#i'm locking in rn though i promise...

[zellink]

i lied, Bells 17 is almost at 13k words 😬

[yeonban]

A testament to my ADHD is an academic journal posting on social media today about how they've just published another one of my research papers and I had to think long and hard about when I had even submitted that paper 🤕 cue my reaction in the best possible visual demonstration yet:

[goldfades]

✮ 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡, jack hughes

♡ ─ word count | 10.7k (WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK. UM?? MB?? got a bit carried away with this one sorry y'all)

♡ ─ summary | y/n had always been in love with jack since she was a kid, but he had always chosen everyone else but her.

♡ ─ warnings | kind of mark estapa x reader as well but guess who she chooses in the end??? unedited (i'll edit in the morning y'all i just wanna get this out ASAP) SOOO MUCH ANGST OML, childhood best friends trope, unrequited love (for the most part), description of sex (like two sentences u could blink and it's gone), lots of cursing, fighting (sm of it), asshole!jack, idk they may be more but i'm lazy (promise they're not bad if i'm not mentioning them rn)

♡ ─ taglist | @valluvsu (check link in navigation for taglist form if you are interested!)

♡ ─ ev's notes | WHOOOHOOO! it's finally done yayyaa, i got this done in like two days bc i was so excited. jack hughes is very much gold rush coded, pls argue with the wall if you disagree. but anyway! this is a long one, so strap in!!! so much feelings in one fic lol i'm done, but i'm actually very proud of myself. as always, i'm open to respectful critics as i love to improve my writing for you all!! anyways, pls enjoy this fucking novel LMAOO, and let me know your thoughts!!!

Jack Hughes had always been the most beautiful person you'd ever seen.

Not just physically, he'd always been one of the sweetest people you'd ever met. He genuinely cared about how you were feeling and listened attentively when you spoke. His kindness and compassion were qualities that drew you to him from the very beginning.

But it wasn't just his sweet personality that captivated you; it was the way he looked at you with those mesmerizing eyes, filled with warmth and kindness. Whenever he gazed into your eyes, it felt like he was seeing straight into your soul, understanding you in a way that no one else ever had. But never in the way that you wanted.

Every time he smiled, it lit up the room any room he was in, and your heart simultaneously. His laughter was infectious, and being around him brought a sense of joy and happiness that was unparalleled.

He'd always been the special one in the room, with his skills on the ice or his undeniable beauty. It wasn't Jack's fault that he had such an effect on people; it was simply a consequence of his charm and charisma. What sometimes made you feel inadequate was the way other girls looked at him, with admiration and longing in their eyes.

Every time you saw him with those adoring eyes gazing at another girl, it was like a dagger to your heart. What hurt most though, was the way he looked back at them. His gaze held a attraction and desire that you craved, but it was a warmth he reserved for them, not ever for you.

You couldn't fault him for it; he couldn't control where his heart led him. You watched him from a distance, silently cheering him on in his pursuits of happiness, even when it meant seeing him with someone else.

Yet, despite the pain it caused you, you couldn't help but be there for him when he needed it. Whenever he faced heartbreak or disappointment, you were the one he turned to for comfort and understanding. It was bittersweet, being the person he leaned on while secretly thinking how you could never ever hurt him the way those other girls did. Your heart ached every time he told you about his the girls, and you would listen attentively, offering advice and consolation. You wanted to be the one to mend his broken heart, to make him see that you were right there, loving him in a way no one else ever could. But you kept those feelings locked away, hidden beneath the guise of friendship.

And you knew he loved you, he truly did. He would just never love you the way you'd always wanted. You felt selfish for wanting more. He was already yours in some regard, others would dream of being that close to the Jack Hughes. You were already an important part of his life, someone he trusted and cared about. Being close to Jack Hughes in any capacity was a dream come true for most, and you felt incredibly fortunate to have him as a friend.

But deep down, you couldn't help the longing that tugged at your heartstrings. You couldn't help the desire for something more, something that went beyond friendship. It was a complex mix of emotions, and you grappled with the guilt of wanting something that might change the dynamic between you two.

It was hard seeing him repeating those mistakes over and over again, and him running back to you wishing he had someone to love him fully and truly, for who he was. You often found yourself on the verge of screaming, wanting to shout, "What about me? Don't you see what's right in front of you?!" But you remained silent, as you always did, playing the role of the understanding friend who listened without judgment.

And each time he came to you with a broken heart, you wished he could recognize the depth of your love, the unwavering support you offered, and the fact that you were right there, ready to love him fully and unconditionally. But it seemed that he was blind to your feelings, or perhaps he was simply too caught up in his own search for love to notice what was right in front of him.

It seemed everyone else saw how much you loved him, Quinn giving you sympathetic smiles and Luke giving you advice. They saw the way you looked at Jack when he wasn't watching, the way your eyes held a mixture of adoration and hurt. They noticed how you were always there for him, ready to offer a comforting word or a reassuring hug when he needed it the most. It wasn't just your words or actions that revealed your love; it was the unwavering presence you provided in his life.

And so, you continued to sit still and listen, even when every fiber of your being screamed for him to see you, to love you, and to choose you. Your love for him remained a silent, unspoken truth, buried deep within your heart as you watched him repeat his relationship mistakes, hoping that one day, he would finally realize the love that had always been right beside him.

He was always grateful for your presence and care until he wasn't. Until he started taking you for granted, choosing his shiny new friends over you.

The pain of unrequited love was compounded by the feeling of being cast aside, as if your friendship and support no longer held the same value they once did. You couldn't help but wonder if he had forgotten all the times you had been there for him, the countless moments you had shared.

It was a painful realization that the person you loved so deeply was no longer the same person who had once cherished you. And yet, you couldn't bring yourself to walk away, holding onto the hope that one day he would remember the bond you had shared and the love that had always been there, waiting for him to see.

──

"Where have you been?!" Ellen, Jack's mom, exclaimed as you walked into the Hughes' lake house. She immediately walked over to you, embracing you tightly.

Over the past couple months, you had declined numerous invitations to Hughes family events over the past couple of months. You had told them that school was taking up most of your time, which was partly true. In reality, you just didn't want to see Jack.

"Just busy with school," you replied, returning her embrace warmly. Ellen Hughes had always been like a second mother to you, and her genuine concern warmed your heart.

Ellen held you at arm's length, her kind eyes studying your face. "You know, you don't have to disappear just because of school, sweetheart. You're always welcome here, no matter what."

Her words tugged at your heartstrings. You knew the Hughes family cared about you deeply, and it pained you to distance yourself from them as well. "I appreciate that, Ellen. It's just been a hectic semester, but I promise I'll make more time for you guys."

The bond between you and the Hughes family ran deep. You had known Jack and his brothers since childhood, and your connection had only grown stronger over the years. You were there for them through thick and thin, and they, in turn, had become an integral part of your life. You'd been close with the family since you were young, you'd been there for the brothers since day one.

From building sandcastles at the beach during summer vacations to sharing secrets by the campfire during family camping trips, your memories with the Hughes brothers were countless. Ellen and Jim Hughes had always treated you like one of their own, and you felt a sense of belonging that was unmatched anywhere else.

As the years passed and feelings grew more complex, you found yourself at a crossroads. You had always been there for Jack, offering your support and friendship without reservation. However, as your feelings for him had deepened, it had become increasingly challenging to hide your true feelings. You couldn't risk damaging the close-knit relationship you had with the Hughes family, especially when you knew Jack didn't share the same romantic feelings.

So, you made the difficult decision to take a step back, to create some distance in the hope that you could regain control over your heart. It wasn't an easy choice, and it meant missing out on moments with the family that had become a second home to you.

Ellen smiled, her eyes twinkling with understanding. "We've missed you, sweetheart. And I know someone else who's been missing you too."

Your heart skipped a beat at her words, and you couldn't help but wonder if Jack had noticed your absence more than you had expected.

"Luke! Sweetheart, look who's decided to show up!''

Oh, you've gotta be kidding me. Of course it wasn't Jack.

Your heart sank as Luke, Jack's younger brother, bounded into the room with excitement. You were confused, you loved Luke equally as Jack (you tried to convince yourself), but Luke wasn't exactly the most enthusiastic person when it came to you. Now, you knew something was up.

"Hey, you," Luke said with a warm smile, giving you a bear hug that nearly squeezed the air out of your lungs.

"Hey, Lukey," you replied, returning his hug with a raised eyebrow. Luke's behavior was unusual, and you couldn't help but wonder if something was going on.

As Luke pulled away, he scrutinized your expression. "You've been MIA for a while. School must really have you swamped."

You nodded, not trusting your voice to betray the mix of emotions you were feeling. Luke was perceptive, and you wondered if he had picked up on your recent distance.

Thankfully, Ellen chimed in, rescuing you from the awkward moment. "Well, we're just glad she's here now! Dinner will be ready soon, so you two catch up while I finish up in the kitchen."

With that, Ellen left you and Luke alone, and you couldn't shake the feeling that Luke's sudden warmth and attention meant that something was amiss in the Hughes household.

"What's up?" You cleared your throat, looking at Luke with a knowing expression.

"Well we all know why you've been really gone," Luke sighed as he glared at you. "You don't have to cut us all of just because Jack got a girlfriend."

"Jack got a girlfriend?" That felt like a dagger to the stomach. Luke's expression, once irritated, softened into one of sympathy as he nodded slowly.

"He didn't... tell you?"

You shook your head, struggling to find your voice. A whirlwind of emotions swirled within you – hurt, confusion, and the sting of betrayal. Jack hadn't confided in you about something as significant as this, and it hurt more than you cared to admit.

"Who is she?" you finally managed to ask, your voice a mere whisper.

Luke hesitated, as if debating how much to reveal. "Her name's Nicole," he began cautiously. "They've been dating for a few months now. It's been pretty serious, which is probably why he didn't want to... you know, complicate things."

You listened to Luke's explanation about Jack and Nicole while a storm of emotions raged within you. The pain of knowing Jack was in a serious relationship was difficult to bear, and the fact that he hadn't told you himself only added to your hurt. You felt like an outsider in his life, someone he had pushed aside.

But then, Luke's words took an unexpected turn, and your eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "But that doesn't matter now, you have to move on and I have the perfect guy for you," he said, his tone surprisingly enthusiastic.

Oh, now everything made sense. It was clear that Luke had an ulterior motive, and you couldn't help but feel a little exasperated. "Luke, I appreciate your concern, but I don't think I'm ready for that kind of thing right now," you replied, trying to be polite even though you didn't appreciate the idea of being set up with one of his friends.

They were all fuck-boys from what you've heard. Luke would go into great detail every time you'd call him for an update. You had heard enough stories about Luke's friends to know that they were often more interested in casual relationships than anything serious.

"They were all fuck-boys from what you've told me," you said with a wry smile. Luke had a tendency to share his escapades in great detail, and you couldn't help but be amused by his candidness.

Luke chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, well, they can be a handful sometimes, but I promise this guy is different. He's actually a pretty decent guy, and I think you'd get along. Would I ever set you up for failure, Y/N?"

You raised an eyebrow, still skeptical. "And what's in it for you, Luke? Why are you so invested in setting me up with your friend?"

Luke's expression shifted, and for a moment, he looked genuinely serious. "Because I hate seeing you like this, distant from the family and hurting because of Jack. I just want you to be happy."

His words touched your heart, and you couldn't help but soften a bit. Luke may have had ulterior motives, but it seemed that his concern for your well-being was genuine.

"And um, well, I have a thing for his cousin." Luke cleared his throat and you couldn't help but playfully roll your eyes.

A playful smile tugged at your lips as Luke admitted his own motives. "Ah, I see how it is. A bit of matchmaking for both of us, then?"

Luke grinned, his boyish charm on full display. "Exactly! We help each other out, and everyone's happy."

You chuckled, feeling a sense of warmth and camaraderie with Luke. "Alright, fine Luke. Jeez, the things I do for you."

Luke laughed, appreciating your willingness to humor him. "You're the best, Y/N. You won't regret it, I promise."

──

Dinner had been ready and Ellen decided dinner would be fun outside. The sun was setting, casting a warm, golden glow over the lake, and the sound of crickets filled the air as the family gathered around a long, rustic wooden table set up on the deck, the same one they'd had a decade ago, when you were children.

You took a seat next in between Luke and Jim, Quinn across from you two and Jack nowhere to be found. Before you could ask, your question was answered.

"Where's Jack?" Ellen asked as she sat next to her husband.

"With Nicole," Luke and Quinn had mumbled in response as they both took knowing glances at you. You couldn't help but sigh, would you always be known the girl who's helplessly in love with Jack?

"Wow, you really outdid yourself, Ellen with this chicken. What did you do?" You tried to change the topic with a smile, as you ate dinner.

Ellen beamed at your compliment, clearly pleased that you appreciated her cooking. "Oh, I found it on the TikTok, it was amazing and so easy! You should start making it, it's so easy for school."

The conversation shifted towards discussing recipes and school, and you found it easier to participate in the lighthearted chatter. As the evening went on, you made an effort to focus on the present moment, enjoying the warmth of the Hughes family and pushing aside thoughts of Jack and his new relationship.

After dinner, you and Quinn helped Ellen with the dishes and you found yourself in deep conversation with them. The warmth of their company, along with the shared memories and laughter, made you realize that distancing yourself from the Hughes family wasn't the right course of action. They had been a significant part of your life for so long, and you cherished the bond you shared with them.

You were so engaged in conversation that you didn't hear footsteps that entered the kitchen.

"Hey,"

The sound of the familiar voice calling out "Hey" made your heart skip a beat. You turned around to find Jack standing there, a somewhat sheepish expression on his face. It had been a while since you'd seen him, and the mix of emotions stirred within you once more. And next to him, you assumed to be "Nicole." She looked sweet and you forced a smile at her.

"Hey," you replied, your voice friendly and polite as you acknowledged both Jack and Nicole. You couldn't help but notice the way they stood close to each other, the subtle intertwining of their fingers, and the affectionate glances they exchanged. It was a painful reminder of the gap that had grown between you and Jack.

"Hi, I'm Nicole," she introduced herself with a warm smile.

"Nice to meet you, Nicole. I'm Y/N," you replied, extending a hand for a friendly shake.

"Yeah, I know. These two don't ever stop talking about you." She laughed playfully and you felt heart start beating faster at the prospect of Jack talking about you to his girlfriend.

"Well it was mostly me─" Quinn tried to intervene before you laughed along with her, he was trying to soften the blow.

"Really? Well that's sweet," you replied with a warm smile, even though a small part of you wished Jack would stop talking about you to his girlfriend. It was a complex blend of emotions, wanting to be close to him but also wanting to distance yourself from the heartache.

Ellen smiled, "Well now that you're here, you all can finish the dishes and catch up,"

You nodded, "Okay, sure. Go relax, Ellen."

"Yep, and me." Before you could protest, Quinn left. He certainly didn't want to be there once you started "catching up." You cursed at Quinn in your head as he left the kitchen, alone with Jack and his girlfriend.

The clinking of dishes filled the kitchen as you, Jack, and Nicole worked together on the task at hand. You decided to break the silence with some light conversation.

"So, Nicole, how did you and Jack meet?" you asked, genuinely curious about their relationship.

Nicole smiled, her eyes lighting up. "We actually met at one of his hockey games. My friend had an extra ticket, and I've always been a fan of hockey, so I decided to go. I didn't know I'd end up meeting Jack Hughes in person but now, here we are!"

Jack nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it was a lucky coincidence. We hit it off right away."

"That's so sweet, right out of a book." You laughed and she nodded, blushing. You couldn't help but smile at their story, even though it felt like a bittersweet reminder of what could never be. You were genuinely happy for Jack, and yet, a part of you couldn't help but wish for a different outcome.

Nicole blushed at your comment, clearly smitten with Jack. "Yeah, it does feel a bit like a fairy tale sometimes," she admitted.

"So, Y/N, what have you been up to lately?" Jack cleared his throat, breaking the conversation away from their relationship. You both gazed at one another and you suddenly felt empty. It had never been like this between you two, he never asked what you'd been up to because he always known.

You forced a smile, your chest feeling heavy as you replied, "Oh, you know, just keeping busy with school and spending time with family." It was a vague response, deliberately leaving out the part about missing him. You didn't want to make things awkward, and you certainly didn't want to burden him with your own emotions.

Jack nodded, seemingly accepting your answer. "That's good to hear. School can be pretty demanding, I bet."

"Yeah, it keeps me on my toes," you replied, trying to keep the conversation light. It was becoming increasingly clear that the dynamic between you and Jack had changed, and it was going to take some time to adjust to this new reality.

Before he could respond, Luke came into the kitchen and he immediately looked like he regretted it. He forced a smile, "Um, is there any ice cream in the... fridge?"

You couldn't help but chuckle at Luke's somewhat awkward entrance. It was clear he was trying to give you and Jack some space, even though the tension in the room was palpable.

"Luke, you know where the ice cream is," you replied with a knowing look, amusement dancing in your eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I just... thought I'd ask," Luke stammered before quickly retreating from the kitchen, leaving you, Jack, and Nicole alone once more.

As the last dish was placed in the drying rack, you couldn't help but glance at Jack, his profile highlighted by the soft kitchen light. He turned to you with a smile.

"Anyways, Trevor and Alex are coming tomorrow, you excited to see them?" Jack added with a friendly tone, trying to bridge the awkward gap that had formed during your conversation.

You nodded, appreciating the effort he was making to include you despite the new circumstances. "Yeah, it'd be nice to catch up with them. I haven't talked to 'em in a while."

All three of you exited the kitchen and you went to go find Quinn to give him a lecture. That was until you felt your phone buzz with a text message,

luke my friends are here they wanna meet u

Before you could type your answer, Luke gave you another text.

lukejack and his gf aren't here. just come 😑

You rolled your eyes at his attitude and quickly went to go find him and his friends. You quickly found them by the pool and you opened the sliding door, his friends whipped their heads to take a look at you.

"Hey, Luke," you greeted him with a smile, momentarily ignoring the curious glances. "You wanted me to meet your friends?"

"Well you said yourself you wanted to meet 'em earlier," Luke nodded and you got the memo.

