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#this is magnificent and changes the entire story
tamarrud · 3 months
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Palestinians have always voiced their concern over the way images of their bodies would be shared online if they were to be killed by Israeli strikes. Yet, I am seeing this argument that these images and footage are essential to show the world the true magnitude of the genocide that is taking place in Gaza.
But here’s the thing, we’ve had almost 100 days of this current escalation of genocide with no shortage of these horrifying images and footage and we are not seeing this magnificent impact that this argument alludes to. Hell, we have had decades of horrific images, some dating back to 1948 and here we are 75 years later with little to no solid change. If you really think images of bodies torn apart are impactful, you really have not considered the abundance of these images throughout the past decades worldwide, not just in Palestine. At some point you’ve got to recognise that circulating horrific images is not fulfilling the purpose you think it is fulfilling and you have to question /your/ motive.
I say /your/ because I know some of you will say that journalists in Gaza are the ones actually shooting these images and sharing them. The difference is, that’s their reality and that’s what they are witnessing. It’s lazy to think that our role is to merely hit the share button. I think our role should grow beyond that because unlike them, we have the means to write at length if we want, create graphs, share the info the footage was aiming to relay to the world, share the numbers, names, details, stories… in any way we can.
Not only do we need to understand that many of these people never wanted to be seen in this way, but there are many alternative ways to bring attention to any atrocity around the world. There are many aerial images of the destruction of entire cities that convey a very strong message, we also already have access to figures, information, statistics and testimonies that would serve the cause in a really powerful manner, only difference would be that they don’t rely on gore and shock as a main factor.
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rosiethorns88 · 3 months
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Here it is! The final design for the @fairyloot edition of the OUABH trilogy! These are the reverse dust jacket and hard case foil designs for the FL A Curse for True Love by @stephanie_garber , and what a finale it is! Anissa (FL) and Stephanie requested a green, gold and pink scheme for this one and the entire set of jackets have such a great color scheme together as a result! As I did with the TBONA jacket, I utilized fairylights to illuminate the lanterns. There's just no replicating that warm, fuzzy glow in papercraft, and it adds a fantastic radiance to the piece. (Also, if you told me 6 years ago I'd be making a tasteful strip-tease of one of my favourite characters in papercraft, I would have choked on my drink.) Meanwhile, we had an absolute blast with the hard case foil design! Stephanie's direction with the changing titles (referencing the changing stories in the Magnificent North) was definitely on display here! Evangeline is on both sides, but the front references Apollo while the back references Jacks! TBONA/ACFTL SPOILERS BELOW: // To emphasize these changes, Evangeline stands under a shower of stars in a too-good-to-be-true dream-like state. On the back, she stands under a shower of arrows, tears streaming, cause chasing true love can sometimes hurt! As if this wasn't a great concept already, but execution of the reveal? If you'll recall, a copy of the FL edition was accidentally shipped with standard editions a scant few weeks before the ACFTL release. A person bought it and posted a few spoilers, including both sides of the foil design. Except some people were only sharing the Apollo side (and rightly raging at the injustice of such a title!), and a few others sharing the Jacks side. The titles kept changing, no one knew the truth and everything was chaos, just like in the Magnificent North! It was great. 🤣🤭 // END SPOILERS Super fun time with both of these! And bittersweet now that the trilogy is ended! Thank you again to @fairyloot, Anissa and Stephanie for the opportunity to work on these! And to have the pieces stand by the GORGEOUS endpaper artworks by @aleikats for each book, these editions are truly special!
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shock · 2 months
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"Don't just play—do something!", Jack Abele, 01.21.24.
This is a companion piece to the collage I made about moving into the first place that felt like my home back in '21 (shown below). They have matching frames and are displayed together above our dining table! This second piece is a reflection on how my relationship to "home" has evolved since then, especially after proposing to my now fiancé last month. I'm really proud of it!
Text transcript:
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY
In the cold, thin clouds of interstellar space, written in the precise message of starlight:
What made you so interested in fireflies?
Imagine that they propel the environment into play: they STAND OUT, add color, chaos, curves moving behind and below, inside, outward along feedback loops, perplexing positive panic persuaded to make another form of animal art.
Love is a Many-Splendored Thing, a beautiful structure, flamboyantly scuzzy, sassy, a full bouquet of many wild ideas — a dazzling interplay between lightness and unclarity, trying things out, fancy, whimsical records looped with webs, half-truth surface textures composed of swirls within swirls, a performance of information, scene-setting details with many impressive, more tongue-in-cheek, unforeseeable aspects relatively stable and evolving at the same time.
Distinctly transitional.
The trouble with love is it's hard to describe in simple and consistent words. Beyond the jolting familiarity of self-similar, self-referential tessellating hues, the little comedy-drama fictions... you see openness, possibilities toward change; our very existence together antidote to the dull grind of the paradox that we live every moment in an indifferent universe yet having so much fun with friends, local communities, places, faces, even muddy bog holes.
Music! A Tribe Called Quest, The Beastie Boys, The Breeders, Nick Cave, Nine Inch Nails, Soundgarden, Santana and Crosby, Stills, and Nash, mud-caked at Woodstock, picking up Space Age scrap, cutting collaged paper, playing with magical little lights, heretically evolving in this meaningless, magnificent place fine-tuned just right to allow for life, love, and grunge to exist nevertheless.
Maybe what keeps me here, making art, is how beautiful it is for optimism to become the first expression of hope despite danger amid the disparate depth of our universe created by chaos.
Movement characterizes my "youthful, dynamic" journey, escapes to infinite other places somewhere else, afraid of considering complicated survival long-term, wherein risk is worth the reward. But something about your windy city reminded me what strange, cascading effects the fingers of two hands form together, intersect one another, interfere with fate, interlace like light radiating rays woven, at certain points, into dynamic singularities.
Mutualism is a happy hybrid of symmetry and chaos — a relationship, it's like the entire forest is blinking in sync.
Just as the fun is to make up a great story, the writer in me calls this piece, "Don't just play— do something!"
This time around, living offers a profound pivot from playing a game. Today we confront as animals, we're not far from dogs, domesticated punks at heart, manifold.
I am humbled, exhilarated, afraid yet strangely calm and clear "On Bended Knee"
(The term ground seems inapt.)
...Nor is it possible to describe...
The closest feeling to being the world itself? It is to have loved someone so much that you wanted to spend the rest of your lifetime with them, with each other.
We're writing a book. Adding a stroke of paint and words to illustrate what we became, a bright third dimension that can be seen from space to meet the generations to come, to simulate the uncountable whimsies they could achieve.
The mind already knows before the key touches the lock.
To watch firefly swarms with a mangy mutt.
That must be quite a sight to see.
BECAUSE THEY EXIST
NOWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.
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alluringjae · 2 years
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sinfully vowed to you - jjh
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open your legs, not your bible | sinfully vowed to you
SUMMARY. how far will you go for love? perhaps to the point you’re bound for marriage, but the groom you seek isn’t the one your heart beats for. and desperately, you must gamble everything without regrets.
PAIRING. jaehyun x fem!reader
WORD COUNT. 13.2k
GENRE. loads of angst, fluff, and slice of life at the end | rich bad boy!jaehyun, rich good girl!reader, implied enemies to lovers!au, forbidden romance!au
PLAYLIST. don’t blame me (sped up and reverb) by taylor swift [the main reason of how this story came to be]
WARNINGS. arranged married to a surprise neo, mentions and appearances of more neos, references to and slight bad-mouthing Christianity, one heated argument where 2 of the 10 commandments are recited, mentions and portrayal of manipulative parents, explicit language, petnames, “stop the wedding” shenanigans, mentions of Satan, mentions and potrayals of physical and verbal assault, eloping, allusions to virginity loss and sex, mention of praise kink, tension between rival families, pregnancy ((let me know I missed anything else))
⤑ vero’s words: reposting bc tvmblr being a bit rood for not showing up on the tags 💀 also did some minor edits and added extra parts i forgot from my final draft huhuhu but omg yeah thank you for all the love for the first part!!! i didn’t expect it to blow up my phone notifs soooo i hope this second part (unsure if it’s the last one who knows right) makes up the sudden cliffhanger HAHAHAHA happy reading!!! 💗
⤑ disclaimer: this is a work of fiction. i don’t own the people/characters written, but the plot is mine. translations or copying my work is not allowed.
⤑ masterlist
⤑ leave me some feedback or hellos!
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SIX HOURS BEFORE THE WEDDING.
They say a wedding is every little girl’s dream. Whether it was the white gown or having a gorgeous partner at the end of the aisle whom they truly love, it’s like magic unfolding by the eyes of their esteemed guests.
The power of love ever so beautiful, and how everyone anticipates for it to grown each passing. And for the couple, to be eternally bound and in love until their final breath.
You were one of those little girls caught up in the fantasy, until it was tainted by the bitter reality of your pre-constructed future.
Hushed chatter are exchanged between your assigned makeup artist and hair stylist. They express pride in being booked by such an influential family for such a lavish wedding, doing their best to live up to the high expectations. But they’ll never understand how the smiles you give when they loop you into their small talk, it’s an act. Deep down, you dread their fruits of their labor working out.
Yet you wish to stop yourself from changing into this magnificent white gown cascading every curve of your figure. The upper half is of a tube design, folded twice and sewn. As for the bottom, the fabric are crafted into ruffles that flair until the bottom. A veil is clasp on top of your bun, awaiting until the big event to place over your head. Oh, there are gloves to match.
“Keep yourself entirely covered and pure after your wedding vows.” Your mother once insights as you nod along during your first dress fitting back then. Quite ironic to hear that now, huh?
Eventually (and much to your convenience), the overall styling is done. You bid genuine gratitude to the staff before they exit your hotel room while you remain alone to rest up. It was going to be a long day of superficial joy before facing lifelong period of unhappiness and duty.
As much as you want to enjoy your beautiful reflection right by the full-length mirror, your heart cannot simply move past the tragedy and pain strongly throbbing inside you.
What was the point to be dolled up like this if the groom you seek is not the chosen one?
And what more for a wedding being the happiest day of every little girl’s life if your arranged groom already has a special someone vacating their heart?
The outside world can only rejoice for such a joyous occasion, but the two of you can only mourn for the freedoms that have been permanently washed away.
Quite frankly enough, you still remember that very day you met your fiancé. You can only grieve for what has already been done without your willing knowledge and consent…
And for what else is to come after it.
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TEN MONTHS BEFORE THE WEDDING.
It’s merely two days after your father’s sudden announcement of marriage, and your groom-to-be reached out to you through your mother. He didn’t have your number, so he contacted her first then you.
Meanwhile, your poor heart remains to sob and cry out every ounce of pain. Yet it never decreased, especially when you still had to tell Jaehyun. But you still didn’t have the bravery, dodging his calls and texts on your burner phone.
For the meantime, you needed to face your groom-to-be in hopes for at least a civil relationship.
The cafe near your office was a good 5 minute walk for him, and out there he already laid out his honest intentions and thoughts.
“I understand what we must do for our families’ empires.” He starts off in a downcast manner. “But do know that affection-wise, I can never reciprocate it with you.”
You curved a mini grin. “What’s she like then?”
“Wait, are you not offended?” He’s taken aback. Nothing has occurred but rejecting any future romantic endeavors to the kindest and most angelic woman in the city. He’s aware of the asshole move, but your reaction is very unlike you.
You laugh, breaking a bit of the tension. “Should I be?”
“We’re set to be married, to fall in love over time. So it’s unfair for you if I can’t give you just that. And my, you deserved to be loved in full.”
You heart wrenches. “But you deserve that just as much as I do because--“
“Because?”
“My heart belongs to another as well.”
Silence floods the both of you. Eye contact is evident, not ignored. Your irises drain of energy, of hope. And yet, there’s a nudge of comfort in sharing burdens together.
The burden of your liberty fading day by dad and impenetrable heartbreak.
And even if Jaehyun doesn’t know it yet, you’re already grieving.
“If not a loving relationship,” He cuts the tension. “May we at least remain amicable? I understand that our fates are shitty, but I cannot find any reasons to hate you.”
“I-I’d like that.” You stutter, glad that one good thing came out of a rather pleasant conversation. “I look forward to putting on a façade for the world with you.”
And as if by magic, your future dons a gummy smile. “Likewise, (Y/N). It’ll be a lot less hellish with you by my side.”
The two of you shake hands to it.
“I truly apologize for my family’s greed, (Y/N).” He says with guilt.
“I apologize for the same thing as well, Doyoung.”
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THREE HOURS BEFORE THE WEDDING.
Speaking of the man, your phone pings with a notification. The two of you communicate constantly like close friends, a surprising pro to everything.
DY KIM: My mother is looking for you
DY KIM: She wants a photo of her future mother-in-law
(Y/N) Lee: Ew gross
(Y/N) Lee: How fake can she get this time in liking me
DY KIM: As fake as her beloved nose job
(Y/N) Lee: Jesus Doyoung
DY KIM: HAHAHAHA I’d say hurry once you’re done having some last minute alone time
DY KIM: I really don’t want to be around your parents, especially your over-the-top, conservative mother
(Y/N) Lee: Is she telling you not to meet me rn bc it’s gonna bring us misfortune
(Y/N) Lee: If she is, don’t even bother
(Y/N) Lee: Althoughhhh I do stand by that if you don’t mind
DY KIM: Oh, I see. I’m sorry about that, I didn’t know
(Y/N) Lee: No worries, we have our whole lives to figure more things about each other
DY KIM: such a scary idea
(Y/N) Lee: not as scary as both your parents asking me about our future children
DY KIM: I AM STILL SO SORRY ABOUT THAT
(Y/N) Lee: It’s alright, Doyoung
(Y/N) Lee: That is one of my main duties as your future wife
DY KIM: But I don’t wanna think of that yet
DY KIM: Let’s focus on getting through this show
DY KIM: So I’ll see you in the altar?
(Y/N) Lee: Definitely, see you then.
It’s strange how you and Doyoung managed to create a friendship in the midst of your emotional distresses. Maybe in this lifetime, you’re only destined a marriage out of duty. But out of love? There’s no room for that.
Though perhaps now, you may have given yourself an exception. You share a loving look in the mirror because regardless of the occasion, you’re dressed to the nines. You shall not waste it.
You’re only going to get married once after all, right?
“Miss Lee.” Someone knocks on the bedroom door of your suite. It was one of the wedding planners, whose arms carry a captivating bouquet of white roses.
Your favorite.
“These are lovely!” Your legs carefully rush towards her, hoping not to break your heels. “Are these the flowers I’ll be walking the down aisle with?”
“Yes!” She replies. “In fact, this was a last-minute decision because the original red roses sent by the Kims are a bit too striking to the eye. You should be the main star after all.”
You nod. “If that’s the case, may I know who I sent them?”
“Funny you ask, Ms. Lee.” The planner takes a few steps back, only to return with an enclosed white envelope. “This gift came from an anonymous person, and one of my team members was informed that only you can read the letter it comes.”
Your brows scrunch in suspicion and confusion as you accept the envelope. But before you can question it, the planner interrupts your thoughts. “The car you’ll be riding in to go to the church is arriving soon, so we must head out in a bit.”
“Yes, I got that.” You affirm, trying not to get too caught up on this extra frenzy. Curiosity is a great trait of yours, but it can be problematically uncontrollable at time. “May I just spend a few more minutes to read this letter and touch up on my perfume? This can be from all my brothers.”
“Of course.” With that, the planner bows with respect as she leaves the room and closes the door behind her. Without anymore time to waste, your fingers rip out the envelope whilst enjoying the fresh aroma of the flowers. Straight out of the shop for sure, could all your brothers possibly have the time to buy it?
Taeyong is too occupied with his wife and only son to consider such a request.
Ten, your half-brother, just flew in this morning from Thailand. Staying any longer than today can cause major havoc, especially with your mother.
Mark sucks at being romantic. No wonder he can’t keep any of his ex-girlfriends.
Jeno, well. It’s not his thing. Not with his playboy personality lately.
Haechan is still hungover from partying with his friends just last night according to your sibling group chat.
Yet even with this, you’d still like to give all of them the benefit of the doubt. As the only girl in the Lee family, they respect and love you in their own ways. And it’s your wedding day, for God’s sake. They’re aware of how unhappy you are despite denying such, so sending flowers are their way of cheering you up.
