lifeisablackhole9 · 2 years ago
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hey for lotr should i do chronological order or start with fotr?
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fair-fae · 2 years ago
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Lil real life update~ mostly just incoherent rambles
I’m starting a new job in January. It’s been in the works a crazy long time now but I didn’t mention anything sooner, which I’m glad for because it has taken actually forever and anything that could possibly happen to delay the process did happen :’) But it finally paid off. I’m quitting my current job in December because it’s the only way I’ll be able to get time off to spend Christmas with my family for the first time in years (since it’s “forbidden” for us to request time off October - early January at my current job). It caused some drama with my in-laws who I guess pre-emptively assumed we were doing “Christmas” in January because “that’s what we always do” (yeah because I can’t get any other time off, not for funsies or our personal preference lol????) but whatever, that’s a whole other thing. I have finally escaped the service industry! As someone with no degree and no “marketable skills,” that’s huge lol. And I am very excited. I am little nervous since I don’t know a lot about the job or what to expect. The hours apparently vary wildly--some times of the years we are off, some times will be slow, some it will be super busy and I’ll be working a lot of hours. I’m not really sure how it will go. I don’t really have the spoons to keep up with overtime let alone fulltime work. But like? I already work 30 hours a week at an emotionally, physically, and mentally draining job. I lose two entire days every week of my life to double-shifts that leave me no time for anything but sleep and hygeine. I feel so busy and so drained I can’t even enjoy my time off or do anything with it. So like, could it really be any worse than that? It also involves some travel which I am really excited for! I do kinda wanna scream because things are going to shit with my husband’s job and he’s talking about us moving back to DC/noVA because that’s where the most job opportunities for him are now that I’ve finally got this job that I sunk a year of waiting and endless hours of paperwork into and I am so tired of moving :))))) But w/e we’ll see how things go. I am ignoring that possibility for now and just going to let myself feel excited that I can finally quit this shit job LOL I know I haven’t talked about my real job a lot here. I’m a hostess at a fine dining restaurant which is one of the nicest places in this combination tourist trap + retirement community I have the misfortune of currently residing in. Along with all the usual fun of working in the service industry, most of our regular customers are rich, entitled old people, and then we get a lot of people coming to celebrate special occasions and expecting everything to be ~*perfect*~ and business people having business meals and thinking they are more important than everyone else in the restaurant. It’s kinda horrible and to top it all off, my boss may actually be one of the worst people I have ever met. I know most people hate their bosses and like yeah, I’ve had bad bosses before, but no, this is beyond the stereotype. She incompetent. She is lazy, won’t do shit, only comes in for two “shifts” a week (by which I mean she shows up like three hours into an actual shift) but then tries to micromanage and do nothing but lecture people and refuse to help solve any actual problems or talk with customers wanting to speak with her. Her shitty attitude toward us is not even a “the customer is always right” thing; she is actively horrible to both her employees and even the customers, like almost actively malicious toward our customers who give her their money LOL. We get bad reviews about her and she upsets so many of our customers. She’s a spiteful, racist, xenophobic, Fox-news obsessed piece of MAGA shit who goes on about her shitty political views at the work place to us and bewildered customers alike. She won’t let anyone request time off for anything but she’ll take multiple vacations a year + time off for plastic surgeries and not even have someone available to cover for her in her absence. Oh and she loves to party and drink with her employees who are younger than her own children, get mixed up in all their drama, and bring her relationship drama about who is cheating on who in her marriage (well, former marriage now lol) into the workplace and like. If it weren’t for everyone else still there, I would love to see this entire business blow up in her face, but oh well. Anywho, I’m excited for the new job but definitely nervous. Even if it doesn’t work out, I’m just so relieved I can quit my current job before I actually snap. I’m really looking forward to the future now. Even if that means potentially moving yet again.
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symphonicmetal101 · 4 years ago
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Reactions to MC Falling Asleep On/Next To Them
Ok, just for consistency, MC falls asleep on them during a meeting. MC switches spots every meeting to avoid fights.
Lucifer:
He was in the middle of speaking to Diavolo when he felt a weight on his shoulder
To his surprise, amusement, and horror, you had fallen asleep on him....in front of Diavolo (not that he let his emotions show)
However he was concerned that you had fainted, so he tried to wake you up, however Diavolo intervened, saying he had watched you nod off the whole time
He still wanted to wake you up because this was still a meeting that you were supposed to attend.
Diavolo tried to intervene again for your sake, and Lucifer was going to (reluctantly) listen.
However he shifted his arm enough to have you slump forward and nearly hit your head on the table
He managed to catch you in time, helping you into a position on the table that you would be comfortable, cleared his throat, and went on with the meeting.
Oh, but inside he felt a surge of pride that you had come to trust him enough to fall asleep with him near. Nobody could miss the smug smirk that played over his lips for the rest of the meeting.
At the end of the meeting, he stays behind with you. He gives you his coat as a blanket, and a small kiss to your forehead. He promised himself only five minutes more before waking you, but seeing your peaceful face changed his mind.
He scooped you up and took you home.
When you woke up, he denied anything having happened.
Until you confront him with photo evidence from Diavolo
Mammon:
He was only kind of paying attention to the meeting, he was mostly tapping around on his phone, sometimes showing you a picture of himself or something he hoped you would like
However when you slumped against him, he dropped his phone.
"Oi! Whaddya think you're- oh" (whisper-yell if ya know what I'm talking about?)
Once he realizes you're asleep, he blushes a little and moves some hair out of your face.
But he also realizes that now he can't move without waking you up.
But he also doesn't want to be in this damn boring meeting.
It's a calculated risk to try and get his phone back while keeping you asleep, but it's a risk he's willing to take..
....ok so it was a miscalculated risk
He got his phone, but was quick to react to the "thump" of your head hitting the table.
You were awake now, hand to your head, rubbing the sore spot.
You now had the attention of all the brothers.
Cue his brothers getting mad at hin :(
You try to tell them it's not that bad
(This part's a little ooc, sorry)
He grabs your hand and walks out of the meeting, ignoring Lucifer.
He blushes furiously as he pulls you in for a hug, an apology, and a quick peck to where you hit your head.
"Hey, I know I screwed up this time, but ya can't fall asleep on anyone else, got it? Just me. I won't let ya get hurt again."
You laugh it off lightly; you really weren't hurt, but it was endearing to see him so protective of you, him taking the situation a little more seriously than needed.
You hold him close and promise him you're ok, and that of course, you won't go passing out on anyone else.
Levi:
He was playing a game on his phone
You had been leaning over his shoulder every once in a while to check how he was doing
He didn't mind, and got a little blushy every time you got close to him
He thought that was all you were doing when he felt you against him, but you started to feel a little heavier, and you didn't pull away.
He turned to see if you were ok, only to see you were asleep.
His squirming made you fall onto his lap
Poor baby doesn't know what to do
He lost his game, but that doesn't matter now as he looks at you sleeping so peacefully.
His face is fully flushed, and he had a hand over his mouth to prevent any noises from escaping.
He looked over you to your other side, where Asmo was, mouthing the word "help"
Asmo just pouts and mouths back, "with what? You're so lucky!!! Look at them! They're soooo cute!!"
Realizing he didn't really have a way out of this, he tentatively pushed a bit of hair out of your face.
He was still very red for the rest of the meeting
At one point he shifted into his demon form to use his tail to keep you from falling off...he wasn't quite comfortable using his hands yet.
He didn't dare move even after the meeting was over, hissing at Mammon when he made too much noise and you started to stir.
Eventually you woke up in his room. Nobody quite knew how Levi had gotten you there, but if you told him you appreciated the rest, he'll be blushy for ya again.
Satan
He and Belphie were making faces at each other from across the table
Y'know just to spite Lucifer
And to see the look on your face everytime he turned to face you
But after a while Lucifer ignores them, so there was no point.
So his back was to you when he felt you leaning against him
He thought it was kind of weird, but couldn't look back at you. You also weren't responding to him
He shot Belphie a look of confusion, and a bit of concern, but it was Beel who saw it, as Belphie was passed out on the table
He simply pointed at Belphie, and then pointed at you.
Oh?
Oh
He desperately wanted to 1. See you sleeping, 2. Move into a more comfortable position, 3. Repostion you so you weren't at risk of falling, like you were now
He used his demon form to hold you up momentarily while he shifted in such a way to hold you properly
He stays in his demon form, his tail wrapped around your waist, your upper body now in his lap
Lucifer tries to convince him to wake you up
So out of spite, Satan falls asleep too, still holding onto you tightly
Asmo:
He's one of the few that actually tries to be engaged at meetings
But when the topic moves off of him, fashion, or MC, he gets bored quickly
He had one hand on yours, idly drawing shapes and designs with his finger while he read the latest fashion news on his D.D.D.
He found an outfit he thought you would love and was eager to share it with you but..
You had fallen asleep on the table, cheek squished up against the surface, gently holding his hand
He had to hold back a squeal of excitement as he opened up the camera on his phone and started taking copious amounts of pictures of your cute face
Once he had his fill, he realized thay your position would be terrible for your back...and neck...and face.
He feels kind of bad, but he's just looking out for you when he gently shakes you awake
You thank him, and refuse to let go of his hand as you wake up
This time the sqeaul of happiness is very audible as he pulls you into a hug and a couple dozen selfies
Beel:
Sweet babie boy is too hungry to pay proper attention in meetings, though he would if he could
So he doesn't notice when you've passed out next to him right away, especially because Belphie does it all the time
It isn't until its time to go that he realizes that you're asleep
At first, he was just going to get some snacks and wait until you woke up
But Asmo pointed out that you would get stiff in that position on the table
So as gently as possible, he moves you into a position he can pick you up in
Belphie gives him his pillow so that you'll be comfortable in his arms until they get home
He tucks you into bed in your room; he treats you like porcelain the whole time, worried that somehow he would hurt you
He leaves the room, but kinda hovers near your door to stop any of his brothers from disturbing you
Belphie
He mever pays attention in meetings, if he even bothers to show up
But today was his turn to sit next to you
Your company didn't stop him from falling asleep though
He woke up about half way through the meeting, but he didn't know why
At least until he tried to move, and felt something on top of him
He whispered to Beel, who lowered himself enough to see his brother's face
"Is this MC?" "Yeah?" "Ok."
He falls back asleep, although his face is slightly flushed as he buries it into his arms because you're just too cute!
Hours later he wakes up to Beel carrying him home on one arm, and you on the other. He tried to let you guys sleep, but he didn't want you guys to stay overnight at the school
By some miracle, you were still asleep, so Belphie happily took you into his arms this time before he passed out too.
Diavolo:
Diavolo made room for you to sit next to him at the head of the table
While the others didn't know, but you were holding his hand with both of yours, in your lap.
It felt very intimate for him, as the most he had done in years was shake hands or maybe give Lucifer a pat on the back
So he was a smiley babie the entire time, only partially listening to what Lucifer was saying to him
His partial attention went completely out the window when he felt your weight on his arm.
Lucifer looked mortified, however Diavolo had a rather surprised look
You...you fell asleep on him
You fell asleep on him!
He was very happy. It was a sign of trust, the trust you had in him and in everyone in the room. Not to mention, that was the closest anyone had been to him in a long time
Lucifer was going to apologize on your behalf, but Diavolo wouldn't have it
He gently shook you awake, taking in your dazed eyes.
He just woke you up to reposition you on his lap; it's far more comfortable than that chair anyways
He held you with one arm, dismissed the meeting, and relished (is that a bad choice of words for someone who hates pickles?) His time with you.
His other arm was busy dismissing Lucifer, and once they had left...
He took hundreds (literally) of photos of you in his lap, him poking your cheek, and some that no one else were to see, but he placed small kisses on your head.
Although he was upset to let you go, Barbatos and Lucifer encouraged forced him to take you home and let you sleep in your bed.
He personally carried you home, however if you grab his wrist before he goes and ask him to stay, he'll be powerless against you. Fuck off Luci, and screw royal duties
Barbatos:
He doesn't sit down at meetings, as he is he butler.
But you managed to sneak off under the guise of going to the bathroom, and found him in the kitchen
He was preparing refreshments for after the meeting when you came and hugged him from behind, burying your face in his back
He just chuckled at you, but continued to prep, using magic to pass him the things he needed so he wouldn't have to move
What caught him off guard was when he heard a small snore, and you starting to slip sideways on his back
....how did you fall asleep standing up? Humans are capable of that?
In any case, he turned around to support you so you wouldn't fall, left the refreshments and carried you to a small couch
He used a small energy spell to help you wake up, and left to finish the refreshments
A few minutes later, you found him again, and thanked him for letting you rest.
You got one of his rare smiles. He then reminded you that you had a meeting to return to
"That's still going?? I thought I was asleep for hours."
He shook his head and smiled fondly as you exaggerated a groan.
"I'll accompany you there. I have tea for My Lord and the guests."
Simeon:
He always pays attention, but when he gets bored, you and he play tic-tac-toe on a scrap of paper.
He was waiting for you to pass the paper back, but after some time had passed, he decided to turn and look at you
You were asleep on the table, and Luke was poking you, trying to get you to wake up.
He gently asked Luke to leave you alone. You were clearly worn out, and this was one of the few times the brothers weren't causing chaos.
He returned to listening to the meeting, absentmindedly stroking your hair and back while you rested
He helped Luke use his hat as your pillow, so your face wouldn't turn red or get hurt
When the meeting ended, he gently woke you up, and offered to walk you home, hoping the walk would help you re-energize a bit, as well as taking advantage of the rare quiet moments you two had.
You guys ended up walking for ages, so when you finally stopped in front of HOL, the guys were freaking out because you hadn't answered your phone.
You hid behind and pushed him through the brothers like a shield, and to your room, where you cuddled until Luke called Simeon because Solomon was trying to cook again.
Luke:
He's a child
He gets bored very easily
So you and he have little handshakes and other games to play discreetly during meetings
However, you had been caught by Lucifer, so you decided to stop for a bit.
Luke was caught off guard when you put your head down on the table
"...MC? Are you ok?"
You tell him you're fine, you just have a bit of a headache, so he resigns and let's you rest
But then he hears you snore
"MC?! You're going to get in trouble again!"
He tried poking at your cheek, small tugs to your hair, and continued to talk to you.
His desperation caught Simeon's attention
When he explains what's wrong, Simeon encourages him to let you sleep
But now he's bored again
So he starts moving your face for you, making you look angry, upset, happy, etc. Before anyone can catch him
Eventually he realizes that he's going to be stuck there for a while, and he's getting kind of tired too.
So he falls asleep next to you, holding your hand
That way he'll know when you wake up, and if he needs your help to get out of trouble, he can squeeze your hand.
By some miracle, (Called Simeon and Beel) you guys ended up in your respective beds.
Luke called you as soon as he woke up to check on you
Solomon:
Surprisingly, he is very attentive at meetings
Mostly because he wants to impress Lucifer and butter him up to make a pact with him
But that doesn't change the fact that when he notices you starting to fall asleep, he takes action
By taking action he makes your eye twitch with a quick spell
"What the fuck? Solomon, why?" "Because, if I have to be here, you have to be awake." "You couldn't have just cast an energy spell or something? Seriously?"
Yes, seriously.
He needs entertainment, and your silent frustration is hilarious for him to watch
Until the meeting is over and you tackle him, causing chaos to break loose.
I hope y'all liked that, Ik I have a huge WIP list and I don't even stick to it. Oh well. Thank you to @aceaine for helping me keep on track😁
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saintobio · 3 years ago
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I- ….I mean…
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This how I be feeling after that chapter.
You are such an amazing writer I have to say. Like are you a magician?? The way you have my emotions flip flopping, hate emerging, then sadness, then happiness, then anger, then SADNESS. I’m about to get whiplash I swear.
Like damn I really want to hate Hoejo so bad. But that little whimpering, abandonment issues hoejo has me soft like WTF. 😭 then we she was like I won’t leave anyway… like I bet that tugged his heartstrings. Still. I’m more sad for y/n. Her suffering was so palpable this chapter. The loneliness. Feeling despondent. Ugh it gutted me. I’m glad we got a shimmer of happiness with Toji. Just like her I’ll take whatever crumbs I can get 🥺😭😭😭
Anonymous said
Okay first off I love how y/n finally stood up for herself that's amazing for her 🥺 but gojo can literally suck my ass 🖕but then I felt bad with the mom thing and then I remembered how he was thinking about fucking y/n while he was with sera so I got over it😌 and then the whole "you make it hard for me to hate you" bitch 😡😡 you make it hard for me to not want to claw out your motherfucking eye balls like bitch🤨 do you want to fight me. An when he had the audacity to be all clingy😑 just like Hayley Williams said " once a whore you're nothing more" . If he wants to make me happy he better eat her out till she's fucking crying 😫 and not because she's sad for once -🐚anon
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Anonymous said
GOD CHAPTER 6 WAS SO GOOD. I LOVED COLD Y/N LIKE THE POOL SCENE WAS IMMACULATE. I LOVED IT SO MUCH SEEING GOJO KINDA ANGY THAT SHE WAS BEING THIS WAY! 😭 I love your writing sm 😞 it’s so good like I feel pain but it also makes me so happy yknow? :) THANK YOU FOR WRITING SUCH A GOOD SERIES IM SO EXCITED ( but also scared ) FOR WHAT YOU HAVE FOR US NEXT! 💕:)
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Anonymous said
Wow, chp 6 had so much yet so little happen! I can feel the foreboding brewing up! That being said, that convo between (No name) and Hoejo (what a manipulative switching ass he is) has only shown they’re not making it to the end, only to be each other’s downfall. Like Gojo said he could’ve cover her expenses if needed and completely defying his father (what a bad move 🥴) she still kept that from him, who knows what else she’s hiding and willing to do behind his back. The same for Gojo still being with Y/N (like dude, that’s your wife 🤨) acting as if he’s gonna be put to death if he doesn’t engage in normal marriage things… this chapter also has given me some faith in y/n’s path, while mistakes are gonna happen, she’s starting to set boundaries with Hoejo (which’s she shouldn’t at all), getting pieces of the puzzle together and learning a lot about herself. She just need better allies and more confidence in herself, that’ll scare the unholy, unwanted duo no one asked for. I feel Gojo will see she’s more than meets the eye and actually fall for her, only to realize it’s a little too late…. Good job babe! And take of yourself 🥺🤩🥰
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Anonymous said
"i shouldn't have yelled at you and i shouldn't have blamed her." *GASP* IS THAT ACCOUNTABILITY I SEE? good job sera, you're learning 😊 but i will admit if i was sera i'd feel a lil hurt. still, she needs to understand mc's situation. like others have said before she and gojo are still very selfish.
"why did you hide hat my dad gave you ten million yen?" oop 🙊 we finally learned the truth. i felt like it wasn't for bad reason.
also i'm glad mc is being more defiant and cold with gojo. but she's still too nice 😭 i can't lie tho, i'm kinda like mc in that aspect. i just find it hard to be mean even if i'm treated like shit. so i understand mc on that level. also the moments with toji are so sweet 🥲 gojo's not gonna like this at all, i feel like he's gonna throw a fit 🤔
did gojo have a crush on mc when they were kids? at first i wanted gojo to find out mc is on birth control out of spite but now i'm like "fuck he's gonna be so mad 😭" i actually feel bad for taking it but he needs to be less of a bitch. i feel like he'll think reader is taking it so she could have sex with him and not because she wants him to be more genuine and loving.
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Anonymous said
That scene with Gojo and Sera together made me sick 🤢. It was traumatizing. They look so good together that they should rot in hell.
Y/n is too kind and understanding 💗 Ms.Mam should just leave Gojo's sick ass. I am so proud of her when she started distancing herself from Gojo cuz YES! THAT'S RIGHT! IGNORE THAT MF. Whatever Gojo's playing is going to bite him in the ass hard someday.
Thankyouuuu for today's update 💗 Take care, aiii ❤️ Just don't push yourself too much😽.
