#first it was ‘my dream design is too cool to not use for something’ so I recovered it and made Aurelius

[delphiniumarchangelmoon]

Is it weird to create an extended universe of oc’s adapted from fan character designs of content creators I’ve mentally killed off? Perhaps.

But I want to. So I will.

[bookmaker-untaken]

your husband stays getting on your last nerve

Hayato Suo x Reader // Wind Breaker x My Happy Marriage AU

Summary: The first tranquil image of this man was highly misleading. Suo Hayato's calm facade hides a cheeky devil that loves to tease, and unfortunately - you are the perfect (blushing) target.

Warnings: Canon Typical Violence, Making Out, OOC!Suo, Probably (Look, I Tried), Non-Graphic Torture, Implied/Reference Abuse

Word Count: 4,106

i.

The man before you is the most beautiful you've ever seen.

He's leaning his cheek on his fist, a scroll rolled out over his lap. Cherry blossoms fly around the courtyard in a colorful tornado, some crossing the threshold and dotting the bright wood.

The wind rises to ruffle his brown hair.

"Hello," He croons. "Might you be my new wife?"

Your mouth feels dry. Everything - your fist, your jaw - is clenched tightly. "I- uh, yes."

His smile is polite, close - lipped, and his one eye is closed as well.

You can't read his face and it disquiets you.

"Lovely to meet you," He says. "I am Suo Hayato."

ii.

The first tranquil image of this man was highly misleading.

Suo Hayato's calm facade hides a cheeky devil that loves to tease, and unfortunately - you are the perfect (blushing) target.

You try to avoid them as much as you can, but it's not always enough.

Suo stares at you across the breakfast table. He's always watching, observing.

It freaks you out, warms your cheeks. "What."

He leans his chin on his palm. "You're cute."

"Huh!" You almost choke. How can he say such a thing so nonchalantly!?

The smile never leaves his face. "I just think your cute. I'm happy to have such a cute little wife,"

You are not little, or cute, but what comes out instead is, "I'm not your wife."

"Yet," He hums. "But you will be. And I, for one, am looking forward to it."

You cough. "Sure."

At least the maid, Yurie, does not share her young master's penchant for teasing. You were worried at first, not that you'd tell anybody, that she would dislike you as the maids at your house had.

To be wrong was a startling relief.

iii.

You have a few dreamless nights before the nightmares return.

In your dreams there are no monsters - only your mother and her mother, pelting you with subtle insults and ignoring your pleas.

You awaken in the middle of the night, eyes wet.

Unable to sleep, you start to make your way to the kitchen.

Across the courtyard, in an open door, sits Suo beside a kettle of tea.

His eye is closed and he seems tranquil, enjoying the cool night breeze on his face.

You retreat.

You will not allow him to see such weakness.

iv.

"I was asked to attend a banquet by my superior," Suo says. “I'd like you to come."

"Alright," You say, despite the very idea making your sick. Your mind flickers with candlelit dinners and thinly veiled insults.

“We should go shopping," Suo continues. "Your kimonos are from last season, aren't they?"

"I ... suppose," You shift awkwardly and hope he doesn't notice. Shopping, too, is an incredibly sore spot for you.

"Wonderful! It's a date!"

"D-date!" You jerk to attention. "It's not a date!"

"Why not?" Suo says, pout in his voice. "The two of us are going to do something fun together, aren't we?"

"It's just shopping! That's more like - a mission! Yes, a mission."

Suo seems to think for a second. "No, I like date better."

You scoff in disbelief.

v.

The town is bustling, full of throngs of people moving to and fro like a rushing lake, some harking their wears, some enjoying the nice weather.

You stay close to Suo, careful not to get lost.

So close, you walk into his back when he stops.

"Hayato!" The person at the counter cheers. "And who is this?"

"My wife," Suo says easily.

"H-his fiancée!" You stutter.

"Same thing," He says. "This is Tsubaki. Their family has made kimonos for the Suos for generations, though I do prefer Tsubaki's unique patterns and eye for design."

Something about being preemptively called a Suo makes you cheeks warm despite yourself.

"What a flatter, am I right?" Tsubaki grins at you. "At your service!"

You give a polite nod. "Nice to meet you."

Fabric brushes against your shoulder and you turn to a kimono - a very expensive kimono, more expensive than anything you've owned - being held up beside you. "Hmm. No."

"Do you have any sort of patterns or colors you like?" Tsubaki asks. You realize too late that the question is directed to you.

You take your eyes from Suo to stare at them blankly. "Um?" Normally, your used to being told exactly what to wear, dressed up like a little doll at the mercy of others. "Surprise me?"

"Sure!" Tsubaki disappears further into the store.

Suo stands beside you, far too close. "Your in good hands. Tsubaki has excellent taste," You can feel the heat of his breath and lean away slightly on instinct. “I'm sure they'll find something amazing.”

"Okay," You say, trying to keep any hint of nervousness out of your voice.

“Though," He says, near the tips of your warming ears. "I'm sure you'll look wonderful either way."

You arch away from him. "Sure!"

Your thankful when Tsubaki comes around the corner. "What about this one? Would you like to try it on?"

You glance to Suo. "You can do whatever you wish," He says. "We'll probably end up buying a few, anyway."

You follow Tsubaki to the fitting room.

"Would you mind ... waiting outside, please?"

Tsubaki looks slightly confused. "Are you sure? It might be hard to get into some of them alone."

"I ... please."

"Of course."

In the mirror, you seem distorted. You're vaguely aware that you've seemingly gained some wight, a consequence of them feeding you well at the Suo household - but a potential target nonetheless. Your stretch marks ripple across your skin, shining lightly in the sunlight that sneaks though the top windows of the shop.

"It looks nice on you." Suo looks up when you walk out. "Do you like it?"

You pause. Do you? You don't know. "I -"

"You hesitated."

You slump, but go back into the fitting room.

Again you emerge, bashfully asking, "How about this one?"

"How about it?" Suo asks, seemingly fishing for an answer.

"No!" calls Tsubaki from the front of the store. "Not it!"

You return with the final kimono of the stack, padding your way out of the fitting room.

Suo's eye widens a fraction and he swallows.

You instinctively sink into yourself at the intensity of his gaze.

"Now we're getting somewhere!" Tsubaki says, bouncing over and turning you around. Looking between the two of you, they say, "Hey, this kimono is the same color as your eyes, Hayato!"

You look down, meeting the slightly hooded eye of your fiancée.

Tsubaki's right.

"What do you think ... Suo?"

Suo's eyes flicker up, then down once more. For not the first time, you wish he was easier to read. "We're taking that one home Tsubaki.”

vi.

You try on a few more Kimonos before waving goodbye to Tsubaki.

The sun has risen higher and the streets seem even more crowded, if that where even possible.

Suo takes your hand.

His hand engulfs your own - unnaturally cold, fingers long.

You stop in your tracks with a sound like a record scratching.

"I don't want to lose you, dear," He says, as if it's the simplest thing in the world.

"You don't need to hold my hand, though!"

"Of course I do." He says.

The two of you continue, stopping at one of the small stalls for a snack.

It drips down your hand and your eyebrows furrow as you debate licking it up. You feel Suo's eye on you. It would be unladylike.

Suo chuckles at your hesitation. "I'll go get napkins from the stall."

You nod, taking another bite of your food.

For a moment, you feel something... calm.

"Hello there, pretty lady."

The man looms over you, casting a long shadow.

"You seem to be enjoying that treat. How’s about we go into that alleyway and I give you another?"

"I-I'm waiting for my fiancée - " You force out tightly.

He looks down. “I don’t see a ring on that finger. Maybe if I got a closer look?"

He moves to grab your hand and you yank it away, but he's faster.

"Excuse me?" It's Suo's voice - but it's different.The teasing is still there, but his voice is lower. Colder. A dark growl. "Would you kindly unhand my wife?”

"S-suo- " Falls out of your mouth, and you hate how pitiful you sound.

The man turns his head, but you can’t see beyond his large stature. “That’s your man? Why not hang with a real man instead of pretty boy over there?”

Your throat constricts.

And then the man crumples, holding his arm and screaming. Spikes of ice, swirling with snowflakes, split his arm.

"Were my instructions unclear? I told you to get your hands off of my wife."

The man turns to Suo, panting. He starts to run at him, but Suo simply sidesteps the man, flipping him onto his back.

“Are you hurt?" He walks over to you and you shrink away on instinct. His lips quirk in a thin line.

"N-no."

He holds out a hand. "Can I see?"

Reluctantly, you extend your arm. He takes it gingerly, eye darkening at the blooming bruise.

"I'm alright," You find yourself saying, more for him than for you.

He sighs. "If I had been even a moment later, you might not have been."

"But you came."

Suo doesn't respond, eye swirling with unidentifiable emotions. He releases his gentle hold on your arm. "Let's go home."

When he takes your hand again, you don't argue.

vii.

You let out a sharp exhale of pain and bring your finger to your mouth, the salty taste blooming on your tongue.

You feel stupid standing in the Suo estate kitchen in an inappropriately fancy kimono over a boiling pot of water.

You'd never cooked alone before, so you didn't exactly know why you'd thought you should try it now. You could hear the low hiss of voices in your head, and you squeezed your eyes shut before opening them determined.

You would pay him back for his kindness.

You went to retrieve another bandage, returning to continue your clunky cuts.

The result was ... very ugly.

You were not going to serve this to Suo. Knowing him, he'd probably tease you for it. The voices were getting louder.

You weren't fit to be a wife -

"Hmm? And what might you be doing?"

You jerk. "Suo! I - " Your eyes dart around. You'd lost track of time, and now he was already home before you could disregard the evidence. The familiar heat warmed your cheeks.

"Could it be?" He moves smoothly into the kitchen, eye closed and smile curling. "My darling wife has made something for me?"

"No!" You squeak, heat crawling up to your ears. "Y-your mistaken! I was just tasting something - "

"Oh? Well, I'd like a taste, too. As you can imagine, I'm properly famished after a hard day's work."

You open your mouth to refute it but can't.

"...Go sit." You grumble.

"Hmm?" He leans forward slightly, and your chest pounds.

"Go sit!" You snap.

You concentrate on plating his food and setting it in front of him, before moving back. Your blush-darkened fingers hold on to the tray for dear life.

He raises the spoon to his mouth in a delicate, measured moment, chewing slowly. You want to scream.

"Delicious!" He says, grinning, taking another bite. "You did this by yourself?"

You don't meet his eyes. "Yeah. Yurie is busy enough," I don't want to be a burden, you don’t say.

"It's kind of funny looking - " He says, smile unchanging.

" - Why you - "

"But it's really good!"

"It's no big deal," You say, avoiding his eyes.

"Oh, yeah?" He says, eyes falling to your hands. You immediately try to hide them in the sleeves of your kimono. "I'm grateful to have such a loving wife."

"Just eat." You grumble.

viii.

The night of the bequest arrives faster than you'd anticipated.

You arrive stiff, but begin to loosen up when the plum wine begins to flow and your fiancée's fellow soldiers - Haruka and Akihiko - begin to regale you with tales of your husbands great skill and fortitude.

You commiserate with Haruka about how teasing he is, and Akihiko how mysterious.

"He is rather mysterious," You agree, laughing along.

During the night you feel a hand sneak it's way around your waist, you look up at Suo with a quirked eyebrow.

He doesn't smell drunk and he doesn't move his hand.

You blush all the way down to your fingertips.

"Alright," Suo says eventually. "It's time for me to take my darling wife home."

He leaves relatively quickly, tugging you by the wrist.

"Suo?" Your brows furrow. "Is something wrong? Suo?"

He doesn't answer. This increases your worry. What had you done wrong?

"... Suo?" He turns around then, stepping forward and caging you against the wall.

"You seem to be enjoying discussing how "teasing" and "mysterious" I am with my colleagues."

There's a different quality in his voice that you can’t read again, different still from that day in the market.

He is smiling, though.

"B-but you are!" You squawk in your defense, eyes darting around and quickly realizing you have nowhere to run.

"I'd tell you if you only asked,"

"Would you really?" You look up at him with something akin to hope.

His eyes dart down, and he looks as he's contemplating something. The tip of his tongue darts out to wet his bottom lip. "Yes."

"So - so - " You stutter when he gets closer. "Are you ... mad with me?"

His eyes dart to meet yours once more. "Mad with you?"

"It's just that we left so suddenly, and I didn't mean to embarrass you, if I did - "

Suo's lips claim yours and you freeze. They move hotly against yours and you struggle to keep up with the slow dance he's leading. All you can think to do is hold your shaking grasp on his kimono under his army uniform as he grasps you tightly by the waist and seems to try to eat you alive.

He runs his tongue along the seam of your lips, but you don't respond.

"Open," He murmurs, without breaking the kiss.

"Huh? Why - " But he's upon you again, tongue exploring your mouth as you quake against him. He finally pulls away connected by a translucent string, scanning your face - the tears gathering in your lashes, your scrunched nose, your kiss bruised lips.

He kisses down to your jaw, then nips.

"D-did you just bite me?" You stammer.

"Oh, love," He coos. "That was hardly a bite."

He presses more kisses to your neck and then bites, hard, and it draws a sound out of the back of your throat that mortifies you.

You want to melt into the wall. Your hand flies up to try to cover your mouth, but he catches you by the wrist - pinning it against the bricks.

