#people on here make up the wildest shit and then act personally offended at the slightest rebuttal

[theoihalioistuff]

ARES IS NOT THE PROTECTOR OF WOMEN IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY.

He is never presented as such in any source, there is no evidence such a role was ever assigned to him in any account, and as far as I'm aware this popular yet unattested assertion is born from the echo-chambers of tumblr. In fact quite the opposite could be argued. TW for sexual assault.

This baffling claim seems to originate from a sort of shallow examination of the way Ares "behaves in myth", and the following arguments are the most frequently presented:

1. Ares protects his daughter Alkippe from assault, and is therefore morally opposed to rape. (Apollodorus 3.180, Pausanias 1.21.4, Suidas "Areios pagos", attributed to Hellanikos)

Curiously this argument is never applied to, among other examples: Apollo for defending his mother Leto from Tytios, Herakles for defending Hera from Porphyrion (or his wife Deianeira from Nessos), or Zeus for defending his sister Demeter from Iasion (in the versions where he attacks her), etc. The multiple accounts of rape of the previously mentioned figures did not conflict with these stories in greek thought: they're defending family members or women otherwise close to them. This sort of mentality is not uncommon even in contemporary times, e.g. a warrior may have no ethical problem killing men, but would not want his own family or loved ones to be killed. The same goes here for sexual assault.

2. There are no surviving accounts of Ares sexually assaulting anybody.

The idea that the ancient greeks pictured that, among all the gods, Ares was the only one who shied away from committing rape is baseless and borders on ridiculous. In this case absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

The majority of surviving records regarding Ares' unions are presented in a genealogical manner, and do not go into details on their nature. This is the case for most works of mythography, where specifics of sexual encounters are to be found elsewhere. However, common motifs present in other accounts of rape also appear in stories concerning Ares' relationships, e.g. tropes like shape-shifting/the use of disguises, the victim being a huntress, secrecy, and the disposal of the concieved child, are to be found in the stories of Phylonome and Astyoche respectively:

Φυλονόμη Νυκτίμου καὶ Ἀρκαδίας θυγάτηρ ἐκυνήγει σὺν τῇ Ἀρτέμιδι: Ἄρης δ᾽ ἐν σχήματι ποιμένος ἔγκυον ἐποίησεν. ἡ δὲ τεκοῦσα διδύμους παῖδας καὶ φοβουμένη τὸν πατέρα ἔρριψεν εἰς τὸν Ἐρύμανθο

"Phylonome, the daughter of Nyktimos and Arkadia, was wont to hunt with Artemis; but Ares, in the guise of a shepherd, got her with child. She gave birth to twin children and, fearing her father, cast them into the [River] Erymanthos." (Pseudo-Plutarch, Greek and Roman Parallel Stories, 36)

οἳ δ᾽ Ἀσπληδόνα ναῖον ἰδ᾽ Ὀρχομενὸν Μινύειον, τῶν ἦρχ᾽ Ἀσκάλαφος καὶ Ἰάλμενος υἷες Ἄρηος οὓς τέκεν Ἀστυόχη δόμῳ Ἄκτορος Ἀζεΐδαο, παρθένος αἰδοίη ὑπερώϊον εἰσαναβᾶσα Ἄρηϊ κρατερῷ: ὃ δέ οἱ παρελέξατο λάθρῃ: τοῖς δὲ τριήκοντα γλαφυραὶ νέες ἐστιχόωντο.

"And they that dwelt in Aspledon and Orchomenus of the Minyae were led by Ascalaphus and Ialmenus, sons of Ares, whom, in the palace of Actor, son of Azeus, Astyoche, the honoured maiden, conceived of mighty Ares, when she had entered into her upper chamber; for he lay with her in secret" (Homer, Iliad 2. 512 ff)

In neither of these cases is a verb explicitly denoting rape used, though it is heavily implied by the context. The focus of the action is on the conception of sons, the nature of the interaction is secondary.

Other examples are found among the daughters of the river Asopos, who where (and here there's no confusion) ravished and kidnapped by different gods to different parts of the greek world, where they found local lines through children borne to their abductors and serve as eponyms. Surviving fragments from Corinna of Tanagra tell us:

"Asopos went to his haunts . . from you halls . . into woe . . Of these [nine] daughters Zeus, giver of good things, took his [Asopos'] child Aigina . . from her father's [house] . . while Korkyra and Salamis and lovely Euboia were stolen by father Poseidon, and Leto's son is in possession of Sinope and Thespia . . [and Tanagra was seized by Hermes] . . But to Asopos no one was able to make the matter clear, until . . [the seer Akraiphen reveals to him] 'And of your daughters father Zeus, king of all, has three; and Poseidon, ruler of the sea, married three; and Phoibos [Apollon] is master of the beds of two of them, and of one Hermes, good son of Maia. For so did the pair Eros and the Kypris persuade them, that they should go in secret to your house and take your nine daughters." (heavily fragmented papyrus. Corinna fr. 654)

"For your [Tanagra's] sake Hermes boxed against Ares." (Corinna fr. 666)

It seems that, similar to the myths of Beroe or Marpessa, the abducted maiden is fought over by two competing "suitors", and though we can infer that the outcome of the story is that Hermes gets to keep Tanagra, apparently by beating Ares in a boxing match, we don't actually know what happened or how it happened. In any case, Ares does mate with another daughter of Asopos, Harpina, who bears him Oinomaos according to some versions (Paus. 5.22.6; Stephanus Byzantium. Ethnica. A125.3; Diodorus Siculus 4. 73. 1). There is little reason to suppose that this encounter wasn't pictured as an abduction like the rest of her sisters.

The blatant statement that each of his affairs was envisioned as consensual is simply not true.

3. He was worshipped under the epithet Gynaikothoinas "feasted by women"

This was a local cult that existed in Tegea, the following reason is given:

"There is also an image of Ares in the marketplace of Tegea. Carved in relief on a slab it is called Gynaecothoenas. At the time of the Laconian war, when Charillus king of Lacedaemon made the first invasion, the women armed themselves and lay in ambush under the hill they call today Phylactris. When the armies met and the men on either side were performing many remarkable exploits, the women, they say, came on the scene and put the Lacedaemonians to flight. Marpessa, surnamed Choera, surpassed, they say, the other women in daring, while Charillus himself was one of the Spartan prisoners. The story goes on to say that he was set free without ransom, swore to the Tegeans that the Lacedaemonians would never again attack Tegea, and then broke his oath; that the women offered to Ares a sacrifice of victory on their own account without the men, and gave to the men no share in the meat of the victim. For this reason Ares got his surname." (Paus. 8.48.4-5)

As emphasised by Georgoudi in To Act, Not Submit: Women’s Attitudes in Situations of War in Ancient Greece (part of the highly recommendable collection of essays Women and War in Antiquity), "it is not necessary to see the operation of an invitation in the bestowal of the epithet Γυναικοθοίνας on Ares". The epithet is ambiguous, and can be translated both as "Host of the banquet of women" or "[He who is] invited to the banquet of women". In any case no act of divine intervention occurs, and the main reason for the women's act of devotion lies principally in recognising their decisive role in the routing of the Lakedaimonians. It's they who preside/participate in the feast of war, the men are excluded.

