#haven't written in forever

[steviesummer]

inspired by and as a direct follow up to this post by @strangersteddierthings:

Eddie is horrified. He remembers the day Steve is referring to, though clearly not as well as Steve does. He calls out as Steve raced up the stairs and hears his door slam.

“Fuck.” He stares blankly at the wall in front of him. He can’t believe things went so bad so quickly. He’s been trying to get to know Steve better, get closer and damn if he didn’t just blow the hole thing. He’d shown up early, told Steve he needed to prepare as an excuse to spend some time with him. Despite everything that happened over spring break, Steve had remained guarded, standoffish no matter what Eddie tried. At least now he knew why. He’d fucked things up before he’d known there was something to fuck up.

He feels even worse about calling him a bully. Sure, Steve had looked the other way and even laughed at some of the mean jokes others had made, but he was far from the worst. That dubious award went to Billy Hargrove, but even without him, there was plenty of people who did far worse than Steve did. Especially because Steve is right. He did hit first, metaphorically at least. He can justify it all he wants as trying to protect himself, but that doesn’t make it right. Steve all but admitted that as he said the same thing. He feels nauseous at the realization that maybe he was just as bad as those he decried. That for all his talk about accepting outcasts and defying convention, he was just as prejudiced. Swallowing hard, he heads back to the dining room and looks at the clock. There is no way he is going to be able to run the campaign today. He’s not going to be able to focus or even play without thinking about how things might have been if he hadn’t driven Steve off all those years ago. He grabs the phone and dials Gareth’s number. “Emerson house, Sheryl speaking.” “Hi Mrs. Emerson, it’s Eddie.” Eddie is proud that he manages to keep his voice even. “Is Gareth there?” “Oh, yes! Let me go get him for you.” “Thanks Mrs. Emerson.” Eddie focuses on breathing while he waits. “Eddie? Hey man, what’s up?” Eddie breathes out. “Hey Gareth. Look, I know its last minute, but we’re gonna have to postpone Hellfire. Something came up.” He could hear Gareth’s frown through the phone. “Postpone? What happened, did Harrington do something?” As if he couldn’t feel worse. “Nah. I’ll explain later, but can you call Jeff and Frank, let them know? I gotta call the freshman, too.” “Alright, but I’m going to hold you to that.” “Fair enough. Talk to you tomorrow.” Eddie promises before hanging up. He weighs his options for how to tell the Party. Eventually, he decides on calling Mike, know that the younger teen won’t push too much. He’s dialing the Wheeler home before he can second guess his decision. “This is Mike.” Eddie feels a rush of gratitude that Mike is the one who answered, rather than Nancy or one of their parents. “Hey Mike, it’s Eddie. Listen, Steve’s not feeling great and having Hellfire here isn’t going to help. Can you call the rest of the Party, let them know we’re gonna move it to another day? I’ll keep an eye on Steve.” Eddie knows Mike is a confused, given how adamant he’s been in the past about not canceling or moving Hellfire, but as he expected, Mike accepts what he says at face value. “Sure. Need us to bring anything?” “Nah, I’ve got it. Pretty sure he just needs some peace and quiet so he can rest. But thanks.” They say their goodbyes and Eddie puts the phone back on the hook.  With that done, he checks that the door is locked and faces the stairs. Now for the hard part. He’s not sure what he’s going to say, if there is anything he can say that will fix this, but he has to try. Even if doesn’t change things between him and Steve, Steve deserves at least that much. Every step feels like it takes effort, chest heavy with guilt, but it only takes him a few moments to get to Steve’s door. It’s closed, which doesn’t surprise him. He takes a moment to gather his thoughts before knocking. Nothing. “Steve?” If it wasn’t for the quiet sound of Steve’s breathing he could hear through the door, Eddie would think he had left. He glad that he at least didn’t drive Steve out of his own home. He rests his forehead on the door. “I’m sorry.” Eddie hopes Steve can hear how much he means it. “You’re right, I fucked up. I made an assumption and took out my anger at other people on you. And that wasn’t fair and it’s not okay. But I want you to know that I’m sorry. Even if it wasn’t you, I shouldn’t have done that.” He lets out a hysterical laugh as he realizes - “And despite that, you still humor the kids when they talk about D&D and agreed to let us play here and didn’t punch me in the face, which makes you a better man than I.” He falls silent, listens as Steve’s breathing slows. He isn’t sure how long he stands there. He wonders how many other people he hurt this way, without even realizing. Knows he wants to do better, be better. He sighs, feeling his shoulders slump. “Anyway, I canceled Hellfire for today. I told everyone something came up, don’t worry about that. I’ll make up some story, make sure they know its not your fault. And uh,  let me know if you want to hang out again or something. I know I’ve been around a lot; didn’t realize that I was making you so uncomfortable, which is probably another thing I should apologize for. Anyway. Yeah. I’ll see you around, okay?” He waits a moment for an answer, but when none comes, he backs away from the door and walks downstairs to gather his stuff. It hurts, but he knows Steve deserves space and to be the one to initiate contact. He has some thinking to do, anyway.

[weewoo911]

So I wrote a little something loosely based on this post I made about Eddie subconsciously associating his future wedding as being with Buck- I haven't written for ages but I thought if I was gonna make it into a fic I'd also have an accidental drunk confession to Buck in there- and this is that. If I ever wrote a whole fic of this there'd be no cheating so dw dw

"It must be nice," Buck says from the floor, "Marr-Marriaging, -having a wedding. I want that, I'd want-"

"I know what you want," Eddie laughs confidently from the empty tub. It feels very zen, lying here with his legs hooked over the circular tub, like lying inside a big cereal bowl. He is so drunk, and giddy and totally at peace with everything, "You want a spring wedding because you want a frankly ridiculous amount of flowers. You want it far enough away from the city that you can see the stars at night, but not so far that it'd cost too much for everyone to travel there. You like the idea of releasing lanterns but you're worried about the environment so you'd probably want - like- doves or butterflies instead-"

"Butterflies," Buck says from the floor, his voice thick, "Eddie, what-"

"M'not finished," Eddie continues with the gravitas of someone so hammered they cant feel their legs but who is nevertheless making an Important Point, "Butterflies, then. You want a light coloured suit, something that breathes well because you'll worry about sweating. Bobby would be doing the ceremony, so maybe Athena to walk you down the aisle? And of course Maddie as your best man. Woman. Person."

"… Maddie?"

"Well yeah," Eddie shrugs, transfixed by how the ceiling seems to be slowly tilting to the side, "Because Chris would be mine, and that way they can both be involved."

