#more in the shadows & in the background than upfront

[myjustice]

For the holiday season. If Furina had to choose between dressing as Santa, a reindeer, or an elf, which would she choose?

she would love to be in one of those cute santa outfit ones. she would definitely be dressed as santa & find cheer in giving out gifts &/or being told by children what they would like for the holidays.

then she would go to neuvillette & he too will be dressing up as santa because she said so & she would give him a list of all the wishes she got from the children who came to her & would convince him to buy them said gifts so that the two of them can go about fontaine door to door & give them their gifts.

not only in an attempt to get him out but to also help him feel like he can connect with them & not feel like they’re so out of his reach because they too would no doubt want to connect with their ruler.

[pointdotiozao]

The wait list for 2024 is open!

DM me if you’re interested! Rbs are appreciated!

More info under the cut, I'll try to be brief, please read ↓

〃く⁠コ⁠:⁠彡 ₊ ˚ ⊹ 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝

Process and general info

DM or email me (rose_captain@hotmail.com)* your inquiry so we can discuss the quotes and book you a slot if none are available at the moment. *I might take I little longer to reply emails.

Payments are made via PayPal invoices, so I'll need your PayPal email.

All prices are USD.

My wait list is just a rough estimation. The time I take on each work varies and sometimes there are cancellations, as well as other external factors, so even though I'm mostly on time, the possibility I will be a bit late or a bit earlier than expected exists.

IMPORTANT: If you change your url after getting a spot on my wait list please remember to give me a heads up so that later I can still find you!!

It's alright if you need to reschedule your comm for another time, or even just cancel it, just let me know. No cancellations once I have started working though, and no refunds.

I start working after receiving half the payment upfront.

References are appreciated but not required, and well detailed descriptions work just fine, but please try to have all information necessary for the commission ready. (References and/or descriptions for the characters appearances, facial expressions, clothes, poses; background, if any; lighting/type of coloring.)

I won't charge for tattoos of which you provide transparent pngs.

I reserve the right to refuse a commission.

I reserve the right to post my artwork and use it on my portfolio, but I'll keep a commission private if so requested.

The commissions are for personal use only.

Will Do

OCs, fanart, ship art;

Suggestive themes, NSFW, and even fetish art (with only a few exceptions I highly doubt I will encounter here, but who knows);

Gore and body horror;

Animals, humanoids and furries.

In doubt just ask, I'll give almost anything a confident try.

Won't Do

Mecha;

Hateful imagery;

IRL shipping (doesn't apply to actors interpreting characters);

Create new designs (characters, clothes, etc.);

And I will no longer be accepting irl face claims/painting real people on painting style commissions (this doesn't apply to realistic looking video-game characters).

The styles:

Sketch- just the early stage of the drawing, rough forms and somewhat messy lines. May include 1 rough color for emphasis;

Lineart- clean lineart with the brush of your choice (I have 3);

Flat colors- includes lineart and simple coloring, no shadows/source of light;

Shaded- includes lineart, more detailed coloring compared to flat colors, simple lighting/one source of light;

Painting- either pieces with no lineart (regardless of type of lighting), or those which have lineart + complex lighting/two or more sources of light.

You can see more of my art on my blog tagged as #myart. If you find a style you like but is not sure of which category it fits in, just ask me!

〃く⁠コ⁠:⁠彡 ₊ ˚ ⊹ 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝

And finally, seen below are my other contact info. Most of these accounts are still empty and I honestly don't plan on leaving tumblr, after all the real "tumblr is shutting down" is the friends we made along the way yadda yadda, but seriously my heart can't take it anymore. I'll rather be safe than sorry.

[may-be-rae]

I've been recovering from a bad flu and was wondering if I could be self indulgent and request Hc's for M6 when Mc is almost recovered from a bad flu?

First example; they cough every so often, they have a dry throat and sound bit horse still. Their favorite foods taste like shit and their appetite isn't fully back yet, but they have most of their energy back and can do everyday things and even feel lazy when doing nothing all day.

Thanks for your request! I’m so sorry for how long this took me. 🥴

I’m sure you’re well over your flu by now 🤧✌️ but since it’s disease central out here, I hope this brings us some comfort. ❤️‍🩹

Stay healthy y’all. Our immune system be fighting wars out here. 🫡 🍊

The Arcana Headcanons

Recovering from the Flu

Asra

Asra takes the days in stride. He’s a fairly relaxed person by nature. He doesn’t understand your rush to return to the everyday world. He prefers you to rest in bed so your mind, body, and spirit can fully recover.

From the beginning of your illness, Asra wanted to care for you, but he’s hesitant to be overbearing. He understands your complex sentiments towards the “caregiver” role he’s taken.

He takes a background role to your healing, acting as a shadow in his support. He makes homemade tea bags, cuts up fruits, prepares soups, washes the bedsheets, draws baths… small things that make a big difference in lightening the load.

He doesn’t nag you about what you chose to do. Want to go for a walk? He’ll join you with a spare coat and water. Insist on going to the market? Let him carry the basket. He’s desperate to see you well and happy once more, and he’ll do anything to show it even if it means taking a step back

In the end, Asra will promise that once you regain your taste, he’ll buy you the biggest, warmest pumpkin loaf at Selasi’s.

Nadia

Nadia has the palace on lockdown. She knows better than to believe that you won’t push your recovery time to a minimum. In Prakra, rest is valued and the body is treated sacredly. A broken vessel can hold nothing good. She urges you to rest as much as possible.

Everything is at your disposal - the finest cloths for your sniffles, the richest honey for your cough, the softest pillows for a midday nap. Nothing is too good for you.

After a few days, she will feel guilty for keeping you under lock and key. She knows how lonely the palace can be, and she wishes she had more time to keep you company.

In the evenings, she’ll try to make it up to you with a true rarity of her highness. She’ll sing to you sweet lullabies her father used to sing to her as a child. Her voice is smooth and deep, and Prakran songs have a rhythm much like a running river. It’s rare to hear her sing, and most are unaware of the Countess’s secret skill.

Julian

Julian, of course, is worried. He’s always worried! However, to best help you Julian switches into “doctor mode” to suppress his emotions. It does pain him to treat you like a patient, but he knows his medical skills are much more helpful than his worries. It’s a much different side to him, something you’re not used to seeing. It’s not bad, though. In fact, it’s rather charming.

He takes an upfront role, stern but soft. He’ll bring you tinctures and supplements from the clinic, as well as ask Mazelinka for any wives’ tale that could prove useful. He’ll cook for you and draw baths, and lights are out no later than 9:00pm.

Julian encourages you to keep moving and stay in a routine. He’ll offer to take you to the beach where you can relax in the sand. He knows the sun, fresh air, and water do wonders for health.

Once you’re fully recovered, Julian is relieved to have you again. He’ll apologize for being so cold, but that he simply wanted to help you. He’ll shower you in kisses and hugs to make up for the empty days.

Portia

While Portia is often one to work herself to the bone while under the weather, she refuses to let you do the same. She’s aware that it’s rather hypocritical of her, but she frankly doesn’t care. She can be somewhat of a nag, and that she does feel guilty for.

Portia is well versed in homeopathic medicine. It’s a skill that she picked up from her hometown, and it reminds her fondly of Mazelinka - the late nights they’d stay up together over the fire, picking dried herbs off their stems, talking about life, and sharing stories of the high seas…. It’s a fond memory for her.

If you insist on working, she’ll pack you a hearty soup and homemade ginger tea, both with plenty of healing herbs infused. When you get home, it’s candles, blankets, and bedtime. She’s also not afraid to snuggle up next to you despite the sniffles. At least if she gets sick too, she has an excuse to stay home with you. 🧡

Muriel

Muriel agrees that it’s no good to linger in bed for too long. If you’re up to it, he’ll support your decision in getting on your feet. This doesn’t erase his worry; he’ll still keep a strong eye on you.

When you go off to the shop, he’ll pack a bundle berries and dried orange peels for you to snack on. He’ll also spent the day preparing bone broth for dinner. If you don’t eat animal products, he’ll swap it for a ginger, garlic, and onion based broth.

The Kokhuri are strong believers of homeopathic remedies, like aromatherapy. Muriel would purchase and prepare incense and dried herbs to burn while you relax at home. He even knows of a great natural hot springs to relax in. If you’re too tired to walk, he’ll carry you.

But most of all, he’s a strong believer that company is truly the best medicine. Like Nadia, he has many lullabies and folk lore to share with you. He’s shy at first, but it’s rather cathartic for him to sing. It’s nice to relive his native tongue once more.

As the night settles in, he and Innana will gladly cuddle up to you once you’re asleep and keep you warm through the night.

Lucio

Lucio actually roughs out his cold most of the time, crediting his “it’s not a problem if I don’t think about it too hard” mindset. He reserves his crybaby tendencies for when he’s feeling truly horrid and sorry for himself.

He’s surprisingly gentle toward you, as he admires your tenacious spirit. Many other partners in his life used his status to pamper themselves in these situations. It’s strange to have someone so independent and capable that choses to stay with him. Lucio knows he’s a pill, and your faithfulness isn’t lost on him. He never wants to diminish your will and strength, so he’ll do his best to support you from the shadows.

Expect servants on the hour to check in on you, periodically bringing over drinks, snacks, and cough drops. Sometimes, Lucio will offer walk through the gardens for some fresh air. If you’re struggling, he’ll bring over a blanket and pillow for a brief nap. Although he’ll promise to wake you up in a few minutes, he’ll allow you to rest longer if that’s what your body demands.

At the ends of his work day, he won’t leave your side. He’ll run a hot bath for you and offer to read to you. Afterwards, the night is yours. Whatever you please, he’ll have it ready for you.

[paxesoterica]

Thinking About Burion (spoilers through Ep. 18)

Secelia jumpscare!

No, but out of everything else that happened this episode, including the Schwarzette reveal and Eri’s conversation with Suletta, this was probably the thing I least expected. But perhaps it shouldn’t have been.

I’m still new to Gundam, so I was wondering what was up with the little robot spheres, and soon learned that Haros are utility bots, similar to droids in Star Wars, and a Gundam series staple, much like chocobos and moogles are for Final Fantasy. But of course, Witch doesn’t use Gundam traditions for the sake of tradition, there’s always something else to it. And in this show, they’re information gatherers, and the implications of that only just clicked for me.

And the show’s been very upfront about that, Haros have been monitoring duels in particular and the school in general since the very first episode, not to mention Rouji’s Haro demonstrating its skill by monitoring Aerial’s data in her debut.

Which should have led me to ask, who builds these things? Who deploys them and are the first to learn their secrets? Because at this point I’m pretty sure it’s Burion.

Which makes a lot of sense: they’re the company that manages the Asticassia front, so of course they need a way to monitor things. It’s easy to dismiss them too, because despite their importance to operation of Asticassia, they’re explicitly not one of the big three branches, neither Secelia nor Rouji are pilots despite their place on the Dueling Committee, and they make the school standard mobile suits, nothing flashy compare to Jeturk, Peil, and Grassley.

It’s also easy to overlook Secelia and Rouji too, because aside from some sassy commentary and lore drops, they’ve seemed to be something of a Greek chorus for Witch for Mercury, akin to Utena’s Shadow Girls, and favoring the background. But now I can’t help but wonder, in the wake of the attack on Asticassia itself, which is very much Burion’s focus, if all that information gathering means they’re more important than one might assume, and if they’ll turn out to be another wild card in an already complicated game.

Sigh, I *love* when side characters turn out to have more going on with them than you initially thought : )

Here’s hoping the supporting cast of Witch have even more suprises yet.

[seahydra]

🧡💛🩵💙 :D - @prismaticuniverses

YES.... HA HA HA...... YES

🧡 how do they become friends? do they ask up front or is it a gradual realization?

TECHNICALLY Lazarus asks upfront after the quiz situation "Why not be friends with me?" but they certainly aren't, like, actually like friends friends from that point onwards. Obviously. They're kinda bad at hanging out initially... mostly just playing games together in silence until one of them has either something to comment on or a question to ask the other (if only to break the silence and nothing else). But they both mutually loosen up the more they hang out until they realize one day that they're actually talking and laughing with one another without any awkwardness about it :] and they don't really know when it happened, either!

💛 what are their favorite activities to do together? or what do they usually do when they spend time together?

Gaming or watching shows together is the most obvious answer. Part of the fun is raiding the kitchen beforehand for all sorts of snacks (often they will spend more time joking around while doing this than actually watching or playing whatever it is they originally planned on doing)

Sometimes, though, they just sit in either Levi's room or Laz's room on their phones separately. Occasionally laughing at something funny and going to show the other person the post... enjoying the silence together. Or maybe one of them will play music at a lower volume in the background. Something like that...

🩵 do they both act different once they realize they’re falling for the other? maybe stuttering or fidgeting or daydreaming more often?

Levi kind of shuts down and starts getting way more embarrassed than usual at even the smallest things. This is also because she thinks she might have a romantic crush at first - which he immediately figures out that No He Does Not Lmfao but that still doesn't ease his nervousness. She's just very shy overall... not like she wasn't already but it gets WORSE

Lazarus on the other hand has known about himself being aro for a while and is just really really intent on showering Levi with even more affection than she has been already. Alongside trying to subtly drop hints that another type of relationship is possible (a la discussing the Lord of Shadow and Henry's very deeply devoted yet still platonic relationship with her)

💙 do they pine and yearn for each other quietly, or can they not stop talking about the other to their friends/family?

So glad you asked. I have a post to make but the answer is THEY DO NOT SHUT UP ABOUT EACH OTHER ‼

[merakiui]

Hii! I’ve seen a lot of amazing concepts here (Android Scaramouche, Yandere Xiao who loses his darling etc.) AND THEYRE ALL JUST SO GOOD. Honestly I’d love to hear your thoughts on Yan Childe and incredibly rich, villainess type character. She has the body to rival gods, and yet it’s hidden behind dresses. Their first meeting could be something like that one Incredibles scene where they both dine in the volcano!

Something that came to my mind while reading your ask was hitman!Childe, whose next mission is to get rid of a wealthy, newly elected mayor. He’s seen you on television before when he bothers to watch it during the rare instances where he’s afforded a break. Childe has never been interested in what a target’s like or who bothered to pay for the hit. As long as he gets to carry out his dangerous missions (which never go to plan), he’s content remaining somewhat oblivious. That doesn’t mean he won’t put in the effort to know background information. Only what’s necessary so that he can determine to best and fastest way to kill them.

You’re an enigma of sorts. When he hears you’ll be dining one on one with a CEO from Liyue, he easily slips through undetected. All it takes are a few artfully crafted lies, a fine suit that’s worth more than the hostess makes, and he’s being led to the private room, which rests directly under a volcano and allows everything in the room to bathe in molten crimson. He sits across from you, a debonair grin tugging at his lips.

