#because if i’m not really invested in it yet am i really reading it??

[ozarkthedog]

𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐧

summary: you and Tim have a strained relationship and it boils over at the scene of the crime.

warnings: Tim Rockford x Fem Reporter!Reader. hate/love fucking. pining. FILTH. rough wall sex. fingering. cream pie. THAT LEATHER HOLSTER - yeah, he makes you hold it while he fucks you. fluffy feels. no beta.

word count: 1.9k

author's note: this all happened so fast. I saw this image, almost fainted and then wrote this. enjoy!

𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭  ♁  𝐎𝐳𝐳𝐢𝐞'𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 

“You’ve got some nerve showing your face around here.” The handsome Detective in charge grits shooting daggers in your direction. You send him a sly grin as you lean against the doorframe of the enormous library and scene of the scandalous crime. 

“I read what you said about me. About my competency.” Tim seethes. “You think I’m in over my head. That I’ve got no fuckin-” He cuts himself off before his anger gets the best of him and takes a deep breath. 

You scan the massive shelves as you walk into the impressive room, dragging your fingers along the spines as Tim follows your every move. He’s raging beneath the surface. His leather holstered shoulders rise and fall heavily with each breath, all because of your article in the local paper. 

“Awe, did I strike a nerve?” You jab, showing off your pearly whites with a smug grin. You honestly didn’t think it’d matter to him but maybe you were on to something after all.

“So, have you found any clues then?” You ask, edging closer to the chalk outline of the recently deceased. Yellow tape cuts off your quest for a closer look, but you mentally note the markers around it.

“It’s time to go.” The burly detective grunts as he curls a hand around your upper arm and drags you across the room. 

“Come on, Tim.” You argue with a soft sigh. No matter how hard you tried to free yourself his hold wouldn’t budge. “I was only doing my job.”

He stops in his tracks and turns on his heel standing over you with a feral gaze. Your belly swells with hot arousal from being so close to the stoic man. His size overwhelms you as he squares off his shoulders turning him into a brick wall. The grip on your arm locks ever tighter leaving you no chance to run.

“Doing your job? Really?” His lips curl into a snarl. “Could’ve fooled me. I think you get off on ruining people’s lives.”

“Fuck you.” You bite, poking his white button up chest. “I am doing my job. I’m just as invested in this case as you. We all want to know what happened.”

His eyes soften for a moment as your anger crests. Remorse balances on his tongue when tears prick your eyes. The chaotic relationship you two danced around for the last few years always beguiled him. No one has ever gotten under his skin quite like you.  

You shove at his chest yearning to break free from the intense moment as bitterness laced with heavy desire consumes you. The throbbing between your legs has you close to whimpering and you can’t have him knowing the effect he’s had on you despite your long held affection for the older Detective.

He easily thwarts your escape by locking his free hand around your other arm and tugging you into his solid frame. “We’re not done yet. You can’t run from this.” 

You close your eyes and will the burning torture away as your breasts press against the crisp white linen of his shirt. Your hands inadvertently smooth over his strong chest before a gasp tears from your throat when your fingers brush the straps of his holster.

His brows quirk at your response from touching the leather. “Look at me.” Tim gently commands. You shake your head and bite your lip too afraid that’ll give your feelings away.

He gives your body a slight shake, showing off his strength. “Open those pretty eyes now or I’m bending you over the nearest object and spanking your ass until you’re screaming.”

A needy mewl slips from your tongue at his sinful threat and you finally open your eyes. 

“Thatta girl.” His wild, deep mocha eyes are tinged with slight softness as he slowly traces his thumb over your bottom lip. You purse your lips and kitten lick the pad making you both moan in unison. 

He tests the waters and slips the thick digit into your mouth. Your eyes flutter closed as you suck on his thumb with a purr and lave the salty skin. 

“All this time we could’ve been hate fucking. Such a waste.” He muses with a deep groan that makes your cunt clench. “You gonna be good and let me fuck my cock into that sweet pussy? Or are you gonna be a brat?”

The terse tone makes your cunt quiver and you moan unabashedly around his thumb like a writhing whore.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” His lips pull into a grin as he slips his thumb from your mouth only to shove your body into the nearest wall.

Air is forced from your lungs as your back hits the rich mahogany. You shudder along with the books on the shelves as he stalks toward you with ravenous energy. He smothers your lips and body with his own, pressing you cruelly into the hard wall. 

He licks into your mouth with hot, heavy swipes and his mustache tickles your lips leaving you a moaning, wanting mess. Teeth clash as each kiss deepens more than the last. Large hands descend your body and weighty palms drag over your breasts, shoving the thin material of your dress down and exposing your soft globes before giving each a rough grasp that sucks the air from your lungs. 

Tim smooths around the curve of your hips and settles his hold on your panty covered ass making you grind against his growing bulge.

He breaks the violent kiss with a heavy huff but smiles when you instinctively try to follow his lips. 

“Grab ahold, Sweetheart.” Tim nods toward his right shoulder with a smirk. 

Your brows pinch together in slight shame. He found one of your weaknesses. 

That damn holster. 

The man always looked good. Dressed to the nines in his suits. However, when he donned the shoulder holster without his suit coat all coherent thought went out the window. 

“Go on. I know you want to.” He chides. 

You teethe your bottom lip as you slide your fingers along the strap. The warm leather is butter soft under your fingers and it’s just like you imagined. Your belly swirls with nervous energy as you grab each strap and meet his frenzied stare.

“I’d hold on tight.”

A strong, nimble hand dives between your thighs and forces your legs apart. He rubs your panty covered core making your eyes roll back and grasp the holster hard. 

He tuts. “You’ve soaked through your panties. Naughty girl.”A finger hooks under the sticky material and pulls it to the side before he deftly teases your drenched folds. 

Tim watches your features twist from his torture, loving every single one of them as he learns what takes you apart. Your heart thumps against your ribs as he glides a heavy thumb over your swollen clit and elicits frantic mewls from your feverish form.

“Is that what you needed? Hmm?” His brows meet his hairline as he slightly mocks you but you couldn’t care less as the pleasure builds brighter and brighter. 

He presses two thick fingers into your searing heat and groans as your body widens around his digits. Your cunt drools as he thrusts his fingers steadily and smacks his palm into your aching clit. Your hands tug anxiously on the holster for support when he grazes that serene spot that always left you breathless.

“Shit-” A cavernous groan rises from his chest when he feels the pulse in your cunt quicken. He fights past your tight opening as your walls begin to shudder and clench down, ready to drown him in your arousal.

Just like hot coals doused in water, your orgasm is stamped out when he rips his fingers from your warmth. You want to cry as he leaves you a withering mess while he shoves his fingers in his mouth and tastes you for the first time. 

“You’re only coming on my cock.” A desperate groan rumbles from his throat as he tastes your sweet slick. His eyes flash a wolfish black when you mewl and grind your throbbing core against his own aching cock. 

“This what you want, Sweetheart?” In a flash, he unbuttons his slacks and pulls out his swollen, girthy cock that’s leaking from its bulbous tip.“You need my cock to fill you up? Keep you from being a brat and getting on my nerves?”

“Yes, please.” You whine and tug the holster bringing his lips to yours in a delirious kiss. He holds one of your legs around his hip and taps his meaty length against your shiny folds as he holds your panties to the side and smears his pre cum all over your puffy center making you hiss.    

He tips your chin with his slick stained fingers before curling it around the back of your neck forcing you to look at him. “I’m going to ruin you.”

Your head hits the back of the wall as he plunges his cock into your core in one long, unending thrust. He barely gives you time to breathe as he cants his hips and rapidly drives his length between your soaked folds. Your channel convulses with each brutal shove as he fucks you into the wall forcing you to the edge in record time.

 “That sweet pussy wants to cum. She’s practically drooling down my balls, she needs it so bad.” He taunts making your insides flip.

“Please, Tim! Please! I need-” You beg with tears in your eyes as your velvet walls flutter from the rough treatment as he opens you up with his cock.

“Shh. Shh. I’ve got you, Sweetheart.” He slips the hand from behind your neck under your other leg and easily lifts your shaking frame with his strong arms. He settles your ass in his large palms and pins you under him. The stretch is obscene as he shoves every inch of his length in your tight hole and his crown cruelly kisses your cervix. 

“Want to feel you come around me as I fill this cunt to the brim.” 

He nails you to the wall with heavy, pounding thrusts that drag sinfully along your channel. The unyielding movement rattles your bones making you fight to hold onto the sweaty leather still in your grasp. 

You can barely breathe as he wickedly grinds his pelvis into your clit forcing a strangled noise from your throat. He stokes the flames in your gut to rise and rise until you explode.

“Come on. That’s it. Let me feel you.” He commands, sinking his cock even deeper.

Your mouth goes slack as every muscle in your body tenses. Your shouts of bliss echo off the walls as you drag Tim over the edge. He grunts like an animal as your cunt spasms and locks around his girth and milks his balls. His heels leave the ground as he pumps you full, never leaving your warmth for a second as he fucks his seed into your cunt like it’s the last act he’ll ever do.

The tension that used to settle around the two of you like a heavy blanket is no longer. Tim gently cradles your face in his palm and kisses you so softly you’d think you were made of glass. Tenderness pours from his lips and drowns you in affection.

Your hands finally detach from his holster as he carefully sets you back on solid ground before tucking himself back into his slacks. 

You share a knowing look that things would be different now as he reaches for your hand and interlocks your fingers. 

He walks you over to the scene of the crime and points to the mantle above the fireplace. “See the candlestick? That’s the murder weapon. Happy now?”

follow @ozzieslibrary for new fic updates!

#pedro pascal #tim rockford #tim rockford x you #tim rockford x reader #merge mansion #tim rockford smut

[kazz-brekker]

hotd episode 6 thoughts

ohhhh the family drama in this one was DELICIOUS, i enjoyed it very much.

i will admit i found the time skip a little jarring at first even though i knew it was coming, just because so much stuff happened during those years, but emma d’arcy and olivia cooke were absolutely SERVING and i loved them.

rhaenyra with her kids … rhaenyra obviously loving them so so much … rhaenyra smiling as soon as she saw baby joffrey … oh it was a lot.

as soon as older rhaenyra said “fuck” while climbing the stairs i was like. yes. absolutely. i love you, this is perfect casting.

i have been overly invested in daemon and rhaenyra’s children ever since reading f&b so i feel pretty emotional actually seeing jace, luke, joffrey, rhaena, and baela on my tv screen. they’re real! they’re little and squishy! i want desperately to protect them!

i’m really glad that they included alicent’s “do keep trying, sooner or later you may get one that looks like you” bit, it’s such an iconic line of bitchy dialogue.

i SO wish that we had gotten to see more of the relationship between rhaenyra and harwin (they didn’t even kiss!) but the little bits that we did see of it were really tender and lovely, especially with baby joffrey.

helaena targaryen being a weird little girl with a bug collection is something that can be so personal, actually.

also, her saying something like “you’ll have to close an eye” while aemond is talking to alicent about wanting a dragon … please oh PLEASE let helaena have prophetic dreams, that would be great.

i am aware that aemond targaryen is going to grow up to commit a ton of war crimes but honestly i just wanted to give him a hug in this episode.

alicent being constantly exasperated that her children are growing up to be a bunch of absolute weirdos was really, really funny.

we finally got to see vhagar! she is so large and so ugly and i love her very much and seeing her fly with caraxes was a lot of fun.

i’m really sad that we only got to see adult laena for one episode, she was so regal and self-possessed and i really liked her interactions with her daughters and the fact that she clearly doesn’t want to indulge daemon’s sulking.

the implication that daemon stayed away from westeros for 10 years because he couldn’t stand to be around rhaenyra when they were married to other people … oh man. oh boy. that is so much. can’t deal with this right now, sorry!

alicent and criston having a weird warped version of fealty and courtly love based on their shared hatred of the same person … yesssss i love it give me more.

harwin strong in his dilf era repeatedly punching criston cole in the face is literally everything i wanted to see from him in this episode.

viserys talking about the bonds of friendship being forged through combat together while aegon ii is beating up his nephews is just like. jesus christ. viserys please learn to read the room.

alicent and larys having their scheming little dinner together was so fun, especially since it’s clearly a common practice. seems like larys is going full-on villain and that’s going to be entertaining to watch.

kind of sad to see that daemon and rhaenyra’s marriages are both breaking down, but i can understand why since there are a lot of stressors in both of those relationships.

around halfway through this episode i was like “there seems to be a lot going on here, maybe i won’t have to watch harwin and laena die yet” so the last 10 minutes absolutely sucker-punched me.

rip lyonel strong you were a real one and possibly the only man in westeros with both honor and common sense.

i am not quite sure how i feel about laena’s death, i always thought childbirth was a lazy way to get rid of her and i can see that they were trying to add more dignity/autonomy but it also made it more violent … i’ll have to think on it.

the milf on milf violence in this was just really fun and i can’t wait to see more.

i am READY for the funeral drama next week, bring it on!

#pie says stuff #pie watches hotd #hotd #hotd spoilers #house of the dragon #rhaenyra targaryen #alicent hightower #daemon targaryen #harwin strong #laena velaryon #aemond targaryen #helaena targaryen #larys strong #aegon ii targaryen

[infamous-if]

This is more of a writing question as I really admire your work and I’m trying to write my own IF but am kind of stuck. I’ve done a lot of the character drafting and plot drafting, but when it comes down to actually sitting down and WRITING the story (even just a small portion) I just get stuck.

So I guess my question is, is how did you start writing the actual story of Infamous? How do you get about moving the story along?

Thank you and OK! This is going to be long because I'll share my beat sheet for the first act of Infamous!

So I've talked about this very briefly, but I will never stop championing beat sheets. I get so many questions every day asking me how I write so much and so quickly, and it's because I already have a layout planned that's basically just holding my hand. I'm not a magical wizard with a writing wand (though I wish...)

This is a traditional novel system and my only background is writing traditional novels. Infamous is my first IF, and I did have to tweak how I approach writing because they're just not the same. IFs are different because they're essentially multiple novels in one. One route can look completely different to another route, but the basics at least helps you with narrative plotting.

Once you recognize the building blocks of a story, it'll become easier to write it. For example, here's the beat sheet for Hunger Games. It is known that Hunger Games follows a beat sheet beat by beat and does it very well.

I will give you my beat sheet for Infamous

MC has a dream of the final goal of the band. It's meant to mirror what the end goal of the story is supposed to be. Ruining it by wakening up is meant to hook the reader by making them realize it's not true yet. Set up the story conflict: the tour. I introduce the characters and their dynamics (orion getting angry at MC for sleeping, Rowan joking around with Orion, Iris and Devyn etc.) I foreshadow a few things and I set up the stakes of the tour and how much the band needs this. (They talk about their gigs and how they want to do more.)

The inciting incident for INFAMOUS is winning the audition and finally getting on tour. That's what incites the story! The first dilemma is getting into a fight at the party due to cheating allegations. Now the reader is aware that this isn't all sunshine and daisies. We're all just fucked, basically. j/

Well. This is pretty obvious. Having to make a choice on the bus. It helps that the tour hasn't started yet and both options deal with characters that have conflict with MC and the band (Seven and UWB) so now it's like: this decision will impact the rest of the tour, and makes it much bigger than just choosing to ride with a band every other week.

obviously this is all spoilery but your goal is basically: how do i make my MC suffer as much as i can? conflict is fun to read, it's what drives people to continue watching/reading/ investing. For IFs it goes beyond that, because people like making decisions on how to fix conflict or make it worse!

