#for a guy who's considerably peaceful and understanding i love how he goes for The Most Straightforward solution

[joanyio]

weak hero class 1 rant because it’s 4am and im in my feelings and idk how else to deal with them *cracks knuckles* please don’t expect me to be coherent

it’s because of a twitter thread i made and i just wanted to elaborate more

if you didn’t click the link here’s what i said “this montage gets me every time because you realize sooho’s bright personality hid the fact that he was just as alone as sieun was, always sleeping at school for working part-time a lot, probably the reason why he had no friends, also refers to himself as the hyung with his peers. then the montage sequence ends with sieun being considerate, not turning the lights on like he did before and studying in the dark to not disturb sleeping sooho. the same day sieun wakes him up to have lunch together and they unexpectedly click.. in a way it was a friendship built from understanding how differently they lived but also similarly alone, and having each other made their lives a little brighter and i think that’s beautiful.”

also this hyunwook interview..

—

i can’t seem to stop overthinking about the little detail that sooho refers to himself as the hyung (형 - older brother) with his same-aged peers (동갑). in korea, age is a huge deal and it dictates most of their social cues, who to respect and how much respect is given. and i can just imagine how arrogant his peers might find him for referring to himself as the hyung, it’s like he acts all high and mighty amongst them.

am not puting all clips of him doing this but i remember the incident with baseball kids in the first ep he told them to bring the passed out dude to the nurse’s office and said “형이 이름 말하면 뒤진다,” literally means “if you say hyung’s (my) name, you’re dead.” (and they aren’t even his same-aged friends because someone murmured “but we’re older than him..” still, they’re high schoolers all the same) in ep 2 “형이라고 부르고싶냐?” literally means “do you wanna call me hyung now?” (or “do you wanna give me respect now?”) in ep 3 while playing pool he said “형이 하는거 잘 봐라,” literally means “watch carefully how hyung does (i do) it.”

[edit: i remembered another instance. in ep 1, yeongbin’s group bothering sieun again in the classroom. sooho was disturbed from his sleep, “why are guys so chatty these days? 형 잠도 못 자게. 형 자도 돼? 응?” literally goes “hyung (i) can’t even sleep (with u mfs being loud). can hyung (i) sleep? hmm?” official subs: “someone’s trying to sleep here. can i sleep in peace? please?”]

i think he does it because he knows he was forced to grow up fast due to his living situation, and in his eyes this made his same-aged peers /more/ childlike(?) and immature compared to him, who’s already grown up and has adult big boy responsibilities to worry about than silly little exams and high school social hierarchy. he’s extroverted and has a sunshine personality, blunt and honest to anyone he talks to. he always knows what to say to kids his age to feel shame for the bullshit they pull. even with older people, the baseball kids, to gilsu “나이 먹고 그게 자랑이야?”

so yeah sleeping a lot at school due to working part-time for hours may have contributed to him not having friends (hello he follows like 5 people in instagram, such a skinny ratio with his 1k+ followers) but also he probably found it hard to relate and saw no reason to put effort in hanging out with them outside inevitable campus interactions. until sieun. sieun who sooho calls a weirdo, who’s really interesting, whose eyes say how empty he must feel inside but you can see the fire in them. sooho probably thought sieun would never initiate a conversation with him but he did approach him for lunch that one time. and finds himself enjoying the company. now he grew to love showing sieun that there’s more to life than studying hard and preparing for college. it’s all mundane things, eating, gaming, karaokeing, playing pool, “let’s drive all night long,” friendship and the kind of company that their families and other people couldn’t give.

sooho’s all sun and bright but he hasn’t found his person until sieun came along. both of them were very self-sacrificial, ready to risk it all and harm anyone to protect each other. i might just forever ache for sooho ending up on his deathbed after going apeshit seeing sieun hide the injury he got on sooho’s behalf.. and sieun throwing away his whole future when he went and hurt everyone who did that to sooho..

it hits different after i read the equivalent chapters in the webtoon because the suho-sieun-focused friendship story was prolonged for the drama adaptation. sooho was kinda not that interesting in the webtoon so i loved everything they changed and added for his character in the drama. but also like im upset because now im endlessly attached to him.. [edit: in case i piss off webtoon!suho lovers, it’s a personal preference. i love him too but i just cant help but be more emotionally attached to drama!suho] like fuck why did they have to write such a tragic friendship story between highschoolers im fucking done

end of rant ugh i hate myself for this

[dangermousie]

Farscape rewatch: Look at the Princess Part 2, 2x12

I just love this shot of Crichton:

Farscape summed up:

This ep has one of my favorite scenes: Crichton in space, out-crazing Scorpius, and rescuing himself through sheer insanity. He goes full-on unhinged, using the fact that yes, he is willing to die rather than submit, than be tortured and experimented on.

He takes this and runs with it...and it’s probably the most unhinged we’ve seen him so far tho not as unhinged as he’s going to get and just...

The whole scene is miles more unhinged than my few caps can do it justice but also, only Farscape can get away with rotating between dark despair and pure unhinged hilarity at the speed of light - I mean here is John forcing Braca’s gun towards his right hand yelling “kill my sex life!” UMMM god this show!

PS They are literally gonna have this as ep title later.

Also, yet another instance where dark humor is his lifeline and coping/defense  mechanism. He never loses it, this is how he keeps semi-sane.

This is the first time he hears the chip, isn’t it? That scene is amazing, and heroic, and all sorts of heart-breaking. Because it saves him now but also this is a small appetizer of what it will be like for John to have the voice of his torturer control him, to remove volition. Crichton’s will is extreme, can-move-mountains kind of quality and the chip will strip it from him, just as it will force him to go against all his instincts and feelings and it’s going to be a horror.

Of course, what Scorpius, who has notably recognized John as another individual by now, even if that recognition is in shape of wanting to triumph over him, it’s still a step up from ‘lab rat’ view of the rest of the world, what Scorpius isn’t reckoning with, yet, that Crichton would rather die, literally, than surrender himself, so he better find some other lever, because threatening his life would never work. He eventually does, in s4, Aeryn, and I always found it telling that Grayza, overall nowhere near as brilliant as Scorpius, figures that lever out faster because Scorpius is hampered by his considering any genuine emotion as not worthy of consideration.

But yeah, this really does put Crichton through a ringer and I really love that his falling apart does not make him weak, it makes him human and makes any triumph all the more worthy.

I find myself both understanding Aeryn in this ep, and being very frustrated by her. She wants all these things from Crichton, but she won’t give an inch, or a hint, or a hope in return. The only reason this marriage bugs her is because she loves him because from every other vantage point, it’s a good good thing, and it’s not as if she is from species which believes you can’t marry without romantic love. And Crichton can fight even when broken, as he proves over and over, but he needs something to fight for and now he doesn’t have anything and she is not willing to provide it. The scene where he wants something - some hint that she will return his feelings and she can’t give it to him due to her own demons gets me. He is at a low point and he has nothing to cling to and she can’t give him that something because she herself is not sure she can survive giving any piece of her heart away.

I do love her ‘diplomacy’ with Katralla and Jenovia:

And the awesome putdown line to Casanova guy of ‘it’s not you, it’s me. I don’t like you.’ Heh.

But she didn’t even show up at the wedding. Oh Aeryn. So brave in battle, so good at running away emotionally. And D’Argo is being an awesome friend in this one - willing to back up John in whatever,no agendas (unlike Rygel and Aeryn, tho those two have them for different reasons) and his ‘good news/bad news’ cracks is one of my fave things ever but also really does leave John on a happy note going into a crazy situation:

and John bitchslapping Prince Clavor and the story with Zhaan and Moya and Pilot that makes me cry in the sheer defenseless peace and resignation of the ship and pilot and righteous rage of Zhaan.

In conclusion. Yeah, it’s Farscape all right.

[atopearth]

Ikemen Villains Part 1 - William Rex Route

I've been curious about this game! I have to say though, I'm not really into the art style hahaha but that's fine, I felt similarly to Ikemen Prince when I first played it but I like it now lol. I'm not sure how to feel about the premise right now but it's nice to see that the heroine isn't as stressed as the other games and has more freedom?😆 I chose William so let's see how it goes~ For now, he's not very much like a villain especially with how considerate he is towards the heroine taking her to the theatre she wanted to go to and stuff like that, but as he says, villains don't go around killing people 24/7 lol. It was obvious that William was being purposely annoying to the heroine to give her an opportunity to talk to the writer she admires but lol, this guy really isn't much of a villain with how nice he is all the time haha. I think it's interesting how they hire maids who are deaf because this ensures they can't overhear things and tell others. Our villains definitely aren't really villains at all with how gentle and kind they actually are. But one thing I liked about William asking the heroine to talk about how scared she really was, was that he was always respectful and wanted her to slowly speak for herself. I guess it's sweet because you know that he has the power to command people to speak even if they don't want to but he wouldn't do that to her.

I guess one thing I agree with William is that just because you can't save everyone doesn't mean you should kill a part of yourself because of it. But it's difficult to not take in that pain and empathise sometimes and that inevitably hurts the kindest people. I understand the heroine's guilt though, because the easiest way is to ignore people's pain as if you don't see them so you can continue to focus on your own life and live happily. It's strong of the heroine to want to face the things she's ignored and to try and start with saving this one girl. I guess she is influencing William to an extent but I feel like he's never really been a villain so he's understandably prepared to save those victims of the butterfly group. I feel bad for William that his father was involved with the Golden Butterfly and even killed someone he wished to see live freely right in front of him. But I guess the worst was him having to accept such evil and use his powers to kill his own father to stop all this. I think it's kinda cute to see them develop their relationship so smoothly and gently, but at the same time, I can't really feel it haha. I do feel the heroine's curiosity towards William though. Well, I definitely didn't expect them to sleep together already! Surprisingly though, they're more cute than I thought especially with how gentle and teasing William was towards the heroine.

I think it's actually kind of sad how the heroine loves his sense of justice to commit evil because he can't stand seeing the innocent be trampled upon, but at the same time after witnessing his crimes right in front of her face, it's still difficult for her to stomach, especially when he crucified that guy. Considering the lack of presence of the other guys in this route, it was actually pretty sweet to see how concerned Ellis and Liam were towards the heroine after she fainted. Even though it's obvious that none of the guys would think to die a peaceful death, there was something solemn and saddening when thinking about William thinking he doesn't deserve any sort of happiness and shouldn't desire for things because of the way he's chosen to live his life. Cutting your hair to show your resolve always works haha, but yeah I can see why the reporter would be shocked to see the heroine do that when he believed that she was brainwashed by William. I feel bad for William that these guys are torturing the people he saved and trying to brainwash them into thinking William is evil so they can use them against him.

I think it's sad to watch William let himself be judged as a villain to free the people he saved, but seeing the heroine cover him when someone tried to stab him was even worse. Everything was resolved quite amicably especially with Bryan's article on the "truth". I have to say though, considering Bryan has no sprite, he had a pretty nice role in this story as someone who did what he thought was right and was not swayed by words but instead what he judged to be "right" and stuck to his beliefs. Honestly though, even though William is the LI here, I've actually got a soft spot for Liam instead because you can see how much he cares for the heroine. I wonder if it's something we should be prepared for, that if you choose to do "evil" in order to protect the people you care about from other evil people, that you need to acknowledge that things that are precious to you will be taken away because of those actions? Not only has the innocent little girl who was looking forward to becoming a florist hurt by stray bullets from Grimsley who was afraid of William coming for him, but now the heroine has also been held at gun point when she chose to go with him to make sure he doesn't be reckless. Lol, so I'm too poor and don't have enough coins but I do have enough gems🥲 Guess I can see whether the premium story is worth it😅 I guess it's twisted but a love where you love them so much that losing them is such a tragedy and drives you mad is a love that is worth striving for haha.

Overall, I'm not too sure how much I like this game for now. Personally, I think the premise isn't as interesting as I thought it would be and I also feel like the heroine's role is rather purposeless compared to other Ikemen games but maybe it's just me haha. Anyway, what I enjoyed about William is that his route explores the idea of sacrificing oneself to preserve the peace of others and giving them the freedom to choose the path they want to tread and to do what they choose to do, which is exactly the opposite of what his powers do, but I guess it's because of these powers that he understands how terrible it is to not have that control over yourself and your own life. However, I feel the romance was rather bland. I'm not sure if I could really feel how and why they liked each other even though I do acknowledge that William was interested in the heroine for the way she chose to live her life. But otherwise, I didn't think they really matched imo haha! I ended up really liking Liam though so I'll be looking forward to his route next!

[stars-tonight]

hi! i’d like to request a long romantic matchup if that’s alright with you :) apologies for the word vomit, i got a bit too excited!

i am a female with a preference for guy pairings, but i’m definitely fine with girl pairings as well.

my ideal partner is someone who wants/is willing to better themselves and work to grow as an individual. i hope they are someone who is able to help me grow as a person as well, even if it means pushing me out of my comfort zone a little, but they know when to pull back. i would also love a partner that’s fun to tease and mess around with because i love friendly banter. someone who can match or mediate my energy and emotions, but i don’t mind whiny/needy guys as long as they’re considerate of me! wittiness, understanding, COMMUNICATION, and reliability are preferred!

my personality is one of a mediator. i don’t tend to have an active part in disputes, but i end up hearing from one or both sides and i try to come up with a solution without alienating the other side (unless one side is definitely in the wrong). however, this has resulted in me being more of a pacifist when it comes to disputes within my close relations. i try to maintain both relations for my own peace rather than actively work out a real resolution. i’m self-aware of my own actions, but i am avoidant when it comes to doing things that will result in others being hostile towards me. tldr: my personality type is infp! some traits i associate myself with: self-aware, lazy, open-minded, a bit of a people-pleaser, introverted, loud when excited.

my hobbies include video games, puzzles, word games, reading, sleeping, creating an absurd amount of spotify playlists (over 220, 40 of which are nearly empty), briefly analyzing poems and literature, singing, and hanging out with my friends.

my love languages are quality time (giving + receiving), physical touch (giving + receiving), and words of affirmation (receiving).

my ideal date is one where one of us is teaching the other how to do something, like how to play a specific video game (one of our hobbies or something we are passionate about specifically). it’s preferred if we’re in the same room as each other specifically for physical contact (eg. someone’s hands over the other’s to show them how they should move them on the controller). i’m not too picky, doing anything with them is fine!

i have a hard time forming my own opinion on things sometimes (eg. fashion, makeup), especially those relating to me. i am an ex drama and choir kid, but i’m not invested in theatre and music-related things. my friends know me for my loud voice and claps (which i don’t use often) as well as my “deafness” (i mishear things quite a bit. i dont think it counts as hard of hearing, but it’s something my friends make fun of me for).

i have no idea if this is too much information or not, but i really do appreciate you reading this! i think this is a really cool thing you’re doing and i respect that! have a wonderful day :))

headcanons

🥛 i feel like kuroo is always trying to better himself and is always trying to help his teammates get better too

🥛 especially with kenma and tsukishima lol, he shows that he's not afraid to give others a little push

🥛 but he always realizes when he's crossed a line and always apologizes when this happens, such as when he apologized to daichi for making tsukishima mad at the training camp

🥛 kuroo is a big fan of friendly banter and loves a little humor / teasing in a relationship

🥛 king of communication right here, and i think something kuroo does that goes kind of under the radar is match the energy of those around him to make them more comfortable

🥛 it's why he's such a likable and charismatic guy; he's an ambivert but can adjust his energy levels to fit in with whatever crowd he's with

🥛 he's also kind of the mediator like you; he's responsible for bringing people together (both as a captain and for work post-timeskip)

🥛 his personality is pretty similar to yours: sometimes lazy, open-minded, self aware, sometimes loud and sometimes quiet

🥛 he would probably scold you when you put others before yourself though because he wants the best for you

🥛 kuroo has definitely played so many video games with kenma so he's gotten pretty good at them too

🥛 i think he'd also like games that make you think, like puzzles and word games, because they exercise your brain

🥛 because kuroo is a very emotionally intelligent (and academically intelligent too!) guy, he does a really good job of reading others' emotions and can always tell when you're in need of a little encouragement

🥛 and since he's so good with words and communication, he's in the perfect place to give that encouragement to you!

🥛 oh yeah and your ideal date is something right up his alley, he loves sharing his favorite things with his favorite people

🥛 and he'd totally do the thing where he stands behind you to move your hands and he takes the chance to hug you from behind lol

🥛 kuroo tetsurō's unspoken rizz ☠️

runner up for you was nishinoya yū!

[go-for-it-kacchan]

It's incredible how Katsuki, who idolized All Might as much as Izuku did, spent most of his adolescence deciding to be a combative asshole. Like there's no way he wasn't aware that a big part of All Might's popularity and position as the Symbol of Peace was because of his charisma and the fact that he brought safety and comfort to people. Endeavor (who outwardly matches Katsuki’s values more) literally closed more cases but All Might beat him out in the rankings every year because he was kind and inspired people whereas Endeavor was an asshole obsessed with winning.

If Katsuki wanted to be number 1 so bad, it only makes sense to be the kindest and most caring person while he's at it. He can't for years because those are traits he associated with Deku, the ones that drove his inferiority complex and made him feel like he couldn't be a true hero because Izuku’s the classic can’t-help-himself big-hearted hero and Katsuki’s just not. He’s prideful and aggressive and needs to win. It’s not until All Might helps him get his head out of his ass that he realizes it’s not about winning or saving, he can just choose to both. He can choose to save someone. And he does choose, frequently!

And it's not like Katsuki doesn't care about anyone or just doesn't know how to handle people’s feelings. He's one of the most socially intelligent (tho not adept) characters in the cast and a lot of his approach to saving people centers people's emotional needs. This is shown as early as chapter 98 when they're all down about Aizawa saying he should’ve expelled every student who knew about the Bakugou rescue mission, and Katsuki has Kaminari zap himself so everyone can laugh and feel better. Obviously this also distracts everyone so he can pay Kirishima back for the gear he bought, but Aizawa sees it and thinks "Sometimes that's exactly what you need."

