#cause even HE is as equally shocked by the state of the penthouse

[kira-fluff]

Hey heyy, have you thought about writing another common trope headcanon / oneshot with the MysMe guys?

Because the “only one bed” was extremely good!!

Even if you decide not to do it, just know that your blog and your talent amazes me<3

a/n: Did you even have to ask??? OF COURSE IF YOU'RE GONNA MAKE ME LOL thank you gorgeous <3 I decided to try putting it in a fanfic (one shot unless requested) format since it's definitely quite long and making a mini-series featuring those you request for me to include in my next fic or a pt2! :) also this is a slow burn and is quite spicy <3 Also, I did my best not to make it like the whole share the room thingy again!! ***I’m not fluent in French pls don’t @ me

Length: 6k lol 

A Series of Unfortunate Events Fake Dating - Jumin Han 

A sudden message beep surprised you, causing you to look down at your phone. It was a text message from Jumin: Call me.  Immediately suspecting the worst, you quickly pressed his contact, the number dialing in seconds. There was a few seconds that ran by before the other end answered with a curt, "Y/n."  "Jumin, hey, is something wrong?", you asked, worriedly.  "Everything is perfectly fine. I was calling to ask you a favor -- feel free to decline." Jumin never asked for favors, or your help in general.. you knew whatever it was you were determined to assist him in the best way possible. "Of course, Jumin! Anything."  There was silence for a moment as if he was contemplating whether or not it this favor was truly worth asking before he spoke, "Please decline if you are unable to but... I was wondering if you'd be willing to indulge my father. He's insisted that I bring you with me to our business closure."  "Jumin", you began, "I'd be honored. I'd love to!"  On the other line, there was a sigh of relief (or of worry, you weren't sure). "Mr. Kim will be at your apartment to pick you up tomorrow. The meeting is taking place in Monoco -- pack for a ten-day trip" There was a pause before Jumin breathed out a quiet, "Thank you."  You couldn't hold back your smile, thankful that the conversation was over the phone, making it impossible for him to see your dopey expression. He hung up, leaving you to pack. Your mind quickly wandered from what you needed in your suitcase to worrisome waters.  You and Jumin had a very deep friendship following the party you’d thrown, spending the time following the ginormous celebration to get to know each other. It warmed your heart that your newfound friend took so much joy in being with you -- even when he tried not to show it. You lost track of the number of times you ended up sleeping over at his penthouse after accidentally staying up until 4am talking with him, swishing expensive wine in your mouths.  You didn’t expect falling in love to come so easily. You were someone who was quite choosey with your partners -- you weren’t one to fall easily for anyone. Even in your past relationships that sometimes lasted years, you’d never felt the way your heart felt now that you were with him. And yet, you were best friends. You were sure you meant something to him in so far as friendship, but you had respected him when he’d gotten drunk one of the first nights he met you and spouted out his heart to you.. 

