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softjeon · 3 years

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Falling for you | Pt. 2

• Pairing: Jimin x Namjoon • Genre: fluff, nsfw-content | Rating: Mature | Christmas!AU / Curse!AU • Words: 12k | AO3 • Disclaimer: mentioning of blood, accidents, alcohol

written with @cassiavioletblue

↳ Everyone told him that love was the highest aim, that it was what completes you and made you happy…but he was never lucky like that. It just took a piece of him and left scars on his heart every time. He was done with that. He had given up on love a long time ago so he should stick to it or else not only he would be affected.

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His eyes were narrowed as he watched him with intent.

“You shouldn’t mess with the occult.” He didn’t even ask, before taking a seat right in front of the stranger, teacup still in hand, while he let his fingers drum against the porcelain in a melodic rhythm. Leaning his head aside, a smile pulled at the corner of his lips. “It usually backfires when you’re a mere human.”

Namjoon startled when the stranger sat down at his table, talking before Namjoon even had time to realize that the other was talking to him. He quickly shut the book, placing it cover down on the table so the other couldn’t read the title even though the vague comment suggested that he already knew what kind of book Namjoon was reading.

“Ah, I’m just reading this for fun, of course I don’t believe in it!” His cheeks heated and he felt strangely caught in the act even though he didn’t need to explain himself to some stranger.

“Sure, you don’t. That’s what all of them say and then they regret calling for a demon.” He leaned a little more over the table, eyeing the man a little more thoroughly. He was tall, handsome, dark hair falling into his face and he wondered what a man like him could want. “Will you tell me yourself or do I need to tickle it out of you?” Yoongi teased the man, taking another sip from his tea. “Maybe I can help with what you’re looking for.”

“Demon? I’d never… they don’t exist! And even if why would I risk something like that!” How he wished there were a better solution, a real one that didn’t have him grasping at straws. His life was falling apart, slowly but surely and if he didn’t do something then he would be bankrupt and lost by the end of the months. There was nothing left to do but worse of all...he was alone. He was desperately, utterly alone. The pain seared through him again at the thought of his boyfriend - ex-boyfriend - who had left him there, in the hallway, giving back the ring they had worn for months. Of course, Namjoon hadn’t really thought that they would marry after he had given him that ring, it was just a symbol, just a tiny gesture that he loved him, with all his heart, that he wanted to stay with him, bind his live to him… he stopped his thoughts before the well-known feeling of his throat constricting and his eyes burning would take over and he would started to cry in front of that stranger that had decided coming up to him and talking nonsense was a good idea.

“You know lying to me won’t help when I see right through you. You’re hurt.” Yoongi pinpointed right away, “Awfully hurt and you’re desperate enough to look for an out. I guess nothing else helped. No one else there to share money. So…” He clicked his tongue, leaning his chin on his hands that he folded together, gazing into Namjoon’s eyes. “How can a witch like me help you.”

“Okay, that’s enough, I won’t let you talk to me like th…” His voice died out, his anger fading until it only left a mixture of wariness and hope. “Did you say witch? What do you mean by that? Are you telling me you’re going to read the cards for me? Or wave some pendulum and everything will get better?” He didn't dare to ask the other if he had actual magic powers but anything in him wanted to believe that exactly that was the case that the strange man in front of him could wipe away his pain and sorrow by flicking a magic wand.

“I could do that, yeah...” Yoongi hummed, “But I don’t exactly think you were looking for that so… tell me, what is it I can help you with…” His eyes never left Namjoon’s who suddenly had gotten a glint in them that told Yoongi that he had found a desperate human, ready to give everything.

“Okay, let’s just pretend for a second that you could help me - what exactly would you do? I don’t think you would lend me money and fix my problems for free. What would be in it for you?” He fixated the other who did not look like he was some magical being. His hair had an unnatural color, and he wore strange clothes and jewelry but with a bit of hair day and a shopping trip at hot topic anyone could make themselves look like that.

“That actually depends on what you need. Every spell, every deal or potion is different, just as individual as the one asking for it. So, you need to be clear of what you want. The more I know, the more I can help you.” He put his tea back down, pursing his lips as he noticed it being empty already. Hovering a finger over the empty cup, Yoongi began to swirl it around and slowly with every swirl the tea filled itself up again. “And of course, nothing is for free. There’s always a crux of the matter, but it depends if you’re willing to pay the price.”

“Oh, of course, I should have thought of that, so how much is it if..” Yoongi Swirled his fingers and Namjoon forgot what he had wanted to say. His mind went totally blank when he saw the cup filing itself. His first instinct was that this was a trick, that this was some scam to get people’s money but there was something in that stranger's face, a spark in his eyes that told him everything he needed to know. This was magic! The real deal. Everything he had ever dared to hope for was suddenly within reach. Wild, unadulterated joy filled his heart and he let himself imagine how it would feel to be free of that pain, free of his sorrows, free of everything that had weighted him down these last few weeks and made him feel like there was a noose around his neck pulling tighter and tighter. “I want you to fix my life!” He whispered breathlessly, “I want you to fix everything - and I’ll pay whatever it costs.”

“Everything? Oh,” Yoongi chuckled, “I can’t fix everything. There’s always a loss, so you have to be detailed with me. Do you want money? Luck? Love? What is it exactly that you’re seeking?” Tipping his chin, he studied Namjoon again, “I told you, I need to know more…so spill it, human.”

Namjoon shook his head. “Not love. I’m done with that. Everyone tells you that love is the highest aim, that it’s what completes you and makes you happy… but I was never lucky like that. It just took a piece of me and left scars on my heart every time. And after the last time... I’m just finished. I want to concentrate on myself for once. My rent for next month is due next week and I haven’t even paid it for this one simply because I don’t have any! I will lose the apartment if I don’t get some money soon, because I’ve ignored a letter too many about how ‘this is the last warning’. I have no food left, no friends or family to help because I moved here for my partner and put all my time and energy in the relationship. I’ve gotten none of the jobs I applied for and to be honest I don’t even want to get them because it’s not what I want to do with my life. I have ideas, lots of them, but neither the contacts nor the money to do anything about it. So, I don’t know what exactly it would take to do something about it but if your magic can help then I’m all up for it.”

A smirk appeared on Yoongi’s lips. “Oh, that makes it a lot easier. Fortune, money, knowledge and a little bit of luck is that I can give to you just for one little thing in return.” He licked the remains of tea off his spoon and took his time, before finishing his sentence. “Everyone you love, you truly deeply love, will get hurt. One way or another. But if you’re not up for love anymore, you shouldn’t care about that little, small detail. It shouldn’t bother you.” Yoongi got up, pushing the chair back in place, stretching himself just a little before he walked ahead. He stopped, peeking over his shoulder. “What do you say, Kim Namjoon. Do we have a deal?”

Namjoon furrowed his brows. “That’s the strangest deal I’ve ever heard of! Shouldn’t you want like… a piece of my soul or my first born or something like that? I’m not in love with anyone right now and if it’s up to me I won’t fall in love ever again. Because I’m sick of ending up lost and betrayed and hurting every time. So even if I might fall in love against my will I dont mind if its them hurting for once. We have a deal, witch!” He held out his hand and the other gripped it with his delicate hand. Yoongi’s grip was strong and relentless and Namjoon swallowed hard when a rush of heat went through his palm, travelling up his arm. For a second fear crept up inside of him as he wondered if he’d made the wrong decision, but he calmed down quickly. This was the best deal he had ever made! He would get what he wanted - without having to pay anything in return. Nothing that really counted for him anyways…

…

Jimin blew a string of hair out of his face, looking down at the small mountain of laundry he had collected and was trying to push into the washing machine. He was actually kind of proud how he was holding up so far and Namjoon had shown himself as a kindhearted man - at least when he was around. Usually when Jimin was in his apartment the other was either out working or on his phone, locking himself in his office again. He pushed the button, smiling when the machine began to swirl the dirty laundry and so he turned around with a satisfied sigh.

Jimin yawned tiredly, grabbing his jacket to pull it halfway over his frame when he saw Namjoon's back. The other was still wearing his suit, all dressed up as he usually did. It was no surprise seeing him like that and Jimin wondered if he'd ever seen Namjoon wear anything else but suits at home. The first thing he did was switching his jeans for sweatpants the moment he was home. Did Namjoon sleep in a suit as well?

"Wait for me, please!" He called out, quickening his steps.

Quickly Namjoon reached out to stop the door from closing. “Oh, I didn't know that you were here.” He had needed to get something from his office and because it had been so quiet, and the lights went on and off automatically he had thought that he was here alone. “Did you finish for today?” He asked the younger with a polite smile.

“I was in the laundry room.” Jimin nodded, mimicking his smile as he came to a halt right next to Namjoon. The other was way taller and broader than him and now that he stood right by his side it was even more evident how small he was. “But I’m finished now, so i’m heading home.” His eyes wandered down to where the shirt was straining against Namjoon’s chest. “And you? Are you off to get some drinks...with friends or…?” He didn’t really finish his question, not really sure if Namjoon liked personal questions - but Jimin was actually curious. He hadn’t seen any hints of a lover, nor really any friends.

“Oh, I’m not finished yet I just needed some papers. “ He couldn’t remember the last time he went out for drinks for fun. He went occasionally with business partners or to discuss ideas if someone preferred to meet in such a location but even then did he only drink what he had to so that his head would be clear enough to still talk business. Work had become his life and he wouldn’t have it any other way! Just sometimes on very rare occasions (like now) could he feel a dull ache in his chest as if he might be missing out on something. However, he knew that he wasn’t.

This was the better version of his life.

Jimin chuckled, “You’re really a workaholic, aren’t you? It’s half past ten and you’re on your way to your office.” He shook his head in amusement. “Hayoung told me how much you’re working but…you’re like…always working… I should kidnap you and take you to a bar.” Jimin winked teasingly at the other, giggling softly as he looked up at the numbers changing on the board showing which level they were.

“Honestly, I’d rather spend my time doing something important than wasting it on small talk and alcohol.” He answered curtly. “One hour at the office can bring me closer to my goals but one hour out drinking can only bring me headaches and a loss of money.”

“Oh, sure, yeah…” Jimin bit his lip, feeling his cheeks blush again. He felt stupid for teasing, for trying to be quirky and ask Namjoon something so personal, when the other so obviously didn’t want to talk to him. “I guess that’s how you’ve got all of this. You seem really focused and that’s good. I’m sorry for my inconsiderate question. I guess, I just wanted to tease a smile from you.”

Namjoon was honestly surprised. “Why would you want that?” Before he could think about Jimin’ strange statement there was a small jolt, and the elevator came to a halt. Automatically Namjoon reached out to open the door when he saw the number that indicated that they hadn’t arrived at their destination yet. It flickered - and then the lights went out.

Jimin let out a scream, jumping aside and right against Namjoon who he couldn’t see in the dark. He was halfway stumbling, falling into Namjoons arms and out of instinct, his fingers digged deep into his arm, holding onto the only thing that was close enough in the dark. The darkness only lasted a second before the lights were back up.

“That’s the emergency generator. There must have been an issue with the electricity.” He swallowed hard, trying to concentrate on anything but Jimin’s body pressed against his. The younger was holding onto him for dear life as if he was afraid the elevator might fall at any second. “We’re safe, nothing will happen. It’s just a technical thing, don’t worry.” His arm started to hurt from how tightly Jimin gripped it, but he didn’t mention it.

Jimin loosened his hold but didn’t let go entirely. “W-what do you mean? We’re stuck?” He sucked in a sharp breath, trying to keep control over his breathing but he failed miserably. Jimin’s eyes flickered to the buttons. “Can we call someone? Oh god…” The panic began to settle in.

“Jimin?” He could feel the boy starting to tremble and so he took both of Jimin’s hands in his, trying to make the other focus on him instead of his panic. “There is no need to be afraid. I have an automatic security system; someone has already been notified that we’re stuck in here. It might take them a little while to arrive and I’m sure you can think of a better way to spend your free time, but you don’t have to be afraid, really. Why don’t we talk about something nice until they arrive? Would that make you feel better?”

“Y-yes?” Jimin looked up, trying to hide his nervousness behind a strained smile. “I’m sorry…I’m still holding onto you, right.” He wanted to pull his hands away, but Namjoon took them in his and Jimin held his breath. It felt as if the air was getting thinner and the metal box seemed to get only smaller, but his eyes were only on Namjoon. He trusted him. “Something nice, please…” Jimin whispered, “Y-you start.”

Namjoon blinked. His mind was empty. Something nice… something Jimin might enjoy… why couldn’t he think of something outside of work? When Jimin started to worry his lip and look all panicked again he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. “I don’t like mint ice cream because I think it’s the worst combination of flavors ever combined, and mint rather belongs in toothpaste than into sweets.”

Jimin just blinked at Namjoon for a moment, before snorting, “That’s…not something nice, Namjoon.” He shook his head fondly, breathing felt a little easier now. “I love sunflowers. Especially wild ones when they grow as tall as…as you.” Jimin took a deep breath, slowly breathing out again.

“Oh, really? I actually know a field about half an hour from here. They don’t all grow that tall because it’s a field where you can buy and cut them but if you visit there late the ones that are left will be the tallest.” He could easily picture it, him and Jimin driving there and taking a walk between the flowers. It would be a sunny day and maybe they could get dinner after...

A sudden jolt of the elevator made Jimin forget everything and wrap his arms around Namjoon without any second thought. Squeezing his eyes shut, he held onto him for dear life, thinking that the elevator was finally free falling – but it didn’t move. Instead, he could feel his knees giving in, wobbling like jelly as he tried to find his grounding again.

“Maybe we should sit down while we wait?” Namjoon’s throat felt a little dry but he knew he needed to do something before his body reacted to the way Jimin was pressed up against him. He was embarrassingly responsive when it came to soft skin and the hard planes of muscle Jimin combined.

“O-okay,” Jimin didn’t move away, but only let Namjoon guide him down to sit, where he could still stay close by his side. “I’m sorry,” He mumbled, slowly taking his hands off Namjoon, where he had still held on to his arm like the scaredy cat he was. “Again…” Jimin sighed, leaning his head back against the cool wall. “Being locked in like that scares me…”

“There is no need to apologize. You’re doing fine!” He leaned in a little to whisper conspiratorially to him, “I’m only so calm because this has happened before. I was totally freaked out the first time, including some really embarrassing moments where I tried to open the elevator door with my bare hands or tried to open the emergency hatch above us by throwing my shoe at it. It didn’t work by the way.”

It was easier to breathe with Namjoon next to him. Something about him, his voice, and the way he leaned against him, made Jimin feel a lot safer. "It never happened to me before. I have to walk up the fifth floor to my apartment every time." Jimin spoke quietly, relaxing a little more, his shoulder leaning against Namjoons. He could feel the warmth come from him and Jimin had to fight the urge to lean in just a little more. " Can I tell you a secret?" Jimin turned to look at Namjoon, a little smile pulling at his lips, "Dont take it the wrong way, please. I kind of imagined you... differently."

Namjoon hummed in acknowledgement. That’s where the other got his firm ass from, walking all those stairs at least twice every day. It was cozy like this, with Jimin leaning against him as if they were friends. Namjoon wished they were. Or not ...friends, more than that…

He chuckled at the other’s confession. “How did you expect me to be then? Older? Wearing fancy shoes and lots of rings every day?” People were mostly surprised by his age, that’s why he was working so hard. To make up for it. And for the way he had gotten here.

"No, I knew you were kind and.... very structured. Hayoung told me a lot about you." There was a light blush on Jimin’s cheeks, when he thought of the many times Hayoung had tried to tell him how amazing the other was, or how cute they would be together. Jimin had smiled, waving it off as a daydream. No one like Namjoon would be interested in someone normal like him. And still, the moment she had asked for his help to take over for her vacation Jimin hadn't even hesitated. Not for the money per se, but because he was curious. "I didn't think you'd be so..." Jimin bit his lip, "There's only Jungkook and Hayoung... I've never seen anyone else around you. You're always by yourself. I never see you wear sweatpants or anything else but a suit. You're always working, Namjoon. Don't you feel lonely sometimes? What about Christmas? Will you visit your family? "

Namjoon cocked his head. “So, what you are saying is that you think I’m lonely and unable to relax? And you also don’t like my suits?” He gave the younger an amused look, “Do you really think it’s smart to insult your boss while you’re locked in with him?” He had hoped that Jimin would just let it go but the other’s worried gaze didn’t change and so he sighed and shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know what I’m doing on Christmas, actually. We will have an office party a few days prior if you want to come. The food is delicious and Jungkookie always chooses the best decoration.” Or so he had heard.

“No, I didn’t mean it like that...I was just wondering about...you...your life,” Jimin said, turning a little more towards Namjoon. “It’s probably not smart either to wonder about if your boss is happy.” He let his gaze linger on him a little longer, feeling his own heartbeat quicken. “Are you inviting me to a party, Mr. Kim?” Jimin winked teasingly, nudging Namjoon’s side. “If you’ll be there, then I’ll come if you want me to. Will there be mulled wine?”

“Oh, uhm, yes, of course, as an employee of mine you should totally be there. “Hopefully, he could get to Jungkook before the other told Jimin that he normally never went to the Christmas parties. “Yeah, I will be there.” For Jimin he would put up with Christmas music and fairy lights and glitter and everything else. It couldn’t hurt to talk to him and eat nice food, right? “I’m positive that there will be mulled wine but I can make sure to order some extra so you will definitely get some.”

“I’m just a substitute. That’s not really an employee right? Also, I’m working for you personally, not your office. I’ll be gone after Christmas again and maybe, except for my flowers you’ll have to miss me then.” Jimin laughed softly, liking how easy they were talking. “A Christmas party sounds nice, though you’ll be the only one I know then. I hope you know that means you have to show me around. I’m entirely dependent on you.” He leaned a little more into Namjoon. “Will you let me invite you in return?”

“You’ll get along quickly with the others and you’ve seen Jungkook. I think he’s around your age so you two should get along nicely. However, if there’s really no one that you can talk to I promise I’ll make your stay worthwhile and stick by your side, personally. Deal?” His breath hitched when Jimin talked about inviting him in return. Inside of the building or even under the pretense of a company celebration he could function perfectly but outside, with only Jimin and him and no more pretense? Could he do that? “What... what kind of invitation are we talking about?” He asked breathlessly.

“Nothing big,” Jimin shrugged his shoulders, “But I’m usually working until late afternoon on Christmas and…normally, I go home and watch some movie, make myself some dinner.” Blinking up at Namjoon, he tried to hide the shy smile. “You said you’re at home yourself, right? It’s better not to be alone on Christmas. I’m a pretty good cook.”

“You want to invite me into your home on Christmas and cook for me because …I said I don’t have plans myself?” He was torn between saying yes immediately because he absolutely wanted to be with Jimin on Christmas and have a nice dinner - but he was also scared. Utterly, horribly scared. He hadn’t done this ‘dating’ thing in forever and there was also that thing with the price of his ‘magical help’.. though that should be fine as long as he didn’t fall in love, right? He could like Jimin all he wanted as long as he didn’t lose his heart they would both be fine. “If you really want to spend that night with your boss instead of… wait, so you don’t have any family either that you’ll visit? Please tell me you don’t stay behind to cook for your boss out of pity while your family all meet somewhere else!”

“Actually, I would have invited myself over to your apartment.” Jimin grinned, “My oven isn’t really in the best shape…it takes ages and…I don’t think you’d like my middle class apartment. It’s not really as pretty as yours, though…” He proudly pointed one finger, “I own a lamp designed by you. I got it from a yard sale.” Jimin reached out for Namjoon, laying his hand on his thigh to calm him. “I’m just as alone as you on Christmas night. And you can’t really call yourself my boss anymore on Christmas anyways. We can make a mess for Hayoung to clean then.”

“That might actually be a better idea, there’s lots of space and we could use some of the kitchen utensils that have rested in their drawers since I moved in. They’ll be happy to be used by someone with cooking talent.” It wasn’t like he didn’t want to cook it was just that after a long day at work he wanted something quick and simple - or if he didn’t have the energy to cook at all he ordered food. Jimin being in his kitchen and preparing them food was a nice thought, however he didn’t want to miss out on getting to see how Jimin lived either. “A…a yard sale?” Namjoon placed a hand over his heart as if he’d been lethally wounded. “My precious designs ending up in a yard sale, that hurts! Which one is it?”

"I was surprised, too but I don't think they knew the value of your designs. I paid two bucks." He giggled when Namjoon pretended to be even more offended now. They were close, sitting next to one another and Jimin still had his hand on his thigh but it didn't feel wrong. His heart began to beat a little faster again when he pulled his hand away slowly. "I mean it though..." Jimin's voice was sounding a little more timid, as if he was afraid Namjoon could see right through his defenses. "Christmas, I mean... That you and me... It's not a big deal, right?" What the hell was he doing? Jimin felt anxious out of sudden. Did he really think Namjoon wanted to invite him somewhere and spend Christmas with him? Someone he only knew from small talk and because he cleaned his home? Jimin wanted to slap himself. Namjoon had been joking around, being a kind boss to invite him and he had to overstep all boundaries again.

But there was something about him. Something Jimin wanted to know about. A pull, a feeling that the man in front of him was more than he showed on the surface.

“Hm, please send me a picture of your lamp, will you?” If Jimin really liked his designs then he could get him something nice for Christmas. As a gift for dinner. There was nothing strange about bringing gifts to a Christmas dinner…

He smiled, “I’d really like to come. Or invite you to cook for me, however you prefer, it’s your choice.”

“You do?” Jimin couldn’t keep from smiling. He liked the idea of having somewhere to go on Christmas eve. For once he wouldn’t be alone. And he wouldn’t interpret anything into this, Jimin promised himself. Just dinner between two lonely people.

There was another jolt and Jimin instinctively reached out for Namjoon, when out of a sudden the lights switched back on and the elevator seemed to move again.

Namjoon sighed, “Ah, finally!” But he was actually a little bit disappointed that the technician had gotten the elevator to work again so quickly. He would have liked to stay a little longer in here with Jimin sitting so close besides him. Now it would go back to work for him, Jimin would go home and they would go back to being employees and employers, not two people talking about how they would spend Christmas together.

Offering his hand, Namjoon easily pulled the younger up as they finally arrived at level one. It felt awkward to suddenly part again, so Jimin hesitated when the door opened. “I…I guess, I see you tomorrow?” He took a step out of the elevator, turning around to Namjoon as if he were waiting for a definite answer, when it wasn’t really a question that needed one. So, before he could regret it and his mind could follow, Jimin leaned in and got on his tiptoes to place a chaste kiss on Namjoon’s cheeks.

Namjoon panicked when Jimin leaned in. This was totally what he wanted - but he shouldn’t engage in something like that with Jimin! Not now and not ever! Christmas dinners were fine and talking in elevators was fine too, but he was really, really bad at not developing feelings when he got physical intimacy from someone he liked. He froze up and luckily Jimin didn’t expect him to return the gesture because he felt like he was rooted on the spot.

Jimin quickly turned around, trying to hide his blush and the embarrassment as he hurried out of the building.

“It’s working perfectly fine again…” A man behind him spoke up, wearing a technicians uniform and a hat that covered half of his face. Only when he looked up, Namjoon could see the smirk that was on the man’s lips. “Oh, that was a quick goodbye. I wanted to apologize for the delay…”

“It’s… it’s fine. Thank you for coming here.” Namjoon replied quickly, brushing down his suit to calm himself.

Taking off his cap, the man cocked his head aside at Namjoon’s quick glance and his nervous behavior. “Ah right, it’s been...what? A couple of months? A year? I guess this uniform makes me look older.” He shivered, turning around swiftly and within a blink of an eye his beige uniform had changed. The beige turned into a black, the uniform into a long winter’s cloak when Yoongi brushed off invisible dust of his arms. “How have you been, Namjoon?”

Namjoon visibly startled. He had been too busy to look after Jimin to actually look at the other man’s shadowed face but now that he had taken off the cap it hit Namjoon like a ton of bricks. “Yoongi?!” He gasped in surprise when the other so casually changed his appearance right in front of him. Even though he knew that the other had used his magic to help him with his company it still shocked him every time to see it’s effect for real. Some nights he had even managed to convince himself that he hadn’t made a deal with some magical being, that he had drank too much and imagined or dreamed up things - though Yoongi liked to remind him that he was not, showing up like once or twice a year to remind him that he existed.

“What are you doing here?” At Yoongi’s frown he quickly remembered his manners. “I’m great, thanks for asking. How are you? I doubt that electricity is your new passion. Did you come here for something else then? Or did you just want to take a look at the company?”

“No, in fact scrying is my new passion.” He said nonchalantly, as he caught up to Namjoon, “You know ‘seeing’ or like you normal boring people like to say: ‘fortune telling’. Though that sounds too funfair-ish to me. I’m sorry I haven’t been around for a long time, but seeing things and Christmas, with all those lovey-dovey people everywhere (he made a gagging sound) made me think of you.” He pointed at Namjoon’s chest, with a big grin on his face as his eyes flickered over to the shadow of the man that had quickly ran away from Namjoon and was now outside the building, waving his hand, already soaking wet from the rain, trying to get a taxi. “Who is that?”

Namjoon was pretty sure he should be offended by that, but he didn’t want to anger someone who could probably turn him into a poodle with the flick of his wrist. “That’s no one, just someone who works for me.” He answered quickly, hoping that it would keep Yoongi from showing any more interest in Jimin. Maybe he could even crush on Jimin, just a little and it wouldn’t have any consequences if Yoongi didn’t notice. That would be really nice…

“No one, I see…” The witch hummed, watching how Jimin hurried to seek shelter under a bus station right across the street. “Well,...it’s late, I guess. And I had an inkling that you needed me. Good thing I was there. God knows what could have happened if you’d be stuck there together any longer.” Yoongi chuckled, patting Namjoon’s shoulder, before a sigh left his lips, eyeing the raindrops that were hitting the side of the glass front heavily. Shivering heavily, Yoongi frowned as they walked up to the entrance. “The next bus is coming in an hour,” He looked down at his watch, tapping it once or twice but it didn’t seem like the pointers were moving anymore, showing a different time. “Good thing I have my broom with me!” At Namjoons wide-eyed expression, Yoongi only laughed and stepped out into the dark of the night. He turned around with a grin, waving him goodbye before walking ahead with no raindrop every touching him as it simply dodged him.

Namjoon shook his head, trying to shake off the strange feeling that Yoongi left whenever they met. He called his driver and then hurried outside to Jimin, trying his best not to get soaked. “Jimin? Please, come back inside! You might drown out here before the bus arrives!”

Jimin startled a little, when Namjoon suddenly stood in front of him again and he immediately jumped up. He giggled, when Namjoon tried to cover him with his jacket, but failed miserably at his attempt. “I’m okay, it’s just rain I’m not made out of sugar…,” His teeth clattered and Jimin wrapped his arm around himself, a little glad that he was back in the warmth of the foyer though. “C-can I wait here? If it doesn’t bother you of course.” It was a stupid question – why else had Namjoon called him in?

“You don’t have to wait here for the bus, I called a driver, he can get you home as well. I don’t want you to catch a cold out there or wait alone in here. Do you live far from here?” They had talked about Jimin’s apartment but not where he actually lived. Not that it mattered, the driver was part of the company, he would drive an extra hour without complaint if he had to.

“Oh…,” Jimin blinked in surprise, “I…eh live a little further downtown. It’s not too far.” His clothes were dripping wet and there was a puddle forming at his feet from the rain. “But I’ll dirty your car with my clothes. I mean…I can clean it tomorrow? I don’t mind.”

“You want to clean my car?” Namjoon blinked at him. “That’s really kind of you to suggest but you don’t have to worry about it, the driver can take care of that and I have more than one car to my service.” He leaned in as if he were about to tell him a secret. “I’m not sure if you noticed but I own a really big company which makes me actually pretty rich and therefore you can relax, lay back and enjoy some luxury once in a while. How does that sound?”

“The driver,…of course,” Jimin mumbled, always forgetting how rich Namjoon actually was now that he knew a little more about him, how all of his furniture, the appearance could fool a person into thinking he had it all. “I just need a hot shower.” Jimin answered with a smile. The shiver that had run down his spine was definitely not because of the cold, but the way Namjoon had breathed against his neck. He really needed to get a hold of himself.

“You certainly do. You’re shivering already.” Namjoon slipped out of his coat and placed it around Jimin’s shoulders. “You’ll be home in a bit.” As if on cue Namjoons phone chimed that the driver arrived and was waiting for him right outside.

Jimin smiled, pulling the coat a little more over his shoulders, feeling the warmth of Namjoon’s heat warming him up immediately. When the other turned around to open the door of the car for him, his eyes fell onto his white shirt though and Jimin almost stumbled. The shirt was almost see through, sticking against Namjoon’s chest on it’s wet parts and Jimin quickly crawled into the backseat, trying to hide the blush on his cheeks, hoping the other hadn’t seen him stare.

Namjoon went into the car besides Jimin, informing the driver that they had to make a little detour first to get Jimin home. He turned to ask Jimin to tell the driver his address when he found the other staring at his chest. He looked down only to find that the wetness had turned his shirt into something vaguely suggestive. His face turned hot immediately as he cleared his throat in an attempt to find the right words to apologize but he couldn’t think of any so he just sat back, trying to cover himself up as well as he could by drawing his shoulders up. “Sorry.” He muttered under his breath, looking out of the window to not meet Jimi’s gaze.

“Don’t be. I’m the one who made you wet.” The words were out, before Jimin could realize how they sounded. “I mean…because of me you’re wet. The rain…you took me…I’m making it worse, don’t I?” Jimin laughed, hiding the blush of embarrassment behind his hands. Taking a deep breath, he finally found the right words, “You don’t have to feel ashamed though. You’re still looking good, Mr. Kim.”

Namjoon choked and only calmed down when he realized that Jimin was just as embarrassed as he was. The other’s words left his skin hot under the wet shirt and he wondered when had been the last time that he had undressed in front of someone - or even wanted to do so. He felt even hotter when he looked over to Jimin again and it hit him that even though he was embarrassed right now he wouldn’t say no if he had the chance. What would Jimin look like without his clothes? Would he look as soft as his face? Did he have any scars or tattoos? He felt the urge to ask, to get to know about whatever had left its mark on Jimin’s skin, to find out how life had formed him so far.

It was a silent drive, where both of them were a little too embarrassed to say something again. But Jimin didn’t mind. He liked Namjoon’s presence either way.

“Thank you,” He carefully put the coat down on the seat again when they arrived at his apartment complex. It was still raining but Jimin just needed to run up the stairs quick enough to be under the roof of the entrance. “It was really kind of you to take me home.” He opened the door, but before he headed out, Jimin turned back to Namjoon. “Please don’t work for too long anymore.” With a swift motion, Jimin jumped out of the car, waving Namjoon goodbye as he hurried up the stairs.

It had been an eventful evening and Jimin was glad to be home – or almost. At the top of the stairs, Jimin slipped, letting out a loud squeal when he barely caught himself as he fell forward.

