#i do want to do his romance route though. trying to decide if i should do wizard(gale)/wizard(me) for that good good academic competition

[kalashtars]

every day i spend so much time thinking about Gale, truly brain rot levels of pondering over him and his story, and then i load up bg3 and look at my companions, one of whom is Gale, and go 😍 Astarion 😍 so all this to say, i think the video game is cockblocking Gale

[g1rlr0b1n]

Any headcanons about Jon Kent and/or Damian Wayne?

I'm gonna focus some older damijon headcanons so that this post doesn't go on forever 😅

Sleeping Habits

Jon sleeps best when he focuses in on Damian's heartbeat. He still has night terrors about his time as Ultraman's prisoner but if he can listen to Damian's heartbeat until it lulls him back to sleep, he feels safe. This continues on into his adult life.

Damian inherited Jon's old Superboy jacket after Jon came back aged up and he sleep with it next to his pillow like a security blanket (but if anyone asks, he'll deny it). Damian stops doing this when Jon begins sleeping over because now his pillows smell like Jon and that's all he really wanted, that feeling of knowing he's around.

Dating History

Jon dates a lot in his youth, he dated Irma, then Jay, then several more people before finally dating Damian in his early 30s. He likes dating, he likes the thrill of a new relationship but after the cliché feelings of romance have worn off, he has a bad habit of becoming distant until the other person just ends things with him. This hasn't happened with Damian because Damian doesn't let him get bored lol...also because their love is stronger than feelings of passion. It's a genuine love and friendship.

Damian didn't start dating seriously until after college. He'd had crushes but they weren't really a sexual thing, more like something he thought he was supposed to do and wanting to feel loved. He tried to give it the ol' college try with Maps but even she knew it wasn't going to work out; they're still really good friends though (and only two years "wasted"). Honestly, she figured out his preferences before he did and convinced him to ask Jon out. Silver lining is, Damian introduced her to Colin and when they got married they fought over who got to have him as their best man...she won. (yes Maps and Colin are one of my crack ships lol)

College

Damian actually convinced Jon to give college another try, which he does. They end up going to Star City University together (because it's neutral) and were even roommates. It was awkward for Jon at first since he was an older freshman but he's a people person so the age gap didn't stay weird for long. It did get tiring telling the freshman, "no, I can't buy you alcohol. I'm not trying to get expelled". He ends up getting a PhD in Biochemistry.

Damian had not been excited to continue his education until he managed to convince Jon to do it with him. He decided to go the Veterinary route because "people get on his nerves" and he wanted to save on his own vet bills (practical). When their majors took them in separate directions they still stayed as roommates. Damian and Jon didn't date in college so it did get under Damian's skin to see Jon date other people, but at the time he didn't really understand why (retrospect is 20/20).

Careers

Jon had been nervous about not following his parent's footsteps but with Damian's encouragement Jon goes into applied research and gets a job at S.T.A.R labs. He writes articles of his findings frequently, so it's not like the ol' writing genes went completely to waste. His parents do like to joke "where did we go wrong with you?" about his very different career path but it's all in jest, they are very proud of him.

Damian gets his veterinary medical degree but later decides to go back to school to get a general medical degree (he has a change of heart in his mid-30s). He is still primarily a Vet but he wanted to be able to help his family out as well since Alfred was gone and...so was Leslie now too. Damian also does a lot of extra research regarding alien biology on the side, he can't get a degree in it, but he's currently one of only a handful of people on Earth that would be able to operate on Jon or any other Kryptonian should they need it.

The Multiverse

Damian and Jon are a rare phenomena within the Multiverse; that are what is regarded as, "True Soulmates". Even on Earths that do not have both a Damian and Jon their fates are still intertwined. A world without both spells loneliness for the the other and more often than not, catastrophe for that world. (I'm actually in the process of writing a whole series about this. The first preview was posted earlier this month. Earth 3: Into the Owls Nest)

[lazorbeanz]

Sonamy Headcanons because I’m deprived and extremely delulu 🙃

🩷 Sonic has like- telepathic senses that tell him whenever Amy is in potential danger

“My Amy Senses are tingling..” 🤣

if you’ve watched Barbie Life in the Dreamhouse, you’ll get it lololol

💙 Sonamy road trips roles

Amy: driver, trip organiser, checklists checklist checklists, “DONT EAT THOSE THEY’RE FOR THE TRIP!!”, carpool karaoke *whips out her inner Ariana Grande*, “eughhh Sonic did you fart?!”

Sonic: passenger princess, DJ, snacc provider (and eater), sleeping beauty, “couldn’t we just use my speed to get there?”, argues with the GPS because he knows a faster route (one not requiring the road)

🩷 Sonic and Amy playing table tennis:

Amy: sonic, serve

Sonic: *💁‍♂️🕺*

Amy: no- serve the BALL xD

💙 Person: “are you two dating?”

Sonic and Amy: *while holding hands* “no”

🩷 Though he doesn’t admit it, Sonic also loves his quills massaged. Sometimes when Sonic and Amy are chilling under a tree together, and he ends up dozing off, Amy will rest his head on her lap and stroke her hand through his quills, resulting in a few faint purrs from the hedgehog, which she secretly gushes over about

💙 They could be arguing for 5 minutes straight and after be like:

“I LOVE YOUUUU!!” >:O

“I LOVE YOU TOOOOOO!!!!” >:O

🩷 Amy finds shopping twice as fun with Sonic because he will just sit her in the shopping cart, as they zip up and down the aisles whilst grabbing the items on the list…getting it all done in 2 minutes tops. They call it the Operation: S^2 (Speed Shopping)

💙 Sonic and Amy could already be years into marriage but will still do or say things that’ll make the other flustered, like the times when they were dating.

🩷 Amy knows that if Sonic is being really flirty with her, he usually wants something.

💙 If Sonic and Amy are both sick one day, they will tell off each other, insisting they should be at home resting.

It results in both of them at Amy’s house, snuggled up on the couch binging movies.

🩷 As much as Amy likes sharing the goss with rouge and the girls, there’s nothing like sharing it with her bf because he goes all “omg gurl no wayyy! 💅” or he starts spilling his own tea with her lmao “omg bestie you won’t believe who I saw the other day…”

💙 Sonic plans secret meet ups with Cream, who teaches him how to make her signature flower crowns…he hopes to master it so he can make Amy one, one day…

🩷 (this following hc was an idea from a comic I believe..don’t know who made it but if u do pls let me know for credit purposes ig kajsjwidj)

Amy knows how Sonic can sometimes struggle to speak his feelings and is often an action over words type of guy. So she came up with this thing that anytime Sonic wants to tell Amy he loves her, without verbally saying it, all he needs to do is squeeze her hand 3 times; I. Love. you.

💙 When Amy told Sonic she wanted to go dancing with him, she didn’t expect it to be just dance…anyways she had tons of fun!

🩷 If they have sleepovers, it’s a tradition that they wear matching onesies (guys comment what they should be hehe)

💙 Amy uses Sonic as the makeup tester. He ends up looking ready for the circus afterwards but he honestly doesn’t mind this because he gets tons of kissies when she’s trying out the lipsticks

🩷 Walks along the beach are nice and romantic until Sonic decides to be a lil shh and kick sand in Amy’s shoes *cue her dragging her naughty bf towards the ocean*

💙 Amy’s a sucker for old school romance; love letters, flowers, fancy dates…and Sonic knows this. (Well EVERYONE does actually…) So one day, despite how inexperienced he is in the whole romance department, sets aside time to work on writing a letter, buying flowers and arranging somewhere nice to take Amy out for her to fulfil her romance fantasies. She’ll even get to dress up for this occasion

🩷 Sonic helping out Amy in the kitchen be like:

“A-Amy…I burnt the water…”

“Sonic how TF did you BURN the water?!”

“I DONT KNO-”

💙 Amy is having a downer and is very clingy…so here is Sonic running his gf’s errands, with his gf clinging onto him. People will see this unusual phenomenon and he just gives them all the stare…nothing to see here! I mean it ain’t the first time he’s had to cart a pink hedgehog round the place

🩷 For the longest time, Amy has had a box sitting aside in her closet, containing a new special swim shirt, arm floaties, and a swimming kickboard, for when Sonic decides to finally learn how to swim. She can’t see the day any of the contents will be used but she could only hope.

💙 Sonic keeps an umbrella on standby for future “need to share an umbrella” emergencies

🩷 In the winter, they’re practically inseparable, using each other desperately to warm up. Because of this Tails had to design them jackets with instant heating, but they still end up back together even though they aren’t freezing anymore

[ballblender]

“One bed!?"

Kagami Taiga x Manager!Reader

(Saw a list of generic romance tropes and couldn’t help myself)

cw: sfw, fluff + comedy (except i’m not funny), timeskip match predictions, kagami being an awkward giant, the one bed trope, aged up (kagami and reader are both 18 after the interhigh), manga ending (kagami stays in japan in the manga, unlike the movie)

The last two years were, a lot to say the least. Not only had the Vorpal Swords taken off shortly after the match against Jabberwock, but with the permanent addition of Kagetora as manager of the Seirin basketball team, Kagami had a lot on his plate.

It was difficult when the second, or should I say third, years graduated. The reliance and foundation built between them was one not easily replaced. Additionally, despite the newfound popularity of the team, it stayed relatively small. Inevitably, this led to Seirin’s defeat in the Interhigh.

With the Winter Cup in sight, he really just wanted to feel that glory again, winning with his old Serin teammates.

And he did, thanks to your help. As a younger friend of Riko, you had asked to be the manager for Seirin after hearing of their loss in the Interhigh, and given your friendship with their old coach, the team was in no position to refuse your offer.

And upon seeing the results that your suggestions produced, they were ready to keep you by any means possible.

By the time the Winter Cup came around, it was as if Seirin was a new team entirely; their coordination and plays were extremely effective against teams of any caliber, and the bonds between the members ensured their success.

It was also because of this display that Kagami found himself becoming increasingly drawn to you, for reasons made clear to him by Kuroko.

"You like her don't you?"

"WHAT? I DO NOT- i do."

"Yeah, I thought so."

And so the saga began. Kagami would start to grow more and more awkward around you. This caused a bit of a problem, as you began to think that he was getting sidetracked, and as the most powerful player on the team, causing the other players efforts to go to waste slightly.

It only got worse when you took him to the side to speak with him alone, and expressed your concern for his lack of concentration. He just stuttered and wasn't sure how to respond.

"Kagami, I seriously need you to listen to me..."

"I-i understand...I'll do m-my best for you and the team."

Out of nowhere, you hugged him tightly, which caught him completely off guard.

"I'm glad you understand..."

After practice that day, Kagami felt so light.

-

-

-

The night before the final against Rakuzan, the team, thanks to the school's newly increased budget (and a little pocket change from Riko), decided to stay at a nearby hotel with a gym so that they could get some morning training in before the big game.

However, upon arrival at the front desk, you ran into a problem.

"B-but I swear I booked 7 rooms..."

"I'm sorry, but there are only 6 listed here..."

You sigh.

"Are there any rooms available?"

"Yes, however there is only one bed opposed to the three in the other 6."

"...it's fine, i'll take it, sorry for the trouble, and thank you."

You walk over to the lobby, where the other members are waiting to get into their rooms.

"What took so long? Was there a problem with our rooms?" Kuroko asks.

"There was actually...so one of you will have to stay with me in a different roo-"

"Kagami will do it."

"K-Kuroko! Don't just say that!" Kagami whisper-yells, face turning redder each word.

The other members shrug in agreement, wanting to be in their own shared rooms to be able to freely discuss whatever they wanted without the eyes of their manager watching over them.

Kagami learns pretty quickly that trying to fight is useless. It's adorable, you think to yourself. The team heads up to their block of rooms, while you and Kagami take a different route to your room.

It looks like you forgot to tell him one detail though...

"One bed!?"

"Yeah, I hope that's okay... Unless any of the other guys let you sleep with them in their beds, we have to share."

Before you can even utter another word, Kagami is zooming across the hotel to the other players' rooms, knocking on each door.

Unfortunately for Kagami, with his size comes consequences. None of the other players wanted to share their already small beds with the biggest player on their team, even Kuroko.

"Y/N is smaller than me, sharing a bed should be no issue for the two of you." Kuroko states.

Kagami just lies on the floor, burying his red face in his hands.

"gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..."

A knock on the door is heard by the others, and they open the door.

"Hey, have you guys seen Kaga- oh, there he is."

At the sound of your voice, Kagami springs up, wiping the dust and lint off of himself.

"Y-Y/N! I-i..."

Knowing that letting him resist and even just speak anymore would result in Kagami most likely passing out, Kuroko says,

"Kagami was just about to go back to your room, he just needed to borrow some deodorant. He's forgetful like that."

Kagami shoots Kuroko a death-glare, in a way that screams "Are you my wingman or what!?"

You nod in acknowledgement and turn to Kagami, smiling "That's okay, just get back soon!"

The moment you leave,

"Ow-ow-ow...what was that for...?" says Kuroko, Kagami's hands digging into his shoulders.

Kagami just stares at him with desperate eyes.

"Come on Kuroko...let me stay with you..."

"That's perfect, say that to Y/N and you guys will be dating in no time."

"...You're the worst..."

You lay on the bed, sprawled out, tapping through all of the outdated TV channels logged into the hotel's TV. (a/n needed to add this to rant: WHY ARE ALL HOTEL ROOM TV CHANNELS OLD AND PIXELATED IT DRIVES ME INSANE)

"...G-got any room for me...?"

You spring up in shock, and notice Kagami standing at the door, blushing like mad, avoiding eye contact.

You roll to the side and pat the other half meant for Kagami.

"I guess the others didn't let you sleep in their beds."

"...y-yeah..." Kagami squeaks, as he feels your shoulder touch his.

You, of course, are not oblivious to his feelings. It was bugging you that Kagami seemingly avoided you whenever you tried to talk to him, but the rosy cheeks and unintentional voice cracks whenever he'd try to talk to you.

