#i had ANOTHER epiphany! and its not a good one!

[stsgluver]

𝐒𝐍𝐀𝐏𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐓 𝐏𝐓.𝟐 — gojo satoru

synopsis. another installment of the first years going through old videos of their teacher and his friends

wc. 4.1k

tags. gojo x reader, reader in the same class as gojo, ft. nanami and haibara

an. do I have any idea where im taking this? no. still think its cute though (let’s hope the next part doesn’t take me another couple of months 🤭)

previous part / next part / series masterlist

“good evening boys,” nobara burst into megumi and yuuji’s room. the former who was shocked awake from his nap and the latter who had two big bags of popcorn in either arm. he’d been waiting for an hour for the orange-haired girl, a bright grin on his face.

“you can’t just come into our room,” megumi grumbled, pulling his pillow over his head and rolling over in his bed. nobara and yuuji ignored his complaint, dragging both chairs in their room in front of yuuji’s desk. nobara set up the laptop whilst yuuji ran to nobara’s room to grab a third chair. after five minutes of rustling, their movie night was read.

“come sit all, it’s movie time!” the orange-haired girl said excitedly, pulling megumi’s comforter off of him. he sported his usual frown but sleepily complied nonetheless, dragging the blanket around his body as he sat next to yuuji (who then forced the dark-haired teen to share some of the blanket with him). 

“we’re in detention.” the screen opened up with you – hair pulled back into a ponytail as you wore your usual uniform. the three students could recognise the wall behind you as one of their own classes. 

“not our fault,” shoko added, fixing gojo’s glasses on the top of her head. the two of you spoke in hushed whispers, glancing towards the door where, presumably, yaga was on the other side. you had shoved your desk closer to shoko’s so it was basically one big desk and the camera was balanced in the middle.

“never is,” you pinched the bridge of your nose, shooting the person next to you a glare. 

shoko lightly shifted the camera so that geto could come into frame. he raised his hands up in surrender, “it’s not mine either.”

“satoru is getting yelled at by sensei right now,” you whisper shouted, pointing towards the door. if yuuji turned the volume up any louder, they’d be able to hear yaga yet again scolding gojo for another mistake he’d made on a mission – an order he’d probably disobeyed the more confident he grew in his own ability.

shoko frowned, throwing her hands up in exasperation, “he literally knows it was that idiot. why are we being punished?”

“maybe yaga thinks if we get annoyed at satoru he’ll stop,” geto reasoned with a sigh, as if though he wasn’t gojo’s partner in crime and equally as complicit when he entertained his antics. 

“no he won’t. he thinks by punishing us, satoru will have some epiphany about his actions impacting other people. like he thinks far enough ahead to come to that realisation,” you dropped your head down onto your desk. geto laughed quietly, giving you a ‘comforting’ pat on your shoulder.

shoko leant close to the camera, a sharp pencil in hand that she lightly jutted forward, “count your days, gojo satoru.”

the classroom door slid open and the camera was abruptly dropped as yaga walked in, a head of white hair only seconds behind. “is that a came–?” his voice was muffled and cut off quickly as the clip ended.

“bagsy my turn,” yuuji practically jumped from his seat, almost spilling the popcorn everywhere as his half off the blanket dropped from his lap. 

megumi grumbled at him as he grabbed the blanket and bag of popcorn from his excitable classmate. “oh no i was in such a rush,” he sarcastically quipped and nobara lightly nudged his shoulder.

gojo behaved as a god now, untouchable to all as he alone was the strongest. even though their teacher had never been anything but overtly childish, his cursed energy wasn’t something that could be ignored. seventeen year old gojo was as human as they come, lovesick and reckless and happy. the balance of the world was yet to be forced upon him. 

yuuji grinned as he sat back properly, having only taken a fraction of the time to find a video he wanted in comparison to their previous snooping session. taking back his bag of popcorn, he settled himself back under the blanket. “want some?” he offered megumi, who shook his head in response. “your loss.”

as per usual, it was shoko’s face up close and personal with the camera as she adjusted the lens and made sure that it was on and focused. once she was satisfied, she spun the camera so that it was facing nanami – yuuji could hardly contain himself at seeing his beloved teacher look so… not muscular and scary. small giggles filling the dorm room.

the two were in one of the tokyo classrooms, and sat on desks on opposing sides of the room. nanami had his head deep in a book that would probably kill any of his classmates from sheer boredom alone.

“who do you think the first of us to die will be?” shoko asked indifferently as nanami’s eyebrows furrowed and he slowly looked to his left with an unimpressed expression. even as a sixteen year old, he was set in his rigid mannerisms and beliefs and often saw his four seniors as pains in the ass. whilst you and shoko were definitely ranked higher in his list of people he could tolerate than gojo and geto, questions like this made him contemplate his future in jujutsu sorcery if this was who he was going to be working alongside.

“why are you asking me that?”

“answer,” shoko demanded, zooming in the camera on nanami’s face. his blonde hair was held neatly in his side parting and he looked like anyone but the nanami the students were familiar with. 

it looked like he was contemplating telling shoko she was odd, or completely blanking her and opting to finish his book, but the thoughtful silence was interrupted by a sudden thud outside of the classroom. their heads darted up to look at the door and peer through the open doorway into the hallway only to hear gojo’s faint ‘i’m okay!’. 

nanami let out a drawn out sigh, shaking his head. “him.”

“none of us!” haibara’s voice called out as he peered out of the classroom’s cupboard that he’d been reorganising (it had been gojo and geto’s job but they’d left it worse than when they’d arrived and he really didn’t want to get told off again by yaga). 

shoko eyed the camera in disbelief, not even trying to entertain the young teen’s impossible ideology. “you know the mortality rate of a sorcerer right?” she called back to haibara who didn’t falter in his cheeriness as he affirmed his point.

“and? geto and gojo are almost special grades already! you’ve got to have some faith in us,” he grinned, slipping his jacket back on as he finished up his tidying. his footsteps held a skip that the older students had lost – an innocence that was rarely allowed to exist in the jujutsu world. 

yuuji had stopped giggling at the younger appearances of the sorcerers he now knew because he didn’t know him. it was a reminder to the three that no matter how positive they remained against the hardships that would come, it wouldn’t matter. it was kill or be killed and one tiny little mistake, one movement a fraction of a second too late, was the difference between getting paid and coming home in a body bag. 

“lame,” shoko rolled her eyes. she tapped her twin twice as she pondered her own question before pointing at the blond opposite her, “my guess is nanami.” despite his disinterest in the question itself, he shot a look of offence to shoko who raised her free hand in surrender. “imagine this: you’re put on a mission with gojo. you’d ask the curse to kill you.”

“i’m getting killed by a curse?” the special grade in question peered into the classroom, glasses pushed up onto his head and revealing his renowned dazzling blue eyes. there was a small scratch on his cheek – presumably from whatever he’d hit into a few minutes prior.

“no, nanami is to avoid you.”

gojo gasped, one hand on the door frame and the other over his heart as he cried out that ‘that couldn’t be true’ and nanami was his ‘bestest bestie for life’. he only halted his dramatics when you and geto forced him out of the doorway so you could join the rest of your classmates.

you sat in your usual seat next to shoko and geto sat on top of your desk. gojo, on the other hand, remained at the door, jaw practically on the floor as he aggressively pointed at the annoyed blond. “guys, nanami is going to die so he doesn’t have to be friends with me, defend me!”

“at least one of us is brave enough to end our suffering,” geto teased, pinching the bridge of his nose with a grin as you lightly hit his arm, scolding him for entertaining gojo’s behaviour.

instead of giving the white haired sorcerer’s antics any more attention, shoko turned the camera so that it was only a couple of inches from your face. “who do you think will die first?”

“satoru,” you said in unison with geto, eliciting another gasp as gojo dropped onto the floor, faking death. 

when he didn’t get the sympathetic reaction he wanted, he abruptly sat up, pointing a finger directly at you and geto, “did we all just forget five minutes ago when i kicked your asses in training?”

“i’m literally a grade two sorcerer, what sort of flex is that mr i’m-practically-special-grade-please-worship-the-ground-i-walk-on?” you scoffed. the video ended a few moments later, cutting off laughter and satoru bickering with you. 

there was a brief moment of silence – mixed feelings towards what the three had just witnessed. of course it was fun to watch their teacher and his friends but death was a sobering event.

“megumi?” nobara gestured for him to take his turn on choosing their next video but he shook his head, cradling what remained of the bag of popcorn (he’d stolen it back after yuuji nearly spilled once he saw nanami).

“no thanks, you can take my go,” he offered and nobara grinned, worries set aside as she leant forward to find the next video. it was like watching a tv show but it was real life and she knew the characters.

yuuji tried to argue it should be his go – megumi did steal his popcorn after all – but megumi didn’t care enough to aid his argument and there was no way yuuji could overpower the orange-haired sorcerer without his support. nobara was a force to be reckoned with and yuuji was scared to make her mad. 

“is that the teacher from kyoto?” nobara asked after several moments of silently scrolling.

yuuji leaned forward to look at the thumbnail of the video she held the cursor over and in between two tall cherry blossom trees was utahime iori. “it is!” he said excitedly; he’d never seen her without the scar before.

the video opened with utahime running towards the camera from the pink trees. they were fully bloomed and in the background there were tourists taking photos.

“did you get a good picture? does my hair look okay?” utahime asked whoever was behind the camera. the questions were so mundane – the questions of teenage girls worried more about their social media than if they’d survive their next mission.

“yeah don’t worry it always does,” shoko’s voice was heard speaking. her hand appeared in the frame a moment later as she handed utahime back her phone. “here’s your phone.”

“you never say that to me,” you grumbled.

“take the hint,” shoko threw a handful of cherry blossom leaves at you and there was the sound of rustling as you tried to shake what you could out of your hair. 

“shoko ieiri!” you whined, followed by some incoherent threat and a complaint that you’d just had your hair done after some curse had ruined it the other week.

utahime picked up the camera, lifting it high up to show off the trees and bustling streets of tourists and commuters. “i thought we specifically didn’t bring gojo and geto to avoid childless arguments.”

“yn’s fault,” shoko countered, jumping away into the frame of the camera as you tried to hit her arm. she giggled, half behind utahime, “do you at least have gojo’s card?”

“you mean this gorgeous thing?” you appeared on the other side of utahime, sleek black card between your fingertips that you showed to the camera. “today is on him ladies.”

“you truly are taking one for the team being with him, i retract all earlier insults.” shoko held her hand out for a truce, bowing her head as you took her hand.

“i appreciate it, it’s not an easy task,” you dramatically wiped a fake tear away from the corner of your eyes. gojo had given you the card before you’d embarked on your monthly trip to the city, telling you that as long as you brought back a bag of sweets and kikufuku from that one cafe, he didn’t care what you spent.

you froze a moment later, a look of deep thought crossing your features, “can you guys hear that?”

“no,” utahime frowned, a look of concern as she glanced around at the crowd. if your day was about to be ruined by a curse, or worse yet, curse users–

“sounds like the card is saying we need to buy overpriced starbucks.” the three of you broke out into grins at the potential that the black card had given you.

“oh my god, you’re so right and wait,” shoko grabbed your wrist and brought the card close to her ear, “it needs cigarettes to be bought too.”

“shoko! you said you were quitting,” utahime nudged her and shoko blew her an apologetic kiss. the nicotine patches she’d bought to try and quit were still sealed and in a draw she hadn’t opened since she put them in there several weeks ago. quitting was nothing more than a fantasy considered once every blue moon.

“she’s a liar–”

“–and proud,” shoko finished your sentence with a nonchalant shrug.

“i wish sensei would give me his card for a day,” nobara said wistfully as the video ended, twisting a strand of her orange hair around her finger as she mentally plotted the order in which she’d go to all of the shops in tokyo. all she’d need was a full day – 9 to 5 – and she’d never have to shop another day in her life. 

“you’d max it out within an hour,” yuuji scoffed, scooping a handful of the popcorn into his mouth. nobara scrunched her nose up at him as he messily chewed down.

“actually it’s a lot harder than it would seem,” megumi noted.

nobara raised a brow at him – megumi and shopping? “you’ve tried?”

“we tried multiple times,” megumi spoke without much of a second thought. his jaw clenched slightly as he realised his mistake and the consequential curious eyes . pointing to the dark screen, he lightly elbowed the boy next to him’s side, “yuuji take your go quick before i kick kugisaki out so i can sleep.”

“welcome to yn’s kitchen- don’t touch that,” you whacked geto’s hand with a wooden spoon, stopping him from dipping his finger into the bowl of chocolate icing. the dark haired sorcerer cradled his ‘injured’ hand though it was comical to believe you’d actually done any damage – he was at least an entire six inches taller than you.

“today we made a cake,” you held your arms out in a jazz hands manner to show something that… resembled a cake? if the students squinted maybe they’d agree.

“for satoru’s birthday,” geto added, pulling out the big ‘18’ candles that would eventually be used. 

it was pretty obvious that neither of you had any real baking experience, but the thought was definitely there. the shape somewhat was cylindrical, only a small clump had chosen to stay in the pan and had to be ‘surgically’ glued back to the rest of the shape with a large scoop of nutella. you were hoping that the icing would disguise the bitterness of the burnt edges.

“taste it,” you smiled at the camera, shifting the plate towards geto like you were on some cooking show and that pile of sponge was something to be proud of.

geto pushed the plate back without any hesitation, “i don’t want to.”

“do it.”

“you do it.”

your smile dropped and you flashed geto a glare before composing yourself by clearing your throat. taking a deep breath, you broke off a tiny piece of the top layer of the cake, “so i’m now going to trial this small bit for research purposes.”

you barely had chewed twice before your mouth was scrunching up in disgust and you were disappearing off camera to find a bin to spit it out into.

geto, unfazed and unsurprised by your joint failure, picked up the spatula and began dolloping it onto the top of the cake.

“that’s horrendous-” you came back in view with a glass of water in hand. “what are you doing?”

“hiding that with icing,” he stated obviously.

“we’re still giving that to him?”

geto grinned, directly at the camera as he hoped gojo would find this video after he too ate this. “obviously we’re still giving it to him.”

“it’s weird,” yuuji hummed once the video ended, “those two were sensei’s closest friends and yet he doesn’t speak about either.”

“can you blame him? have you ever spoken to maki about the attack geto led against the school last year?” nobara pointed out and yuuji’s eyes widened as he’d nodded. maki was a woman of few words but when it came to yuta? she’d spend all day ranting about how much she disliked geto and that he’d gotten what was coming to him.

“my turn,” megumi placed the now empty bag of popcorn onto the floor as he scrolled and clicked on the first video that he could find. you weren’t a conversation he was ready to have yet – he could bearly speak to gojo about it, let alone the two loudest mouths in the school.

the video opened to the loud sound of the subway. shoko and geto were sat on one side whilst you and gojo on the other – with you holding up the camera as your beloved boyfriend stood up in the middle of the subway carriage.

“fit check!” gojo did a little spin, showing off his basic hoodie and baggy jeans that he wore almost every time the four snuck out of the high school – or in fact, did anything together for that matter. for someone so rich he really did not use his wealth to its full capacity.

after his little twirl and bow, he dropped back down next to you, looking over the camera into your eyes as he seeked your validation. “i look hot right?”

“you always look hot,” you flipped the camera to face yourself as you not-so-subtly-whispered, “his mum paid me to say that.” the students knew their teacher well enough to know that the dramatic gasp they heard was almost definitely followed by an overexaggerated display of anguish. your giggles and geto’s laughter only confirmed the conclusion.

“i think i need a kiss to recover. or i’ll spend the rest of my days as a ghost, heart broken and never able to leave this subway as i haunt it and all the other coup–” the lens view was obstructed by their teacher’s hoodie as you gave into his demands, cutting off his pathetic rant. 

a loud groan was heard from shoko as she snatched back the camera and held it up to her unimpressed face and geto gagging. “i prefer it when they’re broken up,” she grumbled. 

before megumi could interject and tell nobara to get out now (he didn’t care if yuuji teased him for his ‘need for beauty sleep’), the video ended and automatically opened onto the next one. his words were caught in his throat at the oh-so-familiar apartment.

“get that out of my face.” you were older now, only be a few years but there was a scar on your neck that hadn’t been there in any of the other videos. gojo’s laugh could be heard as he ignored your request and instead held it up high enough to capture you both in the frame.

“you don’t remember this old thing?” he wrapped an arm around your shoulders and pressed a kiss to your forehead, securing you before you could duck away from him.

“we’re twenty one stop acting like we’re ancient,” you crossed your arms in front of yourself as you accepted that maybe just possibly you didn’t quite the match the strength of jujutsu’s strongest sorcerer.

“we may as well be. we’ve got two kids.”

your eyes widened and you shook your head, “we do not–”

“yn!” a small megumi appeared in the corner of the frame and you quickly shut up as gojo gave you an i-told-you-so look. “gojo said he’d help me with my maths homework. an hour ago.” 

the smugness almost instantly vanished from the sorcerers face as you glared at him for once again avoiding his responsibilities. because apparently there was more to looking after children than feeding them and taking them out for the day as a reward when they beat up bullies in school.

“i’m a busy man megumi, saving lives, helping–” gojo winced as you elbowed him in the side, allowing you to slip from his grasp.

“ignore him megs, let’s go into the living room,” you said, ushering the small boy out of the room. two years of this and you were surprised that megumi even still bothered to give gojo a chance to act his age.

“don’t take my sweets!” 

you halted megumi purposefully, “do you want gojo’s sweets?” the camera although kind of forgotten now, still had the young boy in view and picked up his smirk in full as he nodded.

“i’d love them.” gojo winced again, pretending like tears were about to start falling. as if though he couldn’t easily afford to replace anything they did eat by the thousands.

“perfect,” you exaggerated in a condescending tone. as the amazing parent that you were, you made sure not to forget about the other child that was staying with you. “tsu! do you want a treat?”

“yeah!”

“even better,” you clapped your hands together and gestured for megumi to continue on into the living room again. “have fun with your camera love. i’m very busy adulting here.”

“this isn’t over,” the white haired sorcerer shook his head, betrayal clear on his features.

you mouthed the words ‘i love you’, blowing him a little kiss as you disappeared around the corner. gojo gave you a fake grin, narrowing his eyes at the camera.

“jokes on them, i pay the bills. no more electricity for them.”

“you were so cute!” yuuji practically squealed as he and nobara jumped up 

“your hair was so spiky!” nobara reached out to poke at his less bold spikes that he sported nowadays. they had earnt him his nickname of ‘sea urchin’ but still couldn’t beat his younger hairdo.

“can we meet her?” yuuji asked, the poor boy having been oblivious to any of the social cues that nobara already had. nobara coughed at his request, eyes flicking between the two boys.

megumi shook his head. “i think that’s enough for tonight. please, kugisaki,” he nodded his head towards the door. the girl gave him a quick salute, completing her secret handshake with yuuji before she grabbed the laptop and disappeared from their dorm back to her own.

the dark haired student ignored yuuji’s complaints as he dropped himself back onto his bunk bed, reaching for his phone. upon opening his messages, he scrolled to a contact and pressed on the chat. 

all of the messages displayed on the screen were sent from him to the unknown contact. there was never a response, or even a read message. just ‘delivered’. he knew that if he scrolled up it would be much the same. the last message he’d ever received was one on his 14th birthday; a simple ‘happy birthday. i love you. i’m sorry’.

hi. we miss you. i hope you’re doing okay.

taglist. @thefictionalcharacterssimp @hana-patata @mor-pheus @leathairs @sh0ek0 @maliakealoha @levisteeacup @g-kleran @stevenknightmarc @n1kimura @darliingyu @saturn-alone @splxtscreen @leah-rose03 @rinshoe @laurenzitaa @patricia142lilian @sabo-has-my-heart @wooasecret @dahliawarner @kysrion @dreamerdeity @mwah-chia @geromiegerald @arminsarlerts

#snapshot ! #gojo x reader #gojo satoru #gojo imagine #gojo drabble #gojo fluff #gojo angst #geto x reader #shoko x reader #utahime x reader #jjk #jjk x reader

[imasimpforshanks]

romantic epiphanies

aka. when they decide to marry you

ft. katakuri, benn beckman, mihawk, law

part 1 | part 2

a/n: here’s part 2 made specifically for the anon ❤️❤️ ily a milli x hope you enjoy this part!!

for katakuri, it was the way you sleepily mumbled a “good night, my love, sleep well.” as he slipped into bed one evening. those words are whispered literally every evening to one another. but all of a sudden it had katakuri planning how he would ask you to marry him. maybe something was different about the way you said it, maybe not. all he knew was that he wanted to hear that from you, forever.

it was the first and longest time mihawk had been away from you in quite a while. and he didn’t like, not one bit. in fact, he hated it. so, mihawk dropped everything he was doing to return to you. on his way home he couldn’t help but rehearse asking you those for words, “will you marry me?”

for benn, the moment comes when a stranger in a bar hits on him. he doesn’t even let the stranger finish their sentence before he’s shutting them down with a stern, “not interested.” to benn’s dismay the stranger doesn’t relent, instead pushing further, “what? are you married or something? i don’t see a ring.” benn pauses for a second before replying over his shoulder as he walks back to your side, “im about to be.”

law decides he’s going to propose to you in the midst of his revenge plan on doflamingo. tensions were high and honestly, your relationship was one of the last things on his mind and that was made clear when his temper shortened, and he found himself snapping at you more than he should. law was sure the relationship was at its breaking point, but you never left his side - not once. instead, you looked him in the eyes and spoke with your whole heart, “im not leaving you. you can shout at me, get angry, whatever. but i will always be by your side.”

#one piece #one piece x reader #one piece headcanons #one piece imagines #trafalgar law #one piece fake texts #op katakuri #op mihawk #dracule mihawk #benn beckman #law x reader #mihawk x reader #benn beckman x reader #katakuri x reader

[slaybestieslay946]

Oh me gosh can you please do a Luke Castellan x reader fic where he’s just so head over heels for her but she’s so clueless and everyone keeps trying to get her to notice but she won’t and like they’re bests friends🤗🤗

tysm for ur request! if you don't mind I tweaked it a bit so its annabeth and percy trying to set up Luke and reader! hope you enjoy!

KISS THE GIRL

word count: 2000

pairing: Luke Castellan x poseidon!reader

warnings: none!

a/n: Even though this is a daughter of poseidon fic, its not part of my future au! for Luke.

MASTERLIST

Percy and Annabeth were standing at the edge of the amphitheatre, talking about something mindless when they spotted you and Luke walking towards the entrance, seeming deeping engaged in conversation. 

Annabeth watched as you laughed at something Luke said and a light blush tinged his cheeks, and she couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Could he get any more obvious?

“Oi, Perce,” She whispered, “Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” She asked, nudging him to look in the direction of the pair of you. 

“Yeah, I see my sister with Luke, what about it-” It appeared the realisation finally struck him, “Oh my god, are they-?” 

“I don’t know. He’s definitely into her, I know that.” Annabeth mused, inspecting the pair as they grabbed two wooden swords and began sparring together, laughing as they repeatedly dodged and side-stepped the other. 

“He told you that?” Percy asked, his eyes practically bulging out of his head. 

“Well, no. But it’s pretty obvious, don’t you think?” 

Annabeth then gasped in realisation, startling Percy slightly before he realised it was just another one of her epiphanies. 

“We should get them together!” 

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? Isn’t that something you leave up to Aphrodite kids?” Percy asked hesitantly. 

“Battle strategy and romantic strategy aren’t all that different.” She shrugged, before dragging him off to draw up new ‘romantic’ battle plans with her. 

STAGE 1: CONFRONT LUKE

Annabeth’s strategy wasn’t all that complicated, and she was pretty certain the most difficult part would be getting Luke to admit his feelings. But, as it turns out, he cracked pretty quickly. 

“Alright, you got me.” He sighed, holding his hands up in surrender, “I do like her, but can you blame me? I mean, she’s so smart, and beautiful, and kind, and-”

“That’s enough lover boy. Cool it.” Percy said, cutting him off with a groan. As much as he had given Annabeth his blessing to go along with this crazy plan, he still didn’t want to hear Luke gushing about how hot his sister is. 

“Sorry man.” Luke chuckled awkwardly, before the pair of boys turned back to Annabeth to lead the conversation. 

“So, now that you’ve admitted it, we need to start brainstorming how we’re gonna get you guys together.” She said, clapping her hands together and producing a roll of paper, with a long list of ideas that she promptly began to read out. 

The list ranged from pretty normal things like ‘take her out on a picnic’ to insane stuff like ‘bring her a monster's head as a gift’. Luke wasn’t so sure you would be a fan of that one, but he had to admit all the other items were pretty good ideas. 

“So what do you suggest, Annie? Work our way down the list?” Luke asked, and his little sister nodded, before outlining which ones she thought would be best. 

“We should start small, you don’t wanna freak her out,” She consulted the list again, thinking to herself, “Ah, here we go, ‘Give her a compliment’.” 

“Ok, I think I can do that.” Luke grinned, his head immediately flooded with things that he loved about you. 

“Just don’t make it weird, or I’ll revoke my blessing.” Percy grumbled, his arms crossed as Luke laughed sheepishly again. 

“Will do.”

STAGE 2: START SMALL

The next week mostly consisted of Annabeth and Percy spying on you and Luke at any possible moment. 

