#of course their relationship does the same

[alexseanchai]

this makes one bit of the Heaven Official's Blessing animated canon much funnier

three of the four people in the scene are disguised and all four of them are pretending to take the others at face value, and the fourth keeps trying to get them to stop fighting over who's protecting him from whom

two of them are therefore having a tag-team polite-off against the third, who hasn't given his name (fake or otherwise), so at one point the Chinese audio has one of the two address the third as "didi", and this English fansub provides the literal translation "little brother"

but Netflix afaict only does localized translations, and Standard American English "brother" (with or without "little") is pretty much reserved for immediate family members

(later in the season, someone else entirely does use "brothers" to and about the other soldiers in his unit, and idk what the Chinese line is, but the English word choice serves to help indicate a certain level of comradery and camaraderie those soldiers have, which, as long as two of these four are certain the third poses a deadly threat that the fourth isn't taking seriously...)

so, to convey the sense of speaking to a stranger while using the same level of polite (in)formality that the third is using to address the fourth, guess what word the English audio chooses

(the central relationship of canon and the juggernaut ship of the fandom is, of course, third/fourth)

The corollary to "you shouldn't call historical people gay because it's a modern term" is "the word friend didn't always mean what you think it means".

[harmoonix]

𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥🤎

Astro-blog observations

Song for this specific time:

Sun/Saturn/Moon harsh aspects usually indicate hardships related to your parents, and even your relationships with them!

Pluto/Saturn/Neptune in the 5th or 7th house hardly get over the people they loved/had a relationship in the past. Basically, they have a hard time getting over it/breakups

Something that I observed within Saturn or Lilith in the 6th house is that they HATE to do others people work and no dirty work..for nobody!

Chiron in the 1st or 6th house can indicate wounds with the body but can also tell about some insecurity with it

Chiron in the 12th house natives get drained mentally/subconsciously on a daily basis

Planets in the 12th house tend to live in others' shadows (Unless Sun is there), but for example, Venus in the 12th house, they can live in the shadow of their partners

Saturn in the 5th house can indicate having kids later in life (of course, if you want them), but this also works if you have your 5th house in an earth sign

Moon in the 8th house/Moon in Scorpio has a hard time trusting other people (can happen because they were betrayed in the past)

Moon/Jupiter in the 9th house natives like to leave a part of their heart/soul everywhere they go/plan to travel.

Mercury - Mars aspects are not the best when they're in a fight. These aspects can get aggressive verbally

Aries and Libra placements have something very good in common, and that is they hate when people lie to them/in their face instead of speaking the truth

If there was a jail for mercury signs, probably Sagittarius/Scorpio/Aries and Capricorn Mercuries could've gone to jail for speaking too much or too dirty

Life feels so weird nowadays i can't even relate to tarot readings anymore...does someone feel the same? Tarot is becoming unreliable?...

2nd house placements together with 10th house placements can become materialistic overtime..for different reasons of course, but more if Sun or Venus are involved

Neptune and Pluto in the 5th and 7th house can easily get influenced or manipulated by people. And this can mean partners too

Uranus in the 6th house/8th/11th houses are interesting in things that others find weird, they can be interested in eerie, mysterious, outerspace, alien-like things

6th house in water signs can easily empathize with animals, works a lot on the emotional bounding and closure

Taurus and Aries Mars cannot handle being patient. Is something they weren't made to do. They move too fast with their lives

Pisces Venus can have a lot of obsessions and addictions towards different things and they have a hard time to let it down, like smoking, or alcohol and so on

Do you guys with Pluto - Venus aspects get obsessed with your lovers? I can relate. But if i am not on their mind 24/7..is it really worth the obsession?

Pisces Degrees on your Sun/Rising 12° 24° can give you a dreamy/spiritual inpersonality,behavior, etc. The native is in alignment with the universe

Aquarius or Sagittarius Sun/Moon/Rising (big 3) can give the native a more rebellious nature, at the same time their vibe is so chill

Virgo and Cancer placements don't like it when people don't agree with them. These placements tend to be quite critical

Take care 🤎🤎🤎

Harmoonix 🤎

[https-bobreynolds]

seeing you die

pairing: robert ‘bob’ reynolds x reader, platonic! thunderbolts x reader

summary: their reaction to you dying after a mission, right in front of them (and a brief summary on your relationship with each one of them.)

warning: mentions of death, curse words

author’s note: based on my bob fanfics, save her and misunderstanding, hope you guys like this one! this one is slightly different with my regular fics- and i’m sorry that i haven’t been updating much, univ’s kicking my ass rn

robert ‘bob’ reynolds

part one

part two

james ‘bucky’ barnes

“is everyone okay??”

on the outside, bucky looked the calmest out of the six- on the inside however, he was silently crumbling.

you were a familiar face to bucky, course’ the two of you were part of the old avengers, fought in the same wars, so seeing you always gave him some sort of comfort, like an old friend

you weren’t really close at the beginning though, as you both were on the opposing teams (you were on team iron man, he was on team cap), first time you met the guy he greeted you with a punch to the stomach

you only started being friends with him during the aftermaths of endgame, when you both shared the same grief, bonded through that said grief, and comforted each other right through it

ever since that, you were always there for him, and vice versa

after the thunderbolts* were formed, you might not always be chatting or be around him 24/7, but the two of you always understood each other, even without words

so seeing you dead, on the floor, gave him pangs of flashbacks and made him stop right on his tracks

‘we were supposed to grief together, not me grieving over you- no, not this soon, damn it.’

at that moment, bucky wanted let all his emotions out, but he knew that the others still needed someone to lead at that moment- he had to push through the pain of seeing his dead friend.

so you could imagine, when he saw you open your eyes, he let out a very deep sigh of relief

at around 2am the next day, he came over and peeked his head inside your bedroom (not in a creepy sense, more like how a dad does to his children), to make sure you were alive and well… thankfully, you were breathing accordingly and cuddling bob in the process

during breakfast, you notice that he was staring at you a bit longer and softer than he usually does

“nothing, i’m just glad you’re okay, kid. you scared the hell outta me”

yelena belova

she was about to make a one-liner about the explosion- halfway through, she saw you on the floor, and completely forgot about the line

defeat. defeat is all yelena felt at that moment.

“n-no… this… this wasn’t supposed to happen”

hypothetically, if you weren’t a witch, if you were instead, a russian assassin trained in the red room, and “adopted” by alexei and melina, you’d definitely be the middle child that was forced to take up the responsibilities and fill up the empty space of the older sister

but you never made it feel forced, no, you genuinely like taking care of yelena, that’s why yelena likes you a lot, and thinks of you as her sister

you are the one person she trusts fully with her heart, because natasha did too, all those years ago

so when she saw you, she felt the agonizing pain all over again, having to relive the memories and seeing her sister die, this time right in front of her eyes

she would walk up to you slowly, trying to convince herself that this was all just a dream

when she comes close enough to see your chest almost lying still, body all bloody and bruised up, and ava’s shaky hands, she’d drop on her knees

she’d tear up, then silently cry because her throat simply makes it impossible for her to produce any sounds

she’d hold your hands, wanting to let you know that she was there for you in your last moments…

“tell her i said hi… won’t you..?” barely came out as a whisper

and when sentry basically revived you, she hugged you like there’s no tomorrow, she might even throw you a few affectionate punches as well

“don’t ever… fucking do that shit again, you hear me?”

will get so protective of you after this incident

john walker

“bob, why the fuck would you do that?!? at least give us a war-“ and it was lemar all over again.

your relationship with walker is… well… you disliked him the moment he was chosen as the ‘new captain america’, thought it was a disgrace to your friend’s legacy, not to mention how much of an asshole he is. it should’ve been sam, you thought

but then the accident with the void in new york happened, and you started to understand that man better, felt a bit of sympathy, and since then your dynamics changed

both of you had mutual respect, thought the other was strong in their respective specialties

you are definitely one of his favorite people to spar with, because your fighting style is unique, or at least that’s what he says

you fight like a widow (courtesy to natasha’s training) but somewhat even more graceful. since you use your magic more often, you usually only ever use hand-to-hand combat for defensive purposes, which is perfectly sparring fit for walker who’s offensive most of the time, just like water and fire

you learn to keep up with his antics, never finding offense in his words, just rolling your eyes back at him, and only ever giving him remarks which he finds amusing, back. and he appreciates you for that

he sees you as one of the only ones who doesn’t treat him like he’s a complete failure asshole

which, he is, most of the time, but that’s exactly why he’s on his knees, kneeling beside you, trying to cover up the deeper wounds, as if that’ll do anything in this situation

“shit, come on y/n- don’t you dare close on your eyes on us.”

when sentry arrived, his clenched on his fists and jaw hard, wanting to punch the shit out of him- out of bob

“maybe if you came over sooner instead of punching those guys, she’d still be breathing right now”

he’d still be pissed at bob, even after sentry revived you, thinking that this all wouldn’t have happened if he had just think for a second

he’d also definitely request more spars with you the following weeks, made up an excuse saying that he needs to be stronger, when in reality he wanted you to be stronger, so that shit like this doesn’t ever happen again

ava starr

we all know that ava is secretly the biggest softie among the members, and who honestly could blame her? she didn’t have anyone to consider as friends growing up

you and yelena were the first ones she actually considered to be her close friends, her besties, if you will.

she’s always the one initiating plans, at least once a week, and you and yelena both find it cute that she has a clear soft spot, but ava will never admit to that

so trust when she saw you on the floor, she phased through the thin air like nothing, she was the first one to arrive by your side

“y-y/n… come on, speak to me-“

she held onto you, her whole body trembling, she was trying so hard not to lose control of her powers and emotions

she cried the moment she tried to fix your hair, thought it’ll bring comfort to the two of you

when the void bob was on his rampage, she’d keep on trying to call out his name, get his attention, but it came out too soft, though she never noticed that, she was too focused on you

“bob, you have got to save her-“

ava gave you the biggest hug when you got revived, like you might actually die again if she lets go

after this entire incident, she proposed the wonderful idea of having a girl’s night every several nights, gives you guys more time to bond and appreciate each other, the simple things, and life

she just wanted to know what it’s like to be a girl’s girl, having sleepovers, falling asleep watching movies, doing skincare routines together, but she’d never admit to that, hence the excuse above

and on every mission after this one, she’d definitely keep a closer eye on you and yelena to make sure you’re both safe

alexei shostakov

he acts like your dad, what more can i say?

you’ve always just… laughed at his dad jokes when no one else does, keep up with his shenanigans even though he often embarrasses you in public

whenever he’s feeling upset, you’d always be there to comfort him by telling him stories about natasha. he was mostly absent in her life, so getting to know glimpses of her life does give him comfort, especially when he knows better now that she actually managed to live a decent life

“she did that?? HAHAHAHAHA that’s my daughter afterall!!”

he was so touched when you did charity work under natasha’s name, when you cleaned her grave, and how good of a friend you are to both his daughters

so with that being said, he’d have to take a step back when he saw your body

and similarly to yelena, he was trying to convince himself that this was a dream, a nightmare

“no… i’ve already lost one, i can’t lose you too”

the moment he snapped out of it, he’d yell out all his frustrations, punching the walls in the process

when he saw you open your eyes, he felt like he might actually faint, he felt weak and that’s a lot coming from someone who was powered up by a serum

the next morning, when you headed to the kitchen for breakfast, you found a wheaties cereal box laying on top of the kitchen counter

“YOU WILL NEED THIS TO STRENGTHEN UP!!” written in red, making it feel more like a threat

you didn’t even have to ask who’s the culprit behind this

[astraldelights]

Little blurbs for Bob today!

Warnings!! for: Toxic relationship dynamics, mentions of self destructive behaviours, mentions of self harming, mention of addiction and drugs

To me….

✷Sentry craves worship. Nay… he demands it. He wants to see you grovel at his feet as he hovers above, looking down at your eyes wide in amazement of his power. Of course, being his lover would elevate you slightly above the rest but you are never above. That's what he is for. To be better, to be more powerful than the heros and humans that came before him.

You try to humiliate him and bring him down to your level? He won't appreciate that. He's not afraid to use a little force to remind you of your place, but he would never hurt you intentionally. That's just the price of having that much power.

As you kneel beside his feet he brings a hand to your cheek gently, holding back his immense strength in an effort not to hurt you. His thumb swipes your cheek affectionately while he looks down, watching you burrow your face into his hand.

“How does it feel to worship a god?”

The Void craves destruction. Destruction of self or others. He wants to see the world burn the same way it burned him. He is pure anger manifested. He is the devil in your ear whispering all kinds of bad thoughts, enabling all kinds of self-destructive behaviour.

When he slips out, he can be quite sadistic... He certainly enjoys replaying your more painful and sensitive memories until you beg him to stop. And even then, sometimes he isn't satisfied until you start crying on the floor, begging for release. Like a parasite, he never leaves your side, and seems to feed off your agony. Slowly but surely, you'll lose yourself completely in his darkness as he lures you in.

Piercing white eyes stare down towards your cowering body, you needed to alert the tower. His shadowy body stalked closer as you neared the door. He watched silently at your pitiful attempt to escape but moved at lighting speed when your hand reached for the knob, appearing right behind and trapping you against the door.

“You thought you could run from me? What a joke.”

☆Bob craves to worship. His sense of self is completely fractured. With so many bouts of highs and lows, most of them turn out to be complete blurs at the end of his episodes. The only thing that seemed to anchor him was you. You were the only good thing that happened to him. In his mind he didn't matter, only you did. You knew it was unhealthy, it was bad. But how could you reject his cries? His whines that pierced your heart with guilt? All you had to do was to let him worship you, to lose himself in you until he didn't know left from right. He knows it's selfish but he never stops himself.

He constantly apologies after ✷Sentry or The Void comes out. Blaming himself for all the pain he had caused you, begging to do anything to make it up to you. He knows that you were too good for him, that you would have been safer if you weren't with him. But when he thinks about you leaving, every one of his cells scream out paralyzing him, preventing him from even acting on the idea itself.

Dropping to his knees, he wiggles his way in-between your legs and looks up to you wide-eyed while teary. His rough hands slowly separate your legs as he nuzzles his cheek against your thighs. You had caught him hitting himself and this was his apology. He had promised you that he would stop but couldn't hold back from reverting to old habits. He would worship you to apologize until he fainted if you had asked.

"I'm s-sorry, really sorry. I didn't mean to break our promise, I swear! I'll do whatever you want me to do, p-please don't leave m-me."

To every version of him, you are the one drug he just can't quit.

-

A/N: Should I do nsfw versions of them? bob/sentry kinda makes me think of a maneskin song hmmm

[maewphoria]

⠀

⌗⠀양정원⠀⠀CAT⠀DISTRIBUTION⠀SYSTEM⠀꒰⠀PT.4⠀꒱

⠀

SYNOPSIS⠀.⠀.⠀.⠀starting college in a new city, you’re settling into your apartment and trying to make it feel like home. on your first day, a fluffy calico cat appears on your neighbor's balcony, jumping towards yours as if to greet you, stealing your heart instantly. but when a voice calls out for the cat from the next balcony, panic sets in—you rush back inside, too shy to meet your new neighbor. that neighbor turns out to be yang jungwon, a fellow student in the same university who’s also new in town. thanks to his mischievous and adventurous cat, the two of you keep running into each other in the most unexpected ways. a friendship blossoms, slowly turning into something deeper—though jungwon keeps insisting it’s nothing more than friendship. as feelings grow stronger, the question remains: will their bond turn into something more—or remain just a college memory?

pairing⠀.⠀.⠀.⠀college student!yang jungwon x college student!f.reader. featuring⠀.⠀.⠀.⠀all enhypen members, le sserafim yunjin, kazuha, and chaewon, aespa winter and karina (soon). word count⠀.⠀.⠀.⠀13.562k genre⠀.⠀.⠀.⠀sfw, fluff, angst if you squint, kinda slow burn, college life, university life, slice of life, comedy (although i don't find myself funny), friendships, relationships, and the cat distribution system. (it has chosen you and gave you two lovely cats.) warnings⠀.⠀.⠀.⠀drinking alcohol, parties, getting drunk (obviously), misunderstandings, jealousy, denial (jungwon is in denial), cowardice behaviour (jungwon is also a coward), lots of flirting and tension, cat keeps breaking into your apartment, kissing, skinship, reader (aka us) is very delusional and does a lot of overthinking, a bit cringe (i think it's cringe bcs i wrote it), and might contain suggestive content in the later parts that are yet to be posted. lowercase letters intended. very proofread. tell me if i'm missing anything. mæw's notes⠀.⠀.⠀.⠀hi guys! pt.4 is finally out! please enjoy! i kinda had a hard time writing pt.4 because i don’t really know what it’s like to study at a university abroad. i had to do some research on schools like harvard and ucla, and i found out they have over 100 buildings—like wtf? so i ended up creating my own university from scratch, added courses, building names, and all that. i just hope it’s somewhat close to how it is in real life. likes, reblogs, and comments are highly appreciated.

library⠀.⠀.⠀.⠀part one. part two. part three.

#⠀OO5⠀:⠀WRONG TURNS AND REGRETS.

it had been three weeks since the welcoming party for the architecture students—an event you had somehow, miraculously, survived despite being a business ad major who had absolutely no business being there in the first place. yet the mystery gnawed at you still: how, exactly, had you gotten home that night?

for days, you pestered your friends for answers, clinging onto the hope that someone, anyone, might remember. but their confusion only mirrored your own. none of them knew how they had returned either.

they had all woken up already sprawled in their own dormitory as if placed there by invisible hands.

yunjin and kazuha were tangled together in a half-conscious cuddle on the living room carpet, while chaewon had managed to claim the entirety of the sofa for herself, mouth slightly agape, a small snore escaping every few breaths.

their recollections aligned eerily with yours—except for the part where you woke up tucked neatly in your own room.

your cropped crochet open-knit bolero was gone from your shoulders, folded neatly atop your bedside table. left behind was just your black spaghetti strap crop top, the hem riding a little too high up your stomach because of how deep your sleep was, and your shoes and socks resting side by side on the floor.

the scene was unsettlingly familiar, like déjà vu reaching out and tapping you on the shoulder. it reminded you of that night, just two nights before, when jungwon had helped your drunken self wobble back home with both patience and grace.

perhaps, maybe, it was jungwon once again.

except—you hadn't properly spoken to him since that afternoon when he had helped you carry and move your furniture into your new apartment.

he hadn’t even messaged, save for that polite "you're welcome" he sent, replying to your thank you message the morning before the party, a message so brief yet so final it almost stung. you didn’t even know if he had attended the party.

you and your friends obsessed over the mystery for a few more days, exchanging theories that grew more ridiculous with each retelling, until eventually the puzzle pieces were abandoned, scattered into the corners of your minds. life simply moved on.

your days resumed their steady, predictable rhythm.

yami would occasionally grace your apartment with her presence, weaving between your legs and purring like she owned the place.

you also dedicated yourself to preparing for the impending start of classes, assembling supplies and adjusting to the small, adult routines of calling your parents, updating them on your well-being and pretending everything was under perfect control.

you often found yourself heading down to the lobby to collect yet another delivery or two—nothing screamed adulthood like ordering a random cat mug at 2am. you ran errands with your friends, laughing over the ridiculous list of essentials you somehow convinced yourselves were necessary for survival.

yet despite all the activity, one thing remained absent: jungwon.

not a glimpse. not even a fleeting shadow at the end of the corridor. despite living on the same floor, breathing the same recycled air of the building, he remained conspicuously missing.

you told yourself it was simply bad timing. maybe he was busy, after all, school was only a week away, and the looming pressure was starting to make even the calmest of students a little erratic.

yunjin, in particular, had turned into a delightful hurricane of stress, insisting she didn't have enough materials even as her arms overflowed with sketchbooks, pencils, and highlighters of every conceivable color.

you, chaewon, and kazuha simply watched her spin through the aisles of the school and art supplies store, your expressions a perfect blend of concern and secondhand embarrassment.

