#she does this to aegis

[stuckatmyhouse12]

Who is Iori Fuyusaka?

[trashlie]

In Which I Demonstrate that Nol Cannot Deny Shinae; the man is down bad

(I need someone to understand HOW CLOSE I cam to titling this “I can’t deny your eyes, you know I try to read between the lines” i’m so sorry i’m so very on my pop-punk bullshit right now)

One of my favorite dynamics of Shinae and Nol as a pairing and just in general part of how they interact is that it has been shown to us time and time again that Shinae has so much more power (for lack of better word lol) over Nol than I think has been given credit for sometimes. I think often people get very caught up in how Nol’s so very torn in his battle of what he wants vs what he thinks he deserves and the hurt that he ends up causing that sometimes they miss what the true root of it is: that though Nol genuinely believes he does not deserve good things as well as he believes harm will befall all those he cares about and thus he should stay away from the people he loves to protect them - he can’t. He fails. He tries over and over, he gave Kousuke his word, he makes the effort to pull away, but in the end he always caves, he always fails. 

When it comes to Shinae, his resolve crumbles. 

I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!

It’s such an important dynamic BECAUSE Nol is such a victim of what he believes and has been made to believe it’s hard to get through to him. How do you convince someone that all the abuse that has traumatized him wasn’t true. How do you take someone like him who has been made to feel that he is nothing but a worthless mistake, that he only creates problems, that he is a monster, that he brings doom wherever he goes that it’s not so? Especially with his own father telling him these things, with Kousuke tearing him down at every opportunity, with what happened when he was locked away, with the fact that Yui can, in fact, bring harm. And has? 

And yet, despite believing these things, despite internalizing that abuse to the extent that he cannot see anything else - his resolve still crumbles. Shinae has such an effect on him that I think deserves to be talked about, because she sees him when others don’t, she cares for him when others are accustomed to him caring for them, she picks up on these little things without being fully aware of them and in turn, Nol cannot help but want to stay close to pull her closer. And that’s exactly why he has to distance himself from her, from his friends - but we know the harder he struggles, the harder it becomes to maintain his resolve. 

I’m a sucker for it! I love watching the war on his face, the expressions that shift, the way he tries to weasel out of situations and ultimately fail because he can’t very well tell her to her face that he can’t be close to her, that he can’t stay her friend. But because he can never draw that boundary, he keeps moving the line in the sand. It doesn’t matter; he always fails in the end. 

This dynamic begins really early in! Shinae I think we could argue some other earlier moments also quality, but for this I want to specifically focus on post-formal moments, because I think what I love especially about this dynamic is that Nol has given Kousuke his word, has determined that he put Shinae in danger by taking interest in her and engaging in an indulgent friendship, and that for the sake of protecting her from further harm (and also due to his feelings of guilt) he needs to keep his distance and ease out of his friendship with her. 

But post-formal it’s not so easy. Shinae has gone from trying to fend him off to a stick to openly expressing concern for him. She now takes a leaf out his book and reaches out to him - over and over and over. 

It would be easy to not call her back. Catch up later and casually brush her off that he had a big family thing, that he fell asleep early. And yet, in the end, he fails and he winds up returning her call. Even though it’s a call for her reassurance, it’s just as much a call for him, taking in her concern for him, that little admission that maybe he is the villain like they think. He has a way of slipping up with Shinae, always confessing something real. She disarms him as much as she pulls him in and GOD I cannot help but adore this dynamic! 

Another thing that goes hand in hand with this dynamic is that not only does Nol struggle to maintain that distance and create a berth of space between them, but he also continues to struggle to not go above and beyond for her. Shinae isn’t good at accepting favors or letting people do things for them, and I think if she knew that he completely took the blame for her tardiness in addition to going out of his way to go pick her up, she probably would get pretty annoyed. But as it stands, he does exactly that - not only takes the blame, but goes out of his way to pick her up. 

It’s something about his expression after their call, when he looks like he’s torn on what to do, or perhaps torn on what is the best option? Torn on knowing that part of him has already made up his mind he’ll go to her even though he’s trying to convince himself he shouldn’t? He struggles with her at all times and ultimately she always has that effect on him - he just is unable to make himself resist, to NOT go to her, to NOT help her. 

(It’s like when he gets mad at how Kousuke is treating her as an employee and calls him out on it! It’s things he doesn’t need to do, but it’s the fact that he can’t help it that betrays how much he cares, how much she affects him, how much he is unable to just walk away.) 

Nol definitely seems aware of this, too. The moment he gives her the opportunity, he won’t be able to push that distance, so he tries to take advantage in the moments he can. Finding Shinae in the locker room leaves him the opportunity to sneak out, but unfortunately for him she takes notice of him and stops him in his tracks. Part of it is, of course, what he told Kousuke - that he can’t just suddenly cut her off without explaining why, and it’s difficult to ease things when she’s the one who keeps reaching out now, keeps grabbing on to him.

But again, we see that his undoing is that he cares. He’s never seen her like this and she’s willing to actually open up and talk about what’s bothering him? It’s so unlike her! (I love him telling her she has to use words because he can’t help her otherwise lol) 

But what this moment demonstrates is, again, just one of my favorite parts - even when he TRIES to distance himself - he angles himself away from her, body turned away - he always ends up angled right back in. Nol and Shinae have this magnetic draw with each other and even when he makes the effort to turn away from her, he can’t help but be drawn back in, angle right back in to her. It’s something really fun to take note of when you reread, watching the way they just veer in towards each other, drift towards each other.

I’m sure he isn’t aware of it. She sure doesn’t seem to be! It’s just gravitational. Where she is, he will move towards. Where he is, she will drift towards. Their body language conveys that closeness! 

For MANY reasons, the moment they share after work, before Shinae starts her shift at the Wac is one of my FAVORITES. I always feel like it’s the clearest representation of this dynamic, too, of how Nol tries to point himself away, tries to push that distance, but he can’t and he even admits why! Nothing will stop him from caring - she has just wormed her way into his life, wormed her way into his heart. He cares about what happens to her, how she’s treated, how she’s doing, how she’s feeling. He cares and he can’t just stop being her friend! He cares and he can’t just pretend he doesn’t. 

It must take a lot of effort for him to consciously be aware of this - having to be conscious about turning away from her, of creating that space that’s so hard maintain. 

None of it was supposed to be real to matter and yet here he is, helpless against her, unable to stop himself from caring. 

To Nol’s credit, we do see him trying to make more effort - but also to his credit, the harder he tries to pull away, the harder Shinae fights. It’s funny and kind of ironic, because he’s one of the reasons she’s trying so hard. He’s the one who has helped her see value in herself and to open up and rely on others, and as a result, she’s practicing all of her new friend skills on him. How is he supposed to keep pushing her away when she’s literally calling him out (because she now knows him well enough to do that!) AND she’s making him talk through things. 

Shinae doesn’t want another Alyssa repeat and she’s not going to let Nol get away with just pulling away without an explanation. What else can he do? 

I like that’s really surprised he actually stayed - he could have faked a call from Nana that he had to head home, could have found some other excuse. But she demanded he would wait and he gave her his word. 

I love them ;A; 

Time and time again, she disarms him. Time and time again his resolve is put to the test and fails when it concerns his feelings, how much he cares, what kind of significance she has to him. Shinae saying out loud that their friendship must not have meant anything being the trigger that makes him finally act on what he always denies himself - a hand reaching out to her over and over that never makes contact, that he always talks himself out of finally making contact and pulling her into that tight, clinging embrace. On the one hand, we know it began as fake, that it wasn’t supposed to mean anything and certainly not to him.

But we know it was so real. We know that there was a moment where he went from trying to help Dieter, to trying to help her instead, to befriending her for his own enjoyment. It was all so very real, even if it hurts in the end. It was all so real to him and even if he needs her to be angry at him, even if he (thinks he) needs to walk away and leave all of this behind, he still can’t bear to have her think none of it meant anything, none of it was real, none of it mattered when it mattered so much to him. When it mattered so much that he finally embraced her!!!!!!! 

EVEN IN THIS MOMENT! HIS RESOLVE CRUMBLES. And though he’s able to pull himself together enough to do what he set out to do, let’s not forget that it was only because he was reminded her of injury, of what he believes was the culmination of him befriending someone and pulling them into the nightmare wake he leaves where he goes. It was only because he was reminded that she could have been another life taken from him that he was able to walk away. 

(And yknow. Proceeded to retch as a result. alfjakfjkafjkafjk) 

He goes as far as blocking Shinae, Dieter, and Soushi, because he knows he’ll cave. Because he can’t bear to see their messages, to ignore their calls, to see how much they are trying how hard they are fighting and reaching out, because just like when Shinae questioned if any of it was real, he knows he’ll cave. He has to implement a means of denying himself access to them, to nearly physically block them out. 

And yet, in that moment, at a party he doesn’t want to be at on a day he doesn’t want to exist on the eve of him serving time for a crime he doesn’t deserve, he goes and looks at his spam. 

He knows what’s in there waiting for him. He knows what he’s going to see.

He still does it, anyway. 

And there she is, a message received just now about feelings he feels but thinks he isn’t allowed that he shouldn’t have. 

I love this pathetic man, please I need more. 

He tries SO hard, even after hearing Shinae’s unprompted love soliloquy heartfelt sentimental explanation of what Nol means to her, to turn his back, but he can’t. 

His mother’s words are right there, and though they aimed for Rand, they come to land with him. The world can’t punish you forever. Does he not deserve their love, their friendship, the people who matter to him? Does he not deserve to be left alone by the world, to live his life as much as anyone else?

Even when everything he fears lingers over him - he’ll regret this because nothing good comes of indulging, because nothing good comes from letting them in because not only does it put them in danger but it makes it harder and harder for him. 

Like, not to be cheesy but we already know I am so - every time he lets them down, every time he breaks their hearts, he breaks his own, too. 

There’s no more fighting it. There’s only them and an empty hospital room, and a rare of sense of peace and calm, his head on her shoulder, finding comforting (literally) leaning on someone for once. For one moment, he grants himself an opportunity to stop trying to be so strong, to give in to seeking comfort. 

When she reassures him he’s not at Hirahara Memorial and he actually turns his face in towards the crook of her neck? Allowing himself to indulge in this peace in this comfort in this warmth?

GODDDDDDDD I love it he deserves it I want MORE  

And just like that, he’s no longer fighting. I’m including these even though it’s not really a “Nol tried to refrain and failed in the end” because a. we deserve them and b. I think by virtue of Nol acting on his desires and indulging in what he wants while Soushi and Dieter are sleeping in the bed on the other side of them counts enough for this list. Because refraining is no longer on the brain. Because everything Shinae does disarms him and he can’t even pretend to keep the wall up anymore. 

Shinae gets so embarrassed about giving him her gift because she feels like it pales compared to what Dieter did, but probably also because there is a sense of sentimentality to it as well, and it doesn’t miss Nol. It’s the fact that it’s their Orange of Fate, what she drew on his face, and the words she uttered when they first met that have now been taken back. 

It’s how he went from being told all people suck that she wants no friendship to chasing him outside of his school and fighting so hard for him, calling and texting and trying to reach him, it’s how she took advantage of the opportunity when it presented itself to tell him how she feels and what he means and she got so shy about him seeing this gift and it strikes him so much because he knows what he means to her and she means it, too, she’s that special to him, too

And the hand that earlier in the night reached for the spot she denied him does it once again and this time his fingers are in her hair, this time he’s so close in her space, this time he doesn’t deny himself what he wants and what he wants is to be so close to her, what he wants is to stay in this dream as long as he possibly can 

And the most indulgent of them all. 

