#kung Jin angst

[nightmarerodent]

More angast for Kung Jin! 😈

What would be his worst nightmare, from which he would wake up in a cold sweat, not being able to sleep for the rest of the night?

😈

“All you ever do is cause problems! Not everything has to be a dick measuring contest, you know!” Jacqui’s words clawed at his chest, leaving bloody wounds in their wake.

“For someone claiming to be so smart, the cold reality is you’re as useless as they come.” Frost sneered, “Little more than more useless grandstanding from the pointless Kung’s.”

Jin tried to tune out the voice but was instead met with Cassie’s, “What is your problem!? Do you really get some sick joy out of this!? Does watching everyone else fail somehow make you feel better about your sad, pathetic life!?”

It didn’t. That wasn’t true!

“You’re a real piece of shit, you know that?”

No! What did he do? What didn’t he do? His friends, everyone, was turning against him.

“The Shaolin expect better, Kung Jin. You will not be White Lotus this way.” Raiden’s words echoed like rolling thunder, rattling bone.

And then, there he stood. His oldest friend. For the longest time, his only friend.

“Takeda.” Jin’s voice was hollow.

The ninja refused to look at him.

“You really had me going there,” the voice was wet and heartbroken, “Really played me for a fool. I bet you’re pretty proud of that. The Great Kung Jin strikes again. To think I actually liked that about you.”

“Takeda, wait! Hold on! What did-” Jin called out, trying to approach his friend but always seemed just out of reach.

“I should’ve known better than to trust some thief.”

“Tak, you’re my friend. I’m sorry, I don’t-”

“WHY WOULD I EVER BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?” Takeda’s voice echoed and mixed into a cacophony with all his other friends’ cries.

“WhO wOuLd WaNt To Be WiTh A tHiNg LiKe YoU?”

“No OnE lOvEs YoU!”

The voices mixed like maelstrom winds. Freezing. Cutting. Jin covered his ears but it only made them grow louder. Angrier. He was alone. So very alone.

No one.

No one.

No one.

No

one.

Oji?

He shot up in a cold sweat, gasping for air, the sheet constricting him like a python with its prey. He pulled it off him, taking another large gulp of air as he surveyed his surroundings. Dark room. Bed. Night. Where was he?

The door cracked open with a foreboding creek and his head whipped around to see the cause and possible intruder.

Slowly opening the door, as careful as could be was a small four year old girl dressed in PJs, clutching her favorite stuffed T-Rex like her life depended on it, her curly hair an absolute mess from tossing in her sleep, eyes wide with fear. Vee.

It was little Vera. He was at Jacqui’s and Takeda’s. She was pregnant again and due very soon. They asked him to help. They said they wanted him here. They wanted him here.

He let out a long breath, his racing heart finally slowing. He was safe. He was fine. He was safe.

“Oji?” Vee’s voice was small and watery.

“Hey kiddo,” he was glad his voice didn’t come out shaky, “Bad dream?”

She nodded her head and quickly scurried her way over to the guest bed and hoisted herself up. He drew her in and let her snuggle her way into his side. Under any other circumstances he might privately gloat that she came to him instead of her parents, use it as proof that he was in fact her favorite. It didn’t seem very important right now, though. She was as much of a comfort to him as he was to her right now. She needed her favorite uncle and he needed his favorite girl.

“Everyone was being mean to you.” She sniffed.

She had that glint in her eye. The one Takeda has when he uses his powers. She must have read his nightmare and saw it as her own. He felt guilty for the grief it’s causing her. Her powers were developing far faster than her father’s had. He’ll bring it up to them tomorrow. Maybe ask Grandmaster Hasashi for advice on how to block thoughts from leaking out.

“Don’t worry, Vee,” he removed some of the hair from her eyes, “It’s just a bad dream. None of it is true.”

She sniffed again and rubbed her nose, “I love you, Oji.”

“I love you too, little bunny,”

She fell asleep again with him as her guard.

[running-with-the-feels]

Wraith Kuai Liang Au Headcanons again(some fluff and then angst):

* Kuai Liang and Hanzo have taken up therapy painting together, a way for Kuai Liang to feel like he has more semblance of control over himslef and doesn’t need to be ordered on the whim of others like his existence as a wraith, while it’s a way for Hanzo to work out his complex and more heightening emotional issues.

* Sarena lives with the Lin Kuei, Kuai Liang has hidden here from Raiden and the special forces after saving her as he remembers her from his day as a wraith and her connection to her brother, she was one the one that showed empathy to him as a wraith. She’s Frost’s and Takeda’s wine aunt basically.

* As a wraith appearance wise Quan Chi ensured that Kuai Liang much like Bi-Zhan was unregonizle as possible as a Wraith

* He no longer wore any blue, the only sign of it was the hints of silver and blue blood from the visible veins on his skin reminiscent to the liquid that ran through his cybernetic body.

* He resembled a sickly and rotting dragonic man, bone like claws and long fangs dripping with posion, twisted horns that were chipped and broken. His clothing was a twisted version of his Lin Kuei uniform stained with so much blood it no longer contained bits of blue, with misc pieces of his cyber body making up as armour. The scars from when he was torn apart when becoming a cyborg are prominent.

* His eyes were a bit less drastic change, no longer blue, brown, or even purely white like Scorpion but a red that matched Quan Chi’s own.

* He works closely with his clan’s medics having gained the trust to let them use his poison abilities for antidotes and medicine

* His poison abilities allow him to make different types of poison and venom, from snake venom to acidic posion similar to reptile.

* Post being restored, his years as a wraith have still affected him in strange ways, he gets chronic migraines and head pain from both his horns being unnatural, but also his mind having been through so much trauma and having his head fucked with so much. But as well he find himself becoming more tolerant of heat.

* Hanzo and Kuai Liang are technically married, they had a small ceremony and was not known to many besides close friends like Kenshi, Johnny, and Jax( who were told by the kombat kids)

* Kuai Liang’s hair has gotten long and often the children of the clan’s are allowed to style it because he can’t say no to them. His style is eccentric already because he wears a lot of jewelry made by them anyway.

* Had the autopsy scars from the cyber Lin Kuei even after being restored, he covers them up as much as possible, his headband covers the one on his head. He hates having it touched.

* Raiden and Kuai Liang’s relationship is far more aggressive as well, Raiden’s behavior is far worse in this Au, far more unhinged that even those close to him like his brother have distanced themselves. Hell a lot of the newer Lin Kuei recruits are from the Wu Shi Academy have deflecting like Kung Jin who joined the Lin Kuei after Takeda said Kuai Liang would be willing to help him.

* Could not speak as a wraith and it fucked up his vocal cords even when he was away from Quan Chi’s control so he often spoke in short sentences, it takes a good long recovery for it to heal properly. In the same vein during moments of extreme anger or bitterness there is a subtle distorted hiss in his voice much like when he was a wraith.

* Ice skates frequently with frost, ended up teaching Takeda and even does more advanced dance moves found in ice skating with Hanzo, Hanzo is suffering

Some Headcanons with the events of Mk11 in mind:

* Both Noob Saibot, young Bi-Han, young smoke, cyber Subzero make their appearance

* Almost none of them recognize Kuai Liang when they meet him without his mask, like in an uncanny valley way, he’s far older and his appearance changed drastically due to his years as a wraith.

* Bi-Han was more or less manipulated into thinking it was an version of himself that took a darker path, that he needed to kill because this version killed Kuai Liang( idea from a video on YouTube bascially with young Bi-Han who was unaware of anything that happened post his own death)

* Cyber Subzero is one of the many minions of Kronika who is under control of Sektor. Can’t kill him due to being the past version of Kuai Liang, without him existing Kuai Liang would fade away.

* Smoke and Cyrax say a similar phrase to Kuai Liang like in mk11, commenting on how old Kuai Liang is after learning it’s him.

* Noob Saibot is more less instead of fighting his brother wants him to rejoin his side in death as his second in command because he knows Kuai Liang was turned into a wraith and wants his brother to regain that power again.

eeeeeeeeeeeeee I've missed this au!

Kuai Liang is actually a really good artist, having been taught by his father and sister before they died. As much as the therapy painting helps him heal from being a wraith, it also helps him process his grief over their deaths and lets him feel close to them

Sareena and Kuai Liang don't have much in common, but they each try their best to take care of the other to honor Bi-Han's memory

After being freed from Quan Chi's control, Kuai Liang starts to regain his original appearance very slowly, though not fully until he's made human again. This leaves him with a monster form that he can switch into at will where his poison powers are at their strongest.

He cannot stand the sight of the colour red now, due to the blood that had dyed his armor as a wraith

his eyes stay red after being restored and he hates it

There's a type of tea that helps with the chronic pain, though it doesn't fix it, that can only be gathered in outworld

Kuai Liang and Hanzo got married in secret with the kombat kids not finding out for months afterwards, they wanted it to be something that was just theirs

Kuai Liang ends up getting piercings once the kids start making him earrings. he looks in the mirror once and for a moment thinks he's looking at his mother (she had long hair and a lot of piercings too) and Hanzo finds him crying a little bit later

Kuai Liang and Kung Jin actually become quite close, bonding over their experiences in Outworld. Cassie ends up joining the Lin Kuei too in order to be with Frost, while Jacqui goes to the Shirai Ryu to marry Takeda before Raiden can stop her

There are days when Kuai Liang struggles to speak even now, leading to him and Hanzo learning sign language

Frost didn't know how to skate until Kuai Liang taught her, claiming that it was necessary for all cryomancers to know how to move on ice (he's just looking for an excuse to bond

Mk11

Kuai Liang is desperate to reconnect with Smoke, Cyrax, and Bi-Han (And Hydro who also comes back) and is deeply hurt by Bi-Han trying to kill him (side note, someone please give me the link to that youtube video

They can't kill cyber subzero, but they can disable him, so Hanzo does that to prevent Kuai Liang from having to see it, knowing it will cause more nightmares

Bi-Han and Kuai Liang's reunion is full of tears and shouting bc neither can comprehend why the other has chosen the side they have

[summerwritesfics]

🌸Request Rules🌸

Request Status: CLOSED

Rules Last Updated: 19th August 2023

Below is a brief list of things I will write, might write and won’t write! Please take a minute to read through this list, and look through the FAQ before asking questions. This will change from time to time as new things come up. I would appreciate if you could like this post so I know you’ve read through before requesting but it isn’t necessary!

If you have any questions, please read the FAQ first before asking, but otherwise feel free to either DM me or reply to this post if this doesn’t answer what you need :)

Yes

Fluff

Angst

Hurt/Comfort

Whump & Gore

Violence & Fighting

Messy/Complicated Relationships

M/M, F/F, M/F, NB/NB, NB/M, NB/F

Gen, Platonic & Family Relationships

Ship’s I Don’t Personally Ship (Please consult below for exceptions)

Poly Ships

Maybe

Smut/NSFW (18+ Only!)

BDSM & Kinks (Please consult below for exceptions)

Depression, Suicide and Self Harm

Sick Fic

Pregnancy

Major Character Death

No

NSFW Involving Minors

NSFW Requests From Minors

Romance Between Minors & Adults

Incest

Rape/Non-Con

Domestic Abuse

Homophobia, Transphobia, Racism, Ablism, Basically Any Sort Of Bigotry

Vomit/Vomiting

Forcefeeding

Fingernail/Toenail Trauma

Food Play

Scat/Watersports/Any Sort Of Bodily Fluid Other Than Cum

Armpit Kink, Foot Fetish

DaddyDom/MommyDom, DDLG, DDLB, MDLG, MDLB or any variation

Medical Kink

Cancer & Seizures (Possibly temporary)

Ships I Won’t Write

I want to make it clear this isn’t a hate list, this is merely a list of ships I’m not comfortable writing for whatever reason.

Canon/Reader, Anything Y/N Or Selfship

Canon/OC

OC / OC

Kuai Liang/Frost

Kuai Liang/Cassie Cage

Bi-Han/Frost

Shao Kahn/Sindel

Ferra/Any Character

Kung Jin/Any Female Character

Other Important Stuff

Top!Kuai/Bottom!Hanzo is strictly reserved for special occasions (birthdays, events & giveaways). If your request doesn’t fall into a special occasion, then I only write Top!Hanzo/Bottom!Kuai

Actually on that note, my default for all Kuai Liang ships is him being the bottom. If that isn’t what you want, I am probably not the person you should be requesting from lmfao.

Q: How Do I Send A Request?

A: DM on either Tumblr or Discord or sending an Ask to my personal blog @summertrapped

Q: Are Your Yes/Maybe/No Lists Set In Stone?

A: For the most part, yet.

Q: Why Won’t You Write Reader Insert Fics?

A: They just aren’t my cup of tea as a writer. I’ve bent this rule once in the past, but I intend to keep that as a one off. I think there are a lot of other people who can write that content a lot better than me :)

Q: Why Won’t You Write OC’s?

A: I simply don’t feel comfortable writing other peoples OC’s.

Q: Why Won’t You Write Insert Ship Here?

A: The ships listed in my no-write list are merely just there because I am uncomfortable writing them in a romantic manor. I will write these characters in platonic/gen fics, it is just the romance I am uncomfortable with.

Q: Why Won’t You Write About Insert Subject On My No List Here?

A: There’s a lot of reasons and it’s really a case by case basis. Some are things I just flat out don’t write about, some are things I occasionally write but are subjects that I do not feel comfortable taking on as requests and some are simply just personal squicks of mine that I’d rather not write about if possible :)

Q: What If Something I Want Is On The Maybe List?

A: The maybe list is really stuff I will write but I’ll need to negotiate with you on some stuff regarding it. Smut is strictly 18+! I will not take smut requests from minors and will ask to double check your age before I write. If I find out you have lied about your age, I will block you and cancel your request (and no, if you can not respect this boundary, you are not “mature for your age”). Depression, self harm and suicide can be touchy subjects for me, so I will do requests so long as I’m in a safe mental state to do so. Sick fic I’ll do so long as sickness doesn’t involve vomiting. Pregnancy, again, depends how I’m feeling, and I flat out won’t write about morning sickness. Major character death depends on many factors and is genuinely a case by case basis, so you’ll really need to talk to me about what you want for me to say if it’s a no go.

Q: What’s The Deal With Top!Kuai/Bottom!Hanzo? Can I Request Kuai Topping In Other Ships?

A: I’ll Be honest this one is maybe a bit petty, as it’s just not my preference and that’s all there is to it lol. It’s more here as a warning that unless it’s a special occasion and you specifically request it, I will default to Top!Hanzo/Bottom!Kuai, and generally just write Bottom!Kuai for all ships involving him. That said, Top=/=Dominant and Bottom=/=Submissive, so if you want Dom!Kuai that’s fine, just know it’ll be Power Bottom flavour :)

Q: Do You Only Take Requests For Mortal Kombat Fics?