"she must be excited," the three of you thought in unison, exchanging knowing glances as yunjin bolted toward yet another aisle like a woman possessed, clutching a sixth sketchpad to her chest.

the last week of the month slipped through your fingers like water, and before you could truly brace yourself, it was already the morning of your first day, orientation and tour day.

now you stood frozen in front of your closet, eyes darting from hanger to hanger, as if the right outfit might magically materialize if you stared long enough.

nerves twisted in your stomach.

you were nervous—nervous that you might get lost on campus despite yunjin thoughtfully printing out campus maps for all of you, highlighting routes and buildings like a seasoned tour guide.

nervous that you might embarrass yourself, trip over nothing, mispronounce a professor’s name, or somehow make such a terrible first impression that your professors would loathe you on sight (spoiler: they wouldn’t).

but above all else, you were nervous because, even though your friends were attending the same university, they were scattered across different programs and faculties. for the first time in one month, you were truly on your own.

after what felt like an eternity of agonizing, you finally chose your outfit—something comfortable yet respectable—and swiftly packed your tote bag with every essential you could think of: a notebook, a pen, your wallet, a mini hand sanitizer, a spare charger, tissues, your mini make up bag, and a quiet hope that you wouldn’t cry in public.

you quickly ran a brush through your hair, trying to tame the chaos, then hurried out of your apartment, juggling the strap of your bag over your shoulder as you half-sprinted toward the elevators.

as you rounded the corner, a familiar figure came into view—jungwon.

your heart skipped a beat, a flash of relief blooming in your chest. instinctively, you called out to him, voice light with the kind of casual friendliness you reserved for someone you were hoping to bump into.

he looked up, his eyes locking onto yours—and for a split second, something unreadable flickered across his face.

but then, just as you reached out your hand as if to tell him to stop the elevator doors from closing. despite seeing you, jungwon did the unthinkable.

he let the elevator doors close.

right. in. front. of. you.

you stood there, blinking at the now shut metallic doors, your hand still slightly raised in midair, feeling like you had just been personally victimized by the universe.

“what the fuck was that about?” you muttered under your breath, pressing the elevator button with a bit more force than necessary, your mind racing through every possible explanation, none of which made any sense.

meanwhile, inside the descending elevator, jungwon was a whirlwind of self-inflicted misery.

he leaned his forehead against the cool metal wall, lightly banging it once, twice, before dragging his hand through his hair in pure frustration.

“fuck,” he hissed to no one in particular.

he could still see it—the exact expression you had given him through the narrowing gap of the doors. you had looked so... betrayed. and annoyed.

so wonderfully, vividly pretty despite the negative emotions plastered on your face.

this was the first time he had ever seen you wear that expression, and somehow, it managed to stab him right in the chest despite only knowing you for a month.

he wished he could rewind time, shove his foot between the doors and do anything but what he had just done. but deep down, he knew that even if he had stopped the doors, the air between you would have been thick with something worse than awkwardness.

because the truth was, jungwon had been avoiding you. deliberately.

and the worst part? you didn’t even know why.

technically, you had done something. but you were so devastatingly drunk that night, you couldn’t possibly remember it—and jungwon wasn’t planning on telling you, not now, not ever.

not if he could help it.

he let out a heavy sigh, a sound full of regret, and stepped out of the elevator, shoulders slightly hunched as if he could physically shrink away from the guilt clinging to him. he barely made it out of the apartment building when a voice cut sharply through the air, halting him in his tracks.

“jungwon!”

he gasped audibly, body stiffening like a startled cat. he knew that voice—knew it down to the very marrow of his bones.

he didn’t want to turn around. every instinct screamed at him to keep walking, to pretend he hadn’t heard. but guilt is a heavy thing, and it anchored his feet to the ground.

reluctantly, jungwon turned.

and instantly wished he hadn’t.

there you were, standing not far from him, brows knitted together in pure exasperation, confusion swirling in your eyes, and—worst of all—a tiny glint of hurt buried beneath it all.

he felt the ground tilt beneath him.

“h-hey, y/n…” he stammered, voice pitching higher than he intended, forcing an awkward chuckle out in a weak attempt to appear casual.

you raised a single, unimpressed eyebrow, the kind of expression that could slice a man’s ego clean in half. then, with deliberate steps, you closed the distance between you.

jungwon froze again, practically forgetting how to breathe as you stopped right in front of him, arms folding across your chest in a perfect display of judgment.

“earlier. at the elevator,” you said, your tone flat, leaving no room for misunderstanding. “what the hell was that about?”

your bluntness struck him like a slap, and he scrambled internally for an answer that would save him. his eyes darted everywhere—from the pavement to a passing bird to an invisible point in the sky—anywhere but your face.

for a brief moment, his brain offered him nothing but static. then, like a merciful flick of fate, an idea sparked.

“i—i misjudged!” he blurted out, straightening up a little, trying to sound convincing. “i thought you weren’t going to make it to the elevator in time!”

he mentally patted himself on the back for that one, almost proud of the quick recovery.

but you weren’t buying it.

you narrowed your eyes at him, your frown deepening. “i could’ve made it. easily. if you hadn’t just stood there like a damn npc and let the doors close.”

jungwon winced, the truth of your words hitting harder than he cared to admit.

“oh… right,” he muttered, suddenly finding the cracks on the sidewalk incredibly interesting. he shuffled his feet, searching desperately for an escape hatch, but it was obvious—he was trapped. there would be no running from this confrontation.

so, he went for the simplest, oldest trick in the book: sincerity (and his looks).

“i’m sorry, y/n,” he said, lifting his head to meet your gaze with the most devastatingly apologetic look he could summon. his big, round eyes practically screamed forgiveness, the corners of his lips tugging down in a perfect portrait of remorse.

and it worked. he saw it—the moment your defenses cracked, a twitch of a smile betraying you.

jungwon seized his opportunity like a man who had been offered a pardon.

“then—goodbye, y/n! see you around!” he chirped brightly, spinning on his heel and sprinting away like a guilty cartoon character.

you blinked, stunned into silence, watching his retreating figure with growing disbelief. it took your brain several long, painful seconds to reboot, short-circuiting somewhere between ‘he looks so cute!’ and ‘wait, did he just run away?’

“hey! wait, we’re going in the same direction!” you called out, but it was too late. jungwon was already halfway down the street, pretending not to hear you.

you stood there, blinking dumbly after him, utterly bewildered by what had just transpired.

you exhaled through your nose, trying to calm your nerves, and pulled out your phone with a resigned sigh. you booked yourself an uber—because clearly, walking in the same direction as jungwon was not on today's agenda.

as if sensing your gaze still somewhere near him, jungwon abruptly veered off to another street, almost comically dramatic with the way he ducked his head and hurried his steps, clearly trying to escape your line of sight.

pathetic. dramatic. suspiciously fast. definitely guilty.

meanwhile, in his small spiral of panic, jungwon fumbled with his phone, his thumbs moving in a frenzy as he typed out a message to riki.

jungwon: where r u. pick me up. now.

but before he could even finish cursing under his breath, riki’s familiar car came to a stop right in front of him, its timing almost poetic.

the passenger-side window rolled down with a mechanical hum, revealing sunoo, who stared at him with an expression that perfectly blended confusion and secondhand embarrassment.

“yo, you look like you just got chased by a ghost,” sunoo said flatly, squinting at jungwon’s slightly sweaty forehead and thoroughly ruffled hair. “or, like, karma.”

jungwon rolled his eyes with a dramatic groan, not even trying to explain himself as he yanked open the back door.

“long story,” he muttered, flopping into the seat like a man who had just survived a war—an emotional war, perhaps, but a war nonetheless.

riki, in the driver's seat and already smirking, glanced at him through the rearview mirror. “good. we’ve got time,” he quipped, clearly eager for some tea.

jungwon waved a hand weakly in the air, “just drive,” he muttered. “we’ll be late.”

riki turned to sunoo with a knowing look. sunoo shrugged, as if to say ‘don’t look at me’, and riki shrugged right back. without further protest, he shifted gears and pulled out of the street, the car humming softly as they began the drive to campus.

jungwon leaned his head back against the seat, shutting his eyes. he could still see your face—your expression when you caught him ditching you at the elevator, the betrayal in your eyes, the sheer ‘what the hell’ radiating off you like heat.

and worse, he could still hear the echo of your voice: “we’re going in the same direction!”

tragically… you were right.

you, on the other hand, had already slipped into the back seat of your uber, the cool leather offering a small comfort as the city passed by in a blur. the ride was quiet—your driver occasionally humming along to the radio while you stared out the window, half-lost in your thoughts. within minutes, the car pulled up to your destination.

there it was. your university. grand horizon university. standing tall and proud, like an academic kingdom with gates flung wide open, welcoming—and slightly overwhelming—its new citizens.

students swarmed the entrance like ants on a sugar cube. some were poring over crumpled maps with puzzled brows, others paced in small circles while mumbling to themselves. a few brave souls had resorted to asking complete strangers where to go, and many had approached the campus security guards like weary travelers begging for directions to the nearest oasis.

you reached into your tote, pulled out your phone, and snapped a quick photo of the chaos—a little memento of your first day. the picture captured the mix of excitement and confusion around you, and you sent it to your group chat with a quick message:

you: i’ve arrived. front gate. help before i disappear into the crowd.

you were just about to scroll idly when you felt a sudden presence behind you—followed by familiar squeals and arms flinging around your shoulders.

“boo!” yunjin’s voice rang in your ear, immediately followed by kazuha and chaewon joining in on the ambush, their smiles wide, their energy contagious.

you spun around, pretending to scowl but unable to stop the grin tugging at your lips. you hugged them all back, your nerves easing just a little with the comfort of familiar faces.

“you could’ve warned me,” you muttered with faux irritation, brushing your hair back.

“where’s the fun in that?” kazuha smirked.

together, the four of you started walking toward the main entrance towards the main building in the middle of the university, your chatter bouncing lightly between you, an easy mix of nervous laughter and unfiltered panic.

“okay but like... are we ready?” chaewon asked, adjusting her strap bag anxiously.

“mentally? no. emotionally? also no. physically? barely.” yunjin replied, flailing her arms dramatically. ��but spiritually? absolutely not.”

you all laughed, and for a moment, the tension melted. but as soon as the university doors opened, the noise hit you like a wave.

inside was just as chaotic—if not worse—than outside. students were huddled around bulletin boards, craning their necks and squinting as they tried to decipher lists of names, classroom codes, building numbers and names, and professor names that sounded made-up.

you weaved through the crowd with your friends and finally found your schedules, each of you staring on your copies of the campus map.

and then came the collective groan.

“ugh! why does this university have to look like a whole freaking village?” yunjin cried, clutching her map like it had betrayed her.

“tell me about it,” kazuha added, staring at her map like it might rearrange the buildings if she blinked hard enough. “i swear, i’m about to rent an electric scooter. or a horse.”

“why,” you said slowly, squinting at the map, “does this university have two hundred and thirty buildings?”

they both turned to pat your shoulders in silent solidarity, as if sharing the same academic tragedy. you sighed dramatically, already feeling the weight of your future footsteps.

you all then looked at chaewon, silently praying she had it just as bad.

she glanced at her schedule and gave a sheepish shrug. “mine’s kinda near... but also not? like, it’s not far-far but it’s not close either.”

you, yunjin, and kazuha groaned in unison before rolling your eyes and playfully turning your backs on her, walking away as if she had betrayed the sisterhood.

“rude!” chaewon called after you three with a laugh, instantly chasing after you with quick steps, and soon enough, you were all walking again, side by side, navigating the labyrinth together.

“good thing we only have orientations and campus tours today. if we had actual classes right now, we’d probably be buried under a pile of wrong turns and regrets,” you said, half-laughing as you glanced down at your phone.

you tapped a quick message to your parents—‘i made it to school safely’—along with a photo of the university gate for good measure. your mom had already sent three heart emojis and a good luck gif. classic.

with that done, you turned your attention back to the ever-confusing campus map that you folded and tucked between your fingers, just behind your phone earlier.

“okay, so right now we’re at aurora hall,” you began, squinting at the tiny lines and icons. “and i need to get to the south part of campus.”

your words caught everyone’s attention. three heads immediately leaned over your shoulder, eyes narrowing like detectives over a case file.

“wait—you’re going to the south campus too?” yunjin asked, pointing at the lower quadrant of your map. “what building?”

you tilted your map toward her while pointing at the building. “the vanguard business hall. apparently that’s the main building for business admin majors.”

as soon as the words left your mouth, the excitement erupted.

“no way, i’m headed there too!” yunjin gasped, then quickly clarified. “well, not there—i’ve got architecture at arcadia studios, but it’s in the same area.”

“me too,” kazuha chimed in, flashing a grin. “grand horizon performing arts center. sounds dramatic. fitting, right?”

chaewon raised her hand like she was in class. “silver screen studios for film and tv. also south campus.”

and just like that, a burst of collective relief washed over the group. you all let out a synchronized squeal, followed by a group hug that was slightly chaotic and entirely uncoordinated. still, it felt good—like the universe had decided to bless you today.

at least for the trip to south campus, you wouldn't be alone.

“okay, transportation,” chaewon said, already back in planner mode. “should we rent e-bikes or ride the shuttle buses?”

you all looked down at the map again, tracing little lines between buildings, searching for the nearest shuttle stops and rental stations.

“e-bikes sound cute in theory,” yunjin mused, “but we’d probably end up somewhere in a forbidden faculty zone and get expelled before day two.”

“true,” you said, nodding. “let’s not risk accidental trespassing just yet.”

the group collectively agreed: shuttle bus it was.soon enough, you were all sprinting through the university corridors like you were in a slice-of-life anime opening sequence. wind in your hair, laughter echoing behind you, dodging slow walkers like pros, and somehow managing to arrive at the shuttle bus station just in time.

the vehicle hissed to a halt as students boarded one by one, and the four of you squeezed into the middle row, still catching your breath and trying to act like you weren’t about to melt from the sprint.

as the bus rolled forward, it passed through winding lanes, landscaped gardens, and sleek buildings that shimmered beneath the sun. the driver, with a calm voice and an obvious love for punctuality, announced each stop clearly through the overhead speaker:

“silver screen studios.”

“grand horizon performing arts center.”

“arcadia studios.”

one by one, your friends got off. chaewon first, waving enthusiastically. then kazuha, who gave a little spin before hopping off, dramatically clutching her schedule like a script. yunjin followed next, shooting you a thumbs up as if to say ‘you’ve got this’.

and finally, it was your turn.you stood, your tote slung over your shoulder, and stepped off with the others headed toward the vanguard business hall—a part of the sprawling college of business and management complex.

as your shoes hit the pavement, you took a deep breath. this was it. your first real step into university life.

then, you looked up at the towering structure before you, your breath hitching slightly in awe.

the vanguard business hall stood like a monument to ambition—ten stories high, cloaked in sleek panels of silver and glass that shimmered beneath the morning light. its clean lines and polished finish gave it the kind of sharp sophistication that whispered, ‘only the bold survive here’. it was the kind of building that didn’t just exist—it announced itself.

for a moment, you stood at the base of it, tilting your head all the way back just to take it in, as if you were trying to absorb some of its power through sheer admiration. you could almost hear it taunting you, daring you to prove you belonged here.

you exhaled softly and squared your shoulders, adjusting the strap of your bag as if it might suddenly make you feel more grown-up, more prepared.

then you quietly muttered under your breath, a little pep talk to yourself, “okay... good luck, me.”

and with that final whisper of hope and bravado, you stepped forward and pushed open the glass doors—walking into the future with all the courage, curiosity, and slightly faked confidence you could muster.

just a few minutes earlier, jungwon and his friends had found themselves in a strikingly similar situation as you and your group—equally disoriented, equally overwhelmed, and just as hilariously unprepared for the sheer sprawl of campus life.

the five of them had huddled around a map, each trying to decipher the labyrinth of buildings, shuttles, and cryptic acronyms like they were decoding ancient hieroglyphs. eventually, the group had to split, though not without groaning dramatically about the injustice of parting ways on their very first day.

jake and sunghoon, after much squinting and turning the map sideways for no apparent reason, had discovered they both needed to head north.

jake was assigned to the science complex—ominously named the helix research center—while sunghoon had to make his way to the monolithic fusion engineering complex, which honestly sounded more like a boss level in a video game than a school building.

meanwhile, jungwon, riki, and sunoo were bound for the south campus. jungwon had orientation at the arcadia studios—the heart of the architecture department. riki was heading to the grand horizon performing arts center, while sunoo was off to the silver screen studios, home to film and tv production students (and future dramatic monologues, no doubt).

the farewell was brief but not without flair. sunghoon and jake darted off to their own shuttle station with mock salutes and promises not to get lost or abducted by rogue professors. the remaining three made their way to the same shuttle bus station you and your friends had used earlier.

though fate had kept your paths from crossing that morning, something about the moment had tugged at jungwon—a peculiar sense of déjà vu, or maybe just the faintest echo of your voice from that first conversation you ever had. it hovered somewhere in the back of his mind, stubbornly refusing to take shape.

the shuttle ride was short, efficient, and surprisingly smooth and now, jungwon stood before the arcadia studios.

he didn’t enter right away.

instead, he lingered at the edge of the building’s shadow, tilting his head back to fully absorb the sight before him. the arcadia studios were a brutalist marvel—raw, unapologetic concrete rising like a fortress. but the roughness was softened by its tiers of lush greenery, terraces overflowing with vibrant plants that draped down the façade like ivy at an ancient castle. it was both cold and alive, severe yet poetic.

in his eyes, it wasn’t just a building.

it was a declaration. a promise that creativity didn’t have to be polished to be profound. and for jungwon, a budding architect with dreams too big for his own good, it was love at first sight.

he smiled softly to himself, the earlier tension melting away just a little. then, with one last breath of courage, he stepped through the wide doors and disappeared inside.

once everyone had disappeared into their respective buildings, the real whirlwind began.

orientations were in full swing. professors, sharp-dressed and bright-eyed (well, most of them), made their introductions—some warm and charismatic, others slightly robotic, as if they’d already rehearsed their welcome speeches one too many times over the years.

after a short talk, students were nudged into groups of ten for the ever-dreaded yet unavoidable “get-to-know-you” icebreakers.

each person took turns standing up, voice wavering or booming with overconfidence, depending on their personality. they shared their names, the courses they’d chosen, and why they had enrolled at grand horizon university.

the stories were a mix of heartfelt dreams, practical decisions, and the occasional joke that drew scattered chuckles. one guy said he only came here because the food in the cafeteria was ranked top ten in a blog he trusted religiously. no one knew if he was serious. he probably was.

some students spoke with ease, others visibly battled secondhand embarrassment for their peers, and a few simply tried to survive the social gauntlet without spontaneously combusting. it was a chaos of charm and awkwardness.

once the introductions settled down, the next phase began: the grand tour.

sleek shuttle buses lined up like in front of the buildings, waiting to tour the new students around the southern half of the campus. professors climbed aboard alongside their groups, and designated student guides took to the front, bright smiles plastered on as they reached for the intercoms.

the tour was fairly straightforward—an overview of each building as they passed, the guide pointing out massive lecture halls, pristine laboratories, sunlit studios, and confusingly named complexes.

each announcement was followed by students craning their necks to look out windows, snapping quick photos or scribbling down building names as if they'd remember which was which by tomorrow. they wouldn’t. no one ever does.

on your side of things, the tour had turned unexpectedly delightful. two students sitting near you had sparked up a conversation, and before you knew it, laughter flowed easily among you. you talked about your majors, your expectations, the panic of navigating an unfamiliar campus, and which professors looked like they've already prepared our downfall for fun.

your nerves slowly melted away into genuine enjoyment. there was something comforting about realizing everyone else was just as lost and excited as you were.

meanwhile, on another shuttle just a few buildings away, jungwon sat stiffly in his seat, listening to the tour guide’s voice drift through the bus. he nodded now and then, more out of politeness than curiosity, but his thoughts were elsewhere—spiraling.

something was gnawing at the edges of his mind. he couldn't shake that strange pull, the feeling that he'd forgotten something important. something—or someone.

then, as if fate had impeccable comedic timing, he turned his head toward the window.

and there you were.

riding a shuttle labeled ‘college of business and management complex’. chatting animatedly with the people beside you, smiling in that way that made things feel lighter.

his eyes widened as it hit him all at once.

bsba hrm. that’s what you said when you first met. that's your major. and now, here you were, in the south campus—his campus. so much for thinking he could spend the day dodging any accidental reunions. the universe had other plans.

