#jae ha is always such a mood

[sweetbonniebel]

Jaes's hen jēdar

God's of the sky

Six

Daemon x reader, Rhaenyra x reader (platonic), Qoren Martell x reader

Masterlist <-previous , next->

minors mdni

110 AC King's Landing

You stood before the mirror as maids adjusted your dress, a long violet gown with dark red threads of dragons, a low cut cleavage and long sleeves that widened at your elbows. The same dress your mother wore when she married your father, seven and ten years ago.

Rhaenyra watched from your bed as the maids frantically moved around you fixing your dress, hair and putting on jewelry. Rhaenyra had to admit that you looked beautiful, the violet material of the gown matched your complexion and the embroidery went well with your red eyes. She never understood how you received different eyes than the Valyrian purple, both of your parents had violet eyes and yet you defied the custom.

Once you deemed that the maids nagging was enough you dismissed them with a flick of your hand. They quickly left your chamber leaving you and the heir.

"You look beautiful..." Rhaenyra said tracing the hems of your gown.

"It would be rather odd if I didn't." You jested, the princess laughed lifting the rather sad mood.

"I will miss you." She said leaning into you.

"As will I. But remember you have Laena, Daemon and a plethora of other ladies who would jump into fire for you." You tried to remind your niece.

"And yet none of them will ever compare to you." She answered, tears were beginning to form at your waterline, you blinked them back to avoid reddening your eyes.

Ser Steffon escorted you to the carriage that would take the royal family to the Great Sept. The familiar sculptures and tapestries of Old Valyria brought a sense of comfort in this rather nervous day.

The Crownlander's armor rattled with every move.

"Ser Steffon?" You called the knight.

"Princess." His gruff voice answered.

"I would like you to become my sworn shield and travel with me to Dorne." You announced, he widened his grey eyes. "A familiar face always makes a person feel more at home, despite being leagues away."

"I would be honoured, princess." He kneeled on one knee in front of you, you chuckled and placed your palm against his shoulder.

"Rise, Ser Steffon."

...

The great sept was packed with onlookers, the small folk collecting outside the gates of the temple. Your brother despite has decided to give you away. The heavy cloak of your house rested upon your shoulders. Viserys took you by the arm and led you to the altar.

"Who gives this woman away?" The septon asks

"I Viserys of House Targaryen King of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the seven kingdoms and protector of the realm give away Princess y/n of House Targaryen to Prince Qoren of House Martell." Your brother recited his verse, his hands took of your cloak as he retreated into the crowd.

"And who takes this woman to be his wife." The septon continued

"I Qoren Martell Prince of Dorne, the lord of Sunspear take this woman, Princess y/n of House Targaryen to be my wife." The Dornishman answered, from your multiple talks you shared over the few weeks you learnt that he was not overly religious. You preferred to marry in the tradition of old Valyria, but Qoren was not of Valyrian descend. According to the council any other ceremony than in the faith of the seven would be an insult to the high septon and the faith.

"In the eyes of the seven you are now bound in holy matrimony. As the father provides justice, the mother mercy, the warrior strength, the smith mends all things broken, the maiden courage, the crone wisdom and the stranger who offers only death, you shall provide for each other with all that the seven pointed star provides." The septon prayed, once he finished he glanced at Qoren.

"With this cloak I bring you under my protection. I will keep you safe, cared for and respected I pledge this in the eyes of the old gods and the new." He draped the orange cloak with a red sun pierced by a golden spear on your shoulders.

"With this kiss I pledge my love, and take you for my lady and wife." Qoren recited the verse as you did yours, once the words have left your throat, the prince leaned in and kissed your lips.

"You are now man and wife. One flesh, one heart, one soul, now and forever." The septon ended the ceremony and the crowd erupted in applause and cheers. You smiled at your husband and he did the same.

You raised your joined hands in the air and the small folk erupted in cheers, and applause.

"Long live Princess y/n!"

"May your marriage be blessed!"

"The mother will bless you with many children, princess!"

Different shouts echoed through the great structure. You smiled at the small folk and waved and glanced at your husband to find him staring at you.

"You look radiant, wife." He mused caressing your palm with his thumb.

"You look very handsome yourself, husband."

The feast was grand, the guests danced, jested and ate their fill. You watched from your seat at the high table as Rhaenyra danced with Aegon, the young boy barely keeping up. You laughed at the sight happy that the two were getting along.

"Sister might I have this dance?" Daemon approached the high table, you sighed and nodded taking his hand.

"You look ethereal." Your brother said guiding you to the dance floor, where bards and musicians played.

"Thank you." You answered spinning.

"Will you be happy?" The rogue prince asked.

"Since when does it matter? But I will, If not I shall feed him to Vermithor." You jested.

"A true Targaryen."

"I will miss you..."

"As I you. You are my favourite sister after all."

"I'm your only sister."

"Exactly... According to the traditions of our house I would be the one to marry you."

"If that were true I wouldn't marry you, I would marry Viserys."

Daemon scoffed and picked you up to spin your body.

"I would sooner let Caraxes eat me that see you married to our brother."

The thing you dreaded most was the bedding ceremony, not because you were afraid of loosing your maidenhead but because you refused to have strange men undress you while making rude comments as was the Andal tradition.

After a talk with the council, you announced that the bedding ceremony won't take place. Some members, like Tyland Lannister and the Maester had voiced their disapproval but Daemon quickly silenced them.

Your maids carefully took off the heavy gown and detangled your hair, leaving you in your thin linen undergarments. Your husband has been instructed to visit you in your chambers to consummate the marriage. You knew what the act consists off, your ladies explained as did Ser Steffon. Aemma was just ten and one when she married Viserys you were thankful that you were six years older than the Queen.

Steffon's voice interrupted your thoughts, they were rather grim, something a bride should not concern herself with on her wedding day. Qoren walked in, a simple orange robe covered his body. You smiled a bit nervously at the man.

"It will be all right, I will take great care of your needs." His words slightly settled the nervousness that rattled your insides. You nodded thankfully, Qoren approached your form. You sat at the stool of your vanity, the Martell kneeled before you and took your hands into his.

"If you do not want to we can wait." He proposed but you shook your head.

"The court will talk if I have not been bedded by my husband." You responded looking at the man with slight fondness. He nodded and raised his head so he can meet your lips in a kiss.

"Have you done this before?" You asked as Qoren laid you on your bed.

"I have, my cousins took me to a brothel when I was four and ten." Your husband answered truthfully.

"Have you?"

"Of course not!" You protested, Qoren chuckled.

"I did not mean it as an insult, in Dorne we do not care for the brides maidenhead."

"It seems as if Dorne is a paradise for women." Qoren chuckled and pressed his lips against yours.

Qoren took off the long orange robe leaving him only in a thin linen shirt. You could see the outline of his manhood through the material. Your husband gently slid the undergarments from your body leaving you bare. The chilly air caused goosebumps to erupt on your skin, your nipples pebbled.

"You are beautiful." Your husband whispered as he placed kissed from your neck to your nether regions.

"Qoren-" You whimpered as he pressed a kiss on your mound.

"Shh, I will take care of you." He continued his ministrations, pleasure coiled in your abdomen. Breathy moans escaped your lips as you tangled your hand in Qoren's curly dark locks bringing his mouth closer to the place you needed him most.

"Moan louder I wish to hear how good I make you feel." His tongue pressed against your nub. A moan left your lips at the action.

"So good, please." You whispered as Qoren worked faster, the wetness between your legs grew with each passing second. The only thing on your husbands mind was to bring you ecstasy.

"Oh!" You moaned as pleasure rippled through your body, muscles spasming as Qoren licked your pussy clean.

He chuckled and propped himself up on his elbows, the peach fuzz on his chin glowed with your essence. You smiled hazily at him, blush covering your cheeks as you pressed a kiss against his lips.

"I want you to-" You begun but stopped feeling Qoren's cock press against your folds, coating himself in your wetness. "Put your cock inside."

"As you wish princess." The Martell price smiled, pumping his manhood a few times before gently pressing the tip against your entrance. You sucked in a breath at the unfamiliar intrusion. It was different than your fingers, warmer and bigger. Once his tip breeched your entrance a shaky moan left both of you.

"You're so warm." Your husband moaned and inched himself inside. You felt pleasure as his cock caressed your walls.

"Qoren harder." You moaned clawing at his back, the man nodded and pressed himself fully inside you. His pelvis touching yours, as his balls rested against your bottom.

Your body moved with his thrusts, his lips sucking kisses against your skin. Sex felt good, you were sure to do it more often.

"Close, y/n" He mumbled caressing your thigh. His other hand pressed against your nub amplifying your pleasure and brining you closer and closer. You felt him twitch, the kiss he pressed against your breast tipped you over the edge. Your walls spasming around his length triggering his own release. Ropes of hot seed filled your womb.

Ragged breath filled the chamber as Qoren pressed himself deep inside you.

"That felt good." You said caressing your husbands head that rested comfortably between your neck and shoulder.

"It did princess." The Martell smiled, wanting to roll over but you pressed your heel in his back preventing him from doing so.

"It feels good to have you inside me."

Tired from the activities the two of you fell asleep in each others embrace.

...

After a fortnight your husband has departed for sunspear, you stayed behind preferring to fly on dragon back to your new home than endure the endless bumpy ride of a carriage.

You dressed your red and black riding leather, Rhaenyra put your hair into three long braids. You leaned into her touch.

"I hate to see you go." Rhaenyra said kissing the top of your head. You sadly smiled.

"I will come back soon. Time will fly by quickly." You answered, holding Aegon in your arms. Sunfyre was strapped in a cage on Vermithors side.

You blinked away the tears that threatened to fall as you hugged Rhaenyra.

...

Princess y/n left King's Landing in 110 AC to join her husband Qoren Martell in Dorne. It is said that the red keep has lost it's warmth with the princesses departure. - From the dragon bringer by the feather and quill of Grand Maester Roland.

[multifanhoe99]

Kinktober Day 8- Cockwarming

I got this idea from a My Hero fic and I think it just fits so well with Jaehyun!

Pairing: Non-Idol!Mafia!Jaehyun x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Voyeurism, nicknames (my love, baby), honorifics (Sir), unprotected sex (I have been in a mood apparently), creampie.

=Let me know if I missed any.=

18+ MDNI

PROMPT LIST

MASTERLIST

It was not always easy being the wife of one of the biggest mafia bosses in Korea. It did come with perks though. One of those perks is that when your husband got stressed after a particularly hard job you were always there to take care of him. Today was slightly different though. He had a really important meeting with another boss today and if he was able to get this deal going then NCT would be able to spread even further and control even more territory. To say that Jaehyun was stressed about this meeting going well was an understatement. That is why he called for you to be in this meeting with him. You thought he just wanted moral support and now here you were sitting on his lap your long skirt covering the fact that he was fully sheathed inside of you.

When you walked into his office where he was going to have the meeting you were not prepared for the request he made that has landed you in this situation. "Come here my love," he had said, "I need you to do something for me. I am very stressed about this meeting and I need you to help me take my mind off things so it can go well."

"Of course I will help Jae," you replied none the wiser, "What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to sit with me," he said sitting down on the couch in the room. You go to sit down next to him.

"Not there," he said stopping you from sitting next to him, " I want you to sit here." When he finished his sentence he moved to undo his dress slacks and pull his already hard cock. Your mouth fell open. You couldn't believe he was asking you to cockwarm him during this very important meeting. You couldn't say that it didn't excite you though. Still stunned you did move to go sit on his lap. He helped you take your panties off and he stuffed them into the pocket of his slacks. You sat on his cock and slowly let him enter you fully. Once you were sat down and he was all the way inside you helped him move around your skirt so no one would be able to tell and then he spoke to you again, "If you can be a good girl for me and not move during the whole meeting you will get a reward, but if you move I won't let you cum after this do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," you replied knowing full well he would keep true to that promise. Now here you were sitting on his lap with him buried deep inside you the meeting was only halfway over and you weren't sure how much more you could take. It was getting so hard to not move your hips with his cock still rock hard inside you. You could feel just how wet you were and you were sure it was dripping onto Jaehyun's expensive pants. You were able to hold it together though. Jaehyun was able to close the deal and the other boss finally left.

Jaehyun then turns to his second in command, "Taeyong I have something I would like to discuss with my wife please step out for a moment. Oh, and lock the door please." Taeyong does as he's told and once the door is fully closed Jaehyun addresses you again, "You did so good for me baby. That must have been so hard for you I can feel you dripping down my cock. Are you ready for your reward?"

"Yes sir please please I need it please," waiting this long had you a begging mess. He wasted no time holding your hips down while bucking up into yours at a fast pace. You were both wound so tight that it didn't take long for you to cum on his cock and him not far behind. He stilled inside you filling you up with his cum.

"Thank you, my love," he said rubbing your back, "I really needed that."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: I am finally back on track! Hooray, I apologize but it was a wild weekend. I hope you all enjoyed this! Asks are still open so send me anything and everything!

[14dayswithyou]

The gang at Disney headcanons?

Ren He'd secretly want to go on all of the fast paced, thrill-seeking rides and haunted attractions; but he'll stay by your side and go on all the rides you want to instead. Ren will pay for you, and you only — everyone else has to supply their own ticket and money to buy food, drinks, and souvenirs. He also won't let anyone else sit next to you and will 100% take up the entire seat if necessary jdhgjhds

Moth They're with you in spirit! Right now, Moth can't afford to travel abroad just to go to Disneyland T_T But if they could, they would prefer meeting the Disney cast and taking pictures with them! It might even give Moth ideas on who to cosplay next.

Violet She'd want to check out all of the attractions and landmarks! Lots and lots of photos are taken that day, and she'll happily go dressed (vaguely) as Kida Nedakh if you wanted to dress up as well ^^ She also somehow keeps getting seated next to Teo on all of the rides, and it takes everything in herself not to unscrew his safety harness every time.

Elanor One of the only two who actually has a plan for the day ^^; She has the entire map memorised and the most optional route from A to B fully panned out. El is usually the type to bring her own snacks, sunscreen, and spare hats for everyone; and greatly prefers to stand to the side and wave at the gang while they zip past on all of the rides.

Conan Designated Dad™️ of the group and the other one with a plan. Conan is probably the one who carpooled everyone to and from the airport/hotel, and will most likely be the one who drives everyone back to Corland Bay. Like Elanor, he's more than happy to sit on a bench while everyone else has fun. He'll wear the Mickey ears if you put them on him — but only if you share your photos of the characters to his phone later (so he can show them to his daughter!)

Jae Bee lines straight to the bumper cars and the closest water park with you (and by extension - Ren), Leon, and Teo in tow. He's the one that gets chewed out by Elanor for not waiting half an hour to finish his churo before swimming, and also the one to buy cute little Disney accessories for Maple. Jae probably won't go on any of the rollercoasters, but he'll happily go on all of the teacup rides!

Leon Happily goes along with whatever you have planned! He doesn't really have any expectations or desires, though he does find the thrill rides/rollercoasters especially interesting. Would probably be the one going on the drop towers and laughing his head off while Jae is screaming for dear life and Ren is stone-faced next to him.

Teo All of the little kids will 100% mistaken him for Gaston, so you have to be the one to pull him away before he starts swearing and saying vulgar phrases. Teo probably prefers going on the scary rides just to watch your mortified expression and have someone cling to his biceps. He'll also sneak off into the restricted zones for fun, so make sure to keep an eye on him (or ask Elanor to).

Olivia Only came along because she won free tickets from a raffle. She situates herself next to Ren and Teo always, and gets a bit irked whenever Ren follows after you like a lost puppy instead of her. Olivia would want to try all of the different foods and get a souvenir to remember the day by! She might also ask you to burn any embarrassing pictures of her from all of the fast-paced rides.

Kiara Doesn't mind paying for everyone, and is most likely good friends with the hotel manager at the place you're staying at (so you knoooow you're getting good rooms!!). Would likely be trying all of the foods with Olivia or taking photos of flowers for her mood-board/fashion inspiration folder back in London. Secretly buys matching cellphone charms for herself and Elanor. If you catch her, she'll most likely buy one for you too.

[mai-mai-lim]

"What do you wish for?"

An all-dialogue birthday work for Ashley Jang.

A/N: yup, i am.... very late on this. It was supposed to post a week around her actual birthday (July 20th) and what day is it today? ... yeahhhh

and because im actually proud, here's the post that only has the artworks.

--- “Saengil chukha hamnidaaa~”

“Happy birthday Hye-chun! Make a wish yea? What do you want?”

