#didn't expect anyone to answer that question haha

[romanticintheory]

HI I JUST READ YOUR "SIMON BETRAY YOU" AND YOU KNOW WHATTTT IT HURTS SOO GOOD OMG THANKS FOR MAKING THATT SJWISHWBSHSJSBWJSBWBS

...

and.. maybe can you write for a part two? pleaseee🥺

HIII TYSM IM SO GLAD YOU ENJOYED!!! here's a pt 2! i am very sick at the moment, though, so this might be a bunch of gibberish (i sincerely apologize if so). hope you like it <3

simon riley betrays you pt. 2

simon "ghost" riley x reader || pt. 1 || masterlist

☆ ☆ ☆

-miraculously, they let you go.

-you half expected someone to drag you out of the car with the barrel of a gun pressed against your temple with the intent to fire, but no. after a few excruciatingly long hours alone with your arms and legs bound, someone new came to cut your ties and let you loose.

-maybe they were just bad at their job, you thought. after all, why would they let you, essentially a witness, go free without any repercussions?

-a few years pass. you try to move on, but its impossible when your entire world was shattered in one night.

-you never heard back from your father since then, but that wasn't the thing that hurt the most. you couldn't go a single day without thinking about the sting of betrayal. any happy moment you had was spent comparing the time you felt that same feeling with him, before anything in the world was wrong to you.

-what's worse, there was something telling you that you shouldn't tell anyone about it even if you wanted to. a voice in your head kept telling you that maybe, maybe they're keeping you on a leash. maybe someone was watching you at this very moment ready to take you out the moment you spilled your experiences.

-in a way, your fears are confirmed when you meet simon again miles away from the last place you lived. you had moved for this exact reason; you never wanted to see his face for as long as you lived.

-it happens when you're walking alone in the street. you moved to this area specifically because you heard it was quieter and, more importantly, safer. but how much of that could you escape, really?

-your attacker approaches you as you're making your walk home from work, a kind of confidence on his face that makes the common individual want to roll their eyes.

-"what's a sweet thing like you doing out alone at night, huh?" he asks, his footsteps staggered like he's had one too many drinks.

-you give him the usual speel of, "oh, my friends are waiting for me... yeah, i've got a boyfriend. haha, i'm okay, no need to accompany me, thanks."

-your soft attempts at rejection only seem to agitate him, because next thing you know he's stepping toward you and putting a hand on your arm with a bone-crushing grip.

-"c'mon jus' let me-"

-his voice is cut off by the sound of a loud thud and the stranger's yelp of pain. it takes you a second, but you realize the defense on your behalf came from beside you.

-oh, thank god.

-you and your now injured attacker now adjust your gazes to sit on the silent newcomer. just like that, your settled sense of dread has come back and increased tenfold.

-there he was, with that stupid mask over his face and his hands curled into fists for preparation of what he was going to do next if the man didn't scurry off.

-"you'll leave," he says darkly under subtle pants, as if he ran before coming to your rescue. "if you know what's good for you."

-the stranger wastes no time in running off into the night, leaving you with your worst nightmare.

-for a while, you both stare at each other like you can't believe the other is real. it takes everything in you not to cry or beg him for answers. no, after everything you worked for, you're not going to throw away everything you built in the past few years to recover from him just to throw it all away now... right?

-"why are you here?" you ask coldly. "come to finish the job?"

-although your eyes were icy and your questions came with a rigid tone, there was genuine fear in your question. what if the soldier that untied you wasn't supposed to? what if you were supposed to be dead all those years ago?

-"no. never."

-even though he knows the reason why, his heart still hurts at the thought of you believing he'd just up and kill you like that.

-"really? that's rich," you scoff, except you're terrible at hiding the tremble in your breath and the tremors traveling through your body.

-spotting your growing fear, he scrambles for something, anything, to make you fear him less.

-"i was worried, that's all. after that night," he pauses, eventually deciding to skip the details of what he did to your father. "i didn't know where you went. thought i could just get over it, but i guess i just knew i needed to check in on you just in case."

-you resist the urge to roll you eyes. "right. you're back again to 'check in on me'? to come back and meddle in my life again?" you're struggling to keep your tears back as they form in your eyes. "you've already taken so much. how selfish can you be?"

-he stares at you for a moment before slipping his hand into his pocket and taking out a gold watch that belonged to your dad.

-"i'm sorry about your father, but you have to understand that he-"

-"not that, simon. it was never that," you push his hand away and the offer that came with it. his eyes became confused. "i mean you. it's always been you. you just come into my life telling me you love me, that you want to be with me so much and then just take that all away? and you never even bothered to tell me it was a lie, just let me get tied up by some stranger to be left alone and scared!"

-there's a new look in simon's eyes at your words, but it's hard to decipher them from behind the mask.

-"it wasn't a lie," he says slowly, lowering the hand with the watch in it back to his side.

-"oh, please." the trembling has not died down in the slightest. "i bet you're still mad that worker of yours took pity on me and let me leave before you could do anything about it. like i said, back to finish the job."

-your eyes are now trained on the ground. there was a conflicted feeling in your body at the moment. on one hand, this was the man that let you get tied up and left in a car while he "handled" your father. on the other, this was the man you loved. the one who was kind to your ever desire, who always understood you in ways you never knew possible.

-"i told them to let you go," he finally manages.

-"what?"

"i..." he hesitates. "i told my captain that if i was going to give them your father's location, they were to let you go no questions asked when the whole ordeal was over with." and it was true. he hated even imagining poor you, being interrogated by his colleagues in an isolated, barren room. you had been through enough.

-and even if you had been a part of your father's scheme, there was a part of simon that loved you too much to care (though he'd never admit it to himself).

-it was a good thing price trusted his judgment. he didn't know what he would've done had he said no.

-the tears are now streaming down your face and you can do nothing to stop it. it all felt like so much. you were so, so confused. if he did love you, why did you feel this way? how much of this could you trust?

-cautiously, he goes to wipe the tears away from your face, murmuring a quiet, "hate it when you cry." for a second, it was a familiar feeling. you felt like you were back in your shared flat with simon while having a breakdown over life's struggles. in moments like those, you never would have expectated that life's struggles could take the form of simon himself.

-you can't help but lean into his touch. maybe you were insane for allowing him to touch you like this, but you wanted nothing more than to let him into your life again. the resolve you worked so hard to build was crumbling away the longer you spent with him.

-"the reason it took so long for me to find you..." he's holding your face in his hands, now. "for so long, i thought i ought to leave you alone. i know i should. i wasn't lying about when i said i was worried if you were still alive, but," he swallows the lump in his throat before continuing. "i also miss you. 'nd i know, 's incredibly selfish of me after everything i've done to you, but i can't help it."

-one of his hands leaves your face to slide the mask and balaclava off his face. there he was again, his aged brown eyes and soft jawline, the sides of his face littered with small scars you still remember to this day.

-"i'll make it up to you," he whispers. "anything you ask, i'll answer. about my past, your father, anything. you ask me to get you something, i'll have it for you wrapped all nice 'nd pretty. hell, i'll get on my knees and pray to you if you order me to, love."

-it was like your nightmare turned into a fantasy, having him here begging for your forgiveness.

-"anything you want, i want to give to you. jus' let me be a little selfish, too."

-you bite your lip as you think it over. you know the correct answer would be a clear, hard no, but you can't bring yourself to do it. not after all those nights wishing he was encasing you in his arms again, whispering all the things he adored about you as you drifted off into sleep.

-as much as you shouldn't be believing him, you do.

-"...anything?" you ask hesitantly, and it takes everything in simon not to pull you in close and never let go.

-again. no, he needs to be sure he won't scare you off again.

-"anything," he promises, fingertips tracing the edge of your jawline.

-"okay," you agree, the tears finally having stopped flowing. happiness does not even begin to describe what simon was feeling. "for starters, you can walk me home."

-with the watch long forgotten and broken on the edge of the sidewalk, he holds your face for a bit longer before letting go. eventually, he offers his arm to you and you take it.

-there's a part of him that mourns the years lost that he could've had with you. maybe, if he came to you sooner, he wouldn't have to be so careful about being around you, now. but, no, these were the consequences of his actions.

-at the very least, you were still giving him a second chance, and he was intent on not fucking it up this time.

[hopelessdazai]

✿ 》 Will you talk to me again?

╰⧼ 🪻 note.. ⧽ ; I don't expect this to do well because its not smut but it'd be nice !! reblogs appreciated, support your creators :)

╰⧼ ☀️ features.. ⧽ ; dazai x gn!reader, WC ; 784

╰⧼ 🌙 contents.. ⧽ ; angst, reader isn't alive, letter from dazai. he's trying very hard to keep himself stable but it's not working™.

To my dearest ______ .

It's been a while, hasn't it? I hope you don't mind me writing to you like this, it's simply been too long. I'm sure you're still angry at me, so seeing you physically isn't my best interest right now! haha, I'm sorry. you know I'm just joking around, don't you? I'd love to see you in person. I'm sure you would've punched my arm if you heard me out loud right now, wouldn't you? I'm glad I'm spared of the bruises.

what does someone put in a letter? that's what I was asking myself before I even began writing. I decided that the best way to do something like this was to just write whatever I feel true as pen touches paper. I hope it makes sense to you, at the least. if I'm pouring my heart out on some paper only for it to be misunderstood, it feels like a waste, no?

though, i'd be lying if i said it wouldn't be rather cute to see you try to fathom what I mean. did you know you scrunch your nose like a bunny sometimes when you're reading? I'm sure you're doing that now too. you'll get wrinkles very at this rate ..

but anyway, I managed to prank kunikida the other day! you remember that hair dye trick I'd told you about? I managed to break into his apartment and swap out his shampoo, at last! he came into work the next day with black hair, it was hilarious, you should've been here! he was so angry with me. beat me black and blue!

oh, _____. I got a new heated blanket for our bed, you know? it took a while to save up for it, and I had to cut out some other necessities, sure. but it makes everything so much better! I hate cold beds, I'm sure you know that better then anyone. haha, back before we moved in together when I'd break into your apartment and crawl into bed with you. I'm sorry for the amount of locks I broke, but your place was so cozy!

... you know, it's been really hard without you here. I miss you so painfully, and I don't mean to call into the void without even an echo, but its killing me to pretend I'm fine about any of this. I'm not fine with this, how am I supposed to be? I wish it was just a bad dream.

I don't want to have to write letters to you anymore, ______. I don't want to have to buy heated blankets to try and stop my arms from aching for your warmth. I don't want you to be angry with me, I'm sorry I didn't apologise to you before you were gone. I shouldn't have been so stupid.

i had so many words on my mind that I was too afraid to say. maybe if I faced myself and told you 'I love you' it would've stopped you leaving.

have you met odasaku yet? has he told you any stories of his time? I wish I could hear your voice again. I wish you could answer my questions. even to hear you scoff at my stupidity again would heal me. I'm sorry I was annoying, I just wanted your attention. it stings knowing I'll never get it again.

I can't keep repeating to myself that you're not gone. I can't keep buying your perfume and pretending that you're in the next room over. your pillow doesn't smell like you anymore.

I wish I could apologise properly. I wish I could've stopped you from leaving the house that night. I wish I could kill myself to join you and yet I know we won't cross paths again in the afterlife. you were always too good for me, ______. i was nothing compared to you.

i picked up a homeless dog yesterday. you'd always wanted a puppy, I'm sorry I never let you bring one home. I named it after you. im trying to get used to them, I promise. if I couldn't save you, I'll save your name.

I'm sorry. if I continue writing, my throat will hurt more. its strange, isn't it? crying makes your throat sore. I forgot what it was like for a while, I remember laying in your arms wondering if I'd ever have a reason to cry again. now I can't seem to help myself.

keep your wings clean for me, white looks good on you. its a shame you couldn't wear the wedding attire i wished to see you in one day. you would've looked amazing.

I'll write again, missing you is the greatest honor.

sincerely, your osamu.

[prettymeredith]

Fantasy of the Day: Caught Snooping Around

"Has anyone ever taught you not to go poke your head around places where it doesn't belong?"

Those were the last words I remember hearing before the struggle. Despite the kick of adrenaline, the next thing I'm aware of is waking up bound.

My coat, cellphone, notebook, and all of my evidence had been confiscated, and soon enough, so would my dignity.

"You ladies know as well as I do that the this place is eyed like a hawk. Just let me go, don't give anyone a reason to come bursting in here."

Despite my demeanor, the pair seemed unphased.

"Oh, so what does that make you, a private investigator? Talk."

Last thing I expected was a flash of long nails skittering lightning fast along my trapped, nyloned foot.

The tickling made it impossible to remain silent, but my refusal to speak didn't stop them from making open assumptions about me.

"A cop? No she's too dumb to be a cop. A reporter? Maybe, shes ditzy enough for it."

The rapid assumptions and endless questioning came as hard at me as the tickling did. It was just a simple matter of time until I broke down.

"Journalist!! Hahaha!! Pri-ha'ivate Journalist! Now plea-hehehe-se sto-hahahaha-p!!"

"Haha see, I told you. She's barely even a threat."

They wanted to know everything. My story, who I intended to share this story with, why I was writing it...

After answering the questions about how I came in and what my intentions were did the tickling finally subside.

"Alright, well obviously it's time for us to validate your story and follow up with our superiors. Don't go anywhere~."

Secretly I felt like I had the story of a lifetime. Investigating, being captured, and interrogated.

The only problem then was, how to make others believe me that I had been bound and tickle tortured by a notorious crime family.

Even I wouldn't believe it if you told me.

[speedycoffeedelight]

An Animalistic Disaster

Summery:Where you meet your new neighbour and a new friend

CH-9: A new neighbour and a explosive friend

The man's full body slowly came into your sight. He was wearing a hunting outfit containing breeches, high boots and a white shirt with black harnesses on top. With the rifle in hand, the black haired man stared up at you in confusion.

He thought that there wasn't anyone living nearby. At least that's what he heard. But now to see a young girl with the deer that escaped him behind her...that isn't something he expected. Did the deer not fear that girl? And what's with all these animals surrounding her?

"Hey there girlie! Fancy meeting someone like you here!" He shouted out while slowly walking closer to you. You flinched a bit hearing his shout suddenly but quickly composed yourself.

"Are you a hunter? Did you shoot this deer?" You asked still in defensive mode.

"Wow,no hi or hello? Haha, yes I am...if you couldn't tell by all of these" he gestured at himself. You now felt dumb for asking that question.

"And to answer your second question, yes I did shoot this deer. I never expected him to dodge it though... I usually never miss my targets" he said looking at the deer with an unusual glint in his eyes. But it quickly faded away as soon as it came.

"Though what's the deal with you girlie?

What's with all these animals around you? If I didn't know any better, I would think I'm facing a modern day Disney princess right now" he said teasingly while eyeing each and every animals around you. The snake surprised him the most. How could a sweet looking girl like you walk around with a venomous snake on her neck.

"They uh..they all live with me!" You didn't know exactly what to say about them. "And you hurt the deer" you said with anger in your voice. You now had to sew that poor deer's cuts again. You were grateful at least that it wasn't deep.

"Oh so they are your pets huh? I see.. Anyways, names Jake, William Jake. It's a pleasure to meet you..?" Jake said extending his hand. Both Husk and Alastor were furious with that statement. They refused to be anyone's pet.

"It's (Y/n). (Y/n) (l/n). " You said slowly shaking his hand. "And they aren't my pets. They are my... friends! Animal friends!" You quickly chimed in. Friends seemed like a better word than pets with this group.

"Say do you live there missy?" He said pointing to the cabin behind you. "I thought people didn't really live around here"

"Yes, I do. I actually bought this cabin a few days ago" you said sheepishly. "Well, I'll be! looks like you're my neighbour then. I live just a few minutes away from here!" He said while laughing.

"You're my neighbour..?" You didn't really know how to feel about this. You came here for peace and quiet. And now having this hunter as your new neighbour might mean destruction of that. You didn't want to hear random gunshots throughout the day.

"Looks like it! And I'm sorry for hurting your precious deer. I didn't know that thing had any friends. Maybe you should put a collar on your 'friends' so people know-"

Before Jake could finish his sentence, you saw the deer move up behind him. You quickly pushed him out of the way as you grabbed the antlers that was meant to swing up.

"No. I'm not letting you hurt a person on my watch" you said while gritting your teeth as you pushed to keep the deer's head lower. You could feel it's raw strength overpowering you. But you still held your ground and clenched your muscles. Your hand was hurting from how strongly you were holding the antlers. Without a doubt it was bruised by now.