You nodded and smiled, deciding to go along with Luke's plan. After all, it was a chance to distract yourself from the complicated situation with Jack and his new girlfriend. Luke's friends seemed friendly enough, and you were always open to making new acquaintances.

"I'm pretty sure you've met Ethan and Dylan before,"

You nodded politely. You had met them when you had helped him move in a few months ago and they were nice enough. "Yeah, nice to see you guys again."

"Yeah, you too." They replied in union, making you laugh.

"And this is Mark," Luke glanced knowingly at you and you instantly knew that this was the guy who had developed a crush on you.

When Luke introduced Mark, you couldn't help but notice the subtle shift in his friends' expressions. It was clear that Mark's crush on you wasn't a well-kept secret among their group. You offered Mark a friendly smile, wanting to make him feel comfortable despite the awkwardness of the situation.

"Nice to meet you, Mark," you said, extending a hand for a handshake. "Luke's told me a lot about you guys."

Mark's cheeks turned a faint shade of pink as he shook your hand. "Yeah, he's talked about you too."

Luke sat back down and you took a seat next to him, right across from Mark. "Oh does he?" You teased him.

Luke, attempting to play it cool, shrugged nonchalantly. "Just mentioned how nice you are, no big deal."

Ethan and Dylan exchanged knowing glances, trying to suppress their laughter. It was evident to everyone at the table that there was more to Luke's mention than he let on.

"Nice?" You couldn't help but laugh and exchange glances with Mark, a grin on his face. He was cute, you had to admit that. He was exactly your type, he looked sweet and had a cute smile. Maybe Luke was a pretty good matchmaker, so far.

"Yeah, he told us how cool you were. And then he showed us your instagram and all of us fell in love," Ethan mentioned, quickly pausing and glancing at Mark before continuing. "Well not in love but we all thought you were pretty. Well, I mean you are but like-"

"I get it," You laughed at his nervous rambling. You took another glance at Mark and gave him a smile, his cheeks turning even redder (somehow).

The table erupted in laughter, and it was clear that everyone was having a good time. Even Mark seemed to have settled into the friendly atmosphere, and you couldn't deny the chemistry you felt with him. It was lighthearted and fun, a welcome distraction from the complicated feelings you had for Jack.

As the night wore on, you noticed that Ethan, Luke, and Dylan began to exchange glances and sharing quiet conversations. It was clear that they had some sort of plan in mind, and you couldn't help but wonder what they were up to. You decided to play along, knowing that whatever they had in store was likely meant to bring you and Mark closer and anything would help to make you forget about Jack.

"Hey, Mark, do you want to check out the lake?" you suggested, giving him a sweet smile. The lake house had always been a place of fond memories for you, and it would be a great opportunity to spend some time alone with Mark.

Mark's face lit up. "Sure, that sounds like a great idea, let's go."

You excused yourselves from the table, and as you walked towards the sliding glass door that led to the lake, you couldn't help but notice the mischievous smiles on Ethan, Luke, and Dylan's faces. They were clearly up to something, you tried to ignore their expressions.

Once outside, the two of you made your way down to the edge of the lake. The moon reflected on the calm water, casting a romantic glow.

"So, Y/N, tell me more about yourself," Mark began, his voice soft and inviting.

You smiled, feeling a sense of warmth in the cool summer night air. "Well, there's not much to tell, really." You chuckled before continuing, "Just trying to finish up school and move to Europe."

Mark's eyes widened with curiosity. "Europe? That sounds amazing. What's drawing you there?"

You gazed at the shimmering reflection of the moon on the lake, lost in thought for a moment. "I don't know, these past months have been hard. And I never thought about moving out of the states but recently, I just wanna let go and start fresh, you know?"

Mark nodded, understanding what you meant. "I get that, a change of scenery can help with that feeling."

You sighed, feeling a sense of relief in opening up to Mark. "Exactly. I just want to explore new horizons, experience different cultures, and maybe find a new perspective on life."

"I've always wanted to go to France, I know it's basic but I heard they had good hot chocolate and had to try it." Mark smiled down at you and you couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.

"That doesn't sound basic at all," you replied with a grin. "I would love to visit France, even if it is every person's dream."

Mark chuckled, his eyes locked onto yours. "Maybe we can both make our way to Europe someday. Who knows, our paths might cross in a cozy café in Paris."

The idea painted a vivid picture in your mind, and for a moment, you allowed yourself to indulge in the possibility. "That sounds like a dream."

A sudden breeze began to pick up and you felt yourself shiver and Mark noticed. Without saying another word, he took off his jacket and quickly wrapped it around your shoulder.

It was a cliche, you know that. But as you looked at Mark, you felt a sense of warmth that had nothing to do with the jacket. His kindness and consideration made your heart skip a beat, something you hadn't experienced in a while. You smiled at him gratefully, the cool breeze forgotten as you were wrapped in his warmth.

"Thank you, Mark," you said softly, your eyes meeting his. In that moment, under the moonlight by the lake, you felt a connection that was unlike anything you had experienced in a long time.

Mark smiled back at you, his eyes holding a glint of something more. "Anytime, Y/N."

As the night wore on, your conversation with Mark flowed effortlessly, you found yourself drawn further into Mark's world, and the thought of Jack and his complicated situation faded into the background even if only for that night. In Mark's company, you were starting to feel a glimmer of hope for the fresh start you had been yearning for.

──

You awoke with the sound of laughter. Your eyes opened groggily and you felt your back scream in pain and it took a minute to realize exactly where you were.

You laid on Mark's chest, a blanket laid out on the both of you. You were on the couch and the memories of last night quickly flooded back into your head.

"Aww, Marky, you got yourself a girlfriend finally!" Ethan exclaimed as Mark tried to cover your face with the blanket, an (failed) attempt to not to wake you. They hadn't noticed you were awake.

"Ha ha ha, so funny." Mark mumbled in false amusement as he yawned.

You decided to remain quiet, pretending to still be asleep, curious to hear how Mark would handle the situation. A smile stretched your lips as you continued to eavesdrop.

"Seriously though, Mark, she's pretty," Dylan chimed in. "You two looked really cozy last night."

"Yeah, yeah," Mark replied, his tone still somewhat defensive. "We were just talking. You guys are reading too much into it."

"Sure, Mark, whatever you say," Ethan teased, and you could practically hear the grin in his voice. "Just talking, my ass."

"My clothes are still on, right?" Mark groaned quietly. "Could you guys be quiet, she's sleeping."

"Awww, Marky!" Ethan let out a booming laugh and you took that as your cue to 'wake up.'

You let out a yawn and pushed down the blanket from your face and they all quieted down. "Good... morning?"

"You have a good sleep last night?" Ethan teased and you tried to ignore the warm feeling in your cheeks as you got up from the couch. Mark frowned as you got up, feeling his body get cool.

You stretched your arms and stifled another yawn before responding to Ethan's teasing. "Yeah, it was quite comfortable here, actually."

"I bet," Ethan replied as he wiggled his eyebrows and you rolled your eyes.

"Okay, well, I'm going to brush my teeth."

"Wait, let's go eat first." Mark quickly replied, making Dylan and Ethan exchange glances.

"Before... brushing my teeth?" You smiled at that. He was cute, for sure.

"Yeah, Mark, let her go brush her teeth. Knowing what you two did-"

"Shut up," Mark groaned as you let out a chuckle. "Yeah, go brush your teeth."

You nodded and walked away from the living room, quickly ascending up the stairs and into the bathroom. The smile hadn't left your face and you felt like absolutely nothing could ruin your mood.

Well, you were wrong.

As you brushed your teeth happily, you heard the familiar noise in the next room other. The rhythmic banging, the moaning─

Oh no, you thought to yourself. You felt your stomach twist in disgust as let out an audible gag. The room next to the bathroom was Jack's and the only couple in the entire house was Jack and Nicole. You connected the dots and you suddenly felt nauseous.

You spit your paste and quickly rinsed your mouth. You needed to get out of there immediately. As you walked out of the bathroom, you bumped into one person you did not want to see.

"Oh shoot, sorry."

You looked up to see Nicole. She looked tired, her red hair messy and her neck filled with marks. They were obviously busy last night and you tried to push the visual of them having sex out of your mind as you forced a smile. "No, you're totally good."

She smiled and gave your shoulder a pat before walking to the bathroom. You let out a breath you didn't know you were holding and let your shoulders fall as you walked down the stairs.

You smelled hash browns in the air, your favorite, but somehow you still felt sick to your stomach. The imagery was still stuck in your head, you felt disgusting.

You made your way to the dining table and took a seat next to Quinn, crossing your arms and he immediately knew what was wrong. Your disgusted facial expression, your annoyed attitude, everything.

"They're like fucking bunnies," Quinn mumbled to you and you looked back at him with a nod. He looked tired, too. It looked like they kept him up and you were suddenly grateful you slept downstairs, even with the ache in your lower back. He put a hand on your shoulder in comfort. "Hey, if it makes you better, he lasts about a few minutes. You wouldn't want that."

His unusual teasing tone still didn't make you better, you knew Quinn was trying his best to make you feel better. You forced a smile and nodded, "Yeah. That's gross."

"What's gross?"

You turned your head to see Jack; his disheveled appearance making you gag internally, knowing what you know. You made eye contact for a few seconds before averting your gaze to the table.

"Nothing, buddy." Quinn responded with a smirk and they both exchanged a laugh. Jack then, took a seat right across from you. Now you literally couldn't move your gaze anywhere else without making it obvious.

Quinn seemed determined to keep the mood light, though, and he continued with the banter. "I heard you and Mark spent the night together last night."

There was a pause and a few awkward glances before he continued, "Um, not like that."

Jack looked directly at you and he had unreadable expression on his face. Confusion? Annoyance? Jealousy? Maybe a mix of all three.

"Well, we just-"

Before you continue you heard Ethan and Dylan's booming laughter as they entered the dining room, plates in their hands. They immediately exchanged glances as they realized who was in the room before putting sitting down with their plates.

"Your mom has food in the kitchen, if you guys... want any." Ethan tried to diffuse the tension as he smiled and looked at Dylan. "Mark's in there, Y/N."

As you got up to find Mark, you couldn't help but exchange a glance with Jack. His expression was hard to decipher – there was a mix of emotions, but it was clear that the mention of you spending the night with Mark had affected him in some way. You couldn't dwell on it for too long, though, as you headed to the kitchen to find Mark.

In the kitchen, you found Mark helping himself to some breakfast. He looked up and gave you a warm smile as you entered. "Hey, good morning."

He quickly noticed your expression and he turned to you with confusion, "Everything okay?"

You nodded, trying to shake off the lingering discomfort from the dining room. "Yeah, just... things got a bit awkward in there. Thanks for last night, by the way."

Mark chuckled, handing you a plate of food. "No problem at all. It was fun."

As you both made your way back to the dining room, you couldn't help but wonder what the day had in store for you, especially with the lingering tension between you and Jack.

You sat down next to Quinn as Mark quickly made his way to the empty seat next to you. Finally, everyone started piling into the dining room and everyone started eating.

The atmosphere in the dining room remained tense as everyone continued eating. Nicole was sitting next to Jack and noticed the slight change in him, he seemed more... moody. You tried your best to focus on your plate and engage in conversation with those around you, but it was hard with Jack's presence so close.

As the meal progressed, you felt Jack's gaze on you, a burning sensation that you couldn't ignore. Finally, after a while, Jack spoke up, his tone casual as he said, "So, Y/N, Mark seemed like a nice guy. How long have you known him?"

Mark exchanged a glance between the two of you, choosing peace and continued to eat.

His seemingly innocent question struck a nerve. You knew he was deliberately bringing up Mark to gauge your reaction, and it irritated you. Trying to maintain your composure, you replied, "Just met last night."

Jack's eyebrows raised slightly, a hint of surprise in his expression as he processed your response. It seemed your terse reply had caught him off guard. Mark continued to eat quietly, not wanting to get caught up in the tension.

After a moment of silence, Jack cleared his throat, attempting to sound nonchalant but failing to hide a hint of sarcasm. "Well, you two certainly seemed close for people who just met." Before you could respond, he continued under his breath, "Didn't know you were that easy."

Quinn kicked Jack's leg under the table and Nicole seemed distressed, too.

You bit your tongue. You clenched your fork tightly, your frustration mounting. "We were just having a conversation, Jack. Is that not allowed?"

Jack's gaze didn't waver as he replied, "Of course it is, Y/N. Just making conversation here because apparently I don't know anything about you anymore."

That really struck a move. He didn't know anything about you anymore? Jack's words hit you like a dagger to the heart. The pain and frustration were evident in his tone, and you could sense the turmoil in his emotions. It was clear that your distancing had affected him more than you had realized.

The tension at the table was palpable as everyone watched the exchange between you and Jack. Quinn cleared his throat, trying to mediate. "Guys, can we not do this right now?"

You felt yourself get more heated as you heard Ellen say something but you couldn't even comprehend it, that's how angry you were. Without thinking, you pushed your chair back and got up from the table. Your voice was strained with anger as you addressed Jack.

"Do you have no idea what it's been like for me, Jack?" You couldn't help but raise your voice, your pent-up emotions pouring out. "You just assume things and make stupid comments, but you don't know the half of it. This distance isn't just about you, it's about me trying to protect myself too."

The room was now filled with an uncomfortable silence, and it was clear that your outburst had taken everyone by surprise. Nicole placed a comforting hand on Jack's arm, silently pleading for him to let it go. Mark, too, looked uncomfortable, not wanting to be caught in the middle of this argument.

Jack's expression had shifted from surprise to a mix of anger and hurt as he absorbed your words. He clenched his jaw, clearly struggling to find the right response. Nicole's gentle touch on his arm seemed to be a calming influence, and he took a deep breath before speaking, his voice more controlled.

Ellen, sensing that the situation had become too tense, interjected again, her voice gentle but firm.

"Let's all take a step back, please? Y/N, sweetheart, maybe you could use a little breather, and we can all reconvene when things have calmed down."

You felt embarrassed as you looked around the room, all eyes seemingly on you and Jack. Feeling the weight of everyone's eyes on you, you nodded, your initial anger having dissipated into a mix of regret and awkwardness. You understood that your outburst had been uncharacteristic and uncomfortable with everyone there. With a forced smile, you mumbled an apology.

"Yeah, maybe I do need a little breather. Sorry about that, everyone." You turned away from the table and quickly exited the dining room. Outside, the fresh air greeted you, and you took a moment to collect your thoughts.

As you stood there, lost in thought, you couldn't help but wonder if there was any way to mend the growing rift between you and Jack, or if it was time to accept that things might never be the same again.

You stayed outside and spent the most of the day alone, outside in the pool trying to get a tan. The boys had all been playing pool inside and you were glad alone.

The sun beat down on you as you lounged by the pool, trying to soak in the warmth and forget about the tension from earlier. The sound of laughter from inside the house was a stark contrast to the solitude you sought outside.

You closed your eyes and took a deep breath, trying to clear your mind. The cool water of the pool offered a refreshing escape from the heat, and you decided to take a dip to cool off and clear your thoughts.

As you swam in the crystal-clear water, you couldn't help but replay the argument with Jack in your mind. It weighed heavily on your heart, and you wondered if there was a way to make amends and rebuild the bond you had once shared.

"Hey,"

You let out a yelp as you heard Mark's voice and he let out a soft laugh as he walked over to the pool, dipping his legs into the pool.

"Hey," you laughed, pushing a wet strand of hair out of your face. "Sorry, you scared me there."

Mark chuckled, the sound light and soothing. "No worries, didn't mean to sneak up on you. Just thought you could use some company."

You appreciated his gesture and nodded. "Thanks, Mark. It's been definitely been a... day."

He nodded in understanding, his gaze sympathetic. "I could tell. The argument with Jack didn't look fun."

You sighed, the weight of it all still pressing on you. "Yeah, it wasn't. Sorry about him throwing you in the middle of it, I don't know what's going on with him."

He stayed quiet as he listened and nodded. You looked at him, waiting for some kind of response. He looked like he was weighing something in his head. "Well... it seems like he's jealous."

Jealous? You blinked in surprise, not expecting Mark to say that. "Jealous? Why would he be jealous?" You knew why, but it hadn't even seemed like a possibility in your mind.

Mark had a thin-lipped smile as he continued, "I mean why else would be an absolute dick about me spending the night with you?"

You stayed quiet, you had no idea how to deal with this. Of course this would happen to you on what was supposed to be a peaceful lake-house trip.

"Can I ask you a question, Y/N? But you have to be 100% honest with me." Mark's tone seemed serious as he spoke and you felt your heart drop. "Have you and Jack ever hooked up? Or like, dated?"

"No," that was the true answer but it looked like Mark hadn't bought it. "Well, I've always liked him." It felt weird to admit that and Mark's expression looked hurt as you continued. "That's why I stopped talking to him. I realized it would never go anywhere and I was still living in my head, it would've never worked out with me and Jack."

Admitting it out loud hurt more than you expected. You would never work out with Jack, no matter how hard you wanted it to.

"You still like him?"

You weighed your options but as you looked at Mark and everything that could happen, you knew the right answer. "No."

──

"Y/N!"

You heard Trevor's excited shout and you turned around, you felt Trevor embrace you tightly. You let out a laugh as he continued hugging you tightly, it had been a couple months since you'd last seen him.

He was always just as close to you as Jack, he was your true best friend. He had been there for you when Jack wasn't.

"Trevor!" You returned his hug with equal enthusiasm, feeling a surge of warmth and happiness at the sight of your close friend.

He pulled away with a big smile on his face, "Wow, why do you actually look good?" He said with a playful flirty undertone, making you laugh.

"Don't know, maybe it's the lack of Jack." As you turned to look behind him, you locked eyes with another close friend, Alex. He smiled and walked up to you; he was definitely the calm one in the friend-group. He gave you a hug before Trevor continued.

He rolled his eyes, "You still on that? Come on, Y/N."

You chuckled at Trevor's playful teasing, realizing that his presence had indeed lifted your spirits. "I can't help it, Trev. It's like a curse or something."

Alex joined in with a gentle laugh. "Well, we're here now, so you don't have to think about Jack for a while."

