#i just noticed this but lately whenever I post my tags seem to be very short and few

[puppyeared]

Brains and brawn

[marchofmistria]

A Nice Contrast

A/N: This is my first Fields of Mistria fic so I hope you like it! It's based off March's autumn dialogue when you speak to him at the forge and he tells you that it's nice and warm in contrast to the cold outside <3

Planning to cross-post this to AO3, and will update this post with the link when I do.

Summary: March helps you warm up by the forge when it starts to cool down in Mistria.

Word Count: 2,127

Tags: March x Reader, gender-neutral reader (2nd person), hurt/comfort, fluff

The summer bled into autumn and it was officially cold in Mistria. You felt like you barely had time to catch up, and the first two seasons you spent in the town sped by so fast you could scarcely remember to enjoy the season before it was over. Days at the beach with friends felt long and restful in the moment, and now they let out to a short and cool autumn when a farmer's work is hardest. Your wardrobe had yet to catch up to the change in Mistrian weather, however, and unpacking your warmer clothes was on the to-do list. However, a late start to the day after a late night in the mines and that plan was gone.

It was already 2PM by the time you had finished your daily tasks on your farm. The crops were watered and they had just begun to peer out of the dark soil. Your animals were fed and seemed happy. You sat down for a moment next to Caldarus, chatting with him as you untied your hair and changed out of your farming gloves. There were errands to do today, after all, and Mistria certainly did not rest for you.

As you fell into the swing of the day, your morning plans were quickly and totally forgotten. You didn't have much of a chance to notice; you felt warm from running around the whole town for hours. These townsfolk sure knew how to run you to the ground. First it was a delivery for Balor, then a chat with Nora before returning to Balor, then a trip to the museum to discuss a new finding with Eiland and Errol, some fishing for Reina's new dish at the Inn tonight, and a quick trip to the mines to repair a chip in the metal of your shovel.

Your body had gotten stronger in the last few months since arriving to the small town, but you felt exhausted regardless. Days felt like they ended too soon as is, but as you left the mines, you were truly surprised by the incoming dark. How did it get so late so fast?

The feeling really set in once you set off to the forge to smelt your findings. The breeze blew your hair back and out of your face, exposing your shoulders further and starting a chill down your arms. You felt thirsty and very hungry and realized you missed lunch and would miss dinner if you didn't hurry.

Wanting to catch March before he left the forge for his own dinner, you hurried on, wrapping your arms protectively around your shoulders for some mock-warmth. It did little to help, and you had begun to feel a bit lightheaded.

March seemed to be finishing his work day just as you were arriving, although you knew he would leave the forge hot for you to use at all hours. He had grown accustomed to your habits, knowing how busy you were throughout the day and that you might come to the forge even late at night to squeeze as much into the day as you could before you passed out from exhaustion.

When you finally stumbled up to him, he addressed you with a curt "Hey," his usual attempt at appearing nonchalant. Just as he had grown accustomed to your habits, you had gotten to know his as well. You had gotten pretty good at giving whatever he gave you right back to him, and your conversations were at the point of total ease.

But rather than shooting the shit with him as you usually did, well enough to break down his boundaries to show even some vulnerability (a shock to anyone who had ever spoken to March), you ignored his greeting and rested your hand on the anvil for support. At this point, you felt like it was the only thing supporting your weight up.

March, who often couldn't help but observe you closely whenever you were near him, noticed right away and rushed over to you. His brows knit together, he put a strong arm under your arm for you to lean into. You all but collapsed into his support for a moment, before regaining a bit of strength and using your legs to lift yourself up a bit more again.

"What's wrong?" March asked, an arm still around your torso in case you fully passed out on him. His heart beat faster, worry showing on every feature. As soon as your head stopped spinning a moment later, you looked into his eyes and saw his concern. He couldn't even try and hide his real feelings like he usually did.

You blushed as soon as you realized how close your faces were to each other. The closest they'd ever been, you both quickly noted before pulling away from each other slightly. March did not withdraw his support though, despite the blush that was tinging the tips of his ears.

"Hey, did you hear me? What's wrong? Should I call Valen?" March asked again, concern growing as you didn't answer his first question. Your mind swam back into focus when March reached his hand up, moving your hair out of your face to feel your forehead with his hand. You closed your eyes at the warmth. His hands were rough against the skin of your forehead, but the warmth spread throughout your body.

"O-oh, sorry! I just got dizzy for a second..." You finally stuttered out. The crease between March's brows lessened slightly, but was still visible. He didn't move his hand away from your face. "I think I'm just tired from the mines, and I realized I didn't eat much today. I'll be fine though."

"What the hell? Why didn't you eat anything, dumbass?" March all but barked at you. You couldn't help but smile a bit to yourself. So this is what it looks like when March worried about you...

"Charming as ever, March," you replied quietly, hoping to ease some of his worry and show that you really were okay. But as soon as that signature smirk reappeared, pulling up the corner of his lips, it was gone as you tried to walk again and stumbled once more. The dizziness was back, and you were worried that he may be right about the fever after all.

"Hey, hey... you should sit down. Don't try and stand up again," March commanded, lowering you gently to the ground. You didn't think March was capable of touching anything so gently, let alone you. He kneeled down at your side and made sure you were comfortable with your back propped against the outer wall of his house. "You're freezing... why aren't you dressed more warmly?"

You had nearly forgotten how chilly you'd gotten, and his comment caused a shiver to run down your spine. March had you scoot a bit closer to the fire in the forge. "It's warm by the forge," March said quietly, taking your hands in his and pulling them a bit closer to the fire in an attempt to warm you up a bit faster. "You shouldn't hang around in the cold too long. Especially in what you're wearing! What were you thinking?"

"March, I'm fine. I promise. I'm just a bit tired." You said weakly, hoping to provide reassurance once more (even though you didn't want him to let go of your hands quite yet. The warmth felt too good, both from the forge and from your closeness.)

"Like hell you are. You're gonna sit here while I go find Valen, got it?" You didn't dare defy him while looking into his sharp eyes. "Will you be okay a few minutes alone?" he said, the softness seeping through yet again. Your head was reeling from this contrast alone, and you nodded. March looked back at you one more time as if to verify the truth, his eyes softening as you leaned your head back to rest against the side of the house once more. Just before he left, he took off his brown jacket, throwing it on your lap before he turned and walked to Valen's clinic with speed.

As you waited for March to return with the doctor, you shrugged the jacket onto your cold shoulders. You couldn't help but note how comforting it smelled. It was the same pleasant smell you noticed when March leaned closer to you as you worked at the forge, observing your work and chiming in with helpful comments. It was also the same smell you enjoyed when March all but pulled you to his side at the Inn when he had a couple of beers in him. The warmth spread from your nose to the rest of your body. The smell of a crackling fire, leather, a bit of sweat (not at all unpleasant), and even... chocolate.

You had nearly fallen asleep in the pleasure of the smell alone when you heard March's deep voice coming up the cobblestone path to you. "—seemed like she was gonna faint. She told me she hadn't eaten anything all day, and looked like she was freezing her ass off."

Without a greeting, Valen knelt down to you eye level, checking your forehead with her hand before asking to put a thermometer in your mouth. You noticed how different her hands felt from March's. Soft, gentle, and a bit cold. Clinical was the right word.

"March, please go down to the Inn and grab them a bowl of soup, would you? That would be just the thing, I think." March went right away, as if he was tempted to do just that before Valen had given him the instruction.

"Y/N, you need to take better care of yourself. This behavior is a bit concerning to me, and it seems to March as well. Which, alone, says something, no?" Valen smiled knowingly. She gave you a bottle of water to sip on, and asked if you were still feeling dizzy. You were not. Just plain tired.

"You're running yourself to the ground with work, which I can't say I'm too happy about in the first place. But to make matters worse, skipping meals? Not dressing for the cold weather?" Valen chastised lightly. You were embarrassed that your lack of self-care had caught up with you, and now it was a problem for others as well. You hadn't meant to make anyone worry, which you expressed to Valen.

"You're right. It won't happen again. I'll make sure to take better care of myself," you said softly. "Sorry to make you worry..." Valen chuckled, surprised by your humbleness. "No need to apologize to me. We just want you to be healthy. You may not realize it, but everyone in this town has really grown to care for you. I know you want to take on everyone's problems, but I really think people would be more grateful if you watched out for yourself before you burn out all your energy."

Cheeks burning, all you could muster was a nod of your head. March returned with the soup in his hands. The steam that rose from it looked so incredibly appealing. March sat down next to you. "Have enough strength to hold the bowl or do I need to feed you?" March scoffed.

You shook your head, offering a small smile and thanking Valen again when she told you to monitor your condition and find her right away if you felt bad again. March sat next to you as you took spoonful after spoonful of the delicious vegetable soup. March said nothing, but in the silence you could tell he was making sure you finished every drop in the bowl. As soon as you had taken the last spoonful, March removed the bowl from your hands and set it down on the floor. "I'll bring this back later," said March.

"Do you think you can stand? I'll walk you back to your house," March sighed, extending his hand out for you to grab. The combination of the soup, the fire in the forge, and the presence of March next to you made you regain much of your strength. You grabbed March's hand and used it as leverage to pull yourself up to stand. Still wearing his brown leather jacket, the two of you set off in the direction of your farm.

It was only after March saw your front door close behind you and the lights flip on in your bedroom that he turned to head back home. Something about the thought of his jacket in your bedroom made his heart beat faster, and you both fell asleep that night heated by the feeling of each others proximity that lingered and left its warmth in you through the entire night.

[hunterwritings]

i saw ur post about smartass! and clingy!reader and that would literally be me ldfnakjf so i am now requesting hc's for this <33 ty ily

YESS FEED INTO MY OBSESSION

miguel with a smartass & clingy reader

summary: miguel seems to tolerate you much more than everyone else

warnings: none | wc: 799

notes: literally speed wrote this because I'm obsessed

tags: @heythere525

you were very comfortable around miguel, almost too comfortable

the other spider people saw the way you hung around him and were in shock when you wouldn't get an arm ripped off when pissing him off

but miguel loved you; everyone knew that

you will almost always burst into his space whenever he's trying to do work and ask him the most absurd questions just to annoy him

sometimes it's just to try and engage conversation with him because you knew he couldn't resist giving a witty comeback

"what's your stupid long name for the spider verse again?"

"It's not stupid, it's factually correct." He shakes his head

"Uh-huh, and it's super easy to say. Y'know, you should get little business cards that say, 'I work in the Spider Society to protect the Arachno Humanoid Poly Multiverse.' I'm sure villains' would get a real kick out a' that." You smirk, hanging upside down from a web attached to your foot.

"Y'know, intelligence is supposed to be a common trait among spider people, but I guess it missed you, huh?" He raises an eyebrow and smirks as he turns around to face you hanging upside down.

"So is humor & charm, but I guess they don't like you." You smiled, crossing your arms upside down.

"You're so stupid." He just groans before turning his back to you once again and returning to staring at his holographic screens.

you laugh before pulling yourself up and jumping to land sitting on top of his shoulders, thighs on each side of his head.

"Oh, you love me." You say with a smug as you reach both of your arms down to hold onto his head.

Miguel didn't move or ask you to get off of him, he just accepted it.

normally, you'd just lay your head against his back and wrap your arms around his body as you hug him closely while he does work; he doesn't mind it as long as you don't interfere with his work.

if you're tired or extra clingy, you'll jump up onto his back and wrap your legs around his body and wrap your arms around his neck.

you like to lay your head against his muscular back and hear his heartbeat, it can almost put you to sleep.

if you are tired or falling asleep while on his back, he'll reach his arms down to hold your legs from falling onto the ground

you love talking to miguel, even if most of the time he won't talk back

even though this man doesn't have spider sense, he knows when something is wrong with you

on days when you are upset or something happened, there will be no snarky comment from you or messing with miguel

you just walk in and jump up onto his back and squeeze him tight

when he notices it's you and you're quiet, he already knows something is wrong and is ready to stop everything he's doing to find out what

he hates it whenever you get injured on missions and you continue to make stupid jokes

You groaned out in pain from the metal that pierced your side. "Heh, that armored suit is looking real good right now." You hissed in pain.