Jake inwardly whistled in his mind as he watched the scene unfold in front of him. He made a wrong calculation. This sweet looking girl was actually strong as hell. Just looking at her pushing the ground with her clenched legs as she held onto that deer's antlers told a lot. With her dress's skirt swaying in the air, he could get a view of her thigh's muscles too.

"Now go to the cabin and rest. I'll come to sew you up soon, got it?" You chewed out last bits of your words. You and the deer stared at each others eyes for a few more moments. Then suddenly the deer pulled his head up overpowering you, causing you fall on your back with a thud.

Or you would fall on your back if it wasn't for a pair of muscular arms that caught you. "You alright there girlie?" Jake's blue eyes bore into yours as his hands gripped your back tighter. Embarrassment flowed through your veins as you quickly pulled yourself up.

"Y-yes, I'm alright, I'm sorry for that" you said while dusting your dress. "Guess that deer has it out for me huh? Can't blame him though. Thanks for saving me back there" he said glancing at your form. "Ah don't worry about it. I didn't think it would take it this far..." You said meekly.

"I think I should go patch up the deer right now. It's probably angry cause of it's wound" you wanted to end this conversation as quickly as possible. For some reason he gave you the heebie-jeebies. Though you couldn't explain why.

"Ah yes of course. Mind if I get your number neighbour? So we can keep in contact?" He said with a smile.

You quickly told him your number so you could get out of this. "Well then, I'll stop by soon with some treats next time, okay girlie? Stay safe now!" He said waving at you while going back in the forest.

"Yeah...you too.." you said while waving back. "God that was a mess..." You said as he went back to the forest. Meanwhile the whole thing happened so fast, the other animals could hardly comprehend it. It felt like they slowly came to their senses.

'That fucker...' Husk mumbled under his breath. He was glad you didn't call them your pets or put a collar on them. He already has enough of that from a certain someone.

"C'mon, let's go home.." you said shakily as you started to walk back. You looked at your hand to see it was bruised with black spots and some dried blood on it. You grimerced at the sight. That's gonna cause some problems.

When you got close to your cabin, Suddenly something fell and burst on your head. "Ouch! What the hell-" you couldn't even finish your sentence as more of these fell on your body. "Ouch, hey stop it!" You yelled out trying to get away.

The snake hissed from your neck as the moth flew over to the tree which you were being attacked from. Crouching down, you picked up the thing you were attacked with. It was a nut. A freaking nut. It was broken just enough on the outside so it'll brust when it hits something.

Vaggie flew up to find the culprit. It was a squirrel. 'let angel go bitch!!' It yelled as it prepared a another nut to throw at you.

'Hey hey stop! Are you a demon too?' Vaggie yelled at it. The squirrel looked up at her. 'Yeah! Name's cherri! I heard some fucker shooting when I was in the forest. I came as soon as I could. Now I see my best bud stuck with this girl!' she said pointing at you and Angel who was on top of Charlie.

'Don't worry I'll rescue ya..' Cherri mumbled as she prepared another nut to throw after chewing. 'Don't! She's actually helping us!" Vaggie started to explain the situation to her as briefly as possible.

Meanwhile you were quickly walking back to the cabin, not wanting to be hit again. As you opened the door to go inside the moth came back and sat on your hair. And then suddenly a squirrel ran past you.

You let out a sequel in surprise as it headed straight to the ewe which had the spider on it.

'Angel!'

'Cherri??'

Cherri ran straight at Angel who was trying to climb down from Charlie. 'Cherri? What're you doin here?' Angel asked as he immediately got tackled by her.

'I was trying to find you bitch! I went to that shitty hotel but it was in pieces! And when I went inside I got sent here!'

You walked to the pair and rubbed your temple in frustration.

"Not a another one..."

But first you went to the deer that was resting. With needle and thread, you sat down next to Alastor.

"You shouldn't have done that you know..?" You said softly while sewing him. You didn't get any response from it.

The deer didn't look at your face during the whole thing. After you finished sewing, you tried picking up the first aid box. You winced in pain slightly due to the bruises on you palm and let it fall again.

Alastor's ears perked up at the sound of your pained noise. He finally looked at you and your palm. Blood was trickling down. You washed your hand before sewing but now blood was coming out again.

Suddenly you heard rustling and saw the deer was standing beside you staring at your face. Then it looked down at your hand. Then before you could do anything, the deer leaned into you bloodied hand and licked it.

Your eyes widened in surprise as you watched it lick the blood off gently. You didn't understand if it was trying to say sorry or it was just enjoying your blood.

But you guessed the second from how his ears were moving and his tail was wagging in behind. You mentally sweatdropped.

Husk entered the room alongside Pentious just then. Both of them being surprised as well seeing the sight of you two.

'I'm too sober for this shit' Husk grumbled before walking away from the room. Pentious began to blush seeing you guys. He quickly slithered on top of you and started to hiss as Alastor from your neck.

'Get away from her you perverted beassst!' Alastor's eyes twitched in anger in having his fun ruined by this snake. He stopped and looked up at the snake. He desperately wanted to the bite the snake from you and throw it away. But he has caused enough trouble for you today so he held back. Besides he already got a taste.

You took back your hands that was clean of blood now. You weren't sure on how to feel about about all this. But you decided to just put some ointment on your hands first.

After bandaging your hands properly, you went to your bed to rest for a bit. Charlie joined you by jumping on your lap. Vaggie took her usual place on your head. And Niffty went to rest beside you. You smiled at the lot. Then you saw husk come as well and lay on the end of the bed turning his head away.

It pleasently surprised you since the cat didn't usually hang around you unless it was time for eating. He was probably warming up to you finally. You smiled as you held the ewe close.

'Hey Vaggie..? I have something to tell you..'Charlie said with uneasiness in her voice.

'Yes Hun? What do you want to say?'

Charlie took a deep breath. Then she started to tell the thing that was bothering her for a while. 'I..I may have feelings for (Y/N).. It's not like my love for you is gone! I still love you lots but I just feel like I have a crush on her and I-'

'Shush, I know what you're talking about. I feel the same way' Vaggie said with a smile.

'You do? You feel the same way? You're not mad at me??' Charlie said with anticipation. 'No, I get where you're coming from and I would have brought it up if you didn't. I'm not mad at you Charlie. '

'Oh thank Lucifer! So we both like her right?' Charlie said excitedly. 'Mm-hmm' Vaggie nodded.

Suddenly both your ewe and moth began to grow in bright golden colour, startling you. Niffty who was already asleep. She jumped off from the bed in shock and Husk's fur stood up as he started hissing.

All the other animals noticed the bright light and rushed to your room. The light went out just in a second and your ewe and moth were gone with something or someone replacing them.

Embarrassingly enough, the first thing that went through your mind was,

'Why am I stuck between two hot girls?'

Master list

A.N:NGL, I didn't like how the beginning turned out so I stretched out this chapter to leave some good stuff.

So we got our first humans!! How're you all feeling?? Also Jake looks like a mix between rei from buddy daddies and aizawa from bnha in case any of guys wanted to picture him visually<(￣︶￣)>

[prouvaireafterdark]

Hi! As someone just coming into reading the books but who's been with the show since day 1, I'm curious about why people take Lestat's narrative in TVL with 100% sincerity when the premise of the show seems to be interrogating the dissonance that everybody's versions create. Obviously there's some big things that are definitely going to be true, but I'd personally be disappointed if we got a straight adaptation of unfiltered Lestat perspective on events, haha!

I think you're conflating sincerity with some idea of omniscient, objective accuracy, which, as you note, is a useless thing to search for in a show where memory is continually shown to be an unreliable monster.

Lestat's version of events in TVL is sincere, though. He's speaking from the heart and he's trying to give the story of his life, mostly by sharing his truth about what his life before meeting Louis was like, and in part by filling in the gaps Louis leaves us with about what happened at Rue Royale. His recollection may turn out to be as faulty and biased as Louis' or Armand's has been shown to be in the show, but that doesn't make it any less sincere.

And I'm not implying that Louis is lying or anything. I'm talking about him not mentioning or glossing over the happy memories that meant a lot to Lestat and made up, for him, a big part of what it was to share a home with Louis and Claudia for so long. Giving Lestat the space to talk about his love for Louis and Claudia doesn't erase the abuse he inflicted on them in those moments of instability and rage. I don't get why people are so resistant to seeing that. It's not like it makes everything better. If anything, it makes it worse that he loved them so much.

What's important to note, too, is that at no point does Lestat in his retelling excuse himself for anything he did to Louis and Claudia and I doubt very much we would see him do that in future seasons of the show. Lestat even says it himself that he deserved what Claudia did to him. The way things worked out between the three of them is his greatest, deepest regret and it will haunt him for the rest of his immortal life.

Also, not for nothing, what we've gotten this season and last season are the unfiltered perspectives of Louis, Claudia, and Armand. That's not to say they're lying or intentionally obfuscating (okay, well, Armand totally is), but that is what we got---a narrative that was really challenged only by Daniel and not by anyone who was actually there who remembers it differently. I don't see why we shouldn't also get Lestat's unfiltered version, especially considered he is the main protagonist of the Vampire Chronicles series going forward.

For me and many others, it's not about excusing anything. It's all about contextualizing his decisions. Like, Lestat didn't just wake up one day and decide it would be fun to destroy his family. I want him to tell me in his own words (which, as a reminder, he has yet to do at any point in this series so far) what drove him to do the horrible things he did and how he really feels about it. When we do hopefully get that, I expect the fandom to interrogate his accounts as vigorously as they did Louis' and Armand's and Claudia's.

And to answer your question regarding the books specifically, we have Anne herself to blame for that. She wrote IWTV when she was battling some of the most intense grief and despair a person can feel. She had just lost her child. Writing the book was an outlet for that and you can feel it as you read Louis' perspective. When she decided to continue the series, though, she changed her mind about a lot of things---mainly who Lestat was as a character and how she had come to hate the "weakness" in Louis (which was really because she came to hate the "weakness" she saw in herself as she came out on the other side of her grief and identified with him less and Lestat more). There is a very real dissonance between who Lestat is in IWTV and who he is in TVL and beyond. The way she accounted for that in her own writing was that Louis was misconstruing certain events by leaving things out or straight up making things up like their reunion in NOLA at the end of IWTV, which Lestat claims never happened. The reason people take Lestat's words at face value sometimes isn't usually because they hate Louis or think he lied about Lestat's abuse. It's because Anne, as the writer of the story, wanted the reader to doubt Louis' version in favor of Lestat's because she had changed her mind about the direction of the story and the characters she created.

It's also worth noting that, in the actual text of the show, that version of events taken from the book, the content of the original interview, is described by Louis himself as an admitted performance. I think it's a perfectly legitimate reading to consider IWTV (the book) in the context of Louis trying to get Lestat's attention with something he knew would upset him, like Armand suggests was Louis' fantasy, because he wanted or needed to see him again.

This got long and rambley so I'll just leave you with the wise, wise words of Samothy Reid when asked to give one truth and one lie in the show: Everybody lies. Everybody lies.

I don't think that will change if we finally get Lestat's POV so imo people should just relax and enjoy the ride.

[herejusttosufferalong]

I've started and deleted this sentence several times now and don't really know how to begin. So let's just go for it and say seriously WHAT THE FUCK has been the last 6 months!? My mind is a clusterfuck rn. I love L and N but they are seriously debilitating. Like I've been see-sawing between casual nonchalance about everything saying "haha this is great ride, what's next in store?" to just confused exasperation and emotional fatigue. I don't even know these people, and yet I am so fucking invested. This has never happened to me. They are like a drug. Seriously, whatever they are selling, I will buy 10 of everything, pump it into my veins. Why is my kink now seeing them get married, have kids and L be a stay-at-home daddy while N rules the fucking world?! N, alone, has me questioning my sexuality. Then I remember L is there, and I go oh yeah him too. Them is my sexuality. It's so messy. Anyway, now to the point of this. I had some flashbacks while watching L's Loewe Vogue video today. Watching his groomer give him a lovely face and head massage instantly transported me to Ireland with the infamous forehead stroke. Honestly, imo, the biggest turning point of the whole tour. So much happened before this time, but I really do think this moment was critical. I will outline why.

Obviously, Ireland was a massive deal for N. The excitement of getting back home and meeting family and friends, the amazing reception, it was special. She talked ad nauseam about her mum meeting L and honestly all I could think was when has anyone been excited/nervous about their parents meeting just a friend? You feel that certain way because you're wanting approval, you're wanting them to feel the same way you do about that person and welcome them into the family, as it were. I've never felt that way with friends, but I had done with my boyfriend (now husband). But maybe that's just me? L didn't seem as caught up in it, like almost trying to downplay a lot of her ott excitement. I also noticed that they were less touchy feely overall compared to earlier on in the trip, which was so unhinged honestly, I didn't know what to do with myself. But then came the moment. I don't think enough people have broken this moment down. So the interviewer asks the question, that's been asked oh so many times, "was it easier or harder to do the intimacy scenes with a friend?" And N looks at L and thinks to herself, he has a hair out of place on his forehead, I'm going to reach out and stroke his forehead right in the middle of this god damn interview. Not once, but a few times, like her little hand was built to stroke that man's face. Now, tbf, she does ask permission but also tbf her hand is already at his face before he can answer a whispered, guttural, "mhmm". He leans in, we loose L for a bit there, then he comes back saying "ok" like you probably got that hair now, think we should stop now. And her going into 'mother' mode telling him to turn his head, good boy. And his little worried face when it's over. And them talking about how N just can't stop picking hairs off people on set. Mmm ok. If they were in Regency outfits, I would be expecting a mirror scene next up. But you might say to me, well shit like this has happened countless times, it's just another thing. Well, I say no, this time was different. They both knew they had crossed a line, publicly, her initiation, his reaction. Because they were strange as hell at the London premiere. He avoided her gaze. She visibly stopped herself from touching him. One occasion, I saw her reach out to his arm or back, and she looked behind him (I think where their teams were?), and immediately pulled her arm back. The first moment she was asked about people shipping Lukola she had a pre-prepared speech ready to go to explain the head stroke. It was forced. A lot of what she said seemed so rehearsed, and although, I'm certain N does think a lot about what she is going to say in interviews, usually she is very natural about it and let's it flow. That lady was stressed and making a point that L is just a 'bud'. The lady doth protest to much, methinks. She's seen everything we've typed about her and L's behaviour during the tour, so why start over-explaining and defending behaviour now? She was STRESSED. That was the overt, obvious, stop yourself type of behaviour, and yet we still saw SOME of that unconscious stuff seep through, like him searching for her hand, her looking up at him like a God, her stroking his thumb with hers while holding hands (seriously, why was that SO intimate to me?). Point being, you can't fake that stuff, the repression and release. The unconscious behaviour. They knew something was rumbling. Or at least, N did. My opinion is that they have not acted on those rumblings, because if they had, it would be OVER. Electric. Power surge. Goodnight. Pack your bags and goodbye. We might not even exist anymore, tbh. But I shall wait over here and keep eating all the crumbs I can get. (I am sooo sorry about the length of whatever this is, thank you much the same, it was so nice to vent).

OKay but like I kinda fuckin love you anon...

I had the biggest smile on my face reading this.

There is so much to unpack here. We will have to chat sometime.

LOVE x

[chronicmisfit]

Can I get some fish n chips almond latte with extra whipped cream? Thxxx

(extra love for victor)

This was a fun one to write! I decided to go with the First Words soulmate AU for this one!

I found their actual first words btw, and Kate has the same first words for seven of the boys.

Order: Romantic Villain Boys with Soulmate AU

Soulmate AU: First words - The first words they will hear their soulmate say are written on their wrist like a tattoo

Additional Request: Extra love for Victor (I made his headcanons a tad longer)

The words on William’s wrist: “Pardon me, that's mine!”

The words on Kate’s wrist: “There you are, milady.”

William finds the words his soulmate will say to him amusing

The funny part is how brazen he assumes she will act when they meet

Kate is confused by the words on her wrist

And a bit concerned

Milady is something that people higher up in the world use to refer to women

IS HER SOULMATE A NOBLE?

William is speechless for a moment when he first meets Kate

But he was right that he is amused.

Kate’s eyes widen when William speaks his first words, knowing that he must have known right before he said them- since she spoke first…

The words on Liam’s wrist: “Oh my-!”

The words on Kate’s wrist: “Friend of yours, Will? Does she know about us?”

Liam assumes that she must be a fan of the plays he’s been in.

Any other things it could be…

…He worries about those possibilities when he can’t sleep at night

What if she catches him in the middle of a mission?