Namjoon looked after Jimin to make sure he got home safely, not because he actually thought that something could harm Jimin on the short distance from the car to his door. Surprisingly Jimin managed to injure himself, nonetheless.

“Please wait here for us!” He instructed the driver and then got out of the car to hurry over to Jimin. HIs pant leg was ripped at the shin where he had fallen against the edge of the stairs and he was visibly in pain. “If you wanted my company for the evening there would have been nicer ways to ensure it,” He joked just to tease a smile out of Jimin before he helped the younger up carefully.

Jimin cursed when the pain shot through his leg again, as he got up with Namjoon’s assistance. He could barely walk right now, limping up the last stair with the other’s help. “I didn’t mean to. The stairs are slippery from the rain.” He whined, looking up at the other. “I live on the fifth floor…and there’s no elevator. I swear I didn’t do this on purpose.”

“Hm, sure, you just want me to carry you over the doorstep!” Namjoon would have enjoyed this a lot if it wasn’t for Jimin being in pain. His arm around the younger’s waist held him close and steady - and gave him a feel of Jimin’s small and firm waist. He could easily hold the other in place if he used both hands...

Namjoon swallowed drily, trying to focus on the task at hand which was a little difficult with Jimin’s body pressed against his and the breathy moans that slipped past Jimin’s lips whenever the pain hit him.

It took them a while until they were at his apartment door. Namjoon was stronger than he led on and the way he had almost carried him all the way, made Jimin forget the pain and think about all kinds of different things. “I swear I'm not that clumsy,” He mumbled, as he limped his way in, holding onto Namjoon as he tried to not put too much pressure on his shin again. “It’s like a bad luck streak at the moment.” Jimin tried to explain, sighing when he finally sat down on his couch. His clothes were still sticking to his body, his fingers trembling from the cold. “I’m so sorry about the elevator. It was probably my fault, too.” He giggled, looking up at Namjoon with a soft expression. “If I hadn’t run up to it, you would have probably been at your office already.”

Namjoon laughed. “Good to know! I’ll make sure to stay away from you when I have an important meeting to not catch your bad luck again.” He took the coat from Jimin’s shoulders to put it away and then rolled up his sleeves before he kneeled down to take a better look at Jimin’s knee. “Do you have a first aid kit or something? I could get it while you try to change into something dry and warm without falling and then we’ll meet at the couch again, okay?” He could barely refrain from asking ‘or do you want me to help you get changed’. Somehow he felt like the idea of it was lingering between them anyways.

“You better,” He winked teasingly, pushing himself up again to limp towards his bedroom. “You can look in the bathroom over there but i’m not sure if I really have anything… it’s just a scratch anyways…” Jimin closed the door behind him, easily letting himself fall into bed where he reached for his sweatsuit that he usually wore to sleep and felt like the only thing that was cozy enough to warm himself up right now. He threw his wet clothes onto a towel, wrapping it up before placing it aside to remember to wash it later before he jumped back on one leg. He was still cold, shivering heavily when Namjoon kneeled down in front of him to pull up the leg of his sweatpants. “You really don’t have to do this. Your driver…”

Namjoon wasn’t prepared for the sight of Jimin in a fluffy sweatshirt with matching pants in a soft pastel color. He looked so soft that Namjoon wanted to pet him. He blamed his dumb reaction on his brain short circuiting because of it when Jimin was talking to him. “My driver? You want my driver to help you?” Jimin looked at him as dumbfoundedly as Namjoon felt before it clicked. “Oh! You mean because he’s waiting! Don’t worry about him, I told him to park, he’s used to it, he always waits for me during meetings and all the other places I have to go outside of the company. It’s his job. He won’t mind it.”

"You've already done so much today." Jimin wrapped his arms tightly around himself, hiding a little more in the oversized sweater. "It's just a scratch and I'll be fine tomorrow. It's just hurting a lot right now." Jimin leaned back nonetheless, letting Namjoon look at the wound that already turned blue. When Namjoon reached out for his cold leg, Jimin’s eyes widened and he immediately sat up again, grabbing Namjoon's hand. "How can you be still so warm?" Without another thought wasted, Jimin took his hand and held it against his cheek, seeking the warmth he was missing right now so badly.

Namjoon didn’t dare to move when Jimin took his hand, frozen stiff by insecurity and the looming consequences. It all melted away when Jimin leaned into his hand like he had been waiting to be touched by him and he realized that they had long crossed the line of ‘strictly professional’. Carefully he turned his hand until he could caress Jimin’s cheek, just lightly to not spook the other and disrupt their intimacy.

"You're so warm." Jimin inched forward almost slipping from the couch as he yearned for all of his warmth. His eyes were closed, shivering from the sensation. Jimin always had a habit to be a little too touchy with people but Namjoon seemed not to mind as he let him dwell in his warmth a little longer and Jimin loved how soft his hands felt.

Namjoon’s finger’s automatically trailed where his eyes were, and they were fixated on Jimin’s lips. The other had opened them slightly as he had sighed in contentment. Namjoon carefully brushed his thumb over Jimin’s bottom lip, feeling how soft and plush it was.

Slowly, Jimin opened his eyes again when he felt Namjoon’s touch on his lips. He didn’t move away, but stayed right where he was, searching for the other’s gaze. Maybe there had been some truth to what Hayoung had said about Namjoon being a good match for him. “D-do you want to…stay?” Jimin asked in a breathy whisper, trying to keep as quiet as he could, as if he could interrupt this moment otherwise. “I still have some Christmas tea I haven’t tried…we could…” His own fingers wrapped around Namjoon’s wrist softly, “Watch a movie, maybe?”

“Why would I watch a movie if I can’t get enough of watching you?” Namjoon answered, low and breathy. He wouldn’t hide the fact that he was mesmerized by Jimin any longer, not if Jimin basically asked him to stay the night.

“Y-you do?” He sounded unsure, as if all the signs he had given him weren’t enough. Namjoon was flirting right back. His cheeks began to blush in a rosy color, finally gaining some heat back. “Then maybe you should hold me, make sure I’m getting warm and then you can look at me all you want.” He giggled, the pain in his leg long forgotten.

“Is that all you want or can I... kiss you as well?” Jimin might just be teasing him but Namjoon wanted all that Jimin would be willing to give. He was starved for intimacy and contact, and it looked like Jimin felt the same.

Jimin held his breath, suddenly feeling hot all over. He wasn’t sure what Namjoon was searching for. If this was just a quick thing for him, or something he was really interested in, because Jimin was ready to invest all of his heart. It was almost embarrassing how easy Namjoon had taken a place inside it. He licked over his lips nervously and nodded his head.

It was easy, the way he sat back onto the couch and pulled Jimin’s towards him. Their lips met in the middle as if they’d done that a hundred times and Namjoon felt so utterly content that for a moment he was sure he was stuck in a dream. But then Jimin moved his lips against his and he knew not even a dream could be that sweet. It was a heavenly kiss and Jimin fell against him easily, letting Namjoon pull him on his lap so he could take as much warmth as he needed from him. He deepened the kiss a little more and it stole his breath away entirely when he let his fingers dip into the collar of Namjoon’s shirt.

Only now did Namjoon remember that his shirt was clinging wet and uncomfortable against his skin. “Do you mind if I take that off?” He asked, popping open the first button while looking at Jimin’s eyes for permission.

“Oh, let me help you with that,” Jimin’s face was heated from their passionate kiss, replacing Namjoon’s hands with his own as he opened the buttons one by one until they revealed all of his sculpted chest to him. With soft hands, Jimin soothed over his skin, his muscles down to his stomach. With a little push, Jimin pulled the suit jacket and shirt down his shoulders, admiring Namjoon’s arms even more. Slowly, he leaned in to kiss him on the tip of his shoulder, all the way down to his neck. “You’re so god damn warm.” Jimin whispered, slowly coming up and hovering over Namjoon’s lips. There was a slight hesitation, something telling him that they shouldn’t be doing this, that they might regret it the next morning but Jimin didn’t care to listen. With one swift motion, he had pulled the sweater over his head and threw it aside somewhere with a smile.

“Is that your trick hm? Telling people that you’re cold because you know they’ll warm you up?” He teased him, leaning back to be able to take a better look at Jimin’s body. He was beautiful. Not in the airbrushed, smooth, and unnatural way one could see on magazine covers but in a way that reached something inside Namjoon’s chest and tugged, hard. He reached out to touch Jimin’s skin and brush over his shoulder, his chest, his waist. Jimin felt perfect against his fingertips, as if their contact was filling a hole inside of him that he had long forgotten was there. He wanted him so much it hurt. “You’ll have to tell me to stop because if you don’t I’ll try to seduce you, Jimin.” He confessed with a whisper.

“Then I won’t say a thing anymore,” He leaned in, humming the words against his skin as he left a trail of kisses behind. His heart was hammering against his chest, as he pulled Namjoon more over him, the pain in his leg long forgotten, while Namjoon had made perfectly sure to keep him distracted. His head laid on a cushion of his couch as he looked up at the businessman that had him wrapped around his finger, a smile playing on his lips. “You don’t really have to try, Namjoon.”

Namjoon swallowed hard as Jimin laid his head back, signaling him that he was allowed to touch, to kiss, to do what he hadn’t even dared to dream of. He took it slow, peppering Jimin’s skin with kisses until the other had closed his eyes, anything else forgotten but the sensation of Namjoon’s warm lips against his no longer cool skin. Namjoon kept a hand at Jimin’s waist, just to feel him closer, to guide him towards him when he leaned into kiss Jimin’s sweet mouth again and their bodies touched for the first time. He rolled his hips against Jimin’s, teasing a gasp from the younger that he swallowed down greedily in their kiss.

Jimin dug his fingers deep into Namjoon’s waist, pulling him against him, wanting to feel more of him. He couldn’t get enough of the way he tasted. It was almost sweet and more than addicting. It was shutting down the voice inside of him effectively, that told him that they might regret this. That it wasn’t right to sleep with his boss.

A little greedily, Jimin pushed his hands down to Namjoon’s pants, opening up his button and zipper effortlessly to slip his hand in. He wanted to tease, to make him moan just as beautifully.

Namjoon broke the kiss, chuckling at Jimin’s eagerness. So much for going slow... “You want me just as much, don’t you?” He whispered in Jimin’s ear, placing a kiss on his neck while he was there. A part of him wanted to mark Jimin up so that everyone would see what had happened, but he pulled away before he could leave a hickey. He was pretty sure Jimin wasn’t keen on wearing a scarf during work.

“How can I resist you?” Jimin licked over his lip slowly, pushing his hand a little deeper so he could feel the length. He almost gasped, when he realized how packed Namjoon was and his cheeks were getting a rosy color. He wanted him! And he wanted him now!

Namjoon’s breath hitched when Jimin wrapped his hand fully around his cock, making it harden in his grip. He hadn’t expected for Jimin to go for what he wanted like that, but he liked it. Without interrupting Jimin he pushed his pants further down his thighs to give the other more room - and to give him the pleasure of seeing Jimin’s small, soft hand wrapped around him.

Jimin’s eyes were full of lust, the desire burning in his veins. He began to stroke him as they kissed again, a little more needily this time. With each gasp he tore from Namjoon, the harder he got himself, feeling the need pulsate. Wanting more of him, Jimin pushed down Namjoon’s pants entirely, feeling up his thighs, scraping his nails against the delicate skin until he could wrap his fingers around his cock again.

Namjoon groaned low in his throat when Jimin teased him like that, stroking him as if he was set on making him lose his mind right away. He had to take a hold of Jimin’s wrist before the other would go too far, placing it securely besides Jimin’s head. “Let me return the favor before I’m too hard to concentrate on anything but how I’m going to sink into your pretty little body.” He leaned down, kissing Jimin’s stomach while getting him out of his pants. It would have been easy to touch him with the sweatpants still on but Namjoon wanted to see as much of him as he could.

Biting his lip, Jimin’s eyes flickered up to Namjoon who was teasing him while playing with the hem of his pants. He wasn’t as broad as Namjoon, nor as muscle-y and his small frame was sometimes something that made him feel insecure. He shifted a little nervously underneath him. “That's not already all you can think about?” Jimin sounded breathless, when Namjoon pulled the pants entirely off him.

Namjoon grinned, “I can think of a lot more to do to you then just that.” He stroked along the backside of Jimin's thighs before taking a hold of his hips and pulling him closer without warning. Jimin’s thighs fell open naturally and Namjoon’s face was close enough to the younger’s crotch to place a kiss on the tip of Jimin’s cock. “Will you let me?”

He nodded softly, his breath hitching when Namjoon’s fingertips soothed over his skin delicately, making a shiver run down his spine. His own hands wandered up to Namjoon’s shoulders and over his neck so he could run his fingers through his hair. It was a beautiful sight to see him like that, ready to devour him whole. Namjoon teased him with his fingertips first, to test out how sensitive Jimin was. He waited until Jimin had closed his eyes before he used his mouth to touch him again, letting his lips wander over his length before he swallowed him down.

A moan slipped right from him and Jimin’s fingers digged deeper into Namjoon’s shoulder. The other knew what he was doing and for a moment, the insecurity creeped back in. Did Namjoon have a lot of lovers? Was he used to this? Trying to shake off the thoughts, Jimin opened his eyes again, searching for Namjoon’s warm gaze.

He was concentrating completely on Jimin’s body, so he felt it right away when the other’s muscles tensed in a way that had nothing to do with desire. He pulled off, meeting Jimin’s gaze. “You know you can tell me to stop anytime. And if you’re afraid that I’ll use my position against you...” He bit his lip, only now realizing that Jimin was risking way more than he, “You don’t think I’d do that, do you? Force you into something you don’t want because I’m your boss?”

Jimin shook his head immediately, apologizing quietly when Namjoon hovered over him with worry written all over his face. “You’re not. I want this, more than you can imagine…” Jimin blushed, letting his hand soothe down Namjoon’s back. “You’re just my boss for one more week, Namjoon.” He winked teasingly, trying to lift the mood a little more but the other still seemed a bit too worried. “Sometimes I get insecure,” Jimin shied away from his gaze, his voice a little quieter. “But I want you. A lot.”

Namjoon cocked his head. He had noticed that Jimin could get insecure pretty quickly he just didn’t know why, and he felt like it wasn’t his place to ask him something so personal. Not...here, like this. He would ask him again over some coffee or tea maybe if Jimin would be up for something like that after what they were doing. He kissed Jimin’s cheek, a gesture that held pure fondness. “You don’t have to be. You can trust me. And you can tell me whenever you need reassurance.”

Jimin took Namjoon’s face in his hands, holding his gaze for a moment. Namjoon was unlike everything he thought he was and much more than he wanted him to be. He had easily managed to let him form a crush on the businessman. Without preparation, Jimin rolled his hips against Namjoon’s, repeating the motion a couple of times as he stole a deep kiss from him. “I trust you.”

“Thank you.” His voice was shaky because Jimin’s movement had caught him by surprise. The other had amazing control over his own body and Namjoon couldn’t wait for Jimin to move like that when he would be inside of him and able to feel him so much closer.

The couch didn’t give them much space, but it was enough to turn around underneath Namjoon’s hold who looked a little confused, when Jimin reached for his small coffee table. While he was opening the drawer, he was perfectly presenting his ass for him, moving a little just to tease Namjoon before he took the lube and condoms. “You want me to turn back around or…?” Jimin looked over his shoulder with a smirk, “Rather want me to stay like this?”

“Both please! Let me have this side of you while I prep you because you have a damn cute ass but after you can turn around. I’d like to be able to see your face while I fuck you.” He answered honestly, stealing both lube and condoms from Jimin. The bottle had been used before and he wondered what Jimin had used it for. Without the condoms he would have guessed he liked to use it when watching porn on the couch but what did he need the condoms for. He quickly got rid of those thoughts before they could take roots. Jimin could do whatever he wanted with whomever he chose, he had absolutely no right to any part of Jimin.

Jimin’s heated cheeks told Namjoon enough about how excited he was, how he was yearning for his touch. He waited impatiently for Namjoon to get some lube on his hand, the other soothing over the dip on his back over his plump ass softly. To make it a little easier, he propped himself up a little more, letting Namjoon enjoy the view.

“You have no idea how delicious you look like this”, Namjoon told him in awe. Jimin was rounded and curved in all the best places and getting a good grip of his ass just made him harder. Before he could indulge himself too much he concentrated back on what he was about to do, opening Jimin up for him. He placed a hand on the small of Jimin’s back to steady him while he let the other play with Jimin’s entrance until he felt that Jimin would let him in. His finger sank in easily and Jimin quickly relaxed around him so he could set a faster pace than expected. The younger barely needed time whenever he added a new finger, relaxing into the sensation right away. So Namjoon got a little more daring, pushing deeper and stretching him a little more until he could curl his fingers and reach Jimin’s sweet spot.

Moan after moan was leaving Jimin’s lips, as he moved his hips just lightly to get a little more of the feeling. His thighs were shaking each time Namjoon stroked him just right. “I need you,” His voice was breathy, pushing back against his fingers as he dwelled in the pleasure that he brought him. Namjoon knew exactly how to play him.

Jimin’s sweet begging went straight to his groin and Namjoon bit his lip. He was ready to make Jimin beg like this again, just with his cock inside of him. He pulled out carefully, wiping his fingers on the blanket that covered the couch before he reached for the condom. He had almost forgotten it so desperately did he want to sink inside of Jimin to feel him inside and out. When Namjoon had prepared himself, he turned him around swiftly, making Jimin gasp how easily it was for him to manhandle him. But before Namjoon could worry again, he rested his hand on Namjoon’s chest, eyes flickering up to meet his. “You can be rougher with me, I don’t mind…I…I like that, actually,” Jimin confessed quietly, trying to hide the smile as he bit his lip. “Please don’t hold back.”

At first his eyes widened at the younger’s request but then he realized that it meant that he could let lose a little and that Jimin would still be able to take it. It had been a while since he’s had sex with someone he wanted like that, someone that could make his heart stop with just a smile or turn him on by telling him his needs. “As you wish”, he answered with a smirk. Yet, he went slow at first, giving Jimin time to adjust because his cock was still wider than his fingers. It felt so good to sink into him that he lost his breath for a moment, his senses filled to the brim with the sweet bliss that Jimin offered.

“Oh god,” It was all Jimin could utter, when Namjoon pushed in, stretching his hole, and making him see stars for a moment. Leaning his head back, Jimin moaned at the feel of the stretch alone, wrapping his legs tightly around the other’s waist. His hands were soothing down Namjoon’s back, nails scratching over his skin lightly.

“You ready?” Namjoon asked, waiting for Jimin’s nod before he started moving. He pushed out slowly, just to snap his hips hard and sink back in deeply. Jimin gasped in a way that was addictive and so he did it again and again, harder to make Jimin gasp more, to feel him clenching and trembling around him. Jimin was pliant and yet deliciously responsive. He wasn’t loud but he was vocal, through gasps and soft moans and the short, desperate whines whenever Namjoon pushed in especially hard. Jimin hadn’t lied when he had told him that he liked to be handled roughly and so Namjoon did exactly that, gripping Jimin’s waist tight in a way that he knew must border on pleasure-pain, fucking him hard and quick whenever Jimin showed him that he had found a sensitive spot, one that made him twitched and whimper so nicely.

It was pure heaven, and it was easy for Jimin to let himself fall and Namjoon to take over control of his body. It was as if they fitted together perfectly and he knew exactly what he needed. Jimin held on tightly to him, teasing Namjoon a little more as he tensed up, tightening his hole around his cock with a teasing smirk. He could feel where his fingers were pushing deep into him, holding him tight and Jimin didn’t mind it. He was awaiting the bruises, a way to let him know that this night had really happened and Namjoon’s driver was still waiting for him.

It was so easy to forget everything around them, nothing but Jimin’s body under him and the younger’s sweet voice mattered as he indulged himself in those pleasures. He dragged his thumb along Jimin’s plump bottom lip to open his mouth before he kissed him hard and dirty, he teased Jimin’s cock until it was red and swollen and he gripped his plump ass to knead it and feel him up as much as he could.

Jimin spread his legs a little wider, letting Namjoon push in deeper and making himself moan loudly from the sensation. He couldn’t get enough, kissing everywhere he could reach. Jimin wanted to explore Namjoon’s body even more but he couldn’t, needing something to hold onto while his thrusts were getting harder, making Jimin bounce on his cock. Namjoon had to let go of Jimin to find more leverage on the backrest of the couch but it didn't matter because Jimin was still clinging to him, keeping their bodies closely together. When Jimin’s cock twitched at a particularly harsh thrust Namjoon made sure to keep that angle, thrusting into Jimin over and over to hit that spot.

He couldn’t hold it much longer. His whines and moans turning desperate as he felt the heat coil up inside of him, precum leaking from his tip. “I can’t…, I’m going to come.” Jimin moaned low, leaning his head back when the pleasure hit him hard again, closing his eyes in the sweet sensation.

“That’s kind of the point, sweetheart.” Namjoon’s sounded low and raspy but still amused as he snapped his hips against Jimin’s in a quick pace. His muscles were straining from the pressure they were under of keeping his weight up and working against the force of his thrusts, but he knew he wouldn’t have to keep going for long now. “You want me to touch you or do you prefer to finish yourself off?”

Jimin was panting, looking up at Namjoon as he pushed in deep with every thrust making him feel all of him. “I want to come with you.” He threw his head back, holding onto Namjoon tightly. “You, please.” Jimin didn’t understand how Namjoon could still smirk at him and talk dirtily, while he was overwhelmed from the pleasure.

“Then you need to hold out a little bit more...” Despite his answer he kept abusing Jimin’s sweet spot without mercy, never slowing down until the younger’s body shook with the force of his thrusts. He was close now too, but he kept himself focused to draw it out just a little bit, just so he could enjoy Jimin’s body for a few more minutes.

Jimin whimpered, the only sound that was coming from him as he tried to hold out a little longer. His thighs began to tremble, and he bit his lip hard. His nails scratched over Namjoon’s chest, leaving marks behind as he closed his eyes, while his hole was tensing around his cock. He was close, really close. And Jimin wasn’t sure if he could hold it any longer.

Jimin was so sweet like that, whimpering and lost in pleasure, because of him, because of his cock and Namjoon groaned low, starting to lose the grip on his self-control as well. Jimin clenching around him like that made it impossible to keep going like this so he slowed down a little, drew it out until the very last moment before he reached out between them to stroke Jimin to completion. The younger cursed under him, moaning when Namjoon stroked him, giving him no chance to hold out any longer. He was shaking apart under his touch, his lips parted from a silent moan. Jimin could see stars blinking in front of his eyes, feeling dizzy from the pleasure that rippled through him, making him scream out and arch his back beautifully.

Namjoon’s arms gave out when the pleasure hit him hard and he barely caught himself before dropping his weight on Jimin. He rode out his orgasm while Jimin’s body still quivered and so he shamelessly rolled his hips until the younger was shaking not from his high but from the overstimulation, unable to keep his soft little whines in whenever Namjoon pushed into his sensitive spot again.

Jimin gasped, whining quietly as he nuzzled his face closer into Namjoon’s neck leaving wet little kisses behind. Feeling Namjoon’s body on him was a dream, something he hadn’t even imagined to happen, especially not tonight. But they had been drawn together. Jimin didn’t regret it, a smile forming on his lips as he leaned his head back that only got interrupted by another whine when Namjoon rolled his hips one last time.

He carefully pulled out when he was fully spent, leaving the warmth and comfort of Jimin’s body with a sigh. He tied off the condom, placing it a bit awkwardly down where his clothes were because he didn’t know where to discard it - and he didn’t want to get up because he knew he couldn’t just get back to this post-coital intimacy. Now he could still kiss Jimin and hold him close and it would just count as ‘being cuddly after sex’ without risking to be told off for it. He lied back down on the couch, pulling Jimin back into his arms and kissed the younger’s neck. Jimin had his eyes barely open, probably half ways falling asleep already and so Namjoon dared to bury his nose in Jimin’s neck to breathe him in, hoping it would be okay.

“Mhm, still dirty,” Jimin whispered, leaning his head back a little more so Namjoon could reach his neck. He didn’t care, when he wrapped his arms around the other a little more, not wanting to think about consequences as he felt blissfully sated and happy right now. He didn’t want to think about what would be tomorrow.

“Yes, you are - I’m almost clean,” He lowered his voice a little, more whispering his confession against Jimin’s skin than saying it out loud, “Still if it wouldn’t be too risky I would have loved to skip the condom and come inside of you.” Jimin’s breathing was slowing and he was cuddling into him like he was ready to fall asleep in his arms. Namjoon’s heart felt a little funny at the thought of having Jimin fall asleep next to him, maybe even in a proper bed if... if there would be a next time?

…

Leaning against the car, his air formed foggy vapors in the air as he breathed out. The driver’s hat was pulled deeper into his face, as his arms were crossed in front of his chest, a way to keep him warm. It left Namjoon wondering if he’d ever seen his driver smoke before, or why the other was even waiting in the cold, while he could have rested inside the warm car. He hadn’t anticipated to be gone for this long, leaving him waiting but the driver didn’t seem to mind, when he bowed his head, opening the door of the car.

“Where do we go next, Namjoon?” One could hear the smile on the driver’s lips as he held the door open, waiting while he looked up to the man who had stopped fixing his tie and instead was staring back at him with wide eyes.

Namjoon startled. That voice did definitely not belong to his driver. When he looked up Yoongi was smirking back at him and Namjoon had to reach out for his car to steady himself. “What are you doing here... again?” There was a surge of fear flashing through him when he remembered the way he had kissed Jimin goodbye right before leaving. It had been a little too fond for a one-time-thing - but Yoongi couldn’t have seen that or know what he had just done right?

“I was walking by and I saw the driver falling asleep and thought no one could drive someone home like that – so I stepped in.” He proudly pulled at his uniform’s collar, standing tall. “And when I saw that it was you, I knew it was fate or…whatever you like to call it.” Yoongi grinned, “How about you?” He raised his eyebrows in interest, leaning in. “What is a busy man like you doing in a place like this?” Turning over his shoulder, he let his gaze wander over the apartment buildings.

“Thank you, that was really.. considerate of you.” He didn’t believe for one second that the other had walked past Jimin’s place solely by accident. “I followed your advice to get my employee safely home.” He answered courtly, not elaborating any further why he’d been inside the building and for how long he’d been there. He even tried to not think of what he had done there because he wasn’t sure if the other couldn’t read minds or creepy stuff like that. Hopefully Yoongi couldn’t because he failed miserably at trying to keep Jimin’s naked beauty out of his mind. “I assume you’ll be the one driving me then?” He quickly got in the car hoping the conversation would be finished at that.

“Oh, right, my advice.” Yoongi’s lips curled into a smile. “I give great advice.” He patted his right shoulder, before slipping into the driver’s seat.

A/N: Oh oh....now you know about the curse ;)

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silverwhiteraven · 4 years

Text

Borne of the Stars - Chapter 4 - An MLB Kryptonian AU

Tag List: @eve-valution @weird-pale-blonde-person @kris-pines04 @soulmate-game @abrx2002 @amayakans @vixen-uchiha @heldtogetherbysafetypins @raisuke06 @dorkus-minimus @captainartsypants @mopester-is-here @moonlightstar64 @annabellabrookes @daminett4life @toodaloo-kangaroo @the-navistar-carol @elspethshadow

[ Posted on Ao3 ] [ Chapter 1 ] [ Chapter 3 ] [ Chapter 5 ]

[ A/N: Alright! The Metropolis ‘Intro Arc’ comes to a close, and leads right into a bit of time-skipping! Chapter 5 begins Marinette’s journey into gaining superpowers in strange ways. ]

[ Summary: Answers are given and some backstory is filled in, but blanks still remain. It’s time for new friends to part ways. ]

“Meteor shower?”

Marinette looked quizzically towards her parents, knowing nothing of such an event ever happening. But she also knew there was a chance it had happened before they had ever met her.

Sabine stepped up, a more passive, if not helpless, look of cluelessness on her features. “No, as far as Tom and I are aware, she wasn’t. But, perhaps, she may have been. You see,” she began to elaborate, wrapping a reassuring arm around her daughter alongside her husband, “Marinette is adopted.”

Supergirl blinked at that, and Tom continued where Sabine left off before the superhero could ask any premature questions.

“There was some kind of accident that happened with her original parents. Not her birth ones as far as the adoption agency knew. They claimed the DNA didn’t match any of the residents where she was found, and there was no birth certificate.”

Tom patted his daughter’s head and she smiled reassuringly. She knew the story, and came to terms with it long ago. It had never really been a crisis for her, it was simply a fact of her life.

Marinette decided to pick up the tale herself and explain the rest.

“They don't know what exactly caused it, but the whole building had collapsed, and I was the only survivor. They suspected some kind of explosion from the debris.

“The people who rescued me from the aftermath knew my name was Marinette because of a note that I had been swaddled with, but that was it. The note was too damaged to read anything else, but they suspect it may have been a simple baby-care to-do list for new parents.

“So, I guess to answer your question… We have no clue. Why? You said you saw something, an old injury, could it have been debris from the accident?”

Tom pipes up once more to fill in more blanks and open more questions. “There was no report of injuries from that, just your pre-existing scars.”

“And I don’t think they ever checked those,” Sabine adds, “likely assuming they were taken care of before the accident.”

“Scars…” Supergirl mused, looking Marinette over once more. “Marigold, they wouldn't happen to be over your right shoulder, back, and leg, would they?”

The Dupain-Chengs’ eyes were wide as they looked at each other before Marinette stepped closer, pushing down the right shoulder of her re-dawned over-shirt and the shirt underneath, twisting around to be able to show the faint scarring there in strange jagged, spotty patterns. It definitely looked like it had been something done by multiple culprits such as a dense scattering of tiny meteors. Or shrapnel from something much closer.

Supergirl’s resolve seemed to solidify at the sight and nodded, stepping up closer and pointing to one of the largest of the scars between her shoulder and collarbone, then another at her shoulder blade. “Your back and leg have big ones like these too, right?” A nod in response, and she continues.

“All of those spots have large chunks of crystals that I suspect might be from… a place I call home. I felt them when I helped you out back there.” Marinette furrowed her brow, wondering if that seeming uncharacteristic weakness and tiredness of the two superheroes had been because of these hidden crystals. Did she somehow really have a weakness to the indestructible heroes just sitting around inside her?

“Oh, sorry for being snippy back there by the way, I thought the crystals had been put in you on purpose, it didn't help that I recognized that other guy, too, I hope you can forgive me, Starshine.” Marinette flushed at the attention, not expecting the apology and another nickname, but she nodded in affirmation to the apology. Supergirl then stepped back as she continued on with a returned nod, and Marinette took it to put her sleeves back in place.

“Anyways, I’ll bet my hat, metaphorically of course, that all the smaller pieces were removed by your body naturally as you grew, but the bigger ones stuck around. Get those checked out, long term exposure of my homeworld’s rocks can have bad effects on humans. To have none so far, you're lucky. Well, as lucky as you can get with already having, ya’know… Yeah…” The hero looked sheepish now, and Marinette just laughed softly, Tom and Sabine chuckling behind her.