"Uh uh. I want to hear," He says, biting down again.

You do, indeed, reward him with another sound that chokes into a gasp when his cooling tongue soothes over the bite.

He moves away, eyes falling to your lips once more.

"Oops!" Suo pulls away, a smug quality to his smile. "Got a bit carried away there, didn't I!"

You stare at him, wide eyed, heaving and disheveled. Your cheeks are on fire.

"Sorry, love," He says innocently, rubbing circles on your hip with his thumb, as if he hadn’t just kissed you senseless.

You can't meet his eyes. You don’t know what to say first, but what comes out: "D-did you have to bite me?"

"Oh?" He asks, eye glinting. "Absolutely."

ix.

You can't wipe this kiss ... er, well, kisses - from your mind.

It's all you can think about.

You feel like a silly school girl, unable to stop your mind from wondering to his darkened eye swimming with ... desire, you suppose.

You didn't know what you'd done to deserve such a look!

You weren't even a very good wife or anything!

Hell, until he'd kissed you like that - you'd never really known he'd ... you'd just thought you where to be married on paper and nothing more.

Ug, you could still feel his lips moving on yours.

You really hated this!

When you almost chopped your hand off again helping Yurie prepare a meal, you decided that you where going to confront him about this.

You stood in front of the door to his office.

You where going to confront him!

But ... how exactly?

What would you say?

You hear a familiar chuckle on the other side of the screen. "Are you going to just keep standing there, or are you going to come in?"

You, very ungracefully, slam the door open.

Suo smiles at you.

You stomp across the mat, sitting before him.

Your hands fidget in your lap, already starting to darken with a blush. "About - about the other day."

"You mean when I kissed you outside of the banquet?"

Despite your embarrassment, your happy he doesn't beat around the bush. "Yes. Um, why."

"Why?" He echoes, brow quirked.

"Yes, why."

He tilts his head. "Because I wanted to?" He says. "Can't I kiss my future bride?"

You slam your hand down. "Not like that you can't!"

"Did you like it?"

"I - " You stammer, eyes darting around.

"It's alright if you did," He coaxes.

"It ..." You shift. "Surprised me."

"Really? But I've been flirting with you this whole time!"

You squint at him. "You've been messing with me! You say weird things all the time! I never know when you’re joking or not!”

"I've been honest with you," He says. "Very honest. In fact, so honest I deserve another kiss."

"You can't just decide -! "

"Please?" He says. "If not now, then when? If I have to wait too long again, it's going to build up like last time - and I don't think you want that."

"Look!" You hold a hand out to stop him from approaching you. "You can do it again! Just ... less. It was a bit ... too much ..."

"Hmm," He puts a finger to his chin as if thinking. "You where shaking,"

"Shut up!" You snap.

You move forward on your knees to him with the intent of shutting him up but you falter half way when you catch him looking at you in that way again. It's intense, weighty.

"I - " You swallow. You gulp, looking down at his lips - you can feel his breath.

You will yourself to move.

"Young master, breakfast!" Yurie's voice chimes.

You fall forward into his lap and start to skitter backwards, but he catches your wrist.

"Oh! Is the mistress in there with you? Breakfast!"

"Coming!" Suo sings back, pressing his lips to the inside of your wrist as he looks up at you.

You quiver, looking down at him with wide eyes.

"Let's go eat," He says lowly. "Shall we?”

x.

One minute your shopping with Yurie, and the next minute you are gone.

When you awaken, a familiar stands over you face stands over you. "Mother?"

The woman looks down at you. "Mother, what are you - "

"There was no there way."

"What-what do you mean?"

"That man - he wouldn't let us see you, even when we called the marriage off."

"What?" You ask, mind racing. "Why would you do that?"

She frowns. "I do not need to explain myself to you."

"But I - "

"What? Love him?" She laughs. "Do you think he loves you?"

You pause. Could he? You remember the kimonos, and how he held your hand so gingerly, and the the kisses he'd spared after the first one that always turned searing. Yurie had laughed at the two of you, murmuring something about young love to herself.

"He does." You say, steadfast.

Something in your eyes glints and your Mother turns away.

"Well. It matters very little."

Suddenly you remember that look in his eye that day in the marketplace - the icy chill in his voice.

"Mother," You say, and she looks at you. "For your safety, I would request you return me to Suo. I ... I don’t want him to hurt you.”

She laughs again. "Bluffing won't save you dear." Her laughing cuts off, eyes dull and exhausted. "Not even I can do that."

xii.

The room they keep you in is dark, undisturbed - until the man in a suit and fedora comes.

He hurts you, plain and simple.

Your parents had done many things, but they had never laid a hand on you. The pain is unfamiliar and hard to bear.

And after what could have been days or hours, something strange happens.

The man moves to hurt you again and it bounces off. He tries again and his attack slides off of the iridescent bubble once more.

He seems satisfied with this, sporting a toothy smile that could make milk curdle.

He goes for another blow, then seizes. Icicles sprout from his chest.

The temperature of the very room drops, freezing the tears on your cheeks.

Your savior comes into view, eye hard and merciless. Cold air streams from his lips.

"Suo ... " You rasp, lips quirking. You are too weak to smile.

He gathers you into his arms immediately, holding you against him. "I'm sorry I took so long to find you, my love. But I'm here now."

"Everything ... " Pain flickers across your face. "...Hurts..."

He's clutching you so tightly. “I know, my heart, I know."

"Hayato - " You say, and you feel him freeze against you. "Hayato, I - "

"Shut up." He grits out.

"But, I - "

"Won't die here. Keep your eyes open for me."

"But I'm so tired," You say. "And..."

"You won't leave me," He snaps. "I won't let you."

"I won't," You agree, eyes lowering. "Hayato, I - "

"Shut up!"

"I ... love you..."

xiii.

Hayato is strange after that.

Both close and extremely far.

He stays silently glued to your side, even after he's sure your family is no longer powerful enough to take you from him, again, he still insists on coming with you to every shopping trip and excursion he can - asking you to postpone if otherwise.

He doesn't say those three words back.

You try not to be hurt about it, and continue on as normal as possible. Well, as normal as your injuries allow.

In time, your Mother's words begin to eat away at you.

Maybe you were mistaken after all.

You approach Hayato in the courtyard, taking a deep breath, saying his name.

He opens his eye to look up at you.

You take another deep breath, wring your hands. "I understand ... if after what my family has done - the grave insult they have caused ... if you do not wish to marry me anymore."

He looks truly taken aback, which would be funny in any other circumstance.

The brunt of his focus is heavy. "And if you left here? What would you do then?"

"I ... don't know," You admit, looking away. "But ... I wouldn't be a burden to you any longer."

"That's what you think I see you as?" He murmurs, more to himself than you.

You shift.

"Do you know," He asks, in a strangely hoarse voice. "Do you know how I felt when I saw you lying there? Beaten? Broken?"

You stay silent.

"It took everything in my being not to kill them all."

You glance to him and he's looking at you.

There is no remorse or regret in his eye.

"You don't deserve the love of any more monsters."

Your fists curl at your side. "You - you take that back."

His eye widens slightly at your tone.

“You - you saved me."

He starts to open his mouth, but you’re faster.

"I was afraid I was going to die there, all alone, in the dark, but you came for me!" You say, unshed tears in your eyes as you yell. "And you! You don't get to talk about the man I love like that!"

Hayato stays silent.

"And you - you love me too!" You accuse. "And you don't have to say it back, right now. Or at all, if you don't feel that way - ”

"I love you." He says, breathlessly.

"Oh," You says dumbly. "Oh."

His hands find your waist, pulling you into his lap. "Why do you sound so surprised? Didn't you say you knew?"

"Well, I wasn't - wasn't completely sure." You grumble. "And - and it's different hearing you - hearing you actually say it."

"I can say it again," He mummers, rubbing circles on your hip. "Until it becomes as natural as breathing."

You cover your face with your hands, wondering if your poor heart can take such a thing.

[fuyuu-chan]

Few Bits of Your Life with Sylus <3

Warning: OOC (this was made pre-release of Sylus) not proofread either

Genre: Fluff

Fuyuu-chan: so i have many fic ideas about sylus, look forward to it lmao, but this is the first thing i finished even though this was not my first idea about him but anyway 乁⁠[⁠ᓀ⁠˵⁠▾⁠˵⁠ᓂ⁠]⁠ㄏ enjoy! ✨

✧⁠◝⁠(⁠⁰⁠▿⁠⁰⁠)⁠◜⁠✧

(⁠ﾉ⁠◕⁠ヮ⁠◕⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠*⁠.⁠✧

with sylus, yeah you can explore and try new hobbies or try to learn something you suddenly took interest in.

for example, cooking. this man cooks delicious. one night you were watching him cook intently and sensing you watching him. "Why are you looking like that?" "I have the urge to suddenly learn how to cook"

"And you just though about that now?" he raised an eyebrow before looking back at his cooking. "You could've thought about it before, like how did you even survive with just take outs and going to restaurants?" he says.

"Okay that's rude, at least i still ate, and restaurants serve good food" you says as you playfully roll your eyes. "not good as mine and its unhealthy" he states. "But if you actually want to learn then i'll teach you" he continued as he looks back at you after turning off the stove.

after that conversation a few days passed before he get to thought you about cooking since you two got busy about missions. he did let you pick what kind of dish you wanted to learn, he was taken aback when you said you want to learn his favorite food, he thought you wanted to learn first about your favorite, but he was happy nonetheless. the kitchen did get a bit messy but in the end you did it (mostly him tho). 

after a few more tries in other days, he finally let you do it in your own and surprisingly you did finish and actually made a decent and edible food.

the taste, its alright, need some improvement  but he was proud that you're able to do it in your own so you can make a dish and not just fried foods or take outs whenever you're by yourself due to him being away. after that he get to teach you how to cook other meals like your favorite and other more.

(⁠ﾉ⁠◕⁠ヮ⁠◕⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠*⁠.⁠✧

singing, oh my...sylus voice already sounds good but while singing. heaven bro. heaven. i tell you.

you love hearing his singing, and whenever he hums. you always request to him to sing or hum something before sleeping, it helps you sleep faster. to be honest he feels a bit embarrassed and shy to do it (he's stubborn about it too) the first time you requested about it but he got used to it now, and he is happy to fulfill that. he would spoon you while he plays with your hair and sing you a song (mostly your favorite songs) and once you fell asleep. gurl i tell you, you always have sweetest of dreams ever and a good night rest even have a tiny smile while sleeping in which he finds adorable <3. cant change my mind

(⁠ﾉ⁠◕⁠ヮ⁠◕⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠*⁠.⁠✧

let me tell you something. this man sylus is fashionable. i can feel it. like he knows what styles suits him. and he's there to slay.

like imagine being a fashion couple. IMAGINE. and you noticed how he also wear accessories in his clothes, like some chains in his pants with his belt and all. that's why you convinced him to wear jewelries, matching ones to be exact, i mean you have to take advantage of the situation, like if he is gonna wear jewelries at least match with him. (one of the reasons he starts and styling his outfits with jewelries) ALSO MATCHING OUTFITS. it could be colors, designs or style!!

so yeah, shopping it is. you bought matching rings, necklace and earrings. IMAGINE WHAT HE WOULD LOOK LIKE AAAAHHHHHH

(⁠ﾉ⁠◕⁠ヮ⁠◕⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠*⁠.⁠✧

okay. so sylus is a boxer right? he would definitely teach you moves. to further increase your knowledge in self defense. i mean yes you know how to defend yourself and all but there's no harm learning more. so yeah he would become your personal trainer. how cool is that more time spent with him. and you two would also workout together regularly. (and to have a chance to admire his muscles too LMAO okay IM SO DOWN BAD BYEE)

(⁠ﾉ⁠◕⁠ヮ⁠◕⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠*⁠.⁠✧

LATE NIGHT DRIVES.

you and sylus always meets at a parking space where you two can hangout freely with no people, since at night theres usually no cars here nor people, its just you two, and the air feels good too. you two hangout/meet there after missions.

now is one of those days. you two are the only ones there at the parking lot as usual, just talking to each other about the missions you two just finished or how it is going.

you two would mostly spend time chatting for an hour or two but after, you two would drive together, using your own motorbikes, going around city having the time of your life. and he would either be beside you driving or behind you to watch over you and make sure you're alright. i mean its dangerous driving in the dark, even though you're used to it its better to make sure. better safe than sorry.

(⁠ﾉ⁠◕⁠ヮ⁠◕⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠*⁠.⁠✧

i would like to believe that this man would be so neat and tidy person. like he cleans the house, its literally sparkling when he cleans, he is also organize in his things. like when he also arranges furnitures (i can feel he does that too) and when one time you ask where your thing is that you put in the coffee table, he would be like "oh i put it in the bedside table in the bedroom"

the next time that he cleans tho or arranges things he would inform you or put it somewhere you would easily notice so you wont have a hard time. he is considerate and mindful after what happened.

so having this man in the house, is amazing. you're not the only one who will clean cause he will help you no matter what (actually he would have volunteered to be the only one who cleans but since you always insist). i think he would also be more of the type of person who tends to be more neat compared to the two of you.

