#protect fan spaces and fandom

[myheadsgonenumb]

me: I'm only interested in canon. I don't like what the tiktok side of the marauders fandom has done to the characters. I refuse to interact with it.

tiktok marauders fandom: *mischief productions scandal happens* *mischief productions actually post their ai film*

me:🍿 🍿 🍿

[anniedreamwilldo]

hey so ai shouldn’t be used in creative spaces (including and especially creative fan spaces) not just because of all the normal ethical problems with ai but because creating art is something so intrinsically human that ai simply cannot replicate it

and if you think it should be used then sorry but ur literally so cooked??

[zarilolll]

Father!Mark Grayson Headcanons

AN: woo! first post on tumblr, feeling kind of nervous…but i want to contribute something to the invincible fandom on here ^^ i apologize in advance if this is choppy.

WARNINGS:AFAB!Reader(but no use of pronouns), brief mentions of sex, pregnancy, fluff, not proofread, honesty can’t think of anymore on the top of my head

You and Mark had always practiced having safe sex. You both were young, but it took one time.

It’s been long, too long since he had his hands on you. Being in space without your warmth made his desire for you increase with each passing day. So the moment he flew through your bedroom window, he clung to you desperately. His soft whimpers filled the room as he kissed you, his tongue brushing against yours. You could sense his need for you. He didn’t need to speak, the way he ground his hips against your thighs told you everything you needed to know.

He reluctantly pulled back to catch his breath.

“Mmm…need you…need you so much, baby- please.”

And, whew! That was enough to make you toss your panties/boxers to the floor😮‍💨

Being caught up in the moment, the thought of using protection was long forgotten. Mark was too consumed by his desire, and you were too busy getting your brains fucked out to care. It wasn’t until those two red lines popped up that things began to settle in. You were pregnant, pregnant with his child.

Was absolutely nervous when he first found out about your pregnancy, but supportive. It wasn’t the fact that you both created life that startled him, no — it was the future. Being Invincible came with more downsides than ups. Part of him feared that your child would become a target for his enemies, that the GDA would find a way to get to them when they’re older and exploit them.

So I imagine him becoming more protective than usual.

Took fatherhood seriously. Like I mean really seriously…Way before the baby was born, he signed you both up for parenting classes. Which he tried his hardest to attend whenever Cecil wasn’t yapping in his ear piece.

“Yeah, yeah…another flaxan invasion. Let’s make this quick.”

Whenever Mark did need to leave for missions, he left you with Debbie. (who was more than happy to spend time with her in law) He didn’t want to leave you alone for too long. And who wouldn’t want to spend time with his mother? That woman has a kind soul🥹 She often gave you tips and tricks to make your pregnancy easier. And you got see Oliver too!

His whole world turned upside down when the baby was born. You gave birth to a beautiful girl! (sorry Mark is a girl dad in every universe — I didn’t make the rules/j)

She had his brown eyes and your nose — his heart melted when she reached out for him. He fell in love immediately.

Calls her: “sweetheart”, “gorgeous”, “princess” (treats her like one too)

Insisted on covering the night shifts. You just brought her into the world, so you deserve to rest.

He could be getting home late from work and he’d still do it. Mark spends most of his nights in the nursery, sitting on a rocking chair with your daughter cradled close to his chest. He’d tell the baby about his day, about the monsters he had to fight. She may be too young to understand what he’s saying, but he didn’t care. Just having her close and hearing her coo in her sleep was enough for him.

…And he’d tell her what an amazing person you are.

“You’ve got one of the best parents around. Don’t give them too much trouble, alright?”

“Your Mama/Papa is one of the strongest people I’ve ever met.”

“Look at how cute you are! Looking just like them…”

“…Where would I be without you both?”

“How did I get so lucky?”

Will often read his comics to her. Mark’s dead set on making her a Seance Dog fan like him.

One morning, you walked in and saw them sleeping on the rocking chair. Your precious girl was still on his chest, her drool staining his t-shirt, and his book long forgotten on the floor.

Keeps every milestone documented. His photo library is full of pictures and videos. (that he proudly flexes to his coworkers)

If he misses anything, he’ll be distraught. She tried taking her first steps when he wasn’t around and he sobbed 😭

Will learn how to do hair just for her. He ended up giving her uneven little pigtails that look like antennas 💀 Don’t laugh…he’s trying.

Doesn’t play about quality time. Mainly because he wants them to have a relationship better than his and Nolan’s. She wants to play with dolls? Mark is joining and using his “girl” voice. (he ends up getting really into the dramatic plot they made)

“And I saw her with Tyler last week!”

“*GASP* Girl, no you didn’t!”

Tea party? He’ll act all sophisticated and try to squeeze into whatever tight polyester dress she gave him. She wants to do his makeup? He’ll suck up his pride and let her coat his lips with bright red lipstick.

Every drawing is hung up on the fridge.

She got her hands on one of his collectibles and broke it. Though Mark reassured her that it was okay, you saw that a part of him broke on the inside.

Since then, he spoils her with toys. Got to put that paycheck to good use somehow…and to keep her grubby hands off of his things.

Cannot discipline her, that lil girl has him wrapped around her finger😭 If he sees that she’s about to cry, he’ll fold. How can he be mad when she gives him those puppy dog eyes? You did get on him about this, though.

Has you both as his wallpaper. He likes to stare at it, it reminds him of what he’s fighting for.

Does that stupid hand thing on road trips💀 She could be minding her business, munching away on some trail mix and he’s reaching back for some

(LIKE OUUU GET YOUR OWN SNACKS)

She makes a face before sharing…because I know I would. His greed sickens me.

Whenever she has a nightmare, Mark takes her out flying to get her mind off of things. He’ll hold her close, pointing out different buildings and the stars.

Would protect her from anything, and I mean anything. Villains, Viltrumites, and even the imaginary monsters that hid in her closet — he’s fending them off. Made it clear to Cecil that he doesn’t want him anywhere near her. Her head doesn’t need to be filled with government bullshit.

At the end of the day, Mark just wants her to have a better childhood than he did. She deserved to enjoy her youth before the weight of the world was on her shoulders.

AHHHH FIRST POST DONE! i hope you all enjoyed it^^ i honestly had fun writing this out. thoughts and questions are welcome.

[azulpitlane]

vicious I ln4

pairing: lando norris x reader, a little of charles leclerc x reader🫣 summary: lando's fans always attack you yet he does nothing to defend you, inspired by vicious by sabrina carpenter notes: if youre the anon that requested this sorry it took so long lol! but you were so sweet ty masterlist, part two

yourusername

liked by maxfewtrell, charles_leclerc and 1,829,392 others

yourusername lil getaway

view all comments

user wait is she dating lando??

user there's been rumors of them dating for months but neither of them have confirmed user hopefully not lol

user i had no idea she went on this trip

user yeah cause lando never posts her or even likes her posts lmfaoaofda

user am i the only one that finds her annoying...

user nooo everyone else does lol shes always leeching off lando

yourbff ur perfect babe liked by yourusername

user pls dont let this be a hard launch🧎‍♀️lando get UP

user of course she has to post lando🤣she needs him for the likes

maxfewtrell spent more time on the ground than actually skiing

yourusername SHHHH it was my first time

user why are all these comments about lando?? im only looking at her😍

f1gossip

302,837 likes

f1gossip Y/n Y/l/n spotted in Bali celebrating New Years at Martin Garrix's show, possibly with Lando Norris. The two have sparked dating rumors for a few months now but no confirmation has been made from either of them.

view all comments

user we might have to start accepting that theyre dating☹️

user I REFUSE

user wait im new to the fandom, whys everyone hating on y/n i love her music...

user shes always posting lando for attention and he clearly has no interest in her, he doesnt even like her posts user plus his ex >>>>>>> y/n

user she doesnt deserve him, he needs someone lowkey and y/n is such an attention whore

user not surprised shes there, always leeching on him

user right like girl give him space, he aint yours

user im a y/n defender idgaf. everyone in these comments are just jealous liked by yourbff

user yikes... user defending someone who needs a man to stay relevant lol ok

user i miss luisinha😭

user im convinced theyre still dating and shes using lando for pr

y/n hey lan, i safely made it back to the hotel

lando 👍

y/n i still dont understand why you wanted me to leave early though, its not even midnight :(

lando y/n, we talked about this. there was lots of paparazzi there and if they saw us together on midnight they would think we're dating

y/n we ARE dating... why are you acting like we arent?

lando yk what i meant im just trying to protect you from the craziness that comes from dating me baby

y/n im already getting hate, hows hiding me any different?

lando lets just not do this tn. yk how much worse its gonna get it if we confirm anything listen i love you, isnt that enough?

y/n yeah, ily too

lando ill see you later tn❤️

lando baby where are you? come on it was a drunk mistake, yk i only love you it was just martins friend, you know her

y/n oh the girl you told me not to worry about?

lando it didnt mean anything why are you acting like this?

y/n because you fucking cheated. im leaving and im moving out of the apartment

lando please dont, im sorry baby i love you

y/n you say you love me but you can never prove it you hid me away for a whole year, was it so you could hook up with other girls?

lando of course not wth but since there's clearly no trust in this relationship maybe we should end it i wish you the best y/n read

yourusername

liked by charles_leclerc, pietrapilao and 3,295,203 others

yourusername new year same me, wasnt ever the problem

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yourbff YES WIFEY liked by yourusername

user she unfollowed lando omg.

user WAR IS OVERRRR

pietrapilao out of sight out of mind🧘‍♀️ liked by yourusername

user is this about lando omg...

luisinhaoliveira99 😍😍 liked by yourusername

user ARIANA WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE??? user WHEN DID THEY MEET??? user I NEED THE TEA RNNNNNN

charles_leclerc 🖤

user OH?

user what is going on in these comments omg??

user shes finally realized lando will never date a girl like her

user hahaha fr she finally deleted all her posts with him user probably gonna go for piastri now🤣

yourusername

liked by charles_leclerc, landonorris and 3,294,234 others

yourusername took some time off music but dont worry, im back and ready to prove i dont need anybody to stay successful

vicious is out now💌

view all comments

user OH NOWWW LANDO LIKES HER POST

yourbff sooo back baby

user this has to be about lando...

user the lyrics are heartbreaking omg

user you all owe her a big apology for the way you treated her

charles_leclerc you look good in red this comment has been deleted

charles_leclerc love it! this comment has been deleted

charles_leclerc congrats on the new song!!

taylorswift 💌❤️

user yall better not start switching up!! if you were hating on her, stay away

user are we just going to ignore charles' deleted comments??

user bro was NERVOUS

user we dont know if this is about lando!! they were just friends

user you toxic lando fans need to stay away🙄 she was never seen with anyone else this past year so its clearly about him. hes not some saint you paint him out to be user exactly!! you guys are acting like you know him

user her shirt saying loyal🫣thats gotta be a diss

landonorris

liked by carlossainz55, martingarrix and 630,402 others

landonorris pretty vicious life im living rn

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user the caption??? the hard launch??? oh thats not-

maxfewtrell bro. no.

user his own best friend doesnt approve of his behavior😬

user this winter break drama is something else

user lando i cant keep defending you. why would you caption it this.

user IS THAT NEW YEARS KISS GIRL ON THE THIRD SLIDE???

user yess i found her @ shes martin garrix's friend and she was at that party

user anyone else notice luisa unfollowed him??

user she chose her side HAAHAH user pretty ironic cause so many fans were comparing y/n to her and now theyre friends🤣

user whys everyone mad?? its his private life why do you guys care

user oh so now you guys are giving him privacy?? but when he was rumored to be with y/n you were hating...the hypocrisy

yourbff alexa play obsessed by mariah carey🥱

user OOP user the girls are fightingggg

user not even a y/n fan but this was a bit unnecessary...

user "you dont feel remorse, you dont feel the effects" 🫠

f1gossip

240,520 likes

f1gossip Despite hard launching their relationship just one week ago, Lando's new girlfriend has been spotted getting cozy with a different guy! The leaked pictures have already caused for her to go private on all social medias😬

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user karma is A GOD

user i know y/n is having a good day today

user omfg poor lando :(

user womp womp

user i bet he is regretting his decisions rn😭

user y/n nation won today, ln4 nation taking L after L

user we cant catch a break😩

user WHAT IS GOING ON WITH LANDO RN

user craziest winter break yet jeez

Instagram Messages

charles_leclerc hey y/n! i know we havent spoken much but ive seen how lando treated you the few times you were at races and i apologize for never speaking on it i just wanted to tell you you're a great person and your music is so amazing if you ever need anything please just shoot me a text!

landonorris y/n you blocked my number? im sorry about everything baby can we please just talk?

yourusername

liked by charles_leclerc, maxfewtrell and 4,204,214 others

yourusername im soooo sorry for your loss😊

my new single feather is out now!! special thanks to @charles_leclerc for helping me out in the music video, had so much making it <3

view all comments

user this mv was so hot omg

user I WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS BUT I LOVE

user i know a certain someone is FUMING

luisinhaoliveira99 on repeat already!!

yourusername 💋💋 user im convinced luisa reached out after she saw all the comparisons with her and y/n and they became besties user wait that makes so much sense

user f1 twitter is going insane rn

user Y/N NATION KEEPS WINNING

pietra.pilao AHH youre so talented bby liked by yourusername

charles_leclerc had the best time on set with you❤️

yourusername ❤️ user i ship it........

user i want them both

user ofc now shes going for another driver🙄

user oh you guys are OBSESSED with her, get a job user y/n still has them mad LOL

user l**** would never agree to anything like this

user im literally never getting over this, ive watched it 5 times in a row already

landonorris

liked by carlossainz55, maxfewtrell and 940,240 others

landonorris a toast to my real friends

view all comments

user if this is a charles sneak diss i will cry

user we got carlando content....but at what price

user oh he definitely got blocked by y/n😭

user dw we're on your side lando

user who is we?

user just take the L and move on bro

user the way 2 songs got everyone to switch up on lando HAHA

user not just that but his shady posts too

charles_leclerc posted a story

Replies

user the girls are OFFICIALLY fighting oh gosh

user next season is going to be interesting...

user my roman empire

user IS THIS A HARD LAUNCH???

user what is happening.

user PARENTS

[abbotjack]

Honestly I think Shawn, a grown man, can stand up for himself lol

“He’s a grown man, he can stand up for himself.”

Right—but that response isn’t as neutral as you think. It’s a deflection. A way of shifting responsibility for boundary enforcement back onto the individual who’s been placed in an uncomfortable position, rather than asking why he was put there in the first place.

Because this isn’t about whether Shawn Hatosy—or Pedro Pascal, or any other man—can assert a boundary. It’s about how we’ve created a culture that expects them not to. It’s about how consent is routinely ignored, overwritten, or turned into a joke in public space—especially when it comes to men, especially when it’s dressed up as irony, “feminist thirst,” or progressive kink-positivity.

It’s about the refusal to admit that consent isn’t just about sex.

Consent is about presence. It’s about participation. It’s about emotional safety. And it’s about power.

And that matters in every context—including fandom, celebrity culture, and the increasingly blurred space between admiration and projection.

When you call a male celebrity “daddy” in the middle of an interview—on camera, unprompted, fully aware it’ll go viral—you’re not giving a harmless compliment. You’re placing him inside a sexualized, hierarchical, kink-coded role, and demanding a performance. You’re not inviting him into a shared dynamic. You’re building one around him and daring him to resist.

And that’s not just parasocial behavior. That’s coercion. Coercion dressed up in a clickbait blazer and a winking “teehee.”

And patriarchy? Patriarchy loves that. Because patriarchy has always taught us that men, especially older, stoic, men, aren’t allowed to have boundaries. That they should be flattered by sexual attention. That their discomfort is a flaw in the man, not a failure of the situation. That a man’s silence means yes.

So when a male celebrity tenses up or shifts uncomfortably after being called “daddy,” we don’t pause. We dismiss him. We say:

“Come on, it’s just a joke.”

“He’s hot. He can take it.”

“It’s part of the job.”

That’s not the language of consent. That’s the language of normalized entitlement.