The first of his tasks, to give you a compliment seemed to go well. The pair of preteens watched on from their spot behind a tree as the pair of you separated to go to dinner, and Luke complimented your hair. You blushed slightly, and smiled widely, before rushing off to your own table in the dining pavilion. 

Luke quickly whipped around to look at Percy and Annabeth who gave him enthusiastic thumbs ups. 

His next task was to give you a small gift, and he decided that it should take the form of the matching charm bracelets he made with the younger kids. Annabeth and Percy sat with him as he deliberated over specific colours and shapes of bead, until they were nearly sick of his equivocation. 

But, as much as watching him make it was downright annoying, Percy had to admit the way you both wore your charm bracelets everyday afterwards was pretty cute. 

The final task of the week was to bring you flowers, and that whole day Luke could be seen wading through fields of wildflowers looking for the perfect ones to add to his bouquet. This was then snuck onto your nightstand later that night by Percy, who over the course of the week had become very invested in your blossoming relationship, a fact he would deny to the ends of the earth. 

STAGE 3: ESCALATE

“Alright Luke, time to bring out the big guns.” Annabeth announced, before clearing her throat and reading the list of tasks for the week. 

‘Sit at her table during dinner’

‘At least one compliment a day’

‘One instance of arm-around-the-waist contact’

This was the point at which the Hermes boy began to get slightly nervous. The other stuff before could be pretty easily written off as friendly, but sitting at someone's table at dinner? Only couples did that. 

“Are you sure that’s not moving too fast, I mean-”

“Luke Castellan, don’t be so damn pathetic! Grow some balls, before someone else steals your girl!” Annabeth exclaimed, whacking him over the head with the list. 

He nodded, “Yes Ma’am.”

From then on, he was pretty much unwavering in his determination. He sat at your table every mealtime, slinging an arm around your shoulder, or your waist. Anytime you came up with a capture the flag strategy, he’d praise you intelligence, anytime he saw you, he greeted you with a ‘Morning beautiful’ or a ‘Hey sweetheart’. 

Annabeth and Percy were shocked with his sudden progress, but pretty impressed with the way it was going. At this point, the pair of you were practically dating. 

The only minor setback came in the form of your complete and utter cluelessness. 

Percy had decided to test the waters with you, and gently float the idea of you getting together with Luke. 

“You’ve been spending loads of time with Luke at the moment.” He remarked casually as you both walked back to cabin 3. 

“You’ve just noticed I spend time with my best friend? Well done kid.” You laughed, ruffling his curly blonde hair. 

“That’s not what I meant.” He rolled his eyes, ducking out of your grasp. 

“Then what did you mean?” You asked, hands on your hips, a confused expression on your face. 

“I meant like, you guys being ‘involved’.” He shrugged, trying to make it sound as nonchalant as possible while looking out for your every reaction. He was unreasonably invested at this point, but oh well. 

“What?!” You exclaimed, your voice suddenly going higher pitched, “Nah, no chance! Luke would never.” 

Percy had to stop his jaw from dropping to the floor. It would’ve made sense if you denied having feelings for him, but to be so oblivious of how whipped that boy was for you? He thought you were smart. 

“Yeah, sure. I guess so.” He shrugged once again, before swiftly changing the subject. 

STAGE 4: KISS THE GIRL!!

“Guys, we have a problem.” Percy said, bursting in on Luke and Annabeth’s conversation the next morning. 

“What?” The pair asked in sync, concerned expressions on their faces. 

“Y/N is an idiot.” 

“Woah, don’t say that about her-” Luke began, desperate to defend your honour, but was cut off by Annabeth’s harsh glare. 

“What do you mean, Perce?” She asked, her tone level. 

“Luke, man, she has no clue you like her. Like she is convinced it’s impossible.” Percy explained, and Annabeth’s expression also grew confused. 

“Gods, she really is dumb.” She sighed, ignoring Luke’s chiding at insulting you, “We’re gonna have to really turn it up a notch. Luke, it’s time to really bring out the big guns.”

For the next few days, Luke, Annabeth and Percy spent most of their time rushing around preparing for Annabeth’s so-called ‘masterstroke’. 

And then, after much hard work from the trio, it was ready, and Luke was whisking you away from the campfire to the surprise he had prepared for you. 

“Luke, where are we going?!” You laughed as he dragged you along by the wrist, a piece of cloth tied around your head to block your vision. 

“You’ll see.” He chuckled, gently directing you around a tree root as he led you deeper into the forest. 

“I swear, if you’re kidnapping me I am not going to be happy.” You teased that infectious smile he loved so much covering your face. 

“No, no kidnapping tonight.”

You continued to joke around together as he led you towards his destination, until eventually you came to a halt, and he was untying the cloth around your face. 

You gasped in delight as you saw you were by the pier, and in front of you was a picnic blanket set up with all of your favourite food and drink. 

Immediately you grabbed him by the arm and led him to the blanket, thanking him all the way and gushing about how sweet and amazing he was. Meanwhile, Luke was trying not to pass out from the barrage of affection you were giving him. 

The pair of you quickly tucked into the meal, laughing and joking. But all the while, Luke was preparing his confession, and trying not to let his palms get too sweaty. 

Eventually, he decided it was time, and he made his move. 

“Y/N?” 

“Yeah?” You looked up at him with shining eyes, and he had to remind himself to breathe. 

“I’m in-” His love confession was cut off by the sudden boom of fireworks above you both, and he silently cursed himself for forgetting to organise a signal with Annabeth to start them. She really did have bad timing sometimes. 

“Oh my gods! Fireworks!” You exclaimed, nudging Luke to take a closer look, pointing out which ones were your favourites, and clearly any speculation about what Luke was going to say had escaped your mind. 

Eventually the display was over, and you turned to him yet again, gushing about how lucky they were that fireworks were out tonight. He couldn’t help but wonder how someone usually so smart could be so clueless?

“I organised the fireworks, Y/N.” He said, softly, placing his calloused hand over yours. 

“What, really?!” You blinked owlishly at him for a moment before furrowing your brows and asking, “Wait, how come?” 

Luke couldn’t contain his chuckle. 

“Isn’t it obvious by now? I’m in love with you. I’ve been trying to hint at it for weeks, but clearly I wasn’t being obvious enough.”

“What? Why?” You stammered, shock coating your face entirely. 

“Why am I in love with you?” He asked as if it was a stupid question, which to him it was, because he could list a million things that he loved about you. 

“Because you’re beautiful, and smart, and kind, and generous, and every time I see you I can’t help but smile because you're my best friend and I love you more than anything.” He rambled, wiping his slightly clammy palms on his cargos. 

“Now I’d really appreciate it if you’d put me out of my misery and reject me.” He said sheepishly, itching the back of his neck. 

But, of course, the rejection never came. Instead you were rushing forwards to hold his face in your hands and kiss him, slowly and deeply. 

And, about ten metres away, Annabeth and Percy could be seen high-fiving behind a tree, before skipping back to the campfire in glee.

#luke castellan x reader #percy jackson #percy jackon and the olympians #luke castellan #fluff #x reader #pjo #writing #fanfic #ask #clueless #reader is so silly #trace amounts of percabeth #percabeth crumbs

[bloodmoonmuses]

translation: i love you. | mark lee

genre: mark lee x reader, college au (not that important for the context tbh), friends to lovers, fluff, drabble (900 words)

summary: your friends referred to you as the mark lee interpreter. you weren't sure why, but you understood him- even the words he didn't say.

warnings: none!

To many, you were known as the Mark Lee Interpreter. Such was usually said in jest, but you couldn’t help the pride that swelled in your chest when the moniker was bestowed upon you. Sure, the guy rambles a bit, but if you listen- really listen- he has quite a beautiful outlook on the world. 

You and Mark usually conversed in motion. You’ve divulged your deepest secrets to him while on aimless walks. You’ve cracked your wisest jokes to one another while biking. You’ve had entire conversations through your eyes while dancing in grimy bars.

Now was no different, though a more chill variation. It’s Spring, so the two of you are taking a stroll in between classes. The sun knocks the chill off an otherwise too-chilly day, its rays falling on your face like a smattering of kisses. Spring isn’t in its picturesque stage quite yet. The stasis of winter still lingers, trees barren and skies grayish amidst the light that peeks through the cloud coverage. It’s calming.

There’s a creek that runs through the center of campus, a little bridge arching over the widest part. This is where you stood now, watching the water trickle over stones. 

“I think about rocks a lot,” Mark says out of nowhere. (Translation: Nature is so beautiful- even the most mundane and minute aspects of it. Even the parts that people forget. I think about forgotten things a lot, like rocks.) You believe it. Mark thinks a lot about a lot of things.

“They’re, like, soooo varied. Y’know?”

You do know. Large rocks. Mountainous rocks. Boulders. Stones. Pebbles. There are many types of rocks. “The ones in the creek look super smooth. It’s… hypnotizing.” Mark speaks as though he’s constantly in amazement, or on the brink of an epiphany. He’s the embodiment of potential, of the hypothetical, of what could be. You think a lot about what you and Mark could be. 

Of the many possibilities, you conclude that as long as some form of togetherness is involved, you’d be anything for him.

“I think about water a lot,” you respond. 

“What’s your favorite kind of water?” (Translation: Indulge me. How intently do you think about the minutiae of the world? Are you as crazy about water as I am about rocks?)

“Hm,” you say. “Good question. No one’s ever asked me that.” You assume he’s asking you to identify a particular body of water as your favorite. A memory comes to mind. 

It was the summer after freshman year. You and Mark went to the beach everyday together.  You think of the chilly water that rolled over your toes in the waking moments of dawn. You think of how beautiful the sunrise looked reflected on the ocean. You think of Mark waking up with you, despite not being a morning person. That wasn’t your favorite type of water, no. You specifically liked the sea water that danced on the ends of Mark’s hair. The drops that traveled down the follicle, forming shimmering beads, and dripped onto the sand below. You made a game of watching and counting them that summer. (The highest you got was 47.) 

You’re not sure how to consolidate this memory into a sentence that doesn’t sound absolutely insane. You decide to omit the thought entirely. A conversation for a different day, you suppose. 

“The ocean. Cliche, I know,” you say. Mark nods to himself, then hums.

The creek beneath you harmonizes with Mark’s humming. He begins walking again, taking your hand in his. This wasn’t too out of the ordinary for your friendship, but it makes your heart do this twisty thing you can’t quite place. It was the one action of his you couldn’t interpret. Mark doesn’t make a big deal about it, nor does he discuss the matter afterwards. It was almost like he was entitled to your hand, clasping his calloused fingers around yours without a second thought.

You’ve never actually looked at your intertwined hands before. The first time he grabbed it (during one of those days on the beach), Mark acted so nonchalant. You figured the gesture didn’t mean much to him. You were scared that, if provided with a visual, you’d never stop thinking about his stupid hands. 

This time, you allow yourself a peek. The cuff of Mark’s jacket hangs over his fingers, and he squeezes your hand when he realizes you’re looking. (Translation: You’re finally acknowledging this. Are you here? Can you feel me?) 

Your hand is getting sweaty. You pull away to wipe it on your jeans.

Mark can’t believe you’re nervous right now. You’re never nervous around him. The two of you have become accustomed to the wordless ease of your relationship.

Mark’s eyeing you again. You pretend you can’t see him in your peripheral vision. It doesn’t work. “Nervous?”

“Not even a little bit,” you say defiantly. You snatch his hand back into yours as if to prove your point. However, this only does the opposite as you begin to literally tremble.

“You’re so funny,” says Mark, running his thumb over the back of your hand. He slowly lifts your hand to his mouth, but he doesn’t kiss it. He simply presses your knuckles to his lips, maintaining eye contact while he does so. Your breath hitches.

“Mark-” is all you manage to say. You can’t meet his eyes, so you look at your conjoined hands as they swing between the two of you. Elation radiates off Mark’s skin. He’s grinning from ear to ear.

“Your hand is so warm,” Mark says. (Translation: I love you.) 

a/n: feedback is always appreciated! thanks for reading!

#bloodmoonmuses #mark lee fic #nct 127 #nct 127 fluff #mark lee #mark lee x reader #mark lee fluff #nct dream fluff #mark lee drabble

[hedgehog-moss]

The story of my 3-year-long quest to identify a very rare bird

So I've been trying almost since I moved here to figure out what bird made this strange call that I sometimes heard near my house:

I tried to google "european bird that sounds like a laughing hyena?" and also to imitate the noise over the phone for a friend who once took an online bird course, but she had no idea. (Well, she said "that's a hyena." I said, "but I hear it all the time! Near my house!! Wait I'll do it better." She said, please stop making a hyena noise :(( and I stopped because the cats thought I was losing my mind)

Eventually I managed to record the actual bird call on my phone, and used a Shazam app for birds—but once again, no luck. The first app I tried just assumed it was being trolled and was like "it's you, isn't it? That's not a bird that's your stupid human laugh, you're making fun of me. I'm not an idiot"

The second birdsong app was more insecure and apologised a lot for failing to identify my bird. I thought it must be a rare bird! (The only uncommon bird I know of in this region is the vulture but it sounds less like a hyena and more like if elephants were birds.) Every time I heard the call (usually during the day) I opened the window trying to a) get a better recording so my app would finally have an epiphany, and b) see something flying off a tree.

At one point I was cutting brooms in the pasture and heard the call very loudly, as if the bird was just a few metres away, and it wasn't coming from the sky. I googled every possible version of "flightless (?) bird that nests in thorny bushes?" and found nothing, and started wondering if it was actually a mammal. But I couldn't think of any plausible local mammal that would make this sound—definitely not a fox or badger, who say WAOOHHH, and nothing like the polite whistle of marmots. We've got pine martens in the woods and I found a video called "mating pine marten scream bark" and thought oh!! that must be it! ... but then I listened to it and it sounded like yiiiaaaaaeeeeee, like if you stepped on a baby banshee's toe, nothing at all like the heheeheuruurhh of a hyena who just heard a good joke.

Anyway, this morning I was in the pasture and I once again heard the hyena laugh! I was standing by the moose butler tying up the hay net, away from any trees or shrubs and the call came from just behind me. I turned around thinking there was absolutely no way for the mystery bird to hide, it had landed on the ground behind me and this time I was going to see it!

And

it was HER:

Absolutely no doubt. I saw Pampy's throat vibrating along with the last echoes of the hyena laugh. All these years I've been saying that llamas are very quiet animals who just make cute little "hum-hum" sounds (I rarely hear adult llamas humming to one another, it's mostly for mother llamas to communicate with their baby and with me) and I had no idea that the shrieking hyena-bird I occasionally heard outside my house was Pampelune! I googled "llama alarm cry" and immediately found youtube videos featuring llamas making this exact sound. There was a stray dog nearby this morning that Pandolf eventually chased away, so maybe Pampy was the first to hear him and sounded the alarm. Maybe she uses this cry to tell Pan to go do his guard dog job, because he left the pasture and ran into the woods when she made the sound (while I was turning round like "aha! you can't run, hyena-bird!")

I wanted to share this discovery! I've had llamas for nearly 4 years and I'm only now finding out that they can laugh like hyenas when the situation calls for it. I feel bad for the poor birdsong app that I've repeatedly gaslighted feeding it a llama call and insisting that it identify this bird for me while it hung its head in shame like "I swear I don't have your bird in my database. I'm so sorry. I'm a bad app."

Llamas are fascinating creatures. Please experience their majestic alarm call again, and be alarmed:

#crawling along #you can look it up on youtube if you want to check with your own eyes (and ears) #i would understand the scepticism. it seems like such a random sound for llamas to make! #also as i started writing this post i thought i'd check what hyenas actually sound like and #it's not like that at all ! i assumed they had a mean-spirited cackle because of the lion king i think #when really it's more of a charming good-natured giggle

[lovelyyandereaddictionpoint]

Hello! Recently I've been reading your works (usually twst, disney and sometimes oc) and im really interested.

I would like to request yandere cinderella x reader please if thats okay!

Im not sure if there is any request rules i should follow since i cant really find any or if its open so sorry if i broke any of them! Btw no need to answer this if you aren't interested or dont have the energy, im just curious in how you would write them since they are very unique and nicely written. Remember please take care of yourself and take rest when you need to!! (since you literally post almost everyday)

I try I do post everday, though I'm surprised anyone noticed 🖤🖤🖤

Yandere Genderbend Cinderella x Reader

To say you didn’t like you’re step-brother would be an understatement. 

You hated him. 

Him and all that he stood for.

It was disgusting, how wicked Ellwick was to you and your family. Not wicked in the way that he looked down on you; more so in the way that his existence was an obstacle to yours. Currently he made it his mission to insert himself where he never belonged, constantly upending your rightful place. You remembered the time before the single father and son duo shoved their way into your family’s lives. It was peaceful, well as peaceful as life with your family could be. Guns, knifes, drugs, cement shoes–the life that meant serving your family and running the city from behind the scenes. Your mother, your brother, and the many associates that joined your family. 

What can you say? Blood is binding especially when spilt.

Cinder Ellwick and his father came into your home under the silly notion of ‘healthy’ love. As if fighting alongside one another wasn’t love, these men marched into your lives expecting to ‘fix’ your already perfect family. 

Your brother and the many others could spot the foolishness in their morale, unfortunately your mother could not. Which devastated her the moment her new husband got his rightful comeuppance. 

“He shouldn’t have joined the game, if he didn’t know how to play.” 

Your brother scoffed under his breath during your mother’s mournful eulogy. You couldn’t help but agree. Only irritating you more when your mother dressed in black brought the blonde-headed boy to you two saying something along the lines of him being a permanent burden on your family.

“It’s what he would’ve wanted.”

So what? It was his fault for getting involved! His fault for getting kidnapped! His fault for refusing to arm himself, when you warned him! So why did you, your family, have to live with the nuisance?

“I’m going to try my best, to be apart of this family. Properly this time.”

“That’s good to hear, Ellwick.”

Not long after that he took up the role as you’re family’s cleanup crew, eliminating those your family marked. Unpaid debts and traitors were his targets, the scum of your faction–perfect level for Ellwick to begin truly becoming apart of this family. You’d think that’d be enough for him to feel included. But that’s just like him to be so greedy.

“May I come with you on that mission?”

Ellwick asked, still panting from running down the halls from Mother’s office trying to catch up to you and your brother. You both were prepared, dressed to the nines in comparison to him who was in a dirtied leather suit. It'd be a burden and embarrassment for him to come.

Your brother laughed, ” No chance! Look at you covered in cinders again! What’d you do, wrestle your target in a fire pit?”

Ellwick awkwardly smiled as your brother held his stomach. Laughter rising and eyes widening as if he had an epiphany. He points at the blonde, who barely winces at the pressure.

“Kind of like–Cinderwick! Haha!” 

You rolled your eyes as he repeated the name inbetween his belly laughs. Ellwick’s smile was twitching on the otherhand turning his attention to you. Glaring at him you ushered your brother away, barely turning your head to the crushed boy.

“You can’t. We won’t be letting an outsider handle things as private as this.”

Many of your interactions would go like this. Cinderwick inserting himself in your personal business and you putting him in his place, your latest mission was no different. Only that you were older and more responsibility will have fallen to you. You had to step up more than ever.

“Alright my children as we discussed you will be infiltrating the gathering. Your target is the first son of the Mayor. Blackmail, romance him, kiss up, we need a foothold on the city. I can only trust my children.”

“Than why is he here?” 

You shifted your eyes to the blond hitman who was standing barely a foot you and your brother. Your mother sighed.

“We need all hands on deck. Our competitors are in attendance as well. I wouldn’t be surprised if they try anything and I just can’t have my babies be put in danger.”

She held both you and your brother’s cheeks pinching it a little. Leaning into her touch you happily smiled at her over-endearment. Whereas your brother recoiled and wriggled away nursing his cheek.

“Aw geez Ma will you stop.”

“Now my children.” She looked to Ellwick.”All my children. I wish you the best.” 

______________________________________________________________

It was almost commendable, how fast Cinderwick managed to do it. Wooing the son of the mayor and leading him on a wild goose chase that ultimately led to a grand proposal. To which he accepted. 

There was a nervousness about him being the victor; a sudden power handed to someone who wasn’t apart of the family. He was in a position of power, a position that allowed him to string your family along. 

“Congratulations my son! We’re happy you’ve found love in such a place!” 

Sugarcoated words and fake pearly smiles were the next step in the mission. Officially tying the mayor to your family…all with a man who wasn’t apart of the family. 

“Oh thank you step-mother! I can’t wait to have you and the family at our wedding.”

Your mother’s eye twitched at the ‘step’ but she maintained her smile letting Cinderwick cuddle into his fiance’s arm as they continued to chatter. It was revolting that it was he who returned to the estate with a cocky smile and a ring on his finger.

“Well you told all your children to do your best and they tried. So I will take the mantle up…as long as you agree to my terms.”

The following sentence had your mother sending you and your brother out of the room–treatment originally reserved for an outsider like him. Your brother stomped away dropping his emotionless persona, you followed.

“ARGH! How the heck did that slimy cinderblock idiot get ahead of us!? This is ridiculous!”

“...We tried…Arthur don’t do what I think you’re going to do.”

He turned to you the fire in his eyes directed to you.

“Tried?! We should’ve easily bested that bag of soot!” 

Turning back around he made his way to his office slamming his mini fridge open to reveal a plethora of beers and cheap wine bottles. You thought you threw those out. You debated staying as he quickly began to chug the drinks haphazardly dropping the finished cans to the ground. 

“Arthur. Don’t drink anything else.”

“Why!? Why wasn’t it me or you even!?”

“Well for one, typical romance isn’t exactly our field of expertise. I don’t know what you exp–”

You were cutoff by the ceramic smashing near the wall behind your head. Barely missing you it was lucky all you got was a cut from the ricochet glass shatter. It didn’t bother you, it seemed shallow, so you pressed further entering the room more. Closing and locking the door behind you as you closed in on your brother aiming to simply hug him. 

It didn’t stop his drinking bout but it did bring him to a wobbly pause. Letting you slowly walk him away from the desk the alcohol sat. As if he was being taunted once he got barely three steps away he wrenched himself from your grip darting towards the alcohol. In his raw distracted strength he barely pushed you back into the decorative cabinet. 

You would have repeated your attempt if it weren’t for the sudden grip of Ellwick’s leather glove on your wrist. Naturally you pulled yourself away or tried to. Struggling against his bone breaking hold, you ultimately relented as Arthur began to shove off the contents on his desk. Ellwick easily shoved you out of the room, successfully doing so. With that same force he pushes you against the wall, trapping you against it with his narrowed irises and presence alone.

“What are you doing?!”

“Its none of your business.”

“It is every bit my business! Why would you go anywhere near him when he’s in a drunken rage?”

“Because he’s family!” Your voice cracked with emotion, daring to look up at his softened blue eyes. With faux cough, you fixed yourself staring head on to the blonde before slipping past him.

“I don’t expect you to understand that though.”

Speed-walking out of the hall, your only goal was to return to your room hoping to finally relieve the burning sensation in your eyes. Ellwick on the other hand watched you walk away more specifically the cut that had let blood of yours trickle down. 

In a fury like none other Ellwick made his way to the closed door. It was time to end this. 

For good.

_____________________________________________________________

“My son. I want you to know I will always love your mother and I’ll never stop loving her.”

“Right.”

“But I’ve found someone who makes me happy! Someone who will cherish me and you!”

“Okay.”

“The thing is…she has a very different line of work.”

Ellwick wasn’t sold. Even as young as he was there wasn’t an inherent attraction to the mafia-life. When he had the chance to he’d read a torrent of love-stories and twisted family relations all with mafia environments. It usually ended in death, somehow bringing a foreboding cloud over this new developement. 

*Click*

“Whoa whoa little one I get that I’m not a replacement for any–”

“My gun. Take it.”

“E-excuse me?”

Ellwick didn’t really register you before this. Eyes widening as someone as tiny as you easily cocked and flipped the butt of a gun in the direction of his father. Wielding the weapon he’d only seen on those forbidden adult movies with such ease. A silent urgency on your part, you were offering your gun with a custom handle of your favorite color. 

It was an uncharacteristic show of kindness. 

The first he’d seen in a while. 

Since the announcement of your parent’s engagement there was a tension birthed among your closest members and your family. It was a clear sentiment that they dared not express with Ellwick in the room or their boss for that matter.

‘You’re going to be a target. You’re going to die.’

Everyone wanted to say it. Hint at it. But the air was too thick and they were too scared to break the silence. 

But not you.

You were the only one to tell it to him straight. Other than Ellwick himself. Of course the old geezer didn’t listen, avidly refusing to take your weapon and then attempting to get the weapon back from you.  

It made you his favorite.

To think underneath such a cold exterior there was something soft–small but soft. Its what Ellwick told himself when you’d glare and insult him. He’s never found himself doing the same for your mother and brother. Only finding it in him to imagine their tortuous ends at his hands, he could never do that with you. Even when he began to do his work, he’d be all the more motivated when imagining two-thirds of his step-family.

Step-family. He didn’t like that title.

He hated associating you with that.

He liked you a lot more than that of a step-family.

He could handle the exclusion, the insults, the glares, all of it but he couldn’t have you being in the arms of someone else. So he pulled something he’d thought he buried long ago, charming the mayor’s son. 

Having an influential leader’s heir willing to bend to his every whim and need made him powerful. 

A threat. 

So when your mother came to him practically begging for his forgiveness, Ellwick knew this was his chance to set everything in motion. So when you and your brother angrily departed he was prepared.

“The bit of your faction, handselected at my beck and call.”

