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#but im like. whats with that trope of a character... one who is Too into politics or smth
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i love dead characters. i love characters who were always dead, who die halfway through, who die in the end - characters who die and come back but in a way they're still dead bc their first life died with them & nothing will ever be the same & their coming back is a bandaid over a gaping wound & their own death haunts them-
#characters whose deaths haunts the narrative and the other characters#almost to the point where it feels like theyre still there#characters who continue to haunt everyone even After they come back#CHARACTER DEATH <3#when done Correctly its sooooooo good its literally the best i love it when characters die Well#when you rewatch/reread and Notice that they were doomed from the start. they were always going to die#AGH AGH AGH AGH#im going to be honest my Favorite trope is characters who die and come back#bc - again - when done well its SO!!! FUCKING!! GOOD!!!#maybe they come back the same but no one else is and That changes them too#or they come back Different and it just makes them haunt the narrative / other characters More Intensely#anyway their resurrection just makes it hurt worse bc theyre Back but now everyone knows what its like to live without them#and they will forever be haunted by that Knowing. and understanding that they could lose them again so so easily#the terror! the dread! the persevering grief!! looking at someone wholly alive and seeing a ghost! seeing everything thats Not There!#ohhhh also shoutout to characters who die without Actually dying#they never lose their life but who they are Changes So Suddenly that its like they died. the person they were died#and someone else kept breathing#slamming my face into a waaaaallllllllll#death in fiction death in fiction DEATH IN FICTION!!!!#oh also shoutout to characters who die without dying and then Actually die and both haunt everything#prime example: anakin motherfucking skywalker. KING of haunting the narrative#absolutely unprompted#what has me thinking about this? well im always thinking about it BUT#ahsoka episode 5. my own characters. potentially welcome home (we'll see we'll see...)#character death my beloved <3#there are so many ways to do it and do it Well <3#and it kills me inside that 'killing for shock value' and 'character dies and everyone moves on' are so common#its so lame! and annoying!!! like cmon!!! get a grip!#we need CONSEQUENCES we deserve FORESHADOWING#we need their death to haunt the narrative so hard that rereading/rewatching is one big reminder that They Will Die!!!
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pikkish · 22 days
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Yeah we've already talked about how outright stupid the lore n writing for modern Doom is, but tbh I can understand why they had to do something with Doomguy, why they had to make him The Specialest Boy instead of Just Some Guy. Do I like how they did it? No, I would've taken it a different direction. Do I think that hugo could've done it well even if he took it in the direction I would've? No, I have minimal faith in his story writing. But realistically, how many times can a guy singlehandedly accomplish the impossible before you have to acknowledge he's very much not Just Some Guy who happened to be at the right place at the right time? I think that, with how every single other person on the Phobos UAC base were killed in Doom I, doomguy stopped being Just Some Guy the moment he decided to do anything other than just lie down and die.
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lecliss · 5 months
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Sakura gets a second point for being the first to complete the tree climbing at being better at chakra control, but at the same time it just feels like she was made good at it so no extra training segment time would have to be put into her getting good at it and it can be all about Sauce and Nart. Idk that feels too pessimistic but also could totally be true.
#she takes on a very 'obsever' role. like kashi is the teacher watching over them. but sock is the watching and commenting from the same#perspective of nart and sauce and also the viewer unlike kashi. cuz he provides a lot of exposition and whatnot in his inner monolgues#and its like. of course the girl is just the observer who watches alongside us as the two main boys grow and develop#AND I DONT WANNA FUCKIN BE PESSIMISTIC ABOUT THIS BUT GOD ITS IMPOSSIBLE!!!!#but her whole character so far is 'i hate the class clown. im book smart. i diet and im in love'#and the way i see it is. 12yo girl TRYING to fit into the femininity she sees in the world around her so she forces herself to be like this#but she has inner sock who speaks what she really feels showing that she puts on quite a front and isnt really much like that at all#and you expect her to grow into wanting her to truly define herself. and she does with getting stronger and training under tsunade and#learning medical ninjutsu so she really finds a spot for herself. she does!!! but then she KEEPS hanging onto the love nonsense#and admittedly there are moments that push a very obvious trope of thinking she likes sauce cuz hes cool but finding out that the real 'gem'#is nart so i definitely understand where n@rus@kus are coming from#but then she just STICKS with sauce until its the worst ship possible and its an utter mess of 'ill never give up on him'#EVEB DESPITE HIM TRYING TO KILL HER!!! THEN THAT FUCKING WORKS OUT!?!?!?#AND TOO THIS DAY SAUCE STILL NEVER COMES OFF LIKE HE ACTUALLY LOVES HER#IM SORRY BUT ITS TRUE. SARD WE ARE GETTING YOU BETTER PARENTS. ON GOD!!!!!#so she just hangs on to this one little thing that she SHOULD have gotten development for to move on from BUT IT NEVER FUCKING HAPPENS#so its like half her development never fucking happens and thats why it#s such a fuckinf mess!!!!!#i fucking hate this show. i need to go back to watching mike's dino game vod. what am i doing here?????#i did this to myself btw. i didnt need to start yelling about that but thats just how it is with nart#start thinking about something good and then it reminds you of something related thats bad and now its like. yeah this shit sucks#remember when kishi said he regretted not making hina the heroine???? we could have lived in a better timeline.#but if i say that i will get assassinated#anyway.#sock count#personal
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quietwingsinthesky · 1 month
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thinks about child-but-growing-fast amara and lucifer in the same room and gets ill.
#im gonna get called a homestuck again im SORRY its a good trope#she’s not his mom but she is. older than him and older than god and a being he helped imprison.#and the effects of that. here and now. are that she is so weak she has to relearn how to exist.#that she has to eat souls. tear them out one by one. you have to imagine that lucifer once saw her devour whole galaxies on a whim.#back when everything was moving in constant flux between destruction and creation. you have to imagine.#what is it to see her like this. is it pitiable. awful. comforting because she can’t hurt him right now and if he struck first maybe she#never could?#would he think about this moment this experience later when he’s made human. when he experiences a similar powerlessness.#anyway. lucifer gets out of the cage and trashes crowley’s place to kidnap his aunt-who-is-baby-right-now#u know me i love when characters go on the run together. what a weird little bond they’d form.#how do you overcome the anger at someone who helped cage you for eternity? does it help to know he didn’t escape your fate just because he#helped seal it when it was you? do you think they trade cage stories.#do you think lucifer tells her about how michael is still trapped in there and when he goes quiet. it’s not him who says he’s glad michael#knows what it’s like. it’s amara who says it. with an anger older than time. bitter enough to sting.#arms curled around herself because she’s hungry now. always hungry. tries not to think about what lucifer would taste like. (powerful)#sitting on a bench together watching people (souls. meals.) walk by. talking about prisons. talking about justice. maybe. or revenge. same#thing. and amara is leaning against him coiled tight through every muscle in her body and so so hungry. and when she says she’s glad michael#is suffering she isn’t really talking about him. but when she says it. lucifer lets out a breath. and says. me too.#and then he goes to find her something(one) to eat.#u see my vision. u do.
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vamptastic · 1 year
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danganronpa is whispering its siren song to me but alas nobody shares my big brain million iq opinions (drv3 hater) (korekiyo defender) (ishimaru understander) (celeste and hifumi apologist) (kaito hater) (protagonist love triangle poly advocate) (post sdr2 anime enjoyer) (fucking hates the writing bar the first half of sdr1 and ending of sdr2) (never even finished v3 because it was so dogshit terrible and also i genuinely can barely get through the minigames) (problematic psychological horror fan)
#the executions were not gorey enough they were not even that camp. except the celeste one.#leon baseball one was good. the korekiyo one had potential. kaedes ROCKED. taka's concept version was cool. everything else was shit.#everything about the way they wrote korekiyo drives me fucking insane ive written essay length posts on it before. i care him okay.#let me project onto the predatory fem gay man stereotype incestual serial killer.#mostly because his writing was wildly homophobic + transmisogynistic and a horrible depiction of abuse#but had so much potential for a genuinely good character if theyd pulled their heads outta their asses and deconstructed the tropes#which is what danganronpa is all about thats what makes the first game halfway secent#ughhh. its just so frustrating how all the writing js so close but so far.#like genuinely this is one place where i think fandom and fanfic is better than the original#say what you will but it's one of the only fandoms where ive felt p much all fanfic and headcanon done genuinely#has told a better and/or more complete story while keeping the original concepts and tone#unfortunately most of the fandom is insane and/or too preoccupied with shipping (understandable. i guess.) to like. engage with it fully.#and there's still such a dearth of content for my faves#kiyo is like at best a side character and at worse written as even more of a parody of himself 😭#theres literally like four people in the world who get it max. korekiyo eating spaghetti is still my favorite fan art of all time#...anyway. idk why im thinking about this rn but im nostalgic all of a sudden#i never really got invested into any of the crazy fandom stuff i just read old fanfic and watched from the sidelines#but me and a couple friends had a lot of own interpretation and theories and fanon sequel ideas n they mean a lot to me yk?#genuinely got me to do a lot more writing and art even if it was all korekiyo themed. im like soooo good at drawing him now (lie)#he's still my litmus test for picrews if i cant make him it's shit. he literally just has long hair a mask and pretty eyes. simple elements#anyway whatever he will live on in my head forever.