Now compare that to when I commented on Shawn Hatosy’s TikTok and said he was “so babygirl-coded.” And he liked it.

Why? Because “babygirl,” as it functions in contemporary online fan culture, isn’t built on dominance or performance. It doesn’t demand control. It doesn’t assign erotic authority. It’s a term that signals affection, vulnerability, softness—a playful, sometimes absurd, often tender reverence for men who deviate from traditional masculinity.

That kind of language lives within fandom culture—inside our sandboxes. And when I call someone “babygirl-coded,” that person can ignore it, engage with it, scroll past, or opt in. There’s no pressure. It’s an aesthetic label, not a demand. So when Shawn likes that comment, he’s participating on his own terms. That’s what parasocial consent looks like: voluntary, pressure-free, and rooted in choice.

Now imagine if I had written, “You’re such a daddy. Ruin me.” Totally different tone. Totally different power dynamic. Even if he never saw it, I’d still be inserting a kink-coded script into a public space as if he had agreed to it. And if he had seen it and felt uncomfortable? The onus would fall on him to disengage quietly or laugh it off, because culturally, we’ve given men almost no tools to say “no” without backlash.

Feminist methodology asks better questions:

Whose comfort is protected?

Whose silence is treated as consent?

Whose body is seen as public property?

Whose boundaries get overwritten for the sake of the bit?

We know the answers. They’re gendered. And they’re broken.

When a man is called “daddy” during a press tour, he’s not being asked to play. He’s being expected to perform, sexually, powerfully, on command. And if he doesn’t? The consequences aren’t just social, they’re structural. He’s seen as less fun. Less marketable. Less valuable as content.

That isn’t just unfair. It’s anti-consensual.

As Sara Ahmed writes, to be the one who names a problem is so often to become the problem. The one who says “this feels off,” “this crosses a line,” or simply, “this makes me uncomfortable” is marked as difficult, humorless, or ungrateful. We see this dynamic unfold constantly with male celebrities—especially those who don’t laugh when called “daddy” in person, or who subtly resist being pulled into a sexualized performance they didn’t agree to.

When a man sets a boundary, even quietly, he disrupts the fantasy. And instead of asking what created the discomfort, the culture asks why he couldn't just go along. Because admitting that men can say no, that they’re allowed to feel uneasy, that they don’t exist for our projection, requires challenging the very entitlement fandom often runs on.

So let’s be clear: You can thirst. You can spiral. You can bark, cry, and post your little essays about his shoulders in peace. You can call him whatever in your sandbox corner of the internet.

But forcing someone into your kink-coded fantasy in person, without their consent, and then reacting negatively when they don’t play along, isn’t empowering. It’s not subversive. It’s just public boundary crossing, dressed up as flirtation.

It’s not “owning the gaze.” It’s replicating it—just with the roles reversed.

And reversing the roles isn’t the same as dismantling them.

Roles—no matter how ironic or reversed—are still roles. And assigning someone a role without their participation isn’t liberation. It’s just performance under pressure.

So yes, he’s a grown man.

And that’s exactly why his boundaries matter—especially because he’s not just a celebrity, but a real person, and a parent. Being called “daddy” in person, during a professional setting, isn’t just awkward—it’s an unsolicited invitation into a kink-coded dynamic he didn’t agree to. And when that man is a father in real life, the term becomes even more jarring, blurring roles in a way that’s neither funny nor flattering. His visibility shouldn’t come with the expectation that he absorb sexual projection or emotional labor just to keep the mood light. Silence is not consent. And feminist ethics, if we’re actually practicing them, demand more than clever thirst and role reversal. They require awareness, accountability, and respect for boundaries, no matter who you’re talking to or how attractive you think they are.

And if your only defense is “He can take it,” you’ve already admitted he might not want it, and decided you didn’t care.

That’s not fandom. That’s entitlement. Wrapped in a punchline and passed off as progressive. (referencing this interview)

[teojira]

I saw that you had transformers on your fandom list, will you be willing to write a 'bot of choice x human reader jealousy/protectiveness fic? Like in that one scene from Transformers 2 where the Deception Pretender tried to seduce Sam but Bee absolutely wasn't having that but had to stay in car mode?

[Aren't you supposed to be more mature than this?]

Summary: Optimus knows better than to get attached to you (too late), he can't help but side eye you and a stranger interacting. (Based on Knightverse Optimus, after ROTB!)

Word count: 800+ words!

Pronouns: They/them

Warnings: Optimus is bad at feelings, Optimus being down bad, extremely self indulgent. Mainly Optimus' Pov as well! Lmk if I need to tag anything!

A/N: Everyone who knows me knows of my obsession and love for this man it's so bad, I have him tattooed and have a whole ass shrine I love HIMMM, Thank you sm for the request! He is the love of my life.

Optimus Prime has been called many things, many of which are true, things he'd accept with pride.

A great leader, a good friend, a valuable teammate, A war criminal.

A jealous bot was never one of them, until recently.

He wasn't sure when he started to take a shine towards you. Was it after Unicron? When he held you in his servos, cradling you to his chest as he transformed back into his bipedal form, only letting go of you after the confused looks from Bee and Mirage.

Maybe it was a while after that, when you offered to help clean him up, Noah was too busy rebuilding Mirage to offer his services to the big man himself.

Optimus could never wipe the feeling of your small hands gently running across his frame, taking extra care to mend any scratches you found, constantly checking in to make sure he was comfortable.

He's ashamed to admit, but he kept shuddering under your touch, his senses overwhelmed by your presence. Every time his cooling fans turned on, he'd wave it off as it was just hot outside. (it's 60 degrees out, liar.)

He tries to recharge that night, but the feeling in his chassis makes him restless. He can see his sensors go haywire at the mere thought of you. He is so fucked, he shuts his eyes and groans deeply, his mask shooting up to mask the sound, lest he wakes the others.

Primus help him.

With his new revelation, Optimus tries his best to distance himself towards you, always making excuses as to why he can't drive you home or to work (a flicker of jealously when Arcee offers, no one catches his digits curling ever so slightly into his palm), saying he must go on patrol for the time being. He waves you off when you try and care for him, asking if he'd like any help with any scrapes and dents, saying he can live with them, he's been through worse.

Its only natural that you'd give him some space, that's the kind of person you are, kind, loving, respectful, loyal to a fault, but it doesn't escape his notice when your smile falls after he politely tells you you're not needed, his spark aching when you turn around to go find another bot.

Optimus watches you now, stationed on the street.

He has no right to be upset when you're stopped outside of the garage by an older man, the man so clearly taking interest in you while you're very politely listening and nodding, shooting that oh so pretty smile to a man who he's sure is not fit to be anywhere near you, not worthy of the warm smile you wear.

It makes him seethe in jealousy, and it's scary.

He can not remember a time when he had ever been jealous. He's a prime. He was supposed to be a calm and collected leader and yet. And yet, he's so close to blowing his hor-

You suddenly whirl towards him. If he was any better of a man, he wouldn't immediately think of how cute you looked, how your lips moved as you let out a yelp.

It isn't until that thought passes his mind that he realizes he used his truckers horn. Embarrassment trickles through his body, although now he has your attention, and you are making your way towards him. The man following behind you keeps the conversation going, not catching a hint.

Optimus is ready to honk again, especially if this man keeps following so close behind you, way too close for comfort.

You beat him to it, turning around as you rest a hand on Optimus’ cabins door handle, shooting the man a polite smile.

“Sorry about that, but my husband is actually here to pick me up, so I have to go. Have a good day!” And You hoist yourself up, quickly buckling your seat belt, gently patting the dashboard in hopes Optimus fucking drives before you're bothered anymore.

Optimus’ processor buffers, his engine revving as he goes on autopilot to tale you both away. Does he know where to drive to? Certainly no, but you're with him now. He's sure you could ask him to take you to distant planets, and he'd make it work for you and only you.

“Thank you for the save, big guy.” You smile brightly at his steering wheel, your eyes lovingly trailing across the autobot symbol that sits in the center.

“It was nothing, I am glad to be there to assist.” The cabin rumbles with his voice, soothing your anxiety. You curl into your seat, resting your head.

“Where are we going?”

“If I'm not mistaken, you mentioned wanting to go to upstate New York to drive along some scenic routes? I'll gladly be your escort.”

He is so ridiculously falling for you, but he can't bring himself to hate it, especially when you excitedly hop in your seat.

ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ꜰᴏʀ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ᴛᴏ ʜᴇᴀʀ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ʏᴏᴜ ꜱᴏᴏɴ!

[toriaaniin]

Truth Isn’t the Villain Here

…or why I won’t be whispering in private DMs to protect PR teams

So here we are, again. Another day at the Lukola Torture Café (thanks Bianca for coining this perfect descriptor - you need to trademark it!😂) with some fans quietly edging toward the exits with murmurs of “Maybe we’re the problem…”

Some version of this sentiment has been gaining traction lately: “Maybe they just want us to stop shipping them.” Maybe we read too much into the glances, the giggles, the “broken chaise.” Maybe the Claddagh was just a nice ring. Maybe Luke wasn't looking at Nicola in his 'This or That' video. Maybe the World Tour was just press. Maybe the chemistry was method acting. Maybe.

But let’s also try this version: Maybe what we saw was real, and it got inconvenient.

And now the Grand PR Narrative — in all its hand-holding, cheek-kissing, PR-plant glory — is asking us to pipe down. Or at least, that’s how it’s feeling. "Retreat to your DMs." "Talk only in private group chats." “Don’t give their teams ideas.” Okay… but why does the solution always involve US getting smaller?

Because make no mistake: we’re not spiraling in a vacuum. We’re reacting. Reacting to ghost posts (where's that 74th or 660th grid post Luke & Nicola? We can count). Tagless "girlfriends" with Getty captions. Missing Claddaghs. People Mag and British Vogue dishing out PR leftovers and calling it a tasting menu. We are reacting to a story that doesn’t make sense — and when that happens, curious people ask questions. That’s not a crime. That’s pattern recognition.

What’s happening now is a reckoning. Fans are exhausted and some are stepping back. Some are divesting — or recalibrating. (Good word, that one.) But others, like me? I’m not stepping back because I said something wrong. I’m just tired of watching clarity be treated like a threat.

I’ve always asked questions, logged breadcrumbs... and held space for hope and doubt. And if my observations — or yours — are inconvenient for someone’s curated narrative? Then maybe it’s time for that narrative to do some adjusting.

This fandom was never supposed to be about groupthink or gatekeeping. It was supposed to be about resonance. We saw light and we saw love. We recognized it! Truth — in all its messy, beautiful, inconvenient glory.

So no, I won’t be whispering in DMs or in my private group chat to protect public illusions. I’ll keep asking and watching and writing.

On my terms... with my voice.

Because if we’re really this threatening? Then maybe we’re closer to the truth than we think.

Aaniin Xxx

P.S. Speaking of truth...

P.S.S. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. Until then, I'm here.

[prettygirl-gabi]

Title: “She’s My Girl”

Pairing: Reader x Azzi Fudd

Fandom: UConn’s women’s basketball

Warnings: Stalking behavior (non-graphic), protective themes, minor language, fluff, suggestive teasing, team chaos, comfort, mutual affection, found family vibes.

Summary: What started as a fake kiss to escape a stalker turned into real feels real quick.

🏷️: @paigeshirleytemple , @unknowgirlypop , @yailtsv , @nicebellee , @sitawita , @thatonesuschix , @vamptizm , @elalfywhore , @starfulani , @authentic-girl03 , @paige05bby , @paxaz535 , @azziswrld , @jadasogay , @paigeluvvr , @melpthatsme , @lessi-lover , @courtsidewithlani , @shikaizer

I wasn’t even supposed to go out tonight.

One of my girls had been begging all week, swearing up and down that we needed to hit the club to blow off steam before finals started. I wasn’t about that life most weekends—I preferred takeout and crime docs—but after they cornered me at lunch and promised to buy my drinks, I caved. Now here I was, halfway buzzed in a packed New Haven club, swaying under pulsing neon lights with my curls sticking to the back of my neck.

“I need water,” I told my friend Simone, who was in her own world dancing on some 6’5 guy in a Yale hoodie. She waved me off without even turning around.

Typical.

I pushed my way through sweaty bodies, making my way toward the bar tucked near the bathrooms. The music thumped hard enough to rattle my ribs, the bass vibrating under my boots. I spotted the bar—and that’s when my stomach dropped.

He was there.

Him.

The same guy who’d been watching me on campus for the past week. First in the library. Then outside my dorm. Outside my dance studio I teaches at. Once, I caught him following me down Whitney Ave when I grabbed breakfast early before class. I never had proof, never had a name—just that creepy gut feeling you know not to ignore.

And now here he was.

At my club.

In my space.

And the worst part? He was smiling at me like we were old friends.

“Nope,” I muttered, turning fast on my heel.

He saw me. “Hey! Hey, it’s you!”

Shit.

I moved quickly toward the bathrooms, hoping to disappear into the crowd or slip into a stall and regroup. That’s when I saw them—four tall, athletic girls dressed like they owned the room, laughter ringing loud even over the music.

UConn’s women’s basketball team.

Even a casual sports fan at UConn knew them—Jana’s soft now fallen curls bouncing as she sipped her drink, KK talking with her hands, Ice leaning against the wall in head-to-toe black, and Azzi, glowing under the lights like she didn’t even try.

I didn’t know them personally. Never had a reason to. But desperation makes you brave.

I ducked toward them, praying I didn’t look too much like a mess.

“Hey—uh—Azzi, right?” I rushed out, heart thudding as I caught her attention. She blinked at me in surprise, then smiled politely.

“Yeah?” she said, straightening up.

I glanced over my shoulder. He was pushing through the crowd now, looking for me. I didn’t have time to explain everything.

“Can you pretend to know me? Like—really know me?”

Azzi’s brows furrowed. “What?”

“Guy following me. Been doing it on and off for a week. He’s here. He saw me. Please, I don’t want him to follow me out.”

Azzi didn’t hesitate. She passed her drink to Ice without a word, then stepped forward and looped her arm around my waist like it was second nature.

“Say less,” she whispered. “Go with it.”

And just like that, she leaned in and kissed me.

Not a wild kiss. Not sloppy. Just confident and direct, like we’d done this a dozen times before. Her hand found the side of my face, thumb brushing gently under my jaw. I couldn’t help the gasp that slipped out against her lips—but I kissed her back, heart hammering in my chest like I was in a damn movie.

I felt him behind me before I even saw him.

He stopped cold.

“Yo,” he said, voice hard. “What the hell is this?”

Azzi pulled away just enough to look at him, but her arm stayed firm around me.

“She’s my girl,” she said, loud enough to be heard. “You got a problem with that?”

He looked between us. His face twisted, not in disbelief—but anger. The kind of anger that made my blood run cold.

“We go to school together,” he said, stepping forward.

“Cool,” KK said sharply, stepping up beside Azzi. “So does half this damn club. Keep it moving.”

He looked like he wanted to argue. But when Jana and Ice flanked the other side, suddenly looking very not casual, he thought better of it.

“I was just being friendly,” he muttered, backing up.

“Keep that energy far away from her,” Ice snapped. “Next time you follow a girl, you might catch more than a cold stare.”

He hesitated, then disappeared back into the crowd.

I let out a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding. My knees felt shaky.

Azzi still had her arm around me.

“You okay?” she asked, voice soft now. “He gone?”

I nodded, though I still felt dizzy. “Y-Yeah. I think so. Thank you. I didn’t know what else to do.”

“You did the right thing,” she said gently. “I’m just glad we were close enough.”

KK looked between us and smirked. “Y’all are cute. That was a hell of a kiss.”

Azzi rolled her eyes. “Don’t start.”

“I mean, if y’all ain’t actually dating, you’re missing out,” Ice added, sipping her drink like it was tea.

I flushed so hard I probably glowed under the club lights.

“I’m not—like—we’ve never even met before,” I stammered. “I go to UConn, yeah, but I’ve never—”

“Well, we’ve met now,” Azzi said, smiling at me. “And I’m not letting you walk back alone. Come sit with us. You good with that?”