(u don't have to respond cuz we understand 💗)
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Anonymous said
nah cause what the PHAWK 😃 all gojo has is the mf audacity!!!! my resentment towards him is starting to grow more and more oh my lord 🥲
i’m glad mc is starting to get a grip but holy crap why does gojo feel like it’s necessary to make things SO hard for her 😐. like i get it mc may be the antagonist in his story but if he just took five, LITERALLY FIVE MINUTES of his day he would know better but no 🙃.
obviously everyone has some sort of fault in this but JEEZ gojo AND SERA wanna be the victims so bad. it dead ass feels like the two of them are trying to make a competition on who’s situation is more tragic. like newsflash buddy, the world doesn’t revolve around you ‼️
i think the only thing that made this chapter feel less angsty is definitely mc and toji interactions and i really hope there’s more bc now toji really is mc’s only escape from the hell she’s going through. although i don’t believe toji and mc will be endgame i still like to think about it here and there bc i love imagining how PISSED gojo would be 😌
anyway sorry for this long bit, I HOPE YOU’RE DOING WELL <3333
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Anonymous said
so well written as always
ngl sometimes I don't insert myself as yn just cause obviously a random author isnt going to write them like my personality. like up until now I've had zero patience for gojo and his antics. like if u wanna be w her then go tf lemme be happy w whoever ugh. but this chapter YUP YUP YUP YN WAS THAT B. IT WAS GIVING ROMAN'S REVENGE NEVER LET EM PLAY U GIRL.
but yessss i like where this is going bestie ahhhh
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Anonymous said
Why am I so like Y/N?!? All of my anger and hatred towards gojo suddenly disappears because of the microscopic crumbs of affection we get from him.🤡😖
Anyway hope you are having a great day! I'm soooo excited for the next chapter
-🍣( It's me againnn!!(≧∇≦)/, I'm not sure if you did get my ask last time but yeah I'm still shy and you don't have to reply to this ask hahshs)
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Anonymous said
Lowkey wanna see y/n lose it lose it. Like next time Gojo says some shit like “know your place” I lowkey want her to be like “bitch you know your place. I could legit ruin your life in a second by telling both our family’s about the affair. I AM IN CONTROL” i know she won’t cause she’s so nice and sweet but just imagine the satisfaction from seeing Gojo’s face
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publishing the messages for everyone to see !! i’m sorry i no longer have the mental capacity to provide lengthy answers gahah ai’s brain is tired :(( but thank you sm for sending these through !! AND YES i do love seeing y/n finally standing up to satoru, but ofc she will do it based on her personality. she’s not gonna do a 180 and suddenly be a baddie :D she does it y/n way and honestly i think that’ll hurt satoru more
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thetypedwriter · 3 years ago
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Gideon the Ninth Book Review
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Gideon the Ninth Book Review by Tamsyn Muir 
It would be only a slight hyperbole to say that a million people have either recommended this book to me or have told me to read it. I’ve heard for years now that this book is incredible and extremely well written and beloved by many. So, if that’s the case why did I wait so long to read it?
I don’t have a good answer. Sometimes a book is on your radar, but either the time isn’t right, other books take priority, or in my case, it’s adult fiction and I held slight trepidation that I wouldn’t love it as much as everyone else in the world seemed to. 
Thank goodness, that didn’t end up being the case and I’ll get into why in a moment. 
First, Gideon the Ninth has the most amazing descriptive sentence belonging on any front cover of any book ever. 
I shall put it here for prosperity and awe: “Lesbian necromancers explore a haunted gothic palace in space!” -Charles Stross. 
Now, I don’t know who you are Mr. Stross, but that has to be the best sentence written in the English language since its conception. If that isn’t enough intrigue for you to crack open the novel then I truly don’t know what is or what it would take. 
That being said, Mr. Stross wasn’t entirely accurate, but that’ll be clear soon enough. 
The novel surrounds our main protagonist, Gideon Nav, or, known as Gideon the Ninth, the primary cavalier to the Ninth House necromancer. Essentially, this world takes place in a different solar system with its own sun star known as Dominicus as well as nine planets also known as the Nine Houses. 
Each House has a specific specialty for what is known for, and as summarized helpfully, but also overwhelmingly, at the beginning of the novel, the Ninth House is also known as the keepers of the Locked Tomb, House of the Sewn Tongue, and home to the Black Vestals. 
This meant nothing to me at the beginning and quite truthfully, I still struggled to remember throughout the novel who belonged to the Third House, or the Fifth and what that quite meant, as once again, each House has a reputation and expected skill set that precedes them. 
Not to say that it was poorly written because it wasn’t. Muir just has a lot of characters with specific titles and while she actually does quite a good job of categorizing them and helpfully reminding you who is who, I still struggled with just the sheer amount of information and people. 
Normally, this would be a massive criticism, like it was with the cast of characters in Lore but in this case it’s not Muir’s fault. She’s giving me all the information necessary to understand. It was just my brain that struggled trying to recognize and categorize everyone. If anything, I’m excited to re-read Gideon the Ninth and have it sink in like a second skin eventually. 
Having this large cast of characters, the book revolves around each of the Nine Houses (except for the First House) sending their best necromancer, a wielder of both thanergy (death energy) and thalergy (life energy) in the form of a House Adept, someone who is able to wield this kind of energy either in bone magic, flesh magic, or spirit magic. 
In accompaniment, each Necromancer Adept has a primary Cavalier, a trained fighter that is both protector, companion, and often, necessary energy suppliers to their Adept in both horrendous and acceptable ways. 
The goal of these pairs, having been sent to the First planet, is to become a Lyctor, an immortal servant to the Undying Emperor. The catch is that once the Necromancers and their Cavaliers arrive on the First, the shuttle departs and they are trapped in an abandoned, dilapidated, once-regal and great mansion that boasts hundreds of floors, secret doors, and mystery upon mystery. 
Each pair expects a streamlined process to Lyctorhood once they arrive, a methodical procedure, perhaps some training, and ultimately a test. What they don’t expect is a mellow man by the name of Teacher that claims to know nothing about the process himself, but is the overseer of the First. 
What follows is a mind-boggling search to become a Lyctor and unravel the mysteries of the haunted palace. What the pairs don’t expect is the death of their own, gruesome murders at the hand of someone in their very own positions and an evil danger beyond any of their imagination lurking in the mansion. 
This novel was a great concoction of mystery, action, interpersonal relationships, character growth, dazzling descriptions, and world building. 
The world of Dominicus and the Nine Houses is expansive and rich, something that I haven’t been able to sink my teeth into, and not for lack of trying, but because it is so deep and so layered that I simply need to take several bites to get it all down.
The mystery is fulfilling and strangely, to me at least, reminiscent of a game called Danganronpa. If you know what that is, and even if you don’t, it centers around the idea of a murder mystery, but where the killer is one of your own and the mystery is trying to figure out not ony the who, but the why of what they are doing, amongst a slew of other deadly riddles.
Gideon the Ninth is the same. As people continue to get picked off and brutally murdered, as a reader you find yourself trying to puzzle out not only who, but why someone would commit such atrocities and the motivation behind it. 
The plot itself of Gideon the Ninth was extremely satisfying and alluring. There were times where I personally found that novel bogged down with excessive description, but it was usually broken up with Gideon’s personal brand of crass humor, a very much needed breather with the expansive exposition, that, while extremely well done, well researched, and well written, did get a tad boring from time to time for me personally, even if it allowed for clear imagery as well as adding to already well formed world building. 
In addition to the plot, all of the characters were well done and as fleshed out as they could be considering the amount of characters involved. First, even though this is set in a fantasy sci-fi setting, each of the characters seemed realistic and like they could potentially be real people. 
A large criticism of books I often have, especially in YA, is that the characters often come across like caricatures, and not real flesh and blood humans with both positive and negative qualities. 
Each character, some developed more than others, have both flaws and strengths, even the main characters, which I highly appreciated. Not only does it make the story more real and palatable, but it also is just more interesting to read about as it’s actually based in humanity and the nature of human beings rather than some perfect carbon copy of one. 
Gideon as a narrator was hilarious. She was often crass, blunt, horny, humorous and ignorant. But on the other hand, she was also an extremely talented fighter, actually very sweet deep down, forgiving, and loving. 
This mix in a main character was a welcome one in addition to making Gideon feel like a real person, despite all the bone magic and necromancy, and often her thought process and dialogue made me laugh out loud. 
Another main character, Harrowhark Nonagesimus (What a name!) is Gideon’s Necromancer and main companion. She’s bitter, rude, spiteful, and ruthless. She’s also hardworking, intelligent, and stubborn. 
If you’re catching the pattern here, Muir isn’t just writing archetypes and passing them off as characters. She’s writing complex and nuanced personalities that are intriguing and interesting and well developed. 
I could get into the other plethora of characters like Camila, Dulcinea, Palamedes, Magnus, Judith and so on, but this review would be a thousand pages long so I’ll just settle for saying that every character was well done and lovingly crafted and not one of them, even the annoying ones, were characters that I hated. 
One important thing to note was Muir’s writing itself. It was incredible. Such descriptions! Such characterization! Such detail! Such vocabulary! I was supremely impressed with her writing as a whole and often found myself having to look up words that I had never heard of in my life (always a welcome change of pace). I was blown away by her sheet talent and creativity. 
The last two things I have to note might get me in trouble. 
One, the ending for me was...bittersweet. For fear of spoiling someone, I won’t get into details, but I found it both lacking and simultaneously making absolute sense. I wanted both more and yet, found that everything was just enough. It’s hard to put into words, but if you know, you know. 
I do have a slightly sinking feeling though that the ending twist will somehow be undone in the sequel. I don’t know if this is true (although I will eventually find out), and I can’t decide if I’m going to be happy or dismayed by it. 
Such conflicting feelings are in of itself homage to Muir’s skill as a writer and the complexities of her tale. 
Lastly, the one aspect that might get me into the stickiest of predicaments: Harrowhark’s and Gideon’s relationship. I don’t know if I like it or not. On the one hand, I absolutely love it. It's a hate-to-love slow burn, which really is the only way an OTP makes its way into my heart. I love that they’re so different and yet so compatible, one flesh and one blood and all that other nonsense. 
They see each other as equals, as adversaries, and I adore that dynamic in any pairing. I also love the F/F representation of some badass women and that they’re not traditionally attractive and beautiful. 
One of my favorite lines came from the end of the book where Gideon describes Harrowhark’s face as, “bitter” and “hateful”. I just love when characters aren’t conventionally gorgeous and yet beautiful in the eyes of the beholder and all that jazz. 
Now. Onto the problems. 
Harrowhark’s and Gideon’s relationship is kinda...toxic? It grows into something less so, but it definitely starts off that way. I really hate imbalances of power of any kind and Harrowhark definitely has power over Gideon, power that she creully abuses. I asked myself: if Harrowhark was a man and treated Gideon so abysmally for years, and then Gideon eventually forgave him and loved him despite everything, would I think differently?
And the answer is yes, yes I would. 
Is that fair? Probably not. But I can’t help but think how the dynamics change with the two of them being women, and how in my opinion, I think more is forgiven of Harrowhark because of it, even when it’s not deserved. 
Now, Harrowhark is a complex character and has traumas of her own, but I just can’t help but think of all the things she did to Gideon and the things she took away from her and forced her to do and then think of them together and it’s...not great. 
Overall, my feelings on their relationship are complicated (which is a repeated pattern when it comes to Muir’s writing) and I don’t mind that it’s complicated, it makes it interesting, but I also would be bereft to mention it here. I look forward to seeing how it develops and if my feelings change and grow on the matter as well. 
In total, Gideon the Ninth is a fantastic read. It has everything you want inlaid with characters who not only push the plot along, but incentivize you to read more. It has complicated issues and complicated characters, but that means it’s nuanced and complex and juicy enough to bite into. 
Don’t do what I did and wait years for this novel. If you need a good read, you don’t need to look any further and then let yourself be swept along for the necromantic ride. 
Recommendation: “Lesbian necromancers explore a haunted gothic palace in space!” -Charles Stross. I mean. Come on people, what more can you ask for?
Score: 8/10 
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storm-driver · 4 years ago
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I can't be the only one who thinks Kairi being "repeatedly sidelined" is an overexaggeration, right?
Right?
(slapping this at the beginning, but i did NOT realize how long this was getting until i realized my hair had dried with how long i’d been sitting here, typing out my response. i am really passionate about these topics, so my apologies if this was too long.) 
I don’t like putting my harsher opinions about Kingdom Hearts too far out in the open since I really love these games, in spite of its flaws and in spite of the reasons other people dislike them. If Final Fantasy XVI and a new Kingdom Hearts game were being released on the same day, I would play KH with zero hesitation. It’s basically a part of my life since I’ve been watching and playing these games since I was a little kid.
That being said, my harsher opinions about Kingdom Hearts boil down to me realizing how the series could be greater. I’m younger than Kingdom Hearts, believe it or not. Only by a year, but this franchise is older than me. And I’ve matured far more than it has in the span of two decades. I’ve had a lot of crap happen to me that definitely woke me up more to the harsh realities that come with life, so I won’t deny it when I say I was hoping Kingdom Hearts could also wake up to those kind of realities. 
Especially now that I’ve seen the other characters and how they’re written. The guys in KH, particularly Riku and Roxas, are some of the most phenomenally well-written characters I’ve ever seen in this type of medium. And I want to see Kairi get that same kind of treatment. 
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Now, I’m not denouncing the writers. I’m actually really excited for the next Kingdom Hearts game that will feature Kairi as a main character, and I’m excited because of Melody of Memory. KHMoM wasn’t the Kairi game everyone was hoping Kingdom Hearts 3 would be. And I think that’s a fair judgement for people to have regarding KHMoM. Especially with that gorgeous boxart of Kairi taking Sora’s seat in the throne. But I have my reasons for not being upset.
First of all, Melody of Memory was NOT advertised to be a huge game. Almost all of the advertising was heavily based around the rhythm game itself, and not the story. What few story segments we got were usually plastered at the end of trailers, and they were extremely vague. There was no Anti-Aqua level of spoilers, or Roxas throwing his hood off. All we ever saw that could CONSTITUTE as a spoiler was Sora being there. And even then, we didn’t know what that could’ve possibly meant. 
People got insanely excited for what is effectively a filler, side game. And I think following up KH3 with this sidegame, especially after the misstep that the writers took with how they used Kairi in KH3, fans were expecting something FAR different than what was being shown to us. 
I won’t deny, I think it was a little deceptive that a, quote, “Kairi game!!” was coming out following her writing misstep. But I am also going to point out that it was stated, SEVERAL TIMES, prior to the release of KHMoM that this game was not going to have huge impact on the story, and thus, the characters. It feels more akin to the secret movies we got at the end of KH1 and KH2, teasing what was to come and setting up for the next major arc. 
That being said, to talk about what actually happened in Melody of Memory: Kairi didn’t get sidelined. I don’t believe she was shafted at all. The writers went out of their way to tell us where she was going next in the story, and are even setting up for us to be able to see that happen. Kairi and Axel training together might’ve been a fun thing to watch. But now we’re getting into the things that Kingdom Hearts fans have always wanted the most: character interactions.
The sheer amount of things that can happen with Kairi, knowing she is now training under an official Keyblade Master (that master is Aqua, by the way!!!), are kinda endless. This is also some really good set-up for what Aqua, Ventus and Terra are going to be doing now that they’ve all effectively recovered from their respective hellscapes, comas, and possessions. They each have some really big potential with regards to interactions with Kairi, and I think that’s exciting as all hell. 
Imagine how Aqua will approach training Kairi. Not to mention, Aqua is now approaching being a Master with pupils for the first time. No doubt she’s training Ventus still (and possibly Terra). But she knows those two, they’re like family to her. Kairi is just a young girl that she met over a decade ago. The two hardly know each other. Kairi is still trying to get a grasp on how to fight, while Aqua will now get a better hand at training a new student. 
And think of her interactions with Terra. He probably doesn’t know to what extent Xehanort harmed the others until he’s told. And Kairi may recognize the face of someone who harmed her years ago, as she might’ve reacted to Axel. She’s a forgiving person, and someone who must find it hard to hate others. She could have such a positive influence on Terra, especially following all of that self-doubt he seemed to have throughout BBS. 
And then there’s Ventus, oh my god, Ventus. These two have such similar stances with where they are and have been. They’ve both been the weaker one, the one that needed to be protected and was believed to be too weak to fight. And Ventus’ similarities to Sora, arguably her best friend, would doubtless make them steadfast friends. She may still feel just as weak, and she may find herself confiding in Ventus. And Ventus might just see some of himself in that same perspective that Kairi probably has, feeling weak and helpless, yet knowing she’s capable of more if she can just find the strength. It would be good for Kairi to have a friend around her age who’s arguably on the same skill level as her, if only he’s been training for longer. He’d know what to say to help her, and probably act as a better de-stresser friend after a long day than if she was just alone.
(Side note, I KNOW Ventus is older than her, and probably older than everyone if KHUX is anything to worry about. But he’s still physically and mentally the same age, as far as we can tell.) 
I don’t think Kairi’s been put on the side at all. I feel like story arcs are being set up, and hers is going to involve Ventus and his missing memories. While Riku is going to be out and looking for Sora. Maybe Roxas and the others will get involved in each side of the conflict in future games, but it really feels like everyone’s getting a piece of this next major arc. 
So, the short answer to your question is:
yes, I think it’s an over-exaggeration. You are absolutely not the only one. People that are jumping on that claim have the right to that opinion, of course. The same way I have the right to mine, and you to yours. But I can assure you, I don’t believe she’s been side-lined whatsoever. I think she’s getting amends to some of the writing errors of the past and this was just one of the first few steps that the writers are taking. 
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worldwidemochiguy · 5 years ago
Text
Good Girl (MFEU Yandere! Taehyung)
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...
“Ah, I see. You don’t want to be my Princess anymore then, hmm?” 
“Taehyung, I-”
“Listen, Y/n. I have been patient with you, even when you were being unreasonable. But this is the last straw. You don’t want to talk to me? You don’t want to see me? Fine. You won’t have to.”
...
MFEU masterlist
General masterlist
Warnings: Yandere behaviour, mental manipulation, mentions of abstaining from eating/self harm through starvation so be v careful if you’re sensitive to that <3
Word Count: 2.4K
a/n: this is a bit dark for the mfeu lol. this is kinda rushed bc i wanted to put something out, also i highkey hate the photo collage thing but c’est la vie i guess lmao
Good Girl
You are having a bad day.
This morning, you woke up to an empty bed, the lingering warmth on Taehyung’s side having already dissipated by the time your sleep-crusted eyes cracked open. He had only left to have a shower, of course, but that didn’t stop the jolt of fear and insecurity you experienced in his absence.
Since the day seemed determined to ruin itself for you, when you tried to cook breakfast to cheer yourself up, you burned the eggs. They were the last eggs in the fridge, and you let out a silent scream of frustration before settling for a bowl of dissatisfying cereal. When Taehyung asked why the two of you weren’t having a proper breakfast like you usually did, you had snapped at him.
Actually snapped at him. 
He recoiled, and the widening space between you lapsed into silence as he gave you the opportunity to apologise. You knew you should, but the words refused to come, and your tongue felt as unusable as lead. You kept your eyes on your Kellogg flakes slowly disintegrating into milk as Taehyung stiffly left the table, off to get dressed for work. 
 Which led you to now, with Taehyung standing expectantly by the front door, frowning at your still pyjama-clad self. 
“Baby, you have to get ready. You know how I like to be punctual.”
You petulantly keep your eyes on the pool of tepid milk in your bowl.
“Baby,” Taehyung repeats, impatience creeping into his tone. “You have to get ready now, or I’ll just go without you.” 
“Then just go without me.” 
Out of the corner of your eye you see Taehyung’s mouth fall open. You know his threat was empty. You have practically never forgone spending the day at work with him, and even in the exceptional circumstance that you do, you always have a reason. Not that you don’t have a reason now: You’re feeling bratty. 
“Why are you behaving like this, Princess?” Taehyung sounds shocked, as if he can barely believe what you’ve done. You scowl — you’ve barely done anything, you’ve just been a bit short with him. Given his own changeable mood, he of all people should be able to understand. 
“I’m not behaving like anything. I just don’t feel like going with you today. Is that alright? Or will you just take me against my will? It’s not like you haven’t done that before.” 
Silence.
Taehyung slams the door as he goes, leaving you to stew in a nauseating mixture of twisted satisfaction and remorse. 
You deliberately go to bed before Taehyung comes back, forgoing dinner just to spite him. How can he just expect you to come with him every day, just to sit in an office and wait for when he comes to give you attention? It’s not fair. When the door opens signalling Taehyung’s return, you shut your eyes and breathe deeply, mimicking sleep. 
Taehyung pauses in the entry to your bedroom. Part of you hopes that he can tell you aren’t asleep, almost like you want him to know that you’re intentionally faking it just to avoid him. Another, quieter part of you wants to go up to him and hug him, and apologise for being so unreasonable. You ignore the cold fist of guilt forming in your empty stomach.
When Taehyung slips into bed beside you, he gathers you into his arms like he always does, like he wants to be gentle with you, like an apology. You shift away from him, rolling to the other side of the bed with a sleepy murmur of protest. He doesn’t try to touch you again. 
You tell yourself you aren’t disappointed.
Getting out of bed after a sleepless night is never pleasant. You know Taehyung didn’t have a restful time either, tossing and turning all through the night, like he couldn’t sleep without feeling your presence, safe in his arms. Sometimes, he would tentatively reach to your side, and you would always shift away, even though your heart tugged uncomfortably beneath your ribs for every added inch between the two of you. 
You utter an unspoken apology to his shoulder blades — his back was now turned to you after he eventually gave up and rolled over — and then left to get in the shower.
You stay in there, waiting as the mirrors fog, and your fingers prune, and your skin becomes flushed from the heat — the water is just a touch too hot, verging on painful— but still you wait. As soon as you hear the door slam again, you get out, wrapping yourself in a robe you know is Taehyung’s (but he isn’t here so it doesn’t matter).
You drift into the kitchen, seeing the remnants Taehyung left after a morning without you. A half-drunk coffee cup — he only ever drinks coffee when he’s stressed, or sleep-deprived, or both — no empty plates in sight — he doesn’t eat when he’s worried about something, a habit you’ve been trying to break him out of and yet… look at you, being the very cause of his worry. 