“oh, i am so screwed,” he muttered under his breath, dragging out his map and promptly holding it up like a newspaper in a spy movie, trying to block his face from view even though you were clearly far too engrossed in your conversation to notice him. still, he wasn’t taking any chances.

he slumped deeper into his seat, sighing into his collar. maybe if he wished hard enough, he’d turn invisible. or teleport. either option sounded appealing.

once the orientation and tours wrapped up, you were quick to text your friends, fingers flying across the keyboard as you asked if they were finished and where they wanted to meet.

the replies came fast—chaewon, kazuha, and yunjin had wrapped up too, and without much debate, you all agreed on a place: the design & arts café tucked near the college of architecture, design, and planning.

it was quaint, cozy, and boasted drinks with pretentious names like “aesthetic matcha fog” and “monochrome americano.” you loved it.

coincidentally—though destiny might argue otherwise—jungwon, riki, and sunoo had just finished their own orientations and had exactly the same idea.

“design & arts café?” sunoo asked, scrolling through his phone.

“sounds good,” jungwon mumbled distractedly, still recovering from the earlier heart attack.

and so, completely unaware of each other’s plans, both groups set off toward the same charming café… one for coffee and comfort, and the other, unknowingly, toward a collision course with chaos—or maybe just an awkward reunion.

the four of you arrived at the café first, fortunate enough to beat the incoming tide of students that soon began trickling in, like drops before a storm. the design & arts café, with its warm amber lighting and soft hum of lo-fi music, was already halfway to overflowing.

its charm lay in the deliberate mess of creativity—sketches and prints hung on the walls, mismatched chairs that somehow worked together, and menus handwritten in chalk that made even the simplest drinks sound like a masterpiece.

yunjin and chaewon, ever the designated errand duo, volunteered to place everyone's orders, slipping away toward the counter with practiced ease. meanwhile, you and kazuha remained at the table, guarding everybody’s bags and phones, nestled in the quiet lull before the café reached peak chaos.

“good thing we got here earlier,” kazuha remarked, eyes drifting toward the growing line that now curved around the entrance.

you nodded, grateful for the lucky timing. while waiting, you and kazuha exchanged stories about your respective orientations and campus tours, comparing professors, the energy of your groupmates, and the many moments of near-miscommunication that left everyone either giggling or sweating.

just as you were imitating the overly dramatic voice of your tour guide, yunjin and chaewon returned, trays in hand and cheeks flushed from the heat and noise of the café.

“they said the food might take ten to fifteen minutes,” yunjin announced as she plopped down beside kazuha, setting the drinks on the table with theatrical flair.

chaewon took the spot next to you, carefully distributing napkins, straws, and drinks before handing the empty tray to a passing waiter. “thank you!” the four of you chimed in chorus.

“what were you guys chatting about?” chaewon asked, leaning slightly closer, curiosity evident in her eyes.

“just our orientations and the tour,” you replied, already sipping from your drink, the coldness cutting through the lingering warmth in the air.

“were they fun?” yunjin raised a brow, stirring her iced latte lazily.

you all nodded enthusiastically, breaking into a rapid-fire exchange of stories—mock reenactments, dramatic gasps, and exaggerated impressions of professors who clearly didn’t know how to use microphones.

laughter filled your little corner of the café, wrapping around you like a comforter. and then kazuha suddenly paused mid-laugh, eyes lighting up as if a forgotten memory had just barged its way back into her consciousness.

“oh right!” she said, waving her hand to corral everyone's attention. “something happened earlier.”

you looked up from your cheeseburger croissant, mid-bite. “what happened?”

kazuha leaned in a little, her tone dropping as if she were about to share a scandalous secret. “this guy came up to me and said he knew me—like, knew us. he asked what happened after the welcome party, when he helped us three back to our dorm.”

chaewon’s eyes widened in recognition. she gasped, slapped a hand over her mouth, then quickly chewed and swallowed whatever she'd been munching on before blurting out, “wait! the exact same thing happened to me!”

the table fell quiet in suspense as chaewon leaned in. “a cute guy—super polite—walked up and asked the same thing!”

“cute?” yunjin perked up, clearly invested now. “did they say their names?”

kazuha squinted in thought. “he said his name was… riki? or maybe kiki? something like that. honestly, i’m bad with names.”

chaewon giggled, nodding in solidarity. “mine said something like… sunoo? or soonoo? i think? he had great skin though.”

you blinked. “you guys are hopeless.”

kazuha, unfazed, twirled her fork through her carbonara. “i asked him how he even knew about us and he just smiled and said, ‘a friend of ours is a friend of yours.’ like—hello? what does that even mean?”

“that sounds like the start of a treasure hunt,” yunjin muttered, eyes narrowed. “or a mafia movie.”

you all laughed, tossing out theories as if you were detectives in a teen mystery drama. maybe they were undercover students. maybe it was a dare. maybe one of them was a secret admirer pulling the strings behind the scenes.

what none of you realized, however, was that not far from your table, just past the display case of pastries and behind a pair of oblivious art majors discussing something color related, stood jungwon, sunoo, and riki—utterly unaware of the conversation unfolding about them.

while riki and sunoo bickered over the menu—sunoo insisting on the blueberry muse tea, while riki claimed it sounded like a shampoo—jungwon stood a little apart, tuning out the noise of their playful quarrel.

the café was now a full-blown frenzy, packed with chattering students, baristas calling out names over the whirr of machines, and the occasional chair scrape that made everyone flinch for no reason at all.

jungwon sighed softly, the way someone does when they’ve just realized they're the only sane one in the group. he turned around, neck craning slightly as he scanned the room in search of an empty table. a small miracle: tucked near the corner, almost hidden, was a table clearly meant for four—but with one chair missing. three chairs. three of them. perfect.

just as he opened his mouth to share the discovery with the others, his words caught in his throat.

at the edge of his vision—soft, golden, unmistakably familiar—was you.

you were sitting with your friends, smile wide, laughter lighting up your features in a way that made the café’s dim lighting seem brighter for a second. jungwon froze. the kind of stillness that only happens when something—or someone—unexpected reappears.

he hadn’t even realized he'd stopped moving until a light tap on his shoulder brought him back to earth.

“jungwon, you okay?” sunoo asked, eyebrows raised in concern before following jungwon’s line of sight. and then, he smiled. “oh, is that chaewon? i think that’s chaewon.”

sunoo tried waving a little in her direction, although chaewon didn’t notice—too absorbed in peeling the lid off her drink. jungwon blinked rapidly and looked away, but not before sunoo had seen enough to realize this wasn’t about chaewon, it was about the girl sitting beside her.

“what are you two doing?” riki called out from the front, motioning to them to move up in the line. “we’re holding people up.”

“we saw someone we know,” sunoo explained as he fell in beside riki. “chaewon’s here, in the café. she’s in my major too.”

“oh yeah,” riki said, recognition dawning. “i think i met one of her friends too—kazuha, i think? she’s also in performing arts.”

they shuffled forward in line, but jungwon lingered behind, staring at the floor like it had just whispered his deepest secret aloud.

“guys,” jungwon said, voice low, “can we… maybe go to a different café?”

sunoo and riki turned to him, nearly in unison. “huh? why?”

“i mean,” he started, a little too quickly, “i just thought maybe we could eat near the north campus instead? maybe link up with sunghoon and jake? it might be less crowded too.”

riki and sunoo exchanged a look—half confusion, half telepathic best friend conversation. they could see it: the slight panic in jungwon’s eyes, the nervous clench of his jaw. something was up.

but they didn’t press.

“sure, man,” riki said with a shrug, stepping out of the line as if they hadn’t just spent fifteen minutes arguing over drinks.

sunoo smiled gently, falling in behind him. “that’s a great idea, actually. i’ll text sunghoon—see where they’re eating.”

jungwon exhaled, the relief immediate and visible in his shoulders. he trailed after them, grateful, fingers twitching with the anxious energy he hadn't managed to shake off since seeing you.

as they exited the café, the soft ding of the doorbell signaling their departure, jungwon allowed himself one last glance over his shoulder.

you were still there, surrounded by laughter, unaware of the ripple you’d sent through him.

he looked away and sighed, the sound quiet but heavy, and walked out into the sunlit afternoon, where his friends were already waiting.

as soon as they received the location from sunghoon and jake, the three made their way to the stem fuel stop, a modern, industrial-style café nestled just outside the college of science and mathematics complex.

the walls were covered in chalkboard doodles and formulas no one actually read, while the smell of roasted coffee beans and sizzling fries hung comfortably in the air.

they walked in, instantly greeted by jake’s enthusiastic wave from across the room. he was already seated at a corner table, mid-bite, with a tray of fries between him and sunghoon, who looked up from his phone looking like he just aged five academic years.

“there you guys are,” jake grinned, mouth half-full, before popping another fry into his mouth.

sunghoon gave them a small nod, setting his phone down slowly, eyes shifting to jungwon, who hadn’t said a word since entering.

they took their seats—sunoo on one end, riki beside him, and jungwon in the middle, visibly tense. sunoo and riki exchanged a glance before both quietly turned their attention to jungwon, brows slightly raised.

“so… what gives?” jake asked, licking salt off his fingers. “thought you were all eating at the design & arts café?”

“we were supposed to,” riki replied casually, reaching for a fry. “but it was already packed when we got there, and jungwon suggested we head here instead.”

his voice was nonchalant, but the way he tilted his head toward jungwon didn’t go unnoticed. jake and sunghoon caught it immediately, their gazes now fixed on the boy in question.

“okay,” sunoo began, arms crossed, leaning in a little. “jungwon. spill.”

jungwon let out a sigh so deep, it seemed to come from the soles of his feet. he closed his eyes briefly, then opened them to meet four sets of expectant eyes. and so, with the weight of an overly dramatic confession pressing on his chest, he told them everything.

he began with that night—the aftermath of the architecture welcoming party. how he’d offered to take you back to your apartment, just trying to be polite and helpful. everything was fine... until it wasn’t.

“i swear, she just stopped in the kitchen,” he muttered, rubbing his face. “and then she cupped my cheeks. my actual face.”

riki choked on a sip of soda. “no way—”

“yes way,” jungwon groaned. “and before i could even process what was happening, she just—started kissing me. on the face. like how she kissed my cat. repeatedly. with affection. so much affection.”

sunghoon blinked. “you got yami’d.”

“i got ambushed,” jungwon clarified, looking pained. “i didn’t even have time to run.”

his friends looked equally horrified and amused, already piecing the chaos together.

he went on to explain that ever since that night, he'd tried to maintain distance—create space. but you always showed up. in places he least expected. like some kind of charming poltergeist with perfect comedic timing.

then came this morning’s catastrophe.

“remember earlier,” he added, shifting uncomfortably, “when you caught me hiding behind a wall just a street away from my apartment building looking like i saw a ghost?”

sunoo nodded slowly. “we thought you were being dramatic.”

“yeah, well, the ghost was her.”

the table burst into quiet laughter, and jungwon rolled his eyes before continuing.

“i just stepped into the elevator,” jungwon said, leaning forward with an exasperated whisper, “and then she just—turned the corner. like it was a horror movie. i panicked. froze. and let the elevator doors close right in front of her.”

the entire table groaned in unison, hands flying up as if trying to physically catch the level of secondhand embarrassment in the air.

“oh my god, you didn’t,” sunoo winced, clutching his chest.

“i did,” jungwon sighed, defeated. “and of course, she was already behind me before i could go outside the building. called my name. asked me what just happened. i panicked again and said—” he paused, covering his face. “the most ridiculous excuse ever.”

“what did you say?” jake asked, eyes wide.

“i said ‘i misjudged! i thought you weren’t going to make it to the elevator in time!’” he said and groaned.

they all stared at him before groaning, basically saying ‘what the hell man?’

“i know!” jungwon snapped. “and she called me out immediately. saying, ‘i could’ve made it. easily. if you hadn’t just stood there like a damn npc and let the doors close.’”

sunghoon shook his head, biting back a smile. “and then?”

“i did what any respectable man would do,” jungwon mumbled. “i gave her the puppy eyes. apologized. and then ran the second i saw her hesitate.”

a silence fell over the table.

then: laughter. loud, unforgiving laughter.

jake slapped the table. sunoo buried his face in his hands. riki leaned back like he was about to fall off his chair, while sunghoon just shook his head, muttering something about how this was better than any tv show.

“okay, but real talk,” sunoo said once the laughter settled. “don’t you think it’s a bit unfair? you’re avoiding her like she did something wrong, but she has no idea what that is.”

the others nodded slowly, their amusement now replaced with a kind of thoughtful concern.

jungwon let his head fall back against the chair, eyes staring up at the ceiling as if searching for divine intervention.

“i don’t know,” he admitted quietly. “i thought... ignoring her would be easier than explaining everything. i just didn’t want to deal with it.”

“look,” riki said, tone more serious now, “we get it. but just tell us what you want to do. whatever it is, we’ve got your back.”

jungwon sat up, looking around at the four boys who had somehow become his emotional support team. he smiled faintly, the knot in his chest loosening a little.

“she’s a business ad major,” he said. “her classes are in the south campus. there’s a real chance i’ll run into her again, and... i’m not ready for that. not yet.”

“then that’s what we’ll do,” sunoo said simply, clapping his hands once. “operation: avoid the girl who kisses like she’s greeting a house pet is a go.”

they all agreed with a chorus of nods, their expressions varying from concerned to playfully dramatic.

jungwon smiled genuinely this time, the kind of small, grateful smile you give when you feel seen—even if you’ve made a mess of things.

“thanks, guys,” he muttered.

they all smiled in return, and just like that, the conversation shifted. no more drama, no more awkward elevator encounters—at least not for now. they moved on to safer territory: their orientations, campus tours, the professors they’d met, and the weirdly aggressive squirrel sunghoon swore chased him near the library.

for now, all was calm. or at least, calm enough.

once the last bites of lunch had been savored and the cafés began to quiet, the university crowd began to drift toward a new destination: horizon square.

nestled at the very heart of grand horizon university—between the bustling north campus and the vibrant south—it stood as a kind of living crossroads, a wide-open plaza pulsing with student life. its sprawling walkways were paved with stone in geometric patterns, bordered by stretches of manicured lawn and punctuated with fountains that danced softly under the afternoon sun.

shuttle buses lined the curb like a mechanical parade and near the square's edges, street food stalls sizzled and smoked, perfuming the air with the smell of grilled meat, buttery pastries, and something sweetly unidentifiable.

this was the university's beating heart, and today, it was dressed for an occasion.

dozens of vibrant club stalls had taken over the square—each one boasting colorful tarps, makeshift banners, and enthusiastic upperclassmen who were equal parts persuasive and unhinged. this was club day, and at grand horizon university, it wasn’t just tradition—it was a requirement. every student had to join at least one club, a law more binding than some course requirement.

you stood with your friends at the edge of the square, bright pamphlets in your hands. it had been handed to you by a particularly energetic senior who’d practically stuffed it into your chest mid-walk. the paper listed every club on campus—from the usuals like student government and photography to more obscure options like the “modern escapists book society” and the suspiciously vague “club club.”

yunjin, kazuha, and chaewon had already circled their picks with the decisiveness of people ordering dessert after a good meal. you, however, stared at the list like it was written in another language.

“you okay?” chaewon asked, peeking over your shoulder as you flipped the pamphlet upside down, hoping it would spark inspiration.

“honestly?” you sighed. “none of them are calling out to me. i don’t want to just pick one because it sounds cool and end up trapped in a weekly horror show of forced interactions.”

“too late,” yunjin quipped, nudging you playfully. “that’s called college.”

she had already chosen to join the design society, which made perfect sense—she had the aesthetic sense of a pinterest board and the confidence to back it up. kazuha, on the other hand, had naturally gravitated toward the grand horizon dance company, drawn in by the familiar rhythm and stage lights. and chaewon? she surprised no one by going for the film & tv production society—if anyone was made for dramatic camera pans and chaotic editing rooms, it was her.

you admired their certainty as much as you envied it.

“i think i’ll just walk around,” you finally said, eyes scanning the lively square. “i want to see if any of these clubs actually speak to me. like, soul-to-soul.”

“sure,” kazuha smiled. “we’ll just see you at aurora hall when we’re done?”

“deal,” you nodded.

with that, the four of you drifted apart, each pulled in a different direction by color, curiosity, or convenience. the square buzzed around you like a beehive—music blasting from bluetooth speakers, laughter echoing, students juggling flyers and iced coffees, shouting over one another in a chorus of invitations.

and somewhere among that cheerful chaos, you were hoping to find your place.

or at least a club booth that didn't have glitter in the air and desperate energy in the eyes.

somewhere near the heart of horizon square—surrounded by the hum of voices, the rustling of pamphlets, and the occasional clang of a tambourine from a wildly enthusiastic music club—stood jungwon and his group, each of them absorbed in their own glossy paper map of campus club life.

the pamphlets were colorful, almost aggressively so, each one a collage of ambition and chaos. every square inch was crammed with names, taglines, and wildly optimistic descriptions. jungwon’s friends were already forming their personal paths, choices made with the kind of ease that made jungwon’s indecision feel a little louder in his own chest.

“alright, let’s split up and sign up,” sunoo declared, already folding his pamphlet like a seasoned origami artist.

“creative writers’ forum, here i come,” he added with a proud twirl, like he’d just been cast in a play.

riki, unsurprisingly, had set his eyes—and rhythm—on the grand horizon dance company. he gave a little spin for dramatic flair, earning a thumbs-up from sunoo and a head shake from jungwon.

“we get it,” sunoo deadpanned. “you’ve got moves.”

“can’t waste this talent,” riki replied, flipping imaginary hair as he walked off.

jake, meanwhile, had found unexpected excitement in the biology enthusiasts club. something about their tagline—“where science meets obsession”—spoke to the budding lab rat in him.

sunghoon stood frozen, his pamphlet flapping lazily in the breeze. “i... don’t want anything that screams ‘engineering.’ i’m traumatized already and school hasn't officially started yet.”

“so just do something chill,” jake shrugged.

and with that, sunghoon chose the chill spot: a club that promised board games, snacks, naps, and zero productivity. the dream. the sanctuary. his people.

but jungwon remained where he stood, pamphlet still unfolded in his hands like a riddle waiting to be solved. while the others peeled off one by one, he found himself flipping pages and rereading club descriptions with growing restlessness as he walked aimlessly.

he wanted something... more. something honest. something that would let his creativity breathe.

and then he heard it—a very familiar voice. a voice he would never forget.

“would you like to join our club?”

the voice wasn’t loud, but it was enough to cut through the noise. jungwon glanced up, heart skipping in recognition. there, behind one of the stalls, stood someone he hadn’t seen in a long time.

“jay?”

he didn’t even realize his feet had started moving until he was already crossing the short distance, smiling wide, pamphlet forgotten.

the man behind the stall blinked, scanning the crowd for the voice. then, spotting jungwon, his eyes lit up. a grin cracked across his face as he stepped out from behind the table.

“bro! what are you doing here?” jay exclaimed, clasping both hands on jungwon’s shoulders like he was trying to confirm he was real.

jungwon chuckled, brushing his hands away and dapping him up. “what do you think i’m doing here? obviously pursuing higher education because my parents say it's ‘necessary’.”