I love talking technical writing on my personal @amyreads I don't talk about it much here because it can get boring. But yeah! If you have more questions you can swing by there :)

That's all! I hope it helps a bit! <3

#inbox #writing advice #i really said i'd take a break #I WILL! #once im done with orion pov heh #writing tips #writing chat

[cucuumiia]

Just want to say that I am so in love with your art style/OC’s story/characterization of Shane that I have scrolled your blog front to back multiple times, I can’t get ENOUGH 🥹

A while back you mentioned reading lots of good (Shane?) fic, are there any titles or authors you’d be willing to share??

THANK YOUU!!🥺;;;;;; I‘m so happy you enjoy my stuff!!!

Also yes omg let me share the fic that really cemented my terminal obsession with this goddamn depressed chicken guy:

It got everything I need man😩🤌 It hurts me in all the right ways. I love the way they implemented the Dark Shrine of Memory as the main premise. The way Shane‘s written is really close to my personal headcanon of him. Also I eat up every fic that has Shane being an actual dad in it, I have such a soft spot for this. I don’t want to spoil anything more because going in blind gave me a whole rollercoaster of emotions but I can wholly recommend this one!

Another one that I‘ve recently found contains nsfw content and is quite different from the one above but I really enjoy the dynamic between the farmer and Shane. I’m constantly checking in if there were any updates yet so it definitely got me invested:

And yet another I just discovered a few days ago piqued my interest because //shocker// it got a widower Shane👀😭 (why am I like this) and it’s the first fic I‘ve found that explores this premise and I feel so seen🖐😔 So excited to see where it’s going in the future!!:

So yea, if anyone knows some other good Shane fics please let me know!! :] (especially when it’s about him being a dad or getting widowed ) (also lmk if you also like „Memory“ as much as I do ;;; I could gush about it for hours)

#stardew valley #sdv shane #stardew shane #shane #sad chicken man #shane sdv #shane stardew valley #sdv fanfic

[accio-victuuri]

(13) Fake Rumors - from the vault

I have been going through some old rumors from the fake house & decided to share some. whether these may be new to you or not, but i hope you still enjoy them as much as I did looking back. I feel like in the fandom, we’ve only ever been active when it comes to lrlg and the 49 fakes. the rest of the information that fall in between aren’t as talked about or depends on the topic. as with all other bjyx material, i want a place to store some parts of it. 🤍

these are sort of random, the ones that I had saved and found again. treat it all as fiction.

( someone please make an AU fic or edit for this xz and wyb. there is a story here. look at them. 😍😍😍 )

i have traveled a long way, you have dreamed a long time. many lonely nights drift like fallen leaves but it always finds a way….🍃🍂

(1) this one was posted for the new year 🎉

XZ: Get me a courier later

🧔‍♂️:Okay

====

🧔‍♂️:What is it? It’s so light

XZ: made-up parts, Legos.

*XZ talking to a staff so he can send out some lego parts. I think it’s light because what he is sending are “parts” that WYB is missing and he found them for him. I truly like the idea of XZ spoiling WYB when it comes to his hobbies and him being invested in it too even if he isn’t necessarily a fan too. true love! and well, reminded me of the rumored lego set gift during the early days of cql filming.

(2) have you eaten?

About the backstage live broadcast of a recent event on the same stage

WYB:Have you eaten yet?

XZ: *shakes head*

WYB: Come have dinner with me later

XZ: Who else? (Looking over it, I don’t know what I’m looking for)

WYB: Stop looking for it. I’ll send it to you next time.

Supplement: Teacher W watched Teacher X take off his makeup before leaving together.

*The usual WYB making sure that XZ eats and him waiting for his gege so they can eat with each other. Even after the CQL filming, as long as they are at the same event they will try and be together. Tho instances of that have been so rare to 0 nowadays because of the amount of eyes on them.

(3) the forbidden book lol

The crew's study period

WYB: Where is the erotic book? I want to read it.

XZ: Suddenly got up and left.

*This is one of my faves even if it’s so short! Library Pavilion behind the scenes & rumors is the gift that keeps on giving. I wouldn’t put it pass WYB to troll ZZ with this.

Here’s a GIF for you to bring you back to that time🤍

(4) call me maybe? 📱

There was a period last year where everyone had to learn rap, usually🐂 learned the fastest but he was absent-minded that time🐂 was looking at us eating delicious food while resting, it seems that he is thinking his rap, he seemed to be even more tired. At this time, staff handed over the phone and he left immediately to pick it up.

He called him, and when he came back he didn't have any special expression, but he felt refreshed. 

(5) praising

WYB: I really like to be praised by everyone and feel "wow" from everyone, so every time Da Zhen's family praises me crazily, I will secretly write it down and send it to him.

XZ: I am also a part-time praise captain. Every time I praise,None of them are the same.He can often keep up with the facts.

WYB: I don’t understand a lot of Internet slang.

XZ: I always hurt him by saying, "No, you don't even know this joke, so WYB doesn't go online?" Just. very good. Laughing, every time I feel hurt, I secretly say "He is better than me. I'm young, I know everything." What kind of tone is this? One time during a video, XZ sang "Darling, come and save me." Seeing WYB's ears slowly become red and coughed. Who can tell me what’s going on with these lyrics?

(6) baking shenanigans

The puff pastry made by XZ is very delicious, WYB will also work with XZ to help when he has time. He’s busy getting started, and they will also do some weird things. If there is a strange taste, try it with the people around you.

Once WYB squeezed minced garlic into the pastry and mixed chili powder, but forgot to mark it, XZ ate it, pinched the back of the neck and squeezed the flesh of the face "Teacher Trained WYB”

*IM CACKLING AT THIS OMG WYB 😂😂😂 what flavor of pastry is that????

(7) another one about eating

Aling period

WYB: Why are you back?

XZ: Come back for dinner, there will be a show in the afternoon

WYB: Aren’t you going to eat with your friends?

XZ: I didn’t agree when someone wanted to invite me, it was too stupid.

WYB: xls It’s so difficult to eat normally today

XZ: You haven’t eaten it, have you?

WYB: Nope. I just thought you were back.

(8) checking the weather

XZ: “The weather doesn’t look like it’s going to rain...(Look 📱)

👤: "It should be sunny..."

XZ: “I just saw📱the weather forecast showed it’s going to rain soon.

👤: How is that possible? It’s obviously sunny. "(春📱)

XZ: "Huh?" (👤♥Two people facing each other📱)

XZ: Overcast to light rain to moderate rain.

👤: What you are looking at is the weather

XZ: Oh my God, so embarrassing...

XZ forgot to switch cities. no one will know the city WYB was in that day if I don’t tell you.

*This one hits different cause for this rumor, they are in different cities but in the same country. Lately, there are times that they are in diff countries so do they look at the weather their too? 🥹🥹🥹

I can’t relate to their obsession with the weather, but if that gives them a sense of connection to each other then it’s fine.

(9) raining

💚Supplement: It’s when the temperature gradually rises. At that time, it rained in June.

💚Holding an umbrella💚❤️talking all the way

❤️Start standing on the right side of 💚

💚Hold the umbrella and tilt it in the direction of ❤️

❤️Thick clothes💚Left half of light-colored thin clothes

The edges are wet and very transparent.

❤️Just keep pushing the umbrella in the direction of 💚

I wanted to block 💚 a little more, but found it was fine.

After seeing the effect, I found an opportunity to move it to the left side of 💚

Then 💚 the right half also got wet

Both centered and symmetrical….…..

(10) them and their parents.

Regarding their parents, I currently know the older one’s mom and dad can also surf the internet, and talk about about their CP and their impression of WYB is good. But his mother actually really wants to have a grandchild. His father is very indifferent when the older one comes home. I'm sure his mother won't be able to bear it. She asked him bluntly, the older ones always focus on work to fool her in the past. In July this year not only did he tell the truth to his family but took the younger one back with him.

It’s time for dinner at home, and the younger one is very nervous. He is afraid that the family will think he is not good enough. He bought a lot of things and piled them up for backup. He sprayed perfume and dressed properly and pretended. The older one made him want to laugh when he looks at him, just fool around. The younger one calls him a big bastard.

The mother on the table was holding jianguo and said she could only count on her to give birth to a litter of grandsons.

* I know that talk about their parents is sensitive and would always lead to more discussion, but again, treat this as fiction. and tbh, who could resist WYB as a son in law??? It I had a son and he brings home WYB as a boyfriend I will be very happy. I also feel soft that XZ is trying to tease and make WYB laugh.

(11)

What happened last year

WYB: Is it delicious?

XZ: (nodding while eating) Yeah, it’s quite delicious.

WYB: What about others?

XZ: Wait a minute...Wow, I just ate that, this one has no taste.

WYB: Is it too spicy?

XZ: It’s okay, but my tongue is numb and I can’t taste other flavors.

WYB: Wait a minute, drink some water. Is it really that spicy?

XZ: Try it yourself. You didn't keep it for yourself? Wasn't it sent from you?

WYB: I didn't take it apart. Bring it to me.

Then XZ really ate so much that he left two packets and took them back to WYB.

(You send it to me and I will bring it back to you. What kind of trick is this?)

What happened this year

XZ: It’s been too cold these two days.

👤: Southern kids.

XZ: :Then northerners also feel cold. Cold is cold.

(Okay, I know you have northerners in your family, next one)

👤When teasing XZ and WYB, XZ’s response was, “Hahaha” and send out red envelopes. As expected of Boss XZ.

I saw other people's submissions and came to do some post-sale service. I heard that XZ sang to put WYB to sleep. I know that there is indeed mmxhn, and there is a six-character song related to snow. (There are probably others somewhere that I don’t know about)

(12) like a fairy

XXX was wearing Iwj's white clothes for the first time

XX: Fairy, descended to earth to overcome the tribulation

XXX: Isn’t fairy a dog? You have so much information but no good words.

XX: Compliment you for being good-looking and handsome.wls, wow, so handsome!

XXX: xls looks better than me, our xls is so beautiful, ancestor of Yiling

XX: Stop, stop, it’s so shameful

*My favorite kind of rumor is when WYB goes gremlin on XZ! 😂😂😂😂

(13) cravings

WYB has been craving for "cai cai rice" recently, XZ told him many times that spring is not so good to have wild vegetables, even if they are cooked. WYB said he doesn’t care about wild vegetables he just wants to eat the vegetable rice cooked by XZ, but I don’t have that. It smells good, I just want to eat it.

In the end, he still didn’t get the cabbage meal, but freshly baked dumplings. WYB got a bargain and acted nice, he was acting coquettishly while eating.

* Oh to be WYB and have someone like XZ cook for youuuu 😍😍😍😍

-END.

P.S : this ye mi and xiao zhan AU pairing is living in my mind rent free. 🥵🥵🥵

#yizhan #bjyx #there is no science here i’m just clowning like i always do #accio victuuri translation #if it wasn’t obvious enough — i love stuff from fake house lol #THIS IS A WEEKEND TREAT TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAD A TOUGH WORK WEEK ☺️☺️☺️ #YASSS LETS REFERENCE TAYLOR SWIFT FROM THE VAULT

[kimberlyeab]

Undertale Yellow - Thoughts

Do you ever touch a piece of media and it hits you so hard that you just decide to drop all your artistic responsibilities for a day and write something to get your thoughts down into a single coherent place.

Well, uh… let’s talk about Undertale Yellow.

Please avoid if you intend to play and do not want spoilers as this delves heavily into topics laid down in the pacifist route. Also please note this contains content warnings for child death, so don’t touch if that ain’t your cup of tea. Like all Youtubers would say, please play the game before you read this, because this experience is best enjoyed in its original form.

The first issue i am struck with before getting too deep into this topic is that this is a fan project. While i, as a fan creator, enjoy feedback on my work; even if it is a little biting at times, i don’t know the pulse of the team in this regard. After all, this had no price tag and was purely a labour of love with seven hard years of development behind it.

i also don’t know how the development of this project was handled and if it was a collaborative effort from start to finish or different teams worked on different sections with an overarching goal. All i have is my own experience of modding for Hearts of Iron IV where my efforts were focused on singular nations and not overarching plots. If different sections were handled by different teams, please don’t take a critique or praise of any singular section as a slight against your work, it was all fantastic just some areas were more fantastic than others.

i enjoyed the mod, immensely, it stuck with me to the point that i had to come here and discuss it for what seems to be close to 2000 words. This project is something truly special, not only in terms of a fan game, but as a piece of media in general. It managed to make me feel that sense of magic I felt two years ago when i first played Undertale. And i can’t think of a higher praise than saying that.

The sprite work was amazing. The battles were fun and just the right amount of challenging… except Axis… fuck Axis. The music was a genuine banger to the point where i even liked some of the songs better than some of Toby’s work (i’m looking at you, the person who composed A Mother’s Love, that Hopes and Dreams drop ruined me emotionally for the rest of the run and i hold you and the writing team responsible for that).

And the story, gosh the story was just a real treat.

The mod in general is a bit slow to start, i’ll be honest, i did enjoy the tease at the beginning with Toriel and i think it was genius to cut us off from her entirely at that point. To me, a Undertale mod doing the ruins is like a Batman movie watching Bruce’s parents get gunned down. So, getting something refreshing here was a great foot forward.  Actually, I think that the fact that this mod does not use the OG cast as a crutch is an all-around strong point that i really appreciate and helps set it aside as its own independent thing, different from Undertale. Even though I did find myself craving at least a cameo at times.

On my first day of playing, i witnessed everything that the ruins and Snowdin had to offer. i enjoyed Dalv and Martlet immensely. As I went into the start of the Wild East, I was having a lot of fun. Yet, something felt off, something wasn’t quite sparking the magic i felt with Undertale. So, I left off my first session in the Oasis, having beaten the third boss. All in all, an enjoyable time but not quite clicking.

i couldn’t describe why the game felt off up to this point. Until i watched a friend stream xeyre own first run of the game.

Xey said something during it which made me realize what the issue with these first three areas was. They felt safe, they felt fangamey. These were fun experiences with great atmosphere and enemies but Dlav and Martlet (up to that point) were not characters who grabbed me and made me feel as invested in them as say Toriel, Sans, Papyrus, and Undyne (all characters we would’ve met at a similar point in OG Undertale). Sure, they were nice, and were immensely fun, but i didn’t feel that drive to get to know them better and care about their greater story. These were not the characters of ask blogs and video essays.

At this point, i went to bed, content to get back to it tomorrow but still very much feeling like “this is a fangame.”

Then i woke up…

And let me telling you about Starlo and the town on the edge of the Wild East.

This is where Undertale Yellow grabbed me, this is where the story became something special. This wonderful cast of six unique characters who left me wanting to consume every piece of dialog they had available. These six characters managed to crackle to life that little fanfiction voice in the back of my brain. It was these characters that planted the seed of this sprawling text i am currently writing.