Also this a local epithet that isn't found anywhere else in Greece. As such it would be worth reminding that not every Ares is Gynaikothoinas, in the same way not every Zeus is Aithiopian, not every Demeter Erinys, and not every Artemis of Ephesos.

4. He was the patron god of the Amazons

He was considered progenitor of the Amazons because of their proverbial warlike nature and love of battle, the same reason he was associated with other "barbaric" tribes, like the Thracians or the Scythians. In this capacity he was also appointed as a suitable father/ancestor for other violent and savage characters who generally function as antagonists (e.g. Kyknos, Diomedes of Thrace, Tereos of Thrace, Oinomaos, Agrios and Oreios, Phlegyas, Lykos etc.). Also he was by no means the only god connected with the Amazons (they were in fact especially linked to Artemis, see Religious Cults Associated With the Amazons by Florence Mary Bennett, if only for the bibliography).

Similarly, Poseidon was considered patron and ancestor of the Phaiakians mainly because of their mastery over the art of seafaring (and was curiously also credited in genealogies as father to monsters and other disreputable figures).

On another note I have found no sources that claim he taught his amazon daughters how to fight, as I've seen often mentioned (though I admit I'd love to be proven wrong on that point).

5. Finally, the last reason Ares could never be portrayed as a protector of women is because of his divine assignation itself

The uncountable references to his love of bloodshed and man-slaying don't just stop short of the battlefield, but continue on to the conclusion and intended purpose of most waged wars in antiquity: the sacking of the city. The title Sacker of Cities as an epithet of Ares (though it is by no means exclusive to him) is encountered numerous times and in different variations (eg. τειχεσιπλήτης or πτολίπορθος), and the meaning behind the epithet is plain. Though it is hard to summarise without being reductionist, the sacking of a city entails the plundering of all its goods, the slaughtering of its men, and the sistematic raping and enslavement of the surviving women (to name only a small few of the literary references see The Iliad, The Trojan Women or The Women of Trachis). There is little need to emphasise that war as concieved of in ancient greece, especifically the brutal aspects of war Ares is most often associated with, directly entailed sexual violence against women as one of it's main concerns. The multiple references to Ares being an unloved or disliked deity are because of this, because war is horrifying (not because his daddy is a big old meany who hates him for no reason, Zeus makes very clear the motive for his contempt in the Iliad (5. 889-891): "Do not sit beside me and whine, you double-faced liar. To me you are most hateful of all gods who hold Olympos. Forever quarreling is dear to your heart, wars and battles.")

Ares was only the protector of women inasmuch as he could be averted or repelled (e.g. surviving apotropaic chants):

"There is no clash of brazen shields but our fight is with the war god, a war god ringed with the cries of men, a savage god who burns us; grant that he turn in racing course backward out of our country’s bounds, to the great palace of Amphitrite or where the waves of the thracian sea deny the stranger safe anchorage. Whatsoever escapes the night at last the light of day revisits; so smite him, Father Zeus, beneath your thunderbolt, for you are the lord of the lightning, the lightning that carries fire." (Shophocles, Oedipus Tyrannos, 190-202)

"And let no murderous havoc come upon the realm to ravage it, by arming Ares—foe to the dance and lute, parent of tears—and the shout of civil strife." (Aeschylus, Suppliant Women 678)

~~~~~

All that being said, this is a post about Ares as conceptualized and attested in ancient sources, made specifically in response to condescending statements about how "uhmmm, actually, in greek mythology Ares was a super-feminist himbo who was worshipped as the protector of women and was hated by his family for no reason, you idiot". It is factually incorrect. HOWEVER, far be it from me to tell anyone how they have to interact with this deity. Be it your retellings, your headcannons or your own personal religious attachments and beliefs towards Ares, those are your own provinces and prerogatives, and not what was being discussed here at all (I personally love art where Ares and Aphrodite goof around, or retellings where he plays with his daughters, or headcannons that showcase his more noble sides, etc.)

~~~~~

I've seen that other people on tumblr have made similar posts, the ones I've seen were by @deathlessathanasia and @en-theos . I have no idea how to link their posts, but they're really good so go check them out on their pages!

[midgardian-witch]

“i know this may be hard to believe but i’m on your side” with jack? id be really interested to see what you write with this prompt, it could even be paired with “You’ve got thirty seconds to explain to me what you’re doing here.” ?? idk but i’m starved for jack russel content i need more of your writing 🫶🫶

There really isn't as much Jack Russell content out here, anon. You're totally right on that. And it makes me really happy to hear you're enjoying my writing that much 💙

Stop Right There

Send me a quote and a character and I'll write a small reader drabble

tags: meet cute (kinda?) | Ted got locked up (again) | security guard!reader | gn!reader

ships: Jack Russell/Reader

AO3

Edit: added AO3 link

"I know this may be hard to believe but I am on your side." + "You've got thirty seconds to explain to me what you're doing here."

These parties usually were pretty boring. When people think about the 1% partying they usually imagine the wildest shit from orgies to black market auctions. You've acted as security for more than your fair share of eccentric parties and it never was anything remarkable. The most exciting thing to happen is some over-eager heir getting too drunk too quickly and rushing to the nearest bathroom to empty their stomach. 

This time was different. 

You were tasked to guard the highlight of the party, some strange creature the host had acquired recently. You hadn't seen it, just heard some of the noises from inside the room it was kept in. 

You stood guard outside the room alone. Apparently the host thought their new pet wasn't as valuable as to require any more security. A low groan filters through the door, an inhuman, almost mournful sound, and you grit your teeth. This is your job. It sucks but you can't let sad animal noises distract you from your purpose here. 

A sudden noise, like metal banging against metal, catches your attention. You turn towards the door. Something was happening inside. 

You grab the handle and open the door, your curiosity getting the better of you. As you walk inside the sparsly decorated room you see a giant metal cage containing what you could describe as a huge bipedal creature covered in foliage with red glowing eyes. This must be the creature the host had been talking about. 

In front of the cage stands a man. 

You immediately raise your weapon at the stranger. 

"You've got thirty seconds to explain to me what you're doing here."

The man in front of you startles and turns towards you. He's wearing a dark green suit, intricate patterns woven into the fabric. What catches your eye is his face - this man is beautiful. His stunning eyes regard you, not like you're a threat, which is what you're used to, but like an equal. He smiles awkwardly and clears his throat. 

"Ah, hello. I am- well I was looking at this uh- specimen."

God, this man was a bad lier. 

"Nobody is supposed to be here. How did you even get in here?", you ask, feeling a little bit offended that somebody managed to sneak past you. Maybe all those boring parties really have made you let your guard down more than you should. 

The flutter of curtains catches your attention and you look over the wide open window. Did he…?

Before you can ask the man speaks up: "Listen, my name is Jack. And you seem like a nice person. I mean you haven't shot me yet so…"

He looks nervously towards the gun you have still pointed at him. Slowly you point your weapon downwards and Jack's shoulders slump with a sigh.  

"I will explain myself. See, this fine gentleman-" He points to the creature trapped in the metal cage, "He's my friend. I am here to get him out. Again."

You blink owlishly at him, not sure about what you're hearing. 

"That's your friend?" 