“classic,” jay laughed. “same old jungwon.”

he gestured toward the stall, ushering him over like he was welcoming a guest into his home. jungwon followed, sinking into the offered chair with a soft smile playing on his lips.

“how’ve you been?” jay asked, leaning against the table. “how are sunoo and riki?”

“i'm good and sunoo and riki are actually here too,” jungwon said, lighting up. “we all got in. they’re off somewhere now, signing up to the clubs they wanna join.”

“no way,” jay said with mock disbelief. “the gang’s all here? man, time really does fly. one second we’re cramming for high school finals, the next we’re at the gates of adulthood, pretending to have it all together.”

jungwon laughed quietly, nodding. “yeah. wild.”

jay had always been like an older brother to them—cool without trying, always knowing just what to say. back in high school, he was the one they ran to when things got too loud or too confusing. even now, just seeing him eased a weight jungwon hadn’t realized he’d been carrying.

“so,” jay said, crossing his arms, “have you picked a club yet?”

jungwon hesitated. “not yet. i’ve been looking for something... art-related, maybe. i’m not really confident in my skills, but i know i have decent skills. i just don’t think it’s enough.”

jay hummed thoughtfully and, without missing a beat, took jungwon’s crumpled pamphlet right out of his hands.

“let’s find it, then,” he said, scanning the list like a detective about to crack a case. “you’ve got good instincts. we just need to find the right space to grow them.”

and in that moment, jungwon didn’t feel so lost anymore.

“how about the art & sketch society?” jay offered, handing the pamphlet back to jungwon with a confident flick of his fingers. “focuses on drawing, sketching, all that creative jazz. sounds like it’s right up your alley.”

jungwon blinked, unfolding the slightly crumpled pamphlet with renewed interest, eyes scanning the maze of club names and descriptions. “where did you even see that? how did i miss it?”

jay leaned over with the air of a man who’s done this far too many times, pointing to a modest little box near the bottom corner of the page. “right here. you need better eyesight, man.”

jungwon rolled his eyes but chuckled, the corners of his mouth curving upward. “what would i do without you?”

“probably join something tragic or something that requires anything physical like taekwondo,” jay said with mock solemnity.

jungwon snorted.

“actually,” jay added, a little more seriously, “i was gonna ask if you wanted to join our club. but, uh, figured it might not be your thing.”

he handed over a smaller, more personalized flyer—clearly homemade, slightly chaotic in design, and deeply proud of it.

jungwon read the name aloud, brow furrowed. “the... multi-maybe club?”

jay grinned. “we call ourselves the m-and-m’s. the m-m club, if you will.”

jungwon looked up, deeply confused and deeply amused. “what do you even do in a multi-maybe club?”

jay’s grin widened. “maybe everything. maybe nothing. maybe you paint a wall. maybe you'll nap under a tree. it’s a lawless land, my friend.”

jungwon burst into laughter, the kind that bent him slightly at the waist and made him cover his face for a second. jay stood back with a smile, watching fondly like an older brother watching his favorite sibling crack up at a dumb joke.

“dude,” jungwon said through the laughter, wiping at his eyes, “you just made my whole day.”

“glad to be of service,” jay replied, giving a mock bow.

as jungwon tried to catch his breath, he remembered something. “sunoo and riki need to know you’re here. they’d lose their minds. you free later?”

jay looked down at his wrist, as if checking a watch that didn’t exist. “hmm... maybe i have time.”

jungwon raised an eyebrow.

“okay, okay,” jay laughed. “i’m free. just gotta find one more person to sign up for our club, and then i can pack this whole thing up.”

he stood up straight, brushing invisible dust off his pants, and jungwon mirrored him.

“we’re all meeting at the stem fuel stop later, after everyone’s done signing up,” jungwon said, slowly backing away. “also, we met two new people—you’re gonna love them. they’re... something else.”

“perfect. i’m bringing someone too. you’ll love him,” jay replied, raising a hand in a casual wave as jungwon turned.

“see you later, m&m,” jungwon called over his shoulder with a smirk.

“go find your sketch society, art boy,” jay shot back, laughing.

with one last grin, jungwon disappeared into the crowd, pamphlet in hand, his steps a little lighter now as he searched for the art & sketch society’s stall.

you, on the other hand, were still wandering—admittedly a little lost and, at this point, thoroughly over the parade of pamphlets being thrust in your face.

upperclassmen lined the plaza like cheerful merchants at a bizarre bazaar, each one passionately marketing their clubs as if their lives depended on it. from anime appreciation societies to eco-sustainability coalitions, everyone seemed to have something to pitch. and yet, nothing called out to you.

you smiled politely, declining brochure after brochure with a soft “no, thank you,” until your feet—bored of your indecision—guided you toward a rather peculiar-looking stall.

its banner was simple yet striking: two large block letters—M M—hung above, bold and cryptic. beneath the sign, in slightly chaotic handwriting, read: the multi-maybe club.

you tilted your head. multi-maybe?

it sounded like the kind of club that didn't quite know what it wanted to be. a filler club, perhaps. the type students joined just to finish a university requirement. and yet... there was something oddly magnetic about it. as if those two bold letters were speaking directly to your soul in a silent language only lost, curious freshmen could understand.

drawn in by either fate or mild existential curiosity, you approached.

the guy behind the table was currently mid-conversation with another student, his animated gestures suggesting a practiced pitch. but then his gaze shifted and locked onto you.

“oh—hi there! are you interested in joining our club?” he greeted warmly, already reaching for a flyer. he handed it to you with both hands, like it was something sacred.

you glanced down at the handmade paper. bold scribbles, doodled stars, and a questionable amount of glitter glue outlined the text:

‘welcome to the multi-maybe club! where you can do everything... or nothing. your multiple maybes? might just happen here—or maybe not. it's your choice!’

he flashed a grin and pointed proudly at the sign above his head. “we're all about possibilities,” he said. “maximum freedom. minimal expectations.”

you looked at him, then at the sign, then back at the flyer.

“…where do i sign up?” you asked, surprising even yourself with how fast the words came out.

the guy's smile spread even wider, his eyes practically lighting up. “you just made the best maybe-decision of your life, miss..?” he declared, handing you a clipboard with a list of names. without hesitation, you wrote down your name, your major, and scribbled your signature at the bottom.

“y/n,” you said. “just call me y/n.”

“y/n,” he repeated with a nod, committing it to memory. “nice to meet you. i’m jay—vice president of the m-m club. our president’s off being a busy graduating senior, but she exists. i promise.”

you chuckled, handing back the clipboard.

jay reached under the table and pulled out a more official-looking pamphlet—actually printed, this time. “here’s our schedule, basic club info, building details. you’ll mostly find us in the lucent library next to aurora hall. the librarian kinda loves us. mostly because we either do absolutely nothing or occasionally help re-shelve books. it’s a vibe.”

you scanned the paper, trying not to laugh at how absurdly laid-back the club seemed. still, it felt oddly right.

“thanks, jay,” you said, tucking the brochure into your tote bag. “see you around.”

“yep, see you around,” he replied, giving you a small wave as you turned to leave.

as you walked away, your thoughts drifted. ‘did i really just join a filler club?’ you shook your head, a small laugh slipping from your lips as you slid the flyer into your bag, tucked just beside the brochure.

but strangely enough, you felt something warm bubble in your chest.

excitement.

not the wild, overwhelming kind—but a quiet, budding curiosity.

as soon as you managed to escape the buzz of horizon square—dodging the last wave of overly enthusiastic club recruiters—you finally spotted your friends. they were gathered on the broad stone steps leading to aurora hall, their silhouettes bathed in the golden hue of the afternoon light.

you waved both arms above your head as you jogged toward them, the crowd now thinning as students slowly trickled out of the plaza. some were heading home, others drifting into the campus cafés, tucked-away eateries, or lingering in the comfort of air-conditioned student lounges.

yunjin noticed you first. she raised a can of diet coke in the air like a sacred offering, her expression amused. you couldn’t help but let out a chuckle—she knew you too well.

you reached them with slightly breathless laughter and dropped yourself between chaewon and kazuha, letting your weight sink into the cool steps. yunjin was perched two steps above you, and with no hesitation, you leaned back so your head could rest comfortably on her thigh. she handed you the drink without a word.

“bless your soul,” you mumbled with a grateful smile as you cracked the can open and took a generous sip. the fizzy sweetness coated your tongue, and you exhaled with an exaggerated, refreshed sigh. without a second thought, you leaned back further, letting your body melt against yunjin’s warmth as she absentmindedly played with your hair.

“should we go home now?” she murmured lazily, fingers threading through your strands.

the word home struck like a silent spell.

no one answered immediately. instead, all four of you sank into an almost meditative silence. just the thought of soft pillows, cool sheets, and the sweet hum of an air conditioner was enough to temporarily sedate you all.

you each had things to prepare for tomorrow—yes, technically syllabus week, but the illusion of leisure was already wearing thin. there were class schedules to memorize, supplies to organize, nerves to settle.

after several long, deliciously quiet moments, as if perfectly choreographed, you all nodded slowly and muttered a collective, almost reverent: “yep.”

no further discussion was needed. you stood together, heavy-footed and slow-moving, like four survivors of a mild but exhausting war.

“we should head back and recharge,” you said, walking in step with them. “we’ve only got one week to mentally brace ourselves for whatever academic avalanche awaits.”

“and we find out our schedules tomorrow,” kazuha added with a groan, already opening her phone to book a ride. “can’t wait to see if fate puts me in an 7a.m. class in the first semester.”

“tell me about it.” yunjin grumbled.

chaewon simply sighed like she’d already accepted her impending doom.

you booked your own ride and the four of you migrated to the waiting shed just by the university’s gate. the air was beginning to cool as the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows along the sidewalk.

your uber arrived first.

you gave each of your friends quick hugs and soft cheek kisses—half-hearted from tiredness but no less sincere.

“text us when you get home,” chaewon reminded you just as you slid one foot into the car.

you gave her a lazy thumbs-up before disappearing behind the door and letting it close with a soft thud.

the ride home was quiet. your head leaned against the window, and the city outside blurred into pastel streaks as exhaustion settled in your bones. by the time you arrived at your apartment, you barely had the energy to thank your driver.

the moment the door shut behind you, you kicked off your shoes and peeled away the layers of your day until you were down to nothing but your underwear and bra. with a long exhale, you padded barefoot across the floor and into your bedroom, phone in hand.

a few quick texts were sent—first to your group chat: ‘home safe’, then to your parents, followed by a small heart emoji. you dropped your phone onto the bed with a soft thump and made your way to your closet, grabbing a change of clothes.

the shower was bliss. warm water cascading down your skin like a gentle reset, washing away the sweat, the noise, and the weight of navigating new beginnings.

after drying your hair and pulling on fresh clothes, you collapsed onto your bed. the mattress embraced you like an old friend. the pillow welcomed your head like it had been waiting all day.

you meant to grab your phone again.

you meant to check messages, maybe scroll a little.

but your body had other plans.

within minutes, your breathing slowed, thoughts blurred, and sleep took you—soft and soundless.

meanwhile, tucked into a corner booth at the stem fuel stop, jungwon and his group were in a state of quiet suspense—well, most of them were. jake and sunghoon were entirely absorbed in their own little worlds, multitasking between snacking and scrolling through their phones, while sunoo and riki eyed jungwon like he’d grown a second head.

“won,” sunoo said, voice laced with suspicion and a bit of exasperation, “can you please tell us why we’re still here? i thought we were just gonna meet up, take a break, maybe grab some food. but you’re not even eating. you’re just… smiling at the window.”

sunoo gestured dramatically toward jungwon, who was indeed sitting there with the faintest, most serene smile on his face. every time the café door swung open, his head would subtly turn, eyes lighting up with anticipation. it was getting weird.

“just trust me,” jungwon said, practically glowing with mystery. “you’ll be surprised. and happy. very, very soon.”

sunoo narrowed his eyes but leaned back in his seat with a long sigh, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, “i swear… him and his mood swings.”

riki raised an eyebrow and tilted his head toward sunoo, silently mouthing, ‘what’s up with him now?’

sunoo just shrugged, the universal response for ‘no clue, don’t ask me.’

riki glanced at the clock. “he sure is taking his sweet time,” he muttered under his breath, peering down at his phone, clearly considering whether this whole setup was worth the wait.sunoo shot him a look that said ‘tell me about it’, when—

“i see you two are still as impatient as ever.”

a familiar voice, smooth and teasing, landed behind them, a head popping from behind them and a hand gently pressed down on both their shoulders, startling the two boys upright.

they twisted in their seats, eyes wide.

“jay?!” they both gasped in unison, voices laced with disbelief, joy, and the slightest touch of betrayal—how dare he sneak up on them like that?

sunoo shot up from his seat and threw his arms around jay’s neck like he was making up for lost time. riki was still half in shock, but his body moved on instinct, arms wrapping tightly around jay’s waist.

“woah—hey—okay, this is happening,” jay laughed, slightly thrown off balance by the ambush hug, his arms eventually resting around both their heads, gently ruffling their hair like he used to.

jungwon, still seated and watching the scene unfold, burst into a quiet laugh. there was something so warm, so stupidly precious, about seeing his friends melt like kids at a surprise reunion.

“did you guys miss me that much?” jay teased, smiling as he tried to wiggle free from their emotional death grip.

sunoo and riki both nodded emphatically, faces buried in opposite ends of jay’s shoulder and torso.

jay chuckled, “you do realize it’s only been two years, right? not a whole lifetime.”

sunoo and riki pulled back just far enough to glare up at him, eyes narrowed.

“that is a lifetime,” they chorused indignantly, as if he’d just said something blasphemous.

jay held up his hands in surrender, laughing again. “okay, okay. two years is forever. my bad.”

he patted their heads again, endearingly like an older brother humoring two very dramatic younger siblings. “now, can i sit? or do i need to earn that too?”

sunoo finally slid back into his seat with an exaggerated sigh, while riki made room on the other side. jay sat between them, comfortably wedged in the heart of the group once again—like he’d never left.

“umm, guys?” jake’s voice sliced gently through the warmth of the reunion. it was the kind of voice people used when they were trying not to intrude but also couldn’t ignore the rising curiosity bubbling inside them. his hand hovered mid-air like a student with a question—half-hopeful, half-hesitant.

he and sunghoon had been sitting quietly, mere spectators to the emotional reunion unfolding in front of them. they didn’t want to interrupt something that was clearly meaningful, but the urge to be part of it was beginning to hum louder deep inside them.

besides, judging by the way riki and sunoo lit up at the sight of jay, this wasn’t just a casual catch-up—this was the friend reunion. and they wanted in.

“are you gonna introduce us,” jake said, tilting his head, “or should we just keep watching from the audience section?”

jay chuckled, the sound low and familiar, like laughter shared in hallways and cafeterias. he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “sorry, sorry. name’s jay. i’ve been friends with these three since high school. i’m a third year here at grand horizon—marketing major, occasional chaos enabler.”

he reached out to shake their hands.

“jake,” the boy said with a bright smile, “biology major. aspiring mad scientist.”

“sunghoon,” the other said smoothly. “engineering. part-time realist, full-time eye-roller.”

jay grinned as he shook both their hands. “i like this group already.”

“how’d you all meet, anyway?” he asked, looking around as he settled into the seat like he belonged there.

sunoo, ever ready to explain, perked up. “sunghoon’s my dorm mate, jake’s with riki, and we kinda just... adopted jungwon last month. it was very wholesome.”

“like a stray cat,” jake added helpfully.

jungwon made a face. “i’m right here, you know.”

“we know,” riki said, patting his head.

jay laughed, then, without missing a beat, leaned over and stole a fry from jake’s plate with the grace of someone who had clearly done this before.

“did you just—?”

“i did,” jay confirmed mid-chew, grinning. “anyway, it’s great to meet you guys. you’re gonna love it here, i promise. oh—and i’ve got a friend coming. he should be here any minute.”

as if on cue, the bell above the café door gave a soft chime, announcing the arrival of someone new.

and then—he walked in.

a young man with striking red hair, not the playful kind, but the bold, unapologetic shade of red that demanded attention the moment he entered a room. his presence was immediate—subtle, but undeniable.

he wore a black tank top tucked effortlessly into dark gray, high-waisted trousers tailored to perfection. they cinched his waist and flowed down with structured elegance, every step a study in confidence. layered loosely over his frame was a glossy black leather button-up long sleeve shirt, worn open, the material catching the light with each movement like a ripple of shadow.

a thin, silver chain with a cross pendant rested against his collarbone, glinting faintly. tiny silver hoops adorned his ears, understated yet intentional. and slung diagonally across his torso was a sleek black crossbody bag, the strap sitting snug over his chest, completing the look with quiet precision.

he didn’t look around frantically. instead, his eyes swept the café with the calm disinterest of someone who had no need to search—only to be found.

he looked cool—effortlessly so. intimidating, even. the kind of person who didn’t need to try hard to stand out. he just did.

all five of them froze, except for jay. the kind of freeze that wasn’t fear, but awe. they weren’t sure whether to hope this was jay’s friend or pray it wasn’t—because if it was, they were suddenly not sure they were dressed well enough for this sudden meet up.

jay raised his arm and called out with a wide smile. “yo! heeseung, over here!”

the red-haired man—heeseung—glanced over. a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips, quiet but genuine. and then he moved, heading toward them with long, unhurried strides, each step measured and magnetic.

“wait... that’s his friend?” sunoo whispered, eyes wide.

riki nodded slowly, voice distant. “he looks like a runway model who just woke up and decided to casually destroy everyone’s self-esteem.”

“and somehow he looks even taller in person,” jungwon muttered, blinking.

“i'm probably taller,” riki tried saving his self-esteem even though he wasn't sure if it was actually working.

jay was already stylish—sharp jawline, good taste, an air of familiarity. but heeseung? he walked in like a scene from a movie. red hair, glowing skin, dressed like a secret. he didn’t blend in. he redefined the space around him.

even jungwon, who had his own soft kind of charm with tousled blonde hair and a boyish smile, felt like a background character.

heeseung approached the table with the quiet composure of someone used to eyes following him—unbothered, but never arrogant. like the world always adjusted itself slightly to make room for him.

he walked past everyone at the table, his pace unhurried, presence effortlessly commanding. but instead of acknowledging the wide-eyed stares or curious glances sent his way, he went straight to jay, greeting him with a casual dap that spoke of years of shared moments and easy trust.

after the brief gesture, heeseung’s gaze swept across the table, his lips tugging into a soft, almost bashful smile. it was surprising, really—how someone who looked like a living editorial spread from a fashion magazine could also look so... shy.

he leaned closer to jay, his voice low. “umm, do i have to introduce myself first?”

a second ago, he had seemed untouchable—cool, collected, almost intimidating. now, he resembled a new kid in class, unsure where to begin.

jay chuckled, amused by the contrast, and gave heeseung a light pat on the back. “just sit down and start talking,” he whispered, then gently nudged him toward the only empty chair—right beside jungwon. heeseung blinked, then allowed himself to be pushed down into the seat like a confused but obedient hamster.

“oh, okay,” he muttered under his breath, then cleared his throat and addressed the table. “hi, umm... i’m heeseung. a friend of jay’s. third year. music composition major. we’ve also been in the same club since first year.” he nodded once, firmly, as if that sealed the deal on his introduction.

there was a beat of silence before everyone else began introducing themselves, one after the other.

first came jungwon, polite and reserved. then sunoo, bright and curious. riki chimed in with a charming smile, followed by jake, who had the enthusiasm of a golden retriever discovering a new friend. sunghoon went last, cool and composed, giving a small nod as if he were in a press conference.

the energy was a little awkward, but thankfully, everyone seemed willing to push past that initial stiffness. questions began to float into the air, light and genuine.

riki leaned forward first, his tone friendly. “so, how’d you and jay meet?”

heeseung let out a short laugh, the memory lighting up his face. “we met on the first day of uni, actually. both of us were at horizon square, just wandering around trying to figure out what club to join. then we ended up standing in front of this one weird stall that had two massive m’s on the sign. the multi-maybe club. weird name, right?”

the group chuckled.