Starlo, himself, is a wonderful character, very fun, very well written, just a treat to experience and spend time with. His missions were comedic gold to a degree where I was cackling in VC because of how good they were. And the fights, oh jeez, the two fights in that area are where the mod really showed off what it could do when it came to combining fun gameplay, great music, and just top tier sprite work that helped give these characters so much substance and life.

And it was also in this section where i started to get invested in the characters. This is where the fangame vibes withered away and gave birth to that same experience i had playing Undertale for that very first time.

It was hinted at with Starlo, a monster putting on a façade to hide from the cold reality of being a member of a broken species living in an equally broken land. His reasoning is so tragic, yet through the tragedy, he is just trying to distract people and bring them whatever joy he can manage. His methods are faulty but his goal is good.

And Ceroba is just amazing, as well, hinting at something darker in the narrative, weaving her story into OG Undertale by experiencing loss to the same experiments that would haunt Alphys. She is something familiar, a mother in pain like Toriel, but also someone who didn’t let that pain keep her in hiding. She uses that pain to try and help this world. And it plays on me so well, making me genuinely ache as my mind idly wonders which amalgamation in the lab was once this monster’s little girl. I wanted to know her story and experience it.

Then the game was all high points from here.

The adventure in the Steamworks where we see the remains of a shattered legacy and the pain that Ceroba goes through when she realizes that her husband was never respected in life. It resonates as we learn how much he just wanted to help Monsterkind and his legacy was just thrown away and left to rot. It made me hate Asgore.

And then comes the plot twist, the moment the shoe drop, as we approach Hotlands and Starlo confronts us. He knows Ceroba’s secret and is there to keep us safe. I had never been so invested in finding out what any of this meant, craving to know what could possibly bring these two into conflict with one another after being so close just two sections prior.

And that’s when we go to Ceroba’s home. That’s where we experience the empty abode that used to house a family. It’s where we learn how this tormented world of captivity that broke them, one by one, killing father, daughter, and yes, even the mother. It’s where we learn about Chujin, a figure of mythos, this mod’s Asgore in a way. A man who knew that escaping the Underground wasn’t the end goal unless Monsterkind could assert itself and prove that it had a right to exist upon the surface. This moment was so compelling, asking questions that fans have had for years and answering them in a way that felt downright satisfying.

And it put a fire in my breast going forward. i feel bad for the individuals who wrote dialog for optional areas after this reveal because i was a woman on a mission at this point. There was no endearing encounter, no fun moment that would distract me from finally finishing this with Ceroba.

And as we reach New Home and face the enemy, a mother who has lost everything, with our friends by our side, that’s when we play the best boss fight, I’ve had the privilege of enjoying in a very long time. It was the right amount of difficult with perfect music, amazing phases and forms, and a wonderful use of the yellow soul to its full capacity. It was long and slogged out, fought tooth and fucking nail, all while the music perfectly weaves together Ceroba’s struggle with the adventure we’ve been on and also a little nostalgia just to remind you what’s at stake. i have slept and i still remember her piano bits combined with those little western twangs, bringing together two childhood friends before dropping Hopes and Dreams just to show you how epic it is. It is… HOLY SHIT… it is something.

And with every phase we see a little more of what this monster lost. We watch her husband wither away, we see her risk her daughter and fail, and we see every last thing this obsession has cost her. And we know that this is a family broken by a collective scar left upon a whole species. We know that humanity is at fault, subjecting a whole race to torment for something that’s generations old. This family is just one of many who our species has wronged, just one trauma on a whole ledger.

And as we finally dispatch her and feel victorious, the reality of the situation slowly settles in.

This is a prologue… we know how this ends.

Asgore has five souls right now. Yet, by the events of Undertale, he has six.

i knew on a logical level that this would happen but the mod still managed to destroy me with the reality. As our friends try and figure out a way to keep us safe, we, the Spirit of Justice, a child with a pure heart, know that we can’t let this slide. We saw what humanities punishment has done to this species and we know that we can help them.

So, Clover sacrifices their Soul. And its at this moment that i started bawling like a child, watching their friends bargain with them, then plead, then seeing them slowly come to terms with it. And the game slowly ends from there, watching our hero make this sacrifice and then send away their friends so they don’t have to see them die. It’s just us, alone, knowing that we did the right thing and it cost us everything. It’s beautiful and tragic, the perfect ending that still chokes me up thinking about it.

And it pays off as the credits role and we get an epilogue that shows all the monsters we’ve touched and made their lives better.

It was special.

This was the special that i felt after Undertale.

And like Undertale, i will never touch it again (unless i speedrun it). The story was completed and the sacrifice was beautiful. It would be wrong of me to erase the deeds that i’ve done to better these lives. i don’t want to erase their happy ending just to tinker around and extract every ounce of life from this game.

So uh, yeah, sorry to the people who worked on geno-run. i’m sure you did a great job but i can’t bring myself to hurt these characters.

All-in-all, sitting there in a VC, bawling at 3:30 in the morning, i knew this was unique and I knew that i wanted to share my thoughts with the fandom and maybe even the developers if they get around to reading this.

Dear devs, if you read this, you created something out of this world, thank you.

Sincerely, thank you.

Would I recommend this mod?

Let me tell you what I said after the credits rolled.

“Fuck this mod.”

Err… text kind of loses the translation of those words being spoken through the warble of a tear-stricken voice that was fresh from sobbing for ten minutes straight.

So, uh…

Yeah, it was alright!

Hey, y'all should join my Discord! It's multifandom and queer as fuck (Please be 18+ though).

Visit my website to see where else you can find my work, follow my socials, or support me!

#Undertale #Undertale Yellow

[perhaps-in-anotherdream]

[CN] Victor’s Endearing Date (Eng Translation)

⌚Warning⌚ This post contains detailed spoilers for a date, 可爱之约, that is yet to be released on the global server! ♡

It’s very important to read the event stories first, so please read them before continuing further: ♡ || ♡ || ♡ || ♡ || ♡

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—  

【Chapter 1】

Ding ding——

A faint ringing comes from beside my pillow, and I groggily reach for it, only to find that the mattress next to me has unexpectedly dipped a little.

I hear a soft, rustling noise in the darkness as if a force has passed over my chest. The next moment, the alarm clock suddenly stops ringing.

Victor: [takes deep air into his 104, like a breath, also a moan]  …five o’clock?

Victor: It’s Saturday today. Why are you up so early?

A slightly raspy voice falls into my ears, and I open my eyes to see the hazy rays of dawn seeping through the window curtains. Memories of last night flood my mind.

I instantly snap awake, get up in one smooth motion, and turn on the desk lamp. The sudden brightness causes Victor to furrow his eyebrows, and then he squints at me.

Victor: What’s wrong?

MC: Why do you think I woke up so early?

Seeing him raise his eyebrows in confusion, I let out a slight “humph” from my nose.

MC: Look like CEO Victor has forgotten all about what happened last night. Shall I help you jog your memory, then?

—

───── [Flashback Begins] ─────

The night before. As soon as I return home after getting off work, I see Victor putting on his coat in the living room while I’m changing my shoes at the entrance.

MC: Are you going somewhere?

Victor: The Science and Technology Park investment project has been launched, and the partners have arranged a dinner party.

MC: Is it the investment project that wasn’t making any progress because of the land disputes?

Victor: Mm, there have been some positive developments later on.

Victor’s words are concise, but the slight inflection in his tone gives away his good mood.

During a casual conversation a few days ago, he mentioned the complexity of this case, comparing it to the challenges he faced with several major projects during the early days of his entrepreneurship.

And now, this project has made significant progress. Even though he may not say it out loud, he must feel a sense of accomplishment within himself.

MC: No wonder you were so busy and hardly home for several days.

Victor gives me a slightly amused glance and picks up a tie from the sofa.

Victor: The way a certain someone said that – it sounds like the lady of the house eagerly awaits my return home every day?

The teasing in his words makes me unable to contain my laughter. I stand on my tiptoes to work in concert and thread the tie through his shirt collar, tying it into a knot with familiar movements.

MC: Seeing how happy you are, I won’t eagerly await your return today. Enjoy your time with Lao Wei, Lao Zhang, and the others, and have a drink to your heart’s content!

Victor chuckles softly and taps my forehead.

Victor: [soft, indulgent laugh]  Babbling nonsense.

Although he said that, he certainly did not think I was babbling nonsense–– because he really did enjoy his time drinking to his heart’s content and doesn’t return home until the early hours of the morning.

–

Victor: [really trying his best LOL]  MC, I am home.

The words that float from the foyer are spoken with rhythmic ups and downs, as if painstakingly emphasizing to make each word clear.

–

I hurriedly walk out of the bedroom, and sure enough, I see Victor standing straight in the pitch-black foyer, his fingers continuously flipping the light switch on the control panel mounted on the wall.

There is not a single crease on his suit, and his hair is still in presentable shape. Despite so, the heavy darkness of the night is unable to conceal his misty gaze and crimson cheeks.

Victor: [flushed cheeks + “genuinely” concerned]  Does the light not work?

MC: …you’ve turned on the light outside the front door.

—

He responds with a faint “hmm,” and changes his shoes in silence, swaying as he walks leisurely towards the bathroom. Leaning against the sink, he begins to brush his teeth with one hand.

As I watch his swaying body and the steady hand while he brushes his teeth, I can’t help feeling perplexed and muttering in concern.

MC: Did you have too much to drink?

As if in response to me, he rinses his mouth the next moment and then waves his big hand, inserting the toothbrush directly into the aromatherapy bottle by the sink.

MC: …

—

Before I can say anything, he has already walked out of the bathroom, naturally rolling up his tie and placing it on the bed head. Then he clumsily changes his clothes, stumbling here and there, and finally collapses onto the bed.

I’m at a loss for whether to cry or laugh as I moisten a towel with water. By the time I get out of the bathroom, I see that Victor has already sat up again at some point, tapping away at the phone in his hand.

MC: What are you doing? Let me wipe your face and go back to sleep.

Upon hearing my voice, Victor cranes his neck slightly, giving me a small smile.

Victor: [flushed cheeks + THE GIDDDIEST tone you’ll ever hear + equally giddy “mmmhhn”]  We are going to France tomorrow.

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 2】

MC: What did you say?

Victor doesn’t answer. The next moment, his arms surprisingly drop as he drifts off to sleep, leaning against the pillow.

MC: …was that drunken nonsense?

I sigh speechlessly and walk over to him with the towel in my hand. As I bend down, my eyes inadvertently catch a glimpse of his phone.

The screen is stuck on a travel app, and on the page is displayed the order for two tickets to France tomorrow at noon, with the names of Victor and I prominently shown as the passengers.

I immediately stand frozen in place.

…why would he suddenly book tickets to France? Is this some impulsive behavior under the influence of alcohol?

But he is Victor… he wouldn’t do something this outrageous, right? If he booked the tickets for a legitimate reason, maybe I should start packing the bags?

I stand there for a while, finding myself at my wit’s end, then poke the soundly sleeping Victor. As the late Friday night stretches on, I am caught in a prolonged dilemma as the late Friday night stretches on.

───── [Flashback Ends] ─────

—

MC: So, since you’re sober now, can CEO Victor provide me with an explanation?

As the dawn gradually brightens, Victor’s face alternates between light and shadow, and his gaze begins to wander as a rare moment’s capture. Even the tips of his ears are tinged with a hint of crimson.

Victor: [heavily blushing + seriously confused]  So you’re saying I drank too much last night and then bought two tickets to France?

MC: Every word is true.

MC: Or else, why don’t I show CEO Victor the toothbrush stuck in the aromatherapy as the “evidence”?

Victor: [heavily blushing]  …no need.

Seeing the battle of complex emotions on his face, my wicked thoughts surge uncontrollably, and I clear my throat.

MC: I thought that a certain someone would never do anything outrageous even if he had drunk too much.

MC: It’s truly surprising how CEO Victor manages to leave such profound impressions with whatever he does.

Faced with my teasing, his expression stiffens even more. I can’t help but laugh up my sleeves, and then I look at the time with a deadpan face.

MC: There are still five hours until the plane departs.

MC: Now you gotta tell me whether this trip is on purpose or an accidental act under the influence of alcohol?

MC: Should we cancel the tickets, lie down and go back to sleep, or should we get up and prepare for the departure?

His lips twitch slightly, and he lapses into silence for a moment.

Victor: On purpose and accidental, it’s both.

MC: Did the CEO Victor actually just give such an ambiguous answer?

Faced with my taunting, Victor doesn’t say anything to retort and instead kneads the space between his brows helplessly.

Victor: [soft chuckle + helpless sigh]  This case has been time-consuming and very laborious. At the dinner table, the atmosphere was lively as everyone acknowledged that the current progress was worth celebrating.

Victor: And plus, a certain someone told me to have a drink to my heart’s content…

MC: Hang on, why are you blaming me now?

Victor: [helpless sigh]  I didn’t blame you, nor am I shirking accountability. It was indeed my fault.

Victor: It’s just that, I did listen to your words and took them to heart.

MC: How come I wasn’t aware that you actually obeyed my words this much?

Victor: Well, now you know.

The corners of my lips involuntarily curl upwards for a moment, but I immediately restrain them so as not to weaken my imposing manner, stubbornly letting out a small “humph” through my nostrils.

Victor’s eyebrows relax a little.

Victor: In summary, this was the beginning of the accident.

MC: And the purpose?

Victor: En route to the dinner party last night, I received an email from my mother’s former student in France.

Victor: While tending my mother’s house in France, he stumbled upon something tucked away behind a cupboard labeled as “Confidential Document.”

Victor: Considering that it was her personal belonging, he asked if I wanted to pick it up in person or have it couriered to me.

My eyes widen in surprise. I didn’t expect the reason behind this incident to actually be related to his mother. Thereupon, I subconsciously restrain my attitude.

MC: I see… so, it was because you wanted to pick it up in person, right?

Victor: [chuckles softly]  Not entirely.

Victor: You mentioned a few days ago that you would be finishing filming the program this week and wanted to find a place to rest for some time afterward.

Victor: I thought France would be a nice choice.

MC: Oh~~

I can’t help but lower the arms crossed over my chest and tug at the corner of the duvet.

MC: So it turns out CEO Victor still took me into consideration~

An almost imperceptible smile flashes in his eyes, causing me to snap back to my senses, and I pretend to frown once again.

MC: But that’s no reason for you to book the tickets without discussing it with me, is it?

Victor: Indeed not.

Victor: I originally intended to ask about your upcoming schedule after coming back.

Victor: I didn’t expect that…

Victor’s lips open and close, hesitating and not saying anything for a long time, as if he is unable to find the right words to summarize his actions from last night.

Seeing his rare appearance of looking defeated, I “kindly” take the initiative to fill in the blanks for him.

MC: You didn’t expect that you won’t be able to hold your liquor last night. And when you returned home, you imagined you had already discussed it with me, so you decided to book the tickets?

Victor: …

Victor: Although the wording is a bit off, it doesn’t deviate too far from the truth in general.

Victor: If you have other plans for this weekend, I can cancel the tickets.

Cancel the tickets? Are you kidding? It’s France! I agonized for so long last night before finally packing the perfect dress into the suitcase.

I glance subtly at the suitcase in the corner without showing any emotions, and let out a long, drawn-out sigh under his sincere gaze, dragging out a few sentences in a melodramatic tone.

