. Jihyo remained silent.

"Sorry for not enlightening about it. Yes, Jihyo...

I do have a girlfriend now. Guess what, she answered me back yesterday!", Daniel erupted in joy. However, Jihyo's heart just shattered into tiny pieces as Daniel sounded very happy that he's into with another girl rather than her.

"This is where I will leave you now, Ji. Be safe okay? Goodbye!", Daniel hurriedly departs from Jihyo who only returned the greet lamefully.

Now all alone, Jihyo feel like she's on the verge of crying out hard as her first heartbreak affected her too much from the failure of capturing her crush's feelings who is now taken with some other girl.

She tried to swipe away the drops of tears slowly dropping from her eyes. Instead of pure immense sadness, it was replaced by anger and disappointment all pointed directly at herself.

And she has an idea in mind already on how to make herself feel better atleast.

You opened the door when you heard a knock, presenting Jihyo who seemed to have such a bad day based from her colorless, blank, and pale expression within her face.

Emerging quick, she ran onto you and crashed herself for a rough kiss with you. You tried to seperated yourselves away from one another but Jihyo tried to continue gaining physical contact at you.

"Jihyo....

Jihyo... stop please

Ji-

JIHYO, ENOUGH!", you unintentionally pushed her away with force. Jihyo just looked at you unbelievably.

"Why, YN? What's stopping you? Huh? You want this, right?"

"Jihyo, please I don't want to do it tonight."

"And again that's the only thing that you've been keep on saying from these past few days. The same repetitive bullshit. No interest, mood, energy blah blah blah. What happened to us who were actively engage having sex before?", Jihyo frustratingly asked you.

"I- I just don't want to just randomly fuck whenever we want, Ji. I told you the reasons and I'm serious with it."

"You've been like this for more than a week now, YN. There has to be something else more than that. Tell me."

"Only those, Ji. Wait, what happened to you anyways why are you being so mad at me?"

"Daniel has his own girl now, and its not me.", Jihyo blurted out with jealousy. "My crush doesn't like me, and I don't know how to feel about that."

You got shocked at what she said. Eyes widened, mouth agaped at the woman who uncontrollably just let her tears flow in her cheeks.

"W-what? H-he....", you tried to speak up but no words were coming to help you build your response.

"And now i'm here who was planning to atleast have some fun with you because I needed you but you're still keeping that same excuse again for me.", Jihyo disappointingly remarked.  I'm sorry I'm not buying it anymore, YN. So answer me, what's the real reason behind all of that, huh."

"I-I can't... I can't tell you.",

"Why? What is it, are you keeping a secret from me?", she furrowed her eyebrows and crossed her arms. "Is that why you are now changed, YN? Is that what i-"

"YES. IT'S BECAUSE OF THAT!", you didn't let her finish anymore as you finally erupted from the anger comsuming and filling your insides. "I CHANGED BECAUSE OF THAT ONE GODDAMN SECRET I'M KEEPING FROM YOU, AND THAT IS BY HOW I JUST PLACED MYSELF RIGHT NOW DEEPLY FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU!", you shouted at Jihyo who was astounded at your confession.

"H-huh? Y-you... that was a j-joke right YN?", Jihyo tried to be denial but that won't it gone easily on you.

You chuckled as tears began pouring down on your face. Jihyo observed that her attempt crossed out just from the look of your face now showcasing also what exactly she must've feeling too.

"Ofcourse it would be a joke to you. You never expected me to say it with all sincerity to you, one day am I right?", you said. Jihyo remained silent.

You sniffed out your tears. "It's not a joke. Jihyo I crossed the line twice where at this moment I'm standing right now in front of you to tell you that I'm not seeing or treating you anymore as just my friend... but as the woman that I truly love.

I didn't meant for any of this to occur within me but ever since I saw you being with Daniel just stopped me from making a fool out of myself. I may have been denying all these what ifs in my head but heart never changed its case, that it only wanted you to be for me.

Now I know why my feelings acts differently than how my mind works, they don't cooperate well because one of them aren't honest enough to itself.

Jihyo, seeing you near at him, hearing his name although there's no need to mention him sometimes, everything just pains me so bad. Most notably, about what you said to me back at the mall that you brought me there just because you want to impress Daniel made me feel like i'm being the bridge for the two of you even though I didn't want you to end up with him.

Y-you... I wanted you rather to be mine, Jihyo.

The rule was stopping me to say it to you directly Jihyo, but I don't give a damn about it anymore, Ji. I don't want to became part of any of this anymore. T-this is wrong.

I don't want us to be just friends with benefits,

I don't want to let myself being held up because of that stupid condition,

I don't want to just do nothing and pretend I'm fine seeing you developing feelings with someone else because...

I love you."

You said before you sighed deeply to compose yourself and ease down the tension also attacking you.

Jihyo on the other hand, became even more tongue tied at your speech. She watched you get rid of your tears all filled with despair and pain caused by her preference of choosing Daniel although she wasn't aware that he was seeing someone probably better than her.

She swallowed and cleared her throat for a second before she took the turn the speak.

"I'm sorry, YN.", your heart skipped when she pronounced these.

"But I only see you as friend.", she said scornfully at you. Meeting her eyes, she doesn't seemed impressed and delighted at your confession.

"We had that one rule. One rule, YN and you can't even be real to a single deal! I thought there's nothing will go on between us. We talked about it but what is this now, YN? Now you're telling me you're catching feelings for me.?", she scoffed.

"I'm so disappointed at you, YN.", she massaged her forehead with her thumb and index finger to relieve the stress ramming into her head irritatingly. "Too bad, I don't see you nothing more than just my friend who turned out that I can use as my fuck buddy or hook up or whatever the hell want you wanna call it just to satisfy my needs and pleasure me to the fullest. You are just a whore. We're alike.", she admitted. You frowned as it broke your heart hearing those harsh words come out of her mouth.

"And that, is being me loyal to our agreement which you can't do.", she pointed at you and grunted in annoyance.

"So that's what you only think of me...", you asked her but you didn't bother to look. Your fists and jaw clenched furiously as it tore you apart hearing what she said.

"Fine. Fuck everything. I must tell you I can't do that for you anymore, Jihyo. This isn't right. I'm done.", you walked at the door where Jihyo just perplexedly watched you.

"Where are you going?"

"That won't concern you, Ji. Leave me alone for a while, will you?", you stepped out of the house and went inside your car to activate the engine and drive away.

"YN! YN COME BACK HERE!", she shouted at the window and knocked furiously but ended up being ignored.

She watched your car disappear from the distance, leaving her all alone still boiling in bad blood at your argument together with her about that golden rule that has now been broken because of you.

"Aish, I'll just gonna talk to him tomorrow.", she irritatedly spat before entering at your house to sleep and guard your own property without your presence there.

TWO WEEKS LATER

It's been two weeks since you left Jihyo in your house to be alone just to process everything you and her argued about. You were hurt so bad at the part of what she can only treat is still stuck to your mind and is being repeated over and over again makes you want to end this.

That's what you are before to Jihyo but you sweared that it won't be anymore because you're officially enough. You can't just fuck her when you developed strong feelings for her and the sex doesn't mean only for cravings and lust for you now. It has to be used necessarily.

Everything you just want to revolve around you and her is love.

Sadly, Jihyo doesn't feel the same so it won't work that way.

So what can you do about it? You can't force her to like you back because you're aren't even her ideal guy.

Remember, she only sees you as a friend slash fuck partner.

But you don't want it especially having her near you so you were thinking of a way to just end it once and for all.

Luckily, you were given a solution from your cousin Namjoon whom you visited at that night where you walked out of Jihyo. Arriving there, you bursted out in a dam of tears as you sobbed harder around the arms of your cousin who comforted you.

You shared to him what happened, still discarding the sex truths and Namjoon attentively listened.

Namjoon only offered you this advice to help you in this tough situation.

"If that's what you can only give based from her then just... reverse the role, YN. Hear me out, she doesn't like you anyway dude and you can't do anything it.

I say, you need to be the one to look for a girl to gain interest this time and she's there all alone. Unlike you, she won't mind it anyway. Let her consume and reflect everything. Just use that time of searching to heal your heart after the damage she inflicted on you."

"Will I be able to do that?"

"She can, what about you? YN, again... she doesn't even like you so what's the resist? She doesn't deserve you man. Prove to her that you are a complete loss to her. Have her out of your sight from weeks and maybe... you could get move on already from her."

And you listened, taking mental note of it as you remind yourself everyday. What did you do then? You didn't went back home for 3 days because you know that Jihyo is still staying there.

You decided to not have a sight of her for days to avoid affecting you as you slowly recover. You tried to get her out if your head and heart as you began looking for other girls to look for an opportunity that didn't went successful on Jihyo.

Namjoon helped you so he took you with him once to a coffee shop where you got introduced to his barista friend. She does look cute and beautiful and her face looks very young as if her age doesn't describe her looks.

You made up your mind that you need to go home bow after 3 days of being away and Namjoon only gave you goodluck message.

Arriving on the house, Jihyo saw you from her window that you are standing there unlocking the door of your house. She sprinted outside and tried to ran while calling your name loudly but you just ignored her and gave her a loud shut of your door, leaving Jihyo frowning as  she realized you may have been still upset about what she said to you.

And it went on day after day of you ignoring her and if not you'll instead act very cold whenever she begs you to talk with her. With your treatment over her she feels as if she was just a stranger only to you.