What if she’s scared of him?

Kate doesn’t know anyone named Will

But even more concerning is the second question

What does ‘know about us’ mean?

Liam’s worry is confirmed and Kate’s question is answered when they meet

However, Liam is too curious about her to dwell on his concerns

And Kate is too shocked by what she saw to dwell on hers

The words on Harrison’s wrist: “Oh my-!”

The words on Kate’s wrist: "Sorry to spook you, but this is just a rehersal for a play."

Harrison assumes the worst immediately

That his soulmate witnessed him do something wrong

His tragic fate immediately comes to mind whenever he thinks about it

Kate is excited

She believes her soulmate to be an actor

He is proven right, and she is proven wrong

She stutters as she tells her own soulmate that he is lying

Harrison thinks that she probably hates liars since she doesn’t live in the same world as Crown

The words on Elbert’s wrist: “Oh my-!”

The words on Kate’s wrist: “It's fine. Are you all right?”

Elbert worries that the reason she said that could be him accidentally using his power on her

That would be like a nightmare for him

Kate is giddy that her soulmate would be so concerned for her even when he doesn’t know her

When they do meet, Elbert almost feels like it’s worse than he imagined

Only almost though, forcing her to see her worse sad memory would surely be worse

Kate is too busy being shocked to be happy about meeting her soulmate

However after the fact, when she learns that he is a noble she is very nervous knowing that he is her soulmate.

The words on Alfons’ wrist: “Oh my-!”

The words on Kate’s wrist: “Well, well...! I wasn't expecting a guest.”

Alfons and Kate both don’t know how to feel about their soulmate’s first words.

To Al, those words could be either excitement or shock.

He would prefer it if it were the first one

But he wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest if it were the second.

Kate just has no idea what to make of the first words.

Even worse, after she hears those words she can’t even be sure which face the words go with.

It’s not until after she meets Victor that Alfons speaks again

But Kate recognized the voice immediately.

When Alfons realized Kate was his soulmate, he wished he could use his power on her to make her believe Harrison’s lie

A girl like her shouldn’t be swept into his fate.

The words on Roger’s wrist: “Oh my-!”

The words on Kate’s wrist: “Haha, well, I didn't think we'd have a trespasser! She's a naughty lil thing, isn't she?”

Roger is excited to find out what kind of girl would be his soulmate.

Kate has so many questions

Why did she trespass?

Why did he call her that?

Should she be concerned about who her soulmate is?

When Roger realizes she’s his soulmate, he could be described as elated.

He thinks she’s a cute little lady.

Kate however, still is concerned

He has a gun

He is extremely handsome

But he’s also extremely unsettling

The words on Jude’s wrist: “Oh my-!”

The words on Kate’s wrist: “Tch... That's why i toldja to lock the damn door!”

Jude doesn’t really care for romance stories

So he never really thought about his soulmate

Ellis did make Jude show him the words though.

Kate is nervous

What will she walk in on?

On days that she got antsy she would walk around the part of London

Specifically where an accent similar to the one in her words can be heard

And she will test doors to see if they’re locked

When they meet, Jude doesn’t react

Ellis looks towards Jude when he recognizes the words though.

When Jude mentions the door, Kate’s eyes widen.

So this is the kind of man she’s soulmates with?

The words on Ellis’ wrist: “Oh my-!”

The words on Kate’s wrist: “Why don't you come over here? there's no escape at this point anyway.”

Ellis is extremely excited to meet his soulmate

He has to make them happy

Sometimes he’ll accidentally bump into strangers, but he’ll apologize profusely

Especially since they didn’t say the words he’s waiting for

Kate is concerned by the words she reads

No escape

No escape from what though?

The answer is obvious once she hears them

Ellis is sad about how they met

Because she must have been scared.

The words on Victor’s wrist: “Yes, Master Victor. That's right.”

The words on Kate’s wrist: “Welcome back, my beloved Cursed Boys!”

Victor is not surprised at the formality of his soulmate’s first words

He is the queen’s aide

Unfortunately, he knows he’ll have to push her away

He has to keep her from being engulfed by the darkness and death around him

Kate is happy that he seems polite, but also worried.

What cursed boys?

That question is halfway answered when she hears the words said.

The cursed boys must be the 8 men she met at the crime scene mere moments ago.

Unlike the other 8, Kate is not the one who speaks around her soulmate first.

So, she gulps then stutters as she says her first words

Upon realizing she is his soulmate, he is both enamored and crushed

Enamored by how beautiful his soulmate is

But crushed that he needs to push her away for her own protection

Maybe it’s selfishness

But he can’t bring himself to turn her away from him just yet

So he makes her stay for a month.

Masterlist

[mel-13-29]

"Don't Push Your Luck"

|summary| waking up in the middle of the night Wednesday wakes up from your shuffling. warnings: fluff fluff fluff if that's even a warning idk okay ~~~~~~ Waking up in the middle of the night was not what you expected. Well you kinda expected it since you were studying all day, shuffling across the bed that Wednesday had also hearing snores from her roommate Enid, hearing that you sighed not quite enough for anyone to hear though, getting up from the beg quietly as to not disturb you girlfriend for six months, you go to the bathroom that's near, as to just do your business. Opening the bathroom door, making sure to close the light and opening it again so no one wakes up, rubing your eyes from the light after flushing you get out of the bathroom just as you were about to close the light you hear shuffling thinking it was Wednesday you panic a bit thinking you woke her up, until she speaks, "What are you doing up so late?" she says in her normal voice well kinda whispering as to not wake up her roommate. "I wasn't suppose to wake you i just went to use the bathroom." you say whispering as well, seeing as it was useless cause you were standing next to the bathroom door. seeing as she wasn't saying anything you walk to the bed hopeing to go to sleep. but that doesn't work out since you still awake you didn't want to wake Wednesday from her precious beauty sleep (that just what you call it) but you wanted cuddles, yeah cuddles even for a night it would be amazing, with the Wednesday Addams. cuddles you see Wednesday has never had a good relationship with cuddling with anything or anyone, even though how much you knew this you still wanted them, like imagine how much you could brag about the Wednesday Addams, the one who would rather die then fall in love, well you already proved that wrong, well you think so, you haven't said the L word yet even though you desperately want to, your sure that Wednesday would never say it first, haha no way. having what you were going to say memorized and said in your head you slowly creep your hand to her shoulder jumping a bit from the sudden hand that interrupts. "what are you doing" she says in her normal voice "I didn't think you were awake" you nervously "stop avoiding the question you always do this what were you going to do" she says trying to get the answer from you. "I just wanted to ask if you wanted to cuddle" "No" she says sternly "but I cant sleep Wednesday please" "only once never again" "wait actually? I didn't think you would agree" "yes do it quickly before I change my mind" she only allowed you to have your head on her shoulder and your hands around her stomach but you were happy with that. "maybe we should do this again sometime" "don't push your luck."

[crimsonhydrangeavn]

Soooo...Teagan vs Garret. How would thes 2 dangerous, manipulative men scheme, stew and grit their teeths over who will eventually win MC's heart if it came down to a showdown? Yanno, in a situation where its absolutely clear that MC's kind of torn between a rock and a hard place of how they want to try and make things work again with Teagan (holding feelings for them still) but is also quite charmed by Garret's advances.

You're really asking the hard questions! Haha, to be honest, it would be difficult to answer this without giving away some potential spoilers for future days, but I'll do my best to keep it as vague as possible.

If Garret saw that you were seriously considering getting back with Teagan, he would absolutely step in and remind you that Teagan was your ex for a reason. Didn't you leave them and your previous life behind on the mainland? Garret would never allow you to get back together with Teagan. He'd stop it by any means nessary.

Teagan on the other hand traveled across the country to win you back. So what if there's some rich pretty boy vying for your attention? No one else knows you better than they do. They've been by your side for years and they'd never ever let anyone else have you. They'd worm your way back into your heart one way or another if it was the last thing they did.

Considering neither of them have any intention of giving you to the other, you can certainly expect things to get a little... dangerous when and if these two ever find themselves in that situation. ;)

[lemotmo]

Found it. Question and answer 🙂

Q. Hello, I really do love your blog. I actually came across your blog following a Sherlock post, so I know you have good taste. I'm not exactly fandom savvy so I will admit that I might have responded too strongly to the initial B/T excitement, but I went back and re-watched the season through the perspective of your's and a few other blogs. I now think the story you and others believe they're telling is the story they're setting up. I actually kind of feel stupid for not seeing it initially. But how do you think the show is going to get their breakup? Do you think Buck or Tommy will be the one to call things off? Will Buck or Eddie make the first move in getting them together?

A. Haha, Sherlock, wow you went deep into the vault of my blog for that one! You are absolutely not stupid. Overzealousness to the initial newness was always going to be a thing. I promise you that didn't surprise anyone. Adjusting too and participating in any kind of fandom involves a learning curve. What sucks for you all though, unfortunately, is your learning curve came as a result of the wrong people taking the lead in your fandom. So you all had to learn everything the hard way. Sadly I'm an old mom when it comes to fandom, lol. Yes I was there for Sherlock (Cumberbatch not Downey, but I love him too so don't @ me). I am still part of the Robron (Robert and Aaron) fandom, but I cut my teeth in the Chrolli (Christian and Oliver) fandom. That one taught me many cruel lessons. So don't ever feel stupid about having to figure things out. The majority of the messages in my ask box now are from people like you. People who were very excited and very into it, maybe a bit too much, in the beginning, but are less enthusiastic now. Just like the initial over excitement was expected the come down you and many others are experiencing now was also expected. Most of you were always going to get over it almost as quickly as you fell in love with it. It happens. The show knew it would happen as well. Lou did too, it's why he way over did things in the beginning. He knew he was on a clock. I will say that your fandom did show me a first though, and that's having the show and actors blocking multiple members of your fandom. I had never seen that before. And that's not a legacy you want to be a part of. Any fandom whose leading voices openly encourage and promote sending hate to the actors and the official show accounts is a fandom not long for existence. I one hundred percent believe that their eagerness and public bragging about sending Ryan messages wishing he had committed suicide is what prompted Tim/ABC to put an end to the cameo nonsense. They were never going to allow that level of depravity to continue. So you're really just reading and acknowledging the writing on the wall. So welcome back 🙂

As for the Buck and Tommy breakup they have a few options. I go back and forth between who should officially end things. Any way the show goes though it won't be a dramatic breakup. The show hasn't established this as being a serious relationship for either character. So either way it's going to be amicable. There's no need for it to be anything else. I have mostly believed that Buck, narratively speaking, needs to be the one to walk away. It would show nice character growth for him to be able to acknowledge and see the pattern this relationship is following and finally break the cycle. But if they lean into Buck's very real fear of a relationship with Eddie maybe leading to him losing both Eddie, and Christopher, I could see them having Buck double down on his determination to force the relationship with Tommy to work. That would put Tommy in the position of having to be the one to walk away. And I think that's probably the way the story will go. And I want to stress to everyone that this is fine. It will be obvious Buck doesn't want the relationship, but is staying because he's afraid of the relationship he does want. So even if the show has Tommy be the one who officially ends things, it will still be because Buck is in love with Eddie. Do not spend time overthinking who does the breaking up. Why they breakup is the important part. Don't get caught up in the semantics.

As for who will make the first official Buddie move, I think it will be and needs to be Eddie. I just don't see the build up on Buck's part not being about his abandonment issues and genuine fear of losing Eddie and Christopher if the relationship doesn't work out. And believe it or not, anon, Eddie is usually the more level headed of the two. So I think Eddie will need to be the one to help Buck realize that it's okay to jump. Getting Buck to take the first leap will be the hardest part for Buck, but once he jumps he will be all in. Then it will be Buck's turn to walk Eddie through all the firsts he's about to experience.

Oh no, OP! I get it! I was in the Chrolli fandom as well. The way they treated Christian's character development was just terrible. It was like complete character assassination. I was so hurt after that, that I never even rewatched any of the earlier episodes when things were so good between them. I couldn't. Like the OP said, it was cruel.

Once again a brilliant answer.

I agree that it will probably be Tommy who will break up with Buck, after Buck had his realisation about Eddie. The 'My attention?' line has to come back in season 8. It was too obvious.

As for who will make the first move with Buddie? I am still undecided on that, but the OP does make a compelling case in her answer.

Thank you Nonny for dropping this in my askbox!

Remember, no hate in comments or reblogs. Let's keep it civil and respectful. Thank you.

If you are interested in more of the anonymous OP’s posts, you can find all of their posts so far under the tag: anonymous blog I love.

[l-in-the-light]

Hey 👋👀😊, really nice your analysis of Law (he's my favorite character in OP❤️). Why do you think he has a poor self-steem? I mean he must have noticed that he's very good looking 😋. At least he seems to know that he's intelligent making all these plans.

Hi! He's also my favourite! (it used to be Shanks, but he got dethroned. We all know how good Law is at dethroning people haha. But Shanks is still on podium together with Ace <3) Excellent question! I don't think it's very obvious that Law has poor self-esteem, which is why many people believe him to be arrogant. But despite the fact he is smart, he never rubbed it into anyone's face before.

He did tease Kid and Luffy a bit about choosing the directions of their islands after Wano, but that was really just an older siblings type of teasing there. In fact, he usually goes out of his way just to make sure what he says sounds easier to understand. That's actually rather considerate, not arrogant behaviour. My favourite example of that is how he changed one term Luffy misunderstood as food to a simpler one in World Seeker haha.

The first moment I asked myself the question if Law actually has poor self-esteem, was this:

The contrast here is hilarious, but that's besides the point right now. Why would he be all blue in the face and asking quietly "why me...?" when he scored as second best, podium position? This reaction just didn't fit with the supposed "he's so confident" vibe. Then I also noticed he isn't big on knowing his own bounty. Is it because he truly doesn't care about it, or is it because it actually stresses him out a bit?

Let's look at Law's novel for a bit, because I think that provides an answer (warning for slight spoilers, but mostly only for the beginning of the novel):

It happens right after Corazon dies, Law is walking to the next town, he finally arrives there, trying to ask for help. At first it takes him a lot of courage to even enter, because he gets reminded of how he was treated in hospitals, and that thought freezes him in place. It takes a while for him to overcome it, but then this situation happens and what is Law's reaction here? To run away, *blaming himself* for it, thinking it's so pathetic, that he is so pathetic that he can't be stronger than his own trauma.

I would say he still reacts this way even when he's older, always expecting himself to be better, stronger, but his trauma always catches up to him and he doesn't blame anyone else but himself. He also doesn't allow himself any sort of understanding and acceptance, he thinks he should be able to trust again, so he ends up self-loathing whenever he fails. How do you think Law felt when Doflamingo grabbed him in their fight at the rooftop and Law's body just froze, not listening to him anymore because of traumatic trigger? How did he feel about himself after Doffy used it to his advantage and cut off his arm? Because I think Law blamed himself, calling himself pathetic and weak, filled with self-hate. It did help him overcome it and get back at Doflamingo eventually, but it doesn't change the fact he achieved that by literally beating himself up mentally over a weakness that isn't even his own fault, because he didn't choose to be sick.

He often tries to be strong for his friends, despite lacking self-confidence himself.

And again, it's always for others that he managed to overcome his own fear in the end. He puts a facade, pretends to be strong, so that they don't feel so anxious anymore. He wants to be strong for them.

Even when he receives a compliment, he can't really take it at face value. He questions whether he truly deserved to hear it, not considering himself worthy of it. He never forgets where he failed (interacting with patients) instead of focusing on what he did right.

In most stressful situations he actually struggles to keep his calm. And again, what makes him overcome it is the thought that if he doesn't, people will lose their lives. There's almost none of his own ego in his (very impressive tbh) quick decisions and steady hands and thinking.

And finally, despite having confidence in his battle skills, he still doubts himself. What finally gives him confidence is his steel resolve to not lose or his friends will be in danger then. He takes it very personally, not allowing himself to show any weakness, even going as far as to say "he has no right" to show it.

All things considered, it doesn't surprise he doesn't even accept credit for the good deeds he does. When he saved Bepo, Penguin, Shachi, Wolf, or even Luffy, he always claims it was just "a whim" and that's why he doesn't need to hear thanks. He never wants anything in return for it, because it would be uncool, he claims, but I think he just knows what's unconditional help actually is.

I know Law's novel isn't officially declared "canon", but the author did a very good job at portraying Law. It's very consistent, and even though there are a few things I consider to be a miss, Law's poor self-esteem definitely isn't one.

