#either way we take it for granted that we have this opportunity in the first place. we've gotten used to living pretty damn comfortably

[sillypilled-friendcel]

ignore this

[kpop---scenarios]

Reckless (1)

Pairing: Lee Know x Reader

Genre: Brothers best friend

Warning: Language, a little violence etc, smut later on

Word Count: 3k

“Jisung!” You yell from your room, covering your ears with your pillow. If he didn't shut the fuck up, you were going to lose it. “Jisung!” You scream again. Angrily, you crawl out of your bed, stomping your way across the hallway to his room. You try to open the door but the door is locked. You pound on the door, anger flowing through you.

“Open the door!” You yell, pounding even harder. Finally the door swings open, your brother looking annoyed.

“The fuck do you want?” He asks, rubbing his face.

“I have an exam tomorrow. I can't sleep with the fucking music coming from your room.” You yell. “Shut the fuck up.”

“Wear some headphones then.” Jisung scoffs.

“I swear to fucking..” you pause, as Jisungs best friends comes to the door.

“Feeling feisty tonight, are we?” Minho chuckles, moving past your brother and out of his room.

“Yeah I am, watch out.” You snap, stomping back to your room, slamming the door behind you.

Your parents had been gone for months for work, and unfortunately for you Jisung had decided to slack off at school despite school only being in for 3 months. He was partying constantly and having his degenerate friends over at the house all the time. Lee Know, or Minho was the worst of them all and he never fucking left.

He was an arrogant, annoying, selfish, violent, short tempered man who you disliked the most out of all Jisung’s friends. The two of them were a few years older than you, both supposed to be in University but the way things were currently going, you didn't know how much longer either of them were going to be enrolled. You however were in your first year at the same University and you were not going to take your opportunity for granted. You wanted to get out of this town and move away onto bigger and better things.

As the volume of the music is finally lowered, you get comfortable in your bed, easily falling asleep, finally.

The next morning you're up early, deciding payback was much needed for keeping you up half the night. As you're hopping around your room, singing along to your loud music, getting ready for class, you faintly hear a pounding on your door. You laugh to yourself as you make your way, ripping the door open, seeing an annoyed Minho standing there, shirtless with a pair of sweats on.

“It's 7am.” He deadpans.

“And?” You ask.

“I've been sleeping for 2 hours.” He groans. “Turn it down.”

“That sounds like a you problem.” you begin. “Also, last I checked, this isn't your house.” You smile, closing the door in his face before he can say anything. You head to your stereo, turning the music down, for a few minutes until you felt like he was comfortable in bed again, starting to doze off and you turned it up again. Not long after you turned it off completely, heading to the kitchen to grab a banana before you headed to the bus stop. You wanted to get to school a little earlier than usual, taking time to go over your psychology notes for your exam, one last time.

“Y/N.” You hear from behind you in the library. You turn around, seeing your best friend, Hyunjin, standing there with bags under his eyes, holding a mass amount of papers, and looking extremely uneasy.

“Hyunjin.. what happened?” You ask, trying not to laugh at the poor man looking so defeated.

“it's literally the 3rd month of school, and I'm going to fucking flunk out.” He gasps, sitting next to you.

“No you're not.” You chuckle, flipping over your notes to look at the backside.

“I tried to study all night but I kept falling asleep. Why did I come here? I hate it.” He pouts. You shake your head at the man, focusing on your notes.

“Well.” You sigh. “At this rate, I'll be failing with you. Minho was at my house again last night. He and Jisung were blasting music until all hours.” You say, rolling your eyes.

“Minho was at your house?” Your other friend, Jisoo gasps, pulling up a chair beside you. “You're so lucky.”

“He's so fucking annoying.” You retort.

“But he's so hot.” Jisoo grins.

You ignored her last comment, you didn't want to vocally agree with her, because the last thing you needed was for your words to get back to him and inflate his head more than it already was.

“And to be honest, so is your brother. Is he single?” She asks.

“He's single. But I'm going to tell you not to go there because I don't want you to stop being my friend.” You laugh. “He's a terrible human being.”

“But he's hot.” Jisoo swoons, batting her eyes at you.

“Gross.” You sigh, looking at your phone. You gather your things off the table, dragging Hyunjin behind you to your psychology classroom.

“Please, Y/N.” He begs from behind you. You turn your head to look at him, giggling at the pitiful man who is usually so confident. This exam really has him fucked up. You turn your head again to look where you're going, and bump into someone, knocking your papers and bag to the floor.

“Ugh, I'm so sorry.” You sigh, bending down to pick up your things. You look up, seeing Minho glare down at you. You roll your eyes instantly, scoffing. “Actually I'm not sorry.” You say, finishing picking everything up. You stand up, Minho still staring at you but now smiling. Hyunjin comes up beside you, swinging his arm around your shoulders.

“Come on.” He says, pulling you away from Minho, who still hadn't said a word to you, but the smile never left his face.

“You got this.” You say to Hyunjin, your hands on his shoulders as you both take deep breaths outside your classroom door.

“So do you.” He breathes. “Drinks after?” He asks. You glance at your watch, 12:58pm. You should be done by 4pm..

“Abso-fucking-lutely.” You grin as the two of you make your way into the class.

3 hours later, you both emerge from the room, disheveled hair, sweat and tear stains present on both of you.

“How did..” Hyunjin starts. You put your hand up to stop him.

“Not yet. Shots..lots of shots.” You whimper. The two of you link arms, heading for the pub down the street from campus.

Hours later, you stumble home. As you stand in your yard you see lights flashing inside, and you can hear the bass thumping from the street. Jisung would throw a party on a random Thursday. That's just what he does. You quickly text Hyunjin and Jisoo to come over and party with you, both of them replying that they'll be there soon. You head inside, your brother spots you immediately.

“Y/N.. it's only just started. Don't shut me down.” He fake cries. You glare at him, seeing Minho walk up behind him. A few of his other friends were standing around, a lot of other people you didn't know also staring at you.

“Let's do some fucking shots!” You yell, making your way to the kitchen, hearing the cheers from the party goers. You walk past a chuckling Minho on your way to the kitchen. You glare at him before grabbing his sleeve, pulling him in there with you and a few others to take some shots. As you're about to do your second one, Hyunjin and Jisoo walk in. You were already drunk from your after exam drunks with Hyunjin, and now you were feeling it even more.

“Jinnie.” You squeal, putting your arms out for a hug. He grins as he wraps his arms around you, holding you tightly. Instantly you hear Jisoo’s flirty voice come to play, you break the hug to turn around and see Jisoo and Jisung tucked in a corner talking.

That made you want to vomit. You turn back towards the group taking shots, quickly pouring one for Hyunjin before you all take it. “Let's dance!” You yell, walking past Minho with Hyunjin in tow. You're dancing, laughing and just all around having a good time but you can't help but notice Minho standing against the wall with his arms crossed, eyes trained on you. They roamed up and down your body as he watched you dance, and you hated that the way he was looking at you, that the way he was biting his lip was turning you on so much.

“I'm gonna get a drink.” You tell Hyunjin, making your way to the kitchen. You feel a hand on your wrist, pulling you down the hallway instead.

“You looked really hot out there.” a guy tells you. You have no clue who this dude was, and frankly you were not interested.

“Thanks.” You respond, turning back towards the kitchen.

He grabs you again. “I wasn't done talking to you.” He half laughs.

You can feel the annoyance building up inside of you. “But I'm done.” You say, trying to walk away again. His grip tightens, pushing you against the wall.

“I'm trying to get to know you better.” He scoffs. “Don't be so rude.”

“I'm not interested.” You tell him, as if your current lack of interest wasn't enough.

He stares at you, refusing to move, not saying a word. You can see the wheels turning in his head as he tries to figure out what to say to you next. Before he can get his words out, he's shoved away from you, sliding down the floor of the hallway. Your mouth hangs open as you turn to look and see who your savior was.

Minho stands there, his eyes practically shooting daggers into the man.

“Are you fucking dumb, Changbin?” Minho asks.

“What the fuck, dude?” Changbin scoffs, scrambling up off the floor.

“That's Jisung's little sister you fucking moron.” Minho snaps, pointing at you.

“Oh shit.. I'm sorry! I didn't know!” He panics. Your eyes bounce between the two men, not sure why Changbin sounded so scared of your idiot brother.

“I'll let you off this time.” Minho starts. “If I catch you near her again, I will beat the fucking shit out of you.” He finishes. Changbin nods his head before running off into the crowd.

“You okay?” Minho asks as you rub your wrist. You nod your head.

“Yeah.. thanks.” You smile, returning to the party. The rest of the night, wherever you went, Minho was there, off in the distance watching you. You weren't uncomfortable from it but you did wish that he would go and enjoy himself. He didn't need to keep an eye on you, and as you got drunker, you decided to let him know.

“You.. keep staring.” You hiccup, placing your hand on the wall by his head. He smirks as he looks at you, barely able to stand up straight, eyes fluttering open and closed. You were a goddamn mess.

“Let's get you to bed, mhm?” He says, wrapping his arm around your waist to help you up the stairs. As you're walking up, you unfortunately see Jisung and Jisoo locking lips, making all the drinks you had all night threaten to come up.

“Get a room you sick fucks.” You slur, walking past them. Jisoo comes up for air looking embarrassed but only for a second before Jisung steals her attention back. Minho helps you to your room, you stand in the middle, your arms up high. He looks at you with a raised eyebrow, wondering what the fuck you were waiting for.

“I can't sleep in my clothes.” You whine. “but I'll fall if I undress myself.” You pout.

Minho reluctantly walks towards you, grabbing the hem of your shirt, pulling it up and over your head, leaving you in a bra and your pants. He moves his hands down towards the button of your jeans. You hop back a little, almost losing your balance as you laugh, hysterically.

“Funny.” He fake chuckles, moving towards you again. You grab onto his arm, spinning yourself around to his back, sliding your hands up and down his body. You reach around to his stomach, moving your hands under his shirt, running them over his abs.

“Ugh.” You groan at the feeling.

He quickly turns around facing you once again, a smile spread across his face. You knew he wanted to be mad at you but he couldn't.

“Take your pants off or I'm gonna throw you down onto the bed and take them off for you.” He threatens. You blush, hard.

“Is that a threat or a promise?” You ask, cocking your head to the side. Minho reaches out for you, grabbing you by the waist of your jeans, pulling you towards him. “It's a little of both.” He tells you as he tries to undo your button. You were having too much fun in the moment, you didn't want it to end just yet. You grab his hands, pushing him away from you, laughing as he runs his hands through his hair. He has never seen this giggling playful side of you before, and he was enjoying the fuck out of it.

“Y/N.” He says sternly, his hands on his hips.

“Minho.” You say, putting your hands on your hips, pushing your hip out, pursing your lips. He's trying to remain serious but he can't. He starts laughing as he rubs his face, groaning in frustration.

“Take off your pants!” He yells.

“Yes sir!” You giggle as you take off your pants, leaving you in your bra and panties. Minho hands you a pair of pj shorts that he grabbed from your dresser. You semi quickly put them on before turning around, facing away from him to unhook your bra. It slides down your body, onto the floor. You smile to yourself.

“I bet you're upset, huh?” You giggle, turning your head to look at him.

“Why would I be upset?” He asks.

“Cause you can't see my boobies.” You laugh, turning slightly to show him a little side boob. “I think you'd like them.” You say, looking at him. His eyes are focused down, looking at what you're showing him. “Tsk tsk, naughty boy.” You scold, slipping your shirt on, turning around to face him.

He stares at you, and you stare back. You examine his face, his large veiny arms and hands, his roughly tousled hair.

“Jisoo was right.” You whisper.

“About?” He asks.

“You.” You hiccup. “She said you were hot.”

“And what did you say?” He asks.

“I didn't say. Cause I don't need my words going to your thick ass head.” You giggle.

“If they wouldn't go to my head, what would you say?” He asks.

“That you're really fucking hot. But you're a little violent and hot headed.” You sigh. “Buuut you're not allowed to know that so shhh.. cause Jisung said you're off limits.”

“Since when do you do what your brother tells you?” He laughs.

“I listen to him!” you say. No you didn't. “Actually, never.” You hiccup.

He doesn't reply. He stands there, staring at you. You can feel your breath hitch as he moves closer towards you, the palm of his hand gently laying on your cheek as his face moves closer to yours. You close your eyes, the world is spinning as you feel his lips press against yours. You feel like you're melting into the kiss as your lips move against his, his tongue slowly sliding into your mouth, deepening the kiss.

You could have sworn this was a dream, like his lips were perfectly made for your own. He slowly pulls away, turning to look at the door, and that's when you hear it.

“Minho!”

It's your brother's voice. “Lee fucking Know!” He yells.

“Go to sleep.” He says to you, turning and walking out of your room. You lay down in your bed, closing your eyes. The world only spins for a moment before you pass out.

**

“I'm never drinking again.” You gasp as you crawl out of your bed, desperately trying to make your way to the bathroom to get some water. Your throat was the driest it had ever been and you felt like you might actually die. Once you reach the sink, you shove your head underneath, drinking all the cold water you could get into your mouth. Fuck it tastes good. When you're finally satisfied, you drag your feet to change into some comfier clothes before heading downstairs. Luckily you didn't have class until the afternoon today, so you could try to recover this morning. You grab some food from the fridge, eating it cold, ignoring the passed out people scattered around your house.

“Morning.” You hear. You turn to look, seeing Minho walk into the kitchen, heading for the fridge.

“Morning.” You sigh.

“Hungover?” He asks you, grabbing some juice. You whimper as you nod your head. He laughs. You turn to glare at him, when suddenly you remembered. You think you remembered at least.

“Did..” you pause. “We.. um.. actually nevermind.” You say, turning away from him.

“Did we, what?” He asks, grinning.

“Kiss?” You whisper, looking around, making sure Jisung wasn't around.

“Me and you?” He asks, shocked. “Did you have a sex dream about me?” He gasps, placing his hand over his chest.

“What!? No! I just had a flash.. of something.. and we were kissing.” You try to explain.

“I feel so violated.” He fake cries. “I wasn't aware you thought of me like that.”

“Who's thinking of you like what?” You hear. Jisung walks into the kitchen, grabbing your food off the counter.

“Y/N.” Minho says. “I think she's into me.” He laughs.

“Yeah right.” Jisung chuckles. “Neither of you are dumb enough to do that.”

You look at Minho as he looks at you. Neither of you were dumb enough.. right?

[420technoblazeit]

ok now that ive watched all of the fairly oddparents reboot here's my thoughts on peri and dev bc they ended up being my favorites

kind of obsessed w/peri's tumblr sexyman energy lasting approximately five seconds bc he's constantly stressed out dealing with dev. it's a little funny. he literally talks an octave or two higher than in that clip at all times. born 2 be a tumblr sexyman forced 2 deal with an obnoxious ipad kid

also idk if this is a hot take but peri's kind of a bad fairy godparent. and it's not even his fault really, he's trying, i think he just doesnt understand what dev needs. which makes sense bc dev's his first godkid. but he doesnt seem to get that while dev is really demanding all the time that's mostly bc aside from hazel peri seems to be the only person he regularly interacts with and he's grown up with the understanding that the only way to make friends is to buy people's respect and that's what he uses a lot of his wishes for

like yes peri's right, his job is just to grant wishes. but when you look at how cosmo and wanda interact with hazel theyre constantly suggesting ideas when she isnt sure abt how to solve a problem and coming up with new solutions. they also make sure to take the time to teach her life lessons when they see the opportunity to do so. but peri doesnt have the experience to do either of those things and that + his insistence to stick to the rules kind of puts a strain on his relationship with dev

i feel like it's pretty clear that dev got a fairy godparent bc he's being emotionally neglected like crazy. his dad sucks ass. and peri seems to recognize that and tries to give him emotional support but he doesnt really know how and sometimes runs out of patience with him. anyway i hope they get a second chance so we can see peri learning how to b a better fairy godparent. idk if that's the direction theyre gonna go w/those characters i feel like they wouldnt get rid of either of them considering how popular they are but itd b nice to see them work it out properly yk

[outro-jo]

NCT Dream and who’s taking the couch

pairing: nct dream members x reader (gender neutral)

type: scenario 

summary: how the nct dream members deal with arguments and who’s taking the couch when things get too heated

warnings: mentions of arguing

a/n: please read info before requesting 🤍

masterlist | info

———————————

mark- genuinely confused and conflicted. he’s mad too and knows you both just need some space right now but he doesn’t want you taking the couch. as comfortable as your couch is, it’s not that comfortable to sleep on… according to his brother who came to visit. he’ll probably end up going to the dorms or staying with one of the other boys but he leaves you with a kiss and reminds you that he still loves you. 

renjun- he doesn’t really have a choice. you’ve already gotten a blanket and you’re on the couch, kicking him out of the living room. he sighs and sits in the door way of your shared bedroom. technically he’s “out” of the living room but he falls asleep in the door frame. your heart breaks when you get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom and he’s there, slumped over. you kiss his cheeks to wake him up and sleepily lead him over to the bed. “you owe me a neck massage” he mumbles before going back to bed.

jeno- STUBBORN! if you need the space he’s more than willing to let you have it. and he’s too heated (aries in his chart) to even think about swapping places with you but he’s still a softie so he can’t bring himself to shut the door on you. one of you is going to cave it’s just a matter of who will do it first. did i mention jeno was stubborn? 

haechan- “fine! i won’t stop you!” but it only take about 10 mins before he’s out there whining about how cold the bed is without you and lays on top of you. as much as he likes to tease that you’re obsessed with him, he’s even more obsessed with you. 

jaemin- lord, the ego in this argument, bless his heart. but as soon as you mention that you’re gonna take the couch he stops. he thinks of the nights when he’s on tour and you’re not there. he’s made promises to himself that he has to keep, namely never taking you for granted and never missing an opportunity to fall asleep with you in his arms (and vice versa. we love a little spoon). so he takes a deep breath, swallows his pride, and asks you to reconsider. either that or he’ll just sleep on the couch with you and then you’ll both be grumpy the next day. 

chenle- he knows you have to have your way so he relents but he’d much rather make up. he doesn’t sleep at all, he’s just on his phone, looking at his collection of photos of you he has, making himself sadder before you come to the door ready to make up. 

jisung- feisty when he gets angry, pretty much matching your energy but he still cares for you more than anything. as soon as you mention sleeping on the couch he immediately says no and that he’ll take it if you need space. but he comes to the door a few hours later complaining that he’s cold

[clarisse0o]

Camp Wiegman-Part 55

Lucy Bronze x Ona Batlle

Alternative Universe : Military School

Words : 7k

Masterlist

———————————————————————

Wednesday, February 17; 9:15 AM - Ski Resort

I still find it hard to believe what we're about to do today. The days are passing, and we're already halfway through our trip. Me, a sun-loving girl who's only ever been to beaches, is now discovering a ski resort for the first time. Ever since I heard the news, I've had a lump in my throat. I just can't wrap my head around it.