Her being alone and unwanted by her bestfriend made her effectively lonely, sad, disheartened and guilty... most importantly, angry at herself as she now realized that this is all her fault and it's her job to fix the mess she caused.

The intensity increased when one day while she was with her friend who is the daughter of her family's friend named Sejeong spending time outside, she was baffled at what she saw from a far.

It was you going out at the same coffee shop you and Namjoon went but this time, you had that barista girl on your side.

She kissed you on the cheek which left you dumbfounded before she returned inside.

That sight just smashed Jihyo's heart in a snap.

Her eyes dwelled up in tears and her rough breaths choking her up as her heart overloading with despair, Sejeong checks up on her and she immediately ran back to her friend's car where she bawled up in a sound of cries.

Sejeong came in to comfort her older sister-figure friend and asked her to tell everything that happened between you and her.

Jihyo began from that night where you and her argued (also excluding the sexual relationship) and only intepreted that she told you harsh response at your confession, making her rejection seemed so terrible to you.

These past few days of you now bringing that sudden complete change of personality only for her after what she've done admitted that she deserves it at all as a karma, but she doesn't want it to last longer as she only wants to bring you back to her, apologize and solve this problem.

Without you feels like her day won't be complete. She then expressed how important you are to her and how the uplifting emotions can only be given by you, now that it holds another special value to her when she learned you are in love throughly to her.

Sejeong analyzed it all until it came to the conclusion where she said it to Jihyo after understanding all the dots comnected leading to this one answer:

"Jihyo, you're in love with YN too don't you?"

"E-ehh?"

"Say it, Ji. Hearing everything you said, that was your heart you're using to express everything you feel whenever you're with him and how it hugely impacted you when he disappeared at your side, still bringing that grudge of what you did to him."

"Your heart was speaking the reason why does this bothers you so much, more than even enough to think of him only as your friend. Just say it, Jihyo unnie. You just realized that you're also in love with him after all this time.

Your mind is telling you no but the heart... the heart never lies as much as you want to twist what it says."

She opened her phone and looked at her wallpaper which she changed 2 days ago.

It consists of your picture she took when you visited Busan with her.

She was longing for you during at that time and she didn't even realized the exact reason why she did this.

Just like yours, she was from wanting to spend more time with you now evolved this time to her desire of not wanting you to leave out of her sight.

Thinking all of it clearly.

It does makes sense.

You are the only guy who makes her feel this way since before your childhood.

Yours was way different that Daniel.

Sejeong's explaination makes sense.

It all makes sense to her.

YN/LN

The name of the guy who made Jihyo fall in love with.

She... she truly does love you too.

"Oh my god.", she covered her mouth in shock. "I screwed up so bad, Sejeong-ie..."

Sejeong smiled at her poor friend who was now enlightened. "Go get him back, unnie. Make amends with YN oppa."

She hugged her friend who continued to bawl her tears more while having the image of your devastated state when she said that disrespectful words in her head.

Now... she was feeling pity too.

THE NEXT DAY

You were having a breakfast after cooking your food in the kitchen when you heard knocks coming from your door.

You went to see who that is, and it shock you to see Jihyo standing in front of your door with her somehow lame emotion.

You tried to ignore it as you were about to return back to your chair when you heard her muffled voice from behind.

"Y-Y/N... I know you're awake. Please... can we talk? I... It will be quick I promise. Please, let me in...", she begged as she continued to knock.

You closed your eyes to hold back but it completely weakened you as you began hearing blurred noises of what it sounds like she's... shredding tears.

You cursed under your breath and opened the door slowly to see Jihyo kneeling in front of you while wiping her eyes that are now wet from her tears.

"J-jihyo?! Psst, get up."

She looked at you and slowly stood up where you offered your free hand to assist her. "Y-YN?"

"Yeah. Now come in, I don't want you to be seen like this.", you said before she entered your house and you closed the door.

Jihyo immediately hugged you tightly as she sobbed even more. "Y/YN... Y/N I missed you..."

"Jihyo, hey... stop crying please it's too early in the morning for you to be like this."

"I-I'm sorry, YN.", she spoke the words you've been somehow wanting to heat directly from her. It made you speechless as you continued to hear it all from her. "I'm sorry f-for saying that things to you. I didn't meant it I s-swear...

I just got brought on to the frustration I'm feeling at that day... I've been wanting to talk with you properly after that happened but y-you... you're avoiding me.", she stuttered as her sniffs were making her pause between her words.

You returned the hug back and gently caressed her back to calm her down. "Go on, Ji. Proceed. I'm listening."

"That night made me realize everything t-that... without you, I feel nothing... I feel lost and unmotivated to do everything all day... you're t-the one who provides me what I need.

Aside from the lust we're craving, what's more important to me is that... I-I really can't have you o-out of my sight. I want to be with you every single day. I can't lose you, YN.

I regretted everything that I said to you, YN, because it was all f-false...

YN... I'm in love with you too."

Your heart skipped beats in pattern aligned with you complete wave of shock cursed in your veins as you heard that words you didn't expected anymore to have her speak it out wholeheartedly of you.

"J-Jihyo?", you reacted. She looked to you and slowly seperates her away from you as she stood there while having her head lowered in shyness and fingers tangling with each other as she felt nervous and scared telling this to you.

"But I m-maybe too late now. Now after I s-saw you with another girl y-yesterday, that kiss on your cheek must've felt so good to you now, isn't it?", your eyes widely opened when she mentioned that moment where you visited that coffee shop and saw that lovely barista lady.

"Y-you saw it?"

"I did. I was with my friend at that time buying from other store."

"..."

"So yeah... I guess I can't have you now. I can't get the same thing you've been wanting to receive from me when you spilled all of your feelings to me. It's all karma, I get it. And it's rightful for me to receive it all for being the one to be blamed.

I deeply apologized for w-what I've done, YN. If I can't make you love me back, can you just atleast... forgive me instead?", she teared up again as she looked at you.

You watched her vulnerable state all visible to you and it hurts seeing her being like this.

You took the turn to speak as you stepped forward, your figure now inches away from her.

"I forgive you, Ji.", you admitted.

Jihyo was felt relieved by it.

"I know I deserve also to send my apology for giving you a stranger treatment, ignoring and acting cold towards you whenever you try to approach me just so you can solve the problem that has been going on between us. I became too selfish, only minding what I felt but I didn't let myself get affected when I could notice the regret of you for doing that.

I can't be mad at you at all, Jihyo. You're too hard to resist anyway. I just felt it more from the words I unexpectedly would hear from you.

But what's done is done and now telling me that you don't mean it at all will put my mind to rest from overthinking.

And about that what you saw yesterday..."

Jihyo frowned her lips more.

"I... I do am meeting other girl while I'm away from you..."

Jihyo choked up as she's about to cry again at your confirmation.

Only to sunk down when she heard the next thing you said.

"Just to move on completely for you and accept the truth that you didn't want me more than just us as friends but... it didn't work, Ji.

It's too hard.

My heart still forcibly telling me that it chooses you."

The first tear escaped in your eye.

"I don't know... maybe that girl might be falling for me now but I guess I can't make it sure for her that I will catch her because...

It's still you, Jihyo. I still can't help myself but to keep on loving you even if you're hurted me. I'm too attached on you."

You cried as you confessed again to her again.

Jihyo's eyes glistened aside from the tears but also from the loving feeling being mixed as the man in front of her made her felt it that way... and probably the only person she would want to.

"Y-you mean t-that, YN?"

"I do, Jihyo. I love you so much, I can't fool myself again.", you nodded at you reached the side of her face to sway the strands of her hair blocking off her tear stained yet gorgeous looking facial features.

"What about you?"

"I'm sure as hell I do love you too, YN... and I'll be willing to hear those words only when it will be from you.", she confirmed. She reaches for your spare hand and locked it in her soft grasp.

Your heart swelled in delight at the touch of your friend who now turned lover.

"If that so... then let's make a new deal between us."

"Eh? What is it?"

"I may have been broken the first but I don't mind, it's worthless so scratch that... because I have a better replacement."

"And that is?"

"Starting today, let's have our feelings to be involved through anything between us and never lose it, Jihyo. Deal?"

"Deal.", she grinned and nodded at you.

She pulled your head towards her to land yourselves for a kiss that has was once only being done through lust, but now it was merely prompted by your enormous love with each other.

It lasted for nearly half a minute to savor the sweetness and happiness of having the love of your life to feel and built the same amount of romantic fond as you.

You two leaned away from the kiss and wrapped yourselves again for a grateful hug as both grinned largely at the embrace.

1 MONTH LATER

You ans Jihyo has reached your first monthsary together since both were officially proclaimed yourself as a couple.

And what better way to think of an idea to celebrate your special day together with than to ask her out for a romantic date tonight.

Jihyo went down to the stairs and you watched her as your eyes gazed at the dress that she newly bought days ago... this time, it was meant to impress you more as her boyfriend whenever you and her would go out which ended up being your favorite.

You felt touched as you realized that she chose to wear it for your date with her.

"Wow.", you gasped as you stared at Jihyo looking like a smoking hot goddess in front of you. "You look so beautiful and damn sexy in that dress, babe."

"Thanks", she giggled sheepishly. "I knew you would like seeing me wearing this dress, so I did it first time on our first date."

"Now I feel special, Ji.", you chuckled. You placed your phone in the pocket of your pants and grabbed the keys for your house and car.

"I'm so excited yet nervous! I can't believe we're having this today, you know."

"Same here, Ji.", you seconded. "But I know we will do well. It's for us, so all we have to do about it is to have fun."

"You're right."

"What do you want to do after this? Do you want us to go somewhere?"

Jihyo cupped her fingers on her chin as she thinks. Her face shined as an idea appeared in her head.

She looked at you and her expression changed to a playful one.

"Hmmm... I think bedroom being next will do~", she placed her hand on your chest and gently rubbed it as she cooed after leaning closer into your ear.

"We can end our night with our own kind of fun by having you all by myself, and you would love to do same for your babygirl... right daddy?~", she purred whilst wearing that devilish smirk as she leaned away to look at your tensed reaction.

"Y-yes, babe.", that's all you had to say at that seducive move by your girlfriend. It surely does a blessing to have this woman all by yourself and proudly claim her as your property.

"Goddamn, Jihyo that's so hot."

"I knew you would say that. When did I never?", she teased you again. She returned back from acting normal as she looked at you seriously, cooperating with your stare.

You cupped her cheek and caressed hrr tender skin with your thumb. She hold your hand and pushed it further to her while doing it. "This is so sudden but... I just want to say thank you again, Jihyo. Everything. I can't wait for us to have more of this in the upcoming future as all of me will remain loving all of you forever."

Jihyo was touched and blushed at your sweet message. "We're gonna have more and more of this, I promise you YN and I can't stop me from wanting it too.

I truly fancy how you're not just the type of person who just talk that talk and instead believes that action speak louder than words.

Through that I can feel how much you always love me, and I would be really glad to be on your side most of the time, from moonlight till sunrise." (Author: Wow, cheesy. Lels.)

You and Jihyo kissed once again, just two lovers sharing pure love with one another and wants to be strong in their relationship.

"Are you ready?"

"With you? Always babe.

"Great. Let's go now to our monthsary date, babe.", you said to her before you and Jihyo make your way out of the house with hands holding tight at one another.

[cwritesforfun]

Eddie Roundtree x Fem!Reader: LOVE

You work closely with Rod and focus on booking bands for festivals. You know Teddy because you've attended rehearsals of different bands and he's always friendly with you.

Your First Name = Y/N Your Last Name = L/N Narrator = Julia Dunne (but Narrator for sake of the story)

**** the timeline is going to seem weird lol but I'm just writing what I want to write lol

Narrator: Could you just introduce yourself and what you do? Y/N: Of course, so my name is Y/N. Back in the '70s, I was attending college while also interning/assisting a festival booking agent. My boss, Mr. Murray, trusted me and was too high to do his job most of the time, so I got to find bands for festivals. It was amazing. I've always loved music and I love discovering new music even now. Narrator: And when did you meet The Six? Y/N: I met them as they were recording Aurora. Teddy invited me as well as their tour manager, Rod, who was someone I knew in the music industry to hear what they would be playing for upcoming concerts. I had heard Honeycomb and like the rest of the world, I was hooked by the new sound that the Six brought to the world. I was very excited, but I had to act professionally at the rehearsal. It was my job.

You arrive at the rehearsal, see Rod parking next to you, and you smile. Perfect timing. You shake hands with him before you both head inside to the rehearsal space. All heads turn our way.

Y/N: My first thought was how hot the whole band was. Eddie: Y/N was so beautiful. She was dressed so professionally and held herself so confidently when she first walked in.

Rod exclaims, "This is Y/N, she's a festival booking agent intern." Billy asks, "So, where's the other festival booking agent? The Mr. Murray." You answer, "Mr. Murray is unavailable today but will be present at the festival. To clarify, I am your primary point of contact regarding festivals and have the necessary authority to make decisions about festival lineups. If you have any doubts about my ability to do so, I can inform Mr. Murray that your band is not interested in playing festivals." Billy replies, "No no. You're great actually. I guess I just thought he would be here." You snap, "Learn to accept that people might let you down." Daisy replies, "Story of my life. My name is Daisy Jones."

Y/N: I was used to everyone thinking that I was too young and that I wouldn't be able to do my job. That's how so many bands were put on the blacklist for festivals. I would just label them as Uninterested. Do I regret snapping at Billy? No. I know the lead singer stereotype and also I wanted to book The Six. Eddie: I was in love with her. As soon as she stood up to Billy, I wanted to bow down at her feet and just praise her. Daisy: I liked Y/N. I liked her confidence in her position. It was refreshing to see young women who were taking over male roles. Billy: Y/N was right to snap. I shouldn't have assumed anything. Rod: I forget Y/N was only 21 when this happened. She seemed so mature in her responses.

The band sets up to play a few songs for you and Rod. You take a seat on the couch with Rod and he offers you a glass of champagne, which you gladly take. The band plays and you love it so much.

Y/N: I loved Daisy Jones and The Six. They were amazing, especially their new album. Each song brought something new and was collectively beautiful. Eddie kept meeting my eyes as he played. It was hot. Billy: After we played for Y/N and Rod, it was nerve-wracking. I didn't know what would happen or when. Rod said he knew we would sell places out. I was surprised how quick Y/N flipped through her binder and found a slot for us at 3 festivals. I shouldn't have doubted her abilities. She showed us how she picked them, why they aligned with our music, and how they would promote our music more. She clearly had a passion for festivals and music. Eddie: Y/N gave us all business cards with her number. Did I want to use it for personal reasons? Yes. Did I? Not yet. Daisy: I was the first one from the band to call Y/N on her personal phone. She seemed surprised to hear from me. See, Camila invited me to a house party with the rest of the band and I didn't want to show up alone. I knew the band liked Y/N and she was intimidating, so I invited her to go with me. She said yes. Y/N: Hahaha, yeah it was so weird. Usually, my first call from the band is someone claiming there is something wrong with their hotel room and that mine would be better. That one never works. They just want sex. I also get asked to become a groupie because bands love my energy at shows. So Daisy's call inviting me to a party was actually kind of nice. I shouldn't mix work with fun, but who cares? I was 21 and needed some fun in my life. I also didn't own a car, so sharing a taxi was fun. Daisy and I drank a whole bottle of wine.

Daisy drops the extra bottle of wine and we both just laugh then she seems annoyed. You exclaim, "Look, you still have the pineapple and I still have cookies. They don't need wine." She replies, "Yeah, but I feel like Billy will hold this against me." You reply, "Direct him to me then." She smiles.

We walk in and Camila is happy. She excitedly talks to us and gets us drinks. She seems sweet. Billy walks over and you can feel the tense energy in the room. He apologizes to you for what he said when you first met. You thank him and ask where the rest of the band is only to find out they are all outside.

You make your way outside, see more drinks, grab one, and then the rest of the band sees you. Warren pulls you into a hug, which you weren't expecting. Then Graham and Karen give you hugs. Then Eddie gives you one and you feel your heartbeat skip a beat. Great.

Graham asks, "So, how was the ride with Daisy?" You answer, "We drank a whole bottle of wine. It was good." Warren laughs and asks, "Have you heard any bands better than us for festivals?" You answer, "No, you all are my favorite. But, you can't tell anyone. It will ruin my job. I'm serious. If I find out one of you ruined this job for me, you're done." Karen says, "I think you need more alcohol." You nod and answer, "I do." Eddie: Y/N was intimidating. She was a smart and beautiful woman who didn't put up with anyone's shit. I was scared to talk to her. But, Warren convinced me to approach her and talk to her at that party. I was nervous as hell, but that conversation was good. We talked for a while and we got to know each other. Y/N: Eddie was so nervous and it was so cute. I was nervous too. I didn't want to slip up and ruin my job. I also was nervous about having a crush on a member of a band. I worked with several and I was worried he just wanted to use me for sex. Graham: I've never seen Eddie like that. He was with one girl for the whole party. He even called her a taxi to go home because she didn't want to spend the night. He was head over heels for her. Y/N: Eddie and I hung out just us two a few times before they went on tour. It was hard to get together because I was usually out of town or visiting bands and he was always rehearsing. I also went to another party at the band's house and I spent the night that time. I stayed in Eddie's bed next to him and that night was the start of our relationship. We both couldn't sleep and we both confessed that we liked each other. It was cute. Eddie: I still can't believe she liked me at the time. We went on a few dates, but then the tour was about to start. She was worried about my lifestyle during the tour and she told me that festival season kept her busy and that she was worried we wouldn't make time for each other. She also told me that it was okay if I slept with other girls because we weren't really in a relationship yet. I was falling in love with her at the time, but I hadn't fully come to terms with that yet. I told her she was the only one for me, but she didn't seem to trust me and I wouldn't have trusted me then either. I was still high or drunk all the time with no thoughts about the future. I wasn't the most trustworthy guy, but I wanted to be for Y/N. Trust is built and I know that. So, I agreed to a temporary break-up at least until the end of the tour if we still wanted to date at that point.

FESTIVAL STOP #1 ... 2 weeks into TOUR

Eddie: I was so excited to see Y/N again. I missed her and I realized I loved her when we were apart. I fell in love fast and that was scary to me because I knew that what I felt was real and what if she did not feel the same way. It was scary. When we pulled up to the festival in the middle of this desert, it was Mr. Murray waiting for us and I was so worried for Y/N. I didn't understand where she was and why she didn't greet us. I was worried she was fired or mad at me. Karen: I've never seen Eddie so worried or Billy so confused. You could tell that Mr. Murray didn't know the festival that well and Billy was annoyed about it. Eddie asked about Y/N at least 3 times. Mr. Murray just told us that she was our guide and we would see her later. I think Eddie had a lot on his mind and needed to see Y/N to be able to relax before the show. Y/N: Mr. Murray was hopeless. He was meeting the bands at the gate, but he wasn't giving them proper instructions. He would give them instructions on how to find the trailers and tell them when they were set to perform and that was it. I would have to find the bands long before their set and give them a proper rundown to make sure everything ran smoothly. I was running back and forth across the festival to make sure things went smoothly logistically. It was a nightmare of a day for the most part... Eddie was the light in my rather dark day.

You find Daisy Jones and The Six sitting outside the band trailers smoking. They all look so happy to see you and Rod says, "We had a great chat with your boss. I think Billy really enjoyed him." You glance at Billy who rolls his eyes. You laugh and exclaim, "That's why I'm here. I know you need a rundown and I'm here to make sure you know what to do for tonight. Is everyone ready?" They all nod and you talk them through the whole rest of the day/night. They ask questions and you're quick to clarify it all. By the end, they seem to understand everything and seem better off. You exclaim, "Great chat, okay, I'm going to find the 3 pm band. Their set is in 45 minutes and they have no crew nearby ready for setup. I will be back for you 40 minutes before your set unless Rod takes you to the stage." Rod says, "I don't mind. You seem busy. I know where to go and how to avoid crazy fans." You nod and you start to leave when you feel a hand on your wrist. You turn to see Eddie looking down at you with worried eyes asking you, "Can we talk?" You answer, "Sure," before you can stop yourself.

You lead Eddie to a quieter spot in the band area and he asks, "So... um... how have you been?" You sigh and ask, "Is this just to catch up? Listen, Eddie, today has been really stressful and my boss is making everything worse. If this isn't pressing, I need to go and fix this festival. If we need to talk, I will be off tonight and with you for a week. I can't wait to be off work and traveling with you for a week." He looks down at his hands and asks, "Was there anyone else while I was gone?" You take his hands in yours and answer, "No, there wasn't." He smiles and says, "Good. You're kind of it for me and I wanted to make sure we were on the same page." You press a light kiss on his cheek and say, "You're the only one for me too. I need to go, Eddie. You're going to play great tonight and I can't wait to see you perform live. I also cannot wait to travel with you. I do need to go." He kisses me on the cheek and says, "Thank you, and good luck. You got this, Y/N. I'll see you later."

Daisy Jones & The Six hit the stage. They're stunning. You swear, they just keep getting better and better. The audience goes crazy for them and you see so many silly fan signs about Billy. You even notice Mr. Murray enjoying the performance. You gave the band the sunset slot and

After their set, you're still double-checking everything for the headliner, but you notice the band lingering backstage. You run over to them, and ask, "Hey, if you guys want to watch our headliner, you can go upstairs to the second-floor view or you can watch over here. Whichever you prefer really." Daisy asks, "When are you free??" You answer, "Oh, I still need to make sure the headliner gets here and set-up for that is good. I can relax during their set, but then I have to make sure they get out of here just fine. I can't leave until it's all done. I have the name of the hotel you're staying at from Eddie and I can meet you all there after. I don't to keep you waiting." Rod says, "Dear Y/N, you will make one hell of a festival booking agent one day. I'm going to speak to your boss' boss about you." You say, "Thank you, sir. That's really kind of you." Mr. Murray storms over and says, "Y/N, we have an issue. Follow me." You wave bye to the band and follow your boss.

Y/N: They all stayed for the headliner. I left with them because Rod told my boss that they needed me that night. Mr. Murray didn't even fight him on it. I was happy about that. Narrator: What happened to Mr. Murray? Y/N: He was fired a few days after the festival. Most of the bands complained about him to their tour managers and their tour managers spoke to HR and HR spoke to his boss. I was called about the news while I was with Daisy Jones and The Six. I was also offered a pay increase until graduation and a full-time position after graduation. I would be able to view and sign the contract upon my return to work. Narrator: How was your week off? Y/N: It was one of the best weeks of my life.

You arrive at the hotel, happy to have a week off from work. You sit with the band in Daisy's bus eating burgers. You're still not sure how Rod knew your order. You were sitting on Eddie's lap on the couch next to Warren. Eddie has his arm wrapped tightly around your waist as if you were going to leave at any time.

Warren exclaims, "Y/N, Eddie asked your boss several times where you were earlier. Your boss didn't seem to want to answer that. I think he hated us. Because then Billy was sassing him and was annoyed too. Does your boss hate you or something?" You answer, "He didn't answer because he really had no idea where I was. I was running from stage to stage and to the trailers the whole day fixing his mess. It's his fault for not doing his job in the first place." Warren says, "You really helped Eddie relax before the show, Y/N. Did you guys have really hot sex or something?" You cough up some of the drink you were sipping on and Eddie says, "Dude, not cool." Warren shrugs and laughs then starts talking animatedly to a groupie. Eddie leans to your ear and whispers, "Let me know when you want to go. We have a hotel room for just us." I turn to face him and say, "That was very forward of you." His face blushes bright red and he says, "I wasn't saying that, but I mean I wouldn't mind that." You laugh and you lean in to kiss him on the lips, which he does.

You spend another hour or two with the band drinking and finally, you tell Eddie that you're tired. You take a shower together then get into bed. You lay your head on his chest and exclaim, "Just so you know, I'm really happy to be here right now." He asks, "Do you mean on tour, on break from work, or with me?" You answer, "All three, but mainly with you. I missed you a lot. I'm sorry I told you that we should part ways until the time was right. I was overthinking and overreacting to something that hadn't even happened." He kisses your forehead and says, "I missed you a lot too. I wrote a song about you. I also ... I think you should know that I'm falling in love with you and I can't stop myself." You look at him and kiss him on the lips. You say, "I'm falling in love with you too, Eddie. I want to hear that song one day when you're happy with it." He smiles and says, "You will, baby."

Eddie: We spent that night together and we were so blissfully happy. That was an amazing night. She loved me back. All was right in the world. Y/N: We were rudely awoken by Warren who came running into the room to tell us about the night he had. Eddie kept pulling me closer and closer the whole time as Warren spoke. Warren told us that our PDA was too much before he left. Eddie: I was happy. There was never enough PDA with the one you love. Warren: Haha yeah those two were attached at the hip the whole week starting that very first night and they were always kissing or touching in some way. I wanted that so badly. I wanted a girlfriend. My time would come just not yet. Y/N: The rest of that week was amazing. We had a great week together. When I had to return to work, Eddie and I both cried. The band drove me to the airport and I saw tears in all of their eyes. I loved to see that they loved me as much as I loved them. I truly loved that band, mainly Eddie. I got back to work and was promoted. It was great. I saw Eddie and the band at two more festivals. I didn't know that the last festival was going to be the last time I saw them all together as a band. I wish I had treasured that performance and that experience more. When Eddie left the band, he just showed up at my door. Eddie: I left and I knew where I had to go. I had to go to the one place where I felt at home and at peace. I went to see Y/N. She made me feel loved and appreciated. I love her. Narrator: I notice a wedding ring. Y/N: Eddie and I got engaged a year after the band broke up. Then, we got married a year after that. Warren was Eddie's best man and he was so happy for us. We were happy to have him there. Daisy and Karen showed up too. They were both so happy for us. Billy sent a present and a sweet note. Graham was also busy that weekend. Graham visited us with his wife once. Eddie was so happy at our wedding, and so was I. It was the best night of my life. Eddie: That wedding was the happiest night of my life. I married the love of my life. It was pure bliss. Warren: Eddie and Y/N's wedding was great. There was lots of booze, lots of dancing, and delicious food. Lisa and I had a great time there. Karen kept running on stage to play songs on the keyboard with the band, they loved it. Daisy was happy for Y/N and it was good to see her happy again. Daisy: I love Y/N. I wouldn't have missed her wedding for the world. Eddie is cool. I'm glad he and Y/N are together. Karen: I don't remember most of their wedding after 10 pm. I drank a lot and had a massive hangover the next day. I had fun. I was happy that Eddie found his soulmate. Y/N: Karen said I was Eddie's soulmate and it certainly feels like we were meant to be together. Narrator: And did you get the festival booking agent job? Y/N: Haha yeah I did. I run the place now. I still book festivals, but there is more flexibility with this job. I get to do what I love, which is something I am so proud to say. Eddie is a producer and he sends some of his clients to me for festivals. We love it when we see each other at work. We call each other work wife and work husband. Eddie: I love my job and I love seeing Y/N at work. My work and home wife forever and ever.

[bethanydelleman]

Northanger Abbey Readthrough, Ch 6

Look, I know Isabella is a snake, but she's hilarious! And Catherine is the perfect straight man to her constant hyperbole. Also, the narrator is so freaking snarky in this novel, is given as a specimen of their very warm attachment, and of the delicacy, discretion, originality of thought, and literary taste which marked the reasonableness of that attachment. Delicacy? From Isabella Thorpe? lol

Also, if five minutes = 10 ages... are ages 30 seconds long? Or are we to assume she's referring to the imagined time of 30 minutes, making an age... 3 minutes long. Either way, I love it. Isabella is such a type that you still meet with today. Just constant exaggeration but so transparent. Thrown into agonies! Waiting ages!

So interesting thing to ponder, has Isabella actually read Udolpho?

“Are you, indeed? How delightful! Oh! I would not tell you what is behind the black veil for the world! Are not you wild to know?”

This has two interpretations, one is that Isabella is very willing to spoil the novel for Catherine, the other is that she hasn't read it so therefore she actually can't, for the world, spoil the novel. The fact that Isabella got her list of horrid novels from a friend (Miss Andrews) is another clue. She may just be reading novels to flatter Catherine.

And then we have this famous line:

There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves; it is not my nature. My attachments are always excessively strong.

Bullshit.

For example, this little story of Isabella's about not dancing with Captain Hunt until he allows Miss Andrew to be beautiful? Isabella drops Catherine like a hot potato later when she has a chance to dance with James, even though she promised to stay with her friend.

Miss Andrews also has extremely vacillating qualities within a few paragraphs:

a Miss Andrews, a sweet girl, one of the sweetest creatures in the world... I think her as beautiful as an angel... you have so much animation, which is exactly what Miss Andrews wants, for I must confess there is something amazingly insipid about her

(Also, Miss Thorpe says men don't admire Miss Andrews but is later worried that James will like Miss Andrews more than her... keep your stories straight Isabella!)

By the way, I have read that Sir Charles Grandison was Austen's favourite novel. I have yet to read it.

Also, this is the best description of Mr. Tilney that we will get, past, "almost handsome": a brown skin, with dark eyes, and rather dark hair. We also can guess from Miss Thorpe's description of James and her swearing that Catherine and James look similar (which would be logical), that Catherine is pale with light eyes.

Isabella drops another strong hint about liking James, which of course flies right over Catherine's head.

(this is the airplane of comments going over Catherine's head)

And then Isabella gets distracted by two young men, whom she cannot help but follow, denying that she is doing so all the way.

So human of Catherine to want to keep talking about her biggest interest at the moment: Catherine, in some amazement, complied, and after remaining a few moments silent, was on the point of reverting to what interested her at that time rather more than anything else in the world, Laurentina’s skeleton

[tofixtheshadows]

I love ur meta analysis for dungeon meshi and I was wondering if you have any fanfic recs with good in character studies or plot premises!

Tbh not much has jumped out at me yet! I'm super super picky when it comes to fan fic and most of the writing quality and/or characterization ends up really not being for me. I often pass on things based on summary alone. Our fan fic scene still seems to be pretty small and actively growing (only recently crossed 1000 fics on AO3, which is not a lot compared to other fandoms), so I'm just sort of casually keeping an eye on it.

This is my way of saying that there might be other stuff out there that does it for you, even if it doesn't do it for me!

That said, I've been enjoying No Reason But to Starve @ambrosiagourmet, because I'm so so so invested in postcanon character study stuff. I also really liked this lovely partial-verse fic Ode to Hunger because not shockingly I guess Kabru and his accidental disordered eating habits are my jam.

Also shout out to this mild-cannibalism fic in the blood for having IMO a very good Kabru narration and being insanely hot for something with no sex so far.

[accirax]

initial thoughts on DCAS episode 6

THIS EPISODE WAS SO GOOD!!! the fact that it was a musical episode is totally the cherry on top; i love it when series come with their own music (cough cough me @ project sekai). but overall it was also really funny, and had some great character moments, too.

i'll save my thoughts on strategy and where the season might be headed for my next power ranking post (whenever that is :,( ), but were some of my other thoughts/highlights.

specifically the phrase "fuck my life" and Yul saying it made me cackle. seems like Emily ISN'T Yul's manager, but she might still kinda take on that role this season? we'll see. the lack of phones is really having an effect on the plot.

they hate her so fucking bad

okay, i guess i forgot to consider this angle when i was saying it would've made more sense for them to vote out Fiore. however, having started with 18 participants, the merge will probably happen at, what, 10 people? (modern Survivor describes the merge as "at least 11," but obviously this isn't survivor.) sure, Hunter is a bit of a challenge beast, but he can't protect all three of them every episode. if this trio is only 3/10 of the votes, you could literally split the votes on Ally and Tess in a 3-3-4 if you can get everyone else to unite against them. you know what you should be worried about? THE VILLAINS ALLIANCE HAVING 6/"10" VOTES AT THE MERGE!!! sigh. why am i relying on Jake to be smart (/j)

i'm more impressed that there was hot water in the first place. this thing is in the middle of a field, no?

i'm finally starting to see how Yul can be a hilarious "love to hate him" kind of villain. he had some of the best lines this episode hands down.

TREVEK BECOME CANON???

there was absolutely no reason to put the apple on the stick other than to fit in. love this for her.

idk if this is a winner's cut moment or not. glad that the money would go towards schools and NOT the police force, though.

man, now i want to go back and check the other episodes to see if Tess has had the "Cyan Team narrator" role the whole time. in Survivor, that's indicative of a deep run. ...i really need to stop applying Survivor logic to everything.

and why are you thinking about what would make Oliver laugh, Kristal? ',:)

i appreciate the s1 callback, but Trevor doing this dance move gives me so much second hand embarrassment that i keep inadvertently closing my eyes every time i have to "see" it again. anyways, given how most of the episode songs had lyrics related to the Team's emotional state, it's interesting to see that Trevor is singing a romance song. trevek become canon pt 2?

this was an interesting parallel. with Kristal laughing at Derek's joke, it seems like they were trying to show how she's growing closer to Derek, in a way which Trevor might fear is romantic. were there supposed to be romantic undertones to Alec being the only one to laugh at Connor's joke? and, if there were, was that just a fun nod to the aleconnor shippers, or will it actually be canon/relevant to later in the season?

NOT a surprise. i need to see the "i want you died" poetry he wrote about Fiore after last season.

of course you were, you fucking fruit (affectionate)

the anguish: i love my gf :D let's frolick through a field together

"trust me dude i'm the divorce man"

GABBY?????

mood but also damn is Ellie really leaning into the villain thing this season. this doesn't even help her win the season, she JUST wants to see him suffer.

i forgot that the s1 contestants didn't know that Nina was her own separate being yet

they were NOT lying, Aiden's VA is a great singer! Tom's backing vocals and Ellie and Gabby's harmonies(?) were also really nice too, though. this was probably my favorite song of the episode just bc i think Cyan had the strongest singers. all of the rocking, shoulder-moving dances are also impossible not to imitate.

well, there's the thumbnail. their choice of thumbnail made me laugh bc i remember, back when i was watching s1, seeing all the thumbnails of Aiden kissing both James and Hunter and thinking that Aiden was going to be some sort of troublemaking flirty antagonistic character only to be blindsided by his actual characterization. i'm sure the s1 watching me would have only added this to her arsenal of evidence, although hilariously idk if i would have been able to tell the other character was Tom at the time. anyways, i was pretty certain from the start that this must be part of the performance. although, while i'm happy that Aiden seems to think that James will be okay with the performance, i wish we could have cut to James somehow just to confirm that that was true. i don't want the next time we see James, whether in the finale or some other time, to show that he was actually really jealous and upset at Aiden for kissing another man while in a committed relationship. also gabbielle(?) super cute in the bg :D

he's so fucking stupid... (/pos)

bold of you to say this to Ashley, who has been in a two year relationship with the guy who went home in episode 2.

i also really liked this song :D i understand why they made Jake and Ally the main singers, because they best encompassed what the theme of the song was about, but i think i actually liked Ashley's vocals the best. i wish she'd gotten to sing more. also for a moment i thought Marcus had a trans flag on his hat. it's still close enough. trans Marcus canon.

this was probably my least favorite performance of the episode, although idk how much of that was just how much i hate Alec's outfit. glassesless Alec scares me so bad... no hate to the VAs, obviously, i think they have nice voices! it's actually the way that they didn't sound like they had confidence in their singing abilities that made the performance feel a little shakier to me. i do think that this song had the best lyrics in terms of encapsulating each member of their team, though. i really like how Yul and Riya are the ones to sing "i'm going to chase it" as a duo, because they're the ones chasing fame and the limelight, and then Grett sings that she can't ignore it, because eventually she's going to have to realize that her entire relationship with Yul was a result of him clout chasing. Connor only singing "live in the moment until i die" is also very fitting given his placement... in both seasons. L.

really surprised that Riya (or anyone else) didn't even mention Yul's foot injury as part of this equation. Riya just said that she didn't want to lose any more challenges, and Yul's bad foot could totally lead to a loss. maybe i'm just overestimating the extent to which that foot injury will stick around, though.

season 2 characters are REALLY suffering out here.

HELP??????

love to see Alec and Fiore's kinda sorta dual redemptions. i have high hopes for them.

and those were my initial thoughts, which got way longer than i expected. thanks if you wound up reading towards all the way down here. i have no idea who the leakers are, obviously, but i really hope that they stop acting up soon so that the series can continue. i would hate to have the artists have to take a pay hit and/or stop making the series just because of some people's impatience and delusions of power, or have the honest patrons lose out on being able to watch the episodes early to protect from others' immaturity. see ya!

[lestatlioncunt]

since every companion has a bunch of things exposed near their tents i was thinking what violante would have around so have a lil small tiny list with some facts i guess

carpets and many many pillows bc she loves to sit comfortably like a king and doesn't want to sit on the ground, the colors are mainly dark and most touches of colors are either very dark reds or purples or blues. scratch sleeps among the pillows sometimes..vio is very happy about it...don't tell anyone

a mirror on a small table with a few plants and erbs scattered around, a few small crystal flasks (they look extremely expensive) or pouches, she crafts her (infamous) perfume there so around her tent there's always a nice smell

books, mainly poetry and a few plays and there's a small diary in black leather where she writes god knows what (her thoughts, narration of her sufferings and visions of a not very much stable mind, poetry a bit shitty i fear)

a lute! she plays sometimes at camp depending on her mood. actually she can play the lyre as well but do NOT ask her to play it (her mother forced her to learn and they were never joyful lessons to say the least)

a black viola in a vase. half is decaying, the petals look wrinkled and lifeless like they are about to fall but it never happens. the flower looks like it's stuck in a stasis. not alive nor dead but on the road to death that seems to have an end (the symbolism of it all, sorry. also she keeps it bc she likes it and death is fascinating to look up close)

has many candles around, she says they set the mood

also a simple orange. karlach sketched a smiling face on it and gave it to her. 'remember to smile more! you're not dead yet'. violante indeed smiles a bit when she looks at it,,

a chest, small and unremarkable, she NEVER opens it in front of the others and she can get very violent and off-putting when someone tries to touch it or asks about it. keeps a few fucked up keepsakes there. most importantly: a black velvet pouch where inside there's ruven skull (he hated velvet. lmao). at night she places either the skull or the pouch in front of her so it can face her and she can look at it. barely can close her eyes if she doesn't have it around, sometimes she simply clutches the pouch to her chest when she isn't sure the rest of the camp is asleep or she's just scared of someone will catch her doing hot girl stuff (mourning so hard and hating so fervently and resenting even the day of her birth so intensely that even her soul crumbles)

bonus: astarion sometimes 'sleeps' in her tent, very later on when they can trust each other fully. makes him feel safe (won't admit it), says it's the only place in that god forsaken camp that smell good. and violante likes to have him around mostly bc he can babble on and keep her company when she can't sleep. sometimes she eventually falls asleep bc the fact he's watching over her is comforting. really says a lot, they are besties i love them

[saintsenara]

your turtle romcom fic was amazing. do you have a fancast for them?

thank you so much, anon - i'm thrilled you enjoyed bookbinding, and i'm always delighted to welcome new members to turtle nation.

i'm never great at fan-casts largely because i can never remember people's names, but also because i often have incredibly specific ideas in my mind about how these characters look which i find very difficult to then actually explain. but still... let's get into it:

myrtle

one of my least favourite aspects of the writing of the harry potter series is the fact that characters we are supposed to find unsympathetic are always, always written as some combination of fat, ugly, unintelligent, and inarticulate.

i understand the watsonian explanation that harry-as-narrator is a teenager and teenagers are kind of dicks. i understand the doylist genre reasons for this - jkr is not the first children's author to make use of such tropes, and they are certainly used with a lighter touch in hp than in, for example, roald dahl - and i also understand the reasons specific to the series' central mystery, in which snape's ugliness [the marker of his apparent villainy] actually conceals the fact he is one of the narrative's heroes.

the reverse is, of course, used with tom himself - harry's trust in tom riddle's memory of framing hagrid in chamber of secrets is established right at the start of the scene by harry's comment that they both have jet-black hair; harry's profound empathy with riddle's past in the memory scenes shown in half-blood prince completely disappears when voldemort returns for his job interview and is "no longer handsome tom riddle".

all of which is to say, i do not vibe with the fact that myrtle is written in the text in a way which presents her appearance as a moral failing. this was the decision behind two key points made in bookbinding - that myrtle doesn't lose weight and it literally doesn't matter, and that beauty standards change and a young woman considered unattractive in the forties was not considered unattractive at other points in human history.

tom notes that she looks like a renaissance painting, specifically da vinci's lady with an ermine:

and as for current people, i think bella ramsey would work as casting for school-age myrtle - in particular because they are absolutely tiny and it is very important to me that tom is being constantly hen-pecked by someone who barely comes up to his shoulders.

tom

i find fan-casting tom extremely difficult, in particular because - and i accept this might be unpopular - i find that many of the preferred fan-casts and fan-art interpretations always look far too masculine. [this is particularly the case in tomarry, one of my favourite ships, in which harry "i have anger issues, am a jock, and aspire to be a cop" potter is far too often this tiny, feminine damsel-in-distress, and tom "i would love the chance to be a mammy's boy, spent my teenage years in the library, and create anagrams of my own name for fun" riddle is far too often a pile of twitching muscle intent on snapping him like a twig.]

the things we're told in canon about tom's appearance are that he has dark eyes and black hair and "finely-carved" features, looks a bit like harry, looks exactly like his dilf of a father, and is really hot. we are also told that both he and the later voldemort are very tall, extremely thin, softly spoken, and have a certain elegance of movement. all of which, to me, suggests that we are not dealing with the buff greek god of so many interpretations, but someone who is, in reality, slightly effete.

this fan art by @arcynist:

and this by @erichthaxa:

are 100% how i picture him. especially the being covered in blood part.

so, in terms of fan-casting, find your favourite slightly-androgynous-leaning male model i guess...

[edettethegreat]

In honor of the end of my second year of college, here’s a short summary of every short story, book, and play I had to read:

(this is part 2 of this post)

[ trigger warning: mentions of both abortion and rape somewhere in here. Probably also murder. Because yeah these are literature class assignments, what sorta subject matter do you expect? ]

—————————————

short stories

—————————————

The Tell-Tale Heart-

Narrator, while killing a guy: I am definitely not crazy.

Cops: hey we heard some noise here, is everything alright?

Narrator: haha yeah I definitely didn’t kill a guy!

Cops: oh that’s good, well have a good night sir!

Narrator:…

Narrator: ok OK you caught me I killed him!! I killed him because his eye was just too weird!!

Cops: I think.. this guy might be crazy.

Rapaccini’s Daughter-

Giovanni: wow that girl next door is so pretty

Beatrice: *touches a lizard, which instantly dies*

Giovanni: that was kinda creepy actually.

Beatrice: *smiles at him*

Giovanni: nevermind she’s still pretty

Bartleby the Scrivener-

Narrator: hey would you mind doing your job for once

Bartleby: I’d prefer not to.

Narrator: that’s fair have a nice day

Lamb to the Slaughter-

Mary’s Husband: so I may have cheated on you…

Mary: oh, that’s perfectly fine

Mary, killing him: I don’t mind at all actually.

The Necklace-

Mathilde: oh no I lost my friend’s diamond necklace!!

Mathilde: *spends the next ten years working to pay off the debt*

Her friend: You idiot. You absolutely buffoon. That necklace was fake.

The Story of an Hour-

Loise: it sure sucks that my husband died, but it doesn’t suck enough to trigger my fatal heart condition

Her husband: ‘Sup! I’m alive!

Louise: Oh no! My heart! *dies*

Hansel and Gretel-

Hansel: wow our parents really hate us don’t they

Gretel: well I mean they abandoned us in the woods so they wouldn’t have to feed us anymore. So. Figure it out for yourself.

Little Red Cap-

Little red-cap: I would absolutely love to murder a wolf.

Rumplestiltskin-

Rumplestiltskin: I bet you’ll never guess my name!

Rumplestiltskin: It’s Rumplestiltskin by the way.

The Queen: is it by any chance Rumplestiltskin?

Rumplestiltskin: asdjkhskl WHAT how did you guess??

The Dog and the Sparrow-

Sparrow: hey please don’t kill my friend Dog over there

Carter: hey how about you shut up. *kills the Dog*

Sparrow:…

Sparrow: I see. So you have chosen Death. *proceeds to torture and kill this man, as he should*

Young Goodman Brown-

Goodman: I had this really weird dream and now I gotta be suspicious of my wife for the rest of my life

The Lottery-

Townspeople: Ritualized murder is fun!!

A Good Man is Hard to Find-

Grandma: you seem like such a sweet young man. Please don’t kill my whole family.

The Misfit, actively killing them: you seem like a sweet old lady. Sorry I’m gonna kill you now. *kills her too*

The Smallest Woman in the World-

Everyone: wow that woman sure is small!

A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings-

Priest: yeah that’s not an angel, that’s just a dude with wings.

Everyone in the town: Shut up— that totally is an angel!

The old man with the wings: *just wants to be left alone. Is Not having a good time*

The Guest-

Daru: On the one hand, ACAB. On the other hand, I don’t condone murder. So it seems I find myself in a moral conundrum.

Hills Like White Elephants-

The girl: I may or may not want an abortion.

The guy: so… which is it?

The girl: guess.

—————————————

books

—————————————

Uncle Tom’s Cabin-

Tom: well, after all of the things I’ve been through, I am now dying.

Everyone, including the audience: NO NO don’t you dare die DON’T-

Tom: *dies*

Everyone: *crying, sobbing, screaming, overall not having a very good times*

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas-

Frederick Douglas: …and that’s how learning to read and write helped me gain my freedom!

Walden-

Thoreau: I’m not like other girls. I live in the woods.

The Stranger-

Meursault: I killed a guy because it was very hot outside.

The court: The’s the dumbest reason to commit murder we’ve ever heard.

Meursault: huh it seems they’ve given me the death penalty. Why’s they do that? That’s so unfair.

—————————————

plays

—————————————

Oleanna-

Carol: hey I see you’ve given me a failing grade.

John: Yes, that’s because you didn’t understand the material. But I can tutor you to help you get a better mark on the final.

Carol: Or, alternatively, I could accuse you of rape and pass by default?

John: wait. what.

Andre’s Mother-

Cal: It sure is tragic that Andre died, isn’t it?

Andre’s Mother: …

Cal: great talk we’ve had here today.

A View from the Bridge-

Eddie: guys, I think Rodolpho is gay.

Everyone: what makes you say that?

Eddie: well he’s just so pretty…

Eddie: …and kissable..

Eddie: y’know. He looks like the sort of guy I’d wanna kiss

Everyone: …

Dutchman-

Lula: hi stranger. I’m gonna aggressively flirt with you now.

Clay: haha well this is kinda weird, but at least you’re not a serial killer or something, right?

Lula, while stabbing him: lmao yeah that would be pretty messed up!

Topdog/Underdog-

Lincoln: hey isn’t it messed up that our parents names us Lincoln and Booth? It’s like they want you to kill me or something—

Booth, killing him: yeah that would be pretty messed up, wouldn’t it?

[blackjackkent]

So - we've reached the adamantine forge.

The molds we've found fit in the mold chamber but I do not have any adamantine so we'll have to keep looking for that.

Trotting on westward, we find the location of the quest item "Help the Spirit of the Amulet", which is in this pleasant looking place.

Everyone's pathfinding is struggling with getting through this area, which is full of little "lava balloons" which repeatedly get the Ready To Burst condition and then explode.

This fellow, which Hector recognized as a lava elemental, is wandering around the place, and he commented that it's probably why the lava is so volatile. So I'm guessing we have to kill it? Talking doesn't seem to be an option.

This fight turned out to be complicated by the fact that all of the lava explosions HEAL the elemental as long as it's in the lava. So after some significant singeing, the right approach seemed to be to kite it back OUT of the lava onto dry land where we could beat it up safely. (This also helped bc it let us use melee attacks, and Hector and Karlach beating the hell out of everything is kind of the majority of our damage output at present.)

Karlach got inspired for us defeating the elemental. :D

With the elemental dead, the lava calms down considerably; still super hot but much easier to walk around in without getting clipped.

At the center of the area is a locked adamantine chest with a DC of *20*. Yikes. Must be important stuff. Hector did his best but even his impressive dex score is not enough to make this happen, so it's time to bring in the big guns.

Poor Astarion has been sitting in camp probably bored out of his skull and snipping at Lae'zel and Wyll for the last however many days but we will put him to work now.

Tasty. He biffed the first attempt nevertheless but the second was a 31 which was more than sufficient. :P TY for your service, Astarion.

What's in this chest that is so difficult to unlock?

Yuh oh.

So. Based on what we read in the note we found, as well as the description, the name, and literally everything about its being somehow locked away here despite having previously been thrown in lava, I'm going to go ahead and say this is 1423425% cursed.

However, it also provides ki restoration which means it is literally tailor-made for Hector.

"I dunno about this, Hec," Karlach says warily, watching him eye the object sitting within the chest. "Things that have a mind 'a their own tend to...y'know, have a mind of their own."

"Oh, relax, darling," Astarion drawls lazily, lounging back on his heels, still basking in his moment of accomplishment. "What's the worst that could happen? If he goes insane, we have a pit of lava all prepared for him." He smirks at Hector. "There are worse things than a dramatic exit."

Hector ignores him, glances at Gale. "You're our magic expert. What do you think?"

Gale smiles crookedly. "Oh, I think it's a dreadful idea - but I'm just as curious as you are."

Hector hesitates...then reaches into the chest and lifts the amulet carefully in one hand.

Immediately, a soft, gleeful voice rings in his head, almost inarticulate with mirth.

"Thou hast come! Hee. Hee. Hee-HEE!"

Narrator: The amulet is heavy, but holds a subtle warmth, like it was left under the sun.

Narrator: Suddenly, the metal surges with heat. You feel great power and an overwhelming urge...to laugh.

Hector feels the sudden straining of his facial muscles, pulling into a maniacal smile, his eyes widening to show the whites as a desperate belly laugh begins forming in his chest. It's not tied to anything, he sees no humor, but the sudden urge feels like a tension release after everything he's been through and he makes a choking noise, a sudden strangled giggle.

The voice speaks again in his head, even more excited, even more full of mirth. "Ha! Canst thou endure?!"

And he very nearly gives over to it. Everything has been so tiring, so brutal and exhausting, everything since the nautiloid and even back before that, through his ascetic youth and isolated childhood, everything has always been austere and silent and serious and he need, he needs to laugh, to let loose the absolute hysteria building inside him--

Stop.

Some answering voice, perhaps the lingering remnants of all the masters who ever taught him at the monastery, perhaps his own self-control...something sees what is happening to it and knows it to be wrong.

[MONK][WISDOM] Quiet your mind. Let everything be still.

Narrator: You observe the urge to laugh from afar, letting it fade with each breath.

He feels himself trembling as the urge begins to leave him, the steadiness returning. The voice in his head swirls dizzily.

"Thou has done well!" it yelps excitedly. "For what is a laugh, if not one step towards madness?" It begins to giggle hysterically, and he feels the urge start to take hold of him again, shoves it down forcefully with a tight grip on the amulet that sends pain jolting through his knuckles. "Hee. Hee. Hee hee hee heeheehee. Thou art the One!" it announces, and there is a burst of light as a form erupts from the object into the air in front of him.

It's a human man and a monk by the looks of it - wearing very similar clothing to the simple outfit that Hector himself wears. "Return me! Take me home!" it urges, the words lost in a flurry of giggles. "And thou shalt glow with blessings!"

Hector stares at the phantasm in bewilderment. The urge to laugh, to give in to the enchantment, is still very real, and a great part of his mind is occupied with ignoring it enough to function. "Return you where? To whom?" he asks, his voice strangled and breathless.

"To my granddaughter!" the spirit says brightly. "Shirra Clarwen. Serves Ilmater, she doth! She waits in Wyrm's Crossing. Take me there, and thou shalt bathe in her golden gifts!"

Behind him, Hector is almost sure he can hear Astarion snigger, and the sound almost causes his control to break; he grits his teeth against the feeling.

"O! Thou shalt be blessed indeed!" the spirit announces, followed by a burst of giggling.

Hector swallows, forces out another set of words. "Are you a ghost? What happened to you?"

"A ghost?!" The spirit seems to find this, too, incredibly humorous. "Ha HA! I am sunlight on water, dew on grass. Sharrans broke my bo0dy. But my spirit, they could not. Well - not completely. Hee HEE! Thou shalt return me home! It is written!"

He's mad, Hector thinks distantly. But the desire to go home...he can understand that. He squints at the amulet cautiously, trying to bring whatever knowledge he can to bear on the question.

[INVESTIGATION] Examine the amulet.

Narrator: Etched on its face is an image of the dawning sun.

[RELIGION] Consider the inscribed image. What could it mean?

Narrator: You recognize this symbol - it belongs to those sworn to Lathander, god of dawn and renewal. Whatever madness this spirit suffers was inflicted by Lathander's enemies - followers of Shar. And this madness may flow into you.

"I shall walk with thee! I shall grant thee power! He HEE!"

[INSIGHT] Focus on this entity. What are its intentions?

Narrator: Beneath the rampant joy, you sense the monk's fear and sincerity. He doesn't wish to harm you - but that doesn't mean he won't.

Hector's fist closes around the amulet again. The worship of Lathander is not so far off from his own Selunite faith. This is the spirit of a man he could have considered a brother. And he wishes to go home.

"We'll take him home," he says hoarsely. He doesn't wear the amulet - not yet. He senses too much danger in that, and is not sure after the ordeal of the last few minutes that he is quite strong enough to handle it at present. But he puts it carefully into his pack. "We'll take you home."

Narrator: You feel a chuckle coming on. But it soon fades...

[the-zapped-part-timer]

Penn Zerothon Day 11

It's a Colorful Life🌈

My Ramblings: So it's not a big deal that Penn is chatting on the MUHU in front of passersby? Hm, ok. I guess we haven't been told that this is a no-no, I just that it was. I mean, such technology would be crazy to see. Anyways, BROCK AND VONNIE! KISS CAM! Hey Old Man Middleburg, what are you- oh, you wanna watch them make out? Ok...

Poor Penn, he just wanted to make the world a litter better and ends up almost killing Phyllis, who would've known it would be flowers, her weakness (and allergy). Wish someone informed Penn that, but did he really never question the "in case of flowers" button (which is just bombs)? Maybe he could've forgotten? Sashi and Boone know what's up. Three months to recover from that? Damn, Phyllis, you poor thing. I'm surprised she didn't lash out.

So colorism? Right? Is that what's happening in the Yellow Submarine world? Also getting flashbacks to the PSI King's Sensorium, which was also inspired by Yellow Submarine. Both wreck my eyes but I'd rather attend the "Feast of the Senses" than be here. But literally that's what's happening here, colorism or shadism. Throw some "The Sneetches" in there too.

I'm surprised there's no really wacky critters in this world. Just foxes, like Belvedere. Rabbits too, but we don't see them.

Rippen stating his distaste for rhymes is reasonable but, I'm sorry my guy, that's their way of life. He tried to voice them and I love his animation for when he did, his little hand movements.

COLORFUL WILHELM!

Veet much like the touch of the Hue's slowly losing their colors each time a rock is taken. Especially when Penn blushes and you see the color fade from his cheeks, very good.

This really is one of Rippen's better days, huh? Heroes are failing miserably, Larry's off with his fox, and he's been able to keep out of the bickering and obstacles of the two groups. I would have died of laughter or sheer second-hand embarrassment for the Trio as the Hues footballed the last rock into my wacky rocky knocker thing. Or I would go on a hot date with a volcano, good pun. Like he said, he can adapt to well worlds, especially wackier ones. He does have more experience, which helps too.

Rippen is so right to ditch the Drabs, he's tired of your color war. Even Sashi agrees with the idea of ditching, nothing states that they needed help from Hues, just save the rocks. But Penn has a lesson to make here! Penn solves colorism! While Boone still thinks the Hues are better.

How long has Rippen had those full-time villain business cards for? Must be sad just to see those wasting away in your apartment. Also, what does being a full-time villain entail? I don't know if they ever properly explained that. I keep thinking if he wins he gets to rule the world he won in, which maybe also that? But it is more than that, just don't know what.

That is the most Maurice LaMarche that Maurice LaMarche can get in his out of nowhere narration. Like I know he voices a lot of characters in the show, but it hits me everytime when he speaks here and his role in the next episode. Why are the rock eggs now just hatching? Do they do that everytime the need to spread color or something?

Now the ending, at first I thought Rippen was smiling because Larry is crying, we learn later on that he finds crying funny. But no! He's very caring and soft towards Larry! Yes, he did seem uncomfortable with the hug, he still assured him that everything will be alright. Such a randomly wholesome moment!

~The Characters~

Penn Zero: He wanted to make the world a little better, but that might be hard back at home, but hey! He did it here, and everyone is better for it.

Boone Wiseman: Boone, you colorist!

Sashi Kobayashi: Hated every second of being there but behaved very well. I would've committed arson.

Rippen: Almost a win, so close! But the power of newly found friendship beat him. Ok, but seriously, I can't stop thinking about the ending! It would have been so easy for him to blow up at Larry, especially after that failure, but he doesn't! He can be such a soft fellow!

Larry: He's gone for most of the mission to go and ride Belvedere, the bestest boy around! Until he bites Larry. Hopefully he learned his lesson that foxes aren't easy to care for. Foxes arr very different from elephants after all!

Dimension(s): It's bright, colorful and wacky... I would hate it there so much. My eyes would burn and I would murder a hue. Me and Sashi will go on a spree if we're here any longer!

Forms: No thanks to any of these. Rippen is the only one I sort of like, he a giant compared to everyone else and a has funny name, Grayson Drabswatch. Actually, Boone's is good to. He pulls of beards well, just like his dad.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Larry Manor🐘

My Ramblings: RACE TIME! Me and Penn are part of the scooter squad, who needs bikes? Also why did Sashi need a back-up wrench to sabotage Penn's back-up scoot? I get the joke, it's funny, but still. Either way she could have just used that grappling hook of hers and swing through the town, Spider-Man style.

But Penn has got a trick up his sleeve, big brain time! Why not just stealthy sneak into Rippen's car and hitch a ride? I bet he's done this numerous times before, he's way to confident in that. Larry does have a ride, but it's just so much easier to hitch a ride with Rippen on the way to their other jobs. Don't forget what the Pilot took from us! Poor Rippen must feel insane randomly hearing Penn's voice, don't do that to the poor old man!

Oh, Sashi tries to swing spider style but the mere idea of a flying shark catches her attention and she hits a pole. Same. My dad used to just say: "Look a distraction!" That always git me as a kid.

Boone's right, it's not about winning, it's about stealing form your opponent's backpack! I would do that. Pickled chubfish? I get why he would eat that, fish makes you smarter according to him... but would that even taste good? Doesn't matter, Phyllis ate the cupcake with the wrapper on, go queen.

MY GOD RIPPEN! The Trio wasn't the only ones racing but wow. They're in the same car and Rippen just hits another (empty) car from the sheer adrenaline like he's racing someone far behind him, slides over his hood, and he freaking tries to slam the Larry's door while he's opening it! Poor Larry has to put up with his ass.

I adore the concept for the episode. No power, no mission! So what will they do for the day? Go to Larry's place of course! Well, everyone doesn't want to at first, I mean, it's kind of weird to be invited by your principal to his place. But we get the sad realization that no one has come to his place, not even for any if his probably awesome parties. Rippen, Boone and Sashi don't give a fuck. I'm surprised that Boone doesn't wanna go. But Penn has a heart and why not? What are your going to do? Literally anything else? Nah.

Now we get to learn that Larry is loaded as hell by winning 32 lotteries. How? By buying the winning tickets, silly. It's that simple.

LITTLE PIECE OF LARRY GIFT SHOP, WE GOT:

Larry T-Shirts

Larry Snowglobes

Larry Mugs

Larry Decorative Plates

Larry Ballons

Larry Lights

Larry Boxing Jester Toy

Larry Toys or Dummys

Copys of A Principal to Live By (his book)

And possibly Larry Keychains? I don't know what those are

And later on we also see a:

Larry Oversized Novelty Hand

Larry Oversized Hat

Larry Back Scratcher (or I guess in this case a butt scratcher)

There's a sale, everything was $10 but now is $6... that's kind of sad.

TONY! THE CUTEST OF BOYS! MY TEACUP ELEPHANT BABY! Also this implies that either Rippen hasn't been here before or that Tony is new addition to Larry's family. Which is just those two.

"I'd rather drown in a pool of balsamic vinegar." That's such a good line, Rippen, and a great eyebrow cock.

Oh, to have a butler who also has a butler. Actually I just want a house. Also, hello Maurice LaMarche- I mean, Fredricks and hello Maria Bamford- I mean, Madame President- I mean Matthews.

Does Larry take the rollercoaster every morning? No wonder he's so wide awake. Also it's called the 32 Express... because he won 32 times.

Phil and Phyllis? Give me that chessboard! I want it so bad! Ah yes, the three means of communication, Penn's MUHU, Sashi's Specs, and Boone's phone... which he left at home. That's funny. Also hey look! He's got a Lazlo Matavaqua poster in his room! So, zapping is on, but no heroes or villains, what to do? Phil and Phyllis will just do it themselves.

The dining room is big and empty, just like the table that has 15 chairs but only 5 are filled. So sad.

We get to hear a bona fide Rippen joke! He got a good one so don't die laughing!

Rippen: What do you call a chef with bananas in his ears? Anything you want. He can't hear you!

Crickets. The joke isn't that funny but his delivery and roaring laughter from his own joke is priceless. Still, Larry didn't even laugh. I liked you joke, buddy. I wish I had that self-confidence when I told a joke.

Anyways, MASTER TONY IS MISSING! Rippen reaction, yes, the elephant. It's so unnecessary to have them say that, but it's funny!

"Why would I want $25 worth of Larry merch?" Why not, Rippen?

Thes dorks, I love them:

Penn: Is little Rippy afraid of a little competishi?

Rippen: Au contraire. Rippy welcomes competishi.

Wow Penn, don't even jump on the idea of helping Larry find Tony? Only when it's a competition and bragging rights? I like Boone and Sashi don't even try, they don't want to be here. Until they see the gaming room.

Why does he have a snake and bat room? So does Old Man Middleburg basically live here? Why is he here? Hmm, quite the mystery.

Remember when Rippen kind of comforted Larry in the last episode? Yeah, he's run dry of softness and niceties by this point.

How did Fredericks figure out that Matthews was behind it? I don't know, but all fingers point to her. A cliche as the butler did it. Rippen looks like such a creeper in those bushes.

Rippen found Tony, he won! That gift certificate that he doesn't want is as good as his! Why would Matthews do such a thing? Again, how did Fredericks know where Tony is? And why does he have Tony's adorable little beanie!? Ah ha! The other butler did it! But why? Because of the pain of being constantly be outdone by someone.

Deus Ex Pickled Chubfish. Was Penn just keeping that in his pocket the whole time? Fredericks probably thought he smelled like pickled death.

Sashi! Why are you tieing up Matthews!? Tony is safe- where did he go!?  Not the snake room that also has bats! Rippen killed a snake with the sheer force of his ass.

It's really depressing to see Rippen almost on the brink of tears about almost losing a competition to a child that doesn't really get him anything, just bragging rights (and a $25 he doesn't want). He's so desperate to have any one-up over Penn and to be proud of finally winning anything. How is he still doing his job? I know what that's like, to do a thankless job. I just recently quit. He wasn't crying, he sounded like he was going to, probably was gonna save that for home.

But oh no! Penn somehow alerted to bats he threw a rock at and attacked him, Tony is in Rippen's grasp now! Rippen is such a big kid sometimes.

So how did Phil and Phyllis' mission go? Phyllis rocketed Phill to a sun, no biggie.

Imagine if you will, seeing your nemesis/art teacher gleefully parading around his novelty items, boasting his win (that you gave him) like a spoiled kid and then he scratches his ass with a back scratcher right in front of you. How would you feel?

It enjoyed how they tied the butlers, and Penn and Rippen all together. Symmetry, my dear. Symmetry. I wanna see more of these two butlers relationship and to see Matthews carry Fredericks more, while singing to him.

Looks like Larry gonna have to change the name of the 32 Express to 33 Express! I like to think that after this stressful time of losing your teacup elephant temporarily, he decides to buy a ticket to blow off steam.

~The Characters~

Penn Zero: Just been listening his heart over and over recently, huh. That's sweet to see. He can be easily jerkass (he can be sometimes), but he's just a cool and kind kid, even to his enemies.

Boone Wiseman: Gamer time.

Sashi Kobayashi: Gamer time.

Rippen: The most pathetic and desperate man know to the multiverse.

Larry: He's got a giant manor, a zoo, a gift shop with his face on everything, a rollcoaster, two butlers, a gaming room, a snake and bat room, a greenhouse and the cutest elephant in the world! What doesn't he have!? More friends...