Let’s not pretend this is not for him. Let’s not pretend this is the most indulgently he’s ever acted on what he wants. Shinae outrules fullbody dancing and he’s like oh bet? lmaoooooo 

He wants the dance. He wanted it back in Minhyuk’s room before Kousuke showed up and everything went to hell. He wants it now and he’s acting on it. There’s no reason - present in his mind lol - for him to refuse what he wants. 

He has refrained SO MUCH. He has refrained for SO LONG. So many times he reached out to her. The dance offer at the Kim formal that Kousuke stared him down into rejecting. Every time he’s felt suffocated by the weight of the world, by the burden of the guilt he carries, by the inherent belief that he’s a monster incapable of providing good, every time he’s been reminded he only brings people pain, every little moment that reminds him he doesn’t deserve any of the things he seeks out, the enjoyment he indulges in. So much of it has weighed him down and in that moment he acts on it

on what he wants

on what he needs

on what he feels 

He acts on the feelings that she is special that she brings him comfort that he wants and wants when she’s in his proximity

He acts on the dream from which he’s afraid to wake and he asks her to dance with him

Despite his back injury. Despite the whole night reminding him that pain follows him wherever he goes. Despite their friends sleeping just a bed over. 

He gives in and he indulges. 

Honorable mention goes to Nol staying outside Shinae’s door at Hirahara Memorial, despite this being a place of trauma and fear for him, despite how much he hates hospitals, despite Kousuke sending him away. It gets honorable mention because I acknowledge part of what compels him to stay outside her door is that he feels so guilty and he needs to see/know for himself that she’s okay - but I think it still counts because of just how compelling it is for him. That this is a person he has grown to care about so much already, a person who we now know he literally is alive for/because, since it was only when he saw her in the pool that he determined he couldn’t stay down there and had to return to the surface to save her, to carry on as Yeonggi for a little longer. 

He stays outside her hospital room because he can’t help it.

He could go home, he could change out of his damp clothes, he could crawl into bed and try to forget this whole nightmare of a night, if only for a few hours, but instead he stays outside her room, unable to leave. 

At every opportunity, Nol is so compelled by Shinae. 

He cannot deny her. 

If Shinae wants it, he will ultimately yield it to her like he has his heart.

I’m being good and not including anything from 231 but JUST YOU WAIT FOR THE FOLLOW UP, especially those of you who don’t fast pass. JUST YOU WAIT. 

[dykebeckett]

high as shiiiit thinking about my aegis ocs

[zae-heeyyy]

Aegis

Summary: You defend your daughter from Micah. Pairing: Arthur Morgan x Female!Reader Word Count: 1,810 Tags: fluff, family, girl dad Arthur, angst, high honor Arthur Warnings: Violence, mistreatment of a child

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an: This was an anon request. I was weary about this one because I'm not a mom, nor do I spend a lot of time around toddlers, but omg exploring girl dad Arthur was so fun! Shout out to @emerald-ranch for helping me with a horse fact for this one! Thanks for reading. Enjoy!

Aegis: as in protection, means or method of defending

A pair of hazel eyes cut through the dark, shining like twin stars burning holes in the blanket of night. Those usually bright supernovas seemed dull now, washed out by the weight of the world. Your daughter's tiny form scooted in impossibly closer, and you bundled her up, swaddling her like she was still the wiggling newborn you'd held in your arms three years ago.

"Bea," you sighed, trying your best to shield her from the beast that was your frustration. Exhaustion had settled in your bones hours ago, pressing your patience paper thin. Sleep called out to you from the void, and you wanted so badly to answer, but your daughter reeled you back every time.

"I want Daddy," she whined, clutching the fabric of your shift in her little fists. 

You missed him too; she had no idea. In a time that seemed like forever ago, you and Arthur laid in this same cot, your fingers tangled in his shirt in the way your daughter's were in yours now. Motherhood terrified you, and after telling Arthur you were pregnant, you cried all through the night. Raising a child was daunting enough, but doing it with an outlaw in a gang seemed like a nightmare turned reality. 

Solid arms held you together in body and mind. He was your rock even though he was going through his own quiet panic. Arthur knew the harsh realities of parenthood all too well. Still, he knew the brightness, blooms, and blossoms it could bring, and he let himself want it more than anything. Making good on his second chance at having a family, he married you right away and devoted all of himself to you and the baby.

That warm summer night after your screams and her cries had died down, he bowed his head over her, staring without a word. First, one salty tear fell from his face and onto the blanket you'd knitted for her, then another, and another. You tried to offer him the dignity of silence, but your tears burst out with a sob. It was only then that he spoke, snapping out of his baby-induced trance, his eyes wide with concern.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong at all."

And his baby loved him oh so much, the very definition of a daddy's girl. He was the one who protected her from spiders and wasps, the one who made her giggle til her face turned red, the one who'd lift her up on his shoulders and run amok through camp, and the one who snuck her candy when she thought you weren't looking. He was her Polaris, and little did she know, she was his entire universe. Leaving both of you at camp, even if only for a few hours, chipped away at a piece of his soul every time. In the present, you combed your fingers through her light-colored hair and kissed her on the head twice–one from you and one from Daddy, as you always told her.

"I know. He'll be here when we wake up, honeybee."  

And the tent fell silent, but your daughter twisted and shivered, unsettled by passing footsteps.

"Momma…" Her words came out smaller than her. "M'scared."

You wanted to tell her there was nothing to be afraid of, but you couldn't lie to her–not when there was a price on her father's head, not after Blackwater, and not after Colter. In yet another attempt to calm her, you whispered soft shhs. But then she spoke once more, a single word–a name, and your breath caught in your throat.

"Micah."

You sat up with the quickness of a startled doe, sweeping your eyes over your daughter. Tears stained her rosy cheeks, but she was otherwise unharmed.

"What about Micah?" The question came out more urgent than you'd intended, and she hid herself in your bosom. You hoped she didn't hear your heart pounding wildly against your rib cage. 

"Don't want him to come here."

"Why'd he do that?"

She only shook her head. You peeled her away from you, wiping her tears away with the pads of your thumbs before cupping her face in your hands. Your voice was loving but firm–a quiet, motherly demand.

"Bea. Talk." 

She vocalized as best as she could: "He's scary and mean."

And then, after a long pause, her small hand came to rest over yours on her cheek.

"He touched my face."

A curtain of red-hot wrath veiled your vision, and it took everything in you to hide it from the baby in your arms. No matter how big she got, she would always be that pink, wrinkly baby in the knitted blanket. You put on a stellar performance, eyes twinkling, your smile adding light to the darkness that'd settled over you. You reassured her that Daddy and Uncle Dutch would take care of that, that she had a whole family looking out for her, and that she was safe. 

In one last attempt to get her to settle, you laid back down, closed your own eyes, and began a slow hum of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." In the middle of the second run-through, she'd gone limp, finally.  You tried to follow suit, but your thoughts were louder than ever. 

Arthur'll be back soon.

Let the men dish it out. 

Get some sleep, get some sleep, get some sleep.

But your legs swung over the cot, and you left your eaglet behind in the nest as you soared into camp, sharp eyes scanning for your prey–a rattlesnake masquerading as a man. The drunk bastard saw you coming, flashing his fangs in a smug display of mockery. He didn't expect the beer bottle he'd been nursing to explode across his head, the glass shattering like a storm of meteors crashing down to earth. The impact sent him sprawling to the ground, and you were on top of him in an instant in the only way you'd ever be–out for blood. A blackhole temporarily swallowed both of you as you slammed your forehead into his with all the force of two colliding planets. 

The shockwave drowned out everything around you–so much so that you didn't hear someone shout for Arthur and didn't notice your husband had returned just before you left the tent. Micah fought back hard, trying in his intoxicated stupor to twist free, but you had him good, your nails like talons breaking skin and cutting off his air supply.

An owl-like screech tore through your lungs as two strong hands yanked you away. Your husband's eyes locked onto yours, grounding you, clearing the haze of fury. Time seemed to slow as you saw yourself reflected in concerned chrysocolla-colored eyes.

"Hey now, hey, easy…"

Just when he thought he'd calmed his distressed mare, the snake hissed in the grass.

"Get control of your whore, Morgan!"

"Arthur," you caught his attention, him looking from Micah back to you, "Beatrice." 

At hearing his daughter's name, Arthur bared his teeth and dug his nails into his palm. Without thinking, he shoved you aside, and you knew if you let him get to Micah, all hell would break loose. Roles reversed, you grabbed at his sleeve with both hands, pushing your weight into your heels to keep him in place. Micah started a mocking chortle. 

"That seed of yours." He tried once again to rise up on his feet, "Ain't much hope for her. She'll let fellas buy her for a penny just like her momma."

His taunting stung enough for you to temporarily lose hold of Arthur, and he took his chance, sending the metal tip of his boot flying into Micah's chin. The devil incarnate spit out blood and chipped bone and let out a hoarse, guttural bellow of pain, but he didn't try to stand anymore. 

"Lucky she got to you first." Arthur spat, "I ain't stopping her next time."

Your husband stomped off with his arm around your waist, back to your lion's den where your cub was still sleeping soundly. Collapsing onto the cot, you dug your palms into your eyes, trying to ease the pressure of a building headache. Lantern light came into your field of vision as Arthur's calloused fingers pried your hands away. 

"That was stupid," he whispered, aware of Beatrice still sleeping. One hand clutched your chin, and the other moved your hair out of your face to get a good look at you, "I woulda' handled it."

The cold sting of a wet cloth against your bruises made you wince. 

"I know. Couldn't help myself."  

Arthur didn't say anything else and finished cleaning you up in silence. Though the presence of your family back together brought you a semblance of peace, you twisted the gold band around your finger, lost in hellish thoughts. You and Arthur made promises to each other and to your little girl, and you'd make good on them, no matter the cost.

"I'll kill him next time."

Arthur had stripped down to his union suit and nodded at you as he took his hat off and set it beside the photo of your daughter's namesake.

"I know."

Then, his face lit up. He stopped your fidgeting by taking your hand in his and kissing your knuckles. Deep down, he knew you had it in you, but something about his wife, the sweetest thing he'd ever met, nearly ripping a man's head off his shoulders with her bare hands, struck a cord of pride within him. 

"Though I don't think anybody in their right mind would tempt you after seein' that."

And you felt embarrassed of your wild display of maternal ferocity. But Arthur, in all his tenderness and love for you, made all your doubt vanish.

"That's my girl," he whispered, holding his hands out.

You let him hoist you up into his warm embrace. The steady rise and fall of his chest and rhythmic heartbeat could've lulled you to sleep right then and there. This closeness had become a delicacy since parenthood, and you savored every bite. Arthur sighed contently as he breathed in the scene before him. Though you were buried in his chest, you knew he was looking over at his sleeping baby girl while he was hugging you.

"Maybe one day she can spend the night with Abigail and Jack, and we can have some husband and wife time." 

You hummed in agreement, tempted to let your limbs fall weak in his arms. The sounds of rustling blankets woke you right back up.

"Daddy?" 

Arthur didn't let you go. Instead, he squeezed you harder, a silent thank you for the life you'd birthed, the life you'd given him. He guided you back to the cot beside your daughter, tucking both of you in and pressing a soft kiss to your foreheads.

"Hey, sweetheart. I'm here," were the last words you heard before soaring serenely off the cliff of consciousness. 