There's a frantic shuffling noise from the floor, and Buck's voice is much clearer when he speaks again, "Eddie. Eddie are you talking about- me and you getting married?"

"Who else?" And in his alcohol-soaked state, it's as simple as that- who else. God knows he's tried to fit other people into that role and they just never fit right because the void in his life is so decisively Buck-shaped. Haha, God knows, his chest begins to shake with silent laughter, it's funny, right? Because of the Catholicism.

"And that's-" Buck sounds kind of upset, which makes Eddie pause, why would Buck be upset when there's good booze and the ceiling is tilting and they're getting married? "That's something you want- the-the spring wedding and the butterflies and the-"

Oh, Buck's simply misunderstood, that's easy.

"I just wanna be the guy standing next to you."

[rebrandedbard]

How does the great Sandpiper successfully smuggle 130 children out of the Nilfgaard-occupied territory of Hamm? With the power of a forgotten story, a traditional song, and a masterful lie.

A piece for my upcoming fic, The Piper of Hamm, based on The Pied Piper of Hamelin, next in my fairy tale series.

[wikiangela]

tease tidbit tuesday

it's Tuesday somewhere so starting it off early lol

after 7x09 I had like 4 new ideas (plus maaaany more non-episode related ideas, istg lately there's so many, I don't know what to focus on lol my brain feels loud, and I feel like I'm writing a hundred things at once, I've been a chaotic mess this month istg) but for now im trying to focus on this one fic, and trying to finish whatever this is before the next episode

for now, here's a bit of bucktommy at the medal ceremony after the encounter with gerrard

___

He could punch Gerrard in the face. He really wants to, and if it was a couple years ago, he probably would – but he’s at a work event, the guy is a Captain, unfortunately, and Buck just got a medal, he’s not risking his job right now. He’s not the same impulsive kid he was seven years ago. He’s heard enough stories from Chimney and Hen, and recently some vague ones from Tommy, to know that he hates their old Cap. Tommy seems to want to open up to Buck, to let Buck truly know him, but talking about that past, about himself back then, about the whole environment is not easy, and Buck gets that. They have time to get to know each other, neither of them is going anywhere. Buck’s certainly not planning to, and when Tommy says he isn’t, either, Buck finds himself trusting him, which is very new but so exciting.

“It’s- well, it was to be expected.” Tommy shrugs, his face a careful, neutral mask that Buck’s just starting to learn to see past, then sits down when they approach the table, putting his plate down – they’re sharing it with Eddie, Marisol and Christopher, but the three of them are still at the buffet getting food. Buck takes a seat next to him, then scoots his chair closer – close enough that their knees touch, but far enough that they still appear professional. “It just threw me off. Actually, threw me twenty years back for a moment.” he huffs an unamused, bitter laugh.

___

no pressure tags: @shortsighted-owl @eddiebabygirldiaz @watchyourbuck @loserdiaz @ladydorian05 @diazpatcher @monsterrae1 @weewootruck @spagheddiediaz @rainbow-nerdss @epicbuddieficrecs @pirrusstuff @nmcggg @rogerzsteven @bidisasterevankinard @giddyupbuck @sunshinediaz @honestlydarkprincess @911-on-abc @jesuisici33 @steadfastsaturnsrings @buddieswhvre @fortheloveofbuddie @daffi-990 @hoodie-buck @aroeddiediaz @thewolvesof1998 @exhuastedpigeon @underwaterninja13 @spotsandsocks @hippolotamus @your-catfish-friend @dangerpronebuddie @neverevan @loveyouanyway @tizniz @theotherbuckley @diazsdimples

[aimbutmiss]

"Finally, we have some alone time." Shanks sighed as he settled into the comfort of the expensive armchair, away from the intimidating presence of Crocodile and the judgemental eyes of Hawk Eye. It was a random decision, dropping by Cross Guild's headquarters. Of course he knew that two emperors meeting would draw the government's attention, but he couldn't bring himself to regret the spontaneous act as he stared at the lovely clown in front of him.

"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you."

"Huh?"

Buggy rolled his eyes at the red head's easily swayed attention. "I wouldn't be so sure that we are alone."

"... You think they're listening?" Shanks turned to the closed tent door in worry.

"No, I made them promise not to and they wouldn't break my trust like that. However... Croccy's really good at finding loopholes. I'm certain Daz is listening to us as we speak." He cleared his throat and raised his voice. "Daz? If you're there can you please knock twice on the door?"

Silence.

"Ugh, come on. If your boss can use loopholes so can I. Did he specifically say you had to be discreet?"

After a short moment, two small knocks were heard.

"Thank you!" Buggy turned back to Shanks, lowering his voice to fit the casual conversation they were having. "See?"

Shanks scoffed in disdain. "I can't believe he trusts you so little."

"He trusts me just fine. It's you he doesn't trust. Rightfully so, may I add."

Shanks' shoulders sagged at the formal speech. It's like there was a thick, invisible wall between them, and it hurt too much to bear.

"Buggy... Come to the Red Force with me. We can at least have some privacy there."

Buggy shook his head. "Absolutely not. As much as I would love to see Benn and Lucky Roux, it's not worth it."

Shanks could have made a joke about him not including Yasopp but he was too confused by the rest of the statement to do so. "What do you mean it's 'not worth it'? Too lazy to walk to the shore now?" He asked jokingly but the worry was evident in his voice nonetheless.

"Of course it's not that, idiot. I just don't want to be alone with you in your own turf."

The room was dead silent but Shanks could swear he could hear his heart shattering. "You trust me that little?"

The clown sighed, already tired from where the conversation was heading. "Shanks, this isn't about trust. It's about letting go of the past."

"So you do not miss me?"

Buggy lips tightened to a thin line.

"Because I miss you."

"Wrong thing to say with someone listening in..." Buggy mumbled under his breath. "Croccy will throw you off the island at this rate and even Mihawk won't be able to stop him."

Shanks' brow twitched at hearing the stupid nickname again, dropping from the bluette's lips so casually. "He respects you two that little?"

"No, he respects us that much. He cares, in his own, weird way. He's a good man."

Shanks smirked at the ridiculous answer. "A good man? You truly believe that? I can see your lips curling you know."

Buggy rolled his eyes. "He's a good man to the people that matter. He's good to me, Shanks. And neither of us are saints you know."

"Even so-"

"I have fame, money and power... But more importantly I have people who care about me to share it with." Buggy cut him off before he could get another word in. "People who protect me and help me when I need it but never push me. People who treat me like their equals. And for once in my life, I'm truly happy. And you're upset that you're not a part of that happiness. To that I say; move on, Shanks. I have, so should you."