“Do you think I’ll be able to do it?” Mapi asks me, standing by my side.

I take a deep breath. Thankfully, in the worst scenarios, my best friend is always there to face things with me.

"It’s up to you to feel it. Are you still in a lot of pain?” I ask, referring to her leg.

“It depends on the day... I hope it’ll be okay.”

“Have you talked to Ingrid about it?”

“Yeah, we had a chance to talk. She knows I don’t like to bring it up, but she knows what happened.”

“Then you don’t need to worry. I’m sure she’ll be careful.”

“You think so?”

“Of course,” I say with a smile. “From what I’ve seen these past few days, she seems attentive to you. I have no doubt she’ll know when to stop you if you push too hard.”

“Blah, blah, blah.”

We laugh, fully aware that this is exactly what will happen. Mapi loves challenges, and once she’s conquered them, she tends to not want to stop. I understand her fear, though. Skiing puts a lot of strain on your legs. She’ll likely feel pain at some point, even with the effective treatment she’s been on for years. Skiing... Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. I’m not at all comfortable with this idea, especially after our last two nights. The waitress Aitana flirted with invited us to some private parties. The first one was quite wild for some, and we got back late. We didn’t want to do much the next day. Most of us stayed at the hotel to relax, while the two other couples and I preferred to head back into town. We went out again last night, but it was much more low-key. The girls didn’t want to waste another day doing nothing. They had used their day at the hotel to look into things to do. The ski resort was their top recommendation. When they suggested it to us, I was the only one not very enthusiastic. I tend to enjoy walking in the snow in different ways, but I realize that’s not everyone’s preference. The girls were starting to lose patience and really wanted to do something more dynamic. This activity was definitely a lot more energetic than the previous ones. The weather was on our side, with the snow having stopped today, so it was the perfect time to plan sledding and skiing. The last time I was in a place like this, I must have been six years old. My mom wasn’t a fan of mountain vacations, being someone who had always lived in the sun. We went once thanks to my dad, who granted my wish. Those were the most memorable holidays for me because it was the first time I ever went sledding. However, I never skied, and the same goes for Mapi, who, unlike me, is seeing snow for the first time after her first visit to Manchester. We were supposed to go sledding this morning, but because of our little handicap, our girlfriends, who are currently ahead of us, decided to change the plan for the four of us. Since Mapi hadn’t changed her behavior, I thought it was a good opportunity for just the two of us. I needed to talk to her. I could sense something was bothering her, and I didn’t like it. I tried sending Alexia in my place, but she couldn’t get much out of her. Either Mapi didn’t understand her intention, or I was really imagining things, which I doubt.

“So, can I ask you a question?” she starts again. “But you won’t take it the wrong way, right?”

“Why would I take it the wrong way?”

“It’s about Lucy.”

The mention catches me off guard. Is she trying to talk about it? The timing couldn’t be better. At least we can clear the air before today’s activities because we both know there’s some tension.

“I’m listening.”

“Promise me you won’t take it the wrong way?” she insists.

“Mapi, we’ve always told each other everything up until now. Why would you be afraid of my reaction?”

She sighs, letting her shoulders relax. Her behavior towards me over the past two days remains a mystery. The way she kept pulling me away from Lucy left me puzzled and annoyed. I started wondering if she had a problem with her, and now I’m starting to believe it more and more. I hope it’s nothing serious. I don’t particularly want them to stop talking, or worse, have to choose between the two.

“So why didn’t you come talk to me yourself? You sent Alexia, didn’t you? I’m not that clueless.”

I bite my lip, caught off guard. Alexia had warned me that it would be better if I went myself, but I didn’t listen. Now, I’m already regretting that bad decision.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have, you’re right.”

“So, you really sent her?”

“I could tell you were on edge. I was afraid it would get worse if I came first.”

We look at each other for a moment, then laugh together. We both feel a bit silly, I think. There’s good reason for it. We’ve never been afraid to tell each other things. That’s what I’ve always loved about Mapi. Even if we knew it wouldn’t please the other, we’ve always been honest.

“Sorry, I was really nervous about bringing it up.”

“You didn’t need to be,” I sigh. “So... it’s about Lucy, right?”

“Yeah, um...” she starts, suddenly feeling awkward. “I don’t really know how to say this. First, does she still hold a grudge against me?”

“What?” I frown. “No! Why would she have something against you?”

I look at my girlfriend who’s ahead of us with Ingrid. We’ve slowed down our walk since we started talking, creating a bigger gap than before. They’re both in an animated conversation, laughing from time to time. I think about all the ways Lucy could have made her think that, but nothing comes to mind. She did give her a bit of a hard look the day she pulled me away from her during the walk, but that passed quickly when she found it amusing that I was angrier than she was. Anyway, since we’ve been together, it’s different. She no longer sees Mapi as a threat, but simply as someone very important to me.

“Well, I don’t know... I felt like she was giving me dirty looks last time. Sorry, I might be imagining things.”

“Lucy has no problem with you, I assure you. She really likes you and knows what you mean to me. If it were otherwise, she would have told me, and I would have fixed things.”

“Okay...” she murmurs. “You love her, don’t you? I’ve never seen you so attached to someone like her.”

I breathe softly. Oh yes, I love her, and I spend all my time glued to her. I was never that person before, but she made me this way. In none of my previous relationships did I seek physical contact as I do now.

“Does it bother you?”

She looks at me for a moment. I can see the internal struggle she’s having. She doesn’t know how to respond, and it’s all the more unsettling. I give her a friendly nudge.

“Come on, spill it. We’re talking about it for a reason, after all.”

“I was very surprised,” she begins. “I think your Valentine’s Day made me jealous. Not romantically. Ingrid is wonderful to me, and I appreciate her more and more each day,” she quickly justifies. “But in terms of us, our relationship, our friendship...”

Now that she says it, it’s true that after I shared everything we did, her behavior changed. I frown at this realization. Without saying anything, she continues.

“I never knew how to give you the same things she does. Just look at the day you spent together. It’s obvious she thought of you first in her plans. I’ve never been able to do that for you. Not even for a day.”

“Mapi—”

“I know our relationship is different from yours. It was powerful in another way, and it was during another period. We were younger and a bit more carefree. But what she’s done with you in just a few months is just... impressive. She’s transformed you, and I feel lousy for not being able to give you the same support and help you grow like she has.”

Regret, remorse. That’s all I hear in her words, and now it’s my turn to feel bad. How did she get to the point of feeling so worthless? She doesn’t even realize how much she’s helped me. Her return after Feli sparked a lot of progress that she doesn’t seem to have noticed. I release my lip from between my teeth and reply without thinking.

“You have nothing to blame yourself for. You’re the one who gave me the most support before I joined this school. You did the hardest part by getting me out of my room.”

I smile just remembering it. She had to drag me, but she did it, and she stayed with me the whole time. It was her, and no one else, who accomplished that feat.

"I have to admit, being away from my problems was the best idea my mom ever had. You’ve never set foot in my school, but we all have our problems, often similar, sometimes completely different."

Korbin's situation comes to mind. She just never had the chance to grow up in a stable environment, which led to her circumstances. Just thinking about it makes me sick.

"I'm not saying you can't understand, but they teach us to open up, to trust each other. Like with Alexia, you know? We’ve confided in each other about our issues. Plus, we're also guided. Especially by Lucy, in my case, but not just her. It’s a collective thing, you see? It's not just Lucy who helped me evolve, as you said."

"And in all this, what happens to me?"

"What do you mean, what happens to you?" I teased. "You’re still my best friend, no matter what. Nothing will change that. Neither new friendships nor our new relationships. We’re still us."

"Good, I’m relieved," she said, clearly feeling better. "Because I’ve applied for a transfer for next year."

"Really?" I said, excited.

She had mentioned wanting to follow me, but hadn’t said what she was planning. Knowing she’ll be here next year makes me really happy. Even though the school keeps me busy, I miss her a lot.

"Of course! You’re not getting rid of me that easily," she giggled. "My teacher said there shouldn’t be any problem. The school in Manchester has a better reputation, but with my good grades, I should get accepted. He even said it would be better for me."

"That’s awesome!"

I hugged her tightly. She doesn’t have an official response yet, but I’m confident it will work out. Mapi is a very diligent student, even if it doesn’t always seem that way. After all, she’s doing what she loves.

"I’m really happy, honestly."

"Can I confess something else while we’re at it?" she asked, pulling away from my embrace. "But you won’t take it the wrong way, right?"

"What now?" I asked, holding back a small laugh.

"I used to wonder if Lucy would be enough for you," she admitted, making me frown. "That was before you were together. I thought she was too calm and too sensible. Not to mention she didn’t seem to enjoy parties. You just have to see how she reacted to last night’s party agai—"

"She wasn’t feeling well yesterday," I defended her immediately. "She had a migraine, and the party wasn’t the best for her, but she still wanted to come."

"Whatever," she said, waving her hand as if it didn’t matter. "That’s not the point, it was just an example. I thought she’d be boring for you in the long run. I talked about it with Ingrid before you were together, and she got mad, saying I didn’t know Lucy. And I have to admit, she was right."

Her last sentence brought me instant relief. I was already worried she might say she no longer saw me with Lucy, which would have been strange since she’s the one who kind of pushed us together.

"So, you’ve changed your mind?" I asked hesitantly, making her shrug.

"I have to admit she knows how to handle you," she replied with a small smile that made me laugh. "That’s all that matters, and if you’re happy with her, that’s what’s important."

"I am. She’s really sweet and adorable. I didn’t expect that either."

"Oh, really?" she said, surprised.

"Well, yeah… She’s always been caring towards me, but I found her so closed off before that I didn’t know what to expect if she ever opened up."

"I see… So how is it?"

"It’s really great. She’s confided in me little by little, but now, she’s so open that I can see her expressions, you know? That wasn’t the case before."

"Hmm, hmm," she smiled. "Are you sure it’s not you who finally opened your eyes to how she feels?"

"Of course not," I replied, gently hitting her arm, making her laugh.

"I’m telling you, Ona. She was already smitten the first time I saw her interact with you. I even told Lucy. You were just too oblivious to notice."

I blushed just thinking about it. We really were blind, according to our friends.

"Maybe you’re right… We’re together now," I said pensively. "You know, I wanted to use this vacation to get closer to her. I was really scared of my reactions when starting a new relationship," I confessed to her.

"You haven’t slept together yet, have you?"

"No," I grimaced. "Do you think Lucy will be patient with that? I’m worried."

"Yeah, don’t worry. Knowing her, she has the patience of a saint. If she needs it, I bet she’ll let you know."

"If you say so… Anyway, don’t scare me like that again. I really need your positive opinion, and you know that, right?"

"I know, yeah," she smiled. "And you have it. She even managed to make me jealous, and that’s saying something."

I chuckled, shaking my head. At least she’s not afraid to admit it. Others would have denied it. Not her, and I love that about her.

"And you, with Ingrid?" I changed the subject.

"She’s great, really," she answered instantly, clearly expecting the question. "Much better than Ana. She’s cool, we laugh a lot, and she’s laid back. Oh, and also, in bed, she’s pretty good."

"Oh, Maps, please, spare me the details."

"What? You don’t want to know?"

"No, thanks," I grimaced.

"Are you sure?"

She laughed, fully aware that this is one of the few topics we can’t discuss. I’m not prudish, but I’d rather not know what my ex does with her new girlfriends. Talking about it makes me feel like we’re back in the past, and I’d rather avoid that. After this little laugh, we both sighed softly. We really needed this conversation to clear the air.

"Looks like our wild nights are over now."

"Seems like it, yeah," I chuckled.

"I think I’m a bit scared of this new change, you know, becoming an adult, having responsibilities. Ingrid even says I often act like a child," she laughed, making me smile.

I put my arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to me. She rested her head on my shoulder, accepting my embrace.

"We’ll do it together, don’t worry. Never one without the other."

She nodded and kissed my cheek afterward, making me smile. All she needed was reassurance. I regret letting things get to the point where she felt neglected and unheard. I’ll have to figure out how to balance things better in the future. I’ve already hurt her enough in the past, I don’t need to add anything else.

"I guess I owe Lucy an apology now."

"Oh, it’s not necessary."

"It is. Knowing you, you’ll tell her everything, so I might as well do it myself," she replied.

I laughed because she’s so right. I can’t hide anything from Lucy. Especially since she’s been glancing over at us, and I imagine she’ll have questions for me.

"And I’ll have to thank her too," Mapi said, drawing my attention back to her.

"For what?"

"Thanks to you two, I met Ingrid," she answered with a small smile. "We exchanged numbers to talk about you mainly, but we hit it off so well that we got closer. So, thank you too."

"It’s my pleasure if we helped you. Your happiness is important to me, you know that. Now that everything’s clear, how about a hug?"

"Damn right, I’ve been waiting for that."

I laughed as I barely had time to catch her in my arms for a tight embrace. I missed her touch. Mapi will always be the first person who helped me out of that dark place. She’s indispensable to me, and she should know that. I closed my eyes, savoring this moment that I had missed. It’s different from being with Lucy, but just as familiar.

"Come on, we should catch up with them before they start wondering where we are."

Now that she mentioned it, I realized we couldn’t see our girlfriends anymore. Instead, a small wooden cabin stood before us. I easily guessed it was the chalet where we were supposed to pick up our gear, thanks to the sign. I nodded and let her go in first. Our girlfriends were in line, so we joined them.

- "Well, what took you so long, girls?" Ingrid asked as we approached.

- "Sorry, we were just talking," Mapi explained as she pulled away from me to enjoy a hug from her girlfriend.

I nestled into Lucy's embrace, just as Mapi did with Ingrid. Lucy's expression was full of curiosity after I stole a kiss. I snuggled into her neck and whispered:

- "I'll explain later."

My answer seemed to satisfy her because she hugged me tightly and kissed my temple. I smiled as I watched the other couple interact. It was clear who was in charge between them, and it was a bit surprising. Normally, Mapi was the one who took control, but not in Ingrid's arms, it seemed. Given Ingrid's playful nature, I hadn’t expected her to take on that role.

- "When will you tell me?"

I turned my attention back to Lucy. It was only then that I noticed her impatience, which made me smile.

- "Be patient. You'll know everything tonight, I promise."

- "Hmm... Okay," she said, pouting adorably, which made me smile.

It was funny how eager she was to know. Since I’d become better at reading her expressions, I’d discovered many traits I hadn’t known about before. Curiosity was one of them. I admired her so much for being able to hide it and not bombard me with questions. That's probably what I would have done in her place, but she knew that would have made me run. I wouldn’t have been able to handle it. With these thoughts in mind, I stood on my tiptoes to kiss her again, hoping it would satisfy her for now. I could tell she was frustrated about not knowing our conversation, but I didn’t want to discuss it in front of the girls. It seemed my idea worked because she returned my kiss with a hidden smile.

- "It’s our turn," Ingrid pointed out.

We noticed she was right as we turned to the counter.

- "Can you help me pick out my equipment?" I asked Lucy. "I don’t really know what I’m doing."

- "Of course."

We walked forward with her hand resting on my waist. The receptionist handed us our gear based on Lucy’s instructions. I didn’t know anything about this, so I trusted her judgment.

- "Can’t we snowboard instead of skiing?" I asked when I saw a snowboard nearby.

- "Learn to ski first, will you?" she chuckled. "Snowboarding is much harder."

- "Really? But it’s just one board under your feet."

- "Exactly," she laughed. "It’s much harder to balance and stay on your feet. We’ll try it someday when you’ve mastered skiing."

- "So that means we’ll come back?"

- "We’ll go wherever you want, whenever you want, and as many times as you want, sweetheart."

I bit my lip at how affectionate she was becoming day by day. She had never been this sweet with me before. The tough, relentless Lucy was long gone, and I couldn’t even say which version I preferred now. I felt more and more important in her eyes, and that’s all I ever wanted.

- "Come on, let’s get going," she pulled me out of my daydream.

We thanked the man for his service, and the four of us headed outside with our equipment. We found a bench where we could sit and put on our skis. Aside from my grumbling, it was a pretty quiet moment. Lucy had a teasing smile as she watched me struggle. I had just managed to put on the boots she had chosen for me. I was surprised that she had picked the right size without even asking.

- "You could help instead of just laughing at me."

- "Of course," she said, her smile widening. "Since you asked so nicely."

- "Hey!" I protested, pouting.

- "I’m kidding."

As if she’d been doing this her whole life, she effortlessly got up and crouched down in front of me. She started by tightening the straps on my boots, which apparently weren’t tight enough for her. Then she placed the skis flat on the ground, and I finally understood the system when she positioned the tip of my foot in front of the clips. She then asked me to press down with my heel, and I heard my boot click into the ski. I did the same with the other one. At first, the sensation of having something under my feet was very strange, especially when I tried to slide them back and forth. The real fun was about to start. We exchanged a smile, as if she was thinking the same thing as I was when she stood up. She pecked my lips and held out her hands.

- "Come on, princess. It’s time to stand up."

- "Oh my God," I murmured as I wobbled the moment she pulled me to my feet.