Your fingers itch to take the used cup and wash it out, placing it back neatly where it belongs, but you refrain. You can’t let yourself interact with anything Taehyung has touched, lest he view it as a concession. You don’t even know why you’re doing this, but it’s easier to carry on antagonising him than it is to apologise, and explain that you don’t even have a valid reason for upsetting him in the first place. 
It’s ironic, you complained about being bored of waiting around for him and doing nothing at his office, but you’re doing the exact same thing at home. You can’t focus on anything, flitting from unfulfilling task to unfulfilling task, trying to keep the guilt and foolish acknowledgements at bay. 
You take the time to prepare yourself a meal, but throw it out once you realise you’ve made enough for two, just like you always do nowadays. 
The phone Taehyung bought for emergencies, just in case you ever needed him and he wasn’t there, rested temptingly on the counter. Taehyung must have taken it out and put it there for you. God, even when you are being so unreasonable, he still only wants what is best for you.
You don’t call him, even though you want to, even though you regret it, even though the thought of him sitting all alone in his office makes you cry. 
Taehyung comes home to a silent apartment. You are sitting on the couch, and you deliberately don’t look up when he enters. 
“Princess,” 
You don’t look up.
“Baby,” 
You reach over to grab the remote, and start idly scrolling through TV channels, despite knowing there’s nothing on that you want to watch.
“Y/n.” 
He hasn’t called you that since the day you met him. He never calls you that. You look up, and your suddenly fearful eyes meet Taehyung’s stern, unforgiving gaze. 
“Ah, I see. You don’t want to be my Princess anymore then, hmm?” His words are sharp, and they cut deeper than anything you would’ve thought Taehyung would say, even at his angriest. 
“Taehyung, I-”
“Listen, Y/n.” He cuts you off with a harsh emphasis on your name, and you fail to suppress a whimper. Why didn’t you just apologise when you had the chance? You never even wanted this in the first place. 
“I have been patient with you, even when you were being unreasonable. But this is the last straw. You don’t want to talk to me? You don’t want to see me? Fine. You won’t have to.”
“Taehyung, wait-” You scramble to your feet, frantic as you watch him dump bags of groceries on the floor that you hadn’t previously noticed.
“There’s enough food here to keep you going for a week. You have all you need, you won’t need to leave the apartment.” He informed you tonelessly, ignoring your distraught face. 
“Taehyung, why- where are you going?”  
“Away. I’ll be gone for a week. That’s what you wanted, right?”
“No! I don’t want you to go! Don’t go!” You wail, coming over to clutch at his overcoat. He softens for a second, and his hands come up to grasp your wrists gently.
“You don’t want me to go?” 
A sob crawls up your throat.
“No.”
His grip around your wrists tightens, just as his eyes harden again.
“Too bad. You can’t keep me against my will. You were very clear about the strong moral objections you have to that, after all.” 
He slams the door as he leaves just like he did this morning, but this time it’s you on the other side, slumping against it and sliding down to the floor, sobbing as you hear the lock click from the other side. You can’t even go after him. He has just abandoned you. 
……
The first day, you try to make a special lunch to cheer yourself up. You make Taehyung’s favourite meal, and part of you expects him to come swanning through the door with a bright, excited grin, grateful that you took the time to make it especially for him. But he doesn’t.
The meal you worked so hard on tastes like ash in your mouth, and you end up going to bed, leaving it practically untouched. You try to sleep, but find that you can’t without the reassuring weight of Taehyung enclosing you, keeping you safe. 
By the third day, you’ve given up trying to function like a normal human being. You don’t eat, you don’t sleep, you barely remember to blink. Your throat is painfully dry, but maybe that’s a good thing, because otherwise you know you’d be calling out his name in the vain hope that he might somehow hear it and come back to you.
On the fifth day, the phone rings.
You move with more urgency than you have had all week, scrambling to get to the phone. You fall over furniture in your haste, and don’t even take the time to register the pain because you’re so worried that the ringing will stop and you’ll be alone in silence again. You can’t bear the deathly silence of the apartment without him in it. 
“Taehyung,” You try to say when you wrench the phone to your ear so hard you hit the side of your face, but your voice is so hoarse from misuse and mistreatment that it comes out as a croak.
“Baby?” Taehyung’s worried voice crackles over the line, and you sob in relief.
“Taehyung!” You cry, before pouring out an incomprehensible litany of apologies and pleas for him to return. You have surpassed any remaining vestiges of pride. You need him here. Now. 
“Whoa, whoa, baby, slow down.” Taehyung tries to soothe you, and you fall silent straight away. You’re desperate to convey how much you need him here right now, but you wouldn’t dare to disobey one of his orders. 
“Do you want me to come back?”
“Yes,” You blurt out, tears becoming evident in your voice. 
“Are you sure? I thought you were mad at me…” Taehyung trails off in discontent, and you fumble to reassure him.
“No, no, I’m not mad at you. I never was! I was just…stupid. I was being a brat. Please, please, come back, please.”
“Hmm,” Taehyung deliberates, as if weighing the options, “I did say I would be gone for a whole week… do you really need me that badly?”
“Yes!” You wail down the phone, crumpling in on yourself in despair, “I need you! I need you here right now, Tae! Please! Please, I promise I’ll never be bad again. I promise. I’m sorry.” 
“You promise you’ll never be bad again? Ever?” Taehyung repeats doubtfully. 
“Yes!” You nod fervently, despite knowing he has no way of seeing you. “Yes, I’ll be good from now on. I’ll be perfect, just like you deserve. Will you come back? Please?”
You wait with bated breath as he hesitates. He has to come back, surely you’ve convinced him, surely he’ll realise how much you need-
The phone line cuts off. You pull away to see the phone flash with a damning message:
The caller has hung up. Would you like to call back?
The phone tumbles out of your hand as you collapse to the floor. Oh God, Taehyung isn’t coming back, he doesn’t want you, he doesn’t need you like you need him, you aren’t good enough-
You are so deep into hysteria that you don’t even feel the arms wrapping around you, slowly rocking you back and forth comfortingly. As soon as you register the other person, you instinctively try to fling them off you. 
“No! Only Taehyung’s allowed to touch me! Only Taehyung, only Taehyung… only…”
Your words dissolve as reality crashes over you: Taehyung doesn’t want to touch you anymore. He doesn’t want you. 
“Well that’s not true, baby. You’re the only thing I’ve ever wanted.” A deep voice utters from behind you. Wait…
You spin around so violently you fall from your squatted position onto your hands and knees. There, crouched on the floor in front of you, is Taehyung. You don’t waste a second, flinging yourself at him. He catches you with ease and crushes your body into his embrace, pressing kisses over any part of you he can reach while you curl into his body weakly, like an animal in search of warmth.
“Oh, baby.” He sighs, beholding your pathetic state. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry I had to leave you. I didn’t want to. It was agony every second I was away from you, watching you waste away like that… I never want to do it again. You’ll never make me do this again, right?”
“No, never!” You proclaim fervently as he sweeps you up, “I’ll never do it again. Don’t want you to go. Don’t go. Please.”
He gently pries your curled fist from his sleeve and intertwines his fingers with it, caressing the back of your hand with his thumb. 
“I won’t go, baby. I’ll never leave again. As long as you’re a good little girl for me, I’ll never leave you alone, even for a second. Does that sound good, baby?”
You think back over the hellish eternity of the past five days. Loneliness, helplessness, isolation. You never want to feel like that again.
“Yes, Taehyung. Never leave me alone, please. I need you to survive.”
His lips curl into a triumphant smile. The punishment has worked just like he planned.
“Good girl.”  
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thiswasinevitableid · 4 years ago
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Return (OT4)
Prompt for the 28th was: Costume
He might be showing off a little bit, carrying all the suitcases in at once, but Duck likes the appreciative look Indrid gives him as he does. The Sylph is already settled on the shoved together king beds, sketchbook in hand, eyeing the ranger conspicuously when he bends to set Joe’s bag down first, just as the agent finishes checking something off his to-do list
“Oh, thank you, um, honey.” The last word still comes out quiet. Really, the only time Joe says it loudly is when Duck has him pinned to one surface or another. 
He smiles to show he heard him, but if he’s being honest his attention has been mainly on Indrid this whole day, watching for signs of discomfort or unhappiness. The Sylph has insisted over and over again that he wanted to come on this trip, that he would be alright, and that they could all stop fussing about this please and thank you. 
But that doesn’t change the fact they’re in Point Pleasant.
They’re here for the Mothman Festival, Duck making good on his promise to Joe to go with him. He’s excited, and he likes seeing the agent happy. Indrid seems happy too, and Duck is trying to walk the line between letting him be and making sure he’s as alright as he claims to be. In spite of his experiences in Kepler, Indrid still sometimes takes unhappiness as inevitable, even when it’s his own. 
“Okay” Barclay tucks his phone into his back pocket, “my vote is for that cafe a few blocks over; if we go early, we can beat the dinner rush. Plus, even though it wasn’t a huge trip, being on the road tires me out, so I wanna crash soon as I can.”
“That is your only reason for wanting to get into bed sooner?” Indrid sends a suggestive smirk his way, making the bearded man blush. 
“Maybe. Depends on what everyone else is up for.”
The answer turns out to be a decent dinner followed by collapsing into bed in rapid succession. It doesn’t escape Ducks’ notice that Indrid stays in his human form and opts to nestle down between the ranger and the agent, holding Barclay’s hand where it’s draped over Joe’s waist. 
He wakes up once during the night, the dim light of the alarm clock enough to sting his eyes. In his arms, Indrid takes several deep breaths, rolls to burrow his face into Duck’s chest. He waits to see if Indrid will say anything, but the next sound he hears is a gentle chirp-snore. So he kisses his forehead, and goes back to dreaming.
-----------------
“Having been to the TNT plant plenty of times, I do not feel the need to go on the hayride there.”
“Yeah, think we can skip that.” Duck sips his coffee as they wander through the first few blocks of the festival. Joe’s early rising has them beating much of the crowd, though runners from the 5K jog by now and then. 
“Why were you there, anyway? It doesn’t seem suitable for you.” Stern turns them towards the museum.
“The Winnebago’s previous incarnation wasn’t all that far away. Frightened humans are not known  for their powers of observation.”
“True.” Joe and Barclay say as one. 
They split up soon after, Joe and Duck into the museum while Barclay and Indrid scope out the food booths (“Being in a space with a great deal of inaccurate information about me is not my favorite). Wandering the exhibits, the agent’s fingers slip between his own, and Duck smiles when he sneaks a peek at him. He’s so relaxed, his dark hair out of it’s usual slicked-back state since he wanted to get out of the door quickly, looks utterly at home in his mothman patterned button up shirt, animatedly talking about the displays. Indrid is usually the one of them most likely to dump information out in one big flow, but Joe has his moments. 
The building is warm enough that Duck unbuttons his overshirt, revealing the t-shirt beneath. Joe turns to tell him something, and stops, eyebrows zipping up his forehead. 
“A little on the nose, isn’t it?”
Duck grins, looking down at the bright red letters reading “mothman is my boyfriend.”
“Juno bought it for me once she found out. Usually just wear it when I wanna make Indrid laugh. Plus, seen three people with similar ones, so it ain’t like anyone is gonna take it as confession.”
Joe nods, gracefully weaving through a small clump of visitors on their way to the gift shop. When Duck falls in next to him, the agent murmurs, “you’re worried about him too.”
“Kinda hard not to be.”
“I know. I’m trying to take him at his word but it’s, well, it’s difficult. It wouldn’t be the first time my interests turned people off. I’d hate for him to get overwhelmed by all this and try to hide it for my sake.”
“He ain’t bad at hidin things, but he’s also real fuckin blunt.” He puts his arm around Joe’s shoulder, “it’ll be okay, city mouse.”
After spending slightly more money than necessary (look, he promised lots of people souvenirs and also he needed to buy a few things for Joe for the holidays), they make their way back into the festival. On a bench near an outer edge, Barclay and Indrid are sitting thigh to thigh, Barclay feeding Indrid funnel cake. He says something and Indrid laughs.
“You know, even though it was fleeting, I’m glad they found each other all those years ago. One of the things I love most about Barclay is how he takes care of people, and I think Indrid needed that.”
“Not gonna lie, never expected the biggest softy in Kepler to also be Bigfoot.”
“You didn’t expect it? Think about how I feel.”
He laughs, “yeah, you got me there.”
They move through the festival as a quartet after that, Barclay delighted with his “Mothman Blend” coffee and Indrid with the sweater bearing his likeness and the words “live, laugh, lurk.” As noon approaches, more and more mothman appear, all in varying degrees of impressive or lackluster cosplays and costumes. Stern keeps muttering about scale, Indrid about wing placement, and Duck can’t help but think none of them get the color right. 
“I have an, ah, an idea.” Indrid says, turning a mug reading “I Heart Mothman” over in his hands, “So many people are excited to meet those who look like me. I want to see what happens if they see the real thing.”
“Uh, that seems real-”
“Risky yes, but I’ve checked the futures and there is not one where I am identified as what I actually am.”
Duck and Barclay trade a skeptical look, but Joe has an uncharacteristically scheming glint in his eye. 
“I know exactly how we can insure that. Duck, Barclay, wait here please. Indrid, come with me, we need to run back to the hotel.” He grabs the Sylphs hand. 
“What are you--oh, oh yes, that is rather clever” is the last Duck hears before losing them in the crowd. 
“....you wanna help me pick out a present for Jake?” Barclay still looks worried, so Duck nods and they set off towards a t-shirt booth.
Barclay is mid-anecdote about his run in with a cougar out in California when every visitor in sight starts whispering and taking pictures.
The cooks mutters “If this goes wrong, Mama’s going to lock all four of us in the safehouse for the rest of our lives.”
In his Sylph form, Indrid towers above the crowd. His arms are resolutely set by his sides and head held high, Duck gets a rare glimpse of how his boyfriend must have looked in the halls of Sylvain. All the same, his eyes are drawn to the  antenna twitching with nerves as the onlookers get closer.
“If you could just step back from the specimen a bit, thank you.” Joe steps directly in front of Indrid, and Barclay lets out a soft, appreciative growl to Duck’s right. The agent is in a full suit, complete with sunglasses, a picture of handsome, aloof calm. 
People in the crowd laugh,take more pictures as Indrid’s “handler” guides him over to Duck and Barclay.
“Do you just pack a suit no matter what, babe?”
“No. I, um, I know how much certain people like it when I wear one. I planned to bring it out this evening but this seemed like the better use.”
“It’s working splendidly. So far. Just keep people away from my wings; I only like it when you three touch them.”
“Roger that. Lunch?”
“Sounds good to me. Lead the way, mister man-in-black.” Duck steps aside so Joe can go first, clearing a path for them, Indrid staying close to the agent’s back. They opt for a waffle stand selling, among other things, waffle sandwiches and something called the “Mothman Delight” that consists of strawberry jam, chocolate sauce, and whipped cream. Indrid orders one, only to ask Barclay to feed it to him to keep up the ruse of this being a costume. The cook doesn’t object in the slightest, though at one point he whispers something in high sylph that makes Indrid poof up with a chirp. 
The longer they wander the festival, the more relaxed Indrid becomes, fielding questions about costume construction and wing mechanics with the ease of someone who spent a century constructing alibis for his very existence. Lots of people take pictures with him, Joe shepherding them into poses that won’t make the Sylph uncomfortable. Several inquire as to why he didn’t enter the cosplay contest. 
“It wouldn’t have been fair.” 
It’s when they’re debating when and how to get dinner that a family approaches. Sandwiched between her parents, a girl of about seven stares up at Indrid with wide eyes, clutching her stuffed mothman to her chest. 
“Can, um, can” she looks back to her parents for help.
“She wants to know if she can hug you.” The woman says, as a child wanting to hug a massive monster is utterly unremarkable. 
Joe glances at Indrid, who nods, “Yes, if she would like to.”
The girl hands her small mothman to her dad, takes four steps forward, and throws her arms around the much larger one. Indrid does his best to hug her back, settling for putting his hands on her shoulders. 
“She’s just obsessed with cryptids.”
“You’re my favorite” she smiles up at Indrid.
“Mine too.” Duck chimes in, resting his hand on the smell of Indrid’s back. 
“We’re out here because it’s all she wants for her birthday.”
Joe makes a high-pitched noise at the same time Barclay lets out an “awww.”
Indrid smiles, pats the child’s head, “In that case, would you like to take a picture with me?”
“Yes!”
“May I pick you up?”
She nods hard enough to send her alien-patterned headband down her forehead. Indrid picks her up, holding her while she beams at her mom’s camera. 
“Are you liking the festival?” He asks as they pose.
“Uh huh. ‘Cept for the parts where people say mothman does bad things. He doesn’t, he stops them, everyone knows that.” 
“She’s gotten in at least three arguments with classmates over that.” Her father adds, holding out his arms as Indrid passes the girl back to him. 
“I, ah, I am glad to know the mothman has such determined defenders. Happy birthday, my dear.”
As they turn, the little girl calls out, “bye mothman! I love you!”
Indrid looks back, red eyes a bit watery, and waves as Duck murmurs, “Me too.”
----------------------------------------
Stern doesn’t regret how much he ate at dinner. He;s just glad he packed those antacids. 
When he sits up, two bodies are missing from the bed, and it’s only the sight of a note on the nightstand that keeps him from bolting out of bed to look for them. 
Indrid and I are out for a late-night walk. Back soon.
-Duck.
“Everything okay?” Barclay rolls over, brown eyes reflective in the dark. 
“Yes” he pops the antacid into his mouth, “they just stepped out.”
“O-” the sylph yawns “kay.” Blinking sleepily, he smiles, “anyone ever tell you you’re the hottest thing on two legs?”
“You did, this morning.”
“Good, gotta meet my quota.” He opens his arms and Stern snuggles in net to him, “sleep tight, special agent.”
-------------------------
Duck didn’t see Indrid leave, but he’s got a hunch as to where he went. Still, he almost misses him, spots the silver hair in the moonlight right before a hedge obscures it. 
Indrid sits in the middle of the embankment, the Ohio reflecting the night sky in motion. To a passerby, he looks to be studying the opposite shore. Duck knows that his gaze is closer than that, sweeping over air that wasn’t always empty. 
“Huh, there was only one future where you followed me.”
“You want me to go back?”
“No.” 
Duck picks his way down to Indrid’s side, finding a flat stone to sit on. 
“It’s funny, the ways stories change. What they say about me grows further and further from what I say about myself.”
“‘Drid, you know this wasn’t your fault. No more than the Cottonwood or anythin else was.”
“That is the story I try to tell in my mind. That there are things that cannot be stopped or altered, that must only be endured. That was why I gave up for years. Then you and the others showed me that even the worst, seemingly inevitable futures can be changed. And that is good, so very good, but all the same it....it sometimes serves as proof of what I fear; that I could not stop these” he gestures to river, “disasters not because they were unstoppable, but because I was incapable.”
“Do you really believe that?”
“Sometimes. Just as you sometimes worry you could have done much more good in the world had you neglected your powers. I wonder how much of my failure was out of my hands.”
“Drid” Duck cups his cheek, turning his head and gingerly tilting his glasses up his forehead, “You’re forgettin somethin; the cottonwood, the funicular, the end of the goddamn world, none of that was stopped by one person. It took a whole bunch of us, every damn time. You were alone. There’s only so much one fella can do on his own.”
Indrid closes his eyes, inhales and looks out over the river one last time. Then all his attention is on Duck. 
“You’re right. I may not always believe that, but I know it’s true.”
“You know what else?”
The smile suggests he does. Indrid leans the few inches in to kiss him, the action dreamlike in its softness. Duck catches a hint of two different scents; a pine tr sop and a cologne. The Sylph is sheltered from the chill by a sweatshirt that started off as Barclays, but is routinely claimed by his boyfriends. 
“You ain’t alone anymore.”
For the first time in decades, the mothman smiles while within sight of the rebuilt silver bridge. 
“You’re right, my love. I’m not.”
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b-rainlet · 3 years ago
Note
Gotham for the fandom ask thingy.
(I ran here so fuckin fast you have no clue)
Hello anon! :D I will answer this now, so you don't have to wait any longer but also....this would be very nice to answer through gifsets...(maybe when I am feeling up for it).
For now, have this:
(It's not proof read because I just sat at this for several hours and I don't wanna look at it anymore).
Favourite Male Character
You mean...besides the obvious answers?? :D
Ngl, it's S2 Jerome. I love that little twink with his parental issues and his tragic backstory and I wanna see him happy. There's a reason I have a bunch of AUs where he ends up having a family (mostly in the form of Lee as his Mother) and gets some actual help instead of being ostracized for being a mentally ill person snapping after years of abuse.
(This also ties into my very strong feelings regarding the fact that nobody actually helps the people at Arkham. And I don't mean the main villains there, I mean all the inmates who get treated like shit and are left behind on the regurlar (remember in S2 when Arkham was about to explode and nobody was talking about evacuating the inmates???? I do).
Other than that, one of my faves is also Jonathan. Which may be a little surprising because I barely talk about him but he was my favourite character throughout the show and he had way too little scenes.
(Kinda telling that the characters I latched onto are both helpless teens who were fucked over by the people who were supposed to protect them and can both trace their villain origin story back to Jim Gordon not caring enough about them lmao).