“Done. You inform us of the policies and actions of the mayor?”

“Policies and upcoming legislation only. I’m not stalking my in-law.’

“Fine.“

“We meet once a month, I’ll come to you.”

“We can do that. Be willing to let your siblings visit you in-home during ermengenies?”

“Yes…I want (Y/n).”

“Excuse me?”

“I want (Y/n).

“You can’t be serious—”

“I am. I want full ownership of (Y/n) their activities, everything. Otherwise I’ll be inclined to fully inform the mayor and police department of what your true business entails.”

“I can’t possibly give you my child! Who do you think I am?!”

Ellwick made a face. Naturally and quickly pulling a gun out of his suit, earning a horrified reaction from his stepmother who was staring at the barrel. It’s not that Ellwick was unaware of the metal detectors and constant pat downs but when you’re a trained assassin this is light work.

“The same idiot, who thought’d I’d always be cleaning your messes. The same idiot who’s been ostracizing me and still put a gun in my hand.” 

He moved closer but not close enough for his step-mother’s garrote-technique to be effective. He was almost inclined to reveal his companions ‘guarding her door or the poisoned dart in his cuff link. But he decided it wouldn’t be needed…not today at least.

“The same idiot who’s blind to the abusive alcholic she raised. That is more than likely hurting (Y/n) right now.”

“What’re you–”

“That’s what your first-husband was like, right? An alchoholic who ran the mafia with an iron fist.”

“Enough!...Fine. You can take them with you after your honeymoon.”

“Before.”

“Why would you–” 

“Be-fore.”

“....It will be…done.”

When she finished, Ellwick had full intentions to find you. No doubt cooking up a barrage of insults to cutely angrily whisper behind you’re door. But before he could make it to your room, he heard the sound of glass shattering and muffled yelling.

He could only see red. Red as the cut that was bleeding on your skin. 

Seems like his role as the family’s ‘cleanup crew’ would come in handy.

#yandere genderbend cinderella #yandere x reader #yandere x you #lovelyyandereaddictionpoint #yanderexrea #yandere #yanderes #yandere genderbend #yandere genderbent #yandere genderbend disney #yandere genderbent disney #yandere genderbent cinderella #yandere mafia au

[itwasthereaminuteago]

Of course I've heard the new Hozier EP...

|| Too Sweet ||

Frank Castle x reader

It's the blood wet on your skin that does it. His blood. It smears and taints you as you pull the knot tight and cut the final stitch free by the soft light of your bedside lamp.

He screws his eyes closed for a few seconds but when he opens them again you're still there, carefully cleaning the wound, wiping the blood away trying not to make it sting as if that kind of soft pain is remotely worse than what he's already endured on his grisley crusade. It's almost ridiculous, how gentle you are despite everything. How even in the early hours, you welcome him without question in to your home, your bed, your arms.

Somehow, you're able to lift the heavy weight of all his past and future and hold him in the clear simplicity of now.

You're putting away the bandages and needles, and now, as you apply the soothing salve of your kisses on his dirty, battle-worn skin, Frank can't cope. He doesn't deserve the honesty in your love. You give and he takes and yeah, he tries his damndest to give it back, but what he's got is charred, broken, and corrupted. It doesn't match. Its been so long since he's had something close to that, and he's only seeing this for the first time like some kind of fucked up epiphany.

He pinches the thick bridge of his nose as if waking from a nightmare, but it's the opposite.

Your eyes search for the problem, another thing for you to fix with your gentle touch and he can't stand it.

"Don't need to do this." He says, head shaking slowly from side to side as you meet him with a puzzled look.

"Frank, I'm not letting you run around bleeding out-"

"No, that's just it. You don't need this kinda shit from me. You've got your own life and things to care of. You don’t need this, dont need me."

He's acting like a spooked dog. You don't know where all this fear has come from so suddenly. You place your hand on his face, cupping his jaw and making him see that you mean what you say, not for one second letting him cower away and hide.

"What if I do need you, huh? You ever think about that? What I want?" You ask him.

Frank still struggles to meet your eyes. "I-I ain't no good, sweetheart... I've done things I ain't proud of, things you shouldn't even know about.'

"But I do know about them, and look, Frank, look! I'm still here with you."

"It ain't right though, layin' that kind of shit at your door."

To hell with that, you think.

"I know it ain't a competition, but I can be just as nasty. I can roll around in the dirt and get my hands dirty if I need to, you know that. C'mon Frank, I'm no princess."

"It ain't all that-"

"Then what? Do you want out?"

If he did, you definitely hadn't see this coming.

"No, 'course not."

"Then tell me."

He hesitates.

"You're too sweet f'me." He finally says quietly.

You can't help but laugh.

"Frank Castle, the day I'm too sweet for you will be the day I stop drinking coffee. And that's never just in case it isn't clear."

You catch the slight ghost of a smile picking up the edge of his mouth.

"I'm serious." You say.

You swing your leg over his, settling in his lap and hooking your arms around his neck. You'll make sure he gets the message alright.

"Let me show just how sweet I am..."

~ Please reblog if you liked my writing! Thank you 💕

#frank castle x reader #frank castle angst #frank castle fluff #ficlet

[thisfanisgonesorry]

ironhead — hobie brown

i got possessed and had an epiphany because to me this just makes SO MUCH sense. also i HATE writing accents fuck off. kinda mid i lowkey struggled w the dialogue idc the main point is that brother ties you up. i promise ill write him better if i write him again im just. THOUGHTS THOUGHTS THOUGHTS.

🕷

tags: smut, bondage, shibari, light dom/sub, i dont think hed like power dynamics, however; mutual light teasing (not a huge amount of dialogue, bros mouth is busy). tit play (i dont usually write this one, oh god), aftercare duh, lots of kisses cos holy fucking shit his lips look so nice SJAJAJA

(my reqs are open pleasepleasepleaseplease, ill write most of the guys from spv, pleasepleaseplease)

guys my beta reader died while reading this.. i hope its okay

🕷

“How does tha’ feel? Not dodgy?” He asked, tugging on the webbing. I was sitting on the bed, leaning against a pile of pillows as he made sure the web-ropes were secure and done up properly.

“Good.” I spoke, and he gestured for him to keep talking so he could make sure everything was going to go smoothly. “Uh, not too tight but not too loose. It’s fine, I think. Feels sticky.”

"Want me to walk you through this?” He asked, his hands resting on my knees. “This is a spiral futomomo, can y’move y’legs?”

“No.” I spoke, trying to move my legs, only able to shut my thighs together.

“This is just a basic star harness, usually don’t have the arms tied up. This one does ‘cause y’can’t keep your ‘ands to y’self.” He speaks briefly, his main goal is to get the point across to keep this all safe, and his secondary goal is to push my buttons as frequently as he can. He slapped the side of my tit, watching it bounce slightly. I took a sharp inhale at the unexpected feeling, and he used it as his chance to pinch my nipple harshly. “Then there’s a dragonfly sleeve to make sure y’stay still. Can you move?”

“No..”

“Good.” He spoke with another harsh tug and another slap, his eyes were glazed slightly as he admired the slight red hand print forming on the squishy flesh, forming very quickly — faster than he anticipated, the skin was just so delicate.

He repositioned us slightly, kneeling closer to me and trying to pull me to sit on his lap despite my efforts in keeping my legs shut.

“Darlin’, show me that pretty li’l cunt.”

I reluctantly spread my legs and he pulled me to sit on his thighs, nuzzling into my neck and pressing soft kisses into the skin.

“Can I get a snog?” I teased slightly.

“Don’t be cheeky.” He said firmly, ignoring me completely and lowering himself to my chest; making keen eye contact with me as he pressed a kiss on the reddening hand print, wrapping his plump lips softly around the areola.

He nipped at the skin slightly as his hand reached up to the other. He groped it for a moment, before pinching the nipple in his hand. There wasn’t an abundance of volume besides the wet sounds his mouth was making, though he noticed the way I writhed in his touch, groaning silently and breathing heavily.

His other hand dipped to between my thighs, feeling the wetness before rubbing his fingers in circles around the clit.

“That’s it.” He praised slightly, whispering into my flesh. “Good girl.”

I began to grind down onto his hand, feeling him enjoy his time with my tits. I sighed, throwing my head back and struggling against the sticky ropes. 

“Baby..”

“Stop squirming.” He warned.

I knew I had no hope of getting out of his webs, and if I did, there’d probably be a consequence to fucking up what he wanted to do but god, he looked so delectable. So touchable. I helplessly tried to grind myself on his fingers, trying to distract myself from the way my arms were tied to me.

“C’mon, ask nicely. I know y’want more.”

“Pretty please? Need more.” I asked sweetly.

His own need began taking over him and it was blatantly obvious; I could feel his rock hard dick pressing against my thigh through his pants.

“Y’sound so nice like that.”

He slipped his fingers inside me. groaning and bucking his hips as he felt the soft, wet walls. His thumb slowly rubbed my clit as his index and middle worked in a ‘come hither’ motion. He worked me slowly, planning to drag this out as long as possible for his own enjoyment. His movements were meticulous, extremely preplanned, like he’d been sitting on this fantasy for a long time, but that strategic energy didn’t last long.

“You’re so fuckin’ hot, love.” He groaned, trying to pronounce his words clearly despite his lust filled slur. He could feel the slight clench around his fingers, and the rest of his body got greedy with want.

“Keep doin’ that, right there, Hobes.”

He pressed his tongue flat against the nipple, opening his mouth enough to look erotic; He sat like there for a moment, catching my attention to watch him, a low groan crawling its way out of my throat. He had a smug grin as he moved to bite and suck on the flesh, his other hand no longer methodical, all it portrayed was an incessant need.

I let out a loud moan. “Fuck, that’s so good.”

Feeling the tight, squishy walls of my insides sent him into a desire filled stupor, doing nothing but greedily grabbing what he could as he worked me closer to orgasm. The feeling of his talented hands moving against my nerves was doing wonders, and it was doing those wonders quite fast.

He began grinding his hard dick against my thigh. “Y’so..” He groaned. “Bloody hell, you’re wretched.” He tried to joke.

“Coming from you.” I bit back, throwing my head back again as he kept fucking his fingers into me and torturing my tits.

“Wanted.. Had it all planned out. You’ve fucked it, yeah? So fuckin’ hot. Can’t resist.”

“Not my fault you got worked up so fast.”

“Don’t.” He grunted with a harsh bite. “You’re so tight, love, need to bury my cock in you. Need..” He groaned.

“Keep talkin’ like that and I’m gonna cum.”

“Need’a feel y’cum around my fingers. On my prick. Let me feel that tight cunt, baby. Gonna fuck you all night long.” He rambled, pressing soft kisses on the flesh, watching the flowering bruises form.

He could sense the impending orgasm as my breathing got heavy and rapid, grinding against his hand messily and squirming at the restraints. 

“Shit..”

“You’re so close.” He taunted. “Let me feel it.”

My mouth opened and closed like I was gasping for air, his mouth trailed from my tits, up to my collarbone, neck, jaw and eventually landed intoxicatingly sweetly on my mouth. 

“Hobes.” I moaned into his mouth and he swallowed it with a welcoming groan.

“Y’re so pretty like this ‘n we still ‘ave all night.” He spoke, pulling my body closer to his as he moved his mouth to the other breast, planning to mark it up too.

“Mhm. I’m gonna—”

“Please.”

That was it. I couldn’t survive much longer, I tried to tug on the ropes but to no avail as I began clenching desperately around his fingers.

“Hobie, Hobie..” I moaned.

“Y/n, Y/n.” He moaned back in an attempt to mock me.

I slumped down, resting my head on his shoulder as I moaned loudly, letting myself unwind and cum all over his fingers. I kept struggling against the ropes and he grabbed my wrists, trying to hold it in place as he groaned at the feeling of my spasming cunt. He kept trying to fuck into me as I came down from the high.

I gasped and panted for air, leaning against him and he pulled his drenched fingers out, sticking them in his beautiful mouth before whispering. “Keep strugglin’ and you’re gonna hurt yourself.” He spoke, not as a warning but as a statement.

“Wanna touch you.”

“That’s why the ropes are there, love.” He breathed heavily, grinding his aching cock against the wetness, ruining his jeans slightly. “God.” He grunted. “You’re so sexy.” 

“Go on.” I rolled my eyes sarcastically, leaning forward to kiss him.

— When he says ‘all night’, he really means it.

🕷

BONUS ROUND:

“Don’t fall asleep on me, darlin'.” He spoke as he quickly cut the webbing around my arms, before struggling to take off the harness without moving me around too much, laying me down on the soft pillows.

“Rope burn.” I mumbled tiredly, rubbing my wrists the second they were free.

“That wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t squirm so much.”

I let out a hum as an indirect response to let him know I acknowledge it. He removed the harness and began kissing my wrists slightly, looking up at me with soft eyes. He placed quick kisses on my neck where the rope dug into the skin as he lazily sliced open the fotomomo knots.

The second that one of my legs were free, he gently grabbed my calf and pulled the leg out so it laid straight

“Move around, stretch ‘em out.” He directed.

I moved my legs around, trying to get the stiffness out as he held my calf, pressing soft kisses into the skin before quickly untying the other and doing the same.

“Keep stretchin’ it, good girl.”

Once both legs were stretched out and he was satisfied with the amount of kisses littered over them, he raised back to my body, pressing a soft kiss on my lips.

“Can you get me a shirt?” I asked weakly with a grin.

He sucked his teeth as he got up, looking for one of his shirts that I could put one on and comfortably sleep in.

“Next time, I’m tying a vibrator between your legs.” He joked as he dug through the wardrobe.

✰ pt 2 >> LET ME HEAR YOU SCREAM

#marvel #hobie brown #smut #spiderverse #hobie brown smut #hobie brown x reader #hobie brown imagine #hobie brown x reader one shot #hobie brown x you #across the spiderverse #spiderman atsv #hobart brown #hobie x reader #atsv #atsv x reader #spiderman x reader #spiderpunk x reader #spiderpunk #atsv hobie #hobie brown fluff #spiderpunk x you #hobie brown fanfic

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Lilia, Epel: Blessing Givers, Curse Breaker

Lilia’s vignettes continue to be gold! He “humble” brags about how his voice is great, he’s sooo adorable, and such an ikemen… (Apparently he realized he was cute because people would give him free stuff and help on his travels and when he first came to NRC!) Best part was definitely when Lilia described cooking for his dorm members and they were “so touched” that they bowed their heads, covered their faces, and/or cried 💀 NOT THEM PUTTING A PICTURE OF MALEFICENT DRAGON FORM ON LILIA'S BIRTHDAY CARD… His vignettes also mention having the strength to overcome “a curse” 😭 Cruel reminders of the tragedy that unfolded in his past, and bis unfulfilled search for a cure for Silver... TWST devs, you sickos/j

A Tale as Old as Time.

Three fairies crowded around a cradle, its curtained hood up to obscure the infant within. Green, pink, blue—each was dressed in a particular color. They glanced at the baby and at each other, mouths agape to discuss their blessings.

Safeguarded within the platinum frame was a celebration of life and a future yet to be told. The fragile start of a brand new story.

Lilia wanted to protect it himself.

“Looks like some fancy shindig.” The remark came from Epel, who gazed upon the same painting. "Erm... I mean, party. That is what it is, right...?"

"They've come to bestow gifts upon a newborn princess. Royal affairs can be a bit stiff, I'm afraid. Can't even show up to one without an invitation! Some hosts are just sticklers for tradition and protocol."

"Oh, I got it!" Epel visibly perked, cheeks appling with pink. "It's a different kind of gathering. Back home in Harveston, they're a lot more informal. Family and all the neighbors coming by with plates of warm food, a makeshift band and folks dancing, catching up by the fire... It's so lively."

Lilia’s lip curled, the corners lifting into a slight smile. "It's good to know that your hometown hasn't lost its charm."

"You've visited before?"

"Once, long ago," the ancient fae chuckled, "when I was still a stubborn and stony-faced youth. The people of Harveston opened their hearts and offered hospitality. From what you've told me, it's clear that the very same spirit from then persists to this day."

"Gosh, really?" Epel puffed up at that, as though he were a peacock flaunting his feathers. "Hehe, wellll, Harveston does have a way of makin' ya feel cozy and right at home, even if yer far away from it!"

"That it does." Lilia's eyes traced the wall of artwork before him. The colors, shapes, and textures. "Twisted Wonderland is so vast and diverse. I've traveled far and wide, experienced a great deal of cultures, yet I always find myself anchored to that one special place called home. There is no comfort like it."

There’s no place like home.

A twinge pulsated in his chest. The pain, marring the nostalgic warmth he bathed in. Lilia did not let it show—not to his underclassman, not this child that stared at him with such eagerness.

He swallowed.

“How do you celebrate in Briar Valley?” Epel asked. “Can you tell me about your traditions too?”

“Kufufu. You’re keen on learning, I see.”

“I didn’t always. I’m sure if you asked Vil, he’d give you a mouthful about how ‘uppity’ and ‘full of myself’ I was at first.” Epel groaned at the thought of another lecture from his dorm leader. “… But recently, I’ve been thinkin’ it’s not too bad to hear about how others experience everything.

“Meemaw—my grandma—goes to the city to sell our farm’s produce. She has to switch up how she talks to speak to the locals. I noticed our mayor too, when he talks to tourists. So learning about new people and cultures can’t be a bad thing.”

Epel’s eyes were wide, sparkling with wanderlust. Wistful and longing for the world that awaited him.

Perhaps Lilia had worn the same expression before, at the moment of his epiphany. When had he realized it? When the elderly couple had draped a blanket over him, when they shared a meal, when they spun him the stories of their lives, or when he sat at the cradle and relived those times to a still dormant Malleus?

The warmth in him expanded, like a gulp of soup trickling down his throat, then splashing in his stomach. It had been a humble broth of vegetables, and yet it satisfied him down to the last drop.

“We’re really not so different,” Lilia explained with a grin. “Food and friends are all you need to have a good time wherever you are.

“However, if you are particularly fortunate, you just may have a guardian fairy descend and give you blessings as well.” He indicated the painting of the three fairies hovering over a cradle. “Like so. I believe this infant was gifted with song, beauty, and…”

“Song and beauty?!” Epel’s expression crinkled. “Who decided on those, the parents?”

“The guardian fairies themselves. They choose what they believe will bring the blessed child happiness.”

“They could’ve given the kid something more…” Epel vaguely waved a hand. “I don’t know, useful? Why not strength so they won’t lose any fights? I’d be happy with some more muscle of my own…”

Lilia laughed, soft and low like a midnight whisper. “Why not indeed.”

Because time steals away everything eventually, hissed a voice in his head. The truth, bare and bitter.

The edges of Lilia’s vision quivered. A memory resurfaced—blink, and he saw himself in the frame, his long shadow cast over the crib. Blink, and that was Silver nestled in the fabric. Blink, and the castle was abandoned and covered in thorns.

A fairy robbing a crib of its cursed child.

“Strength is good to have,” Lilia said slowly, “but it will not last forever. Not many things do.”

Still… If I could have one wish, it would be…

The only force able to break the spell set upon Silver. The one feeling he was certain he was incapable of. A love so pure and honest, it was known to be true.

Something he wasn’t worthy of.

True love.

Not him. Not the grimy, low-born bat of a dubious past—as his most unkind of thoughts would insist.

He was the same as them. He had condemned Silver to walking in the night, had made the decision for him. The instant his hair had turned from pale sunshine to the moonlight of his namesake, it was too late to unwind the clock.

Which had he cast—blessing or curse?

The longer he looked at the painting, the more mocking the gentle, rounded faces of the guardian fairies seemed to become. Guiltless, oblivious beings, they were.

They would never know of his plight.

Lilia scoffed. “If the fairies wanted the child to be happy, they should have granted them that strength.”

That which was impossible for him.

"The power to overcome a curse.”

"... The power to overcome a curse, huh?" Epel quietly mused. "Not even Vil-senpai has that kind of strength--and his unique magic is to cast curses! Until the conditions are fulfilled, it can't be broken."

"That's the trouble with curses," Lilia agreed. "They're finicky, depending on how they're woven. Some may even last a lifetime without ever being lifted. Others may spend their own lives seeking out cures."

The story of his life. He was always searching for something, something, something. Lost friends, how to hatch a dragon's egg, true love to dispel drowsiness.

Now, a happy ending.

Lilia released a sigh through his nose.

If only.

"Well, if magic can't make that wish come true... we'll just have to make it a reality ourselves, won't we?"

#twst #twisted wonderland #Lilia Vanrouge #twst imagines #twst scenarios #Epel Felmier #disney twisted wonderland #disney twst #twisted wonderland imagines #twisted wonderland scenarios #spoilers #something no one asked for #Lilia birthday takeover #the title is a reference to an Equestria Girls song www

[cosmiclove-heavenstruck]

(For anyone avoiding ME! -- There's an acoustic cover called "me." on spotify that I love and its what I imagine the surprise song to be like.)

I've tried to make them somewhat fit/parallel each other:

"I promise that you'll never find another like me" / "I'd give you my sunshine, give you my best, but the rain is always gonna come if you're standing with me" (the dualitiy of the best and worse)

"But he leaves you out like a penny in the rain" / "Just know I'm right here hoping that you'll come in with the rain"

"And I know that you see what you're doing to me, tell me why" / "Why would you wanna break a perfectly good heart?"

"I'm no one special, just another wide-eyed girl who's desperately in love with you" / "I watch you fly around the world and I hope you don't save some other girl" (this combo would just be funny yk)

"While she waits up, you chase down the newest thing and take for granted what you have" / "In search of glorious happenings of happenstance on someone else's playground" (do you see the chaos here)

"Who you are is not where you've been, you're still an innocent" / "Guilty reaching out across the sea that you put between you and me, but it's fake and it's oh so unnecessary"

"Don't read the last page, but I stay when you're lost, and I'm scared, and you're turning away" / "You should find another guiding light but I shine so bright"

"But you dream of some epiphany, just one single glimpse of relief" / "desperate people find faith, so now I pray to Jesus too, and I say to you, soon you'll get better" (family trauma :) i don't think she'd ever sing these together tho)

"Call my bluff, call you "babe", have my back, yeah, everyday, feels like home" / "And I want you right here, a red rose grew up out of ice frozen ground"

"But I believe in whatever you do and I'll do anything to see it through" / "These hands had to let it go free, and this love came back to me"

#taylor swift #polls #the eras tour #surprise songs #i'd either choose me/peace or new years day/dear reader

[pieroulette]

ROUTE 1: HEESEUNG

A STORY THAT STARTS WITH A TEXT

2023 ・18+ ・15k ・YANDERE SERIES: ROUTE 1 MASTERLIST

pairing: lee heeseung x fem! reader

warning: cursing, panic attack, manipulation/emotional manipulation, kidnapping, mentions of drugs, major character death, descriptive death scene, murder (use of guns), violence, force kiss, mild sexual harassment, implied noncon (sa)

AUTHOR'S NOTE: rest assured my brain are now totally fried ^^ thank you for reading!! and reblogs, comments are always highly appreciated! they're the ultimate motivation fuel <3

| EPISODE 10: CARNIVAL |

The gut wrenching text in your glowing screen never ceases to mock you with each and every word.

[9:05PM] Hee01: sweet kitten, let’s start the game, shall we? Now, now, who do you think is the traitor sweetheart? :)

It fucking hurts that you wanna rip your head apart.

And when you think you've done enough crying and screaming to the top of your lungs—that your tears have gone dried and your voice had disappear into nothing—another one escapes before you can stop it.

As pathetic as you think it can be, you couldn't stop.

Your teeth gritted to its deepest core despite the possibility of it cracking, you didn't mind as your arms were shivering in a menacing pace as you had this another utter disbelief spiralling inside you.

How funny and pathetic you could be to stay fool like this, not aware of who the fuck had betrayed you.

[9:07PM] Hee01: still thinking?

Another piece of you were uttering a horrendous amount of questions in your head — questions that had no answers, going on and on like a broken radio.

Or perhaps, you were the one broken right now.

Broken like your trust.

Betrayal, betrayal.

Who could've possibly betrayed you?

It couldn't be your best friend who you've grown up with and have grown to care and trust — Chaeryeong?. .

But it can't be her! It can't be! I refused to believe this bullshit! There it was again — the same words that you utter and screamed a dozen times in your mind, convincing yourself that this is another game, another manipulation of that bastard.

Because you just couldn't believe that this might be the case.

Raging steps of the officers scattered all over the place which pushes the crowd out of their way to form a free path — those people had their arms caging that of EJ's helpless form, dragging him away from the scene.

Your eyes falling on EJ's pathetic form being dragged away brought you a sudden epiphany.

A shock wave of cold riled up across your entire body.

Jungwon! Where is he? Your eyes searched for the said boy but not even an inch of his presence was nowhere to be found — not even amongst the crowd nor on the stage itself. The boy was never present from the beginning of the festival.

Gritting your teeth in this immense pressure, you couldn't bear to get it wrong.

Your eyes fought it's best to blink away its tears but you couldn't fathom the possibility of how he, too, could be the one who betrayed you and EJ.

Possibilities, possibilities. What could be his reason to betray you? To do such an atrocity?

He was the one who brought the tape to you and EJ, if it was him then why would he even go through all that trouble in the first place?

For what? To fool you? It doesn't make sense.

Not even Chaeryeong herself could've possibly had a reason to turn her back against you.