[purplemoon7]

Cinnamon

Masterlist

written in honor of my favorite scented candle.

𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚 — Min Yoongi is softest when he's with his girls.

𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 — dad!Yoongi x black!reader (married AU)

𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕 — 2.4k

Warnings! FLUFF! nothing but pure fluff here, domestic husband!Yoongi, girl dad!Yoongi, soft dad energy (he's such as sap), cinnamon sugar chaos, established relationship, soft suggestive scene, married intimacy, lots of affection, cozy parenthood vibes, and a whole lot of love

The first thing that hits you the moment you open the front door is the smell of cinnamon.

Not the artificial, cloying kind you get from a candle.

No, this is the real deal—rich and warm and a little sweet, like toasted sugar swirling in the air. It clings to your coat, your hair, the fibers of your scarf, wrapping around you like a hug you didn’t know you needed. And it’s sticky too—thick enough that your mouth waters a little before your eyes have even adjusted to the dim, golden light of the penthouse.

You drop your keys into the little ceramic dish by the door—hand-painted by tiny fingers, initials scrawled messily at the bottom—and pause to unbuckle your boots, already smiling.

There's soft music playing somewhere in the background, something lo-fi and jazzy, and the hum of conversation between child and father is quiet but steady.

Then you hear it.

"Appa, I need more pwetzel dough!"

Her little voice, full of unfiltered urgency and zero patience, rings out loud and clear, followed by a loud splat!—the unmistakable sound of something wet and doughy hitting the counter.

You glance up, already grinning, and spot the top of a curly little head barely visible over the kitchen island. A mess of black coils bounces as she moves, half of them held back in a crooked little puff, the other half determined to escape any kind of order. She's standing on that wooden step stool Yoongi built himself when she first started wanting to “help” in the kitchen.

“I leave the house for two hours and suddenly you’re a baker now?” you call, amused, as you make your way further in.

Yoongi looks up at the sound of your voice, a crooked grin stretching across his face. There’s flour on his cheek, smudged near the corner of his mouth like he tried to scratch an itch and forgot he was covered in ingredients. His black sweater sleeves are pushed up to the elbows, exposing strong forearms dusted in flour and sugar. But the look in his eyes tells you he’s exactly where he wants to be.

“She said she wanted cinnamon pretzels,” he replies, like that explains everything. And with Yoongi, it kind of does. “And you know I’m weak.”

You snort, padding into the kitchen. “You could've said no.”

“How can I?” he mutters, eyes focused on the tiny whirlwind in front of him, face softened entirely—eyes half-lidded, watching her with a kind of wonder that hasn't left his eyes since the day she came into the world.

Haeri, on the other hand, is completely in her element—elbows deep in a lump of dough, kneading it like it owes her money.

Her little fingers are coated in flour and sugar, her face pink with effort, her tongue peeking out slightly in concentration. Yoongi has one steady hand on her back, keeping her balanced as she works, instinctively protective even in moments like this. Always there. Always watching.

“Hi, baby,” you say, leaning around Yoongi to kiss her plump cheek.

She looks up at you, finally acknowledging your presence, eyes lighting up like fireworks. “Mama!” she squeals, holding up her dough-covered hands like she’s just struck gold. “I make this!” And she looks so much like him in the moment that you feel your heart skip a beat in your chest. A carbon copy.

“Mhm,” you agree, running your hands over her baby curls. “Is it yummy?”

“Not yet,” she says, matter-of-fact. “Need more suga.” And then she turns back to Yoongi. “Appa, where suga?”

“Right here, aegi.” He gestures to the little glass bowl beside her, smiling down at her.

“Thank you!” she chirps, and you watch as he helps her scoop out the sugar, guiding her little hand in pouring it into the dough.

You can’t help the warmth that floods your chest at the sight.

“Appa, we add cinnanon now?” she asks.

“In a minute,” Yoongi replies, steadying her when she almost overpours the sugar. “You gotta make sure the dough is ready first. It needs to be warm and soft. If it's too cold, the cinnamon won’t stick.”

She nods like she understands, even though you know she probably doesn’t. But that’s just the way Yoongi is—patient and methodical, always willing to explain things to his little angel. Even when the process is slow and repetitive.

They knead the dough together, Yoongi’s large hands wrapped around her little ones, and you can’t help but smile at the sight of his big hands pressed against her little ones.

“Okay,” Yoongi says. “Now it's time for the cinnamon.”

“Yay!” she cheers.

Her little fingers work to knead the mixture of sugar and cinnamon into the dough, and she doesn't complain at all, even as it sticks to her skin. She keeps working diligently, humming to herself, the occasional squeal of excitement escaping her lips.

You watch, grinning at the little crease in her brow, at her little mouth, whispering under her breath as she concentrates. And your heart is so full in the moment, so full that you think it might burst. You feel it in your fingertips, in your chest, in every inch of you.

Your little family.

They make pretzels together—twisting and folding the dough until they have a row of perfect golden twists. And you watch, warm and content, as your two favorite people in the world work together, Haeri chattering the whole time. Talking to Yoongi about everything on her mind; something she saw on TV, something her friend at daycare said, and how she wants to make pink pretzels next time, her little lisp making every word sound cuter. And he listens, of course, like he always does. Like she’s the most interesting person in the world.

“Appa say pink food taste weird,” she tells you very seriously. “But I think he just scawed.”

“You might be right,” you reply with a wink.

She practically preens, lips stretching into a smile identical to her father's, puffing out her chest a little before diving right back into the dough with the intense focus of a Michelin chef. Yoongi finally lifts his attention from her, and when he looks at you, it’s like the world slows down just a little.

“Hey,” he murmurs, voice low and full of that quiet affection that always makes your heart stutter.

“Hey yourself,” you reply, stepping into his space. His arms slips around your waist naturally, being mindful of his flour-covered hands.

You melt into him, resting your forehead against his chest, and breathe him in. He smells like cinnamon and flour and something warm that you can’t quite name. There’s flour in his eyelashes, and his hair is just a little too fluffy—like he's run his hands through it too much. The way he does when he's frustrated. And knowing your daughter, he probably was. You smile, brushing your nose against his.

“You been okay?” you ask softly.

He nods, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “She’s got me on a schedule,” he whispers like it’s a secret. “We made dough. Then we let it rise. Then she told me it was ‘too sleepy’ and punched it.”

You snort. “Sounds about right.”

He leans in again, lips grazing your ear. “You smell like outside. And coffee.”

“That’s because I stopped by that bookstore you like,” you murmur. “Picked up that vinyl you were eyeing, too.”

Yoongi pulls back slightly, eyes going wide with the kind of wonder you never get tired of seeing on his face. “Seriously?”

“First press,” you say, unable to stop the smug smile tugging at your lips. “Packaging’s gorgeous.”

He exhales like you just handed him a ticket to another planet. “You’re spoiling me.”

“You deserve it. Why don't you go wash up so you can play it? We'll listen to it together.”

His smile softens as he nods, and he presses one more kiss to your cheek before you gently shoo him toward the hallway.

“Hurry,” you say. “I’ll wrangle our junior baker into a proper apron and figure out how to clean up this war zone.”

He chuckles, giving your cheek a playful nip before stepping away. Your daughter looks up just then, cheeks flushed, nose dusted with flour, curls wild and sticking to her forehead.

You glance at the clock. Nearly five.

“Hey, sweetheart,” you say, crouching down so you’re eye level with her. “What if we turn the rest of the dough into cinnamon bites instead? That way, we can pop them in the oven now and they’ll be ready before bedtime.”

She tilts her head, considering. “Can I bring some to school for my fwiends?”

“Of course.”

She flashes a grin that melts your whole heart. “Then yes.”

By the time the dishes are washed and the sticky bits of flour are scrubbed off the counters, the kitchen smells like heaven. Brown sugar, cinnamon, a hint of butter melting into the air like a love letter written in scent.

The oven hums softly, casting a glow that flickers like candlelight, and you feel it—the shift in the atmosphere. The way the house settles into itself in the evening, slower, quieter.

The living room is bathed in soft golden light now, a pale amber stretching across the rug and walls. Outside, the sun is beginning its slow descent behind the rooftops. Inside, athe vintage vinyl crackles on the record player, making everything taste better. He hums along, low and steady, purring in the back of his throat.

Haeri is curled up on the couch, half-buried beneath a Hermes blanket. Her little legs are tucked under her, feet sticking out in mismatched socks, a sippy cup cradled in her tiny hands, looking like the most precious thing in the world. Her lashes flutter, heavy with sleep, and her thumb strokes absent circles on the side of the cup.

She’s fading, slow and soft like a candle burning low.

You and Yoongi move around each other in a rhythm of practiced intimacy. You don’t speak much—you don’t need to. He passes you the remote without asking. You hand him the plate of cinnamon bites, still warm from the oven and still soft in the center. He sets it down and, without a word, places a glass of wine in your hand.

Your fingers brush. Your eyes meet. And something passes between you in that glance—tired, yes. But also grateful.

You sit beside each other on the couch, close but not quite touching, like two magnets hovering just before the pull. There's a brief silence, the kind that only comes when the world is finally quiet enough to let you breathe. The record spins. Your daughter sighs softly in her sleep.

Then he leans in and presses a kiss to your shoulder—soft, slow.

His hand finds your thigh, thumb brushing back and forth over the fabric of your sweats, and when you glance over, his eyes are already on you. Warm. Dark. Intense in that quiet, Yoongi way that always makes your breath catch.

Eyes locked on yours, not breaking contact, he whispers, “So fucking gorgeous.”

You snort, lowering your glass. “Is that so? Pretty sure I’ve got flour in my bra right now.”

His hand moves from your thigh to brush a stray coil behind your ear, his touch featherlight. There’s always something disarming about the way he touches you—like he’s memorizing, not just feeling. Not taking a single second of you for granted.

“Always,” he says, voice low.

You shake your head, trying not to grin as you bite your bottom lip. The smile wins anyway, tugging its way free, a sweet secret between the two of you. You lean into him, letting your weight settle against his side, and his arm slips around your shoulder.

You exhale against him, warm and safe. His sweater smells like cinnamon and something distinctly him—maybe cologne, maybe studio dust, maybe just love.

His other arm stretches out along the back of the couch, hand resting lightly over your daughter’s blanket-covered frame. She stirs slightly, then quiets again, her tiny hand curling a fist into his sweater.

It’s moments like this, you think—these quiet, stitched-together seconds—where you thank God for the little paradise He’s blessed you with.

Then you feel it—his lips, brushing the side of your neck. Not quite a kiss. More like a thought spoken into your skin.

“When’s the last time we had a night to ourselves?” he murmurs.

Your body stills, muscles tightening just a little in surprise, but not rejection. Just… it's been a while. Weeks, maybe more.

Between your daughter's growing independence (and even more intense clinginess), Yoongi’s late-night studio sessions, your own long days—you’ve both slipped into survival mode. Teamwork mode. Love still there, but mostly quiet, steady, habitual.

But now? Now the house is warm and dim, the weight of the day is finally off your shoulders, and his hand is drawing slow, absentminded circles against your arm.

Your skin begins to hum beneath it.

“What are you thinking?” you ask, your voice barely above a whisper.

He hums again, this time a little closer to your ear. His lips drift down to your shoulder, his nose nudging aside the strap of your tank top, and it sends a slow burn up your spine.

“I’m thinking,” he starts, “that you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. And I wanna make you feel that.”