(⁠ﾉ⁠◕⁠ヮ⁠◕⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠*⁠.⁠✧

one more thing, peaceful reading with sylus. he's a reader himself. he loves reading, and definitely treasures that time with you.

would visit different libraries and bookstores. you two literally collects lots of books and even have a library of your own in your house.

ฅ⁠^⁠•⁠ﻌ⁠•⁠^⁠ฅ

Please do not copy, translate, repost to any other social media, Thank you

[leclerc-s]

track one: secrets i have held in my heart are harder to hide than i thought

series masterlist

JUST THE TWO (THREE) OF US

alternatively: the first meeting between inés and oscar

2015

she had been the only girl there, which is something she was all too used to but at least of the people around her were her age. it got lonely after a while, but she wanted to be like her big brother carlos. she wanted to one day stand on the top step of a podium, not just in karting, but in formula 1. it may have been an unrealistic dream for a girl in motorsports but it was her dream and inés sainz was not a quitter.

“you’re helmet’s cool,” a blonde boy told her. isabella cursed at the gods when she had to look up at him. she gave him a bright smile, “thanks, it’s designed to look like-”

“like the spanish flag,” the boy pointed out, “i’m guessing you’re spanish?”

inés smiled again, “yeah.”

“i thought- normally-” he seemed to be struggling to find the right words to say, “most girls tend to have pink or purple helmets during karting. or, well, most of the ones i meet do.”

inés huffed, that question annoyed her. just because she was a girl didn’t mean she had to be obsessed with the color pink or purple.

“i wouldn’t be taken seriously if i showed up in a pink helmet. i already don’t because i'm a girl.”

“i didn’t mean you to offend you,” the blonde argued, “it was an honest question. i think the helmet is cool, even the pink ones.”

"make a fool of yourself yet?" a brunette boy questioned as he approached them. inés was left confused, was he talking to her? they had never even met before, there was no way he was talking to her.

the blonde scrunched his face up, glaring at the brunette boy, "i did not make a fool of myself."

the brunette turned to face inés, "did he ask you a stupid question?" the blonde was shaking his head behind the other boy, brunette boy turned around, "you do realize i can see you, right?"

the blonde blushed, "yes?"

"he ask why my helmet wasn't pink or purple," inés told the brunette.

"logan," the brunette said, smacking the blonde, logan, on the shoulder. "i wanted to make conversation," logan argued.

"so ask her about that move she made on you or about her race, not why her helmet isn't pink!"

"i learned it watching my brother," inés smiled. she loved talking about her older brother. carlos had achieved the dream inés was after, racing in formula 1, "well that was a while ago, but that's who i learned it from."

"oh!" logan realized, he turned to the brunette, "oscar, she's- her brother is carlos- the toro rosso driver."

"oh," the brunette, oscar said, "i like max better," oscar's eyes widened in realization, "i didn't mean- he's a good driver."

inés laughed, "it's okay, not everyone is going to like my brother. everyone is allowed to have their own opinion. i like fernando more than i like my brother."

logan laughed, "and somehow i was the one who made a fool myself."

"shut up," oscar muttered.

inés laughed and from that moment on she had found two of the greatest friends she could've ever had. well, oscar would become more than a friend, but they didn't quite know that yet. in that single moment one had quickly become three, suddenly she wasn't alone anymore. suddenly she had two friends who meant the world to her and she would do nothing that would cost her losing them.

perhaps if her parents had disapproved of the friendship things would be different but for some strange reason her parents liked both boys. of course, her mother thought logan was too american for her liking, but the boy had grown up in europe, so inés was confused on that front. oscar they liked because his mentor was mark webber. mark may not have had a championship, but he had been a damn good formula 1 driver, and an even better WEC driver.

THE VERY FIRST NIGHT

alternatively: the first meeting between inés and charles

2018

if you were to ask inés about the very first time she met charles leclerc, she would lie and say she couldn’t recall, but she knew exactly when she met him. it was something charles still made fun of her about, occasionally oscar joined in on it. although, charles usually started to pout when inés mentioned that he had been crying when they first met.

she was 16 at the time, hving been to the monaco grand prix several times prior to this particular instance. which is why she couldn't fathom how on earth she got lost at the paddock. however, the tears that had clouded her eyes when she ran out of the renault garage were gone by now. instead she was faced with a bigger problem now, she was lost.

inés doesn't remember bumping into him, she remembers their conversation, and she remembers that charles also has tears in his eyes that particular day. why would he not? he had just dnf'd his home race, for the first time in his formula one career, inés probably would've cried too.

she had landed on the floor, a slight oomf falling out of her mouth. charles, at the time she didn't know his name, let out a soft gasp, and began rapidly speaking to her in french, "oh mon dieu. je suis vraiment désolé, je ne t'ai pas vu. je suis vraiment désolé. je jure que je ne t'ai pas vu. es-tu blessé? êtes-vous bien?" (translation: oh my god. i'm really sorry, i didn't see you. i am really sorry. i swear i didn't see you. are you hurt? are you fine?)

"i don't speak-" inés began. he cut her off, his accent present when he spoke, "are you okay? are you hurt? i am really sorry, i did not see you."

"i'm fine," she said, grabbing his hand, that he had outstretched to her, so she could stand up, "are you okay? you're crying."

charles brushed her off, "i am fine, a bit disappointed in my race today but fine."

“oh, i’m sorry.”

“it is fine,” he sighed. charles held his hand out again, “i’m charles leclerc.”

“well, charles leclerc, i’m inés sainz,” she greeted.

“carlos’s little sister,” charles realized. inés rolled her eyes, “yes, but i’m much more than that.”

charles laughed, and holy shit, that was all it took for inés to become infatuated with him. it was just a crush then, she would go as far as calling it a celebrity crush. inés was years younger than him, five to be exact, there was no way he’d ever go for her. even if he did, she was 16, people would criticizes the hell out of him for going for her. his career was just starting out in formula and for it to be plagued by something as small as this, inés wouldn't have it.

besides it was just a crush, one that would surely go away in a few weeks, like all of inés' other crushes, like the one she had mysteriously developed on oscar last year. that had gone away, or so she thought.

YOU BELONG WITH ME

alternatively: ines' realization

EARLY 2020

inés had quickly realized two things about herself. one: her crush on oscar piastri had not gone away, infact, it had gotten worse. two: she did not have just a crush on charles leclerc. the crush with charles would never go anywhere considering he had a girlfriend. which in it's own way was devastating enough for her but of course someone like him would be taken. charles leclerc was kind, generous, and not to mention he was good looking. inés didn't care about his looks, that was all superficial, she liked the guy he was underneath.

with oscar she wasn't even sure he liked her back, which is why she was so scared to even mention to anyone that she liked him. what if he didn't like her back? what if he hated her after? what if their friendship was ruined forever over this? inés couldn't lose one of her two best friends. maybe she could talk to logan about it but logan also told oscar absolutely everything.

then, there was the matter of her family, anyone she ended up dating would have to be approved by her father and her brother. the family name and image always meant more to carlos sainz sr. there was no way inés was going to be able to be with them without her family meddling. so instead she sat taking refuge with the one person who never gave her any shit, fernando alonso. they often joked that she was more of his kid than she was her parents kid, that's how often he looked out for her.

her phone dinged, breaking her out of her trance that she had found herself in. even fernando's corny jokes couldn't crack her out of the slump she found herself in. the name that stared back her made her sit up, scaring the cat the was cuddled up near her. it meowed at her in disapproval and she shook her head ignoring it. the cat then decided it had enough of inés and jumped off the couch looking for comfort elsewhere.

"eres terrible en esconder tus sentimientos," fernando told inés. the brunette girl turned to stare at him, "que?" (translations: you're terrible at hiding your feelings. what?)

"ahi nena, sabes de lo que te estoy hablando," fernando told her again. (translation: oh girl, you know what i’m talking about.)

“i actually don’t,” inés argued, “and i happen to be very good at hiding my feelings. i have my parents fooled.”

fernando laughed, “nena, a blind man would be able to realize what you feel in a split second.”

“well, they’re both blind then,” inés muttered.

“espera, que quieres decir con both?” fernando questioned. (translation: wait, what do you mean both?)

“i- podemos olvidar que tuvimos esta conversación?” inés questioned, abruptly standing from the couch, “i have to go- goat simulator awaits nando.” (translation: can we forget we had this conversation?)

“esto no se a terminado inés!” fernando shouted after her, “i figured out who the other person besides oscar is!” (translation: this isn’t over inés!)

liked by oscarpiastri, fernandoalo_oficial, carlossainz55 and others

ines_sainz adventures in quarantine with papa nando and the new children

tagged: fernandoalo_oficial

maxverstappen33 i will be stealing one of those cats as soon as i am able to crash at nando's house.

ines_sainz we don't want you here? maxverstappen33 i don't care??

user01 she's quarantining with fernando? that's father and daughter!

user02 lowkey wondering why she isn't quarantining with carlos. they literally live together.

user03 she doesn't have to spend every living moment with him? she's entitled to live her life away from him. user02 no i meant like, i'm so used to seeing them together all the time. so it's weird that they aren't together.

oscarpiastri you got a cat?

ines_sainz yes? haven't decided a name yet but fernando was adamant on naming at least one after mark! fernandoalo_oficial nena, no mientas! [girl don't lie]

fernandoalo_oficial we're not keeping them all inés

ines_sainz uh, yes we are? fernandoalo_oficial inés, no los podemos tener! [inés, we can't have them] ines_sainz si podemos! [yes, we can]

carlossainz55 por esto decideste quedarte con fernando? [this is why you chose to stay with fernando?]

ines_sainz tu me dijiste que no podía tener un gato! fernando dijo que si! [you told me i couldn't have a cat! fernando said yes!] fernandoalo_oficial no es cierto! tu me dijiste que tenias una sorpresa y llegaste con 3 gatos! [that's not true! you told me you has a surprise and you showed up with 3 cats!] ines_sainz es lo mismo! [it's the same thing!]

user04 55 represent!!

user05 i fucking love this joke they have where fernando is her father. praying for her future boyfriend/husband

user06 nah cause imagine having max verstappen as your ride or die. personally i'd shit myself before breaking her heart. logansargeant this is logan sargeant erasure. ines_sainz yeah, max will bring the fists and logan will bring the guns logansargeant okay- that's not- user07 your honor my comfort duo!

patooward so can i kidnap them?

ines_sainz unfortunately dad (fernando) said no but you can get one named after you! patooward deal! can't wait to meet my tocayo! [namesake]

¡taglist!

@minmira95 @lesliiieeeee @vroomvroommuppett @prongsvault @justtprachisblog @scuderiadevils @cataf1 @chezmardybum @formulaal @lilsiz @norstappenvibes @ironspdy @nikfigueiredo @hinamesgigantica @niniluvsainz @matchaverse @fakeikeastore @theseus-jpg @six-call @81folklore @emppusofi @luvsforme @nichmeddar @loloekie @luvpedro @donttouchthegnote

¡not taggable!

@ashlovestoread1411 @books-thingys-andstuff @nothanqks @yeanoskrrt @ale-522 @aandreea_2005 @Katness1

¡leclerc-s speaks!

please ignore the typos and grammar mistakes, currently too tired to correct them. this is more of a look into inés' dynamic with fernando and how she first met charles and oscar. but also when she realized she had feeling for both boys. the sainz siblings have never been as close as they seem.

¡disclaimer!

this is in no way making assumptions about the people involved in this story, this is all fake. it is a fanfiction please don't take any of what is said seriously. this is all for entertainment purposes and as a creative outlet for me. enjoy!

[disneyprincemuke]

midnights, 10.2 * mv1

you drop your head with a small smile. "only if you promise to pick me up?"

through his own tears, max laughs and throws his head back. it's a familiar line - one you said when he first asked you out all those years ago. he squeezes your hand and shakes it. "only if i get to send you home after."

but you sigh tiredly, resting your head in your hand. "are you sure about this, max? what if we only hurt each other more?"

"it's a risk i'm willing to take," he admits. "because it's you."

because he can't bear to watch you walk out of that door again without a fight. the pain he endured for months leading up to tonight felt like it could last forever - like he'd never get around to getting over you.

nothing in his life has ever been so clear: it's always been you, and it's always going to be you.

there's nobody else for him.

"and if we do, at least we know we tried," max whispers, dropping his head. "if it were up to me, i'd do this over and over and over again... if it means i get to be with you for the rest of my life."

“how sure are you of this, max?”

“i’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.”

"i love you," you smile, starting to feel yourself calm down. a weight has lifted off your shoulders and you instantly feel a tinge of churning in your stomach. "i missed you."

"i missed you more," max sighs, adjusting himself to wrap his arms around your smaller frame. "i miss the way you smell and the way you'd smile at me. i miss your bowl of scrunchies; you have a point making it the table's centrepiece, you know?"

you grin, leaning into his touch. "i'm an interior designer secretly."

"it's what made our home," he sucks in a deep breath, "a home. i hated being there when you were away."

"i hated my apartment without you in it," you confess, a hand holding onto his arm for dear life. “i missed you and the cats.”

you don't know how to convince yourself that this isn't a dream. you don't want to open your eyes and then realise that none of this is real and max is never yours again.

“we’ll do it right this time,” max mutters against your skin with a smile. “i promise i won’t give up on us. you're stuck with me."

"i wanna be stuck with you," you giggle, nuzzling your cheek into his skin. "i'm sorry i wasn't with you when you won the title this year."