You don’t seem suspicious when you greet him with a smile of your own. In fact, you treat him like the CEO and Childe can’t help thinking just how easy this is. How can you expect to survive the world of politics if you can’t even recognize a threat?

Dinner is deliciously safe, as expected of someone who prefers private, trustworthy chefs. Childe settles back in his chair, raises his wine glass to his lips, and peers through the glass at you. You smile again and the red shadows paint you in bloody auras.

“That’s enough play-acting, Mr. Tartaglia.”

He lowers his glass, watching you with his calculating blues. What’s your angle now? Did you poison his food? Is something in the wine? Are you secretly an assassin like him and you’re both meant to kill each other?

Childe leans back in his seat, brows raised. “What makes you say that, dear? I thought you were enjoying it.”

You laugh, but the humor doesn’t reach your eyes. “If I wanted someone to lick the tip of my heels and lavish me with praise, I’d turn to those desperate to please me.”

“What a shame. I had an arsenal of compliments suited to your taste.”

“I’ll be upfront with you, Mr. Tartaglia.” He tilts his head at you, a portrait of innocent curiosity. “I was the one who hired you and I fully expect you to kill me. If you can, that is.”

“You think I can’t?” Childe challenges with a frown. “Don’t let the volcano fill your head with too much hot air, Miss Mayor.”

“I’m not the type who would die easily. Those before you weren’t very skilled at killing, yet they claimed to be renowned killers. It really tarnished my fun.” Pouting, you steeple your hands and peer at him through lidded eyes. “You’re different.”

“How flattering. And you think I’ll die just like those who came before? You’re quite the court jester.” He toys with the silverware, raising the fork until it catches the light. “To think the mayor got off to fear… I should have capitalized on this interest sooner.”

“Hah! What’s wrong with a little game of cat and mouse?” Mirroring his actions, you point a butter knife in his direction. “We sit on even playing ground. Both of us are experienced killers.”

“‘And only one of us is intended to walk out of this alive.’ That’s what you wish to say, isn’t it?”

“Precisely.” You rise from your seat and stride over to him. Placing your hand on the table, you lean in until your lips are mere centimeters from his ear. “Show me a good time, Mr. Tartaglia. I’d love to see what you’re capable of.”

“It would be rude not to.”

[nn1895]

AU August Fic 19

Spies and Assassins

:Meister,

My employer would like to hire you for a job.  We can pay your full price upfront.  All we require is that you provide us:

Proof of termination

2-4 witnesses with clean background who can speak at a trial

A time window so that my employer and his family can cultivate an alibi

We are not interested in exchanging names and all business will be done through a proxy and through me.  Once the job is finished we will release the credits to whichever account you provide for us.  

Please send us your acceptance promptly.:

:Tell Loupe that I’ll take his job and that he needs better security than a cheap technopath like you and a VPN.  Better security at his house too.  I could have gone my whole life without knowing that his bonded and him shared a lover.:

:My employer is amused at your attempts to unnerve him.  Save the tales for the news sites.:

:So you haven’t told Loupe that you and his lovely, new, young bonded have been fragging in his bed every afternoon?  That’ll be a surprise.:

:Your money will be delivered after you complete the job.  Remove this thorn in my employer’s side and we may find more work for you.:

:Sure.  Send the files, my mech.  Who’s the lucky bot that’s got Loupe thrown for a loop?:

:A Praxus enforcer has followed him all the way to Iacon.  He thought he was clever, hiding himself among the Polyhexian refugees.  Sending the files now.:

0-0-0

:Prowl,

We have reason to believe your cover has been compromised.  Retreat.:

:I will be fine.  Please stand by.:

:This is not something to take lightly, Captain.  Your target has employed the services of an assassin.:

:I am hardly going to miss a hitmech following me around.  I will be fine.  Please stand by and do not interfere.:

:Not a hitmech.  An assassin.  Prowl, this is an order.  Retreat.:

:Prowl?:

:Prowl, reply.:

:Fraggit Prowl!:

0-0-0

Jazz dropped from the roof and used his magnets to slide down the side of the building.  He’d given Loupe a time and made sure that he would have an alibi.  He’d scheduled several witnesses to swear to Loupe’s location.

He was level with the window now.  Carefully, his shifting gray and brown blending him perfectly with the shadows, Jazz leaned down and looked in.

A clean room, if a little bare.  A table set for one.  A pile of datapad on the side table by the couch.

This was just sad.

Jazz slowly lifted the window and slipped inside.  The dim glow of the kitchen light illuminated the room.  He could hear someone moving around in the kitchen.

What a pathetic little room and what a miserable existence.  It didn’t even have a screen to watch movies on.

The light dimmed and Jazz turned to look at the mech in the doorway.

Black and white with flat yellow stripes and details.  Forgettable enforcer paint and style.

“I suppose Loupe sent you,” the enforcer said.

“Maybe,” Jazz replied, smirking.  “What exactly are you going to do about that?”

“Considering your reputation, I doubt there is anything I can do about that now.”

“Brave of you to try and take down someone like Loupe,” Jazz taunted as he walked over and settled himself on the couch.  He was going to enjoy this.

“I assure you I am not alone in this.  If you think -”  Jazz waved his words away.

“Nah, mech.  I know all about the enforcer sting.  I got all my bases covered before I came calling.”

“Did you?” the enforcer asked skeptically, walking forwards and picking up the empty cube and a few goodie wrappers.

“Yep.  I got all the time in the world ta make ya talk ta me.”  Jazz stretched and draped his arms over the back of the couch.

“I highly doubt -”

The door to the berthroom creaked open and something small and black darted out on all fours.  It bumped into the table.  Two dark servos clamped on and it used the table to pull itself up.

The sparkling was matte black all over with a single neon green stripe running down its arms and legs.  It had two enormous audials that dwarfed its helm, twitching towards each noise.  It stared at Jazz, a sparkling sized block stuck in its mouth. 

Jazz frowned, but the sparkling was unaffected.

“Has carrier been letting you sneak out here and stay up late, watching his shows?” Jazz asked, trying to look angry.

The sparkling only dropped the block and squeaked.  It used the table to shuffle over to Jazz’s legs.  It grabbed onto a pede and waited.

“Prowler, ya have ta stop bringing ya bitlet ta work wit’ ya.”

“Well he couldn’t very well go with you, now could he?”  Prowl rolled his optics and took the cube to the kitchen.

“I bet he’d like like ta climb up and down the side of the building!” Jazz called after him, lifting his pede and the excited sparkling up and into his lap.

“Hey, bitlet! Did ya have fun wit’ carrier?  Spyin’ and spookin’ on people?”

“He’s a natural,” Prowl said when he returned.  The bitlet squeaked and held out a servo to its carrier.  “I suppose Loupe thinks I’m going to be murdered sometime tomorrow?”

“Yep!  Let slip - terrible of me - that his bonded and his secretary were hiding money.  That should be enough of a threat to get the two of them to turn on him and release all of Loupe’s secrets.  The enforcers should be arriving any minute now.”

On cue, the wail of sirens cut the night.  The bitlet’s audials swiveled towards it and it peered at the window curiously.

“‘S nothing, Radar.  Just ya carrier’s friends.”  He kissed the little helm and received a happy hum.  

Prowl settled in beside him.

“It is late.  You should get some rest.”

“You’ve been working this case a lot longer than I have.  You should be resting.”

Prowl was silent.

“It’s the premiere of one of your shows, isn’t it?” Jazz sighed.  Beside him Prowl bounced slightly.

“It’s the prequel reboot of Rescue Bots: Underground where we get to see their origin story as abandoned sparklings in the underground world of Bolt.”

“I thought they were mystical representations of -”

“That was only in the Limelight movies.  This one is based on the original comics - the reboot of the comics.  The original original comics had them be an ordinary rescue team that went into stasis deep in space -”

Radar snuggled in and turned one audial towards each creator.  The new habsuite was boring and didn’t have all his toys, but being able to sit up with carrier had made it all worth it.

[cdmagic1408]

Onward Fan Art Shout Out - 12

Theme: Lightfoot Just Three (Ian, Barley, and Laurel) 👩‍👦‍👦

And Fan Art Friday returns!

Tonight in honor of my fabulous older sister visiting home for the week and having the whole family together under one roof at my house (if I've seemed inactive in the last few days this is why lol), I thought who better to share this week than the living members of Lightfoot family? ❤️

Watching Onward for the first time and noticing that the upfront family dynamic was a younger sibling, an older sibling, and a strong, independent, hard working mother, I couldn’t help but wonder to myself: “wow, who does this family remind me of???”

…and from there it really wasn’t long before I had a wide-eyed realization… 😲

basically I see my own family a lot in Ian, Barley, and Laurel and watching that (among other things) on screen makes me feel seen! It’s one of the many reasons why I personally find Onward to be such a huge comfort for me. Not everyone in the world has the typical mother father brother sister family, in fact many families, and many families I know irl, come in all shapes and sizes, and it doesn’t have to be huge or perfect to be loving and supportive! ✨

so it really makes me happy to see this kind of representation in the media! I love my mom and sister more than anything and really appreciate having them in my life with me, same as how Ian had come to appreciate his family, and I couldn’t ask for anything or anyone better! 😘

now without further ado, here are some artworks that show off Ian, Barley, and Laurel as a family!

Artists

_lessy___ - the style of this one is so cute!! and I love how it visually shows that Ian and Barley have their mother's back no matter what

shiralinee - I love the warmth of this piece! from the yellow background to the smiles and joy on everyone's faces! plus the blush and shadow detail is amazing!

mayzlovesdisney - awwww! family group hug! those are the absolute best! it means unconditional love all around! and this piece definitely captures that!

nutixa76 - this could genuinely be a Lightfoot family album cover, it's so sweet! also another cool thing about this drawing: it's got what Ian and Barley's names are called in the Polish-language version of the film written here!

artofspiris - ahhhh! the video game style of this drawing is epic! like for real, it looks like Ian, Barley, and Laurel are about to fight off some monsters in a pre-boss battle!

mathp_drawing - this drawing has exciting action film poster written all over it and it's awesome! also Laurel leading the charge with the curse crusher out in front is just badass

van_thuart - this one had me at the chef hats and aprons! the entire picture is just absolutely wholesome! they all look like they're having lots of fun and laughs baking together here!

thwiprose - I really love how this one encapsulates the epilogue of the film (based on Ian and Laurel's attires)! and awww Barley playing with Ian's hair! that fills me up with so much serotonin! they all look so happy! oh and Blazey too! so precious!

[blurpleuni-squid]

Preview of a book I’m writing called Wanderlust. Premiss is a bunch of misfit kids live life by hitching rides on trains, one day they take the wrong train and end up on a train to another world.

This is a draft of a scene much later of one of the main characters (Evan) and her backstory before she met the other main characters (Sebastian, aka the kids she’s supposed to ‘take care of’)

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Koshechka moved with purpose through the labyrinthine corridors of the underground fighting ring. The air was thick with the scent of sweat, blood, and the unmistakable musk of raw, primal aggression. She was here on business, her sharp mind and sharper tongue making her invaluable to Don white, the imposing crime boss who ran this brutal underworld empire. Aka her boss and best client.

Today, she was doing the accounting for the latest series of fights, a task that required her to ensure the books balanced and the odds were rigged just enough to keep the gamblers coming back for more. Her bubble gum pink hair stood out in the dimly lit, smoke-filled arena, and her freckled face betrayed no emotion as she calculated the night's profits. The roaring of the crowd, the clash of flesh and bone, all faded into the background as she focused on her work.

The fighters, burly men and women covered in tattoos and scars, moved like shadows in the dim light, their grunts and cries echoing through the cavernous space. Evangeline's tan skin glowed under the flickering lights, and her full hourglass figure drew appreciative glances from the patrons and fighters alike. But she paid them no mind; her eyes were fixed on the numbers, her mind a fortress of concentration, not like any one of those meaty men could afford her.

It was in the midst of this controlled chaos that her Boss, Don, as he was known to most, approached her. His tall, burly frame cast a long shadow over her, and his presence commanded immediate attention. The snake tattoo coiled around his neck seemed almost alive in the low light, its eyes glinting with the same cold calculation that Tobias himself possessed.

“Nice work, Koshechka,” he said, his voice a deep rumble that cut through the din. “Here’s your—”

“Not to deny extra cash, just picturing you sending someone to bust my windows, but this seems like a lot more than my cut,” she interrupted, not even looking up from her ledger.

“Heh, you’re funny, kitty. But nah, I got some rat I need you to scare off. He’s been scamming my casinos,” Tobias replied, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

“Sounds like a problem, but I ain’t pest control. Why not get one of your new pets to do it?” she shot back, finally meeting his gaze.

“Aww, kitty, you know you’re my favorite girl,” Tobias said with a smirk.

“Keep it in your pants, Don. You know my hours,” she retorted, rolling her eyes.

“Mhm, can’t wait till Monday,” he murmured, his tone suggestive.

“Whatever—just answer, you nasty bit—”

“Retract those claws, Koshechka. I just mean you’re far more efficient, and I don’t need him dead, just incapacitated. He’s on the young side, so I’mma give him a warning. Feeling good after these wins,” he explained, his expression turning serious.

“Fine, but I’mma need more than this. I’m assuming you don’t have a clue where he could be? You at least have a picture?” she asked, her tone now businesslike.

“Here’s a file my men put together for you. Including pay. This is half upfront, and you will be paid the rest later. I’ll leave the rest to you,” Tobias said, handing her a thick envelope.

“Huh, leave me to do all the dirty work, really nitty-gritty stuff,” she said, licking her lips.

“Sorry, doll. Besides, I know you like it when things are hard,” he purred, his eyes burning with a flickering flame.

“Oh, mr white sir, you know me so well.” She responded, “How come I don’t have a dock on time?” She moved her seat closer to the coffee table which separated them. He mimicked her movements equally as slowly, palms on the surface of the oak.

“You catch on quick, my pretty kitty. I know you won’t take long; the kid’s not exactly quick on his feet,” Tobias said, a hint of a challenge in his voice.

“You sure it’s not 'cause you’re sweet on me?” she teased, elbows now on the table and face cradled in her palms, even closer than before.

“I can’t completely reject that premise,” he leaned his weight on the dead wood again, mirroring her movements, his face wearing a sultry grin.

“Mmh, maybe you don’t have to wait for Monday,” she whispered, faces inches apart.

“Gasp, is my lustful little kitten willing to make an exception for wittle old me?” he teased back, his voice a low growl.

