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gingkos-eldritch-secret · 8 months

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Fanfiction commentary and recommendations: The why´s and how´s and Part I of 'Lex Luthor´s ascend from supervillainy to fatherhood'

Okay, so. I know it may be weird, but bear with me for a moment: i love to comment on fics or stories like some people would a youtube video - with all the comments and snark and further ideas that entails. (though that works best in a chapter-for-chapter basis) And all the random tangents my brain will go off of. Which is why I thought: why not share my thoughts? (also thanks to the comment from @norapretzel) Since I have about 300 fics of the Phandom in my 'Please update I need more' tab folder, I wanna share just why I put them there and what makes them worth reading. (Seriously, tab groups or tab lists are the best thing ever. They have made my life so much easier. And stopped my laptop from regularly fighting for it´s life.) I don´t know how regular this will be or even if, because work and life in general. But anyways: it´s just for fun and to put something out there.

I will begin with the fanfic I am currently reading: 'Lex Luthor´s ascend from supervillainy to fatherhood' by halfagone (milkywxy) [@halfagone]

The other parts can be found here:

Part II

Part III

Part IV

Part V

Part VI

Part VII

My most recently read chapter is chapter 35 which means: the first mini-arc as well as a few important plotpoints have been mentioned if not completely finished. I have binged those first 35 chapters sometime between late afternoon yesterday and evening today so it will not be as detailed as it would be if i only mentioned one chapter - I do apologize for that.

Anyways, here the actual commentary instead of my usual ramblings:

As for the first point. The most important point. The reason you should read this? It´s a story about family and the difference between the people who raised you and those you actually view as family. It´s about trust and that sometimes you can´t trust those you want to trust the most and that that´s okay. It´s about family by choice and that it may sometimes look or feel weird (especially if viewed from the outside). It´s also about burdens and how one handles them - how it can become unhealthy under circumstances. It´s a story about many themes and plot points and details that play together to become something more. I do hope it doesn´t sound too philosophical to be honest. But to just put it in a nutshell: 'Lex Luthor´s Ascend from supervillainy to fatherhood' is a story about family and how to overcome obstacles together.

The story begins at a gala. Or, more precisely, at a gala where Brucie Wayne (and oh, he holds onto that persona with an iron grip) and Lex Luthor (who has SOME kind of respect for the guy, even though he has his own son run the company instead of himself) are having a talk. And while we all know and love Bruce for this persona it does mean it paints him in a rather incompetent light for other people in this circle. This does not stop him from being a worried parent though. Oh no.

This man has the audacity to tell Luthor IN HIS FACE (though not in those words) that he fears him to be an (more or less accidentally) incompetent father figure. Which Danny predictably finds hilarious when Lex later tells him.

So here we see a first glimpse of the relationship between these two - a relationship that seems to have already been developing for quite some time already. It´s also here that we find out that Danny is stranded in this dimension - i do not want to say 'trapped' but in a sense it is the correct word. (all his friends, his family, everything he knows - they are are not here. He is the only one in this dimension. And even if some things are similar enough - I doubt it´s the same.)

While sad to think about, i do believe that he is making the best of his situation and he already seems to have found himself a parent figure. A parent figure that seems to actually care even. Who wants his best and won´t put their own work before the wellbeing of their child. Though we´ll only get there a little later in the story.

And personally I must say that it´s just damned funny to see the 'showdown' between Lex and Bruce go down. It´s such a stark contrast to the conversation Lex and Danny have later in the chapter that i did have to laugh quite a bit at all of the reactions both them tried to hide xD

I don´t want to sell the story short, but I also don´t want to spoil all too much, because honestly? That just takes the fun out of a story. So I´ll just summarize the next bit for a bit:

What follows are some serious and some funny conversations between Danny and several Heroes and Danny, as well as our favourite halfa and his new father figure about the nature of their relationship, his life before all of this, the nature of cloning and clones and no one has asked to be born and should not be treated any less for their parentage. Also about people being superweapons and how well (or bad) that can turn out. (And also the question: Are Lex Luthor and Superman bitter Exes? An important question I must admit. It would honestly explain so MUCH about their relationship. And even if it´s not true: i kinda want Danny asking it out loud at a press conference with Clark Kent and Lex Luthor present. That would be just hilarious xD)

And honestly? After the heartwarming talk about clones I kinda want Danny ripping Superman a new one about his behaviour with Kon. It would 1) be a very amusing thing to watch and 2) Our boy deserves a brother who will defend him from the people who have hurt him the most.

After that we get to Cass and Danny meeting and my god, those are such frankly adorable scenes that i DO NOT WANT TO SPOILER. So I´ll just ignore that whole comment in my head and just say: it´s the most adorable thing ever and i think i have diabetes after reading it. Also: I think my neighbours were about to knock on my door to ask where all that squealing came from and if i needed help because of all the running around they heard. I may or may not have run around my flat squealing like a little kid. Maybe.

What we also get to is Lex´ reaction to their meeting and it did not disappoint. He´s just such a tired dad now. Before long he´ll have talks about their children and their relationship with bruce. And both will probably be absolutely suffering during it lmao. As well as the batfamily as a whole. They don´t know what to think yet but they are already preparing the shovel talk xD

We also get to see one of the many abilities and strenghths Danny has and how he constantly holds himself as small as possible - our boy has a low self esteem and such a low opinion of his own intellect that it just physically hurts me :')

Okay so it´s quite late now - those were the first 5 chapters. Those are part commentary and part speculations and i hope it was entertaining. I did expect to get out a bit more, but my brain wants to go to sleep and and who am I to deny my brain it´s rest? Will try to at least do another 5 chapters tomorrow but I can´t promise anything ;p

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utilitycaster · 1 year

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A few more OGL updates:

The important takeaways here are:

WoTC has said they will have a comment period in which they will take survey responses lasting no fewer than two weeks after the OGL is officially made available for comment, prior to or on this coming Friday, January 20, 2023. (I would encourage using this; please note that when you send the equivalent of anon hate to companies, they assume you are not a potential customer but rather a foaming-at-the-mouth weirdo and will disregard what you have to say. I mean, you can do what you want, and I can't guarantee what will happen as I do not work for WoTC in any capacity, but I have worked customer service, and the screaming haters get ignored as being nutjobs. You know what talks loudest is, of course, canceled subscriptions if you're still unhappy.)

This clarifies a lot of things that were never up for the chopping block, but which were frequently mentioned in rumors, which I think is good to have. Namely: actual play, things like minis/maps, and contracted D&D-related work are not under the OGL anyway and never were, and can continue; anyone still bringing those up is actively fearmongering and can be ignored.

Material published under the OGL 1.0a is still fine as is; this only applies going forward. It is not revoked for past materials.

VTTs are unaffected; see point 2 re: people still bringing them up.

Most crucially, there will be no registration or royalties, nor ownership of material made under the OGL. This was I think the most worrying part.

Obviously, this is a statement and not the draft, so if the draft lacks these provisions, give 'em (polite but firm) hell, unsubscribe, etc.

A couple of other things to note just in general:

Mark Hulmes has a really thoughtful video about everything (made prior to this last announcement) that I highly recommend skimming through at the very least; I think he covers the personal/emotional aspects a lot of players and actual players may be experiencing.

Never be afraid to ask people for sources for non-anecdotal information. If they can't provide them, consider what that says about their information.

I think a lot of the things other companies have promised - either new licenses for their materials, or new systems - sound great! They are also, at this time, unpublished. Do be aware and skeptical when people are giving them endless benefit of the doubt as saviors of the TTRPG. They may be as good as they sound! They also might never materialize; or they might be inexpensive and great for players (who are willing to leave D&D, anyway) but will leave small 3rd party publishers high and dry. SRDs simply aren't feasible for smaller publishers, who rely on the income from every purchase. If you've said you're concerned for 3rd party publishers, why not put your money where your mouth is and buy some OGL 1.0a-based materials?

#d&d

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photobombingcryptid · 2 years

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The whole complex screamed massive and obscenely rich. Nobody’s sight could escape the assemblage of finely crafted marble and onyx complementing the complex metalwork, ranging from abstract decoration to the sprawling mansion.

Inside, the motion triggered lighting system would flicker on and off as a tall Cybertronian made his way through hallways just as equally decorated as the outdoors. Cracks in the floor were filled with gold, artwork and sculpture of various meaning filled the space and the height of the walls made even the largest beings look like ants. The Cybertronian himself looked like a living piece of art with his polished white painjob adorned with regal brass accents. Archways were wide to accomodate the mech’s attention-grabbing wingspan.

Heavy doors slid out of the way to enter his office. It had all the essentials a pompous office needed: bookshelves filled to the brim with actual organic books, designer sofas for more informal conferences, a mini-bar. Finally, facing the door, was his primed workplace: a heavy-looking desk with only the most sophisticated of high-tech computers. The tall looming window behind him only added to the desired effect of heightened importance.

He was the mech in charge.

He was the ringleader.

With a heavy sigh as if he was carrying some burden, he takes a seat behind the computer. Part of his public facade he keeps up when attending his duties slips partially as he requests a call from a certain business partner. When the other mech - a much more tankish, hulking shape - picks up, the jet addresses him.

“What is the progress on obtaining my target?”

“We are working on it. Just recently I have deployed smaller units to locate and pursue after him. We are getting closer to him with each day.”

“So, what I’m getting from this is that you’re still on a part of some goose chase? This is how I’m interpreting your status, Warhammer.”

“No, Celeste, you have it all wrong. Every update you demand, I have to constantly remind you that he is a highly mobile target who—”

“—I’m sorry, but I’m paying you close to tens of million in Shanix and assets and this is what I’m getting? I did expect better from your team.”

“You are not the only client I have, Celeste.” The tone change in Warhammer’s voice was enough to get the jet to sink in his seat. Warhammer continued. “On a daily basis I run hundreds of different operations, I am under the mercy of unions and I have a prison ship to operate and even though we are friends I do not abide to the system of favours and exceptions. You will get him, when I get him. Is. That. Clear?”

Celeste could only nod, taken back by Warhammer more or less verbally hammering on Celeste. Unlike other figures of equal or lower status than Celeste. Warhammer was the only mech who had the nerve to talk back at him. While friendly, he had a short patience with the jet’s growing entitlement.

Putting him back in his line was satisfactory. At the very least, Celeste appeared to take his words into consideration.

After a moment of tense silence, Celeste cleared his voicebox.

“Very well. Do what you need to do. You’ve already done me a great favour by actively working on the case. Anyway... You said unions, didn’t you?”

“... Yes. I did say unions. Worker unions.”

Celeste blinked. “I didn’t know you had them.”

“You would be surprised how much it improved my employee overall happiness and work performance, despite my bittersweet resentment towards it...”

#[plot: unfinished business]

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anchoragehq · 1 year

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IMPORTANT !

hello, everyone ! we’re about to move into february & we’ve been perusing the idea of continuing onward through a small event or mini plot drop around mid to late february, nothing as major as our most recent drop so we still have sufficient time to ourselves as to not burn out releasing major drops all the time.

more than likely, this will still pertain to the killer(s) themselves as they’ll always remain in perspective due to our genre unless we do something more casual just to relax ! we are considering that mini drops will also offer exploration to the time paradox that has entombed the entire world in the decade of the 90s, for the most part, & its effects on other things ( like the internet ) that may possibly link up to either the roles page or the killer(s) later, not spoiling which !! or maybe it’s both. heh.

anyway, with this in mind, we’re also going to be posting this announcement in the server as we would like to hear feedback from the members or possible suggestions of what they might be interested in seeing or some ideas for us to consider as we think over what we’ll do. we have general ideas for the future of where we’ll be going, but please feel free to chat in the #suggestions and feedback of the server or IM us here personally.

this aside, we’re also going to ask for some feedback about future meme nights in the server ! we want the group to rely not only on our personal creative efforts but the ideas & contribution of members, even if we don’t incorporate full suggestions at times. expect this to drop in the server when we’ve closed out meme night.

lastly, THE COMPOSITE PAGE IS UPDATED WITH THE SNOWMAN. the graphic may not be prepared at this time, but the information is there & it’s worth a read for a couple clues members should look at for moving forward.

oh ... have you heard that the turnover rate for pizza delivery people has been high since the new year ? must be the slow service at peppy’s. but ... it does seem like there’s something stuck underneath those book club flyers on the phone booths around anchorage.

it’s nothing, right ?

#anchorannouncement #anchorpd

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interlagosed · 2 years

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hiii :) so i have a mini-story (it'll probably take ages for me to get to the point tho, i'm terrible at explaining stuff lol)(also i'm very tired and english isn't cooperating so. yeh): while revolucion was being updated, i used to read the newest chapter before going to bed (ik ik, shouldn't be on screens before sleeping but!! it was probably the most important part of the day so! it's okayyy), and i also used a 'buttermilk and lemon' handcream (thats the official name of it lol, i don't actually know what buttermilk is... but ANYWAYS. getting sidetracked), so obviously my room like. smelt like that handcream when i was reading. and around the time revolucion was finished, i started using a new handcream (that didn't smell the same) and this brings us to the reason i wrote this ask lol. i recently started using that buttermilk and lemon handcream again, and every time i put it on i'm just reminded of revolucion and carlando and you and 😭😭its just so nice and comforting to think about cos i love revolucion sm!! it was so pleasant and nice and GAHSHGA to read, and it's like my comfort fic yknow, so the fact that i will probably not be able to smell buttermilk (whatever that is) and lemon ever again without thinking about revolucion makes me v happy :) sorry for the super long ask btw love youuuu <333

Oh my gosh :((( this is so cute I love this story thank you so much for sharing it!!! I associate a lot of sensory things with specific periods of my life or stories too so I relate to this so immensely. I also LOVE lemon and revolución smells very citrusy and warm to me so this makes a lot of sense! Love you too anon ❤️❤️❤️

#hibi answers #¡revolución!

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thebearcathideout · 10 months

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Throwback Thursday: Visiting the U.S. Navy Submarine Museum

On June 18, 2023, the Titan submersible owned by OceanGate descended on its fourth dive down 4,000 meters, or over 13,000 feet, to visit the wreckage site of the Titanic. However during this voyage, it suffered a "catastrophic implosion," and tragically all five lives on board were lost.

Now let's unceremoniously segue into the time I visited the U.S. Navy Submarine Museum in Connecticut a month ago.

The entrance to the “U.S. Navy Submarine Force Museum”, as it says on the sign. Below, it says “Historic Ship NAUTILUS (SSN 571), referring to the post-WWII-era submarine that's docked off-shore. (“SSN” means it’s a nuclear-powered submarine, and its "hull number" is 571.) A “welcome” sign is blinking into view.

I know, I know! This is no laughing matter. But seeing as everyone's suddenly a carbon-fiber expert now, I could see no better time to bring up my visit to this place related to marine engineering.

It's also important to note the difference between “submarines” and “submersibles.” Submersibles, like the OceanGate craft was, need to be transported and supported by nearby ships, as opposed to submarines which are entirely self-sufficient. However, both may be called “subs,” as they both operate underwater.

Me standing next to the sail of a submarine called the "NR-1".

How could you tell this was a “submarine” museum? Well, you find out the moment you pull up. In front, several submarines were on display, including some imperial Japanese subs captured during WWII! Some were mini-submarines (or as they’re crudely called in the Navy, “midget” submarines), and some were originally large but now deconstructed for display. For example, do you see what I'm standing next to above? That's the SAIL of that submarine. If it was that big, imagine how big the original submarine was!

A zoomed-in label in front of the NR-1, with the sail circled in red. Do you see that? THAT'S what I'm standing next to.

Next, we walked into the museum proper. A television screen showing a muscly 3D-rendered sailor greeted us, and told us the importance of the Navy heading into the “War on Terror” in the present day. (If that's what it calls the “present day,” imagine how long this museum hasn't been updated for!) We also saw artifacts like a giant submarine hung from the museum ceiling, or a recovered imperial Japanese flag covered in outdated Kanji characters.

Left: My dad standing next to a submarine hung from the ceiling. Right: A flag that used to fly on an imperial Japanese ship.

Next, we entered a theater that was playing a movie called "Museum Theater: A Century of Silent Service: Part I." This 45-minute propaganda film from the George H. W. Bush-era showed mostly submariners who were successful in their operations, or died heroically for their country.

One interesting fact I learned from it is that the first submarine—the USS Plunger—was invented and proposed to the U.S. Navy with the express purpose of attacking enemy ships. It's strangely reflective of human nature that kids learn these during their childhoods as cool-looking, yet they're never told it was invented for violence. (I guess it's not hard to figure out if you think about it, but still.) But look at how far we've come! Sub crafts have diversified so much, deep-diving submersibles (first achieved in 1960) are able to reach the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

Also, the movie showed that many accidents occurred in the early history of this specific branch of naval engineering, which probably left viewers with the impression, "these problems must have gotten fixed later... right?" Well, most of them probably were. However... I can't speak for all of them.

Inside the USS Nautilus. On the left is me standing next to a kitchen with coffee machines, and on the right is a room that loaded torpedoes for deployment.

Anyways, we climbed on-board the USS Nautilus. It's a "nuclear submarine," which means it’s powered by nuclear energy, and that's better than using fossil fuel energy because those submarines need to surface constantly. All active U.S. submarines are now nuclear-powered. The USS Nautilus was the first nuclear submarine, and now the inside was converted into a tourist attraction, with many of the rooms having a see-through wall so we could see what goes on inside. (Also, some of the rooms had pin-up girls on the wall.)

The reason I'm bringing this up is while I was following the OceanGate story recently, I found a person in the comments of a Daily Mail video sharing information as an “ex-nuke submariner.” This person, an expert in something I found out about at the museum, was using his expertise to help people be better-informed about the Titan incident 🫡

The ex-nuke submariner, helping inform people in the comments of a news video.

So, what were your thoughts on the recent Titan incident? What were your initial reactions upon finding out the news? Or do you know someone in the Navy, who might recognize something I mentioned in this post? Do they also have a different perspective on the Titan incident than other people?

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pixilator · 1 year

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Update, Mid November 2022 [Originally Posted November 19, 2022]

This is the latest major update for the comic of Amaranth.

Crossposted to r/amaranth_comic and amaranth-comic.deviantart.com.

❦

Welcome to the third real update! Not counting the sporadic ones, those are for mini updates. They don't contain all the information. So I'll serve you this one as the main dish.

~worldbuilding

>The main military of the story has had a rank overhaul, some regulations and rules changed, and a little bit of how they work changed. I'm taking most of it from real life militaries, but some of it's my own handiwork. [Not much, though.]

>The main world of the story -- particularly the dark underbelly of society -- has been worked on. Nevertheless -- it'll play a big part in the story... well, at least some parts of the underbelly will. This underbelly I mention is part of the super secret worldbuilding.

>Super secret worldbuilding... can't reveal what I've done with it besides what I said above. But this is the one I've been focusing on the most.

~characters

I had stated previously in a journal that the three main characters were sorta complete, but that I needed to clean them up -- I gave them a percentage at an average of about 60%-90% done. This... is now technically a lie.

And with the re-addition of Flavius, I now have another character to spend time building.

Before their finalization, I realise that I still have a lot of work to do. I have run into some issues that would hamper the progress of the story in the long-run, and have had to change some rather important parts of the characters, such as:

~age

>Reason: My exposure to stories is that -- correct me if I'm wrong -- teenager protagonists are overused today. I could try something a little different this time. I had initially assumed that, with the popularity of adventure stories that have teen protagonists, there would be a greater possibility of increased readership. However, I generally dislike the characters as teens, and that it would be highly unrealistic for them to be in the situations they would be set within -- therefore, I will increase their age. I pondered long and hard about this for about the past week and a half so as not to make any mistakes, and I find that this has more pros than actual cons. The primary reason for changing this, besides my dislike for the over-usage of teen protagonists in media, is that it allows for the characters to have more freedom to act, as teens are usually limited in their abilities by law and limited in their accrued talents by age. And, not only will this allow me to write more complexity into their personality, this will also allow me to write mature themes.

~backstory

>Reason: Their increased age now allows for more backstory and thus more meat to add to the full story anyway, as important parts of their extended backstories will feed into the present-stories [like the emergence of previously-met enemies, for example]. These backstories will also contribute to the development of their personality and whatever talents they have or are currently practicing. This, alongside the personality, is the most important part of the character, and needs a lot of care.

~personality

>Reason: There is a significant difference between the personalities of teens and adults. As stated above, their increased age allows for more maturity, wisdom, knowledge, and allows for more complexities, paradoxes, and possible traumas. These personalities will be used in the story as plot.

Regardless, the character spreadsheets are going smoothly. Mayhem, Hestia, and Pepper's all have their basic information, most of their backstories, and a little bit of their personality boxes filled out. I have to begin work on Flavius & Dragon's, but I'm trying to catch up with the main three first, since, of course, they are the main three. I feel like I'm neglecting the other two -- then again, I sort of am, since they're the least developed of all of the characters...