“Yeah,” I breathed, a little dazed. “Yeah, I’m good with that.”

We spent the rest of the night in a corner booth with her teammates. They kept things light, made jokes, even got me to laugh. Azzi never left my side—not once. Anytime I shifted or flinched when someone bumped into me, her hand found my thigh or the small of my back.

By the time we said our goodnights and she walked me outside to wait for my Uber, I was more smitten than scared.

“I owe you one,” I said softly. “For everything.”

Azzi looked at me, her curls pulled back now, sweat lining her brow from the heat inside.

“You don’t owe me anything,” she said. “But…I wouldn’t be mad if you texted me sometime.”

My eyes widened. “Wait—you want my number?”

“I already kissed you,” she said, teasing. “Least I could do is take you out properly.”

We exchanged numbers. My Uber pulled up. I didn’t want to leave.

She opened the door for me, helping me in like a true gentleman. Before I shut it, she leaned in one more time, kissed my cheek, and said:

“Text me when you get back to your dorm, alright?”

I nodded, heart full.

Later That Night:

[1:43 AM - Azzi Fudd]

Did you make it back okay?

[1:44 AM - You]

Yeah. Locked in, safe. Thank you again, Azzi. For everything.

P.S. You’re a really good fake girlfriend.

[1:45 AM - Azzi Fudd]

Who said I was faking?

It had been twelve days since Azzi kissed me in the middle of that club and scared off the creeper who’d been lurking around campus. Twelve days since she texted me, “Who said I was faking?”

And now here I was, standing in front of the mirror in my dorm room, reapplying my lip gloss for the fifth time while my roommate gassed me up in the background.

“Okay but lowkey, you look like someone’s girl tonight,” Simone said, flopped across her bed in leggings and a bonnet.

“That’s because I am someone’s girl,” I said, half-joking—half not.

My phone buzzed.

[AZZI]

I’m here. Parking was war, but I survived.

[YOU]

You deserve a trophy. I’ll be down in 2.

I grabbed my tote and took one last look in the mirror. Gloss on point. Hair soft and fluffy. Nerves going crazy.

Our first official date.

She’d asked me out two days after the club. Said she wanted to see me somewhere that didn’t involve neon lights and a threat to my safety. I agreed without hesitation.

Dinner was cute—quiet spot near Wooster Square. We shared pasta and she let me steal fries off her plate without a fight. She asked about my major, my favorite shows, my plans after college. I asked about her team, her goals, what she likes to do when she’s not sinking three-pointers like it’s nothing.

She reached for my hand halfway through dessert. I didn’t let go.

After that, things picked up.

We started texting constantly. FaceTiming almost every night. I had her saved as “Pretty Girl” in my phone. She changed mine to “My Baby” and posted a screenshot of our messages on her private story. Ice, KK, and Jana found out within hours.

That led to this:

Group Chat: “UConn Bucket Babes”

[KK]:

AZZI.

Who is “my baby” and why does she look familiar??

[Ice]:

Don’t play dumb. That’s club girl.

[Jana]:

I like her. She was polite. Soft hands. Pretty earrings.

[You]:

…hi?

[KK]:

OH WE GOT A NEW MEMBER??

[Azzi]:

Y’all behave.

[Ice]:

No promises.

[KK]:

Drop her @ tho. I gotta do a background check.

Azzi sent a selfie of us eating bagels on the hill outside the gym the next morning, captioned: “Y’all don’t need her @. She’s mine.”

They melted. I did too.

A few days later I’d just finished dance class and was headed toward the practice facility where they now used it in their free time just cause.

I shot her a quick FaceTime as I walked.

“Hey,” she answered, cheeks puffed as she munched on a protein bar. “You on your way?”

“Yup. Just low-key regret teaching a new dance.”

“I’ll be at the door in two, to let you in?”

“Good, cause I’m close and my legs hurt.”

I turned the corner—only to feel that same drop in my stomach I’d felt two weeks ago.

Him.

Standing by the bike rack near the facility. Like he was waiting. Again.

I froze for half a second, then shifted my phone so Azzi could see his face without being obvious.

“Babe?” I said loud enough, hoping he’d hear.

Azzi narrowed her eyes. “Is that—?”

“Yup.”

“I’m outside. Don’t say a word. I got it.”

The guy took a step toward me. “Hey! Been a minute. You ghosted me.”

I tightened my grip on the ball. “Wasn’t hard to do.”

He laughed like we were sharing an inside joke. “Come on. Don’t be like that. I just wanna talk.”

“You can talk from back there,” I said, taking a step back.

“Oh, don’t act like that. That girl—what’s her name? Zizi?—she’s not even your real girl. I saw that little stunt.”

I didn’t respond. I didn’t have to. Because right then, the front doors to the facility slammed open.

And out walked Azzi.

Followed by KK, Ice, Jana, and even Paige —hair up, face ready for war.

Azzi walked up to me, brushed past the guy like he was air, and wrapped her arm around my waist.

“You good?” she whispered.

“Wasn’t gonna give him the satisfaction of seeing me flinch.”

Azzi nodded, kissed the side of my head, then turned back to him.

“You got a lot of nerve showing up again.”

He opened his mouth. “I’m just—”

“No,” she said, stepping forward now. “You’re just creeping. You’ve been stalking her. Lurking. Showing up on campus. And now, outside our gym? You’re done.”

Ice crossed her arms. “She’s not interested. Wasn’t interested then, not interested now. So either walk your ass off this property or get real familiar with UConn security.”

“I didn’t do anything—”

“Yet,” KK said darkly, stepping closer with her jaw tight. “And we’re not gonna wait until you do.”

“You need help,” Jana said, arms crossed and voice sharp, quiet and firm like the calm before a storm. “And a restraining order is looking real cute right about now.”

Ice didn’t even blink. “Matter fact, I got screenshots. Security footage. Want me to pull timestamps from when you showed up on campus last week? Keep playing.”

His cocky expression wavered, but he still had the audacity to open his mouth again. “Man, y’all are blowing this out of—”

“Nah,” Azzi snapped, her voice low and ice-cold, deadly serious now as she stepped between us fully. “You think this is a game? You think following her around, showing up at her gym, her dorm, the club… that’s normal?”

The way she said her made something twist in my chest.

“You’re lucky this is all you’re getting. Because if you try this again?” Azzi tilted her head slightly, her lips curling in a humorless smile. “I will personally make sure your face is posted on every safety board on campus and you’re banned from any event near her. Try me.”

He looked like he wanted to argue again—but five tall, pissed-off D1 basketball players staring him down was a different kind of pressure. The silence between them was charged. His ego was folding fast under the heat of it.

He muttered something under his breath and turned to leave, fast.

I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until I let it out.

Azzi turned to me immediately, eyes scanning mine. “You okay? He touch you?”

“No,” I said, my voice quieter than I intended. “He didn’t get the chance.”

“Damn right,” KK muttered beside us, already texting someone.

Just then, another familiar voice called out from behind me.

Paige had just exited the gym, a towel around her neck, eyebrows raised. “The hell just happened?”

Ice filled her in quickly.

Paige blinked, then clapped a hand on my shoulder like a big sister. “Welcome to the squad. You’ve got official bodyguards now.”

Azzi walked me to my dorm and ended up staying over.

I hadn’t planned it. I swear I hadn’t. We just got to talking and ordered takeout, and then she kicked off her sneakers, curled up with me on the couch, and started quoting lines from Love & Basketball while we picked a movie on my little flatscreen.

“So, you just got all this sauce and don’t even play anymore?” she teased, watching me with soft eyes as I dipped a fry into my milkshake.

“I got moves,” I said confidently. “You just haven’t seen them yet.”

Azzi smirked, leaned closer. “I’m looking forward to it.”

Just then, my dorm-mate—my childhood best friend—shuffled out of her room in a bonnet and Nike slides.

She blinked, looked between us on the couch, then grabbed an and tender fry straight from my plate.

“I’m heading to the gym,” she mumbled mid-chew. “Gonna see my man. Y’all got the place tonight.”

She dipped the tender in some of the ranch and some of the extra sauce the tenders were coated in, takes and bite and looks at me with mischief im her eyes.

I stared at her. “Did you just—?”

“Yes. I did. Y’all were too busy making heart eyes. Enjoy your little date night. Don’t get crumbs in the couch.”

She threw a wink over her shoulder, eating the rest of the tender in her hand, and was gone.

Azzi leaned into my side, laughing. “She’s iconic.”

“I’m gonna pretend I ate all my food next time.”

Azzi grinned. “You’re lucky I’m full or I’d be stealing bites too.”

I smiled, looking at her hand intertwined with mine.

“Stay over?” I asked softly, almost shy.

Azzi just nodded, pulling the blanket over both of us. “Always.”

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

                 -Thank You For Reading!🩵🩶

                             -prettygirl-gabi🎀✨️

[flibbertygigget]

McCoy-Centric Fic Rec List

Long as hell and split into slightly nonsensical sections because I have too many bookmarks :/

Episode/Movie-Centric Codas/AUs

Lots of "Mirror, Mirror"/"The Empath"/Post-TSFS stuff in here for Obvious Reasons.

Fal-Tor-Pan or: How to Accidentally Get Married on Vulcan by mymetalphantom - 5.7k, Spones. Lighter than the usual Post-Fal-tor-pan fic, very silly premise and excellent execution.

Oh, sinners, let's go down by raven (singlecrow) - 4.7k, Gen. The best Post-Fal-tor-pan angst I've ever read, bar none. Angst with a bittersweet, ambiguously hopeful ending.

Seven Times by SwissArmyKnife - 2k, Gen. Seven times McCoy got telepathically violated and it's all canon 😭

For This Space Would Be Hollow If You Were Gone by releni - 4k, Pre-Slash Spones. FTWIH has SUCH great angst potential, and this fic takes full advantage of that.

The Cause is Sufficient by Cirth - 2.5k, Spones. They're talking about the whole katra deal! They're talking about the whole martyr complex! They're kissing!

bad luck and broken soul by Rev (apathetic_revenant) - 12k, Gen. There are SO MANY Post-"Mirror, Mirror" fics, but this one is hands down one of my favorites.

Memories Are Made of This by GenuineSnoof - 6.5k, Gen. Another post-"Mirror, Mirror" fic, I really like how creative the reveal part is in this one.

Evasive Action by kcscribbler - 2k, Gen. "Space Seed" episode coda with some wonderful hurt-and-kinda-grumpy-about-it McCoy.

Incubation by SwissArmyKnife - 9k, Gen. Post-"The City on the Edge of Forever", featuring McCoy working through illness and really going through it and Spock being worried and protective.

something bright, traveling fast by inkatesbush - 7.5k, Spones. Mostly a Spock character study post-Fal-tor-pan, but when McCoy gets there his parts are really, really good.

Plotty/Case Fic (mostly McCoy Getting Hurt And Being Awesome)

I won't say these genuinely resemble actual ST episode plots but they're plot-centric ig.

40 Miles From The Sun by slash4femme - 10k, Spones. Didn't know whether to put this here or in the shipfic section, but it's mostly the BEST rape recovery fic in the fandom and only very slowly Spones. Excellent fic.

The Dogs Days Are Most Certainly NOT Over by ThatSassyCaptain - 35k, Gen. Pure episode-style casefic and a great one. Get adopted, idiot 😆

Rate of Exchange by scioscribe - 9k, Gen. Bulletproof premise of "get captured by Mysterious Bad Guys, get forced to hurt each other, get out and have Feelings about it". Perfect.

all in by milostollbooth - 13.5k, Spones. Spock gets to be in charge of the Enterprise and things Get Complicated. Like 50% casefic and 50% developing Spones.

A Hippocratic Proof by stillwaters01 - 5k, Gen. Less plotty, more of a friendship fic. McCoy doubts his abilities and Spock goes about reassuring him in the most logical way possible 🥰

it ends or it doesn't by Muir_Wolf - 28.5k, McSpirk. Bones being a martyr! Time loop shenanigans! The complicated process of getting together when you're also under an insane amount of pressure! I love them your honor.

Mudd in Your Eye by Avirra - 61k, Gen. Ok, it's an alternate take on "Space Seed", but it does its own thing so effectively that i'm putting it under plotty fic. Really big fan of how competent Bones is and his relationships with the various OCs in this one.

Shipping-Centric (mostly Spones)

Some McSpirk as well ig. There's some overlap with the previous two categories, but these are more shipping than plot.

Surgeon's Mate by belmanoir - 4.5k, Spones. It's the most-kudos'd Spones fic for a reason, and that reason is an EXCELLENT Spock POV with impeccable characterization.

Holocene by greenbloodedcomputer - 4.5k, Spones. Old Married Spones on Vulcan dealing with the in-laws :)

Traditions of Intimacy by swimmingwolf59 - 8.5k, Spones. Spock and McCoy sharing meals and slowly getting closer to each other. Just fantastic.

First Impressions by swimmingwolf59 - 16.5k, Spones. Y'all KNOW I love Sarek and McCoy being awkward buddies, and this fic has an emphasis on the AWKWARD. Love it!

Two Thirds of a Whole by sleepymccoy - 18.5k, Spones. Alternate universe Spock is such a sweetie and Prime Universe Spock is UNHINGED near the end, this whole premise is excellent and the Spones is immaculate.

Courtship Rituals by fangirlandiknowit - 30k, McSpirk. I love love love fake relationship shenanigans that become way too real partway through.

wish i was a better liar by Muir_Wolf - 17.5k, McSpirk with an emphasis on the McKirk. Uhhh, "The Enemy Within" dubcon threesome. Also Spock's there and being protective. Also it's HOT.

Symbiosis by weekend_conspiracy_theorist - 6.5k, Spones. Diplomatic function fake relationship! That very, very quickly becomes less fake lol, Spock's kind of a mess emotionally in this one.

i've seen time tell tales by Rusoe - 1.5k, Spones. Old Married Spones my beloved. Domestic fluff with a hint of angst.

Off-Beat/Stuff I Can't Fit Anywhere Else

For all your confused-by-how-the-author-got-there fanfic needs.

Bones - A Biography by Spock Grayson by AlyssiaInWonderland - 4k, McKirk and Spones. Early First Contact AU where Vulcan first interacts with Earth during WWI. The premise is excellent and the whole vibe of it is heartbreaking, I honestly wish this were longer because I want to live in this universe for like 100k words.

Nothing Unreal Exists by eigenvectrix - 16k, Gen. EXCELLENT fic. Transfem Spock, lots of examination of Vulcan culture, McCoy being both competent as a doctor and generally trying his best during difficult conversations as a friend. 10/10, it made me give up on the trans Spock fic I was kicking around in my head because tbh I could never live up to this.

AOS

I don't even like the characterization in the AOS movies, but these fics are great :)

Lessons by madwriter223 - 1.5k, Spones. Honestly, I always forget this is an AOS fic. Love Spock being so methodical in his romantic intentions/techniques.

Honorable Enemies by Zauzat - 24k, Spones. McCoy being sad, war being hell, Spock being surprisingly emotionally astute in his own way. Gets plotty in the last third. What more do you need from a fic?

Now the Sons Look For Their Fathers/ But Their Fathers Are All Gone by Straight_Outta_Hobbiton - 30.5k, Gen. McCoy taking care of Vulcan kids post-Star Trek (2009). Has great versions of Sybok and T'Pring for the Kelvinverse.

Fortunate Son by mardia - 50.7k, McKirk. I'm usually not a fan of putting anyone except Kirk on Tarsus, but it sometimes works with AOS since we don't get anything on that whatsoever. This is easily the best "McCoy on Tarsus" fic out there!

The Tribunal of Lieutenant Commander Leonard H. McCoy, MD PhD by stealthestars - 3.5k, slight McSpirk. I love fics where everyone's being all official while internally freaking out ♥️

This Must Be The Place by therev - 38k, Spones. A really sweet, existential look at the absolute mindfuck of finding out just what alternate universe you was getting up to and slowly realizing you want something somewhat like that as well.