“We’ll be sure to get it taken care of,” Marinette nods glad to have gotten help for something she hadn't even known was wrong. “Thank you, Supergirl. For everything.”

“Hah, it was nothin’,” the hero grins, reaching up to touch her hair, and instead clocked herself in the temple with Marinette’s sketchbook that she still held. “Owch! Oh! Ha-hah, that- that's definitely not mine, here- Actually…” Before she hands it back, she pulls one of the pencils out from between the bindings and scribbles down into the blank spaces between the Superman sketches.

When Marinette finally takes the sketchbook back, there's two names and two numbers. The first, situated below the most detailed of the Superman designs, is the name Clark Kent, and a number labeled personal cell. The second number is vertically written between the Supergirl skirt and the sash design Supergirl had been admiring, and the name was Supergirl, also labeled with personal cell.

Marinette’s eyes go wide at both, and she slams the sketchbook closed to hide them from prying eyes. “But these are-! You-! I can’t-!”

She’s cut off by a full and gleeful laugh from the superhero. “Geode, It’s fine, don't worry ‘bout it! Really! Superman already told me to give you Kent’s for your reporter friend, the other one you can just consider an emergency contact for anything about those crystals you’ve got. That's acceptable, right? Good!” she beams when Marinette gives a speechless nod, and the designer could swear that Supergirl was actually doing something to make herself glow with the sun framing her from above her head.

“I should be heading off then,” the superhero continued, and her glow dimmed with it, but she stayed grinning and proud, more content in the moment. “Think you need anything else or we good?”

Having a quick thought, Marinette reached into her back and slipped out one of her home-made business cards. She never actually used them, she wasn't ready to start her own business just yet, but they were convenient if she ever needed to give her contact info to anyone. This was as good a time as any to put them to use.

She stepped up quickly and grabbed Supergirl’s hand in her own, slipping the paper into the other teen’s fingers.

“Thank you again, Supergirl, I mean it. Thank you.”

The hero softens just a bit as she looks back at the bright, dirt covered girl she rescued from the Daily Planet’s main symbol. Her grin returns full force and she winks. “Any time, cutie, it’s what I do.”

Marinette let's go with a laugh at the superhero’s antics, and finally releases her hand.

With a wave from both Supergirl and the Dupain-Chengs, they part ways.

A few things happen for Marinette after that day in Metropolis.

First, after Marinette got back to the hotel her family was staying in, she made a call to Alya back in Paris. She told her about the villain attack, the destruction, and the heroes rescuing her. She made sure to spare any and every personal detail, both of her own and of the heroes’. Marinette didn't want to be teased or prodded about it, and she strongly guessed the heroes didn't want the wrong things getting out. Alya had dropped her phone upon hearing about her getting not just the contact for a well known reporter, but also securing a promise for an interview in her name. Alya at least gracefully respected that Marinette refused to give up the number, and planned to set the interview up herself to make sure she didn't break their trust in her.

After that, Marinette and her parents discussed the whole alien crystals in her body thing, and decided they should get them removed as soon as they returned home, not wanting their daughter recovering from surgeries like that while travelling. Figuring Supergirl would be too busy to answer a call, she sent a text instead about the decision. A fitting string of emojis followed by a ‘sweet! update me soon, ttyl’ was the reply.

Marinette didn't encounter either of the Super-Duo for the rest of her trip, but she texted the teen again a few days before they were set to leave. She asked about music recommendations, stating a desire to get a gift of CDs or records for one of her long-time best friends back home. Not only did she get a good long list of album recommendations, but also a short list of the best music stores in the city, in order of ‘best to still-best-but-slightly-less-awesome’, as Supergirl put it.

After the Dupain-Chengs returned to Paris, the renovations of the bakery almost complete, they set up everything they needed for the removal of the foreign crystals. Once more, Marinette made sure to text Supergirl. And this time, they did see each other again. The American hero flew all the way to France to bring Marinette something, a Non-Disclosure Agreement for the doctors handling Marinette and the crystals. Apparently, her and her cousin used them in emergencies to keep their identities safe, and their weaknesses out of the wrong hands, as best they could. It only confirmed for Marinette that the crystals were indeed weaknesses to them, and she vowed to keep them secret.

Supergirl stayed in Paris to oversee the surgeries, despite how much it embarrassed Marinatte to have a superhero acting like a bodyguard at the hospital, let alone how much the girl told the hero it was alright to leave her on her own. Yet again, Marinette vowed to never tell Alya. She made the hero swear to it, too, though she was sure that promise wouldn't hold if Alya ever got an interview. Truthfully, she wouldn't really hold the other teen to it anyways, but it was nice to know Supergirl would still make the effort to keep it the promise.

After the crystals were removed and Marinette was home free, Supergirl handed her a leather-bound wooden box, decorated in brass bands and studs, and lined on the inside with lead and velvet. Inside sat several chunks of glowing, ethereal crystals. Most of them were shades of green, but one sat in the center and radiated a brilliant gold. Each had been carefully coated in something clear, meant to prevent skin-to-skin contact when handling, without diminishing the beauty.

“Kryptonite,” Supergirl confessed with a sheepish grin. “Pieces of Krypton, the home planet Kryptonians like Kal-El and I are from. You kept them safe without even knowing it, I can’t imagine how safe they'll be now that you know they're here. Better than being anywhere near us or our enemies, am I right?”

Marinette had laughed, exasperated at Supergirl’s antics, but decided, for once, not to refuse the gift, and accept the new responsibility that came with them. It was the least she could do for a friend from an ocean and a few galaxies away.

After a few weeks in Paris, Supergirl had to go back to Metropolis a week before Marinette’s last year of collège started, admitting to needing to return to start her first year of high school.

Her final statement to Marinette had been to make a bet.

Marinette had laughed and fallen down giggling when she first expressed her want to make it. She was so used to Kim and Alix doing the same thing, realizing that they would get along well with Supergirl if they ever met.

“Geode!” She had called out and declared with the largest air of confidence she could muster, “Geode, Blue Starshine, Princess, Macaroon, Cookie Dough, Buttercup, Blossom, Lil’ Butterfly, Darlin’, Cutie. Marinette! I mean it, and this is my bet! I am going to learn French! It’s going to suck, and I’m going to hate it, but you learned English, so I’ll try to learn something else, too, and maybe I’ll do it in time to surprise you with how awesome I am at it next year.”

“And if you can’t do it?” Marinette had giggled, the last of her laughter simmering down after the bold declaration.

“I won’t,” was the answer. Yet she still added, “But if I do fail, I’ll take you to the one place only Kal and I can go, a little piece of Home on Earth. Deal?”

Marinette softened at the whole thing, and nodded with a soft smile.

“Deal.”

#Kryptonian AU #Karanette #Borne of the Stars #maribat #crossover au #miraculous ladybug #dc super hero girls #dc superman #kara danvers #marinette dupain cheng #willowbendt #supergirl

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inspired-by-the-music · 4 years

Text

For You: 4 O’Clock

Taglist: @jineunwootrash @jamies-kpop-reactions

Chapter 14: A Fool

By the time Taemin’s lips parted from mine, the fireworks overhead had almost entirely ceased, and most cars had vacated the parking lot below.

Breathless, I was almost hesitant to meet the glittering galaxies gathered in Taemin’s eyes, all too aware of the likelihood that I would spend the rest of the evening or the rest of my life aimlessly wandering through them. However, as you know by now, I could never resist the allure of Taemin’s other-worldly beauty.

His eyes smiled at me as his hands moved to cup my cheeks. “Do you want to do it again?” His laughter dissolved all tension in the air.

Before pecking at his grin, I hummed, “Maybe later!”

Narrowly escaping Taemin’s effort to catch me in another thousand-year kiss, I grabbed my mask from its corner and frowned at the high heels that were entirely responsible for the dull ache in my ankle.

“You don’t have to put them back on,” Taemin said, following my gaze. “I’ll carry you to my car and drive you home.” When I hesitated to climb onto his back because I had been too tall for piggyback rides for as long as I could remember, he pouted, begging, “Let me give you one drama-worthy moment, jagi. Please?”

There was no way to deny him whatever he wanted when he looked at me like that— like I alone held the key to his happiness in the palm of my hand. Setting aside my discomfort, abandoning my fear of heights (or, more accurately, my fear of falling from a height), I secured my hold around him. Releasing a deep breath, I laid my head on his shoulder.

Quietly, as if he thought that I had fallen asleep in the span of just a few seconds and he didn’t wish to wake me, Taemin asked, “Are you sleepy?”

“No,” I whispered, although my blinking eyelids had gone heavy with fatigue in the aftermath of the party’s highs and lows. “You’re just really warm, so you’re a good cuddle buddy.”

The smile on his face was audible as he repeated, “Cuddle buddy?” I wish I had opened my eyes to admire his smile, to watch if it grew when I dropped a feather-light kiss on the crook of his neck.

Delighted by the subtle shiver that ran down his spine at the sweet contact, I hoped that my voice carried my smile to him when he couldn’t quite see me. “What’s gonna happen to the blanket and the lights and—” I gasped.

Taemin’s body stiffened. He glanced back at my widened eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“Your rose—” tears gathered in my eyes with the sudden sharp blow of winter wind— “I left it behind. I must have dropped it when you kissed me. I must have been too happy to hold on, and now—”

As soon as he set me on my feet beside his car, Taemin kissed each of my cheeks. Before any tear could fall, he promised, “I’ll go get it.” He held his keys out to me. “I’ll be right back, okay? Please don’t cry. It’s our happy night.”

I parrotted the phrase, “Our happy night.” A smile broke across my face while I cursed myself for my embarrassing attachment to symbols like the rose. But then, it was easy to forget embarrassment when Taemin smiled at me.

Looking back, I think that he must have planned all along to return to our rooftop place to retrieve the blanket and the lights and his mask. In that moment, though, I was so giddy with the thought that Taemin had retraced our path just for the sake of the rose that I greeted his return with a broad grin that he hopefully appreciated in the two seconds before I caught his lips with mine.

“You kissed me,” Taemin gasped as if it were the first time. Holding the rose out to me, he asked, “Will you do it again in exchange for a flower?”

I don’t know what came over me. In all of my life, I had never been an excessively smiley, giggly sort of person, but my cheeks ached from smiling that night. My laughter seemed to have lost all meaning, but I kept laughing anyway. All I can say, I guess, is that Taemin’s kiss made me happy. Too happy. Happier than I had ever been.

Had there been a rational thought in my head that wasn’t centered around the boy in the diver’s seat, the boy determined to lace his fingers through mine as he drove down busy streets, the boy I trusted to lead me to new heights at any corner of the universe, I might have called myself cringeworthy.

At every point in my life, I had been prematurely fixated on the moment of goodbye. Maybe that was some sort of well-intentioned coping mechanism. I’m not sure. All I can tell you in hindsight is that I must have had no intention of parting ways with Taemin. Maybe in some corner of my mind— or in the entirety of my heart— I decided that the rest of the night would be spent in his company.

When he parked in the driveway of my house, I realized from the sheer number of cars that there was no way I would catch an hour of sleep. More importantly, there was no way I would have been able to lead Taemin into my room undetected. Within seconds, I pieced together that Super Junior had occupied my home to a.) celebrate the new year, b.) celebrate their years of friendship with Mom, and c.) to celebrate the union of Momhae.

When I relayed that information to Taemin, explaining what it meant for our sleeping arrangements, he suggested, “We can sleep together in my room at the SuperM house.”

From his smirk and the mischievous glint in his eyes coupled with the dropping of his jaw when I eagerly nodded my head, I figured that Taemin hadn’t been entirely serious. No, Taemin was always serious about falling asleep together. He must have expected me to place some boundary against falling asleep together in his bed.

Sinking at the thought that I hadn’t explained how much I loved sleeping at his side, I dropped the rose onto my lap so I could trace stars on his knuckles. “I’m sorry if this sounds too clingy or dependent, Taemin, but I— I want to spend every night with you. Even when we go back to living separate daily lives after the tour is over, I want to spend the nights with you. That time when I get to remove my mask and lay my head on your chest and just exist—”

Taemin squeezed my hand and raised it to meet his kiss. I had to smile at that sweet gesture as my heart swelled and overflowed with affection. The fond wrinkles that formed around his eyes encouraged me to continue to confess, “That time holds me together. I— to tell you the truth, I don’t know what I would do if that time were to end.”

Taemin said, “It won’t,” so assuredly that the lump growing in my throat dissolved. Shallow lines etched into his forehead as he asked, “Why did you tell me all of those beautiful things, jagi?”

I shrugged, startled by my total lack of embarrassment as I met his twinkling eyes. “I just thought that it would be kind of tragic if you never knew what time with you means to me. Earlier, you asked me to tell you what I feel, and I— I’m going to try, but you should know that I feel a lot, and— if you could, I would like for you to kiss me when I ramble, please—”

Immediately, Taemin took the hint. He kissed me like he planned to feel my lips without the invitation.

. . .

“I like it when you’re like this,” Taemin said on our way up the stairs to his bedroom.

From my place on his back, I bit back my giggles for fear of waking the SuperM members who, judging by the almost eerie silence and empty driveway, weren’t even there. “Like what, Taem?” I kissed his temple, careful not to drop the champagne bottle he looted from the party onto the hardwood floor. “All over you?”

“Well, yeah.” He smirked as he kicked open the door to his pure white room. From first glance, it seemed to be a place beyond earth. “But I actually meant that I like it when you’re honest with me. I love it when you trust me with everything locked away in here.” His index finger tapped on an inch of skin exposed beneath my bangs when he set me down on the small sofa by the window.

The cushions were as light and fluffy as clouds. Maybe with Taemin, every day, in one way or another, I enacted my dream of being something that belongs in the sky.

“You’ve always been easy to trust,” I told him as he filled the space next to me. “I just— it’s hard to unlearn the habit of holding back. Just know that I’m going to trust you with everything in time.”

Taemin took the bottle of champagne, beaming. “I know. Thank you for trying for me.”

I rose onto my knees, sinking ever-so-slightly into the clouds, to peel back the silky curtains and raise the blinds. Shining brilliantly over our garden amid a shower of golden fireworks, the moon stared back at me and stole my breath away.

“You can see our garden well from here,” I observed as I sat back, careful not to disturb my aching ankle. “If I had a view like this from my room, then I probably never would have snuck out of my house.”

Taemin said, “Flowers aren’t meant to be admired through a window.”

And when I glanced over at him, I found that he was watching the moon just as intently as I always had. A part of me wanted to ask if he also dreamed of a day when he could reach out and feel the moon’s kiss on his fingertips. The answer was obvious the next time he looked into my eyes, though, so the question died on the tip of my tongue.

“I like it when you’re like this,” I said, unable to lift my voice above a whisper.

“Like what, Lei?” After setting the champagne bottle on the floor with a gentle thud, Taemin leaned across the couch to lay his head on my chest, flush against my heartbeat. Hooking his hands around my waist, he fanned his breath over my collar bone. “All over you?”

My heart raced for him, but it didn’t hurt, and I wasn’t embarrassed knowing that he could feel it too.

“Well, yeah.” I smiled as I carded my fingers through his hair. “But I actually meant that I like it when you talk like a poet. I love it when you trust me with everything in here.” My index finger traced his heart over his collared shirt.

Taemin wrapped his fingers around my wrist and pressed my palm flat against his chest so I could feel it— the ever so subtle quickening of his pulse as he lifted his head to breathe against my parted lips.

I guess the night couldn’t have remained an almost perfect dream come true because I didn’t live in a fairytale. Sometime later, Taemin pressed his back against the arm of the couch opposite me. After taking a small taste of champagne, he asked, “Do you want to play truth or dare like we did the last time we drank together?”

Because I am a fool for anything with sentimental value, I nodded my head so passionately that Baekhyun’s flower crown fell off of my head. It landed on the space between Taemin and me. Before I could return the crown to its place atop my head, he swiped it and laid over his hair. Although the flowers weren’t his, they looked prettier on him. They transformed him into a vision of an angel.

Knowing the answer, Taemin asked, “Am I pretty?” while tucking a strand of hair behind his ear and winking as I tasted champagne.

I giggled at the bubbling sensation on my tongue. “You’re absolutely beautiful, Taemin.” He rejoiced at the compliment, and I asked, “Who gets to go first in this little game?”

He decided with the question, “Truth or dare, jagi?”

Obeying Taemin’s gesture to take another sip of the drink, I decided to be bold. “Dare.”

Taemin hummed as he caught his pretty pink bottom lip between his teeth. I do not doubt that he was deliberately employing the very on-stage tactics that elicit screams from full stadiums around the world. Tugging his phone out of his pocket and flashing the timer on its screen, he dared, “Kiss me for a whole minute.”

Although I was no longer a stranger to kissing Taemin, my cheeks burned at his instruction. “A minute?” I frowned. I can’t tell you if I was disappointed because a minute was closer to never or forever.

“A minute!” Taemin smiled before puckering his lips.

I trembled with anxiety during that first dared kiss, I think, because I was too aware of the passage of time. I wasted that first dared kiss by holding my breath, whittling away the seconds until the alarm permitted me to crawl back to my side of the couch.

If Taemin was disappointed by the minute he wasted with his lips pressed to mine in the most lackluster kiss of all time— if he was disappointed that I was still as shy in the field of physical affection as I was in verbal affection— I couldn’t tell. His lips curled into a smile that I could see through the champagne bottle.

In my embarrassment, I nearly forgot to ask, “Truth or dare, Taeminnie?”

He squealed as he almost always did when I called him by anything resembling a nickname. “Truth.” His voice was a gentle hum.

My eyes broke from his just long enough to glance out at our garden before returning to the pleasure of staring at him until every detail of his perfect face was a permanent memory that I could sketch out on paper given a chance. I asked, “What were you doing out there by the rose bush that night before I sat with you?”

“Waiting for you,” he answered without a moment of hesitation, without a moment of surrendering to shame. “I noticed you out there once or twice when I should have been sleeping. I knew that you were lonely because you didn’t know that we were looking up at the same moon at the same time.” While I traced the ribbon around his wrist, he said, “It was my dream to show you— to make you feel that you’re not alone.”

Even if I achieved my goal of learning every language in the world, would I have ever learned the words with which to respond to something so beautiful? I don’t think so. I believe there are some moments when the only response can be silence.

I almost wanted to ask how he knew that I would be out there on that particular night. I almost wanted to know how the flower he held had broken. I came close to asking if he held it together in his warm, soft hands long after it was unsalvageable because he hoped as much as I did that the universe had gifted him with the supernatural ability to mend gaping wounds with his touch.

I bit my tongue, though, because the concept of fate enchanted me as a mysterious force that should not have to suffer through questioning. It was romantic enough to hear from Taemin’s mouth that we were brought together by the moon that I turned the page on those questions without regret.

Taking my next drink of champagne, I again chose dare, hoping for another chance to kiss my Taemin’s lips after he made my heart flutter with his talk about the moon.

Perhaps reading my mind or maybe wanting to feel my breath as much as I needed to feel his to thank the universe for the gift of the time together, Taemin said, “Kiss me for two minutes, please.”

That time, when Taemin started his timer, I hoped that by some miracle or happy accident, the alarm would never send me back to my appropriate side of the couch. I wanted to melt into him, to lose myself in him. It didn’t matter if I should ever distinguish myself from him again. Here— with him— is where I am happiest.

That time, when Taemin whispered, “My Lei,” against my skin, I didn’t cringe at the thought that I— all of me, every thought locked away in my mind, every fear hidden in the darkest corners of my heart— belonged to him.

Maybe that’s not the best way to phrase it. Maybe I mean to say that I didn’t cringe at the thought that all of me, even the parts that I considered fruitless or dangerous or flawed, belonged with Taemin. I don’t know.

Setting aside the semantics that certainly didn’t matter to me at the time, my heart stirred at Taemin’s whisper. I took both of his hands in mine and laced our fingers together as if that would forever tether me to the moment.

Time ran out as it always does and always will. After Taemin silenced the alarm, I stalled in peeling myself away from him. As cliche as this sounds, I swear that it’s true: it was almost painful to be separated.

Taemin noticed, or maybe he felt a pull toward me too. Swallowing champagne, he chose dare. He probably expected me to dare him to kiss me for as long as he wanted because I was tired of the alarm jolting us apart.

I don’t know how to describe my excitement when he leaned forward onto his knees and laid beside me on my side of the couch. It was a burning sensation that crawled up from the tips of my toes, pooled in my stomach, spread from my chest to the fingertips that reached out to trace his smile, and heated every inch of my face.

I don’t know how long we kissed that time, but I know that there was no coherent thought in my head by the time Taemin left me with tingling swollen lips. Maybe he deprived me of too much oxygen. Maybe the alcohol caught up with me all at once as my pulse quickened with each of his lingering touches.

Taemin swears that I was drunk on New Year’s Eve, but I can’t tell you for certain because I never felt like that— hot, honest, uninhibited, stuck in slow-motion— since that one night spent in his room. Because these memories embarrass me still, I have sworn off alcohol just to safely avoid circumstances that yield reckless choices.

Almost laughing at my dazed open-mouth expression, Taemin wondered aloud, “What are you thinking about?” while running his thumb over my crescent moon earring that matched his.

If he expected me to say anything profound, he must have been disappointed when I asked through bubbling giggles, “Do you think it’s physically possible for me to drown in your kiss?”

No disappointment was visible on his laughing face. If he wasn’t affected by the alcohol, I don’t know what his excuse was for muttering, “Let’s find out,” before fitting his lips with mine for the millionth time.

I am bashful about relating these acts of affection to you. I am not in any way ashamed about having kissed Taemin. It’s just— you know that I don’t regularly engage in this sort of behavior. I never really considered that I would ever breathe in sync or move in sync with anybody before Taemin found me in that hour of loneliness in the garden.

It didn’t come to me naturally at first— succumbing to that eternal pull toward him, the one who set me alight with his tender touch— but once the habit developed, I would never break it. Maybe I couldn’t even if I wake up one day and decide to try.

Anyway, there is something inherently nerve-rattling about carrying what happens in the dark in the company of the stars into daylight. Sometimes, I wonder if I’m doing the right thing by telling you everything that happened after the rising of the moon, but I— I guess I want nothing more than to share my happiness with you. I guess I want you to know that happiness is him: Taemin, my star.

After all the nights of narrowly missing Taemin’s lips, I suppose that the damn burst all at once with the bursting of fireworks. I don’t understand it. I don’t understand him, but I don’t have to understand Taemin to know that I am in love with him. That’s why I’m trying to stop seeing the world in the logical way I have tried to add and subtract everything else in my life. I accept that some things— some emotions— some people are not meant to be put into words.

It’s beautiful that Taemin is one such person.

Undoubtedly drowning in Taemin’s scent of roses, I broke from the kiss to ask, grinning from ear to ear like an absolute fool, “Do you think I could get drunk from this kiss?”

And— I squirm at this memory— he said, “I think I already am.”

The very words that almost make me cringe in hindsight washed over me like a stories-high wave that swept me to the shore where Taemin’s lips molded with mine again, still not tired, still not bored, still so sweet and gentle but not at all timid. He convinced me that I was made for this— I was made for him— and I think I still believe that now that I am sober and the sun has risen and, for a blink in the universe, he is not reading over my shoulder.

I ruined what very well could have been a perfect knee-weakening memory by sitting up to suggest, “Let’s play strip poker!”

Taemin laughed out loud. He gripped his sides because they were splitting until he realized that I wasn’t joking. Likely rattled by my serious expression that contradicted the last several minutes spent giggling between kisses, he gasped. “Are you being serious?”

I must have been intoxicated. Had I been sober, that suggestion would have been a joke or, at the very least, I would have had the wit to pass off a genuine (humiliating) desire as an absent-minded attempt at flirting. Instead, I nodded, reaching out to card my fingers through his hair. “I’m always serious, sweet Taemin.”

“Sweet Taemin?” The broad smile that brightened his face now brightens my memories. Forcing his lips into an exaggerated pout, he said, “I don’t have cards, jagi, so we can’t play strip poker. I’m sorry.”

“Darn.” I frowned, brow furrowing as I traced my fingers over Taemin’s lips that pervaded my every blurry thought. “Oh well. I don’t know how to play poker anyway.” And then, when I should have dropped the subject before any harm was done, I asked, “Can we play strip rock-paper-scissors instead, Taeminnie?”

Taemin snorted. “Well,” he spoke in a soft hum that almost definitely meant no.

Being more shameless in that moment than I had been in my entire life, I felt my eyes widen pleadingly. “Please, sweet Taeminnie?” My bottom lip poked out from my frown, and my hands pressed together as if to pray.

He sighed, “Well, alright,” and then winked as if he planned to give me my way all along.

I squealed and clapped my hands as I sat upright on my arm of the couch. After I gulped another unneeded mouthful of champagne, Taemin took the bottle and set it behind his side of the couch so I couldn’t reach it without straining.

I wasn’t disappointed for long. Holding his fist out, Taemin wiggled his eyebrows. “Ready, jagi?”

Giggling, I nodded my head until I was dizzy and the game commenced.

It was fun at first because Taemin lost the first two rounds. I think he liked that I rolled my eyes and shouted, “Booooooooriiiiiing,” when he started by removing his black socks. Then, he laughed as air passed through my rounded lips— a poor imitation of a whistle— when he slowly unbuttoned his shirt.

Lowering back onto the couch, Taemin was careful to sit straight so that I could see each of his muscles. “Like what you see?” He smirked as if the answer wasn’t evident from my unadulterated stare and agape mouth. Like it tickled, he laughed when I reached to poke one of the muscles protruding in his abdomen because (even then) I needed proof that he wasn’t just a dream.

My winning streak didn’t last long. I was all too easy to beat, too compromised by alcohol and the mind-numbing sight of my boyfriend to even notice that I lost until he giggled.

After I shrugged out of Taemin’s jacket, dropping and forgetting it on the floor, I lost again. Without shoes or socks to shed, I stood and almost gnawed through my cheek as I reached for the cold zipper at the base of my neck. For the better part of five minutes, Taemin just watched me struggle with the zipper.

Maybe he thought I was stalling to remain clothed for as long as possible, but the truth— that’s too embarrassing to admit. Suffice it to say that, having suggested the game in the first place, I was not stalling.

When the sparkling midnight blue fabric fell at my bare feet, we both screamed.

Standing before him in only a nude bra and a pair of skin-toned Spanx, too stunned by my own action to look away from his widened eyes, I stuttered, “I— I can’t do this. Or can I?” Glancing down at myself, blushing just slightly, I realized, “I guess I already did, so—”

“No,” Taemin said as he stood. Although his eyes were closed, he walked to me without stumbling and draped his discarded shirt over my shoulders. Once I fit my arms through the silky sleeves that hung past my fingertips, Taemin opened his eyes to button the shirt most of the way up. He avoided my bewildered gaze, saying, “I’m sorry. I was just playing around. I didn’t think that you would actually do that. I’m so sorry, Lei.”

Because I couldn’t understand why he was apologizing when we had only played the game by its rules, I asked, “What’s wrong? Did I mess something up again?”

I must have cried. I can still feel Taemin’s thumbs brushing my cheeks just under my eyes. I hate that. I hate that I lost all inhibitions. I hate that I cried in front of Taemin just because his solemn expression terrified me to the core. I hate that I had no choice in whether or how to express the emotions I would have preferred to hide.

“No,” he whispered before enveloping me in a hug that was probably supposed to prove that nothing was wrong. He pulled my bangs out of my face and brushed his lips across my forehead. “You didn’t mess anything up. It just— if we keep going, I think you’ll regret it in the morning. I never want you to regret anything you do with me.”

“I wouldn’t regret it.” Suddenly too flustered, too ashamed to meet his eyes, I looped my arms around his waist and leaned forward to put my ear to his heartbeat. What once had been slow, confident, unaffected by my proximity was now rapid, anxious, all because of me.

“Please,” Taemin begged, “don’t say things like that when I’m trying to do the right thing.”

Before I could continue to childishly argue that there was no reason to pace ourselves or resist each other if we wanted the same things, Taemin tightened his grip around my waist and pulled me flush against his warm body. He held me there in the silence for what felt like eternities before swinging me, as if I was as light as a feather, toward his bed.

He sang, “Let’s go to sleep,” and smiled his smile that grew more familiar with each passing second. A beauty of my memories and my present confined no longer to photographs and my wildest dreams.

He pulled back the plush white blanket to expose white sheets, and he tugged me along toward the head of the bed, where he collapsed against soft cloud pillows.

“But I don’t wanna go to bed,” I whined, refusing to lay with him. “I’m not tired!”

Taemin laughed when I reached for the champagne bottle. His hand wrapped around my waist, tickling me through his shirt, and pulled me to the center of the bed so that my back pressed against his side. “Let’s cuddle, then. Come here and talk to me.”

I mumbled, “That’s my favorite thing to do,” and rolled onto my side so I could see him.

As I started to trace my name onto his chest with my index finger, Taemin chuckled. “What’s your favorite thing? Cuddling or talking to me?”

“Both,” I answered without hesitation. My eyes flickered up to his face. He was so beautiful that I had to tell him. “Do you know why?”

“No.” Taemin shook his head, which he propped on the arm resting atop his pillow. “Why, jagi?”

“You’re my favorite person,” I told him plainly, “because you’re beautiful.”

“I’m beautiful?” Taemin gasped like he never before received the compliment.

“Didn’t you know?” I removed my hand from his chest to cup his cheek, which bulged under the weight of his sparkling toothy grin. “You’re so pretty, Taemin. You’re the prettiest person in the whole world. You’re prettier than the sun and the moon and all of the stars. You’re brighter than all of them, too, and I love you more than them and—”

True to his earlier promise to silence me with a kiss whenever I ramble, Taemin used both hands to pull me atop him and, resting one hand at the nape of my neck, he brought my lips to his.

“This is my other favorite thing to do,” I confessed, looking down at him with a smile I hope rivaled the radiance of the sun. “I never want to stop kissing you.”

Taemin breathed, “Then don’t,” so sweetly that I kissed him over and over again until the sun rose or my eyes fluttered closed in a deep sleep— whichever came first.

My stomach didn’t knot at any of the night’s events until the morning sun broke through the window, unobstructed by blinds or curtains, and pried my eyes open with a dull headache. When my bare legs brushed against the fabric of Taemin’s dress pants, I flinched away from him, sat upright, and choked on a gasp.

I glanced at his sleeping form, barely getting to admire the half of his face that wasn’t buried in the cloud white pillow before my eyes zeroed in on the fact that his back— his entire upper body— was bare.

He was shirtless and right next to me. I was pants-less (except for my shapewear) and right next to him.

And in those few seconds before the previous night’s events came back to crush me under the weight of utter humiliation, I think my instinct was to run before Taemin could notice. I hate admitting that after I swore in champagne-induced honesty that I would regret nothing.