MC: Humph, humph, in fact, I had originally planned to get a manicure this weekend first and then go to a scenic place to relax and unwind.

MC: But if I were to accompany you in France, I could reluctantly postpone that plan.

Victor: [knowing, helpless laughter]  In that case, reluctantly get out of bed first for the sake of France.

Amused, Victor rubs my head before getting up and pulling open the curtains. The brilliant sunlight shines upon the head of the bed, creating a pleasant ambiance that makes me stretch my body comfortably.

MC: But why are you so prompt with your responses today? I’m really not used to it.

Victor bends down and neatly arranges the slippers that I unintentionally kicked away last night.

Victor: After all, it was indeed my mistake.

Victor: Naturally, I will make it up to a certain dummy.

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 3】

The car drives through the grove of Sycamore trees on both sides of the road and reaches the end, where a peaceful little bungalow stands.

After the tiring journey of nearly a whole day, we finally arrive at Victor’s mum’s residence in France at 7 p.m. local time.

I hug the bouquet in my arms that we’ve bought on the way, taking a deep breath as I get out of the car.

MC: Paris~ the flavor of romance!

Victor gets off the car from the other side and takes the suitcase from the driver’s hand. 

Victor: Why have I never heard you mention before that this place has the flavor of romance?

MC: We basically come here for work every time we visit. How could we possibly experience the flavor of romance?

Victor: So, can we say that my unintentional action actually contributed to a certain someone’s romantic experience? 

MC: Just a reminder, CEO Victor. Don’t forget that you still need to compensate me for your unintentional act.

Victor: [chuckles softly]  ...You have an excellent memory when it comes to matters like this. 

As Victor speaks, he retrieves the key and slowly pushes open the door to the bungalow.

A touch of freshness wafts to us as we enter. The warm and tidy living room stands quietly in the evening glow, with the layout remaining exactly the same as I remember.

—

[Tidbits]: MC calls Victor’s mum “伯母” (bómǔ), which is a polite term of address for your BF/GF’s mother, a term you’d usually use to address someone your mom’s age. !! weeping at how she embraces his mom with such love, even though all she knows is the stories she’s heard from him. 😭❤️

—

MC: [calling out to him]  Victor, where should I put the flowers for Auntie?

Victor: The vase should be placed by the window. You can fetch water from the kitchen.

He speaks while opening the circuit box and turning on the switch, then gestures toward me with his chin.

I walk over to the window and pick up the vase, then fill it with water from the kitchen before carefully arranging the fresh bouquet inside. As I do so, I murmur to myself softly.

MC: Auntie, I heard that Victor always brings flowers for you every time he visits. Some of the flowers this time were chosen by me. I hope you will like them~

I hear a peal of familiar soft laughter coming from behind me. Through the reflection on the window, I see Victor picking up a glass of water and approaching me from behind.

Victor: [that subtle laugh of joy––]  It’s rare for a dummy to grow up so swiftly.

Victor: The last time you were here, you were so nervous that you were at a loss for what to do. But this time, you’ve even thought about your greetings in advance.

—

[Tidbits]: Refresher – he is referring to his 3rd birthday date (Eternal Promise Date on EN).

—

My cheeks turn red at being exposed like this, and I take a big gulp from the glass of water he is holding.

MC: Who said it was thought out in advance? I was just expressing my feelings in the moment!

There is a clear look of sarcasm on his face, and I hastily change the subject to divert attention.

MC: Where’s that document? Have you looked at it?

Victor: The email said that it would be placed on the coffee table. 

We walk into the living room and see quite a large white envelope on the coffee table, with the word “CONFIDENTIAL!!” written in exceptionally graceful handwriting.

Just as I’m about to ask Victor whether he needs me to give him some privacy, he opens the envelope without the slightest hesitation.

A red-colored booklet catches my attention, featuring several cute little flowers as embellishments on the cover that encircle the cartoon-style font in the center.

My gaze is involuntarily drawn to the line, and I subconsciously read the words out loud.

MC: “Victor’s Growth Record During the Study Tour Program in France”?

In an instant, all the exhaustion from the journey vanishes, and I sit up straight in pleasant surprise.

MC: So, the confidential document actually turned out to be your study abroad record? Did you come to France for a study tour when you were a kid? How old were you back then?

Victor’s expression freezes as if he didn’t anticipate this to be the content inside the envelope. His Adam’s apple slides up and down, and he shakes his head in resignation.

Victor: I didn’t expect it to be this.

Seemingly sensing my searing gaze, Victor turns his head to look at me.

Victor: [helpless laugh]  I can show it to you, so soften that “ferocious” expression on your face.

MC: Really? Victor, you’re so good!

Without waiting for his reply, I solemnly flip open the first page of the journal.

MC: “In commemoration of Vic-Vic’s first study tour trip. Mum’s adorable little gentleman has grown up~”

The adorable tone seems to declare her joyful emotion to the entire world, and I can’t help the smile on my face as I eagerly turn to the next page.

On the brightly colored decorative paper, the top right corner is marked with “Day 0 of the Study Tour,” accompanied by a paragraph of text and a laminated Polaroid photo.

MC: “When I heard that Vic-Vic was going to sign up for an art study tour, I asked him, ‘Why did you choose an art study tour?’”

MC: “He said in reply – because the study tour program to France only offered art, and he simply missed Mum.”

As I read this, my voice unconsciously falters for a moment, and a soft wave of ripples spreads to the bottom of my heart, causing my voice to slow down a little.

MC: “The first…”

Victor: [adorable awkward cough]  You can just read it silently. There’s no need to read every single word aloud.

Fearing he might “strip” me of my reading rights, I immediately fall silent and continue to read with gusto.

The following pages are filled with bits and pieces from Victor’s study tour program, each accompanied by a laminated Polaroid.

The scenes captured in the pictures include many scenic spots, as well as many objects filled with significance–– such as a record player, flowers, certificates of achievement…

I read through the pages with exuberant interest. Even though the papers themselves are void of warmth, I seem to touch a tender heart within.

MC: I can’t believe how thick the journal is. Auntie must have put so much thought into it~

MC: And her writing is so vibrant and amusing, unlike a certain someone who wore a poker face all day long––

Victor: Indeed. The “certain someone” you’re referring to used to have a poker face as a kid too.

Victor: But it’s still better than being a dummy since childhood.

Victor arches his eyebrows, wearing a righteous expression. I click my tongue in dissatisfaction and mutter under my breath.

MC: And now, not only does he have a poker face, but he’s also become sharp-tongued, nothing like the “adorable little gentleman” depicted in Auntie’s writing.

MC: I seriously suspect that these three words are Auntie’s “mum filter”!

Victor nods slightly, not offering any rebuttal.

Victor: It’s unusual for you to be correct for once.

Victor: [that loving tone––]  It’s true. In my memory, besides her, no one ever used “adorable” to describe me.

MC: Humph, I knew it…

I flip to the next page complacently, only to be smacked in the face by the Polaroid that greets my eyes in the next second.

MC: SO CUTE!!

Little Victor, wearing a flower garland and a crown on his head, is looking into the camera, his big eyes sparkling with pure brilliance.

His chubby cheeks still retain a childlike innocence, but the mature expression and demeanor of a little adult that seems inharmonious reveal a glimpse of his appearance today.

I impatiently turn my attention to the accompanying text, and through the concise words, I learn the story behind this Polaroid––

MC: Wow! This sensible little gentleman participated in an art knowledge quiz competition and won two concert tickets for Auntie.

Victor purses the corners of his attractive lips, seemingly deep in thought about that distant past in his mind, and a glimmer of tenderness flickers in his eyes.

Victor: Mm, I remember this incident distinctly. At that time, she happened to want to attend this music concert, that’s why I participated.

MC: So, it turns out that a certain someone was already this earnest and refined at such a young age.

I lift my head, giving Victor a careful once-over as I purse my lips.

MC: Could it be that all successful entrepreneurs exhibit mature leadership qualities since childhood?

Victor: It’s not as overly dramatic as you’re making it sound.

Victor: [the way he says that asksjds––]  Even a successful entrepreneur, when he was a kid, may accidentally knock down a certain someone’s sandcastle and make pudding for her to make amends.

I can’t help but burst into laughter, capturing a hint of teasing in those beautiful eyebrows and eyes.

MC: As wise men said, to err is human~

MC: At least Little Vic has been mature and sensible since childhood and didn’t give his parents much to worry about. We can say that he is their greatest pride, right?

Victor: Looks like a certain someone’s flattery business has expanded to me as a kid as well?

MC: It’s not flattery by any means!

The temperature of the spring night is still accompanied by a slight chill. Without realizing it, I take his hand in mine and point to the journal.

–

[Anika’s Notes]: !! DON’T WORRY VICTOR WRITERS I SEE YOU GUYS!!! The oh-so-subtle reference to “Sweet Tangerine Date,” where she tried to ward off the cold from his palm as he reminisced how his mum would take him on long walks on the streets of France while holding his hand~ 😭

–

MC: I can feel her overflowing happiness and joy from the snippets of her words~

MC: She must have been so very proud of you, which is why she recorded these little details with such satisfaction.

Hearing my words, Victor’s fingertips twitch slightly. His warm palm caresses my cheek, brushing away my stray hair and gently tucking it behind my ear.

I blink and lift my hand sincerely.

MC: So, I’m applying for a copy of this happiness and joy–– let me capture it with my phone and preserve it as a token of remembrance.

As I see his lips about to move, I immediately add another sentence.

MC: I advise you to think carefully before refusing. Don’t forget that you still need to compensate me, and now is a great opportunity. 

Victor curls the corners of his lips. The warm radiance from the ceiling light dances in his eyes, making it impossible for me to take my eyes off him.

Victor: [extremely soft laugh]  Who said I was going to refuse?

Victor: I just wanted to say that my plan for a “nice compensation” was originally scheduled for tomorrow. But now, it seems like it may not be necessary anymore? 

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 4】

I’m momentarily taken aback. Originally, it was purely a joke, but I didn’t realize that he really was mulling over how to “compensate” me.

My heart softens all the more. I can’t resist the urge to reach for his arm and press my cheek against his embrace.

MC: Never mind the compensation.

MC: Opportunities of such “without any plans or arrangements” travel are so difficult to come by for us. So, let’s just do something we both enjoy.

MC: Besides, as long as I’m with you, no matter where we go or what we do, it’s already the best arrangement for me.

I gaze sincerely into his eyes, observing them as they seem to be bathed in an increasingly gentler light, with varying shades of depth and brightness lingering within.

Victor tightens his arms around me, and the soft strands of his hair brush against my cheek. I feel him take a deep breath in the crook of my neck.

Victor: [that prolonged sexy, loving inhale––]  Since that’s the case, how about we go and experience the “romantic flavor” of this city, as a certain someone put it?

In the end, Victor doesn’t specify how the next day will be arranged, but I have an incredibly peaceful night’s sleep regardless.

–

The next day. He wakes me up early in the morning.

MC: Where are we going?

Victor: You’ll know when we get there.

Victor pauses, his gaze sweeping over my suitcase.

Victor: Wear that dress you brought.

My heart stirs, and ripples of anticipation surge within me. I promptly get out of bed and freshen up.

—

After driving for a little over two hours, we reach a seaside town near Paris and arrive at a lively beach.

Taking a glance around, I see the azure sky merging seamlessly with the sea, and the golden sandy shore shimmers brightly beneath the sunlight.

After parking the car, we walk down the steps to a relatively gently sloping beach, where various colored sun umbrellas dot the shore, and vendors have set up stalls displaying a wide array of goods.

MC: The sea is so stunning!

Before I can even take a step toward the sea, I’m stopped by Victor.

Victor: Before you get all dirty playing around, come with me to a place first.

Victor clasps my hand firmly and walks straight to a stall in the section with the umbrellas.

—

Looking in the direction of his gaze, I find that the booth in front of me is adorned with an array of colorful bottles and jars, displaying a variety of nail art designs on the table.

It’s actually a nail station!

My eyes widen, and a brief moment of confusion flashes through my mind. But in the next second, it all becomes clear to me, and I realize his intention for bringing me here.

“Get a manicure, and then find a scenic place to relax and unwind…” – this is what I had said to Victor as my “weekend plans” before we set off.

Thinking about the nonsense I cooked up off the top of my head at the time, I can’t help but feel guilty as I swallow.

MC: Di-didn’t you say that we were going to experience the “romantic flavor” of Paris?

Victor nods solemnly, and unexpectedly, a rare hint of apology is weaved in his expression.

Victor: I had initially thought that getting a manicure and relaxing by the beautiful seaside would be sufficiently romantic for a certain someone and would make up for her original weekend plans.

Victor: It seems that I was wrong.

MC: No, no…

I promptly try to explain, but as soon as I raise my head and meet Victor’s gaze, I catch a fleeting glint of teasing in his eyes.

MC: …you already knew from the beginning that my “weekend plans” were some nonsense I made up, didn’t you?

Victor: After all, a certain dummy’s expression was so complacent at the time, and the words “I finally caught you making a mistake” were basically written all over her face.

His righteous tone causes a surge of heat to climb up my cheeks and make them flush, and I can’t help but retort in a low voice.

MC: Since CEO Victor already knew early on, why did he still put so much effort into arranging all these?

Hearing my words, Victor smiles lightly. His voice is low, mellow, and gentle, but it carries within it an unconcealed indulgence.

Victor: I had already answered this question of yours long before our departure.

Victor: It’s because I listen to your words and take them to heart.

I’m briefly taken aback, with the sound of waves crashing and receding echoing in my ears. My heart is also influenced by the tumultuous sea, rising and falling in tandem.

Victor: Why is a certain someone dumbfounded? Does it mean she is refusing this “compensation”?

Snapping out of my reverie, I tuck away the waves of precious emotions in my heart and flash him a playful grin.

MC: That’s right~ ‘cause now I’ve thought of another way of “compensation.”

Without giving him a chance to reply, I firmly grab his hand and trot all the way to the seaside.

The surging fine waves roll to our calves, soaking the hem of my dress and the legs of his pants, making us both look a little disheveled within moments.

Though seeming a little surprised, Victor doesn’t break free from my hand.

—

With a mischievous thought, I give him a strong tug, causing his slippery feet to stumble as we both fall into the shallow water waves, swaying as we do so.

The waves under the sunlight are not chilly, but rather embrace our bodies gently. As I watch the seawater splashing onto the tips of Victor’s hair, I find myself unable to contain my laughter.

He squints his eyes slightly. In the next moment, he suddenly springs to action, pulling me into his arms along with the crashing waves against my back.

The sunlight filters through the gaps in his hair, making its way into my sight. And his face, set against the backdrop of the azure sky, is incredibly dazzling.

Victor arches his brows, resting his forehead against mine, his deep voice revealing an absolute joy that cannot be concealed.

Victor: [you can actually hear the child in him]  Is this your so-called way of compensation, or is it a punishment?

MC: Neither~

I lift my head up, bringing myself closer to his breath, touching and feeling the warmth of his body just within reach with insatiable yearning.

MC: I just want you to know that I don’t need any “compensation.”

MC: On the contrary, I find it endearing when you make mistakes.

MC: I like how, even when you’re drunk and can’t tell the switches on the light control panel, you still use all your willpower to go through your bedtime routine.