With your friends around, the atmosphere lightened even further, and you felt grateful for their presence. It was a chance to forget about the tension with Jack and simply enjoy the reunion with your closest friends.

"Oh shit." Alex mumbled, "I forgot my phone in the car,"

"Oh no worries, I'll come with you," you offered, eager to catch up with Alex and have a moment away from the group.

As you both headed to the car, Alex spoke in a hushed tone, "How have you been, Y/N? I know things have been tough."

You appreciated his concern and gave him a small smile. "I've had my ups and downs, but I'm good now. I'm glad you decided to come to the lake house, I've missed you two."

Alex nodded, his expression thoughtful. "We've missed you too. And I know things have changed with Jack, but we're here to support you no matter what."

As you arrived in the hallway, you had no time to respond as you heard yelling in the garage. You and Alex exchanged confused glances as you tried to listen in.

"What, Jack?! What's the excuse now, she literally said she's liked you forever!" You heard Nicole's voice and you felt your heart drop. She heard you in the pool?

You and Alex exchanged concerned glances as you strained to hear the conversation in the garage. Nicole's voice had a tone of frustration, and it was evident that she was upset about something. The mention of your feelings for Jack made your heart race.

Jack's voice responded, his tone defensive. "Nicole, it's not that simple. Y/N and I have a complicated history, okay?"

Nicole sounded exasperated as she retorted, "Complicated history? Jack, she's moved on. Why can't you?"

Their voices grew louder, and you could feel the strain in their relationship even from a distance. It was clear that your presence had stirred up emotions and issues between them, and you couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.

As you leaned in closer to the door, it suddenly opened and you and Alex jumped.

The sudden opening of the door startled both you and Alex, and you found yourself face to face with a frustrated-looking Nicole. Her eyes widened in surprise at seeing you eavesdropping on their argument.

"Y/N..." Nicole began, her voice trailing off as he seemed at a loss for words.

You quickly glanced at Alex, who was equally taken aback by the unexpected confrontation.

"I'm so sorry, Nicole, I didn't know that you heard me and I promise you I would never, ever try anything while you were with Jack-"

She cut you off with a forced smile, "I get it. It's not your fault." She sneered at Jack before continuing. "It's not your fault Jack can't get over his childhood crush."

"Nicole, let's not do this here," Jack said, his voice tinged with frustration. He glanced at you and Alex before turning back to her. "We'll talk later, okay?"

"There is no later! I'm done." She yelled back at him, her eyebrows furrowing in utter anger. "You already made your decision, it was either me or her and we all know your choice. I won't be a second choice, Jack. I've been second to her our entire relationship and I just met her, can you imagine how I've felt?"

The raw pain in Nicole's eyes was impossible to ignore, and it was clear that she had reached her breaking point. Her outburst had laid bare the insecurities and frustrations that had been festering beneath the surface, and it left everyone in the room with a heavy sense of unease. You could see the hurt in her eyes, and it was clear that their relationship had reached a breaking point. You couldn't help but feel guilty, was it your fault?

While you knew you weren't responsible for the choices Jack had made in his relationship, it was impossible not to wonder if your presence had somehow worsened the situation. You had never intended to come between them or cause any harm.

You exchanged a glance with Alex, who looked equally uncomfortable with the situation. The unease in the room was palpable, and there were no easy answers to the complex emotions and dynamics at play.

Jack's shoulders slumped, and he looked defeated. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but no words came out. It was a painful silence, and you could feel the weight of the history and emotions between Jack and Nicole.

Finally, he managed to speak, his voice soft and filled with regret. "I'm so sorry, Nicole. I never meant for any of this to happen-"

Nicole didn't respond. She simply turned and walked away, leaving Jack standing there, his face etched with a complex mix of emotions.

Jack ran a hand through his hair before he quickly pushed past you and Alex to run after Nicole. "Fuck, baby please listen!"

You and Alex exchanged looks before he sighed heavily, "Wow. What the hell did me and Trev miss."

"You have no idea," you sighed as you began walking to his car for the thing you had came in there for.

──

You sat next to Mark as you both dangled your feet in the water, everyone was outside and it finally felt like relaxing trip. It finally felt like the lake house; no drama (for the most part), cool summer air, and all your close friends in one place.

Sitting by the water with Mark, you felt a sense of calm wash over you. The drama from earlier had dissipated, and you were grateful for the opportunity to unwind with your friends. The cool breeze, the soothing sounds of the lake, and the laughter of your friends created a serene atmosphere that allowed you to momentarily forget about the complexities of your relationships.

You turned to Mark and offered a genuine smile. "Thanks for being here today, Mark. It means a lot."

He returned your smile warmly. "Of course, Y/N. I'm here whenever you need someone to talk to or just hang out with."

As the stars began to twinkle in the night sky, you found yourself leaning in closer to Mark. His presence felt comforting and reassuring. You locked eyes with him, and there was a shared understanding between you.

In that moment, you realized that Mark had become more than just a friend. He was someone who had been there for you, who had listened, and who had shown you support when you needed it, something you hadn't experienced from any partner. And perhaps, in the midst of all the chaos, you had found something unexpected: the possibility of a new beginning.

As your faces drew nearer, the world around you seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of you in that quiet, starlit moment. It was a moment of choice, a moment where you could let go of the past and embrace the future.

With a gentle, lingering touch, your lips met Mark's, and for that brief, stolen moment, it felt like the world was right where it should be.

Then it felt wrong. You pulled away and you turned your head almost instinctively and there he was. Jack, standing there, watching the scene unfold.

The shock on Jack's face was undeniable, and it was as if time had frozen in that moment. His presence shattered the tranquility that had enveloped you and Mark, leaving an awkward and tense silence in its wake.

Mark pulled away from you slowly, his expression a mix of surprise and uncertainty. You could feel your heart racing, caught between the past and the present, between the familiarity of Jack and the newfound connection with Mark.

Jack scoffed and walked away, leaving your heart shattered; like he always did. As you began to get up, Mark gripped your arm. You looked down at him and found yourself at crossroads.

Mark or Jack? Mark or Jack? Mark: the sweetest boy with the sweetest smile, or Jack: the person you'd loved your entire life.

You knew the answer. Everyone knew the answer. You moved your arm from his grip and got up, leaving him seated in the pool. You ran after Jack and it suddenly hit you. He'll always have this power over you, his beautiful smile always had this effect on you.

It made you nauseous as you tried to find where he was, like you always did. He would always pick someone else and you always had to pick him, that was just how it worked.

You ran after Jack, your heart pounding in your chest. The familiar ache of chasing after someone who always seemed just out of reach gnawed at you. It was a pattern you had repeated countless of times, a dance of longing and rejection that you couldn't seem to break free from no matter how hard you tried.

As you searched for him, you couldn't help but feel a sense of desperation. You knew that choosing Jack meant choosing the same cycle of heartache, but it was a choice you had made so many times before. His smile, his presence, his history with you—it all had a hold on you that was impossible to shake.

Finally, you spotted him by the edge of the lake, his silhouette illuminated by the moonlight. He turned to look at you, his expression a mix of surprise and uncertainty, as if he couldn't believe you had chosen him once again.

You didn't say anything as you approached him. Words felt meaningless in that moment. Instead, you simply reached out and took his hand, intertwining your fingers with his, and with that simple gesture, you made your choice.

It might have been the same old pattern, the same old dance, but it was your choice to make, and for now, it was the one that felt right.

As you looked into his eyes, the same ones you'd adored since day one, you felt deja vu. You felt angry; how could one person have such control over you? In the depths of his eyes, you saw a reflection of your own emotions, a turbulent mix of desire, frustration, and longing. It was a maddening feeling, to be so deeply ensnared by someone who seemed to hold all the power in your relationship.

The moonlight cast a soft glow on both of you as you stood by the lake, hand in hand, the weight of your choice settling in. It was a choice that defied reason and logic, a choice that defied the very patterns you had tried to break free from. But for now, it was your choice, and you would face the consequences, whatever they may be, with Jack by your side.

You felt an unexpected sob ripple from your chest and you ripped your hand from his, covering your mouth with your hand. You closed your eyes and you felt Jack pull you closer, into his chest.

As the sobs wracked your body, you felt Jack's arms around you, offering a comforting embrace. It was a mixture of relief and hurt, the weight of your choice bearing down on you. You had chosen to follow your heart, even if it meant stepping into the same cycle of uncertainty and longing.

Jack held you tightly, his own emotions undoubtedly conflicted, but in that moment, it was a silent understanding between the two of you. The night was still, and the moon illuminated the path you had chosen, as well as the challenges that lay ahead.

"It's okay, shh. I'm... here now, I'm sorry." He mumbled as he planted a kiss on your head.

You felt such anger in your stomach as he said those words so easily. Was it okay? Was he really here, with you? Was he truly sorry. You pushed him away and you saw him fumble back, hurt in his eyes as you fell on to your knees, taking a seat on the cold sand of the lake.

The anger, the hurt, the confusion, it all swirled within you as you sat there on the cold sand, tears streaming down your face. You couldn't make sense of your emotions, and Jack's words, well-intentioned as they might have been, didn't provide the solace you needed.

Jack remained a few steps away, watching you with a pained expression, unsure of how to bridge the gap between you. The silence between you was heavy, filled with unspoken words and unresolved feelings.

"Do you know..." You sniffled, looking up at him with tears in your eyes. You didn't even know where to begin. "I've spent my entire fucking life pining after you. Every single moment has been dedicated to the great Jack fucking Hughes, did you know that?"

Your bitter words felt like a dagger to the heart to the both of you. You continued, "I always choose you. I always fucking choose you!" You screamed out angrily, as Jack flinched. He'd never seen you this angry in his entire life.

"Why do I always choose you? You're like every other guy in the world." Your tears streamed down your face. "But you're special to me," you mumbled as Jack's breathing became heavy with emotion. "You always choose everyone else but me. I never knew why." You were just rambling at this point but you would be lying if you said it didn't feel good.

You looked up at Jack. "I watched you fall for people who didn't see you the way I did, who didn't know you the way I did, and I stood there, invisible, as you gave your heart to them."

Your words cut deep, each one a painful reminder of the years of unrequited love and longing.

"And then," you whispered, your voice barely audible, "when I finally thought it might be my turn to finally be with someone who actually liked me, who wanted me, I choose you again." Your voice cracked as you mentioned Mark.

You wiped away fresh tears, and the pain in your eyes was palpable. "It hurts, Jack. It hurt more than I can put into words. But I still chose you, again."

A sob caught in your throat, and you continued, your words heavy with emotion. "I've cried myself to sleep, wondering why I wasn't good enough for you, why you never saw me the way I saw you. And every time you got hurt, I was right there with you, helping and being there." You paused. "And when I was hurt, where the fuck were you? Probably with some girl who never knew you like I did. Who will never know you like I do."

Jack's eyes were filled with remorse, and you could see the pain in his expression, but you couldn't stop now. You had to let it all out.

"I convinced myself that if I just kept waiting, if I just kept choosing you, someday you'd see me for who I was, you'd choose me. But it never happened, Jack. It never happened, and it broke my heart a little more every day."

Your voice broke again as you sniffled, "I've missed out on so much because of you," you continued, your voice trembling with emotion. "I've given up on amazing opportunities, on people who genuinely cared about me, all because I thought someday you'd choose me too."

Jack took a seat beside you, the weight of your words sinking in. You didn't fight it, you were too tired.

The lake's gentle waves lapped against the shore, providing a soothing backdrop to the turmoil of emotions swirling around both of you. He didn't say anything for a while, the silence between you heavy with unspoken regret.

Finally, he broke the silence, his voice soft and filled with remorse. "I didn't know. I didn't mean to... hurt you."

You turned to look at him, your eyes meeting his. You saw the sincerity in his gaze, but it was accompanied by a sense of helplessness. It was as if he had finally realized the depth of the pain he had caused you.

"I couldn't like you, Y/N." It sounded harsher than it actually was as he continued. "I just couldn't. You were too good, Y/N, you are a sweetheart. I was scared to taint you, and I would've never forgiven myself if I did..."

"Taint me?" You scoffed, pain in your tone. "You tainted me the moment you met me, Jack."

Those words hung in the air as he swallowed, taking your words into consideration. "I'm so sorry, Y/N," he whispered, his voice filled with remorse. "I never meant to hurt you. I never wanted any of this."

You sighed, the anger and frustration slowly giving way to a sense of resignation. It was a complicated situation, and both of you had made mistakes along the way. "I know, Jack. I know you didn't."

In that moment, you both shared a painful understanding of the past and the choices that had brought you to this point. You would always choose him, and he'd always choose them. But as he put his hand on top of yours, your body entire body felt like it was on fire.

As you looked into Jack's eyes, you saw a mixture of emotions - regret, longing, and a hint of hope. It was as if he, too, was wrestling with the undeniable connection that had always existed between you.

"I'm not saying it'll be easy, Y/N," he murmured, his thumb gently tracing circles on the back of your hand. "But maybe... just maybe, we can find a way to make this work."

His words hung in the air, and for the first time in a long time, you allowed yourself to entertain the possibility of a future with Jack, a future where you didn't have to choose between him and anyone else.

Maybe all of that pining wasn't for nothing. Maybe in the end, he would have chosen you. But would you choose him? Could you finally resist him?

As you sat there, the gentle breeze ruffling your hair and the quiet waters of the lake before you, you contemplated Jack's words. The years of pining and longing, the heartaches and frustrations, all seemed to converge in this one moment.

Maybe, just maybe, this was the moment where the tides would turn, and you could choose a different path, one that didn't revolve around Jack. But the choice was yours to make, and it wouldn't be easy. You knew the allure of Jack, the history you shared, and the magnetic pull between you two would always be there.

For now, you decided to savor the night, knowing that the future held uncertainties and challenges, but also the potential for something beautiful. As you gazed at the moonlit lake, you couldn't help but wonder what lay ahead and what choices you would make when the time came.

-> make sure to check out my navigation or masterlist if you enjoyed! any interaction is greatly appreciated! <-

thank you for reading all the way through, as always ♡

[rubra-wav]

May I Request a part 2 to Dealbreaker!Reader (same characters) but it’s the characters reactions to the reader surprisingly breaking their deal? I loved what you wrote!

Angel, Husk and Alastor with a dealbreaker S/O pt. 2

[ Part 1 ] < > [ More lore on DBs ]

A/N Thank you so much, I'm glad you liked it, I loved writing this and the last one. Dealbreaker lore brainrot fr.

With how dealbreaking usually goes, it's not instantly a happy ending, unfortunately. These are all pretty happy endings, though.

Fairly long reads for all of these, but it's worth it, I promise 🙏

!(MY REQUESTS ARE NOT OPEN RN. THIS IS JUST LEFT OVER FROM WHEN THEY LAST WERE.)!

Cw: SFW, depictions of violence, mentions of murder, Husk and Angel's is romantic, Alastor's is platonic, gn reader, male reader in mind for Angel's (forgot to add this aaaages back omg)

**Alastor's is written under the assumption that the Lilith owning his soul theory is real + is making a great big assumptions about Lilith + the nature of her deal that will likely be disproven.

She's a great big mystery, I'm just heavily leaning into pure theory in that one.

Angel

- When you break his contract, Angel is overwhelmed with a potent mixture of relief and gratitude.

- The path this far had been fairly easy as far as the process of actually breaking the contract goes.

- The chains on him were poorly crafted and the format was extremely simple with a lot of loopholes to bust the contract wide open.

- It was honestly much harder to fully knock Angel out of the all-encompassing fear-rooted belief that he was doing something incredibly wrong after years of Val's manipulation and control over every part of him.

- It didn't take long to make the counter-contract, just a few minutes referencing the draft as you quickly wrote everything down upon the page pressed against the filthy bench you were sitting at. Angel hovered over you anxiously wringing his hands as he watched you work.

- The lock on his prison cell was quickly broken, along with the actual collar around his neck.

- You cheered as you threw your arms around the disbelieving man next to you. Angel cracked a smile, giddy as he realised that you had done it.

- This peace was short-lived, however.

- You now had to deal with the consequences of actually breaking Angel's deal. Valentino does not take kindly to people taking his toys away from him, especially not one of his top money-makers and favourite souls.

- You had, of course, crafted the counter-contract that was now clutched in your palm in some random location far away from the hotel so Val wouldn't be knocking at the front door knowing it was done then and there.

- However, you two still needed to run.

- Hand in hand, you run away from the approaching sound of distant but loudly approaching cars with the sound of gunshots echoing, legs and lungs burning with exertion.

- As a contrast to your very evident worry, Angel is laughing joyously and more boisterously then he thinks he ever has as the feeling of the heavy sensation of the collar that has been weighing on him is lifts alongside the inability to speak his real name without choking on it.

- The feeling of his newfound freedom and adrenaline mixes in his body, making his blood sing out in his veins like a symphony. An indescribably rich sensation of being alive that he thought he'd never be able to feel again while sober.

- "So long, you overly tall rat bastard! I've found something that's better then anything you could ever fucking give me!" Angel yells out into the warm air of the night as he flips off the general direction of the sound of the gunshots, laughing all the way as you get to the getaway car.

- You're panting as you crank the car into gear, speeding away and putting the glowing counter-contract on the back seat.

- As the distant sounds of gunshots fades into the distance behind you, you turn to the passenger side of the car to make absolutely sure Angel is really okay as he calms down from the high of the chase.

- Your boyfriend is absolutely beaming next to you, glowing with a sense of natural light you'd never before seen in your time being together. It's a beautiful contrast to the artificial sense of life you are so used to seeing broadcast within the studio and his films.

- He looks so different, and not only due to the disguise he had decided upon to lay low until shit calmed down a bit.

- As you make it to your destination - a small house youd been allowed to stay at courtesy of Charlie - you put the car into park and sit there for a for a few seconds.

- "Holy shit. I did it. I actually freed you. And we're not dead." You said, stunned.

- Angel snickered, unbuckling his seat belt and leaning over to you to kiss you on the cheek. "Never doubted you for a second, baby."

- You laugh, relieved, turning to him and gently pull his face close to yours, kissing him deeply. You chuckle at the feeling of the giant smile on Angel's face.

- As you move to settle in to live in the small house for a couple of weeks, you regret turning on the television.