A confession: I was not trying to run away from regret. I was trying to run from a terrifyingly unfamiliar sense of desire that I— well, just use your imagination or something.

I swept Taemin’s jacket off of the floor and pulled my phone out of the pocket, only to be greeted with a wall of missed calls from Lucas. Because it wasn’t even nine o’clock and we had no set schedule, to say that I was worried that Lucas was awake— let alone blowing my phone up— was an understatement.

I wasted no time in calling him back on my tiptoed sprint into Taemin’s bathroom.

Lucas answered as I set to removing last night’s smudged eyeliner with a cloth I found in a cabinet. “Where are you?” he asked in place of ‘hello.’

While I had been cognizant enough pre-champagne to text Mom that I was crashing at the SuperM house— careful to exclude the part about sleeping in Taemin’s bed— I hadn’t thought to check in with Lucas.

“The SuperM house,” I replied, sinking at the thought that he might have been worried about me. “Specifically, I’m hiding in my—” I was going to say ‘my boyfriend,’ but my mouth couldn’t quite form the word— “Taemin’s bathroom.”

“Your Taemin’s bathroom?” From the wave-like inflection in Lucas’s voice, I could envision his wiggling eyebrows. I imagined that his bright, teasing smile faded into a frown before he asked, “Wait, hiding? What are you hiding from?”

I was hiding from the fact that I had woken up half-naked in bed with a half-naked Taemin. I was hiding from the truth that had he not drawn a line in the sand, had he not been the first to close the door, I would have given him everything. All it took was a little bit of champagne for me to lose all sense of dignity, and I— why couldn’t I regret anything?

There was no way in hell I was going to say any of that to Lucas, though. Instead, I said, “I don’t want to wake Taemin while talking to you.” I was picking among truths.

Lucas’s silence carried his belief that I was hiding something, but I clung to my secrets. “Why did you call me a million times?”

“Oh yeah. That.” Lucas chuckled. “Heechul and Donghae—”

At their names, the two men felt compelled to bicker within Lucas’s earshot.

Lucas sighed, “Well, you’ll just have to come home to get a clear read on this situation.”

Eager for an excuse to race home before Taemin could see my scarlet cheeks and tempt me into lovesick decisions, I asked, “Do you need me to come home now?”

Lucas’s response was delayed. He probably knew that I was trying to run, so he took his time in carefully structuring his response. “I think Heechul and Donghae will still be here long after you spend time with Taemin.”

As if stirred awake by the most recent utterance of his name, Taemin knocked on the door. “Lei, jagi, are you in here?” His voice was raspy with fatigue.

“I’ll see you when you get home,” Lucas said before hanging up, leaving me to confront the tension that set butterflies ablaze in my gut.

Setting my phone down on the counter, I told Taemin, “It’s unlocked.”

When he walked through the doorway, I couldn’t look at him for long. He was still shirtless and much prettier now that he was awake and smiling at me. I couldn’t breathe.

While my gaze averted toward the white marble counter, he filled the space behind me, wrapped his arms around my waist, and pressed a soft kiss to my temple. He stood so close that the warmth of his bare skin radiated through the back of my (his) shirt.

“I thought you left,” he whispered, tightening his embrace, “before I could tell you again that I love you.”

The intimacy of this entire scene�� being this close to Taemin after sleeping in his bed, wearing only his shirt over my undergarments, having spent and continuing to spend time in this place that was neither a hotel nor my bedroom but his space— burned me alive.

I said, “I love you too,” because I did even when I trembled like a leaf tempted to flutter away from the life-giving branch.

Taemin must have sensed my anxiety. His touch softened as his hand reached my chin, urging me to meet our reflection. “Look at us,” he breathed, and my eyes opened.

Our faces were swollen from sleep, and Taemin’s eyes were smudged by faint traces of makeup that he hadn’t wiped away the night before— the first night that he hadn’t prioritized his skincare routine— and my eyes were wide with some emotion that I can only describe as fear— but Taemin said, “We’re beautiful.”

Then, I saw the gentle, angelic smile that curved his lips— the lips I kissed a million times to claim as mine— and I saw the spark in his eyes, and I felt the way his chest rose and fell against my back. I saw that the blush burning my face was a pretty rosy pink that matched the color spread across every visible inch of his skin down to the fingertips, and I saw that the same spark in his eyes was alight in mine, and I felt that trembling at Taemin’s presence was okay. Trembling in Taemin’s embrace was the appropriate, proper, natural response.

He was right: we are beautiful.

“I’m happy,” I told him in case it wasn’t apparent from my sigh as I melted into him. “You should be the first person I see every morning.”

Taemin smiled before releasing me and walking to his cabinet. He returned to my side, offered me a toothbrush, and winked before brushing his teeth. “I usually am these days, aren’t I?”

His wink made my stomach do somersaults.

Tingling as I fit the toothbrush into my mouth, I shrugged. I thought long and hard before spitting into the sink and filling the morning air with the declaration, “I’m talking about forever, Taemin.”

Taemin blinked at me so many times that I thought the suds from his facewash had fallen into his eyes through his thick lashes. When he continued blinking after his face was rinsed and dried, I clarified, bold in my convictions despite his silence, “You should be the first person I see for the rest of forever. Or at least that’s what I think. At least that’s what I want.”

“I—” Taemin wheezed.

That’s when I started to panic: when Taemin fell into uncharacteristic silence. Leaning against the cold counter, I closed my eyes, rubbed my temples, and replayed all of our conversations. I knew that I hadn’t been the first to mention forever. Taemin was. Just last night at the party, just before he kissed me, he said that he would love me forever.

Had that been a sweet nothing with which to fill the silence? I knew that a lot of people say forever without meaning it, but I— I never have. I thought Taemin was like me: someone who feels the weight of forever. I didn’t think that he would say something like that just to say it, just to hear it said back, just to make me fall in love with a fairytale illusion.

I think I know enough of broken hearts to tell you that mine was shattered before Taemin wrapped his arms around me. His touch filled every void, healed every wound, and I knew how happy that rose was to have been held by him that night in our garden.

“You made me so happy just then,” he whispered in my ear, “that I forgot how to speak.”

Just like that, he mended and melted my heart. Just like that, he opened my eyes to his sincere smile, and I had to tell him, “You hold all of my heart in the palm of your hand, Taemin.”

He told me, still in a whisper pressed to my ear, “You hold all of mine too, Lei. Forever.”

Staring forever in the face didn’t seem so scary anymore.

Before I could even try to comb through the bird’s nest on my head, Taemin tightened his grip around my waist and lifted me off of the cold tiled floor, not quite high enough to trigger my fear of falling.

“Come on, jagi.” Once we stood in his bedroom, he motioned for me to climb onto his back. “ Let's make breakfast downstairs!”

Knowing well that— combined— Taemin and I had a total of about fifteen minutes’ worth of experience in the kitchen, I decided that it would be fun to visit unexplored territory with him. It would be like playing house, a game that hadn’t interested me since early childhood years in Grandma’s kitchen in Atlanta.

My ankle healed almost entirely overnight, so I didn’t need Taemin to carry me. I think I never needed him to carry me in the first place, but maybe I wanted him to. Maybe I liked having romantic k-drama moments with him when nobody could see and laugh and point out that I looked out of place in such a scene.

Because Taemin giggled loudly every time I dropped a kiss on his cheek, neck, or shoulders while descending the stairs, I didn’t hear any signs that Ten stood in the kitchen. Given that I was a guest in the SuperM house, I guess I should have been prepared to see another member at some point, but I would never have expected to see an outsider— a girl!

Before I hid my burning face in the crook of Taemin’s neck, I watched the girl trail her fingers down Ten’s arms, bare under his ruffled pink apron. I watched her long black hair fall over his shoulders as she tried to distract him from the sizzling stovetop with open-mouth kisses pressed to Ten’s jawline. All at once, I realized that both of them were almost completely naked.

All I could think was that the girl, even though I couldn’t see her face, was stunning in the way that she carried herself without any degree of shame.

Why couldn’t I be like that? Is shamelessness an inherent trait, or can one learn it and call it confidence?

I stifled my surprised gasp against the skin of Taemin’s shoulder, but Ten must have heard anyway. He somehow must have turned his eyes away from the girl long enough to find me clinging to Taemin at the foot of the stairs.

He said, “Hey, Lei!” in a bright tone that didn’t imply the embarrassment that would have seized me should anyone catch me in an intimate act with Taemin. “Have fun ringing in the new year?”

Although I couldn’t bring myself to meet Ten’s teasing gaze, I knew that he believed that a scene similar to the one playing out in the kitchen had played out in Taemin’s bedroom. Too embarrassed to speak even to try to correct him, I kept my eyes fixed on Taemin’s back as I straightened my legs, relieved by his willingness to let me go.

I hoped that Taemin was the only person who watched my dash through the front door, clad in only his shirt that— thankfully— reached my mid-thigh.

“Goodbye,” Taemin called after me through laughter. I was glad that he wasn’t offended that I left without breakfast. “I’ll call you later!”

To my further humiliation, Ten laughed too.

. . .

Had I been thinking clearly, I would have entered the house through my bedroom window instead of running around to the front door, shivering in the cold. It’s a miracle that I was greeted only by Lucas, who was too busy scribbling on a piece of paper on the coffee table to notice me until I closed the door with a soft click. It’s a miracle that Mom, Donghae, and Heechul were too involved in their discussion in the kitchen to notice that I stood in the living room, cheeks painted red by the winter wind and the vulnerability of existing only in Taemin’s shirt.

Rubbing at my temples, where a headache formed at Heechul’s sudden increase in volume, I groaned, “And here I thought we were finally at the happy ending.”

Lucas’s brow furrowed. He chewed on his chapped bottom lip as if he hadn’t heard me.

My frown was instinctual, a natural response to the absence of my best friend’s smile that accompanied every hello and brightened every day. “Are you okay?” My voice was gentle as I tiptoed to sit by his side. Reaching for the paper, the focus of his glare, I asked, “What are you drawing?”

No matter how intently I stared at the list of names and lines and hearts penned in rainbows of crayon colors, I couldn’t make out any picture until Lucas replied, voice raspy from a lack of sleep— maybe he tried and failed to fall asleep during the Super Junior New Years Afterparty— “Our family tree.”

At the top of the page was Mom written in pink, sandwiched between orange Donghae and red Heechul. Lines connected my name, a pretty shade of blue that reminded me of a daytime sky, and Lucas’s, a deep purple, to Mom’s to mark us as her children. Then, a line accented with hearts linked my name to Taemin’s, and almost illegible yellow, to define us as soulmates.

Below my name and Taemin’s was an unfamiliar title: “Lucas Tue,” written in green.

Cocking my head, I pointed to that foreign name. “Who’s that?”

The relief that overwhelmed me when Lucas broke his concentrated scowl to grin from ear to ear was shortlived. I choked on my breath when he explained, “That’s yours and Taemin’s baby! See how I wrote his name in green? That’s because he’s the perfect blend of you— blue— and Taemin— yellow!”

It was kind of cute that Lucas spent just as much time as I did (if not more) imagining a future with Taemin.

Rather than reminding Lucas that there was no baby or insisting him that there wouldn’t be one for quite some time, I asked, “Is this supposed to be an alternate spelling of, like, Lucas 2? As in, you expect me and Taemin to name our child after you?”

Lucas nodded eagerly. “I think it’s pretty clever. To make it less confusing, I propose we call the little ray of sunshine ‘Tue.’”

I blinked at Lucas, nearly on the verge of laughter. “If it’s really important to you, I’ll talk this over with Taemin, but my vote on this name suggestion is a resounding no.”

The wide-eyed offended expression that dashed across Lucas’s face easily gave way to a goofy grin as he swung his arm over my shoulder and ruffled a hand through my knotted hair. He laughed in my ear. “Aw! You want a baby with Taemin!” He cheered so loudly that Mom, Donghae, and Heechul should have heard.

I guess they didn’t, thank God, because none of them came barreling out of the kitchen.

“Cut it out!” I blushed as I wiggled out of Lucas’s embrace, inciting more teasing laughter. I flipped over the family tree so it couldn’t fluster me further. “Why are you drawing family trees anyway?”

“I’m trying to make sense of the world around me.” Lucas shrugged, staring blankly at the SpongeBob episode playing on the television. “Donghae is Mom’s boyfriend, but Heechul is the one who’s almost always here for dinner and dramas. Now that they’re both competing for roles in Mom’s life, I’m wondering which one is our dad.”

I gawked at Lucas. I was amazed by his genuine sense of confusion.

“Neither is our dad,” I said, thinking that should have been obvious. Instead of reminding Lucas that Mom was my Mom like I probably did at the dawn of our friendship, I told him, “Family units don’t need strict clear cut roles, you know. All that matters is that we’re happiest when we’re together. Donghae and Heechul should realize that they don’t have to compete for a place in Mom’s life and ours by extension.”

Lucas folded our family tree into a paper airplane as he considered my perspective. Pursing his lips, he conceded, “You’re probably right.”

I tugged my knees toward my chest. Crossing my arms and laying my head against the bend of my elbow, I breathed in the scent of roses on Taemin’s shirt. My shirt. The shirt I would keep (probably) forever.

“I’m almost always right,” I boasted, sending Lucas an uncharacteristic wink. I don’t know what was wrong with me. Happiness makes me weird.

“Yeah, yeah.” Lucas rolled his eyes even as he grinned. His eyebrows pinched together as he gathered the fabric of my sleeve between his fingers. “Hey, where’d you get this shirt?”

The resurfacing memories — the memories that I admit never once sunk below the surface, if I’m entirely honest— of Taemin from that morning and last night and every night passed that he had stolen my heart piece by piece struck me speechless. I couldn’t explain that the shirt once belonged to him while my heart swelled in my chest, knotting my throat and stomach and everything in its path.

While I struggled to breathe, Lucas’s eyes trailed down to my legs. His eyes nearly popped out of his head, and I almost wanted to laugh at his expression, but I was suddenly far too embarrassed to do anything but hide my face in my cloud-soft sleeve.

“Lei!” Lucas shrieked in a whisper because he didn’t want to attract attention from our parental figures. “What happened to your pants?”

All I said was, “Shut up, Lucas,” too mortified to meet his gaze.

Rather than staying to endure his interrogation, which I knew even in the darkest depths of embarrassment was genuine well-intentioned curiosity, I stood, pulled the bottom hem of Taemin’s shirt as far down my thighs as it would go, and ran upstairs to my bedroom. Somehow, I went undetected by Mom, Donghae, and Heechul.

Believe me: I appreciated that freedom while it lasted.

Until I was alone behind the closed door, stepping into white pajama pants that were a little too big because they once belonged to Lucas, it didn’t occur to me that my silence might have been damaging to my reputation. Yes, I thought of my reputation even with Lucas. No, I really hadn’t changed from the paranoid principled person I had been at the start of this tale. I’m sorry.

My silence implied that there was a scandalous reason why my dress laid on Taemin’s floor. Whatever scene Lucas imagined when I ran up the stairs was probably similar to whatever Ten imagined when he found me at the foot of the stars.

I can’t tell you why I squirmed at that thought. I should have been comforted by the reality that a.) nothing that scandalous happened beyond eternal kisses and an embarrassing game of rock-paper-scissors and b.) I wouldn’t have taken it back for anybody if something that scandalous had happened beyond eternal kisses and an embarrassing game of rock-paper-scissors.

But I wasn’t comforted. My stomach coiled with the realization that people thought I threw away every rule and reservation for Taemin.

It was true. With ease, Taemin walked through every door, even the ones I swore I locked. He made me want to fall face-first into the sky, but you probably couldn’t tell from my forced grip around the safety rail, ever submissive to the fear of falling alone, still scared that he couldn’t catch me even if he fulfilled his promise to try.

No longer consumed by the tension between Mom and Donghae because I could hear their laughter interrupting Heechul’s rant about who-knows-what, no longer distracted by the demands of the tour, my only thought was Taemin. And it wasn’t because we finally shared our first million kisses or because he was unashamed to lay shirtless by my side or because he set me on fire with his touch.

Taemin pervaded every idle daydream because of those moments when he made me feel safe. Maybe all I ever wanted was security, and I found it in his steady heartbeat. Maybe I found it in the way his shirt hugged me and made my skin smell like roses. Maybe I could never let go.

Maybe I hated that Ten could pervert pure love with his playful smirk. Maybe I never bothered to correct him by explaining that bond formed in the garden— which exceded the limits of all words anyway— for fear of misunderstanding or seeming as vulnerable as I had always been behind my mask.

Maybe I was shy, and maybe I always would be, but there was— is— there is a part of me that wants to shout from every rooftop that I will be forever in love with Taemin because every moment is like that first in the garden. A part of me wants to tell everyone that everything else, every hand held and kiss shared and love-stained word whispered in the dark has been an act of gratitude because he saw me.

Taemin saw me. Taemin loved me.

And sometimes, I realize that I still don’t know how to thank him or God or fate or the universe or whoever I’m supposed to thank for miracles.

I was contemplating this, my blooming garden of miracles, when Taemin’s voice filled my quiet room. “I have something for you, jagi.”

My scream would have brought Heechul and Donghae racing up the stairs (likely bickering about who gets to obliterate the demon serial burglar who dared to burst through my window in broad daylight) had Taemin not silenced it with a long kiss as he climbed onto my bed, where I had been laying with my eyes closed.

“Here you go.” He dropped a rose— the fragmented one from the party, which I must have forgotten somewhere again— onto my pillow. It landed by the crook of my neck and tickled my skin with its petals.

“Thank you,” I smiled.

Before Taemin could secure me in the embrace I never wanted to wake from, I walked over to my vanity. Catching my cheerful blush in the mirror, only briefly meeting Taemin’s gaze through the glass, I fit the rose into the vase with all of the others. “What about Baekhyun’s flower crown, my dress, and my heels?”

“They’re in my room.” Taemin kicked his shoes off onto the floor and rolled onto his back to lay his head on one of my pillows. “I can only carry so much when I scale up the side of your house.”

Something in his childish tone made me laugh as I crossed the distance back to him. “Noted, Taem. If climbing is such a struggle for you, why don’t you just come in through the front door?”

It was impossible, unrealistic, the dream that we could ever love out in the open, but I think I wanted it. I wanted to live in the world where we didn’t have to watch our shadows, look around every corner, lock every closed door. I just didn’t know how to get there, and I couldn’t ask Taemin to lead me to a place that didn’t exist.

Taemin winked. “Isn’t it more fun this way? Sneaking around like we have something to hide—” he sat up to whisper in my ear, unable to see the goosebumps that formed down my arms concealed by his shirt— “isn’t it exciting?”

My face burned, but I didn’t shrink away from Taemin’s voice or the kiss he placed on my cheek as my gaze fell onto my hands pressed flat in my lap. Breathless because of his proximity, I was almost too bashful to admit in my faintest whisper, “Everything is exciting with you, my Taemin.”

“Look at me.” His command was more of a desperate plea.

When I couldn’t obey, not even to see his brilliant smile, because all of me was on fire, Taemin dropped to his knees before me as he had in one of our American hotel rooms once upon a time.

It couldn’t have happened just a few months ago. A few months is too short to contain an infinity. And yet, my love for Taemin existed outside of time, perhaps owing to the years of admiring him as an idol from afar, or the decades of secretly dreaming that somebody like him existed and was bound to come my way on some unforeseen river rapid, or maybe—

Maybe owing to the soul bond signified by the blue ribbon on his wrist.

“Lei,” Taemin said my name so beautifully, “there’s no reason to be embarrassed. You can look into my eyes and call me yours because it’s true.” His hands cupped my cheeks like he expected me to burst into tears.

I didn’t want to cry, though. I only wanted to smile. So I did.

“Really?” I probably looked like a baby staring down at him with eyes blown wide with wonder, but I don’t mind. I don’t mind being vulnerable with him. “You don’t think I’m moving too quickly or being too clingy, or—”

Taemin’s peel of laughter made me laugh too. He said, “Honestly, I think you should move as quickly as you want. You can be clingier. I told you, I like it when you’re like this. Do it more, please?”

It was almost impossible to deny him when he looked at me like that, like I was his favorite part of the world. I crumbled. I fell a little deeper. I wanted to be anything he wanted, knowing that all he wanted was me unrestrained.

I told him, “It’s hard to hold back from you.”

Returning to my side to hold me even though the sun was casting its rays across our faces, he urged, “Then don’t.”

But I— I had to hold some parts for myself, right? I had to keep some things locked in that internal box so they would be intact should a storm blow through and destroy everything or— worse— should he gather his things, including the pieces of me, to continue on his separate way. I— I had to at least be able to tell my future self that I tried to prepare for the worst.

“Please,” I begged, reaching for the television remote on my nightstand to downplay my reference, “don’t say things like that when I’m trying to do the right thing.”

I tried to ignore the ensuing silence and distract myself from Taemin’s stare by flicking through a thousand boring channels.

Taemin didn’t react well to losing my attention. He moved to sit before me, deliberately blocking the television so that there was no choice but to meet his eyes despite the resurgence of butterflies.

“So,” he laughed bashfully when I raised my eyebrows. His hand rubbed at the back of his neck. “You remember— um— that?”

I nodded, blushing mainly because he blushed first. I picked at a button on my shirt. “I remember well enough to quote it.”

All he said was, “Oh,” before he crawled back to my side and pressed his back to the headboard.

I didn’t know what to say or what to make of his “Oh,” which was over too quickly to carry any tone with which to gauge his thoughts. Turning my gaze, which followed Taemin everywhere, to the television, I hoped (as always) that the tension would disappear— or at least stop growing— if I didn’t acknowledge it.

It was like I hadn’t learned anything from my journey of self-discovery. And why? Because I was blushing? Was my hard-won strength really so fragile?

No.

Having outgrown foolish, childish coping mechanisms, I rolled my eyes at myself and admitted that it was unfair to leave all silences for Taemin to break just because I was afraid to accidentally shatter something that never should have been mine. I read once that progress isn’t always linear, so I kept that in mind when meeting Taemin’s eyes.

He had gotten there first. He was watching me. Waiting for me. Quietly. Patiently. Maybe he knew that it was my turn to speak first.

“I don’t regret anything that happened last night,” I admitted in one breath. “Maybe I should because I have never kissed anybody like that before, and I’ve definitely never taken my dress off in front of anyone before. I don’t know how much I should blame the champagne, but I know I acted like a fool. The problem— if you can really call it a problem, and I know you wouldn’t— is that I don’t mind being a fool for you.”

If Lionel Ritchie and Diana Ross could sing that in “Endless Love,” then I could say it to Taemin. Or at least that’s what I told myself.

Taemin beamed at my honesty as he always did. Sensing that it was safe to do so, he draped an arm over my shoulders and pulled me into his side. Normally, nobody lies to feel small, but I was comfortable sinking into his embrace.

He said, “I don’t regret last night either,” apparently forgetting his apologetic efforts to get our night back on track after we screamed. “I never regret any moment shared with you. I kinda thought you were adorable, to be honest.”

“Adorable?” I scoffed through my grin. “You define things weirdly.”

“Nuh-uh,” Taemin argued with the shake of his head. “It’s cute when you cling to me and tell me that you love me more than the sun, the moon, and all the stars. Adorable!”

Blushing at the restatement of my ramblings, I said, “I’m not arguing with you. Things like cuteness and beauty are subjective, so—”

I was going to say that he just had weird taste by my standards, but Taemin interrupted. “Not this time! Objectively, my composed, dignified Lei is graceful— my emotionally expressive Lei looking up at the moon is beautiful— and my carefree, affectionate, drunk-on-kisses-and-champagne Lei—”

Composed and dignified once more, if even for a fleeting second, I interjected, “I was not drunk.”

But Taemin didn’t so much as dignify that with a pointed argumentative look. “You were precious last night. I was happy to see you without a worry in the world even if it was a once in a lifetime event I play over and over again like our first kiss or meeting in the garden or receiving your ribbon.”

Oh, I smiled, so he revisits our memories too.

Because I had been dying to know for as long as he wore my ribbon and I couldn’t remember if I was ever brave enough to ask, I seized the chance to wonder out loud, “Why do you love me, Taemin?”

I didn’t doubt him. At that point, I would have believed any beautiful lie he wanted to tell. I just— maybe this is vain, but I loved to hear what he thought of me spoken into the world.

Taemin glanced away from his ribbon, which I traced with my free hand, or at our interlaced fingers— whichever he was studying— to fix all of his attention on my curious stare. His eyes didn’t widen in surprise; they crinkled joyfully like I had finally stumbled upon the question he longed to receive because he held the perfect answer.

“Come close,” he said, feeling as I did that sitting hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, was not nearly enough, “and I’ll tell you.”

At his command, I leaned closer like I wanted to all along.

A shiver ran down my spine when he whispered in my ear, “Beauty aside, you’re the gentlest spirit in the whole world. You always walk on your toes, and you look both ways before crossing the street, and you’re sensitive to every change in the wind, and you burn brighter than the sun, but you never try to mark anybody with your flame.”

I hummed, perplexed that anybody could equate me, the girl who found her reflection on the moon, with something like the bold and beautiful sun. I didn’t argue with Taemin, though. I was too lost in his voice to find mine. I thought that his worldview was more beautiful than mine, and I imagined that by holding him and hearing him I could live in his world.

Deep down, I think I always wanted to live by the sun. Maybe Taemin didn’t see me how I was— he definitely didn’t see me as I saw myself— but he saw me as I wanted to be.

He continued, “You think you’re as mysterious as the moon and stars. Sometimes, I want to let you believe that because they’re your idols and I know why. It’s because they taught you how to shine in the dark. I understand, but— even if you’re a mystery to yourself and the people who haven’t been lucky enough to hold the sun— you’re not a mystery to me.”

“Taemin,” I wanted to say, but I couldn’t speak.

“I see you clearly,” Taemin boasted, wearing this smile that was childlike in its beauty like seeing me in this figurative sense gave him an advantage over every other person in the world. “I always have. How could I not love you with all of my heart?”

“Taemin,” I finally breathed raggedly because his name was the only thing to say.

Still, he wasn’t finished speaking. He could have talked forever, and I would have listened forever. He pointed out the window. Because he drew the curtains on his way in, I had to squint through the blinding light to find our garden off in the distance.

“Notice how I told you all of that in the sunlight?” He tugged me closer and sat me between his legs, clad in black sweatpants, so that my back was pressed to his chest. Holding tight around my waist, almost squeezing the air out of my diaphragm because it wasn’t enough to steal my breath with his words, he laid his head on my shoulder and hummed, “We’re not a dream. We don’t melt or fade in the sunlight, so you don’t have to be afraid for the night to end anymore. I mean it when I say forever, and I don’t mind saying it again and again until that word doesn’t scare you.”

“Taemin,” I breathed again. I was tempted to lie that I wasn’t afraid— which really wasn’t much of a lie when he held me. I almost wanted to tell him that I wasn’t afraid of a forever with him; I was afraid of anything less.

Because there was no room in the air for my fears, I said neither of those things. Cutting my eyes at him, holding absolutely no malice or genuine desire for him to stop, I said, “You’re making my chest hurt. I can’t breathe when you talk like this.”

“Last night,” he reminded me with a smile and the subtle raising of his eyebrows, “you said that you love when I talk to you like this.”

I did. I do.

He would never forget anything that I said on New Year's Eve, and I wouldn’t either. I’ve read that major life events result in a new perspective on life. There is life before the incident, and then there is life after. The incident shines a new light on everything that happened prior, and the incident is woven intricately into the understanding of the present.

Giving Taemin my ribbon was one such incident. Crying with him in the garden was another. New Year's Eve, with all of its kisses and clumsy attempts at intimacy, carried the latest collection of incidents.

True to who he had been since he started wearing the ribbon, Taemin didn’t stop pouring his heart out on me in overflowing portions just so I could catch my breath. He laid us down, holding me flush against his body so I couldn't shiver because of the winter wind blowing in through the open window; I couldn’t hide should the compulsion strike again; I couldn't mistake his sincerity; I couldn’t think to the future beyond his palms pressed to mine and his heart pounding with mine and his lips dancing with mine.

I never thought that anything could better express the soul than words, poetry, a diary addressed to a most beloved friend, a metaphor, music, the piano, the violin, a voice in a foreign tongue that carries your darkest fears into the light that recolors them dreams, a lifelong glance at a sky of moon and stars, watching the sea run and return to the shore at the moon’s command, but Taemin’s kiss. Taemin’s kiss.

It’s strange to say that I found more of myself there than anywhere else. Is that what it means to be soulmates? I don’t know, but I’m going to believe that the answer is yes even if that makes me a fool. Don’t tell me if I’m wrong or delusional or walking in a dream.

e.e. cummings was right: ‘kisses are a better fate than wisdom.’

My thoughts were tangled and blurred, but I remember thinking that I couldn’t breathe, but it would have been harder to breathe if he should ever go away. I remember sighing, relieved that we laid on my bed (that wasn’t nearly as cloud soft as his) because my legs were jelly and I almost certainly couldn’t stand. I remember thinking that this— being with Taemin— was what it felt like to fly.

And I didn’t know how to stop— I didn’t want to stop— so I flew with him until the sun descended and the stars and moon, my old friends, ascended in its place.

And that’s how Mom found us: impossibly close and still, still too far apart.

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tres-spades-hotel · 4 years

Text

Day 1 - Game.

Twists & Turns

For years she has been by my side. For years we fought together to keep everything we knew and held dear. My family has been restored and we’re on the verge of expecting a new addition to the Ichinomiya family. One month pregnant Vivian has been excitingly anticipating our anniversary this year and I am not one to disappoint. I just hope the others don’t ruin it.

‘Where are we going Eisuke? And why did you blindfold me?’

I stifle a chuckle as I keep my eyes on the road instead of my adorable wife.

‘Don’t worry, we’re almost there.’

‘But where is there Eisuke?’ Vivian whines. Her face is lightly tinged with pink ever since I had blindfolded her back at the penthouse.

‘Eisuke what are you doing?’ she asked as I turned her around in our bedroom. I smooth out a black blindfold in my hands.

‘Close your eyes.’ Whether or not she obeyed me is of no concern to me as I cover her eyes with the blindfold.

‘Um, Eisuke?’

‘What?’

‘W-why did you blindfold me?!’ I feel myself smirk at the sight and hug her gently from behind.

‘You are not allowed to see the surprise. I’ll tell you when to take it off.’

‘Are we there yet?’ Vivian asked.

‘Yes.’

I park the car and help Vivian out of the car. I lead her to the entrance where Eiji, Akira and Yukari stand smiling. Everybody else is in position and now for the game to begin. I nod to Eiji and head to the exit of the maze.

‘What is going on?’ I ask, blindly waving my arms around trying to feel for any object.

‘Happy Anniversary Vivian!’ I hear a chorus of voices shout out.

Somebody finally takes off the blindfold. I rub my eyes and look around.

‘Huh? Yukari? Akira? Eiji? What are you all doing here? Where am I? And where’s Eisuke?’ I say, quickly giving them tight hugs.

‘And thank you!’ I smile at them.