And that's what I love about Katsuki's style of saving people. Because he doesn't just go rushing in (usually) he's able to do it with a clear head, he's practical. He considers what his goals are, what he can do to achieve them, what the person he's saving would actually need. And he's good at it! He's able to figure out what would help the Masegaki kids and has the group be kind to them even though they’re little shits and his first instinct is to beat them to a pulp. During the Cultural Festival, he recognizes that his class's plan is just going to make everyone feel like shit and then gives them a way to actually achieve their objective.

While stopping a villain attack immediately after getting his provisional license, he goes out of his way to collect the bags so they don't get destroyed in the fight. It might not be the first thing someone thinks of when they see a bunch of guys rampaging in the streets, but those bags have people's IDs, cash and credit cards, their phones and keys and things you use in your day to day life that can take days or weeks to replace. It's treated like an afterthought in the scene, but the bags were the actual target of the crime. Losing them would have been the tangible harm done to the victims if Katsuki and Shouto hadn't stepped in. It's practical and it's considerate.

This mix of care and pragmatism really shines in the Dark Hero arc, when he confronts Endeavor he presents a clear case that proves to be relevant to Endeavor's understanding of the situation and that's what makes him relent and help the class go after Izuku. It's because Katsuki is able to grasp and communicate Deku's problem that they take the 'stronger together' approach so he'll accept help. Katsuki sends Iida to make actual contact with Izuku because he knows Iida is Izuku's closest friend in the class (in a beautiful mirror of Izuku's rescue of Katsuki, which was also the one time Izuku plans and works with the people around him and is Deku's one instance of saving someone with no losses (which was then immediately overshadowed by the AfO v All Might fight)).

Katsuki never had to feel bad about Izuku’s instinct to run in and save someone, because what matters about a person is never their instincts, it’s what they choose to do and how they choose to do it. Izuku might be instinctively kind and caring, but Katsuki has to actively choose to be kind at every step and when he does I just find that so much more inspiring.

[bellewintersroe]

This is for a ship!

I've asked my bf to describe me;

My boyfriend asked me to describe him....

Did i go overboard? Definitely.

He is the most beautiful guy I've ever seen. He is incredibly short and has such gentle eyes that makes my heart stop whenever I look into them. His laugh is very contagious and when he laughs too hard he goes semi silent with little giggle-like noises in between the moments of silent laughing. That or its strained laughing from needing to breathe. He is compassionate and understanding. He will hold me memtally when I'm upset and wait for me to say what's wrong when I'm ready.

His whole personality is gentle and yet powerful in the way that he captivates others.

That little wisp of a smile that he doesn't know anyone notices. When i do something stupid on call he stares at the camera dissappointingly as a joke. I like how his ginger hair curves around his cheek. How his eyebrows jump whenever he hears something concerning or is confused. His eyes are blue and extremely beautiful how his eyes are always exploring. He has got so many beautiful, little memories weaving their own little tapestry in that gorgeous head of his. He is a bit afraid to admit being afraid, i think so atleast. Which he doesn't have to be, he is considerate and peaceful and gentle and kind.

Hes got little scars all on his hands and arms from either being a dumbass or his puppy. He is passionate about so much and has no limit when it comes to interests.

Hes always learning, everyday he has something new to tell me. He takes video games seriously like its real life and its so cute how he keeps telling me to focus cause im off dancing on Normandy when we play the D-Day roblox game.

He is so passionate about others and always wants to help in any way possible even if he can't voice that. He isn't one to send paragraphs of love to somebody, he shows his love in other ways. Other people won't get it but just know I do.

He is one of the most selfless people I have ever met. He can brighten any room by just being in it. His smile and humor is contagious. He is my rock, my constant in a world of every changing chaos. In him, I have found my best friend, the one who constantly makes me want to strive to be a better person.

So yeah. Idk what to finish this with but I love you Eugene<3

hey, thank you for your request I absolutely love the detail on this and I adore that your boyfriend wrote this for you- how beautiful omg!!!

ps- there’s no such thing as overboard I loveeeee the detail smmm &lt;3

I ship you with… Shifty Powers!!

Firstly the two of you would be such a beautiful couple omg. We all know how beautiful Shifty is. I feel like your ginger hair and his dark hair would just look so adorable together?

The fact you have such gentle eyes is what soothes Shifty, like it makes him feel comfortable enough to come speak to you and he’s such a little love bird he’d gaze into them all day if he could.

I feel like it’s your laughter that would pull Shifty in, like he’d find himself smiling at something you were humoured by and slowly the shy chatter would start from there? when the two of you are fully together your laughter is something that will bring him joy in his darkest times.

the two of your gentle personalities makes you so perfect together. Like Shifty would be un doubtfully loyal to you and so unapologetically in love with you?

seriously he thinks you’re an Angel sent just for him.

often questions how he got somebody as good as you??

Seriously if you just hold him whilst you’re in bed he can’t get enough of it or you. He needs that skin to skin contact and your compassion is something that melts his heart okay.

it gives him such tranquil energy, seriously, he feels most at peace when he’s at home with you, and the first time the two of you kissed (after many many nervous attempts from Shifty) it’s so perfect, he feels like he could cry??

falls in love pretty quickly omg people (including myself) are so jealous of you.

your curiosity and endless memories is something he finds adorable. He often just asks you to tell him stories, if he’s had a bad day he’s sooo intrigued in hearing about a happy memory you have.

it distracts him in a way? Like he deffo gets lost in your physical beauty, but on the inside he literally can not comprehend how somebody can be so angelic and good for him?

maybe sometimes he doesn’t feel enough for you because you’re genuinely so perfect.

Chuck literally has to pinch him once to stop him from staring.

traces the scars on your hand and tells you out loud about how he will support through absolutely anything. Your interests are also his, he finds it fun to partake in new things with you??

Can tell when you’re afraid and gives you that little bit of a nudge you need to be more confident.

the way you show your love to him through actions rather than speaking to him is something Shifty likes. I feel like he’s so good at vocalising his love, but even he gets a little shy sometimes?

if you grab him for a hug or a kiss expect him to be smiling for the rest of the day omg he’s so perfect.

blushes easily.

I feel like you and shifty would genuinely want to spend every single day together?? Like if you’re away for a couple days he’d deffo embrace you so tightly.

wordied about hurting you? Deffo such a sweet lover and checks upon you constantly.

doesn’t have sex he makes LOVE omfg stop I love him so much.

You make him laugh more than anybody and he can be a little dopey sometimes so prepared to be entertained for the rest of your life.

I feel like you sound quite open minded? Shifty would deffo take you out fish noodling, fishing and hunting.

make out sessions whilst ur on a small little fishing boat.

It would probs start raining and you’d be rowing in circles for a good 30 mins to get out of it????

Seriously the softest and most gentle man ever, like I said earlier he’s endlessly loyal and the two of you would have such a peaceful life together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I ship you platonically with… George Luz!!!

Listen you and George as friends compliment each other massively.

you have the caring and gentle soul that George deep down longs for in his life? Yes he’s the joker of the group, but when he’s upset he sometimes struggles to vocalise it?

some how you just get it? You understand him like nobody else and George confides in you where he feels like he can’t in many other people?

on the other hand, you mentioned about you laughing- George never fails to make you almost pee yourself a good 10 times a day.

seriously we all know he’s funny but you just find him absolutely hilarious???

I think Luz would bring out an adventurous side to you? If he’d wanna go explore somewhere he’d take you with him?

idk I can just picture this friendship being extremely fun but also soooo fucking healthy like. You’re both always there for each other and you know it.

[todayisafridaynight]

yakuza 3 is dumb for a lot of reasons but my favorite dumb reason is that this whole shitstorm started all because joji was getting a pen in the most suspect way imaginable

[thefanciestborrower]

Hmmm…

Ok but now that I’m thinking about it… h/obbits definitely vore. Like, that would 100% be a thing in their culture. They’re just some peaceful, fun-loving folks who value creature comforts, trust/loyalty, and fostering relationships with their community . And you know how they feel about meals. That’s like, h/obbit 101. Mealtime = bonding time. And what better way to accomplish that than combining the things they love into one convenient package? Dozing off after dinner in a rocking chair by the fireplace with one hand holding a pipe, the other happily patting their belly… they’ve got their tiny friends inside to keep them company as they all fall asleep in their post-meal bliss, perhaps humming them a merry little tune… it’s definitely an image I can imagine very easily.

I can also definitely see it being a thing that doesn’t really translate well outside of h/obbit society. Like, they bring it up so cheerfully and casually, and everyone else is like “You do WHAT after dinner??” XD

Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh this is 100% the truest and most adorable thing I have ever had the pleasure of reading and that imagery is just so precious 🥺. H/obits don’t exactly have much in the way of magic when compared to elves and dwarves, but this odd little trick is really something they’ve gotten quite good at. No one really remembers where it came from or how the practice started, but they don’t exactly care too much either. It’s simply a nice after dinner way to relax and bond with each other, and makes storytelling that much more fun when you get to listen from inside your friend’s belly. Eating a friend after sharing a meal together is a just such a natural thing to them that no one even considers it might not be something the other races practice. Also, if the practice is mostly a cozy after dinner thing then that would give h/obbits a really interesting perspective on sharing their friend’s belly with a bit of food. They see that aspect as pretty normal and not at all gross or weird, and would probably freak out if they found themselves falling into an empty belly. Not in a scared way, but more of a ‘oh my goodness are you sure you’re eating enough? Here go help yourself to something in my pantry I insist’ sort of way. Gotta make sure everyone has enough to eat after all! 

I’m just picturing the rest of the fellowship finding out about the tradition via like, a similar sort of “what about second breakfast” scene and it’s making me wheeze. G/andalf and A/ragorn would be aware of the practice I think, having both spent a considerable amount of time in Bree and the surrounding areas, but the rest of the fellowship? Oh they’ve got no clue, so when the h/obbits start talking together about relaxing after dinner or something they don’t exactly pay too much attention. It’s probably just a hobbit tradition that doesn’t concern them. And they would be right about it not concerning them, if F/rodo hadn’t decided to be polite and offer to include the rest of the party. You can imagine how that goes once it’s clarified exactly what he’s offering to include them in, much to the confusion of the h/obbits and slight amusement of A/ragorn and G/andalf. 

I can also see it happening when the h/obbits are all reminiscing about an evening listening to some of B/ilbo’s old stories or something and telling the rest of the fellowship about it. 

“You should have seen Sam. He managed to get his suspenders stuck on one of B/ilbo’s buttons after we were made small and-“ 

“Hang on what??? Made small???” 

“Well yeah, how else was he supposed to eat us?”

“EaT yOU?!?” 

It’s easier for L/egolas and G/imli to understand I think once the tradition is explained, since both of their races have experience with some stranger magics, but poor B/oromir is just a normal guy™️ who has no clue what’s happening. God I’m laughing just thinking about it help

[tenebrius-excellium]

17 reasons why we love Douxie

Right, who knew I’d ever turn into a full-time Douxie blog? I didn’t know I loved him so much. It came very naturally. He’s the personality I’d want to marry, if I’m honest. There’s nothing boring or off-turning about him. He’s charming, caring, quick on his feet, and imaginative. Judging from fandom content, I’m not the only one who loves our bean. So here’s a few reasons why Douxie is so great! ♥

................................................................................................................

1. He has a vision.

He has big goals and a clear intent of where he wants to go in life. It speaks of determination and a broad, open mind. That’s super attractive.

2. He is hard-working and committed to bettering himself.

He disciplines himself and is serious about his eagerness to learn. “And what sort of life would that be?” Those words really stuck with him.

3. He is humble.

He doesn’t think himself above correction. He listens to wisdom and applies it.

4. He’s a natural charmer.

He’s smooth and juuust a tiny bit of a show-off.

5. He’s confident about his capabilities.

He trusts in himself and does not overestimate himself when it counts. What he lacks in skill, he knows he will be able to make up for in spontaneity (and luck).

6. He doesn’t shy away from danger.

He is brave and loyal to his cause and to the people who are important to him. He will stand up for his loved ones and defend them. He’s stubborn like that.

7. He learns on the go.

He is not a book smart, but learns things fast by putting them into practice. He is a quick thinker who knows to use his surroundings to his advantage, which makes him a flexible, versatile fighter.

8. He’s a pure, innocent soul.

He doesn’t have any nasty thoughts or gross habits. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and he has sentiment for what he loves. He couldn’t harm a bug. You guys, that was all just in the first episode.

9. He is polite, diplomatic, and stays collected in precarious situations.

He doesn’t blindly take charge, but instead listens, observes, mediates and delegates.

10. He is kind and considerate of others. And he cares so, so much.

He is gentle, sensible and sensitive. He is an empath who identifies a lot with other people’s emotions. He can understand their problems easily and reacts with great care. He is comforting, helpful, optimistic, encouraging and hopeful. He is not dismissive, raging, or loud, but a great listener who cares a lot.

11. He loves unconditionally. 

He doesn’t repay evil with more evil, or is unkind to others just because his own day isn’t going great. Instead, he always pays kindness forward, so much that others are impressed by it.

12. He is generous.

He goes out of his way to do nice things he doesn’t have to. Heck, he’d never tell Steve to his face how annoying he finds him, but is totally supportive of his Knight career instead. Douxie makes friends easily and everywhere he goes. This also makes him a great teacher who it’s fun to learn with.

13. Although spontaneous, he is well-prepared for unexpected turns of events.

He is not gullible, naive or foolish, but makes plans whenever possible and has his bracelet equipped with all necessary functions that come in handy in close combat. He isn’t afraid to take matters in his own hands and present a good idea.

14. He loves what he does and is actually amazing at it. He loves life.

The freedom we see him gain when he learns to unashamedly be himself is absolutely beautiful to watch.

15. He is honest about facing facts, but he doesn’t give up on people.

He won’t lie to people about inconvenient truths, but he is also passionate about helping them. Any people for that matter. Be it family, or strangers, or friends. He’d go to any length to assist them, and that’s something he promises. In fact, it’s something he says over and over: “Trust me.” And trust he earns. 

16. He is shattered by the unfairness and grief in the world.

He lets those things touch him. He’s not emotionally distant, but lets these things affect him as raw and deeply as they come. He works through them, and gathers strength through his close relationships. That’s super healthy. He’s conscious of his flaws and weaknesses, and in tune with the knowledge that processing loss takes time. He’s okay with crying, and sitting with the weight of the hurt. That’s not a thing many men are able do, if you ask me. 

17. He’s at peace with himself.

He’s ready to die for his friends. And he’s completely okay with that. He may be afraid in the moment, but he stands bold and tall and doesn’t fear what’s to come.

He’s amazing. ♥

[hyenahunt]

Saga: Release - 7

Writer: Akira

Season: Spring

Characters: Tori, Chiaki, Hokuto

Proofreading: 310mc (JP) & Peace (ENG)

Translation: kotofucius

Chiaki: Fuhaha! I'd rather be a pervert who loves others over a villain who hurts them!

Location: Empty Classroom

Time: Approximately a week later

Tori: Excuse me~!

Hey, hey! Couldn’t you just tell me that we’re gathering in the classroom we usually use for meetings 'cause it’s raining?

And don’t contact me at the last minute—I’d like to be told waaaaay earlier~!

I almost headed to the rooftop like usual… Wait, huh? What're you guys doing by the windows?

Chiaki: Ohh, Himemiya! Hello! How are you? I was worried about you since you weren’t showing up — I almost feared we had some sort of miscommunication!

Tori: It wasn’t anything that bad… But can Rain-bows stop doing the whole "chain communication from oldest to youngest"? I'm tired of it going from Sagami-sensei to Morisawa-senpai to Hidaka-senpai, and then to me.

Why not have someone be in charge of contacting everyone?

Sometimes Hidaka-senpai forgets to contact me, or messages me way too late, like he did today… I don’t really trust him to pass on information properly.

I get so anxious about whether his messages are actually right that I usually have to confirm it with Sagami-sensei after class… I think having just one person do it could really save time and energy.

Hokuto: Mmrph… I know I've made a lot of mistakes, and I do want to improve, but can’t you place more faith in me?

I wouldn’t lie to you, and either way, if you had any concerns, you could’ve messaged me back to ask.

Tori: That’s what takes time and energy. Maybe you guys can pretty much read each other’s minds in Trickstar—

But we’re not that buddy-buddy here in Rain-bows… Shouldn’t you be more considerate?

Chiaki: Hmm, Himemiya also has a point. It’s nice how close Trickstar is as friends, Hidaka…. but you can’t treat everyone the same way you treat your members.

Hokuto: I see. I’ll take that to heart. I’m sorry, Himemiya.

Tori: Ah, no… you don’t have to apologize.

I’m sorry, too… I think I lashed out at you ‘cause I was upset about being late, Hidaka-senpai.

Chiaki: Right! You were both in the wrong, and that’s fine! You’ve apologized and forgiven each other, so the case is closed! Fuhahahaha! ☆

More importantly, you should help us out here, Himemiya.

Tori: Mmn~? Yeah, so what are you guys doing anyway? I’ve been wondering this whole time.

And where’s Sagami-sensei?

He’s our leader and the main guy of Project-Saga, but I feel like he’s been the most unmotivated about this…

He didn’t get a burnout after the live show the other day, did he?

Chiaki: Nope, I think we have nothing to worry about on that note!

I think it lit a fire in him instead; he said he stayed up all night writing up our future plans!

Hokuto: Yeah. To answer all of your questions at once, Himemiya… Sagami-sensei dropped a note that he’s going to be late because something came up, so we’re making teru-teru bouzu while waiting for him.

Tori: Teru-teru…? Uh, what’s that?

Chiaki: Ah, you don’t know, Himemiya? I tend to forget, but you are a well-off young master, huh?

Tori: Don’t ever forget that! Shouldn’t a glance be enough to see the regal aura oozing out of me?

Chiaki: Oh, I see it, I see it! Don’t mind me getting a lungful of your fragrant scent, then! Huff, huff ♪

Tori: Knock it off! Don’t latch on and sniff me up, seriously~! Why are you such a perv sometimes, Morisawa-senpai!?

Chiaki: Fuhaha! I'd rather be a pervert who loves others over a villain who hurts them!

Hokuto: He didn’t even try to deny it… Here, Himemiya; I think you’d understand it faster if you saw it for yourself. This is a teru-teru bouzu.