"Yes. His name is Ted."

"Ted?"

You look over to the creature and it waves at you. Without really thinking about it you hesitantly wave back. 

This is the weirdest night of your life. 

"I won't ask you to help me but could you just…look the other way? We'll be out of your hair in no time."

The creature - Ted - looks at you and you'd never thought that red glowing eyes could look sad. This mournful, heart-breaking moan escapes him once again and without the door between you it's even harder to ignore how much it affects you. 

You grit your teeth and shake your head. Fuck it. The host of this whole thing was an asshole anyways.

"I know this may be hard to believe but I am on your side.", you look at both Jack and Ted and put your weapon back in your holster. 

With careful steps you walk closer to them, making sure not to startle any of them any more than you already had. 

"How can I help?" 

Jack's eyes widen in surprise and there is a spark there, this small glimmer of hope. Ted hums thoughtfully at you and you feel this deep sense of calm, like you already know you've made the right decision. 

[imjustabeanie]

Here’s the infir for our trade:

My style has a rockstar gf vibe. Sometimes softer colours too. I'm hourglass shaped and almost curvy, but I spend lots of time training (MMA) so instead im lowkey athletic with some muscle. I've got dark gray almond shaped eyes and medium lengst wavy blonde wolfcut with (renee rapp-style) bangs. Ironically (for Hazbin) I often hear that I look Angel-like? Like, even from strangers on the street?? That or that I’m intimidating. Ngl, that strokes my ego a bit (as all the other times I had strangers compliment me, tho I try to be neutral abt it bc ofc I’m pretty), but idk what really makes me come across that way. Got some casual makeup on usually. I’ve got some scars and bruises from training, don’t mind most, not too fond of my scar from a sword fight (long story), bc it’s big (and I hate that somebody might think that I lost it; my ego >>> my body - with injuries like that). Also, got a hidden tattoo. Yeah yeah, my youth group (idk how to actually say it in eng) doesn’t allow it, I’ve got my rep but give me some sweet hypocrisy as a treat (/hj), I think the tattoo looks awesome (yeah, it was diy). I’m social & extroverted. I write songs and am in a band. Other than that I like to tease ppl if given the opportunity; others say I’m flirty - bold with it at that. I’m ambitious too. I don't take shit from ppl, im far from meek. I have npd (if you want to look it up without reading scientific papers, go on tumblr, bc the rest of the internet is filled with ‘demonic narcissism’ bullshit) and it influences the way I am. I care lots about my image, don’t have a ton of empathy etc. I don’t kick puppies, but it‘s noticeable how I lack in this department. Sometimes people say I’m ’too nice to have it’ cause i do well with kids and do all the youth group volunteering. Kinda skeptical of serious romance cause I had lots of it & I don’t mix well with a lot of people. Maybe I could do something serious for once if I had the right person. I try to be responsible and respectful but I have no issue finding my place at a wild party or something. I can be soft-er if I want, like with children or ppl I’m close with (I've got many friend groups but struggle to make meaningful connections). Usually I just stay my analytical, laid-back self and say my silly little comments every once in a while. Heard I’m pretty funny if I want to be. My love language is acts of service. I like small things and I do them a lot. I can do praise too, but I don't care for it in return. Like, you can be an asshole (up to a limit, I know my worth) and it’s cool with me if I see you have your ways of caring like putting on a song I like in the car. Unrelated but some say I’m kinda closed off and ‘mysterious’ or wtv . Hate it when people push me to open up and be emotional; love music and I unironically had a few guys play songs AT me and I actually like that too, tho I get why ppl clown on it; despise the ‘I can fix them’ trope, it just feels wrong; obvi love my band, we are awesome; Deal breakers r: boring ppl, too romantic or sentimental, ppl who can't be casual with me, ppl who only approach me bc of my looks (yeah they are important, but my personality’s too good to ignore in the long run, come on), for Hazbin - no Val. I like ppl who are more negative than me and aren't afraid to shittalk everything. Just saying whatever, not caring if they offend ppl (up to a point, some issues aren’t debatable ik). I like to join in sometimes. They have to be at least a little funny. And determined abt their goals, like a lot, no matter what it is. Don't really care for morality (to a certain point, again) if you're charismatic and fun to be around, I’m along for the ride and happy to support whatever you get yourself into. Like, my perfect dynamic is usually when the other person says the wildest shit and I just go like ‘yeah, go baby’. Ppl try to argue? I pull out the ‘who?… who cares?’ card.

1/2, just a few sentences got cut

-★🎶

Hellooooo! Here's my part of the trade!

Your match for hazbin hotel is.....Velvette! With Adam as a close runner up lol

Okay so as I said in messages, Velvet would be a perfect match for you (with adam as your very close runner up). You said you don’t like sentimental or boring people but you like them ambitious and audacious. Tell me how it’s not our dear Velvette. Now okay, given her little screentime there’s a chance she approached you first for your looks but put her in her place and there you go. A nice enemies to lovers’ story. Who asked the other one first? Her. She was pushed to the edge by the other V’s teasing.

Something that fits you both in the relationship is that you don’t expect the lovey dovey atmosphere. It’s more like…that’s my demon, fuck off. She likes that you retaliate and doesn’t get hurt easily because she won’t have to watch her words. It’s not uncommon to find both of you bickering but if anyone dared to try and side with one of you they’d get hurt. Velvette love language is probably gifts and fancy dates. She likes it when you do small things for her and will show it off by saying find a better lover than mine or something similar. Your relationship will be public but the amount of photoshoots you two do together depends on you, she won’t force you into an influencer life.

Now Velvette likes your style and you two give me the same vibes. But you know what she likes more? Matching outfits with you. She will probably offer to do your make up for you if you let her. As for the tattoos, if the relationship gets serious then she will get one for you. In private, she does fuss over the bruises you get during training and even proposes to….take care of your opponents. If you do any matches she will clear her schedule and assist.

Besides her brutal honesty, Velvette is the best critique you could ask for. She will help out your band as much as she can. Leave the costumes and decorations to her lol. Now onto some personal headcanons, I think that Velvette would enjoy a lover that’s stronger than her (physically. In termof powers idk) but wouldn’t abuse it. Someone who’d pick her up and spin, her around or just someone with who she can get lost in their arms in private. A lover who won’t judge her and accept her with all her flaws. I also think she’s the type that enjoys late car rides with full on music to destress. But for all of this to happen and for her to let her real walls down the relationship would have to become serious. You’re both in it for fun and it’s easy to get backstabbed in hell after all.

Hope you like it. I tried to include everything

[donutloverxo]

Soooo there are many fics where reader makes steve jealous and it ends in rogh possesive fcking.. but what if steve tries to make reader jealous and it totally backfires and she becomes extremely insecure?? But please with a fluffy ending because my poor heart can’t handle anything less 🥺🥺

Hey. Thanks for the request and I hope this fits. *gif is not mine* Dividers by @firefly-graphics

Please note that my stories are not to be stolen or reposted on any other site. Reblogs and welcome and much appreciated. This blog and this story is 18+. Do not read, follow or interact if you are not 18+. Please🙏🙏

"Um... yes?" You asked as you brought down the hand which was holding out a twenty dollar bill - since you thought it was the pizza you've been waiting for, for like the past half an hour, and not a blond, six feet and some inches,tall super soldier.