"..."

"It's better for the both of us really."

Shanks bounced his leg up and down restlessly as his thoughts became cloudy. If anyone would have told him 25 years ago that him and Buggy would be where they are, so close yet so far from each other, Shanks would have never believed them.

He thought of a million things to say, questions to ask, to beg, but he could only bring himself to say one thing. "If that's your wish."

Shanks got up and turned around to leave, but Buggy spoke up last minute. "I do care for you, you know. I always have."

It wasn't a love confession, not really, but it was the closest thing to it that Shanks would ever get. "I know."

He didn't quite care how rude or embarrassing it was to avoid Mihawk's eyes as he boarded the Red Force to leave Karai Bari, he just did it because he knew the man would instantly know from one look what had just transpired between him and Buggy. And he didn't want to give him and Crocodile the privilege of knowing they won. They would still know, of course, but at least Shanks kept his pride (in his heart, at least).

[augustinewrites]

it’s the middle of summer, it’s way too hot, and it’s his one day off, but atsumu’s dragged himself into the heart of downtown osaka for this.

“let me get those for ya.”

he takes the bags of rice from your arms, hoping you notice the way his biceps flex when he grabs the second bag from kita’s truck with little effort. 

“oh, thank you. i’ll grab the door for you,” you offer, wiping your hands on your apron and pulling the back door open. 

he thanks you with a nod and a bright smile, leaving you outside to sign for the delivery. 

“hey,” he greets the manager as he passes the small back office. “where do you want these?”

osamu glances up from his laptop, pausing to do a double take. “uh, just set them down in the pantry— wait,” he’s about to go do that before his brother stops him. “so you’re just…helping? unprompted?”

“yeah? sometimes my heart’s just so big i can’t stand it.”

his twin leans back in his seat and looks at him. really looks at him, in the way that their ma would when she knew they were lying. “only when you want something.” 

the back door swings open, atsumu diverting his full attention to you once more. “i just sweet talked kita into waiving the delivery fee again this month.” 

“that’s my girl,” he grins, lifting his hand. you roll your eyes and call him cheesy under your breath, but indulge him with a crisp high-five anyway. 

his heart swells in his chest when you look up at him. and oh man, you look good. with your gorgeous eyes and even prettier—

“atsumu?” 

“yeah?” he blinks.

“i’ve got work to do…”

atsumu, not quite understanding, follows your gaze to where his hand is clutching yours. he hadn’t even realized… 

he drops your hand immediately, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “oh, right. sorry. it’s just not that often that i get to work side-by-side with someone as pretty as you.”

“wow. was that meant to be a line?” you ask.

“depends,” he shrugs, leaning just the slightest bit closer. “did it work?” 

you lean your hip against the counter, staring up at him. “what is going on with you?”

“nothing.”

“really? because you’re being very cute today.” 

“what are you talking about? i’m cute everyday,” he states like it’s a fact, tying an apron around his waist. “unrelated…have i told you how beautiful you are today?”

“not since this morning,” you quip, your smile growing as you begin pulling ingredients from the pantry. “why? are you trying to butter me up for something?”

“well…” he starts, drawing a deep breath. “i was going to see if you wanted to get lunch today. on me, of course.” 

you set your knife down, turning to face him. “are you insinuating that i can be bought?”

he hesitates at that, his heart practically falling out of his asshole. “i– i mean we can split it if that makes you feel better.” 

“atsumu?”

“yeah?” 

“i was kidding, of course we can get lunch together,” you assure him, patting his arm as you step around him. “let me just finish prepping for tonight, then we can go.” 

once you’ve stepped out of the kitchen, atsumu turns to face his twin, who’s watching from the office. “just say it, ya scrub.” 

osamu doesn’t pull his punches, shaking his head slightly. “so that’s what you wanted.”

[obaewankenope]

I've had a Thought™ in my head for weeks now about an AU where Tim Drake is the grandson of Ra's al-Ghul and also Bruce's son through Janet (accidental kid of Ra's?? Idk). Like... Idk why, or how, but imagine the whole situation with Bruce technically finding another son (who blackmails him into being the Robin to his Batman) but not knowing this (because reasons idfk) and then we get the whole Damian reveal where he's certain he's the only blood kid of Bruce's and then we get the Red Robin arc and Tim actually finding out the truth (at the Worst Time™) from Ra's of all fucking people and then he has to take this knowledge with him back to Gotham and strained relationships and idk how it'd come out but imagine Ra's showing up for his "grandson" or sth and everyone assumes he means Damian because, obviously, except then it's Tim and there's Questions™ after and Ra's just giving a parting promise to catch-up soon (creep). And then you just have them all in the Cave interrogating Tim while the DNA runs and bam! Not only is he Ra's' grandson just like Damian, he's also Bruce's biokid just like Damian. Imagine the angst and the chaos that'd cause for Bruce "I fell apart after Jason died and needed a kid to keep me alive" Wayne realising that the way he treated Tim was Bad and also that's his son, how could he have even!!!

And through all this, Tim is like "I thought you knew and didn't care" or "it didn't matter, you didn't choose me, it's fine" or "well Ra's is an asshole and I'm gonna go ruin his League servers in revenge" because it's not a Big Deal for him (it is, he's just not able to handle this right now... Or ever).

And then we just get some healing and apologies and everyone becomes better and Tim basically gains Talia for an quasi-aunt and "oh no, refund please" while Damian has to come to terms with the fact he genuinely tried to murder his brother from the moment they met and everyone needs therapy yesterday.

Idk where I was going with this... It's just been In My Head Forever.

[missjoolee]

Chapel of Love

1.1k words

The barest hint of hot, dry air ruffled against the baby hairs on the back of her neck doing little relief. Long gone were the multi-layered stage outfits, having learned she needed something more breathable underneath the stagnant tent two days ago at the start of the music festival. Instead, she wore a poofy crop top with shorts, and she could feel Luke’s eyes roaming the revealed skin of her shoulders, midriff, and legs with each song they sang together. He'd been winding her up with each set.

Her hands grip the top of the mic stand as she leans into where the mic sits, holding herself in place where normally she would be dragging it over to share with Luke in this moment. But they are halfway through the seventh and final set and his eyes weren’t the only thing she could feel looming nearby. Just outside the Loud & Local tent sat the “Chapel of Love”. And the next lyrics were too close to vows that she might do something stupid if she got too close to him. Why had they written them this way, again?