May as well see where this goes...

You intentionally brush your thigh up against his under the guise of reaching for the remote on the other side.

"...ah..."

You giggle, noticing his tiny sounds. It's truly unbelievable that such a big player's demeanour can be reduced to a mouse's under the right circumstances.

"Hm? What's wrong?" you ask, though, you know exactly what you're doing to him.

"..."

You decide to let it go, especially since Kagami looks like he'd explode if you pestered him any longer.

As the time passes, you decide to ask Kagami, "Are you ready to sleep now?"

He was trying his best until this point, he was. But the thing he'd been...dreading? Anticipating? Whatever it was, he was not prepared.

The moment you switch off the lights, you're met with Kagami's arms hugging you tightly.

"K-Kagami what-"

"...please..."

It's warm. His embrace makes you feel safe. You decide not to speak again, and instead, you both fall asleep, comforted by each other's warmth.

-----

sorry this is out so late LOL

[sugoi-and-spice]

My actual prediction for [REDACTED's] fate at the end of MHA, and just my big ol' meta on the whole situation.

Sadly, I don't think Shigaraki is coming back to life. I really fucking hope he does, but I can't believe it for two weeks and then watch it not happen, I will break . Yeah Horikoshi loves his fake out deaths... But idk, Shigaraki 's body is pretty damn gone. And he tends to pull his punches less when it comes to villains (Twice anyone?!)

I truthfully think the best chance we have of seeing him again is through One for All.

Shigaraki 100% transferred OFA back to Deku with that last bloody fist bump. That moment was a huge part of Horikoshi’s original ending with Bakugo, and I wouldn’t be surprised (or mad) if he decided to try to work it into this new version of his ending.

I think we probably will see Shigaraki again and get some more of that context and closure that we’re looking for, but it will be as a vestige within OFA. That’s my prediction, that’s the best direction that I can imagine this ending going in my little lizard writer brain. And I don’t think I’ll be mad about that. (But idk man, talk to me again in like 2 weeks lol).

I’ve always had a hard time believing that Shigaraki was going to make it out of this series alive. Of course, I’ve always wanted Horikoshi to find a clever way for him to do so without totally betraying his character -- I never believed that Shigaraki should fully join the side of the heroes. It’s just so antithetical to his mission and the message of MHA, nor could he ever just… live a normal life with every crime he committed, and him spending his life in prison would be just as miserable as him dying like this imo, no fucking freedom there. Sure, the simp in me wanted an ending where he got a redemption and life, but I certainly wasn’t optimistic. It would be a HARD fucking thing to do. I certainly don’t know how I would do it if I was in Horikoshi’s shoes, as a fellow professional writer (not just of romance either. I write and edit YA action fiction in my normie job, fun fact). I had hoped Horikoshi would figure it out, and a part of me is obviously hoping that Kurogiri managed to pull some hijinks and somehow warp him away, then he and his friends go on to live like little rats the way they have for the majority of the series, forever, buuuut-

I did always have a feeling he was probably going to go the Vader route.

Honestly, him dying beating the shit out of All for One is a pretty great exit for his character, feels more true than him sacrificing himself for the heroes’ side or humanity’s sake. It is the quickness with which this all occurred, the off-screen rescuing he had by Nana Shimura, and the lack of bodily autonomy in his death that I think is pissing people off. (It’s certainly what’s pissing me off). If we had even just gotten a moment of him having full control of his body again, looking up to the sky and seeing his friends waiting for him as he decayed away – or you know, just a death that lasted longer then two damn pages – I think the reactions wouldn’t be so visceral.

That being said. Horikoshi is a master chef, particularly when it comes to stories of recovering from trauma and getting closure, as well as tying up loose threads imo (remember when everyone though that he FORGOT the traitor plotline? Boy was that an embarrassing time for the fandom lmao),  and this man has been cooking for a while now. MHA has been the best it has ever been in this Final Saga and I don’t think he’s done with this dish just yet, nor do I think he’s done with Shigaraki. Physically? Probably. But everything that Shigaraki represents and stands for in this series, no I don’t think this is the end of that. Just because we didn’t see those moments we wanted in this last chapter, doesn’t mean we won’t see them in the next.

So as shell-shocked as I am right now to see my ultimate comfort character (who I have a tattoo of by the way lol) fade away into dust, I’m gonna trust the process and Horikoshi for now.

It ain’t over til it’s over, as it were.

Peace.

(And all that being said, I probably will still write a fix it fanfic where he lives instead, regardless of how this is handled lmao)

[sparklingmusicofstars]

hello,

After I recently read the Hamefura light novel and watched the anime, I started to think the author had naughty tastes, because this story is similar to a hentai/ecchi novel/anime, when a prince is engaged to a princess, then the prince has the right to do what he wants. he wants from the princess, including kissing her or doing lewd things to her, even though the princess doesn't love him and doesn't want to do those lewd things...

I see that a fiancé's self-esteem is non-existent, the prince doesn't understand the princess's feelings for not wanting to do things. the pervert was forced (kissing adults without the princess's permission first)..

thankfully we, with the help of the other harem, kept Katarina away from Geordo's perverted actions..

just imagine if Katarina and Geordo were alone for too long at a time without anyone near them, of course Geordo will act like a fiancé, including these perverted acts, maybe Geordo can restrain his lust for a few moments, but when the right time comes, Geordo will definitely commit even more perverted acts, of course assuming Katarina is his fiancé so he has the right to have her without needing her. Katarina's permission first (I'm sure of that).. not to mention here I see that Geordo is forcing his feelings on Katarina too much. It's true that Geordo allows Katarina to be free to make friends with anyone and to be free for anyone to approach her, because Geordo doesn't want to see Katarina sad by limiting her. friendship..

but the author seems to like hentai stories with wild love that ends in sexual passion.. it's a shame..

I don't see any pure romantic stories here, only forced love stories that end with a perverted adult kiss.. different from the reverse romance that I like I know all this time, I hope the author reads my disappointment here...

Katarina deserves better happiness than Geordo, with Katarina's own choice, Katarina seems to have no self-esteem since her memory came back and got engaged to Geordo, the author should have let Katarina decide for herself with whom she's engaged to other than geordo, not a love based on otome game route rules... thanks

Hello,

I honestly never thought of Hamefura as a story close to erotic. In fact it's even one of the less erotic I ever saw.

Because the most sexual scene we ever saw in the whole series was when Sora pushed Catarina down a bed.

Geordo is not as perverted as he looks because he gets really nervous when faced with a romantic gesture.

I think the author created Geordo like this because this kind of guy is generally popular with girls. He is the possesive, sexual and proactive one. Unfortunately the author never made up anything about engagements ; generally the prince in almost all stories has the right to do what he wants to his fiancée. For example : How did Raeliana survive in the duke's mansion, 7 times loops....ect

Geordo mainly acts like that because he is really desperate to be with Catarina and he never asked her for her feelings because he was afraid of her answer, like most of the harem. And he is worried all the time that someone could "take her" when he's not here because of Catarina's innocent demeanor so he wants to make her his as soon as possible, it's a bit of a child's personnality.

The author also introduces all the men in the harem (and not just the harem) as lewd in a way...even Alan ! So I guess that Geordo is the only one who acts openly because he has the right to do so.

We must also take in consideration Catarina's denseness, all the harem member agree to say that making active approaches is the only way to make Catarina noticing their feelings and so Geordo tries to make romantic gestures that could not be considered as simple friendship.

Though of course that doesn't mean I'm okay with Geordo's actions, I agree that he should let Catarina have more freedom and not try to force his feelings on her too much.

In fact I wanted Catarina to avoid being engaged to Geordo as children so they could have a real love story and ending where Catarina considers their engagement as a positive thing and not some kind of chain that keeps her from acting like she wants.

Oh, and I agree that the author has a bit of naughty tastes but to me she rather seems to love stolen love stories and love affairs.

[greenshi]

alright tell me about YOUR current favorite guy now

I AM FINALLY DOING THIS i have been. so distracted lmaooo. BUT I decided to do the guy in my icon, fifth member of weezer and best FE character, Python <3. He may not be the Number One guy in my brain right this moment, but that spot and most after it are all taken by OCs, so. We're doing him instead. Also because of this tag because I think you'd like this guy jort

ANYWAY, Python. My guy. He's a character from Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, a recruitable archer early on in Alm's route.

Now, in Echoes, the class discrepancy between nobles and commoners is a prominent theme, especially in Alm's route. This is something that comes up in a lot of FE games, unsurprisingly, seeing as princes and thieves fight together side by side. And the games (at least those I've played, which is only FEA-FE3H. I know.) tend to handwave a lot of the more unsavory points of that topic. A lot of the time, conversations or supports that delve into that topic end in "yeah, being poor and starving sucks, but you know what also sucks? Being royalty! It's really hard :[" which, like, yeah, it is, but also one party here has the means to help the other, but is choosing not to instead say how their life sucks too, actually. Idk, these conversations always rubbed me in the wrong way a bit.

ALL THAT BEING SAID, Python is a commoner. And he doesnt buy any of that "being rich is hard too guys :[" shit for a Second. In his support with Clive (a nobleman knight who's opinion on the whole situation is "well some people have to be poor so I can be rich") he straight up tells him that his ideas on how society should be run are wrong and that his view on common people are condescending at best.

Python doesn't fight for honor or any sense of duty, he fights for his paycheck and his childhood friend who does feel that duty, Forsyth. Even if he and Forsyth disagree on many things, there's a mutual respect between the two, an understanding of their station, and a small rivalry between how to best navigate said station. Forsyth encourages Python to get out there, try things, put some effort into life. But Python just, doesn't see much of a point. But it's not for any depressive reason, or even straight apathy. Python just prioritizes rest and relaxation. He doesn't live to work, he has no dream job (which Forsyth takes as having no dream at all, not that Python would disagree), he just wants to enjoy his life; sleeping in the sun, having a few drinks, spending time with friends, and sharing stories and gossip.

Speaking of friends and gossip, I'm going to drop my favorite support of his, maybe even my favorite support in the whole game (even though its locked behind a dlc map like seriously what was up with this games dlc why is a support between two base game units behind a paywall-)

Going from this support, and the fact that neither of them have romantic endings, (Lukas' even saying he 'never wanted for companionship') this is a pretty clear attempt by FE at writing two aroace (or at least just aro) characters. And, idk, I think its really special. Neither are framed as missing out or needing another to be happy, the conversation is to the point and respectful, and they are both allowed to be full characters beyond this detail of their lives.

And that's a common thread through Python's character that I admire. In any other story, the character that had no want for big dreams, constant improvement, or romance would be framed as an empty person, someone deeply unhappy without anything to strive for. But, even as the other characters try and impose that narrative onto Python, that's never actually the case. He is happy as he is, doing just enough to be as comfortable as he can, taking rests and shortcuts all along the way. He will not sell his time more than he must, he will not work harder than he has to, he will not allow those who push themselves to breaking for those above them to guilt him into doing the same. He has nothing to prove, nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, the one time he could push himself, in his bad ending after Forsyth dies, *THAT* is when he is empty and miserable, fighting like his friend once did until his early, untimely death.

Python is just such a breath of fresh air. He was the one in my brain telling me say no to my boss long before Chilchuck, he is a character that not even FE has been able to write like that again (even when writing for him specifically, like his Heroes characterization is so off and bad augh). He is one of the very few canonically aro characters I can find, and I'm proud to have him napping in my icon for the foreseeable future.

[thatfanfictionchick]

This is intended to be...archival, for myself, mostly. But if you find it interesting you should definitely check out Ikemen Villains!

Ikevil Event - Wrapped in Wicked Romance pt.2

Harrison's Route Ch. 1

·✦...·✧

I still very clearly remember when I was a child and I was told that it was wrong to lie.

But I realized something once I became an adult.

There were many kinds of lies in this world. Lies we tell to protect others, to protect ourselves, dirty lies, and also beautiful lies…

What kind of lies do you tell, Harrison Gray?

The first task Victor, the queen’s personal aide, gave me as Fairytale Keeper was a strange one.

“I want you to choose one member of Crown to spend the day with as a couple.”

Ever since I left the study, I’d been trying to figure out who I should pick.

Alfons: “I heard everything, Miss Robin. So you have to play pretend lovers with one of us to get to know us better, hm?”

Kate: “Eeek!”

Alfons had appeared from behind me, his coat billowing behind him like the flapping of a raven’s wings.

Alfons: “I’m sure you’re having trouble deciding who to choose. You could go with the noble route, of course, and pick William.”

Alfons: “If you’re a sucker for abuse, I’d recommend Jude. If you’re after a fun and sexy experience, Liam, or…”

(He’s very carefully nominating everyone but himself…)

Alfons: “Well, I’m sure you’ll enjoy whoever you choose, but I’d personally recommend Harrison.”

Kate: “And why is that?”

Alfons: “Well, he’s got the curse of the Lying Fox, so he’s someone you should make yourself aware of.”

Alfons: “I’ve overheard some strange rumors about him going to some sketchy places by himself lately.”

Alfons: “And they don’t involve his missions, either. I wonder what other kind of fun things he’s been doing?”

My job as Fairytale Keeper was to observe the members of Crown and report on them.

It served as both a report on their activities to be given to the queen, and a valuable document concerning their curses, about which little was known.

(I think knowledge is important, but I’m not sure if I should just go jumping into danger like this.)

Alfons: “Yes, yes, I know. It can be scary jumping right into danger.”

(Is my hesitation really so easy to read…?)

Alfons: “However, once you clear your first big hurdle, you’ll have finished your first mission as Fairytale Keeper.”

Alfons: “So if you want to get close to us and prove yourself someday…”

Kate: “...Then now’s the best time to start?”

Alfons: “Ahha! I’d expect nothing less from you, Miss Robin! I admire your courage and wish you good luck!”

Kate: “O-okay…”

I walked around the sunny gardens of Crown Castle, looking for Harrison.