Nothing, there was nothing! What if?! — Your eyes shoot up searching for him, what if this just another game of his to break you apart? It could be!

Your mind ran like a horde of horses racing through the sea of blood, searching for the corpses reeking in the mud. It smells musty, sinister and awful.

But no matter how you searched through it, the deepest depths contain nothing but an empty void.

You couldn't find a single thing of what one of them could have done to betray you.

Were you really dumb? Or were they too good?

Or have you just really thrown away your trust as if it was a dust within your fingertips?

You snap out of your daze as the crowds begin to dissipate—on and off they go to whatever they planned or wished to.

Out of blue you felt this ominous stare digging on your back.

Glancing over your shoulder to look up to the said group you've been wishing for their demise, yet there's no one but one boy who stood still behind the curtains covering the stage.

You gasped unable to fathom the expression of the brown haired boy—it caught you off guard but you didn’t let his dark gaze controlled you.

Next time, next time. You chanted in your mind, eyes darting from him to the entire place—letting out an exasperated sigh before rushing out of the venue.

A gigantic sea of neon lights along with cold breeze hitting your face as soon as you did so, sprinting to the pathway where crowds begun to leave and there your eyes fell on those who you were trying to chase for— screaming at them to stop at once.

"No! No—" you panted as you pry off their arms from the boy, "P-please he didn't do anything! What fucking proof do you have to arrest him like this?!"

They didn't respond rather throwing you daggers and glares through their dark gaze, red bluish lights illuminating the sharp edges of their face and silhouette.

They were firm, huge and strong — and they didn't seem to care even a tad bit of what you were saying which made you grew desperate.

Yet you tried pathetically once more, begging for them to let go of EJ who has by now given up, teary red eyes and gritted teeth. "Who did this, (Name)?!"

"I don't know! I really don't know!" You whimper, holding on to his leather jacket.

"EJ, please don't do anything! Just don't! They could hurt you or anything so please don't do anything!"

"What else do you expect me to do?!"

"Just listen to me please! I promise I'll get this over with as soon as I can, just— just don't do anything!"

It was obvious that EJ, too, were breaking down in this huge dilemma where he and you are unaware of who could've been the culprit.

This was never the plan! Both of you screamed into the deepest void in your minds.

You whipped your head at the remaining officer who had just finished from interrogating the crowds, "Please it's not him!"

The officer looks at you with confusion written all over his face but soon understands.

"There has been a witness proof, kid."

"Who? Who was it?!" your eyes widened in mild shock, desperate to know who it was.

"We can't say who. But consider laying back, you might be an accomplice as well with your attitude right now, kid." He patted your back before walking past you and there you could only watch EJ's form drooping in utter disbelief.

You knew that you and him had the same question running inside your minds ever since then.

Yet you can't let this pass and so you tugged at the officer's jacket, preventing him from leaving in which he turned to you with his dark eye bags that showed his restless and overworked days.

"Then help me please! My family, someone had kidnapped them!"

His eyebrows creased in annoyance, uttering words so fast you couldn't catch up but he eventually extended his hand asking you about proof and so you hurriedly turned on your phone, the bright screen illuminating the edges of your face.

However, someone behind you grabbed your phone and it made you fumed with anger when you snapped your head around to see the person in question — Taehyun, with a bubblegum sticking in his cheek.

"Hm?" The officer raised his eyebrows at the boy's attitude.

The brown haired boy with a smug grin splattered on his face as the flickering lights from the officer's car from behind you formed a hideous reflection on him that you were unable to fathom but this growing menace aura surrounding him had you frozen.

"Give me back my phone!" you reached out for your phone in his tight grasp but he dodged you so quick that you nearly stumbled to the ground.

“Please don’t mind her, Sir. She got some screw loose in her head after getting a few shots for the day." He suddenly pulled you into his tight embrace much to your protests, "Good job for today though! Didn’t had a single thought that this dearest friend of mine could ever think of to do such a hideous thing, how unfortunate.”

"Fucking liar! Do I look drunk to you?— Give me back my phone!"

"Are you sure bout that? She doesn't look even the slightest drunk—"

"She might not look like it but her boyfriend's are telling us to look after her so no worries!"

"N-no he's lying! Don't believe him!" You keep struggling in his arms and this somehow alerted the worn off officer.

"Kid, get your hands off her."

EJ slowly raised his eyes only to see the commotion outside the car window in which he hissed inside the car, squirming against the metal cuffs over his wrists and pathetic attempts to get off from the car.

Taehyun lets out an irritated sigh, leaning down to your ears whispering something so low only you could hear it, "C'mon now, (Name). Heeseung's waiting, you wouldn't want him to wait that long, aren't you?"

You froze.

Leaning backwards he did as he increased his voice in a normal volume.

You didn't move an inch in Taehyun's cage-like embrace till the officer wasn't taking this anymore as he nonchalantly told you to go off and not waste his time before leaving.

You could only watch as the car drove away and the window had EJ in a panic manner as he shouted for you inside.

Clenching your fists in pure agony is what you did as you threw a glare so deep in hatred at the taller boy.

“Give me back my phone! Bitch!”

“Ah, ah, chill.”

“I don’t know what you’re saying, you should've sharpened the edges of your damn brain first before acting with your pretty little useless plans.” Taehyun mumbled and then lowered his gaze at you.

“Give it back, you son of a bitch! I can’t believe you, he’s your friend and you’re doing this to him?!”

Taehyun’s eyebrow furrowed in amusement, “Friend? Last time I checked a friend doesn’t betray their own friend, unlike yours.”

“Wh-what are you talking about? What did you do!” You pulled his collar, forcing his back to bend to level your height.

“What did I do? I don’t know, you tell me.”

“I’m not in the mood of your games! I knew what you did, what you and all your shitty friends did! How could you? What kind of human are you? I guess, no. You’re not a human or even a fucking sane being. You’re a fucking monster who are all desperate for money!”

Taehyun’s eyes seem to darken at your words in a split moment but it soon dissipates and one more giggle emits in the air.

“So you knew, pfft. Obviously,” He paused, then his lips tugged up in a sinister way, “You speak as if you could live without money, though. I thought you were kleptomaniac, could you be a liar too?"

“Is that all you fucking got to say about me? Bitch, that doesn't work on me anymore."

"You know, I have no idea what Heeseung finds interesting in you that he had to go through all that trouble. But I guess, I can see now."

"Wha—"

"You are just like us, you just don't see it."

"The fuck you saying? You and I are not the same. I'm not like you who are selfish enough to use someone's body just so I can get money!”

Taehyun grins, "Are you sure bout that? You're just as messed up as we are, because if you weren't, then you wouldn't have known Heeseung nor end up in this shitty situation."

You froze.

"Because if you've never knew him, then Heeseung wouldn't have been the maniac he is right now if it wasn't because of you. You just don't understand do you?"

He leans forward, exaggerating each word. "It's all because of you."

"But gotta thank you for that, though. Heeseung won't even bat an eye or help us with our gigs but because of you he changed."

Silence, silence, the cicadas formed a thickening burst of faint claps while your claws dug deeper into the boy’s collar.

Your fingertips finding its way to tug on your white dress looking for a safe haven, was it really because of you?

Taehyun spoke in amongst the soft murmurs of the crowds behind your back, "(Name)."

"You really didn't know, did you?" a giggle escaped from his lips.

You flinch ever so slightly as his fingertips find its way on your hair as if to stroke it, and your expression screams "what are you doing."

"Oh, relax. There's a tiny bug." The grin on his face never disappeared as he showed you the crushed tiny red bug, "But you know, it's quite amusing."

"Heeseung said you were damn smart, and so he thought you would be able to catch up quickly when you saw us."

Still, a slight frown washes over your eyebrows along with the growing glare in your eyes, "The fuck?"

A giggle softly escapes his cherry lips, "Ah~ I shouldn't be saying much. But there's one thing I could say," He slowly leans forward, his boba eyes widened in each passing second as if to devour you alive.

"Sweetheart, don't you remember me? Ha, maybe you don't. But how about this?" an ear-wrenching silence ensues when he finally spoke.

"Don't blame me, I'm only doing what Heeseung told me to do." Taehyun giggled.

Huh? What the fuck is he— your eyes followed the necklace twirled around the boy's fingers as he playfully dangled the object before you.

Your world seem shattered to shatter as it the realisation dawned on you, the view began to dissipate in and out and it felt like it was the two of you in this place despite the enormous crowds cleaning up their mess, leaving through the exit, or still in shock over the previous ordeal.

“Now go and play.” and with that, Taehyun left with a smug grin on lips—leaving you frozen all alone by yourself.

You couldn't move, your eyes stuck in such a way that it starts to get strained because of how long you were standing there.

What the fuck? Knees weak, you fell on the ground as you all the memories from the past crashed right into your mind.

The dark room, a pair of strong arms that immediately pulled you and does unquestionable things to you.

“Mmmhhh!!”

The stranger's hands that found its way all around your skin, heavy cologne that you smelled on him even when you didn't see him because of the darkness.

The voice that you eventually forgot, words that surfaces right back to your mind.

“…….”

No wonder, you felt there was something downright odd by Taehyun's scent the first time you met him in the studio.

"Don't blame me, I'm only doing what Heeseung told me to do."

It was him. The one who had stolen Heemin's necklace.

[9:44 PM]

The sharpened edges of the digits splattering on the top of your phone's screen seem to put you in a deeper dread past another one.

Cold ice bites every inch of your skin as you rushed out further and further away from the venue, heading to the main street where you keep waving for a cab. you stormed off out the exit, searching for any signs of Chaeryeong or Jungwon.

The carnival, carnival. You panted. There’s a carnival situated around this venue’s area. Clowns, arcades, cosplays — everything was there.

Every moment under this thickening darkness — your heart pounded under your fragile ribs—reminding you that you had no one right now but yourself. The sea of neon colours hits your perspective as you looked out from the cab’s window, it’s lights illuminating on the edge of your face, making you tear-stained eyes glow and dance along with each and every reflection of this gigantic insect-like city.

Gripping the phone in your hand as you clasped your hand in despair, you waved your hand in attempts to get a cab but it went on and on and still you were unable to find one, before a police car pulls up before you — noticing your ragged form and your immediate relief.

You rushed over to the car, tapping the window in desperate impatience, “Help me, help me please!”

The officer were stunned by your ragged form, "Huh? What's wrong?"

“Help me please! My family! They had been kidnapped!"

The officer didn’t question much and was quick to let you in and drove you to the location, promising that he’ll call for backup soon. You couldn’t think properly nor answer properly and so you just nodded, scared for your family’s life.

Foot tapping the floor of the car relentlessly, you asked the officer for the third time, "How long are we still?—"

"Don't worry, it's traffic." The dark red hue encircling the edges of his face were something you could only see.

You gulped, impatient. It's okay, it's okay! I still had time, I'm not alone, it's okay! You comforted yourself for the nth time.

Pass, pass. It felt like an eternity.

A blaring noise of bells, roaring music and squeaking shoes overflowed through your ears and it had your eyes shooting up to where the source of the noise came from. This was it, the carnival Heeseung wanted you to go to.

You immediately went out, your heels stepping on the soil. “This is the place! They must be here! Let’s—”

The car door immediately closed before you as if to shut you out from it.

“S-sir? What are you doing inside there? We have to find my family!”

You slammed the car's window pleading for him to pull it down but you could only observe as the officer slips in a cigarette in his mouth, lighting up ever so lightly as he gave you a disinterested look, finally pulling the window down.

"What are you doing? You said you'll help me—"

“Here kid.” The officer pulls out a card from his pockets, a puff of smoke blows through the air as he pulls out his cigarette with his other hand.

“The fuck is this?..”

"Get out, kid. This is least thing we could do for you, be grateful." the window immediately pulls up leaving you speechless after you took the card.

Shaking your head slowly, “I thought you were going to h-help me?”

Then it hits you. Hard as a fucking brick. You scoffed. You let out a mocking scoff, your hand trembling as it clenches.

“No don't tell me.. You’re one of Heeseung's?!—” your face contorts in immense disbelief and yet the officer was not a tad bit faltered by your outburst.

You slammed the car window on repeat, rage written all over your face as you gritted your teeth so hard, “Fuck. Fuck. And here I thought you’re going to help me?!”

You screamed at the top of your lungs at the car driving off—leaving you in this pathetic situation.

It kick you right in your guts.

Clasping your hands over your head, you clenched your fists admits your pouring tears from your eyes, a fit of sniffles here and there until you wiped off your tears—not wanting to dwell in your misery— before heading into the main entrance of the carnival, the lights above overflowed through your line of vision and you felt lost at this vast space. Childrens and adults alike scattering all over this place.

Your eyes burned from all crying you did and the piercing lights from all over the place wasn't helping either.

However, you were most overwhelmed by relentless outbursts of noises coming from the distance and when you look over to the source of the noise; a stall with a wooden hanging board above—tarot card shop— with a long line of gleeful children and people in all age groups queuing with cards in their hands.

That brought you back to the card the officer gave you; a blank white card.

Was this the game Heeseung told you to play?

You went to the stall in a frantic pace—unable to wait in your dreading situation however your hasty actions earned a harsh glare from other people, murmurs echoes and harsh narrow glares were thrown at you.

You couldn’t wait anymore, you couldn’t wait but the staff told you to go back and wait and so you did, biting your lip as you scratch your neck in utter impatience every now and then—your feet unable to stay still, tapping it on the ground as you waited for your turn where the children queued up in a long line before you.

The thickening impatience spiraled over you, the moonlight glows so bright signifying that the night is still young.

Hurry up, hurry up! You shut your eyes as you screamed in your mind.

"Next!"

Your eyes shoot open as you realise it was finally your turn and so you hurriedly approached the counter where a clown stood behind it.

The clown's face were painted with twisted expressions that reminded you of him.

"Card?"

Snapped out of your daze, you blinked in utter uneasy you placed the card on his hand.

The clown seems to take a whole minute in inspecting the card you gave and suddenly he lets out a cackle, hands curled in a fist as if to suppressed himself from cackling any further.

You frowned at his strange behaviour.

It took him awhile as he bend down to get something under the counter, sharp sound of shelves opening and closing, and when he finally fixed his posture to face you again — a pair of cards was what he presented on the table before you.

Cards that presented a drawn out painting of a cat and a fox.

"Pick one card whichever you wish to, however remember that the card you chose decides someone's fate."

"Who these cards reminded you of?" The clown strokes his fingers over the cards with eyes that seems to scratch every inch into your soul.

And then realisation dawned on you, pair of cards—a cat and a fox—eyes that screamed those auras.

[9:05] Hee01: Who do you think is the traitor?

Heeseung's text crashes through your mind like a speeding train.

The clown gave you a long, deep hard stare as he watched you picked between the cards.

"Choose! Who do you think it is? Choose wisely, miss." The clown exclaimed each word as if it didn't hold a heavy weight on you.

Who? Who? Your fingers hesitates to find its way one of the cards. To choose. To pick.

"Remember, if you fail. There will be consequences waiting for you."

Your ears started to tear up to the colossal weight of reality on you. The multiple things from the game centre, joyous screams from children behind you, faint sound of photo capturing, the sea of neon lights dancing in this gigantic carnival that almost resembles an insect with all its legs on all fours.

Eating you up on your insides and fleshing your intestines out, devouring every part of your brain.

Who should you choose?

Bam! Bam! Bam! The roaring clap of crowds, the exploding sea of flowers on the nightsky, the overflowing round colour of lights illuminating on the cards before you had you drowning in downright dilemma.

Your mind once again travels through the passages of memories with Chaeryeong's and Jungwon's presence in them, lingering inside it's episodes to see what went wrong and who did the ultimate betrayal on you.

You trembled— tremendous wave of guilt washes over you as your hands keep switching back and forth — wanting to get it right but at the same time, you don't want to.

Tap!

With your eyes shut tight to prevent your soul from withering inside, your hand finds it way to the one of the cards in a swift speed.

Trying to flip it over, the clown stopped you and pulled the card away from you which made you frown deeply.

I'm sorry, Jungwon. But I never really trusted you in the first place! You screamed inside your head, hoping for it to be true but at the same you can't bear to see the truth.

Silently praying that you were wrong.

"Ah." The clown smiles. Thus, the music box in his hand turns opened and its contents begun to dance like a spiralling loophole of hell.

Were you wrong? Did you make a mistake? Your soul were draining from your body like a soap wiggling its way out of your grasp.

His clown face snickered upon seeing the content of the card and there he flips it over, presenting it before your very eyes.

"You were. .—"

Bam! Bam! Bam!

The clown flips the card of the cat and the true form was a fool. You raised your eyebrow in confusion.

His red bob nose bounces ever so slightly, "You're wrong! Deadly mistaken, that is!"

"What? No.. It wasn't him?.." you couldn't form words, "Are you t-telling me it's?"

"We never know, why don't you guess?"

"Don't fucking play games with me! Who was it!" You pulled the clowns collar, your mouth trembling in the process, “You can’t be telling me it’s her!”

"Aw, young miss. Why so upset? This isn't you. Control your emotions."

Utter distress filled you in.

"Relax, the game doesn't end yet, but how unfortunate it is that someone has to bear the mistake you made."

Your hand trembled in a frantic manner as tears instantly filled up the edges of your eyes.

“What?..- so w-what’s going- don’t tell me you're going-”

The clown’s red painted lips curved up in the widest twisted grin as if to mocked you so hard.

“NO! PLEASE DON'T DO IT I BEG OF YOU!” you pleaded, slamming the table.

“It’s not like you can save either one of them, miss.” the clown cackled.

“Now choose one more card! And we’ll see who’ll take your sweet punishment. It’s lose a limb time!”

“I don’t want to choose! I don’t want to! You can’t fucking force me!” you bawled in tears as you clenched your fists.

He tilted his head, “Then if you won’t choose, we’ll gladly do it for you.”

The clown's head immediately picked the card from the table.

“How about this, since you chose that boy, he should take it on himself then!"

"NO! DON'T DO IT PLEASE!"

You shook your head in desperation, eyes widened in complete horror, mouth drooping so hard saliva was streaming down your jaw. Pain, pain it was as it breaks every bone in your body. Scared and desperate, you took out your phone texting Heeseung.

[10:03PM] you: please!! Don’t do anything! Heeseung!

you were typing . . .

[10:03PM] you: HEESEUNG! Heeseung! Answer me!

Bending over your knees, you couldnt stop bawling in tears as you tapped the call button, trying to get to him but to no avail, you were left ignored.

What's going on?

“I’m sorry, Jungwon! I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry, i’m sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!” you keep apologising like a repeated mantra. "EJ, I'm so-sorry!"

Dread consumed your insides as you begin to have a panic attack.

Your cries of pain consumes the place but no one can hear you as your cries were drowning in the roaring sound of the fireworks, the people too deep in their fascination for the booming flowers on the nightsky.

“Hmm? Seems like Heeseung had taken a pity on you.” you snapped your head so fast to look up at the clown with the phone on his hand, exaggerating each word of his. “You know the cafe all of you three went to once? Go there! He might be around the corner! However probably dead! It's just around here, right?"

Laughter echoes behind your back as you didn’t think even further nor hesitate but sprinted to the exit, fists clenching as you keep waving off your hand for a cab to appear.

But it was useless.

You ran around in this massive crowd, suffocating in pure agony as they passed and hit your shoulder in opposite ways.

Yet, even the pain wasn't as much as the pain you're going to feel if something has happened to Jungwon. Even EJ won't forgive you once he knew what you did.

Lips trembling, eyes darting in utter chaos, never faltering nor losing focus — you ran to the park, panting, your entire figure so ragged and tired as your eyes darted all around the park looking for him. “J-Jungwon?"

Soft strokes of rain drops dropping onto a stagnant lake from the distance, clouded and dull sky emitting a faint clap of thunder — a foreboding melody approaching each passing second.

Pit pat, pit pat.

You called out for him again as your foot brings you around, "Jungwon! Jungwon? Where are you?!"

"Please answer me!"

Yet the presence of the boy was nowhere to be seen, almost as if he was never in this place. However you refused to give up, still walking forward looking for the boy.

But something, or someone in the distance caught your attention from your peripheral vision.

Halt.

Your breath hitched, but a huge wave of relief passed through your body as you let your feet raced its way to her. “Chaeryeong? Are you okay?! Chaeryeong! CHAERYEONG!”

"(Name)—?" Chaeryeong's eyes widened.

"Chaeryeong! Thank god you're here— are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? I've been trying to call you for the past few hours, why the hell weren't you answering?!"

Chaeryeong whimper, her eyebrows knitted together and mouth trembling, "(Name).."

"We have to go, it's not safe here anymore! Somewhere, somewhere—" you grabbed Chaeryeong's hand, voice panting so hard as your eyes darted around your surroundings—thinking of what to do and where to go. "Fuck, let's just leave please!"

"How amusing."

Your feet froze, head snapping to the direction of the voice and you swore your heart sank into deeper fear when you saw Beomgyu leaning against the tree. You immediately pulled Chaeryeong behind you, using your figure to shield her away from the red haired boy.

"The fuck you doing here?!"

"Why? Can't I?"

You scoffed, eyes growing wide in such a way as to mock the red haired boy. "Just get lost! I'm not letting you get close to her! So get lost or I'll fucking murder you!"

Panic consumed your entire body that you just want the boy to get out of your sight. Your hands tightening the grip on Chaeryeong's wrist. You ain't gonna let anything bad happen to her.

Not now, not ever.

"Pfft!" Loud laughter emits from the red haired boy as he hold his sides with his arms, mouth wide open and eyes shut as if the whole thing was an entertainment show for him.

Silence finally consumes everything for a brief moment when he open his eyes, staring at you intensely but you soon realise he wasn't looking at you but at Chaeryeong.

"Yah, don't you wanna tell your goodie bestfriend what you did?"

Huh?

Suddenly, you felt Chaeryeong's hand trembled in yours, her fingers now tightening in your hand. "Let's just l-leave. ." she whimper in a very tiny voice, her head low as if to avoid Beomgyu's intense gaze.

This wasn't how Chaeryeong usually act. What's going on?

"What? What's wrong?—" you brushed her hair, worried to death if Chaeryeong was hurt anywhere. "Did they hurt you? Did they give you something?!"

"Fuck, I can't watch this anymore!" Beomgyu exclaimed as he pushed himself forward.

You walked backwards, alarmed by the boy's approaching presence.

"Yah, if you don't wanna tell her then I will." Beomgyu pouted, "(Name), you are too kind don't you think? Or maybe too dumb, pfft. That girl behind you are the reason why your plan are now messed up!"

Stop. You stood still as a stone.

You didn't know what to expect nor think about it. Heck, you don't know what to do about what you heard just now—from the boy across from the street before you.

"Y-you're lying.." stuttering as your eyes blinked in an unstable manner. "You're trying to ruin our friendship—"

"Then why didn't she bring your sweet, sweet family to the concert?" Beomgyu tilted his head in a mockery manner.

You froze in utter horror with every word escaping the boy's mouth—lips falling apart, the tightened grip you had on Chaeryeong's hands loosens as you struggled to accept what you heard.

But the girl behind you refuses to let go, tightening her grip on your hand with both her hands—tears now pouring down her cheeks.

"Is.. it true?" your voice came out more as a whisper laced with downright pain and even though you let it out as a question, you wanted her to say no.

Tears brimmed out of Chaeryeong's eyes as she started to shake her head, softly saying each word which turns into high-pitched at the end “Th-this isn’t what you think!”

It dawned on you and yet part of you refuse to believe it.

Your feet made its way backwards. What is this? What is this? What is this?

“NO! (Name)! I didn’t meant it! I was unable to do anything! I’m sorry (Name)!” she tried to tugged your stone like arms, you could only look at her with wide open eyes that screams pain.

“Wha- what did you do? What- What have you done?—” you choked on your breathe, eyes shooting up to glare at her. "WHY DID YOU DO IT?!"

You shoved her arms away, avoiding her frantic approaching hands in a way that shows how your hatred were growing stronger for every drop of the rain falling on your bare skin.

Chaeryeong shook her head, crying, “I—”

“D-don’t touch me! Don’t you fucking touch me!” you trembled as you avoid her touch like it’s venomous to your skin, “Bitch? How dare you betray us!”

You saw red. Everything was growing red as the pure affection you had for the girl seems to vanished bit by bit.

“Where and how did you betray us?! You knew it was important for us! But, but!” gasping for air as this ugly betrayal surges it way to your heart, "I TRUSTED YOU! WE TRUSTED YOU! I—"

High-pitched scream of yours made the cicadas grew silent, lizards went back to their shelter and only the ominous glow of the yellow lamp was what accompany the both of you.

Now, there was only silence deathly silence.

Chaeryeong clenches her fists while breaking down in tears as she continued to apologized to you on repeat, like a broken radio. Broken radio. But really who’s the truly broken radio between the two of you? Was it you or her? Should you blame yourself or her?

Who?!

“It— it wasn’t easy! I wanted to s-stop! But I really couldn’t escape from him (Name)!” Chaeryeong wailed in pain, hanging her head low.

Pit pat, pit pat.

Silence forms as if mother nature had seen enough.

A soft chime!

Your phone’s screen lights up with another notification from him popping up.

[10:03PM] Hee01: you lose the game. Now your family had to pay the price.

[10:03PM] Hee01 has attached an image.

Your breath had caught up on your throat the moment your eyes fell on the attached image he sent to you.

He was too cruel, too cruel, too fucking evil.