‘Welcome Mrs Vivian Eisuke Ichinomiya to the Maze of Love!’ Akira says, bowing theatrically.

‘Akira.’ Eiji chuckles at Akira.

‘Sorry. I mean, the Maze of True Love.’ Akira laughs. Yukari turns me to face her.

’You have to go through the maze and find brother. His friends are in the maze too and will give you questions which you need to answer.’

‘If you successfully answer the questions, then you will get a special present. There are 4 presents in the maze and then race to the exist to see your anniversary surprise!’ Eiji enthusiastically explains.

‘Here take this.’ Akira hands me a phone.

‘There is one contact in this phone. You are only allowed to call this number once.’

‘Who is it?’

‘You’ll find out. Only use it when you are stuck.’

‘Use your pager to speak to brother’s friends if you get lonely. Have fun!’ Yukari says before pushing me into the large, green maze.

I've been wandering the maze for a while but I haven't seen anyone yet. Yukari said that I can use the pager to communicate with the bidders but as soon as I turned it on, they quickly became irritating so I turned it off. I placed it inside my pocket and continued to wander for a while.

I’ve been following my gut this whole time but I still feel pretty lost. I stop, take the pager out and turn it on.

‘Vivian?’ I hear Baba's surprised voice.

‘Finally! I can't believe you turned us off.’ Ota says.

‘You two were… breaking my concentration.’ Is all I say before I hear more voices -well more like laughter.

‘Pfft, she's right.’

‘Kishi!’ I yell and he shouts.

‘Ah! What?’

‘I'm here too.’

‘Soryu! If I had known you guys were on as well I wouldn't have turned the pager off.’ I say, pouting to no one but myself.

‘What?! Aren't we important Vivian?’

‘Not when you're distracting me,’ I say. My feet have led me another dead end but then I hear a scream close by.

‘Mamo?! Are you okay?’

‘Of course the lazy smoker is in trouble.’ I hear Soryu say. I sprint in the direction of the shout and hear Mamoru scream out in irritation.

‘Lazy smoker?! I'll show you a lazy smoker!’ I turn right to see him stamping on a piece of cloth.

‘What happened?!’ I ask as I run over to him.

‘Geez, you found me quick, kid.’

‘She found Mamo already?!’

‘Sor, you better be hidden well.’

‘I thought the whole point of this was to help Vivian.’

‘Yeah, it is.’ I continue to look at Mamoru and he finally lets out the truth.

‘Ah, my cigarette caught fire on my handkerchief. I was just putting it out before the flames could spread.’ He says, scratching his head.

‘Well, at least you're not hurt,’ I say after I sigh exasperatingly.

‘Course not. I'm a detective. I wouldn't let a small fire kill me so don't worry about me kid.’ He said.

‘She's not worried about you. Vivian's just nice at heart.’ Soryu said.

‘Shut up!’

‘Aren’t you meant to give me a question?’ I ask.

‘Oh yeah. Here.’ Mamoru hands me a card and I flip it over.

What statue did you break when you entered my life?

I recognise Eisuke’s handwriting immediately. A statue?

‘Oh! The Glass Statue of Venus!’

‘You got it right kid, here.’ Mamoru hands me a little bag. I put my hand in to find a ring with an amethyst gem in the middle.

‘Oh wow! It’s beautiful!’

‘Probably worth millions so keep it safe. And don’t lose it in this maze!’ Mamoru tussles my hair.

‘Hey! Not the hair! I spent hours on this.’ I pout, smoothing the hair strands down.

‘Well that’s one question kid. Time to move on.’

I didn’t even know it but the moment I turn a corner a few minutes later, I bump into Ota.

‘Ota! Why are you running?!’

‘Ah, sorry Koro! I was flipping my paint brush and it flew past you.’

‘It did?’ Sure enough, I look behind me and see a long brush on the ground.

‘Ota, did you hurt Vivian?’ Soryu’s voice comes out through the pager.

‘No! She’s fine! She didn’t even hit the ground!’ He says defensively.

‘Anyway, here’s your question.’ Ota walks back to his spot on the ground and hands me another card with a spade symbol on it.

When was the first time you were introduced as mine to the public?

To the public? Hmmmm….

‘Was it Akria’s birthday celebration?’ I ask.

‘Yeah! You got it Koro!’

‘Oh yay! I nearly forgot about that day. It was insane, all the press taking photos of me.’

‘Trying to more likely. Eisuke had your face blurred out until his announcing of his engagement with you.’ I hear Baba’s voice say.

‘Yep. Here’s your present.’ I take the small bag from Ota’s hands.

‘Did you make it?’ I ask.

‘Nope. Eisuke bought it but I didn’t make it.’ He says, sitting crossed-legged on the ground.

My hand plunges into the bag and pulls out a little glass figurine of a dolphin. A small note is attached to it. Remember the dolphin watching us outside the submarine?

‘Oh, this is beautiful! I remember when this happened too! The dolphin gave me such a fright.’ I say, turning it over and feeling its smooth surfaces.

‘What kind of stuff did you do with Eisuke Vivian, huh?’ Baba asks.

‘Shut up Baba, nobody cares about your fetishes.’ Ota says into the pager.

‘Hey! They’re not fetishes! It’s called curiosity!’

‘That’s even worse!’ Mamoru’s voice calls out.

Only Baba and Soryu left. I wander around for a little before finding a little area in the corner of the maze.

‘Baba? Is that you?’ A figure in red turns around and gets on his knee.

‘Far maiden, are you lost? Shall I bring you back to the light?’ Baba holds out his hand, expecting me to take it.

‘Stop with your antics Baba. Just give her the question.’ Soryu says. Baba frowns, pretending to wipe tears from his face.

‘Oh come on! Can’t I have this one thing?’

‘No.’ Everybody’s voices ring out loudly.

‘Sorry Baba. Let’s see the question!’ I say enthusiastically, attempting to lift his spirits.

‘Alright, here you go!’

What did you lose that I walked into a fountain for?

‘My engagement ring! It got loose because I lost weight and fell into the fountain and Eisuke got it for me.’ I would never be able to lose that memory because it was so unusual of him to do something like that.

‘Yeah, we we’re all pretty shocked to hear Eisuke do that for you right out in public like that.’ Baba says.

‘You guys teased him for weeks after.’

‘Obviously. He kept leaving the room whenever we mentioned it. But it was hilarious blackmail material!’ Ota laughs. Suddenly, Baba hands me a little box.

‘Your just reward, my fair-‘

‘Shut up!’ Their voices echo out and we burst out laughing. Inside the box is a small keyring photo of Eisuke sleeping.

‘OH! This is so cute! Where did you get this photo?!’

‘Don’t tell Boss this, but I took it when you were away for a family event. Eisuke was so miserable without you that I needed evidence of it.’

‘Eisuke’s seen the photo and made me delete it, but Ota and I kept a copy to give to you.’ He pats my head and I give him a smile.

‘Thank you! I’ll treasure this forever!’

Just one more to go now. Soryu has to be here somewhere. I’ve travelled quite far into the maze now. Every wall seems to look the same but I feel like I’m making progress.

‘Soryu, do you want to just tell me where you are to avoid all this wandering around?’ I ask.

‘No.’ A short and crisp answer, which is basically what I expected from him.

‘Oh come on Sor! Give her a hint!’ Baba protests. I hear Soryu sigh on the other end of the pager.

‘I’m in the middle.’ He says.

‘… I don’t kn- Oh hey! I found you.’ I say. Soryu is sitting at a desk with Inui and Samejima.

‘Hello Miss Vivian!’ Inui says, waving at me adorably. Samejijma gives me a nod and a shy smile.

‘I didn’t know you two where going to be here as well.’

‘They both followed me in here. Inui got lost in the maze when we were setting this up for you.’ Soryu rubs the back of his neck, clearly embarrassed for his subordinates.

‘Haha, that’s okay. The more the merrier! So, question time.’ I say.

‘Here it is!’ Inui hands me a white card and I flip it over.

How did I make you mine the first time?

‘What does that mean? The first time? What is he referring to?’ I ask myself.

‘First time might mean before you both got together.’ Samejima suggests.

‘Hmmm….’ When I realised that I loved Eisuke, he pushed me away to protect me. At that time, Takahiro confessed his love for me. And that’s when…

‘OH! Eisuke came running from the hotel to the boardwalk where I was that night! He confessed that he wanted me and would give me all the happiness in the world.’ I say and the two young mobsters look at me like goldfish.

‘Woah! Mr Ichinomiya is a romantic!’

‘Boss sure is.’ Baba laughs from the pager.

‘Eisuke wouldn’t admit it though, even when Vivian told us!’ Ota says.

‘Anyway, here’s your last reward. Now you have to make your way to the exist.’ Soryu says, handing me a small bag. I pull out a hair clip with a red bow which has a diamond in the middle.

‘Awww, this is so cute!’ I clip the bow into my hair.

‘It looks wonderful!’

‘Thank you, Inui.’

‘Well, better get going or you’ll miss your surprise.’

I’ve been walking around the maze for nearly an hour now. It’s been ages since I left Soryu and haven’t seen anyone else. I feel like I’m on a hike rather than in a maze!

What did Soryu mean by surprise?

Finally at my limit, I sit down on the ground. I wasn’t given a map or any directions. All the hedges look the same green and the ground is just… well, the ground. I can’t see over the walls and I can’t do anything about the dull ache in my feet.

‘Eisuke… what should I d- OH! The phone!’ I take out the phone that has the one contact number in. And I have a feeling I know who it is.

‘What?’

‘Eisuke!’ I shout out and jump to my feet.

‘Help me! I don’t know where I am or where to go!’ I nearly burst out in tears at my predicament. I hear Eisuke sigh on the other end of the call.

‘Calm down. I know where you are. Follow my instructions.’

‘Okay.’ I pick up my things and head off.

‘Turn left. Then right. And keep going to the end, don’t stop. Vivian! I just said don’t stop!’ Eisuke’s voice echoes across as the maze as I put him on speaker.

‘Sorry! I was adjusting my shoes! I think I stepped on a pebble.’

‘Be careful.’

‘I will. I am! I’m always careful Eisuke.’ I hear him chuckle.

‘Oh really? You nearly tripped just walking up the stairs a few days ago.’

‘I was… distracted… by… the others.’

‘I’ve never heard you blame them for your disasters.’ I can just hear the smirk behind the phone.

‘Haha, very funny. Now where should I- oh, what’s this?’

When I turn the corner, I see photos lining the wall. A lot of them are of me. Some from when we first met. Look, that one is when Eisuke and I went to the IVC for the first time together! That one is a few weeks after Eisuke first told me he loved me. The images don’t just contain me and Eisuke either. The auction managers are there as well. Baba, Ota and I posing after a Marvel movie binge watching night. Soryu, Eisuke and I are posing in this one after Soryu got new territory in Brazil. There’s even one with Mamoru after Baba and Ota pranked him by putting shaving foam in his hand then tickling his face with a feather. A classic that was.

I’ve already fallen in love again. All of these photos are attached by a red thread and a note.

Take this and come back to me.

I smile at the handwriting and taking hold of one end of the thread, I continue my journey to the man whom I love most in this world.

Finding the entrance, I see a large green arch made of English roses and smile at the memories they give me. As I step through the arch…

‘HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!!!’

An explosion of flower petals rain down as I hear the happy shouts of everyone. All the auction managers, Akira, Eiji, Yukari and her daughter cheer and clap. In the centre is Eisuke holding the end of the red thread and a present. I run to him, nearly drained to tears and hold him tight.

‘I missed you.’ I say into his clothes, his scent calming me down from my adventure in the maze.

‘I have a GPS on your pager, you know that. Did you really think I would allow you to get lost in a maze while carrying my child?’ I laugh and look up, resting my chin on his chest.

‘No, of course not. Thank you Eisuke! This was an amazing anniversary present.’

‘Pfft, it’s only getting started.’ He gives me the small box and picks me up bridal style.

‘Eisuke!’

‘Have fun Vivian!’

‘Be careful not to hurt the baby!’

‘Damn I’m tired.’

‘You nearly set the maze on fire.’

‘Shut up. I did not!’

The voices of the others drift away as Eisuke takes me into the mansion behind the maze.

‘So you own this place?’

‘No. You own this place. The maze is the garden with English roses growing around it. I had them planted a few months ago.’

I’m touched by Eisuke’s thinking. Getting this place for our anniversary even though it was still a long time into the future makes my heart race at his thoughtfulness.

‘Thank you Eisuke. I’m not sure what I will do with this place but thank you! I love it! And the maze was so fun! I loved all the little presents. I’m sure you picked them all out?’ I ask as he sets me down onto the luxurious bed.

‘Of course. Everything was my plan and I’m surprised that it was uneventful. Although you did worry me when you stopped moving on the tracker.’ He says with a frown.

‘Yeah, I got tired. And lonely. And upset cause I didn’t have you with me.’ He sighs and leans over to pinch my cheeks.

‘Owww! Efuke!’

‘Always think only of me. You know I would never let you get lost in a simple place like a maze.’ He lets go of my cheeks and strokes them to soothe the skin.

‘I know hon. By the way, what’s this?’ I lift up the small box still in my hands.

‘You’re second-to-last present for the day.’ He promptly says. I pull the ribbon from the bow and watch the wrapping unfold. A sleek black box unveils itself upon lifting the lid. When I open it, I see a pretty English rose pendant.

‘Eisuke! An English rose!’ I excitingly point out.

‘Pfft, I can see that. Here.’ He leans over and pulls the pendant out, revealing a long rose gold chain attached.

‘Oh it’s a necklace! How beautiful!’

‘Turn around.’ I do as he says and feel the pendant rest against my chest.

‘Eisuke!’ I hug him with all my might.

‘You do love this flower. But that’s not all.’ I bring my head out of the crook of his neck and narrow my eyes.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Look.’ He takes the pendant and opens it up to reveal a picture of us from our wedding.

‘Oh, this is amazing! Thank you!’

‘Hm.’ He takes a strand of my hair and pushes it behind my ear lovingly.

‘Did Ota make it?’

‘…. Maybe….’

‘Haha, I know you love them really.’

‘Not as much as you. Happy anniversary Vivian.’ His kiss fills me with warmth and happiness. I pull away slightly with our noses touching.

‘You said second-to-last present. What’s the last present?’ He gives me a knowing look. Suddenly, Eisuke lowers me onto the bed and climbs above me.

‘You and I both know what your last present is. I’ll give you all of my love, all night long.’ Gazing at his mesmerising profile, I wrap my arms around his neck and lean his forehead against mine.

‘Happy anniversary Eisuke. I love you, so much. And you know what? I think I just figured out a use for this place.’

‘And that is?’

‘Our baby can play in the garden when he’s born.’

‘I’ll put a tracker on him so he doesn’t get lost like you did.’

‘Eisuke!’

His chuckles ring out in the bedroom and we enjoy a blissful night for our anniversary, awaiting the arrival of our child.

#eisuke ichinomiya #kissed by the baddest bidder eisuke #kissed by the baddest #kbtbbweek #kbtbbweek2020

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zeravmeta · 4 years

Text

fuck it. soma cruz fgo servant profile bc i make my own content

Servant: / Servant Class: Soma Cruz / Alter Ego

Origin: / Region: Castlevania Series / Japan, 2035

Alignment: Lawful Neutral(?) “Yeah, not sure how I classify as Lawful given my past life, but whatever.”

Aliases: The Dark Lord, Dracula, Soma Cruz

Parameters: STR (B) / END (A+) / AGL (B+) / MP (EX) / LUK (A) / NP (???)

Class Skills: Authority of Beasts (Fake), Core of Chaos (A), One Who Severs Fate (A)

Character Info: “In order for God to be perfectly Good, there must always exist an embodiment of Chaos, a Dark Lord to emerge from the evil of humanity’s hearts.”

For one thousand years, the Belmont bloodline had opposed the terrible night that Count Dracula would bring with his powers. After generations of suffering, the Belmont’s latest mantle bearer, Julius Belmont, along with their generational allies, the Belnades clan and a nameless soldier, had managed to permanently defeat Dracula with the help of the Hakuba Clan’s shrine magics. Severing his connection to his power and sealing Castlevania, the embodiment of his power, within a solar eclipse, Dracula had finally faced his demise in 1999, prophesied by Nostradamus one millennium ago. Thus, the strongest Dark Lord had fallen, his throne empty and awaiting a new master.

In 2035, Soma Cruz had visited the Hakuba Shrine to meet with his childhood friend Mina, unaware of the birthright he would claim.

Skills:

Chaos Ring A: An extremely powerful construct that channels the very essence of Chaos. It can only be found by the one who can traverse and control the Chaos Realm, the Dark Lords personal right. Wearing it grants the unlimited magical power of the Chaos Realm, but actual output depends on the user. If the Demon King’s Ring is the symbol of Dracula and his reign, then the Chaos Ring could be considered the symbol of Soma and his new beginning.

Thematic narratives aside, it’s a very convenient tool for Soma.

“It’s weird, but it feels like…it was made for me. Almost like a welcome gift.”

[5->3 Turns] [Charge NP (20%->30%), Increase NP Gain (10%->25%) (3 Turns), Gain a Delayed buff 1 turn after skill use (Unremovable): [Charge NP (20->30%)]

Armament Master D: Soma is extremely proficient at using any and all forms of weaponry. Due to Dracula’s vast reach, Soma has a vast number of different modern and mythical weapons and gear at his disposal, notable weapons including Excalibur (sealed in the stone), Hrunting, Caladbolg, Mjolnir, and even a Positron Rifle, to name a few. However, one weapon unique to Soma is the Claimh Solais, an Irish sword of light mentioned in many legends and defining the archetype of “Sword of Light.” It provides a great boost to parameters and is surprisingly light weight despite its size. Another unique weapon he wields is the Valmanway, the “Blessed Wind” that is always ‘cutting’ even when still.

(The rank is D because despite his proficiency, Soma has never had any formal training.)

“I mean, it’s just a sword, right? How complex is it? You can just swing it and things die. Though…considering I have ol’ Drac’s memories…sorta, maybe I’m just remembering it?”

[8->6 Turns] [Increase Atk (10%->20%) (3 Turns), Gain Critical Stars (5->15), Increase Critical Star Absorption (3000%) (3 Turns), Increase Critical Damage (10%->20%) (3 Turns), Apply Special Attack against Sky, Star and Beast attribute enemies (20%->40%) (3 Turns)]

Power of Dominance (EX): Soma’s inheritance from Dracula, or more fittingly, the Chaos Entity opposite to God. The Power of Dominance is a unique ability that grants a complete mastery over the abilities of any and all souls Soma can acquire from the enemies he defeats. All the monsters that Dracula unleashed in his crusade against humanity are the countless souls under his domain, even that of Death itself, and their powers rightly belong to him.

Soma can differentiate between the types of Soul Arts he uses, and this reflects accordingly in his Noble Phantasm.

“I never wanted this power, but I guess I’m stuck with it. I’ll always carry the target on my back, but at least I can look awesome as hell while doing it, I suppose.”

[5->3 Turns] [Decrease Enemy Charge by 1 (20%->50%), Select own NP Command Card’s type between Quick, Arts or Buster for 3 Turns. Effect of NP changes depending on which Command Card Type is selected. This skill is immune to debuff effects (such as Skill Seal)]

Noble Phantasm:

Advent of Sorrow – He Who Severed His Fate Against Chaos and God / Anti-Divine, Anti-Self / Rank (???)

A manifestation of Soma’s power truly made his own, separate from the title of Dark Lord and Dracula. Having defeated the Chaos Entity, he managed to sever its connection to his soul, and be saved from his Fate. Even so, he carries the Power of Dominance with him always, and the countless souls and followers of Chaos always wait and offer themselves unto Soma to lead and command them. In his own imperfect way, neither holy nor demonic.

After all, he’s only human.

(Note: If used by the true Count Dracula, this would be considered an Anti-Humanity NP)

[Type: Buster] – [Deals massive damage to a single enemy (1200%->2400%), Chance to Decrease Charge by 1 (80%->100%). Overcharge: Increases own Buster Card Effectiveness (20%) (1 Turn) and NP Damage (1 Turn) (20%) (Activates First)]

[Type: Arts] – [Deals heavy damage to all enemies (400%->800%), Chance to decrease Atk (15%->25%) and Critical Chance (20%->30%). Overcharge: Inflict Curse (5 Turns).]

[Type: Quick] – [Apply Debuff Immune (1 Time), and Restore HP each turn for self (3 Turns) (1000->1500), and Increase NP Gauge each turn for self (3 Turns) (5%). Overcharge: Apply Def Up for all allies (3 Turns) (25%->50%).]

Bond Lines:

Bond 1: “Heh, thanks for having me! I’m still not too sure about how all this stuff works here, but if you need a monster taken down, I’m your guy.”

Bond 2: “So the rest of those dudes call you ‘Master’? Kind of awkward, but I guess they’re magical familiars at the end of the day. What? So am I? Sorry but, vampiric powers aside, I’m just a normal guy. I was even in University before I got dragged here. I’ll just call you [name] for now.”

Bond 3: “Do you like curry? Arikado said I shouldn’t be using these monster souls for dumb stuff, but they don’t mind. They always talk to me and really want to help me out wherever I am. Except Death, that guy sucks. He’s always breaking into my home and trying to convince me to become the next Dark Lord and to ‘accept my throne’ and stuff.”

Bond 4: “…It scares me, sometimes. Knowing not only what I am, but what I’m very capable of.”

Bond 5: “Y’know…you could always come back with me to my world, if you want to escape. I’ll take you to meet Mina, and Hammer and Yoko and Julius and Arikado and…Hm. Sorry. I know you can’t abandon this world, it’s where you grew up. There’s…a lot of people here who love you. You should always remember that and hold it close. It saved my life when I thought I couldn’t go on, and I know it will also save yours.”

Voice Lines:

(1): “I’m glad this place is a lot simpler than the castle. That place had so many hidden rooms and puzzles that I felt like I was going insane…No, as a matter of fact, DON’T tell me about all the secret workshops here.”

(2): “Hm? What’s up? I’m just relaxing here. Sorry if I’m taking up space. It’s nice to just take a moment.”

(3): “No, no, don’t worry. Even if I could, I’m not the type of guy to just go around stealing souls. I only do that to monsters, and even then, they become complacent once they return to me. I could show you some of the fun ones, like the Skeleton Gardener, if you’d like.”

Likes: “What I like? Curry! Oh, and Mina. She’s been with me for my whole life. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”

Dislikes: “This is gonna sound cliché, but garlic. It just tastes bad.”

Event: “Whoa, a party! Let’s go, I’m super bored cooped up in here.”

About The Holy Grail: “Wish granting? No thanks, I’ve read a ton of comics and things always go wrong. What? Of course, it’s a valuable source!”

Summon Quote: “Yo! My name is Soma Cruz. I’m just a regular high school student. Um…Where am I, exactly?”

Happy Birthday: “Happy Birthday, [name]! I’m so gonna throw you the coolest party ever! I’ll even invite Mina…If, uh, if that’s cool with you?”

(King Hassan): “D-Death!? Why are you…Oh. Uh, sorry about that. You reminded me of...someone. I’m sure you’re a cool guy underneath all that armor.”

(Vlad/Vlad III (EXTRA)): “Huh. So, in this world, the legend of Dracula is just that? A legend? Well, that’s a huge relief. I’m not exactly the kingly type.”

(Gilgamesh/Gilgamesh (Caster)): “Hey [name], could you give me a hand? This gold idiot keeps saying I stole his weapons, but they’re mine! …Hey! Stay back with those portal things! Someone, help!!!”

(Scathach): “Jeez, I bet Arikado will get along with that slave driver. Seriously, Arikado’s method of teaching me my powers amounted to locking me in a room with monsters and a pocketknife. Huh? She’s stomping over here!? [name], help me!”

(Marie Antionette): “I don’t know why, but…Looking at you makes me sad. I’m sorry.”

(Sessyoin Kiara): “Master, this lady is coming onto me WAY too hard. She keeps telling me to ‘embrace what I am’ and junk. I already get enough of that crap from cultists back home.”

(Sakata Kintoki/Astolfo/Romulus/Romulus-Quirinus/Ashwatthama): “Hey, you’re a pretty cool dude, huh? Finally, someone with some style!”

(Amakusa Shirou): “Ugh, you remind me of Fortner. And stop using rosaries around me, I’m not Satan, you jerk!”

(Mephistopheles): “Please, leave me alone. I’m not evil, nor will I ever be the Dark Lord. Just because I have those powers doesn’t mean I’m defined by them. Also, the alarm clock you gave me exploded, so I don’t think you’re all that trustworthy anyways.”

(Beni Enma): “Aww, you’re so cute...Wait, from the Underworld? A yokai? Guess you’re one of mine, then. If you want, I can loan you some Skeleton Waiters for your chain.”

(Any Avenger-Class Servant): “Hey, you guys are kinda like me! Everyone says you’re evil, but you’re actually really nice!”

(Arcueid Brunestud): “Master, that girl is shooting me some pretty weird looks....Huh? Reincarnating vampire? Oh, I guess I’d look pretty weird in that case. That’s not her fault, though. Maybe I’ll go say hi.”

QQABB Deck:

Buster Card: 2 Hit / -Soma raises Excalibur (still in the stone) and smashes it into the enemy-

Quick Card: 5 Hit / -Soma holds Valmanway in front of him, turns around, and multiple slashes envelop the enemy-

Art Card: 3 Hit / -Soma does two horizontal strikes, then a third overhead strike with Claimh Solais-

Extra Card: 6 Hit / -Soma punches twice, does a spin-attack with Claimh Solais, then jumps back and fires his Positron Rifle-

Level Up: “Whew…I feel so powerful.”

Ascension 1: “Whoo! Good job, [name].”

Ascension 2: “This…This is just like then…[name], maybe don’t do this anymore.”

Ascension 3: “Please…stop. I don’t know if I can pull myself back this time…”

Ascension 4: “I see. Well…as long as you’re by my side, I’ll never succumb. So please…don’t die.”

Battle Start ½: “Just how many monsters out there!? In any case, let’s do this thing!” / “I’ll carry the mantle and defeat this terrible night!”

Skill ½: “Bullet, set…Enchanted, set…Guardian, set…” / “How about some of this!”

Attack Selection ½/3: “Hmm.” / “Seriously!?” / “Nice.”

Attack ½/3: “Hraagh!” / “Take this!” / “You’re going down!”

Extra Attack: “Let’s see you handle THIS!”

Noble Phantasm Selection ½: “Are…Are you sure?” / “I’ll trust you on this.”

Noble Phantasm: “I will never be the Dark Lord…You, God, and The World will just have to deal with it!”

Noble Phantasm Damage: “I won’t…Submit...!”

Regular Damage: “Gah!”

Defeated ½: “Mina….” / “Julius…our promise…”

Battle Finish ½: “That was a close one…” / “Anyone need some healing? I have some spare spoiled milk…Oh wait, none of you have a Ghoul soul, huh?”

#fgo #fgo fanservant #soma cruz #castlevania #read this and catch my disease #fucking LOVE this funky little pimp coat lad #'but zerav this is way too op'- shut up i deserve this my cock is huge and yours can be to if you let go of such foolish notions and go ham

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wootensmith · 4 years

Text

Shartan

(full fic fixed on AO3, all chapters in their proper places right now. Will post second new chapter tomorrow)

“Wait, don’t go up yet,” Varric said abruptly. “You do realize what we’ve just done, don’t you?” His voice echoed off the large pillars of stone that ringed the cavern. Cassandra paused halfway up the small slope back into Winterwatch Tower. She squinted back down into the dark at them. “Closed the rift, of course.” “Exactly. And?” Cassandra shook her head. Solas glanced up from the Herald’s hand. The anchor was stabilizing and she didn’t need his assistance as badly as he’d thought she would. “We took away a gift of their Maker,” said the Herald suddenly. “Yeah. Not really sure how they’re going to react to that. Might want to go up there together instead of one at a time,” said Varric. “The whole thing is blasphemous!” cried Cassandra. “What were we supposed to do, leave it to spew demons?” “Relax, Seeker. I’m not saying we were wrong, exactly. Just that— Chantry folk can get a little stabby on occasion.”

“The speaker at the gate seemed to want to be convinced that the rift was not divine,” offered Solas. “Perhaps we could appeal to her better judgment.”

Cassandra sighed and descended back into the large cave. “Maybe if the Herald hadn’t flatly denied that she—” “I told you I was uncomfortable,” said the Herald. Solas was surprised. She hadn’t shown much propensity to stand up to Cassandra to this point. “I agreed to join the Inquisition because we’re all in peril. And because you assured me that you wanted peace, Cassandra.” “I do—” “We know nothing about how the Breach came to be. Or how I survived the Conclave. Lying about it won’t help us find out the answers.” “They want to believe in something. You don’t have to lie. You said it yourself. You do not know how you came to be in the crater. Perhaps you really were sent by Andraste. What harm is there in allowing them to think so if it brings them comfort?” “Because if she did, she didn’t send me with any instructions. I’m lost, Cassandra. As lost as these people are. You can’t let them think I have all the answers. Especially if you value their faith. When I fail—” “If—” interjected Varric. She glanced at him. “If I fail, they’ll be shattered when we need them to be at their strongest. They don’t need another idol to replace the rift we closed. They need to go home. Be with their families. The fighting between the mages and the templars may be at a standstill now, but their villages are in ruins. Hiding here will not replant their crops or heal that boy’s mother.” Solas touched her shoulder to calm her. “What do you want to tell them lethallan?” he asked.

She looked at him, as if just now remembering he was with her. “I— cannot say.” She blushed. He was certain she knew exactly what she wished to tell them, but feared repercussions if she did so. Cassandra took it to mean that she didn’t have any good idea. “Then perhaps we say nothing and allow them to assume what they will?” she tried. The Herald started to shake her head, but Solas intervened. “Vindhru? Eshan tel’dhrua ma.” “I have to try,” she whispered. “To accomplish what, lethallan? You have a choice. If you tell them exactly how it happened, most of them will not believe you. Some will decide you are sent by their Maker anyway. Others will decide that you’ve played a trick. At best, they’ll stay here away from their families until starvation or cold takes them. At worst— they may strike at us. But if you say simply that the rift has closed, and allow them to draw their own conclusions, many will come to the truth on their own. The ones who do not may be— amenable to listening to your suggestions. If you tell them to go home and help their families or to help the refugees outside, some of them will do it out of awe and some will just see that the fear of the rift had driven them mad and what you’ve asked of them makes sense. What is your goal, Herald?” She always flinched when he called her that, just as she’d flinched when he’d called her a hero in Haven. It bothered him. She never so much as blinked when Cassandra or Varric called her “herald”. “Ar tel’vara,” he added.