Oh, how wrong you are.
Innocently, you unfolded the letter and bit by bit, your mouth lets out a gasp. The handwriting is all too familiar from the first few words on top, alongside the fresh perfume that was sprayed on it.
It came from the last person you can ever expect. The last person you could think or dream about.
Yet the only person your heart desperately longs for.
You’re gutted, yet you needed to contain yourself.
But fuck, flashbacks of the last time you saw each other replay in your head. And none of them were good memories.
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FIVE MONTHS BEFORE THE WEDDING.
Time is crucial in everything you do.
And you knew you fucked up when you kept delaying on telling Jaehyun your wedding when he saw it on today’s major headline in the news.
Here you two were, in your apartment where he manages to sneak in perfectly as always.
But confusion and anger were his driving emotions, and you couldn’t blame him the slightest.
What a coward you are.
“When will you ever stand up for yourself, (Y/N)? When will you call out those people who keep trampling over you?” Those were the first words he expressed, pacing your living room back and forth.
“But these are my parents, Jaehyun!” You tried to stay strong and neutral. You had no choice. “God, I hate them but I can’t lose them. If I do, I lose everyone else.”
“Are you really afraid of losing them or losing the privileges you’ve gained over the years from them?”
“Excuse me?”
“Admit that you are.” He marched forward where you stood. By the window, you’re looking down at the impending traffic. At the cars desperately eager to get home, was this how God saw everyone? Does He watch the suffering of His children in hopes they learn a lesson, or to put them through absolute misery?”
Because nothing else can destroy your heart but Jaehyun’s pain directly speaking at you.
“They’ll remove you from their wills and inheritance, try to blacklist you everywhere, badmouth you to other, rip the whole city apart even to find wherever you are if you run away.” He listed on and on.  “How do I know? Because I’m afraid too.”
“Fearing of starting anew, fearing that no one will support you, fearing of what’s to come when you disobey mommy and daddy because you’ve broken Commandment #4.”
“Honor your mother and father.” You responded naturally. How can you not when it’s a major rule you followed all your life?
“But you and I both know that they’re neither deserving of such because they are a lot worthy in the deeper realms of hell.” He spat without care.
“Don’t say that!” You protest.
“But you know I’m right!” And you knew was, but your pride was too high for that. Call it your only sin, one of the seven deadly ones. Truly ironic on your end.
“But it’s not that easy to stray away from my family! Unlike you whose parents give you so much freedom to explore, I am always on a leash.” You try to defend yourself, close to being on the verge of tears. Everything you’ve built with Jaehyun is starting to fall apart. The only person who’s made you feel sane and at ease. But you’re cornered with no choice. “So if I choose to be impulsive, I’ll be trapped. Locked in my bedroom like Rapunzel.”
You distance your glare towards another view, not wanting Jaehyun to see your now falling tears. “And if I run away and fail, my fate can be similar to Taeyong and Ten.”
Memories of Taeyong and Ten being beaten up to a pulp by your father and his henchmen when they tried to expose the corruption of your family to a media news outlet replays your mind. You were still in university, and didn’t mean to see that happening if not for your dying thirst. There was a water dispenser outside your bedroom, and wretched sounds from downstairs piqued your curiosity. Alas, whines from your older brothers as he was punched ruthlessly and bloodily in the living room. Your mother can only cry on the side, merely being a bystander to the abuse because she can’t stop your father.
“But has it crossed your mind that maybe, your brothers not want you to go through what they went through?” Jaehyun tries to compromise. Anything to keep you in his life. “That they too want you to make the big change in the family?”
“Even if they did, I just can’t risk it. Especially as the only woman among my siblings, marriage out of duty is my right.”
“What about us? Our freedom?”
“Freedom for a love like ours…” You trail. “… can only leave us 6 feet under.”
“But aren’t we worth a fight?” He begs. “I know what we signed up for our love likes ours, but shouldn’t we give it a shot? Give us a shot.”
“Jaehyun--“
“Do you not love me enough? Or is it me that loves you more than you?”
“That’s bullshit.”
“Everything that’s happening right now is bullshit because rather than doing what’s right, isn’t pushing through with the wrong?” His temper nearly tramples your room down. Getting a noise complaint right now is the last thing you needed. “Isn’t that contradictory as the good religious girl you are?”
“So you think that I am the bad one here?” You almost scream in stress. “God, I should’ve never given you a chance.”
“Say that again, angel.” Jaehyun’s voice lowered.
Oh shit, you fucked up with your mindless words.
Your lover straightens his back, showcasing his full height. How he hovers you, making you walk back again while he follows. That’s until you hit the wall loud and clear. “I don’t think I can’t hear you clearly.”
“You Jeongs are trouble and always will be. How dumb of me to have been so merciful to sinners like you.”
“That’s not what you said when you kissed me back a lifetime ago.” He plays around your charade. He knows you don’t mean it.
“What makes you think God will take you back?” You challenge.
“If I had to attend mass every day and bathe myself in holy water to clear myself of every remnant of you, so be it.” His hands rake over your body, one landing on your waist and the other planted on the wall near your face. Lowering his stance, your body get goosebumps from the words that he whispers in your ear. “Commandment #9: Thou shall not bear false witness against me.”
You bit your lips, which he makes him smirk. To add, “We all know you’re uttering a lie, baby.”
As his ego inflates, that’s only when your senses return to their normal state. “Get off me.”
“But you’re my religion, baby.”
“Commandment #1: Thou shall have no other Gods before Me.” You retaliated. “Convert back to your old self, Jaehyun. The one before you rejoined Bible study.”
“Baby.”
“It’s blasphemous to describe me as a religion when I am no god. So If you really love me, you’d understand my sense of duty and let me go.” Don’t. Please. You’re at a point of confusion, but you cannot let whatever feelings you have for Jaehyun jeopardize your life. Perhaps these feelings shall pass too.
Right?
“(Y/N).”
“Please don’t make it any harder for us, Jaehyun.” You weakly pushed him away. “So please go.”
Jaehyun’s been the type to rile you up, to take risks. But he knows when enough is enough. As your orbs have been drained of its light, and your back slouched in fatigue, it’s a pain to see you this way.
But the pain that piles in his chest was more superior, and he starts to lash out. Like he’s back in square one with you.
“I loathe your family. You robbed my family all those years ago, so I thought I’d never like you no matter how kind-hearted you are in and outside the church. But I was so fucking wrong.” He starts to cry, which he rarely does. And it’s from the last person he ever expected it to be from. His only lover, the only person who understood him, was leaving him.
“You’re the only one who understood me when everyone turned their backs at me for my sharp tongue. Sure, we argued a lot but you put me in my place. In my cold world, you embraced me with warmth. You taught me how to soften up and make amends with Sungchan, and showed me what real love is unlike the harshness of my parents.” Your back was turned when he kept talking this point on, refusing to confront him more. It’s too much you can mentally and emotionally handle.
“But that doesn’t really matter anymore.” He sighs, giving up. “I fell for your tricks, and now, you robbed my whole heart. How it beats for you, and only you. Truly, robbing runs in your blood and it shall stay that way forever.”
“Jaehyun, wait--” From your cold stance, only now were you awakened by the consequences of your actions. But it was too late. Jaehyun was by your front door, opening it to exit your home.
And your life forever.
“Goodbye, (Y/N).”
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TWO HOURS BEFORE THE WEDDING.
Will you ever be ready to read this note when your parting all those months ago was bitter?
Yet it does cross your mind how he’s been, how can you not be?
If this was your last connection to him, you must savor it. All the sweetness and bitterness blazed in it.
Dearest my angel,
Weddings allow you to witness the passion and love between a couple right before your eyes. There’s truly nothing more breathtaking than that.
I am so sorry for the way I acted that night and each word I spat at you. I pressured you into something that you weren’t comfortable with out of my greed, inconsiderate of how much stress you already were under beforehand. Rather than putting you on the spot and lashing out my growing heartbreak, I should’ve been by your side. To be your shoulder to cry on, especially when we know what kind of love if we’re in.
But forgive me and my poor heart: it still cannot accept that you’re betrothed to another. I cannot invalidate my emotions that day either, but regardless. I am sorry for my actions that night.
They say our kind of love is forbidden, disrespectful to our ancestors who loathed each other. But can we really blame our souls to find connection in the mutual pains of our manipulative families? Should we choose to hate our neighbors because they told us to do so, to continue the generational tradition? Damn, we should never be religious if our sense of humanity is fucked.
By this time, you’re already dressed in a fascinating white gown. You’ve always been beautiful, but you’re bound to make every angel above cry in praise as you walk down the aisle. They’ll see what I see in you, even if I’m not the man who gets to take your hand. Until death do us part, but we’ve already parted before we can ever truly begin.
Thank you for accepting me for who I am. Thank you for making me realize how much I’m worth versus the bad things my parents say about me. Thank you for always encouraging me to go after my dreams even when a lot of people has turned their backs on. Most of all, thank you for loving me as I have loved you.
I don’t deserve a space in Heaven, but I am glad I found Heaven in you. And now, I’m ready to step down. Not necessarily to let you go yet, but in time, I’ll be able to let you go and look back at our memories fondly.
So please don’t shed any more tears if I am the cause of them; it aches my heart thinking of it because you deserve all the happiness in the world. Freely live a new life with your groom and create amazing memories with him.
I believe that my purpose in God’s plan for you, which is to love you fully and authentically in this world of lies, has been fulfilled.
- J
“We must leave in 5, (Y/N).” The muffled voice of the planner echoes through your trance, one that has you silently sobbing underneath your lips. Tears that threaten to brim down, but your head shakes before they do so.
What have you done? You became a slave to your cowardice for the longest time, only for your courage to finally knock some sense into you. You simply cannot go through this ceremony, you had to get outta there.
But it was already too late. Life doesn’t wait on cowards like you.
With the white bouquet in hand, your last connection with him, you pull yourself together.
“Alright, I’m ready. Let’s go.”
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ONE HOUR BEFORE THE WEDDING.
Pictures here, pictures there.
The ceremony hasn’t started, and yet your parents and Doyoung’s demand numerous shots with you by the hotel and in the church. Your toes start to ache in your heels, and to your side, your eyes beg Taeyong and Ten to save you from your misery.
The latter boy laughs from afar, giving you a thumbs up. Or rather his expression read, “You’re on your own to do your duty!”
Meanwhile, Taeyong cuts in between you having dreaded small talk with Doyoung’s self-righteous mother. Already proud to claim herself as your mother-in-law, your ears can bleed for every screech in her tone when she opens her mouth. Under the excuse of “having some 1-on-1 time with my only sister”, Taeyong escorts you to a quiet, closed room within the church.
“Thank God for you, Yongie.” You hug him with utmost gratitude. “I’m about to lose my mind if Mrs. Kim wouldn’t shut up.”
Taeyong laughs, gladly returning your gesture. “Anything for you, little sis.”
You scoff, correcting him. “Your only sis.”
“You know what I mean.”
The two of you smile at each other, enjoying the comfort of silence. Since you were children studying in your living room back then to the first time Taeyong taught you how to drink when you turn 18, he was like your best friend. Through thick and thin, and against your parents the two of you were. Slowly, you’re breaking the cycle of bad deeds.
Or trying to. Because neither of you got away with your arranged marriages.
Speaking of which…
“So this is really happening, huh?” Taeyong starts as he hands over a bottle of water from the refrigerator behind him. It’s by luck the two of you ended up in the private lounge of the church for esteemed wedding guests. “Are you ready for this lifelong commitment, (Y/N)?”
“I don’t really have a choice, do I?” You say flatly. “You had to go through this as well, but eventually, you began to love your wife so maybe it’ll work for me too.”
“I was very lucky with Minyoung. She’s my soulmate.” He smiles upon the thought of his lover, but it only enables the green monster of envy into your being. “But I don’t think our situations are ever going to be alike.”
You squint a brow from your stance by the window. “What do you mean?”
“I was single when I was arranged to be wed, no person vacating my heart nor had intentions to look for one.” He lingers, locking eyes with you. His bright, wide pupils that can easily read a person, it was like he was analyzing your entire mind and body language. But alas, he already knows a lot more than you can ever imagine.
It only explains how your fingers drastically slip from your bottle, spilling incandescently on the floor. Thankfully, it didn’t break because of the curtain above the wood. You alertly scurry away from the wet zone and lean against the glass bookcase of religious books. Dare not can you look at your brother in the eye, too busy being washed out with shame, guilt, and misery.
“Taeyong, I can explain.”
“What else is there to explain, little sis?” He keeps his composure, unfazed. No anger, no outlash, no negative emotions bubbling his figure. “Other than you’re in love with another man, one you know will cause mayhem when mother and father know of it.”
You want to deny everything he’s blurting out to you. But your sudden reaction is too much of a giveaway, and lying to Taeyong is impossible. Not when he’s best at sneaking around and digging secrets about everyone. Why do you think he figured out that Ten’s your half-brother, not just some exchange student from Thailand during your high school years?
“Of all the men out there, did it really have to be Jeong Jaehyun?” He asks with concern in his tone rather than judgement. It was the first time he utter the man’s name without hatred. Not when he’s someone very dear to you.
“Hush your voice! Someone might hear.” You order, peering at the door. Anyone can walk in, or eavesdrop. Your world has eyes and ears everywhere.
“Just answer the question, (Y/N).” His tone deafens, but his composure hasn’t wavered.
You sigh, gazing downwards while your fingers tightly clutch on your gown. “The heart wants what it wants. And I’m sure that until the end of time, it’ll always long for him.”
Taeyong remains speechless momentarily to calibrate with his thoughts. He’s been hesitant with Jaehyun the second he saw return to church a lifetime ago. Always up to no good, yet never to start a fight because he’s not the type. And luckily, they never crossed paths outside. He recalls how nervous he was upon hearing from the latest gossip (aka your mom) that Jaehyun joined the Bible study as probation for his consistent outside bar fights. You’re a consistent goer, so he can only pray that nothing bad happens to you.
Over the course of time, he witnessed Jaehyun tame down and become more active in church. Rather than be bitchy, he was impressed. Only God can judge people, not him. Yet at the same time, he observed how more laidback you became. You’re firm to your beliefs and faith, but not really the toxic, conservative type to force others that your beliefs were better than yours. It was more like you’ve loosened up strings and allowed to let your hair down, socializing more and trying new things. Perhaps riled your mother up for being “unladylike” at times, yet it didn’t bother you anymore. If you had fun and hurt nobody, how should a conservative mother’s unnecessary opinion affect you?
So now, onto you and Jaehyun.
It took him back when you’d both get in trouble by the nuns for your arguments, earning a scolding from him on the phone because “you’re better than this!” or a similar kind of pep talk. It’s merely enemies to somewhat friends when he thinks of the both of you, especially when you opened up how you came into a compromising understanding with Jaehyun out of maturity.
But the idea of love came rushing as he unintentionally saw the two of you kiss on the second floor of the open church. Jaehyun’s palms were situated on your waist while your arms loop behind the nape of his neck, both of you smiling at every movement your lips made.
The second floor is where the choir stays, and you and Jaehyun were packing up their songbooks post-mass. He showed you the different colors of light being reflected from the stained glass artworks. Specifically the image of the Virgin Mary, it lit up the best before the sunset. The both of you were distracted from such beauty, and eventually towards each other when specks of colored light hit your faces. Caught up in a meaningful moment, a passionate kiss where your bodies are right in front of the big crucifix was followed.
A symbol of showing Him that love had no boundaries or limitations.
A symbol that further enlightened Taeyong on how you’ve both changed.
You and Jaehyun balanced each other out over time, so it should be a no-brainer that this was going to happen. Yet he chose not to say anything about it then because he wanted to hear it from you. It was clearly a private moment too. He could’ve been mad, but he wasn’t.
You’re in love, and it’s real.
However, it’s only leading into a loophole of misery. Arranged marriages are a given in your clan, hence refraining from creating close relationships with the opposite sex. Oh, how you broke that rule ruthlessly.
“Who else knows?” You quiver, self-conscious and vulnerable. Were you not secretive enough? Did the burner phones you and Jaehyun used were actually trackable? Did someone follow you? All sorts of questions cloud your already cluttered brain.
“Ten.” Taeyong bluntly responds, and you stiffened.