(I feel like it was Alfons’s plan all along to put me up to this…)

I saw hair the color of milky tea in the corner of my vision, swaying in the wind.

Harrison sat at the base of a tree, book in hand.

(I found him. What should I say, though?)

Harrison: “...What?”

Harrison: “Having people stare at me like that is distracting.”

He slammed his book shut and stared at me with his mint green eyes.

Kate: “Sorry for interrupting your reading. Um, I have something to talk to you about.”

Harrison: “What’s that? Oh, the whole pretending to be a couple thing? That old goat just keeps causing trouble.”

Harrison: “So? Did you come here because you want to choose me?”

Kate: “Yes! If that’s all right with you, anyway. I’d like to spend the day with you.”

He stood up, then walked over to me, peering at my face.

The moment he came close, I could smell a sweet, light fragrance.

Harrison: “Did someone tell you to choose me?”

(How did he know?!)

(He’s right, but I don’t want to get Alfons in trouble…)

(Sorry, Harrison.)

Kate: “No, I made the decision on my own."

Harrison: “Hmm, I see…”

Harrison: “If you can beat me, then you can spend the day with me.”

Kate: “Beat you at what?”

Harrison: “This.”

He pulled a jar of candy from his pocket, took off the lid, and handed it to me.

Harrison: “Hide the lid in your hands and I have to guess which hand it’s in.”

Harrison: “If I can’t guess right, you win. What do you say?”

(If I don’t play the game with him, I might not get a better chance to complete this assignment from Victor.)

(In that case, let’s say I have a 50/50 chance of winning. That’s not terrible odds.)

Kate: “All right. Let’s do it.”

I hid the lid behind my back and then put it in my right hand.

Kate: “All right. Which one is it?”

He didn’t even hesitate to think.

I was stunned when his fingers immediately tapped my right arm.

Harrison: “This one?”

Kate: “...No.”

I lied and he narrowed his eyes.

Harrison: “...Hmm.”

Harrison: “Then it must be in your left hand. I’ll pick that. So, which is it?”

“My right hand.” I said, holding it out for him to see.

(I won!)

Harrison: “Ah, too bad. Guess I lost. Must be unlucky today.”

Harrison: “A promise is a promise. I’ll have to be your boyfriend for the day.”

Kate: “I’m looking forward to it, Harrison!”

Harrison: “Well, I’m going to town on some business. Would you mind coming with me?”

I sat down next to Harrison in the carriage as we headed toward the city.

(I wonder where we’re going? I’m just glad I was able to choose someone, though.)

Harrison: “Now…”

Harrison: “It’s just you and me here in this closed off space…with no way out.”

Kate: “Huh?”

I jumped in surprise, but Harrison put his hand next to my head, enclosing me in his arms.

There was a wicked smile on his face as he leaned in so close I could feel his minty-sweet breath skimming my face.

Harrison: “Hey. You lied to me.”

Kate: “Wh-what do you mean…?”

Harrison: “Someone told you to come to me. Didn’t they?”

His tone of voice was absolute, unwavering certainty.

Kate: “How did you know?”

Harrison: “Your eyes.”

Kate: “My eyes?”

Harrison: “My ability allows me to tell if someone's lying when I make eye contact with them.”

The Cursed members of Crown all had different abilities.

(If what he says is true, then he knew every time that I lied to him.)

Kate: “So, you lost the competition on purpose?”

Harrison: “That’s right. You should’ve been wary when you accepted my request in the first place.”

(So I was playing right into his hands the entire time.)

Surprise, embarrassment, and bewilderment all welled up inside of me at once.

He sat back in his seat and chuckled lightly.

Harrison: “Let me guess. The one who put you up to this was Al.”

Harrion: “All that bastard cares about is his own amusement. He was using you as a toy.”

(If he can see through any lie, then deception won’t work against him.)

Kate: “There’s a rumor that you’ve been going to dangerous places lately. So he told me to get close to you.”

Harrison: “And you did as he said in order to fulfill your role as Fairytale Keeper.”

Harrison: “Were you planning to report back to Her Majesty if you found out I was doing something bad?”

Harrison: “Either way, you’re pretty serious, huh?”

Kate: “It’s true that Alfons was the one who urged me to choose you.”

Kate: “But that’s not the only reason.”

Harrison: “Oh yeah?”

(There’s no sense in hiding it, I suppose.)

Kate: “I wanted to see with my own eyes and make my own judgment.”

Kate: “I think it’d be a waste to just make assumptions about you, instead of spending time with you and getting to know you myself.”

Harrison: “A waste?”

Kate: “Don’t you want to get to know more about someone after you meet them?”

He didn’t respond immediately, simply blinking at me instead.

Harrison: “Hah… Not only are you serious, but you’re a pretty good-natured person, huh?”

Kate: “I try to be. So, what do you want to make me do?”

Kate: “You lost the bet on purpose and took me out here. You must have something in mind.”

Harrison: “You’re pretty perceptive. Add that to the list, too.”

Harrison: “Anyway, you lied to me. And as punishment for that…”

Harrison: “Not only will you have to be my girlfriend for the day, but my accomplice as well.”

·✦...·✧

[chapter 2] [main page]

[tetrakys]

April 17 is so soon! Will you be able to play NG on release day? 👀 Apart from Jason which crush do you like most so far/based on beta? I very much like Devon so it will be so hard to betray him on my Jason account 😅

April 17 is soooooo close! Just 2 weeks to go! 🎉 I'm hopefully going to play immediately, trying to keep the morning work-free, fingers crossed.

My second crush is Thomas, I liked his aloofness a lot in the beta. Plus he's really cute. My third crush is Roy. Honestly I wasn't super impressed with him in the crossover event, he felt a bit flat, but I enjoyed his interactions in the beta. I kinda like how he flirt without realising he's flirting.

Aaaaand I really didn't want to have more than 3 crushes this time, but... I kinda like Devon too 😩 I like how he can switch from nice, friendly guy, to super serious boss in 0.1s, it's kinda hot.

What can I do anon, once a hoe, always a hoe, I'm gonna have a harem once again. We cannot fight our own nature.

I'm going to try to be a sensible hoe though, and play Devon and Roy's routes for free, while Jason and Thomas will be my mains. I plan to buy the VIP subscription for them, hopefully a subscription won't cost more than 10€ 🤞🏻

Can I show you my new MCs? I'm not giving them names, they're all Ysaline for me, not planning to make full OCs, but I spent a long time deciding what they should look like. Especially trying to think what they would look like next to their LI (because 12 years ago I messed up when I made my Castiel Candy, and gave her the same hair colour, and since then all their illustrations have looked like some incestuous twins Lannister situation 😭😭)

Ysaline 1, Jason's girl

(with a lighter lipgloss)

I'd made her as a joke/place holder during the beta and I kinda got attached 🥹, I love her freckles, plus sweet pink-haired MC romancing a villain reminds me of Eva/Jacks ❤️🍎

Ysaline 2, Thomas' girl

I really wanted a more canon MC as main route (with darker hair because I like black more than brown), and I think she will look great with Thomas.

Ysaline 3, Roy's girl

She exists for the sole reason that I never had a blonde MC and I wanted these girls to be totally different from my old Candys. So I went for a more traditional blonde blue eyes look.

Ysaline 4, Devon's girl

I love red-heads. and I think she's going to look amazing next to Devon 💕

[fgumi]

𝟏𝟗.𝟗𝟗; chapter three

*:･ﾟ✧ synopsis: seoin and the boys make a break for it. out of the lingering gaze of HYBE, they uncover the dark secrets that were hidden, pushing Seoin to reach out to jungwon for help. jungwon faces his own fears as he cautiously agrees to meet her, knowing it could be their only chance to expose the truth..

*:･ﾟ✧ pairing(s): taesan x original female character *:･ﾟ✧ genre: sci-fi, coming of age, romance *:･ﾟ✧ a/n: i've decided to do daily, because the poll was split half and half if i take away my accidental vote. *:･ﾟ✧ word count: 9.6k *:･ﾟ✧ 19.99 mlist

The days that followed were filled with a heightened sense of urgency, every second ticking away as the boys prepared for what felt like their last chance at freedom. HYBE’s plans were unfolding at a terrifying pace, and the weight of the information Jaehyun and Sungho had settled heavily on everyone’s minds. They knew that the window to escape was closing, and if they didn’t act soon, they would be dragged into the war they were all so desperate to avoid.

The group huddled around their makeshift map, each boy’s face etched with determination and the heavy burden of what lay ahead. As they refined their escape plan, they knew their powers would be crucial to their success—but using them wasn’t as simple as it seemed.

Taesan, still focused on their route, tapped his finger on key points where they’d need to act quickly. “We’re going to have to rely on our powers if we want this to work. Timing is everything. Riwoo, your light manipulation will help us obscure our movements when we need cover, especially near the guards.”

Riwoo nodded, his expression serious. “I can bend the light around us, create distractions, and blind the cameras for a few seconds. It won’t last long, but it should buy us some time.”

Taesan continued, his gaze shifting to Woonhak, who sat quietly at the edge of the table. Everyone knew that Woonhak’s power of persuasion was their ace in the hole, but it was also the one they were most hesitant to rely on—especially Woonhak himself.

Woonhak’s face was tense, his usual light-hearted demeanor replaced by a deep, conflicted frown. “I don’t want to use my power,” he said, his voice firm but filled with a quiet agony. “I hate taking away people’s free will. It’s wrong, and I can’t stand the thought of controlling someone like that.”

Seoin watched Woonhak, understanding the weight of his words. Every time he used it, he felt like he was betraying his own principles, and the thought of doing that just to escape made him physically ill.

Taesan nodded, his expression empathetic. “I get it, Woonhak. And none of us want you to use your powers if you’re not comfortable. We’ve planned around it as much as we can, but we need to be ready for any situation. If there’s a moment where talking our way out is the only option, we’ll need you.”

Woonhak’s shoulders slumped, torn between his loyalty to his friends and his own moral code. “I’ll try,” he said finally, though his voice wavered. “But I won’t force anyone to do something against their will unless there’s no other choice. I just… I don’t want to become like HYBE.”

Seoin placed a reassuring hand on Woonhak’s shoulder. “You won’t,” she said gently. “None of us would ever ask you to go against who you are. We’ll only use it if we absolutely have to, and even then, we’ll make sure it’s as harmless as possible.”

Taesan met Woonhak’s gaze, his tone gentle and understanding. “We’ve got this covered, Woonhak. We’ve planned around your power because we know how much it matters to you. If there’s a moment where you feel it’s right, you decide. But if not, we’ll find another way. We’re in this together, no matter what.”

The boys continued refining their plan, adjusting for Woonhak’s reluctance and making contingency arrangements. Riwoo’s light manipulation would be used to create diversions—flashes to blind the cameras, shadows to cloak their movements, and blinding beams to disorient anyone who got too close. Taesan’s foresight would guide them through every twist and turn, anticipating HYBE’s responses and adapting in real-time.

As they practiced, Taesan would close his eyes, tapping into his visions of the possible futures. His power gave him glimpses of the paths ahead—some clear, others marred by danger—and he would relay what he saw, helping the group refine their movements with each trial run.

“We stick together,” Taesan reminded them as they finished a drill. “No one goes off on their own. We move as a unit, and if something changes, we adjust.”

The weight of the plan hung heavy, but it was their only shot. As they finalized the last of their preparations, each boy knew the risks they were taking, and each was prepared to fight for the chance at freedom, however slim.

Everything blurred together in a haze of preparation and whispered conversations. Every spare moment was spent fine-tuning their plan, practicing their routes, and mentally preparing for what lay ahead.

Tonight, they would conduct their final practice run—one last rehearsal before the real thing. Seoin could feel the pressure in the air as they gathered in the dimly lit training room, the flickering lights casting shadows that danced across their focused faces. They had rehearsed every detail, every contingency, but tonight was different. Tonight, the stakes felt real.

Taesan ran through the plan one more time, pointing out key moments where each of them would need to act. “This is our last chance to make sure everything’s solid,” he said, his voice calm but edged with a seriousness that underscored the gravity of their situation. “We’re sticking to the script, but remember, if anything feels off, we adapt. No hesitation.”

Seoin nodded along with the others, her mind already racing through the sequence of events they’d memorized. She was ready, but the fear of the unknown still gnawed at her. Every scenario Taesan had foreseen, every possible obstacle—they had prepared as much as they could, but there was no way to account for everything.

They moved through the facility with precision, navigating the corridors in silence, each step rehearsed until it felt second nature. Riwoo manipulated the lights, casting illusions and shadows that masked their movements. The faint glow of his power flickered along the walls, creating pockets of darkness that allowed them to slip past the cameras unnoticed.

Leehan’s time manipulation came into play at crucial moments, slowing down the world around them just enough to give the group an edge. Seoin marveled at his control, the way he seemed to stretch time like an elastic band, creating brief windows that they could use to their advantage.

Woonhak stayed toward the back, his presence a quiet but steady reassurance. He hadn’t used his powers once during the practice, but his watchful eyes scanned their surroundings, ready to act if necessary. Seoin could tell he was wrestling with his own fears, but his resolve to help his friends shone through in every step he took.

Taesan led the way, his foresight guiding their movements with a near-perfect accuracy. He would pause at intersections, closing his eyes for a moment as he glimpsed potential futures, then wave the group forward once he was certain the path was clear. His confidence was infectious, and Seoin found herself trusting his instincts completely.

They reached the outer gate—the final checkpoint before freedom. It was heavily guarded, just as they expected, but the boys moved with practiced ease, sticking to the shadows and timing their approach with the precision they had honed over countless drills.

Taesan signaled for a halt, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the gate’s security measures. “We’ll have a fifteen-second window when the shift changes. That’s our opening. Riwoo, use the lights to blind the cameras. Leehan, slow time just enough to get us through. Then we sprint.”

The group nodded, and Seoin could feel her pulse quicken as they prepared for the final push. They moved like clockwork—each action flowing seamlessly into the next, each power utilized with perfect timing. The gate loomed ahead, a symbol of everything they were fighting for, and Seoin’s heart pounded with a mix of fear and anticipation.