❦

As for real work upon the story, I haven't been able to work on the actual play, or even the spine. I'm in a sort of writer's block with that right now, so I'm taking up my time trying to write timelines, spreadsheets, and finding inconsistencies in the characters.

I've also decided, in the two weeks since my last 'sporadic update' on the 5th, that I shall DEFINITELY be using 80's anime style. The character's faceclaims will not be changed, but instead up[down?]graded... eh, adapted? to the style. The reason is that I've timed my sessions -- realistic style is really much too time consuming to be the primary style at the moment, and I have to think about this practically. I suppose for the more serious parts of the story I can switch to it for a better emotional impact or just for better tone.

I've found that it's much faster to draw the comic on paper than it is to do all of it digitally. I'm wondering if I should ink it instead of pencil-ing it, and paint it before scanning for a real 80s anime effect.

...Oh dear, I'm really not good with paint or with ink... or even with colour pencils. Erasers are my crutch for literally everything. Maybe I should just leave it black and white... or maybe I should just do everything on the computer... agh! my head hurts now...

❦

For now, I won't be giving a percentage on the worldbuilding and characters, or the story. I've already spent enough time running my mouth and listening to the sound of the keyboard clacking away, so I'll just end it here.

Thanks for reading this far.

Pixilator

#amaranth comic #amaranth update november '22 #amaranth update #pixilator

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reverie-starlight · 2 years

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{birthday surprises- m. atsumu}

based on this drabble I wrote for atsumu.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“‘Tsumu, it’s okay, really! You couldn’t have helped it anyway. Besides- you love your job and this is just part of it.”

Your boyfriend frowned. “But I had requested that day off and everything, babe, I hate that this came up so suddenly.” He wrapped his arms around your waist.

You sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Atsumu had come to you today with the news that the two week training camp he was meant to go on had been extended another week in order to set up some publicity events for the team. It would mostly be fan events and some interviews with the press, not an actual extra week of training, but it was an extra week of work thrown at him nonetheless.

That wouldn’t be an issue, normally. You knew Atsumu loved his job and he loved doing the fan and press events that came along with it (for the most part)- but not when it was sprung on him with little-to-no warning and definitely not when it interfered with something as important as your birthday.

He rested his chin on your stomach and looked up at you with sad brown eyes from where he sat on a dining room chair. “I jus’ wanted to make it special for ya,” he mumbled.

You took your hand out of his hair and placed it on his cheek. “I know, my love, but we can celebrate together when you get back. It’s going to be special for me no matter what. Whenever or however we celebrate it.” He frowned at the barely noticeable disappointment in your voice.

Of course you were disappointed, you knew he could see it, but you couldn’t help it. This would be the first time in your relationship that he would be missing something the two of you always celebrated. You had been lucky up until now- he had never missed an anniversary, a birthday or a holiday because of work.

But you weren’t going to purposefully make him more guilty for something he couldn’t control.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he said. “I promise I’m going to do everything I can to make it special from far away.”

You smiled. “It’s okay, ‘tsumu, don’t worry about it. you’re already going to be so overloaded with fan stuff and interviews, don’t overwork yourself.”

He sighed and knocked his forehead against your stomach. “Anythin’ relating to you doesn’t feel like extra work. You realize that, right?”

You grinned and rested your hand in his hair once again. “I love you.”

He nuzzled his face further into you and pressed kisses on the fabric of your shirt. “I love you too.”

“Now let’s go pack some extra clothes. I’m sure you’ll be needing something a bit dressier for interviews, and you don’t want the fans to see you in the same work out clothes all week, do you?”

He groaned as you pulled him up from his chair and dragged him towards the bedroom, still rambling on about extra clothes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Atsumu had been texting and calling you everyday, as per usual, so it wasn’t like you were totally cut off from him during his time away. But when the start of the third week came around, you were getting antsy.

You had followed a bunch of atsumu update and fan accounts on social media a while back, when he first started getting more popular (which he laughed at you for), so seeing all the new pictures of your boyfriend hanging around kids and talking to interviewers was making you miss him even more.

You knew how lucky you were to be dating someone as amazing and hardworking as he was, and even though his schedules were sometimes hectic, seeing him accomplish his dreams was well worth times like these. He knew he had your unwavering support in this and you knew you had his when it came to your own ambitions. You liked to joke that you guys were your own mini team. It was an unspoken understanding between the two of you that if nobody else in the world had your backs, you’d always have each other’s.

You were ready for your partner to come home.

The captions and comments appreciating him and how well he seemed to be working with everyone made your chest swell with pride.

And all the talented, creative fans that were using some of the new pictures and videos for various edits made your heart do flips. You made sure to like and comment, with a promise to show Atsumu, on the ones you really loved. You snickered when you thought of how he might respond if you told him his supporters made him look a lot cooler than he actually was.

You had to admit though, the video of Bokuto and Hinata doing an interview while Atsumu and Sakusa bickered in the background made you laugh. You watched as he dodged a volleyball thrown at his head and as both boys slowly froze and turned when they realized Meian was the one who got hit. Sakusa was smart enough to flee the scene and make himself busy with a young girl who went up to him for what looked like serving tips. Atsumu tried to do the same but wasn’t as quick as his teammate.

Other clips of him throughout the third week filled your feed and by time it was your birthday, you were definitely ready to see him in person.

You woke up to a number of messages from him and throughout the day he kept it up. You questioned how he had so much free time, but figured he was just texting you in between interviews and stuff.

You had to hand it to him- he said he was going to make it as special as possible for you from far away and he was definitely living up to that promise with how special you felt based on how sweet he was being in his messages.

You weren’t on your phone a lot, unless it was to thank people for birthday wishes, so you didn’t notice the fans’ confusion and disappointment about Atsumu’s absence from the fan events.

Your day was busy, starting with breakfast with your family, then hanging out with your friends for lunch (at Onigiri Miya, of course. Osamu made sure to wish you a very happy birthday and then smiled knowingly when he told you to have a good night).

After that you would have had dinner with Atsumu and a few of his teammates and their partners, then gone home for the night, but since they were all away and you were tired enough as it was, you decided to just go home and order takeout. Maybe Atsumu will be free to video chat for a few minutes, you thought.

The first thing you noticed when you opened your door was the extra pair of shoes.

The second thing was your boyfriend’s favourite jacket hung up in the closet.

“Is he…? There’s no way,” you mumbled, hurriedly taking your own shoes and jacket off and rushing to the kitchen, only to see two bags of your favourite fast food on the table.

Next was the living room, but you knew exactly where he would be. If you were being honest, you were just trying not to get your hopes up too much in case this was just a dream.

When you were done looking in all the nearby rooms, you sprinted to your bedroom and flung the door open. You teared up a little when you looked at your bed.

Sitting there with the biggest, stupidest, most lovesick grin you have ever seen was Miya Atsumu with his arms wide open, waiting for you to come home.

“Happy birthday, baby!”

You couldn’t help but mirror his grin as you flew into his arms, tackling him backwards onto the bed in the process.

He laughed as you clung to him as tight as you could, kissing all over his face.

“What are you doing here, ‘tsumu? You’re home a few days early!”

You pulled away from him quickly to look at him suspiciously, pulling him up with you. “Do your managers and coaches know about this or am I going to get another frantic call from one of them because you put me down as your emergency contact?”

He laughed and guided your arms around his neck before placing his hands on your waist. “No, angel, they know I’m here. They let me take the rest of the week off. They figured since I was really pushing for this day off anyway, there was no point in me going home for one day already so close to the end of the camp.”

You blinked. “Miya Atsumu, I love you so much.”

He rested his forehead against yours and grinned. “Did I live up to my promise on making your birthday special?”

“Absolutely,” you started kissing along his face again and he whined.

“It’s your birthday, shouldn’t I be the one showering you with affection?”

He snorted as your eyes lit up and you vigorously nodded at that. Then he sighed.

“I missed you so much, darlin’, being away from you for so long doesn’t get any easier.”

He kissed along your face and neck, making you giggle a bit. He leaned in close and whispered sweet nothings, effectively making you blush. You let your mind wander and you thought of the food on the counter.

You gasped. “‘Tsumu the food! Can we go eat?”

He dropped his head onto your shoulder when you pulled away from him and nodded into your neck. “Mhmm.”

He carried you to the kitchen and set you down on the counter.

“I can help you prep the food, if you need.”

“No, I’ve got it. You don’t have to worry ‘bout anythin’ tonight. Just relax and tell me about your day. You started with breakfast with your family right?”

So you told him all about your day as he plated the food and you ate on the couch, your favourite movie providing background noise. You also made sure to show him those edits and gush about how talented his fans were. (He reacted exactly like you thought he would when you told him they made him look a lot cooler.)

After you were done he looked at you mischievously. “Ready for one more surprise?”

You tilted your head. “What do you mean?”

He hummed as he went to the bedroom and then moved to the kitchen with something in his hands.

He came out a few minutes later holding a cake and something hanging from his wrist. The candles were lit so he had to make his way over to you slowly while he sang.

Your heart swelled with happiness when he set the cake down in front of you and kissed the top of your head. “Make a wish, babe.”

You closed your eyes and thought of what you wanted before blowing out the candles. He cheered when you blew them out in one go.

Leaning into his side, you cut and plated a piece of cake. “I’m still full from dinner, can we share this one?”

He nodded and pulled your legs over his lap as you both leaned back against the sofa. While you ate, you questioned what the bag he had around his wrist before was.

“Oh!” He leaned over to get the bag he had since placed on the floor near the sofa.

“This,” he said excitedly while handing you the bag, “is for you.”

“You know you didn’t have to get me anything.”

“What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t get my partner a birthday gift?”

You smiled as you opened the bag to see that he had gotten you a number of things you had offhandedly mentioned wanting over the past few months.

You hugged him. “Thank you, baby, I love you so much.”

He nuzzled his face into your hair and kissed your head. “I love you too. Happy Birthday, my love.”

Then he picked you up and shut the movie off before carrying you to the bedroom so he could “shower you with affection like he should have earlier.”

Yeah, he had definitely fulfilled his promise of making this birthday as special as possible for you.

#miya atsumu x reader #miya atsumu x y/n #miya atsumu drabbles #miya atsumu fluff #atsumu miya x reader #atsumu fluff #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu!!#atsumu x reader #haikyuu #miya atsumu #haikyuu fluff #hq fluff

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midnightswithdearkatytspb · 3 years

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VelvetCardiganBucky’s Recommendations 2021: Week 12 & 13 | March 14th – March 27th

Welcome to weeks 12 & 13 of my recommendations, if you would like to be featured on a future list, I follow the hashtag #VelvetCardiganBucky, message me, tag me in your future works, or reblog this post and link to your story, one-shot, Masterlist, writing challenge, etc.

Be aware some if not most stories and writers on this list are meant to be consumed by an audience of those 18+. My blog is also an 18+ blog.

✨Page breaks are made @firefly-graphics✨

«Last Week

Week 14»

My Masterlist

My Fic Rec List of Mafia/Mob Bucky/Sebastian & Steve/Chris/Andy

Stuff I Posted This Week:

Steve + Bey = 4Ever » Steve Rogers and Bey carved places in each other’s hearts, that no one else could ever replace.

I Hear A Symphony » Bucky Barnes x Mutant!Reader — Reader plays an important song to her for Bucky.

—Formerly The Winter Soldier » “I’m no longer the winter soldier, my name is James Bucky Barnes & you're part of my effort to make amends.”

Lee Bodecker

(Mini) Series:

*Give In by @not-a-great-writer » soft!dark!Lee Bodecker x shy!Reader — She didn’t think she was anything special. So when the intimidating Sheriff takes an interest in her, she can’t help but feel a little unsettled. Her boring life is about to get a little interesting. | This story has to be one of my all time series I’ve ever read, and I know I will weep when it’s over. The chapters are decently sized, you have angst, fluff and smut. I couldn’t ask for more, it’s simply a masterpiece.

Deadbeat Pt. 9 by @the-witty-pen-name » Lee Bodecker x F!Reader — You work at the bar at the edge of town, the Sheriff is going through a divorce and needs to rent a room. | Cole thank you for feeding my current Lee Bodecker obsession after I watched The Devil All The Time, for the time. This story is good and I love soft!Lee, and one where no one dies. At least I hope no one dies...

SamBucky

One-Shots:

Loving You Is Cherry Pie by @river-soul » Sam Wilson x Reader x Bucky Barnes — When Sam Wilson, one of your regulars at the cafe finally asks you out, you’re ecstatic until he tells you he wants his friend to join. When you meet Bucky, you decide it might be worth your while after all. [Allusions to stalking, exhibitionism and explicit sex, 18+] | There is just not enough SamBuck stories out there and we have @river-soul to thank for feeding our love for the boys and giving us some good smut, especially to tide us over till Friday.

Nothing Good Happens After 2 AM by @callmeluna » Sam Wilson x Reader x Bucky Barnes — You are admittedly a handful when you’ve had a few drinks in you. Luckily, your partners Sam and Bucky are more than up for the challenge… maybe. | If you are looking for something to make you laugh, might I suggest reading this? The whole time as I read this I couldn’t get the huge smile off my face, it was that good.

Bucky Barnes

Drabbles:

Matching by @heli0s-writes » Bucky Barnes x Reader — Reader and Bucky are “matchy matchy,” with their belly button rings. | This is adorable as well as very funny.

One-Shots:

Smooth Criminal by @bestofbucky » Bucky Barnes x Reader — Based on a dream @velvetcardiganbucky had. You’re parents told you to never give rides to strangers, but when you notice Bucky Barnes trying to break into your car, you know some strangers aren’t so bad. | Jenny did my dream justice! I honestly couldn’t have asked for anything better.

Don’t Over Do It by @whisperlullaby » Bucky Barnes x Reader — Your boyfriend is an asshole. Bucky reminds you that you are perfect the way you are. | I can’t describe this anyway other than perfect, that I wish I had a Bucky like this there for me. Trust me you’ll love the ending.

Coming Home to You by @angrythingstarlight » Biker!Bucky Barnes x Reader — Your Biker boyfriend is finally home and he’s going to show you how much he missed you. With every inch he has. And you’re going to remember how much he loves you. | It’s not very often you read something that has an alternate ending and when you do you find yourself loving both endings. Both endings are hot, the smut is great, again who couldn’t love Biker!Bucky?

Won’t Let You Go by @kind-of-crazy-butthatsokay » Mob!Bucky Barnes x OFC!Kori — Kori met Bucky in one of his clubs, out to get shit-faced with a couple of friends to forget about her worries and maybe take home a guy to further rid herself of her numerous frustrations. Little did she know that the one-night stand with Bucky would turn into so much more than that. | Thank you so much for entering my writing challenge, it means so much. This one-shot is so good, it hit me right the feels and left me falling in love with Kori and Bucky.

Show Me How To Ride by @angrythingstarlight » Beefy Biker!Bucky Barnes x Reader — You’ve been keeping a secret from your biker boyfriend. He is going to get the information out of you one way or the other. | It’s hot and it makes you realize just how much you realize just how much you love Biker!Bucky.

Bubble Baths by @floatingpetals » Bucky Barnes x Reader (Modern AU) — Even your boyfriend Bucky, needs to wind down at the end of a stressful with a bubble bath, but he doesn’t want to do it alone. | Okay, so my summary of this sucks but let me just say this is fluffy and smutty all at once. I wish I had Bucky to take a bubbly bath with.

Bad Boy!Bucky Barnes x Shy!Reader by @gagmebucky — in which there’s nowhere to sit and bucky offers his lap—then, subsequently, his cock. (bad boy!bucky x shy!reader, dirty talk, exhibitionism and voyeurism, cockwarming, unprotected sex.) | *chugs water* yeah is it a little hot in here? I probably would have failed class if Bucky had been in my class along with Steve, I wouldn’t have known who to stare at, forget learning the material.

**Greater Good by @fuel-joy » Bucky Barnes x Reader — There is a cure for the zombie outbreak but is it worth the cost. | Grab your tissues, because you are going to need them. Thanks darling for entering my writing challenge and making me feel so many feels with this one.

(Mini) Series:

A Tender Heart ♥️ Pt. 2 by @river-soul » Alpha!Bucky Barnes x Omega!Reader — You’ve been sweet on Bucky since you started working at the compound six months ago. Normally quiet and mild mannered, an unexpired fight with a coworker brings Bucky into your orbit. [A/B/O dynamics, brief mention of bullying and fluff] | If anyone can pull at your heartstrings it’s @river-soul making the beginning of this series look so promising and I can’t wait to see where it goes.

Run To You 🪙 Pt. 10 🪙 Pt. 11 🪙 Pt. 12 by @bestofbucky » Mob!Bucky Barnes x Bodyguard!Reader — Mob boss Bucky Barnes hires you to be his bodyguard. | Jenny left me at the edge of my seat, making this such an amazing story, I always look forward to her updates, and so sad that there is only 1 chapter left.

Better than Working sequel to This by @angrythingstarlight » Beefy Biker!Bucky Barnes x Reader — Beefy Biker Bucky shows you all the benefits of working from home. In fact what he has for you is so much better than work. | Sometimes you just need to read something hot to lift your spirits, let this do that.

Stucky

One-Shots:

*Tell Me What You Want by @angrythingstarlight » Mafia!Steve Rogers x Reader; Mafia!Bucky Barnes x Reader — Your mob boyfriend, is none other than Steve Rogers and he is willing to get you whatever you wanted, all you have to do is ask. And be careful what you ask for because he’s going to give it to you over and over again. | This is so hot that I highly recommend not reading this anywhere out in public. The smut in this is just *chefs kiss*

(Mini) Series:

Miracle Pt. 2 🥀 Pt. 1 by @heavenhatesme » Soft!Dark!Bucky Barnes x Reader; Soft!Dark!Steve Rogers x Reader — When infertility threatens mankind with extinction and there hasn’t been a baby for almost 18 years, what happens when two certain super soldiers fall for the same woman and accidentally impregnate her? | It’s not tagged as dark, sorry to the writer I tagged it that please forgive me? But I just want to tell everyone heed the tags. I do look forward to reading what happens next. The smut in this is great!

Invisible Ink by @navybrat817 » Bucky Barnes x Reader, Steve Rogers x Reader; Bucky Barnes x Reader x Steve Rogers — The owners of the Howling Commandos Tattoo Parlor want to make you their best girl. | I love the idea of tattoo’d Bucky and Steve, but that's because I have a weakness for tattoo’s. So this series is just right up my alley, and the start of it is so good that I know it’s good to be a great one!

Steve Rogers

Drabbles:

Chocolate Milk & Dino Nuggets by @nony-bear » Steve Rogers x Reader — Daddy Steve helps make his little girl feel better after a long week. DDLG THEMES | Had me wishing I had a Steve to make me Dino nuggets after a long day at work. It’s precious folks.

Prompt 4K Drabble Challenge by @sweeterthanthis » Steve Rogers x Reader — “Show me how deep you can take it.” | You’re going to need an ice cold bath after this one.

One-Shots:

A Cruel Tide by @writerwrites » Nomad!Steve Rogers x Reader — A lost hero thinks she needs saving, but this divorcée’s needs were different, fleeting, and then full of attachment. Can they overcome the burdens on their shoulders and keep their word? | Sometimes you want to wrap the reader and Steve in a blanket and protect them while enjoying the smut. This gave me that and more.

Untitled Request by @navybrat817 » Steve Rogers x Reader — Sending Steve a naughty photo while he’s in a meeting leads to punishment that will remind you to never do it again, right? | Hi, I’m just going to drench myself in ice cold water. ✌🏻

(Mini) Series:

*Control Pt. 3 🔐 Pt. 1 🔐 Pt. 2 by @river-soul » dark!Steve Rogers x Reader — When a probationary agent asks you out on a date you learn Steve’s intentions for you have evolved. He doesn’t take kindly to someone touching what’s his. [Noncon, physical violence (biting), grooming behavior and explicit sex, 18+] | Definitely one of my favorite series to read on Tumblr so far, you know it’s dark, and the smut is great. I always look forward to the updates on this one.

*Lipstick and Crayons 🖍 Ch. 4 by @oneoftheprettynerds » Dark Mob!Steve Rogers x Reader — Steve can’t ever repay you for what you did. After meeting you, Steve believes his broken family is the missing piece in the puzzle of your own wrecked one. Indebting the crime lord to you has been the biggest mistake of your life, cause now you can’t get rid of him, no matter what. Loyalty and favours go a long way in the mob. | This story always gets my heart a racing and leaves you with questions as to what is going to happen next. I truly love it and Soft!Dad while being Angry!Mob boss Steve all at the same time, this story just has it all for me.

This Is My Unbecoming by @river-soul » Werewolf!Steve Rogers x Witch!Reader — When the Hydra pack graduates from turning humans to swell their ranks to kidnapping and murdering witches to consolidate power, Steve knows he needs to strike. He makes a deal with a powerful coven leader for a witch of his own in exchange for destroying the rogue pack. [Magical realism, biting, blood, slightly dubious consent and explicit sex, 18+] | Okay this is so good and I would like to thank the teenage mind of @river-soul for creating this! Like seriously thank you. I look forward to reading more!