Logically speaking, why would his self-esteem not take a major blow after Flevance? He lost everything he possibly could, without being able to save anyone. Later Cora-san also sacrificed himself for him, so again, Law took a big blow to his self-esteem, the only person who cared for him after Flevance lost their life and he couldn't do anything about it.

And then there's his sickness, Amber Lead Syndrome. He feels like people are always staring at him and that makes him quesiton whether they can tell he's sick, whether they will scream for him to get out and not come closer, whether there will be judgemental stares and then flinching away from him, just in case it's contagious. Even after visible signs of Amber Lead are gone, Law is still afraid to go back to the town. I wouldn't be surprised if his fear went all the way into his adulthood. Whether Law is handsome or not has nothing to do with it, because as soon as there are white patches on his skin he knows he will be called disgusting, and that stays in your psyche whether you want it or not. Which means it doesn't even matter if he finds himself attractive or not (my bet is on "not really", Law seems like a humble type anyway, never bragging about anything, be it his smartness, looks or skills).

As for his smartness, let's recall his ransom talk with Doflamingo. At first Law sounds very confident, after all his plan was succeeding, but the second talk? All it took for Law to lose his confidence was Doflamingo's mocking tone. That boy might think he's smart, but he knows there are people smarter than him, he doesn't let it get to his head. And honestly, that's probably the sign of smartness as well.

Seems his confidence doesn't come from high self-esteem, but because of his wish to keep people he cares for safe. And perhaps now also because of his faith in a certain Strawhat Luffy. He's kinda the perfect example of "fake it till you make it", because if not for those subtle hints, I would have never doubted he lacks in self-esteem.

In Wano he's even wearing the disguise of a travelling monk. I know everyone makes fun of his "strawbucket", but that's an actual thing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komuso

"Monk of emptiness" or "nothingness" from my understanding relates to a larger context of buddhism and zen, in which you aim to reach enlightnment by giving up your ego and earthly desires. Well, if that doesn't fit very well with Law, knowing what we know about him, never taking credit for what he does, faking confidence to support his friends and refusing compliments.

If anyone can think of more examples when Law shows his poor self-esteem, please do share! I feel like I'm missing a lot about it, even if (I guess) I made my point more or less clear.

[staytheword]

thanks for the memories (lmly, part one)

thanks for the memories — part one of leave me loving you [→ part two] [series masterlist] [general masterlist]

this series (and this blog) are 18+ !! minors, please do not interact!! if you interact with my writing please have a profile picture and short bio indicating your age. it helps me make sure you are not a bot!!

• han jisung x female reader, all other stray kids members are featured. other idols are mentioned briefly (ateez's wooyoung, itzy's yuna).

• non idol au, rock band au. drinking, partying, explicit language, explicit smut. oral sex (f receiving), dirty talk, praise kink, protected sex. (let me know if missed any warnings)

• word count: 11.6k

There’s only one person there, sitting on the edge of the stage, swinging his legs and looking around. For a second you think your eyes must be deceiving you, but it’s him. Han Jisung.

• permanent taglist: @ughbehavior ; @upallnight-s ; @changbinluvr ; @rosexjimin ; @nasiaisan ; @lotus-dly ; @cb97percent ; @j-0ne25 ; @hwan-g ; @jhopesucker ; @tanyas97 ; @raspbinniecreme ; @septicrebel ; @imtoooyoungforthisshit

• story taglist: @mintquokka ; @is2cb97 ; @dirah-h ; @bokk-minnie ; @allypasta ; @strawberriesandknives ; @drhsthl ; @hyunjins-red-lights ; @thesunsfullmoon (hope I didn't forget anyone, sorry if I did I have an awful memory!)

• author’s note: hello ♡!! here is part one of the series! thank you so much for all the support you've given me, it's really heartwarming :') I really really hope you'll enjoy this (can you tell I'm incredibly nervous haha?)! the first part is a bit longer than expected because I wanted to divide it differently but thought it didn't work as well.... ahh. anyway. well. if you can please let me know what you thought ♡ lots of love!

The Jack of Trades is packed tonight, exactly the way you like it. It smells like smoke and booze, colored by neon lights and light projectors. The floor is sticky under the soles of your combat boots, and you have to zig zag through the crowd to make it to the bar. 

Tonight is one for the books.

The Trades is hosting the concert of a band who’s visiting your city on their tour. It’s a big deal. The band in question, Side Effects, got featured on Spotify and are really popular on social media. You don’t know them very well - you’ve only heard snippets of one of their songs - but judging from the amount of people squeezed in the Trades tonight, you’re representing a minority. 

Leaning against the bar, you catch Yuna’s gaze and raise two fingers. She gives you a nod, her long hair falling in elegant waves on her shoulders. You always order the same thing, anyway, so she doesn’t have to ask. A minute later she hands you two bottles of your favorite beer, which will go straight to your tab, and you give her a thumbs up of encouragement in return. 

You can’t remember the last time you’ve seen the place so packed. You don’t think you ever have. It’s usually busy on Fridays, but never like this. You feel a rush of pride because the Trades is your favorite place on this godforsaken planet and you know how hard Changbin worked to get it back on its feet after the last owner deserted. 

Speaking about your best friend, he’s where you usually find him, near the mixing console where Jeongin is sitting, focused, his headphones placed on his bleached hair. Changbin is frowning at his phone, clearly busy with final preparations. It’s an important night for him. He lets out a relieved sigh when you hand him his beer. 

“Finally,” he lets out, immediately taking a long sip. 

You raise an eyebrow at him, smirking. “You’re welcome, Bin.” 

He drinks for a few more seconds before answering you - his beer is already half empty. 

“Can you see this?” he laughs in disbelief. “The place is fucking packed.” 

“You did it, Bin,” you say, lifting your bottle to clink it against his. “You sold out the Trades.” 

He grins and cheers to your words before emptying the rest of his beer. When he’s done, he releases a content sigh and you take the empty bottle from his hands. 

“I feel better now. I was getting a little stressed,” he chuckles.

“Is everything ready?” 

He nods. “Yup. We should be able to start on time,” he says, checking his phone again. “Oh, fuck, no, why is Hyun texting me…”  You let your gaze wander around the room as Changbin starts to type frenetically on the phone. It’s hard to believe that only two years ago, this place was nothing. Changbin bought the place as it was falling to ruins. You still remember the first time he showed it to you, making a big show out of it. He put a blindfold around your eyes and everything - and when you saw the dusty floor, the bare walls and the half collapsed stage, you thought your best friend had gone crazy.

But Changbin had a vision. He wanted to create a place where there would always be live music, where people could come to dance to a band they liked just as much as grab a beer and listen to whoever was playing. You could see it in his eyes as he explained it to you. 

It took months just to undo the damage made by the past owners - the plumbing needed to be replaced, there was mold in the walls of the bathroom, and things you preferred to forget in the dressing rooms. Luckily, Changbin was one stubborn guy, and he pushed through at the times you would have easily given up. You did your best to be there for him. 

The months after that had been easier - choosing the color of the paint, the best material for the floor of the stage, the placement of the bar and tables. Changbin already had a name in mind, and you worked for weeks on a design for its logo. When Changbin gave his approval, he ordered a neon light in the shape of your logo, which now hung on the brick wall behind the stage. 

Since its opening, the Trades has seen its fair share of rising artists, of questionable singers and chaotic musicians. A few concerts sold well, and the place became a success. Now there are so many proposals Changbin actually has to choose who will play on the nights the Trades is open. 

Tonight, the place is sold out for a band that you’ve actually heard on the radio. Hyunjin, who works backstage, has a friend who has a friend - Side Effect’s guitarist. They were looking for a venue and the Trades ended up being mentioned in a conversation. When Hyunjin told Changbin, you were sure he was going to go into cardiac arrest. It cost him a small fortune to pay the band and promote the concert, but seeing tonight’s crowd, it was definitely worth the investment.

“He said three, Hyun - not, not two, three - I SAID THREE - HYUN?!” 

You turn to Changbin, eyebrow raised, and he sighs deeply, holding the bridge of his nose. His outburst has also gotten the attention of Jeongin, who has turned his chair towards him and pulled down his headphones. 

“We really need to get a better network for his place,” Changbin mutters. He nods at Jeongin. “Everything ready?” 

Jeongin nods. He doesn’t talk a lot but has an impressive work ethic. He’s also the best - the best - poker player you’ve met.  

“Y/N,” Changbin pleads, “can you please find Hyun and tell him three changes, not two. I need to stay here.” 

You nod and head outside the booth. Although you’re always here, you don’t officially work for the Trades - but you don’t mind helping. The place is your baby a little bit, too. You’ve been here since the start, helped with the renovations, and you’ve barely missed a concert. 

Holding on to your beer, you slip through the crowd towards the door leading backstage, Wooyoung letting you in with a sharp nod. You know the place so well you have no difficulty finding your way in the dark. You find Hyunjin standing behind the black curtains around the stage, hiding him from sight. He’s dressed all in black as usual, and blends with the shadows so well sometimes the only thing giving him away is the piercing on his eyebrow. 

“Did he say two or three?” he asks you. 

“Three,” you confirm. 

“Three,” Hyunjin repeats under his breath, turning to finish preparing his things. “Why not two like everyone else? Why does it have to be three?”

You smile to yourself at his muttering, and hand him your beer. 

“Take a sip, yeah?” 

“Oh, yeah, thanks.” 

He drinks as you peak around the curtain to see the stage. You love seeing it from this angle when it’s all ready to go, its floor covered in cords and various equipment. Side Effects has four members, each with their own microphone, and the drum kit is huge.  

You turn back towards Hyunjin who has a finger against his earpiece and hands you back the beer. You understand the signal - the show is about to start. The Trades goes dark and you hear the crowd scream in excitment. You turn on your heels to leave, as you don’t want to be in the way, but as you’re about to head back, you’re blocked by a few people passing in front of you. 

You can barely see them in the darkness, only a few lights giving a hint of their faces, but you can easily guess from their outfits and general energy that they’re the band. 

The first has short, ruffled dark hair and wears a tank top that barely covers his wide shoulders. He does not see you, clearly in his own mindspace. The second is slightly shorter, with shoulder-length black hair that is half tied behind his head. His eyes are wide and shine in the darkness. He notices you staring and nods at you quickly, munching nervously on his lower lip. 

The third barely glances at you. He wears a leather jacket and his hair covers his eyes. The last is smiling, visibly excited, and gives you a wink as he walks by - but he does it so quickly you can’t get a good look at him.

Each of them gives a different energy, none of which feels similar to what you would expect in a popular rock band, and just for that, you are intrigued. The crowd is going wild, a few people screaming at the top of their lungs, pushing towards the stage. The overall atmosphere is electric, tense like the few seconds before a raging thunderstorm.

You decide to stay for a song, making yourself small backstage. The first notes of an electric guitar rips through the Trades, soon followed by a rhythmic beat on the drums. When the voices join the melody, you find yourself moving, tapping your feet on the floor. The song is catchy, reminding you of the music you listened to when you were a teenager - in a good way - and their voices blend in perfect harmony. 

Tank top guy, who you understand is the main singer and guitarist, stands at the center of the stage, belting a high note in the microphone. To his right, the other guitarist smiles widely at the crowd, no longer looking nervous - and to the left, perfectly sporting the bad boy look with his leather jacket, the bassist does not even smirk. 

But really, it’s him you can’t look away from. Sitting at the drums, on the edge of his stool, slamming his sticks like a man possessed. He’s fast and aggressive, his face quickly dripping in sweat, his tongue slightly sticking out from between his teeth. In your entire life, you’ve never seen anyone play the drums like that. He’s probably barely visible behind the other members and the array of drums and cymbals in front of him, and yet he shines so bright you can’t take your eyes off him. 

You stand there as if struck by lightning for the rest of the song, and then for about half of the second. 

Who is that guy?

You see the appeal of Side Effects. Four handsome guys with an insane amount of charisma bombarding really good music like they were born for it - of course they would be popular. Around you, the audience is dancing and singing, clearly having fun. You feel proud for the Trades, and a little embarrassed that you didn’t give this band much attention before. They are good. 

You clap when the second song ends, listening attentively as they introduce themselves. The singer and leader is Chris. The other guitarist is Felix. At the bass is Minho, and behind the drums sits Jisung. 

You can’t help it - you stare at him. Jisung. He’s fidgeting like a child as Chris interacts with the crowd, happiness overflowing his eyes. He plays with his drumsticks like they’re the extensions of his fingers, which you don’t doubt is true. As Felix says something about an upcoming EP, Jisung leans down to drink some water, and as he looks up, your eyes meet.

He doesn’t react, and for a second you think he can’t actually see you in the dark - but then, he smiles. 

A heart-wrenching, life-altering smile. 

You can almost feel your legs wobble, but really, you are too shocked to move. You just stare back like an idiot until he looks away. 

How can a guy be so goddamn magnetic? 

The next song starts and you try to catch your breath. It’s hard to do so as he plays right next to you, the muscles of his arms tensed, his entire body jolting as he pounces on the drums. He’s still smiling, but he’s focused. You breathe out slowly. 

When you think you can stare at him in peace, he turns his head for a second and winks at you. 

It’s the sexiest thing you’ve ever seen.

You take a step backwards, clearing your throat, and look around nervously. That’s when you see Hyunjin, who is smirking at you. You give him a glare and he playfully winks at you. 

You make sure to give his arm a good slap before you head back towards the booth to go back with Changbin, your legs a little shaky. 

You’ll watch the concert from a distance.

People often talk about the calm before the storm, but you prefer the one that comes afterwards. The latent electricity, the echoes of screams. You stand in the middle of the Trades, your ears ringing in the eerie silence. The entire audience has left, the stage is empty. 

You stand among the staff, your shot glass lifted as Changbin ends his speech. He has a proud grin illuminating his face, his eyes shining like stars - you cheer with the others to the night’s success, clink your glass against Hyunjin’s and drink. People disperse to finish cleaning up or to get home, but you linger next to Changbin. You throw your arm around his waist as he finishes talking with Wooyoung, and once the bouncer tells you both goodnight, you pull Changbin into a hug. 

“Congratulations, Mr. Seo,” you tell him. “I’m proud of you.” 

He hugs you back, chuckling, his breath making your hair dance. In the way his body leans against yours, you can feel how both happy and exhausted he is. 

“Couldn’t have done it without you,” he breathes. 

You shake your head, leaning back, gently tapping his cheek with your palm. 

“Of course you couldn’t.” 

He pulls his tongue at you as someone calls his name. You both turn towards the voice. A young guy with dark hair is smiling at Changbin, walking towards you. Wearing a pair of jeans, a white button-up and a relaxed tie, he looks both casual and fancy. Behind him are four people you immediately recognize.

Side Effects. 

You try not to stare, stepping away from Changbin.

The main singer, Chris, looks completely spaced out although he’s smiling politely. Felix looks like he’s still on his adrenaline high, bouncing slightly, looking around in curiosity. The bassist, Minho, remains impassive, but he perhaps looks a little bored. The drummer, Jisung - will you ever be able to forget that name? - is on his phone and does not see either of you. 

“Mr. Kim,” Changbin says, extending his hand. “I thought you would’ve left by now.” 

“Not without saying thanks,” he replies, shaking Changbin’s hand. You conclude he’s the band’s manager. “Call me Seungmin, yeah?” 

He looks at the main singer and nudges him with his elbow. 

“Right,” Chris smiles. “Thanks for having us. We had a good time.” 

“Yeah, it’s a really cool place you got,” Felix, agrees. 

They all give smiles and thanks, shaking Changbin’s hand. Your best friend’s grin cannot leave his face. You stand a little behind him, observing the exchange. It’s hard not to gawk. They’re still wearing their stage outfits, and although they look different without the spotlights, you can still feel their energy. 

“We’re having a little after-party,” Seungmin explains. “Wanted to extend an invitation.” He glances at you. “You and your staff, of course. Anyone who wants to join.” 

“Ooh,” Changbin chuckles. “Hell, why not.” 

Seungmin nods. “I’ll text the address then. See you in a bit.” 

As they walk away, you exchange a long look with Changbin. You wait until they’re out of sight to gasp loudly, holding on to each other like you’re going to fall on your knees. 

“Did they just -” Changbin exclaims. “Did we just get invited to an afterparty?”

“I think we did,” you whisper frenetically. “I think we fucking did.”

“Holy shit!” 

This is the first time anything like that has ever happened - usually, if there are after parties, they take place inside the Trades, and it’s with bands or musicians that aren’t very well known. Those who are, even just a little, often leave as soon as their performance is over.