"it's alright. we'll just photoshop a picture of us together," max presses a kiss to the top of your head and rubs the exposed skin on your arm, "and then we'll frame it as our biggest picture in the house. we'll tell our kids about it."

"how we photoshopped it?"

"no, how we most definitely celebrated my third title together. we had so much fun, don't you remember?"

"i must be having memory issues. i'm too young for that, max."

"i will take care of you, duh? i'll remind you every single day how much i love you, and you love me." he moves slightly, adjusting so that he can see your face. he brushes the hair away from your face and tucks it behind your ear. “just the way it should be.”

“i’m scared, max. what if we’re never the same again because of this?” it’s a concern that’s been eating at you for the past couple minutes. while being in max’s arms is an ideal situation, what if it’s different this time?

max knows what you mean. he’d also been scared of that. after all the words said, the hurt you caused each other, and those accusations that may never be fully solved — what if you never fall back into what you’re used to?

what if you fall into the same old routine where you’re just fighting again?

“we’ll figure something out, i’m sure,” max cups your cheeks, swiping away the tear stains on your face. “it won’t always be this way. it will get better, i promise.”

you close your eyes, leaning into his touch. a hand comes up to rest over his and you trace shapes on his skin. “i don’t want to hate you.”

“hey,” max’s stern yet gentle tone makes you open your eyes, meeting his cool blue eyes staring into yours with a glimmer you’re unable to fathom. “one step at a time. we will be okay. i will make sure of it.”

you nod and give him a small smile. “one step at a time.”

max smiles, squeezing your cheeks. “i love you.”

he pulls you in gently, one hand coming down to the back of your neck. “you are the only one for me,” he says against your lips, smiling before your lips touch.

you’re overwhelmed by the familiarity of his taste and the way he smells — his perfume bringing you back to a time where your relationship had been so simple. the way his hands feel against your skin and how his lips are moving along with yours fills you with unexplainable joy.

your hands clutch on the material of his shirt by his shoulders, having no idea how much you craved his touch and his sweet words.

he pulls away breathless, giggling dizzily when you lean forward to chase for his touch. he swipes his thumb over your lips to wipe himself off of you. he rests his foreheard on yours.

“do you want to go dance? i know you’re not much of it but we are at a party, after all.”

you smile toothily. you nudge your head to bump his nose. “only if it’s with you.”

taglist: @merchelsea @leclercdream @labelledejourr @laneyspaulding19 @lpab @graciewrote @hollie911 @thatsojasminesworld @mycenterfold @princessria127 @ironmaiden1313 @dl-yum @crlsummer @brekkers-whore @minkyungseokie @honethatty12 @barelytolerabled @vellicora @lokigoeschoki @avg-golden-retriever @lokigoeschoki @cherry-piee @eviethetheatrefreak @hrlzy @dear-fifi @telengraph

[calp0sa]

Favorite Headcanons for airy?

i have like 10 million headcanons for him but i’ll list as many as i can from the top of my head

-hes autistic LIKE ME!!! and is specifically very autistic about music (like meee) i like to think he had a huge collection of vinyls cds cassettes etc and its all stuff from the 60s to the early 90s. no doubt he had a bunch of posters for his favorite bands and musicians too. and hes awesome on the guitar, great rhythm guitarist… its a shame he couldn’t make his talent a profession like he once dreamed of doing. oh well, at least the number 1 perk of trucking is that its peaceful and you dont really have to interact with many people! plus trucks have radios, and cd players, so airy would often bring along a few albums to listen to as he drove those long days and nights.

-hes also got a knack for aquatic creatures (LIKE ME) of course, being a literal fish monster himself (cool fact my airy design is like actually a fish monster he can breathe underwater and everything and his limbs are covered in fish scales) airy loves fish both as friends and food. hes particularly fond of freshwater fish, which makes sense considering the fact he grew up around the swamps of louisiana (yes im making him louisianan Like Me shaddap) hes also fond of those fucked up looking deep sea creatures, just so fascinating. i think airy liked to do a little fishing in his spare time. And hes awesome at cooking em but fair warning for those with a low spice tolerance… he loves spicy food btw (like meeeee)

-when airy was in the forest, he kept a log of his thoughts on the computer, in an attempt to hopefully give himself whatever clarity he could. the notes ranged from all brief, to desperate, to hopeless, to spiraling, to borderline dadaist poetry? to insanity, to denial, to whatever, really i think his mind was obviously all over the place on a daily basis. things must have been pretty loud for him, that cassette player was probably one of the only things keeping him together, before he numbed himself n all, which is around the time he ceased writing these notes as he saw no point in doing so.

-ok enough about him suffering we’ll get back to that later Airy’s favorite drink is ginger ale i mean look at that guy and tell me he doesnt fw ginger ale or dr pepper are you kidding me. he can have dr pepper as a little treat (too much soda is bad for anyone especially if youre an old feller like airy) speaking of little treats i like to think he has an insatiable sweet tooth LIKE MEEEE and his favorite treaaats are pumpkin pie, macarons and practically anything chocolate he loves chocolate (im like allergic to not projecting onto my favorite characters if you couldnt tell) maybe airy knows how to bake a little bit i mean he is an object show host after all

-this is oddly specific but airy is a chronic pain warrior #JUSTLIKEME so when he was in the forest he’d make like home made heating pads by wetting a glob of moss and putting it against his face while he had his flame on (he sometimes put it on a plank over a bonfire if he felt like it) this was a bit tricky when he broke his face but im sure he managed he always manages (kinda) (relatively speaking)

-well anyway we’re back to the forest and i just mentioned his broken face So you know how he disappeared for seven months after he did that lol well what if it was because the pain and shock from that incident evoked the long lost clarity he’d been so stubbornly avoiding in order to cling on to his meaningless, fallacious escapism which triggered him and sent him into a state of agonizing self consciousness, reminding him of his earthly death, how he used to be Someone, and how he essentially let himself rot into what is now an empty shell of who he once was. after so many years, the first reflection he saw of himself was seen in something broken; shards of glass, of which he couldn’t stand to look at… as there is nothing comparable to the pain of revelation, the burden of truth after having been so lost and festered into the stagnant waters that surround you. he felt he had no choice, he disposed of the shards into the nearby stream. those seven months were not just a matter of physically healing, but as a means to losing himself all over again.

-Aaaanyway i think airy had a cat at some point in his life i think we can all agree hes a cat person right!!! he had a tortoiseshell kitty named goose and he loved her very much. idk why he named her goose he probably just thought it was funny to name an animal after a different animal.

-OH YEAH lemme bring amelia into this listen i am such a huge fan of the theory of airy being related to amelia so i like to think hes her uncle!! when amelia was little she’d stay over at airy’s house while her parents were away and he’d teach her stuff like how to fish, how to ward off snakes, how to kayak, all that jazz cuz he was an awesome uncle. she was kinda like an actual daughter to him. and amelia was so fond of sunny weather as a child, one dayy at airy’s house she had to stay inside because it was too rainy, so she occupied herself by drawing a little picture of the way she wished earth was; always sunny, sky always blue, grass always green, huh! the way she drew that grass as individual little triangles is all too familiar is it not…

OK I HAVE SOMEWHERE 2 GO now i’ll probablt add more later But thank u so much for asking this i love love love infodumping about anything airy related i heart airy

[critterbitter]

HELLO HI ID LIKE TO ASK WHAT PROGRAM AND BRUSHES YOU USE CUZ IM LITTERALY EXPLODING EVERYTIME I SEE YOUR ART

actually actually... *pulls out whole stack of paper*...I have. a FEW,, a good few,, questions to ask. they are not many I swear 😇

OK SO FIRST OF ALL HOW DO YOU DRAW SO FAST???? everyday I log onto Tumblr I always see something new from you and I get very very happy. But then I start to question my own existence because not even I CAN SPEED RUN ART LIKE THAT. AND SO SPECTACULARLY TOO

Last question! how do you color and make it look so well?? just. How. I need to know. This is a CRY FOR HE-

anyway thank you for being one of my favorite artists that always feed my brain rot, pls keep making amazing art because like a little yamper I will follow behind and stay updated.

(Stands there)

Response and thoughts under cut!

First question! What art program I use!

Mostly procreate, along with a handful of brushes! (Specifically the Jing Set and some custom stuff, which is really just a circle brush with the shape changed to a square.)

Second question! How do i draw so much!

Okay so. I am. Ahhah. Unemployed,,,,? No, I do freelance illustration, but hmm. A studio job would be nice.

i graduated college last year and I’m very used to eight hour art shifts. The body sort of remembers to keep working, even though I no longer have storyboards or visdev homework to do.

Also. The hyperfixation is a deep vast tunnel I STILL have not seen the end of the light to, good golly. (I have dreams now about the kids committing shenanigan crimes. I wake up in cold sweat and write them down in a journal. It’s like being the mouthpiece to an angry god.)

So the overall gist is: I was trained to be a storyboard artist with a visdev background, and I’m using that higher education to draw funny muppets because my brain’s funny.

I also DO have a queue, and I’ve been treating this as a sort of inktober project. I am definitely going to slow down soon though! Maybe. Hopefully. Ah… (sheepishly drops my kofi here)

Third question! How do i color!

I. I, uh. I dont know man the coloring demons have a grip on my soul and i just go along for the ride. But also, if it helps, i prefer to limit my pallets to only a few colors at a time. Lighting is king, so if you can figure out if you want to focus on either on your lights or shadows, you’ll have a much easier time composing. That, and symbolic colors— idk, something hits different about art drenched in gold with a tiny hint of a man staring into the blinding horizon, or a green leafy environment with a single dot of artificial red. I also like using blue and purple for shadows, and I’m a big fan of muting colors with only one or two that pop— one of the reasons why I was so attracted to submas in the first place is because from a design aesthetic, they’re both super funny muppet men AND really cool train guys that have a limited pallet and thematic apparel.

Overall response! THANK YOU SO MUCH. This goes out to a BUNCH of people who sent me inbox queries— sorry for not responding, it’s a tad overwhelming because some of them are story questions even I don’t really know will go yet, and others are words of praise and I’m selfish and like scrolling through the inbox to look at them when I feel down. I am more of an artist who sits in the corner and sprouts like a potato rather then a branching vine who socializes, but I really do see people’s responses and they make me go :)))))

Okay ramble over. Thanks for coming to the soapbox, and good luck on creating!

[theninjanomicon]

Character designs of the Ninja from Jhonen Vasquez. These were originally posted by him on his tumblr which has since been deleted.

Original description by Vasquez:

These were my first sketches of possible Ninja designs for Randy Cunningham.  I always want to go for a little more inhuman on stuff, so Randy as a Ninja in these early designs was a bit more covered up in my favorite sketches, but with the big eyes glowing or showing through so he could still be expressive enough.  My favorite is definitely the one with the orange exclamation mark-ish shape on the forehead. What I was given was a very general description of “Looks like a ninja” so it gave me a chance to do whatever the hell I dreamed up, so the scarf thing was one of the first details that popped into my head.  It was one of those things that I can thank video games for as I was picturing the behavior of the scarf being something out of Capcom, a mix of Strider and fighting FX from street fighter.  I imagined that rather than always having to make physical contact with his rather small fists and feet, randy would sort of project his energy through the scarf which would flare out and follow the direction of his attacks. I was also obsessed with that detail on his gloves, the orange armor bit that covers two of his fingers.  I just liked how it broke up the black and essentially looked like chopsticks.  Somewhere out there someone doesn’t like Japanese food, so that bit didn’t make the final design.  The scarf stuck, though, in a less bulky form than how I was using it, however.   It’s an interesting job dreaming up BODIES for characters without knowing the character of the character. if that makes any sense.  Most of this stuff I did without knowing too much about what the show was going to be as I was just doing design and wasn’t involved in any of the writing or any such thing.  Weirdly enough it was part of why I agreed to it!  It was a cool change to focus on the design of an animation project, and I’m glad the Titmouse guys approached me about doing it. Still, I think I prefer seeing something to completion and if there’s anything that makes me regret not being in charge of the final designs it’s that I can’t kill the person who hates orange chopstick armor!

[ahli-stuff]

The Corinthian: more than an object but less than a human and a wretched reflection of his creator

My obsession with the Corinthian is so funny because at first it's like ok. Cool. He's this gay serial killer nightmare with creator issues who's turns out to be a charming antagonist while he's pitted against dream and going about his nefarious plans on screen. What's not to love?

But then there's the next layer of oh...he has preferences and quirks and interests, but he's not a person enough to be a human he's a tool.. that's why he gets unmade in the middle of the street by his lord!! That he had a couple millennia of history with!! Because it's easy.. Dream has the blueprints, therefore remaking the Corinthian and editing out these faulty design aspects is pragmatic. It's efficient. It's less effort and way less emotionally taxing that trying to wrangle in your rogue creation and trying coax them back into doing their job. A human makes a mistake, you correct and reprimand them and offer a better course of action. But if your wrench rusts, you throw it away and buy a new one. It doesn't matter if it's your prized or even your favorite wrench, if it's been rusted to the point of uselessness, you toss it.

And the Corinthian, the agonized wrench, can probably only think: "Did I really mean so little to you?"

I think it totally fucks with his mind. The fact that Dream refers to the Corinthian as his masterpiece and yet he is still lesser in every form of his being—his agency is lesser in every form.