The feeling was very weird. I probably would have slipped if Lucy hadn’t been holding me in her strong arms. She chuckled, gently pulling me closer. I regretted having such a bulky jacket on because I couldn’t feel her touch on my skin.

- "Okay... So what now?"

- "I’m going to let go and grab your poles."

- "And if I fall?"

- "You won’t fall," she laughed.

To make sure of it, she kept one arm around my waist as she moved to grab our poles. Once she had them, she let go of me and stood beside me. I glanced over at the girls who were watching us.

- "Okay," I said, taking a deep breath. "And now?"

- "Now we move forward."

I blinked as I saw Mapi following Ingrid. It was like she had been doing this forever. I parted my lips and looked at Lucy, who was laughing at me.

- "H-how did she do that?"

Lucy burst into laughter, which annoyed me. I had a feeling I’d be the last one today, and I hated that.

- "It’s not hard. It’s like walking. Just take small steps. It’ll help you get used to the skis and work on your balance. Then we’ll start sliding."

- "I’m suddenly not feeling so confident..."

- "Hey, it’ll be okay, alright? There will be falls and probably a lot of bruises tonight, but you’ll be fine. I’ll help you, and I won’t let you leave until you’ve made at least one descent."

- "Oh my God..." I muttered. "And what if I’m sore tonight?"

- "I have a little solution for that... But it’ll be up to you to decide when the time comes."

- "When you say things like that, it’s usually something I won’t like..."

- "Who knows... You’ll tell me tonight."

Wednesday, February 17th, 8:30 PM - Hotel Room.

All day, I couldn’t stop thinking about what Lucy’s suggestion would be. I turned it over in my mind a thousand times, hoping that in the end, it would be the jacuzzi we’d go to. As I had predicted, all my muscles were sore from this simultaneously disastrous and rewarding day. If I learned anything today, it’s that I’m a walking disaster. Though that’s not new, I was really bad at skiing. Once again, Lucy showed incredible patience with me. Unlike me, Mapi picked it up quickly. She’s always been more athletic and daring than me, so it wasn’t surprising. Lucy didn’t mind that we stayed at the bottom of the slope all day, while the girls and the rest of our friends who joined us after lunch went up to do runs. I think Lucy was happy we could spend some time together, uninterrupted for once. When we got back, I expected her to announce her idea right away, but she wanted us to have dinner with our friends first. It made me feel confused and reluctant, knowing that the pool had a closing time and would probably be closed by the time we were done. I was slightly disappointed since I had been dreaming about it all day, but now that I’m facing her real proposal, I don’t know how to react. I agreed, of course, but that didn’t make me any less nervous.

- "Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, I’d understand if you didn’t, you know. We’ve only been together for two weeks, and then-"

- "Luce, I told you I wanted to do it. Are you sure you haven’t changed your mind?" I half-joked.

The panic in her eyes disappeared for a moment, replaced by tenderness.

- "I haven’t. It’s just that I don’t want you to be scared or think I’m rushing things."

"We’re in swimsuits. What am I supposed to be scared of? We’ve already been in the pool, in a jacuzzi, and even in a spa. It’s not a bubble bath we’re going to take in swimsuits that’s going to scare me. »

- It's smaller, more intimate, and... private.

- That's what makes it even more romantic, right? I want us to spend some time together, just the two of us. For once, we actually have the time.

She giggles as she turns off the water that had been running until now when he gets halfway to the bathtub. To be honest, I'm in total panic inside. I can't even explain why. Lucy is everything you could want in a girlfriend. She didn't run away when I told her that I had isolated myself from the world for half a year. On the contrary, she wanted to prove to me that I'm no longer alone. Maybe it's because I know that this situation will bring us to an even deeper stage in our relationship. I push the thought away and speak.

- You getting in first? I murmur.

She nods softly, stepping one foot at a time into the tub. My eyes don't leave her for a second as she sits at the back of the tub. I hesitate for a moment, but her reassuring smile tells me I have nothing to fear. She's the only person I've never been afraid of, at least not in the context of a relationship. Of course, I fear her when she's in a black rage, especially at me, but never otherwise. I return her smile and join her. Instead of leaning my back against hers, I decide to snuggle up against her side. My tension quickly evaporates as my sore muscles relax and Lucy runs a hand through my hair, wrapping her other arm around me. The water is boiling hot, but there's nothing better after this cold day. She kisses my forehead with a satisfied sigh.

- Here we are, in this bath.

I giggle, burying my head in her neck. She had been dreaming about this, and now I finally understand why.

- Have you been dreaming of this moment all day too?

- You could say that... Did you know I wanted to do this?

- No, not the bath, I admit. But now that we're here, it was a very good idea.

And I mean it. The steam rising from the bath creates a strange atmosphere in the room. From where I'm sitting, I can see the mirror, which fogged up in no time. When I look down at the bath, I'm glad to see that the bubbles cover my bruised body.

- Do you know why Mapi's been acting weird lately? I start the conversation with a hint of amusement in my voice.

I break the silence now that we're alone, in the calm. Lucy hums slightly at my question.

- So there was a reason?

- In a way, yes...

I lift my head to meet her eyes with furrowed brows. I smile, finding her adorable like this. She always makes that face when something bothers her or when she doesn't understand what's going on.

- Hmm... So... What was the reason?

- Lots of things... Jealousy, worry, doubts...

- In what way? she asks, skeptical. She thinks I wouldn't take good care of you?

- No, that's not it.

I smile in amusement, detecting impatience in her movements. She knows Mapi's opinion matters to me. Just to tease her a little longer, I reluctantly get up to straddle her. She removes her hands from me, placing them on the edge of the tub while watching me with confusion. I lose track of our conversation, mesmerized by the beauty in front of me. The setting really enhances Lucy. My fingers trace her exposed neck. She had pulled her hair into a messy bun right after our meal. She wanted to be comfortable. I appreciate seeing her so natural. I might not be the first to see her like this, but at least I'm the first among the students at Camp Wiegman. So, she's no longer the terrifying instructor everyone fears. She's just my girlfriend, who grants me the privilege of seeing her true self. Our evenings alone are my favorite moments so far, even though I've also enjoyed the parties. She seems almost innocent and harmless, which is far from the case at school. I almost dread the moment we have to go back. I don't know how she'll react, nor how I'll react. We'll resume our roles, and I won't be able to enjoy her company in her room as I'll have to return to mine. 

- What are you thinking about, looking at me so sadly?

My eyes, which were focused on her mouth where my fingers are now, rise to meet hers. Her excitement has faded into concern. I feel guilty for making her worry, just because my thoughts, which were positive before getting in the bath, suddenly veered to a darker side. It was stronger than me. The idea that we might not be able to live this normally anymore doesn't sit well with me. Especially not after the amazing week we've been having.

- Did I do something wrong? she asks, making me shake my head. Did Mapi say something she shouldn't have? she continues.

I shake my head again. Words fail me, preventing me from defending against things she might believe because of my silence. Unable to find the words, I lean in to kiss her. Hard. Though slightly hesitant, she kisses me back, her hands gently caressing my waist. I seek even more contact, but she stops me.

- Hey, hey, stop. I get that this environment can give ideas, but that's not the point of this evening.

Her words cool my ardor, and I blush, realizing what I've just done. How could I have gone so far with just one fleeting thought?

- S-sorry... I-I didn't mean to. I-I don't know what came over me.

- It's okay, really, she giggles. What were you thinking about to get carried away like that, hmm? You were looking at me with adoration before suddenly closing off.

- I'm afraid of not handling our return to school well.

Lucy arches an eyebrow in confusion. It's understandable. I'm jumping from one topic to another without any reason.

- Did Mapi mess with your head? she deduces, still unsure of what's going on.

- No! I quickly reply. Mapi just needed comfort. She was jealous that she couldn't comfort me the way you do.

- Oh. I didn't see that coming... I thought I was the problem.

- No. She just felt neglected. We've drifted apart because of the distance, but it'll be okay. And...

I pause for a moment, unsure if I should continue.

- And?

- Will you promise not to hold it against her? I ask, nervously biting my lip.

- Why would I hold it against her?

- Because I'm not sure you'll appreciate what she thought of you at first...

- Go on, she mumbles, her mood shifting.

I bite my lip again. I know I'm taking a risk, but I can't afford to stay silent. I promised myself to be honest with her.

- I think she still saw us as the teens we were, because she thought you were too calm and reasonable for me.

I watch her closely as I say all this. Her reaction is strange. It's as if she's suppressing her feelings again.

- If you say that's what she thinks, then I guess that's not how you feel?

Of course not. How many times do I have to tell you? You're everything I need, Lucy. Mapi understands that now. Especially after the Valentine's Day you planned for me. She's planning to apologize to you because she knows I would tell you. If there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that I don't care about playing the reckless teenager anymore.

- OK... she murmurs. Thank you for being honest. I'll wait for Mapi's apology.

The tone of her voice isn't as cold as I expected. I understand that she doesn’t hold it against her. After all, she didn’t like her much at first either. If she says this, it's probably because she’ll use the opportunity to talk with her face-to-face.

- Thank you, I whispered at the thought. Thank you for everything.

- I love you.

My muscles relax at these simple words, which have become part of our daily routine. Lucy had promised to show me how much I mean to her, and for the past three days, that's all she’s done. I feel so loved, especially after struggling for so long to love myself.

- Say it again, please.

- I love you, my love.

This time, there’s a hint of amusement in her voice, but it doesn’t lessen the impact. She pulls me closer, returning us to our original position.

- Everything will be okay, alright? We'll figure things out. I’ll take care of us. But you, I want you to prioritize your future.

- You are my future, I murmured.

- I mean professionally, my love. I’ll take care of you like I promised, and I’ll handle our other relationships, like with Mapi if needed, but you have to focus on your studies first. Is that clear? Can you do that? It’s not that hard, right?

- No... It isn’t, as long as you’re by my side.

- I will be, no matter what. And how about we just enjoy our moment for once, hmm? You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this.

- No, I don’t, but I understand why now. I wanted to thank you for being so patient with me. These past few days have been magical. I haven’t felt this at peace in someone’s arms in a long time.

- That’s all that matters then. That’s how I want you to feel with me. Not scared, or anxious, or lacking confidence, or uncomfortable... Just yourself.

- I am, I murmured. You’re the one who helped rebuild me. You’re probably the person I trust the most.

I take a deep breath at that thought. It’s frightening to depend so much on one person. But that’s my reality. I truly depend on Lucy. We both know that if she’s no longer in my life, I might spiral even worse than before. It happened once, and it wasn’t pretty. I could barely sleep at night or eat during meals, and it will happen again if she ever leaves me. I know that’s unlikely now, but even a one percent chance is terrifying.

- I don’t want to go back, I confided. You make me feel like I’m living a dream.

- I assure you, your dream is real, she teased. You’ll have to get used to living this peacefully.

- You have no idea how right you are, I murmured, snuggling even closer to her.

I close my eyes with a small, satisfied smile spreading across my lips. Yeah, I could easily get used to this new way of life.

- If Mapi kept us apart during our outings, it’s because she missed me, but also because she was seeking my attention out of fear that I’d leave her behind...

- I see, she sighed. There were other ways she could have shown it. Like, for example, talking to you about it.

- She knows she acted poorly, but my distance from her and my closeness to you affected her. She regrets it. In fact, we shouldn’t have involved everyone in this. I should’ve talked to her directly. I almost thought she had a fight with Ingrid.

- She didn’t, don’t worry. Ingrid mentioned it briefly at lunch, she reassured me.

A small sigh of relief escaped me. The last thing we need is for our little issues to affect their relationship.

- So, everything’s settled now? She’s going to leave us alone for the rest of the trip?

- I’ll make sure of it, I giggled.

- Good... So, back to you. Why do you understand how she feels?

- Because I’m afraid of our return to school...

- Babe, she sighed. We’ve already talked about this.

[pannaginip]

Located 62km north-east of the capital Manila, Daraitan village in Rizal province is home to about 5,700 residents, a majority of whom are members of the Dumagat-Remontado indigenous people who consider vast hectares of the mountain range as part of their ancestral domain.

But the village may soon disappear under the same waters that give it life, once the Philippine government finishes building the Kaliwa Dam – one of 16 flagship infrastructure projects of former president Rodrigo Duterte that is being funded by China.

The new dam is expected to provide Metro Manila with an additional 600 million litres of water daily once it is finished by end-2026. Officials said building the 60m-high reservoir is even more necessary now that the country is starting to feel the impact of the El Nino weather phenomenon.

But it was only in 2021 under Mr Duterte that construction finally broke ground, three years after Manila and Beijing signed the 12 billion peso (S$288 million) loan agreement.

Of the 119 on the list [of flagship projects of the "Build, Build, Build” infrastructure programme], Mr Duterte turned to China to finance 16 big-ticket projects in a bid to cement his legacy by the time his presidency ended in 2022. He embraced Beijing during his term and even downplayed Manila’s claims in the disputed South China Sea in favour of securing loans and grants from China.

Analysts have criticised Mr Duterte’s infrastructure programme as ambitious. Perennial domestic issues like local politics, right-of-way acquisition problems, lack of technology and red tape in bureaucracy led to severe delays in the projects.

The same issues hound the China-funded projects – which come under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to build infrastructure in developing nations – with the problems made more severe by Beijing’s high interest rates in its loan agreements and local backlash due to displacement of residents or potential environmental damage.

Critics say the BRI has been detrimental in the long run to some recipient countries, especially those that have been unable to repay their loans, like Sri Lanka and Zambia.

The Duterte government’s failure to take advantage of its BRI loans was a “missed opportunity” for the Philippines, said infrastructure governance specialist Jerik Cruz, a graduate research fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The four completed China-funded projects under Mr Duterte were controversial too. But they came to fruition because they had the support of local politicians allied with Mr Duterte and therefore increased his political capital, said Dr Camba.

Tribal leaders said they were not properly consulted regarding the project that threatens their traditional way of life. Environmentalists from the Stop Kaliwa Dam Network also say the project would destroy 126 species of flora and fauna in the Sierra Madre.

The Philippines’ Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act states that the government must first secure a tribe’s free, prior and informed consent before building on its ancestral lands.

But Ms Clara Dullas, one of the leaders of the Dumagat-Remontado in Rizal, alleged that the Duterte government had either misinformed or pressured other tribe members into giving their consent.

She could not bear to hold grudges, though, noting that the Dumagat-Remontado organisations that eventually agreed to the Kaliwa Dam were each given 80 million pesos, or $1.9 million, in “disturbance” fees.

“The Kaliwa Dam is the reason why our tribe is divided now. There is a crack in our relationships even if we all come from the same family,” said Ms Dullas. “I can’t blame the others because we lack money. I believe there was bribery involved.”

The government requires them to present identification documents, and only those given passes may enter. Mr Dizon said this is to ensure that no unidentified personnel enter the area [close to the construction zone].

“We feel like we are foreigners in our own home because the Chinese and the people in our own government are now preventing us from entering the lands where we grew up,” said tribe leader Renato Ibanez, 48.

Mr Ibanez also accuses the Philippine authorities of harassing tribe members who are vocal against Kaliwa Dam. Some of them have been accused of working with communist rebels, a charge the tribe vehemently denies.

Unlike his predecessor, Mr Marcos is more aggressive in defending Manila’s overlapping claims with Beijing in the South China Sea, but still fosters economic ties with it.

Geopolitical tensions between the two nations and Mr Marcos’ stance towards Beijing are going to dictate the fate of the pending China-funded projects the President inherited from Mr Duterte, said Mr Cruz.

Tribe members said they would be more amenable if Mr Marcos would revisit Japan’s proposed Kaliwa Intake Weir project that Mr Duterte had set aside.

“We like Japan’s proposal. It would not destroy our forests. It would not affect residents here. The Philippines would not be buried in debt,” said Ms Dullas.

This was among the alternatives the Dumagat-Remontados offered during their nine-day march in February 2023, when some 300 members walked 150km from Quezon and Rizal all the way to Manila to protest against the Kaliwa Dam.

But they failed to secure an audience with Mr Marcos. They remain wary of the President’s position on the Kaliwa Dam and other controversial China-funded deals.

“As much as we want to fully pin our hopes on him, we don’t. We’ve learnt from past efforts to trick us, make us believe a project is about to end, only for it to be resurrected again years later,” said Ms Dullas.

2024 Mar. 3

[hananoami]

Rafayel's Directional Orbit: Fire - Stage 130 Clear + VOD

And finally, the last 130 post clear write up on my list is with Rafayel. We cleared his Directional Orbit: Fire - Stage 130 on July 24th! This one was lowkey kinda sketchy towards the end because the game decided to suddenly freeze on me.. ( ˶°ㅁ°) !!

Rafayel's Stage 130 requires two teams. Team 01's Protofield Stellactrum is 5-Violet and 1-Ruby. Team 02's Protofield Stellactrum is 5-Pearl and 1-Amber.

Matching the Protofield Stellactrum will grant you additional bonuses to your team. By matching the colors completely you will have a ’perfect match’ which allows you to break 2 protofield shields in a single strike. This saves you time by quickly bringing those wanderers into a weakened state. You also get an Attribute Bonus (up to 30.0%) for every color you match - increase DMG boost 5.0% and DMG reduction 5.0%. Of course, you could opt to go off color and try to brute force it, but I didn't here.

The difference having a Duo R1 of any solar pair is wildly insane. Duo Rank 1 boosts Ardent Oath charge by 20%, allowing you to to equip a different beta protocore for something that is focused on either strength or expedited energy. I was totes excited to finally get another copy of [Deep Sea Promise] during the Pulse Hunter limited-time banner since for some un(sea)godly reason his [Deep Sea Riches] just loves to grace me with his presence instead -- I currently have that memory at R3.

For the first half of the fight I tried to keep all of the wanderers grouped up together. Thankfully, Abysswalker's Resonance Skill, Fantasia Shark, pulls in the enemies before it bites and burns them. I'm not gonna lie... my game play is kinda sloppy here too since I had to collect the Fish Tail beacon he dropped anytime I used his Eclipse Rend Support Skill. I also had to keep track of the marked wanderer in order to use my Abyssal Rapid Fire charged attack for more damage. It's totes easier to keep them grouped up in a corner that way Sharkie can reach all of them when pulled in.

