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đ Making Your Villain Make Sense (Without Making Them Rightâą)
("because if I see one more war criminal with a sad diary entry get a redemption arc, Iâm gonna throw my laptop.")
Hereâs the thing: your villain doesnât need to be redeemable. But they do need to make sense.
And I mean sense beyond "theyâre evil and they monologue about it." Or âthey have a tragic past, so now they do murder <3.â Or âthey were right all along, the hero just couldnât see it đ„ș.â
Letâs fix that.
âââââââ ⊠âââââââ
đ§ STEP ONE: BUILD A LOGIC SYSTEM THAT ISNâT OURS Your villain shouldnât just be wrong, they should have their own internal system that works for them. Morally flawed? Absolutely. But coherent.
Ask yourself:
What do they value more than anything? (Power? Order? Loyalty? Vengeance?)
What do they believe about the world, and how did they get there?
What fear drives them? What future do they think theyâre trying to prevent?
The villain doesnât need to know theyâre wrong. But you should.
Make their logic airtight. even if itâs awful. Give them cause and effect.
âââââââ ⊠âââââââ
đż STEP TWO: STOP GIVING THEM THE BETTER IDEOLOGY Listen. I love a âmorally grayâ moment as much as anyone. But if your villain is making all the good points and the heroâs just like âno because thatâs mean,â your arc is upside down.
If your villain is critiquing injustice, oppression, or inequality, make sure their methods are the problem, not their entire worldview.
âïž WRONG: Villain: âThe ruling class is corrupt.â Hero: âThatâs not nice.â
âïž RIGHT: Villain: âThe ruling class is corrupt, so Iâm burning the city and everyone in it.â Hero: âSo youâre just⊠committing genocide now?â
Your villain can touch a real issue. Just donât let them be the only one talking about it, or solving it with horror movie logic.
âââââââ ⊠âââââââ
đȘ STEP THREE: GIVE THEM POWER THAT COSTS THEM The best villains lose things too. Theyâre not just untouchable horror dolls in sexy coats. They make bad choices and pay for them. Thatâs where the drama lives.
Examples:
They isolate themselves.
They sacrifice people they love.
They get what they want, and it destroys them.
They know theyâre the monster, and choose it anyway.
If your villain can kill a dozen people and feel nothing, thatâs not scary. Thatâs boring. Let them bleed. Let them regret it. Let them double down anyway.
âââââââ ⊠âââââââ
đ§± STEP FOUR: MAKE THEM PART OF THE WORLD, NOT OUTSIDE IT Villains shouldnât feel like they were patched in from another genre. They should be part of the worldâs logic, culture, class system, history. They should reflect something about the setting.
Villains that slap:
The advisor who upheld the regime until they decided they deserved to rule.
The noble whoâs using war to reclaim stolen legacy.
The ex-hero who thinks the system canât be saved, only reset.
The priest who truly believes the gods demand blood.
Theyâre not just evil, theyâre a product of the same world the hero is trying to save.
âââââââ ⊠âââââââ
đ STEP FIVE: SHOW US THEIR SELF-JUSTIFICATION You donât need a tragic backstoryâą. But you do need to show us why they think theyâre right. Not just with exposition, through action.
Let us watch them:
Protect someone.
Choose their goal over safety.
Justify the unjustifiable to a character who loves them.
Refuse to change, even when given a chance.
A villain who looks into the mirror and goes âYes. Iâm correct.â is 1000x scarier than one who sobs into a journal and says âIâm so broken đ„ș.â
âââââââ ⊠âââââââ
đ§š BONUS ROUND: DONâT MAKE THEM A HATRED MEGAPHONE Especially if youâre writing marginalized characters: donât let your villain become a mouthpiece for slurs, abuse, or extremism just to make them âevil enough.â Thatâs lazy. And harmful.
You donât need real-world hate speech to build a dark character. You need power, consequence, and intent.
âââââââ ⊠âââââââ
TL;DR: Good villains donât need to be right. They need to be real. Not a vibe. Not a sad boy in a trench coat. Not a trauma monologue and then a sword fight. They need logic. They need cost. They need to scare you because you get them, and still want them to lose.
Make them dangerous. Not relatable. Make them whole. Not wholesome. Make them make sense.
ârin t. // thewriteadviceforwriters // villain critic. final boss consultant. licensed chaos goblin
P.S. I made a free mini eBook about the 5 biggest mistakes writers make in the first 10 pages đ you can grab it here for FREE:
#writeblr#writing advice#writing help#writing community#fiction writing#writers on tumblr#writing resources#writing tips#character writing#writing villains#writing characters#creative writing#novel writing#how to write villains#thewriteadviceforwriters#villain writing#villain arcs#how to write a villain#writing antagonists#antagonist development#dark character writing#morally gray characters#complex villains#realistic villains#story conflict#character arcs#character development tips#on writing#writing#writers block
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The sad part is that the Miraculous fandom is not an isolated incident and that I have seen this, well, nearly everywhere. It's nothing new but rather a fire fanned slowly into a blaze before you know it.
I often question (as nice as I can with my flawed way with words) why they're even here. Sure, I know that no work of any kind of art is immune to any kind of criticism. However, a lot of Miraculous "fans" have me asking: "Do you even find joy in any of this? In the show? The discourse?"
The answers vary. "I wanna like the show but the writers f*ck it up" is a popular one. Namely that the initial presentation of Season 1 and its concepts drew them in but the storytelling choice along with how the characters evolve leave them with a sour taste in their mouth.
This is admitted a nuance dilemma but it's a occupational hazard of any long running piece of work that things will never stay the exact same or that choices in character writing will inevitably tick some fan off.
Even when less subject to the whims of studio heads, creative teams aren't always going to be on the same wavelength as fans. Theories and predictions are always going being skewered in some shape or form.
Some are waiting for it to "get good" again but the fact is that, well, nothing can truly reverse course by this point. Especially in a time consuming art form of animation. Waiting for it to get good is like gambling at a casino. It will always be rigged against you.
However, I feel like hatedoms like with Miraculous persist because of the sense of community. Nobody wants to feel alone and when something you've invested in has proverbially "stabbed you in the back," you may initially walk away in defeat.
Except wait, there's a whole subsection of the fandom that's full of the betrayed just like you. You are not alone in this. They will validate your pain and reassure you that you don't have to go so long as you have friends like them.
This... is not terribly healthy. This culture of discontent will inevitably spill into the main tags/subs where most who like the thing or like it enough with caveats. Many will even go so far as to feel like their dislike is more valid that other fan's like of Miraculous and be, well, jerks about it.
I don't want to tell them how to enjoy themselves but a small pal of mine who got into something akin to this elsewhere described the hating as "alcohol." It's a controlled substance that's not immoral to drink but can be addictive and severely affect your emotions, making you do things that you'd otherwise never do.
That's not even getting into a lot of the bigotry masked by faux-progressivism. Like, prefer Adrien all you want but if you can extend empathy to even his low points, then what's stopping you from giving Marinette the time of day.
if anyone is wondering why the ml fandom isn't as active as it used to be and why your favorite creators arent posting as much art and fanfic, it's literally because of the negative, nitpicky pieces of shit who cant shut up about how much they hate ml, the writing, the characters, season 5, whatever the fuck, coming onto every single ml post and flooding the tag with salt and half-baked criticisms. nobody can post anythingânot even a simple text postâwithout at least one person coming onto that post and spouting some annoying bullshit. you are literally driving the fanartists out of this fandom

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Something About You (07) | JJK
Pairing:Â Jungkook x (f.) Reader
Genre/Tags:Â friends au, vacation au, slow burn, romcom-ish vibe; adulting; inspired by AYS; PE teacher!JK and researcher!OC; fluff, comfort, smut
Chapter Warnings:Â foul/explicit language; alcohol consumption; semi-explicit smut that's not too smutty (m&f oral, condom talk, unprotected sex) (18+)
Word count:Â 21.4k
Series Masterlist
Status:Â Complete
Series Summary: You and Jungkook have been friends for a decade. And while heâs the charming and dependable, often reserved boy-next-door, heâs also just been a friend - a constant in your life, a part of a whole, and someone whoâs seen all the flawed and probably unattractive sides of you.
A resumption of your friend groupâs out-of-town trips has caused you to spend more time with him. And somewhere in between the morning coffee in the forest, running around in the snow, and watching the sunset on a boat, heâs become something more. And youâre not quite sure how to deal with it.
đ¶:Â Beautiful Soul by Jesse McCartney || Yes or No by Jungkook
A/N: Wrapping up this feel-good series! I'd hoped to gush about these episodes with you guys weekly but it is what it is, and I'm just happy for the people who tuned in and have and will enjoy this. I hope this story and these characters gave you a bit of joy.
Your eyes dart to the time on your laptop screen.
2:52 PM.
Jungkook will be arriving at your apartment soon for your scheduled 3PM drive to Busan but your meeting with your manager doesnât seem like itâll end in the next eight minutes.Â
Itâs Friday, and though youâre glad that she allowed you to adjust your hours today, you also wish sheâd stick to the agenda and not add items to it because now, sheâs briefing you about a new research proposal when you should just be talking about the one youâre currently working on.
âYes, Iâll read more about that. So the one thatâs due next weekâŠâ you say, trying to bring the conversation back to its original purpose. âI worked on the budget with the procurement team with regards to the service provider fees. Do you have any comments about it?â
She asks if theyâve been vetted and you answer that you did your due diligence and that the quotes and sample works are in the attachment you sent her. Youâre discussing the other line items when Jungkook opens the door - having already memorized your lock code - and you gesture to him that youâre still on a call.Â
He gives a thumbs up to say itâs okay, and he gestures to the clothes heâs holding to say that heâll just change while waiting for you to finish. You nod in response, expecting heâd head to your bathroom, only for him to strip in the middle of your living room, as you can see from your periphery.Â
You hold in your surprised look and curse him internally for teasing you like this.Â
But not wanting to miss out on the view, you move your laptop towards the right and adjust your seat so you can have a good look at him. Youâre met with a muted incredulous laugh followed by a cheeky smile, as he now stands several feet from you in just his black Calvin Klein underwear.Â
Itâs a shame youâre not close enough to admire every detail of him looking like that, but you have the rest of the weekend to do so. The thought of what the next three days will bring sends chills down your spine.
Your eyes alternate from the screen to your boyfriend, whoâs now replaced his running shorts and sports jacket with black trousers, a loose-fit white tank top, and a blue cardigan. You bite your lip to hold in a smile and your manager fortunately doesnât notice.Â
She finally realizes that itâs past 3PM and apologizes for holding you up, especially since you started the day much earlier than usual just so you can accommodate the four-hour trip youâll be making.Â
âThis is great work as always, ___,â she beams. âIâll let you go now and Iâll see you on Tuesday. Enjoy your cousinâs wedding!â
âThank you,â you say, bidding her goodbye.
You close your laptop, officially switching off for the weekend, then frown at Jungkook as he walks over to you.Â
He chuckles as he bends down to kiss your lips while you remain seated. You give in as you always do, and the groan youâre about to let out is replaced with a moan when he swipes his tongue in your mouth and gently cups your cheek.
He pulls away and boops your nose before standing straight up.
âHow rude of you to dress up in front of me like that,â you scowl at him.
âAnd how naughty of you to watch me while youâre on a call with your manager like that,â he bites back.
âYouâre so annoying,â you huff, even as you hug him and immediately fall into his arms.Â
âSorry, just wanted to tease,â he admits. âI know my body drives you crazy.â
You pinch his stomach and pull away.
âWere you ever this cocky?â You chuckle.Â
âNah. Itâs a trait I developed just in the last two months. Itâs all your fault since you react the way you do,â he smirks. âBut donât worry, weâve got this weekend.â
âWe do,â you say, biting your lip at the anticipation of whatâs in store.
Of course, thereâs Seokjin and Hayoungâs wedding tomorrow afternoon in Busan and the intimate yacht party right after. Thereâs also seeing Taehyung who flew back for a few days for the celebration. Thereâs the luxury hotel with all its fancy amenities that youâll definitely take advantage of. Thereâs seeing both your families and meeting them as a couple this time. And then thereâs staying over at Jungkookâs house on Sunday. Thereâs lots to look forward to and you canât wait to get started.Â
âSo⊠am I gonna see you dress up, too?â Jungkook smiles.
âSucks for you, Iâm already wearing this,â you shrug, saying youâd planned on leaving right as he arrived but your meeting extended you so now you really should get going.
He whines only a little then follows you as you walk towards your luggage.
âDo you have everything packed already? Dress, the right underwear, heels, makeup, evening bag?â He asks, making sure you didnât forget anything or else itâll ruin your weekend.
âYup, Iâve gotâ oh shit, my bathing suits!â
You scurry to your closet and get a few pairs, knowing that Jungkook would want to swim as much as he can. And while you could watch him for hours, joining him wouldnât be bad.
âCanât forget those,â he hums.Â
Once youâve got everything packed, you turn towards him to signal that youâre ready, and he heads out your door with you right behind him.
Going on a long drive alone with Jungkook is not a rare thing; itâs something youâve done a few times just this past year. And so thereâs this familiarity you feel - thereâs talking about your day, a lot of teasing, smacking his chest, video calling with your friends, and sipping iced coffee and feeding each other the cookies you bought at a drive-thru. Â
But there are new things, too, like holding his hand and placing it on your thigh for him to caress. Thereâs shamelessly ogling him and telling him how handsome he looks in his outfit and him admitting that he wears the tank top because of how much you like it. Thereâs kissing him when youâre at the stoplight, and him suggesting driving to an emergency stop so he could kiss you back properly.
And then thereâs talking about other couple things, like meeting your respective parents as each otherâs partners this time.Â
Youâve met each otherâs families several times before so itâs nothing new. Your parents know him as the athlete and the teacher and the one you describe as everyoneâs go-to person. Youâre known to his parents by your profession, too, as well as being the clumsy girl who freaks out when holding a knife and often hurts herself.
âKook, they probably think Iâm useless,â you pout.Â
âThey also know you as the other smart friend,â he says. âThey remember that you got an award during graduation. Thatâs not being useless, babe.â
âYeah but I mean, you know, domestic stuff,â you say softly. âAll I know to do is wash dishes. Thatâs the only thing I can do when I stay over on Sunday.â
Jungkook understands what you mean and immediately appeases you.
âTheyâre not of that traditional mindset so you donât have to worry. My momâs cooking isnât the best, too,â he laughs. âMy parents just taught me and my brother how to be independent and then we could look out for those whoââ
âAre helpless?â
âWho need a bit more help,â he corrects you. âYouâre not even that bad. You know how to feed yourself.â
âYeah, very basic food that only requires less than five steps to make. Or anything I can cook in the air fryer,â you laugh at yourself mockingly. âI donât know how to make things fancy or delicious like you.â
âWell, basic things help you survive so that doesnât make you helpless. Plus, you now have a boyfriend who makes the fancy and delicious food for you,â he winks. âMakes it difficult for you to let go of me, yeah?â
âHey, I like you either way,â you pout at him. âThough I admit that the cooking skills definitely help.â
âGood. Iâll just keep making delicious things for you, then,â he smiles.Â
âYou are good at taking care of me,â you nod. âI donât really know what Iââ
âYou listen to me,â he interjects before you say what he thinks youâre gonna say, which is that you donât take care of him the way he does with you.
He could already sense your faraway eyes and knew that your mind would travel elsewhere again, and to places he doesnât want it to go to. He hopes you never doubt yourself in your relationship because thereâs really so much that you do for him, and heâs worried that he doesnât tell you enough.
âYou listen to my worries. You create a space for me to talk about them,â he continues. âAnd you give good advice. Thatâs taking care of someone, too, you know? Because if my mindâs a mess, how would I function?â
âThatâs true,â you finally smile.
It takes you back to last Saturday and how you both spent the day at your apartment because he didnât feel like doing much. He talked about an issue he had with a senior teacher and some other concerns about his students. You just listened to him and shared your thoughts while he laid on your lap, and he told you the next day that he felt better.Â
Safety, friendship, and intimacy are needs after all, and you suppose theyâre what youâre able to give him.Â
âI told my parents that Iâve been confiding in you and that itâs been easier to do that since we got together,â he adds, wanting to make sure you donât feel unworthy when meeting them again. âAnd they know you watch my studentsâ matches and they think thatâs really sweet.â
âWell, I donât feel that worried meeting them as your girlfriend anymore,â you giggle, appreciating what heâs doing.Â
Heâs just always known how you are and how to calm your mind.Â
âYou shouldnât. They already like you,â he smiles.
âAnd my parents already like you, too,â you say. âIâve told them how you give me massages and piggyback rides and how you cook for me. I mean, not like they have anyone to compare it to but⊠I guess that says a lot, too, doesnât it?â
âSo does that mean theyâve never met your exes?â
âJust over video call but that doesnât really count,â you shrug. âThere wasnât really time to see them and I was a bit shy. Iâm so babied in my family and theyâre also a bit chaotic and I wasnât ready for my exes to deal with all that.â
âWell, you kinda have no choice but to introduce me now because of the wedding.â
âTrue. I still wouldâve though. But Iâm also really excited,â you say as you caress his hand. âTheyâll see that I got someone really good.â
âYou think theyâd expected Tae or Jimin as the friend youâd end up with and not me? They like the guys a lot,â he remarks, remembering your calls to your parents in the past and how they lovingly greeted your friends.Â
âNot really. Theyâre just more familiar with those two,â you explain. âWhen theyâd call me during college and I was crying out of stress, Tae or Jimin would be with me so they knew how much the guys took care of me then.â
âYeah, and I wasnât there,â Jungkook says regrettably.
âBecause you were stressed, too! Just like Mo-eum because you both took difficult courses,â you reason. âYou know Iâll always be thankful for how our relationship happened, right? And that includes our friendship. We were there for each other whenever we could.â
âI know,â he sighs. âI just⊠donât want them to wish it was someone else with you since youâve got other good guys around you.â
âWell, Iâm with you. I donât think I can have anyone better,â you smile.
You lean over for a kiss on his cheek and this appeases him.Â
Youâve already been on a call with your family a few times since you started dating Jungkook, which is about two months ago. It may seem too soon but you donât recall feeling this kind of joy and desire before.Â
Maybe because you let yourself settle into it first for those first few weeks and when you found out he reciprocated your feelings, it was just that natural for the emotions to intensify again.Â
Your parents already like him. They think that being a teacher requires a kind of dedication and patience that you need in your life, and you know theyâre right.Â
But thatâs just one part of him. Outside of what he does, heâs kind and tender-hearted and enjoys what life has to offer. It hasnât been long but youâre already experiencing more of those sides of him as well.