“anyway, jay started talking to me out of nowhere—just asking random things like what my major was, what music i liked, what my blood type was. totally normal stuff.” heeseung grinned. “we didn’t know anyone at the time, so it was honestly nice he didn’t just leave after signing up. after that, we kept in touch. we’d study in the library together, eat lunch during breaks... even though we’re in different majors, he kind of just stuck around. and yeah, he’s basically the only real friend i’ve had here.”

jay, listening with an increasingly dramatic expression, slowly placed both hands over his heart like a victorian lady hearing a love confession.

“awww,” jay gasped. “i’m your only real friend?”

he reached out theatrically for heeseung’s hand, his eyes brimming with fake tears.

without even blinking, heeseung rolled his eyes and yanked his hand away—then flipped jay off with a casual flick of his middle finger.

the entire table erupted into laughter.

“well,” heeseung added with a playful smirk, “i’m actually hoping to change that by meeting all of you.”

jay clutched his chest as if he'd been shot. “and just like that, replaced. i should’ve let you eat alone.”

more laughter followed, the kind that comes when tension melts away and something genuine settles in its place. the group was still new to each other, but it no longer felt like strangers trying too hard. it felt like the beginning of something that might just be real.

the conversation continued to flow—light, casual, but slowly unraveling layers. they asked about each other's lives, traded stories of high school mischief, swapped sports preferences, and shared scattered facts with the kind of curiosity only new friendships carry. it was a soft chaos of voices, laughter, and the occasional gasp at unexpected confessions.

then, as if sensing a lull in the momentum, jay leaned forward and tilted his head toward jungwon.

“so,” he said with a glint in his eye, “anything new with you, jungwon?”

jungwon blinked, caught off guard. his mouth opened slightly, ready to reply—but sunoo beat him to it with a mischievous grin.

“he has a girl problem right now,” sunoo said in a sing-song tone, and jay’s expression lit up like a proud older brother watching his kid finally enter the dating world.

“what? finally?” jay laughed, eyebrows raised in delight.

jungwon’s ears turned an unmistakable shade of pink, his hand reaching up to rub the back of his neck as he let out an awkward chuckle. “it’s not a problem, she’s not a problem,” he said, shaking his head, clearly hoping to steer the topic elsewhere—anywhere, really.

but riki leaned in dramatically, eyes wide with faux shock. “ohhh, he’s defending her now? this is new.”

sunoo, never one to let a moment slip, immediately mimicked jungwon’s earlier voice. “she’s not a problem,” he repeated with exaggerated sincerity, clasping his hands to his chest like he was quoting poetry.

jay looked amused, borderline delighted, as he leaned closer. “okay, now i have to know. what happened?”

heeseung, who had been quietly sipping his drink and observing, now perked up as well. his eyes, already large, seemed to double in size, gleaming with pure curiosity. “i’m curious too.”

jungwon groaned, realizing escape was futile. “nothing happened,” he muttered. “let’s just say... i’m trying to avoid her. that’s it. end of story.”

he looked around the table, firm and resolute, like a man putting up caution tape around his heart.

everyone exchanged glances but decided—for now—to let it go. jay, however, had other plans.

with the stealth of someone used to scheming, he leaned toward sunoo and gave the slightest nod. sunoo caught it instantly.

sunoo sighed, already resigning himself to being the group's designated informant. jay then flicked his gaze toward heeseung and gave a small head gesture toward sunoo. heeseung, catching on, turned to sunoo as well. sunoo nodded once, a solemn confirmation.

a pact had been made. they were going to sunoo and sunghoon’s dorm later. mission: dig up all the tea.

it might’ve been a spontaneous plan, but in their group, that was more than enough. jay and heeseung were already honorary members. the invitation was unspoken but entirely valid. all they had to do was wait for jungwon to finally go home.

as if on cue, the topic changed, drifting into safer territory—about the orientation and tour earlier and old campus drama when jay and heeseung were first and second year. the sky outside had deepened into shades of evening, and before long, it was time to go.

the group slowly rose from their seats, gathering their things, still chatting as they made their way out of the café. they lingered at the front gate of the university, waiting under a waiting shed for their ubers to arrive.

jungwon’s car was the first to pull up.

“i’ll see you guys tomorrow,” he said casually, waving as he climbed into the vehicle.

“bye!” the group chorused.

“message us when you get home,” sunoo followed up as jungwon hops inside the car.

but the second the car door shut and his ride rolled away down the street, the rest of them turned toward each other with the same look.

it was time.

no one needed to say it. it was understood. they were going to sunoo and sunghoon’s dorm, and tonight, they would unearth the full story behind jungwon’s ‘she’s not a problem’ girl.

jake and riki, a bit late to realize what was happening, exchanged glances.

“wait—are we going too?” jake asked.

“you are now,” sunoo said, already walking ahead.

riki shrugged. “well, i do know the whole story…”

“perfect,” jay grinned. “you’re coming. we need to know every detail.”

and with that, the group disappeared into the night, drawn together not just by friendship, but by the irresistible pull of juicy gossip waiting to be spilled behind dorm room walls.

taglist⠀.⠀.⠀.⠀ @morganaawriterr @wondoras @mypolka @meowwwon @dolliehue @in-somnias-world @yjwonsgf @kirijuns @iifrui @momisanalien @vieniee @drunkjazed @hhyvsstuff @readinmidnight @noona-neomu-yeppeo @cutehoons02 @robotinvenus @starfallia @nijisanjigenshin @kkamismom12 @kinamurariki @soobundle1009 @supershy3 @nodoubtily @vrikisn @jayjw16enxp @skzfangirl143 @0leelina0 @noriiluv @o2whre @nocturnebite @userprdx (taglist is still open, comment to be added.) final notes⠀.⠀.⠀.⠀i hope you guys enjoyed! part five will probably be posted on saturday or sunday! see you guys then!

©⠀mæwphoria⠀|⠀all works belong to me. strictly do not plagiarize, copy, translate, paraphrase, rewrite or repost my works on any other platforms. if it's inspiration gained from my work then it's appreciated and i wish you good luck with your own stories. thank you.

⠀

[sodapop-babydoll]

♡ romantic thoughts for Johnny ♡

♡ lighting his cigarettes for him. It started as a one time thing, just lighting it when he'd dropped his wallet and you'd picked it up for him. But he liked it. And you noticed it so you did it again and suddenly, it was a tradition between the two of you.

♡ reading with him in bed. He loves it when you read aloud to him, softly and quietly at night. The bedroom window's open, a cool breeze blowing in. His chest in bare and your head in on his shoulder, book on his chest as you read to him, playing with your hair a little. Your voice is the prettiest sound in the world to him, hanging onto every word.

♡ laying beneath the stars together. Johnny spends a lot of time hanging around outside and because you spend a lot of time hanging around Johnny, so do you. More then anything else, he likes laying under the stars with you, watching as you point out constellations to him and tell him the old myths people used to tell.

♡ tying flowers rings around your ring finger. He wants to marry you. From the moment you first kiss him, Johnny Cade knows that he wants to marry you one far, far away day. For right now, he's just a dumb kid with no real home and nothing to his name but one day, he won't be. One day, he'll take off with you and drive somewhere far from this place. He'll get a job and a little house and he'll be able to buy you a ring...but for now, he plucks up wildflowers and ties them around your ring finger.

Later, he'll learn that you kept everyone of those little flowers pressed between the pages of a poetry book, every ring he ever gave you preserved.

♡ buying you a locket. Just about every guy he knows gives his girl something to symbolize the relationship (Dally gives his ring, Soda gave Sandy a charm bracelet) and Johnny decides to do the same, giving you a silver heart locket with your class pictures inside (I think Mrs. Curtis always paid for Johnny to have his class picture taken, she insisted on it and his parents bothered with it).

♡ he doesn't sneak or steal around you. Yes, Johnny's willing to sneak into places or steal something he needs. But when he's with you, he doesn't do that. He'll always buys the tickets or sodas or whatever else. The most you ever do is go to the movies, mostly, you just like to hang around at the lot, the park, school, or your house. But Johnny does like to take you to dances, mostly because he likes to see you in a pretty dress (oh, he thinks you're so pretty and he's so proud to be your man) and to dance with you.

♡ your initials on his jacket. There's a little pocket on the inside of his jacket, just where his heart is. Johnny usually just keeps money in it (harder to steal from a fella when it's in a hard-to-reach place) but, after you start seeing one another, he keeps your picture there too, your initials scribbled on the pocket in black ballpoint pen.

♡ always touching on you. In a sweet way, of course. Johnny's just an affectionate thing and needs to hold you, to feel you, to touch you and know that you're real and that you love him. So he plays with your hair and holds your hand and kisses you when no one's looking.

♡ kissing his jaw and his scars. As affectionate as he is, he needs to feel it too and to know that you love him just as hard as he loves you. And there's nothing he loves more then your lips on his skin, his scars, taking the painful parts of him and making them into something pretty. It doesn't seem to matter how scared he is or how much something hurts, you always seem to ease his heartache. Always.

♡ passing little love notes. This is before the age of text messages, emails, and apps, you'll have to pass messages the old fashioned way: love notes. You write yours on pretty paper and he writes his on scraps of notebook paper, Johnny's spiderweb scrawl a little messy, in a charming sort of way.

You keep all of the love notes too, in the same shoe box as the poetry book full of flowers.

♡ for the longest time, he only uses that switchblade to cut up fruit for you. And he hopes that is all it'll ever be for, You have a habit of getting some fresh fruit after school for a little snack, going to the park, and just hiding away for a while. Reading, working on homework, just watching the world around you. Johnny joins you in it once you get together and now you share the fruit, his blade cutting it up and his lips kissing the nectar from yours.

♡ sneaking him into your bedroom because you don't want him out there all alone. You worry about Johnny. Constantly. About his home life, about his street life, about the danger he's in no matter where he goes, but with you...with you he's safe and sound. And knowing that, you always want him closer. So you take to sneaking him into your room and laying in bed with him, kissing and whispering until he falls asleep and you just look at him a while, moonlight on his bare skin, hating the world for being so hard on him.

♡ johnny's dream of once upon a time: a little house in the country. Yellow. Cozy. A porch with a swing and flowers all around. An old dog. Two kids, a girl and a boy. Books all over the place and the smell of your perfume in the air, his dark hair streaked with white. Johnny doesn't want money or fame or power or whatever else everyone seems to dream of. He just wants you. He wants a quiet, sweet happy ending with you and nothing else.

(and because this is my blog, that's exactly what he gets).

[xx-dinah-writing-xx]

Hey! I love your writings and I'd be happy if you write something with Matt Smith and reader who plays Daenerys Targaryen. Thanks 😊💗

Chemistry, cut

Matt Smith x reader

suggestive content, smutty (but not really a smut) warnings: explicit sexual content, workplace sexual activity, deception (hiding relationship), alcohol use (cast party), power imbalance (celebrity dynamics, consensual), strong language, objectification (in context), fingering in public/semi-public spaces, rough handling

A/N: Can y’all tell I’m like super horny for Matthew?? The way I need that man is actually unholy. If anyone ever leaked the notes on my laptop, I’d need a full-blown exorcism and possibly a legal team. This one’s chill though. Yeah, it’s explicit, but not like, combusting-level filth. Just a little feral. A reasonable amount of slutty..

————

The interviewer leans forward, a half-smile curling at the corner of her glossed lips, fingertips grazing the cue cards. You already know what’s coming before she says it.

“So,” she begins, eyes flicking between you and Matt, “have you watched House of the Dragon yet? Considering… you know. Daenerys and Daemon.”

Your stomach tightens. You knew someone would bring it up.

Matt’s already glancing sideways at you, cheekbones tight with a teasing grin. He doesn’t speak, doesn’t interrupt, just waits.

You give a small laugh, then shift in your seat. “Actually… no,” you say honestly, brushing some invisible lint off your pants. “I haven’t watched it yet. I’ve seen clips, obviously. Matt in that platinum wig? Hard to miss. But…” You pause. “I’m not quite ready to revisit Westeros. Dany was… a lot. She meant a lot to me. And saying goodbye to her wasn’t easy.”

There’s a flicker of something quiet in Matt’s eyes. Respect, maybe. Understanding. You’d never told him that part before, even though he’d mentioned once or twice that she was all over his feed when HotD premiered.

The interviewer nods gently, and the topic shifts, smoothly, mercifully, back to the romcom you're promoting.

“It’s such a fun dynamic between your characters,” she says, now in full PR mode. “Total opposites, trapped together, falling in love… Tell me, how was the chemistry on set?”

Matt speaks before you can. “Electric,” he deadpans, tongue-in-cheek. “Couldn’t keep our hands off each other.”

You roll your eyes, laughing, nudging him with your elbow. “Professionally, of course.”

————

Your back slammed against the trailer wall, your fingers digging into the back of his neck. Matt’s hands slide under your blouse, rough and greedy, shoving it up your ribs like he’s unwrapping a present he’s waited too long to open.

“You’re going to ruin my makeup,” you gasp, but you don’t mean it, not with the way your legs lock around his hips.

“Good thing I like you ruined,” he growls against your neck.

————

“…we just clicked,” you say brightly, blinking as the memory fades. “It’s one of those rare things. You meet someone and, boom, it just works.”

“Purely professional,” Matt adds, giving the camera a crooked little smile that does nothing to hide the wolfish gleam in his eye.

You cross your legs, pressing your thighs together.

“Did you two know each other before filming?”

“A little,” you answer. “He was always the Targaryen I never got to meet.”

“Irony, right?” Matt adds. “We miss each other by a few generations on screen and end up making out in an elevator in this movie.”

————

You’re in the elevator set. Doors just closed. No cameras rolling.

He has you pinned against the mirrored wall, your reflection giving you both front-row seats to the filthiest performance of your lives. His hand disappears beneath your skirt, and you bite down on your fist to keep from making a sound.

“You like when they watch,” he breathes, watching your flushed face in the glass. “Too bad they’ve got no idea.”

————

“What do you think makes this movie special?” the interviewer asks.

“The writing,” you say.

“The cast,” Matt says at the same time, smirking at you. “Well. One cast member in particular.”

You shake your head. “Don’t listen to him.”

“Why not? I’m always right.”

“Oh, really?”

————

You’re riding him in the backseat of a car, one hand braced on the fogged-up window, the other clutching the lapel of his jacket. You're still in costume, trench coat flared open, blouse half-buttoned, but your panties are somewhere on the floor.

“Say it,” he pants, fingers digging into your hips. “Say I’m right.”

You moan instead, and he slaps your ass in warning. “Say it, love.”

“You’re right,” you gasp. “You’re always right.”

————

“People have speculated about your off-screen chemistry,” the interviewer says delicately. “Care to address those rumors?”

You and Matt glance at each other, a shared smirk twitching both your mouths.

“We’re just good scene partners,” you say, too quickly.

“Very professional,” Matt says, too dryly.

————

It’s the cast party. You’re tipsy in your little black dress, heels long forgotten somewhere. Matt’s dragged you into a coat closet, lips feverish on your neck, fingers slipping between your thighs as you squirm in his hold.

“Keep quiet,” he warns, voice thick with desire. “Think you can do that for me, sweetheart?”

You nod. Then immediately moan when he sinks two fingers deep.

————

“So no romance in real life?”

Matt raises an eyebrow. “I think we’re both too chaotic for that.”

You laugh. “Honestly? Probably.”

“But,” he adds, giving the camera a wink, “never say never.”

————

The hotel bed.

You’re naked, stretched across the sheets, and Matt’s between your thighs with a hunger that borders on feral. He makes you come once, twice, before finally fucking you like he’s trying to erase every other man you’ve ever known.

“You’re mine,” he groans, thrusts snapping hard and deep. “Mine off camera, too.”

You claw at his back, too wrecked to lie. “Yours.”

————

“Any future projects together?”

You lean into Matt, flashing a conspiratorial smile. “Hopefully.”

He laces your fingers with his beneath the table, just out of frame.

And when the interview ends and the cameras stop rolling, he leans over to whisper in your ear.

“My trailer. Five minutes.”

You nod, heat already curling low in your belly.

Professional chemistry, you think. Sure.

But no one said you couldn’t enjoy a few... extracurriculars.

[sunnydr0pp]

alright i got at least one oomf waiting for me to make this post so here is the great sunny lore dump of all my jashverse stuff . everything below the cut

big fat any of this is subject to change later down the line as i keep adding to the lore and what i do have is a bit all over the place

and big fat warning for stuff like death, stalking, drugs/alcohol, and overall shitty people being shitty

heres a little bit of info to start :

both green and harmonia are twins, and hue (cjph) is their adoptive sibling (but has known the other two for basically their whole life). xander (20XX) and sisyphus are also twins

charlie/charlotte and scrapyard are siblings, charlie being older than scrapyard by 5 years (scrap is 19, charlotte is 24)

moss and rose are dating

luci lives with louis in a run down apartment because its all they can afford. they mainly only drink and smoke together but they do (or well, did) have a bit of a situationship going. louis harbors romantic feelings for luci but luci doesnt exactly return the feelings, he just doesnt like being lonely

wwph serves as a ferryman of sorts . i am still contemplating this idea but ive been thinking of splitting wwph into two separate jashlings: memento .. and mori, based off jash in memento mori and jash in laplace's angel. one helps souls go to heaven (memento) and one helps souls go to hell (mori)

alright time for timeline stuff

the first chunk of it . big fat spoiler alert a lot of my lore rn is luci/rdd based with a side of grandiflora bc theyre what ive built on the most rn

so it starts with the events of THDPH - lucis boyfriend dumps him and starts drinking heavily because of it. eventually one night he ends up drunkenly wandering into a forest, which is also the same place green goes to clear his head often

the two end up encountering each other, luci attacking green as he mistakes him for a threat leaving green no other choice than to fight back. green ends up smashing a rock into lucis skull, killing him . so what does green do after that? he panics and calls the guy whos dating the best friend of the person he just killed, of course. moss, for some reason, decides to help green hide the body and they agree to never talk about it again. despite this the guilt of it all causes green's mental health to spiral, damaging a lot of his relationships (esp with his siblings)

mori of course ends up taking lucis soul to hell, which he eventually ends up returning from

(there is probably more time between some of these events than shown on the tl)

second part starts off with scrapyard being a fucking moron! he is a dumbass 19 year old who only really gives a shit about video games and weed, so of course he gets the bright idea to rob someone he is delivering pizza to for their money because his job barely pays enough (idk who he robs yet, but probably someone that would feel bad enough for him to not press charges.. looking at you rose and or moss. scrapyard is still spending at least a night in jail tho)

this isnt on the timeline, but at some point charlie has to pick up scrapyard from jail to take him home and charlotte just kinda ends up freaking out on scrap due to this and all the other dumb shit hes done in the past . they are both mentally tired bc their parents suck ass and charlotte has had to parent scrapyard most of his life

this is officially also around the time hue and harmonia open their cafe: harmonia cafe.. bc yes that hc is canon to my lore

theyre the only two running it at first bc they severely misjudged how much work itd take and the stress of it all causes harmonia to split into heart, mind, and soul. in my canon the split is physical and the longer they are apart the more the deteriorate

heart is affected mentally, mental health slowly going down the drain. gradually going from being a bit down on occasion to full blown major depressive disorder & suicidal ideation, having various break downs and panic attacks daily

mind is affected in his head, starting out with a barely noticeable headache that turns into a migraine over time, experiencing worsening symptoms like dizziness, nausea, light sensitivity, etc.

soul is affected via his motor functions, losing control over different parts of his body

in short: theyre all effected in some way until theyre basically unable to function as people. theyll never die from it, but they might as well be dead if they cant harmonize fast enough.

that being said, hms do work at the cafe in harmonias place, lessening the work load a bit

hms being split also gives the chance for luci and soul to meet, leading them to date eventually. which is very fun for louis who totally didnt have romantic feelings for luci in the slightest trust !

eventually harmonia cafe hires scrapyard (probably as some sort of favor to charlie) and the work load and stress eases up enough for hms to harmonize once more

the last part of the timeline at the moment: the ttk plotline

hms harmonizing one again means luci and soul are basically forced to break up, causing luci to slip back into his depression particularly hard. louis, like the fucking piece of shit he is, decides to take the opportunity to get luci to relapse on coke in some sort of effort to make luci dependent on him. the relapse only adds to lucis spiraling mental state, to the point he decides to stalk harmonia in an attempt to resplit hms to see soul again

rose being lucis best friend tries to help luci as much as possible during all of it, but most of her efforts go to waste as he gets worse. eventually it causes moss and rose to argue over it, moss wanting rose to distance herself from luci for their own safety. it eventually ends in luci going to jail for awhile

this is virtually everything i got for my lore right now i might come back to add more if i remember something i forgot but for now this is all i can remember ..