A: At present yes, although I would consider requests for Loom, but that’s such an obscure game I doubt that’s gonna happen. Maybe one day I’ll find another fandom I want to write for, but for now, I’m happy with MK :)

[dotthings]

Kung Fu 3.07 "Villains" WELL THAT ESCALATED QUICKLY

Pei-Ling and Zhilan. These sisters. Zhilan offers Pei-Ling an apology for, y'know, murdering her, and Pei-Ling apologizes for abandoning Zhilan. There's so much hurt and history and also love between those two. And then they lose Pei-Ling again, for now, because Xiao and her Harvester, Bo, trick them all.

Xiao attacking Mei-Ling, in the Shen home, and Jin saving the day clobbering Xiao with a vase. Jin, who insists on speaking with his own voice, from his heart, while running for office. Mei-Ling, mirroring her husband, determined to assert her rights over her own restaurant again. They're different yet so well matched and similar in many ways and both are so strong-willed. The epic love story of Mei-Ling and Jin.

Nicky standing between Xiao and Mei-Ling, Jin, and Althea like a tiger protecting her cubs and she has claws but can't bring herself to use the knife because of her love for her again-possessed shifu. Nicky fights for love, out of love, always.

The Sebryannnnnnnnnn. "I have to. It's Seb." Seb pulled Ryan out of his coma, and Ryan's not going to give up on Seb. So he'll go into the dark, against a dangerous ancient warrior hunting all the shoobies through the building, to save Seb. And they do save Seb, but because of Seb's past, being possessed by Xiao dredges up a lot of things he wishes he could leave in the past, and because Xiao made Seb hurt Ryan while she possessed him. Ryan the very last person in the world Seb would ever want to hurt.

Ryan really was an mvp in this ep. Using his medical knowledge, science, and applying it to magic, to solve things and run the tests and then he figured out that the lids had been switched, and Ryan, the healer, who doesn't have much in the way of fight training, the gentle scientist, refusing to stay behind in the hurt for Xiao, so he could save Seb.

But Seb. First he loses his spot at Harmony Dumplings and it puts a rift between him and his friend Mei-Li, now he's terrified because of what happened while he was possessed, due to that trauma and his love for Ryan, and can't be with Ryan right now. Seb felt so rootless before he met Ryan and right now he's on his own. By his choice, and I hope he realizes that's not the way, and he can lean on the people he loves, his discovered family, and the love of his life, and I'm having a lot of Seb angst.

[chloeriversongwrites]

Rules + Fandoms

Hello everyone and welcome to my rules and list of Fandoms that I write for both Reader and Oc inserts, please keep in mind that these are short stories and not fanart (sorry, I’m not an artist). Anyway, I decided to redo the rules since I didn’t like how they came out the second time, the first time didn’t make any sense to me (at the time when I first made these rules, I was super tired and was in a hurry).

Anyway, I would appreciate it if you read the rules before making a request or requests (depending on if you want to request more than one).

Also, if you’re a spam/hacker account that comments with a link to an app/website, you will be BLOCKED AND REPORTED!!! I’m not risking my phone or laptop getting a virus or getting hacked.

However, I will make things easier for you guys and probably for myself, since I have never really done this before (even though I have seen many people doing this, but never did it for my reader and original character (Oc) inserts):

Pairing:

Romantic Or Platonic:

Fandom:

Title:

Normal Or Seasonal (Meaning a special Holiday seasoning (Autumn/Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter):

Setting(s): (Angst or Fluff)

Plot (This is optional):Seasons (I will change them when the next season starts) -Fall - Passed [Missed out due to Writer's Block]

Winter - Passed [Missed out due to Writer's Block, again]

Spring - Will take requests for this season.

Summer - Not yet arrive

Also, please remove the () symbols, thank you!

I probably missed something, but I probably will add it later on, if not, this is all for the form thingy.

Now, onto the rules!

RULES:

1). Details - Before requesting, make sure that you don’t leave out any details in your request(s), such as The pairing, the fandom, the title, the setting, and depending on if you want a plot or not (that’s your choice).

Examples -

[Fandom: Mortal Kombat], {Setting: Angst To Fluff}, Pairing: Sektor X Reader, Title: *Bloodlines* Or [Fandom: Mass Effect], {Setting: Fluff}, Pairing: Garraus X Original Character, Title: *Cuddles*

2). LGBT/LGBTQ - I’m willing to make LGBT/LGBTQ requests, for those who want to have same-sex pairing(s).

Examples:

[Fluff] Arcee X Female! Human Reader *Jealousy at the park*

Or

[Fluff] Kung Jin X Fang Vrbada *Proposal* 3). Certain Ages - This one is a bit tough to explain, but there will be certain ages that I will write reader and original characters romantically. Still, I will also write underage characters.

Age limit for romantic inserts - Characters that are 15 or older

Ages that I won’t write romantically - Characters that are under 15 years old.

4). Patient - Please be patient with me as I am a slow typer, the reason why I’m a slow typer is that: I babysit and I don’t usually don’t take my laptop with me when I have all three kids (I babysit my niece and nephews). Or I’m having a tough time coming up with a paragraph.

5). Fandoms - I only do fandoms that I have listed before, if you don’t see the fandom that you want to request, I’m sorry.

6). Yandere - Please do not request a Yandere Character X Reader/Oc or Character X Yandere! Reader/Oc insert, it makes me uncomfortable to type yandere behavioral in the inserts that I type.

Fandoms That I Will Be Doing:

>ANIME<

Dragon Ball Z/GT/Super

Boku No Hero Academia/My Hero Academia

One Piece

Pokemon (Sun and Moon, Sword and Shield, Pokemon Legends: Arceus)

Shingeki no Kyojin/Attack On Titan

Kimetsu No Yaiba/Demon Slayer

>ANIMATED SHOWS/YOUTUBE SERIES<

RWBY

Hazbin Hotel

Helluva Boss

Blood Of Zeus

Transformers Prime

Transformers Beast Wars

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

>Star Wars: The Bad Batch

Transformers Animated

The Owl House

> TV SERIES<

House Of The Dragon

The Mandalorian

>MOVIES<

Alien Vs Predator/Predators >Predator> Predator 2>The Predator> Predators>Alien(s) Vs Predator>Aliens Vs Predator: Requiem

DC >Suicide Squad [Anything, except for the game]

>Batman [Animate movies]

>Injustice

Marvel

>Iron Man [Movies]

>Thor

>Captain America>The Avengers [The Movies]

Transformers [Bayverse]

How To Train Your Dragon (Along with the shows)

Star Wars Prequels and Original Trilogy

Prequels -

>Star Wars: The Phantom Menace

> Star Wars: Attack Of The Clones

>Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith

The Original Trilogy -

>Star Wars: A New Hope

>Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

>Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

The Lost Boys

Jurassic Park >Jurassic World

>Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous

>GAMES<

Borderlands

Devil May Cry

Mortal Kombat >Mortal Kombat X

>Mortal Kombat 11>Mortal Kombat 1

Mass Effect

Skyrim

Hades

God Of War

Red Dead Redemption

Destiny

Monster Hunter World

Monster Hunter Stories

Resident Evil

Obey Me [Mobile Game]

Baldur’s Gate 3

The Legend Of Zelda >Hyrule Warriors

>Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity>Breath Of The Wild>Tears Of The Kingdom

>COMICS<

IDW Transformers

Series that I need to rewatch or Replay:

Kuroshitsuji/Black Butler (Anime)

Bleach (Anime)

Five Nights At Freddy’s (Game)

Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime)

Naruto (Anime)

Supernatural (TV series)

The Walking Dead (TV series)

Game Of Thrones (TV series)

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (Anime)

What Fandoms That I Won’t Do Or The Ones That I Haven’t Seen or Played Yet:

Titans

Gotham

Gundam

Youtubers

Actors/Actresses

Invincible

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

Masterlist: Fandom X Reader Masterlist Canon X Original Character Masterlist

[epicfirestormer]

What do you mean this isn’t canon-

[xxazura-leexx]

I write for:

- Rainbow six siege

- mortal kombat

- One Piece

- Genshin Impact

- Call of Duty (Any)

- My Ocs

I will do:

-male reader

-non binary reader

-trans reader

- smut (I'll try my best to do it)

-fluff

-angst

I will not do:

-female reader

-Incest

-pedophile

-Gore

-racism

- rape

Fandomlist:

Rainbow Six Siege

Mute

Thatcher

Smoke

Lion

Doc

Rook

Montagne

Smoke

Mute

Sledge

Thatcher

Blitz

Jager

Bandit

Tachanka

Fuze

Kapkan

Glaz

Thermite

Castle

Pulse

Buck

Blackbeard

Echo

Lesion

Vigil

Lion

Montagne

Rook

Doc

Zero

Warden

Ace

Wamai

Goyo

Oryx

Flores

Maverick

Mozzie

Maestro

Kaid

Jackal

Mortal Kombat:

Scorpion

Sub zero

Bi han (Noob Saibot)

Kung lao

Liu kang

Takeda

Kung Jin

Shang Tsung

Kano

Kabal

Erron black

Fujin

Raiden

Mavado

Havik

Hotaru

Johnny cage

Sektor

Cyrax

Stryker

Nightwolf

Reiko

Shao khan

Kotal kahn

One Piece

All males characters, but i will do the Characters that i know

Genshin Impact

Zhongli

Kaeya

Diluc

Albedo

Bennett (Platonic)

Venti

Aetger

Heiziu

Ayato

Thoma

Itto

Gorou

Childe

Razor (Platonic)

Xingqiu

Xiao

Kazuha

[toomanyf4ndoms7]

Okaaay 28,30,31 i know im late but im not getting any notifications even if I turn them on :/

Eh, better late than never, right?

28. How well do you handle criticism when it comes to your writing?

I haven’t been criticised yet. I’d assume I’d handle it well.

30. Tooth-rotting fluff or merciless angst?

I like them both for different reasons. I like to keep myself open. I don’t want to spoil, but I have something special in my drafts.

31. Do you have any OCs? Tell us about them!

I don’t have many as I tend to rely on canon characters. But for MK:

I have two Tarkatan OC’s who are just minor characters. Karbrac, who is basically Baraka’s second in command and best friend. And Katir, who is a female, younger, more feral fighter than Baraka. She fought against Li Mei in the tournament to free Sun Do.

I also have a character in my ETKK called “Kung Ling.” She’s another character who left the traditional family home to explore the world and acts as Jin’s older sister in a way. Her house is where Jin usually stays without missions or training with Raiden. She’s also able to match Jin’s wit.

For my other stories, it’s mainly just miscellaneous students.

Thank you for asking and I hope you enjoy.

[nightmarerodent]

I need more of that sweet kung Jin angst

Ask and you shall receive 😈 This one came out more hurt and comfort tho. Hope that’s ok.

Kung Jin knew he should have expected they’d try to pull something like this, prideful assholes that they were. He just wasn’t expecting how pissed off the whole thing would make him. How pissed off they would make him.

After months of research, planning, and preparations, of getting pointers from Scor- Grandmaster Hasashi, and with the aid of Lord Fujin, Kung Jin was able to enter the Netherrealm and bring his uncle home at long last. It was a remarkable feat, one that his friends wanted to help with, but one that he insisted he had to do alone. Jacqui, to his surprise, was the hardest to convince. Though with how the Briggs household stressed the importance of family, he came to understand why she was so insistent. Takeda talked her down though. This had been a mater of honor, something he understood well. If he needed them, he’d call. She practically forced him to promise to do so at the first sign of trouble.

After three grueling months he returned home with a restored Kung Lao. After some days recovering a celebration was held at the Wu Shi. Johnny put the whole thing together, and new and old defenders alike gathered to welcome their lost brother home as well as catch up. He should have known news of his success and his uncle’s return would have reached his family.

He didn’t notice when they arrived. His back had been turned as he and Jacqui exchanged playful witty jabs that had their friends laughing, Takeda’s arm wrapped around his girlfriend’s waist and Cassie recording the whole thing for posterity. The academy’s wine stores had been broken into hours before and they were all thoroughly buzzed. Probably why he was so willing to cause a scene in front of his new friends. Some of which didn’t know the full extent of his oh so tragic backstory.

“Jin Jin!” He heard his mother’s overly kind, well practiced, voice call out, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to shoot up and all air to vacate his lungs.

The group’s voices silenced immediately, sensing his drastic shift in mood as he whipped himself around and came face to face with the people he hoped he’d never see again. His mother and father, dressed to the nines and without a hair out of place, his sister, the only one with an apologetic smile and ‘I’m sorry’ eyes, her dick head of a husband and his upturned nose, wishing he was anywhere but here, some younger cousins or nephews he’s never seen before, born after his exile from the family compound. Smiles were painted on painted lips. The stench of expensive perfume slapped you in the face. His mother always did love to flaunt their wealth and status in front of the lesser folk.

“Oh, there’s my brave boy,” her honeyed words tastes like soured milk, “I always knew you’d live up expectations, even after running away.”

“Ran… away…?” Jin couldn’t quite process what he was hearing.

“You caused such a stir, you should have heard what those snakes were hissing, but we can look past all of that now. They’ll be biting their tongues after this. You’ve brought such honor to the family bringing Kung Lao back to us. And thwarting Shinnok too! A statue has already been made in your likeness to add to Raiden’s collection,” she continued, “You’ve done well to cement the family name into that of legend.”

“Ran away?” Jin just dumbly repeated, anger started to boil over.

“I know we have a lot to discuss once we get back home,” it was his father’s turn to speak, “You are expected to take up responsibility now that you’re a man of the family, but we can speak more on that later. For now, let’s enjoy the festivities.”

“I’m sorry, ran away?!” Kung Jin’s voice dripped venom and his volume rose with each syllable, “Are you ready trying to spin it that I ran away?! Is that what you’ve been telling people?!”

“Jin, that’s no way to speak to your-” his mother tried but he cut her off.

“You bastards kicked me out! You said I was a disgrace! ‘Blight on the family name’. That’s what you called me, right?” Jin spat, not caring that he was undoubtedly making a scene.

“It was hard for everyone but I realize now my mistake,” his father put a hand on his shoulder, “We’ve all talked it over and we’re willing to look past your… affliction. The head of the Huang Mining conglomerate, Mr. Guo, you remember him, yes? He has a son with similar interests. We could arrange something. Perhaps if you two met we could-”

Jin swatted his father’s hand away as if it burned his flesh. Of course. Of fucking course. Of course they’d come here and try to take his accomplishment as their own. Or course they’d only accept him back into the fold if it benefited them in some way. Fuck that and fuck them. Whatever BS his parents were trying to pull, he’ll have none of it.

“My affliction?” He got in his father’s face, “I’m gay, not diseased. You threw me out onto the streets at fourteen because I didn’t fit your oh so precious image of the great and mighty Kung name. I had to make it on my own, look after myself, for years and in that time I’ve realized that I don’t need or want you. I don’t need to regain my honor because I never lost it. If anything it’s you people bringing shame to the family, not me!”