Youâre looking forward to seeing them see you with him; youâre certain theyâll see how different it is this time, too.
You get through the four-hour ride with more laughter and stories. Thereâs silence in between those, too, and neither you nor Jungkook minds. Your voices are just replaced with soft touches and tender smiles and those are enough just the same.Â
You finally arrive in the hotel in Busan and make your way to reception to check-in. You meet Jimin and Mo-eum there who have just arrived, and you all leave your things at the concierge so you can proceed to the restaurant for the pre-wedding dinner.
You head to the table where all your friends are and excitedly greet them, hugging Taehyung tightly as you miss him terribly already.Â
Itâs like youâve all been spoiled this past year. Jeju wasnât too long ago and now you're out of town again. Itâs different this time because of the purpose of your trip and the fact that youâll be experiencing luxury this weekend, a far cry from the outdoors and homey vibes of the previous months.Â
You get to relax and feel regal, enjoy the amenities, eat fancy food, and savor the view of the ocean from your bedroom. You almost wish you could afford to stay an extra day or so but staying at Jungkookâs family home is definitely the better choice.Â
While waiting for Seokjin and Hayoung, you take the time to greet the other guests who made it tonight. Your and Jungkookâs families will be arriving tomorrow before the ceremony so you take him with you when you greet your cousinâs parents. Having known your friend group for years, they tell you how happy they are that you ended up with one of them, too, just like their daughter.Â
You return to your seats and enjoy dinner with your friends. The food boasts of familiar flavors presented in new and delicate ways. You have fun with how you eat them and join Jungkook in raving about how delicious it is. You drink champagne and inhale the dessert that when itâs all over, you feel full and satisfied.
âSo, jacuzzi in half an hour?â Jimin pitches to the group.Â
Taehyung had booked the hot tub for after hours, and the five of you got excited at having the space all to yourselves. The rest of your friends agree to join. Even if they wonât be dipping, they wonât pass up on drinks with a view tonight. Itâs literally Seokjinâs and Hayoungâs last hurrah with all of you so they say theyâll follow later on.Â
As is the tradition, you book a suite to house the five of you. This time, however, itâs pretty clear whoâs sleeping with who.Â
You and Jungkook enter the room with the queen-sized bed and you turn to him excitedly. He picks up the hint of desire in your eyes and he pulls you in, his hands on your waist now as he admires how you look in your floral dress.
âWhat are you thinking tonight, huh?â He smirks.
âHmm, nothing⊠Just a big comfy bed, a nice shower, a stunning view⊠A few things we could enjoy,â you say, playing it coolly.
âYes⊠if youâre awake,â he teases.Â
âHey,â you smack his chest.Â
âIâm kidding,â he laughs, kissing your cheek. âIâm just saying that I know youâre tired from today. If you fall asleep early, thatâs okay. You should get rest because we have a full day tomorrow.â
âI know. Iâm actually already sleepy,â you laugh. âBut I want to take advantage of this fancy room with you.â
âWe will,â he smiles. âCome on, letâs get changed.â
You both put on your swimsuits and head out to the common room. Itâs spacious and boasts of a floor-to-ceiling glass window that lets you see the still ocean and city lights from outside. The five of you take a shot of tequila that Jimin brought with him then bring that to the jacuzzi room several floors above.
Itâs not the best weather for a hot tub. Itâs warm as it normally is for the middle of summer. But thereâs something about being in a private area on the 20th floor of a fancy hotel with bottles of champagne and whiskey and plates of food that makes it perfect for tonight. Thereâs soft music playing and given the size of the tub, everyone decides to join in. Even Yoongi.
From the hot water, to the jets on your legs and back, and to Jungkook massaging your neck and shoulders, you feel totally relaxed. Thereâs laughter all around, even more when you all rehash memories of Seokjin and Hayoung over the years.Â
Thereâs commentary from all your ends, too, especially from the older ones whoâd witnessed their relationship up close. The couple shares their favorite moments from the past six years, too, like when they first said I love you and how they made up after their first big fight.
It reminds you that thereâs still a lot to learn even when youâre already in a relationship. Itâs something Hayoung has talked to you about, as someone who understands what youâre experiencing. It may seem all good and easy because you think you know the other person so well already after being friends for many years but romantic relationships bring their own challenges; no couple is immune from those.Â
But like she said, itâs the strong friendship she has with Seokjin that allowed them to get through them. Itâs a good foundation, she told you. Being able to just talk about things openly, being comfortable and honest, and trusting that they want the best for each other have become natural, and those have been their keys to making it work.
Theyâre good advice, as you think that you and Jungkook are still in the honeymoon stage. One day, you know the hardships will come. Maybe youâll have to readjust to each other all over again or witness the births of new versions of yourselves, just like heâd told you before.Â
But deep inside, theyâre challenges you welcome because you know theyâll make you better together and you truly want to make this work, a change that you took note of early on. Plus, you genuinely like Jungkook - not just as your boyfriend or your friend but as a person. You truly admire and think the world of him, so whatever youâll face, youâd willingly go through them with him, as long as you get to keep him around. Â
You donât think youâd do that just with anybody.Â
âYou okay, babe?â He nudges your shoulder as he notices you gaze at him again.Â
âYes. Just thinking about how much I like you,â you smile at him.
Jungkook smiles back, as heâs already used to you being like this just two months in. Heâs usually a lot more reserved and moderated when it comes to expressing his feelings, as he tends to just feel them, whereas youâre more vocal about yours.Â
There have been days when heâd see you stressed or frustrated at work but youâd sit on his lap, hug him, and tell him that having him next to you already makes you feel better. Thereâs this vulnerability in your honesty, and itâs something heâs witnessing up close.Â
While youâve told him you admire him for just doing whatever he wants, he thinks youâre just as admirable for feeling whatever you want and thereâs so much strength in that. He realizes he might not tell you this enough.
âSheâs so cheesy, isnât she?â Jiminâs voice cuts through his thoughts, as the man - whoâd heard your little exchange - approaches both of you.Â
âShe is,â Jungkook hums as he pulls you between his legs and wraps his arms around you. âItâs pretty cute. Was she always like this?â
âNah. Not in front of us, at least,â Jimin shakes his head. âI guess it makes sense because we werenât the biggest fans of her exes.â
You laugh at the dig, which you donât mind; Taehyung and Jimin have valid reasons.Â
âHmm, I donât think I was this cheesy,â you confirm. âI think Iâm like this because Jungkook and I have had conversations before, hoping that the other person would find someone good for them to be with and look, itâs us!â
Itâs quite serendipitous in its own way, you think.
The three of you giggle and Jungkook tightens his hold around you.
âIâm glad it was you,â he whispers in your ear, prompting you to lean against his chest at the feeling of floating because of his words.
âHeâs so affectionate, too, huh?â Jimin smirks now.Â
âOh, he is,â you giggle again, as you think back to how tightly he hugs you when you sleep and how he likes to pull you back to him when you wake up. âHas he always been like this?âÂ
Youâve obviously seen Jungkook with his girlfriends and you donât recall him being this touchy. You wonder if heâs like that even if heâs just with the guys.
âNot at all, not even with his girlfriend in high school or the one during the summer before college started,â Jimin laughs. âI know heâs clingy behind closed doors though. At least thatâs what he says.â
âOh, he is,â you exclaim, earning you a cheeky laugh from the man in front of you.
The man behind you groans though, but now he wraps his legs around you, too. You feel the giddiness at knowing he doesnât want to hold back when it comes to his affection towards you.Â
Jimin watches his two best friends with such tenderness. He has a different relationship with both of you - heâs gentle with Jungkook whereas he gives you tough love.Â
But he knows sincerity when he sees it, and after seeing both of you go through your respective relationships, Jimin can tell that itâs very different this time. Youâre both more in control over your feelings even if you donât hold them back. Perhaps itâs the maturity at this stage in your lives or maybe, itâs really just about finding and choosing to be the right person for each other.Â
Your best friendâs eyes glimmer and you see the smile behind them. And cheeky as he may be sometimes, youâre glad he made that comment to you months ago that got you paying attention to your feelings and that ultimately got you Jungkook.
The night goes on with a few more drinks and laughter with your friends. Whenever you and Jungkook separate, thereâs always a moment where your eyes meet and you share a smile. Thereâs that assurance even until now, reminding you of this past year and how youâd be apart and somehow youâd find him looking out for you.
You end before midnight and head to your respective rooms. You and Jungkook take turns washing up in the bathroom and staying in the common area with your friends. With a bit to drink and a long day tomorrow, you all decide to head to bed.
âGoodnight!â Jimin calls out to you. âDonât break the lamp or something.â
You stick your tongue at him before entering your room. Jungkook pulls you by the waist. He flushes you against his chest and tucks his head in your neck.
âItâs a fair comment, though,â he hums, referring to what Jimin had said. âI mean, you did break my humidifier.â
âYah!â You smack his arm thatâs wrapped around you. âI didnât break it. It fell.â
âSure, babe,â he giggles. âIt totally fell out of nowhere when it was sitting right in the middle of my bedside table.â
You groan in agreement, conceding now because that may have been what actually happened. It was two weeks ago and Jungkook was yapping about it the next morning while you were on a call with your friends and they pieced things together. Theyâve been teasing you ever since.Â
âUh, you were the one shoving your frikkin dick inside me!â You defend, turning around now to face him.Â
âUh, you were the one telling me not to stop,â he counters.Â
âYouâre annoying when youâre cocky,â you frown at him. âNo kisses for you.â
âHey! Iâm just stating facts,â he laughs.Â
But you pull away from his hold to tease and lay on your side of the bed. The soft sheets and thick covers instantly make you feel like youâre being swallowed by clouds; you could fall asleep any minute.Â
âK,â you hum under your breath, your eyes fluttering close.
âAre you sleeping on me?â He gasps.Â
âThe bed feels so good, Kook,â you moan as you stretch your limbs. âIâm gonna fall asleep soon so get your ass in bed now.â
âSo impatient,â he bites back with a smile.Â
He removes his shirt then switches off the lamp. Your eyes follow him when he does, and youâre thankful for the sliver of light from outside that allows you to appreciate his body. Youâd done that during your time at the hot tub earlier and you think youâll keep doing that; your reaction will probably be the same every time, too.
He finally lies in bed but youâre the one who sits up now. You take your shirt off, something heâs used to you doing by now, and he returns the fond way youâre looking at him.Â
Even when heâs annoyingly cheeky, his body pretty much shuts you up, and he knows this. Your body does the same to him. You laugh in unison because both of you have come to know each other like that.
You bend down to kiss him, not at all able to resist. Itâs soft and gentle, as the exhaustion from today continues to weigh you down. But even then, his tongue explores deeper, and youâre hypnotized by the way it does that your body moves on its own.Â
Youâre on top of him before you know it - your legs on his sides, your one hand softly pulling his hair and the other, grazing his bare chest. And your clothed cunt, rhythmically grinding against his slowly hardening member. His fingers trace patterns on your back, leaving you moaning in his ear.Â
And also yawning. You think itâs out of pleasure though.
Jungkook chuckles as you pull away, hovering over him with your dazed eyes. You yawn another time, and your face tenses as you try to hold it in. He can tell thereâs more you want to do but he also knows youâre very, very sleepy.Â
âHey, go to sleep now,â he whispers.
âButââ
Youâre interrupted by another yawn, causing him to giggle once more.Â
âBabe, itâs okay. I want to keep going but Iâm sleepy, too,â he assures you. âWeâve had a long day and Iâd rather have you awake when we swim in the morning than do anything else tonight. Yeah?â
You pout at him before nodding. You did promise him youâd swim with him in the early hours tomorrow.Â
He helps lay you back down and pulls the covers over you. He smiles while watching you slowly retreat into dreamland, soft hums and a small smile escaping you as his fingers continue to trace your body. He briefly cups your breast and he knows you like it. Youâve told him a few times that the drawn out pleasure helps you fall asleep and this is one way he does it without tiring you out further.
He presses soft kisses down your jaw then your neck and your body reacts again. You caress his head as he trails south, and you moan his name. He mightâve gone a bit too far so he goes back up and gives you a final kiss on the lips.
âWeâll sleep now,â he hums.
He lays on his side and pulls you close to him, your back flushed against his chest now and his leg wrapped around you. Your hand finds his and your fingers intertwine.Â
Itâs intimate, and even with your hair all over his face, he likes this because he gets to hold you tight. It also ensures that you donât hit anything, including his face.Â
He laughs at the thought. Itâs something heâd gladly get used to though. And he finds that itâs easy - to adjust, to move around and alongside you, and to settle into you even more.
 You wake up to soft kisses on your cheek the next morning. You moan under your breath, wanting more of those but also wishing you have more time to sleep. You knocked out once you closed your eyes last night and you feel like you didnât move at all.
Which, of course, isn't true. When you open your eyes, you find yourself sprawled in the middle of the bed and the giver of your kisses is standing next to it, chuckling at you.Â
âGood morning, princess,â he greets. âCome on, letâs go swimming.â
You look at him with your sleepy eyes and hope for a bit of compassion. Perhaps five minutes more. Or 20.Â
And he sees right through you.
âYou can sleep longer, itâs fine,â he smiles. âI can go ahead before it gets crowded. Is that okay?â
âNo, I told you Iâd go with you,â you mumble.
You did say youâd do this with him, especially after he let you drag him to your Pilates session last week. He decided then that heâd definitely stick to the sports he knows and that wonât get his limbs all tangled while hanging in the air. You reason that his body is just a little too fit for the machine and you may be right.
âOkay then,â he says as he changes into his swim shorts.Â
âWhy do you have so much energy?â You ask, stretching your arms and legs around the bed now. âItâs barely 7:30.â
âI just came from a jog by the beach. The wind was really nice and cool.â
âOh, good,â you nod, appeased that he gets to do the things he enjoys doing when heâs in his hometown.Â
He returns to standing next to the bed and you lift your leg for him to massage. Your legs have been a bit sore after this weekâs intense Pilates workout. He starts kneading your calf and it feels so good that you could fall asleep again.Â
âYah! We have to make it to breakfast at 9 before we prepare for the wedding,â he reminds you. âCome on. Iâll be wet and half naked. I know how much you like that.â
You frown at his teasing even if itâs pretty much a given at this point. But heâs started to enjoy it a little bit more after your friends exposed you to him. They shared more details of how you were during your Jeju trip, specifically about your ogling whenever he went swimming.Â
It flusters you even if youâre actually able to just admire his body and touch and kiss it whenever you like. Perhaps there are still remnants of disbelief over how you never bothered about it before. Years of going on beach and lake trips, watching him flex his biceps, and commenting on his abs to tease him never made you look twice nor longer than a few seconds.
Now, you canât get enough of it.Â
You curl yourself in bed, urging him to convince you a bit more.Â
Instead of kissing you, he starts tickling your foot, causing you to squeal.Â
âJeon Jungkook, you brat!â You groan as you try to kick his hand away and flail your arms while still lying in bed. âYouâre gonna regret this.â
Your words donât have bite in them, but still, he stops and pulls you towards the edge of the bed. He cups your cheeks and peppers your face with soft kisses until youâre finally smiling.Â
âHappy?â He cocks an eyebrow.
You giggle and nod.
âSo can we go now?â
âYes,â you playfully roll your eyes then head for the bathroom.Â
You change into your swimsuit then you both exit the room. Out in the common area, Jimin and Taehyung are waiting to leave, too.Â
âSo early and already getting freaky,â your best friend smirks. âHope you didnât break anything.â
âHe was tickling my foot!â You explain; they definitely heard you squealing.Â
âOoh, heâs relentless with that,â Taehyung shakes his head as he understands your plight.Â
Heâs been on the receiving end of that, after all.Â
You eye your friends who are in their active gear as well. Taehyung will do a morning workout while Jimin is dragging Mo-eum to go for a run.
âAre you sure about that?â You ask your best friend. âYou know sheâll stop once she sees a plot of land to find four-leaf clovers.â
âI know, but she promised she'd match my pace,â Jimin shrugs. âShe just didnât wanna be the only one not doing anything physical today.â
âShe technically won't be. I mean, I donât think that watching your boyfriend swim counts as physical,â you hum.
âAre you sure about that?â Jimin cocks his eyebrow. âYour heart rate literally heightens just seeing him in swim shorts.â
Jungkook chuckles because he can attest to that. Sometimes you also just completely zone out.Â
You groan because you also agree. You turn to the man next to you with a pout.Â
âYouâre not good for my health.â
Jungkook just laughs even harder and your friends join him. You do sound ridiculous.
But he thinks youâre the most adorable thing in the world. You already expressed concern about ogling him too much in front of his family, not wanting them to think youâre a little too much for their son, but he assured you that theyâd feel proud you think so highly of their genes.Â
With you being shameless in front of your friends, he sees even more just how unfiltered and honest you are about your feelings towards him, and it makes him feel really good.Â
He pinches your cheeks, endeared by how you look at him, until Mo-eum finally exits the bedroom and you all head out then separate to do your own thing.
You and Jungkook find yourselves on the 7th floor this time to swim in the infinity pool. You stand in awe as you look at the scenery of stunning landscape against tall buildings that line the vast ocean. Itâs definitely a lot more urban than Jeju but it offers a different kind of tranquility that you feel you can only get from here.Â
You now understand why Jungkook was insistent on swimming despite your tight schedule. Itâs truly breathtaking, especially with the clear skies and cool breeze embracing you. He even passed up on sexy time last night just so you wouldnât be too tired for an early wake up call.