One thing I do want to improve on are my perfect dodges. In this case for Rafayel's Abysswalker he would drops another fish tail beacon for an additional charge to speed up his Eclipse Rend support skill. While watching my clear vod again I noticed I had the opportunity for these perfect dodges, but didn't do them because I was afraid of getting hit. I should just go for it going forward, just to get more practice in.

My overall rotation with God of the Tides could have been better. I kept forgetting to press my active skill, Tides, for the small buff window before going into Rafayel's resonance skill, Surging Tides. The boss locked its HP at around 75% health on the final bar where you can't do any damage to it. So you would have to avoid the cyclones in order to not get frozen and lose out on some time. Also, this would be the perfect time to get a perfect dodge in, as seen in my clear video, hehe~

You can probably notice where my game decided to freeze during my fights in my clear vods... it was actually a real struggle that day and kinda stressed me out since this was all time sensitive content -- not that there was a rush to clear or anything. I just knew I was able to clear the fights, if only my game wouldn't hold me back with the lag. I ended up fixing by setting my graphics to the lowest setting.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

TEAM 01

Companion: Rafayel’s Abysswalker [ Burst | Single-target | Pull ] Weapon: Phantasma Sands (guns) [ DPS | Single-target | Sustained ] Attribute Bonus For each matched stellactrum, increases DMG Boost 5.0% (currently increased: 30.0%) and DMG Reduction 5.0% (currently increased 30.0%). ♡ Affinity Bonus: 106 (Rafayel’s Protective Skill) When you take a fatal blow, Rafayel teleports to you, blocks a hit, and counter attacks. Enemies will be knocked back. [ HP xxxx || DEF xx || ATK xxx ] Pair Bonus [AB] -- Starting Effect: increases team DMG by 8%, reduces DMG taken by 8%, and increases Crit DMG of Deepsea Persuit by 30%. -- Duo Rank 1: boost Ardent Oath charge by 20%. When fighting together with Abysswalker, increases DMG taken of enemies inflicted with Burn by 20%.

5☆ DEEP SEA RICHES (violet/solar) Lv 80/awakened rank 2 using +15 SSR protocores

5☆ DEEP SEA PROMISE (violet/solar) Lv 80/awakened using +15 SSR protocores

5☆ FLORAL PROMISE (violet/lunar) Lv 80 using xx SSR protocores

5☆ WHISPERS (violet/lunar) Lv 80 rank 1 using xx SSR protocores

5☆ YOUR FRAGRANCE (violet/lunar) Lv 80 rank 3 using xx SSR protocores

4☆ WHALEFALL LAMENT (ruby/lunar) Lv 60 rank 3 using xx SSR protocores

TEAM 02

Companion: Rafayel’s God of the Tides [ Sustained | Buff | AoE ] Weapon: Tidal Embrace (staff) [ Sustained | Buff | Aoe ] Attribute Bonus For each matched stellactrum, increases DMG Boost 5.0% (currently increased: 30.0%) and DMG Reduction 5.0% (currently increased 30.0%). ♡ Affinity Bonus: 106 (Rafayel’s Protective Skill) When you take a fatal blow, Rafayel teleports to you, blocks a hit, and counter attacks. Enemies will be knocked back. [ HP xxxx || DEF xx || ATK xxx ] Pair Bonus [TP] - Starting Effect: increases team DMG by 8%, reduces DMG taken by 8%, and increases Crit DMG by 10% when fighting alongside Sea Spirits. - Duo Rank 1: boosts Ardent Oath Charge by 20%. The starting level of Sea Spirits rises to Lv. 2, and Sea Spirits will last for 5 more seconds. - Duo Rank 2: increases Energy Charge cap by 1. During Heavenly Rain, recovery rate of energy charge is increased by 30%.

5☆ TEMPLE'S PROMISE (pearl/solar) Lv 80/awakened rank 2 using xx protocores

5☆ TEMPLE'S SUNSET (pearl/solar) Lv 80/awakened rank 2 using xx SSR protocores

5☆ PRIVATE TRIP (pearl/lunar) Lv 80 using xx SSR protocores

5☆ TIPSY INVITATION (pearl/lunar) Lv 80 rank using xx SSR protocores

5☆ FIREWORKS VOW (pearl/lunar) Lv 80 using xx SSR protocores

5☆ UNFORGETTABLE ADVENTURE (amber/lunar) Lv 80 rank 1 using xx SSR protocores

signal boosting: @hunters-association

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

Does the public really care about Harry's visa though? On a practical level, it's not like he took from someone else or took someone else's opportunity and entered US. Most people just assume that since Harry is -

a royal

a very very rich man

a celebrity

friends with some very influential people

entitled

married to a US national

has visited US several times before 2020

has children that are US nationals

has business interests in the US

(the list could go on ..)

- he would and could very easily come and stay in the US.

But the government does have a problem on their hands with his visa. Mainly because no govt wants to be seen as granting one individual bspecial favours because of connections. His drug use is an issue, but then again, he hasn't commited a drug related crime or a crime while under the influence. Technically, it should be a problem, but lots of recreational users do get it.

What would be a problem though is of it is some sort of royal status related or LOS related A1 visa, then it reflects very badly on the UK government. And it exposes a diplomatic loophole that governments of either countries, or any country that has a recognised royal family and LoS, would not want to be made public knowledge.

One could argue however, that it is the fear of public outcry, that would deter the govts from exposing his stutus. It is also public outrage that would make the govt show accountability. Would it actually have any consequences on Harry himself? Sadly, no I don't think so. We know by now he is far beyond shame of any kind.

I'm going to break your post down point by point.

Does the public really care about Harry's visa though? The general at-large public does not care. There are other, more important things for most people to worry about.

But there are some people who do care, and care deeply enough, and have been loud enough that it's become an issue. It's a bit of a niche issue, but it's an issue for them and one that has gone all the way to the courthouse.

On a practical level, it's not like he took from someone else or took someone else's opportunity and entered US. Most people just assume that since Harry is a royal, a very very rich man, a celebrity, friends with some very influential people, entitled, married to a US national, has visited US several times before 2020, has children that are US nationals, has business interests in the US, etc., he would and could very easily come and stay in the US.

A couple of corrections first:

Harry is not a very very rich man. His father and grandmother are. We have plenty of nepo babies here. No one cares about that.

US national vs US citizen. It's a nitpicky semantics thing (and makes me think you're not American - that's okay! Welcome, hi, glad you're here.) It's better to call Meghan, Archie, and Lili US citizens because they do actually have American citizenship, because you can be a US national but not a US citizen. The semantics boil down to someone who has citizenship (citizen) vs someone who has allegiance to the country (national).

Yes, you're correct. Harry didn't take someone else's place in the immigration queue. No one cares about that.

Yes, Harry has a lot of qualifying factors - and don't forget the ultimate one: he's a white man - that helps his case with immigration and allowed him to jump parts of the queue. No one cares about that either; we're all for jumping the queue when we can. Legally and appropriately.

But the government does have a problem on their hands with his visa. Mainly because no govt wants to be seen as granting one individual special favours because of connections.

There's two governments here that we're complaining about. The US and the UK. For the US to accept Harry on a A-1 visa means Harry needed the cooperation of the UK government and the monarchy too. He needed to present to the US credentials from the UK - which are issued in the sovereign's name - to be allowed in.

No one cares that Harry has connections or that the governments give each other special favors. Everyone knows governments do this all the time.

The issue is that someone lied. Because in January 2020, we were told that Harry was stepping down as working royal and would be "just" a family member. Family members don't get diplomatic protection. Family members aren't sent on diplomatic missions. Family members don't represent the head of state in any capacity.

So for Harry to be allowed in means someone in a government somewhere lied. That's not a special favor because of connections.

His drug use is an issue, but then again, he hasn't commited a drug related crime or a crime while under the influence. Technically, it should be a problem, but lots of recreational users do get it.

Whether he has committed a drug-related crime or a crime while under the influence isn't the issue either.

The issue is that he is a known, habitual, and current drug user, which he admitted to being in Spare, and that the law, 8 USC 1182, clearly and specifically states anyone who is a drug abuser or addict is ineligible to receive a visa and ineligible to be admitted into the US.

So we have someone who was admitted to the US and received a visa and who later confessed to drug abuse in his memoir before, during, and after coming to the US. That admission led to the following questions:

Did he lie on his visa and immigration papers that he did not abuse drugs?

Did he declare his drug abuse and history on his paperwork and some official let him in anyway?

And why, for the love of god, did the lawyers let Harry keep those sections about his current drug use in the book? A good lawyer worth his paycheck would've told Harry to take all of that out knowing the problems it would cause with his visa.

The other thing to know about the US is our history with drugs. Specifically, our legal history with drugs. Thanks to a very effective 'war on drugs' campaign beginning in the 1970s, which was more or less government-sanctioned racial and socioeconomic discrimination (that's another rant for another day), tons of people have been impacted by it. People have lost jobs, careers, families, education prospects, lives, homes, rights, freedom, and yes - even citizenship because of it.

So when certain populations saw someone like Harry - someone embodying everything they hate about society - admitting he broke the law and got away with it, of course they're going to complain about it. Of course they're going to ask questions about how it happened.

So that's the issue. It's not that Harry is a drug user and doesn't have a criminal history related to it. It's that his history was ignored because he meets other criteria, other criteria that's designed to keep other kinds of people out.

What would be a problem though is of it is some sort of royal status related or LOS related A1 visa, then it reflects very badly on the UK government. And it exposes a diplomatic loophole that governments of either countries, or any country that has a recognised royal family and LoS, would not want to be made public knowledge.

Yes, the royal-related or LOS-related A1 visa reflects poorly on the UK if Harry still qualified for it despite giving that up. But that's not the issue that Americans such as myself and Empress and plenty of others are angry about.

We are aware that by being born into a royal family with a hereditary line of succession gives those family members certain privileges and abilities that the rest of the world can only dream of. We get that. We know that. (That's why we kicked them out 250 years ago.) We also know that even though our government doesn't do royalty, our culture and our society does. That's why members of all royal families are treated like wealthy celebrities, vs politicians or heads of state. So inherent to that, we know that members of royal families will be using their status to gain certain favors and access. Because that's what our wealthy famous people do, so why should someone else's wealthy famous people do something different?

What we are angry about is 1) our government conspiring (allegedly, because that's a strong word to use here) with a foreign government to permit or admit someone to the US that our laws prohibit from being here in the first place, 2) obscuring or covering up the partnership that allowed that to happen in the first place, and 3) lying about or falsifying the justification to allow it.

We know the government lies to us. They lie to us all the time. Some lies we accept. Others we don't. It's when the government covers it up that people get pissed off. It's when the government reminds us of socioeconomic inequality ("rules for thee but not for me") that pisses us off. It's when the government appears to be aiding foreign governments' manipulation of our laws and systems that pisses us off.

And that's what this is. It's a cover-up. If Harry's here on a special A-1 visa connected to his status in the Line of Succession, just come out and say that. But the fact that they've gone to such great lengths to obscure that that visa exists? There's more to it.

One could argue however, that it is the fear of public outcry, that would deter the govts from exposing his stutus. It is also public outrage that would make the govt show accountability.

Nope. They're not scared of us complaining about it. Not here in the US. It's our First Amendment. We're allowed to speak about their decisions, petition them about it, and assemble for it.

Likewise, the US government doesn't fear us holding them accountable. In the grand scheme of accountability, this isn't going to end anyone's career. No one's going to say "I didn't vote for XXXXX because they let Prince Harry in." No one's getting fired over this. The US goverment is not worried about accountability from the American public. We can demand accountability all we want but we're not a loud enough group of people to force action. The Heritage Foundation (who is suing the government on this) might be able to get something, but it's not likely. Worst case scenario, there's a congressional hearing about the "don't let drug users into the country" law that grills the USCIS staff. It's a slap on the wrist.

What the government fears is two-fold:

First, establishing a precedent. The lawsuit over Harry's visa paperwork is essentially about freedom of information. The public has a right to stay informed of the government's activities, which means they have a freedom to government information. But it doesn't mean "all" information; the government can redact and restrict the kind of information it gives in response to these information requests based on certain requirements for privacy, need to know, and authority. Essentially, if the court finds in favor of the Heritage Foundation in the lawsuit, then the court is saying that the government can no longer use certain restrictions and requirements to control certain information about private citizens...which then opens the floodgates for people to request information on other citizens - information they don't have the authority to access and information for which they don't have a need to know - on the basis that they're famous and may have used that privilege to obtain government services. You can see the privacy implications, right?

Second, what other countries will do. The US government is scared of other countries finding out about what privileges Harry and the UK government received that no one else can get. They're worried about other countries holding them accountable for this. They're worried about how other countries - especially our adversaries like Russia, China, and North Korea - will exploit these loopholes. And that is an incredibly dangerous prospect.

Would it actually have any consequences on Harry himself? Sadly, no I don't think so. We know by now he is far beyond shame of any kind.

Of course Harry won't see any consequences. He's not going to get raided by ICE. He won't be frogmarched out of a hotel speech. He won't see any consequences except for maybe Meghan divorcing him and taking custody of the kids because she's not moving back to the UK or to Africa.

Everyone else will see consequences though, and that's what this is about: protecting themselves from consequences.

The US government is protecting itself from what other countries, especially our adversaries, will do. They're also protecting themselves from an American public that will 100% exploit their loopholes and laws to demand equal and equitable treatment.

The UK government is protecting itself, and a weak King, from their people. Charles is on pretty thin ice for wanting Harry back while the British public doesn't. If they were to find out that the King, and the government on the King's behalf, lied about Harry being his representative? Man, that's a crisis. Is it an abdication crisis? I don't know. I'm not British. I couldn't tell you. But it is a crisis of faith and what happens to the monarch in a crisis of faith? Protests, calls for abolishing the monarchy, and an even more public shift in loyalty to the heir.

*** *** *** ***

I know this is long and I know I come pretty hard for anon in some places, but I hope this makes it clear: this is about more than Harry's visa. It's about systemic oppression and discrimination by a legal system and government that favors wealthy white people. It's about a potential government conspiracy to obscure someone's diplomatic status. It's about international relations. It's about a fickle fragile monarch who doesn't like criticism and can't afford any more negative coverage.

[michainabox]

Okay so I’m revisiting Undertale after a long time and I just have to say this. This is a very very long post.

I don’t know if I should tag this? But uh. I guess I go a little in depth with Flowey and the major spoilers of Undertale, have a brush of a spoiler for In Stars and Time, and just major ramblings.

Flowey somewhat unsettles me.

And I don’t mean fear or scary enough that it distresses me, I mean truly unsettles me in an uncomfortable sense where I have to take a step back to analyze.

Like. Yes that’s the point, he is suppose to be an unsettling character. But my thing is, it is hard to unsettle me. You can ask my partner and anyone I know, I consume a lot of horror media. It is hard to unsettle me, or make me uncomfortable with certain things. And with games? Even harder. There has only been a couple of times where media has unsettled me that I can count only three instances of this.

The book Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White (had to unpack a lot of my religious trauma with that book. Good read though.)

Act 5 of In Stars and Time because I related a bit to much to Siff’s breakdown and the fact that you can’t stop it no matter how much you wanted too. You were powerless to do anything. You just have to sit and watch and follow.

And then of course. Flowey. The character himself.

What spurred this ramble Micha? Well. I’ll tell you.

We find out that before Frisk had fallen, Flowey had enough determination in that stupid little flower body to reset the timelines himself. Without the souls, he still had the powers of a god, but it was limited much like Frisk. He has reset hundreds, if not thousands of times. He says that he has tried anything and everything to change the variables. Maybe doing little things like planting ideas into monsters heads, or bigger things. (After all if anything goes wrong he can always reset.)

But nothing could change.

No matter what he did, it never mattered.

It never worked.

It would drive people insane.

And then Frisk shows up. And Flowey doesn’t have the power to reset anymore. Instead, this little kid with a red soul (and the same fashion sense of his dead sibling) shows up and destroys everything. And if you go with the pacifist route. Doesn’t head the lesson of kill or be killed.

And it start to work out for Frisk. It also works in Flowey’s favor too. We can imagine that Frisk is the first ever child to face Asgore for the first time since he started to collect human souls, and Frisk has the power to come back, Frisk even reminds Asgore how many times he has killed them. And Flowey watches as Frisk can either spare or kill Asgore in the final moments. But the players choice doesn’t matter.

Because Flowey was waiting for this opportunity. With the souls unguarded, he can use them. And of course, he can practically torture Frisk until he is ready to claim their soul. And even after all of that, you can choose to kill Flowey or grant him mercy. And he doesn’t understand if you do give him mercy. Because for him, it really is killed or be killed.

(I also have my own theory or analysis for the phone call and where Frisk went after the neutral ending, but that’s another post if anyone is interested in my thoughts.)

Anyways. After the phone call he pops up again, and here is where the unsettling part comes in.

He plants the idea in the Frisk/Player’s head that there is another way. That they didn’t truly save their friends, they didn’t truly save themselves.

And Flowey knows Frisk would try anything to get that happy ending.

Because we would want to find out what that happy ending looks like. Because it’s human nature to be curious and want something better.

He preys upon that and uses it to only serve as his own stepping stone. He isn’t even sure it will work. But he does that anyways. Because if your playing pacifist he sees the fact that Frisk took the time to befriend and spare all the monsters.

Flowey isn’t unsettling because he can change his face, wants to kill Frisk, and even attempted and succeeded multiple times.

It’s the fact that while he says he is soulless, that he can’t understand why he is being spared, he learned just enough to prey on that human nature to get what he ultimately wants.

That’s what ultimately unsettles me about him.