“I-i want-”

“Shh, dont say it out loud, or else your wish wont come true!”

“Alright, do it like this. Close your eyes and say your wish, not out loud. And then blow it all out.”

“You did it!!! Now we can eat the cake!!”

“Yaaayy!! Cake time!!”

"Alright, here give these to the elders first, these should be enough.”

“Oh look who’s coming for the cake!! So eager, its not your turn yet, Seung-jae.”

“Aw.”

“Auntie!! Have a cake!”

“Its alright, you can give it to Seung-jae.”

“Bleh, he has to wait! Mama said so!”

“Hey!!!”

“Haha, kids these days…”

--- “Do you like your lunch here?”

“I love it!! I’ve never been to a buffet here before. It’s quite nice!”

“Glad you love it. Also, we ordered a slice of red velvet cake for you. Happy birthday my girl.”

*gasps* "Thank you!!”

“So do you wanna make a wish? I mean, we can ask for a candle-”

“No need, I can just wish in my heart and just, eat the cake you know?”

“Oh yes yes. Haha, you are growing up, don’t feel like doing that anymore isnt it?”

“Y-yeah…”

“Hm? What’s wrong, dear? Are you ok?”

“Oh, it’s just…, I was thinking of the old times back then. There was a time when Uncle Ethan brought us to the island for my birthday years ago! It was really fun.”

“That was years ago? Time sure flew fast… ” 

(How long… did the accident happen? Hold on, this year is… oh. They were gone… for more than a year…)

“...I, I actually miss them, it’s just not the same anymore…”

“Y-yeah, I miss them too.”

“*sighs* let’s not think about that today, alright?”

“Sorry, I sort of brought down the mood on my own day.”

“No no, dear, you didn’t. It’s understandable. Come on, the cake’s not gonna get eaten by itself, no?”

--- “Heeeeeeyyyy!! Happy 21st Birthday Ashley!!!”

“There it is, the magic number!! Now can fully do whatever you want liao!”

“Whoa, you guys…”

“21 leh! I see people always make 21 years old extra special one, so we also made it like this for you, with balloons, deco, food, also matcha cake, one of your favourites!”

“T-thank you.”

“Wait, actually back in your home, you are considered 22 is it? Must be confusing.”

“I mean, I’m studying here, may as well follow how you guys count.”

“Well, fair enough. Also I just noticed you got your hair dyed! Looks pretty!”

“Thanks, been wanting to do that for a while.”

“So, any wishes you made?”

“I dunno man, I just wanna survive another school year, then it’s off to… wherever we go after grad-”

“Shush!! Too early to think bout the future! Let’s just celebrate your day, afterwards we go for karaoke, k?”

“It’s more like, are we gonna stay in touch after grad?”

“Like I said, it’s too early to think that! Course I hope we stay in touch, but who knows?”

“Ok ok fine, soooo, I heard karaoke just now~”

“The cake can wait then, let’s go!!!”

--- “Hey, you guys actually know Ashley’s birthday is coming up soon?”

“Wait really? Huh, never knew that. She didn't really tell anyone that.”

“Ooo, why dont we gave her a lil’ surprise then?”

“And that’s what im thinking about! Let’s start planning…”

- “Haaaaaaaaaappy birthday girlypop!!”

“Heard today is your special day, gurl! We planned this few days ago just to give ya the best of the best!”

“... oh my god…”

“Yup, I asked around and got your favorite cake flavor too!”

“Red velvet, eh, I guess it’s alright…”

“*whispers* He found it from the finest cake shop and stole it.”

“What the- Don’t tell her that!!!”

“There are also presents given from some of us who couldn't come, but they wished ya too."

"I... I didn't expect this, all of this really. T-thank you, all of you..."

"Aw, don't mention it! You are one of the coolest people I met here, may as well returning the favor. By the way, did you wish for something?"

"Bet it's gonna be loads of plushies- ow, hey!!"

"Uh you are completely wrong. I'm not telling you all then."

"BOOOOOO"

. . .

(Besides, that wish had already came true, and they are right in front of me.)

---

Formatted text for whose speaking: Pink - Ashley, Blue - Seungjae, Orange - Brutus, Green - Cameron, Non-colored text in part 4 - Jinjer

[sooniebby]

Omg Eun Jae hc’s if you haven’t done them yet!!!!! I love him so much <3 I’m planning on drawing him soon bc I’ve been working on portraiture and his face claim is so mmmmm, but I may give up and just draw him in my style 🤷

Ooh, I’d love to see that when you’re finished :)

SFW: he’s pretty reclusive the first few weeks, similar to Yuta. But even when he’s comfortable, he still just doesn’t talk much. Definitely must be by your side a lot of the times. Sometimes he’d even make you stay in the room when he’s streaming but make you sit in the corner where no one can see you

He always cooks for you—even if he went to bed late last night from streaming. He has an alarm that wakes him up an hour early before you so he can make you a nice breakfast. Lunches are always made the night before. He has noticed how poorly you took yourself cuz of how stressful work was so he makes sure to help you out.

Though everyone at your job thinks you have a girlfriend that loves cooking for you especially because he sometimes makes cute shapes out of the food. Usually cat cookie cutters. Whenever you come home, you’ll more than often see him on the couch sleeping with his black kitty on his chest, Nabi. Nabi only likes you when Eun-Jae is busy.. cuz she has no choice but to pay attention to you for some pets

Meeting his parents is… out of the question right now :)

NSFW: he’s way more talkative during sex. But he has this weird thing where he.. doesn’t want to actually fuck you sometimes. Like he wants to have sex but not use his dick. He can’t really control it

So instead he usually uses his legs.. cause he has some thick legs that feel great riding on. Sometimes he’ll use toys.. but toys usually are for when he wants to overstimulate you or punish you.

But when he is in the mood to use his dick… he’s nonstop. Like whenever he fucks you with his dick, get ready for at least three rounds. Also he cums a lot… maybe that’s why he goes a few days without penetrative sex… he’s saving it for an all out fuck feast

Usually happens on Saturday cuz at least you don’t work Sunday and can rest your ass. Loves giving you aftercare, giving you a bath and feeding you fruits right after. 

He’s heavily into cumming on you but then gets disgusted right after sex and quickly bathes you off. In the moment, he loves it but he hates it after. Would certainly change the bedsheets after sex everytime

Which is why you guys have a whole closet of bedsheets lol

Vincent, Yuta, and Eun Jae now done <3

[booasaur]

Pinned post - F/F Fic Recs

  Anonymous asked:

Hi, I've see you saying that you're reading a lot of fic lately and I was wondering if you could rec some? I so trust your taste and I think we have so many fandons in common...

Hiya! So first, what I was reading over the summer were some new fandoms that I'm still mulling over. Those ships and fics, I'm not ready to recommend anything for, I'll come back to them later.

As you know, I find it hard to pick out faves and recommend things but coincidentally, some time back, when I hadn't read fics for years, I decided to see which I could easily remember. It’s not close to being an exhaustive list, I just noted down whatever came to me over a few hours, and almost all are pretty old, often from my first go-around in each fandom, but it’s a fair number. I've read other great ones that might not be as easily remembered for any number of reasons, like if I was in a particular frame of mind or if I read too many good ones at once so none really stood out, if I read them in between other things going on in life, etc. These ones slotted into the ole memory bank but that doesn't say anything about those left off.

I'm not sure how many of these are fandoms you're into, but when I'm in a real fic-reading mood I'll often try fandoms I don't know, so hopefully you can still give some of them a shot. I tried to organize by fandom though they're mostly in the order I remembered them, so it's not alphabetical or fave first--though it did end up being pretty chronologically backwards. I was literally going back through the years and I don't think I've read some of the anime ones in like, more than a decade? And while for my own list, I often was like oh, all of that author's fics for this ship and would know what I meant, here I tried to narrow it down to one fic per author, since it can be hard to know where to start, but definitely give their other fics a try if you liked that one.

Added a cut for length. All stories are f/f and complete unless specified. As I go through some of these, let me come back here to add that it’s worth keeping in mind as you read these that they are products of their time, some more than a decade ago. 

Gilmore Girls - Paris/Rory

The Best Of It - by dollsome - 74k words » Canon, fake dating, set after the original series (so ignoring A Year in the Life). To win a point on a talk show, Paris announces she's dating Rory. It's incredibly in voice and matches the show vibe so it's just so funny and sweet and just a plain delight. It's what actually made me create this list, I was idly wondering what else I'd read that brought me this much joy.  

Boston Marriage - by Jae - 5k words » Canon, college years, Paris has a proposal. The first fic for this ship I read, I think? Where I was like, oh, so it’s possible to be that in voice and replicate everything about a show even as distinct as this one. One of the ship’s classics (and being from 2005, just a f/f classic overall?).    

The Unbearable Weirdness of Being - by klynkey - 3k words » Canon, assumed high school years, Rory and Paris get into a debate. After having read the one above, I found this soon after and was like, okay, is everyone able to easily replicate that Gilmore Girls patter? (No.) Another ship classic.

Agents of Shield - Bobbi/Jemma

To Keep My Wolves From Your Door - by pirateygoodness - 41k words » Werewolf AU, so elaborate and for a ship so relatively rare, I’m not sure how this exists but I’m glad it does. It’s got some plot, a sweet romance, smut with feelings, just a rewarding read every time I go back to it, which is pretty often. Given my main audience, I’ll mention there are some flashbacks to Bobbi and her ex husband but that didn’t affect my enjoyment at all.  

Soulmate AUs (just chapter 2) - by alittleunstable - 3k words » Canon, cute little soulmate AU, which I’m always a sucker for. 

Star Trek Voyager - Janeway/Seven of Nine

Where the Dream Takes You - by nejvit - 27k words » Canon, one of the tamer getting together Trek setups, more introspective rather than caused by some alien tomfoolery, but I really like how it handles the very commonly featured J/7 conflict of Janeway dating someone in her crew. It is a bit dense but I found the character and dynamic exploration so insightful and interesting. When I first read J/7 fics years ago (in the late ‘00s), this author’s fics didn’t particularly stand out but when I came back to the fandom more recently, they were among my very favorite.  

The Rod and the Staff - by Trek in Tandem - 13k words » Canon, deals with the aftermath of an existing ep where Janeway went on a mission and ran into trouble. The religious stuff comes across as more the writer playing with the episode’s actual religious references than anything heavy-handed so I found it easily ignorable. Really great, clean prose, one of the writers who always stuck out to me for that.    

Not Just Strip Poker - by Pink Rabbit Productions - 15k words » Canon, a funny, lighter piece that definitely starts out as full comedy, after a misunderstanding, but there’s some deceptively interesting discussion later on in this one too.

Stargate SG-1 - Janet/Sam

Bits and Pieces series - by Pink Rabbit Productions - 278k words, WIP » Canon, this series integrates Sam/Janet into the first season of the show and I don't think it was ever finished, and the last one especially was left on a cliffhanger, but the rest of the “episodes” are worth the read. Also, when I put this down for my own list, I just said "Pink Rabbit's Sam/Janet stuff", because I remember going through all of them at some point, the stuff outside this series was fun too, and if this full incomplete series is too daunting, definitely some of the one-shots might be more fun.

The Devil Wears Prada - Andy/Miranda

Truth and Measure - by Telanu - 272k words » Canon, diverges from the end of the movie as Andy decides to stay with Miranda. What even is there to say about this one? A true f/f classic, has been in the top three of my general f/f recs for more than a decade and still holds up. Just a perfect continuation of the movie, same world, same characters, continuing growth and development of characters and dynamics, a true believable slow burn romance. And the author’s published it without taking down the fic. :)

Facts of Life - Jo/Blair

Ribbon - by Della Street - 15k words » Canon, diverging in the college years. This is the first of her fics I read for this pair and I fell in love with her writing. Back in an era when a lot of authors started off with lots of exposition and setting up the scenario, I was so impressed by how quickly and easily she did her worldbuilding and character development, and how in-voice and and close to the show everyone was. Definitely recommend going through the rest of her Jo/Blair fics.

Birds of Prey (2002) - Barbara/Helena

And Another Thing - by fembuck - 12k words » Canon, a straightforward getting together fic, things come to a head after Helena starts pulling away. After seeing which of the fics I remember best and like most here, I think I really just favor a great execution of a simple premise. And because this is fembuck, whose fic was a load bearing pillar of f/f fandom, there’s a nice balance of humor and angst with the romance.    

An Empirical Question - by harper_m - 30k words » Canon, an accidental fake dating situation spins out into something much more. In a funny coincidence, the same things I said about fembuck apply to harper_m, such a significant contributor to f/f fic over the years (see also this older archive account). This fic is again mostly a well done exploration of the characters and their dynamic if suddenly an explicitly romantic layer was added to canon.

Skins - Effy/Katie

An Imperfection in an Otherwise Perfect Plan - by harper_m - 21k words » WW1 AU, they’re nurses in the army. As with the Mockingnerd werewolf AU above, I’m surprised that for such a rare ship, there’s such a specific (and good) AU, but definitely not complaining. It feels that much nicer to find a true gem in such a tiny collection.    

fate is overgrown - by thememoriesfire - 53k words » Post-series, years later, Katie’s in a rut and stumbles into Effy again. I do find it funny that I have no Glee rec from TMF and instead went for the Skins fic that isn’t even transatlanticism but I really love this one, to the point where there were a couple of months where I just reread it constantly, even downloading my own version to fix formatting and typos. It’s almost slice of life, as Katie and Effy find themselves surprisingly healing together, after their fraught history. 

The Sarah Connor Chronicles - Sarah/Cameron

Resistance - by Anklebones - 120k words, WIP » Canon, diverges from season 2 as Cameron continues to glitch. Like a lot of the good Sarah/Cameron fics, this is a great dissection of AI and sentience and what it means to be human and have free will. I mean, within a great story, not just characters debating. It’s not finished but I really like what’s been written so far.   The author also has a three-part complete fic where Sarah and Cameron are already in a messy thing and then have to confront some things when there’s an attack at school: Just Another day in Paradise… 1 2 3 (19k words).    

No Rest for the Wicked - by InspectorBoxer - 172k words, WIP » Firefly AU, River Tam takes the place of Cameron while Sarah’s a new character to the universe. This is such a fun blend of the two universes and the romance is such a good slow build. As with most of the WIPs I’m linking, there’s enough to really enjoy even if not complete yet.

Once Upon a Time - Emma/Regina

The Secret's in the Telling - by pyrophoric - 250k words » Canon, set pretty early on but where Emma and Regina are at least nominally getting along. Things are set into motion when a mysterious thief shows up and keeps bullying Emma. This is one of my favorite iterations of their dynamic, with long-suffering secretly fond Regina and hapless too-earnest Emma.    

You do not have to walk on your knees - by dollsome - 10k words » Canon, mid-season 2, Regina and Emma learning to get along. As is dollsome’s specialty, a lot of character work and humor. Also would recommend Teenage ... Dream? (12k words), where Regina gets like...kind of emotionally aged down? You’ll see. The premise sounds cracky but again, the character exploration and humor and sweetness. :)

Once Upon a Time - Aurora/Mulan

a story, a tale - by maleficently - 27k words » AU where it’s Maleficent who casts the original curse on Aurora and her true love, not Regina on Snow and Charming. This is so fun because you can see all the similarities and differences in how the story unfolds compared to the show, including flashbacks to the fairy tale world before the curse is cast.    

Object Permanence - by badlance - 18k words » Canon, after Aurora and Phillip have made it to Storybrooke. Aurora’s still furious at Mulan for leaving them to go off with Robin Hood, but suddenly something happens to Mulan and Aurora can’t stop thinking about her. It starts off an interesting look at Aurora and how someone acclimatizes to the real world after Fairy Tale Land so like, therapy, jobs, but it’s quite romantic and sweet in the end.   Also Could Have Been A Year (5k words) and its sequel Bear It Out Even to the Edge (17k words), where Mulan learns the price of staying away from Aurora and gives up everything to make sure Aurora’s okay.

Wicked - Elphie/Glinda

Gelphie Trilogy: 1. Easier Said Than Done 2. Inevitabilities & Eventualities 3. Possibilities and Certainties - by mecelphie - 3.8m words » Rape trigger warning for the very first chapter: Elphie suffers a violent attack and much of the first story is her healing from that, though the other two stories also occasionally bring up the lingering effects on Elphie.     Back when I read it, the first story had some typos, missing punctuation and the like, that might also make it hard for some to get into it, but the world really unfolds into something incredibly rich and rewarding. Note that full series word count, it IS that detailed and extensive a story, almost slice of life, except for the precipitating event and things like homophobia and when Elphie's background is tackled. I haven't actually finished it yet, I pause every once in a while till I have a large chunk of chapters and then reread from the start and get sucked in anew each time.    