He sighs in relief as he stands next to you, no doubt admiring his surroundings just as you are.Â
âSuch perfect weather,â he hums as he removes his shirt. âI havenât had a proper swim outdoors in so long.â
âWell, get going then,â you turn to him, eyeing him up and down while trying your best to keep your cool. âThere are barely any people so you wonât be disturbed.â
âHey, you said youâd join me,â he pouts.Â
âAnd I will, after you do your laps,â you smile, knowing that he needs to do those before doing any leisure swimming. âIâll have a good view from the lounge chairs here. And then a closer look later on when Iâm in there with you. Iâll soak up the sun first before getting in the water. Itâs more refreshing that way.â
âFine,â he sighs. âDonât bail on me, okay?â
âI wonât, I promise,â you smile.Â
âAnd uh, try not to drool too much.â
Heâs running to the one end of the pool before you could respond. But you watch him from a distance exchange words with the lifeguard on duty then turn to your direction to give you a cheeky wink before he dives in the pool.Â
Your annoyance at how heâs been enjoying teasing you quickly dies down once you watch him glide in the water. Heâs so graceful, as he does butterfly strokes so effortlessly, his broad shoulders and taut arms doing most of the work that you can see, but you know his thighs are working overtime, too.Â
Your eyes follow his every move and heâs so captivating like this, especially with the sun glistening on his honeyed skin. You donât doubt the kind of career he wouldâve had if he pursued the sport. Youâre sure he wouldâve excelled and made it to the national team if he wanted to - heâs just that good, and itâs something that others have said about him, too.Â
But then again, you wouldnât have met him if he went to a different university, and thatâs a thought that terrifies you. Maybe youâd still meet him at a chance encounter if the universe willed it, but you think the way you ended up together is exactly how things shouldâve happened.Â
He returns to where he started and half his body emerges in the water. He turns to you with a smile and a thumbs up. You return the gesture and make a show of cheering for him, earning you a chuckle.Â
He does a few laps of freestyle while you settle in the lounge chair. You still have a good view of him but youâre able to do so comfortably now with a little less lust and a lot more admiration.Â
By the time heâs doing backstrokes, youâve moved to the stairs where youâre already in your bathing suit, ready to join him. He swims towards you and walks up the steps, your eyes now following the water thatâs dripping down his torso.Â
âI didnât drool,â you tell him proudly.Â
He playfully shakes his head and chuckles.Â
âCute,â he hums.Â
He reaches out his hand and pulls you towards the water, and once you submerge yourself in it, you moan quietly at how refreshing it feels. You quickly swim towards the other side and lay your arms over the edge to get a better look at the view.Â
You sigh in relief at how beautiful it is, even more with Jungkook beside you who has a bit of sparkle in his eyes. He grew up not far from here, and he shared during the drive how his family would often head to Haeundae beach on a weekend. Heâd enjoy it despite how busy it could get. This is his childhood, and youâre glad that you get to share in this moment with him.
âYou know Kook, I was just thinking earlier that if you chose to do this professionally, you wouldâve been such a star, skills-wise and looks-wise,â you say as you turn towards him.Â
âYeah?â He cocks his eyebrow.Â
âTotally. And then I imagined you being part of the swim or water polo olympic team and showing up on TV with your wild abs and sweet smile and social media would explode with edits and thirst tweets about you and then youâd be invited to variety shows and be on magazines and get endorsements,â you ramble. âImagine if you decided to pursue that now? Iâd be the kind of girlfriend whoâd be cheering so loudly during your matches and maybe trash talking your opponents.â
He laughs at the last sentence but he thinks youâre not wrong.Â
âI think youâll be the type to have a burner account and reply to tweets criticizing me,â he hums.
âOh, Iâd do it on a burner and my personal account,â you state. âImagine how much I could shut them up?â
âYou could,â he laughs. âBut theyâre also either paid to do that, or are bots and arenât real people.â
âAnd then Iâd hire hackers to find those shits and message their parents and expose them online,â you continue, disregarding what he said. Your face distorts in anger at the thought that heâd get any hate if he really did pursue a different career path. âI mean, who in their right mind would criticize you?!â
âYouâll never know,â he shrugs. âPeople always find something to complain about other people they donât know. But hey, itâs a good thing neither of us have to deal with that, right?â
âTrue. We live such humble and unproblematic lives away from prying eyes,â you nod. âBut⊠have you ever thought about it? About the kind of life you wouldâve lived if you decided to take swimming seriously?â
âHmm, not really. Itâs not like being part of the Olympic team was assured, anyway,â he reasons. âAnd it just⊠stopped being a dream. Once I started teaching, I was sure I wasnât gonna regret doing it. Somehow I just knew thatâs what I was meant to do, you know? Plus, it meant going to our university, meeting the friends Iâd have for life, and getting together with you. Iâd choose those in any lifetime.â
You smile at his words, knowing that itâs not just him being sweet or flattering you; theyâre his most sincere thoughts. But youâre glad you made it to the top three things that make his current life worthwhile, knowing that he could be living a totally different one had he chosen to study somewhere else.Â
You think itâd still be a good one though - heâd be doing something he loves and heâd be making amazing friends since you think he just naturally attracts good people. Maybe heâd be dating someone who deserves him, too.Â
But this is the one heâs living now and considering how much youâre a part of it, you think itâs pretty good. It makes you think of the billion choices a person makes in their life. We never know if theyâre right or wrong but we stand by them, and they make us who we are.Â
You wonder if you chose to join your sister in her art classes after school instead of reading your textbooks while waiting for her to finish, would you have been less studious? And would that have made you less inclined to be a researcher? Then maybe you wouldnât be living the life you have now, and thereâs a chance you wouldnât have Jungkook in it, andâ
A kiss on your lips disturbs your thoughts, and Jungkookâs soft eyes look back at you when you look at him questioningly.
âWhatever it was you were thinking, just know Iâm glad Iâm with you the way I am right now,â he says.
He probably already sensed your mind going elsewhere as it always does and instead of asking you where it went, he chooses to assure you about what you mean to him. And itâs exactly what you need.
You hug him in response and ease your mind back into the present with pecks on his cheek. Heâs who you should be focusing on right now, so you foolishly suggest a race between you two just for fun even if you know youâre no match for him. You secretly like it when heâs a bit cocky.
Jungkook laughs but agrees to your 20-second early start. He leans his back against the edge, endeared by your movements and the fact that youâre freestyling diagonally, before he starts swimming to eventually beat you.Â
You feel like youâve been at it for so long and you pause, thinking that youâre only a few meters away from the end, only to learn that youâre just past halfway, and Jungkook is already on the other side, laughing at you.Â
But instead of teasing even more, he urges you to keep going, cheering you on as if youâre competing at a tournament. So you do.Â
You keep swimming that you donât realize youâre at the end, and you hit your head on the wall because you arrogantly chose not to wear the goggles that Jungkook advised you to use.Â
âOh babe,â he chuckles as he swims towards you, and itâs now you realize that you started swimming sideways somewhere along the way.Â
He cradles your head in his arms before turning you to face him.Â
âYouâre always hitting your head when youâre around me.â
You know heâs alluding to that boat incident in Jeju, something that he occasionally teases you about, especially after you gave him a lowdown of the thoughts that plagued your mind during that afternoon.Â
You pout at him in response to his smug face, and he scrunches his nose in endearment. Then he pulls you in a hug and kisses the top of your head that you just hit. He thinks you couldâve gone another few hundred meters, and youâre really not as out of shape the way you say you are.Â
The fact that youâre able to swim the entire length of this massive pool already says a lot even if youâre a bit out of breath. He knows youâre neutral about swimming - it doesnât excite you as much but you donât mind it.Â
Waking up early to join him already makes him feel good, even if he knows you prefer just watching him do his thing, but even that makes him feel hot all over. Heâs not sure when heâll get used to your reactions to him and heâs noticed you try to temper it. He hopes you never do, though, and itâs not for his ego or anything; he just likes being the cause of your intense emotions and desire.Â
You and Jungkook spend the next 15 minutes leisurely swimming about before lounging on the chairs to dry up. But then he orders a burger then decides to go for one last lap, with you whining that heâs gonna drip all the way to your room and you donât have time for him to dry up all over again.
He insists that itâll be fine, and while he does leave some droplets in the elevators all the way to your bedroom, he manages to not make much of a mess.Â
Your friends are back, too, and theyâre all taking turns in their shared bathroom to wash up before heading for the breakfast buffet. Jungkook hints at joining you in your shower, but you put up a strong front and say no.
âKook, the last time we took a bath together, we took up an hour,â you remind him. âItâll take us longer together than if we did it separately.â
âWellâŠâ he smirks at you, clearly reminiscing about that time and the different ways he took you in the shower.
You were in Gangwon for a field visit one weekend and decided to spend the night, and after telling him, Jungkook took the train to meet you so he could spend it with you. The bathrooms in your apartments arenât spacious enough for you two, but the one in the hotel you stayed at was. You ended up requesting a late checkout the next day because you took a bath longer than you should have, just like the night before.
Much as the thought excites you - somehow he looks even hotter when heâs wet from a shower - youâll be pressed for time. You donât want to end up stressing the rest of the day just because you were horny.
âTonight,â you promise him as you wrap your arms around his neck.Â
âAnd if youâre too tired and end up falling asleep again?â He cocks his eyebrow.
âI wonât!â You try to convince him. âI want to make the most out of our last night here because we are definitely not gonna be able to do as much once weâre at your parentsâ house.â
âWell, we could always just book a room in a less fancy place for our last night,â he suggests.
âKook, your parents invited us. They sounded really excited,â you remind him.Â
âThey are,â he smiles now. âThey asked me for your favorite food yesterday because they were in the market. I said youâre easily satisfied like me. They also cleaned my room and dusted all my awards because they wanted to brag about me to you.â
âUgh, theyâre so cute,â you groan, your cuteness aggression now extending to Jungkookâs parents because they truly are adorable.Â
He smiles and kisses your forehead. He knew that suggesting taking a bath together would push it but it was worth a try. Heâs not upset one bit; just being with you in his hometown is enough to make him happy. And like you said, thereâs always tonight. The last time you and your friends had a night out, you were unable to resist him and ended up confessing your feelings.Â
âGo take a shower,â he says now. âIâll just mentally prepare myself to meet your family again.â
âItâs my nieces and nephews you have to be worried about,â you warn him. âOnce they find out what you do for a living, theyâre not gonna leave your side.â
Jungkook laughs and says heâll prepare for that, too. Seokjin had mentioned that not long ago. The kids have grown up and are never out of energy. They recently got into sports, too, and are in that phase where they wanna try and learn everything. Itâs good for their development for sure, but that just means constantly asking your family and extended family members to play tag or whatever else their creative minds could think of.Â
But heâs ready for that. Heâs got your family to impress and an athletic image to uphold. He also just really wants to see you smile because thatâs what you do when those kids are happy.
âIâll make sure to stretch before meeting them, then.â
You giggle before entering the bathroom, knowing that Jungkook doing prep work before meeting your nieces and nephews might be a bit too much.Â
You savor your bath time and run todayâs schedule in your head for the nth time. Itâs all straightforward but you want to make sure you get to properly celebrate with your family and friends. You wipe yourself dry and call out to Jungkook to let him know that he can start in the shower while you do your skincare but youâre left with no response.
You wonder if heâd left the bedroom so you open the door, only to find him doing pushups next to your bed.
âOh. You were seriousâŠâ you say, as your eyes take their time in watching your boyfriend push himself off the floor, with his taut arms and broad back hypnotizing you.Â
âItâs the last part of my workout,â he informs you, as he stands up and wiggles his eyebrows at your staring. âI do this all the time. But I did stretch earlier so Iâm now physically ready.â
You burst into laughter. âKook, they may have so much energy but theyâre still just kids.â
âYou forget that I work with kids. Half an hour with the year ones and Iâm already spent,â he reminds you. âPlus, Seokjin told me about that one time he and Hayoung took them to a kidâs cafe and he gave up 15 minutes in. He said they kept going from one game to another and he got so tired that he fell asleep in the sandpit.â
âTrue. I mean, theyâre gonna need a new victim since Seokjin will be busy tonight,â you hum. âYouâre actually the one with the most patience.â
âExactly.â
âAlright then. Finish your stretching then take a shower.â
âWill do now,â he says.Â
He hums under the gush of water while you fix up at the nearby vanity. He walks over to you soaking wet, and you groan at him for drenching the floor again.
âJust wanted to remind you what you missed out on,â he smirks, as he wipes himself dry beside you.Â
âI pride myself in having self-control, excuse you,â you bite back.Â
âAlright. Letâs see about that later,â he laughs mockingly before walking out, clearly still teasing you as he doesnât even wrap himself with the towel.Â
Itâs just his toned ass and delicious thighs, slowly disappearing from view.
You pout at yourself in the mirror but then again, not like thereâs anything to complain about.
He returns to your side in his boxers now and starts putting on moisturizer. Wanting to always hit him back, you remark that the bathrobe is too heavy so you remove it, leaving you the one completely naked this time.Â
Jungkook doesnât react for the first five seconds. But once he finishes putting lotion on his arms, he immediately stands behind you and wraps his arms around your waist. Itâs kisses on your back and torso before you know it, and you squeal in an attempt to reprimand him, but even he knows youâre enjoying it.Â
âWhatâs the point of not taking a shower together if youâre just gonna do this anyway?â You whine.
âThe point is that weâre dry.â
âThat does not make any sense,â you groan, as you watch him continue to kiss you while you remain unmoving.
You eventually concede though, because anytime Jungkook expresses his desire for you like this, you canât help but feel warmth. Which is actually quite comforting.
âOkay now Iâm starving. For actual food,â he says. âLetâs go!â
Both of you finally get dressed and walk with Jimin, Taehyung, and Mo-eum to the hotel restaurant. The rest of your friends have already taken their seats, so you join them and pick your spots.Â
Namjoon and Hoseok apparently worked out this morning, too, and when you ask Yoongi if heâd just gotten out of bed, he nonchalantly says that he and Gyu-rim went for a coffee run earlier. He blinks rapidly right after then quickly looks away before saying that heâll just get more of the noodle soup at the buffet table. Gyu-rim excuses herself to go to the comfort room and heads the opposite direction.
You and your friends look at them then at each other, curious as to what mightâve happened.Â
âOkay, itâs either they confessed during their little coffee date or one of them almost did then chickened out so now itâs awkward,â Jimin suspects.Â
âItâs highly likely thatâs Yoongi because he only ever gets cold feet when it comes to Gyu-rim,â Hoseok fondly says.Â
âWhatâs there to be nervous about?â You say. âItâs Gyu-rim, sheââÂ
You pause, as nine pairs of eyes look at you questioningly. Youâre unsure if Gyu-rim told anyone else about her feelings for Yoongi and you donât want to do it for her.
âSheâs so chill, you know?â You say instead. âNothing really fazes her.â
âYou can say the same for Yoongi but not when it comes to Gyu-rim,â Seokjin hums. âI mean, Iâd know.â
Seokjin would, and thatâs either because Yoongiâs his best friend, or he knows exactly what Yoongiâs feeling because itâs probably the same as what he felt. But you donât push and instead let Namjoon remind everyone to not meddle. Itâs always more exciting that way, he reminds you all, even if it could also get frustrating.
You continue with your two plates of food as Yoongi returns followed by Gyu-rim. Itâs not long after when Seokjin and Hayoung excuse themselves to start getting ready. Your older friends and Taehyung follow soon after to help them, so youâre left with Jimin, Jungkook, and Mo-eum who continue talking about the other potential relationship in your group.
You watch in entertainment as Jimin and Mo-eum bounce off their observations, and you remark that this is what they were probably doing behind your and Jungkookâs backs.Â
âOh, totally. Weâd even do it while youâre in the bathroom or something and then change topics when you return,â Mo-eum hums as she chews on her rice cake. âLike, remember when you were whining the weekend after Jeju because Kook got tasked to chaperone for a school trip so he couldnât go to your apartment?â
âOh god,â you shake your head, and you all quickly get into narrating how your respective conversations went.
Itâs funny in hindsight, knowing now that Jungkook was missing you the way you were missing him. You still felt upset that time, though, and you donât want to feel that frustration ever again.Â
You finally finish your meal and head to the lobby to meet your family who just arrived from your town in Gwangju. Theyâll be checking in early, and you wanted to make sure they were settled first before you started preparing yourself.Â
Itâs warm greetings when you see your parents and they excitedly hug Jimin and Mo-eum. When itâs Jungkookâs turn, your mother beams even more, and she engulfs him in her arms and sighs, as if in relief.
âOh, Jungkook. What a lucky woman our daughter is,â she smiles. âWe wonât ever have to worry about her starving or not eating delicious food.â
âAh, well, sheâs not hard to please,â Jungkook chuckles, earning him a pout from you. âBut Iâm⊠Iâm just glad I get to take care of her.â
âWhat a sweet man,â your mother gushes, and you nudge her and warn not to scare him away. âShe needs that. Sheâs too busy saving the world and has to be reminded to look after herself, too.â
âShe does,â Jungkook smiles. âBut sheâs been doing well in that regard. It helps when youâve got good people around you.â
âOf course,â your father says now. âYouâre all so lucky you have each other. And that both of you ended up together. Seriously, itâs such a relief. Youâll understand it if you become a father - youâre constantly praying that your children find good and responsible partners that theyâll spend their lives with and so thereâs this nervousness every time they introduce someone. Weâre lucky that her siblings found them and well, youâre the first one that ___ has properly introduced as her boyfriend and weâre just relieved that itâs someone like you. We adore your parents, too, so whew, no in-law drama andââ
âAs you can tell, I got the rambling genes from him,â you interject, earning you laughter from your friends, especially Jungkook who scrunches his nose in entertainment.Â
âNot obvious at all,â Jungkook chuckles.Â
But your fatherâs smile softens and this means a lot to you, too. Your parents were never the type to pressure you into getting married right away, only because you established early on that your career is very, very important to you. Finding a partner is something that could be delayed, or even given up if it was your choice.Â
But it doesnât mean that they donât hope that you find someone who would accept you for all that you are, including your dreams for yourself, because they do. Itâs something they tell your siblings, which they tell you, so youâre glad you can appease your parents this time.
Jungkook is the type youâd proudly introduce to your family. Even if he can get a bit shy sometimes, like now, as his hand searches yours once they ask him about work and other things. You adore your parents; they could just get a little overwhelming sometimes. You suppose it runs in the blood.
You thumb his hand in assurance, and he seems to calm down a bit once he talks about his students and what he teaches them based on the year level. He also talks about the extra-curricular activities he organizes for the school. Itâs something heâs proud about but he doesnât get to always talk about it this way, so youâre glad heâs able to share this with your parents. You suppose they have more reason to want to get to know him like this and you donât mind, not when they seem really impressed, too.Â
Your chat is interrupted with the front desk staff saying that their rooms are ready and your nieces and nephews entering the lobby after playing in the playground right outside. Your brothers already look tired and itâs not even lunch time.Â
You say your goodbyes for now as they head to their rooms and you return to yours. You and Mo-eum hog your bathroom so you both could do your makeup while Jimin and Jungkook play video games outside, even with your constant reminder for them to get ready soon.