"Hi... doll," he smiled.

"My name's Y/N," you corrected him as you frowned, so fed up of men undermining you by calling you such 'sweet' nicknames. You knew Captain Rogers wasn't like that, but still you couldn't have him getting any ideas.

"Right," he cleared his throat as he repeated your name. "Sorry," he said with a toothy grin, which almost made your heart melt.

"How did you get my address, Captain?"

"Tony gave it to me. I would've asked you at work... but I wanted to do this the right way."

"Do what?" you quirked a brow.

"Um, I maybe people aren't as formal nowadays," he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, "But I can't really change who I am... not so late in life anyway," he cringed as he realised he was pretty rambling then, taking a deep breath he gathered enough courage, "I wanted to ask you to come with me, as my date, to the valentines party this Sunday."

You hummed at that, considering it because damn if Rogers wasn't convincing. Even when he wasn't as authoritative and dominating as he is when he puts on the suit.

It would be nice to be courted and treated nicely, and to not have to put up with the shit most men try to pull with you, you were sure Rogers would show you the time of your life. Besides, only an idiot would say no to him.

"No." You said with a finality that left no room for debate. "Is that all?"

"Uh... I... yes..." he stammered, not exactly prepared to be turned down so bluntly. "Can I ask why?"

"I don't shit where I eat."

"What?" his eyebrows cutely scrunching up.

You just knew you must've touched a nerve with your crass language. Tony, your boss, had told you about Cap and his 'language' incident.

"I don't date people at work... it can get complicated," you explained as he nodded.

It wasn't a complete lie. You didn't want to be known as the 'easy' girl or have others gossip about you. But that would be a sacrifice you'd willing make for someone like Steve. Who'd dare make fun of the Captains girl anyway?

You had been smitten with him from the moment you saw him, learning about his bravery and sacrifice as a kid you looked upto him and respected him, but when you met him in real life... you were a complete goner. Your stomach did somersaults every time he touched you, or hell even looked your way.

You tried your best to flirt, which was basically you stuttering and trying to make small talk whenever you had a chance to talk to him. Since he was born almost a century ago he would probably be offended if you were the one to make the first move.

You continued your back and forth for weeks before he told you about her. That he'll be visiting her over the weekend. You simply nodded, having a vague idea of who Peggy Carter was but not of what she went to Steve.

After some research you found out that she was an old flame of his, someone he couldn't marry and build a life with because he was frozen for decades. Upon seeing her many qualifications, and just how freaking brilliant she was, you knew one thing.

You may not be as smart as her, but you knew that you could never measure upto a woman that incredible. Someone Steve still visits after all these years. You were already afraid that he was out of your league but now you were sure of it.

"Did I do something wrong?" he wanted to know.

"What do you mean?"

"Well," he shoved his hands in his pockets, his bottom lip jutting out in a pout, "It's just that you used to talk to me all the time... and now it seems as if you're ignoring me. Is it because of something I did? Whatever it is I never meant to hurt you," he swore.

You sighed. "It's nothing you did, really. I just realized how incompatible we are. I hope you find the one you're looking for, someone who'll make you happy and give you the world. It just won't be me."

You didn't let him say anything closing your door instantly as you kept your tears at bay.

At the valentines party

"Cap," Tony said, slapping a hand on Steve's shoulder, "I thought you'd have her on your arm tonight. What happened?"

Referring to his assistant. He wanted to play cupid this once, since it was the season of love, he wanted to see his idiot friends happy. He was sure you both would be disgustingly smooching and all cute at the party. But not only had you both shown up separately, you seemed to be actively ignoring Steve.

"She uh... rejected me," he said, looking down into his glass of whiskey. It didn't do much for him but it helped him blend in.

"Ouch," Tony winced, "I was sure she would go for you. But I guess I have been wrong before," he shrugged.

"Really?"

"Yeah. She goes all heart eyes whenever you're around. But I guess that's nothing unique since that's just how most women act around you," he scoffed. "You should read all the love letters you got today. I was going through them, you have quite a passionate fanbase of people who want to... what was it..." he pretended to think hard about it. "Yes, 'ride your bicep', I don't understand the physics of how on earth that would work, but I am intrigued."

"Tony," Steve rolled his eyes as he always does when he's around the billionaire. "I don't really care about all of them... they don't know me. I only care about her and I don't know why she said no, but there's nothing I can do about it."

"Whoa, you're accepting defeat so soon? Where's that I-can-do-this-all-day attitude?"

"This isn't a war, Tony. If she doesn't see me that way... then there isn't much I could do."

"Maybe she's just playing hard to get. There's absolutely no way to really know what goes on in womens heads, Rogers. They're so smart and sneaky... it's kinda scary actually."

"I don't think she'd play games..."

Tony had gotten distracted pretty quickly and left Steve alone to pout and only appreciate your beauty from afar. You had worn a pink dress with red hearts on it, and for some reason, you got more beautiful every time he looked at you.

"Hello."

He jerked when he heard the foreign voice, looking at the blonde woman next to him, with her hand out, he shook it just to be polite.

"I'm Crystal," she smiled, flashing her sparkly white teeth.

"I'm Steve."

"Of course I know who you are!" she laughed, "You're Captain America, everyone knows you," she playfully hot his bicep before squeezing it, "Oh my... you must work out a lot."

"Uh... yeah..." he nodded. He could never get used to how people perceived him so differently.

"There is something I need to know really bad," Crystal blinked as she looked up at him, "Do you wear underwear in those suits? They seem really tight, wouldn't it be uncomfortable?"

"Oh, um... we just sort of..."

You had never looked at yourself as a jealous person. Maybe things were different when it came to Steve... he was a pretty special guy.

When you looked at him, talking to some girl, dancing with her, laughing and having fun with her, it was as if you were on fire from simmering rage, at the same time you could feel your heart breaking in a million pieces.

You knew it was wrong. You had no claim to him, he can do whatever he wants. If you said no to him then it makes perfect sense that he seeked out someone else.

You just had to get away for some fresh air, so you wouldn't abandon all class and pull the girls hair and drag her away from your Steve.

You yelped when you heard him call out your name.

Looking over your shoulder you saw him staring at you, his brows scrunched up, he looked so worried. But why?

"What're you doing here? You'll catch a cold, doll," he takes off his blazer, putting it over your shoulders and then groaning when he realised his slip up.

"Right, sorry, old habits die hard. I won't call you that again, I promise," he said, crossing his finger over his heart.

"No... I think it's kinda sweet. No ones ever had such an endearing petname for me. I do like it."

"Oh," he frowned, "it's just that you said you didn't."

Tony, of all the people in the whole universe, was right. There was no understanding women.

"I guess I lied..."

"Why?"

"Um..." You were at a loss of words and nervous. Steve wouldn't tolerate lies, and you didn't want him to hate you. "It was easier to do that then tell you the truth."

"What's the truth?"

"I do like you... a lot. But I don't want to live in someone else's shadow. And I just think the whole thing would end in a disaster..."

"What're you talking about, Y/N?"

"Peggy. Your first and only love. I can't measure upto her, not in my wildest dreams, there's no use trying."