The Thrill, Basis Determined - by Ridiculous Mavis - 24k words » Bookverse, just delightful, beautifully written fluff. Everything this writer writes is beautiful. The further down I go on this list the less restraint I feel in linking multiple stories by the same author, so of her other Gelphie fics, I'll also specifically rec The Way Out of Myself (22k words), bookverse bodyswap with Avaric and Elphie where they both learn something about the other and Invitations Under False Pretences (27k words, WIP), bookverse fake dating, it's not marked as complete but it doesn't leave you hanging, if you know what I mean.    

The Week of Ill Repute - by Chudley Cannon - 37k words, WIP » Bookverse again, which, I don't prefer them over musicalverse, it's just worked out that I've remembered (liked?) these fics best. This one I remember from my very first Gelphie fic-reading tour and thinking, wow, this is so good. It never updated after that and I believe it actually does leave you hanging, but I mean, you specifically remember a fic more than 10 years later, it's gotta be on the list, right?

The Bletchley Circle - Millie/Susan

In the Blackout - by RidiculousMavis - 11k words » Canon, set during the Bletchley years, Susan’s just arrived and meets Millie, her flighty and irreverent roommate. A wonderful look at how they start to get along after their personalities and keen minds first clash.    

Clerical Work - by Kivrin - 3k words » Canon, also set during Bletchley, Susan tries to figure out her feelings the way she would a code and then things fall into place in a surprising way. Relatively short but I loved the sharp little characterizations of the main four, including Jean.

Legend of the Seeker - Cara/Kahlan

All the Days - by tcbg77 - 67k words » Post-series, some years after, everything seems to be going well until Richard and Kahlan’s child is kidnapped. Cara, now Richard’s general, sets off with Kahlan to rescue the child. I love the pacing of this one, the length allowing for a full quest and a slow burn, and combined with the well-written action makes it seem like a fantasy story with romance on its own. I basically treat it as exactly that and reread every few years.    

Within My Heart There Is Another Heart - by badlance and pirateygoodness - 26k words » Post-series as well, magic pregnancy. This is pretty in a way that makes my heart ache. i was surprised to see it was 26k words, since it feels so much longer and shorter than that at the same time.

The 100 - Clarke/Lexa

Within Me An Invincible Summer - by badlance - 62k words » Canon post-s2, Clarke gets over her anger at Lexa. One of the many great fics written during the hiatus, I’d put off reading it when I first got into the ship, during the start of s3, wanting to focus on what was canon at the time. And then of course 307 happened and I moved even farther away from canon, but this fic, its two-line summary, it showed up again and again in rec lists and bookmarks and was so haunting at the time, you know, seasons and people not changing, but finally I caved, and it was as wonderful as it had promised to be.    

Love on the Ground - by hedaswolf - 19k words » Also canon post-s2, taking the s3 knife scene from the trailer and again spinning it into eventual forgiveness. There’s a bit in it that is one of my favorite moments in fic ever.     

they take their shots but we're bulletproof - by nightshifted - 10k words » Again, canon post-s2, it’s like a whole genre of amazing fics just within one fandom, all the more precious for how that all turned out in canon. Like Within Me An Invincible Summer above, I couldn’t bear to read it for a long time but I knew it was one of the classics, I’d seen it pass by my dash very early on because of our shared Glee past. And yeah, it was very good, like all these post-s2 fics, allowed to be a little rougher and harsher because they didn’t yet know how much comforting the ship and fandom would need.    

More Women than Warriors - by steklir - 172k words » Boarding school AU, new American student Clarke arrives at a British boarding school where Lexa’s the Head Girl. I don’t know what was going through the author’s mind when they were writing this but given the timing and content, it felt like an extremely low stakes and ultimately fluffy take on these two kids. There’s a lot of the show’s language and customs worked into this school, so that only adds to the impression, but in the end I’ll remember this for being a rewarding sloooowwww burn and really flowery, pretty writing.    

Stud: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Pride - by coeurdastronaute - 61k words » Modern AU, Clarke’s a teacher and Lexa’s a CEO. Really plays into the effortlessly cool Stud!Lexa thing that was going around at the time, but tbh, she was confident but nice, so I liked it. coeurdastronaute tends to write most chapters as self-contained, so it’s more like a string of connected stories than one long narrative. They’re super prolific and have a lot of stories I liked, I picked Stud as the one I remembered first, and then grabbed a few of the other more memorable ones, all modern AUs: Strip:  1, 2, 3 (10k words) -  Lexa gets a lapdance HSAU (37k words) - College AU, I’m kidding, high school AU Heart: 1, 2, 3, Thanksgiving (30k words) -  Lexa’s a heart transplant patient at the hospital where Clarke works    

Aftermath - by MaraudingTurkey - 8k words » Canon, diverging from the middle of s2, Clarke accidentally courting Lexa. It’s super charming and cute (and because of how early it was written, avoids a lot of the angst to come).    

Prompts Collection: Clexa - by nutalexfanfic - 114k words (as of 2022-12-30) » Lots of various short stories with all kinds of premises, canon and AUs. The author has several popular longer stories going as well, but they’re at various levels of completion and I actually remember really liking of the one-shots here. If interested in the longer ones, the firefighter AU Polis 433 (131k words, WIP) is quite popular, and I think the first one I read was the Olympic AU Individual Medley (95k words, WIP).    

Abby Doesn't Ask - by onlyasdark - 3k words » Canon, some vague point past 307 where Lexa doesn’t die, short vignettes in Abby’s POV. A great example of an external perspective on a ship, because you get deliberately limited glimpses, and in this case especially colored by Abby’s not exactly positive feelings about Lexa, but despite all that, the relationship shines through.    

The Library - by ethiobird - 55k words » College AU, they work at a bar (called The Library). I think what drew me to this one is that the Lexa characterization is more stoic than you often see in modern AUs, especially high school or college. I’ve ended up liking a lot of different takes on her but as much as it’s obviously nigh impossible to recreate the circumstances that created canon Lexa, I do have a particular fondness for that version so I like any fic that approaches it.    

although i'm not making plans (i hope you understand there's a reason why) - by brokendevil - 6k words » Modern AU, friends with benefits but secretly in love. The kind of second person fic that really lets you wallow in the angst before the rewarding payoff. The author has several other popular works, especially a year of sundays (98k words), a small town AU, but this one just stuck in my mind.   

To the Victor Go the Spoils - by exfactor - 11k words » College AU, Clarke and Lexa’s sororities are locked in a fierce competition. The author has some other very popular (and angstier) works but this one’s cute and fun as hell.    

the business of caring - by coldmackerel - 72k words » College AU, pretty much a workplace comedy set at campus police. Someone’s painting graffiti masterpieces all over the place and as the head of campus police it’s Lexa’s job (she thinks) to catch the culprit. This author is so good at humor, and also can be really poignant at times, like in it's called contraband for a reason (54k words), a jumbled up timeline of the two in prison. I’m told the canon amnesia fic is quite good but I’ve not yet felt emotionally up to it.    

The 300 - by Bucklethorpe - 66k words » Modern AU, Clarke accidentally burns down 300 of Lexa’s trees. This starts off as a bit of a joking take on canon, and is laugh out loud funny the whole way through, but also quite sweet. Definitely a frequent reread.    

sworn under an oath - by faithtastic - 14k words » Canon, diverges from 307, smut with feelings but the feelings are so good. This authors probably far more famous work is don't wanna be your girl (105k words), with one-shot extras and even AUs, in which Clarke is a porn star, and that is funny and hot, but this fix-it so soon after ep 307 will always be a particular balm.    

beat the devil's tattoo - by isawet - 53k words » Modern AU, they’re in college but Lexa’s secretly actually planning to take back the leadership of her small country. They fall in love anyway and it’s funny, hot, sweet, romantic, just a great well-written story with excellent reread value.    

Your Heart On My Sleeve - by aredpen - 58k words, WIP » Soulmate-marking AU set in canon, if that makes sense. Starts when Clarke’s still up in the Ark and it’s just an interesting exploration of how it all would work in those circumstances. I love the little details and insight into what would change and how.     

AGAINST THE MULTIVERSE - orphaned - 13k words » Modern AU, art student Clarke reads an article Lexa wrote and fires off an angry response, starting a correspondence. Despite not being particularly long or having a unique premise, I remember this one because the writing’s so confident and sure of what it wants to be. It feels like a lot of fics--most writing in general, really, tends to flatten itself to not stand out and it was nice to read something so strong.  

To Wear it Like a Crown - by Laney_builds_cathedrals - 42k words, WIP » Teacher/student, kinda, and definitely an age gap, so don’t read if that’s not your thing. Clarke’s the new art therapist at a school for troubled kids and realizes things aren’t quite right. It hasn’t been updated in years but the writing is just gorgeous and I couldn’t leave it off, it’ll always have a place in my lists.    

Remember Me. - by C_AND_B - 11k words » Amnesia AU, they were in a relationship and then Clarke gets in an accident. God, the perfect mix of angst and fluff. This writer has a bunch of adorable one-shots, so check the rest out too.     

tear down the walls - by wariangle - 5k words » Modern AU, Lexa’s an MMA fighter but it’s not really about that, just Clarke falling for her. Extremely hot in a very matter of fact way, but also plenty of feelings involved.    

five times clarke and lexa aren’t sure if they're a couple or not - by nutmeg101 - 8k words » College AU, everyone keeps on thinking Clarke and Lexa are together. They’re not so sure they aren’t. It’s cute! I mean, it’s exactly what a fic like this should be.    

Help, I Need Somebody (Not Just Anybody) - by thesummerofrain - 92k words, WIP » College AU, Clarke volunteers at the college helpline, Lexa writes in. It’s an anonymous line, so no worries about weird tracking or anything like that, things just organically progress so that they meet and slowly become friends. It’s mellow in general and includes lots of slice of life moments with other people as well, and of course the romance is slow burn as heck.

Maleficent - Aurora/Maleficent

The Queen of Sunshine and Bright Things - by alittlelesspain (oprhaned) - 31k words » Canon, after the first movie, Aurora has to learn how to rule while Maleficient has to learn what her place in Aurora’s life is now. Through time skips, distance, and political crises, they relearn how much they still mean to each other. It’s beautiful and romantic and a great fic for those who wanted their connection from the movie to go further.

Glee - Quinn/Rachel

This Kiss - by poetzproblem - 141k words » Canon, set in s2, starting from a game of spin the bottle. Rachel and Quinn are shaken by their kiss and Quinn especially doubles down on her mean girl persona. Faberry’s had a lot of great fics and I’ve loved so many but I remember thinking while reading this one that this is probably how it would go, if it ever happened. It’s patient and takes its time and is one of my definitive fics for them.     Also the Don’t Blink series (788k words as of 2023-01-13) is this expansive, ever-growing universe set after graduation. I haven’t read it all, but I’ve reread some of the earlier parts many times, for the super rewarding payoff to them realizing their feelings are mutual, and others finding out about them.    

A Family of Trees - by powergrapes - 8k words » Canon, diverging after s1, Quinn keeps Beth. Rachel’s somehow the only one the baby will calm down for and Quinn is reluctantly forced to call on her for help. It’s sweet and funny, my favorite from this writer but they’ve written several great fics, most popular being Head Full of Doubt, Road Full of Promise ( 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 - 60k words), a real Faberry classic, where to cheer up Quinn up after giving up Beth, the club goes on a road trip.     

Summer Mornings (oldest chapters at bottom) - by freshtilapia - 35k words » Canon, post-s1, we follow Rachel every morning of her summer vacation as she sees Quinn pass by on her daily run. Slowly they begin to hang out and bond. I think this was one of my first Faberry fics? I was a late bloomer, it took me a while to see their potential, but I really loved how authors saw their post-s1 dynamic and this was a super cute, endearing version of it.    

Boats in the Sky - by WaveGoodbye - 39k words » Canon, diverging after s3, now both in college, Rachel and Quinn are actually friends. Such good friends that Quinn’s roommate thinks maybe there’s something more. As with Clexa above, it’s so interesting how much character dynamics and fandom attitudes change depending on when a fic is written, because unlike the tension in s1 or s2 fics or Quinn being strung so tight with internalized homophobia, now she’s chill, they’re getting along. I love seeing a fic starting with them as friends, plus, a good chunk of it is external POV, which is a fave.    

Our Brilliantly Tangled Thanksgiving - by Elly-Bells - 4k words » Canon, diverging from s1, Quinn has kept Beth--actually, kind of AU too, because her parents are super nice here as well. But it’s just a super fluffy, super cute funny little fic. The author has a fair number of other fluffy fics of varying length to check out as well.    

Crazy on You -  by roxystyle011 - 82k words » Canon, futurefic written early on, Rachel’s a big celebrity now but gets into trouble and is court ordered to see a therapist, who turns out to be Quinn. This is written so early on I’m not sure if people would consider it the most in-character fic out there, though what is in-character when it comes to Glee, but it’s bold and fun and, as with the Clexa multiverse fic above, I just like when people take big swings with characters. There’s a moment near the end of the fic, when a certain page is turned, that still remains one of my favorite, most memorable reveals in fic to this day.

Dune - Chani/Irulan

Serendipity - by Tamoline - 26k words » Canon divergent, Duke Leto survives and Irulan ends up living in the Atreides household as a guest, while Paul is openly with Chani. When Irulan is called off world to testify, Paul sends Chani as her bodyguard. I’m always so grateful that I picked that year to randomly go through the f/f Yuletide entries because this is such a good fic and I could so easily have missed it completely. It’s got politics, action, enemies to lovers, just this great little novella that happens to be set in the world of Dune. It’s fics like this that have me going through the lesser kudosed out there because it’s a genuine fave.

Marvel - Carol Danvers/Jessica Drew

Smell Like I Sound - by Sineala - 7k words » Comicsverse, Carol meets Jess who’s great except Carol can’t shake an unpleasant feeling whenever she’s around. Mostly fluff surrounding the concept of pheromones.    

He Picked the Wrong One - by beckydawolf - 34k words » Comicsverse, Carol and Jess are knocked out in a battle and wake up in an alternate universe where most things are similar, except that Carol is dead and there’s no Jess. They have to figure out what happened and why they were brought there and certain feelings come to light. It’s plotty and fun and the reveal of why they were brought to the alt universe is actually pretty great.    

put them back in poetry (if only I knew how) - by singalellaby - 31k words » Coffee shop AU, Carol and Steve Rogers are best friends and come back from the army to open a bakery together. It’s a lot of slice of life stuff, making friends in the neighborhood, developing crushes on the regulars like one Jessica Drew, grad student, that kind of thing.

Teen Wolf - Allison/Lydia

Untitled - by elvesarebad - 13k words » Canon, post-s2, after recent reveals they’re no longer friends but Lydia asks Allison to help kill Peter. It’s angsty, a lot of raw edges and slow thawing of their frosty relationship in the middle of difficult circumstances, but the canon characters and friendship are so interesting and the writer captures that.

Bleach - Soi Fan/Yoruichi

The Art of Transformation - by siyentista - 30k words  » Mangaverse, mostly, Soi Fan is injured during a big battle and Yoruichi realizes how much Soi Fan means to her. Despite an action-filled start, it settles into more of a slower character-centric fic, lighter and often comical. Given their canon relationship, it’s refreshing to see the dynamic be more mutual and balanced, and despite the relatively short length, the story feels satisfyingly built up (perhaps because of how much history they already have in canon?).

Brooklyn Nine-Nine - Amy/Rosa

Farm-to-Table, Non-GMO, Responsibly Sourced - by impertinence - 6k words » Canon, going undercover as a couple to bust a maple syrup heist ring. I mean, what more is there to say, except that it’s appropriately funny and cute.     

Margin of Error - by idiopathicsmile - 8k words » Canon, Amy needs a place to stay and Rosa offers. The humor matches the show so well, and it’s great to see Rosa’s POV since she’s so deadpan.

Les Misérables - Cosette/Eponine

Any More Obvious - by idiopathicsmile - 2k words » High school AU, Cosette decides to befriend the school goth. It’s just sweet and cute.    