It’s been a long, long time ☕️ Ch.1 by @mostly-marvel-musings » Steve Rogers x Reader — Steve Rogers – a man who has lost too much finds himself blending into the crowd in attempts to forget his past but revisits familiar places and spends days sketching his heart out. A rainy evening leads him to find shelter in your coffee shop. Is having meaningful conversations over endless cups of coffee with a stranger the key to unlocking a heart that’s lost the will to love? | The prologue tore my heart out, it truly did but the first chapter just puts the pieces back together. I really love this and I’m honestly looking forward to reading what happens next. I can’t thank you enough for entering my writing challenge!

*Not A Team Part: 1 by @shedobewritingalittle » Steve Rogers x Reader — The Reader tries to live a normal life, but her memories won’t leave her alone. Rhodey comes to visit the reader with a proposition. | There aren't a lot of stories out there that have walk on parts with Rhodey in it and I didn’t know how much I missed out on having him in stories till I read this. This was just so well written and the characterization of Rhodey was perfect, how Peyton got the emotions written across, it’s perfect. Read this and have some tissues on hand. I will always love it.

Andy Barber

One-Shots:

Closing Arguments by @river-soul » Andy Barber x Reader — Andy and you are going out for the first time since your daughter’s birth. Anxious about leaving her behind Andy does his best to make you feel better. [Fluff with explicit sex (f recieving), 18+] | So fluffy and sweet!

Keep the Heat by @ozarkthedog » Andy Barber x Reader — Andy fucks you in the coat. | Semi-Short and the smut is oh so good.

(Mini) Series:

Homebound 🏡 Ch. 1 by @fuel-joy » Dark!Andy Barber x Reader — You witness your neighbor kill his wife. You try to gather evidence all from the comfort of your home. | Prepare to be at the edge of your seat with this one, it’s just that good.

One Night by @darkficsyouneveraskedfor » Dark!Andy Barber x Reader — One night changes your entire life. | This is dark and exciting, with tons of angst in it. I love a real good dark!Andy fic and this is it.

Chris Evans

One-Shots:

Mirrors by @cherrychris » Chris Evans x Reader — “wanna know what i see? me owning you and this sweet little pussy” | Sometimes you read things that just blow your mind and this was one of those things.

*Work Party by @harrylovex » Chris Evans x Reader — you get drunk at a work party and chris looks after you… | This is really adorable and probably one of my favorite fluffy Chris Evans one-shots I’ve ever read.

Misc.

One-Shots:

An Act of Kindness by @stargazingfangirl18 » Jake Jensen x Female!Reader — A simple act of kindness seals your fate. | I would like to simply start of by saying that this was my first Jake Jensen fanfiction in years, or maybe my first one, and all I could was where have I been hiding from him? So good and glad I read this and so will you!

*Come Back Safe by @celestialbarnes » Sam Wilson x Reader — based on tfatws, you find out sam’s leaving for a mission, afraid to lose the man you love, you confront him, and he promises you to come back. | So fluffy you’ll want to cuddle it under a blanket fort and wish under a thousand starry night skies for it to come true.

(Mini) Series:

Fiery Friends Pt. 3 🔥 Pt. 4 by @wanderinglunarnights » Johnny Storm x OFC!Sophia Jones — Johnny invites his best friend Sophia to stay with him in his penthouse during quarantine. | I really like this story, because I find myself mentally rooting for Sophia and Johnny, also going you go girl. Looking forward to what is next for this duo.

Ensnared Pt. 2 🔗 Pt. 1 by @stargazingfangirl18 » Ransom Drysdale x Female!Reader; minor Robert Pronge (Mr. Freezy) x Reader — Robert preps you for the handoff to the smooth talking stranger who bought you, but before he lets you go, he wants to have a little fun first. | So good and hot. Honestly I look forward to hopefully finding out what happens between the reader and Ransom.

Made With Love by @ayybtch » Wanda Maximoff x f!Reader + Friends to Lovers — Wanda is an excellent cook but a terrible baker. A rough day leads her to the bakery in the Avengers compound where she meets you, the lead baker. After a dismal attempt at making chocolate chip cookies, you volunteer to help Wanda learn how to bake. Your friendship grows stronger with each successful recipe until the two of you stumble into something even sweeter than baked goods. | This story will constantly have you smiling, sure it’s only 3 chapters so far, but I started off reading it in a bad mood but by the 3rd chapter I was just so sappy and happy. I can’t wait for more!

Without Me by CuttingMyFingersOff » Legolas x OFC!Braigeth — Braigeth was an elf who has nothing but memories of Legolas to help her survive being imprisoned in the walls of Orthanc. That is, until she is able to escape and reunite with him. | I’ve been invested in this since my friend came forward to me with the idea for this story and now that it’s being written, I couldn’t be more excited to read it. I need more Lord of the Rings in my life if I’m being honest.

Forever and Ever More by @syntheticavenger » Dark Alpha!Ransom Drysdale x Omega!Reader — Ransom Drysdale may be Boston’s most eligible Alpha but he has his eyes set on you. With his inheritance hanging in the balance, he won’t take no for an answer, whether you like him or not. | Prepared to go on a Hawaiian EMOTIONAL roller coaster with this story, there are so many times in this story you find yourself picking your jaw up off the floor. I’ve linked you to chapter 9, which has all the previous chapters, listed.

Is A Shout Out To My...

@bluemusickid in celebration of 700 followers is hosting a Holi Celebration Writing Challenge, that is due April 30th, but extension can be given. Any Marvel or MCU characters can be used in addition to Chris Evans and his characters. The theme is Holi and its colors, for better explanation visit the link provided.

@whisperlullaby in celebration of 700 followers is hosting a 700 Followers Challenge, your entries will be due May 5th. The theme is kinks, no RPF, DDLG/MMLG, bathroom related , incest, or under age kinks. This is MCU characters, Sebastian Stan, and Chris Evans characters x OFC or Reader. For more information visit the link provided. Congrats Becca on the 700 followers you deserve it hun!

@stargazingfangirl18 in celebration of 5K followers is hosting a Soft Dark Writing Challenge, which is due May 31st. Don’t let the name fool you, your writing can be soft, dark, or soft!dark, or headcanons about any Chris character. 500 word minimum with no max, but new or be read as a stand alone piece. For more information visit the link provided and be sure to congratulate Siri on her 5K milestone!

@cloudystevie in celebration of 4K followers is hosting a Mob!AU Writing Challenge, that is due on May 30th. You can use Chris Evans and any of his characters he’s played before, as well as make it NSFW or SFW. To learn more about it please visit the link below. Also congratulations Jasmeen on the 4K followers! 💗

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starshine583 · 3 years

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New Girl on the Block (17)

(sorry for the late update everyone! I spent time with family this weekend and got a little side tracked lol anyway, please enjoy chapter 17 of “New Girl on the Block” and as always, feel free to check out the mini series connected to this called Journal Entries!)

Ch.1 / Ch.16 / Ch.18 (ao3)

Chapter 17: Subtlety Is Key

The platform ladder that Marinette was standing on sat firmly in Felix’s grip as he watched her attempt to pin a stream of hearts to the wall. She appeared to be having trouble deciding which angle was best, moving her end of the stream up and down while staring at the other end, which was already pinned up, and squinting. He half wondered if she was going to take this long on every stream of hearts she pinned up, since she'd been doing the same up-and-down motion for a while now, but he also didn’t mind waiting if she did. The longer he stood here, the better his chances were of escaping the task of writing those “thank you” cards that Allegra liked to put in her party favors. She always managed to rope him into it, saying that his handwriting was the best amongst them, which, in truth, it was, but why not save the trouble and type out the message on the computer in a curly font? Surely, it would have the same effect.

“Felix, does this look straight to you?”

Felix dragged his gaze back up to Marinette, who was frowning at the spot that she’d finally decided to stop on. The stream of hearts hung to her right, making a nice curve on the wall that looked fine, but he wouldn’t be able to say for certain until he acquired a level, which they didn’t have.

“As straight as it can get, I imagine.” He replied. Even if it was a tad off, the guests would hardly notice. They’ll be too busy mingling and dancing around.

A sigh fell from the ravenette, and she lowered the hearts to give him a tired look. “How is that supposed to help me?”

“Well, it’s definitely not straight now. Does that help?”

Marinette pressed her lips into a thin line, obviously disgruntled, and Felix clenched his jaw to avoid smiling. Perhaps he should wait until she got off the ladder to continue. She might kick him in the face otherwise.

“Why are you here if you’re not going to be useful?” She grumbled, turning back to the wall.

A snort escaped Felix’s lips. “I am being useful. I’m holding the ladder so you don’t fall and break your neck.”

“Bold of you to assume I won’t fall whether the ladder is steady or not.”

“Which is another reason why I’m here.” He replied smoothly. “To catch you.”

Marinette hummed, glancing down at him from the corner of her eye. “How kind of you.”

“Yes, it really is, isn’t it?”

She breathed out a small laugh and shook her head, coaxing a smirk from Felix as well.

It’s been about a week since they stayed up all night talking at Allegra’s house, since things between them changed, since things with him changed. He couldn’t quite place what had caused it, except that it was most definitely her. The way she listened to him wholeheartedly throughout the entire night, hanging on his every word, offering support when needed and trading a few stories herself- It made him feel heard, which was immensely strange. Because he’d been heard before, plenty of times in fact. It was nothing new. So why was that night different? Was it because of the soft atmosphere that the moon provided? Or because they were both somewhat tired despite saying otherwise? Why did his entire being feel so clear and refreshed when they went up to bed later on?

Whatever happened, he’d assumed that the feeling would be gone by morning, since nighttime conversations hardly travel to the next day, but imagine his surprise when the feeling swelled full force in his chest the next day, specifically when he greeted Marinette in the hall. It was as crystal clear as the night before, and it had yet to fade even now.

Felix didn’t understand. Not at all. But he certainly wasn’t going to dispute it. He actually began encouraging the feeling, talking with Marinette on a more constant basis, muttering in her direction during conversations, asking more casual questions, throwing around a joke or two about the others when it seemed appropriate- he even found himself teasing her at one point, which led him to the wonderful realization that Marinette Dupain-Cheng was much sassier than he’d given her credit for. Despite her surprise, she’d snapped back immediately, a playful glare in her eyes and a smirk on her lips, and with an unexpected reaction like that, Felix couldn’t not tease her more. That would simply be a waste.

In the following week, he continued to talk with her, and continued to learn how much of a wild card she truly was. She never reacted to his teasing the same way. For example, one minute, she would blush, the next she would smack him, or roll her eyes and shoot right back without a second thought, or even pout. There was no telling what she was going to do next, and Felix eagerly anticipated her next move each time. It was fun for him now, fun to talk with her, fun to see her smirks and glares and giggles when he did. He could understand why Claude, Allegra, and Allan would want to talk with everyone and anyone if they all acted like her.

Their dynamic had definitely changed over the last few days, and although he wasn’t sure how much Marinette had noticed it herself, Felix knew he was thoroughly enjoying the shift.

“There.” Marinette said above him, leaning back to put her hands on her hips. “How’s that?”

Felix’s eyes glazed over the stream of hearts again, and he let out a hum. “A bit more to the left.”

Her shoulders drooped. “Are you serious?”

“No.”

The narrowed yet playful glare that she shot him had Felix holding back another chuckle, and he innocently moved to grab one of the pink, inflated balloons on the table next to them to hand it to her.

“Why do I ask you anything anymore?” She asked as she took the balloon from him.

“Because you know I’m an excellent judge when it comes to fine craftsmanship, such as the stream of hearts hanging above us on the wall right now.”

Marinette scoffed, tacking the balloon to the wall just above the first decoration. “What, are you kissing up to me now? Are you trying to butter me up so I’ll bring you more cheesy croissants?”

Felix shot her a look of feigned offense. “I wouldn’t dream of it, not after the amount of pain and effort that went into the making of those decorations.”

Now she was glaring at him. “Exactly how long do you plan on holding that paper cut against me?”

“I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about.” Felix replied, a slight smile betraying his lips as he did.

Marinette huffed, letting her eyes flick up in an eyeroll, and started back down the ladder. Felix moved back to let her off, before grabbing the ladder again to lift it over to the next wall. They still had two more streams to put up.

“You seem to be more present today.” He commented, thinking back on the get-together they had yesterday. She’d been lost in her own thoughts through the first part of it, so much so that Allegra felt the need to ask her if she was alright. Marinette didn’t get to answer due to Claude jumping in, but when Felix asked her about it again a bit later, she quickly froze up, saying that she’d rather keep it to herself for the time being.

Felix understood, of course, and he said as much, but that didn’t stop him from being curious. Or even a bit concerned. She always had a specific look when that model was involved, and she’d worn it openly yesterday. Therefore, he could only assume that that was part of the trouble, but how much trouble? Did they run into each other again? Did he text her? Did he go looking for her somewhere? There were too many possibilities and not enough clues for Felix to draw a firm conclusion. He couldn’t even be sure that Agreste was the problem in the first place.

“Did your troubles sort themselves out?” He added, trying not to look at her too much as he did. Felix didn’t want to pry, but he did want to make sure she was handling herself alright. (Not that that was really in question at this point. After that run-in with the akuma, they all knew quite well that Marinette could take care of things when she needed to.)

Marinette paused at the base of the ladder, tilting her head at him with a questioning glance. “My troubles?”

A slight frown tugged at the corner of Felix’s lips. Had she forgotten already? It must not have been that important, then..

“You said something was bothering you yesterday.” He said anyway.

“Oh!” Understanding washed over her features, but a grimace quickly followed. “Oh.”

Felix rose a brow. Did that mean the problem wasn’t resolved?

“Um.. no.” She said, offering a bit of clarity as she fiddled with the next stream of hearts that they were supposed to be hanging up. “No, it’s still very much there, unfortunately. I’m not sure how everything’s going to work out yet.”

Felix nodded. “I see. I apologize for bringing it up, then.”

“No, no, you’re fine.” She insisted as she climbed the ladder. “I know you were just trying to help.”

“Besides,” Marinette threw another smile over her shoulder, one that was clearly softer than the smirks she’d been giving him earlier, “if it gets to be too much, I’m sure you’ll come to rescue again. So you can have something else to brag about.”

Felix’s eyes widened, admittedly knocked off balance by the comment. Joking about being rescued wasn’t entirely unusual, but ‘again’? What did she mean ‘again’? Did she think he rescued her before? When? Why did he find himself feeling immensely pleased with the thought?

“Of course..” He muttered absently. “I do love to brag, you know.”

It was a bland remark to be sure, not nearly one of his best, but Marinette laughed anyway, as she always did, and turned back around to start pinning the next stream of hearts to the wall.

Felix continued to watch.

~~~~~~

Bzzt. Bzzt.

Adrien lunged for his phone, unlocking it with his fingerprint before it could even finish vibrating, and tapped the notification. Was it her? Had she finally decided to text him? Please let it be her!

A news app flashed onto his screen, and his shoulders sagged as he realized that Marinette hadn’t texted him. How long was she going to wait? It’s already been a full day, and winter break was fading fast. He knew these things could take time, but they honestly didn’t have a lot of that right now. Once school started up again, his schedule was going to go right back to packed, and he’d barely be able to breathe let alone go see her. He didn’t want their precious chance to hang-out to go to waste.

“You good, dude?” Nino asked next to him. “You’ve been hovering around your phone all day. Is something going on?”

“Oh, uh-” Adrien sat up, pushing away his phone and disappointment. Marinette was going to text him eventually. He just needed to be patient. “No, everything’s fine. Père just likes to stay in touch with me while I’m out, so I want to make sure I don’t miss any text messages or anything.”

Nino frowned. “Isn’t sending Gorilla with you enough?”

Adrien shrugged. “Yeah, but you know how he is. He likes to stay on top of things.”

Disgruntlement flicked across Nino’s features, and he tugged his hat down slightly to hide it, muttering, “Or he just likes to control everything.”

Adrien smiled despite the comment. “Come on, he’s not that bad. He let us hang out today, right?”

Nino nodded, though his frown didn’t fade. “Yeah, I guess that’s true.. Just don’t let him distract you from our game. We still have a tie to break.”

Adrien straightened and grabbed the controller that he’d dropped earlier. “Course not! Père or no, I still have plenty of focus to beat you.”

Nino let out a playful scoff. “Sure, dude. We’ll see who beats who this time.”

Adrien chuckled and positioned himself on the couch, and the two jokingly counted down before starting the next match.

Keeping Nino in the dark about Marinette wasn’t something Adrien enjoyed- they were best friends, after all -but he didn’t want to risk talking about her now. The class was only just now starting to be suspicious of Lila, and even then, it was light, joking. They weren’t serious about it yet. If they knew he was meeting up with Marinette, the person they still weren’t entirely fond of, it might serve as a disadvantage to him. What if they stopped listening to him because he was talking with her? He couldn’t take that chance. He needed to get his feet planted firmly on the ground before taking any rash steps forward.

That said, he did need to take some sort of step forward. Lila trying to make a deal with him last week was extremely reassuring, since it meant that she herself thought of him as a threat, but he also knew that he couldn’t slack off because of it. Muttering over her shoulder wasn’t going to work forever, and if he didn’t find a way to crank up the pressure soon, she would start countering his subtle attacks. Maybe he could start talking to people directly? While they were alone. He could talk to them more about Lila and ask if her stories are suspicious.. But what if he talks to the wrong person? Depending on who he conversed with, they might round on him in an instant, and his plan would crumble again. No, he needed to be careful about this. He needed to start with someone he could trust.

“....So,” Adrien glanced at Nino, because who better to start with than his best friend? “what are your thoughts on Lila?”

If Adrien wanted to change everyone’s opinion of Marinette and Lila, he supposed he would have to know those opinion’s first, and Nino, he felt, was the perfect candidate for that. He was a chill, relaxed person, who pretty much liked everybody. (Everybody except Adrien’s father, that is.) His opinion of Lila should be similar to an average of everyone else’s opinion, and Adrien could use that as an estimation of Lila’s- hopefully decreasing -popularity.

Nino scrunched up his nose, clearly confused by the change of subject. “Lila? I mean, she’s alright. Pretty nice. Alya really likes her.”

Adrien nodded thoughtfully. That was about what he expected him to say. “What do you think about her stories? It seems like she’s been everywhere, doesn’t it?”

Nino snorted. “Right? She says she knows everybody and anybody. It’s pretty crazy.”

Adrien’s eyes widened slightly, though Nino didn’t notice. ‘She says she knows everybody’? Not ‘she knows everybody’? If Adrien didn’t know any better, he might say that sounded a little bit like doubt.

“You don’t believe her?” He asked, carefully.

“No, no, I do.” Nino rushed to say, ignoring the game console that was now blinking ‘defeat’ on his side. “It’s just.. you know.. crazy. She’s been all over the world, knows all these different people, and she’s only fifteen. And she kept up with the school the whole time. It sounds like a lot.”

“Yeah, it definitely does.” Adrien agreed, setting his controller aside and hiding a smile. “And now, she’s been taking up the job as class president, even though she’s still planning charity events and working at homeless shelters and hanging out with Alya and the rest of the girls and doing homework.. It makes you wonder how she fits it all into her schedule.”

Nino chuckled. “Yeah, I- It’s.. I don’t know. I definitely couldn’t do it. What about you, though? What do you think about her? You seem to be really interested in her lately.”

Adrien had to bite the inside of his cheek to avoid laughing. Interesting was a word.

“Ah, well.. I guess I’m just curious about her more than anything. I’m a model who goes places and meets people all the time, and I haven’t met nearly as many famous people as she has. I wanna learn how she’s managed to not get in any news or magazines so far-”

Bzzt. Bzzt.

Adrien paused mid-word to whirl around and check his phone. He was honestly preparing himself for the disappointment already- why would this time be any different? -when his eyes landed on the tiny speech bubble that represented his text messaging app. His insides leaped at this sight, and he tried to swallow his excitement as he tapped the notification. Was it her? Had she finally texted him?

Marinette’s name splayed across the top of the screen, and it took every ounce of discipline for Adrien not to leap off the couch and cheer. She’d texted him! Marinette had finally texted him back!

~Hey, sorry it took me so long to text you. I’ve been helping my friends out with something. If you want, I can meet up with you at (something) café for lunch on Feb. 15th? Does that work for you?~

Lunch! Adrien wanted to scream. She was inviting him to lunch! Marinette did want to hang out with him more! This was perfect!

He quickly texted her back.

~That sounds great! I’ll see you then ;D~

Adrien hadn’t even checked his schedule yet, but that didn’t matter. He was making this lunch date no matter what. Then he could talk with Marinette about his plans and maybe convince her to come back and-

“Was that your dad?” Nino asked, breaking Adrien from his thoughts yet again. That was probably a good thing though. He shouldn’t be getting too ahead of himself. From the way things looked, Marinette was really enjoying her new school life. It will probably take a lot of convincing to get her to come back. For now, he needed to take things slowly.

Slowly.

“Oh, yeah.” Adrien said, cool as a cucumber. “He was just telling me about my next photoshoot.”

“Another one? It’s not going to stop us from hanging out, is it?”

“No, no, it shouldn’t.” Not that he knew of, anyway. The only thing his meeting with Marinette would hopefully affect was everyone’s opinions of Lila.

Nino relaxed slightly at the answer. “Good. He over-works you way too much. You should ask for a raise or something.”

Adrien laughed. “I think I’d rather keep the time off that he gives me. Anyway, you ready to play another round? You lost, so now you have to catch back up.”

Nino eyed his controller with a slight smile. “Whatever, man, you know I’m gonna pass you up without a problem.”

“Sure you are.” Adrien smirked. “Just like how you were gonna pass me up last round.”

Nino laughed and snatched his controller up. “Oh, it’s on, dude.”