You shiver, not from cold.

Your pulse jumps beneath your skin.

“We could sneak away,” he murmurs, his mouth tracing the line of your jaw now. “Just for a little while. Set up the monitor. Thirty minutes, maybe an hour, if the universe is kind.”

You glance toward your daughter’s sleeping form. She’s still, the slow rise and fall of her chest telling you that she's in deep sleep. You hesitate for half a beat.

“And if she wakes up?”

“Then we stop,” he replies without missing a beat. “But maybe we get lucky.”

You look back at him—at those familiar eyes, soft but intense. There’s heat in them now, yes. But also tenderness. Patience. Love that never asks too much.

You reach out and run your hand through his hair, fluffing the strands at his nape, letting your fingers tangle there.

“You better make it worth it, Min Yoongi,” you whisper, lips close enough to brush his.

He smirks, slow and confident, his mind already conjuring up every which way he's going to make you fall apart.

“You know I always do.”

— Moon ⋆.˚ ☾ .⭒˚.

[cynthiav06]

I have been living with this headcanon/brainrot about Athena (both from Epic the Musical and pjo) for a long while and a warning for the faint of heart, you know what read it anyway cause it haunts me , so everyone else has to be haunted by it too, cause I am petty like that.

Most people might be aware of the myth that Athena sprung from Zeus's head fully formed and in battle armor, but a few might not know the preceding myth, so here's a quick recap:

Zeus married the titaness Metis, who was the titaness of wise counsel, wisdom, and planning. She was also Athena's mother. Metis was his advisor, both an indispensable aid and threat to him, given her power and cunning. But it's no Greek mythology without a son overthrowing the father archetype haunting the narrative. There was a similar prophecy about Metis's second child being so powerful that he would overthrow Zeus. Mind you Metis was pregnant with Athena when the following events transpire:

Zeus being Zeus, paranoid and power hungry, the King of the Gods and the God of "Justice" manipulates Metis into playing a shape-shifting game and when Metis turned into a fly , he swallowed her whole. [I know Greek patriarchs have a thing for eating their children or spouses pregnant with said children. Runs in the family, apparently]

Mind you in Greek myths, swallowed children, or in this case, swallowed wife pregnant with said child stay alive for a good amount of time even inside someone else's organs. So Metis gives birth to Athena inside Zeus's head and raises her there. She teaches her warfare and strategy until Metis herself eventually dies, i.e., her essence fades. Knowing what she must do to not meet the same fate, Athena hammers on Zeus's skull from the inside to escape. Everyone knows the rest of the myth.

But imagine Athena's first lesson being that the man she calls her father is the one who killed her mother and almost killed Athena herself by swallowing Metis so she must do everything in her power to survive and avoid that fate by staying on his good side. To try and fit in this twisted family of immortals, half of who hate her existence and half who are indifferent to him. So she does exactly that.

Think of Athena asking to be a Virgin Goddess from learning of what comes of marriage with gods.

Now, the continuation of Athena's myth is that she goes to Atlantis to train with the sea nymphs. There she makes her first ever friend and someone she comes to dearly love, Pallas. Greek myths being allergic to happy endings, one day when Pallas and Athena are sparring as they do a bit more seriously this time; Zeus being a nosy bastard decides to spy in just when Pallas is about to land a finishing blow on Athena. Thinking she might kill his daughter, he kills Pallas by blasting her with his lightning. Athena, being heartbroken , Zeus gave her Aegis as an apology. The continuation of this is that Athena adopts the namesake Pallas Athena and even carves a statue in likeness of her friend called Palladium and then more.

But think of Athena heartbroken and bitter as the Goddess of Wisdom learns her second lesson, then she must abandon all personal relations and sentiment before her father ends it for her in one way or another. For Pallas was the first true relation in her life after her mother.

Keep in mind that Pallas is Poseidon's granddaughter through his firstborn son and heir Triton. This is the point that sparks eternal enmity between Athena and Poseidon, and all those who come after will suffer in the wake of this tragedy.

So Athena chooses to remain alone and without a friend to avoid such a situation. Imagine Athena being hurt, especially brutally, when Odysseus says: "Since you claim you are so much wiser, why's your life spent all alone? You're alone!"

Because that's exactly it. Athena is wise. She knows the consequence of endearing herself to someone again so she stays alone to avoid such a thing and yet coming from someone who is so close to being her first friend in a long time, hurt and enraged she leaves.

Now, when finally Athena comes to terms with her friendship with Odysseus she finds yet again that her father Zeus struck him and his crew in a similar fashion to Pallas , yet again ripping her only friend away from her .

He is not dead yet, and Athena isn't about to let that happen. This time, she fights against Zeus, risks her life and position of being the favorite, and her survival method all because she can't bear to see Odysseus die.

Think of the agonizing fate of Athena, repeatedly being traumatized by her father yet having to do his bidding and stay on his good side to survive and live not for herself for she lives in misery but for the people who suffered for died for their association with her. In her eyes, she must suffer tenfold for letting this happen thrice, for all eternity under the man who so wretchedly ruined her life.

[annlyticalarchive]

CHAPTER SIX: Humanity’s Aegis

”You will be different, sometimes you’ll feel like an outcast, but you’ll never be alone”

Mark Grayson X Kryptonian/Clark Kent! Reader

Prologue | Chapter Five| Chapter Six (Here) | Chapter Seven

w/c: 4.2k

a/n: could not figure out how to cut/end this so this chapter is a teeny bit lengthier than the previous ones. also, am playing with the idea of writing one shots of Kent and Mark. I’m kinda playing with an Absolute!Kent X Mark too

The ballroom glittered in gold and crystal. A sprawling art-deco dream with vaulted ceilings and marble floors, it looked like something out of a movie rather than a fundraiser for a city initiative. Dozens of the cities most elite mingled under the soft light of chandeliers, drinks in hand, false smiles plastered across expensive faces.

You stepped inside, instantly hit by the wave of perfume, cologne, and the underlying scent of old money and polished ego. Lois still had your wrist and was weaving through the crowd like she’d done it a thousand times. Jimmy followed with his camera already up, snapping shots of the crowd, pausing briefly to admire the lighting.

You tried not to fidget. The jacket felt too stiff, the shirt too crisp, and the city suddenly too loud again.

“You know,” Lois whispered over her shoulder, eyes scanning the crowd for prey, excuse you, interviews, “you could learn to loosen up.”

“I’m loose!” you hissed. “I’m the definition of loose!”

Jimmy coughed behind you. “You sound like someone who rehearsed saying that.”

You sighed and looked to Jimmy. “Want to tag-team the mingling?”

“Let me get a few more wide shots,” he said, lifting his camera. “You go ahead. I’ll catch up.”

You nodded, making your way into the throng. The deeper in you got, the more chaotic it felt. People clinked glasses, posed for photos, and name-dropped like they were giving out candy. You were pretty sure three different people claimed to be the one responsible for funding the city’s new railway reconstruction effort.

Still, you did your job. You kept your eyes open. Listened. Asked questions, quietly and curiously.

And you didn’t push. That was the key.

Lois, on the other hand, was pushing, with the subtlety of a bull with a battering ram.

You found her again about half an hour later, mid-interview with a tall man in a very expensive suit. Her brow was furrowed, her arms crossed.

“So you’re saying you don’t know where the funding came from?” she asked, tone sharp.

“I’m saying I don’t have the clearance to discuss it,” he replied coolly.

Lois leaned in. “So it’s private money?”

The man stiffened. “I really couldn’t say.”

You watched as his smile grew thinner by the second. Lois opened her mouth again, but you gently stepped in.

“Sorry to interrupt,” you said with a small smile, looking up at him. “But I overheard you mention you’d visited Coast City recently? What was it like this time of year?”

His gaze flicked to you, visibly relieved. “Oh—actually, quite nice. Weather’s been better than expected. They’ve done wonders with the waterfront.”

You nodded, jotting that down like it mattered. “And was that a personal trip or something to do with development?”

“Business,” he said, more relaxed now. “We’re looking into expanding energy partnerships out west.”

You smiled again. “That’s exciting. Can I follow up with your office sometime next week?”

He nodded, offered a card, and left with a polite bow of his head.

Lois stared at you. “You asked him about the weather.”

“And he told us about the energy partnerships.”

She made a face, but didn’t argue. Instead, she turned away with a loud sigh and waved toward Jimmy. “Get this. Apparently weather talk is the new journalism.”

Jimmy chuckled as he joined you both. “Well, you did kind of come at the guy like a steamroller.”

“I just want answers!” Lois huffed, lifting a tiny quiche from a passing tray. “These people think their money makes them bulletproof.”

“It kind of does,” Jimmy muttered.

“I heard that!”

You grinned. The three of you slowly fell into rhythm, circling the room like a mismatched flock of birds. You trailed behind them, asking lighter, friendlier questions that made people forget they were being interviewed.

“How long have you lived in the city?”

“What inspired you to get involved in local reconstruction projects?”

“Do you think the mayor will actually follow through on their housing promises?”

That last one made Jimmy snort behind his camera lens. “You really are sneaky, huh?”

“I just ask them to talk about themselves,” you said. “People love that.”

Eventually, you all reconvened near a buffet table that had been thoroughly picked over. Jimmy flipped through his shots, Lois reviewed her notes, and you checked your recorder for anything interesting.

“You know,” Lois said, nudging your elbow, “for someone who didn’t want to come, you’re doing scarily well.”

“It’s my job,” You shrugged your shoulders simply, trying to avoid the compliments. “I should be good at this.”

“Lois isn’t doing good,” Jimmy said with a poorly hidden smile as he grabs a drink from a moving tray.

“Lois is the reason I’m getting answers. We’re like a one-two hit.”

“Flattery gets you nowhere, Kansas,” Lois rolled her eyes at you.

“Flattery gets me everywhere here.” You shot back with a smile. “These people like getting to stroke their ego with the idea that all the flattering stuff will get printed front page.”

“Ladies and gentlemen! Please, enter the main room. The unveiling is about to begin.” A voice rings through some loud speakers.

The crowd started to move like a lazy tide, drifting toward the large double doors at the end of the room.

Jimmy quickly raised his camera. “Time to catch the money shot.”

Lois tucked her notepad into her purse. “And time to see what kind of PR stunt we’re all here to pretend we care about.”

You followed them, notebook and recorder tucked under your arm. You couldn’t help the unease that crept up your spine, not because of nerves, exactly. Something felt off.

The second you stepped into the main hall, you understood why.

At the center of the room stood a massive object draped in a deep velvet cloth. Beside it: men in suits with military posture, clearly not just part of the event staff. Their eyes scanned the room, unmoving.

“Okay,” Jimmy whispered, already snapping photos, “this is either government-funded tech… or alien.”

Lois raised an eyebrow. “You think they’d unveil alien tech here?”

You didn’t answer. You were too busy listening.

Your focus zeroed in past the surface-level noise of champagne flutes and murmured pleasantries.

And then you caught it.

Lex Luthor. Speaking quietly to someone near the front of the room. You didn’t recognize the other voice, but you did recognize the words.

Names.

Names you remembered writing. Names tied to an investigation you and Lois had been digging into for weeks.

Names that had no business being spoken aloud at a public event like this.

Names that belonged in an article about organized crime.

“Oh no,” you muttered under your breath.

Lois glanced at you sideways, catching the shift in your tone, but didn’t ask. Not here, not yet.

You reached the side of the main room just as the lights dimmed and a spotlight landed on Lex Luthor, standing tall and proud at a sleek podium near the veiled shape.