- Angel's face flashes across the screen with text quickly scrolling past a smiling but seemingly close to tweaking Vox on the screen, the man looking like he's about to absolutely lose his shit if one more mild inconvenience happens. The Video Star's eye twitches sightly as if hearing something irritating as he speaks.

- "There is a hefty reward for anyone who can find Angel Dust and the dealbreaker who has interfered with his contract. Any useful information will be welcome. To give us tips, go to the website listed below or call-" You switch the TV off, unplugging it as well just in case.

- If Vox got well and truly involved in this situation to attempt to placate Valentino as soon as possible, this would be even more difficult of a situation. You hadn't much considered the rest of the vees getting involved, assuming they would stsy in their own lanes while Valentino stopped being pissy.

- You shake your head, and move to go to the room where Angel is unpacking. The outside world could wait until later. All that shit could wait until later.

- Angel smiles at you as you walk into the room, such a lightness in it that makes your heart burn.

- You hug him tightly and then fall down on your side into the bed, both of you laughing joyously and filling the empty house with life.

- The road ahead would not be easy, but you were finally on the road to starting your life with him.

- Your life with him as Anothony, not Angel Dust.

Husk

- The road to forming a counter-contract was hard as all hell.

- Alastor's deals are absolutely air tight, crafted with the uptmost skill and attention to detail, so you finding a vague clause to dig your claws into to get it rolling after weeks of arduously reviewing it again and again was a goddamn miracle.

- When he saw that you had made progress, he's shocked as can be. Has a 'well I'll be' moment as you point it out to him after another sleepless night as he wanders up to you.

- Feels bad for fully doubting you after that. He's still pessimistic about your chances of actually succeeding in the counter-contract, but the flame of hope inside of him sparks to embers as you manage to do what nobody has managed to even remotely succeed to do in centuries.

- When you make further progress, he becomes deeply afraid for your safety. If Alastor ever found out you'd been able to get this far, you'd be toast.

- Never in a million years would Alastor allow someone who's managed to undermine his skills to this degree to live. When you say that you've got it covered when he brings it up, he's incredibly skeptical and is even more concerned when you say you can't tell him 'just in case'.

- Is in utter disbelief when you insist you just stay in the hotel as you actually write the counter-contract to break the deal while Alastor is out doing some shenanigans.

- When you say that you don't, in fact, have a death wish, he's extremely stressed and sweating bullets as you begin to write what you'd been drafting for weeks.

- The lights flash and then go out as you're about halfway through writing the contract. Unnatural green light fills the room and Alastor casts a great big shadow on the wall as he materialises out of nowhere.

- Husk feels dread sink into every part of himself.

- The ground shakes as Alastor physically shows up, much larger then usual and snarling. "What do you think you're doing."

- His voice is dripping with malice and static which hurts your ears greatly, but the movement of your pen on the page doesn't stop even though you can feel your heart thudding in terror and your vision is becoming blurry.

- Husk feels nauseous as Alastor looks down at you, growing all the more aggressive the more he feels his hold on Husk slipping.

- Husk fights a panicked yell as Alastor's neck snaps to the side loudly, now looking directly at him with an absolutely vile grin on his face. He cannot make it in time as Alastor's hand moves to crush you, and he fears the absolute worst as you are no longer in his sights.

- His deep despair is interrupted however, as from underneath Alastor's palm great big rose briers grow from underneath and pry it backwards, revealing you still writing - albeit looking extremely stressed - and the figure of Rosie who looks rather angry at Al.

- Alastor's eyes widen in shock and disbelief that one of his oldest friends are currently blocking him from destroying the one trying to take his property.

- Husk hardly hears the back and forth and stalling that goes on between the two overlords as he's running to you to try and pull you the hell out of here.

- He stops in place as he feels it, and hears Alastor let out a terrifying frustrated growling noise. The green collar and chain around his throat appears, and then it breaks with a loud snapping sound. You've succeeded.

- You actually fucking did it.

- The next few moment are a blur as Husk is rendered motionless and speechless, eyes wide and tears pricking at the corners of his eyes as if he's about to wake up from this moment.

- He slowly walks towards you, looking to the side blankly as Alastor shrinks back to his normal size and is escorted out of the hotel with a look of pure bewilderment on his face by a now smiling and laughing Rosie. The leader of the cannibals winks at you and gives you a thumbs up as she leaves.

- You turn to Husk and grin at him wearily, still sweating nervously with clear relief on your face. You literally could have just died.

- Husk sinks to his knees beside you from where you sit on the ground, having fallen from your chair as Alastor tried to crush you.

- Husk grips your face in his shaking hands as he looks up at you. He can now see that one of your eyes is black with a deal you've made yourself but for now he doesn't address it.

- "Thank you." His voice is hoarse, low. Tears stream down his face for the first time in a long long time.

- Your face crumples as you allow your brave face to fall to bits. Your heart is still racing and you are still getting over the fear you felt.

- Husk pulls your crying face to his, leaning his forehead against yours as he wraps his arms tightly around you. "Thank you so much." Husk says, closing his eyes and causing more tears to roll down his cheeks.

- "If you ever do something that fucking stupid again, I'll not be humouring you." He added after the wonderful moment stretched out for a couple of seconds.

- You laugh softly, and nuzzle into his cheek as you kiss it. "You're welcome, Husker my love."

- Husk hums in fake annoyance, but he cannot even hide how much lighter he feels.

- The bonds which had kept him trapped for decades had been broken down all at once, leaving him free.

- He had no idea what kind of deal you made with Rosie, but he sure hoped it kept Alastor the fuck away from you and him for the rest of your lives.

- And, for your sake, he desperately hopes it is not the type of deal you will regret making later.

Alastor

- The path to dealbreaking Alastor's is bar fucking none with difficulty, mostly because he doesn't want your help.

- Hurts his his ego so much to see that even though his consistent efforts to tell you to get lost have failed. He's opted to scaring you off multiple times and yet you're still relentless.

- After yet another time of him growing into that massive form and snarling down at you, you snap.

- "Maybe I'm 'overestimating my abilities', but what if I'm not? What if a fresh pair of eyes are what you need rather than you just pissing off to your radio tower and staring at everything until you have a mental breakdown over it!" You yell at him weakly as he turns his back to leave. Blood is dripping from the corner of your mouth, and you're only just regaining your vision from the former static, which blacked it out.

- Alastor stops in his tracks, startled that you know about that too.

- "Maybe I don't have as much experience as you, but I have a different mind and way of looking at things! What if that's exactly why you can't break it? What if whoever it is knows how you think so they've designed this thing so you can't do this alone?"

- You can't see Alastor's face, but he's standing there still not saying anything. One of his ears is pointed backwards in your direction. He's actually listening.

- You gulp, and stand up shakily. "What if they knew that you would never seek assistance, so they've done things which won't be visible to you and only you. If you just give me a chance." You're no longer shouting, rather speaking in a tone you're trying to keep even despite how afraid you are.

- Alastor grits his teeth, ears twitching as he considers it. He's pissed off because you're actually making a good point.

- It goes against every instinct in his body, but suddenly, he's right in front of you, holding out his hand to you as he glares menacingly at you. "A week, and if you find nothing, you will never fucking approach this with me again, or share what you have seen and heard about my deal with anybody."

- You gulp audibly. It's a ridiculously slim deadline for this kind of business, but it's more than nothing. As you accept the deal, he utters a single word you're shocked to hear.

- "Lilith."

- Without any further words, he disappears, leaving a glowing copy of the contract at your feet.

- The week of reviewing the contract was utter fucking hell.

- it's not just that the contract was super air tight, it's just that it was so ridiculously complicated and hard to understand that you could hardly fucking comprehend what you were reading most of the time. It was utterly maddening.

- Your breakthrough, however, came not through solely just reading the words, but from actually talking to Lucifer himself about Lilith when he came to visit the hotel while Alastor left.

- As per the deal, you didn't share anything about the contract, but you did ask about her in private with him and he was actually surprisingly happy to discuss her.

- So that's, how on the last day of the deadline, you cracked the contract wide open with a counter-contract draft you had written in a few hours.

- Alastor almost screams out in pure unadulterated fury when he sees what you've written and hears the explanation behind it.

- Lilith wasn't some skilled dealmaker hellbent on controlling demons. She was a broken down dreamer who had no idea what she was actually doing in the contract, but being Lilith, her words held so much weight that they'd chained him despite that.

- It actually takes every bone in your body to not burst out laughing with how utterly humiliated he looks.

- His ears are pressed forward on his head, and he's making an odd high-pitched audio feedback kind of sound as his face is hidden in his hands.

- He'd been stressing over this thing for years as a skilled dealmaker looking at it, and yet that was exactly why he couldn't do it.

- Couldn't do what you did in a fucking week.

- "So, do you want me to undo this thing now or-?"

- You startle as suddenly he's in front of you, both hands on either one of your shoulders.

- you try so hard to not snicker as you see his expression finally, but fail. He's pressing his still ever-smiling mouth into a crooked line, eyes squeezed shut and brow furrowed. Dark flush covers his cheeks and neck.

- "Yes. Please." He says those words as if they are poison in his mouth. "I'm.. Sorry. That I underestimated you." Alastor opens his eyes to look at you as he begins to regain his composure a bit more, the hard part of this interaction being over with.

- Fortunately, and also infuriatingly, Alastor had not had his soul contract used once. Lilith simply had him in her back pocket and didn't lift a finger whenever she felt him try to break it again and again. It's like she didn't even give a fuck that she literally owned him.

- This fact burnt hot embarrassment and frustration into him as it destroyed his ego, but now it was a relief as she would most likely not try and come after him. Or you for that matter.

- His claws grip painfully into your shoulders as you fail to stop snickering loudly in disbelief that he actually apologised. Admitted losing essentially.

- "S-sorry! I just can't believe I'm seeing you like this." You apologised.

- Alastor gritted his teeth. "Don't get used to it." He growls before his mask slips right back on like it never happened. "I'm simply admitting my mistake in assuming you could not do this, darling! It turns out you truly can't teach an old dog new tricks. Or deer, in this case." He clears his throat, straightening up.

- You smile up at him, heavy bags under your eyes from where you've barely slept for the past week pouring over this.

- "If it makes you feel any better, it makes sense why you couldn't solve this thing. It's utter bullshit nonsense." You shake your head at the contract.

- The deal was undone embarrassingly quickly after that using the draft you had written. No pushback at all on it.

- Alastor feels his collar slacken and break to bits as you write the counter-contract and sighs with extreme relief as he watches the other contract disintegrate, feeling the power which had been stolen coming back as it turns to dust. It doesn't cure the utter humiliation that still sits heavy upon his shoulders however.

- After everything, he would threaten to kill you if you tell anyone about what went on or how he had fallen apart. Though, it would be a lie to say you two don't grow significantly closer.

- Alastor is still hesitant to fully let his guard down around you, however the massive wake that existed between you two even as fairly good friends has now significantly closed.

- He's still a lying, scheming asshole, but he'll be much more inclined to not be so much with you considering you've kept multiple giant blows to his ego fully secret.

This was a lot longer than what I usually write for requests holy moly, but I absolutely loved writing these. I hope I fulfilled your vision anon 🙏

You get through Angel's and Husk's, which are really emotional and sweet, then you get to Alastor's 💀

Masterlist

[moonstruckdraws]

Hephaestus & Aglaea

Trust is not given, it's forged.

Ver. 2

ver. 1

Look at thaaaaat another God on my list. Of course I had to do another Goddess though cause they're too fun to make- So I made his wife (who I didn't know was his wife until a while ago) Aglaea, one of the Charities/Kharities!

Before I start to spew nonsense and act like I know what I'm doing with these designs, I must give mention to @superscrub323 because of their help. I would not have the ideas of what to do with Hephaestus (and ESPECIALLY Aglaea) if now for their assistance, so I take no credit in the rambling I will be doing in this post, except for a few things. Thank you again, I really appreciate it. :]

Now to rambling (edit: this is quite a long one, sorry):

His clothes are the most.. different out of everyone else with one of his sacred animals just plastered on it instead of incorporating it in a more creative way, but honestly I was so frustrated making his design.. He's the most likely to get changed for better detail (like on his belt I just blanked and moved on until adding that heart lock, but I'll get to that). Same for his prosthetic leg. I just had to get something down on the canvas or else I'd be stuck. But I'll be redoing that too to be better.

For starters, if you're wondering why he ain't in an apron or any blacksmithing attire it's because I like to think Hephaestus is so comfortable and used to forging that he wouldn't see a need to change. If he gets the job done, does it matter what he wears? (my real answer is because I didn't want to because I had.. like no inspiration to-) He gets his clothes dirty and covered in dust, so I imagine Aglaea making him promise to wear an apron more often. He will probably have goggles in the future too, but right now he doesn't.

Giving him an arm made of magma and rock was not my idea, but it is such a sick idea. I'm not surprised to see others take the same approach because honestly it's incredibly cool. Hephaestus is described as lame because of his leg(s) or apparently his face (???), which the latter I never understood when younger. Idk if that's a newer thing or not, but it just didn't make sense to me, and still kinda doesn't. When asked if I wanted to go with the prosthetic or an ugly face, I went with the prior because I didn't want to do anything to his face, but ended up making half of his face magma so- I interpret it as, after being thrown off Olympus, he lands on his face so hard it breaks (do the gods have bones..??) his skull. That gets hardened & fixed by magma, while the surface skin remains just plain magma (idk how it stays in okay-). His other leg being made of magma and rock was another idea I thought of, and saw when looking for refs, so I thought it'd be cool to have that with his arm.

Gave him a beard. Plan was to have him be bald, but stars, I am a sucker for a man bun so he has that now- also told that since he likes to make jewelry, I should deck him out in it. Obviously he is not decked out in it- again, no ideas in my brain, and with all the magma, he was getting cluttered as it was. And jeez this is going on long- why does he and Aglaea have the most symbolism rn?-

Moving onto Aglaea, the youngest Kharities out of the three, which I never remember for the life of me, I always think she's the oldest. Probably because alphabetically.. Anyway, I was suggested to give her a fuller body and make her have accent purple. Also was suggested to give her blonde hair in a braid, but I went for ombre instead as I imaged her hair to be brown. Why not mix the two? I also wanted her hair to be up in a bun (higher up than Hera and Athena's) and added braids in that.

Also side headcanon that I plan to give all the Kharities (those outside of the main three as well) flowers on the side of their heads (because Antheia has em, so I thought why not)

However the flowers she and her two sisters are going to have are poppies of different colors, and be part antelope. The Kharities (at least when I tried looking, but I also could've not looked hard enough) had no sacred animal or plant that I could find, so I got creative.. anemones, or Poppies, are sacred flowers to Aphrodite (due to the whole Adonis thing), so I'm giving it to the three Kharities just by that association. And I added the antelope because it symbolizes grace & beauty, just like they do. Because Aglaea is the youngest, I gave her the shortest horns (and plan for Euphrosyne to have those boomerang-shaped horns & Thalia to have the spiral ones). She has three heart clips on her person as an attendant to Aphrodite & being the third daughter. And she's in jewelry of course, though the patterns on her clothes will likely change to be better.

Final thing: the heart lock & key. I wanted to add something to Aglaea, and an open spot was her neck, so I was going to give her a necklace with a key on it. But I went to look up how keys looked in Ancient Greece, and well, it's too big to be a neckpiece lol, but I did find images of Roman keys and decided to use that. Problem was, I didn't like how it looked, so I moved it. To her bracelet. Originally in its place was a donkey, but I put the key there and thought it would be cool if the key was like a spare key to Hephaestus's forge. It's tucked into the bracelet and no one would be the wiser (good on you Hephaestus). And I gave him a heart lock because, c'mon- (I needed to fill the space on his belt it's so gosh darn bland I can'tttttt! I want to fix it so bad but I'm so OVER HIM RIGHT NOW) whatever I'll get to it.

oh also he cools down his magma so he doesn't burn her. okay that's it-

[fisherobsessedmyb]

pretty pigtails|Sal fisher X GN!reader

🔹Ship🔹Sal Fisher X GN! Reader🔹

🔹Trope🔹possibly counts as miscommunication but not sure🔹

🔹Category🔹fluff🔹

🔹Summary:Sal gets the wrong idea about why you don't ever touch his pigtails, you reassure him his worries were not the case at all🔹

🔹A/n: this is my first fic in about 4 years I'm just getting back in2 it, be gentle lol it's lowkey ass😭

Constructive criticism is welcome, unneeded hate is not. Enjoy<3🔹

🔹Sal never thought much about his pigtails, he liked them. That's all that mattered in his opinion. Though he did sometimes wonder if you preferred his hair down, considering you'd never touch his hair as much as you did when it was down. He tried to not dwell on that though, it wasn't a big deal🔹

🔹"It's not a big deal" is what sal repeated to himself in his mind as he laid on his bed next to you as you immediately tangled your warm hand through his blue locks as soon as the hair ties were now discarded on the bed.

"your hairs so pretty, sally" you told him, smiling warmly as you always did when touching his hair.. When it was down.

"o-oh uhm.. Thanks, y/nn" sals voice was hesitant, a bit nervous. Usually your compliments were enough to turn his ears red and his smile wide, but right now his anxiety towards your perception of him was in the way of that.

"do they think I look bad with my pigtails?" is all that he could wonder.

It wasn't hard to pick up on his difference in demeanor, having been used to sals usual flustered reaction to compliments, such a more.. Nervous reaction was a bit of a surprise as you asked softly, your hand still gently tangled in his hair, softly playing with a few strands between your fingers

"is everything okay?"Sal felt his nerves grow as did the pit in his stomach, he gently takes your hand from his hair and holds it as he looks away

"do you.. Only like my hair like this? Y-you uhh.. Y'know without my pigtails?"

Sal's nerves only grew with the silence that had after his words, though just as he was going to stutter out another anxious sentence, your soft voice filled the silence as you gently cup his head with your hands, his hair tangled between your fingers.

"no, sally. Of course not.. You have such pretty pigtails, i love them!" your genuine response rang through sals ears as it eases the pit in his stomach.