MC: I like that embarrassed and helpless expression on your face when you learned about your drunken actions.

MC: I like the way you think you “owe” me something, and I like how you solemnly promise to make it up to me.

MC: What I like even more is the way you treat everything related to me with utmost sincerity, no matter how big or small, and I like how you listen to every word I say earnestly.

MC: And like, even now, lying together with me in the sea, looking a little disheveled and rough around the edges…

MC: All of you, with all your realness and adorableness, make up the Victor I love in my eyes.

The roaring sound of the crashing waves reverberates. Fearing that he might not be able to hear my heart’s feelings clearly, I can’t help but increase my volume and articulate them out loud one by one.

Victor is taken aback for a moment, and the shimmering specks of light on the surface of the sea reflect in his eyes, mapping them with incomparable brightness.

Victor: Although these words could be suspected as the way to absolve your reckless behavior…

Victor: But I must admit, I am taken by them.

There is a pause in his tone, and his face under the gorgeous sun gradually regains its customary steadfast composure. A little playfully, he then elevates his intonation as if deliberately radiating a light-hearted and vibrant aura.

Even the corners of his lips and the arches of his eyebrows are adorned with an unmistakable liveliness and cuteness that cannot be concealed.

Victor: So, keep on liking me like this.

Victor: Let me remain this adorable in your eyes forever.

─────    

───────────────────────────────────────────────────────

[Anika’s Afterthoughts]

#“i love you because you are YOU and you gave me all of YOU. the most real and genuine YOU─” #“yes your perfections compelled me. but it was when i saw you with all your scars-quirks-human ways did i fall for you even harder.” #LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY #i honestly can’t word just how much i love this man and these two akskdjskab ༼⁠;⁠´⁠༎ຶ⁠ ⁠۝ ⁠༎ຶ⁠༽🌊 #mlqc victor #mlqc li zeyan #mlqc #mr love victor #mr love queen's choice #恋与制作人 #李泽言 #love and producer #mlqc cn #mlqc spoilers #mlqc translations

[explorevenus]

hi everyone !!!

so happy ppl are enjoying the new chapter but i just wanted to get something off my chest if u don’t mind ;w;

i appreciate that everyone has differing opinions on how they want something permanent to end, but please understand that i already have the ending planned and it’s a little concerning/frustrating to have people commenting about how upset/disappointed they’re going to be if it doesn’t end the way they want it to.

i’ve noticed a sudden influx of people commenting that they want a “happy ending” and for one, i’m not even really sure what that means given the contents of the story, and for two i just personally don’t feel that a supposed “happy ending” would make sense with the world i’ve built. i think it would be jarring, immersion breaking and out of left field for something permanent to have a “happy ending.” of course i welcome criticism and discussion, but this isn’t about criticism and discussion, it’s about people very blatantly telling me what to do with my own story and i just don’t like that.

at the end of the day, something permanent is my brain child and it means a lot to me that thousands of people have been reading it and engaging and becoming invested, but i shouldn’t feel worried that people are going to riot and hate me over the ending that hasn’t even happened yet. i never expected it to blow up the way it did and i would just really appreciate it if everyone could respect that i am going write it in a way that i’d like for it to be written, and i hope that’s enough for people.

while the ending is still a number of chapters away— i tentatively plan to end it at 15 chapters— i just needed to get this off my chest because it’s starting to make me nervous that it’s going to be controversial and quite frankly i just don’t think it’s that serious. this is a fanfiction written entirely in my free time and purely out of love. of course i love to hear what my readers think but there is a massive difference between discussion/questions/comments/criticism and… threatening to riot if the ending isn’t what you wanted it to be.

i don’t say this to be rude but there are dozens of other stories similar to something permanent that do provide that “happy ending” and you are welcome to read those if that’s what you’d prefer. without spoiling what i have planned, all i’ll say is that if you’re looking for a happy ending, you’re not going to find it in this story and i don’t think it’s fair to get upset with me for writing what i want to write. i’m not here to morally grandstand about kidnapping and abusive relationships— if you need a fanfiction author to tell you those things are wrong, i don’t know what to say to you.

lastly i’d just like to note that this is not directed at anyone in particular, it’s just in response to a trend i’ve noticed among my comments on tumblr and ao3 recently.

thanks for reading my little vent/rant, enjoy the new chapter and i’ll catch you guys later <3

#says venus #venttext

[akookminsupporter]

Jungkook's interview with The Atlantic

About releasing a full album in English:

At first, Jungkook felt conflicted about this. “I was thinking, Is it okay for a Korean to not release Korean songs at all?” the 26-year-old singer told me through an interpreter, from his entertainment company’s office in Seoul. BTS achieved global popularity while making music almost entirely in their native language, with the exception of a few English-language hits such as “Dynamite” and “Butter.” At the same time, the whole point of his solo effort was to challenge himself—and exclusively singing in English seemed like one good way to do that. Yet he hopes to connect with people on a level deeper than language. “When you think about pop stars, they’re these really cool singers that you’d look up to since your childhood,” he said. “Of course, things have been changing a lot. But I still have that pop-star image stuck in my head since my childhood. And I want to be a cool guy that gives off that amazing vibe.”

Jungkook said he loved the demo for “Standing Next to You” so much that he recorded a full track the next day. 

About writing or not his own music:

He told me that, for a long time, he thought it was important for artists to write their own records (as some BTS members elected to do for their solo albums). Jungkook has written and produced songs for BTS, including quiet ballads and electropop anthems; at least two tracks that he wrote for his solo project ended up being recorded by the group instead. “As I grew up, I came to terms with reality and started accepting what I’m not good at or what I don’t have to do,” he said. “At this moment, there’s nothing I want to write about. So I was thinking, Do I really need to invest my time into creating a song from the beginning to the end?” With Golden, the urgent desire wasn’t there, and the timing didn’t make sense. (BTS is expected to reunite in 2025, after all of the members have completed their mandatory military service; Jungkook has yet to begin his.) Rather than writing lyrics or composing melodies, he chose to experiment with new vocal techniques and hone his live-performance skills.

About the content in his songs:

The songs on “Golden” reference mature themes—namely, substances and sex—more explicitly than his previous work, in part because of the relative cultural conservatism of his home country and the idol industry. Jungkook has openly acknowledged this shift (and seemed unbothered by the more pearl-clutching reactions) but says he’s not trying to redefine himself in relation to his past. “Jungkook back then was Jungkook back then, and somehow, I became who I am right now. The one that’s making all the judgment calls is me, myself, in this very moment,” he said. “I’m not thinking, Oh, I should break away from that cute image as the youngest member ... Lyrics are just lyrics, and images are images.” He added that he chose love songs for their universality, but that people shouldn’t read them as autobiographical.

Throughout our conversation, Jungkook would do things that might read as typically maknae to those fans who’ve followed him for years: drinking his water by lifting the cup with both tattooed, sweater-pawed hands; waving goodbye for a solid 15 seconds with a giant smile on his face, again with both hands. But the way he talks—how he visibly works through a tricky question as he’s speaking, correcting himself or jumping in to add a thought—and his poised manner offer clear signs of creative intentionality and hard-won maturity. Those signs come through in the album too: in his natural-sounding enunciation, the way he slips between a fluttery falsetto and a warm lower register on “Closer to You” or plays with volume and tone on “Hate You.” It’s the sort of growth you see in someone who hasn’t stopped running.

#jungkook #golden by jungkook #bts in solitario

[secretwhumplair]

Bedtime

1,304 words | Mirai and the serpent king (sequel to Welcome)

Content | Slavery, anxiety, touch starvation, nightmare (non-con touch, briefly mentioned non-con), implied future non-con

Notes | I am delighted to be introducing Shasha and Izara. And also an interesting tidbit about elven culture/probably biology.

Taglist | @yet-another-heathen @echo-goes-aaa @whumpinator

The day passed quietly, almost disturbingly calm. Mirai was half-expecting something awful to interrupt the peace, but nothing happened except lunch—they were, he learned, getting three meals a day, every day.

He sat quietly with the others, too shy to join their games or talk much, but slowly, slowly getting used to the fact he was in company now. Sure, there had been other slaves in the trader’s possession as well; but they always knew they might be, at any point, mere days from being ripped apart at the next market, and it was easier not to get too invested, even if the circumstances hadn’t been so wretched they allowed for little more than survival.

Now, for the first time in, oh, years, he might make friends.

If he had the nerve.

After dinner, a young guard appeared in the door, rather at ease, as if this was an ordinary occurence. They gave a brief order, in Hishissa.

The red-haired man rose, and, accompanied by a serpent woman—he assumed—covered in scales like fresh spring leaves, followed the guard out, with a passing »good night« for the others. Neither of them, Mirai noted, seemed terribly miserable to have been called upon; the human appeared as one going to work they didn’t loathe which fed their family, and the serpent, if Mirai wasn’t mistaken, outright pleased.

Surely, that was a good sign.

The rest of the evening passed in the same peaceful quiet. One after the other, or sometimes in pairs or threes, the slaves withdrew into the bedrooms, and Mirai started to get nervous, unsure of how he was supposed to act.

He didn’t want to sleep alone. He had been forced to often enough, but it wasn’t normal for an elf to do so, and he craved cuddling up with someone, anyone.

Maybe that was why he had slept so well last night, all curled up in the middle of the serpent king.

Finally, almost everyone had disappeared, with only the other elf—Izara—and the dark shimmering serpent Mirai had seen him with earlier left in the living room. Izara was reading out loud from a book, lounging comfortably in the snake’s coiled body, in a language that must be the local—it didn’t quite sound the way it did from the guards, but Mirai didn’t understand a word.

Suddenly, Izara closed the book and looked right at Mirai. »So. You won’t want to sleep alone, I guess?«

Mirai shook his head. He still didn’t want to speak to Izara. Not because of anything Izara had done, but because he would be the first to understand the true magnitude of his defect.

»You can sleep with us, if you want to. I’m Izara. This is Shasha.« He sounded very matter-of-factly about it, which was the best Mirai had dared hope for. They had hardly met, after all.

»I didn’t know that by getting entangled with one elf, I’d be dealing with every elf,« Shasha sniffed.

»Don’t listen to him,« Izara said immediately, rolling his eyes.

»Yes, don’t listen to me, I’m just playing. You can sleep with us, I know you people can’t sleep alone.«

»‘Can’t’ is a strong word.«

»And you’re but a weak elf, so I shall not use it again to spare your fragile mind.«

Mirai had watched the exchanged nervously, unsure how seriously to take it—and if it really was all play, worried to encroach upon a long-established friendship after a manner he could barely understand.

»Come on,« Izara said, ignoring Shasha’s last comment, hopped off his scaly seat, and led the way into one of the bedrooms.

Mirai hurried to follow, with Shasha close behind. He followed the example of the others in taking off his clothes. Izara showed him where he could put them in the wardrobe, and Mirai put his hair into one big braid to protect it overnight. By the time they were done, Shasha had curled up on the bed.

Izara climbed over them to rest in the nest Shasha’s body made. Mirai hesitated.

»Oh, it’s always alright to climb over a snake. They don’t mind. It’s a cultural thing. I guess they’d get into each other’s way far too much otherwise.«

»Centaurs are weird about it, though. Don’t reach over Ikkira’s back. It’s rude, apparently.«

»You used to do it all the time,« Izara remarked.

»Yes, and she hates me for it,« Shasha replied gleefully. »Anyway, come to bed. Snuggle up.«

They reached out a hand and helped Mirai climb over them. He laid down and nuzzled into Izara’s back; it felt so right he had to hold back a sigh of relief.

Izara for his part threw an arm out over Shasha’s chest, which they had arranged before him, and rested his head on their body. Shasha blew out the light.

Mirai wasn’t half as tired as he had been the night before, and maybe that was why he was so keenly aware of the snake body looped around him. He would have to get used to it, not only to be surrounded by the other snake folk in the harem—but also to be held and touched and—probably it was good practice to sleep here with Shasha.

If he could manage to sleep, now that he was thinking about these things.

He had to ask. It felt easier in the dark.

»Is- what is the king like?« He kept his voice to a whisper, hoping to conceal its real sound for a little longer.

»Oh.« Izara half-turned. »He’s…« The pause drew on far too long for Mirai’s comfort, then Izara went on, quietly, »Frankly, I’m the wrong person to ask this. He’s saved my life. He’s not… he has his desires and he did buy each of us for them, but he takes good care of us.«

»He said he won’t hurt me.«

»Not for now, no.«

Mirai looked up, fear piercing through him at Shasha’s words.

»Was that necessary, Shasha?« Izara had felt his movement. »Look, it’s better here than almost anywhere else. He’ll be gentle with you until you’ve recovered enough to handle a little stress. And he’ll be kind with you.«

»That is true. But, you know. You’ll find out in time. Don’t worry about it too much, it isn’t worth it. You’ll be okay.«

»Okay.« Mirai’s voice came out even smaller than he had intended to.

»Aw, I didn’t mean to frighten you. I just didn’t want to lie to you.«

»You were a con artist, Shasha.«

»That doesn’t mean I’m a liar.« Shasha seemed scandalized.

»Whatever, I’ll leave you criminals to it. Good night. It’s going to be alright, Mirai.«

»Good night, you little innocent lamb.«

»Good night,« Mirai muttered, and although it took him a while to calm his swirling thoughts, eventually, they were all asleep.

Mirai was alone in the dark.

But not alone alone. Someone was there, someone big and powerful, and soon, he felt their hands on his hips, digging into his skin. There was more than one, in fact, he could tell when more and more hands grabbed and groped at him, pushed into him, bruised his thighs and hips.

He tried to scream, but no sound came out, and he could feel more than hear them laugh at his pathetic attempts to crawl away, gripping more and more of him, his legs, his arms, and then a pair of hands closed around his throat—

Mirai started awake, gasping for breath.

»Shhh. ‘s alright… oh. Wrong elf.« Before Mirai could process what was happening, Shasha moved, and moments later, Mirai found himself in a soft, warm hug, nothing like his nightmares. »It’s okay, Mirai. You’re safe.«

He was too upset and frightened to question it; he just buried himself in Shasha’s chest, grateful for the comfort.