But the cast is big and varied enough that I actually like everyone? Butch, Zsazs, Penguin, S1 and 2 Ed, Jervis, Harvey, Jim......I like them all!!
(Special shoutout to 514A too, he was soft and baby and I wanted to keep him safe and sound really desperately).
(Another special shoutout to Barnes!! I didn't expect to like him when I first saw him, given he looked like he was gonna be mean and stoic and all, but I ended up really liking him and his story!)
Favourite Female Character
Let's just pretend Ecco doesn't exist for this answer ajdkaskaslj.
I fell in love immediately upon seeing Ecco but all! the women! are so!!! good!!!!
I especially have a soft spot for the side characters. I mean, upon first watching I got attached to Alice (even though she only features in two episodes lmao), and also Kristen Kringle - who isn't talked about much within Fandom, but she was pretty and her and Ed were actually quite cute but then she had to die for him to become the Riddler which was...pretty much telling us from the beginnning 'The woman here die to advance the men's plots'.
Barbara was also a big surprise to me because I figured she'd be the female love interest and nothing more but!! her and Jerome were the best thing in S2 and also the most entertaining thing about the Maniax Plot. (In several ways, I think I had the most fun watching this show during S2 , it was just. Good).
Also upon being in this Fandom and thinking about certain characters a bit longer I also really like Vicky Vale. And Montoya. And I wish they had kept both around for longer.
(I also wish they wouldn't have made Vicky a love interest for Jim. Or Sofia. No love interests for Jim except Lee and Barbara please).
Also Selina!! I love both Selina and Tabitha with all my heart - which may also be surprising because I barely ever talk about Tabby but I contain multitudes aklskddsm, and while I like sharing my horny thoughts about Ecco, I also love to think about Tabby and daydream about her being happy and exploring her (and Selina's) issues with showing weakness and affection and their strong loyalty regarding people that they trust.
I just.....women. Women good.
(Women also deserve to have more character than just being somebody's love interests and I have enough wips that completely sideline the guys to focus on the woman instead lmao).
Least Favourite Character
I don't have many characters that I hate??
I generally tend to instantly love everybody unless they are specifically made to be unlikeable. (I also spite-like characters who are hated for petty reasons, I just have a lot of love in my heart and not much energy for hate lmao).
But there were characters who annoyed me while I was watching.
For one, I think Gotham has a variety of super entertaining villains, but the main villains of each season tend to be....boring.
Safe for Strange they all kinda fell flat for me. Theo. Kathryn. Ra's Al Ghul. His Daughter. Mostly because their plotlines were less exciting than stuff like Jerome's carnival or Mother and Orphan's Hotel of Horrors.
Or their motives seemed a lot less understandable than the ones of the other Batman villains who pretty much always come from a place of suffering and abuse and break/snap under the pressure that's put on them (continuing this take of Gotham creating its own villains by leaving behind - mentally ill - people that need help, which I think is very true to most - if not all - Batman villains).
And then you have some characters that simply suffer from the fact that the show was cut short - which is pretty much any and every S5 character that had way too little screentime, but in this specific case means Jeremiah.
Because I disliked Jeremiah a lot while watching.
Without wanting to step on anybody's toes, him and Nygma are probably the two characters on this show I ended up disliking the most.
Mostly because Miah felt like a very cheap copy of Jerome and to this day I think it was a bad idea to replace Jerome with him, since Jeremiah - to me - seems like a super flat character.
Maybe if we had gotten him without meeting Jerome first, just having a Joker character introduced in S4, maybe I would've adored him, who knows.
But in comparison to Jerome...no. Just no.
(I will spare you from any longer rambles, but I think if you follow me, I talked about the ways Miah is lacking for me before).
My made up version of Miah though? I love him.
With Nygma it's even worse because I adored him. I instantly liked him. I was 100% behind him right up until the godawful Isabella plot happened and then it just all went to shit so quickly, I couldn't stand seeing him on screen anymore.
It's surprising that I didn't stop liking Oswald but to me, Oswald pretty much stayed the same while Ed became all bitter and hard and I just miss dorky S2 Ed you know?
It actually got so bad, I completely turned my back on Nygm/obblepot as a ship because I was so severly disappointed and I barely talk about Ed because I just can't stand what they did with him.
(Another victim of bad writing).
Favourite Ship
I'm just gonna stick to canon ships because I don't ever shut up about my Fanon ships so you probably know which ones I love the most :D
There isn't much romance going on within Gotham if I think about it - apart from Jim - which I definitely prefer. You wouldnt guess it from my blog, but I am not a fan of too shippy stuff because in most cases it just means sex scenes and I can live without those. I want action! Blood! Dead People! Not a two minute make-out session between two bland characters!
I gotta admit that Ed and Lee have some cute scenes and I would definitely ship them if I didn't dislike S4 Ed so much (S2 EdLee tho?? Yes).
Also I thought Jim and Lee was okay and Baby Batcat was quite cute at times but mostly I don't care about the canon ships.
I do ship Barbara and Jim though :D
I remember right before they hooked up in S5 I was like: 'I wouldn't mind if they got back together' and then went 'yay!' when they did and I wouldn't have minded a little more 'Will they?? Won't they??' between those two and them just having the mother of unhealthy relationships on this show.
(Also Jim/Barbara/Lee poly relationship but we can't have everything).
Favourite Friendship
So many good relationships on this show!
I need to rewatch the show soon because I probably already forgot about most of them but from the top of my head: Oswald/Butch and Oswald/Zsazs
Which were both then done dirty lmao. One by having Oswald be overly petty (one of the few times I was like...Pengy...wtf...) and the other by passing up the obvious opportunity to have Zsazs find out who really killed Falcone and just...letting Oswald and Victor never interact again. 
Then of course Ivy and Selina which also gloriously fell apart. Just like Ivy and Oswald. 
(Gotham isn’t the best when it comes to maintaining friendships). 
And the biggest and most grandious friendship of them all: J Squad. 
(Who have too little scenes together honestly and then also simply fell apart after Jerome died. Consistency who?)
Favourite Quote
I don’t know, I don’t have many quotes in my head from the show. Me and my niece mostly reference: “Yeah, that’s a spoon.” - “IT IS ALSO A FORK!!1!!!”
Also: “Gotta Go! Gotta Go! They’re after me and the Scarecrow!”
(There are some dialogue blurps I have written down somewhere because they are inspriration for gifsets but in order to be able to just recite some of them from Memory, I would have to watch this show way more obsessively). 
Worst Character Death
I don’t even gotta say anything do I? :D
But I think the character death that actually made me cry was Jerome’s first death. I clearly remember crying because...he just wanted recognition! And praise! And instead he was used as a pawn and betrayed by someone he idolized and he was only 18! My poor little meow-meow!
Seriously, the only things that make me cry on this show: Jerome’s first death, any and all mention of Bruce as a baby - told by an emotional Alfred, any and all Bruce/Alfred interaction at all and Solomon Grundy. 
This made me so happy you have no idea Moment
I seriously need to rewatch this show, it’s been so long :D
But I remember being pretty excited for the J Squad Team Up - because I was like ‘If I were Jerome I would definitely work with Tetch and Scarecrow since they’re also in Arkham atm’ and then he did!!
And I also distinctly remember in S3 that I was close to falling asleep right when they scene came on where Oswald realizes his feelings for Nygma and let me tell you - it caught me so off guard, I was awake instantly lmao. 
(I knew that people shipped them but I was so used to mlm ships being popular when they only have a handful of scenes and are platonic friends that I didn’t expect them to actually have a possibility of being canon). 
From then on I was super pumped for them to deliver on that ship but well....we all knew what happened asnksnndk. 
Saddest Moment
Aside from the already mentioned scenes in the character death column, the scene where Bruce leaves and Selina runs to the airport. I always liked Selina but she wasn’t a priority character of mine (much like Bruce isn’t) but then that scene happened and in an instant, I felt super protective over her. 
She is now my baby. My daughter. My beloved wife. She deserves everything and most importantly she deserves better than Bruce Wayne. 
(Coincidentally that was also the scene where I decided I don’t care much about Bruce asldjkjlj. I absolutely adore early seasons Bruce though). 
Favourite Location
There are so many different locations, I don’t think I can adequately answer this with my spotty memory :D
But I always loved the few episodes where Alice features, because I love how her scenes are shot so probably the little carnival Jervis prepares for her.
Also!! Jeremiah's church!
Or Commissioner Loeb's secret house (Especially the Attic).
There are a lot of cool locations, I gotta gif some of them soon :D
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rollercoasterwrite · 5 years ago
Text
I’m So Curious [Chapter 1]
Part 1 of my story written for Jjong’s Month and for my lovely Dee @jjongyyu
Here are the ones I wrote last year : Just For A Day & Love Is So Nice
Prompt :  Jjong is a college student with tight money, but manages to get into a prestigious uni where he becomes friends with Taemin. One day, Tae asks him to go out on a blind date with his cousin Jinki, a notable lawyer who still hesitates about dating someone. Jjong refuses, but the amount of money Tae offers is a sight he can’t ignore. Jinki adores him immediately and after several dates, Jonghyun falls in love with Jinki, but he doesn’t know how to tell Jinki about his agreement with Tae.
Pairing : Jongyu 
Genre : romance, some fluff, probably angst, smut eventually XD
TW : I don’t know if it’s really triggering to anyone, but Jjong curses a lot in this one and is kinda crude so yeah at least you have been warned. XD
Word Count : 6500 ~ 
Links : AFF & AO3
Special thanks to Cheryl for being my beta and making it possible for me to release part I before the month ended.
"What's your type?'' The blonde cocked an eyebrow. ''What has that got to do with anything?'' The brunette shrugged. ''Just wondering...'' He said, giving his straw another mindless chew before going on. ''I've just never seen you show interest in anyone.'' The other frowned, confused.
''Again, why did that pop up in your mind just now?'' ''Jeez, can't I just ask a question?'' the younger one retorted, frustration now edging his tone. '' I know you, Tae,'' the blonde immediately clapped back. ''You never just ask a question.'' His statement had the other snorting in indignation.
''Is that really what you think of me, Jjong?'' ''Yes,'' the blonde squarely replied before taking another sip of his iced coffee. He watched as his friend settled into grumpy mode with a scoff and a determined cross of the arms. He couldn't help but puff out laughing at the childish display. ''I know you'll eventually spill it…'' Jonghyun taunted, lopsided smile dancing on his lips. ''I hate you,'' Taemin spat with spite that only manifested when he didn't get his way. ''Good luck with that,'' Jonghyun replied with a chuckle. A sense of victory swelled in his chest as he watched his friend struggle to come up with a comeback. The silence gave him some time to look around the nearly empty café they regularly visited to get some school work done or chat. He could never stop himself from taking in the peaceful setting, even though he’d probably seen it a million times now. With its white-framed casement windows that let the natural light in, its bare white walls opening up the space, the various-sized potted plants adding life and color around them, and the rustic furniture that contrasted so perfectly against all the light, it just felt to him like his little corner of paradise. It was even more beautiful now that the setting sun bathed the space with dancing lights of pink and orange. If the moment wasn't already perfect, the warm and full aroma of fresh coffee filling up the space left not even a modicum of place for discontent. Jonghyun felt good, and not even the sight of his friend's disgruntled expression was going to change that. ''Can I order us another round of coffee or are you just going to storm out like a little bitch and leave me hanging?'' he half-asked, half-baited. Taemin's gaze narrowed at the jab. Jaw tense, he replied, ''Call me a little bitch one more time and that coffee will end up in your face.'' '' I'll take that as a yes for the coffee then, '' Jonghyun concluded, not at all fazed by the other's threat.
He knew of his friend's evil ways, but for some reason, the latter seemed to know there was no point trying anything with him.
As soon as they received their refill of iced coffee, the younger one seemed to relax and, soon enough, he was back on topic. ''Jjongie...'' he cooed, shifting into his characteristic charmer mode. ''No.'' Jonghyun didn't need to hear the rest. He already knew he wasn't going to like it. ''You don't even know what I was going to say," Taemin whined with pouting lips. ''Right, but I already know my answer.'' ''What if I was just going to ask for a ride home?'' the fluffy-haired brunette argued. ''But you weren’t, so cut the crap,'' Jonghyun bluntly dismissed. He caught the glare that his friend shot him before he took in more caffeine.
The younger one's frustration soon turned into a desperate sigh, signalling he was about to crack open. ''Look, I need a favor,'' he finally revealed. ''Ask Kibum,'' Jonghyun indicated. The younger one scrunched up his nose in disgust.
''Ew, no. Just imagining them...'' The retching gesture that followed wasn't enough to distract the blonde from what he had just caught in the other's unintentional admission. ''Them?'' he echoed, confused. ''Who is the other person?'' Taemin froze at that, the only movement perceptible being that of his furious blinking.
''Tae??'' Jonghyun called out as confusion and nervousness simultaneously grew inside him. ''Yeah, um...'' the brunette cleared his throat. ''The other person's my cousin,'' he finally said. Jonghyun frowned deeply.
''What's your cousin got to do with anything? '' ''He has to do with the favor I need from you,'' Taemin outlined before deflecting his attention to his chewed-up straw. ''The fuck?'' the older one exclaimed as he stared incredulously at his friend. It was a few more seconds before the other stopped his balancing act of chewing on plastic and drinking. ''You know my cousin, Jinki, that I sometimes talk about?'' Taemin started. ''You mean, that you always talk about, '' Jonghyun rectified, not without an edge of annoyance to his tone. ''That is not true,'' the other instantly countered. ''Riiight,'' Jonghyun derided. “I must be imagining all these times you've been going on about something he said or did.''
''No, you're not. But it's definitely not all the time.'' If there was something that Jonghyun had come to learn about the beautiful young man he spent a lot of his waking hours with, it was that he was incredibly stubborn. Jonghyun had seen that attribute work in amazing ways, especially when it came to his dancing skills. But he had also seen it work in the most annoying and infuriating ways, and this moment was definitely more proof of that. ''Whatever,'' Jonghyun brought himself to say to avoid any blood being shed on the beautiful table between them. ''Anyway,'' Taemin went on. ''Jinki's been feeling lonely and I thought I should help him out a bit, you know, since he's helped me so much throughout the years.'' ''Are you going to suck his dick or something?'' Jonghyun couldn't help but voice. ''Eeeeew,'' the younger one all but yelled. ''He's my cousin!!'' ''The way you get all excited whenever you talk about him makes me wonder sometimes... '' ''You're fucking gross, Kim Jonghyun.'' That made the blonde's eyebrow cock. ''Interesting...'' he mused. ''What?'' ''Seems like I hit a sensitive cord,'' Jonghyun noted matter-of-factly. ''Stop that,'' the brunette said in his most authoritative tone, which didn't feel that convincing to the other. ''Don't worry about it, Tae. Apparently, that happens between cousins more than we think.'' The death stare he received made it hard for him to keep a straight face, the tickling edge of laughter bringing a twitch to his lips. ''I swear... '' Taemin grumbled as a visible clench graced his jaw. He forced himself to roll his tongue in his mouth a few times like his mom had taught him as a kid before resuming. ''I need you to go on a date with him.'' ''No. '' Jonghyun didn't even need to hear more. He wasn't going to entertain any of it.
His response had the other sighing deeply. ''I knew it would play out this way,'' Taemin indicated as he looked straight into the older one's eyes. ''That's why I'm ready to pay.’' ''Excuse me??'' Jonghyun loudly exclaimed. The other's silence and serious expression only got him more riled up. ''Do I look like a fucking prostitute to you?'' ''I'm not asking that you have sex with him. I just want him to get back into the dating scene,'' Taemin calmly explained. ''That's cool and all, but why me?'' Jonghyun had no choice but to ask, bewilderment splashed all across his face. ''I feel like you two could get along,'' Taemin answered. ''Plus, he's always had a thing for petite guys.'' ''I'm not petite,'' Jonghyun growled, gaze turning dark. ''Fine, you're a fucking mountain,'' Taemin conceded with a slight eyeroll to spare himself a pointless argument. ''Look,'' he quickly followed with. ''You just have to go on one date and in return, you won't have to be so stressed out about money all the time.'' The tension that had settled on the blonde's face morphed into another look of disbelief. ''Are you actually hearing yourself right now?'' ''Yes, I hear myself just fine,'' Taemin replied without shame. ''Sex or no sex, what you are asking of me is still prostitution,'' Jonghyun pointed out bluntly. ''No,'' Taemin squarely countered. ''I asked for a favor and you said no, so I'm adding money into the mix so that it's still a win for you in the end.'' ''I can't accept your money.'' ''Yes, you can, and you will.'' The blonde gave him a wide-eyed stare.
''The fuck?'' The brunette sighed.
''I know you've worked really hard to get to where you're at, but you deserve to have some space to breathe. That's what I'm really offering you,'' he added for emphasis. Jonghyun was at a loss for words. He knew Taemin meant well, but that whole deal didn't feel right. On the flip side, getting some extra money would definitely alleviate the burden he carried with him all the time. Getting into his dream school had been a big part of the battle, but actually being able to pay all the fees that came with studying there was a strenuous challenge in itself. He could only do so many hours of work without it affecting his grades and he had already reached that limit. ''Like I said, I only ask for one date,'' Taemin reiterated. ''And you can consider this whole semester dealt with.'' If Jonghyun's eyes could've grown any bigger, they would have at that moment. ''You're tripping...'' That made the younger one laugh. ''I've actually had time to think this through,'' Taemin informed him. ''So I understand if you need some time to think about it, too.'' ''I...'' Jonghyun's eyes darted towards his half-filled cup as his mind mulled over the offer. He knew he should stick to his no, but Taemin had effectively spoken to the part of him that ached for some relief. ''I'll think about it,'' he finally said as he brought his gaze up once more. Taemin grinned. ''Thanks, Jjong.'' In that moment, a lump of nervousness formed in the blonde's throat. He realized he had just sealed the deal.
                                                         ***
I can’t believe I’m doing this, he thought as he stared at the restaurant’s elegant façade.
It was probably now close to ten minutes since he had parked on the other side of the street, building up the courage to follow through with the offer his evil best friend had made him.
He still couldn’t believe he had agreed to it, but here he was, all dressed up, black dress shirt and black pants sticking to him like a second skin and the shaggy bangs that usually covered his forehead now slicked back with some gel to make himself look a bit more presentable. He had even traded his worn-out pair of converse shoes for polished leather loafers. The only thing that had been a non-negotiable for him was the tie. He felt like a fraud, but having agreed to do this, he wasn’t just going to half-ass the task at hand. Despite everything, he still didn’t want to make a bad impression on his best friend’s cousin.
He hated to admit it, but he was nervous. He didn’t know what to expect or what to do, or even what to say. This could be a whole disaster, and if it was, he knew Taemin would never let him hear the end of it. He didn’t do dates and he didn’t do formal wear. But again, here he was, getting ready to play the part.
I’m fucking pathetic.
He dropped his bare forehead onto the steering wheel, rapidly losing all resolve he had mustered up on his way there. He could’ve pretty much stayed in that position for the rest of night, but the sudden buzzing of his phone in his pocket jolted him back upright.
He looked at his screen and his heart jumped. He couldn’t hide anymore.  
''Hello?'' he answered as his body temperature jumped up a few degrees.
''Am I speaking to Jonghyun?'' the voice at the other end uttered.
The blonde froze for a moment, taking aback by the soft but deep tone that had just graced his ear.
''Hello?''  
''Y-yes, it’s me,'' Jonghyun stammered despite himself.
Fuck. They hadn’t even met yet and he was already screwing this up.
''Hi, it’s Jinki. Taemin’s cousin,'' the other man went on.
''Ah, yes. Nice to- I mean, um-''
He cut himself off, realizing whatever would come out of his mouth now would just further embarrass him.  
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
His obvious clumsiness was apparently amusing to the other one because he suddenly laughed.
And that laugh did nothing to help Jonghyun recover brain cells.
''I’m already in the restaurant. Are you here yet?'' Jinki asked.
''Um, yeah… Well, I’m just outside. I’ll be right there,'' Jonghyun answered.
''Okay, well I’m in a dark grey suit and I’m wearing glasses,'' the other informed.
''Cool,'' Jonghyun uttered as he tried to form an image of what the other looked like.
''So…''
The sound of the other’s voice brought him back to reality. He instantly gave himself a mental kick for getting lost in his thoughts.
''Yes, um, okay, I’ll be hanging up now,'' he indicated before doing exactly that.
Okay, Jjong. You’re already making a damn fool of yourself. Get it together.
He took a few deep breaths before finally turning off the car’s engine and stepping out into the mild weather.
For a moment, he thought about bailing out and getting back into the car, but he knew how much of an asshole that would make him feel like. And he definitely was no asshole. Plus, he couldn’t help but think about the money involved.
Well, maybe that made him an asshole.
He managed to push back all of these thoughts in favor of finally getting himself past the entrance door. Hand on the handle, he pushed it open and stepped inside, relinquishing his fate to the wicked hands of the universe. He barely had time to look around when his eyes fell on a sight he was sure he’d never forget.
Jonghyun froze midstep as his gaze took in a gorgeous man whose clothes fit the description he had received a few minutes earlier.
''Jinki?'' he managed to utter despite feeling like his whole nervous system was about to collapse on him.