This Longing I Inherit - by myrmidryad - 44k words » College AU, Marius starts dating Cosette and brings her into the friend group. Cosette’s so shy and sheltered, she’s thrilled to meet new people, including the cool and intimidating Eponine. As they all become closer, Eponine realizes maybe she’s crushing on her friend’s gf. It’s much more gentle and sweet and friendship-focused than how soapy and angsty this description makes it sound, and the length allows it a slower burn. A frequent reread, especially to get to the payoff.     

she knows her way around - by lavendersgreen - 18k words » College AU, Marius is too nervous to talk to Cosette so Eponine, pining after him, volunteers to be their go-between. Cosette turns out to be surprisingly fun and as they become friends, Eponine starts to question some things about herself. The premise is already cute with even a but the characterizations and dialogue are so snappy and flow so easily, it’s a great execution of this trope.    

to be loved and to be in love - by missandrogyny - 7k words  » Soulmate-marking AU, they’re musical artists who meet at a concert and immediately get along. They start challenging each other to try songs outside their main genres, much to their fans’ excitement. The soulmate reveal is pretty satisfying as it’s seeded early, and the whole fic is sweet and cute.

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries - Gigi/Lydia

get loved, make more - by allthingsholy - 10k words » Post-series, Lydia feels uncomfortable around Gigi, given what they share in common and that everyone knows. In a series of vignettes over time, for each of the family events they meet up at, she slowly gets over it, given they have so many other things in common, including a love of gossip, fashion, and teasing their siblings. It’s a great character exploration and the writing’s so sharp and pretty.     

Searching For a Sound We Hadn't Heard Before - by Care - 13k words » Post-series, again things are uneasy at first but they thaw and the two end up taking a road trip. That’s a trope with a lot of potential, now that I’m thinking about it, the way people get to know each other under those very specific circumstances, and this is a great execution of it.    

from the dark with you above - by cairophoenix - 22k words » Post-series, again, an awkward meetup to slow friendship and in this case some prime pining afforded by the longer length. The strangers to friends to lovers pipeline just applies really well to these two, what can I say.    

Improvising - by krakens - 3k words » Post-series, some years after, Gigi decides to surprise Lizzy and Darcy with an epilogue posted on Lizzie’s vlog. She enlists Lydia’s help and things escalate. It’s cute and perfect for this particular series, it would have to be that vlog as the catalyst again.    

Candid - by rhymeswithblue - 5k words » Post-series, by simply hanging out with their famous siblings, Gigi and Lydia face some of the same online scrutiny. Again, I kind of love this aspect of a fic set in this world, because of course part it is that there’s a whole audience watching them and it influences them just as much they influence it.

She's the Man - Olivia/Viola

Loose Ends series - by fraidy_bat - 38k words » Post-movie, Olivia comes to terms with the fact that Sebastian isn’t Viola. By the time I was branching out and reading popular f/f fics many years ago, this was already a classic, both as a general f/f fic and in this particular fandom. One of those ships that makes so much sense, and this is an angsty but ultimately very rewarding take on what should have happened after the movie.

Tomb Raider (2013) - Lara/Sam

she traces your scars and rebuilds your world - by lescousinsdangereux - 18k words » Post-2013 game, Lara and Sam are still traumatized by what transpired on the island and lean heavily on each other, even as Lara heads off on another research mission. It’s a great character study at their PTSD but also building on the relationship from canon and sweet and romantic and funny. This was my definitive version of post-game canon, not the other games or the movie or the comics.

Game of Thrones - Margaery/Sansa

Keep the Bouquets series - by Netgirl_y2k - 7k words » Canon diverging...earlyish on, I don’t know the series, but most characters are still alive. Not thinking either’s worthy of Joffrey, the Lannisters arrange a marriage between Sansa and Margaery and they...make it work. Despite being relatively so short, each individual part under 3k words, they’re so effective, these two finding something in that brutal world.

St. Trinian's (2007) - Annabelle/Kelly

This Town We're Painting - by Fahye - 8k words » Post-movies, they’re an established couple, going about the not so normal lives of St. Trinian’s graduates. Funny and in the vein of the movies, bringing in many of the other former students, and solidifying the Annabelle/Kelly dynamic that seemed so full of potential.

Mai Hime - Natsuki/Shizuru

Inter Nos - by ethnewinter - 1.2m words, WIP » Ancient Rome AU, this very detailed, intricate story with all the Mai Hime characters, Shizuru’s a general and Natsuki’s assigned as her bodyguard during a visit to an allied kingdom. I’m gonna be honest, I haven’t read this in many, many years and definitely haven’t caught up, but even back then when it was a fraction of the size, it was already considered a classic. At this length, I feel like just reading what’s there is a reward in itself.

Kim Possible - Kim/Shego

Alone, Together - by Failte200 - 108k words » Canon, Kim and Shego accidentally get sent to an alternate dimension, same Earth, but no human. They have to get along to survive. Another f/f classic, I remember being much younger and the scale of the fic, the years they lived alone and grew older together, took my breath away.   

BSP01: Best Sidekick Possible - by Sobriety - 62k words » Canon, there's a King of Thieves competition and Shego wants the best sidekick possible, i.e., Kim. I think I ended up really liking the romance in this one.

Phoenix Wright - Adrian/Franziska

Follow the Fool - by CantFaketheFunk - 53k words » Canon, post-Phoenix Wright 2, Franziska feels guilty about advising Adrian to perjure herself so when Adrian asks to see her, she invites her to Germany to stay with her. The setting can be a bit goofy, as it is in the game, but the characters and relationship are taken seriously.

Sailor Moon - Haruka/Michiru

FwB - by harukaze - 321k words » AU, no powers, they meet as adults and decide to become friends with benefits. I remember this one Greyhound trip I took from NYC to Toronto, I was riveted to this fic and just read for most of the trip, wanting to see how it'd end. Soapy and angsty and very addicting.

Annnd then these two het fics:

The Big Bang Theory - Penny/Sheldon

The Paladin Protocol - by SpaceAnJL - 88k words » Canon, the guys take Penny LARPing and she ends up enjoying it, and bonding with Sheldon while Leonard feels left out. Very character driven slow burn romance while being funny and presumably true to the characters, I've not actually ever watched the show, but I've seen a few clips on Youtube. Just a great fic and one of the few m/f fics I've read more than once.

Star Trek (2009) - Spock/Uhura

The Place Between - by PsiCygni - 309k words » Canon, set before the movie, Uhura needs an advisor for her project and Commander Spock needs a partner while negotiating with a particular alien species. The only answer? Fake dating! Slowwww burn and since I like both the characters in all their forms, an enjoyable fic.

And ya know, however old some of these might be, if you liked them, think about leaving a nice review. I had a saved fic from a site that’d gone down and like, more than 10 years after it was written I sent an email to the address provided and actually got a reply! 

[respectthepetty]

Have you ever seen characters change their color code during the series or maybe during different seasons? I mean I have seen and read how colors get mixed when the pairs with different colors fall in love or how the colors get brighter or darker based on character mood or development; but has a character(s) ever not been a singular consistent shade?

Oooohhhh, Anon, I am excited about this question because it is one of the major reasons I love color coding.

TLWR: Yes, some characters have not been a singular consistent shade because colors never lie.

Color coding means we get to see a character's true colors because characters don't really change their color. They hide it, and all examples show that. A few examples exist of characters developing a color as they become more aware of themselves rather than them intentionally hiding it like Aoki's evolving orange as he fell in love in My Love Mix-Up,

Or Diao's blue emerging and overshadowing his yellow as his family's past was revealed in Naughty Babe.

Which is similar to Tai's color in La Pluie combining yellow and blue as he figured out his soulmate business.

but those processes still support the idea that the true color was buried somewhere in them, much like these characters:

Hide and Seek

Vegas (KinnPorsche) and Boston (Only Friends) put on a Green Guy Mask since they wanted to appear as chill guys,

when they were hiding the fact that they were actually Red Rascals.

And vice versa when Jae Young (Semantic Error) posed as a Red Rascal to get under Sang Woo's skin

when he was really a Green Guy.

The entire cast of Pit Babe were or are Reds

and are changing or faking being Blues (I trust NO ONE, especially Charlie, Way, and Jeff!), and even though characters changed from the teaser trailer

the teaser trailer did an excellent job of establishing that deceit.

I think we are getting a similar color narrative in Playboyy where no one's true color is revealed, except Yellow Yal Zouey's

since everyone is hiding something and everyone is a suspect.

And it's also why I already don't trust Mek's character in the upcoming Red Peafowl since all the mafia members are color coded,

yet he wore a neutral color to the meeting even though he is the leader of the Black Turtles.

I'll have to wait until the second part of Shadow airs next week to finalize my theory, but it seems to be showing what can be trusted

and what cannot.

Siwon (Blueming) hid his blue behind a blank white due to being bullied when he was younger

but the blue kept showing up no matter how much he tried to hide it.

Daisy (Secret Crush on You) tried to hide their color

But their friends came in with the solid advice.

Because a person cannot change hide their true color.

It'll always show up.

Eventually.

Because colors never lie. Characters do.

[indigostarfire]

A very long post of me rambling so I could connect the dots and map out the factors that led Jae Won to shift out of his deep depression and isolation from Ji Hyun. The script gives us a trail of breadcrumbs to follow.

Jae Won’s therapist points out that Jae Won is locked into his own perspective which ultimately is guilting and beating him up inside. She also tells him, “You’re really selfish,” and Jae Won is shocked. “Because you’re so focused on your own trauma, you’re ignoring others.” This is a completely different perspective, one that Jae Won has never even considered. It’s a key truth that will ultimately help him move forward.

The therapist tells him to overcome his own trauma first, but that’s easier said than done. So what events catalyze his shift?

Well we first see Jae Won break out of his depressive mood when he witnesses Yoon Won in distress and crying about her life. And for the first time since the accident Jae Won is displaying empathy rather than the “totally shutdown, I’m dead on the inside” expression he normally has.

So we now know he is capable of feeling another person’s pain and can respond with compassion.

Next is the kiss scene with Eun Ji which I feel is pivotal in Jae Won being able to break through his depressive, blaming mindset.

Oh the irony! Eun Ji thinks she flaunting and flexing her relationship with Jae Won in front of Ji Hyun’s crushed face BUT this is ultimately the undoing of their relationship. In reality this was the moment where Jae Won sees Ji Hyun’s absolute pain. Jae Won was indeed so focused on his own trauma that he didn’t realize how much his relationship with Eun Ji was hurting and stabbing Ji Hyun right through the heart.

Witnessing Ji Hyun’s pain (because we now know he can actually see another’s pain) Jae Won RESPONDS by pushing Eun Ji away.

In Jae Won’s walk back to Ji Hyun’s workplace, my guess is that Jae Won is thinking about what his therapist said; how he has ignored Ji Hyun’s feelings and only focused on his trauma and trying to “protect” him. And is Jae Won ok with being someone who just dished out pain to Ji Hyun? No, I don’t think so.

Perhaps Jae Won can even recall that moment when Ji Hyun reaches out and lovingly holds Jae Won’s hands (prior to the meeting about the surfing incident). Jae Won initially recoils but Ji Hyun persists and Jae Won allows himself to let a bit of love in even though he feels he doesn’t deserve it. And is he ok with how he returns Ji Hyun’s love and concern with pain from that kiss with Eun Ji? I don’t think so.

Next when Ji Hyun calls out to Jae Won, we see Jae Won approaching Ji Hyun. He no longer ignores or avoids Ji Hyun. This is a definite change and a seemingly small but huge step forward.

Ji Hyun is a trooper. He will continue to love and support Jae Won without pressuring him. And he buys his hyung a camera, and tells him “the past is just the past.” “You can’t erase or forget about the past.”

Yes the past holds the tragic death of Jae Won’s brother and the almost-death of Ji Hyun but the past also holds the bright, beautiful, and loving moments with Ji Hyun. Someone who he could be himself with, someone he didn’t have to wear a mask with, someone who was his sanctuary and place to rest. The past holds both the darkness and the light. So what will Jae Won choose to focus on?

We finally see Jae Won break up with Eun Ji, and I think it largely had to do with Jae Won seeing Ji Hyun’s pain due to the kiss.

Next we have sajangnim giving Jae Won the final installment of advice and perspectives. She basically tells him since it’s not a health or money problem, he’s good! People will always be stressed out and worried so don’t be discouraged just live how you want to.

I feel that all of Ji Hyun’s actions and the perspectives from the therapist and sajangnim finally lands so that by the Han river, we see Jae Won able to focus and reminisce about the bright and beautiful moments he’s had with Ji Hyun.

And finally, those song lyrics! Ji Hyun sending that song to Jae Won delivers his feelings through its lyrics. It’s about two best friends who loved each other and wished they could be more but there was too much fear in the way. The song continues: “but I think it could work for you and me…it’s not the end of the story, just wait and see.” Then we see Jae Won moving forward. He’s actually walking to see Ji Hyun. His mood has changed. Jae Won now is allowing himself to want the happy ending too.

[espresseo-cafe]

life is still beautiful | johnny | ch.8

genre: cappucino, romance, angst, university!au, dad!au, drama, slice of life

pairing: collegestudent!johnny x fem!reader

bean count: 3.1k+

a/n: this has a crossover with @jae-canikeepyou ‘s series serenity in us 🤭 read that if you like, you’d love it 🤗 so now i’m back from hiatus! enjoy your coffee time 💚 note: this is only a work of fiction, it doesn’t reflect the artists’ personalities in any way.

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“how are you coping?” was one of the last messages johnny had sent you. after your breakdown and asthma attack, he didn’t send you any more, just short ones as he was planning his baby thesis together with kun on psychology. he also had to do his paediatric studies on saturdays.

besides, you guys were entering to your final year very soon.

you decided to give him space, you as well needed to catch up with your own (being at the library at the moment)- even though it was stressful enough to have your parents by the ends of your hair strands most of your life. it was habitual, you guessed.

it was also ironic because even though you dislike shoving your face in books and research papers, you found yourself kind of listening to their orders of studying hard.

but you soon realised you were doing this for yourself, not for them.

somehow you wished you never agreed to meet them that day. you just ended up disappointed and hurt like you always had.

your phone rang when you just quickly put it down, receiving mean glares and shushes from the people around the table. taking your stuff and shoving them in your bag, you ran out of the library and called back the person who conveniently decided to embarass you.

“you just love to distract me, do you, johnny?” placing your phone between your ear and shoulder, fixing the heel of your socks.

a soft chuckle heard from the other line, a voice you kinda want to hear. “because i know you will be. want to go for coffee? i finished my project so i can meet you at the atrium.”

“please, i got homework to finish.” you dramatically told him, turning to your left then walking down the stairs.

“hm, interesting.” he hummed, “if you got homework to finish then why did you change your path down the stairs?”

you halted as you almost set foot to the atrium’s entrance. looking up, he was there by the railings.

“i see i got a stalker.”

“the one and only.” johnny smiled and waved at you from the balcony before going down the stairs to meet you.

placing your phone in your pocket when he stood in front of you, you laughed, “dear me, do i need to call the police?”

he wrapped his arms around your shoulder, “please don’t. besides you owe me coffee, it’s been a week.”

you slapped his chest lightly. what’s with him and coffee? “dude that’s what you’ve been wanting to do? don’t you have cash?”

“i spent it on youngmin’s medicine. little dude can’t keep still, always running around until he caught fever. but he does get regular check-ups.” he sighed, “medicine should be free, especially for kids.”

as you walked to the coffee shop at the next street, you concluded that maybe it was why johnny took paediatrics, to monitor youngmin’s health.

johnny was on his final year of his double degree in psychology and paediatric studies, so his schedules were going to be busy. an idea came up to your mind. “say, why don’t i take him to the clinic for his checkup appointments? so you could focus on your studies.”

johnny’s slightly tired face lit up, “really? you can do that?” you nodded as you both entered the coffee shop, “that’s great, it’ll be a huge help.” looking at the drinks menu, he hummed. “you know what, drinks are on me today, i’m suddenly in a good mood.”

you giggled when he took out a five dollar bill on his hand, “so you can treat me coffee on days i take him for appointments, deal?”

“deal-“ johnny flicked his head to you, “-wait!”his hand got freed of cash when you took the bill and jogged to the counter. he stifled a laugh seeing you already pointing at your desired drink, smiling endearingly at you until you turned to him.

“johnny, come on here and choose yours!” gesturing for him to come closer, “they’ve got an offer of buy one get one free.”

little did you two know, you didn’t notice the presence of both rowoon and seungcheol seated at the very end of the coffee shop. rowoon thought that seungcheol’s little crush on you was too obvious. he wondered why after all this time, the guy never seemed to talk to you.