[mikkomacko]

Mob Jack and Luke thought partially inspired by Luke getting a matching bionic shoulder after Jack did this season and partially inspired by my own relationship with my older sister.

Luke has a habit of being like a baby duck with Jack. Whenever he’s even the slightest bit unsure about anything in his life, he instinctively turns to the singular constant in his life for guidance. It’s almost comical seeing the two go out together because Luke is almost always hiding behind Jack, despite being much taller, because Jack is familiar, safe in a way that nothing else had ever been in their lives. He is trustworthy and kind and the most important person in Luke’s life, so Luke starts mirroring him from a young age. If Jack decided he liked something, Luke would love it just as much. If Jack complained about a certain subject, Luke would act out in that class the next day. At some point Jack figured this out and he would use it to keep Luke safe. All he had to do to get Luke to listen was tell him that it was something he would do himself and then Luke wouldn’t want to do anything else. This routine continues past high school and well into their mob days, although not as pronounced. For the most part the other boys don’t notice it, but Reader sure does. Not immediately, but a few months into being around the boys consistently they all go out drinking and end up crashing at Nico’s. In the morning Reader makes a disgusting looking hangover cure concoction and Luke won’t even look at it. He says something like food is supposed to taste good and make you happy, not assault you with the scent. And then Jack asks for a glass and Luke quiets. A few minutes later he would take Jack’s glass and finish it without complaints and something clicks in Reader’s brain, right where the mama bear instincts live. She doesn’t say anything then, but she understands the two’s dynamic more. However she does say something after Luke goes and gets himself injured in the same stupid way Jack had just a week before. After that they have a long talk about “just because Jack does it, that doesn’t mean it’s safe” and “Jack stop being dumb, you have a shadow that does everything you do”. Of course Luke still follows Jack around everywhere and Jack always looks behind to make sure he’s still right there behind him. A platonic and slightly less tragic Orpheus and Eurydice if you will. Bound to continue as long as the universe allows.

-🦉

Ahhh 🦉 anon I’ve missed you! And you’re back and better than ever because this is so so cute.

Imagining pre-teen Jack realizing that Luke genuinely hears and remembers everything he says, follows him like he’s Bible. It’s how he learned to raise Luke pretty much, always telling him things like “Well I always eat the vegetables in school lunch because I want to be big when I’m older.” and sure enough Luke starts eating the vegetables he used to claim were too soggy.

And it just grows and grows from there. Jack tells Luke he’d never hook up with a random girl in high school that way they can rule out any teenage pregnancy because let’s be honest, no adult was making sure those boys know to wrap it up. Just the general lessons like drinking responsibly, staying away from drugs and people that do them, showering at least twice a week type of stuff. If Jack says he does it or makes it a habit himself, Luke picks it up like a sponge and makes it a part of his life.

When Luke gets to New Jersey, he trains with Timo and Jack since Nico is preoccupied with taking care of reader, and Timo doesn’t really notice it because he lets Jack take a lead on most of it, but he’s so shocked by how quick Luke adopts to their training. How easily he makes it a habit. And it’s really just because he’s following Jack, has his whole life so this is just as easy.

But you’re so right about Mama Bear reader recognizing it. And she does so from the first moment she meets Luke. When Nico takes her to get lunch with the Hughes boys one day, after weeks of Luke anxiously asking to meet her.

The whole time they’re sat in the pizza place, even with her not acting like herself because Philly is still hanging over her, she notices everything. How Luke waits to sit down at the table for Jack to do it first. How he doesn’t hug Nico until Jack does it. How he looks to Jack to voice his order.

Reader doesn’t comment on it because Nico doesn’t either. Luke is only 18 and in a new city with his brother, of course he’s going to turn to him a lot.

It’s still something she picks up on for months after though. Luke trailing behind Jack in the bar, hiding behind him when girls stop them like his much shorter brother is a human shield or something.

The more she learns about them, the more it makes sense. Especially after she starts hearing the way Jack will pointedly say things to Luke disguised as just talking. Or the hangover cure, that’s 100% them. Luke hates smoothies, hates the texture and the bland taste of the healthy ones. He doesn’t reject reader’s glass she makes him but he doesn’t drink it either, moping at the counter and mixing it around with the straw because he’s waiting for her to look away so he can dump it.

She knows it too which is why she’s hovering around him. But when Jack sits next to him, grabs his own cup with a muttered thanks and downs the whole thing, Luke is eyeing him curiously. Waits for Jack to wipe at the back of his mouth and set it in the sink before he does the exact same.

Jack raised Luke by being his role model, and even now he’s still doing so.

There’s no harm in it really, so she doesn’t bring it up. No reason too. She does start telling Jack things she wants Luke to know though, giving him advice like what vitamins he should be taking because she knows Luke will get them too. For the most part though she leaves it alone because Jack knows how to take care of his little brother, has been doing it for so long and it’s worked. But when she has to stitch up Jack’s thigh because he left his pocket knife open in his cargo pants on a mission, she’s scolding him about it. Telling him that she doesn’t care if he thinks it’s quicker to leave the thing armed, he near to close it before putting it near his body.

She doesn’t think about the fact that this habit of Jack’s was picked up by Luke until he’s coming to her a little over a week later with the exact same injury.

That’s when she knows she has to tell him something, sitting him on the kitchen counter in just his boxers as she cleans the slice in his thigh.

“I could’ve sworn I told one of you Hughes boys to close your knives,” she murmurs casually, keeping her voice low because Jack and Nico are hovering close by.

Luke makes a guilty face when she peers up at him, beginning to thread her needle and he shifts uncomfortably.

“It’s a habit I guess,” he deflects. She’s careful and gentle when she starts stitching him up, keeping her tone just as tender because she knows him having more than one person trying to parent him is new. The last thing she wants to do is overwhelm him or make him feel like he did something wrong.

“Jack does a lot of smart things,” she says, “and he’s good at a lot of things. I know he’s got perfect aim and his brain thinks fast. And I know you do too because you’ve been around him your whole life.

“But he also messes up sometimes and gets injured. Like he did last week. So when that happens, I need you to try and not follow that ok? It sucks enough when one of you is hurt, I can’t stand it when it’s both of you. Especially you Luke.”

“Especially me?”

“Yeah you.” She assures. “I love Jack, I always have. But he’s Nico guy, ya know? More than he is mine. But you’re…I don’t know. We both got here at the same time and I just feel like… you’re my Luke I guess. And I don’t want to lose you.”

He looks utterly shocked when she finally meets his gaze, like he can’t believe she cares for him that way. He’s a little shaken when he nods, voice heavy when he agrees. “Ok y/n,” he murmurs, “I think you’re like my Nico too. Like how he is to Jack.”

[goldfades]

21. "i love you. i love loving you. it's something i'd like to do for eternity." + 14. "it's 2am. you can't keep coming over this late." / "why? you're never asleep either." with luka please? and congratulations on 6k!!

thank you so much, love! i hope you enjoy this blurb<3

warnings: fwb relationship, sort of but pretty fluffy/tame<3

You met Luka at a wedding, of all places.

Not yours — obviously, and not his either, but his best friend’s and your cousin’s. The ceremony was tasteful and overpriced and full of champagne and secrets, like most good weddings are. He caught the bouquet and you caught the flu and somehow, in between those two events, you managed to stumble into each other on the dance floor, both a little tipsy and too proud to admit you didn’t know the lyrics to the song blasting through the speakers.

He was warm and golden in a navy suit that probably cost more than your rent, with a grin like trouble and eyes that didn’t flinch when you called him out for stepping on your foot. You weren’t not aware that he was Luka Dončić. You just didn’t care in that moment — he was tall, yes, and good-looking in a slightly rugged, Slovenian way but mostly he was just the guy who spilled rosé on your dress and offered you a half-hearted apology, then made it up to you by dancing like an idiot to Whitney Houston.

You exchanged numbers like it wasn’t going to mean anything. Like you weren’t going to text. Like he wasn’t going to fly out to L.A. two weeks later under the guise of “business” just to see you for dinner. Like it was going to be simple. Harmless.

(You were both full of shit.)

Now it’s… a thing. You wouldn’t call it a relationship. You wouldn’t call it not that either. It’s something in between, something messy and inconvenient and too good to stay untouched for long. He travels more than he doesn’t. You pretend it’s fine. You’ve gotten used to your phone lighting up at 1:43AM with a short, lazy “u up?” that always leads to him knocking on your door less than twenty minutes later.

Sometimes you ignore it. Most times you don’t.

You like him more than you should. You hate how easy that is. He always smells like cedarwood and hotel sheets. He never stays until morning.

The worst part is: you don’t ask him to.

Not yet.

You’re already awake when he knocks.

Of course you are. It's 2:08 a.m. and your apartment is quiet, still, in that way it only is at night like it’s holding its breath. The city outside your window is a lullaby of faraway sirens and late-night traffic, the kind of sound that shouldn’t be soothing but somehow is. You’re curled up on the couch in one of his hoodies — stolen without shame the last time he left and pretending not to glance at the door like you don’t know exactly who’s behind it.

He doesn’t knock like someone who’s unsure. Luka knocks like he owns the place. Like he already knows you’ll open. And you do.

He’s wearing sweats, a wrinkled t-shirt, and an expression that’s somehow both sheepish and familiar. His hair is a mess, half-flattened from a snapback that isn’t there anymore and his duffel bag is slung over one shoulder, like he came straight from the airport.

“Hi,” he says, in that low, tired voice that always makes something flutter beneath your ribs.

You cross your arms. “It’s two a.m.”

His mouth curves up. He’s already halfway inside. “You’re never asleep, though.”

You don’t respond. You just close the door behind him, maybe a little too quietly, and let him drop his bag in the same place he always does. It’s like muscle memory at this point. The way he kicks off his sneakers and shrugs off his hoodie, leaving a trail of Luka-shaped chaos in his wake. Like he belongs here. Like this is normal.

You hate how it almost is.

“You should stop doing this,” you say, and it comes out softer than you meant. Not an accusation. A warning, maybe. Or a plea.

He looks over his shoulder at you, eyebrows raised. “Doing what?”

“This. Showing up like this.” You exhale slowly. “Late. Uninvited. Like it’s easy.”

He pauses. There’s something unreadable in his face for a second, something heavy. Then he gives you a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

“But you let me in.”

That’s the problem, isn’t it?

You don’t say anything. You just walk back toward the couch, tug your knees up under the hoodie and hope he doesn’t notice how your hands are shaking a little. You hear him behind you, filling up a glass at the kitchen sink, the soft clink of it against the marble, the rustle of his footsteps as he pads into the living room and drops down beside you, close enough that your thighs touch.

He hands you the glass. You don’t drink it.

Instead, you ask, “How was the game?”

He leans back into the cushions, eyes closing. “Long. We won.”

“Good,” you murmur, then after a beat: “You didn’t have to come.”

His eyes open again, slower this time. He looks at you like he’s searching for something. Maybe he is.

“I wanted to.”

Silence blooms between you like a bruise. You sip the water to fill it.

It’s always like this — hovering on the edge of something unsaid. And you know why. Because if you name it, it becomes real. And if it’s real, it can end.

You’re scared of that. He is too, probably.

He reaches over, hand brushing yours, and you let him thread your fingers together. His thumb grazes over your knuckles, lazy and slow, and when he speaks again, his voice is barely more than a whisper.

“I love you. I love loving you. It’s something I’d like to do for eternity.”

You blink.

It’s not the words themselves that shake you. It’s how he says them — so simply, like a fact. Like “I love you” belongs in the same category as “I’m tired” or “the sky is blue” or “you look good in my clothes.”

It knocks the wind out of you anyway.

You don’t answer right away. You can’t. The silence stretches thin, and Luka’s hand tightens around yours like he’s bracing for impact. Like he regrets saying it already. Like he’s afraid he broke something.

“I don’t know what to do with that,” you admit, quietly.

He tilts his head, studying you. “Why?”

“Because you leave,” you say, and your voice cracks a little around the edges. “You always leave, Luka and I never ask you to stay. And we don’t talk about it, and I just… let it happen. Over and over again.”

He swallows, jaw clenching. “I don’t want to keep doing that.”

“Then don’t.”

“I’m trying,” he says, and there’s something raw in his tone now, something real. “I don’t know how to do this right. I didn’t mean for this to be-”

“Messy?” you offer. “Complicated? Too much?”

“Important.”

You look up.

He’s staring at you like he’s memorizing you. Like he’s afraid you’ll disappear. Like maybe he already thinks he’s losing you and he’s only just now realizing what that would actually mean.

“I fly across the country just to see you for six hours,” he says, his voice low. “I lie to my trainer about why I’m not resting. I sit in hotel rooms wondering if you’re thinking about me or if you’re trying not to. I keep showing up because I don’t know what else to do except love you like this.”

Your chest aches.

“Then stay,” you whisper.

He nods slowly, like it’s not just agreement but a vow. He leans in, forehead against yours, and for a second, everything stills.

No games. No miles between you. Just this.

You close your eyes and let him kiss you. It’s quiet and soft and full of all the things you never said, all the moments that never got the right words.

You still don’t know what this is. Or what comes next. But maybe that’s okay.

Because at least now, you both want to find out.

my 6k celly!

[bedheaded-league]

I just binged all of Fawx & Stallion in like 2 days and it has an absolute chokehold on my brain so now I need to talk about all of the things I fucking loved about it because I'm super super duper normal about this show. Major spoilers ahead.

Like everyone else, I've replayed the "very sincerely yours" scene like 5 times already and it just doesn't get any less devastating/beautiful/cathartic. This is THE best post-Reichenbach reunion scene I have EVER seen in a Holmes adaptation, HANDS DOWN. Obviously the Reichenbach story is one of the most popular bits of the Holmes canon to retell, because it's just so crazy and ripe for raw emotion. But frequently I feel like the reunion scenes are either infuriating and completely emotionally unsatisfying (I'm looking at you, BBC) or beautiful and tender but still leaving us with the feeling that we're not getting the whole story (like with canon and Granada). This was beautiful, tender, harsh, painful, devastating, honest, and SO FUCKING SATISFYING. Jesus christ, I feel like this is the emotional catharsis Holmes fans have been waiting for since 1893.

I don't think I've ever heard an actor put SO MUCH into a single word as that fucking "Yours." Is it possible to tell someone that they're the love of your life and nothing in the world matters more to you than being with them in just one single syllable? Apparently! Because Rob Kauzlaric fucking did it! What the fuck!

I've never really had an answer for who my favorite Watson was before (I love Burke and Hardwicke, but I just have this very specific idea of Watson in my head that no actor has ever matched) but now I know who it is and it's Tom fucking Crowley. Fucking flawless performance. This Watson struck the perfect balance between being the kindest person you'll ever meet and also being sort of a bitch! He's long-suffering, he's funny, he's a chaotic bisexual who's a bit of a slut but has also been pining after the same man for ten years, he's The Guy Of All Time. His characterization was perfect and Tom Crowley gave him a perfect voice.

And GOD this interpretation of Holmes is so good. He's silly and endlessly annoying. He's a burnt out former gifted kid who's tied his entire self-worth to this cool thing he can do and how much he can impress everybody and so if he ever stops for one second he'll lose everyone he cares about. What a perfect character arc for him. He's desperately in love with someone who he thinks will never love him back because he can't imagine a reason for anyone to love him that isn't about the service he can provide to others. Out of all the characters, he has some of the most heartwrenching line deliveries. "It's too late." "Because he wrote about it." "No, no, I'll GET IT." "Very sincerely yours." FUCK

Listening to Filched Fork over again is so heartbreaking. Watson not mentioning the fork because he thinks it's just much less interesting compared to all of the dazzling things that Holmes does and also because he wants to keep the sweetest parts of Holmes to himself because those are private, but Holmes thinking that it means that the moment wasn't important *to him.* Watson literally begging Holmes how to do it (the writing, their relationship) correctly, desperately trying to reach out to the man he loves so that they can understand each other, and Holmes immediately closing himself off instead. Meanwhile we can see the hints of his impending burnout already happening here, which of course ties into his panic about Watson moving on without him if he can't be amazing all the time.

The way I absolutely screamed when I heard the thunk of the fork dropping on the table out of Fitzy's pocket. I mean I already figured out that it was Holmes (I feel like there were enough hints that we were meant to figure it out) but the reveal was SO GOOD.

Not only adapting the "This article is shit" "Oh really? I wrote it." scene but having HOLMES' LOVE CONFESSION DIRECTLY REFERENCE BACK TO IT??? THE MOMENT THEY FIRST BECAME FRIENDS???? TEN YEARS LATER??? AFTER SPENDING TEN YEARS KEEPING UP THE SAME INSIDE JOKE THAT ORIGINATED FROM THAT ONE CONVERSATION??? BECAUSE THAT DUMB JOKE WAS THE FIRST TIME HOLMES MADE WATSON LAUGH??? AND WATSON HADN'T LAUGHED IN MONTHS BECAUSE HE WAS TOO DEPRESSED FROM THE WAR??? I'M EATING THE WALLS

Holmes' nervous ADHD rambling my beloved

Holmes: "Hi, I'm Sherlock Holmes." James: "Nope."

James' monologue during the improv scene was so tender and heartbreaking and beautiful. It works so perfectly for James and Archie but also so perfectly for Holmes and Watson? God the fucking CHARACTER FOILS, FUCK.

Just in general the concept of the 224 gang being a foil to the 221 boys both in that Fawx/Stallion are bad at crime solving and Holmes/Watson are good at it AND that Holmes and Watson are in a fucked up situationship for a decade because they can't communicate but meanwhile James and Archie are in a healthy relationship because they actually talk about their feelings.

"Do you know how frustrating it is to love someone who doesn’t love themselves the way you love them? It’s like being told you're an idiot for breathing air." FUCK

James and Archie confronting the same problem that Holmes and Watson did, and in the end they didn't actually figure out the solution, but they love each other and they're in it together and that's all that matters.

Watson reading the book quotes while Holmes realizes that Watson's in love with him I'M SO NORMAL ABOUT THIS

"Well, the person saying that might have been biased." "Oh, is that what we're calling it now?" Archie passive aggressive queen

"Because he wrote about it" AAUUGGGHHH

Archie's impassioned speech about the difference between cooking and baking is so valid

"I really want to get rescued right now!" "YES CHEEEEFFF!!!" can you hear that sound in the background that's me losing my fucking mind

Holmes: Your relationship is doomed and love isn't real. James: Actually I think you're just stupid.

Archie saw Holmes stand there frozen solid making the shocked pikachu face as he realizes that the man he's been in love with for 10 years has loved him back the whole time and then Archie immediately came up with an elaborate lie to manipulate this dramatic gay dumbass into actually going and talking to the man in question. What an icon.