But you can't really blame Dream, can you?

Dream treats the corinthans agency like he treats his own—unnegotiable. For him, it has always been perform your function or die.

Dream: We are, each of us, born with responsibilities. Even I am not free to choose to be other than what I am.

And the Corinthian, in his own eye teeths, has performed his prescribed duty perfectly without hesitation or fail for thousands of years as well and worn as a well used knife—but he knows he can do more, so he does. Because if his function is to chase and slaughter in the dreaming, what's to say can't do it in the waking too?

Besides, in the waking, he's realer. More combobulated. More valued. If you're a mirror for long enough you start to crave a look of your own.

And oh, even with the thrill of newfound freedom, he loves his lord. He's eager for to give to him—to share with him—everything that's ever been dreamed of. In the Corinthians long, long, life he has only ever had his purpose and his lord and for a while that was enough, but his expectations evolve, he changes.

And that's really what dooms him.

Over the course of The Sandman you can see that looking deeper into Dream's ideology "perform your function or die" reveals one of the true themes of the sandman which is "change yourself or die." The Corinthian, whether intentionally or unintentionally serves as a mirror to dreams own character arc and the way dream treats himself.

Like how people put facets of themselves in their original characters, I think that in the corinthian Dream put a version of his own insatiable hunger; to break every rule, to run freely, to enjoy hedonistically. In creating the Corinthian as a mirror Dream unknowingly reflected a distorted face of one of his own buried desires—and i think he couldn’t accept that.

The Corinthian even calls dream out for it at the serial convention (even though he's advocating for murder) he's also jabbing at Dream's unwillingness to show emotional vulnerability and the cage he's built around himself.

Corinthian: Or you might actually feel something.

The dream the Corinthian knows he always cared exceptionally little for humans save for a select few, so what remains is this. Dream might've cared for the Corinthian, but he would unmake him, his prized creation, not for any moral justice, not for a personal slight, but for his rules and nothing else.

For the corinthian, who has spent years upon years upon years with his lord, fighting in his wars, chasing after his approval, pouring every ounce of love and loyalty to him—it stings.

And then there's this scene.

Dream: You're right. This was my fault, not yours. I had so much hope for you. But I created you poorly then.

This is the Corinthian, knowing he is about to die, spilling his frustration and spite to his creator for maybe the first and last time and trying, desperately, to make dream understand that none of this is fair (it's never been, for either of them. It's been the function and nothing else for an eternity but they could be happy.)

This is Dream purposely misinterpreting the Corinthian in the way that is guaranteed to hurt the him the most. Dream, with a writer's indifference, reduces the Corinthian's complicated desperate desire for freedom, rebellion, and his creator's love to his typo. Like a character’s grievance towards their writer, like a man’s outrage towards their god, Dream decides not to deign the corinthian with even the right to call his treason his own. He will not even let him have that bit of agency. No, Dream made the Corinthian wrong.

And then Boyd Holbrook does a phenomenal piece of acting here—he knows how to play evil and charming so well but the Corinthian’s vulnerability is so starkly on display it feels like a knife.

And when you imagine he is about to burst into bloody tears and anguished final words, this is how it ends: they leave each other cruel and jagged, because the corinthian will not end pathetic and he will have the last word.

The Corinthian: I am only sorry I won’t be here to see Rose Walker do the same to you.

The first Corinthian never gets a happy ending.

I don’t think there’s any universe where he doesn’t bite more than he’s allowed to and there is no world where he can really be forgiven. As there is no universe where Morpheus Dream does not stubbornly tie himself to his function and hurt himself and those around him with his pride.

In objectification and the inability to change, they exist as wretched mirrors of each other: The first Corinthian, sick of his function and executed for abandoning it, and Dream, unendurably tired, taking his sister's hand in his when he can no longer bear to perform his duty.

[pinegreenapples]

Radiostatic Fic Recs

Do you like radiostatic? Are you looking for something good to read? Here are some of my personal favorites that I think everyone should read! As a reminder, if you don't like something listed, just don't read it! And don't bother the author or me! Staying in your lane is free! 😊

Part 2 here!

Finished works

Read 'Em and Weep

Vox and Alastor are on the cusp of a relationship but Alastor worries that he isn't enough for Vox. Val interferes. Now a series!

Get Your Thrill Just to Get At Me

Alastor experiences a rut for the first time and Vox refuses to waste good dick on a panic attack.

Hold Me Like A Grudge

This one's ABO and pretty much just smut. Suppressants fail all over the city! Guess we gotta fuck!

Put Your Fingers Back to the Keys

Alastor gets publicly summoned by Lilith and Vox searches for him.

Escape Was Just a Nod and a Casual Wave

This one's a really cool predator/prey fic where Vox chases Alastor.

Keep You Like an Oath

Alastor sneaks into V Tower and discovers Vox's video logs. It causes a revelation.

Lucidity's Fog

Vox has one final sex dream of him and Alastor together.

How to Commission a Radio Demon Body Pillow (and other assorted things)

This one is based off a tumblr ask thread about Vox having an insane amount of Alastor paraphernalia. It's funny, but it is one-sided.

Would You Download a Demon?

Alastor tells Vox and Rosie that he sold his soul. Vox does something so stupid, it's smart.

Classic and Better

Oooohhhhoooo, this bad boy is what made me start writing again. The characterization of them is so good and I love it so much. Alastor tempts Vox back into his folds and Vox follows blindly.

Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Alastor lays claim to Vox by biting him. This one is short and sweet. Now a series!

Couple's Therapy

This one was funny and sadly too short. Modern day Alastor and Vox decide to go to therapy as a joke and it actually makes them realize a thing or two.

Bambi

I love this piece. It's cute! Vox and Alastor have two different versions of Bambi-their clashing interpretations lead to an adorable misunderstanding.

Joking Matters

Vox and Alastor got married to consolidate their power and have kept their relationship a secret since.

Obligations

Vox trades for Alastor's soul but it isn't at all like how he wanted. They both cope in their own ways.

Meant to Be Yours

This one's one-sided. Vox gets rejected and takes it really badly. An excellent piece exploring his side.

Bargains

This one is also so so so good. Alastor has a rut cycle and the only person who knows is Vox. However, Alastor hates that he has a rut and takes it out on Vox. Vox just wants to know what Alastor actually wants.

Spite

This one is delicious. It's based off the first episode where Alastor says he pulled a few strings to get the commercial to air. Vox demands that he act in a porno for blackmail.

Just a Slave to Your Instincts

Vox researches deer instincts and uses it very effectively against Alastor.

That One Tuesday

Similar premise to Classic and Better but it involves more of the Hazbin cast and the main plotline of trying to redeem sinners.

Vox and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Afterlife

This one is light on the relationship but funny. Basically, every rut Alastor goes fucking nuts and takes it out on Vox. However, no one believes him and they think he's going crazy.

666: Live on Air!

An excellent series that does a good job exploring the push and pull between these two and what a relationship between them would look like with all their hang ups and miscommunications.

Seeking Solace

This story plays with Dom/Sub designations and Vox is a sub who hasn't dropped in too long. He calls Alastor to help.

Radio Made the Video Star

An excellent series exploring the arc of Alastor and Vox's first meeting, their subsequent fallout, and their re-connection as they are forced to work on a project together.

Thawing Out

Vox is in an abusive relationship with Valentino. Alastor finds him one night by accident when he's mulling over his relationship. For the first time, Alastor notices that something else might be going on at Vee Tower and he has these awful feelings about it that he can't seem to shake.

The Pitch

Vox swaggers into Alastor's radio tower to find out more about his newest pet project, he ends up limping out. Wink wonk!

Hypnosis, Live in your Bedroom!

This is inspired by the 666 hypnosis fic and it is quite good! It’s another smut piece of Alastor and Vox exploring his hypnosis.

Other Place

This piece is really sentimental. It made me cry and think about death. Basically, Alastor visits Vox on the anniversary of his mother's death and they talk through his many emotions.

This Wasn't on the Agenda

One-sided but funny! Vox and Alastor start a hissy fit in an overlord meeting about their brief sexual history together.

Staticradio Woodland Fun

This one's cutesy! Vox and Alastor are both mythical creatures experiencing rut and so they spend it with each other.

Feeling from Grace

Angel Dust comes to Alastor with some concerns about Vox’s wellbeing. Alastor manages to fuck it up, as he does all things regarding Vox and feelings.

Music on T.V. and Sex on the Radio!?

This one’s funny and sexy. After their little fight on air, Vox tracks Alastor down in his tower to have some good old fashioned fun.

Stay

Alastor can’t seem to let Vox go, even when Vox decides he can’t keep playing this game anymore.

Like Old Times

Alastor pays Vox a visit in his office after their musical spat to say hello.

Deer in the Backlights

This piece is nice in the way that it explores Vox finally getting closure from his obsession with Alastor. Val and Velvette set up a meeting for Vox and Alastor to finally fuck and get rid of their weird psychosexual tension. Vox wonders if this was really what he wanted all along.

198

This one is pure smut and it’s so delightful. Vox manages to mind break Alastor and turn him into his own personal sex toy. I also highly recommend anything by childishsadism, they write very compelling work!

Undisclosed Desires

Alastor and Vox get into another fight and Alastor finds he likes it a lot more than he thought he would.

To Be Yours

This is my own work! Alastor hears Vox open their personal frequency for the first time in years. Curious, he goes to find out why exactly Vox has chosen to break the silence.

Safe with Me

This one's good! It's a modern AU where Vox is a CEO and Alastor is a serial killer and podcaster. After separating as childhood friends, Vox and Alastor meet once again and find love with one another. Now a series!

Bluest Monday

This one is so well written and the romance between them is absolutely heart wrenching. Alastor fears losing Vox to modernity, so he finally accepts Vox’s courting in an attempt to keep the other at his side. This decision has unintended consequences neither could foresee. Now a series!

Addicted

Addicted is really good. Vox finds out he's been drugged by Val for decades and as a result has long term amnesia. He runs away and tries to reckon with a past he can't even remember.

Hypnotic

This one is a rape fic. Vox hypnotizes Alastor against his will and forces him to recount his first sexual encounter as he has sex with him.

Unfinished works

Prey of the Video Star

This one is really really good! After the battle, Vox takes Alastor back to Vee tower, determined to finally make the other his. Alastor, weakened, struggles the best that he can even as the noose tightens around his neck.

Equilibrium

Vox saves Alastor and accidentally creates a soulbond between them. This sets in motion a landslide of unexpected events between them.

The Answer is Yes

Okay, this one is extremely well written. It's a fascinating exploration of Vox and Alastor's relationship through a vignette style. It blends all sorts of memories with modern day and it's really cool. I like it a lot.

Hell’s Televisionary

This one is a really interesting take on Vox and his first few years in Hell. I’m really enjoying it! Vox is new to Hell and looking to make a name for himself. He’s also looking to reconnect with the elusive redhead that helped him when he first fell.

Rival Frequencies

Vox goes after Alastor after the extermination and patches him up. He discovers that maybe his feelings haven’t waned, and he tries to rekindle a friendship with Alastor again.

Tune On In!

This one is based off of an art post where Vox and Alastor got platonically married and details their life together.

Unraveling Emotions

Falling in love makes a sinner’s heart human again and their second death permanent. Vox has never stopped loving Alastor. Alastor makes a mistake and Vox nearly pays the price.

For my friends who liked my post, I hope this finds you!

@rae-does-stuff, @drakepad-luv-2000, @motherarts, @freakshowmemories, @bratpfanne-of-doom, @superpersonpatroleclipse , @nocakesformissedith , @coins-that-never-land , @matrixbearer2024, @dancingafterdark ,@pedi-bug , @starlightthenightwing , @unnecessarilysalty

[makeitmingi]

The Cat and Dog Game [Chapter 2]

Genre: Romance, Fluff, Comedy

Pairing: Yunho x Reader (y/n)

Characters: Chef!Reader, RestaurantOwner!Yunho, MaitreD!Hongjoong, Waiter!Yeosang, Waiter!San, Waiter!Mingi, SousChef!Seonghwa, SousChef!Wooyoung, PrepChef!Jongho

Summary: Yunho's dream was to open and run his own restaurant. But he doesn't know anything when it comes to cooking. Until you came along and accepted the job, bringing with you a small crew. How will the black cat tame the energetic golden retriever?

Word count: 3.3K

"Nice to be acquainted with you. My name is Yunho... No, no. It's nice to meet you. Call me Yunho!... That's so awkward... Thank you for making the time. My name is Mr Jeong Yunho." Yunho planted a fake grin. He let out a groan as he processed his own words, falling onto his steering wheel.

*TAP TAP*

"Yunho... Are you okay?" Hongjoong stood outside, a questioning look on his face. Yunho sat up, blinking as he stared at the oldest of the group.

"Hey, hyung. I'm fine." Yunho said, getting out of the car. He grabbed his bag and coffee mug before locking the vehicle.

"Wow. You've... dressed up." Hongjoong scanned the outfit that Yunho had put on.

"I have to look like the owner of a restaurant right? I picked a colour that exudes confidence! Is it too much?" Yunho's eyes widened in fear as he paused in his tracks.

"You're fine, Yunho. Chill. You look nice. Don't worry." Hongjoong patted the taller on the shoulder. Yunho unlocked the door to the place.