“Watch your tone, Kung Jin! I am still your father!”

“If I could remove your blood from my veins and give it back I would.”

A few things happened next, or perhaps a bit before. Jin was too preoccupied with his family to notice his team behind him. He didn’t see the look Takeda and Jacqui shared or her squeezing his arm and nodding before letting him go. He didn’t see Cassie about to march up and give his family a piece of her mind. He didn’t see Jacqui stopping her to whisper something in her ear or her bringing her phone back up and hitting record.

He did notice, however, the hand of his best friend clasping his shoulder and bringing him back and the rush of external calm that came with Takeda entering his brain unannounced. He noticed how he turned Jin to face him, how he invited himself into his personal space.

“Calm down,” his friend shushed him, running one hand through his hair and drawing their faces alarmingly close to one another, “You’re causing a fuss.”

And Takeda kissed him. Like it was nothing at all, like it’s just a thing you do, Takeda kissed him.

Play along. Takeda’s voice rang in his head. We need to make this look good.

Takeda’s free hand took Jin’s and guided it to his hip. He grabbed on with a vice grip, the only thing keeping him grounded in whatever strange reality he had just found himself in, and pulled the smaller man in, deepening the kiss and enticing an almost real sounding moan out of Takeda. Jin had no clue what the hell was going on. His, admittedly hot as fuck, best friend was kissing him in front of his homophobic parents. And said best friend’s girlfriend. And gods know who else. Jin thought he heard a laugh but his mind was too preoccupied with the impromptu make out session going on to pay it any mind.

You’re a shit kisser by the way.

Jin broke it off and pulled away, “Well, fuck off. Judgmental prick!”

“Damn,” Cassie approached them, a smug looking Jacqui not far behind, “They clearer out before you two could start humping each other. That would have done numbers on social.”

Jin looked around and sure enough, his family was nowhere to be seen, running to the hills in the face of such a shameful act as two men kissing. He hadn’t even heard them scurrying off.

“Worked like a charm though,” Takeda’s face was flushed but otherwise he looked rather proud of himself, “I don’t think they’ll be bothering us anymore tonight.”

“They better not because Plan B is punching them,” Jacqui added.

“I thought Plan B was inviting them to the orgy?” Cassie asked jokingly.

“You need five people for it to be an orgy, Cass. Otherwise it’s just a four way.” Takeda told her.

“Then we invite Frost. Problem solved.” Cassie rolled her eyes dismissively.

“I’m sorry. Slow down. What the fuck just happened?” Jin interjected, bringing the conversation back on track and away from whatever brain worm tangent they were currently going down.

“Why the hell did you just kiss me?” He asked Takeda before turning his attention to the usually territorial Briggs, “And why are you cool with it?”

“It was my idea,” Jacqui shrugged, nonchalant in her response.

“We figured you’d appreciate us messing with them Kung Jin style rather than just simply telling them off,” Takeda explained, returning to his girlfriend’s side, “Sorry for springing it on you like that. Didn’t have a lot of time to warn you.”

Kung Jin looked between the two of them, trying to decide if he was violated or not, but everything felt so unreal at the moment. Because they were right. This kind of stunt is absolutely the kind of thing he would pull if the rolls were reversed and it was Takeda dealing with some bigot clan elder with Master Hasashi away. He’d absolutely start making out with Tak to prove a point. But in that alt reality they were missing one key detail.

“Aren’t you straight?” Jin asked, “Elder Gods, I leave for three months and you all lose your minds. What the hell is this? What happened to blushing virgin Takeda? Where’d that guy go?”

Takeda shrugged, “Alcohol?”

“We got your back, Jin. Got the whole thing on camera too!” Cassie interjected, sliding next to Jin to show him the footage, “Get a load of their faces! I think your mom is having an aneurysm. Lady in the back is laughing her ass off. She your sister?”

Jin watch it over and had to admit, his parent’s reactions were priceless. The horrified look of disbelief and disgust on his father’s face at the sheer boldness of the act and his mother popping blood vessels beneath her pound of makeup were gold. What was priceless though was his older sister. Her cracking up in genuine laughter, a horrid cackle that she hated but couldn’t contain when surprised with pure delight, and having to be dragged off by her fuming husband. Even before he left such things were a rarity from her. He’d have to get Cassie to send him a copy.

“Better hope this doesn’t get back to Mr. Briggs, Takahashi.” Jin chuckled, letting himself just exist in the absurdity of the whole situation, “Otherwise he’ll beat your ass for cheating on his daughter.”

“I had permission!” Takeda defended himself.

“Gods, what a slut,” Jin continued, “Jacqui, you gotta get rid of this guy. He’s no good.”

“Maybe I like bad boys,” Jacqui quipped.

“Then find someone that doesn’t panic at the thought of being two minutes late for an appointment.” Cassie fired back.

“Hey, early is on time. On time is late.” Takeda insisted.

And just like that they were right back into their usual banter, all thought of Kung Jin’s family gone from their minds. Jin’s mind would cycle back to it periodically throughout the night. How his parents were only interested in him after he accomplished great things, how they expected him to be grateful that they were letting him back in and expected him to go along with it, and how they were apparently planning to sell him off. It angered him. Enraged him. But then there was his team, willing to shotgun a plan together to help him, to back him up, no question. Even when they had no context as to what was going on. It lightens his soul to know that this rag tag group of idiots had his back no matter what; that he still had a family outside of just his uncle.

So fuck his parents. And fuck their pride. In the end, he’ll be the one really upholding the values and honor that come with the Kung name. They can rot for all he cared.

[stutterfly]

Swipe Right 01 | Context Switch | JJK (M)

Rating: M (Explicit 18+)

Pairings: Jungkook x Reader, brot7 x friendship

Genre: E2L, fluff, angst [later on], humor, [eventual] smut, PersonalTrainer!Jungkook, fuckboy!Jungkook, Nerd!Jungkook, Nerd/IT!Reader

Word Count: 12.8K

Fic Summary: Jungkook wasn’t always like this. Or maybe he was and you don’t want to admit that he had you fooled. You quickly discover he has a lot more to offer than exchanging pleasantries and awkward small talk. In fact, he never seems to shut up.

For the better part of a year, he’s held your irritation hostage, never passing up an opportunity to deliver savage one-liners at your expense. When he discovers you’re on Tinder, he turns up the brattiness factor and intentionally seeks you out. Who knows? Maybe if you gave him a chance he could charm the pants right off of you. Then again, maybe he’s just a fuckboy.

Tags: Fuckboy Jungkook, like cannot stress enough Fuckboy Jungkook but gets soft later, dirty jokes, talk nerdy to me, PUNS, friendship feels, sexual tension, Jin being bad at copying Mario’s accent, Namjoon being bad at accents

CW:  panic attacks, filthy language, this whole chapter is setup so like nothing too bad i dont think???

Series: Activate your SIMCard Fic: Swipe Right (1/?- Ongoing) Do not repost. masterlist // next chapter

(A/N: This is part of my “Activate Your SIMcard” series. Each member of BTS has their own AU in which IT/TechSupport/NerdReader gets dating help/advice and ends up falling in love with them instead. As with a dating sim, the same characters are utilized--same professions, similar scenario placement-- but different interactions/pathways lead to different romances. ~Anyway here’s the Jungkook route.~ The Namjoon route, “Love Bytes” is currently in the works.)

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

Nerves wrack your stomach as you make your way down the hall, clinging to the man beside you. His strides seem gigantic next to yours and you find yourself struggling to keep up with him. “Stop walking so fast, Namjoon.”

The man laughs, but slows his pace just enough to allow you to walk side-by-side. “Sorry. I’m just excited for you to meet them.”

Digging your fingernails into the flesh of his elbow, you swallow hard. It’s been a couple months since the young English professor stumbled into your life holding the pieces of some very expensive, very shattered college property. State of the art technology, brand new, busted in less than a week of his arrival. He’d get the biggest chew-out of his life if he presented it to your boss, and you were too sympathetic to let that happen.

While you’d willingly paid for the whole thing out of pocket to cover for the newbie, it had definitely put a strain on your finances and what little social life you had. Within a week he’d worked up a repayment plan than spanned the course of a year. He even started buying you a coffee every Friday as an apology for how long it was going to take.

After a few months of bonding over kung-fu movies, life before Namjoon’s friendship seemed like a distant past, a hazy dream. It was natural that your new bestie wanted to grow your pitiful social circle. But there was a reason you didn’t let people get close to you. The fact that Namjoon had slipped past your defenses so fast made him an anomaly worth dissecting for scientific discovery.

Just the thought of having to now socialize with people you don’t know has your temperature boiling and your head spinning.

He attempts to tug his elbow away from you, and you stumble forward, keeping your death grip on him. “I know, but talking to people isn’t exactly my strong suit. Are you sure it’s best I meet all six at once?”

“You’ve already met Jimin,” he begins, clawing at your hand with long, veiny fingers until you release your hold on him, “but he’s not coming tonight, so don’t worry... you can relax a little.”

Your face twists into a sour grimace as you try to sputter out a response. “I-Pfft. I mean. Jimin’s a model. His face is on billboards and shit. Like… how is that supposed to not be intimidating?”

“Jimin is the world’s biggest sweetheart,” he laughs, shoving his hands into his pockets as you continue down the hallway. “You don’t have anything to be afraid of. I have a feeling you two will get along fine once you stop being so shy.”

You huff and tick your jaw a few times before wringing your hands together. Maybe.

“Anyway. Taehyung is out of town on business, but you can meet him another time. He’s kind of quiet when meeting new people too. Hoseok and Yoongi texted they might be a little late. It’ll just be Jin and Jungkook you’re meeting now. And it’ll be just the four of us for a bit.”

A deep breath escapes you as you hook your elbow with his. “Okay. I just… I’m nervous.”

He stops at the door at the end of the hall and looks down at you. “Give them a chance. If you’re still feeling bad in an hour, then we’ll leave, and I’ll hang out with y’all separately from now on. Deal?”

You eye his extended palm peeking out from beneath the crook of your twined elbows before a smile creeps across your face. You shake his hand. He always knows what to say. “Deal.”

As Namjoon knocks, you leave the comfort of his side, realizing how your anxious clinging might be mistaken for a romantic gesture. You begin to shrink back, trying to hide in his shadow before the door opens. You’re about halfway there when a young, well-built man appears, prominent leg muscles bulging from beneath his basketball shorts as he props the door open with his foot. There’s a cup of instant noodles in his hands, and you’re pretty sure at least half of its contents are dangling from his mouth.

The scent of garlic and rosemary drifts into your nostrils, and you freeze as you cower behind Namjoon, realizing how long it’s been since you last had a decent home-cooked meal. You were promised free food so maybe it won't be so bad after all.

“Ah, Namjoon,” he greets and gestures with his head towards the domicile. “Come in--Oh!”

He chokes a chunk of noodles back into the paper cup as he notices your figure standing behind the tall man.

“Jungkook, this is Y/N,” Namjoon says, stepping to the side and pushing you out into the light of the apartment “I told you she was coming tonight, remember?”

Jungkook’s dark brown eyes widen and he pumps a fist into his chest a few times as he tries to get the remnants of spicy noodles dislodged from the back of his throat. Namjoon sent a bunch of texts this week making sure it was cool to bring someone to hangout night since he’d made a friend at work and wanted everyone to meet them. The way the texts were worded definitely didn’t give any indication that the friend he was bringing tonight was a woman. Maybe they did. Maybe he should have read more of them.

The muscular man before you holds the remaining food in his cheeks and waves bashfully with two fingers as he swallows. "Jungkook," he mumbles, as if the name itself is introduction enough and all but sprints from the room.

Seconds later, a new voice shrieks out from the other room. “What are you doing eating that?! Dinner will be ready soon! Jungkookie if you don’t put that down--!”

A dull smacking sound accompanies the clattering of silverware and plates. You swallow hard, trying to think about anything other than the way the young man had rushed out of the room at just the sight of you. Maybe you’re just that ugly.

“Hey! I’ll eat! I’ll eat! I promise!” Jungkook cries out. His voice drops an octave. “Namjoon is here.” Their conversation becomes indiscernible, but you can’t shake the feeling that you are definitely the subject of their quiet discussion.

You throw a worried glance in Namjoon's direction. "Did I do something wrong?" your voice is hushed as you work your sneakers off, trying to hold in the crazy amount of anxiety that threatens to unscrew the top of your head and send your brain exploding into the ceiling.

Namjoon shakes his head, unbothered by his friend’s odd behavior. "Honestly, I texted him a bunch this week to make sure it was cool and I got one-word replies so I'm wondering if he even read them." He bites his lip and spares a glance back at you, knowing he probably should have kept that to himself.

"Oh," your heart sinks into your stomach and threatens to fall out your butt as you straighten your spine. "If that's the case, should I... leave?"

"Leaf?!" A bright green piece of lettuce is thrust into your face. "How about a whole salad? You can't go before you try it! It's unbe-leaf-able."

You blink in rapid succession, trying to stifle a laugh at the cackle emanating from the man whose bony fingers are holding the lettuce. It sounds like a... windshield wiper? A giggle slips out, stronger than your will to keep it tucked behind your lips, and it only seems to make the grin on his face stretch impossibly wider. Heavy shoulders rise and fall with his laughter, causing the bright pink apron across his chest to wrinkle.

Namjoon groans. "This is--"

"Now do you smell that delicious flavor in the air? Because this just a taste of what you will find at my amazing restaurant 'Heart and Seoul'," he announces, cutting off the man beside you as he clutches the lettuce to his chest with eyes closed. "Where I give you a piece of my heart and soul... Some refer to me as Worldwide Handsome, others call me the God of Cookery. Some call me an angel and believe I fell from heaven." He bows with a flourish and takes your hand in his. "But you can call me..." He finally looks at you, a dark smoulder in his features that sets your cheeks on fire. "Later?"

He seals your fate with a gentle kiss to the back of your hand. Your jaw, which has been hanging open for some time, finally decides to snap itself shut.

"This is Seokjin, and he's going back into the kitchen to finish making dinner." Namjoon is already ushering his friend back towards the kitchen and chiding him as you purse your lips together to hide the smile spreading across your face. Did you just stumble into some alternate universe where all of the men you meet are ridiculously good-looking?

"It's nice to meet you, Seokjin," you call after them before letting your eyes wander around the room.

Paintings line the walls and photos sit on the bookshelf in the corner. As you approach the shelf to get a closer look, you realize those aren't books, but video games. There must be hundreds. Don't people use cloud storage for most of their games now? Your eyes curiously scan the photos on the top shelf. The man who had introduced himself as Jungkook is in all of them. There's another man in a couple that you don't recognize, but his gaze is piercing and cold when he's not smiling. You're able to pick Jimin and Namjoon out in a few, but it feels like looking at a family photo. Everyone seems so close; it makes you envious.