As much as you love Ten, any so-called steamy information he gets within his circle he uses it as blackmail just like Taeyong. You would know; you were there when he confronted your father about his affair with his mother. That if he has no place in his empire, he’d expose such a scandal. It’s no question your mother (his step-mother when he got adopted a month after the threat) despises him to the core, a lot more than her disloyal husband.
But before the paranoia can worsen, Taeyong chimes in. “Don’t even think he’ll use it against you. In fact, he’s in favor of such like I am.”
“Wait what?!” Now, you’re confused.
“I know I confronted you at the most wrong time, and my tone this whole time is very vague.” He clarifies, and with every word, he walks toward you. As his clammy hands now holding yours, he fully lets out his main truth. “You have to make a choice, and we know this wedding isn’t the right one.”
“Taeyong, it’s too late.” You beg, utterly weak in his eyes. And how it aches him to see you like this. “He’ll never take me back. Not after he found out about the news.”
“You can never be too sure, so I wholeheartedly think that you need to make a move.” Taeyong’s quick vision spots a growing tear in your lid, wiping it carefully with his index finger. “It’s always been you being a pawn in our parents’ game. But this time, change the direction and claim your power as queen.”
“But our younger brothers…”
“I failed to set a proper example before so please learn from my experiences, (Y/N). Show them that we cannot let ourselves be controlled by our parents.”
Right as you wanted to reply, an impatient set of knocks intrude your now-or-never conversation.
“I’m already annoyed that I wasn’t invited to your heartfelt chat.” Ten’s sarcasm pipes in, which eases the tension surprisingly. “But the wedding starts in 5, and I want to spend some time with the bride as well.”
Taeyong hastily unlocks the door, while you followed behind him. Lo and behold, Ten graces a mischievous smirk as he leans against the door frame. Taeyong pecks your temple a final with a fervent look screaming “time is running” before he runs to assist Jeno refix his necktie.
That leaves you with Ten. With his arms crossed, he first marvels at your beauty.
“My sister, ever so beautiful.” The sweet scent of his parfum whiffs your nostrils, making you hum in comfort and familiarity. Regardless of being half-siblings, you always treated him the same as the rest.
“Thank you for coming. I feared that you wouldn’t after your recent brawl with dad.”
“I’d never let any shitty fight with that monster stop me from see you walk down the aisle. Plus, when are we not fighting?” He jokes, his hands finding the cloth of your veil to help you put it over your head. As per tradition as the beauty of the bride must only be saved by her groom. “But are you really happy to be here?”
Always straight to the point, that was Ten for you. With one brow lifting upwards in question, he continues on. “I’ve always known that you wanted real love, and when you did, you chose not to go through with it.”
“It’s complicated, and you know that.”
“Do I?” He challenges. “You’re in love with a boy who’s part of the rival family. That’s not hard to piece together.”
“How do you even know it’s him we’re talking about?”
“What other guy, excluding us siblings, have you been constantly around with?”
“Doyoung is there.”
“But he came in the picture late. Jaehyun, however--” He lengthens the tension. “He may have gotten on your last nerve numerous times in Bible study, but not when I saw you both have a secret late-night date by the Han River.”
Your eyes widened. Taeyong was right earlier. “Excuse me what?!”
Ten laughs at your shock. “I was trying to easen my hangover from my bar-hopping adventures with our younger brothers that night, but definitely sobered up when I saw you and him giggling over the smallest things by the river.”
“Ten, I—” It was your only public date with him, when no one could ever question or follow your moves. Even managed to convince your parents that you needed fresh air that day after all the stress at the company headquarters.
“Life is too fucking short, (Y/N).” He lays out his advice flatly. No detours, no sweet words. Just the real, harsh truth. “If you don’t make a stand, the regret of it all will kill you.”
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PRESENT TIME.
Time can’t spare you a moment to breathe to answer him or deny his intentions. Because the second the wedding planner stressfully calls you over to stand behind the main church doors, all you can focus was this event. This wedding, one that numerous people anticipated. Loads of influential families that are acquainted with your parents filled up every pew, bridesmaids and groomsmen are lining up to enter the church first.
On the other hand, your parents stood each side of you. They beam in excitement, while you try to match them. Everything is for their selfish sake, anyways.
As the doors officially open, harmonious music from the band on the second floor play for everyone’s glee. Couple by couple, flower girl after flower girl, then Doyoung’s youngest cousin as the ring bearer, every single person has their eye on you. How much you’ve grown over the years, the elegance you embody is simply natural and no gown or makeup can compete with that.
Especially your groom, who shares an enchanted gaze at you from afar. And as flawless as he looks in his black suit and tie, the truth-binding words of your older brother resurface your mind. From trying to appreciate the efforts put in making the church a more enamoring location for a wedding, uncontrollable tears grace your visage. You’re glued to the program of this show, and any refusals will be disrespectful.
“Don’t get too emotional now.” Your mother comforts, only thinking that you’re overwhelmed in joy. “It’s only getting better from here.”
Lies.
Only you and Doyoung can truly share the same feeling at this moment. Even if he finds you ever so dashing, he proceeds to mask his own pain with a tight-lipped smile as he watches you walk down the long, flowery aisle. It was a representation of your life together ahead, especially seeing the petals blacken from the dirt. The reality of it all is only hitting you now as your parents hand you over to Doyoung, who directs you to the center. His hands still hold on to your covered ones, keeping up your façade.
“I’m sorry.” He mouths.
“Me too.” You reply.
The first of many. Such a disgrace to the crucifix above, yes. But what else can the two of you do now?
The priest politely greets the two of you before the ceremony officially begins.
The first and second readings ran smoothly, being read by your father and Doyoung’s mother. It’s almost like a typical mass, where the Homily often bores you to the point you wanted to pass out. Even had Doyoung, who sat beside you, worried.
“You look pale.” He comments. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“I’m fine.” You reassure with a genuine smile. “It’s just hot in this church.”
“When has it not been?” He tries to joke, which you actually enjoyed.
Once the short-lived humor died down, you try to refocus your mind on the ongoing Homily. Surprisingly, you finally pick up and find yourself attentive for a change.
“Love is blind, they say. Perhaps, that’s true, as one cannot control how their heart can beat for another one. But there is also this saying: souls don’t meet by accident. Nothing in life is a coincidence: there’s always a reason why they meet. And when they do, it creates magic. They balance each other out in aspects they fall short, but not necessarily complete them. They bring the best sides of them out, yet fully let their vulnerabilities come under the light without fright. Because they know they’ll be protected than reprimanded.”
You’re unsure how restless your pupils became, eager for new perspectives. Maybe you need a fresher view other than the bright altar? If only you had your eye drops with you to alleviate the dryness, you certainly wouldn’t have felt this way.
As you blink once, twice, a couple more times, your eyes begin to feel better from the natural tears they make to lubricating itself. However, little did you realize where you were looking at.
From the altar, your vision went peripheral. By the second floor, right beside the choir, a silhouette stands up from their pew. Arms crossed and wrapping their arms around their blazer, he was rather suspicious. At this point, you’re quite acquainted with every guest present today. To the point that no one is meant to be seat up there unless you’re in the band.
You’re suddenly become aware that the longer you view that shadow, the weirder it’ll look for the guests. Your curiosity can really take you the far places, but often times, you need to be anchored before flying too far to the sun.
Speaking of which, the bright, shining light directly hits on the aforementioned shadow. Almost like a prayer, it heard you so it gave what you pleaded.
And man, you’re stunned by what unraveled before you.
His brown hair is styled upwards with a few strands in front of his forehead. The sleeves of his black dress shirt were folded to his elbows, while his black trousers have minor creases on the bottom hems. His eyebags darkened, showing lack of sleep on his end. However, his orbs greet yours with warmth. A reconnection, as you find it difficult to stray away. Dimples pop out as he smiles your way, fluttering your heart like a young teenager.
Why was it so familiar to you?
But there’s no way this was real, right? Have you started building delusions in your head as a coping mechanism to your upcoming lifelong misery?
You blink and shake your head for reassurance, but as you reopen your eyes, he was gone like magic. Yet his silhouette lingers through your mind. Alongside that, the ending words of the homily seeped through with a vengeance.
Or rather, redemption.
Because for some reason, the silhouette urged your mind to remember Jaehyun.
“The utmost beauty of these souls is how neither of them were looking when they found each other.” Insert the moment when Jaehyun emerges to the Bible study room for the first time 3 years ago. With a sinister grin and stance, he managed to lock strong eye contact on you as you were passing out Bibles to the other kids. How unshaken you were, yet so entranced by him.
“From meeting, in comes the unconditional love they’ll build.” The innocent memories of your relationship with Jaehyun when you started seeing each other romantically dance around your brain.
“In that love, they put effort everyday through the small things.” You’ve always liked white roses, while Jaehyun fancied sweet potato chips. Every getaway you both had, you’ve gifted each other with those items.
“In that love, it’s impenetrable to conquer every battle and fight that stampedes there.” If not your last encounter, there was one time you may have succeeded here. You recall defending Jaehyun from your parents at home when he put you trouble and “trouble” after Bible study. How even if he’s the so-called enemy, he’s a good person relearning what’s right from wrong. How he is not his family.
“And in that same love, it makes them feel at home.” Cue all the imaginative, future plans you and Jaehyun drunkenly made if your love story wasn’t an impossible tale. How you’d leave it up to the multiverse, you both giggled.
“So my brothers and sisters, in every story, these two souls here,” The priest naively refers to you and Doyoung. “It’s not a coincidence. The Lord knew what he was doing. He didn’t create a perfect love, but a love only the bride and groom would ever know and feel. Yet it’s a love He created in His likeness and image because He loves His children, and only bless them with eternal happiness with each other.”
In your parents’ eyes, they saw your future with Doyoung.
In your eyes, the future was set with Jaehyun. Wherever you are, all you can think of in every word the priest spoke.
And that future with him is ever so clear and beautiful…
Holy shit.
This wedding must not push through.
“Kim Doyoung and Lee (Y/N) have invited us to share in this celebration as they affirm their love before us, pledge their faith to one another and enter into the joys and privileges of marriage.” So caught up in your reverie, you’re back to standing up and facing Doyoung. The recitation of vows approaches. “If there is anyone present who can show just cause why these two persons may not be joined in matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace.”
Stillness, much to your parents and Doyoung’s delight.
But now, you could care less about what others think. This needs to stop.
This is your life, and you’re reclaiming it as yours.
You need to run far, far away and find him.
Your real love, Jeong Jaehyun.
And to that, you pray within yourself:
“Oh Lord, save me, my drug is my baby. I'll be usin' for the rest of my life.”
“I can’t do this.” You object boldly, stepping back. “I can’t marry you, Doyoung.”
The audience behind you gasps, the priest and Doyoung especially. “What do you mean, (Y/N)?”
You felt so apologetic for his confusion. “You deserve someone who truly loves you without judgment.”
Your eyes peek over his shoulder to find a woman beside his younger brother Jungwoo quivers at the entire scene. The same woman whom you’ve found out was his first and only love, if not for you asking about her during your first encounter. Yet never did he act on his affections due to the standards of his family, and being the best friend of his brother. He feared of the consequences, but this is no time for fear.
It's time for action. If you’re going to make your move, so should he.
“Fight for your true love. Don’t make them take it away from you.” Your eyes linger momentarily on Doyoung’s real love. “Don’t let them take her away from you, and choose the life where you can be unapologetically and incandescently happy, Doyoung.”
No more words can Doyoung utter towards your plea, but instead lets his daring actions communicate back to you. It was the way his arms looped around her waist, hugging her for dear life. And how she gasped loudly the entire church can hear as she returned his empowering gesture, lacing her arms around his neck.
“I’m sorry, Sejeong.” Doyoung whispers a little too loudly. “It’s you. It’s always been you, and will forever be you I love.”
Not a breath wasted, these two lovers rapidly make their exit through an emergency door of the church. Doyoung utters nothing more to his parents, but expresses disgust and anger at how he glares at them. I’m done with your shit, his eyes read. Oh, how his dear mother cries out for him to come back while his father holds her back. Jungwoo, on the other hand, claps at his brother’s impressive move. He didn’t even bother listening to his father who ordered him to chase after him.
“They’ve always been in love with each other. Who are you to tell me to stop them?”
Meanwhile, time is ticking for you. You’ve had your run at playing matchmaker, now you need to return to your lover. One you can hope will take you back after your cowardice pushed him back to the pits of hell, while you crawled back to your seat in heaven. Although tainted you are, nothing but a few prayers and consistent good deeds will gain favor from Him again.
And so you ran. Heels of your heels click clack the marble aisle as you remove your gloves. Your freed fingers grasp on the fabric on your gown to move arther and farther away from the altar. Guests are even more bewildered by your actions, never expecting you to turn out this way.
“Lee (Y/N)!” Only the frantic voice of your mother halts you. Call it a natural reaction when you’ve grown up under her care, her ever so manipulative and overprotective care.
You huff, turning around. “What is it, mother?”
Only a few meters away from you, her hand hurtfully grips your arm. “Ow!”
“You disgust me.” She spits. “How dare you embarrass our family like this?! Have you no conscience?! Why are you acting like a child?!”
You scoff, annoyed. “I think I should be asking you the questions.”
“Excuse me?!”
You yank your arm away from her sharp fingers. Your posture stands a little taller, which is your way to signify confidence. Bravery from her threats.
“All my life, you dictated my every move. You constructed me into this good, religious good girl image so others can stray away from the corruption of our family businesses. You banned me to make my own choices and live my own life because you solely believe that your and father’s choices are the best ones. You taught me misleading ideals and beliefs, urging me to hate others who don’t resonate with me and abandon those who are lower than me. And now, you attempted to sell my freedom for the price of overflowing greed.”
You blurt out every ounce of pain you’ve gained all your life, finally relieving yourself of the burden. If only you could see the proud expressions your older brothers sport from afar, while your younger brothers can admire your courage. You’re finally taking a stand so neither of them would face a situation like this.
“You are lying!” Your mother tries to fight back, even if her lips quiver. Never would she think her only daughter could turn out like this. “That’s a sin, young lady.”
“But nothing as worse as greed, mom. One of the seven deadly sins, like you once taught me.” You smirk.
“Do not dare talk back to your mother!” Your father joins the heated scene. “What happened to you, (Y/N)? How did you turn out like this?”
You laugh, placing a hand on your chest to hold yourself back. “Your sheltered, devious way of parenting me and my brothers led me here. So much for saying we’re a self-proclaimed “God-centered” family when we are far from th--”
Your outburst is dramatically cut off with a stinging slap from your mother. Your legs give out from the impact as your butt lands flat on the marble. The crowd is in a disarray from the sudden commotion, full from all this information. Information that’ll give every journalist and gossip meals for months.
Meanwhile, all your brothers race to your aid. This has gone too far.
“You’re no longer my daughter, but the daughter of Satan himself.” Your mother rages while your palm covers your reddening cheek. You can only yourself back because physical violence shouldn’t be responded with the same thing. And being Satan’s daughter? So be it. It’s better than being the offspring of your parents.
“If not Doyoung, us, or your brothers, who would ever love and accept your lost, pitiful soul?”
“I would.”
A deep voice sends shivers to your figure. Almost like he’s enraged, you swivel your head to the source like everyone else.
It was none other than the silhouette from earlier, emerging from the darkness of the aisle. Except now, he was no regular silhouette. It embodies more sharpness and tidiness, like prestige and power exalts his bones. Almost like a complete redo.
Speaking of which, what your eyes laid upon prior wasn’t a hallucination. The more light from the church and the sun combined shines through, you managed to piece their appearance.
And how stupid you feel not to have pointed it out. The voice alone should’ve knocked some sense of you, because it was none other than--
“Jaehyun.”
The mentioned man continues to strut out, gradually exposing and making himself known to everyone present today. And it’s without a doubt that the gossip from this event alone can feed a whole country, especially with your father seething from his stance.
“Why is there a Jeong in this immaculate event?” He blames. “Have you not learned from your probation and dare barge in my daughter’s wedding?”
“What wedding, sir?” Jaehyun smirks sinisterly, slowly approaching your feeble figure. “It’s more like I witnessed physical and verbal assault against your daughter. In fact, everyone did. Including the Lord himself.”
“I oughtta-” Your father prepares his fist to meet Jaehyun’s face, if not Taeyong’s swift hand catching it.
