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#this is more from the fact that admittedly new media is a risk. it is unrecognizable. not safe
blushweddinggowns · 1 month
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Eddie was having one of his favorite kinds of days. The kind where he got Steve all to himself, just to do jack shit together. They weren’t even really talking. Eddie was reading a book with Steve dozing off in his lap, Eddie’s chest his pillow as he came in and out of consciousness. 
Eddie fucking loved it. He was going to savor all of the quiet moments they had while he could, before work came calling back to him. The idea of going back to the studio and tours, award shows and after parties, interview after interview, was starting to make Eddie feel a little sick. Sick enough to sincerely consider the idea of retirement. 
Not that he would, or at least not yet. He loved music, he loved working with his friends, and just because the fame came with some downsides didn’t mean Eddie hated what he did. Even if the fantasy of leaving it all behind was starting to look more and more appealing. 
Besides, he wasn’t trying to give Steve a heart attack here.
His therapist had mentioned how much he needed to slow down on the major life decisions, that making grand and sweeping choices about his life for what he thought Steve would want was never a good idea. It would lead to resentment, unresolved feelings, blah, blah, blah. Eddie didn’t really believe it. He was pretty damn sure he could retire to a mountain cabin in the woods and be completely fine, as long as he had Steve with him.
But he was in therapy for a reason, and one of those reasons was to keep Steve. So maybe listening to her wasn’t such a bad call. 
He just wasn’t sure how he was going to survive long-distance when the time came. Not because he couldn’t handle himself or because he didn’t trust Steve. But his self-control was in the gutter. He was going to visit so often. Too often probably. And he’d definitely call too much. The amplification of his own clinginess would be impossible to ignore, and Eddie wasn’t looking forward to it. It was a lot easier to play it cool when his boyfriend lived fifteen minutes away. 
Then again, if his own insanity wasn’t enough to scare Steve off, his neediness probably wasn’t going to do it either. Hell, even the fame hadn’t gotten to him yet and that had gotten way worse since everything came out. 
Things had calmed down since that horrible video, but the lie of where Eddie was had been blown up. It was getting harder and harder not to be recognized, even with his incognito getup. The number of times Eddie has caught someone taking an unsolicited photo or video of the two of them behind his back were uncomfortably high. It didn’t help how Eddie had been spoiled with touching Steve however he wanted for months, never worrying about the consequences. Now, there were freaking TikTok compilations zoomed in on him touching Steve’s ass in public, which was just fucking great. As much as Eddie appreciated his fans, he loathed the obsession with his love life. Though… he could admit that him being in a relationship was pretty out of the ordinary. 
But even if he could excuse the interest, he couldn’t excuse people showing up to his apartment. It had only happened a few times, but the fact that he was traceable to that extent was more than enough to make him move to a new, harder to access building. Especially when one instance involved Steve at his place, alone. 
He fucking hated moving because people couldn’t understand boundaries, but Steve’s safety mattered more than his convenience. He was probably being paranoid, but he never wanted him to go through something like that again. Even if he handled it like a champ. They were lucky it had been a nice, though admittedly unwell, guy who went on his merry way. Eddie wasn’t going to risk any kind of alternative. 
Besides, it wasn’t all bad. Steve having nearly no presence on social media definitely helped things. No one really knew who he was. They just knew that Eddie was in a semi-dramatic relationship from the crying video and all the ass grabbing. Without the context it was pretty hard to track down what was actually happening. At least Steve wasn’t getting harassed because of him. Or at least not yet. Eddie wasn’t sure how long that would last when they moved in together or when they got married but… that was on the list of big life decisions he wasn't supposed to be thinking of right now. 
“You know,” Steve mumbled into his collarbone, pulling Eddie right out of his overcommitted thoughts, “We’ve been together for a while now.”
“Seven months and 21 days,” Eddie confirmed, as he turned back a page in his book. He had been too lost in his own head to retain shit and Steve cutely smiling up at him wasn’t improving his concentration.
“Do you remember our second date?” Steve asked.
Eddie nearly rolled his eyes. Of course he remembered, “Stevie, I remember our 23rd. Remember that? We found Twister and I had the most painful erection to ever-”
“Stop talking,” Steve said fondly, pressing a kiss to his lips, “Go back to the second. Do you remember what you said that night?”
“I think I said a lot of things,” Eddie grinned before setting his book to the side, “I remember you making fun of what is now one of your favorite foods. And how cute you were trying to cook-”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m adorable,” Steve finished for him with a laugh, “But what else?”
Eddie raised a brow at him, “How about you just tell me if you’re so impatient?”
Steve was still smiling at him but it had a nervous edge to it. One that Eddie didn’t understand until he opened his mouth, “Whatever happened to tying boys up?”
From the newest chapter of this fic(which is done with one bonus chapter coming!)
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thescentofrainonstone · 8 months
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On Class in Britain and why the same kind of actor ends up getting our panties in a twist (see Hiddleston, Cumberbatch, Goode, etc...)
Isn't it peculiar that all this adoration and fandoms tend to be about white-cis mostly het (thought admittedly that's the more laxed of attributes) able thin, tall, pale but most importantly coming from riches guys?
You look at a Tom Hiddleston and his first headshots and roles and the wonder has got to be there: "how much time and means were available to him to get his degree from Oxbridge and then decide to do another entire BA on top of it at RADA?"
Admittedly he gets off easy going back historically("just" baronets in his line) when in his league we have Benedict Cumberbatch, whose existence is literally dependant on the slavery his direct ancestors built their empire on in Barbados, and were paid compensation when the end of slavery came to England. Finally his Wikipedia has a full description of this even though when I worked on the essay that took the Downton Abbey series and films as examples of the inhumane social divide the UK depends upon, it was all incredibly well swept under virtual rugs with a vague quote from Mother Cumberbatch advising her son to change his surname in case "they come after you for money" where money stands for "reparations" and considering the luxury of an arts career like the last few Cumberbatches have had is something intrinsically entrenched in wealth and privilege makes perfect sense if you ask me. A councillor in New York carries the same surname and she is Black. Slaves carried the surname of those who owned them.
Let that sink in: there is currently a commissiomer (and Professor at Columbia) in New York who carries the Cumberbatch surname because they are a direct descendant of the Slaves the Cumberbatches owned and owe their fortune to. Stacey Cumberbatch.
So yeah, when people think the UK is not the US, they Invented class and the divide that come with it. It is so crucial to come from a family that can afford you connections and the luxury to work for nothing while never risking bills or rent going unpaid.
And I guess what I'm trying to say is: it's ok for all the fandoms to salivate over anyone, I just think it's important we know why the media propels in front of our eyes the same prototype of Englishman over and over, and perpetrates the production of new pieces of media that casually seem naturally meant for white, rich, het passing people.
The system works like a bottleneck for privilege and I think the SAG-AFTRA strikes also show that: everyone that had some privilege and didn't do anything to average out the system will see their own reduced over time until only the tip of the top remains. And "eat the rich" is going to be another post but you get the gist.
That is to say, next time I go to Insole Court (the Victorian house where a Lot of A Discovery of Witches was filmed, including Matthew's "rooms at Oxford") will I touch every single book of the reading room because likely I will have touched something Matthew Goode touched when he was there filming? Sure.
I also do know that house was paid for by coal miners who actually died in a tragedy in the mines owned by the Insole family and that admittedly I find the only decent way to keep real estate built with the blood of people can just be that: give that back to the people.
It's about educated choices, that's what I'm trying to say.
Fun fact: I started watching a discovery of witches because after filming the essay at Insole Court, wanting to bring down the bourgeoisie, I learned the show was also filmed there. So i went and found it and now I have another white, pale, lanky, English twink to lose sleep over just because he's been given a character created by the mind of a woman who dreams enough, possibly because unfulfilled in some part of her life -because when we're happy we go out, we don't vomit pages over pages let's be honest -.
If none of those elegant white British men who embody the characters we love come from a program that allowed them to raise from the working class... or are anything but white or adhering to a white-er standard (Rege- Jean Page is the quintessential example of this, better than nothing but still, my point)...Maybe we should ask ourselves why, and how is that ok.
Just a random though on a day I wanted to go back to Insole Court for the aforesaid reason.
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astraltrickster · 9 months
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So I suspect there are a few things going on with the moderation bias issue.
1. (Educated guess) Whatever system they're using (because it is known that the majority of tumblr's moderation is automated) is self-adjusting, like most pre-2021-ish machine learning systems. Meaning, any post that action is taken on manually - be it by an actual staff member, or a user with the report button - is acknowledged within the system as "this is what a Known/Potentially Flag-Worthy Post Looks Like."
2. (Known fact about the internet) Bigots, knowing that OPENLY harassing people gets them banned (no, seriously, I know it's easy to think they don't because they keep popping up like fucking weeds and SOME of them are pretty good at playing the "I'm-not-touching-you" game, but if you dig around for them crossing The Line of plausible deniability like I do when I have the mental energy you'll often find them talking about having been banned multiple times before, [airplane-survivorship-bias-diagram.jpg]), often instead choose to resort to report-brigading innocuous posts by users of the demographics they're bigoted against. Because most websites over a certain size have a mostly automated moderation system, the number of reports makes the system essentially go "oh, wow, if THIS many people are reporting it it must be REALLY bad!" - and if point 1 is correct...the impact is obvious
3. (Statistical consideration) Tumblr staff is about 200 people. That's way too few to have people constantly on top of making sure appeals are resolved fairly with minimal risk of overwork-induced human error, on a site this size...and, given the state of Politics right now, also too MANY for it to be at ALL likely that there aren't at least a small handful of absolute thundercunts who at best CONSIDER themselves aligned with tumblr's mission as a queer-positive space but whose internal definition of "sexual content" is roughly the same as the Florida government's (it is illegal, in the US, to ask questions about personal politics in a job interview, and...I mean just look at the whole existence of the kink-at-pride discourse and how widespread that bullshit is even in ""mainstream"" LGBT+ circles)
4. A lot of that skeleton crew is currently distracted from making sure the moderation system doesn't eat itself because the decision at the top is to take a gamble on new users being willing to pay more than existing ones and throw their hat into the ring of trying to clone Twitter (someone PLEASE tell upper management that no other social media site at this scale has EVER gotten into the black off user engagement alone either; making a site that people WANT to Crab Day on really IS your best bet my dudes)
5. (Speculation, admittedly maybe overly bitter) Given that the CEO has praised the muskrat FOR the decisions causing the Twitter collapse, I wouldn't be at ALL surprised if he's instituted an internal policy that excessive negativity about the site is a secret extra category of "mature content" 🙃
So...what's the solution here? The strategy I suggest is:
1. If you're a trans woman or other queer user, and your SFW content got flagged, DON'T attach your complaining about it to the same post in case of point 5; appeal, list the things you're NOT doing that appears in PG-13 movies all the time, and MENTION the fact that they've ALREADY had a moderation bias settlement that they're SUPPOSED to be fixing the core of in your ticket
2. If that doesn't work - document it and try again. And again. And again.
3. USE THE FEEDBACK FORM, USE THE FEEDBACK FORM, I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH, USE THE FEEDBACK FORM. Politely but firmly (because if you just curse them out it will get lost in the noise of inevitable "I can't identify anything specific that could be better but I don't like change" that EVERY website gets with EVERY change) stress that fixing this system NEEDS to be a higher priority, for the users' sake AND their own, because FOR FUCK'S SAKE there was ALREADY a settlement over it
4. If THAT doesn't get some shit done it may be time for us as a community to consider turning to a human rights org and lawyering up again, because...while I highly doubt there's some kind of grand queerphobic conspiracy, it's still also likely that we're approaching the point where our best bet is doing the EXACT opposite of what this ridiculous, wasteful overhaul is trying to do (i.e., COST them a ton of money rather than making it), or at least threatening to in a way they can't ignore
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mariacallous · 1 year
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They’re more royal than the royals. Detached they might be, but even in exile they are fulfilling their duties to the letter. For all their insistence that they had to break away from the system of monarchy, Harry and Meghan remain two of its most devoted servants. Because, for all the red-top fury aimed their way, they are doing the job from which they claimed to have “stepped back” exactly as it has been prescribed for generations. Indeed, they continue to provide the service Britons have been demanding from the Windsors for a century or more.
And what is that service? At its simplest, it is entertainment – or, perhaps more accurately, diversion. At a time when the news is full of bleak tidings – nurses paid so poorly they are compelled to strike, migrants and refugees risking death to cross an icy Channel, Russian missiles raining down on Ukraine – H&M, as the couple call each other, have served up a welcome excuse to look the other way.
Even those splashing the Duke and Duchess’s woes across the front pages, and those reading them, know this story is not as important as some (or any) of the other things going on in the world. It’s not despite that fact, but because of it, that people are snuggling under the duvet for a couple (or six) hours of Sussex-watching on Netflix. That’s how escapism works.
Naturally, some have taken to the phone-in shows to complain about the volume of media attention lavished on this trivia, decrying such warped priorities when food banks are joined by warm banks, bedding banks and nappy banks, and when homeless people shiver on the streets. But I rather liked James O’Brien’s response to an LBC caller who chided him for covering the Netflix show instead of graver matters. “But you didn’t call me about those things, did you? You called me about this.”
Admittedly, the platform is a departure from royal tradition. Harry’s parents conducted their war against each other via interviews on ITV and the BBC; now the outlet is a global streaming service. Which means “the institution”, as the Sussexes refer to it, has to worry about reputational damage not only in its home market, where it can usually shape the media narrative, but internationally, where it can’t.
The location is new, too: Windsor giving way to Montecito, ribbon-cutting at municipal leisure centres in England replaced by guided meditation sessions in the California hills. But that’s no big deal for successful entertainment franchises: The White Lotus relocated from Hawaii to Italy for its second season. Perhaps the best way to think of the Sussexes is as a spinoff from the main show. Production has been outsourced and privatised, but it remains very much the same brand.
For what is the story that Harry and Meghan are telling? It is of a royal clan riven into factions, a tale so old Shakespeare was speaking of “the bond crack’d twixt son and father” nearly half a millennium ago. But at its centre is a young royal who believes himself misunderstood and mistreated, even cast out, by a cold, heartless institution.
That story, too – turning on romance, either thwarted or doomed – is wholly in keeping with Windsor tradition. I can remember my parents recalling their sympathy for Princess Margaret, denied her love of Group Captain Peter Townsend – he was always given his full rank, even around our kitchen table – while my grandmother would chip in with memories of the fateful romance of Edward and Mrs Simpson. For my generation, it was Princess Diana who ran into the chilly strictures of the Firm. For my sons, it will be the fable of Harry and Meghan. People take sides, the young usually rooting for the ones who dare defy convention (though, in the decades that followed, there were few eager to confess they’d cheered for the Hitler-curious Edward and Wallis). Round and round it goes, generating monarchy’s most valuable quality: continuity. Off the Firm’s books they may be, but Harry and Meghan are still in the royal business.
Indeed, they are doing the deeper part of the job too: holding up a mirror – albeit a wonky one – to the nation royalty serves. The Netflix series’ strongest and saddest theme is that when a historically closed, white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant institution such as the British monarchy had a chance to open up by including a Black woman, thereby winning new admirers across the globe, it blew it – chiefly by surrendering to the racist double standard applied by a corner of the press (and presumably its readers) that could not look at Meghan without reaching for the lexicon of “gangsters”, “Straight Outta Compton” and all the dispiriting rest.
In the process, and over six glossy if long hours, H&M remind us of the price we exact from the Windsor family, and those who join it, as that single dynasty provides us with this odd service: part-soap, part-reflecting surface, part-diplomatic corps. “We pay, they pose”, runs the unwritten contract between public and royals, according to a Times headline that briefly appears in the latest batch of programmes.
The consequences of that bargain – struck ever since we stopped the royals from ruling us but kept them in place anyway – are laid bare in this series, just as they were in the show from which Harry & Meghan blurrily picks up and which it echoes, namely The Crown. Put simply, this is an arrangement that requires one family to live dysfunctionally, for ever watched. The dystopian movie classic The Truman Show – imagining a child who, from birth, is permanently on camera for the amusement of a global TV audience – appals us, and yet that is not so far from how we demand the Windsors live.
You don’t have to like Harry and Meghan, or enjoy six hours of one-sided, uninterrupted PR-cum-hagiography, or even be able to stomach the California vocabulary of “triggering”, “spaces” and feeling “seen”, to concede that the whole set-up does very strange, often poisonous, things to those fated to live within it. Harry may be far too sensitive to – and consume too much of – the media, but that’s easy for me to say: he believes it was obsessive press interest in his mother that drove her to her death, and he has good grounds to believe that.
Which is why I’ve long considered myself a pro-Windsor republican. There are sound, democratic reasons for a grownup country to choose its own head of state, but a further, compelling argument for abolition of the monarchy is the damage it does to the family saddled with the inherited burden of performing it. The process is cruelly warping, the proof documented generation after generation. I think we should do things differently for our sake. But if that’s not persuasive, take one look at the state of the Windsors – and do it for them.
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towereurope59 · 2 years
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becomingbts · 3 years
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Time heals (sometimes) - 1
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Summary: 6 years ago, (Y/N) thought that she was finally taking her life into her hands, leaving behind a toxic and abusive relationship with a man who taught her she’d never be worthy of love. However, it became hard to ignore his words when she met her seven soulmates who rejected her without even giving her a chance to prove herself. It took (Y/N) 3 years to realize that it wouldn’t be her end. She would live on to prove them all wrong; she would become what they all thought she wasn’t: someone worthy of love. And as she stands proudly on the stage, under the  burning spotlights and the applause and  the cries of the delirious crowd, she feels alive. Alive, just like the bond she believed to be broken.