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guideaus · 2 years
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i was watching abbot elementary, and they had one ep w that sahar woman who is like this... fake, performative progressive person, kinda just spouting off sociel issues nonsense that may or may not even w a big head, and a character near the resolution of the ep basically called her fake, but then i feel like a casual viewer of a mockumentary comedy type show would just see that and think "this person is crazy/not worth listening to because I don't understand" or whatever and its played for laughs. then i thought about it more and i remembered a lot of tv shows have that type of character you're supposed to dislike and theyre always kinda compared in a black and white way to the protag. like either they (usually the protag) dont quite talk abt social issues and are "normal" or you do talk about social issues, but its in a crazy, over the top, fake way and are meant to be disregarded
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rodismancave · 9 months
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#ok im not going to go into it too deeply because I know myself and if I go too deeply into it I’ll just go on and on and on#and everyone will HATE IT!#but like . oh my god. Jesus Christ dude#I feel like people really don’t know r.dimus at all. it feels TIRING to read fic because of how… ooc he is.#why all the drama? he’s dramatic sure but he’s not THAT dramatic. I can excuse it if it’s for the sake of comedy- like how I do it#Bc I’m always making him overly dramatic *for the sake of comedy*#but it’s not. it’s for angst that isn’t even fucking there#there’s so many issues with him that you could focus on but ppl make up issues that aren’t there and it’s GRAAA#it makes it so grating to read. so annoying. like the main character in a YA romance novel.#it’s tiring and it’s dramatic for no reason and it’s angst under the guise of romantic#R.dimus and d.ift would NOT have worked out.#idc what jr says. maybe they were fwb who gives a shit it fits their characters but ultimately#Rodimus fucked it up beyond repair and none of them ever addressed those issues#it’s the type of thing that’s like. yeah the fuckings good but an actual relationship with this person? sounds like hell!#I write Ro.imus as missing d.ift because he is his only close friend.#it’s the obvious ‘my best friend got married and I wish I wasn’t jealous but I am.’ trope. he is not jealous of ratchet. he encourages#the relationship. he just misses the fact Dr.ft is his *one* constant. and that’s IT#he would not be wailing over a broken relationship or a breakup because they parted on good terms. x#genuinely the only reason r.dimus even apologized to d.ift in the first place is bc he didn’t go looking for him. and that was it.#ok I went on for longer than I wanted sorry lawl!#ooc / misty forest
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chibikittens · 1 year
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cant believe im posting this on the website that loves wednesday eep
#it was okay#the end was... off#though...#like the bad guy is a monster whos genetically predisposed to be evil or to serve a master or something?#i could be getting the details wrong about what a hyde is but whatever thats the feel i got from it#like it was a fun experience but looking at it too deeply theres like these little things that kinda ruin it from being genuinely good#also what was up with the werewolf conversion thing#it feels like theyre trying to mild the werewolf allegory to fit a bunch of different things and then directly acknowledging that (like the#audience is too stupid to realize it) contradicts previous information#like is it a physical condition where she cannot transform even if she wants to?#or is it a gay allegory where she genuinely doesnt want it?#it tries to do both and maybe even some others im missing too#and then they wipe it all away by having her transform in the nick of time anyway to save wednesday like???#like that coulda been built up and explored waaaayy better#also LOL no cops reads out miranda rights they just dont#oh huh i guess i have a lot of complaints about this actually XD#also it felt like it was also building up to an... you know that one trope where the hinted-at ND character does something thats not by the#books and at first no one believes them but then it comes to light that their way is also a valid way of doing things?#i didnt feel like they wrapped that up at all#like why did we need a cop character did he even really do much of anything except for arrest some guys and be vaguely menacing to wednesday#and like also SPEAKING OF LIKE HE KNEW#HE KNEW TYLER WAS A HYDE OR WHATEVER#AND DID NOTHING ALL WHILE BEING PISSY ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE#and its like never acknowledged how shitty that is its just like 'oh how sad hes a sad grungly man whos sad over his kid' like i dont care#also just a pet peeve rather than a real critic but lET THE WEREWOLVES BE FURRIES#give them fucking tails you fucking cowards#oops theres a lot of typos in these tags O_O#god this is a messy rant lol dont even look at it
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alexisomnias · 10 months
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— TELL YOU I LOVE YOU. . . | twst
⤷ he'd be a pine tree (— pining trope)
characters | OVERBLOT BOYS
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! RIDDLE ROSEHEARTS         -  knees brushing against each other, leading to deep breaths and giddy feels.
riddle is hopelessly in love with you, to the point its distracting. seriously? how could he let his feelings grow this large to the point he can't even simply go near you without his mind running off to a romantic version of your real relationship. oh, how riddle hopes that daydream would one day become real, but for now. he needs to get back on trac-
"riddle? are you okay?" your voice raises, cutting through and silencing his voice playing loops in his head. he blushes, his hair color blending to his face as his breath catches. stomach churning nervously as he feels your skin brush against his, a blockage in his throat as his head pounds nervously. how much he really wants to hold your hand now, or wrap his arms around you... (when was he so touch starved...?)
"y-yes.. im perfectly fine. thanks for your concern." he nods, gazing away, afraid that even a few more seconds of meeting your eyes would cause the butterflies in his stomach to explode from inside out. why couldn't he just be straight up about his feelings...
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! LEONA KINGSCHOLAR        -  taking care of them in the shadows
leona was a blunt man. always straight to the point, and uncaring of others first opinions on him. but with you? oh it seems like nothing that ever comes out of his mouth is honest! its not like he lies to you, its just that he never finishes his full thought. "stop dragging me into trouble" i don't want to see you hurt, "why are you touching me?" you could've asked...
so, what better way of getting out his feelings to anybody but the true object of affection? well simply let himself lie in your shadow. for all those in front of you too gaze and know for, but for you? you won't see the slight affection and care that seeps into his gaze, nor will you know that behind the scenes he is ensuring your life upon arriving to Twisted Wonderland will be nothing but easy and like royalty. for he does not want to ever see you struggle.
so he'll be in your shadow. for him to follow you and love you, for everyone else to see that love except you... until he decides to appear before you once the sun comes out and he's ready to open himself to that level of vulnerability, to step out of the dark and show his face.
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! AZUL ASHENGROTTO        -  digging in their interests so that you have common topics to talk about
it was quite well known that azul has many connections, many ways to get information and to utilize it. his office is like an archive for all secrets and importance. but for that section of his brain, it holds everything about you. from silly daydreams, to just everything you like and what could make you happy. he truly had an entire library of thoughts and knowledge dedicated to you only with a key to those who break into his heart whether he'd like it or not. floyd and jade, being two, never left him alone about it.
it was no secret to his two friends that azul was a simp, he'd die before admitting it, but its true! he was utterly floored everytime you smiled at him, everytime you greeted him first. he was down-bad to the point he'd of made it to the bottom of the Mariana trench. Azul only wanted to make you happy, and get to know you better. even if he had no chance to call you a lover, this was far more than enough. so he got into all your interests so he had a common interest with you, no matter how wild, he'd end up loving it because you love it. and he loves you.
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! JAMIL VIPER        -  Instant butterflies when you call out their name
"jamil!" you called excitedly, waving him over with a beautiful, utterly handsome smile on your face.
jamil was used to his name being called. from Kalim to the servants in the house. it is common knowledge to know a servant would get his name called, for an order of sorts. to be told. but with you? oh it was so so different... normally everytime his name was called he'd be filled with dread. what would he have to do next? but with you? it is filled with such euphoria. your calling him, you want to talk to him, you want to see him. its such a strange thing to jamil on how his name being called could be so different. from just a simple tone, simple vocal difference. how is it so different everytime you call his name?
jamil would be ready to walk no mattered distance if he could meet you again. ugh.... how did he end up this deep in love? he's merely in high school...
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! VIL SCHOENHEIT        - having your every little thing memorized 
vil schoenheit was an actor. master of memorizing lines, and routines of all sorts. and yet, he is also a master of memorizing you. from your lovely smile, to your hair, to your hypnotic eyes. vil has it all remembered as if he's going to chisel an exact replica of you as a statue. this memory of his helps him realize every little emotion you have. your lips are a little bit more curved, are you okay dear? your hair is not in its usual style? what brought up this change? oh you must've gotten new clothes, he's never seen this outfit before.
all of which are in effort of loving you. he truly never thought he'd find the day where of he'd care so much for someone that every bit of them is put into memory. every touch, feeling of skin put into his mind like a note sheet. notes upon notes about every little thing he notices about you... and if you catch him staring..?
"vil? do i have something on my face? you've been staring for a while..."
"oh no, there's nothing there. just noticing the beauty that's made its mark."
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! IDIA SHROUD       - dropping everything at their messages
idia wasn't the type for social interaction, in fact any sorts of it he would immediately ditch on. for even if he gets a messaged it would be left on read for weeks, but with you? oh its like theres a personal alarm set for himself! every message, or call you make is received right away. like an update for a game or show, he sees it right away and it immediately leaves him feeling giddy...
for an introvert, anti-socialist, like him. it was unfamiliar to get such a wonderful sensation upon being talked to... being noticed... having someone contact him first, willingly? oh how it felt like the world flipped itself for him, and complied to his wills and wants. and those wants? oh its to call you his... but i guess he got too far caught into the selfshipping delusions for he doubts you'll ever love him above online friend (he's to nervous to meet you face to face. you're so ethereal).
when the notification goes off, the typing bubble immediately comes up. hes not missing your message for the world.
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! MALLEUS DRACONIA        - rambling about something you love and all they do is stare at them lovingly
malleus is completely, and totally infatuated with you. every word you speak, every breath you take it has him at the edge of his seat. ready to love and adore whatever you do next. he thinks everything you do is lovely, and worthy of adoration. he especially loves when you tell him about whatever interests you may have. Malleus absolutely adores listening to you.
please, tell him about anything and he'll listen so devotedly. how he loves knowing your comfortable enough around him to tell him and talk about your interests, whether from Twisted Wonderland, or from your world, "earth". anything and everything you tell him he is so ready to listen and learn. its coming from you, its something you consider important. so its only natural he listens.
and when you do rant, he stares and listens. looking at you like your the only thing in his universe, a beautiful sunset of which he's never laid his eyes upon before. a gift given by the world for him to love and cherish. and he'll learn everything about this treasure he has the pleasure of knowing. so... child of man, tell him more.
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kadwrites · 8 months
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deja vu | T.S
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previous part | next part
or check out the series masterlist
summary; how well do we really know the people we love?
warnings ; dark!tommy, minor character death, description of violence , mentions of murder, arranged marriage!trope , slow burn, fem!reader
a/n ; please let me know what you think!
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you tilted your head and frowned , you're both standing at the garrison.
"tommy..." you mumbled in protest
"i know" he nodded "it'll be very short."
you clicked your tongue and then huffed "if you take longer than ..... 30 minutes i'm leaving."
"ya won't."
"get out of my sight." you muttered , taking a sip of your drink.
you sighed, looking over at the place. it was fairly busy, but not stuffy. sounds of chatter and men laughing echoing around, the lighting is dim. you made your way to the booth you were in, sitting down , eyeing your drink.
"when i heard tommy was marrying again, i would've never thought it's celest's little sister that he's trapped."
you recognized the voice before even processing the words, you look up, your brows raised and smiling in disbelief "lizzie?"
she's standing there, looking over at you. her blue eyes studying every inch of your face, a face she hadn't seen in a long time. and you hadn't expected to see her here , of all places.