You get dressed with Mo-eum in your bedroom then let Jungkook in so he could dress up, too. His breath visibly hitches at the sight of you, and you shyly smile in response.Â
But thereâs nothing to be nervous about, not when you look the way you do in your sweetheart gown. Heâs seen you in formal looks many times before but not like this, and not since he started liking you, which he reminds himself was barely a year ago. There are still so many things that will feel new or different this time around despite having known each other for so long.Â
And that includes seeing you look so stunning that he canât help but sigh in amazement.Â
âHow do I look?â you ask, turning around to show him the entirety of the dress, which also happens to be low-back.
He doesnât really have the right words for it, but he takes your hand and kisses it.Â
âYou look really good,â he says under his breath.Â
You settle with a nod, unable to control your smile with how visibly affected he is, especially as he pulls you closer and softly kisses your bare shoulder. That itself leaves goosebumps on your skin; you canât wait to know how itâll feel later on.
You turn towards the closet to hand him his clothes this time. You help him when you can, and you learn that Jungkook, too, looks breathtaking in formal wear, especially with his thin necktie and the white dress shirt that beautifully hugs his toned upper body.Â
He heads to the bathroom to style his hair while you attempt to put on your heels, and not only are you unsuccessful, youâre also left speechless once Jungkook appears before you. Itâs the slightly parted hair, you think. You decide that this slick, confident style is the mature look; youâd take this over his leather jacket any day.Â
âHow do I look?â He dares ask, as if your ogling doesnât say enough.Â
âDo you want the G-rated answer or the X-rated one?â Â
He laughs in response, truly never ready for what you have to say.Â
âHmm, what about you tell me the G-rated version now,â he hums as he bends down to help you buckle your heels, âand then you can show me the X-rated answer tonight?â
âI can do that,â you smirk, slightly lifting your dress to show a bit of leg as he finishes with your shoes.Â
He helps you stand up and you fix his necktie before smiling at him.
âYou look so handsome, Kook. Seriously. I might have to pull you away from the kids if they hog you later.â
âHey, Iâm gonna need to be in their good graces, too,â he chuckles. âBut Iâll just be near you, okay?â
âI was just teasing. I think,â you say. âBut hey, itâs Seokjin and Hayoungâs wedding. We have to enjoy it. Donât worry too much about my family because they already like you.â
âAs if youâre not wanting to impress my parents, too,â he teases.
âOh god yeah. Please make sure I donât do anything stupid in front of them,â you start to panic. âI might ramble about your amazing genes and how they conceived you so perfectly.â
He laughs again.
âWell, they wonât be at the yacht party so you can let loose then. Just donât⊠hit your head or anything again, yeah?â
You playfully roll your eyes before opening the door and he follows behind. You smile at Jimin in his adorable bowtie and Mo-eum in her classy strapless dress and ask for their help to make sure that you donât embarrass yourself in front of Jungkookâs parents.
âHmm, I donât think theyâd mind if you do,â Jimin hums as you all walk down the hallway. âI think itâll assure them that youâre not presenting yourself to be someone perfect for their son, only to end up betraying him.â
You sigh at the thought.
âAnd hey. Kook really, really and I mean, really likes you. Thatâs the only thing that matters to them.â
The four of you separate once you arrive at the 15th floor. Jungkook and the guys head to Seokjinâs room while you and Mo-eum squeal once you enter Hayoungâs suite. Sheâs already made up and there are several more photos taken before she gets into her dress, which Gyu-rim and Suhyeon help her wear.Â
Itâs not long before you go to another room on a different floor where Seokjin and Hayoung finally see each other. Itâs also where their families will greet them before the ceremony starts. Â
There are lots of tears and so much squealing throughout the whole hour that it happens. Seokjinâs rich family members are mostly humble and have a good sense of humor whereas your entire clan is a little too energetic. Itâs definitely not balanced out but you end up laughing for most of it because thereâs always a joke or remark that makes it through the crowd.Â
But you see Seokjin always turns to Hayoung, his eyes softening as he watches his bride enjoy the moment just like he is, just like how he always tells her to. Thereâs so much trust and promise in the way he looks at her, and itâs the kind thatâs built over time. It may seem a bit too early but you hope you and Jungkook get to that point one day.
âTheyâre so cute,â Jungkook whispers in your ear amidst all the chatter. âWho would have thought that the corniest guy in the world could have the softest smile?â
âWell, heâs looking at the love of his life,â you say. âThatâs reserved for only her.â
Jungkook nods in agreement and looks at his friends. Behind all the jokes and the contagious laughter is a man whoâs truly so in love, and Jungkook is happy he gets to witness it.Â
Your time eventually comes to an end and youâre all escorted to the large balcony where cocktails are being served while the bride and groom remain for more photos. You take one sip of champagne before handing it over to Mo-eum once you see Jungkookâs parents, who happen to be talking to your parents, too.
They greet you with the warmest hugs and gush at how you look. Youâre left feeling a bit flustered at the compliments and respond with the G-rated version of what you think of their sonâs outfit.Â
Both your parents have met each other many times and they talk just as any couple friends do. Thereâs a lot of praising each otherâs kids and you thank the heavens that they get along early on. Jungkookâs parents even talk about your stay at their house tomorrow and your parents take this opportunity to invite the Jeons to your grandparentsâ farm. You come up with possible dates and agree to firm up the plans in the coming weeks.Â
Not long after, all the guests are asked to head inside the hall for the mid-afternoon ceremony, and you separate from your parents to sit at the round table with your friends at the front.Â
As expected, the guests erupt in cheers and applause once the bride and groom are revealed behind the large doors. They look so perfect together, and you at least get to gush with your other cousins about how Hayoung copped herself a truly handsome guy when she proclaimed she was going to be a nun when she was a teenager.Â
The vows end in tears, as Seokjin surprisingly goes into serious mode and expresses his most sincere emotions that surprises even his best friends.Â
âThis could've been left in a letter that Iâd be reading to you tonight but I want everyone to know that I will love you in words, I will love you in action, and I will love you with every breath,â he says, as he wipes the corner of his eyes. âIâll always be thankful to the chickens that chased you and had you yelling and laughing like crazy because thatâs when I knew that I liked you. Your laughter changed my life, Hayoung. And I hope to never live a day without it.â
Itâs a special moment you all share. Itâs the first wedding in your friend group; they also happen to be the couple that you all look up to and seek comfort from. The emotions spill over to the speeches that Namjoon, Taehyung, Suhyeon, and Hayoungâs sister make.Â
Before you know it, the newlyweds are walking out the hall for a change and youâre all buzzing from what just happened. The reception commences soon after, and itâs delicious food after delicious food thatâs served that gets you and Jungkook jumping in your seats and moaning to yourselves.Â
The socializing bit begins and you take the time to catch up with your other cousins. Itâs midway through one conversation when you realize you havenât seen Jungkook in a while. You look around the hall but eventually find him out the balcony, racing with your nieces and nephews. They squeal in disappointment when they lose and in excitement when they almost win, and while they take turns to go ahead, Jungkookâs the one who runs solo.Â
âFive-minute break,â he yells, as he heaves while walking towards you.
You hand him a glass of water and chuckle at how he obviously is quite tired but is still willing to go a few rounds with the kids.Â
âWhat have they asked you to do?âÂ
âWell, other than running, weâve raced by hopping and jumping on one leg,â Jungkook answers. âThey wanted to crawl, too, but I used the adult card for that one and said no.â
âThey spend a lot of time outdoors so they come up with a bunch of different things,â you laugh, already used to them and their different games.Â
âAs they should,â Jungkook hums. âWhich is why Iâm going along with it. I mean, theyâre at a wedding. Itâs an event for adults. What else are they supposed to do?â
âHmm, thatâs true. But thanks for keeping them company,â you smile. âYou deal with kids enough at work and now youâre doing that here, too.â
âBecause itâs fun!â He beams. âPlus, So-you asked me if Iâm your boyfriend because I keep kissing your cheek and sheâs never seen anyone do that with you so sheâs a little protective. I need her on my side.â
âSheâs a little too smart for her own good. I told her once that I donât really wanna have a boyfriend so sheâs quite sus with me,â you laugh. âBut sheâll come around. She loves the water so if you teach her how to swim, sheâll be impressed.â
âThatâs already on tomorrowâs agenda,â Jungkook says. âOne of your uncles told them Iâm a swimmer and they got excited. They already told me to meet them at 9 sharp and that theyâll tell your parents if I donât show up.â
âBunch of brats. I love them so much,â you chuckle. âWell, there goes our Sunday morning.â
âAt least itâs not too early. We can stay up tonight,â he smirks.Â
âWell, we wonât if youâre the one who uses all his energy and falls asleep right away,â you point out.
âOh, you know better than challenging me like that.â
You actually do, which is why you did. Heâs gonna want to prove a point and heâs sexy when he does. Youâre unsure if heâs caught on that you like challenging him so heâd do what you actually want him to, but he does it anyway.Â
Before you could answer, Haneul is yelling that five minutes is up and that the jumping jacks race is about to start. Jungkook, truly wanting to prove himself to them, removes his suit and hands it over to you.Â
You watch in amusement as he makes his way across the covered path, jumping up and down with his arms swinging over his head. The kids are shrieking while he heaves, but they cheer him on. At this point, some of them, tired from all the running and screaming, are already seated on the bench next to you, giggling.
âI donât even know why Jungkook is doing this,â you chuckle as you watch him win the race.Â
Heâs not even letting them win as a courtesy.
âHeâs in a competition with So-you,â Ha-yul says of her cousin.
âWhat competition?â You ask.Â
Your 8-year old niece merely shrugs and wraps her arms around your waist and continues to watch on. Knowing her, she probably knows what theyâre competing for but you donât prod. Jungkook will probably tell you later.
You instead ask her about her familyâs recent trip to Jeju and she beams with joy once she talks about the dolphins she saw swimming in the ocean.
âThey look so magical, auntie. Even from afar,â she smiles. âDid you see them when you were there?â
The question sparks a memory. A very special one.Â
âYes, I did,â you gush, recalling how you wanted to hold Jungkookâs hand then because of the overwhelming beauty of nature and the exhilaration of accepting your feelings for him. âIt was so pretty.â
âDid you see them with anyone?â She asks, looking up at you now.
âYeah. I was with him,â you reply, gesturing towards the man whoâs somehow ended up teaching the kids how to do a high kick.  Â
âAre you sure you were even looking at the dolphins?âÂ
You turn to Ha-yul with her doubtful eyes and crossed arms.Â
âYes, I was, you smarty-pants,â you chuckle, pinching her adorable cheeks. âJungkook was the one who told me about them so we went to this spot to watch the sunrise and then the dolphins showed up right after.â
âHmm. Thatâs very sweet,â she replies, slowly smiling. âI like him for you, auntie. He makes you smile a lot.â
âHe does, doesnât he?â You giggle, feeling the heat rush to your cheeks at the thought that even your niece can see it. âI like him for me, too.â
You eventually go back inside after feeling a bit hungry despite all the food you ate earlier. You yell for Jungkook to follow you, knowing heâd want to munch on something after the series of physical activities he just did. Your nieces and nephews fortunately drain their energy and run towards the hall, too, and you overhear them tell their parents that âuncle Jungkook is so cool!â
You gush at him, knowing that he achieved his goal of impressing them, though you donât think it wouldâve been difficult. Heâs natural with kids and you got to see that today. Itâs even more special to you because theyâre your family - people you love and adore, and it means so much that they accept him.Â
Even your cousins seem to like him, too. One of them talks to Jungkook about teaching, another about swimming, and another about taekwondo. The conversations move to sports in general, and then video games, and then music and their favorite beer and whiskey brands. You leave them alone, not wanting to cling to Jungkookâs side the entire time.Â
So you hang out with your siblings while your other friends stay nearby. By this time, the number of guests has started to dwindle. The ceremony and reception are long over but thereâs still lots of food and drinks being served. The sunset yacht party for close friends and family will start soon, and youâre all just waiting for the go-signal to start heading to the port.Â
You walk towards the bar for a glass of soda when you stop in your tracks at a sight that you didnât think youâd see. There by the counter is Gyu-rim, giggling shyly and Yoongi, chuckling, too, while he pulls her close to him and whispers something in her ear. She laughs once more then their hands slowly move down, their fingers grazing before he places her hand firmly in his.
Your jaw drops and you blink multiple times to make sure itâs real.Â
It is. And you seriously want to scream in excitement.
But you scurry back to your friends instead.
âOh my, oh my, oh my,â you catch your breath. âItâs happening!â
âWhatâs happening!â Mo-eum rushes to you with a slice of cake in her hand.Â
The rest of your friends slowly gather around you and you direct their sights to the bar where Yoongi and Gyu-rim are still definitely being all shy and affectionate.
âWho is it?â Jimin asks, squinting his eyes to try to see what has all of you gasping and freaking out.
âGyu and Uncle!â You squeal at him.Â
âWhat! Wait, Iâm blind!â He groans.
And just as youâre about to tell your best friend to be subtle, heâs already off near the bar to get a closer look, and his own gasps alert the pair that youâre all onto them.Â
But Yoongi just turns to your table and raises his glass in both confirmation and celebration.
And Gyu-rim just smiles. Sheâs no longer just doing it internally, thatâs for sure.
They eventually walk towards your table and you can sense the restraint your friends have in bombarding them with questions. Except for Jimin.
âHow! When!â He goes on. âI manifested this. I envisioned this. I prayed for this! When did youââ
âCoffee. This morning,â Yoongi answers.Â
âSo did you two just look at each other and then have a silent understanding of your feelings?â Taehyung wonders.
âSorta,â Gyu-rim hums. âThe distance between us just kept getting shorter and then he⊠uh, he just held my hand and I held it tighter and then we just⊠I guess, kinda knew.â
âHow on brand,â you remark.
âYeah, just like your confession,â Jungkook, who suddenly appears next to you, whispers in your ear.
âAt least I confessed first,â you stick your tongue out at him.
âThen why were you awkward during breakfast?â Mo-eum asks the pair.
âIt was fresh,â Yoongi shrugs. âAnd we werenât sure how to act without you guys freaking out.â
âWe were still talking about you though,â Jimin informs him.
âIâm sure you started it,â Yoongi deadpans.
âOf course I did,â Jimin winks.
âSo why now?â Taehyung asks. âWhat pushed you to finally confess?â
âI didnât wanna waste any more time,â Yoongi sighs.
âAnd I couldnât deny it any longer,â Gyu-rim pipes in.
âAnd well, I was thinking about those two,â Yoongi adds, his gaze turning to you and Jungkook now. âThere are lots of things going on in our lives. I could be one serendipitous encounter away from letting her get away. I donât really think I could live with that.â
âGosh, our impact,â you whisper to Jungkook after softly smiling at the new couple.Â
He just wraps his arm around your waist and pulls you closer. Heâll always be glad that things happened the way they did with both of you, and heâd go through a decade of friendship and periods of distance and confusion if it means having you like this.
You all continue to gush and talk about all that happened today until youâre told that you can now head to the port. Youâre transported in coaches then you make your way to the large yacht where thereâs more food and drinks, hanging lights, and a saxophonist serenading the minimal guests.Â
Thereâs less squealing this time with the kids left behind in the hotel. Itâs more relaxed now, as the many lounges offer so much space to enjoy the scenery, the almost cool air, and each otherâs company.Â
You and Jungkook constantly get separated, with your relatives pulling you over to them every five minutes. You canât complain though, as you really donât see them as much, but you also wish you could have more time to be with your boyfriend, perhaps hold his hand as you socialize, or gush at how he looks because he truly is so beautiful tonight.Â
But somehow, you find your way to each other once the sun starts to set. Between the purple and orange sky, the calm waves, and the jazz music, itâs a moment that youâll truly treasure, especially with Jungkookâs arms around you, his chin tucked in that space by your shoulder, humming in amazement.
You donât really need words for this moment. You just pull him closer to you and kiss the side of his face when you can, an act of extreme fondness and desire that you could offer him right now.
The dancefloor opens up and Seokjin and Hayoung are the first to slow dance. People soon follow, including you and Jungkook, whose hands just donât want to separate from you. You feel quite overwhelmed and opt to gently lay your head on his chest, wanting to feel his heartbeat and the full warmth of his arms around you. You know itâs where youâll always want to be.
His soft kisses on your head give you a kind of assurance thatâs quite emotional. Itâs as if he knows how much you feel and how deep youâre thinking and heâs there, not quieting your mind but encouraging it. Itâs acceptance and respect that you donât think youâve ever felt with anyone before.
The music turns lively not long after. The drinking continues, too, leaving some guests in a rather unfiltered and perhaps wild state, including your friends.Â
Thereâs Jimin, Mo-eum, and Taehyung dancing around like always. Thereâs Hoseok with his now half unbuttoned dress shirt, not too subtly grinding with his girlfriend in the corner.Â
Then thereâs Namjoon, yelling âfuck the governmentâ towards the ocean, and Yoongi has to remind him to tone it down because heâs part of the government, and well, heâs a future public figure so this behavior might not be a good look.
âIâm thinking of quitting my job, actually,â Namjoon admits. âIâll just have my own podcast and name it âthe professional yapperâ and talk about all the things that fuck us over. And crabs. Iâd like to talk about crabs.â
âWho hurt you?â Gyu-rim asks.
âI⊠Iâm drunk,â Namjoon heaves.
âWe know,â several of you say in unison.
But this is when his body starts to shut down. After releasing all his pent up anger, his energy drains and he gets sleepy. He doesnât want to sit down, knowing heâd fall asleep and itâll be difficult for anyone to carry him off the boat, so Jungkook stays by Namjoonâs side to make sure he doesnât fall on the floor or into the water.Â
It keeps your boyfriend away from you again though, as he follows the older man everywhere, even outside the bathroom. But you donât mind. Jungkookâs taken care of your friends during times like this and you know he wonât stop just because of you.Â
Itâs already dark once the yacht returns to the port. Itâs barely 10 PM but youâre full and exhausted. Youâve had a long day and you just want to have a nice bath like you promised Jungkook and well, do a lot more.Â
Jimin, Mo-eum, and Taehyung donât want their night to be over yet so they head to the hotel bar to eat and drink some more. They donât miss the chance to tease you and Jungkook about having the suite all to yourselves though but you run with it. Itâs not like your desire for each other is a secret or something you suppress when youâre with your friends.