Shameless Self-Recs

Just a couple of my fics that I'm personally very fond of. Because I'm shameless lmao.

some people crash to earth three times (and then learn from their mistakes) - 8k, Gen. Dropping TOS characters into a shortly post-First Contact scenario for shits and giggles. I loved writing street medic McCoy and his teenage bullshit.

the wind counts lost goodbyes - 2.8k, Gen. Look, give me an opportunity to write some Vulcan culture and angst and I'm bound to go all in. MCD warning.

sing for the damage we've done (and the worse things that we'll do) (2k, Gen) and i speak in smoke signals (and you answer in code) (6k, Gen) - Uhhh, the inherent limitations of the Prime Directive, Federation politics, McCoy being ride or die for his patients, Spock being ride or die for his friends.

strike another match (let's start anew) (3k, Spones) and hearing a voice i'd known (a couple of lightyears ago) (4.7k, Gen) - These are both post-Fal-tor-pan AUs where it, like, Goes Wrong in different ways. I love doing a little fal-tor-pan AU, mostly because I don't think it was given nearly enough focus in canon.

[arilevenatz]

Unscripted

Pairing: idol!Yunho x idol!Reader

Genre/trope: fluff, idol romance

Word count: 8.4k

Warnings: very, I mean veryyyy minute talks of suicide, reader has trauma, she had a bad childhood, Imk if I missed any

AN: I always wanted to write an idol x idol reader. And now here we are, our own golden retriever got a fic now. Yes I had fun playing with the characters. The group I created, I really loved how it turned out and I will be using this group again in future idol x idol projects

Masterlist

Yunho had always been the one to capture attention. With his bright smile and natural charisma, he easily stood out. As the lead dancer and main vocalist of ATEEZ, his talent was undeniable. His 6’1” frame and athleticism only added to his presence, making him a natural on stage.

Performing live was where Yunho truly thrived. His dance moves were smooth yet powerful, and his deep voice melted effortlessly into each melody. The energy he brought to every performance made it clear that he was in his element, pouring his heart into every note.

Offstage, Yunho was the playful mood maker. He was always cracking jokes, pulling pranks, or finding ways to make the group laugh. But his fun-loving side hid a deep dedication to his craft. He spent countless hours perfecting his moves, driven by a desire to do his best for ATEEZ and their fans.

Despite his lively exterior, Yunho often found himself reflecting on his connections with others. His passion for music had always led him to form bonds with fellow idols, but lately, he couldn’t help but feel that someone new was beginning to take up more space in his thoughts.

The girl group was called Elysium, a name that captured the dream-like, otherworldly energy they exuded on stage. Elysium’s music was a blend of powerful performances and deep, emotive lyrics, making them stand out in a crowded industry. Their fandom, known as Stellar, was dedicated, passionate, and fiercely protective of the group’s integrity. Elysium had quickly risen to fame, drawing attention not only for their talent but for their strong bond as a group.

---

Lee Yeji

00', Aries

Leader, Rapper

Yeji was the fiery leader who held the group together with her unwavering confidence. As the lead rapper, her verses were fast and powerful, leaving an impression every time she stepped up to the mic. Her assertive personality made her a natural leader, always taking charge and ensuring the group stayed on track. Offstage, Yeji balanced her strong exterior with a deep care for her members, always looking out for them like a protective older sister.

—

Hwang YN

01', Gemini

Producer, Lyricist, All-rounder

YN, the second oldest in the group, had a deep, commanding voice that often startled people when they first heard it. As a producer and lyricist, she played a key role in crafting Elysium’s unique sound. While she often appeared emotionless on the outside, YN had a dry wit that made those around her laugh without her intending to. Her calm demeanor and focus on the creative side made her a cornerstone of the group, though her voice alone commanded respect.

---

Jang Wonyoung

04', Sagittarius

Center, Visual, Vocalist

Wonyoung was the visual and center of the group, with an almost ethereal beauty that captured attention immediately. As a vocalist, her voice was sweet and clear, adding a unique texture to Elysium’s sound. Despite her grace and elegance, Wonyoung’s warmth and playful energy offstage made her approachable and beloved by fans and fellow idols alike.

---

Phan Hanni

04', Virgo

Main Vocalist

Hanni’s voice was the heart of Elysium’s music, with a range that effortlessly transitioned between delicate ballads and powerful anthems. Though she was soft-spoken offstage, her voice spoke volumes in every performance, conveying emotions with a depth that moved listeners. Hanni's humble nature and dedication to her craft made her one of the most respected members of the group, always striving to perfect her vocal technique.

---

Kang Haneul

05', Libra

Lead Dancer, Maknae

As the youngest, Haneul was the maknae of Elysium, but her skills as the lead dancer made her shine brightly on stage. Her movements were a blend of strength and grace, making every performance feel like an art form. Despite being the youngest, Haneul’s maturity and dedication to dancing set her apart. She was quiet and reserved offstage but showed an intensity and passion whenever she was on the dance floor.

Elysium’s concept was unlike anything the industry had seen before. They blended nostalgic, early-2000s vibes with a modern twist, creating a sound that felt both fresh and timeless. Their aesthetic was a blend of minimalist cool and raw authenticity—think vintage street style meets ethereal elegance. Each member’s individuality was celebrated, with no exaggerated theatrics or over-the-top concepts. Instead, Elysium’s power lay in their simplicity and authenticity, capturing the hearts of fans by just being themselves.

Their music was a perfect mix of catchy hooks and introspective lyrics, with a laid-back, almost effortless vibe that made each track feel personal. They didn’t rely on flashy choreography or ostentatious visuals; instead, their performances were intimate, like you were watching them in a moment of pure, unfiltered connection.

Elysium’s fashion mirrored this concept—loose, comfortable fits with a nostalgic edge, often accessorized with subtle details that gave them a chic, effortless flair. Their look was cool but approachable, embodying a laid-back confidence that made them stand out without trying too hard. Their style was a reflection of their personalities: fresh, real, and a little bit rebellious.

Their concept was bold in its restraint—no gimmicks, no forced personas—just raw talent and a genuine connection to their music and fans. Elysium wasn’t just a group; they were a movement, breaking barriers with a sound and aesthetic that felt both innovative and incredibly personal.

Elysium debuted in 2020 with their breakout single "Timeless Echoes", a song that perfectly encapsulated their unique blend of nostalgia and modernity. The track featured mellow, laid-back beats with hauntingly beautiful vocals that echoed their raw, authentic energy. The lyrics, penned by YN, were introspective and reflective, exploring themes of self-discovery, love, and the passage of time. "Timeless Echoes" became an instant favorite, resonating deeply with fans who were drawn to its simplicity and emotional depth.

Their debut album, "Elysian Days", was a seamless reflection of their concept—minimalistic, authentic, and grounded in real emotions. Every track on the album had been carefully crafted by YN, who not only wrote the lyrics but also produced the sound with an understated elegance that defined the group's style. The album was a mix of mellow ballads, introspective mid-tempos, and smooth, groovy beats. Each song felt like an intimate conversation, where listeners could connect deeply with the group’s journey, vulnerabilities, and experiences.

Songs like "Daydreams", "Quiet Storm", and "Wanderlust" followed, each contributing to the cohesive, yet diverse, nature of the album.

"Daydreams" captured a sense of youthful wonder and longing,

while "Quiet Storm" was a deeper, more reflective ballad about inner strength and the quiet battles people face.

"Wanderlust" was a smooth, breezy track with a laid-back vibe, encapsulating their desire for freedom and exploration.

"Elysian Days" set the stage for Elysium’s journey, marking them as an artistically bold and boundary-pushing group in the K-pop scene. They had a sound that was distinctly their own, and with YN's vision and leadership, Elysium was poised to redefine what it meant to be an idol group in the modern music landscape.

The 2020 MJK Awards buzzed with energy as the biggest names in the industry filled the grand venue. ATEEZ sat at their assigned table near the front, their growing fame landing them prime seating. Yunho, ever the curious observer, scanned the room, taking in the glamorous chaos around him. His eyes flickered toward a group seated a little further back, where five girls sat quietly, looking slightly out of place amidst the glittering stars. They carried themselves with an understated confidence that intrigued him.

It was Elysium’s first award show, and though they were new to the scene, their name had already started making waves. Yunho had heard whispers about them—their unique concept, their music written entirely by one of the members, and their captivating simplicity. But it wasn’t until they took the stage for their performance that Yunho truly understood the hype.

Their performance was brief—award show rookie slots were always short—but it was enough to command the room’s attention. The stage lights dimmed, and a haunting melody began to play, accompanied by YN’s deep, rich voice that sent a ripple through the audience. The blend of their vocals, fluid choreography, and the raw authenticity they exuded was magnetic.

Yunho found himself leaning forward in his seat, captivated by the girl with the emotionless expression and commanding voice. There was something about her—how effortlessly she moved, how her voice seemed to echo with a depth beyond her years. She didn’t try to steal the spotlight, but it seemed to find her anyway.

When Elysium was announced as the Rookie of the Year, the girls stood in shock before making their way to the stage. YN stood at the back as Yeji, the leader, delivered a heartfelt thank-you speech. Yunho noticed YN bowing slightly to the crowd, her face still unreadable but her eyes glinting with a quiet pride. She looked at her fellow members with a subtle smile, the kind you’d miss if you weren’t paying attention.

As Yeji wrapped up her heartfelt speech, thanking their fans, company, and team, she suddenly turned toward YN with a teasing smile. “Our producer should say something too, right?” she said, nudging her lightly.

The other members chimed in, giggling and encouraging her. “Come on, YN unnie!” Wonyoung whispered, while Haneul gave her a playful push forward. YN hesitated, glancing at the mic with a faint frown, clearly preferring to stay in the background.

But with the crowd now cheering lightly for her, she sighed and stepped closer to the microphone. The room quieted in anticipation.

“Thank you,” YN began, her voice low and deep, resonating across the venue like a bass note. It was so unexpected—such a rich, commanding tone coming from someone with such a small, unassuming frame—that it stunned everyone into silence.

She continued calmly, “I just want to thank our members for trusting my music and making it come to life. And to Stellar, for believing in us and helping us get here. We’ll work harder to show you more of what we can do.” Her delivery was concise, professional, and almost emotionless, but the sheer contrast of her voice and presence left the room mesmerized.

Gasps and murmurs rippled through the audience. Yunho, sitting at the ATEEZ table, felt his eyes widen as he exchanged a look of surprise with Wooyoung. Even some of the seasoned idols were caught off guard, their expressions ranging from awe to disbelief.

By the time Elysium returned to their seats, the buzz around YN had already started. Clips of her speech began circulating online before the event had even ended. Fans titled the videos "Idols Reacting to YN’s Voice", showing the surprised expressions of seniors in the audience, and "Rookie Idol Shocks Everyone with Her Deep Voice."

Within hours, hashtags like #YNsVoice and #ElysiumRookieOfTheYear trended worldwide. Some fans joked, “How is her voice deeper than most rappers?” while others were in awe of how effortlessly she spoke, carrying such a commanding presence without trying.

YN, meanwhile, remained oblivious to the storm she’d caused online, quietly congratulating her members and reminding them to stay focused on their next goals. Little did she know, her unique voice and unintentional charisma had left a lasting impression on everyone who heard it—including a certain tall, wide-eyed boy named Yunho.

Elysium’s viral moment following their award show performance had propelled them into the spotlight, and their schedules quickly became packed. One of their most exciting activities was participating in TikTok dance challenges with other idols, a promotional move that fans loved. For their latest collaboration, they were paired with none other than ATEEZ.

YN, as always, stood quietly to the side. She was assigned to lead the challenge, given her knack for precision and her ability to pick up choreography quickly. When the staff revealed the pairings, Yunho’s heart sank.

“Okay, for this one, we’ll have Jongho, Seonghwa, and YN,” the director announced, clapping his hands.

Jongho, standing beside Yunho, grinned and clapped his hands together. “Let’s do this!” he said enthusiastically.

Seonghwa nodded, his elegance evident even as he stretched, preparing for the shoot.

Meanwhile, Yunho stood frozen, his expression falling into something close to disbelief. Of all the people who could’ve been chosen, why not him? He watched as YN walked over to Jongho and Seonghwa with her usual quiet confidence, her deep voice breaking the silence as she asked, “What’s the move for the transition?”

Yunho’s stomach churned as Jongho started laughing and explaining the steps to her, the two of them already getting along. Seonghwa added a few tips, and she nodded, her focus entirely on the choreography.

The shoot began, and the trio nailed the challenge effortlessly. YN’s fluid movements and sharp execution stood out, earning her subtle admiration from Seonghwa and Jongho. The staff clapped as they wrapped up, and YN offered a brief but polite bow before stepping back to join her group.

It was a quiet evening when YN decided to go live on Elysium’s official account. Sitting comfortably in a simple hoodie with her hair tied back, she greeted her fans with her signature calm demeanor.

“Hi, everyone,” she said in her low, steady voice. “I’ve been seeing your requests for a live, so here I am. Let’s talk.”

The comments flooded in instantly, with fans typing questions faster than she could read them. YN scrolled through with a small smirk, answering a few at random.

Fan: What’s your favorite food these days?

YN: “Ah, lately, I’ve been eating way too much tteokbokki. Spicy food keeps me awake when I’m working late.”

Fan: Who’s the funniest member in Elysium?

YN: (without hesitation) “Wonyoung. She doesn’t even try, but the things she says are hilarious. And Haneul is secretly funny too—she just doesn’t realize it. Hanni is just a yapper.”

Fan: Do you have any hobbies?

YN: “Producing takes up most of my time, but I’ve been getting into reading mystery novels lately. It helps me unwind.”

Fan: What’s your favorite song you’ve written so far?

YN: “That’s like choosing a favorite child,” she said with a faint smirk. “But if I had to pick… maybe ‘Wanderlust.’ It’s a personal one, so it means a lot to me.”

Fan: What do you do when you’re not working?

YN: “I sleep,” she said bluntly, earning a flood of laughing emojis in the chat. “But if I’m not sleeping, I’m probably reading or eating.”

The questions kept rolling in, and YN answered them with her usual calm wit, making fans laugh with her unintentional humor. Then, as if it were an afterthought, she brought up something no one had asked.

As the questions continued, a fan comment caught her attention:

Fan: Who are your favorite groups?

YN tilted her head thoughtfully. “Hmm, favorite groups? That’s hard,” she said, looking genuinely torn. “I really admire Seventeen. Their stage presence, their music, and the way they work together as a team are incredible. My bias is S.Coups. He’s an amazing leader.”

“And... I also really like ATEEZ.” Her voice dropped just slightly, her expression remaining composed, but the slight tilt of her head hinted at something unspoken.

The chat went wild.

Fan: ATEEZ?! OMG, finally someone appreciates them like we do!

Fan: What’s your favorite ATEEZ song?!

Fan: She said it so casually, but we know it’s not casual!!!

YN read through the comments, her lips twitching into the faintest smile. “ATEEZ has an amazing stage presence,” she said, carefully picking her words. “They’re one of those groups that really pour everything into their performances. It’s inspiring.”

Then, as if testing the waters, someone in the chat asked the inevitable:

Fan: Do you have a bias in ATEEZ?

YN’s calm demeanor wavered for the briefest moment. She paused, as though considering her answer, and then let out a soft chuckle. “Ah, I don’t really have one. I’m just... a fan of all of them.”

Her mention of ATEEZ and that small, telling hesitation didn’t go unnoticed. The chat exploded.

Fan: She’s lying, she totally has a bias!

Fan: YN, we can tell! Just say it’s Yunho, we won’t tell!

Fan: Why does this feel like a confession?!

YN shook her head, her usual emotionless expression tinged with faint amusement. “You guys are so quick to jump to conclusions,” she said, her deep voice betraying nothing. “But really, all of ATEEZ is talented. That’s all I’ll say.”

As the live progressed, YN’s usual calm, no-nonsense demeanor took a sharper edge when she noticed the comments spiraling. Fans were already speculating and joking about her mentioning ATEEZ, and while some of it was lighthearted, she knew how quickly things could escalate.

She leaned closer to the camera, her deep voice cutting through the excited chatter in the chat. “Alright,” she said, her tone firm, “before anyone gets carried away, let me be clear. I don’t want to see any unnecessary rumors or assumptions about what I said.”