They made it to the gate, slipping through just as the guards shifted positions. It was fast, almost too fast, and Seoin felt a surge of adrenaline as they crossed the threshold. They were on the other side, just a few steps from the open air beyond the facility’s walls.

But suddenly, Taesan’s hand shot up, signaling them to stop. He had seen something—something that hadn’t been in any of their practice runs. The future had shifted, and Seoin could see the tension in his eyes as he quickly recalculated their next move.

“There’s a new guard rotation,” Taesan whispered urgently, his eyes darting between the gate and the facility behind them. “We need to pull back. Now.”

Without hesitation, the group retreated, moving back into the safety of the shadows. They hadn’t been spotted, but the close call was a stark reminder of how precarious their plan truly was. Every detail mattered, and any misstep could mean the difference between freedom and capture.

Back in the training room, the boys gathered in a tight circle, catching their breath and reviewing the unexpected change. Taesan’s foresight had saved them this time, but it was clear that the real escape would be even more unpredictable.

“We did good,” Taesan said, his voice steady despite the lingering tension. “But this is why we need to stay flexible. If something feels off, we pull back. No one gets left behind.”

The boys nodded, their resolve unshaken. They had come too far to turn back now, and despite the challenges, they were more determined than ever. Seoin could see it in their eyes—the fire that refused to be extinguished, the unwavering belief that they could defy the odds.

Tomorrow night would be the real test. They would put everything on the line, trusting in each other’s strengths to guide them to freedom. Seoin knew there were no guarantees, but as she looked at the boys—her teammates, her friends, her family—she felt a fierce hope that together, they could make the impossible possible.

The night was restless for Seoin. Despite the exhaustion from their intense training session, sleep eluded her, her mind racing with thoughts of the upcoming escape. But when she finally drifted off, her dreams were anything but peaceful.

Seoin found herself standing in a dimly lit room, the air thick with tension. She turned, and there, sitting calmly amidst the shadows, was Zeoin. Seoin felt a mix of apprehension and curiosity; every visit from Zeoin seemed to blur the line between guidance and warning.

Zeoin looked up, her expression tinged with urgency. “Seoin, you need to make contact with Enhypen,” she said, her voice firm. “Specifically, with Jungwon.”

Seoin stiffened at the mention of her twin brother. In this reality, they were still twins, but they had a different dynamic almost entirely. This Jungwon was practically a stranger compared to hers, and Seoin couldn’t help but feel a pang of hesitation at the thought of reaching out to him.

“I don’t know if I can do that,” Seoin admitted, her voice tinged with uncertainty. “In my reality, Jungwon was my other half. I can’t imagine seeing someone who looks just like him but doesn’t know me. It would hurt too much.”

Zeoin nodded, her gaze softening with understanding. “I know it’s hard. But Jungwon isn’t just another soldier—he’s your best chance at getting through to Enhypen. They’re HYBE’s most powerful team, and though they’re still loyal, they’re growing suspicious of HYBE’s true motives. If you can reach him, it might turn the tide.”

Seoin’s mind swirled with doubt. The thought of seeing Jungwon, of facing someone who should feel familiar but didn’t, was terrifying. “What if he doesn’t believe me? Or worse, what if he doesn’t care?”

Zeoin leaned forward, her expression earnest. “He will. Before I went on my last mission, I contacted Jungwon. He was the only one I could trust, and he helped me when I needed it most. Jungwon will help you, too. You just need to get him to trust you.”

Seoin’s curiosity piqued at the mention of Zeoin’s last mission—a mission that Zeoin had been avoiding discussing since their first meeting. “And how am I going to do that?”

Zeoin tilted her head in thought. “He’s already suspicious of HYBE. That’s what he told me when I contacted him. Tell him about Woonhak, about his powers. He already trusts you somewhat because he thinks you’re me and he’ll understand the urgency of the situation.”

Seoin nodded, but the uncertainty still lingered. She glanced at Zeoin, her frustration bubbling up. “What was your last mission, Zeoin? You keep talking about it, but you never say what it was. What happened?”

Zeoin’s expression darkened, her eyes darting away as she struggled to meet Seoin’s gaze. The weight of her regret was palpable, hanging between them like a shroud. “I… I can’t,” Zeoin whispered, her voice breaking. “It’s the one thing I can’t bring myself to tell you. I messed up, Seoin. I did things I wish I could take back. I’ll regret them for the rest of my life.”

The shame in Zeoin’s voice was clear, and Seoin felt a sharp pang of empathy mixed with a growing frustration. “Zeoin, please. I need to know. If I’m going to fix whatever’s happening here, I need to understand.”

Zeoin finally looked up, her eyes glistening with tears she fought to hold back. “I was acting to further HYBE’s agenda,” she confessed, her voice barely audible. “They manipulated me, convinced me that I was doing the right thing. My mission was to assassinate the boys—your friends. HYBE believed it was the only way to push Woonhak into becoming their ultimate weapon.”

Zeoin’s voice wavered as she continued, the weight of her actions pressing down on her. “But it wasn’t just them. HYBE sent me on other missions too. I was ordered to take out key members of other units—soldiers who were starting to question HYBE’s control. They told me I was doing it for the greater good, that it was necessary to maintain order. And I believed them. I thought I was helping to keep everyone safe.”

Seoin’s stomach churned as Zeoin’s words sank in. Zeoin hadn’t just failed one mission—she had been a tool in HYBE’s hands, used to silence those who dared to challenge their authority. The guilt that weighed on her was deeper than Seoin had imagined, a web of lies and manipulation that had driven her to the brink.

Zeoin’s head dropped in shame, her voice choked with guilt. “I didn’t go through with the last one, but I got close—too close. I let HYBE’s lies get to me, and I almost… I was exactly what they wanted me to be.”

Seoin stood there, stunned into silence. She had known there was darkness in Zeoin’s past, but this was beyond anything she had imagined. And yet, as she looked at the broken figure in front of her, Seoin felt a surge of determination. Zeoin’s mistakes didn’t have to define her—or Seoin’s future.

“I’m not you,” Seoin said firmly, her resolve hardening. “And I won’t let HYBE turn me into their weapon. I’ll find Jungwon, and I’ll make things right.”

Zeoin nodded, her expression a mix of gratitude and sorrow. “I know you will, Seoin. You’re stronger than I ever was. Just… don’t make the same mistakes I did. Trust in the people around you, and don’t let HYBE’s lies control you.”

The dream began to fade, Zeoin’s figure dissolving into the shadows, but her words lingered in Seoin’s mind long after she woke. As she lay in the darkness of her room, Seoin knew that the path ahead was fraught with danger. But with Zeoin’s warnings and the boys by her side, she felt a flicker of hope.

✧✧✧

The morning of the escape was thick. Every corner of the facility seemed sharper, every sound more pronounced as Seoin moved through the halls. Today was the day, and the anxiety hung in the air like a storm cloud, ready to break. But it wasn’t just the impending escape that weighed on Seoin’s mind—it was everything Zeoin had told her, a heavy burden that Seoin knew she couldn’t carry alone.

She found Taesan in the training room, where he was carefully reviewing their escape plan one last time. His focus was intense, every line and note scrutinized as if they were the key to their survival. Seoin watched him for a moment, steeling herself for the conversation she knew they needed to have.

“Taesan,” she called softly, stepping into the room.

He looked up, his expression shifting from concentration to concern when he saw the uncertainty in her eyes. “Seoin, what’s going on? You look… worried.”

Seoin hesitated, her fingers tracing the edge of the table as she gathered her thoughts. “There’s something I need to tell you,” she began slowly, her voice unsteady. “It’s… it’s about Zeoin.”

Taesan’s brow furrowed, and he set down the map, giving Seoin his full attention. “What did she say?”

Seoin took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the truth pressing against her chest. “It’s complicated,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “She’s done things… things she regrets. She was used by HYBE in ways I can’t even imagine.”

Taesan watched her closely, sensing the turmoil beneath her words. “Seoin, you can tell me. Whatever it is, we’ll handle it together.”

Seoin’s throat tightened, and she struggled to find the right way to say it. “Zeoin… she told me about her missions. She wasn’t just fighting in the war—HYBE had her doing things behind the scenes, targeting people who were questioning them. She thought she was helping, but it was all manipulation.”

Taesan’s expression grew darker, his eyes fixed on Seoin as he waited for her to continue. Seoin could see the understanding dawning on him, the realization that this wasn’t just about random missions—it was something far more personal.

“She was sent to take out key figures,” Seoin continued, her voice thick with emotion. “People who were starting to see through HYBE’s lies. She was… she was their weapon, doing whatever they told her.”

Taesan stayed silent, his jaw clenched as he absorbed the information. He could sense there was more, something Seoin was holding back, and the suspense of it tightened the air between them.

Seoin looked away, her hands trembling slightly. “But it’s not just that. Her last mission… Taesan, it was supposed to be you guys.” She paused, the words catching in her throat. “HYBE wanted her to kill the boys. They thought it was the only way to push Woonhak into becoming their ultimate weapon.”

Taesan’s breath hitched, and for a moment, he couldn’t speak. The enormity of what Seoin had revealed settled over him like a shadow, dark and suffocating. “She was going to…?”

“She didn’t even try,” Seoin said quickly, her voice trembling with the weight of her other self’s pain. “She couldn’t. The guilt from everything she’d done before was already eating her alive. She couldn’t bring herself to hurt you, not after what she’d already done. She was breaking apart inside.”

Taesan’s expression softened, a mix of anger at HYBE and empathy for the broken figure of Zeoin that Seoin described. “They twisted her so much… it’s no wonder she didn’t know how to make it stop.”

Seoin nodded, tears stinging at the corners of her eyes. “She’s filled with so much regret. She’s terrified of what she became and what she almost did. And I’m scared I’ll mess up just like she did.”

Taesan reached out, gently squeezing Seoin’s shoulder. “You won’t. You’re not her, Seoin. And you’re not alone. Whatever HYBE threw at her, we won’t let it happen to you. We’ll figure this out together.”

Seoin looked at Taesan, her eyes brimming with gratitude and fear. “I don’t want to let you down.”

Taesan gave her a faint smile, a mix of sadness and resolve. “You’ve got this, Seoin. You’ve got us. And no matter what happens, we’ll be there to pick each other up.”

Seoin felt a wave of relief wash over her. Taesan’s steady presence was exactly what she needed in that moment—a reminder that, despite the chaos, she had people who supported her. “Thank you, Taesan,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “For everything.”

Taesan nodded, his eyes filled with quiet confidence. “We’re in this together, Seoin. No matter what happens.”

The hours before the escape were tense, every second dragging with the weight of anticipation. But just as the group was finalizing their preparations, Woonhak was pulled aside, taken into one of the facility’s restricted areas for his supplemental lessons. Each time left him more drained than before and, today, the timing couldn’t have been worse.

When Woonhak finally returned, the sight of him sent a shockwave of silent fury through the group. His usually bright complexion was pale, his eyes unfocused, and a thin trail of dried blood was smeared under his nose. He looked shaken, his movements stiff and guarded, and he didn’t say a word. The usual gentle smile that Woonhak wore, even in the worst of times, was gone, replaced by a hollow, distant look.

The boys bristled with anger, their expressions darkening as they watched him silently shuffle to his seat. Seoin felt her stomach churn at the sight of him—HYBE’s cruelty was on full display, and it was eating away at someone who was usually so cheerful. The unspoken question of what HYBE had done to him hung in the air, and Seoin could feel the rage simmering just beneath the surface of everyone in the room.

Taesan clenched his fists, his knuckles white as he glared at the floor, struggling to contain his fury. Riwoo and Leehan exchanged worried glances, their own anger barely masked by their concern for their youngest member. No one knew what to say, afraid that even the smallest comment might push Woonhak further into his shell.

They sat in uneasy silence during one of their breaks, the tension thick and suffocating. Seoin watched Woonhak from across the room, her heart aching at how small he seemed. She couldn’t bear to see him like this, trapped in his own mind, so she moved closer, sitting beside him with a quiet determination.

She didn’t say anything—didn’t want to risk startling him. Instead, she turned her hand palm-up on her lap, a silent offer of comfort. Woonhak hesitated, his eyes flickering to her outstretched hand before gingerly placing his own in hers. His touch was light, almost as if he was afraid of breaking something fragile between them.

Seoin’s heart broke at the timidness in his gesture. She could feel the tremble in his fingers, the unspoken fear that lingered in his every movement. She gently squeezed his hand, offering a silent promise of safety, and after a moment, he squeezed back, the faintest sign that he was still with them.

Across the room, Taesan watched the exchange, his eyes meeting Seoin’s in a moment of unspoken understanding. They didn’t need words to communicate the resolve that now filled them both—no matter what happened, they were getting out. HYBE had already taken too much from them, and after seeing what Woonhak had been put through, there was no turning back.

Seoin held Woonhak’s hand a little tighter, the small act of solidarity grounding her amid the storm of emotions threatening to overwhelm them all. They would not let HYBE break him, not now and not ever. The escape was happening, and there was no force on Earth that could stop them.

Woonhak glanced at Seoin, a flicker of gratitude in his eyes. It was small, barely there, but it was enough to strengthen Seoin’s resolve.

The group’s anger, fear, and heartbreak coalesced into a fierce determination. They would not let HYBE control their fate any longer. With every quiet glance, every small squeeze of Woonhak’s hand, they affirmed their promise to each other: they were leaving tonight.

✧✧✧

The facility was shrouded in an uneasy stillness as night fell, every shadow and echo magnified by the tension thrumming through the group. This was it—the moment they’d been planning and rehearsing for, and every nerve in Seoin’s body was on edge. The boys were gathered in a secluded corner of the facility, running through the final details of their plan one last time.

Taesan moved with a quiet confidence, his eyes scanning their surroundings as if trying to commit every possible outcome to memory. His foresight had been invaluable, guiding them through the countless drills and scenarios they had practiced. But this wasn’t just another drill—this was real, and any misstep could be their last.