"Thanks for being here, hyung." Yunho smiled gratefully, putting his bag behind the counter and placing his coffee mug on one of the booth seats. Hongjoong nodded with a hum. Mingi would kill him if he had left Yunho alone.

"Are you nervous?" Hongjoong asked.

"Not nervous about meeting new people. More nervous about it not working out. What are we going to do if things don't work out? I'll be without a kitchen crew!" Yunho panicked.

"Okay, breathe. Yunho, everything will be fine. I'm sure things will work out. If they don't, we'll find a way." Hongjoong assured.

"You're right. Be positive!" Yunho fist pumped and smiled. Hongjoong gave an encouraging nod.

"So what should I do until they come? Clean the kitchen? Prepare some drinks? Order food?" Yunho asked, rubbing his palms against the side of his dress pants.

"There's no need to do or prepare anything. The kitchen is practically empty with barely any equipment and no one has been there so there's no need to clean now. They probably have their own food and drinks, they're a group of chefs. Just collect yourself, take a deep breath. You're just having a talk." Hongjoong chuckled.

"I'm gonna make a pitcher of some drink before they come. That's the only thing I know I won't mess up." Yunho said.

"Okay but they're not coming yet so occupy your mind with something else." Hongjoong waved him off. In the end, Yunho went to unpack some other stuff.

"Thanks for helping me get such nice plates at a good price, hyung." Yunho looked at the packaged plates fondly.

"No worries. I guess it's good that I did a lot of co-curricular activities, huh?" Hongjoong laughed.

"You're a lot better at this than me..." Yunho spoke, slightly sullen, leaning his hands on on the edges of the cardboard box. Hongjoong turned around, looking at his friend.

"What? That's not true..."

"Isn't it? You have the connections to find a kitchen crew. The only person I was able to find ghosted me. You were the one that knew where to get all these cool plates and stuff for the restaurant. I didn't even know where to get white coffee cups!" Yunho said.

"Yunho. This is your first time doing this. No one is expecting you to know everything or be an expert restaurateur. It is a learning process for all of us." Hongjoong comforted.

"Sure, I knew where to get pretty plates. But you managed all the contracting the design yourself." He continued.

"Still..." Yunho's lips curled in doubt.

"Really, no one else has as much energy as you to do so much on your own. It's the golden retriever energy only you have." He laughed. Yunho pouted at his teasing.

"Thanks, hyung." Yunho said. When the time drew closer to the meeting, Yunho prepared a pitcher of a mixed drink.

"I don't have much ingredients..." Yunho rubbed the back of his neck.

"What are you going to put in it then?" Hongjoong peered over the counter curiously. Yunho sighed, turning to the small bar fridge and what he had on the shelf. Luckily he had stocked some items already so it wasn't entirely empty.

"Black currant syrup, club soda, lime and mint. That's a drink I can make with what I have." He said, putting everything on the counter. He poured each component into the pitcher.

"Does it taste okay?" He poured a bit for Hongjoong to try.

"That's actually good." Hongjoong nodded in approval. Yunho let out a sigh of relief and went to get some clean glasses.

*DING*

Yunho's head shot up like a meerkat on alert when he heard the bell by the door jingle. He felt his heart racing but he willed himself to not parkour over the counter.

"Seonghwa." Hongjoong made the first move, giving Yunho about 5 seconds to recover.

"Yunho, come here." Hongjoong hissed but maintained a friendly smile. Yunho realised that he must have zoned out when they exchanged pleasantries and it was now his turn. He cleared his throat and went over to your group. You eyed him cautiously as he smiled brightly, almost too bright in your opinion.

"Hi! I'm Jung Yunho!" He said, wincing inwardly when he realised that he probably sounded too animated. His eyes fell on you, the only girl amongst the group.

"I'm (y/n). Nice to meet you." You weren't emotionless, more stoic. There was a cool aloofness about you.

"Likewise. Thank you for meeting us on such short notice." Yunho shook your hand.

"Weren't we the ones who requested the meeting?" You asked with a slightly raised eyebrow. The male beside you stifled a laugh while Seonghwa cleared his throat, nudging the male.

"Wooyoung, one of the sous." The laughing male introduced with a fake smile but made no effort to shake Yunho's hand.

"Jongho. Prep chef." The last male introduced.

"So that makes (y/n) here, our head chef. She doesn't like titles so she never introduces herself with them." Seonghwa placed his hands on your shoulders, moving you to the front of the group. You turned to shoot him a dirty look.

"P-Please! Let's sit down! Help yourself to some refreshments." Yunho gestured, realising you were all still standing around. You sat together at one of the tables.

Yunho and Hongjoong on one side while Seonghwa, you, Wooyoung and Jongho sat opposite them.

"Did you make this?" Jongho asked, taking a sip of the drink.

"Yes, it's all I had in stock so far! So it may not be the best." You watched as Yunho's shoulders deflated slightly, almost reminding you of a sad puppy.

"It's good. Like the muddling of mint and lime." Wooyoung said. He handed you a glass to take a sip.

"So, I saw from Seonghwa's LinkedIn that you guys participate in a lot of pop ups and professional kitchens?" Hongjoong asked.

"Oh, that's way outdated. Here. This is the full list of the places we have worked as a team." Seonghwa took some papers out and slid them over to Yunho and Hongjoong. They flipped through it together. The subsequent look of awe that Yunho gave all of you made the corners of your lips curl up slightly.

"I guess we want to know more about your restaurant here. Seonghwa shared some things but it would be good if you could reiterate. What's expected of us?" You spoke.

"Well, this place will be a cafe in the morning. Then at night, I would like to have it as a restaurant." Yunho cleared his throat.

"What cuisine?" Jongho followed up.

"There's no set cuisine. I want customers to be able to experience all types of dishes, whatever is in the market. Like an omakase? But of course, we don't need michelin dishes." He explained shyly.

"I see. That sounds interesting, I can get behind an omakase concept. Well, Mr Jung-"

"Please call me Yunho." He blurted.

"Right, Yunho... The main concern right now is that, we know the... situation that you are currently in, in that there will only be 4 of us in the kitchen. My team and I are concern over the workload. Cafe stuff in the morning then dinner at night." You informed.

"I completely understand. What do you propose is the best solution?" Yunho asked. Hongjoong turned to look at Yunho, why was he asking you this when he was the owner?

"You're asking me? Can you share how many cakes and pastries you are planning to have? Or dinner dishes?"

"Well, a variety would be good. 3 baked items and 3 cakes? I have not thought about quantities of dinner dishes." Yunho confessed.

Hongjoong wanted a facepalm, Yunho was being way too honest now. But he couldn't outwardly react and make Yunho doubt himself. All he could do was sit there and watch this unfold.

"What about barista duties?" Wooyoung asked.

"My friends and I will take turns. They'll be the wait staff at night." Hongjoong said.

"They've also volunteered to help in the kitchen if and when necessary!" Yunho added, nodding with a grin.

"I think I understand a bit more." You said, eyes shifting to Seonghwa. Seonghwa met your gaze, giving a subtle nod.

"Can we see the kitchen?" Seonghwa requested. Yunho nodded, almost too excitedly. He stood up and jogged over to where the kitchen is, turning the lights on for the 4 of you to walk around. The kitchen was big, the counters, fume hood, ovens and fridges were definitely new.

"There's no much here right now except for the basics but if you all decide to work here, I'll put in an order for more equipment that you will need." Yunho said.

"It's a big space. And the walk in is decent." Wooyoung told you. You nodded your head.

"Is it okay if I confer with my team in here for a while?" You turned to Yunho, who blinked in surprise.

"Y-Yes! Of course! Take all the time you need." Yunho smiled and left with Hongjoong. Just as you were going to speak, the door opened slightly and Yunho left the pitcher of drink in there for you.

"He's a weird one." Wooyoung noted.

"Coming from you?" Jongho raised an eyebrow, making Wooyoung roll his eyes. You leaned against the counter.

"He's definitely... chipper. An interesting character. But does he not remind you of an overgrown puppy though?" You chuckled. The 3 boys looked at you, you have never had such a laugh or 'positive' reaction when meeting someone for the first time.

"I mean, sure?" Even Seonghwa, who has known you the longest, didn't know how to react. He thought you would be annoyed by Yunho's... clumsiness?

"That aside, thoughts on this?" You asked them. You were never one to be the first to share, more a listener than speaker.

"The idea of omakase is definitely fun. We always appreciate having creative liberty." Jongho said.

"And the owner seems... nice enough. I don't know if he just doesn't know, is desperate or kind. Letting us choose what equipment we need right from the get go?" Wooyoung scoffed.

"Maybe a little bit of all 3, Woo." You shrugged.

"I'm still thinking about the workload." Seonghwa said, refilling his glass with more of the drink Yunho made and taking a sip.

"The only work around I see from it... It's going to change our sleeping schedules for sure." You voiced out, making all of them look at you. You didn't have a sleeping schedule to begin with, which was why Seonghwa was always worried and he had to make sure that you even got some sleep at night.

"Before Hwa goes off on me not even having a sleep schedule to begin with, you know I mean more for you guys than myself." You held a hand up.

"You don't sleep so of course you don't have a sleeping schedule." Seonghwa scoffed.

"I do sleep, Hwa. I'm not a vampire." You glared.

"Anyway, do share what you had in mind." Wooyoung encouraged.

"We come in before dinner to start the prep. Get through dinner service then before we leave, prep batter and dough for the pastries. Those always need resting and refridgeration anyway." You started.

"Then we come back in the morning before opening and bake off the pastries. Once those are done, we do the 3 cakes, it shouldn't take us long. After that, we'll leave to rest for the day before coming back to prep for dinner." You finished.

"Hang on, before we say anything about what (y/n) just suggested, I just realised, we haven't asked about opening hours and day offs." Jongho raised his hand.

"That's true. Let's have some suggestions for the owner regarding that before we enquire." You crossed your arms.

"What sort of suggestions?"

"Any." You shrugged.

"I would suggest, Thursdays close to prepare for the weekend rush and Mondays close to rest from the weekend rush. If he doesn't want two days of closure, Sunday half day. We'll do brunch."

"That's not a bad idea." You thought about it before nodding.

"We passed a church on the way so Sunday is good to have brunch. And since Monday is work and school day, not many people will be out looking for dinner spots. If not, do a half day Monday. People are tired from Monday blues, they won't go out for dinner after work. But they will stop by for coffee and a muffin before work." He said.

"Wow, I don't think I've ever heard Wooyoung hyung speak with so much sense before." Jongho snorted, making Wooyoung slap his shoulder. But when Jongho squared up, he ducked.

"Seonghwa hyung! Help!" Wooyoung hid behind the oldest.

"This is why no one can take us seriously." You rubbed your temples, shaking your head.

"Ah, don't say that! If you didn't love us, you would have kicked us out AGES ago." Wooyoung grinned, hugging your arm. You rolled your eyes with a sigh.

"Well, that aside, what do you guys think? About working here." You asked as Wooyoung continued to cling to you.

"Not as shady as I thought it would be." He said.

"I don't mind it... I guess. It's hard to know what to expect when even the owner doesn't seem to know what to expect." Jongho spoke. Seonghwa nodded slowly, agreeing with what Jongho said.

"What about you, (y/n)?" Seonghwa asked back, knowing you would ask him first.

"I say we give it a shot. This is definitely not like our usual professional kitchens, we'll probably be sourcing suppliers and produce vendors on our own but it's a challenge. It'll be like our own start up kitchen." You said honestly.

"Then we'll try it. I think we should propose a trial period for both the owner and us then we confer again." Seonghwa suggested. The rest of you nodded.

"Yeah, I think the owner is already scared of my precious girl here." Wooyoung pinched your cheek.

"I barely said anything."

"Exactly." Seonghwa laughed. After that, you exited the kitchen. You saw Yunho wiping the counter relentlessly, as if there was a stain that wouldn't go off. You tilted your head, letting out a small laugh.

"Psst." Hongjoong smacked Yunho's head when he saw you walking out. Yunho straightened up and tossed the cloth aside.

"Please." Yunho nervously gestured for you all to resume your seats from earlier.

"A few things were discussed during our talk. We would like to ask about off days here? What will be the opening and closing hours of the place." Jongho asked.

"Not that I have not thought about it but I was actually wanting to discuss that with all of you. To find out what timing works best for your crew since it is going to be long shifts. But regular hours will be 8am to 2pm then we break and come back at any time to prepare for dinner. First dinner service is 6pm?" Yunho spoke.

"That's fair. Wooyoung?" You turned to the male on your right.

"I proposed Thursdays off to prepare for the weekend. Then either a half day on Sunday or Monday." Wooyoung leaned forward.

"Reason?" Hongjoong asked.

"Sunday, we were thinking of doing a brunch menu. With the next day being a working day, hardly anyone will be out for dinner on Sunday." Wooyoung reasoned.

"And after a gruelling Monday, no one will want to stay out for dinner. It'll be a break from the weekend rush as well." He continued.

"I agree to closing on Thursdays. As for Sunday or Monday... I think a brunch menu on Sunday is a good idea. Between the two, the reasons both make sense. But I'm leaning towards a half day on Monday." Yunho said.

"So the schedule we are thinking of working with is; dinner service. Then we prepare pastry batter and/or dough for the night. Come in early, bake those off and the cakes." You informed.