-  “Y/n, to tell you the truth.... I’ve never fallen in love before.” He gazed up at you lackadaisically from his position on the sofa -- head rested over the top of the sofa cushion, his arm lazily resting under his chin. He started at you for a moment, his gray eyes gazing into your own with a hazy, absent feeling in them.  You laughed, “I find that hard to believe.” You walked over to him, absent-mindedly running your fingers through his tousled hair. He let out a long, uncharacteristic sigh, his eyes closing gently.  You leaned in close to him, looking him in the eye. “Can I tell you something, too?” He nodded. “I haven’t either.”  -  You grinned at the memory. You firmly believed that conversation was what brought you and him together closer than ever before. He’d always found an excuse to call you over for the silliest of reasons. Either he needed a certain form that he was positive he accidentally slipped into your bag on accident and needed to see it first-hand to check, or he realized he’d bought more wine than was necessary for a night alone.  It made you smile for months that he couldn’t get out the words “I miss you” or “I want you to come over”. Even to you, the words sounded intimate.. but that was the way your relationship worked -- you were very close with each other, as two best friends ought to be.  Still, as much as you tried, you couldn’t control the way your heart began to constrict when he got especially close to you. You couldn’t help it when you’d shiver when he gently brushed cat fur away from your cheek. You were shocked that despite his perceptive personality, he didn’t seem to notice or acknowledge your deep blush during these interactions... maybe he was uncomfortable with them.... you hoped not.  There were times the air was knocked out of you. Literally. Once, you weren’t paying attention to the fact that the sidewalk had ended and you were walking straight into oncoming cars coming off the highway when a muscular arm slid around your waist and pressed your body flush to his own. You stared with eyes wide open at Jumin, who comically seemed equally surprised at his actions. You couldn’t help the way your eyes trickled down to his sultry lips, taking in their beautiful red-wine color, blooming like dark roses. Thankfully, he seemed too preoccupied with your current state of mind and physical wellbeing. When you finally managed to get your mind out of the gutter, you thanked him profusely, grabbing his hands impulsively and begging to reward him in some way. His answer surprised you, “I--uh-- a movie. I’d like to do more research watching one of those movies you enjoy watching.. for business sales and such.”  “Sure!! I can recommend anything! I’ll drop the email by your office tomorrow” you answered.  A panicked expression took over his face for a moment before returning to its familiar stoicism, “You won’t watch it also?” Your eyes widened in confusion before you answered hurriedly, “Oh! Yeah, I’ll watch it with you. I just wouldn’t want to bother you if you were doing it for work purposes.”  You could never bother me you thought you heard him say, but you couldn’t be sure.  Yep, you were in love with Jumin.  When you at last finished packing, you went to bed, looking forward to the mystery that befell tomorrow.  -  You rose bright and early to prepare for the exciting trip that was bound to come. You couldn’t help the extra bit of effort you ended up putting into your appearance in anticipation of seeing Jumin again and.. possibly sitting next to him on an aircraft.  Right on time, you received a text message from Mr. Kim, indicating that he had arrived at your apartment right on time. As you opened your apartment door to carry your luggage downstairs, you were met with numerous familiar faces of Jumin’s employees who quickly took your heavy luggage items for you. You thanked them, making your way to the elevator with them.  You texted Jumin: Thanks for the help with my luggage :)  In a matter of seconds, you received a reply, Jumin: You’re welcome.  Grinning down at your phone, you didn’t notice your driver's light chuckle, a look of astonishment in his eyes. These blind kids.  You continued to chatter along with Jumin on your phone, at last arriving at the rendezvous point where Jumin and the Chairman pulled in identical black limos alongside your own.  “Thank you, Mr. Kim. I can take it from here.”  Mr. Kim nodded in obedience, ushering you to go to Jumin. Jumin patted the leather seat next to his own in the sleek limousine. You held back a laugh, there were plenty of other seats open for you to sit.. but it warmed your heart that he wanted you right next to him. As friends. The Chairman joined the two of you, sitting across from his son, a mischievous glint in his eyes that only Jumin could recognize. A silent conversation took place between Jumin and his father -- Jumin beginning with a raised eyebrow. The Chairman replied with a sly smirk. Jumin with a scowl, his father with a growing grin. You watched the conversation continue silently before the Chairman at last spoke, “Jumin, my son, I’m overjoyed to see you’ve brought your Y/n with you.” A flash of annoyance crossed Jumin’s face as he said, “My... Y/n?”  You blanched.. of course the thought of you being his made him uncomfortable... but you didn’t think he’d be angry.  “Y/n, I’m glad you could join us. However, as much as I hate to ask this of you, there is something I desperately need from you.”  Before you could speak Jumin interjected, “Absolutely not.”  You caressed his hand, looking up at him with kind eyes, “Jumin, hey, it’s okay.” Looking toward Jumin’s father you said, “Whatever it is, I’ll do my very best.” Jumin’s jaw feathered a bit, but he said no more.  He grinned, “Aren’t you a kind girl. Well, in this business deal, the contract was originally contingent on Jumin marrying his daughter -- which I was against from the beginning. After all, I know the importance of loving the one you wish to be with.” (Jumin rolled his eyes at that.) “Anyway, I declined the offer.”  You were confused, unsure where your part came in.  As if reading your mind, he continued saying, “However, I perhaps let it slip that you two were engaged. I figured you both are so close with each other already, that it would be no issue to play a bit of husband and wife for the sake of business, no?”  Jumin was furious, his nose flared, jaw clenched with hands gripping his knee. “How dare--”  You glanced at him, biting the inside of your cheek, a worried expression painted your face. When he glanced at you, his eyes widened and his shoulders relaxed. This did not go unnoticed by the Chairman.  “We’ll do it, won’t we Jumin?” he looked surprised but made no objection. You leaned in close and whispered shyly, “I want to do something as thanks for this amazing trip.. and for you.”  - Jumin dared to swallow. For me? What the hell does that mean? You were driving him crazy. Every time he looked at you he had to fight to readjust his attention to something else. Does she know what it does to me when she touches me? Even a little bit?  When you’d put your hand on him, Jumin felt his chest and neck grow impossibly hotter, hotter than he’d been feeling when you’d first sat down next to him. Hotter than when you leaned in close and breathily asked him, “Jumin... how long until we’re at the airport?” It was like you’d drawn out every syllable, breathing out every consonant -- your breath tickling his neck. He imagined what it would feel like to have your plump, rosy lips on his neck, on his chest, on his lips, on his-- he was in over his head. He cursed himself for his lack of control. Usually, control was not an issue for Jumin -- in fact, he considered it one of his greatest strengths. From his leadership position in his father’s company, C&R, to his well-controlled temperament and stress management.. Jumin just didn’t do “no control”.  At first, it intrigued him. He could remember the exact day it hit him. He’d invited you to an elegant dinner his company hosted to celebrate (in a sort of “humble-brag” sort of way) yet another successful business closing with one of the biggest corporations in America. He’d been finishing off yet another glass of his new Domaine de la Romanee-Conti he’d bought when his eyes at last placed you at the front of the champagne server. His eyes raked up and down the soft, silk gown that clung to your body in all the right places. The gown hung loosely, exposing your back and most of your chest, a sultry slit separating one of your elegant legs from the other hidden in the fabric. It was a breath-taking emerald color... but all Jumin could really think of is how he’d take it off. Your hair was curled and done-up marvelously with little white pearls decorating the crown of your head like you had stars in your hair... but all Jumin could really think of was how he’d mess it up. His cheeks were on fire. Everything in his body had risen in temperature of what felt like a hundred degrees. He twirled his wine glass between his fingers before setting it down at one of the well-decorated tables. I must have a fever, he thought, that must be it. Your eyes found his person just as he was turning around to leave, speed walking to one of the penthouse balconies for fresh air. You raced after him or at least followed him as fast as your obnoxious heels allowed you to go.  You breathlessly met him as he was staring out into the night. Jumin realized that his temperature was slowly returning to normal. Perhaps the room was a bit suffocating. I’ll be sure to message Mr. Kim about increasing the air conditioning in the room. But... looking back on it now, Jumin knew he was lying to himself even then. Because, when he turned around he almost let out a shout. And his breath became uneven again, and it felt so burning hot all over again.  You slowly crept toward him, donning a concerned expression saying, “Jumin... are you alright?” Jumin backed into the marble railing. He was so eloquent normally but all he could let out then was a choked, “Fine.” He couldn’t take his eyes off you. Every step closer, he wanted to run. The stars were reflecting in your eyes and the moonlight made your supple skin look impossibly softer... You gently cupped his face and whispered, “Jumin, talk to me..? Please?” Jumin was heaving, looking down at you with rosy red cheeks and burning ears. “I--I think I have a... fever. A fever.”  You gasped, taking one of your hands and lightly grasping the back of his neck, pulling him down slightly. His eyes widened as you took your other cold hand and placed it on his burning forehead. “Oh my god! Oh my gosh, we -- ambulance! An ambulance.. a doctor? Or.. are you... drunk?”  “My room... please,” he begged.  You looked him up and down, examining his face for strain or discomfort. When you couldn’t find any, you let out a breath -- perhaps you’d overreacted. Nonetheless, you swung his arm over your shoulder and trudged through the now quiet dining area. Most had filtered out to the ballroom for dancing. You’d been here a million times, so remembering the way was no chore. You fished through his shirt and coat pockets, running your gentle digits across his chest, assuming the moan Jumin gave off was due to pain, still, a blush flushed your cheeks. “Sorry, I’m almost done.” You held him against the wall since at this point he couldn’t stand. Maybe I am a little drunk, he thought. You moved down to his pants pockets, your hands roaming through a business card and other odds and ends, eliciting another soft groan from Jumin. “Almost there...” you breathed, at last pulling out a key card and with a soft beep, opening his penthouse suite. You gently carried him to his bed before going to grab a glass of water and a cold washcloth. When one was placed on the table and the other on his forehead, you at last placed a warm throw blanket you’d found in his closet over him.  ...That memory became a source of numerous dreams. Jumin couldn’t forget it, no matter how many times he’d wished he wanted to (or wished it all to happen again).  - You gazed at him, looking at the way his expression hardened at times, softening and then suddenly switching to an expression you’d never seen before. What was he thinking about? You bit your lip, nervous that Jumin might change his mind upon meeting this woman his business partner wanted him to marry. She was certainly more beautiful, right? After all, Jumin hadn’t necessarily made any physical contact voluntarily toward you more than an occasional back rub in your asked after a long day at work, or if he got drunk while you two accidentally stayed up late -- then he’d sometimes caress your face with a love-sick expression and saying little things like, “You’re beautiful.” It was cute, for sure, but what drunk doesn’t turn into a soft puddle of goo, complimenting everyone around them?  You leaned into him as subtly as you could manage, closing your eyes to concentrate for a few minutes.  - You jumped awake when a deep voice rumbled in your ear, “We’re here.” You could hear the slight smirk in his voice, and sure enough, when you looked up, you saw a slight smile on his face. “Did you have a good dream?” You looked toward your left, thankful the Chairman was already out of the limousine and speaking on his phone to someone. “I--I had a dream?”  Jumin’s smirk stretched a little wider, “Yes. You said my name a couple times.”  Your eyes widened in shock before saying, “Oh! That dream! Yeah, I was dreaming that you were being eaten alive by bears and I was forced to watch!” God, you were such a bad liar. Jumin blinked. He felt sort of stupid. “Oh,” he cleared his throat awkwardly, “I see--”  Grateful for his gullibleness, you added, “Why, what did you think I was dreaming about?”  Jumin avoided eye contact saying, “Not anything in particular.”  A call for Jumin interrupted your conversation, making Jumin almost run out of the limo. You smiled a bit, a little flush rising up to your ears.  Jumin returned again, grabbing your hand. “This way,” was all he said. You followed him to the private jet that the Chairman was already boarding. You caught yourself staring at Jumin again as you followed him up the stairs to the entranceway of the cabin. Jumin smartly chose a seat far away from his father’s field of vision. He’d had enough of his unnerving looks when you’d fallen asleep on his shoulder, whispering things Jumin was beyond grateful only he could hear... at least he hoped. When you occasionally began to whine a bit louder he’d quiet you down by running his hands through your hair and stealing glances toward his father nervously saying, “A nightmare.” He wondered if he’d fooled his father, because the Chairman lightly chuckled and made his way to the passenger seat of the limo, sliding the privacy door shut. It had only gotten worse from there, you almost shouted his name, but he covered your mouth. Heat had been pooling in his stomach for a while now, but he didn’t know how much more he could take. Still, every time he thought of waking you up, you’d grab at his chest or legs,  effectively completely embolizing him.  You, of course, were unaware of all of this. You sat down next to him eagerly and wrapped your arm around his, pulling him close to watch a movie on the jet screens. It was almost 9pm by now, the night sky beginning to close in on the quiet aircraft. Neither of you could remember when you fell asleep, only waking up to the soft announcement of arrival from the pilot on the overhead and a soft blanket placed over the two of you.  You both groggily made your way to your waiting limousine to take you to the complimentary hotel stay at one of the chains owned by your expectant future business partner.  “Of course, I know you two are just friends.” The Chairman looked at you two before continuing, “So I have two hotel rooms, you’re 17 and you, Miss Y/N, are 18. I’m in master suite 3, so feel free to reach out whenever.” His eyes glittered as he said, “Have fun. Remember to act like a loving fiance! Especially you, my son." Jumin pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head in contempt.  You turned your head toward Jumin, “Um, well, I’m pretty tired as you could probably already tell,” you laughed uncomfortably, “so I think I’ll head off to bed.”  Jumin blinked a few times before saying, “I will as well. Goodnight, Y/N.” You whispered a shy goodnight in reply before slinking into your hotel room.  - You awoke the next day to a call from a maid outside your door - room service. You thanked her before diving into your waffles, complete with chocolate dressing, whipped cream, strawberries, and powdered sugar. A glass of orange juice was delivered along with various other breakfast options and a bowl of kiwi, dragonfruit, apple, watermelon, honeydew, and almost any other fruit you could think of. Following your delicious breakfast, you padded over to the bathroom, rubbing the sleep out of your eyes and running the shower. Going through your morning routine helped calm you despite the role you weren’t at all prepared to play in just a few hours.  You jumped at the knock at your door. Looking through the peephole, it was Jumin. Flinging the door open, you looked at him expectantly. You were met with silence other than a few “uh.... uh....”s. You looked at him sarcastically, “What?”  He continued to stare, not at your face, however. You laughed but quickly grew silent as you met his gaze. You were an actual moron. What. The. Fuck. You were still in your fucking panties?!?! You slammed the door shut, running to slip on some shorts you found lying on the ground in the bathroom. Taking a deep breath you gently opened the door this time. Jumin was standing still as a statue when he snapped out of his trance at last. He looked away, “Try not to be dressed. I mean STRESSED.” he sputtered, “I-I’m going to leave now--”  “Um, Jumin?”  He slowly turned around, face as red as a strawberry, “Yes?”  “Um, sorry. About before. Um. Do you-- do you want to get some coffee? I’m still waking up, if you couldn’t already tell,” you laughed nervously.  He smiled warmly, “I’d love to.”  You awkwardly nodded before shutting your door. You ran to your hotel bed and screamed into one of the pillows. You cursed under your breath before making your way to the bathroom once more to finish the makeup look you had begun before being interrupted.  After 45 minutes, you looked your outfit up and down. You packed outfits that were elegant -- you bought clothes that looked expensive but in the kind of way that was subtle. Nude tones and deep colors, specifically. You were aiming for a look that said, “I’m not rich, I’m just comfortable. And by that I mean I’m rich.” You were never insecure about the difference in your and Jumin’s paycheck.. but when you’re supposed to play a part. And if you showed up in your comfy joggers and t-shirt like you normally wore when you visited Jumin or were free from work.. you had a feeling their reaction wouldn’t be the most inviting or understanding.  At last, you stepped out of your room, turning left to knock on Jumin’s door. He beat you to it, opening his door unexpectedly. This caused you to instead lean forward from your momentum and place your hand on his chest. You hurriedly adjusted his tie, doing your best to act as if that’s what you’d meant to do all along.  Jumin appeared to be just as surprised, but grinned, “No leggings and t-shirt today?” You jabbed him with your elbow as you made your way to the coffee bar, “Do you think they’d be all welcoming to your soon-to-be wife if she showed up in lounge clothes?”  “I’ve never complained.”  You scoffed, “Yeah, well, that’s because you’re nice. And, you apparently understand that not everyone can live in a suit every day.”  He paused for a moment before mumbling slightly, “Who cares what they think anyway.”  “I do! I don’t want to let your dad down. I told him I’d do this. We’re in Monaco, Jumin! C’est la vie!” “Parles-tu français?”* “Oui..?”  Jumin chuckled darkly before leaning in, saying, “Tu es juste trop mignonne.”** You blinked before replying, “...oui...?” Jumin looked at you incredulously with a slight smile on his face as he laughed, lightly ruffling your hair.  Jumin ordered for you -- apparently, it was quite clear you only knew a few words in French. Unfortunately, he also paid for you, despite your objections. Before you could yank his platinum card out of his hands, the transaction was already complete. He gazed down at you, an eyebrow raised with a triumphant smirk, “Elle aura aussi beaucoup de crème dans son café.”*** “Hey, what are you saying?! Jumin!! Speak Korean or English or Japanese! Something I can understand!!” You complained.  The worker interjected, “C’est tellement agréable de voir un couple sur leur ‘oneymoon.”**** You instinctively interjected, “Oh, that’s not--!”  But Jumin just smiled and nodded.  Upon sitting down at one of the many open tables, you let out a little giggle, “I wonder what it’ll feel like when I’m on the real thing.” Jumin quickly looked up from his staring contest with his coffee, “Real.. what?”  You grinned dreamily, “Honeymoon.”  “You.. want to get married?” “Don’t you?”  Only to you, he thought. “Maybe. If the right person came along.” If you’d ever say “yes”.  You held back the nervous twinge you felt in your throat, “Alright then, don’t be shy. What’s your type?”  “My.. type?”  “Yeah! Like, your ideal girl.” He paused, looking pensively at you. “Well, then I suppose my ‘type’ is a girl who is beautiful, and smart, and pretty... and always makes me laugh. And is bold but also shy.” His eyes widened as he grew quiet, “...something like that.”  You were shocked. He said he’s never fallen in love before.. but it sounds like he already has some girl in mind. “Wow. You’ve... thought a lot about this.”  Jumin looked surprised at himself -- he cleared his throat, “Just some ideas.”  You were still skeptical but changed the subject, “So, what exactly does this whole ‘wifey’ thing entail?” “Most likely just a ring on your finger and a fake smile.” “Oh come on, there’s more to it than that.”  “I’m sure my father has the details.” As if on cue, his phone chimed. “Ready to head out?”  “Yep!” You weren’t entirely sure, but you were beside yourself with nervousness and a bit of excitement. If you can’t have the real thing, you shouldn’t complain about a chance to fake it, right? And sure, you knew it was much more complicated than that -- what if he realized your true feelings?! ...You shook the thoughts out of your head and made your way to the waiting vehicle outside of the hotel. - “Monsieur Lorenzi! Good to see you!” The Chairman shook hands with who you assumed was the boss. “Let me introduce to you my son, Jumin, and his beloved fiance, Y/n.” You waved, smiling despite the twang in your heart. You and Jumin shook hands while Mr. Lorenzi introduced you to his daughter.  “It is so nice to meet you! This is my daughter, Ginevra.”  Immediately, you sized Ginevra up -- and she does not look happy. “So.. you’re the bitch who stole Ju-Ju from me?” “Ginevra! Be polite, please?” Mr. Lorenzi practically begged her, but she wasn’t budging, “Oh, come on. Their ‘engagement’ hasn’t even been released to the press yet!”  You looked worriedly between Jumin and Ginevra, but Jumin lovingly put his hand over yours, a soft smile on his face, “I’ll handle this, sweetheart.” He couldn’t help himself and lightly pecked your cheek, smirking into the kiss when he heard you elicit a small “oh!” Facing the irate woman, though, Jumin smiled in a way you’d seen him smile when he wasn’t particularly...happy.. about something. “Miss Ginevra, I can assure you Y/N and I are completely in love. She is my fiance, after all. That being said, we decided not to alert the media because we wanted our own privacy until the wedding.”  Ginevra scoffed, “Please. You barely even look like you’re dating. Face it, I know you want me, Jumin.” She bit her lip in a way that was supposed to be seductive, but Jumin couldn’t hold back the slight cringe that crept onto his face.  “T-that’s enough Ginev--”  “God! Shut up, Dad!  Mr. Lorenzi backed down at that, looking apologetic and embarrassed toward the Chairman and Jumin, and especially toward you.  You were growing tired of the entire conversation, “Shall we sit down?”  All except Ginevra agreed readily, the Chairman coughing in a way that sounded more like a laugh he was trying to conceal. Jumin's jaw clenched when he sat next to you, to your left and Ginevra quickly sat in the seat to his left. The meal went as well as expected. Jumin's father recognized that Jumin had his hands full and spent the majority of the dinner talking business with Mr. Lorenzi without his son.  Meanwhile, you were awkwardly playing with your filet mignon, avoiding eye contact with everyone until Jumin leaned his face down to your avoidant eye level. You snapped out of your trance immediately. You looked up at him -- his eyebrow was raised with an inquisitive expression. Okay, that was adorable. You held back your intruisive thoughts, blinking up at him, silently asking, "What is it?"  Jumin stared a little longer than necessary, before snapping out of his own trance and leaning in further and whispering in your ear, "...Are you alright?"  You nodded in reply, "Just a little uncomfortable."  Jumin gazed down at you in concern, "We can leave if you--"  "No. No, I'll stay." Who knows what that girl will do if I leave. He didn't look convinced.  Suddenly, Ginevra was calling for Jumin. Repeatedly. He turned in annoyance, "Yes?"  Her voice got low, clearly to exclude you from the conversation, "Let's go somewhere..." she looked Jumin up and down slowly, "...else.." And with no shame, she lowered a manicured hand to his knee, slowly trailing it up to his thigh. He immediately grabbed her wrist, saying in a low, deadly voice, "I have a fiance."  She sighed in frustration, "You're kidding yourself, baby--"  Jumin's eyes widened suddenly, and not due to anything Ginevra was saying. Your hand was high on his thigh as you leaned into the conversation you'd heard the entirety of. "Miss... whatever your name is.... Jumin is my husband. Soon. We have something you could never dream of every having because your personality sucks. And honestly, only you can fix that."  There was silence at the entire table for a moment before Ginevra turned her head quickly toward her father, "Daddy?!"  Her father had already gotten up, ushering the business conversation to continue rather than deal with his trainwreck of a daughter. She huffed, looking red in the face, perhaps in embarrassment as well as anger. "Well, you still can't prove that you're even dating!"  You very furious now, your glare cold enough to freeze the desert, "Is proof really the only thing that will shut you up?"  Before she could even answer, you geared your pissed off expression toward a semi-intimidated, semi-turned on Jumin and grabbed his face, meeting his lips with your own. Your kiss was meant to only last a few seconds at most, but when you tried to pull away, Jumin only deepened the kiss, pulling your face harshly toward his own. He tugged at your hair, earning a loud moan from you as he forced his flush lips further onto yours, his tongue gaining entrance into your mouth. His eyebrows were deeply knit into a consentrated expression, groaning as he felt you readjust your position onto his lap. You stradled his lap, a leg on either side of him, your tongues battling for dominance as you fished for air between you two. At last, you both parted, heaving in big breaths as a string of spit clung between your mouths -- only to go in for another searing kiss. You began to roll your hips against his own, gently at first but quickly gaining more momentum and roughness as you two continued to make out. You'd noticed his hard-on the moment you'd straddled his lap but it only grew as you two began to explore the other's body. And just like that, you realized you were still in a formal dining setting. With other people. You pushed against Jumin's chest, looking around you in a frenzy. Ginevra was long gone along with the Chairman and Mr. Lorenzi. It was just the two of you, it looked as if it was after hours for the dining here. Soft jazz still played melodically through quiet speakers. Your eyes met back again with Jumin. He was smirking, still breathing heavily, his eyes glowing with mischief and a clear message that said something you probably would blush saying out loud. You laughed a little at the sudden turn of events. Did he like you? You wondered. He made quick work of dragging you (because your legs turned into jelly) out of the dining hall and back to his hotel suite. Jumin hurridely opened his hotel door before slamming you against the wall and continued to kiss you furvently on your neck, chest and of course, lips. He began to grind on you, letting out a soft curse when you mewled in his ear. Both your cheeks were completely red from the heated exchange and the embarrassment that both of you felt at your candid feelings. Yet something still bothered you. You pushed him away with all the strength you had because he was just so addicting. "J-jumin.... wait..." You gasped between breaths, "...I-I don't do this sorta thing... for fun..."  Jumin frowned at this, his jaw feathering as he said darkly, "I don't either."  You shook your head, "No, Jumin... I mean... I-I......" You took a big breath of air, "I'm in love with you. Have, for long time... pretty sure you don't feel .... the same wa--"  Jumin's eyes narrowed as he dove in for another kiss with so much force that the air was nearly knocked out of you. "Y/N," he began, "Do you have any clue how much I've held back? Even now, do you know how hard it is for me not to pick you up and fuck you right here and now? Do you know how long--" He laughed sardonically, "Y/N, I swear you're doing this on purpose."  "Doing wha--" "Making me fall deeper and deeper in love with you! I'm already pass the point of no return. Hell, I've never felt a fraction of what you make feel in a moment... in my entire life."  You took a moment to really look at him. The expression of complete and udder desperation was now clear as day on his face, his cheeks flushed, breathing heavily, his tie loose around his neck, chest slightly exposed. He began again, "Please. Please... put me out of my misery. Say you're mine, please."  Your eyes never leaving his, tears prickling your eyes, you answered, "I always was Jumin.. and I always will be. And, and if the offer still stands--" You blushed, looking down shyly and your feet, ashamed of your own boldness.  Jumin's eyes pooled impossibly darker as he picked you up and led you to his bed, laying you down gently and asking, "I know this is probably soon but... Y/N, will you make me the happiest man on earth?"  You laughed, pure joy on your face as you shamelessly cried, "Yes!" over and over again.  Jumin couldn't hold back the huge grin that took over his face as he kissed you in between laughs.