You lick your lips and can't help but admire the collection of video games underneath. You crouch to get a better look at the ones lining the bottom shelf. You're surprised to see there are games for all types of consoles: PS4, XboxOne, Switch, WiiU, Nintendo DS, SuperNintendo, PlaystationVita, PC... The list keeps going. Jealousy spikes your gut as you note a Mass Effect "SSV Normandy" ship figurine on the shelf above your head. You eye it with wonder and pride as your memories flood with the hours you spent playing the trilogy. Your fingers reach out to brush against the raised letters on the side of the ship.

"Have you played Mass Effect?" a quiet voice asks from behind you.

You jump in place and spin on the balls of your feet in a fluid motion that nearly sends you careening into the basketball shorts in front of you. Surprised by how close Jungkook is standing, you gasp and stumble back into the bookshelf, causing it to wobble and bring some of the frames filled with photos tumbling down onto your head. You wait for the impact but it never comes.

As you look up, Jungkook has several frames balanced on his arms and between his fingers, carefully maneuvering them away from you and back onto the shelf. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you! Namjoon told me you liked video games too and I saw you looking at the Normandy and I thought maybe you've played it. Ah, I'm sorry."

It's hard to miss the crestfallen way he rubs the back of his neck and stares at the floor once he places all the photos back on the shelf. You're still in shock that he caught everything before it smacked you in the head, but you force yourself to respond anyway. "No, it's okay. I'm just a jumpy person. It's my fault. I'm just glad I didn't break anything. I'm... asari? Get it? 'Cause like, I'm sorry... but also hot blue alien chicks, am I right?"

He smiles wide and laughs softly as he offers to help you up. As you take hold of his hand, you're quickly thrust to your feet with an ease you weren’t quite expecting. You steady yourself by reaching out to grip his arm, a movement you reverse the moment you feel the firm muscles beneath his t-shirt.

"Thanks," you mumble. Feeling his hand tense around yours, you take it back and twiddle your fingers. "So what decisions did you make? Renegade or Paragon? Rachni Queen? Samara's mission? Quarian and Geth dispute? Genophage?" You pause only to take a breath. "If you let Wrex die, we can't be friends."

He blinks at you a few times before breaking into a relaxed smile. “Of course not. What kind of monster do you think I am?”

You allow a relieved sigh to pass your lips. Maybe this wouldn’t be so painful after all.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

You must have made a good impression that night. It’s been nearly a month and Namjoon’s friends have started pulling you into their group texts and Saturday night plans. This had been fine by you since you rarely had anything going on. Honestly it was kind of nice to be included.

While you still don’t exactly know everyone, you feel fairly comfortable talking with your new friends. Seokjin is absolutely hilarious. He’s so full of himself that his cockiness rides the line between charming and annoying; it’s hard to decide which aspect overwhelms his personality more. But you know that you find him irrefutably, irritatingly attractive because of it.

Jungkook is still polite and rather gentlemanly towards you. Your conversation about Mass Effect was enough to tide over any residual awkwardness regarding your initial meeting. He’s just a muscular, nerdy introvert who seems genuinely nice. However, Namjoon insists that Jungkook is still hiding a louder, brattier side when you’re around. He’s got this theory that since you’re a friend of a friend, Jungkook is holding back his usual antics for some reason. The harmless little crush you’ve developed on him has you secretly holding out hope that it’s because he wants to ask you to be his girlfriend. You’ve considered asking Jin what he thinks, but that man has no tact and honestly you’re afraid he’d just ask Jungkook with you standing right there.

Hoseok is a ball of smiling energy, one who has been begging you to visit his dance studio. It’s hard to say no, but you’ve managed for this long because of the very real possibility that you won’t be able to do anything but stare at the dazzling way he moves. He seems to take pride in his ability to make others feel good and absolutely beams when he’s the cause of his friends’ happiness. You can easily see yourself talking to him without Namjoon around to act as a buffer, which is amazing for someone with your level of social anxiety.

Yoongi is quiet, but when he speaks his words are sharp with purpose. Some people might mistake that for coldness, but you can tell he has good intentions and a soft heart underneath. His pointed remarks in the group interrogations have poked fun at you, but never in a condescending or cruel manner. And it’s certainly not in the way you see him absolutely roast the others. Maybe he’s taking it easy on you.

Jimin is still so beautiful to look at it devastates you, leaving a flustered, stuttering mess behind every time he leaves. Now that he’s become aware of the effect he has on you, he’s been testing the waters of your friendship with some teasing that borderlines flirtation. But you have a feeling he’s just screwing with you because he finds it funny to see you squirm. You’re hoping to build the confidence to dish it back some day.

Taehyung has been a little standoff-ish, but Namjoon had already warned you about that. You wonder if it’s because he’s a hundred times richer than you’ll ever be. Despite seeming like he’s in a different social class, he still seems deeply fond of his friends, and relatively down-to-earth. He’s a bit quirky, but he’s an artist, so you expect that kind of thing.

Namjoon says that he’s known almost all of them since college, so he’s been able to absorb most of the discomfort associated with meeting new people. He’s sweet, and more relatable than you originally would have thought for an English professor. He’s kind of like a pillar that you never knew your life had been missing. And now that he’s got your back, you can’t go back.

The smell of coffee pervades the air as you skim an article on your phone regarding the latest Halloween skins for Overwatch. You’re supposed to be meeting Namjoon here but Seokjin, and Jimin showed up and have been chatting about their plans for the weekend. Apparently they throw a Halloween party every year and it’s Jimin’s turn to host. Seokjin is supposedly in charge of planning the decorations due to his love for theatrics and has been discussing the possibility of a haunted house walkthrough. You smile at the thought of Seokjin popping out of the shadows to drop fake spiderwebs on people. It sounds like the kind of thing he’d get off to.

Namjoon flops down on the couch next to you. “You’re coming, right?”

You’re broken from your thoughts as you scroll further down the page. “E-Excuse me?”

“The Halloween party. You coming?”

You look up from your phone, feeling everyone’s eyes on you. “I mean… I don’t want to intrude on your group thing.”

“You’re not intruding!” Jimin, Jin, and Namjoon’s voices all stack upon each other and you’re taken aback by the sound.

Jin frantically scrambles to make you feel included. “Y/N, we just assumed you were coming. Of course you’re invited! You can help me get everything set up for the scary walkthrough. Please come.”

“Don’t give her work to do that you should have already figured out,” Jimin hisses before sending a warm smile your way. “I’ll text you the address later. It’s a costume party so make sure to dress up!”

Your bottom lip unconsciously protrudes in a pout as you pass a discouraging look Namjoon’s way. “What are you going as?”

He gives you a heartfelt, dimpled smile. “Sherlock Holmes,” he says with the worst british accent you’ve ever heard in your life. “World’s greatest detective.” He drops his accent and starts gushing. “The tweed suit is fairly iconic and most people will recognize the costume so I think it’s a safe option. Originally, I was going to go as Judge Di but Jimin kept telling me no one would get it. It would take some research to really get a feel for how he’d dress, but I’d be willing to put in the work.”

Your eyebrows furrow. “Judge Dee? Like…. Judge... Ju...dy?” you trail off in confusion, immediately regretting your decision to ask.

Jimin throws his hands up as if this is the proof he’s needed to convince his friend that he’s wrong. “You see? I told you no one knows who that is.”

“Judge---! Really?!” Namjoon looks like he’s about to go off, but he shakes his head and sighs. “You know what? It’s okay. I look really good in a tweed suit. That’s all that matters.” He finished his statement by gesturing towards his chest.

You can’t help but laugh. “You’re such a dork.” You turn your attention to the others and raise your eyebrows at them. “What about you two?”

Jimin drags his teeth over his lip and shyly smiles. “I’m going as Iron Man. Tae’s been helping me build my costume for a while now.”

“Jungkookie and I are going as Luigi and Mario,” Jin proudly states he leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees while tenting his fingers. “I’m Mario, of course, since everyone knows he’s the best.”

You roll your eyes. “Sounds like you, Seokjin.”

“What will you come as?” he questions with a smirk, cocking a mischievous eyebrow at you.

“Well...” you hesitate, knowing that most costume shops will be sold out of anything interesting or slutty; at this point your options are limited unless you want to be a Crayola shit brown crayon. “I’m not sure yet,” you mumble, scratching your cheek sheepishly. “I only found out just now so I don’t have anything ready. I usually go over Jennie’s place, hand out candy in my pajamas and watch scary movies, so I don’t know if I should bail on her like that.”

Solid excuse. Great job, brain. Really. Can I sound like more of a loser?

“She can come too,” Jimin offers with a thoughtful tilt of his head and a warm smile. “It’s a very open party. Lots of people will be coming and going, so it’s no trouble if you want to invite more of your other friends, if that makes you comfortable.”

Other friends. Like you have more than this group and Jennie. You’re going to just pretend like you didn’t hear that part. You can already hear her shrieking at you to say you’ll be there. She loves dressing up and would be more than happy to exchange a night of handing out candy for a night of partying. You suppose you can always get some vampire teeth and dab some fake blood on your mouth, but it feels like a cop-out. It’s a solid back-up plan at the very least.

“Okay. I’ll think about it,” you murmur with a fleeting look of panic directed at Namjoon.

He offers a sympathetic smile and pats your shoulder. “It’s okay if you don’t come. I’m just saying there will be free food.”

Your spine straightens and you perk up.

“Free food?” The words on you’re about to utter spill from a different source. A chin drops into the space between Namjoon’s shoulder and yours. Jungkook’s hair is still wet, but thankfully it’s not long enough to brush against your skin. The soft, sweet, almost floral scent of his body wash wafts into your nose as you turn your head to look at him. You surmise he’s come directly from work if he’s showering in the late afternoon. You internally swat the butterflies playing with your ribcage, trying to remember how to act normal.

Jungkook smiles sweetly, his eyes nearly closing with how high his cheekbones have risen. “Where is this food?”

“At the Halloween party,” Namjoon comments with a dismissing wave of his hand. “I was just telling Y/N that she’ll miss out if she doesn’t come.”

Jungkook raises his eyebrows and drops his smile as his surprised stare pierces your periphery. “Oh, you’re not coming?”

“I was thinking about it.” You immediately feel the need to defend yourself. “I don’t have anything to wear.”

“So don’t wear--” Jungkook catches himself before the word anything comes out. “A costume,” he finishes simply, straightening his spine and clearing his throat. “I mean we can make an exception. No one’s gonna kick you out.”

A devilish grin spreads across Seokjin’s features. “I’m sure I can help you find a pink dress and crown if you’d like to be our lovely Princess Peach. We can give each other items.”

Jungkook’s eyes widen at his friend and Jin stares back with anticipation, waiting for him to make the mushroom joke he clearly set him up for. Jungkook purses his lips and quietly regards you. As the moment passes, Jin’s brow furrows and he crosses his arms in a huff, wishing that he’d said it instead. It’s been too long since you’ve blushed for his liking.

“Maybe I’ll show up in a leotard, spiked collar, and fishnets as Bowsette instead.” You nearly snort at your own joke.

Jungkook and Jin spill their surprise over one another.

“Whaa? Really?” Jin’s mouth hangs open, the image already permanently searing its way into his brain.

“You what?” Jungkook clamps his hands over the edge of the couch, hulking figure looming over you.

While Jimin and Namjoon are both oblivious what a Bowsette is, the words “spiked collar and fishnets” have certainly grabbed their attention as well.

You blink a few times, realizing how serious everyone has become as you sputter out a nervous laugh. “Kidding, guys. Kidding.”

Jin tuts in disappointment, slinking back into his chair. Jimin simply smiles. Namjoon breathes a relieved sigh. Jungkook starts walking away, distracted by the signage on the counter promoting a cinnamon chocolate chip milkshake.

“Besides, I’m more of a…” A lightbulb flicks on in your head and the thought comes spilling out your mouth before you can process it. “Oh, I have a cosplay from the gaming convention I went to a year ago. Maybe I can wear that.”

All three men lean forward, suddenly very interested in the concept of you using a cosplay as a Halloween costume. Jungkook’s head snaps in your direction just as he extends his hand to give his money to the cashier, but he drops it prematurely, sending coins scattering across the counter.

The sound causes all of you to look over at him and he quickly turns back to the cashier. She raises her eyebrows at him as he scrambles to recover all of the money for her. His ears turn bright red from the attention and you can’t help but put yourself in his shoes, cringing at the embarrassment coursing through your veins at the thought of swapping places.

Spinning back to face the others, you find Jin and Jimin on the edge of their seats, staring at you. Namjoon blinks at you and tilts his head expectantly. “You were saying?” he prods. “Something about an anime costume?”

Suddenly you’re embarrassed for yourself rather than Jungkook. “Don’t be weird, Joonie. It’s just a Princess Zelda cosplay.” You scratch your cheek in contemplation, murmuring, “Actually, I don’t even know if it still fits since I’ve gained some weight since then.”

Namjoon pats your shoulder assuringly. “Ah you’re fine. Don’t worry too much about it, ok?”

“He’s right. Just bring your smile, cutie,” Jimin says encouragingly.

You blush at the nickname and grin in response. He said it innocently enough, but you get the feeling that you reacted exactly as he had hoped because he exchanges a smug smirk with Seokjin. “See? Bring that.”

“Ah, you guys are embarrassing me,” you mumble, diving back into the article on your phone. “I’ll talk to Jennie about it later.”

Jungkook listens carefully as he tongues his cheek and waits for his drink to arrive at the counter. Are you really going to show up in that? He pulls out his phone and starts skimming amazon. There’s no way he can pass up the opportunity, regardless of what’s at stake.

A familiar veiny hand sets the drink down on the counter, and he outstretches his palm. “Service was good, yeah?”

Jungkook looks up from the checkout page and locks eyes with Yoongi. He scoops a large portion of whipped cream from beneath the lid and pops it in his mouth thoughtfully, smacking his lips as he washes it down with a sip through his straw. Yoongi raises his eyebrows at him expectantly, but remains silent.

“Hmm, I’ve had better. Maybe if I had some more whipped cream?” Jungkook suggests as he tilts his cup forward and gives it the tiniest shake, shit-eating grin strewn across his features.

Unblinking, Yoongi squirts a puff of cream into the top of the container before loudly setting the can on the counter. Satisfied, Jungkook reaches into his pocket and fishes out some money for a generous tip. “See this is why you’re my favorite barista. You always make it just how I like it.”

Yoongi forces a smile as he stuffs the cash into the half-filled tip jar. “The Java Stop values your patronage, customer.”

He catches a glimpse of Jungkook’s phone screen before the younger man snatches it from the counter and walks away. What the hell is he up to?