"what are ya doing?" she speaks softly. you know the tone, you get the meaning; what are you doing with someone like him ?
you stand up, your gaze never leaves her , still smiling. "lizzie... i've not seen ya in so long..."
since she got involved with tommy , that is. lizzie and celest knew each-other , went to school together. lizzie would sometimes stay over , whenever your mother felt she wouldn't be safe otherwise. until the war.
she chuckles, "ya 'ave your mother to thank for that."
you chuckled too, still looking at her. "how did ya know about it?"
she gives you a look, her dark brow raised "everyone knows. i just didn't know it would be someone like *you*"
you lick your lips, "lizzie i know ya two share.... a history"
she scoffs , a bitter smile on her lips "i don't resent ya for this, i wouldn't." she shakes her head "i 'ave given up on 'im... a long time ago." her eyes look away for a moment before landing on you "whatever ya think of 'im, whatever ya believe he is , he's not." she speaks with conviction.
you don't reply to that, you're just trying to know what she means by it.
"thomas shelby doesn't know love like we do, what he knows is ownership." she chuckles bitterly, "learned what that meant the hard way. but ya shouldn't go through what i did." she shakes her head softly
"i don't understand...."
she stays silent for a moment "consider this a warning from a friend, this man , *will ruin you* , and when that 'appens ya will not recognize who you've become but he.... he will remain the same, unchanged not matter how hard ya try. he will always be what he always was, no love in the world can heal whatever is broken in 'im."
"ya don't understand, lizzie." you speak finally, "this isn't simple, for either of us. i can't leave"
"ya can't or ya won't?"
"i..." you pause for a moment, letting out a chuckle "i can't."
she studies your face , nodding "what does celest think? what does oliver think?"
"they're not thrilled."
"i know 'im more than most." she adds "and if i
knew what i do now when i first met 'im....." she looks away "i came here because i knew you'd be here and to tell ya that ya can come to me... if ya ever need help."
she places a hand on your arm, looking at you one more time before turning and making her way out of the garrison.
"she was always a nice girl" your mother sighed, taking a bite of her food
you and celest look at eachother before looking back at her,
celest knew why lizzie talked to you , and so did the rest of your family
"where's abraham?" you nod towards anna
she shrugged , "he had to do something before coming here"
"ya knew who i dreamt of?" your father pointed his fork at you "that teller boy, jeremy was it?. it was the strangest thing , i tell ya"
all the women at the table tried to stay neutral, keep their reactions to a minimum, you try to hide your uncomfortable reaction behind your glass of water "it is strange"
the whole table looks towards the front door, the sound of the door slamming open and not slamming back closed, and the heavy rushed footsteps
"i need to talk to ya," he appears in the living room doorway. he puts his hands on his hips, breathing heavily as if he ran to the house. he's disheveled, he pushed his glasses back on his nose with a shaky hand
"jeremy teller is dead." he speaks in a hushed voice, looking around to check that no one is listening, both of you standing in your parents bedroom. he didn't want anyone to hear , especially not renee or she might just give birth on the spot.
"what? no he's not." you laugh, looking at him. waiting for him to finish his joke
he looks at you, wiping a hand over his face. he looks at you "he's fucking dead."
your laugh falters slowly as you look at him, your face twitching with different emotions "how ? when? how do you know about it?"
"i heard. they found 'im murdered," he tries to not speaks too loudly "his throat was slit"
you can feel your blood go cold "do they know who killed 'im?"
he tilts his head, his hands still shaking as they rest on his hips. "ya know who killed 'im."
"no....no." you shake your head, laughing again in disbelief "no no no, no" you look away and step back, putting a hand over your forehead "that's impossible."
"listen to me" he grabs your shoulders, turning you to look at him "he did it, all of small heath knows he did and ya do too."
"no , he wouldn't." you shake your head again, your heart beating so fast you can hear it. "why would he do that? he wouldn't ."
he moves you gently, sitting you down on the chair in your parents room. he kneels , his hands move to your face "what do ya wanna do now ?"
the room feels so stuffy, you can hardly breath.
"i don't know." your chest feels like it might collapse. you try to stand up, but you can barely feel your legs, you try to blink away the darkness that takes over your vision.
but you knew it was coming, the darkness does take over.
here you are again, staring at that portrait that hangs opposite of your bed. you're filled with dread , fear and even anger , your eyes trace the portrait that you've already memorized.
your head on the pillow, your sister sniffling is another reminder, like a deja vu of that cursed night.
but you can see someone else in your peripheral vision sitting in the chair , those cold blue eyes cannot be missed. its as if his presence filled the room with a cold sort of air.
you try to get up,
"lay down"
"i don't want to." you mumble, letting out a breath as you lean your back against your bed frame. your eyes still on the painting, you don't even glance his way.
"feeling better?" his voice sounds colder than you ever remember it being. the smell of the cigarette smoke making you close your eyes shut, making your head spin. you reach for the glass of water on your bedside table, your hands quiver as you bring it to your lips
"yes" you put the glass back down
"ya look pale"
"hmm"
you can't shake that feeling, you're scared of looking at him and seeing the same view you did that day, the blood on his hands.
"ya killed 'im." you're almost muttering to yourself,
he doesn't answer you, and you don't ask again. you finally peel your eyes off of the old painting, glancing at him. the look on his face gave you the answer that you already knew.
he looks so calm , so collected , almost wicked. "are ya scared now?"
and it was your turn to not answer his question, but your eyes never leave his.
"did ya do it yourself?"
"yes" he looks right back at you "you're already aware of what i can do"
you just shut your eyes, your hands shake as they grip into the covers
"forgetting it is your fault, not mine." his voice sounds again
you don't even remember the rest of that day, his words were replying in your head.
you snap out of that trance a day later, you're in the living room on the chair by the window. you look straight at the window as your mind tries to make sense of everything, and then a figure down the street catches your eyes and you feel a switch go off in your head.
i have eyes around here.
and you realize , probably ears too.
your clothes swish as you run out of the living room towards your parents' room, your mother running behind you. the old wooden floor cried under your rushed footsteps
"what happened?"
you don't even hear her, you don't process what she's saying. you pull out the box from under their bed, you rummage through it , pulling out your dad's revolver.
the cold metal of the gun feels like it's burning through your flesh
"what the fuck are ya doing? where did ya get that?" oliver yells , his eyes opened wide as tries to run after you too.
the whole house freezes, all of them just still as if the slightest movement would set that gun off
you push that door open , it slams against the wall beside it. your feel take you towards the man standing in the street , a figure you've seen lurking around too many times to chalk it up to coincidences
you cock back the hammer, your hands are steady for the first time since yesterday.
"ya tell tommy fucking shelby that if he doesn't get ya fuckers away from me , i'll start shooting."
you move the revolver and point it to the pavement , missing his foot by a hair.
-
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barb-l · 3 months
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As a desperate lesbian who has been wanting a sapphic Wednesday portrayed for AAAAGES now, I still can't believe these things that the show gave me:
THE Wednesday Addams being shown jealous of a character that barely has any lines MULTIPLE times just because Enid mayyybe wants to choose said minor character as a roomie/bestie over her
BFFs Thing and Enid ganging up on Wednesday over her fashion sense and her pouting about it
Wednesday, who takes pride in her independence and relishes in isolation, admitting to have missed anyone is unthinkable. But she did! In her own way. Even if she was roundabout with her admittance, the fact that she got called out by both Thing and the goddamn villain shows how down bad she was during that fallout with Enid
"Thing said he missed you" and the way she visibly struggles against her nature to say "Skip the tape" with the tape symbolizing her breaking down her walls for Enid
something about Thornhill, who is played by an actress who also used to play Wednesday, telling this new Wednesday that she has to admit someday how much Enid has come to mean to her is just... ugh. Will never get over how much it adds so many layers to Wednesday's self-denial.
she held off all the insults in her bottomless vocabulary so she wouldn't completely offend Enid over the snood she made for her. She sugarcoated her words for Enid, which Wednesday NEVER does. In fact, it's the opposite of what she always does!
Enid VS Tyler bearing so much resemblance to that classic trope where the Love Interest saves the girl from the other Love Interest, even being a parallel to the fight between Gomez and Garret over Morticia
Enid lamented how she would never find a mate because she's not a real werewolf and would hence die alone, to which Wednesday remarks that it's a good thing in episode one. To emphasize Wednesday's apparent indifference to isolation, she is told that her nature as a raven means that she is fated to be alone like Enid feared for herself. In the finale, after Wednesday accepts that she doesn't want to be alone in the wake of her fallout with Enid, Enid finally wolfs out to save Wednesday. Enid made Wednesday realize that she doesn't actually like being alone, at least not when it meant she wouldn't have Enid by her side. In turn, Wednesday's life being threatened gave Enid the push to finally wolf out and, supposedly, now be given an opportunity to be eligible for a mate. I mean... I don't have high hopes, but the narrative is making it too easy to make it look like they were meant for each other
The heavy implication that Wednesday joined the Poe Cup because Bianca specifically said she wanted to make Enid cry over losing. The fact that she always deflected whenever Enid tried to confirm that Wednesday is doing it for her, but she never outright denied it!
"The mark you have left on me is indelible" and "I'll think of you" about Enid aksnnzzinsosnsj she gets sooooo sappy for herrrr
THE HUG. For people she's very very soft for, like her family, she only ever let THEM touch her. She's never show to start or reciprocate. SHE pulls Enid back into her. She holds Enid just as tightly, despite the injuries and despite Enid's pink coat. Enid toughens up for her but Wednesday is so vulnerable for her my god im so ill for them 💀
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mooncheese3 · 1 month
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DISCLAIMER: this version is different from the prev post on this au (vvv) in that this is the only incarnation of sj that ghost!yqy has encountered, and bingges dont keep popping up for a shizun. but yqy still goes down the simon petrikov route of self sacrifice for loved one(s)
ok so ghost!yqy in the modern world with reincarnated!sj
So. after pidw. yqy's physical body didnt survive, but his spirit Did. he failed sj so many times already, he's not going to fail him again, and through sheer determination and love and want he put himself back together (as hed always done)
him fixing himself wasnt really bc of his rational mind. if anything it was a glutteral, instinctual Need that really pushed him to mold himself into a being all over again. however bc his spirit is binded with xuansu's, on top of his spirit almost disappearing bc of how much scattered, bringing the pieces of himself together took a LOT of time
by the time he took form, sqq was long dead
not sure if he shouldve been the one to end lbg, but itd be kind of cool if that was the case
and so yqy, whose entire purpose is to protect sj, roams the world looking for his reincarnation
in the background apocalyptic shit happens that leads the world to abandon and/or forget about cultivation, which leads us to the modern world!!🥳
sj still has a hard-knock life on the streets and then with the qius--can u tell im a sucker for the history repeats itself trope. he doesnt remember anything, but he Does feel like someone is missing. like someone that Should be there Isnt. its a constant feeling in the back of his mind, but he always pushed it away to focus on the now.