Miguel kneeled down next to you and applied pressure to the gauge in your abdomen

"Hey Miguel, I guess it's still better than your suit huh? One wrong malfunction to your suit and you're naked." You laughed.

"Oh my god, you are the stupidest person I know." Miguel shakes his head.

"Ouch, that's hurts more than the wound." You fake being upset and then smirk at him.

"You're literally bleeding out!" Miguel snaps, whispering Spanish curse words under his breath.

Miguel would be lying if he said he didn't like your company

He definitely doesn't watch the tracker on your watch almost everywhere you go if you are even one minute late

let's be honest, miguel is touch starved

once he sees how much of a touchy person you are after getting comfortable with him, he's not a fan of it

at first, he was one to push you away from him and hate the idea of physical affection towards him

it wasn't until one day when you were help fix him up from after a rough fight and you had your hands holding his head in place. Your hand lied on his cheek and he never realized how nice it felt for someone to hold his face so softly. It was the first time you felt him lean into your touch.

Now he he let's you do almost anything you want to him, even with spider people around.

sometimes, he'll even initiate affection when he really needs and you are more than happy to give it to him

[thatanimewriter]

𝐃𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐔𝐏 - 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳!

← previous chapter           next chapter coming soon →

❝ 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞. ❞ ──   𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘻𝘶𝘬𝘢  𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪 𝘹 𝘨𝘯. 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

you are the heir to a well-known doll company. ironically, you’re just as small as one. at ouran academy, you help out at the host club as a host yourself, creating dolls of your clients upon their request. though it seems it's not just the guests who admire your work...

── 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘯, 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧, 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵! 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘵

𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 + 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

note: taglist is open, so if you'd like to join, just comment on the masterlist post and i'll tag you whenever there's a new installment (whenever that may be). this is the longest chapter so far which doesn't say a lot, but i slapped this whole thing with MOMENTS.

"oh, tamaki. my dearest tamaki, why are you so beautiful?" a girl asks, gazing at the boy with a light blush washed over her features.

"i'm hoping to catch your eye," tamaki responded. "even if for just one second."

"then why is your voice so very sweet and mellow?" another girl added.

"to set your nerves at ease, so that my true feelings might reach your heart," he responded smoothly.

"why are your eyes filled with tears every time you look at me?" a third questioned.

tamaki lifted his head and pushed back his hair slightly. indeed, he did have tears in his eyes. "because the sight of your beautiful smile causes the fountain inside me to start overflowing," he proclaimed.

"oh, tamaki..." the girls swooned. meanwhile, hikaru and kaoru sat at a different table with two other girls.

"i think it's adorable that you're wearing matching kimonos," one of them commented.

"our mother designed everything the hosts are wearing today," hikaru said, leaning on the arm rest of his chair, and kaoru mirrored his pose. "if you see something you like, we can take an order for you."

"our grandmother even helped us put them on," kaoru explained.

hikaru gently grabbed kaoru by the chin and leaned close to his face. "but you know the only one who will be undressing you is me, kaoru." he shortened the gap between their faces slightly.

"hikaru... you're embarrassing me in front of everybody." kaoru turned away with tears decorating the corners of his eyes.

the girls squealed, shifting in their seats. "oh! what a tender embrace!"

they're up to that nonsense again, haruhi thought begrudgingly.

"haruhi! you look so cute in your kimono," someone else complimented.

"almost like a girl!" another gushed, causing you to chuckle under your breath slightly at the notion. if only they knew...

"thanks," haruhi responded.

"haruhi, you've booked another appointment," kyoya said, writing in a notepad with a calligraphy brush. "it seems you've had a pretty steady flow of new customers lately. keep up the good work. i'm not going to charge you interest on your debt like i normally would, so keep this up and you should be able to pay it off."

you scoffed at his faux kindness. "although the rental fee on that kimono you're wearing is nothing to sneeze at," you grumbled, folding your arms over your chest.

as more girls came to compliment the hosts, you sighed and returned to your station, picking up your tools to continue applying the makeup to the doll you were crafting for a client, but was quickly interrupted by someone calling your name.

"[name]! [name]!" honey whined, waddling to your spot and wiping his eyes of tears. "i don't know how but i lost one of my sandals!"

you frowned, pulling him in for a small hug. "but you were just wearing them, weren't you?"

"mitsukuni," mori called, slipping honey's sandal back on.

"takashi?" honey murmered.

"i noticed that you dropped it," mori explained.

"takashi!" the boy leaped into mori's arms, crying into his shoulder as the taller boy gently embraced him.

"how sweet..." a girl said.

"isn't it, though?" her friend responded.

"looks like tears are popular with the ladies today," haruhi observed. "but how are they all able to cry so easily?" as she shuffled away, she bumped into kaoru's back and a small bottle fell from his sleeve onto the tile. "what's this?" she asked, irritation thick in her tone.

the twins stood behind her back to back. "for your information, it's common for a host to use eyedrops," kaoru answered.

"no woman alive can resist a man on the brink of tears," hikaru reasoned.

"that's cheating," haruhi argued.

"oh, don't be such a party pooper." hikaru draped an arm over haruhi's shoulders and poked her cheek.

kaoru reached into his sleeve and pulled a dessert from it, placing it in haruhi's hands. "here, haruhi. this is for you."

her eyes sparkled at the sight of the beautifully presented dessert. "it's for me?"

"aren't you the cutest?" the twins chimed.

the two girls who had watched mori and honey's interaction slid over. "i didn't know you liked sweets, haruhi."

the host smiled lightly. "well, to be honest with you i don't really. but you know, i think it would be a nice memorial offering for my mother." the quiet moment was soon broken by tamaki.

"how admirable of you!" he exclaimed. "such devotion to your mother's memory! please, haruhi, take as many as you'd like." he began piling more into her hands as mori, honey and the twins clapped mindlessly.

"let me guess, the tears are fake," haruhi said disapprovingly.

"how could you! my tears are always genuine, haruhi. being able to cry without the use of eyedrops is the mark of a true host." a single tear fell from his eyes before he returned to his usual charming self, sparkled surrounding him. "tell me. do i impress you? have you fallen for me yet?"

"you wish," you said, stifling a laugh as you gently painted the lips of the doll and ignoring his musings until you spotted a girl hiding behind a wall as she watched the host club's antics. 

"looks like the host club has a brand new guest," hikaru and kaoru announced. "ah!" an idea popped into their head as they moved closer to her.

"come on in," kaoru began, leaning on the wall she was hiding behind and offering her a rose. "what are you waiting for?"

hikaru stood beside his brother, offering an identical rose. "watching from afar is no fun."

"please, miss," they said, pushing the roses closer to her and if your eyes didn't deceive you, it seemed as if the girl was pulling away from them rather than leaning towards them.

"stop that," tamaki interjects, holding a red rose of his own. "how many times do i have to tell you boys to be more courteous to our first-time guests?" he gently scolded. he turned and offered his hand to the girl. "please, you don't have to be afraid, my princess." he placed a hand near her chin as if he was going to grab it but she pulled away again. "i welcome you to the ouran host club." a soft blush coloured her face. "yes..."

tamaki's charm seemingly didn't work, as he was quickly shoved in the face by the girl. "no! don't touch me! you're phony!" she screamed. the host club gasped, but you and mori shared a bored look before smiling at each other in amusement.

"what do you mean i'm phony?" tamaki asked, clutching his face.

"just what i said! you're phony!" she repeated, pointing at him. "i find it hard to believe that someone like you is the prince character of this host club!" tamaki backed away to where the rest of the club were gathered. "you shouldn't go spreading your love around so easily like that, you stupid! you must be a dim-witted narcissist! you're incompetent! you're a commoner! you're disgusting!"

each degrading comment seemed to be a physical blow to tamaki's body, and he fell backward in what felt like slo-mo. "he's created a new technique!" hikaru said.

"one man slow motion!" kaoru finished as tamaki finally collapsed to the ground.

kyoya put a hand to his chin. "i don't suppose... you are...?"

the girl's demeanour gave you whiplash as tears lined her eyes and she ran forward. "it's you! kyoya!" she made the extra effort to step on tamaki's fallen body before jumping in kyoya's body and wrapping her arms around his waist, though he made zero movement to return the favour. "oh, how i've longed to meet you, my one and only prince charming."

you covered your mouth to prevent you from snickering, but mori noticed your shoulders shaking as you held it in. he nudged you slightly to tell you to stop, but the subtle glint in his eyes told you that he, too, found the situation hysterical. you cleared your throat and tried to return to your previous posture, but the smile you were trying - and failing - to suppress didn't hide anything.

────── 〔✿〕──────

"your fiance?" hikaru questioned.

"kyoya-senpai?" kaoru prodded.

"of course!" the girl responded, calmly sitting on the sofa with a tea sat in front of her. "my name is renge houshakuji and i'm transferring into ouran academy's first year class a tomorrow."

tamaki sat in the corner with his knees up to his chest, a dark aura surrounding him. "why is he sulking?" you asked, a hand on your hip as the club watched him face the wall.

"because mommy was keeping a secret from daddy," kaoru answered playfully.

"whatever..." kyoya grumbled. "why does everyone insist on referring to us like we're husband and wife?"

"oh, this is a story of love at first sight!" renge gushed, making the host club return their attention to her. "i couldn't resist the way you were adoring those flowers in the backyard when you thought no one else was looking."

you arched a brow and looked at kyoya weirdly. "you? flowers?"

"and how sweet it was when you reached out to that poor little injured kitten," renge continued.

"she serious?" hikaru and kaoru asked, also freaked out by these untypical kyoya things renge apparently had seen him do.

"could you have the wrong person?" you wondered.

"no way! i could recognise my love anywhere!" renge argued, yelling in your face.

"alright, geez..."

"he's a gentleman whose kind to everyone but doesn't ask for anything in return! he likes solitude but in fact sometimes he gets lonely. he looks like the star of the popular dating sim uki doki memorial!" as she continued to list qualities that simple didn't exist in kyoya, the host club ran around screaming in confusion. "you are my real life ichijou miyabi!" she declared, pointing at kyoya.

"...huh?" the host club mumbled.

"uki?"

"doki?"

"otaku!" tamaki yelled.

"otaku?!" hikaru responded.

"hm?" mori stood clueless in the midst of the chaos.

"i've never seen one!" kaoru admitted, a look of fear in his eyes.

"i get it now," kyoya began. "you're in love with that character. you're projecting that love onto me, and you've somehow deluded yourself into thinking that we're engaged. i assume this miyabi character probably wears glasses as well." as he explained, renge ran around behind him screaming about miscellaneous things about miyabi with hearts in her eyes.

the host club surrounded the couch kyoya was sat on. "so, she made it up? you're not really her fiance, right?" tamaki asked uncertainly.

"well, no, i don't remember ever asking for her hand in marriage." he folded his arms over his chest. "besides, it's the first time i've ever met the woman." this statement brought relief to the club as they sighed, finally feeling relaxed. renge sat down beside kyoya.

"according to my research, i understand that you're in charge of managing the club, is that true, kyoya?" she asked.

"that's right, kyo-chan is our director!" honey answered.

"you're the club's director? that's perfect!" she exclaimed and you winced at how high-pitched her voice was. "oh wow! i've always wanted to wear a sandwich board to advertise a business!"

"we don't advertise, we're just a host club," the twins explained with an extreme lack of enthusiasm.

"i've made up my mind, from now on, i'm gonna be the manager of this host club!" she declared, making the twins groan.

"um, listen, kyoya," you said, making him turn to face you.

"miss houshakuji is the only daughter of a very important ootori family client, so please be polite and try not to offend her, alright?"

"you've gotta be kidding me..."

"well, i can't wait to work with you," renge said, smiling sweetly at everyone.

────── 〔✿〕──────

"what do you think of the new girl?" you wondered, propped in a chair at your desk as you gently painted the face of a doll. mori hummed from beside you, passing tools to you as you held your hand out.