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

You curse your past self for choosing Zelda’s outfit from Twilight Princess rather than Breath of the Wild; style over comfort rarely is a good choice, but it’s a choice you often repeat without forethought. It’s tighter than you remember, and not just because there’s a corset sewn into the chestpiece. As you sit in the passenger’s seat of Jennie’s Civic, you fidget with the hem of your dress. Without taking her eyes off the road, she reaches over and slaps your hand.

“Stop it. You look great.”

You rub the back of your wrist and pout, knowing it does nothing to change her mind. You eye her tattered dress, wishing you could pull off something so slutty with the same confidence she does. White contacts make her look even more ethereal than she normally does. Natural waves and curls poke out from beneath the bent witch’s hat atop her head and you can’t help but admire her beauty.

“I look like a nerd,” you say, feeling shittier the longer you compare yourself to her. It’s not her fault. You’re just insecure and wish that you could be more like her rather than the you that you are.

“You are a nerd,” she laughs. “What’s wrong with that?”

You smile. “Nothing, I guess. I don’t know why I’m so worried about it. It’s not like I’m gonna be getting laid any time soon. This costume solidifies it.” Negativity is something you’re used to dosing yourself with, but you know it’s an action you need to work at correcting.

“Hey if no one wants to fuck you in a Zelda costume, do they even deserve to fuck you?” Jennie asks, wagging her pointer at the ceiling as if scolding some invisible source above. “I don’t fucking think so.” She tuts for a second. “So speaking of… Which ones are off limits?”

You scoff and stiffen in your seat, trying to play dumb. “What? What’s off limits?”

“Y/N,” she starts in an accusatory tone. “I’m sure there will be lots of hot people there, but I’m talking about seven hot people in particular. Now if they came up to me and said ‘hey Jennie you so fine you wanna suck all seven of our dicks?’ I’d be like hell yeah I’ma suck all seven dicks. Get in a circle and let me at ‘em.”

You smack your hand to your forehead, wishing you could purge that image from your brain.

“Now I’m just saying in this hypothetical situation that I would never turn down going down on any of them if they asked. Unless I remembered that one time you told me you were crushing, maybe, just maybe I wouldn’t suck that particular dick.”

“We’re about to go see these people. I don’t want to be thinking about this while sipping my drinks across from Seokjin. That man can smell fear, shame, and insecurity,” you mumble, looking out the window at the trees lining the side of the road.

“So that’s why we get it out now before we get there. Can’t possibly slip out if you’ve already got it out of your system,” she explains with a confident smirk.

You cross your arms and give yourself a moment to truly think about the seven men. You certainly find all of them attractive, but crossing that line might make things weird. But maybe, hypothetically… “I don’t know… They’re all pretty hot in their own way…”

“You’ve got to be attracted to one more than the others,” she prods. “Come on, Y/N. Which one does it for you?”

Your tongue clicks against the roof of your mouth before you sigh. “I guess…” You subconsciously lick your lips and give it a few seconds before the memory of falling picture frames surfaces in your mind. An embarrassed smile flickers across your face as you give your quiet, honest answer. “J-Jeon… Jungkook.”

“The young one!” Her mouth falls open. She drums her fingers against the steering wheel excitedly and spares a delightful, yet surprised look at you for a fraction of a second before her eyes return to the road. “Really? I never would have guessed. But I haven’t talked to him much honestly. Doesn’t he work at that nerdy-looking gym you almost joined? What was it, Iron Kingdom? You could always sign up for personal training. Ya know, get some one-on-one time with those muscles...”

“He’ll think I’m dumb for not knowing how to do anything,” you mumble. “Besides that’s not why.”

You shake your head and pause to start counting the list on your fingers. “Okay so he’s got muscles, a cute laugh, he likes video games, he literally always smells so fucking good, he has a great smile, he’s nice, and like he’s so mature for his age. I’m so surprised.”

“I mean from the few times I’ve seen him, I thought for sure he’d be a tool and a major shithead,” she admits.

“I know, but seriously don’t judge a book by its cover. He’s been so chill and respectful and has made me feel so welcome over the last few weeks. None of that fuckboy shit you’d expect to get with younger guys like, he doesn’t talk over me, no mansplaining, he looks me in the eyes and not at my tits, and listens when I say something, even if it’s just me talking about my day.” You pause, registering the words you just said. “Wow, the bar is really low, isn’t it?”

“Sad, but true.” She nods, glancing at the GPS on the dashboard. It’s says you’re nearly there, but it’s kind of further out from the city than you’d both been expecting.

She laughs, mulling over everything you’ve said. “He seems kinda shy. You probably need to make the first move. Maybe you should tell him you have a big fat crush on him. Tell him you wanna hold his hand. Do you think he’d blush? I bet he would. I bet he has a cute flustered face. You should totally do it.”

Recalling the way his ears turned red at the cafe causes you to purse your lips, but the action can’t hide the smile curling at the corners of your mouth. So you have a little crush on Jungkook. Who wouldn’t? He’s practically flawless and totally swoon-worthy. Your heart races as you imagine his reaction to your outfit. Would he be taken aback by how good you look as one of the hottest, most iconic female characters in gaming history? He’s a huge geek so you know there’s a possibility that he could appreciate it. Sweaty fingers work their way down your wig, carefully smoothing out any loose strands. You hope he does.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

Walking into Jimin’s place feels like entering a mansion. He told you that he lives with two other people from the same modeling agency, but you didn’t realize how big the place would be. Seokjin’s ability to gather this many decorations and display them with such attention to ambiance is certainly a feat worthy of praise. You find yourself lost in the orange and yellow lights that border each doorway and drape along the walls. Their soft glow is comforting as you walk down the dim hallway, exploring the house just enough to find the table filled with fruits and snacks.

Jungkook is nowhere to be seen and you find yourself breathing a sigh of relief as you sip punch out of a red plastic cup, filling a plate with an excessive amount of strawberries, peaches, and other sweet fruits. Contrary to your previous belief that admission would mean freedom from the thoughts swirling in your brain, uttering the words out loud has made you paranoid that everyone now knows about your secret crush. You’re hoping that drinking will remove the worry from your brain, so you do your best to down the liquid fast and refill your cup.

Jennie immediately hit it off with one of Jimin’s roommates moments after walking in. You’re envious because holy fuck that guy is tall and jacked, and he’s wearing a Captain America outfit. Jennie is about to make out with Captain America and you’re gulping down spiked punch from a little plastic cup. You appreciate being able to silently agree to split, but know that you have each other’s back if either of you were to suddenly express interest in leaving, even if Captain America is balls deep.

She’s an extrovert. She loves socializing. Tossing a strawberry into your mouth, you eye the table of snacks again. You don’t. You love food. Food or sex would be a tough toss-up for you depending on the menu, and in this situation food definitely wins. There’s a buffet table of appetizers looping around the room and into the kitchen. It doesn’t get much better than this, especially knowing it was catered by Seokjin’s restaurant.

You remove a glove and tuck it beneath your armpit as you stuff your face full of sweet treats and survey the amount of people on the dance-floor. There are a good amount of people here --some with ludicrous costumes-- and it makes you feel better about being able to blend in.

You had arrived fashionably late only because Jennie may have passed the house a few times, thinking this place couldn't possibly be it. A hand skates around the periphery of your vision and you frown as it attempts to surreptitiously claim a peach slice from your plate. Following the hand to its owner, you find a smile quickly claiming your mouth in place of the previous sour grimace.

"There's plenty of peaches left over there," you say, pointing to the table of snacks beside you.

"Mmm," Namjoon hums as he pockets the fruit in his cheek. "But this pile is better. I can deduce that you've already picked out the best pieces, Zelda."

You look him over from head to toe, examining the details of his tweed suit. You hate to admit he's looking dapper as fuck in this outfit. Despite often wearing three-piece suits to work, you rarely have time to stop and really appreciate just how flattering they are on his frame. Your eyes settle on the dark brown silk carefully knotted around his neck. "Don't you get sick of wearing ties?"

His eyes widen and he blinks at you as if you'd just told him that he sat in some gum. "Do you think I should have gone with the bow-tie? I spent hours weighing the pros and cons to both and which would be more quintessential to the whole ensemble. Did I make the wrong choice?"

You open your mouth to respond, meaning to allay his concerns and tell him that he looks fine, but he interrupts rather quickly. "You know what, don't say anything. I brought the bow-tie as a backup. It's upstairs in the guest bedroom. I'll go put it on."

You grab his arm just as he's about to leave, noting the plate full of chicken wings precariously balanced on one hand. "Namjoon. Chill. Your tie looks fine. I was only asking because I would strangle myself if I wore one all the time. Now gimme some of that chicken."

His eyes dart from you to the plate in his hand and his anxiety seems to visibly melt away, replaced with a soft smile. "I'm overthinking again, huh?"

The words have never come easier than they do now. "No shit, Sherlock."

At that he offers a laugh. "How about a trade? I share the wings for access to the princess's treasury of peaches."

"Deal," you agree with a smirk, wiggling your eyebrows up and down. "Wanna people-watch with me?"

He nods enthusiastically as he tosses a handful of fresh fruit directly from your plate into his mouth. "I was gonna wander aimlessly and socialize but this sounds way better."

"Glad we're on the same page," you murmur into the chicken wing at your lips, sucking the sauce off of it and scanning the room for any particular eye-catching costumes.

The flash of red, flowing satin catches your eye. Is someone wearing a bathrobe? Seriously? The taste of hot buffalo sauce causes your lips to tingle as you note the soft, fuzzy edges of the robe. It looks comfy, actually.

You elbow Namjoon in the ribs, directing his attention to the slender, black-haired figure gliding across the room. Namjoon opens his mouth as if to identify the stranger, but the flourish of the robe beats him to it. As the material spins, you catch a glimpse of tan skin peeking out from the chest, long legs exposed as he reaches for the sash at his waist.

The silk billows as it comes undone, cascading to the floor like a river of crimson. There's no mistaking it. You're now staring at the nearly nude, half-painted body of Kim Taehyung. You can't help the way you jaw drops open at the sight of so much skin being flaunted seemingly without a care in the world. Namjoon's hand flies up to cover your eyes, as if he's going to spare you the sight you've already taken in. Now that you've seen Taehyung in a thong, there's no going back.

Sauce-covered fingers pry his away from your eyes just in time to meet the piercing gaze of the man across the room. Is it mirth or anger that graces his features? It's hard to tell with a paintbrush trapped in the box his teeth make. He takes lazy strides across the room as you struggle to keep your eyes off the unforgiving fabric outlining every last curve of his dick. It's not until he's closer that you notice the thin belts crossing his hips, which appear to be holding six tubes of paint, three strapped to each side like gun-holsters. You have to admit they frame his crotch rather nicely.

It takes every ounce of willpower you possess to keep your eyes trained on his face. He carefully takes the paintbrush out from between his teeth and extends it to you. "Draw something pretty on me, Y/N. You too, Joon. Tonight I'm a human canvas on display for the universe."

Your eyebrow quirks as you exchange a look with Namjoon and set your plate down. "You know people are just going to draw a bunch of dicks on you, right?"

He scoffs, waving off your concerns. "Don't be so negative. I will have a beautiful mural by the end of the night. Mark my words."

"I think you're putting too much trust in the goodness of human nature," Namjoon comments, his lips pressing together in an attempt to hide the amused grin that is quickly spreading across his features.

Taehyung cocks his head to the side and leans forward with a lopsided grin. You're afraid he's about to get even closer and whisper some dirty secret into your ear. Instead he asks in a breathy, low tone, "Princess Zelda wouldn't draw such dirty things on me, would she?"

Twirling the thick handle of the paintbrush between your fingers, your eyes dip to the paints secured at his waist. His eyes chase the trail yours make down his side and his delight splits his mouth into a goofy grin. "Oh. Help yourself." He gestures to the colors available with a sweep of his hands just above his hips. "Feel free to use your fingers instead.” He pauses when your mouth falls open slightly. “You know, to paint... Just be careful what you grab, Princess," he jokes.

Removing your other glove with your teeth, you drape them over your shoulder and reach out for the tube of yellow paint, trying to hide the way your hand trembles. He looks down and smiles as the cold paint touches his skin. Before long you have the faint shape of 3 triangles at the center of his chest.

“How fitting,” he murmurs, offering an amused hum as you fill in the last triangle with a glob of yellow that threatens to run down his torso.

“Oops, sorry,” you apologize, moving to tap the brush against the excess, but he grabs your wrist before the bristles can make contact with his skin again.

“That’s alright. Let it do what it does. I like it like this,” he says, watching the clump of paint slowly slide down his midriff. “Besides I’m sure someone else can use it.”

“Like Sherlock!” you suggest, holding the paintbrush out for your companion.

Namjoon takes it begrudgingly and uses the excess yellow to draw a small smiley face beside the triforce symbol.

“Cute,” Taehyung laughs as he takes the paintbrush back from Namjoon. “I love it. Thanks guys.”

Just as he turns to find his next artist, a long object bars his path, pressing against his chest just above the collarbone. You follow the shape of the bar to its owner, revealing a grinning Hoseok clad in an officer’s uniform.

“That’s a bold choice Taehyungie,” he says, securing the faux nightstick into a loop at his waist. “Just make sure you keep that thing on…” He gestures to the small bit of material at Taehyung’s crotch and holds up a pair of handcuffs with his index finger before continuing, “or I’ll have to arrest you for indecent exposure.”

“Impersonating an officer is a crime, you know,” Namjoon says, even as he’s reaching out to touch the shiny metal. “Wait. Where did you get these? Are they real?”

You squint at the device in Namjoon’s hands, looking for the safety release latch like the cheap pair you bought to use with your ex. You don’t see it. That can only mean that these are the kind where losing the keys would have real consequences. But you’re not about to out yourself as the kinky freak you are, so you bring your nearly forgotten drink to your lips and guzzle what’s left in the cup.

As the empty plastic hits the table, your eyes happen to trail across the room and land on a crowd of people gathering around a very impressive, fully-lit Iron Man costume. Jimin seems to be soaking the attention up as the crowd grows ever larger. The massive room has begun to diminish in size, and it’s as though the once comforting lights are now wilting and closing in on you, threatening to strangle the air from your lungs. The adrenalin spiking your veins is telling you it’s time to seek the comfort of open space and solitude. Fast.

You duck beneath Namjoon and Hoseok’s arms, carefully sidestepping around Taehyung to avoid brushing against the wet paint on his skin. “I’m gonna get some air. Try not to get cuffed, Sherlock,” you manage to joke with a smile before turning on your heels and booking it from the room.

If anyone responds to your joke or even acknowledges your exit at all, it’s lost on your ears. Sweat beads on the back of your neck as you hastily attempt to make your way down the hall. If you can just get outside, you can breathe. You’ll be fine. You know it.

Warm bodies clutter the path to your freedom and you can’t help but feel more and more breathless by the never-ending apologies spewing from your mouth as you squeeze past each blockade. You don’t feel like yourself, even as you speak. Taking in sharp, greedy breaths like this isn’t helping. Why is this place so devoid of oxygen? Your body moves on autopilot, seeing the faces of the people you pass, but not feeling their eyes on you.