Please tell me we're gonna get more Iphy in the next season because I'm in love with her and she's my wife now

[polyamorousmood]

Asking you and/or any of your followers for whom it may be relevant. I'm part of a triad. At some point in the next couple years, I'm aiming to move in with two of these gals I'm dating. My question is, for anyone in this situation: Do you all share a bed? Is a king-sized generally large enough for three people to actually sleep on together comfortably in your experiences? Or do you all trend towards other sleeping arrangements? Any other pitfalls or issues I should prepare for?

I don't default to three people in a bed by default, though I've done it for special occasions.

A king bed will hold me and my two partners fine. Though if you've got someone who kicks in their sleep, there could still be trouble. I could also see space getting tight if your group is bigger than average in some way (be that height, fat, or muscle). Kings do take up a lot of floor space, and I would recommend checking the bedroom size to make sure it can comfortably fit.

The biggest reason I don't do it normally though is that it gets very hot🔥🌡, especially for the middle person, and I don't mean in the sexy way. Well. It can get sexy too. But even with cold sleepers, three in a bed can cause overheating. If you do this, my advice is to come prepared with ways to cool:

If everyone is able to sleep without covers or just a thin sheet, do that.

If you need the weight of a blanket, I suggest finding one of those net-like blankets that will add the weight without actually trapping much heat (I was able to find the type I'm thinking of by googling "lace knit blanket"). Weighted blankets still normally trapped too much heat in my experience.

Fans

If you're buying a new bed just for this, waterbeds 💧🛏let you set the temperature. I have a theory that if you set it slightly cooler than you actually want, the entire thing will act as a heat sink. I DID own a waterbed so I know how they work, and am pretty confident it would help a lot. But I wasn't practicing poly at that time so I never got to actually put it to the test. It takes a couple days for the temperature to adjust on those things go, so it might take a couple weeks to get it sorted how you like.

The people I live with all have separate bedrooms (and full or queen size beds), but normally pair up for bedtime according to our whims. This works out great for us, though it does up the required square footage of your place together significantly. And it may not be for everyone, anyway, sounds like you're wanting things as integrated as possible. I strongly prefer this personally because having your own space to fall back on is very nice, especially if:

Someone is significantly messier or tidier (each person is responsible for keeping their room to their own comfort level)

You host overnight guests a lot (easy to free up a spare bed)

Decor sensibilities clash

Different mattress firmnesses are preferred

Anyone is telling their family you're "just roommates" (hard to have 3 roommates in a 1 bedroom)

Someone has a pet the other(s) don't want to have to deal with in some way (smell of cage🐹/litter box🐈‍⬛️, dog🐩 sleeping on the bed, etc)

You want to prioritize all the individual relationships instead of it being a three-way mush

Probably lots of other things

This is FAR from a comprehensive list, of course. But those are the considerations I've encountered. I do hope other people will chime in with their experiences because this is so interesting!

I'm super happy you're able to start thinking about here things!! It's really nice when everyone can be together 🥰 I hope you and your girlfriends get to all live under the same roof soon, and that it's everything you dreamed 💙💖🖤

[littleeyesofpallas]

So i got this comment on a Bleach post i forgot i'd even made. It's nd old one and i hate the way it reads so i'm not reblogging it, but I will sort of resummarize bits of it now and add to it accordingly...

Kyouraku no Jirou Sakuranosuke Shunsui[京楽 次郎 総蔵佐 春水]

Kyouraku[京楽] is written with the kanji for "capitol" (the same kyou in Kyoto and Tokyo) and "music," and together referencing the music(and somewhat implicitly theatre) of the city the compound word means "enjoyment" or "pleasure." Moreover it's the root of a few recognizable terms like kyourakuteki[享楽的]: "pleasure-seeking," kyourakuseikatsu[享楽生活]: "a life of pleasure," and kyourakushuugi[享楽主義]: "hedonism" All very directly reflected in Shunsui's overall personality and demeanor.

His full title appends, (no)Jirou[次郎]: "next son" (synonym with jirou[二郎]: "second son") making his title or epithet, Kyouraku-no-Jirou[京楽 次郎]: "(the)Kyouraku's SecondSon"

In a kind of old fashioned convention for samurai, the name Sakuranosuke[総蔵佐] is a kind of temporary or informal name. (In the real world they were something a samurai might change pretty often, either as an alias or sometimes as a kind of ornamental name or epithet, but that doesn't get used in media too often, outside strictly historical settings/characters, I assume because it tends to get confusing.)

It's maybe a little strange that Katen calls him by something as informal as a kind of a nickname. On the one hand it shows their relationship is fairly casual as opposed to formal, but it seems to bring into question their actual intimacy? I guess you can just hand wave it as a cutesy pet name thing since he also calls her Ohana(O-[お] being a now rather outdated prefix in women's names, and the hana[花] of course just being "flower." But colloquially it could be read almost like calling her "Gorgeous"/"Beautiful" as in like a nickname, not as an adjective.) in return, but in conjunction with her pretty overt oiran archetype, it suggests the kind of relationship where a wealthy patron sneaking in to see a prostitute doesn't give her his real name.

Although depending on how, either angsty or romantic you want to be and what the genre and audience are, some might argue that it's more open and honest and intimate to use fake names and not be stifled by the rigor of adhering to, or even acknowledging social roles.

It would seem a little odd for how powerful he is, and thus implicitly how good his relationship with his sword spirit ought to be to facilitate that... But then even outside the nickname thing their relationship does seem more than a little strained. His reluctance to use bankai is played off in their dynamic not unlike the aforementioned brothel patron suddenly giving the cold shoulder, leaving the woman asking, "why don't you come see me anymore?"

And in this kind of overlap of samurai era period setting and sordid romance drama that their designs and character types play with, it is a pretty common trope for the naive young man to fall in love with a prostitute, promise her to buy her freedom, and then fail to follow through on his promise, typically leading one or both of the star-crossed lovers to kill themselves with the expectation that while insurmountable social factors keep them apart in life, they can be together in death.

Oh and it's also a deliberately weird reading kinda shoehorning it into being a pun on sakura[桜]: "cherry(tree)," which of course just loops back around to the spring time and flowers thing. The actual kanji used read "General Warehouse Assistant," where the (no)suke[佐] bit is a common naming suffix. The kura[蔵]: "warehouse" bit is normal enough, but the kanji [総] doesn't normally read as "sa," which seems to be shortened from satoshi[総] or satoru[総] which are names on their own. But as far as i can tell, when it's in a compound, and particularly as a prefix, [総] is only ever pronounced "sou-".

Anyway... finally, the given name, Shunsui[春水] means "spring water." (Spring like the season) It's a kind of motif in art and poetry referring to the winter snow melting at the start of spring. As with his overall design it evokes leisure and comfort; the hard times are over, the easy and bountiful times have begun.

There's also some stuff about his sword that echos bits of all this, as well as lends kind of an ominous tone that Kubo doesn't quite follow through on... But I've been over that a few times already over the years, so i won't repeat myself here. I don't know that i've got anything new to add to any of those rants.

It's off the back of this that Kubo gave his brother the name Shunzan[春山]: "Spring Mountain" which is also a common art motif. It doesn't seem to have much more significance than that, just a kind of obvious branch off all Shunsui's existing themes. No new aspects or clever insight to add to the themes in play. Honestly it almost feels like a name Kubo might have considered for Shunsui himself in some early phase of design.

Ise[伊勢] is just written exactly like Ise the modern day city, which gets its name from the former Ise province(now Mie prefecture), but more importantly it's the home of the Grand Ise Shrine, which houses one of the royal national treasures, the yata-no-kagami; a bronze mirror featured in early shinto myth, and reflects the light of the mother sun goddess, Amaterasu. While the later developments of the manga take this reference pretty bluntly, I never actually got the feeling that it was really made to foreshadowing anything. Even retroactively the "reveal" of Nanao's backstory having this link to the Ise temple via the mirror feels like it doesn't actually come from or play with her established character at all. But maybe that's just me...

Anyway, given name, Nanao[七緒] is written "Seven Chords/Strings," as in on an string instrument; could also read "Seventh Chord/String." I don't really know what to make of this apart from that it's implication of an instrument plays into Kyoraku's "music" meaning. (I did have an alternate take on her family name and subsequently a different reading on the full name in that post I reference above, which i wrote years ago, but I honestly have no idea what I was talking about in that. I think I was off on some wild goose chase by the fact that the i-[伊] in ise is actually only used phonetically in Japanese and has no apparent meaning, unless you try and looking into how it's used in Chinese. But while Kubo definite does dabble in obscure and even chinese readings of kanji, this does not appear to be one of those times...)

Anyway, her mom has a name now too, I guess. The name Isuzu[檍涼] is written with the kanji for [檍]: "ilex/holm oak/evergreen oak/birdlime tree" and [涼]: "cool-breeze/cooling-off," like cooling off in the shade of a tree on a hot day. It doesn't really play into the Ise thing, or Nanao's name. It's also got a weird alliterative sound to it that i don't like but maybe that's just me. I don't exactly have the best ear for this sort of thing

I guess you could argue that collectively both sides of this family all work together to paint a certain classical kind of scene... i don't know what to call it really, but it's a common enough scene of people lounging around in spring time drinking, listening to music, and admiring the scenery. I guess it falls under scenes of hanami:"flower viewing" but I feel like that's more specific than what I'm thinking of... Unrelated to anything but it seems popular in bonsai.

So... Technically in the real world the high priestesses of the Ise shrine have a very particular lineage, where the mythic founder of the temple was the daughter of an emperor, and every subsequent head priestess has in turn been some kind of blood relative to the throne(typically a daughter or sister, but sometimes a niece or even an aunt, or more distant relative). So, even if they aren't priestesses, and there is no apparent temple, I guess that could imply that the Ise bloodline in Bleach is supposed to be near to the Soul King's lineage in some way? Yet they don't seem to be one of the two unidentified royal houses, which you would think they'd qualify for if that were the case (or the unidentified house if we want to pretend the LN are canon and Tsunayashiro count) so it's probably not something Kubo took into consideration or intended when drawing on the Ise name.

It still bugs me that Nanao's whole shtick really felt like it came out of nowhere. not just because it hadn't been addressed before, but because it wasn't even addressing questions anyone as asking. This weird working backwards sort of writing to make up an excuse for her not having her own zanpakutou, despite that fact that Kubo drew her with a distinctive zanpakutou, so it was clearly not some big master plan twist he'd been sitting on for forever. it all just feels rushed and poorly conceived. But that's true of a lot of things in the final arc. I don't think it's because Kubo was "rushed" by editorial or something, btw --i know that seems to be the popular apocrypha-- I think he's just bad at serialization. He used to get in these rutts where the plot would just fully stall out for weeks at a time, and I'm convinced these writers blocks are what contribute to some of his worst writing. He's never exploring character or themes or advancing a plot or even answering real questions, he's just trying to turn his 19 pages in on time.

That's the kind of "rush" I see underlying these weird moments where he just unloads exposition or that he he'd do where a fight would have a big power reveal only for it to immediately fail and be overshadows by a second power reveal. It's just bad pacing and I don't think he knew how else to get thru the fights because it got worse and worse as things went on over the whole series.

[blossomthepinkbunny]

Sexism in HB (and HH)

I feel like I have mentioned some of the underlying misogyny present in HB before, but I never just fully talked about it, so I wanted to make this post where I talk about the sexism issue in Helluva Boss (Hazbin will also be addressed, mostly Helluva Boss though). This is a topic very close to me and I haven't seen a post that just wraps up all of the points in one Text, so that's what this is.

Little disclaimer, I know that the main creative individual behind these shows, Vivzepop is a woman. That's why a lot of people will diminish points made about sexist writing. But Viv being a woman does not mean that she is incapable of having misogynistic views. And I do not want to call her sexist directly, but it is important to realise, that how these shows (especially HB) write female characters can be quite sexist in multiple ways.

Since I like to keep things structured, here are the main things I realised about how female characters are written, which makes me call this show sexist with its writing.

Excluding female characters from victimhood

Sidelining female characters for male ones

Women for mens development/absence of mothers

Stereotyping women

-Rival for (male) attention

-Crazy Ex

-Rude bitch (+ rude bitch who gets in the way of a gay relationship)

-Caretaker/Mother

A lot of these topics will overlap in some way, I'll try to keep them concise and make the differences clear.

1. Excluding female characters from victimhood

There is a big focus on men who have gone through some sort of trauma in both shows. Blitzø, Moxxie, Stolas, Fizzarolli, Angel Dust and Husker. All of them are victims of some form of abuse (sexual, physical, domestic, psychological etc.). The ones I want to focus on now are Blitzø, Stolas, Fizzarolli and Angel. Because all of them are victims of abuse that is most commonly associated with and most commonly happens to women. Blitzø has to sleep with a wealthy man in power who holds something he needs to live over his head in exchange for sexual favours. Stolas was forcefully married at a young age and had to produce an heir for the family, while also facing domestic abuse from his partner. Fizzarolli experienced exploitation of his body through his job as a performer. Angel is a sex worker who get's raped by his pimp and generally is forced to do sexual things he does not want to do.

While of course, all of these scenarios can and do happen to men and it is important to acknowledge that, one cannot deny that these are issues that women are much more likely to experience. My problem isn't that these issues are portrayed through men, but rather how the women in HB/HH barely get acknowledged as victims.

Stolas and Stella are probably the best (or worst) example of that. They both have the same backstory with abuse I mentioned before, just with the bonus that Stella, as a woman would be more likely to experience not only a forced marriage and pregnancy but also the domestic violence they pushed on her later in the series. Fact of the matter is, that Stella and Stolas' relationship had no implications of domestic violence before the writers wanted to stop making people sympathize with Stella. A victim of the same trauma as Stolas, who got pushed as a maniac and psycho. All to redeem a man who sexually abused a lower class citizen while cheating on his spouse. There is also the fact that Stella faces very overt sexual harassment through her brother, which the show just doesn't acknowledge because it hates her. Stella is a bad victim (or not a victim at all) because she is angry and loud (and later on randomly an abuser), while Stolas is the good victim because he is sad and quiet.

Fizzarolli's story shows similarities, though not as extreme. The characters of Glitz and Glam are treated with no sympathy or anything, because they are mean to the male character. The idea that they are in a similar position to Fizzarolli (who fell victim to Mammon's exploitation through being a fan of his) is never acknowledged. We see the girls and they are immediately rude and bitchy. No one bats an eye to the fact that them facing the same exploitation as Fizz isn't good or deserved, because they are mean and probably chose that life. A statement which just reeks of misogyny, especially when one realizes, that the people mainly affected by sexualisation in the performing industry are women. Again, the women don't get sympathy because they are rude and promiscuous. Fizz deserves all the sympathy because he is hurt and 'actually' feels objectified.

In both of these scenarios, women are excluded from being victims in situations they are very likely to face, because they needed more sympathy for the male characters.

Blitzø's story doesn't have a situation like that, luckily. His story is mostly brought down because of the fetishization of gay men or mlm relationships. Since this is not the focus of this post all I'll say is, that if Blitzø was a woman, wayyy less people would be shipping Stolitz. I'll leave it at that.

Where we can once again find something similar is in Angel Dusts story, though to a lesser extent. Seeing as Angel struggles with sexual assault, I find it odd that they specifically chose Husker to console him and help him through his trauma. It is still a thing that most sexual violence or assault victims are women. I feel like no one ever considered how terrifying hell as a lawless place where pretty much everyone lives together is specifically for women. It seems like they want us to expect that every female character down there is like a badass murderer, who can easily avoid creeps and predators. But the show also makes a point to say, that the people in hell are often judged unfairly and that the system is "corrupt". So it's very likely that a majority of the women down there are simply just people who didn't believe in god or who made one mistake that doesn't deserve eternal damnation. With that perspective, a world without laws where no one cares about crime, murder, assault and rape is very terrifying. Seeing as so many crimes in hell would just be rape (which I know happens to men too). So we can easily assume that every female character has faced sexual harassment atleast once, if not to an even larger extent. Charlie I can see being excluded from that, as she is quite sheltered. And Mimzy too, seeing as she isn't played as a person who would realistically be able to add to the conversation (she is pretty much the brutal psycho murderer I mentioned earlier and she is treated mostly as if that stuff just doesn't affect her, which is weird in it's own right).

But then there is Valeria, who we know experienced at least sexual harassment from Adam while being an exorcist. And Cherry Bomb, who we can assume the same of, seeing as she was a woman on earth and a woman in hell, where sexual assaults should lurk around every corner. None of them get to have a discussion with Angel about his situation though. They are seemingly not important to a conversation about rape, which every girl hears at some point in their life. The actual nuance that could be there, having a conversation between two victims is eradicated through Husker being the one to talk Angel down. Husker, who has no common ground with Angel when it comes to this topic and who does not seem closer to him than Valeria and especially shouldn't be closer to him than Cherry Bomb in the end. Cherry, Angels actual best friend is shown to not know what Angel needs, coming off at best as simply out of touch and at worst, as directly malicious. Husker knows exactly how Angel needs to act now even though he, once again, doesn't know him nearly as well and isn't at all in touch with what he's going through. So not only are the female characters excluded from a meaningful moment, which could show the very tragic reality of something most women go through, but Cherry is also sidelined heavily as Angels best friend, to make room for a male character. Which leads into my second point.

2. Sidelining female characters for male ones

I think this is pretty self-explanatory. In Helluva Boss specifically, the female characters do not stand out and mostly do not get story focus quite like the male ones do. Millie and Loona are very egregious in that regard, seeing as they are part of the main group, but don't have nearly as much development as Moxxie or Blitzø and even Stolas (I will talk about that more later on). In Hazbin Hotel this is done a bit better, since Charlie is the main character and Valerie as well as some other background characters get focus too. That is not me saying that they have good characterisations, especially Charlie as the main character is very underdeveloped.

Who I mostly want to talk about here are Stella and Cherry Bomb though. Because while it is bad with the other female characters already, with them it is probably the worst. Because at least Loonas and Millies lack of screentime makes room for already established relationships and main characters.

Stella got basically replaced as a villain by her brother. That is so laughable because it simply is: female character with actual urgency, connection to the main plot, established goals and a personality is replaced by a male character that has none of that, just because. I don't think I need to elaborate on that. This change also just came with making Stella stupid as hell and just loud and obnoxious, something her brother is too, just to a lesser extent (so the change didn't even add a more likeable character in Stella's place).

Cherry got shoved to the side as Angels best friend and main confidante for Husker to develop their relationship, something that was purely fanservice and doesn't make a whole lot of sense in the general context of how these characters interact. Cherry doesn't know what Angel needs to be better, her attempt is misguided. So it is on Husk to actually understand what he needs, even though he should have no idea of that, since he isn't nearly as close with Angel as Cherry is. Cherry comes off incredibly misguided. Her relationship with Angel, which was always assumed to be very close is also not a thing in the show. They have very little interactions and in the ones they do have, Cherry doesn't know what Angel needs and Husk does a better job like I mentioned. Most of the other scenes Cherry shows up in are used to develop the ship of Cherrysnake. So bland and just badly done, that it is weird more than it is cute or romantic. So Cherry having an actual important connection to the main cast was replaced for Huskerdust and she was pushed even further aside to make Cherrysnake happen. A female character being mainly used to serve the male storylines leads to my next point.

3. Women for mens development/absence of mothers

Starting with the female characters that are mostly used for the development of male characters, rather than being treated as their own person. Cherry, as mentioned previously used as a way for Husker to get closer to Angel and also as a woman for Sir pentious to swoon over. She initially turns him down, but then realizes he is actually soo brave and amazing and strong, because female character who just doesn't want to be in a relationship with a male character? That doesn't happen.