“for a jock like you, you’re someone who’s actually soft for the girl you like.” he munched on the scone he bought, seungcheol then shaking his thoughts off of his mind.

“so what do you want me to do?” the doe eyed asked, taking a sip from his latte.

rowoon smirked, checking a piece of a paper slip before giving it to seungcheol. “nothing actually. you can stay put for now, but hold onto this.”

“if this gets us into trouble, rowoon, you’ll know what you’ll get.” seungcheol warned him, taking the envelope from him as the boy stood up to leave.

“don’t worry, hyung. we got this.”

——

“no way! how come i just heard of this?” yoohyeon told you through the small screen, while you ate on ramyeon bought from the convenient store. she tutted her lips together, “hey y/n, is that all what you’ve been eating since i was gone for almost three weeks?”

“it’s my cheat day.” you slurped, wiping off excess soup from your cheek. “i’ve been studying my brain off, i need to de-stress somehow.”

yoohyeon whined playfully, “i want to de-stress too! the expectations here in paris is as high as the eiffel tower. but anyway, answer my question. so it’s still on the rocks with your parents?”

you hummed, not sure how to answer that just yet. “yeah definitely, can’t believe i’ve been stood up at the dinner.. well it’s not like it never happened to me.”

“well isn’t that great? there’s progress!” she sarcastically said because she knew how your relationship was with your parents. she then squinted her eyes. “then what about you and johnny? any progress in that?”

you coughed on a piece of noodle. “t-that, i don’t know. i heard he had an argument with his ex after youngmin’s party.”

“minji? after so long?” she questioned. “well, i hope she doesn’t give him a hard time. the guy’s moved on, given that his attention is so focused on you.”

you laughed a little, “who’s to say, it’s a little crush i have for him. there’s a fine line between falling in love and having a crush, you know? maybe it’s just admiration on my part. but him to me? i doubt it.” you felt a shuffle on the side as you placed the ramyeon on the table behind you, making yoohyeon tilt her head in question.

“did you get a puppy, y/n?”

“a cute one, actually.” shifting your phone for her to see clearly, youngmin snuggled next to you.

“oh, my, word.” she said dramatically, “you’re a certified mommy candidate for the little one. i’ve never seen him so close to anyone like that. johnny must love you to the point he trusted his son to you.”

“a: he doesn’t love me, and b: i offered to help him, alright? we’re not even gonna go there.” you shook your head, combing youngmin’s hair as he slept.

yoohyeon took a snap of that, sending it to johnny immediately. “oh isn’t it time for you to bring him to his appointment? it’s almost 1pm.”

“yes and you’ll be late for class.” you reminded her, “make me proud, yoohyeon. i helped you with your thesis, don’t put it waste.”

hearing you say that made her laugh so early in the morning. “it’s 6am here but roger that, momma!~” waving a goodbye before signing off.

you turned your phone off, putting your legs off of the sofa. then youngmin woke up and wiped his eyes, “mama i’m warm.”

you flicked your head to the boy, chuckling and patting his cheek. “it’s auntie y/n, youngmin.” he sat up and yawned, asking for a hug and you carried him, soon taking your leave to the clinic. “you’re going to get better.”

the little toddler was tired the whole time, and that worried you. wearing the carrier, you placed him facing you while he slept once more. the cooling patch on his forehead wasn’t doing any good to put his temperature down. he actually cried quite a bit on the way so you put a dummy on him, and thankfully he didn’t cause too much of a scene on the train.

stepping in the clinic, you suddenly saw your long time friend, jungkook. his eye smile never failed to be so contagious. “ah noona! you’re here again?”

“yeah, i need to be here for this little one. my friend’s son.” you ruffled his hair, and jungkook poked his cheek.

“he’s adorable! oh and guess what? i’m assisting the renowned dr. jung yunho tomorrow, i just finished meeting up with him.” his bunny smile showing.

you gave him a high-five, you were really proud of him. “nice on you sophomore, it’s gonna look good on your resume once you do your residency and fellowship.”

jungkook just scratched his head, blushing red. “it’s still a long ways to go, noona.” checking his watch, he gasped at the time. “and i don’t want to be late. catch up soon?”

you nodded and gave him a wave, “sure.”

the reception was close by and you confirmed youngmin’s booking. the nurse had to double check if you were the parent, and you clarified that you were substituting the child’s father, who couldn’t make it in the scheduled appointments and showed her the documents with johnny’s signature.

“i actually thought you were the mother. because mr. suh comes here alone often, other than the grandparents. so i got my hopes up when i recognised youngmin with a young lady. sorry about that.” she noted, giving you an apologetic smile.

“it’s not a problem, i haven’t met the mother as well so i guess we’re on the same page.” you smiled a bit, and took a pen from your bag, signing the check-in sheet.

“oh excuse me miss, you dropped something.” one intern next to the nurse pointed down while you muttered a thank you.

it was the extra coupon you had from all the coffee breaks you had with johnny. maybe i should use this later. so you placed it back again to use it again. slowly standing up, you removed youngmin from the carrier while the nurse took him in for a little check up before the actual appointment with dr. yunho.

“miss y/n!” you heard a little squeal, and it was one that you recognised so well. “long time no see!”

“hi liam!” you bent down to have a short chat. “are you here for a check up with the doctor?”

the kindergartener nodded quickly like he was so proud of it. “yes, i got a scratch on my face and on my leg because i fell.” you told him to be careful and he just pouted, saying that he would. he turned around to lady who called him, saying that they had to leave.

at the same time, you were called in by dr. yunho. you patted his hair and bid him goodbye. standing up, you were faced with a lady, who was around your age. must be liam’s mother.. you thought. but who were you to judge?

liam jumped as he left the hospital, whining that he was hungry. “can we go to mcdonald’s, auntie minji?”

she held his tiny hand, “of course, you did really well at the checkup.”

“then can you carry me there, please?” he pleaded, making puppy eyes to convince her, only for her to disagree.

“no can do, liam.” she poked his little nose and teased him. “you know auntie isn’t that strong like a superhero.”

after youngmin’s checkup, you were thankful that he didn’t need to be confined in the hospital. on the other hand, you were so dazzled by dr. yunho, how could someone be so handsome and smart at the same time? it was funny how he opened up so quickly, even mentioning that he had brothers who went to the same university as you- currently year one and year four. it didn’t feel like an appointment at all because of how he conversed.

youngmin seemed to have gotten used to being at the doctor’s, after the fact johnny told you that he used to cry a lot about it. and speaking of him, you got a call, just in time.

“hey y/n, i’m on my way there with bosco, we’ll drop him off at mom and dad’s first, then i owe you coffee again, is it the third time this month? anyway see you both in five minutes.”

you lit up, “sure, we’ll wait here.”

it took about five minutes for him to arrive. talk about consistency: another box ticked on your checklist. he came out of the car to help carry youngmin, while you got on after.

the nurses who saw this from the clinic had their hearts swooned in various places. johnny was young but the way he handled everything made him so mature.

“daddy material..” the intern’s eyes twinkled while she clasped her hands together.

“get back to work, rookie.” the nurse sighed.

“what? you were staring at him too, hypocrite.” she pouted.

as youngmin rested at his grandparents’ place, you and johnny made your way to the coffee shop. patters of rain drummed the windows and johnny sighed when he looked above. “i swear this is like the worse summer ever, it’s been raining for days.”

“can’t help it though. it was scorching hot as well. besides, fall is on the way, in a few weeks?” you stretched your neck and your back from side to side. the feeling of cracked bones was such a relief that johnny glimpsed at you back and forth and scrunched his face.

“sorry, you must’ve been tired from bringing youngmin to the clinic for three weeks.” he stopped the vehicle at the red light.

“it’s okay, it’s workout for me to carry him.” you snickered. as you said that, the rain gradually grew a bit stronger. so you looked up as well, and you didn’t like how it reminded you of the past.

it used to be about your parents, it still was, besides text messages you hadn’t heard any apologies from them at all. and that upsetted you.

another thing was the accident, you haven’t even came into terms with it. you still remembered the impact, the screeches from its tires, the way you flew, and the way you thought everything gone in a blink. it felt like it was yesterday.

johnny knew at one look that you were still processing everything that happened. it was something he wanted to help you overcome but he also knew it was a long journey and that it doesn’t just disappear overnight.

so an idea came up to him, he hoped you were up for it, and he hoped he was right. you felt the vehicle turn sharply to a corner. johnny turned the engine off, “y/n, let’s go out right now.”

your raised eyebrow made him want to laugh but he knew you would love this. “um, are you crazy? it’s raining cats and dogs outside, johnny.”

he just grinned at you. “i maybe am. but with a little bit of play in the cold of ‘cat and dog’ rain, you might just be crazy with me.” he got off the car and ran into the rain, hollering and spinning around.

your eyes widened, frantically turning your head around to check if people noticed him. reaching for the handle, you stared at the rain once more, hands shaking anxiously. should you go out once again?

“awooo!” johnny continued to shout and laugh. you stared at him deadpan, this was embarrassing.

you sighed, “johnny!” the secondhand embarassment you got from him was unbelievable. you ran towards him and stopped him from whatever he was doing. “what are you doing?”

“oh? the puppy chased me and stopped me.” he laughed and you just blinked your eyes in confusion. “cats.. dogs.. rain..? you and me? don’t you get it?”

“johnny, cats don’t howl.” you crossed your arms, finally getting what he meant. “let’s go, before we get sick.”

he didn’t say anything and pulled your arm, “i know you hate the rain but…” he trailed off, taking two pairs of airpods. putting one pair to your ears before he put another into his, he played one of coldplay’s biggest hits, and the song that calmed you down- a sky full of stars.

“let’s have some fun.”

the piano melody and the vocals filled the intro, johnny’s head started to follow the beat and sang. and naturally you followed, singing as well. the familiar music slowly building up. when it reached to the one minute and eighteenth mark, as if you and johnny shared the same braincells, started to jump in the rain.

he held your hand and twirled you around, then suddenly doing a crumping move on this medium-paced song, made you laugh. you’d say it out loud that johnny was a good dancer. it even showed when the next song- adventure of a lifetime, was next in queue.

that was where you confirmed he was groovy, pulling a little genre of modern swing. not that you knew how to do that certain dance pairing, but the music and johnny’s energy just made you dance with the flow.

his guided his hands to yours, leading you with his twists and turns. and in parts were the music were on a slight drop, he led you to follow him on certain easy steps.

you also had your share in adding steps and iconic movements, putting a little michael jackson moonwalk in it. johnny pointed at you in surprise, even in earphones, you could hear his laugh.

johnny and yourself probably looked like idiots dancing in the rain on the road towards the highway. but to the both of you, it was special, as you were dealing with heartbreaks in different aspects. music was definitely a de-stresser.

johnny looked at you with admiration. as you danced away in the rain, he felt like he was witnessing something beautiful. though the music was playing, he could hear his heart beating. and his eyes widened when the lyrics mirrored what he was feeling:

“now i feel my heart beating, i feel my heart underneath my skin, oh, you make me feel like i’m alive again.”

he smiled endearingly, he knew he was so attracted to you. he knew you had space in his heart, and he’d gladly give it to you.

you turned around, hair flicking slowly, then your eyes met.

and it was when he realised fully,

that he was starting to fall in love with you.

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taglist: @titanmaknae29 @joepomonerof @lovesuhng @studyingthemind @cheyehc @kyeomooniee @geysuuuuh @mrkleelvr

[timextoxhajima]

Sonder: Part II

Parts: I II III IV V

member: enhypen heeseung! x oc! woo ki yeom [3rd person pov]

genre: coming of age, slice of life, angst, romance

w/c: 5.2k

warnings: topics on religion, distressed relationships, mental health (I want to leave an a/n here that I grew up with my maternal family being Buddhists so what I've written is based off what I researched online and the way her family practised Buddhism. I'm personally a free-tinker and this narrative is not in any way meant to offend nor support any particular religion.), mentions of death**

synopsis: after being kicked out of her home, Woo Ki Yeom is forced to live life on her own. struggling to find herself in the midst of her chaotic life, she meets lee heeseung, who, like her, can't give any more fucks to life than she does.

"n. the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own."

Sim Ji Yeon was the most perfect person to have existed in Ki Yeom's life. Under normal circumstances, the single child is the spoilt one. Unlimited attention from the parents or usually an unlimited amount of pocket money or allowance due to the guilt that piles up from the lack of attention. 

But Ji Yeon was the complete opposite. She grew up with an older brother - Sim Jae Yun, who loved her more than any other sibling Ki Yeom has ever met. Her parents, though spend alot of time working abroad, regularly comes home or brings them along to wherever it was they were working at and treats it like a holiday. They have a border collie that listens to everything they say and a family that quite literally never fights with one another.

All of her friends love her and she probably never feels left out at all. Her parents let her wear and eat what she always wants to and Ji Yeon doesn't spend more than a couple of hours loathing over how useless she is or how unhappy her life is. She never gets angry with the person who gets her order wrong or frustrated when the person infront of her is walking extra slow. She's so secure about herself that even when she's aware someone shits on her behind her back, all she does is smile her pretty smile and shrug her shoulders. 

And on top of all that, Sim Ji Yeon was happy.

During the five years Ki Yeom's family spent falling apart, Ji Yeon had extended a helping hand multiple times. But, it's in Ki Yeom's pride and anguish that these offers of help morphed into pity and sympathy. And one day, Ki Yeom just... gave up. 

Gave up trying to explain, or say 'no, thank you', or that she's not in the mood for a meal she knows Ji Yeon will pay for anyway.

So when Ms. Perfect drops Ki Yeom a text a day after her father had sent her a letter (albeit to the wrong address), her morning is ruined. 

Ji Yeon: Hey, how are you? Please reply me... It's been four years. Ji Yeon: We'll go out for a meal. Ji Yeon: I promise you'll pay for your own food.

Ki Yeom locks her phone and groans herself back into the pillow. 

It's not easy to pretend a friend of 15 years doesn't exist.

But Ki Yeom's phone goes off for an 11am appointment - which is earlier than usual - and forces herself out of bed first. Reply later.

She's pulls the door open, telling herself that she'll get a coffee and a sandwich on the way to work, but first-

Nearly slipping on whatever she stepped on, Ki Yeom stumbles backwards, only managing to catch herself with her legs awkwardly opened and her fingers gripped on the door frame. She looks down, and stares at the envelope with a shoe print on it.

It's the letter from her father.

She looks up and down the corridor - no one. Did the boy leave it here overnight? Reaching for it, she notices a light pencil writing on the envelope itself, right beneath the wrong address.

I thought I should leave it here anyway. It's yours after all.

Sucking in a deep breath, she stares at it. But her second alarm goes off, calling her to fling it mindlessly into her apartment and shut the door.

Lee Heeseung had chosen to come out on his own and live the life he had always wanted. Quiet, but determined, he wanted to experience being out in the open, making new mistakes and learning all the new things. He learned that life was short and that regrets would be regretful. So, with about a grand in his bank account and an apartment that he had found with the help of his brother, he moved.

But don't misunderstand him, no. He does not have the wanderlust for life the way he seems like he does. In fact, he's in an ironic paradox with himself - if that even makes sense.

Heeseung had an epiphany after enrolling in university - he was a sophomore student when he realised his life was slowing down. Slowing down in the sense that life didn't seem to have much to offer him anymore. It was just: class, study, nap, eat, study, sleep, and occasionally have a drink or two with his acquaintances (because it takes much more than a drink or two for Heeseung to consider someone a friend).

And then he thought, what would happen once he's done with university? Will he decide to do a phD or a master's programme and prolong this cycle for another decade-ish or will he graduate and work like any other civilian?

My, God, he thought to himself on one of those nights he couldn't sleep. Doesn't life have so much more to offer? Surely it can't be that everyone's lives and hours are the same everyday?

If you could condense his thoughts and feelings into a sentence, Heeseung was simply rejecting the possibility that life was mundane, and in a bid to force all of life's forces of nature upon himself, he chose to move out on his own.

His motto? Make me want to live.

Heeseung was almost baited upon finding that envelope. He only looked through them when he got home and was on the verge of ripping it open before he noticed he doesn't recognise the name on the envelope. He pauses, fingers dragging along the edge and making out the name.

Woo Ki Yeom.

The unit numbers were easily mistaken - he stayed in 07-33 and whoever this Ki Yeom person was, stayed in 07-38.

He considers tossing out the letter, or even returning it to the letter box downstairs that was meant for the 'wrongly delivered'. But on the way to the lift, he stops himself, and looks down the hallway for the 07-38 unit. Sucking a deep breath, he walks over and knocks on the door, hoping no one would answer and he would have the chance to rip open the letter and read it for himself.