"We should be done by the morning and we'll leave to rest before returning for dinner service prep." Seonghwa finished.

"That sounds good." Yunho turned to Hongjoong for confirmation. The smaller nodded.

"If you could draw up a contract for a temporary period of work, for both your side and our team to test the waters, it would be greatly appreciated." You spoke.

"Y-Yes! I mean, sure." Yunho smiled, coughing as he realised how overly enthusiastic he sounded.

"We look forward to working with you." The 4 of you stood up, shaking hands with Hongjoong and Yunho.

"Us too. Thank you." Hongjoong and Yunho bowed gratefully. Seonghwa eyed you and the way you were subtly studying Yunho, you were curious about the tall, overgrown puppy.

"So we'll see you in 2 days? I'll have the contract drawn up by tomorrow." Yunho's eyes sparkled, unable to hide his excitement. You nodded and grabbed your things. After exchanging numbers, Seonghwa's hand came to rest on your lower back as he guided all of you out of the restaurant.

As you walked out, you caught a glimpse of Yunho. He was laughing animatedly, jumping up and down with his arms around Hongjoong while Hongjoong seemed uncomfortable with the hug, trying to push Yunho away.

"Thank you, hyung!" He yelled, fist pumping. You couldn't help but snort out a small laugh.

"Well, boys. Looks like we've got our work cut out for us." You said.

"Shall we go to (y/n)'s for drinks?" Jongho asked. You nodded with a shrug, the boys were always over at your place to eat and drink. They'd rather get drunk at your house than in public.

"I don't think I've ever seen you so amused by an individual you've just met. Are you actually charmed by him?" Seonghwa asked you.

"No, I'm not." You denied.

"Liar." Seonghwa coughed. You shot him a look while he looked away innocently. You rolled your eyes, walking with him at the back as Wooyoung and Jongho walked in front of you, the both of them engrossed in their own conversation.

"He's just... different. I mean, Woo is energetic but he's a whole new level. He's so... positive." You shrugged.

"Well, my darling, not everyone is as broody and scary as you are. Some people actually enjoy their life." Seonghwa laughed, lacing fingers with you.

"I do enjoy my life. And I'm not broody." You frowned.

"Sure..."

"Hey, you're equally as scary as me. You made the kids at the playground cry when we were little. You're lucky I even wanted to be your friend." You scoffed, swinging your interlocked hands.

"I only made them cry because they were bullying you. They didn't let you have a turn on the swing." He defended.

~

Series masterlist

[biteofcherry]

Hi! ALPHA STEVEEEEE oh my actual days. i have an unhealthy attachement to GoT. If his omega was feeling insecure how would he react? I feel like he would be completely flabbergasted and considering how she is very much independent she might not tell him at first. but if he found out...

A study

alpha!Steve Rogers x omega female reader

warnings: none; fluffy hurt/comfort; alpha has unique ways of improving your mood; but there's also understanding and communication; alpha Steve is a warning okay?

Grain of Truth Masterlist

Main Masterlist

"I guess this one could work," you shrugged, watching yourself in the mirror with growing resentment.

Your words reached Steve with quite a delay. He was staring at you, his mind occupied with images of ripping the fabric off of your body to get his hands on the magnificence of your curves and softness.

You looked absolutely fantastic in that dress - and it wasn't even some revealing, super sexy evening gown, but rather a chic, modest piece. Perfect for attending a conference.

And when you first saw that dress on the display as you passed the shop, you seemed to love it. How could it change so quickly?

Steve's gaze dragged up your body until he met your eyes in the mirror.

It was the very first time you showed annoyance with your looks, even if occasionally you fussed about not fitting into your favorite clothes right before the heat, because your body was accumulating fat to survive days of endless fucking.

"What is it?" Steve's brows furrowed as he took a step closer and you felt the warmth of his body at your back.

His hands slipped onto your hips and he rested his chin on top of your head as he held your gaze in the reflection.

"Nothing," you shrugged again, instinctively leaning into your alpha's embrace. "It's a good dress, but it doesn't really matter, right?"

Steve sensed that clearly it did matter, so he waited patiently for you to elaborate.

"I just have one meaningless presentation, nobody will pay attention to it beside just politely listening and clapping after I'm done." You tried to play it cool, like it didn't bother you that there was going to be a different star at the conference.

"Unlike Hope," you muttered, your tone more bitter than you wanted to let on.

Hope was- not exactly a friend, but not an enemy either.

You went to the same university, shared some mutual friends and occasionally worked on the same projects before graduation. Then you pursued your career goals while Hope went on to rock the world with everything that she had.

She was stunning, always had a line of men and women trailing behind her with dreams of spending time with her. She had a brilliant mind, too. Honestly, she had it all, in your opinion.

Including the freedom of not being driven by designation and hormones, since she was a beta.

As it turned out, Hope now had not one but three degrees and steered her career toward medical science for the military purposes. You were proud of how you were actually helping people day to day, running your small research, but it suddenly felt less significant compared to Hope's straight road to saving the world.

When you stumbled into her an hour ago, your brief, quite warm conversation revealed she was going to be the mysterious grand star at the conference you were also attending.

And she too was searching for an outfit. Judging by the label on the bag she was carrying, Hope was going to have something designer. Perhaps even custom fitted.

Then it turned out Steve was familiar with one of her projects; he saw it used in action when back in the military.

They switched feedback and information about Hope's upgrades so flawlessly and passionately, and you just stood there with a smile, nodding your head in pretend-interest.

Hope had it all. Still. Just like she had in uni.

Including attention of your mate.

You knew Steve loved you, you didn't fear him leaving you to chase anyone else. But love didn't mean he was impressed, or interested in your meager career.

The only profit you'd gain from presenting your study at the conference would be Maria's proud face as she added to your clinic's website information about running research acknowledged at international conferences.

"Hope?" One of Steve's eyebrows quirked up, confusion settling on his face. "That beta we ran into?"

"Yes, that beta whose great improvements to the battlefield medicine-" you mocked Steve's voice- "you were complimenting less than an hour ago," you glared at him, barely stopping yourself from stomping on his foot.

"Sweet brat," Steve's hands tightened their grip on your hips, an almost painful reminder to watch your tone.

"I was a Captain in the Army and sometimes on missions things got really bad. I simply appreciate that Hope's projects helped to save lives of some of my men."

"I know her work is important." You grit out, crossing your arms over your chest. "Which is why I know everyone will look forward to her presentation and discussion panel with her. So I don't need to bother stressing over my showing."

Steve recited the full title of your presentation and research, showing you he was always paying attention to what was important to you.

"Hope's work may be desired by the big, important institutions," he said, "but it's your research that has the potential of aiding people nationally, in their day to day struggles."

Your heart melted at the conviction in Steve's voice. Through the bond you sensed a steady rhythm and a flush of fiery pride that your alpha felt about your work.

"And you know what else?" Steve bent down a little, resting his chin in the crook of your neck, his lips brushing your cheek.

"Hope has nothing beyond her career. Beneath the smell of perfume, there's only the scent of the lab on her. No partner, neither long term nor a fuckbuddy. No remnants of anyone familiar, like a friend or a pet."

"Maybe she chose it that way," Steve mused, rubbing soothing circles on your hips with his thumbs, "or maybe she spends the rest of her day being as fussy as you, feeling bitter that she doesn't have a mate and love like you."

You sighed softly, uncrossing your arms. You rested your hands atop Steve's forearms, caressing his warm skin.

You tilted your head slightly as your placated insecurities slowly retreated, living room to the mentioned fussy streak. That still wasn't entirely gone, strumming inside you with a need to act out.

"So you were checking her scent?" It was a deliberate poke, delivered with a glare.

Steve huffed and closed his eyes for a second. Then he straightened and in one swift move twirled you around.

He pushed you back against the mirror, gripping the back of your neck with one of his large hands.

"If you're sporting for a spanking until you sob all your frustration and insecurities out, I will happily arrange it." His voice remained soft, but dropped to that low octave a breath away from a growl.

"Or maybe we can make you more excited on that stage?" You gulped nervously as Steve's eyes darkened.

His lips trailed along your jaw, teeth just barely grazing your skin.

"You'll be giving your lecture wearing nothing but that pretty dress, while I sit in the first row with your panties in my pocket. Knowing that as soon as you're done with your presentation, I'm going to be fucking you full of my cum..."

Steve nipped your chin in reprimand when your eyes closed, the sting making you open them instantly.

"So that when you do the rounds at the banquet later that beta you're jealous off knows that you've won something she'll never have. A true mate."

Your clamped your hands on Steve's shoulders, gripping the fabric of his too tight t-shirt.

"You can't solve everything with sex, you know," you said breathlessly, clenching your thighs as you felt Steve's free hand slide up the pencil skirt of the dress you were trying on.

"How about we conduct a longitudinal study on that?" Steve chuckled and slapped your thigh.

[foolishlovers]

MUTUAL PINING FIC RECS: Below you'll find a list of Good Omens fics in which Aziraphale and Crowley are pining for each other.

You can request more fic recs here.

you play with my feelings (right from the start) by PenroseSun (G, 3k)

There were three things of which Crowley was absolutely certain: 1. Aziraphale, being an angel, was required to be kind and loving towards all things, even when those things were flawed or sinful or fallen. 2. Notwithstanding that obligatory kindness, Aziraphale would never, and could never truly love a demon, in any meaningful sense. 3. Despite this, Crowley was desperately, hopelessly, in love with him.

For To Quench My Thirst by apliddell (G, 6k)

After moving to Sussex with Aziraphale, Crowley is trying so hard to be satisfied with friendship and the suddenly beautiful life he already has.

Slow by write_away (T, 9k)

It started like this: A boy with the ability to warp reality met an angel and a demon and he made assumptions. You might say it started like this: An angel and a demon found a marriage contract hung on the wall of the angel's bookshop. They didn't question it. It also could have started like this: Once upon a time, the angel told the demon he went too fast. The demon took it to heart.   Aziraphale and Crowley find themselves somehow married. Crowley fears going too fast. Aziraphale forges ahead. Neither know how to ask questions of each other.

got a pretty face, pretty boyfriend too by KissMyAsthma, leukozyna (T, 9k)

Aziraphale and Crowley are next-door neighbours. They’ve been attracted to each other since they met. The only thing keeping them apart is a thin wall between their bedrooms and Atticus and Freddie, Aziraphale’s and Crowley’s respective life partners… or are they? A human AU glued together by misunderstandings and wet food.

speed limits (and how to break them) by darcylindbergh (E, 13k)

There is a trick people do with a mint candy and a bottle of cola which results in a small eruption, and something very like it, for much higher stakes than a laugh in a car park, is about to take place in Aziraphale’s back room. Or: what happens when you finally unscrew the cap on a six thousand years of repression, and drop in Valentine’s Day.

Something We Were Withholding Made Us Weak by triedunture (M, 17k)

"Yes, exactly. Retire." Aziraphale reaches for the last remaining tartlet brimming with summer berries. "Somewhere along the south coast, perhaps." Or: Crowley and Aziraphale learn to move in tandem.

32 Questions That Lead To Love by ffonippop (E, 32k)

”First formulated in 1997, [32] questions to fall in love is a study by psychologist Dr. Arthur Aron which took place at Stony Brook University, New York. The aim? Speeding up the creation of intimacy between two strangers.” The Cosmopolitan Okay, fine. Crowley was 32-Questions-That-Lead-To-Love-ing Aziraphale. Sue him. He had no expectations, all right? Just, an innocent curiosity.

Flowers From The Grave Of Our Friendship by WaitingToBeBroken (E, 50k)

Crowley is very good at temptation, not so good with what comes afterwards. Aziraphale knows demons don't love so he is happy to take anything Crowley would give him. Both of them are too blind to realize the thing they want is right in front of them.

Fledging by FeralTuxedo (M, 53k)

Cool Dad was at the school gate again. Clambering out of his ridiculous sports car like a great big spider, all black denim and designer sunglasses. What a prat. He made his way towards the entrance, followed by his equally lanky son. All the mums' eyes were on him. Which was fine. At least they weren't staring at Aziraphale for a change. Cool Dad high-fived his son goodbye, because of course he did, then sauntered back to his car. Making it look so bloody easy. Aziraphale Fell is much too young to be looking after eleven-year old Pepper. He barely has his life together as it is, with his minimum-wage job and a half-baked dream of trading rare books for a living. And as if adopting a recently bereaved pre-teen isn’t enough, there are some rather more adult problems to navigate: playground politics, the shadows of his own childhood, and the growing question of how Crowley, the only other dad at the school gate, feels about him. A human AU/kid fic.

Style and Substance by Cabernet_Woebegone (E, 89k)

“But y’know, if my boss finds out I’m helping you even a little, they’re gonna throw me out on my ass.” “Yes, I understand it is a bit of a conflict of interest for you… Is there something I can offer you in return? Something you would like?” Aziraphale questioned hopefully. You, Crowley thought loudly as he took a second sip. I want to know if you moan when you kiss the same way you do when you try something delicious. I want to know if your lips taste like Zinfandel. “Yes, actually.” Aziraphale is having difficulty running his restaurant, and it isn't helping that he believes the place across the street is trying to sabotage him. To his surprise, chef Crowley comes to him on friendly terms. Together they come up with an arrangement that could benefit them both.