like what happened in his first life, sj has enough of all the abuse and kills qjl. what Changes though is that yqy is finally--after thousands and hundreds of years--on time
yqy burns everything down.
sj isnt sure what to make of this malevolent being. no one else but him can see it, though people /can/ see when it moves things around. people have always mentioned to sj that they feel like someone's watching them, though when they look around no one is looking their way
it makes people leave him alone, which is honestly what sj prefers
its (he's?) his savior and he makes him feel safe, yes, but who knows when that wrath gets directed at himself. his head is screaming at the threat yqy poses while his instinct and soul tells him hes safest with yqy. for a long time sj walks on eggshells around yqy, sometimes trying to escape his presence
his attempts always fail, though. somehow.
he eventually starts to warm up to yqy. sj has a feeling that this...thing was always meant to be by his side (as illogical as that sounds). he no longer has that feeling of a missing presence, something he'd felt since he'd developed a consciousness as a very young child
sj even finds the ghost a bit endearing, in his infinite gentleness to contrast his terrifying, sharp form. he doesnt understand why the ghost is so protective over him (the ghost once almost flew into a destructive frenzy over everything except him when he and his team went to investigate a deep, unexplored ravine that appeared out of nowhere), but that was endearing too
— RAMBLES BC I FORGOT WHAT I WAS GONNA TYPE NEXT (ITS BEEN A FEW MONTHS SORRY) —
one day sj got tired of calling the ghost “the ghost”, so he decided to find him a name. the ghost seems to have an opinion on this, as his thick eyebrows turned downwards every time sj called/proposed to him a name to be referred to. the progress was non existent, so sj started spouting out random characters and then later on numbers. when sj gets to “qi”, the ghost very excitedly straightens up from its seemingly perpetual hunched posture.
“7?” sj snorts, finding it a little funny. who knows, perhaps spirits loose their marbles the longer they stay amongst the living. he watches “qi’s” eyes crease into happy crescents, the shadows seeping away from his form retreating back into himself. his form looks more solid: less blurry and more clearer at the edges.
“lao qi, you really are weird” sj says fondly, though is inwardly confused when lao qi seems to deflate a little. perhaps he didnt want to be reminded of his age?
"what, do you want to be called xiao qi?" qi's eyes twitch, as if weirded out. "thought so. qige?"
at this, qi's eyes widen into two happy suns, joyfully—on instinct—coming closer. but then stops himself a pace away, as if remembering himself
sj raises a brow, "youre far too old to be called qige; im many generations your junior, yknow? youre basically my grandfather's ancestor's ancestor"
qi's eyes droop into despondent half circles. sj carefully doesnt say any more, recognizing that it may be a more sensitive topic than he thought.
SORRY YUE QI </3333 BUT </333 ... ITS FOR THE GREATER GOOD
THAT I AM GOING TO EXPLAIN RIGHT NOW, BUT NOT VERY WELL DONE:
in canon, sqq and yqy are stuck in the past. it keeps them from growing as persons and as. brothers? friends? Potential Lovers. Yes.
in this au, it is especially so for yqy, who loses himself the more he clings to the past, his promise, and sj
when he first died, his soul was at risk of being destroyed, scattered pieces and all. but because he put himself back together, he Could reincarnate into his next life. its just that he refuses to.
had he allowed himself to move on and accept that things have passed, he would have been able to start over anew in the modern world; perhaps even changed the course fate seems to have set on them for the better Without his soul suffering for it
sj reminding him that hes from an era long gone serves as one of many instances that help him come to terms with. dying? moving on. Yes.
ON THE TOPIC OF YQY'S SOUL MOVING ON.
i was thinking just now How that would happen, esp when in this au yqy's soul is like. one wrong move away from self destruction, xuan su's still binded to him, yqy letting go of sj after roaming All Those Years? Very hard., its the modern world so supernatural cultuvation stuff is almost entirely out of the picture, sj is like 25 what would he know about these things, etcetc that sort of stuff
but then i was like. "WAIT A MINUTE. THIS IS AIRPLANES WORLD. TRUE LOVE IS TOTALLY A VIABLE SOLUTION"
so. True love is the solution. true love saves qige💗
and then in their next life its the ultra ultra modern futuristic au and theyre pilots of mega robots 💗 /hj
OH. AND. THIS IS THE SONG I GOT THE DIALOGUE (???) FROM
youtube
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nthee · 3 months
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I DON'T KNOW IF I'MA SEE YOU AGAIN . . .
summary: a slight, or well, not-so-slight blunder led to the unfortunate events of him losing his memory — his memory of you and anything related to you.
characters: riddle roseherts, silver, lilia vanrouge
contains: angst with a bit of fluff, gender-neutral mc (uses second person view aka "you"), the reader blushes (described to be flushed)
notes: title is from see you again hehe :) i just thought it kind of had amnesia trope vibes idkkk dont ask me why atp, inspo comes from anywhere fr. also SURPRISE IM BACK let's ignore the fact that it's been 5 months tho i was so burnt out :(
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⌗ RIDDLE ROSEHEARTS
“Let me help you with that. [...] What? You're staring.”
“Ah, it's... it's nothing, sorry.”
The close proximity is enough to make you go insane. Perhaps it's better if you just took the time to actually fix your tie this morning. That way, he wouldn't be so close! So close that...
Oh Seven, what if he hears my heartbeat?! Ack, calm down, calm down! I don't want to scare him of, what if he thinks it's — I'm creepy?!
“You seem flushed, [Name]. Are you alright?” his movement stills while holding onto your tie, and you mentally facepalm.
Riddle's hand makes its way to your forehead, the back of his hand pressing onto your skin, before realizing he's wearing gloves. He clears his throat at the mistake, opting to feel your temperature using the back of his wrist — the exposed skin between his sleeve and glove.
“Temperature is normal... a little bit warm, but nothing serious.”
“I'm alright! It's nothing, really.”
Too close, too close, too close!
Riddle retracts back, almost as if he could hear your pleas. He sighed, clearing his throat as his eyes wander around — look everywhere, anywhere but them, Riddle.
“I should — ah, we should get to class...” you reminded. You mirror his actions, averting your gaze.
“Right. Class.”
He offers an arm, one that you graciously take without a second thought. “Let me escort you there. I did hold you off for several minutes.”
Excuses! Riddle's mind yells. You're falling for them!
He doesn't care in the slightest — just as long as you're there to catch him. Though he knew you for a grand total of five days, he knows you'll be there.
⌗ SILVER
“Have I... met you before? I have, haven't I?”
A bittersweet laugh escapes your lips, startling Silver in front of you. You pull yourself together, smiling as you gaze into his eyes — the same eyes you'd lose yourself in, letting the time pass doing just that.
“Once upon a dream, right? That's what you were going to say?” you wipe a tear from the corner of your eye, thankful you laughed first before the waterworks arrived. Thank goodness, he can't see me sad.
Silver's eyes brightened, his eyelashes fluttering in disbelief. “It's... it's you. I meet you in my dreams! Everytime I close my eyes, I... I see you.”
His hands are softly holding yours as he speaks, his thumb tracing your skin delicately — like you were glass, or a treasure. It's enough to make you swoon, just as he's always done before.
“Don't leave my side.”
He thinks it's selfish to ask that from a stranger. But you are no stranger. You know the truth, but he suspects it's destiny — that you've actually met, talked, danced before, only well, it was in his very own dreamland.
You can feel the tears again. Maybe this isn't so bad? Or, at the very least, this isn't the end.
“I wouldn't even think of it.”
⌗ LILIA VANROUGE
“Are you a friend of Silver's? I don't think I've seen you around before.”
Those words were uttered before you could even process the initial news of Lilia's predicament — before your heart could even let it sink in.
You could only choke back the words threatening to slip off your tongue, lest it sound like utter crap to someone who just lost his memories.
You and I are more than friends. You play— well, played lighthearted tricks on me. I fell for them. I fell for you.
“You... could say that,” was all you could muster up. There was no point in explaining more, he wouldn't understand them.
There was understanding to his nod, a subconscious feeling of something nestled deep in his heart.
“Are you troubled? You seem to be.” his tone is soft, yet firm. Lilia had always been that way; a mentor, father (or, father-like to ones who don't know he was actually one), shoulder to cry on, wise fae to depend on...
A lover. Was a lover.
Now, all was left was Lilia before he even got to know you.
Lilia Vanrouge, a schoolmate of yours, once again.
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← | © nthee, do not repost, plagiarize, translate, adapt, and use my work in anything that associates directly with ai.