"quite energetic," he responded, continuing to interchange tools for you so as not to disturb your work flow. "i'm not sure what tomorrow will bring."

a quiet chuckle left your lips as you adjusted the lamp head on your desk. "i'm still in shock that she thought kyoya-senpai was her fiance." your smile softened as you returned your focus to the doll, glancing at the reference image occasionally.

a silence overtook your workshop as you swept eyeliner across the little face you held between your fingers and stained its lips the perfect shade of pink. since you'd started making dolls, you were accompanied by mori's comforting silence and helping hands. your parents often asked if things were ok between the two of you if you ever came home alone.

putting your pencil down, you leaned back into your seat with a small sigh. "do you think you'll ever get married?" you asked, swiveling around to face him.

he raised an eyebrow, but answered regardless. "i'll have to at some point."

"but do you think you'd ever get married out of love?"

he held your gaze as he pondered your question. a few scenarios ran through his mind as you took in your features and he smiled as you tilted your head at his hesitance. he resisted the urge to pat your head affectionately and turned to pack your tools away. "i think so."

"really?" your heart warmed at his response. you'd always wanted the best for him and hoped he would never be forced into anything he didn't choose for himself. "i'm happy for you."

he snapped his gaze back to you with a deep frown. "do you not think you will?"

sheepishly, you shrugged with a wry smile. "not really, i'll probably be arranged to marry sooner or later. i'm not getting any younger, we're 3rd years."

his frown remained, but he dropped the subject nevertheless. "you should go to bed, [name]. it's getting late."

you pouted at his words. "but-"

"no buts."

your eyes met once again and a silent conversation swirled in each other's irises. "if we stay up longer we won't skip to seeing renge tomorrow," you bargained.

"...fine."

────── 〔✿〕──────

"i've thought about it a lot last night," tamaki began, "and maybe having a lady manager isn't such a bad idea."

"why do you say that?" the twins asked.

"well, it's fairly obvious isn't it? renge just transferred into the same class as haruhi. so, if haruhi has a girl friend around it could bring out the female within her," he explained, imagining the 2 girls sitting alone on a hill overlooking the school. "renge's girlish air of tenderness might be able to stimulate haruhi's own sense of femininity."

good grief... you and haruhi thought, sharing a bored look with each other.

"now is our chance to help haruhi get in touch with her feminine side. this is an important project, men," tamaki declared. "she doesn't have any friends in class right now except for these 2 shady twins," he continued, pointing at the red-headed boys. "that's no good for her."

"like you have room to talk," they retorted in unison as the doors to the host club were pushed open.

"hey everyone!" renge greeted. "you'll be happy to know that your new manager renge has baked all of you some cookies!" her announcement had brought tamaki to her as he gasped in awe.

"isn't she lady-like? i'm so moved by your generosity!" he said, posing dramatically.

"i didn't bake these cookies for you, you phony prince," she grumbled, making him fall to the ground and curl himself up into a corner. "i'm sorry i burnt them a little bit," renge said to kyoya, "i did the best i could, and i already know what you're going to say." she paused to think about miyabi's voice line from her game before fawning to herself, hands cupping her cheeks and a blush painting the skin. "you're always so sweet to me kyoya!"

"she wasn't kidding, these cookies really are burnt," honey stated, cookie already in his mouth. mori rushed to his side, expression annoyed while simultaneously concerned. 

"don't eat that, mitsukuni, it's bad for you," he said. you winced at his words as renge broke out of her daydream at the sound of criticism for her efforts. you watched as they ran around the room trying to avoid her wrath before picking one up yourself.

"they're not that bad at all, they've got a good flavor to them," haruhi commented. you arched a brow at the twins who seemed to be scheming behind her and took a bite to test if haruhi was telling the truth or just being polite.

"they're ok, i've had better but assuming she probably has a ton of maids and butlers who could've made them for her, she did relatively well," you added.

as haruhi went to take another bite, hikaru put it in her mouth for her. "may i try?" he asked, leaning in and taking a chunk (like, 90% of the cookie) for himself, triggering tamaki from his moping corner.

"uh oh, haruhi, you've got crumbs on your face," kaoru observed, bending down to lick them from her cheek and making you gape in disgust.

"did you see what they just did! he took a bite of the cookie while it was in her mouth!" tamaki exclaimed, rambling to no one in particular since no one cared to listen.

"and suddenly the trio of classmates is closer than ever," you sighed, going to stand by mori and honey as they caught their breath.

"you know, you could've just told me and i would've wiped it off, and if you wanted to try one there's plenty here," haruhi noted, holding up the cookies in her hand.

"that's not the way you're supposed to react, haruhi!" tamaki protested, holding her face in his hands. "you have to stay strong  and reject them, then casually brush them to the side! do you understand?!"

"this is sexual harassment, senpai," haruhi said blankly.

"sexual harassment?! if that counts as sexual harassment then they're twice as guilty! someone call the police!"

"cut it out, boss, we're sorry," the twins interjected. renge put a hand to her chin as she listened to the altercation, seemingly deep in thought until her attention was pulled to honey.

"renge-chan! renge-chan! want some?" he asked, holding up a pink mug with milk inside. "it's milk."

she stared at him for a moment before turning her head away. "lukewarm."

"huh?"

"every single one of you - except for kyoya - all of your characters are lukewarm!" she screamed, pointing a confident finger at the host club, who have now gathered in a small bunch as tamaki wrang out the twins. "each of you needs to have some sort of dark side, you understand? girls are vulnerable to handsome young men who are troubled! if you keep carrying on like this, it's only a matter of time before the girls get tired of you and stop coming altogether. are you trying to ruin my precious kyoya's business?!" she lectured.

"as your manager it's my duty to change your character backgrounds." it didn't seem like she was stopping any time soon... "let's start with you!" honey cried in terror as her finger landed on him. "if all you are as cute inside and out, then you're no different than a baby!"

you frowned at her statement, "hang on a minute-"

"therefore, from now on you are the baby-faced thug!" at her intimidating statement, honey cried even louder.

"and mori-senpai, you're his childhood friend; the flunky."

huffing at her antics, you crossed your arms. "so the problem isn't actually his personality - not that you even know what it is - but the fact that he's part of a duo," you grumbled under your breath, angrily scuffing the floor with your shoe. mori placed a hand on your head to try to calm your anger, but renge's tangent would only get worse from here.

"the twins will be basketball players enslaved in their own world. haruhi, you're an honours student who's constantly being bullied. and as for you, tamaki, you're the school idol who's admired for your good looks, but you actually have an inferiority complex you're hiding from the world; the lonely prince," renge concluded with slightly less gusto, but equal aggression as before.

"well, there's a little truth to it..." you mumbled, relaxing into mori's touch and pushing your head further into his hand subconsciously.

"and kyoya, you're perfect just the way you are now, so i want you to stay as kind and affectionate as ever, 'kay?" she swooned, making you roll your eyes and lean your head back to see mori's reaction to her blatant lies. he looked down at you with his usual poker face, but he pulled you closer to him by your shoulder, indicating he has opinions and will discuss them later tonight.

"thank you, i'm honoured," kyoya responded, giving the girl an easy but most likely fabricated smile.

as tamaki lamented about how the title of 'the lonely prince' was so befitting for him, the twins pulled kyoya away from renge an clutched his shoulders as they stood behind him. "come on, kyoya-senpai!" hikaru urged.

 "you've gotta do something," kaoru added.

"why?" kyoya inquired, "it seems like the boss is up for it." he pointed at tamaki, who apparently felt the need to rehearse poses for 'the lonely prince' archetype he had now been boxed into. as he received feedback from the energetic girl, the rest of the club groaned at what was to come. "let's just wait and see how things turn out," kyoya suggested.

"i bet it will be interesting," you commented sarcastically. "it always is."

────── 〔✿〕──────

you've never quite felt anger like this before, but as you sat outside with many photos of the host club in their costumes for this mini movie renge insisted on making, you started regretting not butting in earlier.

"i'm gonna charge her double for this," you spat, placing some pigment palettes onto the table with a loud smack. "giving me a tight deadline to make dolls of these guys by the time the movie releases, what world does she live in?"

"uki doki memorial, apparently," mori replied, making you jump at the unexpected guest at your station. "under pressure?" he asked.

"no kidding, she just put me on this job and didn't think about the logistics," you complained, lining up the doll's heads with a little nametag beneath each of them for the members. "i'll be doing this day in and day out with no sleep at this rate."

the taller boy watched in silence as you started to work, placing a magnifying monocle over your eye to see the finer details considering you didn't have your usual set up. gently wrapping his arms around your waist, he rested his chin on the crown of your head. "i'll stay over until you finish," he offered.

"i can't ask you to do that," you said, reaching up to ruffle his hair then wiping it on your uniform. "but i appreciate the thought."

"you didn't ask, it was my idea."

you plucked an eyeshadow brush from your kit and dabbed it in pigment, dusting it over the porcelain skin of the doll. "do what you want, but you are wet from the rain and now you're dripping water on my head," you reminded. he sighed to himself and released you from his grip, but pulled up a chair beside you.

"[name]!" honey called, bouncing up to your table. "who are you working on first?" he wondered, an oddly cheerful tone to his voice for being scolded by renge just a moment ago. at his enthusiasm, your shoulders dropped slightly, tension leaving the muscles and going to bother some place else in your body (probably your back).

"you, actually." honey's excited grin bled onto your face as you worked, occasionally grabbing his face gently and squishing his cheeks with the excuse that the photo references weren't doing him justice. mori observed your interactions fondly, reminding him that no matter what he always had your collective bond to look forward to every morning.

a loud smash rang through the air, attracting the 3 of you to where the rest of the club had gathered. you noted the equipment on the ground by the wall but left that for now, instead zoning in on the large rock in kyoya's hand.

"no! what'd you do to my camera?!" one of the crew members exclaimed.

"what?" renge asked meekly. "is something wrong?"

"i'm terribly sorry, but i cannot allow there to be any record of a club member engaging in violence. i think you've caused enough trouble around here, renge. please stop being such a pest." kyoya's polite facade had melted away into something more passive-aggressive, and for once you felt bad for the boisterous girl. 

"...a pest." tears rolled down her face as she computed kyoya's words. "but you're supposed to pet me on the head and tell me not to worry! you're supposed to be kind and affectionate, kyoya!" she paused as she tried to formulate another sentence. "why are you acting so differently now? tell me why!" she wailed.

"because that's not the real kyoya," tamaki explained gently. renge hesitated, then fell to her knees as she continued to weep.

"does it really matter?" haruhi questioned. "who cares if kyoya is a little different than you expected him to be? take a good look at the person inside and get to know him little by little. it's a lot more fun that way," she finished, giving the crying girl a comforting smile. renge's tears halted in her eyes as she imagined miyabi speaking to her through the game. 

────── 〔✿〕──────

"hello, ladies. come on in," you greeted, holding the door open for them.

"i bought the video of that film you made!" one exclaimed.

"i bought it, too!"

"and so did i!"

the club blinked owlishly at the girls statements. "huh?" you all mumbled.

"you did?" tamaki asked.

"that scene in the rain was just phenomenal!"

"i love the lonely prince!"

"and the loving relationship between hikaru and kaoru was so sweet!"

as more girls gushed about the film and it's varying... attributes, you scoffed to yourself, extra cranky as you'd spent at least a week and a half making the doll set that you were putting the finishing touches on just now in a secluded corner so that no one could see before the big auction.

"kyoya," tamaki called. though he only said the boy's name, his tone said everything. what is this all about?

"i may have broken the camera's lens, but the footage that we'd already shot wasn't damaged. but naturally, i'd cut out that one violent scene. sales have been pretty good so far, that hollywood film crew did a fantastic job, but then i guess that's to be expected," kyoya recounted, looking away from his mysterious black notebook. 

"so is this what [name] meant by interesting?" the twins asked, not all too happy with the situation.

"it's best to have as much money as we can in the club's budget."