He looks at you through his mask as he asks quietly"r-really? Youre uhh.. Youre sure? Because you- uhm.. You never wanna touch them. Y-you never wanna touch my hair when it's up" his nerves are still present, obvious in his tone.

Though.. They continue to lesson as you gently lean closer saying softly with your usual kind smile and a light giggle mixed through it

"babe I don't touch it because I don't wanna mess it up! I think you have the prettiest pigtails ever, they suit you so well! I promise"

Sal's face flushed red all the way to the tips of his ears as he let out a small breathless laugh.

"really?" he wasn't completely convinced.. Until you gently leaned in further, pressing a small kiss on the lips of his prosthetic before whispering to him

"really."

Sal definitely liked his pigtails and you absolutely did, too.<3🔹

🔹A/n:was fighting 4 my fuckin life editin this on mobile lmao T-T hope u enjoy, i tried my best. Still getting the hang a it again<3 also hello! Im sry 4 disappearin. :( due 2 personal reasons its hard 2 post regularly. But i hope this very cringy but sweet draft i made months ago makes up 4 it slightly. Enjoy<3 n as of rn im not actively acceptin anymore reqs. If u send one i will read it but most likely not work on it for a good while. Im plannin 2 clear out past reqs which have been collectin dust in my inbox tho. Have a good day y'all<3🔹

[sycamore55]

Chapter Four- We Were Born To Die

Vi x f!reader

Contains: events of ep 3 s1 arcane (SPOILERS), some dialogue is quoted directly from the show, established relationship (friends to lovers slowburn in previous chapters), reader is Ekko's adoptive sister/benzo's adoptive kid, vi and reader as teenagers, lots of angst

WC: 3.13k (It's a bit shorter w/ less romance stuff)

Trigger warnings: vivid descriptions of violence/death, blood, fire

Summary: You had finally found a source of hope for the future. It could have been just another night. But before you could even realize what was happening, everything had changed.

A/N: hello and welcome to all of you gorgeous humans. This is part four of my Born to Die series. Previous parts are all up on my blog if you are interested. This is a bit of a shorter chapter, partly because there's less going on and partly because I'm insanely burnt out rn. This is based on episode 3 of season one, so I'm sorry and good luck in advance (if it makes you feel better I had to rewatch it before writing this so I'm in pain too)

previous part here <-

✦✦✦✦✦✦✦

That night at the shop was eerily quiet.

Hardly any customers came in at night, and as it got closer to closing, you blinked in and out of daydreams. Each time your mind wandered, you always circled back to Vi's promise. Her words lingered on your mind, and you couldn't help but wonder why she had said all that.

Of course it was really sweet. And it was really nice to hear. But something about her urgency seemed off to you. She would've told you if something was wrong, though. Right?

Maybe not. The more you thought about it, the more what-if's ran through your mind, like tornadoes. If something was wrong, Vi probably would have told you, yes. Unless she didn't want you to know.

But why wouldn't she want you to know?

You knew how fiercely independent Vi was. But not with you. Never with you. Sure, she could be guarded sometimes. She was strong. Probably one of the strongest people you knew. But that didn't mean that she wasn't soft as well. And you knew she was capable of being vulnerable and open with you.

From what you had noticed, anyway.

You drummed your foot anxiously on the floor. The silence of the store was starting to become borderline uncomfortable. It was uncommon for you to be alone there, yes, but not unusual.

But that didn't make the queasy feeling of dread in your stomach any less there.

You were pulled back into reality when you heard the breaking of glass nearby. You felt your heart speed up a few beats, before slowly settling back down.

People in the alleys were always fighting or breaking bottles. Once again, nothing unusual there.

So why did everything feel so.....ominous? Like something bad was about to happen and you knew it.

You brushed off the thought. It was stupid anyways. There shouldn't have been anything for you to worry about.

Suddenly, you heard the heavy thumps of boots, and people running on the cobblestone streets outside. You looked up, but your view through the small window on the door, couldn't see much. You cautiously approached the door, reaching for the lock.

As you got closer to the window, you could see the figures of two people. You immediately recognized Vander and Benzo, but that didn't answer any of your questions. The looks on their faces, however, stopped you in your tracks.

Benzo was standing outside a building next to the shop, with his arms crossed, looking up and down the alley. Occasionally, he glanced inside, to where you assumed Vander was. You could hear Vander's voice, but couldn't exactly make out what he was saying. All of a sudden, you heard another voice. Vi's voice.

She shouted as a door slammed. You heard what sounded like banging a wall, or a door. Or something like that.

You unlocked the door to the shop, and were about to go outside to see for yourself what was going on, when a gold flash from the other side of the alley caught your eye.

Enforcers were walking down the street. You quickly ducked as they passed the shop, paying no attention to you. Their eyes were fixed forward, and your heart sunk as you watched them walk toward where Benzo stood.

Shit, you thought. Then, another realization hit you.

Where's Ekko?

The pit in your stomach stretched out. You knew he was most likely with Powder at the Last Drop, or somewhere around. But something bad was clearly about to happen, and you had no idea if he was going to be safe.

A few seconds later, flashes of other people flew past the window. You couldn't make out details, but you saw the enforcers rush back outside, ordering them around. Benzo rushed outside too, and the enforcers had Vander in handcuffs.

In the blink of an eye, something struck. A flash of electric purple passed by the window, and in less than a second, one of the enforcers lay on the ground with a bullet in her head.

You gasped, covering your mouth with your hand to stay silent. Blood was splattered all over the stones. You could only watch in horror as the other enforcer, Vander and Benzo looked around. Benzo picked up a pipe.

Another man stepped out of the shadows. Even from a distance, you could make out the bright shine of one of his eyes. They were all close enough for you to make out their exact words now.

"Silco?" Benzo gasped. His expression hardened. "You animal. Go crawl back into whatever hole you came out of!"

"Benzo, stay back!" Vander called to him, but Benzo stepped forward anyway.

"You never did know when to walk away," the man, who you supposed was Silco, sneered.

"Wait-" Vander began, moving forward to stop him, but his hands were still cuffed, and Benzo kept moving forward. He lunged, and in an instant, the same flash of electric purple slammed into him.

"No!" Vander shouted. Benzo's blood coated the floor as his body slumped over. Vander sunk to his knees.

You had to bite down to keep from screaming out. Your entire body was violently shaking. Tears were pooling in your eyes, and the beat of your heart was the only sound in your mind. You sank down to the floor, clutching your arms. Your nails dug into your skin, deep enough to draw blood. All you could do was hold your head in your hands, and desperately try to breathe.

---

The tears had dried on your face, and the shaking in your limbs had subsided slightly. You were still sitting on the ground inside the shop, hugging your knees. Your heartbeat had settled back to normal now that the immediate danger was gone, but that did little to stop the blood rushing through your head.

Get up. Get up.

The thoughts swarmed your mind. You knew you needed to get up, and go outside and....

And then what? You couldn't help Benzo. And you weren't sure if you could stomach to see him like that.

Benzo was dead. Your dad was dead. Gone. Taken to a place he couldn't come back from.

The tears rose to the surface again, threatening to spill over your eyes. You clenched your arms tighter, reopening the newly formed scabs.

All of a sudden, you heard a soft cry from outside. Your head snapped up as you recognized the voice. Ekko.

Slowly, with weak legs and shaky hands, you pushed yourself off the ground. Through the specks of blood scattered on the glass window, you saw Ekko outside, standing over Benzo's body. His hands were clenched in fists by his sides, but you could see how badly they were shaking.

You quickly unlocked and opened the door. Ekko was standing alone in the alley. The first thing you noticed were the tears rolling down his face. His head snapped up, and when he saw you, he quickly ran toward you and hugged your waist tightly. You could feel just how much he was trembling. You felt the part of your shirt where his head was buried grow wet.

"B-Benzo....he's...." But Ekko couldn't finish his sentence. You knew how it ended. You hugged him tightly, your breath coming in short, shaky bursts.

Over his shoulder, you finally worked up the nerve to look at Benzo. You had to quickly bite down on the inside of your cheek to keep yourself from crying out when you saw his body laying on the street.

It was just too hard to see him like that. All you could do was close your eyes and block out the voices screaming in your head as you held Ekko.

As your eyes closed, you heard a soft thumping from somewhere to your side. When you looked over, you saw a small window, smeared with blood, by your feet.

Vi, you remembered. Fuck.

You pulled back, holding Ekko's shoulders firmly, and crouching down to meet him eye level. "Ekko, look at me."

He quickly wiped his eyes, before looking up to you.

"We're gonna figure this out. I just need you to be brave for me right now, okay?" He nodded, wiping the last of his tears away. "You didn't see it, did you?"

He shook his head as more tears pooled in his eyes. "I s-saw....they took Vander too. A-and Benzo...." The knot in your stomach flipped and slammed back down as he spoke.

"I'm so sorry," you whispered. "I'm so sorry you had to see that."

How were you so calm? Truth was, you weren't. Internally, you were panicking. You had every reason in the world to panic right now. Your father was dead. Yes, you wanted to be emotional and hysterical and loud. Okay, you were already incredibly emotional. But you still had your feet firmly planted on the ground, and your head screwed on straight.

You knew that you needed to stay level-headed. For Ekko.

"Ekko, listen to me," you said as firmly as possible. "I need you need to stay with me. We gotta get Vi out, and then we're gonna make a plan. But you have to promise me that you're gonna listen to what I say. Okay?"

He nodded his head slightly, sniffling. "Okay. I promise."

"Okay," you sighed. "We're gonna be okay. Promise." You gently squeezed his shoulder. and stood up. "Stay with me. I need to get Vi out."

You held onto his hand tightly as you made your way around the blood on the ground carefully. The door creaked as you pushed it open and entered the room. You noticed a hole in the stained glass, and broken shards all around the ground, as if someone had punched a hole in it.

Vi probably had, if you were being honest.

You turned the lock in the other door, and softly pulled it open. Vi was sitting, slumped against the wall, with her head in her hands. Her head quickly snapped up, and you could see her eyes soften as she looked at you.

She stood up, pushing off the wall. You stepped toward her slowly, before all the emotions and exhaustion hit you all at once. She lunged forward to catch you as you practically collapsed in her arms.

"B-Benzo..." was all you managed to stammer out. You buried your eyes in her shoulder as she held you tightly. You felt tears of her own drip onto your shoulder.

"What about Vander?" she asked quietly.

"They took him," Ekko answered softly, appearing by your side. "I heard them. They said they were taking him to one of the old warehouses by the docks."

Vi pulled back to look at the both of you, but didn't let you go fully. Although her cheeks were also stained with tears, she didn't hesitate to reach up and wipe yours away.

"We're gonna get him back," she said firmly. Your eyes quickly shot open.

"What?" you whispered. "Vi, you saw that thing. You're gonna get seriously hurt at the very least."

"I have to do this," she sighed.

"Then I'm coming with you," you decided.

"Me too," Ekko chimed in, in as firm of a voice as he could muster up.

"No, you're not," two voices ordered in synch. You and Vi looked back at each other.

"I can't let you do this alone-" you began, but Vi cut you off, her hold on your shoulders growing tighter.

"Listen to me," she begged. "You're not going. Either of you," she added, looking pointedly at Ekko.

"I need you to stay safe. Go back to the tree. Stay there tonight, and when we get Vander back, we'll meet you there. Vander will know what to do."

You grasped her arms tighter. "What if you don't make it back?"

She sighed softly. "I will. You just need to stay safe."

You pressed your forehead to hers. She cupped your face in her hands. "I can't lose you," she whispered shakily.

"Me neither," you whispered back. You stayed like that for a few moments, as if it was the last time you were going to be able to hold her like this.

Eventually, she pulled back, and raised her hood over her head. "We'll meet you tonight. Stay safe. Please."

"Please be careful," you pleaded. She nodded grimly. She stared at you for a few more seconds, before exiting the room. You watched her leave with baited breath, trying your best to ignore all the possible outcomes that were breaking through the flood gates of your mind.

"Come on, Ekko." You tried to make your voice as steady as you could, as you took his hand. "We have to go."

---

You and Ekko moved silently in the dark.

You stayed crouched low and kept your hold on his hand tight. Both his and your trembling had subsided, but the shock of what you had just witnessed lingered. So did the gnawing, deep feeling of grief.

You kept your guard up, and stayed on high alert. Your heartbeat pounded in your ears as you moved between alleys, always checking in dark corners and over your shoulder to make sure you weren't being followed.

You sighed to yourself with relief when you made it to the first tunnel. The only sounds made were the splashes of your boots in the water that had settled at the bottom of the tunnels.

You glanced at Ekko every few minutes to make sure he was hanging in there well enough. Every time your eyes met his, he straightened up a bit, pressing his mouth into a firm line. Despite how strong he was being, you could see how much your brother was hurting, and your heart ached for it.

When your gaze finally landed on the tree, you sighed, heavier this time. You heard Ekko let out a small breath of relief as well. The two of you settled beneath the trunk of the tree. Ekko didn't drop your hand, and he leaned on you.

"We should be safe here," you whispered to him. "Vi and the others will be here with Vander later, and we'll make a plan then. Okay?"

He nodded softly, his eyes growing wearier. "When are they gonna be here?" he asked you, with a small tremble in his voice.

"I don't know, buddy," you sighed. "Sometime later tonight." You paused for a few moments, carefully studying his expression. "Are you okay?"

He looked up at you, the tears that he had wiped away forming once again in his eyes. "I don't know," he admitted. He leaned his head into your shoulder, and you quickly wrapped your arms around him.

"Oh, Ekko," you whispered. "I'm so sorry. Today was really hard. But I'm so proud of you for staying strong." You felt fresh tears soak your shirt, but that was the least of your concerns.

"I w-want my dad," he wept into your shoulder.

"I know. I know you do," you murmured, rubbing his back gently. "I'm right here, okay? I'm not going anywhere."

You held him as he slowly calmed down, wiping the tears away.

"Try to get some sleep. I'm gonna wait up for the others." You felt him nod into your shoulder, but he made no attempt to move as he began to drift off.

You couldn't bring yourself to sleep. You waited and waited for Vi. But she didn't show up.

Your anxieties spiraled in your head. Flashes of visions your mind had spun were all that you could think about; visions of Vi being hurt, or worse. Thoughts that something bad had happened to her, or Powder Mylo or Claggor. You didn't sleep a wink that night.

The next morning, when Ekko woke up, the two of you went down to the docks where Vander had been taken to see if they were there. You were extremely cautious as you moved through the Lanes.

The sight that met you at the warehouse was that clearly the aftermath of a fire. The building was charred and damaged, and some parts had collapsed in on itself. You guessed that the rain had most likely put it out the night before.

Mylo, Claggor, Powder, and Vi were nowhere to be seen. You and Ekko searched, all around the building. You didn't find them.

You did find Vander.

Ekko barely saw him. You quickly shielded his gaze from it, but you couldn't pull your eyes away from his body. You audibly gasped when you noticed the purple tint to his skin, and the bright purple flashing from his veins.

What the hell happened? Where was Vi? Or Powder, or Mylo or Claggor....

You didn't have any answers. And the gnawing feeling in your stomach was back, telling you that not everything would be okay this time.

"What are we gonna do?" Ekko whispered. You desperately wanted to tell him that you had an answer, and that everything was going to be okay. But you couldn't.

Everything that day was a blur. It happened too fast for you to process, and moved too slow to ease your pain. Only bits and pieces stuck out to you.

You holding Ekko as he cried into your shirt, a few of your own tears escaping along with his.

Wandering around for what felt like hours trying to find something to eat.

A sick feeling in your stomach that just wouldn't go away.

Flinching each time an animal moved in the bushes, or something made a noise that could have been someone coming for you.

Waiting until Ekko had cried himself to sleep to let yourself exhale.

Then breaking down. Holding your head in your hands as you quietly sobbed.

When you closed your eyes and focused hard enough, you could almost taste her last kiss, or feel her hands on your body.

But it was your hands wrapped around yourself now. The sick feeling in your stomach only worsened as the realizations hit you one by one.

Vander was gone, and with him, you knew the careful balance of peace kept in the Undercity would shatter.

Benzo, the man who had cared for you when no one else had, who you considered more of a father than anything, was gone.

Vi was gone for good. You'd have to accept that.

You still had yourself and Ekko to take care of. But despite everything, you were stuck. Stuck on the memories of the past, and all the good things that were stripped from you all at once.

But it wouldn't change anything. All you could do now was silently curse yourself for the naive hope you had put in the possibility of something better.

You should've known. Nothing that good could last.

✦✦✦✦✦✦✦

End note: hi....if you're still here, are you mentally well? Anyways part 5 will hopefully be out in a week or so, and it will be post timeskip, and I'll make it up to you then I promise 🙏 ily all ty for reading!

tags: @laviannasfanfics

comment a red emoji to be tagged in the next part!!

[kamiversee]

even though I have mixed feelings about gojo, I def NEED some type of bonus chapter or oneshot with him being overstimulated and whimpering n stuff. I’ve been deadass fantasizing about that for the past hour (prolly cuz it’s late rn) BUT THAT WOULD CURE ALL MY PROBLEMS

this just made me realize how much help I might need because I don’t think this is normal 😃

(Choso could be an option but I feel like it would fit gojo more 🧎‍♀️)

He'd be so whiny for the reader too considering how down horrendous he is. So, because I'm in heat, here's a lil blurb off the top of my head ^.^

(wc; 0.6k)

Gojo would beg you to touch him and just imagine him on his knees in front of you, all teary-eyed and pouty-- begging you to give him some sort of attention-, any sort of attention so that the aching of his cock can die down. He was recently jerking off to you but that didn't help him much, he needed you physically and he needed you now.

He likely called you to come over and you heard it in his voice how horny he was for you. Telling you things over the phone like, "You don't have to do anything, sweetheart. Jus' stand there 'nd I promise I'll cum quick..."

Of course, his words got you all riled up so you made your way to him as quickly as possible, having him open the door of his apartment for you and snatch you inside in an instant. Gojo dragged you to his room and had to just sit prettily at the edge of his bed, dropping to his knees and whining for you to touch him-- even though he promised you didn't have to do anything.

One thing quickly led to another and Gojo was pussydrunk in a matter of minutes. Repositioned to where you were on top of him, the sensual and tortuous slow rock of your hips had him panting so heavily.