(If anyone has any questions about my thoughts or other theories just ask. I love rambling)

(Note. I edited it slightly to fit in more with the games because of some issues I had with misremembering events)

[cafeinthemoon]

King - Chapter IV

Chapter 4

Wordcount 3,8k

Title Your Voice

Fandom Shuumatsu no Valkyrie / Record of Ragnarok

Previous chapters

1 . 2 . 3

Symbols ⭕ . ➕ . 🖤

Warnings: mentions of nudity; mentions of pain/aching and physical discomfort; slightly angsty and tense tbh

Tagging @cloveradora @the-dumber-scaramouche @mikkies @sl33py-zer0 @nooneknows8976 (If you want to be tagged in any of my stories, just leave a comment on this chapter or send an ask or a message)

N. A.: I still didn't talk about it, but the notes in Italic that preceded Chapter I and the current Chapter are actually lessons from reader's mother, most of them taught during reader's childhood. They are based on her mother's personal experience as a woman and her views on marriage and parenthood, which will be explored in the future, since they're deeply connected to the reasons why reader became Poseidon's wife. Reader's mission in the Kingdom of the Seas is obviously more than survive: as she learns about life and the rules of her new house, she will find opportunities to proof her mother's views right or wrong, as well as to discover secrets about her mother's past that might affect her future.

Also back with this gif bc I love it sm 🥰

They know they cannot tame us completely, so they invent ways to keep us locked. The first thing they do is to turn you into a wife. The second is turn you into a mother. The less time you have to think and to learn, the less power you have over yourself, and so is the will to speak for yourself. When you reach this point, it is over for you. When a woman wants to escape this, she often submits to craziness, sorcery or crimes, but none of these will grant her happiness, or so my experience says. On the other hand, being tamed and silenced will not make you happy either.

Do you remember what we, merchants, always say? Our voice, when well used, can be more precious than the gold we trade. Understand this, child: a woman’s voice is her freedom, and her freedom is gold. To protect your freedom, you must to learn how and when to use your voice.

I’m drowning. I’m in the depths of the ocean, and I can’t get out.

As the King of the Seas was making you his, this was the only thing you could think of.

The indigo curtains, seen from the canopy’s interior, were turned black to your blurry sight, and the size of the mattress made it impossible for you to reach their edges; the sheets, slipping under your body like silk, were cold when you first touched them, but now the heat of the activities over them went through the fabric, and you felt them clinging to your sweaty skin at each movement.

He was now using his legs to keep yours in place, and as one of his hands held your left arm, the other kept a firm grip on your waist, maintaining the closeness while he used his lips on your mouth, your chin and neck. You could hardly move on your own, but it wasn’t like you needed it: Poseidon considered that most of the work was supposed to be done by himself, and in the name of his pride he would insist on it even when you were willing to do your part. Not that he was brute or was unsure of what to do, of course – he knew exactly how to be good to his woman, quickly discovering where to touch and where to caress, taking the best out of you – but he was a god, and god’s ego was unparalleled.

I’m drowning, and he won’t let me reach the surface.

However, as much as his experience and boldness made everything special, this was also the biggest issue of this union: compared to him, you were frail and small, so your limbs succumbed before his strength and your body found hard to follow his pace after little time; with the weight of his body over yours, the steamy air barely filled your lungs, and his grip made it impossible for you to do things such as raising your hands to touch him.

Still, you watched your desire for him grow, so you wanted, you expected him to carry on: the taste of his lips had you addicted, and his scent on your nostrils was intoxicating. Like someone caught in the middle of strong waves, who finds a curious, new pleasure in their crashes against their skin, you found yourself wishing to see him crush, tear you apart, take everything out of you until there was nothing left.

I’m drowning... but I don’t want to escape.

This thought had you scared when it crossed your mind. You supposed that this was what people called a god’s enchantment, the reason why many couldn’t say no to become their lovers, to have their children or even to die or to be cursed for their sake.

This is how he keeps so many of us under his control, then.

Now you were gasping for air, your eyes burning with tears, and your body started to ache. Poseidon had his hands on your hips now, keeping you in place as he kissed your cheek. If you didn’t want to get hurt, you would need him to go easier, but would him hear you for a second time? Would you be testing his patience with this?

For the sake of your well-being, you decided to risk.

– P-Poseidon-sama… – you whispered, your hands on his shoulders – I can’t breathe…

For a moment, you thought he didn’t hear you, but you sighed in relief when he stopped at last, taking his chest off yours. Your lungs were immediately filled with hot air, and for a moment you were unable to speak.

– Look at you – you felt his fingers brushing your hair away from your sweaty forehead – So fragile that I could break you if I kept going… It is even pathetic…

You bit your lip to avoid an irritated reaction: yes, you weren’t expecting a formal apology for the state he put you in, but blaming you for it was too much. He laughed, as if your anger was too cute for him to take it seriously, and sat on the bed, taking you with him and adjusting you on his lap; your legs ached a bit, but at least you could breathe freely now. You leaned your hands on his shoulders as to seek for balance, and his hands kept a strong grip around your waist, guiding your body as he continued to make love to it.

– Still, I cannot help it – you felt his tongue on your cheek, where a single tear rolled through, wet and warm against your skin – Your flesh is softer… Your scent is more delicate… Your taste is sweeter… – he grabbed your thigh, pulling you tighter against himself; your muscles ached, making you moan – If I was a human like you, I would say you would be the death of me…

Those words aroused and surprised you at the same time.

In the beginning, by everything you’ve heard about Poseidon’s disposition towards your people, the fact that you were chosen to become his wife was just senseless; however, what he was doing, what he was saying now revealed a side of this story that you’d never suppose to exist. Was he as drawn to the human fragility as he claimed? Or was it the very reason why he rarely brought humans to his domains? This second hypothesis was easier to believe now that you were finally with him.

And if that was the case, your privilege – your luck – of still being alive was greater than you could imagine.

You felt his palm on the back of your head, his fingers slipping through your hair as he started murmuring in your ear, his lips brushing on it and making you shiver.

– Would you like it, little dragonet? If I said I would die because of you? – he kissed your lobe – Playing with your words, saying these absurd things about dying for each other… I have heard mortals enjoy it… But what about you? – and, since you didn’t reply, – Why are you so quiet?… Won’t you give me an answer? Hm?

You mumbled a negative reply, and he chuckled, his hot breath warming your skin.

– You do not like it? – his grip on your hair increased, keeping you in place – Liar.

– I’m not…! – you had the nerve to talk back – I’m not lying, my Lord…!

Instead of getting angry, Poseidon laughed at this: apparently, your frail attempts of denying him were really entertaining.

– Oh, no? – you felt his hands caressing your lower back, pulling you to him, his lips brushing over yours as he spoke – Then why your body says otherwise?

You bit your lip, refusing to reply because, in fact, you weren’t in conditions for this: the mere thought of having a powerful god at your feet, trading his life for you like a mortal man, was an audacity by itself, even more exciting when he put it in words. But you didn’t enjoy the sensation of having your fantasies exposed and scrutinized by him, so you avoided arguing, limiting your voice to gasps and tiny moans.

How did I end up this way? There’s a part of myself I don’t want him to reach... Still, my body desires him, to the point of making me think I would devote myself forever to him if I could… that’s so unfair...

Your heartbeats grew faster as hot tears fell through your face, and you threw your arms around him, hiding your face on his shoulder when your apex finally came.

However, it lasted longer than you expected: even though he noticed you were on your limit, Poseidon carried on for a while, only stopping when he has taken everything he could from you. By the end of it, your body was covered in sweat and your limbs were trembling, so that the only thing you were able to do was to stand still, panting.

He laid you down on the mattress, but didn’t take the spot by your side: he kept sitting on the same place, as you felt his eyes observing your exhausted form. Your ankle was tickled when he caressed it with his fingertips.

– I suppose you are not able to take more than this for now. So, stay there and rest – he spoke more to himself than to you; in his voice, you sensed a mixture of diversion and disdain for your state – But even when you are a tiny, delicate human, you resisted well, dragonet. You are a really entertaining creature. Bringing you here was a wise decision.

You were hearing all of this, of course, but being too tired to open your mouth or even to think of a response, you just stood quiet. If Poseidon thought you were already sleeping, you couldn’t tell, but he fell silent with the complete absence of your voice. Moments after, you noticed a pressure on the mattress, as if he was moving away from you, and the sound of the curtains being opened confirmed that he was going to leave you there alone.

***

You woke up in a startle and realized you were laying on the same position you were left on the bed. The curtains were closed, and everything was quiet inside them. You had no ways to be sure of how long you’ve slept, but you supposed it has been just a few minutes, because you didn’t notice any numbness or ache on the side of your body upon which you laid. You moved to the other side…

And startled when you found Poseidon lying there too. Your first impulse was to move away from him, but the possibility of him waking up and pulling you back to himself refrained you, so you first tried to make sure he was asleep: you didn’t even know if gods needed to sleep, but he was so quiet, his breath so slow and deep, that you were almost convinced that they did. You raised your hand and touched his chest, sensing it moving up and down to his breath, but no reaction came from him.

You moved your hand away, relieved, and tried to distance your body from his… but his voice, low and composed, stopped you midway.

– I am awake, if this is what you want to find out – you sensed the mattress being pressed as he moved on his side – And I would appreciate if you stopped trying to escape. You will return to the lodge, but only when I decide.

Before you could do anything, you sensed him stretching his arm and grabbing you by your waist, pulling you back and laying you upon himself. You shivered when you noticed he was still undressed, but stood quiet, your head resting on his chest, his arm wrapped tight around you. For a moment, you were afraid he would suffocate you again, but you were left at will.

You thought he would engage in a conversation after making you stay with him, but he just stood as silent as before: apparently, he had no interest in building any form of relationship with you through talking, but wanted to keep you as a living belonging, one that he could touch, smell and sense around him whenever he could, just as he was doing now: while he had one arm folded behind his head, the other one was around you, his hand tracing circles on your back, his fingers sometimes playing with your hair.

Your chest ached with that. If you were married to someone you knew well, and whom you had enough time to love, you would be in a peaceful, ecstatic state at that very moment. But, after being dragged to a room under the ocean to lie with someone you only knew by name and who wasn’t even human, there was no way for you to feel in peace now.

A lump appeared in your throat, and you tightened your lips and eyes to avoid crying, but when you noticed, your cheeks were wet and clingy, and you started trembling. You tried to contain your restlessness, but all your efforts were in vain, and none of this went unnoticed by Poseidon, who inquired you with a sort of annoyance.

– What is it?

You gathered all your strength to not sob and replied that you were just sore.

– Why didn’t you tell me earlier?

And, without waiting for a response, he took you out of the canopy, carrying you in his arms to another section of the room.

***

You went through a door that was invisible from the room’s entry, but easily detected when you left the bed. This door was similar to the one of the entry, but narrower, and it led to a corridor with cold, white lights and blue walls. By the end of it, there was what you supposed to be a bathing area, but you couldn’t see any shower or bathtub anywhere: it was just the floor and the walls decorated with small tiles that formed mosaics representing episodes of marine wildlife, from small creatures being swallowed by colossal predators to elegant beings playing, wandering and making love to each other. You were wondering why would someone want this last activity to be represented inside their house when Poseidon put you down and stepped away from you.

You passed your arms upon your chest and thought of asking what was going on when you saw him snapping his fingers, and the last thing you knew was your sight being covered by jets of warm water coming from all possible directions, making you protect your eyes as they cleaned your body entirely.

Heavens, if he wants to drown me, he could just say it out loud.

You closed your lips tight to avoid swallowing water, and after what seemed an eternity, the showering finally ended. With a sigh, you rubbed your face and blinked until your view got clear again. You were twisting your hair to take out the excess of water when Poseidon approached you and held you in his arms again; you tried not to look at his face, in order to avoid finding a new sign of disappointment in it.

You crossed a second door on the opposite side of the one through which you entered that area, and this time you entered a wider, lighter room that reminded you of a bathing house, with a rectangular water tank in the middle of it, so large that it looked more like a pool than a bathtub; the walls and the edges of the tank were of a rosy white, with delicate patterns of sea weeds and small fishes, and the water’s surface, trembling with ripples that reflected their shade, as well as the light descending from above, from what you supposed to be hidden lamps. All around you, the murmur of the streams falling from four spouts, one at each corner of the tank, worked to calm your moods as much as the lights.

One of the sides of the tank had three or four stairs carved on it that led to the water’s interior. Poseidon stopped in front of them and put you down, leaving you on the first stair as he went to a corner where you saw shelves of bottles in many sizes and shapes, something similar to what you found at the bathing area where Kenya and Yua took care of you earlier. He stretched his hand and grabbed one bottle on the top of a shelf, then a second on the one below it, then brought both with him.

The first bottle’s content reminded you of a pink, vibrant dust, and the second one was of pure white, like the expensive sugar you used to see at the tables of your father’s rich clients. Poseidon opened the bottles (their covers were attached to them) and poured a bit of each one on the water. He went back to put them in their previous places as you observed the color of the water change to a darker shade of pink, and a soothing fragrance came up from it as the dusts blended with it.

Once again, he came back and took you with him as he walked into the water.

The tub wasn’t really deep: on the opposite edge, in front of the stairs, the water reached Poseidon’s knees, which you supposed to be a bit above your own, and when he sat with you on his lap, the water covered your chest.

– What were those things that you poured on the water, Poseidon-sama? – you asked while observing your surroundings.

– Healing salts – he moved the strands of your hair away from your back, leaving your skin exposed – They will work on your pain and tiredness.

You didn’t reply, and he started taking small amounts of the water in his palms and pouring them on your skin, then massaging the wet areas: first, he caressed your back and shoulders, then spent a brief moment on your neck; he then made you uncross your arms and took care of them, and while you looked at his hands working, you startled when you saw the amount of reddish marks all over your body; still, you didn’t interrupt him. Your chest and your breasts were not forgotten, as he stroked them with his palms and gave special attention to your nipples, were the ache was deeper.

Since your thighs and legs were under the water, the effect of the salts reached them faster, still your husband took more time to take care of them: adjusting your position on his lap, he separated your legs and spent the next minutes caressing them, even more in the space between your thighs, where your muscles were more sensitive.

When Poseidon called those products “healing salts”, you supposed it was just a poetic name for common bath salts, which use was limited to cosmetic and relaxing properties, but as you sensed the pain ceasing with the massage and the warm water moving around you, as well as the subtle perfume of the salts entering your nostrils, you understood his words as a literal explanation. When you noticed, you were already feeling your eyes heavy, and, without warning, your head fell forward, and you only had time to sense him bringing it to his chest before the consciousness left you for the second time.

When you woke up, you were on the same place, and the water was still warm. You blinked and moved, trying to straighten up on your husband’s lap.

As soon as you did it, you heard his voice.

– I thought I would have to wake you up, dragonet – he brushed your hair, starting to dry, away from your shoulder – Usually, these salts just work on the pain and the superficial wounds on one’s body, and even to calm one’s mood, but they are strong enough to put a human to sleep.

You didn’t reply. He continued to speak, not letting it clear if he was talking to you or to himself.

– Each moment that passes, you find a new way to surprise me with your frailty – he chuckled – It is been a while since I allowed you to enter my domains, but you are still as tricky as in the old times. However, I am starting to enjoy the stressful mission that is taking care of you.

No word came out from your mouth in response, but you replied in thoughts.

If it’s so stressful, why did you bring me here in the first place?

If Poseidon was able to guess what you were thinking, you didn’t know, but he might have had a clue, judging by what he said to you next.

– You are always so silent. Is this shyness, or are you just not willing to share your thoughts with your husband?

That time, something grew inside you and gave you the courage to speak. You looked into his eyes – something that was even harder to do now that you were seeing his eyes under a clear light.

– If I told you everything that’s inside my mind, my Lord... Would you still keep me alive?

You noticed his right, golden eyebrow raising as he kept his glare over you for a moment, forcing you to look away. You felt his hand approaching your neck, his fingers crawling through your skin, making impossible for you to tell if he was just caressing you or if he was going to suffocate you.

– Why don’t you go ahead and speak your mind to find out?

You swallowed. If those were the conditions, you were better keep your mouth shut.

Poseidon laughed.

– Clever girl – his hand left your neck and held your chin, making you approach him; he gave you a long, warm kiss on your temple – Knowing when to talk and when to keep quiet is a beautiful virtue, and you seem to have mastered it. How did you do it?

Was it an invitation for you to tell him about your origins or past life? If that was the case, you would have to do it carefully: if his servants were able to find your house and deliver his message to your father, he must have been informed about details of your routine or homeland and was now testing your capacity of revealing and hiding things.

Not having much choices, you opted for an honest answer.

– I come from a family of merchants, Poseidon-sama. There is a saying among us: our voice, when well used, can be more precious than the gold we trade. In my house, we take this very seriously.

You observed the corners of his lips curl into a satisfied smile.

– It is good to hear that, dragonet. It means that there is at least one lesson I do not need to teach you.

Chapter 5

[pinazee]

The Old and the Restless

The first episode to include another Spencer! Now, granted we don’t get much here other than henry doesn’t seem to get along with his dad and maybe doesn’t like the idea of his son being around him. Plus, I don’t think he’s ever mentioned again. I was hoping the introduction to grandpa spencer would give us some kind of reason for why henry is so controlling. We could possibly infer, strictly based on his personality, that grandpa spencer wasnt the most responsible and that henry, as elder brother, took on the brunt of taking care of the family. I mean, you could possibly even go as far as to say grandpa spencer had some run in’s with the law and thats how henry got interested in it- out of spite of his own father and thus leading to the idea that spencer sons resenting their fathers is like a family curse (i think thats actually a thing? I have a vague memory of someone saying it at least). But again, this is all speculation because we never see him again. Grandpas also act differently with their grandkids than their own kids too so who’s to say what it was like for henry growing up. Either way, this flashback really emphasizes how strict henry was, and the more flashbacks i see, the more saddened i get by how downtrodden little shawn is every time he shows up. Liam visibly shrinks when he sits next to him, its heartbreaking. But im glad his grandpa stuck up for him (which is probably why he never saw him again).

The way they pop up here makes me snicker

I love the fast one they played on henry! Shawn knew there was no way he would help unless he thought he could use it as an opportunity to show him up (because his dads a grade A asshole).