He smiled, all teeth and practiced charm.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he began, “we live in a time of miracles and monsters. Of beings who can move mountains, bend steel, and level cities. For too long, the people of our city have relied on hope, hope that someone else will protect them. Hope that they will show up.”

Lex continued, voice rising with theatrical flair. “But the world needs more than hope. It needs certainty. And certainty… comes with strength.”

With a dramatic sweep of his arm, the velvet cloth was pulled free, revealing a massive robot standing at least fifteen feet tall. Gunmetal grey with glowing green eyes, it looked more like a weapon than any kind of protector.

Murmurs rippled through the room.

“I give you: humanity’s Aegis.” Lex gestured to the machine. “Fully autonomous. Controlled through secure satellite uplinks. Designed to protect us, from them.”

Lois muttered, “Oh, hell no.”

Before you could say anything back, a loud crack sounded overhead. Then came the smoke.

Dozens of small canisters exploded around the room, flooding it with thick, gray fog. Screams broke out. People stumbled. Cameras flashed wildly, trying to catch the moment before disaster but only causing the fog to light up.

You caught sight of someone running across the stage just as the lights flickered, and the robot powered on with a deep mechanical hum.

“I’m going to call the cops!” you yelled over the chaos, “You two get out of here!”

You were already bolting toward a corner to get out of sight.

The robot moved.

It stepped off the platform, metal feet shaking the floor, as several dark-clad figures pulled at a hidden panel on its back.

And Aegis responded.

Its eyes flared.

Its arm cannons slid open.

And you didn’t even hesitate.

You pulled off your jacket mid-run, ripped the dress shirt off, ducked quickly outside of the room, and tore free the hidden scarlet skirt and cape from your bag.

You crashed through a side window, high above the crowd, hoping it would pull attention away from civilians.

The air was thick with smoke, screams, and fear.

But your voice cut through it as you hovered, cape billowing behind you.

“Step away from the machine.”

The masked men turned and looked at you a few pulling guns from concealed holsters, as Aegis took one slow, thunderous step forward, and then another, before its thrusters flared, launching it through the shattered ceiling and into the sky.

You barely had time to process before bullets started flying.

Your body moved on instinct, arms raised in a half-shielding gesture.

But the bullets didn’t tear through you. They bounced off.

One struck your shoulder, another pinged off your ribs with a metallic clink. It didn’t even hurt, simply felt like someone tossing pebbles at you.

Your breath caught. You were bulletproof. Oh thank God-

One of the gunmen froze in disbelief. “What the hell is she?”

You shot forward, grabbed the nearest metal rail that had fallen during the chaos, and bent it around two of the men like a steel bow. They hit the ground with a grunt, pinned and disarmed.

Another raised his gun again, but you were faster

You closed the distance in a blur, yanked the gun from his hands, and crushed it in your fist like it was made of clay.

Grabbing the man by the shoulder, you zip him over to the other two, using your free hand to bend the metal around him as well.

You weren’t about to hit them. They hadn’t actively hurt anyone, so you weren’t about to hurt them in return. You didn’t even want to, regardless.

Running back out of the building, you scanned the crowd. The selfish bit inside of you looking for Jimmy and Lois first, letting out a small breath when you saw that they were fine. No one else was hurt, and you could hear sirens approaching, so you ran back inside and flew through the hole the robot left.

You hovered, squinting into the skyline, tilting your head slightly to isolate frequencies, your cape catching the wind behind you. Your brows furrowed.

Where did it—

WHOOSH.

A sudden rush of air beside you broke your focus as someone rocketed into your peripheral vision.

You turned sharply, shoulders tense, ready to defend yourself—

Only to freeze.

Because floating there in front of you, hovering with practiced ease, was a figure you didn’t recognize. At least, not personally.

But you knew of him.

Blue and yellow suit. The goggles. The dark hair poking out from under the mask. Breathing a little hard from the flight.

“Lose something?” Invincible asked, tone light, but you could see the shift happen mid-sentence. He froze. Mouth still open. Then he shut it, jaw tightening visibly.

“Luthor has. Or so it seems,” you replied, keeping your voice as steady and confident as you could manage.

You caught it, just barely, but you caught it. The twitch in his jaw. A subtle shift behind the lenses of his goggles. An emotion you couldn’t quite place a finger on. But one that definitely didn’t seem good.

“I’m handling it,” you added.

“Yeah?” His voice was cool now. Guarded. “That thing looked like a walking nuke.”

“It’s definitely been stolen, if not sold off and a made to look stolen.”

That snapped him back to focus.

“Then let’s find it,” he said, already accelerating, his body cutting through the air like a bullet. You followed close behind, heart pounding in your chest.

You hadn’t exactly had practice flying. At most you floated. So you struggled to keep up with him as he shot through the air, but based on how short his responses were, you were completely fine flying behind him.

It wasn’t long however, until you picked up a voice talking about the robot in the warehouse district.

“Down there!” You call it out to him as you let yourself dive down. Invincible paused before following you down.

The warehouse was dimly lit, its metal walls groaning in the wind. You landed just outside the entrance, Invincible touching down beside you with barely a sound.

Inside, Aegis stood motionless. The glowing red core in its chest pulsed slowly like a heartbeat, casting a sickly light across the empty space. It didn’t move. Not at first.

“I don’t like this,” you muttered, eyeing the thing.

Invincible took a cautious step forward, voice low. “Trap?”

Before you could answer, the robot’s eyes lit up.

And it fired.

Twin beams of concentrated energy blasted toward you both. You dove right, tucking into a roll, while Invincible darted left, the shot narrowly missing him and melting a steel beam behind him.

“Definitely a trap!” you yelled.

The battle was fast, quick in a way that nearly made you sigh with relief. He moved before you did. Invincible punched it square in the chest, cracking the core’s casing, only to be swatted into a stack of crates that exploded in splinters.

When it aimed its arm cannon at him again, you grabbed its wrist and crushed it in your grip until wires sparked and snapped as you ripped the arm from its socket.

Then, while it staggered, Invincible launched forward and drove a fist into the cracked core. The casing gave way with a blinding surge of light.

Then silence.

Aegis collapsed with a metallic groan, the light in its eyes flickering out.

You stood over the wreckage, chest rising and falling, dusting yourself off. Your ears rang from the blast, and for a moment, all you could hear was your own breath.

And then the scrape of boots on concrete.

You turned, but Invincible was already walking away, shoulders tense, his silhouette vanishing into the darkness of the warehouse entrance without a word.

“Thanks for the help,” you said, voice just loud to carry.

He didn’t turn back. Didn’t say anything. Just left.

You stood there, still catching your breath, confusion knotting in your chest.

𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒

You don’t think you’ve ever seen a more horrifying sight.

Pinned to the corkboard in the intern office, bold and unmistakable, was the front page of today’s Daily Planet.

And there, dead center?

Was you.

Blurry, sure. Back turned. Cloaked in harsh shadows, cape fluttering behind you in the wind. But you’d recognize that symbol anywhere.

“Smallville! About time.” Lois snapped you out of your frozen panic, tugging you fully into the room. “So, last night? New hero shows up. A Superwoman, literally. Crashes the party, wraps up the robbers in metal, and takes off like it’s a Tuesday. I’ve got it on good sources that she helped Invincible take down the Aegis.”

“Oh, wow, that’s… uh—” You stammered, brain stalling as you tried not to look directly at the photo of yourself.

Lois was still talking, practically buzzing with excitement. “She’s strong. I mean really strong. Did you see how fast she moved?”

You tried to recover, playing it off with a shrug. “What makes her so special? I mean, there’s already a bunch of heroes out there.”

“That’s just it,” Jimmy cut in, turning his phone to show you another photo, this one much clearer. A woman in white floating midair, wind tossing her short hair. “She’s different. Like Omni-Man different. Or like this villain Invincible fought a month ago!”

You nodded numbly, recalling how hard Mark had struggled in that fight.

“Exactly,” Jimmy said. “Who just shows up like that and ties guys up in a stainless steel rod like they’re a Christmas present?”

“She’s powerful,” Lois said, eyeing the blurry photo like it owed her answers. “And smart. No wasted movement. No ego. Just in, out, done. The city is eating that up. But I want to know more. Who is she? What does she want? Is she just playing nice?”

You tried not to flinch under her gaze. It wasn’t accusatory, but Lois Lane didn’t miss much. And the glint in her eye was making your stomach twist.

“I mean, don’t get me wrong,” she added, flipping through her notes, “I like her style. But anyone that strong? They don’t stay anonymous for good reasons.”

You laughed, weak and nervous. “Well, maybe she just wants to help. Do good, you know?”

Lois raised a brow. “You’d be surprised. Not everyone is like you, Smallville. People aren’t good to be good.”

“Yeah. Sure.” You frowned as Lois and Jimmy, mostly Lois, began to discuss how they could find ‘Superwoman’ to force her into an interview.

𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒

You don’t think you’ve ever been so excited for lunch.

Well—you were excited. That changed a little when you realized Lois and Jimmy were coming too.

Normally, you wouldn’t mind. But today? Today they wouldn’t stop talking about Superwoman. Every second was a new theory, a new article idea, or another blurry photo Jimmy swore he could clean up. It made your stomach turn.

Still, despite the growing knot of anxiety, you sent a text to Mark. He’d been quiet since the warehouse incident. Too quiet. But maybe this would be a good way to break the silence.

You: Me, Jimmy, and Lois are heading to the cafe on the corner of 4th and 16th for lunch if you want to come with!

You sent it, locked your phone, and tried to stay focused. Tried.

Then, a few minutes later, the read receipt popped up.

Read 11:38 a.m.

And that was it. No bubbles. No reply. Nothing.

You stared at the screen for a moment too long. Mark could be bad at texting, sure—but he never left you on read. Ever. Even when he was late to reply, he always said something. A thumbs-up emoji. A dumb meme. A joke about Jimmy's hair. Anything.

The silence wasn’t just strange. It was pointed.

Your stomach twinged.

You tried to shake it off, slipping your phone into your jacket pocket just as Lois returned from ordering.

"Two coffees, one iced tea," she said, sliding into the booth beside you with a tray. "And one ridiculous sandwich for Jimmy because he refuses to accept normal portion sizes."

“I need the protein,” Jimmy defended, squeezing in on the other side. “You don’t know what it takes to carry two cameras and Lois’s drama.”

Lois shot him a glare that could’ve melted metal, and you smiled faintly, grateful for the distraction.

“Anyway,” Jimmy added, already halfway through his sandwich, “do we think Superwoman’s from this dimension?”

You nearly choked on your drink.

Jimmy had already claimed a table by the window, flipping her notebook open before the menus even hit the table. “Okay, new theory: what if Superwoman is a plant? Like, not from here. An alien.”

Lois snorted. “We’ve already got Omni-Man. You think there’s a whole lineup of them waiting in the wings?”

“Maybe she’s an alien too,” Jimmy said with a shrug. “Or government-grown. Clone? Weirder stuff’s happened.”

“Can we not accuse her of being a government weapon until she’s done something bad?” you mumbled into your drink.

Both of them paused and looked at you.

“What?” you asked, too quickly.

Lois narrowed her eyes, her expression shifting just enough to make your palms sweat.

"You're defending her," she said, almost amused. "Again."

You forced a laugh. “Sorry for not jumping on the paranoia train. She saved a whole building. That’s a point in her favor.”

Lois leaned back. “Just saying... you seem pretty interested in her lately, Kansas.”