“Just maybe. If you want—”

“Yes! I mean—” he shouted eagerly, frightening her back into her seat. “Wait, I’m sorry, I—”

She giggled, her voice ringing across the room. Her sweet sounds turned his face red, and he turned bashfully.

“Aww, is someone a little eager?” she looked up at him, eyes trailing down his body, landing on the tent between his legs.

“Huh—” he followed her gaze and fell back into his chair, crossing his legs in embarrassment. “Shut up,” his face expression still cold as ice but body burning in anticipation. “It’s just you never seem so—happy? I guess participating and you initiating is really like I—fuck, just,” he covered his face in shame, finally showing his age.

“Aww, sweetheart.” She started undressing. She doesn’t feel sexual attraction or love at all, which made her job easier. She only felt any attachment or attraction toward someone when she got to know them. But when she did, she felt so strongly it hurt her, so she avoided making any friends. “I—I have some kind of feeling for you which makes me want you deeply… I don’t know how to express this, and it’s scary, but for some strange reason, I trust you. So I—” she walked around the table, leaning forward, stroking his face. Her hands moved down his neck, torso, and landed on his belt. She sat her naked body on his lap, body trembling. “Please take care of me, Tobi.”

His eyes widened, mouth agape, brain not able to function. The seconds felt like hours. Her face glowed red.

“F-fine, that was stupid of me. Let's jus—” she began, shifting to get off his lap, but he grabbed her hips.

“No,” he breathed.

“The fuck you mean, no?”

He placed his lips on hers with a fiery passion, hand pulling her hips impossibly close. “I promise you, Evan, I’ll take care of you the rest of our lives.” He ground up into her, and her manicured hands worked at taking his belt off, pulling his pants down with his boxers, desperate to feel him.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you just proposed to me—” she murmured.

“What if I did?” he mumbled, throwing his shirt over his head. “What if I was? Do you wanna be a pretty wife? My wife?” He shook his pants off, bouncing her slightly on his thighs, making her tits bounce. As he watched them, he had this overwhelming urge to lick and suck her pretty pink nipples raw. “Mmm, look at these. Does just the thought of being my wife make you that horny?”

She looked away and nodded. He flicked them harshly, making her whimper.

“Fuck, that’s so hot.” Without a second thought, he attached his lips to the hard little nub.

“Mmm, Tobi, no, please, I wanna—” she let out a breathy moan, tracing the dark lines of the tattoo on his neck. Don mindlessly sucked and played with her tits, using both hands to stimulate her. He sloppily licked between her breasts, from her cleavage to her navel, tasting the salty beads of her sweat. He watched her round bosom spill into his palms.

“I love hearing such whiney sounds from your mouth.” He pulled her nipples, now soaked with saliva, harshly to hear her whine his name.

“Yes, I love it when you say my name. Now tell me what you want me to do now.” Evan’s thighs shook with anticipation, feeling sticky from her dripping arousal. She rubbed her stomach, coated with his precum.

“I want you inside me.”

“Whatever my pretty kitty wants.” He moved to grab a condom from his pants on the floor, but she grabbed the tip of his dick, making him shiver.

"Fuck!" he moaned loudly.

"I want you to fill me with your cum until I can taste it."

Tobias drooled at the thought of fucking her raw. "Shit, baby," he moaned, taking her hands off him. Evan, feeling like she had crossed a line, quickly retracted her hands to her chest in fear. Seeing her uncertainty, Tobias softened, pulling her close to his chest before standing up, cradling her as if she were precious. He carried her to the bedroom connected to his office, his lips never leaving her skin as he kissed her neck and face lovingly. Evan bathed in the attention he was giving her, a large smile spreading across her face as she felt his warmth and affection.

The dim light of the office bedroom cast soft shadows across Tobias's sharp features, highlighting the contrast between his albino skin and the dark tattoos that covered his body. "Damn kitty, it's real hard to walk with this raging boner," Tobias hissed, unintentionally breaking the romantic atmosphere.

"Way to kill the mood, Tobi," Evan said with a displeased look, though her legs remained tightly wrapped around his waist. She reached out to help him turn the doorknob, her touch gentle and reassuring.

Tobias chuckled, the deep sound reverberating through his chest as he carried her to the large, inviting queen-sized bed. The bed was a stark contrast to the harshness of his office-a soft sanctuary draped in luxurious, dark linens. "Brace yourself," he warned with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"For what-" Before she could finish, he spun around and threw himself onto the bed, holding her close. The sudden movement made her bounce slightly, a surprised squeak escaping her lips.

She glared at him, her eyes narrowing, but his smile was so infectious that she couldn't help but laugh at his playful antics. The tension between them melted away, replaced by a shared joy and anticipation. They lay there for a moment, the intimacy of the moment wrapping around them like a warm blanket, their laughter blending into the quiet hum of the room.

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As the morning sun began to filter through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the tangled mess of sheets, Evangeline found herself in a moment of quiet contemplation. Her gaze lingered tenderly on the man beside her, his chest rising and falling in a rhythm as steady as the beating of her own heart.

After hours of intimate entanglement, she marveled at the unexpected tenderness of their connection. It was a sensation she had long believed herself incapable of experiencing, yet here she was, entwined with a man whose very presence ignited a fire within her soul.

With a soft smile playing at the corners of her lips, Evangeline gently traced the contours of his face, her fingers dancing over the rough edges of his stubble. He lay there, blissfully unaware, his goofy smile and drool-laden slumber a stark contrast to the formidable reputation he commanded by day.

"What a dummy," she murmured affectionately, the endearment a testament to the complexity of their relationship. Despite his status as both a crime boss and her employer, he was, in this moment, nothing more than a vulnerable man lost in the depths of sleep.

Reflecting on the unspoken rules that governed their interactions, Evangeline couldn't help but marvel at the ways in which he had effortlessly dismantled her defenses. Each breach of protocol, from the absence of condoms to the forbidden kisses and post-coital cuddles, served as a poignant reminder of his ability to unravel the carefully constructed barriers around her heart.

And yet, for all her resistance, she found herself willingly surrendering to the warmth of his embrace, basking in the glow of his affection. He was more than just a client; he was a confidant, a companion, and, against all odds, the object of her deepest affections.

As she watched him twitch and smile in his slumber, a wave of tenderness washed over her, akin to the gentle caress of a summer breeze. In his vulnerability, she found solace, a rare moment of peace amidst the chaos of their clandestine world.

With a contented sigh, Evangeline nestled closer to him, her heart swelling with a love that defied all logic and reason. For in the quiet intimacy of their shared embrace, she had found a sanctuary—a place where the complexities of their lives melted away, leaving nothing but the simple purity of two souls intertwined in the sweet embrace of love.

As Tobias bolted awake, startled by the sudden jolt of laughter, Evangeline couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of his bleary-eyed confusion. With a gentle touch, she wiped away the drool that had escaped the corners of his mouth, her affectionate gesture met with a sheepish grin.

"What's so funny, honey?" he murmured, his voice thick with sleep, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes.

"Nothing, just you. You drool like a bulldog, you know," she teased, her laughter tinkling like wind chimes in the morning breeze.

"Sorry, baby. Tongue's too big for my mouth," he quipped, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Not that you ever complained," he added with a wink, his playful banter eliciting a giggle from Evangeline.

As they rose from the tangled sheets, their playful banter continued, punctuated by affectionate touches and shared laughter. The air was filled with the sweet scent of soap and steam as they made their way to the bathroom, hand in hand, eager to wash away the remnants of the night's passion.

Settling into the warmth of the large tub, Evangeline leaned back against Tobias's chest, his strong arms enveloping her in a comforting embrace. The water lapped gently at their skin, creating a soothing rhythm that matched the steady beat of their hearts.

"Did you mean it?" she whispered softly, her voice barely above a murmur.

"Mean what, kitty?" Tobias replied, his breath warm against her ear.

"About taking care of me," she clarified, her tone tinged with vulnerability.

"Yes," he replied without hesitation, his voice filled with sincerity. "My pretty kitty, it doesn't matter because I meant it. I want you to be happy, and I want you by my side, forever."

Evangeline felt tears welling in her eyes, emotions swirling within her like a tempestuous storm. Tobias leaned in close, his warmth enveloping her, his words a soothing balm to her wounded soul.

"Evan, if that's not what you want, then tell me, and I'll do whatever you-" he began, his voice faltering with concern.

"No, I want that. I want you," she interrupted, her voice trembling with raw emotion.

In that moment, as they sat entwined in the warmth of the bath, their souls laid bare before each other, Evangeline knew that she had found something worth fighting for.

And as Tobias held her close, his love surrounding her like a shield, she felt a flicker of hope ignite within her heart—a hope that maybe, just maybe, they could find a way to build a future together, one bath at a time.

Koshechka moved with purpose through the labyrinthine corridors of the underground fighting ring. The air was thick with the scent of sweat, blood, and the unmistakable musk of raw, primal aggression. She was here on business, her sharp mind and sharper tongue making her invaluable to Don white, the imposing crime boss who ran this brutal underworld empire. Aka her boss and best client.

Today, she was doing the accounting for the latest series of fights, a task that required her to ensure the books balanced and the odds were rigged just enough to keep the gamblers coming back for more. Her bubble gum pink hair stood out in the dimly lit, smoke-filled arena, and her freckled face betrayed no emotion as she calculated the night's profits. The roaring of the crowd, the clash of flesh and bone, all faded into the background as she focused on her work.

The fighters, burly men and women covered in tattoos and scars, moved like shadows in the dim light, their grunts and cries echoing through the cavernous space. Evangeline's tan skin glowed under the flickering lights, and her full hourglass figure drew appreciative glances from the patrons and fighters alike. But she paid them no mind; her eyes were fixed on the numbers, her mind a fortress of concentration, not like any one of those meaty men could afford her.

It was in the midst of this controlled chaos that her Boss, Don, as he was known to most, approached her. His tall, burly frame cast a long shadow over her, and his presence commanded immediate attention. The snake tattoo coiled around his neck seemed almost alive in the low light, its eyes glinting with the same cold calculation that Tobias himself possessed.

“Nice work, Koshechka,” he said, his voice a deep rumble that cut through the din. “Here’s your—”

“Not to deny extra cash, just picturing you sending someone to bust my windows, but this seems like a lot more than my cut,” she interrupted, not even looking up from her ledger.

“Heh, you’re funny, kitty. But nah, I got some rat I need you to scare off. He’s been scamming my casinos,” Tobias replied, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

“Sounds like a problem, but I ain’t pest control. Why not get one of your new pets to do it?” she shot back, finally meeting his gaze.

“Aww, kitty, you know you’re my favorite girl,” Tobias said with a smirk.

“Keep it in your pants, Don. You know my hours,” she retorted, rolling her eyes.

“Mhm, can’t wait till Monday,” he murmured, his tone suggestive.

“Whatever—just answer, you nasty bit—”

“Retract those claws, Koshechka. I just mean you’re far more efficient, and I don’t need him dead, just incapacitated. He’s on the young side, so I’mma give him a warning. Feeling good after these wins,” he explained, his expression turning serious.

“Fine, but I’mma need more than this. I’m assuming you don’t have a clue where he could be? You at least have a picture?” she asked, her tone now businesslike.

“Here’s a file my men put together for you. Including pay. This is half upfront, and you will be paid the rest later. I’ll leave the rest to you,” Tobias said, handing her a thick envelope.

“Huh, leave me to do all the dirty work, really nitty-gritty stuff,” she said, licking her lips.

“Sorry, doll. Besides, I know you like it when things are hard,” he purred, his eyes burning with a flickering flame.

“Oh, mr white sir, you know me so well.” She responded, “How come I don’t have a dock on time?” She moved her seat closer to the coffee table which separated them. He mimicked her movements equally as slowly, palms on the surface of the oak.

“You catch on quick, my pretty kitty. I know you won’t take long; the kid’s not exactly quick on his feet,” Tobias said, a hint of a challenge in his voice.

“You sure it’s not 'cause you’re sweet on me?” she teased, elbows now on the table and face cradled in her palms, even closer than before.

“I can’t completely reject that premise,” he leaned his weight on the dead wood again, mirroring her movements, his face wearing a sultry grin.

“Mmh, maybe you don’t have to wait for Monday,” she whispered, faces inches apart.

“Gasp, is my lustful little kitten willing to make an exception for wittle old me?” he teased back, his voice a low growl.

“Just maybe. If you want—”

“Yes! I mean—” he shouted eagerly, frightening her back into her seat. “Wait, I’m sorry, I—”

She giggled, her voice ringing across the room. Her sweet sounds turned his face red, and he turned bashfully.

“Aww, is someone a little eager?” she looked up at him, eyes trailing down his body, landing on the tent between his legs.

“Huh—” he followed her gaze and fell back into his chair, crossing his legs in embarrassment. “Shut up,” his face expression still cold as ice but body burning in anticipation. “It’s just you never seem so—happy? I guess participating and you initiating is really like I—fuck, just,” he covered his face in shame, finally showing his age.

“Aww, sweetheart.” She started undressing. She doesn’t feel sexual attraction or love at all, which made her job easier. She only felt any attachment or attraction toward someone when she got to know them. But when she did, she felt so strongly it hurt her, so she avoided making any friends. “I—I have some kind of feeling for you which makes me want you deeply… I don’t know how to express this, and it’s scary, but for some strange reason, I trust you. So I—” she walked around the table, leaning forward, stroking his face. Her hands moved down his neck, torso, and landed on his belt. She sat her naked body on his lap, body trembling. “Please take care of me, Tobi.”

His eyes widened, mouth agape, brain not able to function. The seconds felt like hours. Her face glowed red.

“F-fine, that was stupid of me. Let's jus—” she began, shifting to get off his lap, but he grabbed her hips.

“No,” he breathed.

“The fuck you mean, no?”

He placed his lips on hers with a fiery passion, hand pulling her hips impossibly close. “I promise you, Evan, I’ll take care of you the rest of our lives.” He ground up into her, and her manicured hands worked at taking his belt off, pulling his pants down with his boxers, desperate to feel him.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you just proposed to me—” she murmured.

“What if I did?” he mumbled, throwing his shirt over his head. “What if I was? Do you wanna be a pretty wife? My wife?” He shook his pants off, bouncing her slightly on his thighs, making her tits bounce. As he watched them, he had this overwhelming urge to lick and suck her pretty pink nipples raw. “Mmm, look at these. Does just the thought of being my wife make you that horny?”

She looked away and nodded. He flicked them harshly, making her whimper.

“Fuck, that’s so hot.” Without a second thought, he attached his lips to the hard little nub.

“Mmm, Tobi, no, please, I wanna—” she let out a breathy moan, tracing the dark lines of the tattoo on his neck. Don mindlessly sucked and played with her tits, using both hands to stimulate her. He sloppily licked between her breasts, from her cleavage to her navel, tasting the salty beads of her sweat. He watched her round bosom spill into his palms.