"F-Faster, fuuuck, p-please? Fuck me faster-," Gojo tried to beg as much as he could but he was beginning to moan again as you upped the movement of your hips and he straight up whimpers when your cunt squeezes around him juust right-- his hips suddenly bucking up into you for more.

He would be so pretty all fucked out too; head tossed back, Adam's apple bobbing with each deep groan that leaves his throat in reaction to your walls sucking in his lengthy cock so perfectly. Fluffy white locks of hair would be in such a mess, sweat dripping down his chiseled chest, and wet lips parted with moans leaving him.

Gojo would be enamored by every inch of you but most importantly your pussy and the way it slicked and slid up and down his length.

He'd be fucking into you for such a long time without even realizing it, heavy balls slapping against your skin as the tip of his cock just mushes into that sweet spot inside of you. Then your moans are what would have him all whiney.

It was like he was unintentionally competing to see who would be louder. Gojo would moan your name out like it's the only thing he knew how to say, so lost in the feeling of you that he's coming inside you before he even realizes, filling you up with his cum and his eyes crossing at the feeling of you getting tighter and tighter around him.

"More," You'd say to him, drunk off his cock and blinded by lust and pleasure.

To which he'd happily oblige and flip the two of you over just to fuck his dick down into your cunt at a merciless pace. Gojo would shove his lengthy inches into you as roughly as possible as if to make sure his cum stayed inside you.

Your arms would find solace around his neck and you'd tug him closer, moaning right next to his ear and making his cock throb inside you.

"You feel s'good," Gojo would groan in response, "S-So fuckin' good..." his voice airy and words leaving him in pants, "Wanna' fuck you all night, sweetheart. Can I? P-Please?" He'd beg.

He's so damn cute like this that of course you'd tell him yes, leading to his thrusts growing harsher and his bed creaking at how feral and sloppy his pace becomes.

And just as your pussy squeezes around him tighter than before, Gojo would wake up from his slumber and realize that everything he just experienced was nothing more than a wet dream :3

sorry not sorry for this :P

[uwurakax]

-> HQ AS TAYLOR SWIFT LYRICS +

summary just the vibes of t.swift songs/lyrics and who (i think) match with the haikyuu guys ♡

-> i srsly missed them sm omg, clownin (also im rusty pls cri), maybe one day we'll write more on t.s songs bc dang she's killin it rn

(also edit bc i just came back to check this again before posting but, i thought it was fitting bc ya girl got eras tour tickets!)

(( edit two - you can see from above when i started working on this, came back and came back again rn, bc sis is making friendship bracelets rn for next month aa! and i got inspired by this lol - i also just have impeccable taste ))

featuring kageyama || oikawa || akaashi || kenma || atsumu ♡

+ i got other stuff ready to post promise, i just needed this out there +

KING OF MY HEART

"and we rule the kingdom inside my room, 'cause all the boys and their expensive cars... never took me quite where you do and all at once you are the one i have been waiting for, king of my heart, body and soul"

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

it's not easy moving on. you'd been scorned before, and had your heart broken. it wasn't a secret to know you'd been on guard, had your heart under lock and key. created a tall, ivory tower that you made sure no one else would think of scaling. that was before you mer him. it was implausibly easy. how everything fell into place when you were just within his vicinity. maybe being hurt wasn't so bad, because if you didn't face them, they wouldn't have led you to him, here and now. he wasn't just the king of the court anymore, another invisible crown bestowed onto him as he climbed; holding the key to you.

- kageyama ♡

LOVER

"i take this magnetic force of a man to be my... my hearts been borrowed and yours has been blue, alls well that ends well to end up with you, swear to be overdramatic and true to my... lover"

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

you knew he was a star, anyone with eyes could see. he was destined for great things, and you were a planet following, orbiting around his sun. you'd always follow, for as long as he wanted. your greatest pleasure though was with the mundane. you'd take the stardom, the fame... but you lived for the monotonous. where it was just you and him. you hoped it would last forever. hand in hand, nothing would stop you. whether it was cheering for him on the sidelines, or laying beside him at night, you'd love him for eternity.

- oikawa ♡

GORGEOUS

"ocean blue eyes, looking in mine, i feel like i might sink and drown and die, you're so gorgeous i can't say anything to your face, cause look at your face; gorgeous"

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

starstruck, awestruck, wonderstruck. any and every 'struck' you could think of, and thats the feelings that grew the moment you locked eyes on him. it was such a cliche, a crowded room with a bunch of other bodies, and yet you seemed to naturally gravitate towards him. love at first sight. a concept so wildly unbelievable and yet so captivating, that the most famous love story revolved around it. yet here you were, stunned into silence, because this was what you were experiencing now. completely out of your comfort zone, never had anyone ever made you feel like this before; but what could you say? he's gorgeous.

- akaashi ♡

YOU BELONG WITH ME

"i'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you're about to cry, i know your favourite songs and you tell me about your dreams, think i know where you belong, think i know it's with me"

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

it's not easy being in love with your best friend. you knew practically everything about him. so why was he with her when you were always in his corner from the beginning? the late night gaming sessions and text messages. she just wasn't good for him. she didn't understand him like you did, and his calls and conversations all but proved how much better you could be for him. so why? you didn't need to ponder long, because soon enough he was at your doorstep late into the night, confessing how it was a mistake, how he ended things with her and if he could come inside to talk.

- kenma ♡

CRUEL SUMMER

"and i snuck in through the garden gate, every night that summer just to seal my fate, and i scream for whatever it's worth 'i love you! aint that the worst thing you ever heard?' he looks up grinning like a devil"

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

you had heard about him. heard about how he wasn't good enough for you, and that you shouldn't get involved. you never were a good listener, and soon enough you became involved with him. despite the little voice in your head telling you to let go, you couldn't. it wasn't supposed to be forever, and you were okay with that. initially anyway. catching feelings for something that would end in disaster... but you couldn't end it. not yet. just how deep did you dive into whatever this was? you couldn't pinpoint when it went south, but did that matter? you were too far gone. the anticipation grew the longer this lasted, and in a bout of stress, you blurted out your confession. not your finest moment, and you were sure he'd shun you for good. turn his back on you and walk away, leaving you to mend your broken heart. he didn't though. he just stood there, with his stupid smirk that made you fall for him to begin with, confessing the same words you all but screamed at him moments ago.

- atsumu ♡

[gojoulen03]

╔═══°∴,*⋅✲══〖✰〗══✲⋅*,∴°═══╗

"MY DAUGHTER, THE DIVINE ONE"

╚═══°∴,*⋅✲══〖✰〗══✲⋅*,∴°═══╝

A/N:

I'm saying this rn but this.. this blog is a literal mess. It's my first time posting this kinda uh.. yup. So I'm a little annoyed by it but I'm bored so I went through.. uh with it anyway..

I had an alternate version of this in Wattpad called 'Rose Thorns' lol. I'm still thinking of who will be the love interest for Y/n because this sht is similar to the usual SAGAU plot idk if I'm right though (correct me if I'm wrong lol).

Again, this is a mess. Idk if I posted this correctly.. but I tried anyway..

Sypnosis :

You are Tsukuyomi Y/n with a lovely daughter named Yuna. You've always dreamed of becoming a mother and decided to have one through artificial method (lol idk if that's real yet but I remembered a manga with that Soo YUp AND THIS IS FICTION so I had the power of making the impossible real here in this story LOL and yes you are rich in Earth cuz i said so ৻( •̀ ᗜ •́ ৻)). You paid someone handsomely to give you the means to have a child without any sort of y'know lol- and finally had Yuna after so long of waiting.

You are deeply devoted to Yuna's well-being and promised to protect her no matter what.

But tragedy struck when you got involved in a car accident that claimed your life, leaving your daughter Yuna without her only guardian. Your own death left you feeling desolate and remorseful for not being able to watch your 5-year-old daughter grow up.

However, your journey took an unexpected turn when you found yourelf in a mysterious and unfamiliar world. You retained only hazy memories of your past life but resolved to forge ahead. Even in this strange new world, you couldn't let go of your fervent prayers for Yuna's safety.

You went on a journey in this new world called Teyvat. But what if your daughter follows you there - all grown up, so mature and with so many mysteries?

GENSHIN IMPACT X G/N! Reader

Warnings: Grammatical Errors, Lazy Writing, Possibly alot of errors again lol, MANY TYPOS idK, VERY OOC (I'mma not lie here), Y/n being the Cupid LATER lol, Yandere!Harem??? Obsessive Acolytes/Believers to the Divine One, MANY SIMPINGS ˛(ˊʙˋ)੭˒˒

CHAPTER 00

In the supposedly peaceful and beautiful world - Y/n, a beautiful God(dess) in a white robe and veil, had been engaged in a fierce battle to protect your city from marauding Gods. Your barrier stood resolute, deflecting attacks and safeguarding your people, but the more you fought, the more you felt your energy wane.

"Your majesty! Please, it's enough!" A voice was heard from behind. But despite the pleas of your beloved subjects to cease the battle, You remained unyielding, your bowstring singing as you sent arrow after arrow towards your foes. The Archon War had erupted unexpectedly, shattering the harmony among divine beings who were once friends. You couldn't comprehend why you were now locked in a merciless struggle for your nations' survival.

"You must be getting tired. How about resting now?" taunted by your enemy God, reveling in your weakening state. Undeterred, You glared back, refusing to back down. Your resolve was unbreakable; You were determined to defend your land until your very last breath.

"I will not! I will never back down until my last breath!" You yelled.

"Let's see about that, Goddess Y/n!" They said, as they were ready to launched another attack.

But just as you braced yourself for another attack, a familiar voice broke through the haze of battle.

"Ma/Pa.."

"Ma/Pa.. ma/pa.."

"Mama/Papa!!"

Startled, You gasped, your battle-weary eyes fluttering open. You found yourself in a small, warm room, and your attention was drawn to a tiny, innocent face—the face of your adorable daughter, Yuna.

"Mama/Papa! You're awake, right?!" Yuna's tiny hands shook you, urging you back to consciousness.

"Mama/Papa, it's time to wake up!" You blinked, the memories of your celestial battle fading into the background as you're fully awake now.

"Oh, Mama/Papa's awake now, dear Yuna," you whispered, your exhaustion momentarily forgotten as you lifted your daughter into your arms.

Yuna's innocent eyes widened with concern. "Mama/Papa, you were making scared noises in your sleep. Did you have a bad dream?"

You smiled, brushing a gentle hand over Yuna's cheek. "It was just a bad dream, my love. Mama/Papa's fine now." You marveled at the contrast between the dream's fierce goddess persona and the reality of your role as a loving parent. How could such a powerful being in your dream world be the same person who cuddled with your daughter each morning?

"Let's focus on happier things," You suggested, ruffling Yuna's hair playfully.

"Hehe, okay! Let's eat breakfast now, Mama/Papa! I'm hungry!" Yuna's enthusiasm was infectious, and you couldn't help but smile at the sight of your daughter's radiant joy. You dismissed the surreal images of your divine battle as a dream or perhaps the result of watching too many fantasy movies recently.

"What would you like to eat today, my little sunshine?" You asked.

Yuna's face lit up with excitement. "Pancakes, Mama/Papa! With strawberries!"

You chuckled, the remnants of the dream slipping further away with each giggle. "Pancakes it is, sweetheart. Let's make them together."

With a tender smile, You kissed Yuna's forehead. "And also good morning, my precious. I love you."

Yuna giggled, her laughter echoing through the room like music. "I love you too, Mama/Papa!"

Together, you both ventured into the kitchen, the aroma of pancakes filling the air as you expertly flipped them on the griddle. Yuna stood on a chair, her eyes wide with fascination as she watched her parent cook.

What had seemed like a fierce, otherworldly struggle faded into the background as you dismissed it as a fleeting nightmare. Perhaps it was the result of watching too many fantasy movies, you thought, trying to rationalize the vivid dream.

"Yeah, it must be a dream," You reassured yourself, embracing the reality of your daughter's laughter and the aroma of breakfast wafting from the kitchen.

"Mama/Papa, are you a superhero?" Yuna asked suddenly, her innocent curiosity sparking a twinkle in her eyes.

You paused, caught off guard by the question. You knelt down to Yuna's eye level, your expression tender. "Well, I might not be a superhero, but I'll always protect you, my dear. You mean everything to me."

Yuna beamed, her small hand reaching out to grasp yours. "I love you, Mama/Papa!"

"I love you too, my precious Yuna," You whispered, your heart swelling with an overwhelming sense of love and gratitude.

You prepared a hearty meal for yourself and for your precious daughter, Yuna, savoring the simple pleasures of your shared moments. As you both sat down to eat, Yuna's innocent chatter filled the room, momentarily pushing away the lingering thoughts of that dream you had earlier.

"Mama/Papa, what's your favorite story?" Yuna asked between bites of the pancakes.

You smiled, reminiscing about the stories you used to hear as a child. "My favorite story is about a brave god(dess) who protected their people from all the dangers of the world. They were strong, just like me, and they never gave up, no matter how tough things got."

Yuna's eyes widened with admiration. "Wow, Mama/Papa, you're like that god(dess), right?"

You chuckled, ruffling Yuna's hair affectionately. "I try to be, sweetheart. I'll always protect you and keep you safe, no matter what."

You only wished the best for your daughter.

That's all you need..

Those dreams probably meant nothing, right?

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, with You and Yuna sharing your lives in blissful harmony. You had put the strange dreams behind you, attributing them to a mere figment of your imagination, yet the memories of your battles as a god(dess) lingered, casting a subtle shadow over your peaceful existence.

It also arose so many questions..

Why do you have that dream?

What does it mean?

Is it a past life?

Why are you remembering it?

You're already happy with youe daughter. You don't want to be burden with a problem you don't even know about.

That was all just a dream anyways..

But one evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, you found herself lost in thought on the porch of their cozy home. Yuna, now a bit older but just as radiant, skipped over, her eyes filled with curiosity.

"Mama/Papa, why do you sometimes look so sad?" Yuna asked, her voice tinged with concern.

You smiled gently, your fingers tracing the patterns of the wooden porch. "Oh, my sweet Yuna, it's just Mama/Papa's thoughts wandering. Sometimes, grown-ups think about many things at once."

"But you can tell me, Mama. I'm a big girl now!" Yuna insisted, her determination mirroring her parent's.

You sighed, realizing that your daughter was growing up and deserved to know the truth, or at least part of it. "Alright, my love. Mama/Papa had some strange dreams lately, dreams of battles and wars. It felt like I was someone else, someone powerful but burdened by the weight of protecting others."

Yuna's eyes widened in awe. "Like a superhero?"

You nodded, a bittersweet smile playing on your lips. "Yes, something like that. But these dreams were so vivid, as if they were memories from another life. It's all very confusing, Yuna."

Yuna reached out and held her parent's hand, her grip surprisingly strong for a child her age. "Mama/Papa, I think those dreams are trying to tell you something. Maybe you're meant to do something important."

You looked at your daughter, marveling at the wisdom hidden behind those innocent eyes. "You're right, Yuna. Perhaps there's a reason I'm having these dreams. I just wish I knew what it meant."

You couldn't help but hug your daughter. Just how caring and smart is this girl? This daughter of yours is too perfect to be yours. She's far too wise..

Even you can't come out with such an advice. But your 5 years old daughter could.

"You're so mature, aren't you, my love?" You said, as you kisses your daughter's chubby cheek who giggled in return. "Hehe! Because I am a big girl!"

"Yes, you are a big girl, love."

Though you couldn't exactly shake the feeling of being a powerful god(dess) in that otherworldly battle, your memories of an archon war still vivid, despite the comforting reality of your daughter's presence.

"Mama/Papa, can I ask you something?" Yuna's innocent voice interrupted your thoughts.

"Of course, my sweet," You replied, setting your daughter to your side to give your full attention to your daughter.

Yuna looked up at you with those big, curious eyes. "What were you fighting in your dream, mama/papa? Were you super strong?"

You hesitated, unsure of how to explain the complexities of your dream world to a 5-year-old. "Well, it was just a dream, dear. In the dream, Mama/Papa had to protect something very important, just like how I always protect you."

Yuna nodded thoughtfully. "Like a superhero, right?"

You smiled, relieved at the simplicity of Yuna's understanding. "Yes, like a superhero."

"Cool! I wanna be a superhero too!"

"Study first-"

"But mama/papa!!"

"Just kidding~!"

But as the day went on, you couldn't shake the feeling that your dream held a deeper significance. The memories of the archon war and the title of "God(dess) Y/n" haunted your thoughts, refusing to be dismissed as mere fantasy.

That night, after tucking Yuna into bed and planting a gentle kiss on her forehead, you found herself unable to sleep. You decided to indulge your curiosity and did something you hadn't done in a long time-you opened your laptop and began searching for information about archons and the concept of divine beings.

But you found no information about all the things you remembers in your dream.

Is it just.. a dream?

Lost in thought, you murmured, "God(dess) Y/n... Archon War... it all feels so distant yet so real."

Yuna, ever perceptive, approached her parent out of nowhere, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Mama/Papa, is something bothering you?"

"Ahh!" You almost fell down your chair when you saw your daughter standing next to you. Gosh! She's scary sometimes!

"Gosh, you scared Mama/Papa, love." You said, as you sighed in relieved that it was only your daughter. Yuna shrugged her shoulder before climbing into your lap and sitting comfortably.

"Why aren't you sleeping, baby? Didn't Mama/Papa tucked you in already?"

"Can't sleep yet.." She respond, as she hugged her doll tighter before looking back to you.

"So.. what's bothering you, Mama/Papa?" She asked curiously.

You smiled, your heart swelling with affection for your sweet daughter's concern. "It's nothing, sweetheart. Just an old dream Mama had like i told you before-"

But as you spoke, a sudden jolt surged through you, a flash of memories and emotions that felt too vivid to be merely a dream. You saw yourself clad in divine armor, battling against other gods. Faces once blurred became clear in your mind's eye.

"The Archon War.." You whispered, the words heavy with realization. "It's like.. a reality.. I'm not sure.. but I felt like I've known about it like a long time ago.."

Yuna's eyes widened with wonder. "Mama/Papa, what's an Archon war??"