"you're not getting any of the money from this auction, kyoya," you hissed, storming over as you rubbed your temples. "this deadline has drained me physically, emotionally and mentally."

"not even a little bit?" he teased, earning a dark scowl.

"if i decide to spend this huge amount of money on club events, i will," you rebutted, crossing your arms.

"good day, everyone," a voice interrupted.

"renge?" tamaki said. "but i thought you had gone back to france already."

"i can't believe i didn't realise this sooner, it was so chivalrous of you to risk your life to protect me. i could feel the love when you lectured me about judging people," renge rambled, causing you to groan to yourself. "when you said it was fun to get to know people little by little, you were talking about me!" she proclaimed, holding haruhi's hands in hers.

"is this girl delusional or something?" you mumbled to yourself.

"...yeah," haruhi responded with uncertainty until she was dragged away forcefully to play games at renge's house to 'get to know her better'. 

while the twins, tamaki and kyoya discussed the pros and cons of having haruhi effectively kidnapped by renge, you felt your vision blur and clear over and over again before your knees gave out beneath you.

"[name]!" mori gasped, catching you before your head hit the cold tile. honey hovered over you as mori set you down on an empty sofa, holding a cup of water and usa-chan for you to cuddle.

"you shouldn't overwork yourself, [name]-chan!" he scolded lightly. you were minutely aware of the invasive stares of the guests, but opted to ignore them as you sculled the water and took usa-chan into your arms.

"i didn't have a choice, renge and kyoya gave me the tightest deadline known to man," you whined, rolling onto your side.

"get some rest, you deserve it," mori said, kneeling beside you and rubbing your arm affectionately before adjusting usa-chan into a more comfortable position for you and the bunny. as your eyes fluttered closed, his gaze lingered on your face and his thumb stroked your cheek with a featherlight touch before he rose and beckoned honey to follow him to entertain their guests. he'd bring you home later.

[nsyncat]

OK, so this is my first post EVER since I joined Tumblr like ten years ago. Always been a lurker, enjoying all of the wonderful things here, the gifs, fics, ships, art, all the knowledge and all the amazing heritage posts, but never posting and hardly reblogging, I don't know why, was always afraid I would make a mistake or reblogg incorrectly...

Anyway, the reason this is my first time posting is because THAT amazing moment that happened a week ago, and I've been losing my mind ever since, and unfortunately I have nobody to share this excitement with that will understand... So I had to get it out somehow, and here seems like the perfect place to do so.

I don't know if anybody will read this or pay it any attention, but never mind, I just have TO. GET. IT ALL. OUT!

So I've been a loyal fan of 9-1-1 this past six years, got hooked to these kind of first responders dramas, also Station 19 and then of course Lone Star. I fell in love with the writing, the drama and action, the characters of course, the emotional and moving stories, both of the regular cast and the people in the emergencies (am not afraid to admit that I cried more than a few times, especially when I was pregnant... woooh, that was a tough season for me).

Anyway, like everyone else, got invested in Buck's storyline and of course hopped on the Buddie train in season 2. And obviously there was something between them, and the fandom always clowned themselves that "in the next season SOMETHING is going to happen!" and I always wanted to believe it, and also fooled myself a few times but always was the cold harsh realist and realised it was not going to happen... But enjoyed the ride nonetheless, read amazing fics, saw wonderful fanart, read interesting breakdowns and analysis.

And then 704 happened and I'm not joking or exaggerating, my life changed!

Confirming that Buck is Bi was amazing! I'm ashamed to admit that I really thought it won't happen, EVER! So I still can't believe it actually happened (thank you soooo much ABC!) and like a lot of you, I've been on cloud nine this past week and can't wait for tomorrows episode (also not from the US), literally counting down the hours.

And look, I love Buddie, I really do, but I fell in love with TEVAN (my favourite one yet) 😍 and been OBSESSED with them this past week. Just from those few moments between them and what we barely know that is going to happen the next episode, I truly fell in love with them and really hope they make it as far as they can. I think its an amazing thing for Buck and also CANT. STOP. WATCHING THE KISS! The actors did an incredible job, especially Oliver, also with his spoken support of the storyline and his love for Buck. Such a KING! So this whole thing is huge.

And I have a one-year-old, my life is hectic with taking care of a little human being, a hubby who is also very busy, work, family and a million other things and this past year with a heavy heart I kinda neglected reading fics, and it was my main hobby, my escape, my one and constant thing in my LIFE since I was 12. I do read here and there, but not like I used to, reading hours and hours and into the night, multi chapters and long oneshots, in multiple fandoms, and now whenever I do get to read something once In a blue moon I'm not fully invested or enjoying it because either I'm tired or have something else more important to do. And unfortunately, eventually I noticed that I lost this fire, the passion in me and it left me sad and heartbroken...

And then something incredible happened. Ever since that earth-shattering kiss, the fire and passion came back! Holy shit! I've been reading and ENJOYING fics nonstop this whole week, I can't concentrate on work thinking about everything and reading in-between tasks, I use every single free minute I have to search new fics and scroll through the tags, I go to sleep late because I need to read just one more fic(!!!) even tough I have to wake up very early in the morning and I DON'T EVEN CARE. I'm thinking about it sooo much and imagining new scenarios in my head, and feeling giddy and happy, in a good mood a lot of the time, more optimistic, knowing I have a new and exciting place I can "escape" to, like I had in the past.

Its not that i'm not happy, I have an amazing son and a wonderful husband and I cherish every moment with them, but these are hard and difficult times and life can be hard and stressful and I'm a different kind of happy... So these past few days have been nourishment for my soul and my mood, it sounds so silly but its true! I'm feeling a bit like my old self and it's amazing.

And if someone did read this or did pay attention and got to this point, sorry for the long rant and thank you so much for the patience and understanding 🙏 I love you and wish you a wonderful weekend and happy Buck's-first-date-with-a-man day! 🥰

So I want to thank, from the bottom of my heart, ABC, Oliver, Lou and you crazy lot for resurrecting my old fangirl self 😌 I'm so grateful for all your posts, your takes, your similar enjoyment and of course your amazing fics you're writing and sharing 🩵

[little-peril-stories]

Blood Garnet - WIP Intro

it's a working title leave me alone

Aka: WIP Wednesday / Vaguely Summarized WIP / I'm Desperately Trying to Get This Dumb Story Out of My System

DISCLAIMER: this stupid story is a silly, self-indulgent mess that would require a lot of hard work to make it, um, fit for human consumption. It was my little brain break between finishing The Queen of Lies and restarting The Court of Rogues. It may not ever get finished. 🤷‍♀️ So, uh, you're forewarned. 😇

OPEN TAG for WIP Wednesday, Vaguely Summarized Plot, or both 😊- there's a lot of nonsense in here so I feel bad subjecting even more people to it 😂

Let's use this cheeky lil post for some recent WIP Wednesday tags: Thank you @kaylinalexanderbooks and @sleepywriter00 for the tags! Posts here and here (same post chain).

Rules: Pick a WIP. Post something about it. On a Wednesday. Or whenever! It can be literally anything! 😊 (It does NOT need to be extra as this😅.)

Mood Board

don't anyone say anything about how there isn't a single gemstone on this mood board

What's It About?

Take a drink every time you see an element Kate's used before in other stories. 😅

Evyn, a schoolteacher, impulsively embarks on a journey in an effort to escape the chokehold of her small village, overbearing uncle, and inevitable (and unwanted) fate as someone’s happy little wife. It’s risky, of course: wild animals roam the woods, and she still doesn’t know the source of the mysterious lights that gleam through the darkness at night. However, she gets more than she bargained for—the forest is not what it seems, nor are those mystical yellow lights.

The Fae, creatures of legend, are real.

And they’re coming for her.

Vaguely Summarized Plot

Also using up another tag here! Thank you @mysticstarlightduck for this one! Posts here and here. The tag is kind of perfect for this seeing as I don't know much of the plot myself, so I have no choice but to be vague. :)

Rules: Summarize your WIP in 15 2-5 word bullet points (as if you were trying to summarize it in 15 seconds). (I didn't stick to the limit at all.)

✨ “So the forest's been kind of glowing lately? And no one but me seems to have noticed? Ok. Coolcoolcool.”

✨ “Get married? Me? Never!” Evyn Edition: Simply Not Interested But I Must Be Lying Because All Women Want to Get Married, Amirite?

✨ “Get married? Me? Never!” Jonathan Edition: Very Not Straight But Try Telling That To My Religious Zealot of a Father

✨ Jealous twin will NOT let his sister win control of their clan like she wins everything else, damn it (footnote 1)

✨ Emo loner who can’t go home (on pain of death) just wants these weird dreams about some random-ass human to please STOP (footnote 2)

✨ “I’m going to pursue independence! In another town! On a time crunch! By walking through the woods! At night! I’m a schoolteacher with no survival experience! This Is A Good Idea!”

✨ Grumpy grandma re: pesky human: What is her deal?

✨ “Hello yes hi I’m the emo loner. I’m unrealistically attractive. I saved you for reasons I won’t explain. But also I don’t talk to humans. Or Fae, really. Or. Like. Anyone. Not often anyway. What’s talking again?”

✨ “So, like, you're kind of hot … but you’re, uh, my enemy?? But I haven't figured that out yet?? And also, do we, like, have weird sexual tension, haha, or is it just me? Hahahaha! … But seriously, do we?”

✨ "Hey I know you have breathing issues or whatever, so you don’t like dusty or dirty or humid places, but … wanna take a shortcut through this super duper cool underground cave system?”

✨ “Haha, what? No?! There’s no reason I’m avoiding this area of the forest! Nope! No reason at all!”

✨ YOU get a betrayal! And YOU get a betrayal! And YOU get a—

✨ “Who is the monster and who is the man?” (footnote 3)

✨ This asylum makes the one in TQOL look like a vacation! (footnote 4)

✨ Sexy villainess gets to emotionally torture one MC and then physically torture another. AND psychologically torture them both! Hell, maybe she’ll even kill one of ’em too! Fun for the whole family!

Footnotes

(1) IT’S NOTHING LIKE ZUKO AND AZULA SHUT UP

(2) IT’S NOTHING LIKE RHYSAND AND FEYRE SHUT UP

(3) IT’S NOTHING LIKE QUASIMODO AND FROLLO SHUT—oh who am I kidding 🎶

(4) Technically the whole asylum thing happened in this story first, like, 2 or 3 years ago. That version just lives in a purple notebook that will never be seen by any eyes but mine. So, really, TQOL stole the asylum setting from BG, not the other way around.

Character Vibes

Evyn, human, orphaned as a child and raised by her aunt and uncle. Now a schoolteacher who sees yellow lights no one else can see.

“My heart cannot be captured. I intend to die an old maid, surrounded by papers and books. Good afternoon!”

Jonathan, human. Evyn's cousin, a clerk. Just truckin' on through a life he finds endlessly tedious and unsatisfying.

“Cecil’s a soggy piece of tree bark in a hat,” he said before he could stop himself.

Ah, Jonathan Garnet. A man who gained a single speck of favour with his impossible-to-please father…and promptly hurled it into the wind.

Dharan, Fae. Exiled from his clan years ago for murdering another Fae.

The Fae leapt up, standing straight and bending his knees as if to run—or perhaps pounce. One hand hovered over the stolen knife on his belt; the other, he extended to her.

He looked away from his foe to meet her gaze, uttering a single word:

“Run.”

Rennith, Fae. Heir to his clan but competing for the title against his twin sister.

He was a man, it seemed, but those eyes bespoke something much more ancient—of man, but not man himself. Silver hair, an impossible shade, framed a face sculpted into sharp angles, as cold and pale as if it were made of ice.

A Fae creature forged in primordial fire, carved from gold, silver, and mother-of-pearl.