But he's proven wrong when the door opens, and it's the girl he lost a washing machine token to. Just because he wanted to be nice for once. He remembers he hasn't gotten it back though.

"Oh, it's you."

She looks... tired.

"If you're here for the token, I don't have any extra to return. I can pay you a couple of cents or a dollar for it if you're insistent."

Heeseung quickly shakes his head and lifts the letter to show her.

"Uh, this came in my mail. I think they wrote the address wrongly."

She carefully studies the words written on it, and glances up at him through her lashes.

Heeseung panics.

"I figured eight just seemed the most similar to three, so. Are you... Woo Ki Yeom?"

A pause.

"Yeah, thanks."

Heeseung watches as she gently takes the envelope, finding the edge of the flap to tear it open. In a terrible bid to find an excuse to stay, Heeseung blurts out the worst joke ever.

"Mail's not that common nowadays. They don't have your number or email?"

A little smile tries to crack its way through when she finally pulls the letter out, but she doesn't even bother looking at him whilst unfolding the sheet of paper.

"Yeah, they don't have my number or my email."

Oh, my God, she hates me.

"Oh," He mumbles under his breath, wanting to dig a hole and slap himself over the head if he could.

But the girl goes quiet as she continues to straighten out the letter. Her eyes seem hesitant and afraid, like it was someone she was afraid to hear from or someone whom she didn't want to look for her here.

What if she's dealing with some illegal activity? And this is just being passed off as an innocent letter? What if this isn't even hers?

Heeseung rubs an eye and purses his lips, unsure of his presense as she starts to read the letter. He was expecting her to finish it, then thank him and close the door.

Or... start crying and rambling about a broken-up boyfriend... or a family member who is knee-deep in debt-

But he's startled instead, when she angrily folds it back up - or rather, crumples it - back into the envelope. She shoves it harshly back into his arms, which shocks him.

Heeseung's eyes widen as she pulls backward, the haphazard letter-in-envelope awkwardly sitting between his arm and stomach. Frowning, he wants to ask her about her attitude and lack of politeness, but he doesn't miss her eyes that are looking down. A sheet of tears have coated them. They got shinier in the last couple of seconds.

"Um," He carefully whispers. "You... alright?"

She looks up at him, and seems embarrassed for a split second.

"It's not mine."

Ain't no way that's not yours.

"Are... you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure," She rubs her eyes. "Sorry, I was just busy making dinner. I have to go."

"Right," Heeseung subtly readjusts the envelope and nods.

With pursed lips, she looks at him one more time for acknowledgement. He's quiet, and careful, as he takes a step back and turns to leave, hearing the door close behind him. Heeseung looks down at the envelope and letter, hands slightly trembling at the thought of what content the letter could possibly hold.

Later that night, Heeseung was busy planning out his study schedule alongside his piano tutoring sessions when he notices the envelope and crushed letter sitting at the edge of the dining table. He thinks about the girl's reaction - the letter must belong to her.

There's a little voice in his head going, No! Do NOT read it!

But Heeseung is a busybody and nobody's around to stop him anyway, so he sets aside his headphones and walks toward the coffee table.

Dear Ki,

I'm writing to share that I've gotten a job. I'm sorry if the address on this letter is unclear, but I hope a kind soul will have it delivered to you if it's wrong.

I know what I say now can't undo what has been done, but I hope you will forgive me. I just want to know if you were doing well, and if you were eating and sleeping well. If you have enough money for your meals and for your rent.

If you wanted to know, your grandfather keeps your secrets for you very well. He hasn't once budged about where you work, only the estate where you live, and that's only because a parent knows how another parent feels when their child is not talking to them and fending for themselves.

Your mother and I want to see you soon, so please... write me back soon and we can talk about a meal or a cup of coffee or something. Let us make it up to you. Make things right. I don't want the way we last saw each other to be the way we end forever. We're always praying for you, Ki.

Love,

Dad

Heeseung is almost touched. He folds the letter back up and fits it nicely into the envelope. Then, he grabs a pencil and scribbles gently on the surface where the address has been written.

The next morning, Heeseung wakes up at an ungodly hour - His classes were at 9am. Who even puts a class at 9am? 

Grumbling his way out of bed and into the bathroom and then into the makeshift kitchen for coffee, he spots the letter. He can’t help but wonder what had happened between some parents and a child, for her to move out and quite literally hide from them. Why was she so angry? 

Later, Heeseung gently places the letter on the floor right outside her door. Whatever will happen to it is up to her thereafter. She can toss it up or rip it apart and set it on fire and it would be none of his business. If her parents had done something so unforgiveable, then maybe she should anyway. 

Heeseung straightens himself, then looks out the window to notice the clouds and impending rain. 

Ahn Yoo Hyeon grunts and sighs, tossing the wet wipes into the little trash bag she brought along with her.

"I hope you're eating all the good food up there where it's probably free of charge and not susceptible to import taxes," She winces and wipes the sweat off her chin. Struggling to stand, she takes a deep breath when she's finally up. The late morning sun beats down on her dark hair and her exposed arms, sweat dripping down her back and her chest inside her shirt.

Bzzzt. Bzzzt. Bzzzt.

Hurriedly grabbing another wet wipe to clean her fingers, she then picks the phone out of her pocket. She squints at the screen.

"Perfect timing."

"No way, you're there?"

"Mhm, just finished cleaning him up."

"Sorry I couldn't be there this year."

"It's fine. World won't stop just cause you can't make it this time."

"Anyway, the team's looking for artists. Planning on doing an international tour or something. If you have any names you'd like to recommend, send them my way."

"Interesting. What's in it for them and for me?" She snickers.

"You'll find out when you get me one or two," He pauses. "Say hi to him for me."

"He knows you'd be here if you could."

Yoo Hyeon looks down at the tombstone: AHN YOO KWON

Despite him being an unusual eight years older than her (with no other siblings in between), he treated her just like any other big brother would (as opposed to the other much-older brothers whom she knew treated their little sisters like princesses).

That was to say, he ruffled her hair everytime she had gotten it done, or stole her food without permission, or the reverse: she would rip the computer plug out from the power socket when he was in the middle of a game. He wasn't one of those 'golden-perfect' older brothers. He was annoying as fuck. 

When her brother had joined a gang, and even if, in fact, he did not, Yoo Hyeon knew that he had mingled with bad company. This was strange and highly unlikely from the start, because she belonged to a family that prized education, contribution to society and hierarchy. 

In hindsight, this could be why her brother even took a liking to those people anyway. Because he had found a place where he could be himself and not be bound to their parents' expectations. If he was born to be a criminal, then maybe it was, in some sick and twisted way, his calling. 

Ironically, it wasn't those people who got him in a coffin. It was a cat who had been beaten up and tortured by a bunch of kids. He had found them in the back of an alley in the middle of the night, thanks to the mewling and crying of the poor mangled thing. 

And upon finding them, you'd think that a 25 year old gangster would have the upper hand against the group of 15 year olds, but they were armed and he was outnumbered. 

They didn't have the intelligence to drop it and run, which was shocking by any measurement, because that's exactly what he had expected.

He was found with gashes to his arms, face and body. Broken ribs, and had died from blunt force to his head with a piece of debris left in that alley from a renovation project nearby.

And all those kids got were a couple of years in juvi because they were 'underaged' and 'misguided'.

The cat survived. And Yoo Hyeon cried to it every other day it felt worse than usual. So when even the cat passed just barely a couple years later, which Yoo Hyeon then found out it was an old cat, she felt like she had lost every remaining piece of her brother. 

Her parents may have forbidden them both to get tattoos, but she remembers the first time he showed her his first one. It was a little wave, the kind that a white girl would have on her arm, which was funny. 

Then over time, he decorated himself with them, since he no longer cared what their parents thought.

But these were all just fragments of memories now. 

Death is a funny thing, for with his death came Yoo Hyeon's call-to-action, and by 'action', she meant opening her own tattoo parlour without ever getting a single one on herself. Getting over it was one thing, but making sure that it was with reason is another.

Yoo Hyeon will carry this reason and mission for the rest of her life.

"Ki Yeom," Ahn Yoo Hyeon calls out. In between her fingers is a thin stack of papers. "Pay goes out today. Check your deck." 

You'd think the person who owns a tattoo parlour would be covered in tattoos, or at least, one. But Ahn Yoo Hyeon grew up in a household that condemned tattoos and in a bid to seal it with a nail (and by seal it with a nail, she really means offer a slap in their faces), she opened her own tattoo parlour without ever getting one. 

Whether this story was true... well, Ki Yeom had no way of verifying. 

"Thanks," She takes the deck and flips through them. 

Ms. Ahn had always been very perceptive - which is ironic, considering how little you can read from her face and her tone. So Ki Yeom isn't really surprised when the woman of few words starts another conversation. 

"You look troubled," She pulls off her sunglasses and her fringe topples over her forehead. Ki Yeom had wondered a few times if Ms. Ahn had a boyfriend. "Which is strange considering your paycheck this month." 

Ki Yeom looks up from the deck and looks at her for a moment. A knowing exchange. They are both children of family feuds that cannot be reversed.

"I wish I could give you advice," Yoo Hyeon lays a tiny smile, pressing the arms of her sunglasses against her own stomach to fold it. "But I'm not in any position to share any."

"Is it true? What they say about your family and that they didn't like tattoos?"

"Oh, they hated them. Thought of it as vandalism and lack of respect to the body. The funny thing is, I see what they mean. After all, it's a choice you make to permanently alter your body, even if it's minute and unnecessary. But it's not up to them to decide what strangers do to their bodies." 

Ki Yeom is slightly stunned at the honesty and openness.

"What, surprised I shared so easily?" Yoo Hyeon chuckles and reopens her sunglasses. "You did well this month. More clients are asking for you."

She holds out a hand for the deck, which Ki Yeom returns. "I try my best." 

"Do you still dream those dreams? The ones that give you your ideas?" 

"Sometimes. But it's not like all my ideas are from my dreams." 

She hums in response and slots her deck back into the folder. "Continue the good work. What you have... It's a talent that not many people have."

An awkward pause.

"Say, I just had an old client... Works for an art establishment over in Europe... He called and asked if I had any recommendations to let join their team of artists."

Ki Yeom straightens her tilted head. She turns and looks around, making sure nobody's eavesdropping.

"I'm- I'm just a tattoo artist."

"Whose job entails strangers trusting you covering their body in permanent ink. I think you'd enjoy this... challenge."

Another knowing silence.

"What is it that's keeping you here?" Yoo Hyeon squints, just slightly. She tilts her head now, as if trying to split Ki Yeom open and read through her memories like a book. "If the thing that's keeping you here isn't bringing you joy or any benefit to your life, then perhaps it's time to move on. Don't let the mistakes you couldn't fix create more mistakes in your life. Else, what's the whole point of the phrase 'Learn from your mistakes'?"

Her words are so sharp, so direct, so fast - it's like she had rehearsed them. They sit in Ki Yeom's heart and her brain and her throat.

"Drop me a text if you're interested. When you think the world is against you, that's when you know it's time to see the rest of the world and realise that the rest of the world actually doesn't care," Yoo Hyeon opens her sunglasses and fits them on her head. She turns around to the front desk and tidies up the remaining decks for the other tattoo artists. "And last I heard from this place, everybody seems to hate you anyway, hmm?"

Clearing her throat, Ki Yeom realises her palms are sweating into the deck.

"Thank you for the offer."

Yoo Hyeon picks up her purse, ready to leave. "You have only yourself to thank that the offer came by, else I wouldn't have even offered it in the first place. But I'll let you know... I'd be vastly disappointed if you reject it. Because then you just might have to work here for the rest of your life."

She offers an animated, stretched out smile, then turns and walks out the door.

The day passes like any other day, other than Ki Yeom's colleagues talking about their decks. Only Jun Yeol and Soo Min had the courage and were good enough friends with Ki Yeom to share each other's. Of course, Ki Yeom had topped sales again.

It was late and most of the other artists have gone home, leaving only them and one or two others with clients who have harder pieces.

"At this rate, you might as well buy the parlour and take over for Ms Ahn," Jun Yeol flips through Ki Yeom's deck.

"Speaking of Ms Ahn, I thought I saw her speaking to you this afternoon when she came in," Soo Min pushed herself over from her working space, the rollers making a frequent squeak-squeak noise as she rolls Jun Yeol's deck up in her hands.

"Oh, my God, I jinxed it?" Jun Yeol closes Ki Yeom's deck and places it back on her desk, arm resting on the edge and turning to look at her in slight disbelief. "Call me a sorceress."

"Soceror," Soo Min rolls her eyes.

"Words should not be bound by gender."

Soo Min glares at him. A cheeky silence as Jun Yeol gets up and snatches his deck from Soo Min's hands.

"She offered me a gig," Ki Yeom whispers, just loud enough for them to hear. Jun Yeol and Soo Min both turn to her.

"In some art organisation. In Europe."

"What?"

"That's crazy!" Jun Yeol's jaw drops, unfolding his deck and mindlessly hurtling it onto Ki Yeom's desk. "What did you say?"

"What's crazier is that she probably rejected it."

"I told her I'd think about it."

"Let me guess, until you die?" Soo Min raises a brow.

"You're a horrible comfort person!" Jun Yeol lands a palm on the backseat of Soo Min's chair and twirls her to face the opposite direction. "Well, what's keeping you thinking? What are the concerns?"

Soo Min squeaks back to face the party of two, looking around to make sure nobody else was listening.

"I don't know. I just... it feels so far."

"Isn't that the point? You're not happy here. Find your happiness elsewhere."

"Will you shut up?" Jun Yeol smacks her over the head, earning a harsh wince and a feigned punch from her. "It's a big deal. Not everyone can uproot and move away from a whole life they've known here. Plus, you have your grandfather, right? I mean I know you're not close but it's not like he's there. He's here. Everyone's here."

"She literally doesn't have any friends here - no offence - but if she can flourish elsewhere, I don't see why she should stay bound here like a poor dog chained to his-"

Then the parlour door swings open, the keychains hanging on the handle ringing as it does.

"Hi. I'm looking for Ki Yeom, I saw somewhere that she worked here."

Soo Min and Jun Yeol look from above Ki Yeom's head, then down at her face as she was backfacing the front door.

Ki Yeom didn't have to turn around to know who it was. She whirls around in the chair, standing as she does. "Who told you I worked here?"

Sim Ji Yeon forces out a sad smile, lips parting to find an answer. "I... I googled you. Took me a couple of minutes, but it wasn't that hard to find your name. Here."

Ki Yeom rubs the back of her neck, turning around to look at her colleagues. Jun Yeol rushes to her side, back facing the stranger as well.

"You look like you need help. Who's she?"

Soo Min shifts her chair so Ki Yeom and Jun Yeol blocks her from the stranger's vision.

"Uh... Long story short: Childhood friend. Fell out because... I didn't like that she was so happy and so nice to me and I felt like she was pitying me after I fell out with my family."

Jun Yeol scowls at her. "'Didn't like that she was so happy'? What are you, allergic to being happy?"

Soo Min swats him on the arm. "You were just telling her to stay here in this miserable place just a couple of minutes ago!"

"They are two very different things, bitch!" His eyes are about to pop out his head. "And did I just hear you call this place a 'miserable' one?"

"Alright, shut up. The two of you. I'm fine. I'll handle it."

Jun Yeol is about to protest when Soo Min reaches out, flicking her fist into his groin. He crouches over, cheeks puffed and lips pursed.

"I'll- I'll get you for that... later."

Then she drags him away from the front door's view.

Ki Yeom must admit, she's not all that surprised Sim Ji Yeon is here. She is persistent and diligent in all the right ways there is as a student and as a person, but that didn't mean that this personality trait wasn't annoying in other contexts.

"I know you've been reading my texts. I just wanted to know how you were doing. I don't know anything about you anymore and I just can't stand to know that... I no longer know anything about you and your life."

The street side lamp outside was illuminating the pavement behind her like she was an angel. Ki Yeom almost wanted to scoff at this sight.

"I don't know why it matters that you don't know anything. My parents don't know anything. Nobody knows anything, but I'm fine and well."

Ki Yeom can see that the words have stung her. Ji Yeon, like the last time she had seen her a couple of years ago, still looked as perfect as ever. Perfectly dyed brown hair, the type that makes her even prettier, but not bright enough for corporate jobs to turn her away. She has that clean girl look going on. White off-shoulder top and flared jeans and slip-on sandals. The ultimate casual pretty-girl look.