“I love hearing such whiney sounds from your mouth.” He pulled her nipples, now soaked with saliva, harshly to hear her whine his name.

“Yes, I love it when you say my name. Now tell me what you want me to do now.” Evan’s thighs shook with anticipation, feeling sticky from her dripping arousal. She rubbed her stomach, coated with his precum.

“I want you inside me.”

“Whatever my pretty kitty wants.” He moved to grab a condom from his pants on the floor, but she grabbed the tip of his dick, making him shiver.

"Fuck!" he moaned loudly.

"I want you to fill me with your cum until I can taste it."

Tobias drooled at the thought of fucking her raw. "Shit, baby," he moaned, taking her hands off him. Evan, feeling like she had crossed a line, quickly retracted her hands to her chest in fear. Seeing her uncertainty, Tobias softened, pulling her close to his chest before standing up, cradling her as if she were precious. He carried her to the bedroom connected to his office, his lips never leaving her skin as he kissed her neck and face lovingly. Evan bathed in the attention he was giving her, a large smile spreading across her face as she felt his warmth and affection.

The dim light of the office bedroom cast soft shadows across Tobias's sharp features, highlighting the contrast between his albino skin and the dark tattoos that covered his body. "Damn kitty, it's real hard to walk with this raging boner," Tobias hissed, unintentionally breaking the romantic atmosphere.

"Way to kill the mood, Tobi," Evan said with a displeased look, though her legs remained tightly wrapped around his waist. She reached out to help him turn the doorknob, her touch gentle and reassuring.

Tobias chuckled, the deep sound reverberating through his chest as he carried her to the large, inviting queen-sized bed. The bed was a stark contrast to the harshness of his office-a soft sanctuary draped in luxurious, dark linens. "Brace yourself," he warned with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"For what-" Before she could finish, he spun around and threw himself onto the bed, holding her close. The sudden movement made her bounce slightly, a surprised squeak escaping her lips.

She glared at him, her eyes narrowing, but his smile was so infectious that she couldn't help but laugh at his playful antics. The tension between them melted away, replaced by a shared joy and anticipation. They lay there for a moment, the intimacy of the moment wrapping around them like a warm blanket, their laughter blending into the quiet hum of the room.

╚══ ❀•°❀°•❀ ══╝

As the morning sun began to filter through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the tangled mess of sheets, Evangeline found herself in a moment of quiet contemplation. Her gaze lingered tenderly on the man beside her, his chest rising and falling in a rhythm as steady as the beating of her own heart.

After hours of intimate entanglement, she marveled at the unexpected tenderness of their connection. It was a sensation she had long believed herself incapable of experiencing, yet here she was, entwined with a man whose very presence ignited a fire within her soul.

With a soft smile playing at the corners of her lips, Evangeline gently traced the contours of his face, her fingers dancing over the rough edges of his stubble. He lay there, blissfully unaware, his goofy smile and drool-laden slumber a stark contrast to the formidable reputation he commanded by day.

"What a dummy," she murmured affectionately, the endearment a testament to the complexity of their relationship. Despite his status as both a crime boss and her employer, he was, in this moment, nothing more than a vulnerable man lost in the depths of sleep.

Reflecting on the unspoken rules that governed their interactions, Evangeline couldn't help but marvel at the ways in which he had effortlessly dismantled her defenses. Each breach of protocol, from the absence of condoms to the forbidden kisses and post-coital cuddles, served as a poignant reminder of his ability to unravel the carefully constructed barriers around her heart.

And yet, for all her resistance, she found herself willingly surrendering to the warmth of his embrace, basking in the glow of his affection. He was more than just a client; he was a confidant, a companion, and, against all odds, the object of her deepest affections.

As she watched him twitch and smile in his slumber, a wave of tenderness washed over her, akin to the gentle caress of a summer breeze. In his vulnerability, she found solace, a rare moment of peace amidst the chaos of their clandestine world.

With a contented sigh, Evangeline nestled closer to him, her heart swelling with a love that defied all logic and reason. For in the quiet intimacy of their shared embrace, she had found a sanctuary—a place where the complexities of their lives melted away, leaving nothing but the simple purity of two souls intertwined in the sweet embrace of love.

As Tobias bolted awake, startled by the sudden jolt of laughter, Evangeline couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of his bleary-eyed confusion. With a gentle touch, she wiped away the drool that had escaped the corners of his mouth, her affectionate gesture met with a sheepish grin.

"What's so funny, honey?" he murmured, his voice thick with sleep, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes.

"Nothing, just you. You drool like a bulldog, you know," she teased, her laughter tinkling like wind chimes in the morning breeze.

"Sorry, baby. Tongue's too big for my mouth," he quipped, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Not that you ever complained," he added with a wink, his playful banter eliciting a giggle from Evangeline.

As they rose from the tangled sheets, their playful banter continued, punctuated by affectionate touches and shared laughter. The air was filled with the sweet scent of soap and steam as they made their way to the bathroom, hand in hand, eager to wash away the remnants of the night's passion.

Settling into the warmth of the large tub, Evangeline leaned back against Tobias's chest, his strong arms enveloping her in a comforting embrace. The water lapped gently at their skin, creating a soothing rhythm that matched the steady beat of their hearts.

"Did you mean it?" she whispered softly, her voice barely above a murmur.

"Mean what, kitty?" Tobias replied, his breath warm against her ear.

"About taking care of me," she clarified, her tone tinged with vulnerability.

"Yes," he replied without hesitation, his voice filled with sincerity. "My pretty kitty, it doesn't matter because I meant it. I want you to be happy, and I want you by my side, forever."

Evangeline felt tears welling in her eyes, emotions swirling within her like a tempestuous storm. Tobias leaned in close, his warmth enveloping her, his words a soothing balm to her wounded soul.

"Evan, if that's not what you want, then tell me, and I'll do whatever you-" he began, his voice faltering with concern.

"No, I want that. I want you," she interrupted, her voice trembling with raw emotion.

In that moment, as they sat entwined in the warmth of the bath, their souls laid bare before each other, Evangeline knew that she had found something worth fighting for.

And as Tobias held her close, his love surrounding her like a shield, she felt a flicker of hope ignite within her heart—a hope that maybe, just maybe, they could find a way to build a future together, one bath at a time.

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Everything here belongs to me. @blurpleuni-squid

This is only a draft of what I want the story to be, I will be improving it but whoever reads this I would appreciate some constructive criticism.

[sheavoid]

anonymous asked: what if random hcs about kai'sa and kassadad (even the what if scenario they'd meet again)

Here I am, right now and on my knees, begging for Riot to give us that Kai’sa and Kassadin content they got hidden in their vault, even if that content is just a single crumb like an official artwork where they’re standing next to each other in the background, pixilated and all. Like, the two of them are aware of each other’s existence—doubtful a reunion between them would be a happy one, which I don’t mind because I am a sucker for angst; it’s been a decade after all and they both changed immensely.

I can imagine Kai’sa trying to reach out to him first, but he would probably lash out at her as his first response. The anger is palpable, difficult to get through her father where she is unable to convince him that she is his daughter. Maybe he knows, maybe he doesn’t, denial can be a relief to those who don’t want to accept the truth, and deep within Kassadin’s mind, he doesn’t want to accept his daughter has changed where he blames himself because he wasn’t there to protect her when the Void decimated their home.

So...yeah, there's no happy reunion between them. They would go on their separate ways, or in Kai'sa's case, she runs because she doesn't want to fight her father but there's an instinct telling her to attack. I can still see her coming back from time to time, maybe not upfront but hiding in the shadows where she can keep an eye for him to make sure he is safe.

BUT...in a happier scenario, like the KDA verse…their relationship is better, yet, still far from the best one. We do see that Kassadin is busy with work and is often neglectful. I don’t imagine Kai’sa being resentful for her father’s busy life, but there’s still a part of her that is bitter about how absent he is and being surrounded by peers whose parents are there for their children despite their equally busy lives. Though, I imagine their relationship would start to improve once Kai’sa joins KDA where she becomes more confident in herself to express her emotions where that would lead to a much needed conversation with Kassadin. After that, Kassadin would make sure to attend every KDA concert whenever the band is in town; he’s definitely the biggest Kai’sa fan.

It’s the same with the Star Guardian verse too, Kassadin being busy with work and not knowing his daughter is a magical superhero fighting crime. I guess risking your own life to protect others is better than coming back to an empty home.

Thanks for the ask! It was nice to answer this.

[peeniless]

Thoughts on Hounded that I am screaming into the void (Tumblr) for no reason. No spoilers though.

What on earth where those VFX I ain't gonna call it CGI cos it looked like those old two second gifs you'd get on an original video editor around the 2000s to look like a budget James Bond movie.

Loved the ending. I was thinking at one point how they'd wrap it up, but they did it well.

Loved the line where they where given the booze. Y'know what imma make a list of thoughts WITH spoilers, cos it's kinda hard to discuss the positive elements whilst ignoring them completely

!!!SPOILERS!!!

What on earth was that singing I get the fact it was supposed to be creepy but HM? HUH? okay...

Tree through the shoulder????? Man the trailer really got away with showing one of the pivotal moments without giving anything anyway. Where he really loses everything: his reminder of home, his only sanity and way of getting out alive, the REASON why he should get out alive.

Wow I didn't connect with the characters as well as I should've.

My man with the beaten leg got through SO much and was a true hero, tough and with an UNBELIEVABLE amount of stamina and resistance. Once again, wish I was more attached. I did like his storyline though! It's probably just me.

Loved the girl's lines so much even though the script was obviously built around them. My favourites are: "there's more guns in my area than you've ever had" or something like that. And the interaction where it goes "here, [the booze] is older than you." "It's ruddy." "I agree." Really tied the whole story up until that point together

Loved the symbolism as he was driving away from the manor at the very end. Similar to how he thought he had escape at first but never really left, the fact that only the background changed and the house faded into darkness, it shows that nothing really changed. It will always be there, in the shadows, right behind him.

The bit where Jimmy just got a gun and went to avenge his son and broke tradition probably meant something

The bit where head red coat says it's her time to go alone probably means something, too

And where the bloke she leaves behind has a tea party and gets shot

Either way there's a lot of really good obvious upfront symbolism that I liked

Like the bit where he lost his crucifix and there where all the hidden bear traps that came into view

The bits where they kept outsmarting them.

But also, what???? When the son was complaining about it not being hands on, it was promised that it would be. Then, when Jimmy went rogue and primative and all that, he was reminded that it was a HOUND hunt. Hound hunts aren't that hands-on??? You wait for the dogs to get an and you finish em off, exactly what happened.

I also don't get, if it can't happen that often, why on earth they don't usually give the victims a headstart. Do they want it to be over quickly???? No! It should be drawn on over a long period of time, especially if you've got that much land and that much control over them. Let them have a bit of fun.

Overall, not too bad! Might consider watching again but never get round to doing it :)

[secondhand-trash]

Triple Feature

Kinktober 2020 — sex tape

A/N: something about yaku just makes me want to call him daddy in everything I write for him you know...

Pairing: Yaku Morisuke x reader

Description: A triple feature of some very questionable home videos...

Warning: filming, vaginal penetration, unprotected sex, creampie, spanking, spitting, cumplay, mirror sex, mentions of maturbation, you called him daddy (1) time

Word count: 4707

-

vid001.mp4

“God damn it, this is harder than I thought it would be...”

The crisp ring of your chuckle followed the mumbling groan of your boyfriend as he fixed the placement of his phone on the nightstand. Yaku’s face took up the entirety of the frame, with your grinning features peeking out from behind of his chestnut locks. The camera could not focus on his round eyes right at the very front but instead showed you clearly, the way you bit your lips as your eyes looked away from the camera all recorded down as an evidence that you were not as confident as you had thought you would be.

There were sounds of things shifting and clicking at the background, until he finally took a step back. His full face could finally get into the frame now that he wasn’t upfront, his eyes looking at the screen as his hands held mid-air, hoping that the device wouldn’t fall down.

“Ok...” he murmured as he turned around, still staring at the phone from the corner of his eyes before climbing onto the bed where you were already laying there to make sure it wouldn’t fall down the moment he let go, “I think this should work.”

Your bare form was on display without him blocking the camera, showing that you were very much so naked except for the thin panties you had on. You had your arms crossed in front of your chest, slightly conscious of the way you were presented on camera. Your grin grew wider when the sheets underneath you ruffled under his weight, his upper body shadowing over you as you wrapped your arms around his neck when he perched on top of you. The angle of the camera captured his chiseled form perfectly, each pulse and flex of his back as he leaned down to tangle his tongue with yours was hard to ignore when it was at the center of the frame. Even with the limited scope, the curve of his hips as he settled between your legs was delicious on the screen, his cock just barely covered by your legs that were propped up.

“Nervous?” he asked between kisses, his hand going up to knead your tits gently. You let out a slight whimper when you felt a pinch at your nipple, followed by a skillful roll of the bud between the calloused pads of his fingers that had you pressing your legs together.

“Kind of.” 

Your reply was soft, nearly unable to be picked up by the audio as his lips trailed down your neck, the sound of his sucks and licks at the delicate skin replacing the breathy notes of your voice.

“Aw, don’t be,” you shuddered when he swirled his tongue around the perky tip of your chest while taking care of the other with his hand, “pretty sure you’ll look just as good on camera when I’m fucking you in real life.”

You gave a light shove on his shoulder at his playful teasing but he didn’t budge. Your face heated up when he released your tits with a lewd pop, the string of saliva connecting between his lips to your chest making you look away in bashfulness.

“Don’t get shy on me now when this is your idea,” he mused, gesturing to the camera with a tilt of his head while he hooked his finger into the side of your panties. You arched your back off the mattress so he could remove the article easily, the white fabric trailing off the side of your thighs before it was flung to the other side of the room with a mindless flick of his wrist.

It was indeed something you come up with. You had raised the idea of filming yourselves during the rare moments when you were in the same bed with the consideration that you were always so far away from each other in mind. The thought of having a record of your intimacy to look on when you were nowhere near feeling it yourself made your skin burn and just the vision of him doing the same when he was alone was far too tempting of a rush for you to pass on when he was finally home after months away in another continent. 

You just didn’t expect yourself to feel so vulnerable and exposed when the camera was actually on you, that was all.

As if sensing that your mind was elsewhere, he gave an almost mean spirited roll of his hips and pressed his erection against your slit. You moaned at the contact, throwing your head back as he continued to rub his length along your cunt.