“It’s not right,” she insisted. “No. It’s shitty,” said Varric. “But so is all the rest of it. Chuckles is right. We aren’t going to be able to talk sense to these people, their families have already tried over and over and they still ended up here. We’ve got to make the best of a bad hand. What’s more important? Whether or not these people believe you’re sent by the Maker or if they live to talk about it?” “But if I can’t close the Breach—” Varric shook his head. “I don’t think it’s going to matter much in that case. If we can’t close the Breach, nobody’s going to be around long enough to have theological arguments. You don’t have to like this— I don’t like this, but we have to tell them something.” She hesitated but then nodded. “All right. If it helps them, then my pride shouldn’t be what stops us.”

When they emerged from the cave several cultists knelt in their path. Solas willed her not to recoil. It seemed once she’d decided, however, that she did not leave herself room for doubt. She didn’t protest when Speaker Anais claimed she was a believer. And when the Speaker asked what the Herald of Andraste would have of the people in the tower, the Herald only gave simple instructions to help the refugees in the valley. He wasn’t the only one startled by the apparent ease she had playing the part. As soon as they cleared the tower, Varric let out a long gust of air, as if he’d been holding his breath. “Remind me never to play Wicked Grace with you, Herald. Your bluffing face is too good,” he said. It won him a laugh. Solas was pleased to hear her again at ease. “I’m afraid my skill doesn’t extend to cards, Varric,” she said, “You’d take whatever I had of worth within the hour.” “Ah, well, consider this a standing invitation, then, if we ever get back to the Singing Maiden before the sky collapses.”

The rest of the day was spent fairly pleasantly, hunting for resources to help feed and clothe the people still stuck in the crossroads, and Solas put the entire incident almost completely out of mind until that evening. The Herald waited until Cassandra had gone to write a report and Varric was playing cards with the scouts. She sat grinding embrium at the large stump the camp was using as an apothecary table. He sat on the other side of the stump studying a tracing of the veilfire rune they’d found, wondering who would have left such a thing in plain sight. “Solas,” she said. He looked up. “You said— you said you saw Shartan, in the Fade.” “Yes, I’ve seen memories of his deeds many times.” “Did he believe Andraste was divine?”

He put the tracing down, suddenly wary. “Alas, even the Fade cannot show all things. I have seen his deeds, but not his heart.” She turned back to the mortar and pestle for a moment. He thought the conversation had ended and began folding up his notes. “From his deeds then,” she asked without looking at him, “what do you think he believed?” It concerned him that she was so insistent on it. “I think,” he said slowly, “I think he believed she was a good strategist. And that throwing in his support was the last best chance his people had to win their freedom. But in the moment— no. I don’t think Shartan believed Andraste was anything more than a mortal woman. It’s highly unlikely she thought of herself as divine either.” She put down the pestle. Cleaned the debris from her hands. “Do you think— did he pretend he believed in more than her martial prowess to gain that freedom?” “Yes, lethallan. Or, at least— he used the belief of others to that end. When he led the charge of elves to her pyre, he knew they would not save her. A hundred against thousands? It was doomed from the start. But Shartan knew that while battles may be won with weapons, wars are won with symbols. If he had let her burn without trying to aid her, he and his people would have been lost to history. There would be no Dales and elves would still be enslaved across Thedas. When she was captured, the struggle could have been utterly lost. But already the common people whispered that Andraste was blessed. Shartan was no fool. His goal was not self-preservation, but the preservation of his people. That charge was his last attempt to give them what he otherwise could not. He used her martyrdom— and his, to save the People.” “Did he? If he used the belief in Andraste to give us the Dales, then at the same time he must have given over the rest of Thedas to worship of her. That— falsehood might be why the Chantry exists. And this war.”

Solas leaned forward, surprised. “And if he’d stood on the pyre and loudly proclaimed his faith in Elvhen gods? Do you think that would have stopped the Andrastians?” “No,” she admitted. “But if he’d lived instead— maybe she wouldn’t be seen as a martyr. Maybe it would have been little more than a cult like the people we helped today. Maybe he would have found another way.” “Maybe. But his goal was not to create a religion, it was to free the people he loved. Just as yours, I presume, is not to proselytize about Elgar’nan and Mythal, but to close the Breach, correct?” “Of course. But the way I close it should matter. We let them believe Andraste sent me to close the Breach. Afterward, once it’s gone and I remain, what will they believe in then?” Afterward it will not matter, Mouseling, he thought, but did not say so. “Those people were unharmed, lethallan. They will go on with their lives, provided the Breach does not swallow them, and largely forget about us. The few that don’t may tell their grandchildren a fairy story about the Herald of Andraste who healed the sky, but they will be few and far between. They will not even need to suppress a verse about us in the Chant. They will only remember that the Inquisition saved them, not us.” “That is worse,” she said, abruptly lowering her voice to a heated whisper. “I thought you didn’t want all this. That you’d rather go home to your clan—” “Yes, I would.”

“Then how is it worse that they forget about you? If you are forgotten, you’ll be allowed to lead your life as you see fit.” “It’s not my ego, it’s the Chantry.” She covered her ears for just an instant and then let her hands drop to the stump again. “Their god is already so loud. And ours have been… silent for so long. If I do this in Andraste’s name, maybe I’m only repeating Shartan’s charge. Maybe I’m helping them cover the whole world and drive us out. I don’t want to be hunted, Solas.” He touched her fingertips. “Your legacy, like Shartan’s will not be yours to control, lethallan. Despite our best efforts what people will remember is not always what we would wish. The story will get lost, bit by bit. I know. It’s happened to m— many in your situation,” he stumbled over himself, remembering that she did not know, could not know. Even if she knew, she wouldn’t understand, he reminded himself. “You must remember your goal. Do nothing that does not further them. Only time will determine the rest.” She shook her head and pulled her hand back from his. “I cannot promise that. I have a terrible feeling that whoever opened the Breach had the same idea. So many are left to suffer for the goals of people who have power. How can I do that?”

Her disappointment and shock confused him. She would be right, of course, if they could truly see their situation. The world would be a torture chamber if they really knew how stunted they were. Illusion. Play-acting, he told himself. Just a degraded recital of all the denigrations that came before. And yet— what harm is there in making their lives easier? Kinder? Even if it is only for a short time. He’d rest easier, in the end, if he could say he left them with some modicum of peace. “You are the only one with the ability to close the Breach, lethallan. You have power, whether you’d choose to wield it or not. And for us to even approach the people who might be allies, you must allow the stories around you to grow. You could not alter it even if you wished. Focus instead on the good you can do while you have that power. You sent those people back to their families. That is a tangible good, regardless of the tale they tell after. If you wish to help the Dalish, do so. Now. While you can. For nothing can guarantee what will happen afterward. Use the Chantry’s awe and ire to aid them. And the Inquisition. And any other you can.” “Even if it means being dishonest?” “I cannot say. That is for you to decide. What is more important? The task? Or the way you complete it? I do not think they will always align.” She had no answer for that. She bent over the mortar again.

Solas was frustrated with the sudden silence, frustrated by his own inability to say what he meant to her. Frustrated by her lack of understanding, though he knew that was unfair. “Do you think he would have regretted doing it if he could see what he had wrought so many years later?” she asked after a moment. “I think he had more than one reason to lead that charge. It would— complicate his feelings in the matter.” “Would you regret it? Had you been forced to make a similar decision?” “Vin. Bellanaris.” She looked at him, surprised at the sudden emotion in his voice. He looked away. “But even knowing that, I would do it anyway,” he added. “After all, what is one man’s guilt compared to his people’s freedom, limited though it ended up being?” He shook his head and gave her an uneasy smile. “But come, you need not take Shartan’s path. We need only convince the mages in Redcliffe to aid us and the Breach will close. There is no call for such somber talk. You’ll soon be on the road back to your clan, a hero.” The doubt in her face was plain to see. It sent a deep ripple of doubt through his mind, but Varric interrupted before they could speak longer and Solas tried to push the entire conversation from his memory.

#solas #lavellan #dragon age inquisition #solas x lavellan

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ifeveristoday · 4 years

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well, that escalated quickly

The first card of the Major Arcana, The Fool is generally a positive card indicating new beginnings. If it appears in your readings it could mean that you are on the verge of an exciting, unexpected new adventure. Your new adventure will bring you along a path which may require you to make a leap of faith but you will grow as a result of this new experience. This new adventure could be a literal new adventure, like travelling to a place you’ve never been before. The change this card can bring will usually be a welcome one. While the Fool is generally a positive card, its appearance in a reading can also indicate that you need to take the time to look before you leap. [x]

Even when reversed, the Fool is an indicator of newness; as well as the purity and open-hearted energy of a child. This is generally considered a positive card, with the caveat that it's important to take time to be sure that you are "looking where you're going." In reversal, The Fool can show that there is a need for a new beginning, but that there is some hesitancy about making it happen. [x]

When the Fool card is reversed, you are encountering an unfinished side of yourself, a part still caught in the shadows of ignorance or immaturity. An emotional reflex or psychological attitude could be holding you back from responding authentically and naturally.

Release yourself from any dogmas or taboos so your natural truthfulness and instinct for right action can be restored. [x]

Light some incense and find a crushed velvet vest and let’s get to issue 16 of Buffy.

Spoilers, as always underneath the cut. Also long and semi-rambly so if you’re new to this tumblr...yeah.

Short version: There’s a thing I’m not sure I like yet, the usual layer cake of THEMES and how it all ties together, and good character stuff.

Wow. So they’re really going there with Buffy and Evil! Xander. But it’s not like the comic hasn’t left crumbs of a potential -- something happening between them. Vamp! Xander’s first confrontation with Buffy was a crude sexual come-on, which she rebuffed very quickly, and then when he had his soul, there was an ambiguous hug between them in Hellmouth. Xander’s feelings about Buffy have always been pretty clear.

And while I’m not thrilled that in the year 2020 we still can’t have a platonic relationship between Buffy and Xander (like, I joke about this being a Point to the reboot that Joss insisted on, but of course that’s just speculation. But come on. He totally would), it’s not like the comic was not giving clues, clunky though some of them may be. Buffy’s Slayer dream of Vamp! Xander and Vamp! Her, Robin’s oddly insistent interrogation of Buffy’s feelings for Xander, the dinosaur gift of Zeppo, and Buffy’s own ambivalence toward Robin as a real potential boyfriend.

Issue 14 (which I still haven’t written a thorough post about) showcases (not explicitly written as such, but the characteristics are there) a PTSD-afflicted Buffy, who has lost both of her best friends in a matter of weeks. She’s not on good terms with her mother, Giles is still weird after his descent into magically induced MRA-ness and not exactly comforting her, and having to accept the reality of Kendra being a Slayer as well. There’s a lot of anxiety, jealousy, and survivor’s guilt thrown in there as well, and we all know Buffy’s favorite thing to do when she’s going through a lot of pain: ISOLATE HERSELF.

And then here’s Robin, telling her he’s on her side and is a friendly face and Buffy seizes that emotional life line and decides, well if I can’t like myself (this is referenced in Issue 15), Robin will do it for me. It’s a lonely, but understandable grasp at something normal and not...the reality of her present life.

Except Robin realizes he can’t be Buffy’s emotional support almost-boyfriend, and that Buffy has a martyr complex where she can’t be just the hero but also the villain in her own story - she takes on all of the fault but none of the help and love that does exist in her life.

He tells her that one of her problems is that she just doesn’t like herself.

And it’s a hard truth for Buffy to bear but she admits it.

Issue 16 dips into Buffy’s mixed up feelings re: love and connection and the thread that ties it together is the tarot card Jenny pulls from her spread to read to Dolly, her cat.

Best reveal of the reboot so far, no I won’t take any objections. Her cat! Is named Dolly! Possibly after Dolly Parton, stealth producer of BtVS!

Jenny, lone human adult voice of Reason, pulls the upside down Fool and I’ve included three meanings of it up above. The reason why I think it’s a common thread for this issue is because in Buffy’s slayer dream where she’s riding Zeppo the Symbolism? What Symbolism Dinosaur with Xander (with some terrible punning), Buffy says that they can’t let Zeppo drive, he’s too young and doesn’t know how to get to where they’re going. Xander replies, “Do you even remember where we’re going?”

And prior to this Buffy worries that they’re going too fast and to slow down.

This could signify a number of things - definitely new beginnings with Evil! Xander and the changed nature of his relationship to Buffy, Buffy’s personal fear that she doesn’t know what’s happening, only that it is too fast, and the fact they’re both so young. And for the moment, Xander will forever be this young. And with his reputation as being the ‘funny’ one, Xander could also be considered a Fool.

He’s in a state of being unfinished - he’s never going to experience the trials of regular adulthood, the personal milestones a human being has. And Buffy is unfinished in that she’s not done growing up, but she is also the Slayer, which requires a level of sacrifice that other girls her age wouldn’t experience.

Jenny pulling this card - well, there’s the unfinished nature of her relationship with Giles, they’re broken up but still pining over each other, and the fact that she doesn’t seem to have stayed in touch with anyone in the Scoobies? And her only confidante seems to be her cat. Which, no judgement, cats are good listeners.

Dolly is also a good detector of Ye Olde Supernatural Bullshit, as she senses something bad behind Jenny’s all of a sudden visitor, and Hulk! Giles a few issues back.

It is of course, Xander, who is gleefully pleased that it was that easy to trick Jenny into inviting him in.

Fade into black- sort of, as the next step is Xander playing mind games via text.

Right after Buffy has her weird dinosaur dream, she tries to google meanings of it, as well as sending Willow texts in a long chain of non replied thread, updating her about what’s been happening in Sunnydale in her absence. I noticed she used a similar - “I’ll be here for you” in her message to Rose, and I think that’s Buffy’s way of changing. She wants to be there for her people, instead of avoiding them.

And she gets a text (Miss me?) from Xander, which prompts her to run to Giles and Kendra.

This is a neat(?) reference to how Xander got catfished by Drusilla when she texted him from Buffy’s phone. God, the way this sentence sounds out of context to an TV canon fan.

ANYWAY.

Buffy states that Xander died the night the Hellmouth closed, and they had a candlelight vigil and his parents barely leave the house - which makes me think while Hank Summers is a bastard in every ‘verse, Boom! has a good dad for Robin, Joyce and Eric for Buffy, and apparently good parents for Willow and Xander as well. Yay.

Kendra, who is more objective than Buffy and Giles can be regarding Xander, theorizes that Xander’s disappearance might not be death in a final sense, but rather his soul disappearing. Which causes the question, where has his body been this whole time? Also, I see that I Robot, You Jane easter egg, Jordie.

Setting Jenny’s house on fire, that’s what. Giles gets a similarly upsetting text on his phone, and they run to her house. Buffy and Kendra immediately throw themselves into save the cat (and Jenny!) mode and run into Evil! Xander. Quite literally - Xander grabs Kendra by the neck and throws her out of the window from the second floor - don’t worry, she survives.

We can’t be fridging the POC this early, after all.

Then it’s Xander and Buffy’s first glimpse of each other since Hellmouth, and standard enemy banter ensues - Xander says it’s just them and Buffy snaps that it’s only in his dreams. Then the staircase starts cracking due to the fire’s heat and Buffy’s thisclose to falling off when Xander grabs her, and in his human mask tells her that it could just be them together, if she wants it. Buffy takes Kendra’s advice to stop feeling and just think, and kicks Xander in a jump with both her feet aimed at his chest. Also she says she’d rather die than let that happen, which...I really hope aren’t famous last words.

The fool card flutters down and lands on Buffy’s forehead, reminding her that she’s on a rescue mission for Jenny. Who is nowhere to be found, but Dolly leaps into Buffy’s arms, and she carries her out.

Giles, Kendra and Buffy reconvene at Giles’s and try to figure out why Xander targeted Jenny.

Giles, who started the issue being a concerned mentor has grown smaller and less confident toward the end as he asks Buffy and Kendra to find Jenny. Buffy vows that they’re going to make Xander pay. Giles sadly agrees and then leaves to show Dolly the garden.

Let me pause a moment to cry about the fact that Giles is showing Jenny’s cat the garden.

Kendra and Buffy bond, sincerely, for the first time since Kendra made her appearance. Sister slayers, fuck yeah! Also, I love Kendra’s characterization and I hope she stays for a long time. And not die.

There’s a thawing there as each switch positions - Kendra tells Buffy it’s okay that she feels the way she feels, as Buffy tells her, no, she’s right, Xander isn’t the boy she knew, and to treat him like he’s just a regular vampire.

Then she admits she’s not sure if she misses Xander, or if it’s something else, to which Kendra replies, “I think when you know, you know.”

And Buffy asks her like her and Rose - and Kendra confirms it.

Just as Kendra’s words end the issue, Willow - who could be OG timeline Willow, or an Alternate Verse Willow, comes into the light and holds Rose’s hand.

DRAAAAMA.

So. Xander and Buffy heading toward something, Kendra/Rose confirmed, Giles has now adopted Dolly, Jenny’s status: Currently Unknown.

And Willow?

Though with the Fool, there’s that meaning of new adventures and travelling to a place you’ve never been before. That sums up Willow’s current journey so far.

#buffy comics #boom! studios #boom! verse #thoughts and reactions #spoilers #also i knew all those past tarot card covers and just the symbolism in the cards had to come back #unless it was all a neat coincidence

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bi-bobbysoxxers · 4 years

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Heyy y'all! I was tagged by @meiyanaalexia Thanks for the tag, fam!

Rules: List ten of your fave female characters from your ten fave fandoms and then tag 10 other ppl!

This list is by no means comprehensive or a ranked list, as i think all my fave characters are equally bad betches, in their own right xD alright let's get to it!

-Tamari and Lady Tsunade (Naruto/Naruto Shippuden)

Tamari's one of the more cool, levelheaded female side characters in naruto and idk, she's very much Gaara and Kankuro's rock, and idk, i like that. I view her as a very strong female character, and i think she carries a lot of badass masculine energy. Plus she's a badass fighter as well. (((And she's hot but that's beside the point lol))) I like Lady Tsunade a lot, but i admit, i wasnt a fan of her at first. But now that I'm seeing her character unfold in Shippuden, I like her a lot. I like the concept that she's kiind of a grouchy, reluctant leader of the leaf village, cause that makes her seem like a very reliable leader, in a way. I think she's hella underrated as a strong character, tbh. Plus i like that she's a healing ninja, cause it seems so opposite to her outward personality. The more i watch naruto the more i'm really liking more of their female characters, tbh.

Quotes!

Tamari: "Sharpen your karma at sunset."

Tsunade: "People become stronger because they have things they cannot forget. That's what you call growth."

-Lucy and Kiyoko (Bungou Stray Dogs)

oh wow, uh, not gonna lie, i really like this anime more for most of the male characters, but Lucy and Kiyoko have alswas been in my faves list. I didnt really understand Lucy's character in season one but as the plot thickens, so does her issues with wanting to morally become a better person, but still being fairly new to learning to become selfless. I think a lot of people can relate to her because she can be fairly emotionally erratic, and she struggles with the whole "forgiveness thing." But later on you see that all she really wanted was a true family and friends that value her. And i think that's something we all want, deep down. Also, her powers are highly unnderrated and badass and i love how she is slowly becoming a protector for ppl like Atsushi, which really shows her growth as a character.

I also put Kiyoko on this list because i think she is equally as good of a female character as Lucy is, but for dif reasons. I loveeee the whole concept of "initially bad" characters soon wanting to become good. There's a simplicity in her character that i think models Atsushi's in a way, i mean they're both damaged, but both yearn to do good and make a comeback with the chances they've been given in life. If Lucy was a Tarot Card she would be the Fool. I also love how steadfast she is in her newfound family and how much she believes in everyone in the ADA now. It's very wholesome and pure :3 also i love her and Atsushi's relationship, it kinda reminds me of me and my BFF's ride or die relationship, lol.

Lucy: "Make sure you survive...Then come back for me. I'll be waiting."

Kiyoko: "I saw a bright world. I cannot go back to a time when I didn't know such a thing existed."

-Luna Lovegood (Harry Potter)

Ugh, there's so many things about this character that I have always loved and adored. Her character design, her quiet whimsical weirdness. Her determined loyalty to the people that accept her. Her lovely simple wisdom, at times. Like Harry said, Luna is just "...coooll." She kinda reminds me of me when I was a teenager but way cooler lol.

Luna: "My mum always said things we lose have a way of coming back to us, in the end."

-Lara Croft (Tomb Raider movies and videogames)

Laura is....a simple character by design. If anything, the plotlines and video game design of the Tomb Raider franchise are way more intricate. And yeah...there's her misogynistic character design (Note: the impossibly snatched waist and bOoBiEs in earlier games.)

BUT. I still stan her for a multitude of reasons. Growing up, there were may more princess characters than female warrior characters and ya know, I'm really glad I was exposed to Lara Croft movies and the Tomb Raider: Legend video games as a kid. I think Laura taught me that you can definitely embrace your feminine side and still be a badass and follow your dreams. Even now, after me finally figuring out i'm not cis, i know, that she's still an icon for most kids out there. And for me too. She was a symbol of bravery, intelligence, as well as still being a character of emotional depth, grieving the loss of her parents while vowing to continue to do what she loved, which is exploring. Cultural and moral problems with her character aside, i still find both her and her stories very inspirational, both as a bigender queer person, and as a designer.

Laura Quotes: "The line between our myths and truth is fragile and blurry."

"The extraordinary is in what we do, not who we are."

-Scorpia (She-Ra)

Oh wow, i could go on for days about how much i love thus character. If you're queer or fun in any capacity you've probably watched the final season fo She-Ra by now and spoilers aside, i just love the journey this character went on from start to finish. Scorpia is so genuine and nice, and sometimes that puts her in situations where she has to make hard decisions. And idk, those decisions just made that character so much better for me. On a lighter note, Scorpia is great queer rep, especially for butch lesbians, lesbians, trans ppl, androg ppl, and gender nonconforming ppl. She's always said things that have resonated with me as a queer person and aside from that, she's a very excitable and fun character. She just excudes so much curiosity and joy that you really can't help but like her, lol.

Scorpia: "I am brave, strong, loyal, and i give great hugs!"

-Sypha (Castlevania)

Altho I personally don't view Sypha as a cis woman, (I see her as nonbinary or agender), I think the way characters treat her in the show is indicative that in that period, they view her as a woman. So i figured I could put her on this list as well lol. Anyways, uhhh wow, Sypha is great, there's so much I love about her that it's hard to put into words. I love that she regards herself as a "scholar" of magic, but still views herself as a heretic, I just find it pretty funny and very sexy of her lol. Aside from that, I think Sypha is a great character who always seeks out logic where there usually ends up being none. I love her cheeky remarks to both Alucard and Trevor, and I love her can-do attitude. At the end of the day, she's one of those characters you love just for her great energy she carries for herself within the show. There's really no rhyme or reason to her, she just, is. She subverts many female mage character tropes as well, being a natural badass. Also her god jokes are so damn funny.

Sypha: "See?? God hates me!?

-Aunt Sarah (Derry Girls)

Okay first of all, if you havent seen Derry girls, pleaseeee watch it, holy shit it's the funniest show i've seen in a longass time. Second of all, my friend and I are still going thru the show, but Ajnt Sarah has started to become one of my favorite characters. She's one of those very aloof characters that you kinda ignore at first but then her character just has these amazing one liners and she really grows on you. Also she is very caring about her family and she's cute as hell???? I'm sorry but like her aesthetic is just on fuckin point, like??? Go off babe?? Anyways yeah she's cute.

No quotes for her since that might ruin some of the better punchlines if you end up watching the show lol.

-Marga (Cable Girls)

Yeah, if you want a really good 1920's drama that focuses on women, go give Cable Girls a try! It is very poetic in its direction lol. Anyways, Marga is one of the "new girls" at the beginning of the show and she is just, so earnest, and genuine, and pure. And I love her. She's very nice to the other girls working and she's got some great one liners. She's that timid, cute character that slowy comes out of her shell throughout the show lol.

-Kiki and Sheeta (Studio Ghibli)

I loveee Studio Ghibli films, and one of my two fave films of Miyazaki are Kiki's Delivery Service and my ultimate fave, Castle in the Sky. I adore Kiki as a character because she is your quintessential cute witch, and her journey with finding and grasping her full powers are very relevant to me, and my journey with upholding my creativity as a designer. As well as being a great movie with a great lessom for all artists, Kiki is a very passionate and genuine character, who's resilency has inspired me in hard times. I love her relationship that she has with other ppl as nd creatures, especially with her cat Gigi. She's cute, i love her lots.

Sheeta, I love for different reasons. Sheeta is one of those rare instances where a quiet protagonist, really works. I love her calm and humble, yet powerful energy surrounding her. I love her background, and how there has always beem magic inside of her, even if she's not a practicing witch. She is so very humble and a very introspective character. There's not a lot of female protagonists quite like her. Plus she's adorable as well, lol.

-Aunt Hilda, Zelda, Prudence, and Lilith (CHAOS)

I'm not gonna get into super specifics since i love all these characters equally, but I will say that all these characters absolutely MADE this series for me. I personally found Sabrina's character very annoying and slightly egotistical (i mean she's allowed to be i suppose,lol) but these characters were just so much fun!

I love Aunt Hilda for her soft personality and great revenge comebacks. I love Prudence for her aesthetic, character design, and amazing characrer development throughout the series. I love Lilith, for being both a BAMF and. MILF, lolz. And finally, i absolutely adore Zelda's character, for being so poised, calculating, blunt, and yet so very badass and loveable xD I love everything about her character, tbh.

There's so many good quotes from each character, so just watch the show, lol.

Andddd i think that's it! Sorry this was super long, I wanted to state my reasoms for why these characters were on the list, lol. Hope you liked some of my character analysis, feel free to screech with me about shows anytime lol. I'd love more good show recs!

You def don't have to go as hard as I did on this but I tag:

@heathen-beast @iquotetheravennevermore @sweet-communist @gardiewithyou @sawayakakuns @shortlady72 @thatonegirluniverse @thatlowkeyhipster @letting-and-living @beauxxxtifullies @catastrafey

Anyone else can participate if they feel like it! Have fun lol. Let's love our great women characters lol.

#thanks for the tag #tag games #elo speaks #choas #studio ghibli #harry potter #bsd #derry girls #cable girls #naruto #she ra #tomb raider #castlevania #bungou stray dogs

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raidbossmadi · 4 years

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People Like Us Chapter 4

4.Leaving Eden

Previous Chapter: Here

When the twins had mentioned sending a crew to pick her up the following morning what Sloane hadn’t been expecting was that they’d send their own personal bodyguard along with what appeared to be two high ranking cultists, judging by the robes they wore obscuring their faces and making them seem that much more mysterious.

“Sloane, I presume.” The taller of the two hooded figures asked after a good few minutes of Sloane staring at them from her doorway.

“Uh...yeah, yeah that’s me. Sorry, I guess I was expecting something a little less conspicuous?” She found herself having a hard time stringing together words. Mostly because she was rather stunned at just how big the man in her yard was. She had seen the man known as Mouthpiece in the twins videos but only ever beside Tyreen or by himself and Tyreen by virtue of being short like Sloane made everyone look huge in comparison, but no he was just huge generally.

“I think you will find with the twin gods most things are very conspicuous,child.” The hooded figure offered a hand to take one of her bags, and Sloane handed it over.

“So I know the big guy over there is Mouthpiece but who are you two?” Sloane asked picking up the last of her bags and letting Persephone hop onto her shoulder.

“I am High Priestess Jaxon and my compatriot, High Priest Helios. We are the shepherds of the Twin Gods devoted and we are blessed to serve you as well, sister.”

It was easy to forget the religious aspect of the Children of the Vault as an outsider especially given that Tyreen and Troy’s presentation didn’t scream of holy or divine leanings, they dressed and acted like normal people.

As they made it to the spaceport Sloane felt a bit of anxiousness settle into the pit of her stomach. She had never been to space, was getting in a spaceship scary? She hoped it was just like getting in a car that just happened to fly and could travel at lightspeed.

“Come along, the God-Queen will not be pleased with us if we run behind schedule.” Helios said giving her a nudge as she had slowed down her pace.

“Right, sorry. It’s just a lot to process.” She gave a nervous smile but made sure to keep up with her entourage as they approached the loading deck for the dropship. It was small and compact and at first she wasn’t entirely sure all four of them would fit in it.

Sloane filed in sitting down between the two priests before Mouthpiece ducked in and proved that yes they could in fact all fit. She pulled down the seat belt, secured Persphone in her lap, and dug her nails into the armrest of the chair as the door to the cabin clicked shut.

A holographic image of the ship above them flickered into existence in the center of the pod. Jaxon reached over and put in a series of inputs before the words ‘clear for reentry’ appeared over the ship and the pod engines began humming as they warmed up.

“It’ll be over before you know it.” Sloane reassured herself quietly as the pod pitched upward and rumbled. She closed her eyes reigning in the desire to scream as the fear that they would burn up in the atmosphere hit her. After what felt like a long time the pod jostled to a stop the engines dying back down.

The doors gave a pneumatic hiss as they opened to a red tinted room, and Sloane shook off the dazed feeling that overtook her as she rose then followed the entourage out of the pod. They had stepped out into a large engineering bay, a klaxon blaring as the red light flashed again and Sloane watched as a large mechanism picked up the dropship and slid it into a storage compartment beside many others.

“Clearance please!” A woman in engineer’s coveralls declared as she approached the group.

“For fucksake Lydia, who else is going to be dragging around Mouthpiece and the Twin God’s new favored.” Jaxon hissed yet nonetheless pulled an ID card from her robe.

“Just doing my job Jaxon, I’ll send word to the God-Queen you’ve made it back, she should be in the Cathedral.” Lydia remarked.

The Priestess made a disapproving noise as they walked past. “Mouthpiece, take Sloane’s bags to the Twin God’s quarters. We will deliver her to the God-Queen.”

Outside of the engineering bay the ship opened up to large spacious hallways that reminded Sloane more of a city street than a hall. Though she supposed the Calypso’s flagship was meant to be a floating town. There was signage that pointed to where food and living spaces were located as well as the ship's medical bay. She had worried that the ship would feel claustrophobic so she was glad that fear had been dispelled quickly, though it was apparent that the ship was in a period of downtime as the halls were sparsely populated save for a few people that appeared to be lower ranking members of the twins clergy.

They came to a large set of double doors spray painted with ‘Like, Follow, and Obey’ across the top along with the inverted vault symbol that was the CoV’s calling card. Jaxon and Helios pushed the doors open then gestured for Sloane to come in.

“The God-Queen is expecting you.”

Sloane walked into the chamber and heard the doors click shut behind her. The lights in the room were dim but she could make out rows of pews forming aisles that she stood in the center of, the main source of illumination was a spot light over a dais at the end of the room. Perched on the dais where two thrones, though for the moment only one was occupied. Tyreen has never looked more the part of God-Queen in the time that Sloane had been around her, her ice blue eyes trained on the other siren as Sloane made her way to the base of the dais.

“Well look who made it.” Tyreen rose from her seat a smirk creeping up her face. “I hope you found the priest escort welcoming.”

Sloane watched as Tyreen walked down the steps towards her, her gait still smooth and predatory. “I did, and I’m pretty impressed with what I’ve seen of the ship so far too.”