“Security shift change is in five minutes,” Taesan whispered, his voice low but clear. “This is our window. Remember the plan—stick together, no unnecessary risks. We move fast, and we don’t stop.”

Riwoo nodded, his face lit by a faint glow as he prepared to manipulate the facility’s lights. “I’ll handle the cameras and cover the guards when we’re near the gate. Just give the signal, and I’ll blind them.”

Leehan adjusted his stance, his usually calm demeanor replaced by a steely focus. “I’ll slow time when we get to the main corridor. We’ll have a few extra seconds to clear it, but we can’t linger.”

Seoin watched them all, her heart pounding in her chest. She glanced at Woonhak, who stood slightly behind the group, still shaken but resolute. He hadn’t spoken since returning from his supplemental lessons, but his presence alone was enough to remind everyone why they were doing this.

The signal came—a faint beep that indicated the guards were switching positions. Taesan gave a sharp nod, and they were off, moving as one through the dimly lit hallways. The facility felt like a maze of tension and uncertainty, but the boys moved with practiced precision, each step bringing them closer to freedom.

Riwoo’s powers flickered to life, bending the light around them to create blinding flashes that obscured the cameras’ view. They darted through the corridors, sticking to the shadows as Riwoo manipulated the light, keeping them hidden from prying eyes.

Taesan led the way, his foresight guiding their every move. He paused briefly at intersections, his eyes narrowing as he glimpsed flashes of possible futures, then waved the group forward when the path was clear. They moved swiftly, their hearts pounding in unison as they navigated the twists and turns of the facility.

Leehan’s time manipulation slowed the world around them as they reached the main corridor, giving them precious seconds to slip past a group of guards. Seoin’s breath hitched as they moved, every second feeling like an eternity, but they made it through without a hitch. Taesan’s predictions held true, and the timing was perfect.

Finally, they reached the outer gate—their last major hurdle before freedom. It was heavily guarded, just as they had expected, but Riwoo’s light manipulation gave them the cover they needed. With a flash of blinding light, the cameras were temporarily disabled, and the guards were momentarily disoriented.

“Go!” Taesan urged, and the group sprinted toward the gate. The adrenaline coursing through Seoin’s veins was almost overwhelming, but the rush of being so close to freedom kept her moving.

They reached the gate, and for a heart-stopping moment, it felt as though everything was going according to plan. But as they began to breach the final barrier, Taesan’s eyes widened—he had seen something, a flicker of danger that hadn’t been there before.

“Wait!” Taesan hissed, grabbing Seoin’s arm and pulling her back. “Something’s wrong.”

A split second later, alarms blared, the harsh red lights of the facility flashing in warning. The guards snapped to attention, and Seoin’s heart dropped. They had been so careful, so precise, but something had changed—something Taesan hadn’t foreseen.

The guards began to converge, and the air was thick with the sound of shouting and the clatter of weapons. Riwoo’s light manipulation flared up again, blinding the advancing guards, but it wouldn’t hold for long. The boys were trapped between the gate and the guards, their path to freedom suddenly blocked.

Seoin’s mind raced, but Taesan’s grip on her arm steadied her. He looked at her with a fierce determination, refusing to let fear take over. “We’re not done yet,” he said, his voice cutting through the chaos. “We stick to the plan.”

Woonhak stepped forward, his expression tense but resolute. Seoin could see the conflict in his eyes—he hated using his powers, hated the very thought of it. But as the guards closed in, Woonhak’s determination to protect his friends outweighed his fear.

“Please,” Woonhak whispered, his voice carrying a desperate edge. He raised his hand, and the guards’ movements slowed, their aggression melting into confusion. Woonhak’s power of persuasion was subtle but undeniable, pushing the guards to hesitate, to second-guess their orders.

Taesan seized the moment, leading the group through the open gate just as Riwoo’s light flickered and the guards regained their senses. They were running now, the facility’s alarms echoing behind them, but they didn’t stop. There was no looking back, no hesitation.

They were free.

As they sprinted into the night, the weight of HYBE’s control fell away, replaced by the exhilarating rush of freedom. They had done it—escaped the impossible, defied the odds. And though the road ahead was uncertain, for the first time in a long time, they were finally in control of their own fate.

The night air was cool and filled with the faint sounds of the forest as the group made their way through the darkness, led by Riwoo. The adrenaline from their escape was still coursing through their veins, but the uncertainty of what came next loomed over them. Riwoo moved with a confident stride, occasionally glancing back at the group with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Where are we going?” Leehan asked, his voice low but edged with curiosity.

Riwoo just flashed a grin, his eyes twinkling with excitement. “You’ll see. Trust me, you’re going to like this.”

Seoin followed quietly, her mind still reeling from the events of the night. She glanced at the boys, noting the mix of exhaustion and anticipation on their faces. The escape had been a success, but the journey wasn’t over. Whatever Riwoo had planned, Seoin hoped it would give them the break they all desperately needed.

After what felt like endless minutes of weaving through trees and underbrush, Riwoo finally stopped at a dark clearing. Seoin’s eyes adjusted to the low light, and she could just make out the shape of a beaten-up red pickup truck, parked haphazardly among the trees. Leaning against the truck were two figures, their postures relaxed but alert.

Seoin squinted, trying to make out their faces in the dim light, but she couldn’t place them. Before she could ask, Woonhak’s voice broke through the silence, filled with desperation and relief.

“Jaehyun hyung!” Woonhak shouted, his voice breaking as he sprinted toward one of the men. The recognition was instant, and Seoin watched as Woonhak collided with the older figure, embracing him fiercely.

Jaehyun hugged him back just as tightly, whispering words of reassurance. “I’ve got you, Woonhak. I’ve got you.”

The rest of the boys rushed toward the second figure, calling out, “Sungho hyung!” and, in Riwoo’s case, simply “Sungho!” The reunion was a blur of relieved laughter and tight embraces, and Seoin found herself smiling at the sight. The joy was palpable, a moment of lightness after the tension of their escape.

But as the boys pulled away from Sungho, he caught sight of Seoin, and his expression immediately shifted. His gaze hardened, and without warning, he stepped forward, pushing the boys behind him with a protective instinct.

Taesan noticed the change first, his brow furrowing as he watched Sungho’s movements. “What’s wrong?”

Sungho kept his eyes fixed on Seoin, his voice edged with suspicion. “That’s Seoin Yang. She’s the Phantom.”

The revelation hit like a shockwave, the boys’ previously joyful expressions shifting into confusion and alarm. They instinctively moved into defensive positions, their bodies tensed as they tried to process Sungho’s accusation.

Seoin stepped back, startled and overwhelmed by the sudden hostility. She could feel the mistrust radiating from the group, and before she could say a word, Taesan and Woonhak quickly positioned themselves in front of her.

“Wait,” Taesan said sharply, his voice cutting through the tense atmosphere. “It’s not what you think.”

Jaehyun’s eyes narrowed, glancing between Seoin, Taesan, and Woonhak. “She’s the Phantom? How can you be sure she’s not dangerous?”

Taesan’s jaw tightened, but his voice remained steady. “She’s not the same anymore. That Seoin is gone. This Seoin isn’t a threat.”

Seoin stood frozen, absorbing the weight of Sungho’s words. She understood their reaction—knew that Zeoin’s name carried the shadow of her past actions—but the sight of Woonhak moving to her side, his expression soft and unwavering, caught her off guard.

Woonhak reached out, taking Seoin’s hand in his, and offered her a small, reassuring smile. Seoin felt a wave of confusion; everyone else’s reaction made sense, but Woonhak’s quiet confidence in her was unexpected. It was as if he saw something in her that she didn’t fully understand herself.

Taesan’s voice was firm, layered with frustration and conviction. “Seoin isn’t the Phantom anymore. She’s not the person HYBE made her to be, and she’s on our side.”

The tension in the clearing didn’t fully dissipate, but the presence of Taesan and Woonhak at Seoin’s side made it clear: she wasn’t alone, and she wasn’t the enemy they feared. Slowly, the boys lowered their guard, their defensive stances easing into cautious acceptance.

Seoin squeezed Woonhak’s hand, feeling the unspoken promise in his gentle touch. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a step forward.

After the tense confrontation, the group decided they couldn’t linger in the exposed clearing. They followed Jaehyun and Sungho deeper into the woods, away from the pickup truck and prying eyes. The path was winding and overgrown, each step further cloaking them in the safety of darkness and distance.

After several minutes, they arrived at a run-down video game center, its neon lights long since extinguished, windows covered in grime, and the sign barely legible. Inside, old arcade machines stood like forgotten relics, covered in dust and cobwebs. A few makeshift beds were set up in the corners, evidence of Jaehyun and Sungho’s attempts to make the place livable. It wasn’t much, but it was hidden, and that made it safe.

Jaehyun turned to the group, his eyes still clouded with suspicion. “We’re not staying out in the open. It’s not safe,” he said, gesturing for everyone to take a seat on the scattered chairs and old benches. Once everyone was settled, he crossed his arms and faced Taesan and Seoin. “Now, you owe us an explanation. What the hell is going on?”

Taesan and Seoin exchanged a quick glance. Taesan stepped forward first, recounting everything they had gone through since Seoin’s arrival at the facility. He explained how they trained together, how Seoin’s presence was a welcomed addition, and the moments that led to their escape. But when it came to revealing Seoin’s true secret, Taesan hesitated, his words trailing off as he glanced at Seoin.

Seoin felt the weight of their stares, the unspoken questions hanging heavy in the air. She took a deep breath, knowing that she couldn’t keep her truth hidden any longer. “There’s more,” she said, her voice soft but clear. “I’m not the Seoin you think I am. Not really.”

Sungho’s brow furrowed, and Jaehyun’s expression hardened further. “What do you mean by that?” Sungho asked, his tone edged with impatience.

Seoin swallowed, gathering her courage. “The Seoin of this reality lost control of her powers. It caused a switch, a blending of our consciousnesses, and I ended up in her place. I’m from a different reality, one without this war, without HYBE, without… all of this.” She glanced around the run-down arcade, the surrealness of her situation still catching her off guard. “She’s still present, but only as a whisper in the back of my mind. I call her Zeoin to keep it straight. She’s like an afterthought… or a guide, sometimes.”

The room fell silent, each of the boys processing Seoin’s words with a mix of disbelief and confusion. The enormity of what she had revealed hung in the air like a dense fog, hard to see through and even harder to accept.

Woonhak was the first to speak, his voice soft but filled with conviction. “I knew it,” he said, glancing at Seoin with a faint, reassuring smile. “I knew you couldn’t be the Phantom. You’re too kind—too… you.”

Jaehyun’s expression tightened, a flash of frustration crossing his face. “Kindness doesn’t erase what the Phantom did,” he retorted, his tone edged with bitterness. “You don’t know what missions she carried out or why she was so important to HYBE. She was dangerous, valuable, and every bit the weapon HYBE wanted her to be.”

Seoin flinched at Jaehyun’s words, the reminder of Zeoin’s past cutting deeper than she’d expected. “I know,” she admitted quietly, meeting Jaehyun’s gaze. “I know what she did, and I know why she did it. But I’m not her. I’m trying to make things right, even if it’s not enough.”

The tension in the hideout was palpable, the weight of Seoin’s confession lingering in the dim, dusty air. Taesan stepped closer to Seoin, his presence a quiet reassurance at her side. “Seoin isn’t Zeoin,” he said firmly, looking directly at Jaehyun and Sungho. “She’s not responsible for what HYBE did to Zeoin, and she’s been fighting to help us since the moment she arrived.”

Jaehyun’s posture relaxed slightly, the rigid anger in his stance easing as he looked between Seoin and the others. Sungho still appeared wary, but the fire in his eyes had dimmed, replaced by a reluctant understanding.

Seoin didn’t have all the answers, and she knew she couldn’t erase the past. But as she stood there, surrounded by the boys who had slowly become her allies, she felt a renewed sense of purpose. Zeoin’s mistakes were not hers to carry alone, and together, they would face whatever challenges lay ahead.

The tension in the run-down video game center slowly eased, but an uneasy silence still hung in the air. Jaehyun and Sungho exchanged a glance, the weight of everything they’d discovered during their time away pressing down on them. They knew it was time to tell the others the truth about what they had found.

Jaehyun leaned back against an old arcade machine, his expression grim. “There’s a lot you all don’t know,” he began, his voice low and heavy with the burden of secrets. “Sungho and I have been tracking HYBE’s operations, digging into things we weren’t supposed to see.”

Sungho nodded, his face set in a serious frown. “You know about the enhancements—everyone gets them on their 20th birthday. That’s standard. But what HYBE isn’t telling anyone is that they’ve been pushing beyond that. They’re trying to give people more than one power.”

Seoin’s eyes widened, and the boys exchanged anxious glances. Taesan spoke up, his voice edged with skepticism. “More than one power? How is that even possible?”

Jaehyun’s face darkened. “It’s not, at least not safely. Every time they’ve tried, it’s failed—disastrously. The enhancements become unstable, and the people they experiment on… they don’t survive.”

Sungho’s voice tightened, his frustration clear. “HYBE’s been running these experiments in secret, combining abilities from different subjects in an attempt to create someone with multiple powers. They think they can make the ultimate soldier, someone who could change the entire course of the war. But it’s not working. Every test subject ends up dead or worse.”

Leehan’s expression turned grim. “That’s why we’ve been seeing more and more disappearances. Those trainees weren’t just lost—they were killed by HYBE’s experiments.”

Woonhak looked down, visibly shaken by the revelation. The idea of his friends being used and discarded like failed experiments was almost too much to bear. Seoin squeezed his hand gently, a silent promise that they would get through this together.

Taesan’s anger simmered just below the surface, his fists clenched tightly. “So HYBE is just playing god, trying to make super-soldiers and killing people in the process.”