You shake your head, your mind racing to comprehend the implications of your rediscovered identity. "I don't know, sweetie.. but there was a war. But why? Why were we fighting? Why was i fighting? What am I protecting..?" You questioned, confusing the little girl even more.

"Ehh.. really, Mama/Papa? Maybe you died and got reincarnated? I saw a movie about that!" Yuna explained.

"Reincarnated? Wait- how did you know that big word?" You asked. Yuna giggled as she snuggled into her doll. "Hehe! I heard it from watching marvel!"

"Right.. Hawkman.."

"Hehe! I like Ironman and Hawkman!" Yuna said excitedly, as she raised her doll up like it was flying.

You sighed. "Maybe I made her watch so many movies.."

Still.. how can this be?

Why are you remembering all this memories now?

You already have a life with your daughter..

Why now?

As you navigated the bustling city streets, your thoughts were consumed by the anticipation of seeing Yuna's face light up with joy upon receiving the special treats you had bought today. The aroma of fresh donuts filled the car, tempting your senses as you carefully maneuvered through the traffic.

Your dedication to your daughter, Yuna, was unwavering. You juggled a demanding career as a high-profile fashion designer for a prestigious modeling company while ensuring that your daughter's upbringing was filled with love, happiness, and positive role models. Your decision to distance yourself from your previously abusive and greedy household was a testament to your commitment to providing Yuna with a safe and nurturing environment.

As you drove home, the box of delectable donuts sat securely on the passenger seat, tempting your senses with their sweet aroma. You couldn't help but smile, thinking about the joy these treats would bring to your little girl.

"I bet my baby would like the donuts I bought today," You mused aloud, your excitement palpable. "It's definitely the best ones I've tasted! I'm sure she'll like them."

With each turn of the wheel, your anticipation grew. The thought of Yuna's radiant smile and the delighted squeals of a child about to receive a cherished surprise filled your heart with warmth. There was nothing you wouldn't do to ensure Yuna's happiness and well-being.

She is your precious girl after all.

Who wouldn't want the best for their child?

"My precious baby... I so missed you, my Yuna. Mama will be spoiling you a lot this weekend for sure. Hmm... maybe I'll take her to the water park this Saturday?" Your thoughts were filled with excitement as you drove home, your anticipation growing with each passing moment.

However, in the midst of your joyful reverie, you failed to notice the fast-approaching truck until it was too late. The deafening impact sent shockwaves through your car, causing it to veer off the road and collide with the oncoming vehicle. The world around you blurred into chaos, and time seemed to slow as the accident unfolded.

Huh?

The world around you spun into chaos as the impact of the collision reverberated through your body. Glass shattered, metal twisted, and the sound of screeching brakes filled the air. Darkness enveloped you, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still.

When you finally regained her senses, you found yourself trapped in the wreckage of your car. Pain radiated through your body, and as you tried to move, you realized your injuries were severe. Panic welled up within you as the realization of what had just happened sunk in.

Your thoughts immediately turned to your daughter, Yuna. Fear clutched at your heart as you desperately called out to your little girl, but there was no response. Panic and anguish swirled within you as you fought against the pain and the wreckage that held you captive. I must go back to her! I still haven't given the donuts to my precious baby!

Pain shot through your body as you clung to consciousness, your first thought being of your precious Yuna. Panic continued to surged within you as you struggled to assess the situation.

Summoning every ounce of strength, you managed to unbuckle yourself and crawl out of the mangled car. Your vision was blurred, and your limbs felt heavy, but you had to go home to Yuna.

Your legs wobbled, panic turned to dread as you thought about Yuna waiting at home with the nanny, unaware of the accident. You had to get home, had to make sure your daughter was safe.

In the midst of the chaos, your thoughts were solely with Yuna. "I hope my Yuna is safe," you thought, your heart pounding with fear and concern. The seconds stretched like hours as you struggled to regain your bearings, your mind racing with worry for your daughter.

In the distance, you could hear voices shouting, the wailing of sirens approaching.

Your car's front end was crumpled, and the truck involved in the accident was equally damaged. The scene was chaotic, with concerned onlookers and emergency responders swarming around.

"M-my daughter," Y/n's voice laced with desperation. "Please, you have to help me. I need to get home to her."

The emergency responders arrived swiftly, their skilled hands working efficiently to extract you from the wreckage. All the while, your thoughts remained fixated on Yuna, your love for your daughter propelling you forward.

In the ambulance, amidst the blaring sirens and the medical team's urgent voices, you clung to consciousness. Your mind was a whirlwind of fear and determination. You couldn't let go, not when your little daughter syill needed you.

"It's gonna be okay, ma'am! Don't lose your consciousness! We're almost there!"

"We have to immediately take first aid!"

(Idk about this.. uh things so bear with it lol)

At the hospital, doctors and nurses worked tirelessly to stabilize you. Hours passed in a haze of pain and worry, but through it all, one thought persisted - your precious daughter, Yuna. You needed to be there for her, to protect her, just as you had always vowed to do.

As you lay there, pain coursing through your body, you felt a profound sense of urgency. The world around your became hazy, youe vision blurred. You knew your time was slipping away, like sand through an hourglass. The paramedics rushed to your side, their voices a distant echo in your ears.

In the midst of the chaos, you fought to find your voice, to speak your final words before surrendering to the abyss. With a tremor in your weakened voice, you whispered to yourself, aware that youe daughter, Yuna, remained oblivious to the tragedy that had befallen you.

"Yuna," you choked out, each word infused with a mixture of anguish and love. "My sweet, beloved daughter, I hope you can hear these words, even if only in your heart.."

As you felt the grip of life slipping away, you found yourself caught in a whirlwind of emotions. The pain and confusion consumed you, but amidst it all, you clung to your final thoughts, desperate to convey your love and remorse to your beloved daughter, Yuna.

Barely able to speak, your voice reduced to a mere whisper, your mind screamed with unspoken words. You yearned to tell Yuna how sorry you are, how deeply ashamed you felt for leaving your behind in this world, alone and unaware of the impending tragedy.

Blood pooled in your throat, choking your words and stealing your breath, but your thoughts raced with determination. With every ounce of strength you still possessed, you wished for your daughter's growth, for her to thrive in a world that you had only begun to understand.

In the midst of your pain, your love for Yuna burned brighter than ever. You wanted your daughter to know that your absence was never a choice, but a cruel twist of fate. Tears welled in your eyes, mixing with the blood that stained your lips, as you silently begged for forgiveness.

As the medical team continued to do their work on helping her, their urgent movements a blur around your fading consciousness, You held onto the image of Yuna in your mind. You whispered your final words, a desperate plea, hoping that somehow, in the vastness of the universe, your daughter would feel your love and hear your apologies.

In those fleeting moments, Your thoughts transcended the physical realm. You poured your heart and soul into a silent scream, a profound expression of love and regret that resonated in the depths of your being.

Through the pain and struggle, You fought to string together more coherent thoughts, desperate to convey your feelings, hopes, and apologies to your beloved daughter.

"My sweet Yuna, forgive me... I never wanted to leave you, my baby," you whispered in your mind, your voice quivering with a mix of love and anguish.

"I won't witness your first heartbreak... but remember, my darling, you are stronger than you know. You will rise above the pain and find love again."

"Yuna, my precious baby, don't let my absence hold you back. Embrace life's opportunities, explore the world, and chase your dreams with unwavering determination."

Her thoughts grow strained and weak, you continued, your words a fragile thread connecting you to your daughter's future. "I wanted to guide you, to be there for you... but circumstances have robbed us of that chance. You must find your own way, my love."

The tears flowed freely as your thoughts turned to the milestones you would miss. "I won't see you find your lifelong friends, those who will stand by your side through laughter and tears. But know that true friendships will enrich your life in ways I could never imagine."

"Yuna, my heart aches at the thought of not witnessing your wedding day. But when that time comes, know that I am with you in spirit, overflowing with love and pride as you embark on a new chapter of your life."

Your voice grew fainter, but your determination pushed you to utter one last plea in your head. "Promise me, my sweet Yuna, that you will live a life filled with joy, passion, and purpose. Seek happiness, embrace love, and never forget the strength within you."

As the darkness closed in, your final thoughts were consumed by your daughter's welfare. "Please, someone... protect and cherish my Yuna. Be the support and guiding light that I can no longer be. Love her as fiercely as I do."

With your strength waning, you held onto the hope that your whispered words would find their way to Yuna's heart. You longed for your daughter to know the depth of your love, the remorse you felt for leaving too soon, and the unwavering belief in Yuna's ability to navigate life's challenges.

And as your consciousness slowly faded, your final thoughts were a fervent wish for your daughter's growth, happiness, and the fulfillment of all her dreams.

"I love you, my Yuna.."

In your final moments, your thoughts were consumed by your undying love for Yuna, a love that transcended the boundaries of life and death. As your eyes fluttered closed, your last thoughts were of your daughter's smiling face, a beacon of light that guided you into the unknown.

You couldn't fight your dead..

Not again..

You failed again..

You failed protecting someone again..

And in that fleeting moment, as the world faded to darkness, you found solace in the knowledge that your love for Yuna would endure, an eternal flame that would continue to burn brightly, even in your absence.

'I'm so sorry, Yuna..'

Yuna played contentedly with her dolls, her imagination leading her on adventures only a child's mind could conjure. Her nanny and also Y/n's best friend, Kate, sat nearby, keeping a watchful eye on the little girl as she indulged in her imaginative play. Yuna was a charming but particular child, especially when it came to her food preferences. Yet, her undeniable cuteness made her nannies' hearts melt, rendering any minor inconveniences inconsequential.

Kate focused on the news broadcast playing on the television, its volume low so as not to disturb Yuna's playtime. But then, an unexpected news report abruptly seized her attention.

"A twenty-six-year-old woman/man was caught in a car accident," the news anchor announced solemnly. "The authorities have confirmed their identity. Tsukuyomi Y/n. She/He is a famous fashion designer for the Famous El Vera Company, who lives with their daughter, Tsukuyomi Yuna, in the..."

Kate's breath caught in her throat as she listened to the news report. Time seemed to stand still as the weight of the information sank in. Her eyes darted to Yuna, oblivious to the gravity of the situation, her innocent laughter filling the room.

She quickly turned off the television, not wanting Yuna to overhear the devastating news. Panic welled up within Kate as she contemplated how to handle the situation delicately. She knew she had to inform Yuna about her parent's accident, but how could she break such heart-wrenching news to a young child?

Taking a deep breath, Kate approached Yuna gently, crouching down to her eye level. She mustered a warm smile, masking the anguish she felt inside.

"Hey, sweetie," Kate began, her voice trembling ever so slightly. "I have something important to tell you about your mom/dad."

Yuna looked up, her big, innocent eyes filled with curiosity. "What is it, Nanny?"

"Well, darling, your mommy/daddy was in a car accident," Kate said softly, her heart breaking at the thought of shattering Yuna's world. "They're hurt, and they're in the hospital right now, getting the help they needs."

Tears welled up in Yuna's eyes as she clutched her doll tightly, her heart aching with a profound sense of loss. In that moment, the world seemed to crumble around her, and the reality of her mother/father's absence began to sink in.

"But... but Mama/Papa promised they'd come back, right?" Yuna choked out, her voice breaking as she struggled to hold back tears. "They said they'd bring me donuts today... they can't be... they can't..."

Kate fought back tears, mustering all the strength she had. "Yuna! I'm sure the doctors are doing everything they can to help them! But it's important for you to know that they loves you very much, and they want you to be strong and brave while they recover."

A flicker of fear crossed Yuna's face, and she clutched her doll tightly. "Can I see mommy/daddy?"

Kate's heart sank. She knew the truth had to be told, no matter how painful it was. "Sweetheart, I'm so sorry, but right now, your mommy/daddy needs to rest and get better. The doctors won't let visitors in. But you can send them your love and thoughts, and they'll feel them, I promise."

Tears welled up in Yuna's eyes, and she buried her face in the safety of Kate's arms. "I want my mommy/daddy, Kate. I miss her/him."

Kate enveloped Yuna in a warm embrace, her own eyes filling with tears. "I know, sweetheart. I know it's incredibly hard. Your Mama/Papa loved you very much, and they'll always be in your heart."

As Yuna clung to her, seeking comfort, Kate whispered a silent prayer for strength and guidance. She knew that the road ahead would be filled with challenges, but she was determined to be there for Yuna, to support her, and to help her navigate the difficult journey of healing and acceptance. She was only a little girl and she had lost her only parent. Isn't Y/n's family full of abusive people? Yuna will be in danger for sure..

Kate hold Yuna tightly in her arms, as she embrace the little girl and whispering comforting words to her.

'I promise to protect your daughter for you, Y/n..'

Taglist: ----

♡ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ᙏ̤̫ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ♡ ⋆⁺₊ ᙏ̤̫ ⋆⁺₊⋆♡ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ᙏ̤̫ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ♡ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ᙏ̤̫⁺₊⋆ ♡ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ᙏ̤̫ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ♡

@gojoulen03

[luckysupercatgirl9]

Update Rambling PT (2/2)

AUGH THE LEVEL CAP IS INCREASING AGAIN :( at least older stages will get easier

Hold up they're IMPROVING the hall of ancient heros?? That thing is already carrying me as is?? Lookig at the symbols maybe it'll also start increasing skill level???? Waaait thats awesome, on top of that, they're improving the toppings??? Not sure what their plans are, I just hope they make it cost less coins cuz I go broke when I'm upgrading those things. There's also another bit that was posted in the discord where they said all resonant toppings are returning

A new layout!!??? The current layout feels kind of cluttered cuz they just slowly kept adding stuff

Aaaauugghh i love milky way so mucj... I remember seeing this even in previous updates? I also remember straight up ignoring them tbh.. if I remember correctly I saw that milky ways new costume will be free?? So I assume it's part of this event so I'm gonna lock in this time (I will die if I dont have this costume...)

Boss rush!? I'm looking at it in the event video, its hard to say cuz the stuff's in Korean, but its gonna be a 7 cookie team, and it looks like we're getting buffs depending on the cookie types?? Like you get a magic buff if you have multiple magic cookies.

New special costumes!? Personally I don't think I'll pull for these, I like them but I'm saving rn.. for a certain legendary set that was promised in one of the live streams.. (I need them)

The shadow milk will def be a part of the beast raid like burning spice. Will Mystic flour ever get one??? Or are we just gonna ignore her?? I'm ready to sit in the town square and watch people dressed as shadow milk hanging out with people dressed as burning spice

We're getting new treasures??! And it looks like they're based off of pure vanilla instead of shadow milk. How many PV toppings do we have?? Only one, but now it's gonna be 3.. geeze

Not exactly sure what this entails, but I think I've seen this in other games? Only on the side of being a new player, though. Basically got to borrow someone's cookie, and they carried me kn the gane

[auseyre]

I'm way too lazy to copy that Marvel What If font rn but...what if

What if Korn took Nampheung, not out of obsession or some freaky desire to attic wife her, but to please his father? I think it’s pretty much a given that his recitation of the shooting events is a lie and that Gun’s is closer to the truth. 

In both versions, though, they are there trying to persuade Nampheung to come home again because their dad is insisting. I’m guessing that since Nampheung has yet another son, their father is ready for her to come back into the fold, bringing her kids with her. Korn kills her husband, obviously to get him out of the way. But I think that he didn’t want even more competition against his own sons for a place in the family. Vegas and Macau were enough. So he brings her and leaves Porsche and Chay behind. 

And then he tells his father the same story he told Gun, but in reverse. Gun freaked out. Gun killed Ted. Gun killed Porsche and Chay because he’s obsessed with Nampheung. Gun tried to rape her. Keep her locked away and safe from Gun. It’s enough to make Gun completely lose favor with his father. Nampheung either tries to kill herself because she thinks her sons are dead as well, or Korn just keeps her drugged up. Now he’s eliminated both rivals for the head of the family in one fell swoop. After his father dies, he keeps her because why not? She’s completely under his control and someday he might need her as a weapon/hostage (turns out he does). 

What if Porsche is actually Gun’s son? Gun doesn’t know it, Nampheung didn’t tell him — I’m thinking one night of passion and her realizing that is she was with him, she’d never escape the Mafia life, or they knew their dad would never allow it. So she just ran off with Pat, who married her to protect her and the baby (maybe he was already in love with her, maybe they fell in love later.) But Korn knows it or at least he’s pretty sure of it. It would explain his interest in Porsche but not Chay, who would presumably be more malleable for Korn’s needs. (I know people have explored this possibility in way more depth than I can).

Yes, I know that would make Porsche and Kinn actual cousins, but look, I’m watching a show where a severed head in a box is considered a gift, and a torture raincoat standard equipment. Every romantic relationship on this show is ignoring the guy on the ship waving blood-red semaphore flags in frantic “danger, Will Robinson” messages. I promise you, my line is not a consensual romantic relationship between two blood-related adults who didn’t even grow up together. 

TBH, I’m just throwing this out here because I want Porsche and Vegas and Macau and Chay to have to navigate an enemies-to-brothers relationship. Porsche and Vegas, two men conditioned to love and protect their brothers, having to deal with their super awkward relationship. Chay and Macau, both used to being the adored baby brother, unable to stifle their resentment and confusion. Heck, they’re still babies, so send them off to camp together so we can have a Parent Trap type bonding situation. Y’all I just want one of those cheesy 80s, defensive “that’s my brother!” moments.

What if Porsche becoming Tankhun’s bodyguard was meant to be a test by both Khun and Korn as well as taking Porsche off of the hot seat for a minute? Korn brings Porsche in, is delighted by his moxie, puts him on the board as an actual player, and then he’s just a disaster who almost gets himself killed by the Minor Family. So, letting him be Tankhun’s bodyguard got him out of the spotlight for a minute, long enough for the Minor family to move on to other grudges. And it was a test to see if he had any ambition, any edge at all. That’s why Korn does not want him to guard anybody else when Porsche suggests it. He passed the test and needs to stay in play. 