The man’s face lit up at the sound of his name and as soon as their eyes met, he flashed him a stunning smile.
''Jonghyun!'' he reciprocated enthusiastically as he took a few steps towards him.
It took Jonghyun everything not to step back and run out through the door. This was definitely worse than he had expected. The man was… A few words popped up in his mind, all of them just making it harder for him not to lose his composure.
''Happy to meet you,'' the brunette said before bowing before him.
Jonghyun returned the gesture, bending further down, since he was the younger one.
''Happy to meet you, too,'' he echoed once he rose back up.
He tried a smile, but it felt too forced, too staged. If there was something Jonghyun wasn’t good at, it was definitely acting.
''Have you ever been here before?'' Jinki promptly asked.
''Um, no…'' Jonghyun answered, slightly embarrassed.
He had done his research earlier that week when Taemin had sent him the address only to learn that this restaurant was one of the finest in the area. He could barely afford the essentials so there was no way he had any extra to be visiting these places. Nor did he ever really have any interest to.
''Ah, it’s okay,'' Jinki reassured with a softer but equally dashing smile. '' I’m glad this is your first time. ''
Jonghyun froze again, eyes wide, as his mind ran straight to the gutter with the other’s words.
The latter seemed to notice as he suddenly chuckled nervously, ''That probably didn’t come out right. I’m sorry.''
Jonghyun’s eyebrow cocked as he stared at the other. Is he for real?
The subtle blush he caught on the taller one’s face told him that it was indeed an honest mistake.
''I’m- I’m sorry…''
Jonghyun instantly felt bad. He was the one catching double entendres where there was none.
''Don’t be, please,'' he implored. ''I’m sorry, it’s me… I’m being a little weird …''
The brunette seemed to relax at that. Retrieving his smile, he said, ''This is a little never-wracking, huh?''
''Yeah,'' Jonghyun admitted as he rubbed the back of his neck with one hand.
''Well, it’s nothing a little alcohol can’t fix, right?’' Jinki playfully remarked.
That made the blonde laugh.
''Definitely.''
Any words he would’ve said next died in his throat as the brunette’s eyes zeroed in on him in a focused and extremely unnerving way.
''Um… should we go to our table now?'' he found the courage to say as he deliberately avoided the other’s intent gaze.
That fortunately was enough to snap the other out of whatever trance he had been in.
''Yes, of course,'' he replied, quickly clearing his throat.
They first stopped at the front desk, Jonghyun just tagging along as Jinki gave the elegantly clad lady before them his name for the reservation. She then led them into the restaurant, walking them past the tables until they reached the back where a beautifully set table awaited them.
Along the way, Jonghyun had stolen glances around, taking in the contrasting elegance of the furniture with the robustness of the ceiling-to-floor pillars that gave the space more character and charm. He was even more pleased by the warm lighting that completed the portrait like icing on a cake, giving the room an intimate vibe.
Once the lady had finished setting the menus on the table and another came in to fill up their glasses with water, they sat, finding themselves alone.
''So, what’s your poison?'' Jinki immediately asked.
The blonde’s brow cocked.
''Shouldn’t we be ordering some expensive wine or something?''
''We could, if that’s what you want, but I’d rather you tell me what you like,'' Jinki indicated.
For some reason, that was enough to make Jonghyun’s heart jump inside his chest again.
''Um, well… I don’t drink often, but I really like rum,'' he shared as he tried not to linger on his body’s unsolicited reaction.
''Great,'' Jinki exclaimed as his face lit up even more. ''That’s my favorite.''
Immediately after, he gestured to one of the waiters in sight and ordered two glasses of a brand of rum Jonghyun was sure he had never tasted before. The order was served to them a few seconds later, the golden-brown liquid swaying beautifully inside the clear glasses.
Jinki was the first to pick up his glass.
''To a beautiful evening,'' he softly said as he lifted it.
''To a beautiful evening,'' Jonghyun reciprocated with a small smile before they both brought their glasses to their lips.
The taste that graced the blonde’s tongue was a perfect mix of strong, velvety, and sweet, making it impossible for him not to moan from contentment.
''That is the best rum I’ve ever had,'' he enthused, before realizing the other’s gaze had changed again.
He didn’t know what it was, but he could definitely feel himself tense up because of it. Fortunately, he didn’t have to speak this time for the other one to get back into conversation.
''I would have to agree with that,'' Jinki finally said with a smile.
''I’m guessing everything here is great, huh?'' the blonde gathered.
''Yeah, I’d say so,'' Jinki confirmed. ''Although…'' he went on immediately after, ''I pretty much always order the same thing, so I’m probably not the best person to ask,'' he admitted in a somewhat apologetic tone.
''What’s your order?'' Jonghyun asked with genuine interest.
''Their duck confit.''
The blonde stared blankly at him for a few seconds as his mind tried to figure out whatever that could be.  
His confusion must’ve shown clear because the other chuckled before saying, ''It’s basically duck cooked in its own fat.''
Jonghyun grimaced at that.
''That doesn’t sound very appetizing to me.’'
''I can understand,'' Jinki said with another soft laugh. ''So what kind of food do you usually enjoy?''
''Um… pretty simple stuff I guess,'' Jonghyun answered, suddenly feeling embarrassed.
The brunette acknowledged those words with a nod.
''To be honest, I just love to eat, so give me anything and I’m in.''
The blonde snorted out a laugh at that.
''Sounds like Taemin.''
He was answered with a broad smile.
''I guess we have some things in common.''
Yeah, a stunning face seems to be one of them, Jonghyun replied in the safety of his mind.
''By the way, I’ve been curious to know how you two became friends,'' the older one went on as he picked up his glass again.
''Oh, that…'' Jonghyun uttered mindlessly. ''I don’t know if it’s a funny story or if it’s just really cringy…''
''Now you have me even more intrigued,'' Jinki prodded with a grin.  
''Well, if you must know,'' Jonghyun started, realizing this was another chance for him to get back at the little brat.  ''I first met him at a school party last year. I didn’t want to go in the first place, but a friend of mine insisted, so I tagged along. When we arrived there, my friend quickly abandoned me for a girl, leaving me alone in the midst of hundreds of strangers. At that point, I was just going to leave, but someone approached me. At first, I thought he looked cute, but as soon as he started talking, I could see he was pretty far gone. He said a lot of things, things that could’ve gotten him in deep shit if he had said them to any other guy. ''
''Oh god,'' Jinki suddenly interjected as a look of worry settled on his face.
''Don’t worry, this ends well,'' Jonghyun reassured with a small laugh.
''Good, please continue.''
''So, like I said, I wanted to leave, but I couldn’t help but fear what might happen if I left him there. I ended up asking him to follow me and we got out. Then I asked where his dorm room was, but he never managed to tell me, so I brought him back to mine. I got him into bed and he immediately fell asleep before waking up a few minutes later and puking all over the floor. He didn’t even seem to notice though, because he went right back to sleep after that. And then the next morning, once he was alert enough that I could walk him through what had happened, he apologized, thanked me a million times and hung around for the rest of the morning. I still didn’t understand what his deal was, but it felt weirdly comfortable to have him there. And then, I guess it just picked up from that.''
''That’s Taemin’s charm for you,'' Jinki acknowledged with what seemed like a prideful smile.
Jonghyun snorted again, ''Yeah, I guess.''
A full laugh rolled out of the brunette.
''You’ve obviously seen all that comes with that charm, too.''
''Definitely,'' Jonghyun replied immediately.
Jinki laughed some more.
''Well, thank god you were there that night and that you’re still in his life. You seem to be a good influence on him.''
The blonde’s brow cocked.
''A good influence?''
''Yeah,'' Jinki validated. ''Tae talks about you all the time and one of the things that always comes back is his admiration for your passion and work ethic. You seem to have rubbed off on him because I can see how serious he is about things now.''
Jonghyun was trying to keep his face under control, but he knew he was failing at hiding his surprise and utter shock.
''He’s never…. I didn’t know he…''
And he was also failing to verbalize any coherent thought.
''Taemin will never outright tell you this, but what I know is that he doesn’t hang out with someone if he doesn’t really love them.''
''Yeah… I guess,'' Jonghyun admitted as he unconsciously rubbed the back of his neck again. ''What about you and Tae?'' he inquired to get the focus off of himself. ''You two seem pretty close.''
He was first answered with a beaming smile that turned his mouth dry. He quickly reached for his glass and took another sip.
''Yes, we are. It’s just always been like that despite our age gap. I’m an only child so my parents would bring me to my aunts’ and uncles’ houses a lot and I always had the most fun with Taemin. He was always so joyful and full of life, and that always made me feel happy. As we grew up, that bond deepened and now, I just see him as my little brother.''
''That’s… really nice,'' Jonghyun said, feeling touched despite himself.
''Yeah,'' Jinki agreed. '' He’s always bringing good into my life.''
Their eyes locked at that and Jonghyun’s heart did another somersault.
''Um, so… shouldn’t we order or something?'' he uttered as his eyes darted back to his glass.
''Shouldn’t you look at the menu first?'' Jinki pointed out with a teasing edge to his tone.
Shit.
''Uh, yeah. Of course.''
After looking at a bunch of items that didn’t make any sense to him, he finally settled for the swiss chard and goat cheese cannelloni. He was pretty sure a pasta dish wouldn’t disappoint his taste buds.
Once their orders were placed, the conversation lulled for a bit, leaving Jonghyun time to assess everything that had happened up until now. He couldn’t say things were going badly. On the contrary, but that just made it all the more confusing for him. Without thinking, he brought his glass to his lips again and downed the rest of the liquid, which he immediately regretted when the fire that suddenly blew up in his throat made him cough uncontrollably.
''Are you alright?'' Jinki asked as he gave him a worried look.  
Jonghyun nodded through his coughing fit. It took a few more seconds for his airways to clear out and bring him back to a peaceful state.
''I’m sorry… I…''
''Are you okay?''
The genuine concern he could read on the other’s face made him feel even more self-conscious and stupid. He couldn’t help but look away.
''Yes, I just…''
He didn’t even know what to say. And he couldn’t even use his glass as a distraction anymore.
Dammit.
''Can I tell you something?''
Jonghyun looked up again, curious as to what that thing might be.
''Yes?''
''I haven’t been on a date in years,'' Jinki shared.
Jonghyun blinked at him in surprise.
''Seriously?''
''Yes,'' the brunette reiterated with a sheepish smile. ''I’ve never really made time for anything that didn’t have to do with work.''
''So, what’s changed now?'' Jonghyun couldn’t help but ask.
''Hmm…'' Jinki pondered. ''Well… I guess I’ve finally realized how much I was missing out on.''
''Oh, well, from what I’ve heard you’ve made a pretty good life for yourself already,'' the blonde pointed out.
''I guess in terms of social status, yes, but in my everyday life, things were starting to get…'' he paused, looking nowhere in particular. ''Repetitive.''
''Oh, and here I thought lawyers had the most exciting lives,'' Jonghyun mocked without thinking.
His eyes instantly grew wide as he realized what he had just said.
''I didn’t mean to-''
Jinki laughed, ''I get it. I could try to defend my job, but being a corporate lawyer really isn’t exciting.''
''So why do you do it?''
''Because that’s what was expected of me. And I’m good at it,'' Jinki laid out openly.
''But… ''
Jonghyun couldn’t even begin to understand how someone could just go about a job without being really passionate about it. He had fought all his life to be able to pursue music as a career because, in the end, there was nothing else he could see himself doing.
''It's alright,'' Jinki laughed off. ''I dodged having to go into the medical field, so that's a win in my book." Jonghyun was tempted to dig further, to understand why the other had settled for a life without much agency, but he didn't feel like it was his place. ''Have I just lost you?'' the brunette inquired. Jonghyun caught the flash of fear that went through his gaze and felt his chest tighten. ''No, not at all,'' he instantly reassured. ''I'm just... intrigued,'' he chose after a moment of thought. ''Okay." A second after, the brunette picked up his glass and downed it just as he had a few minutes before. The gesture surprised him and even more so the absence of coughing that followed. ''Let me order us another round of rum and you can ask away," the older one indicated before doing just that. What followed was a pretty intimate exchange on how they had been brought up, an exchange during which the blonde found himself revealing a lot more than he would have ever imagined. They had just met and there he was talking about how the only good thing his mother had ever done for him was kick him out. By then, they were both half-way through their meals and the place had become even more crowded, but that did nothing to distract them from one another. ''She kicked you out?" Jinki exclaimed, eyes growing wide behind his thick frames. "Well, yeah. She couldn't have a defiant son disturbing her peace all the time," Jonghyun intoned with full-fledged sarcasm. "That's horrible," Jinki voiced in shock.
''Yeah, but it turned out for the best,'' Jonghyun observed. ''Living with my sister helped me get my shit together and get me to where I am now." Silence followed his words as the other looked straight into his eyes. Jonghyun felt a shiver run down his spine. "You're incredible." At that, he was pretty sure the man before him was out to kill him. His heart raced as the words rang loud in his mind. "I'm sure I wouldn't have had that resolve if I were in your place," the other then noted. The blonde wanted to argue and dismiss any credit the other was attributing him, but the dark chocolate orbs he was plunged into took the words right out of him. A little voice in his head told him to stop staring, but he felt paralyzed. He was praying the other would break the spell by looking away, but he didn't. "Do I have something on my face?" Jinki inquired, titter vibrating in his voice. Yes, your face. "No, I'm sorry... I just zoned out..." Jonghyun excused as convincingly as he could. "I get it. I would zone out, too, if we were talking about my painful memories," Jinki remarked, offering him an apologetic look. "It's fine, really," Jonghyun quickly replied as to not blow his cover. "Even so, why don't we move on to lighter stuff now?" the older one proposed with a broad smile that crinkled his eyes. Or perhaps, could we move to a bed? Jonghyun couldn't help but think as the sight before him awakened a part of him he usually managed to keep under control. "Yeah, sure," he said, reciprocating with a smile of his own. The conversation went on from there to discussions on their favorite things, like books, movies, and music. Even though they didn't always share common knowledge or taste in these things, their openness to each other made the rest of the evening go by pleasantly. "Did you enjoy your meal?" Jinki asked after the table had been cleared. "Yeah, it was pretty good," Jonghyun genuinely answered. The brunette grinned. "Glad it was. Do you want dessert?" he then offered. "Hmm... I'd say yes, but I'm pretty stuffed," Jonghyun admitted with a breathy laugh. "We can share," the other proposed before crossing his arms over the draped table. "Their crème brûlée is fantastic and I'd love for you to have a taste." Jonghyun felt his mouth go dry. Even if he would've wanted to say no, the eagerness he could hear in the other's tone had him do the contrary. "Okay, sure," he uttered, hoping his answer came off as nonchalant. He received another eye-blinding smile before the other took the lead again and ordered the aforementioned dessert. It was a few minutes before a small ceramic dish was placed between them. Jonghyun stared at the caramelized crust with interest before his eyes went to the utensils. There was only one spoon. "Um... They forgot a spoon," Jonghyun indicated as his eyes flicked up to the brunette. " I'm not averse to sharing a spoon, so you can eat first, " Jinki naturally settled before picking up the spoon and handing it to him. Jonghyun took it, feeling somewhat uneasy. "Have as much as you want," the other then added with what was meant to be a reassuring smile. But Jonghyun just felt more unnerved by it. All the attention was on him and even though that was something he relished in regards to his music, it wasn't something he loved getting in any other context. Especially not right now, when the attention was coming from a man who seemed to know just what to do to get him riled up. "Please, eat," Jinki urged as his smile grew wider. At that, Jonghyun had no other choice but to comply. He scooped out a spoonful of the creamy custard that hid under the thin crust and brought the spoon to his lips. A subtle flutter graced his lashes as he had his first taste. The sweet eggy flavor mixed with the creamy but light texture felt like a true gift to his taste buds.
"So? Do you like it?" Jinki inquired as a soft smile danced on his full lips.
" Oh, yeah, so good," Jonghyun drawled as his eyes zeroed in on the dent he had made in the dish.
A full laugh rumbled out of the brunette's mouth.
"Enjoy."
Jonghyun met his eyes for a second before he plunged the spoon right back in. The second bite felt even more divine than the first and before he could let himself think, he went in for a third, fourth, and fifth spoonful.
It was only when his mind caught up with his stomach again that he realized that more than half of the receptacle was empty. His eyes widened.
"Oh god, I'm so sorry," he apologized as he put the utensil down and lowered his head like a child awaiting punishment.
He missed the expression of confusion that splayed across the other's face, but heard his words loud and clear.
"You have nothing to be sorry about. This was for you."
Jonghyun dared look up, inheriting the confused look in turn.
"I thought you wanted to share," he pointed out.
The brunette shrugged.
"I've had this dessert a million times. I'm not missing out."
"Still, I-"
"You can have it," Jinki interrupted purposefully.
Jonghyun blinked at him for a few seconds.
"Is it because of the spoon? I can ask-"
"No," the brunette interjected again. "I just want you to have it."
Jonghyun searched his face for any sign that he was lying, but found none.
"Plus," the older one went on, "I've put on a few pounds from stress eating so you'll be doing me a favor if you finish this," he ended with an embarrassed smile that leaned into an airy laugh.
Cute, Jonghyun’s mind prompted without notice. The thought had the blonde looking at the dessert again, not trusting himself one bit if he kept his eyes on the other man facing him.
Best that I just eat this so that I can get out of here.
Jonghyun did just that and soon enough, one of the waiters brought over the bill, immediately handing it to the brunette.
"Shouldn’t there be two?" Jonghyun immediately inquired as he furrowed his brows.
The older one let a pleased smile stretch wide across his face.
"Should there be?"
A shiver ran boldly across the blonde’s spine at that.
"Well, yeah… I mean… "
"I brought you here, so it’s on me," Jinki settled gently.
Before Jonghyun could slide in a word of protest, the brunette made his move and gestured to the same waiter that had lingered nearby. Jonghyun just watched as he felt robbed once more of a parcel of his dignity.
A few minutes later, they were finally heading out, the now cooler breeze of the evening meeting them upon their first step out of the restaurant. A moment of shared silence grew between them as they stood before the entrance and gazed into the half-busy street.
"So… " Jonghyun trailed off into silence.
He really didn’t know what to say at this point. The reality of this only being a one-time thing suddenly loomed in the forefront of his mind.
"Can I be honest with you, Jonghyun?" Jinki suddenly asked as he turned a bit more towards him.
The blonde felt himself tense up a bit at the additional proximity, but composed himself enough to nod.
"I would love for this to happen again," the older one instantly voiced.
His expression seemed serious enough for Jonghyun to believe his words, which only made his heart leap and his stomach flutter.
How does he do that? he couldn’t help but wonder as he felt all control seep out of him through now sweaty hands.
"Me, too," he agreed before time stretched too long between them.
Jinki smiled wide and bright.
"Glad to hear that."
Jonghyun made it a point to keep holding his gaze and return his smile, despite his main effort being on keeping himself together.
"I’ll be texting you soon, okay?" Jinki asked, his tone soft and easy.
"‘Kay," Jonghyun replied as he retreated to his nervous habit of rubbing the back of his neck.
"Did you come here by car?" the brunette then verified.
"Yeah, it’s right over there," the blonde indicated as he pointed towards an early 2000s white Corolla across the street.
"Good," Jinki acknowledged as his gaze followed. "I’ll let you go then. Goodnight, Jonghyun," he offered as departing words before flashing a last smile that read as soft but straightforward.
"Goodnight, Jinki," Jonghyun echoed as his face broke into a bashful smile.
They parted ways right after, Jinki heading farther down the street while Jonghyun headed straight to his car.
The blonde settled quickly into his seat, his head yearning to find the comfort of the steering wheel again. A big sigh left his lips as his forehead hit the sturdy surface.
As his eyes closed, his mind immediately formed an all too vivid image of the man he had spent the evening with. He could once again see his coiffed, but oh-so-soft looking hair, his beautiful bushy eyebrows under which thick frames sat perfectly on a proud nose, and his full lips that didn't waste a chance to stretch into one of the most beautiful smiles Jonghyun had seen in his life. The image could've trailed further down, but Jonghyun knew to draw the line there if he didn't want to make his pants any tighter.
He wasn't going to fool anyone, especially not himself. He was wildly attracted to this man.
And that was a problem.
                                                          ***
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kunrendeotaku · 4 years ago
Text
Chapter 8
“Oh thank Mewni, we’re not going in.” I raise my eyebrows, bemused at Star’s reaction once I’ve told her we’re just going for my bike. “Why do you even hate it? You didn’t spend like, any time there yesterday.” Star blinks, then starts holding up fingers as she names reasons in turn “Well, the faces of all the kids there looked like they were suffering, it looked like a suuuper boring building, and it kinda reminds me of… Saint Olga’s School for Delinquent Princesses! AAAAAHHH!”
The blonde girl’s eyes go wide as saucers as she lets out the seemingly random scream. I myself nearly jump into the air, hands raising up into a defensive stance. I look around for what has terrified this girl who blasted monsters without a peep yesterday, sure that something right out of a horror movie is coming for us. “Star?! What’s wrong?” After my quick scan of the area finds nothing, I glance back towards where Star was and find her gone. This sends me into full on panic mode, and I run towards a nearby alleyway, the only place I see she could have gone. “Star!?”