Pairings: Y/N x OT7
GENRE: Soulmate AU!, Idol Y/NAU!, semi social-media AU!, ANGST (mainly), fluff, romance, maybe smut in the series.
Ask or comment to be tagged!
1.5k
Warnings:  The series is going to be heavy with a lot of personal experiences  mixed into the fiction, so this is going to be kind of therapeutic for me. Please, consider not reading the series if you are not comfortable with: abandonment issues, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, self-harm (not descriptive and only part of MC’s past), suicide thoughts (in the past), toxic behavior, toxic and abusive relationship (in the past), depreciating self-talk and low self-esteem, a lot of curse, physical and mental pain, near death experience situation (in the past), and maybe smut scenes (happy ending though, but it will probably be quite the ride).
NOTE: So hello everyone, welcome to Time Heals (sometimes). Thank you so, so much for the warm welcoming, it has been my first time getting so many asks, I was honestly overjoyed. I still don’t really know what to call this part; is it a teaser? A note? A full chapter? I believe we’ll get some snapshot of memories like this one throughout the series because there is going to be a lot to unpack on both sides. I think it will be a chapter nevertheless because I have to establish some kind of order as to which parts should be read first, and I think this one is extremely important.
Thank you for reading,
-Dolly
Profiles #2 - here - part 2
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Her scream pierced through the air while cries broke in the frenzied arena while a single blond-haired man froze, emptily staring at the stage. It felt like his senses heightened; his skin was shuddering, his eyes were frantically searching for one specific figure while his voice was lost in his throat. The screams resonating in the stadium would have been too loud for his voice to be heard anyway. 
Jimin knew he shouldn’t be there. 
Namjoon had told them more than once that none of them should try to go to one of (Y/N)’s events. It could be dangerous and they could be overwhelmed; anything could happen to them and they would still remain a nobody who fainted in the howling crowd. Would they want to take this risk? No.
So, Jimin would have had to admit that going to her very first concert in Seoul since the pandemic sounded like a very, very, very bad idea. And to be honest, it still didn’t seem to be a bright idea now that he was actually there. 
But he still went because he needed to see her for himself; to see how she was. He had so many things he dreamed about asking her. Are you okay? Are you sleeping well? Did you eat before coming to the arena? Are you nervous? Do you... remember me? 
Maybe he was torturing himself. He kept on watching her lives, following her on all social media, always made sure to leave a sweet comment, and never miss any of her new updates... Maybe he even had a folder of pictures of her on his phone but he’d never admit it to any of his mates. Taehyung would probably take his phone away from him and delete everything and Jimin couldn’t let that happen.
He felt like it was cheating. Don’t take him wrong though. When he thought that, he was not really thinking about the boys. They did collectively agree not to follow her activities as an artist but it was getting harder and harder with how popular she got anyway. Moon was everywhere. In commercials, on the radio, her songs were on the TV… Even if she was known for refusing most of the promotional contracts that were offered to her, her image was still constantly in the media despite her avoidance of it. Ironic, but the media were trying their best to find anything about her, be it positive or negative. One day she was seen on her bike, the next, she was in a coffee shop, and it kept on going on, overstepping on her privacy as if it was just a meaningless word. 
The lockdown had admittedly played a major part in Jimin’s obsession. Being in their apartment meant quickly running out of activities, and his job as a dance teacher was not really filling his free time (a lot of his classes were also canceled). It was also during that time that (Y/N) truly blew up as an independent artist. Advertisement on YouTube started being around her channel and her music, the recommendations he kept on seeing were about also her… Jimin’s resolve honestly broke easily. It was hard not to be curious about his lost soulmate even though he didn’t feel like he had the right to be hurting. 
Anyway, to come back to his main point, if Jimin felt like he was cheating; it was mostly for her. After all, (Y/N) had no means of letting the curiosity get the best of her, to know what they were doing; to simply see or contact them. He had, at first, not really thought about that. Watching her content seemed a very innocent thing to do in his opinion; billions of people were watching her content, why should he prevent himself from doing so? Yet, Jimin could still remember one of her live she did soon after that interview she had given on this damned radio show where she had revealed who her title track ‘TIME’ was about… She had gone live the next day-Jimin had jumped on his phone because of the notification-and one fan had asked her what would she do if she knew that her ‘ex-soulmates’ (and those words left a very sour taste in Jimin’s mind) were watching her. The question had silenced a previously restless Jimin, replacing his initial excitation with dread while a lump formed itself in his throat. He had not even noticed it; he was so focused on her live and her upcoming answer that Jimin had completely missed the sound of a glass breaking in the apartment. Jimin had been home alone, so even if had indeed heard it, he probably wouldn’t have bothered to check what had happened, thinking that the wind knocked it over or something. Jimin had been so absorbed by what he had been watching that he even got surprised a few hours later when Seokjin came home and yelled at him for breaking something when he had been clearly innocent, engrossed in (Y/N)’s live (not that he could tell his soulmates about that part, but yeah). (Y/N)’s live would always be more important than some random glass breaking again in their apartment. Every object was doomed with Namjoon living here anyway.
On her side of the screen though, (Y/N) had seemed taken aback as she had read the question and had gritted her teeth gently. She had seemed to be pondering about her answer even though a lot of people in her chat were telling her to forget about the question if it made her uncomfortable (a lot were even scolding the person who asked). Yet, sighing softly, she had looked up at the screen: 
“I’d appreciate it if you could refrain from asking questions on this topic. It’s not taboo but I’d rather not remember everything that comes with it. However, to answer this-hopefully-last question about it, I’d ask them to turn off my stream and to stop watching any of my content. It would only be fair after all. I’ve been denied access to their lives six years ago, why would they get a free pass into mine now?” She had not smiled nor had she seemed hurt by her own comment, yet Jimin’s heart had shattered in pieces, unable to press the cancel button. 
Her voice had slowly faded into background noise while her words had been stuck in his head. 
I’d ask them to turn off my stream and to stop watching any of my content. 
How could Jimin ever do that? He realized that he truly should. Namjoon would even agree with you, as ironic as it sounded for Jimin. Namjoon had been one of the most adamant ones about rejecting your bond, after all. Jimin was shaking with bitterness while ‘Moon’ continued her stream peacefully with music. Jimin could only try to gulp his anger down as he remembered her crumbling features on that fateful day. 
“You’re not our soulmates. This name on our arms means nothing to us. You are nothing to us if not a hindrance. Leave us alone.” 
If Jimin could go back in time, he’d prevent Taehyung from spatting those words at her. Yet, he couldn’t do anything. Playing the scene over and over in his mind wouldn’t change anything. It wouldn’t change that she probably hated them. It wouldn’t change the song she made about them. 
And worst of all, it wouldn’t change the fact that Jimin had let himself believe that their choice had been for the best, trying to console and reassure himself, even if he had already known that it was wrong. Tears were pooling up in his eyes even if none escaped as he finally caught a glimpse of her on the stage. Suddenly brought back to reality after his subconscious memory trip, Jimin finally connected back to the world, looking around while he was still frozen on his spot. People were still screaming around him and he wondered if he looked like an intruder. Because, after all, wasn’t that what he exactly was? She said it herself that she didn’t wish for them to watch her; so what was he doing here? 
Jimin couldn’t help but stare; she looked ethereal, dressed like a queen in the middle of a sold-out arena. People were screaming her name as she yelled her infamous ‘hi people’. It was an opening sentence that Jimin heard way too many times in her vlogs and suddenly hearing it in real life seemed surreal. 
Jimin could only watch in awe, entranced with her everything. 
Screw the boys and what they would think once he’d be back from her concert. 
He had been the one to find her six years ago anyway. He had been the one to bring her to their home six years ago, hoping for the boys to change their mind once they’d meet her.
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(Edited on July 23, 2021)
So. Luz Noceda.
Quite possibly one of the best written protagonists in a Disney animated show, and easily one of my favorite protagonists in fiction.
Admittedly, if you know me, you may not be surprised I like her this much. I love kindhearted protagonists who are extremely energetic, unorthodox, goofy and proactive, and this describes Luz in spades. Even at her lowest points, she has a never-give-up attitude that’s just so endearing to me. In fact, I’ve described her as a female shonen protagonist to many of my friends in the past, and it’s not uncommon for people to compare Luz to Mabel (while she is also a rather complicated character I adore, this comparison is faulty for reasons I’ll get into shortly.)
If this was all there was to Luz—a warmhearted, generous dork who goes to any lengths to help the people she loves—I’d be satisfied. That relatively short, shallow description describes Goku almost to a T, and I absolutely love Goku, inside and out.
However, the writing staff of The Owl House, thankfully, chose to go the extra mile with Luz and flesh her out far beyond her superficial confines.
While all are extroverted, sweet girls, Luz differs from similar characters like Mabel Pines, Anne Boonchuy and Star Butterfly due to her far lower status on the social ladder: if Camila is to be believed, Luz - prior to entering the Boiling Isles - doesn’t have a single friend. Having a protagonist who is a disliked underdog with low self-esteem is far from new, especially in kids’ media. In some cases, it almost feels like a prerequisite to have the character be the victim of petty school bullies, even when they’re a skater punk high schooler played by a 27-year-old Andrew Garfield. However, in Luz’s case, her past as a teenage outcast (and implied history of bullying), her neurodivergence, and her subsequent retreat into fantasy as an escape informs every single facet of her characterization and cannot be stripped away from her without making her far less interesting.
How so?
Well, for starters, Luz is seen as frustrating or annoying by a lot of people, even the friends she made in the demon realm. In Season 1, even after the lesson she learns in the second episode, she is obsessed with living out her fantasy of being a fantasy hero just like the Good Witch Azura. This is a direct result of her retreating into fantasy and using it as a crutch to get through life. She tries to befriend her rival Amity the same way Azura did with her rival, tries to whip Willow and Gus into an all-star sports team using nothing but her own gumption, and is quick to accept any challenge that comes her way. This, understandably, does not endear her to other people.
Furthermore, as a result of her ostracization in the human realm (the great state of Connecticut, as we learn in the latest episode!), Luz, subtly, sees herself as a burden. This is why she almost never defends herself when people attack her, fairly or not. When Amity, enraged because Lilith humiliated her in her duel with Luz, demands Luz admit to not being a real witch, she acquiesces, despite having no real reason to. Even after she’s become Amity’s friend (and, unknowingly, her crush), even after Amity risked her own job to help her … Luz assumes that Amity hates her because she got fired from the library trying to help Luz … when Amity was the one who insisted they keep looking. Likewise, when the detention kids accuse her of being stuck-up, Luz accepts the rejection without a word of complaint, even though their accusation is based on incomplete information. And probably most heartbreakingly, at the start of Season 2, Luz calls herself a burden on Eda. After bringing so much life to this crusty old witch’s life, to the point of not only saving her from execution but playing a huge role in her reconnecting with her estranged sister, because of the way she’s been treated for much of her life, Luz can only imagine that Eda dreads her presence.
In short, Luz (1) blunders through many of her social interactions, often leading to negative first impressions, (2) takes those blunders on the chin and assumes they’re her fault even when they aren’t necessarily, and both those (3) flaws flow naturally from her backstory. That’s rather solid character writing that a lot of creators for children’s shows take for granted. Luz isn’t determined to fix what’s wrong just because; she’s determined to fix what’s wrong because, often, she believes that she is responsible for whatever has gone wrong. It’s a more realistic, and rather sad, look at a hero, compared to most Disney properties.
But, in my eyes, what makes this all work like gangbusters is how the other characters treat Luz.
Yes, even her friends and family can be annoyed by some of her more eccentric behavior. They acknowledge when she screws up and hold her accountable for those screw ups. But, for the first time in her life, someone (besides Camila, the real MVP) is giving her the unconditional love she deserves. Eda’s response to Luz saying she doesn’t want to be a burden, Amity saving Luz from Odalia and defying her mother for the first time, hell, even the Golden Guard seems to legitimately bond with Luz in their one episode together.
Given Luz’s status as a neurodivergent girl, as an autistic fan of this show, I can only imagine how comforting a lesson that is for the neurodivergent kids watching this: “Even if people don’t value you, even if you legitimately make mistakes, you still deserve unconditional love. You have value, damn what other people say.” Disney may be a shitty, evil corporation, but the Owl House crew really created something special, something richer than the average Disney cartoon, and that puts a smile on my face.
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In short, you’re doing great sweetie. :)
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wannabe-fic-writer · 3 years
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Lena Luthor x Reader : Mistakes Were Made
Summary: You really should’ve paid much more attention to the wrapping.
Genre: 18+ Suggestive language, Masturbation, Toys, Implied Smut
Imagine comes from this request: “Reader accidentally gives a lewd gift meant for their long distance GF (or ex-GF) to their friend, Lena.”
Word Count: 2,134
* * * * * *
You really should’ve seen this coming.
In fact you saw it coming, you just didn’t prepare yourself for it.
Now that you’re faced with your mistakes, you’re the most embarrassed and, quite honestly, the dumbest you’ve ever been.
The first mistake started not but six months ago. You were ignorantly blissful in your relationship with your then girlfriend Carly. You were preparing yourself to go on a two month long DEO mission and had bought a gift for her, one that would keep her “occupied” while you couldn’t.
A dildo. You bought her a dildo.
Having experimented with different ways to fulfill your desires while you were gone on missions, the added use of toys during your sexual phone calls was quickly agreed upon.
Your second mistake came the day you planned to give it to her. You’d officially been gone five days and figured the sooner you told her the sooner you both could make good use of it. So you called. And called. And called. Only to be ignored all three times. Then for the fourth call to be answered, on accident. Based on the noises you’d heard it was obvious what was happening, obvious that Carly didn’t need your little gift after all.
You ignored her for the entirety of your mission and promptly confronted her when you got back. She didn’t deny it either, just claimed it was something she never should’ve done and begged for another chance. But you were far from willing to give it to her. So you broke up, went through the motions of moving out and cutting ties.
Third mistake was still checking up on her on her social media. It was clear that her little side piece was more than that, when you saw the very new pictures of them together on your feed.
Your friends were one hundred percent ready to go to war for you. Kara and Alex couldn’t believe that someone would cheat on you, they didn’t understand cheating in general, but to cheat on someone as sweet as you made the least amount of sense.
Nia wanted to find Carly and teach her a lesson. A fact she made abundantly clear.
While Lena, she was pissed and confused and a million other things. The CEO has had a crush on you since before you started dating Carly and her feelings grew over the entirety of your relationship. She saw the way you were with Carly, how attentive, caring, understanding, and overall romantic you were.
All in all they could tell how hurt you were about the whole thing. You weren’t in love with her or anything but you were getting there.
It’s why your friends insisted you spend more time with them after the break up. Alongside your usual hang outs at Al’s and game nights at Kara’s house, the blonde planned a Friend’s Appreciation night.
That’s when your final mistake happened.
You all agreed on celebrating the impromptu holiday and planned on getting each other gifts. You wrapped and tagged every gift but one. When it’d gotten time for you to wrap Lena’s you got distracted as said woman popped by so you shoved her gift at the top of your closet and thought nothing of it till the day of.
In which you excitedly grabbed the wrong damn box.
Everything was going perfect, drinks were flowing, Kara was knee deep in a second helping of potstickers, and gifts were being exchanged.
You’d handed Lena hers with a sweet smile and a,“ I thought of you when I saw it so I had to.”
So imagine the hopeful surprise she felt when she opened the ten inch, fairly realistic looking dildo with a cute little red bow around it.
All the girls had asked what she got, especially since they knew of her feelings for you and figured you had at least a crush on her. But this, she couldn’t and wouldn’t share this with them. No this was to stay between the two of you.
Except you didn’t know that. Well you did but not to the full extent.
Which meant you were oblivious to how sexual her words were when she would text or tell you that she “adored her gift” or “couldn’t get enough of it” or better yet “wanted you to use it with her.”
It was that last one that started to tie things together for you. You weren’t sure how you both would use a diamond jewelry set. So you’d jokingly told her you didn’t think that was possible, to which she said “if you play your cards right it is.”
You figured she was just messing around so you brushed it off. Until you saw her again, stopping into L-Corp just to say hi at lunch.
A frown masked your brows as you sat down across from her, e/c eyes roaming her neck and ears,“ you don’t have my gift.” You pouted.
Lena’s eyes widened and she gave a disbelieving chuckle,“ of course I don’t, I’m at work Y/n.” She looked off,“ though it would definitely come in handy when I’m stressed.”
The last part brought a smile to your face. The thought that your gift brought her comfort. But you didn’t understand the first bit.“ Wh-why wouldn’t you bring it to work. Do you not want people to see it?”
If she wasn’t surprised before she is now. It’s one thing to give her a dildo as an appreciation gift but to now subtly but openly admit to wanting to be semi-public with it was another.
Did you have an exhibitionist kink or something? Did you enjoy the risk of possibly being caught? Or were you just into the idea of her carrying your dildo around with her?
“Y-Y/n I,” her shoulders dropped as she processed your words,“ I’ll do it.”
Leaning forward, you rested a hand on hers,“ good, I’m glad you like it by the way. I wasn’t sure if you even needed something like that but I guess it’s the thought that counts right?”