They hadn’t seen the simple archway that signified the “chapel” when they had arrived to set up, the van being parked on the other side of the tent that held the stage that they would share with four other bands over the three day festival. And when they finally had a chance to roam the festival grounds, Reggie pulling them to the food truck selling fancy milkshakes, they saw it but didn’t know what it was. Even on the information board sporting a map, it was just a tiny innocuous dot.

It had been later on a water run that Alex and she saw a small gathering of people under it, two of them sealing their love with a kiss. Apparently, you could get married at this festival.

"Huh," Alex had said, taking a drink from his bottle and then resting his arm on her shoulder. "That's a decision." "I don't know. I think it's kind of sweet," she'd responded. A snort rang out from above her head. "Of course you would say that." She'd sent an accusatory glare up at him, dropping her shoulder so his arm would fall way. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She had known exactly what he meant though. Her eyes close against the crowd in front of her and drift open to her left, knowing exactly where Luke would be.

She can feel electricity thrum through her body as she begins the call and response moment.

"I've got a spark in me."

She can see the confusion on his face, but he smiles at her as the words slide out of him with ease.

"I've got a spark in me."

She closes her eyes against the assault of love intertwining with the electricity already coursing though her. In her mind, the simple archway looms above them. This is why she was fighting her entire being from going to him. It was too soon. Too impulsive.

"And you're a part of me."

She can't escape the feelings that have been building with each performance they've done this weekend. The euphoria of performing their music with the her best friends, and the man she loves, not caring that she shut her eyes in an attempt to block it out.

"And you're a part of me."

Luke's voice right next to her sends a shiver across her shoulders, her eyes jumping open to see he'd closed the distance to share a mic with her. Not letting her run from him, not realizing she wasn't running. She was trying to reign in some very impulsive thoughts. She can see the concern in his eyes behind the determination and can't help the smile that graces her face, softer than what is normally part of her stage persona.

"Now till eternity."

His response is accompanied by the smile he normally saves for her when they are in the studio. One that Alex and Reggie unfortunately have to put up with because it side tracks things often enough. "Now till eternity."

The mental reigns she's been wrestling are completely forgotten about. She's a goner. Their voices twine together like they have thousands of times before.

"Been so long and now I'm finally free."

The rest of the set goes off without a hitch. The adrenaline and dopamine high intoxicating. She feels Reggie's arm go around her shoulders as Luke's goes around her waist and she looks at all her band-mates with pride. This weekend was amazing and did a lot to promote them, even if they were competing for attention with signed bands that have been around a whole lot longer on two other stages. They take a group bow to the crowd before they disperse like the non-existent wind.

Luke's arm tightens and he leans down to her ear to be heard. "Everything okay?" His voice is raspy and a bit lower than normal from doing seven performances in three days.

Perfect. The word rings in her head, bolstering her onto her toes next to his ear so he can hear her response.

"Marry me." Her own voice rough, lower and more sultry than she expected.

He looks surprised as he processes her words, but not like they made him uncomfortable if that same smile he saves for her lighting up his face means anything.

"Yeah. Okay."

She grabs hold of the hand on her waist, interlacing their fingers as she heads for the exit of the tent with determination. He drags behind her a bit.

"You mean right now??"

The first flicker of doubt hits her. "Yes?"

He drops her hand and scrambles to get the guitar strap over his head. "Oh hell yeah."

Her smile is so big she can feel the ache in her cheeks but she doesn't care. He wants this as bad as she does.

A voice interrupts them. "Uh Julie? Luke? Where are you going? We have to pack up our stuff so Midnight Mayhem can go on."

Reggie looks confused, his thumb pointing over his shoulder off the back of the stage. Alex's looks suspicious. Julie can feel heat soar to her cheeks as she looks up at Luke's face and sees the eager giddiness there and then back at Alex. Yeah, that tracks.

"Sorry guys. Got a little distracted. Band meeting after we get everything packed up."

She pulls Luke back over to their gear to begin packing up. Squeezing his hand before dropping it to unplug her keyboard.

He looks at her with confusion. "Band meeting?"

"We'll need witnesses."

"Riiiiiight. Nice."

[merakiui]

That [clingy, codependent boyfriend Azul] writing, was a full experience… You don't know how much I loved it. 

:D thank you so much for reading and enjoying it!!!! I love clingy, codependent boyfriend Zuzu. He's so obsessed... >_< true love for tako is waking up to him cooking you breakfast and you ask him, "What are you doing inside my house?" instead of saying, "Omg awww, thank you, Azul!!! I love you and will marry you and we'll be together forever!!!!!"

[aeondelirium]

Here is my gift for the White Oliphaunt event! Have a lovely, healthy, happy new year. ❤️

Frodo had been intrigued by the elf since he first saw a glimpse of his injury; a thin sliver of greyish flesh spotted between the the cuff of a sleeve and the trimming of a glove. Illness was rare among the elves, and it had begun to make a small loneliness in Frodo’s heart that grew as Bilbo went from old to ancient and he himself was getting on in years. Master Elrond was a healer of great skill, nor was he the only one eager to see to the comfort and health of the hobbits; still he could not halt the march of time. Frodo felt that it pained the elves to witness the slow failing of their mortal bodies. More than once he had seen their neighbours flinch or quickly avert their eyes when Bilbo struggled to rise from the bench outside his home, or when an indrawn breath gave away a sudden pain in his joints. Frodo felt reminded of an old yellow tomcat who had liked to sleep on the warm cobblestones by the well outside Bag End, and the way he had flinched to see him limp away in the evening as his days drew near their end.

The elf with the injured hand drew similar looks of mingled pity and distaste, though Frodo had been made to understand that he had earned the latter. He found it difficult to picture soft-spoken, withdrawn Maglor either as a joyful minstrel or a ruthless warrior; rather he felt as though an invisible hand had plucked kin strings in their souls, and loneliness sung in both of them.

One afternoon, Master Daeron’s beautiful harp had been carried out to the shore by no fewer than four strong elves, and the hobbits had spent a delightful time listening and singing until Bilbo’s rhymes reduced most of the audience to tears of laughter. Frodo’s smile had grown somewhat fixed when he found he was no longer certain that the merriment stemmed from his uncle’s cleverness, rather than the jolly nonsense of his wandering mind. Frodo’s gaze lingered on Maglor, who had not laughed along with the others.

“Does it hurt still?” he found himself asking. Maglor did not turn his eyes on him, but his burned hand twitched inside its glove.

“The hurt is less a thing of the body and more an ache of the soul” he said softly.

Frodo nodded. “I’ve some of those hurts myself.”

“I miss my harp” Maglor confided, his eyes still fixed straight ahead as though he were speaking to himself. “That is perhaps the greatest hurt of all.” There was a silence. Frodo knew no comfort to give the elf.