The chat paused for a moment as fans processed her sudden shift.

“I admire Seventeen and ATEEZ, just like I admire a lot of other groups,” she continued, her gaze steady. “They work hard, and they’re talented. That’s it. Please don’t create unnecessary drama out of this. Focus on supporting the artists you love instead of making things weird.”

Her straightforward approach silenced most of the speculation, with fans quickly apologizing or reassuring her in the chat. Still, clips of her stern warning made their way online, and while many praised her for setting boundaries, others couldn’t help but laugh at how serious she became.

A few days later, the members of ATEEZ were scattered around their dorm, enjoying a rare break. Yunho was scrolling through his phone, absentmindedly liking posts when Wooyoung suddenly gasped from the other side of the room.

“Guys!” Wooyoung yelled, nearly tripping over himself as he ran to the living room, phone in hand. “You have to see this!”

“What now?” San groaned, but he leaned in as Wooyoung shoved his phone in their faces.

On the screen was a trending hashtag: #YNWarnsFans, alongside clips of her live where she mentioned ATEEZ and later shut down the rumors.

“Wait,” Jongho said, narrowing his eyes. “She mentioned us? During her live?”

“She didn’t just mention us,” Wooyoung said, his grin widening. “She told her fans not to start rumors because she respects us so much.”

Yunho froze in his seat, suddenly hyperaware of his teammates' reactions. “Why are we even trending? She probably mentioned other groups too,” he said, attempting to downplay it.

“Oh, she did,” Seonghwa replied, calmly sipping his tea. “But the way she said our name was... interesting.”

“What do you mean interesting?” Yunho asked, his voice rising slightly.

“You know, it had weight,” Wooyoung said, mimicking YN’s deep voice dramatically. “‘I also really like ATEEZ.’”

San burst out laughing. “I think she scared her fans into behaving! Look at this.” He pulled up another clip from the live where YN firmly told her fans to focus on supporting artists instead of causing drama.

“She’s strict,” Jongho said with a chuckle. “I respect that.”

“But why do her fans think there’s more to it?” Mingi asked, looking genuinely confused as he scrolled through posts.

Wooyoung leaned closer to Yunho, smirking. “Because, dear Yunho, they picked up on something. Maybe we should too.”

Yunho shoved Wooyoung away, his face heating up. “You’re all reading too much into this,” he muttered, though his heart was racing.

But even as the teasing continued, the thought of YN deliberately mentioning ATEEZ—and how she handled the situation so seriously—lingered in Yunho’s mind longer than he wanted to admit.

A few years after their debut, Elysium had solidified themselves as one of the most unique and beloved groups in the industry. Their artistry and authenticity had earned them a loyal fanbase, and their ability to stay grounded despite their success only made fans adore them more. So, when YN was invited to participate in a new, groundbreaking show where idols opened up about their lives and struggles, fans were both thrilled and nervous.

The concept of the show was simple: one idol, one camera, and complete vulnerability. It wasn’t scripted or rehearsed, just an intimate conversation that allowed idols to connect with their fans on a deeper level. YN, known for her reserved and straightforward nature, was an interesting choice, and many fans wondered if she would even share much.

The studio was dimly lit, the focus entirely on YN as she sat in a simple chair, dressed casually in a white sweater and jeans. The setup was minimal—just her, the camera, and a producer sitting off-screen to guide the conversation.

After a brief introduction, the producer asked the first question. “Let’s start with something simple. How would you describe your journey as an idol so far?”

YN leaned back slightly, her deep voice calm but reflective. “It’s been... fulfilling, but not easy,” she admitted. “I think people assume that just because we’re successful now, everything was smooth sailing. But that’s far from the truth.”

The producer nodded, encouraging her to continue. “What were some of the challenges you faced?”

YN took a moment to gather her thoughts. “When Elysium debuted, we weren’t like other groups. Our concept was different, our music wasn’t the mainstream sound, and we didn’t fit into the mold of what people expected. At first, it felt like we were always trying to prove ourselves. I remember the pressure was so intense that I barely slept those first few months because I was constantly writing and producing, trying to make sure we stood out.”

She paused, her expression softening slightly. “But the hardest part wasn’t the work—it was the doubt. There were moments when I wondered if I was good enough to be the producer and lyricist for a group like ours. I knew my members trusted me, but I didn’t always trust myself.”

The producer gently asked, “What kept you going during those times?”

“My members,” YN replied immediately, a rare, small smile gracing her lips. “Yeji, Wonyoung, Hanni, and Haneul—they never doubted me, even when I doubted myself. They’d stay with me during late-night studio sessions, bring me snacks, or just sit quietly while I worked. It sounds small, but it reminded me that I wasn’t alone.”

The conversation then shifted to her personal life. “Fans have always admired your confidence and maturity. Have you always been like this?”

YN let out a low chuckle, shaking her head. “Not at all. Growing up, I was pretty shy and quiet. My voice was always deeper than the other kids’, and I got teased for it. It made me insecure for a long time, but eventually, I learned to own it. Now, I think my voice is one of my strengths.”

The producer hesitated before asking the next question. “What’s something most people don’t know about you?”

YN’s expression grew serious, her gaze dropping to the floor for a moment. “I think people assume that because I’m strict with fans and straightforward in interviews, I’m... cold or distant. But the truth is, I care deeply about the people around me. I just don’t always know how to show it. It’s something I’m working on.”

The producer wrapped up the session by asking, “What would you say to your fans who are watching this?”

YN looked directly into the camera, her deep voice steady but warm. “Thank you. For believing in us, for giving us the chance to grow, and for supporting us even when things weren’t perfect. I know I can be tough sometimes, but it’s because I respect you all and want to protect what we’ve built together. So... thank you.”

The producer leaned forward slightly, their voice gentle but curious. “What are your fears, YN?”

YN’s calm demeanor faltered just a bit as she shifted in her seat, her fingers lightly brushing against the edge of her sweater. For a moment, she seemed hesitant, but then she answered, her deep voice steady and straightforward.

“Deep water. The ocean. I hate them,” she said bluntly.

The producer looked surprised. “Really? That’s interesting. Why is that?”

YN exhaled softly, her expression unreadable. “There’s something about it... the unknown. It’s so vast, so unpredictable. You don’t know what’s underneath, and that terrifies me. It feels... suffocating.”

She paused, her gaze lowering slightly as she continued. “I think it’s the idea of being completely out of control. You can’t see, you can’t touch the bottom—it’s just endless. It’s not something I’ve ever been able to get over.”

The producer nodded, sensing the depth of her fear. “Have you ever had to face it?”

YN shook her head firmly. “No, and I don’t plan to. I’ll admire the ocean from a safe distance, thank you very much. But you won’t catch me on a boat or anywhere near deep water. That’s non-negotiable.”

The producer hesitated before asking the next question, clearly aware of its weight. “Can you tell us about your family?”

YN’s usually calm expression shifted slightly, her deep voice quiet as she began, “My family…” She trailed off, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. For a moment, it seemed like she wouldn’t answer, but then she exhaled deeply and decided to speak.

“When I was 11, everything changed,” she started, her voice steady but void of emotion. “My dad lost his job. At first, we thought it was temporary, that things would get better. But they didn’t.”

She paused, her eyes glancing briefly off-camera. “He started drinking. A lot. And gambling. He couldn’t handle the stress, I guess. It became this... downward spiral. Debt piled up, and suddenly, money lenders were showing up at our house, banging on the door.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line before she continued, her voice a fraction quieter. “There were times I had to hide. My mom would pull me into a room and tell me to stay quiet while she dealt with them. She tried to protect me, but I could hear everything—the shouting, the threats.”

The producer stayed silent, letting her speak at her own pace.

“My mom... she’s the strongest person I know,” YN said, her tone softening slightly. “She held everything together when it felt like the world was falling apart. But I’d see her break, late at night, when she thought I was asleep. She’d cry, or just sit there, staring at nothing. It was like she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders.”

Her gaze darkened as she continued. “And my dad… he’d talk about ending it all. Killing himself. He’d say it like it was a casual thing, and I didn’t know how to react. I was just a kid, and I felt so helpless. There were days I hated him for what he was putting us through, but at the same time, I was terrified of losing him.”

The producer’s voice was gentle when they asked, “Did you have anyone else to lean on during that time?”

YN shook her head, letting out a bitter laugh. “No. I’m an only child, and my cousins—they weren’t exactly kind. My parents borrowed money from everyone in the family, and that became the reason I was bullied by my cousins. They’d call me names, make fun of how my family couldn’t afford things. It got to the point where I dreaded family gatherings because I knew I’d be humiliated.”

She paused, her voice tightening slightly. “My studies fell apart. I used to be a good student, but I couldn’t focus. Everything felt meaningless when your home life is a disaster. And I didn’t have best friends or anyone to turn to. I was alone. Completely alone.”

The room was silent for a moment, the weight of her words hanging heavy in the air.

“But,” YN said, her voice regaining some strength, “I think that’s what made me who I am today. I had to grow up fast. I learned how to survive, how to be self-sufficient. And when I finally got the chance to chase my dreams, I put everything into it because I knew what it was like to have nothing.”

The producer nodded, visibly moved. “You’ve come so far, YN. Thank you for sharing something so personal.”

The episode aired a week later, and fans were stunned. Many had known bits and pieces of her story, but hearing her lay it all out like this was heartbreaking. Social media exploded with messages of support, with hashtags like #YNStrong and #ProudOfYN trending for days.

Yunho couldn’t stop thinking about YN’s story. He’d always been a fan of her work, admiring her talents as a producer, lyricist, and performer. But after hearing about her past, his admiration transformed into deep respect. She wasn’t just an artist he looked up to; she was someone who had overcome unimaginable challenges to stand where she was now.

“She’s incredible,” Yunho murmured one evening while scrolling through clips of YN’s interview on his phone.

“What’s that?” Hongjoong asked from across the room, looking up from his laptop.

“YN,” Yunho said, setting his phone down. “You watched her interview, right? She’s... amazing. I mean, her talent was already obvious, but after hearing her story, I respect her so much more. She’s been through so much and still came out stronger.”

Hongjoong nodded, leaning back in his chair. “She’s definitely one of the most genuine idols out there. Her story hit hard, and the way she handles herself? It’s admirable.”

Yunho hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Hyung, you’re good at networking and... you know, initiating things. Don’t you think it’d be great if we worked with her? Like, a Collab? She’s a producer, you’re a producer—it just makes sense.”

Hongjoong raised an eyebrow, a small smirk tugging at his lips. “Is this about work, or is this about you being a fanboy?”

Yunho flushed, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s about work,” he insisted, though the slight stammer in his voice gave him away. “Seriously, though. A Collab with her would be amazing. She has such a unique sound, and I think we could create something incredible together.”

Hongjoong chuckled, but there was a thoughtful look in his eyes. “You’re not wrong. Elysium’s sound is distinct, and her skills as a producer are no joke. It’d be interesting to see how our styles would blend.”

“So, will you reach out?” Yunho asked, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

“Sure,” Hongjoong said with a shrug. “I’ll bring it up with the company first, then see if Elysium’s side is interested. But don’t get your hopes up too fast. These things take time.”

Yunho nodded eagerly, already imagining what a collaboration with YN could look like. It wasn’t just about the music—though he truly believed they could create something amazing together. It was also a chance to work with someone he admired deeply, someone who inspired him not just as an artist but as a person.

A few days later, Hongjoong brought it up during a company meeting, pitching the idea with his usual confidence. The team seemed intrigued, and word was sent to Elysium’s management.

Unbeknownst to Yunho, YN herself was surprised when her company informed her of the request. A collaboration with ATEEZ? Specifically involving Hongjoong? She respected ATEEZ as artists, and the idea piqued her interest.

But for YN, who always approached her work with precision and seriousness, this wasn’t just about making a hit song. It was about finding the right synergy, the perfect balance between two distinct artistic visions.

As the initial talks began between the two companies, Yunho could barely contain his excitement. This was the beginning of something big—he could feel it. Whether or not YN would ever know how much her story and strength inspired him, Yunho was determined to give this project everything he had.

After the collaboration, Yunho finally decided it was time to approach YN. He couldn’t ignore the pull he felt toward her anymore. Her story, her strength, her talent—they had all left a deep impression on him. But more than that, he wanted to know the person behind the stoic demeanor, the person who had fought through so much to stand where she was.

He asked Hongjoong for advice. “What do I even say? I don’t want to freak her out or make it awkward.”

“Just be honest,” Hongjoong said simply. “She doesn’t seem like the type who likes sugarcoating. Just tell her how you feel.”

So, a few days later, Yunho worked up the courage. They crossed paths backstage at a music event, and he casually approached her during a quiet moment.

“Hey, YN,” he said, his usual bright smile lighting up his face. “Do you have a minute?”

YN turned to him, her expression unreadable but polite. “Sure, what’s up?”

Yunho hesitated for a split second but pushed forward. “I wanted to say... I really admire you. Not just for your talent, but for how strong you are. I know you’ve been through a lot, and... I’d like to get to know you better, if that’s okay.”

YN blinked, clearly caught off guard. She wasn’t used to people approaching her so directly. After a brief silence, she let out a small sigh. “Sunbaenim, I... I appreciate that, but I’m not in the best place right now. Mentally, emotionally—I’m just... not okay. I’m so busy, and I have a lot on my plate already. I don’t think I can handle a relationship, or even—”

“I’m not asking you to handle anything,” Yunho interrupted softly. His usual playful demeanor was replaced with something serious and genuine. “I’m not here to add to your burdens. I just want to be there for you. To take care of you, in any way I can.”

YN looked at him, her guard slipping slightly as she searched his face. “You say that now, but... I’m not easy to deal with. I have days where I can barely hold myself together. I don’t want to drag anyone down with me.”

Yunho smiled, his voice steady. “I’m not scared of that. Everyone has their struggles, and you’ve been carrying so much on your own for so long. Let someone be there for you for once. I don’t need anything from you—I just want to help lighten the load, even if it’s just a little.”

YN’s lips pressed into a thin line as she considered his words. Part of her wanted to push him away, to stick to the walls she had built around herself. But another part of her—the part that had spent so many years feeling alone—was tempted to let someone in, even just a little.

“...You’re persistent, aren’t you?” she finally said, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.

Yunho grinned, his warmth returning. “You have no idea.”

YN shook her head, but there was a softness in her eyes now. “Alright, Sunbaenim. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“I can handle it,” he said confidently. “You’ll see.”

It was a small step, but for Yunho, it was a start. He knew it wouldn’t be easy, but he was determined to show YN that she didn’t have to face everything alone anymore.

Yunho didn’t back down after that conversation. If anything, it seemed to fuel his determination to show YN that he was serious about what he’d said. He didn’t push her boundaries or overwhelm her—instead, he made his presence known in small, thoughtful ways.

It started with endless messages. Texts that weren’t demanding but comforting.

“Hope today’s schedule isn’t too hectic. Don’t forget to eat something good!”

“Just heard a song that reminded me of you. Maybe we can listen together someday?”

“Don’t overwork yourself. You’re doing great.”

YN would read his texts late at night, her lips twitching into an involuntary smile. Sometimes she replied with a quick “Thanks” or a simple thumbs-up, but Yunho never seemed discouraged. He’d keep sending messages, as though he didn’t expect anything in return, just wanting her to know he was thinking of her.

On social media, Yunho started dropping subtle hints. Nothing too obvious, but enough to make fans and even his members suspicious. He’d mention how much he admired producers who put their heart into their work or casually praise Elysium in interviews.

In one live, a fan asked him what song he was listening to lately, and he grinned. “Oh, there’s this really cool track by a certain producer I admire. It’s on repeat, but I won’t say who. Let’s just say they’re super talented.”

ATEEZ fans picked up on it quickly, speculating wildly about who he was talking about. Meanwhile, YN watched the chaos unfold on Twitter, shaking her head at the ridiculousness of it all. She knew exactly who Yunho was referring to, and though she tried to act unaffected, she couldn’t help the warmth that crept into her chest.