“Don’t think of anything else,” he said, a smile tugging at his lips as he glanced down to marvel at how he could see you getting wetter and wetter the more he toyed with your folds. He hummed in approval when you lifted your hips up, urging him to stop with his teasing with a whine and a pleading stare at the man between your legs.

The exhale that left your lips was shaky as he leaned down, his chest pressed up against yours with him fisting his cock in hand and lining the tip up at your entrance. 

There was no mistaking the shudder of your body when he whispered against your lips, so low you could not hear it in the tape but you could still remember vividly the warm huffs of air against your lips when he spoke.

“Just think of me.”

A sharp mewl was ripped from the back of your throat when he pushed into you without a warning, his length stretching you out with a hilt as he bottomed out inside of you. The sounds of skin slapping against skin and the panting moans that bounced off the walls were enough to make anyone blush, let alone the idea of these shameful noises being recorded for him to listen to. You bury your face at the crook of his shoulders, your hands gripping and clawing at his back for leverage as your body rocked violently under his force. 

As if he was conscious of the camera that was on, he gripped onto your knees and pushed your legs back. This new angle allowed him to drill into you much deeper, each surge of his hips slamming right at the back of your thighs as his balls slapped against the plush curves of your ass. Your legs being pushed back also meant that the way his cock disappeared in your cunt with each thrust was in full view on the camera, the way the doughy flesh jiggled with each plow together with the sheen of your arousal dripping off his cock was a sight to witness

“Mo- Mori!”

“That’s it, keep saying my name like that,” he grunted, letting a loud groan slip from his lips when you clenched around him. Your voice came out as a choked moan when he suddenly gripped your jaw in his hand, tilting your head to the side roughly where the camera was.

His hard tip rubbing against your walls was enough to have your mind melting into a puddle but to look at the camera while you were trying hard to even keep your eyes open had goosebumps raising on your skin. Fuck, he was going to watch this someday. You whimpered at the thought, the fist in your stomach curling and uncurling as he jackhammered in you. 

“Look at the camera while I’m fucking you," he commanded, giving a hard thrust up and laughed breathlessly at the mewl you made, “is this good? Hm? Say it out loud so I can hear you.”

“Ah- yes... so good, so good-”

Your knees went weak at the chuckle that rumbled out from his chest at your incoherent reply, the string of words slurring off your tongue as you could barely form sounds underneath him. Your eyes were dopey as you stared at the camera, lips parted and almost with drool leaking out from the corner at how good his cock felt pitoning at the spongey spot deep inside you. 

"Gonna cum-”

"Yeah?" he said, his hand still firm around your jaw as he leaned down to place opened mouth kisses at your exposed neck, “Gonna cum on my cock like a good girl?”

The pet name had your toes curling and you let out a sharp moan when the band in you snapped. The grip of his hand was almost painful when he yanked you back to face him, making you look at him in the eyes. He groaned at the sight of your glassy eyes and the drop of tear that was pooling up at the corner, the fluttering of your pussy from the orgasmic shocks had his stomach tightening and his thrusts getting faster.

You yelped when he shoved your legs all the way until they were against your chest, a slight push at the small of your back had your waist arching for him and allowing him to rail into you. The camera was shaking as the bed rocked, the thumping of the frame as he slammed down hard in you each time made your heart beat at an erratic rate.

The last thing that was in the frame was the sight of his shoulders shaking and eyes pursed together before he gave one strong push, ripping a weak moan from the back of your throat and knocking the device onto the ground.

It was a while later when the darkness was lifted, the camera blurry as it refocused until it was fixed on your figure on the bed. Yaku held the phone in one hand as the other caressed the side of your legs, brushing his thumb against your sopping folds and the trail of his cum that was leaking out.

“Mori..” you whimpered, hiding your face in the back of your hand as your face burned up from how he was zooming in on your wrecked hole, “don’t film that...”

He chuckled and the camera panned away, ending the video with a soft laugh and the sound of his hand rubbing against your skin as he pulled you close.

vid004.mp4

You could barely look at the front camera as you held it right by your face, focusing on the arch of your back and your ass that was up in the air.

You had never paid much attention to your form as you got on your fours but now that you had no choice but to face yourself, you could finally understand why Yaku was so crazy about this position. Your legs were on both sides of your body, the curve of your thighs as it blended with the swell of your hips made you feel so sensual. Your chest was pushed together on the mattress, the faint line of your cleavage barely visible on the screen.

A playful smile danced across your features when you saw him climbing on the bed behind you off the screen, your eyes pursing tight when he gripped onto the soft flesh of your ass.

“Make sure you get this,” he mused, his palm rubbing against your soft skin.

You wanted to roll your eyes at him but was cut short as your face contorted at the sharp sting that landed on your skin at the sudden smack. You did not need to look to know that his eyes were fixed on the way your ass jiggled under the spank, his palm rubbing circles on the area where the ache settled in as a burn. You had your face muffled in the sheets beneath you, the camera facing away and focusing on him.

Being filmed was one thing, having your face right at the very front where not even a single twitch of your eyebrows would go unnoticed was another.

He leaned down on your back, his eyes staring into the circle at the top of his phone as he pressed kisses down your arched spine. He hummed in approval at the goosebumps that rose on your back and the way you shuddered beneath him before getting back to your perched hips.

His placed his hand at the small of your waist, appreciating the delicious dip of your spine when he pressed your body down lower. You shivered when you heard the sound of his spitting into his hand, the silver string crudely connecting his bottom lip to his hand before he spread the liquid all over his cock. 

A low whimper escaped from the back of your throat when you felt him rubbing his tip against your folds, the sheen of his spit coating against your slit had him licking his lips as he slipped his tip in.

You gripped onto the device in your hand, trying to steady your hands that were about to start shaking as your knees grew weak from kneeling. He seemed to be in the mood to torment you, pushing in bit by bit at an agonisingly slow pace.

“Mori...”

He clicked his tongue, the corner of his lips tugging up as he held your hips still when you tried to roll it back to get more friction. “Don’t be impatient.”

Your bottom lip went numb at how hard you were biting down, knowing that even the slightest of noise would be recorded into the audio. The stretch sent your mind into a frenzy as he leaned back to watch his cock being sucked in by your cunt, pulling out a little with each inch he shoved in to draw the barely audible whines out from the back of your throat.

“Hmph-” your voice was muffled when you felt his hard tip pressing against your tight walls, the pulsing vein rubbing at the contracting muscle when he gave a sudden thrust only to pull out of you completely.

You snapped around, pouting a little at his antics.

“What did I say about holding back?” he said, landing his hand against your cheek when the last note of his voice rang in your ear. You mewled out in shock, and he seemed satisfied with the reaction, "Good girl...”

The moan that ripped from your lungs lingered in the air when he sheathed in you, the sudden stretch making your knees go wobbly as the arch of your back collapsed onto the mattress. He slid his hand under your lower stomach to hold you up, the other digging into your ass as he started thrusting upwards. 

The camera was fixed on the way his abs flexed as he drilled his pelvis against yous, each slam down had the swell of your hips bouncing under the brute force. The sounds of skin slapping against skin was loud, mixing together with your whimpers and pants to form a harmony that he adored so much.

His let out a breathless laugh when he saw your fingers curling around your phone in a vice grip but buried your face downwards, “Get your face in there too, I want to see you fall apart...”

You let out an embarrassed whimper at his request but complied. There was no ignoring the way you clenched uncontrollably when you saw your glassy eyes and parted lips on the screen, watching as he slammed down on you hard with each surge of his hips. Your brows were locked together, looking so teary as you peered up from the mattress into the camera.

He groaned as your wetness gushed out of your cunt visibly, the essence of your arousal coating his length and letting him glide against your silky walls with ease as he bottomed out of you each time. There was nothing he loved more than the sight of your shoulders tensing up as your hands gripped onto the sheets beneath you while he fucked your brains out, your legs shaking but still struggling to hold yourself up to maintain your form.

Your eyes pressed into two tight lines as you felt your coil tightening, your tongue threatening to loll out from your parted lips as your jaw went slack from the mind numbing pleasure. Your voice broke at the end as you panted, your phone tilting away when your eyes could barely focus on the blurred screen.

The video cut to another angle after a shoot of him fumbling to reach for his phone that was placed at the side of his legs, now showing a full view of his length slamming into your sloppy cunt. Your ass was flushed under his force, each thrust drawing a sharp noise from your lips as you shuddered under him. 

You let out a sharp whine when he pulled out of you, his hand fisting his length that was coated in your arousal as he slid it between the parted mounds of your ass. The sound of slick rubbing against your skin was erotic, the squelching bouncing off the walls as he held tight onto your sides. 

He hissed when he came on your back, the spurts of white darting across your ass and lower back as he pulled away and jerked himself off. The way his cum splattered on your shaking form was downright sinful and he made sure to rake the camera all over your body as he took the view in. His chest was still heaving as he rubbed the drops across your skin, the stickiness making you let out a whine in protest.

You huffed when you felt his finger drawing a small heart at the dip of your back.

“Cheesy...”

He laughed, the camera panning up to the sight of you turning your head back to face him with a smile.

“Oh, don’t act like you aren’t into it.”

vid011.mp4

The way he looked as he sat back against the floor, his legs spread and very naked with his phone facing the mirror he was in front of was a dream.

“You start the video already?” Your voice rang from the back, your calves getting into the frame as you shifted your weight onto the other foot you were standing on.

“Yeah,” he said, biting his lips to stop the smile that was forming on his lips as he fisted his cock in hand, “want to make sure I can get a shot of your face when you sit on my cock.”

He chuckled at the snort you let out but it was cut short when you leaned down to hold his face in your hand before placing a firm kiss on his lips. 

“Pervert,” you huffed, but the grin on your face betrayed you on how you were not any less eager about it as you crawled onto his lap. He hooked his free hand around your waist lazily, returning the kiss when you turned back to capture his lips. You moaned into the kiss when you felt his hand sliding down to trace along your slit, rubbing small circles around your clit with the wetness he gathered at his fingertips.

Leaning back against his chest as you gripped onto his forearms for leverage, you buried your face at the crook of his neck when your mouth fell open in a silent sigh as you hovered above his cock, his hand giving the length a slight jerk before holding it up against your entrance. A soft whimper escaped your lips as you slowly sunk down, a slight burn at your skin from being stretched out.

“Look at yourself in the mirror,” he said, licking his lips at the pretty faces you were making as your features contorted in bliss, “look at how good you look...”

His hand moved to the base of your thigh as he whispered in your ear. Your eyes fluttered open against the instinct to shut them tight under the shivers that rose on your spine, the sight of yourself being split open reflecting off the mirror had you letting out a moan. Yaku’s eyes were bearing into your half-lidded ones as he watched you with intent, cooing a little in encouragement as you took more and more of him in you. He let out a muffled groan when he finally sheathed in you, the soft curves of your ass plush against his pelvis as you arched your back off of him from being filled up.

Your naked bodies were right at the center of the frame as he held the device in hand, loving the way there wasn’t a single inch of you that wasn’t being recorded as you adjusted to his length with your lips pursed. You whimpered when his hand dipped down to press against your clit, feeling your slick gushing out at the contact. He was warming and filling up inside of you and you couldn’t help but feel the heat building up at the pit of your stomach as the position you were in left no spaces out between the two of you. 

A roll of your hips had him groaning in your ear, dipping his head down to trail kisses along the blade of your shoulders as he looked up at the mirror from the crook of your neck. Starting off slow, you increased your pace bit by bit as you lost yourself in the feeling of his cock pulsing against your walls. Shifting so that you could steady yourself on your feet at both sides of his lap, he let his head fell back when you starting slamming yourself down on his cock with each bounce of your hips. 

Your skin heated up at how the way you fucked yourself on his cock was completely on display much thanks to the mirror in front of you, having nowhere to hide when the camera was right on your figure. Your tits bounced with each hilt of his length in you, his hand running down your torso as you moaned and panted. Your eyes were filled with wanton lust, barely able to focus on anything as you fought back against the urge to let them roll back. The loud squelching as your cunt clamped down around him had your mind in a puddle, the sheen of your arousal on his length was permanent each time you lifted your hips off of him only to sink all the way back with a shudder.

He couldn’t help but hold your legs apart with his hand, making sure that your bare cunt sucking his length in was fully on camera. Your folds were practically fluttering around him, the engorged bud begging for attention when he pulled the hood back with his thumb. It was an addicting sight and he now has it on film, he grunted at the thought before thrusting up unexpectantly and earning a broken mewl from you. 

The pace at which you were riding him had slowed down as your knees went weak, your legs feeling wobbly as the heat in your core overtook your body. Hooking your legs over his own, he spread them open so that nothing was left unseen before taking matters into his own hands. 

“Fuck-”

A high pitched squeak was ripped from the back of your throat when he snapped his hips up, his free hand hoisting you up against him under your chest as he starting drilling inside of you. You laid back against him helplessly, his name rolling off your tongue like a mantra as he plowed in you. The vein at the underside of his cock rubbing against your walls had your toes curling and you could do nothing but moan when the hard tip of his cock pressed firmly against the spot deep inside you that had your scalp going numb. 

The camera was shaking as he moved against you vigorously, but it was still impossible to miss the visual evidence of your release as you threw your head back and dug your nails in his arms. You wondered if you could see the clenching of your cunt around him when you look back at the video, the thought of hearing your own voice cracking as you cum making the heat that exploded in you all the more permanent.

“God, you’re so tight-” he let out a choked moan when your orgasm rippled on him, the clenching of your walls making his speed quicken as he chased his own high. Lifting your head up weakly, you savoured the way his lips immediately latched onto yours and every vibration that echoed from the depths of his cavity before it hit you right in the core. His hand got rougher and rougher on you, groping and kneading everywhere he could reach as he relished in the softness of your skin stark against his calloused palm. 

“Daddy please...”

“Please what?" the snare in his tone as he grunted in your ear had you whimpering, your head filled with only one thought as he held you close to his body while pumping his shaft in you.

“Please cum in me-”

The sweet notes of your plea was the last push he needed before he finally let go of his control, stilling in you as he shot ropes of his load inside of your pussy. You let out a sigh as the warmth filled you up, feeling his muscles contracting and spasming behind you as you leaned back. 

Whimpering when he shifted while still being in your sensitive cunt, your voice came out as breathy pants when he formed a v with his fingers and spread your folds apart. You whined when you saw him zooming in on your slit that was still wrapped up around his girth, the white beads of his cum seeping out of your fluttering folds and dripping onto his length. You were making a mess between his legs, the clear trails of your own essence mixed with his release pooling up from the base of your thighs.

A flick of his finger against your clit had you arching back, pushing more of the sticky substance out of you.

“So pretty...” he cooed, his finger toying with your sloppy cunt and watching it fit right around his cock.