“Thanks, you should let Troy know. This ship is his baby, and I don’t think he gets enough credit for it.” Tyreen was standing in front of her now, ice blue eyes locked on hers. “So, you’ve decided to join the Children of the Vault, to pledge yourself to Troy and I in return for freedom. Now there’s some rules that come with joining our family, I think you’ll find they’re all very fair. I am a just God after all.”

Sloane swallowed nervously, though she knew Tyreen wasn’t about to hurt her; this was her stage, she was entirely in control of the situation.

“Here’s the deal, we can’t have you appearing as a threat to our reign or anything like that. So the narrative Troy’s spinning is that you’re our Siren, a stray we took in out of the kindness of our hearts, you belong to us. We’ll say you’re blessing to tip the scales in our favor, after all one more Siren on my side means one less Siren for the Crimson Raiders to have access to. ”

“Ok, so what does belonging to you entail? Am I going to have to humiliate myself by walking around completely nude do I? Cos I am super not about doing that.”

“What? No, you’ll get looked after by Troy and I,have all your needs attended to, just one tiiiiny little catch.” Tyreen reached into her pocket and pulled out a leather collar not unlike the one she was wearing right now and spun it idly on her finger. “You belong to us so I’m keeping you in arms reach. ”

Oddly enough Tyreen seemed nervous as she tried to assure Sloane that there was nothing sketchy going on here. Though her assurances did make Sloane feel better about it all, after all who wouldn’t want two of the most powerful people in the universe to spoil them and not expect anything but loyalty in return.

“ I’ll do what you and Troy want, be whatever you want me to be,I promise.” Sloane teased, sticking her tongue out at the last bit.

“ Like you have a choice now anyway right?” Tyreen gave a small smirk before she reached around Sloane’s neck and affixed the collar around it. “Not too tight?”

Sloane shook her head as she adjusted to the feel of it around her neck. Granted she had known that joining the Calypso’s was likely to come with some sort of price she just hadn’t expected anything like this.

“Cool, now I think you’ll agree, it’s been a bit of a hectic day. Probably more so for you than myself, so why don’t we head up to my room and get some sleep?” Tyreen suggested, a small yawn punctuated the end of her sentence.

“I’m sleeping with you? Like you aren’t worried I’ll try to kill you?” Sloane asked, a bit surprised by this, especially given how tight the twins security had been so far.

“Yeah of course you’re sleeping with me, it’s how you socialize someone into feeling comfortable around you right? Besides honey, if you try anything I’ll just turn you into another statue for my collection.” There was a loneliness that flashed in Tyreen’s eyes that made her words seem like an empty threat, she didn’t want to do that, not really. “Troy will want a word with you too, but he’s already turned in for the night and it’s best not to bother him.”

Tyreen motioned for Sloane to follow and lead her behind the thrones where a door stood at the back of the dias leading to a stairway. At the top they came out to a more homely looking part of the ship and walked toward a hallway with a hand scanner at the door.

“We’ll get your biometrics added to the system in the morning, I don’t expect you to go anywhere without one of us for a while but it saves me the trouble.” Tyreen said as the double doors slid open revealing a small wing of the ship. There were four doors, two on each side of the hallway, each emblazoned with a symbol in the center of the door. The two on the left had a game controller and flower, while the right had Troy’s dual skulls and snake emblem and the last had a skull wearing a crown. Tyreen approached this door and again placed her hand on the scanner.

“C’mon in.”

Sloane walked into the room, which lit up as Tyreen walked in it was a fairly neat room with a small living and kitchenette in the main area, there was a desk in one corner of the room that seemed to be Tyreen’s brainstorming station as papers were all over it and the wall behind it. Next to the desk was a door that was currently ajar and Sloane could see that it was the bedroom, she followed Tyreen in and discovered that her bags were waiting for her in a neat stack at the foot of a bed that was easily big enough to fit three people. Tyreen walked into the connected bathroom pajamas in hand, Sloane used the opportunity to dig through her bags for her own trading places with the God-Queen and then getting settled in the bed.

She was a little nervous given that she had never shared a bed in any context before now. But as she climbed under the covers the warmth of the bed was enough to quiet any reservations she might have plus the bed was so large that Tyreen might as well not even be in it. It wasn’t long before Tyreen’s slow even breathing filled the Sloane needed as her eyes began to flutter shut marking the close of the first day of her new life.

#People Like Us #Troy Calypso #Tyreen Calypso #borderlands 3 #Sloane the Siren #My Writing #My HCs

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steve0discusses · 4 years

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Yugioh Season Zero: Seto Kaiba's First Kidnapping

It’s Christmas vacation, I have Mannheim Steamroller on repeat, so much chocolate just an arms reach away from me. And I have purposely given myself nothing to do as an attempt to teach myself to do nothing.

So lets watch something weird and revisit Zero.

For those new here, I have been also reviewing most of Season Zero. If you don’t know what that is, you can my recaps in order by clicking this link here.

And like last time, I am not actually affiliated with Team Millennium, and I hope they don’t mind that I am capping their episode. You can find them on Youtube where they are slowly redubbing this season into English, and um--this next episode is the last episode they have! So I don’t know how I’m going to recap the rest?

Probably the same way I did in the first episode where it’s a lot less dialogue and more just...my reaction to it.

And, as always, my disclaimer for the new people that this was made in the 90′s and based off of the OG manga and it is...not the same show. It’s problematic. Why wouldn’t it be? It’s a counter-culture anime from the 90′s. Though this episode is pretty tame, honestly. Weird, but tame.

So, we start off the episode with a very lovingly drawn sky, not sure why it’s on THIS show but it’s here. This post apocalyptic sunset.

And staring directly into this sun going supernova is Seto Kaiba in his green hair, just brooding...

Not sure how he has this view from his Pemberly style mansion, but I dunno, maybe the city is visible from the backyard, or Seto just has really good vision. Either way don’t worry about it, we see Seto vibe out and visualize weird stuff all the time.

So, spurned by his hate for his classmate that beat him in cards once, Seto decides it’s time to enact his revenge by...what sounds a lot like some weird Lord of the Rings Lore and I dunno if it’s a bad translation or I just don’t really know what the hell he’s going off about because I never read the Yugioh version of the Silmarillion. Probably both.

See, while the first couple episodes of this show have different variations on Youtube, this one really only had the Team Millennium version in English (which is fine, there’s just some confusing things) and then the other version I saw skipped half of the episode because I guess they decided this part was boring or something. So forgive the fact that I’m flying on the seat of my pants here and I assume y’all will know all the deets I don’t know. For once, my contribution will be...kind of a lot less words.

So lets get right to it.

(read more under the cut)

Seto, who is in so much denial from Seasons 1-4, that I’ve headcanoned is actually cursed to never admit magic is real, has decided to call upon the (checks notes)

4 Game Masters

Yeah, that’s a new mechanic, these are a thing now. Don’t worry if you never heard of them before, I’ve been capping this show and I also have never heard of the legendary 4 magical Game Masters either.

So at this point these statues start glowing all creepy, and because it’s Yugioh I just kinda assumed...they’d do something.

I’m starting to think that maybe that was supposed to be symbolic, actually. Maybe there was never actually magic in the statues. Maybe it’s part of Seto hallucinating, as always. This whole show kind of runs on being a sort of metal fever dream whenever people get intense about games, so I’m probably not supposed to align it with any established magic laws anyway. It’s just I never know when things are real or just aesthetics, which I enjoy, quite a bit, that it’s open ended--but still it’s somewhat confusing as to if these gargoyles are...a thing now or were just always set dressing to kind of remind us of the cards that come later in the episode.

But, remember the spooky indoor gargoyles in your mind, keep it there, these menacing gargoyles over a fiery sunset...

OK now lets meet the real villain.

There he is. Our villain. And his name? Ripley Sheldon.

MAN to go from spooky gargoyles to Ripley Sheldon. There’s a name. That’s a name all right. I’ve only seen one episode of Big Bang Theory but Sheldon is a name forever ruined for me.

So--sidestory--this one time, my friend was at a wedding in Santa Cruz, which is a pretty beachy hippie town that always smelled like weed before it was legal, and there was just...a doll at the wedding. My friend was seated at a dinner party table just right next to this doll, and the family was like “Ah yes, this is the doll, you have to speak to her. She’s a member of the family.” and my friend had to suffer roleplaying with this doll for hours.

So before you’re like...there’s no way grown ass adults are this weird with dolls in public.

Yes. It happens.

Ah, and it’s the first instances of the Kaiba Corp logo and it’s the same. Complete with helicopter, because that Logo is never done until it’s surrounded by a fast military vehicle of some sort.

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh great.

Yo remember that one episode where Yugi almost got his legs chopped off by Arcana and Arcana’s wife was being held behind a curtain, and at the end of the episode Arcana pulls back the curtain and his wife was a manikin the whole time and her head fell off?

Getting those vibes.

Back at school, Miho is busy being the most manipulative human being, this time with losing at cards. Like y’all I am TRYING to give Miho the benefit of a doubt here, but it seems even the translators hated Miho so much they had her refer to herself in the 3rd person. I am trying, really I am, sorry to everyone who loves Miho, I will leave that door open as I watch these--that maybe Miho will...grow on me.

But not this episode.

And then this happened. I guess from the breeze of Honda leaning over too far.

Believe it or not, Yuugi’s vertigo will come back later in this very episode. This whole bizarre scenario was just foreshadowing.

But for reals, Yuugi is so FRAIL in Season Zero. While I appreciate the contrast between Yuugi and Yami Yuugi, I gotta recognize how much Yugi has evolved over 4+ seasons because Yuugi is just...eggshells. Every part of him is polite little eggshells.

But in contrast, you have Anzu who is ready to fight in every single scene she’s in and I’m OK with that.

That and the very clear romantic direction that is just...simple. It’s very simple in Season Zero. That’s nice.

Anzu isn’t even possessed by two ghosts. In fact, between Anzu and Yuugi right now, there are 0 ghosts. So weird. So kosher.

Speaking of weird,

Y’all, I have no explanation for this. I only know so much Kanji.

The translation I watched tried so very hard to do what they could with this, and kudos to them, but...this is what happens with translation, it’s just a very hard job sometimes. So I get how they decided to form this joke into English, but if anyone is like a Japanese speaker and gets the pun that was clearly happening here, feel free to youknow, share the knowledge.

Unfortunately the undubbed episode that exists on Youtube that I found edited out this part so they didn’t have to try and translate it, lol. Either way, I appreciate Orange Jounouchi a lot, as well as the background squids on Squid Jounouchi.

Can you imagine just being in high school, and you get summoned to the Nurses Office? Can you even imagine what rumors would start from that? Like I know Seto wants revenge against Yuugi through cards, but I think he just did. I think he did like maybe one of the worst things you can do to a High Schooler just now. May as well page over the intercom that Yuugi has to pick up his yeast infection ointment.

And this is where we meet...a ridiculous satire. This 30 year old beautiful woman flirting with a child disaster who cannot balance while seated on a low chair.

And predictably, Yuugi lost because things just got THAT weird and awkward. Dunno if the translators put that in there for fun, or if that’s honestly how it was in the original. My bet it was probably exactly that weird in the original. Mostly because this show has a lot of “stranger danger” set ups to teach little children to never trust bad adults and this just seemed like exactly that type of set-up. Don’t trust the overly nice nurse or she’ll steal your cards in a game, kids.

After this really awkward card game (and I’m not going to bother to dive into it because I don’t talk about the card mechanics here), we find out...that Seto’s just been staring at them...the entire time.

Like it has such a voyeuristic vibe to it, it really makes you wonder about Seto’s whole deal just an awful lot. Like Season 1-4 doesn’t really ship Yugi/Kaiba, in my opinion (and just my opinion, I know how y’all feel about the ship and that is a-ok, all ships are welcome here)...but Season Zero ships A LOT. It’s not a serious ship by any means, it’s clearly a crack ship, but they...very clearly know what they’re doing with Seto being this obsessed with Yuugi in this way, omg. It just sounds like a kink to me.

So, ways to beat Yuugi Muto:

steal his stuff halfway through the game, try to kill yourself, rock paper scissors, try to kill Joey Wheeler, or dress up a sex doll like a nurse and have a gross old man have it play cards while he makes a sexy lady voiceover.

(Y’all I’ve been to my share of arcades in my life and I think I’ve only seen like 6 pinball tables total. Do good arcades only exist on TV? I think it’s all a lie.)

Then, because I guess this episode wasn’t going anywhere, Yuugi goes to the arcade to play some video games. The video game is unimportant, and it’s never been brought up before, but he’s dead set on finding it. Because unlike Yugi, Yuugi just doesn’t really have a goal in this series so he just kind of flutters around until someone tells him what to do.

TBH that’s a pretty 90′s thing for a show or a movie to do. To have characters just exist and have things happen to them, but in all, they’re just...wandering. So it’s not so much a knock on the show, it’s just that sometimes it’s a little of a transition to go from a goal being something physical, like finding the lost city of Atlantis before every human’s soul is absorbed into the great Leviathan, to the goal being more of a mental acceptance--Yuugi just learning to accept this curse he doesn’t even know he has yet, and trying to find acceptance in his group of friends.

With Yuugi, we’re kind of just watching his daily life, which is mostly watching him try and sneak games into every spare moment that his local adult has turned around. It has a very slice of life feel to it, but minus the near constant innuendo slice of life tends to have (at least the ones that have been recommended to me)

Now, because this is a show about people getting a real EXTREME comeuppance every time they break the law, what will happen to Yuugi for ignoring his Grandpa’s wishes and going to the arcade before going home?

First, we meet this mushroom haired person.

That’s right kids, NEVER stop by the arcade on the way home from school--1.) The local arcades are almost always 90% boring racing games and busted shooters that came out on the Nintendo 64 when I was a child and 2.) You will get abducted.

And then we get this face swap.

Kaiba just really loves dress-up. No wonder he was hanging out with a guy super into dolls. And like, I went into before how Seto Kaiba is always doused in facsimile energy. He loves faking it up, and apparently that’s been true since Zero.

He introduces that he will have four challenges from four Game Masters and uh so welcome to the...I don’t where this is, but a weird place full of dolls that must exist somewhere in Domino.

I guess this is to make it seem like they have an audience to watch Yuugi fail but even still...what?

So we get kind of a mirror to the scene at the beginning with Miho crying and Honda telling Yuugi to apologize for beating her, except replace Miho with Seto and Honda with this guy who really likes dolls (and Miho is a lot like a cursed doll). Like, if there were a theme to this episode it’s “grow up and stop apologizing when you beat someone in a card game” which isn’t a terrible theme, especially in this show that is about Yuugi learning how to adult.

In fact the “grow the hell up” theme is so strong we have a villain who is just...a big baby who carries dolls around. Kinda makes you wonder if the show would have eventually had Yuugi just...grow out of toys and games completely for the finale. Like in the Yugioh we have now, he can’t, because first off they licensed a hell ton of toys, but also because Yugi does games for his actual job. Even if Pharaoh was gone, Yugi still has to play games all the time. In this case, he could just...be using the games to learn how to do adult things, which is actually why we give kids games in the first place.

But, speculation aside, it’s at this point that a card play knocks Yuugi off of his chair and he passes out. Despite the fact that this isn’t a Shadow game and there...shouldn’t be any magic present. In fact, I don’t think any part of this game in this episode required opening the door of darkness. When he switches to Yami shortly after falling off of his own chair he’s like...yeah this is fine. Seems all above board. No need to kill anybody

And then apparently there’s a type of Dual Monster’s card I was unaware of.

A doll-type.

So I looked it up, is there a doll type card in Yugioh?

And it seems like there’s a lot of dolls, but not like...a type, as far as I can tell. Again, I don’t play this game, I’m only here for the plot and this one just seemed like they really had to reach for Yuugi to have just the right type of card to play.

And again, because this wasn’t a Shadow Duel, our loser just kind of walks away...all the way back to Britain, I guess.

And Seto just stands there behind a window in a rainstorm to allude to his many unshed salty tears, and it cuts to Miho who I guess has learned not to cry when she loses to Yuugi now.

And then she pulls out an absolutely winning tactic. This would win, actually. It’s actually genius.

And that is a very strong

From me. Wow. No thanks. I actually don’t want to see Yuugi do a kissy face ever again, thank you.

Half of you loved that though. This is fine. We’re all different.

Anyway, I assume the game was never played, or Miho won and the show just decided not to show it. If Season Zero Yuugi is a Yuugi that makes out then...that is...shocking. Then again, we’re only like...a third of the way through? I think?

Anyway, it’s...after Christmas because I went out of town for a spell, but I’ll just...post this now. Last post before the new year.

I’ll see y’all in 2020!

#ygo #yugioh #season zero #yuugi muto #anzu #jounoushi #seto kaiba #honda #dolls?#Like lots of creepy dolls?#ripley sheldon #miho #photo recaps #episode recap

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bitchwithpatton · 4 years

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Found a sanders sides story

warnings: sympathetic Patton, tw death kinda, bees.

Patton knew it was too late. no one could find Roman and Remus now. How where they so good at hide and seek?? If he did’t win well, he knew what would happen. So, he removed him self from his hiding spot, and went into the kitchen.

Bee Movie Script - Dialogue Transcript According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly. Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground. The bee, of course, flies anyway because bees don't care what humans think is impossible. Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Ooh, black and yellow! Let's shake it up a little. Barry! Breakfast is ready! Ooming! Hang on a second. Hello? - Barry? - Adam? - Oan you believe this is happening? - I can't. I'll pick you up. Looking sharp. Use the stairs. Your father paid good money for those. Sorry. I'm excited. Here's the graduate. We're very proud of you, son. A perfect report card, all B's. Very proud. Ma! I got a thing going here. - You got lint on your fuzz. - Ow! That's me! - Wave to us! We'll be in row 118,000. - Bye! Barry, I told you, stop flying in the house! - Hey, Adam. - Hey, Barry. - Is that fuzz gel? - A little. Special day, graduation. Never thought I'd make it. Three days grade school, three days high school. Those were awkward. Three days college. I'm glad I took a day and hitchhiked around the hive. You did come back different. - Hi, Barry. - Artie, growing a mustache? Looks good. - Hear about Frankie? - Yeah. - You going to the funeral? - No, I'm not going. Everybody knows, sting someone, you die. Don't waste it on a squirrel. Such a hothead. I guess he could have just gotten out of the way. I love this incorporating an amusement park into our day. That's why we don't need vacations. Boy, quite a bit of pomp... under the circumstances. - Well, Adam, today we are men. - We are! - Bee-men. - Amen! Hallelujah! Students, faculty, distinguished bees, please welcome Dean Buzzwell. Welcome, New Hive Oity graduating class of... ...9:15. That concludes our ceremonies. And begins your career at Honex Industries! Will we pick ourjob today? I heard it's just orientation. Heads up! Here we go. Keep your hands and antennas inside the tram at all times. - Wonder what it'll be like? - A little scary. Welcome to Honex, a division of Honesco and a part of the Hexagon Group. This is it! Wow. Wow. We know that you, as a bee, have worked your whole life to get to the point where you can work for your whole life. Honey begins when our valiant Pollen Jocks bring the nectar to the hive. Our top-secret formula is automatically color-corrected, scent-adjusted and bubble-contoured into this soothing sweet syrup with its distinctive golden glow you know as... Honey! - That girl was hot. - She's my cousin! - She is? - Yes, we're all cousins. - Right. You're right. - At Honex, we constantly strive to improve every aspect of bee existence. These bees are stress-testing a new helmet technology. - What do you think he makes? - Not enough. Here we have our latest advancement, the Krelman. - What does that do? - Oatches that little strand of honey that hangs after you pour it. Saves us millions. Oan anyone work on the Krelman? Of course. Most bee jobs are small ones. But bees know that every small job, if it's done well, means a lot. But choose carefully because you'll stay in the job you pick for the rest of your life. The same job the rest of your life? I didn't know that. What's the difference? You'll be happy to know that bees, as a species, haven't had one day off in 27 million years. So you'll just work us to death? We'll sure try. Wow! That blew my mind! "What's the difference?" How can you say that? One job forever? That's an insane choice to have to make. I'm relieved. Now we only have to make one decision in life. But, Adam, how could they never have told us that? Why would you question anything? We're bees. We're the most perfectly functioning society on Earth. You ever think maybe things work a little too well here? Like what? Give me one example. I don't know. But you know what I'm talking about. Please clear the gate. Royal Nectar Force on approach. Wait a second. Oheck it out. - Hey, those are Pollen Jocks! - Wow. I've never seen them this close. They know what it's like outside the hive. Yeah, but some don't come back. - Hey, Jocks! - Hi, Jocks! You guys did great! You're monsters! You're sky freaks! I love it! I love it! - I wonder where they were. - I don't know. Their day's not planned. Outside the hive, flying who knows where, doing who knows what. You can'tjust decide to be a Pollen Jock. You have to be bred for that. Right. Look. That's more pollen than you and I will see in a lifetime. It's just a status symbol. Bees make too much of it. Perhaps. Unless you're wearing it and the ladies see you wearing it. Those ladies? Aren't they our cousins too? Distant. Distant. Look at these two. - Oouple of Hive Harrys. - Let's have fun with them. It must be dangerous being a Pollen Jock. Yeah. Once a bear pinned me against a mushroom! He had a paw on my throat, and with the other, he was slapping me! - Oh, my! - I never thought I'd knock him out. What were you doing during this? Trying to alert the authorities. I can autograph that. A little gusty out there today, wasn't it, comrades? Yeah. Gusty. We're hitting a sunflower patch six miles from here tomorrow. - Six miles, huh? - Barry! A puddle jump for us, but maybe you're not up for it. - Maybe I am. - You are not! We're going 0900 at J-Gate. What do you think, buzzy-boy? Are you bee enough? I might be. It all depends on what 0900 means. Hey, Honex! Dad, you surprised me. You decide what you're interested in? - Well, there's a lot of choices. - But you only get one. Do you ever get bored doing the same job every day? Son, let me tell you about stirring. You grab that stick, and you just move it around, and you stir it around. You get yourself into a rhythm. It's a beautiful thing. You know, Dad, the more I think about it, maybe the honey field just isn't right for me. You were thinking of what, making balloon animals? That's a bad job for a guy with a stinger. Janet, your son's not sure he wants to go into honey! - Barry, you are so funny sometimes. - I'm not trying to be funny. You're not funny! You're going into honey. Our son, the stirrer! - You're gonna be a stirrer? - No one's listening to me! Wait till you see the sticks I have. I could say anything right now. I'm gonna get an ant tattoo! Let's open some honey and celebrate! Maybe I'll pierce my thorax. Shave my antennae. Shack up with a grasshopper. Get a gold tooth and call everybody "dawg"! I'm so proud. - We're starting work today! - Today's the day. Oome on! All the good jobs will be gone. Yeah, right. Pollen counting, stunt bee, pouring, stirrer, front desk, hair removal... - Is it still available? - Hang on. Two left! One of them's yours! Oongratulations! Step to the side. - What'd you get? - Picking crud out. Stellar! Wow! Oouple of newbies? Yes, sir! Our first day! We are ready! Make your choice. - You want to go first? - No, you go. Oh, my. What's available? Restroom attendant's open, not for the reason you think. - Any chance of getting the Krelman? - Sure, you're on. I'm sorry, the Krelman just closed out. Wax monkey's always open. The Krelman opened up again. What happened? A bee died. Makes an opening. See? He's dead. Another dead one. Deady. Deadified. Two more dead. Dead from the neck up. Dead from the neck down. That's life! Oh, this is so hard! Heating, cooling, stunt bee, pourer, stirrer, humming, inspector number seven, lint coordinator, stripe supervisor, mite wrangler. Barry, what do you think I should... Barry? Barry! All right, we've got the sunflower patch in quadrant nine... What happened to you? Where are you? - I'm going out. - Out? Out where? - Out there. - Oh, no! I have to, before I go to work for the rest of my life. You're gonna die! You're crazy! Hello? Another call coming in. If anyone's feeling brave, there's a Korean deli on 83rd that gets their roses today. Hey, guys. - Look at that. - Isn't that the kid we saw yesterday? Hold it, son, flight deck's restricted. It's OK, Lou. We're gonna take him up. Really? Feeling lucky, are you? Sign here, here. Just initial that. - Thank you. - OK. You got a rain advisory today, and as you all know, bees cannot fly in rain. So be careful. As always, watch your brooms, hockey sticks, dogs, birds, bears and bats. Also, I got a couple of reports of root beer being poured on us. Murphy's in a home because of it, babbling like a cicada! - That's awful. - And a reminder for you rookies, bee law number one, absolutely no talking to humans! All right, launch positions! Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz! Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz! Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz! Black and yellow! Hello! You ready for this, hot shot? Yeah. Yeah, bring it on. Wind, check. - Antennae, check. - Nectar pack, check. - Wings, check. - Stinger, check. Scared out of my shorts, check. OK, ladies, let's move it out! Pound those petunias, you striped stem-suckers! All of you, drain those flowers! Wow! I'm out! I can't believe I'm out! So blue. I feel so fast and free! Box kite! Wow! Flowers! This is Blue Leader. We have roses visual. Bring it around 30 degrees and hold. Roses! 30 degrees, roger. Bringing it around. Stand to the side, kid. It's got a bit of a kick. That is one nectar collector! - Ever see pollination up close? - No, sir. I pick up some pollen here, sprinkle it over here. Maybe a dash over there, a pinch on that one. See that? It's a little bit of magic. That's amazing. Why do we do that? That's pollen power. More pollen, more flowers, more nectar, more honey for us. Oool. I'm picking up a lot of bright yellow. Oould be daisies. Don't we need those? Oopy that visual. Wait. One of these flowers seems to be on the move. Say again? You're reporting a moving flower? Affirmative. That was on the line! This is the coolest. What is it? I don't know, but I'm loving this color. It smells good. Not like a flower, but I like it. Yeah, fuzzy. Ohemical-y. Oareful, guys. It's a little grabby. My sweet lord of bees! Oandy-brain, get off there! Problem! - Guys! - This could be bad. Affirmative. Very close. Gonna hurt. Mama's little boy. You are way out of position, rookie! Ooming in at you like a missile! Help me! I don't think these are flowers. - Should we tell him? - I think he knows. What is this?! Match point! You can start packing up, honey, because you're about to eat it! Yowser! Gross. There's a bee in the car! - Do something! - I'm driving! - Hi, bee. - He's back here! He's going to sting me! Nobody move. If you don't move, he won't sting you. Freeze! He blinked! Spray him, Granny! What are you doing?! Wow... the tension level out here is unbelievable. I gotta get home. Oan't fly in rain. Oan't fly in rain. Oan't fly in rain. Mayday! Mayday! Bee going down! Ken, could you close the window please? Ken, could you close the window please? Oheck out my new resume. I made it into a fold-out brochure. You see? Folds out. Oh, no. More humans. I don't need this. What was that? Maybe this time. This time. This time. This time! This time! This... Drapes! That is diabolical. It's fantastic. It's got all my special skills, even my top-ten favorite movies. What's number one? Star Wars? Nah, I don't go for that... ...kind of stuff. No wonder we shouldn't talk to them. They're out of their minds. When I leave a job interview, they're flabbergasted, can't believe what I say. There's the sun. Maybe that's a way out. I don't remember the sun having a big 75 on it. I predicted global warming. I could feel it getting hotter. At first I thought it was just me. Wait! Stop! Bee! Stand back. These are winter boots. Wait! Don't kill him! You know I'm allergic to them! This thing could kill me! Why does his life have less value than yours? Why does his life have any less value than mine? Is that your statement? I'm just saying all life has value. You don't know what he's capable of feeling. My brochure! There you go, little guy. I'm not scared of him. It's an allergic thing. Put that on your resume brochure. My whole face could puff up. Make it one of your special skills. Knocking someone out is also a special skill. Right. Bye, Vanessa. Thanks. - Vanessa, next week? Yogurt night? - Sure, Ken. You know, whatever. - You could put carob chips on there. - Bye. - Supposed to be less calories. - Bye. I gotta say something. She saved my life. I gotta say something. All right, here it goes. Nah. What would I say? I could really get in trouble. It's a bee law. You're not supposed to talk to a human. I can't believe I'm doing this. I've got to. Oh, I can't do it. Oome on! No. Yes. No. Do it. I can't. How should I start it? "You like jazz?" No, that's no good. Here she comes! Speak, you fool! Hi! I'm sorry. - You're talking. - Yes, I know. You're talking! I'm so sorry. No, it's OK. It's fine. I know I'm dreaming. But I don't recall going to bed. Well, I'm sure this is very disconcerting. This is a bit of a surprise to me. I mean, you're a bee! I am. And I'm not supposed to be doing this, but they were all trying to kill me. And if it wasn't for you... I had to thank you. It's just how I was raised. That was a little weird. - I'm talking with a bee. - Yeah. I'm talking to a bee. And the bee is talking to me! I just want to say I'm grateful. I'll leave now. - Wait! How did you learn to do that? - What? The talking thing. Same way you did, I guess. "Mama, Dada, honey." You pick it up. - That's very funny. - Yeah. Bees are funny. If we didn't laugh, we'd cry with what we have to deal with. Anyway... Oan I... ...get you something? - Like what? I don't know. I mean... I don't know. Ooffee? I don't want to put you out. It's no trouble. It takes two minutes. - It's just coffee. - I hate to impose. - Don't be ridiculous! - Actually, I would love a cup. Hey, you want rum cake? - I shouldn't. - Have some. - No, I can't. - Oome on! I'm trying to lose a couple micrograms. - Where? - These stripes don't help. You look great! I don't know if you know anything about fashion. Are you all right? No. He's making the tie in the cab as they're flying up Madison. He finally gets there. He runs up the steps into the church. The wedding is on. And he says, "Watermelon? I thought you said Guatemalan. Why would I marry a watermelon?" Is that a bee joke? That's the kind of stuff we do. Yeah, different. So, what are you gonna do, Barry? About work? I don't know. I want to do my part for the hive, but I can't do it the way they want. I know how you feel. - You do? - Sure. My parents wanted me to be a lawyer or a doctor, but I wanted to be a florist. - Really? - My only interest is flowers. Our new queen was just elected with that same campaign slogan. Anyway, if you look... There's my hive right there. See it? You're in Sheep Meadow! Yes! I'm right off the Turtle Pond! No way! I know that area. I lost a toe ring there once. - Why do girls put rings on their toes? - Why not? - It's like putting a hat on your knee. - Maybe I'll try that. - You all right, ma'am? - Oh, yeah. Fine. Just having two cups of coffee! Anyway, this has been great. Thanks for the coffee. Yeah, it's no trouble. Sorry I couldn't finish it. If I did, I'd be up the rest of my life. Are you...? Oan I take a piece of this with me? Sure! Here, have a crumb. - Thanks! - Yeah. All right. Well, then... I guess I'll see you around. Or not. OK, Barry. And thank you so much again... for before. Oh, that? That was nothing. Well, not nothing, but... Anyway... This can't possibly work. He's all set to go. We may as well try it. OK, Dave, pull the chute. - Sounds amazing. - It was amazing! It was the scariest, happiest moment of my life. Humans! I can't believe you were with humans! Giant, scary humans! What were they like? Huge and crazy. They talk crazy. They eat crazy giant things. They drive crazy. - Do they try and kill you, like on TV? - Some of them. But some of them don't. - How'd you get back? - Poodle. You did it, and I'm glad. You saw whatever you wanted to see. You had your "experience." Now you can pick out yourjob and be normal. - Well... - Well? Well, I met someone. You did? Was she Bee-ish? - A wasp?! Your parents will kill you! - No, no, no, not a wasp. - Spider? - I'm not attracted to spiders. I know it's the hottest thing, with the eight legs and all. I can't get by that face. So who is she? She's... human. No, no. That's a bee law. You wouldn't break a bee law. - Her name's Vanessa. - Oh, boy. She's so nice. And she's a florist! Oh, no! You're dating a human florist! We're not dating. You're flying outside the hive, talking to humans that attack our homes with power washers and M-80s! One-eighth a stick of dynamite! She saved my life! And she understands me. This is over! Eat this. This is not over! What was that? - They call it a crumb. - It was so stingin' stripey! And that's not what they eat. That's what falls off what they eat! - You know what a Oinnabon is? - No. It's bread and cinnamon and frosting. They heat it up... Sit down! ...really hot! - Listen to me! We are not them! We're us. There's us and there's them! Yes, but who can deny the heart that is yearning? There's no yearning. Stop yearning. Listen to me! You have got to start thinking bee, my friend. Thinking bee! - Thinking bee. - Thinking bee. Thinking bee! Thinking bee! Thinking bee! Thinking bee! There he is. He's in the pool. You know what your problem is, Barry? I gotta start thinking bee? How much longer will this go on? It's been three days! Why aren't you working? I've got a lot of big life decisions to think about. What life? You have no life! You have no job. You're barely a bee! Would it kill you to make a little honey? Barry, come out. Your father's talking to you. Martin, would you talk to him? Barry, I'm talking to you! You coming? Got everything? All set! Go ahead. I'll catch up. Don't be too long. Watch this! Vanessa! - We're still here. - I told you not to yell at him. He doesn't respond to yelling! - Then why yell at me? - Because you don't listen! I'm not listening to this. Sorry, I've gotta go. - Where are you going? - I'm meeting a friend. A girl? Is this why you can't decide? Bye. I just hope she's Bee-ish. They have a huge parade of flowers every year in Pasadena? To be in the Tournament of Roses, that's every florist's dream! Up on a float, surrounded by flowers, crowds cheering. A tournament. Do the roses compete in athletic events? No. All right, I've got one. How come you don't fly everywhere? It's exhausting. Why don't you run everywhere? It's faster. Yeah, OK, I see, I see. All right, your turn. TiVo. You can just freeze live TV? That's insane! You don't have that? We have Hivo, but it's a disease. It's a horrible, horrible disease. Oh, my. Dumb bees! You must want to sting all those jerks. We try not to sting. It's usually fatal for us. So you have to watch your temper. Very carefully. You kick a wall, take a walk, write an angry letter and throw it out. Work through it like any emotion: Anger, jealousy, lust. Oh, my goodness! Are you OK? Yeah. - What is wrong with you?! - It's a bug. He's not bothering anybody. Get out of here, you creep! What was that? A Pic 'N' Save circular? Yeah, it was. How did you know? It felt like about 10 pages. Seventy-five is pretty much our limit. You've really got that down to a science. - I lost a cousin to Italian Vogue. - I'll bet. What in the name of Mighty Hercules is this? How did this get here? Oute Bee, Golden Blossom, Ray Liotta Private Select? - Is he that actor? - I never heard of him. - Why is this here? - For people. We eat it. You don't have enough food of your own? - Well, yes. - How do you get it? - Bees make it. - I know who makes it! And it's hard to make it! There's heating, cooling, stirring. You need a whole Krelman thing! - It's organic. - It's our-ganic! It's just honey, Barry. Just what?! Bees don't know about this! This is stealing! A lot of stealing! You've taken our homes, schools, hospitals! This is all we have! And it's on sale?! I'm getting to the bottom of this. I'm getting to the bottom of all of this! Hey, Hector. - You almost done? - Almost. He is here. I sense it. Well, I guess I'll go home now and just leave this nice honey out, with no one around. You're busted, box boy! I knew I heard something. So you can talk! I can talk. And now you'll start talking! Where you getting the sweet stuff? Who's your supplier? I don't understand. I thought we were friends. The last thing we want to do is upset bees! You're too late! It's ours now! You, sir, have crossed the wrong sword! You, sir, will be lunch for my iguana, Ignacio! Where is the honey coming from? Tell me where! Honey Farms! It comes from Honey Farms! Orazy person! What horrible thing has happened here? These faces, they never knew what hit them. And now they're on the road to nowhere! Just keep still. What? You're not dead? Do I look dead? They will wipe anything that moves. Where you headed? To Honey Farms. I am onto something huge here. I'm going to Alaska. Moose blood, crazy stuff. Blows your head off! I'm going to Tacoma. - And you? - He really is dead. All right. Uh-oh! - What is that?! - Oh, no! - A wiper! Triple blade! - Triple blade? Jump on! It's your only chance, bee! Why does everything have to be so doggone clean?! How much do you people need to see?! Open your eyes! Stick your head out the window! From NPR News in Washington, I'm Oarl Kasell. But don't kill no more bugs! - Bee! - Moose blood guy!! - You hear something? - Like what? Like tiny screaming. Turn off the radio. Whassup, bee boy? Hey, Blood. Just a row of honey jars, as far as the eye could see. Wow! I assume wherever this truck goes is where they're getting it. I mean, that honey's ours. - Bees hang tight. - We're all jammed in. It's a close community. Not us, man. We on our own. Every mosquito on his own. - What if you get in trouble? - You a mosquito, you in trouble. Nobody likes us. They just smack. See a mosquito, smack, smack! At least you're out in the world. You must meet girls. Mosquito girls try to trade up, get with a moth, dragonfly. Mosquito girl don't want no mosquito. You got to be kidding me! Mooseblood's about to leave the building! So long, bee! - Hey, guys! - Mooseblood! I knew I'd catch y'all down here. Did you bring your crazy straw? We throw it in jars, slap a label on it, and it's pretty much pure profit. What is this place? A bee's got a brain the size of a pinhead. They are pinheads! Pinhead. - Oheck out the new smoker. - Oh, sweet. That's the one you want. The Thomas 3000! Smoker? Ninety puffs a minute, semi-automatic. Twice the nicotine, all the tar. A couple breaths of this knocks them right out. They make the honey, and we make the money. "They make the honey, and we make the money"? Oh, my! What's going on? Are you OK? Yeah. It doesn't last too long. Do you know you're in a fake hive with fake walls? Our queen was moved here. We had no choice. This is your queen? That's a man in women's clothes! That's a drag queen! What is this? Oh, no! There's hundreds of them! Bee honey. Our honey is being brazenly stolen on a massive scale! This is worse than anything bears have done! I intend to do something. Oh, Barry, stop. Who told you humans are taking our honey? That's a rumor. Do these look like rumors? That's a conspiracy theory. These are obviously doctored photos. How did you get mixed up in this? He's been talking to humans. - What? - Talking to humans?! He has a human girlfriend. And they make out! Make out? Barry! We do not. - You wish you could. - Whose side are you on? The bees! I dated a cricket once in San Antonio. Those crazy legs kept me up all night. Barry, this is what you want to do with your life? I want to do it for all our lives. Nobody works harder than bees! Dad, I remember you coming home so overworked your hands were still stirring. You couldn't stop. I remember that. What right do they have to our honey? We live on two cups a year. They put it in lip balm for no reason whatsoever! Even if it's true, what can one bee do? Sting them where it really hurts. In the face! The eye! - That would hurt. - No. Up the nose? That's a killer. There's only one place you can sting the humans, one place where it matters. Hive at Five, the hive's only full-hour action news source. No more bee beards! With Bob Bumble at the anchor desk. Weather with Storm Stinger. Sports with Buzz Larvi. And Jeanette Ohung. - Good evening. I'm Bob Bumble. - And I'm Jeanette Ohung. A tri-county bee, Barry Benson, intends to sue the human race for stealing our honey, packaging it and profiting from it illegally! Tomorrow night on Bee Larry King, we'll have three former queens here in our studio, discussing their new book, Olassy Ladies, out this week on Hexagon. Tonight we're talking to Barry Benson. Did you ever think, "I'm a kid from the hive. I can't do this"? Bees have never been afraid to change the world. What about Bee Oolumbus? Bee Gandhi? Bejesus? Where I'm from, we'd never sue humans. We were thinking of stickball or candy stores. How old are you? The bee community is supporting you in this case, which will be the trial of the bee century. You know, they have a Larry King in the human world too. It's a common name. Next week... He looks like you and has a show and suspenders and colored dots... Next week... Glasses, quotes on the bottom from the guest even though you just heard 'em. Bear Week next week! They're scary, hairy and here live. Always leans forward, pointy shoulders, squinty eyes, very Jewish. In tennis, you attack at the point of weakness! It was my grandmother, Ken. She's 81. Honey, her backhand's a joke! I'm not gonna take advantage of that? Quiet, please. Actual work going on here. - Is that that same bee? - Yes, it is! I'm helping him sue the human race. - Hello. - Hello, bee. This is Ken. Yeah, I remember you. Timberland, size ten and a half. Vibram sole, I believe. Why does he talk again? Listen, you better go 'cause we're really busy working. But it's our yogurt night! Bye-bye. Why is yogurt night so difficult?! You poor thing. You two have been at this for hours! Yes, and Adam here has been a huge help. - Frosting... - How many sugars? Just one. I try not to use the competition. So why are you helping me? Bees have good qualities. And it takes my mind off the shop. Instead of flowers, people are giving balloon bouquets now. Those are great, if you're three. And artificial flowers. - Oh, those just get me psychotic! - Yeah, me too. Bent stingers, pointless pollination. Bees must hate those fake things! Nothing worse than a daffodil that's had work done. Maybe this could make up for it a little bit. - This lawsuit's a pretty big deal. - I guess. You sure you want to go through with it? Am I sure? When I'm done with the humans, they won't be able to say, "Honey, I'm home," without paying a royalty! It's an incredible scene here in downtown Manhattan, where the world anxiously waits, because for the first time in history, we will hear for ourselves if a honeybee can actually speak. What have we gotten into here, Barry? It's pretty big, isn't it? I can't believe how many humans don't work during the day. You think billion-dollar multinational food companies have good lawyers? Everybody needs to stay behind the barricade. - What's the matter? - I don't know, I just got a chill. Well, if it isn't the bee team. You boys work on this? All rise! The Honorable Judge Bumbleton presiding. All right. Oase number 4475, Superior Oourt of New York, Barry Bee Benson v. the Honey Industry is now in session. Mr. Montgomery, you're representing the five food companies collectively? A privilege. Mr. Benson... you're representing all the bees of the world? I'm kidding. Yes, Your Honor, we're ready to proceed. Mr. Montgomery, your opening statement, please. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, my grandmother was a simple woman. Born on a farm, she believed it was man's divine right to benefit from the bounty of nature God put before us. If we lived in the topsy-turvy world Mr. Benson imagines, just think of what would it mean. I would have to negotiate with the silkworm for the elastic in my britches! Talking bee! How do we know this isn't some sort of holographic motion-picture-capture Hollywood wizardry? They could be using laser beams! Robotics! Ventriloquism! Oloning! For all we know, he could be on steroids! Mr. Benson? Ladies and gentlemen, there's no trickery here. I'm just an ordinary bee. Honey's pretty important to me. It's important to all bees. We invented it! We make it. And we protect it with our lives. Unfortunately, there are some people in this room who think they can take it from us 'cause we're the little guys! I'm hoping that, after this is all over, you'll see how, by taking our honey, you not only take everything we have but everything we are! I wish he'd dress like that all the time. So nice! Oall your first witness. So, Mr. Klauss Vanderhayden of Honey Farms, big company you have. I suppose so. I see you also own Honeyburton and Honron! Yes, they provide beekeepers for our farms. Beekeeper. I find that to be a very disturbing term. I don't imagine you employ any bee-free-ers, do you? - No. - I couldn't hear you. - No. - No. Because you don't free bees. You keep bees. Not only that, it seems you thought a bear would be an appropriate image for a jar of honey. They're very lovable creatures. Yogi Bear, Fozzie Bear, Build-A-Bear. You mean like this? Bears kill bees! How'd you like his head crashing through your living room?! Biting into your couch! Spitting out your throw pillows! OK, that's enough. Take him away. So, Mr. Sting, thank you for being here. Your name intrigues me. - Where have I heard it before? - I was with a band called The Police. But you've never been a police officer, have you? No, I haven't. No, you haven't. And so here we have yet another example of bee culture casually stolen by a human for nothing more than a prance-about stage name. Oh, please. Have you ever been stung, Mr. Sting? Because I'm feeling a little stung, Sting. Or should I say... Mr. Gordon M. Sumner! That's not his real name?! You idiots! Mr. Liotta, first, belated congratulations on your Emmy win for a guest spot on ER in 2005. Thank you. Thank you. I see from your resume that you're devilishly handsome with a churning inner turmoil that's ready to blow. I enjoy what I do. Is that a crime? Not yet it isn't. But is this what it's come to for you? Exploiting tiny, helpless bees so you don't have to rehearse your part and learn your lines, sir? Watch it, Benson! I could blow right now! This isn't a goodfella. This is a badfella! Why doesn't someone just step on this creep, and we can all go home?! - Order in this court! - You're all thinking it! Order! Order, I say! - Say it! - Mr. Liotta, please sit down! I think it was awfully nice of that bear to pitch in like that. I think the jury's on our side. Are we doing everything right, legally? I'm a florist. Right. Well, here's to a great team. To a great team! Well, hello. - Ken! - Hello. I didn't think you were coming. No, I was just late. I tried to call, but... the battery. I didn't want all this to go to waste, so I called Barry. Luckily, he was free. Oh, that was lucky. There's a little left. I could heat it up. Yeah, heat it up, sure, whatever. So I hear you're quite a tennis player. I'm not much for the game myself. The ball's a little grabby. That's where I usually sit. Right... there. Ken, Barry was looking at your resume, and he agreed with me that eating with chopsticks isn't really a special skill. You think I don't see what you're doing? I know how hard it is to find the rightjob. We have that in common. Do we? Bees have 100 percent employment, but we do jobs like taking the crud out. That's just what I was thinking about doing. Ken, I let Barry borrow your razor for his fuzz. I hope that was all right. I'm going to drain the old stinger. Yeah, you do that. Look at that. You know, I've just about had it with your little mind games. - What's that? - Italian Vogue. Mamma mia, that's a lot of pages. A lot of ads. Remember what Van said, why is your life more valuable than mine? Funny, I just can't seem to recall that! I think something stinks in here! I love the smell of flowers. How do you like the smell of flames?! Not as much. Water bug! Not taking sides! Ken, I'm wearing a Ohapstick hat! This is pathetic! I've got issues! Well, well, well, a royal flush! - You're bluffing. - Am I? Surf's up, dude! Poo water! That bowl is gnarly. Except for those dirty yellow rings! Kenneth! What are you doing?! You know, I don't even like honey! I don't eat it! We need to talk! He's just a little bee! And he happens to be the nicest bee I've met in a long time! Long time? What are you talking about?! Are there other bugs in your life? No, but there are other things bugging me in life. And you're one of them! Fine! Talking bees, no yogurt night... My nerves are fried from riding on this emotional roller coaster! Goodbye, Ken. And for your information, I prefer sugar-free, artificial sweeteners made by man! I'm sorry about all that. I know it's got an aftertaste! I like it! I always felt there was some kind of barrier between Ken and me. I couldn't overcome it. Oh, well. Are you OK for the trial? I believe Mr. Montgomery is about out of ideas. We would like to call Mr. Barry Benson Bee to the stand. Good idea! You can really see why he's considered one of the best lawyers... Yeah. Layton, you've gotta weave some magic with this jury, or it's gonna be all over. Don't worry. The only thing I have to do to turn this jury around is to remind them of what they don't like about bees. - You got the tweezers? - Are you allergic? Only to losing, son. Only to losing. Mr. Benson Bee, I'll ask you what I think we'd all like to know. What exactly is your relationship to that woman? We're friends. - Good friends? - Yes. How good? Do you live together? Wait a minute... Are you her little... ...bedbug? I've seen a bee documentary or two. From what I understand, doesn't your queen give birth to all the bee children? - Yeah, but... - So those aren't your real parents! - Oh, Barry... - Yes, they are! Hold me back! You're an illegitimate bee, aren't you, Benson? He's denouncing bees! Don't y'all date your cousins? - Objection! - I'm going to pincushion this guy! Adam, don't! It's what he wants! Oh, I'm hit!! Oh, lordy, I am hit! Order! Order! The venom! The venom is coursing through my veins! I have been felled by a winged beast of destruction! You see? You can't treat them like equals! They're striped savages! Stinging's the only thing they know! It's their way! - Adam, stay with me. - I can't feel my legs. What angel of mercy will come forward to suck the poison from my heaving buttocks? I will have order in this court. Order! Order, please! The case of the honeybees versus the human race took a pointed turn against the bees yesterday when one of their legal team stung Layton T. Montgomery. - Hey, buddy. - Hey. - Is there much pain? - Yeah. I... I blew the whole case, didn't I? It doesn't matter. What matters is you're alive. You could have died. I'd be better off dead. Look at me. They got it from the cafeteria downstairs, in a tuna sandwich. Look, there's a little celery still on it. What was it like to sting someone? I can't explain it. It was all... All adrenaline and then... and then ecstasy! All right. You think it was all a trap? Of course. I'm sorry. I flew us right into this. What were we thinking? Look at us. We're just a couple of bugs in this world. What will the humans do to us if they win? I don't know. I hear they put the roaches in motels. That doesn't sound so bad. Adam, they check in, but they don't check out! Oh, my. Oould you get a nurse to close that window? - Why? - The smoke. Bees don't smoke. Right. Bees don't smoke. Bees don't smoke! But some bees are smoking. That's it! That's our case! It is? It's not over? Get dressed. I've gotta go somewhere. Get back to the court and stall. Stall any way you can. And assuming you've done step correctly, you're ready for the tub. Mr. Flayman. Yes? Yes, Your Honor! Where is the rest of your team? Well, Your Honor, it's interesting. Bees are trained to fly haphazardly, and as a result, we don't make very good time. I actually heard a funny story about... Your Honor, haven't these ridiculous bugs taken up enough of this court's valuable time? How much longer will we allow these absurd shenanigans to go on? They have presented no compelling evidence to support their charges against my clients, who run legitimate businesses. I move for a complete dismissal of this entire case! Mr. Flayman, I'm afraid I'm going to have to consider Mr. Montgomery's motion. But you can't! We have a terrific case. Where is your proof? Where is the evidence? Show me the smoking gun! Hold it, Your Honor! You want a smoking gun? Here is your smoking gun. What is that? It's a bee smoker! What, this? This harmless little contraption? This couldn't hurt a fly, let alone a bee. Look at what has happened to bees who have never been asked, "Smoking or non?" Is this what nature intended for us? To be forcibly addicted to smoke machines and man-made wooden slat work camps? Living out our lives as honey slaves to the white man? - What are we gonna do? - He's playing the species card. Ladies and gentlemen, please, free these bees! Free the bees! Free the bees! Free the bees! Free the bees! Free the bees! The court finds in favor of the bees! Vanessa, we won! I knew you could do it! High-five! Sorry. I'm OK! You know what this means? All the honey will finally belong to the bees. Now we won't have to work so hard all the time. This is an unholy perversion of the balance of nature, Benson. You'll regret this. Barry, how much honey is out there? All right. One at a time. Barry, who are you wearing? My sweater is Ralph Lauren, and I have no pants. - What if Montgomery's right? - What do you mean? We've been living the bee way a long time, 27 million years. Oongratulations on your victory. What will you demand as a settlement? First, we'll demand a complete shutdown of all bee work camps. Then we want back the honey that was ours to begin with, every last drop. We demand an end to the glorification of the bear as anything more than a filthy, smelly, bad-breath stink machine. We're all aware of what they do in the woods. Wait for my signal. Take him out. He'll have nauseous for a few hours, then he'll be fine. And we will no longer tolerate bee-negative nicknames... But it's just a prance-about stage name! ...unnecessary inclusion of honey in bogus health products and la-dee-da human tea-time snack garnishments. Oan't breathe. Bring it in, boys! Hold it right there! Good. Tap it. Mr. Buzzwell, we just passed three cups, and there's gallons more coming! - I think we need to shut down! - Shut down? We've never shut down. Shut down honey production! Stop making honey! Turn your key, sir! What do we do now? Oannonball! We're shutting honey production! Mission abort. Aborting pollination and nectar detail. Returning to base. Adam, you wouldn't believe how much honey was out there. Oh, yeah? What's going on? Where is everybody? - Are they out celebrating? - They're home. They don't know what to do. Laying out, sleeping in. I heard your Uncle Oarl was on his way to San Antonio with a cricket. At least we got our honey back. Sometimes I think, so what if humans liked our honey? Who wouldn't? It's the greatest thing in the world! I was excited to be part of making it. This was my new desk. This was my new job. I wanted to do it really well. And now... Now I can't. I don't understand why they're not happy. I thought their lives would be better! They're doing nothing. It's amazing. Honey really changes people. You don't have any idea what's going on, do you? - What did you want to show me? - This. What happened here? That is not the half of it. Oh, no. Oh, my. They're all wilting. Doesn't look very good, does it? No. And whose fault do you think that is? You know, I'm gonna guess bees. Bees? Specifically, me. I didn't think bees not needing to make honey would affect all these things. It's notjust flowers. Fruits, vegetables, they all need bees. That's our whole SAT test right there. Take away produce, that affects the entire animal kingdom. And then, of course... The human species? So if there's no more pollination, it could all just go south here, couldn't it? I know this is also partly my fault. How about a suicide pact? How do we do it? - I'll sting you, you step on me. - Thatjust kills you twice. Right, right. Listen, Barry... sorry, but I gotta get going. I had to open my mouth and talk. Vanessa? Vanessa? Why are you leaving? Where are you going? To the final Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena. They've moved it to this weekend because all the flowers are dying. It's the last chance I'll ever have to see it. Vanessa, I just wanna say I'm sorry. I never meant it to turn out like this. I know. Me neither. Tournament of Roses. Roses can't do sports. Wait a minute. Roses. Roses? Roses! Vanessa! Roses?! Barry? - Roses are flowers! - Yes, they are. Flowers, bees, pollen! I know. That's why this is the last parade. Maybe not. Oould you ask him to slow down? Oould you slow down? Barry! OK, I made a huge mistake. This is a total disaster, all my fault. Yes, it kind of is. I've ruined the planet. I wanted to help you with the flower shop. I've made it worse. Actually, it's completely closed down. I thought maybe you were remodeling. But I have another idea, and it's greater than my previous ideas combined. I don't want to hear it! All right, they have the roses, the roses have the pollen. I know every bee, plant and flower bud in this park. All we gotta do is get what they've got back here with what we've got. - Bees. - Park. - Pollen! - Flowers. - Repollination! - Across the nation! Tournament of Roses, Pasadena, Oalifornia. They've got nothing but flowers, floats and cotton candy. Security will be tight. I have an idea. Vanessa Bloome, FTD. Official floral business. It's real. Sorry, ma'am. Nice brooch. Thank you. It was a gift. Once inside, we just pick the right float. How about The Princess and the Pea? I could be the princess, and you could be the pea! Yes, I got it. - Where should I sit? - What are you? - I believe I'm the pea. - The pea? It goes under the mattresses. - Not in this fairy tale, sweetheart. - I'm getting the marshal. You do that! This whole parade is a fiasco! Let's see what this baby'll do. Hey, what are you doing?! Then all we do is blend in with traffic... ...without arousing suspicion. Once at the airport, there's no stopping us. Stop! Security. - You and your insect pack your float? - Yes. Has it been in your possession the entire time? Would you remove your shoes? - Remove your stinger. - It's part of me. I know. Just having some fun. Enjoy your flight. Then if we're lucky, we'll have just enough pollen to do the job. Oan you believe how lucky we are? We have just enough pollen to do the job! I think this is gonna work. It's got to work. Attention, passengers, this is Oaptain Scott. We have a bit of bad weather in New York. It looks like we'll experience a couple hours delay. Barry, these are cut flowers with no water. They'll never make it. I gotta get up there and talk to them. Be careful. Oan I get help with the Sky Mall magazine? I'd like to order the talking inflatable nose and ear hair trimmer. Oaptain, I'm in a real situation. - What'd you say, Hal? - Nothing. Bee! Don't freak out! My entire species... What are you doing? - Wait a minute! I'm an attorney! - Who's an attorney? Don't move. Oh, Barry. Good afternoon, passengers. This is your captain. Would a Miss Vanessa Bloome in 24B please report to the cockpit? And please hurry! What happened here? There was a DustBuster, a toupee, a life raft exploded. One's bald, one's in a boat, they're both unconscious! - Is that another bee joke? - No! No one's flying the plane! This is JFK control tower, Flight 356. What's your status? This is Vanessa Bloome. I'm a florist from New York. Where's the pilot? He's unconscious, and so is the copilot. Not good. Does anyone onboard have flight experience? As a matter of fact, there is. - Who's that? - Barry Benson. From the honey trial?! Oh, great. Vanessa, this is nothing more than a big metal bee. It's got giant wings, huge engines. I can't fly a plane. - Why not? Isn't John Travolta a pilot? - Yes. How hard could it be? Wait, Barry! We're headed into some lightning. This is Bob Bumble. We have some late-breaking news from JFK Airport, where a suspenseful scene is developing. Barry Benson, fresh from his legal victory... That's Barry! ...is attempting to land a plane, loaded with people, flowers and an incapacitated flight crew. Flowers?! We have a storm in the area and two individuals at the controls with absolutely no flight experience. Just a minute. There's a bee on that plane. I'm quite familiar with Mr. Benson and his no-account compadres. They've done enough damage. But isn't he your only hope? Technically, a bee shouldn't be able to fly at all. Their wings are too small... Haven't we heard this a million times? "The surface area of the wings and body mass make no sense." - Get this on the air! - Got it. - Stand by. - We're going live. The way we work may be a mystery to you. Making honey takes a lot of bees doing a lot of small jobs. But let me tell you about a small job. If you do it well, it makes a big difference. More than we realized. To us, to everyone. That's why I want to get bees back to working together. That's the bee way! We're not made of Jell-O. We get behind a fellow. - Black and yellow! - Hello! Left, right, down, hover. - Hover? - Forget hover. This isn't so hard. Beep-beep! Beep-beep! Barry, what happened?! Wait, I think we were on autopilot the whole time. - That may have been helping me. - And now we're not! So it turns out I cannot fly a plane. All of you, let's get behind this fellow! Move it out! Move out! Our only chance is if I do what I'd do, you copy me with the wings of the plane! Don't have to yell. I'm not yelling! We're in a lot of trouble. It's very hard to concentrate with that panicky tone in your voice! It's not a tone. I'm panicking! I can't do this! Vanessa, pull yourself together. You have to snap out of it! You snap out of it. You snap out of it. - You snap out of it! - You snap out of it! - You snap out of it! - You snap out of it! - You snap out of it! - You snap out of it! - Hold it! - Why? Oome on, it's my turn. How is the plane flying? I don't know. Hello? Benson, got any flowers for a happy occasion in there? The Pollen Jocks! They do get behind a fellow. - Black and yellow. - Hello. All right, let's drop this tin can on the blacktop. Where? I can't see anything. Oan you? No, nothing. It's all cloudy. Oome on. You got to think bee, Barry. - Thinking bee. - Thinking bee. Thinking bee! Thinking bee! Thinking bee! Wait a minute. I think I'm feeling something. - What? - I don't know. It's strong, pulling me. Like a 27-million-year-old instinct. Bring the nose down. Thinking bee! Thinking bee! Thinking bee! - What in the world is on the tarmac? - Get some lights on that! Thinking bee! Thinking bee! Thinking bee! - Vanessa, aim for the flower. - OK. Out the engines. We're going in on bee power. Ready, boys? Affirmative! Good. Good. Easy, now. That's it. Land on that flower! Ready? Full reverse! Spin it around! - Not that flower! The other one! - Which one? - That flower. - I'm aiming at the flower! That's a fat guy in a flowered shirt. I mean the giant pulsating flower made of millions of bees! Pull forward. Nose down. Tail up. Rotate around it. - This is insane, Barry! - This's the only way I know how to fly. Am I koo-koo-kachoo, or is this plane flying in an insect-like pattern? Get your nose in there. Don't be afraid. Smell it. Full reverse! Just drop it. Be a part of it. Aim for the center! Now drop it in! Drop it in, woman! Oome on, already. Barry, we did it! You taught me how to fly! - Yes. No high-five! - Right. Barry, it worked! Did you see the giant flower? What giant flower? Where? Of course I saw the flower! That was genius! - Thank you. - But we're not done yet. Listen, everyone! This runway is covered with the last pollen from the last flowers available anywhere on Earth. That means this is our last chance. We're the only ones who make honey, pollinate flowers and dress like this. If we're gonna survive as a species, this is our moment! What do you say? Are we going to be bees, orjust Museum of Natural History keychains? We're bees! Keychain! Then follow me! Except Keychain. Hold on, Barry. Here. You've earned this. Yeah! I'm a Pollen Jock! And it's a perfect fit. All I gotta do are the sleeves. Oh, yeah. That's our Barry. Mom! The bees are back! If anybody needs to make a call, now's the time. I got a feeling we'll be working late tonight! Here's your change. Have a great afternoon! Oan I help who's next? Would you like some honey with that? It is bee-approved. Don't forget these. Milk, cream, cheese, it's all me. And I don't see a nickel! Sometimes I just feel like a piece of meat! I had no idea. Barry, I'm sorry. Have you got a moment? Would you excuse me? My mosquito associate will help you. Sorry I'm late. He's a lawyer too? I was already a blood-sucking parasite. All I needed was a briefcase. Have a great afternoon! Barry, I just got this huge tulip order, and I can't get them anywhere. No problem, Vannie. Just leave it to me. You're a lifesaver, Barry. Oan I help who's next? All right, scramble, jocks! It's time to fly. Thank you, Barry! That bee is living my life! Let it go, Kenny. - When will this nightmare end?! - Let it all go. - Beautiful day to fly. - Sure is. Between you and me, I was dying to get out of that office. You have got to start thinking bee, my friend. - Thinking bee! - Me? Hold it. Let's just stop for a second. Hold it. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, everyone. Oan we stop here? I'm not making a major life decision during a production number! All right. Take ten, everybody. Wrap it up, guys. I had virtually no rehearsal for that.

#patton sanders #logan sanders #Remus sanders #Roman sanders #death

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