Cupping your mouth with your immense trembling hands as tears overflowed out from your eyes for a dozen times.

"(N-name)?.."

Your parents had their heads tied around on a noose as they were laid on a place you couldn't understand where it was from.

[10:05PM] Hee01: let's play another game, shall we?

You were lost at words as if your system had shut down, the horror of this betrayal was something you couldn't bear to have a thought of anymore and now you had to go through another miserable pain.

Your heels spun around in a throbbing pain in your veins as if you've been standing there for an eternity.

"(Name)! (Name)! I'm really sorry! Please where are you going?!" Chaeryeong tries to to grab your arm but you pushed her away in your solemn state.

“G-get lost. Just get lost..” you nonchalantly said it, leaving the girl behind despite her desperate protests and relentless apologies.

A faint clap of thunder, roaring its wrath to the tenants of this vast world. For some, it’s a joy for the crops to drench in for them to grow to their glory, for some it’s in a form of punishment and that someone was you right now.

One, two, a few almost like a soft stroke of the raindrop fell on your skin — disguising as one of your tears dripping down your face. Your phone illuminates for the nth time, every text from him was a pure hellbound tying you with him and you were hoping to cut it off with possibly a knife or a scissor.

Though how unfortunate you were, as you were fighting restlessly to cut it off — it was pulling you even deeper like a sandman’s lair. His lair.

There, and then in the midst of the roaring thunder and the mother-like pit pats of the rain drop — you stumble upon a kid in a raincoat, swinging his arms as he let out his little hops on the tiny puddles across the street.

Fuck, you thought.

The long and wet, grey pathway. Your dress, hair and skin has been now drenched like you’ve drowned.

Laugh, laugh, how pathetic you were. Was it all coming back to you? The petty game you’ve started from the beginning? Karma has bitten you back, isn’t?

All because you sent a text, with a seemingly petty child-like games of yours and it has now been turned into a bloodbath by the very boy you fooled instead.

All the lamps flickered like a bunch of psychos dancing in a round circular pattern.

“I’m tired. I’m tired. .” a whisper so silent it felt like you had no one in the first place.

A soft chime!

A series of notifications pops up on your phone’s screen and you swore you can’t take it anymore as you read through his texts.

[10:07] Hee01: now let me explain our little game!

[10:07] Hee01: your little family and friend is hidden around in the city and you must find them before ur time ends, you got 1 hr :)

As if your life hasn't been shattered completely, you were proven wrong as you lose your footing on the ground — eyes widening in utter horror as you typed out a text so vigorously.

[10:09PM] you: TF YOU THINKING?? HOW AM ELSE I SUPPOSE TO FIND THEM?! ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE?!!!!

[10:10PM] Hee01: oh honey, dont worry. I’ll give you two hints. Rooftop. Red flag.

[10:10PM] you: what?.. are you trying to tell me that that..

[10:10PM] Hee01: the night is still young, baby. You got 1 hr, that’s all u have. If u fail to find them all, their fate would end up of their blood dripping from their head on the street :’)

Distress etched all over your face as your knees bring you all around the city. Your heavy white dress that flows along with the cold breeze as you keep running, running and running up and down the stairs.

Wiping off your tears in a vigorous manner as you stride off to the street with multiples buildings around you and you felt that there was no hope for you to ever find them.

An endless labyrinth of misery.

[10:13PM] Hee01: time starts now.

Run, don’t stop, if you stopped — they will die. Don’t stop!

Your eyes shoots up up to see a red flag sticking up on the edge on top of the building's rooftop

Sigh of relief.

Eyes darting all over your surroundings and hasty breathing as you went insidr building, sprinting upstairs and pushing open the rooftop’s door and yet you were met with nothing but the empty voids of the night sky and the sea of neon colours of this gigantic city.

Where are they?..

You almost want to cry again. If you want, you could've jump from this building just so you can end this pure torture that Heeseung puts you in through.

But you know you can't, you can't!

You walked slowly to the edge of the building and there your breath were suck out from your lungs when you notice the numerous red flags sticking on every rooftop you can ever see.

You clasped your head in your hand, bawling so loud that there's no way you could find your parents in all these buildings.

Tick, tock.

Tick, tock.

Tick, tock.

[10:19PM]

You should be getting up on your feet right now, you should be but why, why can't you stand?

[10:27PM]

You still haven't got over Chaeryeong's betrayal and here you were on the edge of your life trying holding yourself back together, but everything seems to be useless at this point.

Soft chime!

[10:39PM] Hee01: have you found them?

[10:39PM]

The glowing screen of your phone had by now been drowned by your tears.

The entirety of this huge pressure made you gave up. It was too much to bear. You keep panting and panting, searching for an air to breathe but it your lungs ache, pure fear of what could happen if the timer runs out and you weren't able to save them or more frightening was, not even one of them.

But your feet still won't stand up on its own.

It's all over, isn't?

“(Name)?!”

You slowly look up to see those familiar feline eyes. You burst into tears letting out small apologies for accusing him as a traitor and finally told him everything of what had happened to you today including Chaeyeong — it was too much to bear, apparently.

“It’s okay, I cannot guarantee I won’t do the same thing too if I was in your shoes.” Jungwon comforted you.

You nodded, tears forming in your eyes but then your gaze fell on his bandaged hand. “W-what happened to your?—” and Jungwon seem to catch up fast as his left hand brushes it over.

“Oh, it's nothing! Got on an accident earlier, it's nothing serious.”

“But it seems really serious, are you sure you’re fine?’

Your hoarse voice made Jungwon realise how consumed you were with fatigue but he chose to remain silent.

“Yeah I’m fine!” Jungwon tries to pull up a smile as he helps you get up on your wobbly feet. “C’mon, we don’t have enough time anymore. Let’s find them okay?”

Jungwon and you scattered all around the city searching for the red flags hoarding over the rooftops.

Rush footsteps echoes all over the stairs as the two of you barges into the rooftop. An enormous weight of pressure were suddenly released from your chest when you finally found your parents.

Cry, cry.

“Mom! Dad!” you knelt before them, helping them up but soon you notice that they were given drugs so they’re in an unconcious state.

It took you and Jungwon a sudden realisation that it will take you a horrendous amount of time to carry them both.

However, both of you kept going on.

You carried your mother on your back as best as you can while your father on Jungwon’s, your knees was burning in horrendous pain as you went down the stairs, being careful as you as to not accidentally letting them off.

The circular motion of this stairs are starting to make your head feel light, your eyes forming dust and air.

Jungwon notices you and tried to get your senses back, “(Name)! We’re almost there!”

After dropping off your parents inside a bar with an excuse of them being drunk and that you'll come back later — you and Jungwon once again wander limitlessly across the streets, repeating the same action over and over again in the midst of the joyous music of this city.

“This won’t do, we have to split up.” Jungwon pants as he put his hands on his knees.

You nodded, spinning your heels around but before you do, you shouted for Jungwon, “Be careful please!”

Jungwon was taken aback but nodded in return

You didn’t know why you said that out of blue but somehow you already had this growing fear inside you that he, too, could possibly lose his life for helping you like this. You were afraid that something might happen out of nowhere, you can’t rest nor take a moment to think properly — you were running out of time and you swore your head was about to burst.

Was this what Heeseung really wanted?

You keep searching and searching for them, for EJ and your sister. But you weren't sure whether they're on the same rooftop or being separated from each other plus another problem was the rooftop of each building had no longer red flags on top of them so you were going back and forth, circling each intersection and blocks. But don’t worry, you still had time.

I still had enough time!—

Bam!

A full crowd of high-pitched screams suddenly emits high up in the air which had you clasped your head in your hands instantly but you turned around to see crowds gathering in a certain spot and then you looked up only for your stomach to churned in utter fear.

There it was, the red flag dancing with the cold breeze on the top of the building.

No, it can’t be. You let out an awkward laugh as you brought your attention back to the gathered crowd.

Tap, tap, your heels formed a faint soft clicks as you approached the crowd, looking down to your phone

[10:53PM]

You still had time. . .

You still had 10 minutes left before the timer ends so this can’t be.

This must a pure joke, isn’t? Your hand shivered but you stopped it, still giggling inside your empty void.

Tap, tap.

Tap, tap.

Tap, tap.

And as you find your way in to the crowd, you were met with the gruesome sight of the lifeless body on the ground and you found yourself unable to move as if your system had shut down. Your brain unable to hold it’s cells for you to think, your heart unable to move so it can pump up blood to your entire body, your lips had gone pale and your pupils dilated to the canvas of horror laying before you.

You fall before it.

Soft chime!

The canvas of horror holding this familiar and gentle brown hair, eyes that hold sincerity inside it which was now left open as if it’s looking up to the air, lips had gone pale and purple as if he had died instantly as soon as his head hitted the ground.

EJ.

—Soft chime!

You couldn’t stop yourself from shaking violently nor held yourself together from falling apart on this cold, rough street. You couldn’t cry, though. The crowds had gathered around the lifeless body of him you couldn’t open your eyes for.

You spoke silently, breaking down inside, “I- still had 20 minutes l-left. .”

You couldn’t stop choking on your breathe, clasping your head when you look up to the rooftop from where you left him initially. W-what’s going on?..

You couldn’t see Jungwon, you couldn’t see him. But there he was, with the expression mirroring yours as he approached the lifeless corpse on your arms. This enormous weight pulling you down even deeper into this empty void.

“Why. . why are you here?” your hand frantically brushes over EJ’s face, a complete contrast from your dead expression, “No, come back. C-come back.”

Too deep in your labyrinth of despair, you failed to notice Jungwon falling behind you—emptiness circulating in his eyes. But he tries to quickly regained his composure, wiping off his tears before pulling out his phone to call for the ambulance.

His hands trembling with the phone within his grasp, his voice stuttering as he tells them your current location.

Another soft chime! And yet you ignored it, eyes with dried tears staring into the empty space hold EJ's freezing hands in yours.

"Why are you so cold?.." you choked on your throat, the freezing weather making your nose aches with every tiny sniff.

Your ears were muffled with this drowning and growing bass and yet despite all of that you could hear ambience Jungwon's desperate voice calling for the emergency.

He's dead.. Why are you still trying? You asked Jungwon deep inside your mind. You couldn’t believe either, was that really the last time you would’ve ever talk to EJ?

“EJ! Remember don’t do anything! Just stay calm! I’ll save you later, I promise!”

Another chime, two, three, four, five, countless of tings emerges from your phone which then results in the gaze of the gathered crowds on you.

Ha, you failed. You failed to keep your promise.. to him.

“(Name)! (Name)!” Jungwon tugs your shirt in hopes to get you back.

Snapped out from your spiraling anguish, your look at the boy beside you with heavy eyes.

"Your phone."

Shaky fingers taps the numerous notifications from him. You're unable to comprehend the texts on your screen as your chest and heart were overflowing with too much anguish from the body laying before you.

This familiar name. Another enormous weight falls on you just after another.

[11:06PM] Hee01: attached an image.

[11:06PM] Hee01: I miss u :( I'm sure your sister miss you too so u better hurry up

From the distance, something caught your attention. A dark, black car pulls up across from the street and you instantly recognized who it belongs to.

Heavy eyes falling back on the lifeless boy on the ground before you, your lips trembled as your fingers stroked his cold rosy cheeks and down to his dry chapped lips that was once full of life.

"Just go, (Name). I'll handle this, just leave your parents to me." a voice like a stroke of a feather as Jungwon's head lies low, you knew that he too were unable to cry nor scream as you both have thought that you two could've save him.

That you still had time.

Silence, silence.

You remained silent throughout the entire drive to the church where Heeseung and your sister was. Curling into your knees, head buried deep inside, only hearing your slow breath amidst the sound of the radio of the car.

Though, the radio seems to be broken.

Broken like you are.

The enormous weight and heavy pressure this snowy dress you had on you is so painful you couldn’t bear to take another step to the colossal church waiting for you across the path.

But you still did, you still kept going on — pushing the enormous main door and there your eyes met his.

The same eyes you grew to despise, love, disgust, loathe, despair for.

Small, slow steps you took as you cross the aisle. The church was so high up to the intricate patterned ceiling, the dark brown painted walls, the holy statues and the entire vibe of this place that was supposed to give you serenity feeling but the devil himself was standing across from you with a wicked smile adorning his face.

“Ah, at last, my darling. You’re here.” Heeseung opens his arms wide for you.

But the only person you had your utmost attention for was your sister, Chaewon who was laid against the wall, blood dripping from her head all the way down to her cheek. For awhile, you thought she was unconscious but you realise that it was far from that by her heavy eyes and fatigued form.

“Unnie!”

Before you could approach your sister, Heeseung stood before you with a smug grin on his face which turn into a pout, “How rude, don’t you miss me though?”

Seeing his face made you wanted to punch him and curse at him for eternity but you can't, not when your sister were right there, a few more meters away from you.

“You fucking dare even ask me that?” your face contorts into utter disgust which doesn’t affects him a tad bit.

"Feisty, I like that." Heeseung grinned as he wrapped his hand around your wrist, pulling you into his embrace despite your protests. “Look at you, so ragged and so tired. I must have made it so hard for you to enjoy your night out, did I?”

It was only now that you notice the presence of an old priest in his all-black attire when you glance over Heeseung's shoulder It gave you a uneasy feeling. What is this. You just wanted this bullshit to end for once and for all.

“You did such a good job playing the game I made for you, now let me see,” He strokes your face with his fingers, eyes scanning every edge of your face, “I’m glad your face is as pretty as it is, all mine.”

His voice caressing your ears irked you so much— Pretty. Mine. All mine.

Your hard and cold demeanour finally broke over his softened ones, you seriously can’t take this twisted words of his.

You suppressed the need to choke on your throat and gather your courage, your lips unable to control itself anymore. “W-what do you want? Please. Let’s just get this over with.”

“Oh, darling. Why are you rushing? We all had the time we needed in this world! Don’t we?”

“I don’t have any fucking time to play your little games!” Finally, tears spilled from your eyes as you pushed him away, “Tell me what do you want me to do just so you can let go of my family!”

Broken you were, helpless you felt as you dug your claws beneath your palms. You just wanted to fall on the floor and crouch in your little world because you were so betrayed by what she did, by what Chaeryeong did. By EJ's death, his lifeless body flashing through your mind. Your sister's worn out form against the wall.

Everything, everything fucking hurts as you shoot a glare full of hatred towards the man standing before you.

A mocking sigh emits from the young man. “How impatient. But fine.”

Your teary eyes shooted up to meet his lovesick gaze, “What?”

“Darling, you’re too dense, aren’t you?” Heeseung giggled, gesturing to the priest standing before you, “Remember? You agreed to marry me.”

You shook your head in a pathetic, small way. "No.."

“Marry me, and then we’ll leave this place, let’s live somewhere where there’s no one but us!” He took your hands in his, voice growing desperate every second, eyes brimming in utmost affection as you shook your head vigorously, “If you do that, then I might be kind enough to leave your family and friends alone. I guess, it’s fair right? You can’t ask for something without giving something darling.”

“But why? Why! We've only known each other for seven months! Why—” you bit your lip so hard.

A spine chilling chuckle escapes Heeseung's cherry lips, “(Name), Isn’t it obvious enough? It is because I love you that I’m doing this for you, for us!”

"For us?! Us?! You're fucking insane!" You yelled at the top of your lungs.

"I wouldn't be this fucking insane if you didn't text me in the first place! And then fooled me as if I was a mere game to you! You knew I like you and yet you gave me fake name! Fake face! Everything is fucking fake!"

Heeseung's voice echoes through the church's hall that had you shuddered in utter fear.

Blood drained out from your face as your lips trembled with the words you let out, "Y-you knew..?"

Raising his eyebrow in a cocky manner, "You think I wouldn't knew? Oh god, darling! You're so smart and yet so dumb!

Air. You need to breathe. Breathe. You need to say something, something — the fear of being caught consumes your entire being.

Shutting your eyes tight you did as you screamed out every single words. "I know i’m sorry for doing such thing! But this doesn’t make sense, you couldn’t have possibly love me — someone you’ve never met! I’m really sorry! I’m really sorry! I'm sorry for doing that to you!”

A gut-wrenching silence consumes the insides of the church.

You slowly opened your eyes to look at him with so much fear spiraling in your wounded heart.

“Shh, shh.” He pulled you into his embrace, brushing your hair in a loving manner, his mouth pouting ever so slightly but in contrast to his dark gaze, “You don’t have to apologise, it’s true it pissed me off that I wanted to rip you to pieces once I met you but when I finally saw you with my own eyes.. I didn't think it would make me you made me fell more harder than I think I could've been.”

You remained silent in fear.

“But I just thought I still had to teach you a lesson.." Heeseung stroked your cheeks with his finger, "The game was fun isn’t? That’s how you made me felt all this time, wandering like an insane and looking all over the places for you. Remember the card game? Choosing between two people whom I never know which was the real person i’m looking for? That was how you did it by choosing your sister as your face, how funny. And the betrayal part? Now you know how it feels, that’s how you made me go through it. It hurts, didn’t it? All these games was what you put me into.”

You gritted your teeth, suppressing your tears as you look down ashamed of what you did.

“Now it’s only fair, that we had gone through the same thing. It’s settled, love.” Gripping your jaw, forcing your eyes to met his intense gaze, "So marry me darling or else.. you wouldn't want your sister to end up like that, do you?"

“If you want, your sister could be our guest, the witness to our love.”

You gritted your teeth. “You’re insane..”

“Yes I am, insane for you and my love for you, isn’t it so obvious at this point?” A devilish smirk adorned his cherry red lips as he reached out his hands for you, “C’mon, (Name).”

"Heeseung, do you take (Name) for your lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

What is this.. You trembled within his grasp and suddenly his fingers find its way to your neck, softly stroking your skin—so sickeningly sweet.

"I do."

The way he said it was dreading you.

The priest then turns to you, "(Name), do you take Heeseung for your lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

Your lips felt like it had been sewed by a thread, choking on your saliva in this unnerving situation because of his lovestruck eyes that was observing your every bit of action which was so extremely disturbing and unsettling.

It was as if his eyes were screaming— say it! Say it!

You knew there's no turning back right now as your sister were on the edge between life and death, and more specifically being hanged on a noose that's decided by the choices you made.

Hissing in almost like whisper, "I— I do."

When you let such an answer, only then you notice how his sharp expression of waiting you to say that one sentence turned into a sheer satisfaction—absolute exhilaration consumed his eyes.

His teeth came into view as his cherry red lips tugged up in the wildest grin you've ever seen—so wicked and terrifying that you whimper in utter fear.

"Till death do us apart."

Bloodcurdling scream erupts in the empty air—you on your fetus like form with your trembling hands clasping your ear in attempts to recover from what you've seen.

The lifeless corpse before you.

With a gun in his grasp, one loud shot ended the priest’s life as he fell on the floor in a loud thud — his blood scattering all over his face, the holy status on the table and the floor all being stained in red.

"W-why did you have to kill him?!"

You couldn’t process everything, it was too much! it was too much, too much to take.

Heeseung finds it rather amusing to see your state, tilting his head as he blows off the smoke from the gun’s tip. “One out, darling. We don’t need another damn pest crouching into our life.”

"W-why.. Why would you do that?! He didn't even do anything!" You bawled in tears once again.

Witnessing death one after another, wooden like eyes once the soul left it's host, blood sucking out from their once vibrant skin—every single time, your soul are sucked out along with them—one more time, and you are sure to death that you will be only a living doll void of a heartbeat in the end.

Approaching your pathetic wailing form in a light hearted manner as if nothing had happened—brushing your hair in the utmost affection he can give to you because he loves you so much that it hurts, “Hush, love. You'll very well forgot it soon, how about we grab some dinner while we're on our way to our honeymoon?”

The witness to all of these absolute madness had remained stone cold this entire time.

“Fuck, stop crying. I get it that you're adorable but atleast save your tears for later. Hm, how about this? As a present to my lovely wife, i’ll let your sister live. I’m just that kind, right?” Heeseung smiled so sickeningly sweet at you.

It caught you off guard as you sniffed frantically, you find it unbelievable that he was willing to do just that for you but are we still surprise? This guy is a living form of mental derangement but if this is what it takes for your sister to survive then you won't mind a single bit.

Not when you already lose someone so precious to you.

You nodded in a quick hasty manner with your eyes filled with burning tears—darting all around the space, blinking in utter anxiety as he wrapped his arms around your waist — gleefully telling you all the future he could think of with you, to you.

Anyone would've had their hearts swell in pure bliss with his every confession of love and loyalty—but for you, he's akin to a mad dog disguised in an innocent pup image that will eventually devour you if you ever dare so to rebel against him.

Heeseung looked over his shoulder to look at the girl laid against the wall with so much contempt in his eyes.

"So much for all that trouble, I’m letting you live, happy?” was what he said before dragging you away with him to the entrance, his arm wrapped around your waist as it finds it way to your hair, brushing it affectionately like there's no tomorrow.

Only hanging your head low and obedient all for the sake of your sister.

Rain had by far vanished in a silent manner outside the church, yet the clouded sky remain firm and steady.

Nails dug on the carpeted floor resulting in a slow burn screech.

“I’m..” Chaewon clenches her fist as she raised her head up to look at you and Heeseung.

“Huh? Still able to talk?” Heeseung scoffed in amusement.

“You—” you couldn’t bear to see your sister like this and you notice that even though Heeseung had this cold demeanour up, his tense grip on your hand says otherwise.

“You fooled us.” Chaewon cried out in pain, face contorting into immense pain.

Taken aback by her simple cries of pain, Heeseung just laughed. “What a joke, c’mon love. She’s just wasting our time.”

“I’M NOT GOING TO BACK DOWN WITHOUT A FUCKING FIGHT! LEE HEESEUNG!”

—Shriek!

The scene before you was downright a scene of dreadful horror.

Eyes stretched out in such a way you couldn't believe what had happened; an excruciating and agonising outcry of pain emitting in the air and everything happen in a split second when Heeseung fell before you, his grip on your hand loosening as it returns to cupped his forehead pooling out a waterfall of blood.

"Unnie.." you called out for your sister who was shocked to death by what she did as she look down at a holy statue in her grasp, the blood of the boy dripping from the statue's head down to her fingers and staining the red carpet into deeper shades.

"Fuck! Fuck— Fuck! IT FUCKING HURTS! BITCH!—"

You couldn’t move. The loud shriek of Heeseung screaming in pain and Chaewon standing just right there. It all feels like as if death has truly starting to tick it’s bell.

Chaewon immediately recovered from her frozen state and tugged your arm, pulling you with her out of the church.

A menacing glare shoots up to you and your sister's form.

"YOU— ARGHHH! . .FUCKING RUN THEN!" the boy's bloodcurdling scream had you and your sister frozen in an instant and you don't want to look at him but you did and you regret it.

His body trembling so wild while his knees on the floor, hands miserably cupping his forehead which was pooling down half of Heeseung's face in a waterfall of blood had your stomach churned in disgust and not only that—rage, hysteria, madness, agony—eyes widened in such a way it would crawl out to peel your skin alive and mouth contorted into the wildest form of unnerving laughter. "Once I catch you, you'll fucking regret it."

Run.

Run!

Run!

Breathe in, breath out, breath in, breath out.

In this empty labyrinth in which you and your sister desperately tries to search for an exit; the way to the city. Every step you took feels like an approach to death instead to freedom, it was starting to drain you and out and your sister was losing it too.

Heeseung had really planned it all too well.

Your knees begin to burn and lungs tightening with each breathe you took and your sister was no different—air sucking out from her face and it dawned on you that Heeseung might've given her drugs.

Ushering her to rest—you two hid behind the tall and overgrown bushes just nearby.

"Are you okay?"

Your hand finding its way to tuck her hair in the back of her ears, voice like whisper that soothes her being, that same affection never vanished into empty air despite everything — it broke Chaewon's insides to pieces, into something she wasn't able to fathom— was it shame? Was it embarrassment? Was it regret?

Every way she think of it, memories from the past crashed right before her eyes—reminding her of every single thing she did and said.

Ah, I'm such a fucking fool. . Chaewon whispered in the back of her mind, wanting nothing but to slap herself, for not fulfilling her responsibility as an older sister to you.

And even more foolish she was that even after that entire ordeal back in Heeseung's mansion that day—she still refuses to believe that Heeseung would've never done such a thing if it wasn't for you seducing him. How funny.

Only then when she was left laying against the walls of the church, forced to take drugs and left to observe the true colours of the boy she grew to love—did she truly accept that everything she had ever felt from the boy; be it affection, sweet words or candy like smiles—unfortunately was only the result of her own delusion.

Or she had been simply fooled.

Witnessing your worn out form had her wondering how of an awful human being she turn out to be for the fake love she was dying to protect this entire time, not realising that the true love has always been standing still and firm just behind her from the very beginning.

And still is here, right in front of her.

"I-I'm okay.." Chaewon stuttered, suppressing the urge to cry and then because what right does she have to cry after all the things she did to you?

Pathetic indeed, isn't?

“Where’s mom and dad?”

“They’re fine, I’ve hidden them somewhere.” you gave a small smile to your sister.

No words were exchanged any further — as too many harsh words, words that cross the line and hurt so bad had been blurted out so many times you two couldn’t count it.

Shame, shame was all Chaewon felt. Yet she couldn’t find words to form nor find the courage to say sorry, and the only thing she could do was take your hand in hers, tightening her grip onto yours which formed warmth, as if she was telling you that she was sorry while she’s avoiding your gaze.