Khun sees Kinn’s interest in Porsche. After all, Kinn comes personally to rescue Porsche from his fish-killing punishment. Switching Pete and Porsche protects him from Minor family retaliation(because come on, do we really think that Vegas was gonna let that go? If he hadn’t wanted to use Porsche, he would absolutely have gotten revenge.) It also gives Khun a chance to study Porsche and see if he’s worthy of Kinn’s attention. When he decides he is, he nudges him back toward Kinn ...mentioning the meeting, telling him that Kinn said he was useless and would get killed, eventually “giving” him back to Kinn with the flimsiest excuse. 

@iamcon-fu-sion mentions some of these ideas about the bodyguard situation in their KP rewatch and I was so happy to see that because I constantly think I’m over analysing everything about this show(I mean I’m not gonna stop though). 

What if Ken wasn’t the original mole? What if it was a lower-level bodyguard, and he didn’t betray the main family until Porsche came onto the scene? Maybe he’d already turned down the offer before. Then Big gets hurt and Porsche comes along out of nowhere. By rights, Ken should have moved into Big’s spot, but Porsche stops that, humiliating them in the process. Porsche continually fucks up and yet still fails upward. Sure, they made fun of him being Tankhun’s bodyguard, but realistically, Tankhun has the best bodyguards they have other than Big and Ken. 

Arm and Pete are constantly pulled into other missions because they’re so valuable and talented. Maybe no one wants the job, but it’s still one of the most high-ranking. Then, when Ken does get the head bodyguard job, it’s yanked back out from under him. He has no idea that Porsche is getting all kinds of nepo baby/sugar baby privileges, but whatever is going on is enough to leave him bitter, angry, and betrayed enough to go over to the minor family. 

editing this because where did I get Ted for the Kittisawasd dad? I ...have no idea.

[httpsawesome]

okay sorry this one's a lot but I'm sooooo curious about your thoughts here. you don't have to answer all of them!! I'm just very indecisive I have no idea which ones to pick but They're in my head rn

☂️🕊️🔒🪢🌊🕯️🧩🌀 kim

☂️🕊️🔒💼📿🪢🌊🕯️🧩🍻🌀 jean

OMG OMG OMG THANK YOU AHHHHH i do want to answer them all!! but i think it'll get quite long. this response will be JUST Kim thoughts and then I'll reblog this later with all the Jean ones

Do they crave touch or fear it?

So we know Kim doesn't fear casual touch really at all, he doesn't hesitate to reach out for a pat, but I do think he'd be very careful and very aware of engaging in any touch in public that could be interpreted non-platonically. But he also, I think, craves the freedom to hold hands and kiss in public. Maybe in better times the next generation will not have to be so scared of it, but not currently, and not for him.

When did they feel the safest?

This is very interesting to think about because currently it doesn't feel like Kim feels all that safe in his day to day life. Like, he has a dangerous as hell job and he's very quickly to assume the deadliest scenario and think about the things he needs to do to keep others safe (and primarily others in my mind, I think he is refusing to deal with some serious survivor's guilt and wouldn't hesitate really at all in sacrificing himself for others).

I think he feels safest when alone in his home/space. Especially if the doors are locked and he isn't sitting with his back against them/any windows. He probably has his favorite armchair positioned in the exact right position to see everything he needs to and only then does that prickly, fearful voice in the back of his mind finally quiet down.

What is a secret they've sworn never to tell?

Oh this one was really hard for me to picture, and my first instinct was to imagine another sad moment from his childhood, but I don't want to keep doing that to Kim! Not every minute of his time growing up is angsty!

I can picture him late teens to early 20s, before he joined the RCM (I doublechecked and it says he joined at age 23) and he was getting high with his temporary group of friends. This is during his rebellious phase, and I think he bought the weed they were all smoking at the time, and it's getting late. Everyone but him and one other guy in the group are passed out and they're talking, and the guy is blasted so he confesses to Kim that he has a crush on him but then immediately starts panicking. Gets Kim to swear to not tell anyone, he just needed to tell somebody cause it was eating him up inside. And Kim swore to not tell anyone. Did they become a thing? I don't think so, maybe they kissed though.

When was the last time they broke a promise?

GAH THIS ONE IS ALSO HARD TO PICTURE

For his job, he has to give a lot of promises that he has no way of actually following through even if he wants to. He probably promised a ton of kids that everything was going to work out just fine when he knows they likely aren't.

When was the last time they cried?

He tries to be so composed in public that I can imagine him coming home from a bad day and lingers at the kitchen sink for a little bit, in complete silence, not even taking his jacket off yet. And the weight of the day just gets progressively heavier and heavier and he lets himself cry for a little and then he goes and takes a shower. This isn't enough to have his daily cigarette early though.

This happens more often then it probably should. Couple of times a month.

What memory do they replay when they're alone?

He probably remembers a lot of kids that he came across in his time as a juvie cop. Kids he feels like he failed, ones he feels like he helped but didn't help enough. They stick with him.

What's a truth about themselves they refuse to admit?

HE'S GOT CONTROL ISSUESSSS I think he refuses to acknowledge that he has major control issues

Like?? His reasoning for taking the fuck the world and piss f//got jackets is just he doesn't want them to have it. Literally he sees other people doing something he doesn't like and doesn't get why and he uses his power as a cop to put a stop to it. He doesn't see this as control issues or that he's abusing his power and he thinks this is just a completely rational and okay thing for him to do.

Do they have a recurring dream or nightmare?

I cannot remember if this is actually canon or is a headcanon I've believed for so long that I forgot it is a HC, but I know he has a regular reoccurring nightmare about the incident where Dom dies. And it's centered on how he feels like he failed him and didn't do enough.

and this is unrelated from the thoughts I just shared, but whenever I think about Kim's nightmares I think of this fanfic from an anonymous author and I think it's very written written. Highly recommended! It does explore bullying and has scary/nightmarish imagery.

WOO THIS WAS FUN and I typed a lot O.O I'll answer Jean's a little later! Thank you again anon <3 <3

[so-long-soldier-writes]

Falling in Love is like Falling Asleep (Slowly, Then All at Once)

liam dunbar x theo raeken

summary: liam knows things theo doesn’t know he knows. A harmless movie night is the easiest trap to set.

tags: movie night, sleepovers, texting, mutual pining, feels, trust, homeless theo

word count: 1.5k

a/n: i haven't posted in a hot minute, and i'm so sorry for that, and i'm also sorry that this is for tw, but the gays are stuck in my mind! i acknowledge my tvd requests and promise i'll get to them when i have the inspo, but for now here's this lil piece

12:48 pm

Liam: hey

12:54 pm

Theo: Do you need a ride?

12:55 pm

Liam: no

Liam: mason and corey are coming over to watch a movie tonight and i don’t want to be a third wheel

Liam: can u come

12:57 pm

Theo: No.

12:58 pm

Liam: wait why not

Liam: are u busy?

12:59 pm

Theo: No.

1:00 pm

Liam: okay then come over

Liam: my mom’s really chill and she’s baking brownies rn

Liam: my dad gets off work at 7 but then they’re gonna go out on a date or sum

Liam: they won’t be back till late and then they’ll just go to bed

Liam: please

1:04 pm

Theo: No offense, but I have no interest in watching a movie with you three chatterboxes.

1:05 pm

Liam: yes you do, you just don’t want to admit it

Liam: you secretly love us

1:06 pm

Theo: I tolerate you.

1:07 pm

Liam: you love us

Liam: 😘

Liam: theo i’m serious i really don’t want to third wheel

1:10 pm

Theo: And you think I do?

1:11 pm

Liam: no but at least we can third / fourth wheel together

Liam: hey 111, i wish you’re gonna come over tonight

1:12 pm

Theo: If you say your wish, it doesn’t come true. 

1:13 pm

Liam: that’s not true

Liam: c’mon theo please

Liam: it’s not just that i don’t want to third wheel, i want your company

Liam: and you should relax and watch a movie, you’re too tense all the time

Liam: no offense

1:15 pm

Liam: please

1:16 pm

Liam: please

1:17 pm

Liam: please

1:18 pm

Liam: theo, please?!?!?!?!?

Liam: theooo i stg answer your phone

Liam: come overrrr

Liam: i’m gonna be bored without you

Liam: my mom’s brownies are really good, she bakes

Liam: please

Liam: theo

Liam: i’m summoning you

1:19 pm

Theo: Oh my god! Shut up!

1:20 pm

Liam: oh good you’re back

Liam: pleeeeaasseeeeeee come over

1:21 pm

Theo: If I come, will you stop blowing up my phone?

1:22 pm

Liam: YES

1:23 pm

Theo: Okay, fine. ONCE.

1:24 pm

Liam: 😘😘 i’ll see you at sevennnnn

Despite getting a ‘yes’ on attendance, Liam’s still slightly surprised when he hears the familiar truck engine pull up to its usual spot by the mailbox. He opens the door when Theo’s footsteps reach the top step, and pops out from behind the dark green entrance with a smile. 

“Hi.”

“You’re a menace.”

“I’ve been told.”

Theo follows the little beta deeper into his house. He meets his mom, who ends up being as sweet as Liam describes, and greets Mason and Corey, who are bickering about what to watch. Up until the movie is decided, he opts to talk to Jenna in the kitchen rather than the pack of misfits across the room. Fifteen minutes later, though, her husband comes home and he knows he’ll have to succumb to the crazy soon. 

Sooner rather than later - Theo was hoping he’d have at least a little more time - Liam jumps up to hug his dad, then pulls Theo by the arm all the way to the living room. He plops down on a blanket on the floor and practically tugs him down with him, offering a half-assed sorry afterwards. Theo huffs, but settles beside him. He takes note of Mason and Corey sitting rather close to their right, and copies Liam as he leans his back against the couch. Jenna and David leave ten minutes later, leaving twenty dollars on the counter top, and about thirty warnings to not burn down the house. The DVD finishes its previews right as the door locks. Theo realizes he’s trapped now. 

It’s not that Theo doesn’t want to be around Liam, that’s not the case at all. The problem is the setting, where it’s late at night and a movie’s playing. It’ll be hard to control his heart rate and even worse to prevent his nightmares if he falls asleep. If he were a normal boy, without supernatural DNA, and if Liam were the same, he would kill for an opportunity like this. He’d agree immediately and sit beside him without hesitation. As the night went on, he’d inch closer and closer until practically cuddling the other boy, if he let him. 

But Theo can’t, and he won’t, and he stays still, and controls his heart. A few times, Liam’s shoulder brushes up against his and his focus dwindles. At one point, Liam moves his head close enough that his lips brush Theo’s cheek. It was an accident, by the way he moves away quickly, but he’s not too embarrassed, because he goes right back to his ear, this time with a better understanding of where Theo is. 

“You can relax, y’know? This isn’t a pack meeting or anything, this is just us hanging out. You don’t need to pretend around me, or any of us.”

Theo struggles with that. One, that Liam can sense he’s holding back, and two, that he’s putting so much strength into his mask, he’s missing the movie entirely. 

“What are we even watching?”

“Ant-Man, because there’s one scene at the end that Corey finds really funny, and he’ll happily sit through the whole movie just for those three seconds,” he explains. “But Paul Rudd is hot, so Mase and I don’t mind. Plus the movie is pretty good, I have to admit.” 

Theo doesn’t respond. His mind sits on the idea of Liam finding the man on the screen hot. It’s not that he doesn’t agree, it’s the fact that Liam finds him hot. 

Liam. 

Who dated Hayden. 

Who begged Theo to come tonight, because he “wanted his company,” and sent about a hundred kissing emojis to beckon him over. 

Liam, who just grazed his lips against Theo’s cheek and didn’t even flinch. 

Theo’s mind is suddenly really busy. And between the dark room, and the peaceful atmosphere, and the fact that he’s not in his truck, staring up at the fabric headliner, but leaning against Liam’s shoulder - how did that happen? - he starts to feel tired. He hasn’t slept well in days. Weeks, really. Maybe even months. 

Scratch that, Theo’s not sure he’s ever slept well. The last day in his mother’s womb was probably the last good sleep he’s ever had. 

But right now, next to Liam, inhaling his scent, close to Corey and Mason, - two people he used to doubt but now trusts - Theo feels himself nodding off. 

Liam thinks the man on the screen is hot. 

Liam’s beside him, touching him, almost kissing him. 

His head is spinning. 

Tara’s not in eyesight or earshot of him. The movie tunes her out. Liam grounds him. 

His head slumps from Liam’s shoulder to his lap, but he barely notices. 

Liam does. 

“Mase, give me that blanket.”

“This one?” He holds up a suede blue one.

“No, the weighted one.”

“Oh. Here.”

“Thanks.”

“Is he sleeping?” Corey asks in a whisper.

“Not yet, almost.” Liam drapes the blanket over him, from his shoulders to toes. Theo shifts slightly to welcome its warmth and the comfort it brings. 

Something heavy caresses his body, but it’s nice. He nestles his head deeper into his pillow - Liam’s lap, unbeknownst to him. A gentleness massages his head - Liam’s fingers playing with his hair - but he’s too relaxed to find out the source. In record time, Theo dozes off. His heart rises and falls steadily through the night. He doesn’t wake, nor cry, nor sweat. He sleeps peacefully, indulging in the comfort of the new environment. 

Liam falls asleep with a hand still in his hair, backed up against the couch. He’d watch him sleep if he could, make sure he doesn’t wake from a nightmare, but the gentle lull of his anchor’s heartbeat puts him to sleep quickly. 

Corey laughs silently at his favorite part - Thomas the Tank Engine  suddenly becomes so massive, he breaks through the house’s roof. He throws his hands in the air in a quiet cheer. 

When the movie’s over, Mason collects him into an embrace to sleep. 

The sun rises early in the morning, but Theo doesn’t. Everyone wakes up one-by-one and takes extra precaution to be quiet. Liam knows things Theo doesn’t know he knows. He wanted his company tonight, but he also wanted him to sleep. He hadn’t expected his crash to be in his lap, but Liam is certainly not complaining about it. 

Corey’s the last to wake. It’s nearly nine. Theo fell asleep at ten. Liam wants at least one more hour, a full twelve hours of undisturbed sleep. It’s likely he’ll be too embarrassed to come back to another movie night. Liam’s prepared for that. But he desperately hopes that this rest instead convinces him to stay more often, even if it means sneaking carefully through his window. His mom’s already approved that, if it gets him off the streets. 

“Is he still asleep?”

Corey receives three sets of fingers to lips. He apologizes silently with wide eyes and wild gestures. Mason corrals him out of the living room and into the kitchen. 

Theo’s still sleeping at ten. His heart’s still steady. He looks beautiful, painted in sunlight.

One more hour, Liam decides. At least one more. 

[beloved-daydreams]

"My name is whatever you decide" a read-through (together?)

So I've wanted to read this fic series for a while now since its main characters are Taryn and The Ghost (very underrated in the fandom imo) It is written by the lovely and talented @maingh0st and you can read it here.

I've already read the first chapter on my side before this but I gotta say:

I imagine Taryn kind of looking like a fierce angel here! 🫣 If Jude has the horns, then Taryn always has the halos of flowers and lights of course.

Chapter 2 and 3 reactions/comments under the cut 👇

Me rn: *feeling super dumb because I'm not sure I get it*

Ngl one of my first thoughts was "he must be saying Locke's estate looks hella ugly like his personality" but that might just be the Locke hater in my heart, he might also mean that Taryn deserves more?? Listen idk I'm probably misunderstanding what's going on here cause am dumb but we'll get through this together 🤝

This is making me sad. Taryn clearly gave so much of herself into this relationship while Locke just wanted to have dumb fun. This is horrendous. The girl had her loyalty tested by having to give up on her twin sister's favor, she redecorated his whole ugly-ass half-abandoned estate, she filled the closets with brand new clothes, made herself as fun and pleasant as she could, entertained his guests and probably even ate faerie fruit every evening to build resistance so she wouldn't 100% lose herself in his revels and this is all he gave her: the bare-minimum promise of marrying her, allowing her to live in his house and organize parties with him. Bro should go seek failure management.

Idk why but this phrasing is so cute to me. Like, Taryn saying "call your ghost" is so girly pop of her 💅

100% done on purpose, she had him in his pocket from the beginning. Like "haha whoopsie ☺️ please don't forget that I have power over you so you better be pleasant with me 🌸" The Ghost was quaking in his boots.

The ghost is being very curious 🧐 I see you. I wonder how Taryn would react if he actually asked these questions, though this seems like the type of shit he'd ask only years and years into a relationship with her, like they'll be sitting in front of the fireplace and suddenly out of nowhere "how did you kill Locke by the way?" "hmm I don't remember, I just kind of acted on impulse" The Ghost better not piss her off, ever. 😂

Didn't see this coming but it is an interesting direction to take! Also, already loving their banter 📝

So basically she's doing Locke's job, but way better 😤 Keep turning in your grave bozo. Hope Nicasia found his corpse in the sea and she lowkey fears/respects Taryn now.

I love how smart and resourceful Taryn is in this, like in my HEART I already knew she was but this portrayal of her is so nice and matches the canon imo.

(Will be continued in a reblog because I've reached tumblr's 10 images limit 🤨)

[badass-queer-couples-battle]

Top 15 most submitted characters for the sword gays showdown:

Roronoa Zoro (One Piece) - 16 submissions

Gideon Nav (The Locked Tomb) - 14

Utena Tenjou (Revolutionary Girl Utena) - 13

Ballister Blackheart/Boldheart (Nimona) - also 13

Link (The Legend of Zelda) - 11

Ambrosius Goldenloin (Nimona) - also 11

Kikunojo/O-Kiku (One Piece) - 10

Adora/She-Ra (She Ra and the princesses of power) - 8

Pearl (Steven Universe) -also 8

Lan Wangji (The Untamed/Mo Dao Zu Shi) - 7

Zuko (Avatar: The last airbender) - 7 as well

Inigo Montoya (The Princess Bride) - 6

Dracule Mihawk (One Piece) - 6

Magnus Chase (Magnus Chase and the gods of Asgard) - 6

General Amaya (The Dragon Prince) - 6 as well

You guys really like One Piece, it seems! Most submitted media in the showdown and the most individual characters submitted.

Preliminaries should be out sometime next week (Tuesday? Hesistantly? Don't hold me to that promise though, I'm job searching rn & have a lot of work studies-related so we'll see how much time I have).