TRANSLATIONS: * “Do you speak French?” ** “You are just too cute.” *** “She will also have a lot of cream in her coffee.”  **** “It is so nice to see a couple on their honeymoon”

#jumin han #jumin x reader #mystic messenger jumin #han jumin #mm jumin #jumin fluff #jumin #jumin fanfic #jumin x mc #jumin x you #mystic messenger #myseme #mysme #707 mystic messenger #mystic messenger zen #mystic messenger 707 #mystic mess #mystic me #mm fanfiction #mystic messenger fanfic #mm fandom #yoosung fanfic #mysme fanfic #jaehee kang #mystic messenger jaehee #mm jaehee #zen #seven zero seven #zen x reader #zen route

[loveisnotadagger]

Love is Healing - Chapter Three

Chapter 3/?

Warning: There are brief descriptions of Loki's wounds in this chapter. I don't think it's too graphic, but it is there.

After all the Avengers left the room Loki relaxed only slightly. His mother showing up on Midgard to reveal his punishment had thrown him a bit – if one could actually call this a punishment after all he'd been through with Thanos.

Loki had expected to be taken back to Asgard. He'd expected to have to face Odin. He'd expected to be locked up like a criminal. What he hadn't expected was to receive the same punishment as Thor had received when he'd gone to Jotunheim and almost caused all-out war with the Frost Giants.

"You've always wanted to be treated equally to Thor. I convinced Odin to do it this once," Frigga said. "Things could be worse."

Loki looked at his mother and glared faintly. "Define worse."

From what his mother had said earlier in response to Arianna's words about him having a reason for bringing war to Midgard, Loki assumed Frigga knew at least part of what he'd been through. She would know that physical punishment was all relative to him now. Maybe that was why Odin had agreed to this insane solution.

"You realize this punishment is meant to be for your own good," Frigga said. "Maybe you will find your humanity here? A light to fend off the darkness."

"And there is darkness."

Thor, who had been almost completely silent, said, "This will help, brother. I learned much when I was mortal here."

Loki outwardly ignored Thor and continued looking at his mother. He really did love his mother and he knew she loved him.

"You would leave me here defenseless against this world? This world that has been through much destruction in my name?"

Without his powers how would he protect himself?

The Man of Iron and Arianna didn't seem too violent, and the patriotic one wouldn't hurt a defenseless person. But Agents' Barton and Romanoff had every reason to want him dead, and the green beast was downright frightening. And what of the Chitauri and Thanos?

Loki had to suppress a shudder that wanted to take over his body. He couldn't take anymore torture. He just couldn't.

"Befriend Arianna," Frigga said. "She has a good heart." ----------

Arianna and the other Avengers – Dr. Banner included - had been out of the penthouse and downstairs for about thirty minutes. During that time Tony had been on the phone with his contractors. They would start rebuilding the penthouse first thing in the morning.

Arianna knew Tony wouldn't only help rebuild Stark Tower. He would also help pay for the damage that had been done to Manhattan earlier. Tony could help heal too, in a way, by making things appear as if they'd never been destroyed.

"I should be out there," Arianna said, pacing back and forth.

"And risk exposing yourself?" Natasha asked. "You know you have to wait."