~~~~~~

Allegra drew in a deep breath, reveling in the scent of the special candles she’d ordered. Patchouli and Rosewood- the perfect thing to accentuate the rose bouquets delicately placed on the round tables and encourage the romantic mood for their party. With the lights dimmed and everyone dancing together on top of that, hearts were bound to be captured, and she couldn’t wait to see it, especially when it came to a particular pair.

Allegra set her candle down and subtly glanced over her shoulder at Felix and Marinette, who were currently stringing up the last stream of hearts on the other side of the room. They were both laughing and talking together, completely comfortable as Felix held the ladder steady and Marinette pinned her last balloon at the end of the stream. It was a cliché couple, really- the stoic, uptight rich boy falling hard for the sweet, adorable bakery girl -but Allegra was determined to see it work out. She’s always prided herself on getting unlikely people together, and these two were going to be her ultimate achievement. Of course, at this point, she supposed she could hardly call them an unlikely couple. They’ve been rather in-step with each other as of late. What with their muttering to each other during group-hang outs and sharing secret looks and sitting near each other on a regular basis. She might be inclined to be excited for the progress if she had any idea as to why they were suddenly so close. Last week, Felix was still gritting his teeth about being caught looking at Marinette, yet today, he’s talking and smiling and laughing with her openly. Laughing! Felix doesn’t laugh. He scowls and hisses and maybe smirks when he’s in a good mood, but he doesn’t laugh. Something monumental must have happened between the two that would encourage him to do so. So what was it? When was it? Her entire body was itching to know, and the fact that she knew she couldn’t ask only made it worse. If she tried to ask Felix about the event, he might clam up again, regressing the friendship. If she tried to ask Marinette about the event, the ravenette would probably become flustered or more hyper aware of Felix’s subconscious advancements, which, again, would probably regress the friendship. She was stuck either way.

“They’re driving me crazy.” She finally said, knowing the boys would hear her. If she couldn’t confirm her theories about Felix and Marinette’s interactions, she would rant about them to Claude and Allan instead.

As usual, Claude was the first to respond, glancing up from the party favors she had him arranging to ask, “What? Who’s driving you crazy?”

Allegra turned to him with a sigh and tilted her head ever-so-slightly in the “lovebirds’” direction. “They are. They’re acting differently than they were before, and I don’t know why.”

Claude straightened to glance over her shoulder for a moment, his brows furrowing slightly.

“You mean Felix and Marinette? They look the same to me.”

Allegra scrunched up her nose with a scoff. “What do you mean they look the same? You think Felix just laughs like that on a regular basis?”

Allan wandered over to their conversation then, also watching Marinette and Felix. The blond and ravenette didn’t even look up from the hearts on the wall, which was another big sign that they were becoming increasingly engrossed in each other. Felix was normally highly aware of his surroundings, as was Allegra, and he usually would have noticed the trio’s stares by now. But he didn’t, because he was too busy looking at Marinette instead.

“They have been a bit chummy lately.” Allan agreed, bringing a smile to Allegra’s lips. At least someone besides herself was paying attention.

“Well, yeah, but we knew that already.” Claude said. “They like each other, don’t they? Of course they would be chummy.”

“Yes, but not like that.” Allegra insisted. “Whether Felix likes her or not doesn’t change the fact that he’s technically being open around all of us right now. Isn’t that a bit strange to you? Besides, we still don’t actually know for sure that Marinette has a crush on Felix.”

Claude gave her a look. “What? I thought you said that she got all blushy and stuff when you talked about Felix at the sleepover.”

“She was, but Marinette gets blushy about a lot of things. And I was talking about how comfortable Felix is around her. That would probably make any girl blush.”

“She has a point,” Allan spoke up, “but I do think she might like him. She always gets this certain vibe when he’s around.”

“Oh, it’s definitely a possibility.” Allegra agreed. “You can totally spot the little ‘glow’ she gets when he talks with her, and even that’s improved since Felix changed things up.”

Claude’s eyes widened as he glanced at the pair again, seeming to study them closer this time. “Do you think she’s glowing more because he’s changed?”

“I’d say so,” Allegra answered, tapping her finger to her lip, “But what I want to know is why he changed and when. It can’t have been anything short of last week, because they only started acting this way recently, but what could have happened that we didn’t see? We’ve been with them the whole time.”

“Maybe they’ve been hanging out by themselves?” Allan suggested. “They’re not tied to us, you know.”

“I know, but wouldn’t we have heard about it? Marinette sends us pictures and such all the time. She would have mentioned her and Felix hanging out by themselves.”

Unless Marinette simply didn’t want to offend them, but Allegra still didn’t buy that explanation. As far as she knew, Felix and Marinette’s shift happened sometime after the sleepover, if not right after. It was as though they’d fallen asleep as usual, then woke up as different people entirely when it came to each other. So whatever happened must have happened during the sleepover.. but when? They were all together most of the night. Allegra supposed it could have happened during Hide and Seek, when they were all spread across the mansion, but moments like those were too quick and too tense and she certainly would have noticed Felix’s change in behavior then. That left her with.. A dead end, because the rest of the night, Marinette and Felix were always with one of the trio, even when they were all sleeping.

Unless the two hadn’t been sleeping..

“I don’t think we should overthink it.” Allan said, lightly nudging his shoulder into Allegra’s. “Marinette seems happier around Felix, and Felix is definitely happier around Marinette, so I say we take the win and let them keep getting closer on their own.”

“I agree.” Claude chimed in, surprising Allegra. He normally enjoyed meddling in others’ affairs as much as she did. “If they’ve made it this far without us getting too involved, they're bound to confess to each other at tomorrow’s party, especially with the ‘fake date’ we have planned for them.”

A smile found its way back onto Allegra’s lips. So he did intend to meddle. He just didn’t want to overthink Felix and Marinette’s sudden progress. She should have known.

“That reminds me: I still have to finish arranging that.” Allegra remarked.

She spun on her heel, leaving the boys to their tasks again, and began crossing the room to Felix and Marinette. Their chuckles and smiles quieted down as she approached, but she paid it no mind. Felix was mostly the one to stop laughing, anyway.

“Are you guys all done?” Allegra inquired, not missing the way Felix gently touched Marinette’s arm to help her get off the ladder.

Marinette flashed her a smile. “Yep! We just finished the last streamer. What’s next?”

Allegra let out a hum. “Well, Felix still has to write all of those ‘thank you’ letters for the party favors-”

A tired sigh left the blond.

“-and we have to set up the caterer’s foods, but they aren’t coming in till tomorrow. So I think we’re pretty much done. Claude and Allan are just now finishing their last tasks too.”

“Oh, good!” Marinette beamed. “The place looks great already. I can’t wait to see everyone’s reactions tomorrow.”

Allegra smiled. “Neither can I. By the way, since everything’s practically set up, you two can go ahead and stay home until the party starts. That way you both have time to get ready.”

A hint of concern flicked across the ravenette’s features as she knitted her eyebrows together. “Are you sure? I don’t mind coming in early with you guys.”

“I do,” Felix cut in, a slight smirk on his lips as he added, “and I will gladly take the extra free time.”

Allegra smirked as well, because she knew that comment had to be for Marinette’s viewing pleasure. He wouldn’t have had a smirk otherwise, nor would he have held that mischievous glint in his eyes.

Of course, Marinette breathed out a chuckle and briefly rolled her eyes, capturing Felix’s attention immediately. She then offered Allegra a meaningful smile.

“Well, if you change your mind, you can always text me.”

“Of course, but in case I don’t, why don’t you have Felix pick you up for the party tomorrow? Since you’re both not going to be arriving until later.”

Marinette and Felix exchanged a look, as though they were silently asking each other’s opinions, and Allegra had to hold back a snort. They were already reading each other and communicating in their own way. It was too cute and all too obvious. How did Claude not notice the difference earlier?

“I wouldn’t mind if you need a ride,” Felix finally spoke, pulling his shoulders up in a slight shrug, “but it’s your decision.”

Allegra swallowed a coo and glanced to the side, because this person in front of her who used to be dead-set on not helping anyone or scowling the whole way was being incredibly considerate, and she desperately needed a before-and-after video.

Marinette smiled up at him. “A ride would be nice, thanks. That way I don’t have to bother Maman or Papa about taking me at the end of their work shift.”

It was just the answer Allegra wanted to hear. Felix will be the first one to see Marinette in her new dress, and he will have plenty of time to become flustered over it during their drive to the party. Missing Felix’s face when he went to fetch Marinette was going to be a shame- since he himself mentioned how stunning she would look -but if they were lucky, perhaps he’ll still be wearing the expression when the two arrive.

“Great! I’ll call my driver so we can start getting ready to leave then.” Allegra said with a smile.

Marinette nodded. “Sounds good. I’ll go grab my purse and put up the ladder.”

“I’ll put up the ladder.” Felix cut in, already moving to close it.

A frown tugged at the corner of her lips. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. They like their tools to be put back a certain way.”

“Oh, okay. Thanks, then.”

Allegra watched Marinette walk off, feeling a fresh wave of determination.. Gosh, they were already acting like they were in love with each other. Well, Felix was at least. Marinette was about that kind to anyone. Either way, things were going smoothly now, and it should only take a carefully-timed push for the two to really get the ball rolling.

Valentine’s Day, Marinette and Felix being dressed up, both of them being alone together while dressed up, the sudden closeness- finally, all of her plans were coming together. The only thing that could possibly make this better was if Cupid himself came out to see them swoon over each other.

That wasn’t going to happen, of course, but it didn’t need to, because Allegra was going to be glad to take his place.

Tag List: @artbyknigit @athena452 @nickristus-dreamer @throneoffirebreathingbitchqueen @arsaem @abrx2002 @neakco @pawsitivelymiraculous @too0bsessedformyowngood @nathleigh @lusicing @officiallydarkgeek @all-mights-asscheeks @tbehartoo @woe-is-me0 @raeuberprinzessin @lazuli-11 @miss-chaos27 @trippingovermyfeet @sadpotatoondrugs @ladybug-182 @jaggedheart11 @marinahrasauce @i-need-blog-ideas @thewheezingbubbledragon @crazylittlemunchkin @unabashedbookworm @moonystars14 @sunflowers-and-mooncakes @2confused-2doanything @magnificentcrapposts @moonnette @nickristus-dreamer @vixen-uchiha @casual-darkness @luxmorningstarr @jjmjjktth @kaithehero @itsme1598 @theymakeupfairies @xjaccyx @miraculous-ninja @miraculouspenta @swiftie-miraculer13 @justafanwarrior @all-mights-asscheeks @ira-sairain @lookatthestars1 @dahjokester @blissful-passing @solangelo252 @canivialemonsquints07 @derbygracie @pleaseignorejustheretoread

#felinette #Marinette #Felix Culpa #Quantic Kids #New Girl on the Block #Rosemary AU #Miraculous Ladybug

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kissinginkitchens · 3 years

Text

You Bring Me Home — Chapter One: Flightless Bird, American Mouth

a/n: I've been working on this story for mooonths now and I'm so excited to finally share it with the world! It's heavily inspired by Harry's Behind the Album mini doc, except I changed the setting to Hawai'i because I've personally spent some time there and as they say, write what you know! YBMH takes place in the period between One Direction's hiatus and Harry's first album/tour, but with that being said, this is entirely a work of fiction and some events don't follow the true timeline. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my little story, I hope you love it as much as I do! It will be updated every Friday at 5 PM PST. My inbox is open, so feel free to talk to me once you've finished reading! I'd love to hear from you :) Much love, Mel <3

Pairing: Hawai'i!Harry x Original Character

Warnings: swearing

Word Count: 5.5k

May, 2016

Harry watches LAX get smaller through the airplane window and visualizes all of his worries stuck at the terminal gate, their magnitude also diminishing as he takes flight. He sinks lower in his seat and skims through playlists on his phone when a nagging feeling at the back of his mind pulls his attention away from the screen. Looking up from the song choices, he spots a cell phone quickly lowered from his line of vision and a girl with flushed cheeks who quickly averts her gaze. Harry shoots a tight-lipped smile in her direction and goes back to his phone with a sigh. The days when he could roam the streets freely without fear of recognition—or worse, harassment—feel like an entirely different lifetime. He sometimes imagines that he’ll wake up back in his childhood bed as if the past five years had all been a dream, but he never does. In fact, his privacy and anonymity seem to dwindle with each minute of radio play that One Direction receives. It’s a bittersweet pill to swallow, but one he hopes will go down easier with some time in the Hawaiian sun.

His close friend and new manager, Jeff Azoff, had suggested the vacation as soon as the band privately agreed to take a hiatus.

“You’ll go home for a few weeks,” his voice had crackled through the speakers of Harry’s phone. “Visit your mom and Gem, lay low for a while until the smoke blows over,”

Harry mulled it over in his mind, eyes flickering over the rolling landscape outside of the tour bus window.

“Then what?”

“Then you go for a little vacation. The label offered to cover a house in Hawaii so you can start working on the album,”

“Alone?”

Jeff chuckled lightly on the other end before responding. “I mean, if that’s what you want,”

“No,” Harry corrected. “You and Tom should come. Mitch and Bhasker, too,”

“The dream team,”

“And there’ll be a studio there?”

“Yes,” Jeff started, almost hesitant. “But I don’t want you to think about that too much,”

“But you said the label—"

“I also said vacation. Look, Rob said ‘it will all happen in due time,' did he not?”

Harry twisted the rose ring around his finger, tracing over the silver petals and thinking back to his conversation with the CEO of Sony Music, Rob Stringer. Upon the proposal of his debut solo album, Rob had told him that the most important ingredient for a successful debut would be patience. The singer had agreed in the moment, but every day not spent in the studio felt like a test he hadn’t studied hard enough for.

“Yeah.”

“So you take the free vacation,” Jeff suggested. “You go out, live, get some writing material. Maybe mess around with some tunes. And then we come back to L.A. and get to work. But until then, I just want you to focus on taking it easy.”

So take it easy he had. Or at least he had tried to when he was back home in England. Harry quickly grew restless after what felt like the millionth awkward conversation with past friends and acquaintances, all of which eventually led to the topic of One Direction and it’s unexpected hiatus. After one month at home, his mind and journal were full of ideas for songs, things that he wanted to say before he lost his nerve. One night as he tossed and turned in bed, he shot Jeff a text, just two words that would kick off a three month getaway to the Big Island of Hawai'i:

I’m ready.

********

“Sounds great, I'll go put in your order.” Alani offers sweetly, trying not to overdo it with the customer service voice. After waiting on the family at her designated table, she heads back to the kitchen and finds her younger sister, Pua, crouched in the corner taking what appears to be a serious phone call.

“I don’t know, I just saw it!” Her sister cries in a hushed tone. “Where do you think he’s going?”

“Is everything okay?” Alani cuts in with concern.

Pua whispers into the speaker before bringing the phone to her shoulder.

“Harry Styles was just spotted on a plane this morning,”

“Who?”

“The guy from One Direction,” her sister explains with a hint of irritation in her voice. “The band who sings that song you secretly like, ‘Fireproof,'”

Alani vaguely recalls the melody, but she waits expectantly for Pua to elaborate. “And this is news because…”

“Because the band just broke up, so where could he possibly be going?”

"The unemployment office?”

Pua rolls her eyes and returns to her phone call while Alani envelops her in a tight hug.

“I’m just kidding!” Alani apologizes, squeezing tighter despite her sister’s attempts to break free. “I’m sure he’ll be living off of royalty checks until he’s, like, eighty,”

“Get off me, freak!” Pua cries out, finally breaking the embrace.

Alani clutches her chest and pulls out an invisible knife. “Ouch. I’m telling Harry you said that,”

“This is exactly why I don’t tell you things.” the younger sister huffs, storming out of the kitchen through the employee entrance where Alani’s best friend, Maleah, has just arrived.

“Looks like someone forgot to eat their Cheerios today,” she remarks, tying her curls into a high ponytail.

Alani shrugs and leans against the counter. “She’s going through something. Just discovered that boys in pop bands are, in fact, just regular boys.”

“Poor thing,” Maleah frowns. “We all have to learn eventually.”

********

The sky is a blend of cotton candy pink and burnt orange when Alani returns home from the café with a strawberry smoothie in tow. She empties the mailbox and sorts through the various bills and advertisements, but her stomach drops when she sees a familiar return address label. After a quick greeting to her excited dog who waits at the door, Alani bolts up the stairs and quietly shuts the bedroom door behind her. Breathe, she reminds herself before tearing into the envelope and discarding it onto the wooden floor.

Dear Ms. Hale,

We are very grateful to have received your submission to Rolling Stone magazine. However, we regret to inform you—

She doesn’t read the rest, slumping to the floor in defeat. The sixth rejection letter from Rolling Stone lies crumpled at Alani’s feet and she kicks it across the room with a frustrated grunt. She had worked for over two months perfecting her analysis of Joni Mitchell’s Big Yellow Taxi and its allusions to the environmental impact of urban development in Hawaii. As part of her initial research, Alani had even traveled to both the Royal Hawaiian hotel in Honolulu, which is the famous Pink Hotel mentioned in the song, and Foster Botanical Garden that Mitchell referred to as “the tree museum.” She was certain that her effort and persistence would result in at least a consideration. The second third time's the charm! Maleah had joked watching Alani submit the piece. Six articles in the span of two years, each one facing the same rejection despite the increased effort Alani had put in over time. The fact that the rejection letter hadn’t changed over the course of the two years brings an incredulous smile to her face, and her stomach turns when she considers that the editors probably hadn’t even read her work, anyway. All that effort, she thinks to herself, all that time, for nothing.

“It will take time,” her favorite professor, Dr. Hudson, had reassured her three months after the Joni Mitchell article was submitted. “Every great writer faced countless rejection until that one piece. Yours will come. Keep your eyes open and your pen ready.”

Alani sighs and lifts herself off the floor, choosing to crawl into her unmade bed instead of slumping onto the hardwood. She hears a soft scratching at the door before her King Charles Spaniel, Freddie, pads into the room.

“Come here, bubs,” Alani whispers. He obeys and burrows into the duvet, giving her temple a gentle lick before nuzzling into the nape of her neck.

“You still love me, right?” she asks, voice cracking. “Even if I’m a failure?”

Freddie sniffs her ear in response.

********

“Right,” Harry says, his tongue peeking from the corner of his mouth as he reads the map. “No, left, sorry,”

“Do you actually know how to read a map?” Jeff teases, correcting the turn.

Harry pouts in response, his brows furrowing. “In my defense, we’re literally in the middle of fucking nowhere,”

“There are worse places to be,” Mitch pipes up from the back seat. “England, for example, where they say things like ‘litchrally’,”

“Very well said, Mitchell,” Jeff Bhasker adds with a fake British accent of his own.

Harry turns to his friends in the back seat with a finger pointed like an agitated mother. “If you lot don’t shut up, I’m gonna lead us to a volcano and push you in,”

“Where are we even going? I forgot,” Tom complains.

“To get food,” his manager responds from the driver’s seat. “I think,”

“Why can’t we just stop there?” Mitch asks pointing to a café pulling up on their right.

Jeff merges into the turning lane quickly without a second thought. “Good enough for me, I’m starving.”

“Sorry, H.” Mitch pats his friend on the shoulder.

Harry scoffs. “You’re the one who wanted poke.”

The Aloha Nui Loa Café is much more spacious than the exterior suggests, yet it still feels cozy. The walls are painted sage green and adorned with various local art pieces, as described by the plaques that accompany them. A skylight fills the center of the room with plenty of warm lighting, leaving the space along the walls in a bit more shade for an intimate feel. In one corner, a hanging disco ball leaves freckles of sparkling light along the walls where the sunlight hits, making the whole image very idyllic in Harry’s mind. As if he couldn’t enjoy the setting more, he hears the beginning of an Otis Redding song that he’s had stuck in his head drift through the restaurant speakers.

“Welcome in!” a voice calls, which pulls him from his survey of the room. His head whips to the source—a girl around his age with wavy, dark hair and honey skin. “For here or to go?”

Harry takes a hesitant step up to the counter. “For here,”

She smiles warmly and pulls some menus from under the counter. “How many in your party?”

“Five.”

“Great, follow me.”

Harry and his friends follow the waitress to the corner of the room under the disco ball and take their seats at the round table.

“My name is Alani,” she introduces herself, setting the menus down. “I’ll be serving you today. Can I get you started with some drinks?”