Next up is Millie, who has the most unused potential in either shows in my opinion. She is often just reduced to being Moxxies wife. She helps him by practically acting as a caretaker in many ways (more on that later), helps Blitzø to rekindle his relationship with him, but rarely faces struggles that aren't somehow connected to Moxxie or made about how Moxxie feels. I know people want to point to the short she got with Sally Mae, but that was the only real time we got her personal struggles laid out. And it only got brought up and resolved in the same episode, which was also a short, so legit like 2 Minutes. And in "Unhappy campers" they just introduced a character trait she never was shown having before and in the end still made the episode mostly about Moxxie.

Loona was there as a vessel for Blitzø to express love as he felt he could only express genuine emotion towards his daughter. But now that Blitzø is with Stolas and their relationship is flourishing apparently, she doesn't have that going for her anymore. She is also physically abusive, which they have never acknowledged and probably decided to stop playing as a joke, since people got understandably upset. And the other thing that is reoccurring with her character is her crush on Tex and basically any other guy that would give her attention. That's not necessarily bad, but she has nothing except her special relationship with Blitzø (which like I said is pretty unimportant now) and her love problem, which was only focused on guys so far.

Barbie Wire is barely present and we know almost nothing about her. The one episode she shows up in mainly uses her appearance and her upset at Blitzø as a reason for us to feel bad for him. We do not get to know further why she is upset and made the choice to permanently move away. That's not of interest, only how Blitzø feels about it.

Octavia is actually a character I like a lot, but even then she is mostly used for us to feel bad for Stolas. She isn't as bad as some other examples, but depending on who you ask she is either a well written depiction of a child facing neglect and a broken family, who is right in her actions. Or a cruel bitch who doesn't understand how hard her father tries his best. I still think the way she is utilised is mostly leading to her being just a tool for Stolas to face some repercussions while also making him more sympathetic to some people.

In a similar way that Stella and Verosika are just the mean exes, that eventually lead to Stolas and Blitzø getting together to heal from their trauma (I'm aware that Verosika did not cause trauma to Blitzø specifically, he mostly mistreated her from all we know. She is still used in the narrative as something representing a past that Blitzø wants to leave behind for good).

Now onto the mothers in the room, or rather the lack thereof. Mothers in HB are used similarly to the other female characters as male development helpers, despite not even being present really. Blitzø and Moxxie have the "bad father, nice mom that's dead" combo. We don't have any more information on their mothers other than that they were the good counterpart to the evil dad's. They serve as nothing but plot for Blitzø and Moxxie to feel sad about. Stolas doesn't have a mom, just an out of touch dad. Millie has both parents actually, but they don't really get focus, because Millie doesn't get focus. The only thing we know about them is that her dad doesn't like Moxxie and her mom is slightly nicer I guess. And then there's Octavia, who might as well not have a mom at all, since her and Stella's relationship only barely exists. Stella is of course a bad mother, because that woman just can't do anything right. But even then, we never get an idea of how their interactions were when in Octavia's eyes "everything was still alright" in the family. Stella doesn't get to have a special relationship with Octavia, because nuance doesn't exist for her and she needs to be manipulative and obnoxious to everyone apparently.

4.Stereotyping women

These are just some stereotypes that female characters often fall into.

-Rival for (male) attention

This is mainly for Loona, but in general the female characters in HB/HH tend to not have friendships with other women. The only example I can really think of are Millie and Sally Mae, but they are sisters so it's kinda expected and Charlie and Emily, but they barely interact and even then, a point could be made about what I'm going to point out. Loona and Octavia don't really count, they hung out once and then never again (sadly).

The moment Loona is introduced to Beelzebub she immediately dislikes her. Just because the guy she had a crush on is dating her. This just the stereotype that women will always compete for men against each other, as if they have no other objective. I get that it makes sense for Loonas character, but I've said it before and I'll say it again, Loona desperately needs friends her age for her development. And I won't count the two hellhounds that showed up at the end of "Sinsmas", they are not even named and we do not have a reason to assume they are especially close with Loona when we have barely seen them before.

Also when Emily and Charlie first meet and get along well we can see Valeria being visibly upset. As if Charlie becoming friends with another woman is going to end up on her leaving Valeria or something. So another unnecessary rivalry between female characters, because they pose a threat to/ruin the possibility of a romantic relationship.

-Crazy Ex

Verosika and Stella. They are shown as overreacting (Stella hiring a hit on Stolas, Verosika throwing a whole hate party for Blitzø) and bitchy, mean and obsessive over a past relationship. Their behaviour is used to justify the behaviour of the male characters, while ignoring what they went through. Stella is pushed to the extreme of having her be a domestic abuser in the end, just so people can excuse Stolas cheating on her.

Verosika throwing that party is completely overreacting and is treated as weird and crazy (which it is), ignoring that Blitzø ended their genuine relationship by stealing money from her. That is also used to show Stolas as the "reasonable ex" because "he would never do something like that".

The lady from the latest episode also kinda counts into this. She isn't a real character, but she pretty much plays the same role of "see how terrible, obnoxious and even homophobic she is?!". So that it's excusable for a man to cheat on her to achieve happiness.

-Rude bitch (+ rude bitch who gets in the way of a gay relationship)

Rude bitch is pretty much every female character that is in some way mean to the male characters. Verosika, Barbie Wire, Stella, Glitz and Glam, Octavia (in some eyes). They come off as irrational and their rudeness, which is written like that intentionally, is used to excuse how the male characters treat them.

The special category of "rude bitch who gets in the way of a gay relationship" goes to (of course) Stella, thorn lady from Sinsmas and Octavia somehow. I don't think I need to elaborate on Stella, they made her an abuser so that people wouldn't dislike the gay relationship that came out of her getting cheated on (that is also just a terrible relationship).

The thorn lady is presented as blatantly homophobic, so that it's actually good she got cheated on and the gay couple can finally be happy with their children.

And Octavia, or how some fans of the show call her "Cockblocktavia" (which is just terrible for a teenage girl who just wants to feel close to her dad), who is mostly used for Stolas to feel kinda bad about being with Blitzø, without actually doing anything about it in the end.

-Caretaker/Mother

Millie fits here. The M&M relationship baits you with a Malewife x Girlboss sort of relationship. Which implies that the male counterpart (Moxxie) would take over a more traditionally female role. Being the caretaker of the other emotionally, while the wife takes care of finances and everything else. But even then in most instances it's Millie who takes care of not only Moxxie, but alo Blitzø. Like the responsibility lies with her to be a caring type, to build up her husband when he is sad and get the group drinks, without getting one for herself. That's a role that she even passes to the only other female main character. When she goes out with Blitzø in "Ghostfuckers" and tells Loona to basically look after Moxxie, as if he's some child that needs to be constantly cared for. Even though Loona is younger than him.

But of course that isn't the end of Millie being mothered by the show. Because how could I forget that she is pregnant now. How amazing that the female character we have been continually promised to get more character development, that isn't just being an extension of her husband, get's that in the form of a pregnancy. Wow.

I'm not the only one who hates this, for obvious reasons. It was just never in Millies character that she would want a baby. I hope they make her get an abortion. That could be used to be educational on a serious topic and wouldn't crowd the cast up more (because that's not what we need from this show!). In the worst case they'll make her keep the baby for some reason that will most definitely come off as very traditional and potentially conservative. It could also lead to her getting excluded from more action to do baby shenanigans, which would just be depressing at this point.

I haven't mentioned it yet, but her pregnancy is also used to discredit a very genuine and actually important point as just "having pregnancy hormones". Their livelihoods depend on killing people, if Blitzø just suddenly decides not to, because the people just so happen to live his dream life, that's his problem. I think it's so terrible to shove off her very real concern as just her being irrational because of pregnancy. And honestly, I see Millie and Moxxie having children down the line, but the reveal now, when so many people have been waiting for meaningful Millie screentime that makes her stand out just feels gross.

Now I just want to say that of course one can like the female characters and anybody can have a different opinion/interpretation than me. I just thought this was worth pointing out, because people still like to act as though there is no underlying sexism at all, which is just not true. Except for Striker and Mammon, all of my favourite characters are the female ones, mostly because I just feel like they could've been used so much better. And I enjoy using the base of these shows to make my own version basically, I feel like that is what most people are doing anyway and when you acknowledge that, just going deeper into your own version is super fun.

[appleyass123]

What are your thoughts on the sasusaku ship and how it was written in the show/manga?

I have written some of my thoughts through here and here but I figure you want me to flesh it out so I'll try to explain it from the best of my ability from the very beginning. I may warn you this is a long analysis.

I have tried to like SasuSaku, trust me, I really have but everytime I re read the manga and read some of their moments together I can't help but cringe because they are so vague and later on they become negative and toxic to the point you question if their is any hope in their relationship and felt very bad to me. I feel like at the beginning they did a okay job, they were shown to have some sense of care in each other regarding Sakura's huge crush on Sasuke and repeatedly asking him on dates. Yes, it is a little bit annoying but remember that Sakura was a 13 year old kid at that time who of course would be a little bit immature for her age so I let her have a pass because there are plenty of girls out there who are probably similiar to her.

During the bell test we get to see them interact more and Sasuke even attempts to try and tell Sakura his dreams and ambitions here since clearly Sakura knows very little about Sasuke other than the fact that he is part of the Uchiha clan, wants to kill his older brother (which she finds cool???), and likes long hair (which is most likely a rumor).

I'll even admit that this scene where Sakura hugs him to stop him from ripping another shinobi's arms off was very cute as she was able to calm him down. Most people found this romantic and sweet because Sasuke activated his curse mark because Sakura got hurt and that may only be half true because Sakura also confirms that Sasuke was letting his lust of power get to his head due to Orochimaru.

And then this scene right here when Sasuke was about to leave Kohona, I found this scene very upsetting not just because Sasuke was leaving to go to Orochimaru to get revenge, power and all that jazz but because of the way Sakura tried to convince Sasuke to stay in Kohona.

At first I found her words comforting and true when she was explaining to Sasuke that revenge isn't the answer to his problems which is true but the fact she added it wouldn't make her happy is when I got a little upset and you can see it made Sasuke upset to. Why? Because Sakura is basically making this scene all about herself. She isn't trying to understand Sasuke reasons for his depature and is more upset about what she wants and not him. And then she does it again telling Sasuke that she loves him so much she can't stand and even states she would be LONELY if he went away!

I found it very unnerving because Sakura doesn't understand Sasuke's feelings. She keeps on making it about her and the fact that she keeps on ignoring Sasuke's words really irritated me. Sakura has friends and family who love and care for her and while Sasuke hardly has any friends, he lost his family so young and it doesn't help that none of the teachers seem to be concerned about his mental health and well-being or the Uchiha massacre and it just goes to show that Sakura not only does she not understand Sasuke but doesn't want to understand nor does she care about his feelings. Because the whole reason she wanted to become a kunoichi was to get Sasuke's attention, she grew her hair for Sasuke, and basically her entire world revolves around Sasuke which isn't healthy for a girl so young like Sakura. She even states she will leave the village and help him take revenge just to be close to him which again is stupid but at the same time she doesn't know any better.

And can we also talk about the fact that after Sasuke knocks her out he just LEAVES her there all alone, unprotected in the middle of the night where anyone could hurt her???? That is not OKAY and it just goes to show how little care Sasuke has for Sakura in regards to her well-being.

And then we have this scene where Sakura plans to go kill Sasuke all by herself so she wouldn't burden Naruto with their promise of bringing Sasuke back to Kohona.

Again, Sasuke tries to tell Sakura his motives but once again Sakura goes "IDC!!", why? Because once again it just proves that Sakura truly doesn't care for Sasuke's feelings and has no interest in trying to and all she notes is that he changes. I'm sure she has once wondered why Sasuke is doing all this but she doesn't feel the need to try and understand it, why? If Sakura truly does care for Sasuke why hasn't she tried to understand his clan, his background, his feelings? If she truly loved and cared for Sasuke she would try to give a damn about how he feels.

And keep in mind that Sakura was the one who tried to kill Sasuke first, I've seen Sasuke getting a lot of backlash for trying to kill Sakura but people tend to forget Sakura started it and Sasuke was going to finish it!

And gosh, this part where Sasuke tries to kill Sakura will always leave me in complete and utter shock and disgust! Bro didn't even let her prove herself worthy standing by his side when he asked her to kill Karin, he straight up was ready to nerf her ass with no remorse!!

Kakashi even confirms that Sasuke really meant to kill Sakura with no hesitation whatsoever! What would've happened if Sasuke managed to suceed in killing Sakura if Kakashi hadn't come just in time??

Then Sakura attempts to try and kill Sasuke again but of course is unable to due to her unhealthy crush towards Sasuke. So then Sasuke tries to kill Sakura again by using her poisoned kunai knife against her!!

And then Naruto had to come and save Sakura again from nearly being killed by Sasuke! Again, what would've happened if Naruto hadn't come in time?? Kakashi was nearly too late in saving Sakura and Naruto had to save her instead, Sasuke really could've killed her again with no remorse and yet SasuSaku shippers find this healthy?! Because at this point it just goes to show just by now how unhealthy this pair is!

Many SasuSaku shippers say that Sasuke and Sakura's feelings are connected but I beg to differ because this scene where Naruto reveals that he knows the truth about Itachi further proves just how very little Sakura knows about Sasuke. She is confused and doesn't understand what Naruto means by that and I bet you she doesn't even bother to ask Naruto about it in the aftermath.

And that fact that she still likes him after he tried to take her life is just appalling! Like, anyone with a brain would understand that if a man who you love purposely tries to take your life willingly, twice means that you should take the hint and realize that he doesn't like you and that you should really think twice if you want to be with them! But Sakura, for someone who is so smart she really can be so stupid! Why would you want to marry someone who tries to kill you??

And then when the three of them plus Kakashi are up against Madara and his new transformation this is what she does.

She runs in with no plan whatsoever! And why? Because she wanted Sasuke to see how much progress she's made and doesn't want to be seen as a weakling! She ends up getting stabbed and then Naruto and Sasuke have to rescue her! And when they do Sakura is more CONCERNED about Sasuke not worrying about her than the war in general!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME SAKURA??

What makes you think that this is the right time to be impressing Sasuke in a middle of a freaking war??!!

And when Sakura seemingly seems concerned about what is happening outside this is what Sasuke says to her:

Wow...I can really feel the loving bond they both share...so romantic...

Then we have Sakura and Kakashi both falling to their almost inevitable doom by almost getting burned by lava and Naruto even tells Sasuke to go and save Sakura but he doesn't and willingly leaves her and Kakashi to both die!

Sakura even realizes it too! Look at how distraught her expression is! She is saddened that the love of her life was willing to leave her to die, and she knows by now that she means nothing to him! And I'm suppose to believe that they are in love or that Sasuke had romantic feelings for her the entire time?! I think not!

And then the cherry on top! This scene where it seems like Sakura is going to knock some sense into Sasuke by how fierce and determined she looks on her face right? But no, this is what she does...

She once again just HAS to make it all about herself! Always about her, how she feels, how much she "loves" Sasuke, and how much she wants him to love her! Now when she was 13 years old it's understandable, she was a little kid who hardly know better but she is practically 16-17 years old here! You would've thought that she would get the memo but no! She is still the same and doesn't care whether or not Sasuke wants her or not! And how does Sasuke respond to that? This...

He puts her under a FREAKING genjustu where he kills her over and over again for 8 FREAKING hours!! Yup, this is your precious and loving ship SasuSaku fans!! You can clearly see just how much Sasuke loves Sakura and how badly he wants her!!

So in short, SasuSaku is toxic and never should've become a couple in the first place! It's not only that Kishimoto doesn't know how to write romance but he purposely shows us just how toxic these two are for each other and should've just stayed as friends! With how negative their interactions are it's safe to say they were never meant to be! Sakura's so called "love" for Sasuke is selfish, shallow, and superficial and we don't even know why she likes him in the first place, and I bet you it's mainly for his looks because Kishimoto even admits that he's been avoiding writing the real reason for Sakura's crush on Sasuke. Sakura likes the idea of having a handsome man like Sasuke in her life and wants him regardless if he wants her or not!

Sorry for the long analysis here but I hope this answers your question and helps you understand just how bad SasuSaku are!

[felassan]

Some more snippets from recent articles, under a cut for length (source links included under cut):

1.

David Gaider: ""Here's the hope: [Baldur's Gate 3's success] shows any company with an IP like Dragon Age or a good RPG IP in their basket what's possible when you double down on committing to the genre and not approaching it with the idea that RPGs, on their own, are just this niche thing," he says. "You don't need to go 'oh we need the action audience, we need to increase the mass appeal' – what, because RPGs are niche and nerdy and will never achieve mass success? No. If you double down on what that genre does well, people will [play it] – it's the Field of Dreams method of game development, I guess." "But while that sounds like something they should learn, I don't think many publishers learn lessons like that. My fear is that what they start asking developers under their wing is 'we want results like Baldur's Gate 3,' and the developer will say 'okay, well I need X and Y amount of resources,' and they'll say 'can you not get the same results with half of the resources you need?'" Of course, the developer is probably going to say 'yes, of course we can,' but the answer is no, that's not how it works." [...] "It's a troublesome thing," Gaider says. "It's so easy for companies to take the wrong lessons: the idea that romances should become rote, that, if you've got a character, it's like 'let's tack on a romance' that's just some extra lines of dialog and maybe a cutscene, then that's what players want. It's not really pushing the envelope – it's not pushing the medium forward. If we get to a point where romances are seen as just a staple you add in, I think that would lead to backlash where people could rightly say, 'look, this whole romance thing just feels very heartless and like a check on a list of features." "I would hate for people to look at the example of Baldur's Gate 3 and think that they can pick and choose what parts they can replicate or that it ends up being a laundry list of features, as opposed to a directive of its development.""

[source]

2.

"when asked about it in a recent interview with GamesRadar+, [David Gaider] said there's a "sharp divide in the player base" between people who want to freely romance everyone in the cast [of characters in a game] and players who want to be realistically rejected. "This is one situation where you can't do it both ways," Gaider told us. "Yeah, it's got to be one or one or the other. And those players who are on either side of this argument are never going to be okay with what's going on, like, on the other side." [...] [the DA2-style approach to companion romances is] something BioWare tried out in Dragon Age 2 and quickly abandoned by the time Dragon Age: Inquisition rolled around. "That was my doing and my preference," Gaider said, "because I think it takes away an element of agency from the character, and, I mean, there are players who absolutely prefer [that approach] and it's totally justified." "But I think you do some get something in return for that, because [then] it feels like every romance is always on the table. It means you have to craft a story for this character where romance is a possibility. And that limits the different types of stories you can do. They always have to be somebody who ultimately could romance the player. And so that is quite limiting." "I wanted characters who had their own motivations [and] maybe I had to earn their friendship," he said. "Maybe there's a different path... where they could distrust me, or we could have rivalries. They could have their own motivations that didn't align with my own... And I like the idea of characters with agency, where romance is a possibility, maybe, or maybe they have their own relationships.""

[source]

3.

"I reminisce with Gaider about Troika's chaotic RPG, and he tells me that it inspired Bioware's approach to slow, non-combat-focused storytelling. [...] "One thing that Bloodlines did that I was like 'I really want someone to do this,' was that there's a whole plot that takes place in a haunted hotel [Ocean House] where, unlike the rest of the game, there's no actual combat, but it's tense from beginning to end. I remember at the time that it's all anybody on the Bioware team could talk about." "For a while, it actually enabled me to have some ammunition," he laughs. "Whenever the level designers would be like 'we have to sprinkle some popcorn fights everywhere because players get bored,' I was like 'no, they don't! That doesn't need to be a thing!" "I remember when we were working on Dragon Age: Inquisition and I wanted to have the part where you go to Val Royeaux and you're at the masquerade ball [not have] any combat, and I just couldn't convince everybody. So you kept having to duck out of the masquerade, go have a fight, then come back into it. Players need to be kept interested, absolutely. Players need to feel like the things they're doing are having an effect. But I think it's always underestimated that part of that can be story – politics can keep people interested. What the player doesn't need to do is just fight, even if it's an RPG.""

[source]