I also have no respect for men who call other men girls as an insult, especially when one of those men is his own fucking son. So you gotta imagine shawns heard that kind of bullshit his whole life, so i kind of give him a pass when he makes fun of gus for not being manly enough, though thankfully that seems to dissipate in later seasons so we can call it character growth (though i think it was just the writers, or maybe james, who decided it wasn’t very funny and just hurt the character). Henry has a lot of ground to cover before he can get redeemed in my book. He’s just the worst. im having a much harder time with henry during this rewatch.

Gus is being absolutely adorable here. This episode really made it seem like Gus was henrys kid too, not only because he’s completely comfortable sleeping on his shoulder (I’ve never felt that close to my friends parents at least) but also because he’s giving shit to henry as much as shawn is and i love it! It makes sense too considering how often gus was at his house, henry practically raised him as well.

This is a semi good shawn vs. henry episode. I wish they would have highlighted better how shawn and henry gather their information in different ways but it was more like Henry got some pieces and shawn got pieces but neither had the complete picture so they ended up just working together instead of against. I think i’d have preferred if henry was seeing all the same stuff but shawn actually came to the right conclusion, or that shawn showed kindness to the right person and got the key piece of info that way because ultimately its how he connects with people that separates him from henry (simply because henry is pretty good at seeing the same stuff shawn does a lot of the times is all).

“Just this time im going to teach you a lesson” just this time??? Thats literally all you do henry! Thats like your whole thing!

The way Henry says this makes it seem like he was struggling to call Gus his life partner haha

Shawn and gus both knew of african gambian pouch rats, so i can only assume they watched a nature documentary together haha Sidenote: i randomly looked up african gambian pouch rat to see what they looked like and they’re being used to sniff out tuberculosis apparently?!? Crazy stuff man.

Lassie just wanted to straight up incarcerate a child. Thank god karen became chief over him- could you imagine??? Shawn would definitely have been locked up in the pilot. Gus wouldve been killed next to mira or something, juliet would still be in miami. Buzz wouldve been fired or killed by that serial killer. So many crimes would’ve been unsolved and so many people would’ve been locked up and innocent. So again, thank god for chief vick.

The indian blood bit gets a pass simply because of the line “they were here first” and gus’ response “im not hating on indians im hating on you” I dont think its terribly offensive but it is a dumb stereotypical joke. It just kind of makes me sigh and shake my head.

Why is gus always trying to get shawn to taste blood?? Does that show up later? Is this a consistent thing? Its just kind of weird considering gus is really squeamish around it? I think its Gus’ way of trying to prank him but he’s like really bad at it haha Also i didn’t like gus’ face there. It made it seem vaguely… nevermind. Its just weird lol

I dont like the B story with juliet and lassie. I think i did at one point because juliet put the fear of god in him and inadvertently that same fear in the others which was fun, but this kids a fucking creep so i don’t think theres any combination of words that would cause this character to suddenly become respectful and it might be the most unrealistic thing to happen on psych, which is truly saying something. Its just one of those scenes you can’t overanalyze so I won’t! Its fun! (But like, thats what im doing here so jk). I did enjoy the “scared straight” subversion moment. Prisons great kids. Its like summer camp. Also his friends name is “white slavery” and idk what to do with that information except point at it with my mouth open in amusement.

I just like how lassie does his “strike two” and im doing that from now on.

Overall its not one of my fave episodes but heres some gifs of some of my fave moments

[tokiro07]

Undead Unluck ch.214 thoughts

[Five Nights at Fuuko's]

(Contents: predictions - Kururu/Tatiana & Billy, analysis - Tatiana, speculation - Negator tragedies/Untouchable)

Kururu

Hngh...Kururu...only a single line of dialogue right after losing your arc...it's not fair...

Ah well, I do really like the idea of her being an evil teammate, begrudging everything that she's made to do until everything snaps and she's forced to choose between betraying her captors or realizing that she loves them. That is the plan, right, Tozuka? And there is an omake coming up where we see why she's choosing to go along with them in the meantime, yes? Hm???

Tatiana

Of course, since we've started the Tatiana arc, it's only natural that Tatiana get the lion's share of the focus this time around. Much like Top, her story is pretty different this time around, though instead of having her tragedy avoided and then taking a different path, this time her tragedy has been significantly delayed, to the point that the tragedy itself now has the potential to be much more devastating than before. Exactly how it was delayed I have no idea, but that's the kind of thing that I don't think really matters too much in the grand scheme

Tatiana & Billy

What does matter is where her story is going, and with Tatiana meeting Betty before anyone else in the Union, I think I'm starting to get a clearer picture of it. Last week was basically just reiterating the plan to use Remember, which seemed redundant at the time, but with this chapter hammering home that Billy's family is very much present this time around, I think that Tozuka was trying to set up how Billy and Tatiana's family dynamic was going to reemerge despite both avoiding their tragedies. By creating a sisterly bond between Tatiana and Betty, it will be easier for both her and Billy to incorporate their recovered memories into their current personalities and lifestyles without either feeling like they're intruding on the other's revived families. Granted, we've only seen Tatiana interact with Betty and not Veronica, and Billy interacting with Tatiana's parents should logically be its own can of worms, but that should be easy enough to patch over

Tatiana's Hair

While this new version of Tatiana's story changes all of the surface details, the core of her story remains very much the same - Tatiana is isolated from the world around her, this time by her career rather than by her Rule. As she so succinctly puts it, she can't touch the people that are special to her

I've said before that long hair is a recurring symbol for isolation in UU, and while Tatiana's is certainly much shorter than it was in L100, it's still quite long. In fact, it's because of her distinctive long hair that she ends up getting swamped by her fans, with its dramatic reveal in her recreating Fuuko's iconic long hair reveal in ch.1. Even being shorter than before, its length both symbolizes and enforces her isolation and loneliness, which in turn almost incites her tragedy, which would bring her further isolation

Negator Tragedies

Speaking of, this is the first time we've ever seen a Negator's awakening be halted rather than just having their tragedy be averted. It's subtle, but I think it goes a long way in explaining the mechanics of the tragedies. We've gone back and forth on this for a while, so let's do a quick recap

Originally, we believed that God (likely Sun, but maybe Luna too) arbitrarily chose Negators upon the previous Vessel's death and then timed their awakening for the least opportune moment

Then, we learned that the previous Vessel chooses their successor upon death, and many fans started blaming them for the tragedies, believing them to be negligent at best or malicious at worst

From there, we theorized that while the Vessels chose their successors, God decided on the time of awakening, watching with bated breath for the right moment

This chapter though suggests that Rules have something like preprogrammed triggers, that they transfer into the successor and lie dormant until certain conditions are met. These may be specific to the individual Rule, but I think it may be a decently broad range of criteria. In Untouchable's case, her ability has now been shown awakening under two completely distinct circumstances: when Tatiana was happy (her birthday party with her favorite cake) and when she was upset (being surrounded by people that made her feel isolated). This suggests that God has the trap set to spring at any moment of extreme emotion, whether it's the saddest, angriest, or even happiest of the Vessel's life. Certain thoughts and desires pertaining to the Rule may qualify as well, like Void wanting to hit his opponent to win his fight or Sean wanting to pass his audition for a movie so he could be seen, but those are both still strong desires and may qualify as extreme emotions

The main point is, this scene makes it quite clear that God is actually pretty hands-off with the moment of activation itself. Rather than plotting and controlling the course of the Negators' lives, it's more like he put a mousetrap in their souls before going back to his own business while he waited. Of course, it is also possible that both are true, and that God does take direct action to facilitate the Negators feeling extreme emotions. UMA Heat's appearance in Gina's town was a bit spontaneous, and unlike Fuuko getting her jacket caught on some rebar, I'm pretty unclear how Tatiana lost both her hat and her wig...didn't seem particularly windy to me...

Pinky Promise

With Tatiana's awakening being averted, though, Fuuko was able to make contact without incident, claiming that she was back after 200 years to finally make good on her promise to Tatiana. At first I thought she meant she was keeping the promise to hold hands with Tatiana once they had normal bodies from ch.25, but I realized there were a few issues with that: 1) Fuuko still has Unluck, so the conditions for that promise haven't been met; 2) Tatiana still doesn't remember Fuuko, so the significance of that promise would be lost on her; 3) they shook hands for that promise, when this chapter deliberately made note of pinky promises being important to Tatiana

Upon realizing that, I hightailed it to the Ragnarok arc, and sure enough, Fuuko and Tatiana's parting in ch.121 was a pinky promise to meet up and become friends again in the next Loop. I'm sure plenty of other readers picked up on that just fine, but for anyone else who thought it was for the first promise, know you weren't alone in making that mistake

What's Next

So now the question is how Fuuko's intervention will change Tatiana's interpretation of Untouchable. I think it would be massively cruel to have her go back to being a naked Kinder Surprise after learning about her current insecurities and career, so I would hope that her new version will be a bit more lenient, like maybe counting her clothes as an extension of herself, or perhaps regulating her barrier to be imperceptibly close to her body so her clothes can fit over it?

Either way, I expect she'll still have Sphere, Nico did say that he's already working on it, but I think it would be cool if she could use it as a versatile armor along the same lines of Top/Isshin's Runner's Regalia or even Void's Next Ring and Creed's End War. If she does, then I hope Sphere will get a better name to line up with all of those

Actually, I suppose the best question right now is how long it'll be before we even see Untouchable again. I figure it won't be next chapter at the very least, but whether it's the week after or a month from now, I can't really tell. I kind of hope we take a little bit of a breather, just chilling with Tatiana as friends and helping her develop some dynamics with the group for two or three weeks before all hell breaks loose with UMA Time or War showing up to rain on the parade and prompting Untouchable to become a bigger beast than it's ever been. Who knows, maybe we'll even get lucky and get a little bit more Kururu in that time...

Until next time, let's enjoy life!

[staarri]

THE ACTING TROUPE OF THE FESTIVAL IS CURRENTLY SCOUTING FOR NEW PERFORMERS, COME JOIN THE CLUB! ノ CLOSED sfw matchup & alphabet event

From MAY 29 to JUNE 3 (GMT+8) visitors from all around can experience the opportunity of a lifetime. You can choose a genre you prefer and get your own acting acting buddy along with you on stage!

Yes, you may start sending in your requests now. But not everyone will be given a chance to perform, lets look at the specifics to make sure you'll be part of the chosen performers!

Everything is improv, of course, you will never know what your performance will be like. All requests will be viewed slowly and carefully, so we ask for you to be patient until your results have come out!

MECHANICS

The stage is all yours, just who will you perform with? You can select up to two genres, and up to three partners! We will ask you to make this a reasonable amount, so you may choose from these three acts:

ACT 1 – Includes just one chapter, even though the time taken will be much shorter–you will be prioritized & you are guaranteed to still experience the feeling of being onstage! 1 GENRE ノ 1 PARTNER

ACT 2 – Includes two chapters! This will take time to prepare but your request will be granted either way. 1 GENRE ノ 2 PARTNERS

ACT 3 – This one includes 3 chapters. It will take much longer to process your request. You may get ones similar to others depending on the genre you’ve chosen, but you will still get the same feeling as if it was your own play. 2 GENRES ノ 2 PARTNERS

You are still allowed to create your own package! Ensure this will be a reasonable amount, your limit will be 3 genres and 3 partners.

You may only request the following : 1 genre / 1 character | 1 genre / 2 characters | 2 genres / 1 character | 2 genres / 2 characters | 3 genres / 3 characters

Each genre is assigned a specific trope–This can range from fluff tropes to hurt/comfort. You may choose from the list in this post.

The event is only applicable to GENSHIN IMPACT characters, we apologize if you were looking for something else!

SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

Once you’ve decided on your genre and number of partners, you may start submitting your request so we may create something to your liking! Any requests sent once we have closed will be ignored.

To submit your application, you may send one through the festival's request wall ( ask box ). Include the number & what GENRE, along with the number of ACTORS you have selected.

Include a brief introduction of yourself! What do you like? What do you dislike? What's your personality like? We only ask that you do not make this too long.

An example to a request for this event would be : "May I get the act 1 package? I have chosen the "first kiss", and i prefer to perform with women! I like rainy weather and hot drinks, but i dont like the humidity and the thunder. im pretty shy but once i warm up to you, i can get energetic. And can this be when they're in a relationship already? Thank you!"

If there are any specifics, you may expand more on the genre you have chosen. You may also select the gender of your partners, if you prefer male or female actors to perform alongside you. If there are no specifics however, you may leave your request as is. So long as we can see what genre you’ve chosen and the amount of performers you will be with onstage.

Again, you cannot choose who you receive. That is part of the surprise!

GENTLE REMINDERS FROM THE TROUPE.

We will not be making any hateful plays. We have selected specific tropes for you to choose from to do so, please abide by our rules to ensure a safe space for everyone!

The troupe will not allow performances with minors, platonic or not. We will also not be taking requests for male readers as I dont know how to do so! Everything will be labeled as GN!READER.

Only choose from the selections we’ve given. Any requests that include other genre / trope or amount of characters OUTSIDE of our limit will not be accepted.

During the time of the event, normal requests will be closed.

This is a GENSHIN IMPACT event, we will not accept any requests for love & deepspace or other fandoms the host writes for!

Any rude request will be declined, along with ones who don't follow the theme & those who straight up says what they want with nothing else written on it. If you wish to make sure your request is accepted, include the word FESTIVAL in your request!

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AROUND!

Our event will be tagged as # troupe scouting - join the club in the freedom wall for easier access.

this post is not thoroughly proofread, if you have questions you may ask through my inbox!

[only-lonely-stars]

The Best Gossip on the Planet!

Oneshot – (FFN) (AO3)

Summary:

Cat Grant had it! The best scoop she'd ever gotten, right on the roof of The Daily Planet! Or, Superman and Lois aren't the most careful when it comes to who sees them. One thing leads to another, and to another, and to an article in The Daily Planet.

This fic is inspired by artwork by @tsbdhdndj! Thanks for letting me write based on it! <3

It was undeniable! Simply preposterous to even begin to dispute this truth! This would be the story which made the fabulous Cat Grant a star journalist! 

The story began that morning, when Cat heard one of her coworkers cry out that Superman had flown up to their building’s roof. Every time Superman showed up, juicy stories followed him! Cat wasted no time as she ran to the stairs, scaled the fifteen floors above her, and then tip-toed up to the access door. She planted herself there, listening intently for her favorite kind of news: gossip.

“Come on, Superman! We both know Lex is just a spineless coward. You can take him!”

“It’s not about whether I can take him in a fight. This is a problem of reputation.”

“That doesn’t mean anything! He’s just a bully. Who listens to bullies anyway?”

Cat pushed the door open gently, just wide enough to see through a crack.

Lois Lane and Superman were standing on the roof! And by standing, of course, she meant that he was floating a few inches off the ground and she was in his arms, too close for him to have just carried her up. No, he was holding her more intimately than that.

She’d caught them red-handed!

“Lois, I can’t just punch all my problems away. Plenty of people listen to him, that’s why Lexcorp even exists. I have to handle this the hard way.”

“But–”

“No buts! That’s not how this works, and you know it.”

Lois sighed heavily, laying her head down on his shoulder in an awfully familiar manner. “I wish it wasn’t so hard…”

Cat reached for her phone and snapped a picture through the crack in the door. The shutter gave a little click.

“I know– hold on.”

Superman moved faster than Cat could blink. He pulled open the door, Lois abandoned where they’d been just prior, and he was glaring at Cat. “Cat Grant. I should have expected you to be eavesdropping.”

“Cat?!” Lois shrieked. “Cat, stop, this isn’t what it looks like!”

She jumped on the opportunity. “Superman, please, elaborate on the situation here! Are you aware Ms. Lane is currently in a romantic relationship with Clark Kent, another of our journalists? How does it feel to be the side chick? Just how long has this been going on?”

Superman backed away, wide-eyed. “Woah, hold on! That’s not– it’s not–”

“I’m not cheating on Clark!” Lois cried. “It’s– this isn’t anything, purely professional!”

“Professional?” Cat whooped with laughter. “My dear, my dear! It didn’t look that way to me!”

“You’re wrong. It’s nothing weird like that.”

“Nothing weird? Why, this is exceptional! Superman, you must let me interview you!” She gave him a sly smile, enjoying how his eyes widened in either fear or hope. “To clear the air, of course.”

Superman cleared his throat, averting his gaze for a moment before he spoke to her directly. “Ma’am, I must insist that it’s none of the public’s business.”

“Oh, but the public–” Cat pointed at herself– “already knows that something is going on! Surely you’d like to get ahead of the rumor wheel.”

He considered her argument, and Cat knew that he would agree. She always knew.

When he glanced back at Lois for confirmation, Cat was certain she had her scoop, even though Lois was frantically trying to pantomime that he should stop. “...Fine. I’ll answer your questions.”

Cat whooped in victory. “Fabulous!”

She sprang forward and grabbed Superman’s hand, pulling unsuccessfully. “Come, come, you must want privacy!” He complied and walked with her, and Cat dragged him to the corner of the rooftop near the building’s AC units.

She spun to face him and held up her recorder. “First question. What do you think of Clark Kent?”

He blinked twice. “Uh… who is that…?”

“Lois Lane’s self-proclaimed boyfriend! He’s another reporter here at the Planet, and has written several articles about you.”

“Uh– oh, yeah, Mr. Kent! Of course I know him!” He laughed awkwardly. “Um, he’s fine. Just a regular guy, a good reporter. Nothing special about him!”

“Oho, nothing special?” Cat pressed her advantage. “So you think he’s mediocre? Is he not worthy of Lois?”

“What?! I mean– no, nobody’s worthy of anybody else. Ms. Grant, I don’t think about him at all!”

Another score! She tried a new angle, “And what about Lois? What drew your eye? Didn’t you once say your ‘ideal woman’ was a ‘tall surgeon?’ We both know Lois is nothing like that.”

Superman frowned. “Ma’am, I don’t think the events of a reality show have any bearing on real life.”