So you and Jungkook head back to your floor and once he enters your bedroom, he immediately climbs on the foot of the bed and lies down. With his loosened tie, he undoes another button of his dress shirt and releases a deep exhale.Â
Even you feel his tiredness from that one breath.Â
You stand by the window and just watch him, his arms and legs straightened out and his eyes closed. You take the time to admire him like this. His bodyâs breathtaking even with clothes on, and you let the X-rated thoughts fill your mind.
He mistakes your hardened gaze for annoyance, as he apologizes for lying on the bed with his day clothes. Itâs one of your biggest pet peeves, and you once had an argument because he was tired from work and wanted to cuddle but you wouldnât let him stay next to you on your bed until he showered. It was more of a banter, really, but you did sense his frustration when he dragged himself to your bathroom then slept right after lying on your side.Â
He sits up now and scoots to the edge of the bed.
âItâs okay, Kook. Rest there if you want to,â you assure him. âI donât blame you, considering you were the cool uncle and the great friend tonight.â
âThose kids are relentless,â he chuckles. âAnd Joon is so heavy; it was a struggle getting him off the boat.â Â
âWell, he has a lot of angst to release but Iâm sure heâs glad you helped him.â
âYeah, but that meant I didnât get to be with you much today,â he pouts now.Â
You smile at his sullen expression, as the realization that you spent much of the wedding being with other people hits him. Sure, you had dinner and the sunset viewing and that slow dance but with everything that happened today, it still doesnât seem enough.Â
So you walk towards him and slightly lift your dress so you could sit on his lap. He shifts you around so youâre snug against him and he smirks.
âSo youâre not mad that I lied on the bed in day clothes?âÂ
âYou were at the foot of it so itâs fine,â you wave him off. âThat could be our compromise.â
âOkay then. So⊠will you show me the X-rated version of your thoughts now?â
You gaze at him - at his sparkling eyes and soft lips and chiseled jaw and think this view of him will always leave you breathless. The fact that you have this beautiful man wanting your attention blows your mind and you truly wish heâll never get sick of you.Â
You bite your lip and nod before kissing him deeply, not holding yourself back now since youâve been wanting to do this all afternoon. He returns your eagerness and moans against your mouth. He grips your waist and pulls you closer to him in an effort to eliminate whatever distance is left, which is none. Youâre chest to chest now but that still doesnât feel close enough.
Soft moans fill the room and your pleasure continues to build, especially with Jungkook grazing his fingers down your semi-bare back before slowly pulling off the straps of your dress. It triggers something inside you, as you now fiddle with his necktie, desperate to get it off.Â
You manage to untangle it and quickly undo the buttons of his shirt. He lets you do it on your own while his hands travel to the edge of the bed, and you feel him smile in the kiss that hasnât stopped.
You finally remove his top then move to unbuckle his belt. Briefly pulling yourself from him, you eagerly undo his trousers and start pulling it off. He watches you from his seat on the bed while you bend down, and you cock your brow at his smug face. He looks like heâs really enjoying this.
âYou letting me do all the work?â You tease.Â
âFor now.â
You know what that means. And that just gets you more worked up. So you immediately undress and watch him watch your every move until youâre back on his lap, both of you now completely naked.
Your kisses turn even more heated. His grip on your waist tightens, and your nails on his shoulders dig a little deeper. You catch your breath and let him kiss down your neck, his teeth merely grazing your flesh, leaving goosebumps on your skin.
Your hand travels south, too, until they reach his hardened dick and youâre overwhelmed with an even more intense desire for him and everything he is.Â
You want him so bad, you think youâll explode.Â
Jungkook feels you grip his length and grunt as your tongue flicks his lips. This is usually your tell.
âLet me just get the coââ
âNo,â you interject, pulling away as you look at him with now wondering eyes.
âI⊠uhââ
âWell, do you want it inside you, at least?â He asks, gesturing towards his member that you havenât let go of.
âYes, I just⊠I just want it naked. Is that okay?â
It takes a few seconds for it to fully register to him what exactly you mean.
âYouâre asking me if I want to be inside you without a condom?â He asks incredulously.Â
âWell, yeah. You said youâve always used one,â you say.Â
âIt was a precaution for a bunch of things,â he reasons. âAnd well, given what happened with the last girl I dated, Iâm glad I did. But you said youâve always used one, too.â
âSame reason,â you shrug. âBut I really, really like you, Kook. And youâre so hot. And I hate the taste of latex when I suck you after.â
âThose seem like valid reasons,â he chuckles. âYou feel really good even when I wear one so it doesnât matter as much.â
âYeah but, I donât wanna do this with doubts or hesitation,â you sigh. âAnd I donât wanna gatekeep.â
âYou donât wanna gatekeep⊠your vagina?â
âYes. You say itâs really good down there. You can have all of it.â
Jungkook laughs out of amusement. You truly are unfiltered and bizarre sometimes but still very endearing.
âThatâs your vagina though,â he reminds you. âIâm just a visitor.â
âAnd you can visit my coochie without clothes on! Like youâre free. Plus, youâre the only one whoâs going in there so why not?â
He laughs again at your allusions and pulls you in for a hug.Â
âYou drive me crazy, you know? And in the best way,â he says softly.Â
âThank you for that clarification,â you pull away and giggle.Â
âSo uh, shall I visit now?â
âGotta prep you again first,â you gesture towards his flaccid dick.
âOh. That wonât be hard,â he smirks.
You both burst into laughter but he does clarify that heâll indeed get hard again; he just couldnât pass up on the pun.
Jungkook softens at the look you give him. Thereâs this gentleness in it like always but itâs a little different this time. It's filled with even more trust. Perhaps appreciation and gratefulness, too? You often thank him for listening to all your thoughts and he gladly would. Everyday.Â
He loves that this is something both of you can easily talk about, which isnât even the first time. And that just like him, you donât want any reservations or doubts in your relationship. Thereâs so much clarity that he feels for you in such a short amount of time that heâs been with you and he doesnât even question it.Â
Just this intimacy with you is everything he wants - thereâs pleasure and intense desire but thereâs playfulness, too. Thereâs warmth and comfort and thatâs what being with you is like.Â
You gaze at each other with such yearning that it immediately turns into a heated kiss. You catch your breath and his mouth travels to your nipples, expertly lapping them up, causing you to tilt your head and moan. He takes the chance to kiss down your torso, leaving you panting once he makes it to the side of your waist, an erogenous part he recently discovered that he takes advantage of.Â
You return to kisses and your hands explore his chest before they grip his now hardened length. You moan at the feel of it, then thumb his tip before you lift yourself up and slowly slide down.
The sensation is different and you know he feels it, too. He hums and curses under his breath, pulling you close to nibble your neck while you grind against each other.Â
It really does feel liberating in an odd way, Jungkook thinks, just because he feels everything. You clench around him and it has him moaning.Â
This is the time when he does all the work, as he shifts you around to lie on the bed and you know it, too, biting your lip in anticipation for how hard heâs gonna go.
But he wants to focus on your pleasure first, so he dives down your cunt and kisses you in all the places he knows you like. He meets your eyes and hums to himself in satisfaction, knowing how much youâre enjoying this.
Once he feels your slick on his mouth, he gets on his knees and aligns himself with you, spreading your legs so he can get a good look of that naked entrance you were talking about.
You both moan once more, and Jungkook pushes in and out, familiarizing himself with the feeling that he knows heâll keep having. You feel even more amazing like this; he just hopes he can keep it together and make this last longer.
âYou okay, babe?â He pants.
âYeah. Itâs just like Pilates.â
He laughs again, having accepted that youâll always have something fascinating to say even when heâs balls deep inside of you.Â
But he quickly gets back to that hypnotic feel, especially once he flushes your legs against your chest, allowing him to thrust into you intensely at a different angle.Â
Youâre definitely not yet flexible enough so youâre a bit overwhelmed, but you let him chase his high just as he let you do so earlier with his skillful mouth and focus on the way he feels bare inside you. He knows how to use his beautiful dick and not to be cheesy, but it feels pretty special that no one else has ever felt him like this.Â
His thrusts start to get erratic and you know heâs close. He pulls away, pulls out, then pumps himself repeatedly until heâs spilling his seed on your torso. The pure look of pleasure and exhaustion on his face is so sexy, you feel like coming again.
He finishes and hovers over you, supported by his propped up arms with his damp hair and sweat dangling from his forehead. Heâs panting and cursing under his breath as he pecks your lips, and you just watch him, enthralled by these little actions, knowing that your body made him feel that way.Â
âLet me justââ
He cuts himself off and walks to the bathroom then returns with a pile of tissues that he wipes you with. He apologizes as he does and you look at him softly, appreciating the gentleness and warmth on his face. He discards the soaked tissues and plops down next to you.
For a brief moment, you just look at each other, as if words arenât enough to express what you want to say. Itâs not just about the sex or the pleasure you both get from it. Itâs not just the lust that courses through your veins and the desire for more.Â
Itâs that feeling of security, you think to yourself. Itâs falling quickly from cloud 9 but knowing youâre not gonna crash because not only is he there next to you, holding your hand while you fall, heâs assuring you that itâs not gonna hurt. The fall isnât the kind where that happens.Â
Not like itâs some fairytale youâre in - although it might very well be - but thereâs this trust that you both know what youâre getting into, that you know what youâre doing, that you just want to do what makes the other person happy.Â
Because thatâs what you want. With Jungkook, youâre not chasing the high or some elusive happiness because youâre living it already. Itâs in your grasp and youâre filled with it.Â
He smiles and you smile back. You snuggle close to him and softly kiss his lips. You want to repeat over and over again how much you like and adore and want him but it doesnât feel enough so you settle for a hug and a bite of his cheek just because.
Jungkook chuckles and settles in this position next to you with caresses on your bare shoulder. Heâs thinking of all that he feels for you until he hears your soft snores and he laughs again.Â
You catch yourself and ask him if you fell asleep.
âWow, youâre tired?â He teases.
âShut up. Pilates makes me tired. What more this?â
âFair enough,â he hums. âLetâs have a bath then. It could help you relax.â
You immediately agree and get off the bed. You clean your face then prepare the tub, splashing in some bath salts and lavender oil. He stands next to you naked, looking every bit handsome that you canât help but kiss him again.
He still shivers at your touch and that urges you, as your hand once more wraps around his length and desire overtakes you once more. You start bending down and Jungkook knows what you want. He stops you for a bit and grabs one of the small towels from the sink and places it on the floor, right where your knees are supposed to be.
You get back to it immediately and the absence of the taste and smell of latex is so satisfying. It urges you to do more. Itâs perhaps the best suck youâve given him and the sounds he makes spurs you on. You didnât think it would ever feel this good for you.
You let him come in your mouth this time and the long exhale he makes lets you know that you did well. Itâs the same time when the tub gets filled, and you both go inside, moaning at the feel of the warm water all over your tired bodies.
Itâs quiet for a while. You suppose youâre both just soaking in everything, familiarizing yourselves with the silence and the fact that you get to enjoy this fancy bathroom where you can do whatever you want.Â
But Jungkook is the one who cuts through the sound of the bubbling water.
âYou were so pretty tonight,â he says with his deep voice.Â
You scrunch your nose and smile, giddy at his compliment and the sincerity in which he gives it. Even after all youâve done in just the past hour, this is what gets you all shy and giggly.Â
âThank you,â you whisper. âYou, well⊠Iâve told you both versions. But it was nice to see you being with my family, Kook. I know youâre usually shy around new people but you looked so natural with them. I really appreciate you trying.â
âIâll admit, I was a bit nervous,â he chuckles. âYou talk about your family a lot and youâre their baby. I wanted them to see that Iâm good for you, you know? That I can take care of you because Iâm sure thatâs what they want for you.â
âThatâs actually what one of my cousins said as they were leaving,â you smile. âAnd that my grandparents wouldâve loved you.â
âYeah?â
âShe said you wouldâve been a big help at the farm,â you chuckle.
âIâll take that as a compliment,â Jungkook smiles. âI know that they put Seokjin to work that one time. He said heâs glad he was prepared because his uncle has a farm, too, but that was tough work. And it was worth it. They were charmed by him at the end.â
âIt wouldâve been the same with you,â you say, reminiscing about that trip from long ago.
Seokjin and Hayoung were dating for just three months when they visited your grandparents. Heâs lucky he got their approval then. Two years later, your grandfather passed; your grandmother followed a year later.Â
But Jungkook got to meet them years before that as your friend and that still means something. Regardless, you think theyâd adore him, too, if they were still around.
He smiles and kisses you. It's an affirmation he welcomes, and itâs one he got today from your entire family, especially from his biggest critics - your nieces and nephews.Â
You return Jungkookâs kiss and moan once his one hand travels to your clit and the other fondles your breast. Itâs the perfect place for this, and you sigh in his hold with your back flushed against his chest as you anticipate reaching your peak.
And you do, with his expert fingers fiddling away while his tongue swirls in your mouth with such intensity. You crash from your high engulfed in his arms, and you really canât ask for anything more.
You stay like that for a while longer before heading to the shower. You fool around again that by the time you finish, youâre worn out and eager to sleep.Â
âYouâre waking up to go swimming with me and your family, right?â Jungkook asks you after youâve turned the lamp off.
âUh-huh,â you yawn, turning to hug him now.
His chest is taut and smooth and he smells like baby powder that you push your face against it out of sexiness aggression.
He laughs at you and accepts the new quirks you develop when it comes to him.Â
âGood. Letâs sleeââ
Youâre snoring before he could finish his sentence as he expected.Â
The perfect weekend may be halfway over but heâs loved every single moment with you. Including all the times youâd fallen asleep before he could even properly wish you goodnight.Â
You ask for a five-minute extension when your alarm rings the next morning but Jungkook isnât having it.
âI might lose points from your nieces and nephews if Iâm not down at the pool by 9,â he groans. âThey made me promise. You canât sabotage me like this.â
He pulls the cover off of you and you groan in response. You slightly open your eyes and find him standing beside your bed already in his swim shorts, arms crossed and looking impatient.
âThey wonât do anything. Youâre being dramatic,â you say.
âIâm being cautious,â he argues. âCome on, babe.â
âFine,â you frown, getting off the bed and walking to the bathroom.Â
He follows you there and kisses your neck to get in your good graces and it works. Youâre that weak for him and he knows this so he takes advantage. Sometimes you pretend to be angry or uncaring just so heâd butter up to you but his eye rolling and smirk tell you he knows exactly what youâre doing.Â
You finally get in your bathing suit and head to the indoor pool where the kids cheer when they see you and Jungkook. You think theyâre excited because he promised to teach them how to swim this morning.Â
âYou werenât that excited when I taught you,â your cousin, Hae-dal, whines.
She was a competitive swimmer once upon a time, too.
âBut youâre not a teacher, Ma,â Ha-yul says. âI couldnât understand what you were saying.â
âSheâs got a point,â you tell your cousin.Â
Once Jungkook starts teaching them how to do the basics and guiding them with their strokes, she concedes.
You didnât really plan on swimming today but the kids dragged Jungkook and he couldnât bail on them. He still wouldâve come though; he really wanted to try the hotelâs indoor pool and you donât blame him. Itâs huge and fancy-looking. Thereâs an area for kids, too, so teaching them is easy. You watch him manage six excited children who all want his attention and like you expected, heâs able to give it to each one.
âHeâs such a natural,â Hoseokâs voice cuts through your thoughts.Â
You turn and see that your friends and their partners are here, too, and are heading to the adult pool. You wave your greetings and signal that youâll go to them later.
âHe is,â you respond to your friend. âI never noticed it before.â
âWould you have liked him then if you did?â
âMaybe. But that doesnât mean itâs a good thing,â you hum. âI wasnât in a good headspace for years and I probably wouldâve screwed us up.â
âAnd he probably wouldâve fought to keep you.â
âYou think so?â You wonder. âIf I hurt him, then I donât deserve him.â
âOnly if you intended to, but we all know you wouldnât. Not to him. And thatâs because youâre a good person, ___. I hope youâll never forget that.â
You look at Hoseok, a man youâve known for years and someone youâd seek advice from every once in a while when things are tough because of how wise he is, so he knows your fears and your worries well.Â
He knows youâre afraid to disappoint people, that you donât want to hurt the people you care about. And even as youâd told Jungkook last night that you want to continue with your relationship without doubts and fears, somehow this affirmation from Hoseok is something you also needed. And you wonder if it stems from a conversation he mightâve had.
He reads your mind, as he says that he, Jungkook, and Yoongi were chatting last night while making sure Namjoon didnât fall over the yachtâs railing.Â
âKook was just talking about not wanting to fail you. As a partner and as a friend.â
âDid you assure him that he wouldnât?â You ask.
âI did. And I reminded him that heâs a good person, too, and hurting you isnât something heâd just do.â
âSeems easy to say, huh?â You laugh dryly.
âPeople can fight and have misunderstandings and not hurt each other. Thatâs⊠kind of what a mature relationship is,â Hoseok advises. âI know youâre on the cusp of something really great - if youâre not there yet - and I thought that reminding you that youâre capable of having genuine, long-lasting and gentle and intense feelings for someone would help. Because you are, okay? Kookâs really happy that he gets to be with you.â
You smile and think that itâs indeed a good reminder. You and Jungkook have been on this honeymoon ride of laughter and playful bickering the past two months and this weekend has turned out to be a beautiful dream, too.Â
You feel so much for him and you donât want to one day be overwhelmed by it that you start to doubt if youâre built for something enduring, like you want your feelings for him to be.Â
You told him months ago that youâre both good people whoâll find other good people meant for you and that you deserve. And both of you have. Itâs quite serendipitous - all the times you comforted yourself at the thought that the person meant for you is just somewhere around, heâd been next to you all along.Â
âThanks, Hoseok,â you turn to the man next to you. âIâm not surprised if Yoongi and Gyu-rim turn to you, too.â
âOh, they already have. And itâs barely been a day,â he laughs. âAnd I say the same thing - theyâre good people who deserve good things, too. And theyâve experienced so much that they know enough not to let go of the amazing things that come their way. But you and Kook - youâre like my babies. It makes me happy seeing both of you happy.â
âWell, I am. Very much.â
âAnd he is, too. But know that Iâm just here, okay? We all are.â
You nod and hug him, assured even more that when things get tough, itâs your friends who'll help you and Jungkook find the way.
You finally head to the adult pool and greet your friends. By that time, Jungkookâs swimming lessons have ended, and heâs left the kids on their own to play around.Â
You dip in the water and stay close to Taehyung and Mo-eum while Jungkook does his laps. It turns out to be a spectacle, as your friends and family stop to watch him. Heâs surprised when everyone erupts in cheers and he just laughs it off, content that he still has the skills to entertain, even if heâs certain that heâll continue doing this for fun.