You float out of the front door, your head as light as a feather, but your eyelids feel like they’ve been anchored. You’re positive you’re about to gracefully glide down the front steps, legs becoming amorphous blobs beneath you that will surely allow you to fly. Just as you’re leaning into the momentum of gravity, two pairs of hands steady your shoulders and criss-cross around your midriff.

“Deep breaths,” Jennie’s voice briefly cuts through the ringing in your ears.

“Do you need to sit down?” The other voice spills into your eardrum as a rushed whisper, one that’s dripping with concern.

Huh? You work on steadying your breathing instead of trying to answer.

“What did she drink?” the familiar voice asks Jennie, the brief flicker of panic quashed by the evenness of his tone. “How much has she had?”

“Relax, Yoongi. Not even our lightweight champion gets drunk that fast,” Jennie reassures him as they help you seat yourself on the top step. “Are you familiar with panic attacks?”

Yoongi rubs the back of his neck and nods silently, backing up to give you some space.

“Jennie. I’m fine now. Thank you,” you mumble, shaking your head and regaining your sense of self. “I’m glad you have my back.”

“Of course. I saw you in the hall and I just knew.”

You jump when you meet the gaze of her white, eerie contacts, which causes both her and Yoongi to laugh. You look up at Yoongi. He shoves his hands into his pockets, long flowing shirt obscuring any flesh poking out from beneath it.

“Hey, you’re not dressed up,” you blurt, realizing he’s sporting a very goth, natural Yoongi look.

He scoffs before bending at the waist and baring his teeth. A single vampire fang is affixed to one of his canines.

You tilt your head like a dog hearing a strange noise. “What, only one fang?”

“Just as dangerous, princess,” he warns with a smirk, standing up straight.

You swear you see a wink, but then again maybe you’re imagining it. You have been known to exaggerate things in your head. Still your stomach somersaults and you focus your attention on Jennie. “I’m okay. I think I’m gonna chill out here for a bit. Get back in there and dance with… god what was his name? Jackson? Jae-beom?”

“Jin-young,” she corrects before biting her lip and glancing back towards the house.

“Go. Hottie McYoungie won’t wait forever,” you tease and point your thumb over at the man hovering above you. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine with toothless over here.”

Yoongi rolls his eyes at the nickname but nods at Jennie. The answer seems to be satisfactory and she gifts you with a tight hug. “Text me if you need anything, okay?”

“Okay. Love you. Now go get laid.” You whisper to her before playfully pushing her back. Before you know it she’s scrambling up the steps and slips back inside, tattered dress swinging wildly with the sway of her hips, revealing just enough of her fishnet-clad thighs to draw Yoongi’s attention. There’s a fraction of a second where he wets his lips as he watches her go, but it’s gone in the blink of an eye. You don’t have time to tease because his dark eyes fall to you.

“Is there anything I can do?” His face is stoic but you can hear the sincerity in his tone.

“Wanna take a walk with me? I’d like to keep away from the big crowd.”

“I know the perfect place,” he says, hopping down from the steps and offering you his hand.

You take it with a smile and rise to your feet, carefully moving down the steps as you dust off your butt. The night air is a bit chilly and you start to work your gloves back up your arms to fight the goosebumps forming there.

That’s when you hear it. You want to misread the sound for a flute, recorder, oboe, or even someone’s radio, but you know those are all incorrect assumptions. It’s an ocarina: an ocarina playing a crude rendition of the opening to ‘Gas Pedal.’

Turning slowly, nothing can prepare you for the sight before you. Jungkook stands on the top step of the porch dressed in a green cap and tunic, tan leggings, and the ugliest dark brown boots you’ve ever seen in your life. He’s got the ocarina nestled between his lips, slowly descending each step with a roll of his hips that accentuates the definition of muscles behind the thin material hugging the shape of his legs.

Your eyes are wide, mouth falling open in surprise. “Jungkook?”

As he jumps down the last step he stops the tune and cups the ocarina in his hands, bowing slightly. “Princess.”

“What are you doing?” you ask, biting back the intimidated voice in your head that’s telling you you’re being picked on.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” he asks in a low tone, a crooked smile crossing his features as he takes a few tempered steps towards you.

You swallow. How are you supposed to answer that? You take a deep breath, trying to drive off the urge to run as he advances on you. Yoongi takes a few steps back and folds an arm over his torso, cupping his elbow as he brings a knuckle to rest against his mouth with intrigue. He couldn’t hold out for one more day? Should I step in? He brings his weight to the front of his foot, ready to diffuse the situation.

“It looks like you’re trying to fuck with me.” You stand your ground, clasping your gloved fingers and calmly resting them against your dress in true Zelda fashion.

Yoongi’s weight shifts back, retracting the step he had taken. A direct accusation isn’t exactly something he would have expected from you, but he finds himself pleased nonetheless. He certainly chose a difficult target this time.

Jungkook gets close enough that you can see the tick of his jaw and the part of his lips as he drags his eyes across your form, settling on the cleavage created by your corset. “Some of those words were right.” He pauses, leaning to whisper against the shell of your ear. “Can you guess which ones, Princess?”

Heat consumes your face as his posture straightens. He doesn’t budge past the space he’s already claimed as his, but he doesn’t move forward again to invade yours. He watches, basking in the full on show your face puts on for his own entertainment. First comes the confusion, next realization, and then shame.

It’s hard to tell if he’s coming onto you or picking on you. You swallow, throat growing drier by the second. “You knew I was coming as Zelda. Weren’t you coming as something else?”

He throws his head back enough to feign exasperation while keeping his eyes trained on you. “Come on. You don’t like my costume?”

Instead of giving you time to answer, he brings the ocarina back to his lips and blows an obnoxious amount of air through the hollow space inside, producing a piercing rendition of ‘Talk Dirty to Me.’

Your shoulders raise as you inhale, suppressing the irritation bubbling within your belly. You wince, turning your head as a particularly shrill note escapes the instrument. Yoongi’s expression sours as he plugs both ears with his fingers.

Jungkook immediately stops playing and offers a sheepish grin. “Oops. I learned that one for you. Maybe I need more practice. Do you want to help me?” He briefly pauses to wet his lips, presenting the ocarina to you. “I can show you how to blow.”

You grind your teeth as your jaw ticks back and forth a few times before answering, “No thanks.”

Yoongi silently tents his fingers over his forehead and tries to massage the secondhand embarrassment from his skull. This is a trainwreck waiting to explode and at this point there’s no looking away.

Jungkook raises his eyebrows at you as he stuffs the ocarina into a small brown pouch hanging from the flimsy belt at his waist. “Ah. Sorry, Princess. I don’t mean to insult you. You’ve probably already mastered the art. Hah. Maybe you could show me a thing or two?”

Unable to form a proper response, your lips purse as the wheels in your head spin. Say something clever. Think of a comeback. Something. Come on. But here you stand, mind blanking for even the simplest of clapbacks. You’re having trouble coming to terms with the fact that your innocent little crush on the once “sweet” Kookie has come crumbling down with his facade, leaving your chest aching with the humiliation of your naivety.

He looks you over, admiring the artistry in the gown you’ve lovingly crafted. For a moment he’s lost in the embroidery stitched into the sash swaying in the breeze of a chilly October night. “I love your…” he trails off, eyes darting across your shape to capture every last detail of your attire.

He pays special mind to the gems adorned at your hips, and the heavy-looking chain belt which links the sash to your dress. He marvels over the color and velvet texture chosen for the purple corset at your torso. The sheer attention to detail and craftsmanship in your costume stuns him into silence for half a second.

His eyes reach the perky mounds of flesh peeking over the top of the corset. Miraculously his voice resurfaces. “...costume.”

The way his dark eyes linger on your chest isn’t lost on you. Your cheeks burn in the cool air, despite the goosebumps littering your arms. You cross your arms over your chest, higher than you normally would to combat his lurid gaze. The green hat atop his head folds over itself as he cocks to one side. Dark, hungry eyes snap to yours, voicelessly pouting at your blockade. For a split second a guilty excitement pulses through you, but you’ll be damned if you’re the cause of an obviously already inflated ego.

“You never said what you think of mine,” he prods. His eyebrows wiggle up and down as he slowly runs his hands along his torso, as if feeling himself up is going to sway your opinion.

You tell yourself not to fall for it, that he’s playing you for a fool right now. Still, your jaw is tight as your eyes helplessly follow the flow of his fingers down his body. His pinky purposefully catches on the flimsy pleather strap acting as the belt at his waist. An impish grin spreads across his face as he notes the way your chest stutters out the breath you’d unknowingly held. Satisfied, his hands continue their languid journey down his body. Your eyes are glued to the way he traces the contours of his thighs.

Finally his fingers dig into the meat of his those muscles and you feel the need to look away before answering. “I hate it.”

He sighs. “Hate is a strong word. Are you sure that’s how you really feel? Why don’t you look at me when you say that?”

Strengthening your resolve, you force your eyes back to his smug face. Stupid doesn’t even begin to cover how you’re feeling at this point. Biting back tears, you swallow hard and do your best to remain composed. Here he stands, a crooked smile amplifying the air of arrogance surrounding him. He’s playing you. He’s been playing you this whole time hasn’t he?

“I don’t even know who you really are, do I?” your voice cracks, only adding to your humiliation.

“I’m the bad guy. Duh.” With that he cackles as he pulls the ocarina from his pouch, proceeding to play the melody from ‘Bad Guy.’

You spin on your heels and storm past Yoongi, the blood rushing through your ears in a distraught rage, drowning out the bitter sound of the notes. A pang of guilt strikes the half-assed vampire as he stares at his friend. “One more day. You couldn’t make one more day?”

Jungkook shrugs, making his way back up the stairs. “If you see Hobi, tell him I’ll have his money tomorrow.”

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

Dragging your hands across your face, you keep your gaze cast towards the ground.

How fucking idiotic, how self-absorbed have you been to assume that he’s been nice because he likes you and not because he was playing some game with you? He's probably just been waiting for an opportunity like this and you fell right into his trap. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

A hand clamps down on your shoulder and you spin, ready to deck the person you assume to be Jungkook. Yoongi's eyebrows raise as you stand poised to punch. He ducks to the side just in time. As you realize your mistake, it's too late. The momentum brings you forward.

His arms come up around you in a soft embrace, one that you're quick to return. "It's just me," he mumbles, kneading his thumb against your back. "...Sorry."

You bury your face into his shoulder, allowing the tiara to slip from your head and hit the soft ground with a dull thud. Why is he apologizing? He didn't do anything wrong. You want to tell him that, but any sound you make might bring about a slew of tears you've been holding back. Instead you just squeeze your arms around him even tighter.

He awkwardly pats your back a few times, not quite knowing what to do with the hug that's lasting longer than anticipated. Sensing his discomfort, you pull away and adjust your wig as you offer an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry."

A figure approaches, bending down to pick up the forgotten adornment. Out of the corner of your eye you see him rub the dirt off the tiara. Jin carefully places it on your head. "A princess should have a crown."

You look him over, noting the giant overalls, red newsboy cap and hideous fake mustache. You can't help but laugh as he forces a hard blink and puckers his lips, alternating lifting sides of his mouth so the mustache comically tweaks itself in a seesaw motion. "I like your costume," you manage between giggles.

He grins back, donning an over-the-top Italian accent. "I a-like-a yours too! A beautiful costume for a beautiful a-woman."

"Please stop," Yoongi groans.

Jin ignores him, fiddling with the corner of his mustache. "I don't-a know where my brother went. I think he's a-scared of the haunted mansion."

You roll your eyes at the joke. That's right. Jungkook was supposed to be Luigi. "He's busy playing a dick for the night."

A look of realization washes over him and he nods, puffing out air through overly inflated cheeks. "Hmm. You know what might-a make you feel better? Helping me scare-a the pants off of people!"

He folds his elbow and holds it out for you, tempting you to lace yours around it. Channeling your bruised ego and hurt feelings into scaring people for fun? That might just work. You feed your elbow through the crook in his. "Zelda and Mario working together."

Jin laughs. "The dream-a team!" He makes a motion to skip towards the outer entrance to the basement that he's dressed up with spiderwebs and a large, hand-made sign that says "MARIO'S GHOST HOUSE." Beside the entrance is a giant blown-up decoration of King Boo, its pink tongue flapping in the breeze.

As you're tugged in the direction of his creation, he stops abruptly. "Oh, we haven't had that many people though. So we have to make the few that come through count!"

Yoongi's eyes light up. "Hey. I’ve got an idea. I’ll get you a the best customer. But you have to really scare him. I promise it will make your night."

Puzzled, you furrow your brows and tilt your head. “Okay…?”

Jin grins like a maniac as Yoongi makes his way towards the front of the house. “Come on. I’ll show you the best spots to hide.”

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

About twenty minutes have passed since Yoongi left in search of his promised customer. Only a few people have wandered in. You have to admit it’s therapeutic to watch people scream and jump when you bang on the false walls within the maze Jin has somehow constructed in this basement. Watching people run up the final stairs to safety leaves you with a feeling of satisfaction, always giving Jin a prideful high-five before returning to the beginning to await more guests.

“Ah! My-a new-a guests!” you hear Jin enthusiastically greet the latest people to stop at the entrance. “Are you a-ready to have fun?”

There’s some hushed whispering that you can’t quite make out from your hiding place within the set.

“Don’t be such a pussy,” Yoongi chides loudly. “Seokjin made this. Do you really think it’s that scary?”

“P-Pussy?” Hoseok stares wide-eyed at his friend and scoffs. “Don’t be rude. I just know Seokjin. It will be worse than whatever I think”

Is that Hobi? You were kind of hoping Yoongi would get Jungkook to walk through. Knowing what you do now though, you have no doubt that Jungkook would be unphased by something like this. All you can hear in your head is the echo of his obnoxious laughter and a pang of hurt slices through your heart. God, you’re so stupid.

Yoongi points to the Boo’s tongue flapping in the wind. “It will be like that, probably. It’s silly to be so afraid.”

Hoseok bounces from foot to foot in uncertainty. Even a police uniform can’t steel his spine or guarantee safety. “Why should I do this to myself?”

Yoongi sighs. “I’ll help you look at new places and… help you move. I’ll even be your roommate if the rent is too high.”

Hoseok is beaming. How long has he been asking for help searching? Jin looks from one man to the other, hiding the subtle smile beneath his mustache. He knew Hoseok wouldn’t go in so easily, that something had to be offered up, but he really didn’t expect Yoongi to go so far.

Hoseok points at Jin. “You’re my witness. I go through this and he’s my roommate.”

“If the rent is too high only,” Yoongi tries to reason, but it’s too late. Hoseok has heard what he wants to hear. He grabs his friend and marches into the depths of the basement.

Immediately you bang the walls on their journey down, feeling Jin rush past you to set up for the next scare. Hobi screams. “Never mind! Never mind!”

Yoongi scoffs, dragging his friend forward. “Come on, officer.”

You listen for their footsteps as you circle the walls behind the maze. Hobi’s frantic yelling breaks through the room, slipping into loud curses. You pull your glove up and wait, peeking through the hole you’re hoping he’ll get close enough to. Even shrouded in shadows, Yoongi’s form peeks out from around the corner.

“Don’t think about the dark,” Yoongi says, slowly shuffling towards the wall with Hoseok crouched behind him, using him as a shield from any more scares. “Think about how you bet Jungkook he couldn’t stop himself from trying to get in Y/N’s pants, not even for one month.”

You freeze. Yoongi knows you can hear him, right? He has to know.

“Think about how well he was doing. You would have been cleaning his house tomorrow. Maid Hobi, bound by servitude.”

“I know…” Hoseok groans. “It would have been awful. He’s so messy! I wouldn’t even be getting paid! What was I thinking?”

“But instead, he bet you a month’s rent that he could,” Yoongi continues loudly. “He blew it tonight for the chance to dress up as Link and tease Zelda. He only had one more day.”

“He’s a dumbass,” Hobi comments with a nod, turning to look at the ceiling and making sure nothing is going to drop down on him.

You swallow, taking in the revelation Yoongi has just bestowed upon you. All this time you had spent thinking Jungkook was a sweet gentleman was actually due to Hoseok making a bet with him? You would rather have known Jungkook was a dick straight up because now the innocent, harmless crush you have on him feels so dirty and foul that you wish you could swipe it from existence.

It’s Jungkook’s fault. He lied. He pretended. You know this. But still you can’t help but partially blame Hobi for the bitter taste in your mouth. As Yoongi passes, you reach out, letting your fingers swipe down Hobi’s forearm and retract through the hole in the wall as he lets out a high-pitched scream.

“Hoseok, get off.” Yoongi tries to push away the man climbing onto his back.

“Something grabbed me! Something grabbed me!” Hoseok wraps his legs around Yoongi’s waist and huddles close to his neck pointing. “Over there! It grabbed me from over there!”

“Let’s keep moving, then.”

“No! No more! I’m standing right here until the sun comes up.”

“How is it standing if your feet aren’t touching the ground? I won’t carry you all night,” Yoongi says, adjusting his stance to compensate for the weight on his back.

“You will, too,” he pouts.

Jin helps you position a furry spider decoration above them, slowly dangling it lower until it finally hits Hoseok’s shoulder. The wail that escapes this grown ass man almost makes you feel bad. Almost. He swats the creature into darkness as he spurs Yoongi on by digging his heels into his belly. “Get me out of here! Please!”

Jin’s shoulders move up and down with the sound of his laughter as he slaps your hand in victory. Scaring Hobi made you feel a little better at least.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

The party has died down quite a bit and at this point Jimin has been passing you far too many drinks as he and Namjoon regale you with tales from college. Namjoon is clearly feeling toasty, laughing like a dork at every memory Jimin brings up. Apparently they were roommates and Jimin has a liberal arts degree from four years of being undecided.

Your head lolls around to rest on Namjoon’s shoulder, your backs pressed against the bottom of the couch as Jimin sits cross-legged in sweats and a t-shirt on the floor before you, his costume laying discarded beside him. He’s spinning his latest story of how Namjoon had accidentally thrown up on some girl he really liked. Yoongi silently lays on the couch behind you, smirking with his eyes closed. You can’t tell if he’s sleeping or just relaxing as you struggle to stand, using Namjoon’s shoulder as leverage to prop yourself up.

“Bathroom?” you ask distractedly, searching the room like a door will appear if you look hard enough.

Jimin smiles pointing at the doorway across the room. “Go out that door, take a left down the hall. It’ll be on your right.”

Your head dips a bit as you try to take in the directions. Namjoon looks up at you as you stumble forward, clearly off-balance. “Do you need some help, geeksquad?”

“I’m fine,” you mumble, hating the nickname he’s given you from work. “I’ll be right back. Don’t drink my drink.” You narrow your eyes at Jimin and he blinks at you in surprise, like you’ve accused him of such a heinous, unthinkable crime.

Rounding the corner, you pass a grinning Taehyung being led upstairs by a cute girl in a red beret, black and white striped shirt, and miniskirt with suspenders. Art hoe? Mime? It’s hard to tell what her costume might be. While his skin is covered in a beautiful mess of colors, your tri-force symbol still stands untouched at the center of his chest. You smile as you watch him climb the steps, clearly distracted. But as his back is revealed, your eyes widen at the sight of a mural of painted dicks. Well. At least he can’t see them.

You walk down the hall for what feels like an eternity, passing a few closed doors on either side. Maybe you should try one? Knocking on the one closest to you once, the door swings in and you lose your balance, not expecting it to open.

“What took you so long? I almost came without you.” The voice is pouty and low, somewhat familiar. He gasps when he realizes you’re not the person he’s been waiting for.

You stumble forward, falling to your knees and catching the bed frame before your face smacks into the wood. As graceful as you can manage, you pull yourself up. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to! I didn’t realize it was open and I was just looking for the---” The will to speak leaves you as soon as you see him.

A very sweaty, very naked Jungkook crosses his arms and he leans back expectantly, smushing the pillows behind him into the headboard. Your eyes take in the pleased expression on his face, quickly scanning the muscles of his folded arms, his chiseled abs, his bulging legs. The pointy green hat he had been wearing earlier tents across his sculpted hips and pelvis, thankfully obscuring any shape hidden beneath it.

“I didn’t think I’d see you again tonight,” he says, licking his lips as he watches your form tremble, practically falling apart in front of him before adding, “...Princess.”

A devilish grin overtakes him at the sight of you spinning around a little too fast, staggering towards the door and holding onto the frame for dear life. “I hoped I wouldn’t see you again tonight.”

“I can’t say it isn’t a nice surprise. You don’t have to leave,” he coaxes. “Do you wanna see my Master Sword?”

“Grow up!” You make sure to slam the door shut behind you. You hate him so fucking much it hurts.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

“Jennie, how could I be so wrong about him?” you sigh, dropping your forehead against the kitchen table. It’s been three weeks since you’ve talked to him, but it’s still the only thing you can think about.

Jennie takes a sip from her beer. “Sweetie, you’re not good at reading liars. Maybe you should look at some dating apps. You could get good read quick.”

“But I don’t wanna,” you whine into the coated wood. “Why can’t people just be nice?”

“Because. People suck. Come on, Y/N. Jungkook ain’t worth the headache. Drink with me. I’ll show you how Tinder works. It’s not so bad.”

When you don’t say anything, she tugs your chair across the floor, dragging your form close to hers and setting her phone down on the table. You peek out at the screen as you raise your head and rest it on a lazy elbow.

“Swipe right on the hotties. Swipe left on the fuckboys and losers. Jungkook? He’s a swipe left. But look at all these good ones on here. These are all swipe righties.”

You nod as she goes through a few profiles and begin downloading the app on your phone. Maybe she’s onto something.

[maxmagi]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Mortal Kombat - All Media Types Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Liu Kang/Kung Lao, Liu Kang/Kitana past Characters: Liu Kang, Kung Lao, others mentioned - Character, Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage, Cassie Cage, Kung Jin, Takahashi Takeda, Jacqui Briggs, Kitana, Jax Briggs Additional Tags: mostly gameverse, Canon Divergence, Liu Kang does not become a fire god here, Happy Ending, HEA, Fluff, very tiny angst Summary:

At a wedding, Liu Kang reflects on love, life, and old age.

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This scene really just came to me out of nowhere with accompanying music, so I decided to write it because I needed something to get my mind off work.

So now I guess I just wrote my first ever game-fic in the MK universe.

[thunderdilf]

What your MK OTP says about you

(based on ships I enjoy and/or have seen in passing)

[feel free to rebagel and add—ship hate will mean insta-blockage, for whatever that’s worth! I’m using the ship names I’ve krafted, and ballparking with others. I hope they give ye a giggle. If your ship isn’t here, PLEASE add it! I just went from memory. I love y’all.]

Caged Heat (Liu/Johnny): you’re here for a good time, not a long time—you like good tiddies and the word “angorny” means something to you. There is passion in both kombat and throwing someone’s luggage off a dock. Sparks, I tells ya.

Sonya/Johnny: you appreciate pegging and Cassie Cage (who doesn’t?). You like the story of a jerk with a heart of gold showing his true colors to a woman who is NOT easily impressed—and who also tops.

Shaolin Rowdy Boys (Liu/Lao): you’re here for a good time, not a long time… literally—you crave childhood friends to unexpected lovers and secret banging in temple broom closets! You see the value of a best friend who’ll go to bat for you, even against a 10,000 year old turboprincess, or maybe you ARE that friend.

Jadetana (Jade/Kitana): Kitana bottoms for NO man, but for Jade, she’d do anything. You love that dynamic of unswerving loyalty which secretly hides deep, abiding admiration and maybe a little lust—or a lot! Who knows what freaky shit Edenian gals can get up to in their private time? You. YOU know and may The Elder Gods™ bless you for producing kontent.

Thermodynamic Equilibrium (subscorp): old guy love is just the ticket—you crave the maturity of years, but you don’t want it boring; someone is getting speared because the love is more intense with age. Kombat to lovemaking is your kryptonite.

Warring Exes (Shang Tsung/Raiden): old guy love, but make it fashion—opulence meets chastity in a clash for the ages; you want an emotional roller coaster of “what if” and “why not”, where a mortal may teach a god to love himself, and love being loved… or perhaps not. Tragedy abounds. There’s enemies to lovers and then there’s this roller coaster. Do you really want good things for Raiden? Debatable.

Faraday Cage (Johnny/Raiden): old guy love, again, but this time it’s two dads finding comfort in a time when they need it most—you REALLY just want good things for Raiden and honestly, who doesn’t? Johnny is, decidedly, a good thing and you’ve decided that nicknames like “1.21 gigawatts” and “electric slide” are acceptable forms of foreplay. 

Cassie/Raiden: Faraday Cage 2: Electric Boogaloo—you might be a spite shipper (rock on) or you just dig visible age gap (because you know that every ship including Raiden or Fujin is EXTREME age gap) and you just want Cassie and Raiden to have nice things.

Jacqueda (Jacqui/Takeda): you watched them grow over the course of X and you were smitten. You’re convinced love really can bloom on the battlefield and kombat spouses appeal to you. The idea of Jacqui throwing down with Scorpion for Takeda’s hand appeals to you as well. Same.

Liutana (Liu Kang/Kitana): all those voice lines and character endings mean something to you—in fact, you may have cried; they’ve been fiddling about since 1995, goddammit, you just want good things for them! Is that so much to ask? I say make it happen.

Royal Pain (Shao Kahn/Sindel): the term “power couple” means something OTHERWORLDLY to you—you took one look at this terrible twosome and went “get me a freak like that” but no one was sure which one you meant and that was okay with you. You’re enamored with their grisly Gomez/Morticia aesthetic. They are awful and you LOVE it. Good on you!

Windwolf (Nightwolf/Fujin): you played Aftermath. ‘Nuff said. JK I’m never done. You love the dynamic of middle-aged person and deity falling in love, which is bizarrely specific, but you’ve found your niche goddammit and you’re going to fill it. You appreciate the koncept of the “god” not always being on top of things, or put-together and the idea of a mortal comforting such a being titillates you. The way Nightwolf stands, holding his belt buckle is, you’re convinced, what sold Fujin; it’s also what sold YOU. 

Windserpent (Shang Tsung/Fujin): you played Aftermath and while you didn’t think of it at the time, you’ve seen some REALLY nice art and batted the idea around a while and then settled on “yes this is for me”. The appeal is in the danger, from both sides—a nigh-immortal soul sorcerer and a god. Perhaps you crave a redemption arc, or a corruption arc; either way, this ship has serious potential and you intend to exploit it. How Shang Tsung of you.

Honor among thieves (Erron Black/Kung Jin): you dig age gap, unironic cowboys, and the idea of a couple of people who haven’t always been on the right side of the law finding themselves and their points of strength in the Kourt of an Outworld emperor. 

Kotal/Jade: you only needed a few cutscenes to tell you that these two are MADLY in love; what we lacked in pure kontent (after all, the game didn’t CENTER on them), they made up for in passionate exchanges. You appreciate the dynamic of respect between them and pegging is NEVER off the table.

Kano/Raiden: the aesthetic of filth-meets-purity appeals to you something fierce. The dynamic is unique and you love the potential for a redemption/corruption arc(s?). 

Shang Tsung/Kano: you saw the club scene in MK95 and you went “yes they’re boning”. Whether there is actual affection or not varies with your mood. You love the idea of disaster gay and refined gay coming together to make something dastardly. 

Bi-Hanzo (Bi-Han/Scorpion): you crave old wounds and aches and angst, drowning in memories of what never could have been, and regrets of what might have been prevented. This is an angst fest and it is YOUR cup of tea; drink that shit down, my friend, no sugar, no cream. Have at it.

Sonya/Jax: team mom and dad aesthetic appeals to you on a spiritual level. Someone’s gotta be in charge of this chicken shit outfit. AMERICA.

The Storm (Fujin/Raiden): your aesthetic includes the difficulty of a mortal’s inability to truly connect with and understand immortals and immortals finding themselves and each other in that realization. These entities who have existed since the beginning of all things understand each other better than anyone else could. Shine on.

Sindel/Raiden: this is team parents aesthetic on ‘roids. You’re probably a fan of the brainwashed Sindel theory and you’re of the opinion that only the love of a god is remotely worthy of the ultimate scream queen. Honestly, you’re probably right. Body worship is on your list of goals, right alongside worthy equals in a relationship—kinky. That being said, pegging is always a possibility.

Mileena/Scorpion: your aesthetic is danger—but alongside that is “lost souls finding love” and “shared burdens of infinite AGONY”. You dig angst and the potential for star-crossed lovers, meeting each other’s eyes across the arena of kombat. The idea of Scorpion as a consort (Kahnsort?) for Mileena might also appeal to you.

Rain/Mileena: the song “hatefuck” by the Bravery is probably your jam. You know there’s little love lost between these two, but perhaps kombat will bare their souls in such a way that they find some redeeming quality in the other—and the sex is VICIOUS. That’s what you’re looking for and by The Elder Gods™ you’ve found it.

Fanblade (Kitana/Sonya): you saw MK95 and went “I can fix this”. Kombat futch meets ancient warrior princess futch—this feels like hardcore xenabrielle vibes with a side of GORE because it’s mortal kombat, let’s be real. You feel as if Kitana would be foolish not to claim Sonya as her lover after watching her snap Kano’s neck with her thighs. You would be right.

Taleena (Tanya/Mileena): rebel, rebel—we love a good usurpation, don’t we? Power struggles are hot, both politically and in bed. Your kinks include overthrowing the bourgeoisie (even though you ARE the bourgeoisie) and seizing the means of production (meaning the flesh pits, probably). 

Shaiden (Shinnok/Raiden): your motto is fight and fuck—or enemies to lovers, for the more refined shipper. Maybe you prefer enemies AND lovers. Go hard or go home, I say.

Nightwolf/Erron Black: old guy love, but make it reformed criminal. The appeal here is that, very likely, someone has to convince someone else that he really IS out of the woods, to show him his true worth, and maybe give him some time off from the violent grind of kombat life.

Kablam (Kabal/Erron Black): black dragon buddies! In the depths of mercenary work, there isn’t time for love, not really, so you want to see these two assholes find some semblance of peace and pleasure amidst illicit activities. Whether or not Kano knows depends on what kind of quickie sex appeals most to you.

Jacquass (Cassie/Jacqui): military lesbians, friends to lovers, BFFs, this ship has it all. You’re in love with the idea of a couple of people who grew up together, suffered and fought and bled together, stumbling away from a battlefield, carrying each other and finding that perhaps they can keep carrying the other, maybe forever.

Kotal/Erron: The idea of watching someone go from bad to the bone, to actually CARING about something other than himself thrills and excites you. That kind of loyalty can’t be bought, even though you keep pretending that’s all it is. Very tsundere.

Kano/Kabal: “he’s a lowlife, piece of shit scumbag; you’re gunna love ‘im.” Nuff said.

[takahashitakeda]

✔ - Kung Jin (@umbrclflame)

Send me ✔ and I will bold my preferences for your muse!

My muse(s): Takeda!

Do I know your muse(s): yes | no | a little | tell me about your muse

Setting: our verse | my verse | your verse | modern | alternate universe | other

Pre-established relationships? yes | no | depends on the relationship

Possible relationships: friends | classmate | co-worker | roommate | family, real or adopted | dating or blind date | married | friends with benefits | unrequited love | lending a hand | teacher - student | rivals | allies | partner-in-crime | enemies | protecter - guarded | business partners | spy - infiltrated | manipulator - manipulated | star-crossed | first meeting | other

I’m in the mood for: fluff | angst | horror | romance | humor | crime | hurt / comfort | action | supernatural | slice of life | crack | dark threads | light threads | any genre | multi-para | shorter para | one-line | any length | plotted threads | unplotted threads | other

Feel free to: message me ooc | message me ic (in asks) | tell me your ideas | write a starter | answer one of my opens | send a meme | reblog this with your preferences - let’s find common interests!

[ao3feed-zukka]

Arsonist's Lullaby

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2YwVSxb

by Patricia_Sage

Modern / University AU

 Sokka likes the swim team and his kinesiology courses, but he loves his boyfriend more than anything. Sokka thinks Zuko is the most beautiful man in the world, but it's hard for Zuko to separate his appearance from his traumatic past.

Words: 1246, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Avatar: The Last Airbender

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M, Gen, M/M

Characters: Sokka (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar), Aang (Avatar), Katara (Avatar), Toph Beifong, Azula (Avatar), Iroh (Avatar), Ursa (Avatar), Ozai (Avatar), Suki (Avatar), Yue (Avatar), Appa (Avatar), Bumi (Avatar), Jin (Avatar), Ty Lee (Avatar), Mai (Avatar)

Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Aang/Katara (Avatar), Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar), Aang & Sokka (Avatar), Katara & Sokka (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Sokka, Sokka & Suki (Avatar), Sokka & Yue (Avatar), Aang & Zuko (Avatar), Aang & Katara (Avatar), Aang & Toph Beifong, Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Zuko, Toph Beifong & Katara, Toph Beifong/Suki, Katara & Zuko (Avatar)

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - College/University, University, zukka - Freeform, Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), Gay Zuko (Avatar), Gay Toph Beifong, Past Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Past Sokka/Yue (Avatar) - Freeform, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, sokka is on the swim team, sokka is a lifeguard, zuko does kung fu, zuko is aang's tutor, toph is aang's tutor, katara is aang's tutor, sokka & aang are roommates, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Iroh (Avatar) loves Tea, iroh owns a coffee shop, Established Sokka/Zuko, Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Protective Sokka (Avatar), Arson, Past Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Azula (Avatar) Redemption, Lesbian Azula (Avatar)

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2YwVSxb

[the-outsider-and-other]

MK - Little Things (Shaiden)

Shinnok learns to enjoy the little things in life.

With this new life, Shinnok discovered many things about himself he had not known before. Namely, that he liked sweet things.

Being a god, food was not a requirement for him. But much like sleep, Shinnok had learned to appreciate the little things. It began with small things, like seeing Raiden enjoy some steamed dumplings or the kombat kids licking this cold creamy substance off of cones.

“What is it you have there?” he asked them one day.

“Ice cream.” said Kung Jin. Shinnok cocked an eyebrow as he eyed the off white treat. “You wanna try some?” the Shaolin offered.

Genuinely curious, Shinnok mimicked the motions he had seen the young ones do and lapped his tongue over the ice cream. Taken aback by the coldness, he almost jerked the iced treat off the cone as he pulled back.

“Cold.” Shinnok said through chilled lips.

“Sorry! You okay?” Kung Jin asked, worried.

Taking a moment, Shinnok let the ice cream warm in his mouth before swirling in about. It was sweet, creamy and very nice. The smile in the former elder gods face assured Kung Jin that he was alright.

“Well, I’m very well and that ice cream is delicious.” 

And from then on, Shinnok became more open to trying food in small portions. Like the aforementioned dumplings Raiden had. ‘Soft, warm and flavorful,’ though the old god. 

Shinnok learned that he enjoyed coffee after much cream and sugar, and some kinds of tea, usually black teas. But the day he tried cake, that was the point of no return…

Shinnok sat watching one of his favorite horror films, The Haunting, with Raiden at his back and a slice of red velvet cake in his hands. Horror films and literature was another joy Shinnok has found in this new life. Aside from the more gory fair, which the elder god had gotten monstrously desensitized to, Shinnok loved the suspense, the chills, the sheer angst and misery the characters went through.

“Care for another slice, love?” asked Raiden just after a suspenseful moment in the movie had passed. Shinnok shook himself from his stupor and nodded.”

“Yes, yes please.” he handed Raiden the small dish and curled his long legs to his chest.

Raiden only smiled and went to fetch the cake. Watching Shinnok grow like this, finding his likes and dislikes and becoming a fully rounded person was such a wonderful feeling to the thunder god.

Returning, he leaned down and gently kissed Shinnoks hair, unfortunately startling the poor former elder god. Shinnok yelped and leapt from his seat, almost knocking the cake from Raidens hands.

“You brute! What do you think you’re doing?!” an incensed Shinnok demanded. Raiden could only smile at the flustered elder god.

“Forgive me, I didn't think you would become so agitated over a simple film.” he said as he sat back down.

Shinnok huffed and plopped himself against Raidens broad chest once more and took the cake plate. “You’re lucky you’re so damn attractive, thunder god.” 

Raiden only smiled and wrapped his arms around Shinnoks waist, half paying attention to the movie and half leaning his head into the other gods hair.

[shockapella-sweet]

Mortal Kombat Fanfic Ideas

‘Cause after watching the Story Mode for Mortal Kombat 11, I’ve been hit by a ton of feels and needed to let them out before my candyfloss brain melted:

A series of ficlets where, just before Liu Kang and Kitana create a new timeline from scratch, various characters/OTPs (eg. Hanzo and Kuai, Ermac and Kenshi, Cassie and her parents, etc) are temporarily stuck in a purgatory-like void where they reminisce over everything that’s happened to them from MK9′s events onward, question what will become of them, and finally say their last farewells - or, possibly, “Until meet again” - in case they do/don’t ever see each other again in the new timeline.

Past!Jax and Jacqui Briggs talking about Takeda on the boat en-route to Shang Tsung’s Island, with Jax hearing about how they got engaged and how they want to plan their wedding, to how Present!Jax is still wary of Takeda marrying his baby girl and the possibility of being left alone on the farm. It can sort of end with past!Jax promising Jacqui to support her marriage to Takeda, and that when the time comes, he wants to walk her down the aisle.

A look at how Johnny Cage and Sony Blade reconciled between the events of MKX and MK11 (’cause God alone knows I wanna know how that happened).

A slashfic that also explains why Kung Jin isn’t in MK11: perhaps some time after the events of MKX, he pursues a romantic/sexual relationship with Erron Black, something which Dark Raiden and the Shaolin monastery don’t approve of (not so much because of his orientation, but more so because he’s seeing a member of Kotal Kahn’s court, making Black an enemy of Earthrealm). So Dark Raiden has Jin return to the White Lotus as punishment, and he can’t even help out in MK11. Then, in Liu Kang and Kitana’s new timeline, evil characters like Shang Tsung don’t exist, meaning Erron isn’t and can’t become immortal; he’s still born in the American Frontier years, and goes on to become one of the most famous outlaws in history, but eventually dies due to his normal human lifespan. Hundreds of years later, Jin - also alive in this new timeline - is a Law student/Shaolin monk-in-training. However, when he finds out about Erron Black in his research about past crimes and Earthrealm laws at a library (or in the Shaolin archives), he suddenly remembers that he knows this outlaw from somewhere, and the only possible person who can explain everything is Raiden. Cue all the angst, finger-pointing and even more angst.

Past!Kabal is apprehended by Special Forces after Sonya Blade’s chapter in MK11 (and directly after Kano’s death). He’s taken to an interrogation room of sorts, where Present!Johnny Cage is there to meet him. Kabal expects Johnny to torture and burn him alive, as Kano claimed would happen at the fight club. Instead, Johnny shows Kabal a picture of Stryker, explaining that the police officer was his partner (professionally and possibly romantically). Johnny tells him the truth about his burns and his becoming a revenant, and that if Kabal had continued his police training instead of joining the Black Dragon, perhaps he would have had a shot at true happiness, no matter how brief it lasted.

A slashfic about Kenshi and Ermac, and their last moments dying together in the Krypt, based on @paleicelight​‘s stunning artwork.

Hanzo Hasashi recounts his entire life-story spanning from MK9 to MK11 ... in the style of Bridget Jones’ Diary.

Kitana reuniting with Sindel and King Jerrod in a peaceful Edenia.

A Hangover-type fic where, after Shinnok’s defeat in MKX, S-F, the Lin Kuei and the Shirai Ryu clans have a raucous celebration ... come the next morning, Johnny and Sonya are suddenly married again after flying out to Vegas, Hanzo ends up with a mysterious love-bite on his neck, Jacqui thinks Takeda and Cassie hooked up after finding them in bed together, Raiden goes missing, Shinnok’s decapitated head is found lying in a puddle of beer (and may or may not be slightly tipsy), and Erron Black comes all the way from Outworld claiming that everyone at the palace has been frozen in ice and that someone stole his hat in the middle of the night. The only one who knows what’s going on is Kung Jin, who doesn’t drink. Of course, he’s not gonna explain what happened that easily.

Kuai Liang breaks down some time after fighting Noob Saibot, and Hanzo tries to comfort him, because he knows the pain of losing loved ones. Could be slash or not.

Smoke is alone and afraid in the Netherrealm, feeling like he’s been abandoned by Kuai Liang after all these years of suffering. Suddenly, Geras appears out of nowhere and tries to persuade him to join Kronika’s cause. In the process, Smoke either makes a genuine friend or “disappears” if he refuses.

Liu Kang and Kitana start out crafting the new timeline with good intentions. However, after a long while, they start manipulating time to suit their own needs, and repeatedly reboot the timeline when they see fit, even going as far as to erase their friends and allies from history altogether. In other words, they become the very thing Liu-liu defeated: Kronika ..

After passing on his protector duties to Liu Kang, Raiden feels at peace for the first time in years. After advising Liu Kang and Kitana in shaping the new timeline, he enjoys his mortal state and its little pleasures. From seeing the Kombat Kids moving onto new ventures in their lives, to seeing Earthrealm, Outworld, Edenia and all the other realms working together, Raiden can’t be any more happier. By the time he dies - in a warm bed at the Sky Temple, perhaps surrounded by his friends and loved ones - he is truly at peace, and is ready for the joys of the afterlife.

A complete retelling of MK11′s Story Mode ... BUT with some of the missing characters from MKX. Picture it: Kronika brings back Mileena to help Shao Kahn (also by bringing her back, it appeases Shao Kahn and makes him trust Kronika more). However, Mileena is conflicted between helping Daddy Dearest when he’s indirectly working with D’Vorah, her executioner, or working with Kitana to take back Outworld’s throne - although that means working with Kotal Kahn, who also had a hand in her death. Meawhile, Reptile and Ferra/Torr are convinced by Kronika to join her in her cause, as they see the potential of their races coming back to life in the timeline reboot (seeing her bring back past kombatants solidifies their trust in her - if she’s got that kind of power, then surely she can restore their races without question). Kuai Liang and Hanzo bump into Noob Saibot and Revenant!Smoke at the factory: not only does it pain Kuai to see his brother still alive and quite evil, but to see his best friend - his brother in arms - working alongside Noob for Kronika’s cause just about breaks him. For the Jax and Jacqui story arc, instead of a crown of souls they have to fetch, it’s actually Ermac that Kronika’s really after (being a huge soul collective and all); given he’s still part of Kotal Kahn’s remaining court, the emperor has the construct protected; in steps Kenshi, who has an inkling that he and Ermac were close friends in a past timeline, so he picks himself to guard Ermac. This causes conflict with both past!Jax (who’s miffed about losing his arms) and present!Jax (who’s equally miffed PLUS needs to take Ermac - alive - to Kronika). Cue a conflict of interest also erupting between Kenshi and Jax, and how this may affect Takeda and Jacqui’s relationship. Meanwhile, Kung Jin is back with the White Lotus (possibly for the reasons above or not), and is able to help out after Dark Raiden’s demise: he fights alongside Kung Lao and Liu Kang (which has so much potential for family fluff, introspection on their past lives, discussion of cultural values, Jin’s homosexuality, etc), as well as assist S-F (maybe during the Black Dragons’ assault on S-F, or when they raid the fight club). With his knowledge, maybe Raiden and everyone could potentially find Kronika’s Keep a lot sooner than later. Also, “By the Elder Gods, Black, walking around in the Outworld sun did you no f****** favours in the future.”

Kabal settling down with Sareena, based on his Tower Ending ... ha ha, just kidding! As if I’d do something like that. XP

That’s it. I think that’s all I’ve got so far. I think it’s a decent-ish mix of drama, romance and humour.

Whether or not I will actually write these fics some day, I don’t know. But it’s fun thinking about the possibilities, especially after how MK11′s Story Mode broke me. ^3^