Jimmy smirked. “Didn’t know you were into heroes.”

You made a show of rolling your eyes. But your hands stayed curled into fists under the table, nails biting your palms.

𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒

It wasn’t long after you got home from your shift that the front door opened without a knock.

Mark.

You’d given him a spare key months ago, just in case Pa ever needed anything and you couldn’t make it. He promised he’d be there if that ever happened.

Thank goodness it never did. But that key still got plenty of use. Mark used to stop by all the time, inviting himself in like it was second nature. You didn’t mind. Neither did Pa. He always said Mark was “a good one, raised right.” and was practically family by how much he’d visit.

But tonight?

Tonight was different.

Mark shut the door harder than necessary, his expression unreadable except for the tightness in his jaw and the way his didn’t soften when they met yours.

"Was it all just for show?" he asked, flatly. Coldly. Colder than you’d ever heard it directed at you.

You blinked, stunned. “W-what?”

He took a step closer, his voice rising. “Being my friend. Getting close to me. Pretending to be human. Was that all just an act?”

“Was it all fake? What? Were you just working up to the big pitch? Gonna try to convince me to join Viltrum too?”

You stared at him, stunned. “Mark, what the hell are you talking about?”

“You!” he snapped, jabbing a finger toward you. “You—you stood there last night, in a cape, flying. Like him. Like them. And you didn’t say anything.”

“Who’s them?” you asked, quieter than you meant to, your voice cracking.

“Oh, stop pretending.” Mark laughed. It wasn’t kind. “What’s next? You going to ask me to join Viltrum too?”

Your heart stopped.

“What are you talking about?” you breathed again, trying to hold your ground, even as your pulse pounded in your ears.

“Everything! You lied to me!” Mark’s voice cracked, filled with anger and betrayal. “All this time, and you never said a word. Then you, Superwoman, just show up out of nowhere—”

“Mark.” You tried to keep your voice steady, but even to your ears, it sounded fragile. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Stop lying!” Mark shouted, his voice echoing off the apartment walls.

“I’m not!” you snapped, your own voice rising despite yourself. “I—I don’t even know what the hell Viltrum is! I don’t know why you’re so angry—”

“Because you’re an alien lying to my face!” he yelled, taking a step forward.

“I’m not! I mean—” you hesitated, your throat closing up, “I am an alien, but I have no clue what you’re talking about!”

Mark stared at you, chest heaving. “So what, you just conveniently left out that you’re not human? That you’re bulletproof? That you fly?!”

You looked away, guilt slicing deep. “Because I don’t know who I am. I—I don’t know.”

And once you started, it was like the dam broke.

“That’s why I left home. I came to Earth in this ship, but there was nothing in it but me. This time, when it activated, I got some insane vision of this man, but I couldn’t understand any of it. It was all fragmented, jumbled. And when I came to, I was in that suit, and—”

Your voice cracked. You swallowed hard.

“Good people help people,” you said quietly, eyes dropping to the floor. “If I can do the things I can, why wouldn’t I?”

Your words felt like shattered glass in your throat. You didn’t expect them to fix anything, but at least they were true.

Mark let out a long breath through his nose, the fire behind his eyes finally dimming. He ran a hand through his hair and looked at you with a mixture of caution and something close to regret.

“You really have no idea?” he asked, more gently this time.

“None.”

Mark sank down onto the edge of the couch, elbows on his knees, his shoulders sagging. “I’m sorry,” he muttered. “I shouldn’t have come in like that. I thought you were… something else. Someone else.”

“It’s fine. I get it. I probably would’ve been—” You stopped yourself mid-sentence, blinking as a realization crept in. You turned to Mark with a confused look. “The picture in the paper didn’t show my face. Jimmy and Lois didn’t see me clearly either, so how did… you…”

Your voice trailed off as you stepped closer, narrowing your eyes at him.

Mark’s ears turned red almost immediately.

You stared, studying his face. “Wait… no. No way.”

A second passed.

Then it clicked. A bit embarrassingly slow, but undeniable.

You gasped, eyes wide. “Mark. You’re—”

[germesthegenie]

Seriously what was this guy’s problem

Been wanting to do a drawing with how I imagine Victoria’s fear aura to look like and this arc gave a good opportunity for that. Thoughts on the arc itself below

Ended up with a lot of thoughts this arc so doing this now rather than waiting for Arc 9. Also started writing more of these comments as I read rather than after the chapter/arc.

Arc 8

Looking at the audiobook and thought, Chapters at a reasonable length? Maybe?

Yay Defiant and Dragon!

I liked the little scene of Victoria asking about Armsmaster’s plan during the Leviathan fight in the context of her family’s deaths. Usually thought about if Aegis got killed as collateral damage from the luring plan and how Defiant felt about that now, kinda forgot Manpower was also there

Huh yeah kinda funny how tinker personalities divide like that. Some of these segments of Victoria’s narration do feel a bit rambly or tangential (sometimes kinda feels like WB taking any opportunity to expand the worldbuilding on powers) but at the same time can be fun and highlight how Victoria’s more of a cape nerd to Taylor’s power munchkin

“Wow Kenzie you sure know a lot about lead poisoning!” “Thanks I researched it a lot” … :(

More things building up for Capricorn’s story. Guessing he’s our next focus this arc or the next? Having to timeshare a body with contrasting personalities does sound like it’d suck, even moreso with the sexuality stuff

Damn Monokeros is creepy. Casually having Birdcage tier capes sitting in the same prison as lesser criminals, especially ones with that strong of a Master power, is probably the biggest flaw of the prison system here. Not to mention it being accessible enough to be the target of any capable masterminds in need of minions it seems. I forget, did Khepri or Scion collapse the Birdcage or something to that effect? Or is it just because it’s on Earth Bet that they don’t use it anymore?

Kenzie highlighted the main theme of Breakthrough’s powers: They almost all have incredibly strong and potentially deadly powers, but for one reason or another they hold back, for the most part because they’re heroes. It’s interesting, but also makes me wonder how things will go when they face a threat they can go all out on (like an Endbringer tier or someone with a kill order)

Finally got to see the whole “everyone jumps the rulebreakers” thing Tattletale talked about in the whole cops and robbers talk way back in Worm, at least for smaller time rulebreakers and not S Class threats.

Also still reinforces my thought that Prancer is essentially a more villainous Skitter from an outside perspective. The Undersiders were playing pretty loose with the Unwritten Rules as well by the end of things

Cryptid continues to get weirder and more horrifying what do you mean he has a form that gives birth

(8.7) Wretch, kill Monokeros with hammers please. And Kenzie please don’t internalize what the creepy child killer thinks.

I’ve only had the Major Malfunctions for 1 chapter and if anything happened to them I would kill everyone in this room and then Carol

Ok actually Carol is being kinda cool here… how is she gonna mess this up? Aside from the probably unintentional bit where she assumed Tristan was straight

(8.9) The little secret the group’s keeping from Victoria… I’m guessing its Wretch related or Amy related

“We’re gonna show everyone we can handle PR” ok cool how will you do that Vic- “by telling everyone what happened in Gold Morning” what

(8.11) This is feeling like a high stakes version of 25.4… This won’t end with a 7th Endbringer, right? /j

(8.11) These hosts could never be O, J, and Koffi like they are just all kinds of awful.

That said, it makes sense Victoria is better with PR than Taylor, given New Wave basically depends on PR

Speaking of, Taylor mention! Love the ascension of her rep to “traumatized literally everyone”, and not even using bugs to do it. Wonder how she’d react to that if she somehow learned about it on Aleph.

(8.12) Actually can a 7th Endbringer show up and kill Hamza and John Combs? What the hell is their problem

Between these guys and the Martins, by comparison Carol might actually not be that bad- wait Carol what are you doing

(8.12) Oh ok that’s where Carol messes it all up. Sees Victoria forced to confront her trauma in front of thousands and went “How can I make this about Amy 😈”

Granted, Amy was kinda dragged into the spotlight as well with all that. Fuck Hamza, seriously. Still, not now Carol.

(8.12)…Speaking of. Well damn Amy didn’t realize you had game like that.

(8.x) Please take all of Kenzie’s suffering and give it to Hamza and John Combs

Awkward girl who thinks of herself as weird? Surprising calm confidence in dangerous situations? Incredibly down bad narration around a specific guy? Close enough, Natalie. Welcome back Arc 1-7 Taylor /j

Hookline and Kitchen Sink losing to an untrained civilian and a mostly techless Tinker they are never living this down 😭

(8.y) Every fanfic with Scapegoat in it should have him just randomly keel over with injuries from another Scapegoat’s healing (ik thats not how it works but it’d be funny)

Gotta love power synergies, even if it’s Teacher exploiting them. Also Valefor really does just keep winning (in terms of getting to use his power, probably not gonna be winning as Teacher’s thrall)

Dinah mention?? What’s she up to now?

And a Contessa mention. Not liking that Teacher has plans for her.

[ggukkiedae]

how did bts react when they found out about the breakup?? also happy ur back!!!

hi! thank you so much, i'm glad to be back! i'm honestly so excited to start writing again, ive been out of inspiration and motivation but i'm slowly getting into the groove of things again~

okay so since the boys were all in the military at the time, yoonmi told the boys that she and mark broke up through a message in the group chat. this is how they reacted:

jin immediately asked her if there was anything she needed. he felt guilty that he couldn't be there, so he ordered her favorite food for her and had it sent to her apartment right then and there. he'd make sure to send her a little joke every night after that because he wants to make sure she ends her day with a smile

yoongi's dad mode turns on and he is the first to text her privately since he sees her message right away. "you okay, princess?" he keeps it short and simple, knowing she'll open up when she's ready. as soon as he has spare time from his civil service, he calls her to let her talk about how she felt and what happened and carefully answers in a way where he shows he understands her and that he's there for her always.

hobi spams the group chat immediately. "are you okay?" "what happened, makdungie?" "did he hurt you?" "do you need us?" his worry is obvious. knowing she's prone to neglecting herself when she's upset, he sends her a long message privately reminding her that she's still the brightest like and no heartbreak can take that away from her. then he sends her cute little animal videos to cheer her up

namjoon, ever the doting leader, reminded her that it's okay to grieve over something that was so important in her life for six years. he also reminds her that she's not alone, she had him, the boys, her brothers and sister, and her friends to support her. although he was worried, he made sure to maintain a calm and stable presence she can lean on, even through the phone

jimin turns to their private messages, sending her voice messages. "hey, aegi, i hate that i can't be there with you right now. i'd give you the tightest hug ever. but know that you deserve better than someone who'd let you go, okay? lean on us, message us when you want to, we're always here for you". he puts together a care package with her favorite snacks and random comfort things labelled "for our princess"

taehyung sees her message and decides to go simple. he responds "i'm sorry, aegi. we love you". he curates a playlist of comforting songs leading into uplifting songs and sends it to her. aside from that, he waits for her to reach out first since he doesnt want to overwhelm her. when she does reach out, he sits patiently, reading her messages as she explains further in depth and just reminds her. "i'm here. i'm listening"

jungkook takes the breakup personally. that's his ride or die, essentially his twin. he messages "what did he do." none of his usual emojis or text nuances, showing how angry he is with mark. he messages haechan "tell him it's hiss loss." then inmediately applies for a leave for just a day (which is already a lot from the military). but while waiting for that, he spends his designated phone time at night on call with her, making her feel better because he would not rest until she felt okay. if there even is one mention of mark, all he'd say is "his loss. always." then move on, keeping him off her mind

[artbyblastweave]

In regards to Worm, have thee thoughts on Aegis? In general but also more specifically do you think there is a good way to describe the ultra stacked redundancies but specifically not on the fly adaptations?