Swim time ends and you head to your rooms to wash up and prepare for an early lunch before you checkout. Your friends and family occupy several tables of the hotel restaurant and manage to not be too disruptive with how large your group is.Â
You fix your things and head to the reception then say goodbye to your relatives as they go back home. Your parents remind you and Jungkook about scheduling your visit to Gwangju and you promise that you will. Your nieces and nephews all take their time to hug your friends goodbye, especially Jungkook who they now say is their favorite uncle, a badge he says heâll proudly wear.Â
Itâs a short drive to Jiminâs fatherâs cafe where you and your friends go to for dessert, and he welcomes you all with your favorite cakes and pastries that have you jumping in your seat.Â
Thatâs where you separate. Seokjin and Hayoung go back to the hotel for another night before they fly to their honeymoon, Taehyung heads for the airport to return to New York, you and Jungkook drive to his parentsâ house, and the rest of your friends journey back to Seoul. Itâs goodbyes for now but the next lunch gathering is scheduled for when the newlyweds return and you canât wait for that day to come. Â
âSo, are you excited to go to my childhood home?â Jungkook asks as he turns the corner to his street.
âIâve been to your house a few times before, Kook,â you remind him. âItâs nothing new.â
âWell, youâre going as my girlfriend this time. Thatâs a new experience.â
âWhat new experiences am I gonna have, huh?â You teasingly ask.
âHand-holding under the table, hugs on my couch⊠make out session on my childhood bed,â he shrugs.
âVery tempting,â you say.
âAnd very doable. My parents might even gush and tell us that itâs okay to be affectionate because, uh, theyâre not really used to that.â
âHmm. Sounds good then,â you smile. âCanât wait.â
The new experience turns out to include Jungkookâs parents telling their neighbors that their son has a girlfriend and that sheâs very smart and beautiful.
Jungkook shakes his head in embarrassment, as the elderly couple were merely passing on their street and greeting them but his parents went ahead and bragged about you, which you actually think is quite cute. And a relief, because you were worried about what they thought of you. Theyâve always been nice, but you want them to truly like you, and with the way theyâre welcoming you into their home, you think they already do.
The new experience also includes being shown old home videos of Jungkook growing up, like his taekwondo competitions and trips to the beach. Youâd seen some of his baby photo albums the few times you all went here as friends but thereâs more this time, and youâre reminded of baby Jungkookâs chunky cheeks and perfectly round doe eyes.Â
There are photos of him being cradled by his mom and riding his dadâs shoulders and wearing costumes with his older brother. There are those from family trips and his kindergarten days. There are more of the embarrassingly adorable bowl cut hairstyle from middle school and the side bangs from high school.Â
Thatâs how you spend the afternoon - his parents and brother telling you all these stories, Jungkook covering his eyes in embarrassment and defending himself, and you, heaving from laughter.Â
They donât even mind when you snort or say unfiltered things and thatâs a comforting feeling. They look at you endearingly when you tell stories of Jungkook over the years and even recently, and you donât miss the way his mom would sometimes touch your hand out of reflex and let it stay there.Â
Sheâs such a warm individual, and you feel that aura of comfort she exudes that Jungkook definitely took from her. Sheâs so bright and positive and you understand why sheâs beloved by her students.Â
His father is very laid-back and slightly cheeky. He likes reminding you that it was Jungkookâs mom who confessed her feelings first because she found him very handsome, just like you did, and you see how Jungkook takes from his old man in that regard, too.
His older brother is quite introverted but has a good sense of humor, and you see why they get along so well, even if they insist it wasnât always like that. But he seems very caring and attentive, and youâre reminded that Jungkook was raised by such good people.Â
Youâre lucky you get to be part of this family, as what they say you are, with his mom insisting that you always were because of your decade-long friendship with her son but now, you hold a special place in it.
You continue talking with Mrs. Jeon and let her show you Jungkookâs awards cabinet while the men start preparing dinner, as it is in this household. Jungkook did tell you that this momâs cooking isnât the best so it was something they always did.Â
She asks you more about your work and takes interest in the research projects you did for child development. She asks about your college days, too, and how you and Jungkook were like back then.
You enjoy sharing about your life and your friendship with her son. You donât know how much she knows but you talk about the past year and the trips you took and all the moments you had with him that turned out to be the serendipitous moments that brought you here.Â
âHe really likes you, ___. Like, really, really likes you. I donât know how else to put it,â she takes your hand and smiles. âHeâs a lot more open about himself and he talks to us with this joy and calmness and weâre really happy about that. So thank you. If he does anything silly, let me know, okay?â
âI doubt he will but yes, Auntie,â you smile back. âI think this is the kind of thing that my parents will tell him, too.â
âProbably,â she chuckles. âBut weâre parents, ___. At the end of the day, we just want our children to love and be loved. We want them to be happy. And thatâs what he is when heâs with you.â
You bow in gratitude, as her words assure you. But love? Itâs an exciting thought. You donât know if itâs all too soon but you know where this whole thing with Jungkook is going, and itâs definitely heading there.Â
And just as your mindâs about to go elsewhere again, Mr. Jeon calls out that dinner is ready.Â
You excitedly walk to the dinner table and gasp at all they prepared. From the beef soup to the pajeon to the cold noodles and raw fish, your tummy rumbles in anticipation. And as you expected, everything is delicious.Â
You and Jungkook take turns in moaning and making these weird sounds you make when the food is good, and your shyness in front of his family slowly melts away. You talk more over dinner and even while you wash the dishes with his mom and then right after.
But you donât stay up late, as you still have a long drive back to Seoul tomorrow afternoon. So you bid his parents and brother good night and take turns with Jungkook in washing up.
Youâre exhausted by the time youâre in bed, your leg over his and your arms wrapped around his waist. Youâre softly kissing his face as you both take in the silence and he asks you if you want to ride his bike with him and go to this famous spot to watch the sunrise.Â
âTo relive that time,â he tells you. âI⊠I always find myself going back to that morning in Jeju.â
âWhy?â
âIt was so thrilling - riding with you for the first time, feeling what I was feeling but nervous to let you know⊠But it was also so grounding, I guess,â he explains. âI mean, sunrise, dolphins, scenery of a seaside town⊠Itâs like all these pretty things, including you.â
You remember the feeling clearly. Itâs not hard to forget since it felt the same to you. Perhaps thatâs when you thought that you could really have the good things you dreamed for in the palm of your hands, and now you do. Seeing the sunrise again with Jungkook this time would definitely make that past sunrise and all the sunrises after that even more special.
âOkay,â you smile. âBut youâre waking me up. Drag me out of bed if you need to.â
âIâll carry you bridal style out this door if it comes to it.â
You giggle at his words but promise that youâll wake up. You donât want to miss it either.  Â
âToday was nice, Kook,â you say after a beat of silence. âI think your mom finds me funny.â
âShe finds you endearing,â he corrects. âShe likes you. She likes you for me. And she thinks you really like me, too.â
âHmm. I wonder how she figured that out. Is it because of the hundred times I called you handsome or praised you for a gazillion reasons or held your hand every time I had the chance?âÂ
You playfully mock yourself even if you think youâre very transparent about how you feel. You truly think you canât like Jungkook anymore than you already do.
âPossibly,â he laughs. âBut also because your eyes sparkle when you look or talk about me. Itâs kind of a big tell.â
âImagine if you were half-naked and she caught me ogling at you.â
âLetâs be thankful then that the first time she saw us together, I was fully clothed,â he chuckles.Â
You nod in agreement and think the same.Â
Itâs quiet again for a while and Jungkook meets your sleepy eyes. He kisses you and he feels your toes curl like they often do, and he smiles against your lips because like always, youâre not afraid to feel things for him, and youâre not afraid to show it.Â
He promises himself heâll take after you. And then he can tell you everything he really feels.
You keep your promise and wake up when Jungkook taps your arm. Heâs already dressed, and you appreciate how he always gets up first so you have more time to sleep.Â
You fix up and make your way out in the dark where his motorcycle is parked on the street since heâd really planned on riding around in the morning.Â
He reminds you of safety guidelines and tells you youâre free to hold onto him anytime, not like you need a reason anyway. He puts on your helmet and helps you up, then starts the drive to a nearby town to head to a spot heâs passed by so many times.Â
The ride is quiet, with only the soft breeze of the summer morning buzzing as you drive past houses and mountains. You see the coast and he tells you youâre near.Â
Itâs still dark when you arrive but you can get a sense of whatâs around you. Thereâs a walkway that leads to a church and behind it are massive rocks that jut out the ocean. There are some street lights the further you walk and you see the view that heâs talking about. The water is so vast and the boulders are flat and safe enough for you to sit at so you find a spot and sit between his legs, basking in the calmness of your surroundings and the warmth of the man whoâs holding you.Â
âDo you come here often?â You ask, as light starts to dot the horizon.Â
âNot really. I ride past here sometimes but there are always many people in the morning,â he says. âThe sun rises over this side so I thought it would be a good place to go. And well, itâs beautiful and weâve barely seen it.â
âI already like it. You can just hear the waves crash against the rocks and itâs so refreshing.â
He hums in agreement and asks you how you slept. You talk about the short dream you had and end up talking about the other ones you remember. Jungkook laughs at your stories again and tucks his head in your neck when he does. He holds you tight and shifts around when he senses your legs cramping up.Â
The sky continues to lighten, as orange and red hues peek out of the ocean.Â
And then the sun comes and you hold your breath like always. Itâs so breathtaking and it feels even more surreal being where you are. Itâs another sight that youâll ingrain in your mind knowing that this time, thereâs so much more meaning to it. Itâs as if youâve really come full circle - from that hike up in Chungbuk to Jeju a few months ago to right now.Â
Jungkook went from someone who was just around you to someone next to you and with you, and youâre filled with so much emotion, just thinking of how you got here.Â
The sunâs taken its place in the sky and you hum in satisfaction. Itâs another one of those daily occurrences that you get to witness and be a part of, and you have the most amazing person you know holding you.
You turn to Jungkook and find that heâs already looking at you. His eyes soften and you smile and he smiles back.
Youâre so beautiful this morning, just like you are everyday. But he finds that everyday is a new kind of beautiful, and he wants to keep finding new things about you to gush about. Whether itâs a new pitch of your voice when youâre whining about something, a different reaction when he teases you, another fascinating thought you have, or anything else, really.Â
He wants to keep learning about and experiencing life with you. He wants to keep holding your hand and settling into this home that both of you keep discovering and enjoying. He wants toâ
âKook, are you okay?â You cut through his thoughts.Â
âYeah. Just thinking about how much I love you.â
Jungkook sees your face change into one of surprise. It doesnât worry him though. Even if you donât feel it yet, you might as well be close to it.
âIs it too soon? Too late?â He wonders.
He at least doesnât want to put you off.Â
You look at the man with the prettiest eyes and child-like smile and think that heâs the most beautiful person youâve ever met. To be loved by him is probably your greatest gift.
âHmm, itâs actually perfect timing,â you say, gazing back to let him know just how much you feel, too.
âYeah?â
âYeah. I was just thinking that I canât like you more than I do now but I could. I could love you and I do, Kook. I⊠I really do love you.â
Youâve always been one to give in to your feelings and you feel them intensely. At this moment, itâs love that youâre filled with, and you feel it so much for the person in front of you.
He giggles and kisses you softly on the lips. You kiss him back then give him pecks on his cheek until heâs lying on his back and hugging you tightly.
Itâs so freeing, as you listen to the ocean waves and the seagulls flying by and Jungkookâs racing heartbeat. Itâs as if youâre able to feel all the comfort and passion you could possibly feel for someone and you want it to always be like this.Â
You settle back on your earlier spot and he wraps his arms around your waist again.
âSo, uh. When you have the time, do you mind telling So-you that I won?â He says.
You look at him questioningly.
âI told you she cornered me after the ceremony and asked me if I was your boyfriend, right?â Jungkook starts. âSo I explained we were friends and then we started dating and she asked if I plan on marrying you like her uncle Seokjin who was also just friends with her auntie Hayoung and wellâŠâ
âWhat!â You laugh, imagining your 10-year old niece interrogating Jungkook.Â
âYeah and well, I said that we havenât talked about getting married because we just started dating but that I love you so that should be a start,â he continues. âAnd so I got into this âwho loves you more competitionâ because she insisted it was her and while I understood where she was coming from, I couldnât accept defeat and I insisted it was me. So we played all these games and your other nephews and nieces started playing along. I won everything but So-you didnât want to declare me as winner.â
âWhy not?â
âShe said itâll only count if I tell you. Because why does it matter if I love you if you donât know that I do?â
âWhat a smart girl,â you laugh, thinking of how silly and incredibly adorable that whole exchange might have been.Â
âShe is and sheâs right. It matters that you know. And I wanted to tell you that night but I didnât want you to think it was only because you let me enter coochie heaven naked.â
You laugh again.
âWhat about yesterday?â You wonder.
âI was going to, especially after seeing how good you were with my family but⊠I wanted to savor the feeling one last time,â he explains. âJust like when I liked you first and didnât say anything, I just had these moments of feeling it all to myself and admiring you without expectations. And I get to release it all now and it feels really good.â
âYouâre not too bad at expressing your feelings, you know that?â You smile at him, feeling overwhelmed and quite speechless at everything heâs saying.Â
âI try,â he whispers.
âI love you for it. And for everything else,â you assure him. âSo maybe this beats the Jeju sunrise?â
âThat was still special on its own. That version of us was trying to figure out if we could be each otherâs home. This versionâŠâ he says, taking your hand for him to kiss. âThis version knows we want to stay in this home for a long time.â
You let his words settle and pull his arms to hug you tighter. Itâs all you need because heâs right.Â
Youâve settled into him, into this with him, and even into this version of yourself that embraces all types of emotions and basks herself in the love she receives and gives.Â
And as you spend the rest of the morning walking around town with his parents, and as you hold his hand while he drives back to Seoul, you think that heâs who youâve been wishing for this whole time.
Heâs the good that you hoped for and truly deserve, and you donât think you could ever ask for anything more.Â
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Good Omens & the Existential Art of Not Giving Up (or, When It's All Exhausting)

So many of us love Good Omens, especially Crowley and Aziraphale, with an intensity that our friends and loved ones may not understand. We analyze their choices, their relationship, their future. We cry over them. We speculate, create and enjoy fanfics about them, and await the conclusion of their story with all of our hopes and fears on the line.
For me, one of the biggest reasons I'm so attached to their story is because of the way they constantly fight to figure out how to exist as they are, in a universe that forces them be something they're not. They make mistakes, they get overwhelmed, and sometimes they totally screw it up. But they always come back.
They never give up.
Our world is -- tough -- to say the least. Many of us are struggling to figure out how to exist as we are. So many pressures and expectations, so much conflict and... Well, you already know exactly what I mean! Existential Exhaustion is real, and all too present.
Good Omens provides something much more important than an escape from those harsh realities. I believe it provides HOPE.
I lost hope for a little while. I've been away from Tumblr and my AO3 writing for months because of it. Good Omens was helping me keep my head above water in a chaotic, exhausting world. When the future of GO itself got chaotic, I lost something (for awhile) that helped me make sense of the world's chaos.
But these characters, Crowley and Aziraphale, are beautiful and brave and flawed and So Ineffably HUMAN... They show us what it is to fight and fall and fail and rise to fight again. They remind us that we can mess up and still be lovable, worthy of love. And, when they get it right, they show us what acceptance and fidelity can be.

Stories are usually about how people (and angels and demons!) respond to challenges. We only get to be privy to the story of Our Ineffables when their lives are about to get turned upside down. AntiChrist about to enter the world? Season 1. Their precious, peaceful, fragile existance together about to be threatened by a mysterious Something Terrible from Heaven? Season 2.
I love to imagine what Aziraphale and Crowley's lives together were like in that short time they had together in between. (It's why we love the flashbacks, right? An extra peek at their relationship!) That time was far too short, but they came a long way since that gentle night at the bus stop, and protecting each other's very existence from Hellfire and Holy Water the very next day. "To the World", they said. "To Us," it meant, and how much they love it and strive to protect it.
Like us, Our Ineffables are flawed fellows. They get overwhelmed. Aziraphale gets too anxious, and starts spouting off things he doesn't really mean. Crowley loses his temper, and likewise starts spouting off things he doesn't really mean...


They fight with each other.
They fight for each other.
And life stays hard. They get overwhelmed. Anxiety happens. Anger happens. Bad decisions happen. Existential Exhaustion. Doesn't put any of us at our best, yeh?
But they keep trying to figure it all out and make it right. For the world and for each other...

Maybe I believe in Our Ineffables so much because I need something to believe in that gives me Hope, something that helps me keep fighting. Because I do believe in them, both of them. They mess up, but they don't give up.
Maybe that's not such a weird thing for any of us to believe in.
#good omens#good omens 2#ineffable husbands#good omens meta#don't give up#wistfulnightingale#ineffably human#ineffable idiots#ineffable spouses#deep thoughts#hope#I love them too much to stay away!
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I wasn't obsessed with The Ex-Morning to start, but I trusted it would hit me eventually. You see, the thing I love about Lit Phadung as a director is that he never tries to be above the classic Thai BL aesthetics. The production hallmarks are all there: dialogue-heavy stories with generic comedic scoring and stable cameras theatrically focusing on people rather than any dynamic or poetic cinematography. He chooses works that bring broad, obvious characters to life for us. The work of his I've seen--the full SOTUS series, Love Mechanics, Love in Translation, and currently The Ex-Morning--is remarkably unpretentious, always skirting the line of cheesy. This all sounds hardly complimentary. And yet. And yet!
A few episodes in, his series begin to unobtrusively swell like a tide moving in with the density of the characters and thematic subtext. Episode 6 in SOTUS S inspired me to research and write a whole 20 page essay on the 4 Act structure. Episode 3's where The Ex-Morning hooked me. An example of a master at work in episode 3, we get the shipping-moment where Tam grabs Phi's hand, a perfect example of how Lit layers quiet symbols amongst the cheese of romance. The narrative set-up here gives us classic BL. Blatant skinship edited and closely framed to make it impossible to miss or misread its romantic implication. We even have a fujoshi observer to remind us the gaze we're meant to use.
fighting certain urges about the hair on Singto's hands
But P'Lit and screenwriter Aof--who I've argued appears to have adapted these techniques from P'Lit's work on SOTUS--layer this shot with other visual information. In zooming to the hands, the ring, the mala bracelet, and the act of writing get secretly highlighted amongst the yaoi content. The show has not pushed us hard to think about their meaning yet, but there's been a subtle focus on jewelry and accessorizing already and the Buddhist themes have been an emerging question, too. It's just one of many examples in the series where the questions of materialism, emotional attachments, authorship, and queer embellishments arise without hammering the audience over the head with it.