Yes, she knew she had to wait. She knew she couldn't just go out and heal people on the streets even though she wanted to. She had to wait until the streets had been cleared a little and the wounded had been taken to the hospital

She'd made the mistake before by going public with her abilities and it had gotten her under government surveillance. That was how SHIELD had gotten hold of her. The reason she wasn't actually a field agent was because only Natasha and Clint knew Arianna could do more than heal the wounded.

"Are we going to ignore the fact that Mama Bear put our littlest Avenger in charge of her crazy son?" Tony asked, off the phone now.

"Was planning on it," Arianna said, rolling her eyes. "And I'm hardly the littlest Avenger. I'm taller than Natasha.

"Arianna!" a thunderous voice boomed from the staircase to their left. "Healer, come quickly!"

Arianna was already on her way to the stairs. She'd started moving as soon as she'd heard her name.

"What? What is it?"

"My brother is in need of assistance."

At the mention of Loki Natasha began following Arianna. Of course she wasn't going to let Arianna face him alone.

"Is he . . . powerless now?"

"It's much worse," was Thor's response. ---------- At the doorway of the penthouse, Loki's and Thor's mother was pacing back and forth. She seemed agitated and overwhelmed. She quickly broke her stride when Arianna reached her.

Frigga grabbed her hand and began leading Arianna into the room. Loki wasn't where he had been. In fact, Arianna didn't see Loki at all at first, and she didn't feel him either.

One of the things she hated about being able to invade minds was the leftover vibes she would get from the people whose minds she'd invaded. She could usually tell when said people were nearby.

Right now all she could feel was the worry coming from Frigga. She was thankful that there weren't any images to go with it.

"Where's Loki?"

Had they been tricked? Had Thor actually let Loki go after all the trouble they'd gone through to capture him?

"He's resting. It seems . . ." Frigga began, and Arianna noticed how the woman's eyes glistened. "Loki is a master of illusions. Without his magic . . ."

Frigga stiffened and looked behind Arianna. Arianna looked over her shoulder and was shocked to see everyone from downstairs there in the doorway.

"They won't hurt him," she said, hoping to get rid of whatever fear the woman may have had.

"It's not that. I just don't wish for them to see Loki this way. He wouldn't want him to see him this way."

"Oh. Well, they will see him anyway. He will be staying with me, and I will be staying here for the time being."

"Um . . . this is my house," Tony said from behind her.

"Yes," Arianna answered, turning around. "But none of you want me alone with Loki, so . . ."

"She has a point," Clint said. "She shouldn't be alone with him."

"I assure you, he cannot harm anyone now." Frigga grabbed Arianna's arm. "Come."

Arianna was led to the couch and around it. An audible gasp escaped her and bile threatened to rise. She swallowed compulsively.

Before her was a beaten and bloodied Loki. There were cuts and bruises everywhere she could see. His armor had been removed along with everything covering his upper body, and he was no longer restrained. He was laid out over the couch and he was on his stomach. Lashes from whips covered the pale skin of his back. There were scorch marks along his arms and back as well.

"What happened?" Arianna's voice shook with the effort it took her to not yell. "He didn't look like this before, so what happened?"

"His magic was removed. He must've been covering it up."

Loki must have had a serious endurance for pain because she hadn't seen any sign of him being wounded before. She had seen his memories – or some of them, at least – but she'd had no idea what she'd seen and felt had happened so recently.

She now knew why Frigga didn't want the others seeing Loki like this. He would probably be humiliated once he woke up.

"Can you help him?"

"I . . . it will take time. If I try to heal everything at once, it won't end well for me."

"Just do what you can."

Arianna nodded and moved forward until she reached the resting form that was Loki. She knelt beside him, the irony of which was not lost on her.

On closer inspection, Arianna realized that Loki was extremely malnourished. In fact, she was certain that if he'd been human before now he would've been dead.

"Dr. Banner, we need an IV drip. Now."

She didn't look up from Loki, taking it on faith that Bruce would listen. He was a pretty nice guy when he wasn't green.

"Tony, I know you can help him with that."

If Tony didn't have medical equipment in the building, he would know where to get some quickly.

Arianna brought her hands up and let them hover over Loki's back. She didn't really want to touch him, didn't want to feel what he'd been through, not again, but he did need to be healed. His whole body was probably teeming with infection. Now that he was mortal, he would need help fighting it off.

"Tash, go tell Banner he'll need antibiotics too."

Loki's body was filthy, but that was the least of her worries.

"Clint, I'm gonna need some warm water and a wash cloth. Cap, I need Tony to set up a room for him."

After each Avenger left to do his or her duty Frigga touched Arianna's shoulder and whispered, "Thank you."

"It's nothing. I didn't understand until I saw him."

Arianna jumped when a broken and shaky breath escaped Loki's lungs. She didn't know what that meant. She could heal people, but she wasn't a doctor.

"Ms . . . um . . . Loki's mom, I will have to clean him first. I can't leave the infection there. I may have to wait to heal the lashes."

"Please call me Frigga."

"Frigga."

"And what of the bruises?" Thor, who was standing off to the side, asked.

Arianna smiled softly. "Those I can heal."

Regardless of her fear, Arianna gently touched Loki's back. She had to fight her very nature so she wouldn't be pulled into whatever nightmare he was having, and she knew he was having a nightmare.

Arianna forced herself to focus so she could heal the bruises that littered Loki's skin. She was fairly certain the bruises were from when Bruce had lost his temper and banged Loki around a bit. Well, when the Hulk had banged Loki around a bit.

She didn't force her energy into Loki. In the state he was in it might throw him into shock. Plus, it was just rude, forcing your energy in to try and meld with someone else's. She was aiming for a stream not an ocean.

She was glad Loki was unconscious, though, because he might have known how to steal energy, latch on and just take, and she didn't want that either.

"Does anyone know how long he's been . . . tortured?"

"Perhaps a year," Thor said. "He's been away for a year."

"A whole year? You didn't know where he was?"

"I . . . we thought he was dead. We didn't know he –"

"The burns," Frigga interrupted. "Can you heal those? They are probably what bothered him the most."

Arianna nodded. She would do all that she could.

"It will take time," she said. "I am human and will have to rest frequently, but it will get done." ---------- "His room is ready," Bruce said. "We were able to get the saline and the antibiotics."

"Good. We may need to take him to the lab, though. I sensed there was internal damage. I need to know how bad it is."

Bruce helped move Loki, and Tony met them down in the lab. Arianna would have preferred being alone aside from Thor and Frigga, but it was Tony's lab and Bruce was an actual doctor.

Besides, she had no idea how to use the equipment in Tony's lab.

Arianna cleaned Loki off as best as she could, considering only the upper half of his body was free of clothing. The bruises Loki had been burdened with before were gone as they had been the easiest to heal, but everything else was the same on the outside.

Once she'd sensed internal damage, Arianna had decided to take a break to conserve her energy in case the damage was so bad that Loki would need immediate attention.

X-rays and Cat-scans were taken, revealing broken ribs and damaged lungs. Arianna was fairly certain that these particular wounds had come from the Hulk swinging him around and smashing him against the floor multiple times.

Bruce made sure the bones were set right before Arianna sent enough energy into Loki to help jumpstart the healing of his ribs. Then she changed her focus to his lungs.

Him being able to breathe on his own was the most important thing, in her opinion. It would save them the time it would take to hook him up to a bunch of machines, assuming Tony even had the equipment they would need for that.

Once Loki was stable enough, Arianna moved onto healing the burns littered across his skin. Or she tried to. The burns were extensive and to heal those she would have to manipulate his tissue to heal itself, which was hard by itself. Add in her exhaustion from all the healing she'd already done, and it was almost impossible.

She felt as if she'd been going at it for hours, and it wasn't until her head was hurting and her nose was bleeding that she realized she needed a break.

That and Tony saying, "A'right, Miss Miracle, you need food and a nap."

"I . . . okay, yeah. Is he gonna be okay if I stop?"

"He's as stable as he can be at the moment," Bruce said. "And he's better than he was."

"Are we leaving him down here, or . . . ?"

"We can take him to his room," Tony said. "I set up a room for you too, right next to his. Jarvis will keep watch." ---------- Arianna ate something small to put Tony's mind at ease, and it helped her headache go away. She wasn't able to sleep, however, even though she did lie down for over an hour in the bed Tony had provided.

She kept thinking about the words she'd pulled from Loki's mind. She hadn't meant to, but it happened when she was so fully connected to someone, and with the amount of healing she'd done to Loki, she was very much connected to him.

He was having nightmares and that was where the words had come from. One of his tormentors must've been equipped with the mission to make Loki feel unwanted and unloved because those were the words she had picked up the most.

No one had said anything to her when she'd come back up from the lab, but she could tell no one really understood why she was expending so much energy to help Loki.

Tony seemed to be the least judgmental, and then it was Clint. It had nothing to do with Loki and everything to do with the fact that he knew Arianna couldn't help but lend a helping hand to anyone that was suffering. Bruce was the most compassionate and she knew he would help her with Loki as much as he could. Steve was the least understanding, but only because he saw Loki as someone who had tried to destroy his home. Natasha was more worried because she knew how far Arianna could push herself.

Arianna didn't know what the big deal was. Everyone else on the team pushed themselves, risked their lives in the line of fire and what she did was no different. ---------- Frigga and Thor were in Loki's room when Arianna went in after resting but not sleeping. His mind had suddenly gone silent and she'd wanted to make sure nothing was wrong.

Thor was standing off to the side of the Spartan-like room. Loki was on the bed and Frigga was seated on a chair beside it, and there was an IV drip as well attached to Loki. Other than that, the room was bare.

"He's quiet," Arianna said.

"He's asleep," Thor said.

"No, I mean, his mind is quiet. I've been able to sense his thoughts from the first time I touched him. I don't sense anything now. Either he's stopped dreaming or he's blocking me."

"Is that bad?"

Arianna sighed. "That depends on how you look at it. If he's blocking me, it means he's aware enough to block me. It also means I won't be able to heal him, not if he's gonna fight me."

"He will sense you as you sensed him," Frigga said. "He'll think your magic is foreign. He will fight that."

"If I can make my way back into his mind, I can wake him up. I was hoping to heal him more fully first, but if this is the only way . . ."

"Is that not dangerous?" Thor asked.

"It's actually not dangerous at all, physically."

"And mentally?" Frigga asked.

Arianna hesitated before answering. "If Loki had his powers, I wouldn't try this. I think the worst he can do now is to just keep blocking me. He might be able to remove me if I make my way in."

"Have you done this before?"

"Yes, with trauma patients."

The younger patients almost never put up a fight. The adults, however, were another story altogether. She was sure that was because adults had defense mechanisms that children did not.

"What will you need?" Frigga asked

"I'll need the room so I can concentrate. I need it to be quiet." ---------- Arianna was surprised when she was able to easily gain access to Loki's mind. Most people who were unconscious fell deep inside of themselves. Add in the fact that she hadn't been able to hear or sense him before, she thought it would have been harder.