Even his fellow members started teasing him.

“Yunho, are you trying to be sneaky with those hints?” Wooyoung asked during one live, grinning mischievously.

“Hints? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Yunho replied, his tone light but his smile betraying him.

“You’re so obvious,” Seonghwa added with a knowing smirk.

But Yunho didn’t care. He wasn’t trying to hide how he felt—he just wanted to take his time and let YN see that he wasn’t going anywhere.

The fans weren’t the only ones who noticed, though. YN’s members caught on too.

“Yunho’s really persistent, huh?” Yeji teased one day as they scrolled through comments under one of his interviews.

“I think it’s cute,” Wonyoung chimed in, grinning.

“More like annoying,” YN muttered, though the faint blush on her cheeks said otherwise.

Haneul smirked, nudging her. “You like the attention. Admit it.”

“I don’t,” YN said quickly, but her voice lacked conviction.

Despite her protests, YN couldn’t deny that Yunho’s endless effort was starting to chip away at the walls she’d built. His sincerity, his warmth, and his determination to make her feel cared for—it was something she hadn’t experienced before.

She wasn’t ready to fully let him in yet, but she found herself replying to his messages more often, even if it was just to tell him about her day or share a funny meme. And every time, Yunho’s responses were full of enthusiasm, as though he cherished every word she sent him.

Slowly but surely, Yunho was proving to her that he meant what he said—that he would take care of her, no matter what. And while YN was still hesitant, she couldn’t help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, she didn’t have to keep pushing him away.

One evening, Yunho went live, sitting comfortably in a hoodie, his radiant smile lighting up the screen. The live started like any other—him chatting with ATINY, answering questions, joking around, and sharing a bit about his day. But as the live went on, his tone shifted slightly, becoming more reflective.

“ATINY,” he began, leaning closer to the camera, his expression sincere. “You’ve been with me through so much—my ups, my downs, and everything in between. I’ve always felt your love and support, and it’s what keeps me going every day.”

The chat flooded with hearts and messages of encouragement.

He chuckled softly, scratching the back of his neck as if gathering his thoughts. “But there’s something I’ve been thinking about lately. I’m getting older, and I know that as idols, there’s this expectation... to focus only on our careers. To be... untouchable, in a way.”

The chat slowed down as fans sensed he was about to say something important.

“But I want to be honest with you,” Yunho continued, his voice steady but filled with emotion. “There may come a time when I fall in love with someone. I don’t know when, and I don’t know who, but when that happens, I hope you’ll love me no matter what. I’ve always wanted to give you my best, and I will continue to do that, but I also want to be true to myself.”

The chat exploded with messages of support.

“We’ll love you no matter what!”

“You deserve to be happy, Yunho!”

“ATINY will always stand by you!”

Yunho smiled softly, his eyes glistening slightly. “Thank you. That means more to me than I can say. I’ve been so lucky to have fans like you—people who understand that we’re human too, with dreams and emotions like anyone else.”

He hesitated for a moment, then added with a playful grin, “But don’t worry, ATINY. For now, I’m still all yours. Just... if the day ever comes, I hope you’ll support me the same way you always have.”

The live ended with Yunho thanking everyone and promising to work harder for ATINY.

Within minutes of the live ending, hashtags like #WeLoveYouYunho and #ATINYSupportsYunho trended worldwide on Twitter. Fans posted clips of his heartfelt speech, praising his honesty and maturity.

“Yunho deserves all the happiness in the world.”

“This is why we stan him—he’s so real and genuine.”

“No matter who he loves, ATINY will always be here!”

Even Yunho’s fellow members teased him afterward, showing him the trending hashtags. “Look at this,” Wooyoung said, laughing. “You’re literally trending everywhere.”

Yunho just smiled, feeling a sense of relief and gratitude. He didn’t know what the future held, but knowing ATINY had his back made him feel braver about whatever lay ahead—especially when it came to someone like YN.

A year after Yunho’s heartfelt live, the news that fans had been quietly speculating about finally broke. Dispatch, the notorious news outlet, published an exclusive article revealing that Yunho and YN were allegedly dating. The article included photos of the two of them together on several occasions, some taken during casual outings, others during events where they’d been seen talking closely, laughing, and even holding hands when they thought no one was looking.

The news spread like wildfire across social media, causing an immediate uproar. Fans were quick to react—some in shock, others in support, and a few, unfortunately, in anger. The inevitable backlash began to rise, fueled by certain fans who felt betrayed or disappointed that their favorite idols were in a relationship. They bombarded social media with their opinions, criticizing both Yunho and YN for being “unprofessional” or “disrespectful” to their fandoms. But what they hadn’t anticipated was the unwavering defense that came from both Yunho and YN’s fans.

ATINY, in particular, stood as a united front. The fanbase, known for their loyalty and dedication, came together like never before. Tweets flooded the timelines, filled with messages like:

“Yunho deserves love just like anyone else! #WeLoveYouYunho” “YN is amazing, and they make each other happy. Why can’t we just support them? #WeSupportYNandYunho” “Love isn’t a crime. Let them be happy. #ATINYSUPPORTSYNANDYUNHO”

The hashtag #YNandYunho began trending worldwide, and posts defending the couple filled every social platform. ATINY showed their devotion not only to Yunho but also to YN, who was just as much a target of the hate. Elysium’s fandom, although smaller, also rallied behind their idol, and soon, the combined power of both fanbases made the negative voices seem like a distant echo.

Even YN, who had always been known for her more private nature, made a statement on her social media:

“To all the people spreading hate, I just want to say that I’m happy. Yunho is someone I care about deeply, and we’re both doing our best to navigate this world as we see fit. I hope you can respect our privacy and our decisions. Thank you to everyone who has supported us with kindness. We see you, and we appreciate you.”

Yunho, too, shared his thoughts:

“Thank you to ATINY for always having my back. I know this might be a lot for some people to understand, but YN and I are happy, and we’re just two people who care about each other. We hope you can support us as we continue to work hard for you. Love is love.”

The company quickly addressed the situation as well, confirming the dating rumors. They emphasized that both Yunho and YN were adults who were fully aware of the impact of their relationship and the responsibility that came with their public lives. The statement also reassured fans that their careers and work ethics would remain unaffected, and they would continue to put their best foot forward in everything they did.

Despite the hate, the overwhelming support from fans made it clear that they were not alone. The strength of ATINY and Elysium’s support made Yunho and YN’s bond feel more solid than ever. And while the situation was far from perfect, it showed that love—true love—could thrive even in the world of K-pop, where idols are often seen as untouchable. Together, they navigated the challenges that came their way, knowing that the people who mattered most—each other and their loyal fans—had their backs no matter what.

YN, as always, found herself overthinking everything. The moment the rumors broke, she spiraled into a sea of doubts. The backlash wasn’t easy to ignore—she could see the comments, the subtle whispers, and the hate that was beginning to flood social media. Despite the overwhelming support, the negativity seemed to weigh heavily on her heart.

She constantly found herself checking her phone, replaying every moment, every interaction with Yunho, wondering if it was all worth it. Was she just dragging him into the chaos of her own life? Could she really handle being in the spotlight like this? Was it fair to Yunho?

Her mind raced as the pressure mounted. What if things didn’t work out? What if the hate only grew stronger? And what if it affected his career, his image, his future?

“YN?” Yunho’s voice cut through her spiraling thoughts. He’d noticed how distant she’d been recently.

She looked up at him, her eyes tired and full of uncertainty. “Yunho… I just… I don’t know how to handle all this. It feels too overwhelming. What if—”

Before she could finish, Yunho pulled her into his arms, his warmth surrounding her like a protective shield. “Hey, listen to me. You don’t have to handle it alone. I’m here. We’re in this together. And if anyone hurts you, I swear I’ll take care of it.”

YN shook her head, pulling back slightly. “I don’t want you to do anything drastic, Yunho. You can’t just fix everything with threats. We can’t handle it that way.”

He sighed, a little frustrated but understanding. “But if it were up to me, I’d sue anyone who dares to disrespect you. They’ll learn that no one gets to hurt the people I care about.”

YN laughed, despite herself, shaking her head. “Yunho, please. You can’t go around suing people because they say something rude. That’s not how it works.”

But Yunho wasn’t ready to back down. He reached for her hand, his gaze firm. “I’ll do a live. I’ll threaten them, make it clear that anyone who hurts you will face consequences. I’ll make them understand, YN.”

YN looked at him, her heart swelling at the sight of how much he cared for her. But as much as she appreciated his protective instinct, she knew it wasn’t the solution. “You don’t have to fight my battles for me,” she said softly, squeezing his hand. “I can’t let you do that. Please don’t. I don’t want anyone to think you’re only with me because you’re trying to fix things.”

He looked at her with unwavering determination, but she could see the understanding in his eyes. “I just want to protect you, YN. I care about you so much.”

“I know,” she whispered, her heart aching. “I care about you, too. But we have to be strong together. Not because of what they say, but because of how we feel.”

Yunho’s expression softened, his arms wrapping around her again. “I love you, YN. No matter what, I’ll love you. And I’ll stand by you through all of it—good or bad.”

YN closed her eyes, leaning into his embrace, feeling the warmth of his love and support. She knew the road ahead wouldn’t be easy. There would be days when the world seemed too harsh, when the hate would feel unbearable. But with Yunho by her side, she knew she wasn’t facing it alone. He was her strength, and she was his.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “Thank you for loving me.”

“I’ll always love you,” Yunho said, his voice full of quiet confidence. “No matter what.”

And despite the uncertainty that still lingered, YN felt a flicker of peace. With Yunho, they could handle whatever came their way. Together.

The days that followed were still filled with challenges, but something about their bond made everything seem a little lighter. Yunho and YN grew closer, their moments together filled with laughter and quiet comfort. The hate that once surrounded them felt distant, as the love and support from their fans only seemed to grow stronger.

On the rare days when they had time off, they would meet up in small, cozy cafes or take walks in the park, just enjoying each other's company without the pressure of the world around them. Yunho would always find a way to make her smile, whether it was with his cheesy jokes or by simply holding her hand, offering her the kind of warmth that made her forget about everything else.

One evening, they sat together on a bench in a secluded park, the sunset painting the sky with soft pinks and oranges. Yunho rested his head on her shoulder, his hand gently intertwined with hers.

“You know,” he said softly, his voice filled with contentment, “I’m glad I didn’t back down when I first decided to love you. All of this… it’s worth it. You’re worth it.”

YN smiled, her heart swelling with emotion. “I’m glad you didn’t either. You’ve made everything feel a little less overwhelming, Yunho.”

He looked up at her, his eyes full of affection. “And you’ve made me believe that love is worth fighting for. That it’s worth all the risks. I’ll always be here for you, YN. Always.”

YN leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. “I love you, Yunho.”

“I love you, too,” he whispered, his voice full of warmth and sincerity.

They stayed like that for a while, enjoying the peaceful silence, content in each other’s presence. No drama, no expectations—just the two of them, surrounded by the quiet beauty of the world and the unwavering certainty of their love. It was a love that had stood the test of everything that had been thrown their way. And, as they held each other close, they knew they were ready to face whatever came next—together, as they always had been.

And for once, everything felt right.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Hi! First of all, thank you for your blog, it's very helpful! ❤️

Second, and I am sorry if you already did that one, but do you have any tips on writing smut and on choosing the right vocabulary to do so?

Have a nice day.

Writing Notes: Smut

Smut - in general: stories that focus on sex; in fiction writing: sexually explicit or even pornographic material; or Lemon: a fan fiction with explicit sexual content

"Lemon" can range from plot-what-plot screwfests with no justification, to exquisitely plotted and crafted stories that just happen to follow their participants into the bedroom (and through the subsequent action therein) on a regular basis.

Some people believe that it has only to be penetrative to be a "Lemon", some believe that it has to be explicitly penetrative, while others believe that if it goes into enough arousing detail, even reaching second base can be a Lemon.

Lemon - the term was originally specific to the anime fanfiction community, although by the early-middle 2000s it had spread to other fandoms as an alternative to just calling something porn or smut. The origin of the term is obscure, but the most common etymology traces it back to the classic hentai anime series Cream Lemon, by way of an early mailing list for publishing erotic anime fanfic, called "The Lemon List" in its honor. The term derives from the idea that like a lemon, sexuality looks beautiful and alluring, but when you experience it more directly, it's bitter and sour.

Some Common Tropes

Age Gap – there will be a significant number of years of age between the two main characters.

Billionaire – one of the characters is extremely wealthy. They are typically be with someone who makes significantly less than them.

Bodyguard – there will be a bodyguard that has the job to protect the other character.

Bully – one of the main characters will be bullied by the other main character and possibly other characters. There will typically be some way the character who bullies seeks redemption.

Captor/Captive – one of the characters is held captive by another character.

Celebrity – one of the main characters is famous.

Enemies to Lovers – this is when the main characters start out as enemies and something happens which turns them into lovers.

Fake Relationship – the main characters start out in an agreement to be in a fake relationship. This could be for revenge on an ex, as part of being undercover, because it’s part of the requirements of inheritance, etc.

Fated Mates – when the main characters are destined to be together.

Friends to Lovers – this is when the main characters start as friends and it turns into a relationship.

Forced Proximity – this is when the main characters are forced to stay in a small space together. This is the stories where they are stuck in a cabin during a snow storm or something similar.

Grumpy Sunshine – this is when one character has a grumpy personality while the other has a happy or pleasant personality.

Hurt/Comfort – this is when one of the main characters is hurt (physically or emotionally) and the other main character comforts them.

Marriage of Convenience – this is when the main characters get married even though they don’t love each other. Typically it’s for money or possibly to avoid a scandal.

Only One Bed – this is when the main characters have to stay somewhere and there is only one bed that they will have to share. This happens a lot with forced proximity books.

Power Imbalance – this is when one character has significant more power than the other. Examples of this would be student/teacher or boss/employee, etc.

Relationship Coach – this is when one of the characters teaches the other about things such as physical intimacy.

Second Chance – this is when the main characters are former lovers who split and then end up reconnecting.

Size Difference - one character is really big and the other is much smaller. These are usually paranormal romances involving some kind of mythic creature, but this trope pops up in smut about humans too.

Sworn Off Love - protagonist has decided that they're done with relationships. Be it because of trauma or heartbreak, they're cynical about all things having to do with love — that is, until someone comes along who manages to get through that icy exterior via the power of sex (and love).

Some Terminology

Age Play – this is a form of role playing where one character takes on the role of acting younger.

Alpha – this term is used to describe a naturally dominate/leader. They will exhibit confident, sometimes aggressive, obviously dominate characteristics.

Angst – inner emotional turmoil.

Bleak/Black Moment – this is the point in the story where all hope is lost. This is when you aren’t sure if characters will be able to work it out.

Cinnamon Roll – this references a character that is kind, often innocent or pure.

Closed Door – this means that the sex scenes will appear off page. Many people refer to this as FTB (Fade To Black).

Fated Mates – this means the characters are destined to be together.

Grovel – this is the grand gesture moment or a period of time that one main character apologizes. This is in response to something bad that this character has done to their love interest.

Slow Burn – this is a romance that the relationship takes a while to develop.

Wallpaper Romance – this is when the characters act in a modern way but the book has a historical setting.

Writing References: Sex & Love ⚜ Choosing Appropriate Vocabulary (see #5)

Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

Hi, thanks so much for your kind words <3 Here are some information on smut and common tropes used. Choose which elements you would like to incorporate in your writing. There are numerous paths you can take your story into. Reading and studying your favourite smut works could also give you more insight into writing your own. Also included a link above to a previous post with a compilation of references on love and writing sex scenes. As for choosing the right vocabulary, you can go through the other link above for some tips. All the best with your writing!

[ask-whitepearl-and-steven]

Question for the artist, whats the parameters for drawing fusion fanart? Because a lot of people see it as a romanic thing, but it isnt always that. For example, are you okay with fans drawing steven fused the crystal gems? Are you okay with fans drawing any fusions including CG, or is that an ick?

Okay, SO. I apologize for answering this late - I was trying to find the correct way to reply to this ask without coming off as someone extremely senile and jaded.