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austinsastrology8991 · 11 months
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> Neptune IN the HOUSES < How your DELUSIONS find you RESOLUTIONS
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Neptune in the First - You act so naive, and now people actually think your naive. But you hate it when people treat you this way, but your always swaying around and acting oblivious to everything around you, but ik its all a front, and people find you to be mystical and now everyone is entranced by this dance you make acting oblivious. its obvious its an act, but then the more you get to know them you realize its not and thats actually who they are, and you wonder why no one has bonked them on the head yet Neptune in the Second - you dont really value anything, you think everything comes and goes, and your just like a paper bag flowing through the wind tbh. But this quality of letting things be and go, allows you to be molded by life and that can be a useful tool for artisty, but man yall just give up easy tbh. also your voices are like ethereal - kiddd cudiiiiiieee Neptune in the Third - you guys talk like a movie character, and its never the villain but the naive protagonist who just believes in a bunch of bullshit. but everyone thinks your so amusing to lissten to and i suppose you are but sometimes you guys really are playing up this movie trope and well im done watching the same movie i want a re-cast. then next week you will re-cast yourself as a new protagonist and well everyone just loves to watch you be an idiot so keep it up Neptune in the Fourth - Your literally 'good will huntings robin Williams'. you act like you figured out emotions because you let them come and go, but when someone questions whats going on with you, you find a million reasons to explain why you behave this way, and why others do, whilst completely avoiding letting your emotions out because your way too sensitive youd rather keep it at them at a distance that way you can handle it Neptune in the Fifth - You guys are the embodiment of a amusement park. YOu perform a million different acts, and never run out of ideas on how to entertain. Very amusing to watch, but people tend to take you for granted since your always so fun to be around we just expect yalll to keep performing, and you can, but this eats you up inside. then you perform again showing us how you feel as usual, and how it feels being used, and well i guess its all good because you have a never ending source of material - yourselves
Neptune in the Sixth - IMO the real mvps of delusions. No one is as delusional as them but they dont even care because they have thought of so much bullshit and have found so much evidence for their bullshit that they now realized that what most people believe in is bullshit, so they just think everything is bullshit. They dont even give a fuck anymore because to them everything isnt real, and everything is real, they have trouble understanding reality, because they have seen things no one could ever believe exists Neptune in the Seventh - Hopelessly projecting what they want in the world just for it to never come to fruition. This is actually how they pull, so dont hate their game. but they tell people how they wish things would be, and people want to save them by showing them how the world works, or giving into their stupid delusions and pretending what they believe in is real. Kinda a lot to deal with. But they'll never admit that they act so innocent but then your basically taking care of a baby Neptune in the Eighth - They make the universe bend to their will whether it wants to or not. They will pull every magic trick they know to make sure that their delusions are not delusional anymore. And its impressive how much they believe in there imaginings that it does tend to become real, but i would warn them and whoever is around them; That their fantasies tend towards the dark. so if they want something to be real (and they gonna do everything they can to get it) they may or may not resort to black magic or some shady ass shit Neptune in the Ninth - They believe in god a lot, maybe too much to appear normal. They are the type to make up a cult and behave liek mormons and say it was the will of god. The people ive met with this are strange, and their beliefs alter quite a bit, and for some reason they always have met deities and angels. But they are so delusional in their beleifs that if you hear them out, its so far fetched youll get lost in them because your so curious how someone got so lost in their own religion you wonder if they'll ever return to the real world Neptune in the Tenth - They are openly strange. Bro dennis Rodman has this conj his midheaven and its just iconic really. These guys are the strangest most ethereal beings and everyone gets lost in their cult of personality. Always switching up their identity, they think reality is bullshit and well we are all here for it because yall do the strangest things and i just wanna watch what your gonnna do next. but im still trynna figure out how close i wanna get to you because being seen with you is a risk for my reputation, because you clearly dont give a fuck about yours Neptune in the Eleventh - How many acid shirts do you own. Its like your the public personification of 'make love not war and peace bro' and its cool everyone wants a freidn like you, but no one takes your advice seriously. Because your so lost in the make believe that you think your make believe can actually make someone make believe..... But like cmon how the fuck do you think thats going to change anything. WHen has 'peace bro' ever actually worked. do your charities or whatever but i do not see it working as much as you think it can. sorry not sorry. But i do love you. But get a haircut Neptune in the Twelvth - Your literally the type to lick your finger , put it up in the air and say 'yep it going to rain wednesday' then it actually rains wednesday. And your so cooked no one believes you (because why would you) but then it does happen and now eveyrone thinks your even more cooked because what you had cookin is a real recipe. Now everyone wants to know how you have your third eye or whatever open and now you just want to hide again lmao. Also incredible artists, i recommend you guys keep your intuitive insights to yourself because you are right a lot but why tell people when everyone is just going to question how you see signs rather than heed your advice
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sunboki · 6 months
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KOREA'S MOST WANTED (DEAD OR ALIVE) : SUNBOKI
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🎥 : Christopher Bahng x fem. reader ( with hints of other attraction ((mainly 3racha cause im a whore)) no poly )
TROPE. non-idol au, criminal! au, enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, angst, fluff, implied smut
WORD COUNT. 6.8k & 33 minute read
WARNINGS. smut, blood, guns/weapons, shoot-out, murder, mentions of drugs and poison, descriptive violence, suggestiveness, manipulation, death(not major characters), cursing
PLAYLIST
AUG'S NOTES. a weird spin to a not-quite mafia au but i love the lore.. enjoy. if you decide to read, feedback is always appreciated!!
SYNOPSIS. Eight notoriously wanted criminals work solo. They always have. Except when their dark work and concealed identities are put at risk, they find themselves with no other choice but to work together—and what better place to do so than the back fields of a house in the middle of nowhere? The location was ideal, until you open the doors of your grandparents barn and accidentally meet Korea’s most wanted.
or alternatively
In which stumbling in the wrong place at the wrong time leaves you face to face with some of the most-wanted criminals in all of South Korea.
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CRIMINAL #0001 — BAHNG, CHRISTOPHER.
CRIMINAL RECORD
Christopher has been convicted of illegal weapon trafficking on eighteen counts of federal offenses. He is notoriously dangerous. Please proceed with caution.
⭑ REWARD
⎯ CRIMINAL FILES (additional cases)
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The only thing illuminating your walk to the barn is your phone light and the hardly helpful moon peeking between heavy clouds.
You’ve done this a billion times, but tonight there’s just something ..unsettling. You can’t put your finger on it.
Shaking the thought from mind, you fiddle with the small lock hitched onto wide, dark red barn doors, untangling rusted chains like routine. That is, until you hear a sound. An unusual sound, an unnerving sound.
By that time you’d already pushed open the doors, and the weight of what sat in front of you—the weight of what was responsible for the sound—made you feel faint.
“Who.. Who are you people?”
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Every October you visit your grandparents (or whenever your schedule isn’t jam-packed, but most often in October) when the leaves are deep orange and red, dappling gravel driveways and leaving the once abundant trees bare of their spring greenery.
The weather, though overcast in the autumn season, never stays gray for too long if you wake up early enough. Your grandpa taught you that, how to witness the early morning view before being covered by clouds.
On this occasion, however, you certainly didn’t plan on waking up early, especially not while rooming in your comfortable old bedroom.
Your grandparents house, despite being in the middle of nowhere, was so homey, so familiar. You’d be sure to soak up as much of this easiness as you could before returning back to life, savor the moments the best you could.
“Have you heard?” Your grandmother utters, fingers expertly dicing fruits, gaze glued to the TV.
“Grandma, I just got here, so no I haven’t heard anything,” You laugh, dragging your luggage through the hallway while the drone of the latest news feature serves as background noise. Probably another celebrity split-up, you assume.
Surely, considering the stubborn woman’s frantic waving once you come back into the living room, beckoning you to watch with her.
“Look! They’re wrecking havoc everywhere recently. Folks are calling them ‘Korea’s most wanted.’” Shaking her head repeatedly, she points at the screen displaying a churned building left to nothing but ash.
You hum absentmindedly, listening to the reporter talk.
“Using the title the media has given, this building, once a printing firm, has been dissolved into ashes overnight. The attack is said to have been the doing of ‘The Arsonist’, a member of one of the most wanted people on the radar…”
“If you run into one of them,” Having completely forgotten about the other presence in the room, you flinch. “Call your Grandma, I’ll swat ‘em over the head with my shovel.”
Gesturing with an imaginary shovel in hand, you can’t help but laugh at her silliness, quickly shaking the lingering thought away.
Korea’s most wanted here? Here’s probably the last place they’d show up, too busy massacring the big cities to care about this old house.
Resorting to scurrying onto a kitchen stool, you fill in the nosy old lady on what life has been like, how work has been treating you, and all the other nosy questions your grandmother thinks up slicing apples.
By the time you look out the window, the sky is almost fully dark, until a sudden flash of headlights tells the household grandpa’s back from work, hopping from his rickety blue pickup truck to greet you. 
There’s a smile gracing his wrinkled features, regarding you like you were still eight years old. He’s a man of few words, but when he speaks, everyone listens. Similarly, when he tells you he loves you—something he barely does—the moment, whatever it may be, is special.
Settling in for the night, you help wash dishes and insist the stoic woman takes a seat before she breaks her back leaning over the sink, which she rolls her eyes and ignores no less.
Not like you expected anything else, she’d wash these dishes till the end of time knowing her.
“Y/n, dear, would you mind making sure the barn lamp is shut off? I’m worried it’ll catch fire if I forget.”
Speaking of the end of time, you hadn’t stepped foot in the barn in what felt to be decades, too occupied with the house and town to remember that ramshackle building outside.
Of course you said yes, deciding this was a prime opportunity to not forget in the process of slipping on a sweater to help battle the cold, approaching the barely visible building.
You think you hear someone talking but choose to ignore it, pretending it was the wind or something along those lines. It’s autumn and you’re plenty far away from suburban areas, so most likely an animal lie responsible.
That was, until you pry open the barn doors.
Immediately, a stranger with cat-like features has a serrated dagger held to your throat.
Closing your eyes instinctively, you wait to feel the cold metal breaking skin, hesitantly cracking open an eye to meet the attacker’s chilling stare boring into the side of your face.
He takes a few seconds to exchanges glances with another in the dimly lit space then back to your stock-still frame. Briefly, you feel your phone get pulled from your pocket but don’t budge, worried one wrong movement would automatically have the cold metal slitting your throat.
“Walk. Make the slightest move and nobody finds your body, understood?”
Shakily, you nod, feebly inching forward before getting shoved onto the container your grandpa kept extra tools in, splinters piercing the back of your thighs.
Wonderingly, your eyes flicker to each stranger surrounding you. Counting eight in total, some taller, some shorter, you gulp, outnumbered by a large margin you’re sure would be nearly impossible trying to escape from.
Without exchanging a word, one of the shorter, more muscular men steps forward, seeming to inspect you. His rough grip finds your chin, jerking your head from side to side then up to meet his honeyed brown eyes. They’re surprisingly kind compared to his demeanor.
“She’s pretty. Might earn us a good penny if you want, Bahng. Ain’t that right, sweetheart?” Cocking his brows, you swiftly rip your head out of his hand, wrinkling your nose with disgust.
A frothing dread fills your gut, and you think for a moment letting that man with the dagger kill you off would’ve been a better doom.
“Hands off, Bin. If we wanted to get a price we need her to be in good condition.” A voice from behind this so-called “Bin” responds, and you feel the overwhelming urge to hurl.
They’re talking about selling you, like you’re not even human. A pretty porcelain object available at their disposal.
Good condition? You feel sick. You can’t see the man who replied, but you doubt it’d make your gut feel any more uncomfortable.
“Aw c’mon guys,” Another voice you finally spot to your right interjects, sporting chubbier cheeks and appearing quite out of place in this group. “You’re scaring her, go easy.”
Bin scoffs. “Should she be comfortable? We’re gonna kill her anyway, Jisung. Right, Bahng?”
God. Who is this Bahng guy that’s apparently in charge and why does “Bin” want you dead so badly? Didn’t he just call you pretty, or were you blacking out?
“..Right, Bahng?”
Bin falters, backing up as the face belonging to “Bahng” ushers him to the side.
Bahng, at least in the scarce lighting, is scarily handsome. Dyed hair nearly an auburn shade, a strong jaw, and calculating, dusky brown eyes that appear equally as kind as Bin’s.
You’ve learned to not trust the deceit.
Suddenly, a thought strikes.
Any minute now your grandparents will realize how long you’ve been gone and start to worry.
Your heart drops.
No. Don’t come here, stay in the house. No no no no.