Harry continues scanning the restaurant while his group orders. His eyes land on the shirt that Alani is wearing, a white tee with the words “Enjoy Health, Eat Your Honey” in blue lettering that surrounds a picture of a cartoon bee.

“Harry,” Jeff says gently, catching his drifting attention.

The singer turns to his manager, who nods to Alani waiting with a pen pressed to her notepad. Harry feels a rush of embarrassment creep across his cheeks and he clears his throat to cover it.

“Just water,” he says, eyes glued to the menu. “Thanks.”

“You got it.” Alani nods, flashing a toothy grin at the rest of the group before turning back to the kitchen. Harry. Her mind repeats, finding a hint of familiarity, though she doesn’t know why.

When Alani arrives at the drink station, she finds her sister staring at her, mouth agape, while Maleah unsuccessfully conceals her laughter.

“What?” she questions, checking herself for any embarrassing stains or smells.

“You were—and he—” Pua stammers. “He was—and then he—”

“That’s Harry Styles,” Maleah translates, her voice hushed as she peers over her friend's shoulder.

Alani turns to steal a glance at the table she just seated, but Pua and Maleah latch onto her and shake their heads frantically.

“Don’t look!” her sister hisses.

Alani smirks, amused at their reactions. “No shit. That’s One Direction?”

Maleah snorts, clasping a hand over her mouth as Pua huffs. “No, dumbass! It’s just Harry. I don’t know who the other guys are,”

“But the blonde guy? That’s not—?”

“No!” Pua and Maleah giggle in unison.

“Okay, geez,” Alani relents. She manages to steal a quick glance at the table over her shoulder, immediately searching for Harry. Her eyes scan over the long, curly hair kept out of his face by a pair of white sunglasses that she had seen on Kurt Cobain once. All of his features are sharp and striking, from his pointed nose and defined jawline to the bright blue eyes. Or maybe they were grey? Alani wonders, trying to remember the exact shade. He doesn’t look anything like the fresh-faced teeny bopper she’d had in mind, the one from a music video her sister had shown her a long time ago. She would have never guessed that the What Makes You Beautiful singer had so much dark ink trailing down his bicep and forearm, though her knowledge of One Direction was very limited.

“What did he order?” Pua questions, her eyes wide.

Alani quickly snaps back to reality and resumes filling the drinks. “A water,”

“Oh my god,” Maleah swoons. “I’m never drinking anything else ever again,”

“I didn’t even know you liked him,” Alani teases with an eyebrow raised.

Maleah sneaks another peek at the table and catches her lower lip between her teeth. “I mean, I didn’t really think so either but look at him. What a fucking dream,”

Harry was objectively handsome, this Alani could admit, but she personally didn’t see the appeal and had a strong feeling that he was just like every other male celebrity. The fact that he hadn’t even bothered to make eye contact with her only served as further proof of what she knew to be true.

“Okay, well, your dreamboat is waiting for his water. So excuse me,” Alani winks, making her way back to the table.

The singer spots Alani returning out of the corner of his eye and the sight of her causes a strange flutter in the pit of his stomach that makes him want to duck for cover. Instead, he pulls his phone from his back pocket and pretends to be occupied with something on the screen.

“Okay,” she greets, setting the drink tray down. “I have a Blue Hawaii, a Mango Mama, two Loco Cocos, and a water,”

The group graciously accepts their drinks with a chorus of “thank you," but the only one under Alani’s scrutiny is Harry. He still doesn’t meet her almond eyes, and though she figured he wouldn’t, she can’t help the inkling of disappointment that washes over her. After taking their meal orders, Alani heads back to the kitchen, checking on her other customers along the way. Harry’s eyes follow her and he observes the way customers light up at her presence, indulging her conversation with laughter. He watches as she lingers by the jukebox in one corner of the room, a detail he had missed in his initial scan, and waits anxiously to see what song she chooses. Baby I’m-a Want You begins softly and Harry feels the corner of his lip curl ever so slightly. Good choice, he thinks.

********

“He’s still here,” Pua muses, peering through the tiny window in the kitchen door. It had been nearly two hours and the five men were still seated around their table cracking jokes and doing a lot of talking with their hands.

Alani doesn’t look up from her bowl of sliced kiwis, offering a hum in response. “And what do you want me to do about that?”

“Nothing,” Pua shoots back. “Don’t bother him,”

“What kind of girls do you think he’s into?” Maleah asks, attempting to peek through the window.

Alani shrugs, bored of the conversation and of thinking about Harry. “I don’t know, but I’ll bet he’s a real sucker for the ones who stalk him while he’s eating,”

“How does he make eating a salad look hot?”

“Can we talk about something else now?” Alani whines, poking holes in a lone kiwi with her fork.

Pua tosses a wet dish rag in her sister’s direction and cheers when it lands in her face. “Go see if he wants more water, he looks thirsty.”

“I already refilled it,” Alani defends. “Twenty minutes ago. I’ve refilled it a hundred times, I’m surprised he hasn’t peed his pants.”

I’m gonna piss myself. Harry thinks, his right leg bouncing to distract himself. He really wasn’t all that thirsty, but he couldn’t stop himself from finishing each glass of water that Alani placed in front of him. He really wasn’t all that thirsty, but he couldn’t stop himself from finishing each glass of water that Alani placed in front of him. Like clockwork, she would return to fill his glass almost as soon as the last drop had been drained, and so what began as a little experiment slowly turned into a bladder hazard. But if the trend was to be trusted, she would be back any minute and he wasn’t going to miss it; afterall, there were only so many ways to casually linger in a small café without making it weird. Unable to bear it any longer, he heads to the restroom and hopes that Alani doesn’t clear their table before he has a chance to see her again.

Harry pads down the back hallway with his eyes cast down at the floor, which proves to be a mistake when he walks directly into another person.

“Sorry!” they both apologize quickly, Harry’s palm taking purchase on the other person’s upper arm.

“I wasn’t paying attention,” he offers, finally meeting the dark, mocha eyes already looking back at him.

Alani presses her lips into a tight smile. “Me either,”

Harry’s heartbeat picks up when he realizes it’s her, and he isn’t aware of how close they’re standing until he detects the faint scent of kiwi on her breath. He takes a step back and rakes a hand through his hair.

“So I guess I’ll just—”

“Yeah, sure.”

Green. Alani notes to herself. His eyes are green.

********

Shortly after Harry returned from the restroom, him and his friends settled their bill and headed out. Alani cleared their table and her eyes nearly fell out of her head when she saw the hefty tip left behind. The word mahalo was also left behind on the receipt, underlined twice, and she wondered if it was his handwriting.

Later that night, she settled into bed with her laptop and hesitantly typed his name into Google. As she expected, countless articles about the split of One Direction emerged, most of them speculating what was next for each member. To her surprise, however, Harry’s name seemed to be mentioned more than his fellow bandmates as various sources labeled him “the next Justin Timberlake” and rising star of the group. Upon further investigation, she learned that the demand for information about the elusive Harry Styles was high, especially concerning any possible solo music. No news had yet been confirmed by Styles himself, nor anyone claiming to represent him, but she still wondered if his presence in Hawaii had anything to do with a possible solo project. Almost as soon as she thought it, Alani dismissed the theory in favor of the idea that he was most likely just taking a vacation. And from the buzz that she saw surrounding the news about One Direction, she couldn’t blame him.

The more Alani read, the more she wanted to know, and something deep down told her that his was a story worth telling. Of course, the only problem was that she had hardly talked to him, and there were only so many things she could say about the fifteen glasses of water he downed. There was no way of knowing if she would ever see him again, either, or if he was merely stopping in Hilo on his way to another island or somewhere else entirely. Alani sighed, thinking back to her most recent rejection from Rolling Stone. She knew that there was no possible way she would ever see or talk to Harry ever again, and even if she did, why would he bare his entire soul to a stranger? Still, she let her mind wander through the possibility.

Dear Ms. Hale, the letter would read, we are very grateful to have received your submission to Rolling Stone magazine and are pleased to inform you that your piece on Harry Styles will be featured in next month’s issue. Additionally, we would be honored to have you on staff, effective immediately.

It was far-fetched, Alani knew this, but she dozed off that night with endless ideas swimming in her head.

********

By the third day after his visit, the only trace of Harry is in Alani’s search history. She would have completely forgotten about him if it weren’t for her sister’s constant reminiscing and multiple attempts to rename the house salad to the “Harry Special.” As a result, a part of Alani’s thoughts periodically linger back to that day and the subsequent hours spent on Google that she’d rationalized as research instead of stalking. Somehow the knowledge that she’ll never see him again only adds fuel to the questions still burning in her mind, but a customer clearing their throat while she sorts menus below the hostess podium interrupts her thoughts.

“Welcome in!” She calls, standing. “What can I—”

She stops in her tracks, unable to believe her eyes. Harry blinks and waits for her to continue.

“What can I get started for you?” Alani tries again, hoping that he hadn’t noticed her shock. Luckily for her, Harry had been too focused on choosing his next words to register her mistake.

“What’s in the Honu smoothie?” he asks, mentally kicking himself for asking such a stupid question when the menu just inches above her head clearly spells it out.

Alani hums, thinking back to the times she had made the smoothie herself. “Kiwis, spinach, mango, avocado, and a hint of lime,”

“I’ll take one of those,” Harry says, reaching for his wallet.

Alani punches in the order with trembling fingers and nods. “For here or to go?”

“To go,”

Disappointment fills her chest. Sure, she hadn’t planned on seeing him ever again, but the fact that she did felt like a sign. If she wanted to take the chance, she’d have to do it fast.

“Anything else?” she asks, weighing her options while he skims the menu.

“No thanks.”

Alani makes the smoothie quickly, head spinning. She had spent most of the night after their initial meeting planning out exactly the type of questions she hoped to ask him and what kind of article she would write. She was used to writing about what she knew—artists and music she’d admired for years— but she figured that starting fresh with someone she hardly knew would be a good challenge. Not to mention that it seemed like just the thing Rolling Stone would jump for. Alani finally works up the courage as she finishes his smoothie, but when she returns to hand it to him and hopefully strike up a conversation, his ear is pressed to his cell phone. She holds out the drink and he graciously accepts, giving her a small nod as a “thank you” and rushing out of the restaurant.

Two days later he returns and is seated at the counter, typing away on his phone. Alani feels both a rush of optimism and annoyance at the universe for dangling his presence so unexpectedly. She starts heading over to him, but Maleah cuts in.

“Trade me?” she proposes, eyes wide.

Alani blinks. “Oh, I would but I—”

“Please,” her best friend pouts. “I’m leaving to see my grandparents in stupid California for two months. Who knows when I’ll get the chance to see him again?”

Alani sighs, but gives in, reluctantly exchanging Harry for the family of four seated by the window. A strange feeling settles into the pit of his stomach when he sees that she heads in the opposite direction after a hushed conversation with another waitress. He doesn’t know why she traded him for a different customer, but he takes the hint.

A week goes by without another sighting of Harry and Alani has permanently taken on the role of greeting hostess in hopes of seeing him again. Her heartbeat temporarily speeds up when she sees a long haired customer approach the door, but her spirits quickly fall when the face doesn’t match his.

Another week brings another disappointing realization that Harry might be gone for good. One rainy morning when the restaurant is quiet and only two customers huddle together in a booth near the back, Alani hunches over the hostess podium and doodles on a stray receipt— a sunflower, a crescent moon, and two hearts. The bell above the door jingles but she doesn’t look up, too absorbed in her scribbles.

“Do you serve coffee?”

The familiar accented voice stops Alani’s pen dead in its tracks. She lifts her eyes first to confirm, and then straightens up when she sees that her ears haven’t deceived her.

“Yes,” she swallows.

“Great. I’ll take it to go,”

She slightly deflates, but Harry thinks he’s reading too much into it.

“Actually,” he corrects anyway, just in case he isn’t. “I think I’ll stay for a while,”

Alani flashes a warm smile and nods in the direction of the counter. “Right this way,”

Harry sheds his windbreaker onto the back of the seat, revealing a black and white Rolling Stones t-shirt that makes Alani’s blood pressure rise. A sign, she thinks.

“What do you want in your coffee?” she questions carefully.

“Nothing,” he responds, shaking out his damp hair gently. “Or actually, uh, butter...if you have some,”

Alani blinks, not sure if she’d heard correctly or if there had been some transatlantic miscommunication.

“Butter?”

“Yeah,”

“Like the—”

“Spread, yeah,” Harry confirms. “It’s weird, I know,”

She lets out a light-hearted laugh and nods. “It’s a...unique request,”

“I thought the same thing at first,” Harry confides. “It’s not bad, actually. But maybe I’ve just been in L.A. for too long.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

She offers a polite smile and heads to the kitchen where the cook and two other waiters talk amongst each other. Alani is grateful that the restaurant is slow this morning because she knows that it means minimal interruptions to her time with Harry. To ensure this, though, she asks one of the other waiters to cover the podium and returns to Harry with his coffee.

“One butter coffee, free of judgement,” the waitress announces, setting it down.

Harry grins softly, stirring the drink with the spoon Alani provided. “You can judge, it’s alright,”

“I just wanna know why,”

The coffee had been part of a fad diet while on tour in order to boost Harry’s energy on stage and stay trim for the hundreds of photo-ops he would be a part of. He doesn’t know how to communicate all of this to Alani, however, not sure how much she knows about that part of him, so he shrugs and tells a simplified version of the truth.

“I read about this trend a while back, it's called bulletproof coffee. Supposed to get your energy up and I needed it for my job,”

“Which is…” Alani trails off, downplaying the knowledge that she had acquired from Google.

“I make music,” is all Harry says and he takes a sip of the drink to avoid elaborating.

“Anything I would have heard?”

He swallows hard and listens to the faint rumbling of thunder outside before replying. “Possibly,”

“Try me,” Alani challenges.

He narrows his eyes and takes another sip of coffee. “Why don’t you tell me something about yourself first?”

“What do you wanna know?”

Everything, Harry responds internally, though he reigns it in. “How you got into waitressing,”

Alani sighs, resting her elbows on the counter across from him. “There’s not much to tell, it’s a family business. What I really wanna do is write,”

“Music?”

“Articles. I’m studying Journalism at UH,”

Harry hums in response, filing the detail away in the back of his mind. “Sounds interesting. You ever publish anything?”

“Not yet,” Alani shakes her head gently, toying with the sleeves of her green University of Hawaii crewneck. “Hopefully soon, though,”

Harry racks his brain for something else to say, but before he can, Alani speaks up again.

“Is it my turn to ask something now?”

He offers a curt nod and stirs his coffee.

“What kind of music do you write?”

Harry chooses to be vague again. “Different stuff. Pop, usually. Been messing with some classic rock, though,”

“Explains the shirt,”

He peers down at the design on his tee and agrees. “Yeah, I guess so,”

“Do you like it?” Alani asks, her eyes begging to make contact with his again. “Writing music, I mean,”

“Yeah,” Harry confirms, tapping his spoon against the rim of the mug. “I really do,”

Alani’s heart pounds. This is her chance, a moment to finally secure her breakthrough piece. She doesn’t know how to approach it, so she opts to dive right in without looking back. The worst he can say is no.

“Can I ask you something else?”

“That’s cheating,” Harry teases lightly. “It's my turn,”

She pouts playfully, but obliges. “Fire away,”

Harry doesn’t know which question to ask first, but when he glances down at the crescent moon inked on her wrist, he decides to start there.

“What’s with the moon tattoo?”

Alani isn’t sure what she expected him to ask and wonders what purpose such a detail could possibly serve him, but she answers anyway.

“Oh, well,” she begins, tracing her index finger over the outline. “It’s kinda the meaning of my full name. It’s Mahealani, Hawaiian for ‘heavenly moon,'”

Fitting, Harry comments to himself. Every detail he learns about her makes him want to learn that much more, from her favorite foods to the last thing she thinks about before falling asleep. Studying her expectant eyes, he suddenly remembers that it’s his turn to respond.

“That’s cool,” is all he says.

Alani doesn’t know what to make of the faraway look in his eye, but she decides to pose her most burning question while he appears to be in good spirits.

“I know this is gonna sound totally out of the blue,” she starts, working past the lump in her throat. “But when you mentioned how you write music, I was just reminded of this assignment I’m working on in my class,”

Harry waits for her to continue, nursing his now lukewarm coffee.

“I’m supposed to write a piece about someone who I don’t know that well,” she continues. “You know, to practice our interviewing skills. And, well, I was just kind of wondering if you might be interested in helping me out—being the subject, I mean,”

Alani had every intention of telling Harry the truth, about how she really planned to submit the article to Rolling Stone in hopes of securing an internship before her college graduation next Spring. But as she started speaking, she quickly realized how it would come off: a complete stranger asking for personal information to submit to a well-known publication. She knew that there was a chance he would shut down and never return, so she lowered the stakes and hoped that this route would be less risky. Was it ethical? Alani hadn’t decided yet, but she would work out the details later. After six failed articles and two years of rejection, she saw a ray of hope and wasn’t going to let it slip away.

Harry ponders her offer for a moment, which confirms that she had recognized him. Normally he would be off-put by such a request, and to a certain extent he is, but there is something sincere in her voice that he trusts deep down. Before he agrees, however, he decides to fish around a bit to test her reaction.

“You know who I am,” he says gently. “Don’t you?”

Alani’s heart drops into the pit of her stomach, not sure what to say next. She hopes with every fiber of her being that she hasn’t upset him, or worse, ruined her chances, so she decides to offer some truth to throw him off her scent.

“My sister recognized you,” she explains. “That day you came in with your friends. I thought they were your bandmates at first,”

This lets Harry know that she isn’t a total stalker, which is comforting, but he wouldn’t have been minded if she were a fan simply engaging in conversation.

“Oh,” he laughs weakly.

“I totally understand if you say no,” Alani offers quickly, trying to smooth things over. “I just thought it was worth a shot. And that it might be more interesting than interviewing our produce guy,”

Harry decides to give her one last scan for any sign of insincerity. He’d always felt that his gut instinct was strong and it hadn’t led him astray thus far.

“An interview?” he clarifies.

“Just one,” Alani promises. “An hour, tops. And you can proofread all of it once I’ve finished, too.”

Harry waits a beat, already knowing his reply, but he wants to see how she will react to his silence. She doesn’t budge, almond eyes set and determined.

“Okay.”

next chapter

#harry styles #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles writing #harry styles x oc #harry styles fluff #harry styles fanfic #harry styles fic #ybmh #she's here she's here she's here!!!!!

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mintymiknow · 3 years

Text

Trust Fall - ch. 11 | Lee Minho

summary | character profiles | masterlist

Pairing: Lee Minho/Lee Know x Reader

Summary: Your relationships with Minho and the other agents are surely better than before, but a simple mission turns into a nightmare when something re-awakens memories you’ve left in the back of your mind.

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

Word count: Approx. 6.2k

Warnings for this chapter: Human experiments (another warning will be placed within the story so you’ll know which paragraphs to skip should you want to)

A/N: Sorry for the delay! I’m super busy with schoolwork, so it’s a bit difficult to squeeze in time to write (and on the very short breaks I have...I may be playing Genshin Impact oops). Anyway, here’s the 11th chapter! We’re getting closer to the chapter that I am most excited to reveal~ For now, enjoy this one! It’s a bit packed-ish, so if you have any questions or comments, hit me up!

“Whoa, that’s really cool.” Jeongin says as his eyes remain glued to your phone screen.

It’s a rather quiet morning, with the older agents - Chan, Minho, Changbin and Hyunjin - out on another short mission. The young agent is seated beside you on one of the lounge couches, having convinced you to show him some chemistry videos - and explain the process afterwards. You didn’t mind, finding amusement in how enthusiastic he was like a curious student in grade school. He clicked video after video, watching in awe as you narrated your scientific explanations.

“I assume that’s why Jisung wanted to have a profession in chemistry.” you lightly joke, “Chemical reactions are something else.”

“I admit that’s one reason.” Jisung responds with a laugh, “That, and science in general is fun.”

Seungmin is seated by one of the tables, circling and highlighting important parts in one of the lab reports he was reading. “I’ll have you guys know, in case nobody knew, that Jisung and I went to the same university and had so many classes together.” the young doctor says with a smirk.

“Ah!” Jisung yells, rushing over to Seungmin to try and shut him up.

Seungmin laughs innocently, unbothered by Jisung’s poor attempts to cover his mouth. He grins, “Jisung’s broken so many beakers and caused mini explosions in the lab.”

Jeongin laughs at this, leaning back on the couch, “Seems legit. Didn’t Minho say he did that a lot when he was a rookie here?”

Felix tilts his head, “I think so. For about a few months, there were so many accidents in the lab.”

Jisung forces a laugh and puts his hands on his hips, “Well, look at me now! I’m essentially like, the head of the lab department!”

Seungmin sing-songs, “So am I.”

Jeongin laughs, his eyes narrowing like slits as he does so. “Yeah, yeah.” he teases, “But both of you are horrible with physical combat.”