Suddenly, a dumpster right next to me pops open and my crazy foreign exchange student pops her head out. I’m torn between having a heart attack and punching the dumpster, but thankfully I manage to avoid either. “Saint O’s is a horrible, horrible place where they send Rebels like me to have their minds wiped! They come out as perfect little dolls, all personality ironed out. If this Earth gig doesn’t work out, that's probably where I’m headed.”
I’m a hair away from going into lecture mode on the dangers of both dumpster diving and randomly screaming, but Star clearly looks honestly quite bothered by all of this. I let my tension out with a sigh, and reach up to grab Star’s hands. “C’mon, those things are where we keep our garbage. School might be...kind of like that, but it's got a lot of fun things too. Like my friends we’ll be talking to today.” I yank her out of the dumpster and start brushing off a few little pieces of tash from the front of her dress, then nod. Can’t do anything about the smell, but at least she looks clean.
“Well...I guess I can give it a try if you say so.” Star still seems a bit down, but I’m certain that with her personality she’ll have forgotten this little scream fest as soon as she sees something exciting. I wince, knowing that unfortunately there is someone who fits the bill, but I’m willing to brave that evil witch if it can improve Star’s mood. I’m responsible for her now, after all. I suppose it's time to introduce Star Butterfly to Janna Ordonia.
“Lets go, Star. I think we can make a detour and meet another…. friend of mind before we hit up the school. Maybe that’ll convince you it won’t be like this Saint Olga’s place.” Technically speaking, it's actually closer to walk by Janna’s house to get to Echo Creek High, but I naturally avoid her entire city block. I really hope these two meeting isn’t a horrible mistake, but I have a bad feeling in my gut.
“Okay?” Even the mention of meeting someone new has Star’s face brighten up, which is enough for me to keep on my current course. A few minutes later we’re in Janna’s territory. I shudder a little at all the bad memories here, Janna’s pranks tend to get more vicious when she’s less concerned about being caught-and she’s most confident in getting away with things outside her house. I still remember when I had to make my way home in nothing but my boxers, all the rest of my clothes stolen in a series of awful traps. I never saw that hoodie again…
“Alright, we’re here.” I stare up in trepidation at Janna’s home, but before I can get up my will to ring the doorbell, Star steps in. “Ohhh….what's this do?” She starts rapidfire ringing the doorbell, probably pressing the button a dozen times before I pull her back. “Star! Don’t be annoying. That's their bell, it tells them that people are outside.” She nods a couple times, muttering “Earth Magic…” with a thoughtful look on her face.
Before I can fix her misunderstanding the door is thrown open. I’m face to face with Janna for the first time in weeks, at least outside of a school setting. She has an understandably annoyed look on her face that morphs into a much less understandable look of pleasure upon seeing me. She is dressed in her usual green beanie and tank top, with a blue jacket and yellow skirt. “Marco Diaz. What a surprise. And you’re here with the little firebug from yesterday too, huh. Cool.”
I feel my skin crawling at the tone of her voice. Is this how girls feel when scumbag guys check them out? God, she’s creepy. Star seems completely unaffected, and waves her hand wildly in spite of being literally right in front of Janna. “Hi! I’m Star Butterfly! You’re Marco’s friend, right? I’m living with him now.” As expected, as soon as Star is introduced to something new and interesting she’s right back to her old self.
“Janna Ordonia. Me and Marco go waaaay back.” She slides up next to me with almost unnatural grace, and wraps an arm around my shoulders. I still have no idea how she can do that! I was dodging punches from half ton monsters yesterday, and now I can’t get away from a thin girl two inches shorter than me? It doesn’t make a lick of sense. I try to back away from her uncomfortably, but she has a grip on the neck of my t-shirt, hidden from Star’s perspective behind my head. “You’re the new exchange student, huh? You smell like a dumpster, but you look like an improvement over the last guy. That Swedish kid gave me the creeps.”
Gustav? Gustav was great! God, every word out of her lips is a lie. “Well of course I’m an improvement. I’m Ah-mazing~ Since I’m a magical princess from another dimension!” I freeze when I realize what has to be coming, and I jerk forwards, but only manage to choke myself with Janna still holding my collar. “Star, wait-” Is all I get out before she unslings her wand and declares “Rainbow Kitten Explosion!” And points her wand at the sky. A cat flashing psychedelic colors pops out of the front of her wand and sings ‘Wee!’ before spiraling up thirty feet into the air and letting out a massive *BANG*. The three of us are quickly covered in a disgusting amount of glitter, along with the front of Janna’s house.
Our reactions to this vary wildly. I’m rather accustomed to the chaos by this point, and gently extricate myself from Janna’s clutches before shamelessly hiding behind Star. Star of course is in her hyper-excited bouncy state, glitter catching all the light around her to really show off how otherworldly my new friend is. Janna seems shell shocked-her first introduction to real magic, as far as I know, has managed to stump the usually unflappable girl. Maybe I should take Star and run off before she can recover and turn Star’s abilities to her advantage.
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invisibletinkerer · 5 years ago
Text
Fic: The Secret Journal of 'Stanford' Pines
Size: ~3000 words AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20864183
Stan Pines keeps a journal of brief daily notes during the summer of 2012.
Note: We all know that the Gravity Falls timeline makes no sense whatsoever. Therefore this is based on a headcanon timeline I made a year or so ago, trying to incorporate as many of the canon dates (in show and published J3) as possible, but ignoring the ones that were contradictory or made no sense. This still means some episodes did not happen in a strictly chronological order.
June 1
Kids are here. I have no idea what to do. Why did I agree to this.
Boy is a grump and girl made macaroni art in the kitchen. Did I even have macaroni?
 June 2 Sunday
I think boy got spooked in the forest. He seems fine, though. Good taste in gold chains.
Girl is now dating some punk kid.
 June 3
Kids looked like they’d been run over by the golf cart when they got back tonight. Not good.
Gave them some free gifts from the shop to cheer em up. Yes I know
Boy got a new hat. Should get him to wear a Mystery Shack shirt next. Girl found a grappling hook that was not in my inventory. Bold choice.
What would they say if they knew about me?
June 4
Fishing Season Opening Day – took the kids fishing.
Of course, they got excited about monster hunting instead. They’re listening to reason about as well as I and Fo did as a kid.
But. They came back to me in the end. We had fun.
I love those kids.
 June 5
Soos found those cursed old wax statues I sealed up some ten years ago. Don’t seem all that cursed now. One had melted.
Mabel’s gonna make a new one for the wax museum. Meaning I’ll have to figure out how to make suckers pay to look at wax statues again.
 June 6
Mabel’s wax creation nearly gave me a heart attack. It looks just like my twin me.
She’s crazy talented.
 June 7
I’d say the wax museum reopening went well. Assuming “well” means “profit”.
Did anyone actually think I’d hand out free pizza?
 June 8
Hanging out with my wax twin Stan, and the moment I turned my back he was murdered.
 June 9 Sunday
Tried to hold a funeral for Wax Stan. Failed to keep it tounge-in-cheek.
Face it, Ford is long gone
 June 10
Guess the wax people were still as cursed as I remembered. Kids killed them with fire – I should have done that long ago.
Dipper crawled in the vents all day looking for a wax head that got away.
If I keep telling him he’s delusional, he’s got to stop looking for trouble eventually, right?
 June 11
Mabel decided I should date Lazy Susan. Couldn’t stop her. Now Susan and her cats keep calling me.
This was a bad idea. (I will never tell Mabel that.)
 June 12
Went on a date with Lazy Susan to shut her up. That ended just as well as expected.
Need to figure out some more specific excuses.
 June 13
The worst thing is, the Portal should work now. It’s functional. I just can’t get it to start.
Maybe I’ve been doing it wrong all along
I did fix that old copier. Don’t know if it still makes copies of people, but at least it makes copies of paper again.
Caught Dipper making oogly eyes at Wendy. I smell drama.
 June 14
Did not expect “The Duchess Approves” to be that good.
 June 15
The traditional Mystery Shack party that has nothing to do with any birthdays.
Mabel is a great singer, and that Northwest brat cheated.
Happy birthday, Sixer.
 June 16 Sunday
Gideon Gleeful’s running TV ads again.
Of course my family goes to his show just to spite me.
 June 17
Mabel played with Gideon today. Did not see that one coming.
As long as she’s happy, I guess.
 June 18
I hate Pioneer Day.
Stupid people acting even stupider than normal, nothing works, then someone (me) ends up in the stocks.
 June 19
Gideon and Mabel are dating!?
Seemed like a horrible idea, but Bud Gleeful has a point on the moneymaking opportunities if we play it right.
 June 20
So if Mabel marries Gideon, his business will be incorporated into mine. I sure like the sound of that.
Bud is already making t-shirts.
 June 21
 June 22
OK, no. No deals with the Gleefuls. Not now or ever.
Mabel broke up with the little pest. Good riddance.
Got me a nice painting from Bud’s house, though.
 June 23 Sunday
The Mystery Fair! It may look cheap, but it brings in the money.
Though someone broke all safety protocols and brought a futuristic laser gun to Dunkle the Grunkle. That’s unfair.
Mabel has a pig now.
 June 24
Got roped into the gaming arcade with the kids.
Maybe get one of those games for the Shack?
 June 25
Mabel decided to fix my fear of heights.
I can say this – being on top of a water tower about to fall over was unpleasant. Compared to that, a high but stable ground isn’t so bad.
Dipper got into a fistfight with Wendy’s boyfriend over teenage drama, but good on him for standing up for himself.
 June 26
For some reason Gideon has gotten it into himself that he wants the Mystery Shack now.
Good luck, kid. I’m a better conman than you’ll ever be.
 June 27
Mabel is slightly taller than Dipper. This is funny.
Gideon Gleeful trying to be threatening while throwing a hysterical fit after breaking my new mirror maze – mostly confusing. Wish I knew what went on in that kid’s head.
 June 28
Kids made me wear the golden teeth. Guess they think I’m a dishonest man.
Fortunately, I’m good at bullshitting even when telling the truth. Think I scandalized the poor things. Hilarious.
Could have been disaster, though. Could have easily made them hate me.
 June 29
Spent half the day falling down the Bottomless Pit.
 June 30 Sunday
Summerween, now that’s a respectable local holiday.
Scaring children for fun and profit. Celebrating true evil together with family.
 July 1
Hottest day of the year. Wax Stan was permanently murdered by the weather.
Closed the Shack and went to the municipal pool with the kids.
Gideon stole my perfect pool chair. It’s on.
 July 2
Broke into the pool area at night to get the chair to myself. Which was a good plan, until I wanted to get up later in the day. The pest had coated it with glue.
The kids broke into the pool at night, too. Didn’t ask.
 July 3
Opened the Shack again.
Can’t be too lazy. Tourists to fleece and all that.
 July 4
 July 5
Mabel bet she could run the Shack better than I can. Well. I’m nothing if not a gambler.
So, three days of vacation, in which I will make more money than she will make running the Shack. Winner takes the Shack, loser sings a silly song.
Best case scenario, she learns something about business and stops complaining. Worst case, she actually makes money and then runs the Shack for me the rest of the summer. Not bad.
 July 6
Made it past the line to be a contestant on Cash Wheel, using my Old Man powers and lack of common decency.
Why is it so hard to sleep
 July 7 Sunday
Well. I lost at Cash Wheel.
Guess that means I lost the bet with Mabel, too. Unless I go rob a bank or something in the time I have left. Hm.
 July 8
Turns out Mabel barely broke even when running the Shack. She did win the bet, but she didn’t want my job, no surprise there.
I’m proud of her for learning something.
She still made me sing that song. On video tape. It’s kinda catchy.
 July 9
Mabel’s friends came for a sleepover. They make a lot of noice.
 July 10
Soos managed to uncover the door to Ford’s that old study I sealed thirty years ago the very moment the kids demanded separate bedrooms.
I never wanted to see that room again. His glasses were still there
Guess they didn’t want the room in the end, but now it’s open. Can’t re-seal it.
I think they messed around with the freaky carpet. Took it away at the end of the day just in case.
 July 11
I fucked up, but I fixed it.
I got Mabel’s pig back, even when I had to punch a pterodactyl in the face for it.
She doesn’t hate me.
I love that kid so much.
 July 12
That weird egg I pocketed from the dino-cave hatched. Dipper says it’s a compo-whatnot.
I call him Compy. He’s now my Mystery Pet.
 July 13
Soos’ birthday. The kids tried to throw a party, which is. Bad idea.
Think he appreciated laser tag, though. And the magic pizza they got him. Never seen him so happy on a birthday.
 July 14 Sunday
Turns out Compy is a very tiny dragon. Hoards stuff, mostly cash. In places I can’t reach.
It’s no good. Gonna hand the chicken-lizard over to farmer Sprott first thing in the morning before he bankrupts me.
 July 15
Mabel and her friends went to some boy band concert. Got back late with a large pack of spoils. Probably robbed someone.
Wendy’s boyfriend is charming her with homemade music. Dipper suspects magic. Can’t rule that out.
 July 16
There was a hypnotic message in the music, but telling Wendy about it only made the teenage drama worse.
Went bowling with Dipper afterwards to cheer him up. Should have a chat with Wendy, too.
 July 17
Gideon   I’m   How could
Didn’t know Gideon was that serious.
As if half-lucid dreams about that yellow triangle wasn’t bad enough. (The kids know something. Not asking. I want them to stay away from that stuff.)
We’re staying with Soos as I panic figure out how to fix this.
 July 18
I can’t fix this.
Gideon’s got the whole town eating out of his hand and I’m just a grouchy old man.
Doing the responsible thing. Got bus tickets to send the kids home tomorrow.
Whatever I do next, don’t want them to watch.
 July 19
GIDEON IS A LITTLE SHIT AND I AM AWESOME.
Figured out his trick, proved it in public and now he’s in jail.
Got the Shack back. Got the kids back.
And. Get this. Gideon had one of Ford’s missing journals. I have it now.
 July 20
I can’t believe it. Dipper. Had the third journal all summer.
All three of the dumb books are right here in front of me.
I activated the Portal. Simple as anything.
It’s scanning for Ford right now.
I’m actually bringing him back.
 July 21 Sunday
Grand reopening of the Mystery Shack turned into a zombie-fest.
Kids could’ve died because I was too busy with the Portal to pay attention. That won’t happen again.
Should have talked to them about weirdness sooner. Hope they believed me when I said I have no more secrets.
A little worried that government might have picked up signals from the Portal.
 July 22
Repairing the Shack. Too much undead slime to attract tourists like this.
 July 23
Re-reopened the Shack.
Dipper got himself an old laptop computer from somewhere. Probably stolen. He tried to hide it.
 July 24
Went minigolfing with the kids.
Mabel challenged Pacifica Northwest to a duel at midnight. I’m so proud of her.
Letting kids into minigolf courts at night to take a rich snob down a few pegs – finally putting my skills to good use.
 July 25
I still can’t believe the Portal works.
It keeps scanning.
 July 26
Tried to bring old Goldie back to the gift shop but apparently he’s unhip and scary. Had to throw him away before the parents sued me.
What I do need is a singing animatronic robot badger. That’s what kids like these days.
 July 27
Soos missed work for the first time ever. Seems to be girl trouble, but the kids are handling it.
Would’ve stolen myself a robot badger if it hadn’t tried to kill me. Saved by old Goldie. No way I’m not keeping him now.
 July 28 Sunday
Went for a Vegas vacation because I deserve it.
Not because I’m nervous.
Brought Goldie, might have gotten slightly drunk. And slightly married.
 July 29
Mabel found herself a new obsession with hand puppets.
She’ll throw a big show on Friday. Made me rent Gravity Falls theatre for her. (Can’t believe I did that.)
 July 30
The Shack is full of sock puppets and kids and Mabel keeps singing.
Guess this is my life now.
 July 31
 August 1
Soos went to his cousin’s wedding with his new girlfriend. Good on him.
Mabel’s still obsessing about puppets.
Dipper looks like he hasn’t slept in days. Can’t blame him with all this ruckus.
 August 2
Play was good! Think it paid for the costs, too. Mabel’s got showmanship.
Don’t get the ending, though.
I mean. Children fighting always makes for good footage, but was it necessary to beat Dipper up that bad? I swear Mabel don’t know how strong she is.
A little worried about Dipper. He seemed high as a kite all day. Probably sleep deprivation. At least he’s sleeping now.
 August 3
 August 4 Sunday
Gravity’s going more crazy around the Portal the longer it’s on, but I don’t care.
It hasn’t found Ford yet.
It won’t find him if he’s dead
 August 5
The Portal ate my notebook.
Got a nasty cut on the back of my hand from some debris, too. Could have been worse.
 August 6
Tried to advertise the Mystery Shack for the kids at the Woodstick Festival. Hilarious disaster.
Being feared is worth more than being loved anyway.
 August 7
 August 8
IT FOUND HIM.
He’s alive. There’s a lock on his position.
Fuck I don’t  I have to
I know how it works. It needs to calibrate for a while. It needs to be fueled for the big moment.
I’ll go rob a government facility right now.
(So glad the kids are off at the Northwest party tonight.)
27 hours and then I’ll see him again.
 August 9
Ford is back.
I had to run from the feds and the kids found out everything the wrong way but it worked and he’s back.
But he doesn’t  He still hates me.  
Why would I expect anything else.
Don’t know what I’d do with myself if the kids weren’t here.
It’s fine. I fucked up everything, but. Mabel trusts me. Dipper forgives me. I’m fine.
not crying
 August 10 Sunday
The Shack needs repairs again.
Spent most of the day making Duck-tective finale preparations with Mabel. We had fun.
Told the kids to stay away from Ford.
 August 11
Dipper has predictably decided to be nerd friends with my brother.
Can’t stop him. He looks happy. Both of them do.
Still can’t figure out why Ford would have reality altering dice lying around in his sci-fi pouch.
Anyway. I knew Duck-tective had an evil twin.
 August 12
I hate everything.
Ford will take my his place here soon enough, does he have to undercut me while I’m still here?
I’m running for mayor now.
 August 13
Kids are helping me with a political campaign. Apparently I know nothing about politics and have unpalatable opinions. Bah.
 August 14
The Stump Speech went great! I relax, words happen, people cheer.
Dipper got a lucky tie for me. Think it really works.
 August 15
Should’ve tried being a politician before. Almost feels like people like me.
 August 16
Nope. Politics is not for me. Too much mind control.
Should’ve known it wasn’t me making those speeches.
(The kids shouldn’t get into politics either. Can’t always be there to save them from murder.)
Turns out I’m not mayor material, but I’m a HERO.
Take that, Ford.
 August 17
Rented an RV and took Soos and the kids and Mabel’s friends on a road trip.
Pranking the tourist traps. Good old Mystery Shack tradition for the last time.
Dipper’s practising flirting like a pro.
 August 18 Sunday
Almost got eaten by a spider-woman. That could have gone better.
Have to admit, the kids are heroes too.
Don’t think Ford noticed we were gone.
 August 19
Opened the Mystery Shack for the final stretch.
Two more weeks, then I’m gone for good.
 August 20
Made a good deal on illegal pugs. Still got it.
Ford and Dipper put some magic mojo on the Shack. Not gonna ask.
Might have something to do with how badly Ford is sleeping.
 August 21
Ten days left until the kids’s birthday and the end of summer.
Guess I’m doing a countdown now.
 August 22
Nine days left.
 August 23
Eight days left.
I’m gonna order a ponytail kit.
 August 24
HELL NO I DON’T NEED THIS.
It’s the literal end of the world and the kids are missing.
Suddenly orange skies, goats turning into monsters, the whole shebang. I thought I had enough troubles.
That magic on the Shack seems to be protecting it, but. THE KIDS ARE MISSING. So is Ford.
 ??? 1
Day and night are replaced by eternal glowing orange and every single clock is busted, so no more dates.
Went out looking for the kids, but all I find is other people. Also demons. No sign of Soos or Wendy, either.
Been taking people to the Shack. Safest place on Earth for all I know. I have enough brown meat and elected myself Chief.
The kids are fine. Probably with Ford. That’s the ticket.
 ??? 2
Went out looking again. Found the Northwest girl dressed in nothing but a potato sack. She was crying and I don’t want to know, but she didn’t deserve it.
Been told the head honcho is the yellow triangle. He calls this Weirdmageddon.
Old McGucket showed up more coherent than usual, herding a whole flock of forest creatures into the Shack. Starting to get crowded here.
The kids are fine. Of course they are.
 ??? 3
There’s still people alive out there. I heard cars over at Gleeful’s place.
Didn’t see anyone else.
I’ve lost  I couldn’t even
Mabel and Dipper are definitely still alive. So is Soos and Wendy. And Ford better be.
 ??? 4
They’re alive!
All four of my kids, bursting through the door like cops doing a raid but they’re alive!
Now all I want is for them to stay here and be safe. Why can’t they see that?
I’m done saving my brother’s skin and getting nothing but scorn for it.
Ford made his own bed with that demon. Forget it.
 ??? 5
Did I mention, the plan concocted by five kids, Soos, and a known madman is utterly insane?
They’re rebuilding the Shack. I just had it repaired, too.
It’s my house, but no one’s listening to me.
 ??? 6
I keep having this bad feeling about Ford.