“You know what that means, right,” Changbin giggles. “Not only did they stick around, but they took the time to thank us, and then invite us? What the fuck!” 

You laugh hysterically, throwing your arms around Changbin’s neck. You take the time to scream and dance for a minute or two, but then there’s stuff to do. You help your friend settle a few things, leaving the rest in Yuna’s safe hands, who’s not in the mood to party and has worked at the Trades since its opening. 

There’s five of you going to the party, so you split two taxis and get to the address Seungmin texted Changbin. It’s already really late when you get there, but you don’t care. This sort of thing never happens and you are going to enjoy it. Besides, if it allows you to steal a few more looks at that hot drummer, you won’t complain. 

The place, which you guess is the house the band rented for their time in town, is huge and already filled with people. Nobody asks who you are, and you just join the party like you were there from the start. Changbin is able to find Seungmin, who guides you to the kitchen where there’s a scandalous amount of beer available. You grab a bottle and cheer with your friend. 

It’s going to be a good night.

You’re going to lose the game, that much you know - but you’re not going down without a fight. If only your eyes weren’t burning from the exhaustion and the booze, you might’ve stood a chance. But then again, your opponent is good. 

Minho has brushed his hair away from his face. His eyes drill into yours, and while they are beautiful, they are, right now, your worst enemies. 

You squint as the people around you hold their breath - and after a few more seconds, you can’t take it. 

You blink. 

The small audience lets out an audible sigh. Minho gives you a smirk. 

“Well played.” 

You wave your hand, rubbing your teary eyes. You’re not proud, but you can admit defeat, so you nod at him and he pats your shoulder. You'll get him another time. Or not.

It’s incredibly late and horribly early. You’ve been drinking - not too much, but a fair amount. The party is slowly calming down. There’s still music playing, but it’s faint. People are no longer dancing and drinking but rather lounging and chatting. A few are laying on the floor or on the couches, asleep. Someone is snoring nearby. A lot of people have left. Most, in fact. But not you. 

You’re still here and you’ve just had a staring contest with Lee Minho - which you’ve lost. You shake your head, letting it fall against Changbin's shoulder. He is half asleep, barely able to keep his eyes open, his head secured against a fluffy cushion. In a minute or two you’ll lose him, but that’s fine - you plan on just curling up next to him and sleeping too. 

Except, as you’re about to do exactly that, you spot Han Jisung. 

You haven’t seen him much during the night. Not long after you arrived, you saw him flirt with a girl and he disappeared afterwards - you can guess the rest. Not very surprising coming from a member of a rock band. Of course he would have groupies. He was handsome, talented, charismatic. A flirt, too, apparently. Not like you cared, and certainly not like you expected him to remember the wink he gave you - if it had even been intentional. At this point, you’re convinced he didn’t even see you, that you were just a faceless shadow observing him from backstage.

So much for the sexiest thing you’ve ever seen. 

But he’s there now, walking towards the kitchen, wearing distressed jeans and a white t-shirt. His hair is all over the place, his steps a little uneven. You stare at him as he crosses the room - he’ll never see you, anyway. 

Changbin's chest is rising and falling regularly now, and you glance at him to confirm he’s fallen asleep. You smile tenderly, pat his cheek, and decide to head to the bathroom before you also get some rest. You head to the hallway, stepping over a few bodies, smiling at Jeongin who’s still playing DJ although the music is at such a low volume you can barely hear it. You ruffle his hair as you pass him. 

You step out of the bathroom, thinking to yourself you should get a glass of water, and look up. A few steps away, leaning against the wall, is Han Jisung. 

He looks up at you and smiles, his hands in his pockets, his eyeliner a little smudged.  

“There you are.” 

You’re too surprised to say anything at first, and he chuckles. 

“What, you think I forgot about you?” 

You blink, trying to gather your thoughts. “Excuse me?” 

He smiles, tilting his head a little. “It’s you. You were backstage earlier.” 

“How do you know that? It was dark.” 

“Not that dark.” 

You chuckle, maybe a little nervously. You’re a bit too drunk and tired for this conversation. He just looks at you in response, and you know it deep inside your heart. This guy is dangerous. Dangerously attractive, no doubt. But also just dangerous - the kind to consume your heart in a single bite and not leave a crumb. Exactly what you should avoid.

You cross your arms, looking back at him. “If you knew I was here, why didn’t you come earlier?” 

He shrugs. “I thought you’d look for me.” 

“There were like a hundred people here,” you sigh. “And when I saw you, you looked a little busy.” 

He laughs, shaking his head. His smile - fuck, that smile. Wide and bright and heart-shaped. Fuck. 

“Oh, that,” he says. “Yeah. She was all over me, what kind of gentleman would I be to refuse?” 

You snort. “For some reason I can’t buy into the whole gentleman thing.”

“I’m hurt.”

“Do I need to remind you you’re a rockstar?” 

“Hm. I would have just said musician or “some guy in a band”, but I’ll take rockstar.” 

You stare at each other, and you can’t explain it, but you both burst out laughing. Surely, it’s the booze. It has nothing to do with the electricity between you, like you’ve known each other for years, like this is far from being your first ever conversation. What the hell is this? 

Is this what people mean when they talk about instant connection? All you’ve known is friendship and trust built by experience and bonding. Not that it’s a bad thing - on the opposite - but this is new for you. 

You cover your face with your hands, shaking your head, and Jisung approaches you slowly, his eyes filled with sparks. 

“I love your laugh.”

“Oh, come on,” you sigh, rolling your eyes. 

You turn to lean against the wall, placing your hands behind your back, and he follows your move, barricading you between the wall and him. He smirks. 

“You don’t believe me?” 

“It’s not that, rockstar,” you smile at him. “I just know guys like you. Flirts. Fuck boys.” 

“Aoutch.” 

“Like you don’t know it.” 

He doesn’t refute it, his eyes lingering on your face, your nose, your lips, your body. Most of all, your lips. You’re tired and drunk and he smells good - it would be easy to reach out, but you won’t let yourself do it. You want to see what he will do.

And just like that, like he’s reading your mind, he leans in. Your breath hitches but you put a finger against his chest. 

“Hm. Haven’t you had enough for one night?” you tell him mischievously. 

He groans, and he’s so close to you his breath caresses your lips. 

“It’s you I wanted from the start.” 

It’s a terribly attractive thing to say, and you try really hard to ignore the fact that you’re turned on. You attempt to focus on little things to take your mind off his smell and his warmth - the fact that your mouth is dry, that a strand of your hair is tickling your ear, that your feet feel heavy in your boots after an entire day in them. 

“You’re leaving tomorrow,” you whisper. 

“All the more reason,” he grins. 

He reaches to put said strand of hair behind your ear, removing your itch, and it makes you almost dizzy - so much that you barely see him as he leans towards you again. Your finger, still pointed at his chest, pathetically bends, and your hand ends up sprawled against his shirt. His breath smells like apple flavored liquor. He kisses you. 

You know you’re just some random girl for him, one he’ll probably never know the name of, one of many he’ll have made out with on his tour. You know you’re just that, and you should have enough self-respect to push him away and not become yet another groupie on his fuck shelf, but he kisses so well you forget all of that. 

Or, well.

You know it, but you choose to forget it. 

Han Jisung’s lips taste like chaos. He kisses the exact opposite way he plays the drums, languidly, longingly, almost carefully - he is patient and delicate, yet it is clear he knows what he wants. You wrap your arms around him, and he pushes you against the wall, kissing you deeper. 

His hands are in your hair and he slides his tongue against yours, and you moan at the feeling of it, and in this instant you would let him do whatever he likes to you. 

You said it. 

Dangerous.

You are vaguely aware someone approaches you and stops next to you, but Jisung is still kissing you like it’ll never happen again - and it never will - so you don’t really pay attention to it. It is only when Jisung lips leave yours that you touch back with reality, realizing the voice has been calling his name repeatedly. 

“What is it, man?” Jisung asks, his voice low and annoyed. 

You’re still hidden in his arms, feeling drunker than you’ve ever been. You can barely open your eyes. 

“Sorry,” the voice says. It’s Chris. “But we need to go, like, now. Felix isn’t feeling good.” 

You glance at Jisung to see his face has changed. He looks tense, almost sad. It’s a surprising sight and it stirs something inside of you. 

Jisung gives Chris a nod. “I’ll be there in a second.” 

Chris leaves, and Jisung turns back to you. 

“Sorry, baby. Gotta go.” 

He gently lifts your chin with his fingers and gives you a last gentle kiss. Your legs can barely keep you up. 

Just like that, he walks away and disappears. You know it’s the last you’ll see of him tonight - and probably ever. You’re not sure how you feel about that, but there’s nothing you can do.

You trace your lips with your own tongue. 

Apples.  

You drag your feet back to Changbin, who is still asleep, and you sit beside him. Feeling disoriented, like your whole life has been taken apart and built back sideways, you wrap yourself around him, close your eyes, and let sleep steal you away.

The barista slides the two full cardboard trays of coffee on the counter and you thank him with a smile. It’s heavy and impractical, but luckily you only have to go next door. 

As much as you love the Trades during the night, when it’s packed and loud and stifling, you adore it during the day. If the weather is nice, like today, the doors remain open to let the fresh air in, and there’s a spot at the booths, where you usually sit, that catches the light just right. You head there first, leaving your bags and your own coffee, and then you make a round around the place to give the other cups to the people you meet. 

Jeongin is making repairs on his sound console and he accepts the coffee with a nod. Andy, the janitor, takes the next one, and soon you’re left with just one. You head upstairs to Changbin's office, and seeing that the door is closed, you knock. It’s the code everyone knows - an open door means you can go in. A closed one means knocking.

You wait for a few seconds, and when the door opens, Changbin only lets his head through - you see there’s someone in there with him. Soft brown hair and a black coat. Could be anyone. You just hand him his coffee, and he thanks you with a smile. You’re curious to know who he’s meeting, but you’ll just ask later. 

That’s the beauty of your friendship with Changbin. There’s absolutely nothing complicated about it. Since day one, you have been completely open with each other about everything, so ambiguity has never been an issue. Nothing ever lingers - you just talk about it. Good things, bad things, uncertain things. 

It’s an affectionate friendship, but it’s also a brutal one. You both have strong personalities, and everyone expects you to clash, and you do. But you do it in a way that is so open and true it never results in actual conflict. 

Changbin keeps you steady, Changbin knows you, and Changbin learns with you. To be human, to do better - but also to accept you’ll always have your flaws. 

Whistling a Side Effects song - it’s been stuck in your head - you head back to your usual booth and sit down. You take off your jacket, open your laptop and plug in your headphones. 

It’s difficult for you to find places where you manage to be productive when working. Your own apartment is often too warm; cafés are a nightmare; but the Trades, however, is perfect. There’s just an energy that gets your creative juices going, and you’ve been enjoying it as much as you can. 

You take a long sip of coffee and get to work. 

About twenty minutes later, you see Changbin crossing the room towards the main entrance with someone - the person he was in a meeting with, obviously. You recognize Seungmin, Side Effects’ manager. They seem to be on friendly terms, so you’re wondering why they met. You can’t resist the temptation to take off your headphones to try and listen, but they’re too far away. 

It’s been two days since the party and you can’t think about much else, although you keep telling yourself it’s pathetic. Still, you’re intrigued. You thought the band would’ve left town by now. Clearly, they haven’t.  

Changbin appears a minute later, sitting down on the booth in front of you with a smirk you can only describe as ecstatic. You raise an eyebrow. 

“Tell me you still have the file for your poster,” he tells you. 

“Always,” you frown. “Why?”

He scrunches his nose and leans towards you. 

“Because you’ll have to add something to it. Encore.” 

“Wha - WHAT? WHEN?!” 

“In two days.”

“TWO DAYS?” 

Changbin explains that the band’s next scheduled performances have been canceled due to a flood in the venue. Since their tour would only resume a few days later, they had some free time ahead and decided to stay in town. 

They offered to perform another time at the Trades because they loved the place, and Changbin certainly wasn’t going to refuse. A last-minute show on a Wednesday would be a challenge to organize, but it could be done. It would be done.

Giving Changbin a tight hug with a squeal of excitement, you immediately get to work on the design of the poster announcing the new date. The rush of adrenaline is inducing a rush of inspiration, and you have it wrapped up in a few hours. 

Once you’ve sent the file to the printer, you lean back against the booth and realize you’re hungry. You remember you still have leftovers in your fridge, so you decide to head home. You throw your bag around your shoulder but leave your headphones around your neck for when you’re outside. It’s quiet in the Trades, but you glance around the room to see if anyone is there so you can say goodbye. 

There’s only one person there, sitting on the edge of the stage, swinging his legs and looking around. For a second you think your eyes must be deceiving you, but it’s him. Han Jisung. 

He’s wearing grey jeans covered in patches of different patterns. His oversized red and black striped sweater is torn here and there, his dark hair in disarray. To complete his look, he wears a thin leather choker around his neck and a variety of bracelets on his wrists, and his nails are painted pitch black. 

Whatever he might say, he does look like a rockstar. 

You don’t know if you know him well enough to just approach him like that, but you figure that his tongue being in your mouth less than forty hours ago must count for something, so you take a few tentative steps towards the stage.

“What are you doing here?” you ask. 

He turns his head in mild curiosity, and once he sees you, grins widely. 

“I was hoping to find you here,” he says.

You roll your eyes. “Sure you were.”

“Sorry. It was too easy,” Jisung chuckles. 

“Seriously, why are you here?” 

He shrugs, the heels of his leather boots hitting the stage as he keeps swaying his legs. 

“I was really bored, so I took a walk. Ended up here, and the doors were wide open,” he explains. 

He looks up to the ceiling, a strand of hair brushing his forehead and falling in front of his right eye.

“I love to see venues when they’re empty. They’re this special feeling about them.”

“I know what you mean,” you agree with a smile. “It’s calm, but there’s still… this lingering tension.” 

“Yeah, exactly,” Jisung nods, looking back at you, eyeing you up and down. 

You feel a little casual compared to him in your baggy jeans and crewneck, your hair tied behind your hair with a claw clip, not wearing any makeup. You must look like a different person from the other night, but Jisung does not make you feel self-conscious. He looks at you exactly the same, with an intrigued gleam and a charming smile. 

“Where are you heading?” he asks. 

“Home,” you reply. “To eat.” 

“Ooh,” he chants, jumping down from the stage. “I’m in.” 

You stare at him in disbelief. 

“What?” 

“I kinda feel like a cheeseburger, though,” he states, walking towards you with purpose. He stops in front of you. “I’m paying.” 

You open your mouth to argue with him, but then you realize you don’t want to. Free food and pretty entertaining company? Why not. You nod.

“Lead the way,” he says with a grin.

In a couple of steps you’re standing outside under a timid sun. You point to the left, and Jisung follows you. 

“So what do you do here, exactly?” he asks, nodding towards the Trades. 

“Nothing,” you say. “I don’t work there, not really.” 

He frowns. “So why are you -”

“Changbin is my oldest friend. I helped him put the place together, and it’s kind of just… where I hang out. I designed the logo, though.” 

“You did that?” Jisung wonders, pointing to the sign. 

“Yeah.”

“Damn,” he whistles. “Looks really cool.” 

You thank him with a smile. Although you’re always hard on yourself when it comes to work, you are proud of what you did for the Trades. Not that you would have accepted anything less than perfection, anyway. 

“I did the posters for your show, too,” you add. 

Jisung gives you a smile that you would call impressed, and you feel a tang of pride in your heart. 

“So you’re a graphic designer?” 

“Yup.” 

“Cool. Tell me about it.” 

You have no idea why he’s interested, but you indulge him, telling him more about your work as you head towards the closest diner. It’s not a fancy place, far from it, but they do have the best cheeseburgers in the neighborhood, in your opinion. Jisung doesn’t look like the fancy type, anyway. As you watch and listen to him, you feel like he’s more the type of person that can adapt to every environment they’re in. 

Being constantly on the road as he is, you guess it must be a good quality to possess. Has he always been like that, though? Or is it something he picked up along the way to make it easier? 

Something about him just tickles your curiosity.

You sit down on a booth of worn black leather and the waitress brings you the menu. Jisung doesn’t look at it - just at you. 

“Were you born here?” 

“Yes.”

“You never left?” 

“Nope.” 

“Not even for traveling?” 

“Just once. Went to London.” 

“For what?” 

“Fun.” 

“Hm.” 

“Are we done with the interrogation?” 

To your surprise, Jisung lets out a loud laugh, sliding his hand through his hair. 