“We’re in the lab for a reason!” they both defend themselves, causing the youngest to laugh at their reactions.

Felix stretches before letting out a yawn, leaning on your shoulder as he gently closes his eyes. “I do love being in the tech department...but it’s so tiring to monitor a screen the whole day.”

You chuckle, giving his head a quick pat, “Well...at least you get to test out devices and technical equipment, as well as repair and upgrade these.”

“That’s true.” he hums in satisfaction, letting out another yawn.

The freckled agent melts against your side, and you can hear soft snores escaping his lips. A wave of warmth fills you as you admire his tranquil expression, something you wished you could have. In the background, you can still hear Seungmin, Jisung and Jeongin having playful banter; in a stranger’s eyes, this could have been the perfect setting to the perfect hangout session between a bunch of friends.

Maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t.

Not when every second of your life was filled with an indescribably heaviness that would wipe the smile off your face the minute you let your guard down.

Still, you let yourself relax, releasing a long sigh as you lean your head on top of Felix’s, closing your eyes to rest as well. It would have been nice, but the moment doesn’t last too long as the lounge room door opens, and an authoritative voice greets everyone in the room.

“Alright guys, time to work.”

Everyone looks towards the door, waving and grinning at the newcomers. Chan, Changbin, Hyunjin and Minho walk towards where your group is; Hyunjin sits on top of the table Seungmin was working on, Minho plops down beside Felix, Chan sits on the armrest of the couch, and Changbin leans against the table next to Hyunjin.

While Seungmin is speaking to the three other older agents who had just arrived, Minho leans over to peer at the sleeping Felix. A soft chuckle manages to escape the male as he whispers, “Not sure if this is from work or from his habit of staying up late to play video games.”

You raise an eyebrow and softly chuckle, giving the younger male’s head a pat, “He deserves to rest. He watches out for all of you during missions.”

Minho looks at you, eyes tired but the usual warmth is there. He breaks into a small smile before nodding, “Can’t argue with that.”

You smile back before looking down at Felix. However, the little moment - between you and Minho perhaps - is broken when Chan clears his throat and waves a few sheets of paper around. “Ok, thanks for the update, Seungmin.” the eldest says, “Now, while you are working on that in the lab, the rest of us have another mission.”

Jeongin hums, leaning back on the couch, “What are we gonna do now?”

Chan nods and proceeds to explain, “The current scout team was able to locate one of Cle’s deeper bases. This one seems to operate underground - literally underground. Anyhow, the team located it and found a way to infiltrate.”

“How’s the security?” Felix stirs awake, lifting his head from your shoulder.

Changbin answers, “Not too tight. Approximately two to three guards per entrance, but it isn’t as heavily guarded as their other bases. It might be because it’s one of their more lowkey bases. The team said it seemed like a small place, so it might be easy to study the layout once you’ve hacked in.”

Felix gives a playful salute, causing Minho to chuckle next to him. Chan then continues briefing the group, “Minho and Changbin will lead one team to...deal with the guards and keep watch of the perimeter just in case. Hyunjin, Jeongin and I will infiltrate the base itself. I need you to tag along, Jisung. This underground base is apparently housing many of their chemicals and prototype serums.”

All the agents nod their heads to show that they’ve understood. The eldest agent then turns to Seungmin, then you, “Seungmin, you already know your tasks in the labs...y/n. Jung has given you the choice of staying with Seungmin or going with us so you and Jisung can get necessary things from their base to further your observations.”

Seungmin ponders from where he’s seated, leaning back on the chair as he speaks, “I think you should go with Jisung, y/n. I’m working on the tests, but I’ll manage. Jisung might need you to assist in gathering evidence.”

Jisung nods. “I agree. I could always use a hand. Also, it would be nice if you were there since you’re...more familiar with the serum. Only if you’re comfortable though!”

You weigh your options for a few seconds, running all sorts of scenarios and a pros-and-cons list in your mind. After a moment, you nod and turn to face Chan, “I’ll accompany Jisung.”

If going with them to the base would speed things up, so be it. You were close to finding a solution - Minho knows this - and anything to fully complete and speed the process up would be a nice touch. You trust Seungmin in the lab, so might as well make sure the agents don’t miss anything that could be of use in Cle’s base.

Chan gives you a smile before chuckling, “Alright, that’s settled. Rendezvous at Basement 1 after lunch, alright?”

“Got it.”

“Roger that, Channie!”

“Alright.”

The other boys all hop to their feet and gather their things, heading out of the lounge room to prepare. Minho, on the other hand, is still splayed across the couch, his eyes closed as he leans his head back on the cushions. Chan chuckles at him, tilting his head with endearment, “Not gonna get ready, Min?”

A small smile graces Minho’s lips despite his eyes still being closed. “We just got back from a mission. I’ll just nap for a few minutes, don’t worry.”

“Alright, sleep well.” Chan laughs, flashing you a quick wink before leaving the room.

“Wha - ” you mouth to yourself, raising your eyebrows in confusion.

You then turn to Minho who is still lying on the couch, eyes closed; yeah, he was definitely asleep. You’ve seen Minho sleep more than you’ve seen any of the other guys.

You shift a little beside him on the couch, a bit antsy and lost, if that were the proper term to use. You could have left the room with the others, but here you were, sitting beside the sleeping male without any intention of leaving his side.

Something or someone possesses you - you think - because now you’re leaning closer, bringing a hand up to gently sweep his bangs across his forehead. Your fingers gently ghost over the skin of his forehead, but he doesn’t stir awake. Your hand then comes to rest by his jaw, and somehow, you think your hand has found its place there; you try not to think about that too much.

Leaning over with your other hand splayed across his chest for support, you lean closer and closer until you’re able to see his long eyelashes in pure detail. When you blink, your own eyelashes tickle his skin, and when you breathe, you’re almost certain your breath fans over his face.

Yet he does not stir awake.

Oddly enough, he really was asleep despite what you were doing. You made a little joke to yourself, thinking that he wasn’t very agent-like at the moment as he should be more alert and aware of the situation.

You gulp once before closing the distance, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

Again, you were convinced something possessed you to do that because you weren’t sure why you even did such a thing.

Maybe you wanted to finish whatever was going on when you danced back at the gala.

Maybe. At this point, nothing made sense to you when it came to Minho.

As you thought, his lips were so soft and warm against yours. You keep your lips lightly pressed against his for less than three seconds before slightly pulling away and then returning to leave one last quick peck on his lips.

When you pull away again, lips hovering above his like a ghost, you think you’re in the safe zone. But your heart shoots up to your throat and your nerves freeze like ice, eyes wider than Jupiter when you feel the male’s lips moving against your own.

“What do you think you’re doing, dear Dr. Song?” Minho asks with a low voice, lips brushing against yours with every word he speaks - were that counted as kisses as well?

His eyes are still closed, and you pray that he keeps it that way so he doesn’t see the “cornered mouse” expression you have going on. And the fact that you’re redder than the apple pie Jeongin ate for breakfast.

“I…” you try and try and try to come up with an excuse, rattling your brain for absolutely anything, “...um…”

Nothing. Out of all the times, nothing comes out.

You manage to sit straighter, turning your head to the side as if some magical person would appear to help you out of this situation. By the time you look back at Minho, the next series of events happen in a literal flash.

Minho hooks a hand behind your knee and uses the other to grab your arm, pulling to maneuver both your bodies on the couch. From seeing the wall of the room to seeing the ceiling, you now realize that you’re on your back, head hitting the small throw pillows on the couch - basically where Minho was lying down prior to now.

The male agent looms over you, settled between your legs as he stares down - you aren’t sure if it’s a blank stare or a toned-down glare. Either way, the position and proximity causes your heart to race and face to heat up hotter than the sun. “Minho.” you breathe out with a shaky voice.

Minho leans closer, and for a second you think he’s about to kiss you. However, you feel his velvety lips against the shell of your ear, whispering, “If you wanted to kiss me that bad, you should have just said so.”

“Eh?” is all that comes out of your mouth.

You nearly shriek when you feel Minho pressing a light kiss on your earlobe - dangerously close to your neck - before he pulls back to look at you. Then he breaks into a less sly smile, the corners of his lips curling much too cutely for your heart. “Kidding. I’m just getting back at you.” he winks before sitting back straight and pulling you along to sit as well.

You look at him with furrowed brows - mainly to hide your embarrassment, “With your flirting skills, it’s hard to believe you’ve never had a girlfriend.”

“And how sure are you?” he hums playfully.

“Nevermind. Seungmin did mention something like ‘the first time in a while’ so you’ve probably had someone some time before.” you look up as if trying to remember the doctor’s exact words.

But when you turn to Minho, you notice how he’s tensed up, eyes dark and filled with an abyssal fire. You clear your throat, and shrink in your place, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cross the line.”

Minho blinks as if doing so would snap him out of his trance; it sort of does, as the darkness fades into a more comfortable warmth. He shakes his head and offers a smile - forced, you know, because you’re used to pretending a smile as well. “No need.” the male says, ruffling your hair, “It was a long time ago, after all.”

You don’t get to ask much more - not that you were going to anyway - because Minho is standing up and walking towards the door. “Basement 1 after lunch, y/n.” he calls out, offering a small smile.

A smile that seemed to carry much more sorrow than joy.

A smile that seemed to mask a much darker and bitter feeling, much like how you’d mask your nightmares with nonchalance and distrust.

A smile that made you want to hug him. The doctor in you wanted to comfort everyone you encountered.

“Basement 1 after lunch.” you repeat, offering your own small smile.

Minho is a generally good judge of character, and when he sees the sincerity and warmth in the very small smile of yours, it’s enough to ignite a light in the abyss he holds in himself. He bows his head and then leaves the room.

Maybe Chan was right.

Perhaps you were nothing like Jiyeon after all.

At the designated time, everyone meets up at Basement 1 of the main HQ’s building. You get in a car with Jisung, Chan, Jeongin and Hyunjin while Minho and Changbin get in another with two other agents. Without making any delays, the team heads out for their next mission. Jisung was talking about the various chemical substances the lab team had found so far, explaining how this affects the entire mission and such. Chan drives while listening, and Hyunjin and Jeongin engage the scientist with his conversation.

You, on the other hand, lean your head against the window, mind plagued with thoughts about Minho. What about Minho? You aren’t really sure. There’s a lot. His smile, the way his eyes flicker between darkness and warmth, the way he acts like nothing in this world can move him yet he moves for the sake of those he loves (though he won’t show it). The way his dark hair falls beautifully just above his eyes, parted with perfection with little strands adding a hint of delicateness to his sharp-featured face.

You bump your head on the window to snap out of it, causing Jisung to look at you with a quizzical expression. You smile, shaking your head and mouthing, “I was spacing out.”

Jisung chuckles before patting your shoulder, and then proceeds to continue his conversation with the other agents. You sigh to yourself, bringing a hand to your heart as if doing so would calm it down.

Later, the team finally arrives. Minho, Changbin and their team go ahead so that they can clear a path for the investigative team. It takes about 15 minutes for Changbin to speak into the communication device, signaling a clear path.

Chan gestures for the rest of you to follow, and so you do. Somewhere towards one of the side entrances of Cle’s underground base, your team meets with Minho who is guarding the entrance. “Felix has the layout down, and it shouldn’t be too complicated to navigate.” the agent says in a hushed voice, “You have an estimated one hour to snoop around before Cle backup arrives.”

The eldest agent nods, “Alright, come on guys.”

Once inside the base, you look around and observe the surroundings. Minho and Changbin’s team keep watch of knocked-out Cle agents currently sprawled on the floor.

It was fairly small for a base, a total of two floors only. Each floor had about 2-3 rooms that weren’t too big - perhaps the size of an average classroom or slightly larger. Jisung heads inside one of the rooms, a zealous expression on his face as he zooms away. Jeongin calmly walks to another room, followed by Chan.

Hyunjin pats your shoulder and smiles, “Shall we?”

You nod your head, and the male then leads the way upstairs to the second floor. Once you’ve both reached the landing, you split up; Hyunjin goes to the room on the left while you go to the one in the middle. Thankfully, the other agents rounded the Cle people up and made sure the second floor was unoccupied.

Your eyes scan the contents of one of the shelves, noting that they were nothing but the usual drugstore or medical medicines. Still, you list down the items on a sheet of paper just in case. You then move over to the lab refrigerators, opening the door and pleased to see that it was still functioning. Satisfied was probably the best way to describe your mood right now as you were able to spot a few vials with a familiar looking fluid inside each one - the prototype serums.

With gloved hands, you carefully take some and put them in the little case SKZ provided for evidence. Standing up, you continue to investigate the mini lab; when you’re convinced there’s nothing else, you step out and move on to another room - the one at the very end.

When you open the door, a very pitch-black dark room greets you, and a waft of some rotten stench rushes out. You grimace, hoping dangerous chemicals weren’t spilled or exposed in the room. You carefully fumble at the wall next to the door, searching for a light switch. Once you feel something, you switch it on -

- and immediately regret it.

[A/N: italics = flashback] / [Warning: graphic descriptions of human experimentation and dead bodies. Should you wish to skip this, press CTRL + F (or any command to help you search for words on a webpage) and search “Your hands shoot up to clutch at your head”. You can continue reading from there]

Your pupils shook at the sight in front of you; behind the large glass window of one of the lab’s top secret rooms lay a pile of dead bodies, nothing but burned, decayed or disfigured.

You swallowed, throat dry and scratchy, “What...why are you still doing this? You need to stop.”

A scientist laughed with a rather mocking tone, “Dr. Song, stop being so surprised every time you see these things. It’s very necessary to test the serum - ”

“Not on humans.” you glared, clenching your fists, “Human testing isn’t something that should be done, especially for people like us who - ”

A slap on the cheek.

You yelped at the contact, bringing a hand to the area of impact. The scientist furrowed his eyebrows and spoke with a growl, “Do not interrupt me, understood?”

You only glared harder.

He laughed again, shaking his head in disbelief. “Silly little doctor. You may not see it now, but what we’re doing now is going to be monumental...life-changing. No, world-changing i fact.” he hummed.

You shook your head, “And when Mr. Jung finds out?”

The scientist took a large step towards you, prompting you to take a step back and as a result, collide with one of the lab tables. Caged like a prey, you tried not to show your fear. The scientist leaned close and smirked evilly, “But he won’t, won’t he?”

You opened your mouth to say something, but immediately closed it when the scientist looked past you and nodded as if someone was standing behind you. You risked a peak, hoping to see who was there. However, whoever was standing there was now gone, and your attention was brought back to the scientist in front of you.

“Jung isn't going to know when his most trusted agent is on our side.” the scientist snickered, finally pulling away from your space.

Your hands don’t stop shaking. The scientist walked over to the glass window as if looking at the dead bodies gave him satisfaction. With a sly smirk, he spoke, “And I believe you should remain on our side and do as we tell you, Dr. Song.”

You involuntarily shivered at the image of disfigured, burned and rotten corpses that you’d see on an almost-daily basis.

“Especially if you don’t want your parents behind this glass window next.”

You closed your eyes, allowing a tear to roll down your cheek as you released a shaky breath. With shaky hands, you picked up a few vials and beakers before heading into the chemistry lab.

You go into a state of shock, eyes wide like you just saw hell. Your heart races and stops at the same time - if that were possible, and your legs suddenly feel like jelly. Whatever lunch you had now wants to exit your stomach through your mouth, and you feel your head splitting in two.

There, in the corner of the room you just opened, were three lifeless bodies in the appearance similar to what you’d often see when you were still officially in SKZ. Their lifeless eyes were eerily faced towards you, the pure horror in them still evident.

You can hear the screams and pleas.

Your hands shoot up to clutch at your head just as your legs fail; you fall on your knees and let out a scream despite urging yourself to keep it in. Your breathing becomes heavier as if a boulder was barreling down on you, and the tears are hot like acid on your cheeks.

Hyunjin is the first to arrive, expression contorted in disgust as he sees the inside of the room. He’s quick to your side, kneeling down to pull you into a safe hug. You barely hear the rush of footsteps up the stairs, but you somehow notice that the other agents - except Minho, Changbin and their team - arrive at the second floor.

Jeongin looks in concern, eyebrows furrowed softly. When Hyunjin nods towards the room, the younger male looks, and his expression is instantly replaced with a horrified glare. Jisung seems taken aback as well, but he chooses to sit next to you while comfortingly rubbing your back.

Chan stands behind you, speaking into his communication device. “She’s unharmed, but we need to get her away from here.” he says.

A few seconds of silence for the other end - most probably Minho - to respond, then Chan speaks again, “Not sure...I think...she saw something. She’s breaking down, so I’m going to have Jeongin and Jisung take her back. Tell Changbin to accompany them.”

With that, Hyunjin quite literally has to pull you up, helping get you onto Jeongin’s back so that the younger male can carry you. As soon as you wrap your arms around his neck and close your eyes, the world turns dark as you pass out.

Hours later, the next thing you see is the ceiling of your room in the living quarters, your vision still a bit hazy. You gently sit up, eyes immediately able to catch Chan sitting on the edge of the bed as he types on his phone. He doesn’t need to look up when he greets you, “You’re up.”

He turns to face you, a small yet comforting smile gracing his lips. “How are you?” he asks.

You sigh, looking down at your blanket, “I’m sorry...I just…”

“You’re ok.” he assures you, a gentle pat on your leg, “No need to explain or rush into anything. You passed out, so you should be taking it easy.”

You open your mouth to speak, but choose otherwise and decide to just stay quiet, fiddling with the blanket on your lap. Chan moves a bit closer and crosses his arms, “Minho and Jisung are at the lab. Jeongin, Changbin and Hyunjin are resting too. They’re all fine, if you’re wondering how the mission went.”

“That’s good.” you sigh and breathe out shakily, “I’m sorry for the hassle, Chan.”

The agent smiles warmly, shaking his head, “Don’t be. We promised to take care of you, remember? It’s all good.”

You nod, and Chan lets out a little chuckle as he pretends to coo as if you were a baby. He opens his arms wide and smiles, “Come here.”

You allow yourself to shift closer, bringing yourself against his body. You visibly relax when he hugs you, rubbing your back comfortingly. If being in Minho’s arms was like being home, Chan’s hugs felt like hot cocoa with plump marshmallows. Pulling away, he offers another warm smile and says, “If you need anything, just call any of us, alright?”

“Yes.” you nod, giving him a grateful smile.

A knock on the door is then heard, and a second later, Seungmin and Jung enter the room. Seungmin puts a bottle of water on your bedside table along with a few pills. “These are for the headaches and dizziness. There’s also medicine for nausea if you’re still feeling it. Don’t forget to drink up.” the doctor smiles, “I also recommend you go out and walk around for a bit. Nice, fresh air might help you relax again.”

“Thank you, Seungmin.” you offer him a small smile, nodding your head in acknowledgement to his words.

Jung sighs in relief, shaking his head worriedly, “When Changbin reported that something happened to you, I was quite worried. Are you alright?”

You nod, “More or less. I’m sorry about that.”

Jung smiles before turning to Chan and Seungmin, “May I have a moment with Dr. Song please?”

Seungmin nods, giving you a little wave before leaving the room. Chan gives you another hug, whispering “I’ll go get Minho” before he makes his leave as well - it makes you giggle a little. When the two agents leave, Jung takes a seat on the edge of the bed and looks at you with concern, “Did something happen back there?”

Jung is the only person who knows about what happened in the lab years ago, so you’re pretty sure he’s somehow managed to deduce that whatever happened in the Cle base was connected to the past. You sigh, closing your eyes to answer, “There was a room with...corpses. It just made the memories come back and all.”

“I see.” Jung says calmly, “I’m sorry you had to see that. We should have had the agents sweep the area first. Would you like to take a break for a few days? Stay at home first?”

You offer a small smile and shake your head, “Thank you, but I’ll be fine, don’t worry. I’m not stopping until this is done. It’s...the least I can do.”

Jung chuckles softly, nodding his head. The head of SKZ then stands up and gives you an approving nod, “Keep up the good work, Dr. Song, but don’t worry about taking a rest every now and then. Just tell Minho or Chan, ok?”

You nod, so Jung turns on his heel to leave the room. After he takes a few steps, you suddenly say, “Jung.”

The head turns around, tilting his head to inquire. You then continue cautiously, “When the memories flashed back...I remembered something one of the scientists said.”

“What was it?”

“He said one of your most trusted agents was on their side at that time.”

Jung sighs tiredly, a sorrowful look in his eyes, “Ah, yes, a devastating betrayal. I’m not sure where that agent is now - they escaped the day the lab fight broke out, along with the other scientists and doctors. I’m assuming they’re with Cle as well...perhaps we’ll cross paths again.”

You nod, humming as you absorb his explanation, “And if you do cross paths again…?”

“Well, traitors to SKZ are as good as dead to me.”

“I see.”

Jung gives you one more smile before telling you to get rest. Once you nod, the head leaves your room.

For the next few minutes, you sit on your bed, taking the medicines Seungmin gave you before texting Jisung for updates on how lab work was doing. While conversing and typing your messages and replies, your door’s digital lock beeps, and shortly after, the agent you’ve (secretly) been wanting to see walks in your room.