It’s dumb. My brother has made it perfectly clear how he feels about being saved.
 ??? 7
Well then.
Not letting the kids lead an apocalypse rebellion against a demonic triangle without me.
 August 25 Sunday
 August 26
 August 27
 August 28
Huh. I can’t remember writing this, but it does ring a few bells.
It’s like I
I need to talk to Ford.
 August 29
So. The apocalypse is over, and we’re all fine.
We killed the demon by burning my mind out when he was inside, pretty much.
My mind’s still there, but it’s kinda. Well. In need of repair.
Spent a few days reliving good memories.
Turns out there’s more than a few bad ones, too. But.
Everyone is so good to me
I don’t deserve this
 August 30
I remember how Ford looked at me after I brought him back.
Now he acts like  he likes to   he thinks I’m
Now it’s like he’s my brother again.
He said. “Thank you.”
 August 31
The kids have left. I’ll miss them, but I’ll see them again.
Until then, my brother and I are going sailing.
110 notes · View notes
thiamfresh · 5 years ago
Note
Okay, this is two parts. Part 1: I wanted to say I LOVE the hermit pack. They’re such fun characters, and it was nice to see Theo comfortable enough to be himself with people other than Liam. That dynamic and the emphasis placed on the need for Theo to have people other than Liam in his life was crucial, and I’m glad you addressed it. I think people don’t consider that enough and end up with unwittingly unhealthy, dependent relationships between characters.
Part 2: That said, how much contact did Theo have with them over the trip? We know they talked. Also, we know Liam had his Goda. And, like, Theo didn’t need a Gay Yoda per se, but Liam in his lovable dumbass glory is super confusing. How much did they talk about Liam? Theo’s feelings?
I’m so glad you liked the Hermit pack. I love them a fairly ridiculous amount and spend far too much time thinking about their little lives in Idaho. Thanks very much for like saying you like Theo’s dynamic with them and stuff. It was honestly a pain in the ass to write because, as much as I knew that Theo needed people outside of Liam writing that into a fanfiction and having those people live thousands of miles away was definitely me shooting myself in the foot.Trying to work out how to have an ending that showed that Theo both needed and deserved a life outside of Liam without having everyone hate me for sending him to Idaho was super fucking hard.
I love that he’s stayed in Beacon Hills to finish off school and kinda face a few of his demons(and maybe even make some friends :O)/help Liam settle into life without having an Alpha right beside him but I’m really excited for when he moves to Idaho and gets to be more of a part of the pack than just the visits he will be doing (Hermit Halloween). having him stay in BH for a while does mean that i’m gonna be able to get some nice Hermit/McCall pack interactions though. Y’all know there’s gonna be an interpack paintball match one day.
I’m going to stop babbling now and go onto your actual question!
Theo had a fair bit of contact with the Hermit pack over the course of the trip. Although he didn’t use any of them as his Goda. Guns and Eric were the main people Theo talked to. There’s definitely a Guns/Eric/Moe/Theo group chat that is 50% memes and 50% Theo complaining about Liam’s snoring/driving/complaining.
The only person who gets any of Theo actually talking about his feelings past the complaints that lets be honest, are really just Theo finding a way to bring the love of his life into the conversation Theo’s used to working through stuff on his own and although he may find it easier with the Hermit pack to be himself asking for advice/admitting how much someone means to him isn’t something he’s used to
The main time it happened was after Liam figured out his own feelings and subsequently told Theo he should go to Idaho when Theo texted Guns about the room more out of petty spite than actually wanting to talk about his problems. Guns got the story of Liam telling Theo he didn’t belong in Beacon Hills and let me tell you, that girl was ready to throw fucking hands. the whole pack wants Theo in Idaho but having Liam tell Theo he should go hooo boyyy, not a good idea when they know how much that would upset Theo even if he won’t really admit it.
Guns tries to convince Theo to dump Liam out of the car while he’s sleeping and ‘come home’ when Theo is hesitant (because he may be heartbroken but he’s still a dumb bitch in love) Guns relents that he should stay and have a good time, maybe fuck a Disney prince.
After that Theo doesn’t bring Liam up again until after they’ve been thrown out of Disney. In fact, the next time he does mention Liam is after Liam’s told Scott about them dating and Theo figures he should let Guns know he
1) didn’t fuck a Disney prince
2) got kicked out of Disney world
3) Pushed his boyfriend off of a cliff
A text that was pretty much “Didn’t fuck a prince but I’m dating the idiot who got me banned from Disney world and pushed me off a cliff” 
He’s shocked to find that Guns expects more of an explanation but gives it to her. After that his texts with Guns get a bit more detailed because, shocker, having friends you can talk to is actually kinda cool, by the time Theo and Liam go back to Idaho Guns is as close to a Goda as Theo’s ever gonna let anyone be. 
But yeah, Theres a fair bit of chatter going on between Theo and the younger Hermits, he doesn’t talk to Sara so much. Sammy will text him to get general updates however because even though he hasn’t officially agreed to join his pack by that point to her he was pack the moment he called them a ‘bullshit hermit pack’ and was too stupid to take it back or even apologise when she called him out on it. 
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sebinvld · 4 years ago
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“dark side, i search for your dark side, but what if i’m alright right here? i cut off my nose just to spite my face, then i hate my reflection for years & years.”
tl;dr:  sebin puts his feelings on paper. featuring:  @taevld​, @vldgeonwoo​, @ryunhovld​, @vldhyunjun​. wc:  1,953.
the simple truth: sebin is an inconvenience.
it isn’t something that very many people have outright told him, but it’s a conclusion that he can easily come to on his own. his impulsive actions and persistent enmity always come back around to hurt not only him, but those closest to him, too; he has a hard time controlling himself, and because of it, everyone suffers. 
and someone who makes others suffer definitely isn’t convenient to have around.
but as self-aware as sebin is, the awareness isn’t enough to silence the monster that makes apologizing so hard — pride. to apologize means to admit that you’ve done something wrong, and to admit that you’ve done wrong means that you’ll have to try to be better. sebin doesn’t want to try. maybe he would’ve wanted to try years ago, but not now. he’s grown into his sardonic persona; it’s comfortable for him, safe.
unfortunately, comfort doesn’t erase guilt, and sebin is just as susceptible to guilt as anyone else is. it’s because he tries to mute the guilt that it stings so intensely; especially late at night, when he’s trying to sleep. it becomes an acid that eats away his insides, making him feel rotten and empty.
it’s the reason why he’s still awake right now: the digital clock on his desk tells him that it’s a little after 4am, and he knows that he shouldn’t be awake. his body knows it, too, because his eyes keep closing in somnolence. but he refuses to give in because for the first time in years, he’s attempting to do something that’s never been easy for him: express his feelings.
he’s been trying for hours now, and all he has to show for it is a trashbin full of crumpled pages, ink stains on the side of his left hand, and one lousy phrase.
                    FOR HYUNJUN.
he had thought that this would be easy. starting out small. the members of danger are far from being the only people he’s ever done wrong, and admittedly, he hasn’t been half as cruel to them as he’s been to some others, so he doesn’t have near as many things to apologize for. but maybe it isn’t even the apologies that are making this so hard. he doesn’t want to leave it at just apologies, he wants to show his gratitude for them, too, and that’s something that might be even harder for him than apologizing.
he isn’t sure why.
if you care about someone, you should let them know before it’s too late, and sebin constantly feels like he’s running out of time. not because of any real time constraints, considering how many years of their lives they’ll be spending together and have already spent together, but because he has a tendency to push his luck, and no one has a bottomless well of patience.
the sun doesn’t have patience either, and sebin knows that if he doesn’t get these letters written soon, the daylight will steal his time and he’ll never get them written at all. so, he puts his pen down to crack his knuckles, picks it back up, and then starts writing again.
                    FOR HYUNJUN.
the most dedicated person i know.
i’m sorry for making fun of your anime collection. i know that part of friendship is making fun of each other, but i always go too far, and i don’t really know why i do that. i don’t really want to hurt your feelings, but it seems like that’s what i aim for, huh? i’m going to try to stop doing that.
i think it’s really cool that you’re so dedicated to it. you must be really passionate about it, and i can’t even imagine what it’s like to be so into something. maybe that’s why i feel obligated to make fun of you for it. because i don’t know what it’s like.
anyway, i’d like it if you could send me a list of animes to watch. i can’t promise that i’ll actually watch them, but i’ll give it a shot. maybe then we can have something to talk about.
i know it’s been years now, but i don’t think i’ve ever apologized for the way that i treated you when we first met and the way that i still am sometimes. i’m sorry.
you’re a very warm person, hyunjun. i respect you a lot, even though it doesn’t always seem like it. i’m glad to spend my youth with someone like you.
one letter written. it’s brief, but it says everything that sebin wants to say—everything he can think of in the moment, at least—and besides, it’s better than the blank page that he’d had before. if he thinks of anything else that he wants to say later on, it’s not like he can’t write another letter.
he opens the left drawer of the desk, grabbing a roll of tape and the kakao friends keychains he’d bought. they aren’t anything special, but he hadn’t wanted to spend a lot of money on a plan that he might not even follow through with. plus, even though they had been cheap, they do all remind sebin of his members, in some way or another.
he folds up the letter and attaches it to the keychain of ryan with a piece of tape, then rips another piece of paper from his notebook and begins the next letter.
                    FOR TAEWOO.
the most patient person i know.
your patience used to irritate me, to be honest. but i’m sure you know that already. but i’ve grown to respect it a lot.
i wasn’t always kind to you, and i’m still not. i’m sorry for all of the times that i’ve lashed out. i’m sorry for all of the times that i’ve made you feel annoying. you aren’t annoying!!! read that, and then read it again. lock it into your brain. i know how terrible it is to feel annoying, and i want you to know that you aren’t.
thank you for being kind to me when i don’t deserve it and thank you for believing in me when i find it hard to believe in myself. you’ve made the past few years so much easier than they would’ve otherwise been. i could never thank you enough for that.
oh, and thank you for making me laugh. they say laughter is the best medicine, so i feel pretty lucky to have you around.
i think you might be the nicest person i know. i admire your kindness and i hope that i can learn from it in time. the idea of debuting doesn’t seem so terrible since it’s with someone like you.
the second letter is finished and for a second, sebin lets himself feel happy about it. but then he glances towards the window and sees the sky changing from black into medium blue — the sun is beginning to rise. he guesses that he could skip his morning run to finish the letters, but he doesn’t want to. sighing, he grabs the keychain of tube and quickly attaches the folded up letter to it.
immediately, he has his pen in his hand again and he’s writing—trying to, at least, but he finds that all of a sudden, it doesn’t want to write. he scribbles harshly in the upper corner of the paper, to no avail. he’s just about to search for another pen when he realizes the cap is on it. that’s the only reason it hasn’t been writing. “fucking idiot,” he mutters passively, removing the cap.
                    FOR RYUNHO.
the funniest person i know.
i just want to say thank you for every single night you’ve ever spent with me. i love our convenience store trips, late night adventures and ridiculous conversations more than you could ever know.
before i met you, i didn’t really know much about friendship. it’s not like i didn’t have friends before, but i never had any that i was particularly close to. i guess the situation that we’re in is what made us so close, and as much as i hate training, i’m glad that it made our paths cross.
i’m really proud of you. you’re one of the coolest people i know (even though you’re a fucking nerd), and i can’t wait to brag about you to anyone who will listen. god knows you won’t brag about yourself, you humble little goblin, you.
i think you and i are on the same wavelength. i’ve always felt far away from other people, but not from you. thank!!! you!!! for being you!!!
my attitude’s kinda terrible sometimes, and i’m sorry for any of the times that you’ve had to witness it (or were a victim of it). i’m going to try to be better.
i’m so excited to debut with you!!!! life is a highway and i’m glad we’re in the same car.
he isn’t sure when it started, but he realizes that he’s crying when one of his tears slips from his cheek and onto the paper. he tries to dab it away, but it smears the last word. “are you fucking kidding me?” he huffs under his breath, scratching the word out completely and rewriting it after the horrible blob of mess. he raises one hand to rub his eyelids in hopes of ending the tears at once, then folds the letter and attaches it to a keychain of muzi.
only one more to go. undoubtedly, it’ll be the most difficult to write.
                    FOR GEONWOO.
the hardest-working person i know.
i know we’ve never gotten along, and although all the blame doesn’t belong to me, i know that a lot of it does. i’ve always been harsh towards you. i’m sorry.
i know that you probably won’t believe it. you might even think that i’m joking. but i know that the way i treat you isn’t fair, and i know that it must be difficult to deal with since you’re trying to chase a dream. you shouldn’t have to share a dream with someone who makes things so difficult.
i think it’s really cool that you worked so hard to get to where you are. you have a lot of dedication, geonwoo, and that dedication will get you so far in life. i know it will.
i want you to know that i don’t really think that you’re a nobody. maybe what i think means nothing to you, but you’re just as good as any of us. i’m not embarrassed to share a stage with you.
i’d like to say that the future will be easier for us, but i can’t promise that. i want to be completely honest in this letter, so all i can say with certainty is that i am sorry.
i’m looking forward to seeing who you become in the future.
just as he writes the last letter, he realizes that the sun is almost completely up. luckily, it’s still early enough that he can go for his run and be back by the time that the others are waking up (maybe a little after), but he’s still shocked that he spent the entire night working on these letters. what a joke.
he attaches geonwoo’s letter to a keychain of apeach, then stands up for the first time in hours. he leaves taewoo’s letter on the desk in their room, then takes the others and slips them carefully under the doors of the other members’ rooms.
he tries not to overthink the decision — before he can, he goes to get ready for his run and leaves, only hoping that the letters will be read before he returns so that he doesn’t have to feel the embarrassment firsthand.
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henrik-von-schneeplestein · 5 years ago
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❝ i’ll make sure nothing bad happens to you. ❞ -schneeplebro, you got me loving this one
Okay, first of all, thank you so much. Second of all, I’m so sorry that this took so long. It reminded me of a story that’s been in the back of my head for a little while now so I just decided to go ahead and do that even though I didn’t 100% know where it was going.
Warning for medical situations and surgery, but nothing graphic. No one’s more squeamish then me so I very intentionally skipped over/bullshitted around that stuff, even if it made the pacing kinda weird lol.
“There’s a patient looking for you.”
“If they just have a question send Laura. I’m on call for emergencies today,” he answered the intern without looking up from his paperwork.
“No, this guy said he was a friend of yours. Name was Chase -”
“Where is he?” Henrik almost knocked the kid over, he was up and across the room so fast. 
“He was in the ER last I-”
Henrik didn’t wait for him, just went right for the stairs. The ER was, as always, chaotic and noisy, but he managed to pull a doctor aside and ask about Chase.
“No Chase Brodys admitted - I have an Alexis Brody.”
“Yeah, that’s his daughter. Where are they?” As the doctor led him back into one of the rooms, Henrik didn’t know what to expect. Anything bad happening to the kids was unimaginable; but at the same time, Chase did have a very real history of hypochondria when it came to them. Henrik couldn’t even begin to count the number of times throughout their friendship he’d answered frantic late night phone calls about fevers or double-checked scraped knees for signs of infection.
He knocked before opening the door. “Chase?”
Chase was sitting next to Lexi, rubbing his face with one hand and looking close to tears. His younger son was sitting in his lap, but when Henrik came in, he stood up, setting Noah back down in the seat, and said, in one breath, “She wasn’t feeling well and she wouldn’t eat and then she said it really hurt in her side and so I brought her here and um, they felt her stomach and then they did an ultrasound and they said it was appendicitis so they want to get her into surgery and I couldn’t even get in touch with Stacy until like twenty minutes ago and she drove out to visit her parents this weekend so she probably won’t be here for hours but they want to take Lexi to Sedation right away.”
He put a hand on Chase’s arm. “Alright. Is all alright, Chase. Hi, by the way.”
“Henrik.”
“Okay, okay.” He walked crouched down beside Lexi. She was awake, but not at all her usual energetic self. “Hi, Lex Luthor.”
“Hi Schneeple.”
“How are we feeling, hm? I bet the other doctors already poked your belly a whole bunch?”
“Yeah - it hurt.”
“Have they given her anything for pain yet?” he asked Chase, looking up at her IV pole.
“Yeah. Just, uh, ten minutes ago, maybe? Like right before you got here.”
“Ok. I’ll be gentle, I promise.” He pressed along her abdomen briefly; after a few whimpers he didn’t see much reason to keep tormenting her. They’d already done the ultrasound. “We should definitely get her into surgery as soon as possible. You might want to call Jackie, see if he can come by to pick Noah up and watch him for a while. I don’t know how long you’ll be here.” Chase just looked at him, eyes wide, like he was waiting for Henrik tell him what to do to make this go away, or what he did to make it happen in the first place. The best he could give was, “It is a very safe procedure. We do it all the time. And I’ll make sure she gets Dr. Fletcher; she’s one of the best surgeons-”
“Wait, you’re not gonna do it?”
“I did not think that would be what you wanted. I am supposed to be doing emergency surgeries today, but if I explain to my boss what the situation is, I’m sure we could get someone else.” Technically, there was nothing against the rules about him doing the surgery; she wasn’t a family member. But he and Chase were close - best friends… even if they weren’t as close as Henrik wanted them to be. And unlikely as it was, if anything went wrong, Chase would never forgive him. Henrik wasn’t, by nature, a dramatic person, but this was Chase’s child. Even if he didn’t hate Henrik forever - and that was a big if - there was no way they could ever be friends again. 
“I don’t know the other doctors.”
“I promise, they are all excellent and more than qualified for such a simple -”
“I don’t care.” He stepped closer to Henrik, grabbing his wrist and looking straight into his eyes. “I only trust you. Please.”
He took a second to answer but he didn’t know why. Maybe just to drink in the sight of Chase looking right at him, in case it was the last time it ever happened. Because he knew, as soon as Chase asked, that he was going to do it. He couldn’t say no to him, and he wasn’t going to leave Chase with someone he wasn’t comfortable with just so he could duck out of the pressure. He was many things, but he wasn’t a coward. If for some reason this was the one in a million case and something terrible happened he was going to lose Chase, but he’d rather be able to look him in the eye and tell him that he had done everything he could than have to live with the guilt of being too scared and stepping aside when he might have been able to do something. He slid his hand into Chase’s, squeezed it, and then walked back to Lexi.
“Did the other doctors explain what we’re gonna do?”
“Surgery?”
He chuckled. He knew she knew what surgery was in a general sense; they’d done pretend operations on her stuffed animals once or twice, and she was normally excited whenever she got to visit him at the hospital. It was a testament to how bad she felt that she hadn’t demanded to use his stethoscope yet. “Yes, surgery. There’s this nasty little bugger inside you called your appendix that’s making your belly hurt, so I’m going to take it out, okay?”
“Is it gonna hurt?”
“We will give you medicine to make you go right to sleep and you won’t feel a thing. It may be a little bit sore when you wake up, but not as bad as it is now. We can give you some more of this pain medicine, and I think just maybe your parents might be convinced to give you some ice cream when you start feeling hungry again. Do we have a deal?”
“Ok. But only because you’re the best doctor and I know you’ll do a good job.”
He smiled and held out a hand for her to shake. Her hand was so tiny; even with all her bravery and sincerity, she was still just a little kid, and he loved her like he loved his own kids. Chase wasn’t the only one he was scared of losing, but that thought was unbearable, so he promised both of them, “I’ll make sure nothing bad happens to you.”
He turned back to Chase. “I will tell them we are ready to go to get moving. They should be here in a few minutes; you might want to try Jackie while you wait. You can tell him - and Stacy, when she gets closer - to go in the main entrance of the hospital. I’m going to have a buddy of mine go and explain what is happening to the person at the information desk, so they’ll know where to send them. In Sedation they will get her ready for surgery - give her some antibiotics, maybe something to calm her down, if you think that would be best. You will probably have some papers to sign. I will meet with my team, we will figure out some details. Usually they’d have me go out and see her beforehand, but I will let them know I’ve already examined her, so I’m not sure if I’ll see you or not. Once she’s in the OR, someone will take you to the waiting room until we’re done. Alright?”
“Okay.” 
Henrik waited a second for him to say more - ‘good luck,’ maybe, or ‘goodbye.’ But he seemed to be scared beyond words, so Henrik gave him what he hoped was an encouraging nod and left to check in with the ER team. 
After that, as promised, he tracked down one of his coworkers and hurriedly asked them to go to the front desk and tell whoever was there that when a Jackie or Stacy came in to send them to the waiting room outside the OR, and even as he was finishing up, he was being paged.
It was like life was happening at double speed, meeting with the rest of his staff about the case, telling them he’d already been called to the ER to examine the patient, scrubbing in. And then it stalled to slow motion as they wheeled her in. Chase was with her - they let parents do that sometimes with pediatric patients, just until they fell asleep. 
It was strange and wrong, to see him here. Chase’s eyes scanned the room and all the surgical staff. He blinked when his eyes met Henrik’s, like he hadn’t recognized him in the full getup of his surgical gown, gloves, and mask until that moment.
“Ready?” the anesthesiologist asked Lexi. 
“Yeah.”
Chase squeezed her hand. “You have good dreams, ok, and I’ll be there when you wake up. I love you.” 