“Sorry. I meet so many people, and I rarely have the chance to get to know them. This is new.” 

“So I’m the first human being apart from your band and management you are able to have a conversation with in what, weeks?”

“Months.” 

“No pressure, then.” 

His smile stays on his face, large and luminous. You kind of like it. The waitress comes back to take your order, and you ask for two cheeseburgers, two sodas, and a large plate of fries to share. 

Jisung keeps asking you questions. You tell him about how you met Changbin - kindergarten - what was the best concert of your life - not his - and what your favorite font is - depends on the day.  

You get your food not long after, and as you pick up your burger, you decide to turn the table on him a little. Only fair, right? 

“So you’ve been bored and wandering around. What about the rest of the band?” you ask as he takes a bit of his burger. “What have they been doing?”

“Sleeping,” Jisung answers with his mouth full. He swallows. “Fuck, this is a good burger.”

“Must be grateful for the rest,” you say.

Jisung shakes his head. “Not all of them. Minho can’t stay still to save his life. He’s climbing up the walls already.”

You laugh in disbelief. “Really? He looks so… calm.” 

“He’s so weird,” Jisung laughs. 

You hear the tenderness in his voice, and you catch a glimpse of the bond that must be linking them. You felt it, even when they were on stage. They were more than a band - they were brothers. 

“And the other two?” you ask, simply out of curiosity. 

“Chris is fine. He doesn’t say it but he’s glad to be able to stay in. Work on music. Watch movies.” 

Jisung’s eyes darken. 

“Felix… sleeps. A lot.” 

You can hear something there, but you don’t want to ask. It’s none of your business, after all. Still, Jisung explains.

“He’s been through shit recently. So it’s good he can sleep.” 

You smile softly. “You’re really close, right? The four of you.”

“Yeah,” Jisung nods. “With Seungmin, too.” 

The softness on his face is new, but it does not last too long. Quickly, his smirk comes back, his eyes full of mischief. 

“You like video games?”

You expect Jisung to bring you back to the house where the party took place, but instead he walks you to an apartment building. He explains that the house would’ve been too expensive for a longer stay - it’s not like they were millionaires - so they found this place on Airbnb for cheap. It’s smaller, but more than big enough for the four of them. The rest of the crew shared another place a few blocks over. 

“The four of us lived in a shoebox for the longest time while we were in our garage phase,” Jisung says as he closes the door behind you. “So this is luxurious.” 

He doesn’t bother to give you a tour, but you don’t care. Leaving your bag in the hallway, you follow him to the kitchen. 

“That was a long-ass walk you took.”

Minho is glaring at Jisung, wearing two oven mitts and a neon pink bucket hat. The kitchen smells delicious, and you glance at the oven to try and see what is cooking in there. 

“Found a stray cat,” Jisung says, waving at you. 

You raise an eyebrow at him. “Cute of you to act like it wasn’t you that was lost.”

“I wasn’t lost. Just bored.” 

Minho stares at you - or, well, you think he is. His eyes are completely hidden under his hat and his hair. He raises an oven mitt towards you, and you have to guess he’s pointing.

“Staring contest girl.” 

“Not the worst nickname I’ve heard,” you pout.

“What was?” Jisung asks. 

“You’ll never know.” 

Minho chuckles. 

“Made some meat pies if you’re hungry.” 

“Thanks, bro.” 

You frown as he grabs a plate to get a slice. 

“But you just ate -”

You stop and shrug. One thing you’ll never judge or pretend to understand is how a person’s stomach works.

Minho and Jisung start whispering between themselves, and it seems like you hear Felix’s name, so you give them some space. In the meanwhile, you wander around the apartment, check out the hallway leading to the bedrooms, and then enter the living room. It’s a cozy space with a large sectional and a huge TV. You glance around for a good thirty seconds before you notice there’s someone sitting in a window nook. He hasn’t seen you, his eyes focused on his computer. Piled up on his head is a beanie, a pair of headphones and a hoodie. Chris. Jisung’s description was accurate. 

“Don’t mind him,” Jisung tells you as he reappears next to you. “When he’s like that he’s not conscious of the outside world. You could be walking around naked he wouldn’t notice.” 

“Sounds like a theory you’ve tested before.” 

“Oh, yeah.” 

You both plop down on the couch, laughing, and Jisung turns on the console. He hands you a controller and you start to play Crash Bandicoot, not really talking. You enjoy taking your mind off things, not really thinking about the situation you are in. Why are you here, after all? There’s no clear reason apart from the fact that you like Jisung. But you aren’t the type to question things too much - most of the time you prefer to just follow the path life takes you on. 

For now it’s taken you here. 

You spend the next few hours playing and eating snacks. At some point, Felix emerges from his room and sits on an armchair, dizzily staring at the screen. He looks exhausted, snuggled in a hoodie that is way too big for him, black hair curling around his ears. 

When your eyes get tired Minho takes your place, playing a few games with Jisung as you text with Changbin. He reminds you you’re supposed to go to a birthday party that night, and you let out an irritated sigh. 

“Fuck me,” you hiss through your teeth, resisting the urge to throw your phone across the room. 

“Sure,” Jisung grins at you. 

When you glare back, he chuckles. 

“What’s up?” 

“I have to go to this thing tonight. Birthday party.” 

“Hm. Sounds fun.” 

“Really not. The girl is a nightmare but she can’t, for the life of her, understand we’re not friends anymore, and that Bin will never be interested in her pathetic ass. All she does is show off how much money she has.” 

“Wow,” Minho laughs. “Now I kinda want to meet her.” 

“Good idea,” Jisung nods. “We’re not doing anything tonight, anyway, and I don’t know for you guys, but I don’t want to spend my entire night shut up in here. Let’s go.” 

You shake your head. 

“No way.” 

“Think about it, Y/N,” Minho says, placing his elbows on his thighs. “Bringing us as guests would shut her right up.

“And I need to get really drunk,” Felix states, all of a sudden. 

It’s the first words he’s spoken since he got out of his room, and while you look at him in surprise, the other two seem used to it. 

“Then let’s do it,” Jisung claims, clapping his hands.

“I have to go home and change, though. If I show up like that she’ll start a rumor I’m homeless or something,” you sigh. 

Jisung waves his hand. “That’s fine. I’ll come with you and help you choose a killer outfit. You guys meet us there, yeah?” 

“Don’t worry, I’ll get Chris when he emerges from the deep,” Minho nods.

Jisung takes your hand and lifts you off the couch. He guides you back to the hallway and slides on his boots. 

“You don’t have to come with me,” you say. “We can meet there.” 

“I wanna see your place,” Jisung simply responds.

Maybe you should be freaked out or annoyed at the game he’s playing. You know he’s just trying to get to know you, that you’re an adventure for him, but it also feels like he wants to assimilate as much as he possibly can before time runs out. It’s cute, but it’s also unnerving. What will he do with all this knowledge of you, once he leaves? Will he forget? Will you become a fond memory, or one that will fade away over time? 

You shouldn’t indulge him, because you’ll probably end up getting hurt. But at the same time, it’s stimulating for you, too. Letting someone in. Letting him see who you are, every part of you, knowing it’s temporary. Then he can walk away, carrying pieces of you. There’s a beauty to that you can’t yet grasp. 

When you arrive at your place, you let him walk around to look at what he wants, heading for your room. It’s not a big apartment, nor is it in perfect shape, but you made it yours. You and Changbin took the lease most particularly for the bathroom, which is more spacious than any you’ve seen in the city. In exchange, both of your bedrooms are kind of tiny, but it’s not like you have people over very often. If you do, it’s agreed you’ll find another place to stay for the night. 

You remove your clothes of the day, changing your underwear and slipping on a short leather skirt. You’re zipping it up when the door of your room opens on Jisung, who strolls in like he lives there. 

“What the fuck?” you let out, covering your chest - you’re only wearing a bra.

“You told me to make myself at home,” Jisung smirks, sitting down on your bed, sliding his hand on your comforter. 

“That’s not what I meant.” 

“Come on,” he says. “You’re almost dressed already. Love the skirt. Is this the shirt you’re planning on wearing?” 

He lifts the piece of clothing, a black tank top that laces on the front, and hands it to you. You snag it from his hand, slipping it on swiftly. He eyes you up and down. 

“What about accessories?” 

He stands up, walking to your dresser, and opens your jewelry box. You stare at him, absolutely mind blown at his behavior. 

“Oh. Love that. That’s hot,” he says, handing you a lace choker you haven’t worn in ages. 

“Having fun playing dress-up, are we?” you laugh. 

He winks at you, and proceeds to choose the rest of your outfit. Cherry earrings, silver rings, and loose hair. Once he’s done, he twirls you around, biting his lip.

“Perfect,” he says, slipping a hand on your waist to pull you close. “Thoroughly fuckable, if I might say so.” 

“Thanks?” you answer with a giggle. 

“Y/N,” he breathes, taking a step towards you. “C’m’here.” 

Before you can answer anything, he plunges his nose in the crook of your neck, inhaling your smell, and places a kiss there that sends shivers all over your body. You close your eyes.

“Jisung…” 

“It’s not the outfit,” he says, shaking his head. “I’ve thought about fucking you all day.” 

You do your best not to let out a moan right there, instead biting your lip hard as he keeps kissing your neck. 

“Jisung,” you breathe. “I just got dressed.” 

“I don’t want you to undress.” 

You frown as he pushes you towards the bed. You lay down, eyes on him. Outside the blue is fading to black, enveloping the room in a heavy purple, and there’s something earnest and intimate about it. You’ve been on edge ever since that kiss he gave you - and you’ve so desperately wanted to know what would’ve happened if you hadn’t been interrupted. 

You have somewhere to be, but you don’t care. Jisung is at your apartment and visibly also wants to pick up things where you left them off. You are not going to waste the opportunity. 

Jisung’s hands spread your legs, his lips leaving a trail of wet kisses on your thighs. 

“Just want to get a taste,” he mutters. 

Your breath hitches as he pushes up your skirt, lips brushing your skin. He makes his way between your legs, finally setting his mouth on your underwear. At this point you are writhing around him, desperate for a direct touch. 

“Getting wet for me so fast,” he breathes. “How can I resist you?” 

“No one talked of resisting,” you answer in a sigh. 

He chuckles. “Fair point. Can I?” 

You nod, and he draws your underwear aside, leaving you exposed to his eyes. You spread some more for him, pulling up your skirt, and he does not waste another second. His lips embrace your wetness, his tongue swirling around your clit. You let out a shaky sigh, your fingers reaching for his hair. Your thoughts wander, far away from your reach, as you just enjoy Jisung’s caresses. 

He hums against you as you roll your hips against his mouth. It’s working wonders for you, your pleasure building quickly. 

“That’s good, baby,” he breathes. “Make yourself come in my mouth.” 

You’re hot, your body tense, Jisung making out with your cunt. His tongue makes a quick work of it, and you come not long after. You shiver delightfully, and it takes you a while to come down. As you do, Jisung gently replaces your underwear where it was, contemplating the drenched fabric with a satisfied smile. 

“Now you can walk around all evening in your soaked underwear, courtesy of me, and I’ll have your taste on my tongue,” he says in a low voice, his smirk all the right kinds of dirty. 

You’re still riding the high of your orgasm, so you don’t really find the right words. You just smile at him.

“You’re fucking insane.” 

“Just trying to enjoy the time I have.”

The taxi drops you off in front of your friend’s house. Jisung hands him a few bills and comes to stand next to you, admiring the place. 

It’s huge, outrageously so, the typical rich person’s, and you absolutely hate it. From the judgemental look on Jisung’s face, so does he. 

You put a hand on his shoulder. “You asked for it.”

Felix, Chris and Minho are already inside, according to Jisung’s phone, and it takes you a while to find them - the house is packed and loud. 

“Have you seen Changbin?” you ask them, but they shake their heads. 

You check your phone - no news from your friend. He’s probably running late or has a last minute hold up. You decide to stick around anyway. You’re dressed up, you’re here, and you have company. 

You get drinks and sit between Jisung and Chris. You talk a lot to the latter, who, now that he doesn’t have his head in his computer, proves to be really fun company. You discuss productivity and creative slumps, interrupted here and there by the occasional fan asking for an autograph or a picture. Jisung is busy playing cards with Minho, his hand on your thigh. Felix is flirting with a few people, drinking fast, his smile widening with every second. 

When your friend comes into your field of vision, and eyes you with annoyed envy, you are so happy you could sing. You wish her a happy birthday, the band too, and for once she has absolutely nothing to say. 

“Changbin didn’t come?” she asks as a last resort. 

“Sorry, he couldn’t make it,” you reply with a fake pout, trying to hold back your laughter. 

When she leaves, dumbfounded and annoyed, you laugh hysterically with Jisung for so long you have tears streaming down your cheeks and your sides hurt. 

As the night advances, Jisung’s hand rides higher and higher on your thigh. His eyes get glassy with the alcohol, as do yours - in fact, everyone gets pretty wasted. Chris and Minho share a joint, keeping an eye on Felix. Despite the chaotic ambiance around you, you five stay pretty calm, chilling on the couch you claimed, talking or playing silly games. 

A few other people join you for a classic game of never have I ever - except you’re all too drunk already to play with drinks, so you agree on changing the rules. If you have, you kiss the person to your right. 

“Never have I ever been naked in public,” Felix proposes. 

His eyes are lit up like fireworks, and he stares at Chris, who shakes his head.

“Oh my gosh…” 

“You HAVE to, Chris!” Felix cackles. “We all saw you!” 

“What’s the story?” you ask, laughing. 

“Nothing interesting. You don’t want to know,” Chris sighs. 

“I do!” you retort. 

“A simple story, really,” Minho explains, twirling a joint between his fingers. “He went to take a shower at the camping site we were staying at, and I stole his clothes.” 

You all burst out laughing, and Felix claps his hands. 

“C’mon, now. Kisses. On the mouth.” 

Felix receives a kiss from the girl next to him, which surprises him - and Chris turns to you. 

“It’s the game, right?" he laughs. "Sorry, Ji.” 

“No harm, man.” 

“You’re okay with it, right?” Chris asks you.

You nod, amused. Chis leans in, a smirk on his face, and slides his fingers in your hair. His lips are plump, kissing you gently, and you feel yourself melt a little. You almost don’t want to stop, your hand falling against his chest. The booze makes your tongue act on its own, dancing with his, and Chris indulges. It takes a minute before you lean back, falling back on the couch. 

“Fuck, damn,” you laugh. Your cheeks are red. “You’re a good kisser.” 

“So are you,” Chris smiles. 

“That was hot,” Jisung lets out with a solemn nod. 

You hide your face in his neck, giggling like a teenager, and the game continues. At the next question, Minho kisses the guy next to him, and you appreciate the sight a little too much. Your senses are getting tangled - between the booze, the weed, Jisung’s warm fingers around your thigh, Chris’ tongue and the sight of so many people making out, you’re officially horny. 

It doesn’t help that you still feel your wet underwear against your cunt, reminding you of the joys of Jisung’s tongue. 

You bite your lip, waiting for the right moment. Finally, a girl asks never have I ever stolen a car, and nobody moves - except you. You fall against Jisung, pulling him into a needy kiss. The people around you start yelling and laughing. 

“What the fuck!” 

“STOP MAKING OUT, WE NEED THE STORY,” Felix screams.

“I don’t think we’ll get the story tonight, bro,” Chris tells him with a chuckle.

He’s right, because you’re lost in your kiss, Jisung’s hands all over you. You don’t even care that there’s dozens of people around. You devour his lips, get drunker on his taste. You want him, you need him - and he kisses you deep and passionately. One of his hands grip your ass and you moan softly. 

“I think we’ve lost them,” Minho says. 

“Hey,” Chris says in your ear. “Get a fucking room.” 

A giggle escapes your mouth and Jisung pulls away from you. His lips are already swollen, and the sight is so attractive you have no idea how your legs are able to hold your weight as he pulls you on your feet. 

“Have a good time,” Felix sings as you walk away. 

You wave at them, letting Jisung guide you through a house neither of you really know. You stumble through the crowd, stopping to kiss sometimes, and you can’t wait to be alone. It’s proving to be complicated, though, because every door you come across is either locked or already has people busy behind it. You scoff and snicker until you find a door that has a piece of paper taped on it. 

PRIVATE DO NOT ENTER

You exchange a knowing look with Jisung. No words needed. He turns the handle and you see stairs leading down. You close the door behind you, lock it, stumbling down the stairs to the basement. 

When you get there, you gasp. 