Tori: Hwe? Eh, I still don’t get it, what is that? What do you do with it?

Chiaki: Heheh, the skies will clear up if you hang them outside the window — that’s how the tradition goes. They’re something of a charm, you could say.

Tori: Huh… I had no idea, since I’m not interested in charms~ Prez hates them, too, so…

Anyway, I don’t really get it, but it sounds like a commoner tradition?

Chiaki: That it is! When I was a kid, I used to make some and hang them up whenever there was a marathon or sports festival the next day! It really takes me back ♪

If we hang lots of them, I’m sure this troublesome rain will come to pass.

Tori: Mnn~ It doesn’t sound like there’s any scientific proof of that, so I don’t think hanging them will have any effect…

But it does suck to have rainy days. I hope it clears soon.

Rain-bows usually practice on the rooftop, too… We won’t be able to do anything if it keeps raining.

And this classroom isn’t soundproof, so a light workout is about as much as we can do here.

✦✦✦✦✦

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[luvcilfer]

𝐧𝐚𝐩 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞!

Hq boys + naps!

the boys with a significant other who loves to nap

a/n: totally not inspired by me taking a nap like every. single. day.… what pshhhh. also, this is so long I wasn’t expecting that ahhh >:P

→ Sakusa Kiyoomi, Oikawa Toru, Tsukishima Kei

𝐒𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐬𝐚 𝐊𝐢𝐲𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐢

he’s not the type to take naps often, if ever. he has a schedule he likes to stick to and really dislikes ever straying from it.

which is why when you two first started dating, he was shocked at how much you slept. he didn’t understand how someone could just decide to sleep in the middle of the day and wake up at the most random times which then left what was planned to the unexpected

he eventually gets used to it, finding comfort in your delicate snores and peaceful face

very rarely takes up your offer to nap with you. like literally almost never naps with you. it took this guy months to finally get comfy with you and cuddle in your sleep at night, but just can’t be bothered to indulge your desires during the day

when you get those occasional bad naps that leave you waking up sweaty with a headache and your shirt sticking to your back, he immediately goes to scold you on how naps aren’t even that great and just mess up your sleeping schedule

however soft little omi will still bring you a damp towel to wipe away your sweat and to try to alleviate your headache (mostly because he just doesn’t want to touch you when you’re sweaty but also wants you to feel better fast)

will insist the sheets/blankets be washed immediately if you did end up sweating

but on the rare days where he does find himself feeling a little more tired than usual and is not particularly busy, he’ll make an excuse like “want to watch a movie?” to lure you into his plan

He had just gotten home from another gruesome practice with the black jackals and all he wanted to do was take a nice long shower and go to bed. About a week or two ago he had started waking up earlier in order to get more practice time in since the team was facing a difficult opponent in the coming weeks. You didn’t mention it to him but you could see how his movements had become slightly more sluggish than his usual self.

“Hey omi, how was your practice today” you smile at him from your comfy spot on the couch. He notices you still in your shorts and his t-shirt you wore to bed so he figured you just worked from home today. “The same as always babe, nothing new” he contently sighed, ready to be enveloped in your arms.

While he goes to take his shower, you decide to get up from the couch and move into the office to get some more work done on your computer before your daily nap. When Sakusa finally comes out, he doesn’t see you in your usual spot and unconsciously frowns, no longer having an excuse to lie with you anymore.

He spots the door to the office open and starts to plan how to clandestinely get you to suggest a nap. He finally settles on asking you “hey babe, you want to help me analyze the opponent team’s last game?” You were a little surprised he asked. Yes, you go to every single one of his games and have some knowledge of the sport but you weren’t the best at giving helpful commentary.

“Yeah, I’ll be right there,” you smile after a moment and start to save your work and clean up the small mess you had created.  You walk into the living room where Sakusa usually watches all of the matches but you don't see him sitting on the couch intensely staring at the screen as he commonly does.

“Omi?” you call out, “Omi where are youuu?” you say in a sing-song manner. You can already hear some cheers coming from the tv in your bedroom so you start to make your way into the room until abruptly stopping at the door frame to stare at the picture in front of you.

Sakusa was already watching the match, however, he wasn’t sitting at the edge of the bed. Instead, he was leaning against the bed frame with the outline of his stretched out legs peeking under the covers. “Omi,” you laugh, “what are you doing watching it here? And why are you so far from the tv, you can barely even see the plays that well.” He does a small huff and rolls his eyes, “are you going to watch it with me or not?” he asks, cleverly avoiding your questions with the teeniest pink tint reaching his cheeks. The idea of you finding out he wants to initiate a cuddle and nap session with you has him suddenly feeling a bit shy and awkward, so he masks it with his cool and collected persona obviously.

You climb into bed with him and lean on on the bed frame just like him, but also being considerate and giving him some space. Sakusa turns his head over to look at you and raises an eyebrow, followed by a small pout. You think you know what he’s thinking so you scooch over a bit farther which erupts another sigh and eye roll from Sakusa.

Finally getting impatient he huffs out “ugh, just come here already.” He lifts himself up a bit in order to loop one arm around your waist and the other under your thighs and he plops you down right next to him. You’re suddenly filled with delight and can’t hide the huge smile that’s overcome your face as you scoot yourself lower down to not be leaning on the frame any longer. You interlock your legs and let your arms wrap his torso as you lay your head on his firm chest and close your eyes. Sakusa is finally at ease as he senses your gentle deep breaths reach his body. Trying his best to not move you too much, he starts to remove his shirt which results in disrupting you when your droopy eyes open. You look up at him and see a sheepish smile and small blush decorating his face as you finally sense his smooth bare skin under your arms. A confused expression etches itself onto your face as a blush makes its way to your cheeks as well.

𝐎𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐰𝐚 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐮

he’s more of the tender type so he’s really understanding whenever you just want to stay in and cuddle into slumber

he finds it so cute how you’re always so sleepy and just ready to pounce into bed under fluffy covers

it works out because the two of you can get some much-deserved rest after overworking yourselves (although Oikawa would never admit and claims he just does it to please you)

sometimes he even falls asleep before you do, unconsciously wrapping his arm around your side and pulling yourself into him so he can use you as a pillow

truly is just a big baby that loves physical attention so he’ll immediately get happy whenever he’s not busy and just sees you waddle up to him with a big blanket enveloping your body and only allowing your face to peek through

that being said, he does become whiny whenever you’ve been sleeping for too long and he suddenly gets bored

he’ll proceed to poke and prod your face until he sees your face contort from mellow to a grumpy and sleepy expression (which he finds adorable)

if that doesn’t wake you up he’ll whip out his phone and start taking silly selfies with your sleeping self

he’ll even go as far as looking around the place for a marker to draw on your face purely because he misses you being awake and giving him his much-deserved attention

it’s safe to say that when you wake up and notice “property of Toru” in big red letters on your forehead, he got attention from you, just not what he was looking for

You and Oikawa had spent the morning practicing volleyball with his nephew at a park close to your shared apartment and had just gotten home after dropping him off with his mom. The morning was filled with you running back and forth from Takeru to the ball he frequently hit too hard or bumped the wrong way.

Oikawa had gotten the easier job of just setting the ball to him and correcting him on his form every now and then while you had to be ready to sprint for the ball unless you wanted to be met with teasing jokes from both Oikawa and Takeru, the latter being heavily influenced by his uncle.

When you finally got home you drank some cold water, allowing its iciness to refresh your mind and body, and changed into some comfier clothes while Oikawa went to shower. You were both starving from all the previous physical exertion so you made some snacks for you two to enjoy.

Too distracted in making the food, you didn’t hear the water shut off and Oikawa making his way to your bedroom to lie down. After finishing your portion you went to check on Toru only to find him snuggled under the covers clutching your favorite squishy pillow. You had to admit he looked extra adorable with his slightly parted lips and long eyelashes.

So you did what any sane person would do and did a little run and jump plopping down right next to your now awake boyfriend. “y/n-chaaan,” he whined, “why’d you wake me uppp. Come here and lie down with your pretty boyfriend.”

You rolled your eyes at his cocky behavior and snatched your pillow back from between his arms. “Fine,” he huffed out, “I’ll just get a new pillow” he announced and jumped on your body toppling both you and him down to the bed as he rubs his hands up and down your sides and starts giving you kisses all over your face, from your nose to your eyes to your cheeks.

“Ugh, Toru get off of me, you’re too heavy” you whine as he pulls back and pouts at you with big puppy eyes. He suddenly got a cheeky smile and flips you two so that your knees are now straddling his waist and he wraps his arm around your back to pull you into his chest. He knows your sides and neck are extremely sensitive so he starts rubbing his nose on your neck while squishing and tapping on your sides, throwing you into a laughing fit.

But Toru underestimated you and you snaked your arms up to his armpits tickling him as well. You both can’t hold in your laughter and are just squirming with the biggest goofiest smiles adorning your faces.

You two finally settled back down with tears in your eyes and ragged breaths escaping your mouths. Oikawa's arms once again snake around your waist and pull your body on top of him as he carelessly drags his fingertips along your smooth skin making random shapes and movements.

After Oikawa wakes up to your tangled bodies he stretches and gently places you off of his own to go busy himself with some tasks he has to finish. But he quickly got through with all of them and even began to tidy around the house but you still weren’t up yet.

“What is taking y/n so long,” he muttered to himself as he walks into your bedroom. You’re still cuddling into your pillow with a pleased look on your face, no doubt having a nice dream. He slowly makes his way onto the bed and lies down on his stomach, propping his elbows up and his face into his hands as he stares at you.

Oikawa soon starts to poke and pull your cheeks in the hopes of waking you, but to no avail, you stay sound asleep. He boops your nose and starts to count any little beauty marks on your skin while truly letting your beauty become engraved in his mind. He turns to lie on his back and lifts your hand with his own comparing the size difference and enjoying the smooth delicate feeling they bring to his own rougher hands.

He pulls out his phone and starts whipping out the silly faces for the camera, posting every single one of them on his social media for the world to see. He poses with the peace sign out, his tongue out, him squishing your face, him licking your cheek, literally any pose he can think of.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spots a stray marker-like thing lying on your vanity and curiosity gets the best of him. He picks it up and swatches a bit of the red pigment on his hand before turning to your peaceful face and getting to work.

“Toru, baby, what time is it?” you yawn rubbing your eyes. When you wipe some hair out of your face you see that your fingertips are suddenly colored red. You walk up to your mirror and notice the big bold letters spelling out “Property of Toru” your boyfriend so sweetly decided to decorate you with.

“Toru! You better get your ass over here!” you yell as you abruptly heard a high pitched squeal and laughs being drowned out by the pattering of Toru running away.

𝐓𝐬𝐮𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐚 𝐊𝐞𝐢

like Sakusa, he doesn’t really find naps to be all that enticing and doesn’t like to veer off from his plans for the day

he’ll sometimes get annoyed at the fact that you’re always sleeping but he enjoys the days that you two can spend together alone without having to be surrounded by other annoying people so the annoyance soon dissipates

sometimes he’ll have some work that had to be taken home to review and he’ll find comfort in your blissful sighs in your sleep as he reads some article

literally will glance at you hugging your pillow tightly a million times until he finally decides to just stare at you from his side of the bed with a soft smile on his face

will sneak a picture of you to tease you with when you wake up (however, he secretly makes it his wallpaper on his phone)

he’ll never admit to it but he actually really likes when you’re out in public and he suddenly feels your arms envelope one of his in a hug

when he looks down at you and sees that you’ve got that dazed look with the droopy eyelids and tired eyes he just wants to take his hand and squish your face (don’t ask why, idk either it just fits)

and then on the way home and he feels your head droop and rest on his shoulder while you guys ride the train he’ll rest his head over yours too

sometimes though, he’ll find himself sitting up so your neck is resting on his arm now and won’t be bent, preventing you from waking up with any discomfort

since his arm movement is limited, he’ll place his hand on your waist and pull you in tighter so you’re now resting atop his chest

It was the weekend and you and Tsukki decided it would be nice to go into town to get some things needed for your apartment. You two woke up early and got some breakfast in a nice little cafe that was quiet and tranquil. Heading to the shops, you all walked around hand in hand looking at decorations you could buy for your home.

“Look Kei, what about this!” you awed at a big cookie jar in the shape of a baby panda. “We don’t need anything fueling your sugar addiction y/n,” he rolled his eyes as he took the jar out of your hands placed it back on the shelf, taking your hand back into his. “So mean Kei,” you pouted and started walking ahead of him.

After browsing through some more stores you finally agree that you’ve gotten everything you guys needed and commence your walk back to the train station. Taking your time with your walk, you two admire the scenery of cherry blossom petals drifting through the slight breeze that ruffles both of y’alls hair. With his free hand, Tsukki moves to fix your hair back to its previous neatness and caresses your face, allowing the pleasant ambiance to be absorbed.

“Oooh Kei, let’s go there pleasee!” you beg as you tug at your boyfriend’s sleeve with one hand and point to a small ice cream stand near a quaint bridge. With the hand not being tugged by you, the one still carrying your shopping bag, he pinches his nose and sighs. He still lets you drag him to the small stand however and buy him his favorite ice cream flavor.

A little further up the path was a small bench that allowed you and Tsukki to rest and place the shopping bags down.

“Hey Kei guess what,” you goofily smile at him. “Yes, y/n?” he turns to look at you with a raised eyebrow. “I’m sleepy,” you giggle knowing it will probably cause him to roll his eyes or let out a sigh. Both things ended up happening.

“You know I was just waiting for you to mutter those words this entire day. Come on, loser let’s go home,” he says while throwing away the trash for both of you.

The train station was now closer in view and as more and more people made their way towards it, the space started to become more condensed. It was easy for Tsukki to see over all the commotion and traffic of bodies due to his tall stature but you were having a little harder of a time.

“Kei,” you called out to him while falling behind and he finally notices your struggles. He steps back to get closer to you and you wrap your arms around one of his, snuggling your face into his arm and looking up to him with big doe eyes. He couldn’t help but feel his heart clench as he let a smile make a way onto his face and kissed the top of your head.

Once seated on the train your hands grab Tsukki’s much larger one and play with his fingers, waiting until your stop. Tsukki was pleased with your touch on his body but a few glances your way and he could tell you were just about asleep already. You bring one of your hands up to cover your yawns and lean into Tsukki’s shoulder.

“Tch, what did I tell you about doing that, idiot.” He quickly sat up in a straighter posture and his hand gently grasped your neck to move it into a more comfortable position on his chest while his other hand moved towards your waist, giving you a slight squeeze.

You could hear his heart beating from where your head was resting on his chest, and the small circles he was drawing onto your skin was making your cheeks heat up. As your eyelids started to become heavier and heavier, the last things you felt was Kei’s plush lips on your head and the words, “who let you be such a cute idiot.”

[atopearth]

Cupid Parasite Part 5 - Raul Aconite Route

I'm not too keen on Raul either but here we go~ LOL at Raul going on a private jet just to go a couple of blocks or something🤣🤣 Even a car is not good enough for him🤣 Imagine reserving a whole museum😂 Like, I totally get it because Raul is famous and he'll probably never have any peace and quiet if he doesn't do this, but imagining this as a first date will be like danggg dude lol. With how smooth Raul is at holding hands and stuff, he would have been the perfect rich guy if he didn't keep obsessing over mythology and gods nearly every moment, I love how he literally took Lynette to a museum full of it😂😂 I can't imagine listening to all that for five whole hours lmao, poor Lynette. I feel exhausted thinking about it lol. Raul demonstrating an ancient martial art and putting Lynette into a submission hold lolllll, what a rollercoaster of a date this is🤣 Lmaooo so the reason why Raul is obsessed with gods is because back in the day he nearly died from eating an oyster and was suddenly saved by some warm light who he believes to be the god Neptune because this was Boltamore's Neptune Festival😂😂 Lynette becoming Raul's on-site love advisor to help him with his acting role sounds like fun. Raul's manager really sounds like she's at her wits end hahaaha. I think it's cool how Raul is an actor who is able to act through real life experience, I think it also really shows how dedicated he is. Lmao when he said he fought a shark to understand how to act in "Eighty Jones"🤣

I don't know what I expected from Raul but I'm still shocked that he actually really does sleep around! LMAO when Raul was trying to explain to Lynette that sex is just sex through mythology and he talked about Mars and Venus (Lynette's parents) and she said ew at the thought of it😂😂 And let me just say I did not expect Lynette to so readily go back to Raul's place to sleep with him and understand his perspective!! Kinda unprofessional..but CG is hot though, like excuse me, Lynette's lingerie?! 10/10👌 I'll acknowledge that Raul is considerate though, he made sure to ask Lynette again if she wanted to continue and that they could stop any time. Considering how it was done, I'm unsurprised everything was anticlimactic but thinking about how Raul carried her up the stairs to the bed and stuff makes me very interested in how their future sex scene will be like haha!