Jaehyun nodded. “Exactly. They don’t care who gets hurt, as long as they find the right combination. It’s all just a numbers game to them. We found files on dozens of test subjects who didn’t make it. Their records were erased, their deaths covered up. They’re trying to perfect something that isn’t meant to exist.”

Sungho looked at the group, his eyes filled with determination. “HYBE is willing to sacrifice as many lives as it takes to get what they want. They’re not just fighting a war—they’re trying to reshape it to fit their own agenda. And we’re all just pawns in their game.”

The weight of Jaehyun and Sungho’s words settled over the group, the full extent of HYBE’s ruthless ambition laid bare. They had known about the enhancements, had accepted them as part of their reality, but this was something else entirely. HYBE was playing with forces they didn’t fully understand, and people were dying because of it.

Seoin felt a surge of determination rise within her. They couldn’t let HYBE continue this. They couldn’t let their friends’ lives be treated as disposable. “We have to stop this,” she said, her voice filled with quiet resolve. “Whatever HYBE is planning, we can’t let them keep doing this.”

Taesan nodded, his expression fierce. “We’re going to find out exactly what HYBE is hiding, and we’re going to put an end to it. No more experiments, no more deaths. They don’t get to control us anymore.”

The group’s resolve solidified, their anger and fear transforming into a united front against HYBE’s twisted plans. They had escaped, but now they had a new mission: to expose HYBE’s lies and put a stop to the deadly experiments that had cost so many lives. Together, they would fight back, and they would make HYBE answer for what they had done.

The group sat in the dimly lit hideout, the gravity of Jaehyun and Sungho’s revelations still sinking in. Jaehyun’s face was etched with frustration as he pulled out a stack of worn, crumpled papers from his bag—evidence of his long nights piecing together HYBE’s dark secrets.

“There’s something else,” Jaehyun said, his voice strained with the weight of his findings. “I found records—hidden files on every person the Phantom was sent to kill. Every single target Seo- Zeoin was ordered to eliminate… they’re all gone.”

Seoin’s stomach churned, and the rest of the boys went silent, their eyes fixed on Jaehyun. He spread the papers out on a dusty arcade machine, each sheet detailing a different name, a different life that had been snuffed out by HYBE’s orders.

“These people weren’t just targets,” Jaehyun continued, his tone laced with anger. “They were key figures—soldiers, informants, scientists—anyone who started questioning HYBE’s methods or showed signs of dissent. And every time the Phantom completed a mission, HYBE wiped them from existence. Their records, their contributions… all gone.”

Sungho stepped forward, pointing at the documents spread before them. “HYBE used Zeoin to silence anyone who posed a threat to their agenda. They used her powers to erase people from all realities, making sure no one would remember them. And it worked.”

Seoin stared at the papers, each one a haunting reminder of Zeoin’s past actions. She could feel the guilt clawing at her, even though the choices hadn’t been hers. “So… HYBE got exactly what they wanted,” she said quietly, her voice trembling. “They manipulated her, made her believe she was doing the right thing, and now those people are gone forever.”

Jaehyun nodded, his expression somber. “HYBE’s erasure wasn’t just about killing people—it was about rewriting history. The Phantom’s missions removed anyone who could have stood in their way. And it wasn’t just the physical act of killing; it was total annihilation. No one knows they were ever there.”

Taesan’s jaw tightened, his anger simmering just below the surface. “They didn’t just want them dead—they wanted them forgotten.”

Seoin glanced at the names on the papers, each one a silent testament to the lives lost. The enormity of Zeoin’s actions weighed heavily on her, but there was no turning back. She couldn’t undo what had been done, but she could make sure HYBE’s lies didn’t continue.

Woonhak squeezed Seoin’s hand, offering a small, reassuring presence in the midst of her turmoil. He looked at her with quiet resolve. “I know it wasn’t you, Seoin,” he said softly. “And we’re not going to let HYBE get away with it.”

Sungho’s expression was grim, his eyes fixed on the damning evidence before them. “HYBE’s been using us, all of us, as tools in their sick game. But now we have the truth. We can expose what they’ve done.”

Jaehyun nodded, determination flickering in his eyes. “We’re going to bring these people back. We’re going to bring everything HYBE’s done into the light, and we’re going to tear down everything they’ve built on the backs of these lies.”

The group’s resolve hardened, the weight of their mission clearer than ever. They weren’t just fighting for themselves anymore—they were fighting for every life that HYBE had tried to erase, every person who had been silenced by the Phantom’s hand. Together, they would make sure those voices were heard again.

The atmosphere in the hideout was thick with tension and determination. Seoin sat quietly, her thoughts a swirl of conflicting emotions as she considered what needed to be done. The truth about Zeoin’s missions and HYBE’s deadly ambitions weighed heavily on her, but she knew there was one person who could help them turn the tide—Jungwon.

Seoin glanced at the others, her gaze finally settling on Jaehyun and Taesan, who were deep in conversation about the logistics of their next move. She hesitated, feeling the familiar whisper of Zeoin in the back of her mind—a guiding presence that was both reassuring and unnerving.

You need to contact him**,** Zeoin’s voice echoed softly, a mix of urgency and resolve. He’s the only one who can help.

Seoin nodded slightly, acknowledging the voice within her. She could feel Zeoin’s presence growing stronger, as if the weight of everything they had uncovered was fueling her will to stay connected. “We need to reach out to Jungwon,” Seoin finally said, her voice steady but filled with determination.

Taesan looked up, surprised by her sudden declaration. “Jungwon? Are you sure?”

Seoin nodded. “Zeoin thinks he’ll help. Even if this isn’t my… Jungwon. And I… I have to believe that he’ll listen.”

Jaehyun frowned slightly, considering the risks. “Sending a message to Enhypen is dangerous. HYBE monitors everything, and if they catch even a hint of it, they’ll know we’re trying to reach out.”

Taesan nodded in agreement but glanced at Seoin, seeing the determination in her eyes. “We’ll have to be smart about it. If HYBE catches wind, it’ll put us all in danger.”

Seoin felt Zeoin’s guidance settle over her, clear and insistent. There’s a way. Send something only he would recognize. It has to be personal—something he’ll know comes from me**.**

“What do we say?” Seoin asked aloud, turning her focus inward as she searched for the right words. Zeoin’s memories flickered through her mind, moments that Seoin herself had never lived but felt deeply connected to nonetheless. Then, it clicked—a memory from Zeoin’s last contact with Jungwon.

Seoin looked at Jaehyun and Taesan, her expression resolute. “We need to send a message that only he would understand. Something HYBE wouldn’t catch. We’ll encrypt it, but it has to be something that he and Zeoin shared—something that’s theirs alone.”

Jaehyun nodded, quickly setting up his laptop on the dusty arcade machine. “We can use an encrypted messaging service. I’ve cracked some of HYBE’s codes before, so I can work around their firewalls. But what’s the message?”

Seoin closed her eyes, letting Zeoin’s presence guide her. The memory surfaced slowly—a moment filled with a deep, quiet connection between Jungwon and Zeoin. It was a phrase they had shared, one that spoke of their bond and carried a meaning only the two of them would understand.

Seoin opened her eyes, feeling the echo of that moment as she spoke. “The phrase we need to send is moonstruck,” she said softly, her voice tinged with the emotions of a memory that wasn’t hers but felt deeply familiar.

Taesan looked at her curiously. “Moonstruck? What does that mean?”

Seoin smiled faintly, the word holding a special resonance. “It was something Jungwon said to Zeoin once, after a long, difficult day. He told her that when everything felt overwhelming, it was like the moon had cast a spell on them, making even the darkest nights feel a little less heavy. Moonstruck became their way of saying that no matter how lost or distant they felt, they’d always find their way back to each other.”

Jaehyun nodded thoughtfully, understanding the weight of the phrase. He quickly typed it into the message, encrypting it carefully. The word was hidden within layers of code, an unassuming signal that only Jungwon would recognize amidst the noise.

“It’s done,” Jaehyun said, his fingers pausing over the send button before finally pressing it. “The message is out there.”

Seoin watched the screen, her heart heavy with anticipation. The word hung in the air, bridging the space between her reality and Zeoin’s, a small but significant hope that Jungwon would understand.

Taesan squeezed Seoin’s shoulder gently. “He’ll get it. And when he does, we’ll be ready.”

Seoin nodded, feeling a mix of fear and hope. With Zeoin’s guidance and the help of her new allies, she had reached across the divide. Now, all that remained was to see if Jungwon would reach back.

✧✧✧

Jungwon sat in the private villa HYBE had provided Enhypen, the luxurious surroundings a stark contrast to the turmoil simmering beneath the surface. It was late, and the faint hum of the villa’s security systems buzzed quietly in the background. He had been trying to relax, but the weight of everything that had been happening lately made it impossible.

He leaned back on the plush sofa, his gaze drifting to the moonlight filtering through the large windows. The villa was meant to be a haven, a place where they could rest between missions, but to Jungwon, it felt more like a gilded cage. He was restless, constantly on edge, knowing that even here, HYBE’s influence was never far away.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed his computer screen flicker. At first, he dismissed it as another minor glitch, but when the entire screen went black, Jungwon’s attention snapped to it. The room felt colder, the faint glow of the computer casting eerie shadows as he watched.

Slowly, a single word appeared on the dark screen: “moonstruck.”

Jungwon blinked, confusion knitting his brows as he stared at the word. It was random, strange—something he hadn’t thought about in a long time. For a moment, he couldn’t place it, his mind searching for the connection. But as the seconds ticked by, recognition flickered in his eyes, and the weight of the word settled over him.

His breath hitched, memories crashing over him like a tidal wave. “Moonstruck.” It was more than just a word; it was a secret, a shared phrase that only one person would send him. His heart pounded as realization dawned—this was from Seoin. The familiarity of it sent a jolt of fear and hope coursing through him.

Jungwon hesitated, the gravity of the situation settling over him. HYBE’s surveillance was always a looming threat through their pervasive presence and tight control over communications. This wasn’t something he could ignore, but the risk was high—too high without taking precautions.

He quickly moved to his desk, pulling out a small, modified device that Sunoo had crafted: a makeshift spoofer that masked their digital footprints, providing a temporary shield against any potential breaches. Jungwon hooked it up to his computer, the device humming faintly as it activated.

He sat down, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. Every instinct told him to be careful, but the pull of that single word—moonstruck—was too strong to resist. He typed a quick response, his hands moving with a mixture of anxiety and determination.

Who is this? he typed, the tension in his chest tightening with every second that passed.

He waited, each moment stretching into an eternity as the screen remained blank. The villa’s silence felt oppressive, every sound amplified in the quiet of the night. Then, finally, the screen flickered, and a new line of text appeared.

It’s Seoin. I need your help.

Jungwon’s heart pounded at the confirmation. He leaned closer, his eyes scanning the screen as he typed back, careful to keep his responses vague.

Seoin, is that really you? I need to be sure.

The pause that followed felt like a lifetime. Jungwon’s fingers twitched restlessly on the desk, his mind racing through the implications of this sudden contact. Then, another message appeared.

I found out more about what we last talked about. I had to leave HYBE because it wasn’t safe.

Jungwon took a deep breath, the weight of her words sinking in. He knew Seoin—knew her well enough to sense when she was in distress, and this felt real. But there was still so much he didn’t understand. His trust in HYBE had already been eroded, and now this message from Seoin only deepened his suspicions.

He glanced at the spoofer, knowing that their time was limited. The longer they kept the connection open, the higher the risk. He typed back, his words filled with a cautious determination.

I’m listening. But if we’re going to do this, we have to be careful. Tell me what you need.

Seoin’s reply was almost instant, as if she had been waiting desperately for him to take the first step.

I need you to meet me. HYBE can’t know. I’ll explain everything then.

Jungwon’s mind raced, the implications of her request swirling around him. He knew the dangers, knew that meeting Seoin would put them both at risk. But there was no denying the urgency in her words, the weight of the truth she was trying to share.

Okay, he typed, his resolve hardening. Tell me where and when. I’ll be there. But if you’re leading me into a trap, this ends now.

Seoin’s final message appeared, concise but filled with the unspoken promise of answers.

Trust me. I’ll send you the coordinates in a day’s time. Come alone or with the rest of Enhypen. We’re going to end this, together.

Jungwon stared at the screen, his thoughts a tangled mix of fear, hope, and the unmistakable pull of the familiar. He disconnected the spoofer, the screen flickering back to normal as if nothing had happened. But everything had changed.

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disclaimer: this, in no way, reflects the idols. this is purely fiction. ✧ comments and reblogs are appreciated! ✧ give my other works a read too!

taglist: @en-dream ｡･ﾟﾟ･ @onedoornet

[maleyanderecafe]

See Thru: Need a Friend? (Visual Novel)

Created by: ItsYaBoi

Genre: Horror/Romance

I have been waiting for this one to come out for a while and it was well worth the wait. I think this game is rather well made with its different paths and possibilities. It really does feel like friend is... well, a friend. This game is r18 and it doesn't allow you to save or load so I had to go through multiple playthroughs to try to get everything. There's some more lore on their tumblr, @itsyaboi-43, so if you're interested, you can check it out there.

The game has about three different routes, with some variations depending on what you choose (like for instance the locations you and Friend visit), so I will be going through them starting with the "best" route, then the normal, then the bad route. Additionally, the MC's default name is Sweetheart so I will be referring to them as that for this recommendation.

The story starts out with a dream, of someone talking. Sweetheart finds themselves in an empty, dark street with someone hooded on the other side. They have the option to choose to run or hide, but either way the person lunges out at them and they wake up. Upon waking up, Sweetheart remembers that it will be the first day of college for them. They look around the room (you can see Alan from My Dear Hatchet Man), and attempt to read a book, before getting startled by Friend. Friend returns a key he had to the Sweetheart. Sweetheart gets changed into work clothing, mumbling how they prefer being a kid and not having to do adult responsibilities. Friend offers to drive them to work, but not before they go get some coffee. While driving, Friend touches Sweetheart's knee before asking if it's making them uncomfortable. Sweetheart worries that they'll be late again, to which Friend assures them that they will be fine. Friend mentions that they've talked to Sweetheart's boss and tells them about the compliments he's given them, something Sweetheart seems skeptical about. Friend tries to smooth it over stating he used his charm and the two do a little pinky swear.