It’s a beautiful room, with thick, fancy carpets and the biggest TV you’ve ever seen. There’s a bar in the corner, and on a wall, a collection of guitars. You stare in awe at everything, Jisung standing behind you, kissing your neck.

“Holy shit,” you whisper. 

For a second you forget all about Jisung, running towards the guitar displayed on the far right. It’s the same, you realize. The exact same model. 

“That’s a rare one,” Jisung says, sliding next to you. “Worth a fortune.” 

“My mom had one,” you tell him with a smile. “She found it at a flea market. Guy had no idea what he had. She paid 11 dollars for it.” 

Jisung smiles even more widely. “It was meant to be.” 

“Yeah.” 

You smile fondly at the memory. It soothes you, envelops you. You forget where you are, for a second, although your entire body is drunk on Jisung. 

“You play?” he asks you, his eyes not leaving yours, his hand putting a strand of your hair behind your ear. 

“A little,” you admit.

“Then let’s hear it.” 

“No, Ji, you can’t touch -” 

You might not know him that well, but one thing you are learning about Jisung is that he does not care. So it’s without hesitation that he grabs the guitar from the display and hands it to you. You laugh, carefully taking it. 

You sit down on the floor, the guitar in your arms, and you gently brush the strings. Jisung sits in front of you, leaning against the back of a couch. 

Before you know it, you’re playing a melody you know like the back of your hand. With your eyes closed, and just the sound of music to guide you, it all feels like a dream. The basement, the party, even Jisung, it all fades - you’re alone with the guitar for a few seconds. 

When you open your eyes again, at the end of the song, Jisung is staring at you with wide eyes and a parted mouth. 

“A little?” he repeats.

You laugh. “Ok. More than a little.” 

“You didn’t tell me you’re a musical genius.” 

“I’m not.” 

He lifts an index. “I’ve heard a lot of people play the guitar. I’m not just saying this. I think I’m lowkey in love with you, now.” 

You smile at him, at his dark hair and his round eyes, at the line of eyeliner under them, at the choker around his neck, at the red and black sweater you were gripping desperately minutes ago. 

“Same to you,” you admit. 

He grins and crawls over to give you a kiss. The guitar falls beside you, immediately forgotten. Jisung hums against your lips. 

“I want to fuck you,” he tells you in a hoarse voice. 

“Yes please,” you answer, and he laughs. 

You remove his sweater and let your fingers wander around his chest, touching his skin. It feels warm. Still kissing you, he unlaces your top, cupping your breasts. He teases your sensitive nipples, drawing a soft cry from your lips. You arch your back, thrusting your hips against his. You can feel his hard cock under his jeans, and you can’t resist wrapping your hand around the bulge to stroke him. Jisung grunts in your mouth, and suddenly bites your lower lip.

You jump in your surprise, letting out a moan. 

“Keep moaning for me, baby,” he whispers, gliding his teeth across your lips. “You sound so hot.”

“Fuck, Ji. I’ve been dreaming about that cock.” 

You unbuckle his belt and take him out of his boxers. He’s hard, and you lift your hand to your mouth, slowly licking your palm. You keep your eyes on him while you do it, and he stares back at you, mouth parted, taking in the sight. Then, you start to stroke him, coating his length with your spit. 

“I’m going to fucking ruin you,” Jisung growls. 

He roughly takes your hand away, enclosing his fingers around your wrist, and pins it against the carpet. He lays you down as you bite your lip in amusement, glancing at his erection - and you can almost see him pulsating. He doesn’t let go of your arm, pushes up your skirt and pulls down your panties at the same time, and slides his fingers against your pussy. 

You shudder as he chuckles.

“You’re still so fucking wet, baby.”

“It was all the kissing,” you admit with a smile.

You kiss his jawline, his neck, his ear, as he keeps rubbing his fingers against your wetness. You’re clenching around nothing, your hips moving in search of pressure - but Jisung keeps his caresses light. 

“Chris got you good, didn’t he?” 

“He did,” you breathe, although you can barely find the words. 

“Got me, too, to see you make out,” he replies, keeping his voice low. “Maybe one day I can watch you fuck.” 

As he says the words, he inserts two fingers inside of you, and you let out a choked whimper. 

“Fuck, Ji, don’t say shit like that,” you cry out.

“Why not? Wouldn’t you want to?” 

“Right now, I just want you,” you say, and you mean it. 

He smiles against your lips as you kiss him. You sit up slightly, and he liberates you, taking his fingers out of you. He slides them into his mouth, cleaning them. 

“The taste was almost gone,” he explains, and you smile.

You give yourself a boost to turn him around so you can straddle him. You place yourself so your folds grind against his cock, swaying your hips slowly. He lets out a deep breath, and you throw your head back. Your hands sprawl on his chest as you keep moving, and you know you’re making a mess, smearing your wetness on his skin, but you don’t care. 

“Fuck, yes, baby,” he moans. 

You glance at him with a smile. 

“You like that?” 

“I do. Are you coming?” 

“I’m close.” 

“Then stop. I want you to come around my dick.” 

Not that you could refuse him. He takes out a condom from his back pocket - you don’t question why he would have that ready - and hands it to you. You get him ready, your fingers trembling slightly. 

“Going to pound that pussy so good,” Jisung whispers to you, placing your hair behind your ears, cupping your cheek. 

You rub his length against you to lubricate, and then slowly ease him in. A curse escapes your lips, and Jisung secures his hands on your hips. You accelerate gradually, and soon you are fucking him, your capacity to think escaping you. He helps you by bucking his hips, deepening the thrusts. 

One of his hands travels across your stomach, squeezes your breast.

“So pretty,” he moans. 

“You’re so fucking deep inside me,” you breathe out.

“C’m’here, baby,” he grunts, pulling you towards him, so you lean against his chest. 

He places your arm behind your back, pinning you in place, and your knees fall on either side of him. Then, he starts hammering into you. The way he holds you, you can barely move, and the sensation is so intense it instantly makes you see stars. 

“Holy shit, Ji,” you whimper. “I’m coming…” 

“Come, pretty thing,” he whispers in your ear. 

You come undone around him, shaking violently as he keeps you in place. Your moans echo through the basement, and maybe you’re being too loud, but you don’t care. You’re pretty sure no one can hear you above the deafening music from upstairs, anyway. Jisung continues to thrust into you, placing a few languid kisses on your neck until you’ve come down. Only then does he slow down.

“How was that, baby?” he asks, still rolling his hips.

“So fucking good.” 

“I’m glad to hear it,” he smiles. “Stand up for me.” 

You nod and manage to push yourself on your wobbly legs. You lean against the couch, and a part of you just wants to lay down on it. But Jisung has another idea. He stands up as well, pulling you in his arms. 

“Sit here,” he says, and pats the back of the couch. 

He pushes the hair away from your face, kissing you deeply, his cock brushing your pussy. He’s still so hard - you know he’s not done with you. You settle on the top of the couch, spreading your legs. Jisung takes his pulsating cock and guides it inside of you again, keeping your legs apart. 

You’re already getting too used to having him there, because your body hums in approval, and your pleasure immediately starts building back up. It feels like he’s filling every inch of you, his breath heavy on your neck, thrusting into you in deep, languorous moves. 

“Fuck, you’re good at this,” you mutter. 

“It’s because you take me so well, baby,” he grins. “But I like your compliments.”

You bite your lip. “Praise kink?” 

“Y’know it.” 

You wrap your arms around his neck, kissing his earlobes, licking his neck. You start to suck at the skin there, intent on leaving a trace, and he growls. 

“You’re look so fucking sexy right now, Ji,” you breathe in his ear. “I love your cock. I love how you fuck me with it. You’re so beautiful and you made me come so hard.” 

You feel him twitch inside of you, and you can’t help but smile. You hum, planting a few kisses along his jawline. 

“Is there anything you can’t do, Ji?” you breathe, although he starts thrusting into you so hard you have a hard time aligning your words. “Such a good kisser, and you… You fuck so well… And the way you play…” 

He moans, slamming into you. The sound of your voice, of his breathing, of his skin slapping against yours becomes a blissful symphony.  

“When I saw you playing the drums… Fuck, I just fell in love with you,” you say. 

You don’t know how you’re still talking because he’s moving faster and faster, bringing you to the edge again. 

“Your fingers around the sticks… The way you hit the drums… So fast and brutal…” 

“Fuck, baby…” he whimpers.

“You’re magic, Ji,” you cry out. “Everything that you are is magic.” 

He moves his head to capture your lips again, and you moan in his mouth. Your kisses are feverish, disorderly.

“I’m coming again,” you moan.

“Don’t hold it back, baby, fuck, keep clenching like that,” he says. 

You’re seconds away from coming when he does, and the feeling of his cock bursting into you is almost too much to handle. Your orgasm reverberates in your entire body, his too - and after a few seconds of delightful chaos you breathe out against each other, panting. 

When you’re able, you open your eyes. His remain closed, and you admire the sweat on his skin, the slightly smudged makeup. You must look as much of a mess as he is. 

You place a chaste kiss on his lower lip, and he opens his eyes to smile at you. 

“I don’t want to move,” he says. 

“Me neither,” you admit. 

“Let’s just stay like that for a few more seconds.” 

You nod, your head falling on his shoulder. After a minute, however, your legs start to waver, and you reluctantly move away from each other. Luckily there’s a bathroom in the basement, so you go together to clean up. He helps you lace your top back on and you insist on putting back his belt yourself. 

He strokes your hair. Kisses you on the temple. Keeps your hand in his as you walk back upstairs. 

You feel dizzy. You feel good. 

This is dangerous. 

Jisung will be leaving soon. 

He’ll forget you and you’ll have to do the same.

All in good time. 

Felix has fallen asleep on Chris’ shoulder, who is texting on his phone. Minho is playing a card game with the guy from earlier - when you approach them, he gives you a nod. 

“You two look fucked out.” 

“Let’s go home,” Jisung says, ruffling Minho’s hair. 

You watch as the two boys walk away, their arms thrown around each other’s shoulders. Although you’re exhausted your smile doesn’t leave you, and you help Chris wake Felix. The guitarist groans but still follows you, and you steal a bowl of chips on your way out so you can eat them in the taxi. 

You get to the band’s rental and everyone heads for their bedrooms - you leave the empty bowl on the kitchen counter, following Jisung to his bed. You both fall against the mattress, entangling your limbs together, and you sleep.

Thank you for reading! I really hope you liked it, please let me know if you did. See you soon for part two!

[seaweedcolored]

Fall in love with me! More! Look at me! More! -Fansa (Honeyworks)

It was supposed to just be art. But. Haha fic.

---

Training was always the same; it happened on Flower Fruit Mountain on Sundays from as early as MK could get there to as late as he was willing to stay. The Monkey King would already be there no matter what time MK arrived and would always stay even after MK left. MK always showed up to training in what he usually wore: shirt, bandana, and jacket. Likewise, the Monkey King would always show up in what he also usually wore: an idol outfit that had too much going on to be casual and had too many layers to be practical for combat. It didn't stop the Monkey King from reintroducing MK to the ground, but it certainly didn't look comfy, especially in the tropical weather of Flower Fruit Mountain.

"Do you really like being an idol that much, Monkey King?" MK asked.

The Monkey King hummed, munching away at peach chips. "Of course I do! What's there not to love?" he proclaimed, and then proceeded not to elaborate.

It wasn't a big deal. It wasn't any of MK's business, after all. He was the Monkey King's successor, not the Heavenly Idol MK's, after all. (In defense of Qi Xiaotian's nickname, how could he have expected to be this close to his idol? As far as past Xiaotian knew, 'MK' represented the two things he loved: the Great Sage Sun Wukong-- the Monkey King-- and the world-renowned idol "MK". Why wouldn't he want to have it as a nickname? Monkey King was only a little put off by it.) Whatever the Monkey King did in his day job was off limits to MK.

They eventually got closer, though. Wukong became much more than just MK's teacher, but MK supposed that going through so many traumatic events together would naturally strengthen their bond.

It was an off handed question-- not really something MK was expecting a serious answer to.

"Why'd you become an idol, anyway?" he'd asked.

Wukong didn't answer for a moment, and MK thought that he perhaps didn't hear him, but that was fine. It wasn't an important question. If he was uncomfortable, then MK simply wouldn't ask again.

"You know, after the journey...I didn't think that anyone would love me again," Wukong replied.

MK looked at Wukong in surprise, expectations diverted.

"It's not really the same, but I dunno-- it was better than nothing, I guess," Wukong continued, though his voice dipped into a murmur at the end. MK still heard him though. "I might go on hiatus, though, since I don't really need the gig anymore."

"Why not?"

Wukong's tail thumped anxiously behind him. He fiddled with the peach pin that kept his neck accessories up by some sort of magic that was probably actual magic, knowing that he was capable of it.

"Well... We're family, right?" he asked in a small voice. "Why would I keep working for something so... fake, when I have the real thing right here?"

[lunathebee]

Pairing: The moon boys x fem!reader

Warning: fluff, HE, nothing alarming

A/n: This was requested by @spicydonut25. I hope you like it and ty for being so patient with me 💖💖

Summary: What if the moon boys lose the (very important) necklace you gave them?

For the past three days, Steven has been wearing his jacket quite a bit often. Of course it's his favorite jacket to go to work, but he also wears it at home now, and even buttoned up?

Y/n doesn't think much of it; she has asked him a few times due to curiosity, and each time Steven has answered with a different reason: "It's quite chilly, innit?", "Oh, I forgot to take it off haha", "I just like wearin' it love"; and so many more.

Although Steven's habit is certainly questionable, not to mention weird...But hey, it doesn't hurt anyone right?, and so Y/n paid no mind to it, until one day...

===☾︎ ☾︎ ☾︎===

"Gosh how long do I have to wear the jacket Marc??" "Shut it, and keep looking, I think I just saw something sparkly" "You're such an ars-"

"Steven?? What are you doing?"

"OUCH! Y/n?!" Steven rubbed his head after bumping it into the bed frames; he hadn't expected Y/n to come back from work so soon. And worse, she catches him crawling under the bed like a crazy man. What explanation can Steven give now?

"Be careful, babe, are you okay?" Y/n rushes to his side, looking for injury on his head like a mother to her child; the action makes Steven giggle, while Y/n keeps fumbling over how he could have a serious headache from it.

"I'm okay, I'm okay. Why are you home so early today?" Steven gives Y/n a quick kiss after asking.

"Well, I finished work early, but seriously, what are you doing under the bed? Did you lose something?"

A seemingly innocent question from Y/n made Steven sweat bullets; he did lose something, a very important do-not-lose thing... The only thing that has made him suffer from the heat of the jacket for the past three days: the couple necklace!

Steven could see Y/n still wear it proudly around her neck, and here he is, loosing it somewhere neither he nor Marc, not even Jake, can remember.

"Are you staring at my chest?" Y/n asked with a smug smile; she just wanted to tease her lover a bit, and it seems like her plan worked perfectly.

"No! I mean—I didn't mean to—whoa whOA" Steven tried to swat Y/N's hands away when she tried to unbutton his jacket with a seductive gaze.

She can't know about it! - He is still so shy

Two different thoughts were held at the same time by two different people. One tried to grip onto the jacket like his life depended on it, and one tried to take it off with a questioning look on her face.

Eventually Y/n give up and stop tugging at Stevn's shirt, maybe she shouldn't push him too far; if the roles were reversed, she wouldn't feel comfortable with it either. "Babe... I'm sorry, I shouldn't do that."

"It's okay... I'm just...promised me you won't be mad at me, yea?" Steven doesn't want to hide the secret any longer, and despite Marc yelling at him they still have a chance to find it. Steven unbuttoning his jacket reveals the "horror" beneath it.

Y/n still hasn't noticed what is missing yet; she just thinks it is funny how Steven is holding his jacket open like Superman. "Pff, what are you doing now?"

Steven's shoulder dropped, and he let out a long sigh. "I lost the necklace you gave-"

"YOU WHAT"

"You talk to her Marc!" "Ugh, I told you not to tell her!"

"Baby, calm down. I'm still looking for it." Marc tried to calm Y/n down after fronting; he is not good at this kind of thing; usually it's Steven, maybe even Jake.

Y/n let out a long fake cry and let herself fall backward, lying on the floor with her arms spread out. "Marc, what have you doneee?"

"Hey hey, how could you accuse me like that? What about Jake and Steven?" Marc said while joining Y/n on the floor. He is lying on his side, propped up on one elbow, with his hand supporting his head.

The action made Y/n turn her head to face Marc with a pout; she wants to say "As if you're not the one who never keeps things tidy." But judging from the "puppy dog eyes" look on her lover's face, Y/n decides it is not worth saying. Instead, the woman stood up and went looking for her boots and coat.