Rustle!

You snapped your head to the sudden rustling noise of fallen leaves far from behind you.

"Did you hear that?!" You whisper yelled at your sister in which she raised her eyebrows in confusion but was also alarmed.

“Gotcha!” a dark and alarming giggle emits from the smiley red haired boy who starts to approached you both. You and your sister walked backwards, panicking— not sure of what to do in this downright despair.

“Stop running. It’s getting tiring and so fucking useless, you know? Heeseung’s coming. Just. Give. Up.” Beomgyu tilted his head, gesturing behind him.

"As if. Fuck you, bitch." Chaewon spat out which earned an amusement scoff from the boy.

Approaching danger.

"You speak as if you had the favour right now." Beomgyu shakes his head and in a deep breathe he took, "GUYS, THEY'RE HE—"

Before you and your sister could spun around to run or before he could finish his words, someone jumped out and punched Beomgyu.

Pure shock splattered on your face, "Jungwon?! How did you?—"

“The fuck?” was Beomgyu’s reaction when jungwon appeared. Trickles of blood dripped out from the corners of Beomgyu's mouth, his eyes screaming insanity.

“Not you too? Fuck are you all traitors then?!”

Jungwon gritted his teeth, using all his strength to overthrow the other boy and yet he won't stop screaming for his group. "Fucking stop— screaming!"

He punched the red haired even harder until it resulted in his unconsciousness.

It went on for a horrendous amount of time that felt so long but in reality it wasn’t.

Your feet couldn’t stick to the ground, eyes darting to the distance and the commotion before you over and over again.

"They're coming, Jungwon! We have to go!" You cried out, your hands sweating as you tighten your grasp with your sister in which she did so as well.

Panic, panic, panic surged inside you and it's not only you. It was evident that it was eating Chaewon and Jungwon as well.

Your head shoots up along with the other two, shouts and screams — voices of men, familiar voices approaching from the distance.

Jungwon immediately gets up, almost stumbling on his feet before backing off before you and your sister.

"We have to split up." Jungwon said.

"Wait why? Wouldn't that be too dangerous?!"

"It's better this way, if they couldn't catch one of us, we could call for help."

"But—"

"We don't have any other choice. Chaewon, you have to follow me."

"No why my sister?"

"(Name). It's so obvious that he wanted no one but you! Give me a piece of your wedding dress and I'll lure them over."

"It's too dangerous!!" You cried out as you dug your nails on your dress, clenching a fistful of it.

"We have no choice!" Jungwon gritted his teeth, as he, too — was in pure fear and desperation. The atmosphere, the situation, the reality of where you three are in right now was a call for death bell.

You two eventually split up after a much hard decision to do, racing into different directions within the woods hoping to reach for the city soon. You turned on your phone, desperately looking for a line to call for the emergency. Someone, someone please pick up, you screamed in your mind.

"Agh, fuck Beomgyu." Yeonjun lightly kicks the unconscious boy on the ground, "You lose like a bitch."

"Your face really gotta be the first thing I see in this broad fucking daylight."

"I'm so sleepy, ah." Kai whined from the distance, slipping his hands in his pockets to avoid the freezing weather.

"They're not so far, I guess." Soobin muttered, "Right, Heeseung?"

There the boy appeared with a fresh red scar on his forehead, the same disinterested and dead look when you're not in his presence.

Looking far in the distance in the woods, he sighed but instead in a dejected tone, it was amusement lingering in the air. "Huh, hide and seek I see."

Run! Run!

Fatigue overwhelmed their body as ragged and unstable patterned of breathing filled through the empty air in this isolated woods that never seem to end like a labyrinth of maze—sweat trailing down their forehead and neck, wide opened eyes growing heavy but ears never faltering from any incoming noise that could be danger.

A torn out piece of your dress had been thrown to the trail they just came from a few minutes ago—all just to lure in the demons away from you.

"Agh!"

"Chaewon!"

The girl fell onto her hands after stumbling upon a laid branch on the ground—yelping in pain as fresh wound on her leg pools out a small amount of blood.

"Are you okay?!" Jungwon knelt down to inspect the wound.

"It's n-nothing—" stuttering and gulping on her throat as she snapped her head to the distance from where they just came from. "We gotta h-hurry, Jungwon."

Frightened, frightened they were as they took each others' hands, heels continuing to sprint forward and away from the devil himself.

Racing forward as faster as they could with their hands interlaced tightly than ever—suddenly a silhouette came into their line of vision—ultimately stopping them right in their track.

"Ah fucking finally!"

Outburst of joy and a series of whistles echoes through the air, those that sang a sheer melody of danger.

"Found you two! Ugh— do you think there's a way out of this place? Dumb you are, aren't you?" Yeonjun sing sang.

The boys gathered around the two, snickers and giggles emitting up in the air – the bluish grey sky that signify morning’s about to come.

The two hissed not knowing what to do at this point; fighting won't be in their favour as they were outnumbered.

Cautious eyes watching each others' every shift of movement.

—Leaves crinkling!

Heels sprinting into the opposite direction resulting in one of the boys' abrupt shift of position, preventing the girl from escaping.

“Where do you think you’re going, huh?!” Taehyun raised his eyebrow, licking his candy in the process.

Kai giggled, a smirk splattered on his face, “Fuck, what a waste of time. Just give up, will you? I could’ve used my time to practice right now!”

“Bitch who cares?!” Chaewon scoffed, eyes and eyebrows widened in such a way as if to mock the younger boy before her, “You could’ve been dead and I won’t give a fuck!”

Her head snapped to the boy she grew to love this entire time.

“And you? How dare you. How fucking dare you? You messed up our family and I did nothing but to believe you!” punching her chest on repeat as she gritted her teeth, wanting nothing but for the boy to understand her pain but she know he won’t.

For the disinterested look in his eyes never ceases to amazed her in a frightening way. Why she’ve never noticed all this time? Was she really too blind?

“Don’t you fucking touch her!”

“Huh? Do you actually think you’re excluded? How stupidd!” Taehyun punched the shit out of Jungwon which causes him to stumble backwards to one of the trees however Jungwon didn't back down without a fight.

Downright chaos erupts as Jungwon threw a hard punch at Taehyun, hands tugging and nails digging in each others' skin—fighting and fits of screams and yelling at top of each others' lungs.

Soobin ushered Yeonjun and Beomgyu to hold the Chaewon down and they did so without much hesitance as they begin to approach her.

And yet, the two won't give up and the horrendous cycle repeats over a dozen times.

Chaos, chaos—a downright spiral of madness.

Heeseung only stood there to watch the chaos he himself had created and he wasn’t the least affected by it. How funny, he thought.

At last, the pair were separated from each other; their arms caged in such a way that only their legs could kick in the air in a pathetic attempt.

The clicks of his leather shoes crinkled the sea of leaves beneath him as he approached them.

"What's so hard about staying away from her? Why are you so fucking stubborn, huh? Was it too hard?" Heeseung bend down to their level with his face screaming a twisted expression and the dried blood on his forehead wasn't helping either.

Twirling the knife between his dainty fingers, humming a song within the depths of him of what should he do with them.

Whose thread of life should he rip apart? Whose heart should he pierce with the sharp edges of this weapon in his grasp? Should it be one or two? Should he spare their lives or not?

Those are the questions that run through his mind and yet, and yet— Heeseung couldn't care less about their pathetic heartbeat as he stared at the two with absolute contempt.

Grey, clouded skies.

As the round source of light refuses to rise,

Those round of life finally fade out of sight.

Blood, blood at last adorned the skies.

Through the silence of the deep woods, leaves beneath goes roaring with every hum escaping from the young man's twisted grin as the soul within his grasp had by now perished to the sky.

“Told you to stay away from her, bastard.” burying the corpse under the ground, relieved that another pest was out of his sweet darling’s life. "Just what's so fucking hard about that."

Low, low sigh of relief. What wonderful day it is.

[ 4:08 AM ]

Woods.

The burning marks of the branches hitting your skin kepts reminding you that this was reality, this wasn’t a dream nor a wild imagination you had while you were having a nap in your sweet home, on your sweet bed. That this would all end after the clock strikes signifying that dinner is ready and you’ll go downstairs, to eat with your mother, father and sister like always.

Yet, you could only hope.

Church. Another abandoned church came into view. It caught your attention.

You sprinted to the nearby abandoned church that came into sight out of nowhere, in this vast and isolated place. Panting, you pushed open the huge main wooden door and use up all your efforts to close it off.

The roaring clap of thunder made you jolted in surprise, the grey cloud sky mocking you with it’s relentless raindrops.

You gulped nervously, striding off to the aisle, eyes darting around in complete anxiety. You cant breathe but you must breathe and yet, you were catching that breathe that seems to go away everytime you reach for it. The dusty air were mixing with your panic breath, it’s only presence that were heard in this silent place was you and your breathe.

Without further hesitance, you turned on your phone — the object that holds the key to your freedom and yet also holds the sword to mercilessly chop off the wings of your freedom.

This cold and hard object that has been the start of everything, the one that bears the story of the fallen fruit, the fruit that you’ve eaten and therefore had summoned the serpent himself.

You hated this, you regret it, you wanted to scream and pray for everything to end all at once, this object that has been in the grips of your hands for awhile and the mocking result was the overbearing print mark of it’s edges gracing your palms. You don’t want think much anymore, you don’t want to for there’s only one thing, only one thing you wanted so bad to do.

To save yourself! You wanted him to go away! To get rid of your unfortunate red thread with him that has been now stained with so much blood, those that scream insanity and morals of his that made your stomach churned in utter disgustment.

The emergency dial — you tap, tap, tap and so on however your slippery fingers as the result to the mixture of the rain and sweat was making you pressed all the wrong digits for eternity.

You gritted your teeth in pure annoyance wanting to throw off your phone, but you can’t.

You can’t, you can’t, you know you can’t.

You have to call for help before they can get you, before he can find you, before your tear-stained and burning eyes drowned even more in this hell called him.

You took a huge deep breathe, your nose sniffing the dusty air of this abandoned church. Looking up, your eyes met those soulless eyes of the holy statue that everyone knelt before, prayed to their heart’s content and begged for when disaster or tragedy befalls upon them.

Worn out and devastated you were as you finally gotten the right number but it was out of line because of the once soft rain that turns into roaring thunderstorm. How unfortunate you were, (Name).

Bawling in tears is what you did, your voice broke and you choked on your saliva as you fall on your knees, weeping silently in your pathetic form and without much thought, your feet bring itself to kneel before the holy statue itself.

The sky that was supposed to had been adorned with the sunrise has now hid due to the grey clouds forming and mingling together, and raindrops returned to it’s glory and within a few seconds.

Lightning strikes and along with it thunder roared. An ominous sign that never ceases to fear you to your core.

But you still keep praying in silence.

Pray, pray. They said pray when you need something, pray when you want to be grateful, pray when you need guidance — pray, pray and pray. That’s what you did, you whispered yelled in the oblivion of your prayers like a repeated broken radio.

Holy sweet grail, holy sweet love.

And yet as you were begging for the enormous holy statue before you, deep you were into your despair of oblivion, you failed to notice the silent and grim arrival of the boy who had you as his image of goddess and love, his lover, his one and only, his soulmate.

Feathery like steps that were left unheard as he approaches and halts behind your praying form.

No amount of prayer would make this incarnation of devil himself to refrain away from you for you had been a part of him since the day he declared so.

“What are you praying for?”

Sheer sound of deathbell in a disguise of an angel’s voice, you whipped your head to the boy in question and no words could express the utter fear in your body upon laying your eyes on his angelic features yet sinister smile on his cherry red lips.

You wanted to scream, yet your breathe were caught on inside the depths of your heart, you couldn’t move yet your shivering nails dug the carpeted aisle, resulting in a sound of like when you tap your laptop’s keyboard.

Heeseung seems to be amused at your reaction, lovesick eyes spiraling into madness as he looks you up and down, eyes that adores every inches of you — bending over to be as close to you as he wishes, this grim situation were eating you alive and yet to him, it was a breathe of satisfaction and achievement.

His dainty fingers that were stained with dry blood made it’s way to the locks of your hair, brushing it in a soft and loving manner, his dark gaze never leaving yours, never breaking nor faltering.

His face graced with dried blood that you knew belongs to him—a menacing glint of the metal object he was holding, his exquisite suit holding the flattering rose that only holds a sweet nightmare for you from now on. His lush black hair sticking to his forehead due to the efforts he had gone through for you, his doe eyes overflowing with loyalty and immense affection for you.

Feverish eyes that held so much madness in its depths. Then you notice his blood stained hands which made your breath hitched.

You couldn’t talk.

He hummed utterly delighted that he found you as he approached you—grabbing you to his side.

"Have fun running around like the doll you are?"

Heeseung yanked you playfully like a mere ragdoll, laughing so hard, bliss splattered on his face. Mouth wide, big grin and eyes crinkled like half moons. His lush wavy hair were drenched by the raindrops and yet it’s still so fluffy. His eyebrows furrowed in complete amusement—eyes so lovesick and so sadistic. Blood from god knows whom painted over his rosy cheeks.

Mixing altogether in a perfect shade.

But nothing can be more perfect as this breathtaking sight that he was patiently waiting for are now standing before him—all his to take.

A silly grin adorns his lips, "But still, it's kinda amusing how you think you can escape so easily with your dead friends."

“W-what—?”

“Hm?” Heeseung brushes his finger over his cheek, seemingly satisfied over the red liquid on the tips of his fingers, “Try to guess, who do you think it belongs to?”

You stumbled backwards but he managed to pull you back by wrapping his arms around your back, you shivered within his touch — compared to his big stature, you were smaller and weaker. Yet that wasn’t in the least of your worries right now as your mind were running through that one and only question.

“W-who?..” your face contorts into the deepest form of despair, lips trembling.

“Why don’t you guess? Is it your lovely sister, Chaewon? Or my friend, Jungwon? Or your bestfriend, Chaeryeong? Or is it our dead buddy, EJ?!”

Your world shattered over and over again.

“Guess who? Of course, we only had Chaewon and Jungwon right? Oh god, only if you weren’t such a brat and listened to me like the obedient girl you were then it wouldn’t have gone this far! Now who do you think i’ve skinned alive?! Or possibly crack their dumb brain until it spilled off for trying to take you away from me!”

You screamed in pure horror, mouth gaping in attempts to heal the overflowing wound in your heart— fingers curling to cupped your mouth.

"It's all your fault, babe. Only if you listened to me earlier."

“How dare you! You’re fucking insane! You’re insane, you’re fucking insane!” Yelling at the top of your lungs you did as you punched him on his chest on repeat.

Lightning and thunder roared into it’s highest void yet.

“WHO? HOW DARE YOU? WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS TO ME?” you screamed and screamed, “if you touch them, if you fucking touch them i swear, i swear—”

“Swear what?” Heeseung raises his eyebrow, “(Name), darling! Don’t you think it's too late to threaten me like this? But I don’t mind, it’s so cute seeing you so weak and helpless. It makes me want to protect you even more–”

“Don’t touch me!” you yank his arm away, walking backwards away from him.

Gripping your white dress, you shut your eyes. “WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS?! Why you didn’t follow what you said, you told me as long as the timer don't end, you won’t do it anything! So why?! Why did you kill him?! WHY DID YOU KILL EJ?!”

A glint appears in Heeseung’s eyes which you weren’t able to fathom what it was as it soon dissipates into the dark deep void and instead that same smirk adorns his cherry lips again and giggles soon follows.

“Hm? I've never said I'd play fair.”

You hissed in bitterness. That's right, why did you ever thought he'd play fair?

“Why?..— why are you so damn cruel to me, huh? You said you love me then why are you doing this to me? What kind of love is this?! This is not love at al!”

An eerie silence forms in the void of this church.

“It’s not love? You still don’t understand, do you?” Heeseung pouted, but his eyes had pain lingering in it, “What should I do to prove my love for you? I fucking killed them all and you told me it isn’t love? I hate it so much when people stick to you like a damn pest and you’re telling me it isn’t love? I stayed patient even when you go around like a dumb slut, touching other bastards as if you weren’t mine, being so fucking oblivious but yet so adorable and you’re telling me it ISN’T LOVE?!”

The ground beneath you seemed to sway under your feet as the fear emitting from this boy was too ominous, too big, too dangerous.

And before you could try to avoid his grasp, he pulled you in closer to his embrace.

“Look at us! You and I, in this world — nothing could tear us apart anymore!” His words gets even more maniacal with every passing second. “Look, look! The the ring I specially made for you, the dress i’ve been dying to see you on, your goddamn face that I couldn't even fucking forget for a second”

His finger lovingly stroke your cheek, “So fucking gorgeous, fucking sweet, adorable. All mine, all mine! After all that patience i’ve been through, all that troubles I've willingly put myself in just so I can have you like this in front of me, you had the guts to tell me it wasn't love?"

Remaining silent you did as you were horrified by everything he says to you—he was far too inside his inner world of chaos.

Your hands trembled frantically within his grasp and he felt that, scoffing so slightly as he raised it up to his cherry lips—planting an affectionate kiss on the top of your hand which had you frozen.

However his short and brief kiss turns into a rabid mode; like a starving mad dog feeding on your skin.

Eliciting a pure scream of horror, you struggled to pull your hands and arms away from his teeth and lips and even when you use your little bit of strength left in continuously hitting him with your left hand—your efforts were to no avail as his hands caged yours within his suffocating grasp.

"Stop! Stop!"

Your outcries of disgust engulfed the entire church like an echoing choir, still everything fell to deaf ears for the boy himself as he continued his morbid and disgusting deeds to you—his tongue licking every inch of your hand, teeth biting and sucking your fingers.

You were forced to witness it before your eyes, feel it against your skin and still so helpless and frail before him.

Heeseung finally let go of your hand, his face twisted in such a way that screams absolute satisfaction and exhilaration itself.

Feeling your hands that has been violated for god knows how long, you yelled at the top of your lungs at him, "YOU'RE INSANE!"

You had nothing left to say anymore; mind empty and broken, eyes strained with so much tears and your body aching with all that had happened.

Yet, the boy before you wasn't even the slightest done with you at all.

Heeseung laughed, "My darling, it’s only wise that I ask for something I deserve, hm?”

You didn't understand what he said, confused you were but then the realisation dawned on you. "Wh-what do you mean? Stay away!"

Your eyes widened in utter horror upon understanding his words, stomach churning into throbbing pain when his hand tries to tugged down the sleeves of your dress.

“No! N-no! Get off me— get off me!” You thrashed around, kicking him to his chest which made him stumble backwards. "Heeseung, let go! I beg of you!

Yet, he only laughed. "No, darling. I must be making it sooo hard for you to understand my love for you isn't?"

You panted, you screamed, you whimper — all because of fear, all because of what he’s about to do to you in this isolated church.

Heeseung crashed his lips into yours within a blink of an eye.

A long and deep, hungry kiss that left your lungs burn in pure pain of suffocation. Your hand slapping his back, pulling his hair and scratching his neck, doing everything you could to pry him off away from you and yet it lasted so long that your feet lose it’s footing making you fell on the floor on your but with a loud thud and yet—

And yet, his arms wrapped around your waist never loses its grip and foremost, his lips never leaves yours. Your eyes begun to teared up due to this harsh kiss of his, no, this isn’t a kiss.

It felt like he was devouring you — his prey, alive— wanting nothing but to taste you deeper and deeper till he can get ahold of your soul to taste it as well.

Someone! Help! Drowning in your despair you did as you were forced to feel every inch of him.

He pulled back at last and you catched for the air that was there for the entire time however before you can do even more so, he gripped your jaw with his long and dainty fingers — forcing you to meet his oh so innocent like eyes that scream pure horror of insanity and twisted love.

“Now who’s gonna save you from me, hm?”

© sweetpieceofnightmarez — [2023/2/2]

🐱AUTHOR'S NOTE: thank you sm for reading! <3

🖇️ TAGLIST: -> @mimikittysblog , @zanyduckkitten , @skuiall , @teugiie , @naddii , @bloodline1632 , @duolingofanaccount

#enha #enhypen #enhypen x reader #enha imagines #enha x reader #enhypen oneshots #enhypen scenarios #enha fanfic #enhypen x female reader #enhypen smut #enha smut #lee heeseung #heeseung x reader #heeseung fluff #heeseung smut #enhypen heeseung #heeseung #enha heeseung #yandere enhypen #enhypen fluff

[starsarefire824]

Fic Recs

In honor of things being shitty in the tag right now and everyone in their depression era, I'm offering a few fic recs in these trying times. Hope you discover something new, friends. 🖤

the comforts that make us feel numb by passerine_in_jade.

“No, but really. If I were a girl,” Mike presses on, looking up at Will with red-rimmed eyes through dark lashes. Leaning in. Somehow, fully unaware that this line of questioning has Will's heart climbing up to his throat. “Would you want to kiss me?”

or, Will and Mike get high in the desert.

Well written, almost dreamy quality to it. Author to watch for me! Can't believe I only just discovered their writing.

A Wish For Something More by @waroftheposes

Seven year old Will didn't have a problem with kissing his best friend on a dare. Seventeen year old Will, however, would not do it if someone held his hand over a fire.

Or: Truth or dare at seven and truth or dare at seventeen.

They're silly and sweet and oh so confused. The writing is lovely as well. Great if you're in the mood for fluff.

On the Same Frequency by @oldfashionedmorphine

Ever since his best friend Will Byers was murdered back in 1985, Mike Wheeler wanted nothing more than to leave his hometown of Hawkins, Indiana and never look back—only each and every year he’s forced to make an exception when it comes to the holidays. And when Mike visits for Christmas in 1995, his mom asks him to help clear out some junk in his room and down in the basement before he returns home to Indianapolis. But when he comes across an old trunk containing his Supercom walkie-talkie and ham radio, he discovers something strange that has the potential to change everything…

(or an AU inspired by the movie “Frequency” from 2000)

I'm only just starting this, but Frequency au?? Hell yes.

Fleeting by olliecoddle. @souverian-are-we

Mike liked Will’s art shows, albeit slightly less the higher class they had gotten. Little paintings in the corner of a cafe morphed into white walls and rich spectators poised with champagne and well-mannered criticism. Still, he had been looking forward to it. He wanted to go. But now, walking up to the glass doors, he had to admit he felt jittery.

or, Will's new paintings are a little too personal

This is one of my absolute favorites ever. The writing of course, it's ollie. But the descriptions, the entire buildup of Mike's reaction in the art gallery, the content of the painting? The entire concept is beautiful. And be sure to look up the painting Will's was inspired by. It will tell you everything.

any semblance of touch by anonymous.

“Nothing,” Will says, right into Mike’s ear. “Still feeling good?”

So good. Mike makes sure to not say it aloud this time. “I think,” Mike says slowly, heart pounding, “I need” — Will pulls back just a little, just enough for their noses to bump against each other, clumsy, and Mike bites the bullet — “one more.”

Will is still in Mike’s lap, which is maybe not very platonic of him, and the joint has smoldered its way down to the end, nearly over, all eaten up by the fire. Will swallows thickly, then leans closer, a perfect imitation of their positions from earlier. Mike isn’t sure how long it’s been, but fire has been eating away at him too, this whole time, leaving him on the brink of going up in smoke, slow and burning and so good.“Yeah?” Will murmurs, realization dawning on him, eyes wide. “One more?”

or: Mike’s still new to this whole smoking thing. Will has a few ideas.

Utterly depressing this is anonymous because the writing is phenomenal. So alive and vivid. Not sure where this fic was hiding, but I'm glad I found it. Highlights: Mike’s inner dialogue, the playfulness between them, the lowered inhibitions finally letting them relax into the moment.

nosebleeds from epiphanies (i took full in the face) by wheelersboy @karenchildress.

Hawkins, Montana, June 1988. When Lonnie Byers catches his youngest son in the arms of another boy, he calls in that favor owed to him by rancher Jim Hopper in Lenora: Will must work as an unpaid ranch hand and learn to "man up." Mike Wheeler follows him to the creepy ranch with electrical problems, like any best friend would.

jo's writing is always fantastic. she has such a unique voice and mike's struggle in this just does things for me.

When The Sun Runs Out by olliecoddle @souverian-are-we

On a dreary day in March, 1989 the population of Hawkins, Indiana dropped to four. Will Byers watched as the final family left, the bed of their truck packed to the brim and tied down with a tarp. Furniture stuck out at odd angles, and the corner flap flailed in the breeze as they turned onto the highway. Will followed the vehicle with his eyes until it disappeared as a dot on the long stretch of pavement. Then, he got in his car and went home.

Or, Will is burning out, and Mike is mesmerized by the flame.

This was sexy as hell and all I'm gonna say is tattoos. I really enjoyed this little rougher around the edges, let down by life, closed off Will after being left in Hawkins alone with El, Hopper, and Joyce to wait for the end of the world that never seems to come.

dirty rain by henrycreel

mike wheeler is an average alpha teenage boy working on keeping tight control of his raging hormones in the wake of being seventeen years old, unmated, and a virgin who's never spent his rut with anyone before. when one of his teachers makes an innocent request of him, he finds himself spiraling almost right away. the omega sitting next to him in class is going to be his omega one way or another even if it means employing some traditional and unconventional means to show him who he belongs to.

will byers is an omega with a tendency toward anxiety and outright fear, marked by years of abuse at the hands of his father. high school should be a chance to open a new chapter for himself, but he only truly finds comfort sitting next to mike, an alpha whose presence seems to keep the usual mocking and bullying at bay. but when mike starts to cross the line from friendly classmate into so much more, will has no time to decide if he's ready to move on to a relationship of his own, to finding a mate to settle down with like his big brother already has.

mike is making the decision for both of them.