“Pimpinella Bracegirdle”, said Bilbo beside him, stirring from a brief rest against his shoulder, “loved to dance.” He fixed his watery old eyes on Maglor with an intensity that finally forced the elf to turn his head and acknowledge him. Bilbo manoeuvred himself upright with a huff and a puff and wet his lips, ready to spin yet another yarn.

“Now the trouble was”, he continued, “her dear Hugo was lame in one leg whenever the weather was about to change, an old injury from when he was a lad … I seem to recall he’d stepped on a bee and rolled down the hill up near Sandson’s farm …”

Frodo felt a slow flush creeping up his neck and put a gentle hand on his uncle’s arm, hoping to dissuade him from his tale. Bilbo, however, was undeterred. Maglor simply looked at the old hobbit, his face betraying neither amusement nor disdain. He listened with the careful attention of a minstrel.

“Now, a little further down Bagshot Row lived a hobbit who didn’t care much for dancing, despite having two good feet at the end of two good legs. We called him Daddy Twofeet, if you can believe it, for he’d more sense in his toes than that foolish head of his, heh. So on every other feast day, if the weather was about to change, and Pimpinella wanted to dance, Hugo would limp over to Daddy’s hole, and borrow his good right leg, on the condition of course he’d have it back by morning. And then he and Pimpinella would dance the night away, and they didn’t care who knew about it.” The old hobbit finished with a snort and a shake of his grey head.

“Oh Bilbo”, Frodo sighed. 

His uncle bristled. “Don’t you take that tone with me, young hobbit! Hugo and Daddy were my neighbours for many years, and every word is true.”

“Bilbo-”, Frodo began, but the old hobbit shook his hand from his arm.

“Why, I ought to send you to bed without your supper!” he sputtered, now truly querulous in a way only the elderly can muster.

“To bed, yes”, Frodo agreed wearily, and made to rise. “Perhaps it is time for bed.”

“Perhaps you ought to listen to your uncle, Master Baggins.”

All three of them stopped and looked up to where Daeron was watching them, a twinkle of merriment in his bright eyes.

“I think there is some wisdom in his tale”, he went on, and raised a graceful hand in beckoning. Beside the hobbits, Maglor stiffened where he sat, not unlike a rabbit hoping to elude the hunter’s searching gaze.

“Come, Maglor. Sit with me.” Daeron’s voice was gentle, yet brooked no argument. Maglor rose, but doing so cast a sideways glance at Frodo, who could not help but feel he had done the elf a bad turn.

“Show me”, Daeron said as Maglor settled himself on the smooth rock next to him. He opened his hand in invitation, and received Maglor’s own in return. None around them spoke or even shifted as Daeron gently peeled the glove away, a shadow of pain passing over his features at the sight of the marred flesh.

“The skin has hardened”, Maglor said in a voice barely above a whisper, forcing the words out quickly as though they hurt him. “The fingers are too stiff to play.”

Daeron hummed a soft note of agreement, turning the hand over and gently extending the scarred digits. “Yes”, he said at last, “that hand is hardly fit to pluck my harp.”

His finger’s tightened around Maglor’s wrist to prevent him from drawing away. Daeron removed from his shoulders his own lovely blue scarf, and, resting Maglor’s hand in his lap, gently pulled the soft fabric over it.

“Between the two of us we have three good hands to play.”

The tune was halting and strange at first. Taking half of two famed minstrels did not, Frodo thought to himself, make a whole one of outstanding skill. Yet there was not a face in the audience that did not smile, or shed a tear, or both.

Beside him, Bilbo rested his wizened head back on his shoulder. An elf maiden draped a soft woollen blanket around him against the evening chill. And when the old hobbit begun to hum along in his faltering voice, the music was sweeter than any that had been heard on that shore in a long time.

[cerise-on-top]

Hiya!!! I'm new and I really like your fics:)

Maybe a Hank, Deimos, and Sanford (separate) with a S/O who is a bit insecure about their weight or curves?

Hey there! Thank you, that's very kind of you! Here you go :-)

Hank, Sanford and Deimos with an Insecure!S/O

Hank: He’s probably one of the worst people to go to when you’re insecure about something, anything at all. If you have a problem with your weight, then just lose some, it’s not that hard. It would take some convincing on your behalf for him to even understand a little bit that it’s not that simple, that it takes time and dedication and is just a pain in general. It’s not that he doesn’t care, but he doesn’t really know how to show that he does. He doesn’t have a way with words, he’s not very cuddly either. But if he sees just how much your weight and your curves bother you, he’ll try a bit harder to cheer you up. Although his words may seem harsh, he means well when it comes to you. Besides, he can just pick you up still, he’s always benefitted from a naturally good physique, so I doubt he won’t be able to. Will sometimes pick you up to show you that it’s not that bad. He loves you, he just doesn’t know how to show it properly. While he won’t ever comment on your appearance, aside from you being cute, he’ll try to help you otherwise. If you ever mention to him how you feel unworthy of being loved, he’ll tell you that it really isn’t a big deal to him. Hank wouldn’t be with you if he didn’t love you beyond that. Might get annoyed if you’re too insecure too often, but he won’t let it out on you. At one point, he’ll likely tell you to shut up and tell you the reasons why he thinks you are beautiful. Again, he’s not very eloquent, but he tries. Anyone who dares to make a mean comment about you will wind up dead very quickly.

Sanford: He has a healthy layer of chub himself, but he’s not insecure about it in the slightest. However, if you show any signs of insecurity about anything, he’s probably the best person to go to. Sanford is a very understanding guy and would try his darndest to make you feel better. You’re gorgeous, you should know as much, but it’s okay if you’re not aware of that fact just yet, you’ll get there eventually. He’s not too eloquent either, but he’ll tell you just how beautiful you are. Your softness is something to be cherished in rough and harsh Nevada. Definitely not above picking you up, laying you down on the nearest soft surface and just holding you for the time being. His hand will be above your stomach so he can squeeze it every once in a while. It just feels nice to him. You’re warm, you’re soft, you’re safe and for once he doesn’t have to worry about getting killed by some no one. Will also use your tummy as the perfect pillow if he ever feels like it, all the while complimenting you on how cute you are and how comfortable he is in the moment. Doesn’t take too kindly to someone else being mean to you. In fact, he doesn’t take too kindly to you being mean to yourself either. If it’s someone else who is making you insecure, then they’ll either wind up dead or with a few broken bones. If you’re being a downer then he’ll cuddle you and nuzzle into you all the while listing all the things he loves about you. It’s his goal to either get you to smile again by the time he’s done, or maybe even hear you giggle a bit. You’re the most wonderful grunt in Nevada, he wants you to be doing well, mentally and physically.