“Don’t tease...” he chuckled when you gave a lazy wiggle against him, the warmth of your insides seeping into his skin as he hummed against your neck.

“Alright, alright...”

-

Yaku let out a loud grunt as his head fell back, the weight in his stomach lifted as he let out his pent up frustration.

He was still huffing when he brought his hands up, letting out a sigh when he saw the strings of white that were coating his hand.

Was it possible to feel empty after jerking off?

His eyes flickered to the screen that was still playing, the sound of your moans filling his ear was anything less than soothing. Having something to let his mind wander while you were away was great but sometimes it made him crave the real deal even more. You seemed so close but so far away at the other side of the screen that when he closed his eyes, he could convince his poor brain that it wasn’t his hand around his girth but your tight cunt but the illusion was broken the moment he opened his eyes to a dark and empty room that was lit up only by the glowing screen of his phone.

He nearly jumped when he heard the doorknob twisting. 

“Surprise-” your face froze at the door when you saw the very telling position he was in and the initial confusion was quickly replaced by burning hot shame when you heard your own voice echoing in the room.

“Hm,” he didn’t seem to be bothered by being caught, rolling to his side to face you as his eyes lit up, “seems like I have successfully manifested you here.”

He laughed when you shoved off your shoes and nearly latched onto his phone but he was one step ahead, taking the device and held it above your reach before you could pause the video. His smile did not falter when you glared at him, tilting his head slowly at you like it was a challenge.

“I think it’s about time we make another one of these little videos...”

[star-lemonade]

School reunion (1/3)

A.C.E Junhee x Reader

Cw: bulling, kinda angsty, Junhee is a sweet heart though

Rating: T (Series R)

Word count: 3.6 k

Summary: You hire someone to accompany you to your school reunion.

I can’t believe I’m actually doing this. The laptop sat on the kitchen table and the page in the browser was taunting you. You stared at the screen from your spot against the kitchen counter. The empty boxes waited for you to fill in your information. Should I really do this?

You sighed and filled some water into the kettle just to delay having to make a decision. The other thing on the kitchen table was not better. It was an invitation to your school reunion. The reunion was scheduled for the Saturday of the following week at your old school. School. Even the address on the paper brought a bad taste to your mouth.

“You’re so ugly, who would ever date you?”

“I dare you to kiss her.”

“Yak not even for money”

You shuddered. No, no, there is no way I will go there alone. You sat down at the table and began to fill in the form. Name, address, phone and age. On the next page they asked about the occasion or event and you typed: school reunion.

Time? about 3 hours. I won’t stay there for too long.

Gender preference? Hmm I don’t actually care. ‘Don’t care’ was not an option, so you chose ‘man preferred’ over the ‘man only’, ‘woman preferred’ and ‘woman only’ options.

Age preferences? 25-35. I can’t show up there with an 18 year old.

Your finger hovered over the enter button. The shadow of your school days was still haunting you and made your hand heavier until you finally clicked check out.

You had officially rented a plus one for your school reunion.

A day after you had filled out the form you received a message from an unknown number.

“Hello, this is Junhee. I will accompany you to your school reunion next week. Would it be okay if I asked some questions so I can prepare?”

“Hi, Junhee. What do you want to know?”

“How should I introduce myself?”

You chewed on your lip. As you typed the next message your face felt warm.

“As my boyfriend.”

It felt so sad to ask this of a total stranger and you prayed he would not judge you for it. Please don’t question this, please don’t question this.

“How long have we been together?”

I guess that is a valid question someone could ask. You thought about it for a moment. It should not be too short but also not too long. The fact that you did know much about each other would make it not believable that you are together for years.

“A few months maybe?”

He asked a few more questions like “where and how did we meet?” (“at work while getting coffee”) and you answered them with whatever struck your mind.

“Okay. I think this is enough for me. Thank you!”

You sighed. This was actually more complicated than you had anticipated. At least now it felt real as opposed to just a scam to get money from people. Three dots appeared on your screen again.

“One last thing. This is also in the terms of service, but we all must remind our customers about this: I am not a hooker and you did not book sexual favours.”

Your face burned when you read that. Surely no one had asked for that before, had they?

“Of cause not, I just don’t want to go alo-”

Before you really thought about it, you had accidently pressed ‘send’ instead of backspace. Oh no. OH NO.

“Shit.”

My escort knows how pathetic I am. ‘As if he did not know before’ another part of you interjected. Your phone vibrated again.

“It’s okay, I will do my best to keep you company :)”

You did not know what to answer and just send:

“Thank you.”

As the reunion neared you found yourself thinking about it more. A sort of dread had settled in your chest. After all these years you would finally face your bullies. The people who had belittled you for not been pretty enough and made you believe that you could never find anyone who loved you. The worst thing was it seemed that they were right. You were single and you even had to hire someone… no. No, you would not let them get to you. The past years had been the happiest you had ever been. You had friends, even if they were not many, and you did well at your job. There was nothing not to be proud of. Even if you were single now, that did not mean you were unlovable. It just meant that you had not met a person that fit. You would walk in there, head held high and show those petty bitches you were not afraid of them anymore.

Your mood oscillated between confident and anxious for the whole week. You did not want to give them the satisfaction of knowing you were still so affected by them, that their mere presence could make you stay away. No, you had to go. Like this you killed the time to the day of the reunion.

You had rented a dress from a rental service. It was not too fancy but you simply did not own that many dresses and the ones you had did not seem appropriate. Someone on the organizing committee had decided that nice dresses and suits were what they wanted to see. You had messaged Junhee to wear something appropriate for that dress code.

“In a few hours it’s over.”

Your mirror image was not convinced by this but it was all you could do now. Backing out last minute would make you look bad, even if you really wanted to. All of this seemed like a bad idea. What if they found out that you had hired someone to play your boyfriend? You would be the laughing stock of the whole school and this after you had not been in school for years. For a moment you considered just taking off the dress, putting on some sweaters and sitting down on the couch. Your phone made a noise. A new message had arrived.

“At 5 pm at the station, right?”

Junhee.

“Yes. See you there.”

As if it was mocking you, the sun shone from a bright blue sky. The people on the street smiled more than you had seen in some time. On the other hand it was maybe your imagination. Now that you were walking to what could be the worst night of your recent history, everyone seemed in a better state than you.

You arrived at the station.

“I’m wearing a red dress.”

Maybe the dress was a bit much. It had seemed like a good idea. Wearing red would make you stand out. Now, however, that was the opposite of what you wanted to do. Fading into the background, turning invisible and just straight up going back home was what you really wanted right now. The only thing that was that held you back was the thought of the money you had spent upfront for your plus one.

Two young women stopped next to you. One of them sat her backpack down and tried to stuff a paper bag into it.

“Should I help?”

Her friend watched her struggle with amusement. Despite her offer she did not help backpack girl but looked around instead.

You shifted your attention to your phone. Junhee had seen your message. Good. I hope he will be here soon. So we can get this over with.

“Jeez, I wish my boyfriend looked like that,” the girl said as her friend proclaimed: “I’m done. Let’s go.”

Backpack girl dragged her friend away. At least she had a boyfriend. It was not like you needed a man in your life but it would be nice sometimes. Next week I will try tinder. From past experience that was not likely but the thought alone seemed to pacify your mind for now. Getting a boyfriend was future-you’s problem. Present-you had to worry about that goddamn school reunion.

Someone said your name.

“Hmm?”

You were not sure which part shocked you the most: the crisp black suit that hugged the man’s body perfectly, the curly dark hair that looked straight out of a romcom, the beautiful lips and handsome face, the million dollar smile or the soft voice that said your name. It was hard to choose.

“Ehm?”

“Hi, nice to meet you. I’m Junhee.”

“ID please.”

You showed it to the sour faced student behind the supermarket counter. He nodded and you paid. Buying hard alcohol in broad daylight was highly suspicious but this situation called for it. You definitely could not do this sober. Junhee had sat down on a bench not too far from the supermarket. The black suit and white dress shirt fit him perfectly. It was as if watching a photo shoot for the next wedding catalog. Oh, this is a catastrophe. You unscrewed the bottle and took a good mouthful. The cheap alcohol burned in your mouth and all the way down. No one in their right mind would believe he is my boyfriend. It could not be more obvious that you had hired him. Junhee watched the cars go by. The sun made his hair seem more brown than black and the light breeze moved the soft locks. You took another gulp and stuffed the bottle in your handbag. Did I accidentally book a model? There had not been an option for that of course. I should have asked for a photo. You left the store and walked over to Junhee. Maybe I should just send him home and go drink at a bar.

When he saw you, Junhee stood up. His charming smile filled you with dread. This is a car crash waiting to happen.

“Did you get everything?”

You nodded. Soon the alcohol would hit your brain. Maybe then you would care less about everything. You could not bring yourself to send Junhee away. He had come here, looking sharp and you had paid money for him to be here. Your stinginess won against better judgment, so your only option was the original one: go to your old school.

It felt like there was a black cloud of doom that thickened as you got nearer. The bad experiences from the past made every step you took towards that hell hole more difficult. You wanted to run away.

“Can I take your hand?”

Junhee. You had almost forgotten about him. He had not said anything for the past ten minutes or so. Maybe he felt that now was not a good time to talk. You offered your hand. He interlaced his fingers with yours. It had been some time since you held someone’s hand and it made your heart beat faster. Or maybe it was the liquor.

You turned the corner and there it was. The building looked the same as in your memory. Whoever had the idea of starting the evening here before instead of going to a restaurant directly, did not have your gratitude. Walking through the front door stiffly, you clenched your hands. Your whole body was tense. You were ready to fight or flee at any second.

Voices were coming from the gym. Next to the open door stood a table. On it were pens and stickers. As you approached a woman came through the door and smiled at you. It was the most fake smile you had seen in some time.

“Welcome! Please make a name tag for yourself.”

She made a swiping gesture to the table. You let go of Junhee’s hand and wrote your name on a sticker. The woman watched Junhee as he made a tag for himself. You had never been the jealous type but right then wanted to claw her eyes out.

“Have fun.”

You almost felt her looking as you entered the gym. The hall was filled with bar tables groups had formed and all eyes were on you. At one of the empty tables you stopped.

“I will get something to drink. What do you want?”

You barely heard your own answer over the ringing in your ears. The ceiling had been decorated but it made the hall seem more shabby. As if the paper garlands were only there to hide the cracks in the grey concrete. You looked around.

They looked back at you from the other table, pointed and smirked at each other. Your bullies. They looked old. The ten years since graduation had carved lines into their faces but they tried to hide it by applying too much makeup.

You felt sick.

“Hey.”

A hand landed on your shoulder and you jerked. Junhee pulled back his hand. He studied your face.

“Do you want to leave?”

You looked up. Leave? Leaving meant giving up. They won if you left. No, no you were strong. Your hand strangled your purse. You would not run away from them. Junhee‘s brown eyes watched the tremor in your hand.

“Let’s go,” he whispered and took your hand. Your skin was cold and sweaty against his as Junhee dragged you out. You were so shocked, you did not even say anything until you had left through the front door.

“Stop!”

You ripped your hand free from his grasp.

“You should not stay there any longer.”

“That is not your call to make,” you snapped at him.

His face flushed.

“No, but it is the right one.”

Before you could talk back he continued in a calm tone: “You don’t care about any of those people and they don’t care about you.”

He waved his hands.

“I don't know what happened in the past but you are not here to meet some old friends.”

Your eyes burned. Don’t cry. Don’t cry. It’s humiliating. You tried to blink the tears away but your vision blurred.

“Not here.”

Junhee grabbed your shoulder and led you away. The tears fogged your vision, so you just followed wherever he was going. Your feet moved on their own accord and you were thankful for it. Holding back an undignified sob took up all your mental capacity.

“Sit.”

You collapsed on the bench. There was nothing holding the tears back now. You looked like an idiot in front of everyone. Your bullies had seen you turn up with an escort only to run away the second they looked at you. And now you cried on a bench in front of said escort. How pathetic had your life become? You had not felt this bad since leaving school.

Get a grip. There was nothing to be done here. You did not feel better by telling yourself this, but at least one of these could be fixed. Try to stop crying.

You concentrated on a point on the ground. The concrete was cracked there and something green had started to push its way to the surface. Plants are amazing. They can even exist in these places.

Your eyes still burned and your nose was all clogged up, but you had stopped crying.

“I’m sorry, Junhee.”

You looked up. There was no one around. When did he leave? You sighed and your eyes burnt again. I guess it is just that kind of day. Going home sounded like a good idea but you could not bring yourself to get up. The weight of your sorrows kept you on the bench. You could not even blame Junhee for leaving either. Usually you were very composed and rarely had outbursts of any kind, but today was just not your day.

“Here.”

A bottle of water entered your field of view. Your gaze followed the arm that was holding it up until you met Junhee’s eyes. You took the bottle and almost cried again because he was still here. For better or worse he had not abandoned you on a bench.

The water was cold. It had clearly been in a fridge not too long ago.

“Thank you.”

Junhee sat down next to you and waited while you drank the water. This day, although it was not over, was already a train wreck. Very carefully Junhee asked: “Can we get something to eat?”

You nodded slowly. Food was not a bad idea. You had skipped lunch because you had not been hungry at the time.

“Sure.”

Junhee stood up and looked around, hands on his hips. He turned to you and asked in a hushed tone:

“Where do we have to go?”

There was nothing funny about it but you laughed anyway. Junhee looked like a lost puppy and when he saw you laughing, he pouted. Now this really was funny.

“The station is that way.”

Junhee looked at his phone. He took off his tie and pocketed it.

“Technically I’m free to go now.”

You raised an eyebrow. “We just got here and ordered food and you want to go?” was what you wanted to say but swallowed it. You were still embarrassed and grateful that Junhee was there with you. He had made dumb jokes all the way to your favorite restaurant. It was almost on the other end of town but it was the only place you wanted to be right now.

“So, you wanna leave?”

“Leave? No, no!”

He waved his hands frantically.

“I … meant I’m not here because of work now.”

The soju had painted Junhee’s cheeks a rosy red. It looked good on him.

“What do you do when you don’t do this?”

You gestured vaguely at you and him sitting together in your favorite restaurant. Surely it had to be model or something like that just based on what you had seen so far. Technically you were not supposed to ask personal questions but your contract was done. Technically.

“I’m a student. I study computer science, but I will graduate soon.”

He took a sip from his drink. That rang a bell in the back of your mind. Computer science? Someone was talking to me about that not long ago. Who was it?

The waiter came and set your food on the table. He opened the lid of the barbecue that was mounted in the table.

“Have a good meal.”

“Thank you.”