She'd found him within seconds, however, crouched behind a rock. He was hiding. That was probably why he'd suddenly disappeared from her mind. Whatever or whoever he was hiding from had shielded his thoughts from her.

Why was he hiding, anyway? There didn't seem to be anyone else around aside from Loki and herself.

As she grew closer to him, she noticed that all of the bruises she'd healed were still covering his skin in his dream state. None of what she'd been doing in real life was taking place here.

And where was here? It looked like the barren wasteland that she'd seen flashes of earlier. This was Loki's own personal form of Hell, probably, and he was stuck here.

She crept forward and knelt beside him, surprised that he hadn't even glanced her way. Did he not feel her there or was he just so overwhelmed that her presence didn't register?

"Loki?" she whispered and touched his shoulder.

He jerked away but finally looked at her nonetheless. His eyes were wide with fright and she regretted touching him. She was downright flabbergasted when he tried to cover his head. It was as if he thought she was going to hurt him.

Well . . . of course he did. This was a place of pain and he wouldn't have known anything else but pain here.

"Loki, I'm not here to hurt you."

"Everybody hurts here," he said, though he didn't move to get away.

"Loki, you're not actually here anymore. You – you got out."

"No one gets out."

"You did. You went to Midgard."

Technically, he'd been sent there, but she just wanted to help him wake up. Best not to bring up what he'd done once he went to Midgard.

"Thor is waiting there for you."

"He came for me?"

Loki seemed to want to believe that so badly, but he also seemed afraid to.

Arianna nodded. She would have to play this carefully. It appeared that this Loki, the part of Loki that was still truly himself was locked up here. This was probably a defense mechanism for the Loki that wanted to rule Earth. That Loki couldn't have had this one running loose or it would've messed up his plan.

"Loki, do you know who I am?"

"Should I?"

"Yes. Well, sort of. I met you earlier today."

She told him about how she could heal people and that she was trying to heal him, but he was blocking her.

"This is madness," Loki muttered.

"I know it probably seems that way, but you have to trust me."

She knew that was asking a lot, considering he didn't know her at all, but she did need his trust to even begin to bring him out of his head.

"What are you hiding from?"

"Thanos."

She remembered that name. Thanos was the one she'd heard threaten Loki. He was the one Loki was so afraid of.

"He can't actually hurt you here. He can only do what you allow him to do."

"Actually . . ."

A voice came from behind Arianna and Loki's eyes widened in fright again. She turned around to find a huge, purple man in black clothing and gold-plated armor. If this was Thanos, what exactly was he?

He had to be about seven feet tall and he looked to weigh at least a thousand pounds of pure muscle.

"I'm very much real."

His huge fist came toward her and she instinctively flinched even though he shouldn't have been able to touch her.

'He isn't real,' she thought even as his fist connected with the side of her head. She was sure if this had been real, she would've been knocked unconscious by the blow, assuming she would've still had her head.

He had proven that he was real, however, and Arianna was now afraid. She'd actually felt pain – not from the hit itself, but a sharp migraine-type pain. A mental blow to match the one he'd given her in the dream state.

Since she'd been knocked over by him hitting her, she scurried backwards as if she were crab-walking.

"I told him what awaited him if he failed. You will not take that away," Thanos said. "You can choose to leave him here."

Loki stiffened and she could tell he thought she would leave him. The truth was that she would if she thought she could bring someone back with her to help, but she knew what it was like to be trapped in her own head with no one to help pull her out and she wouldn't wish it on anyone.

Maybe if Loki had been truly evil, she could leave and not regret it, but now that she knew why he'd done what he'd done . . . she couldn't, with good conscious, leave him there.

Thanos couldn't really hurt her if she didn't let him. Maybe she would be able to pull Loki out of this despite what this Thanos had said. ---------- Loki hated himself at the moment. Not that he'd ever loved himself, but he really hated himself for being a coward. He didn't know this girl even though she'd said they'd met earlier and yet he still didn't want her to go. He didn't want to be alone anymore.

He especially didn't want to be alone here, but he didn't want the girl to be hurt either, not when she seemed so willing to help him.

"No one can help you," Thanos said. "No one would want to."

Nobody could love him. He was a monster. He was a Frost Giant. He'd never been anyone's priority and he definitely didn't expect this girl to pick him over herself. It was absurd to hope for anything other than a quick and painless death.

"Loki?" the girl said. She never had said her name. "Don't listen to him. I'm not going anywhere and I can help you. You have to let me."

Thanos yelled and Loki saw the Titan rush forward to hit the girl again, but she was quick and he ended up falling over himself.

If what the girl had said was true, if they really were in his mind, then he could do whatever he wanted here. He could take away his pain and he could get rid of Thanos even if the Titan was real.

The first thing he did was make himself strong again. He needed to assist his helper. She wasn't a fighter, he could tell by the way she carried herself.

What he really needed was a weapon yet he'd been made defenseless. Was he able to conjure one out of midair? Apparently he was, because as soon as he thought of one of his many daggers it appeared in his hand.

The girl was standing still with her hand in the air. She had her palm faced outward and Thanos . . . well, he was still too. He seemed to be attempting to move, but it wasn't working.

This girl knew magic – more than just illusionary magic. She was literally keeping Thanos still by sheer force of will.

"Now, Loki. You have to be the one to do it."

Since they were all in his mind that made sense. He couldn't actually kill Thanos since this wasn't physically real, but maybe just the act itself would force the Titan out.

Loki moved quickly. Within seconds he'd stabbed through the leather of Thanos' attire. He twisted the dagger and yanked upwards, properly eviscerating the image of the Titan.

Just like that, Loki opened his eyes to the world.

#loki #loki x reader #loki/oc #loki/ofc #love is healing #chapter three

[rainydaysketches]

Family Movie Night Gone WRONG!! (Not Clickbait)

(So. Guess who discovered FrostIron the other day? Anyway, I’m operating under the headcanon that Loki was being controlled by Thanos during the attack on New York, and that Thanos has since been dealt with by Carol. No more giant grape ballsack-chin titan to worry about. Also sorry about the title I couldn't think of anything better.)

If you had told Tony back in 2012 that in five years, the Avengers would be divided, half of said Avengers would be on the run, Asgard would be destroyed, he’d be dating Loki of all people, and have joint custody over a teenager who just so happened to be Spider-Man, well, he would probably have punched you in the face with a metal clad fist and sent you to a psych ward.

But that was exactly where Tony found himself, in the newly repurchased Stark Tower’s penthouse, with Loki and Peter on either side of him on the couch while they watched a Star Wars film that Peter had been demanding they watch together for the past week. Tony and Loki occasionally pitched in with a, “that’s not how that works” when it showed something about science or space that wasn’t accurate. Peter just told them to shush with a laugh each time.

It was nice.

About halfway through the movie, Tony heard Peter’s stomach growl, and that made him realize that he was pretty hungry himself. He told FRIDAY to pause the movie and the lights came on. Loki offered to pick up some Chinese, and Peter and Tony readily agreed.

Peter ran off to use the bathroom after Loki teleported away, and Tony decided to grab another cup of coffee before either of them returned.

Before the coffee could even finish brewing, the elevator dinged. This gave Tony pause, because Loki seldom used the elevator, and no one else was in the tower today. Happy and May were on a date (much to Peter’s equal disgust and happiness), Pepper was in Hong Kong, Rhodey was on a short weekend vacation to visit family, and Thor and Bruce were in New Asgard.

While Tony was wondering who could be in the elevator, the doors opened. He brought his hand up near the arc reactor on his chest, ready to activate his suit if need be.

The first person to come out of the elevator was Rogers, followed by Wilson, Maximoff, Romanoff, and Barton. Tony felt his jaw drop, along with the hand hovering near the arc reactor. Rogers caught sight of Tony, in his sweatpants and Star Trek t-shirt that Peter had gotten him for his birthday, standing with his mouth hanging open in the middle of his kitchen. Rogers smiled. Tony didn’t return the sentiment.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” he asked, which, in his opinion, was a perfectly reasonable response when someone walked into your living room, acting like they owned the place. Knowing Rogers, he probably thought he did. The smile fell from Rogers’ face, and the others behind him tensed.

“What do you mean, Tony? We got pardoned,” Rogers said, with the gall to sound confused.

“Okay, but why the hell are you in my tower?” Now all the rogues looked confused, and they were looking at him like he’d grown a second head.

“We were pardoned,” Romanoff stated, “So we came home.” The others nodded.

“Home?” Tony scoffed, “Home!? You gave up your chance to call Stark Tower ‘home’ when you betrayed my trust.”

“Come on, Tony,” Barton tried, “We were pardoned, and the first thing we do is come and see you, and this is how you repay us?” Tony picked up on the blatant guilt tripping, and it may have just worked if he’d done it before he met Loki or Peter, but not anymore.

Tony opened his mouth to respond, be before he could get a sound out, a soft voice spoke up behind him.

“Dad?”

The universe just loved to fuck with Tony Stark, didn’t it? He spun around to face Peter, turning his back on the rogues, because even if they literally stabbed him in the back, Peter would always be more important.

“Hey Pete. How about you, uh, sit on the couch while I sort this shit out.” He waved vaguely in the direction of the rogues. He heard an indignant sound come from someone behind him, but he chose to ignore it.

Peter looked wary, and he subtly made a web-slinging gesture with his hand. Tony shook his head minutely in response, to which Peter nodded and headed off to the couch.

When he turned back to the rogues, who were standing stock-still. Tony contemplated congratulating Peter for shocking the Avengers this bad later, but figured once Tony told him about it, Loki would do it for him, so he decided not to.

Barton was the first to break the silence. “You have a kid!?” Tony, just now remembering his coffee, grabbed a mug from the cabinet and poured himself some. He took a deep, long drink before he sighed and answered.

“Yeah, what about it?”

The team was shocked into baffled silence once again.

“We just… didn’t peg you for the type to want a kid?” Wilson said, the first time he’s spoken since they all got here. Tony almost didn’t hear the sharp intake of breath that came from the couch.

“I’ll have you know, that kid is one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. I’d sooner let my company go bankrupt than lose him,” Tony told them, loud enough that Peter could hear him, even without his freaky spider-hearing.

The rogues unabashedly gaped at him.

Rogers shook himself out of his stupor first.

“Tony, how long have you had a kid?” He sounded like he couldn’t believe that Tony could possibly care for a child, which a younger Tony would have agreed with.

“About a year and a half now, right?” Tony looked to Peter for confirmation, and Peter nodded at him with a thumbs up, which was actually a lot more encouraging than it should have been. “Yeah, a year and a half ago I adopted him.”

“It’s still joint custody!” Peter called out with a devilish grin.

“Stop being a smartass, Peter!” That only caused Peter’s grin to get wider.

Before anyone else could speak, there was a bright flash of green light in the middle of the living room. Tony felt relief flood through him. Loki was back.