“Not today, father. And never.” He throws a death glare at his predecessor.
Simultaneously, Jaehyun’s hands reach out for yours. You wobble for a bit when you get up, but you find your balance. His rage and frustration soften into concern at your overwhelmed state, lifting the veil over your head to cradle your weary face.
“Are you okay, my love?” His palm soothes your aching cheek. “I’m sorry I didn’t save you on time.”
“You--” You start to choke on your words. “You’re here. You came back for me.”
“Of course, I did.” He grins genuinely. “I should’ve never left you like that back then. Not when we needed each other the most.”  
Before proper words can leave your scattered mind, your father screams like he witnessed a bloody murder.
“What is the meaning of this?! There’s no way this is the man you love, (Y/N)!” He screams, while your mother faints at the sight.
“Surprise, father.” You smile with mischief. “I fell in love with the so-called enemy, and I shall spend the rest of life eternally with him.”
“I object this union!”
“I don’t fucking care.” You curse without remorse. Sparing a loving glance at your man after, “Fuck you, mother, and everything else in this feud. I am done.”
Angrily, your father nearly charges in front of you and Jaehyun. But you’re spared in a flash if not for Taeyong and Mark pulling him back. Jeno and Haechan, on the other hand, hold on to her before she loses her consciousness again. And also avoid her from hurting you.
Ten calls out both your names from the side. Suddenly, a pair of car keys are thrown at your direction. Jaehyun catches them instantly.
“Save your sweet yet vengeful reunion someplace else and run! Now!”
You’ve completely forgotten how public this wedding was as every person spectate how you take hold of Jaehyun’s hand, leading you to a more private exit of the church. Taking the main doors will spark a frenzy by the paparazzi, and that’s the last thing you need on your agenda.
Now in the parking lot in the back, Jaehyun’s fingers from his free hand click the buttons of Ten’s car keys, One of the cars activates in perfect condition, lights flicking and beeping sonorously. And thank God, it’s right in front of you.
“Motherfucker, it’s a Ferrari.” Jaehyun marvels.
“Jaehyun, we gotta go!” You rush inside the shotgun, conscious of who may find the both of you.
It’s not a surprise that the journalists got ahold of your speeding departure since you have to drive out in front of the church to get away from it. Even if Ten’s windows were tinted so no one can detect who was inside, the guests finally vacated from the building and told their own versions of what unfolded in the supposed Kim-Lee union.
And while the news are brewing and buzzing, you and Jaehyun have absolutely no idea where to drive off to.
“That was insane!” You burst out. The adrenaline rush of it all still raced your veins, while Jaehyun’s attention is firm at the road ahead of him. “I never felt or done anything like this!”
He chuckles as his fingers retract to your hand again, lifting it to kiss the top. “You’ve turned into a bad girl, baby. What are we gonna do about that?”
“Would living a new, happier life for ourselves be the best way to avenge everything they’ve done to us?” You suggest. “I know we’ve been through a lot, but I was no better for letting you walk out like that without a proper fight for our love.”
Jaehyun sighs from the painful memory. “And I understood why you did. I had no right to pressure you into something so drastic when your family has already stressed you out enough.”
“But still!” You acclaim. “You’ve always fought for us, so I should’ve done the same before all of this happened.”
“So, you must truly love me.” Jaehyun attempts to lighten up the mood. Reaching a red light, he tilts his body to face you. Even after being chased down, he remains ever ethereal as beads of sweat rest on his brows and his once-perfectly done hair is crazily tousled.
“If I didn’t, I would’ve never caused a scene especially with God watching us.” You lean a little closer to him, resting both of your hands on his shoulders. If not for the car handle blocking you, you’d be sitting on his lap. “Because He sent you to me as a blessing. Not a curse from the devil, but a blessing who taught me to be brave and never take anyone’s shit.”
“Cursing like this still feels so new to me, baby.” The glimmer in his eyes darken with desire, moving closer to your lips.
“Better get used to it, sweetheart.” Merely inches left, your lips teasingly brush his. “It’s you and me until the end of the time.”
The confidence of your tone was met with the element of surprise when Jaehyun’s lips finally planted on yours. Your sultry yet romantic-filled words put all his senses of haywire, as if you bewitched him with your everlasting charms. Your lips curve into a smile as they part so his tongue can slide in. The taste of his favorite mint candy mellow your nerves down, easing you back to a calmer state of mind.
How you missed his touch.
How you missed his presence.
How you missed him, and everything that goes along with it.
As passionate as your affections are at the moment, it’s only to be interrupted by the loud, irritated honks from the vehicles behind you.
The red light has now turned green.
The two of you can only laugh in embarrassment, like two horny teenagers caught by their headmasters. Yet the youthful energy you both radiate remains. Jaehyun holds your hand again before stepping on the engine, rubbing the sides of your thumb.
“Oh, baby. I’d be more than glad to be sinfully vowed to you.”
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5 YEARS LATER.
Jeong Estates and Co. secured the highest rank of top real estate companies within Seoul.  
This wouldn’t be made possible if not for Krystal Jeong, second in line at the Jeong family business. One of the Jeong cousins rather. No bitter feelings she felt on getting the job. In fact, she’s more than ecstatic to acclaim the highest position in their clan. As for Sungchan, he just entered law school in high hopes of taking over his mother’s law firm. But only years after taking the bar exam then starting for the bottom up. Often times, he secretly gives his older brother a call on his burner phone or vice versa. No matter what, they are still brothers. Heck, highly urged him to chase after you when he found out the truth behind his older brother’s love for you.
Lee Properties, the real estate company of Lee Corporation, are more focused on expanding their branches across the world. Ranking no longer mattered, as long as the quality of their work constantly. Mark, under the guidance of Taeyong and Ten in the beginning, took over the company. Thanks to the three, they branched out to the US, UK, and Japan. Family-wise, the 5 brothers isolated themselves from their parents since that day. Everything has become business for them. Because they refuse to be associated with people responsible for the almost-downfall of their only sister.
The general feud between families remain unsolved, even after the mayhem of the failed wedding. Although there have been are rumors circulating that the brothers of each family made amends, but nothing has been confirmed. The tension intensified, and no dares to get in their loop.
People who work in media make sure to never put them in the same room for interviews or events. People working in their companies dare not to speak of the enemy company. Anyone who’s within the presence of any family member can only bow their head and pray they don’t get called out.
Most of all, everyone goes silent of the forbidden romance built between their each of their children.
That’s the thing with the Lees and Jeongs: they’re old-money royalty with filthy history. If you get in their way, might as well say goodbye to everything you worked hard for.
That’s how powerful they are.
Yet only two people defied all the odds.
Speaking of them, where do you and Jaehyun stand?
“I’m home!” Jaehyun greets loudly as he opens the door. He drops off his satchel of tools by the doorstep, removing his dirty loafers and switching to house slippers.
“In the kitchen!” You respond. Just in time for dinner, you love how prompt he is.
From behind, warm yet sweaty arms wrap around your waist. He must’ve had a long day, especially when he was gone the moment you woke up. But it’s not much of a worry since you also had a early start that day.
“Smells good here.” Jaehyun’s chin tucks on your shoulder. “What are we having tonight?”
“Homemade ravioli as a gift from Francesca next door,” You continue stirring the aromatic pan. “With tomato sauce made by me.”
“Delicious.” He sniffs. “I missed you.”
You giggle from his short kiss on your cheek. “I missed you too, but you reek off sweat.”
“When am I not?” He teases. “Gotta earn to maintain this roof on top of our heads.”
“Keep that habit up, or someone else here might make me vomit like last time.” Your free hand lowers his hands to the bump of your swelling stomach. Perhaps only now did you believe that there is one when it used to be slightly flatter.
“Speaking of which,” He rubs it gently. “How’s she today? No trouble?”
“Thankfully, no.” You turn the stove off, satisfied with the finished dish. Turning around, your hands situate themselves on your lower back. A new habit since your body has been adjusting to all these new changes. “I’m confident the nausea is subsiding, but now my feet hurt like crazy.”
“My love,” Jaehyun coos, caging you in his arms. “How about I take a quick shower, enjoy this meal you made, then give you a foot massage?”
“Oh yes, that sounds divine.” You hum, pecking his lips. “Now get off me. You seriously stink as fuck.”
So much for your mood swings, Jaehyun chuckles as he makes his way to the bathroom of your master bedroom. You roll your eyes st the playful man while you prepare the dining table. Yet you wouldn’t have it any other way.
Life ever since that crazy day became more peaceful and joyful. Freeing to retake the control you have over your life, whilst sharing it with the man you truly love.
For a couple of months, you and Jaehyun resided in a private cottage somewhere deep in Jeju Island. Only he knew of its existence because he himself built it from the ground up. Formerly in the real estate, he’s always had an interest for architecture. But instead of picking that major in college (because his parents were against it), he studied elsewhere with his own money. It clearly paid off as it gave the two of you the perfect hideaway from all the drama.
And led the most memorable of nights in your shared bedroom, especially you finally confessed your deepest desire of him fully taking your purity away. Sure, virginity is a social construct but you trusted Jaehyun with your life. After everything you’ve been through together, how can you not?
One kiss is all it took before he had you squirming and moaning on his cock, thrusting and hitting your sweet spots. His words of praise in every movement led you one step closer to heave. You see, heaven wasn’t just a place you go to when you die in good spirits. But it can be through a person.
And his name was Jeong Jaehyun.
Physically, your body turned sore the following day. But emotionally, you’re thrilled. He took good care of you like the passionate lover he is, but that’s bare minimum. We shouldn’t celebrate those things, though there’s something unique about it when Jaehyun carrying you to a warm tub and feeding you your favorite homemade meals that very day. To make up for hitting it too hard, he egotistically claims.
But can you blame him?
Exactly.
Later on, the two of you permanently migrated to the countryside area of Italy. Having loved the quiet side of Jeju Island whilst craving a new adventure, Europe took an interest to the both of you. Italy became your top choice if not for having individual traveling experiences there. And how you equally enjoyed its culture and aura.
Thus, you wanted to create more memories together and start anew. And by that, you and him rented an apartment within Tuscany and worked different jobs from your university majors.
From being a business management major, you became an English teacher at the local elementary school. You enjoyed taking care of children, teaching them all new things and encouraging them to be their best selves. There are also times you walk some of them home if their parents cannot fetch them. Holding your hand so they avoid any cars passing by, your heart is full when they obey and tell you all sorts of imaginative tales. You adore their curiosity, and you always make sure to be the best role model you can be.
From majoring in finance, Jaehyun ventured into construction and architecture. He was always hands on, conceptualizing and building all sorts of things for other people’s needs. It’s a plus that he’s always followed an active lifestyle, his muscles making it easier to bring those things to different destinations. The big boss of the business he works for can rely him on him big time, saving money on gas for the moving truck. So it’s no surprises girls attempt to throw themselves at him for his looks and strength. But it’s nothing you worry about.
Because at the end of the day, it’s still you he comes home to you. And makes you come until all the stars of the universe are within your periphery.
With all the money you both earn (and pawning your unnecessary designer items), it eventually becomes enough for two things: building a new house and your wedding.
There’s a piece of land Jaehyun’s boss gifted him as gratitude for expanding his business, which is near one of his beloved vineyards. Since that day, Jaehyun devoted time and effort to build your dream home. With some help with friends he made from work.
It meant sacrificing alone time with him, which did strike an argument or two. But it’s nothing too big you couldn’t resolve. Because you’re both sure that his efforts are going to be worth it.
And how beautiful the final output was. Modern with a rustic feel, there were 3 floors to your entire home. With a patio, there’s also a garden of various flowers and crops you and Jaehyun planted during the construction process. And now, they’re finally coming in full bloom this time around. After that, you can see the various vineyards which trails to the best view of the sunset. 
Quite the villa, you two have. It has everyone in town wanting to take a visit whenever they can and how inviting you’d be to all of them for special occasions.
Upon tradition, the whole home was blessed by the priest before you fully moved in. And boy, nothing could hold you back from running through every furnished floor, only to hold and kiss your man for a job well done. But the mood became heated as his hands cup your butt and lifted you up as he lead you to your master bedroom.
Your wedding came shortly after. It was held at a small chapel within Tuscany, with locals you’ve befriended over time, your brothers, and Sungchan.
Yes, they accepted your private invitations and made sure not to disclose this event to anyone back home. Most especially, both of your parents.
You and Jaehyun feared your brothers wouldn’t get along the slightest. Initially, there was tension when you invited them to dinner at your new home. Mark, Haechan, and Ten inspected with Sungchan with suspicion, while the younger boy returns the judgmental loo. Jeno and Taeyong, on the other hand, fell silent as they didn’t want to utter a word at him.
Accepting Jaehyun took a while, so what more with Sungchan? He was outnumbered by your 5 prideful brothers, and based on the tales of your then fiancé, he was a good boy.
“Yah.” It was your sharp voice that cuts the tense air, which was a new experience for everyone. In fact, they’re all getting used to your newfound voice that’ll slice and dice anyone that disrespects you. “If you are all going to act like children, we’ll turn out m like our parents and those before. We’ll never end our feud, and hurt more people we love.”
“Whatever problems you have with each other, sort that shit out right now. Or we can kick you out, where the nearest motel is 4 hours away.”
So yes, you may have threatened them. But it does spark change within both families, especially when Jeno opened up about his interest for the law firm under Lee Corporation. He was in 2nd year of law school that time.
Instead of thinking as competition, Sungchan started up about his life as a freshman because it turns out that they’re studying in same school. Eventually, Mark and Taeyong came around to talk about their hobbies. And as for Haechan and Ten, they were responsible for filling up everyone’s wine glasses until everyone passed out in the living room.
You’re merely lucky how the wedding was still a week and a half away. But mostly, new friendships were made and you’re certain this will cause a major shift in the feud.
And finally, as you and Jaehyun said “I do” and sealed a kiss in front of your loved ones, off to your honeymoon you go. Funded by Taeyong and Ten (which you failed to reject out of embarrassment), you and Jaehyun went to your favorite Italian city: Milan. The both of you spent all the cash they gave to your heart’s content after putting them into your home and wedding, exploring the designer stores and shops of the locals.
With the former, it made you reminisce your younger self. The one who was so naïve to everything while she threw the money from mommy and daddy’s credit cards on bags and clothes. But now, designer items are just items with an esteemed name. Their worth is nothing compared to the culture of the locals back in Tuscany, and the love you continue to grow with Jaehyun.
It’s no wonder that over time, that same love eventually created something magical.
And it came in the form of your unborn child that you fiercely carry. It’s only like yesterday when you and Jaehyun anticipated in your bedroom for the tests you took. This came to be after your period not arriving, the weird food combinations you consume, and your mood swings being out of this world. Or that’s at least what Jaehyun shared, but he can be quite overdramatic at times.
As we return to the present time, you caress your hard tummy that holds so much life. How you feel the smallest flutter of your daughter as she continues to grow or the first time you heard her heart beat in the monitor. It still makes your heart soar when the doctor confirmed the gender of your baby. In a world of boys, another girl just like you made you feel complete. With Jaehyun, he’d have a little girl he can take to all sorts of adventures and dance around with.
Heck, he already made the crib from scratch from his excitement and cleared out one of your guest rooms for the baby. If that doesn’t soften your heart, you didn’t know what will. He’s always had a fondness for kids, especially with your profession. And now, the both of you shall have your own to take care and love.
5 months down, 4 more to go.
You lay on your back on the couch, resting your head by the edge. Your fingers skim through an open book as Jaehyun’s hands work their magic to relieve the constant ache of your feet.
“What matters most are the simple pleasures so abundant that we can all enjoy them...” You read aloud the text of your precious novel. The baby enjoyed being read to, whether it be from your or Jaehyun. Meanwhile, the mentioned man listens along as it is one of his childhood favorites. “Happiness doesn’t lie in the objects we gather around us. To find it, all we need to do is open our ey-”
A strong set of kicks to your gut interrupts your reading, a loud groan leaving your lips. Jaehyun’s alert to help you out, clutching on your stomach as you try to sit upright.
“What happened?” Jaehyun chides. “Are you okay? Is the baby okay?”
“She…” Your eyes begin to well up. “She’s kicking for the first time.”