“So did you lie?”

“What? No, I don’t lie to people.”

“Come now, Supes. Everyone lies. That’s why I have a gossip column in the first place.” Cat smirked. “Now. What’s so special about Lois Lane to capture the eye of Metropolis’ most eligible bachelor?”

She knew she’d struck a chord when the superhero blushed. He paused, stammering and hemming and hawing.

“Well… she already said it's nothing like that.”

“Come on, Superman! That blush says you have eyes for her. Spill.”

He sputtered and blushed a deeper pink, giving some excuse before he finally answered. “Lois is certainly a special person. She’s brave and kind, and really has a heart for Metropolis. She thinks the people should know what’s happening in their city, and I… admire that.” He shook his head, gaining some composure. “Ms. Grant, I won’t go into what is not between us. Just know that Ms. Lane is a wonderful person. Nobody needs to be extraordinary to be valuable.”

Cat nodded, mentally noting how Superman seemed to grow more confident as he spoke about her– like Lois meant more to him than he was letting on, just as she’d expected. What a twist, to have a superhero vying with an average man for a date with a journalist! This was going to be one of her best articles so far.

“Of course, of course. One last question, Superman.” She leaned forward, holding his gaze. “What would you like to say to Clark Kent? You know he’ll read this article, so give him a message!”

Superman paused, thinking hard, and placed his fists on his hips in one of his most iconic poses. “Well, Ms. Grant. If I had one thing to say to Mr. Kent, I’d tell him to keep Lois close and treat her even better than she deserves. He’s a lucky man.”

Cat snickered. “Is that really everything? You won’t try to stake your claim?”

“Stake my claim?” He considered it again, and then grinned– a mischievious expression that Cat wished she could get a photographer to capture. “Oh, I see. Yes, please put in the article that while I won’t fight him, we both know Lois gets whatever– and whoever– she wants.”

The scoop was hers! Cat whooped in victory. “Of course, Superman! I’ll make sure it’s impossible to miss!”

Superman nodded, gave her a bland goodbye, and flew away. The rooftop was suddenly quite empty and still, with Lois having somehow escaped during her conversation, but Cat was triumphant anyway.

Now, to add the pièce de résistance!

—

“Oh, Claaaark!~” Cat sang as she walked down the halls of the Daily Planet, waving a piece of paper in the air. “Claaark, where are you!”

She opened the door to the newspaper morgue without knocking, just to find the very trio she wanted to find. Jimmy and Clark were bent over the table, looking over some documents, while Lois was pinning things to their ‘murder board’ at the back of the room.

All eyes fell on Cat.

She laughed. “Oh, perfect! Just who I wanted to find!”

Lois shrieked. “Nope! Nope, nope, nope! Get out of here, Cat!”

“No can do!” Cat barged in, delighting in the boys’ shocked expressions. Lois tried to push her out of the room, but Cat managed to close the door just in time to stay inside. “Come now, Lois, there’s no need for that! I just wanted to talk to you bunch.”

“Absolutely not!” Lois was red in the face now.

“You don’t even know what I wanted to say!” 

“I have a pretty good idea! Clark, help me get her out of here!”

Clark looked between them with a bemused expression, smiling. “What’s going on here? Cat’s got just as much right as anyone to come in here, you know that Lois.”

“I swear, Smallville–”

“Clark!” Cat cheered and reached out to grab his hand. “Perfect, just the man I wanted!”

Clark blushed. “What?”

Jimmy’s jaw dropped. “What?!”

Cat laughed. “Oh stop that. Nothing of that sort, boys. I need to talk to Clark. An interview!”

Clark laughed nervously, sounding faint. “Um… you want to talk to me? Is this work-related?”

“Of course!” Cat pulled out her recorder and clicked it on. “Tell me, what do you think of Superman?”

He blinked, and blinked again. “What?”

“I said, what do you think of Superman? Come on, give me something to work with here! You know non-answers don’t work for articles!”

Clark stammered a little more, looking between all of the people in the room. He landed on Jimmy, who wiggled his eyebrows. “C’mon, buddy. Just tell her. It’s probably some human interest piece.”

He sighed. “All right. What are you looking for here, Cat?”

Here was the clincher. She leaned forward, winking. “Give me your full, honest opinion about him. Do you think he’s a good person? Is he handsome? Approachable? Honest?”

Clark laughed. “Honest? Of course he’s honest. Do you seriously think someone who spends their time helping everybody without asking a thing would be a bad person?” He rolled his eyes. “Please. I bet he’s the type to splurge on gifts for his mom, or… adopt a kitten in need of a home, just because it needs one. Metropolis is better off with him helping us.”

Cat nodded and jotted down a couple notes. He obviously thought highly of the superhero… was it highly enough to get a good reaction? 

She pulled out her piece of paper and offered it to him. “Look at this and tell me what you think about it.”

Clark stared at it, with Jimmy and Lois coming up behind him. Lois was somehow even more red, as if she was about to combust. Jimmy looked at it, then at Cat, then back and forth between the two. The paper illustrated Superman and a blue sky background, as if flying through the air, with a superimposed candid of Lois from around the office pasted into his arms. It looked a bit like a sticker on top of a poster.

Jimmy looked unimpressed. “Uh… Cat, did you Photoshop this?”

Cat rolled her eyes in frustration. “Yes, but that’s not important. Give me feedback!”

“This looks like a fan comic.” He took it and looked it over, turning it this way and that. “And a bad one. Seriously, did you even try?”

“Of course I tried!” Cat snapped, grabbing it from him. “It’s called a visual aid, darling. Now–” She looked at Clark, who was looking between everyone else with an unreadable expression. “What? What is it?”

“...Cat, why did you Photoshop Lois and Superman together?”

The scoop was hers!

“Oh, well, I just wanted to know what you had to say about Lois and Superman secretly dating!”

Jimmy gasped. “What?! No way, you’re crazy!”

Lois looked like she could melt through the floor from sheer embarrassment. “Yeah… crazy…”

Clark gaped at Lois. “Lois? You’re kidding. Please, tell me you’re kidding.”

Lois glared at him and said nothing.

“Oh… oh, boy. Oh my gosh. What? I mean– I just– what?” Clark sputtered, making some meaningless noises, ruffling his hair and knocking his glasses askew. “You said he wasn’t going to be a problem!”

“Clark–”

“No, you said he was just a friend,” Clark continued, staring at her. “You’re telling me that you said you ‘didn’t want to be official right now,’ and then went off and started going on dates with Superman? Lois, that’s just cold!”

Something undefinable crossed between them. Cat pulled out her phone to snap a subtle picture– with flash, of course– as Lois turned on him.

“Well, you know what? He’s exciting. He’s a hero. Of course I said yes to going on a date with him!”

“And I’m not exciting? I’m not good enough for you?”

“You’re not Superman,” Lois accused.

“So?! I treated you like a queen! You met my parents, Lois! I’ve never brought anyone to meet them. How about when your apartment bathroom flooded and I helped you clean it up? Or when your dad came to my parents’ for Thanksgiving? Or–”

“You think you’re such a hero?!” Lois snapped, storming over to him and pointing her finger right in his face. “Then you go and be Superman. Go ahead, just try to save Metropolis the way he does every single day. Just try and be half the man he is.”

“He’s not even a man, he’s an alien!”

“Maybe I like aliens. Ever thought of that?!”

Cat couldn’t keep down her whooping laughter. It echoed through the morgue, stopping Lois and Clark in their tracks. The two turned on her in sync with matching angry expressions.

Lois raised her finger to point at Cat. “You. Stay out of this.”

“No.” Clark stepped forward, between Lois and Cat. “You know what? No. Cat, I know you’re gonna write an article on this, so I have a message for Superman that I want you to put in, word for word.”

Cat was giddy as she got out her notebook. “Please, tell me! I want all the details.”

Clark took her recorder and brought it up to his face, speaking slowly and clearly. His voice was low, dangerously low, and filled with brimming frustration. It was enough to rival the male leads in Cat’s romance novels!

(So she liked to read trashy romance. Sue her. Romance was the world’s largest book genre for a reason.)

“Superman, this is a message from Clark Kent. You might be a hero, and might save Metropolis from whatever comes to hurt its people, but you don’t get to take everything you want just because of that. If you want someone to date, go about it the normal way.” 

His gaze slid to Lois. “If you really want to romance Lois so badly, first you have to take it up with me. I’m sure you know where I live, so… so… meet me on the roof and talk to me like a man. I won’t give up on Lois, not ever, so we’ll let Lois decide once and for all.”

Lois was watching him with wide eyes. Cat took back her recorder, smiling slyly as she put away her notebook. “Is that all?”

Clark smiled, then nodded slowly. “That’s all. Now, if you’ll excuse us, I think I need to have a little talk with Lois. Will you give us some space?”

Cat snickered. “But of course. Have fun, you two!”

She opened the door, and almost as an afterthought, grabbed Jimmy by his jacket collar. “Come along, Olson! We’ve got an article to write!”

“Hey, wait– let go of me!”

“Metropolis waits for no one!” Cat sang it out as she pulled the door closed behind her, slamming as she left. She pulled the struggling Jimmy down the hall to her cubicle, only letting him go when she dropped him at his own space. “Don’t go back in there, dear, they need their space.”

“But–”

“No, no buts! Trust me, you don’t want to see that.” She winked, enjoying how Jimmy’s jaw dropped. “They’re just fine with no one else there.”

Jimmy sputtered. “Wh– I– fine?”

“Good, good!”

Cat left him behind, sliding into her own cubicle with a sly smile. She felt like the cat that had gotten the canary!

What would it be like when they met? Oh, she could already envision it! The mental picture was delightful, she just had to laugh!

She could see it now. Superman and Clark Kent, facing off against one another. The anger, the tension, the jealousy! Superman, superior in strength, and Clark Kent, able to affect Superman’s reputation in every article he wrote. Would they fight? Would they shout?

Oh! What if Lois were there? Torn between the two men she’d been seeing, who fought over her like a prize! She would be so torn. Cat could see her faint expression now, how she would want them to settle the matter! Two men, vying for her heart, and one of them superhuman.

It was too juicy to resist! Cat logged into her computer and started writing immediately. Something this hot had to make it into tomorrow’s paper!

—

ONE LUCKY LADY! by Cat Grant

We all know that the hearts of Metropolis’ people were captured by Superman as soon as we met him. Strong, powerful, and superhuman. What’s not to love?

The Daily Planet has investigated Superman ever since breaking the news of his debut. His exploits have been nothing short of legendary. Many of our own reporters are able to tell of times when Superman personally saved them from falling buildings, rescued their pets, or helped them with whatever they needed– not to mention fending off alien invaders and strange tech weapons. He’s been a rock for our community.

So what is he up to now?

The Daily Planet is pleased to report that Superman seems to have turned his eye to the romantic side of life… and is dating our very own investigative journalist, Lois Lane!

Eagle-eyed readers may remember that Ms. Lane has been romantically involved with another of our journalists, one Clark Kent, for several months now. Lane and Kent frequently work together, and have a reputation of a loving relationship. But could something be wrong in paradise?

Superman was willing to answer a few interview questions on the matter.

CG: What do you think of Clark Kent?

S: Mr. Kent! Of course I know him. He’s fine, just a regular guy and a good reporter. Nothing special about him. I don’t think about him at all.

CG: What’s so special about Lois Lane to capture the eye of Metropolis’ most eligible bachelor?

S: Lois is certainly a special person. She’s brave and kind, and really has a heart for Metropolis. She thinks the people should know what’s happening in their city, and I admire that.

CG: One last question. What would you like to say to Clark Kent?

For this question, Superman considered his words carefully. What could he have been thinking?

S: I’d tell him to keep Lois close and treat her even better than she deserves. He’s a lucky man… While I won’t fight him, we both know Lois gets whatever, and whoever, she wants.

Talk about a challenge! Metropolis’ darling makes it sound like he’s not the slightest bit worried about who she might choose. But what would Mr. Kent think?

The story only gets better. After quite the argument with Ms. Lane, he gave the Daily Planet a message for Superman.

“Superman, this is a message from Clark Kent. You might be a hero, and might save Metropolis from whatever comes to hurt its people, but you don’t get to take everything you want just because of that. If you want someone to date, go about it the normal way.

“If you really want to romance Lois first, you have to take it up with me. I’m sure you know where I live, so meet me on the roof and talk to me like a man. I won’t give up on Lois, not ever, so we’ll let Lois decide once and for all.”

Talk about a challenge! Superman, we hope you’re ready for your most dangerous battle of all… a battle for Lois Lane’s heart. Here at the Daily Planet, we already have our favorite horse in this race, and that’s Ms. Lane. No matter who she chooses, she’s the luckiest woman in Metropolis right now!

—

Of course, Cat had no way of knowing what actually happened in the newspaper morgue that day, or how the article would be received.

She didn’t hear how Clark cracked jokes about Lois having to choose between him and himself. She didn’t see how Lois egged him on, pretending that he would hunt down Superman and give him a knuckle sandwich. She didn’t see how Lois laughed and laughed, begging him to spare himself, until finally the two ended the so-called argument with a kiss and a nice, long hug.

What she did hear was that Superman had flown around the city the day it was published, signing every copy of The Daily Planet he could find, and leaving a signed copy with a note on her desk for her to find when she arrived at work.

Dear Ms. Grant, 

The spin you put on this story was entertaining, so thank you for a good laugh. Please make no mistake that I do not date citizens– or anyone, Lois included. I wish you continued success in your writing.

-Superman

[andreafmn]

I'm Not Afraid | Chapter 18

Word Count: 3.8K

Story Description: (Y/N) Argent arrived at Beacon Hills to put to rest her father’s sister, Kate Argent. For the first time, her family has decided to settle down and sustain a life in this interesting small town. After 17 years, (Y/N) has the opportunity to establish interpersonal relationships but will she be ready to face the complications that come with relating to her cousin’s, Allison, friends; especially, the infamous Derek Hale. She will face the adventure of being associated with the Derek and McCall pack, as well as being faced with the discovery of certain aspects of her life she never imagined.

A/N: this is essentially a filler chapter to jump into the end of Season 2. But, if you're one of the followers of this story, strap in 'cause shit's about to go down 🫣

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Emergency Family Meeting was what flashed on (Y/N)’s phone at six in the morning. She groaned as the sound bounced off the walls, breaking her from a deep sleep. The brightness from her phone burned her eyes and made her groan as she read Allison’s message.

The last thing she wanted was to be surrounded by Argent hunters. She didn’t want to face her cousin or her grandfather; she didn’t even want to face her own parents. All she wanted to do was sleep. Well, she still had school, and she had to walk Brody, but other than that, she wanted to sleep. It was the only sure way she had to avoid Derek. The more she slept, the less time she had to think. And (Y/N) did not want to be stuck in her head.

“Dude, turn off your phone,” Isaac grumbled from the spot he had taken on her bedroom floor, hugging Brody closer as he turned away from the light. “It’s too early to be awake. We still have two more hours until school starts.”

Emergency Family Meeting flashed on (Y/N)’s phone at six in the morning. She groaned as the sound bounced off the walls, breaking her from a deep sleep. The brightness from her phone burned her eyes and made her groan as she read Allison’s message.

The last thing she wanted was to be surrounded by Argent hunters. She didn’t want to face her cousin or her grandfather; she didn’t even want to face her own parents. All she wanted to do was sleep. Well, she still had school, and she had to walk Brody, but other than that, she wanted to sleep. It was the only sure way she had to avoid Derek. The more she slept, the less time she had to think. And (Y/N) did not want to be stuck in her head.

“Dude, turn off your phone,” Isaac grumbled from the spot he had taken on her bedroom floor, hugging Brody closer as he turned away from the light. “It’s too early to be awake. We still have two more hours until school starts.”

“Well, it’s not my fault Allison is calling for a family meeting,” (Y/N) sighed, ripping her sheets off her body. "I’m pretty sure it has everything to do with her little revenge arc. She's probably going to tell us to go after Derek and anyone involved with him.”

“Which includes me,” he said. “I don’t think your cousin will take well to knowing you’ve been harboring one of Derek’s betas these last couple of days.”

After everything that had gone down after Lydia’s party, Isaac had been glued to (Y/N)’s side. When she was at school, he would never be too far behind. Much to his disappointment, he had to remain outside of the halls while her family hunted him and the pack. But he made sure to keep watch of her as he hid in the woods. He claimed he didn’t want her to be alone—especially after Matt’s body had been found in the river—but she knew the uncertainty he had living with Derek and everything that was happening. The man had all but said you’re all either entirely in or to jump ship. Erica and Boyd had turned down (Y/N)’s offer of her home, but Isaac had been quick to agree.

Somehow, (Y/N) had been able to hide a 6’1” teenage werewolf in her bedroom for almost an entire week without being found out. Granted, the fact that her parents seemed to be out of the house most of the day because of the Kanima helped. They didn’t really question the missing food or the fact that their daughter locked herself in her room the second she got home. Their minds were simply too preoccupied.

“I’m just gonna see what this is about, and I’ll let you know what’s going on,” (Y/N) said as she slipped a hoodie over her head and tied her hair into a ponytail. “Sometimes I wish I wasn’t born in this family, you know? It’s like craziness follows us.”

“Could be genetic.”

“My biggest fear,” she sighed. “But I’ll see you later, okay? Don’t come out until I’m back.”

“I can go with you,” the boy offered. “Hang out a few blocks away until you’re done. Moral support, you know?”

“I can’t risk having you close, Isaac. I’m not even sure what I’m walking into myself. For all I know, this is the meeting where they reveal my involvement with the pack, and I’m punished by the family.”

“See, that doesn’t make me feel comfortable about you going alone.”

“I’m not gonna be alone,” she shrugged. “My dad will be there, and he’s on our side. So, I’ll see you when I get back because I am coming back.”

“Fine. At least I have Brody to keep me company,” he said as he scratched the sleepy dog’s head. “I can keep him if you don’t come back, right?”

“You’re hilarious.”