“Of course.”
The next day, you were more than happy to receive a text from the CEO saying she had your gift with her. You’d replied that “you wanted to see how it looked on her” which made the brunette flush with arousal and embarrassment, unbeknownst to you. But she was curious about how you’d respond.
The second you got the picture you had to do a double take which then led to you dropping your phone.
There your best friend Lena Luthor was, her legs spread beneath her desk, with an all too familiar dildo disappearing into her clearly sopping pussy.
In an instant, you were sprinting back to your bedroom. Throwing your closet door open and snatching the box off the top shelf. Nestled inside on top of tissue paper was the diamond necklace and matching earrings you thought you gave to Lena.
No instead you gave your best friend a goddamn dildo!
“Oh. My. Fuck.” You whispered into the quiet space.
The one thing you’d done in the midst of this entire situation that wasn’t a mistake, was going to Lena about it.
You raced to L-Corp, a million and one thoughts on your mind about it all. Every conversation you had about the gift.
Heat rushed to your face when you remembered one of the first things she told you about it, she couldn’t get enough of it.
How many times had she used it?
If it came from you, did she think of you when using it?
No wonder she told you she didn’t bring it to work. It was a goddamn dildo and not a necklace.
How you managed to be so clueless was lost on you but you had to at least try to clear it up, lest your best friend think you were some type of creep.
Pulling up to the building, you moved just as fast to get inside and up to her office. In the midst of all your panic you didn’t even consider the fact that you just received a picture of her actions.
The sight before you when you entered, stopped you in your tracks.
Lena’s head thrown back, eyes shut, as her arm flexed with her obviously quick and forceful pumps.
She was fucking herself with it, right there.
“L-Lena.” You fumbled, shutting the door before anyone could dare look inside to find their boss in such a compromising and vulnerable position.“ Lena.” You said clearer the second time.
Keeping up with her ministrations, she looked up at you, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. You heard the low moan she gave and at that point you were pretty sure it was because of you more so than the toy between her legs.
Admittedly you didn’t know what to do. Well you did. You should’ve given her the last of her privacy but you couldn’t take your eyes off her.
She was beautiful there’s no denying that, however nothing could be sexier than having seen her like that. Falling apart with each flick of her wrist, knowing you were there.
When she reached her peak she shook, her body overwhelmed and you had no control over yours. Walking across the office, you grabbed her face, and crashed your lips on hers. The long moan she’d let out now swallowed by you.
After she calmed down, you released her, and sat back against the desk. Your gaze followed the action of her pulling the dildo from her, catching how wet it was and nearly dying at the thought of causing that and possibly fixing it.
“I wouldn’t’ve been opposed to you helping me you know?”
“That,” you pointed to the toy,“ was not meant for you.” You blurted out.“ I got you a necklace and mixed up the boxes and I realize how fucked up that sounds but apparently you made good use of it regardless.”
Lena’s eyebrows raised as she dazedly looked at you,“ seriously?”
An embarrassed, nervous, smile took over your face,“ yeah. I can’t even tell you how I mixed up the packages.” You said, setting her intended gift down.
Green eyes flicked down to the box. With an embarrassed blush on her cheeks, she swallowed and threw the toy in an empty drawer. Then scrambling to fix herself.
The realization of the situation settling in her mind and causing that blush to deepen.
“Y-you- I-I’m so sorry,” she stutters out. Her eyes widen and she’s quick to bury her face in her hands.“ All those messages I sent and your replies I thought you-”
She stops and your eyebrow raises. You had a feeling what she intended to say but had to hear it.
“You thought I what?” Slowly her hands lower and her gaze finds yours.“ What Le?”
Taking a deep breath she nearly whispers,“ I thought you may have felt the same about me.”
Do I? You find yourself thinking. Did all those seemingly platonic cuddles mean something? When you kiss her forehead and she kisses your cheek is there something behind that?
Is the love you feel for her more than friendly? Had you just pushed the way you use to feel about her away? Was it that easy?
You’re smart enough to know feelings are never easy. And aware of your emotional state to know that there was always something romantic behind everything you did with and for Lena.
“I do.” Her eyes, that had fallen to the desk, snap up to yours in surprise.“ I’ve always felt something for you Lena.”
“But Carly-”
“Is my ex. And while I’m still dealing with the hurt of that, I’m completely over her.” You raise a hand to gently rest against her cheek.“ I’d like to take you out sometime, maybe explore what we’ve both been feeling?”
She seems to be frozen for a moment. Her eyes clearly search yours for sincerity and she nods upon finding it.“ I’d like that.”
Smiling, you lean down and capture her lips in a sweet kiss. A smile of her own forms into it causing you both to pull away.
Your breath ghosts over her lips as you teasingly whisper,“ and maybe you can call me the next time you use that thing.”
Even though she chuckles disbelievingly and swats your arm, a blush finds its place on her cheeks again, this time purely from arousal instead of embarrassment.
When you go for another kiss, you can’t help but think that maybe your mistakes weren't that bad.
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potteresque-ire · 3 years
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This is a response to @rainbowsky​ ‘s questions about BJYX, as the original post got too long for reblogging (I hope this is okay!). 1) Should we be worried about GG and DD being outed? I often think about what it’s like to be in the closet and I know how it feels to need to be SEEN. But I also understand the reasons why that might not be an option for them. Still, I worry about them being involuntarily outed. There are so many antis after them.
 2) What would you speculate is the likelihood of this ever happening, and what might be the consequences if it happened?Is leaving an option for them, even as a distant goal years from now?
3)Does their fame and popularity hold any protective power in the situation (i.e. if they were to come out or be outed, would public opinion about what might happen to them have any impact on the outcome given the nature of the regime)? To what degree would that depend on how much money they are still able to make for interested parties?
My response is under the cut, as it got long, as usual ~
@rainbowsky, you’re among the first BXGs I followed! I’d like to thank you for your insightful posts as well!
Your questions ~ I don’t think I’m qualified to speculate because I’m still a very new turtle and also because of the volatility as well as inconsistencies of China’s sociopolitical policies. I do have a better sense of China’s politics than most international fans, but I also don’t live there and the only way to truly understand how things work at the ground level in a non-transparent country like China is to be there.
(For example, China has officially banned Christmas celebrations  for the last several years, but as we saw last week, commercials remain very “Christmas-sy” and Chinese fans happily said Merry Christmas to each other. It takes someone who lives inside to know where to draw the line — what is permitted by the state and what isn’t — when the line shifts and adjusts accordingly.)
Here’re my thoughts, as of today (2020/12/31): if the perpetrator is only some segment of the fandom and the purpose is merely to knock them off the popularity pedestal, outing isn’t a particularly effective way to do so. Homosexuality, being a highly regulated subject in Chinese news and social media, is likely to mean limit transmission of the accusations. The accuser also has to run to risk of being banned themselves first. Also, with BJYX + ZSWW + LSFY being the sizes they are, the people who will most consider turning against gg and dd, ie, the solo fans, have probably already heard something. Some will leave, but the news won’t be a bombshell to them.
The next possibility is if a legal case becomes possible, ie. if China suddenly outlaws homosexuality. This scenario may seem the most dire on the surface but is also one that I least worry about, because with China’s judiciary system being very biased to those in power, if someone wants to frame gg and dd, they do not need to use sexuality as the accusation and subject themselves to the same restrictions as mentioned above. Tax evasion, as @peekbackstage has mentioned with the actress Fan Bing Bing, is far easier, because it tends the turn the audience against the defendant: these stars are making so much money and yet they’re not contributing their share! And as long as the accusers have sufficient power — remembering that commercial and political power are married in the country — the accuser can make up any evidence to suit their needs for any crime.
The third possibility is what I see as the worst case scenario: that the government decides they don’t want their major stars / entertainment industry to be *perceived* as queer — whether the stars are officially out doesn’t matter — and signals the media and commercial companies to stop using any “suspect” star altogether. (Chinese term: 封殺). This is the case of career murder without blood —  laws aren’t changed; all the fans will hear are rumours confirmed by nobody. I see this as a possibility because of the Xi regime’s view of The Ideal Men , and my admittedly limited experience with dealing with older generations of Chinese, who I’ve found tend to confuse perceived femininity in men with queerness. I think, and this is only my opinion, that the sheer amount of adapted BL dramas in production (the so-called “dangai 耽改 101” phenomenon) and the heated discussions of them on Weibo will at some point trigger the government (which is made mostly of older generations Chinese). Even if gg and dd don’t do anything, should the government decide these adapted BL dramas, even after the elimination of their queer element, are “non mainstream socialist core values”, all the major people involved with the Untamed—arguably the classic and the drama whose success all these follow-ups are trying to imitate—can be cast as the culprit. If the same officials become aware of BJYX and if they’re somehow convinced that BJYXSZD, it can be easy be used as evidence of the bad influence these dramas can do—“they can turn people gay”—and it doesn’t help that according to reports, gg, at least, used to have a girlfriend.
Something more to consider: Gg and dd are also in a very special position now, in that not only are they immensely popular in China, no other native mainland Chinese stars have achieved this level of international fame with a native mainland Chinese production (ie, not a production from Hollywood, Hong Kong or Taiwan, or with a Kpop band). As such, they are likely subjected to high levels of scrutiny from the state. Depending on who’s in charge in the appropriate department, they may decide gg and dd have to be China’s image; they may have a set idea of what image it is and most likely, it won’t be queer. 2021 and the first quarter of 2022 are special times for China, image wise, both at home and abroad. 2021 is the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party, and gg and dd are both starring in its propaganda productions (dd as a police in BAH and gg as an army officer in AT). CCTV, the state-controlled TV station, is already promoting these shows. So, for 2021, gg and dd are slated to not only be the faces of Chinese entertainment, but also the image of Chinese uniformed forces. If gg and dd come out or are outed, their allowing themselves to be being perceived as queer while donning uniforms will most likely to be viewed by the current regime as an embarrassment; a career murder, then, is an apt response to such transgression. 2022 is the year of Beijing’s Winter Olympics, so again, it’s the time where image matters.
You may have noticed a pattern, as I have as I write this up: them being outed is something to worry about, but also ... nothing more than anything else. If someone wants to tear gg and dd down — and there will be, given their massive commercial power right now and the increasing evidence that they’re working more like collaborators than competitors (ie, they aren’t about to tear each other down any time soon) — they do not need their sexuality as a reason.
(And if these accusers really want to use homosexuality as a reason, the unofficial BTS is, IMO, more than enough, as long as the accusers have sufficient power.)
Your other question ~ can gg and dd’s fame, popularity, and ability to draw consumers protect them? My (slightly) educated guess of the answer, then, is that it’s very much a double-edged sword. Indeed, the one major thing that may be going for these adapted BL dramas, and for those who come to superstardom to it — with gg and dd being the prime examples — is the economic health of China, which, by some reports that can no way be verified, are far worse than what has been reported. This is the thing about countries lack transparency; without reliable news, there’s no way to get the facts. Reports on China outside the country tend to be either propaganda or demonising / filled with conspiracy theories, and the truth is probably somewhere in between. If the reports of poor economy are true, the commercial sector — which, again, is tied to those with political power; ie the money made in the former goes into the pockets of the latter — desperately needs stars like gg and dd to move products (based on those recent consumer reports!) and with that, it will want to keep gg and dd and these dramas that can potentially make more gg and dd around. This *seems* to be what’s happening so far, with the the state-run media happy to show gg and dd’s dramas (when it should know, at least, that they got to the height of their fame playing lovers-not-lovers) and gg and dd’s sponsors not-so-subtly wooing the BJYX segment of fandom, so I’m tentatively optimistic. However, the current regime has also shown a willingness to sacrifice the economy for the sake of political ideology, so it’s not something to be taken for granted. (What’s going on in Hong Kong is a good example of that.)
(I always think, eat each candy like it can be the last one. With this regime, it can be. We can wake up tomorrow and gg and dd have to break up BJYX to protect the fans.)
(I always think, treasure, treasure, treasure. Ask for more dy and lz and Weibo posts, but never anymore from gg and dd when it comes to insights of their relationship, even without considering it’s actually their private lives and they’re under no obligation to share.)
(They’ve shared with us far more than enough.)
There’s really no precedence for us to predict the future of an outed gg and dd from, as far as I know. Confirmed queer stars in Chinese entertainment (those with sufficient followers to make news) have all been from Hong Kong, Taiwan and other countries. The successful BL dramas before The Untamed — Addicted (2016) and The Guardian (2018) — didn’t have a real-person cp that truly took off. Addicted, a true BL drama (ie, it retained the queer elements), was banned before it finished its broadcast. The two actors were also banned from appearing together afterwards, and this “signal” from the government almost cost the two actors their career. Bai Yu from The Guardian, meanwhile, already had a girlfriend as he filmed, so there was never a Weibo supertopic dedicated to him and Zhu Yilong. gg and dd, along with their millions of turtles, are treading untrodden ground.
Something I should clarify ~ all the things I said above may sound very scary to international fans, but to those who live in the country, they understand it as the way things are, and they strategise and move accordingly. This is their way of life. What I wanted to say, in my first reblog, is that we who’re outside may not understand why they do things the way they do, why they don’t, for example, come out with all the candies they are spending so much effort to give out, but I do believe that gg and dd have a plan, not in the sense that they’re scheming or trying to trick anyone, but that they are moving things along at the pace necessary to meet the pre-requisites for the outcome they want. What this outcome is is anyone’s guess, mine being that they have the freedom to work together, not necessary in lover’s capacity — most of us are not required to perform our day jobs carrying our identity as so-and-so’s significant other and gg and dd shouldn’t be exceptions — but as colleagues, professionals and friends (lovers are friends). 
To some international fans, this may sound implausible, ridiculous: why do they need a multi year campaign for something as simple as this? As working together again? And I suppose, all these words I’ve typed so far is my attempt to answer this question, to ease the … unease, the frustration of those who may not understand. True to its marxist root, perhaps, many things that are considered mindless, effortless tasks elsewhere somehow become battles, grand struggles of sorts in China. That sea of sea lights on the night of Tencent awards, for example? It was the result of gg’s fans fighting, strategising in real time to smuggle those LED banners in when they realised the venue had forbidden their entry. They wrapped the banners around their bodies under their underwear because they were patted down by security at the underwear level; they hid batteries in their shoes. They ran batteries from one zone in the stadium to another during the whole show for whose who only managed to smuggle in banners or batteries. They fought the security guards inside the stadium, who continued to snatch away their banners even after seeing they were merely support material for the idols. They fought and fought, despite their identities were recorded by their COVID pass and facial recognition. Many confessed they had no idea what gg was singing during the show; they were too busy. They were there, some paying scalpers > 10x the ticket price, just because they promised the sea of red would be there for gg when he returned. When some realised dd’s banners were confiscated in high numbers because his fans happened to have seats right by the strictest security, they improvised, found an image of a green block to show on their cell phones to make makeshift green support lights for dd. They used Weibo to spread this trick to fellow fans. All these trouble, all these effort, all these planning and scheming and sweat and tears — all for one night, one concert and they laughed about it, called it a wonderful day.
(There are many ways for lives to be hard.)
The very first thing gg and dd need to accomplish, therefore, isn’t to announce what they do in the bedroom—the very first thing they need, for their plan to come to fruition, is to stay on top of the industry. How can they be on the same stage for the yearly Tencent Awards if either of them fails to make VIP? What’s their negotiation chip for a future collaboration, when the current norm is against cps like them working together again, if they cannot draw enough viewers and consumers, or if they offend Tencent and other media companies by refusing to see to the needs of the other side (for example, the need to promote new dramas)? So far, the two of them have accomplished this in flying colours. The other thing they need right now, the way I see it, is for their fans to get along. I think part of the reason they’ve made BJYXSZD so easy to believe in and love, in addition to their very human need to be seen when their careers may be safer otherwise (yes, I think they know what they’re doing, the candies they’re throwing), is because they want their fans to unite, as they have united. To make sure something like 227 cannot happen again, or at least, if it does happen again, their fans cannot be used as an excuse, as scapegoats. And this union is happening — slowly, but it’s happening. The size of BJYX (>2.8 million as of now, on Weibo supertopic) is a powerful indicator; I also had a wonderful time reading the comments of gg’s solo fans who went to purchase dd’s new song. This is the part gg and dd need their fan’s help. This is the one of the fews things we, as overseas fans who have limited access to their products, can help.
Your final question — sorry, this is getting so long again — about leaving. Of course, it’s always up to the government and It’s impossible to say what can happen so far ahead. But my perception, right now at least, is that gg and dd have no intention to leave, no intention to sacrifice their career for their personal lives and vice versa. After all, this is a pair who has answered those A vs B choice questions with a straight-faced “I want both” and “so annoying” without a follow-up reply. They’re right to want both. I like them for wanting both. And maybe, with their intelligence, charisma and hardwork and ambition and personalities that seem to clash but somehow complements each other’s, they will figure out a way. Maybe they are, as the Chinese turtles call them, the Chosen Pair, and they will be the ones who’ll change the perception fo queer artists in China, and we’ll one day get a biography about them and laugh at the candies we get right, laugh harder at those candies we get totally wrong.
(Dd ~ I want your honest opinion, in your own words, on the ones we get wrong.)
(Gg ~ videos of your expressions while reading the crazy theories the first time will be very much appreciated. By me.)
It’s a good day to look forward to.