"It matters because I care. It matters because you basically disappeared, and for the last couple of years, I've been stuck wondering what I've done wrong. And if it was my fault that the friendship has turned sour."

"It's not your fault, it's mine. For being an ass."

"So at least tell me how you were being an ass. You have so much spine to be out here making a life for your own but you don't have a spine enough to tell me why I had to google you?"

Ki Yeom sharply tilts her head. "'Spine to be out here'? Have you... forgotten why I was even made to be out here making a life for myself?"

The taller clears her throat and looks down at her feet. "I'm sorry. That wasn't what I meant."

Something beeps from behind them at the cashier's. A client awkwardly passes them and leaves.

"Look, I..." Ji Yeon sucks in a deep breath and sighs, gently shaking her head. "I just want to know what happened. And if after all the clearing up, you still hate me and our paths have just... diverged too far and too long ago, then I will just have to make peace with it. But I can't just leave this... it's like abandoning my house without reason."

And the world is even quieter than before.

Suddenly, there's one more thing that is keeping Ki Yeom from leaving, and she hasn't even had this conversation with Ji Yeon.

Heeseung doesn't do it often, but he has his door slightly ajar so he can see if the girl has come home. He hopes she doesn't notice it, because he knows it's creepy and weird and he's kind of an ass because he just wanted to see if he could get a glimpse of-

Ding.

The lift doors open, and he can just barely make out a shadow passing down his corridor. He carefully places his pen down, and makes his way to the door, head carefully peeking out-

"You are quite the busybody, aren't you?"

She uses a fist to shove the door into the apartment, the handle jamming into his stomach.

"Ah-" He groans, clearing his throat and moving backwards, fingers gripping the door. "Well... Humans are only... curious. The letter yesterday was obviously yours."

She squints at him. "You read it, didn't you?"

"Well-"

She kicks the door, pushing him off balance.

"Yes," He quickly admits. "I'm sorry! It just... you crumpled it all up and threw it back in my hands and you looked like you were about to cry so I got curious and-"

"Breached my privacy and read a letter that you knew wasn't yours?"

"Euhhhhhhh..." He squeaks, slightly shrugging his shoulders. "I'm sorry. For what it's worth, I know it's none of my business. Your life is yours, and I couldn't care less-"

"So why were you waiting for me to come back?" She perks up a brow.

"I mean- If you knew someone was going through a hard time, wouldn't you care?"

"Not if this person meant nothing to me."

"You're kind of harsh."

"And you're kind of nosy."

"Okay, okay! I'm nosy and you're sad, I get it."

Ki Yeom rolls her eyes and turns around to make her way back to her own apartment.

"Just so you know! I don't normally care either!" He partially shouts down the corridor as she unlocks her door. "I just-"

SLAM!

"...Am kind of going through an exisistential crisis too."

Heeseung sighs heavily, throwing his head back in frustration. Stepping backwards, he gently gets the door shut, turning around to look at the pile of lecture notes sitting at his desk. There's a gnawing, frustrating feeling in his chest.

Why does it feel like the world is so happening, and he's just a boring loser trying to find entertainment?

He thinks that maybe this mindset is selfish, and that some people would rather live their life in quiet peace. But why does he have the hunger for stories, for gossip and to learn the secrets of others? Is he not worth life's ups-and-downs? Is he so mundane that he will live a mundane life and die a mundane death?

Pathetic, he thinks to himself. He dragged himself all the way out here to find himself, to figure out what life means... and yet he's finding it in other people's demise.

Perhaps this life wasn't for him. Perhaps he belongs in a sheltered home, away from life's trials and tribulations. Perhaps God knows he's too soft and fragile for it.

PART III

[zeno-obsessed]

Hey, can I request some Shin-ah friendship fluff? He's my favorite character!

This is such an old question... but I'm in the mood to write *cracks fingers*

Yun chewed on the inside of his lip as he concentrated on peeling the apple in his hands. The peel glided off expertly into the little squirrel's waiting hands. Ao was always there to pick up whatever he had dropped or any leftovers. Nothing really went to waste. He had a book propped up on the little stone he had found as an impromptu stand. He was reading a new medical book they had managed to by for him in the last town.

He registered Yona and Hak training in the background. Zeno was laying on his bedroll watching them train together. Yun had asked Kija to go get firewood and Shin-Ah was hovering.

"What do you need, Shin-Ah," Yun asked as another slice of apple skin fell off into the eternal void of Ao's mouth.

"Can you teach me," Shin-Ah sat down next to him. "To what," that broke his attention from his multitasking.

"Teach me to read," Shin-Ah said.

Yun blinked a couple of times. Then closed the book and nodded, "What letters do you know?"

"None," Shin-Ah said. "Then let's start at the beginning," Yun said with no hesitation. He grabbed his notepad and handed Shin-Ah a small brush. Yun grabbed his jar of ink and took the cork out with his teeth, spitting it back into his bag for him to complain about finding later.

Yun started with how to hold the brush, "The stylus will go in your hand and you will use your pointer finger, middle finger, and thumb to hold it."

Shin-Ah nodded and was able to replicate the hold that Yun had showed him. Yun walked him through the correct way to dip the ink and wrote four letters at the top of the page, "Can you copy these?"

Shin-Ah nodded. The blue dragon studied the way Yun moved his hand with the brush strokes, focusing on moving his hand the exact same way and eerily almost had Yun's handwriting down by the end of the line of characters.

"Okay, to read you do need to know what sound each of the characters say," Yun pointed to the first letter and had Shin-Ah repeat after him, working so he could know what they were without needing a hint.

"Good job," Yun smiled.

"Yes! Greta job Shin-Ah," Yona cheered for him. The princess and thunder beast had wandered over for a snack. Yun sighed and said, "Let me get lunch started."

"Zeno can help you while the lad finishes the food," Zeno offered.

"Me too," Jae-ha hummed, walking over and sitting down to help, "Although, my handwriting isn't the best."

"Neither is Zeno's," He said, "It was once pretty nice, but Zeno's fallen out of practice with it. Lost the patience to take the time to make it nice, plus the shape of the letters change so much." "The shape..." Shin-Ah asked.

"Yeah the shapes of characters will change and Zeno uses an old version of it or they will make up completely new ones," Zeno complained.

Yun blinked, "Really? You'll have to show me sometime how words have changed."

Zeno smiled, "Zeno can't guarantee he'll remember."

"That's okay," Shin-Ah smiled, going back to practicing the sounds and letters.

[lurkingshan]

The Eighth Sense 9&10

Gosh Jae Won looks so sad

Yesssss therapist call him out. Avoiding Ji Hyun is not helping anyone. Hurting and confusing someone because you want to avoid hurting and confusing them - this logic never holds up.

Joon Pyo calling him narcissistic 🤣 You’re right though, Ji Hyun

Ae Ri giving such good advice you truly are a queen👑

Ji Hyun has the best friends. They’re kind, empathetic, supportive. He’s lucky to have found them so quickly.

No Ji Hyun don’t let Eun Ji get into your head!

The hands!!! I am screaming

Yoon Won really feels clueless sometimes, geez. Can she not see that her friend is traumatized? Why is she making him relive the trip? And yeah clearly she is going through her own stuff but ma’am look outside yourself. Even in the state he’s in, Jae Won sees her pain and responds and I wish she could do the same for him.

Jae Won please stop letting this girl hang all over you, she is so manipulative and you must know exactly what she’s doing. Also pretty disgusted with her trying to get him into bed when he’s in this state. She’s despicable.

Oh poor Ji Hyun, that was awful

Yes Jae Won you are being cruel to Ji Hyun at this point. Sit with it, process it, do something about it. That little smile when he stops in front of Ji Hyun’s restaurant - that felt like him making a decision.

Detective Joon Pyo!

Ji Hyun giving him a camera and a sketch 😭

Time to dump her, Jae Won! Yesssss I knew it

She really was a cheater, huh? I’m not surprised.

I like that Jae Won has snapped out of it and now recognizes that allowing himself to slide back into things with Eun Ji was him actually being out of his mind, whereas being with Ji Hyun was real.

LOVE Jae Won going to boss lady for advice. He seems so much lighter just having ended it with Eun Ji.

Not Ji Hyun flashbacks my heart can’t take it

IS THAT CONAN GRAY OMG THIS SHOW IS TRYING TO KILL ME

Omg I’m crying he went to him!!!

THAT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL

This bed montage… how am I supposed to recover

Aww Ji Hyun is still scared

Jae Won reassuring him so clearly, these boys have communicated

Joon Pyo gave them the room for the night, what a great pal

They’re so cute how do I live how do I function

Jae Won looking at Ji Hyun with naked adoration, teasing him about using banmal, putting his jacket on him… I may never recover

I love Ji Hyun asking for clarity, and them talking so openly about why they’re happy. Healthy kings!

Aww yay, glad something good happened for Yoon Won.

Not Ji Hyun admitting he doesn’t actually care about surfing 🤣 and calling Jae Won out on pretending to need a lighter 🤣🤣

Ji Hyun is low key a little scared to part from Jae Won and I get it

Yes Ae Ri put it together!!! I love her, she is officially my favorite woman character in a bl

Jae Won looks so much better. Just putting an end to denying himself Ji Hyun has done wonders for his mood.

This asshole is actually asking for an apology from Jae Won? Get fucked, Tae Hyung

Ahh Jae Won you need to cut this toxic friend out of your life. But we can’t expect him to change his entire personality in a day. And I do like this explanation for why Jae Won keeps him around - he is comforted by his lack of filter and mask. He always knows where he stands with him, and maybe admires a little that he’s so open.

Jae Won openly smiling at Ji Hyun in front of everyone, we love to see it

They gotta figure out when their day one is, this is very important in dramas!

Yesss Bit Na drag him!!!!

Jae Won if you did not actually mean to come out to Yoon Won you need to be more subtle than that 🤣

Yoon Won and Joon Pyo… I’m picking up a vibe

Jae Won is so much kinder to Eun Ji than she deserves

“I want to be alone with you” 👀

Ji Hyun’s endless list of cheesy couple stuff he wants to do is honestly so cute

Hahaha I knew it

“I have no time to think about anything but you”

Ji Hyun, gracious in victory. Not totally buying Eun Ji suddenly being this chill in defeat, though.

T8S is unfortunately doing the very common kdrama thing of giving shitty characters unearned redemption at the end. Tae Hyung and Eun Ji deserved to be cut off, not receive forgiveness they absolutely did not earn.

Ahh that ending was nice. Ji Hyun coming into his confidence - emotional and physical - is such such a great place to leave that character.

I absolutely loved this show. Episode 9 was the peak for me - that was such excellent emotional catharsis and every moment of it felt earned. The final episode was not perfect - some annoying kdrama tropes reared their heads and I thought tonally it was a little too celebratory - but overall I am ending this series feeling fantastic. What a great ride.

[kpop-kitkat]

Happy Halloween | Lee Jaehyun

pairing | boyfriend!lee jaehyun x f!reader

genre/cw | angst, slight fluff, non idol au, mafia au???, slight hurt comfort, slightly suggestive, mild sexual content, moderate language, violence, minor character deaths, crying, slight horror themes

wc | 1.9k

notes | none

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ 

 "Are you sure about this?" Y/n wondered, holding onto her boyfriend's arm.

 "Of course baby. I wouldn't bring you here if I wasn't," Hyunjae reassured. But yet, something was a little off.

As they stepped into the grand mansion, scary music and extravagant costumes welcomed them. They were dressed up a bit as well. Y/n as an angel, and Hyunjae as a devil. But they didn't that far, as to change their whole entire face with a weird makeup look and change their demeanor.

 "Happy Halloween!" The host, Sangyeon, greeted.

 "Nice party Sangyeon," he chuckled nervously, and Sangyeon gave him a look that Y/n couldn't quite decipher.

Sangyeon walked closer to Hyunjae and whispered into his ear, "I told you not to bring her. She is going to find out about everything and we'll be shut down for good," he explained.

 Hyunjae sighed before whispering back. "I had no other choice. She was already suspicious, and it is Halloween after all. You know what crazy shit goes down. Besides, I'll get her out before she can discover anything."

 "And you really trust she'll listen to you and stay away from here?" Sangyeon raised an eyebrow.

 "Of course. I mean maybe. Well, I hope," Hyunjae replied, making Sangyeon mentally facepalm. 

 "Alright. But be careful," he warned. "I don't want to have to do anything that I don't want to do," he stated, going to greet his other guests.

 "What was that about?" Y/n piped up.

 "Oh, nothing baby. Just stay close to me, okay?" He smiled and took her hand.

 "Okay," she nodded. But she couldn't smile back. Everything in this place was giving off weird vibes. She hated how the atmosphere made the hairs on her arms stand up.

Hyunjae took her over to where the drinks were and poured her a glass of her favorite. "For my lovely girlfriend," he winked, instantly causing her to blush. How did he always mange to get her flustered?

She accepted the drink. "Thank you my handsome boyfriend," she giggled, taking a sip.

When a decent song for dancing began to play, Hyunjae set his drink down and offered Y/n a hand. "May I have this dance?"

 Of course she nodded, and he led her to the dance floor. Although a bit tipsy after a few four drinks, she still danced well enough to surprise Hyunjae.

 "I didn't know you could dance so well," he awed. 

 "Same goes for you," she smiled.

The next song was quieter, and slower. 

 "You know," Hyunjae began. "You look a little too good to be left alone tonight," he whispered, his breath tickling her neck, sending pleasant shivers down her spine. "Wait until we get home baby," he smirked, knowing how much of an effect he had on her. "And I'll show you what I mean."

 As if she didn't already know. She could even tell before he said anything when he was in the mood. They'd been together for three years after all. Since high school graduation.

A tapping of a wine glass drew everyone's gaze.

 "Attention everyone!" Yelled Sangyeon, and everyone quieted down. Y/n was confused when Hyunjae stood in front of her protectively, his head on a swivel. "The voting for the best costume has began! Vote at this table over here and we will reveal the results in fifteen mintutes!" Hyunjae sighed and looked calm again.

��"Jae, what's wrong?" She asked, genuinely worried and confused.

 "Nothing is wrong, trust me," he waved her off. "I just think we should leave soon. I'm getting a strange vibe."

 "You feel it too? I've felt it the whole time," she admitted.

 Hyunjae mentally facepalmed. The guys really weren't being discreet, were they? They had all the partiers on the edge of their seats.

 "Yeah," he simply replied. "Stay right here, I'll be back," he assured, leaving to find Juyeon, who was on the other side of the room. "You are being way too obvious. Everyone is getting scared," he crossed his arms.

 "Don't worry. It's not like they can go anywhere," Juyeon explained, seemingly unbothered of Hyunjae's concerns.

 "What do you mean they can't go anywhere?" 

 "Chanhee locked the doors from outside," Juyeon replied.

 "Juyeon, Y/n is in here!" Hyunjae whisper-shouted. 

 "Then give her a mask and she'll be fine," Juyeon rolled his eyes.

 "No you don't understand. She doesn't know anything about this operation!" He admitted.

 "What?!" He shouted, accidentally drawing attention to himself. Once everyone looked away from him, he continued. "Will she tell anyone?"

"Maybe," Hyunjae shrugged.

"You don't even realize how bad you've messed up. The gas is about to fill the room in two minutes," Juyeon warned.

Hyunjae's jaw dropped. And I'm less than a second, he was running to Y/n. "Y/n! You need to follow me right now," he begged.

 "Hyunjae what is-"

 "I'll explain later!" He yelled, taking her arm and rushing her upstairs.

He quickly opened a door and shoved her inside, locking the door behind them. He rummaged through the closet before finding a mask and tossing it at her. "Put it on."

She began to cry, despite her will. "What's happening?"

 "Please don't cry," he said, going over to her and caressing her cheek. "I'll explain everything. Right now, you need to put this on. This mansion is about to be filled with poisonous gas."

Her eyes widened as she quickly put the mask on. "What do we do now?"

 "Get in a bathtub and just try not to breath too much," he instructed, leading her to a bathroom and getting in with her, his mask now on as well.

Soon enough, a fog-like gas leaked into the air. Horrifying shrieks were heard from the floor below. Y/n let out a small whimper as Hyunjae pulled her close, one hand around her back and the other covering her ear. Once the gas reached them, they slowed their breathing. After about ten minutes, the air was clear and safe to breath.

Y/n ripped off her mask and began to breath ten times faster than normal. "Hyunjae-"

 "Not now. We need to get out of here," he interrupted, standing up and offering her a hand. But she didn't take it.