Anyway, I'm not sure if this was the best way for Lynette to understand how Raul thinks about love and sex (and to learn about love herself) but I do agree that since she's wanted to try it, she might as well try it with someone like Raul for her first time considering how thoughtful and gentle he seemed to be and he's hot I guess🧐 Personally, Shelby and Allan are the hottest but Raul is a Sillywood actor (😂😂) so I guess in terms of the game, he's like a dream haha. I guess I can see why Raul is the way he is though. Every girl seems to just want sex from him or think that they can only get sex from him so that's all they ask for and he's used to that. It's so adorable how Raul is listening to Lynette and following everything she says, so cute when he calls her sensei🤣 Well, I kinda thought the mythological society group Raul goes to was a chill place where they shared their thoughts and ideas but it seems like they're actually like debates where they argue with evidence to support their interpretations and everything! That's pretty cool. I can see why Raul wouldn't want those annoying fans to come here if they're not actually interested. Well, I didn't expect Raul to get jealous that the guys in the mythological society were all over Lynette and interested in her because of her refreshing opinions on the gods, and I didn't think he'd drag her away and then kinda pin her to the door and kiss her😮 Like, I guess if she really wanted to, she could have said no or pushed him away, but at the same time I don't like how Raul is basically taking his frustrations out on her because he thinks of her as his and that's probably why he's doing this. Anyway, Raul with his hair down (for his acting role) is actually pretty cute🥺

Lmao, it was so cute how Lynette was fixing up the statues in Raul's house to make them look more like how they actually look, she was so happily doing it, I can see why Raul felt his heart flutter over that haha. I love how Raul realised that even if you have the same interests and are able to talk in depth with someone about the topic, it's not necessarily fun depending on if you connect or not with the person. It was so cute how excited he was to go see Lynette after all that though haha. I think it's sweet to see Raul realise that he has lots of fun with Lynette because she listens to him respectfully and then gives her own opinion on things, and she doesn't judge him for his job or his interests but instead sees him as just him. Glad Lynette smacked him and rejected him when he kept trying to get her to go back to his place lol. Didn't expect the stalker but lmaooo when Lynette so casually shot the stalker with the Leaden arrow in front of Raul hahahha, now he's fangirling because she’s a real life god🤣 No wonder Raul is so good at action scenes, he's literally been living wild adventures since he was a kid because his parents are archaeologists and adventurers loll! I guess his obsession with mythology is also because it helps connects him with his parents so he couldn't help but love it haha. Anyway...kinda disturbing that Lynette is still thinking about how that stalker archaeologist could have been a good match when she literally started stabbing people because she couldn't take the idea of her "best choice" Raul being with another person all the time. Like, sorry Lynette but lady's got serious problems that she might end up doing again in the future which makes me uncomfortable that they just kinda let her go like that. I'm happy for Raul that he was able to honestly ask Lynette to stay the night because he didn't want to alone after everything that happened. I was worried he would pretend to be strong in front of her.

I feel like Lynette is going to misunderstand Raul's love for her as admiration for a god now.. Anyway, it was so cute how Lynette kept feeding Raul oysters after he got over his fear, I never realised he got food poisoning because he ate a whole bucket of oysters, he needs to chill😂 HAHAHA, the director got food poisoning from the oysters, I'm dead😂 Oh wait, it's his appendix, lmao at Raul still thinking the oysters attacked his appendix😂😂 I have to agree with Lynette, Raul definitely looks better in his excavation clothes than his usual clothes, I really don't like his normal clothes lol. I really like Lynette's excavation clothes look too, so cute!! Lmao are these ruins made for Raul to play in or something? It really seems like there's a god that really likes Raul or something haha! Maybe it's Minerva after watching his movies haha. Oh and lmaoo when he took off all his clothes to fight the manticore😂😂 Aww I love their cute little confession in Celestia, especially the CG!! Well, I didn't expect Minerva's one true love to be Alexander the Great and Raul is his reincarnation lol! I'm not too surprised that Minerva helped Lynette with the Human Realm stuff because she wanted her to fall in love and lose her status as Cupid so she could use the arrows to restore Raul's personality back to Alexander's but yeah, I feel sorry for Lynette.. Anyway, I honestly thought the Alexander thing was pretty dumb, I didn't like it lol, especially with how disappointing it ended up being with Minerva. It's like I can understand if she liked him that much but he doesn't really seem to reciprocate and their reasons for wreaking random havoc was so silly.

Loll, Lynette is definitely beautiful enough to be an actress so I think it's really cool how she's acting beside Raul. Dangg, that shower CG was niceee👌👌👌 I'm disappointed that they basically showed and said nothing for the anticipated sex scene!! Like, it was supposed to be the culmination of their love, how could it be more lacklustre than the sex they had initially??😭 Aww, we didn't get a wedding CG! The red carpet one was pretty but I thought the tradition was to always have a wedding dress CG so now I'm sad hahaha. The normal ending was pretty nice, I think it suits them to teach and talk about mythology together haha. HAHAHA, that oyster ending was hilarious😂😂 I thought it would make Raul think oysters were truly monsters but he ended up wanting to protect them because he thinks food poisoning is their way of telling people to save them from extinction😂😂😂 Lmaoo at the Parasite Harem ending though, wish there was a harem CG of some sort because loll it's so funny how chill they all are about loving Lynette and sharing her haha.

Overall, I enjoyed Raul's route much more than I thought I would. I honestly thought the mythological geek side of him would be frustrating but it was actually pretty tame, and even when it appeared, it was pretty interesting because we got to see different sides of him with it such as how passionate he was debating about it in his group and even going to excavation sites, I think it's actually very admirable how much he knows haha. Initially, I wasn't sure if I was into them sleeping with each other so casually already, but I did like how different it was from the usual stuff, and I think Raul's reasons for being like that were understandable since that was the way of life he was familiar with. And honestly, I ended up enjoying the bond they shared because of it in the end. By sleeping together, it really did seem like they got to understand each other better and be more open to the differences they both had when it came to their values and their lives. I also really liked how Raul slowly but steadily fell in love with Lynette by comparing his experiences and understanding for himself what love was to him. I really liked Raul's development and thought it was cute how he and Lynette shared their mutual knowledge of mythology, they just really seemed to click nicely with how honest they were when they talked with each other. The excavation thing was random but funny, however I definitely think the ending was very meh compared to the rest of the route. Not only was Minerva and Alexander disappointing, but I think the ending could have been more happy and fun I guess haha. Otherwise, nice route! I still love Shelby the most in terms of personality and character but I think Raul has the better route compared to everyone else, especially when it comes to the development of their romance haha.

[libraford]

We interrupt the feral celebration of ousting an oligarch to bring you a story about Yeehaw and his Branch of Mystery.

  It has been a while since we last had some co-worker drama, but man- has it been a weird summer. I mean... we all had a weird summer in 2020, but I don't think I was really expecting this particular... flavor of weird?

 This is a story about Yeehaw, but it starts off with a story about Aggie.

 Aggie was someone we were excited to hire and part of our excitement was that it's rare to find someone with prior floral experience and we'd concluded at this point that it does no one any good to be picky about new hires in the middle of a pandemic. So finding someone who knew the difference between a carnation and a rose was a big deal for us.

 I say that in jest, but saying that we do 'on-the-job training' means that we've had to explain that yes- the flower in my hand that looks like a carnation is a carnation and not some other flower that looks like carnation but is not a carnation. Floristry is a very straightforward practice and for the most part a rose is a rose and a daisy is a daisy and if someone asks for those things, you give it to them.

 The hard part is, as always, making them look good together.

 Which is why we were pleased with Aggie- who previously did weddings for her friends and seemed to have a basic understanding of how to do things with her hands. We were happy to have her aboard.

 ... until you gave her criticism.

 She made her vases embarrassingly short, and if you tried to tell her how to fix it, she'd snap back with "I'm not DONE yet."

 She was done until you said something.

 If you gave her an order for two dozen white roses, she would take it upon herself to mix white and yellow roses together 'because it looks better.'

 It did not.

 Hashtag: #selftaught

 When a client asks for all white roses, there is likely a reason they asked for all white. Given that 90% of our work is funerals, it stands to reason that they are asking for all white because that is a traditional color for mourning. Working with a client means doing exactly what they asked for. Doing a wedding for your friends may get you high praise from people who trust you to work in the same aesthetic as them, but in a shop setting you are being paid to follow things to the letter. Doing so shows that you can follow directions, and they may come back next time.

 You don't know customer entitlement until you've been torn another asshole for leaving out a single rose.

 This seemed to never occur to her, and so criticism was a painful realization that perhaps she wasn't perfect at an art that was exceptionally susceptible to criticism. There were plenty of opportunities to make something in her own aesthetic, it wasn't like she was being stifled. There was a considerable amount of downtime where she filled the front cooler with her own creations- enigmatically giving each of them their own names like "Autumn Walk" or "First Snowfall." (This is not something that we do, on the whole.)

 Not very many of those sold.

 But I think what bugged me the most is that she only ever designed. She didn't take out the trash, she didn't answer phones, she never helped customers. She just... did flowers. Nothing else.

 Oh... and the chatter.

 "Do you travel? Oh, you simply MUST go to Bali sometime! You've never been to Asia? Well, there's nothing like achieving inner peace at a Buddhist temple on a mountaintop in Nepal. They have temples here in Ohio, but it's nothing like the real thing! You say you've never even been off the continent? Well, what are you waiting for? You only live once, you know!"

 Ma'am... we're in the middle of a pandemic. Ma'am... I only get paid so much...

 While trying to relate, I talked about my summer in Montana and she gave me the BIGGEST stank-face. "Montana? Ew, WHY?"

 Look, lady- I lived on a mountaintop next to an active, world-destroying volcano system. If that's not cool, I don't know what is.

 But thankfully, she only worked on weekends. See, this was her fun job. The job she does to stay social during a pandemic and flex her creative muscles while she makes money at her much more lucrative,but boring,HR job. So I only had to see her twice a month when I was manager on duty.

 Then she got fired from her weekday job and went full-time at the flower shop. Poor thing wasn't used to waking up at 7am every day. She was full of suggestions.

 "I think it would be easier for me if we only opened at like... 11am."

"Don't you think we should be taking proper photos of our work? All we would need is a nice camera and a soft lighting setup. Couldn't be much more than $1000."

"Oh I know! We should be doing inventory on tablets instead of writing things down!"

 Okay, you go buy those things then. It took her about a week of making those suggestions to realize that she wasn't real clear on how things worked around here and stopped. She became quiet, less enthusiastic about her 'fun' job now that she wasn't immediately the star of the show.

 Enter Yeehaw.

 We were excited about Yeehaw, too. He didn't just have experience with flowers- he had experience with a flower shop. He gave a good interview, he seemed like he knew what he was doing and was very passionate about flowers. He was definitely an entire hippie, but about 1/3 of all plant people are. Most importantly, we still had like three spots to fill left from our pre-Covid staff.

 Hired.

 There was an overlap of about a week where Aggie and Yeehaw worked at the same time. His work was... immaculate. Just... astonishingly beautiful work. You didn't even have to show him how to make anything. He just... knew.

 Well, Aggie didn't  like that much- we had only nice things to say about this new guy but all she ever got was criticism. And if we complimented him on something he made, he would give a little 'namaste' bow. And I could see her fuming with rage each time he did this.

 One day, she rushed into the back to take a phone call and any time someone went back there for a vase she would lower her voice as if keeping a deep secret. Twenty minutes later, she called Grandpa into the back as well to discuss something. Ten minutes later, Aggie left the building with her Live, Laugh, Love bag, looking pissed.

 "Where did Aggie go," I asked Grandpa.

 "She got a new job," she said. "Doing HR somewhere."

 "She didn't even say good-bye," Blue said, appearing unsurprised.

 And so we went on with out lives without really putting much further thought into Aggie, apart from the occasional 'you simply MUST visit Bali' line thrown in for bougie emphasis.

 Which brings us to the next part of the story, and that is Yeehaw.

 There are some details to know about Yeehaw that are kind of difficult to fit into a story neatly. Here is a brief list that may come in handy to know later.

-He lives with his mother.

-He drives a Tesla.

-He can afford the Tesla because he was in a terrible wreck that had him hospitalized, and a lawsuit was won.

-Because of this, he has two screws in his head at the temples.

-Unrelated, he has hair that goes all the way down to his back.

- And...

 "Grandpa, we need to tell you something," Blue said. "In private."

 Blue and Kali pulled Grandpa aside while Yeehaw slowly put together a funeral order. "Grandpa, there's no polite way to put this: Yeehaw is drunk as fuck."

 "He smells like whiskey," Kali said.

 "He's stumbling everywhere."

 "And he won't stop... burping."

 Grandpa paused. "There's something I need to tell you," she said, and she reached for a manila folder. "Yeehaw has something called... what's it called..." She leafed through the file and produced a paper, reading from it. "Auto-brewery Syndrome. His body actually produces alcohol anytime he eats bread or sugar. If he's drunk, it's because he can't help it."

 We each had a chance to go over the doctor's note, verifying that yes- that sure does look official. Everyone had questions, but it did answer the one I had about why he was sitting in the break room literally drinking peanut butter from the jar.

 So that was incredibly interesting and we no longer asked about the burping or why he was so slow.  

 However, the fact that he was so slow was extremely frustrating. Our average number of orders runs approximately 100 per-day. This can be eased somewhat when we have a full-staff with five designers- an average of 20 designs per person in an 8-hour day, 3 per hour.

 But it's a fine line some days, and if one person cannot keep up it turns into a struggle for all of us.  

 We did our best to accommodate. We gave him all the day-ahead orders so that we wouldn't be behind and he'd have all the time he'd need to make his gorgeous pieces.

 We were willing to make it work.

 A number of factors came into play one day, but most notably: Yeehaw's Tesla wouldn't start and he had to take the bus. So he was late.

 I think I saw him make one entire item in the two hours that we were in the same room. He went to lunch around 12:30, I took mine around 1:00. I saw him stumble back in from lunch, looking... out of it. Just... absolutely incomprehensible- mumbling, barely upright, his hair out of the bun, quite possibly sleepwalking- who knows?

 I saw him for that brief Sasquatch moment... and that was the last that I saw him that day. It was around 4:00 that  Grandpa asked the question:

 "Where's Yeehaw?"

 And no one had an answer. We all had places that we thought we'd seen him: cleaning the cooler, in the break room, heading to the bathroom... but no one had really... seen him since he stumbled back in around 1:30.

 We checked all these places.

 None of them.

 The person who actually managed to find him was Sarge, who noticed his feet sticking out from behind the bushes behind the building.

 "Huh," he said, presumably. He gave the feet a light kick and Yeehaw slowly sat back up. "Hey dude. You... okay, there? They're lookin' for you inside."

 Yeehaw mumbled something to Sarge and got to his feet, stumbling back into the shop without further interaction. He appeared into the workspace, holding a branch in front of his face for mysterious reasons. There were still twigs entangled in his long hair.

 "Where were you at," Grandpa asked, concerned.

 "Oh, I was in the bathroom," he lied from behind the branch of mystery. "I'm pretty tired. Is it okay if I go home?"

 Bewildered, Grandpa gave him permission to leave. It was soon after he left that Scout found his phone in the empty sink. "Who's trying to wash their phone," he asked in the loud manner that is characteristic of old white men. It rang while in his hand and one of our designers snatched it from him. It was his mother.

 "Hello," said the designer. "Yeehaw went home early, but he left his phone behind. Can you bring it home to him?" Mom agreed, she was just over at Trader Joe's anyhow.

 We thought, of course, that we were doing something smart and nice. Yeehaw's mom looks just about what you would expect the mother of a 30-year-old hippie that drives a Tesla to look. Grandpa, in a polite way, explained that he'd fallen asleep in a bush. To which Mom seemed neither surprised nor concerned about his behavior.

 "Okay. I'll be at Hallmark."

 Somewhere between the bus stop and Bexley, Yeehaw must have realized that his phone was not with him and so he came back looking for it. Despite his mother being literally in the same strip mall as we were, he seemed irritated that we'd taken the initiative to make sure his phone got to him.

 "Well, I bet if you just went down to Hallmark she'd give you your phone and probably give you a ride home."

 He mumbled something and then left.

 This seems like a decent place to pause, because him leaving the second time in the day should be the end of the story. However... at 5:00 in the evening there was still two hours left in the work day and from past experience... that is plenty of time for a lot of things to happen.

 The thing to happen was a phone call.

 "Hi, this is Jade from the main store. We've gotten... some... interesting phone calls. Is there... a... hmm... is there a dead body out in front of your store?"

 Pause.

 "We'll take care of it, bye."

 Who wants to be the one to poke the cadaver on the sidewalk? A volunteer from the audience! Ms Crowe: won't you come down?!

 I have had it planted firmly in my mind that Crowe certainly understands the concept of fear but does not recognize it. Apart from being one of our most reliable drivers, she is also a performer, a street medic, an activist, and most notably... a fire-breather.

 You have your hobbies.

 Point is- she's brave enough to check to see if the person laying on the sidewalk was dead or simply overdosed.

 As it turns out, it was Yeehaw- curled up in the fetal position with his arm covering his face.

 "Hey," Crowe said, poking him with her foot. "Heeeeeeey," she said again but more firmly this time. He moved, blinking in the evening the sun. "Buddy, you can't be laying around on the sidewalk. You gotta move on."

 Again, he slowly got to his feet. At this time, his mother emerged from Hallmark to see him talking with Crowe. A group of four people escorted him into Mom's car while he stopped every few feet to perform another 'namaste' bow.

 You think this is the end. But what have we learned?

 There's always more.

 He came in the next day as if none of this had happened. Conversation was difficult because we both desperately needed to know what the fuck happened and also did not want to trigger something. So we didn't bring it up. He apologized for leaving early: chronic fatigue syndrome, you know.

 Other places would have fired him, but we're a very forgiving workplace. Falling asleep on company time is not, in any way, the worst thing that someone has done at this location while still keeping their job. There was Sugar and her drugs, there was the dude that used the company van to pick up prostitutes (this was before my time), there was the guy that screamed at customers over the phone... it's a long list.

 The primary concern of our employers is whether or not you are a reliable person. If you routinely show up for your job and do the work, you're going to be okay at least for a little bit. And Yeehaw, for all his impeccable fuckery, at least showed up every day.

 We kept this at the back of our minds.

 One day, after the Day We Found Him In a Bush was behind us, one of the designers mentioned that they'd seen where Aggie works now. It was not in HR.

 It was our major competitor.

 Now, Grandpa knows this competitor well. She knows all her competition. It is the nature of a lot of florists to, once they've gotten sick of one place, move on to the next one and spill the beans on their operations there. So Grandpa gets the dirt on everyone.

 This particular shop was very regimented. You don't wing it- you follow the recipe as listed. He's been known to pick discarded flowers up off the floor and tell you exactly how much  money you're costing the company by letting it fall, to the cent. If you get so far as to make casket sprays, he will take your first one and chuck it across the room if it even looks like the stems are in there too loosely.

 This is what I mean about us being an easy place to work.

 Hashtag: #ohfuck.

 People come in and out of your life like that, in little ways. Sometimes you just have to have a little laugh at it. But what I thought was funny was that she felt the need to keep her new employer a secret, as though we would get jealous or tattle. Curious thing.

 Now that the glamour of Yeehaw's arrangements had worn off, we were starting to see more and more odd behaviors that didn't seem completely related to drunkenness.

 "Did you just fart?"

 "No, that was a spider barking."