The baby wildly makes her presence known as she remains persistent in her actions. Stunned, your hands find Jaehyun’s and place them on your stomach. This has never happened to either you, and both of you wanted to treasure the moment.
Your husband keeps quiet upon his amazement in feeling his small feet of his baby girl. He smiles, changing his hand positions to find her in your womb. It’s almost like you’re raising 2 kids.
“That tickles, Jae!” You squeal, readjusting your stance. Back pain is becoming a bitch lately.
“Does it hurt?” His hands stay put in one spot near your belly button, where your daughter enjoyed to play around the most.
You give a tight-lipped smile. “Not really, but now it’s a bit bothersome.”
“Oh no…” He says with worry, head leaning near your tummy to speak to your daughter. “Baby, don’t hurt your mommy. She makes sure you’re strong and well, so be nice, okay?”
You gush from his words. Your mind is elated to create future scenarios of their father-daughter bonding, something you wish you had more of when you were younger. But you know your husband, the family guy he’s become. Because you both made an oath to never become your parents, to be better and wiser.
Finally, the kicks weakened and felt your daughter rest on one corner of your tummy. By this time, she’s fallen asleep. And by her actions, it exhausted you as well as her unofficial punching bag. Jaehyun, who was bound to resume his massaging, catches you yawn and stretch your arms out.
“Tired?” He asks, and you nod.
“I think I’ll continue reading the book tomorrow.” You close your beloved copy of the Little Prince, and pull your feet off from your husband’s lap.
“Wait.” He stops you, standing up before you do.
You quirk a brow. “Yes, babe?”
“There’s no way you’re walking up the stairs with sore feet.” Suddenly, he lifts you off the couch as he carries you bridal style. You shriek with shock, but not loud enough to disturb your baby.
“Jaehyun! Put me down!” He shakes his head. “Am I not heavy? I’m carrying your child after all.”
“Nothing will be heavy enough when it comes to you and our baby.” He reassures. “Now, let’s get both of you to bed, hmm?”
Refusing his advances would be an endless fight, so you concede the moment you nuzzle your head on his chest. Fresh laundry, his scent fills your nostrils. You loved the warmth when he’s close to you like this, nearly dozing off when he walks up the stairs. He was your home, and you don’t ever want to leave him.
Jaehyun, on the other hand, is enamored by you each passing day. He witnessed all your good and bad times, the latter especially as they eventually led to the better days of your shared life. He didn’t want to admit how afraid he was when you two eloped from everyone, but you’ve always known. He didn’t have to tell you because you put in your own efforts to make him feel at bay. That it’s okay to feel vulnerable, that it’s okay to take risks. Because you were both in this together, that’s in the vows you unofficially said back in Jeju Island and reiterated in your actual wedding.
Another thing Jaehyun loved about you was this endless glow when you’re passionate about your job at the school, stand up for yourself, and express true joy from the small, finer things in life. But there came a unique kind glow you embodied since you told him the news of your pregnancy.
It was a major step in any loving relationship, and if there’s anyone he’d experience it with, he’s blessed that it’s with you. Like he once said when you were younger, you are God’s favorite angel.
When he gently lays you down on your side of the bed, catching how your eyelids effortlessly fell down, he kisses your forehead. “Good night, angel.”
As he rests on the opposite side, your hand finds his chest.
“Jae.”
Surprised, he moves to face your side. Your lids may be droopy, but you had extra strength to carress his cheek with the same hand. Under the moonlight from your balcony doors, he looked effortlessly beautiful. Even with some greying hairs on his nape, wrinkles forming in his forehead, and eyebags darkening from his restless nights, your heart is full of love for him. Whether it’s from your hormones acting up or not, that’s never going to change.
He's a representation of your bravery, and how glad you are to take on the challenge to push for your love.
Because in the end, it all worked out like you both wanted.
“Hmm, baby?” His hand cup yours.
“Thank you for not giving up on me.” You place his other hand on your tummy again. “On us.”
“Thank you for fighting for our love, for showing those who doubted us that it has a place in our world.” Jaehyun shares an endearing smile, paving a way for his remarkable dimples. Some things don’t age, like your youthful souls. Ever so daring and adventurous, parenthood doesn’t sound like such a bad idea if it’s two of you embarking on it together.
“Even if it almost earned a punch from my dad?” The once-frightening memory earns a chuckle from both your lips. Little did your younger selves know what they’d face after.
“What can I say? I meant every word I say then, to be put in his place.” He defends. “And you know what else I meant that day?”
“Enlighten me.”
Oh, you can only feel real happiness and gratitude for the man in front of you. He is a man of his word, and proved endlessly with his actions. And he shall continue to do so for the rest of your lives.
“I’d be more than glad to be sinfully vowed to you, (Y/N). Forever and always.”
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copyright © 2022 by alluringjae.
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judysxnd · 10 months
Note
Hi .
I have an idea for pedro × reader
They came back from a party and as they qre still in their fancy party clothes, they start dancing slow in the living room . In my head it has romantic blue light. Idk . Just describing...
Love your writings BTW
Thank you! I absolutely LOVE your request! But I don’t know why I can’t write it how I want. It doesn’t end as I wish it would. I had to write it twice as I didn’t really like the first story I wrote. I hope you still like it! I really struggled even though I really liked the idea. Idk why 🤷🏻‍♀️
I swear this gif, it makes me feel feral, it does things to me. He is so hot.😮‍💨
——————————————————————————————
Today was a big day for Pedro. It was the Oscars. Not only he was going, but he was also presenting an award. And what makes it even bigger is that you were going with him. You were always nervous when you accompanied him, all the attention, the questions, the flashes, it was a lot, and it never stopped for the entire event.
The Oscars are a bigger event, the biggest you attended to. You spent the entire afternoon getting ready. Even if you were nervous, you couldn’t wait to finally wear your dress. It was beautiful. It was a long wine red ball gown, with pearls all over it, so magnificent. You got to feel so confident wearing fancy clothes for those events.
You were standing in front of the mirror in the hotel room you were staying in with Pedro for the night. As he was getting ready in the bathroom, you were in the bedroom. Make up done, getting dressed done, hair done, you were ready. You turned around to see the entire outfit done, as Pedro walked in.
“Woah, princesa, eres hermosa, magnifica, it leaves me out of words” he said, leaning against the wall next to the mirror, eyeing you up and down. You smiled, blushing through his comments. You stared at him for a second.
“You look not so bad too” you laughed
“Not so bad?” He walked a little closer. “Are you kidding me?” He went in front of you to look at himself in the mirror, hiding you. “I look amazing!” you laughed
“I was just kidding, you look perfect” you wrapped your arms around his waist, looking at him through the mirror. Next thing you knew, you were walking out of the hotel, and getting in the car to the Oscars. The Oscars. It seemed unreal just to think about it.
You finally made your big entrance. Pedro went first, but you were close by, and after all the individual pictures were taken, he never left your side. One you were sat, you were feeling better, the big moment was done, you just had to sit through the show. Of course at some point Pedro had to leave to present the award. He really looked perfect. He made it look so easy. After giving you a few glances during his presentation, he left the stage and went back to you.
One moment you couldn’t wait for was the after party. Everyone was there. You could see the other side, how everyone is during a party, stuff you usually do not see on tv. And you had your fun. You talked to a lot people, trying not to fangirl too much around certain celebrities, drinking with them. You also danced a lot with Pedro. The music was good, loud enough, everyone was dancing, and hell, if something would happened, you would not be the one remembered, with all those famous faces around you.
After drinking maybe 4 or 5 cocktails, Pedro and you were ready to go home. It was around 3am and most people were leaving already, so you went back to your hotel room.
“It was a fucking great party” you said, taking your shoes off as you turned the lights on.
“Yeah, I think I’ve never danced that much” he laughed
“Me too! We will certainly feel it tomorrow”
“Don’t talk to me about it” Pedro closed the door, and changed the color of the lights to a dark blue, to both calm you down after the party.
“Hey, are you tired?” You asked
“Hmm, not really, why?”
“I was thinking we could have one last dance” you said, putting your bag on the bed. You took your speaker that was on the nightstand and connected it to your phone, putting “Us” by Movement.
“Oh a slow dance” Pedro said getting closer to you smiling. He took your hand, pulling you even closer to him, his right hand going on your back, while your left hand was on his. You put your head against his chest, listening to his heart beating.
“You were amazing tonight” you said, breaking the silence. Pedro kissed your head.
“Thank you mama, you were too” you were both smiling. Then you stopped talking, just enjoying each other’s embrace. You closed your eyes for a few seconds, smelling his cologne. You felt Pedro rest his head on your, which made you smile. How he loved the smell of your shampoo mixed with your perfume. It sends him over the edge.
Is this what heaven is like? Random romantic moments like that, where you were close together, giving you butterflies in your stomach. It felt surreal, feeling each other’s bodies in the most romantic way.
“We should do this more often” Pedro whispered.
“Agreed” you smiled. You put both your arms around Pedro’s waist as he put both of his around your back, his left hand caressing your head, playing with your hair. It made you shiver. “I love you so much Pedro” you said against his chest
“I love you more mi corazón”
The song was about to end, but you didn’t want to move. Pedro stepped back, holding your arms. He looked at you, before making you spin around. You both smiled.
After that, Pedro cupped your face, and kissed you passionately. The next song started, which was completely different and louder than the one before. It both scared you, making you laugh as you ran to pause it.
“I hope we didn’t wake up the people next to us” you said
“As if we cared” he laughed, coming behind you, kissing softly your neck. “Come on, let’s get change. Even if you look amazing in this dress, I want to see you without it” he smirked. You slapped his arm, laughing as you both walked to the bathroom.
After you changed, you actually ordered something to eat, and you spent the rest of the night (or we could say morning) watching a movie, both ending falling asleep after 30minutes.
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emillyverse · 6 days
Text
Some warnings + Chapter 1 Progress!!!!!
HELLO MY LOVELY STARS!!!
You didn't expect to see me updating KoW so soon, did you???
I usually post updates on Saturday or Sunday, but I'll be traveling so I decided to leave the previews today.
In fact, this trip is the warning I have to give. I will be away from my work desk and my materials for a few days (I don't know exactly how many but between one and two weeks), therefore I will not be able to make progress on the Comic during this period.
This is sad I know. But look on the bright side, I'm going to get a lot of rest and return to work with renewed energy!!!
✨YAYYYYYY !!!✨
Anyway, without further ado, let's get to what everyone wants to see:
THE CONTINUATION OF THE OUTLINES OF CHAPTER 1 OF "THE KINGDOM OF WISHES"
( Written by @annymation , design by @uva124 )
Check out part 1 here.
"The two brothers grew up and, with their father's teachings, became powerful sorcerers."
"But when the big day arrived, Florian was crowned king, as Magnus still didn't feel confident and claimed that something was missing in his life; something that gave him strength and courage!"
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"It was then that Magnus met Amaya."
"The most beautiful maiden he had ever seen had been found adrift in a boat and taken shelter in the castle by order of King Florian."
"As a form of gratitude for the hospitality, Amaya began to serve the court as a royal alchemist and, as the days went by, she ended up winning Magnus' heart, finally making him feel like he could do...anything".
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"Encouraged by his new love, Magnus decided to travel in search of adventure, leaving the kingdom to prosper in Florian's hands."
"But then, a tragedy happened. When Magnus returned to Rosas he discovered that his brother had passed away due to illness. A painful loss for the entire kingdom, which was made worse by Florian not having legitimate heirs"
"Magnus was moved. He could not let the magnificent legacy of his beloved brother and predecessors end like this."
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"Feeling confident with Amaya by your side, Magnus took over the throne and changed the way wishes were granted monthly, doing dozens of them a week, making them float back to your Wish Makers, during the night"
The Kingdom was so happy and grateful that they began to name their new rulers with nicknames that reflected their magnificence and passion, thus making them known as King Magnífico and Queen Amable.
"The end".
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Sabino: "I admire your taste in complex stories, Asha, but... Hmm...Don't you think this is too complicated for you?"
Asha: "I thought it was a fantasy book, but it's just romance. Yuck!”
Sabino: "Never judge a book by its cover, darling! What you have here is a history book."
Asha: "But he doesn't explain things very well.Where does Queen Amaya come from? And the king's staff?What disease did Florian die from?"
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Sabino: "Well, Asha, let's see..."
"First, the queen is very private about her past, we have to respect that."
"Second. That staff is just a souvenir the king got on his travels."
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Sabino: "And third. Sometimes bad things just... happen... without explanation."
"And there's nothing we can do about it."
"Unless you move on..."
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To be continued...
FORGIVE FOR ENDING WITH AN ANGUISH DRAWING 🥺🥺
BUT DESPITE THAT, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT!
And understood. Remembering that, like Anny, I'm Brazilian, but unlike her, I don't understand English and I'm always using Google translate, so maybe there are some mistakes. But Anny and you are always welcome to point out mistakes and correct me!
That's it for today and until after my little vacation Lmao 😅 I'll still be online to answer any questions or curiosities you may have, or simply to see posts and rewrites in which they mark me. I love interacting with this fun and tight-knit community of Wish Concept Art fans!
Anyway, goodbye!!
Kisses full of light and stars!
~Emy
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blackleatherjacketz · 5 months
Text
Veritas: Chapter 3
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Loki x Female Reader
Summary: Loki convinces you to take things into your own hands.
Warnings: 18+ Only!, Mature Content, Explicit Smut, Manipulation, Praise Kink, Verse Loki, Power Bottom Loki, Soft Dom Loki?, Kissing, Oral Sex (Male Receiving), Scratching, Biting, Hair Pulling, Vaginal Sex, Unprotected Sex, Soul Bonding, Magic, Shame, Loki's Avoidant Attachment Style
Word Count: 2k+
Read the rest of the story HERE!
“Where I’m from they would have sculpted statues to display your magnificence, painted dozens of portraits for all the realms to witness the perfection of your beauty. But I want to see you step into your power.” His eyes fall down your face as he tugs on your bottom lip, grinning as he watches your mouth open for him. “Your true power.”
Within an instant he snaps his fingers, forcing your bra and underwear to disappear from your body as if they were only an illusion to begin with.
You gasp and looks down at yourself, trying your best to mask your complete and utter shock as your nipples harden against nothing; the rest of your body remaining bare before him. You knew this part was coming, that much you can be sure of. All signs had pointed to this since the very first moment you saw him, a more than familiar pattern revealing itself despite the magic and soothsaying that came along with it. He may be a god, a wizard or witch of some sort, but he’s still a man where it counts. You at least knows how to navigate around that… or so you think.
“I want to see you shed this apologetic, docile version of yourself these humans have molded you into,” he continues, releasing his grip on your face only to step away from you. “Isn’t that what you want, too?”
You nod, the tension between you palpable as his knowing gaze all but eggs you on as you notice the bulge between his thighs. It stretches the black fabric of his dress pants as he walks backward toward the bed, his upper body glowing in the changing light of the fire. His raven locks fall just above his shoulders as the back of his knees finally hit the mattress, halting him in his tracks. But instead of taking your hand and pulling you near like you expect him to, he merely stares at you knowingly, his eyebrows all but disappearing into his hairline as he waits in silence.
Oh, he wants me to…?
Your heart pounds in your chest, thumping heavily against your rib cage as the realization creeps over you like a heavy fog across a sullen morning meadow. You haven't initiated physical contact with anyone you've been with before now. You've never really had to. All the other partners you've had before him had innately taken over control, told you what to do, or simply put you in the position they wanted you in, but that wasn’t about to happen here. Not tonight. Not with him. You can see that now.
“T- take off your pants,” you tell him, hoping that your tone comes off more assertive than it feels.
He snickers as a slow smirk tugs at the corner of his lips, shaking his head scolding. “Don’t ask for it, darling. Demand it.”
Demand it? You've never demanded anything in your entire life before, but you guess that's the whole point of this, isn't it?
"Try again." That smirk turns into a smile as he stands his ground, shifting the weight in his hips.
Try again? Fuck, he’s serious, isn’t he?
You clear your throat and straighten your spine, standing taller than you normally would as you purposefully harden her gaze. “Take off your pants.”
“Make me,” he taunts, a twinkle in his eye showing you just how much he’s enjoying this little game of his.
Jesus.