They reach the cafe and order some drinks. When Friend goes to order, Sweetheart wonders about their rent and considers finding a new roommate. They wonder about how Friend got their phone number considering they never give it out, then rationalizes it by stating that it was probably something they gave to him a long time ago. Friend will come back with the drinks and if Sweetheart chooses the same drink that he gets, he will return with a sugar filled cake frappe. Sweetheart asks about how he got the boss's number, with Friend stating that it was in Sweetheart's contacts. Sweetheart will change the topic, stating that Friend is kind of suspicious before wiping something off Sweetheart's face. Upon realizing that they're late, Sweetheart and Friend head off to work. Friend states that since they're already late, that they should just hang out with him. Upon agreeing there are a couple of options- going shopping, going to the movies and going somewhere with Friend.

If you decide to go somewhere with Friend, he will first drop Sweetheart off at home so they can change. Friend offers to call Sweetheart's boss, though Sweetheart is hesitant because they don't want to be fired. Changing into a cute outfit will leave Friend flustered (which is what I always do because it's cute), though Sweetheart feels as though they are being watched by a stuffed animal. Friend brings Sweetheart to a cat cafe and introduces them to all the cats. Friend confesses and Sweetheart reciprocates, and upon going home they watch some shows together.

If you decide to go shopping with Friend, they will go to a mall where they go into Scorching Subjects (probably a parody of a Hot Topic) and the two reminisce together about the band they used to like. Friend offers to buy Sweetheart a shirt, and the employee will ask if the two are dating. If Sweetheart responds yes, they will be super flustered and try to apologize in the car, though Friend seems to be really happy and admits they like Sweetheart too.

If Sweetheart states that the two are not dating, the employee will attempt to flirt with Sweetheart causing Friend to get jealous and drag them out of the store. Friend because really protective and jealous of the two, and Sweetheart can either escalate the situation by scolding Friend or by calming him down by consoling him.

If you go to the movies with Friend, Friend will buy the snacks and go to watch Alive Pond with Sweetheart. The two hold hands the entire movie, causing both of them to be flustered. After leaving, they bump into a lady and a tired looking guy. They ask if the two are dating and Sweetheart responds yes. They try to tell Sweetheart their names, but are interrupted by a jealous Friend. In the car ride back, Friend admits they like Sweetheart as well.

Similar to the mall scene, if Sweetheart responds that they are not dating, the two will try to introduce themselves only to be stopped by Friend. Sweetheart can then similarly scold him or console him.

You have the option to have sex with Friend and he really goes off (he's pretty rough from what I can tell compared to other r18 ones I've read) and the last couple of shots are him confessing that he's wanted Sweetheart for so long and now they can be together forever.

Having the bad ending requires either rejecting all of Friend's advances and going to work or rejecting that the two are a couple when going out on a date and then scolding him. Going to work makes it so Friend "accidentally" misses the stop for Sweetheart's work place, before turning around and letting them go. At work, we see a cute picture of Friend and Sweetheart at Halloween and Sweetheart working on some emails. Upon leaving, Sweetheart walks home in the dark and wonders if they should call Friend. Responding no will lead to some glitchy behavior and the game asking again. Responding no again will lead to Sweetheart going home alone, and hearing someone try to get in. Friend will state that they did everything to be with Sweetheart and that they will never let them go.

A normal ending revolves around Friend and Sweetheart watching TV on the couch but it doesn't escalate to possible sex (since the two are still friends as it were), when Sweetheart falls asleep, Friend states how much they love them and how they wish that they loved him back.

For a demo (I think it's a demo?), it's pretty well executed and could probably work as a standalone game. One of the things that is very prominent in this is that you're not allowed to save- which makes the experience you do have more finalized than if you could. It definitely does give that vibe, but it is a bit harder to deal with if you're someone like me who is trying to get all or most of the options that it has to offer.

The game itself is pretty simple- having a day to hang out with Friend and possibly either go on a date or go to work, but I do think the way that the choices are made flow into each other pretty well, especially in the date sequences. The date sequences are all unique in their own way, meeting different characters and having a bit more bits of backstories of what Friend and Sweetheart do together in the past. One of the things I really do like about this game is that it does genuinely feel like we are Friend's well, friend. The two joke around, reminisce about old times, borrow each others things and make sure each other are okay and it does feel like we've known him for a very long time. Going to different places seem really casual, and doesn't feel strange or weird, something that I do admire in this game. His character design is pretty simple too, which I can admire since I do like simple but recognizable characters, though he really does look tired all of the time, haha.

In terms of more yandere actions, Friend mostly focuses on manipulation, though generally pretty subtle. A lot of the manipulation that Friend uses is generally something small and bypassable- going into the Sweetheart's house because he has keys from when they were younger, Sweetheart isn't sure if they gave Friend their contacts or not because perhaps it was something they gave to him in the past, Friend joking about skipping class to make Sweetheart consider doing it or Friend "convincing" the Sweetheart's boss to give them a day off. Normally, I'd be more annoyed that Sweetheart doesn't really pick up any of the manipulation clues, but with Friend, it works because the two are close. I think I'd have a harder time believing a complete stranger than someone that I've known for years, and the way Friend manipulates Sweetheart is done in a way that makes sense why they might not be as suspicious like forgetting if Sweetheart has given Friend certain contacts or accepting the key that Sweetheart probably gave to him when they were younger. I do think that this makes Sweetheart feel a lot less gullible because these are things coming from a long time friend. In terms of other yandere actions, he gives Sweetheart (presumably) a doll that likely has some sort of camera in it given that Sweetheart feels like they're being watched and has the option to turn it around. There's also Friend's reactions if Sweetheart corrects people in stating they aren't dating, where he becomes extremely possessive and protective over Sweetheart, getting angry and being aggressive towards anyone that gets near them. So about right for a yandere character. The final part is related to the glitches that you can see in the beginning of the game and if you decide to go to work and walk home. It's a pretty common staple for a lot of yandere games lately to have more meta based text, either directly or indirectly by causing glitches in the game. You can see it in other games like Picture Perfect Boyfriend, 14 Days with You, John Doe and of course, DDLC. While it's not wrong per say to have aspects like this, I don't really understand where the glitching is coming from in Friend's game. In the other mentioned game, there is usually something that makes it more understandable: Asher is in a virtual simulator based on DDLC so it makes sense that he'll glitch the game; John Doe's entire game is surreal so it's not totally out of character to be able to glitch out the game and Ren at least is a hacker and seems to have some control over what's going on in the game. For Friend it's... not really there. Granted, this is still technically a demo and it's not really necessary to explain everything or perhaps I'm simply missing something, but I do think it would be nice to have a stronger explanation to why he might glitch out the game.

The artwork itself is pretty decent I'll say. I like that Friend has a bit of an underbite from what I can tell ( I think it's cute). The backgrounds could probably be a bit better but it's not the worst that I've seen and backgrounds are hard to draw. I do also think it's nice that the sex scene only occurs if the two are together, which not only fits into Friend's orientation of being a demiromantic, but also feels more genuine and deserved when the two do get it on (he is... very passionate during sex, I will say that) Overall, I do think the other aspects, like the glitching and details are a very nice touch.

Honestly, I do think this is a very good game for a demo. It has a pretty good and fun premise of hanging out with Friend and I think it's a rather fun game to play through. Perhaps one day we'll actually figure out what Friend's name is amongst the various guesses that people are sending in as well as more about Friend's past. If you are interested in this game, please, go try it out.

[nasuversekinkmeme]

Weekly roundups: prompts

Tsukihime

Smut, I want that anemic twink Shiki spitroasted by Arcueid and Ciel in some odd competitive threesome thing the two got going on

Show mercy on my soul. Femboy Akiha.

Fate/Stay Night

FGO

Smut, For as much as they want her 'spear', I think Morgan should introduce Gudako and Da Vinci to it-- that is, can we have her cock vore the two of them?

Smut, incest, Karna and Vritra team up to edge and overstim Arjuna until he cries

jeanne gets some well deserved karma for her big sister beam brainwashing .

Yknow how Nobukatsu gloats over the REAL Nobunaga saying he is nothing like his as he lays dying from the poison he gave him? Something similar but this time Mitsuhide is the target and he made sure the poison was just right that it would take a very long time for him to die as he watches Or he just stabs the guy I dunno Nobukatsu deserves to kill more people

Morgan is Bored and demands carnival rides be built in Fae Britain. Entertainment ensues.

Noncon, incest, Summer Avatoria having a soft fulfilling romance with Muramasa as people who are tied by fate thrice over. Meanwhile Summer Castoria would LOVE to stop waking up filled with cum from a man she considers ber grandfather. The downsides of sharing a body you know how it is (feel free to play it as lighthearted or fucked up as you wish)

Asclepius becomes a therapist because dear God do some of these servants (and staff) need help and somebody's gotta be the counselor.

Noncon, Elaine of Carbonek, the raging bitch who raped Lancelot and mother of Galahad, is summoned. If you thought Galahad resented his FATHER, y’all ain’t seen nothing yet. Mash has to be physically restrained when Elaine refers to her as “Junior.” (Technically, Galahad would be Galahad Jr, if Lancelot ever went by his birth name. I am an Arthuriana nerd.)

Emiya realizes that Ritsuka mission are becoming too dangerous, so he locks himself there with her, she can left whenever she wants, as long as she is able to do a simple task, with all the knowledge and weapons she gathered from her servants she must kill him, proving she has become strong enough to be the protector of humanity

Salieri gets a Summer form, where instead of being the amalgamation of the rumours of who killed Mozart, he's the amalgamation of the myths of the Maenads who tore Orpheus apart.

First Hassan and Shiki killing increasingly improbable and abstract things as a friendly contest. Escalating from “the tension in the room” to Barghest’s desire to eat her loved ones” to “Artoria’s resentment of Mordred” to “Wednesdays.”

Continuation of the Grand Carnival joke: Atalanta has to marry Kingprotea, BB is in charge of organizing wedding and the rest of the Sakura Five are bridesmaids aka have to make sure Atalanta doesn't escape.

Blackbeard, Absolute Disgusting Degenerate that he is, is well aware that his kink is not everyone else's kink, and so after finding some improperly tagged Smut or Hentai, decides to make a video about the importance of tagging, what it means, and how to do it, because tagging your shit properly means that everyone can enjoy themselves in peace, so long as they use the blacklist. (This just kinda came to me TBH, Cause Blackbeard just kinda feels like he'd take proper tagging very seriously given everything about him.)

Fun fact: "thou" and "thy" and such were actually the informal register - "you" and "your" were the fancy, polite terms. Therefore, someone should write a fic of First Hassan trying to seem hip and chill and failing catastrophically because his understanding of what counts is hundreds of years out of date.

UDK Barghest gets hired to Put out a Fire (Read: Help Melusine with her Draconic Heat). Whether it goes full smut or if it goes in a comedic non sexy route is up to the author

Smut, Yu Mei-Ren has Hella Gay Sex with her Summer Variant. (Not NTR, though I'm not sure who all would consider it such anyway since its self on self.)

One of the Draconic/Lizard Servants installs a heat lamp in their room, because if you've got a tech wizard who will do anything for you, why not? After approximately 10-ish seconds of "why didn't I think of this before" from all the other Dragon-type servants, everyone immediately rushes to said room. Ensue dogpile of like, 20 lizard people (including Oberon and Rasputin for some reason??? gotta love traits) whether this is horny or not is up to the writer.

Smut, On their big day, a bride is stressed about the whole event and is this close to calling it quits. Habetrot can't have this so obviously there's one solution: cocksleeve time!

Barghest is openly lamenting in the hallway about how she can never be close to master or anyone else she loves bc of her bestiary nature and how she wishes she could keep herself in check. Scathach hears this and goes "Say no more" and puts her in a collar leash and muzzle. She's trained dogs before

Gudako tries her hardest to be Titania for Oberon. Oberon has Opinions about this. (I'll leave it to the prompt filler if these opinions are Positive, Negative, or Mixed.)

What started as a tiny fight "for charity" between Hektor and Achilles soon turns brutal as Achilles starts to truly want to kill Hektor. Paris, Manricardo, Alexander, and even Penth try to step in to stop him

Some asshole tries to threaten Guda only for them to reply and I quote "I'm not scared of Death, we have Tea on the weekends" Smash cut to them actually having tea with King Hassan, Eresh and Shiki. Whether Guda got hurt or not by the threatener ill leave up to the author.

How did Mel get access to Nemos aircraft carrier? Mysteriously kiss-covered Nemos refuse to answer (Note: all of em are adults)

Fun fact: Sastoria's NP is most effective against Summer Hokusai as she is both Chaotic, Divine, and a Threat to Humanity. Sooooo one-sided jealousy where Sastoria hates Saber Hokusai and Hokusai can't figure out why

Because I don't think we'll see him this summer. What summer side adventure is Kadoc doing? Who with him is you to the author.

Melusine's dragon nature means she likes building a hoards of all the things precious to her. now that she feels comfortable in Chaldea she can't help but gather all the people she likes to cuddle together with in bed with. Who ends up in her cuddle pile is up to y'all

Vlad is talked into going on a boat ride to relax. Everyone on the boat is very uncomfortable with this

Anything involving Ritsuka having extreme mommy issues

so Chloe's whole... thing... is "justified" in-universe as she needs magic to stay stable, so she gets it by doing... that. Ergo, I want to see something where she's summoned in Chaldea and thus hooked up to a stable magic supply, so she doesn't have to do that anymore and gets to actually Process and maybe just Be A Kid instead.

Other

I kinda just wanna say “Galehaut” and watch what the Fate fandom does with the idea of the half-giant king that only didn’t overthrow Camelot because he wanted to bone Lancelot. So I will.