 Amazing.

 Conversation with him was becoming... difficult. As I sat in the break room with my quick lunch and he drank soup out of a mayonnaise jar, he mentioned his area of study in college.

 "Cognitive Psychology and Hindu Philosophy, huh? That's an interesting combination."

 "Yeah," he said, funneling an amount of squash soup down his throat. "It'll take the rest of the world about 100 years before they catch up to where I am."

 I sat, posed in front of my beef and broccoli which I was eating with a fork, trying to process a logical reason why the rest of the world will be sleeping in a bush in one hundred years. "Uh... huh."

 This was followed by another thirty minutes of silence where I desperately wanted to know what he meant by that but didn't want to be the one to ask him.

 People will tell you that a hippie is generally an ineffective, benign kind of person who chants 'love love, peace peace' in a circle and consider that to be an action for change. But I can say with absolute certainty that I have met some downright egotistical hippies in my life. Those were lessons in bias- which I will have to save for other times.

 Eventually, Grandpa became frustrated with his slowness. We presumed that his speed of choice was a combination of his meticulous nature and his various ailments, but with the Christmas season coming upon us it was becoming much more than a series of symptoms.

 Previous persons who lacked speed were chatty, would play on their phone, or get distracted. But Yeehaw... Yeehaw simply moved like a tranquilized sloth. He slowly picked off each leaf, each thorn, each guard petal and took a minute for each action. He would put in his greens and then contemplate it powerfully for ten minutes before putting any flowers in... slowly.

 In the time spent doing this, I had already made something of a similar size and was starting on the second one.

 It was during one of these times that Grandpa finally said something.

 "Yeehaw, that spray is due in thirty minutes. Is there a way you can go any faster?"

 He looked up from his greens, held one carnation to his face, and said:

 "If you wanted me to move faster, you would pay me better."

 Let me start by saying that we do not get paid well. We don't. Compared to other flower shops in our city, we are probably the lowest-paid. This is something that the company is starting to work on with benefits and raises, but any amount of change takes time. (And its still better paying than when I worked in retail. But that's another book.)

 Yeehaw had been here for exactly one month. I don't know a single workplace that gives you a raise after one month and still lets you sleep on the clock without firing you. He knew what he was getting paid when we hired him.

 So anyways, he slowly grinds down our nerves to a very fine dust- burping, farting, falling asleep on his feet, staring intensely into space, talking about how much he should be making but isn't, bragging about his enlightenment, and generally just slowing down production.

 And then Grandpa had her well-earned vacation week. Blue was in charge for the most part and the week leading up to Halloween is generally pretty slow, so it was a good week for her to have a break with few mishaps.

 Eh... hehe. Yeah.

 Yeehaw... disappeared again. We checked the cooler, we checked the break room, we checked the bushes out back, we checked the sidewalk out front.

 He was in the bathroom.

 So we left it.

 He was still in the bathroom an hour later.

 We had one of the male drivers pound on the door to check on him. When Yeehaw opened the door to the men's room, there was a wad of toilet paper on the floor that he'd been using as a pillow.

 If I may pause here to explain- our men's room is disgusting. I have deep cleaned it several times only for it to become a germ-fest once more in a matter of hours. I don't ask who is peeing all over the floor because, honestly, I have no desire to know what grown man can't aim his willy in the right direction.

 So in order to fall asleep in the bathroom, you have to be willing to sleep in pee. During a pandemic.

 He reappeared in the workroom, put his apron back on, looked around at all of us still working and said: "Wow, it must be really hard to get fired here."

 It was at this point that Blue informed Grandpa.

 "Tell him that he's fired," Grandpa said, clearly 1001% done with this.

 "I'm not going to fire him," Blue said. "I don't think I can fire anyone."

 So she had the driver that found him do it, which was confusing for all of us. He ended up calling Grandpa to clarify. And by 'clarify,' I definitely mean 'beg for his job back.' A synopsis of the 20 minute phone call went like this:

 "What do you mean, I'm fired?"

 "Just that. You're fired. I'm tired of it, Yeehaw. You don't work here anymore."

 "Why?"

 "What do you mean 'why?' You spend all day making a total of three arrangements and then you wander off somewhere and fall asleep."

 "I can't help it if I have chronic fatigue syndrome!"

 "This is a physical job. If your body can't handle an 8-hour shift without falling asleep for two hours, this isn't the job for you. Tell me: where is that fair to the girls that you do 3% of the work while they pick up the slack and you wander off to sleep on the clock?"

 "I simply do not care about them."

 "You don't care that you're shoving all the work on your coworkers, and that's why you're fired."

 "I wish you'd given me a warning."

 "Tell me, Yeehaw: how many employers can you find that will allow you to sleep on the clock for two hours and let you off with a warning?"

 End of discussion.

 Now, you're probably wondering where Aggie comes back into this. Just hold tight, I'll get there.

 The Sunday after he was fired, he came in to pick up his paycheck. I was busy handling a minor emergency where one of our funeral homes forgot to order a spray and I had to make one as fast as I could. We held a brief conversation while I made the spray in a hurry.

 "I'm here to pick up my check," he said while I greened the spray and leafed through the paychecks simultaneously.

 "Here you go," I said, handing it to him without much fanfare. I presumed that he was looking for sympathy or some kind of followup or... I don't know. Sorry you suddenly care about your job?

 "So what are your next plans," one of the designers asked, trying to coax more information out of him while I did the work of three people.

 "It's kind of funny," he said slowly... as he did all things. "I've only ever been fired from flower shops." He paused, thoughtfully. "I think I'm going to go apply to the shop in Bexley that Aggie went to."

[latenightdecaf]

mood source: x x

Entry 2 — Maybe I Should Get a Cat

Part of let the pile of good things grow series - series masterlist

Previous entry here

Yoongi x reader

Ft. nonidol!bts

Producer!yoongi, roommate!yoongi, soft!yoongi

slow burn romance, slice of life

series of drabbles/one shots

no warnings for now

a/n: i will have to remind myself to make a masterlist to compile this much later. so here goes bestfriend, tae and i haven’t written the next chapter i have in mind but i am so excited to write it huhuh — producer!yoongi

Words: 905

“You have such huge apartment; don’t you get lonely?”

You let out a small laugh on his statement.

“Hey, stop saying those things out loud.”

“Why? Now that I said it, it made you realize?”

“Yeah…. And I hate that. I have a spare empty bedroom and its huge. With no one to live in it. Do you want to live with me?” You told him teasingly.

Taehyung looked at you with disgusted expression, “What—no! We won’t be a good match. It’ll ruin our friendship.”

You nodded and agreed,

“I know, I don’t want to be the councilor to talk to all your one night stands anyway. I don’t want to be the Chandler to your Joey.” Taehyung laughed and sure enough that’ll be the case if he lives with you. You’ve been friends with this man for years now and you can’t seem to understand how he never gets tired of dating and one-night stands and dating again and always meeting someone new. It’s fascinating to you and feels exhausting at the same time.

You went inside your bedroom to get your stuff and afterwards took a quick look on your living room with the sun streaming in and the view. You haven’t thought of it that way, that living alone gets indeed lonely.

“Are you open to living with a guy?” Taehyung asked as he casually scroll in his phone while he sits on your living room, waiting for you. He absentmindedly continued, “Well, I guess. You basically lived with Joon before anyway.”

The mention of his name made your stomach drop. It stopped you from your tracks.

You smiled to yourself and pulled your bed room door shut.

You went over to collect your friend from the sofa, pulling him up by his arms and locked yours around his.

“Let’s just go please. Maybe I should just get a cat.”

*

3 months later—

He held out his hand, you shook it and he introduced himself as Min Yoongi. One of Taehyung’s hyung from Daegu. You listened as he explained that he’s music producer and all while he’s speaking, you can’t help but think how soft he looks. Like a bun. And how in the world is he Taehyung’s hyung—he definitely looks around his age.

“So yeah, I work late nights—either in the studio or at home. Taehyung tells me, your spare room have soundproof provisions that’s why I agreed to meet with you. Also, the location’s perfect. I heard there’s parking space also.”

Nodding along his statements, “Yeah, the person who used to live there made the room soundproof so I guess that’s perfect. Anyhow, I still have one more person to meet for consideration. I have your phone number with me, I’ll call you then if ever?”

“Alright, it’s nice meeting you.” Took his iced americano with him, and stood up. Before he even left you added.

“By any chance, do you like coffee?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Thanks!” you uncontrollably grinned and said, “I’ll see you!”

It wasn’t such a deal breaker to you but the past friend recommendations for a roommate are either gym buffs, totally fit people who only eat healthy food and kind of looks down on people that are not that fit. You figured you don’t need that kind of negativity in your life. Or in other case, people your age but can’t seem to stop clubbing and hooking up and it shows. So, so far, it’s just all been a huge disappointment. Yoongi, on the other hand—not really a stellar candidate but at the very least looks like he’ll water your plants for you when you’re gone.

So, you decided to choose him.

*

He heard about it from Taehyung.

That your empty room was once your ex’s studio, sound proofed with white and wood accents. When he went to look at the place you opened the door for him, told him that he can do whatever he wants with it.

He didn’t sense any lingering bitterness in your statement, it’s more of a relief. And so, he went to decorate the place just us how he liked it.

You both never talked about it, nor talk about anything too personal for that matter.

Boundaries are set, privacy is very well respected.

That’s the best thing about living with Yoongi.

You like your own space too, some peace and quiet. Sometimes you even forget he lives there—you really did get yourself a cat. A cat who cooks though, does the dishes also, loves coffee and keeps things tidy.

And he definitely feels the same.

For months of apartment hunting after finally deciding to move out from his old place. The last thing he imagined was living with woman. But when Taehyung said, his friend has a spare soundproof room. He was immediately sold. Already forgetting to hear to that, that friend is a she. But meeting with you isn’t so bad either, you looked mellow and busy.

He saw you sitting and drawing on your ipad in the café alone and immediately smiled as soon as he greeted you. He introduced himself and to his surprise, you didn’t ask that much question. You just nod along and before he left, he found your question funny. Like liking coffee seemed like the one common ground you were looking for, and to hear him said yes looked like such a assurance for you.

[softyoongiionly]

Portraits of a Tiger|| 01

Legends of a great and equally terrifying warrior nicknamed the Tiger have been emerging from your fellow villagers for quite sometime. Stories of his skill, his stealth and his supposed wickedness have been passed around to the point where he is more prophecy than person. You have lived your life with a strong sense of conviction, rarely letting gossip influence your opinion. However, you would be lying if you said that his legacy didn’t intrigue you. When the Tiger and his infamous army arrive in your village to refuel, you come face to face with the man behind the myth.

And no amount of marketplace gossip would ever be enough to capture the true complexity of his nature.

Pairing: Merchant! Reader x Warrior! Yoongi

Genre: Adventure, Romance, Smut (later), Fluff, Angst

Word Count: 12k

Warnings: language, depictions of violence both verbal and physical however they are fairly mild, mentions of war and power dynamics, there will be smut in future parts so, (18+ only please).

Current Tag List: @bulletproofbirdy​ @gldnrecs​ @naajix​ @bluewhale52​ @nikkikenji​ @lustedkisses​

A/N: oh okayyyyy HELLO!!! Its here!!! Warrior! Yoongi is finally emerging from the depths of my writer blocked brain and I am SO happy you get to meet him. Once again, this series will be posted in parts just as Mama Mia! is and it may not necessarily follow a linear timeline. 

Also, I know I mentioned her in the tag list post but, SERIOUSLY you guys this story would not be possible without my wonderful friend @bulletbroofbirdy aka Rachel who has literally spent so much time dreaming up with wonderful universe with me. My sweet angel, you are the greatest in the world and I love you. Please go follow Rachel and send her all the love in the universe and thank her for her genius brain because, without her, this fic wouldn’t exist. 

War.  

It’s not an uncommon occurrence where you’re from.  

The ever-present shifting of the borderlines is a constant reminder of the struggle for power.

Many see it as a valiant effort, a noble cause...

But, war is something that doesn’t appeal to you.

It doesn’t sit right with your perspective on the world.

Sure, you understand it’s strengths and why it could be seen as necessary.

However, the consequences of war, of violence- never seem to be worth it.  

Death.

It’s not an uncommon occurrence where you’re from.  

When war is constantly raging on the background, it should be expected.  

It should be normal.  

To most of your district, it is.  

To you?

Every single rise in the death toll sends icy despair into your heart.  

Every drop of blood spilled feels as though it’s your own.  

You’re desperate to find the solution for peace but, you know it’s not that simple.  

Man is never content.

The struggle for power is never ending.  

As you grow up, you learn to adapt.  

Learning a trade is the easiest way to establish yourself so, you take up knitting and medicine.  

You sell your wears and remedies in the market every other day and spend your off days replenishing the stock that you sold.  

Your parents live comfortably but in order for them to do so, you’re in the market for hours on end.  

Today starts as any other.  

You’re gathering your wears in your family’s home as the sun is beginning to peak over the mountains.

The colors it throws through your window are breathtaking and, if you weren’t so exhausted, you’d be able to enjoy them a bit more.  

Thankfully, your preparations don’t wake your parents as they sleep soundly in their bed.  

You wish for nothing more than for them to be at peace every chance they get.  

They have sacrificed so much.

The market displays its usual scenery.  

The fishermen are always first setting up their catches from the evening prior, the butchers are hanging up their kills from the overnight hunt whilst the farmers arrange seasonal produce on their carts...

You always have your cart near the end of the market.  

It’s easier for people to think about softer things such as knitted blankets or healing elixirs once they’ve purchased their food.  

Thankfully, business is decent.  

Your wares are well-made and your elixirs have an exceptional success rate.

The prices are fair so you attract all walks of life but, you focus more on serving the lower class folk such as yourself.  

One of the fisherman, who you’ve grown acquainted with over the last few months, nods to your cart as you’re setting it up.

“What do you have today __?”

With a smile, you hold up a mauve woolen blanket which you’ve spent nearly two weeks on.

“This is the item of the day. I used a root dye to get the color- what do you think?”

He purses his lips, nodding in consideration, “I’m sure someone will snag that right away. It looks warm. It will be very useful over the next few months. Do you have any of that uh- “ Lowering his voice, he cranes his neck to assess whether or not any of his team can hear him, “ginseng mixture that you sold to me last week?”

You bite back a smirk as you nod towards the woven basket containing your various medicines, “I do. I made a new batch last night. Did you need some?”

A rapid nod is sent your way along with a handful  of coins, “Thanks. It worked wonders last time. My wife sends her gratitude.”

Your cheeks heat up immediately but given that you’ve heard worse things in the market place, you merely giggle and file your payment away.

Ginseng is a natural stimulant that you often recommend to men experiencing issues with sex or fertility. Whilst you completely stand by its effectiveness, you won’t deny that it’s slightly awkward working with the men you’ve helped. Especially since they often insist on loudly announcing how many times they had sex the night before.

The rest of the setup goes smoothly and by the time the sun fully takes its place in the sky, you are ready for the market to open.  

As your adjusting the sign on the front of your cart, you hear an interesting bout of conversation ignite in front of you

“Did you hear? The Royal Army is arriving today to refuel.”

“You’re lying. Are you serious? Do they- do you think they have him with them?”

“Of course! They aren’t stupid enough to travel without him. They’d be ambushed immediately.”

“Yah, what are you talking about?”

“The Tiger. He’s coming through town today.”

Instantly, your heart stalls in your chest.

You try your best to appear unbothered but, it doesn’t stop the panic from seeping into your bones.

The Tiger and the fleet of warriors he oversees are well-known in your village.  

Word of mouth is truly a powerful mechanism for spreading information and, stories of The Tiger had been circulating for quite sometime.

They started out simply depicting a powerful new recruit into the Royal Army.

Despite his initial inexperience, The Tiger quickly rose through the ranks due to his otherworldly fighting skills.  

According to the rumors, The Tiger was known for his silent destruction.  

By the time his enemies could grasp what was happening, The Tiger and his men had already completed their mission.  

They had already killed, maimed or destroyed whatever they were after.  

A recent success had led to The Tiger becoming the General of the largest fleet in the Royal Army.

From what you had gathered, he wasn’t much older than you so the fact that he essentially lead an entire army is quite impressive.

However, given the stories of his cruel and cold blooded nature, it makes a lot of sense.

“I heard he beheads the enemy general on the battlefield after he wins...”

“I heard he killed 3,000 men all on his own in the middle of a thunderstorm!”

“I heard he keeps a viper on him at all times and he sets it loose on anyone he disobeys him!”

“I heard that he never sleeps.”

“Do you think he’ll come here? Would he be seen out in public like that?”

“Why wouldn’t he? He has nothing to fear, there isn’t a single soul in this village who could take him on.”

“Plus, he never travels alone. He’ll have his men with him.”  

With a snort, you continue displaying your cart as normal and, only then do you realize that you stand out amongst the other merchants.

Every single one of them has an offering for the warriors.

It’s not customary to do so and, you’re only viable guess is that it has something to do with the market fawning over this tiger character.

“Were we supposed to put something out?” You murmur to the woman beside you, brows knitting in confusion.

She chuckles heartily, “When a normal fleet enters, no. We usually just offer them food and the resources we can spare.” A bit of excitement flashes through her eyes as she adjust the basket of radishes on her cart, “However, this is no ordinary fleet. I suggest you put something out too dear, that pretty face of yours could land you husband on the Tiger’s army, any one of his men would be a worthy mate. They aren’t shooting blanks like my husband over here!”

Her body jostles with laughter as she shoves her hand up against the man beside her, who looks whole-heartedly unamused.

“Jane, please...” He grumbles

You can’t help the grimace that comes across your face when Jane mentions finding a husband but, it’s quickly replaced with a mixture of amusement and sympathy.

“I have something for that.” You offer in a hushed tone and, the man seems to unfurl from his submissive position as he offers a meek smile.

“You do?”

You don’t have time to answer him before the mood of the market shifts into quiet chaos.

“I think they’re coming!” The fisherman whispers frantically, adjusting the sign on his cart for the millionth time.

As much you hate to give in to the hype, you feel compelled to go with the flow and, put something out for the warriors.  