"Why would you have to measure upto Peggy?"

You opened your mouth to answer, but couldn't really come up with an answer. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I did have feelings for her, but that was a long time ago. I'm happy she lived her life, it just wasn't meant to be."

"So, you're not still in love with her?"

"No," he shook his head, "I wouldn't have asked you out if I was."

"Well, what about Crystal? You were practically glued to her the entire evening!" you huffed as you stomped your foot. Mad at your own stupidity. You could've simply told him the truth and asked for a straight answer. "I have to warn you, she had was pretty crazy in the last season."

"Last season?"

"Mm-hm, the last season of her reality show, I've seen all eight seasons. Maybe they just amp up the drama, maybe she isn't actually crazy, I wouldn't know," you shrugged.

"Doll," he smirked, circling a hand around your waist and pulling you into him, "are you jealous?"

"I am not!" you gasped, looking away from his eyes as you felt your cheeks heat up.

"I don't want anyone but you. Why would I? You're goddamn perfect. And... I want you to be my girl."

"I guess I don't really have a reason to say no now..." you murmured, your face still flustered as you played with the buttons on his shirt before he tilted your chin up to make you look at him, placing his lips over yours in the most tender of kisses.

"Got the job done, Tones... I'm pretty sure I saw him go after her, I have to say though, you look at Captain America, and you really don't expect him to be that awkward..." Crystal said as she sipped on her gin and tonic. "You owe me."

Tony only hummed, not too happy about being indebted to someone, but you both needed a necessary push in the right direction.

[rkxdowoon-a]

Injustice

As you prepare for the start of practice this morning, a staff member passes you in the hallway with another trainee, Choi Yena, behind him and pulls you to the side. He tells you to follow him and leads you down the long hallways. The three of you stop in front of an office. Inside, there is a PR manager already waiting for you with a disgruntled look on her face. Once the staff member takes his leave, she motions for the both of you to take a seat across from her. “I don’t know if the both of you know why you are here,” she starts with a heavy sigh, “but there are a few things we have to talk about.”

She doesn’t spare you another look as she speaks and turns her attention to the tablet in front of her, instead. “As you may know, there is an article circulating around online about some idol couples. It has caused quite the stir amongst netizens.” She pauses and looks at the both of you with a stern expression. “Of course, the both of you know about it since you took the time to comment about it on social media.”

Sliding the tablet across the table, she looks at the other trainee sitting next to you first. “You might think what you posted online is harmless, but not only did you involve yourself in ‘online drama’, you actively spread it by sharing the link amongst your followers and causing more people to pay attention to those rumors.” Then, she looks at you. “And you didn’t manage to keep your opinions to yourself as well. I say this only once – we do not tolerate our trainees participating in gossip. It’s not a good look for you and especially not for your company if these were to get out.”

She switches between both of your twitter accounts for a last look on your latest tweets before putting the tablet back to her. 

“Even now as private trainees, your opinions can impact your image and ours as well. You have to be careful about what you say to others and post online since it can reflect on us negatively in the future and taint your career. How can we be sure that you will keep quiet when Royal Entertainment is involved in such an article if you can’t even mind your own business when another company is involved?” She clicks her tongue. “If you’re so desperate for attention, maybe you should put your energy into your training. Once you debut, you will get plenty of attention without pulling something like that.”

When he’s pulled aside just as he arrives, Hwichan is a little bemused. Sure, he’d heard of the scandal running around the building and had poked fun at it online. Who hadn’t? Even Eric had been dismissive of the whole thing. Still, he follows Yena and the staff member without argument, more interested in the day’s practice than whatever lies ahead.

A mistake.

His eyebrows furrow as they’re led into a room he doesn’t recognize and to a person he’s sure he’s never had any business with before. He exchanges a another bewildered look with Yena as the approach the desk, apprehension building in his stomach.

And then his heart skips several beats as he spots twitter open on the PR manager’s tablet, suddenly realizing why he’d been pulled here. And he lets out a hysterical laugh. Not that he finds the situation funny. Not at all, he knows he’s in the shit now. It’s more of a nervous reaction.

He pulls himself together quickly as the woman turns her attention to him, forcing his expression into as neutral one as he can manage, with the exception of his eyes which darken slightly and he becomes rigid in his seat as the lecture continues.

Outwardly he’s calm, he has to be. Inside, he’s seething. No, he’s screaming.

This isn’t fair! Why was he being punished for a few jokey comments and a dumb fancam post?! He hadn’t said anything malicious, insulted anyone or acted any ruder than he normally would have had in this kind of situation. Hell, hadn’t two MGA contestants started a flame war last year?!

His fists clench under the table and Hwichan bites hard on his lip, willing the tears of anger and humiliation back. He lets Yena defend herself, hating that she too is being punished for acting like anyone else would have. Unable to maintain eye contact anymore, he glares down at his shoelaces, shaking a little.

Sure, he’d expected Royal would have been keeping tabs on his SNS after he signed, and in hindsight, what he’d posted was foolish. But to be called out like this, for this woman to imply he was an attention whore and didn’t focus on his training…. it hurt. It hurt worse than any of his surgeries ever did, hurt worse than that fight with Eric.

Being a trainee, you expect pain and suffering; how else would you progress? But never, in his wildest dreams did Hwichan expect to be hurt like this.

And he can’t help but wonder. Is it worth it? Is the possibility of maybe debuting someday worth this kind of hassle? This embarrassment? This anger? This censorship?

He doesn’t know anymore. All he wants is to get the hell out of there before he loses his cool completely and get thrown out of Royal completely.

“I– I’m sorry.” he chokes out, fists balled up so tight he can feel the indents his nails are making on his palms. “I didn’t think I’d be offending the company with my posts. I won’t do it again.”

What’s the point in trying to defend himself, he has no excuses like Yena. He has nothing to explain his actions beyond ‘it’s just my opinion.’ It’s better to keep quiet and not dig himself deeper.

Hwichan lets Yena propel him out of the room once they’re done, staring at her blankly once the door shuts behind.

“Well, SHIT!”

Honestly, Hwichan couldn’t have said it better himself. If he could say anything at all. As it is all he can do is nod numbly at the younger girl before turning on his heel and walking off, ignoring her calls.

It’s not until he locks himself into the most deserted bathroom stall he can find does Hwichan allow himself to give into his anger, embarrassment and upset and let himself cry.

—————————————————————————————————

OOC NOTE: Both Yena and Hwichan are under an SNS ban, as is the rest of the company because of their careless actions. For more information about the extent of the ban, please refer to the announcement post made on ROYAL’s blog and wait until you receive further instructions.