First things first - I really appreciate you taking my feelings into consideration on this! I can tell it comes from a place of genuine kindness and caring, and I think that's awesome.

I'm not unfamiliar with the fact that some artists feel very protective of their characters, and sometimes try to lay down rules about how they are to be viewed, how they are to be drawn by others, etc. So I don't blame you at all for assuming this is something that needs to be done, given the current fandom environment in certain spaces.

That all being said.

This idea that drawing characters in Situations Which May Be Uncomfortable To Someone With A Specific Interpretation Of The Media (which is not at all supported by canon text) is transgressive is..... boy...... that's not a good one.

It is..... Extremely Evangelical in its conception.

Guys. GUYS. Thought crime isn't a crime. ART isn't a crime.

But to answer your question -

Yes, you can absolutely draw Steven - WD!AU Steven - fusing with the gems or CG.

Yes, you can absolutely draw CG fusing with Steven or the Crystal Gems, etc.

Because

Even if someone DID assume fusion was romantic primarily, that doesn't mean it should be the default, and in fact it ISN'T. Many, MANY fusions in the show are not representative of romantic relationships.

Canon Steven, in the Canon show, fused with TONS of people he didn't have romantic feelings for. Most of the people, outside of Connie, for a start.

Even if imagining CG in a romantic relationship with the Crystal Gems DOES give me the 'ick' (which, actually, yeah, it kinda does I guess, given that I can't really see that thing happening given that she's effectively (not LITERALLY) a child) that doesn't mean YOUR art has to be limited by my presumptions of what fusion means in this context, if we disagree on it

And not to put too fine a point on it but

Fusion ISN'T inherently about romance.

Fusion ISN'T inherently sexual!

No part of the show supports either of these ideas. Fusion is and always has been explicitly about various types of RELATIONSHIPS - including things like sibling bonds (Smokey Quartz), parent-child relationships (Steg, Steven and ANY of the CGs), friendships, Unhealthy Control-Seeking (Malachite) and just straight up collaborative murder (a la Aquamarine and Ruby).

Yes, some fusions ARE inherently romantic in nature, but that does not mean ALL fusions adhere to these rules. In fact, MOST fusions aren't even about that.

And even if they were.............we're all allowed to express our OWN interpretation of things using art. That's not an Ungood Thought that you should be shamed for.

thank you for coming to my ted talk

[yourbloodysunrise]

HIII, I was wondering if we could get the main four + Butters cuddling hcs??

(South Park)

REST WELL AND DRINK ENOUGH WATER!! (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)

🌤️ — sure you can, enjoy (＾▽＾)

°.✩┈┈∘*┈୨୧┈*∘┈┈✩.°

Cuddling with Stan Gang&Butters Stotch.

— FANDOM: SOUTH PARK

— PAIRING: MAIN FOUR & BUTTERS STOTCH x READER.

— RATHER PLATONIC THAN ROMANTIC

— HCS

— TW: BAD ENGLISH, BAD GRAMMAR, OOC, SWEARING, NOTHING REALLY.

°.✩┈┈∘*┈୨୧┈*∘┈┈✩.°

— STAN:

☆ ┈ He'll be a little embarrassed when it comes to cuddling, but he likes them.

☆ ┈ When you hug him, Stan may be taken aback and just stand there for a while, realizing the situation.

☆ ┈ Soon, however, he comes to his senses and hugs you back, not knowing how to react.

— "Oh..Okay, sure."

☆ ┈ He and his friends usually don't have many hugs, so sometimes he forgets that this is normal. Stan can be a little absent-minded when it comes to cuddling, it bring him pleasure, really.

☆ ┈ After that, he will stare into space for another 3 minutes, not thinking about the situation, and not thinking about anything at all.

☆ ┈ He just stands there and stares at one point before his mind re-activates and he hears a few teasing from others.

☆ ┈ If you want to cuddle, then not in public, please. He feels bad for his behavior. Stan doesn't understand why he's so discouraged by a simple gesture, but since he doesn't get them very often, he's happy with such gestures.

☆ ┈ By the way, Wendy, looking at you two from afar might feel a little jealous, but won't do something harmful, so you'll just catch her glancing at you from time to time.

— KYLE:

☆ ┈ He likes such actions and, perhaps, he will be the first to make contact.

☆ ┈ Kyle is not a fan of long cuddling, but he does not mind doing it often.

☆ ┈ Sometimes you can scare him with sudden hugs, but he will only grumble for a couple of seconds and forget, hugging you back.

— "And then..AAH! Eh?..Ugh, you scared me!"

☆ ┈ If you cuddle him in public, Kyle is mostly stopped by multiple jokes from Cartman, although not in your direction.

☆ ┈ ..Well, I don't think you'll be able to keep them from fighting, so you can just watch and asking them for stop.

☆ ┈ You can tease Kyle about this or not, however you want. He definitely won't get into a fight with you, but he might be embarrassed or offended.

☆ ┈ He enjoys cuddling anyway, so it won't be too long.

☆ ┈ Kyle is completely relaxed during this, so this is the perfect chance to steal his hat. He mostly doesn't pay attention to it, just waits for you to return it to him.

☆ ┈ He's probably one of those people you'll really enjoy hugging because he don't try to grope you or yell at you as someone.

— CARTMAN:

☆ ┈ Are you sure? No, seriously, is that really what you want?

☆ ┈ It's quite nice to hug Cartman because he's soft and warm, but if you do that, you're going to have a lot of problems.

☆ ┈ Being Cartman's friend generally means a lot of problems, though.

☆ ┈ He will most likely be annoyed by such actions, or maybe not, but he will still pretend that this is the case.

☆ ┈ The first reaction is a bunch of various insults and attempts to escape, twitching as if you are holding him hostage and he wants to escape.

☆ ┈ If you endure this and hug on, Eric will stop for a while, tired of resisting and just let you cuddle him, still grumbling. However, this does not last long.

☆ ┈ In probably a couple of minutes or less, he gets bored and just pushes you away, leaving to go about his business.

— "Fuck off with your tenderness! Bleh.."

☆ ┈ If you do this often, then most likely it will start to get used at some point. He will still try to break away and insult you, but not so willingly and tolerate you more.

— KENNY:

☆ ┈ Aw naaaah...

☆ ┈ Regardless of your gender, you are not protected from his hands, who want to touch you where shouldn't be.

☆ ┈ Kenny dreams about it because he finds hugs enjoyable, but it's also a good excuse to be so close to you.

☆ ┈ I doubt, given the conditions in which Kenny lives, that he often washes, so most likely you will smell an unpleasant smell when you hug him.

☆ ┈ He'll be a little embarrassed if you tell him this and he takes some old cheap cologne from his dad and uses it every day before leaving the house, you know, in case you want to hug.

☆ ┈ He says something all the time when you're hugging, although it seems that his words are even more slurred than before, so you just nod and pretend that you understand him.

☆ ┈ I wouldn't be surprised if at some point in the hug you feel his hand slide to your butt or chest, forcing you to push him out of the hug.

— "..Kenny, what the fuck?"

— "Mmph mh mpmh mmhpm.."

☆ ┈ ..What an eloquent excuse, huh.

☆ ┈ It's not like he regret about this..But he'll stop doing that if you don't want to hug him anymore.

— BUTTERS:

☆ ┈ Of all of them, he is most pleased with hugging you.

☆ ┈ Although it's the first time, he'll probably be scared and confused because he won't understand why you hugged him. He'll probably think it's some kind of reward.

— "O-oh..What's that was for?"

☆ ┈ Sometimes you feel sorry for Butters because others treat him with disdain, and you hug him to comfort him.

☆ ┈ It helps him a lot, because hugging you makes him feel a strange sense of comfort that he can't explain.

☆ ┈ He has lighter clothes than the others, so Butters' skin feels cold. He will apologize, realizing that you are cold, while you will be confused about what he is apologizing for.

☆ ┈ Butters doesn't like hugs anywhere on the public at all, it doesn't matter even if there aren't many people around. He usually hugs you when no one can see it, or somewhere in a secluded place on the street.

☆ ┈ Although his skin is cold, he is soft, and you like to cover him with your hands, like in a blanket.

☆ ┈ Butters is very jealous when he sees you hugging someone else, but he will never ask for a hug himself, because he believes that he is not worthy of asking you for it.

..:*･ﾟ☆.｡.:*･ﾟﾞ｡.:*･ﾟ☆.｡.:*･ﾟ🌤

🌤️ — eh, this is short :(

🌤️ — but I've liked writing this, I adore Butters and Kyle. hope you like it, have a good day ❄️

[thirstkanaphan]

A Shipper's Perspective on SanSang

The San/Yeosang relationship receives positive and negative attention from the fandom. The majority of us find their bond really sweet! We coo when San clings to Yeosang and declares his love; we chuckle when Yeosang nods his head in shy acceptance.

On the extreme ends of the fandom spectrum, you encounter discourse that generally falls into two camps:

Yeosang is a hostage to San's overly-demonstrative affections

Yeosang is a homewrecker who broke up WooSan

These arguments are not new, but they increased in volume within the last year or two. I felt compelled to explore these arguments and put into words some of my complicated thoughts and feelings about this particular relationship. I also believe I'm in a unique position to comment on these arguments because...

I am a shipper. I've been in fandom spaces since I was a preteen (nearly 20 years!) and I am primarily drawn to a fandom when there is great potential for shipping. I was in the Hockey RPF fandom from 2012-2015 and wrote/consumed stories where NHL players kissed each other and sometimes got each other pregnant. These are my bona fides.

Everyone in the Hockey RPF fandom knew the rules. Don't break the fourth wall. Don't make it weird. Don't get delulu. We all understood that Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were not secretly lovers pretending to be good friends and teammates (👀). We were there to have a good time and, more importantly, we all enjoyed hockey! I seriously got into hockey through fandom and attended many games. I still feel a huge swell of fondness when I catch the Pittsburgh Penguins on TV. THOSE ARE MY BOYS!

Before I found Ateez and joined this fandom, I was heavily into the BL genre and specifically Thai BL. The thing about Thai BL is that many of the most popular shows have nothing to do with their writing or directing or acting; they are popular because they star a "branded pair" of good-looking young men who perform fan service outside of their shows. While there are actual queer actors in the Thai BL genre, very few have the same level of global popularity as branded pairs.

ZeeNuNew, the hottest branded pair of the moment

Branded pairs are deliberately modeled on the kpop idol industry, which similarly encourages its young female audience to project m/m fantasies onto their faves. There's actually a whole Korean BL called Bump Up Business about two struggling idols (OnelyOneOf's Mill and Nine) who are paired together in a new group with instructions to appeal to fans through BGP: Business Gay Performance.

The key to a successful branded pair is to emulate as closely as possible m/m archetypes rooted in early '00s Japanese yaoi, which is the primogenitor for modern BL and remains a dominant influence in kpop fan-service.

Here are the main archetypes, as defined by the expert on the subject, AbsoluteBL:

seme: the active pursuer in the narrative (from the original attacker meaning of the word)

uke: the passive resistor in the narrative (defender)

AbsoluteBL clarifies: seme/uke is about who is in CONTROL of the relationship's story, as opposed to top/bottom, terms which come from the gay/queer community and pertain to sexual preference and (should) have nothing to do with narrative power dynamics.

Traditionally, the seme is physically larger and conventionally more masculine in appearance, while the uke is smaller and more feminine in appearance. The uke is often considered "pure" (yes, I know, problematic), which makes them all the more desirable. Female consumers project themselves onto the uke to enjoy a romantic fantasy without having to fully engage with the patriarchal bullshit baked into traditional m/f romance (AbsoluteBL calls this "heterosexual dysmorphia").

Do you see where I'm going with this?

Out of all the pairs in Ateez, SanSang are the most seme/uke-coded.

San is the pursuer. He wants to protect Yeosang because Yeosang is "cute" and "pure." San uses his size to put Yeosang into physical situations he must tolerate/endure for San's pleasure. San preens whenever Yeosang acknowledges him, compliments him, or initiates contact. San wants to take Yeosang to "Paradise" (Single's Inferno) and feed him steak in bed. Only San can kiss Yeosang, which he repeatedly tells atiny. We cannot have Yeosang, he belongs to San.

On paper (or on tumblr), this description would make anyone raise an eyebrow. For the anti-fans of this relationship, San is a bully who routinely takes advantage of Yeosang's gentle nature. I've even heard an argument that San's physical transformation prompted KQ to "reassign" him Yeosang as a fan-service partner in order to maximize their seme/uke appeal to fans. As evidence, fans point to Yeosang's tendency to flinch whenever San gets too close and his hesitancy to reciprocate when San boldly declares his love in front of the cameras.

I have a few responses to this characterization of their relationship.

Quick note: fan service is a feature, not a bug, of kpop. The HYBE internal docs that leaked last summer explicitly mentioned different ships among various Big4 groups and cited strategies for promoting certain ships among their own groups.

Ateez excels at fan service, and this is partially to do with their natural chemistry with and genuine affection for each other. But also, as a smaller company, KQ did not have the means or resources to provide media-training to Ateez in their early years AND they gave almost unfettered access to the members via the vlive app, which is how many kpop fans got to know smaller and newer groups.

The sale of vlive to HYBE, who proceeded to shut down the app and replace it with their own company-managed app, terminated that kind of easy and unrestricted access to idols.

From what I gather, Ateez's growing popularity can be attributed in part to how much the members charmed fans by being unscripted and candid in their live videos, often about their relationships with each other. Sometimes we saw too much, i.e., the Woo-San-Sang intervention during their Christmas live.

I think fans got used to a certain kind of fan service from Ateez, a kind of fan service that seemed to tease fans with a genuine "what if?" about their relationships. This was helped by the built-in narratives surrounding the members: Yunho and Mingi meeting in ninth grade; Wooyoung and Yeosang being trainees together; Seonghwa being inspired by Hongjoong to pursue his idol dream.

And of course, WooSan, but I'll get to them later.

Going to back to SanSang: if you watch their early content, you'll see that San was drawn to Yeosang and the feeling was reciprocated. You can find multiple examples of them cuddling, hugging, and being affectionate with each other going back to 2019. It's been going on since San's "twink" era!

However, while fan service comes naturally to San, it is not the same for Yeosang. In fact, while he excels at all other aspects of being an idol (such as vocals, performance, dance, visuals) he arguably lacks the instincts for fan service. He is different from someone like Jongho, who abstains from fan service unless he's in the mood, or Hongjoong, whose tsundere persona (another Japanese romance archetype) is part of the Matz appeal.

My fellow ateez meta writers have offered their thoughts about Yeosang and how he often suffers for lack of "killer instincts" within the group (they clearly adore each other, but they also fight each other for our love and attention). What is the cause of Yeosang's passivity? Is it lingering trauma from his trainee years? Is it his general tendency to be forgetful or oblivious about events happening around him? Yes, Yeosang is smart, clever, and has a dry sense of humor, but he's also the child that Hongjoong said was hardest to parent.

Then there's a Yeosang that we almost never see and we once glimpsed in a cute exchange between him and Mingi. It's implied that Mingi and Yeosang forgot they were being filmed and Yeosang spoke differently than he normally does on camera, which San observes in surprise. I am not a Korean speaker, but he sounds extra sweet and soft. If that's how he is at home, no wonder he inspires so much cuteness aggression in the members.

I'll also note that Yeosang's "flinch" response to fan service is similar no matter who handles him, whether it's Mingi, Wooyoung, or Jongho. Yet, San is his most persistent suitor and his actions draw the most attention, positive and negative.

Let's Talk About San

San's shiftable personality is something the members observed in an early vlive with Hongjoong, Mingi, Seonghwa, and Yunho.

Mingi: "which member has the most behavioral gap with and without a camera?"

Hongjoong suggests that Yeosang and Seonghwa are pretty much the same with or without a camera. But San behaves differently.

Hongjoong: "Seriously. In the absence of a camera...how should I put this...I'm having trouble putting it in a nice way...he has a pretty extreme character...his mood changes a lot...whenever we all gather for a conversation, he's like...it's fascinating! How does someone think like that? He acts like a normal person with a camera...he's very abnormal with us."