For the Whump People Here:

Whumpy Things I've Managed to Squeeze into the First 13,000 words

Humiliation/embarrassment (minor)

Hyperventilation, dyspnea

Angst (minor)

Grabbed in the dark

Abducted

Restrained (but make it magic)

Magically forced to obey commands

Chin grab

Whumpy Things I've Got Planned But Haven't Written

Angst (major)

Stabbed

Various fight-related injuries I won't know till I write them

Betrayed by someone you trust

Drugged/knocked out

Humiliation/embarrassment (major)

Imprisoned

Taunted by the antagonist

More magic restraints (but turn it up to eleven)

Tortured (but make it magic)

Desperation, hitting rock bottom

A death fakeout or two or three

If you made it this far, you deserve a medal. 🥇

[straystars-and-planets]

music when the moon rises

music major!Bang Chan x music major!reader (part 1)

CC (Campus Couple): [acronym] a couple who attends the same university.

Synopsis: Chan is well known, both on campus and within the music school: genius producer, member campus rap group 3RACHA, a fantastic vocalist, and somehow friends with someone from every department/major (and handsome with the cutest dimpled smile, not that you were looking). What happens when you happen to run into him after a late night practice session?

a/n: hi this is my first work I'm posting for skz (and k-pop in general) Just trying to give everyone a taste of my writing style, I have more installments for all the members in this campus couple series coming up + a few more wips for later!

wc: 1.68k (oops) of bang chan hcs (because I can)

tags: non-idol!au, college/university au, domestic fluff, fluff, sleep deprivation/staying up super late (sleep is important everyone!!!)

cw: implied fem!reader, mentions of anxiety/stress relating to school/grades, cursing/swear words (both reader and chan use curses liberally + let chan say f*ck)

masterlist | series masterlist | taglist form | part 2 (coming soon!)

💜 reblogs are appreciated + constructive feedback welcome 💜

Virtually everyone on campus has at least heard of Chan. Musical wunderkind, has seemingly performed in every ensemble (orchestra, choir, band, jazz, chamber music, you name it, he’s probably played in it).

Also part of the iconic rap trio 3RACHA, any time there is a concert on campus they’re either one of the main acts or opening for a guest artist.

Chan has also individually released a few mixtapes SoundCloud, is very excited because he now has an EP on Spotify too! Some of his songs have made their way onto party playlists. Needless to say, this man is everywhere and seems to know everyone and anyone on campus.

You’ve bumped into Chan a few times, either in classes or in the hallways between rehearsals. He sometimes flashes you a friendly smile whenever he sees you in passing, but other than a few “hi’s” and “hello’s” the two of you haven’t spoken much. 

It’s a few weeks into fall semester and you are already irritated with the lack of practice space. Your dorm has zero (if not negative) sound insulation so you can’t really use it to practice your instrument.

Unfortunately there are only a few practice rooms available on campus, and no matter what time of day they all seemed to be occupied, either by another musician or adventurous couples who use them for “duet rehearsal” (a/n: iykyk - yes I have unfortunately witnessed the latter)

You get a brilliant idea at midnight after a late night study session in the music library. You’re already in the music building, and you have card access to the department. Surely no one is using the practice rooms at this time.

Your sleep deprived speculations prove to be true and you almost cry as the first room in the hall is unoccupied. You notice one of the production studios across the hall has its door closed but chalk it up to someone forgetting to leave it open on the way out.

Once you’re settled you begin warming up, letting the tones of scales and arpeggios sing through the space. It’s the first time you’ve been able to have quiet and uninterrupted practice (thankfully your roommate had been understanding about you needing to practice in the dorm, but you still tended to play quietly/half-heartedly to avoid any noise complaints).

After a rough run through of the piece you’re currently working on, you start picking through the score measure by measure. Totally immersed in the music in front of you, you don’t notice the door to the production studio creak open, nor do you notice the head of disheveled curls that appears in the window of the practice room. 

A sudden knock on the door startles you out of your zone, and you can’t help but let out a shriek and throw your score at the window. When the folder falls to the ground you’re met by the sight of a surprised Chan, mouth open and ears turning a little red.

To this day Chan swears he wasn’t intending to scare the living daylights out of you, it’s just the way you played was so beautiful and enchanting and he just had to know who was playing it (and then beg them to record some samples for a future/secret project pretty please and thank you 🥺)

After your first THRILLING encounter you keep bumping into Chan everywhere. At music department events/socials, and around campus (particularly the cafe/coffee shop).

You also run into him more in classes (or at least start noticing him more). He’s a guest performer for the experimental piece the orchestra is performing, or subbing for the pianist who was sick during orchestra rehearsal. During breaks you banter with him (he asks whether you’re planning on being in the building late, you tease him for his insomniac habits)

Slowly, over the course of fall semester he develops a soft spot for you. Definitely very fond of you, and at first is in total denial, thinks he is just doing this because he’s trying to be a good upperclassman/mentor for you.

(Meanwhile all his friends, especially Jisung and Changbin, are losing their everloving minds trying to convince Chan that he’s falling for the ‘cute late night girl’)

Probably has an epiphany that he’s basically in love with you while sitting in the audience for one of your concerts (one of the fewe that he’s not performing in). Like yeah, he definitely goes to his friends’ performances/showcases to support, but not all of them. (Damnit, Jisung was right to tease Chan about planning to go to all of your performances that he has time for.)

Then you come on stage for your concerto and he is absolutely entranced. Blushes when you seem to make eye contact with him after bows. Probably red cheeks & ears he is SO glad he wore his beanie today. Plus he thinks you look stunning in the dress you chose, the navy blue fabric makes you look so beautiful and elegant. He loves that it has a bit of your personality with the asymmetrical design and subtle lace appliques.

Now that he is FINALLY aware of his (massive) crush on you he’s going to try to be subtle and show you more affection/flirt more. Tries to subtly woo you by bringing you late night snacks, or inviting you to hang out before practice/rehearsals.

Chan is pretty much a blushing mess anytime he spends one-on-one time with you. Occasionally attempts to use cheesy pick up lines but plays them off as jokes because he is a SHY and nervous boy doing his best to flirt. Probably ends up laughing at most (if not all) of the lines he tries on you.

Thankfully you also find this funny (and cute) so you indulge him. Though occasionally when there’s a particularly sweet/cheesy pick up line you can feel your cheeks tingle and you get uncharacteristically giggly while your heart flutters in your chest.

Sometimes hangouts are just you and him, other times they’re with his friends. You slowly get to know other people. Meanwhile his friends are trying to send Chan to an early grave by not subtly hinting at his crush (aka. one time Felix tries to straight up tell you "Channie-hyung is in love with you," but thankfully Chan was able to smack a hand over Felix’s mouth in time).

Multiple death glares towards his so-called friends now menaces behind your back + creative sign language indicating he may strangle them later

After you start dating, Chan admits that he has tackled Jisung, Changbin and Minho as a last resort to get them to shut the fuck up before they can blurt out “By the way Chan wants to date you” or something else that would cause him to have a quote: " heart attack before the age of 30." His words not Y/N's Chan this is why Seungmin calls you old

At this point you’ve picked up on Chan’s attempts to flirt with you, so you start trying to flirt back. Searching up pick up lines to try on him, reminding him to get sleep/rest, bringing food to his studio if you happen to be free. Of course, Chan is a little a lot dense so he keeps thinking you’re just doing this as a good friend. 

By the end of the semester everyone thinks you and Chan are dating since you two have continued to banter/flirt in public at all hours of the day and night. Jisung and Felix stage an “intervention” by inviting you to coffee where they beg you to please ask Chan out because he won’t shut up about his pining for you at home (pretty please he likes you so much 💖)

You end up heeding their advice (read: Felix and Jisung continued to pester you about it in person and via. text) right before winter break. Chan was hanging out with you backstage before your final recital/evaluation when you just casually asked, “Hey, do you want to get dinner with me tonight?”

This poor man is so shocked, he almost spews water all over your beautiful recital outfit. Thankfully he has the reflexes to turn away before he ruins your dress. Honestly you have to pound his back a few times just to make sure all the water is out of his windpipe.

He’ll agree to the dinner. Leaves the dressing room so you can properly warm up + get to your place in time. Probably about 15 minutes before the show starts he realizes, oh shit, did she mean like a date????? SPRINTS to the nearest grocery store so he can buy flowers, makes it just in time to slide into the seat as the concertmaster plays the tuning note. 

Definitely looks very disheveled waiting for you in the lobby. His curls are all over the place and he didn’t wear his beanie tonight to fit with the formal vibe of the concert (CURLY CHAN SUPREMACY). Pretty much shoves the bouquet in your face before realizing he didn’t actually confirm that this was a date. 

“This is a date right?” he asks, looking a little sheepish. Without the beanie you can see the way his ears turn red and his dimples start showing when he gives you an embarrassed smile. Of course you nod in agreement and giggle when Chan wraps you in the warmest hug ever and jumps around while also congratulating you on a great performance. Chan gives the best hugs you can fight the wall

Your first date ends up being at this hole-in-the-wall chicken place that Chan found back in his first year. Imagine the two of you eating fried chicken at 11 PM dressed in super formal clothing because you decided to go there straight from the performance venue.

Spend the rest of the time before winter break starts pretty much attached to the hip with each other. As music/performance majors most of your final assignments are due before or very early during finals week, so you’re able to relax and take the time to spend quality time with each other. 

Wine night where you both improv on different instruments/vocals and create a joke song about how much you hate spicy food, specifically how Buldak ramen is a crime against tastebuds

Definitely miss him over the winter holidays, you are glued to your phone whenever you have the time, texting/calling him, sending him pictures and selfies. He’s not much better, sending you pictures of Christmas in Australia with his family (INCLUDING BERRY!)

©@straystars-and-planets 2023. do not copy, translate or repost my work.

[acaplaya-musings]

Voiceplay Visuals - Christmas Don't Be Late (The Chipmunk Song)

VoicePlay didn't actually release a full-length Christmas song in 2021 (just a couple of Christmas Minis instead), and so we're jumping ahead to the 3rd of December, 2022, when VoicePlay released what may in fact be my favourite Christmas song cover of theirs ever!

As a group, VoicePlay have had quite a lot of experience with performing this song over the years, as it was a regular part of their setlist when they used to perform at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at Walt Disney World. If you wanna learn more about that, check out these posts by @jules-has-notes linked HERE and HERE (and I hope Jules doesn't mind me tagging them but seriously their blog has *so much* stuff about old VoicePlay stuff, further back than I go that's for sure!)

Anyway, the original arrangement for this song, i.e. the one VP used for live performances, was done by a guy called Chris Diaz, who is (was?) in an acapella group himself, but Geoff made quite a few alterations to the song/arrangement himself, and so both him and Chris are credited with the arrangement! Geoff was also in charge of the video, he co-directed it with Tony, and yes, he added additional music bits and original lyrics of his own, because of course he did 😄

And of course the song features the amazing DeeJay Young, but enough talking, let's get into this!

First of all, love the way VoicePlay started the song with the kinda "old-timey" effect on the visuals (and the audio too!). They did something similar for the start of Sh-Boom and In The Air Tonight, and did it for a brief moment in We're Good as well.

Second of all, do you recognise the set? You should! It's the same one Geoff used for his Way Down video, just with a bit of added Christmas flair!

Not the most perfect screenshot but I just had to give a shoutout for how Geoff suddenly runs into the shot. Like seriously neither words nor individual screencaps do it justice but I find it very amusing 😝

(Also, Eli is again weaing black sneakers with thick white soles)

Cesar as Alvin is literally perfect casting honestly. Like nobody else could do it better.

(Also Cesar was in fact genuinely filming stuff on his phone during this bit, and that footage got included in the BTS video for this cover, and it's just as entertaining and hilarious as you'd expect)

I want that shirt

DeeJay is looking pretty stylish there too! (And yes Cesar also looks great in his blazer)

Alright so Layne is Dave (the human guy character), Cesar is Alvin, Deejay is Theodore, Eli is Simon, and Geoff is... Geoff? 😂😅

"ALVIIINNNN!!!!!"

(*pfft*)

*ding*

(Yeah this video definitely still makes me laugh 😂)

"Alvin! Stop riffing so much and stick to the music!"

Unfair! DeeJay and Eli do heaps of riffing all the time! (And we love them for it, lol)

Also I don't know what the sheet music "says" in terms of the music notes, but I love that it at least appears to be a legit page of sheet music for the song, complete with VoicePlay logo at the top!

"So listen for those nine reindeer!"

Also it's not a visual thing, but given that quite a few reactors didn't seem to notice/realize it, I gotta point out that the sleigh bell/jingle bell sound here is very much done by Layne! Probably with a little bit of post-production effect, but still, very impressive!

"A brand new bottle of hair gel!"

"A bright green dress like ✨Tinkerbell!✨"

*PFFT*

This line is specifically a reference to the fact that they used to perform this song at Disney World, as I mentioned at the start, but this line has also been used in some of their older performances of it too I believe?

Also whenever I sing this song to myself, I literally can NEVER, sing the "bright green dress like Tinkerbell" line, because I always start laughing every time!

"Dooon't be la-ate!"

(I think he really wants that dress you guys 😉😝)

*sigh* He's so pretty and handsome, I love him (look, about 90% of my Voiceplay Visuals posts involve at least one moment of me pointing out how good Geoff looks! I apologise for nothing!)

(Also it took a decent bit of restraint for me to not include even more Geoff screenshots in this just because)

"So put your sleigh in- (so put your sleigh in its top gear!)"

I don't think I've actually noticed this bit before but damn Cesar ain't messing around! He wants presents NOW! 😂

"A tweet from Musk would make me grin!" (heavy grimacing)

I actually checked the lyrics for this song cover on Spotify (back before Spotify made lyrics available only to Premium users, rip), and this line is actually changed for the audio-only version it seems, to "a gift from mom would make me grin", which is fair, because the very faked sincerity of this line wouldn't convey as easily without the visuals.

"Front row seats to Hamilton!"

VoicePlay are no stranger to including references to modern day media stuff in their Christmas Don't Be Late performances, but this is also a not-super-subtle shoutout to the fact that DeeJay was on tour as a cast member in Hamilton! (And still is performing in Hamilton I believe?) He's been playing the role of Aaron Burr I believe? Which is very very impressive, shoutout to DeeJay!

"We can hardly wait!"

(Also hey is that a little Eli Eyebrow Raise I see?)

And I have to give a shoutout to the bridge section of this cover - another Geoff Castellucci original, it's so good! Fits in perfectly, as all his lyrics do! (Original song WHEN?)

"I've been so wonderful!"

I love how the responses of reactors to this moment have been a mix of "aww yes you have Cesar!" and "hmmm I'm not so sure (light-hearted) but I still love you regardless" 😄😁

Get it Cesar! Love the dancing!

Only just noticed Eli has the Hamilton booklet thing shoved in the back pocket of his jeans, lol

Cesar what are you doing? 😆

"Great job, chipmunks! Even you, Alvin! Now let's try it with some helium!"

*pfft*, what a way to end the video honestly

Geoff looks confused, Eli looks uncertain/doubtful (another Eli Eyebrow Raise!), DeeJay looks like he's either down for it or hasn't fully processed it, and Cesar looks HORRIFIED XD

(Also what would Geoff even sound like on helium when singing bass? Normal? /j 😂)

So that's Christmas Don't Be Late! VoicePlay turned a song that's really quite short, slow, and overall fairly forgettable, into an absolute bop and banger, and the video is super fun as well. Like seriously, this is one song that no one else has done or will do in the same way that VoicePlay has, and that's a big part of what I love about it! Until next time!

[imperator-titus]

Ghost from the Past [Part 2]

once again, very rough, subject to change. I haven't fully decided if I want to integrate a tav/gale thing. I really want to try a run with Eletha with the poly mod, but I don't want to mod my game until I've finished honor mode (or beef this run because I've gotten to act 3 this time) I haven't fully gotten Gale's... tone and mannerisms right. I feel like I need to relearn Astarion's early personality. I'm still tweaking Eletha's story/background/mannerisms. I'm experimenting with in-game conversation timings and just... obviously making shit up

I'm hesitant to tag this gale content yet lmao I probably wont unless it ends up being tav/gale or he's like REALLY prominent

anyway, I hope you enjoy this bit

[edit: just did some cleaning up on the "administrative" side of things now that the title is official and all]

(Prev)[Part 1] (Next)[Part 3] [Master Post]

[gif by half-dorks]

“What’s your secret?” Astarion asked Gale as they both sat in camp while others were out.

“What secret is that?”

“Why Eletha likes you.”

“Does she? I never noticed.”

“She’s ice cold to everyone else.”

“You must be thinking of someone else. Eletha is quite kind to everyone, until they prove they don't deserve it.”

“Fine. She’s ice cold to me, and she already knows me!”

“Have you considered that you gave her ample reason to be cold to you? Besides, she's not always angry with you.”

“How do you mean?”

“She sometimes laughs at your quips, or looks at you fondly.”

“If you can see that…” 

Later that evening, after they'd eaten and started turning in, Astarion approached Eletha.

“No need to sleep on the disgusting ground like a dog, dar- you,” he tried to coo, remembering a little too late how she prickled at his pet names. “You should join me in my tent. You would find it much more comfortable.”

“No thank you, I’m quite comfortable as it is.”

“On a bunch of grass and blankets?” He asked indignantly. After she hummed in acknowledgement, he approached so he couldn't be overheard. “The other day you said… that if I asked… well, this is me asking.”

She eyed him, but not exactly in a hateful way. Maybe Gale was right. “I'm not hearing much asking.”

“Maybe you could come to my tent, where I could ask you properly?” She followed him without much of a fight. “Would you… let me have some of your blood? Just a bit. Just to… sharpen the senses.”

“I’m aware. I knew a woman once,” Eletha explained as she pulled out her knife. He watched as she held the tip above the candle in his tent, sanitizing it.

“Should I assume you're doing this because we were… friends?” Eletha stopped what she was doing, took a deep, deep breath, and let it out in a long sigh.

“Yes. We were friends. Close friends.” “Look. I’m sorry I'm being coarse with you. Turns out, it's easy to think you've let something go until you actually have to look it in the face.”

“Well… I’m sure I deserve it,” he said sadly. She actually believed him and that hurt more than the cuts she made in the underside of her forearm.

“Not really. Now are we doing this or what?”

“I was hoping for your neck, but…” he carefully took hold of her arm like it was a precious heirloom, “blood is blood, I suppose.”

“The last time your mouth was on my neck wasn’t exactly a fond memory.” Despite this, she seemed unbothered by this offering.

He didn’t bother finding a response, the scent of her blood almost maddening. Lost in its taste, its power, he only stopped when he felt the sharp snap of her flicking his forehead. As he wiped off his face, he watched a little too intensely as she sealed the wounds with her heated knife. He met her eyes with rare earnestness.

“I won't forget this.” Eletha gave him a look that made him chuckle. “Well. Not anytime soon.”

----

Gale was right, Eletha was kind. Maybe too kind for his liking. Astarion would sigh in disappointment whenever she offered to help some poor idiot. Inevitably, she would give him a harrowing stare over her shoulder, he’d go ‘fine’, then she’d smile and move on. 

She defended him, vouched for him, when he came out to the group as a vampire. She made him ask, which was a little humiliating for someone like him, but she spared some blood for him. She doted on them all like a grandmother, practically pinching cheeks and shoving food in their mouths. Of course, she had to be quite a bit older than them, considering she knew him long enough ago that he couldn’t remember her. He’d forgotten a lot of things, though…

Eletha was acting cagey for the past few days. Lae’zel accused her of being a spy for these Absolutist weirdos. She promised to explain soon.

On the road, Astarion readied his bow suddenly, the only one to hear a subtle sound in the underbrush while the others were deep in discussion. They all stopped and trained their ears and eyes on what he heard.

The bushes rustled. He pulled back. He let go.

“No!” Eletha cried. His arrow sank into her back, above the shoulder blade. It was inches away from slicing open her neck. Astarion was frozen in horror.

Eletha didn’t seem to mind. Instead, she was laughing, playing with the bear that came out of the brush. It looked more like a pack animal than a bear, a leather harness strapped to its back to carry bags of things.

“Bonnet, my sweet girl!” she cooed, scritching the animal’s face. “You found me! What a good girl!”

“When you said you had a companion I was imagining a more… dog-like animal,” Wyll remarked uncertainly, a slight chuckle in his voice.

“At least it wasn’t a wolf,” Shadowheart said thankfully, approaching Eletha to deal with the arrow. She shot Astarion a look. “Are you going to apologize?”

“I-” he started, finally coming to. He was ready to apologize, but then scoffed and rolled his eyes. “It’s her fault, she jumped in the way!”

“You’re impossible.”

“Hey, let’s go back to camp,” Eletha said happily, trying to free herself from the bear’s affection. “Bonnet doesn’t fight, so I’d like to take her back and take all this stuff off her.”

“You should rest your shoulder, too,” Shadowheart reminded her, a suspicious squint to her eyes. Eletha actually seemed surprised to see the arrow’s shaft wiggling in the corner of her vision.

“Oh! I barely noticed.”

“How could you barely notice…” Wyll muttered to himself, a little horrified.

“I’ll explain after dinner. Let’s get going.”

True to her word, Eletha stood before them all.

“Look, this isn’t that serious, especially considering… One of you is a bomb, another is a vampire, one has made literal deals with devils, and, ya know, Karlach set a building on fire.” A few chuckles sounded around the fire, easing the tensions. “That’s all to say… I’m cursed.”

“What kind of curse? Where did it come from? How long have you had it?” Gale asked, a mix of excitement and seriousness.

“Well, I guess it’s not so much a curse as a… side effect? I made a deal with a fey and my payment is… I burst into flames during the new moon.”

Silence covered the campfire. Wyll opened his mouth to comment, but then thought better of it. Without waiting for anyone to say anything, she continued, rather happily.

“Yeah, so, tonight’s the new moon so I’m gonna… be naked and on fire next to the river all night.” She gave the sky a quick glance and started undoing the laces of her boots. “Kinda cutting it close, but we’ll be alright. Worst case, need to find new small clothes…”

“Wait, seriously? You’re just going to be on fire all night?” Karlach asked, the situation just sinking in. “Won’t that… hurt?”

“Oh, yes, it’s excruciating. I got used to it a while ago though.” Eletha got down to her underwear before some of them started turning colors and looking away. “Sorry. Been a while since I’ve had an audience. Forgot some people are shy.”

Karlach held up a hand like a child in class. Eletha pointed at her and she asked, “Do you think we could… touch each other? While you’re on fire?”

“Oh, that’s a good question…” Eletha rubbed her chin in thought. Then she held out her hand, palm flat, fingers to the sky. “High five!”

Karlach carefully smacked her palm against Eletha’s. The elf didn’t yell like Karlach expected, just shook it off. “We’ll try again when the sun goes down.”

They didn’t wait long, the sun was already low in the sky when she got ready for her fiery transformation. They were all varying levels of curious. Eletha seemed more bored than anything. It was an incredibly novel experience by now.

Then it started. Her blue-pale skin reddened, then split, and from those cracks came white flames. They grew and spread until her whole body was covered in an even level of fire, like a very weird wick. The hair on her head quickly turned to ash and blew away, as did her underwear. Excitedly, Eletha once again offered Karlach her hand.

They high-fived. They shook hands. They exchanged playful punches. With each experimental touch, Karlach grew more ecstatic. Eventually, she scooped Eletha up and crushed her in a massive hug.

“I can’t believe it! I’m touching someone!”

“You hug me any tighter, you might put me out,” Eletha wheezed. Karlach loosened her grip. “You gotta refer me to your tailor. I’d combust for some fire-proof clothes.”

“You’re so funny!” Karlach cried, literally in tears.

After everyone went off to bed and Karlach finally tired herself out from having a new non-flammable friend, Eletha sat on the cool sand of the riverbank, looking much like a small bonfire. 

“Mind if I join you for a bit?” Gale asked, startling her. He didn’t exactly employ a silent step. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

“No, it’s just-” Eletha wiggled a finger by her ear. “It’s loud.”

“I imagine the sound of ones own ears burning like the edges of a nice roast is quite… distracting. Luckily, most people wouldn’t hear it for long.” Eletha chuckled, a little bit exaggerated in order to be heard. “Ah! You didn’t take offense.”

“I have a thick skin.” Gale laughed, but it seemed to surprise him.

“I’m curious; what will you look like in the morning?”

“No hair. My skin will be normal, but tender. Recent burns tend to go away, but unfortunately- or fortunately, if that’s how you choose to see it- old scars don’t go away.”

“Fascinating…” Gale considered some things as they sat in relative silence. “What was it? For which you are so afflicted.”

“We don’t know each other well enough for that.”

“A fair answer.” After a moment of him scratching his chin, Eletha said, “Peace of mind.”

“Mm… a rare thing. Was it worth it?”

Eletha shrugged casually. “Sometimes. A lot of the time? It’s not really relevant. But when it is? I’m really glad. And by now, I’m used to it. Sometimes it’s fun. I’m a folk monster somewhere near Arabel.”

“Do tell.”

“Age-old story. Drunk village men, doing whatever it is humans do in the woods. Be drunk, fight, make a mess. They see me, white dancing flame, lose their minds. By the time I pass through town, trying to trade pelts and such, they’ve already distributed some story about a fire elemental on the loose. I come through maybe a hundred years later, still scaring kids with stories about the scary fire demon.”

“I’m sure a bard could dress it up for you.”

“I’m not really one for stories, though I’ve had a few adventures. Wyll has me beat, though. I’m just much older.”

“I am sure this one will prove to be worth recounting in many a tavern some day.” He chuckled nervously. “I came here hoping to thank you for helping me. I suppose you… understand some of my plight.”

“We all have our burdens. You’re my friend, don’t worry about it.”

“Ah… friend? Hmm… I like the sound of that. It has been a long time since I have made a friend.”

“I understand quite well. I would shake your hand, but…”

“Yes, this camp isn’t big enough for three humanoid torches.” Gale smiled and then laughed at his own joke.

“Go to bed, Bhin. Young’uns might be full of energy, but they still need their rest.”

“Quite right. Good night, Eletha. I hope you burn a little less tonight.”

While trying to go to sleep, Gale would realize how dumb that sounded. The sentiment, however, was received in the manner it was meant.

[strangertheories]

I agree with your post. It's a shame that we can't criticize the show's writing within the Byler community. Also trigger warning for Byler doubt... I wish we could just enjoy the ship without the pressure of it ever becoming canon, and without looking into every single detail that 99% of the time has probably nothing to do with Byler. I feel like I'm the only one but to me it's clear that the writers wouldn't have had Mike confess his love to El if they were planning on making Byler endgame in season 5. It just wouldn't make sense. We now know that Mike being unable to say I love you wasn't because he didn't feel it, but because of his insecurities or whatever bullshit reason they came up with. It's too late for us, but we can still enjoy the amazing dynamic Mike and Will have, and make our own fanart and headcanons like any other ship, and that's wonderful! But it seems like to be in this fandom you have to believe that Byler is endgame, and it's quite tiring. (sorry for the rant I wasn't planning on it lol)

Please give me a second, Byler shippers, this isn't a Byler doubt post! For any Byler shippers reading this, I'm not going to side with the doubt but I'm also not going to try and dismiss it because I think whenever Byler shippers have doubts about canon Byler it's a kneejerk response to try and get rid of it and rationalize it out of existence. I get why, but I think anon raises a good point. I've spoken about this for months and months, but Byler pessimism is a very big thing I feel like nobody talks about. Like we get one piece of bad news, give up and then be sad and venty and genuinely stressed and then we rationalize it and move on but I feel as though maybe we need to actually consider that your love for Byler should elevate the show, not take away from it and make you stressed.

And I know that is so easy to say and I'm not saying you should not feel this way at all, what I'm trying to say is that even if Byler didn't end up being canon (not saying it won't), you can still love this community and eagerly wait for fix it fics and fan art to appear instead of immediately giving up or wanting to leave the fandom. Wanting Byler to be canon is one part of the fandom, but I also think it's so much more than that and it's healthy to acknowledge that and try to still hold love for Stranger Things even if it isn't what you hope for.

Just to put a personal thing here at the end, some followers might have noticed that I've not been posting as much recently. Truthfully, it's because Byler wasn't fun for me anymore. I was stressed out because on one hand I felt super doubtful and never really moved past Volume 2's release and the Mike love confession but on the other, I didn't want to make any of my followers feel scared or doubtful. But I've posted less frequently and re-watched the show and I'm trying to healthily express my honest feelings for the ship, most of which are nice (some of which are critical), and it's been really nice. I expected to kind of be eaten alive for it but everyone's been so nice and I've received a bunch of asks of people who also felt as though they couldn't express this opinion. And it's honestly decreasing my fears for Byler because now I feel more excited than stressed that it won't happen.

Feel free to skip this, but I didn't really know where else to say this; I've gained a lot of followers recently but didn't want to post about it. It feels weird; I have the most followers I've ever had on anything and the Byler tag has hundreds of thousands of followers too, but I just feel so weird about it, y'know? Everything is so quiet at the moment and I'm excited for stuff to ramp up again, but it feels odd gaining followers but with nothing to post about. However this week, I feel as though getting these doubts off my chest has really helped me feel happy. Now I'm excited about Byler potentially being canon instead of just worrying that it might not be happening.

Thanks for the ask and thanks to everyone for being a really supportive loving community. Getting Tumblr was great and I'm glad that this anon and others can find love out of Byler beyond it just being canon in the show.

[bookwyrminspiration]

Hello there! I think I’m one of those peeps who appears to have just randomly ended up here bc my blog is many things, but it is not primarily a kotlc blog, and I show up and like your posts once in a blue moon - I’ve been lurking in the fandom tags for months (and whenever I’m in a lurking phase I’m always hesitant to like or rb things because anxiety is mean) after not really interacting with keeper fandoms for years (I think your analyses were some of the first posts I came across when I was rereading the series) and seeing other people post about my gay elf blorbos is so wonderful :)

Also, getting to the point here - I stayed up past 2 AM reading your fic because it was just. Anskdkfjdklsjf. Incredible. The stars-space-dark-light and finding each other motifs were so poignant and TIERTICE PROPOSAL (especially Prentice being the one to initiate affection and reminiscing and everything because Tiergan is so scared of getting so close just to lose him again and just. Oh my god the tenderness) and Tam rescuing Wylie from the light and them becoming brothers (brothers!!!!) and Linh and Rayni making amends and FAMILY and love and I absolutely love your writing style and this is just sleep deprived gushing but tldr: your blog and writing are wonderful and I hope this doesn’t come off as too weird! -🐳 (not sure if you already have a whale anon?)

Hello! I do not have a whale anon yet! Lurkers and not quite involved people are wonderful, it's so cool to see people who enjoy the same things I do even if you haven't made it practically your entire personality online. I'd put you in the "kinda unexpected but understandable" category, where I wouldn't peg the blog as a kotlc blog but they're involved in enough middle grade/ya fandoms that I can assume they partake in keeper casually.

There's just also this other category of "unexpected and I don't fully understand why you're here." This happens with like poetry and art aesthetic blogs run by adults, where they don't seem like someone who'd read keeper? And that's why most people follow me? But who am I to know their interests? So it perplexes me sometimes. I assume it's gotta do with my popular sibling post or something

But! back to your point! I am so sorry you stayed up late but also so flattered by that at the same time? wdym my silly little fic was worth losing sleep over? that does mean you got to read the fic at the same time the fic was set at though! I think that's fun.

Thank you for all the compliments!! i love the consistency the different motifs bring to each story, it feels like they're all intertwined in a deeper way. Like they're all on similar wavelengths in ways they can't even recognize but we can from the outside. It's so satisfying to write.

And the tiertice proposal! now they can be true antenna husbands <33. Was nervous to write their dynamic because I will be honest, I did absolutely all of it from memory and that memory was not very strong. Did not really pay attention to them at all when reading. And then when I realized "hey I didn't pay attention to them at all maybe I should double check what their dynamic is" I was too far into it and decided no we're winging it. If I just make this really good people will be too busy screaming to notice if they're out of character. I'm very glad I went ahead with my idea to add it (a proposal was NOWHERE in the original plan) because everyone seems to enjoy it if not find it absolutely adorable.

Yes!! Tam rescuing Wylie from the light! I hadn't even realized at first the meaning that could be found in that, I wrote it and only later realized that Wylie had been trying to get away from the light about found comfort in Tam, a shade. But I think it's an interesting comment on the importance of family to the two of them and the bond they've fostered, how something that can be seen as so threatening (all the things in the dark) can be utterly meaningless when it comes to someone you love. They're brothers and fiercely love each other, and it transcends expectations and social norms and they do it so casually. They fell into that life together, and I am. Endlessly fascinated by them.

Then there's Linh and Rayni!! Full disclosure I wasn't a huge Rayni fan going into this fic (she was fine, but I had more appreciation for her when she was Glimmer), but she grew on me. I admire how unapologetic she is, how thoroughly she's cast off her care for what other people think. I'm working towards being like that, but am not nearly as casual about it as she is. That whole section was an experiment with them

and don't worry, none of this comes off as weird at all! I think a lot of people fear they're weirder than they are, and if they are weird they should embrace it more :). I'm absolutely flattered you like my writing style though, so lucky for you I have no intention of stopping writing. Telling stories is so fulfilling I have zero desire to stop! so thank you for the encouragement, which I will use as writing fuel whenever I start up my next project (which is the dialogue prompts, but breaks about to be over and I just wrote that other fic so I'm chilling atm)

[sugarushsuga]

2022 End of Year Writing Recap

Rules: post the top 5 works you're most proud of that you released in 2022 (not necessarily your most popular), your top 4 current WIPs that you're excited to release in the new year, your top 3 biggest improvements in your writing over the past year, your top 2 resolutions (ways you wish to improve your writing/blog) for the new year, and your number 1 favorite line you've written this year!

Tagged by: @bangtanintotheroom

Top 5 works you're most proud of (not necessarily your most popular)

1- In Your Own Words - This series was so long and hard to write, also it brought me back to writing fanfics after such a long time having a falling out with writing because of adulting.

2- I don't mind - Because it's short it's cute, and i wrote it all at once as soon as the inspiration hit me, something rare to happen.

3- Stay there, I'm coming to get you - I can never stress enough how hard it is to write smut, when my first language isn't english. Seems like whenever I try, sunddenly I don't know english anymore. And this one was easier than any other, I just couldn't figure out how to make them get there.

4- Grand Slam - This is my most popular fic, but what made me the proudest was that I managed to step out of my confort zone with some part of the smut, and that made me very unsure of it.

5- New Year's resolutions - For me is so, so hard to write Jimin and portray him, that i paused this fic so many times and even now I'm not sure about it, but I put it out to the world and that's what matters.

Top 4 current WIPs that you're excited to release

1- All Night - I was supposed to post it on Christmas but adulting and a lot of other things got in the way. This fic came out of my obsesion with the song and the idea of keeping each other warm during a cold night of winter - Because honestly I'm very tired of Christmas durring summer.

2- Paper Flowers - This is part of the Summer Time Wedding colab from BCN. I need to sit down and finish of this one, but I'm happy with how the story is comming along.

3- PJ's and RJ's - Because Kim Seokjin, Pajamas and RJ are the perfect combo.

4- I'd love to - Because is the fic im currently working on and probably the next one I'll be posting.

Top 3 biggest improvements in your writing over the past year

1- Outlining the story doesn't mean things can't change. The pieces not used can turn into another fic or used at another one.

2- I can post fics with more basic and simpler grammar. There is no need to stress over making the story more "sophisticaded" using hard words that takes me forever to find and make me lose/dread writing. - People don't care about it, they don't even notice the effort.

3- Writing needs to be fun. There is no need to write a lot and post a lot when people don't care about giving feedback or talking to you about your work. I need to write because I want to tell the story and I'm doing it for me.

Top 2 resolutions for the new year

1- Read and write more, as well as give better feedbacks.

2- Improve my banner skills.

Number 1 favorite line you've written this year

(Is not a line but a few pragraphs from IYOW-CH.10)

“I went to visit my grandmother! She lives in the countryside.”

Sabrina lifts her thumbs and stretches out her arm, making sweeping movements back-and-forth with clenched fists. Suddenly she stopped with a theatrical grimace of astonishment and twists one of her fists, muttering a nhem-nhem-nhem-nhemnhem.

“Then my car broke down!” you tell Jungkook excitedly.

Sabrina jumps up and down in celebration, then goes back to mime. She puts one hand to the ear, thumb and little finger stretched out, and slides the finger of the other through the throat, sticking out the tongue.

“Then I got a death threat!”

“What?” Jungkook and Sabrina asks at the same time.

For this part I have to thank my eternal Roommate Julia and her terrible mime reading skills. I love her to death but I can never be her partner on mime games.

I'm late on doing this, beacause there was only so much my mental health allowed me to do last month.

All i can say is that I'm thankfull that 2022 is over, it was a really stressful year and I hope 2023 will be much kinder to me.

Tagging: @egocypher @babiekaykes @temptaetions@ressjeon

[thewomaninlilywhite]

Love looking back at my life and being like "I was always the friend no one wanted in the group"* and like I think that's why I'm like the only 24yo who doesn't have a group of friends. And like it's so exhausting to have to make individual plans with one person at a time who lives minimum an hour away every so often and so I just cut off all my friends because it's all so overwhelming

*in elementary school my friend group all read the Clique books and we were all assigned (by our self-proclaimed Massie) characters... I was Strawberry, the social reject that everyone hates in the series

In middle school my friend group wrote show scripts (the girl whose house wed congregate at had a recording studio in her basement because her dad was a music producer) in one I was the annoying buzzkill teacher who had to put up with the antics of the rest of the group, in the other I was the overly-perky character who all the other characters would constantly shut down

In high school I was never invited to anything. I was "accidentally" left out of group chats with some of my "best friends" and my "squad" would lie about hanging out together without me. I always had to force my way into social situations, I would ask to join, they'd hesitate to say yes, never acknowledge me when I'd try to initiate conversation, and make me feel unwelcome wherever we went.

In college, my friend group made a new group chat without me and one other girl in it. The other girl was the Ex of one of the Hot Shots of the group, so, though a stupid reason, I get why they wanted her out. I don't know why they kicked me out.

Same person who made the new group chat kicked me off the dance team junior year because I brought "negative energy" to practice... I was severely depressed, putting up with my grandma dying, a very toxically abusive professor, and being a Voice major with Laryngitis during FINALS all at once... I tried to commit suicide twice in the days after I was kicked off because of an issue I was having with the professor and I no longer had my one healthy coping mechanism

The Matilda fandom was the one place I felt loved and accepted, but we eventually all grew apart 💕💕

Then I felt that way in the Byler fandom... until the discord I was in turned into college 2.0 (because I'm pretty sure there's another discord with like everyone from the other server but me in it) and whenever I would say something or try to make conversation or make a joke or something people would like pity respond. I'd never get the hype or reactions that other people got. And like it's probably just a coincidence that the dnd server that seemed to be super active died basically at the time I joined... when all of my "friends" had been in it since like the beginning. And now it feels like it's too late. They've all become popular and I don't want to force myself into somewhere I don't belong but I just want to know why. What happened. Why did I get left in the dust? Why is it always me who gets left in the dust ??? It seems like this past summer when the tag was taking off was the time to establish friendships. That's what happened with Matilda. But unlike then, no one wanted to keep those friendships with me, I guess and now it's like too late to make friends

The universe just really doesn't want me living my life huh

It's not like anyone ever takes notice when I go a while without posting

[twentythirteez]

About

Nickname: 2030

Pronouns: They/them

This is a sideblog for reblogging k-pop stuff.

(shrugs) I just think they're kinda neat.

Also I've noticed that some of these groups have a story that links some of their music videos together? (Hence why I have secondary tags for whenever something, like an MV, seems to refer to that lore.)

Lately listening to mostly Ateez, Stray Kids, Cravity, Tomorrow x Together, Seventeen, Monsta X, and Billlie. (Update: as much as I still love some of their music, recent choices by some of their companies have left a bad taste in my mouth. This is mostly about HYBE and JYPE. For context, check the "palestine" tag on this blog.)

There are a lot of smaller groups I just don't know about, so feel free so send song recommendations for them whenever you want to!

Update: found out about B.A.P shortly before BJYM released an album. If you have song requests for them specifically, and/or info about the lore behind those alien rabbit fursonas, please let me know.

Sometimes I draw stuff, but it's rarely related to k-pop and I post it on my main blog.

Likes: bugs, practical-effect shows, piracy, tea, and trees of various types.

I'm kinda quiet, but feel free to send an ask whenever you want! You can send song recommendations (k-pop or not), tell me your favourite music things, or just talk about random stuff. Just be kind.

Also, due to various situations, I haven't been very active on this sideblog. I still log in regularly; I just haven't posted much here recently.

Wait, one last note: Very often, I get this frustrating feeling that I'm forgetting something. So if I may have forgotten something important (say, for example, tagging something), feel free to let me know!

[daydadahlias]

Someone has claimed 'caramelcalum' here on our hell site, are they going to receive the same amount of out-of-the-blue vitriol from you that that anon did? :)

yes i actually just sent her anon hate the other day

asdfghj no, who do you think I am?

this ask is about four days late. so i am sorry this has been grating on you so much since then.

Jules has actually had that @ since I've known her a few months ago when the tracklist dropped! And I thought it was some fun little consonance! For instance, I have a sideblog called "muffinmalum" and I figured it was in that same vein. literal sweets + sweet boy(s) = cute!! (I actually complimented Jules on the username when she first claimed it). And I still think that, considering the way "caramel" as used in the song and in her username is not about race. And to assume that it is :) is racist :)

It wasn't "out of the blue" for me to react the way I did. By sheer virtue of sending an ask to my blog, you are asking for my thoughts. If you were looking for someone's racist thoughts, please go find a racist blog. I am a person with my own personal perspectives on subjects and I shared them as I felt I wanted to and was entitled to. It wasn't "out of the blue" at all for me to reply to something directly sent to me that I recognized as racist and call it racist.

this person came back into my inbox and continued to be more racist and more misogynistic and piss me off even more so I will not be apologizing for the tone I spoke to them with. It is not my responsibility, as a 19 yo 5sos blogger, to educate people on their racism. It is, however, my right as a 19 yo 5sos blogger to call bullshit when I see it.

You - and a lot of others, as I've come to notice - seem to think I just go around policing people on their actions because, on my blog, I talk about my personal passionate perspective on subjects and I'm predisposed to sound persuasive when I speak. Me aggressively replying to an ask I found racist that was sent directly to me does not then correlate to me going out of my way to call people racist whenever I see something I don't like on my casual scrolls through tumblr. I definitely don't do that. It would be a waste of my time, actually, to do that. I stay concentrated to my own blog and to my private, wonderful group of friends and I don't stray from it. Even if I see someone being outwardly The Worst on this hell site (and trust me, I see it; the racism/misogyny/gross shit that permeates this fandom is apparent and abhorrent), I don't send them anon hate. I'll make a little vague tag post about it, sure, why not, but I don't go out of my way to talk to them. I don't go out of my way to even so much as see them. I use the block button very liberally to keep from seeing things that piss me off. But if someone comes into my ask box and asks for my opinion, I'm going to express my opinion. And it is also worth baring in mind that you don't see every ask I get. I don't reply to all of them. And prior to this ask, I had gotten several others that had angered me. This "out of the blue" reaction had been building for a hot minute.

If you don't like the way I talk and you don't like my perspectives, you have the option to unfollow or block me so that my personality doesn't bother you so much. The nature of this ask is embarrassingly hypocritical.

Do you feel better now that you've argued for racism??

[rammwhy]

New York Kiss | cc!Jschlatt drabble

summary: You and Schlatt go out for a drive and some pizza, and it leads to something more.

pairing: cc!Schlatt x gn!reader

tags/warnings: technically consensual but non-verbal? not sure if that warrants a warning but just in case :) | fluff

notes: first fic I've written in a very long time and first fic ever posted on tumblr! I've just been reading a lot of schlatt drabbles lately and wanted to write one myself! The ending feels a bit rushed imo, but I'm still pretty proud of this.

Inspired by the song New York Kiss by Spoon. Also, the bonus at the end is purely just crack entertainment, take it as you will lol

words: 721

New York kiss.

Kinda cliche, huh? I never imagined this would happen; that I would be here, underneath the neon signs, kissing you in the night.

You, my best friend and roommate of 3 years. The guy I never thought I would get along with, because I thought you were so brash and loud and rude--and you were. Honestly I only ever put up with you because Ted liked you, and you happened to have a spare room.  

But then I learned about you.

You, who sends an incessant amount of gibbon monkey videos at 3 in the morning, just because you like them and you think I'll like them too. You, who always gets so excited when someone matches you in Mario kart, no matter how much you pride yourself in being the "drift king." You, who drove all the way out in the dead of the night to come pick me up when I was scared and alone, who listens to me ramble about the most trivial things, who gives the warmest hugs when all I can feel is the cold, who lets me know that I'm enough.

You, you, you.

All I can feel is you.

You're gentle when you kiss me, lips soft and slow with your hand lightly caressing my face. It's like you're scared to hurt me--like you're cradling a delicate flower in your hands. Needless to say, a stark contrast from how you present yourself.

This wasn't supposed to happen. We were visiting your home city, that was it; a fun vacation with the rest of the group. Ted and Charlie were back at the airbnb, saying they were too tired to go out and do anything else. But I was bored and hungry, and we still hadn't gone to that pizza place you love so much. So, you being you, took me out for a late night drive.

Spoon and alt-j played in the background as we talked and talked until all I could think about was how happy you make me. Even when there was a lull in the conversation, we were comfortable and content, just sitting in each other's presence as we passed mundane streetlights. Talks like these were what I loved most.

And then we were here--stomachs full of classic New York pizza as we walked beneath the neon signs. After much arguing and bickering (and a few annoyed looks from the restaurant owner), we split the bill and scurried out of the place, giggling like a couple of high schoolers. What we found so funny I'll never really know, but we were drunk with joy, and that was enough.

We did what we came here for, but neither of us wanted to leave just yet. So, we walked. And as we walked, I noticed you had a soft look in your eyes; one that would grow and twinkle whenever you laughed. I was... enamoured, to say the least. And, maybe it showed, because you stopped walking and took my hand, and I looked up into your eyes.

I don't know what it was--a spark, a snap--but without even saying a word, we both just knew.

And then you kissed me. And I kissed you.

-

Bonus:

When you and Schlatt had come back to the airbnb, completely lovesick and hand in hand, the first thing Charlie and Ted did was... well, yell.

"Wow, took you long en-oH MY GOD!" Charlie exclaimed, pointing at your joined hands in shock? Fear? Excitement?

The two of you quickly pulled away, wincing at the sheer volume your friend had just produced. The both of you, having been so caught up in the initial romance of it all, hadn't quite decided how to tell the boys--if at all.

Charlie seemed to have decided for you, though.

"What is with the yelling?" Ted asked, making his way to the entrance and seeing Charlie pointing between you and Schlatt. "What are you pointing at?" All that came out of Charlie's mouth were incoherent exclamations, accompanied by more jabbing of his finger towards you two.

"THEM?? HANDS??? WHAAAA????" He managed to say, though barely understandable. Ted, however, was a fairly observant man. Processing Charlie's words, aggressive finger jutting, and the singular hands behind each of your backs, he let out a gasp.

"YOU GUYS ARE DATING?"

©rammwhy 2022 please do not copy, repost, or translate any of my work anywhere without my permission | reblogs are ok!