When you left the restaurant, the sun had set. You felt a little awkward. It had been nice spending time with Junhee even if you had been very distressed earlier. Before you could really think about it, the words fell from your mouth.

“Thank you for spending the day with me. It was nice.”

You did not look at him. It felt unnatural but you meant it and had to say it.

“It was nice for me too.”

Junhee’s hair was not as neat as earlier. The waves had flattened and the way he always combed it left it looking disheveled. His cheeks were flushed from the food and the drinks.

You were not sure what to say. “Goodbye for ever” seemed a bit odd.

“Good luck with your studies. See you around.”

“Goodbye.”

You left Junhee at the restaurant and walked home. It was not too far so you could walk. The night air was refreshing after the stuffy restaurant. It also cleared the dryness of your eyes and nose.

Your apartment was dark and empty. You took a quick shower, put on your pyjamas and went to bed. The day had been emotionally exhausting and you were drifting into the fuzzy precursor to sleep. Your mind drifted through some memories and thoughts but nothing was clear. It hit you. You were wide awake because your brain had found the answer to the question. You grabbed your phone from the nightstand. The light from the screen nearly blinded you.

John, a name he had chosen because none of his overseas clients could pronounce ‘Seungmin’, was the CTO of a company that had their offices in the same building as your company. Without thinking much about it you sent Junhee John’s number.

“He is looking for some computer science people. Maybe that’s something for you. Anyways good luck and best wishes.”

You tried not to think too much about that day. It still felt like a defeat even months later. You had run away from your bullies. They had looked at you and you had folded. It was a bitter memory. The logical part of you noted that it was not worth your time, that you should focus on the tasks at hand and live your life.

You spent time with your friends and on your hobbies. Indeed your spirits lifted slowly. The less time you spent ruminating about the past the more time you could spend on other things.

“Let’s get lunch. I’m starving.”

You agree with your colleague. You grabbed your phone and keys. Your colleague was already at the elevator and held open the door.

Two floors down the elevator stopped and the door opened.

“Hey!”

John and some of his staff entered. You waved and smiled. John was a man in late 40 or early 50s, you had never asked, but he gave off the youthful energy of someone who loved his job. A ‘ding!’ announced the closing of the doors but John jammed his leg and arm between it.

“Hurry up, newbie! We can’t have you starve on the first day!”

Steps echoed in the hallway and the newbie flew into the tight space. The young man had dark hair and wore round glasses. With the dark blue sweater and the jeans he gave off the youthful vibe of a university student. He was very handsome and your face burnt.

Junhee.

[snellyfish]

@rubberygone​ I am so sorry I am just now seeing this ask, so to make up for it here’s a bunch of doodles I tried to get out just for you fhdkjfds. (also definitely not the perfect excuse to draw this AU again because I just watched the ‘24 film and hooo boy am I thinking about these heteros once again) THANK YOU SM FOR THE ASK AND THE INTEREST IT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME

For like all my Shinnaga stuff I tend to see his sister as The Big Bad Villain and I think when I watched Phantom of the Opera this absolutely solidified what type of villain I like to utilize her as the most--one whom Kiyo was genuinely in love with and wishes only to drag him away from Angie [dabs]. Not to say Yandere Miyadera but I am saying Yandere Miyadera

Super long embarrassing ramble about this AU under the cut :]

You asked about the roles so here we goooo. I know characters and roles differ from each movie and I haven’t read into the book enough to know what’s “canon” for everyone in the original story but here’s what I’m throwing out so far LOL. Mainly based off the 2004 Film.

Korekiyo: Christine Daaé Little self explanatory, I know there’s not much in the way of them being Similar other than the huge blinding light of “I am being used and abused by my significant other; whom everyone, including me at some point, assumed and fully accepted was a ghost haunting me and killing everyone around me so they can have me all to themself.” Kiyo is a lot more timid and paranoid in this AU as well, he’s quite fragile because I tend to think of Miyadera as his only support system and here it’s Especially Wack/Damaged in a Whole New Way, especially with his over looming fear that she’s going to murder Angie.

Miyadera: The Phantom / Erik Curse you, lyrics, if you didn’t write yourself the way you did I probably wouldn’t have realized how perfect this AU is. For what I headcanon Miyadera being it’s just Very Fitting, they’re both using Kiyo/Christine for their own gains while simultaneously falling madly unhealthily in love with them. I prefer the ending where The Phantom learns to let go and lives in the shadows once more, rather than the ending of him being heckign Murdered by the whole town, but for this AU I’m honestly not sure what I lean to more because I can’t see her just letting Kiyo go LOL. 

Angie: Raoul AUAUAUAUAUAUUU HERE IT COMES HERE’S THE SHIP [POINTS LOUDLY] they’re SO in love. I’ll say what we’re all thinking--the only way to make Raoul an even better character is to make him a short, bubbly, manic, crossdressing woman of color, am I right or am I right-- For almost all my Shinnaga stuff, again, I think of Kiyo as initially being very standoffish and purposely trying to push Angie away out of fear of what Miyadera would do if they became a thing ((though he obviously wants them to become a thing ((angie help)))), and with Christine(Kiyo) being so upfront like “You mustn’t see me ever again” I like to imagine Angie’s reaction to that in this AU is like “Hmmmm, no thank you, Angie will come back tomorrow for kiss nyahaha :3″. Just the idea of her running around, riding on horses, digging through the sewers of a long forgotten medieval torture chamber; all with a wide-ass smile on her face because she’s like “SAVE BF SAVE BF SAVE BF” is very quaint.

Miu?: Carlotta Her personality in the ‘04 one is so Miu-core and she’s kind of a bonch either way so it works LOL. Miu just wants to be a star so bad 😔

Tsumugi: Madame Giry I mostly big-brained this idea because of witnessing her being like a weird mother figure as she rescued the orphaned Phantom, I like the idea of Tsumugi laying low and just watching the chaos unfold as she’s like “hehe,,,the only reason Miyadera is alive and wrecking everything is because I saved her life,,,this is just plain perfect!!” Yet still helping Angie find Kiyo+Miya’s whereabouts underground just to help progress the fun little story that she’s just so happy to be a part of.

Tenko? Himiko? no one??: Meg Giry Obviously not Tsumugi’s daughter but LOL- Honestly from what I’ve watched and have been reading up on the Wiki she’s really not much of a character, all I really recall is her being Christine’s closest/only friend in ‘04? So I liked the idea of throwing out another Chapter 3 character for the fun of it, but idk LMAO. Maybe Kiyo’s just even more of a loner and I’ll just throw the whole cast of v3 to be more Opera singers and dancers in the background WHO KNOWS. Kiyo MIGHT have friend rights.

Christine talks about her deceased father and because I headcanon Kiyo and Miya to be orphans, I thought it was only fitting that in this AU Korekiyo talks about his deceased parents AND deceased sister, who just so happens to be Very Much Alive and just so happens to NOT be her ghost haunting him for the past decade. Even more trauma-worthy if Kiyo swears he witnessed his sisters death 🤫🤫🤫 Thanks a lot for quietly and stealthily saving her and creating a monster, Tsumugi, props to you. what would go wrong?? Maybe that same “death” incident is the reason Miyadera wears a mask 😏 scar time!!

THANKS @ ANYONE FOR READING IF YOU DID FHDKJFSD I have many thoughts and am not strong enough to out myself about them all, I get so embarrassed talking about Shinnaga I love them too damn much

I promise I’ll draw more for this AU with art of like,,,actual quality and effort,,, ONE DAY. Also with like official designs for them because auuu I flip flop constantly with how I draw them in this AU LMAO. at least nearly everyone gets to crossdress that’s all that matters.

[smylealong]

The Tragedy of Song Huai'en

In the spirit of full disclosure, I’m a Liu Duan Duan fangirl. Unapologetically so. This is a spoiler filled post, so reader discretion is advised. (Written with some inputs from @terribleteej)

When we first meet Song Huai’en, we don’t see him. The focus is fully on Xiao Qi (a brilliant Zhou Ye Wei), like it should be, because he is the male lead. And this was his introduction scene. I, of course noticed him because I started this show forLiu Duan Duan. At this point, he is just a background figure – standing half a step behind Xiao Qi, a lieutenant bellowing his General’s orders.

When we next meet him, we learn that he is Xiao Qi’s right-hand man. Walking behind him, following his orders, fiercely loyal and protective of his General.

Decked in all black, he lurks in the shadows. In fact, he is Xiao Qi’s shadow – something that both becomes the cause of his meteoric rise and terrible downfall. But more on that later.

As the episodes go, we see him as this loveable dork, who likes to playfully banter with his friends. We see him gently tease Xiao Qi, and sportingly let people tease him. One cannot help but love this sweet man. The fact that he looks super pretty is just a bonus. But up until this point, he is, as the poster would have us believe, a side character.

In fact, based on that poster, I assumed that Zitan was the second lead. Huai’en did not even feature much during A’Wu’s abduction and subsequent rescue. A brief, flash in the pan appearance follows when A’Wu and Xiao Qi are attacked, but here, we do see that this man can be very intimidating, something that comes to play later.

However, a discerning viewer might notice that in the small appearances that the character is making, his eyes seem to be trailing A’Wu. He is very quietly crushing on her and at this juncture of the show, we cannot really blame him. A’Wu is stunning and as a young man, he was attracted. Understandable and even innocent.

It is only when we get to Huizhou that we see Song Huai’en in his element. He is leading the army, defending the city, working with A’Wu, Pang Gui, and Mou Lian to make sure that Huishou does not fall. This is the brave General who shines like a bright star, earning A’Wu’s trust and respect, and Yu Xiu’s undying devotion in the process.

At this point in the series, to the viewers at least, Huai’en’s crush on A’Wu becomes obvious in the little queries, the shy smiles, and the feeble excuses to see her. Before he can introspect on his reasons for wanting to see A’Wu, Ma Zi Lu goes tyrannical and Huai’en has to put aside his personal jumble of feelings to focus on the chaos that Zi Lu has unleashed. In trying to do so, he is tortured, believes that he failed in doing the task that A’Wu assigned him and in doing so, falls in his own eyes. One thing that I would like to point out is that here is where he also sustains a significant injury to his head.

Why am I talking about this scene? I mean, it was just whumping, and Pang Gui got massively whumped, so why the focus on Huai’en’s whump? Because unlike Pan Gui, Huai’en suffered a cranial injury. An injury to the head is not something to be brushed off easily. Even a tiny clot in the brain can change a person drastically. And Huai’en does change. He pretty much splits into two – Song Huai’en and Su Yi Bo. I believe that some of it was his inherent fragility, exacerbated by an injury to head that was never addressed. He comes back, all guns blazing, and shoots his arrow to put an end to Ma Zi Lu’s reign of terror.

The chaos reined in, he settles back to his comfortable familiarity and all seems normal. However, with Xiao Qi’s presence at the Yuzhang Manor, things are not what they were before. Huia’en too, is no longer who he was before. The cracks are hairline at this point, so no one notices it. But change is there. He starts to pull back from Xiao Qi and by extension, A’Wu.

On some level, he too understands that his desire for A’Wu is not right, so he holds himself back. The scene below is a perfect example of it.

He comes in with medicines and a plant. A plant that A’Wu had asked him to take care of. Clearly, he wanted to show her that he did what she had asked him to do, but then, when A-Xue jumps to the conclusion that the plant was for Yu Xiu, like the medicines, Huai’en quietly surrenders, knowing that it would be improper for him to harbor any kind of feelings for A’Wu. A theme we see repeated in his terrified reaction to his dream.

Granted it happened after Xiao Qi called him out on his frequent visits to A’Wu, but here is a man who understands he’s crossed a line he shouldn’t have. This is a critical juncture for his character. This is where we first realize that not everything is copacetic with Song Huai’en. Suddenly, his little rueful dialogues early on about Xiao Qi selling away his material possessions take whole different meaning. This is where we learn that this brave soldier from a humble background is dazzled by the material possessions and wealth that is in abundance in the capital. This is where we see that Huai’en is not a mini-Xiao Qi. That in comparison to Xiao Qi, he fails.

Here, I would like to call attention to Xiao Qi’s personality. Xiao Qi is, simply put, larger than life. He is a brilliant General, a loving husband, an adept politician, with iron control on his desires. In some ways, he practically has no vices. If he has a flaw, it is that he is perhaps a tad too patient. What I’m getting at here is that Xiao Qi is like a saint. He is a standard that is almost impossible to achieve.

Huai’en, being his shadow and arguably his best friend, understands that. He is keenlyaware that he is not Xiao Qi and as people start comparing him, his bravery, and his valor to Xiao Qi, it begins to grate on him. If you have ever had a sibling who outshines you in every aspect, you would understand how that slowly chips away at your confidence. All your merits are recognized, but they are perennially the lesser than that of the golden child. This is the crux of Huai’en’s problems. He is eternally the second best.

Wang Lin later states that Huai’en has an inferiority complex, and he is absolutely right. At this stage, Huai’en begins to realize just how wide the chasm that separates him, and Xiao Qi is. And that starts eating at him. The laughing, joking, shy Huai’en slowly starts to retreat into his shell. Both as a scared reaction and as a punishment to himself, he latches on to Yu Xiu.

Why Yu Xiu, though, one might ask. To some, it may look like him trapping her in a loveless marriage. I, however, saw it as him deciding to do the right thing and step away from A’Wu. It was also a bit of if you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you are with. He chose a woman he liked enough to give himself a chance to love someone else other than the one forbidden to him.

And love her, he does. But if you are looking for the extravagant flair and loud actions declaring his love, like Xiao Qi does for A’Wu (the second marriage, for example), you won’t find it. Why? Because the entire arc of Song Huai’en is that he is not Xiao Qi.

With A'Wu and Xiao Qi, they have the same love language. But as someone who's been married for 13+ years, I can say that is rare. Most cases, the love languages of couples are different and it takes some time for each to fully understand the language the other is speaking. Time that the two did not get. Yu Xiu never hid her feelings for him. She was upfront with it. So, what was the language that Song Huai’en speaking?

Yu Xiu says he treats her well. Gives her gifts, medicines, clothes, jewelry. Having grown up poor and struggling, money is a big deal to Song Huai’en. Every human being shows their love to their partners with the one thing about themselves that they value the most. For some, it’s food. Some singing. Huai’en is a battle-hardened killer. That’s what he is good at. That can’t be the language of love. So, what else can he do? He showers her with gifts. That is his love language. Yu Xiu wanted more, but Huai’en is not one for big declarations.

Carrying her in his arms is the biggest declaration he would ever make. His love shows in the softness of the tone that he speaks to her in. His love shows in his reaction to her tears. In the soft smiles he gives her. In his horrified reaction when he sees her at the city gates. The battle-hardened Duke is suddenly reduced to a terrified, trembling man. He tells her to go away, repeatedly.