Deimos: If you ever mention around him that you feel as though you’re not pretty enough due to being curvy, then he’ll tell you that that’s fucking bullshit. Not only do you have a lovely personality, you’re also smoking hot to him. That’s one of the reasons why Deimos ended up with you in the first place, you’re everything he was looking for. Since you’re always there for him whenever he needs it, he’ll do the same for you. Like Sanford, he’ll compliment you on your appearance. You’re sexy as fuck, you should be aware of that. You’re royalty, you should carry yourself as such and watch everyone around you go green with envy. Although he hugs you fairly often as it is, he’ll do so more often from now on, just so he can squeeze you in his arms and feel how soft you are. You’ve got the perfect body and Deimos couldn’t have asked for anyone better. Besides, food is scarce in Nevada, you being chubby just means that you’re eating well, another reason why all those other grunts should be jealous of you and worship you instead. Again, if someone ends up being rude towards you, then he’ll break their skull or shoot them. Deimos has his ways of making someone’s life a living hell and he’s not afraid to use them when it comes to you. He’ll hug you, he’ll cuddle you, he’ll compliment you in a vulgar way as well, but you really need to realise your worth. Although it’s hard for him to abstain from touching you, on some days he won’t give you a kiss until you’ve said something nice about your appearance, that’s just how it be then. However, once you’re being nicer to yourself, he’ll go back to his usual self and smother you in love.

[feuqueerfire]

The Categories of Final Hallucinations

I noticed 2 types of visions that the characters had in the last episode, specifically in regards to Non

Non was front and center and the visions are about him

Phee: He kept continually seeing Non die in different ways, including some which were new and unseen ways. He's grieving Non's death and also feels guilty for what he's said (the "Get lost and die"). Phee was also the only person who understood that these were visions and Non wasn't real. Even in the 2 years later part (which may or may not be real - tbh I'm thinking of it as a continuation of the hallucinations in the courtyard), Phee sees Non walking into the water.

Tee: Non asks Tee to kill him with a knife on the rooftop because he’s so trapped while working for Tee’s uncle. Tee has been feeling guilty about his actions bringing Non into this world and ultimately being unable to get him out of the mess, so this manifests as a horrific way to help Non, though of course he ends up stabbing White in reality :’(

Tan: Non thanks him, then hangs himself, then thanks him again. Tan just wanted to be a good brother and in these hallucinations, after he has avenged Non, he finally is. His last vision is Non thanking him and walking into the light.

Non may or may not be there but it's mostly about their own situations/consequences/fears rather than Non

Fluke: Non is hardly there except at the end, Fluke's mostly being chased by a cop because he's deathly afraid of ruining his reputation and not getting to become a doctor. Aside: I loved that Fluke gouged his own eyes out, the eyes with which he was constantly witnessing the misbehavior against Non (Top breaking the camera, Jin taking the video) but keeping silent about

Top: He was just being chased by Non through the woods, very little depth because we hardly knew anything about him

White: he never knew Non and so his visions are about his relationship with Tee instead

Jin: I don't think Non even appeared in this but I'd have to double check. It was mostly about what if what Jin did to Non happened to Jin himself with him seeing people taking videos of him in compromising situations, including with Keng

For me, Tee's was the most shocking and horrifying because I was expecting death for Tee (especially after episode 11) but there was the vibe that maybe White is the final girl who will survive. Instead, my mouth fell open as soon as I realized what they were hinting at and I lost my mind as the sequence went on. One of the most unpredictable aspects of this whole show for me and it really is tearing me up, esp after ep 11.

Tan's and Phee's are the most tragic. I didn't cry at all during this show but for a second there, during Tan's visions, I became misty-eyed. (also I've been typing Tan as Non and having to correct... I think NewTan would like that tbh)

I think Jin's was the most disappointing to me because although he knows his actions to release that video were wrong and likely feels guilty, I was hoping Non would at least make an appearance? When Jin apologized to Non the day Non disappeared, Non didn't know what he was apologizing for and said Jin didn't have to apologize. I wanted Jin to apologize to Non while admitting to his wrongdoings, even if it's in hallucinations. Instead, it's Jin being paranoid about what he did to Non being done to him.

[Edited because the Tee/White scene did a whole number on me so I got a bit confused about their visions when I first posted this right after watching the ep]

[lady-of-glass-and-bone]

shout-out to all my girlies (gender non-specific) who have stories in their heads that won't. get. on. paper. I love you and you are doing great sweetie✌️

[drizztdohurtin]

here's y'all's treat *drops this and runs*

---------

below the cut: 661 words of SMUT, this is an excerpt from my unnamed!Tav x Rolan fic still in the works

MDNI

summary: tav sucking DICK

She brought his face back up to hers for a kiss before pushing him back to lean on his hands and beginning to untie the strings on his pants. She hooked one finger on the hem, barely teasing him as she looked into his eyes again.

“Are you sure this is what you want?” she asked him quietly with a stern look that told him to take the question seriously. “It’s not too late to back out… it never is.”

Rolan returned her eye contact with a sincere ‘yes’, pleading for her to do whatever she wanted with him. She rubbed up and down the hardened bulge between his legs and with one last deep kiss on his lips, she got off of his lap to kneel between his legs. Slowly, she pulled both his pants and undergarments down by the hem as he raised his hips for her. Once free of the pants, Rolan's cock landed on his stomach with an audible slap, prompting him to take a deep breath at how exposed he was. 

Tav thought she should take a deep breath too, considering how very little of her blood remained in her head, but all she could think about was the sight in front of her: Rolan’s cock, a mere foot from her face, much larger than she was expecting and with two faint veins running up the sides of it. Not to mention the infernal ridges going up the length of it; something she hadn't even considered whether or not would be present. She was at the breaking point of losing all composure that prevented her from hopping back on his lap and taking him until he cried of pleasure. 

Tav reached out and grabbed a hold of him, giving him one last glance before dragging her tongue from the base of his dick to the tip, tasting the drops of precum that leaked from him. At that very moment, she thought, there was nothing else that could possibly taste better; there was nothing else she’d rather be doing. With one hand wrapped around the base, stroking painstakingly slow, she took the tip into her mouth. Her tongue swirled around it the same way he had done to her nipples just minutes ago. She closed her lips around it, sucking gently, earning herself a few more beads of precum.  