#whump #whump writing #slavery whump #my writing #mirai and the serpent king #mirai #shasha #izara #fun fact: shasha is dyslexic that's why izara reads to them #I love them both a normal amount send me asks about them

[cacaobean760]

Ok so this is my first ever post but I actually really want to talk about this because for the past 3 or 4 days I have been hyperfixated on Touchstarved 😅(but who can blame me🤷‍♀️) so this is gonna be on Leander because like everyone else I have been thinking about his character and what everything means because he is obviously MAD sus. I know that there are already a lot of theories out there in this pretty boy so I’m just gonna talk about some weird lines I noticed and I think I’ll do a separate post about things about his character physically because this is already gonna be a long one🌞 I honestly have no idea where to really start but I’m just gonna hop right in so buckle up because this will probably be long🤠 Now first things first as much as I would love to trust this pretty boy we all know that he is, for one reason or another, trying to get us to trust him. And with the very first option we get with Leander to either take the flowers or refuse them, if you choose to refuse them he basically just dismisses us and reiterates what he said before

At first glance this seems innocent enough and maybe even kind but when you actually think about it, it is a bit weird. Like he is really trying to make a good impression on us because who doesn’t like flowers right?👀 and we know that he is specifically targeting us because before this when everyone else is calling out for the flowers(which means that we can assume that they all already like, trust, and or know Leander) this happens

Now upon reading this, this was definitely gonna happen because we are the MC but if you look at this from Leanders view, we are a new face, someone he doesn’t know yet, someone who doesn’t trust him yet. Leander later plays this off by flattery and saying he is,” certain that he would remember a face as lovely as ours around Lowtown”. Now I just might be SUPER paranoid here but I feel this kills two birds with one stone because one it covers up the fact that he noticed us right away but also establishes a relationship with some flattery. Am I saying he is lying when he says this and that he is not being truthful about finding us attractive, no, but I definitely think that there is a hidden agenda here, which is getting us to trust him. Next, I don’t even know what this fully means but I think it definitely alludes to his character so I’ll include it

Just like the flowers, Leander is trying to make an impression, whether this nice guy act last long or not, we don’t know yet 🤷‍♀️ Later on in the story at the bar counter the MC and Leander are chit chatting so Leander asks us why we are at the Wet Wick and once Leander realizes it’s for work his mood changes immediately but only for a second

Before he was very happy and all smiles but for some reason this drops when he realizes it’s about work??? I also have no idea what this means again, but if he is actually disappointed that we did not come to the Wet Wick just because, or something else I don't know, but I feel this is important. Then when we mention the Senobium and all the Bloodhounds act up this caught my eye

Beforehand he was very invested in us and talkative but now he doesn’t even notice an uproar??? And then to add on, when he does notice, this is his reaction

I just feel that this is a very weird reaction for someone who is portrayed as very friendly and outgoing. Again in the moment of reading this it might not seem that weird or out of character but when you think about how bubbly he was before it definitely is questionable. Like I said there are many theories on Leander and the Bloodhounds and one of them is that the Bloodhounds are a gang or something like it and something that I feel backs this up is this line right here, specifically the key word territory

As far as I know gangs do have territory. But this means that there has to be some other territory or some sort of rival! This leads me to what Vere says later on in the game when you choose to follow him

Sooooooo does this mean that the Senobium is or has a gang???? Maybe, but I feel that there is something going on there. Then after all the commotion we finally go outside and Leander tries to figurer out what is "wrong" with us and why we want to go to the Senobium. When trying to convince us to tell him he says

Again at first glance, this seems perfectly fine but, again, I may just be reading wayyyy to much into things, but to me, this feels a bit cocky for someone as friendly and bubbly as he is suppose to be. He is most definitely trying to convince us to tell him about ourselves even though we already know that INFORMATION IS VERY SENSITIVE IN THIS CITY. And yet Leander reassures us that he can help and so we should tell him. Then when we finally do tell him that we are cursed his response is

This strikes me as odd because the Devs have said that yes, he is from a Hightown family, but he did not go to the Senobium to study, soooo how exactly would he know the differences and why would he be so interested in it because unless for some odd reason he was taught at home about curses which I don't think is very likely, what did he exactly do to acquire this knowledge?

Ok so this is already really long, like longer then I thought it would be but I still have more so Ima just gonna do a part 2, but thanks for reading!!! And in conclusion, Leander is mad sus.

#touchstarved #pretty boys #touchstarved game #leander #gaming #Its ok because you are still hot

[observeowl]

A Chance N.R

Natasha Romanoff x Reader

Summary: Natasha and R talks about having kids and their journey

Natasha was always an attentive person, she always let you talk and only asked her questions after. You can tell she’s really interested in the topic when she asks questions after questions. 

Like right now.

We were at Clint’s place visiting them when Lila showed her recent drawings. Nat was really invested as they conversed with each other. Cooper saw them and didn’t want to feel left out so he joined them as well. 

They were in their own world while their parents and I looked over at them. 

“So… Nat and kids huh.” Clint started out as he took a sip of his coffee. 

“What? I never- well, because Nat-... I don’t know.” I didn’t know what to say. I could tell Nat was having kids in her mind but she hasn’t spoken to me about it. 

“I’m sure it’s okay. You can be the one talking to her about it.” Laura suggested. I nodded to let her know I heard her but it was going to be tough to talk to Nat about it. 

What if I was reading the signs wrong? Maybe she didn’t want a kid. We were not even married yet. What if we fall out in the future? Are we even ready? How are we going to take care of a child in the future? Natasha pulled me out of my thoughts when she placed a hand on my thigh as we were driving back. 

“Yeah?” 

“I called you many times but you weren’t answering. What were you thinking about?” Nat took my left hand while she kept hers on the steering wheel. Should I tell her now? Do I risk it?

“Baby?” Natasha called me again. “You’ve been off since we left Clint’s.” 

“I saw how you looked at Lila and Cooper… Do you… want a kid?” I asked and turned to look at her expression. Her face fell slightly and I knew it was bad timing to ask her. I shouldn’t have asked her at all, now she thinks that I am rushing her. Stupid me. 

“I do.” Nat said, making me snap my head to her. “But I can’t.” She continued. 

“I’m sure Bruce or Tony can figure something out.” I clasped her hand tightly to reassure her. Being forcefully taken away from the privilege of having your own child was such a sick thing to do but I am glad that she may have a chance again. 

All of a sudden, Nat swerved the car to the side of the road and I yelped before being brought into a passionate kiss. “There’s no one else I'd rather have a kid with.” 

---

So here we are going to our first ultrasound. Nat took the procedure so it was her carrying our kid. It was either up to Nat or me to carry the baby since they were also able to figure out a way for Nat to get pregnant or than it being genetically from the both of us. 

It was really going either way. Both of us wanted the other party to carry it since it was a very noble task but eventually I pulled out the ultimatum. 

“I’m younger than you. If a few years down the road we decide to have another kid then I’ll carry it. For now, I want you to have the experience first.” I explained to her. Although I wanted her to carry it, it was also dangerous since there could be many complications as Bruce told us. But deep down, I know she knows this could be her only chance. 

“Congratulations! It’s a success.” Bruce showed us the tiny blob on the screen showing that there was finally a life in Natasha. 

“You did it!” I held Nat’s hand in joy. “You’re going to be a mum.”

Natasha POV I thought I could never be happier when I asked Y/N to be my girlfriend. Seeing the screen brought me so much joy I’ve never felt before. Y/N was also very excited as she shook me immediately after hearing the good news. 

“Well, obviously Fury will be notified of this and no future mission for you.” Bruce said as he printed out the ultrasound for the both of us. “Congratulations once again.” 

And with that, time began with the overprotectiveness. I know the first trimester can be slightly tricky and risky as there was a higher chance of miscarriage but Y/N was around me 24/7. It was tough tackling morning sickness and cravings. 

In the beginning, Y/N made me my usual peanut butter sandwich and I made sure she cuts it diagonally otherwise I won’t be eating it. She plates it up and serves it to me together with some orange juice. One of the downsides I quickly realised was not being able to drink my morning coffee. 

As I brought the sandwich closer, the feeling of throwing up was very apparent. I dropped the sandwich and pushed it away and tried to regain myself. “Are you okay?” Y/N came around and asked.

I started tearing up as Y/N held me. “What’s wrong?” She asked. 

Unable to get any words out, I started sobbing uncontrollably in Y/N chest. She became visibly worried as she kept asking if I was okay and what was wrong. I only shook my head and she waited until I calmed down. 

“Do you want to tell me what’s wrong?” 

“I can’t eat my peanut butter sandwich…” I took her a moment to click in her head but she just smiled at me.

“You can always find a new favourite.” She pulled away from me and used her index finger to lift my chin. “Think of it as an opportunity to explore. Think about all the food combinations there are in the world, maybe you’ll find another one you like.”

“And if you don’t… well, you can come back to it after nine months.” She chuckled at the end. 

“I’ll never leave my peanut butter sandwich.” I said. “But, she wants some ice cream right now.” 

“She? So it’s a her? And are you sure it’s not you who wants ice cream in the morning?” She teased and booped my nose. 

“It’s just a feeling. We are one now, so what I want is what she wants.” I said as I gently caressed my non-existence bump.

“And what you want, I will get.” She kissed my forehead before looking through the freezer for some ice cream. Without bothering to scoop it up, she took the entire tub with a spoon for me. 

“It’s yours now. No one else will touch it.” 

---

It’s been a few weeks now and my cravings have been all over the place, literally. Thanks to Y/N and Tony’s extensive cash and contacts, they were able to get what I craved for. I would literally have a breakdown when they told me everything was sold out or none of the stores were carrying it. There were cuisines I have never tried before or countries I’ve been to, but those were the days when that was just all I wanted. 

Sometimes, it was just a weird combination but easily obtained, that’s when I usually see her face relax when she knew she was going to be able to get it. Sad to say, most of my cravings came in the middle of the night. I just know that this little one would be snacking a lot when she comes out of me. 

“Baby….” I nudged Y/N who was sleeping next to me with her hands gently placed on my bump. 

“Hmm? Yes?” She rubbed her eyes and looked at me. I gave her a cheeky smile and she instantly knew I was craving for something again. 

“I want some Hot Cheetos and corn kernels right now.” I gave her the best baby eyes and pout I could muster. 

“No need for this face baby. I’ll get you anything at any time of the day, at your request.” She said while pulling the covers away from her. “Just give me twenty minutes baby. I’ll be right back.” She yawned before taking her night robe and heading out of our room. 

It took a while for me to register that she didn’t change and neither did she take her keys. I rolled out of bed to find her only to see her sleeping in the kitchen with a bag of hot cheetos in front of her. 

“Y/N.” I shook her shoulders gently. “What are you doing here?” I asked with a slight confusion. 

“Huh? I’m just waiting for the corn to be ready.” She pointed towards the stove. “How do you want it to be? In a bowl? Mixed? Or separate?” 

“Mixed sounds nice. Oh, can you also crush up the cheetos so it’s smaller?” I requested. 

She nodded and proceeded to hit the bag with her hands so the contents decrease in size before pouring it into a bowl. Once the corn was ready, she drained the excess water before putting it in a cup and mixed them together. The yellow and orange colour mixed really well.

I guess this was one of my more tamed cravings as I could tell that Y/N was also craving for some as she looked into my bowl with her lips together as if not wanting herself to succumb to temptations. 

“Want to try some? I think it’s something I’ll continue to eat.” I pushed my bowl towards her and she looked at me. “Want me to feed you?” I scooped some in the spoon before putting it closer to her mouth. 

“But it's yours.”

“So I’ll decide how I want to share it.” I moved the spoon, urging her to take a bite. “Come on, don’t leave me hanging.” Reluctantly, she took the bite. 

“It’s really good. I guess we have to keep cheetos and corn in our house from now on.” 

“I love you and I can’t wait to meet our baby.” With my right hand, I held her hand and with my left, I gently stroked the baby bump. Letting her know she’s loved even though she wasn’t born yet. “You’ve done so much for me even though it’s only been three months.” I was grateful for all the sleepless nights Y/N has had, demands she endured and more to come.

“I love you too.”

Your POV With flowers in my hand, I tread down the beaten path to a place that was all too familiar to me. With mixed feelings, I placed the flowers on the ground before taking a seat next to them, looking at the view that they were forever seeing. 

“So…” I started speaking. There were a lot of things I wanted to say to them but it was all stuck in my throat, my thoughts all jumbled up and I was unable to get a word out. 

I cleared my throat before trying again. “Natasha and I are having a kid, with technology we were able to make it happen. Oh and she’s about five months in now. Even though the baby is not here yet, I can definitely understand how you feel now. The overwhelming sense to make sure nothing goes wrong to your kid, to make sure all her needs are taken care of.” 

“It really makes you feel an entirely different feeling that I'm still unable to put my hands on. I can’t wait for her arrival to this world. I just wish you were here to witness it all.” I was getting a little emotional so I quickly shifted the topic. 

“I’m planning to propose to Nat after all this, I already bought the ring so I’m just waiting on the timing. Speaking of which, I should probably get back to her. Wouldn’t want an angry and moody girlfriend to deal with.” I chuckled and stood up. 

“Hopefully, I’ll be able to see you guys again sooner.” I transferred the kiss from my palm to my parent’s graves. 

---

“Where have you been?” Nat whined as she saw I entered the compound. Glancing at the rest of the team, they were laughing at the once stoic badass assassin changing throughout her pregnancy. 

“I went to see my parents, baby.” I hugged her close to my side and whispered in her ears. I didn’t like talking about them to others and I didn’t want to invite questions. She nodded, letting me know she heard me. 

“Were you bored while I was gone?” I reached over for the cheetos that was resting on her bump. It’s not that big yet, but enough to rest a bag of chips on it. We stayed in the living room for a while to catch up.

“Baby, want to head to bed? We have a long day tomorrow.” I asked Nat who was dozing off on my shoulder among the chatter. She hummed and I said goodnight to the rest before carrying her up. 

“Goodnight baby.” I kissed her cheeks before falling asleep myself. 

---

The next morning, it was tough to get out of the compound as Natasha has been throwing up a lot. I thought we had passed that stage but this took both of us by surprise. I tried convincing Natasha to take a break and change plans but she refused. 

We decided that once we went further along into the pregnancy, we were going to tell our parents. We didn’t want them to be all happy and excited only to make them sad again if something were to happen. 

We took the quinjet as it would be quicker and more comfortable. Nat and I talked a lot on our way there, how we were going to spoil our kid, who was going to play the bad cop and how we were going to support her throughout her life. 

We didn’t tell them we were coming so you could imagine their shock when a large plane landed in front of their house. We were greeted with weapons on their hands ready to strike when we walked out of the quinjet. 

Being greeted by a family of ex-assassin was not a thing to joke with and it was taking all of me not to hide behind my pregnant girlfriend. 

“Guys, it’s just us. Drop your weapons.” Nat spoke first before making their way towards them. I smiled and held her hand, but really I was freaking out inside. 

“About time you came to visit us.” Melina said after putting her gun away, same did Yelena. 

We arrived unannounced around lunch time so Melina gave us all a share of whatever she cooked though I passed mine along to Nat, knowing she was going to eat more.

“You’re not hungry, Y/N?” Alexis asked as he wolfed down his plate. 

“Jesus, stop with the barbaric eating. You act as if I don’t cook.” Melina tugged his arm, trying not to get embarrassed by his behaviour.

“We actually came to announce something…” I started in the middle of lunch. 

“Take this napkin and wipe your mouth dear, it's getting all over you.” Melina reached out to the center of the table and passed him a piece of napkin. 

“So a couple of months back…”

“Thank you so much.” He accepted the gesture from his wife and wiped around his mouth. 

“Guys! Listen! All of you!” Natasha slammed the table next to you which made everyone jump. Okay, maybe only me. What kind of assassin jumps at this kind of threat?

“That’s not fair. I didn’t say anything.” Yelena said, earning a glare from Nat. After getting the go ahead from Nat, I continued speaking.

“So, as I was saying…” I began, but this time Nat was the one who interrupted me. What’s with this family and their interrupting? I can never get a full sentence in before someone tries to speak up. 

“Actions speak louder than words.” I looked as she raised from the table and pulled her oversized hoodie behind her waist, showing off her bump. It was silent at the table for a few seconds until the two ladies reacted.

“No way! You’re pregnant!” The mother said. “Looks to be around four months?”