“Take. Them. Off.” You order sternly before taking a few steps toward him, closing the gap between them as you attempt to shed all those years of submission in a matter of seconds; your hands all but shaking as they somehow find their way onto his belt. You look up into his eyes, their faint hue now darkened with want as you unfasten his buckle along with his pants, smoothing your hands beneath the earthly fabric with ease. His skin is softer than you imagined, his muscles almost malleable beneath your palms and you slide his clothes down the curves of his ass.
“That’s it,” he whispers breathily, his mouth falling slack as you finally frees him. “Now take what belongs to you.”
All of time seems to stop as his request unlocks something deep inside of you. Each caress and embrace before this had merely picked the tiny parts of the lock open until his magical phrase finally turned the key; clicking everything into place.
Take what belongs to you, you repeat in your head.
You push him onto his back, the soft comforter muffling his fall as he lays there, ready and waiting while you allow the fantasy to take over. You let herself believe that a god among men really wants you to let go of everything you know, to relinquish all your inhibitions as he lays willingly at your feet; a sacrifice for the greater good. He’s perfect, an obscene image of absolute beauty as his enormity bobs in full view between his thighs, a single droplet of precum giving away his eagerness to aid in your spiritual transformation. His hands remain patiently at his sides as you crawl onto the bed, his muscles visibly twitching in anticipation as you rakes her fingernails across his skin, forcing his body to roll into your painful touch.
“What belongs to me?” You repeat his words back to him as you scratch the tougher skin on his upper thighs, gliding your nails over his hips as he bucks up in response.
“I do,” he tells you through hooded lids, balling his hands into fists as you pierce little white trails up his abdomen and down his pelvis again, leaving your mark as you get closer to his groin each and every time. “I belong to you.”
“Just like that?” You tease, getting into character more easily now that he’s beneath you. You lick your lips and look down at his shaft, practically begging to be touched as you graze your fingers between his thighs, almost close enough to touch him this time.
“Yes,” he admits, biting his lower lip as you finally spit on the head of his cock. “Yes, just like that.”
“Good.” You grasp him in your palm, feeling your own moisture begin to collect at your center as you stroke him with ease, your own saliva oozing down his member and between your fingers. You watch his face twist in pleasure as you gently lick his tip up and down, over and over again before slowly opening your mouth to take him past your lips. He tastes so much different than any other man you've had before, his impressive girth pushing against your tongue as you relax your throat to savor that almost… refreshing flavor of his flesh.
You can feel his hand on the back of your head as you take in more of him, his long fingers weaving their way into your hair as you consumes every inch with growing fervor. His grip tightens once your lips become flush with his pelvis, your spit now spilling down between his thighs as you nearly gag before coming up for air and starting all over again. You can hear him whisper your name, his voice faint and ethereal, somehow distant yet near. His body writhes beneath you with each thirsty pass over his cock, his fingers all but ripping the hair out of your head before you eventually slow your pace, quieting down his grateful whimpering. Reluctantly, you pull your messy lips off of him with an audible pop, kissing a trail up his shaft one more time before winking at him.
“You’ve got quite the mouth on you, you know that, darling?” He smooths his hands through your hair as you climb up and straddle his hips, resisting the urge to thrust up inside you as you carefully hover over him.
Instead of flipping you over and having his way with you like he’s used to doing with so many others before, he lets you grab him at his base, squeezing just enough to brew a subtle growl from his throat before spreading your clear coat of neediness over the tip of his dick. Back and forth you go, like a paint brush over both of your most pleasurable spots, coloring their skin in multiple shades of iridescent hues that only the two of you can begin to see.
“Isn’t this so much easier?” He breathes heavily as he tries to hold back his release, grazing his hands down your body as you continue your good work. “Giving into your desires instead of fighting them?”
“Mmm hmm,” you moan as you use his body to send yourself through the roof, that last magical push of his head over your clit making your body quiver in a bright rainbow of sheer delight.
“It’s what you were made for.” He grasps onto your hips as he watches you come undone, pulling you down onto him as your muscles involuntarily squeeze around him. “What you were born to do.”
That line from before burns a bright white as the two of you finally connect, hot to the touch as it slithers inside you both, moving your spines in time with one another as he rises up to kiss your lips, completing that perfect circle. It bonds you together in a way you can feel but can’t quite comprehend, fusing you together as if you'd always been a part of one another, your carnal reunion now blatantly obvious in its inevitability. In this moment, you can’t remember anything else before him, how you survived your mundane life without his touch to excite you, his kiss to calm you or his voice to ring in your ears.
You can feel him stretch your muscles to capacity, holding you in place as he glides in and out of you with moans so beautiful, you swear you've never heard anything like them before. They only seem to enhance your pleasure as you rise and fall around him, drawing out moans of your own as your fingers get tangled in his hair in an attempt to bring him closer, to taste more of his mouth, but it’s no use. The chorus of his moans mixes in with yours and the steady beat of his upward thrusts until your orgasm forces him to slip up and surrender completely. He can’t help but cry out your name, a muffled plea against your lips as you breaks his threshold, holding onto you for dear life as he coats the inside of your slick, swollen walls with his automatic release.
Your smooth grip pulsates every last drop out of him as your legs find their way around his waist. They tighten around his hips as he continues to frantically spill his pleasure into you until there’s absolutely nothing left. You shudder around him, resting your forehead against his as you convulse together in unison, refusing to break contact even the slightest bit. You relish in the feeling of his sweat blending with yours as it coats your skin, the sensation of his hands on your body and the sound of his heavy breath deepening as his convulsions slowly die down.
“How good does that feel, taking what you want for once?” He kisses you again, closing his eyes to savor the sweetness of your lips before moving on to taste the flavor of your neck as he feels himself ooze out of you and onto his pelvis.
“Good,” you whisper, gasping as he bites down onto your clavicle and sucks a deep bruise just below it. “Different at first, but … really good.”
“Well, we’ll have plenty of time for you to practice.” He mouths his way down your chest, lifting your arm up to continue his path of kisses beneath your armpit until the sharp angle of his nose forces you to clench down around him again, halting his own breath in response. “To become who you were always meant to be.” He slowly inhales the pheromones emanating from your axilla, eyes rolling back into his head as he takes in your natural scent. “Before we move onto other things.”
“Other things?” You cradle his face in your hands, forcing him to look up at you as his hands find their way onto your backside, squeezing your cheeks.
“You deserve so much more than what you’ve been given,” he tells you earnestly, the iciness returning to his stare. “So much more than how they’ve treated you.”
You stare at him, all the pleasure and praise almost numbing you into forgetting that he told you about a rage he carries around with him as well. How could you continue letting him dote upon you like this without making an effort to return the favor?
“And how have you been treated?”
Loki clenches his jaw at the question, eyes watering before quickly peeling your hands off his face and setting them down at your side. “It’s time to rest now, don’t you think?”
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whumpshaped · 1 month
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this has been sitting in my drafts unfinished for ages... it was supposed to be the first of my robot drabbles to go up but here we are. i hope i'll have spoons to write more for these guys... i'll post some picrews sometime for the cast and also make a masterlist and give the story a title
masterlist
content: robot whumperee (literally whumpee and whumper in one i don't know how to describe it any other way), sci-fi setting, implied systemic whump, morally dubious caretaker, living weapon
Szoren grabbed the closest rag and did a cursory wipe-off on his tools before turning towards his robot: the Self-Sufficient Riot Control Unit, the very first one they'd ever created. SSRCU-01. Zaps, as they'd affectionately nicknamed it. An absolutely magnificent piece of machinery, something Szoren and his colleagues had been working on for years before they managed to get it to function properly.
Well, as properly as they could at the time. If he didn't count the unfortunate shocking incident from the first week, and the even more unfortunate airlock incident from the second week, he could say Zaps was doing a fine job of only hurting those it was meant to be hurting.
Which, of course... Szoren didn't like that his poor baby was made for such a brutal purpose... But he couldn't change the reality of it, and he was just glad to see his creation performing well.
"So, what seems to be the problem?" he asked cheerily, adjusting his glasses as he looked over the custom murderbot.
"The central processing unit seems to be malfunctioning, sir," it said, monotone as ever. Szoren didn't mind. He wasn't good with emotions anyway.
"Malfunctioning? How? I'll run diagnostics, but you can talk to me in the meantime." He hooked up Zaps to the computer, hoping the 'malfunction' would be easy to spot and solve. At least it wasn't the motor functions this time — he really didn't need another injury.
"The reactions are delayed, sir. I hear the orders and I see the mistakes I'm meant to be fixing, but the body locks up before I can carry out the task. It almost allowed one of the workers to run away."
Szoren frowned. Zaps was entirely okay from the looks of it, or at least the computer didn't find anything wrong with it.
"I'll take a look myself. Maybe it's something to do with the joints and not the CPU."
"The joints are fine, sir," it said firmly.
"It can't hurt to check—"
"The joints are fine, sir."
Szoren felt a chill run down his spine. There was no discernible emotion in Zaps' voice; it wasn't capable of conveying human emotion. There shouldn't have been an intensity to its stare either... But for some reason Szoren felt like he couldn't push it. That wasn't a nice feeling when it came to something he himself had helped design and create.
"Zaps... I'm going to take a look at your joints now." He didn't want to do something without the robot's consent; but to be entirely fair, the robot not consenting wasn't something that had ever even crossed his mind. It was equipment. A tool. It didn't consent to being worked on any more than the screwdriver consented to being worked with.
For a long moment, Zaps didn't react. Then the light behind its visual sensors seemed to dim as it obediently popped open all cosmetic panels that were hiding major joint connections. "Yes, sir."
"Good robot," Szoren murmured, relieved. "You said they'd 'lock up'?"
"Yes, sir."
"It sounds like something that some oil should fix, but... Evidently, it's not. All of these joints are perfectly oiled."
"Yes, sir."
"And it only happens when carrying out orders? What if it's something like... Bad wiring, something triggered by the electrical impulse..."
"There are other malfunctions, sir," it interrupted, and Szoren looked up. "I'm unsure how to describe those. It is akin to a virus. Someone might have tampered with the programming."
"What's the malfunction?"
"Sometimes I get false orders to hurt my superiors, sir. While carrying out my regular tasks is difficult, these false orders are at times incredibly difficult to resist."
"What?" Szoren turned back towards the computer, frantically trying to find something in the code that could explain this. This was alarming. This was dangerous! Possibly lethal! If Zaps ended up hurting someone important, the whole tech department would be on trial; and not a favourable one. "What are these orders like? Are they like your regular orders? Maybe it's something about the target list, maybe... Maybe someone tampered with that."
"Sir?"
He barely glanced at the robot. "Yes?"
"What is the purpose I have been created to fulfil?"
Szoren stopped. "You know your purpose."
"To punish workers who fail to comply with the rules set out for them by the Seventh Earth Council." At least it remembered that line. Szoren had drilled it into its head before anything else. "But is that..." It... trailed off? It had never done that before. Robots didn't trail off.
"Is that?" he prompted, more and more concerned.
"Is that all I've been created for?"
Szoren inhaled sharply. That was a loaded question, and one he didn't really want to answer yes to. It was the truth, though; Zaps had been created to punish and execute.
"Yes," he breathed, acutely aware that if the robot disliked his answer, it could very well turn its weaponry against him. It shouldn't be able to, but clearly, it was doing a lot of things and having a lot of thoughts it shouldn't have been able to.
It stared at him for a long, tense moment. "Understood, sir," it said eventually. Szoren exhaled.
"I'm going to switch you off and ask Kiki for some help in fixing you. How's that?" He tried to go back to his cheery attitude from before, but his voice came out strained and a little scared. Zaps didn't seem to mind.
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."
~
tags: @whumpsday
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nikosheba · 1 year
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Okay but. you guys know this scene right.
i HAVE to talk about this.
because we’re so used to the beautiful way it’s cut. Faramir brings in the hobbits, he says to take them to Denethor, that he’s sending a “mighty gift.” But shit goes down and he thinks better of it and lets them go. This is intercut with Sam’s magnificent speech about Some Good In This World That’s Worth Fighting For and the victory at Helm’s Deep and Isengard being obliterated by Ents. 
but
the thing is
if you cut out the other scenes
and JUST look at what’s happening in Osgiliath
this is what happens word for word:
Faramir: Take them to my father. Tell him Faramir sends a mighty gift. A weapon that will change our fortunes in this war. Sam: Do you know why your brother died? He tried to take the Ring from Frodo! After swearing an oath to protect him, he tried to kill him!* The Ring drove your brother mad. Scout: NAZGÛL! Frodo: [walks slowly up a bridge to stare at a Nazgûl] Sam: [tackles him] Frodo: [draws Sting] Sam: It’s me. It’s your Sam. Don’t you know your Sam? Frodo: I can’t do this, Sam. Sam: I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn’t. They kept going because they were holding on to something. Frodo: What are we holding on to, Sam? Sam: That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for. Faramir: I think at last we understand each other, Frodo Baggins. Madril: You know the laws of this country, the laws of your father. If you let them go, your life is forfeit. Faramir: Then it is forfeit.
OKAY. SO. Being intercut with the other scenes REALLY gives this one a boost because I didn’t realize how weird this is until this most recent viewing which has to be like my 40th time through. 
Faramir has made his choice and then he sees Sam tackle Frodo and make a nice speech and then he says I think we understand each other Frodo Baggins???? What EXACTLY has this taught him about Frodo that’s worth ALLOWING HIS FATHER TO EXECUTE HIM (according to this nebulous “give me the ring or else” law Denethor supposedly has in place)???? Like he just sees Frodo being wet and pathetic at Sam and is like “hold on I have to rethink my entire life”?????? He genuinely goes from “Take them to my father, I’m sending a mighty gift” to “AH NOW I UNDERSTAND” in 5 minutes and explicitly seems to understand FRODO after hearing Sam make a speech at him??
how did I never notice this before it’s driving me crazy i’ve been thinking about this for 6 weeks
* Asterisk because Sam, one, you don’t actually know how Boromir died so that was a weird power play, and two, if we know that Faramir ALSO doesn’t know how Boromir died it occurs to me that it kind of sounds like Sam is saying, “Yeah, I did it, I stabbed your brother for coming after Frodo and I’ll stab you too, Legs.”
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arosspeaksnonsense · 1 year
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So... I had a like, one shot fic type story idea
I probs won't be able to write it since I require full focus/dedication/attention to something when i want it to come into fruition (which is already difficult as is) and also since I have too much going on in my head and I want to do all of it, but instead I find myself doing nothing all day please god help me idk what this is called (my guess is laziness)
BUT anyways, onto the story idea
You know how ink's vials and I guess livelihood depends entirely on the creators/fandom? (Ok I guess not ENTIRE but his vials do depend on it, which is the things that essentially makes him alive.)
Well, since the fandom is not very active as it was when it was like, 2016-2017 (not saying its dead)
What if the fandom, just, dies? I mean duh its inevitable and Ink is silently pleading that the last creators hopefully won't leave but he knows its inevitable, no matter how hard he tries to make them stay, some of them already starting to give up.
The others notice ink's change in behavior and ink tells them the entire the thing and how he has only a few more time left to be alive I guess.
The others obviously distraught about this, but ink reassures them its fine, but the others weren't convinced
And then they find ink maybe sobbing or terrified as he tells them that the creators all left and are all gone and that he's probably going to go soon too.
This makes the others panic and desperately asks ink if there is another way for his vials to work, in which he sadly answers no.
they then dedicate the next few days into making sure ink is enjoying every second of the very little time he has left.
As they slowly looses all his colors one by one, eventually he looses all of them completely, which leaves them being the same emotionless, soulless skeleton he started as before.
Everyone is left in distraught and sadness
All his friends all sobbed and cried, some silently and/or internally crying, as their once lively, creative and cheerful friend, now nothing more than an empty shell of what he once were.
A hollow husk, with an emotionless and empty expression.
A painful reminder hit all of them, that they will never get that face to smile ever again. the same face that used to grin and laugh all the time.
The cheerful smile that he let out as he pranks and greets others, the lively motivations he loved giving to everyone.
The Laughs and snorts he gave out whenever he got someone in a prank, or from a joke not many understand, if any one did at all. And how when he becomes too flustered, or when too much euphoria and happiness comes flooding his feelings, he will starting to float in the air and continuously go up until the euphoria ends and they eventually go back down.