When you look up, Minho casually waves and smiles, gesturing his head towards you, “Feeling better?”

You nod, “Yes.”

Once he’s seated on the edge of the bed, he has an apologetic expression on his face as he sighs, “Sorry about that. We didn’t - I didn’t - know that there was going to be a room like that. I should have searched ahead.”

“It’s not your fault.” you respond, “It’s part of the job. It’s just...me. It’s a personal thing.”

Minho nods, sighing deeply; he looked like a teen mustering up the courage to ask his crush out on a date or something of the like. It brought a very small smile to your face. When he looks at you with a much calmer expression, a slow and easy smile on his lips, your heart skips a beat. “Wanna grab some coffee with me then?”

“Pardon?”

Minho laughs at your dumbfounded expression and chuckles, “Let’s get some coffee. There’s a cafe the boys and I usually go to. My treat.”

“Wait...what? Why?” you say, trying to connect the puzzle pieces, “Shouldn’t...we be working?”

Minho laughs, his eyes sparkling as he does so, “Lab team’s running tests on the prototype serums right now, so we’ll have to wait for the results either way.” he shrugs, offering another smile, “And while you should be there, I think a change of scenery is what you need right now. To help you feel better.”

“I mean, I wouldn’t say no to coffee, but...why?” you slightly blush.

Why you?

As if he could sense your question, he playfully winks, “I’m technically your partner - I’m like your...superior, I guess. It’s my responsibility to take care of you as well, y/n. I did promise you, right?”

“Well,” you chuckle softly, biting your lip to repress a giddy grin, “if you say so.”

Minho smiles fondly, cupping your cheek to briefly stroke his thumb on your skin, “Come on, get dressed. I’ll wait outside.”

The scent of coffee and honey fills your senses the minute you and Minho step into the cafe. With classy and minimalistic-looking interior and soft, mellow music playing, you somehow understood why Minho and the boys would frequent the place. The male agent leads you to the side of the counter, nodding his head for you to pick whatever you wanted, “We have some sort of...connection with this particular cafe.” he says lightly, “We get intel from the employees in exchange for a little money. But...some are genuinely friends and not just connections.”

“Fascinating world.” you chuckle as you scan the menu.

After telling him your choices, Minho moves in front of the counter to order. The barista on duty flashes a smile and chuckles, “Hey, Minho. Been a while, huh? How are the boys?”

“Wooyoung.” Minho nods with a smile, “We’ve all been busy, you know how it is.”

“Yup.” the barista laughs, “What’ll you have?”

“1 iced americano and 1 mint cheesecake.” the agent answers, “And then 1 iced coffee with milk and 1 shortcake for her.”

The barista nods as he punches the order in the cash register, his lips curling into a cheery smile upon seeing you. “Oh? I haven’t seen you with another girl in a while. No more Jiyeon?”

Minho can’t get angry or upset with the barista. He doesn’t blame him. Though they knew about SKZ and gave information if they had any, they wouldn’t know about what goes on internally - about what happened between Minho and a former lover.

The male agent then forces a smile and laughs lightly, “Yeah, no more. I...I’m not sure where she’s at or what she’s doing. Haven’t kept in touch.”

“Ouch.” Wooyoung hisses playfully, then he beams after punching in your orders, “Alright! Just wait a few minutes then I’ll have your orders ready.”

“Thanks man.”

While walking over to a nice and slightly more secluded table, you playfully tilt your head and ask, “Who’s Jiyeon?”

The fake smile is back, but you don’t miss the agony hiding in his eyes. “A friend from before.” Minho replies, “It’s all in the past though.”

And so you don’t push on, afraid to cross the line and sever whatever bond you already formed with the agent.

A few minutes later, Wooyoung serves your orders, and you enjoy the treat Minho has given you. After a few bites and sips, you clear your throat and speak, “About the mission earlier - ”

Minho cuts you off with a calm smile, “You don’t need to, y/n. I took you out here so you could have a breather, not talk about work or the mission.”

You slowly nod, a small yet grateful smile on your lips as you look down at the coffee cup in your hands. Through the windows of the coffee shop, you can see the sky fading from orange-lavender to a darker shade of purple and blue, ushering the entrace of the vening sky.

Minho leans back on his chair and hums, “Let’s see...what do you miss most about Gongjak?”

“Huh?” you look up and gather your thoughts, “Well, probably the pediatric wing. I like my appointment with the kids. Some are snotty and cry really loudly, but generally, it’s nice to see kids.”

Minho pretends to ignore the swelling of his heart, desperately swatting away an endearing image of you being good with kids. “Is that why you like Jeongin so much? He technically is a kid to us.”

“Maybe.” you laugh.

“Then, what don’t you miss?”

You chuckle at this one, “Definitely doing rounds in the ungodly hours of midnight or early morning. Or being called so suddenly for emergencies just when you’re about to sleep. But...my job is my job.”

The laugh that comes out of Minho is melodic to your ears, drowning you completely. With a brighter smile, you nod at him, “What about you? What do you like most about being an agent? Why did you become one?”

Minho shrugs, a small smile on his lips, “To keep people safe. There really isn’t a deeper reason; it’s just that. I like that I can be the reason all these people can live their lives so freely and safely. I wasn’t given that luxury growing up.”

“Oh, I see.” you say softly.

Minho lightens the mood with another chuckle, “What I don’t like is back-to-back missions. I just get back from one mission then I’m sent to another. It’s like finals week in college or something. Oh, and the injuries. Those are a pain in the ass.”

“Well, that’s why you have doctors.” you laugh.

“That’s true.” Minho raises an eyebrow playfully, “Now...what’s been the most memorable thing to happen recently in SKZ?”

“I guess...the recent gala.” you state.

Because we danced and nearly kissed. Because I felt your warmth and held you close.

“The food was good and the accommodations were amazing.” you say instead, eyes twinkling at the memory.

“You sound like Hyunjin.” Minho teases.

You pout, narrowing your eyes at him, “What about you? Not counting all other agent stuff. Just recent ones.”

“Hmmm,” Minho starts, “when you kissed me in the lounge room?”

“Minho!”

“I’m serious!”

“You - ” you stutter, cheeks flaring up.

Minho laughs, taking a sip of his coffee, “Not gonna lie when I say that’s the most surprising thing that’s ever happened in a long time. No one really dares to do such things with me.”

“One would think you’ve kissed a million girls by now.”

“I sort of have. Undercover and all.”

You glare, “Not what I meant, but alright.”

“Would you like to be added to the list of girls I’ve kissed? I don’t remember much of them though.” Minho laughs playfully.

You choke on your coffee after trying to stifle a laugh, “I wasn’t expecting that from you, you know? There really is more to you.”

“I could say the same for you, y/n.” Minho says amusedly.

You and Minho continue to converse and have light-hearted chit chat; the male even throws in a joke or two, allowing you to see the side of him that only Chan and the rest are allowed to see. You witness the side of Minho that isn’t the stone-cold agent; instead, you’re just seeing Minho, the man who has stars in his eyes and cares for his friends.

Just Lee Minho.

A part of you - and a part of Minho - wonders if this is what life would be like if you were two normal citizens, working normal jobs and living the free and peaceful life.

Not as an agent and scientist-slash-doctor trying to stay afloat to avoid drowning in their abysses.

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extemely-thoughtful-person · 3 years

Text

50 followers special theory!!! (Prepare for a brain rot!!!)

Even MORE Chapter 6 Predictions: the Olympus Tech Company, RSA vs NRC details, and mini theory regarding the release date.

Now, your probably all getting impatient about Chapter six's release date. The events are something to look forward to, but it just doesn't answer what happens next in the main story line. But because of impatience, I would like to say something: it could be worse.

Seriously, I was (and still am) a fan of RWBY, and let me tell you. Their yearly hiatus is pure torture. Their release dates are in late October to early November, with their volumes ending anywhere around the end of February to early April. This leaves a time span of anywhere from 8 to 10 months between each volume. And the writing for that show isn't even close to as good as Twisted Wonderland's.

So I'm taking a second to appreciate not just the quality, but the speed of the writing and development of each chapter. Along with the effort that goes into each event, repair and update. Your doing great TWST crew! Keep up the good work!💕♥️

So, with that said, let's get to a few issues I've been thinking about for a while now.

The Olympus Tech Company

What We Know So Far

The Olympus Tech Company is one of the best tech companies in Twisted Wonderland. They sponsored the VDC voting system, and are a pretty big deal in the world. Upon receiving an invitation for an internship from the company, we learn from Ortho's reaction that getting something like this is a huge deal. It's probably a very rare occurrence for the company to undertake interns.

Idia got the intern easley enough, most likely due to his skill, and not social status. But, instead of accepting the invitation, he tossed it in the trash. Along with the rest of his invitations to work for other smaller companies.

Many people have been asking the very fair questions: Why would you throw away a great opportunity like that? What kind of past events would lead a person to toss away something that thousands of people would jump at the chance to do?

These kinds of questions are good, but this is the questions I've been asking: Did Idia make the right choice by throwing a valuable invite in the trash? Will his choice come back to bite him in the rear later on?

The reason why I ask these kinds of questions is because we don't know anything else about the Olympus Tech Company (OTC). For all we know they could premote enslavement there. (They obviously don't, but we don't really know that)

So because we know so little about the company, I decided to consult the next most accurate source besides the game, the Hercules movie. More specifically, mount Olympus, and it's residents. And I gotta say, some of the stuff I found at the beginning of the film was more than enough to make an educated guess as to what kind of company the OTC is really like.

And it's not as good as the universe makes it out to be.

My Research and Opinions regarding Olympus

Before I formally begin, allow me to cast some light on a very important factor that will change your whole output on the movie. Remember the first song that's preformed by the Muses, the Gospel truth right? This song is preformed throughout the film in smaller parts, but the whole concept of the song is very disturbing if you think about it like this. Although the title Gospel refers to the type of music used in the song, it is also a reference to something else: the perspective of the whole story. Gospel means "good message" or " good word" but it is also referred to as "the word of God".

And in this case, the word of the gods of Olympus. Or even Zeus himself. But do you realize what that means? This story is told from the perspective of the Olympians. But what about any input from a neutral party? Or even a question or two from Hades himself about the situation from his point of view?

Nope. It's just the Olympian's perspective. That's probably why Hades is depicted with more monstrous features, because they saw him as the villain.

Keep this Gospel detail in mind, because it comes in as a very important factor later on.

Now, where to begin?

The Titans

From what I could gather the titans are the primal monsters of this whole movie. They're mindless powerhouses that walk the face of the earth until Zeus comes along and traps them under the ocean. The only way to free them is to wait for the planets in the solar system to align perfectly, which in turn should cut a path through the waters and, with the help of a god, free them.

And right off the bat, there are several things that I'm questioning. Like, If Zeus put them down there in the first place, then what's to stop him from doing it again? Why is Hercules the only one who can beat the titans in round two? And despite the almighty power of the Olympian counsel, how did dozens, if not hundreds of gods lose to the titans when Zeus defeated them by himself in the first place? And how in Hade's name did Hercules beat them all? And he's lesser than all the gods at this point! How?! HOW?!??!!!

Besides that, there's not to much else to say about them. But they could be important...

Olympus

Okay, there's a lot of things I've noticed about Olympus itself. Btw, I'm not talking about the gods of Olympus, just the place itself.

Firstly, everything is made of clouds. If something gets destroyed, then it automatically repairs itself. But I think that the cloud structures of the buildings isn't just a callback to the heavens, but it reminds me of a place that seems unreal. Like, something like this isn't supposed to exist. "It's too good to be true" kinda place. It looks like a paradise, like a perfect place to live, like a place everyone would want to live.

Which brings me to my next observation: the gates to Olympus are closed. I feel like this detail is more important than you may realize. It could mean that only the gods and goddesses are allowed up here, it could mean that you need to earn your ticket there as well. One things for sure, not just anyone can waltz up there like they own the place, there's a certain type of person that's allowed up here. If you don't fit the status quo, then you aren't welcome.

Besides the gates being closed, anyone who can go over or are authorized can and do go in. But don't expect to get there without a ticket.

The gods

This is where things get dark.

The gods and goddesses of Olympus are very chill up close the first time we see them. They seem like nice people, just hanging out in heaven enjoying a paradise. They got invited to a party to celebrate a reasonable event that anyone should enjoy. Nothing seems to be wrong about this, right?

Well, when Hades enters the picture for the first time the atmosphere gets dark. It's because it's a very rare occurrence for the god of the underworld to be in Paradise. Even the other gods are wary of his presence. But Zeus did invite him because they're brothers, right? Family inviting family for a nice reunion? Hades is just being ungrateful, he's killing the mood and it's his fault, right?

No. It isn't Hades fault for anything. Mostly.

Remember what I said about the Gospel truth? How the story it told from the prospective of the Olympians? This is where that prospective comes into play.

Hades is just terrible from the olympian point of view. Is he actually bad though? No. I think that Hades is better than all the gods on Olympus combined. And the interactions tell us a lot, and give us information to back this up.

For one Hades says that most of what the gods actually do is just...well... nothing. They just hang out on Olympus partying and enacted what they call "divine justice" on the mortals. They just cash royalty sacrifices from their temples on earth, get human worship, and laze around while they do next to nothing. We even see this later in the movie.

Hades on the other hand has the full time job of ruling the underworld, which I might add is a huge responsibility. You gotta make sure that the dead come to the underworld, make sure they get the proper judgement, and you need to make sure they don't try to escape into the living world. This job takes up most of Hade's time, but like I mentioned in a previous post about Ignihyde being about adapting, Hades manages to make the job doable by only one person keeping the underworld in order. But even with the shortcuts involved, it's still a pretty hard job.

And get this, Zeus gave...no forced this job on to Hades. The poor guy didn't even get a say in the matter. He didn't get to choose, but instead a cosmic rando of a brother just walked up to him and said " Hey, bro! Imma gonna give you a job away from home that's gonna be a bit tough, but don't worry! All you gotta do is keep an entire realm that is just as big if not bigger than Olympus under control. Make sure the dead don't come up to the surface to start a zombie apocalypse! Okay? Okay! Love ya! Thanks!"

And Zeus doesn't even bother to help Hades in anyway. So basically, while the gods just sit on cloud cushions doing next to nothing, Hades is down in the underworld doing an important, thankless job just because his younger brother gave him that responsibility without his input.

I did say Olympus was full of nice people, I never said they were good.

And what Zeus did to Hades? It's disgusting because Hades did nothing to deserve this treatment. And wanna know something else? Inviting Hades to a party on Olympus is just a huge insult rather than a nice reunion. Because Zeus is basically saying, " Hey bro! Welcome back to the paradise we practically kicked you out of! It's such a nice party we're having, reminding you of everything your missing out on! Isn't my son adorable? It's so nice that he was born into a place like this, and loved by everyone just because his father is the king. Btw, no one finds your jokes funny because, if we're being honest, you don't really belong here!" And Zeus even has the audacity to tell Hades to stay longer. Wanna know why he does that? It's because if Zeus just told Hades to leave then it would make Zeus look bad, telling his own brother to go. In reality, it would be nicer to Hades to just tell him he's not wanted than making yourself look better by keeping him in a place that's out of his league.

So I'm asking the question, is Hades right to try and take Olympus?

In many cases, yes. However the way he goes about it isn't that great. But honestly, I don't blame him for wanting to tear his deadbeat family apart.

Another question that I ask myself: If Hades was allowed to stay in and rule Olympus, would he do a better job?

Actually, yes. I believe he would, because even though Hades would enjoy himself up there, he has a productive personality. He managed to make running the underworld easier for himself, so it would be cake for Hades to be in charge of Olympus. Not only that, but he could do so much better because he would not just find ways to cut corners with quality work, his presence would make things farer for everyone else.

Remember what I said earlier about the status quo? That only the gods are allowed on Olympus? Hades may be a god, but it's made clear from his first appearance and the Olympian's reactions that he doesn't fit the status quo. Monsters, and other creatures don't fit the mold either, and are gazed upon as, well, monsters. But, if Hades was in charge, then I'm willing to bet he would try and find a use for the cast outs. After all, in the underworld, he has Cerberus guarding the dead, Pain and Panic working as minions carrying out smaller jobs for the god, and the Fates, who are informants giving Hades accurate information. All of the characters above don't fit the status quo, and yet, Hades still relies on them to lend a hand and trusts they'll do their jobs. (They don't always, but at least they try.)

If I'm being honest here, I don't think that Hades isn't worthy of Olympus, I think Olympus isn't worthy of Hades. Because as far as we've seen, none of the gods even come close to doing something as important or as difficult as Hades.

The Olympus Tech Company And what it might be like

So, taken all this information about Olympus, what do we think the OTC is like?

The answer is a garbage company.

Its probably just like any mega corporation that hires underpaid workers who work in poor conditions while the higher-ups do next to nothing, living a life of luxury while certain people below them are working hard to earn a living.

That's the basic gist of the company. They probably don't let anyone move up the ranks unless that person is appealing in some way. Basically if you fit their status quo, then you get a raise, maybe a better position. Who knows? Maybe they steal ideas from their lower employees. They don't actually care about any of them though.

And the stuff they program and produce is probably something like today's corporations would be able to produce. Their company is modern, but not advanced, though they probably think it's advanced compared to lesser companies. The type of technology their company produces is most likely the equivalent to our modern day tablets, phones, and computers. Just stamp a brand on it and OMG you've got the latest tech from the OTC. They probably also care about quantity over quality, meaning that they're willing to sell more of their products rather than products of good condition. Unless you wanna pay more for quality.

What about interns? What sort of treatment do they get?

Idia got an invitation to become an intern during his fourth year, and that's supposed to be a big deal, given how rare they are. But if we're right about the company being garbage, would they show that to interns? Probably not because that could cause a dent in their reputation. As for treatment of the interns, they would get treated well enough, definitely better than the factory workers who have been in the company way longer.

So comparing the OTC to Ignihyde, The OTC would definitely have more respect (which they do not deserve) and Ignihyde would be more advanced (but they're not too big on credit).

Olympus and OTC comparison

What do both places and people have in common?

Both have Lazy higher-ups who take all the credit

Both have a class in the company who don't fit the status quo

While the Olympians do nothing, the OTC's technology refects the higher-ups lazy attitudes

Both the highest don't care about the people below them

Both will use whatever means necessary to secure their reputation, wealthe, and possition

Hades and Idia comparison

Both do important jobs that they had no say in getting ( they didn't ask for this, guys)

Both feel left out, but have gotten used to it overtime

Both are good at finding shortcuts and making good use of resources

Both can change their strategy when the situation calls for it

Both don't fit the status quo

Both disapprove of the normal people ( Idia thinks they're just NPCs while Hades thinks the dead are boring)

Both hate people, and they both probably have bad blood within their families

So basically Idia's reaction if he ever got to see the OTC up close? He'd either nope the heck outa there, or if he ever took the opportunity and made it big in the company, he'd turn it on it's head and completely reform it.

OTC vs Ignihyde

So what kinda conflict is gonna strike between these two very different places?

Well, to start off, I wasn't sure what kind of conflict would strike out between an NRC dorm and an entire company. So, again I looked at Hercules and picked out the first big enemy. So, let's look at the threat at the beginning of the movie, the Titans.

I said they would be important somehow, and at first, I wasn't sure. I tried thinking of something that could fit as a titanic threat. Maybe an unstable invention, a nuclear weapon, or perhaps a powerful discovered Magical artifact? All things considered, no matter what is was, it was going to be imprisoned by the CEO of the Olympus Tech Company for not just safety reasons, but for research purposes. The problem was coming up with what exactly.

And then, the realization hit me with the force of Ares's chariot.

Ortho Shroud is based off of the Titans from the movie.

Yes, yes, I know. Outrageous claim. But there is a lot of evidence to support this Theory.

Firstly, the Titans were seen as huge primal monsters causing endless natural disasters such as hurricanes, volcanoes, and earthquakes. They were left unchecked until Zeus imprisoned them all.

Taking a look at Ortho, we've seen time and time again that he's capable of causing mass destruction as well. His archetype gear fired a powerful beam of magic that destroyed a tree, his star gazer gear is capable of punching through storm clouds (which, btw are huge) tearing up the sports field in the process, and he almost leveled the entire college during the Ghost marriage event. And these are only a handful of times we've seen him ready to use violence and destruction as the solution to the problems at hand. Basically, Idia is good at designing destructive weapons, and Ortho's outfits are perfect examples of this. Not to mention there was more than one Titan and Ortho has several different outfits each one capable of causing a different kind of mass destruction.

The next, and probably the most important tie these two groups have in common is this: lightning.

Zeus imprisoned the Titans with his thunderbolts, and they hold a grudge against him because of it. They don't like lightning.

Well, guess what? Ortho doesn't like lightning either. Now, we don't know exactly why. There a number of different reasons, and here are a few guesses:

Lightning killed the original Ortho

He can malfunction due to a lightning strike

It's a part of the Shroud family curse

He thinks its annoying

We still don't know exactly why, but a distaste for lighting is a definite connection.