You settle on a basket of your most popular anti-inflammatory ailment that’s proven to be quite effective amongst your customers.  

The long strips of white wood are haphazardly placed into a woven basket as you brace your ears for the piercing sound of trumpets.

Magnificent as the musicians in your village are, the blaring cacophony of noise is far from something you wish to be apart of this early in the morning.  

However, the noise never comes.  

The gates open up as normal as a reasonable size crowd begins meandering throughout the market.  

You turn towards Jane with confusion painting your features, “Where’s the music?”

Jane is adjusting her radishes once again, glancing eagerly towards the crowd of people, “The Tiger does not allow fanfare of any kind. A far away village defied his orders once and played for him and his fleet anyway and- well...” She smirks bemusedly, “it didn’t end well for them, so we respect his wishes.”

Your eyes widen at that as you nod, swallowing back any fear that threatens to crawl up your throat.  

“Got it.”

The usual slew of customers begin filing in and as business begins to pick up, you slowly forget about the famous warriors that were to enter.  

Roughly, an hour later, your basket of willow bark remains untouched and, you begin to consider putting it back in its normal place. This particular bark is quite annoying to obtain and you don’t feel great about giving it away to some warrior after you’ve spent hours trying to procure it.  

However, as you glance at other offering baskets, you notice that some of them have been emptied.  

This means of course that either your fellow merchants put their offerings away or, the warriors are already in the market.  

A strange and unsettling feeling washes over you at the thought of deadly warriors perusing throughout town. You expected that they would be recognizable, especially given their reputation but, nothing seems to give away their presence.  

As a paying customer leaves your cart with an armful of various items, you notice something that normally doesn’t garner your attention: hair.  

You see it amongst the crowd, peeking over the tops of heads.

It’s a shimmering icy platinum and it’s tied up atop a strangers head with a beaded string. It moves throughout the crowd slowly, stopping at various points, likely exchanging words with another merchant before you finally make out the face it belongs to.  

A man dressed in cotton linens maneuvers out of the crowd, dark eyes scanning his surroundings almost anxiously. As he moves closer to you, you’re able to fully take in his features.  

Pointed and smooth, his face is the epitome of contradiction.  

Deep brown eyes, rounded button-nose, pouty lips and strong eyebrows adorn his face whilst his rather large hand flexes instinctually towards the object hanging off of his hips.

It’s a sword.  

This man certainly isn’t a civilian.  

Unfortunately, you’re unable to ignore the beauty he possesses. He is quite ethereal once you get a closer look at him; you don’t think you’ve ever seen another person that looks quite like him.  

As he speaks with the fisherman, your ears perk up to in an attempt to hear the sound of his voice.  

Faintly, you can discern a bit of rasp and calculation in his tone but, you aren’t able to absorb it over the sound of the market.  

Its then you realize that you’ve been staring at this stranger for far too long and, if you’re ever going to meet your quota today, you need to avoid distractions.  

You sell another one of your blanket moments later, increasing your daily total by a reasonable amount. Making blankets is enjoyable yes but, it’s extremely time consuming so it feels good when someone rewards you for your hard work.  

“Please have some radishes! They’re grown in top soil from the northern region! It gives them a certain uh- “ Jane’s shrill voice pulls your attention towards her cart which now brandishes a new visitor: the stranger with the blonde hair.

You're realizing that Jane is pausing mid-sentence because, she is desperately looking to you for answers.

You've assisted Jane with her produce before as she was having trouble with the flavor of some of her vegetables. This was mainly due to the fact that she had been using the wrong kind of fertilizer but, you had also given her several tips to improve the overall taste of her produce.

“A certain crunch...” You finish for her, stabilizing your tone as you brave a glance towards the man. “The mixture of the soils helps with the texture.”

His feline gaze rushes towards you at the sound of your voice, as if he wasn’t expecting you to speak.  

At the sight of you, his lips part momentarily before quickly sealing in a tight lipped smile which directs toward Jane.

“Thank you.” He nods toward her as he takes one of the radishes and tucks it into the pocket of his linen pants.

“Of course! Um thank you- sir for your...services...” She stutters and it’s then you notice that she hasn’t made eye contact throughout the entirety of their conversation.  

A bit of discomfort flashes through his eyes but otherwise, he merely grunts in acknowledgement.  

Jane’s comment is the last bit of confirmation you need that this man is indeed a warrior.

However, his reaction to her words strikes you as odd. Warriors rarely shy away from gratitude. They are often proud and boastful regarding their positions but, he seems to be bothered by what she said.  

The man never looks back at Jane as he makes his way to the next cart. Every so often, you notice him looking over his shoulder or glancing towards the entrances/exits of the market. His presence doesn’t necessarily make you uneasy but, his behavior sure does.

He acts as though he is in danger.

It puts you on edge but, you direct your attention back to the customer in front of you.

“Good morning.” You smile, “Anything catch your eye?”

The man cards a hand through his salt and pepper hair as he leans over your cart, eagerly scanning the items you have on display.

“Eh do you have anything for dry skin? With winter around the corner, I gotta start thinking about this old skin of mine. The wind does a lot of damage on my knuckles.”

“You know what? I think I have just the thing...” You bend down to access the crate beneath your counter and grab a medium sized glass bottle, “This is an olive oil and honey treatment, it will treat dry skin immediately but, it’s meant to treat dry skin over a longer period of time too. I also-” You bend down once more to grab a tin of cocoa butter and place it on the counter top, “have this. This should help with daily wear and tear. You only need a little bit so this tin should last you through the winter.”

The man smiles eagerly and quickly reaches for his pockets before he freezes. You don’t notice until you look up from your counter but, the platinum haired warrior is back and, he’s standing right behind your customer.

“O-Oh go ahead, go ahead. I uh- I'll go next...” The man stutters, gesturing frantically to your cart.

With a quirked brow the warrior moves to step in front of him until you raise your hand.

“No sir, it’s ok. You’re in the middle of a transaction.” You insist, eyeing the warrior sternly,  “I’ll be with you in a moment.”

The immediate crowd surrounding your cart seems to pause, nervously glancing towards the warrior who merely nods and steps back into place.  

The shock is apparent on the faces of the crowd but you ignore it and send a reassuring smile towards your customer, “Ok, that will be 11.50 and-” You slide a bundle of rosemary towards him, “take this too, on the house. Brew it in some hot water to aid digestion, winter food tends to be a bit harsher on the system.”

The man swallows nervously, dragging his items toward his chest, “Thank you—uh so much. Thank you.” He turns towards the warrior, directing his gaze towards his feet as he bows his head, “Thank you for your service...”

The man doesn’t allow the warrior time to respond before he rushes off back into the crowd but, you get the feeling that it wouldn’t matter regardless.  

The warrior doesn’t seem interested in anyone’s gratitude.  

“Let me know if you have any questions.” You nod your head towards him, pushing the basket with your offering towards the edge of the counter before busying yourself with putting a few things back in their place.

He says nothing but, he approaches the counter whilst his eyes shrewdly observe the ins and outs of your set up.

He’s even more striking up close. His smooth, tan skin is mostly unmarked except for the giant scar running down the center of his right eye. It goes up the center of his eyelid and disappears right above the center of his brow. It’s still red and angrily risen against his otherwise angelic looking face.  

A warrior indeed.

The bit of people around your cart haven’t stopped their staring but, they are at least making an attempt to look like they aren’t paying attention. It doesn’t stop you from wishing that you didn’t have an audience.  

“Tree bark?” He questions with an arch to his brow

You look towards the basket he’s gesturing to before returning your gaze back to his.

“White willow bark.” You correct, almost defensively and it cause his lips to twitch.

“Is this some kind of decoration?”

You shake your head, placing your fingers on the edge of the basket, “No. It’s meant to be chewed. It reduces inflammation. I figured it would be useful since I imagine you deal with muscle soreness quite often.”

He smirks, “Amongst other things yes,” With long elegant fingers, he points to the basket, “So- if I chew on this, I should feel relief from any pain I might be experiencing?”

An all too rapid nod comes from you as you continue your explanation, “Well it’s mainly used to treat pain in your muscles and joints. If you’re looking to treat other types of pain, I have other options...”

He shakes his head, his hair swishing to the side as he does, “This should do, thank you.”  

You suspect that he’s done, given that the bark is (annoyingly) free and he’s only seemed to be interested in the offerings thus far so, he surprises you when he asks yet another question.

“Do you have any more of that salve?”

“Of course,” You offer him a smile now that the initial tension is starting to lift, “Did you want a big tin or small tin?”

He purses his lips in thought, looking towards his hands, “What do you recommend?”

Without a second thought, you step towards him and take one of his hands, bringing it closer to your face for inspection.  

The man seems to freeze in place, eyes widening in absolute shock, his own limb betraying him as it goes limp.

His hand displays evidence of the life he lives.  

Rough, calloused and blistered...

His nails are bitten down to a point that almost looks painful but, the thing that stands out the most is how beautiful his hand is to you.  

The strength in his skin is palpable and the indigo veins protruding against his hand are a firm reminder of what he is likely capable of.  

What you don’t notice however, is the utter panic that flushes across his face or the way his eyes dart nervously between you and his hand.

Just as you would during any consultation, you briefly run your fingers over the palm of his hand and up the length of each of his fingers

“Hmm I would recommend the big tin, I think...you have a lot of rough spots but the skin between your callouses is quite smooth so,”  You carefully set his hand back onto the counter and return your eyes back to his, “what that tells me is that your skin is roughened by your environment rather than by an actual lack of moisture.” You slide the big tin towards him, “Apply this to the dryer areas as needed throughout the day but, every night before you go to bed, make sure to put this on. Sleeping with it will allow it to seep into your skin and heal the dryness over time.”  

The warrior’s eyes are transfixed on you and for a moment he is completely speechless, his hand lingering on the counter before hurriedly places them back at his side.  

He can’t understand you and why you just touched him.  

But what’s worse, is he can’t understand why his mouth is suddenly dry.

Or why his skin is on fire...

Or why his heart is thrashing around in his chest.

He clears his throat and nods, “Very good. I’ll be sure to follow your instructions.” He sticks the hand you didn’t touch into his pocket, fishing around for something, “What’s my total?”

“That will be 3.50.” You say with a smile, holding out your hand.

He dispenses his payment into your palm before stowing his items away in his free pocket.

“Thank you.” He grunts, the hand you touched still kind of awkwardly lingering away from his body.

Was he going to wash it as soon as he got the chance?

Did you smell weird?

“Of course, have a nice day. Safe travels.” With a wave, you send him off, missing the small smile that momentarily appears on his face.

You’re genuinely relieved that the encounter is over but, you’d be lying if you said that it didn’t intrigue you.

Before you’re able to get your bearings and move on, Jane is rushing over to you frantically.

“What on Earth was that??? Do you know him??? Why didn’t you tell me you knew him?!” She swats your arm, her eyes wide with incredulity.

“Ow!” You grip your arm, “What are you talking about?”

The man has already disappeared back into the crowd but, you’re still attempting to keep your voice at a reasonable level.

Jane does not follow suit.

“You just put your hands on the Tiger!” Jane shrieks causing you to recoil in response, “He could kill you for that! What were you thinking?”

“He’s going to kill me because I touched his hand?” Your brow arches in amusement, as your lips threaten to smile, “I had no idea who he was Jane, I was just helping a paying customer.”

She doesn’t like your answer and quickly swats your arm again, “Y/N this is not a joke! He’s a dangerous man. I nearly fainted when you looked him in his eyes but, then you touched him and-”

“Jane, that’s enough.” The fisherman hisses, gesturing wildly to the crowd of people, “You’re making a scene and he’s still out here somewhere.”

She huffs her hands rushing to smooth out the apron over her dress before rushing a finger into your face, “You won’t be laughing if he shows up at your house with a sword in your face. You need to be careful.”

You smirk at this but otherwise comply, not wishing to fire her up any further, “Thank you for your concern Jane, I’ll make sure to carry my sword around too, you know, just in case.”  

Jane snorts then and rolls her eyes, scurrying back to her cart and mumbling something along the lines of:

“That mouth is going to get you killed...”

You can’t help but giggle.

There’s no doubt that the man you just spoke to was a warrior and, maybe he was some almighty warrior but he other than an intense staring problem, he didn’t scare you at all.

Thankfully, business is booming for the remainder of the day and although you’re thrilled at the money you’ll be taking home, you aren’t looking forward to all the replenishing you have to do.  

The last order of business before heading home is picking a few things for your parents and grabbing the last of the steamed buns for your best friend.

Rachel has lived beside you ever since you can remember. The two of you spent most of your childhood running around the village, causing mini bouts of chaos everywhere you went. Despite the challenges life had brought the both of you, you grew together rather than apart.  

Rachel is the village’s most treasured teacher and she’s been running the school for the past few years. She’s kind of the best and, you have a feeling she’ll be interested to hear about the rather interesting events that had transpired over the course of your day.  

As you turn down the dirt path towards her home, you start to wonder where the Tiger and his fleet would be staying.  

Your village wasn’t run-down but it wasn’t exactly luxurious by any standards.

The rubble near the beginning of the street along with the various empty wooden barrels doesn’t exactly count as décor and, the occasional drunken argument outside the village’s tavern certainly doesn’t add any class to the area but, its home.  

Rachel's house is easy to spot amongst the rest of the street as it’s the only one completely covered in plants.

She’s had a love of greenery for quite sometime and, it’s amongst the many things you two bond over.  

Adjusting the bag on your shoulder, you immediately reach for the handle and use all your weight to shove the front door open.  

Rachel is sitting on her sofa and despite the fact that she was expecting you, she still jumps at the sound.

“Oh my goodness!” She exclaims “Have you ever heard of knocking???”

You giggle but otherwise ignore her and lean against the door dramatically, “Rachel, you better get one last look at me because, this might be the last time you ever see me.”

She laughs lightly and folds her arms, “What did you do this time? Did you call the apothecary a fraud again?” Wiggling her fingers, she reaches out for the snacks your holding.

“Ok first of all, he is a fraud but no....it’s much much worse.” You shove the snacks into her awaiting hands before flopping down on the armchair, “I touched a man’s hand...”

She freezes, the bun lingering near her mouth, “Alright, now I am officially curious, why is hand touching worse?”

You smirk, “I touched...the Tiger’s hand” You point a finger at her quickly as her lips part, “Before you even make the joke, no it wasn’t a real tiger...it was THE tiger.”

Rachel snorts with laughter before going wide-eyed in shock, “You...wha--the Tiger? THE Tiger??? You TOUCHED the Tiger?!!?!? What were you thinking?!? Oh my god, did he bite? Wait, focus, Rachel---Why did you touch the Tiger?!?”  

Whilst she’s rambling on you burst out in a fit of giggles, snuggling back against the chair, “He came to my cart looking for a good salve for his hands. All I did was do an assessment as I normally do to see what he needed. I don’t understand why everyone is freaking out...he seemed pretty harmless to me.”

She leans forward on the couch, “Harmless? He seemed...harmless?!?” She whispers frantically, “He has personally slain hundreds of men with those very hands!!!  

“Why are we whispering?...”

Rachel returns to normal volume, rolling her eyes “Fine. More like thousands if you count how many his army has obliterated. And you just pawed at him--are you insane? He has killed people for less! At least that’s what the rumors say.”  

You keep giggling, completely unfazed as you make yourself at home, “The rumors also say that he killed an entire village because they played their trumpets for him. I don’t know how credible these rumors are.”

“Well....what was he like then? You cannot drop this information on me and not give me every detail.” She insists, gesturing wildly at you before leaning back and sipping from her mug.

“Uh he was fine. I mean- he was normal I guess, I don’t know. He has really long hair, its blonde- like really blonde. He looks young, way younger than I thought he’d be. He has a big scar over his eye. Jane was practically drooling over him...”

Realization crosses Rachel’s face as she watches you intently. She relaxes back into her chair as a knowing smile spreads across her face, “Ohhhh young, blonde, mysterious...Jane must really HAVE been drooling. Seems like she’s not the only one, though...”

“I mean- the fisherman guys were pretty excited too I guess. I don’t know what the big deal is honestly, I know he’s supposed to be good on the battlefield but they were treating him like he was some kind of king or something.” You narrow your eyes “Are you suggesting I was drooling over him? Because I definitely wasn’t...I even told him to wait his turn in line.” You insist, shifting around on the chair.

Rachel crosses her legs dramatically, steeping her fingers as she observes you, “Was that before or after you found out he was handsome? Hmm?” She smirks again, holding her hands up innocently, “I am implying nothing, I am just NOTICING that you are definitely affected by him. I haven’t seen you impressed by....well, anyone.”

She’s not wrong.

“Hey hey whoa...who said anything about impressed?? I’m not impressed. I’m not impressed at all.”

Rachel eyes you suspiciously”...right...not impressed at all. Well, did you at least hear anything about them? Any word on how long the army will be here? We’ve got to be the safest village in the country as long as they are in town.” Suddenly, she facepalms in realization, “My students will be so distracted as long as they are here.”

“Not impressed. He’s just a man with a scar and sword...” You insist, twiddling your thumbs “I guess they are just refueling, I’m not sure how long they will be here. Jane told me I need to watch my back so, hopefully not for long...” You giggle again, thinking of how excited the schoolchildren will be now that the legendary Tiger is in town, “maybe you can make an assignment out of it...”

She stares off into space for a moment and mutters, “that’s not a bad idea...we could get outside, maybe a soldier could come speak to them? There’s got to be at least one that’s not terrifying?...” Rachel shakes her head, unimpressed with your lack of understanding, “Just a man with a scar and sword—he is the most feared military leader of our generation! And I wouldn’t worry TOO much about watching your back. After all—none of the legends involve the Tiger killing civilians, do they? At the very least his presence here means good business for the village. If you can get the Tiger as a repeat customer I can only imagine the profits you’ll turn at that little stall!” She muses, laugh heartily, “Buy the salve that soothed a beast! I can hear the gossip already...”

You point a finger at her, “I like the way you think. If you ever want to stop educating and enriching the minds of our youth and be my business partner, let me know...” Suddenly the humor within you dissipates as the reality of your situation seems to sink in, “You don’t think I should be worried though right?”