And then on top of these visual strategies, Lit consistently draws out overwhelming performances from his actors that imbue what might otherwise be camp with a raw humanism, heightening the stories beyond run-of-the-mill romcom plots. With their flawed, conflicted characters and unflinching portrayals, they're tests of empathy.
It's no surprise he's launched the careers of several renowned pairs--Kristsingto, DaouOffroad, YinWar (not their first outing, but the one that elevated them past their peers). In a P'Lit world you get to play a full range of emotions, and he's not interested in requiring violence or high-concept plots to experience those feels. It's pure romcom, with the full breadth of its possibility, which is something I adore.
Lit's not an auteur by the traditional definition. His vision's not singular, his work not so marked by his idiosyncrasies to be easily chosen out of a lineup of his peers. I think it's better for that. He intricately crafts his works so that you don't have your attention drawn to its craft or intricacy, letting the story and characters, which at first might seem silly, take hold of your soul.
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Cynthia really brought such a softness and vulnerability to ElphabaâŠ
Honestly, itâs kind of miraculous how well she makes it work. It had the potential to undermine Elphabaâs righteous (and sometimes extreme) anger at an unjust world, or even end up turning her character into a one note Too Good For This World doormat without any edge or flaws.
Instead, the added softness made Elphaba more layered, more interesting, and if anything makes her epiphany during Defying Gravity hit way harder because there really is a progression from dreamy but naĂŻve young woman to idealistic rebel with no f*cks to give.
Cynthia really did that to her and I, for one, couldnât be more grateful.

#Wicked: Part One (2024)#Wicked: For Good (2025)#Elphaba Thropp#đâ | Like a handprint on my heart | đ©·
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relationship hcs ; chuuya nakahara

requested by ; mod / self indulgent
fandom(s) ; bungou stray dogs
fandom masterlist(s) ; here
character(s) ; chuuya nakahara
outline ; âdating hcs for chuuyaâ
warning(s) ; none, just fluff!
despite what one might expect from a high ranking member of the port mafia, chuuya nakahara is nothing short of a complete and utter gentleman in how he approaches his relationship with you, and if it werenât for his heaving and unpredictable schedule you might find yourself tempted to call him the âperfectâ boyfriend
(⊠well that and his jealous streak, which has landed people in the hospital or six feet under on many occasions⊠but everyone has their flaws, right?)
not afraid to engage in pda with you but will generally stick to more polite stuff â chaste kisses, hand holding, linking arms, guiding you with a hand on the small of your back, etc. â unless you goade him into being a bit more playful
just donât try to one-up him because he will win â even if he needs to drag you somewhere a bit more private to do so
his favourite places to be kissed are on his hands â bonus points if you kiss the scars there, but palm and wrist kisses never fail to leave him a bit giggly and red in the face
chuuya rarely ever calls you by your actual name and instead refers to you using an array of pet names that, while all endearing in their own right, can range from casual and modern (like âbabeâ or âsweetsâ) to the kind of shit youâve only ever heard from the mouths of hollywood gangster stereotypes and that would be hilarious if he didnât make them all sound so damn good (e.g. âdoll faceâ if youâre on the feminine side)
and on the flip side heâs generally quite chill with whatever you want to call him as long as you save the cutesy stuff for when the two of you are at home and on your own (he has a reputation to keep up, after all)
chuuya does not tolerate any negative talk about you whether itâs coming from someone else or if itâs coming from you. and sure he could easily spend hours upon hours listing every single thing he loves about you, more often than not his way of dealing with this is through confrontation (either a very stern talking to about self deprecating language if itâs you, or a physical confrontation if itâs someone else)
he flusters super easily when you shower him with unexpected physical affection and praise, especially if youâre super gentle about it â after all, for most of his life heâs been in survival mode and surrounded by harshness and violence so it will take a long time for your sweetness and affection to not catch him a little off guard
gift giving is one of his main love languages meaning that as his lover you can expect to be spoiled absolutely rotten â sometimes that means him going out and buying you stuff himself (e.g enough bouquets of flowers to fill every surface in your home, a whole new outfit for a date, luxurious clothes and jewellery, etc.), and other times that means him just straight up giving you his black card and telling you to buy whatever you want (and donât even think about being guilty for spending his money, he likes being able to provide for his partner so please just spoil yourself on his behalf)
while his schedule is an absolute nightmare, courtesy of his role as an executive, chuuya does his best to block out at least one evening each week for the two of you to go out on an actual date. in an ideal world heâd book off a whole day, but thatâs just not possible for him these days⊠though thatâs not to say he doesnât make the most of the time you get because, rest assured, any date you go on with him is guaranteed to sweep you off of your feet no matter what you end up actually doing
late night joyrides on his motorcycle? just say the word and itâs done
does his best to keep you as far away from his work as humanly possible â only telling you the bare minimum about what he does each day, only introducing you to a select few people that he genuinely trusts, refusing to let you anywhere near pm territory unless absolutely necessary, etc. â even if you yourself are a port mafia member that just happens to be a lower rank than him⊠heâs just lost so many people that he canât help but be protective
he keeps a photo of you in his wallet and heâs not afraid to show you off â at least not to those he actually trusts (heâs a proud boyfriend, sure, but heâs not stupid or blind enough to put a target on your head like that)
and whenever heâs drunk youâre pretty much the only thing he talks about, which is as cute/endearing for you as it is annoying for pretty much anyone else who happens to be in earshot of him at the time
he has two phones: one that he uses for mafia related things and that he keeps as impersonal as possible (no cutesy contacts, default home and lock screen, no pictures of himself or his colleagues anywhere, regularly reset, etc.), and one that he pretty much exclusively uses to talk to you and kouyou. the latter features your smiling face as his homescreen, a picture of the two of you on his bike as his lockscreen, and an entire album dedicated to pictures and videos of you smiling and laughing that he watches whenever heâs sent away from work and feeling homesick
nothing pisses him off quite like dazai talking about you or getting near you in any capacity. call him jealous or whatever but he just does not trust the guy not to try something just to mess with him and you are the line that will not be crossed and chuuya will make sure of that
heâs the type of boyfriend to lend you his coat/jacket without question if you mention being cold (or even if you just happen to look a bit chilly)⊠now whether or not it actually fits you is another story, but itâs a sweet gesture nonetheless
#sleepingdeath#gender neutral reader#fluff#fluff hcs#bsd fluff#bsd x reader#bungo stray dogs fluff#bungo stray dogs x reader#bungou stray dogs fluff#bungou stray dogs x reader#chuuya x reader#chuuya fluff#chuuya nakahara x reader#chuuya nakahara fluff#nakahara chuuya fluff#nakahara chuuya x reader
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hiii i luv your writing so much!! this is probably a silly question but what media do you read/watch to get a good understanding of the batboys? i want to write about them ^_^ i know only a little based on what I've read from stories but other than that im clueless... sorry if this is a very weird thing to ask.... i just luv your writing and look up to you!!!
not a silly question at all my dear! đ it makes me so happy you look up to me đ„čđ„č i wish you the best of luck in writing for them.
there is a lot of media to choose from when learning about the batboys characters. Almost every comic, movie & game shows us different sides of their personality.
id recommend these medias to start from. i would like to clarify that i am no expert in this. i have barely read any comics about them. most of my knowledge about their characters comes from reading fanfiction. if i make any mistakes with the information i gathered here please let me know!
batman: death in the family & batman: under the red hood, Arkham Knight (a more gritty version of jay, bruce, etc) juni ba's comics (i recommend juni ba's comics to every dc fan), batman vs robin, son of batman, gotham knights (take this one with a grain of salt, not many liked it, i personally liked it đ), wayne family adventures. (most of my characteristics for the batboys comes from wfa), if you're feeling like it you could give the series titans a try (first dc media i ever watched, im not too much of a fan of the earlier seasons, the characters building gets better down the road), young justice is a classic (currently watchinf yj, you could watch it for nightwing i suppose)
I have some issues with the movies, considering we do not get the full batfamily in most of them, plus i feel like their culture/roots often gets ignored (damian and dick for example). (Jason, tim and duke are often ignored. Mostly duke though).
what to keep in mind when writing:
dont fall for the stereotypes. jason wasn't some angry robin. tim isnt always glued to his computer. duke is 100% a batfam member and has his own full fleshed out character. damian isn't unfeeling. talia isn't a horrid mother. bruce is flawed yes, but for our sakes give him a chance.
dont forget their roots/race/ethnicityâ i think it is canon that dick is romani (writers put that in ~2000's, in a very racist way as well. it doesn't erase the fact dick is romani, but take advice from romani and roma creators when writing for him (if you plan on highlighting his heritage). damian is mixedâ arab and chinese heritage on his mother's side, plus bruce is white so (wow kore you worded that beautifully). for damian his culture is pretty importantâ id recommend letting it shine through while writing.
dont forget duke. duke thomas is a batboy. he will always be a batboy. try and include him in any works where the other batboys r included.
this is more of a quick guide to know about the batboys. for me at least đ if anyone has recommendations feel free to let us know đ
#đ . Ęâ âč . ĘË . ʰ koreâs calls .á#jason todd x reader#dick grayson x reader#damian wayne x reader#damian al ghul x you#tim drake x reader#duke thomas x reader#red hood x reader#nightwing x reader#robin x reader#red robin x reader#signal dc x reader#dc#dcu#dc comics
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So the recent alnst comic dropped and put the entire fandom on fire. But I do want to talk mischaracterization and how the alnst fandom has an abundance of it. Every fandom has it to various degrees because fans will always reach their own conclusions, how far it is from the creatorâs intent differs from person to person. But alnst fans have such strong takes and everyone is so aggressive in being right. Two fans can have greatly different assumptions of a character. A big part of that I believe is because except for comics that give some context, most of its storytelling is done through visuals and songs.
Those are less concrete mediums. The meaning of a simple hand movement or lyric can be taken in differently from person to person. But Iâve always felt that as long as you understand alnst is not a black and white story, that there are no good or evil human characters you should be able to somewhat put pieces together.

I donât see how some ppl gathered that Mizi is âthe true villainâ or smth. Her willful ignorance is definitely a coping mechanism and this adds a lot of complexity to her. And lowkey after sitting on it, some fans do reduce Mizi to a single dimension like Till, that boy, and even Sua. She isnât a âperfect victimâ who is innocent and has no flaws bc that eliminates her humanity. Most of the ppl in her life projected that image onto her so she felt compelled to fit into it. She couldnât stop Till from having a crush on her even though she rejected him and she couldnât severe the codependent relationship she had with Sua. Plus all this described to us from Miziâs POV and given Ivanâs entire deal as a character I donât think weâre supposed to 100% trust what sheâs saying about herself.
In regard to Till, I sympathize with him to an extent. I understand you canât control who you like and itâs hard to move on. Add that on top of this horrible environment where desiring Mizi mightâve been the few things to keep him going. But I need people to really see the truth: his crush on Mizi was fucking shallow.

He didnât really know her nor try to. Yes he had this unrequited crush but it is not Miziâs responsibility to make him better about it. I have been in Miziâs position multiple times. A guy likes you, you express youâre not interested and they insist that theyâll still want you. The whole time theyâre not even close to you and youâre like a prize to them. Iâve been in Miziâs position and itâs fucking uncomfortable.
She also risked her life returning back to save Till in r7 so I donât think she was plotting his demise on some villain shit. Mizi still saw Till as her friend I doubt sheâs faking those emotions.
Finally it is very essential to remember this series is created by two queer korean women living in SK. And if you know anything of the korean male population, itâs not great. I mean men arenât in general but in sk itâs likeâŠ.in the 7th circle of hell. So anyone villainizing Mizi please take a minute to really process her character because sheâs probably inspired by their personal experiences.
#idk I think this is a complicated situation and weâre dealing with complex characters#I applaud vivinos and qmeng for going this route#but I need fans to relax#my goodness#alien stage#alnst mizi#mizi#alnst till#alnst#vivinos#qmeng#animation#fyp#tumblr#tags#alien stage mizi#comics#reveal
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I've been thinking about this episode all week because I'm gonna have to watch it again with my kid this weekend but I just can't get over Belinda. She started off such a strong character, she was calling the Doctor out on his shit, she didn't want to be there, he was being almost sinister in his attempts to keep her with him and like the time didn't pass for her to be the way she was in the Space Eurovision episode never mind the end of the last one.
Now don't get me wrong, I have a kid, I would go into the box with my kid in a second if there was any risk there. I understand why Belinda did that in character at that moment. But when she vanished, the only person bothered by that was Ruby (which I did feel terrible for her about, don't get me wrong, I was desperate to give her a cuddle coz she's been hard done by these last two series as the Doctor dropped in and destroyed her life as ever). If Belinda had given any sort of unease (in the series to suggest she was a mother and time had changed or at the end when Ruby was creating) I'd be more open to the ending but, like, the Doctor has then saddled this woman with a little kid she had no knowledge of before the event - he literally changed time to make it so - and Poppy didn't even turn out to be his. Now Belinda has an ex and has to work nights and it just could have been written so much better even without changing the ending if they really had to go there - but they didn't! The other weird baby went to Carla. In the Space Babies ep Poppy wanted the Doctor and Ruby to be her parents. Ruby was the one who knew she was gone and cared. I don't understand why Belinda ended up with her when she'd shown absolutely no wish for a kid outside of a situation where she was brainwashed.
And on top of that why was Ruby the only one who knew? Why couldn't Belinda be the special one in that occasion? Her character was just watered down through the series and like, the companions have their flaws, but I've been watching s11 and by the end of that series Yaz has tonnes more depth and she's much younger and much more wobbly in herself (due to age). Amy Pond had a similar storyline and it broke my heart.
The episode itself, and most of the series, I've enjoyed on a surface level (that left me with a bad taste in my mouth admittedly) but that's all down to the acting of the cast, who have been wonderful. Ncuti, Millie, Varada, all of the UNIT cast, Anita Dobson and Archie Panjabi were fantastic (and the Ranis exit sucked too, what a let down) I hated Conrad because Jonah Hauer-King was so good (when Ruby was going on about his dad my heart stopped coz me and my husband had a bet on whether the Master and Lucy Saxon were his parents).
I get that things out of the series' control happened, and things had to change because of it, but everyone deserves a good send off and that send off for poor Ncuti was not only lacklustre (excluding Jodie, but again, she didn't need to be there) but overshadowed as much as his first one (still not over DT getting an award for the regeneration when it was Jodie's exit) which is absolute bullshit for the MAIN CHARACTER of the show. He should have had a better, more pointed regeneration. Even the Rani hitting him with a damn laser or Omega getting him (I'd rather we forgot about Omega altogether though, that also sucked) would've been better than him changing time for no reason.
And why couldn't he have gone to find the real Poppy on his way out, seen her happy with her family, or brought those babies back to earth where someone could've looked after them instead of making Belinda a one-dimensional incubator and happy about it?
Ugh, go back to the ÂŁ5 budget and filler episodes running down corridors that are flashing red against a Dalek, or something bad CGI with big teeth please. Two of my favourite ever episodes are the Jodie one with the Dalek and the time loop and the Matt one in that hotel with the minotaur and they were just classic Doctor Who: show string budget, non-compicated plot, some cool companion events, the Doctor shows off after thinking it's all doomed.
That's better than this.
(P.S. did I misinterpret the genetic bomb thing? Is that how the Master wiped them all out or not? If so, how did he keep some of them in the cybersuits (I'm guessing he chose specific people he hated most to be exempt), he'll be furious at bigeneration (I stand by that that's a stupid concept though I'm glad Anita is still lurking somewhere), and also how did the Doctor then bigenerate if he's not technically a Time Lord? Is he a Time Lord? I never got the nuance of that so decided to just ignore it...)
(P.P.S I fucking hate gimmicks so I'm not touching that regeneration with a barge pole)
(P.P.P.S if DT doctor regenerates will he regenerate, will he turn into Ncuti again, will he turn into someone else, go backwards into Jodie, or will he just explode and destroy the earth?)
if you asked me a week ago how i thought 15 would die i would have guessed succumbing to his injuries after rescuing rogue from hell and dying homosexually in his arms but. no. instead he dies forcing a baby onto a woman who has never shown interest in motherhood. great...
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Curse Swap AU: Sam
to be perfectly honest this was mostly inspired by @sodiumpentothol's Wrong Side of the Bed AU.
So in this AU Sam gets immediately cursed by being exposed to the light from his window. Luckily, he doesn't get a good look at the visitor so he doesn't immediately get sucked into the sky. unluckily though he has been given the Jeanne special of a drawn-out version of his flawed ritual transformation.
Over the course of 15 days Sam will wake up to some new additions. These changes initially would be small, and he could pass as a normal person but right around day 4 he gets a new pair of arms and the changes there on become exponentially more dramatic.
Gameplay wise this replaces Sam Leveling up making each phase increase his stats and give him new skills. Sam could assess himself at the start of a new day to describe what has changed and give insight to what new skills or challenges he has to deal with.
Specific phases would change what Sam would need to deal with for example.
sorry I'm too lazy to draw more Sam.
at day 12~13ish Sams eyes will start splitting like this giving him blurry vision. During this phase Sam starts every encounter with the blindness debuff so this day could either be used for other non-combative tasks or he could focus mainly on support for his ally's.
The most interesting thing for me is how this would change his interactions with other characters. Sam would be treated differently depending on what phase he's on. In the first phases Sam would be basically treated as he is by default but on later phases be treated with suspicion, fear, or at worse outright hostility.
This would pose the question on whether Sam should risk exploring dangerous areas to meet and build rapport with others while he still can or allow his transformation to progress to be stronger but lose out on potential ally's and traders.
The relationships he does develop with other characters will be tested as the days goes on. With some characters wondering if Sam would still be sane by the end of it. But with a little luck and a lot of trust Sam still has the potential to find companionship in the apocalypse.
In a future post I'll talk about how the Sams final transformation would be affected by factors like his mental state, how many allies he has, his perception of himself, and the rituals progress. But I think I'll save it when I talk about the endings.