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sunmoonandeddie · 3 years
Text
oh, captain, my captain
pairing: professor!steve rogers x reader
word count: 2,090
summary: Steve Rogers got bored in his retirement, so he picked up the hobby of teaching art. But he still feels restless until his missing piece comes along.
warnings: swearing, little bit of smutty smut, dub-con, drinking, manipulation, steve is a little dark but reader is into it in the end
a/n: This is... a little darker than what most people expect from me. But I wrote this for a dear friend, so I really, really hope you all enjoy it!! Also, please read the warnings. I'm not responsible for your media consumption <3
Life after the Avengers was mundane.
Not that Steve didn’t like the quiet days, where he knew he wasn’t going to be running off and risking his life at any moment, mind you. In fact, he was finding that retirement rather suited him.
Except for the fact that he was bored.
Bucky and Sam were always busy on some kind of mission together, saving the world and splitting their time between Brooklyn, Washington D.C., and New Orleans. Or NOLA, as Buck liked to call it now.
Perhaps the boredom was why he took up art again. He did go to art school, after all, and had even graduated. It was after his first official professional art show that the university contacted him.
They wanted him to teach young minds how to make art.
It was the perfect solution to his boredom problem.
Of course, he should’ve realized that getting a new job wouldn’t make him feel complete. No, unfortunately, he hasn’t found the missing piece in his hundred years.
At least until you walked into his classroom on the first day.
Steve’s eyes focused on you immediately, enamored by the curve of your legs and the Cupid’s bow of your upper lip. “Hello, you,” he mumbled softly under his breath as he watched you sit down to what appeared to be a friend of yours. He scrolled through his attendance on the school supplied computer in front of him, raising his brows as he found the name next to your university ID picture.
A perfect name for a perfect girl.
Suddenly he felt the need to have a few figure drawing classes. Privately. With you. With your clothes off.
And maybe his clothes would be off, too.
He stood up as the clock finally hit one in the afternoon, holding his laptop. “Alright, please let me know if you’re here as I call your names,” he said, before going through the roster quickly.
When he called your name, and you responded with a soft, “Here!” he almost fucking came in his pants.
“Alright. In this class, as with many art classes, we’re going to get very… personal,” he said as he started to walk through the easels and those sitting in front of them. “So on the first day, rather than reading through the syllabus that’s readily available on your phone, I like to do some ice breakers.” He couldn’t help but grin at the collective groan that rang through the class. “I know, I know. But like I said, this class is going to get very personal. So come on, let’s all get in a little closer.”
“Do you mind?” You asked quietly as you scooted her stool in between two others that he couldn’t remember the names of. You gave them a blinding smile as they made room, perching in your seat like a little angel.
His little angel.
Everything seemed to be a blur as he led them in a series of questions, but he barely retained any information from anyone except you. At least he had his phone secretly recording in his pocket so he could go back and relisten later (even if it was mostly just to hear your voice.)
Favorite color?
“Green.”
Favorite holiday?
“New Year’s Eve.”
Favorite artist?
“Marilyn Minter.”
That was interesting to him. That showed that you had a naughty side.
A side he so desperately wanted to get to know.
The only issue was that he needed to find a way to get you alone, and that was going to take trust built up over time.
He was truthfully, absolutely amazed that it only took a few weeks before you were coming to him with wonder-filled eyes, asking him if you could please schedule some time during his office hours to go over some of your portfolio.
Abso-fucking-lutely.
“Hey, you made it,” he said when you walked in after a light knock on the door, your portfolio in hand. Steve stood and immediately pulled out the chair for you like a proper gentleman. Subtly, he took in a deep breath as the cloud of your perfume enveloped him like a warm hug.
It was something classy. Something you had clearly splurged on.
Perhaps Gucci or Valentino or something.
“I’m sorry for being late,” you said as Steve glanced at the clock.
You were maybe three minutes late at the most.
“The subway was delayed, and unfortunately, I can’t control when the subway stops and goes,” you continued, letting out a nervous laugh as you opened up your portfolio. “Did you get my email with my previous pieces?”
“Yes, I did!” He said as he sat back down at his desk. “And honestly, I haven’t been this impressed in a long, long time. I would love to possibly mentor you? Of course, that means a lot more hours spent with an old man like me.” Eyes crinkling, he couldn’t help but laugh when you laughed.
He was sure that he almost had you right where he wanted you. The corner you were backing yourself into was almost too perfect.
You seemed… amazed. Absolutely flabbergasted by his offer. “Really?” You breathed out, leaning closer, elbows resting on your knees. “You’d really do that? That would be… I… Thank you.” Shaking your head, you scooted your chair a little closer. “How much should I pay you? I’ve never had a personal mentor before.”
And there it was. The corner he wanted you in.
“Oh, sweetheart, don’t worry about money,” he insisted as he looked deep into your eyes. It would be so easy to just get lost in them… “But, I do need assistance with something.”
“Of course!” You were like a doe-eyed little fawn, chasing him—the magnificent stag—through a field of wildflowers. “Whatever you want!”
Steve put on the most bashful, boy next door look he could muster. “Well… I’ve been trying to get back into figure drawing, but you’d be surprised at how hard it is finding a class to take that won’t freak out that I’m… you know. Steve Rogers.”
The look on you face let him know immediately there was no way you were going to say no. Hell, you were looking at him like he was the last puppy on the side of the road in a box that had ‘FREE’ written on the side.
In the rain.
“When do we start?”
Steve got everything set up in his home studio that night, only to sit until Friday night, when he’d planned for you to come over. Admittedly, he may have gone a little overboard with the mood lighting and the bottle of red wine that he’d left open on the counter to breathe, two crystal wine glasses resting next to it.
The good crystal.
He practically ran to the door when he heard the doorbell. “Hey, I was a little worried you would have trouble finding it,” he said as he guided you inside, a large hand coming to rest on the small of your back.
“Oh, I just Ubered,” you said, ducking your head as you let him lead you into his large home. “I don’t have a car. It’s too expensive and there’s no point when I live in the city. Though, the drive out here was absolutely gorgeous. I can see why you got a place a little bit upstate.”
Steve grinned, fighting the urge to say that it could also be your place. But that was for the future. “Yeah, the views and the quiet is worth the forty-five minutes or so I commute everyday.” He opened up the door to his home studio, all the windows wide open.
You wandered around the room, looking at the various art supplies and canvases scattered haphazardly around the room. In the very center was a chaise lounge with a blanket draped across it. “This is amazing… God, if I had my own art studio at home, I don’t think I’d ever leave.”
He poured out two glasses of wine, gently pressing one into your hands. “Well, you can always use this one. I have more space than I could probably ever use.” He sipped at his own wine, watching the way the glass pressed to your lips, watching the way you swallowed down the sweet liquid.
He couldn’t get drunk, but you certainly could.
It was around your third glass that he finally got to the point of why you were there. “So, I really want to paint you lying on this chaise,” he said as he guided you back. “But… Would it be possible for you to pose in the nude? You have just… the most natural beauty. I want to be able to only focus on that.”
“Oh my god, yeah!” You said as you set your glass of wine on the little table. With your inhibitions lowered, there was no hesitation as you stripped out of your clothing, tossing it all to the side. “You just move me how you want me.”
Oh, he would.
His own wine glass was set to the side before he moved closer, his eyes locked on yours. “Yeah?” He guided you to lie down on the bed, letting his fingers drift over your soft skin. “God, you’re so fucking gorgeous… Could just look at you forever…” His thumb brushed over one of your hard nipples, teasing the little peak as his cock ached inside his sweats. “I could never paint anything else except for you… and I’d die the happiest man in the world.” Carefully, gently, he moved your legs so one of your knees was bent, your legs spread wide for him.
Your eyes fluttered shut, your skin feeling flushed from the wine and the excitement of this god-like man touching you. “Mmm… Professor…”
Steve’s eyes were locked in on the prize, that blooming flower between your thighs, glistening with sweet nectar. “I always love a hands on approach,” he cooed as he ran a single finger through your folds, gathering up your slick.
The taste was exquisite.
Pretty moans fell from your lips, your back arching as your legs instinctively spread wider for him. “Please…”
He knew you wanted him just as much as he wanted you. It was fate, you walking into his class.
“Do you want me to touch you, baby girl?” He asked, loving the purr that rumbled in your chest as he found your swollen clit. “So needy… When’s the last time your pretty little kitty got so much attention, angel? You’ve been neglecting her, haven’t you?”
At your nod, you tried sitting up a bit, lip caught between your teeth. “Y-Yes. Please… Please.”
Steve quickly realized you didn’t even know what you were asking for.
“So innocent. So sweet,” he said as he wrapped his hands around your waist to pull you to the edge of the chaise. He leaned in and took in a deep breath, groaning. “I wanna be able to smell you for days.” At the first lick of his tongue, he knew he had you wrapped around his fingers.
And when you finally orgasmed, soaking his beard with your juices? Fuck. He was even more of a goner than he was before.
Steve loved the way that you laid limbless on the chaise, foot lazily bouncing as you dozed. It was easily a sight that he could get very, very used to very quickly. This was going to be so much easier than he thought it was going to be.
While he knew he was the right one for you, being able to know that you weren’t going to fight him gave him an amazing sense of relief.
The next week, he stood at his desk, making notes on his laptop. At five minutes to one, the door opened as the first student to arrive entered.
Immediately looking up, his heart sank. It wasn’t you.
Did you panic after you left his place the next morning? Nothing more had happened that night. Surely getting an orgasm wouldn’t freak you out, right?
His hands were starting to tremble when the door opened again, and he felt someone standing right next to him.
“Professor Rogers?”
His head snapped up, relief flooding him when he saw you. “H-Hello. How can I help you?”
A mischievous smile spread across your face, even though you were clearly trying to contain it. “Is there any possible way you have some free time during your office hours for me to swing by? I’d love to schedule our next figure painting session.”
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96thdayofrage · 3 years
Text
September 11, 2001: Questions to Ask if You Still Believe the Official Narrative
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The attacks of September 11, 2001 (9/11) left nearly 3,000 dead in NYC, Washington D.C. and over Pennsylvania. The attacks transformed America into a deepening police state at home and a nation perpetually at war abroad.
The official narrative claims that 19 hijackers representing Al Qaeda took over 4 commercial aircraft to carry out attacks on New York City’s World Trade Center and the Pentagon in Washington D.C.
The event served as impetus for the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan which continues to present day. It also led directly to the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Attempts to cite the attack to precipitate a war with Iran and other members of the so-called “Axis of Evil” (Libya, Syria, North Korea, and Cuba) have also been made.
And if this is the version of reality one subscribes to, several questions remain worth asking.
1. Can the similarities between 9/11 and plans drawn up by the US Department of Defense (DoD) and Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) in 1962 under the code name “Operation Northwoods” be easily dismissed?
The US DoD and JCS wrote a detailed plan almost identical to the 9/11 attacks as early as 1962 called “Operation Northwoods” where the US proposed hijacking commercial airliners, committing terrorist attacks, and blaming Cuba to justify a US military intervention.
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Far from a fringe conspiracy theory, mainstream media outlets including ABC News would cover the document in articles like, “U.S. Military Wanted to Provoke War With Cuba,” which would report:
In the early 1960s, America’s top military leaders reportedly drafted plans to kill innocent people and commit acts of terrorism in U.S. cities to create public support for a war against Cuba.
Code named Operation Northwoods, the plans reportedly included the possible assassination of Cuban émigrés, sinking boats of Cuban refugees on the high seas, hijacking planes, blowing up a U.S. ship, and even orchestrating violent terrorism in U.S. cities.
The plans were developed as ways to trick the American public and the international community into supporting a war to oust Cuba’s then new leader, communist Fidel Castro.
A full PDF copy of the document is available via George Washington University’s archives and states specifically regarding the hijacking of commercial aircraft:
An aircraft at Eglin AFB would be painted and numbered as an exact duplicate for a civil registered aircraft belonging to a CIA proprietary organization in the Miami area. At a designated time the duplicate would be substituted for the actual civil aircraft and would be loaded with the selected passengers, all boarded under carefully prepared aliases. The actual registered aircraft would be converted to a drone.
The document also cites the USS Maine in describing the sort of event the DoD-JCS sought to stage, a US warship whose destruction was used to maliciously provoke the Spanish-American War. It should be noted, that unlike the DoD-JCS document’s suggestion that airliner-related casualties be staged, the USS Maine explosion killed 260 sailors. It is likely that DoD and JCS would not risk engineering a provocation that leads to major war but allow low-level operators left alive with the knowledge of what they had participated in.
Considering that the US sought to deceive the public in order to provoke an unjustifiable war that would undoubtedly kill thousands or tens of thousands of innocent people, and that other proposals did include killing innocent people, it is worth considering that US policymakers would also be just as willing to extinguish innocent lives when staging the hijacking of aircraft to provoke such a war.
2. Why did US policymakers draw up extensive plans to reassert US global hegemony – including regime change in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen – without any conceivable pretext until 9/11 conveniently unfolded?
In 2000, US policymakers from the Project for a New American Century (PNAC) sought a sweeping plan to reassert America as a global hegemon. In a 90-page document titled, “Rebuilding America’s Defense: Strategy, Forces and Resources For a New Century” (PDF), a strategy for maintaining what it called “American military preeminence” would be laid out in detail.
It involved global moves the United States – in 2000 – could never justify, including placing US troops in Southeast Asia, building a global missile defense network prohibited by treaties signed during the Cold War, and the containment of developing nations that would eventually end up rolling back US global hegemony in the near future, including Iran, Iraq, China, North Korea, Libya, and Syria.
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The report noted the difficulties of proposing and executing the transformations necessary to achieve the objectives laid out in the document. It would be explicitly stated that:
Further, the process of transformation, even if it brings revolutionary change, is likely to be a long one, absent some catastrophic and catalyzing event – like a new Pearl Harbor.
In fact, the entire body of the document is an uncanny description of the post-9/11 “international order,” an order unimaginable had the events of 9/11 not transpired.
It should also be remembered that wars predicated on 9/11 like the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan, were admittedly planned before 9/11 took place.
The Guardian in its 2004 article, “Bush team ‘agreed plan to attack the Taliban the day before September 11’,” would report:
The day before the September 11 attacks, the Bush administration agreed on a plan to oust the Taliban regime in Afghanistan by force if it refused to hand over Osama bin Laden, according to a report by a bipartisan commission of inquiry. The report pointed out that agreement on the plan, which involved a steady escalation of pressure over three years, had been repeatedly put off by the Clinton and Bush administrations, despite the repeated failure of attempts to use diplomatic and economic pressure.
While it seems inconceivable that the American or global public would tolerate the multi-trillion dollar 16 year war that the invasion of Afghanistan has become without the attacks on 9/11, such a war was admittedly in the making – in fact – years before 9/11 unfolded.
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Similarly, the invasion of Iraq in 2003 was strongly linked to the aftermath of 9/11, but was likewise decided upon long before 9/11 unfolded.
CNN in its article, “O’Neill: Bush planned Iraq invasion before 9/11,” would report:
The Bush administration began planning to use U.S. troops to invade Iraq within days after the former Texas governor entered the White House three years ago, former Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill told CBS News’ 60 Minutes.
This echos similar statements made by US Army General Wesley Clark who repeatedly warned that the US sought global-spanning war post-Cold War to assert its hegemony over the planet, and fully sought to use 9/11 as a pretext to do it.
General Clark would list seven nations slated for regime change post 9/11, including Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen – all nations now either at war or facing war with the United States and its proxies – or in the case of Libya – entirely divided and destroyed in the wake of US military operations.
3. If primarily Saudi hijackers with Saudi money and Saudi organization perpetrated the attacks of 9/11, why has the United States waged war or threatened war with every nation in the Middle East except Saudi Arabia and its allies?
Not only has the United States made no moves against Saudi Arabia for its apparent role in the 9/11 attacks – spanning the administrations of US President George Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump – the United States has sold Saudi Arabia billions in arms, provided military support and protection to Saudi Arabia’s military and government, partnered with Saudi Arabia in its ongoing conflict with Yemen – all while US government documents and leaked e-mails between US politicians reveal Saudi Arabia is still a state sponsor of Al Qaeda – the organization officially blamed for the 9/11 attacks.
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Indeed, a 2012 US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) report would explicitly admit:
If the situation unravels there is the possibility of establishing a declared or undeclared Salafist principality in eastern Syria (Hasaka and Der Zor), and this is exactly what the supporting powers to the opposition want, in order to isolate the Syrian regime, which is considered the strategic depth of the Shia expansion (Iraq and Iran).
The DIA memo then explains exactly who this “Salafist principality’s” supporters are:
The West, Gulf countries, and Turkey support the opposition; while Russia, China, and Iran support the regime.
This “Salafist principality” is now known as the “Islamic State,” an affiliate of Al Qaeda still operating with significant state sponsorship everywhere from Syria, Iraq, and Libya, to the Philippines and beyond.
Coincidentally, Saudi-armed and funded terrorists in the Philippines has served as a pretext for US military assets to begin expanding their presence in Southeast Asia, just as the aforementioned 2000 PNAC document had sought.
Additionally, in a 2014 e-mail between US Counselor to the President John Podesta and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, it would be admitted that two of America’s closest regional allies – Saudi Arabia and Qatar – were providing financial and logistical support to the Islamic State.
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The e-mail, leaked to the public through Wikileaks, stated:
…we need to use our diplomatic and more traditional intelligence assets to bring pressure on the governments of Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which are providing clandestine financial and logistic support to [the Islamic State] and other radical Sunni groups in the region.
While the e-mail portrays the US in a fight against the very “Salafist” (Islamic) “principality” (State) it sought to create and use as a strategic asset in 2012, the fact that Saudi Arabia and Qatar are both acknowledged as state sponsors of the terrorist organization – and are both still enjoying immense military, economic, and political support from the United States and its European allies – indicates just how disingenuous America’s “war on terror” really is. If the US truly believed Al Qaeda carried out the deadly attacks of 9/11, why does it count among its closest allies two of Al Qaeda’s largest and most prolific state sponsors?
Together – by honestly answering these three questions – we are left considering the very real possibility that 9/11 was not a terrorist attack carried out by foreign terrorists, but rather an attack engineered by special interests within the United States itself.
If we reject that conclusion, we must ask ourselves why the US DoD and JCS would take the time to draft plans for false flag attacks if they did not believe they were viable options US policymakers might seriously consider. At the very least we must ask why those at the DoD and JCS could be caught signing and dating a conspiracy to commit unspeakable terrorism to justify an unjust war and not only avoid criminal charges, but remain employed within the US government.
We must also ask ourselves why US policymakers would draft long-term plans for reasserting American global hegemony without any conceivable pretext to justify such plans. Even in the wake of 9/11, the US government found it difficult to sell the invasion of Iraq to the American public and its allies. Without 9/11, such salesmanship would have been impossible. In Syria – with 9/11 disappearing into the distant past – US regime change efforts have all but stalled.
Finally, we must find adequate explanations as to why those sponsoring the supposed perpetrators of 9/11 have remained recipients of unwavering American support, weapon sales, and both political and military protection. We must attempt to answer why militants fighting in Syria under the banner of Al Qaeda have been able to openly operate out of NATO-member Turkey’s territory for the past 6 years, side-by-side US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) personnel who are admittedly fueling the conflict with weapons, money, and training “accidentally” ending up in Al Qaeda’s hands.
It is clear – that at the very least – the official narrative in no shape, form, or way adds up. If the official narrative doesn’t add up, what does?
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sweet-rintarou · 3 years
Text
Today was the day that you were to meet with the person you'll be establishing a relationship. Understand how it's worded that way, changing the entire concept of how a relationship work. It shouldn't be a business tactic, in order to bring media attention onto those in the relationship, but should be a way to join two different people in a romantic sense, filled with trust and genuine feelings between one another.
You've had your fair share of relationships, none of which were ever done to benefit one or the other, nor were they ever done in a way that mutual feelings were absent. You don't claim to still be in love with any of your exes, nor is there any bad blood, so your concept of love and romantic relationship is quite vanilla.
Now, the game has changed. You weren't ready, hell, who the fuck would be ready to have to date someone only for publicity? To risk having the secret be released to the media, it would ruin your name and you were highly aware of it. No matter how anyone wants to try to put it, Japan was still behind when it comes to gender equality, it was traditional and placed men on a higher pedestal. You knew that if word got out that you both faked a relationship to gain attention to each of your agendas, that you would receive more backlash than your "significant other".
"We'll always protect you, Y/n," Suga reassured you when you decided to voice out your concern after being out. It was now nine, the next day, and you had to meet with the CEO again at noon.
"And fans will understand," Terushima added, "even though there'll be people that are rude for no reason, there will always be those that truly care for you, and will back you up for anything."
You couldn't necessarily talk, most of your replies were of gratitude or heavy sighs. Ever since the conflict with Semi, it seemed that the world was going against you, that everything that were to occur in your life was going absolutely crazy, and nothing seems to be working out. You felt as if most of the negative attention was caused by you, and only you.
As noon came around, your feet dragged heavily against the marbled floor. The weight of what was to come prevented you from walking with the usual bounce of life that you used to sport. Once you entered the meeting room, you only spotted the CEO, his assistant, and two other people you didn't recognize. Everyone besides the five of you were in formal clothing—suit and tie—so it was safe to assume that the person you were to be together with was not here.
Seated across from the two you didn't know, the CEO cleared his throat.
"Alright, these are the representative of who you will be meeting with, Ms. Y/n," he started off, "unfortunately he is unable to attend, but because I also like surprises, I'll disclose his identity later on."
I hate surprised.
"Before we get into signing the agreement, there are obviously a set of rules that must be established between the two parties, which are us, Rei Records, and the second party of Ryo Agency.
"First and foremost; the fact that the relationship is only for business purposes should never be disclosed to anyone other the present parties, your "significant other" included–" you couldn't help but gag a bit "–no disclosing this to close friends or families, the media obviously."
"Second; the period of this agreement will last for 6 months, this will fit with the timeline of Silver Lining's album release, album promotion, with a national tour, and Ryo Agency's agenda of their client's movie release, movie promotion and tour as well."
So he's an actor. Admittedly, you weren't too caught up with the latest news in the entertainment industry other than the music industry of course, so your knowledge of any actors around your age was limited to those you've seen in western film productions.
Semi rose his hand, "Isn't a bit unfair that Y/n hasn't met with the guy? I'm sure he already knows who she is, right?"
"No, actually, neither of you know what each other look like, we haven't disclosed either of your identities to one another." The response garnered dumbfounded looks from the five of us.
"We can assure you that he is a decent man, there is no toxicity from his behaviour to our knowledge," CEO Yashimoto reassured, although it did little to calm your anxious thoughts. He continued, "You will meet with the young man tonight, at the agency's restaurant, there will be no paparazzi as this should be a chance for you two to get to know each other."
"Which agency?"
"This agency," his assistant snapped, causing you to roll your eyes.
"Anyway, your relationship will be publicised on Friday, which is two days from now."
Without allowing you to say anything, his assistant—you honestly don't bother to learn his name—pulled out sheets of paper, placing it in front of CEO Yashimoto and the opposite agency, the five of you only able to observe the exchange.
"Alright, you all may leave, and Y/n, be ready to be picked up at six."
-
"How is it six already?!" You screamed. The CEO's assistant knocking incessantly on your hotel door.
"What if I grab him and toss him out the window, do you think anyone will know?" Terushima asked, eyes wide with genuine curiosity. The four of you stared in concern.
"You know it's the thought that counts." Heaving an exasperated sigh–which sounded more like a grunt–you changed into presentable clothes before exiting the hotel room, your bandmates watching your back, clearly upset as well. I cannot cry, but fuck, do I want to.
With only a glare, the assistant guided you to the car and the drive to the restaurant was quiet and awkward.
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Monoma opened the door for you, allowing you to step out and he led the way towards the restaurant. Your hands were prepared to type the name once the words left his mouth, but his lips were sealed shut until you reached the entrance of the restaurant.
"Table under Yashimoto," he told the hostess, to which she led us to the table in the far back. A figure was clearly sitting in one of the seats, but you could barely recognize or make out the features with your deteriorating eyesight.
"Yo, Monoma, what's the guy's name?" He only casted a side-glance.
"I lied," he said, "with the fact that your phone is out now, I don't know where you'll send what I'm about to say."
"It's to my friends, no need to be so uptight," you retorted. "Fuck, fine." Stuffing your phone into your pocket, you'll just have to tell them when you get back.
"Hello," ignoring your presence, Monoma shifted his attention to the brunette by the table, to which the latter stood up upon the arrival of you. "This is Y/n L/n, the girl you were arranged with."
"Y/n, this is—"
"Oikawa. Tooru Oikawa," the brunette introduced himself, "it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
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silver lining | w. ushijima smau
previous | masterlist | next
part twenty-four
—tooru
author's note: lmao now that we have oikawa in the story there will be more crack between him, y/n and ushi :3 and fair warning, the next few parts will be in written format, so be prepared
taglist: @alienvarmint @amberalisa @naughtylittleweeb @tycrackculture @someone-you-dontknow @iloveyouasmuchaspoohloveshoney @stargirlara @brownsugartease-blog @leviathans-watching @kenjiru @ushiwakaismybae @elianetsantana @kagebunshiin @koushiwrites @marajillana @wannakeillmyself @bokuto-buns @smolcactusqwq @ihateccmber @changkyun-not @mischevious-pixie @mochi-the-uwu @haengbokpixie @kiritokunuwu @kittyddandnyla @runningwitches @cevanswhre @mint-mai @that-random-emo-girl @franko-pop @bigchaosenergy @luhvsnoir @shadowpurr @milkyyamatobio @fueledbyapplepi (send an ask if you want to be added)
168 notes · View notes
presumenothing · 3 years
Text
first: do no harm
(AO3)
Dr. Mensah’s attention zeroed in on me like a well-tuned surgery bot arm. “You have medical training.”
I was going to deny the hell out of that. I really was.
And then I said: “Not recently,” instead of no or even more accurately I frankly don’t think the company’s education modules count as training by your standards. (As far as I was concerned, the only thing worse than those modules was the one on breaking bad news, but what did I know. Maybe humans actually felt comforted by those tactics they described.) (No, I didn’t think that was likely, either.)
Which reminded me of a necessary addition. “The company won’t cover liabilities related to any non-security tasks you assign me to, if that’s what you’re intending.”
Mensah made a sound that was both grim and viciously annoyed at once, which I immediately saved for further analysis and replication. “Then we’ll just have to not make any mistakes, won’t we?”
I hadn’t exactly been thrilled with getting assigned to this mission. Not that mining installations were much of a walk in the park, but this was just asking to turn up memories that were better off buried (preferably forever) in my organic parts.
I don’t usually pay attention to mission briefs, as you may have noticed, and I wouldn’t have this time either except that my half-assed scan turned up the fact that the team weren’t science-doctors on a survey like I’d initially assumed, but medical-doctors. On a medical mission.
Of course they were.
(I wanted to say that someone had allocated me to this on purpose, but realistically speaking the company didn’t give enough of a shit, and the universe disliked me enough that this could totally be pure chance.)
Considering all that, the mission so far had been… much less worse than it could’ve been. Though the bar for that was admittedly very, very low. Possibly somewhere in the negatives.
Anyway. Up until the whole thing with Bharadwaj and Volescu getting almost-but-not-eaten, the task of making sure no one died had mostly been the clients’ job for once, which was a nice change since they were actually competent at it.
I still didn’t care enough to read their background info, but it was pretty clear just from observing that these doctors had experience with working in less-than-great conditions, even if Ratthi did sometimes sigh wistfully about equipment they couldn’t have in field hospitals. It meant that my job had pretty much amounted to patrolling, lurking visibly around the supplies storage in case anyone got ideas about that, and helping to fetch various medical items when I happened to be there and it wasn’t Gurathin asking.
It wasn’t terrible. I’d even got some media-watching time in.
(There might have been the vague thought that things could’ve gone much better if I’d been deployed with a team like this instead of Corporation Rim fuckery that literally bled payment from patients, but part of the reason medical-use constructs had been developed in the first place was so that hospitals could draw up forty-hour shifts and other assorted fun without worrying about doctor and surgeon unions, which told you everything you needed to know about our existence.
Also, the thought was inherently depressing and I already had enough of that in my head, thank you very much.)
The contract was more than halfway through. All I had needed to do to avoid awkward questions was continue making sure no one noticed that I was weirdly well-versed in all this, which wasn’t difficult since they only seemed to have theoretical knowledge about SecUnits at best.
Then the fauna happened, and poof went my cover.
Now all of PresAux knew I was – whatever the hell you called a catastrophically failed MedUnit who got turned loose onto security, because at least if I screwed up here the press wouldn’t be as bad. And that wasn’t even getting into the hacked governor module.
Even constructs didn’t have a term for all that.
Of course, none of that stopped this from being a Very Bad Idea. Even if apparently no one except Gurathin (ugh) seemed to agree.
“I’m a SecUnit, Dr. Mensah. I scare people. Patients are harder to assess when they’re running away.” I thought basic logistics might work here.
“You had better bedside manner with Bharadwaj and Volescu than many doctors I’ve seen. Human ones, might I add, and not actively injured themselves at the time.” Mensah’s tone was brisk as her pace – which wasn’t difficult to keep up with either, given my vertical advantage, but impressive nonetheless. “And no one wants to be around Pin-Lee when she’s holding a scalpel. That’s what the sedation is for.”
It’s because SecUnit hasn’t seen her in court yet. Trust me, it’s much scarier, Ratthi chimed in over the feed, with the text signifier for “amusement” but not “joke”.
Pin-Lee just smiled.
It was terrifying. I wasn’t even looking directly at her.
“I don’t have a valid license.” That’d been a part of the legal fallout from the disaster on RaviHyral, though no one had actually bothered with adding malpractice charges or barring me from ever doing medicine again. (Just another side effect of being considered as equipment – I doubted the company would’ve even secured licenses for constructs if not for their paranoia about covering their asses on all fronts.)
But it was a last resort argument, and I knew it.
Mensah knew it, too. “There’s special dispensations for that, especially under the current circumstances, as long as a fully-licensed doctor is in the vicinity at all times. It’s not like any of us can actually get out of each other’s hair in this base anyway.”
Mensah had stopped in a less-chaotic corner and turned to me, not that she could see anything behind the faceplate. I fixed my gaze a generous distance to the left and let my drones do the looking.
“I’m not going to make you agree. You perform a valuable function as our security – far more than I had initially expected, to be honest, and we would all be grateful if you kept doing that. But with Bharadwaj down for the count and Volescu still recovering, we could do with the help.” Her expression was still steady as ever, even though she probably knew better than I did the risks of continuing to operate shorthanded like this. “It’s your decision, SecUnit.”
Right, just the very thing I didn’t need to hear.
I kept most of my sigh internal. “Triage and first-aid only, between patrols. No procedures, and I won’t be responsible if any patients freak out.”
Mensah nodded. “Of course. Gurathin’s on receiving duty today, how about you work out a roster with him?”
I knew it. This was a bad idea.
–––––
You’d be my guardian.
Yes. The education opportunities – most of us were trained on Preservation, if you’re interested in learning and getting your license properly this time. Or not. You can do anything you want.
–––––
ART barged its way into my feed. You’re exhibiting a mildly elevated temperature and respiration rate. Though it could of course merely be a sign of inferior processors rather than emotional distress.
Do you talk to your clients like that?
Do you? ART retorted right back, but obligingly brought up the documentation for its MedSystem before I finished the query for it.
I ignored ART’s attention (with some difficulty) as I flicked quickly through the top few files, taking in the glaring disparities from my existing data. The notable lack of suggesting costly procedures that no-one actually needed, for starters. I’m assuming some of these are your improvements on standard procedure?
I am the cutting edge of medical research, ART proclaimed. You couldn’t accuse it of humility if you tried.
I still wasn’t sure what I wanted, and I still didn’t want anyone to decide it for me. But moving towards the one thing I did want (at least in the short term) had ended up with me running into what was very possibly the most advanced and opinionated diagnosis-treatment AI currently in existence, because that was just the kind of luck I had.
I didn’t have a medium-duty surgical suite in my arms anymore, since that was the entire point of modular Unit construction, but neither did Mensah.
And I didn’t think I wanted to stop doing security, anyway, since it turned out I might not be completely terrible at it; having actual medical knowledge that was MedSystem-malfunction-proof couldn’t hurt.
Plus, overwriting those shitty education modules seemed like a pretty great fuck-you to the company. I was always interested in that.
I tagged some of the more emergency-related files, then added a bunch of the weirder injuries I’d seen on contracts, and prodded ART. Tell me about these?
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joontier · 4 years
Text
mile high memoirs | oneshot
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synopsis: you and the two other rappers of the global sensation BTS make a collaboration of sorts 
pairings: namgi (namjoon and yoongi) x reader
rating: R (18+)
genre: fluff, humor, smut | au: idol! au; established relationship! au
warnings: pwp basically hnngnhng; and yes sex on a private jet bc why tf not ; cunnilingus, oral sex (m and f receiving), cum swallowing, dom! Yoongi undertones, threesome, double penetration, anal sex, multiple orgasms; i have nothing else to say at this point except im dragging yall with me to thirst hours
word count: 5.9k
g/n: NAMGI NATION RISE!!!!!! anywho, this is a lovely gift for @mintseesaw​ for being an awesomesauce person in general and yes, we’re thirsting for the same men bUT SHE WONT SHARE HNGNNNG SO I’VE WRITTEN THIS INSTEAD (in the hopes that this might satiate my obviously unquenchable thirst for the hyung line!?/1!?!?) ALSO THIS IS HEAVILY UNEDITED KJFSKDJFSDJF please let me know what you think! x
between the lenses navi. |  navi. | m.list
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“_________! Please look this way!”
“How do you feel about New Day becoming the number one streamed song in more than forty countries after being released just last week?”
“Is it true that you’re in a relationship with BTS’ Suga? Or RM? Or are the three of you engaged in a polyamorous relationship?”
The last one catches you off guard and you look away from the cameras to hide the amusement on your face. The last thing you need is people speculating about your personal life once they see your reaction to their questions, so you continue on your way to immigration, face down and expressionless.
If you were being completely honest, there was always a crowd that came with you when you had schedules overseas, fans and paparazzi huddled together as they took pictures of you. But today was different, especially considering the fact that you were also at Gimpo, and not Incheon.
With Gimpo, a significantly less busier airport than Incheon, you had only anticipated a smaller crowd but you seemed to have forgotten that you were scheduled to fly with two of the rappers of BTS to Amsterdam today to film the music video for your collaboration, “New Day”.
Upon your arrival, a throng of security guards placed themselves as barricades to bar the large group of people from crowding the hallways. Your team successfully weaves your way through the massive crowd and arrives safely by the immigration.
You soon see your boyfriend lounging by the private boarding area, and Yoongi immediately stands to greet you. You place a quick peck on his lips when you meet. Namjoon stands to greet you as well and you turn to the younger man to give him a huge hug. “It’s been a while since I saw you Joonie!” The tall rapper gets shy at your nickname, dimples peeking as he looks down.
“It must have been wild out there,” Yoongi says, giving you a once over as he checks if you got hurt or injured on the way to the boarding area. You coo at your boyfriend, face crumpling at his concern even after years of being in a relationship. Nuzzling your head onto the crook of his neck, you inhale the wonderful scent of the perfume you’d gave him when you came back from your US tour.
“Yeah it was! Honestly whenever I leave Korea, the amount of people who’d send me off isn’t even half of the crowd out there – and that’s already in Incheon! Not Gimpo! I always seem to forget that you guys are worldwide superstars!” Yoongi just laughs at your observation, shaking his head at you as he offers his iced Americano. 
Unbeknownst to those outside your private lives, you had initially met Yoongi pre-debut. You used to attend the same school back in Daegu and fun fact: you were the same ex-girlfriend he’d composed a letter for during high school and sent the same to a radio station to have it aired.
You had both met at a tender age, and admittedly, there were a few petty reasons for your break-up, but one of them was because you both wanted to pursue a career in music, and with the kpop industry not exactly big on the idols dating, you had decided to remain friends, for the time being.
It was Yoongi who contacted you first when you debuted in late 2012, and as you caught on with your lives, sharing similar stories during your trainee days, he’d also asked you to anticipate their debut in a few months’ time as well.
True to his word, their group debuted the following year in June, and you had sent congratulatory flowers to BigHit, praising them for their powerful stages and a very promising career. You and Yoongi had kept in touch ever since. Nothing wrong about rekindling an old flame, right?
Funny enough, dating under the radar seemed to have fallen naturally for the two of you as you both prefer staying indoors and improvising dates rather than having to go out and risk getting caught by the media. Besides, it would have been easier just in case things got a little bit heated. Which happened most of the time. In your defense though, being able to meet at least once a week was already a blessing – so occurrences like that were bound to happen…
One day while you were trying to work out this melody for a song you composed, Yoongi sat next to you and pulled you on his lap as he rested his chin on your shoulder. “Why don’t I help you with that love?” He lets you rest your back on his chest as his fingers fluidly move against the piano keys. Genuinely satisfied with what he played for you, you placed a kiss on his cheek as a token of your gratitude. “Thanks, Suga PDnim.”
“Speaking of that… do you want to have a collab – you and me?” You look at him, expectantly, mouth slightly open at surprise of his proposal. Truthfully, you had thought about that even before you actually got back in to a relationship, but you could never really bring the subject up because he always seemed so busy and you didn’t want to burden him any further by asking for extra work.
And that’s what you told him, but your boyfriend only laughed at you, intertwining his hands with yours on the piano. “Baby, I would’ve dropped all the other collaborations if you had just said the word.”
You were beyond elated, and honored, and when Namjoon came in to check on Yoongi, the latter asked if he had any opinion on a collaboration between Yoongi and you. Your boyfriend even convinced the younger rapper to get involved in the track. With the blessing of Bang PDnim, you’re finally here, scheduled to travel overseas to film the music video for the track the three of you had worked on which went global in mere hours, thanks to the very talented men you got the chance to work with.
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You take out your camera from your bag to film a little, just in case you’ll get to release a ‘behind-the-scenes’ vlog for your collaboration. You make an attempt to film Yoongi who’s half-awake but all to no avail. Namjoon gladly offers some screen time for your video. The younger rapper laughs shyly when you squeal in excitement asking him for a few words about your collaboration. Namjoon does so like a professional: telling the camera where you’re headed off to today, thanking the fans for their never-ending support, and wishing them to anticipate the upcoming music video. 
It doesn’t take long before someone tells the lot that your plane is ready to board, so you wake a dazed Yoongi and bid goodbye to the rest of the staff who were taking a separate flight to your destination. 
Ever the hardworking idol, Yoongi decides to make some revisions on a song he’s working on while you take this time to finally finish a book Namjoon himself recommended a while back. You don’t notice the hours that have passed by when you check the window, and it’s already pitch-black outside, save the occasional gray because of the clouds.
Unbuckling your seatbelt, you head over to the lavatory to relieve your bladder. On your way back to your seat, you glance Namjoon’s way and see the flesh-colored screen your eyes getting glued to the screen watching two men pound a girl into the mattress. You get drawn back to reality because of some minor turbulence and you quickly avert your eyes from the screen.
“Babe, Joonie’s watching porn,” you whisper as you get to your seat, snuggling into your warm blanket. “And who told my girlfriend it was right to snoop into other people’s preferential pastimes?”  
You roll your eyes at him, “It’s not like I purposely watched what was on his screen! Just in case you needed the facts, he was seated with his back facing me, so it’s just natural that I’d get a glimpse of whatever ‘preferential pastime’ it is that you he was doing on his phone! It’s not my fault he didn’t dim the brightness if he truly wanted to watch it privately- “
“You didn’t need to go off, babe,” Yoongi laughs, placing a kiss on your head. “Should we head to bed now? I wanna sleep…and cuddle. Sleep, really, but since you’re here, I guess we could cuddle.”
“You make it sound like it’s a chore!”
Yoongi gives your indignance no attention, just tugging you up from your seat towards the bedroom. “Joon, we’re going to go to sleep now. You should go do the same soon.”
Namjoon’s lips part to reply, but Yoongi beats him to it. “And don’t even think about attempting to sleep in that seat. There are two beds back there for a reason. _______ and I will just share one. Feel free to take the other.” A small smile graces the younger man’s face in gratitude, nodding his head as he wishes you both a good night’s sleep.
Of course, life is bittersweet – so even with an insanely comfy bed and your boyfriend beside you to snuggle freely – a good night’s sleep is the last thing you get. Restlessly turning to lie on your back for what seems to be the hundredth time tonight, you heave a sigh as you stare at the jet’s ceiling. Must’ve been the iced Americano you shared with Yoongi before you boarded. Damn him and his triple-shot Americano.
Namjoon enters the room and notices your state of restlessness. “Can’t sleep?”
“Sort of.”
“There’s warm milk by the galley if you want some.”
“I’m too lazy to get up…”
Namjoon chortles, finding it’s moments like these that remind him of your likeness to Yoongi. “I can get you some if you want?” Namjoon offers, already turning to leave the room but you grab his arm, stopping him from doing so.
“No, please! You really don’t need to. I know I’ll be able to sleep in a few more minutes….”
“The average person falls asleep in twenty, and you and Yoongi hyung came here about an hour ago,” Namjoon points out. Giving him a blank stare, you reply, “Why don’t you head to bed and rest? We’ve still got a long day tomorrow.”
“Okay. Good night, noona.”
“Night Joonie.”
You have proven all of Google’s methods of falling asleep faster to be false. Warm milk, the 4-7-8 breathing method, relaxing music, even counting sheep in vain. You’d even tried working on your vlog to Amsterdam (that you probably aren’t even going to release), giving up when you couldn’t make out Yoongi’s slurred speech when you tried to interview him while he was napping (you don’t know why you even bothered at this point, but you probably thought it was funny earlier this afternoon).
Nada. Nothing was working, not when you’ve still got three shots of espresso coursing through your veins.
There was only one way left and you had a feeling that this was going to definitely knock you out. You need to get exhausted, and the only idea left is sitting cross-legged at the back of your head, blowing a huge bubble with her gum as she files her nails. She looks at you with taunting eyes. You glance over to Namjoon’s bed, analyzing his features to see if he had gone to sleep already or not. A light snore that escapes his lips assures you so.
Letting out another exhale, you turn to face Yoongi on your left, studying his features. Your boyfriend wakes when your lips graze his cheek as you place a light kiss on his milky skin. One eye pries open to peer at you. “Babe, what are you doing?” His groggy voice shouldn’t have appealed to you as strongly as it did now, but your desperation to get some sleep had seemed to travel south.
“Just kissing my beautiful boyfriend,” you shrug innocently, fighting the teasing lilt in your voice when you see the corner of his lips rise at your sudden compliment. “You don’t fool me, Miss _____, Billboard’s Top Female Solo Artist of the Year, MAMA’s Best Rap Performance, Golden Disc Awards’ Best…”
“Okay, okay, you got me.” You giggle as Yoongi pulls you closer to meet your lips in a chaste kiss. “What’s wrong princess?” You state the obvious, pointing to your eyes which now probably had bags under them. “Can’t sleep,” you pout, slipping your hand underneath his shirt to give him a back rub as you snuggle to his chest.
“And what do you suppose we are to do about it?” Yoongi asks, chest rumbling as he speaks. You take your bottom lip between your teeth as you look up at him expectantly, giving him a knowing look.
Yoongi looks at you incredulously, the lack of rest still visible in his features. You instantly look away, guilt spreading across your chest. You internally scold yourself as you had to wake up your boyfriend for selfish reasons. Your boyfriend senses your sudden hesitance and places a finger under your chin, ordering you to look at him. “Hey, hey, look at me darling. Right here, right now? I’m gonna be honest with you, I don’t have the energy to-“
“Doesn’t matter, I’ll do all the work.”
“And Namjoon, who’s just a mere meter away?” His pitch lowers, voice now barely above a whisper. You nod shyly and Yoongi’s eyes darken at your unspoken offer.
“You’re a naughty little slut, aren’t you?” Yoongi hisses, placing his hands on your waist and lifting you easily to have your sit on his thighs, just below his crotch. “Wanting to fuck on a plane, while another member is sleeping right beside us?”
Placing your hands on Yoongi’s chest for support, you move your hips forward, grinding your crotch against your boyfriend’s. Yoongi pulls you forward by your arms, just enough that your face is merely centimeters away from him. Wasting no time, he presses his lips against yours, darting his tongue out to deepen the kiss. He expresses his desire to help you with your dilemma by thrusting upwards gently to join your gyrating hips.
You peek sideways to check on Namjoon and breathe a sigh of relief when he finally turns to the other side, back facing the both of you. 
You hastily discard your top and your bra in desperation, hands roaming all over your torso and eventually letting them end at your chest, fondling with your breasts and tweaking your nipples between your fingers. Not satisfied with your own ministrations, you guide Yoongi’s hands to your breasts, letting him squeeze them as he pleases beneath his open palms.
“God, you’re so fucking hot,” Yoongi murmurs, bending his knees to push himself upwards to make himself more comfortable. Yoongi quickly attaches his moist lips to one of your breasts, sucking at the supple flesh. You grind heavier against him in response and Yoongi takes this as an opportunity to fist a handful of your hair and tug sharply, baring your neck to him. 
You barely manage to hold in your whimpers when he sucks on a particularly sensitive spot on your neck, definitely leaving a purplish mark there that you’ll eventually have to cover up with foundation. Nothing you’ve never done before. “Remember that short dress you wore on stage last week with that dangerous cleavage?” You nod shakily, remembering the way Yoongi tried hard to not stare at you too long as one of his fansites might catch onto something. 
“Guess what baby? It’s payback time.” 
“For what?” You flutter your eyes innocently at him and you suddenly feel the temperature rise a few degrees with Yoongi’s intense stare. 
“You knew exactly what you were doing that night, naughty little tease.” Okay, maybe you did, and maybe you bit your lip in front of the camera at the exact moment you knew he was looking. Needless to say, he avoided your eyes for the rest of the evening during that particular awards show. 
He thrusts up harshly, his clothed hard-on grinding deliciously against your likewise covered cunt. “Mhmm, Yoongs… I- I wanna…” You don’t find the need to say anything else, just one look at the bulge inside his sweatpants was enough for him to understand.
“Yes please.” Yoongi sighs in contentment, raising his hips to help you remove his clothes. You include his boxers as you take his sweatpants off, cock slapping against his stomach as it springs free from the confines of his underwear.
Giggling excitedly, you hide beneath the covers, fitting yourself snugly between Yoongi’s legs. You take your time as you stare at his dick, long and girthy and curved just the right amount – always a tight fit inside your walls. You couldn’t wait for later when he’ll let you impale yourself on his cock as you ride him – the vivid picture makes you even wetter.
Building up his anticipation, you start placing kisses from his happy trail down to his groin, kneading his balls gently while you’re at it. Finding it difficult to communicate his feelings is one trait of Yoongi that definitely has its pros and cons. For one, people actually think Yoongi doesn’t care for others but it’s actually the complete opposite, but along with this, he gives the most genuine reactions, one which you are thankful for, especially during times like these.
Yoongi’s pretty responsive, and vocal at times when he’s really in the mood, and when you tentatively flick your tongue against his frenulum, the instantaneous quiver of Yoongi’s body has you reveling, giving yourself an imaginary pat on the back.
Momentarily leaving his red, angry shaft, you gently take his balls in your mouth, sucking on it, and gently massaging it with your tongue. “Quit the teasing, _______.” Being the good, obedient girl that you are, you comply immediately, paying attention to his dick this time.
You see his abdominals contract when you finally take him in your mouth, veiny hands grabbing at your temple to fist a handful of your hair. Inch by inch, you let his cock sink into your mouth, swallowing when he reaches the back of your throat. Yoongi hisses at the sensation, cursing to a throw pillow he’d taken from the seats.
Not wanting to agonize him any longer, you get to a pleasurable pace, bobbing your head up and down his length. Yoongi’s chest starts heaving and his grip on your hair tightens – the tell-tale signs of his impending orgasm. “Shit, baby…” Your boyfriend warns you that he’s about to cum, and you pull back a little, just to feel him release ropes of his cum inside your mouth.
Yoongi beckons you closer, weakly pulling at your arms to have you lie on his chest. He’s still panting when you get closer, “You, darling, are perfection personified.”
Slapping his chest lightly in jest, you reply, “You’re only saying that because I just gave you the best blowjob of your life.” Yoongi pulls his head back, facial features exaggeratedly contorted to fake being offended. “Okay first of all, you always do. And second, do you want me to get sappy and make a list what makes you the perfect woman ever?” He asks, letting two of his fingers dance on the bare skin of your belly, eventually leading southwards, “Or…I could just show you how much you mean to me by doing something else? Something you and I will both enjoy, hmm?”
Expressing your approval with a hum, Yoongi wastes no time, meeting your lips in a feverish kiss. Gasping at the sensation of his wet lips trailing all the way from your cheek, down to your jaw then your collarbones and onto the valley of your breasts, you squirm impatiently underneath your boyfriend.
“Patience, darling,” Yoongi chuckles, sending you a flirty wink as he gets down on you, teasingly pulling at the waistband of your shorts before removing them. His gaze darkens when he notices your underwear choice – a lacy red thong just for him. You’ve meant to have him remove it from you once you reach the hotel in Amsterdam, but doing it in a jet seems just as hot.
When he gets the thong off of you, he quickly pockets it inside his discarded sweatpants by the end of the bed. Getting back to his task at hand, you’re unable to control the gasp that escapes your lips when Yoongi brazenly flattens his tongue on your bare core.
Keeping your folds open with two fingers, he curls his tongue around your clit, thighs subconsciously squeezing his head in between because of the stimulation. With one hand, he keeps your legs spread open for him. Alternating between your clit and your entrance, Yoongi makes sure not a single region of your core is left out.
Wanting to put your limits to the test, your boyfriend tentatively slides a finger against your folds, the coldness of your couple ring on his digit making you quiver to the bone. He slowly slides a finger in, prepping your hole for what’s to come. You plead for one more, fully aware that your greedy little pussy isn’t contented with one. Yoongi complies with your request at once, pumping his digits inside of you and occasionally curling them inside. That familiar coil inside you tightens with every second, and with one particular curl of his digit and his mouth on your clit, you reach your high.
Your body trembles with the intensity of your orgasm, and Yoongi won’t stop just yet, still licking long stripes on your cunt. Your boyfriend stops abruptly and rises, resting all his weight on his arms as he crawls forward and lowers himself to whisper something in your ear. “He’s awake. You want me to do something about it?” 
Legs closing subconsciously while in thought, Yoongi gives you a few choices to ponder on. “We could pretend he’s not awake and get done with this, or…” Yoongi looks at you, carefully studying your facial reaction, “we could have another collaboration of some sort…” 
“It’s really up to you baby, I’m honestly okay with both.” 
You raise your eyebrows at his statement, never really taking Yoongi as the type to explore your deepest sexual fantasies. But then again, Yoongi has always been one to support you in everything, even with your kinks. Maybe the idea didn't surprise you as much as it should have considering the level of trust that came with living with someone for almost ten years already. 
Yoongi gently falls to your side for a moment as he lets you decide. “You know, Namjoon used to have a crush on you,” your boyfriend informs, twirling a loose strand of your hair around his finger. Now that was a surprise. “He did?” 
“Mhmm. At one point, he even had you as his phone wallpaper when you released your second single.” 
“Oh really?” 
“Yeah, I really don’t mind if you wanted to indulge him, you know, as an early birthday present? We actually had this kind of conversation a few years back and honestly, we’re both willing to try a threesome… what better way to do it with a person you trust right?” 
The bluntness of his words catches you off guard - several trains of thoughts scattered throughout your brain. Namjoon had a crush on you? Birthday present? Threesome? How did you even get in this situation in the first place? Yoongi shifts a little as you continue contemplating, then you take notice of Yoongi’s bare lower half, cock still stiff and upright. Shit! 
“You’re still hard,” you comment lamely, staring at his dick. “I know, and I’d greatly appreciate it if you tell me your decision quickly…” 
You look at him again, checking if there is the slightest hint of uncertainty in his eyes. When you see none, you ask him again, “You’re really sure you’re okay with that?” 
“Of course, as long as you’re comfortable with the idea. Honestly, I’m willing to have it any way because we still have a very pressing problem,” Yoongi points to his crotch, “and honestly, I think Namjoon is too. There’s nothing more that can turn a man on other than a woman’s moans,” he shrugs. 
You want to laugh at Yoongi being totally nonchalant about this whole situation, but if you’d listen to your gut feeling, you’re sensing it’s Yoongi’s outstanding self-control that has him so calm and collected about this proposal. 
Once you tell your boyfriend of your approval, he calls Namjoon at once. When the younger man won’t budge, you look at Yoongi who just shakes his head at you with a playful smirk on his face. He points at you then back to Namjoon, gesturing you to do the talking. 
You gulp before saying a short plea to the heavens above. Surely, they’re bound to hear you better since you’re already in the sky right? “Joonie, darling, it’s okay to look. We don’t mind.” You cringe at the tone of your voice, surprised at how convincing you sounded while you were having an inner turmoil. 
When you see Namjoon’s head raise a little, you subconsciously bite your lip in anticipation. Wanting nothing more than to see what he has to say about this. Yoongi probably senses his hesitation so he starts to speak, “It’s okay, she’s covered with a blanket.”
“But you’re not!” Yoongi juts his head forward, a grim look on his face. “As if you haven’t seen me naked before!” 
“That’s different! T-This is a completely different situation.” 
“Listen to me you kinky ass motherfucker, I just know you’re hard. I am too, and you know damn well it’s painful and uncomfortable. So, unless you want me to fuck her while you’re watching or pretending to be asleep, I suggest you take your clothes off and come here.” 
“Are you both sure you’re okay with this?” 
“Didn’t you just hear our conversation a while ago? I mean your bed is just a meter away.” 
“I know, I heard,” Namjoon says, hands already at the hem of his hoodie, then instantaneously looks at the older one dead in the eye, “But, hyung, did you really have to call me out like that?! The whole crush thing and the wallpaper - jeez!” 
Namjoon takes his phone out of his hoodie first, placing it by the window, then removing the rest of the clothes he has on quickly under your heated gaze.
“Try having a conversation while you’re hard,” Yoongi mutters, rolling his eyes. Yoongi scoots closer to you when Namjoon moves forward, standing with only his boxers left on. Your mouth waters at the outline of his straining bulge while Yoongi clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth.
“Why don't you show your Joonie what that mouth can do?” 
The tall man makes a sound between a cough and a groan, and you lie on your stomach, crawling a little bit closer to come face to face with Namjoon’s crotch. You just know he’s longer than Yoongi judging from what you’re seeing, but Yoongi’s definitely girthier and fuck - the thought alone is enough for you to come undone, completely untouched. 
Namjoon shivers lightly when you trace a finger along the length of his boner, placing a light kiss atop his cloth boxers. Impatiently, you hook a finger on the waistband of his Versace boxers. Holy fuck - you send another prayer to their hard stans, wishing them an equally intense life inside the bedroom.
His cock springs free, and you scoot closer, wanting to have a better look at his pretty dick. You get into action quickly, hand wrapping around the base of his cock. You place a kiss on the leaking head, before licking a wet stripe along the length of his shaft. 
You get more confident when Namjoon inhales sharply at the simple action. A few more licks and you decide to finally take him in his mouth, gradually moving lower until you have at least a third of him in your mouth. Namjoon sighs, fingers carding through your hair as you pull your mouth off him with a pop. Once more, you sink down, shallow and easy as you tease the younger man. 
The grip on your hair eventually tightens, goading you on and encouraging you to go deeper. Namjoon becomes more vocal when you pick up the pace, and when you go down all the way to the hilt, you pause for a moment, then swallow. “Holy fuck!” Namjoon cries out, head lolling backwards in pleasure. “God, I wish I had a girlfriend too.” Yoongi chuckles from behind you and you almost forgot he was there too with Namjoon’s pretty length keeping you preoccupied. 
Yoongi praises you and calls you a good girl. Beaming at your boyfriend, he tells you to continue giving Namjoon the blow of his life. Under Yoongi’s compliments, you work harder, ignoring the slight burn in your jaw. Namjoon starts bucking his hips, desperately chasing his high in your mouth. As you feel that coil slowly forming in the pit of your stomach, you gather some of the blankets between your thighs, bunching them up against your cunt so you have something to shamelessly grind your folds with. 
Namjoon’s breathing gets strained, and you feel a tap on your leg, causing you to momentarily stop with Namjoon. Yoongi says nothing as he tells you to flip over. Settling your weight on your elbows, you watch Yoongi hand Namjoon a silver packet. “You really think you won’t get caught wetting the sheets babe? You’re not the only who gets to have fun here.” 
He peppers a few kisses on your things before placing a hand between, spreading your legs open. “What are you waiting for, princess? Wanna leave Namjoon hanging just like that?” Unsure of what he has in mind, Namjoon helps you guide his shaft back to your mouth. As Namjoon returns to a rhythmic pace inside your mouth, you feel Yoongi settling himself between your legs. Good lord, was this really about to happen? 
Your back arches when Yoongi starts with light vertical licks from the bottom to top. You feel his hand trail upwards, gently caressing your breasts. You’re mewling by the time Namjoon increases his pace, and Yoongi starts and toying with your clit mercilessly. 
The feeling gets too much when Yoongi sucks on your nether bud, then proceeds to tease your rim a little, using your essence to slowly ease a ringed finger inside your hole. Namjoon hisses with your every moan, the vibrations coming from your throat an added blessing to having fucked your mouth. 
From your view, you see Namjoon’s balls tighten and seconds later thick ropes of cum slide down your throat and you swallow before pulling back and licking your lips. Not wanting to be left out of the fun, Yoongi, once more, asserts his dominance, ordering you to get on your knees. 
You feel your heart hammering against your ribcage in exhilaration, secretly hoping that this will finally be the day your deepest fantasies will come to life. Yoongi scoots over a little to lie horizontally on the bed. He calls you over, index finger curved like a hook to beckon you to ride him.  
You move over to him in shaky legs, hooking a leg over his body to straddle his hips. “No, no, not facing me…” Yoongi waves his hand as he helps you up. “Facing him,” your boyfriend points to Namjoon whose mouth falls open in shock. Yoongi rips a packet open and rolls a condom onto his shaft.
“Hyung…” This was plain torture.
“I thought this was supposed to be an early birthday present for me?” Namjoon mumbles, scratching his neck with the small silver packaging between his fingers. “I know. But great things never came easy right?” Namjoon visibly deflates at the older rapper’s words. He had a point yes, but some points weren’t supposed to be applicable to all fields of life…
Not wanting to prolong your waiting any longer, you lower yourself onto Yoongi’s cock, inch by inch until he’s fully seated inside your warm, velvety walls. Your head falls back at the feeling of his cock inside you. Every time feels like the first.
Once you feel you’ve adjusted enough to Yoongi, you stabilize yourself on Yoongi’s thighs, sliding up until it’s only his head left inside before sliding back down. Your thighs get tired after a while, and Yoongi helps you by gripping your hips and thrusting upwards. As you move up and down and grind back and forth in circles, Yoongi calls Namjoon over just before you reach another climax.
“It’s about time you join the fun here, no? Joonie?” Yoongi playfully mocks the taller man, using your nickname for Namjoon to rile him up even further. You whine when Yoongi pulls out for a moment, closing your eyes as he places a quick kiss on your shoulder 
You hear the ripping of a packaging and as you open your eyes, you see Namjoon near you until his thighs are hitting the edge of the bed. You let out a wanton moan when you feel Yoongi prodding his cock against your other hole, shallowly dipping the head in then pulling out. He repeats the action until he deems you’re ready, the slowly lowers you down onto his length.
“Namjoon…” Yoongi says breathily, having difficulty with his self-control with your rim having a vice-like grip on his cock. The other man in front of you doesn’t need to be told twice, slapping his dick against your folds. The action sends lewd sounds resonating throughout the small room, which only sends a jolt of pleasure down your spine.
Namjoon rests one of his knees on the bed, lowering himself onto your cunt. “Noona, you’re so wet. Fuck… I could just…” Namjoon finally pushes himself inside, “easily slide right in…” he lets out a deep exhale once he’s balls deep inside you.
You’re not doing any better than any of the men, thinking you could just orgasm from the fullness alone. And much to your surprise, you do. And both men keep their hands on you as you tremble like a falling leaf in autumn. “Holy shit!” Namjoon explains, staring at you with his mouth open. Once you stop quivering, they both ask you if you were still okay, and you take a breather before answering them, “I’m good. Just… nothing great ever came easy, right?”
You can practically feel Yoongi smiling from behind you. “That’s my girl.”
“Can I?” Namjoon asks, looking down to where your bodies are connected. You nod once, and Namjoon and your boyfriend start thrusting into you alternately. It doesn’t take long before you reach your climax again, with a ton of help from Namjoon who toys with your clit while snapping his hips into you.
They reach their orgasms not long afterwards. You let them ride out their highs until their cocks gradually turn softer inside you. Feeling spent and immensely satiated, you fall over to Yoongi’s side, falling asleep in mere seconds.
The two rappers collapse onto the bed, but sit abruptly sit upright when they hear a very familiar voice coming from Namjoon’s phone. “Fucking hell! That was the hottest shit ever!” Hoseok exclaims from the screen.
“You called him?!” Yoongi asks, hitting Namjoon’s forearm. “No! I- I must’ve contacted him while I put my phone there…crap.” Namjoon looked completely bewildered.
“Hyung, can I come to Amsterdam too? Please?!”
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© hhyungz 2020
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ddaenghoney · 3 years
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Series: Flora
Part 24
masterlist link in blog description
After spending more than a decade establishing a career as an acclaimed actress, you decide to go on a sudden hiatus while also discreetly moving to a new townhome, renting out the second room to your old friend from high school: Kim Taehyung
Pairing(s):
Kim Taehyung x Y/N
ft. Lim Jaebeom x Y/N
disclaimer: any character depicted do not represent the actual personality of the respective idol in real life.
Series warning(s)/genre(s): Social media/Fake Text AU, Roommates au, somewhat Slow Burn relationship (or is it more oblivious to lovers ?), Actress!Y/N, Flower shop owner and model!Taehyung, fluff, drama(bc it’s me), romance, angst (updated as needed)
Necessary story written piece beneath the cut!
wc: 4017
Chapter warning(s): Heavy themes of loneliness and quite a bit of angst. Emotional breakdown by means of a lot of crying and a small moment of nearly hyperventilating. Optimistic ending. 
You look down at the ended conversation displayed on your phone, thumbs hovering over the device but you know you have nothing more to say. Sighing, you let it fall to your phone and glance your head out at the grey outside that the car travels through. The clouds took a break from the constant showers that covered the city, but you do not doubt they will continue again, probably the second you step out of the vehicle.
“You can just take me home instead of stopping by that food place.” You speak up to your manager’s assistant who has recently been driving you around for scheduled activities. When Manager Yang is not able to attend things with you, the assistant is definitely there instead. You wager to make sure you don’t do anything more to grind the nerves of the company, but you never have asked the question directly.
“Are you sure? The weather doesn’t seem as bad as a few minutes ago.”
“Yeah, I have some leftovers at home I’ll eat instead.” The explanation exists only to pacify his confusion, because after that conversation you really have no interest in eating anytime soon. Without conviction your eyes search between passing buildings for signs of the sun breaking through any of the clouds, but as you expected there is no such light. If there had been any hope of the storm ending, the production team would not have called off shooting for today.
You don’t mind the weather for that fact, but at the same time it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth that you can only rely on unruly weather to give you a dent of the day back to yourself. If you try to think about how long it’s been this way, your mind would skim back years and years. Early on when you were still in high school and quickly garnering all of the roles in films you could, you didn’t mind the workload at all. Everything was still new, and admittedly going through that part of your life with fame attached to it felt like a grandiose thing.
The glittering of it all wore off a while ago, and letting your head fall back against your seat cushion, you realize just how exhausting it all is. But what else is there?
“Thanks for the ride.” You wave to the assistant as you exit the vehicle in front of the small gate that surrounds the townhome. Your company may know the address somehow, but you certainly are not willing to give out the gate code, much less a key, so you get out on the curbside. You’re relieved when he doesn’t loiter to make sure you get in safely, because the sooner you can stop thinking about everything the sooner you can have a semblance of a clear head.
To your surprise the rain comes again after you’re under the cover of your entryway instead of starting to pour directly on your head. Standing there for a moment, you watch the droplets fall in a humid frenzy that is familiar for this time of the year. This odd hour of the day is much earlier than people head home from jobs, so the neighborhood is quiet with inactivity, only seeming to be populated by you and the millions of droplets that see only a moment of you before they’re gone from your sight into puddles on the ground.
You stretch out your arm to breach into the shower, feeling the water collide with your skin as you continue watching the spectacle of it all. Almost, you’re able to enjoy it completely; take in the beauty of nature, and the serenity of your tiny front yard that’s enclosed in its own bubble. But as your eyes scan the area, your arm tenses when you catch the well-tended to flower beds that line the front gate.
You remember everything you wish is not reality.
Pulling your arm back, you turn on your heel and type the code to your door, entering in haste. The lights inside are off, and the space is quiet, almost without the sound of the showers outside. Without consideration you simply allow your bag to fall beside you on the floor while you flick your shoes haphazardly in the same general direction. It’s not unusual for no one to be home in the middle of the day, but as you step deeper the space feels uncharacteristically empty.
Miscellaneous items are decorated in their little mess around the area, but they’re all your own things that clutter. In your moment of recollection, you glance back to the front door as you realize you didn’t trip over any of Taehyung’s shoes on the way inside. Your lips part at the knowledge and your hand clutches against your top as you turn to walk into the kitchen.
Your line of sight wanders over the countertops, then to the small table beside the door out to the back, but you find nothing. You turn back and stalk into the living room once more, eyes searching quickly to the coffee table, then end tables-- any surface of space you could.
In that instant of finding nothing your eyelids grow hot, and your throat hitches, but you hold back any noise by biting your lip. You don’t have the right to be this upset if he’s already gone without a word of goodbye. You made your choices-- you’re living the consequences.
Air nonetheless escapes your mouth in a high, choppy gasp. You thought there would be more time than the four days it's been since you told him he should leave, since you typed all of those things you didn’t mean and left tears all over your phone screen. You shake your head, forcing everything back again, because you don’t have the right to feel upset about this. You don’t, and you keep repeating that to yourself, but what difference would it make if you started bawling about it here anyways?
You put your hand to your face, rubbing your eyes to stop tears from beginning, but when the sentence plays in your head you’re unable to stop them when you inevitably mumble to yourself,
“I’m all alone now.”
Only a couple escape your ducts, before you take in a deep inhale and remind yourself that this is for the best. If Taehyung has nothing to do with you, then his reputation will not be bothered further, his flower shop won’t run the risk of being singled out on a gossip form, and  his life will continue in its peaceful path just like he wants.
You rub the tears from the corner of your eyes, finding sight of his mug in its usual spot beside the couch. As you take a step towards it, your eyebrows knit wondering if he forgot it but you find a beverage still within it, though mostly gone.
The front door’s entry alert causes your shoulders to jolt in surprise, and your body to turn as it opens wide to let the melody of the rain flood your ears once more. From the cloudy outside that’s a lighter blue than the inside of your house, Taehyung’s figure seems enveloped by a dull brightness.
The hollow feeling in your chest fills with the thrum of your heartbeat. You watch as his lips pout while he looks down at your discarded items, then his head lifts up upon the recognition, startling with a sound of surprise when he sees you.
“I didn’t know you were home,” His words stumble out while his hand searches on the wall and successfully presses on the light switch. “What are you doing?” He asks, frowning in confusion of the certainly odd situation he wandered into.
Taehyung knows that you are not the most organized person on the planet, but your shoes finding their way to the designated closet is the example for him that he never manages to follow. So to see them in a mess on the floor beside your bag, Taehyung thought the placement to be abnormal and maybe somewhere in the back of his mind before he looked up he even felt worry.
“Ah, I just,” You start in a small voice, before dipping your head away from his view. Taehyung takes notice of the aversion, then latches onto the remembrance of your last text conversation. “I got off work because of the weather, so I’m here. Forgot to turn the lights on.”
“I see.” He responds simply, with the slightest nod of his head. Taehyung slips off his shoes finally, and enters deeper into the house, trying his best not to let questions in his head breed into a field that will be left unanswered by you and filled in with guesses by himself.
“What about you?” Your words come making him stop just beyond where you remained as he followed the path to his bedroom. Taehyung can’t help glancing towards you, just a couple feet from him, but appearing so far away as your head faces at a downward angle to the couch beside you.
“I closed the shop early today.” He explains in a low voice, because he does not want to say why he’s come home. He still doesn’t want to think about everything falling apart. And for a moment that fact causes him a burst of frustration because of all of those unanswered questions so his tone shifts coarsely when he gives a curt reply, “Going to sign a new lease.”