 "Not until you tell me what the hell is going on!" She screamed.

 "Don't make this difficult baby," he sighed, pulling her arm gently.

 She pulled away from him. "Hyunjae you're scaring me!" She admitted. "Were you and your friends planning this? To kill everyone here?"

When he fell silent, she had already gotten her answer.

 "You're a murderer," she whispered, her face emotionless.

 "Y/n please-"

 "You knew this was the plan all along!" She shouted.

He hastily pressed his hand against her mouth and pressed her back into the wall. "If you don't keep quiet, you could be in real danger," he warned. "You have to come with me. They might do something to you."

 She tried to resist and yell for help, but he overpowered her. She truly didn't understand that he was just trying to help her.

 "I don't want to hurt you," he stated more calmly. "Look, I got myself into a really bad situation five years ago. I should've told you the day I asked you to be mine, but I was afraid you'd reject me. I really just want to protect you and get you out of this mess. And I would never trick you. I love you," he smiled, removing his hand from her mouth and instead caressing her cheek with his thumb. "Do you trust me?"

 She looked at the ground and sighed before looking back up. "Of course I do. I always have."

 "Okay. Then come with me. We need to leave," he took her hand.

 She nodded and they made their way downstairs.

Dead bodies were spread across the dance floor. Y/n refused to look as she clung to Hyunjae. They were about to exit when they found the front door locked from the outside.

 "Someone tell Chanhee to unlock the doors!" Hyunjae yelled into the air.

 "Not so fast Hyunjae," said Sangyeon, in a sickeningly sweet voice. "I'm afraid I can't let you leave."

"Sir I'm not sure I understand," he tilted his head.

"The girl has seen too much. And I can't trust that she'll keep quiet about it. Nor can I trust that you'll keep an eye on her. I know love can make you do crazy things," he chuckled darkly.

 "Get behind me," Hyunjae whispered to his girlfriend. "What are you trying to say Sangyeon?"

 "Either she joins us, or you're both dead," he simply stated.

 "Sangyeon I can't involve her in this," he argued. "I don't want to be involved in this either. What we're doing is wrong. It always has been."

 "Well unfortunately for you, you walked in on us when we were doing the same thing years ago," Sangyeon clicked his tongue.

 "What is going on?" Y/n asked, scared for her life, as well as Hyunjae's.

 "Your boyfriend here is a member of our gang. All of us work under a bigger underground company. Care to explain Hyunjae?”

Hyunjae sighed before turning to Y/n, hands on her shoulders. “Look… when I started dating you, I accidentally got involved in this underground company Sangyeon is talking about. They kill people to use them for scientific research, supposedly,” he explained.

”I think you mean ‘you’ kill people,” she whispered, teary eyed.

”Baby please-“

”I’ve seen enough,” Sangyeon interjected, aiming a gun at Hyunjae’s head. “Any last words?”

Y/n shut her eyes and clung to Hyunjae, waiting for death’s cold embrace. But unfortunately for Sangyeon and his gang, they had lingered there too long. Enough time for the S.W.A.T. team to arrive.

”Hands where I can see them!” Their authorities voices rang out. 

Knowing he was dead if he was caught, Hyunjae grabbed Y/n’a hand and rushed out of there. And nobody but Sangyeon noticed their absence.

~~~~~

Hyunjae locked the door behind them as he and Y/n entered the apartment. They were safe now. 

“Tell me the truth,” Y/n panted, hands on the kitchen counter as she caught her breath, slowly meeting Hyunjae’s gaze. “Are you really innocent? Were you forced to do these things? To lie to me all these years?”

Hyunjae felt a wave of guilt wash over him, ultimately bringing him to tears. “I tried,” he began. “I tried to get out. I never wanted to kill anyone. And I never wanted to lie to you. I just,” he choked on his own sobs. “I didn’t want anyone to hurt you if I told you. I couldn’t do that. I’m sorry.”

Y/n walked over to him and crouched down beside him. She lifted his head up. “You don’t have to be sorry,” she smiled. “I should be sorry. If I would’ve known, I wouldn’t have been so inconsiderate. You did the right thing all along, I just want you to know.”

He smiled a teary smile before embracing her. “Thank you.”

She smiled and hugged back. “It’s all over now,” she sighed, pulling away. “I love you Lee Hyunjae.”

”I love you L/n Y/n,” he replied, kissing her cheek. “Now, how about what I promised you earlier?” He smirked. 

“Hyunjae!”

[ofdeference]

gcldfanged asked: He has to tug his necktie and collar open to get some air against his flushed skin, attempting to steady his own breathing and doing a shit job of it anyway. Jae was pretty sure Reno had already noticed, if his loud 'innocent' whistling as he left the meeting room was any indication. Rude never looked him in the eyes even once throughout, for which he was extremely grateful. At least some people could exercise tact. Yoon honestly deserved some kind of medal of fucking honor for performing as well as he did despite, well... everything. He follows Tseng back to his office, making sure to lock the door behind him. He's unsteady on his feet, gritting his molars together so hard he wouldn't be surprised if he'd cracked a tooth from the pressure. He doesn't fall to his knees in a mess or anything, but he does manage to choke back a noise threatening to leak from his throat as he continues to stand before Tseng's desk, a perfect image of patience and obedience.

Jae is far too composed for his taste and it is a strong adjacent to disappointment which overtakes his predominant mood, hiding expertly behind a cold indifference. The show his subordinate performed was certainly one to remember but the satisfaction in watching it fled the moment Jae stood before him as defiant as always.

Was that his gleeful wish or was that a tremor rippling through the smaller body?

It tears a curl of his lips from him in spite of his carefully crafted control.

"Something bothering you?" His voice is an earthquake's silken purr, fingers slipping into his pocket to thumb the button until he's certain the power and speed have been maximized. And in the same breadth of a moment he is rounding the barrier of his desk to stand behind the man ready to catch him should his strength fail.

"You look absolutely drained, Jae. Would you like someplace to sit?" Contrary to his offer there is no chair in the immediate vicinity, there is only the polished edge of his desk against which the smaller man is nudged. Hips greet the curve of Jae's ass, fingers sliding down to the tremble of his thighs.

"Should I call for a medic?"

[smilingangel582]

Won't you smile, beautiful boy genuis?

Hey, yall, I'm doing another yona of the dawn tk fic. Yoon is one of my favourite boys in this series. This beautiful boy genuis is a cute downright tsunderer. Adorable right! Soooo read it and enjoy!!!

Warning: Watch the series first if you don't want to be spoiled

"HOW CAN I TAKE CARE OF YOU WHEN YOU ARE TOO CARELESS OF YOURSELF?!"

The distant yelling came from Yoon, who was yelling at the oracle Ik-soo, who gave a nervous chuckle as Yoon bandaged his head tightly. He was bleeding from the temple, and Yona guessed that he had tripped as always.

Hak and Jae-ha were behind at as well after training. Yoon was still yelling without any breaks, his cheeks puffed red, and his eyes blazing with rage.

"Now now, don't start yelling out of the blue..." Jae-Ha said with a hint of amusment, lowering his weapons by the front door. Yoon glared at him suddenly, threatening. "Better watch your mouth or I won't ever stitch your wounds"

He winced, making Hak laugh his eerie laugh, "Perve got served..."

"Shut up, Hak!"

Yoon finished tying the bandage on Ik-Soo who clapped happily like a child "Thank you dear Yoon... you're the best."

"Yeah, whatever... I just don't want you dying on my door..."

Yona turned to Hak now "where are Kija, Zeno and Shin-Ah?"

"Probably hunting..." Hak shrugged. Yoon hearing this huffed "You all think making wounds is a joke since I'm around patching you up!"

Yona gave a shy smile now. "Aw Yoon, don't be mad, you're our saviour... we rely on you because you're amazing!"

Jae-Ha nodded. "Yeah, pipsqueak, better not frown otherwise your pretty face will be filled with ugly wrinkles"

Yoon gasped now, touching his face. "I have a beautiful face, don't you dare insult me!"

Zeno came in first in a singing tone and pouncing on Yun with a grin. "Heeey, Yoon-chan!!! I'm hungry. What's for lunch?"

Yoon's eyebrow twitched "Well I'm your maid now?"

Kija laughed it off, his hand rising to ruffle Yoon's hair. "Sorry, Yoon, didn't mean to trouble you. Are you in a bad mood?"

Yoon frowned "No why? I'm just-"

Zeno became more clingy, almost making Yoon stumble back because of his small, delicate build. He was feeling tensed now, "Turn that frown... upside... down!"

When Zeno said 'down,' he dug into Yoon's ribs, making the young boy sputter in confusion. "W-what h-hey don't touch -gehet off!"

Zeno brightened now, pinning the boy down "Ahhh Yoon got a little weakness, yes? Wheeeere are you gooooing?" Zeno taunted him playing grabbing him firmly and tickled his ribs harder, making Yoon recoil to the side giggling instantly."Hohohld ohohon! Dohohohont tihihickle mehehe! Stahahap thahahaht!"

"I woooont!" Sang Zeno, who looked at others to make them join with him.

Shin-Ah tapped Yona in the shoulder and whispered "Yoon... laughing...cute"

She giggled delightedly "isn't he? How cute"

"Hm, he sure is," Kija did with a flushing smile.

Jae-Ha exchanged smirks with Hak, who also got down cracking his knuckles. "Defying your seniors is pretty rude... shall we punish this little boy genius?"

Jae-ha nodded. "we shall, Hak..."

"Ihihihi rehehehfuse thihihis humihihiliation!" Yoon hugged his midriff and curled forward. Ik-soo chuckled into his hand. "You haven't changed... I remember how you giggled so sweetly like a little bird"

"CUHUHUT IHIHIT OUT IK-SOOHOHO. NOHOT HEHELPING!" His laugh increased when Hak wiggled a finger around his neck, which seemed sensitive enough."Oh my, is your neck sensitive?"

With that, Yoon raised his hands to cover his blushing face, shaking his head with more streams of laughter. He was like no longer their travelling partner, but a cute little brother laughing like a child.

"Ohoho don't hide!" Kija giggled joining in now."Won't you smile, beautiful boy genius?"

"GUHUHUYS NOHOHO!" He began whining with his loud laughter, but his arms lowered more when Hak concentrated on the armpits and the upper ribs.

"He's got a weak spot at his foot, the arcs, I guess. It's so precious!" Ik-soo said with a bright wide smile.

"Trahahahaitor idihihiot ihihik-sohohoo!" Yoon shook his head."Ahahah gahahad nohohot thehehere! YOHOHONA! PLEHEHEHEASE!"

Hak widened his eyes, looking down where Yona attacked his feet. "Princess got him to beg... I'm impressed -yoon is pretty difficult to crack"

"It would seem, now he's imploring... that's rich." There is a similar surprise from Kija who still attacked his waist.

Yona giggled as well, allowing Shin-ah and Zeno to hold his legs and tickle the knees a rather different spot, which even Yoon was unaware of.

Yoon didn't seem to hate it that much, but still, he pretended to hate it by insulting and half kicking Hak harshly enough to make him grunt but not wound him. He was happy for some reason.

"AHAHAHA IHIHIHI GIHIHIVE -AHAHA STOHOHOP -MEHEHEHRCY!"

"Do you swear not to be upset again?"

Hak said, slowing his attack while only Kija, Jae-ha, and Zeno remained as Yona left Yoon alone.

"I... uhuhu..." Yoon looked to the side, panting a little. He didn't answer for a longtime and it made Hak wiggled his fingers with a menacing grin "Yoon... your promise? Don't leave me hanginggg~"

Yoon flinched with a giggle crossing his arms across to stop Hak further on, "Ihihi swear -I swear! Ihihi sweeehehehear!"

Hak was back yo gentle and ticklish pokes, which made Yoon jump adorably. "Plehehease!"

Everyone stopped and then Yoon laid sprawled with a gasp. Hak smiled fondly "We got you Yoon, don't worry... we won't hurt ourselves..."

Yoon's blue eyes sparkled with a hint of happiness and relief, but also blushing from the sentiment. "I don't care if you lose a limb. Don't die on me,"

"Oh, so are you back to being cocky with me, kid?" Hak poked his tummy, making him giggle and shrink to the ground. With a few pokes from them and there, Yoon got up, still flustered. "I... well ... I'm worried about all of you so..." he shyly looked down and then back at Yona, whose pretty smile lightened his heart, giving butterflies. His cheeks heated up instantly.

"Yooon~ you're staring..." this was Jae-ha who said a finger up his back starting the genius.

Yoon yelped, trying to punch the green dragon, "Ah! Stop that! Alright, get out now and let me make dinner! Otherwise, you're all going to starve!"

"we're all in your debt, mother," everyone bowed teasingly, making Yoon blush more.

"Shut up!"

[regisela]

⠀⠀*⠀⠀SPY MASTER OF THE DAY COURT, REZEF KATZ.

❪ LEE JAE—WOOK. cis—male. he / him. ❫ ┊ 28, 280. high fae. ＊ cauldron save you. it seems REZEF KATZ … RYEO KANG has finally made it to the capital, the SPY MASTER from THE DAY COURT is said to be PERCEPTIVE, and is said to describe themselves with: REJECTION BY DEATH, ╱ INFECTION WITH LIFE. A PRAYER TO NEVER REST IN PEACE. HALF A CORPSE ╱ HALF A GOD. AN EMPTY VOID WAITING TO BE FILLED. and with all of this in mind, their RUTHLESS nature always seems to get them into trouble. may the mother hold them as they navigate this unthinkable time.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ✱⠀⠀⋯⠀⠀MINUTIAE.

TRUE NAME, ryeo ❪ 려 ❫ kang ❪ 강 ❫. FALSE NAME, rezef katz. EPITHETS, the tyrant of the day court. DATE OF BIRTH, the first day of the fourth month. AGE, 28 physically — 280 psychologically. PLACE OF BIRTH, the day court of prythian. GENDER, cis male ❪ he / him ❫. STAR—SIGN, aries. ORIENTATION, bisexual. SPECIES, high fae. LOYALTY, the day court ❪ assumed ❫.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ✱⠀⠀⋯⠀⠀REFLECTION.

FACE—CLAIM, lee jae—wook. HAIR, black — short. VISAGE, sharply defined. dead—lit eyes. pale, chapped lips. calloused hands. EYES, brown. HEIGHT, 190 cm. STYLE, consistent of a dark palette of blacks and grays. DOMINANT HAND, right. SIGNATURE SCENT, metallic — mint.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ✱⠀⠀⋯⠀⠀TEMPERAMENT.

LABEL, the lost star. CHARMS, independent. perspective. intelligent. steadfast. adaptable. suave. FLAWS, arrogant. ruthless. impulsive. disloyal. selfish. manipulative. deceitful. MORAL ALIGNMENT, lawful neutral. TEMPERAMENT, melancholic.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ✱⠀⠀⋯⠀⠀BACKSTORY.

⠀⠀i.⠀⠀rezef katz was born as ryeo kang. he wasn’t born as the man he is as of current. he was a rebel, a trouble—maker who’d often use his mood to depend on whether to sabotage his father’s plans at trying to do his job as the day court’s spy master, or help him. simply put, ryeo was not the typical son that was wanted, much less loved.

⠀⠀ii.⠀⠀parents find one thing in common to talk about: court feuds. seasonal and solar courts do not get along — ryeo is warned. but at the age of sixteen, he finds love in the form of a girl from the winter court; frost in her veins and so, so, cold that she burned ryeo with every glance like the sun would. nothing comes in the way of this girl and boy of polar opposites in spite of the bad—blood. after all, she’d fallen for ryeo without effort and he, the same. the star to her skies — she’d call him.

⠀⠀iii.⠀⠀it’s funny how the world works, how everything can fall apart in a second. at the age of eighteen, ryeo loses everything dear to him — his heart, his lover, his light, his family, but gains one thing in return: the title of spy master. they’ve found a purpose for him, discovered his skill for fitting into spaces and gauging information out of others easily, a talent for obtaining trust that most struggle to do so. the day court had made a weapon out of a boy whose hands hold nothing, their trump card.

⠀⠀iv.⠀⠀with his succession, ryeo kang becomes rezef katz to those outside of the day court. an empty shell, who will use violence if he feels the need. rumors run around about his loyalty to the day court — and his past relationship with one of the seasonal court is no secret. (devotion to the solar courts wavers constantly, he’d fit more into night / winter court with how he hardly dwells within light, or uses his powers.)

⠀⠀note.⠀⠀prone to updates.