So caught up in the bliss of how he felt in her hand and mouth, further distracted by the way he tasted, only once she began to kiss down his length did she notice his light whimpers of encouragement - beautiful sounds begging her not to stop. Quickly returning him to her mouth, she first guided him further into her mouth than last time, sucking tenderly as she came up, only to go even further the second time. 

She was able to get about half of him into her mouth each time after that, opting to use her hand on the bottom half that her mouth didn’t reach. She repeated her movements, fully lost in his desperate cries and the salty taste leaking from him. Her other hand had been rubbing comforting circles in the softest, most tender parts of his inner thigh and groin - all the while she became so wet she worried she’d never be able to wear her underwear ever again. 

After a couple minutes, she pulled back to view the state of the man in front of her, the veins in his cock that were faint before are now pulsing - he had managed to get even bigger and harder for her. Rolan had barely moved - though at some point he had fallen from his hands to his forearms as his chest heaved and abs tightened in pleasure, all while her ears rang with the sweetest moans she had ever heard. She leaned back in, looking him in the eyes as she kissed his cock once more before rising to her feet. 

“Lay down on the bed, now."

⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺

click to see all updates for my fic

[jeongjaebae]

Better than the movies

Pairing: Sunwoo x reader Genre: fluff Word count: 2.4k Warnings: alcohol, swearing

Everyone else is having fun at the holiday party except you. And even worse is that the resident fuckboy just won't leave you alone.

If your life was a movie, at this moment, you'd be that introvert at a party. All alone by the bar, slowly nursing your drink as the only person you know has left your side to be with a bigger, louder crowd.

You know it's not your friend's fault. It’d be easy to blame her for insisting on bringing you to the party and then leaving you alone, but you also willingly came despite expecting that to happen. Maybe it's not too big of a deal, though. Your drink goes down smoothly, and you can vibe to music from here. Spending the holidays alone is totally fine, right?

At least it is until you spot him.

Kim Sunwoo, the resident 'too hot for his own good and knows it' fuckboy, who happens to enjoy annoying you for his own entertainment. Why the hell is he here? You didn’t know he was close enough to Changmin or Chanhee to get invited, but then again you don’t know much about him outside of the moments when he shamelessly flirts with you.

Now, he's alone and scanning the room. You watch him as his search continues, mildly intrigued that he’d care enough about this person to weave his way through the crowds. Lowkey, you hope he doesn’t end up finding them so that he’d be just as alone as you are at this party. Maybe as karma for teasing you all throughout the semester. 

And maybe then you’d feel a bit better about being alone.

But what you don’t expect is that in the next moment, he suddenly turns towards you and meets your eyes. Forget all the remotely nice thoughts you had about him; you take them back. Kim Sunwoo has the audacity to smirk as he makes his way towards you, and he’s all too quick for you to make an escape.

"Oh look who it is," your enemy greets, settling down on the stool beside you. "Fancy seeing you here, Y/N."

Great. If you'd known that Changmin and Chanhee invited him, you definitely wouldn't have come here tonight. Perhaps you should've written Sunwoo's name down on the 'do not invite' section of the form they sent out, although based on what you've heard, that section is actually used as a list of people they have to invite. For the chaos it'll cause or something like that.

"So? What's the most beautiful person doing here all alone?" 

"Fuck off, Sunwoo," you mutter into your drink, not wanting to deal with him now of all times. 

"Ah, I see," he nods to himself. "Yeah, the party is kind of lame, isn’t it? How about we get out of here and do something more fun?" 

"Don't you, like," you gesture vaguely, "have anyone else to bother?" 

"Wow, that’s so mean, Y/N. Come on, it's the holidays. Can't you make my wish come true and be a little nicer to me?" Sunwoo pouts just slightly and you can no longer tell if he’s still joking or not. 

You sigh, feeling the annoyance dissipate into a pang of guilt instead. He's not wrong—you probably should be a little nicer when it's the holidays and all. But before you can mutter an apology, he’s moving his seat closer to you so he can lean in like he does every time he manages to sit beside you in class. It's nothing to react to, having grown all too used to it. 

And yet… in class it’s one thing. Here, it doesn’t quite feel the same.

"What about you?" you ask, quickly changing the subject and looking away before the thoughts can continue. "Are you this nice to everyone?" 

He’s silent for a moment and you think you’ve managed to catch him off guard. But soon enough he bounces back just as easily. "Do you want me to only be nice to you?"

You lift your drink to your lips and use that as an excuse not to answer him. 

Surprisingly, he doesn't push it. Sunwoo stays silent for the next while and opts to sip on his drink quietly beside you, only turning to people-watch when you do. The rest of the party seems like an entirely different world from your corner: there's loud music blasting in the background and the room is filled with a sea of smiles and laughter. You can see your friend dancing on the table while Juyeon silently begs them to come down, and over by the tree, Younghoon and his friend are all whispers and shy glances.

Overall, the party looks like a success. You can’t spot the hosts anywhere, but it seems like they did a great job with it if everyone is having a great time. Well, almost everyone.

Sunwoo follows your gaze. "They look like they're having fun."

"Then why aren't you with them? That could be you too."

"Nah," he shakes his head. "I could think of much better things that you and I could be doing."

"Yeah? Like what?"

He leans in until his voice is a whisper in your ear, and you don’t need to see him to know that he’s wearing his signature cocky expression again. "You want to know? Come back to my place and I'll show you."

That has you nearly laughing out loud. Sunwoo has said that to you so many times that it's lost all meaning already, and you're not sure he even means it, really. At most he's simply trying to get a rise out of you, to annoy you just so he can say you're hot when you're angry. It's hilarious how little variation there is to his tricks; by now, you know all of them by heart like bad lines from a movie you've watched too many times.

Wait—movie lines. That's exactly what the things he says end up sounding like, as if they really are lines that he's sloppily copied from somewhere. There's always been something about them that sounded off and you know he says these things to be flirty, or at least attempt to be, but they make him come off as cringey instead.

On the other hand, why would he purposely be doing this? You shift a bit until you're facing him, trying to read him to maybe get a hint at his intentions. Tonight he looks less irritating with the filter of dim lighting and alcohol obscuring his face—those round eyes are warmer, less smug, and his smile isn't quite as cocky either. It's as if he looks sincere for once. As if his asshole persona is finally cracking and you're getting a glimpse of the person underneath it.

And maybe it's seeing him like this, or maybe it’s your judgment becoming more blurred by the minute, but you start to think. Would it be such a terrible idea to go with him and find out what awaits you? Surely it can’t be worse than being at this party and feeling like you're alone in a room full of people. It can't be too bad if there's the off chance it might actually be fun, and maybe you’ll be able to figure out what his deal is.