"Wait, where are you going?" Marc stood up and followed Y/n, his face showing clear confusion—is she going to leave him just because of a necklace? "I told you I can still find it, babe, please don't go.."

Marc reached out and held Y/n's arm, stopping her from going anywhere. But to his surprise, she said he can come with her too, but where exactly?

"Oh, c'mon, we are going to get you guys something new to remember me." Y/n gives Marc a smile before pulling him with her to go outside.

===☾︎ ☾︎ ☾︎===

"WOW! It turned out great! Look at us!" Steven exclaimed while looking at the photo strip on both of his hands.

Turns out Y/n have found a new nearby photo booth when she goes home early today, and because her lover already lost the necklace somewhere, Y/n decide it is best for them to take some photos, that way all three boys can have something of their own.

Steven is very happy with all the funny and cute filters the photo booth offers to add to the photos, meanwhile Marc decides to keep it lowkey with some small kissing and a stoic smile; even Jake front today to have pics with Y/n (which make her flustered and surprised with how flirty he is).

"What do you think about our new 'couple' thing?" Y/n smiles at Steven, waiting for his answer.

"IT IS THE BEST! Marc and Jake also said they loved it a lot"

Y/n watched Steven carefully put all the photos neatly into his pocket. His face must hurt from all the smiling and grinning today.

"I'm glad.... I was sad that you guys lost the necklace, but to the point of hiding it and being scared that I would leave? You know I would never...I love you more than that, okay?"

Steven feels like his face is getting redder and redder from hearing that. "I love you too. Let's go home now, yeah?"

And so, the couple exchanges a kiss before walking back to their home, hands in hands.💕

[lumine-no-hikari]

Dear Sephiroth: (a letter to a fictional character, because why not) #278

I woke up in a lot of pain today. But it slowly got better as the day wore on. Initially, I just planned on running a few errands with J and then returning home; I needed to see Mi, because I was marked as an "Unexcused Absence" from work yesterday despite having cleared my absence with Mi; I don't want an "Unexcused Absence" on my work record. I also needed to pick up some medicine from the pharmacy; one of them stops my stomach from digesting itself, and the other one stops my blood pressure from going out of control. And we also went to a reptile and arthropod expo!!!

I went to see Mi first about the "Unexcused Absence" that was actually a cleared absence. He had forgotten to change how my schedule was recorded, and he's going to clear it up, thank goodness. I also told him about what happened with the assistant manager on Thursday, and how I had made a fool of myself in front of him. Mi seemed more amused and unconcerned than anything; apparently my diligence is already known and appreciated??? But still, I...

...I guess I'm afraid of being misunderstood. And I value transparency. If I feel like I've fucked up, I want to be up front about that, and I want to explain - not as a means to excuse my fuckup, but as a means to try to explain that I'm not some lazy, deliberately disrespectful, stupid creature who should be thrown away.

...I don't want to be thrown away. I don't want to be someone that others find insufferable. I don't want anyone to dread me being around. I want to be good. I like where I work, I like the people I work with, I'm proud of what I do, and I like who I am when I sink into the comfort of routine tasks. I like doing repetitive things that require precision and attention to detail. It's good, and... I don't want it to be the case that the people I work with wish that I wasn't around.

...On the way out, I happened to see the assistant manager. So I stopped to apologize to him - first for making him repeat himself because I didn't register that he had spoken, and second for not knowing the answer to his question even after he had repeated himself.

...I'm worried that I might have been misperceived; he seemed more confused than anything. There's part of me that wonders if I made things worse somehow. But... then I remember that, if it is my intention to practice integrity and accountability, then if others perceive it weirdly due to their own insecurities, then there's not a whole lot I can do about it. I gave a genuine apology where an apology was owed; I did my due diligence. The rest, I suppose, is up to him.

...I hope they won't make me go away.

I'm going to try to do a better job of memorizing the service theme of the day, even though I do all the service themes every day that I'm there. Of course, I'll keep trying to be good to the people around me, trying to find reasons to delight in others' presence, and trying to exceed the expectations in front of me, regardless of what day of the week it is; I want to take my work seriously even if it's not glamorous, and I want to make things easier for the people in my immediate vicinity in whatever ways I can.

In any case, instead of just getting the errands done and returning home, J and I went to a reptile and arthropod expo!!! And of course, I took LOTS of pictures for you of all the cute and amazing things that I saw!! I can only have 30 photos per letter, though, so I'll just show you the best ones. But fair warning, they're likely going to be out of order, because when I sent the photos to myself, they got weird.

There were LOTS of different reptiles on display:

...This albino snake with eyes like polished ruby spheres!!!! Oh my gosh!!!!

Tiny gators and crocs!!!

And turtles!!

...Me, waiting around nervously in the crowd for my turn to hold one; J decided to take a picture of that for some reason, haha...

...But then it was my turn to hold one!!!!!

There were spiders and scorpions, too!!!!! LOOK!!!!

AND!!!! SEPHIROTH!!!! I GOT TO HOLD ONE!!!!

So fuzzy!!! So adorable!!!! So polite and gentle!!!! Such beautiful, wonderful, delightful, and utterly lovable little living things!!! Oh my gosh!!!!!

...Getting to meet this beautiful little creature was EASILY the highlight of my whole day today!!!! Oh my goodness!!! AAAAAAAAAA!!!!! 🤩😍🥰

...I wish I could live with a tarantula companion. But there are two problems with this. The biggest one is that M - one of the most extreme arachnophobes I know - would cry a lot. He gets terrified even at the mere mention of them. Second... I don't think I'd be able to stomach putting live insects into danger for the sake of feeding it. I don't wanna think about putting a cute little cricket or a cute little mealworm into a tarantula enclosure.

I would like to live with a snake companion, too, but... I would not be able to put live, adorable, fuzzy creatures into the enclosure to get eaten. Rats and mice are potential friends.

And... that's not to say that I have any issues with people who can stomach doing that. I'm just... not one of those people. Which is why I enjoy my reptile friends from a distance and hold the friendly ones when I can, instead of taking responsibility for their care and keeping.

...It's bad enough that I gotta eat already dead things for the maintenance of my own body. And on the one hand... I do love preparing delicious, wonderful things. On the one hand, I do understand that a human body generally needs animal protein (there are PLENTY of people who are deathly allergic to all the vegan sources of protein...). But on the other hand... I really wish that it didn't require other things - plant or animal - to die in order for my own life to be sustained. But it's not something I can really help, so it's not like I've got a choice but to accept it.

...Maybe in my next life, I can be a tree someplace where there isn't logging, on a planet that isn't dying! Something like this, maybe!

...And wouldn't it be neat if someone could tie a small swing to one of my branches, and rock back and forth with the wind rushing through their ears and hair. And my joy and laughter would sing out through the rustling of my wispy, willowy leaves and blossoms. Kinda like this:

...And wouldn't it be neat if that someone sitting on the swing could be you?

...Ah... I got off topic, ahaha! Forgive me!

Anyway!!! So I left with a new hat!! Check it out!!!

...One of the eyes is on crooked. But I like that about it; it's a bit of a misfit, just like me! Ahahaha! 💖 It's not going to replace my Eevee hat; this one is a bit too warm to wear right now. If the winter gets cold this year (it should; it'll be alarming if it doesn't...), I'll wear it then.

Anyhoot. It's probably about time I wrap up today's letter; I wanna watch J play more Brave Fencer Musashi!

I love you. Please keep yourself safe out there at the Edge of Creation, okay? Please make good, kind, gentle choices towards yourself and the people around you. I'm counting on you to come back home to all the people who love you, okay?

I'll write again soon.

Your friend, Lumine

[primalsouls]

Inner Visions

can you tell what's happening?

nothing's ever what it seems

tighnari x gn!reader pt.2

theme: general

warnings: ooc Tighnari?, kinda heavy dialogues, not much but please lmk if you find anything triggering or need a warning for.

summary: Tighnari's life was safe but appreciation wasn't shown. Forgetting the new fungi, his attention moves on to an individual who claims they can see the future, which he finds to be impossible to do. No one can really see the future.

notes: outfit look because i suck at description lmao it took me a while to get this done lol. it is currently 2:00am and i work at 8am xD .... oh gosh. anyway, here is Inner Visions pt 2! would try to work on pt 3 this week or next. please enjoy and lmk what you think in the comments. the characters might be a bit ooc but that's due to me not playing the game for a long while haha. anyway, please have fun!

pt. 1

✿ some reader info ✿

has a third eye - uses to see future visions when activated, atm the third eye is ◉ᵕ◉.... third eye is the closed one haha...

a "deity" - doesn't have a region to rule nor followers to guide

third eye makes them lose energy, making them be tired easily, sleeps regains their energy/power back

wields a polearm mainly but can use more than one weapon - hand-to-hand combat mostly preferred

Kunishiko is the name I used for Wanderer haha.

more will be added once i remember haha

⌑ reblogs & feedback are appreciated here! ⌑

"That's impossible." Were the first words Tighnari spoke right after (Name) introduced themselves. The atmosphere felt thick but he wasn't sure if it was the horrendous smell of the fungi or the deep unsettling gut feeling built within the depths of his stomach. It was confusing. How was it possible for someone to see the future? What if they followed him here instead and lied about such nonsense? But if that were the case, he would have known by the sounds of their footsteps his long ears would have picked up or Iraj would have let him know there was someone behind him from the get go. Actually, how didn't his ears pick up any sound from them? Tighnari looked around. There wasn't any other entrance nearby other than the one he came from.

"I'm a light walker." (Name) answered without hearing the ranger's worried questions. Their voice caught his ears, his eyes snapped back on their figure. "You're thinking how I got here. I didn't follow you. I just saw in my visions that someone was going to die in this cave by eating a deadly mushroom. I was actually heading my way to Sumeru City. This place was just on my path there and before I could continue on, I got a flash of someone with fox-like features about to commit a stupid move."

Tighnari frowned, his bow lowered by his side. He still kept his stance up, not fully trusting (Name) yet. And they could see it in his eyes. Such pretty serious eyes. (Name) figured there was no use to continue staying in the cavern with the forest watcher. They had done their good deed for the day, there was no point in trying to prove themselves to someone. Especially when they had someone else in the city waiting for them.

"Believe me or not, take what you can from this encounter. It's not like I've expected for anyone to believe or know about me. Though, as much as I'd like to stay and chit chat with a pretty fox like you, I have to go." (Name) said as they turned on their heel, but they didn't miss the chance to see the light pink blush decorated the fox-hybrid's cheeks. Raising the hood over their head, the stranger began to walk away.

Tighnari stood there, watching their figure distances as they walked out of the cave. Bow in hands. His heart was still racing from the earlier attack—or in their case, help—(Name) caused by the use of their polearm. Letting his weapon disintegrate as he put it away behind him, Tighnari quickly climbed out of the cave. There were too many questions in his mind. The new fungi was long forgotten the moment he set his eyes on the other. Maybe they hadn't gotten too far. His ears stood on high alert for their footsteps but nothing was able to be picked up. When he reached the entrance of the cavern, Tighnari turned to Iraj.

"Iraj!" The ranger called out, hurriedly making his way towards the startled man.

"Oh, Master Tighnari! What's wrong? You looked as if you saw a ghost." Iraj said as he walked towards the dendro user. Tighnari glanced around the area for any sign of (Name).

"I hope I didn't." He said, panting under his breath. "Have you seen someone just walk out? A hooded individual with a trident?" Iraj shook his head, a look of confusion on his face.

"No, sir. No one has walked in nor walked out." The ranger said. Tighnari frowned. How was that possible? Then how was (Name) able to pass Iraj with being seen?

"I see…" His brain tried to wreck any other entrance of the cave. There was the first Southern opening just where Iraj guarded. Above them to the right was both the second southern entrance and the first northern one. But the northern opening belongs to another cavern just above the one they stood at. Maybe they came from the second way in. Though they would have been too late to stop him if they took that way in. "What are they?" He asked himself, looking back at the cave before he scanned his surroundings once more.

"Was someone in there, Master Tighnari?" Iraj asked, concern laced in his tone. The fox-hybrid scratched the back of his head, unsure what to say.

"No, um, forget it… I'm gonna leave my stuff behind there. Need to go to the city." He said. Before the ranger could say anything to stop him, Tighnari already headed on his way to Sumeru City. It was the destination they mentioned they needed to reach afterall. Who knows, maybe he would be able to catch them before they reach the city's walls.

"So, who are we meeting again, Nahida?" Paimon asked, looking down at the dendro archon with a tilt of her head. The duo were called by Nahida at the Sanctuary of Surasthana for a small meetup. They were notified by Katherine at the Guild when they went up to report their last commission. The small archon requested their presence at the sanctuary. And there they were, the archon catching them up with her latest commission.

Nahida smiled, looking up at the floating girl. "(Name). They are an old acquaintance of mine. I found out about them when I was searching for some more information about Aether's sister through memories in Irminsul Tree. There was a hidden ley line that held some unusual information about (Name). I figured with their help, maybe we could learn more about your sister." Nahida explained, turning her gaze on the puzzled traveler.

Help them learn more about his sister? Could this (Name) person have anything to do with Lumine? What could their relationship with his sister be? So many questions ran through his mind, but he won't let this opportunity slip away from his fingers. "I hope they can be of any help. Thank you, Nahida." Aether said, a kind smile crossing his face. Nahida beamed with a nod, turning her small body towards the door.

"Then let's go. They should arrive here in no time." Nahida said.

"Wait, what about Kunishiko?" Paimon asked.

Nahida giggled. "He's studying with someone right now."

The pair raised a brow. That was a first. Usually he wasn't the type to study with someone. Dismissing the whereabouts of the Wanderer, the trio descended their way to the entrance of Sumeru City. Nahida looked forward to meeting her old friend. She was grateful they managed to reach out. Hopefully there was no trouble heading their way. She didn't want anything to ruin their rekindle meeting and friendship.

Tighnari frowned. He stood at the entrance of Sumeru City but found no sight of (Name). Did they lie to him? Did they also see in the future that he was going to follow them? A scoff of a laugh left his lips. There was no such thing as future visions.

"Who would have known you would be a stalker." That alluring voice! Tighnari turned to the source. There they were, standing near the Guild with their arms crossed over their chest, the hood down to their shoulders. Registering the words from the other, Tighnari scoffed.

"I didn't stalk. I-I… I—well—I…" Why was it difficult to think of a lie? "I've… came to pick up some new materials. Yes, new materials. Since the ones I had were destroyed." Tighnari eyed the individual with a glare.

(Name) smirked, a shrug being delivered at the fennec fox. "Sounds like it could be partially true, but we both know why you came here, cutie." Their words made Tighnari do a double take, a huff leaving his lips. Another blush colored his cheeks from the endearment they used. Before he could continue the banter, another voice popped out.

"Tighnari!? What are you doing here?" Turning to the owner of the high-pitched voice, the young man noticed the traveler and the other two make their way to the Guild. Paimon flew over to him, standing between him and (Name). "Do you know them?" She asked, glancing between the two. Tighnari kept quiet, unsure what to say until Nahida took account of their behaviors.

She turned to the individual, a polite smile on her face. "You must be (Name), right?" She asked. Earning a nod, Nahida clapped her hands. "I don't know if you remember me but I'm Nahida! The dendro archon of Sumeru. It is a pleasure to meet up with you again, (Name)." The archon asked. Hearing her introduction, Tighnari frowned.

"I'm sorry but you guys know them?"

"Only Nahida does! We're just meeting them now, too. They're here to help Aether learn more about his sister's whereabouts." Paimon explained with a nod towards Tighnari. "Have you met them before, Tighnari?"

"We met at a cave today. Poor fox was about to meet the stars so soon." (Name) said with a cheeky smile. They received a glare from him.

"I've almost eaten a new mushroom found within the caves of Gandha Hill. Fortunately, (Name) was there to stop me." Tighnari admitted, a look of embarrassment on his face. (Name) chuckled.

Nahida looked at the vision user. "Why don't you join us then? We would love to have more extra hands to help, I'm sure (Name) wouldn't mind." She offered. They shook their head, silently agreeing they truly didn't mind his presence. Paimon and Aether agreed excitedly as well. It would be a good chance to catch up with Tighnari. The fennec fox hesitated in his answer, sparing a glance at (Name) who only sent him a wink. Huffing a sigh, Tighnari agreed to come along. With his positive response, Nahida guided the group to the Lambad's Tavern. Today's reunion meeting was going to be interesting.