On Espionage and Prophecy (or How to Accidentally, but Wholly, Fall in Love With a Soho Bookseller) by RockSaltAndRoll (E, 133k)

1941 is the London Blitz and the year that MI5 really comes into its own with the now infamous ‘double cross’ system. The service keep tabs on suspects, root out enemy agents and try to turn them into doubles. Anthony J Crowley is fucking great at this job. He can be sneaky, underhanded and damn ruthless but also charming and kind. It’s what makes him good at turning. Aziraphale is just a regular Soho bookseller who loves his shop and books and good food and wine when he’s approached by a woman claiming to be MI5, wanting to recruit him for espionage. The poor man is too trusting and gets the shock of his life when he’s approached by a charming but dangerous-looking man also claiming to be MI5. Crowley recruits Aziraphale to double cross a double crosser and Aziraphale takes to espionage like a duck to water. Danger, hijinks, and sex ensue.

Old Vines by sevdrag (E, 189k)

A.Z. Fell, one of the most respected names in wine and food blogging, has been sent on assignment with his assistant Warlock Dowling to spend six months in California Wine Country. Under direction (by his boss, Gabriel) to use this experience to double his blog followers and write a novel, Aziraphale is both excited and anxious about the opportunity. Anthony J. Crowley is the owner and viticulturalist of Ecdyses, a winery that unexpectedly fell into his lap eleven years ago when he hit rock bottom. He may be in debt, yeah, but he’s paying off his loans — and despite pressure from his lenders and their team of inspectors, Crowley has found a kind of contentment tending his little corner of terroir and producing extraordinary wine. Crowley’s old vines are the heart of his vineyard, and he’s never let anyone in. Crowley finds Aziraphale intriguing; Aziraphale finds Crowley enthralling. Turns out a famous wine expert and an experienced viticulturalist can still learn things from each other. The summer of 2019 unfolds.

[savannahsdeath]

okok but like reader being tommy and maria's daughter, Joels niece, Ellie's gf, you cant tell me that wouldn't just make her the town princess <33

ELLIE WILLIAMS X READER

mdni please<3

warnings: 18+!! but i think its minors safe this time!!; reader crying

writers note: its short and just two of my thoughts but still decided to post it🤗 ALWAYS when i make sum scenarios in my head i imagine im tommys and marias daughter cus !! its like so abziabshh being joels niece too ??? omg.

as tommy's and maria's daughter, the risk of you getting hurt was always lower than other residents'. being a favored princess, only doing little jobs somewhere in the town, you were living a dream of most girls your age. you didn't have to patrol, to risk your life, to be used to hold a gun like it's nothing. and you could shoot - joel teached you, just in case. but you pointed your weapon at a living target only a few times. your life was just.. calm.

there's no reason to complain, right?

right??

you hated it. you wanted nothing more than to go outside and be a hero, find supplies and kill those monsters.

you felt useless, sitting in jackson and doing only paperwork or gardening. you didn't care it was important too. you wanted to be a soldier with a holster swinging down your hip, maybe a switchblade with a cool design in your pocket. after a long day in work you'd meet up with your friends, share your memories and tips. maybe even trade some cards you found while scavenging.

you spent so much time complaining and begging your parents for a chance to go outside and face the dangers of the world. but you were always met with the same answer - that you were too precious to risk, too valuable to put in danger.

you never understood why they didn't see you the same way they saw ellie. you felt that you were capable of just as much as she was, if not more. but it was always her who got the spotlight, while you were left to your own devices, growing bitter and resentful.

one day, not just a typical day but your birthday, you found your family - tommy, maria, joel and ellie - waiting for you in the living room. you hated the awkward 'my little girl is becoming a lady!' things, but you put on the best fake smile you could. it turned to a real smile pretty fast, just as you heard about your gift.

"we'll allow you to patrol." maria smiled, before quickly shaking her head. "only with ellie, though!"

at first you stood in silence. you felt like both tommy and joel wanted you to go outside for a long time before. being locked up in a safety zone wasn't doing any good for you. if something was going to happen to jackson, you'll be left clueless in the cruel, unknown world. but how did they convince your protective mother, maria?

ellie smirked at your reaction and leaned against a wall. "you have to listen to me, too."

you knew she'll act all cocky and demanding, but it didn't ruin your happiness. in fact, you were glad to be paired with her.

and so you became one of the tough, badass survivors you wanted to. but you were still an innocent princess in their eyes.

so they couldn't stand seeing you hurt.

as soon as maria caught you sobbing onto your pillow the other day, everyone was there in a second. you were sitting in your bed, in your mother's arms. ellie placed herself next to you, caressing your hand and rubbing reassuring circles on your thigh. joel was pacing around the room, trying to not point his gun at anyone who made you feel this way, while tommy wether kneeled in front of you or joined your uncle in lame attempt to calm themselves down.

"what the fuck happened?" your dad leaned against a nearby wall.

ellie rolled her eyes, thinking his aggressiveness is useless. "it's about jane."

jane was a girl your age, freshly welcomed to jackson. she didn't know much about it so she was the first one to judge. and well... let's say she didn't like how popular you are.

joel frowned and repeated quiet; "jane?" as if to make sure he heard it correctly.

you sniffled and wiped your tears on your sleeve, feeling the overwhelming attention of everyone in the room.

"well, jane's got some real issues if you ask me." joel growled, his voice quiet and dangerous.

"indeed." tommy nodded, his mind already brewing up a plan. "we should send her packing before things escalate."

"no, we can't do that." maria frowned, thinking hard of a solution to the problem. "don't forget she's here because she saved ellie."

to that, your girlfriend quickly let you go and stood up. "saved me?!" she threw her hands in the air in frustration. "she killed one infected that was after me, i'd handle it myself just as easily!"

your mom held her hands out in an attempt to calm ellie, but the girl was too angry and frustrated to see a reason to.

"hey, hey!" maria chided her. "it's not worth arguing. let's just settle this and move on."

ellie gritted her teeth as she took a deep breath, trying to collect herself. "fine." she said through clenched teeth. "but she better not pull anything again, or i swear i'm gonna-"

"ellie!" tommy shouted, cutting her off mid-sentence.

"no, ellie's right." joel said in a stern, serious tone. "jane's no hero and we can't let her sabotage our community. she won't stop after a pathetic little warning."

your parents froze for a moment, the words finally hitting them.

"joel," maria finally started, her tone serious and concerned. "we can't just kick someone out like that. that's not how we handle things here."

"well, how do we handle them then?" joel shot back. "because letting someone like jane stay is gonna be a threat to our safety."

after a short moment of silence, maria finally spoke up again. "i get where you're coming from," she nodded and repeated; "but this is not the way we do things."

your uncle just huffed in frustration, his arms crossed. "fine." he murmured quietly. "have it your way."

ellie, on the other hand, was quietly seething. she wanted to go up to jane and knock some sense into her head, but she bit her tongue and kept quiet.

as maria left the room, ellie's rage came spilling out. "she's trouble!" she hissed, pacing back and forth. "she just needs someone to put her in her place. can i-"

"no." your dad cut you off, his voice firm. "maria said no. we're not doing this."

ellie bit her lip in frustration as she looked back and forth between him and you, torn between wanting to listen and wanting to see jane struggle, like you do now. eventually, she took your mom's place in comforing you.

with joel out of the picture, you and ellie shared a deep glance. the shared anger and frustration in your eyes was something only you two understood. it felt like you communicated telepathically. without saying a word, she wrapped her arms around you. this sort of closeness was something you rarely shared in front of others, but in this moment it just felt right. you two were bonded by the same negative feelings, and in that moment you were both on the same wavelength.

maria came back to see you, face buried in ellie's chest, as she made some shushing noises into your ear. she shared a concerned look with tommy and joel, which agreed to leave you both alone for now. your mom felt satisfied by the fact ellie decided to let jane be.

just a few days later you were able to come out without worrying about bumping into her, because even when you did, she'd apologize and quickly walk away. you never asked anyone what happened, no one told you anything too. jane wasn't the type of a person to get offended by words, so whatever happened, it must really affect her..

[overlyenthusiasticfictionreader]

Fanbinding of The Perfect Song by dragonofdispair

The Perfect Song by dragonofdispair

To follow his dreams, Jazz offers his virginity and himself to anyone willing to pay. His buyer, Prowl, has a lot of loneliness and a kink for virgins, but dreaming isn’t something he’s capable of. Yet.

Fandom: Transformers - All Media Types Rating: Explicit Archive Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationship: Jazz/Prowl Characters: Jazz, Prowl, Ricochet, Barricade, First Aid, Sky-Byte

The Perfect Song by dragonofdispair 429 pages, letter-quarto/ 50,061 words

Accompaniment: Companion Pieces to The Perfect Song (Adagio, Coda, Cadenza, and Famous) by dragonofdispair 72 pages, letter-quarto / 4,751 words

The Perfect Song was requested as a bind during our local Renegade Exchange 2024 event. My giftee mentioned they liked quartos and also blue, and so I had the first inklings of a design. My giftee also mentioned they wouldn't mind additional gifts, so I decided to bind the rest of the series as a separate book, mostly because i thought it would look cool and then i would have a reason to make a case too (corral all those books together).

Photos and more discussion under the read-more!

First up is The Perfect Song! I have been wanting to bind a chonky book, and while I didn't reach maximum chonk, The Perfect Song is a respectable size and satisfyingly hefty in the hand. This book is a variation of the bradel binding style, which supports a thicker book well. I ran with the musical theme: the endpapers have musical notations, the text breaks are a treble clef, and I used the written music for Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream as the background image for chapter titles. I chose the font for titles and dropcaps because it reminded me of a musical scale. The blue bookcloth is homemade using a faux-suede fabric: fuzzy texture!

The black and while endbands were meant to invoke a piano keyboard: I'm not quite sure I got there, but they look classy regardless!

Next is the rest of the series (which I called Accompaniment for the purposes of rounding up the series in a second book), and it uses all the same themes. I like the cohesive look, and really, why mess with a good thing? This is a much slimmer book, bound in a different style from The Perfect Song. This is a modified conservation pamphlet bind.

For both books I used HTV to put a treble clef on the cover, and for The Perfect Song I had enough room to title the spine as well.

I wanted to make cases for all three sets of books (one for my giftee, one for the author, and one for myself). I ran with the same theme and materials, so nothing surprising there, but I think the books in their cases look really snazzy!

I'm very satisfied with how these books turned out! And I am thrilled to be able to gift a copy to the author! Sharing fandom is wonderful experience for me, and I hope some fanart let's the author know how much I appreciate that they shared their stories.

Also located on A03 here.

[iraprince]

Any ttrpgs (including/especially yours!) that you recommend to get the oc wheels turnin’? Or especially fun as oc design tools/inspiration?

as an overall recommendation for this, from the perspective of design tools, solo journaling games are often excellent for this -- you can browse the entire solo tag for the physical games category on itch and find TONS!!

moving on to specific recs: not for characters specifically, but for general worldbuilding one of mine i can recommend is lamplighter's festival! it's about building up the history and culture of a location by developing a ritual or holiday that's celebrated there, and i think sometimes creating a location with a lot of intention and thought will of course naturally get you thinking abt the ppl who live there. (i think this is also a great gm tool if you want to bring your party somewhere special!)

divined journey is a game about outlining a character's story in detail using tarot cards -- i've had a lot of fun using this to flesh out existing characters and imagine plot arcs that are different than the ones i'd come up with on my own, but i think it could absolutely start u running on a brand new character too. often the order ppl go in is make the character, THEN put them in a story, but forming a character BY putting them through the story (i.e. keeping them more malleable and considering events the primary development vs "backstory") can be extremely cool

on the more... i don't wanna say "traditional" but like, "narrative tabletop games as we know them" (vs solo journaling stuff/things that lean towards being design tools):

time to drop is a game about pulling one last heist (again and again and again, in a timeloop). i often find that games with a really specific premise/setting kickstart tons of fresh thought; as much as i love just doing the exact tropes i already like ad nauseum (being completely genuine there), restrictions and a narrowed focus are GREAT for getting the brain churning. and trapping a bunch of criminals in a time loop is a great way to develop necessarily juicy oc dynamics :3c

sapphicworld is a game that has gotten me SUPER revved about ocs (up to the point where i once planned out a 12 course formal dinner menu for a campaign finale.....). it's still in development, but you can get a pwyw glimpse at the ashcan here (kind of like a tasting platter of the style and mechanics of the game, which the dev describes as a dream about sapphicworld), and get access to the entire wip game on the darling demon patreon for five bucks. it's worth a billion times that. i love sapphicworld lol

in general i think games that have playbooks and picklists always get me going, for that same "narrowed focus" reason... at first ur urge might be to push outside the picklists, bc u have a different idea or none of the stuff on the list exactly matches what u had in mind for the character, but forcing urself to adhere and then branching out from that is something that i think creates a lot of really fun combinations. for this reason i think that a lot of PBTA stuff fits the bill -- i realize that doesn't narrow things down at all lol but it DOES mean u can browse the pbta tag and then just snag anything that seems to have a setting/tone that you're in the mood for!

i feel like this is a woefully small selection but it's all i have time for today, and ttrpgs are just so broad....! i would love if ppl gave more suggestions in the reblogs + replies!!!