A solid Omegaverse fic! <3

#byler #fic recs #byler fic #stranger things #will byers #mike wheeler #if you are not @ here would like to be just dm me!

[libraryofloveletters]

Summer Lovin’

Lance Stroll x Fem!Reader 

Warnings: friends to lovers, a bit of tension and awkwardness, seb being number one bestie as always, alcohol and the consumption of, lance being a big softie, reader has an epiphany, some hints to smut, all around summer time fluff

Word Count: 4.8k

Author’s Note: I am back with another lance fic and yet again, it takes place between the Canadian GP and Silverstone lmao // idk what this is really, just go with it lmao 

------

Being the younger sibling had its benefits. You and Lance were able to live your own lives away from the pressure of being the older ones. Your sister, Annie was best friends with Chloe, Lance’s older sister; much like your mothers who were friends as well. 

You and Lance weren't exactly friends, more like acquaintances who spend a lot of time together because your sisters and your mothers were friends. You two ended up spending a lot of time together not by choice, but by force. 

Not that you minded, Lance was entertaining enough. 

He also had the same mindset as you did. 

As much as your older sisters love to live off mom and dad's money, jet setting around the world when things got boring, neither you nor Lance were into that sort of thing. There was no denying that growing up with money did help shape you both into who you were, it was abundantly clear that you had been privileged enough to live a good life. 

Lance’s father helped to fund his karting career which led to Formula One. 

Your parents gave you enough to get your program up and running; a charity which built learning centres for unfunded communities as well as a scholarship fund attached to the charity. 

As much as you liked the security of having your parents there, you were both in your 20s now, it was time to branch out and away from your families and their money.

Everyone was in Montreal this weekend for the Canadian Grand Prix, today was qualifying. The two families, yours and the Strolls’ were in the Aston Martin garage. 

You had joined your sister enough times to know how things worked. While Annie and Chloe spent time lunching and catching up, you were in the garage getting to understand how things worked and why they did what they did. 

“There she is!” His voice echoed across the garage. You turn to see who it was, even though you were already 100% sure who it was before turning. 

“Sebastian!” You smiled, walking over to his side of the garage to give him a hug. “Are you excited ?” You ask him, watching as the mechanics hooked something up to the car. 

“Business as usual,” he tells you with a smile. “I like your shirt,” he teased, knowing he could always find you in the same one. A green Aston Martin shirt hung off your body, Vettel between your shoulders on the back with a 5 in the middle. 

“You know you’re my favourite.” You smiled.  

“Not Lance?” Seb nudged you to look at the man staring at you two. “Please, he knows who I’m really here for.” You say, making Seb laugh. 

Seb’s hand rests on your shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “Go on before he gets jealous,” he smiles. 

“Yeah, okay.” You start walking back over to Lance’s side. “Good luck!” You call back to the German who flashes you a smile. 

You find your way to a seat by the back corner of the garage, Lance comes over and drops his gloves on your lap. “Hello to you too,” you glance up at the man. 

“What were you and Seb laughing about ?” He asks you, tucking his fireproof top into his race suit. 

Your brows furrow, crossing one leg over the other. “Wouldn't you like to know?” 

“I would, that’s exactly why I’m asking, y/n.” “Okay shut up smartass.” 

Lance was going through his last minute checklist, trying to make sure everything was in check with the car and his engineers. “Are you going with your sister ?” You ask him. 

“Where?” He looks over at you, plugging the wires together before pulling the race suit up. 

You get up, fixing his collar for him. “London, they’re going during the break you have this week. They said they wanna spend some time there before Silverstone.” 

He shrugs, “are you going ?” 

“I don’t know.” 

“I’m not,” he tells you, his brown eyes meeting yours. “Honestly, I want some time away. I rented a place on the lakes. I'm gonna head up on Monday.” 

“That sounds nice,” you smile, tugging on the zipper of his race suit and letting it come up before fixing the strap on the top. 

Lance smiles, nodding. “You’re welcome to join me if you want.” 

“I couldn't impose on you like that. Plus I’m sure your friends wouldn’t want me going.” You turn to get his gloves off the chair behind you. 

“Actually, it’s just me. I could use the company.”  

You hand the gloves over to him, “okay. Sure, if you want me too.” 

“I do,” he smiles, taking the gloves from you. “I’ll talk to you after though, I've gotta go.” He nods towards the car. 

“Yeah, duh.” You give him a shove, laughing. 

Some time away at a cottage sounded like a dream. 

As much as you loved travelling the world, you weren't exactly one for the fancy dinners, expensive clothes or lavish nightclubs. Sometimes a week at home, in your sweats while eating bbq and having a beer was better. 

---- 

Race day has come and gone, it was now Monday morning and Lance was in your driveway, waiting for you to come out. You were lugging a bag over your shoulder and there’s a puppy on a leash behind you. 

“Hi Milly!” Lance instantly bends down to pat the puppy’s side. 

You knew how much Lance loved your dog, Amelia; he had been the one that convinced you to get a puppy and took you to adopt her. 

Amelia was taken up with Lance, nuzzled into his hand as he rubbed along her brown fur. You toss your bag in the trunk, and go to get Milly’s leash to take her back inside. 

“She’s not coming with us ?” Lance asks, glancing at you. 

“No. I figured I'd leave her with my parents.” 

“No you can’t do that,” he tells you, his hands resting on her face. “Look at this face, y/n.” He lifts Amelia up, “she’s too cute, she has to come with us.”

You sigh, “fine, but you can take her out in the middle of the night when she needs to use the bathroom.” 

“Fine,” he smiles, kissing the top of the puppy’s head before walking around to get in the car. He hands Amelia over to you when you get in the car. 

The drive from Montreal to Kawartha was about five and a half hours. Lance refused to let you drive but also told you not to backseat drive. You then reminded him that you can’t backseat drive if you’re next to him. It was about an hour more before you two got there and you changed the route in the GPS to Walmart. 

Lance was more than confused when you two pulled into the store parking lot. “What are we doing here?” He pulls into a parking spot. 

“Did you pack anything? Food? Water?” 

Lance’s mouth forms an O, “I hadn’t thought about that.” 

“Exactly mr. rich boy, let’s go.” You get out after setting Amelia on the backseat.  Lance left the windows rolled down enough for her to get air but not enough for her to jump out of the car. 

Lance pulls a shopping cart from the row of them outside. “I can’t remember the last time I came to Walmart..” he pauses, “I don't think I've actually ever been to Walmart.” 

“What?” You look over at him, shocked. “How have you not been to Walmart? I love this place.” 

“You have all the money in the world at your disposal and Walmart is your favourite place?” He looks over at you and you nod, happily. 

You pull him along with you to find what you need. Before you realize, the cart is full; water, bread, cereal, milk, hot dogs, chicken, any condiment you could think of, milk, some veggies, pasta, sauce, graham crackers and chocolate to make s'mores and some candles just in case. You two were wandering the store right now, walking through the aisles as you looked for nothing in particular. 

There’s a box on the shelf that catches your eyes, “Lance!” You call, the man stopping and turning around to face you. “Look!” You show him the box in your hands, little ducky water wings. 

“What are we gonna do with that?” 

“Not for us,” you shake your head, showing him the puppy on the box. “For Milly!” 

“Doesn’t Milly know how to swim?” “Yeah but she's just a baby, plus how frickin’ cute would she look?” You smile at him and Lance can’t say no to you for some reason, taking it from you and chucking it into the cart. 

You were walking through the other aisle; board games. “We should get one,” you tell him, looking through the selection on the left. Lance hums, taking the right side. 

“What about this?” He calls and you turn, a black box in his hand. Truth and Dare, shot edition. 

“Perfect.” 

The bill was less than you expected considering you felt like you bought the whole store. You two dropped the bags off at the car, checking on Amelia before heading over the LCBO across the parking lot. 

If you were going to play truth or dare - shot edition, you were gonna need shots. Lance wandered through the aisles, you pushed the shopping cart this time. There’s a case of Corona in the cart already but you were looking for something you could do shots with. 

“How about Hennessy ?” You picked up the bottle. Lance shrugs, “that burns.” 

“As does all liquor, Lance.” You roll your eyes, setting the bottle in the cart. 

Lance waves you off, walking to the other aisle. “I found it,” he calls and you round the corner to find him. A bottle of Clase Azul tequila in his hand. 

“That’s $305. There’s no way I’m letting you buy a bottle of tequila for that much.” 

“I have the cash,” he tells you, taking his wallet out of his pocket. “It’s not about the money, Lance.” You take the wallet from him and stuff it in your sweater pocket. “It’s illogical. Who spends $300 on tequila ?” 

Lance rolls his eyes, setting the bottle back on the shelf. “Fine, what should we get?” 

“Here,” you hand him a bottle of Casamigos. “Still tequila, way cheaper.” 

“It’s $80!” “Better than $300!” 

He gives in, setting the bottle in the cart as you push it to the cash register. Lance covered the liquor store bill because you paid at Walmart. The rest of the drive was fine, Lance drove again and Milly had jumped back onto your lap. 

You still weren't sure why Lance chose to take his Aston Martin through cottage country but he was driving so who were you to complain ? 

The cottage was fairly normal and fit in with the surrounding houses. It was two stories, a backyard with a fire pit and a dock that led onto the waters. 

That afternoon, you two spent unpacking your stuff and hanging out. There wasn’t a big dinner, you just tossed a frozen pizza in the oven. 

The next 3 days were spent relaxing, most of the days spent in the sun and the water. Hanging out on the dock until your wet skin dried and you got back in the water. 

Amelia was loving all the space, running back and forth between the house and the dock. 

Lance had even blown up the little floaty you bought for her and put it on her. It lasted all of 3 minutes, he snapped a few photos of her before she pawed at it until it popped. 

You and Lance found out you had a lot in common. 

Aside from your jet setting sisters, you both loved racing even though you didn’t actually race. He spent one week off searching for the best poutine spot in Montreal out of curiosity. You agreed with his finding but you had a difference when he said he liked the crinkle cut fries and not the straight ones. 

---- 

It was Friday around lunch. You hadn't woken up all that long ago and you were about to take Amelia out for a walk when Lance came downstairs. “Headed out?” He asks, pouring some orange juice into a glass. 

You bend down to put her leash on. “Taking Milly for a walk.” 

Lance downs the orange juice and sets the glass in the sink. “I’ll join you.” 

He lets you step out first, the two of you headed down the pathway between the houses. Amelia is pulling on her leash and you unclip it, letting her run ahead for a bit. You and Lance are taking your time, walking and chatting and it was a while before you realize that she wasn’t in front of you. 

“Milly!” You shout, looking around. “Milly! Where are you?!”

Lance glances around before speaking. “I’ll go this way, you go that way.” 

“This sounds like a horror movie but okay.” You give him a look before walking through the trees to your right. 

The woods were eerily quiet, you couldn't even hear Amelia barking. You stepped over a twig, the thing snapping under your foot. You had the feeling that someone was behind you but that was impossible, Lance was on the other side and you two hadn’t seen anyone else out there. 

“Milly!” You shout once more, peeking around a tree for her. 

There’s a snapping noise coming from behind you and you knew it wasn’t coming from you because you look down and there’s nothing under your foot. 

You turn around and there’s no one behind you, maybe it was a squirrel or something. You go to turn back around and a hand grabs your shoulder before you turn all the way, you let out a scream and smack whatever or whoever was in front of you. 

The man laughs, his eyes crinkled as he looks at you. “Lance! What the hell!” You smack his arm, your hand resting on your chest as you catch your breath. 

He smiles, “sorry! I had too.” He tells you with Amelia sitting on his arms, you hadn’t even noticed her here.

“You nearly gave me a heart attack, you ass!” You let out a breath, the two of you walking back to the house. 

Once you got back, you both went for a swim and left Milly inside as she fell asleep for a bit. You were in the water when Lance shouted for you. “Watch this!” He calls, running down the dock to do a cannonball into the lake. 

“Wow!” You shout, clapping for him. Lance does a little bow, almost falling face first into the water again which makes you laugh. 

It was close to dinner when you finished up in the shower, Lance had already come back down and was playing with Amelia on the back deck. You knock on the window to get his attention. 

He sticks his head inside to see you. “What’s up?” 

“Turn the bbq on, we should use out the rest of this.” You tell him, taking the chicken out of the fridge. Lance nods, going off to do what you told him. 

You were getting your own stuff ready to cook when he came back in, Amelia trailing in behind him. Lance washes off his hands before grabbing the bowl off the counter and taking it outside. 

You were midway through cooking when you figured you’d take him a beer. You had just put the lasagna in the oven, the mashed potatoes and the salad sitting on the counter. You cooked way more than two people could eat but you were unaware of how to cook in small quantities. 

“Hey,” you call for him, stepping onto the deck. “Hey,” he smiles at you, accepting the beer you offered him. You were standing next to him, leaning over the railing as you looked out onto the water. 

“I was thinking,” he says and you glance over at him, “I know we’re supposed to leave tomorrow but what if we stay this weekend too? I’m not supposed to leave for London until Tuesday anyways and if you don’t have any plans...” 

“Yeah, that’s fine. I was headed to London on Tuesday as well,” you chuckle. “Something about some Canadian guy at Silverstone? I don’t know,” you shrug.

Lance laughs, “oh really? Wonder who that could be.” 

“Yeah, I think his name is Nicholas? Not really sure.” You bite back a smile and Lance nudged you, laughing. “Yeah but if we’re staying, we’ll have to head to the store and grab some stuff. There’s not enough for the rest of the weekend.”

“We’ll go tomorrow,” he tells you, stepping away to check on the bbq. 

Amelia runs back into the deck, Lance bends down to feed her a piece of chicken before patting her side. “Is dinner almost done?” He asks, glancing over at you. 

“Yeah, should be out in a few minutes.” “Oh good, this is almost done.” He says and with that, you head in to check on the lasagna in the oven. 

You and Lance end up having dinner on the back deck, heading down to the firepit after dinner to make s'mores. 

“This was nice,” you tell him and he looks over at you, “getting away from everything.” 

“Yeah, it’s nice to have some quiet.” He smiles. 

It was starting to get chilly by the water and the mosquitoes were biting so you head inside. Milly was sleeping on your lap and Lance picked the puppy up, carrying her back into the house as you followed behind him. He sets her on the couch while you lock the backdoors. You were checking through the cupboards to see what you needed to pick up at the stores when you found the game you guys had picked up. 

“We didn’t play this yet,” you tell him, setting the box on the counter.   

He sits himself on the stool by the counter. “So let's play then.”

You open the box and take out the instructions, it was fairly self explanatory. You pick a card; truth or dare. If you don’t want to do or answer what said card has on it, you take a shot. 

Lance goes first, picking up one from the dare pile. He reads it out loud, “eat a spoonful of mayo.” 

“Ew!” Your face twists, the thought alone makes you want to gag and you’re not even doing it. 

He looks through the fridge, finding the jar tucked away behind some stuff.  “Just do the shot, Lance. That's gross.” You tell him, already pouring the tequila into a glass. 

“No! I can do it,” he says, picking up some on a spoon. Lance brings it about half way before he drops it back in the jar, taking the shot from you and downing it. 

You go next, reading off the card. “Make a prank call to whoever the last person in your recents is.” 

Annie, your sister was the last person in your recents so you call her, caller id blocked of course and start on about some nonsense but Annie could barely hear you, she was at a club by the sound of it. 

You two go through a few more, do some truths and some dares, the questions a little too personal which caused more than a few shots to be downed. 

“Okay, my turn.” Lance says, reaching over to grab the card. 

You were pouring out the next two shots, finishing off the bottle of Casamigos you had bought. Lance pauses, snickering as he reads the card. “Kiss the hottest person in the room.” 

You laugh, “you’re not gonna find a mirror and start making out with yourself, are you?” 

Lance shrugs, stepping closer to you as he reaches for the shot glass. He drinks the last of the clear liquid and he leans over to you. 

“You’re the hot one.” He grins, clearly the tequila was kicking in. 

“Am I? How sweet of you-” Lance cuts you off with a kiss. 

You freeze, your hand on his cheek, almost to push him away but you can’t bring yourself to move. His hand came to rest on your thigh now that you were sitting on the counter. 

You’re both far too drunk to be thinking logically hence why you don't stop him when he steps between your legs. 

Lance's other hand rests on your jaw, pulling you closer to him. You find yourself scooting to the edge of the counter to wrap your arms over his shoulder when he picks you up. It wasn’t until you got to the bedroom that you realized what was happening. 

Maybe a week with Lance wasn’t so bad after all. 

---- 

The sun peeks through the curtains, your head pounding as you sit up. 

You’re not in your room. 

This is Lance’s room.

It’s a little past noon when you get up and you can feel Lance’s presence behind you. He was still asleep when you crept out of the bedroom. 

Amelia was running through the hallways when you got up so you took her down to the dock, letting her stretch her legs and run around for a bit. 

You were sitting in the chair by the docks, watching the puppy run in silence. The water crashed against the wooden posts of the dock. The sun was shining down on the water but the fog was creeping in, it was going to rain and yet you felt as if the fog had swallowed you whole already. 

The creaking of the wood caught your attention and you glanced over your shoulder; Lance with two cups in hand. 

“Figured you’d want some coffee after last night,” he hands the mug off to you. You give him a tight lipped smile, sipping on the coffee. 

It was quite some time before either of you spoke, Lance sitting to your right and Amelia had sat herself between the chairs. 

“I should go to the store,” you say as you get up. 

Lance mirrors your actions, “I'll join you.” 

“I’ll be fine, it’s 15 minutes.” You insist but Lance wouldn’t budge. “Or a 5 minute drive, let’s go.” 

The drive to the store was quiet, you had left Amelia at home for the time being. You couldn't bring yourself to ask Lance what really happened last night.

Last you remember, you were kissing him on the bed and then it went blank. 

Instead of asking, you choose to ignore it in hopes that the memories will come back. 

You pick up a few things to hold you over the weekend before heading back to the cottage. Lance follows you back into the house but he heads upstairs to take a shower. You head up to change into your bikini because despite the rain, you couldn't bring yourself to spend more time with him in the house. 

You were going to lose your mind if you don’t ask him what happened but you can’t bring yourself to ask. 

Lance comes down to find the house quiet, Amelia playing with her toys in the corner and he peeks outside when he sees the backdoor unlocked. You were in the water even with the pouring rain. 

He steps out, pulling his hoodie over his head. He’s got a towel in hand as he jogs down to the dock. “Hey,” he shouts for you and you turn to see him. 

“What ?” 

“Get out, you’re gonna get sick.” He says, leaning down to grab your hand. Lance pulls you up onto the dock before handing you the towel. “Can we talk?” He asks, following you back to the house. 

You step inside, heading towards the stairs before stopping to look at him. “I need to shower, we can talk after.” 

Lance makes himself busy putting away the stuff you had both left on the counters while you showered. It wasn’t a long shower, you didn’t want him to think you were ignoring him; which you sort of were but that wasn’t the point. 

You didn’t have much time to think before you headed downstairs. 

His back was turned to you as you walked to the fridge, about to grab a beer but you decided against it. Being drunk led you to this predicament. You turn to face him, back against the fridge, “talk.” You tell him. 

“I don’t regret it,” he starts, turning to face you. 

Your face twists, confusion evident. “Regret ?” You ask. 

“Kissing you last night.” He answers. “I like you, y/n. I always have; since we were kids. You were always nice to me and you liked the same things as I did, you got up to watch the races with me while our sisters slept in, you skipped shopping trips to go karting with me. You’ve supported me more than I could ever explain.” 

His words, rather his confession, catches you off guard. You never really saw Lance as more than just Lance; Chloe’s little brother and your friend. Even when he became an F1 driver, he was still Lance. 

It never changed who he was to you. 

It did prompt you to think back to all the big moments over the course of your life. Every big moment, Lance was by your side. He had spent so much time with you when you were getting the charity up and running, you were by his side through the start of his F1 career - you can still remember him getting his maiden pole position and his first podium.  

He was the first person you turned to, good or bad, he was there for you and you did the same for him. 

Maybe Lance was right. Maybe you shouldn't regret the kiss, what was there to regret anyways? 

You’ve known each other your whole lives, liked each other for forever so what was the harm in trying ? 

Lance was staring at you, his brown eyes fixed on you as you stood there,  quietly. He calls your name, pulling your attention back to him and much like a hallmark movie, you can’t help but kiss him. Hands on his cheeks as he pulls you into him. 

“Happy?” You mumble against his lips, the man smiling. “Very.” 

---- 

Chloe and Annie find you and Lance in the garage, you step away to give them time to fawn over the driver before he gets ready for his qualifying session. All 3 of you had joined Lance for Silverstone. You and Lance weren't officially out to anyone yet. 

The weekend spent at the cottage was between the two of you and only the two of you. 

You wander to the back of the garage, putting yourself out of anyone’s way for the time being. The green t-shirt hanging off your frame was being tugged on and you turned to see who it was. “Am I losing my favourite fan?” His accent fills your ear as he stands beside you. 

Anytime you came to a race, you wore an Aston Martin shirt but usually you wore one that said Vettel because when you and Lance were kids, you used to watch races with him and Seb was always your favourite. 

You laugh, looking over at Sebastian. “Never in a million years. He knows who I'm really here for.” 

“Good.” Sebastian smiles, nudging you with his shoulder. “Go,” he tells you. Your brows furrow, “where?” 

“Go be with your man.” “Sebastian!” You laughed, “I know you did not just say that to me.” 

“Oh, is he not?” Seb rolls his eyes, clearly not believing you. 

“Hush, don’t you have a race to get ready for ?” You ask him as he walks off. “Don’t you have a boyfriend to love?” He asks, laughing. 

You roll your eyes, laughing as you walk back over to Lance. Both yours and his sister had stepped away and let him get ready. You straighten his race suit, tugging the zipper up for him. 

“Hey,” he smiles at you and you look up at him. 

“Good luck.” You tell him, pulling him in for a hug. Lance lets you pull away before his hand rests on your cheek before kissing you. “See you when I get out babe.” 

“Mhm hm, be safe.” You smile, wiping the lipgloss from his lips. 

So much for a secret. 

---- 

taglist: @timetoracewrites @diorleclerc @lickmeleclerc @dragon-of-winterfell @benedictscanvas @elisaa-shelby @hnmaga-blog @czechoslovakiandisco @dr3lover @troybolton14 @Lovingroscoee @compulsiveshit @somanyfandomsbruh @damnyoulifee @barzysreputation @vickyofalltrades @yeolsbubbles @barzysreputation @thybulleric @valkyrie418​ @ricsaigaslec​ @holy-macncheese-balls​

#lance stroll #lance stroll x reader #lance stroll x y/n #lance stroll x you #lance stroll fic #lance stroll imagine #lance stroll oneshot #f1 #f1 fic #f1 fanfic #f1 fiction #f1 imagine #f1 one shot #f1 x reader #f1 x you #f1 x y/n #formula 1 #formula 1 x you #formula 1 x reader #formula one x you #formula one x y/n #formula one x reader #formula one imagine #formula one fluff #formula one fanfiction #formula one fic #aston martin #aston martin f1

[ghosts-and-blue-sweaters]

Please scream about Ghostbur to me.

Coming soon: me screaming about Halo

OKAY here goes nothing !!

Also this is one of my favorite gifs :)

ANYWAY! MOVING ON TO THE!! RAMBLE!!!

Okayokay I just recently had an epiphany in regards to Ghostbur + the rampant mischaracterization that the fandom gives to him, and the epiphany is this: Ghostbur is an extremely multi-faceted character.

That doesn’t sound too monumental on its own—well-written characters should be multi-faceted!—but with Ghostbur, I feel like it’s much more extreme… which also makes him more confusing.

It’s so freakin rare to find anyone who actually understands Ghostbur’s character & doesn’t wildly mischaracterize him/have a super strange idea of who he is, and for the longest time I couldn’t understand it! I chalked it up to fans being unable to actually look at his character and dig deeper, or only being able to see a very surface-level Ghostbur, but now I think it’s a little different than that :0

Ghostbur is a very complex little guy—which most people don’t realize! He’s mature but also childish, and he’s happy but also depressed, and he cares so deeply for everything but he also doesn’t value his own life, and he wants to die but he’s scared of death. It all sounds very contradictory, but if you understand his character then you realize it makes sense!

And I’m pretty darn certain that the reason fans misinterpret him so much is because they’re only paying attention to one of his many facets!! Rather than seeing All of Ghostbur’s facets and quirks, they only focus on one, and the result is a very very mischaracterized ghost.

There’s a big issue when it comes to infantalizing Ghostbur; it’s definitely the most common mischaracterization I’ve seen. And I think the reason it’s so rampant is because it’s… sort of grounded in truth? Ghostbur is very whimsical and silly and smiley, and he does quite a few things that would be seen as childish—things such as refusing to talk/think about sad things, only focusing on “happy” things, deriving the most fulfillment and satisfaction from simple tasks, etc etc. I don’t think it’s wrong to say that Ghostbur has childish traits! Not wrong at all!! It’s an important part of his character, I fully believe that!