Taehyung expects nothing from the sentence, but watching your hand  tighten atop the couch makes him hesitate from going to his room. It’s the smallest action, and nonverbal at that. He knows everything you said about distrusting him and about his importance being nothing more than an irrational measurement you never meant, so why does he still cling on to the smallest sign. One that means nothing.
He shakes his head softly, feeling consumed by the tension. He walks down the hall to his room, leaving you there. Turning away just in time for the sparse rain drops in your eyes to drip in silence onto the leather your hand clings to.
Rather than reaching to wipe them away, you simply let the tears fall, thinking it better to ignore them so they altogether stop. For all of the relief that built in your chest at seeing him again, it ripped back away at his statement. You want to tell him he still has two weeks that he could stay, but you know that would only serve unnecessary confusion, and that it’s better if he leaves now while you’re still able to hold yourself back from confessing the insincerity of all the hurtful things you messaged him.
“Do-” Your shoulders tense at the pet name he stopped himself from uttering. Your lips tighten into a line, forcing away a frown as he continues after a moment, “Y/N, are you okay?”
Considering everything, you wonder how Taehyung even asked you that, knowing well that you’ve given him every reason to stop caring about you to even the smallest extent. But he’s sweet and gentle like the flowers he tends to. You muster a smile at this thought, and nod your head even though you’re facing away from him still.
Taehyung’s hand curls in response to your demeanor, wondering if you really have to look away from him. Does it bother you that much to even be around him? Because things were different only a week ago, it is nearly impossible for him to accept the situation at hand, but ultimately he just sighs, and starts a walk back to the front door, wearing a fresh shirt that’s different from the type he typically wears to work in the flower shop.
As he heads to the door, you recall the countless times he’s walked in and out, wandered around the house familiarly, like a necessary puzzle piece to the space. You can think of the many failed recipes created in the kitchen that led to races to the front door to get the food deliveries afterwards. And you can remember the time you held the door open for him when he struggled with his arms full of little flower starts that would bloom soon if they are maintained after he leaves.
He’s leaving.
“Tae,” Your voice barely sounds like anything but a weak squeak because of the emotions clogging up your throat. He stops to turn back towards you like a habit-- his eyes focusing on your person easily, though the irises are admittedly not as cheerful as all the times of the past. “You-” Your nails dig into the leather of the couch, like the logic you’ve taped up in your mind tries desperately to stay together. But the throbbing pain in your heart wins over your mouth, “I’m so sorry.”
“What-” Taehyung’s sentence drops away as he notices the glittering on your cheeks, and he turns completely. With every nerve on his body beginning to prickle in worry, he takes a step in your direction on impulse, pausing only when you shake your head, releasing more tears down your skin.
“I’m sorry. I’m so selfish-- I really can’t do this.” The words dribble out in a frantic mumble as you finally begin to wipe away at the tears. “I know I need to let you leave-- I know you should; I can’t do this though. I don’t want you to go, I really don’t-”
Your breath hitches as you’re all the sudden pulled into a strong embrace. Without hesitation your arms cling to his shirt, while a sob muffles into the fabric. Taehyung’s arms encompass you with the same feeling that living with him gives you: safety.
“Calm down, Y/N.” Taehyung soothes your trembling frame with his fingertips clutching tightly on your shoulder blades, fastening you to this space that was stable. Giving you a place to belong again.
“I didn’t mean any of it, Tae,” You croak between gasps as your lungs fight for air amidst your sobs. “I trust you more than anyone-- you’re the most important person to me, Taehyung. Please don’t go.”
“Then why,” He starts the question, but then your rushed sentences finally register to him properly. The fact that you said you know he needs to leave. Taehyung breathes in as the realization of it sets in. You were trying to get him away so he wouldn’t be involved anymore. For his benefit, not because you ever wanted that.
“I-,” You cough, clutching onto him tighter as the sobbing leaves your throat thick. You want to explain everything, and make sure that he hears your apologies as many times as necessary, so desperately you try to speak up again only for Taehyung to hush them away.
“Stop for a bit, dove.” He tells you, causing you to find a grasp at peace just from him addressing you with endearment once again. “I’m not going to walk away-- you don’t need to rush. Let’s sit down, okay?”
As you sit on the couch with your fingers rubbing onto your temples, Taehyung stands in the kitchen fiddling with objects that you hear clatter around. You think little of it, simply counting seconds with the inhales and exhales of your breaths, elongating them so as to ease away the rampant swarm of tears and emotions. The prickling in your head must be from a mixture of shock and embarrassment, you decide, becoming increasingly aware of how vividly everything came flooding out.
When Jaeboem texted you days earlier, you had to stop replying. You feel bad still for leaving his series of texts pleading with you out of worries for being left on read, but when he verbally acknowledged how alone you must be, you couldn’t look at the words any longer. That aspect of your lifestyle needs to be kept in check or else you would have to look at everything that’s hollow in the world that you made for yourself.
For following a dream that you were passionate about, in the past you anticipated a cover of happiness washed over your life once you reached the level of notoriety that would keep acting jobs flooding in. But for years of your work and efforts to simply amount to you walking into a lifeless house, with the few people around you about to walk out, you couldn’t let yourself see that because it would be the one thing too much to bear. Even if you enjoy acting, the present gives you no sense of fulfillment outside of your job, which in itself is starting to be cracked with holes as well.
“Here.” Your eyes break from their lack of concentration to watch Taehyung settle a mug that matches his on a coaster in front of you. The steam filled with the warm scent of honey and tea leaves. “Does your head hurt?”
Meagerly and barely do you nod, finally removing your hands from putting pressure on your temples to take hold of the mug. Careful to keep your skin from directly touching the hot ceramic, you balance it inches from your lips to blow gently.
“Thank you.” You mumble, taking small sips so as not to burn your taste buds. The drink is light, but soothing to your throat that is ravaged from your outburst. “I,” Your head jolts as you recall, nearly sloshing around the scalding tea, but Taehyung’s hand aids you in steadying the mug as you speak in worry. “I stopped you from meeting the leasing office-- I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Taehyung shakes his head, very slightly nudging the mug so that you drink more. As you finally give in despite your frown, he continues in a quiet voice. “It’s not like I really wanted to go anyways.”
As you glance towards him with an uncertain hope glinting in your eyes, Taehyung smiles gently and is unable to stop his thumb to graze over your cheek where tear treks remain. In the void of words, the shower outside rages on with a hum of thunder only relaxing the tension in your shoulders. As his hand leaves your skin, you break eye contact to again sip at the beverage while Taehyung eases more into his seat beside you.
Without speaking, he simply rests his head on the cushion, letting you revitalize yourself with the drink. He arranges his thoughts with his newfound information, and is almost upset that he never contemplated any of it before. His friends too had commented repeatedly how strange and out of character all of the texts you sent him were, especially Jeongguk who was fully convinced the connection between you and Taehyung could only be genuine. Taehyung thought the same, and he could blame the surprise of it all for letting his rationality falter, but ultimately he feels disappointed in himself for not considering that this was the only way you found yourself able to protect him.
It’s true that if he continued to believe your words, the hurt would have been enough to start a gap of separation from you, and perhaps even if he reconsidered later down the line he may have pushed the thoughts aside to keep you from having to bother with the whole thing again. Or perhaps it is more accurate, he decides, that he may have not been willing to risk hearing you say everything to him all over again.
“Now you don’t want me to leave?” Taehyung breaks the silence with the small question, the corner of his lips quirking as the empty mug clatters on the coaster from your surprise from the bluntness. With furrowed eyebrows you turn to look at him, so clearly upset with yourself, that Taehyung doesn’t have the heart to tease you any further. His lips part to speak but in a small ramble you beat him to it,
“I never wanted you to. I just didn’t know how else to keep you from getting dragged into anything more than you have been. I know you don’t want anything to do with fame, and,” You shake your head as once again those texts replay through your head.
“Dove.” Taehyung’s hand covers over the top of yours as they fiddle on your lap, bringing you back down. “I understand now.”
Your frown remains, and your chest feels heavy once more because you know you really did hurt him, and yet he’s sitting beside you still and giving you a chance at explanation. You don’t deserve that.
“I should have let you go though.” Your eyes fall to your lap, watching as his hand squeezes over top of yours. You’re sure he doesn’t like your sentence. “Taehyung, I know you say that you don’t mind any of the baggage that comes along with getting linked to me in rumors, but you don’t know what it’s actually like to go through any of that. To have thousands of people you don’t know critique all the choices you make and constantly put their judgement on you just because they don’t like you or are bored-- it’s exhausting. Especially if you’re not even gaining anything from it. You don’t want to get into this lifestyle--and that’s fine, but it’s even more of a reason for you to distance yourself from me. I can’t control any of this as much as I want to, and you’ll just end up dealing with trouble because of it all.”
Without thinking, one of your hands turns upwards, taking a grasp of his gently.
“I do gain something from it all.” Taehyung says, ready for his eyes to meet yours when your head turns in confusion. “I’ll still be in your life.”
Your jaw clenches; heart beating too happily at his affirmation of it all. It’s idyllic and frankly all you would want to hear from him. Such a simple thing, yet the implication causes new, touched tears to collect in the corner of your eyes. Warmly Taehyung smiles at you, tugging you towards him so he can hug you, which you allow without hesitation.
“I know that you’re worried about me, dove, but what you’re telling me I’ve considered too. I may not have been that involved when I was a trainee, but I know the media can be ruthless and cruel, but I’d still choose dealing with that than not being with you anymore.”
“But why,” You pull a bit from him to look up at his face, frowning. “No one’s ever wanted to go through all of this crap just for me-- I don’t understand why you always pick to stay.”
“How many times do I have to tell you that I care about you before you believe me?” He asks with a smile, cutting off any of your uncertain remarks by simply hugging you tighter and chuckling as you make a noise of surprise from the action. “Dove, I’m happiest living here with you. You mean so much to me, and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. No matter how many times you ask me, you’re going to get this for an answer. You’re my friend, Y/N. You’re dear to me.”
Your hands meddle their way from between your torsos so that you can wrap your arms around him tightly. Taehyung smiles at the reciprocation, settling his forehead atop your head when he feels your body rumble from some muffled cries that somehow have an air of happiness to them.
You’re willing to accept his answer, no longer frightened of all the repercussions as you cling onto Taehyung as if he’ll drift away. Now you realize how content the world becomes with even one person willing to stay. Without the attachment of jobs, or the necessity to save face in front of cameras, Taehyung wants to remain where he is. You’re so thankful for the fact, but can’t properly express the gratitude through words, but he hums in response anyways, keeping you enveloped in his arms as he tells you peacefully,
“I’m not going anywhere, Y/N. Don’t worry.”
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aliensunflower-fics · 4 years
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A Sinister Sneaky Lila Prompt
(( So I was just thinking about the first meeting between Lila and Marinette and how our favorite spotted hero only learned about Lila being a bad person because her crush on Adrien made her freak out and immediately get suspicious of Lila and while Lila did end up being a bad person the fact that Marinette only figured it out because she had a jealous freak out always sat poorly with me so I thought up a different scenario one where Lila is more conniving and patient.))
What if Lila was a little more calm the first time we met her? What if instead of immediately showing up and spilling lies she initially goes with a much more subtle approach? Sure she still lie’s but she starts off with small things instead. But the biggest difference? She doesn't go after Adrien right away therefore Marinette’s first reaction isn't to freak out about another girl talking to Adrien but instead to greet the new girl and let her know she's the class president and maybe even warn her about Chloe the resident class bully?
Now I don’t think that even a subtle Lila would be ‘subtle’ so I imagine even on her first day her interest in Adrien is plain to see. But maybe instead of freaking out or trying to immediately claim the blonde she plays up the fact that she's a ‘fan’ of his and isn't he so gorgeous and friendly? And yeah of course Marinette doesn’t want competition but he's a freaking celebrity she can't really expect or demand other girls NOT to see how gorgeous and perfect he is! And maybe with Alya to encourage her bestie it turns into Marinette and Lila gushing together about how kind he is and his various photoshoots and from there Lila slips in a lie about having some modeling experience from her younger years? Because Lila doesn’t want enemy’s she wants ‘friends’ she wants Adrien and based on what she was able to glean from his social media accounts and her first meeting with the model he’s an absolute idiot who admires ladybug the heroin and is all about ‘friendship’ and ‘forgiveness’ so Lila needs to make herself look like the biggest sweetest everyday hero. 
A few days into Lila being at school she learns that while lots of girls in school like Adrien the only real competition is Marinette. A review of the baker girls social media shows she has quite a few connections of her own so Lila doesn’t want to risk cutting the girl off when she’s a potential source for fame. More so with how much attention Adrien gives the pigtailed brat Lila definitely does not want to risk being caught threatening or bullying the girl in any way. So Lila decides to try a different approach. Using her talent for lies Lila infiltrates the girl group at school, she gets on with Alya by encouraging ALL her theories and validating even her crazier ideas to try and unmask Ladybug, she gets on with Mylene by talking about how she was THE  actress at her old school and would love to give Mylene advice on her acting! Alix? Its all about how she’s not THAT much of a girly girl last summer she was at a survival camp! Rose is easy as pie and just as much of a bubblegum airhead and Juleka… Well Lila see’s no point in befriending her anyway! She’s just the weird quiet girl. 
Now with her way into the group guaranteed Lila can ‘help’ with operation Adrienette she pretends to think the pair are cute and she “respects” how Marinette is drawn to Adrien for his “kindness” the sheer amount of will it takes for Lila not to roll her eyes is staggering really. But its all worth it to learn about the plans to try and help Marinette confess to Adrien and Lila makes sure to ruin each and every single one. Well she TRIES… Admittedly her success rate is more like 70% the ones she ruins range from Marinette just tripping up literally to  the ‘pasta’ incident where Marinette wound up covered head to toe in delicious noodles and sauce. The ones she fails to ruin result in her grinding her teeth as Adrien and Marinette spend time together. But of course Lila isn’t just content to ruin as many ‘Adrienette’ moments as she can. No the real goal is to have Marinette give up on Adrien completely hopefully to the point of avoiding him then Lila can swoop in for the steal. In order to achieve this Lila makes sure to ‘comfort’ Marinette after every failed attempt when really shes just finding ways to tell Marinette how she failed and “oh you must have been sooo embarrassed when that pasta fell on you right in front of Adrien I have no idea HOW you’ll ever face him” the rest of the time? She’s reminding Marinette about the pressure on her how Adrien has to date someone who can match him in style, how whoever he dates will be under scrutiny from the media, how Gabriel might have certain expectations from whoever Adrien dates! Their just tiny comments, tiny nitpicks, tiny little doubts she sows into Marinette ruining her already fragile self esteem while no one's the wiser. 
Only what if someone does notice? Juleka who Lila never bothered to befriend thinking she was just another quiet weirdo notices the drop in Marinette’s esteem, how could she not? After all Marinette was always pulling her out of HER shell and now no one but her is noticing that Marinette is crawling into one of her own. And Juleka notices that its Lila’s doing, because Juleka is sneaky she see’s Lila cornering Marinette she hears the subtle jabs against the girls self esteem all disguised as ‘friendly concern’ she notes the way Marinette pulls away from Adrien with time how she discourages the girls from planning anything new after SO many attempts have left her bruised and ashamed. With Juleka on the case she starts trying to pick up the pieces of Marinette trying to rebuild her confidence and distance her from Lila until she can find some way to let the rest of the class know about how Lila has been ruining their class presidents self esteem in a way worse than anything Chloe ever did.
But how does the story end? Does Juleka unknowingly guide Marinette into the waiting arms of Luka? The calm guitarist eager to help out in rebuilding the girls now fractured self confidence? Does his calm presence and the lack of pressure and bad experience make Marinette’s heart flutter? Lila rejoices in her victory poised to take Adrien for herself but failing as the model now suddenly seems hung up on the baker even though he never noticed her before? Does Luka rise in stardom with Marinette at his side the two becoming a power couple no one saw coming? All while Lila looks on in jealousy because even though she’s won somehow shes lost? Does she reveal herself in a fit of rage because she WON  and she should be happy but Marinette ruined it by somehow scoring the bigger fish? Does Marinette cry at the lose of what she thought was a friend? Does Adrien kick himself for not noticing her earlier? Does Juleka secretly dance because her brother and her dear friend are madly in-love and absolutely adorable together? 
Or maybe its Adrien? Because despite all the pain and all the failures and embarrassment and ruined attempts at dates and confessions thanks to Lila’s meddling Adrien felt himself getting drawn to Marinette? Maybe even the failed attempts made him feel closer to her somehow because of how vulnerable and honest the girl is with him and how she picks herself up even when she falls. Does he remember her face red as a tomato unshed tears in her eyes her hair dripping with noodles and sauce and he questions why he didnt grab her hand and wipe her tears and do anything he could to make her smile? Does Lila rage when she realizes her failure does she Juleka catch her threatening and admitting all her misdeeds to Marinette in the bathroom later that day? Does Adrien protect Marinette fiercely and vow to replace every day that Lila ruined with a day full of his love and appreciation for her? Does Lila turn out to be wrong completely and every fear she instilled in Marinette crumbles away as the media embraces the couple completely, and Gabriel adopts the girl eager to grow her talents? 
Or maybe its someone else? Felix? Kagami? Chloe? An OC? Lila herself having accidentally fallen for the baker and now needing to redeem herself so she can earn the girls love because she was sneaky and conniving and a liar and she ruined Marinette and tore her from Adrien and regrets it?
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