Automatically, words stumble out of your mouth.
“Please- kill me, sell me, I don’t care. My grandparents- they’re gonna come here, I can’t have them here. If they find me here I... Please.” Chest rising and falling unevenly, you continuously glance at the door.
Waiting, waiting.
“Please spare them. I don’t want them to get hurt.”
He doesn’t blink, doesn’t make any expression apparent on that handsome face of his. Observing.
You’re a spectacle, an interesting one at that.
“And if I spare you, what do I get in return, hm?”
You’re caught off guard.
In return? What does he mean in return?
Think. Think. What the hell could someone like him want? He has enough money, you’re sure.
Fine. Make it broad.
“Anything. Anything, I promise.” Pleading, you anxiously shuffling atop the box, swearing to have heard the sound of moving outside. Somewhere behind the two of you someone chokes a laugh. You can’t find it in yourself to care.
Poking his tongue into his cheek thoughtfully, he eventually signals to the others before you’re being escorted through the back door by a not-so gentle Bin and a very much apologetic Jisung, sparing a glance back to the home you’d only seen for one day.
And if what Bin said about killing you was true, you wonder if you’ll ever see it again.
.. .
Ducking into one of the two cars parked directly behind the barn, you’re assigned the passenger seat, accompanied by Bahng who’s driving, Jisung, and a long-haired boy sitting beside him in the backseat.
They’re all strikingly beautiful opposed to the blood you’re sure has stained their hands, especially the one next to Jisung with features resembling that of a prince. Everything about him seems too elegant to do any harm. You know that’s a lie.
Mapping out your surroundings, you shuffle in the leather seat, waiting until all three men get situated to slam the door ajar and run. Second instinct, no thoughts, just survival.
You run, run and run as fast as you can while the thump of shoes echo behind you. Far away, you have to get away. Get away get away get aw— a force slams into you from behind and you go toppling down.
Gasping as the air mercilessly ripped from your lungs returns, your vision adjusts, squirming thanks to the identity keeping you still. Bahng has you trapped below him, breath labored, effortlessly intimidating.
“Let— go of me!” You yell, voice betraying the utter desperation overtaking every fiber of your being.
He holds you down, meeting your eyes without fail as you struggle and shout. Shouting and screaming so loud into the darkness in fact, that the man finally covers your mouth with a hand as you tremble, watery gaze fixated on his. Burning, venomous hatred.
“I’m afraid that isn’t an option, sweetness. So you either walk back to the car or I go through things the hard way. What will it be?”
He thumbs the sweaty strands of hair stuck to your forehead, hand finally pulling off your mouth.
Hypocrite.
“Fuck you.” You spit, and the man’s brows lift, lips pulled into an amused smile as he wipes his cheek.
“Hard way it is.”
Instantaneously, you’re hauled over his shoulder, not straining a bit despite the incessant kicking and pounding of your fists against his shoulder.
And just to prove how much he wholeheartedly deserved that fuck you, he made sure to lock the vehicle twice right in front of your face, receiving an equally as distasteful glare through the windshield in return.
The car ride was quiet, only interrupted by him asking if the air was too cold which you responded to with the middle finger. Jisung giggled.
Wee hours of morning peer through thick clouds, the road briefly illuminated by your headlights, corn stalks for miles lining either side. A barely palpable trace of life noticeable in a church’s steeple in the distance—once stark white, now stained and evidently aged.
Looking in the mirror, you locate the other vehicle tailing, assumed to be carrying the additional boys. Considering where your lone source of communication may be hidden (a.k.a your phone), you strain trying to spot it in your peripheral.
No use. Just you and this shit-hole of a situation.
Either way, what would you even say? “Please help me I’ve been kidnapped by eight of Korea’s most wanted criminals”? Yeah, they’ll definitely believe that.
There’s a hum from the prince-like man.
“This is the perfect place for a murder,” He speaks so nonchalantly, as if he referred to the weather and not killing someone.
Chills spread along your arms.
Jisung chuckles. “You’re right, no traces at all. Either way, even if someone did find them they’d likely already be rotten.”
You’re nauseous.
“Say, do you know how long it takes for a body to rot out here?” He asks, and your dizziness keeps you from realizing he’s referring to you, stomach threatening to spill all of its contents any second now.
And they expect you to know that?
Your silence leads to Jisung earning a smack from his backseat companion, scolding him hushedly.
Bahng stays quiet, one hand holding the wheel and the other splayed on the center console. Occasionally though you’ll see his eyes flit elsewhere, or maybe it’s your imagination.
Car eventually falling mute with a few passengers sleeping, you get close to doing the same before the harsh jerk of the car stirs everyone wide awake, clutching onto their seats.
You’d swerved into a small expanse of corn, wheels crushing the crops beneath them. Instantly the three reach under their seats, instinctively grabbing out pistols and pushing open the doors slowly, bodies crouched low.
Preparing to hide to the best of your ability, a hand on your arm keeps your movement at bay, discovered to belong to Bahng.
“Just keep in mind what Jisung said, by the time anyone finds you you’ll be rotted, pretty thing.” He sends you a sickeningly sweet smile, cocking the hammer of his gun and disappearing out the door where you hear someone shout: “I fucking knew we were being followed!” Prior to the loud ricochet of bullets being fired.
You duck down in the passenger seat, attempting to be as small and forgettable as possible out of sight. That is until a gunshot strikes the side of the car, narrowly bypassing where you’re curled up on the floorboard.
An involuntary scream escapes you, and your palm clamps over your mouth, shuddering and shaking like a leaf.
It’s a natural reaction, shrinking away, too horrified to act. So when your door is violently swung open, you prepare for the worst before recognizing Bin’s face, who legitimately rips you from the seat and drags you away.
Stopping beside a minimal clearing, you observe he isn’t carrying a weapon of any kind, a factor that makes your hopes slightly plummet. Granted, it’s not that you don’t think he’d be capable of defending himself (and you), but his fists against a gun didn’t sound too promising.
Swiftly instructed to not move, he races off, effectively tackling a man to the ground and leaving a pool of blood seeping where he lay.
Except, Bin abruptly evades your vision, leaving you to notice the prince-like boy in his stead, waving his arms and yelling something you strain to recognize.
“Behind you!” He had been shouting.
Your soul fills with dread.
In an instant you brace for impact, ears picking up the whirring of an object against the wind before the crack of a bat makes contact with your attackers head. The man goes down like a sack of bricks.
Bin, holding a nail embedded baseball bat propped on his shoulder, appeared just on time.
He had a streak of blood smeared across his cheek which you guessed belonged to someone else, and his knuckles lay bruised and torn despite the massive shit-eating grin slapped on his face.
“You alright, sweetheart?” He asks, voice hoarse and rough despite never looking more alive. It’s terrifying.
Shaken, you give yourself a once over, hurriedly shaking your head. He barks a laugh.
Gunshots eventually dying off, the nine of you regroup, some suffering minor injuries and others standing untouched.
Among them, the dagger-wielding criminal is one of the untouched. You’re not surprised.
Jisung is cussing wildly, leg ripped up pretty bad while leant against said dagger-wielding criminal, sending his counterpart a sour glare.
“Those motherfuckin’ assholes need ‘ta learn some fuckin’ manners..” Jisung spews curses, lips pulled up in a sneer as the others help him into the bullet-embedded car.
Reversing out of the densely packed foliage, no one dares say a word the entire rest of the drive, preoccupied with going back to their interrupted sleep or blankly gazing into the night.
The destination, appearing to be a company building by its exterior (and the lack of daylight), easily averages the size of an extreme warehouse. You curve into an enormous parking garage, every other space occupied by some multimillion dollar sports car.
Upon walking inside though, you’re left in the main entrance with Jisung while the remainder slip into a separate room.
His leg is bandaged thanks to “Jeongin”, whom, after briefly seeing them in brighter lighting, you guess is the youngest-looking one. Light hair and a smile you’re certain breaks all law-breaking guidelines.
Arrangement of chairs mimicking that of a doctor’s office, you guess the decorum is used to disguise what actually goes on here.
Clearing your throat, you debate on speaking about the question burning a hole through your skull.
“Why do you want me to live?”
Managing to haul himself backwards on a chair, Jisung shrugs.
“Why not? It’d be fun having someone other than those boneheads around.”
Typical Jisung reaction, you assume. This is the same dude bringing up murder like it’s a daily occurrence after all.
“Plus, we’re normally workin’ solo. Some circumstances forced us to work together.” He absentmindedly waved, and you bite the urge to ask about these so-called “circumstances”.
With Jisung, you can’t tell if he’s being sarcastic or serious. You have a feeling asking him about it though would only lead to a response along the lines of: “Hey, it adds to the fun, right?” as if murder was a leisurely hobby.
You can’t help but feel baffled with how casually he talks about the additional men. Friends, as if they’re friends. Not like they would be, Jisung said it himself, “circumstances” pulled them together.
However, the danger they’d pose working as a team would be unreal. You didn’t even want to consider the possibility.
Goosebumps crawl upon your forearms.
"Y’know, I used to protect people like you." Han Jisung, whom you now recognized as The Arsonist, tilted his head to the side when he said that.
Strikingly beautiful, just like the others. Soft, round cheeks. Dark, soulful eyes and pursed, puffy lips.
You recall your grandmother telling you some of the prettiest flowers carry the most poison. Now it makes sense.
Blinking, you choose your words rather carefully.
This man, the one who upon first glance looks like he couldn’t harm a fly, burned down a printing firm yesterday. The same man alongside seven other notorious criminals discussing your fate.
Korea’s most wanted.
“Why’d you stop? Protecting people, I mean.” Coming out mumbled, you watch him click his tongue and change posture, not phased whatsoever.
It was a genuine question, considering whatever job he had before —if it came down to protecting— seemed to be something linked to the law. Unusual, for a criminal or his level.
“I got bored,” He yawned, lower lip jutting out.
Talk about a juxtaposition to his psychotic tendencies.
Bored. Han Jisung, The Arsonist, got bored of being a good guy.
It gave you a whole new perspective to insane.
“..You ask a bunch of questions, huh. I guess that makes sense since you might die- no! Not die- well, I’m not sure but- you’ll be fine!”
Wow Jisung. You seriously suck at convincing.
Oh how you wish your grandma would appear with her shovel right about now. Scratch that, you wish she would’ve swatted them over the head much earlier than now.
“Alright, but where will we keep her while Bahng decides on the cover up?” The seven go quiet, and if it wasn’t for the whirring of a fan overhead you would’ve guessed they were telepathically communicating, few sparing hasty glances at each other, waiting for someone to speak up.
Changbin was the one who asked, but he didn’t continue, nor even meet Bahng’s eyes despite his normal, boisterous behavior.
If there was one person they all had a running respect (and fear) of, it would be Bahng. He’d brought up the idea of working together, and he’d be the one leading in result.
Freckle Boy (the name The Hitman had came up with before learning Felix’s’ name) opens his mouth.
“I can—“
“She’ll stay with me.” Bahng interjects, and no one lifts a finger.
Changbin sees the blond’s pinched expression through his peripheral.
“But I have an extra—“
“You heard me, Felix. She stays with me,” He sternly repeats, and the younger deflates, mumbling something to himself after Hyunjin sends him a reassuring nod.
The atmosphere eased up slightly opposed to how suffocating it had been earlier, enough to where the men occupying their individual chairs took deep breaths of air they hadn’t know they’d been holding.
The door opens and they disperse in different directions while Bahng lags behind, speaking to Jeongin about something hushed.
You, on the other hand, are greeted with a rather sympathetic smile from the blond, telling you whatever they talked about wasn’t good.
From your right, Bin clears his throat, effectively giving you an unprecedented heart-attack.
“For the record, we weren’t planning to sell you.”
A grin grows on your face, taking this sweeter opportunity to pick some fun. You’re stuck here anyway, right?
“We weren’t? I think you were.”
He huffs, crossing muscular arms over his chest stubbornly. Behind him, a neighboring coffee-haired man snickers, earning Bin’s slap on the shoulder and a quiet “Yah.. Seungmin..” That completely sabotage any chance of taking him seriously.
“..I wasn’t.”
Mhm, definitely. Like the tips of his ears weren’t blood red.
The whiplash you’re getting from being treated you like a rag doll earlier becomes quite ironic.
Wasting time incessantly teasing the man, it’s not until he’s lead off by Bahng that you quiet down, awkwardly shifting your weight to either heel.
“..So?” You interrupt the silence, only given a jerk of Bahng’s head as a signal to follow. Talk about vague.
Overflowing with endless questions, he finally stops and turns to you, brows furrowed.
Attractive. My god he’s attractive.
“Would you just tell me where we’re-“You’re staying in my room for the time being.”
To say you felt shocked barely brushed the surface of your internal wasp nest, endlessly buzzing and swarming. His room? What the hell was that supposed to mean?
“I mean,” He notes, looking amused now. “Unless you plan on staying in the other rooms with cameras and giving security a show then—“
“Fine.”
Sending you a smug grin, it’s hard not feeling bewildered as he rounds a corner, revealing one, the fact that he has literal guards standing on either side of the double doors, and two, that his “room” is the short story of a penthouse.
Wow.
.. .
Turning off the ignition, Changbin stuffs the keys in his pocket upon slipping inside, scrunching his nose at the sight before him.
“Fuck dude, you’re a tank.” The man groans, eyeing Chris who’s currently doing handstand push-ups on wooden parallettes.
When Chris is nowhere to be found, he’s here, hidden away in this partially abandoned gymnastics studio on the outskirts of Incheon. Small, though with all materials intact.
Occasionally teenagers would come roaming around, having heard of hauntings and gruesome murders they want to stick their noses in. It’s plausible, sure, the murder part at least.
Changbin didn’t believe in hauntings, because no horrific spirit ever dared deter him from enjoying his job, over and over. He didn’t have remorse, he didn’t feel.
Life was easier that way, without emotion driving your decisions.
In fact, he can’t recall the last time being a hitman scared him. Call it crazy, but if you think about it in terms of “eliminating those that shouldn’t be there”, he’s doing the world a favor.
He wouldn’t tell Bahng that for many reasons.
“And your mouth is still as bad as usual.” The older says through gritted teeth, slowly lowering his legs, coated in a sheen of sweat that greasily muss strands of hair.
He barks a laugh. “‘Can’t fix it.”
“That’s for sure,” Chris responds, grabbing the towel The Hitman held out with a thankful pat on the back.
Arranging the equipment back into its designated places, Changbin leans against the doorframe, brows lifted curiously.
“She’s sleeping, if you’re wondering.”
Telepathically, the man answers his unspoken question, referring to you who he imagines is prettily slumped in Chris’ bed.
Prettily. Did he say prettily?
Forget it.
Unknown to both your name and whereabouts, you begrudgingly pull the comforter closer over your head, successfully blocking the sunlight for a few more minutes of sleep. Your entire body is sore, and a numbing buzz has settled in your head, drowning out any cognitive ability to think.
Well, the extra time is amazing until your bladder decides to sabotage you.
Blindly blundering off the mattress, you idly navigate around, blinking a foggy haze from your vision.
Step, step, and then thump! You slam right into something—someone.
Finally granted a clear view, you swear your brain short-circuited.
It’s Bahng, staring down at you with a towel wrapped around his neck while water droplets cling to his skin—to his chest—that you notice is quite bare at the moment.
“Christ— Jesus—“ Slapping a hand over your eyes, you take multiple strides backwards, feet stumbling prior to hands grasping your wrists.
Easing you up right, he kindly leads your sleep-consumed form into the bathroom, big hands momentarily maneuvering your hips to the side on his way out.
Effectively stalling his movements, you silently drag him back closer to you, thumbs reaching up to smoothing his deep eye-bags.
He freezes, words he planned to say cut off.
His eyelids flutter shut in contentment, and in those tender seconds, you stand there, palms delicately cupping his cheeks, relaxing the hard lines of his face whilst steam gives the mirror a bleary cast.
Any other situation and you would’ve admitted yourself into a psych ward, but the alarm clock on his nightstand reading 7:18AM told you whatever you did next was all a lucid dream.
“You don’t sleep much.. do you?” Softly mumbling, he hums against your touch, own hand holding yours against his face.
Bahng cracks a barely there smile.
“Hard sleeping when the world’s after you,” He comments, remark laced with humorless hilarity. You can’t say you disagree.
Although, most good things—all good things—end far too quickly. Because when Changbin bursts through the door, voice choked in his throat, you hesitate your movements.
“.. Just uh, wanted to say the car’s waiting- I mean, the car’s ready for you. Yeah. Bye.” Awkwardly shuffling, he made a direct beeline for the door.
Never in your life did you expect a Hitman to be so awkward. And not just a Hitman, thee Hitman, Bin. Who, although you’d never say it to his face, definitely stuttered.
Unfortunately forced to separate, you’re handed one of his jackets once you managed to convince Bahng to let you come along.
Taking the elevator to the parking garage, an assistant who (you assume) routinely fetches the keys to an otherworldly expensive Lamborghini bows low, greeting either of you with a mandatory please-don’t-hurt-me smile.
You don’t ask where you’re headed, knowing the answer would only lead to more questions instead.
Bahng’s like that, you’ve discovered. Unpredictable to everyone but himself. Private.
Alternatively, compared to what you had imagined (something like a shed or a slaughter-house), he pulled into the gravel driveway of an old home, wooden docks on the roof sticking in strange directions, evidently battered from years of storm turmoil.
Sporting a confused expression yourself, he steps from the scissor doors, ushering you to follow suit.
A bit out of place, you decided. It’s not every day you witness a Lamborghini parked in front of a house like this.
“We’re visiting my grandmother, I visit every week.” He announces, and you could’ve seriously bet money on how uncharacteristic that move was.
This man, the man who ran disappeared at ungodly hours of night with unknown intentions, the man who killed with no remorse, was visiting his grandmother.
First Bin and now Bahng. What a wild card.
Living up to the title, Bahng couldn’t have been more opposing to his usual demeanor, shrugging off his coat and shoes at the doorway and fixing Barley tea for the short woman residing in her rocking chair.
Struggling to unzip his jacket that’s massive size engulfs your frame, you curiously explore, noting the sheer normality.
No weapons, no apparent knowledge of Bahng’s illegal activity patterning the household.
In this house, it’s just a grandmother and her grandson. Not Bahng, but Chris.
The name sounds strange on your tongue.
She wholeheartedly welcomed you in, scolding him for his prominent scars and holding hands that had unforgivable violence wedged between fingernails.
Somehow, watching him felt like betrayal. And although you doubt his grandmother would love him any less despite the gruesome reality, to know so much occurred behind the scenes made things, well, uncomfortable.
You be sure to introduce yourself, spending a good hour and a half entertaining the wrinkled woman before bidding your farewells and returning to familiar stifling tension on the drive home.
Your piling conscious suggests you say something, but you second guess yourself, ultimately garnering the courage after many failed attempts of making small talk once you both returned back to his room.
He’s wearing glasses now, and you swear you’ve never seen someone so unbearably beautiful in your life. Hell, him merely breathing has any comprehensible phrase disappearing instantaneously.
“Have you told anyone about what you do?” You start, causing him to lean over from his place on the side of the mattress, fiddling with something on the nightstand.
You crane to hear his response.
“Sometimes it’s best to lie to keep both parties happy.”
…That’s a no.
“Then, Chris, would you rather be happy living a lie or sad knowing someone’s honest truth?”
Chris.
Though his real name, the words still sound foreign, especially aloud.
He seems to have felt the same, head snapping your direction.
Grinning.
“And what do you know about lying, sweetness?”
“It’s not what I know, it’s what you want to know.” You scoot closer to him, mimicking his cocky smile. “Here’s an example, would you be happy not knowing I’ve wanted to kiss you for a long time, or sad hearing that I didn’t plan to tell you?”
A low chuckle.
“Did you learn the manipulation part from Minho?”
“Is it working?”
Eyes flickering back and forth from his lips to his eyes, you find yourself lingering centimeters apart, both intoxicated on each bated breath.
“A little bit,” He whispers, unwavering stare flickering to your parted lips before he pulls the glasses off his face and tilts his head to capture your lips.
You hastily climb onto the bed, fingers tangled in his tousled curls that peer from straight hair.
New, but not. As if you’ve kissed him all your life.
Working down your neck, his warm grip eases your legs apart, transitioning from kneading the flesh of your inner thighs to your ass.
“Oh— fuck.” You sigh out, delicious pressure applied right where you needed him most, stirring a deep wave of pleasure radiating throughout your entire body.
The Gunsman has you wrapped around his finger. A man whose power owns guards that stand in front of his seemingly normal door, a man whose power leaves you helplessly entangled in his every move, neck accessorized in his love bites.
Its wrong. Everything is hopelessly wrong.
You can’t get enough.
.. .
Index dragging across the fabric of sheets, your attention bursts alive, body jarring in a hold, someone else’s hold.
Bahng’s hold.