“Five.” I said. 

“But how?” Yelena questioned. Knowing her sister got sterilised in the red room. 

“Bruce and Tony helped a lot.” Nat released her hoodie and sat back down to eat. Lunch continued with how our life was going to change in the future with the little one running around. The bundle of joy that sometimes causes trouble and you giving in to the puppy eyes because your kid wanted some ice cream before bed. But Nat and I would love them no matter what.

Everyone was happy to celebrate the joyous news that only laughter could be heard from the house which was unheard of from this house. 

We retreated back into our room once it reached the night. 

“It’s nice to be back but they can’t stop talking.” Nat sighed as she relaxed into the bed. I sat at the end of the bed to give her a foot massage. Though, it's not everyday that her feet hurt, I know she would never ask for help until it was unbearable. And it was nice to get into a routine.

“How’s your back?” I always give a full package, not stopping at the feet, going to her back and her shoulders if she requests. 

“I’m fine. I just want cuddles.” She spread her arms and I laid in her embrace. 

“Mummy wants to meet you soon… but don’t give mummy too much trouble okay?” I gently poked Nat’s bump and traced random shapes with my finger. “I also can't wait to meet you soon, peanut.” I whispered.

“You’re too cute.” Nat kissed my temple.

“And you’re very beautiful.” 

Natasha POV We know this is usually done much earlier in the pregnancy but we decided to wait a little longer to figure out the gender of the baby. We have been referring it as her because that’s what I was gravitating towards, but we would be happy with either. 

It was embarrassing but I had a breakdown when I couldn't fit into my normal clothes anymore. There would always be an awkward end of my shirt hanging off my bump and not covering it totally and worse of all, my pants wouldn’t even fit!

Y/N came into the room to see me in a sobbing mess and clothes all over the floor one day. Through my cries, I told her my clothes no longer fit and she gave me her hoodie to wear instead. It reached her knees so it was alright for me to wear. 

“Let’s go get you some maternity clothes. Or do you want me to go and get Thor’s clothes? Or Steve’s? Or Bucky’s?” 

“I only want yours.” 

Before we went out, we headed to Bruce lab for another ultrasound check. Wanda wanted to plan a gender reveal party so we told Bruce to give her the result. Everything was fine and since we were planning to have the baby in the compound, we weren’t too worried. 

While getting maternity clothes, Y/N was very excited to get some baby clothes. Surely she managed to grab something in every row. Showing me each set that caught her eye. 

“What about this?” Y/N grabbed one with a baby shark design. I chuckled at how adorable she was, the baby is not here yet and she’s so excited. 

“Grab whatever you want. We’ll put it under Tony’s card.” 

Finally I was able to wear some pants, it’s quite comfortable really. I can see why some of them continue to wear these even after their pregnancy. It looks like normal pants on the outside, but more comfortable.

Once we made our payment, we went back to the compound. Wanda, with everyone’s help, had already planned what she was going to do tomorrow. She was bouncing off the walls, the first time being able to plan a gender reveal party.

Pietro was suffering the worst of her wrath. Being fast and her brother was not a good combination. Wanda always got her brother to buy the party stuff because she was able to get it in an instant. Not even the same day delivery would be able to work as fast as him.

Y/N was laughing her ass off when she saw everyone working their ass off. No one dares to be idling or else she would really let them idle while hanging from the ceiling. When she tried to go out to the backyard to have a look, Wanda quickly shoved her in so she wouldn’t ruin the surprise. 

“Well, it seems like most of them are busy and we have the compound to ourselves. Mostly, anyway.” Y/N said.

“We should use the movie theatre. Maybe have a Harry Potter marathon?” I suggested. 

“Sure! Let me go get some snacks. Cheetos? Cheetos yeah.” Before waiting for my reply, she dashed off the snacks cabinet while I made my way to the dark movie theatre. I decided to start from the beginning as one does in a movie marathon, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. (Or do you call it the Sorcerer's Stone?) 

“I GOT THE SNACKS!” 

“Wait a minute, I’m going to get some extra things.” She opened the bag of Cheetos for me before dashing out again. She sure is excited. I’ve never seen her with a smile this long. She has her down days occasionally, but I’m happy she’s happy.

I laughed hysterically when I saw her coming in with piles of pillows in front of her. She walked slowly as she was unable to see what was in front of her. There was nothing to worry about as if she were to hit on something, the pile of pillows were sure to protect her. 

Y/N placed them all around me and I looked at her. “I want you to be comfortable.” 

“I look ridiculous.” 

“Well, lucky that only I am here.” She ignored me. “Let’s start the movie.” 

We were halfway into the second movie. Several trips have been made to the washroom, to replenish the snacks and drinks and making sure Wanda hasn’t killed anyone. 

“Want to think of baby names, honey?” Y/N asked as she had her arm around my shoulders.

It was something we haven’t thought about. Honestly, I didn’t even think about it. I’ve thrown it to the back of my mind. We’ve been referring to her as ‘baby’ or ‘peanut’ as Y/N sometimes would say.

“I was thinking about Riley or Ayla. Since you think it’s going to be a girl.” Y/N said when she saw that I remained silent. 

“Or maybe Ezra?” I suggested. “Sounds like a strong person.” 

“Well, we still have time to think about it. Let’s not rush it.” She dropped down to the floor and started massaging my feets as it was getting late. I haven’t been on my feet long today but I just let her do it since she would not take no for an answer anyway. She had her eyes on the screen while she worked her methods on my feet. She’s getting better and better each day. 

“BABE!” I raised my voice slightly and placed my hands on my stomach.

“Huh? What? What’s wrong?” She looked around in panic as best she could in the dark room with the lights from the movie. 

“The baby kicked. Here.” I took her hand and placed it on my bump. 

The baby kicked again and this time much stronger and you can clearly see my shirt moving slightly. “Ouhh it feels weird.”

“Yeah, I have to survive with this for three more months. It’s hurting my ribs slightly.” Her face dropped slightly when I told her I was in pain. “I’m fine really, it’s going to be all worth it when our baby comes into this world.” 

We didn’t manage to finish the marathon as I ended up falling asleep on the couch.  She wanted to carry me up to bed but I was already getting comfortable and didn't feel like being moved.Y/N placed a blanket over me and made sure I was alright before taking the next couch.

“Goodnight peanut, I can’t wait to see you soon.” 

---

“Alright, it’s just beyond this door so close your eyes for a sec.” Wanda said excitedly before making Bucky and Steve cover our eyes so we won’t peek. Once she made sure everything was in place, she opened the door and gave the signal for them to uncover our eyes. 

“You can open your eyes now!!” 

The backyard was decorated with purple, pink and blue. Wanda showed us all her designs and I’m impressed that she managed to settle all this in less than a day. All the balloons were hanging in the air due to the helium. They must have figured out how much helium to put with the two brains she has in her arsenal. 

“This is amazing Wanda! You’ve outdone yourself!” Y/N praised Wanda. 

>time skip to main event&lt;

The cupcakes were great, I’m not sure if it was made by Wanda or did she order it. Either way, it’s amazing. 

“Alright. Stand here.” Wanda placed us in the middle of the backyard and gave Y/N a big black balloon for her to hold above our heads. “Hawkeye is going to shoot the balloon and whatever colour the confetti falls out will be the gender of the baby!” 

Clint drew his arrow back and released it. The balloon popped and roars and cheers could be heard as PINK confetti fell around us. 

“We are going to have a girl!!!” Y/N screamed excitedly before bringing me to a hug. 

“Oh my god we are going to get a niece!!” Wanda squealed before jumping on Y/N’s back. “I’m going to be their favourite aunt.” 

>time skip to night<

“So a girl huh.” Y/N said after the party and we were relaxing in bed. She drank a couple glasses of champagne so she’s pretty tipsy now. She didn’t want me to be the only one without alcohol in my glass but I encouraged her. Since she won’t be able to drink anytime soon when the baby comes. 

“She’s going to be my princess. And you’re going to be my queen.” Y/N said before passing out. 

I smiled at her before saying. “You’re my queen too.” I kissed her cheeks before snuggling with her and falling asleep next to her.

>three months later<

Everything is just irritating at the moment. Being nine months pregnant is not fun. It’s getting tiring having to get up to pee every few minutes and the baby just kicking my ribs and kidney, it’s so frustrating. 

“Where are you going?” Y/N asked as she saw me getting out of the couch. 

“To the washroom. AND NO! I don’t need you to follow me.” I can’t even do anything without someone watching me nowadays. I waddled to the washroom since normal walking was getting difficult. 

“Oh hey Nat. Where are you doing?” Steve came from a corner.

“Just leave me alone.” Nat raised her voice and Steve backed away from her. 

“Steve.” I heard Y/N say. He looked at her before walking away, leaving me alone. 

Y/N was still looking in my direction waiting for me to come back, she didn’t say anything but I know she was worried silently in her own way. I shifted in my seat when I felt a dull pain in my lower back. Those stupid braxton hicks that I’ve been getting lately was annoying as well. 

I felt Y/N arms around my back and she shifted around so she could massage my back. I faced my back against her so it was easier on her. With two hands, she started working and I could feel that my pain was vanishing. 

“Are you feeling better?” She asked.

“Yes. Thanks. Sorry for snapping at you earlier.” 

“It’s fine. You are probably feeling very irritated. I understand. You get a free pass.” She joked at the end. 

“You know I love you right?” 

“I love you too, beautiful.” Y/N hugged me from behind and gently placed her hands on my belly. “Ohh, did she just kick?”

I nodded. My mood has changed with just a few moments of interaction with her. “I can’t wait to actually meet her.”

---

“Are you okay?” Y/N asked when she sensed that I kept shifting in bed.

“Yeah. I just can’t get comfortable.” I randomly said. 

Y/N got out of bed and placed the yoga ball in front of her. “You’re never going to find a better position to sleep. So just sit here and try to forget about the pain.” She suggested. I sighed and nodded since sleep was not coming easily. She helped me up from bed, just sitting up from bed is so difficult and placed me on the blue yoga ball. She sat on one herself and we bounced on them together. 

Once we got into a rhythm, I was getting a lot more relaxed and I could feel my eyes closing. “It’s okay, you can go to sleep at any time. I’ll be here.” She reassured me. I closed my eyes and leaned on Y/N body and I’m not sure what happened next.

The next day I woke up in bed and Y/N was already gone. I thought she would be here with me the entire time so I was slightly upset. I tried getting up from bed and that’s when I felt the wet feelings between my legs.

Ah shit. My water just broke. 

I rode through the first contraction before rolling out of bed and gave myself a quick shower. This shit hurts, it is nowhere close to what braxton hicks feels like. 

I placed both arms on the countertop and endured the pain as another contraction came.

“Nat? Are you okay?” Y/N asked as she saw me clutching my stomach in the bathroom. 

“I- my water broke so-“

“What? Why didn’t you call me?” She cuts me off. 

“Just shut up.”  

“Okay. Okay. Let’s go to Bruce first.” She continued to rub my back while I was holding the edge of the sink, taking deep breaths from the pain. 

“Alright, just change into the gown and we’ll take a last ultrasound to see if the baby is in the right place.” Bruce said. Once he checked and made sure everything was okay, he gave us the freedom of either staying at the medbay until the time came or just hanging close to the lab in case anything happened. 

“Can we just walk around babe?” I asked after enduring another contraction. 

“Yeah sure, if it helps.” She helped me out of the bed and we walked up and down the 

hallway. My feet hurt from walking and standing but it’s nothing compared to what my pelvic was experiencing. I groaned and muttered curse words as the contraction got closer and closer. 

“Nat, I know you want to walk but we should go back.” Y/N urged. 

The moment I laid on the bed, another contraction hit. “Fuck! It hurts… too much.” I gripped onto Y/n wrist, cutting the blood flow to her hands. 

“Time for an epidural?” Bruce came in to check and I just nodded my head, unable to say much. 

He hooked me up to the epidural and pasted all sorts of things on my belly to keep track of the contraction. “Alright, it should kick in in a few minutes.” 

“Why did I even agree to this?” I asked Y/N finally when I was well enough. 

“Because you know it will be all worth it in the future.” She wiped the sweat on my forehead and pushed the stray hair behind my ears. “Rest as much as you can.”

Your POV

It has been 8 hours since Nat’s water broke in the morning and 2 since she got her epidural. She isn’t dialating as quickly as she liked and although she wasn’t in as much pain as she was earlier, she still had a firm grip on my wrist, never letting go. 

I tried wiping away as much sweat as I could. There wasn’t really much I could do other than being there for her. I noticed that her temperature was rising each time I approached her. “Baby, are you feeling okay?” 

She didn’t say anything but nodded her head groggily. “I know you’re tired, but you shouldn’t be this tired.” 

Worried that something might be wrong, I went to get Bruce who was just working next door. I stood to the side when Bruce asked Nat a couple questions regarding her current situation. “I’m guessing you are allergic to epidurals. I’ll take it off you and see if the fever resides.” 

“I’m glad it was nothing serious.” I said.

“Well, you’re slightly past eight centimeters now, so just a few hours more and you can start pushing.” Bruce informed Natasha before leaving again. 

“The pain is going to start again.” Nat whimpered as I held her hand.

“You do this. You’re strong, baby.” 

Since the time to push was approaching, more people started to gather in the room. Steve, Bucky, Wanda, Pietro, Sam and Tony all came. They were all trying to distract her from the pain by chatting with her but my wrist was not able to escape.

I watched as her face scrunched in pain. “At this moment, I really hate you a lot.” Nat said while she held her belly and the other laughed at my demise like this was some sort of a show for them. 

“Is it very funny?” And they all instantly shut up.

Then, Dr Cho and Bruce came in and urshed everyone to leave while the other medical personnel got Natasha ready. I could see the panic in Nat’s face as she knew what was coming. “Hey hey, it’s okay. I'm going to be right here.” 

Dr Cho took the wheels and started guiding Nat. “Just listen to your body and push whenever you feel ready.” 

Natasha started pushing for some time but there was minimal progress. I saw more nurses crowding around and I knew I needed to distract Nat. “You’re doing okay.” I encourage Nat and plant a kiss on her sweaty forehead.

“I can see the head, the end of the tunnel is in sight.” Hearing this, motivated Nat and once again she gave her all. 

“Alright, the shoulder is out. Just one last push.” 

“Arghhh.” Natasha gave one final push and I can hear the baby cries and Natasha's face relaxing. 

“Y/N, do you want to cut the cord?” Dr Cho called out.

“You did amazing, baby.” I kissed Nat on the lips before going to cut the cord. 

“Here’s your beautiful baby girl.” Dr Cho passed her to me after cleaning her up.

“Nat! Look. Isn’t she adorable?” I let her hold our baby girl. 

“She is the best.” Nat said while her eyes were closing. 

“Nat! What’s wrong?” I asked anxiously. 

“Take care of her.” My arms went to catch our girl before my mind registered what’s happening. The next thing I know, I was being pushed out of the room with our baby girl in my arms. 

I was frozen staring into the room until someone tapped my shoulders. “Y/N. What’s wrong?” Wanda spoke up when she noticed my expression. 

“I- I don’t know. Nat’s eyes were closing and- and now I’m here. What if something happens to her? What if she died? What am I going to do?” 