If I squint I can sort of see why Wildbow picked him as a potential protagonist successor, in that as far as I can recall his described WOG trigger is basically just a completely physical version of the same kind of bullying she was on the receiving end of. Would have been interesting to see a version of the book where he was around concurrently with the Slaughterhouse and with Bonesaw more specifically. As far as the naming convention thing goes.... I don't think there's necessarily a good way to collapse the more involved description of his biofuckery into a punchy descriptive phrase in the vein of "Tactile Telekinesis." Sometimes you just need a paragraph containing a metaphor in order to accurately convey what a superpower does, and it often does bug me when people try to come up with wikia-style titles for extremely niche powers. Worm itself pokes fun at this impulse in arc 8 when it has a PRT grunt refer to Skitter's power as "arthropodokinesis-" motherfucker, that term did not exist before your boss decided that you needed a more-official-sounding way to say that she can control bugs. You are conveying negative information compared to just saying she can control bugs. And you aren't gonna run into enough guys who can do "arthropodokinesis" that you'll need a general term for it. All you're really conveying- or attempting to convey- is the impression that there's a term for this, that the institution knows what it's looking at, and implicitly that they have a playbook for it (they don't.) Great beat.

[trashlie]

Hiii!! How are you??

I have a question, since you have a big brain- What do you think it means in chapter 235 (I Love Yoo) when Shin-ae thinks about Yeong-gi and the backgrownd goes from yellow to orange to red to black? I thought it was going to end with red as to mean "love", but black?? Is it because Yeong-gi is pushing Shin-ae away?

Hello, Nonny I am okay!!!! I've been a little distracted this last week but I'm doing well!!! :3

You are right about the colors! The background goes from yellow (caution) and slowly starts to warm up, until yes, we see the point, the moment when her feelings go from wariness and caution to trust, where her feelings begin to develop and become feelings of a whole other nature.

But it jumps from the moment she comes to trust him to the moment he is - very pointedly and literally - leaving her in the dark. Consider Shinae's feelings at that moment, when Nol blindfolds himself to hide his tears to hide his state of mind to hide his fears and insecurities and feelings. It leaves her so frustrated and hurt. He's literally left her in the dark. She doesn't understand why he won't show these parts of himself that she is so desperately hungry for to her. It's the moment that her feelings have really come to a head, too; all along they've been developing, brewing, slowly shifting from wariness to friendship to these feelings to want to want to want but in that moment she hasn't figured it out - not the moment when he hides himself from her and not this moment as she's talking about the feelings with Maya.

He's left her in the dark but she, too, is in the dark about her own feelings. What she feels about him now is so much more complex than it once was, full of so much want and need - to see him to know him to stay by his side (to have him[SCREAMS]) and she herself doesn't know what any of it means what she feels. It's left her confused and frustrated. Her feelings are simultaneously a series of comfort and trust but also feeling like crap and so the color is black, because in that moment what she's feeling isn't warmth, isn't comfort but instead frustration, feeling hurt, feeling like crap because he won't let her in.

[saline-coelacanth]

Man, I love all the little hints from before Zeke joins the party that show that he's not actually a bad guy or an antagonist, most of them I only really noticed upon revisiting scenes. Just to list some examples off the top of my head:

The most obvious one is probably the part where he grabs Turters from Pyra instead of, well, grabbing Pyra. I say this is the most obvious because Rex actually points out the fact that Zeke just grabbed his turtle when he easily could have grabbed Pyra and Nia simply brushes it off as Zeke being an idiot

In both the first and second encounter, when Zeke goes to use his Ultimate Lightning Fury Slash, he doesn't actually hit the party with the move, they take no damage from it. He simply wanted to show off his cool move. (And then they both backfired but that's irrelevant to the current conversation)

In the second encounter when Nia asks him about his eyepatch, Zeke starts talking about the Eye of Shining Justice and how it's power must be used to save all of humanity one day. Yeah, talking about saving all of humanity doesn't really sound like something a villainous bad guy would talk about.

This point isn't really super substantial, but in the second encounter when Zeke and Pandoria are running away from the boulder, we get the first instance where we hear him refer to Pandoria as Pandy. And sure, it's possible for villains to have cute little nicknames for their partners even if they are evil, but at the very least I feel like this does show a bit of a softer side for Zeke and I wanted to mention it.

We can also see that softer side in the first encounter with Turters. Yeah, just Turters as a whole. Again, it's entirely possible for villains to have beloved mascots/pets that they adore, but it does still show a bit of a softer side for Zeke.

I haven't really mentioned the third encounter simply because it's pretty much right before the reveal that Zeke isn't really a bad guy, but I do think it is fair to mention how Zeke sort of drops the villainous persona and does act a bit more friendly towards the group. He refers to Rex as 'chum' even before the fight, he greets Nia when she calls him Shellhead without any argument, overall he just seems more chill I guess while also being more serious? It's hard to describe. BUT, he's no longer trying to 'steal the Aegis' and yeah, he straight up says that he's here to see how strong Rex is which I think also adds to why Rex himself comes to the conclusion that Zeke isn't a bad guy.

Another main point I find really neat is how a lot of Zeke's failed attempts at seeming like a genuine threat end up coming across as him just being an incompetent bandit rather than the skilled Driver and genuinely good person that he actually is. Again, him grabbing Turters instead of Pyra and his failed attacks on the party cause Nia to call him an idiot when in reality, he was never actually trying to get his hands on the Aegis or seriously harm the party, he was just keeping an eye on the Aegis and her Driver.

Again, I just love this character a lot and when you get obsessed with a character, you will over analyze every aspect of that character to the point of possibly seeming insane lol. Like, there's so much more about Zeke that I have over analyzed and obsessed over but if I went into every little detail we'd be here all day.

[bteezxyewriter12]

Coachella Vibes

Pairing- Mingi x Named Reader

Word count- 1.5k

Includes- Coachella Mingi, rough sex, cock riding, sex from behind, dirt talk, multiple orgasms, fluff

Tag List- @mingtina @jaxminnie @yeosayang @delightfulmoonbanana @tannie13 @y00nzin0 @marsstarxhwa

@yeosxxx @seokwoosmole @jjongsbebe @wisejudgedragonhairdo @meowmeowminnie @woo-stars @borntowalkaway @usagionthered @san-realblkwife @seonghwasstar @jejeyeppeo @soulseobi05 @kpop-bambi @prayerofthehaim @realisticnotes @pinkies-things @insomniacatiny @stephy-nicole13 @mknae-jongho @bykeynote

Masterlists- check out for more fics

📝Masterlists 📝ATEEZ Masterlist 📝Mingi Masterlist

Mingi POV

I fumble with the key card, missing the slot to put it in completely

I try again and miss

It's hard to find it without looking

"Baby wait", I groan against her lips, trying to break the kiss

"Mmm", she whines in my mouth, her arms tightening around my neck

"Need to get in the room aegi", I murmur

We need to get in the room stat or we're just gonna end up fucking in the hallway

I'm still all riled up from the Coachella performance and I need her right now

It took everything in me not to take her right in the car on the way to the hotel

Since we got in the elevator I've been kissing her wildly, picking her up and holding her, her legs feeling so good wrapped around my waist

How I managed to carry her down the hall to the room and get the key card from my pocket, I don't know

I just know I need to get in the fucking room

"Aegi wait", I say, pulling back slightly, looking at the door

I jam the card in the slot, pull it out, the light turning green

Finally

Shoving the door open, I kick it closed, hit the light switch, illuminating the room

I barely make it to the bed, landing on top of her, her lips right against mine again

"Mmmm", I moan, falling into her kiss

Her kisses are everything, making me feel things I've never felt before

She presses her body against mine, her hands sliding down and undoing my belt, her tongue down my throat

I grab her shirt, pulling it and ripping it down the middle, the sound of it tearing so satisfying

Breaking the kiss, I push her tattered shirt off and we quickly undress each other, clothes flying all over the place

She sits up, her lips against mine again as she pushes me back, climbing in my lap

There are no words exchanged, just kisses as she holds my dick up, positioning herself over me

I grip her hips, waiting for her to sit on me

She takes me in slowly, her tight little pussy opening just enough for my cock to slide in, immediately clenching around me as she goes down

My cock is flooded in her juice as unbelievable pleasure runs through my body

She sits up, leaning back on my leg, her head tilted back, pleasure on her face as she moves her hips in a circle, wiggling down the rest of my cock

I hit her spot, her gorgeous body shivering, a soft moan of my name sounding in the room

She begins to move immediately, bouncing slowly on my dick, her head moving down, her eyes directly on me

I watch the gorgeous erotic sight of her riding me and I've never been more turned on

She moves a touch faster each bounce, her pussy so tight around my cock

"Mmm Mingi", she whimpers, getting a good pace going, her boobs wiggling as she moves, "So good"

I nod, "So good baby"

My eyes travel down and I moan when I see the pretty creamy mess she's leaving all over my cock

It's everywhere, a thick creamy ring around the base of my cock

Her pretty pussy lips petal open as she takes me inside her, her hole straining around my cock

"Fuck so hard Mingi"

I nod, groaning, "You're so wet baby. So tight. So warm fuck"

She bounces faster, the loud sound of her pussy squelching around my cock mixing with the sound of our skin hitting

She grinds on me every time she takes me in, rubbing her spot with my head, her pussy closing around my cock every time she does

"Oh god", she cries, hopping on my cock like a bunny, sweat all over her body

"Yeah baby fuck, so pretty on my cock", I praise her, "Doing such a good job"

She whines, leaning her hand on my chest, right on the "fix on" that was painted on my body

"Mmm aegi", I groan, watching her ride me hard, feeling her clench me tightly, "That's it baby. Fuck yourself on my cock"

"Mingi", she cries, her nails digging into my chest

"Yes fuck don't stop", I urge her, the pleasure so fucking good, "Fuck yourself on it until you cum all over my cock"

"Mingi", she whines

"C'mon baby", I moan, "You can do it. Wanna feel you cum"

God, I crave that pleasure

I never chased a girl's orgasm the way I chase hers

I just want to feel it over and over

It's that good

"Please aegi", I groan, "Cum for my cock and I promise I'll fuck you after"

She slams down harder, her body shaking with her impending orgasm

Her pussy throbs so blissfully, I want to stay inside her forever

"Please baby", I whine

The next slam down, has her body stiffening as she climaxes, screaming my name

"Mingi!"