Huai’en is not Zitan. He is not delusional. He knows that there’s a good chance that he would end up dead or worse. He did not want Yu Xiu to witness that. As their conversation proceeds, you see his heart breaking in his eyes.

(Man, Liu Duan Duan spoke VOLUMES through his eyes. Somebody give this man an award already!). And then, he shoots an arrow at her. Only, it misses her. Or does it? An archer of Song Huai’en’s caliber would never miss a shot that easy. This was his way of scaring her into going away, because Yu Xiu was not listening to his words. This was also his way of trying to show the world that she was not his weakness. Only, this backfires and Yu Xiu, in a desperate attempt to make him see reason, jumps from there. The moment she fell, Song Huai’en broke. Shattered.

But he did not weep. Did not seem to mourn her loss. He just moved on. Because, again, Song Huai’en is not one to show big emotions. Not so publicly. Look at his eyes instead. Listen to his gasp of horror and pain. If he had lived through the coup, Huai’en would have mourned Yu Xiu in solitude. But not while thousands of eyes were on him.

But what of the scene where he pushes Yu Xiu and orders her to stay home? He did try to be gentle. He did try, as lovingly as he could, to tell her to stay away from it, but she refused. She dug her heels in. And with so many people watching, and the clock ticking, he snapped. We have all said and done things to the people we love that we should not have. That’s human. I will not crucify him for this one event.

An argument can be made against my theory of him not willing to show his pain in public – that he wept in that carriage with Wang Su when he learned of the Empress Dowager wanting to kill him and the news of Xiao Qi’s death reached him. Yes, he cried. He cried because with Wang Su, was private and safe to show the emotions. (He didn’t know of the assassins waiting outside). Something that the city gates most certainly were not. At the city gate, he lets the soldier in him take over. But in the carriage, he is still Song Huai’en.

Which brings me to Wang Su and by extension Wang Lin. Wang Lin, being the snake that he is, tells Huai’en exactly what he wants to hear. Wang Lin is a master manipulator; he’s made his entire career out of being the devil on people’s shoulders. Huai’en was just not equipped to shut out that insidious voice. It had been previously established that Huai’en did not understand court politics as well as Xiao Qi did, so the puppet did not see the strings till it was very late.

Wang Lin, however, for all his tricks, forgot a crucial thing. That Song Huai’en is a Ningshou General. The army that has, on more than one occasion, changed the course of history with their blades. And that Huai’en is a soldier through and through. Something Wang Lin should have realized with Maidservant Xu’s stabbing, but he didn’t. He missed just how easy it is for Huai’en to switch from a human to a killing machine. He did not realize that it was Su Yi Bo that he was talking to when he told Huai’en that he could not let Xu Gu Gu see him. When she does see him, he instantly goes into the soldier following orders mode. It was a crucial bit that Wang Lin missed. It was a mistake that ultimately cost him his life.

That cold blooded killer is the one that resurfaces with the killing of Hu Yao. Yet again, I have seen people rage at him for killing her and yes, it was not pleasant to see, but guess what? They were at war. They were both fulfilling the role of a soldier. One died, one moved on. It hurt him to watch his comrade fall under his own blade, you can see it on his face, but the soldier marched on.

By now, Su Yi Bo, the Edward Hyde to Song Huai’en’s Henry Jekyll, is fighting Huai’en for control. He’s at war, both inside and out. But he still doesn’t show it. He puts his game face on and goes on to fulfill the one dream that both the viewers and Huai’en himself have nurtured for a very long time – he flings Zitan out of the throne. (Man, that was glorious!). Allows Wang Lin to sit on it, only to stab him in the back, both literally and metaphorically.

When Wang Lin turned his back on Huai'en, the real soldier --a General of NIngzhou-- stepped out and killed the opposition leader, and thus did as he has been trained to do all his life. Fight and conquer and take from the enemy. He knewWang Lin was the enemy in the end and he rose to the surface long enough to do what he has been trained to do all his life. But immediately after that, Su Yi Bo takes over.

And then, and only then, does he speak of his real feelings. Feelings that he has buried deep in his heart. Feelings of inadequacy and neglect. Feelings of being the second best. The silent fight he fought all his life. The one thing he wanted to do – get out of Xiao Qi’s shadow. That was his motivating factor. By this point, his proposition to A’Wu is more of a snub to Xiao Qi than a love declaration for A’Wu. He knows very well she would not accept him. And at this point, he no longer cares. He is broken beyond repair. He is unstable, switching between Song Huai’en and Su Yi Bo.

Song Huai’en is the one that killed Wang Lin and threw Zitan away. Su Yi Bo is the one that killed Hu Yao and propositioned A’Wu. Su Yi Bo is the one who gets shot by the arrow, but Huai’en is the one that pleads with Xiao Qi to take him back to Ningshou with his dying breath. And then, Xiao weeps.

Xiao Qi weeps at the loss of his best friend. His brother. Arguably the one he loved the most after A’Wu. Xiao Qi is the first to see the crack in Huai’en. Upon discovering the evidence of pilfering, Xiao Qi hopes that his veiled insinuation and gentle nudges will put Huai’en in the right path and for a time, it does. But then, the Empress Dowager pulls them apart by sending Huai’en as flood relief. By the time Xiao Qi meets Huai’en again, he is aware of what the court is doing. By then, Xiao Qi has already been framed for Zilong’s murder, has lost a chunk of his soldiers and has been labeled a traitor.

When Huai’en and Xiao Qi meet at the gate, Wang Lin’s claws are already deep into Huai’en. When Xiao Qi addresses him as Su Yi Bo, he has already realized that his best friend and brother is lost. Cracked. Xiao Qi mourns the loss of his trusted General and yet, holds on to the hope that Huai’en will pull through. But as a more than a month passes and Huai’en doesn’t come to visit them, Xiao Qi has to accept that things will never go back to being the way they were.

Yet, it is Xiao Qi’s love for his brother-in-arms that makes him adopt Huai’en and Yu Xiu’s son. It is of note that Huai’en did not name his son. It may not the sign of neglect that it is perceived to be. I know that in some parts of the world, there was a custom to not give a baby a name for he first six months of its life for the simple reason that infant mortality was very high. Once the baby was relatively safe, the parents would name them. I don’t know if this was a thing in ancient China, but it might be. By the time the child became old enough to be named, Huai’en is already splitting, being pulled in a hundred different directions. He never got a chance because of the Roaring Tornado of chaos in the capital that kept him too busy to be able to focus on his home. He did not name his child. He should have, but he didn’t.

He was undoubtedly the most tragic character in the end. He broke and he did some things that are very hard to forgive, but those were done in the throes of insanity. Not bitter hatefulness. Zitan was hateful, Zi Lu was hateful. Wang Lin was consumed with hate. Wanru and Jin’er fed the hate in their heart, enjoyed it even. The Empress Dowager hated the whole world. Huai’en, however, was just tragic.

At the end of the day, I guess what I’m saying is that Song Huai’en is not a villain. He is human. A fallible, flawed, foolish one, but human, nonetheless. Conflicted, controlled, corrupted, confused, cracked, and compromised. And he is not, as the poster would have us believe, a support character. He was the second lead of this story and that is a hill I will plant my stake on.

[emergingsentiments]

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha: Episode 9 (Repost)

If the previous installment of Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha probed the heart and its anxieties, then Episode 9 is where the show’s characters begin to confront these fears. Our Sikhye couple had already shared a subtext-laden embrace after a threat to Hyejin’s safety, and now that unexpected skinship begins to bother the two, so much so they are unable to sleep. Homcha shows this in the romantic parallelism of their nocturnal troubles. If there's no meaning to that intimate moment, then why would they lose sleep over it?

But the drama isn’t eager to please by simply saying they are in love. Actions, after all, speak louder than words. And what better way for a man to prove his love — and overcome his fear — than by meeting the parents. Thanks to a mix-up at Hyejin’s seaside home — organized by Miseon once more — Dusik finds himself face-to-face with Yoon Tae-hwa (Seo Sang-won), Hyejin’s father, and Lee Myung-shin (Woo Mi-hwa), her stepmom. This after both overheard rumors about Hyejin’s supposed trysts with Dusik, courtesy of resident loudmouth Namsook. You’d think after being saved from a swindler, she'd be a little more careful around Hyejin, right?

What follows is Dusik pretending to be Hyejin’s boyfriend for a day and Gongjin’s tour guide for Mr. Yoon and Ms. Lee. It’s a Kdrama trope used to good effect in this episode, giving our two reluctant lovebirds the space to be together for most of this chapter.

Mr. Yoon, however, is not easy to please. He’s brash and arrogant, brandishing high standards for himself and her daughter. For him, Dusik’s provincial austerity misses all the marks. Mr. Yoon is also confused with Mr. Hong’s unemployment. What is a Seoul National University engineering graduate doing in Gongjin fixing showerheads? And the language — too casual, too familiar! Hyejin should break up with Dusik. She’s too good for him, it seems. He fears for her future. So easily offended is Hyejin’s father by everything that sulking is almost as frequent as his breathing.

Seonghyun, who the pair of couples meet along the way, is different. Hyejin’s senior back in college, he’s now a successful TV show producer. In on the farce, Seonghyun tries his best to ingratiate with Mr. Yoon and Ms. Lee by offering brunch at Gamri’s home while putting his best foot forward. Mr. Yoon seems to fall for Seonghyun’s affectations. Earlier in the drama, our PD was likable in his naivete, politeness, and helpfulness. With potential losses on the line, however, he decides to put up a fight, and that means showing his true colors — and interests. He’s missed an opportunity once, so he figures he can’t lose another one.

Interestingly, Hyejin and Dusik remain the same despite the spur-of-the-moment arrangement. Except for lying about their relationship, they’re not doing anything unusual. Hyejin and Dusik as friends are the same as Hyejin and Dusik as fake lovers. They bicker and annoy each other, with Hyejin constantly muttering against Mr. Hong’s laughable ideas. They steal glances, argue with their eyes, and jostle with their gestures. Around Seonghyun, she is prim and proper. As Dusik’s friend and girlfriend-for-a-day, she’s always a little nervier, curious, annoying, foolish, and candid. Shin Minah’s wide-eyed surprise and arresting smiles capture the more uncalculated Hyejin, the one lost as she, according to her father, grew up too fast.

Unlike Seonghyun, Dusik is not interested in formalities. He uses his brashness and natural charm to deal with the bullheaded Mr. Yoon. When playing Go, he doesn’t attempt to please the man by deliberately losing. He simply sticks to his guns. Conversing about orchids, Dusik doesn’t shy away from showing off. When Mr. Yoon shows his disgust over seafood during family lunch, he insists that his guest take a bite. If it were Seonghyun, he would have acquiesced to the demands and impulses of Hyejin’s father. Dusik, however, lives large. He can be rough around the edges and unapologetic. He gets his way, too. But we also know it can often be just the exterior — a defense mechanism to whatever is lurking underneath.

We get glimpses of this past once more in Episode 9. During lunch and while Dusik is away, Mr. Yoon inquires with her daughter about Mr. Hong’s background. Who is he? Where is his family? An orphan? Well, that’s a flaw. The irony escapes Mr. Yoon, who gets reminded when Hyejin answers back, that he’s a remarried widow. If Dusik has no blood relations around, and it’s a gaping hole in his otherwise fascinating resume, then what does it make of Hyejin and the presence of her stepmother. It’s a searing argument that Dusik overhears but takes coolly even as Mr. Yoon storms out of the restaurant.

But it’s also an awkward rebuke of Hyejin’s stepmother who, throughout the episode, has demonstrated to be anything but the nightmarish second wife we may have imagined her to be. Myungshin takes everything in a stride, aware of her place. Amidst the hurt, she manages to be the middle-ground for both stubborn father and equally stubborn daughter, attentive to the needs of both. Hyejin sees this and is quick to apologize for her outburst.

Dusik is just as perceptive as Myunhshin. With great courage, he approaches Mr. Yoon to start one of the more poignant conversations in this chapter of Homcha. Broken by the death of her wife, he had largely neglected Hyejin’s needs as a child. She grew up too fast in the absence of paternal love. Listening intently, Dusik says otherwise. Hyejin received a lot of love — perhaps unseen because it doesn’t fit the conventions of what love might be. If not, then she wouldn’t be able to give love, right? Dusik takes the time to explain the actual situation, too, although Mr. Yoon doesn’t do our couple any favors by mentioning maybe, just maybe, Mr. Hong is who Hyejin deserves. Mr. Yoon clearly likes Mr. Hong.

This is what Homcha does well — provide glimpses of the growing affections between Hyejin and Dusik when they’re around other people. During lunch, Hyejin sees how Dusik manages to wear down the harsh walls of her father and fit comfortably with the family. She asks herself in the quiet of her thoughts what it is with Dusik that she gravitates towards. Probed by Mr. Yoon over his true affections, Dusik answers as prudent as he could that he likes Hyejin only as a friend, even though his eyes betray him.

Shin Min Ah and Kim Seon Ho use their powers to demonstrate this tension within. Their eyes flicker and their lips quiver, showing the tentativeness that marks the lives of their characters. How long can they hide what they truly feel?

It’s the same question for everyone else in Gongjin. Love is light and shadow, after all. For the ever upfront Miseon, that shadow clouds her judgment when she gets rejected by a more old-fashioned Eun-chul. In the more delicate relations between Chohui, Hwajung, and  Youngguk, the hidden reasons of Hwajung over her divorce frustrates a Youngguk, who now faces the pain of unrequited love. Hwajung displays a formidable front in the ending scenes when he refuses Youngguk the satisfaction of her deepest sentiments. But bottling it up has a cost, as Namsook rightfully explains. Hwajung will have to admit to it sooner or later.

Seonghyun, too, who is now confronted with the possibility Dusik does have a thing for Hyejin, must take a chance or be late again. On a late-night walk, Dusik also ponders about his earlier conversation with Mr. Yoon and senses it’s now or never. Both have made their decisions. One takes a u-turn while the other heads straight for it. Are they ready to confront those lingering terrors?

Namsook’s broad observations aren’t just frivolous curiosity, however. “If you keep bottling your emotions, you’ll get sick” she exclaims. It’s the perfect commentary to Episode 9’s darker epilogue. Dusik is at his shrink's clinic to discuss the root of his fear, that large swath of evening that hides beneath the daylight he projects in Gongjin. So everyone you love has left you? inquires the doctor, as we become privy to the painful memories of the wakes Dusik has had to attend, wakes that have scarred a man of promise, wakes that stole his sleep.

But the question is too simple, naive, even bare — and that makes it even harder to answer.