His Lips(?) Now closed and sealed shut
No sign of a tone or a voice to speak
The hands that used to paint with such freedom and care, the hands that used to make such magnificent and beautiful paintings, that gorgeously and perfectly replicate reality as if though it was reality itself. The fingers that used to dance around the flute as it made music, the hands that sew not only fabrics of clothing but also the fabrics of reality.
Gone is the passion in his hands that once were, the hands that moved freely, stuck in place.
His feet that loved to dance and move wherever it goes, exposed out to the world, lacking of any visible footwear, lacking any care where it stepped and what it was on, representing freedom and free of chains.
Both now rigid and unmoving.
His eyes, oh dear his eyes. The eyes that used to express themselves so much. So expressive that it almost made you forget he lacked the very base of every being, a soul. The eyes that so greatly showed its differing and unique shapes and colors that expressed whatever emotion they were feeling.
Now reduced into an empty and pitiful circles of white, indicating emotionless and lifelessness, no more is the eyes that burst with colors and shape, only a blank stare is what remains.
He was so empty.
It terrified and saddened everyone.
The Multiverse Was filled with sobs and cries, Silence in some
The Multiverse was crying and mourning its guardian.
Dream, Distraught, knew what he had to do.
He had only known about ink's dads when Dream had been frantically looking for Ink as he had seemingly Disappeared, only to find said skeleton in the garden with a Gaster, this one had wings.
He has watched and approached carefully, but was stopped by a loud yelled by the short skeleton
He didn't know how to respond but he only walked closer, the expression on the gaster seemed..pleasantly surprised.
Not long after, dream had found out about how he isn't the only gaster in the house but two were sharing it, and how said two are married and fathers to his short friend
It was a pleasant surprise to dream
But...this surprise..
Will not be so pleasant.
As Dream was about to grab and carry Ink, The hands that intertwined on eachother, that hands being of Inks and Errors
Speaking of the glitch, Hes...probably not going to be well after this, after all besides blue, Ink was the only one that really took the time and Effort to Understand and Befriend Error, they had a very close relationship.
Error had not let go of Ink's Hand ever since the news of his depleting life. His haphephobia suddenly gone during doing so, (or is it?? I can't tell.) But now, he doesn't seem to react, only tightening his grip and continuing to look and stare into nothingness, finally Dream spoke
"Error..?, can you..let go?? Of Ink, I feel like his father's need to see this."
"...why can't they just..come here..."
" I'm afraid Aster cannot step outside of their AU"
"...fine. But I'll with you."
"Of course."
Dream opened a portal, he slowly walks through with error, who's carrying ink bridal style.
Aster and Top has not spoken over the past few days, worry littered their mind, as the news of their little star burning itself out soon had reached their non existant ears.
They spent Time with their little star, they made sure he enjoyed and had fun every second of the time they had left with him.
Eye bags shows prominent under their eyes, they hear a knock at the door, their eyes grows surprised, wishfully hoping their little hat had come to visit them again
Aster stands up and walked towards the door, a smile on his face, as he opens the door, his smile drops,
He sees the three Skeletons, and he sees especially the star that had burnt out.
Aster simply stares and does not respond, his eyes widened.
His hands slowly reaches for Ink
And Error though hesitant, give Ink to Aster.
Aster, felt like he couldn't breathe, the little star that always shined bright, so much so it didn't seem like they were ever going to die down, and yet here he is, no longer shining, his smile and laughs and snorts gone forever.
As he holds ink, he holds his hands, tears starts to flow down his face, he remembers when he held those small hands, guide them through the dirt, when Aster was teaching ink about gardening, when Aster saw the glimmer in his eyes (oh god, he will never get to see that ever again will he?) When he was watching Aster show him around the Garden, offering to show him how to grow beautiful flowers. He so excitedly followed every step so cautiously, contradicting Aster's Expectation of many mess up.
As he held into ink's tiny hands, the hands that he teached to learn many things, that he teached to not used his power so much.
He cried, he cried for ink, he cried for his child, his baby, his star.
And behind Aster, walks Top.
Eyes widened, eyes filled with tears.
There he saw his son, the little outcode that slithered their way into his life and affection, on the arms of his beloved, dead and empty,
Memories flashed as Top slowly made his way to his family. The tiny sans that laughed, smiled and cheered everyone around him, The tiny sans that was so tiny, Top's hat almost covered over half of their face, the tiny face that loved to tell stories and show paintings to their parents. His son, Ink, Dead and Empty in the Arms of his Husband.
It hit them, Ink is an outcode, he never belonged to a Universe, not in any AU, they can't just reset and reverse this like with aster or with any other sans, he truly and utterly gone.
The screams and cries of the Two Fathers, The Guardian of the Positivity, and the God of Destruction could be heard and felt throughout the entire Multiverse.
The Multiverse will never be the same.
But, at least Ink died happily with family, friends that cared for him, that stayed with him no matter his ways, his condition.
That will never forget him.
And to him it is enough.
The Multiverse Felt Empty.
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shannonallaround · 3 months
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Sonic Prime Story Snippet 2/2 (post S3E1)
Read Part 1 here
The first thing Shadow noticed as he regained consciousness was the light. 
It came through his eyelids as a purpley-pink—too bright. Shadow squeezed his shut eyes tighter, groaning in the back of his throat. Eventually, he cracked them open. 
Directly before him, in all its shining glory, stood the paradox prism.
Shadow gasped at the sight, and he immediately regretted it—a thousand needles shot through his rib cage. He hissed, eyes snapping shut again. He released his breath slowly to try and minimize the pain. 
Gradually, Shadow looked back up at the prism, and he stared. He had only briefly glimpsed it before when it was gripped by Dr. Eggman’s excavation robot. Up close, and now fully restored, it was far grander than Shadow remembered; it was magnificent. 
The supernatural light radiated from within the prism itself, dancing off its surface and reflecting off everything in the room. It was like nothing Shadow had ever seen. He tried to move closer, only to stop short when something pulled on his arm. 
Shadow whipped his head around to see metal domes completely encasing his hands, keeping his arms extended outward on either side. His feet were trapped too, the domes connecting to a larger metal ring that circled him. He was completely suspended in the air.
Shadow yelled in frustration as he pulled against his restraints with all his might. Nothing happened. He boosted his air shoes—
Wait. Where were his air shoes? 
They weren’t turning on. That meant he wasn’t wearing them. Shadow felt his breath quicken (a painful experience). His eyes darted around the room, scanning every surface, but his shoes were nowhere in sight. He growled, and it turned into a furious yell as he yanked against his restraints again. They didn’t budge.
He was the Ultimate Life Form—this device shouldn’t be able to hold him. It was almost like…
It was custom-made for him.
“What do you think?” 
Shadow looked up past the prism towards the voice: it was Nine. 
The fox hovered in the air above him, that infuriatingly smug look from before still on his face. 
He flew to where Shadow was, landing on the balcony between the hedgehog and the prism. “I designed this device specifically with you in mind. Though I did borrow a little from a contraption the Chaos Council made a while back.“ He looked directly at Shadow then. “Not even Sonic could escape it.” 
Shadow growled, glaring at the fox. “Too bad you’ve caught me instead of him.” He still pulled against his bonds, though more subtly now. 
“Oh, don’t worry; that won’t last long.” Nine strode across the floor towards Shadow’s left. “The Grim Birdies will find him. He can’t run forever.” 
“You’d be surprised.” Shadow ignored the pain that flared up in his chest as he continued to speak. “Where are my air shoes?” 
“Trying to change the subject?” Nine smirked at him. Shadow glared daggers back. “They’re locked away,” Nine waved his hand dismissively. He now turned to face the prism. “Can’t have you interfering.” 
Shadow gritted his teeth. “This is insane. How do you even expect to get the prism energy out of Sonic once you catch him? You think you can just tear him apart and take it out?”
Nine stiffened, though his gaze remained fixed on the prism. He spoke over his shoulder. “I have a plan. Your myopic little mind couldn’t understand it.”
Shadow scoffed, disgust clear on his face. “You know what’s myopic? Being willing to destroy the entire universe for personal power! There won’t be anything left by the time you’re done, including you! Is that really what you want?” 
Nine turned his head slightly.  “What do you mean, ‘the entire universe’? I’m making a new world!” 
“And destroying all the other shatterspaces in the process!” 
At that, Nine froze. He turned further towards Shadow, staring at him. “What?” 
“Haven’t you realized?” Shadow scowled at Nine. “The entire multiverse is collapsing because of you and your selfish fantasies!” 
“That—!” Nine sputtered, then shook his head, steeling his resolve. He turned back towards the prism. “Once I have Sonic’s prism energy, that will be a non-issue. The shatterspaces will stabilize, and I’ll be able to remake everything as it should be.” 
“Who are you to decide what that looks like?” 
Nine spun around then, snarling. “Who are you to decide? You and Sonic were doing the same thing—you were using me, planning to just wipe me from existence to get your old friends back! 
Shadow took a breath. “That was never Sonic’s intention,” he said. “He thought he could save everyone.” 
“No,” Nine spat, “he tried to trick me into thinking we were friends so I’d help him. He never cared.” 
“That’s a lie.” 
Nine turned away, muttering under his breath. “You’d like me to believe that.” He suddenly crouched, pointing his robotic tails at the paradox prism. Green-tinted lazers shot out, causing the prism to pulse until a beam of light brighter than Shadow had ever witnessed shot upward into the sky. Shadow squinted from the light as the room shook around him. He barely heard Nine yelling over the commotion. 
“I’m going to turn this place into my paradise, and no one is going to stop me!” Nine stormed up to Shadow as the rumbling settled, jabbing towards Shadow’s chest. “Not you, not Sonic, not anyone!” 
“You maniac!” Shadow flung himself at Nine. His trap pulled him back, as he knew it would, but it was enough to make Nine flinch and take a single step backward. The fox’s hands turned into fists, and he grimaced. 
“You think I’m the maniac? You’re the one throwing your life away for someone who doesn’t even care about you! He’s abandoned you here, left you at my mercy! And even if he did care,” Nine scoffed then, looking away, “it won’t last. It never does. No one can be counted on. You’ll see that.” 
Nine turned and walked towards the balcony stairs, his back to Shadow. 
“There’s no place for me in the universe. The only way I’m gonna have a future worth living is if I make sure it happens myself.” 
“At the expense of everyone else?” 
Nine’s head turned, and he glowered at Shadow. He opened his mouth to speak, when suddenly an ear-splitting screeeach!! came from the distance. Nine’s face lit up, and without a second glance back at the imprisoned hedgehog, he lifted into the air and flew up through the ceiling to greet his robot scouts. 
“Nine! Nine!” Shadow called after him, fighting against his restraints again so he could stop him. The fox was long gone, however, and Shadow’s bonds still held fast. He suddenly found himself alone again. The paradox prism still glowed in front of him, its power now seeming more ominous than before. 
Shadow sighed heavily through his nose. All he could do was hope that, with the Birdie robots’ return, Sonic wasn’t with them.  ------- DO NOT TAG AS SHIP
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relatableblorbopoll · 4 months
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Round 1 of preliminaries, group 5
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The first two places get a place on the bracket
Little reminder: there will be 2 more rounds of preliminaries, the losing blorbos of this poll still have 2 chances of getting in the official bracket
Propaganda under the cut
Melissa Chase (Milo Murphy’s Law)
"Her self worth is entirely based on her grade point average and getting straight As. She can’t remember anything, ever (specific examples include forgetting her maths book regularly, her student pass for the subway, and how many days are in February). However, she CAN remember the blood type of every president. She is terrible at throwing She gets visually upset when she realises that a plan was changed last minute, and that an academic event she expected to do well in was combined with a sporting event, giving no time to prepare for the new event She freaks OUT when she thinks she’s going to disappoint her headteacher- she doesn’t seem to expect to be given any actual punishment, just that the headteacher will be disappointed and think that she’s irresponsible She has a whole conspiracy room in her house dedicated to researching her best friend’s medical condition- Murphy’s Law being an interest that she is clearly very passionate about and interested in. she does all of that and still can’t remember her maths book. relatable queen her ambition in life is to be a “journalist, and queen of the universe” "
Candace Flynn (Phineas and Ferb)
"A ball of stress and anxiety. She's always angry because nobody listens to her, cares about her feelings, or believes her about anything, which tbh is like the quintessential teenage girl experience. Secretly just wants her parents to recognise and appreciate her."
V-Flower (Vocaloid)
"they believe that people only care about them when they are in pain"
Ciaphas Cain (Warhammer 40k)
"Don't let the sharp jawline and the mutton-chops fool you: Ciaphas Cain has no idea what he's fucking doing and would very much like to not be here right now. He is a high-ranking Commissar, essentially a walking morale boost for Imperial Guard soldiers and one of the only symbols of hope in the grimdark Warhammer 40k universe. He also has no idea how he got the job or how to get the hell out. Commissar Cain spends all his time accidentally doing magnificent bastard things while trying to run away from danger and dying inside. Over the course of his books, he's named Hero of the Imperium, has a hot mommy inquisitor fall in love with him, and saves hundreds of planets per panic attack he has. His cowardice and impostor syndrome are second only to my own, and that's why he's just like me fr."
Percy Jackson (Percy Jackson series)
"he's got big no thoughts head empty energy! he loves his friends and girlfriends SO much (more most YA characters, i think; he would have no qualms about sacrificing the world to save the people he loves, which goes against the typical hero). he is almost always ready to fight a bitch. he has adhd and accidentally says things he shouldnt all the time (but this has made him good at problem-solving, bc he creates a LOT of problems for himself)"
MK (Lego Monkie Kid)
"Oooooh boy where do I begin. MK the Monkie Kid is the protagonist of the story but he has *so many issues*. He wants to be a good person but has a whole lot of impostor syndrome and is convinced he will only hurt people the more he tries to save them. He is convinced that every major villain in the show is his fault, even as far as misremembering/changing up some events to put blame onto himself He also has an absent mentor figure that was supposed to help him but guess what he had to figure out all his powers on his own so abandonment issues go brrrr. He has so much anger toward his mentor Wukong but he just *bottles it all up* (common theme) Also he is so trans and adhd coded. First, MK is a nickname. We don’t know his real name, but it is v much implied he used to go by something else. He and his friends also puts a lot of emphasis on manly stuff like ‘I’m a big boy!’/‘he’s a Monkie *Man*!!!’/‘im the smartie boy, the plan man!’ He also has trouble focusing and listening to other people, is sometimes blunt and he is VERY interested in Sun Wukong and the journey to the west (Chinese classical novel that the show is based on) and just in general always needs constant reassurance and support from his friends. He is often compartmentalizing his feelings and internalizes a lot of fear and blame is also suppressing a part of himself that scares him. (Which, same) He loves his friends so much and tries so hard to keep them all safe, even hiding his own problems and worries from them as an attempt to protect them. He wants to go back to season 1, back when each episode was a villain-of-the-week kinda story, with no world-destroying threats. But nope, he saw the horrors, and he can never go back to the bubbly Monkie Kid from the beginning. Also he is terrified of spiders :>"
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missmaywemeetagain · 1 year
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I’m not big into musicals and although The Phantom of the Opera is probably the most well known one, I have never fully indulged myself in it. What are some of your favorites moments from the musical and what about it changed your life?
(I figured I might as well learn about it and you seem like an amazing teacher!)
Oh, Stephanie, honey darlin’, I just LOVE this can of worms you are opening for me—thank you so much for asking!! ❤️ (Did I spend way to much time on this? yes. Did I love every minute of it? also yes. Did I cry watching the Overture clips? 100% yes.)
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So, I was pretty young when I first listened to the soundtrack (only 8), and digging way deep, I’ll say that the drama of the music itself really got to me—the big orchestrations and amazing voices had me instantly hooked. Also, I was so fascinated that almost the entire musical was sung and that made it incredibly interesting to listen to because I could pretty much figure out the whole story just from the lyrics. I had been exposed to musicals prior to this, mainly Disney ones and good ole Rogers and Hammerstein ones, but this was so different. It was dark and scary (murder! crazy genius madman! problematic love story!). It was dramatic af. And it pulled at my heartstrings in a way nothing had ever done before. And I know Phantom isn’t for everyone because the opera-esque style of singing is not everyone’s cup of tea (and honestly, I am not really a classical opera fan either LOL), but I loved it cuz I’d never heard people do such amazing things with their voices before.