Intense pleasure washes over me as I groan, watching the pretty sight of her coming

"So pretty baby", I praise her as she finishes

Her eyes open, looking down at me and I grin up at her

She leans down, kissing me and I eagerly kiss her back

I roll us over, kissing her, her arms around my neck, her fingers in my hair and I swear this is what I want everyday with her

Not just fucking like we've been doing

I want her, all of her

We pull away when the kiss ends and I roll her to her stomach, helping her on her hands and knees

"Gonna fuck you so good baby", I tell her, "Make this pussy cum again"

With that, I shove inside her hard, bottoming out in one shot, her loud cries of pleasure so fucking beautiful

I move fast, pumping my cock in her pussy, bottoming out with every thrust

"Yes Mingi", she moans

I lean over her back, her soft sweaty skin against mine, my arm wrapped around her waist

Her pussy takes my huge dick so well, sucking on my cock as I go inside, locking around me, trying to keep me in when I pull out

Moving her hair over one of her shoulders, I press kisses into her neck, loving the way her skin trembles under my lips

"Mingi", she moans softly, her arm reaching behind her, wrapping around my neck, holding me close

"Baby", I whisper, nuzzling into her neck as I keep thrusting in her pleasurable pussy

"Don't stop", she whines

"I won't", I assure her, splitting her cunt wide open, "Not until you cum for me again"

She nods, her body shivering with each hit to her spot, cunt spasming so blissfully

"Gonna cum", she whines, making me move faster

"Do it baby", I groan, her pussy becoming so tight, it's hard to push through

Shoving in, she screams my name as she explodes, shaking under me as I keep fucking her

"Fill me Mingi", she begs, pushing her ass against my pelvis, keeping me inside her as her cunt throbs

"Fuck Joanne", I cry, burying in her tiny cunt, ecstacy bursting in my body as I cum

My body shakes as I shoot cum inside her, her cunt milking my cock so expertly, driving me crazy

As we come down from the pleasure, I pull out, laying down next to her on my back, panting

She comes closer to me and I move my arm around her, pulling her against me

She lays her head on my chest, breathing hard too, her body curled against mine

I kiss the top of her head, her soft giggle so adorable

She kisses my jaw and I turn my head down to her, capturing her soft lips in a kiss

Her arm moves around my neck as I turn my body to hers, both my arms wrapped around her, keeping her firmly against me

The kiss is soft, sweet, exactly what I need right now

After, I look down into her beautiful eyes, my fingers running in her hair

"I love you", I whisper softly

A gorgeous smile comes on her face as she says, "I love you Mingi"

"Yeah?", I ask, smiling

She nods, "Yeah. So much"

I nod, knowing how she feels, "So much baby"

She giggles, giving me a peck on the lips

"You're mine", I say softly

"Always baby", she answers, "You're mine too"

"One hundred percent", I assure her

"Good", she smiles

I nod, "Good"

She cuddles into me, hugging me tightly as I do the same

"Baby, I gotta shower", I tell her

She laughs, "Yeah, you gotta wash this paint shit off"

"Hey you like it"

"Of course", she agrees, her eyes sparkling, "But you can't sleep in it"

She's right about that

"Can you come with me?", I ask, not wanting to be apart from her yet

"Yeah baby, of course"

"Thanks aegi"

She smiles, kissing me again

Then we disentangle from each other and I stand up

Reaching for her, I pick her up, her soft squeak so cute

"I can walk Mingi", she says, laughing

"I know but I wanna carry you baby. Your so cute and compact"

She snorts, "Ok baby. Lead the way"

"Yes ma'am", I laugh, carrying my baby to the bathroom for a shower

[nuttersincorporated]

Portal Timeline Including Fan Content (accurate to the best of my ability)

1944 Cave Johnson buys a salt mine and starts Aperture Science Innovators

1950’s Aperture’s heyday! Astronauts, war heroes and Olympians come to Aperture to help advance science

1952 Testing on Repulsion Gel begins

Portal Stories: Mel; Mel arrives at Aperture and goes into long term relaxation

1953 The first quantum tunnelling portal technology is created

1968 Aperture is investigated by the US Senate over missing astronauts.

1971 Testing begins on Propulsion Gel

Aperture now promises to give $60 to anyone desperate enough to volunteer for testing

1981 Cave Johnson buys moonrock, finds it makes a good portal surface and turns it into Conversion Gel. He also finds that he’s allergic to moon rock and develops cancer (Fun fact! Moon dust does give people allergic like reactions. We don’t know how toxic it is)

1982 Cave starts looking for a way to live forever through technology. He says that if he dies before it’s finished, his assistant Caroline is to be put in charge of Aperture whether she wants to or not. If they need to, he tells them to put her in his machine – once it’s finished – and make her immortal.

Aperture starts to have AI staff.

The human staff are now forced to be test subjects.

Portal: Revolution; One of the scientists working on brain mapping technology is Emilia Conly.

1986 Aperture finds out Black Mesa is working on portal technology. In response, Aperture starts properly working on developing GLaDOS

1987 Cave dies

Late 1980’s or early 1990’s Aperture Desk Job; A personality core called Grady and a human Aperture employee test toilets. They make toilet turrets and meet a version of Cave who survived death by becoming a giant robot head.

Robot-head-Cave begs for death but can’t be killed. He falls into the bowels of Aperture where he will live forever. Grady and the human Aperture employee go into witness protection.

1990’s Caroline is forced into having her mind uploaded into GLaDOS

GLaDOS tries to kill everyone

The scientists attach personality cores on her, to try and control her

Extrusion tunnels are invented

2000’s GLaDOS kills almost all the scientists and begins perpetual testing

Portal Reloaded; An AI learns that GLaDOS will be defeated at some point in the future. They wake test subject 4509 and gets her to test with the triple portal gun, in the hope that she’ll be able to change the future

GLaDOS makes the Lazer Redirection Cubes

Lab Rat; Doug Rattmann puts Chell at the top of the testing list

Portal 1; you know how it goes

Between Portal and Portal 2

With no humans or central core to tell them what to do, some of the AIs start to do their own thing

Aperture starts to fall apart

Portal Reloaded; Test subject 4509 and the time aware AI appear, solve tests and go back in time.

Test subject 4509 escapes and probably dies almost immediately

Betty Help; Betty wants to help everyone

Portal: Revolution; Aperture continues to decay. A cleaning core called Stirling decided to reactive GLaDOS by getting a test subject to use the Spire. The Spire doesn’t work as intended, things get teleported about and the test subject ends up deep underground.

Emilia Conly has a copy of her memory and personality uploaded into a core. Emilia and the test subject stop Stirling and they end up on the moon.

The Underground; Due to the shenanigans in Portal Revolution, another one of Cave’s try-to-cheat-death machines is activated. A version of Cave finds himself in the Mainframe.

The Mainframe instructs some Aperture AIs to set up a sifting system for cores. Cores the Mainframe likes get added to the Mainframe. Cores he doesn’t like get turned into Party Escort Robots.

Portal Stories: Mel; Virgil falls into old Aperture. He wakes up Mel and gets her to help him get back up. The two inadvertently triggering AEGIS. AEGIS sees them as a threat and try to kill them.

AEGIS shakes Aperture while trying to kill Virgil and Mel. This scares Wheatley who starts waking test subjects and spending them to find the portal gun. He wakes six test subjects (Doug Rattmann is possibly one of them) and assumes they die when he can no longer see them.

Mel beats AEGIS and Virgil helps her escapes to freedom. As AEGIS shuts down, it wakes Chell.

Wheatley knocks on Chell’s door

Portal 2! If you’ve read this far, you know the plot of Portal 2 and you don’t need me to summaries it

Portal 2 Co-op

Aperture Tag: The Paint Gun Testing Initiative; Nigel – a personality core designed by GLaDOS – gets a test subject to test with a Paint Gun. The Paint Gun shoots repulsion and propulsion gel. The test subject tests and does maintenance by deactivating the Aperture Laboratories Stability Stable Energy Reactor (ALSSER).

Meet the Cores; various Aperture cores are doing their own thing around the facility. Aperture seem to be falling apart again

Edit: Since the multiverse is a thing in Portal canon, anything that doesn’t fit properly can be treated as if it happens in another universe. VALVe has said that Aperture Desk Job can be treated like an AU but might also become fully canon at some point.

There’s a good chance that The Underground is set after Portal 2 rather than between the main games. This means that GLaDOS and the Mainframe could conceivably have a showdown at some point which would be fun to see (I might write a fanfic about this at some point).

[nozomisumino]

Mikhail is one of my favourite Xenoblade 2 characters. Without the context of Torna he comes across as a pompous ass who initially doesn't have much reason to act the way he does. We learn later that he's a blade eater and his hatred for Amalthus spans from the way he killed the others with him.

However, with the context of Torna the way he acts is tragic to think about. He was a child who never knew his parents and was sold off to slave traders. He survived the destruction of Porton Village and was saved by Jin and Lora who were passing through at the time.

Jin, and especially Lora became parental figures of sorts towards him. Despite his quiet nature at the time he was happy. He opened up to Lora and became attached, she was the first person in his life who showed him the care and affection he never had growing up.

He also became close with Milton who became his closest friend. He didn't trust many others at the time due to his past but he was influenced by those around him. Especially Jin, but also Addam, his goofy, jovial nature being part of the person he created himself as later on.

Mikhail developed a hatred towards the Aegis, and Mythra specifically due to the way she was the reason behind the Destruction of Torna, and his friend Milton. After Torna's destruction he left alongside Jin, Haze and Lora, being experimented on by Amalthus alongside the other Tornan refugees.

It can be assumed Jin rescued Mikhail at a later point, sometime after Lora's death. They then, along with Malos who saved Jin from the brink of despair, then decided to form Torna as a way to fight back against Amalthus' tyranny.

Unlike how he was as a child, Mikhail is now playful and extroverted. It's interesting since it is a coping mechanism in which he distracts from his hatred and depression. His personality is like a mixture of all of those from Torna, both New and Old. It also represents the death of his old self.

I love his character so much because he is also the only person who can understand Jin's previous attachments, other than Malos who became his other half. Mikhail is loyal to Jin and would do anything he asked. They both couldn't move on past their trauma and feelings of loss until the end.

[wearingmysugarcoat]

Have you all seen the new trailer? It is so gorgeous! I am looking forward to how the new Episode of Beast Yeast will play out. I have refrained myself from making too many new elaborate theories or analyses before the story would be concluded, but the new trailers really sparked some thoughts inside of my brain I desperately need to get out.

Awakened Hollyberry Cookie is also called Aegis Hollyberry Cookie. In Greek mythology, the Aegis is a powerful shield wielded by both Athena and Zeus. Hollyberry Cookie wields a shield as well, and with her transformation her shield does the same. She remembers the true purpose of her shield, and the fact she held the shield not to protect herself, but to protect others. To be underneath someone's aegis means to be protected by someone. Awakened Hollyberry Cookie is the Aegis, the powerful protector of her Kingdom.

A more curious thing about this Aegis name is the fact that in Greek mythology, the creature making this shield so strong is the decapitated head of Medusa. This head is what makes the shield so strong. Medusa is a Gorgon, a monstrous creature with snakes as hair, who can turn anyone who looks at her into stone.

Eternal Sugar Cookie has some minor allusions to Medusa in her design. She has a lot of snake symbolism surrounding her, possibly connecting to the snakes in Medusa's hair. But more importantly, she is implied to be able to turn other Cookies into statues, according to a line of dialogue from Pavlova Cookie.

The head of Medusa sits in the middle of the Aegis. Awakened Hollyberry Cookie's shield has her usual Soul Jam slightly altered, looking pointier like the one Eternal Sugar Cookie has. Additionally, it has wings, like Eternal Sugar Cookie as well.

I wouldn't say that this insinuates Hollyberry Cookie has decapitated Eternal Sugar Cookie for her shield, or ripped off her wings. It would be pretty out of character for Hollyberry to be so violent towards Eternal Sugar. Perhaps this is simply implying the internal battle of defeating Eternal Sugar's temptation of Sloth, rather than a physical one. And the triumph of that inner battle made her (and with that her shield) stronger.

I am very curious about this new chapter, I can not wait! I avoided talking about Shadow Milk Cookie, because I genuinely have no idea what he could be doing there, but... I can't say I'm not interested.