#look outside#look outside game#look outside spoilers#look outside curse swap au#look outside sam#my art
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đ€Unpopular Opinion: Debilitation of Planets in AstrologyđŹ
Note: These are all my personal observations and patterns I've noticed over the years. Take what resonates with you more and leave the rest. Lemme know in the comments if it hits home!
A planet is considered debilitated when placed in certain signs; its energy would be the opposite, weak or diminished. The planet would give malefic results. But not all debilitated planets are bad. A single planetary placement or aspect can't determine the outcome. Debilitated planets can lead to positive outcomes as well. You can consider this post for your natal chart(D1), D9 or any divisional charts. Vedic focused post.
Sun is debilitated in Libra - First off, everyone born under the Libra zodiac season is gonna have a debilitated Sun. The Sun represents ego and authority, but Libra seeks balance and compromise, two things the Sun isnât great at. Itâs like putting a spotlight in a room full of mirrors. The light scatters, and the focus fades. Sun thrives on decisiveness, but in Libra, it weighs every option like choosing which restaurant to eat at. Libra Sun people cater to the needs of others, forgetting their own. Libra is all about "we" and Sun is all about "me". The positive side of this debilitated Sun is that it's leadership with diplomacy. The ego takes a backseat, giving space to social intelligence and emotional tact. Thrives in partnerships by bringing light to shared goals, not just solo ambition. A natural peacemaker. I don't see why it's bad. Even exaltation can give bad results at certain positions, like the Sun in the Aries 12th house. Until they move somewhere else or work behind the scenes, this Sun makes a native feel like a background character in their own life.
Moon is debilitated in Scorpio - The Moon wants emotional safety, whereas Scorpio wants emotional intensity. Moon wants to be seen and felt, but Scorpio wants to stay locked in. Scorpio Moon people would sulk in the corner like, "No one gets me!" but the Scorpio is like, "Cool! Let's keep it that way." These natives are the kind to cry behind sunglasses. On the positive side, these natives don't break easily and are human lie detectors. Scorpio Moon natives aren't afraid of the dark, they grow in it. They feel others' emotions and can be a safe haven for others. Moon is exalted in Taurus and if it's in the 6th, 8th or 12th house or aspected by Saturn, North node or Mars, even this exaltation can give results like mental unrest, health issues, hormonal imbalance, etc.
Mercury is debilitated in Pisces - Mercury wants logic and Pisces swims in feelings. Mercury loves clarity and Pisces loves mystery. Mercury is all about details, whereas Pisces blurs them. In Pisces, instead of a direct answer, these natives talk in metaphors or symbols without getting to the point. Decision-making gets foggy. On the positive side, this placement is great for poets, artists, fantasy writers, singers, lyricists, etc. Pisces Mercury sees beyond the box, they live outside it. These natives are drawn to the invisible layers of life and are great at making intuitive leaps where logic falls short. Mercury is exalted in Virgo and in certain positions, like Mercury in the 8th or 12th, can cause severe anxiety and nervous disorders. Virgo Mercury natives can sometimes be tone-deaf and can have little empathy.
Venus is debilitated in Virgo - Venus wants a candlelit dinner, whereas Virgo notices if the lighting is too warm or the cutlery is sanitized. Venus loves to write a poem, but the Virgo proofreads it until all the feelings are gone. Venus is about seeing beauty in everything and acceptance, but Virgo is like, "But my hairstyle doesn't match my aura!". Venus wants harmony whereas Virgo wants improvement. Venus loves beauty whereas Virgo gets lost in flaws. On the positive side, Virgo Venus natives express their love through acts of service. These baby-faced cat energy natives see the beauty in the practical. Can be picky in relationships and won't waste their time on short-term affairs. Venus flows but Virgo Venus edits to fit their theme. An exalted Venus in Pisces in the 6th can have poor boundaries, leading to over-giving. In the 12th, they can be sacrificing and put their partner on a pedestal or have secret affairs. In the 8th, they can attract abusive partners due to their idealization of love.
Mars is debilitated in Cancer - Mars wants action whereas Cancer wants emotion. One wants to fight, the other wants to feel. Mars is direct and to the point, but Cancer is sideways. Cancer Mars sulks and simmers. Decision-making becomes emotionally biased. Instead of direct rage, you get cold silence, guilt trips or "I'm fine" with death stares. On the positive side, Cancer Mars gives the "mama-bear" energy. These natives win quietly and won't advertise their accomplishments. Cancer Mars takes action when it really matters. An exalted Mars in Capricorn can be blunt or bossy, even in personal settings. If it's in the 8th or 12th house can become self-destructive in some cases. Can have anger issues.
Jupiter is debilitated in Capricorn - Jupiter wants you to have faith in the Universe/ God but Capricorn wants proof. Jupiter expands whereas Capricorn restricts. Jupiter brings hope but Capricorn is cautious and won't move an inch without a backup plan. Philosophy meets harsh reality. On the positive side, these natives turn their big dreams into solid, long-term goals. Their faith isn't blind, it's earned. They won't believe until they experience it firsthand. Slow and steady growth, the growth that lasts and leaves a legacy. An exalted Jupiter in Cancer, their belief and value systems are emotionally driven. They give away too much of their time, money or trust to people who don't deserve that and end up feeling drained/ exhausted. May resist growth if it means leaving their emotional ânestâ or support bubble, especially in the 3rd or 4th house.
Saturn is debilitated in Aries - Saturn is like a slow cooker whereas Aries is a microwave. Aries wants to lead but Saturn is like, "Well, earn it!". Hard lessons in control. Aries can be like, "Why can't I have it?" and Saturn would be like, "Bcoz you're not ready." Explosive frustration. On the positive side, these natives are tough cookies. Aries Saturn people evolve fast. Others reach level by level, but these natives skip a few levels due to maturing faster than others. An exalted Saturn in Libra can become paralyzed in decision-making. Can try to fix everyone around them, especially in the 1st or 7th. Prone to attracting people who are emotionally cold towards them.
North Node is debilitated in Sagittarius - Lol, this placement is like a philosophy class being run by a conspiracy theorist. The North node just can't stick to one belief system. Might practice three different religions within a year or so. Sagittarius likes spiritual direction, but the NN is obsessed with anything foreign, forbidden and wild. Sagittarius wants to go deep into one philosophy. NN would be trying Buddhism this month, Witchcraft next month and invests in cryptocurrency in between. Can be cult-like thinkers, in some cases. On the positive side, these natives challenge dogma and are drawn to higher knowledge. Can be visionary thinkers if it's aspected by Saturn or Jupiter. Seeks purpose beyond success. They might fall for a few fake gurus first, but when they finally get it, they really get it.
South Node is debilitated in Gemini - Gemini is all about intellect, but SN is like, "I don't care, everything is an illusion." SN can't handle Gemini's endless questions, it would rather meditate in silence than debate logic. Gemini is social but SN wants to be alone. Gemini juggles with hundreds of interests whereas SN deletes all apps permanently. SN is like an ancient soul forced to deal with a toddler. On the positive side, SN rejects surface-level info and can access deep insights, spiritual or metaphysical. These natives can't be fooled by trends or fake news. They know that the celeb X and celeb Y aren't into each other and just doing it for clout and money. They walk with the "I'm too old for this" vibe and don't give a s#!t about what that model with 15M followers on insta had for breakfast.
Note: There is a debate over NN-SN signs of debilitation and exaltation. Some say it's Taurus - Scorpio, others say it's Gemini - Sagittarius. Personally, I stick to the Gemini-Sagittarius signs as I find it makes more sense to me.
âšđWanna dive deeper into your chart's layers? đđŹ Check out my pinned post for pricing and more info đ«đž
#astro notes#spirituality#spiritual awakening#zodiac signs#astro observations#astro community#astrology readings#birth chart#astrology#spiritual journey#vedic astrology#vedic chart#navamsa#astro blog#astro posts#astro tumblr#astrologer#astrology notes#astrology community#astrology signs#astrology observations#astrology blog#chart analysis#chart reading#natal chart#astrology chart#astro placements#natal placements#natal astrology#natal aspects
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honestly emmrich being so rigid about his beliefs was something i was SO sure was going to become relevant and then was just never addressed. there's a cutscene with him where you discuss the mourn watch or something (i've actually completely forgotten the context lol?) where he asks how rook would like to be treated after they die, i was actively excited to make an actual roleplaying character choice for the first time in many hours so i jumped to pick cremation (in my head my rook was ferelden đ) and emmrich pretty much acted like rook had taken a shit in front of him. again this got me excited because it was the first time i felt like a companion had disagreed with rook on anything meaningful that wasn't related to the main plot. i was really ready to start seeing the cracks with other companions where you could pinpoint a superiority complex or need to be right, because surely at least one of these characters has to have a meaningful flaw right??? and then it was never addressed again.
and it sucks because giving emmrich an intolerant streak makes him SO much more interesting. he preaches how good he is and has a general aura of being kind but when he finds out someone disagrees with a core belief of his he acts like he personally is being attacked, which is why he butts heads so much with taash, who is actually very similar to him in that way. if this was a trait they actually dwelled on it would work so well with him having thanatophobia, which does often manifest in a need for control. like making him actually a shitty hypocrite once you peel back his first layer of professionalism makes him an actual character rather than a two dimensional old man for people to thirst over.
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Black history absolutely matters. And I'm glad you mentioned it because it gives me a chance to talk about it. Iâm a M*A*S*H academic who, thanks to illness and disability, am not really able to write proper articles about things like this. So things like this just lives in my brain u til some poor, unsuspecting person accidentally trips a wire in my brain.
I just had to explain to my [former] writing group that they were very, very incorrect to assume that Britain didnât have Black people here until 1950. Ten white people, all well educated, intelligentâ had no idea that Black people have not only lived in Britain since before Roman times, but that we have rather a lot of historical artefacts and evidence to prove it. They meant no offence by its, but they were truly convinced of this.
Black historyâ history of People of Colour in generalâ does not seem to be a priority for education in the West. What education I have on it was because I was doing independent research on these topics and trying to learn more for myself about what I donât know. And there is so much more for meâ for all of usâ to learn.
I really do believe M*A*S*H is one of the best shows that has ever been on television. But it does have flaws, and one of the most glaring is the treatment throughout the entire series is that of people of Colour. I do believe it would have been far better if the show was not so white-- on screen and in the writer's room.
They have a few episodes with people of colourâ specifically in terms of Black people, and on a couple of episodes, they do have storylines about Black soldiers, but very few recurring characters are seen. And, as the show was about, you know⊠people in Korea⊠they really should have had at least a few more regular Asian characters in every episode.
For their time, they were pretty ambitious with what they were doing, and for their time they thought they were being progressive with the area of Asian characters. The only other mainstream show in America at that time was Kung Fuâ starring a white American in Yellowface for 3 years. M*A*S*H was probably exceptionally progressive in this area. (Kung Fu did employ many Asians for the show, but very often times, as with M*A*S*H, in stereotypical roles. But thatâs another rant for another day.)
The absence of Black characters within M*A*S*H is, however, very loud, to me. Generally, most of the main characters don't treat Black people badly (aside from the horrifically nicknamed Oliver Jones (no, I'm not using the nickname)âand his complete erasureâ but they often donât treat them at all. Which historically makes zero sense considering by this point there was a move for desegregated units and most of the Black soldiers were sent to the Army instead of other branches of the military.
ïżŒ

Source- Cambridge
The fatality of Black soldiers in the Korean War DOUBLED over that of white soldiers.
In short, the majority of the patients seen in 4077th should have actually been Black soldiers. And as it was focussed on an Army unit, the stretcher bearers, supply officers, kitchen crewâ every element of that campâ should have seen far more Black soldiers than we did.
I think it's very important to acknowledge these things. The achievements and contributions of people of colour within history is an absolute failure in the West in general. It is reflected within pop-culture, which just reinforces the erasure of these achievements and contributions even more.
M*A*S*H is not alone in this, by any means. And the majority of shows in this era were segregated- white shows like M*A*S*H, Bob Newhart Show, All in the Family, etc.; Black shows like The Jeffersons, Good Times, Sanford and Son, Benson, etc. A *few* shows, like Diffârent Strokes, did attempt more integration than just a weekly guest star.
So this failure is not just on the shoulders of M*A*S*H. But it is a glaring issue within the show, and just another example of how contributions and achievements of Black people have been ignored by Western society in general.
I would very happily urge anyone with an interest in history to check your library for books about Black history. There are many books about the forgotten and ignored roles Black peoples have made within western culture â especially during wartime.
If you have a public library within close distance, they will probably have a Black history section, or maybe even a dedicated section to check out. You can also find quite a few resources (videos, books, what have you) on YouTube.
Archive.org will have hundreds of resourcesâ and often pdfs of entire books.
@JSTOR also has an amazing database, and you can sign up with them to get access for more. Theyâre amazing and I love JSTOR.
A few YouTube channels I think are very interesting, that aim to reclaim these histories are below (they do not exclusively deal with war, but Black history in general):
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFze6CybJ_TZzkrVdgyRbhg - Julian Johnson, a Black American Lawyer makes short videos on various injustices through American history. https://www.youtube.com/@daarac_ngo - a channel that doesnât upload very often but does make videos about Black cinema and history.
https://www.youtube.com/@jimcrowmuseum - a YouTube channel for the Jim Crow Museum. Havenât updated in a while, but they have some fascinating videos as well.
https://www.youtube.com/@blackhistorywalks Black History Walks has a focus in Black history within the UK, but they also do international history, and try to also highlight various things that many might not know aboutâ such as how the chocolate industry uses slave labour and is destroying countries that grow cocoaâ and ravage Black spaces. They interview Black people about their experiences, etc. They also do short videos like this which highlights a Black American military troop called the Triple Nickel. https://youtu.be/XMYznXiFHm8?feature=shared
There are dozensâ probably hundredsâ more YouTube channels focused on Black history and achievements through history. So if any of this is of interest, use it a a jumping off point to find more.
The history for People of Colour has been ignored and erased not just through TV shows like M*A*S*H, but also through history in general. These histories and people deserve to be recognised. So please, if you have interests in these areas, do try to dig into this history. Thereâs always so much more to learn.
Black history matters. And the fact that was not represented more in such an important show as M*A*S*H matters, too.

Alan Aldaâs send off to Loretta Swit
#black history#forgotten black history#erased black history#Black Lives Matter#black history matters#black soldiers#1970s tv#M*A*S*H#M*A*S*H 4077th#1970s American television#asian history#black hresources for black history#resources for black military history#jstor#archive.org#YouTube#your local library should have lots of info on history of people of colour#historical vs fictional tv#people of colour in M*A*S*H#Oliver jones M*A*S*H#Julian Johnson law#Jim crow museum#Bob Newhart Show#All in the Family#The Jeffersons#Good Times tv show#Sanford and Son#Benson#Diffârent Strokes#always more to learn
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behold. my heir
uuuu lore ramble beneath read more ... kicks pebble
their lore isn't really set in stone but here's a bunch of little tidbit ideas
- they were the Ancestor's Final Atrocity, being an attempt to contain the very heart of darkness with a body made of flesh scraps sewn together (it uses the very thread that used to hold its body together in order to sort of mind control others it's smth i will explain later in the post)
- in a way it was successful in creating an imperfect reflection containing an offshoot of the hod intended to defeat the heart (fight fire with fire type deal)
- the letter was to give it instruction before the ancestor did something really funny
- it is the reason why dd is cyclical in nature because with every playthrough it becomes attached to the relationships and the hamlet and the people there and it knows that once it defeats itself there will be no reason for them to stay
- in a sense the Heir becomes attached to the hardships it watches them go through and since it's mostly organic material it develops emotion in a very flawed sense to the point of obsessing over the heroes
- every time the hod is defeated the heir gets consumed with this mental spiral that causes it to impulsively revive the hod and restart the cycle
- every reset also resets its own capacity to feel for the heroes and every time this happens they slowly fall back in love with them rinse repeat
- the teal(?) strings are my way of incorporating dd1's gameplay loop into the character. they act as puppet strings that allow the heir to sort of control a hero's rational thoughts which causes them to act a certain way without being aware they're being controlled by an outside force
- the heir can see the heroes' actions because it's an offshoot of the hod but it cant see everything everything because of the actual hod limiting its power
- they are heavily clothed because they dont want anybody to see its actual form (insecure baby)
- most of the time when they give instruction it's a written request, but in direct conversation it speaks directly to the mind and from an outside perspective it just looks like the hero is holding a one sided conversation but to the hero they think they're talking normally
- it very rarely speaks with its actual voice because it sounds like the overlap of every single creature used to build its physical body. including things that do not have vocal cords complex enough to support human speech so its actual voice is very difficult to listen to
more lore coming never
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shoutout to fictional women and girls. Nobody gets them like I do. âSheâs a bitchââ Sheâs a teenager. âSheâs evilââ she got angry once. âShe has no personalityââ
you arenât looking hard enough.
there are LOADS of interesting fictional women & girls that just get ignored by fandoms. Sure, some of them appear in lots of storiesâbut theyâre never the focus. Theyâre just a plot device, a source of advice, a conflict.
And yes, sometimes, when you write fanfiction of female characters who arenât given much depth by their authors, you have to dig deep.
maybe she wasnât given all that many traitsâbut take what she has, and run with it. Take an aspect of her background, dig into how it might have affected her. And you can absolutely give her traits that werenât quite there in the original text.
People do that with less popular male characters all the time. In fact, they do it with popular male characters even more!!!
(Iâm looking at you mha fic authors who wrote a billion and one stories centered around your bland fucking protagonist being a completely different character
no hate tho I just donât like dekuâ)
let her be feminine without being weak.
âŠbut donât project femininity where it isnât there.
And, most importantly:
donât be afraid to make her flawed. Make her angry, make her dramatic. Make her vicious and violent.
donât make her perfect. donât make her a prop.
make her interesting.
@fictfrenzy @themoonwitch-mustspeak @lordbasilsnek @lena-thinks-too-much @thebestusernamepossible @illustrativewriter
#sorry this started out silly but then became a rant#ao3 fanfic#ao3 author#female character#tagging this with the women and fandoms that I think apply#mha#my hero academia#bsd#bungou stray dogs#ochako uraraka#toga himiko#naruto#sakura haruno#dc#batfamily#batfam#stephanie brown#cassandra cain#barbara gordon#genshin impact#ozaki kouyou#yosano akiko#izumi kyouka#akutagawa gin#trafficblr#lizzie ldshadowlady#avatar the last airbender#katara#avatar korra
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