The rogues drew their weapons. Rogers grabbed the shield off his back, red magic danced around Maximoff’s fingers, making Tony take a few steps back with unease, Barton knocked an arrow, and Romanoff just suddenly had a knife. Wilson migrated to the back of the group, because he was in civilian clothes and didn’t have his wings.

The five of them stiffened when Loki began to speak. Tony did the opposite and relaxed.

“So, they didn’t have any more chow mein, which is ridiculous, because they are a Chinese restaurant, how could they just run out of chow mein?” Loki ranted while he rifled through the bags, most likely checking that everything was there. “Also, they kept saying that they ‘were closed’ and asking ‘how did you get in here,’ which, rude, but they did give us three free egg rolls, so-” Loki finally looked up and took in the scene unfolding in front of him.

“Am I interrupting something?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Tony shot Loki a look that hopefully conveyed his thoughts of, “please, for the love of god, help me.” Loki got the memo, but chose to roll his eyes and drop himself on the couch next to Peter instead.

“Traitor,” Tony mumbled to himself, before refocusing on the rogues, who still had all their weapons pointed at Loki, and subsequently, Peter.

“Tony,” Rogers started harshly, “Why is Loki here?” He said Loki’s name with so much contempt that Tony physically recoiled from it.

“Um, because he wants to be?” Tony told them, but it sounded a lot more like a question than he intended. “And because I let him in.” he continued, trying to make it not sound like he was unsure.

“So you’ll let a supervillain into Avengers Tower, but not the actual Avengers?” Barton burst out, “That’s bullshit!” Tony needed to take a deep breath and a sip of coffee before he could respond to that remark.

“Okay, first of all,” Tony shot a glance at Loki who was smiling bitterly at his lap in that way he did when he was feeling self-deprecating. “Loki is not a supervillain now, nor was he ever. And second, this is Stark Tower, not Avengers Tower, and you need to get it through your skulls that I will not welcome you back here. In fact, you are trespassing on private property as we speak, but I’ll let it slide if you leave. Right now.”

Tony could practically see the gears turning in everyone’s heads. It was as if they couldn’t even follow the simplest instructions.

“Tony,” Rogers began, and Tony internally groaned. He just wanted Rogers and his rogues gone. ”Loki is manipulating you. But you don’t have to do what he wants. Come with us, we’ll keep you safe.”

Now it was Tony’s turn to have gears turning in his head.

And when he finally figured out what Rogers was talking about, he burst out laughing. The rogues looked awkward, just standing there watching him laugh his ass off, and that only made him laugh harder.

“Y-you, pfft- you think h-he’s manipulating me?” And that was all that Tony could say before he fell into another fit of laughter.

Peter and Loki found this funny too, because Peter was trying - and failing - to stifle his own laughter and Loki had a fond grin on his face as he looked at Tony.

After a minute or two, he’d finally calmed down. During his laughing fit, the rogues had lowered their weapons slightly, but Maximoff’s magic had only grown and glowed brighter. “Loki is not manipulating me, nor is he controlling me, or doing anything else to me. So drop it.”

Maximoff’s stance shifted slightly, and she lunged at Tony. Before he could activate his armour, she had pinned him to the ground and put her fingers on his temples. He tried to struggle, but she was either surprisingly heavy, or she was holding herself down with magic. Most likely the latter.

More red magic gathered at her fingertips, and Tony felt his eyelids drooping shut, no matter how much he fought to keep them open. When his eyes fully closed, a searing pain seemed to stab him in the brain, but he was unable to scream.

A second later, the weight was thrown off him, the pain was gone, and he could open his eyes again.

Loki and Peter had both gotten off the couch and tackled Maximoff off of him. Peter had her pinned to the ground, even as she was thrashing about. Loki held out his hand for Tony to grab and Tony gratefully took it so Loki could haul him up.

Even once Tony was back on his feet, he didn’t let go of Loki’s hand. The rogues looked warily between Tony, Peter, and Loki, and raised their weapons once again. Tony let out a grumble and turned so he could drop his forehead on Loki’s shoulder. Loki used his unoccupied hand to comb his fingers through Tony’s hair. Tony gave an appreciative hum.

Peter managed to get off Maximoff without any serious injuries, so he went and stood next to Tony on the opposite side Loki was. Tony smiled at him and ruffled his hair.

Tony then glared at the rogues, Steve and Wanda especially. The former was helping the latter off of the floor, both glaring at all three of them. Romanoff stepped in front of Rogers and Maximoff, holding her hands up in faux surrender.

“How about we all calm down and talk about this?” She tried.

“Get out of my tower,” Tony growled, clutching Loki’s hand like a lifeline. Loki squeezed his hand back just as tightly.

The rogues must have realized how much of a fruitless endeavor this was, because they all backed off, though reluctantly. They all crowded back into the elevator and told FRIDAY to bring them back to the ground floor. The AI didn’t reply as she usually did, just shut the doors and brought them down.

Tony slumped in exhaustion.

“Okay, that’s officially too much excitement for what should have been a relaxing movie night.” His comment startled a laugh out of Peter, and Loki even let out a chuckle.

They all went back to their spots on the couch, this time with Chinese food, and started the movie back up. None of them stayed awake long enough to see the end.

#frostiron #irondad #spiderson #irondad and spiderson #i wrote this in under a day and it hasnt really been proofread but fuck it #fanfic #marvel #i dont think i have to say this but i will anyway #not starker

[lucyreviewcy]

The Mummy (2017) Dir. Alex Kurtzman

What can I really say about this movie?

I wasn’t allowed to watch the original Mummy movies as a kid, so when I eventually came to watch these forbidden films I was vaguely disappointed that they weren’t spooky enough. As a result, I was pretty excited for the much spookier looking Tom Cruise reboot (even though it had Tom Cruise in it - usually something that drives me away from the movie). 

There were a few alarm bells in the first fifteen minutes of the movie. For starters, we have a love interest who is a solid 23 years younger than our protagonist. She’s also definitely a love interest: she doesn’t do very much apart from get injured and be sad. 

The second alarm bell was something I hadn’t picked up on before seeing this movie, but which I believe to be generally true. Rule: if the main character in a movie is called Nick, the main character in the movie is usually the worst. The Mummy compounds this issue by layering the Nicks all over the place. The first two characters we are introduced to are Nick (Tom Cruise) and Sgt. Vail. Sgt. Vail is played by Jake Johnson, who most of us will know as Nick from new girl. This issue is then made even worse by the introduction of Russell Crowe’s character, Henry, who is essentially the Dark Universe version of Nick Fury. THAT IS TOO MANY NICKS. More Nicks than a well-used broadsword. More Nicks than a Santa vs Satan themed birthday party. More nicks than Adrian Dunbar in a room full of bent coppers.

Aside this sig-nick-ficant issue which probably only affected me. There are so many other problems with this movie, but before I list them I want to state that I found it a fun romp. I would probably watch this movie again as a spooky treat around Halloween. I am fully disappointed that the Dark Universe never took off, because if this were the first offering I would have been so ready for the rest of the franchise. Sadness abounds. 

That said, I can completely understand why audiences may have had trouble with this movie. Please see the following list of glaring flaws in The Mummy:

Tone. This movie has more trouble with tone than a dog trying to tastefully decorate a penthouse apartment. I don’t know much about its development, but it feels like an original version of the movie was shot and then producers said “Can’t you add a funny in every scene?” I don’t know if it was intentional, but even the big scary Pharoah-faced statue has something vaguely comical about it. As they lower the Mummy into her prison, past this big ol’ face, the face just looks really shocked and vaguely disgusted by her. I guess that’s a nice way of hammering home that the evil lady who just killed a baby really is evil. But also… She just killed a baby. We know she’s evil. We don’t need a statue to make an emoji-esque face to tell us that. This gets worse when later, as she’s lifted out of the prison, the same statue looks shocked and afraid. But we know that she’s bad. We don’t need to be told to be shocked and afraid by a big statue. Stop telling me what to feel, statue! This is typical of the film as a whole. Spooky fight scenes have comical sound effects and any brief emotional scene involving Nick is punctuated by a witty one-liner. I would have been happy with this in smaller doses, it works really well in Jurassic Park. In Jurassic Park we have lots of comical one-liners and witty banter from Jeff Goldblum in the early stages, but as the film darkens and characters start dying, Goldblum’s character is removed from the action and the gags are fewer and farther between. That doesn’t happen in this movie, we have jokes all the way through and a lot of them aren’t even funny. Especially this exchange: “You’re a good person Nick, I know that because you gave me the only parachute.” “I thought there was another one.” This doesn’t work for lots of reasons but it especially doesn’t work when it is referred back to as an emotional flashback in the final scene, sans punchline. The punchline of “I thought there was another one” is Nick’s way of brushing off this and indicating that actually he might just be an asshole through and through. You can’t use that compliment later on as proof that he’s a good person! You think you can do these things but you just can’t Nemo... sorry... I digress...

Gender. There’s a blonde female character who’s vaguely intellectual but actually clearly only there to roll her eyes at Nick and how he’s the worst. She earned her right to eye-rolling by having sex with him at some earlier point but now that’s all she’s allowed to do. She also provides the emotional core of the movie… What a shock, said no-one ever. Perhaps this is just because the last movie I saw that I loved this much was Fast and Furious: Hobbs and Shaw which has Vanessa Kirby kicking ass and propelling the plot forward with sheer force of will, but I found the character of Jenny unnecessarily dull and cliche. She just screams a bunch to tell us about the threat that’s happening. In case we weren’t feeling threatened by the zombie mummies that are attacking her. But we were aware because we could see that happening. So… Thanks for trying, Jenny. Then there’s the Mummy herself. I swear no actress on the planet gets her talent squandered as frequently as Sofia Boutella. Equal parts terrifying and beautiful, Boutella is at her best when she gets to wreak havoc in Kingsman - but since then I’ve only ever seen her in limiting roles that don’t make the most of her delicate threat/allure balance. From almost bond-girl in Atomic Blonde to the-hit-woman-in-the-red-dress in Hotel Artemis (She’s a hitman = THREAT, but she’s in a red dress = ALLURE - delicate, subtle…), Boutella gets landed with characters that are tired stereotypes. Ahmamet is not much of an improvement. The parts of the film where the Mummy is less CGI and more makeup and physicality are really satisfying, allowing Boutella to be her spooky self. It’s disappointing that the mummy makes people into other mummies by kissing them, because of course the only way a woman can win a man over is by using her sexuality. FEMINISM. The Mummy could have pushed her much further, but if this movie proves anything it is that Sofia Boutella would have made a far better Enchantress than Cara Delavigne did in Suicide Squad. 