OOC Note 2: Things I was not expecting when I made those twitter posts; this. jdfkskhsdfjsk Now don’t get me wrong, I know why Hwichan is being punished and tbh, this may be the development his character needs to help me move him forward. But I just wanted to clarify a thing or two owob Hwichan is used to being coddled all his life due to his illness, he’s never been called out like this ever. Hence why he’s having the reactions he’s having, he literally cannot deal with that fact that he’s in the real world now and shit like this gets you into trouble. There is also a lot of genuine guilt, as he never intended on getting the entire company onto a ban. That’s part of the reason he’s so aggrieved, if it was just him in trouble, he’d deal. But he can’t handle the fact that he’s dragged all of Royal into this mess and it’s easier for him right now to blame Royal Ent that it is to accept he was dumb enough to react to rumors in the way he did. Which is also why he’s all ‘screw being a trainee’ right now, he’s very upset at Royal. Hopefully, it’s just a fleeting thing. Like this note was supposed to be dskfsdjf 

[rogueimagination]

Skylines & Teacups Part Eight

part one / part two / part three / part four / part five / part six / part seven / 

Pairing: You x Suga

Summary: It was a quiet lonely night at a cafe right outside of the city when a mysterious looking man approached you. There blossomed something you never expected in your wildest dreams - not after everything you’ve been through.

Genre: Angst and Fluff 

Word Count: 4330

Warnings: another intense chapter. Strong physical violence, physical abuse, emotional abuse, an abusive relationship, and implied sexual abuse

Author’s Note: THE FINAL PART!!! I’ve been working on this story for so long wow. Thank you to everyone who read my story, sent me wonderful messages, and endured the amount of time it took to finish this (you should be happy that I actually finished)

Unexpectedly, you heard a noise in the previously silent building. It sounded like heavy footsteps in the distance. "Are you here?" You whispered, hardly able to breathe and hoping it was them.

"Not yet." Mystery Man informed on the phone. Oh no. The footsteps were growing louder and you had a terrifying suspicion on who they belonged to. "Oh my god... please hurry." You whispered frantically into the phone while trying to position yourself where you woke up. "Y/N? What's going on?" Mystery Man asked fearfully.

Someone was at the door now. You heard the rattle of keys as they tried to open the door. It was him. You fearfully waited for him, trembling at every noise while clutching onto your phone. Mystery Man repeatedly called your name on the other end but you were too scared to say anything or even hang up.

There was no mistaking him when he entered. His arrogant posture and villainous aroma drowned the room the minute he entered. He always loved to let everyone know he entered. When he stepped in, you quickly hid the phone underneath the pillow you were laying on and pretended to 'act normally'. He made his unwelcome entrance by smirking evilly, "Someone's awake. Did you miss me?" The way he spoke made you want to crawl into an abyss and completely disappear. "You wish" You spat, inching your way to the wall to get further away. "After all this, you still treat me like this? You'll never learn."

He sat on the bed too close for comfort. You heard Mystery Man faintly on the phone, "Shit! Sojung! He's there!" but if you could hear it, then he could possibly hear it too but it didn't appear so. 

You were laying on your back, pressed up against the wall, too weak to do anything else. He reached his arm out to you but you immediately smacked them away. Right as you did, an unbearable pain surged through your wrist and you whimpered in pain.

You knew what was going to happen. It happened before and it'll happen again. It may have happened earlier today. He slithered to you like a snake. His hand crawled up your bruised legs and it felt like a spider was inching its way to infect you with its venom. That's exactly what he was going to do. You shut your eyes tightly as if it was possible to not feel anything if you couldn't see anything. Unfortunately, your sense of touch betrayed you.

"That's right, stay still---" He began but then you interrupted, "Hell no." Well if he was going to tell you so, you just had to disobey. You were happily the rebel. Although it caused you agonizing pain, you bent your knee and kicked him right in the chest. The impact threw him off-balance and caused him to fall over on his back. "You bitch!" He roared, finding his way up again.

A kick of adrenaline rushed through you and you were fully ready to give him another one. His face was a deep red from anger and he was ready to pounce. You didn't want to be his prey - you never did.

Everything happened so fast. You were fighting back with everything you had left in you - kicking, screaming, pushing, hitting, and anything you could think of. It wasn't enough. You were too weak and tired to make any damage other than greatly frustrating him. He was fuming a fiery anger from every pore of his skin when he screamed, "I'm so tired of you!" and threw you off the bed as if you were you were the snake invading his space.

The floor was a heavy metal, unlucky to you. You landed so carelessly that you were almost knocked out - but not quite yet. Your vision blurred and the world went into slow motion. Your limbs lied helplessly and mangled up underneath you, but you couldn't really tell. Everything felt faded and distant. There was noise but it sounded like it was happening behind a wall. The only noise in the present was your harsh, ragged breathing. You desperately searched for something close, any other sound or feeling. It was as if your soul was slowly slipping away and you were chasing after it.

Another obscure noise occurred but this time you recognized its source. Sojung? Although your eyes sought to stay open, it was incredibly difficult as you faded away. Through the struggle, you saw a female figure enter the room near where your feet lied. She spoke, it appeared like a yell but to you, it sounded like a floaty stab at anger, "Do not touch her!!" and she punched him proudly in the jaw.

He was knocked backward out of your view and Sojung lunge towards him. You wanted to watch the show but found your lungs felt like they were swelling up inside of you like your wrists. Before you could catch another breath, your eyesight was taken over by your eyelids as your weakness intensified.

Before you succumbed to your unfortunate instability, a voice flooded your brain. It was a male voice but it was soft, slow, and didn't spark any sort of fear. The voice called your name as a hand went under your head. The owner of the hand picked you off the ground and cradled you delicately. Your fragile arms searched the owner to fully understand who was holding you so gentle.

Their voice was like a dream. You knew who it was but you couldn't quite match it. All the details were there but they refused to bleed into where they belonged. The voice called your name repeatedly, softly moving you to capture your attention. Somewhere in the background, voices spiraled out of control to where nothing was clear anymore.

"Y/N..." In one last moment of strength, you opened your eyes to see two faces. One you recognized faintly as Sojung and the other was someone you expected to be Mystery Man but found the man to be maskless and vaguely familiar. His eyes were the ones you knew from Mystery Man but everything else was something else you'd seen before. But how? As your body melted into unconsciousness you clung onto any inspiration to how you recognized him but you were gone before it came to you.

-------------------

Consciousness found it way back to you as the light begged its way into your eyes. You tried to ease them open gently, fighting back the irritation of the light and the agony in your head. A rustle of papers and a deep breath alerted your ears that you weren't alone. You turned to the source to find Sojung next to your bed, looking through stakes of paper with a frustrated expression. You attempted to speak, but nothing came out but an ugly croak. She looked at you hopefully and sighed a breath of relief when you saw your eyes looking back at her.

"Good morning, Y/N." Sojung spoke warmly. Your only reply was your best effort at a smile - and it felt good to smile. "How do you feel?" She asked, setting the papers down on the floor beside her. 

"I don't know. I've been better." You successfully spoke. 

"Yeah," She breathed with a hint of laughter. 

"What happened?" You questioned, slowly gaining small bits of life again. 

Sojung looked down to avoid eye contact, "Too much..." You weren’t going to take that an answer, "I want to know." You insisted. 

"I don't think you'll have to worry about him again." Sojung smiled successfully, but now you were more confused.

"What do you mean?" You attempted to sit up, but your body immediately screamed at you for doing so. You let your body win and sunk down in your original position.

"Blackmail." She said it so simply that you couldn't tell if she was serious or messing with you. You settled on her being serious, so you replied, "That's a terrible idea," still on edge with the possibility that she was joking.

Her full belly laugh let you know that she was, in fact, joking. "No, no, I wish I had material for that. Blackmail could pay for my wedding!" You were almost offended at how amusing she found this all to be. "Actually, he decided he doesn't want to bother with girls who have people who are willing to break his nose for them -" Sojung explained, but you immediately interrupted, "YOU BROKE HIS NOSE???" It hurt to shout so loud, but it had to be done.

"Yes, but don't worry about it. He won’t get the police or anything." Sojung continued. "How do you know that?" You probed, trying to sit up again. This time, Sojung assisted your efforts. She held you up, adjusted your pillow, then helped you settle in a sitting position. As she finished nursing you, she answered your question, "Blackmail."

"Sojung." You said, annoyed. She laughed probably thinking she was the funniest person to exist, "I'm s-sorry" she giggled, "I'm just trying to l-lighten the mood." Although you appreciated the change in tone, you wanted answers, "Please..."

"I think we terrified him." She spoke with a laugh, entertained at the memory, "Don't worry about it. It's taken care of. You just need to rest." Sojung comforted, standing up. 

"Okay..." You desired more and felt defeated, but you decided to trust her. Maybe you could get answers from Mystery Man... wait!

Sojung was about to leave the room but you spoke before she exited, "Wait, Where is Mystery Man?" You questioned. She paused for a moment then responded, "He's a busy man. He told me how desperately he wanted to wait until you woke up, but his responsibilities outweigh everything else. He had been putting so much off for you but now it's caught up to him. I told him you'd understand. He said if you are feeling okay by Thursday, he wants to meet you at the cafe." She smiled softly at you, leaning against the wall by the door.

You beamed with joy thinking about you and him at the cafe again, how things should be. Except, a spark of worry came about, "What if I'm not ready by then. How will he know?" you asked. "I'll just text him." She said simply. "You have his number?" You didn't even have his number but nor did you think about getting it. You still didn't know his identity... did she know it?

"I do... Don't think anything of it. I'm engaged, remember?" Sojung chuckled, showing off her ring. "I wasn't going to," You laughed as well, "I'm just surprised. You know a lot... how much did you guys talk?" You inquired. You didn't think she actually knew who she was but a little voice in the back of your head probed at the possibility and you couldn't help but ask anyway, "Do you... know who he is?"

"Yes."

You were not expecting that. The shock of it left you staring at her with an astonished look. Why would he tell Sojung before you? Sojung popped off her spot on the wall and said, "Don't worry about it and get better so you can see him Thursday." before leaving.

"Okay...." You said hallowly to the empty room, feeling a melancholic confusion and a desperate desire not to overthink anything.

----

Thursday came and you weren't ready.

Your therapist said weren't ready the Thursday after either.

He was busy the week after that.

Finally, schedules aligned and you both planned to meet Mystery Man on a Wednesday night, a month after the incident occurred. You insisted to resume things normally so you walked to the cafe alone before sunset. This time, you dressed nicer than you normally would have in the past. Your therapist insisted that you dressed up for the occasion, advising that dressing up can boost your mood.

As you walked the familiar street, your hands shook and sweated. You fought to calm your nerves and smooth any hesitation. There was the strongest impression in the depths of your stomach that he was going to reveal himself to you. You were excited to finally know what was eating away at you, but terrified at what the answer was.

Reflecting back on that night a month ago, you remember Mystery Man being there but your memory was blurred at how you recognized his unmasked face. You pondered the possibilities, How could have known him before? Had you passed him on the street and remembered for some reason? Was he someone well known? -- Could your earlier prediction be correct?

The sky was painted a dim blue as the sun made its preparations for the moon to take its place. People scattered the streets as they stumbled their way home from work. All of them spoke harshly but you smiled thinking about how you were on your way home too.

When you arrived, the cafe was practically at its maximum capacity. You squeezed yourself inside, ignoring the line and went upstairs and to the balcony. Before you stepped out the door, you stopped when you caught sight of him. 

Mystery Man was sitting in the usual spot, his body turned to the sky, but writing something down in a notebook. He wasn't wearing his hat like he always did. There was a light illuminating his head, allowing you to watch his black hair catch the wind then find its way back into position.

Pushing past your fearful self, you skipped over to him and neatly sat down in the seat next to him. Mystery Man glanced up towards you and to your dismay, he was wearing sunglasses. "Is it too bright out here?" You teased, folding your arms and leaning back in your chair. Although his mouth was covered, you knew from his chuckle and bend on his head that he was smiling. 

He didn't respond, so you continued teasing him. "Do you have really bad teeth that you don't want me to see? Do you have a hideous scar on your lips?" You pondered with a mischievous smile on your face. You pretended to think deeply on the issue, staring over at the sunset.

"You should be happy to know that my lips and teeth are perfect." He matched your teasing attitude with some of his own. "If it's not your lips or your teeth, then there has to be something wrong with your skin around your mouth." You analyzed him playfully but he refuted it anyways. "Sorry, I'm perfect." He said smugly. "Oh? Are you now?" You snorted but shortly transitioned into something serious, while maintaining an essence of teasing, "Prove it."

"Ha!" He snorted, similarly to you, "I missed you, Innocent Stranger." He spoke genuinely while smiling behind his mask. Normally, you would've immediately appreciated the sentiment but it felt you feeling unsettled, "You don't need to call me that. You know my name." The playfulness in your voice vanished and was now replaced with a sterner tone.

Mystery Man's reaction wasn't what you wanted. You wanted his dramatic reveal on your queue but he wasn't obeying. He simply responded, "It's not fair since you don't know mine." He was still fighting to remain a secret - so you had to fight in retaliation. "Then tell me yours," You spoke almost in a whisper, leaning in close to him and resting your elbows on the table. He looked down in thought and just when you thought he was going to unveil himself, a waitress came to the table.

She placed two teacups on the table; one in front of you, smelling strongly of cinnamon, and the other in front of Mystery Man, which gave off a perfume of vanilla.  "Free of charge." She smiled softly, then skipped away.

Mystery Man awkwardly scratched his head, dragged the teacup towards him, and ignored your question, "Are you doing okay? Sojung has been giving me updates but I want to hear from you." There was no mistaking his concern and it was most likely the only thing to get you to push aside your earlier question. "For you, I'm always okay." You spoke as you took a sip of your tea.

"You don't have to be okay." He was concerned, but he wasn't full of pity. He was generously instructing you. You twisted your body away from him to look at the sky. The sun was at the point where the colors began to erupt near the bottom of the horizon but not quite gracing the entire landscape. Taking another sip of tea, you shook your head and changed the subject, "Thank you for being there that day."

Your eyes remained on the sky as he spoke, "I apologize for not being there as you recovered." but went right to him after, "Don't apologize," you insisted, "I'd rather you see me like this than how you last saw me." You spun around back to fully face him and continued, "Sojung told me you carried me all the way back home. She said you insisted on coming although you had circumstances that prevented it. She told me that, at first, you thought I died and started crying..." You were to continue, but Mystery Man cursed under his breath, "Ah, Sojung..." He was embarrassed. His head sunk low and he attempted at hiding his face even more with his teacup.

“I never told you anything about him besides that fact that he wasn’t a good boyfriend did I? You must have been shocked.” You felt guilty about it all, but were surprised when he didn’t agree with you, “Actually I knew. Do you remember that night you were so drunk I dragged you to my place? You drunkenly told me everything.” He confessed, maintaining eye contact with you.

“I did? Why didn’t you tell me?” You couldn’t help but feel a bit angry. You distinctly remember Mystery Man telling you that you didn’t do anything of the sort. “I didn’t think you wanted me to know. I felt guilty that I knew everything but you didn’t know me.” His words were careful and remorseful, it almost made you feel guilty yourself. 

“So why didn’t you tell me?” None of it made sense to you. What would make him so secretive? “When I take off my mask, you’ll know everything.” He informed, looking down at the table and tracing several patterns with his index finger. 

“How do you know that? Maybe it won’t.” How was his face suppose to tell you all his secrets? “Because I do.” was his only response. “Then do it.” you taunted in a whisper.

To your dismay, he avoided your response again, “How is your tea?”

You sighed audibly, feeling guilty for the circumstances surrounding your relationship with him.You were too stubborn to let him put it off anymore. "I bet this wasn't what you expected that day you started talking to me at the cafe." You spoke, staring into your cup, stirring the mixture around with the spoon for the sugar. "What?" Mystery Man asked for clarification, so you gave it to him, "You weren't expecting me to have a crazy ex-boyfriend who ruined my life. I'm sorry you got dragged into all of this. I never wanted that to happen."

"No," He chuckled, "No, it wasn't what I expected." You laughed in response, appreciating his honesty. He chimed in again, "But I don't regret it." The teacup no longer had your attention and you looked up at him in a way you couldn't describe. His words were solid and confident like he had pondered them for months and was one hundred percent certain of them. "How come?" You questioned, hesitantly. You weren't quite sure why you were hesitant but there was a possibility it came down to fear. A nervous, insecure of his feelings toward you, kind of fear.

"...Innocent Stranger..." He sighed. Now he was the one stirring around his tea. "Yes?" The playfulness in you returned. It was like when one of you became insecure of the situation, the other became confident in it. He took a deep breath. His hands trembled as he prepared his words. You watched him, thinking about how it was actually adorable.

"What if..." He hesitated, took another deep breath, then spoke, "What if I told you I loved you."

All thoughts were interrupted by the excessive pounding of your heart. You resisted the temptation to let yourself succumb to your nervousness but you fought through. "What if..." you began, portraying an act of confidence, "I told you I didn't believe you." When you spoke, the words felt reminiscent of your first conversations with him. Your words were the truth though. You were so insecure and unsure about everything that even a confession still had you unsure.

"Why not?" Mystery Man was on edge - You both were. The tension in the air was unbearable. You wondered for a moment if its strength was felt by anybody else on the balcony. You decided to answer honestly. The main reason was that all you wanted from him was transparency - and you weren't going to leave without it.

"There's no reason for you to feel that way about me." You dropped your head in shame, "All I am is an embarrassing mess." You thought about the past view months with him and the chaos you created just by being you. "I like the mess. It adds a little color to the world." He responded, a sparkle of brightness in his voice. You smiled shamelessly, closing your eyes.

After a deep breath of your own, you uttered another truth, "Mystery Man. What if I told you that I loved you." You mimicked his earlier words and shortly after, you opened your eyes to find him staring at you with the most gentle expression.

"I wouldn't believe you." He played off your earlier words just as you did. You considered continuing this charade but the anxiety the whole situation left you desperate for real answers, so you asked, "How come?"

Mystery Man sighed. He quickly finished off his tea and stood up. For half a minute you believed he was about to leave, so you stood up as well. Thankfully, Mystery Man only walked towards the edge of the balcony. You watched as he leaned against the railing and concentrated on the stellar cityscape. He sighed again and spoke, "I haven't done a good enough job at showing you who I am. You probably think you don't anything about me... and that may be true."

You walked towards him and leaned on the railing right next to him as you responded, "True." He now looked at you as you continued, "I don't know your name. What you look like besides a general idea of your body shape and your eyes." You lifted your hand and went to touch his face, but right before you did, you dropped your hand down. The look in his eyes confused you - you couldn't tell if he was relieved or disappointed you didn't go through with it.

All you did was simply continue, "I don't know your occupation, or your family, or your close friends. Except, I know you." You both stared at each other with unbreakable eye contact. It felt like there was a tether between the two of you that made it impossible to escape. "Can't you know all of those things about somebody but never actually know them? I've just skipped a few steps. I know you, Mystery Man. Besides a few silly things, you are no mystery to me." You were confident in your words. You planned to stare him down until he broke into agreeing with you.

He broke away, but only in silence. Mystery Man just looked out at the sunset, thinking deeply. "No comment?" You questioned, looking down at your feet and giving a slight chuckle. Although he his face was covered by various things, you knew he was smiling when he responded, "You got me there, Innocent Stranger."

His words made you feel different. A happier kind of different. You hadn't heard him say that in so long it ignited the reckless and mischievous feeling you had in the beginning of your relationship with him. "So you believe me?" You smiled up at him, relaxing from the earlier tension. With a smile still on your face, you watched as Mystery Man took off his glasses and put them in his back pocket.

You observed him intently. Something about him was so familiar. It wasn't just his eyes, it was more than that. It was there on the tip of your tongue and you were embarrassed for not knowing there in the moment.

Before you had a chance to think on it more, Mystery Man eased in closer, "Yes. I believe you." He whispered, barely audible behind the mask. You halted breathing or making a single movement at his closeness. You stiffened and stood a little taller, frozen in time. "Why now?" You whispered as well. "Because I already said the same thing back to you." His voice was velvety soft, making you dissolve into another reality.

"I already said I didn't believe you." Your quiet response was met by one of his arms wrapping around your body. "I'll prove it." If the intensity from before was strong, it was nothing compared to what it was now.

"How?"

"Like this."

He pulled the mask from his face but before you can capture its entirety, in one swift moment, you are pulled towards him, his other hand moves behind your neck, and he pulls you into a deep, yet light, kiss.

It was incredibly soft, allowing the world to dance in shades of purple while making the butterflies in your stomach sing, all warming the cold air of the night.

Clutching onto his arms, you pulled him further towards you then wrapped your arm around him to bring it possibly any closer.

He pulled away and so did you. When you did, you finally caught a sight of Mystery Man's face.

He was right. His face revealed all the answers to your questions.

Your suspicions were correct.

There was no denying it.

It was Min Yoongi who just kissed you.

The love you felt sparkled and radiated off you. The glow gave more light to the dark than the skyline ever could. The perfume gave more comfort than a cup of tea. It felt healing.

The months of skipping to the cafe to share secrets without your or his identity known were healing. Slowly falling in love with the way he walked you home, the way he would listen intently, the way he would speak to you, what he would talk about, the way his brain held so much wisdom and passion, and the way everything else inside of him lived. You felt like you knew him better than if his identity was known from the beginning. You were confident that everything would have been different and it gave you comfort to why he hid for so long. All this knowledge made it more enjoyable. You knew you weren't completely healed, and maybe you'll never be - but having him and the small moments that give life and a shimmer to the sky, help heal and maybe that's just enough.

"I love you, Y/N"

"I love you, Min Yoongi."

The End