His head is tucked into your neck, arms hugging your bare back against his equally bare body. Bahng feels like comfort, home.
You never thought you’d be referring to a criminal when you said that.
Adjusting, you manage to roll over, admiring his ever kissable lips puckered in a pout, bed-hair forming strange shapes in the side of his pillow before mesmerizing brown eyes begin fluttering open.
Quickly rolling back around, you attempt at pretending to be asleep to no avail, because Bahng buries his face closer to the nape of your neck, sighing a lengthy groan.
Hands exploring you absentmindedly, he ensures to squeeze your chest at least once, otherwise keeping a tender touch settled on your tummy.
“G’morning…” He grumbles hoarsely, barely awake prior to his phone buzzing on the nightstand and his hushed “fuck” earning a giggle from you.
Caller ID: Hwang Hyunjin, the screen reads.
Without even a proper warning, he’s simultaneously thrown into a shark tank the moment the call’s accepted.
So long for the morning afterglow.
“It’s ready,” The Physic utters, and the soft fizzing of chemicals in the background do nothing to cease his foaming pit of guilt.
Grateful you couldn’t see the tight-lipped expression he burns the wall with, he grimaces, sparing you a longing glance.
So peaceful, so beautiful.
This world truly is cruel.
Rising to his feet, he throws on a white button-up, adorned by one of the many black trench coats lining his closet. Discreet, convenient.
Reminding you to stay in bed till he gets back, he finds his footsteps faltering on the way down to the lab.
Bahng, Christopher Bahng, The Gunsman, is nervous.
You’ve really done something to him.
Although, before he can make a move Felix pries the door ajar, and from how he furiously chews his bottom lip immediately answers Chris’ question.
The final part of their cover-up? Getting you back.
Because everyone, including himself, knew he’d fall in love. And he couldn’t. He couldn’t, wouldn’t dare put you through that.
Wafting fumes invade his nostrils entering (essentially) Hyunjin’s lair, multiple cloths layered in a clear box.
“Chloroform, I messed with it a bit. It’s not concentrated enough to be lethal. It’ll just put her out for a little bit.” He pats the top of the box, tugging medical gloves off ringed fingers.
From across the room, Chris can feel eyes on him.
“And how do you know if it won’t kill her?” The person asks, Changbin asks, critiquing gaze fixated on Chris despite regarding Hyunjin.
“Because I tested it? Since when did you care?” Moodily, The Physic cross his arms.
“Since now.”
“Why? Weren’t you the one who wanted to sell her?”
Chris can smell the uprising tension from a mile away.
“Because I’m allowed to care about someone! Am I not, your fucking highness?” Changbin shouts, but hidden by Hyunjin’s irked facade, Chris notices the slight tug of his lips, the peeking amusement.
Turns out Chris wasn’t the only one falling.
What a twist of events.
Interrupting their face-off, he hoists the moderately heavy box up, curtly nodding to Hyunjin.
Maneuvering around the warehouse back toward your room, he fastens a mask onto his face, spreading a few separate cloths into a smaller container.
Felix and Hyunjin’s doing, Chloroform cloths.
There were a few recommendations. Minho suggested knocking you out and going about, Seungmin with the grand idea of blackmailing you into leaving, and Jisung who wanted to keep you here.
Chloroform it was.
Returning to his bedroom, he finds himself understanding Changbin’s anger the longer he watches you, drifted back asleep, angel-like.
Fuck.
This hurts.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, he delicately caresses the skin of your cheek, squinting to marvel, to study. The way your eyebrows furrow, exhaling a big breath. Infatuating.
“Can I take you to my favorite place?” He inquires, and you dazedly roll around, small frown gracing oh so tempting lips, swollen from the night before.
“Your favorite place..?”
Even your voice is infatuating. Dreamy.
Chris hums his reply.
Lifting yourself up, you agree, letting him take care of you, brush your teeth for you, undress you. Things oddly mundane for a person like him to want to do, but oddly sweet all the same.
Not sexual, but intimate. Dearly, dearly intimate.
The drive winds along backroads, slowing to take a right down a barren, rocky road situated between countless trees. In the distance you make out the faint glow of light, a clearing.
Upon breaching the forest, your expectations are instantly blown away.
Sundown, evidence of how long you’d slept (and how long Chris had kept you up), gloriously paints the sky dazzling hues.
No picture could encompass this view.
Putting the car into park, you perch on the hood, legs aimlessly swinging, breeze idly passing by.
Admire.
“I asked Jisung, but now I wanna hear it from you.”
He stays quiet.
“Why did you want me to live?” You mischievously pique, fingers drumming.
Bahng approaches nearer, turning to stand between your legs where you sit.
“I like you,” He nonchalantly responds, and the overwhelming need to push him further, dance over that thin line becomes irresistible.
“Only ‘like’ me?”
Licking his lips, he unexpectedly tilts your head to meet him. Tender, gentle.
Your heart hurts. Because unlike previously, this kiss feels regretful, feels sad.
Your arms, once clutching onto that trademark trenchcoat, wrap around his neck, his finding purchase upon your hips.
Yet, you could tell it wasn’t greed driving him. Your earlier ravenous desire, your lust, was gone.
Instead, he was carving you into his memories, starting with his lips. He’d already done so with his hands, with his body the night before.
“I’m sorry,” He whispers, and before you could ask any questions he forces your attention back to his eyes, swimming with an emotion you didn’t know Chris could exhibit.
Hurt.
Inexplicable hurt overwhelm that stare. Creases his always-taut brows.
“Just trust me, please.”
Please.
“Chris,” You hesitate.
There’s been that gnawing sensation ever since getting roped into this circus. Because this was only temporary, undoubtedly headed to an inexplicable conclusion.
You wonder if perhaps this is your end, your end with Bahng, with Chris.
Someone you’ve fallen in love with. So, so fucking hard.
And from the way he’s looking at you, it looks like he has too.
But you trust him. You trust him more than you had ever trusted anyone before, and so you nod.
“Chris, I love..”
Your volume dissolves upon the cloth being held to your face, eyes rolling back into your head as you fall limp into his arms, fingertips still touching his skin.
“..Love ….you.”
He kisses you once more, slower this time, cradling you in his arms.
“I’m so sorry, I love you.”
Speaking softly to avoid his pain betraying him, Bahng carefully situates you into the passenger seat, ignoring the drone of the engine from how rapidly the speedometer climbs. Numb to anything, everything.
The Aventador’s screen alights with a call.
“What,” He rasps, gleaming traffic lights casting red and green shadows across the car’s black interior.
“Is she...?” Felix asks, and Chris eases slightly. Subtle shuffling in the background reveals the others presence, awaiting the bottom line.
“Yeah.”
The freckled boy hums in response, dejection apparent.
Nevertheless, not a peep sounds, unusual for the usually rowdy crowd. Chris can tell some of them walk away, some staying.
Corn stalks ghosting past signify his location.
He hangs up.
He’ll apologize later.
.. .
Waking up inside your grandparents house feels like a fever dream, like your body isn’t your own and when you open your eyes you’ll still be snuggled into Chris’s arms.
But you aren’t, and you’re also violently kicked out of that fantastical daydream when your grandmother shows up, all smiles, no “I’m so relieved to see you’re safe” or “where did you go?” apparent on any of her features.
“Why, you never told me you had a boyfriend!” She smacks your arm and you flinch back, wearing an expression only comprehensible as puzzlement.
Perhaps Chris payed them? Bought their silence and hid from the law in return?
But that’s not your grandparents. They wouldn’t keep their mouths shut about something like this.
So what the hell did he do?
“The handsome young man who drove you here from the airport!” Waddling over to point an accusing finger at the doorway, your head frantically snaps in every direction.
Your suitcases are zipped up, and no evidence of you ever even arriving here shows around the room.
That is until you notice your phone has miraculously returned on your nightstand.
Immediately swiping to scroll through messages, your thumb stops, lingering over a message from an unknown number.
Pausing, you click.
Don’t come looking for me, but if you need me, text this number.
You would’ve found the text eerily creepy if you didn’t have an idea of who sent it.
You do.
Because there’s no one else that says ‘don’t come looking for me’ and ‘if you need me’ in the same sentence other than him.
Bahng.
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sunboki, may 2022 ©
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oh-katsuki · 3 months
Text
i love putting characters through hurt and im thinking right now about the "one that got away" trope, particularly in the context of the katy perry song....
katsuki sitting alone in his kitchen. it's well lit, beautiful really. everything a successful pro-hero could ever hope to have, but he can't help but think about the person he'd originally intended to share it with.
all those years ago on his shitty couch in his shitty apartment, you tucked under his arm with a glass of shitty chardonnay that sloshes every time you laugh with your belly. fantasizing about having the type of open living room that would let you see into the kitchen. about an archway with crown-molding, peering into a warmly lit kitchen. no more renting. talking with you about the type of furniture you'd fill the space with. warm dark wood, an antique dining table, bookshelves and not needing to worry about just how much space they take up.
he can't help but think about how he'd decorated it the way you'd talked about. it was unconsciously done, of course and he only really notices it on late nights like these. when he's alone with a cup of steaming tea and takes a moment to remember where he is. katsuki can't help but feel that you'd like the way he decorated his house. like somehow, on some level, he'd done it for you.
of course, that was years ago. 10 maybe? yeah, 10 sounds right. it may be longer, but if it is, katsuki doesn't really want to think about it. just more wasted time.
he tries to be positive about it, about his good standing in life. fame, wealth, power even. he tries to be grateful for the blessings, for the job he loves, the home he finds beautiful, the friends who pulled him out when you left. katsuki tries to move on, to continue forward. but nights like these make the wound fresh. they cut him open a little bit.
it could have been really good, he thinks. if he'd been a little smarter or a little wiser. if he'd ponied up his courage to... be more. pride's a bitch though and it really only leaves you when what matters most already has. but it could have been good. this house could have been good. you could have sat with him, worried about him. he could have taken care of you.
there have been other people. katsuki has tried, he really has. but he's still a bit too stubborn. it only gets worse with age. everyone has a little bit of you in them. something that reminds him of the way things could have been. snippets of someone too far away to reach. yeah, they all have a little bit of you, but they're not you. that's where katuski thinks he's gone wrong.
he has people that never really leave him. that's just who he is. you're one of them, he supposes. in another life, you wouldn't be the one that got away. he'd look in the mirror at his premature gray hairs and instead of being alone, you'd come up next to him and tell him that you've always liked a silver fox. yeah, that sounds about right, like something you would say.
you're probably married now. katsuki can't really bring himself to check, doesn't really want to. no point in mulling it over, he thinks. his tea's getting cold.
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