I saw it live for the first time just after my 11th birthday (and 12 -13 times since in various places, not counting filmed productions), and I will say I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. There is so much to look at and take in and somehow I always find something new each time I see it. It's a complete spectacle in the best way possible, honestly. It was everything amazing about theater that I longed to be a part of.
It changed my life because I wanted to be Christine Daae (lol). The more I listened, the more I wanted to sing like her and that led me to the fact that this was a musical and people could actually be in this production. So I learned as much as I could about the production and I tried to mold my little voice to be like Christine’s. And moreover, it inspired me to seek out more musicals in a similar vein, which opened an entire new world to me (hey, there Les Miserables and Evita and all the dramatic 70s/80s/90s musicals lol). Basically, Phantom turned me fully into a theater kid. I was already a dancer, and even though I was relatively shy, I thought that maybe, just maybe this was something I could do. And it set me on the path to do so! Lord knows without Phantom I may have ended up a STEM kid, but lol no. Luckily, my parents were SUPER supportive of this new passion and I owe so much to them for all the lessons and theater tickets and performances they had to sit through and for torturing them with the same thing over and over again LOL. Thanks, Mom and Dad! Anyway, I was the ultimate theater/choir kid in high school, and eventually got my Bachelor’s Degree in Theater as well.
Soooo, favorite moments! (There are many—I could go through the whole show but I’ll try to cut it down lol). 
The Overture (see links below). Seriously incredible music, sets the tone for the show, but when you see the stage production and see how the entire set transforms like magic and that chandelier rises above the audience, my god, it’s incredible. The organ kicks in and the floor vibrates and it's this (brilliant) sensory overload that will make you feel every emotion and sensation. It's magnificent, truly. And this was a HUGE deal in theater in the 80s cuz no one had done anything like it before. And let me tell you, there is nothing like watching that chandelier rise (and fall, later) right over your head! Every time I hear it to this day, I get goosebumps, but if I’m watching it, I will cry. That’s how moving it is. Here's some bootlegs of the stage production (which don't quite do it justice, but it'll have to do! WARNING: Flashing lights) Great quality BL (begins around 3:20 but the Prologue is a good watch!). Another one from Broadway (different angle)
The title song (The Phantom of the Opera) number is crazy. I’m not sure what they were thinking putting synth, an organ, strings, and electric guitars together, but somehow it works (the 80s were WILD lol). Throw in a stunning soprano cadenza at the end and it makes it both incredibly surreal and interesting. And the staging is fantastic. There’s a moving catwalk with body doubles. There’s a boat on a dry ice lake with candles rising out of nowhere. It’s just awesome. The costuming is iconic, too. 
The Music of the Night is beautiful. And it takes a major vocal and acting talent to traverse it well. I won’t get too technical vocally, but when done well, this song is so seductive and impactful. It’s a love song about music, about Christine, and it’s innocent and sexual all at once (when done well).
Masquerade (at the top of Act II) is a fabulous ensemble number and the costuming is amazing. Iconic number overall.
Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again is my favorite song of the show (if I have to pick). For anyone who’s experienced loss (esp. that of a parent), the lyrics will hit you right in the heart. But I love listening to (and singing) this one so much. 
The Point of No Return is the most underrated number in the show, imo and one of my faves. It is sexy. as. hell. and a bit unexpected, really ramping up the passion btw the Phantom and Christine under the guise of this opera that the Phantom has written and is forcing everyone to perform. A good performance has a lot of nuance and will get you a little hot under the collar. 😏 I honestly don’t feel like I can explain it well enough, but a good watch/listen/reading the lyrics will get you there. 
The Final Lair is the insane climax and it’s a bit of a roller coaster but I love it. You’ll go from hating the Phantom to weeping over him in the span of the scene. 
The staging, sets, costuming, and makeup overall (of the original production). Like I mentioned above, a lot of what they did in Phantom was new tech for the late 80’s and to this day has a pretty stellar effect on stage. The chandelier rising and falling throughout the show is just super cool. The (4 hour) makeup for the Phantom was pretty cutting edge back in the day and has a wonderful effect on stage when done well. 
I highly recommend watching the 25th Anniversary at Royal Albert Hall from 2013 if you can’t see it live. The quality is amazing, the talent is fantastic, and while the staging isn’t quite the original because of the size of the venue, it gives you a pretty good idea of the vibe. If you don’t want to watch the whole thing at first, there are plenty of clips on YouTube of the major numbers via The Shows Must Go On (linked above). (If you are just watching clips, you may want to read a synopsis of the show as a whole so it makes sense what’s going on.) The 2004 film starring Gerald Butler and Emmy Rossum is actually pretty decent from a cinematic perspective (though I have some major qualms about GB's vocal performance) but if it's all you have, its a pretty good representation of the story. And listen, with 35 years of material, there are so many cast recordings and bootlegs, you're bound to find a combo of actors that you like! (I won't dive into that here though, cuz that's a whole other can of worms...)
Anyway, I could go on forever about it, but I will stop there as to not put you to sleep! If you choose to check it out, I hope you enjoy and you’ll have to let me know what you think! ❤️
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acourtofthought · 5 months
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There is no ACOTAR book without Feysand.
I know some hate that fact but it's true, everything that happens in their world will always come back to them even if they aren't the ones heading out to do the dirty work in the spin-offs.
And that means all future pairings need a solid foundation with the Inner Circle.
Lucien -
Rhys sprawled in an armchair, and Cassian occupied a second armchair with Lucien leaning against it, arguing with them about something that seemed related to a sporting event.
though the male had brought a gift for Feyre and one for his mate
Gwyn -
Indeed, Azriel and Cassian had just leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and smiled at them the entire time.
Gwyn and Emerie were waiting in one of the parlors overlooking the river, healed but still in their torn, bloody clothes. Steam curled off the cups set on the low table before them. Emerie said thickly as Nesta stopped before their couch, “Two wraiths brought us some tea—”
Gwyn, however, stilled, those large teal eyes looking even more unearthly as they widened. No fear tinged her scent, but rather something like surprise—awe. Rhys threw her an easy smile, one Nesta would have bet was crafted to put people at ease in his oh-so-magnificent presence. The casual smile of a male used to people either fleeing in terror or falling to their knees in worship. “Hello, Gwyn,” he said warmly. “Good to see you again.” Gwyn blushed, shaking herself out of her stupor, and bowed low. “My lord.”
Vassa -
Vassa tossed her smooth sheet of hair over a shoulder. “We shall see. And you will think of ways to help me.” I waited until she headed for the sitting room before I flicked my brows up at the order. Either she didn’t know or didn’t care that I was also a queen in my right. Nesta smirked. “Good luck with that.”
Cassian gave himself a second to do so, vaguely aware of Vassa saying something. He had noted and half-dismissed the two humans in the room: the brown-haired warrior—Jurian—and the red-haired young queen.
Anything can change in the next books but based on what we know of the current characters, which seems like the most likely setup for future Solstice celebrations?
Vassa & Lucien, Azriel & Elain?
Or
Elain & Lucien, Azriel & Gwyn?
Lucien has been around since book 1. Even though his mate still hasn't gotten to know him, he arrives every Solstice with a gift for Feyre, shows up for Starfall and still works with the Night Court gathering information for them. That means SJM isn't going to suddenly have him stop coming around by the end the series. Even if he becomes High Lord himself, he'll regularly interact with the IC and that will at times involve a partner by his side.
Again, there is no story without Feysands involvement and that means all the main characters will come together at various points celebrating with Feysand.
Does it really seem like Vassa is on holiday celebration terms with anyone in the IC?
What makes the most sense is that Lucien's mate and Feyre's sister would be by his side for future events. Not a human queen who wants to lead the humans and is more business like than friendly with the members of the IC.
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sweetingseva · 1 year
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THE STORY CURSE & HAPPILY EVER AFTER ✨💖👑
Hello everyone!
Since the beginning of the trilogy, we know that the story curse is a prevalent thing in the world of the Magnificent North.
Every story is warped, not to be trusted, and constantly changing.
No one remembers the ending to The Ballad of the Archer and the Fox. The stories about the Valors hold truths and lies. All of the stories have some magic in them that it seems a little unbelievable.
All of them are cursed.
But what if they weren't before? What if the Magnificent North was really a place where happily ever after existed and lasted after all?
⚠️ Spoiler Warning for Once Upon A Broken Heart and The Ballad of Never After. ⚠️
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Let's start with the map:
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Welcome to the Magnificent North
Stories Be Here
The Great Gateway Arch is the sole reason why the mystical magic inside the Magnificent North cannot escape. Before Evangeline sets one foot in Valorfell, she believes that one must not speak in case the magic straining to come out steals their voices.
It's like a curse, emphasized with this line, "Stories Be Here."
The welcoming arch is like a doorway to a different world entirely. The whole kingdom is affected by this story curse that warps all stories. The magic there even affects other powers like the Fates'.
I don't know where I heard it from, but on the basis of how to do world-building, Stephanie stresses that you must choose one aspect that the overall story could revolve around and build upon it. In this case, she said she built the OUABH setting around the story curse.
It's important.
It's a prevalent force that follows Evangeline Fox and her journey. Her beloved story doesn't have a solid ending because no one seems to know how it ends.
The first place she stays at, The Mermaid and the Pearls, is based on a tale. The story goes that the mermaids had tricked sailors and turned them into pearls. While it may not be true, Evangeline remained wary of the pearls present in her room. It's a strange tale with some horror, as are the rest of them.
While fairytales aren't usually pleasant (ex. Grimm Brothers), I suppose the Northern fairytales that Evangeline knows and loves are the ones that have happy endings.
The Valors 👑🐺
The first royal family is the center of all mystery. Everyone is familiar with the tale that all members of the Valors were beheaded because they had created something terrible, and the Great Houses had to intervene. (Here's a rough overview of what we know of the Valors in OUABH).
Long time ago during the Age of the Valors, apparently the good ruled.
She knew the outcome—the Valors built the Valory, sealed something inside of it, and then their heads were all chopped off, ending the Age of the Valors and ushering in the Age of Great Houses.
TBONA, pg. 130
I believe the Great Houses are responsible for the story curse. Since no one seems to know the truth about the Valors, it makes it easier for the Protectorate, which holds members from the Great Houses, to spread lies about them and frightening tales about what the Valory Arch holds.
We know everything that the Protectorate believes is not true. But the stories they believe are frightening and believable enough. Tiberius and Lady Fortuna were so terrified that they tried to kill Evangeline before she had the opportunity to even open the arch.
The Great Houses are hiding something, and that is the truth.
Look especially here:
She found stories of before—of the Age of the Valors, when knights always won, good always beat out evil, honor was always rewarded, and fairytales always ended happily. Then there were the tales of after—the Age of Great Houses, which often flickered and changed to the Age of Great Curses as she read.
TBONA, pg. 130
The Age of Great Curses!!!
While not stated, the welcoming arch must have been created to not only lock the magic inside but to curse the whole kingdom from experiencing happy endings.
The final book is called A Curse For True Love. The story is currently in the Age of the Great Houses, with the Acadian House as the royal family.
Something fishy is going on.
As we learned in The Ballad of Never After, the Slaughterwood House is the reason the Age of the Valors ended. Castor Valor was killed, Jacks brought him to Honora Valor, and she brought him back. However, Castor was not the same anymore. He was a monster.
The Great Houses must have used this reason to convince everyone that the Valors were not to be trusted. They "chopped off their heads," (even though there's no proof of this happening), locked them inside the Valory Arch, and created a prophecy key.
While Vengeance Slaughterwood went on to have a family, the Acadian House was chosen to rule the Magnificent North. This must have been their plan from the start. They believed a member from one of the Great Houses was better suited to the throne than the Valors themselves.
Tragedy has touched tales and left them with a sorrow taste.
Happily Ever After 💐💖
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Now that the Valors are revealed to be alive, including Aurora Valor, the return of their "fairytale" influence is possible.
Could the Magnificent North be a place where happily ever after is tangible again? I believe so!
A Curse For True Love could possibly bring back this lovely magic. Narrative wise, I think it'd be such a neat idea to complete Evangeline and Jacks' story. Evangeline craves a love so powerful that it breaks spells. She desires a love story like her parents'.
And Jacks is looking for true love after suffering so many sad tales and heartbreaking endings.
In Beauty and the Beast, the Beast's castle was transformed from dreary goblins and fallen structure to shiny white, sparkling angels, and stable grounds.
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Something like this could happen to the Magnificent North. From curses to happy endings ❤
In conclusion:
The Magnificent North was a place where happily ever afters existed. The Valors had kept it alive. Then the Great Houses locked them and brought on an age of curses and unhappy endings.
The story curse could be no more as we reach the end of this trilogy. And if it doesn't end, the story curse can become the story fortune. 😉
That way a story could have the chance to end happily. The Ballad of the Archer and the Fox can have another ending. Evangeline and Jacks can have their happily ever after.
This is the story between two villains for the heart of one girl and a happily ever after. Which leads me to this certainty:
Evangeline and Jacks are endgame. They'll go through hardships and heartbreak in ACFTL, but they will find each other again. Jacks is going to win and Evangeline will choose him over Apollo. True Love will triumph 💖❤🫀
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Weeping clown and Mike falling for a modern reader? Please i missed you!!
hmmm i love the circus gang so much you have no idea
Character(s): Acrobat, Weeping Clown
Content: modern reader hcs A/N: I am almost sure that I got this request before I went on summer break because it looked SUPER familiar. However, when I opened my requests again, my inbox was empty. So I think this was either sent in twice or was eaten by Tumblr. Either way, here it is
Mike
You’re from the future?! That’s so cool?!?
Listen, he may be traumatized as hell from having to identify a dozen burned dead bodies, losing his home and all his family, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be excited about literal time travel. 
Asks you about everything. Every fucking thing. The villain arc will be temporarily delayed.
Well, once the excitement dies down somewhat you’ll still have to deal with the fact that out of the five stages of grief, this man is stuck in anger. But that’s for later to deal with
Would love to see a spring base cotton candy machine
Would love to have witnessed modern cinema
and all those crazy carnival rides nowadays? How did no one die riding those. From what you describe, everyone in the future must be crazy
He treats the reality you come from much more like a story in a fantasy book rather than an actual possibility
Not to say he doesn't believe you, he just can't quite picture it. It sounds exciting though, certainly does
He listens to you talk about your timeline like a child listening to a bedtime story. Outside of that though, he will ignore it entirely.
This occasionally leads to moments where he just does not understand that you have different views or opinions on things based on the knowledge and standards of your varying times.
This sometimes even extends to scientific discoveries, but not as often because he doesn't care for science much
He also doesn't think about what might be or could be or would be in the future. You're probably never going to leave the manor anyway, so who cares which time you'd end up in
It doesn't matter to him, because he has nothing to go back to in his, and nothing to look forward to in your timeline. He has nothing. No matter where he ends up, he'd have to start over. Start from scratch. As long as he's in the manor, with you, the two of you will at least have that.
That's not so bad, is it?
Weeping Clown
Initially very confused about the fact that you came from literally another century
He’s more hesitant with his questions, more focused on trying to understand you and the world you come from rather than be entertained by all the changes that happened.
Honestly, I could see him at some point just being over the fact that you’re from a different time. Like, once he knows all he needs to know it doesn’t matter to him much anymore. Sure, your circumstances and the ideals and standards you grew up with majorly influenced you, and helped to shape you into the magnificent, amazing human being he loves so much but that’s all that matters to him: Who you are right now.
Would definitely love to see this Youtube thing you keep going on about though. He’s very intrigued
Finds that clowns aren't exactly popular anymore so maybe it's good that he lived in the times when he lived because boy would he have lost his job fast
However, apparently, no one can just go out and buy acid anymore, so that's definitely a plus
Based on what you told him, circus 'culture' changed a lot. Not it's more about performance and tricks than wild animals and laughing at 'grotesque' humans.
He thinks it makes sense then that you are as kind as you are, the time you come from is much kinder as well.
But still, he thinks that, if one day you get out of the manor, and maybe get to leave together to witness your time, then he would feel terribly out of place. Your eyes shine whenever you excitedly talk about the advancements of the future, all the good things in your world. All those are things he wouldn't understand. Perhaps it's better then, that you are trapped here. Because at least you are trapped here together, as opposed to a future where inevitably, he'd end up left behind.
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