And what happened to the Titans? They were imprisoned by Zeus.

And what do you think's gonna happen to Ortho in the next chapter?

Once the OTC finds out the truth about Ortho, and that he's actually a robot, they're gonna want answers. Why is your brother a robot? How did he manage to build something like this? It's just an AI, right?

And when they see how much damage Ortho can cause, the head of the company is going to want him contained. So the base of conflict between dorm and company? It's not just Ortho that's at stake, but the entire dorm. The OTC may be a bigger deal than Ignihyde, but the dorm is probably centuries ahead of any tech company. In a previous post, I listed off a few things I wanted to see as Ignihyde's unique feature. One of the things that I mentioned is a data archive. If the dorm has a library for all their knowledge, which probably contains lots of info for magical technically, then who wouldn't say that could be of some value to the Olympus Tech Company?

I wouldn't be surprised if the OTC took some of it's inspiration from the actual disney company in america because those guys are basically known for taking something, rewriting and rebranding it, then claiming all the credit for whatever they did. It would make perfect sense to have the company based off of the real life company who it's owned by. The whole Hercules movie was written by two people who highlighted disney's flaws of merchandising and branding and threw those into the movie. A subtle but realistic joke about Hercules's popularity and how it's used by the company.

The OTC and their possible ties to RSA

Now, it's not just going to be The Olympus Tech Company vs Ignihyde this chapter, we've still got RSA to worry about. Throwing an entire school towards an entire dorm would be a little unfair, so the rest of NRC would definitely be involved with the annual school vs school Magift tournament.

I've already covered the possibility of RSA cheating for a century in a row. I'm holding on to that theory because if these bozos win without some kinda godly trump card or rule violation and just because they're the perfect players from the perfect hero school, I'm gonna burn that prep academy to the ground, sow the ground with salt, and throw the ashes of the school into a volcano! I'll take great pleasure watching that volcano erupt, destroying the remains of that blasted, stupid institution once and for all!

Alright, you get the point. Making a perfect academy would be the worst thing you can do.

But what if it's not just the Magift tournament? What if they were cheating at the VDC as well?

How could they though? It's decided by a majority vote which is done in real time by the people. How could they tamper with the people's votes?

They messed with the voting system. And the OTC were sponsoring that, right? The Olympus tech company is responsible for NRC losing again. Now, I'm not saying that they convinced more people to vote for RSA, I'm saying they actually messed with the numbers. And since they sponsored the system, all those votes were completely at their mercy. They could've made some invalid, deleted a few, and in the end the results were the same. RSA came out on top.

But do you notice how close the match was? By just one vote. I think that originally, NRC was ahead by a few, so the OTC cut some votes off from the original winners to make it look like it was a close game, but RSA was victorious.

I think Neige's supporters were in on the secret. They knew the game was rigged in their favor, and they knew they would win. Did you really think that they were just reassuring Neige just to make him feel more confident? They were stating the fact. They were definitely in on it.

Now the question: why would the OTC go up against NRC? Why help RSA win?

There are at least two possibilities as to why. But both depends on a certain factor, the character based off of Hercules himself.

Possiblity #1: Vil Schoenheit is also based off of Hercules

Both have a similar pasts (minus the godly background) but both do have a father in a higher possition.

Vil is going up against Idia in the next chapter. The chapter might have an important element of heros and villains. And we may see where Vil tries to play the role of the hero.

So, what does this have to do with the OTC?

The Olympus tech company's reason for cheating would be in this case that they were bribed by RSA. They tampered with the voting for money.

Very dirty of them, but because of corporate greed? Why not?

Possiblity#2: there is a new character who fills the base and the role of Hercules

This one is probably the more likely one, as it would not only give us a chance to meet more RSA students, but also the head CEO of the OTC.

In this case, the CEO would be based off of Zeus, and he would have a son based off of Hercules. The Hercules character would attend RSA, and maybe have a few friends who are based off of Hercules's friends (Random thing where he's gay for Twisted!Megera, but that's just a joke.) Basically, it would follow the equivalence rule about the hero and villain counterparts. After all, Hades went up against Hercules, not Zeus. Having Idia and Twisted!Hercules competing in Magift against each other would make the most sense.

Now this would be where the OTC motive for rigging the voting system come in. Twisted!Zeus is the head of the OTC, and his son attends one of the academies with a representative from that same academy. It would make RSA look bad for losing, the same academy his son attends. Why not push the votes in RSA'a favor to ensure that the students of the academy keep their flawless reputations?

Of course, it's possible for it to be a combination of both possibilities.

And if the OTC is sponsoring the score boards for the Magift tournament, who's to say they won't do the same thing again?

But, there's something they never considered about this year's Magift tournament.

Tipping the scales

RSA students most likely have been taught to work together. This is a good thing for them. They've been taught how to function as a unit, how to help each other through hardships, and to come out victorious together. This is all fine, and I'm willing to bet that the teachers at RSA have taught this lesson to the students as a traditional one. It's always been there. And it's known for this tradition

NRC students have always been asked the question: what do you want? They persue their own goals and dreams, rarely working with others to come out on top. And when they do work together, it's usually on conditions. Crowley's probably been at the college since the start, and has not just taught the students to not rely on anyone but themselves, but also the harsh cruel reality of the world: Happy endings don't just happen on their own. You need to work for them. The students don't rely on each other, and never have.

Both academies's greatest strengths is the others greatest weakness. RSA's weakness is it's students falling apart and being separated. NRC's weakness is the students working together with no motivation, because they aren't used to working with people they hate, it's constant fighting among themselves.

But that system is about to be broken by one person: MC

MC has been teaching the students to work together and establish friendships with each other. Through the NRC students misadventures, MC has been teaching them to overcome hatred and ban together. So now, not only are the NRC students capable of working as strong individuals, but they can now function as a unit as well.

This eliminates the system of strength and weakness because now, RSA has the weakness of not being able to function as individuals. Not all students suffer from this, but most would. But the ability to work with others as well as by yourself would give NRC the advantage in a fair game. But if we count the fact that RSA has the cheats and support, this game was never ment to be fair.

So to sum it all up:

The OTC is a company full of jerks

Ortho is based off of the Titans and needs to be protected at all costs

Ignihyde must protect their entire dorm from the dark crime of plagiarism

The OTC may be helping RSA cheat due to bribery and/or family connections

We can't trust anything sponsored by the OTC

And MC is going to help our bois destroy the competition

Or, again I could be horribly wrong.

Thanks for reading!!! And....

Before i official end the post, I'd like to say two quick things. The first is a mini Theory regarding the release date for Chapter 6. It could either be with the chapters story line time in late May, or the sixth chapter is released on the sixth day of the sixth month, or more specifically, June 6.

Secondly, thank you for 50 followers!!! Even though I don't spend all of my time on tumblr, it's a great comfort to me knowing someone does read what I write ( even though most of it seems outrageous and incredibly farfetched.) You all mean the world to me! Thanks!!!

#twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland theory #i did a thing #twst #ignihyde #Olympus Tech Company #ortho shroud #twisted wonderland idia #rsa we're doomed #rook i swear if you know what's going on but don't tell us i give you a taste of my shoe #vil schoenheit #MC #Crowley #we're doomed #disney twisted wonderland

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backofthebookshelf · 4 years

Text

How To Blacklist Something on AO3

Have you ever accidentally left kudos on a fic and then realized you didn't want to interact with that person at all? Have you ever read something that left such a bad taste in your mouth that you never want to read anything like it again? Do you have a terrible memory for names and only realize halfway through a fic that you're doing it to yourself again? Allow me to show you how to block individuals and tags on AO3 so that you never have to see them again.

(Note: You can exclude tags from your searches in AO3 pretty easily, using the include/exclude filter! But that doesn't work for usernames, and again, if you're forgetful, it can be easier to set it once and never think about it again.)

(Second, more important note: I do not endorse the circulation of block lists. A block list is to curate your own experience, and perhaps to share with friends who have similar needs, never to be posted publicly.)

(Third note, a disclaimer: I didn't create any of these tools, I just use userscripts a lot.)

This isn't the most straightforward system, it's just the only one I've found that works. Grab a Sprite or something, get your phone and your computer, and we'll get this going.

You're going to need to use Firefox for this - it's the only mobile browser that reliably lets you use extensions, and if you want this to work on mobile, you need an extension. I know, it's a pain. I use Firefox on my phone pretty much exclusively for AO3, for what it's worth.

Go to the Firefox Add-Ons page and install Tampermonkey. Tampermonkey is an extension that basically lets you write little userscripts to tweak the way Firefox behaves - think of the userscripts as mini-extensions. In our case, we won't be writing anything, just installing some scripts other people have already written, bless them.

We're going to configure Tampermonkey first, then install and configure our scripts. Click on the Tampermonkey icon in your browser (it's a little square with eyes, no I don't know what it means) and select Dashboard, then go to Settings.

Up at the very top, change the Config mode to Advanced. This should give you some more settings. Scroll down to Script Sync, and check the box by Enable Script Sync. Pick whichever system you want to use to get your scripts to communicate with one another - Google Drive and Dropbox are probably the easiest, if you aren't the kind of person who logs into browsers. Give it your info and log in to your preferred service.

And that's it! Now we're going to install our scripts. You're going to want both ao3 savior and ao3 savior config. On each page, click on the Install link, and then click Install on the new page that pops up. When you're done, go back to your Tampermonkey dashboard (refresh it if you kept it open in a background tab), and you should see something like this:

Now we've got everything installed, it's time to start configuring. ao3 savior you can leave as it is: by default, it'll update itself and do its thing, you don't have to do anything. ao3 savior config is where we make our changes. Go all the way over to the edit button on the far right of the screen.

First you want to make sure that this script doesn't update itself - because when it downloads an update, it'll erase your blocklist and you'll have to reenter the whole thing, and that's a pain. Click on Settings, and uncheck Check for updates in the Updates section, then click Save.

Now go back to the editor. This part is pretty simple, the comments are good. If you want to see a placeholder that tells you that ao3 savior hid something from you, leave the showReasons line set to true; if you want to be able to look at something ao3 savior hid from you anyway, change showPlaceholders to true. alertOnVisit gives you a notification if you clicked on a link to something ao3 savior would have hidden from you, if you set it to true. Then you've got five lines for whatever you want to block: authors, titles, tags, and summaries, plus a whitelist for tags. The whitelist overrides all of the blacklists: if you've blocked all works from an author but whitelisted a tag, and that author uses that tag on one of their works, you'll see it.

Go ahead and fill this in however you want. You can update it in the future, as well - it's not the easiest thing to update, but once you've done it a couple of times it's not too hard. I recommend copying the text you want to block directly from ao3 and pasting it into the config file, that seems to work best for me.

When you've entered everything you want, go ahead and save (ctrl+s or File->Save from within the script editor). Then you'll want to make sure you don't have to do this all over again on your phone. Close the editor tab, then click on Utilities. Under Cloud, select the same service you picked for syncing, then click Export; this will make a copy of the script you can pull straight onto your phone.

Now, same thing on your phone, but a little simpler: install Firefox, then install Tampermonkey. Now, rather than installing the scripts again, we'll download our backup. Go to Utilities, select your service in the Cloud section, and log in. Tap Show backups, and tap Import (there should only be one file, unless you've done this before). Now go back to Installed Userscripts - you should see the same scripts we installed and set up before! You will need to uncheck Check for updates in ao3 savior config, for some reason that setting doesn't travel.

Now go to Settings, turn on Advanced Settings, and turn on syncing here as well. Make sure the service is set to the same one as you set up before. Be sure to hit Save.

And you're done! Now you have a blacklist that's fairly easy to update on your computer and will sync automatically to your phone. To update, just click on Tampermonkey, select Dashboard, and Edit ao3 savior config to add whatever it is you don't want to see to your blacklist. Be sure to save, and the sync should happen automagically.

#ao3 #ao3 savior #how to block someone on ao3 #j writes instructions

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thelovelyghostwriter · 3 years

Note

How many responses have you gotten so far, if I may ask?

Hello, thank you for your question. I open the Q&A if you guys want updates on the survey or any problems I'm facing.

Currently, there's 380 responses in total. [It was actually 362 last night, don’t know where I got the boost overnight, perhaps that Kurapika post]

tThere's actually 84 questions in total, but I coded it in such a way that certain questions don't appear when you indicated an option. For example, if you indicated that you are not up to date with the manga (indicating that you have read the post-Election arc AND read till Chapter 390), the questions regarding the Succession arc theories and predictions will not appear. This is why the manga readers' survey is actually longer.

Currently, 149 respondents indicated that they had read up to date, and therefore, they indicated

Another example is the shippings part. For example, if you indicated you don't ship anything, you won't see the list of ships. If you only indicated that you ship, let's say, het ships, you will only see the het ships. This is to make it easier for people to do the survey. The key is for others to not answer unnecessary questions.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to talk about certain issues/explanations that I need to address.

The reason why I'm always emphasising the goal of 385 responses and above (400 is a good number) because based on calculations. I checked on MAL and that there are over 1.2 million who have watched HxH. The "population" in this case is the total number of people who have watched/read the series. Since some people do not have MAL, the actual population number is higher (currently, we do not know what is this exact number).

At 5% margin of error and 95% confidence level*, the ideal sample size is 385 in populations above 100K, and it doesn't change after 100K.

*I do not really know how to explain this, but don't worry too much about it.

Alright, so I'm at 380, do I still need more than 5 people?

Yes, I need more people. Why? I have three concerns:

1) I said this before, but I need more men/boys to do the survey.

As mentioned, I did not put demographic questions because my country is strict with asking people for personal data. While this survey is casual, I do not want to encounter future complications. However, I can roughly guess the gender composition of respondents because of certain questions and the way the survey was distributed.

Firstly, this survey blew up mostly on Tumblr and there’s a lot of mixed statistics. This says that 47% are female in 2021 and this other article says 72% of women use Tumblr in 2014. Anyway, most of my online (majority from Tumblr) are women and they had actively helped me sent it out to other women who likes the show as well. This same thing happened to my friends in real life.

Actually, this is one of the biggest limitations of this survey - convenient sampling, which is giving the survey to only people that we know. Our friends who may have similar views/interest will get to do the survey, but people that we are not friends with who may have a different view/interest does not get to do the survey. Their thoughts/opinions are not recorded.

Secondly, there are certain questions that makes it easy to guess for me if the respondent is a woman/man.

For example, the “which character do you simp for” question.

“nil” means they don’t simp for anyone by the way. Also, note that this is just the word cloud diagram. I will chart them manually in bar charts later on.

Usually, when someone indicates a lot of male characters, they are normally women/girls. The ones who indicated Killua Zoldyck and Gon are usually young girls. Of course, I’m not saying men won’t indicate they simp for a male character or something, but yea know, common sense a bit here. The likelihood of someone placing Chrollo being a woman/girl is higher than the respondent being a man. That also same goes for the shipping questions.

The survey is posted on Reddit that consisted of 83.1% males in the HxH area, according to the 1K survey that they had. This helped me boost more people (and possibly guys who do survey). However, I think only about 20 to 30 people did it (based on the boost I got after the Reddit thread was posted). I also had help from a large hxh IG account that had slightly more guy followers to give me a shoutout. I also went to reach out to some accounts whom I know the admin are guys.

I still need a bit more help though, because currently the survey results... I’m sensing that there are more women/girls who did it from the way the results are turning out.

Why is this important?

It’s simple. I cannot just release the results that had an uneven ratio of the gender of the respondents and claim that this is the hxh fandom. It won’t be representative of the hxh fandom population as a whole when there are many cis-men who actually had watched/read the show, and absolutely loved it. I think it’s important to hear people’s opinions, be it men, women, young, old.

Currently, I’m trying to attract more men to do the survey by designing my hxh analyses posts from Tumblr and transporting them to IG, because I realise they like these kind of posts and they get to see my bio profile (with the survey link) + post about the hxh survey. I also get to befriend some of them in the process (and also because I have long been wanting to post my hxh analyses on IG, but it’s just a hassle to make it into pretty poster designs). So win-win.

Of course, anyone is welcomed to do the survey. I just need help with “balancing” it out, so please help me by sending it to your bros, guy friends, boyfriends, fathers etc. Or if you know any social media platforms where most guys dominate, then yeah please send them. Or if you’re a guy, then yea go ahead and try the survey.

2) While the responses are 380 in total, the number of people who have read up to date is 149.

Okay, I’m not saying I need to get people who had read up to date to be 385 as well. Realistically, not sure if I can do it. However, most of the questions pertaining the Succession arc are the most interesting ones and it takes a large chunk of them.

So yes, it will be great to have more people to do the survey especially if they had read the manga so that we can have more respondents in those questions.

3) The 385 response calculation is only assuming 5% confidence level and 5% margin of error.

I don’t exactly know how to explain this, but I will try to quote for the margin of error:

“Company X surveys customers and finds that 50 percent of the respondents say its customer service is “very good.” The confidence level is cited as 95 percent plus or minus 3 percent margin of error. This information means that if the survey were conducted 100 times, the percentage who say service is “very good” will range between 47 and 53 percent most (95 percent) of the time.”

So if you put it in HxH context, with 95% confidence level, and 5% margin of error, it goes like this:

50% of respondents indicated that Bisky is their favourite HxH girl (this one is only one option). If this survey was conducted 100 times, the % of people who indicated Bisky as their favourite girl would be from 45% to 55%.

But if I actually key in 3% margin of error, the sample size goes up to 1056.

I’m willing to open the survey for 1.5 more weeks. Three reasons:

A) I will wait for more responses of course!

B) I am currently busy with my part-time student research assistant job during summer break till this week, and they are rushing to finish up the research paper. Therefore, it’ll be nice to just wait while I do my work.

C) I am planning to write up the theories that I had included in the survey. This means having a lot of time finding the links/threads to the theories and reading them, making sense of it. I plan to post it and also merge that in my report.

I’m closing the survey in 1.5 weeks because I need time to do up the charts and report by mid-August because I’m afraid I might be busy once the semester starts and I won’t have anytime to do this mini fun project.

Another thing I want to address:

Most of the time, certain options I created is based on technical reasons. The other reason is by mistake.

For mistakes, I went to fix them if someone highlights a mistake.

Now, for the technical reason. I did not appreciate this response in the NOTP section that says:

The reason why I listed out almost all ships in Hunterpedia, including the ones with a large age gap and the incest ones is simple - because it helps me chart easier when I put them into options. It also decreases the chances of nonsense answers like this one. It also places less fatigue on people doing the survey. Text boxes are only meant if the options aren’t clear or “others, please state” so that I can include people’s opinons.

The reason why I didn’t do that for the NOTP section is that I was unable to do a certain specific coding. That’s why it ended up as a text box. It’s also based on the assumption that if something is really your NOTP, you’d know and remember it.

Why do people online goes straight to trying to prove they are morally superior and whatnot, assuming that I listed the options because of my morality. You do not know me personally. It is based solely on technical reasons.

This is why I used this disclaimer:

Which part of this is not clear. You can leave, just like what I said in the beginning. Another thing is not following instructions and being rude about it.

I had also instructed clearly to list out the NOTP combinations. I even noted it clearly. Some people put “any incest/pedo ships”, which happened more than five times. What’s more, one response contained “don’t tell me what to do”.

Yes, I get it, you don’t like these type. But what you’re doing is making me guess everything, which is unproductive. If you don’t like certain ships that are common but a “taboo” like “HisoGon”, “Killumi”, then say that. If you say it generally, I’m just going to assume the ones on the Hunterpedia list.

Another thing is the “any toxic ships”. This is very vague. Often, some so-called “wholesome” common ships in hxh are toxic. Mind you, Killugon is also a toxic ship (let’s not be blind to the CA arc please, this pairing is unbalanced), yet almost everyone perceives it as wholesome. Most characters in hxh are toxic in their own ways, and for sure their canon dynamics if they are in a relationship are likely more toxic than what is often portrayed in the headcanon way. I am wondering what to do with this, I might put it as invalid or “no”.

This is why my instructions are to list them. I had already edited the question twice to make it even clearer yet there’s people who defy them. I’m not just doing the instructions out of fun or make people’s life harder. Those are instructions.

I do not understand why certain people have to feel offended/be rude at an anonymous survey.

I can understand if people don’t follow instructions because you might missed it out and I can help to chart it for you. It’s totally okay, everyone makes mistakes, but I do not appreciate the extra unsolicited comments about me because it implies that you have read them, you just chose not to follow it.

If you think there’s a better way to do it, then DM me. I will explain to you why I had done it so, or I might even change it based on your suggestion. For example, someone actually told me to add certain options and I did it. Another person suggested to add the non-romantic dynamics and I love that, though I think it’s a little too late to add that. Maybe in the next survey.

If you do not like the instructions, kindly exit the survey. Nobody is forcing you to do it. It won’t record your response if the survey is incomplete for one hour.

#hxh #hunterxhunter #gon freecss #kurapika #leorio #killua #killua zoldyck #kurapika kurta #leorio paladiknight

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