They held the mask over her face and told her to take deep breaths. Henrik watched Chase; he couldn’t touch him - it wasn’t sterile - and there wasn’t much he could say to him either. It may not be technically illegal to operate on someone you happened to know, but given how close they actually were, this was an ethical nightmare, and if any of the other doctors in the room caught wind of it, they wouldn’t hesitate to tell Schneep to get the hell out and send in a more impartial surgeon. He just tried to be gentle when he said, “we’ll take it from here.”
Then Chase left, and in spite of everything, Henrik felt calm. One of the reasons he loved his job was that it was straightforward in its complexity. It wasn’t easy, but it was simple in that there was procedure to it, it was step by step, do this then this, be careful of that, and if something goes wrong, you have a limited number of choices, each with clear, factual benefits and risks. It wasn’t like life, where everything was all tangled up and you could fall in love with your best friend and you had to decide to tell him, or not tell him, or tell him in four months or two years, and there was no way to know what would happen when you did. Henrik was never good at ‘meditating’ or ‘deep breathing;’ his mind was only ever clear when he was standing over a patient, when he had no choice because someone’s life depended on his ability to shut up all the noise that forever rang in the back of his mind and focus on doing each thing perfectly, one step at a time.
And almost in a blur, it was over. Even as they were stitching and bandaging, he almost couldn’t believe it. He’d been holding his breath for the disaster and it never came.
Apparently Chase felt the same; after taking extra care to wash all the blood off his hands, he wanted to be the one to tell Chase they were done. As soon as he walked into the waiting room, Chase sprang out of his seat like he had in the ER earlier. “What happened?” 
“Nothing happened. Everything went perfectly and they’re taking her to Recovery now.”
Chase stared at him for a second then ran across the room, more or less jumping to wrap his arms around Henrik’s neck. Henrik wrapped his around Chase’s waist and held him for a moment, until he realized that Chase was crying - finally, after holding it together as long as he needed to. Schneep patted his back. “Hey, let’s go see her, ok?”
He sniffled but nodded. “Yeah.” He picked up a plastic bag that was sitting beside his chair. “Jackie brought me some stuff from the gift shop on his way to pick up Noah,” he explained. “He took him back to my apartment so he could give him dinner and get him into his pajamas and all that. I didn’t know if we’d be here overnight.”
He held the door open for Chase and lead him down the hallway. “We’ll probably hold her just for observation, yes.” They turned into the room and Henrik pulled back the curtain. “She might not wake up for a few minutes. I convinced them to go on the heavier side of the safe range of dosage for the anesthesia and pain medicine. She will be groggy at first, but she shouldn’t be in much pain. And if they gave her medicine for anxiety beforehand, she probably won’t remember what happened after that; that is normal side effect.”
They sat down in the uncomfortable hospital chairs, Chase never taking his eyes off of Lexi. “They decided they didn’t need to, ‘cause she was ok. She’s so brave, I don’t know where she gets that.”
“From you.”
“Please. I’m a mess. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you didn’t work here, dude. I can’t handle this kind of shit by myself.”
“It seemed pretty handled when I got there. She was already where she needed to be.”
Chase shrugged, ducking his face. He reached into the plastic bag and pulled out a bottle of water - which, Henrik was glad to see, it looked like he’d already been drinking -  and took a sip. “Do you want something?” He pulled the bag all the way open in his lap. Henrik could see three more bottles of water, two of those refrigerated bottles of iced coffee, a little get well soon teddy bear, a phone charger, a few granola bars, and some chocolate. Leave it to Jackie.
“I mean, I didn’t want to say anything, but usually when you come visit me at work you bring me some lunch or something.”
Chase laughed, and the sound almost made the whole exhausting day worth it. “I apologize for my rudeness.” He held one of the coffees out to him. “I know you don’t usually like iced, but hey, it’s caffeine.”
“No thank you. I’m sure one of them is for Stacy. Have you heard from her, by the way?”
“Oh, yeah. She should be here any minute.” He bit his lip. “She’s gonna be mad.”
“Why on Earth would she be mad? What could you have done?”
“I don’t think she’ll really be mad at me, but she’ll be frustrated. And scared. As shitty as this day is, I don’t even want to think about one of the kids being in the hospital and me not being able to get to them. I just think we’re both too emotional right now, and things between us are still… a little tough. I don’t know how this is gonna go down.” 
He never knew how Chase did that, could see the humanity in the worst of situations, and he never knew what to say when he did it either. He just looked at him until Chase said, “Lexi’s ok. That’s all that matters.”
It was all that mattered. After all the unexpected stress of the day, Henrik started to relax a little, just sitting with Chase. He spent a few minutes going over some of the basics of what they’d do for pain medicine, how to take care of the wound. At some point, Alexis stirred.
“Hey, sweetie. How do you feel?”
“When’s the surgery?” she asked, her eyes still closed.
“The surgery’s over. You did it.”
“I did it?”
“You did! You did a great job. Do you want some water?”
“Mmm-mm. Not thirsty, just sleepy.”
“Don’t you at least want to see what Uncle Jackie got you?”
But she’d already fallen back to sleep.
“Should I wake her up again?”
“You don’t need to unless you want to try. She’s getting fluids; she won’t dehydrate.”
Chase settled back into his chair. 
“At some point, we’ll get her moved to a proper room for the night. But I make no promises about when. Trust me, now that this is no longer an emergency, you’ll see how slow a hospital can be.”
“If that’s the worst I have to deal with, I think I’ll live.”
“That’s -”
And then the door opened, and there was Stacy, looking completely frantic. “Where-”
Chase got up to get her attention. “It’s alright, Stace. She’s right here, she’s ok. Everything’s good now. She woke up a little for a minute, she was out of it but-”
He was cut off by Stacy pulling him into a hug. “Thank God you were there, Chase. She told me her stomach felt weird before I dropped her off to you last night and I thought she was just being dramatic because she - she wanted to take every stuffed animal she owned, I swear, and I told her there was no room and she had to pick just a few and I don’t know why I didn’t listen to her or why I didn’t let her take the damn toys I just -”
Whatever Chase had been expecting, it clearly wasn’t this, but he managed to get her to sit down, offer her some water. “That was probably nothing. It started getting bad this afternoon - believe me, you would’ve noticed. You would’ve done the same thing.”
Henrik was suddenly very uncomfortable; he backed off to a corner of the room, not sure what he was meant to do or say, just watching them talk between themselves. After a few minutes, Chase came over to where he was standing.
“Hey - you heading out soon?”
His shift had long since ended, but it felt so strange to just walk away from the situation. “I can stay. I don’t have the boys tonight.”
“No, you should go. You must be tired. Go home and get some rest; we’ll be good here.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I texted Jackie, he said he can handle Noah for the night. Stacy and I are gonna stay with Lex.”
“Okay. You know where everything is - the cafeteria, the vending machines, all that?” Chase nodded. “And my office, too? I will leave the door unlocked for the night, in case you need anything or you decide you need to be… in separate rooms for a while.”
“It actually seems kinda fine. I don’t think it’ll be a problem.”
“Well, just in case. And there should be a sweater in there if you get cold, some snacks maybe. Just look in the desk drawers.”
“Got it. Now go get some sleep, for real.”
He said it kindly, but it still felt like he was being sent away. He knew it was childish and stupid, but after everything, it was hard to let go. To accept that no matter how much they went through, Chase and Lexi weren’t his family. To leave them behind.
By this time, the hallways were a little quieter. He’d just pressed the button for the elevator when he heard Chase’s voice yell, “hey wait!”
He turned, and Chase was jogging toward him. “I forgot to tell you something!”
“What is it?”
Once again, Chase wrapped his arms around him, pressing his head against Henrik’s chest for a brief second before getting on his tiptoes to whisper in his ear.
“Thank you.”
And maybe it didn’t change anything, but the elevator opened behind them and then closed again, and they were still holding on to each other.
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kusunogatari · 4 years ago
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[ ObiRyū October | Day Fourteen | Do It Yourself ] [ @abyssaldespair ] [ Uchiha Obito, Suigin Ryū ] [ Verse: Like Magic ]
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Another evening...another round of assignments to do.
Given her need for additional research material, Ryū is - rather than in the Hufflepuff common room - spending her evening in the library. Several other students are scattered about, quills scratching against parchment in the quiet as the librarian lurks nearby, ensuring no one makes too much noise or gets too rowdy.
And so far, it’s been just that: peaceful, with only the fluttering of pages and frustrated sighs of students interrupting the silence.
That is, until someone new arrives.
“Oh, Ryū!”
Everyone in the library seems to perk up, including the one called. Blinking, she flushes a light pink as Obito enters the hall, waving and grinning. “Shh, you’re going to get us in trouble!” she lightly chastises, but not without a smile.
“Sorry, sorry...I see you and I just sort of...forget.”
The accidental compliment earns a soft snort. “Here to work on homework?”
“Yeah...I’ve got some Arithmancy to do.”
“Oh…”
“What?”
“I don’t have that class.”
“You don’t?”
“No…?”
Obito blinks, and then frowns. “...huh. I didn’t realize until now. So, uh...you can’t really help me then, huh?”
“I’m afraid not...you’ll just have to do it yourself, hm?”
His lips purse in a pout. “Ah, drat…”
In turn, she gives him a look of sympathy. “I’m sorry...but I’d be pretty much useless looking at it. Um...got anything else I can help you with while you’re here?” She glances around, seeing the librarian eyeing them shrewdly. She’s talking quietly, but…
“Uh, lemme see…” He digs around in his bag. “I’ve got that Care of Magical Creatures essay on nifflers…”
“Ah, I did that yesterday, so I can lend a hand!”
“Okay! Uh...Potions report for what we brewed today, but you weren’t there...hm…”
In the meantime, Ryū watches with growing amusement as Obito pulls a seemingly endless supply of things from his bag...including a pumpkin pastry. Did he put an extension charm on this thing, or what?
“I think that’s it, actually.” Straightening, he looks at his little mountain of things, and Ryū immediately starts giggling.
“Miss Suigin,” the librarian offers as a warning, watching eagle-eyed as the girl tries to stifle her noise.
“...I think I need to clean out my bag,” Obito then offers, grinning sheepishly.
“I think you do,” Ryū agrees, still suppressing the urge to laugh again. “How do you keep track of anything…?”
“Lots of digging. Kinda like a niffler.”
Now, however, isn’t the time for tidying, and they move instead to the one piece of homework they can actually do together: the niffler essay.
Ryū, already familiar, gets up and goes to fetch the book she’d used the day before to complete the piece. Walking along a row of books, she scans them, a hand raised to hold the tomes’ spines and keep her place.
“Find it?”
Almost jumping out of her skin, Ryū spins around, finding Obito behind her, grinning. “Don’t do that…!” she hisses, lightly swatting him. “I thought you were going to start with the textbook?”
“I thought I’d come help.” At her confused frown, his grin only grows. “And...by help, I mean have a moment alone.”
“Alone? We’re in the library!” she counters, glancing down the aisle. “This is the last place you can get away with being cheeky, Obito!” Between how quiet it is (and thus easy to be overheard), and the ever-present vigil of the librarian, there’s little being sneaky here without it ending poorly.
“What, just for a moment?”
“No!”
“But -?”
“I don’t know about you, but I do not want to get in trouble. She’s a raptor, she is! I’d like to be able to come back here again without her being angry!”
Realizing he’s not going to make any headway, Obito actually scowls a bit. “Fine, fine...what book are we looking for?”
“It’s called “Nifty Nifflers” - it goes more into their history than the textbook does. More information to help fill the parchment count.”
Not responding, Obito just...starts looking alongside her, finding it on a high shelf before the pair of them return to their table.
Finishing up her Charms assignment, Ryū gives Obito a glance. He’s actually rather focused, looking between the book and his parchment.
...she can tell he’s still a bit peeved.
But she has to draw a line at him trying to be frisky in here. She relies too much on the library to risk upsetting the lady who runs it! There will always be time for random bouts of snogging later, in other places. She hates telling him no, but…
“...Ryū?”
“Heh?” Her train of thought broken, Ryū looks back up.
“Can you read what I’ve got so far?”
“Oh, uh...sure.” As he turns the parchment, she starts looking it over.
“...are you mad?”
“...huh?”
Obito glances aside. “...did I make you mad?”
“...no? Did...did I?”
“...no.”
“...are you sure?”
After a pause, he sighs. “...sorry. I don’t, er...think sometimes. You’re right. It was dumb. I just get excited when we get to do stuff together. It kinda...gets to my head.”
In spite of herself, Ryū’s cheeks dust pink. “Well, I...I can understand that.” She then gives a sheepish smile. “I’m sorry if I snapped at you.”
“Nah, I was being pushy. You gotta be firm with me sometimes, heh.”
“...true…” After a pause, she offers, “Hey, um...the trip to Hogsmeade is in a few days. You want to go and do something then? To...make up for it?”
That earns a blink. “...really?”
“Well, we’ll have to be decently caught up on work, so we don’t fall behind. But...yeah! We’ll go do something fun. Just...the two of us, okay? No Rin or Kakashi this time around.” Her expression turns more demure. “I know it’s not easy juggling...everything. And trying to find time alone with how crowded things are…”
Having brightened at the prospect, Obito chuckles. “Yeah...we’re running out of broom closets, aren’t we? And...they’re not the most romantic.”
“No, but they do in a pinch,” she replies with a smile. “So...it’s a date, then! Just be sure not to leave too much on your plate before we go, okay? I don’t want you falling behind.”
“Yeah, sure! Though uh...I might have to get some more help before then.”
“Sure! So long as it’s not Arithmancy,” she teases with a giggle.
They pass the rest of their work in quiet, occasionally checking in with each other. Obito finishes his essay and Potions report, and Ryū manages to get her Charms work done. And with that, they leave the library, Ryū giving the librarian an apologetic smile on the way out.
“So, all caught up for the night, then?” Obito asks as they approach the Great Hall for dinner.
“I think so! Why?”
“Just in case we cross paths after dinner,” he replies, giving a cheeky smile.
Ryū lightly rolls her eyes. “Well, you won’t delay anything other than me getting to bed at a decent hour, I suppose.”
“Perfect!”
“Go eat!” she insists, lightly shoving him toward the Slytherin table as she in turn makes her way to sit with her fellow Puffs. Dinner, as always, is perfect, and she’s soon pleasantly full and starting to get sleepy.
But her evening is not over yet.
Looking around the hall, she doesn’t see Obito. Ah...maybe she took too long and he went off to the dorm early? Not that she can blame him - it’s getting late, and they were working pretty hard. But then again, he seemed rather...riled up. Packing up her bag, she starts on her way to the Hufflepuff dorm, glancing around for him just in -
A hand finds her arm, pulling her aside and forcing her heart up into her throat. But she manages not to say a word, having a feeling she knows who and what this is.
And as suspected, Obito soon grins at her from the newly-closed broom closet.
“Just can’t let it go tonight, can you?” she teases with a sigh.
“Ah, ‘fraid not,” is his reply, hands finding a grip on her waist. “Can you blame me, though? You’re kinda hard to resist.”
Once again, she goes pink. “You are so ridiculous…”
“Am I wrong?”
“Can’t really agree without sounding like a narcissist, now can I?” she counters with a laugh as his nose tickles along the underside of her jaw, his bulky form having to lean down quite a ways. “...you know if you get any taller, you’re not going to be able to fit in here with me anymore.”
“That would be a terrible day indeed.” But that doesn’t thwart him at all, still paying rather special attention to her neck.
It’s her self-proclaimed weak spot, after all.
Not having a retort, Ryū instead gives a hum, head tilting to give Obito more space. As always, she’s mindful of how much noise she makes. It wouldn’t exactly be pleasant to get walked in on by someone curious about strange sounds in a broom closet.
But he sure does make that difficult.
Only once he’s teased her a bit does he sneak back around and kiss her properly, her arms coming up to encircle around his neck. While she’s not short by any means, he still makes her feel that way between his height and his bulk. A big scary Slytherin, indeed.
And yet she can never be afraid of him. Rather, being anywhere near him makes her feel a special kind of safe. Knowing that, given he is capable of knocking a few heads around, he’d do so to protect her in a heartbeat.
The thought brings some warmth to her chest, and she smiles against his lips.
“Wuzzat for?” he murmurs between kisses.
“Nothing. Just happy.”
His expression softens slightly. “...good.”
Looking at him fondly, Ryū then offers, “So...think that can tide you over for a while?”
“I think so. But I’ll be looking forward to Hogsmeade.”
“Mm, me too. A nice change of pace.”
Obito then peeks out, waiting for the way to clear before they both scurry out of the closet and back toward their dorms. Needless to say, they both fall asleep later with smiles on their faces.
The rest of the week, of course, crawls by at a snail’s pace. With something to look forward to, the waiting is all the more agonizing. But then the weekend finally arrives, and students are cleared to head out from the school to the little village not far beyond it.
By now, the pair of them are pretty familiar with it, multiple visits under their belts. But the trips into the town are almost always done in a group with the rest of their circle: namely Kakashi and Rin. So managing to head out with it being just the pair of them is a treat, indeed.
“So, where to first?” Ryū asks as they meander into Hogsmeade. There’s no snow yet, but the Autumn air is still chilly. “Should we go to Honeydukes and get some candy? Or would you rather warm up with some butterbeer first? Maybe get something to eat?”
“Really doesn’t matter to me,” Obito replies with a shrug. Ryū, to keep pace with him, has her arm hooked through the crook of his own. “We could just wander around and I’d be happy.”
That earns a warm smile. “Well, we should do something. It’s not every day we get to be here! We can always go for walks on the school grounds. Right?”
“Hm...I guess so. In that case…” He looks around, once again familiarizing himself with their surroundings. “Let’s do lunch first, then sweets!”
“Okay!”
As always, The Three Broomsticks is crowded, and it takes a little while to find a place to sit. But they’re lucky and snag a corner table, snuggled up together as they wait for their food. Butterbeer soon warms their bellies.
“I think this might be my favorite place in Hogsmeade,” Ryū eventually observes.
“Yeah?”
“Mhm. Honeydukes is great, but...I love the atmosphere here. It’s so cozy!”
“Can’t argue with you there.” To accentuate his point, Obito lets an arm slink around her waist to tug her closer. A smirk grows as she blushes.
“Someone’s going to see!”
“Aw, c’mon. Everyone knows by now. And it’s not like we’re snogging.”
“Well, no...but -?”
He turns to give the crown of her head a quick peck, laughing at her squeak of surprise. “It’s fine! You need to relax, Ryū.”
Lips purse in a pout. “It’s embarrassing…”
“Why? Don’t like being seen with me?”
“No! That’s not -!”
“Cuz I like being seen with you. I like everyone to know just how lucky I am.”
Ryū blinks, looking a bit surprised.
“...otherwise, screw what anyone else thinks. Right?”
Her gaze falls in thought for a moment. “...right.”
They eat a bit quickly, wanting to have more time to wander around. After all, the selection at Honeydukes is enough to take half a day on its own. But they wander through (with a whole score of other Hogwarts students), picking out the goodies they want and figuring out their budget.
“Ah, I should put these back…”
“I’ll get them for you!”
“Ryū, it’s fine -”
“You want them, so you should have them,” she chirps in defiance, cutting off his refusal. “Papa always gives me too much spending money anyway. I might as well use it on you.”
Deadpanning slightly at her sweet-disguised stubbornness, Obito realizes this isn’t an argument he has any chance at winning. “All right, all right…”
The rest of the afternoon is spent wandering as Obito suggested, watching both the townsfolk and students mill about.
“Well...I’d say that was a pretty successful day, wouldn’t you?”
Obito hums. “...yeah.”
“What?”
“Nothing. Just thinking.”
Her head tilts curiously. “...about?”
“Stuff.”
That earns a snort. “Not in the mood to share?”
“Mm...maybe later.”
Knowing better than to push him, Ryū just leans her head against their shoulder as they start meandering back toward the school. The day is growing old, and it seems they’ve had their fill of the village this time around. By the time they arrive, supper is about to be served, so they linger in the Great Hall to wait.
“Hey guys!”
Turning, they spot Rin. “Hey! You just get back too?”
“Mhm. Did you guys go?”
“Yeah!”
“Huh...we never saw you,” she muses, head tilting as Kakashi steps up beside her.
“We took our time,” Ryū explains with a smile. “It was a bit of a date.”
“Ohhh...so you were avoiding us!” Rin grins cheekily as Ryū backpedals.
“Maybe a bit,” Obito supplies with a matching upturn of his lips.
“Sneaky sneaky!”
As Ryū makes to speak again, the meal is served, and Kakashi and Rin take their leave to the tables.
“Well, it seems they got their own date too.”
She glances to Obito. “...yeah, guess so. Maybe we’ll go as a group next time around.”
“That’d be fun. I...really enjoyed today.”
After a blink, Ryū gives a warm smile. “...me too.”
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     This is...a little short .w. I had a stressful day and honestly was just not feeling the prompt, so...idk how good this khfdjh - I just wanted to get it done. Been a while since I struggled that bad OTL      But yeah, just some HP verse fluff cuz...I like it. Not much to do with the prompt but...blegh lol      Anywho, I’ma go sleep and hope tomorrow isn’t a wreck, ahaha. Thanks for reading~
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