Kinks are known to suddenly appear and develop with age, so: Older version of a servant helping unlock a kink for their younger self

can we get some consensual hypnokink content, perhaps? maybe someone has a kink for being hypnotized and wants so badly to hand over control for a little bit, or they're nervous about performing well during sex and just want to be more assured in themselves! how and why it's done is up to the author/artist as well as the characters, so long as there is consent established!

[thinkithinktoomuch]

Pokéshipping QPR WIP Sneak Peek (with bonus Contestshipping)

“Have you thought about winter break at all?” He slides in across from her as she’s finishing her French onion soup from the league cafeteria. She hasn’t seen him since lunch yesterday— contrary to popular belief, they don’t spend all of their time together— but she knows he talked to his mom last night and Delia is probably already wondering when to expect them.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I figured we’d probably visit your sisters and we need to go spend some time with my mom, but we have nearly eight weeks off. That’s plenty of time to do something else, too.”

She’s not sure when they had decided that they were spending their entire winter vacation together. She’s not sure why he would want to come with her to see her sisters, but she’s not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially if that gift horse means she’ll have someone to help her when she inevitably gets stuck with all of the worst chores.

(She’s also not ready to question the fragile convention of their relationship out loud, but that’s another matter entirely.)

“Let’s go somewhere warm, preferably with a beach,” she offers.

“How did I know that’s what you were going to say?” he laughs. “I kinda wanted to go somewhere with some snow— you know, skiing, hot springs…” Hot springs sound nice enough, but now she’s got the beach on her mind. It occurs to her to suggest that they don’t have to vacation together, but she quickly pushes that thought aside.

“We could always battle for it,” she proposes. “1 v 1. Winner gets to pick.”

When he chooses Charizard and she calls out Starmie, Misty knows that this should be a good match, but then Ash makes the mistake of explaining the stakes to his pokémon and, as it turns out, Charizard would also prefer a beach vacation.

———

Hoenn’s always warm, so she calls May for a recommendation, and it just so happens that there’s a small beach resort near Route 110, an hour and a half northwest of Slateport, that May and Drew want to explore as a potential wedding venue.

May insists on being the one to do the booking, even though she and Drew will only be staying a week, so Misty gives her the three weeks she and Ash had picked out and let’s the Princess of Hoenn do her thing.

———

“When you make it look like you’ve put your entire life online, no one asks about what isn’t there.”

While waiting for her to get into the next dress, Misty pulls up May’s social media and quickly sees what she means. May posts a lot of pictures with friends— candids of Max and selfies with Soledad and spa days with Dawn and baking with Caroline— but Drew only ever appears at the edges of group photos. The story she tells shows all of these people who are main characters in her life and he is clearly secondary at best, if these photos are to be believed.

Of course, that has changed since the engagement announcement. Her most recent posts are photo dumps of the secret she’s kept for the last five years.

It’s enough for Misty to pull up her own profile and try to view it through a stranger’s eyes. There’s lots of water and even more pokémon, as is to be expected, but she also notices that Ash is tagged in over half of her photos, either in the photo itself or as the photographer. She’s never put as much thought into curating her social media as May clearly has, and it’s suddenly crystal clear why the tabloids spend so much time speculating on the nature of the relationship between her and Ash.

Heck, Pikachu is even in her profile photo.

———

“The thing about romance is that it requires romantic intent. Nothing is really inherently romantic,” Soledad explains over lunch.

“For example,” she adds, “when Drew sends May roses, it’s a lovely romantic gesture. When he sends me roses, it’s because he’s a sentimental little shit.”

“Wait,” Misty stops to look at Soledad and she can hear May cackling on her other side. “Drew sends you roses?”

Soledad grins.

“Every Mother’s Day.”

[rosie-love98]

How James And Lily Became Matchmakers:

Been trying to work on a fanfic revolving around Severus Snape (specifically from the “Harry Potter” movies) and Constance Hardbroom (1998 “Worst Witch”). This relationship would begin in their school years with Cackle’s Academy visiting Hogwarts.

While I initially had their first romance be in 1975-1976 (sometime before Severus called Lily a “Mudblood” and ruined their friendship), I’m tempted to have the romance be set in 1976-1977. It would be harder as Severus would be more into the Death-Eaters, and would no longer be friends with Lily. 

However, since this was around the time when James Potter was turning into a more likeable person, I like to think that he (secretly) felt partially responsible for Severus’s turn to the dark side. And, upon realizing this, James wanted to do something nice for him. But, he had to do it in secret as Severus would naturally think of his kindness as a trick. James wouldn’t even tell Sirius, Lupin and Peter as he knew they’d either talk James out of it or find a way to prank Severus. The only person James would work with was Lily Evans. At first, Lily too thought it was another of James’ latest joke, that Severus was too far gone and that Constance Hardbroom deserved better. 

Yet, James would explain to Lily that, “Yes, Sev’s on the route to the Dark Arts, but me and the lads were some of the drivers. Perhaps, I can drive him to a different direction.” And, as both James and Lily had a bit of a hunch that Severus could still have good in him, decided to set the young Constance Hardbroom as her and Severus had already shared moments together, were like-minded and (most importantly) Constance highly disagreed with Voldemort’s ideas. 

So, Lily and James devised a plan; creating love letters, magically changing the hand-writing and sending them to Severus and Constance. Even getting them to have secret meetings in the Room of Requirement where Constance and Severus would just discuss their shared interest and frustrastions. This would culminate in the two agreeing to go to the latest ball Hogwarts was holding.

Long story short, the date turned disastrous as Severus caught Lily and James kissing, Snape and Potter getting into a fight and a neglected Constance thinking she’s just a second option to Severus. This would cause the heart-broken girl to run off alone. Unfortunately, with Constance being isolated, Death-Eaters, like Mulciber and Avery, decided to have a little fun by hexing the young Hardbroom. While Constance put up a good fight as she was magically gifted. Still one terrible hex rendered her unconscious. She would’ve been killed had it not been for Charity Burbage rushing to tell James, Lily, Severus and the Marauders as to what was going on. Without thinking, the youths sprung to action; while Lily, James, Sirius, Lupin and Peter fought, Severus took an unconscious Constance and (with Charity Burbage) ran to tell Dumbledore, McGonnagall and Miss.Cackle of the situation. 

With the younger Death-Eaters stopped, the worse was over. This would leave James, Lily and Severus to wait for Constance’s recovery at the Hospital Wing. Yet, another argument ensued between Severus and James, getting the former to leave in a huff. Eventually, Severus would be brutally confronted by the Slytherins who wanted to know his true loyalties. As for Constance, she would get better but often wondered where Severus was or if he’d ever see her. Especially since Cackle’s visit was only for a few months. Fortunately, Severus would be there to say “Goodbye” when Constance, Miss. Cackle and the rest of the students return to their own academy. This surprise meeting would give James and Lily hope that maybe-just maybe-Severus can change for the better.

While it’s still a working progress, I still wonder if I should go with this story. Though it gives James Potter a chance to show his good side, I gotta wonder on Severus. He and Constance are supposed to get back together in 1982 and later in 2006 (long story short, he’d be magically brought back to life by R/The Cabal). So...why would Constance take back someone who willingly went back to the group that nearly killed her? Should I leave out the fight with Mulciber and Avery and just have Severus promise to write to Constance when she leaves only for the Dark Arts and the Death-Eaters to get in the way (make him forget/not wanting Constance to get mixed up with what he’s been doing/something else?)?

@snapecentric @snapologist @theworstwitch

[my-current-obsession]

I recently decided to give Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly a try. As I generally do when I get into something, I binged it. Now I’m about halfway through overall (as in I’ve seen roughly 50% of EVERYTHING - scenes and short stories in general, and endings). Here are a few misc. thoughts. Beware spoilers if you haven’t played or finished the game yourself!

Despite technically being an otome, this game is definitely a plot first, romance second title. To the point that on a first run the game is on rails towards what it calls the “best ending” and your choices actually DON’T matter, apart from a one-off choice that leads to an immediate bad ending. Kagiha’s ending MIGHT be an exception - according to a guide it SHOULD be possible immediately, but every other ending requires seeing a DIFFERENT ending that you can’t get until AFTER getting the “best ending” So at minimum for most routes you have to have seen at least two plot-related endings first.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing and I DO really like the actual story and how everything comes together. That said the actual “romance” routes are INCREDIBLY short which is a tad disappointing. If you include the short stories locked to each character (which are necessary for getting their endings) they’re probably like 2 hours long max. That’s not a ton of time to develop the relationship between the guy and MC and resolve it happily. The game mostly gets by on having every guy (except maybe Hikage, who is an outlier for several reasons) established in the story as having feelings for Ai/Beniyuri, which at least makes the potential for a relationship obvious. I still would have liked more buildup for each relationship though.

Something neat this game has done though is separating some of the characters into two distinct “routes” based on their fantasy mansion versions and reality after the good ending. There is a tragic Yamato ending and a very sweet and happy Takuya ending, and it definitely seems that same distinction will be made for Karasuba/Aki and Monshiro/Kazuya.

For most of the game I was not a big fan of Karasuba (for two main reasons - one, he is WAY too flirty/forward, and two he is just kind of an asshole), but he has grown on me a little thanks to the ending and “real world” segments. I appreciate that he was trying to get Ai to face the past and move on... although his reason for doing so wasn’t exactly heroic. Not sure how to describe it beyond saying it’s the opposite of the “cool motive, still murder” meme. What he was actually doing/saying was RIGHT and it is healthier for Ai to confront her trauma and move on, but he was only so insistent on it because she was using her lingering feelings for Natsuki as a shield to keep from acknowledging him (or any other potential romantic partner).

The way he and Yamato/Takuya represented two exactly different sides of the issue - one saying to face it and move on, the other just as stuck in the past and steeped in guilt as Ai - was done really well IMO. I haven’t actually seen any romance route other than Yamato/Takuya yet, but at least in his case I really love how they essentially are drawn together because of that shared trauma/inability to move on, and depending on which ending you get either they help lift the other up or outright drag the other down with them. I’m planning on doing Karasuba/Aki next because I want to see how his route expands on his desire to see Ai move forward, presumably in good AND bad ways.

Hikage (and Usagi, who seems to be connected to him) is the only lingering mystery in the story. After The Reveal I like him a little less as a character but I’m WAY more intrigued about his route. I need to know why he is the way he is and what exactly he was trying to accomplish, since the best ending left that a mystery. My only concern is that since his route will ALSO have an entirely separate plot, he’ll be even more sparse on romance compared to the others. We’ll see.

The shooting minigame is superfluous and only exists to give you an in-game currency to spend on unlocking short stories. IMO they should have made short stories only unlockable after making certain choices and/or seeing specific scenes (which is how some of them unlock anyway...). That would also serve the purpose of making the short stories feel a bit more connected to the story proper instead of existing separately in a nebulous time period during the plot.

Overall I’m really enjoying this game although I maintain that it doesn’t balance plot and romance well. If you want a game that is more about the romance/relationship, probably skip this. If you want a plot-focused game with romance as the secondary goal... play Even if Tempest. Or play Collar x Malice or Taisho x Alice for peak stories with a good balance of romance/plot. If you want more after playing THOSE gems... then I’d recommend this!

[makangerous]

Ayumu Rank 9 (Fortune Confidant)

Author's note: As with other Rank 9 Confidants, here you have to the option to romance him or remain friends, with a different Rank 10 depending on which is chosen. Here we'll follow the romance route.

You receive a text message from Ayumu.

I called the front desk to have them send up the same cute girl from the other night. But they said I can't order that. Do you know how I can get ahold of her? I really want to see my guardian angel.

You meet up with Ayumu in his hotel room.

Sorry if that text was weird. I was kind of delirious. Discerning what's real and what's not has been a challenge since I returned from that world. The staff here all think I'm a drunk now. I think I've finally sorted everything out, though. Really, my life's the best it's ever been. I'm making enough to live off of, and I don't have anyone dictating to me. That includes Kiritani… I don't need his voice anymore. And I'm helping all my customers. Just because I failed to get out of this one situation, this one time doesn't mean I'm powerless. It doesn't really matter why I was given these powers. It's up to me to decide what to do with them. I can wait to ask why until I eventually meet whoever gave me them in the afterlife… But that won't be for a long time.

>Live forever, Ayumu!

Haha. Heck, maybe there's a way I can give myself immortality. Of course, I'll grant it to you too, if you're willing.

I can't thank you enough. By the way, how did you get into Mementos? …Your face is telling me it's a long story. We can leave it for another day. How about a free reading? Ask me for any crazy thing you want. I swear my power levels right now are high enough to reach the moon!

>A boyfriend.

Oh, but you don't need a reading for that. Um… I know someone who wouldn't mind being your boyfriend. In fact, he really wants to! He's head over heels for you. His name's Ayumu…

(I should choose my words carefully…)

>I really want to date you, too.

…Wow, I can't believe that actually worked. I pretend to be suave sometimes, but that's just covering up how nervous I am. I meant every word of it, though. Your cheeks are all pink now. It's adorable. Can you stay here for a while? N-Not for any untoward reasons! I'm going to research taking high school entrance exams. I like hearing your voice encourage me. Can you squeeze my hand, too?

Your phone rings in front of Leblanc.

Aww, it worked! I changed your name in my phone to Emi-chan and called you to test it. Having that pop up on my screen while hearing your sweet hello… my heart's about to give out. Anyway, I guess I'm already worried that I'm a bad boyfriend. The first thing I did after we confessed was ask you for help. I need to stop being selfish and become someone you can rely on. What can I do for you, Emi? As a boyfriend, not a psychic.

>Give me lots of hugs and kisses.

I was going to do that anyway, silly. I'd be doing that right now if we were talking face to face. Hm, maybe I should try to master teleportation…

Whatever you ask of me, I'll give it my all. You deserve a guy who can do everything you could ever need. And you picked me to be that guy… I'm ridiculously happy. I'm going to have some lovely dreams about you tonight. You should get some rest, too. Sleep tight, Emi-chan.