This movie doesn’t know the difference between Zombies and Mummies. As soon as she wakes up, the titular Mummy starts snog-converting all of the locals into mummies who then become her lackeys. But they just look like zombies. She’s made zombies. They shamble around like zombies. We have the “Zombie on the car” sequence that I’ve seen before in zombie movies. These are zombies. I didn’t come here for zombies. I came here for mummies, the risen dead. Not zombies, the undead. The thing that’s really irritating about the snog-mummification sequence is that she turns all the living people into zombies even though it is later established that she can cause corpses to rise from the dead. So why is she bothering to turn all these alive people into zombies when she is in a graveyard. That’s so much extra effort. Has she never mapped a process? Has she not considered she may need to conserve her resources? Have you ever heard of RECYCLING? I mean she’s from ancient history so I guess not. Eventually, we do end up with a significant number of mummies because of some very heavily established buried knights (SO MUCH EXPOSITION), but those are fine. I’m just mad about all the zombies. 

Tom Cruise. I regret to inform you that Tom Cruise is no-longer a bankable star. The Mission Impossible movies are a bankable franchise and that is a different thing. I am never tempted to go and see a movie because Tom Cruise is in it. I spent the last hour of this film listing actors who could have made this movie better. The list ended up with one name on it and that name was Ryan Reynolds. Reynolds’ typical cynicism in the face of a well-loved franchise might have resulted in a more consistent tone to the movie. We know from every other movie that he does that he can balance serious and silly in a way that keeps the audience laughing and crying. We know that he can make even the thinnest of storylines seem plausible. We know that he does well opposite another equally sarky character so the chemistry with Jake Johnson (one of the few commendable parts of this movie) would still work and maybe even be improved. 

I loved Russell Crowe in this movie and there won’t be any more Dark Universe movies and it is all Tom Cruise’s fault. This point doesn’t need much expansion. Russell Crowe is just really fun as Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde and I loved every second of his performance. The structure of the movie is weird because it introduces him and then drops him almost immediately for about an hour, but he’s just great. I don’t normally love Russell Crowe in anything and this really won me over. I would have watched all the Dark Universe movies for Russell Crowe alone. My boyfriend pointed out, from only hearing his voice emanating from my laptop, that Russell Crowe in this movie sounded like he was voicing the big fat posh tuxedo cat that used to live near us. I loved it. 

I didn’t know how many feelings I had about this movie until I started writing them down. I loved the idea and I felt like I was enjoying it but now that I look back there were so many problems. It’s like if I spent a few days knitting a scarf without looking at my work and then discovered that I’d dropped like half the stitches and it was just a mess. That’s how I felt. 

I hope you can look past the many problems I have highlighted with this movie next time you need a wild, undead but also risen dead romp. In a lot of ways, The Mummy is just like Sofia Boutella’s characters in everything: both alluring and threatening at the same time.

#themummy #the mummy #tom cruise #movie review #mummy 2017 #sofia boutella #feelings #stop telling me how to feel statue

[mysticmikalla]

Related to that ticklish headcanon and inspired in a scene from one of the shorts of Free!! Could you write an scenario in which Zen and Seven team to make Jumin laugh (Zen restraints his arms from behind and Seven ticklish him) and everyone has a "oh shit I'm gay (and for Jaehee bi)" moment because his laughter is just so damn beautiful? I love your writing thx thx!

I loooove this request I took a while to get to it bc I wanted it to be exactly how I pictured it in my head!! I havent proofread it yet but I hope it suits your palette!

***

“Operation TICKLEHAN commencing, over meow.”

 "Seven, I’m standing right next to you, there’s no need for walkie-talkies,“ Zen rolled his eyes, then sneezed, “And don’t say meow!”

“We must proceed with extreme caution, or else he’ll get suspicious.” Jaehee informed, looking worried.

“Don’t fret! Trust-fund-kid won’t know what hit him.” The silver-haired man snickered.

See, it all started with a bet.

Yoosung had seen a vine so funny, he said it could even make Jumin laugh

“No way,” typed Zen, “Trust fund kid is unable to laugh.”

“That’s just how funny that vine was!!” Insisted the blonde boy.

“I have serious doubts that Mr. Han would laugh at something as trivial as a…plant?” Mentioned Jaehee.

“Don’t tell me you don’t know what a vine is, Jaehee?” Seven gasped.

“If Jaehee doesn’t know, then Jumin definitely doesn’t, either.” Zen pointed out.

“But he would still laugh!”

“Have anyone of you…actually ever heard him laugh?” Wondered Seven.

“I can’t say that I have.” Jaehee thought about it and, in the 2 years she’d worked for Jumin, she’s never once heard him letting out a mere chuckle.

“I have,” V chirped in, “Although I can’t remember if I’ve ever heard him really laugh.”

“That proves it,” Zen pressed, “If even V has never heard it, that means that he is unable to laugh.”

After arguing about it, both Yoosung and Seven saying that it’s impossible for a human being to be physically incapable of laughing while Jaehee and Zen claimed that Mr. Han was, in fact, not a human being and V just chuckling on the sidelines…

“I bet a box of Honey Buddha Chips that we can get him to laugh.” Seven suggested.

“No way. Do you know how much sodium are in those chips?” Zen scoffed, “If we’re gonna bet…”

“Oh! Loser has to shave their hair off!” Yoosung eagerly suggested.

“If I may interject,” Said Jaehee, “Zen’s looks play a crucial in his career. It is unwise to suggest such a punishment.”

After even more bickering, they decided that whoever lost would have to take responsibility in any case that Jumin tried to sue them for assault.

So there they gathered, at a weekend RFA meeting in Jumin’s penthouse.

It was decided that Zen and Seven would work together to try and tickle him, while Yoosung distracted the business man.

“I want no part in such scheme that could potentially get me fired.” Jaehee huffed when she was offered the role of distracting him.

V was still laughing in the corner, shaking his head in amusement.

“Hey, Jumin…I was wondering if you could tell me about, uh, investment in stocks.” Yoosung shyly approached the businessman.

“You are interested in stock investments?” Jumin rose an eyebrow, awed.

“Uh, yes…It’s for a class I’m taking.” Yoosung improvised, drawing Jumin’s full attention as he explained this and that about the potential dangers and benefits of stocks, and then signaling for Zen and Seven to carry on the plan.

Silent as a cat, Zen stuck behind Jumin, and, in a flash, snaked his arms around him and restrained his arms.

“What the…?!”

Seven, putting his hacking fingers to good use, attacked his sides, moving them from his hips to under his arms

And Jumin, in his shocked state, squirmed and struggled under their attack.

Seven couldn’t lose the bet!

He moved his fingers faster, digging them deeper in his sides until it happened.

Everyone’s head snapped in the direction of the three men.

Jaehee’s coffee mug fell to the ground, as well as Yoosung’s jaw

Zen’s eyes widened, stunned

Seven’s glasses shattered right then and there.

For Jumin Han had laughed.

Crops? Grown.

Acne? Cleared.

Student loans? Paid off.

Grades? Up.

Cholesterol levels? Down.

Economy? Stable.

Jumin Han had laughed, giggled, cackled, howled.

And of course, V took a picture of the whole scene.

He was laughing so much under Seven and Zen’s touch, squeezing his eye shut and struggling to break free from their grasp.

“Zen…let me go!” He demanded, gasping for air, his laugh becoming high pitched. It reminded V of a younger Jumin, even though he had never laughed like this, even as a child.

When he finally broke free from their grasp, face red and tears forming on the corner of his eye, everyone was silent, dazed.

A mix of unusual adoration and- lust?- clouded everyone’s eyes

Zen violently shook his head, trying to get rid of improper thoughts he was having about the trust fund kid.

“Trust fund kind? Hopefully he’s more like thrust fund kid amirite-” thought Seven shamelessly.

Jaehee could barely look at her boss in the eyes, and Yoosung grew red, for the first time flustered at the mere fact that he was in the presence of someone so gorgeous.

V, bewildered that he was seeing his best friend in a whole new light, put his camera down. Maybe it was the lenses that were creating a halo around him?

Negative. The radiance and brilliance coming from Jumin himself was the cause of this.

The silence remained, everyone either aroused or in love with the man in the suit, and Jumin- equally as flustered, didn’t know how to act.

He cleared his throat, adjusting his tie and stepping away from the two men, “Luciel, Zen. You’ll be hearing from my lawyers.” He said as he exited the room

Finally, everyone  snapped out of their Jumin-induced trance, flustered enough with their individual, yet similar thoughts of the CEO-in-line that they avoided each other’s gaze, going home shortly after.

V sent the close up picture of Jumin laughing in the chatroom later that night.

His eyes were squeezed shut, his mouth big with a smile and face a little red. Gorgeous, spendid, delightful, they all thought, but none admitted.

Even Zen had a hard time keeping from asking Jumin to marry him right there.

That photo is now Jaehee’s new background, and Yoosung’s new LOLOL avatar is based off it.

Zen printed it out and kisses it every night before bed.

Seven built a small shrine around that photo in his home, and occasionally even Vanderwood comes by it to pay their respect.

Out there somewhere in Mint Eye, Saeran got a random boner.

They never mentioned the incident again, but one thing was certain.

After that day, everyone in the RFA, no matter how much they denied  or hid it, had the hots for Mr. Han.

#request #i tried #i tried to make it like it is in my head but my fingers wont cooperateeee #we all have the hots for mr han lets be real here #mystic messenger #mystic messenger headcanons #mystic messenger scenarios #mystic messenger imagines #yoosung kim #hyun ryu #jaehee kang #jumin han #jumin han scenario #saeyoung choi #luciel choi #707 #jihyun kim #saeran choi

[adventuresinawonderland]

Chloe’s Vulnerability & Emotional Journey

(In Defense of Chloe Decker Part 2)

So it’s official, Chloe & Cain are dating, or have been for a wk or 2. For clarity’s sake I’m not counting the Axara concert as a “date”. Nor the alluded to “dinner date” at the end of 3x18. As far as what’s been shown on screen, they’ve only been on one date. And things seem to be moving along quite normally for these two. Or as normal as can be when Chloe is using the relationship to mask her unresolved feelings for Lucifer. While Cain sees & exploits her emotional vulnerability & uses it as a means to an end.

Same Amenadiel, same... I know, it’s A LOT to take in. But don’t worry we can get through this. Just a forewarning, things may get salty. I’m just as protective of Chloe, as I am of Lucifer. And there have been things said about her that have really grinded my gears. The Mama Bear claws are out & sharpened. Our favorite detective has been through so much this past year & it’s about time we talk about it. Let’s dig in...

Since “Orange Is The New Maze” has been released, & even a bit before that, I’ve seen the term ‘OOC’ thrown around. Especially concerning Chloe Decker & a certain relationship she’s found herself in. People shouting into the void: “WHY IS SHE WITH HIM, DOESN’T SHE SEE HE’S TERRIBLE!?! FUCKING OOC!”  “THE WRITERS HAVE CHANGED HER JUST SO SHE COULD FIT INTO THIS LOVE TRIANGLE! UGHHH OOC BS! (these aren’t actual quotes from fans, but you get the gist)

Let’s start with the term ‘OOC’. According to Urban Dictionary aka the most reliable source of information next to Wikipedia... 