“Y/N! Calm down. She’s going to be fine. She’s a fighter.” Steve stopped me before I spiral out. 

“Let me meet my niece!” Wanda excitedly said. Everyone took turns holding my baby girl when I were still trying to figure out what was going on in the room. 

Soon Bruce came out and I stepped forward immediately. “How’s Natasha?” I asked.

“She’s alright now. There was a hemorrhage since her uterus is artificial. Her body wasn’t used to it even after nine months. After a blood transfusion she should be fine.” Bruce updated me. I released a breath that I didn’t realise I was holding. 

“Can I see her now?”

“Yup. She should wake up soon.” 

When I walked into the room, I was expecting her to be asleep. But I guess the anesthesia wasn’t that strong. She was already sitting up against the bed like she would every morning. She was always an early riser, already completed many things before I even woke up. 

“Why are you just standing there?” Natasha broke me out of my thoughts. 

“You scared me.’ I said in a low voice. “YOU FUCKING SCARED ME. I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO DIE!” 

“I know I know. But I am here now.” I wiped my tears as I approached her. 

“How’s Riley?”

“Huh?”

“Riley, our daughter.”

“Oh, here.” I passed Riley to Natasha. “She’s still sleeping but it’s likely she’ll wake up soon.”

Others burst into the room, making lots of noise and I instantly hushed them. Everyone cooed at the sight they were looking at. Never in their life did they think they would get to see Natasha being so soft or even have her own child. 

“I didn’t introduce her properly earlier. Meet Riley Romanoff.” 

#natasha romanoff #natasha x you #natasha x reader #black widow 2021 #mcu #avengers #marvel #marvel mcu #a chance #my writing

[we-are-inevitable]

ok so i was talking to @to-be-a-dreamer @tarantulas4davey and @carpe-diem-since-1899 about racetrack things the other day and i just thought i would dump some of those thoughts here bc i am So invested in this weird little guy

anyway i just ,, i have a lot of feelings abt jack passing the newsies onto racer once he ages out.

i feel like. charlie is the next choice, but charlie in my eyes is the same age as- if not older than- jack; if jack hadn’t been the leader of the newsboys, it definitely would have been charlie, but jack is the one who took the reins. (this age hc is mostly because of west endsies ngl.) anyway! moving on

jack and charlie have always been a team. charlie is definitely jack’s second in terms of always being there, but race is his second in terms of business- it only makes sense for race to take over when jack is gone, and i just,, i love the concept of race either not really wanting that or not really knowing how to handle that. i think, at his core, race is trying to hold onto whatever youth he has left. its why he’s always cracking jokes, despite how jaded and angry he is under the surface. he pretends not to care or else he’ll crack under the pressure, and when he cracks, it’s angry. it’s mean. his bark is as bad as his bite. so he puts on this front- this childish, snarky, comedic relief front- and he’s terrified of the implications of Being The Leader because he feels like he’ll no longer have that front to hold onto or hide behind. and it takes him a long time, i think, to realize that he doesn’t have to be exactly who Jack was- he can lead the newsboys how he sees fit, he doesn’t need to be a carbon copy of jack, because they’re fundamentally so different. and i think that is just very fun

but more on the anger, because i think it’s an interesting take that is very much represented in West Endsies- as @roideny and @jack-kellys have pointed out before:

i’m interested in the other newsies- especially albert, finch, and maybe spot- seeing that sadness and strain and anger that seems to be taking it’s place as his dominant trait. yeah. bc i think,, i think race is angry at his core, like i said. angry at his position in all of this. angry that jack left, that charlie followed, that davey was never staying in the first place, that spot still thinks of him as a kid instead of a new leader, that other burrough leaders don’t take him seriously because they know him as the jokester. angry that these kids are his kids now, and angry that his kids are still starving, still walking holes in their shoes, still shivering at night and still dying of sickness when the cold weather hits too hard. i want this race to be fucking pissed and i want everyone else to be caught off guard by it.

because, let’s be real, jack wasn’t the roughest leader. he was strong, and dependable, and not afraid to put kids in their place, but he’s still nurturing and parental. after years of being used to that, i think the newsies would struggle with Race for a while, especially as race tries to figure out his leadership style, and i think a lot of that would manifest in this anger that has been bubbling up under the surface for ages- the anger he never lets anyone see because he doesn’t want that.

race has spent anywhere from 5 to 10 years- depending on when you headcanon him to join the newsies- being the funny guy, the clown, the joker; if he’s going to earn respect, he’s going to have to take it from a few kids. lashing out and being brash- all for the sake of keeping everyone safe, of course- but he’s such a different leader than jack, and i think it would be SO fun to explore that more in post-canon works.

i feel like this post is a little disjointed and i may not be explaining things correctly, plus i haven’t actually seen west endsies yet! a lot of this is based on convos with the besties and i am just having brainrot. besties, feel free to jump in with any additions, and anyone reading this: feel free to send asks or talk in the tags <33

#i’m gonna be so for real rn a lot of this is just copy-pasted from some discord rants #but i put some more thoughts in it lmao #anyway give me ANGRY RACEEE ugh ok. ok im so normal about this #originally this had a lot more ralbert in it but i kinda took it out to focus on canon #(chandler if youre reading this: hi ily go wild with ralbert thoughts if you want) #n e ways #newsies #jac txt. #livesies #racetrack higgins #jack kelly #racetrack newsies #race newsies #west endsies #newsies live #newsies broadway #broadway newsies #david jacobs #davey jacobs #spot conlon #crutchie morris

[roseofcards90]

It honestly baffles me how people are dunking on Sada and Turo for being shitty parents much more than I saw when Sun and Moon first came and Lusamine was first revealed to be the villain like huh 😭 where was that energy before??? Because I feel there’s more nuance with Sada and Turo’s characters and their motivations than there were with Lusamine’s (I’m talking about her in the games of course, not the anime. I will also leave discussion for what happens in Ultra Sun and Moon for another post, so I’m only talking about the plot of the original Sun and Moon here). I’m honestly just tired of all the bashing on the Professors and them being watered down to “typical shitty parent in Pokemon” when the game clearly states and implies the exact opposite.

Lusamine is very much shown to have abandoned her kids, openly berating them and saying she has no children right in front of her daughter’s face because they “abandoned her love” and going forth with her plan to open the wormholes and summon the ultra beasts with no consideration for anything else. She doesn’t have the headspace to care about her children anymore in her plan, in huge contrast to Sada/Turo’s plan where despite how extreme it was, was at the core still centered around their son and their family. I think chalking it down to just “well they’re still both bad parents anyway” takes away some of the complexity surrounding their characters in the first place. Also I’m only bringing Lusamine as a comparison mostly because Ghetsis and Giovanni do not have any other depth to their characters in the core games lmao, and I feel Lusamine is a great example of a parent who used to care but had lost that love after her husband’s “death” and along the way of achieving her goal, while Sada and Turo are examples of the complete opposite: parents who still held onto that love and care throughout their goal, but took it so far that they hurt the one person it was for the most out of everything. It really feels like people are portraying the professors’ flaws in the completely wrong way. The problem was never “they never loved their son at all and intentionally abandoned him” it was “they became so invested and deluded in their plan they ended up neglecting the treasure it was supposed to be for.” which is exactly what distinguishes them from all the other parent antagonists we’ve seen so far. There’s a certain tragedy present in seeing a broken family that used to be so happy together that I feel was also in Sun and Moon’s story, but was muddled due to the story focusing on other aspects.

And I’m going to address this right now because I know people are going to say something because they lack reading comprehension: I am not excusing Sada and Turo’s actions in the game and how their neglect had affected Arven. Explanations are not Excuses. You can acknowledge that they loved their son while still hurting him in the end, both ideas can coexist. I merely just want to analyze wtf even happened here for the professor to go down this path. And it’s also worth nothing that we don’t have much answers in the game itself as of right now, since well—the original is dead and we’re dealing with an AI version of them for the entirety of the game. Most of this is coming from the original’s journals in the lab, but I think the game makes a clear distinction that they still loved Arven even after everything. Despite their delusion taking over them, I think they genuinely believed what they were doing was the best for them and their family despite otherwise. The whole point at the end was to highlight how they didn’t need to create that paradise. They had that loving family already, and it was too late for them to realize that Arven only needed them and nothing else.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but I want the DLC to address Arven’s other parent and what exactly happened to them (or better yet, meet them in the story which would honestly be an interesting parallel where the professor of the opposite version is the one you get to know more than the original in game one). I know the in game Professor’s journal entry says they “walked out” but what does that even mean in hindsight? Keep in mind this is from the point of view of someone who’s continuously being deluded into their own idea of paradise, who most likely felt grief after their partner left them that they built an entire AI of themselves to help complete the project.

And yet they still say they’re going to build a paradise for “the three of them.” Does that mean the in game professor was also trying in some way to bring the other parent back? What if it was an accident? What if they were sent through the time machine and couldn’t go back, and the in game professor was so distraught their delusion out of sheer desperation made it so they processed it as “(s)he walked out on me, and now I’m all alone.” Of course this all a lot of speculation, but it just doesn’t make sense to me how Arven’s other parent would “leave” like that. Maybe I’m being an optimist about it, but it really does feel like it was unwillingly in some way, where the in game professor’s increasing delusion was the reason why they “left” so to speak.

And that’s not even addressing the 3rd legendary of the game and its role in all of this is. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was meant to parallel the snake/the devil in Genesis, as the sin of temptation since the professor and Area Zero have a lot of similarities with the Garden of Eden and this idea of “paradise” for their family. Where the 3rd legendary gave them the opportunity to create their paradise by giving them access to the paradox pokemon and terastalizing, and thus influenced them so much, it eventually led them down to a path of their own destruction consumed by the delusion that they could create a paradise for their family, but failed to recognize they ended up hurting the one person they treasured most in the end. If the other professor did indeed return in the DLC, maybe it would give the chance to separate themselves from their spouse and make things right with both the region and Arven. Having them be the antithesis to the other Professor’s motivation and making the choice to stay with Arven in the present would be a really cool way to wrap up the story ngl.

Anyways people who portray them as apathetic and uncaring to Arven in fan art and fics I wish you a very “play the fucking game again please”. Even their character design sheets say otherwise, especially with Sada like I cannot imagine the woman described as “not being able to hide her emotions well” would be a cold and uncaring mother like come on 💀 I played Violet for crying out loud and I’m still able to recognize that.

#and also like idk everyone seems to have shitty parents in this game?? with the exception of the mc and their mom #if we're going by what Nemona and Penny say in the area zero dialogue #I think people are just solely focusing on Arven and his parents because they tie so much into the main story #that and I think a lot of people were not expecting the twist with the professors being the real “antagonists” of the story #the professors are very interesting characters to me and it’s surprising how I haven’t seen them be analyzed as much as other characters #where they’re immediately labeled as “abusive parents with no depth” like the other parent characters in past games #when imo they share much more nuance and character than the others had before #I feel like I’m still going to get hate from this somehow 😭 #I can say one thing though and it’s that the disc pokemon is very suspicious #that legendary played a role in something that’s for sure #pokemon scarlet and violet spoilers #pokemon #pokemon scarlet and violet #professor turo #professor sada #arven pokemon #lusamine pokemon #my posts #long post

[leejihoonownsmyheart]

helllo could you recommend some jihoon fics/series please!!

I still think I am the worst person to rec fics I literally don’t know what I’m doing but here we go again:

Also, side note, I really don’t reach much fanfiction (I’m gonna change that this summer!) and these are all stories I read ages ago and just refound by looking at my fic reblog account

Unlucky Charm by @daybreakx

This is such a cute story and I love magic au’s🫠 and I love Ale’s stories

My Heart Has Gone To You by @rubyreduji

This is such a GOOD Jihoon series. I was so invested during the release of this and I just love y/n and Jihoon in this story (even though they drove me cray) Also, you could literally check out all of JJ’s stories because again JJ never misses

To The Person I’ve Never Loved Before by @chilligyu

Who doesn’t love best friends to lovers? Do I need to say more?

[11:04am] by @thru-the-grapevine

Live, laugh, love timestamps

Lowkey - Niki (?) by @97-liners it’s a story by 97-liners, like??? What else do I need to say

Memento by @dalgonachan

I am sucker for like… simple Jihoon fics. Just cute little fluff stories make me want to melt

Reconciliation in a bookstore by @nochanchu

I don’t remember this story but in my reblog I loveddd it, exes??

Vultures by @puppetwritings

Sadsadsadsad

Just An Excuse Away by @peachwritestrash

Friends to lovers woozi smut 🫠

Love Talk by @wwounu

A love letter Jihoon story- tell me something better? You can’t.

Hide and Seek by @craby-bouquet

THIS story. My favorite Jihoon story to date. Unfinished??? I think and yet I still hold out every day for it to be finished. Side note: This entire series is criminally underrated.

Hydrangea by @woogyu

I relate to nothing more than insomnia and painter Jihoon?? I love 🫠

Oh We’re in Love Aren’t We by @svt13roses

I think this is also an unfinished Woozi series but do I care? No, it’s so good

#dear god please don’t percieve me #the amount of humiliation that genuinely fills my body doing recs #i cannot tell you how badly I don’t want to tag the authors #pleasepleaseplease #I’m begging this to be lost in notifications #some of these blogs are inactive but SOME ARENT #i hide under my reblog account for a reason #ANYWAYS #Jihoon recs <3 #I feel so tiny in the sea of seventeen fic writing #i don’t know many other blogs cause i don’t read

[chenfordnoquit]

So I fell into Chenford last summer (after season 5 aired) because I explicitly was seeking out a canon compliant couple to ship. I am the type that likes being spoiled so I read all about Chenford prior to engaging to confirm the overall story before deciding to invest my time and energy in. I do still believe in endgame Chenford but I was a clown to think that canon compliant was confirmed in a show still ongoing.

Knowing all about Chenford beforehand let me enjoy the slow burn in way that I wouldn’t have the capacity too without. I didn’t mind seeing Rachel and Ashley and Chris. And the drawbacks and angst. I took it all as stepping stones for a strong foundation.

I truly don’t know how the OGs go through shows like this hah. And I am learning that I really don’t like the not knowing. I don’t enjoy engaging without the HEA confirmed. It’s why I love fanfiction so much. And why I chose this ship to invest in. It was a confirmed couple in S5 with such a robust fandom to engage in and absorb. I wanted a fandom to enjoy that had great writers and creators and this is definitely it. I am going to appreciate the hell outta all the stories that come out of this angst.

But at the same time, I’m at a loss. Without knowing (and not even a S7 nod yet), I just now feel like I want to disengage until I get confirmation. I know I won’t be able to stay away though, I’m too invested.

Collectively, I think we’ve all been burned on so many ships and/or so many unfulfilling conclusions and finales (Game of Thrones anyone?). It sucks because TV shows need the audience for it to continue but I’m moving back over to the side where I only engage in TV once it’s complete so I don’t have to experience it in real time.

In sum, I really can enjoy the angst and drama, just not in real time. Again - all you OGs falling in love with Chenford slowly over 5 years, kudos to you!

#the rookie #chenford #tim x lucy #tim bradford #lucy chen #shipping discourse #tv writers #tv ships #seriously can anyone recommend a canon confirmed couple in a completed series that wraps up positively