Besides, the fact that he's the one keeping you company here while your friends are nowhere to be seen has to count for something.

"You know what? Okay, sure." You down the rest of your drink and set it aside. "Let's get out of here."

"Wait what?" Sunwoo merely stares at you for a moment as his smile is gradually replaced with a confused frown. You're not sure what kind of reaction you were expecting, but admittedly, it wasn't this. “Are you serious right now?"

"Yeah," you respond with a nod. "You're the one who suggested it, right? So let's go." When he's still slow to move, you slip out of your seat first. "Come on. Let's go and you can show me this fun time you've been proposing forever."

Now is when he should agree, you think. At least that's what you imagined—the moment you give in, he'd be springing up with a grin, as enthusiastic as he always is. But now, Sunwoo doesn't budge. He doesn't react at all until the slight tilting of the ground beneath your feet ends up throwing you off balance. 

"Be careful," he mutters, quickly reaching out to hold you steady, and then helps you sit back on your stool. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah." You shoot him a smile once you're properly seated, and he immediately lets go. And for some reason, you actually find yourself missing the warmth of his touch as it quickly disappears and is replaced by cold air. That's a thought for another time, though. "Why wouldn't it be?" you say instead, rolling your eyes at him. "We're going to have a great night, aren't we?"

"Y/N... hey, what's wrong? Talk to me."

The denial is at the tip of your tongue but dies instantly when you glance at him. Already, the Sunwoo in front of you doesn't look like the one you've interacted with on campus. This one seems completely different, like a real person instead of the one dimensional side he’s always shown you before. 

So you give in and decide to confide in him for the first time. "Well, for starters, I don't even know why I'm here. I thought this would at least be better than spending tonight in my apartment alone, but maybe it isn't."

"You're not alone. I'm right here."

"No offense but… I'm not really sure that having a fuckboy as my only company makes it any better."

"Hey, no. What?" The frown on Sunwoo's face deepens to the point where you can barely remember what his signature smirk looked like. You barely remember what was so irritating about him in the first place when he looks so serious now, even genuine. "Is that really how you see me?"

"Then how do you want me to see you? All you've done is try to flirt with me since the minute we met, and we've never actually had a real interaction outside of that. Until now."

And for once, there's no flirty retort, no smirk, no mischievous twinkle in his eyes. For once, he has no comeback at all.

"Like, what do you want from me, Sunwoo?" you continue, still running on liquid courage. "Why are you here and not with all the other people you could be with? I'm sure you have plenty of people to spend the holidays with, so are you here out of pity because I'm alone? Or is it because I'm just someone you want to mess around with for fun?"

"No, what? Shit, Y/N, I—" He pauses and runs a hand through his hair. "I'm not here for anyone else. I only came to this party at all because I was hoping you'd be here."

"Why would you do that?"

As soon as the words leave your mouth, you can see the many emotions flashing across his face. It's strange. You'd only ever seen the happy exterior he shows the world and never thought too much about it, but seeing him like this is putting him in a different light. And when paired with his words, you're finally starting to see that things might not have been what they seemed.

That there's more to him and to the behaviour that you'd easily dismissed.

"Because..." Sunwoo slowly drags out. "I wanted to see you. And hang out with you. And get to know you better—oh come on. Y/N, you're really going to make me spell it out?"

"Spell what out? That you're in love with me?"

"That—" He stops, and you think he's going to deny your little joke, but he doesn't. Even under the dim lighting, you can see the tinge of red spreading across Sunwoo's cheeks to the tip of his ears.

How is that possible? You had no idea that was even possible, and frankly, you still don't. But putting all of it together makes too much sense for it to not be true. The way he acted around you, the way he intentionally tried to get your attention each time—perhaps this rare moment of sincerity tonight is showing that it's true. It’s real.

"Really?” Your heart speeds up a notch despite not knowing how to respond to this sudden confession. "That's quite a way of showing it. Why couldn't we just talk normally then?"

"I… I guess I wanted you to notice me."

"Notice you?" you repeat, thinking he’s kidding until his gaze drops in embarrassment. "Have you ever looked in the mirror? Anyone would've noticed you, Sunwoo. You didn't have to act like an asshole for that to happen."

"You're not like that." Then before you can say anything, he continues. "But hey, give me a little credit here. I thought it was a dumb idea too, okay? It's all Chanhee's fault, that bastard. Honestly, I don't know why I believed him for a second."

You study him again, searching his face for any sign that this might be a joke, but there isn’t any. Sunwoo meets your eyes and it’s like you can see through him for the first time. If anything, the part about everything being Chanhee's idea does sound legitimate, even though the only thing you know about the guy is that he has inadvertently ruined your holiday by inviting you to this party.

"Y/N, you're not alone, okay? And I'm not trying to mess with you. I know I've been an asshole and this party has been absolute trash, but give me a chance to turn things around? You deserve to have a nice holiday."

"I guess." The situation is so strange that you no longer know how to react when he's being so genuine now. "Then… let's get out of here and have a much better time than everyone here, yeah?"

"Alright!" He does spring up from his seat now, with the same enthusiasm that you'd always pictured. "You're the best, babe."

"Don't push your luck, boy."

Sunwoo's smile only grows wider at the sound of your teasing remark. You might not know what's in store for the rest of the night, but the way his whole face brightens may just be enough to say that coming to this party was worth it after all.

[glimmeringtwilight]

Imagine Dottore wanting to test a device on you. Nothing... outwardly sinister, and he insists he isn't even going to power it on- he's just testing the fit on different body types, you see.

But the thing is, he needs you lying on your stomach to finish fitting it, and you don't know what it is he's hooked up to the harness on your back but it's so heavy against your back it's making you lightheaded, you don't think you can get up, and the harness is so tight and constricting, it's really hard to move your arms, and-

Oh, Dottore seems to be distracted by something else now, his hands wandering to the hem of your shirt, to the waistband of your pants. These harnesses are meant to be worn during combat, you see, so he just needs to check that they're comfortable enough to wear (they're not. You're sure he did the straps so tight on purpose) during... strenuous activities.

Of course, when you protest, Dottore asks if you'd rather test it in actual combat. He doesn't mind! He's more than willing to patch you up, afterwards. He is a doctor, after all (you sincerely doubt he's ever been to medical school). Just don't expect him to go easy on you. He wants results.

But you remember the last time he giddily offered you an alternative when you objected his tests, and you decide to bite your tongue. He takes your silence as an answer and continues, and you focus on your breathing with the weight on your back.