While Hongjoong is talking, the other three see San approaching and they all visibly get nervous.

San: "I heard you dissing me!"

I recap this live because I think it strengthens my interpretation of the SanSang relationship as informed more by San's personality than company mandates. I think San's extreme personality and his ability to shift into "character" in front of the camera enables him to similarly adapt to certain dynamics. He is very perceptive about what his members need out of fan service with him. He's Yunho's sweet boy; he's Seonghwa's pesky little brother; he's Jongho's favorite hyung; he's Mingi's goofball bro. We'll get to Wooyoung.

Thus, one theory is that San becomes the "seme" for Yeosang because he recognizes a need in Yeosang that isn't being met.

Let's revisit the 2024 Off The Record interview between San and Yeosang:

San: There's something I want to ask you. Did anything I did upset you?

Yeosang: Actually, for me, instead of being upset, I feel more like I owe you an apology. Because for example, when you say things like "I love you", you show your love and affection, for me it's not easy to reciprocate, so I feel like I owe you an apology. Sometimes, when you try to kiss me... how can I say it... my body's reaction to avoid it is automatic.

And when San replies that Yeosang has done nothing to upset him, Yeosang continues, unprompted:

Yeosang: Nothing upsets you... Thinking about it another way, this feeling of being upset, I don't think it's entirely negative. I feel like the closer the person is, It's easier to get upset about something. I often wonder if I'm not doing enough (also about taking care of San). It's a bit of a stretch to say something like "I'm going to do something to upset you," but I'm going to do my best to do it.

Let's go back a year earlier to Yeosang's message to San during San's 2023 birthday live:

Sometimes when san shows affection to me, I...hahah...because i’m a little shy, yes...so i really, i really like, i brush it away/discard it but still...to me who cannot express (affection well), Sanie approaching me like this first is (something) i’m always grateful for, and because i feel like i won’t ever be able to express that gratefulness well, so i’m sorry too, but still, i am always thinking very thankfully to Sanie who approaches me first like this.

After listening to this, San smiles softly and says, "You're mine."

I think a more cynical person could read these exchanges as Yeosang apologizing for not giving back enough to their fan service, but I think Yeosang is really saying that he wants to be an active participant in his relationship with San. He wants to be able to genuinely upset San, which he sees as a marker of close friendship. While there is still a part of him that remains uneasy with San's excessive physical affection, he wants to be more to San than just a pretty doll to play with. (Interestingly, this is how Jongho described his relationship with Wooyoung earlier in the ep: “am I an accessory to you?”) I don't think for one second that San feels anything less for Yeosang than intense care and adoration.

Given all of this, SanSang "should" work as a major ship!!

Fans should be falling all over themselves to romanticize the gentle, dominant seme coaxing the timid, traumatized uke into accepting his care and affection!

Yet instead, many in the fandom have a hard time accepting or appreciating the fan-service SanSang provide. It comes off as particularly inauthentic for them. Almost too much like a manhwa/yaoi manga.

The primary reason? WooSan.

Many folks have already written about the WooSan ship and why they find it so exciting and compelling. A lot of the reasons boil down to this: it could actually be real.

My non-shipper kpop friend, who listens to everything but doesn't participate in the fandom, told me at their concert that there was a time when she genuinely thought WooSan were in love.

The image above sums up fandom's perception of WooSan: Wooyoung leads, San follows. Wooyoung pushes, teases, pressures, initiates, while San watches him with the fondest look in his eyes. Wooyoung demands, San gives: his attention, his praise, his own flesh. For narrative purposes, Wooyoung is the seme, San is the uke.

This is an exciting dynamic for shippers, refreshing for its lack of traditional yaoi archetypes. Big, strong San getting pushed around by bratty Wooyoung and loving it. San wrote tragic fanfiction for their characters in Bouncy. San is so confident in Wooyoung's love for him that he jokes Wooyoung will "always come back" even if he strays to another members. San is Wooyoung's home.

The biggest Yeosang antis claim that SanSang is an insult to WooSan. They claim San only acts like he's close to Yeosang because the company separated WooSan after they got too close for comfort during Bouncy era. Fans point to fewer WooSan appearances and promotional activities; no more shippy moments during the logbooks; they rarely filmed tiktoks or tagged each other in instagram photos; there was less "soulmate" talk on lives and during interviews. To add insult to injury, they didn't even get a unit song: It's You is a three-man performance with Yeosang.

Another theory shared by a not-insignificant faction within the fandom is that Wooyoung would not permit himself to be put into the role of the passive, submissive uke, so KQ made the call that San should be more attentive to Yeosang.

I am sure there are multiple factors for why WooSan distanced themselves/were distanced after Bouncy-era (cue Oprah voice "were you silent? or were you silenced?"), and I do think some of that has to do with the meteoric rise of Ateez after Bouncy. I think all of them were savvy enough to realize that they could promote the group on more than just being yaoiteez, and San's skyrocketing fame contributed to that shift too, along with Wooyoung's own self-described internal character arc away from being the "sexy" member towards someone with more mystery and maturity.

I would argue that their "distance" had the result of redirecting our attention to how affectionate San already was with all the members. Suddenly we're noticing how clingy he is with Yunho, Seonghwa, and Jongho. Same goes for Yeosang. Their dynamics are nothing new, but I would argue the fandom's attention and scrutiny made it seem new.

While this cannot be an accurate measurement of anything really, compare how many fics are written about each pair:

San/Wooyoung: 7,525 works on Archive Of Our Own

San/Yeosang: 1,345 works on Archive Of Our Own

As a shipper, there are really interesting observations to make about why the SanSang ship does not work compared to the WooSan ship.

My main theory takes us back to those classic seme/uke dynamics that the SanSang dynamic reproduces through their fan service. When compared with WooSan, SanSang comes off as inauthentic because it's too obvious, too easy, too much like shipper bait. It's traditional yaoi-coded appeal is actually the turn-off!

Here's my other theory: many are uncomfortable with SanSang because it forces them to reckon with the very real Business Gay Performance scaffolding all idol fan service. Because if SanSang is obviously manufactured for attention, are other unit pairs the same?

A Final Few Words About Yeosang

Yeosang is the unfair recipient of a lot of hate by the fandom, for shipping and non-shipping reasons. It's awful and it needs to stop.

I also see a worrying trend among his staunchest defenders of infantilizing Yeosang, stripping him of agency in their battles on his behalf, whether it's for better line distribution, more solo promotions, and fashion week schedules. There was even talk of organizing protest trucks outside of KQ, which I personally find mortifying.

I sincerely hope that in the future Yeosang has more opportunities to shine as a singer, dancer, and performer. I also hope that he comes to a place of comfort and confidence in his abilities to give and receive affection from the people who love him the most, a struggle he's voiced publicly. I truly wish him the best!

A Final Few Words About Me!

As someone who was introduced to Ateez via shipping my initial understanding of these relationships was refracted through the lens of the fandom. It's rare for me to move from "fanon" to "canon" like I am with Ateez, where I'm catching up on all their content, vlogs, and interviews and trying to understand them as "real" people, to the extent that anyone can ever know an idol. I am now streaming and voting in addition to reading fic! I'm no longer lurking but actively participating as a fan! This is a whole new phase for me in my 15+ years of being in fandom.

The interesting thing about my journey is that while I entered the fandom through the side door, I've actually become more interested in their IRL relationships and dynamics. I still read fic of course, but like my Hockey RPF fandom days I am able to compartmentalize the part of my brain that goes "oh these pretty boys are in love and should kiss!" and the other part that goes "these enormously talented artists deserve my support and attention."

That being said, I still enjoy shipping and I enjoying talking about how RPF ships work in the context of the idol industry. SanSang is a great case study to think about these topics, and I hope others will respond and with their own meta.

Thank you for your time!

[heytemporary]

Thankfully I’m not at that side of the fandom where I have to see white fandom kkkueers already ruining the movie.

But anyways I’m just saying we can always collectively bully these people out of our space.

The movie is still relatively new, and the movie was targeted towards us so the fandom hasn’t reached uncontrollable global level yet. Meaning we still have time to make this fandom as safe as possible before it gets out of control.

These are the same people who would be more than ready to spit on us or our fictional representation in their majority fandom, so why should we give them a lick of grace?

All we have to do is just name & shame, report and block them off our feed. Make sure they know they are never welcomed in our space unless they choose to not only respect it, but be ready to hold their kin accountable if another white queer fan tries to bring their trifling attitude into our space.

This is different from the dismissive saying of “Don’t give them attention, just ignore them”. This involves pushing back.

As previously said don’t give them an ounce of grace. They know what theyre doing, and if they’re genuinely ignorant then that is up to them to research on their disgusting biases, especially since they have the time and energy to care about their own gay representation.

Don’t even make any jokes/memes about the situation because thats just watering down our pain, and it tells them that we’re not truly serious about it. We deserve better than that.

Atleast that’s what I’m going to do. And I’ll even take it a step further to block Remmick tags off my feed, and I don’t care if he’s shipped with a Black Reader/OC. I’ll only engage with anything Remmick if its a written meta analysis.

And if you think I’m moving too harshly then you are more than welcome to block me. Don’t know bout you but I don’t play when it comes to protecting my peace and wanting whats best for us….Especially (Darkskinned) Black (Plus Size) Woman.

[toriaaniin]

The Cost of Going Underground

What happens when connection becomes the thing that must be hidden?

This was always going to be the most difficult post to write. Not because there isn’t evidence to support it — but because so much of the story we’re telling here exists in the space where public narrative ends and private truth begins.

When I say Luke and Nicola went underground, I don’t mean they disappeared. In fact, they’ve been visible: promoting work, attending events, walking carpets, giving interviews. Nicola’s public presence, in particular, has never been stronger. But visibility isn’t the same as connection — and that’s what disappeared. The light, the warmth, the resonance. The shared gaze. The background smiles. The moments that made us believe.

This post is about what it’s cost them to keep that part hidden.

Nicola’s Cost: Dimming Her Light

There’s a contradiction at the heart of Nicola’s public image right now: she’s everywhere, and yet she feels more remote than ever. TV Choice Awards (won), SAG and BAFTA nominated, awards for personal achievements and advocacy endeavours, centre-stage as a featured speaker, brand ambassador partnerships with Kate Spade, Neutrogena, and Olaplex, and appearances as an invited guest at Gucci and Dior fashion shows — and yet the story around her is… quieter. Less electric. More muted.

It didn’t start that way. Nicola came out of the World Tour radiating joy — glowing, grounded, triumphant. Big Mood was launched in the spring and her depiction of Maggie was critically acclaimed, she gained massive industry credibility, started and released new projects. But then something shifted. The narrative around her became less about her, and more about who she was seen with — or wasn’t. First it was/wasn't Luke, then Jake... whose presence lingered like background noise from August until it got suddenly loud in April, first as Nicola’s plus-one at the BAFTA-TV Nominee's Party, then again at Canneseries. It marked a shift. Not in Nicola’s visibility, but in how much of the story was being told through adjacency. A rumble became a roar. And while Nicola has always protected her private life, what made this feel different was just how much attention the background was getting. Not because of her, but in place of her. Canneseries, where she was honoured with the Konbini Commitment Award, barely made a ripple. The focus had shifted away from Nicola herself, and onto who she was, or wasn’t, seen beside.

And the Claddagh? For months, it was her quiet declaration. Then, during award season, it vanished (we know she doesn't wear it to events, but it's missed). Not forever — just from view. Just like the story we believe in.

Nicola has never liked sharing her private life. The fandom once learned that she lived with a partner for two years — a boyfriend the public never knew about. That’s how private she is. Which is why the whispers, the Jake narratives, the adjacent baiting — has felt so contradictory. So unlike her.

But maybe that’s the point. Maybe the real cost for Nicola hasn’t been image. It’s been agency. Instead of living the private life she prefers, she's being buried under speculation and playing along with a narrative that isn't hers.

If her goal is protection — of herself, of her child, of her relationship — then maybe the cost isn’t one she minds paying.

Luke’s Cost: The Reputational Hit

If Nicola’s cost is felt in the silence behind the narrative performance, Luke’s is etched into public perception.

I’ve talked before about the Bad Boyfriend Optics — about how Luke has, in two distinct stretches — from mid-June through July 2024, and again from January 30th to now — appeared beside a woman he won’t publicly claim, performing coldness so convincingly it’s made even longtime fans question who he really is. But that coldness, that calculated distance? It hasn’t clarified. It's confused. It's hurt. And it's invited something darker: backlash.

The Lukola fandom loves Luke, and wants the best for him. We remember the man we saw during the World Tour: vibrant, joyful, connected. We want him celebrated for his work in Season 3, seen for his talent, and paired with opportunities that allow him to shine. And yes, we want to see him with Nicola — not just because of the chemistry, but because of how present, proud, and luminous he seems by her side.

That’s why the optics of this past year have been so difficult to reconcile. Because the man we’re seeing now — stiff beside someone he’s never claimed, disconnected from the warmth that once defined him — doesn’t look like the Luke we remember. That absence, compounded by silence, has created a narrative vacuum. One that Luke has never filled with clarity, and so the worst assumptions take root.

This isn’t about suspicion. It’s about confusion. About the ache of wanting to understand why someone so loved, so admired, would let a version of himself take hold that feels so far from the truth.

The question that always gets asked is: “Why does he take the hit?”

I don’t know.

And yet… he did it anyway. To my mind, that’s the story. That’s the mystery.

Because there is no easy explanation for what we’ve witnessed. Not one that satisfies both logic and compassion. So instead of asking what’s so bad that he’d allow it, maybe we ask: what’s so precious that he’d endure it? What kind of love — or responsibility — makes a man let the world misunderstand him, and say nothing to stop it?

The Weight of Performance

If this past year has been a strategy, then it’s been one built on restraint. A performance of separation so well-rehearsed, it sometimes threatened to become the only reality. And that’s what it’s cost the fandom: clarity, trust, and to some extent, hope.

But maybe the point of camouflage was never to convince us. Maybe it was designed for people outside this corner of the internet — for the press, for the tabloids, for the algorithms. Maybe it was a smokescreen meant to disappear once it had done its job.

And that’s the tension we hold now: wanting the performance to end, but understanding why it might have been necessary.

The reappearance of Antonia hasn’t helped. It's reignited old narratives, invited new backlash, and made the optics worse. If this was damage control, it backfired. If it was obligation, the price may be too high. And if it was strategy — well, it cost Luke more than it ever protected.

What If the Cost Was Worth It?

There are those who say the long game isn’t worth it. That the fallout — professionally and emotionally — is too severe. That what’s been lost — credibility, goodwill, momentum — might never be fully regained.

But maybe that’s because we’re still in it. Because what we’re watching now is a story that hasn’t finished unfolding. Maybe the strategy isn’t failing — maybe it’s just incomplete.

What feels monumental to us in the moment may later prove to be just one chapter in a longer story. We don’t know what plans are quietly being laid, what projects are in motion, or what decisions are being made behind the scenes. We’re not privy to their timeline — professionally or personally. Luke and Nicola may already see this moment as a temporary holding space, not a defining one. A pause between acts. An interval before emergence.

Maybe this is the blip, not the legacy.

And maybe, once the contract ends and the noise subsides, they’ll get to write a different ending. One that doesn’t need to hide behind silence, performance, or camouflage. One that lets them step forward, not as a scandal or a mystery, but as something simple and real.

Because the love never disappeared. It just went underground. And one day, I believe it will rise.

Aaniin Xxx

Postscript: Where We Go From Here

This is the final entry in the Optics Series — at least, officially. But as long as the optics are shifting, the stories tangled, and the questions still humming beneath the surface, there’s always more to explore. I’ve loved the process of reflecting on what’s visible, what’s hidden, and what might be real. So while this is the end of a specific arc, don’t be surprised if more posts appear in the future — tracing new connections, testing old theories, and continuing the work of witnessing whatever rises next.

Thanks for walking this far with me.

P.S. Find a listing of this blog post series along with short summaries of each - including those not yet published - here: