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winns-stuff · 1 year

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are there... actually any good webtoons on webtoon? i used to be a big fan back when i was 17/18 and i started reading them again (i'm 22 now and a bit more critical of what i read lol) and i'm just... appalled... i agree with all the criticism of lore olympus, true beauty was a mess, snailords apparently abuses his fans, and in his recent story he had a lesbian woc be a victim of sa who was eventually graphically murdered. he used the fact that she was a lesbian as advertisement. unordinary used to be a favorite of mine but as i was getting caught up i was so triggered by one character's abuse of another (idk if you've read it or plan to read it so i won't specify) that i felt physically ill and could not read anymore. i skipped ahead a few chapter to see if they end up together or if the victim cuts off her abuser but she doesn't and now it seems like she's in a trauma bond. it paralleled my own abusive relationship so strongly i was horrified to see so many people shipping them and defending the abusive character. i only found one post on reddit pointing the abuse out and it was downvoted. i used to like let's play too but i tried rereading it and just couldn't take it seriously, the workplace harassment that happens in the first few eps is just ridiculous. i've also heard that mongie is also very bad at taking criticism. i love yoo has a romance between a 17 year old and a man in his i believe mid 20s. is there a single healthy relationship on this app? or a quality story? i feel like i should just delete the app at this point.

sorry for ranting in your inbox lol, i'm too anxious to make an actual post and i really appreciate your lo criticisms though i am genuinely curious if there are any stories worth reading on webtoons at this point.

you’re more than fine to rant in my inbox you don’t have to apologize, I encourage people to rant and such! I appreciate that you like my criticisms they’re mainly all over the place. But I can say that there are some good webtoons out there! Me personally I enjoy a lot of the canvas ones since I feel like their stories are very promising and interesting. But I can tell you some of my favorites just in case you might want to check it out.

Batman: Wayne Family Adventures — I really liked this one honestly, it’s just a slice of life and the plot surrounds itself with the family and fighting crime and such in Gotham. It’s pretty funny too and wholesome.

Roach — I stopped reading around episode 6 but not because I didn’t like it, I just got caught up with other things and forgot to check in with it. But it’s a horror one so beware of the blood and such, I’m not sure if they have any triggering themes but I’ll double check in the comments for that one.

Midnight Furies (Canvas) — Very interesting and fun, it’s about magical basketball basically and whenever you go to the court you gain these superpowers. It’s got drama and such and it also has a woman of color as the main character. I think it’s really neat and it could be good for you if you enjoy action.

The Human Spirit (Canvas) — I haven’t exactly checked in with this one either in a bit but it starts in a fantasy world where powers exist. There’s a lead singer for I believe an alt band (could be metal but genuinely I don’t remember, I’ll edit this once I check back in) that plays live music for this female fighter (also a woman of color) and they instantly like each other and go out on a date until during their time together the inner city gets their individual powers taken from them. Like superpower wise, which lead these two to go on this journey. Although there is a falling out between the two main characters after this, still interesting though.

Emmy The Robot (Canvas?) — This one is my all time favorite. It uses a trope that I love a little too much which is when a robot nanny accidentally starts wiring out of control (not in a violent way) but she’s in need of answers. It’s like this cool dystopian world where androids take care of your children and they all have personalities and such, it’s a very cute and light hearted story.

The Reincarnation Of Countess Diabolique (Canvas) — This one is one of those tropes where a person dies and they’re sucked into a book that they got but unlike the other ones I actually really like this one. The main character was this political figure who I believe either got assassinated or something but after death she got teleported into the book that her husband or boyfriend gave her. I enjoy that she’s really rational and less cheerful about it, she’s mainly trying to rebuild the economy in her kingdom even though the character before created numerous amounts of terrible things using dark magic. I think the characters and art is really nice, there’s some things I have to say about it but I think it’s just a personal nitpick. It’s one of my favorites as well though.

Pyramid Game — Okay this one isn’t as light hearted as the other webtoons I discussed, it’s definitely in need of a trigger warning since there’s creepy behavior between a student and teacher and I believe some other heavy topics. But it’s all about the main character transferring to this prestigious school that has like a sort of popularity system where if you are voted around the D ranks you’re in the spot for being bullied pretty badly. I think it’s interesting but it might not be for everyone which is completely fine, but it does have an engaging plot. It’s a drama though.

Of Swamp & Sea — This is also a lighthearted webtoon, it’s set in a world where wild monsters run free and monster hunters have to round them up and capture them. The main characters father was eaten by one of them and she called a monster hunter in order to protect the rest of her land but after she accidentally got possessed by the very creature who ate him. Feeling guilty the monster hunter takes her along with him in order to free her from the monster and such. There’s romance going on between them but also a lot of action, drama, and a bit of lore. It’s set in like western times (I think?) and it’s a nice read.

Blue Love (Canvas) — Okay this one is filled with a few tropes which includes standoffish x friendly, perfectionist x laid back, closed off x open, and mix it in with an office romance. Luckily though, it’s without the power imbalances (at least I believe so) and their friendship isn’t at all toxic or anything. It’s basically about the main character being contaminated with blue blood (literally she bleeds blue) because of drinking a blue drink over the years while the main interest finds out about it, he swears not to tell anyone about it and helps her keep her secret from the other workers. Although she doesn’t have much of a good reputation since she is a perfectionist and a little more guarded than the average person. I like the dynamic and I have a few nitpicks with it but nothing too big, I enjoy it though.

Hippo Meets Piggi — It’s an adorable story about like animals but make them walk on two legs and work in a little office. It kinda reminds me of sanrio and it’s adorable, it’s a slice of life and the main character Hippo has a huge crush on Piggi which is her coworker, yeah it’s another office romance. It’s super duper lighthearted and adorable I recommend reading it if you enjoy stuff like that.

Super Cutie Sundae Force (Canvas) — I discovered it today and it’s also adorable, it’s a magical girl group and it follows a lot of it’s tropes. It’s got a lot of jokes and fun comedy though and the style is so cute since they’re all so little and pastel.

Get Schooled — I really enjoy this webtoon honestly, it does go into heavy topics of abuse in parents and adults and such so it might not be very suitable for you possibly, but luckily the victims always get a much better ending than the ones who inflicted pain upon them. Not only that but I enjoy how the webtoon highlights minors and advocates for them in times where adults would probably side with each other, it’s nice seeing a comic highlight something like that and although I have a few gripes with it I think the story is very entertaining and very emotionally engaging. But again, there’s a bunch of triggers so be warned if you are willing to read it, if not I understand completely.

Blue Star Rebellion (Canvas) — Now this also handles a very dark topic of human trafficking and trade although it is set in outer space with aliens and mages. The characters are very cool and I enjoy their designs, there’s also a lot of lore and such which I always enjoy in stories and the interactions between them are really good. I’m sure the heavy topic at the source will still be prevalent within the story so also be warned for that, but for now it’s pretty lighthearted and such.

My Superhero (Canvas) — I enjoy the art style and the world that the creator and I really enjoy the dynamic of the main characters. It’s sort of a slice of light showcasing a villain trying to find an arch-nemesis and wanting for a specific superhero to be that although he’s very busy trying to defeat the arch-nemesis he already has. I think it’s pretty fun and entertaining honestly and I’ve had fun reading it.

She Makes Hungry (Canvas) — This is a story set in like a dystopian future where there’s monsters and such with I believe like a hunter or scientist hunting them and defending the people? I’m not sure it’s been a while since I’ve revisited it but the scientist ends up falling in love with the monster even though she knows that it’s against the laws. But she tries to hide her and keep her safe and such. I think they’re banter is really cute and I really like the story, I believe it’s starting to pick up but I could be wrong.

Lemon Soda & Coffee (Canvas) — This one handles a toxic relationship from a man’s point of view since he’s the victim of it. So there’s a trigger there, but I believe that that’s the only heavy topic that it dives into. It’s mainly about this office working man falling in love with a teacher who has a kid. It’s a really cute romance and they’re neighbors so they become friends before anything and then build their relationship overtime which is cute to me. But again, beware of it if you are interested please tread lightly.

Blood Stain (Canvas) — This is by the same creator who created Punderworld and actually I’ve been reading this one before it came out really. It’s about a woman down on her luck and in need of a job decides to take up a sketchy job offer from a location of a mad scientist and his assistant basically. It’s actually really lighthearted and entertaining, I really like the dynamic of the two characters and I think it’s a nice story for what it is.

Planetarium (Canvas) — Okay umm.. so this is another workplace romance (I know, crazy right) but it does have a power imbalance between the two characters but around this time of the story they’re more like enemies than anything so there’s still a bunch of development that needs to be done. I think it’s pretty lighthearted and cool to see personified planets all working in a huge building in the middle of space. There’s drama of course but it’s actually very enjoyable and not suffering so yeah, take that as you will.

The Croaking — It’s a really complicated story and it’s one I just cannot explain with words honestly, there’s a lot of twists and turns and at times you’ll get confused but there’s never a dull moment with them. I really like the world building and such, also since the people in the story have bird wings you get so many patterns and animals facts. Some people even carrying animalistic traits with them which I think is really cool. But there are some tense moments around 68 so if you are interested be aware of that.

Suitor Armor — I really like this one too, although it does have some moments where it’s really heavy so beware of that if you aren’t already. I do enjoy the fantasy and drama elements and I’m really excited to see where it goes.

Downtrotten (Canvas) — I really like this story, it’s a cute story about unicorns and I think it’s neat I also started reading it today and I enjoy how cute it is.

Night Owls & Summer Skies — This one is pretty cool too, it’s about a romance between two girls who are at this summer camp. I have a few nitpicks with it but all in all I think it’s pretty interesting. It does showcase divorce and it’s affects though so beware of that, but otherwise it’s just pretty fun to read and really funny.

After School Lessons For Unripe Apples — I really like this one it’s a slice of life but it’s a constant plot revolving around two teens who knew each other from childhood forming a friendship and working their way through adolescents. I really enjoy it although at times I do get a little confused but that’s just me and I really love the way the characters are written and such.

Nevermore — I haven’t read all of it but from the feedback from other people it’s pretty good and it’s got really nice art. I believe the story is kinda putting a supernatural twists to sapphics or at least I think that’s what the ads sorta say about it. I think it’s really cool though.

Rotten — This one is a finished webtoon but it’s really cool. It’s a horror drama thriller though and it does handle topics of abuse, murder, and etc. So beware of that if you’re interested in it but it’s one of my favorites.

Anyways, that’s the end and I hope that this gave you a good selection or helped you in any way! If none of these are for you I understand completely and I hope you find a story that suits you well! Good luck!

#lo critical #anti lore olympus #anti lo

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vodid · 1 year

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I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS IF YOU DONT MIND—

How many words do you currently have on your next chapter of Vulnerability? If you’ve started it, of course, life can get rough sometime •~•

What inspired you to make your Vulnerability and The Obsidian King fanfictions? Personal experiences or seeing some other people doing some romantic stuff or maybe another fanfiction?

What’s the best part of writing these two stories? Developing the world, the actual characters, the romance?

What are your current favorite scenes in The Obsidian King fanfiction? Mine is when Prowl requests Jazz at that festival thing to welcome Prowl as king to play a piece that Jazz wrote himself. OH and when Prowl and Jazz stole sweets, that was really cute and adorable and omg I love them so much

Was there anything like really really big that you had to research for your two books that took awhile and maybe frustrated you a bit trying to figure out how to write that one scene or chapter?

Will you ever have a full cover design for your two fanfictions? I find it really interesting and cool when fanfiction writers put a cover at the beginning of their fanfiction as if it’s a real book! Of course if you’re never going to do that, it’s cool, I love all your fanart of them anyways and will just fan over it!

Where do you like to write? Like, in your bedroom, library, coffee shop? I personally like to write in my bedroom, all snuggled up and cozy. Except when I end up getting distracted by something in my room that takes me away from my story for a good 20 minutes or so -~-

LAST QUESTION I have so many, but a few of these are pretty big questions to answer so I’ll just send some more some other time ^-^

How does it feel knowing that people all around the world are reading your fanfictions and connecting with your story? Like, Vulnerability has 316 kudos and 4340 hits, and your Obsidian King fanfiction has 151 kudos and 1959 hits. Like- that’s a lot of people man, so how does that feel knowing you are pretty popular in terms of fanart and fanfiction writing?

WAH HELLO HSDGFHSDFS anon coming in clutch with these questions ok ok oh boy here we go. long ask, long answer \o/

currently, i'm at about 1.4k words. a big portion of that is the beginning/setup of the chapter and the rest is lots of dialogue. the average word count for the chapters seems to land above 6.5k words (ch2 was over 8k!) and since this chapter is probably going to be the most important of the entire fic, it may come out to be way more 🤔 we shall see

the obsidian king was purely because ppl kept getting curious if there was a fic, which made me think about it and it got me writing <3 it's not my proudest piece but i've had fun making it! it's an expansive universe and i'm afraid i may have bitten off more than i could chew and without the right prep, so i've lost a lot of confidence for it unfortunately

vulnerability on the other hand came after i binged the biggest blitzbee fics (such as roe, omtop, showstoppers). i told myself i probably wouldn't end up writing a fic for them but a good scene eventually occurred to me and i went with it. the more i fleshed out the setting, the more i realized how much i wanted to explore the raw concept of their ship that appears in many of their longfics. i wanted to dig into and challenge the typical "enemies in a life-or-death situation they must help each other get out of and end up in a secret relationship until blitzwing leaves the decepticons" — not because i didn't like that dynamic (are you kidding me i ADORE it) but because — copying and pasting an ao3 reply of mine — i wanted to take that and put my own huge spin to it. i wanted their growth to happen willingly and not out of necessity. a test to see, can this ship happen without a dire situation they're stuck in while staying true to their core characterizations? basically, is there a pattern to this ship for a reason or can it realistically work outside of that? it's been very fun :)

favorite thing about writing obkau is just all the idiots in love scenes. had me kicking my feet and smiling like a goof writing all that. the romance may be quick in that fic (speedrun!) but its for the shits n giggles n blushes — and on that note, my favorite scene also has to be the kitchen raid or perhaps the first time they were in the crystal gardens together :)

a lot of the research that's gone into obkau was more so for the au rather than the fic itself. things about crystals and their healing properties, names for ocs, city-states, lore doors to the lore mansion that needed a lore key to unlock, only obtainable through giant rants with my buddy mag until something clicks.

now, vulnerability is The Fic where the past 3 years of practice have been coming together and finally paying off. a lot of that practice was put into jazzprowl fics that unfortunately never made it out of my wips just yet, but they caused the many hours and days i spent studying plots, characterizations, natural and unique character dialogue, hidden details that circle back around... and that brings me to the next question: research! oh man...

i've brought up that i used suna_scribble's writing advice for reference, so i'll skip that part. that research did take me about a full month to look through and apply to my fic's plot, and i continued to develop it as time went on but it didn't particularly frustrate me. it did get tedious at times having to get certain points and details to come together but it was more of a fun challenge if anything. so along with that, in between chapters, i'd spend a couple weeks (legit hours a day straight) researching bpd for blitzwing. mounds and mounds of research. i looked at clinical sites, personal blogs of those with bpd, reddit/quora for outside (albeit very stigmatized but still important) perspectives, and admittedly, i glanced at fanfics to see how it was portrayed there (while still remaining critical of any inaccuracies). it is difficult to write an experience i've never had so figuring out that aspect probably took the most amount of effort to get through — and i'm still working on it! as the fic goes on, i hope for a better and more realistic portrayal of blitzwing's bpd, as it's pretty much become the driving force of the story and his character development

also i'm sure if anyone's been closely following my blog, they'd know i started learning german solely for the fact that i was trying to find a simple german phrase for blitzwing to say in my fic. and i now use my lil studies to sprinkle some more german into blitzwing's dialogue :)

i've thought about covers, mostly for one of the j/p wips i mentioned earlier, but not so much obkau or vulnerability. HOWEVER, i have thought of inserting illustrations into the obsidian king for certain scenes. like in between paragraphs or at the very end of a chapter. i never got around to exploring that more but with vulnerability, it could be a possibility too (i did make that comic but thats not something i'd insert in the fic itself)

i don't have many options for places to write but i've tried a good few spots. where i end up most is in the basement (basically our family room) with a bird video on for my cat. i've had a hard time writing in my bedroom and at places not my house (except back in high school, i would write ALL the time when i had the chance — if i wasn't already busy reading fic) but i once sat outside with my phone when it was drizzling and wrote out a good portion of chapter 1 for vulnerability. never been able to replicate that tho besides once bringing my laptop out on a sunny day. few times, i've done some writing in bed, typically before sleep, but most of it was reading over what i had already written and making small edits since i prefer to use my laptop for writing (felt that about the distraction tho lol guess in a way, it's easier to get distracted on my phone than my laptop)

in all honesty, those numbers pale in comparison to what my art and my old old writing back on ffn (no i am NOT showing you.) garnered (as well as other tf fics), but regardless of that, those are pretty big numbers and it will always feel weird if i think too hard about it. weird in a good way. it's easy to think of kudos and hits as just numbers but those are, in fact, people. individual people who decided to give your work a shot and drop a lil heart on it. out of the millions of things they could have possibly chosen, they chose yours.

call me humble, call me oblivious, but i really am not fully aware of my influence in the fandom. i don't know how i impact others, how many truly know me and like my work, how many find me to be cool or famous in our little corner of the world, how most even perceive me, and i certainly don't know the effects of my writing. i'm just a guy making art of stupid little gays and y'all are hitching a ride

feel free to ask more :)

#vulnerability fic

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magpiefngrl · 1 year

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returning the "how was your reading year" question right back! :D do you have any new favorites? also - how did you find the magpie ballads? what is your professional opinion as a magpie fangirl?😁

Hello!

In short, my reading year was good but not amazing. I think same as you? (I've also rambled here about the year's books in more detail.)

So, number one, similar to you: nothing truly blew me away. OK, Pawn was amazing, but I expected it to be good so I wasn't taken by surprise. Also, I'd read most of it previously and finished it by early Jan last year so it doesn't quite feel like a 2022 book, you know? The only time I felt thrilled this year was when I read The Queen of Attolia, and then The King, and Roanhorse's Black Sun. These are prob my fave new reads.

I'm also a completionist! I get a lot of satisfaction when I complete a series. There are some that I've abandoned (like the Simon Snow books. I've lost interest in that story) but there are still loads I want to finish. It's my 2023 goal to see a few of them to the end. However, I was good this year and read the entirety of The Queen's Thief and the entirety (bar one) of the Wimsey novels. I'm proud I started and finished both series in the same year.

I did a whole lot of rereads this year, most of them historical or fantasy romance. Some I enjoyed a lot more on a reread, like Joanna Chambers' Enlightenment series and Welch's Salt Magic, Skin Magic. Surprisingly (or maybe not so much), I enjoyed my CaPri reread less. Except for Ancel. I adore Ancel :)

As for the Magpie Ballads: when I began Elegy, I was excited because I could tell I was going to love the writing. The author's got a good command of their craft, and as the first chapter of a debut author's book, the beginning was pretty impressive. This was me in the first 10-20 pages:

Ultimately I was let down by some aspects of the story. My strongest impression by the time I finished Elegy was that it read like a fanfic. I don't mean in a derogatory (or praiseworthy) way but that the backstory seemed to be the important, juicy part and we were reading a... well, a fanfic of what might have come after. It's like there was a canon I wasn't aware of. You know how in some fics one of the characters will say something like "oh yeah? How about that time at the rooftop? Do you expect me to forgive you?" and if you don't know the canon, you're like "WHAT HAPPENED AT THE ROOFTOP?" I got this feeling throughout Elegy. The love between Savonn and Red is portrayed as this all-encompassing, epic love but we don't see any of it in Book 1, we're only told it's epic.

(more under the cut bc it got long)

This was rectified in the second novel. The flashbacks were useful in giving us an idea of what their brief relationship was like, and I think some flashbacks ought to have been included in Book 1. The second book helped in making me see why they love each other and making me root for a happy ending.

The other thing that I wasn't keen about: there was a little too much intrigue, a few too many devious and clever and manipulative characters, and not enough characters with, let's say, heart. The plot moved from one scheme to another without something emotional in-between to anchor the story. Whats more, I could tell the authorial intention was to see the devious characters as masters of intrigue but I couldn't see it. It didn't work for me.

You were right that Savonn felt like a Lymond cut-out. Eugenides is very much his own character. I couldn't quite get who Savonn was. He disguised himself constantly on page, and it's like those disguises also hid him from me.

In my professional opinion (lol) here's what I think: this is a good, solid story that needed an extra 300 pages. It needed room to breathe, character relationships to unfold in front of our eyes (friendships, siblings, soldier/captain, lovers etc) so we can witness their bonds and affection or their animosity. We love to see a character at its lowest, but Savonn's lowest point, imo, happened when he was sent to kill that general, fell in love, and had to leave his lover behind. And this is the backstory! I think this could've been Book 1 of a trilogy.

I sound overly critical but I enjoyed the books overall. The prose is good, descriptions and dialogue and suchlike are great, and the world building is confident. As a debut work, this is impressive. I just wish there was more emphasis on the relationships between characters, and less emphasis on cleverness and schemes and plot twists.

Well. I had a lot of thoughts! What did you think? I know you liked the books.

#books #2022 books

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johnsbleu · 2 years

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Hold My Hand: John Wick x Reader Chapter 136

warnings: nsfw, dual pov (** indicate pov change) HMH masterlist

“Haunted houses aren’t even scary.”

Five words you never should have spoken, because it sent Jimmy down a research spiral of every haunted house in Nassau County. He and John have been texting like teenagers for the past two days now over different places they can take you and Tess since ‘haunted houses aren’t even scary’.

Sure, the thought of going into a dark building that is completely unfamiliar is absolutely terrifying, but there’s nothing scary about the corny clown masks and the plastic machetes, or the strobing lights and the sound of a 20 year old trying to get a scream out of you by putting on his best gravelly ‘zombie’ voice. But Jimmy is dead set on finding some place.

Halloween is a few days away, so hopefully he’ll give up on the research by then.

“You know…” you walk into the office and set a book on the desk as John looks at you, “There are days where I’m really glad that we own a bookshop.”

“Yeah, why? Because it was your dream?”

You smile as you nod, then you take a deep breath and tap your pointer finger on the book you set down, “Mostly because I can read books that I end up hating and I didn’t have to pay a dime for it. I feel much better loathing a book that I didn’t pay for.”

John laughs, “You know we pay for these books though, right? We buy them then turn around and make the money back--”

“Just let me have this, Jonathan. Let me live in this for a moment,” you say, putting your hand up as he laughs more, “Also, I’ve been with you for too long. Not in a bad way--never in a bad way.”

“Oh, have you now?” he laughs, leaning in with more curiosity, “Why is that?”

“Well, I’ve been reading a lot of murders, mysteries, and thrillers for this month, and I feel like I have everything figured out. If the man is described as mysterious, there’s probably a reason, like hmm…I don’t know, he’s a murderer who is hiding bodies under his deck in the backyard.”

John laughs, “Spoiler alert.”

Rolling your eyes playfully, you turn and rest your hands on the desk, “It wasn’t in this book, Wick. I just feel like after spending two years with you and having you annoy me with all your…knowledge, I can figure out every twist in these books.”

“I beg to differ,” he says, and you stand up to cross your arms, “We watched that movie the other night and you were so wrong. So wrong.”

“Yeah, well, that plot twist was stupid.” you say, and John playfully narrows his eyes at you, “It was stupid. You even admitted that.”

John laughs as you lean down to kiss him, “Another bad review then?”

“Yeah,” you exhale as you grab a little card to write your review, “It was interesting at first, but it quickly stopped being interesting. I didn’t like any of the characters either. If I had to pay $15 for this, I would ask for my money back. I would not blame someone if they came in and returned this book.”

“Peach, remember, nice reviews.” John says, cocking up his brow. “Maybe you just need a nice romance book.”

You scoff quietly as you roll your eyes, “The last romance book I read had me crying for three chapters straight because they were so cute, then boom! Miscommunication trope. Like, why can’t people just talk? That’s why you and I never seem to fight anymore. If you’re pissing me off, I’ll just call you out and say something about.”

“Just like a wife,” John teases, and you roll your eyes as you laugh. “Have we had any miscommunication? I don’t think so?”

“Hmm,” you hum as you think, “I don’t think so, really. I mean, maybe when we first met. Anyway, I don’t need to read any romance books when I live a romance book. My life with you is pretty fucking magical.”

John scoffs, “I’m not as hot as those guys in those books.”

“Jonathan Wick, are you…fishing for compliments?”

“I don’t know. Am I getting any bites?” he says, and you lean over his desk and playfully bite his finger before sliding it into your mouth as he watches you closely.

You suck on his finger and hold his gaze, then you stand up, “You know damn well that you’re hot like those guys--even hotter. You’re sexy as hell, Wick. Honestly, there’s no reason you should be this sexy, yet here you are.”

John gives you a wink that makes you laugh a little, then you nod and look at the piece of paper as you think of something nice to write. That book was pretty fast paced, that’s a positive. That’s…that’s all you can really think of. You sit on the couch and exhale loudly, then you toss the card aside.

“I’ll just get a review from the site,” you say as you get up and walk over to see what John is working on. You lean against his shoulder as he types on the laptop--responding to an email about a book--then you move to stand behind the chair as you massage his shoulders, “What’s the plan for tonight?”

John sits back in his chair and hums, “Keep doing that and find out.”

You chuckle as you lean down closer to his ear, “Well, come on, that’s a given, right?”

Tilting John’s chin up, you lean down and kiss him a few times as his hand rests on the back of your head to pull you closer and deepen the kiss. You hear the bell above the door ring, so you lean up a little and smile at him.

“I got it.”

John lets out a small breath and nods his head, then he reaches out to spank you when you walk past. You wink at him from over your shoulder, then you head out to see who has just come in.

After helping the customer and ringing them up, you wait a few moments, then you head back to the office and smile when John looks at you. He wiggles his brows a little, and you laugh as you walk over to sit on the couch.

“So, you figured out Ro’s costume yet?”

“I bought two different ones, but I think I’ve landed on one. Does dad want a fashion show?”

John smiles as he looks at you, “Of course. Come here.”

You get up and walk over to sit on John’s lap, and you both wrap your arms around each other as you kiss. John reaches up to tuck your hair behind your ear, then he brushes his finger along your jawline before leaning up to kiss you. You both look over when his phone buzzes, and he leans forward to read the text.

“Jimmy found a haunted house.”

You groan as you get off his lap, “You two are like children.”

“We’re going.” he says, and you raise your brows as you look at him, “I’ll protect you.”

“From teenagers pretending to be scary? Yes, thank you. My big strong man.” you tease, which causes John to frown a little, “I’m not scared of haunted houses.”

John laughs and puts his hands up, “Fine. I won’t protect you then.”

“You know that that just hurt you to say that, right?”

“Right,” he laughs as he gets up and rushes over to you, hugging you tight in his arms, “I’ll always protect you.”

You hug him tight and kiss his cheek, “I know, and it’s one of the many reasons I love you.”

John holds your gaze for a moment, then he leans down and kisses you as his hands find their way down to your ass.

Since having Ronan, things have definitely been a little different. Your routine now includes a baby, which means naps, feedings, playtime, and diaper changes. It’s different from what you’re used to, but she really just fit right into everything. Your routine isn’t so dramatically different that you feel like life is different. Life is good. It feels right! She was the little puzzle piece that was missing all along.

And since having a baby, you and John have gotten right back to where you were before intimacy-wise. It took a few times for you to not feel so nervous every time the two of you had sex but things went really well. John was always considerate and gentle with you since you were still a little cautious about everything, but it didn’t take long for that to wear off and for the two of you to return to normal again. Sex with John has always been gentle, generous, and incredibly passionate. It’s nice that that wasn’t lost.

The bell above the door rings as it opens, and it forces you and John to pull apart. He ruffles your hair and walks past you to see who it is, and you sit down on the couch and look down at the blank sheet of paper meant for a book review. You grab your pen and click the top of it, then you begin to write a not-so-honest review.

As soon as the door opens, you hear Ronan babbling and cooing in her car seat and John talking to her. You smile as you come around the corner, and you wiggle your fingers and walk closer to her as she laughs in John’s arms.

“Gimme that baby!” you take her and blow raspberries in the crook of her neck as she laughs, then you hold her up and smile, “Hi, bug.”

John smiles as he reaches over to pull the hat off her head, “She was so giggly when I got her tonight. Mom said she was pretty giggly all day too.”

Ronan has started laughing lately but it’s not quite a laugh--she’s only two months--it’s more of a weird little noise. John discovered it the other day when Ronan was sitting in her bouncer and John was clicking his pen while thinking up a grocery list. He clicked it and heard a little noise from her, and you looked up from the (terrible) book you were reading and you both started at each other. The clicking of pens make her laugh, but her daddy making silly voices is probably what gets the most giggles. Apparently everything is funny to her today though.

You hold Ronan in your arms and close your eyes, then you lean back to look at her, “You getting hungry?”

“I am. Smells so damn good in here,” John says as he touches your waist and heads into the kitchen.

You follow behind him as you bounce Ronan in your arms, then you press the button on the machine to make a bottle for Ronan. John begins to make a plate for himself and you while you walk over to the table, then you get Ronan in your arms and rest your elbow on the table so she’s propped up enough to take her bottle.

“You got a whole system down.”

“I do!” you laugh as you take your plate from John, “I just need one hand free to eat with.”

John sits down and reaches over to pinch Ronan’s chubby cheek, then he cuts into his food and takes a bite. You sit in silence for a few minutes while the two of you inhale your food, then you look down at Ronan as she drinks her bottle.

“Bug, are you gonna go trick or treating with your friends?” you ask, and she reaches up and tugs at a strand of your hair. “You’re gonna look so cute in your costume too. Daddy will think you look so pretty.”

“I’m still curious to know what this costume is.”

You smile as you look at him, “As long as you got a costume too.”

“Hey, we’re not going to a Halloween party this year, so I don’t have to wear a costume.”

“Don’t be a party pooper!” you say, and Ronan makes a loud noise, “Yeah, you tell daddy to stop being so boring.”

John laughs as he reaches over to take Ronan, “Tell momma to stop being so--”

“Ah, ah!” you put your finger up and raise your brows, “Choose your next words carefully, Wick.”

“Your mother…”

You gasp as John laughs, “Don’t call me mother.”

John laughs as he leans over to kiss you a few times, then he bounces Ronan and looks at her, “Kinda crazy about your mother, Ro.”

“Your father…” you lean over and smile at Ronan as John laughs, then you look at him, “Your father is, ugh, kind of ridiculously handsome and incredibly charming. What’s a girl to do?”

“I love you, peach.”

You reach over and cup his face, “I love you too. Just don’t call me mother.”

John laughs when you wink at him as you get up to get a drink, then he leans closer to Ronan, “We’ll call her that when she’s not listening.”

“I heard that!”

Truth be told, you were kind of hoping Jimmy would drop the whole haunted house thing, but you know him, so you knew that wasn’t actually going to happen. He says he found a place in Fernbrook which is about 45 minutes away, so by the time you got there, it was already dark and chilly.

Ronan is with your parents again tonight--they don’t mind, of course--so it’s just the four of you. Tess, Jimmy, John, and you. You’re sure there will be more people at the haunted house when you get there, but you wish you would have invited Amanda and Aurelio too.

“So, do you know anything about this place?” you ask, looking over at John’s face lit up by the dashboard. You look out the window as you drive past what you assume is the haunted house, then you look at John, “Uh, we passed it.”

John nods, “Yeah, I just noticed that too. And no, I don’t know anything.”

You hold tight to John’s right hand and look out the window as John continues to follow Jimmy down a dark road. John squeezes your hand a few times to get you to look at him, then he kisses the back of your hand.

“I love you.” he says, kissing your hand over and over.

“I love you too,” you smile as you tilt your head back against the seat and look at him, then you look out the window when you see Jimmy’s brake lights coming on. “Are we here?”

John lets go of your hand to turn, then he shrugs, “I guess.”

You look out the window at the abandoned building and furrow your brow, “Uh, weird.”

I look over at Y/N as she gets out of the car, then I quickly get out and walk over to take her hand. I agree, this is weird but this is the kind of shit Jimmy does. I know it’s not dangerous since he’s willingly bringing his wife here, and Tess would absolutely yell at him if it wasn’t safe.

Jimmy claps his hands as he gets out of his truck, then he grabs flashlights from the back, “Alright.”

Tess gestures to the building, “I thought we were going to a haunted house.”

Jimmy smiles, “We are, well, it’s an abandoned school, but it’s haunted, like really haunted.”

Y/N rolls her eyes as she laughs, “Okay.”

Tess shoves his shoulder, “You didn’t say it was haunted. You just said it was abandoned.”

“Why are you both ganging up on me?” he laughs, and I chuckle as I take the flashlights. “Come on, it’ll be fun.”

Y/N looks up at me and holds tight to my hand, “Are you sure about this?”

“It’s just an empty building.”

“But empty buildings can be scary.” she whispers, and she sounds so tiny and cute.

I lean down and kiss her forehead, “You’ll be okay. I’m right here. I won’t let go of your hand the entire time.”

We all follow behind Jimmy as he walks up to the door and tries to pull it open but it’s stuck or locked. He gestures to the window and hops in, then he reaches out and helps Tess. I look at Y/N and gesture for her to go first, then I crawl through the window after Jimmy helps her in.

The foyer is just as spacious and empty as it feels. There’s broken glass and wood all over the floor, and I shine my light down to make sure everyone has on sensible shoes. Y/N steps on a piece of glass and gasps as she looks down, then she exhales and closes her eyes for a moment.

“Thank god I wore these boots.”

“We should split up,” Tess says, and I swear Y/N is going to pass out, “Stop! It’s not really haunted.”

Almost on cue, something behind the front desk falls and causes both the girls to scream loudly. They cling to each other and shine their lights over to it, and Jimmy walks over to check it out. He holds up what looks like part of the ceiling, then he flashes his light up.

“This place is falling apart, so we should be extra careful.”

“So, not only do we have to worry about someone being here, we also have to worry about the place falling in on us.” Y/N says, then she exhales. “Yeah, no, this is totally cool.”

Jimmy laughs as he reaches for Tess’ hand, “We’ll be fine.”

I look over at Y/N as she stands frozen in place, “You good?”

“Trying really hard to look tough right now but if we’re being honest, no.” she says, then she laughs as she looks at me, “I’m terrified. I’m terrified that something is going to happen and everyone will leave me in here alone.”

“Hey,” I cup her face, “Why the hell would I leave you behind?”

Y/N nods as she looks at me, “You’re John Wick, so you’re not really scared of anything anyway.”

“If I see a little kid or hear noises in the opposite direction of us, I’m grabbing you and getting the fuck out of here.” I say as she laughs. “Come on, it’s just an empty building, mouse.”

You look up at John and nod your head, then you hold tight to his hand as you walk through the empty hallway with him. Jimmy and Tess are already way ahead of you two, but you know she’s safe with him if something were to happen. Sure, he wasn’t the best cop, but he does still have some training if someone were to attack them.

Walking past every room, you shine your light in it and look around as if someone is just hiding around the corner, then you cling to John’s arm tighter when you freak yourself out over the thought.

Your heart beats faster in your chest when you see a face staring at you, but you realize it’s just your reflection in a mirror on the wall so you suppress a scream. You close your eyes and inhale deeply, then you look down the hallway.

The problem with the dark is that your eyes can make something up, something that you know isn’t there. You know that there isn’t a black figure standing down at the end of hallway but your eyes are making you see that. You shine your flashlight down the hall and relax when you see nothing there. You look over your shoulder to make sure no one is following you, then you look ahead and swallow hard.

“You okay?”

“Yeah,” you say so softly that John leans down and shines his light up to see your face. You smile at him as you walk through the hall, then you finally catch up to Jimmy and Tess in a massive gym.

John looks at you and rubs your back, then he leans down to kiss you, “He wanted to actually scare you, but I told him it wouldn’t work.”

“What?”

“Yeah,” John laughs quietly, then he whispers, “He’s like a big brother to you, he’s just teasing you. It’s all in good fun, baby.”

Which is true. Jimmy really is like a big brother who constantly teases you and is trying to get a rise out of you.

“If I ask you to play along with me, will you?” you whisper, and John nods his head.

You know this was all Jimmy’s idea to get back at you for saying haunted houses weren’t scary. Even though it’s terrifying in here and about two minutes ago you almost screamed after seeing your own reflection, you’re about to fuck with Jimmy.

You look at John and smirk a little, then you frown, “I feel like someone is following us.”

“Really?” he asks, and you nod as you look at him. “I can go look around. This place isn’t that big, but it’s just us here.”

“What?” Jimmy walks over with Tess’ hand tight in his grasp.

John nods to you, “She says she feels like someone is in here.”

Tess looks at you and holds your gaze, then she smirks when you wink at her. She inhales deeply and shivers, “It doesn’t feel like it’s just us anymore.”

“Maybe you two should go look,” you suggest, and John nods his head. “We’ll just stay in here.”

John leans down to kiss you, then he cups your face, “Stay here, don’t move.”

“I’ll be right here.” you say as John holds your gaze.

Tess grabs your hand and holds it tight as John and Jimmy leave, then she looks at you, “I know for a fact Jimmy is shitting his pants right now.”

“Good,” you laugh, “I told him that haunted houses weren’t scary, so I’m going to get him back for trying to scare me. Come on.”

Holding hands with Tess, you quietly make your way to the back office in the gym. You both shine your flashlights around to find an exit door, then you find the door almost pushed shut by a big cabinet, but you’ll be able to squeeze through.

“Thank god, I’m not pregnant anymore,” you whisper as you squeeze through the door, then you tiptoe with Tess down the hall to a room where the two of you can hide in a closet.

“I’m so nervous for some reason.”

“I’m gonna text John to tell him where we are.” you say, quickly shooting John a text to let him know, then you hold your phone tight in your hand.

Tess puts her hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing when there are footsteps outside the closet, then she looks at you and furrows her brow. You peek through the crack of the door to see who it is but you don’t see anyone, then you look at your phone.

We’re on the other end right now, we’re on our way.

You furrow your brow and show Tess the text, and she widens her eyes.

There were absolutely footsteps right outside the closet where you’re hiding. If John and Jimmy are at the other end, there’s no way that they could have gotten back fast enough to be outside the door.

“Who is out there?” Tess whispers, and you shrug.

“I was joking when I said I felt like someone was following us.” you say, then you text John again.

The joke is off. There’s really someone in here. Come get us NOW.

Tess exhales shakily and holds tight to your hand, “Let’s go find them.”

“Tess,” you whisper loudly, “No! I’m not really in the mood to be murdered.”

“Oh, come on,” she laughs, pulling your arm, “Let’s just get outside.”

Holding tight to her hand, you grimace every time you step on some crunchy glass, then you flash the light from each room to the next as you search for John. You finally get back to the front doors and look around for John, then you shrug.

You press your phone to your ear and listen as it rings but it goes to voicemail as you groan, “Come on.”

A loud bang comes from the room next to you, and you quickly turn around and shine your light into the room as you slowly walk into it. Your heart is beating loudly in your chest as you get closer, and you close your eyes and scream at the top of your lungs when John and Jimmy both jump out at you.

“Oh, you assholes!” you laugh, shoving both of them. “You are so mean to me!”

“You two wanted to scare us!” Jimmy laughs, “That’s not happening on my watch, little sis.”

Tess scoffs, “I can scare the shit out of you right now.”

“Oh, yeah, go on then.” Jimmy says, crossing his arms.

“I’m pregnant. Why do you think I passed on the wine your mom offered me the other night?” she says, holding his gaze as he widens his eyes.

You look at John and playfully narrow your eyes at him, “You’re mean!”

“Hey,” he grabs your hands and pulls you back to him, “Come on. You were gonna scare me too. It’s payback.”

“Still mean, Wick.” you say, then you look over at Jimmy as he stands there stunned over Tess’ news.

Tess scoffs and rolls her eyes, “I’m kidding. I’m not pregnant. God, you’re gullible.”

John takes your hand and holds it tight as you all walk back over to the window to get out, and he quickly crawls out first. He reaches in for you and helps you out, and you wrap your arms around his neck and hold tight to him as he helps you through the narrow window.

“Kinda craving pancakes.” Jimmy says, and you glare at him as he laughs, “Come on, you thought it was funny.”

You did, to be honest, but it’s fun to fuck with Jimmy.

You playfully shove his shoulder, then you laugh, “Yeah, okay, so it was a good scare. Still gotta get you back though.”

Jimmy laughs, “I’ll be waiting.”

John rubs your back and walks over to the car with you, then he opens the door and looks at Jimmy, “Stella’s diner?”

“Sounds good.” he nods, then he helps Tess in the car.

You look at John and sigh a little, “It was you outside the door, wasn’t it?”

“You think I was going to leave you in that building alone?” he says, and you soften a little. “Of course it was me. I was never going to leave you in there alone. Ran like hell when I heard that door squeak open and you coming out though.”

“You know I’m gonna have to get you back now too, right?”

John laughs as he leans down to kiss you, “Oh, I know you will.”

“Okay, daddy, here is costume number one.”

You hold Ronan with her back against your chest and your arm under her butt, then you head out and smile as John sits on the couch. He looks over and immediately starts to laugh when he sees Ronan practically being swallowed by the hot dog costume.

“Oh my god.” he laughs as he reaches over to pull the hood up a little so he can see her face, “A hot dog.”

“I thought it was really cute,” you laugh, then you set her in your lap, “It’ll keep her warm too.”

John laughs as Ronan coos, “You like this one? You do? I think you look very cute.”

“I think you’ll like the next one the most though.”

“You’re not gonna dress her up like me, are you?” he asks, and you widen your eyes.

You slap your palm to your forehead, “Why didn’t I think of that?”

John laughs as Ronan holds his finger and he kisses her hand, then he watches as you get up and head back into the guest bedroom to change her. You lay her down on the bed and quickly get her out of the hot dog costume, then you grab the red and black striped pants and smile as she looks up at you with her big gummy smile.

Despite being changed in and out of clothes, she doesn’t seem to care. She just stares up at you in awe as you change her. She’s always been such a good baby, and so damn happy too. It makes you feel like you’re doing something right.

You get the black long sleeved shirt over her head, then you get the costume and put her in it, immediately eliciting a loud laugh from you.

“Oh, you look so cute!”

“I can’t wait to see her.” John says from the living room, and you scoop Ronan up and walk out to him. He looks over and starts laughing again when he sees Ronan in the ladybug costume, then he nods, “That’s the one.”

You hold her up and smile, “Our little ladybug.”

Ronan sits in your arms and smiles at John, then she flings her arms around and garbles as you hand her off to him. You sit down on the couch next to them and smile as you reach over to pull the hood up, and John laughs when he sees the little antennas bobbling wildly.

“Definitely this costume.” he says, and you nod, “She looks so cute.”

You lean over to kiss Ronan, then you kiss John, “What are you going as?”

John laughs, “If I dress up, you have to.”

“Okay, okay…” you laugh, shaking your head, “No costumes for mom and dad.”

“Does mom have a costume for dad later though?” he asks, and you cock up your eyebrow.

You suck on your bottom lip as you look away, then you shrug and look at him again, “Maybe.”

“Is she sleeping in her room tonight?” he asks, smiling and hoping for the answer he so badly wants.

“Maaaybe,” you sing as you take Ronan from John since her costume is making her cheeks turn red.

John smiles when you lay Ronan down between the two of you to get her costume off, and he leans down and chomps loudly in the crook of her neck as she smiles and squirms. He makes silly noises at her to get her to smile big and wide, then he tickles her tummy as she flings her arms around.

“You’re such a good dad.” you smile, reaching up to touch his cheek, “I love seeing you with her. I know I say it all the time.”

“You’re a good mom too. Being parents with you is fun.”

You laugh, “Yeah, it is pretty fun.”

John leans down to kiss Ronan, then he looks at you as you smile at him. He wiggles his brows a little, and you laugh as you get up to pack Ronan’s bag for the night.

“Yes, John, it’s a date.” you say, then you look at him as he smiles wide.

It’s Ronan’s first Halloween but since she’s only almost two months old, she obviously can’t trick or treat, so she’ll just get pushed around in her stroller. She’s dressed up in her costume since she’s just so damn cute!

You were planning on just taking her around your neighborhood, but you were invited to go trick or treating with Amanda, Aurelio, and their kids. Tess and Jimmy are tagging along as well, of course.

“Three peas in a pod.” John says when Amanda waves at you and rushes over to hug Tess. “You three are inseparable.”

“She’s a good friend.” you say, then you smile when Amanda gasps and laughs at Ronan in John’s arms, “We wanted to make sure she’d be warm.”

Amanda laughs as she pinches Ronan’s cheek, “You look so cute!”

You watch as John holds her up a little, and you smile when you see Benji dressed as a zombie, tattered clothing and fake blood on his hands and face. You let out a small scream when he shambles over to you like a zombie, then you give him a thumbs up.

“Very cool costume, Benji.”

Amanda laughs, “Dad let him watch The Walking Dead one night, and now he’s obsessed. Does that make me a terrible mom? I’m not sure yet.”

John chuckles as he shakes his head, “We watched Rambo the other night while Ro was with us.”

“She’s three months old. She’s got no clue.” you laugh and look at him, “Now when she’s 8, I’m not so sure.”

“Well,” Amanda laughs and shrugs, “I figured he’d be scared but he’s just obsessed now. Aurelio still censors some of the really bad stuff, but yeah, he’s all about zombies now.”

You smile as Benji walks over and pretends to bite Harper’s arm, which causes her to scream with laughter--she’s dressed up as Peppa Pig. You look over and watch as Finn toddles toward them in his Buzz Lightyear costume that he hasn’t taken off in a week, then he runs over to you and reaches up.

“Hey, Buzz,” you smile as you pick him up, “Hasn’t taken it off yet?”

Tess shakes her head and crosses her arms, “Barely. I got it off of him long enough to give him a bath this afternoon. Look at this bug!”

John laughs as he hands Ronan off to Tess, then he ruffles Finn’s hair, “Hey, buddy.”

“Hey, guys, this is Lauren. She’s gonna join us tonight.” Amanda says, gesturing to the tall and thin woman next to her. “Lauren, this is Tess, her husband, Jimmy. And this is Y/N and her husband, John.”

You smile as you reach out to shake her hand, “Hi, it’s nice to meet you.”

“You too,” she smiles, then she shakes John’s hand. “My husband, Anthony, is inside right now, but these are my kids, Sophie and Dylan.”

Sophie is dressed as a princess and clinging to her mom’s leg, and Dylan is a pirate who is staring over at Benji and most likely wanting to play.

Lauren leans down and smiles, “Go ahead, baby.”

You set Finn down and smile, “I bet Finn would like to play too.”

Finn will play with anyone, so he walks over and starts talking--as best as he can at 15 months--to Dylan, who takes his hand and timidly walks over to Benji.

“I can’t wait for Ro to be bigger. Look at that!” you smile as the kids play together and run away from Benji chasing them. You look over at John to say something to him, but he’s not watching the kids. He’s looking at the house.

Even though you’ve been with John for two years now and feel as though you know every thought running through his head, he’s still maintained a certain level of mystery. There are times when you look at him and wonder what the hell he’s thinking and his face is so stoic and emotionless that you’re left completely in the dark. For example, right now, he’s staring at the man coming out of the house and his face isn’t giving a single thing away. His face isn’t but you see him clench his fist once before he flexes his hand and exhales. He’s getting ready. For what you don’t know yet. Surely he wouldn’t punch this random guy on Halloween night when children, including your daughter, are around.

John is still staring at the man as he comes out of the house, so you reach over and slip your hand into his grip. He looks down at you and softens his face, and you knit your brows together silently asking what’s going on. John looks at him again and takes a deep breath, then he tenses up.

“Hey, John.” the man says, and you look at him as he puts his arm around Lauren, “I see you’ve met my wife and kids.”

John doesn’t say anything, so you do.

“Hi, I’m Y/N.” you reach out and shake his hand, “John’s wife.”

“Oh, I’ve heard about John’s wife.”

You jerk your head back a little as you blush. You hate the thought of people just knowing who you are. You hate the thought that you could be brought up in conversation while assassins sit around a table and drinking expensive alcohol at the hotel. It’s not really something you can escape though, you are John Wick’s wife.

“All good things, uh, from Amanda and Aurelio, by the way!” he adds to make you smile, but he only gets more nervous since John is looking at him.

You tug John’s hand discreetly, then everyone turns their attention to the kids laughing but you and John look at each other. He presses a kiss to the back of your hand and finally relaxes.

It’s okay. He doesn’t say it but his body language does. He’s relaxed. Everything is fine but your interest is definitely piqued.

“Well, should we get going?” Amanda asks, and everyone nods.

Tess gets Ronan back into her stroller and walks over to take Finn’s hand, and you all head down the street together. You feel John’s hand firm on your back as he walks with you, and you both slow down a little as the kids run up to a house.

“Who is he?”

“Anthony DeLuca. Used to work--”

You laugh, “I know that, but why are you so tense?”

“I don’t like when that life sometimes filters into our life.” he says, and you look up at him, “I was worried until I realized he’s married with kids. He’s probably thinking all the same things I am. He’s probably worried for his kids and his wife.”

“Did he retire?”

John shrugs, “I think so, but I’m not sure. I just know what that guy is capable of.”

“He knows what you’re capable of too,” you say as you turn to face him, still keeping one hand on Ronan’s stroller, “I’d be more scared of you than of him any day. Not that I am. You make silly voices at our baby and pout when I don’t kiss you.”

John starts to laugh finally, then he places his hands on your waist, “I just worry about you and Ro. Always. Constantly.”

“I know,” you look over at Lauren and Anthony as they glance at you and John, “I’m sure he’s over there reassuring her too that everything is going to be okay. Our children are here. Nothing is going to happen.”

“Yeah.” John exhales, then he reaches up to cup your cheek, “When did you become the level-headed one in the relationship?”

You laugh loudly as you lean up to kiss him, “I have no clue.”

The rest of the night went really well. Ronan got plenty of compliments on her costume even though she fell asleep. Finn got tons of candy that he definitely won’t be able to eat, and Benji was already so hyped up on sugar that Amanda hid half of his candy.

John ended up walking behind everyone with Anthony as they talked, and every time you looked back they were smiling and laughing, so it feels good to know that they’re putting the past behind them. They never worked together and there was no competition between them when they did work. John was just worried. He soon realized that Anthony was crazy about his kids and his wife--just like John is about you and Ronan.

You were planning on stopping by your parents house to show off Ronan’s costume but since she’s so tired, you’ll just have to bring her by tomorrow afternoon instead, which is fine since your feet hurt from walking all night. Right now all you want to do is lay in bed and watch a movie.

Heading upstairs, I peek into Ronan’s room and see she’s still asleep, her trusty sidekick, Bleu, fast asleep on the floor next to her crib. I walk down the hall to our bedroom and smile when I see Y/N sprawled out on the bed. I crawl onto the bed and lay down on top of her, and she lets out a loud groan before she starts to laugh.

“Hi,” she smiles, and I lean down to kiss her.

“I see Ro is in her room.”

Y/N cocks her brow up, “I’m not changing my clothes. I bought some lingerie but I don’t wanna get up. Look, I’ll just lay here and you can do whatever you want to me.”

“That’s not fun.” I laugh, and she wraps her arms around my neck, “Maybe you just need me to…warm you up.”

“Mm,” she bites her bottom lip and nods, “Yeah.”

I kneel on the bed and smile at her as I pull her shirt over her head, then I toss it aside and lay back down. I gently kiss down her neck to her collarbone, then I take her skin between my lips and suck softly on her plump breast before leaning up to kiss her. I scoot up a little more and feel her wrapping her legs around my waist, then I slide my tongue into her mouth as we kiss.

Y/N tilts her head back and closes her eyes as I kiss down her body, worshiping every curve and dip, then she lets out a small laugh when my lips graze her hipbone. I kiss along the waistband of her jeans as I unbutton them, then I sit up and pull them off, along with her underwear as she lifts her hips to help. She reaches out for me and hums against my lips, then she’s pulling at my jeans, so I quickly sit up and undress myself until I’m just in my boxers. I feel her trying to tug my boxers down, so I help her and pull them off, watching as she looks down.

“Have I ever told you that you have a beautiful penis?”

I laugh as I get comfortable on top of her, “I think I’ve heard you say it a time or two.”

“Hmm,” she smiles with her eyes closed, “It’s very beautiful, Mr. Wick.”

My cock brushes against her pussy as we kiss, and she lets out a small breath every time I slowly thrust my hips to feel my cock against her clit. I continue to thrust my hips until I feel myself finally sliding between her legs slickly. I lean up a little to hold her gaze as I move in deeper, and she clenches her jaw as her eyes roll shut.

“Let it out,” I whisper, running my thumb over her lips and prying her mouth open, “Let me hear it.”

She opens her mouth and lets out a loud moan, “Fuck!”

“Look at me,” I say softly, then I look down to take her left hand and intertwine my fingers with hers before I do the same with her other hand and pin her arms above her head. Y/N holds my gaze as I thrust my hips, but I can tell she’s trying her hardest not to close her eyes. “I’ve been thinking about fucking you all night.”

She looks deep into my eyes as I jerk my hips harder, but she eventually closes her eyes as she begins to shake a little, breathing heavily along with me. I let go of her hands so she can have control of her body as she climaxes, and she reaches up to pull me down to kiss her.

“Ride me,” I say softly in her ear, and she smiles as she nods her head. I lay down on my back and look at her as she sits up to unhook her bra and toss it aside before she crawls on top of me, “I wanna see your beautiful face.”

She really is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid my eyes on. I know she never believes me when I tell her that, but it’s true. I also know she worries that I’m not as attracted to her since having a baby and that couldn’t be further from the truth. I worshiped her body before and I do now as well--not that it even looks any different--and I’m still absolutely fucking crazy for her. I found her to be incredibly attractive before having a baby, especially during, and after. She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever laid my eyes on, and I can’t believe that she doesn’t see it sometimes.

I close my eyes and hold tight to her hips to help guide her on my cock, and I open my eyes and look up at her as she rests her hands on my thighs and rolls her hips, both of us smiling at each other. I watch my cock sliding in and out of her perfect pussy, and she reaches down for my hands and pulls me up to her, burying my face in between her breasts. I kiss up to her stomach to her breast, then I lightly suck on her nipple as she smiles and caresses my arms and back.

“Fuck, John, you feel so good,” she whispers in my ear, and I lean back to hold her gaze as she ruts in my lap. She presses her hand to her mouth and squeezes her eyes shut, then she buries her face in the crook of my neck as I squeeze her tighter in my arms as she unravels and rides out another orgasm, cursing and moaning my name.

Holding tight to her, I lay her back down on the bed since I know I’m not going to last much longer with these noises she’s making, and I quickly slide back between her legs as we both pant loudly. I fuck her harder and faster than before, and I take her left leg and place it over my shoulder as I move in deeper with a low groan. Her eyes roll shut as I kiss her leg up to her knee, then she whimpers loudly and nods her head, silently telling me to keep going. Y/N sucks on her fingers and reaches down to rub circles on her clit as she looks at me, and I wet my thumb and move her hand so I can do it instead, which makes her smile.

I groan as I jerk my hips, “So fucking wet. You are so fucking wet.”

“Best pussy you’ve ever had.” she whispers, and I nod and lean down to kiss her as I thrust my hips harder to bring on my orgasm.

I keep my lips pressed to hers as I roll my hips, then I jerk them hard every few seconds as I spill inside of her, knocking the breath out of her every time. Y/N frantically kisses me as she clings to my biceps, then she moans against my mouth as she digs her nails into my back, coming one more time. I let out a small groan as I finish inside of her, then I sit up and look down at her as she lays on the bed and pants.

Y/N reaches up and touches my chest as I kneel on the bed, then she laughs when I take her hand and kiss the back of it. She sits up and pretends to light a cigarette as I laugh, then she ‘blows’ the smoke out and lays back down.

“Yeah,” I laugh, nodding my head, “It was good.”

You look up at John as he wipes the sweat off his forehead, then he exhales loudly and leans down to kiss you softly a few more times. You cup his face in your hands and smooch him so hard that he starts to laugh, then he puts his finger up and heads into the bathroom.

After a few moments, he comes out and sits down to clean between your legs, then he wipes himself off and tosses the washcloth into the hamper near the dresser. He crawls back into bed with you and wraps his left arm over your waist as the two of you look at each other, and you smile softly when he rubs his thumb over your cheek.

“I know this is the wrong time to say it because we’re both laying here naked, but I miss Ro being in here with us.”

John nods, “Figured I’d go get her in a bit when we’re ready for bed. Just needed you to myself for a little while.”

“I appreciate it.” you whisper to him, “I appreciate you still wanting me.”

“I’m always gonna want you,” he says so softly that your eyes fill with tears, “Nothing is going to change that, remember?”

You nod as a warm tear slides down your cheek, “You just make me feel so loved and wanted and beautiful.”

“Because you are loved and wanted and beautiful.” he whispers, and you laugh tearfully.

“I’m so glad that we’re not like half the couples we saw tonight who just secretly hate each other.”

John shakes his head, “Yeah, that one couple just openly fought in front of everyone, even their kids.”

“Because they’ve grown to hate each other. Sometimes when you’re with someone for so long, those cute little quirks you liked at first end up being what you hate in the end.”

John slowly rubs his thumb over your ribs as he looks at you, “I could never hate you.”

“I could never hate you either.” you whisper, smiling softly, “I think what you and I have is something so unique and special.”

“I agree. Couldn’t imagine my life without you, peach.”

You inhale deeply and close your eyes as John gently kisses your temple over and over, then you look at him, “I got an idea. You in?”

“Always.” he whispers without second thought, and you get up from the bed.

Grabbing John’s hand, you tiptoe past Ronan’s room and peek to make sure she’s okay, then you head downstairs as you giggle. John has no idea what the plan is but he’s following along anyway.

“Where are we going? We’re naked.”

“I know!” you laugh, then you open the patio door and run out, immediately jumping into the pool. You come up for air and smooth your hair back as you look up at John standing in all his naked glory in front of you with his hands on his hips, “Get in! Unless you’re…chicken.”

John laughs, “Why would I be chicken to get into our own pool?”

“If you weren’t, you would have gotten in by now, so…” you imitate a chicken as John laughs, then you stand up straight, “Come on, Wick. The water is warm.”

A wide smile spreads across your face as John jumps into the pool, and you squeeze your eyes shut and laugh when water splashes everywhere. He comes up for air and grabs you by your legs, then he throws you over his shoulder as you scream with laughter.

“You know…” John puts you down so he can smooth his hair back, then he grabs you, “You’re very sexy when you talk shit.”

You laugh loudly, then you wrap your legs around his waist and kiss him before he spins you around and hugs you tight in his arms. You tilt your head back and smile with your eyes closed, then you moan when you feel John slowly slipping back between your legs as he kisses up your neck.

“You gotta be quiet though.”

John laughs, “Oh, me? That’s all you, peach.”

“No, you always lose it when we have sex. Can’t have the neighbors knowing we’re out here.” you tease, and John laughs as he walks over to pin you between the wall and his body.

You hold tight to each other as he slowly jerks his hips, then he reaches up and slides his thumb into your mouth as you whimper. You close your eyes and cling to John as he thrusts his hips, and you lean your forehead against his, surrendering to him.

please let know if u want to be tagged or removed!

#john wick x reader #john wick x you #john wick x y/n #john wick imagine #fic: hold my hand #i know people on ao3 weren't fans of john's pov but idk i wrote this before they told me and i didn't want to change it lmao #i'm a little stubborn sometimes #anyway #i hope you all enjoyyyy #i might have to reblog this a few times because apparently tumblr hates me so people never see when i update #and the tagging system is shit #ok i love yall bye

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triviareads · 1 year

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can you recommend historical romances (regency era up until 1900 vibes) that are “realistic”? i know you make a point in your charlotte bridgerton fic that eventually all the bridgerton make respectable marriages. all of them are conventional but that’s something i act—i enjoy that both main character and love interest are of the same social standing and therefore don’t have to “struggle” to get married. do you have any books recs (series would be preferable but i’m good with standalones!) like that?

also love your writing!! really want to know how charlotte reacts to clairmonts proposal lol - your charlotte is probably one of my favourite characters because she has that perfect understanding what it means to be a woman in that era which i just love

Sure! Here's are some recs I have for historical romances where the heroine and hero are of a similar social standing. Obviously, this is HR and what's "realistic" is still pretty.... not, because that's the genre, but I get what you mean.

What I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long: Genevieve is the daughter of a wealthy gentleman, and Moncrieffe is a duke, so no social obstacles there. Moncrieffe wants to seduce Genevieve out of revenge for her brother sleeping with his fiancée but obviously, his quest for *revenge* is thrown out the window within 20 seconds of meeting her. Also, you get the sense that both characters are not only deeply aware of one another, but they're very socially aware.

The Bride Goes Rogue by Joanna Shupe: Set in Gilded Age America so you'll still get your balls (including a French ball!) and whatnot. Katherine and Preston are both a part of the Upper Ten Thousand and are actually betrothed. But Preston refuses to honor it and Kat goes a little off the rails (in a fun way) as a result, they're both conducting a "no-strings" (ha as if) affair. Also, Preston is deffo trying to get *revenge* on Katherine's dad, so there's a pattern here.

Marquess of Meyham by Scarlett Scott: Leonora is the daughter of an earl, and Morgan is a marquess. This is another *revenge* book since Morgan's grand plan is to ruin and marry Leonora and make her miserable out of revenge for her half-brother Alessandro (possibly?) having tortured him during the Peninsular War. I don't talk about Morgan enough, and honestly I should because he goes HARD on the "whose pussy is this" bit during sex. Him and Alessandro (or Sandy, as I affectionately call him) are hot messes and I love them both.

The Truth about Cads and Dukes by Elisa Braden: Jane's the daughter of an earl, Harrison is a duke. He marries her to save her "honor" after his fuck-up brother fucks up. The best thing about his book is how Jane slowly breaks Harrison using her "wiles" after they're married and how much Harrison is OBSESSED with her hands, her tits (in that order!), and eventually, her.

And I'm glad you enjoy Charlotte/Clairmont- they're my babies. I'm trying desperately to get the next chapter across the finish line. I will say, I think Charlotte has an imperfect understanding of what it means to be a woman in that era because her understanding only goes so far as aristocratic womanhood. But my dream in the future is to a) write a fic or maybe even a novel with a more expansive notion of womanhood in the Victorian era, and b) the ultimate dream which is to somehow incorporate a Charles Hamilton Houston-esque legal strategy to overturn Plessy, but in this case, for women's rights in the Victorian era with HR heroines somehow spearheading the effort. Basically, a systemic, strategic plan to attain rights one by one without jumping straight to suffrage which is what I've seen a lot of HR writers do. Which annoys me a little.

#historical romance #book recs #julie anne long #joanna shupe #scarlett scott #elisa braden #bridgerton #charlotte bridgerton #ask

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only-lonely-stars · 1 year

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I posted 1,493 times in 2022

36 posts created (2%)

1,457 posts reblogged (98%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@fabro-de-omres

@amour393

@skyward-floored

@rosiehunterwolf

I tagged 789 of my posts in 2022

Only 47% of my posts had no tags

#ninjago - 135 posts

#ninjago lloyd - 29 posts

#lloyd garmadon - 26 posts

#ninjago cole - 26 posts

#cole brookstone - 25 posts

#ninjago zane - 25 posts

#zane julien - 24 posts

#ninjago pixal - 21 posts

#ninjago kai - 21 posts

#pixal borg - 20 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#anti-intellectual about only liking things for kids because they're your comfort media or whatever. like this doesn't stretch your brain but

My Top Posts in 2022:

hot take: morro could not make the great plains any windier than they already are. the plains just negate his wind. he has no power here.

14 notes - Posted June 16, 2022

I feel like I'd love an enemies-to-lovers romance for myself, except for the fact that I hate being mad at people, I hate having enemies, and I don't enjoy conflict

14 notes - Posted January 17, 2022

10 for risky, and 5 for super duper extra risky with a cherry on top or whatever it was XD

Risky 10:

Ooohhhhh boy. Okay. I don't have my oldest work available to me right now, but when I get home from work... yikes. You'll see. I'll reblog this ask post with a screenshot of my very first multi-chapter fanfic. (In case you're wondering, it's Ninjago fic. Very on-brand for me.)

Super duper extra scary holy moly risky 5:

Warm beds! Cold in summer, of course, but I'll take a warm bed at any time of year.

Risky asks link

18 notes - Posted August 2, 2022

Inhumanity

(FFN)

It is a cool, clear day in the Monastery of Spinjitzu, and Zane is lonely. However, in his pursuit of finding company, he ends up finding out that his beloved is a bit more curious about humans than one might be led to believe. (Rated K for gentle fluff and minimal physical affection.) Established Pixane.

On a cool, clear day, the Monastery was a sparsely-occupied place. Most of the members of the team were out on their own adventures, whether climbing mountains (like Cole, who had picked up his old hobby once again) or going to an arcade (Jay and Nya, once again playing Dance Dance Revolution together). As such, it was a quiet place: a comfortable place.

On this cool, clear day, Zane wandered throughout the Monastery's halls. He had not yet found another person, but he was unworried: he was simply lonely. He'd watched many a film in his spare time in the past, but today he was not interested in watching films. He would rather have a conversation– he wanted company, not entertainment.

After searching his brothers' rooms and coming up empty, Zane turned his gaze upon the most captivating inhabitant of the Monastery. Usually Pixal was in the garage at this time, but he would still search for her. Perhaps she would have time to spare for a conversation! If not, she would certainly have the good temper to allow him to remain near her. She entertained him in such a way rather often, and he always enjoyed the time spent with her.

"Pixal? Pixal?" Zane called out as he walked through the halls, approaching the living room. "Pixal, my dear. Are you here?"

A ping in the corner of his vision caught his attention, and Zane stopped walking. A message from Pixal had come in over their private chat. Hello, dear. I am in the living room.

He smiled as he sent a response. Thank you! I was just about to enter.

By all means, then. Come in.

Zane smiled a little wider as he reached the room in question, opening the door quietly. "Pixal?"

"I am in the corner, Zane," came her gentle reply. "What do you need?"

"I was simply looking for you." He entered the room softly, as all ninja tended to do, following the sound of her voice. "Do you have time for a conversation?"

"I suppose so." She laughed softly. "Upgrading the electrical system in here can wait."

"Well, perhaps I can help you." Zane found himself grinning as he approached the main area, coming around the couch. "I have had a few ideas for…"

Zane stopped walking, stunned.

Pixal looked up at him from where she knelt on the floor, bearing an attentive smile. That in itself was not the stunning part, though he had always known she was beautiful: rather, it was her attire. Pixal usually wore her Samurai X suit, usually under the reasoning that she needed to be ready to fight at a moment's notice. Such a reasoning was often true, but today it seemed she had forsaken it.

Today, Pixal had dressed differently, and his visual sensors immediately took in the details. She wore a sleeveless turtleneck sweater in a pale shade of blue– #A4E1FC– tucked into a pair of high-waisted jeans. Her hair hung loose, free of its usual ponytail and cascading down like a silver curtain. Her eyes shone a bright green– #60FF6A– and highlighted her face plates. Her exposed arms showed their immaculate construction, detailed and delicate.

In that moment, Zane was once more struck by her beauty. He had always known it, but again he was reminded that she was a magnificent creation. How could anyone mistake her for less?

After a moment of silence between them, Pixal tilted her head in confusion. Her silver hair shifted, shining in the light as she moved, glinting like tinsel. "...Zane? Is something the matter?"

A warning light came on in Zane's periphery, signaling a minor system crashing in the background of his OS, but he ignored it. "I… believe I may have lost my train of thought." His heatsink fans were running at a high rate now that he considered them: they were almost deafening. Could she hear them?

Pixal's smile faltered somewhat, as he'd feared. "That is unlike you. I can hear your fans working, Zane." Her beautiful face creased in concern. "Are you alright?"

Zane laughed awkwardly, his internal temperature spiking. "Um... yes. I am. I was simply… captivated by your beauty, it seems."

Pixal paused, seemingly caught off-guard. "I beg your pardon?"

"You look beautiful today. I am quite distracted," he clarified, managing a smile. "Please forgive me for staring."

She remained quiet for a moment as she watched him, concern shifting into suspicion. "Have you been watching romantic comedies again?"

"Ah… perhaps. I have not had much to do recently." Zane took a few steps forward and knelt in front of her, now grinning. "Either way, you are distracting."

"I suppose so…" She laughed softly, ducking her head. "I look the same as always, Zane."

"That is a falsehood, dear Pixal." Zane reached out and touched her hair, reveling in the way it fell across his fingertips. "You rarely dress this way. It is quite fetching."

Pixal watched him with wide eyes, her fans kicking on to the point where Zane could hear them at his proximity. "I… thank you. I was not aware that you like it when I dress this way."

See the full post

63 notes - Posted January 4, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

How I know the Core shorts are worth watching:

Lloyd is so done with life

baby Cole

67 notes - Posted January 18, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review #well that's. anticlimactic.

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quoteablebooks · 30 days

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Genre: Fiction, Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Content Warning: Sexual content, Blood, Kidnapping, Confinement

Summary:

Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it’s a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she’s desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Cassie knows there has to be a catch—only someone with a secret to hide would rent out a room for that price.

Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn’t look half bad shirtless, on the rare occasions they’re both home and awake. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren’t there earlier, Frederick has to come clean...

Cassie’s sexy new roommate is a vampire. And he has a proposition for her.

*Opinions*

Tl:dr - Absolutely delightful and compulsively readable rom-com

This is another social media influence and I needed a bit of a palate cleanser after a couple of fantasy novels back to back. I then proceeded to read this entire novel in two days and had a wonderful time with it. If you want a romance with a strong plot, this is not the book for you, but if you want a story that reads like a 90s sitcom romance, complete with scenes that feel as if they should have a laugh track in the background, I would recommend this novel highly. As I said above, it was extremely delightful.

As one might guess from the title My Roommate is a Vampire, the plot of this novel revolves around Cassie Greenburg responding to a too-good-to-be-true ad for a roommate on Craig’s list and moving in with a centuries-old vampire, though she is unaware of that at the time. Part of the charm of this novel is that the reader is well aware that Fredrick is a vampire, so watching Cassie navigate his interesting personality quirks is more endearing than the reader screaming at her to see all the signs. I also appreciate that Levine also had the big vampire reveal about 35% into the novel. After that, it is a series of rather comical scenes of Cassie attempting to teach Fredrick about the 100 years of etiquette that he missed while he was asleep. Again, the plot in this is very light and it is more watching Cassie and Fredrick dance around each other while denying what they feel for one another. The ending was highly ridiculous, but somehow fit the overall tone of the novel so it didn’t bother me too badly.

Cassie is a rather relatable character in a romance, which I appreciate. She is in her late 20s, early 30s creative that is cobbling together part-time jobs in an attempt to survive while working on her art. She takes public transportation, collects trash for her multimedia art, and lets her attraction to Fredrick cloud her judgment on a couple of occasions. While her bad past with a couple of other relationships is hinted at, whatever happened in those relationships is never elaborated on in this novel. I like how her story ended, but it was a little too butterflies and rainbows that I would usually enjoy. However, this whole book was just so lovely that it was the perfect ending.

We get to know very little about Fredrick other than the text messages and journal entries that are at the beginning of the chapters. He was a bit more of a caricature than an actual character except when he is being exceptionally sincere with Cassie. He is so interested in learning about her art and praising her for things that she doesn’t see in herself that it is swoon-worthy. Now, I heard rumors that this might have started as a Reylo fic, but truly I didn’t see it in the relationship. I did not picture Adam Driver when reading Fredrick’s description other than the focus on how large his hands are, which seems to be a physical attribute that Reylo writers seem to focus on. Well, that and how large his chest was, but that can be any male love interest.

The romance between the two of them was rather sweet, though not super deep. The first time they kissed and the makeout session in the bathroom had me kicking my feet in excitement. Again, as this is a lighter romance, the discussion of immortality and its complications were glossed over. Also, there is no lore given for vampires and only a vague mention of some of the rules around them. Still, there was something charming about Cassie’s unending patience and Fredricks's earnest love of her that I couldn’t stop reading. The way that Fredrick’s need for blood and the sex scenes were handled was also done well.

Overall, this is a fun and light read that is light on plot but still a compelling read. Levine hints in the novel that there might be a companion with Reginald and his human accountant, but I am not sure I care enough about Reginald to check it out. This is a 3.5 read rounded down to a 3 because while I really enjoyed it at the moment I read it, I doubt a lot of it will stick with me and this is probably not a story I would read again. Still, I highly recommend this if you like romances and enjoy a story that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

#jenna levine #My Roomate is a Vampire #book review #booklr #3.5 out of 5 stars

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foxys-fantasy-tales · 1 year

Text

Arigale and Made to Taste almost were...

So, @ashen-crest started this with a post about A Rival Most Vial (comes out 3/20/2023! Go get it!) but I thought I'd make my own post for my own story might-have-beens. Here's some changes both these series have gone through over the years. Arigale Series

Judith has went through three different main love interests over the years before Chit came to be. Judith used to be just CisHet (I had not come out to even myself yet in college when I made her, so uhhhh yea) but now she is bisexual and polyam. The Order of Yani wasn't always the villain. There was going to be another big quest and Yani would have been Chit's patron god and giver of his powers. Not a great guy, but a good one. Wow, that changed a lot. Citers, Addena, Enumer, Kichi, all deities that appear in book one were not originally there at all. As Yani became a villain, I found a need to dive more into an array of gods and make up why he turned out that way and how deities function in this world. More explained in book two and three. Originally, Judith didn't lean on her staff for casting with her spirits or have a heavy limit/cost at trying to use more than one at a time. I found her far too overpowered and had to create this limiter. Rita was originally a character that died in a wholly different story, but I thought her and Rahat meshed well with the lore of Arigale, same with Aka and Varin / Madakast and Calsita as those four were another story as well. I enjoyed the process of turning Arigale into an epic with all these different races and histories. In Arigale's first draft, Judith tugged Chit into an even headier whirlwind romance. They were in bed together by chapter seven or so. Now that's in book two over halfway in. There was originally a different yellow power than Chinea, in fact, Chinea was created after i decided Yani would be a villain as a counter force in Chit's childhood. Made to Taste Series The original Made to Taste draft was set in a fantasy world way back in around the 1700s or so. It wasn't until draft two that I decided it may work better as a modern day setting in a diner rather than a tavern Noel was a very helpful and downtrodden character at first, far more of a wet cat boy than he is now. Now he has some bite and attitude to him and a punk look when before he only dressed in muted colors and styles.

Rosie and Sheryl get a lot more quips and story as they run the business with Lyra and Noel. They were there, but more quiet in earlier drafts.

Sheryl went from just the muscle and a good friend to the blunt butch ace lesbian we know and love today. My so far singular beta is obsessed ha.

The original antagonist of this series was Lyra's father and his controlling tendency toward his (abandoned) dhampir daughter. He's still a force for later volumes, but he's far less impactful in the new draft.

Originally, when Lyra has to flee home she turns to the fae kingdom and a friendly customer from there who helps her in. This character is now a background character and the fae realm is much more literal and in the same world. She doesn't even flee there, but to an underground city.

In draft one, Lyra was polyam and demi and ended up with far too many characters as I grew invested in too many. Many were cut back like the fae that helped her escape into smaller roles. I'm not sure if she's still polyam in this draft or if I want her to just be with Noel and just demi.

#arigale #made to taste #wips that almost were #writeblr #indie author #fantasy #writers on tumblr

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historyhermann · 1 year

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Webcomics Focus: "The Pirate and the Princess"

The Pirate and the Princess tells the story of a princess whisked away by a pirate. She goes on a sea-going adventure and what she learns turns her world upside down.

Reprinted from The Geekiary, my History Hermann WordPress blog, and Wayback Machine. This was the twenty-first article I wrote for The Geekiary. This post was originally published on December 22, 2021. Also, this post has been slightly changed from the original.

The Pirate and the Princess, by Sapphire, is a historical romance centered around two characters: Princess Kirianna of Altira, an optimistic, intelligent, and dutiful woman, and a pirate captain who appears to be an intimidating man.

As a warning, this review discusses some spoilers for The Pirate and the Princess!

Kirianna is ready to meet a suitor but is not having much luck. That is, until she happens upon the pirate captain, telling him her true interests. Before she is about to accept Philippe's marriage proposal, the Captain barges in. She is captured in hopes of getting her father to pay a ransom. Her father agrees, but she is taken away, even though this wasn't the original plan.

The Pirate and the Princess has compelling characters and storyline. Kiri realizes that marriage is political. She is about to marry before she is whisked away to a pirate ship, the S.M. Hellfire. It was interesting to see Tristan, the cook on the pirate ship, challenge her on marrying at such a young age (20), and on the logic behind an arrange marriage itself.

I liked how Kiri goes from not trusting the pirates to realizing they aren't bad people after all. They are shown as anything but villains or monsters who are out to get anyone. Her change of heart begins with Tristan, the cook, the cabin boy Finnean, and later with other crew members. All of them act like a family.

At first, it seems curious that the Captain has a dress to give Kiri. However, it is later revealed that the Captain, who overthrew the previous captain, Adrian, is a woman in disguise. She looks androgynous and is not very hyper-masculine, unlike some other crew members. As the comic goes forward, Kiri and the Captain are drawn toward one another. For instance, the Captain helps Kiri when she is terrified by a thunderstorm and later reveals her name as "Mathias" and later as Maria, which turns out to be her real name.

The webcomic, which has more than 80 episodes, is written and illustrated by Sapphire, with new issues posted every Sunday. This is her first webcomic. It was originally written in 2013 by Sapphire and her girlfriend, now wife. According to Sapphire, it was rewritten four times before it came to the current version!

Some of the webcomic's strongest features are its vibrant colors and style, whether the characters or the backgrounds. They jump off the screen, whether the comic is read on a computer or a mobile device.

The webcomic deals with heavy topics such as homophobia, child abuse, sexual assault, death, and more, making clear that assaulting a woman is not okay. Even Kiri is in shock after accidentally killing a man, and her world is turned upside down when learning the truth about her father.

There are also classic themes of evil, devious characters like Samuel and those despicable in another way, like Kiri's father. I liked the quieter, less tense moments of the comic too. This includes when Kiri finds a black cat, with heterochromia, on the ship and names it Bartholomew, or when she reads a book to the crew.

Apart from Kiri and Maria, it was confirmed that Adrian is bisexual, Tristian is a closeted gay man, Nathaniel is a trans man, and there are many possible ships among the characters. According to Sapphire, in a Q&A, the story was influenced by The Princess Bride, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Goonies, Peter Pan, Treasure Planet, and Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag.

The same Q&A confirmed that the story will be long, with 40 chapters coming to a total of 218 pages or over 145,000 words! Since it is a historical romance of sorts, it is based loosely on the 18th century and how pirates lived. Another Q&A said that all the characters are in the LGBTQ community.

The Pirate and the Princess is one of the many recent stories which have focused on or featured pirates. This includes the space pirates in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Resistance, and Star Wars Rebels. There's also the space pirate doppelgangers in Cleopatra In Space's "Pirates" episode, the sea pirate captain Lukkage in Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet, Santiago Montes, an eight-year-old sea pirate in Santiago of the Seas, or the space pirates in Edens Zero.

The webcomic also reminds me of the Mysticons episode "The Princess and the Pirate," where Zarya Moonwolf, a magical warrior, and Kitty Boon, a sky/air pirate, embrace each other. Their romantic relationship was confirmed by series creator Sean Jara. Unfortunately, a kiss between them was not included in the episode. Opposition from a specific show partner caused to be not be included even though Nickelodeon supported the kiss!

The Pirate and the Princess makes me think about the recently concluded anime series Fena, Pirate Princess. That series shares some of the same themes as this webcomic, although unintentionally.

The Pirate and the Princess is available to read on WebToon.

You can find Sapphire on Twitter. The webcomic can be supported on Patreon.

#the pirate and the princess #pirates #princesses #webcomics #webtoon #webtoons #trans character #mysticons #edens zero #fena pirate princess #lesbians #lgbtq

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athletickat · 3 years

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Top Reads 2020 Fanfiction

I started reading Harry Potter fanfiction this year (thanks to Tik Tok) and these stories I’ve read keep me up at night because I cannot stop thinking about them.

#1- Manacled by @senlinyu

This is story is a MASTERPIECE. I cannot express how many times I’ve read and thought about this story. The way Hermione loves Draco and Draco loves Hermione is unbeatable. Hermione is a literal boss bitch in this story and my favorite Hermione in everything I’ve read. The build up, the tension, the CHEMISTRY; it is the best thing I have ever read. I could write a whole damn brook report on this story and be proud of it. This story is just... ugh *ultimate chefs kiss*.

#2- Rights and Wrongs series by @lovesbitca8

The Right Thing To Do, All the Wrong Things, and The Auction are my absolute favorite pieces of writing ever. Draco Malfoy in this series is my horny king, and the best Draco in everything I’ve read. The Auction has a special place in my heart because of hard Hermione works to stay alive and keep the Malfoys alive, as well. All the characters in each story are so well written, especially the Malfoys, and I cannot express how in love I am with each little plot detail and connection between the stories.

#3- Remain Nameless by @heyjude19-writing

I recently read this story and I cannot get enough of it. This is first fic I’ve read with a wedding scene (two scenes!!) and I cannot put it in words of how perfect it is. This story is all about the love Draco and Hermione have for each other, and it has set such unrealistic expectations for me...ugh. Every chapter had me smiling like an idiot and I could not put it down.

#4- Cruel and Beautiful World by Lena Phoria

I am so happy that Lena Phoria turned this fanfiction into a book, but nothing beats the original characters in this story. The way I fell in love with all the characters (except Voldemort, gross) is immaculate. This story deals with a lot of trauma and heavy topics, but the plot and the characters are just too good. Draco is a sweetheart and absolutely whipped for Hermione, but they need each other. I have never laughed so hard while reading a dark AU fic, and this story made my abs hurt. Definitely one to read.

#5- All You Want by @senlinyu

Holy shit. This story has the best smut I have ever read. The way senlinyu describes what's happening to Alpha Draco and Omega Hermione during sex makes me laugh out loud. It is so so good and so so sexy. It is such a fun story to read, and that’s why I love it so much.

#6- Breath mints / Battle Scars by @onyx-and-elm

This story is the definition of toxicity, but honestly, it’s still so good. Both Hermione and Draco are changed after the war, and they fall in love by rage, sex, and protection of one another. Hermione does not give a single damn about what people may say about her, and Draco just wants her to be happy (although it does take a while for him to see what that really means). Plot and characters are amazing, and the ending is *chefs kiss*.

#7- Isolation by Bex-chan

The first Dramione fanfiction I’ve ever read, and it has a very special place in my heart. I didn’t think I would like reading Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger fanfiction, but this story changed my mind and led to my spiral of reading such amazing stories. Such an amazing read, and I love seeing Draco grow into a man that Hermione deserves and loves. This story is iconic.

#8- Hunted by Bex-chan

Another superb story by Bex-chan. A Romance/Mystery story after the war and Draco and Hermione fall in love... hard. They are great together and the plot is amazing. This story is another iconic one for me.

#9- Love and Other Misfortunes by @senlinyu

Another great piece of work from the Queen herself, senlinyu. Draco is so stubborn it hurts, but it’s okay because Hermione is there to save the day (duh). Love these two and the romance between them in this story. Also, Veela Draco with wings and fangs is too much for me. Not that it’s important or anything, but the smut level is through the roof. Love it.

#10- Bring Him to His Knees by @willhavetheirtrinkets

Auror Draco and Auror Harry are an iconic duo. I love how intricate Draco is in this story, and how his past still very much affects his present, but Hermione helps him a lot, and it shows just how much they care for each other. Hermione and Draco dance around each other until they realize *wait* they have feelings for each other! It is not complete yet, but I do check every week or so for updates because it has a good murder mystery plot and a fabulous Dramione.

#11- The Risk-Reward Ratio by MissiAmphetamine

War fic, and honestly one of my favorite ones. Draco sucks up his pride and goes to the Order for help, and Hermione is the only one who truly excepts him. Draco is a stubborn bastard in this story, but he makes up for it. The scenes are so real, and neither character is perfect, but you’ll see how far they are willing to go for each other.

#12- The Just World Fallacy by MissiAmphetamine

Sequel to The Risk-Reward Ratio, and this one is tough. Still so good, but deals with torture, PTSD, rape, and more heavy topics. The love that still stands between Draco and Hermione even after all that they have been through together is beautiful. I love this story, and I love seeing how each character grows into their own person while during a war.

#13- Broken by @inadaze22

I have never cried so much while reading a story. This story made ME feel broken because Hermione is quite literally shattered, but so is Draco. It’s a story that makes you feel so many things at once and it is beautiful. Super slow-burn, but in the end, Hermione and Draco are meant to be together.

#14- This World or Any Other series by @olivieblake

Clean and Marked are incredible stories with a rollercoaster twist. I love each character in this series, and the love that Hermione has for Draco, and vice versa, is the most powerful thing in this universe. The relationship starts with a potion assignment and just extends through there. I love their characters so much alongside the secondary characters and it makes the story so interesting. 6th year Hogwarts and continues with the war, but Draco and Hermione are always there for each other no matter what.

#15- The Eagles Nest by HeartOfApsen

Ravenclaw Draco and Hermione, 8th year, and Alchemy. This story is so complex, and I couldn’t stop reading it. I love both Draco and Hermione and how they work to settle a problem together. Also seeing all the secret rooms in Hogwarts was another compelling aspect of the story that I loved. They know they need each other, and them being nerds and all, school is what brings them together in the end.

#16- Almost Perfect, Almost Yours by BelleOfSummer

I could not put down this story. No matter how much it angered me, and no matter how much I wanted to throw my laptop at the wall, I couldn’t stop reading. The plot is so interesting where Hermione is raised by a Pureblood family, but she was adopted from muggles, so she is Muggleborn. All the while her and Draco fall in love through their teen years and go through a war together. Hermione is a bad bitch and Draco is whipped (maybe not in a good way). They experience so much together, and in the end, you learn to love them for who they are.

#17- The Green Girl by @colubrina

Hermione is sorted into Slytherin and makes all new friends that do not include Harry Potter or Ronald Weasley. I freaking love this story because Hermione is a literal Queen, and the story itself is so well written. I don’t usually read T-rated works, but I could not put this one down because it has such an interesting plot.

#18- Erised Effect by @adaprix

Smut, smut, and more smut with such a cute plot. I love little Hermione as a bad bitch and big dick Draco as a little softy. I was hooked from the first chapter and it was so crazy. The sex scenes in this are just... *fans self*. This story is a rollercoaster of smut, but Draco and Hermione are my all time favs in this.

#19- Every Day, a Little Death by @lovesbitca8

Draco tries everything to satisfy Hermione, and when I say everything, I mean everything. Such a cute story with such a cute relationship. Hermione doesn’t mean to fall in love, but alas, Draco is a sex God and it was inevitable. I love this story!

#20- Crimson with a Silver Lining by Lady Cailan

A dark AU where Draco is mesmerized by Hermione and her will to stay alive. Their love is so strong, but alas, Draco is a stubborn bastard. This story is an emotional rollercoaster and another story where I could not put it down. Also *spoiler* some family drama going on throughout the story.

#21- Bond by MrBenzedrine89

*fans self* again because this story is incredible. Love the smut, love the club, love the love between Draco and Hermione. Super interesting details in this story with Draco, Hermione, and the infamous Bond club. Loved reading this story.

I fell down a rabbit whole of Dramione stories this year, and it made me ignore everything I had to in my life just to read them. I can’t wait to see more stories this year and procrastinate my life by reading these stories!

#dramione #fanfiction #ao3 #fanfiction.net #trash

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maleyanderecafe · 2 years

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The Male Lead is a Murderer (Webcomic)

Created by: Egativism,Hero banana,Nana.maruse

Genre: Mystery/Drama/Romance

Similar to Sweetest Valentine, this is one of those recommendations where I was going to recommend it later, but an ask got to it first so I'm going to capitalize on this, haha. This story is pretty interesting and I like the main character (for the most part, sometimes I think she's a bit lightly naive but whatever), and as of writing this, there are about 20 chapters out.

wThe story starts out with writer Amber getting chewed out for writing another thriller story by her editor, who tells her to instead aim for the audience of romance. Because she doesn't have any experience in love, Amber decides to go talk to some friends she had in high school for advice. Unfortunately for her, these so-called friends bullied her a lot in high school, so after defending herself when they start to bully her again, she drives off infuriated and gets hit by a truck.

Amber gets isekaied into a high school story she wrote, being reincarnated as a character named Jullie. Upon having this realization, she immediately tries to avoid the main character, Oliver, knowing that the story ends with Oliver killing Jullie. She fails spectacularly when she attempts to save a kitten from a tree (similar to in the story where she saves a bird from a tree) and ends up meeting him. She decides to put on a cold facade to make Oliver stay away from her. During class, she saves a boy named Leo from being peer pressured and upon returning home, helps her family with an errand compared to how she was treated in the real world, her family is incredibly kind. Unfortunately, this starts another red flag with Oliver, with a guy trying to drag her into a party she doesn't want to go through. Jullie attempts to run away and bumps into Leo, who helps her escape this guy. She realizes that Leo seems to be based off of a classmate she had when she was younger, someone that she grew envious of because of his great success in both in school and in writing. Jullie saves a girl named Grace from being bullied and with the help of Oliver, is able to become friends with her. After avoiding the volleyball club to join the Travel Club (since Oliver is in the volleyball club), meanwhile, Oliver disposes of the guy that tried to harass her at the convenience store by making him go missing.

Grace, Leo and Jullie meet up at the Travel Club (as Leo's sister is the leader of the club), and Grace suggests to camp at a mountain. Leo confronts her about the missing guy and Jullie realizes that Oliver has made his first kill. We get to see Oliver's past where his mother didn't really care for him and he kind of killed insects their class hamster, and where he got his sense of twisted love from. After working at the florist, he goes home to see his stalker shrine of Jullie pictures. The next day, Jullie walks into Leo on the way to school in the rain. After leaving the umbrella in the rack, another student takes it so he can go home. promising to himself to return it later. Oliver offers to walk her home with his umbrella, but Jullie sidetracks him by getting him to become a teacher's assistant instead. While running home in the rain, she runs into Leo, who offers her his umbrella and she accepts. The next day, Jullie is sick from being in the rain and Oliver finds out who took Jullie's umbrella. Oliver goes over to Jullie's house to take care of her and Jullie starts to question if this Oliver will still have the same end as her novel. Oliver also goes home to watch her on security cameras so the answer to that question is probably no. The next day, Oliver humiliates the person who took Jullie's umbrella by posting pictures of his nudes all over the school, effectively having his girlfriend break up with him in the process. Meanwhile, Jullie's professor warns her about her grades which leads to her studying with Leo. She is able to improve because of Leo and the two decide to go on a date together. When midterms comes, she is accused of stealing the answer sheets and gets framed for it. She is able to get another chance to find the truth with the help of Grace and Leo. She bumps into Oliver and ends up telling him what happened. While Jullie is still cautious of him, she does realize that he acts very differently than how he does in the story, and slightly opens up with him. The next day, Jullie finds Oliver talking to a group of girls who he thinks might be harassing Jullie. While eavesdropping, she sees that Oliver threatens them to confess the truth and Jullies perception of him changes a bit, as in the original story, the girls were killed, not simply threatened. Jullie is no longer framed for stealing the answer sheet and goes out with Oliver as a thank you for finding the culprit. We learn a bit more about Oliver's past, and the next day the Travel Club goes to the mountains for their first trip. Jullie meets Oliver there as well since the volleyball team is also stationed up there for camp. Jullie forgets to bring the charcoal and Leo and her go out to buy some while bonding closer. Oliver also says hi to Jullie and she decides to trust him as he's deviated a lot from the original story and is probably not a threat (I mean, it's completely incorrect, but okay, Jullie). The last chapter has Jullie get lost and saved by Oliver, and Leo feeling jealous.

In terms of story, I think this one is pretty unique in isekai genre. I've only really read one other story for isekai where the author is pulled into her own story, which is in I Chose the Emperor's Ending, but in most cases, the story the person is pulled into is a fantasy royalty setting, rather than in a more modern setting. I also liked the idea that the author wrote this when she was in high school, which explains why there's so many cheesy lines and why some tropes (like bullying) are so heavily involved in a university setting. It also connects a lot to Amber's life, since many things are pulled from her life when writing this: from the bullying to the similarities of Leo and the guy that she was jealous of because of his success. I assume that Oliver was also created because of some sort of deep rooted feeling of wanting to be loved (since she was never really loved in her academic life, job or family), but that might be just stretching it.

Speaking of Amber, I do actually like her character in the story. She starts out as a jaded, and more blunt individual due to her upbringing both at home and at school and it makes sense that she would have a more jaded attitude towards both her story and the characters in the story she gets sucked into. She become really grateful to a lot of things in her new life such as her loving family and new friends and it's clear that she really cares about them. It's interesting to see her play out her old self to push Oliver away from her, and while it doesn't always work, it does show that she can be more assertive in her life, rather than just be passive like in a lot of other isekai stories. We can also see the kind of character development she's having as this new world gives her a second chance at a lot of things that her old life didn't give her and how she considers that she might have been really judgmental of other people in her old life.

That being said, I do think that some of her choices in the story are a bit... questionable. Considering her life is on the line and she knows what happens in the story, there are a lot of cases in the beginning where she does basically the same thing (or something similar) that would cause her to have an interaction with Oliver. Granted, this does happen much less as the story goes on, but it is still a bit strange that she is willing to put herself in danger like that. She also starts to believe that Oliver will not end up the same way as how the original story ended due to different events and his personality, which is completely incorrect, but I would find it at least a bit plausible that the murderous character might have changed, even if I was still really cautious about it.

Leo seems like the main love interest to Amber, especially since the two have formed a bond with each other and have helped each other in different ways. It's very likely that Oliver will end up targeting Leo at some point once he sees how close the two are and similarly in the recent chapter, it seems Leo has feelings of jealousy which might end up with him being more possessive but I guess we'll have to see on that part. It is kind of funny that Leo was based on the guy that Amber was so jealous about in the past and that she so happened to write this guy into the story, but I digress.

Oliver, of course, is our main yandere boy this evening and he sure does fulfill a lot of these traits. Oliver starts out as the kind of "perfect" boy in the story, seemingly getting along with most people and being pretty rich (according to his backstory), but is very obviously troubled. In his childhood he would often pull apart insect wings and even killed his class pet, and we see that his mother would often yell at him for looking so much like his dad. He starts to become obsessed with Amber, having a ton of picture of her everywhere, recording her in her house and of course, getting rid of people who wronged her. While these actions do happen in the story as well, the obsession on her seems to be a bit different, at least in terms of the scenes that happens. He still does get rid of the guy who almost assaulted her (presumably killing him since he's still missing), ruins the life of the guy who borrowed her umbrella and threatened the girls that framed her for cheating and it's probably just going to get worse from there. In the original story, he seems a lot less sneaky and more violent, considering he does end up killing the girls that framed Amber, but it might be because Amber herself is more cautious around him and acts more aloofly towards him as well. It's kind of interesting seeing how Amber's actions are affecting how Oliver is acting as well.

All in all, the story is pretty interesting and the yandere involved is slowly being built up. I like the premise of it and I'm interested to see what will happen after.

#male yandere #yandere boy #yandere #recommendation #the male lead is a murderer

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papers4me · 3 years

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Fruits Basket Manga Review , ch 111

sigh~~~ I feel that my recent posts are a bit negative towards the anime, but thats cuz the chapters I’ve read so far are either unbelievably important character depth content cut for no valid reason or content in the anime but packed with million other things that it lost its purpose or importance. Basically tohu’s ep 6 which consists of 4 chapters & now ep 5 which is a momiji ep & yup, packed with 4 chapters as well... so, I apologize for any negativity, my intention is just analyzing artistic & story-telling aspects, I love se03, but yeah it screwed up lots of important characters due to its not so thorough plot decisions & harmful character insight choices.

today.. we explore Momiji... but only before his curse breaks.

Furuba anime struggling to know how to design an episode based on various plot-heavy chapters?

so, they decided 13 eps, & decided one ep for momiji cuz motoko’s graduation & the fanclub is the core of the furuba & have already cut tons of tohru, cuz who cares? she’s kind. be like her. end of lesson. No. really, jokes aside, how to do this?

How to combine several chapters in one ep? collect small snippets from chosen chapters/content like a bee does flowers? you gotta skip some content, you gotta highlight others. The ep is only 20 min after all & you got an op & Ed that you cant always skip.... so.. furuba team decide that momoji’s ep should be true to his zodiac animal, this is the rabbits last appearance in spirit. so, they went with quick hopping from one chapter to the other like a rabbit?

No really, ep 5 is really like a rabbit in its flow, you can’t savior a moment enough before jumping to the other: we learned momiji grew up!! loves toheu romantically, challenged kyo, really meant it, wanted a fair love game, got freed, lost tohru romantically & faced momiji! but that’s not all? we still have space!! quick add akito’s moodiness & love triangle with her dog & her submissive bed partner, add a happy comedy for no reason whatever & make shigue kiss tohru & wish shes 'was his lover instead!!!!!!!!! Mind you all this happened in the anime before shigure hurt tohru with his “the truth of the zodiacs talk & them accepting & feeling consolance that kyo is doomed”talk.

-Gets whats my biggest surprise after reading this chapter ?????????

Shigure is consistent!! He isnt a rabbit hopping here & there. The dog is loyal & is tired for good reason! Him being depressed & his weird talk with thoru makes so much sense given the manga’s order.

Kyo is consistent!! In the anime, momiji surprise him with confession he loves tohru & challenge him, then kyo la~la~la~joins them downstairs for curry. Not a single expression on his face, where is the expression? it will appear when the plot is forced to address it: by the end of the ep when momiji face hin again. Then we get kyo’s reaction.

I need someone to tell the anime that actions require a reaction. You can refrain from showing a certain reaction if you can’t address it now, but you can’t erase it, negate it, then make it appear when have to!!!! couldn’t they make kyo refuse to join them & eat together? the other characters wont be surprised they think he’s needlessly moody. The audience will know that kyo is troubled with momiji’s challenged & it will excite them!!! having kyo just go eat & watch the momiji/hiro/haru/yuki comedy skit is weird.

The manga’s author wanted kyo to join the dinner, like the anime did. but huge difference. the author actually cares for logic reaction & understands that the audience aren’t dumb little kids that will sit & wait for kyo’s turn to...react! nope! she did this: (a) & (b) below.

-Lost Small Bits/ Panels from the chapter.. But Sadly Big Huge Chunks for Characters buildup & Growth:

(a) addressed the fact the hiro noticed kyoru is in love & dressed that shigure was right!! the cat being in love is a weird concept to the zodiacs! hiro reacted naturally & the author used hiro to flesh yuki’s (the rat), momiji’s (the rabbit) & haru’s (the cow) decision to silently watch the kyo (the cat) makes his own decisions to live!!! They won’t interfere or tell akito or remind him of his state as the doomed caged cat. So sad this moment is cut from yuki. Why must yuki only interact with kyo to beat him (all seasons)? why must yuki only think of kyo to envy him (all seasons) ? Here, yuki’s growth towards kyo as a person & his relationship with tohru is 1000 times better than all tohru is my mom’s sh!t & I envy kyo’s Sh!t we saw in the anime over & over till we memorized it.

(b) kyo didnt just go la~la~eat with momiji after knowing he loves tohru. Nope, there’s small bits missing: called logical emotional reaction. He was surprised he’s caught pining over tohru! cuz yuki, the audience representative, has told us in the previous chapter that ppl in love dont notice anything around them. Kyo thinks him being cold hid his feelings. the dummy’s feelings are as bright as the sun in the Sahara, tohru too. a child read her! such small thing that wont take much space from the ep but was cut cuz kyo only needs to be responsive at the ep’s end. & this scene of kyo & tohru looking awkwardly at each other is minor in space but so important cuz kyo is determined to let go but his decision is challenged by not only momiji, but his natural attraction to tohru. Here he knows he’s caught & exposed... here he knows momiji is a better choice for tohru cuz he wont didn’t hurt her mom... here he knows that even yuki is better cuz never had to pretend to be cold to her... here he knows the world is better than him... & here he just cant help by smile & walks towards her... T_T ... another lesson in writing slow burns by Takaya-san.

-Why would the anime team pass on this?? drawing kyoru closer after the epic tear in Cinderella ep, cuz they want empty suspense~! The anime team thinks that if kyo & tohru stand next to each other, then it means all their issues are solved & the audience are so stupid as to forget tohru’s mom, kyo’s imprisonment, kyo not confessing his sins to tohru & tohru’s need to make a choice wether to fogive hom or not.. nope! you see, they think, ppl who read mangas are smart, so the author can give this epic symbolism & pp would still be not sure kyoru is end game & tohru will forgive him or kyo even fogive himself, but ppl who watch, oh no, gotta cut all the plot worthy content, produce a graduation song for a minor character, cut all kyo/tohru interaction cuz it only means romance & not at all character depth & oh if we show yuki actually formulating deep thoughts that aren’t centered around him, the audience might forget his se02 struggles! or that might ruin yuki’s upcoming growth moment in the finale where he .. you guessed it hits kyo.. as he always do & sulk & think abt himself cuz yuki can only do monologues when he’s directly involved.... man~it is so sad how the anime is dumped down.. Who is the target audience again? not kids as young as hiro cuz even hiro is smart!

-just look:

Momiji talks abt kyo shouldn't give up loving tohru & the authr shows this this ghost!!! his mom! The author reminds us that kyo isnt da~~~~ forgetting anything. He’s a deeply troubled soul & hos mom wants him locked cuz she too was locked in a cage & thinks that’s safer...why oh why you dump ur own story! sh!t~

Side Notes:

I like the closeups on Kisa’s face as she interacted with kyo. It’s very rare for kisa to have a world beside the endearing parental/big protective bro/big doting sister love she has with tohru & haru & off course the romantic love with hiro which was perhaps since their birth or sth. lol. Kisa & kyo arent much on the brotherly side as they rarely interact, but its one of those refreshing interactions she has that helps cast a new light on her as tiny as it is, but its sth out of the norm around her. She sees him around tohru & gets to perceive his true unprovoked character. “He is nice guy”.

I really wanted to punch kureno this chapter.. like Shigure is a jerk shitty dog for sleeping with akito’s mom but kureno... dude.. you submissively sleep with the guy’s eternal love interest & still walks in on him talking to her!!! lol. you’re mentally, emotionally & physically weaker than him & yet, she puts you on her bed, not him & you, tho not wanting her at all, dont walk away. No wonder shigure is defeated & wishing for someone like tohru, lol! Even if shigure met an older tohru-like person, it wont work. shigure deserve someone like him mean, schemer & loves playing power games. Tohru is someone who values honesty & commutation, not saying she’s an angel on earth, but tohru knows who suits her.. except fate is saying: NO. .... currently. lol.

I know kureno’s weakness is part of his character & I love that such characters exits. There are ppl ike that in real life. It’s just this chapter, I felt shigure’s frustration. XD

Yuki in this ep is the best yuki. no exaggeration here, I love when yuki is calmly thoughtful of others & here its kyo of all ppl !!!! cutting this scene is sad.. without it, kyo & yuki remain a cat & rat in the anime. Only ever thinking abt each other thro envious binoculars or hateful words or yuki giving kyo comedic hitting or life’s problem-solving hitting. Why can’t anime yuki be interactive outside his self-centered issues is beyond me.

Momiji & kyo’s interactions are always the best! whether comedy or drama.

I hated the curry cooking scene in the anime... so weirdly out of the ep’s flow.. very forced comedy... in the manga it had a purpose! not just quick add comedy cuz next shot momiji curse breaks & drama & we’ll close the ep with tears & sadness & glimpses of hope...

I love haru’s answer to hiro... so him.. “a guy can’t fall in love?”so chill.. so..simple.

#Fruits Basket #Anime Only #manga spoilers #fruits basket manga #manga review #sad paper #mad paper #I'm having shitty personal day dont mind me #sorry for extra anger #if it sounds like I;m screaming or shouting #I'm not i swear #I really love the anime & se03 is the best content among the other seasons #its just have big giant issues in plot & characters....

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bigbadredpanda · 4 years

Note

Hi Panda! I saw a post mention that the reason why MXTX has LWJ and WWX say they are "husband and wife" is because there's not another noun for married couple in Mandarin. Is that really true?

Hi there! That’s a topic that was the subject of much controversy and misinformation that spread like wildfire... I’ve seen ExR being accused of pushing an agenda for translating 夫妻 (fuqi) as “husband and wife” (ch.112, 119) and people claiming that the proper translation is supposedly the gender-neutral “married couple”. That’s not how Chinese works, that’s not how translation works. One-to-one correspondences between languages do not exist and words come with a linguistic and cultural context, not from a vacuum.

夫 is “husband”, 妻 is “wife”, together they mean both “husband and wife” and “married couple”. It is extremely common in Chinese to form compound words by juxtaposing or opposing two characters to refer to a broader concept encompassing the individual characters. To quote a few examples, 父母 (father+mother) refers to “parents”, 大小 (big+small) means “size”, 荣辱 (honour+disgrace) is “reputation”, the list goes on and on.

Having “husband+wife” as “married couple” and “father+mother” as “parents” is of course heteronormative but it’s also a reflection of what society was and still is to this day. New words were coined to refer to same-sex couples such as 夫夫 (fufu, husband+husband) but that’s modern terminology. It might be worthwhile to bring up the fact that 夫夫 is used multiple times by MXTX to refer to Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji outside of the novel itself. It’s on the webnovel frontpage as well as several chapter blurbs:

夫夫双双把山下 “The pair of husbands leave the mountain” (chapter blurb 20)

夫夫齐斩辣鸡洋，星岚箐尘埃落定。义城篇，完。”The husbands chop up trash [Xue] Yang, aftermath of [Xiao] Xing[chen], [Song] Lan and [A-]Qing, end of the Yi City arc”, there’s a pun in there as “trash” (垃圾 lājī) is written as the homophonous “spicy chicken” (辣鸡 làjī) (chapter blurb 42)

夫夫吃糖日常, ”Husbands eating sweets everyday”, eating sweets is internet slang for public displays of affection. (chapter blurb 116)

These are all written in a humorous and light-hearted way as you can see. This kind of tongue-in-cheek author notes don’t make it in physical copies when novels get published but they’re representative of the very casual tone full of slang allusions on webnovel platforms where novel recaps sort of sound like shitposts. With that said, I would be remiss not to mention that the blurb of chapter 7 is 霸道含光君的疯癫小逃妻？？？, “The overbearing Hanguang-Jun’s crazy runaway wife???”. This sounds terribly awkward but it’s referencing stereotypical characters in het romances such as the pushy CEO and the young woman who is wary at first but then fall madly in love with him. You know the type. There are plenty of those in novels written by Western authors as well.

While Chinese is not outwardly a particularly gendered language (no grammatical gender with distinct masculine and feminine forms as it is common in many Indo-European languages and other language families), it is a language in which social roles and positions are heavily codified as seen through the use of honorifics and this social divide intersects with male/female differentiation. For instance, there is a number of characters that can be used to signify “to marry”, like the gender-specific 娶 or 嫁 depending on whether the subject is a man or woman, the first character is composed of “取 take+ 女 woman” and the second of “女 woman + 家 home/family”. As I mentioned here, marriage was not equal in ancient times as the bride was leaving her family and entering her husband’s household. At the end of the novel, Wei Wuxian effectively marries into the Gusu Lan Sect, thus holding the social position that would traditionally be the wife’s part. What is interesting however is that the story and the main characters deconstruct typical gender roles. As I was saying, the Chinese language itself might not ostensibly gendered but Chinese traditional society certainly was. There’s a saying that goes 男耕女织, “Men plough and women weave” to describe pastoral life. That should remind you of Wei Wuxian’s dream (ch.67, 117), he has no qualms imaging himself as the one working the fields and doing outdoor labour while Lan Wangji stays in their little cottage and does the housekeeping.

I’m finally coming back to your original question after a long-winded detour, are there other ways to refer to a married couple in Chinese besides the “husband+wife” 夫妻? Of course there are but 夫妻 is the most commonplace denomination. You have the similar 夫妇 (also “husband+wife”). 配偶 (”join+mate”) means “spouse” but that’s a term mostly used in the written language and not in the vernacular. There is the more literary 伉俪 (“matching+couple”) but that’s even more out of place in everyday speech (even if it were to be said by someone as articulate as Lan Wangji). If we want something more figurative, we have 鸳侣 (”mandarin duck+companion”), the equivalent of “lovebirds”. I’m sure there are many, many more synonyms. Then why is Lan Wangji using 夫妻 and not a more overtly gender-neutral option? Why doesn’t he say something like 我们已经结婚了, “We are already married” (this “marry” is written as “to unite/to form+wedding” and is not gender-specific)? Because what he says is context-wise appropriate and not problematic in the original Chinese.

#answers #mo dao zu shi #cultural notes #apologies for the very belated reply that ended up being half explanation half tirade #incoherent ramblings #xingkari

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mintymiknow · 3 years

Text

Trust Fall - ch. 14 | Lee Minho

summary | character profiles | masterlist

Pairing: Lee Minho/Lee Know x Reader

Summary: After an eventful evening, you and Minho return to HQ to continue making progress on the case with the other agents. While things are starting to fall into place and answers are found, feelings seem much clearer now as well.

Genre: Secret agent/spy au, romance, angst, action

Word count: Approx. 6.9k

Warnings for this chapter: Death is talked about (but no actual death scenes), suggestive and highly implied content, the word “sex” is used (but nothing explicit or nsfw; I still kept things PG hehe)

A/N: After a loooong wait, here it is! I just checked my outline and realized that I’ve managed to shorten things by putting several chapters together so...I guess the series is ending soon! For now, I hope you enjoy this chapter with some...spicier content for our main couple (spicy but not explicit haha, don’t worry!). Have fun, and don’t hesitate to drop an ask for any questions or comments!

Last night’s sleep was good. Perfect. Much needed.

In the new hours of another day, your head still lay on the pillow, body wrapped up snuggly in the soft sheets as sunlight gently peeked through the closed curtains. It was quite chilly, but there was also a distinct warmth swirling about, making your slumber even better. Your breathing was even, and your mind at rest for once.

And, there were arms around you.

Minho awoke first, his body much more used to getting up at early hours. His eyes slowly peeled open, immediately landing on your sleep-filled expression. Upon hearing the soft snores puffing out of you, the male chuckles to himself - as quietly as possible - and scoots ever so closer, wrapping his arms around you tighter. You mumble something incoherent, making him smile in amusement.

He could stare all day.

The soft and tranquil expression on your face was something he wanted to relish in. Seeing you in constant stress and anguish throughout your time working with them has made him quite upset, so seeing you in a better state surely melted his heart.

It was unexplainable…the way he wanted to protect and keep you safe. To care for you. To make sure you were happy and satisfied. To love you, perhaps.

He did love Jiyeon, but the feeling bubbling in him towards you was something else, and whatever he had for Jiyeon could not compare to what he now has for you. The thought makes his lips quirk up into a small smirk, and he finds himself whispering to himself, “Look at what you’re doing to me, y/n.”

Minho places a chaste kiss on your forehead before carefully untangling himself from you. The male tries his best to not wake you as he slips out of bed and heads for the bathroom to freshen up. He decides to take his time to give you as much sleep as you needed, even silently going out to the inn lobby to grab a snack. There, Agent Ju greets him with a smile, “Good morning, Agent Lee. I hope you and Miss Song are feeling better.”

“Morning.” Minho smiles back, nodding his head once, “Yeah, much better. Thank you.”

Agent Ju nods her head before leaning against the receptionist’s table, “Well, if you and Miss Song are heading back to Seoul, I can arrange for HQ to send a car over.”

“It’s fine. We came by bus and we’ll go back the same way.” Minho says politely, “Thank you for the help, though.”

“Anytime.” Agent Ju laughs.

Minho then nods his head in permission before making his leave to return to the room you shared in the inn. When he unlocks the door, he’s not surprised to see you still fast asleep, now hugging the pillow he was laying on previously. With an amused shake of his head, the agent walks over to you and sits on the edge of the bed. As much as he treasured seeing you at peace like this, you both had to return to HQ.

The male gently shakes your sleeping figure, “Y/n, time to get up.”

You mumble yet another string of incoherent words, releasing a deep breath as you toss and turn in an attempt to stop the agent from shaking you awake. With a laugh, Minho gently crawls closer to lean over you, peppering your unguarded face with feathery kisses. His quick attacks are tickling, causing you to giggle; ultimately, you open your eyes after a squeal escapes your lips as a result of Minho nibbling at your earlobe.

The male laughs at your glare, “Hey, sleepyhead.”

Your glare melts into a small albeit sleepy smile as you respond, “I’m surprised you aren’t sleepy.”

“I’m used to this.” Minho chuckles, taking your hands in his so he could pull you to sit up. The right sleeve of the robe you had worn last night had slipped down to the middle of your upper arm, so Minho gently pulls it back to its place over your shoulder and offers a small smile, “Do you want to freshen up before getting dressed?”

“Yeah, ok.” you say, leaning forward to rest your head on Minho’s shoulder.

The male chuckles softly, allowing you to stay in that position for another minute or so. Afterwards, you take a good stretch and get up from the bed, making a beeline to the bathroom while Minho gathers both your things ready for leaving. After you’re both ready to leave, you gather your things and head to the inn’s main desk to say your thanks to Agent Ju. The woman bows her head and waves with a smile, “Take care, you two.”

You and Minho give her a smile before walking out of the inn. Thankfully, the wait at the bus stop isn’t that long, and a few minutes later, you’re both seated towards the back and are on the way back to Seoul. Minho allows you to sit next to the window, allowing you to watch the scenery as the bus drives by. The sun basks you in enough sunlight, but still mild enough to not make it hot or too bright. Minho sneaks a glance, resisting the urge to claim your lips in his as you preoccupy yourself with the said scenery. Instead, he gently slips his hand with yours, intertwining your fingers like lace.

This prompts you to look away from the window, eyes now focused on him. You crack a smile and chuckle, “Sorry, I dazed off.”

“It’s alright.” Minho smiles, squeezing your hand, “You can sleep until we get to Seoul if you want.”

You shake your head, leaning it on Minho’s shoulder afterwards, “I’m fine, I got enough sleep. I do want…” you trail off, using your free hand to draw patterns on the male’s hand that is clasped around yours, “...to hear your story when meeting the other boys.”

“Hmm?”

“I told you about how I met Hyejoo...and Hyunbin.” you slowly explain, “And you told me about how you met Chan and Jiyeon. How about the other boys?”

Minho chuckles, nodding his head in amusement, “Alright then.”

You let out a quiet “yay”, prompting another chuckle from the male. He then speaks, “Chan was my superior for a while, right? Well, after he convinced Jung to ‘elevate’ me into a more senior agent, Changbin came in, and Chan and I sort of became his superior and trainer until we became a team - not counting Jiyeon, since you know her story. Hyunjin came in a month after Changbin, and the two of us got along pretty well, so our team compositions would rotate between us four.”

“Surprisingly,” Minho chuckles, “Jisung and Seungmin were already in SKZ before I entered. They’re younger, yeah, but they finished college early for their age and started working in SKZ after some recommendations from science and medical professionals who got to see their skills. Jisung wasn’t ‘head’ of the lab department at that time, but he was a well-respected figure. So was Seungmin. I remember becoming friends with them because Jisung spilled coffee on me in the cafeteria, and he wouldn’t stop fussing even after I told him it was fine. Seungmin had the audacity to laugh at the situation, but I found it funny as well.”

A small yet warm smile forms on your lips as you stifle a laugh, “That sounds like a very normal occurrence in your group of friends. And Jeongin?”

Minho shrugs gently, a smile on his face as well, “He was the last to join, but he was usually assigned to team with me, so we bonded pretty well. You could say I taught him almost everything he knows.”

“Hmm.” you hum in a teasing manner, “Jeongin does remind me of a mini-you...or something like that.”

Minho chuckles at this, his lips curling with an amused quirk, “Until he actually becomes better than all of us. He has a lot of potential.”

“Imagine that.” you laugh.

The next few minutes or hour spent in your journey back to HQ is filled with idle chatter and light-hearted conversations about more personal things, such as non-work related hobbies and interests, life as teenagers or kids before, and a random game of 20 questions - all while holding each other’s hands and leaning against each other. Some people on the bus murmured that you and Minho were a lovely couple, and one old lady flashed a warm smile and said something along the lines of “I wish you both a long and lasting relationship”.

Of course, that caused you to burn like a tomato. Minho was calmer, nodding in acknowledgement and thanking the old lady; either he was playing yet another disguise of being a couple, or he actually did think you were a couple.

Were you?

What were you two to each other anyway?

You’ve showered together, slept in one bed, kissed, hugged - everything a couple would do. Something friends would do? No, you didn’t think friends kissed the way you did back at the inn. So...what were you?

There was an unnamed label or string between you and Minho, but perhaps deciphering that could wait until another time - when both your missions were over with.

For now, you were at peace knowing that the person who tore down your defensive and heavily-guarded wall was none other than Minho.

Once you and Minho arrive back at HQ, you both head straight to the labs where Jisung and Seungmin are already working. “Hey, welcome back.” Jisung flashes a grin, “How was the trip?”

“Some...bumps along the way, but…” Minho puts the case on one of the lab tables and explains, “Here are the samples you need to continue testing.”

Seungmin nods and gathers the various bottles and vials, “Well then, we shouldn’t waste any time on this.”

Minho nods his head, “I’m going to meet with the other agents to update them. I’ll call if Jung wants to schedule a briefing session.”

“Alright.” Jisung flashes a smile.

You nod in response, a small smile on your lips, “I’ll help Jisung and Seungmin.”

The eldest male nods before offering a smile at all three of you, turning on his heel to then make his exit. Once he’s out of the room, Jisung swirls around to flash a cheeky grin at you, “Something must have happened in that trip.”

“What are you talking about?” you question, trying to remain calm while helping Seungmin begin the tests and experiments.

Jisung chuckles, “I don’t know. It’s like...there’s been a shift between you and Minho. In a good way.”

“They probably confessed and made love or something.” Seungmin joins in the teasing, a rather funny contrast to how serious he was with the test tube in his hand.

“That did not happen!” you protest, quickly grabbing your own test tube and a vial, “We just...talked.”

“Yeah, right.” Jisung laughs as he conducts his own experiments now, “At least say you kissed.”

“That…” you trail off with a small pout, “...is confidential.”

“So you did.”

“Quiet, Seungmin.”

The next few hours are spent with the three of you conducting more tests and experiments to confirm or support your theories and other data. Thankfully, whatever results were being yielded were indeed looking towards the bright side. Although...Jisung did nearly spill his coffee into one of Seungmin’s lab flasks. Fortunately, the doctor was quick to react; who knew what would have happened if caffeine was mixed with these dangerous substances.

By now, the three of you were seated in one of the lab offices, going through sheets of paper with results and scribbled-down notes and citations while discussing all possible outcomes and solutions. Then, as somewhat expected, Minho called in, explaining that Jung wanted to meet with the team for a quick briefing of all current findings. With that, the three of you gathered your things and headed for the main building, footsteps quick as you made your way to the meeting rooms.

The other agents and Jung are already inside when you, Jisung and Seungmin enter the room. Chan, as usual, greets with a warm smile and nod of his head. Changbin mirrors the action, and Hyunjin gives off a playful salute. Felix and Jeongin aren’t there at the moment, probably still on break or something of the like. Jisung takes a seat next to Hyunjin, and Seungmin takes a seat next to Changbin while you settle down between Chan and Minho.

Jung clears his throat to start the session, “Alright, so, what do we have so far?”

Chan speaks first, fingers lightly drumming against the table, “At the culminating point, all investigations and intel have led to one definite finding. Cle is ready with their prototype serums, and by ready, we mean that intel tells us they are ready to start transacting and trading with other parties.”

“Hmm, I see.” Jung nods, “And how is our side responding to this?”

“Various teams have managed to dismantle various Cle facilities.” Minho begins, “This would either hinder their process by getting rid of their stocks for transactions, or getting these stocks for our own use; for the lab department to come up with a solution.”

“And how is the lab department?” the head of SKZ turns to you, Jisung and Seungmin.

You slowly piece your thoughts together, stringing the right words carefully. “I’ve...we’ve come up with a temporary solution. It’s...far from perfect, but all the tests we’ve performed with it have worked so far.” you answer, “I wouldn’t call it complete and functional though.”

Jung nods his head once more, “Do you think it’s safe to say that we can utilize this now? So that we can interfere with whatever trades and transactions Cle has in store?”

“I…” you look around the room before gulping, “No. I think we should still observe and test it out a few more times.”

“How long ago did you come up with the solution? Why didn’t you say anything sooner?” Jung questions, “We could have made more progress earlier.”

You look away, shaking your head, “It’s science, sir. I didn’t say anything because I wanted to be 100% certain the solution was effective. Even now, I’m not 100% certain. Jisung, Seungmin and I are still working to see how credible it is.”

Minho nods his head as if agreeing with you, “It might have been risky if they weren’t completely sure that their solution would be effective. We can’t afford any mistakes on this.”

“I agree.” Jung clasps his hands together, “Good to know that everyone’s efforts paid off. Do you think the lab team can develop several stocks of that solution any time soon, Dr. Song?”

“We’ll do our best to finalize things.” you answer quickly, “Then we’ll see what capacity we can do to produce a large volume.”

“Very well.” Jung nods definitively, “I wish everyone the best of luck. Meeting dismissed. Good luck on your respective tasks.”

Jung is the first to exit the room as soon as his phone rings. Chan leans back on his seat and props his feet up on the table, “So...Minho says you actually have completed the solution, y/n.”

“I...sort of have.” you confirm, “I just want to be more sure of it. There’s no room for a single percentage of failure in things like this.”

Changbin hums, crossing his arms, “Good thing the teams were able to bring back a lot of Cle serums for that then.”

“The power of science huh.” Hyunjin spins his chair around, “Amazing what you can do in a lab.”

Chan chuckles at the long-haired male’s comment before his expression softens and he sits down properly. With a tilt of his head, Chan says, “Sorry to change the topic but...Minho did tell us about what happened in that small clinic with your friend and all...I’m sorry. How are you?”

You offer a small smile and shrug, “It still hasn’t fully sunk in, but...I’ll be ok.”

Hyunjin has an apologetic expression on his face as he speaks with a soft voice, “Well, whatever it is, we’re your friends now, alright? You got us.”

“I know, thank you.” you flash another genuine smile.

“What else happened back there?” Changbin inquires, his playful smile displaying his attempt to lighten the situation.

“Well...Minho told me about Jiyeon and how he met all of you.”

Chan looks at his friend with raised eyebrows and chuckles, “Did he now? That’s interesting. Minho doesn’t like talking about her.”

Minho playfully shoves Chan’s teasing face away from him and rolls his eyes, “She’s bound to find out anyway. I’m sure Jisung and Seungmin would have told her one of these days.”

“Hey!” Jisung protests, “I would not have done so without your permission.”

“You just agreed that you would have told y/n either way...just with Minho’s permission.” Seungmin laughs.

Jisung puffs his cheeks out, causing the other males to chuckle in amusement. You find yourself smiling at the situation too; having a circle of friends who managed to smile despite the existence of problems wasn’t something you were used to after all. Maybe dropping your walls wasn’t such a bad idea as long as it was these boys.

Soon, Changbin playfully salutes before getting up from his seat and laughing, “I’ll excuse myself first. I haven’t gotten any sleep since my last mission.”

Minho nods, “Sleep well.”

The buff agent smiles before making his leave. Hyunjin follows suit, stretching his tall figure as he stands, “And I will look for Jeongin to bug him...he owes me coffee.”

“Well, that’s my cue too.” Jisung hops up, “Felix and I are off to that new pizza place.”

The two males then wave and say goodbye before exiting the room. Chan looks at you and the remaining agents and asks, “And you guys?”

Seungmin stifles a yawn, “I think I’ll copy Changbin. I need some sleep...maybe just nap.”

“I’m not sure yet.” you answer next, shrugging your shoulders as you pout your lips in thought.

When Minho remains silent, eyes looking at Chan with some sort of bro-code message, the eldest agent chuckles softly. “Alright, you should all get some rest. If you need me, I’ll probably be snacking in the lounge.” Chan states before getting up.

With that, he and Seungmin leave the room, leaving you alone with Minho. The silence doesn’t last long for as soon as Minho turns to face you, you offer a small smile. and say, “Do you have a moment?”

Minho looks taken by surprise at first but eventually recovers with ease. “Sure.” he nods in response.

You both then leave the meeting room together, some sort of unspoken agreement to walk towards the living quarters. A few minutes later, you find yourselves in one of the rooftop decks of the living quarters’ building, the expanse of the sky greeting you. You walk over to the railing, leaning slightly to admire the view as a gentle breeze idly blows around. Minho joins in, falling into step right beside you as he props an elbow on the railing.

“Is something wrong?” he quietly asks, eyes intently studying your features.

“How…” you begin to say, but a sudden wave of emotions causes you to press your lips in a tight, flat line.

Your eyes dart to the floor a bit shakily, and Minho is instantly aware of whatever internal struggle you’re battling with. He then takes the initiative to help you, slowly reaching one hand out to intertwine your fingers together. While gently swaying your hands like a hammock, he smiles, “It’s ok.”

You give him a small smile in return, squeezing his hand in an expression of gratitude. Slowly, you manage to speak up again, “How do you get over witnessing death? Someone dying?”

Minho more than understands what your question meant - it was definitely about Hyunbin.

“You’re a doctor, y/n.” Minho starts slowly, “I’d assume death isn’t something new to you.”

At this, a small yet gloomy smile graces your lips as you reply, “I know. But the death I witness in hospitals is very different from the death...in that context.”

Minho stays quiet, analytical eyes still studying your behavior. You then add, “When a patient dies, it hurts, but we know it’s part of life - we can’t save everyone. I know that, and I’m accustomed to it. But when you...you witness someone dying in a much more gruesome way for intentions that are more twisted than you’d like...how do you forget about it?”

“You don’t.” Minho says flatly, a resigned sigh following after, “That’s just how it is. Hyunbin’s death will follow you for the rest of your life, y/n. I’d know because Jiyeon’s death did. You never really forget things like that once you’ve seen them. They have a way of sticking with you.”

“I see.”

“But…” the male trails off, using his other free hand to lift your chin so that your gazes met. He continues, “You can choose to wallow in despair and let that hold you back, or move past it and use it as a stepping stone to become stronger...better. They never leave you, but you can choose to focus on things that are living - things that actually matter.”

A soft chuckle escapes your lips as you look up at the male. The warm, orange hues of the setting sky paints Minho’s features with an ethereal glow, and his hair dances along with the breeze, making him look like a painting that has come to life - a very handsome, strong and smart painting. There’s a sharpness to Minho that is countered by elegance and refinement; he looks tired and worn-out yet is full of life and passion.

“You’re right.” you finally respond, “Thank you. Again.”

Without warning, Minho pulls you closer, circling his arms around your waist. As soon as you feel his arms around you, you nuzzle your face against his chest and take a deep, shaky breath. “I’m sorry, I’m being selfish like this.” you say quietly, “I’ve never had anyone to trust to this extent. It’s all...new.”

Minho chuckles, his voice low yet calm, “It’s alright, y/n. You’re not being selfish, don’t worry.”

You remain in each other’s arms for a few more seconds before Minho pulls away just enough to look into your eyes. “I know Hyunbin broke your trust,” he starts, “but I will never. I promise you that.”

“I know, Minho.” your gaze pierces his fiercely, “I know.”

You’re now both stuck in time, eyes trailing down to each other’s semi-parted lips, unmoving despite the breeze picking up. The sun sets much lower, painting the sky now a dusky shade of purple. You feel one of Minho’s hands reach up to your face, his knuckles gingerly grazing along your jaw; it sends a jolt of electricity down your spine, prompting a brief shiver.

“Minho…”

“I’ll be the selfish one right now.”

And it’s the last thing he says before closing whatever distance stood between you, sealing your lips with his own. It, however, isn’t just him that makes a move - you meet him halfway as well, very much wanting to be selfish and allowing yourself to indulge in something...more.

This kiss is slower and much calmer compared to the one you both shared in the inn the other night; that one was hungry, sudden and a bit rushed. This...this was much more intimate and deliberate as both you and Minho took the time to really relish and savor every glide and slide of your lips against each other. The way Minho kisses is gentle yet solid, patient yet passionate - it sends tingles in every fiber of your body as it does to his.

His right arm goes around your waist as his left hand braces the back of your neck to support it as he tilts your head back. You gasp out, arms flying up to coil around his neck. Your fingers play with the hair at the base of his nape as you allow the male entrance to kiss you deeper, melting in his hold as his tongue finds yours in a tango. It’s amazing - it feels amazing.

You’re 100% Minho has kissed many people, whether he meant it or not, but you...you’ve never. To experience such bliss and magic with a man like him was certainly something else, and it made you feel like no scientific or medical discovery could give you this ecstasy. It felt like with every second and every kiss, he took your worries away - your fears and ghosts away.

After a moment, you both pull apart for air, breaths labored as your foreheads rest against each other. Your face is extremely flushed as a tint of pink dusts Minho’s cheeks. The male’s lips curl into a small smile as he whispers, “Let me help you forget it all, y/n. Hyunbin, your past, your pain - everything.”

You nod and pull him closer to the point that not a single sliver of air could squeeze between your bodies. You kiss the tip of his nose and smile in response, “Please.”

And he kisses you again. And again. And again, until you’re both walking back down inside from the rooftop deck without a word, hand-in-hand as you take the elevators to the floor level of your room. Lips are on lips as soon as you enter your room, both of you hastily tumbling inside as the door shuts and the night creeps in.

But this time, you aren’t on your own.

You have someone to spend it with - physically and emotionally.

So when a moment of intimacy unfolds as the agent invades your space, you sigh contentedly. Every touch he administers, every kiss he plants, and every murmur of praise he utters fills you with not only pleasure but also the satisfaction and peace of knowing that Minho will handle you with care - that he won’t ruthlessly manipulate you like a doll but will instead hold you like porcelain ceramics - fragile yet priceless.

When a blanket of stars fills your eyes and a tingling heat explodes within you, you clutch at Minho’s back to draw him closer, feeling his warm skin against your own. You don’t even mind the sticky sweat between your bodies, refusing to let go of the male as if doing so would result in you being alone in the room once again. Like this with him, you feel like you’re home.

You feel the sheets comfortably pulled over both your bare and vulnerable bodies, and the male shifts around to gently lay beside you and pull you into his embrace. While you nuzzle against his chest, Minho traces small patterns down your spine as you both catch your breaths and come down from cloud 9. You feel safe.

But it’s when you feel him plant a soft kiss on your forehead and hear a hushed “I’m here” that you truly, truly feel a boulder lifted from your shoulders - from your heart, in fact.

Tonight, snuggly enveloped in Minho’s arms in the comfort of your bed, you fall asleep without fear of darkness suffocating you.

“Yeah, no.” Hyunjin snickers, “You two are definitely fuc - ”

“Hyunjin!” you hiss, waving your hands in front of the agent, “Don’t say that! That’s not what’s happening!”

The long-haired male rolls his eyes before smirking, “Let me see...you both have so much tension, look at each other with sweet gazes, Minho would kill to protect you, you showered together, kissed at the inn, slept in each other’s arms, made out yesterday, and slept with each other in your room again. You guys seem like great best friends then.”

“I’m not saying we aren’t more than friends, but that’s just it, isn’t it?” you start, “What...what are we? I don’t think we’re....romantically involved just yet. Flings?”

“Minho doesn’t do flings unless he’s undercover, y/n.” Hyunjin advises you with a smile, “Jiyeon was his last serious relationship before he vowed to never get attached to someone again. All the people he’s kissed, dated or slept with are for undercover purposes. So you gotta believe me when I say that he’s romantically and emotionally attached to you by now.”

You pout your lips and lean back on your chair, fingers fiddling with the stem of the cherry placed atop of the cake you ordered, “I’m...not even going to be with SKZ permanently. I’m...leaving after this case.”

Seungmin shrugs, his disposition collected and relaxed, “Then he’d just visit you off-duty hours. It’s going to be like some long-distance relationship. I doubt Minho’s going to let this be a temporary thing.”

“We can figure the technicalities out later. Did you and Minho perhaps...do anything more than sleep together recently? And I’m not talking about literally sleeping with each other.” Hyunjin wiggles his eyebrows.

You raise an eyebrow, “Why do you ask though?”

“I’m trying to assess the level of seriousness and attachment Minho has!” Hyunjin says a bit too seriously as if this were some sort of world-changing matter, “It’s crucial that I know this...as both your friends, after all.”

“Y/n, you were complaining about walking to this cafe instead of taking the bus, right?” Seungmin asks out of the blue.

“Yes, because as I said before we even left HQ, my legs have some sort of ache.”

Instant regret. Seungmin seems to put things together much quicker than you’d like, however. “Well, since you said Minho spent the night with you last night...and judging by how you have ‘leg ache’...yeah.”

“Oh!” Hyunjin gasps upon realizing the truth as well, “So you did have sex last night! Y/n!”

“Shhhh!” you hiss, cheeks now red and hot, “How are my legs hurting related to sex? You both haven’t considered that I’ve been running for my life each time I’m on a mission with you all!”

“For a doctor, you’re kinda dense.” Hyunjin teases.

You groan, shooting both males a glare before sipping your coffee, “I agreed to eat breakfast with you two so we could bond...not get interviewed about my relationship with Minho.”

Seungmin chuckles, his smile bright and happy, “Well, you could say that we just want Minho to...you know, be happy again. To be himself and not some agent hiding behind a stone wall of coldness. It’s apparent that he’s more himself with you.”

“But he’s himself with all of you too.” you point out.

Hyunjin nods, “Yeah, but that’s ‘cause we’re his closest friends. Other than us, Minho is either cold, apathetic or nonchalant. You’re technically part of his ‘close friends’ circle now, or maybe even more. You’ve managed to get him to get over that wall he built after Jiyeon.”

Seungmin laughs, “We’re not going to meddle. I guess what we’re just trying to get at is...be happy. Both you and Minho. Whatever happens, just...do what makes you happy.”

You offer a small smile to both males, “I’m...happy as long as you’re all happy and safe. Even after this case, I want you all to be happy and safe.”

“You have our word, y/n.”

“We promise.”

With that, the three of you shift your conversation to more friendly and light-hearted matters, laughing over breakfast platters and cakes and coffee. If this were a fictional novel, this was probably what the main character would be doing with her college best friends, living life as the sun shone above their peaceful city. And for now, you let yourself live out and play your little novel-like moment with Hyunjin and Seungmin.

The next few hours and days could change everything, after all.

Meanwhile, four agents drive to a high-end bar, dressed in suits and looking like expensive gentlemen. Once inside, one of the bouncers asks for their name. Chan, leading the group, replies, “Christopher.”

“Ah, very well.”

The bouncer then ushers the group to a private room in the back of the bar. Once he leaves them to be, the four males settle on the velvet couch and relax for a moment. Chan picks up the small menu on the glass coffee table and hums, “We’re technically off-duty, so might as well get something.”

“I like that.” Jisung chuckles from where he sits.

A few seconds later, a bartender enters the private room and takes down each male’s order before leaving to prepare the drinks. Minho leans back on the couch and crosses his arms, “He’s late huh…”

“Isn’t he always?” Changbin chuckles.

“Let’s enjoy the drinks while we wait.” Jisung grins, “We deserve it.”

“Agreed.” Chan laughs.

“Bet Hyunjin would have wanted to come with us here.” Changbin says.

Minho shrugs, “I mean, we did tell him. He just wanted to eat breakfast in a cafe today.”

“I think y/n’s with him and Seungmin.” Jisung adds, “Surprised you aren’t together right now.”

Minho smirks, “We were last night. She doesn’t have to be with me 24/7 you know? Y/n’s an independent woman.”

“Ok, yeah that’s true…” Changbin leans closer, “But back-track...you were with her last night?”

Minho shrugs casually, never missing a beat as he gives a knowing and very much suggestive wink. Chan gasps, holding in a laugh as he gently shoves Minho’s side. “Took you long enough to realize you love her!” the eldest male sighs in relief.

“Wait, you confessed?” Jisung and Changbin gasp simultaneously.

“Not exactly.” Minho clarifies, “But…I’d like to think I made my feelings and intentions clear...well, clearer.”

“And how exactly did you do that?” Changbin raises an eyebrow curiously.

Just then, the bartender knocks on the door again, opening it shortly after. The agents allow him to finish serving their respective drinks and make his leave before continuing their conversation. With the bartender gone, Minho grabs his cocktail glass and takes a sip before clearing his throat, “I kissed her.”

“No offense,” Jisung starts with a cheeky grin, “but y/n is not going to understand your feelings with a kiss. She’s super smart, yeah, but she’s denser than you are. She’s just going to think you’re showing her care or something.”

“True.” Minho starts slowly, calculating his next choice of words after another sip, “We also...kind of...did it last night.”

Changbin nearly chokes on his drink while Jisung chugs his in one go. Chan, on the other hand, sips his drink with a knowing smile. “Yeah, I’m sure she knows how you feel now. Impossible to miss the hints and signs if you had sex with someone as…distrusting as both of you are towards others.” the eldest male notes.

“Exactly. I’m sure y/n knows I don’t...do relationships.” Minho says.

Changbin smiles like a proud friend, “But you do know that you’re both going to have to properly and officially talk about...whatever you have going on between you two, right?”

“I know.” Minho shrugs, “I’ll address it after this case.”

“Good enough.” Jisung places his empty glass on the table.

A few minutes later, the door opens to reveal another man in a suit, greeting the four agents with a warm smile and a quick wave. Chan stands first, followed by the other three. They bow in respect before the eldest agent speaks, “Sir.”

The man chuckles and gestures for the agents to return to their seats. With a casual tone, the man speaks as well, “I see you already got some drinks.”

Chan lightly chuckles, “Would you like to order something, sir?”

“I’m fine, thank you.” the man responds with a smile before settling down on the empty space on the couch, “Just had coffee. Now, shall we?”

“Alright.” Chan starts, “Dr. Song has reported that she and her team are nearly finished with the solution against Cle’s serum. However, the truth is, she actually is finished with it.”

“So, in the briefing session you all recently had, she did not disclose this?” the man asks out of curiosity.

Minho speaks up next, leaning forward, “Dr. Song’s a very wary person; she doesn’t really feel comfortable telling people certain things. The only people who know the solution is actually complete are me, Chan, and well...our friends. Now, you.”

“I see. I believe it’s best if we keep it that way until Jung mobilizes teams to interfere with Cle business.” the man explains, “I suggest that Dr. Song and you all keep it a secret until we actually get a move on Cle.”

Changbin adds, “Sir, our latest intel suggests that Cle will start transacting with other parties very soon.”

The man nods, “I see. Well, if that’s the case, once we confirm a date or receive concrete data that a transaction is actually taking place, Dr. Song can reveal that the solution is complete. Agent Han, have you and Dr. Song produced an ample amount of solution?”

Jisung thinks for a second before turning his eyes to the man and answering, “Right now, we have about...three to four vials ready. Seungmin, Dr. Song and I are going to make more today and in the next few days. We hope to have more than 50 by then.”

“That’s more than enough for now.” the man smiles reassuringly, “Well, so far so good. Everything seems to be good for now. I guess that’s it. I’ll just remind you boys to be careful and wary the next few days since...as you mentioned, some Cle activity may take place.”

“Yes, sir.” the four agents nod.

A few minutes later, the man says goodbye and makes his leave, leaving the four younger males in the private room. Changbin looks to Chan and says, “I seriously can’t wait for this case to be over.”

“Same.” Jisung sighs as he slumps back on the couch.

“I do too…” Chan trails off before his serious expression turns into something more playful, “...but that would also mean y/n will leave and return to Gongjak. Guess who’s going to be sad?”

Minho doesn’t hear. Or at least, he pretends to not hear. The faint shade of pink on his cheeks betrays him, and the three other agents with him can tell that he heard Chan’s teasing. Minho looks up from his phone, trying his best to keep his expression neutral. “I’m not going to be sad. As I said, y/n’s an independent woman. She’s an adult with her own life.” he says.

Jisung pouts, “But you love her.”

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean she has to stay.” Minho points out with a shrug, “If she chooses to leave, then she leaves.”

Chan offers a small smile before standing up, “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, why don’t we drop by the cafe Hyunjin and Seungmin brought her to? Might as well have a little rest time before we get back to work.”

Changbin is quick to his feet, “Yeah, I’ve been craving that bacon and egg sandwich for a while now. Let’s go.”

And that was how your group ended up in the cafe where Wooyoung worked, your group of three now joined with another four agents. Wooyoung amusedly transferred your group to an area with a larger table as he served the newcomers’ drinks, allowing everyone to be more comfortable. On one end, Chan, Hyunjin, Seungmin and Jisung sat next to each other. On the other end, it was you, Changbin and Minho.

While everyone was enjoying their food and coffee, Chan looks across the table, eyes flitting between you and Minho. You’re the first one to notice his gaze as Minho was too busy talking to Hyunjin and Jisung about the cake they were eating. You tilt your head at the older agent as if to ask if there was something wrong.

“How was last night?” he asks, the mischievous glint in his eyes now more visible.

Your brain goes into overdrive as your cheeks flush with color instantly. You gasp, staring at the agent with a flustered expression, “You!”

This causes Chan to laugh, catching the attention of the other agents. Minho looks at Chan before turning his attention to you, and instantly, he catches your eye when you turn to face him. Like magnets, you refuse to break eye contact, to the point that Jisung coughs a very not-so-subtle “get a room oh wait they already did”.

With a smirk, Minho leans forward to kiss your cheek before turning to Chan, “She thinks it was very good, don’t worry.”

“Minho!” you slap his arm before turning to Seungmin for assistance; however, the doctor just smiles and shrugs as if the green tea cake he was eating needed more attention.

Changbin stifles a laugh, “Not gonna lie, you’re both so cute. Perfect for each other.”

“Agreed.” Hyunjin sips his americano, “Such a lovely couple.”

“Well, there goes my peaceful morning.” you grumble, playing with the fork near your plate.

Despite your words, a small smile forms on your lips as the other boys giggle and get giddy over whatever you and Minho have going on. A small smile forms on your lips when you feel Minho’s hand clasping around yours from under the table.

“To be fair, your morning was going to be far from peaceful if you woke up naked next to a similarly naked Minho.” Jisung jokes.

“Eat your cheesecake, Han Jisung.”

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