Rachel lets out a short laugh, “Thanks for the offer...” She shakes her head, “As far as this Tiger business is concerned...I don’t think your safety is under any threat. How did he react when you touched him? Did he seem angry?”

“He just froze...” You recall, your eyes unfocusing slightly, “It was kind of weird honestly. I’ve never had anyone do that before. It’s pretty normal to get checked out during an apothecary visit. I guess I wasn’t supposed to look at him either but, how the hell am I supposed to do an exam if I can’t look at his face?”

“Hmmm...that is strange. I’ll be honest, I thought he would have scolded you or pulled away based on the stories. Unless...” Rachel slumps back against her sofa, her face relaxing into a smirk, “...he was just as surprised by you as you were of him.”

You wrinkle your nose, “Ew no. Definitely not.”  

Rachel doesn’t look convinced but you continue nevertheless, suddenly wishing to change the subject.

“He looked nervous I guess- I don’t know. His hand just sort of hung there after I finished. Today was weird...anywayyy-” You nod to the dough between your palms, “How are the buns? Did anything interesting happen in the education world.”

“Oh three boys got in a worm eating contest and threw up on their practice parchment so I could go without that kind of interesting for awhile. The buns are transcendent as usual but you-” She narrows her eyes in your direction, “- are dodging. Why would a general be nervous around you hmm? You said he is young...is he also handsome?”

“Ah god I love kids...” You note with a giggle before shrugging, shrinking back into the chair, “I don’t know. Objectively he- he definitely wasn’t ugly.”

Rachel raises an eyebrow, “I sense there is more to it than that.”

“Fine. He was easily the most handsome man I’ve ever seen in my life. There! Are you happy now?” You grumble before dramatically staring off into the distance, “Oh to be murdered by the most handsome man alive...how romantic.”

This prompts a twinkling bout of laughter from Rachel who has finally finished the first of her many snacks, “I can think of worse ends my friend. Perhaps that was your only interaction? I am sure he is busy making preparations; too busy to be executing smart-mouthed apothecaries. I wouldn’t fret too much Y/N.”

With you sigh, you accept her analysis, sending a nod her way, “You’re probably right and, that’s probably for the best.” Despite the conviction in your tone, you can feel the disappointment on your face, “Thank you for calling my mouth smart.” You smirk before nodding toward the door, “I should probably head home. My father has a nasty cough and I seriously doubt he’s taken the medicine I left for him.”

Meeting you at the door, Rachel pulls you in for a big hug, “The smartest mouth in town- that's why I keep you around. Give your father my love and tell him, if he gives you a hard time—I will find out!”

You laugh, hugging her tightly, “The second smartest mouth in town...” You insist, “let’s do the tavern this weekend please. The children have been taking all your time and I miss my best friend!”

“Of course! No pack of tiny ruffians can get between me and a night out.”

You pat her shoulder gently before stepping out of the doorframe, “That’s right.” You smile, thankful to have someone like her in your life, “love you, have a good night.”

“Good night, sleep tight...” She sings, slowly closing the door, “don’t let the Tiger bite!” She laughs wildly before slamming the door shut to prevent your retaliation.

She’s a menace.

The walk back home is pleasant, the fall breeze nips at your skin through your sweater but, it feels refreshing against your flushed cheeks.  

Your parents are asleep by the time you return home.  

It’s common for you to arrive well past their bedtime but, despite your lack of contact, they still manage to make you feel loved.

On the kitchen table sits bowl of stew and freshly baked bread, along with a new blanket for the winter.  

Your mom makes a fresh one everywhere with thicker fabric to combat the icy freeze of the winter climate. The stew will be cold but, your heart will be warm and your stomach will be full.  

In truth, these are the only things that matter to you.  

Living simple certainly has it’s drawbacks but overall, you are comforted by it. Your parents raised you to be thankful for the things you have and to only set your sights on obtaining things that truly matter to you. It doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have goals but, your parents have always stressed that external success can be fickle and, material possessions only take you so far.  

Being content is truly priceless and, you’re thankful they instilled these values into you.

Climbing into bed, you allow your mind to wander to the man you met today.  

You couldn’t quite understand the legend behind him. Not to say that he wasn’t worthy of such folklore but, it’s more so that you didn’t exactly understand the warnings behind it.  

He didn’t seem scary.

Although, it’s possible his demeanor is something he uses along with his beauty.

It could be that the Tiger lives up his animal comparison.

Beautiful and deadly.

Village gossip shouldn’t keep you awake longer than necessary, you think, it’s time to rest up so that tomorrow’s work day doesn’t feel like a never-ending task.  

With the sound of the whistling wind just outside your home, you slowly close your eyes and drift off to sleep.

Your plan for a peaceful nights rest is completely demolished when you feel the frantic hands of your mother shaking you awake.

“Y/N! Wake up! Wake up! Raiders- they are raiders outside, hurry!” She drags the covers off of you, “We have to go!”

In a haphazard blur, you spring to your feet and arm yourself with a few important possessions and your sword.  

Your parents tow behind you as you make your way out of your home.  

The village is in utter chaos; shouting, clanking metal, screaming, amber flames peaking out from above the rooftops.  

You grab your mothers arm, keeping her close to you as you try your best to follow procedures.

Like most smaller villages, your area is equipped with a protocol that will ensure the least amount of damage if there were to be an invasion.

Collect the essentials and gather your loved ones

Arm yourself

Make your way to the town square; there is strength in numbers.

Allow the raiders to take what they want (with the exception of human lives)

Negotiate

Simple in theory but, rarely in practice.

It’s difficult to keep up with a protocol during times of intense stress.

Amidst the chaos, you see Rachel scrambling out of her house, with a bag slung over her shoulder.

You cry out for her, desperately hoping she will hear your voice over the madness,

“Rachel! Over here!”

With wide eyes, she reaches out for your mother’s hand, bowing her head to shield from any possible debris.  

“The army is here, they will protect us.” Your father murmurs solemnly beside you, his face stoic and rid of any bit of positivity

This could end very badly.  

The four of you rush into the town square, trying your best to remain calm throughout the screaming, back up against a wall. Your grip tightens on your mothers hand as you spot the tents of the armed guests currently residing in your village.

The raiders continue their plundering throughout the town accompanied by the sounds of glass breaking and shouting.  

Suddenly, there is a different sound: the clanking of swords. Briefly, you can see glimpses of armor peeking out of homes, the sight causing your eyes to widen.

“Look!”

Rachel and your parents crane their necks to see what you’re pointing out as the sounds coming from within your village begin to change.

Grunting, groaning, more clanking swords and a bit of shouting shoot out of the main street like fireworks.

“Clear the path!” An unfamiliar voice shouts and it’s then you can see what’s going on.

The raiders have been captured thanks to the ominous group of tourists that arrived yesterday.

Oddly enough, you don’t even remember seeing them leave their tents and it makes you wonder how the hell they managed to move so quickly undetected.  

There are several men, dressed in black and gold armor, dragging the raiders by their shirts to the center of town square. One of them is a tall, doe eyed looking man with shaggy brown hair and biceps that could likely snap a neck if they so desired. He has his sword to the back of one of the raiders who scuffles along on his knees to meet with the rest of his captured teammates.  

As the rest of the soldiers file in, another leader of the troop, tall and equally broad, gestures to Bambi with the biceps.

“Jungkook-ah! Bring the leader to the center; let our general deal with him.”

Jungkook does just that, quickly the toe of his boot into the back of the raider and jerking his head to the center of the plaza, “You heard him- move.” He grunts and the raider reluctantly shuffles forward.

Your fellow villagers are reasonably alarmed but, they all seem to freeze in place as they watch the show unravel before them.

This is already more excitement than your village has had in ages and, you’d be lying if you said you weren’t eating it up.

The man who has now been identified as Jungkook, steps away from the raider, still pointing his sword at him, a smug smirk on his face, “You know for a master thief, you were far too easy to catch. Lucky for me, I made a bet with my brothers here that I would catch you in 10 minutes,” Jungkook walks back towards the man, entangling his fingers in the roots of his hair before tugging backwards, “, and according to the clock tower, it only took me 8.”  

Beside you, Rachel seems to swallow back her surprise before subconsciously starting to fan her face,  

“Goodness, he really is something huh?”

Despite the tense nature of the situation, her demeanor makes you giggle,  

“Stop drooling over the calvary...”

She smacks you playfully which causes your father to shush both of you, a moment which reminds you of your schoolyard days.

A bit of immaturity is actually refreshing after the events of this morning.

“Jungkook-ssi,” A voice bellows throughout the plaza, sending a chill down your spine, “What have I told you about placing bets on our captors huh?”

As the voice grows louder, you see him: the Tiger, stepping out from the main street, his long platinum hair flowing freely in the wind. His hand brandishes a sword, one that most certainly possesses the ability to inflict some serious harm.  

Sheepishly, Jungkook smirks, releasing the man’s hair roughly and stepping back to his original spot, his sword posing to strike.

“Sorry hyung, this one was just too easy. I saw him skirting the perimeter last night, I know it would be a sure win once I saw his technique.”

So that’s how the army was able to move so quickly; they already anticipated this attack.

The Tiger chuckles darkly, his eyes alight with pure delight, “Aish- what am I going to do with you people hm?”  

He moves like his name; slow, deliberate, deadly- you know that you’re about to witness an execution and you aren’t sure if you can stomach the sight, even if these raiders deserve it.

Its your turn to swallow back your reaction to him which doesn’t go unnoticed by your best friend standing beside you.

“Now look who’s drooling...” She teases, giggling as you playfully shove your elbow into her side.

The crowd is dangerously still, hanging on each syllable the Tiger speaks whilst his men, six other soldiers roughly his size, watch intently.

The rest of the raider clan are being held captive by the remainder of the fleet, bowing their heads in shame and fear but, the leader seems unaffected by their defeat.

“You lot aren’t men.” The man spits, his accent thick,  “you’re narcissistic little boys who like to play dress up. You’re cowards, hiding behind your swords, killing everything that stands in your way. You have no idea how the other half live. You have no honor.”

There are gasps throughout the crowd then as your village grows shocked at the way he’s spoken to the Tiger.

If you had any hope that this wouldn’t end violently, it’s been squashed by the time the leader finishes his sentence.

The Tiger however, merely chuckles again, a light smirk on his carnation lips,

“It’s odd that a man who earns his keep by stealing from others would have the authority to lecture my men and I about honor.” He kisses his teeth and slowly raises his sword to brush against the man’s cheek, “Look at all these poor people hm? You've terrified them. Your lack of intelligence isn’t their burden to bear now is it? But you have made it their problem; ripped them from their homes, terrorized their children, their livelihoods and, all because you’re too incompetent to learn your own trade.”

The Tiger’s words infuriate him and the next thing you know, he’s lunging off the ground towards the Tiger, a snarl arising on his mouth.

It prompts your hands to fly to your face and your feet to nearly trip over themselves as you brace for the inevitable fight.

But it doesn’t come.  

With one swoop of his arm, the Tiger has the leader knocked to the floor and underneath his leather boot. Jungkook has reacted quickly as well, his arm raising in the air to slice his sword through the man’s body. With one twitch of his hand however, the Tiger stops Jungkook from following through,

“See? You can’t do things like that my friend. Because if you do, my big friend here with the sword will slice your greasy head in two.” The Tiger smirks again, before turning his head over his shoulder, “You folks wouldn’t want to spend the day cleaning blood of your beautiful plaza now would you?”

Overexcited villagers quickly shout various commentary at him,

“Kill him!”

“Cut his head off!”

“Make him pay!”

The Tiger chuckles once more, raising his brows as the man struggles beneath his boot, “Well, I guess you’re lucky they aren’t in charge of your punishment...” He looks up towards the remainder of his fleet, nodding his head at the other prisoners, “Namjoon, Jin: ensure that none of these men are here against their will. If the rest of you are here by choice, I suggest you make yourselves disappear into the forest before I allow these fine people to get ahold of you.”

Immediately, the Tiger’s fleet begin following his orders and take the men away towards their tents. As they walk out of the plaza, only Jungkook, the Tiger and the clan leader remain.  

You notice Jungkook scan the crowd then, peering out at the eager faces watching the show he is willingly apart of. Very briefly but noticeably, his eyes land on your best friend and as they do, they seem to linger.

He looks curious, almost boyish in a way as his ways seem to memorize her face but before Rachel even realizes what’s going on, his eyes quickly return to the raider.  

“If you’re going to kill me, just do it. Don’t be a coward, I can’t listen to you ramble any longer.” The man growls which prompts the Tiger to push his foot down a little harder upon his back.

“I’m not your executioner, thief. Your fate resides with the Queens.” He explains, matter of factly before jerking his head towards Jungkook, “Put him in the portable cell. I’ll send a notice to the council that we have a criminal that needs to be dealt with.”

Jungkook nods, eagerly crossing the bit of plaza and kneeling down to restrain the man with handcuffs.

He grips the chain linking them and heaves him upwards so he’s standing between the two men.  

“I’ll hose him off first,” Jungkook wrinkles his nose in disgust, “I don’t want him stinking up our camp.”

“Fuck you-” The man spits, jerking his wrists in Jungkook’s grip which then causes the Tiger to raise his sword once again.

“Behave yourself, thief.” He commands, his eyes darkening for the first time, “I’m assuming if you’ve heard stories of my fleet, you are privy to the fact that we don’t miss our target. Please don’t give me a reason to live up to my name.”

With that, the two men drag off the clan leader towards the rest of their fleet, not bothering to look back at the dozens of people they just saved.

They ignore the applause, the gratitude, the pleas for them to return and feast.

You have to admit that you’re shocked.  

The supposedly wicked and ruthless Tiger sure seems to have quite a bit of restraint and diplomacy.

“Did he- did he really just let him go? Unharmed?”

Rachel asks a very good question and it seems to be the one on your parents minds as well.

“It’s extremely odd. I was fully prepared to witness an execution, he would have been within his right.” Your father notes, his eyes still trained on the center of the plaza.

Generals have a certain level of freedom with the prisoners they choose to capture; they are expected to have good judgement and carry out punishments if necessary.

In essence, the Tiger had every bit of authority to end that mans life and, given that he an eager crowd behind him, it genuinely perplexes you.

“Organized raids come with an automatic life sentence, the leaders are usually executed within a few days of their trial.” Your mother notes and it’s then that Rachel notices your silence.

“Well I think it’s safe to say that you didn’t make it on his hit list. You can’t be worse than a lead raider...” She grins, knowing full well that your confusion also comes with an annoying amount of curiosity.  

She also knows that you plan on finding a way to speak with him again.  

And she is absolutely right.

--------------------------

“Should I say hi to Jungkook for you? Ask if he’s betrothed?” You tease and Rachel promptly throws balled up dress your way.

You went to her house after the excitement in the town square to bake a batch of fresh bread for the Tiger’s fleet.

Bread is increasingly hard to come by these days due to a crop shortage in the northern region so despite what people may think, most military diets consist of salted meat and corn.  

Doughy, fluffy, cheesy, rosemary bread is a luxury.

“I have a feeling you’ll be preoccupied with your mission to court the Tiger.” She retorts but a deep frown comes over her then, as she wraps the last loaf in parchment paper, “Are you sure you should be doing this? Waltzing over to a tent full of dangerous soldiers doesn’t seem like a good idea.”

“I want to thank them.” You insist, loading your basket with the rest of the loaves, glancing up at your worried friend, “All the village ever talks about is how ruthless they are, how cruel they are known to be but, the reality is: they saved us. It must be frustrating to refuel just as any other fleet would and have people gossip about you or fear you unnecessarily. I’m not planning on staying for tea or anything, I just want to show my appreciation.”

Rachel raises her brows, “That’s all hm?”

You nod, “Yep.” Your lips pop with the sound of the p and Rachel remains unconvinced.

“This has nothing to do with the Tiger?”

“Of course not.” Your answer tumbles past your lips far too quickly and, it causes your friend to grin knowingly at you.

“I know that look-”

“Ugh what look?”

“The look. That one-” She points at you, “You’re about to do something you know you shouldn’t.”

Her smile is far too contagious and her knowledge of you surpasses anyone you’ve ever known in your life.  

She has your number and there really is no point in lying to her.

“Fine, ok maybe it has a little something to do with the Tiger-” You smirk, trying to stifle the giggle that threatens your disposition, “Don’t laugh at me!”

Rachel’s twinkling laughter fills the room as she rounds the counter. Placing her hands on your shoulders, she smiles fondly at you, “Just be careful ok? I know he intrigues you and honestly I’m not at all surprised but, don’t let your curiosity get in the way of your safety. That’s the most important thing.”  

“I won’t.” You promise, smiling back at her, placing your hands on hers, “I promise, I’ll be careful.”

Rachel helps you out once again, insuring you have everything you need before her soft voice is answering a question you asked moments earlier.

“And uh about that Jungkook boy-”

You smirk, “He’s definitely not a boy, did you see his muscles? He looks like he could bench press a mountain lion.”

She grows flustered, “No, I didn’t see any muscles, I have no idea what you’re talking about-”

“Oh so you also didn’t notice him staring at you in the plaza today right?”

Rachel’s eyes widen, “Wait he was?” She clears her throat, amending her eagerness as you giggle, “He definitely wasn’t staring at me don’t be ridiculous. What I was going to say-”

“What you were going to say is that ‘no Y/N, I don’t want you to check on Jungkook’s marital status directly but, should you happen to come across his left hand, let me know whether or not you see a shiny band around his finger, not that I would care or anything. Because, I totally don’t have the hots for him.’ “

Her mouth opens and then closes like a fish before she playfully nudges you through her doorway, “Shut up.”

With a laugh and a few parting words, you are off to visit the tent of your village's heroes.  

You would be lying if you said you weren’t nervous.

But you’d also be lying if you said you were nervous for the right reasons.

The concept of walking into the basecamp of a supposedly elite and ruthless fleet is one thing but, talking to someone you find attractive?  

Absolutely terrifying.

Your presence is immediately noted by the men inside the camp.

Two of them are seated at a table outside of one of the tents, hands and teeth full of meat, their motions freezing in place as they see you.

As you pass by one of their horses, you notice of them is speaking with a group of raiders.  