The problem comes when people only see Ghostbur as childish. When they only pay attention to his sillier aspects. When they cannot understand that yes, parts of Ghostbur are childish, but he is still an adult and he’s really quite mature!!

Another mischaracterization I’ve seen, though not as frequently, is sort of… I guess “dark Ghostbur” would be the best way to put it; they think of Ghostbur as creepy, as unsettling, as dead, as unnatural, as disturbing. They see him as something wrong, as something that is not supposed to be moving and talking and smiling. Someone who watches pleasantly as terrible things happen all around, someone who’s ready to kill and torture. Basically, this version of Ghostbur leans more into the ghost aspect—specifically, a creepy, supernatural ghost who’s clearly, undeniably inhuman.

This, again, is founded on a bit of truth! Ghostbur has definitely done or said creepy things—most notably whenever he talks about death. He’ll say things like, “Alivebur blew up the nation and killed everyone, it looks like Tommy killed himself, I want to die” and he will say it all in an easy, pleasant, smiling tone of voice, as if he sees absolutely nothing disturbing about the subject matter.

But the problem happens when fans only see this side of his personality, and make it into his entire personality. Because truth is, Ghostbur isn’t a generally creepy character! He’s super sweet and wants to help people, and he’s always looking for the good in others. He just happens to also have a bit of an unsettling side to him, but that is by no means reflective of his whole entire personality, and shouldn’t be viewed as such!

The many complexities of Ghostbur is something I could literally go on and on about, but this kinda scratches the surface of what I mean. He has so many wonderful sides to his beautiful & unique personality, and I think most fans are incapable of understanding all of them :( It’s very unfortunate, because he really is SUCH an amazing character!! He’s incredible!!! He does not deserve how the fandom treats him, not at all.

#THANK YOU SO MUCH DEATHY EEEEEEEEEEE #this was so fun :D #ask #deathy tag #ghostposting #Ghostbur #dsmp ghostbur #the gif saved weirdly I think 😭 #but yeah AAAAAAAAH I FREAKING LOVE HIM!!! I FREAKING LOVE THIS GHOST!!! #AND I WILL DEFEND HIM UNTIL THE DAY MY LUNGS STOP WORKING #TRULY!!!

[reverieaa]

Hi! I'm the same anon as last one who read your 'Change of clothes' (can I be your anon? i'll take any emoji)

So I had a spiritual epiphany which was sparked this morning after going through my notes of states posts (yours as well as @neobora and @remcycl333) and I wanted to share. I think the non-duality concepts finally tied in for me.

This is my epiphany:

I think the true purpose of manifesting as humans is to realise our true selves as infinite beings. To remember & reclaim our limitless power and transcend from the limitations and illusions of the material world we were born into. When you truly understand the law and can practice it well, you are no longer a slave to the material world and its rules. You are unshakeable because you know you are far greater than this temporary shadow. You realised the truth that your reality is whatever you choose it to be, through your awareness. And the process of coming to this realisation, of reclaiming our power, is the awakening & liberation itself. The desire for material things was only the carrot on the stick that led us to learn to manifest, to exercise our power, never the true end goal. The true reward is knowing we are God. We always were and always will be but we needed to remember. And this is how.

Thank you again for your lovely posts. I never thought I'd finally 'get' states but I think I do now. I now read loa posts out of interest & as a reminder of my own power, no longer looking for *the* thing that's finally going to get me what I want. It's always only ever been within me. I can't look outside to fulfill it.

Funny thing is I actually manifested through states a year ago with a few things I didn't care about. I was like 'oh I'll give what I read a try" without any expectations and I realise now I executed it perfectly. The reason I overconsumed, spiralled and couldn't persist when it came to "big" desires is because I was still identifying with the outer man in the material world which falsely believed that it had to work hard to get "big" things it wanted (hence thinking I had to constantly be thinking or doing something about it like doing methods & routines to have it); I hadn't actually realised my true self and true power and identified with it.

Now I know it's accepting that state of being within you, identifying with your inner self (the infinite being) and dismissing the shadow that the 3D is. I also want to credit/give a shoutout to this reddit user Own_Ad7567 who is a shifter as they contributed to my eventual epiphany. I realised shifting is the same essence of what is talked about here, it was very fresh, interesting & eye opening to read about the law framed in yet another way. Their post 'For those who struggle with doubts and focus problems' in particular is really good but all their posts were fun to read! They said:

"Understand that your 3d, or physical reality (basically what you perceive around you) is the least real part of reality. It is just a projection of the 4d. Like a cinema: what happens on the screen is just a projection. If you want to change what's being projected on the screen, dont focus on changing the screen, change the film and the screen is quickly going to be showing something different

I know on loablr the most used analogy was the mirror & face but it never really clicked for me until I read that! And then afterwards I read @neobora's 'Through a different lens' post & it just solidified my understanding.

Wow I'm amazed at how long this post is. Maybe it will help someone else too. Thank you again for your writing all those posts and answering all the asks. I still haven't read most of it but that's just how impactful your posts are. I gained a lot of clarity just from reading a few. I am truly grateful to you, @neobora, @remcycl333, Own_Ad7567 and everyone who shares their understanding of the law. Thank you guys!

You are absolutely amazing, anon! Thank you for your kind and sweet words, and your wisdom. I hope this helps sb put there too and I'm certain that it will. I'm seeing it more and more everyday in this community, despite us having upset and downs. I'm proud that you've finally reached peace in your journey like this, and I'm honored that you let me be part of it, along with the other bloggers

You can be my anon is you wish, I'm not very active here but would it be ok for now if you went by an initial or nickname?

#law of assumption #affirm and persist #manifesation #manifesting #neville goddard #3d #affirmations #loa #loa methods #void state

[dramavixen]

Chang Heng: The Man Who Deserves to Be a Male Lead, But Absolutely Should Not Be One

(i.e., I found the opportunity to dunk on Ten Miles of Peach Blossom’s Ye Hua after spending far too long harboring a simmering resentment for that giant man baby)

**Spoilers for: Love Between Fairy and Devil and Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms

I was around 19 years old when I watched the renowned xianxia drama 三生三世十里桃花 (Three Lives, Three Worlds, Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms, A.K.A. Eternal Love or TMOPB for short). I was smitten with the worldbuilding and music, but especially with the male lead. To this day, Ye Hua holds the crown as one of xianxia’s most beloved characters. Not that he did anything super cool—unless you consider bawling over his dead wife revolutionary.

It was a couple years and many more dramas later that I realized I had been conned. Beneath the pretty tears and fantastic dubbing, Ye Hua represents an absolute disaster of a man, an apocalypse for the poor lady on the receiving end of his heart-eyes. How could I, a supposedly mature adult, have been so blind to his deadly flaws (ironic, given what he does to his wife)?

This epiphany blessed me with an instinctual aversion to the xianxia genre. Everywhere I looked, I could only see the shadow of Ye Hua within the male characters who took up his torch—none of these xianxia men are worth shit. And then I learned that the same often applies to xianxia women. All of them need an intervention.

So when Love Between Fairy and Devil’s Chang Heng graced my screen and started exuding extreme Ye Hua vibes, could you blame me for thinking “oh hell no”? I was not ready to get hurt again. Over the course of the drama, I learned to heal and love again, but because of a single caveat: Chang Heng is destined to never get the girl.

---

The Walking Red Flag

As with all good science experiments, we need to establish the control element. Ye Hua will act as that today. What about Ye Hua is so unforgivable, yet allows him to remain as one of the faces of xianxia?

TMOPB was met with explosive popularity upon its release in 2017 and remains one of the most well-known C-dramas to this day. It’s not a reach to say that its success prompted the wave of xianxia dramas released in its wake, nor to claim that its influence inspired a new formula for the genre’s plot structure. It wasn’t entirely original in concept, but its impact on pop culture shouldn't be understated.

The drama’s primary selling point is the love story between esteemed goddess Bai Qian and Heavenly Crown Prince Ye Hua. Through a series of unfortunate events, Bai Qian loses her memory and powers, becoming the “mortal” Su Su. Ye Hua is the smitten deity who really, really wants to be with Su Su even though their relationship is strictly forbidden due to Reasons That Definitely Exist and Are Valid.

Dramatic irony is also at play. Bai Qian and Ye Hua are betrothed to one another long before they fall in love in the mortal realm, but are unaware that their beloved and their future spouse are one and the same person. Their love is essentially a fated relationship disguised as a wild goose chase.

Once Su Su “dies,” Ye Hua deteriorates into a lovesick shell of himself. His longing, guilt, and grief over her death have since established themselves as the picturesque representation of tragic elements inherent to the xianxia genre. Ever since Ye Hua did it, everyone and their grandmas think it’s the new hip thing to get their lovers killed and then cry over it.

Ye Hua could take one step into my house and I would kick him to the curb, install new locks, and file for a restraining order. I fear this man far more than I fear the typical drama villain. Because imagine what he’d do to someone he hates, if this is what he does to the person he loves:

I’ll give him a pass on some of his early flirting techniques, which includes shenanigans like injuring himself to elicit her care and attention and also sleeping in her bed without her express knowledge. (Off to a promising start, aren’t we?) He's a lovestruck fool, ignorant to proper methods to woo the ladies.

After Su Su takes an interest in him, he tricks her into marrying him. Fine, that’s a bit of an exaggeration. But he doesn’t see anything wrong with marrying her while she’s unaware of his true identity. He doesn’t even pipe up about it after she gets pregnant. Meanwhile, Su Su marries him because she’s lonely and trusts that he’s someone who can always be there for her—you know, like a good spouse tends to be. He is not that.

Ye Hua thinks he can outsmart the heavens with his amoeba brain and tries to fake his own death so he can be with Su Su. He fails miserably.

Su Su finds out who Ye Hua truly is after she’s captured by his Heavenly Lord grandpa, who fully intends on punishing her for their relationship since she’s a “mortal” and easy to bully.

Ye Hua fears that openly expressing his love for Su Su will get her killed. To avoid this, he comes up with the ingenious solution of pulling the whole “I have to treat you like garbage to protect you” bullshit. Dearest Ye Hua, please name me one scenario in any drama where you saw this method working out well enough for you to try it for yourself.

For obvious reasons, Su Su starts doubting that Ye Hua truly loves her. This doubt peaks after manipulative female support character Su Jin accuses Su Su of pushing her off the Zhu Xian Tai (“Fairy-Executing Terrace”) in an attempt to kill her, a plot that results in Su Jin going blind. Ye Hua, in another effort to “protect” Su Su, personally digs out Su Su’s eyeballs as retribution—even though he knows that she didn’t do anything wrong, and even as she sobs and begs him not to do it.

Blind and abandoned, Su Su explores the palace every day through touch and commits its layout to memory. After giving birth to her son, she uses that knowledge, finding and leaping off the Zhu Xian Tai to kill herself.

She doesn’t die, of course. She regains her memories as a goddess, but is so tormented by what she endured that she decides to wipe away the memories of the entire relationship. Then they reunite and fall in love again, yada yada yada.

All of that content makes for great angst. I still need a tissue box or two to make it through the episode where Su Su throws herself off the Zhu Xian Tai. If anything, my frustration toward Ye Hua makes me cry even harder because goodness, the audacity of this asshole. He acts purely out of selfishness, desiring to keep Su Su at his side at any cost, even if she’s the one paying it. This isn’t to say that Ye Hua gets off scot-free. He also willingly takes punishments in Su Su’s stead and wants to follow her after she dies. But so what? Does his suffering reduce Su Su’s pain at all? Does that change any of what he does to her? And he doesn’t even get her eyes back for her afterward; she has to do it herself!

What makes Ye Hua truly irredeemable in my eyes is that he still ends up with Bai Qian. Her forgiveness is only natural, as her love for him exceeds her hate. That sounds romantic, but only if you ignore how he caused her enough pain for her to prefer death. And even if she forgives him, why does she have to take him back? Unless she so desperately needs a reason to jump off the Zhu Xian Tai again.

While I understand that the show is more marketable when the lead couple has a “happy” ending, it doesn’t sit well with me that that’s the end result for Ye Hua and Bai Qian. Ye Hua expresses remorse, tons of it; otherwise how could so many viewers readily forgive him? But it’s simply not true that once we show enough remorse, we should earn back the things and people we lost. Once some things are over, they’re truly over. If that applies to anyone, it should definitely apply to someone like Ye Hua.

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Wake Him Up Inside

And so we arrive on the subject of Chang Heng. Oh, Chang Heng. I see his tiny face and I just want to wrap him up in a blanket and feed him s’mores.

Chang Heng’s character shares many foundational similarities with Ye Hua: he crushes on someone while unaware that she’s actually his long-lost fiancée, has too many responsibilities, and struggles to balance those two problems. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if the writers had Ye Hua in mind while creating Chang Heng. Every single word of wisdom he utters is a not-so-subtle jab at Ye Hua’s erring ways. It’s the sweet honey of vindication, I tell you.

Before he gets to that point of self-awareness, Chang Heng treads the same path as Ye Hua. He wipes Xiao Lanhua’s memories of him without her permission. He doesn’t dare reveal his feelings for her because that would be counter to his duties. Even after painstakingly creating medicine to help with her dysfunctional spiritual root, he ends up pretending that he never did such a thing. In his deepest subconscious, he believes his love for Xiao Lanhua is a weakness. The main difference between him and Ye Hua is that Chang Heng has the decency to distance himself beforehand, knowing that he is in no position to have a relationship with her.

Two things prevent Chang Heng from transforming into Ye Hua 2.0: 1) he isn’t the male lead and 2) Dongfang Qingcang’s existence.

Imagine a world in which Chang Heng is the male lead. When Xiao Lanhua is accused of being a traitor, he would almost certainly pull a Ye Hua move and negotiate with his brother. “I know she’s innocent, but I also know that you must punish her, so please just spare her life”—that type of thing. (The reason I think this isn’t just possible but probable is because later in the actual drama, he enthusiastically agrees to a plan in which he and Rong Hao would kill Xiao Lanhua’s body with DFQC trapped inside, and simply build Xiao Lanhua a new shell to live in. Bro, what the hell.) Because Chang Heng doesn’t fully understand how useless he is, that would be the limit of what he can do for her. He would seriously believe that he has no other choice in the matter.

But someone else is the male lead. When DFQC comes along to rescue Xiao Lanhua, there’s no compromise to be had. He’s taking her with him and that’s the end of it. I, for one, have never felt so validated as when DFQC beats Chang Heng to the floor and then just...walks away, like he’s making a stop at the supermarket.

DFQC: Are you going to save her? Or are you going to save your Shuiyuntian?

That someone can behave this way is a major culture shock to Chang Heng. How can someone just do whatever they want? What about rules? Watching DFQC whisk Xiao Lanhua away serves as loudest of wake-up calls: DFQC intends to put Chang Heng in his place, showing him that he does have a choice in the matter. But he can neither defeat DFQC nor abandon his responsibilities. Until he can overcome those obstacles, Xiao Lanhua will always be out of his reach.

While Xiao Lanhua sparks love in Chang Heng with her desire to protect him, DFQC is the one who makes him question his priorities. Exactly what should he be doing that he currently isn’t? How is it possible that he’s a god of war, yet can’t protect the one he loves?

Chang Heng realizes that distancing himself from Xiao Lanhua accomplishes nothing but forcing her further out of reach (proud of him for realizing that one because let’s be honest, we don’t love Chang Heng for his brain cells). He also has an extreme edge to him, so he hops straight over to doing the exact opposite, rebelling against the arbitrary rules of heaven, constantly trying to bring Xiao Lanhua home, and openly expressing his feelings for her. Later, even if it means becoming a mortal, even if it means letting her go to someone else, nothing is off-limits.

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The Fine Line Between Helplessness and Incompetence

A lot of xianxia plots depend on characters being helpless and subject to the fates. In my childhood memories, xianxia dramas commonly had at least one main character who was a low-ranked human or deity. Bullied and unable to fend for themselves, their journeys to improve themselves and protect what mattered to them were ones that touched and inspired people who could relate to their common identities. These characters aren’t given many choices in such situations, yet they consistently choose to fight back.

This zero-to-hero trope has become less convincing over time as the trend turned into telling the stories of “chosen ones.” There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, except now all of these dramas are trying to convince us that these gods with unlimited power are...powerless. They’re all hero-to-even-bigger-hero tales, if you will.

It’s not impossible for gods to be forced into making certain decisions, but it’s quite rare that a xianxia persuades me into finding it believable. If we look at Ye Hua again, he gets outsmarted by some random woman who's jealous of his wife. He also snubs Su Su to placate an old man. You’re trying to tell me that that’s the best a dragon crown prince can do? If I lived in the heavens, I’d live in fear of a revolution every day if those are the capabilities of my future leader.

When it comes down to it, Ye Hua is not helpless like our heroes of old—he’s incompetent. And it’s hard to sympathize with a guy who loses everything not because outside forces overpower him, but because he himself sucks major ass.

LBFAD, a drama where every one of the three leads is someone of super high rank, is the only xianxia in recent years which puts into perspective how huge power translates into huge responsibility, and why that pushes characters into feeling like things are out of their control. Be it DFQC’s and Chang Heng’s duties to their people or Xiao Lanhua’s destiny to save all life, it’s hard for any of them to decide when to give in and when to rebel against the heavy weight of destiny.

Chang Heng is a pleasant mixture of both helplessness and incompetence. Is it not endearing the way DFQC easily crushes him, yet he still goes flying into enemy territory proclaiming that he’s going to save Xiao Lanhua? I don’t know where his confidence is coming from and I don’t think he does either, but it’s heartwarming to watch him try and fail with flying colors.

When Chang Heng hops over to Cangyan Sea to bring Xiao Lanhua home without a solid plan, DFQC is again the guy to remind Chang Heng that he still needs to do better. Good intentions are a solid starting point, but are worthless if he can’t convert them into something practical.

CH: Xiao Lanhua, is someone threatening you? Do not be afraid. Tell me, and I will protect you.

DFQC!XLH: No one has threatened me, and no one has forced me. [...] I am also no longer the inconsequential lowly spirit that you all take me for, nor am I a traitor or a spy in collusion with the Moon Tribe. I can happily be myself. Compared to my days in Shuiyuntian, when anyone could step all over me, this is over a hundred times better. [...] Suppose that I go back with you. Can you guarantee that you will clear my name from collusion with the Moon Tribe? Suppose that your Lord Yun Zhong insists that he will not pardon me; would you dare go against him? Suppose that he uses that heavenly rule nonsense to ask you and force you; could you promise my safety? Suppose that anyone dares to harm me or blame me; could you reduce them to ashes?

Aside from making Xiao Lanhua understand that Chang Heng’s mainly just a pretty face, this interrogation forces Chang Heng to consider what’s at stake. Protecting Xiao Lanhua and following the rules are mutually exclusive decisions. His struggle to circumvent this issue isn’t trivial, seeing as it’s challenging his entire belief system. But he can either start questioning what he’s capable of, or let Xiao Lanhua get hurt again.

What stands out to me about this interaction is when DFQC also tacks on that Chang Heng “cannot even tell [her] something [she] wants to hear”; that he won’t even claim that he can keep her safe. Maybe I’m just that jaded, but his refusal to tell pretty lies is what I adore about Chang Heng. It’s a matter of life and death, and if he can’t promise her safety, he won’t. If he lies to her and to himself, then he could never become the straight-shooting Chang Heng we all know and love.

DFQC might be his inspiration, but Rong Hao being simultaneously Chang Heng’s best friend (potentially more; oh what could’ve been) and a foil to his character is an enormously overlooked dynamic. Rong Hao frequently tells Chang Heng that they’re the same type of people, that their love for their respective ladies is what corners them into making less-than-optimal decisions. Each time, Chang Heng’s instinct is to rebuff him.

RH: Because the two of us are the same. I have no choice. And you, ultimately, will also have no choice.

CH: You do not have a choice? You chose to conspire with my brother, to disturb matters, to catalyze the three realms’ largest war in the last tens of thousands of years!

Chang Heng’s newfound philosophy is that everyone has a choice. You may be dealt an awful hand, but you can still choose to play or fold. His friend’s decision-making comes off as foolish arrogance to him.

But Rong Hao is right in one respect. They are similar: if Ye Hua represents an alternate universe version of Chang Heng in which DFQC doesn’t exist, then Rong Hao is suffering a version of Chang Heng’s future in which Xiao Lanhua/Xi Yun sacrifices herself for the greater good, yet is forgotten by those she dies for. Chang Heng can remain optimistic because the person he loves is still alive and loved by others. Rong Hao is comparatively hopeless. He can only wait to witness the impending devastation before realizing that the harder choice is oftentimes the better one.

We will never know how Chang Heng would react if in Rong Hao’s exact position. But whatever he would choose to do, he would not absolve himself from responsibility by claiming that he had no other choice. The results may be out of his hands, but the initial choice is what he can decide for himself.

Chang Heng reminds me much more of traditional xianxia protagonists. Every obstacle they face only drives them to seek enough strength to change the status quo. While Chang Heng may never win against DFQC, he’ll keep trying. (Or he’ll convert him into a brother; that works too.) Everyone will say he doesn’t have a choice, but he wants one and he will get one. Ah, my heart is so full. I don���t want perfect characters. I want characters who strive to do better, especially in a world that pushes them down, and he suits that to a tee.

Meanwhile, Ye Hua over here blinds his wife due to...societal expectations? My god. He just keeps getting worse the more that I think about him.

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I’m Sorry. But At Least I Love You!

There always has to be an arc where the lead couple’s relationship splinters because one party draws back in order to “protect” the other. It’s accompanied by an intentional lack of communication, so the other person thinks that they’ve been left behind. Remember when this trope used to be cool? Yeah, I don’t either. Because it never was.

Ye Hua might have some fun with this, but LBFAD doubles it by making both the male lead and second male lead utilize this strategy: DFQC, in order to force Xiao Lanhua to fall out of love with him and spare her life in the process, and Chang Heng, who refrains from pursuing Xiao Lanhua in the beginning in order to keep her out of his brother’s view.

I’m tempted to be lenient in both cases. DFQC’s predicament is written well enough that he does seem truly out of options in that situation—every possible choice is wrong. He either breaks her heart and she survives, perhaps so he can explain his actions later, or he lets her die. Or, you know. He could communicate like she asked him to, and they could try to find a way out together. Instead she stabs herself. So you know what, no free pass for DFQC, but at least he makes up for it later.

(I have to get another jab at Ye Hua in here. When Xiao Lanhua commits suicide, she does it to save DFQC. It’s an act of love and sacrifice. Su Su literally seeks death out of unadulterated heartbreak and betrayal. Big difference there, huh?)

I mentioned that Chang Heng’s actions are out of responsibility, so it’s hard to fully blame him. At the same time, the reason Chang Heng can’t win over Xiao Lanhua is because he doesn’t act on his feelings until it’s too late. Simply “protecting her” is not enough: people don’t love others in the hopes of being protected. They love someone to walk alongside them through all the good and bad in life, together.

Chang Heng shines in the ending episodes. He still wants to protect Xiao Lanhua, but he also becomes the one person who understands and accepts her own desires. Knowing from experience that acting one-sidedly is but a temporary solution to a much larger issue, he listens to and considers what she wants. When the two tribes are on the brink of war and Xiao Lanhua doesn’t want to return to Shuiyuntian with him, even after learning of her lost identity as the Goddess of Xishan, he respects that. When, as Xi Yun, she confides in him that she’s pretending to not remember DFQC, he is hurt by how cruel she is being to him, but in the end chooses to understand her.

CH: Your life will truly be in danger this time, Xiao Lanhua. I absolutely cannot let you go back there.

XLH: Lord Chang Heng, are you really going to stop me? My lord, you are a god of war. I am merely a plant with a damaged spiritual root. If you insist on stopping me, then there is nothing I can do. But I will definitely not give in.

CH: You will die. Is that right? [...] You and Dongfang Qingcang love one another. You would rather pretend not to know him than to harm him in any capacity. Then what about me? How could you...how could you ask me to marry you and then personally send you off to die? Did you consider me at all?

XLH: Chang Heng...I am sorry.

CH: I do not want any of your ‘sorry’s. You clearly know that what I want is not for you to say sorry. Are you going to tell me that you do not have a choice?

XLH: That is not true. It was me who chose to live with the Goddess of Xishan’s destiny. Chang Heng, you are the only one who can help me.

Oh, Chang Heng. He’s come to his senses, but everyone he loves and respects falls apart. Saving DFQC from his dreamworld, bringing Xiao Lanhua back from the dead, sacrificing Xiao Lanhua, burying his best friend...what a rough schedule. Scratch giving him s’mores, he needs a drink or two.

Everyone in this drama grows into a better version of themselves, but Chang Heng practices the deepest empathy of any of them. To be hurt is to understand others’ pain, and he really does learn to understand.

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Such is the beautiful tragedy of Chang Heng and his love for Xiao Lanhua. It’s bittersweet that Chang Heng knows to let go, but comforting to recognize that they’re better off not being together. Only with them apart can Chang Heng’s love stay as pure as it is.

Take that, Ye Hua. I’ll admit, I appreciate Ye Hua for showing me the perfect example of a guy that I should not even spare a glance at. Otherwise, Chang Heng supremacy declared; respectfully, please get that other man away from me.

#苍兰诀 #love between fairy and devil #三生三世十里桃花 #eternal love #three lives three worlds #scribbles* #chang heng has liberated me #i feel so free after finally badmouthing this guy after all these years lmao #ahem no hard feelings ye hua #you were a good part of my c-drama history