“I try,” he snickered. “Be careful, Argent.”

“Always am, Lahey.”

After saying a quick goodbye to Isaac and her dog, (Y/N) closed her bedroom door behind her and sped off to her uncle’s house. The place was packed with hunters, both young and old, all preparing to take down the now-infamous Kanima. Anywhere she turned, a leather-clad hunter would meet her gaze. The girl tried her best not to feel intimidated, but their stares bore into her like they knew all of her secrets.

But if they did, they made no sound about it. They nodded their heads and waved at her as she passed them. No one reprimanded her or tried to hold her back from getting to where she needed to be. She was simply the daughter of one of the Argent boys and a hunter in training.

“Ah, (Y/N),” Gerard greeted as she walked down to the basement. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

“Yeah, well, I do live far from here, and I was sleeping. Mind you, it’s six in the morning on a school day.”

“(Y/N),” her mother reprimanded.

“It’s quite alright, Rebecca. She’s filled with teenage angst and rebellion. I’d be surprised if she didn’t say something out of place.”

“Great. Since we’re finished discussing my teenage behaviors, could you tell me what we’re doing here?” (Y/N) scoffed quietly. “I do have a history test in a few hours.”

“Okay, we’re veering off track here,” Allison interjected. “I’m the one that called this meeting because I need us all to be on the same page about the wolves here.”

“And what page would that be, Ali?”

“Derek Hale is the reason my mother is dead, and he has to pay for what he has done. It’s been a week since she died, and we’re nowhere near to finding him,” she said sternly. The way she spoke about Derek sent shivers down (Y/N)’s spine. There was so much hatred and ire laced with her words that it killed any ounce of sarcasm in the other girl’s brain. “Other than the Kanima, our top priority is to apprehend Derek. If you find him, you bring him back here. Alive. We know he has betas that will protect him at all costs. Just like last Friday, I don’t want to hurt them for being dumb enough to protect their alpha, but we will if the need arises. I will need you to be on high alert. We will be the only ones looking for him. The other hunters will be tasked on Kanima watch, but this case is too personal to leave in their hands.”

(Y/N) wanted to speak up, tell her that the only people she should have been hunting down were their own family. It was their fault and their stupid rules that had killed Victoria. Not Derek or any of the wolves, and they did not deserve the persecution that Allison was instituting. It was an unnecessary witch hunt that she wanted no part in.

As everyone agreed with the game plan, strategizing how to get the big bad wolf, (Y/N) slipped out of the basement. She was unable to keep listening to her family’s ideas to catch someone who was not at fault and how taking innocent lives would be such a breeze since they were simply in the way. Everyone spoke up, saying what way they thought would be best. Everyone but her father. Henry simply sat back and listened as everyone else spoke of killing three teenagers and a young man like they were planning their Thanksgiving dinner.

“Where are you going, (Y/N)?” Allison said. She grabbed (Y/N) by the elbow as the girl started walking down the driveway, turning her around to face each other. “We’re not done yet,” she said.

“It seems to me you all have this perfectly planned out,” she shrugged. “There’s no need for me to sit in on a meeting that could have been an email.”

��What is your problem, (Y/N)? It’s almost like you don’t care about what happened to my mom,” the girl accused. “I know you two were close, but he’s to blame here.”

“I do care, Ali,” she stated. “I’m very sorry that your mother is dead. I can’t imagine the pain you are going through. But it is not Derek’s fault that she took her own life, and planning on hurting or, worse, killing the rest of the pack is honestly unbelievable. Our job is to defend those that can’t defend themselves, not go after innocent people.”

“None of them are innocent,” Allison seethed. “Derek Hale is a killer. And if the rest decide to hide him, then they are complicit in his crime. They are just as guilty as he is.”

“Have you ever even thought why Derek had to bite her? Have you asked yourself why he may have needed to resort to that?”

“What’re you getting on about?” she questioned. “How would you know any of that?”

“I was there, Allison. I was in the room where it all happened,” (Y/N) admitted. “She was close to killing Scott that night, using an airborne form of wolfsbane. Derek fought her to get her away from him. That’s when he bit her. It was their lives or a bite. She got away fine. Her death happened because of the stupid rules this family lives by, where a hunter would rather take their own life than be a wolf. “Now, you can blame them all you want and hunt them down for eternity,” she spat. “But it will never change the fact that it was Victoria’s choice to die that night. No one killed her but the blade in her hand.”

As soon as those words left her mouth, Allison’s hand struck (Y/N)’s cheek with a loud snap, splitting open the still-healing Kanima slashes on her cheek. They dripped warm blood down her skin, mixing with the sting of the hit. But it did not deter her from continuing. “Would you have rather he let Scott die?” she pressed. “Would you have rather she had killed me in the fight instead? Because it’s everyone else’s fault, right? The fact that your mother took her own life is everyone else’s fault. And just because you think you know what’s best doesn’t mean you get to tell everyone what to do.”

“How can you say something like that? If it hadn’t been for Derek, my mother would still be alive,” Allison said through gritted teeth. “Grandpa put me in charge of strategy because he knew I was the best person for the job. I’m actually committed to our family’s work, unlike you, (Y/N).”

“Oh, well, excuse me for not being okay with the murder and unnecessary hunt of our friends. Because I think you’re forgetting who the people you want to hurt are,” Syler pressed. “What if I’m hiding them?  Will you kill me too? Will you make sure I don’t get in your way?”

“(Y/N), I wouldn’t…” ‘

“But you would, Allison. You’re being driven by vengeance and retribution, and I will not help you do it. The rules that the hunters live by are warped and do nothing but justify the killings of innocent people. I won’t stand for it.”

“So, what’re you saying? You’re out?”

“Oh, you can absolutely believe I am out,” (Y/N) spat back. “And if you want to turn everyone against me, you can go right ahead. I will make sure to do my absolute hardest to protect my friends from you. You’ll have to kill me yourself if you want to get to any of them.”

(Y/N) turned before Allison could say anything else, mounting her motorcycle and speeding off. Everyone she cared about was at risk because of her family, because of something she had helped do. She knew going against her family could have dire consequences for her, but she couldn’t simply stand by while her own cousin hunted the people she had befriended once upon a time—and some she had made sure to stay clear of. Even if they had supernatural abilities, the girl knew the relentlessness of her family. They had their scent, and they wouldn’t let it go.

As soon as she got home, she ran to her room to find Isaac now asleep on her bed, her dog curled by his feet. He looked calm and peaceful, even, unaware of the danger he was in. (Y/N) wanted to protect him and keep him safe for the first time in a very long time.

(Y/N) slithered onto the bed as softly as she could, trying to take advantage of the forty minutes she still had left until she had to go to school. But as soon as the bed dipped, both Isaac and Brody turned their heads toward the movement. “Hey,” she whispered as she finally settled onto her spot. “Go back to sleep.”

“You’re back already?” Isaac yawned. “What did they say?”

“We can discuss that later,” she dismissed. “You need all the rest you can get, kid.”

“Is it bad?”

“Later, okay? I can’t focus on that right now. I need to dream about the Roman empire before my test.”

(Y/N) walked out of the history classroom feeling content with her performance. Even if she had missed a few questions, she knew she had gotten the majority of the test right. And in the grand scheme of things, she was fine with celebrating that small victory. There might have been a killer lizard boy terrorizing the town controlled by god knows who, her best friend might have been hunted by her family, her situationship might have ended things, and her parents might have hated each other, but at least she knew she got a good grade on her test.

As she turned to the left to head to the cafeteria, she collided straight into someone, sending the book in her hands flying.

“Oh, god, (Y/N),” Stiles’ voice said. “Sorry. I wasn’t looking.” 

“It’s fine,” she chuckled as she accepted his outstretched arm. “I wasn’t looking either. We’ve all got a lot on our minds, I guess.”

“You could say that again,” he laughed. But there was something different in the timber of his laughter. It wasn’t bright and cheery—not that she expected any less in a situation like the one they were in. “I feel like I haven’t seen anyone in years. These days…”

“These days have driven everyone apart, it seems—some more than others,” (Y/N) said with a sigh. "I thought I understood interpersonal relationships. Hell, I thought I understood what being family meant. But these past few months have shown me that I don’t know anything.”

“We know less than nothing,” Stiles added. “And these past weeks have taught us that.”

With a shared sigh, a thought popped into (Y/N)’s head. “Do you wanna ditch?”

“Like, school?”

“No, church,” she mocked. “Of course, school.”

“But there’s still half a day left and practice…”

“We’ll be back for lacrosse practice. I know the big game is tomorrow,” she stated. “It’s just a couple of hours and lunch. You can do that, right?”

“I mean, I guess I could.”

“If the principal has anything to say about it, he can bring it up at the next family dinner,” (Y/N) joked. "So, are you in?”

“Fuck it, I’m in.”

The pair of teens used the racket of class change in the hallways to slip out of the front doors. If anyone had noticed, they didn’t care as they ran to the parking lot. But they had not planned where to go. (Y/N) went left as Stiles went right, stopping once they noticed what they had done.

“My Jeep is better,” Stiles whispered. “It fits more people.”

“My bike is faster,” the girl retorted. “And I have an extra helmet.”

“I’m supposed to get on that death trap with you?” Stiles worried. “So, if the Kanina doesn’t get me, your bike will?”

“I’m a better driver on my bike than anyone could be in a car,” she said. “Live a little, Stiles. Who knows when we’ll be gone.”

With a fearful breath and a furrowed brow, Stiles reluctantly followed (Y/N) to her motorcycle. He tightened the straps of his backpack and climbed onto the bike behind the girl. For a second, he felt safe. As he balanced his body on the back of the leather seat, he thought it was fine. Until she roared the bike to life, and it rumbled under him.

“You might want to hold on tight,” she said. “I like to go fast.”

Stiles’ words died in his mouth as she gave the bike gas, and they sprung forward. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist a small scream left his mouth. The boy may have faced murderous lizards and wolves, but nothing could compare to the anxiety of having his life depend on a vehicle with only two wheels and no walls.

But soon into the drive, the boy leaned into the danger. His grip softened, and his fear turned into thrill. The rumble of the road felt different, the wind hitting his body was chilling but welcomed, and he felt like he could breathe. After months of treading water, he felt he could breathe.

Soon enough, they arrived at their destination. Beacon Diner was a staple in the town and a place she started frequenting with Derek up until he had decided to disappear from her life as though he had only been a passing thought.

It was odd to return to the establishment without him. Memories of their first time there came flooding back every time she went there, and that was the first time those memories had made her stomach churn. She had learned as much as she could about him, given an entire portion of her brain and her heart to him, all for Derek to simply discard it all away. But he wouldn’t hold everything in town hostage for her. She wouldn’t let him.

“Oh, (Y/N), nice to see you back,” her usual waitress welcomed her. “Cutting school again, I see.”

“Just taking an impromptu half-day, Molly,” she smiled. “Figured I’d get some early lunch from the best place.”

“Cafeteria food not cutting it?” Molly chuckled as she set menus in front of the teens. “And, hey, that’s weird, no Derek today? Haven’t seen the two of you here in some time.”

 “Yeah. No Derek for a while,” (Y/N) managed to blurt out. “He needs some space, I guess.”

“Boys,” Molly playfully scoffed. “Well, then, what can I get started for you two?”

The pair fell into a comfortable silence after they made their order and got their drinks. It was the first time they had ever been by themselves, and they knew they made an odd pair to the naked eye. How could anyone know the trauma that already bonded them in such a short amount of time?

“So, things go south with Derek?” Stiles finally broke the silence after taking a sip of his unnecessary coffee, not really noticing the nonchalant tone of his words until after they had left his mouth. “I mean, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. It’s totally up to you. I don’t mean to pry.”

“It’s okay, Stiles,” she chuckled softly. “It honestly came out of the blue. After the whole thing at the station, he said he had to put some distance between us because he couldn’t be sure I wouldn’t one day turn on him like Allison has turned on Scott and…”

“How Kate turned on him,” Stiles finished. “He really said that?”

“Yeah,” she sighed. Her eyes were trained on the ice of her drink because she knew if she looked at the pity in his eyes, she wouldn’t be able to stop the tears. “I thought we had gotten over that, but I guess he was just waiting for the right moment to use that card.”

“I’m sorry he said that,” the boy offered. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think you could ever be like Kate. It might not mean anything coming from me. I know I haven’t known you for too long, and in the short time I knew your aunt, she was trying to kill Scott and me. But you’re nothing like her, (Y/N).”

“It means a lot, Stiles,” the girl smiled. “Especially since I wasn’t that great when I first came here.”

“Yeah, you were a hard pill to swallow,” Stiles chuckled. “But I get why you were like that. Thankfully, it didn’t last long. I like not being the only one who’s default is sarcasm.”

“I guess I got here just in time then,” she laughed. “I just wish I knew what my purpose is here. I mean, I’m basically the odd one out.”

“How so?”

There was a silence between them as their plates were set in front of them, an extra order of fries set between them. Molly told them it was on the house and left with a playful wink toward them. The pair burst out laughing, knowing the insinuation came from a good place.

“You didn’t answer my question,” Stiles mentioned as he popped a handful of fries into his mouth. “Why do you feel like you’re the odd one out?”

“When I came here, everyone already knew their place,” (Y/N) sighed. “And, I don’t know, I just feel like I have no role here. Like I wasn’t meant to stay here for long. Hell, even Derek is the creepy loner. I’m just… there.”

“Oh, god, and you think we have much purpose?” Stiles sputtered. “If it hadn’t been for an accident, Scott would have never been turned, and we’d be just as oblivious to everything as the rest of Beacon Hills. We’re all just winging it, honestly. Whatever we do right, it’s just because we most likely stumbled onto the right answer.”

“But even without the whole werewolf, Kanima, whatever nonsense, you would have still had a life here,” she said. “The only reason I’m here is because my dad wanted to be close to his brother, and the only reason we stayed is… well, I’m honestly not even sure why.”

“Maybe that’s your purpose,” the boy offered. “To find out why you’re here.”

“A journey to find my purpose in life… how absolutely coming-of-age film of me,” she chuckled. “Can’t we just be kids for a day? Jeez.”

“You can say that again,” Stiles laughed as he slumped in his seat. “I could do without the near-death experiences and the constant crippling anxiety.” 

“Something tells me we’d still manage to be in similar situations regardless.”

“Something tells me you’re right,” he chuckled sadly. "At least we’re not going through it alone—well, not completely alone.”

“Isaac might not like it—hell, he will probably be jealous that I didn’t ask him to come with me—but you’ll always have a friend in me, Stiles,” (Y/N) smiled. “I might be new at this whole thing, but I’m still here.”

“Well, likewise. With how things are looking out, we’re all gonna need all the friends we can spare,” he said. “I just want this whole deal to be over with so we can get back to our boring, regular lives.”

“I think that might be too much to ask for,” she laughed. “Maybe let’s just hope the championship tomorrow goes on without a hitch.”

“Now that’s something I can cheers to.”

Next ->

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[whumpshaped]

Also, way too hungry for the bingo pls 🥺

masterlist bingo card

tw vampire whumper, vampire whumpee, multiple whumpees, semi-starvation, malnourishment, conditioning, torture mention

Days. Weeks. Helle had no idea when they'd last fed from a human. The thought was quite appetising, given they still had the scent of fresh human blood in their nose from the hunt earlier — the reality, well... less so.

Lady Marie never allowed them to feed on a live human. Aside from that one time on their very first hunt, they'd only ever been granted scraps; small animals and dead humans.

There were no drawbacks, not for her. She would get a moderately strong vampire, able to charm and talk their way into the largest of gatherings to grab the most delectable of humans. But to them, it was torture. Kept on the edge of malnourishment, almost sick, their head filled with cotton and whatever thoughts of food they could conjure.

Dead humans tasted vile, like goddamn acid. It was nothing like the sweet, sweet taste of fresh blood, the memory of which was growing more and more distant with each day. They could almost taste it, whenever they walked past a thrall in the corridors, or captured a new human to bring back. It was so tempting. So goddamn tempting.

They brushed past one such human on their way to the parlour, and they couldn't take it anymore. They grabbed the mindless thing and slammed him against the wall, fangs bared and ready to bite into his neck.

But someone grabbed their hair and yanked them away, eliciting a displeased whimper in response. The thrall barely reacted to any of it, merely resumed his journey to whatever part of the mansion he had business in. "The lady would flay you alive for such an offence," Nikolai said quietly, and Helle went limp in his hold.

"She has so many of them– these thralls," they whined. "Must I live on the blood of pigs and squirrels? When will she allow me to feed again? Actually feed?"

He let go of them and crossed his arms, and Helle felt like they were about to be scolded for being hungry. But as they looked into his eyes, they could see a surprising amount of empathy. "Never," he said softly. "Possibly. I cannot remember my last decent meal. And as far as I am aware, Isabella has given up hope in this matter."

Helle frowned, unable to comprehend such a heavy statement. "What? She cannot simply– that is–"

"It is well within her right as our sire, is what it is. I would advise against holding a grudge. It only makes the lashes sting more. But worry not, you will learn restraint and discipline, as we both already have." He nodded towards the end of the corridor. "Shall we? I assume we have all been summoned."

They nodded in a daze, but then ended up grabbing onto their sired brother's shirt to keep him just a moment longer. "Would the lady actually do that?" they whispered, their quiet voice full of terror. "Would she flay me?"

He glanced back at them, then quickly averted his eyes again. "I have made the very mistake you were about to." He paused, and Helle had a feeling that maybe the torture they had endured so far was in fact not the worst of it. "The lady would do a great many things to ensure we all abide by her rules. Now, let us not waste any more time. Perhaps I am wrong, and she will give us all an opportunity to earn ourselves a splendid dinner tonight."

As if. The words had no hope or reason behind them; they both knew Lady Marie probably just had some guests over and wanted to parade all three of them around for their entertainment. Helle's stomach rumbled loudly, and they placed a gentle hand on it, as though they were trying to calm a feral beast.

They weren't going to spend the rest of eternity so hungry. They were either going to get out of here, or die again trying.

~

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