The conversation seems amicable, suggesting that many of the raider clan was indeed in your village against their will.

You approach the main but, before you are able to make ring the bell on the outside, you are crashing chest first into a very firm and very broad chest.

“Holy-” The voice sounds familiar and as you look up, you are meet with the bambi with biceps himself: Jungkook.

“Hello I-” You attempt to begin but his panicked voice interrupts you.

“Yah hyung??? Uh there’s a-” He swallows thickly stepping away from you, “There’s a girl here!”

The word seems foreign on his tongue and his behavior genuinely surprises you.

Where was the cocky warrior from this morning, brandishing a sword and placing bets on his captors?

“Jungkook, for the last time- we don’t use that word. We say young lady or woman...” Another voice, one you don’t recognize fades into your scope of hearing before pushing open the fabric of the tent. He is arguably just as beautiful as the other men, tall, dark haired, buff- as if he would be anything else.

“Oh, hello. Are you...” The man narrows his brows as he looks towards the group of raiders speaking with one of his counterparts, “Are you with the group or?”

You shake your head, your basket swinging when you turn back towards the village, “Oh no, no I’m from the village. My name is Y/N Y/L/N...” You bow your head slightly, “I came here to bring you this,” You gesture to the basket, “It’s fresh bread. I wanted to thank you for saving my people today.”

You feel the need to rush out your explanation as the rest of the fleet continues to stare at you. In fact, the way they are looking at you is rather unnerving.

It isn’t disrespectful just intrusive; they are looking at you as if you’ve sprouted a second head.

“You-” The man before you cocks his head, looking befuddled, “You came here to- thank us?”

“Well yes, I know bread is hard to come by and I figured you could use a pick-me-up after your fight this morning.”

He smiles now but his incredulity doesn’t change as he takes the basket from your hands, “It’s warm.” He notes, “Did you bake this recently?”

“Yes I baked it today, just now actually uh-” You decide to speak candidly now since the possible threat margin seems to be closing, “You look confused.”

Jungkook is practically hiding behind the man you’re addressing and it takes a large part of you not to laugh at his behavior.

“Forgive me.” He chuckles, “We aren’t exactly used to hospitality. Most villagers avoid us like the plague, it probably has to do with our General but regardless.” He bows his head, “We appreciate the gesture. I’ll make sure to pass along your gratitude to him once he returns.”  

“Oh is he not here? I was hoping to thank him myself.” You try and mask the disappointment in your tone, not wishing to come across as stranger than you already did.

The man shakes his head, “No. He often takes a walk after an invasion; gotta make sure the perimeter is secure.” He smiles and you are taken aback by how white his teeth were, “My name is Seokjin, I’m the outreach expert on the fleet and unofficial chef. I promise your bread will be put to good use, it’s been months since we’ve had any decent carbs.”  

His comment makes you smile and you are delighted that his demeanor is so welcoming.

“I’m sorry to heart that. Will you be in town long? I can try to set you up with a few more baskets before your departure?”

Seokjin chuckles warmly before snorting as Jungkook paws at the basket, “Easy.” He admonishes but its too late, Jungkook already has half a loaf down in his mouth, his chest rumbling with the sound of his groan.  

“Oh my god hyung, it’s so good...”

Seokjin looks disgusted with him but hands him the basket anyway, nodding to the rest of the fleet, “Share. Make sure you save a loaf for Yoongi and I.”

Jungkook happily obliges but not before turning towards you and bowing, “Uh thanks for the- for the bread....”

His sentence is choppy and over before it even begins as he goes bounding off in the direction of his team.

“Pardon him, he’s been in the army since he was fourteen. We haven’t done an amazing job at socializing him but, he’s getting better. He’s still a bit antsy around women though.” Seokjin chuckles, fondness in his eyes, “Ah but to answer your question, yes. We've decided to set up here for a few weeks to train our new recruits. I would love to more of this bread if it’s not too much trouble.”

You smile, waving him off, attempting to conceal your happiness at the news he’s just delivered, “Nonsense, I’d be happy to bake some more.”

“Excellent!” He chirps, clasping his hands together, “I’m sure Yoongi would be happy to know we’ve finally manage to contact with a villager. It’s been an issue for us, stories spread like wildfire you know? And just like wildfire, they tend to do more harm than good.”

“And Yoongi is?”

Seokjin chuckles, “Ah I believe you’d know him better as...” He flutters his fingers dramatically, “ the Tiger.”

Yoongi.

So that was his name.

“Oh yes,” You amend, “I’ve certainly heard of him but, I prefer to make my own judgements rather than succumb to the gossip.”

He smirks, “That’s very noble of you Y/N. I for one,” He places a hand on his chest, throwing a wink your way, “, live for the gossip.”

Your meeting with Seokjin ends soon after that with a promise that you would return with more bread.  

As much as you wanted to rush back to Rachel’s house to inform of your meeting with the ‘most dangerous fleet in the world’, you remind yourself that school is in session; a necessary but annoying inconvenience.

However, there are plenty of ways you plan on keeping busy for the remainder of the day and one of them involves visiting the river to collect more herbs for your remedies.  

You obviously weren't able to sell your wares today as the marketplace was still littered with evidence of the robbery.  Your parents had insisted you take the day off to restock and recuperate whilst they helped the village leaders clean up.

Reluctantly, you agreed and you are now very grateful that you had.

The river has always been one of your favorite places. It was rich, green, buzzing with life and, always a few degrees colder than your village. Surrounded by mossy trees that seem to stretch as high as the clouds, the river is encased with life. Rabbits, squirrels, tortoises, frogs and a plethora of birds all coral in the area the river resides in whilst bears, big cats, wolves and monkeys hide behind the dense forest. It’s any apothecary’s paradise as it is also the residence of any herbs capable of growing in damp areas.  

Angelica, Blue Vervain, Marshmallow, Stinging Needle and more: the river is your one stop shop for so many of your essential ingredients.

Today you’re after a particular herb though and armed with another woven basket, you make your way towards the large bushels of it growing at the base of a tree trunk.

Valerian is an essential herb in your arsenal and due to its popularity, it’s something you’re consistently having to restock.  

Gathering it carefully, ensuring you don’t disturb the root of the plant.

You are so enthralled with your current task that you don’t even notice that you are no longer alone.

“Is this where the tree bark grows?”

You jump nearly six feet out of your skin, whipping your head around to face your intruder.

Standing before you is the myth himself, the Tiger or as you’ve recently learned: Yoongi.

He’s still in his armor from earlier, his long tendrils pulled back away from his face into a low ponytail. Between his lips, which are curving slightly, is a piece of the bark he had taken from your cart the day prior.

He is chewing it as you instructed.

“You of all people should know not to ambush someone like that...” You breath, placing a hand on your chest, “I could have wacked you with this basket or something.”

He just smirks, “I’ve had worse.” He notes, taking the bark from between his teeth, “I’m sorry I frightened you though, I didn’t expect to see anyone here.”

“Likewise.” You retort, nodding your head at the bark, “Is it helping?”

He shrugs, “Too early to tell I suppose but, it’s tending to my oral fixation so, either way it has a purpose.”

You straighten up a bit more and smooth out your dress, “It will work, it just takes a bit of time.” You assure him before adjusting the herbs in your basket, “I came by your tent earlier to offer my thanks for what you and your men did today, your outreach coordinator Seokjin told me he’d pass along the message but-”

“You did what?”

His tone doesn’t entirely lean one way or the other and you quickly grow worried that you offended him.

“I brought a basket of bread to uh-” You swallow thickly, meeting the intensity of his gaze, “to your camp as a thank you for saving my village.”

Several emotions flicker across his face before he settles on surprise, “I see. Were they polite?”

You can’t help but smile, this day truly has been full of surprises and, Yoongi’s demeanor is only adding to that list.  

“I only had the privilege of meeting Seokjin and well- I kind of met Jungkook but, he seemed a little-”

“Awkward?” Yoongi smirks

“A little.” You amend, “But both of them were very polite. They explained that they often don’t receive any hospitality on stops like this; I was very sorry to hear that.”

Yoongi’s teeth seem to catch the inside of his cheek as he nods curtly, “There’s no need for apologies. Hospitality is welcome but, never expected. I try to teach my men that we should never expect gratitude for what we do as it so often comes with a price.”

“I suppose gratitude should be offered situationally then, there was very little draw back to what you did today. Our village is privy to raiders; maybe if word gets around that you all were in town, that might prevent this from happening again.”

He purses his lips before nodding in consideration, “I see you’re point. Regardless of its necessity, gratitude is always welcome: especially when free food is involved.”

His comment makes you giggle and your laughter makes his lips itch in a way they never have.

“I wholeheartedly agree with that. I get a surprising amount of baked goods sent my way doing what I do so, I’ll have no problem dolling out the gratitude while you all are here.”  

Yoongi’s brows knit in confusion, “Do you people often pay you in baked goods?”

Laughter flows freely out of your mouth then and you shake your head at his question, “Definitely not, I sell my goods for currency as does any obedient member of society,” At this Yoongi smirks again, he likes your wit, a lot, “but I do receive muffin baskets, cakes, pies and whatnot from happy customers. They’re mainly from women whose husbands have taken my ginseng remedy.”

His curiosity blooms, “And why is that?”

You feel a bit of heat rushing to your cheeks, “Ginseng enhances uh- drive, often times it can be used a stimulant to promote you know-” You’re hoping Yoongi will put the pieces together but instead his eyes remain expectant, “passion.”

The word makes Yoongi straighten up a bit and in an effort to look casual, he nods quickly and hums a little too loudly.

“Ah yes. Of course. Well, as I said- free food is free food right?” He wagers, his fingers rubbing at the bit of bark.

Its your turn to smirk now but, you quickly change the subject when you ask, “Is the leader of the clan secure? I didn’t see him when I passed through your camp.”

He clears his throat, bringing the bark back towards his mouth, “He is. I have him locked up just behind the trees so he isn’t able to influence the new recruits. He had an alarming number of unwilling participants within his group, many of them claimed to be brought there with the threat of physical harm.”

You kiss your teeth and shake your head, “I don’t understand that kind of behavior. I understand that sometimes desperate people do desperate things but, to exert power or harm over another person without a viable cause...it just makes no sense to me.”

He’s intrigued now and as he brings the bark back to his lips, his brow knit with curiosity, “Hm. So do you think there is a justification to steal but not to commit violence?”

You can’t figure out why your opinion would matter to him but, you sure as hell aren’t going to question the length of this conversation.

“I think that some people believe they have no other choice but to steal. Wealth and power aren’t possible without a poor man to stand on, to oppress- I don’t support the idea of taking what doesn’t belong to you but, I could see why people are driven to do so. People are growing tired of being the poor man. Senseless violence isn’t something I could find a justification for. What the raiders often do, is both so I guess-” You hesitate, “I’m conflicted.”

Yoongi is captivated by your explanations, not because they are particularly ground breaking but, because they are particularly human. You aren’t afraid to discuss the complexity of life nor are you afraid to admit when certain things confound you.

“That’s a fair assessment. Do you agree with today’s outcome?”

Your smile returns, as you adjust the basket on your arm again, “I did. Especially because it seemed to surprise everyone, myself included.”

His lips return to his smirk, “Why? Because I didn’t behead him?”

“Exactly.” You breathe out a laugh before continuing,  “I for one was shocked to see you deal with the situation without your trusty viper...”  

His face turns to one of incredulity, “Oh my- you're not serious are you? Do people genuinely think I keep a viper on me at all times? Do they have any idea how unpractical that is?”

Yoongi’s reaction sends you into a fit of giggles and the sound makes his lips itch again.

He decides he enjoys the sound very much.

“I’m sure you’ve set a few people straight after this morning,” You offer, wiping a bit of moisture from the corner of your eye, “I doubt the rumors will repopulate the same way after you leave.”

“What do you think of them?”

“The rumors?”

“They’re entertaining.” You shrug, “But I don’t like to make assumptions about people unless I’ve met them, not even scary and supposedly cruel generals like yourself.”

The ghost of a smile shows itself on Yoongi’s mouth and his eyes seem to glimmer, pleased with your answer.

“I wish more people had that mindset.”  

It’s all he says before promptly dropping the subject again, nodding in the direction behind him, “I should probably head back to camp. I have a feeling that the longer I am away, the smaller my chances of getting any of that bread become.”

“You’re probably right, I have to be back before sunset anyway.” Your parents don’t like it when you’re out at the river after dark, “It was very nice meeting you Yoongi. I hope you enjoy the bread.”

His lips as he realizes something vital, “I’m sure I will. Forgive me, I don’t remember catching your name...”

At his observation, you extend your hand towards his, “Oh of course, my name is Y/N. Y/N Y/L/N.”

Without looking down, he grasps your hand gently as if he were afraid to break it, “Y/N- I’ll remember it.” He promises unnecessarily but it still sends a flutter through your heart, “Get home safe.”

When he releases your hand, you step back towards the bushel of Valerian before smiling once more,  

“You too.”

As Yoongi departs from the river, he smirks to himself.

Perhaps this wouldn’t be the routine stop he had planned on.

Perhaps this would be so much more.

[chaos-of-the-abyss]

anonymous: Am I the only one who really doesn’t like that Meatbun chose to make a member of a brutalized race the villain? I feel like it feeds into that message of revolutionaries who want justice being doomed to be corrupted by the power getting to their heads and turn into evil tyrants.

This is an interesting question anon! Thank you for this ask. 

First of all, I understand completely where you’re coming from. I’m always iffy when a main antagonist is a member of a brutalized, discriminated race whose ultimate goal is to get his/her people to safety. I don’t, as a general rule, sit very comfortably with the antagonist being someone who wants to end discrimination based on race against his/her people, or any people. Like, nope. I’m also extremely leery of that message of “revolutionaries who want social justice go bad”, and my wariness toward seeing a main antagonist with the motivation of ending some kind of oppression is an extension of that. 2ha, to a certain degree, does press those buttons, because just the fact of a member of an oppressed people being in an antagonistic position is... meh. I wish we’d at least seen the perspective of a non-villainous Butterfly-Boned Beauty Feast. (Of course, this is just personal taste - others might not feel the same way.) 

However! There’s a reason why that doesn’t turn me off from the story. I would really dislike it if Meatbun made out Shi Mei’s desire to save his people as a bad thing, or if she had that desire gradually be warped into something less sympathetic - say, an appetite for destruction and vengeance. But she didn’t do either of those things, not at all. Although she rightfully condemns the damage he did to innocent people because of that desire, the desire itself is painted in a very sympathetic light. I would go as far as to say that the fact that Hua Binan’s resolve to end the oppression of his people was truly a good thing is why Meatbun gives him such a peaceful send-off despite the many terrible things he’s done. I mean, it’s not peaceful in-universe, since he’s literally squashed, but it’s a dignified death. He’s not crying, or screaming, or having a Villainous Breakdown over the fact that he has to die. Instead he’s... unhesitant in literally defying cosmic laws so that his people can get to safety, and the text is comparing his actions to that of his mother, who sacrificed her life to give him time to escape. (Off on a tangent, but I cannot help but laugh disbelievingly every time I reread Hua Binan’s death. Like, this man said, “Hey guys, I’m going to fight the demon guardian upholding a law of the universe, hold on a minute.” No consideration, no weighing of options, no nothing. Just “That’s what I’m gonna do then!” I mentioned in another post that despite his villainy I cannot help but respect the sheer audacity that Shi Mei has, and... yeah, I’m going to have to admit that the actions Hua Binan took leading up to his death display that same audacity.)

If I was choosing something to contrast the narrative tone of Hua Binan’s death with, I’d bring up Yagami Light, from Death Note. (I’m sticking to manga canon here, not anime.) He’s absolutely losing his composure, unable to face the fact that he’s been defeated and he has to die, and is crawling all over the ground desperately for a way to save himself. He then proceeds to start begging Ryuk to help him, and goes completely ballistic when Ryuk instead writes his name in his Death Note.

Hua Binan goes in almost the exact opposite fashion; he is not losing his composure, he’s unflinching at the knowledge that these actions mean his own death, and he’s not trying to save himself - he’s giving his life to save the other Butterfly-Boned Beauty Feasts. I mean, he literally keeps holding on despite being in enormous pain to make sure everyone gets through! At no point during his death does the text say or imply that he regrets sacrificing himself for the other Butterfly-Boned Beauty Feasts. I also really like how there is no thought in his mind as he’s being crushed that isn’t related to his people - most notably there’s nothing about Chu Wanning, whom he is supposedly in love with. I think it’s driving in that Hua Binan’s ultimate priority, despite what kind of feelings he might have towards anyone else, has always been his people. Nothing else will ever matter to him as much as his goal to get the Butterfly-Boned Beauty Feasts to safety. (Although, mind you, that’s not necessarily a good thing - just look at all the devastation and death he caused in pursuit of that goal.) And like I said, I think that by giving him a heroic death, Meatbun was respecting that, if nothing else, his determination to stop the suffering of his brutalized people was truly genuine, and truly commendable.

That’s what sets this apart, for me, from the message, “Revolutionaries who want to overturn deep-rooted social injustices will go bad because they are corrupted by the power they have.” Hua Binan is not corrupted by power! His desire to save his people never changes, it’s never gradually distorted into something megalomaniacal the way that “cautionary tales” warn us will happen to revolutionaries. It is not the warping of his goal to end an injustice that makes him a villain - because that remains pure and unchanging, from start to finish. Rather, it’s the amount of innocent people he hurt and killed to achieve that goal. The fact that he perpetuates a cycle of abuse - dehumanization and brutalization is what he and his people suffer, and he responds in kind, by creating and executing a master plan hinged on dehumanizing and brutalizing others. That’s what Meatbun is condemning him for, and that’s why he’s the villain. And I really appreciate that she, in my opinion, makes it very clear that his goal itself was and remains a good thing. As mentioned above, the way I see it, the relative dignity of Hua Binan’s death was an acknowledgement the fact that there was nothing inherently wrong with his desire to save his people, that it was in fact a heroic desire. Because of that nuance, I’m not as put off as I usually am at the idea of the main villain being the member of an oppressed race, and I think Meatbun avoided the “cautionary tale” trope of having a revolutionary seeking justice becoming warped with power.