It’s an acronym that stands for "Out of Character"’; which is frequently used in one of two situations. Two situations that I’m fairly well versed in. As I’m sure most of you are too.

in role-playing, indicating that a person is making a comment, suggestion, etc., that isn't coming from the character but from the person him- or herself or their-self.

in fanfiction, signaling that the way the author chose to portray the characters (or perhaps unintentionally portrayed them) may not be consistent with how the characters act, think, or speak in the original work on which the fanfiction is based. 

Now I’m not saying it’s IMPOSSIBLE for writers to loose sense of a character’s personality, morals etc. on a tv show. Believe me I’ve seen it happen, & have the emotional scars & frustrations to prove it. Thankfully this show has had the rare luck of having the same writers for the vast majority of it’s run. Something that’s largely unheard of. With that in mind, we can assume that most, if not all the writers have a good grasp on who Chloe (& the others) are at their core. 

Also Chloe isn’t the main focus; Lucifer is. I mean his name is in the title ;). Not to mention all the other characters the writers have to cultivate & give as equal screen time as possible. Meaning her journey isn’t always going to be at the forefront; which can be frustrating at times. There have been hints at the inner struggle going on in Chloe. It’s subtle, but it’s there if you’re willing to look for it.

One of the similarities between Chloe & Lucifer is they keep their hearts heavily guarded. They’ve been hurt in the past, & those events have shaped them into the characters they are today. Another similarity between them is their tendency to keep their inner turmoil locked up. Putting on a smile & pretending like nothing is wrong. 

“I love making you believe, What you get is what you see. But I’m so fake happy, I feel so fake happy. And I bet everybody here, Is just as insincere.  Fake Happy, Paramore

“I can let my guard down with you. I don’t do that with anyone else. You make me vulnerable; & maybe that’s ok.” - (Chloe/1x11) Thus one of the tethers that bonded these two characters was formed. Now how they both deal with this vulnerability is what’s really interesting. Lucifer, we can all agree, has a flair for the dramatic. Mostly stemmed from the fact that he’s never had to deal with these kinds of emotions while ruling Hell. Jealousy, fear, love... these are all brand new to him; & his reactions to them are powerful. Chloe, of course being human, is used to feeling these emotions. For her it’s just another part of life. Her reactions to things that hurt her are going to be subtle. There have only been a handful of times where Chloe let what she was feeling on the inside out; ‘My Little Monkey’ being a prime example.

Our detective was introduced in the pilot as a ‘by the book’ cop. She keeps her feelings close to her chest; & only when provoked do we see her roar. In fact the only time I’ve seen a break from this is during her interactions w/ Cain. From day one he placed Chloe at the bottom of the totem pole. All she did was politely introduce herself & in the next breath he was lessening her importance. As I’ve stated in previous posts this immediately causes there to be an imbalance in their relationship. Them being together hasn’t changed that; if anything it’s made it worse. Do you have a pin handy... well it’s time to break it out. We’ll get back to ‘Carcus’ in a bit; for right now it’s all about Chloe.

Remember that old saying I referenced in my post about 3x18; “Can’t see the forest for the trees” Boy do I love a good callback. In this situation “the trees” is Chloe’s relationship with Cain & “the forest” is her emotional struggle that has led her to this point. Now it’s time I say we shed some light on it.

Chloe Jane Decker is hardworking & put’s her all into every case that comes her way. The people she cares about always come first, & she’ll gladly suffer in silence to make sure none of them feel any pain. Chloe is a strong, multi dimensional character that has been an absolute joy to see on screen. She has been portrayed beautifully by Lauren German, who deserves all the praise in the world. All of this shouldn’t come as a surprise to any of you.

I feel it’s safe to assume that Chloe has never “made the first move”. She’s more of a slow & steady kind of woman. The only ex we know of is Dan; & I’d classify him as the ‘safe option’. It was easy for Chloe to warm up to him, date him, & the rest is history. Which is why it’s shocking to her when she realizes that she’s developed feelings for a person like Lucifer. He’s spontaneous, outspoken, loves to be the center of attention; everything she’s not. Made even more shocking when she starts to believe that Lucifer may have feelings for her as well. Feelings she tries to deny repeatedly, especially in 2x11. Claiming they didn’t have a moment, they’re too different, etc. I personally love these instances with Chloe; I refer to them as her ‘thinking out loud’ moments aka ‘me everyday of my life’. The things she’s voicing aren’t for anyone’s benefit, but her own. It’s like Chloe’s trying to rationalize her emotions. ‘Maybe if I say out loud that Lucifer & I wouldn’t work, then maybe it’ll be true.’ 

^^^Sorry not sorry This tactic of course is futile, as shown by the surprise smooch she lays on our devil. Not ONCE but TWICE!! Chloe made the first move; she put herself out there. That’s a big deal. From day one Lucifer has been very heavy handed w/ the sexual innuendos. Going so far as to try & sleep with her in 1x04. But in the end he thinks better of it as he becomes more aware of Chloe’s boundaries. The only other time Chloe’s made a move was when she arrived wasted at Lucifer’s penthouse at the end of 1x10. To which Lucifer refused her advances immediately. Because the devil is, if anything, a gentleman; also consent. When Chloe kisses Lucifer; she’s at her most vulnerable. She’s letting him in in a way she hasn’t before. Letting him know that she believes him to be more than worthy of her; no matter what he believes his flaws to be.

As I’ve stated, Chloe feels it’s her duty to shoulder the pain that everyone around her is feeling above her own. A trait I’m sure is the product of loosing her father at such a young age. She has to be strong; for her mom, her daughter, everyone. While at the same time pushing everything that’s effecting her to the back burner; 2x07 being a perfect example. I lost count of the amount of times Chloe looked like she was ready to collapse in a pool of tears. But she didn’t, she had to be an unbreakable force of nature. It’s only during the final scene with Lucifer that she finally lets herself go. You can see the thoughts playing out on Chloe’s face the second before she rushes into his arms. She’s at war with her emotions. Until finally she exclaims “Oh just... Shut up!”; again we have another ‘thinking out loud’ moment. Luci doesn't need to shut up; it's her thoughts that need to. Chloe is making the choice to ignore the consequences, no overthinking it. All she wants right now is to be comforted, & Lucifer is the only person she feels the safest with.

^^^That single tear gets me every time. My precious baby. Now, what could cause a character as strong & caring as our detective to fall into an abusive relationship? The answer lies in 2x14; & the episodes proceeding it. Just like how the events in 2x12 were the catalyst to Lucifer’s actions in 2x13. Lucifer’s response of ‘Friends, yes that’s exactly what we are.’ in 2x14 shatters Chloe’s world. Again she looks like she’s about to crumble; her voice is shaky, her breathing is uneven. Only this time, she can’t run into Lucifer’s arms to find comfort. He’s worlds away from her now. What she thought they had was & is an illusion. A hug, a touch, a kiss; moments that meant everything to her, clearly meant nothing to him. So she sucks it up; suppresses those feelings of rejection & a love unrequited.

”I can’t call you a stranger, But I can’t call you. I know you think that I erased you. You may hate me, But I can’t hate you. And I won’t replace you. Tell me how to feel about you now? Oh let me know, Do I suffocate or let go? Tell Me How, Paramore

There’s a clear line connecting the catalyst of Chloe’s emotional spiral in ‘Candy Morningstar’ to the present time heading into ‘The Angel of San Bernardino’. Most of these moments were subtle, but powerful when looked at closely. In my mind it proves Chloe’s actions or in actions aren’t the product of bad/lazy writing. And they’re most definitely not sacrificing her character in order to make this ‘love triangle’ happen. Or as the kids like to call it ‘OOC’. 

Let’s do a bit of reading between the lines shall we?!

“Our partnership ended when you ghosted me & the entire department.

“...What good is a partner if I can’t depend on you.” 

“How could you... I thought we were... I thought we were friends.”  (2x14)

unsaid: -I kissed you; I let you in & you left without a word. Why? -I put my trust in you & you abused it. I need someone I can rely on. I thought that was you. -Where do we stand. I have feelings for you; I thought you had feelings for me. That’s why I kissed you, why I let you in. But now you’re married & I don’t know what to think & how to feel.

”You know I keep caring... & you, you just... Lucifer.” (3x01)

“These feelings are stupid. Lucifer & I are friends, partners. I’m past anything romantic with him. Full on rear view, in the past.” (3x06)

“Are you really that self absorbed that you don’t realize your actions hurt people, hurt me.”  “Then why are you still here?”  (3x12)

unsaid:  -I open my heart & you keep taking advantage of it. Are you stringing me along; is this a game to you? -I love working with him, & being around him; but it hurts. One min we’re hot, the next we’re cold. I want to be over him, but I don’t think I ever will be. -If you don’t care about me, then why do you do these things. I’m still heartbroken; & I’m even more confused than before. I need to know where we stand cause I don’t know if I can do this anymore.

Lucifer broke Chloe’s heart in more ways than one in 2x14. And that pain is prolonged due to his attempts to “protect her/almost let her in/etc.”. To Chloe it feels as if he’s stringing her along, taking two steps forward than a giant leap back.

You keep me up with you silence Take me down with your quiet Of all the weapons you fight with, Your silence is the most violent.” Tell Me How, Paramore

All these emotions swirling inside has left Chloe vulnerable. If you’ve ever suffered from any kind of lapse in mental health you know how easy it is to let someone in that may have a negative influence on you. In this confusion & inner turmoil, is where Cain pounces. He seems nice enough, the perfect distraction to Chloe’s unresolved feelings. She just wants to find happiness outside of the yearning she still has for Lucifer.

Cain can see the bond Chloe & Lucifer have, as well as the ocean that now separates them. Realizing that maybe he went about it all wrong the first time. Maybe if he forms a similar bond w/ Chloe he’ll be on the road to what he’s always wanted. So he lays what little charm he has on her strong. Tells her everything she wants to hear in order to lull her into a false sense of security. Those walls he appeared to have before, are gone all because of her. Normally this is where a million red flags would be going off in Chloe’s mind; & they are. Unfortunately because she’s been so weighed down by everything that’s gone on w/ Lucifer she overlooks them. It’s easier to pretend everything is fine, than to feel the pain. 

I know I said that I was doing good, And that I’m happy now. Shoulda known that when things were going good That’s when I’d get knocked down. Fake Happy, Paramore

Chloe has every right to feel how she’s feeling. She has every right to seek out a relationship w/ whomever she wants. It’s just annoying that she’s having to figure all this out while being saddled w/ a person who doesn’t respect her. Part of Chloe is trying to move on from Lucifer, but the other doesn’t want to; sound familiar? -cough; Lucifer -cough;. It’s frustrating, confusing, & completely in character.

This is a valid part of Chloe’s journey. It wasn’t plucked out of thin air for the sake of a ‘love triangle’. The writers laid the groundwork for it in S2 & have connected it through to S3. Parts may have gotten lost along the way but it’s there. If they’d had Chloe ignore these feelings, made her pretend like everything Lucifer has said/done wasn’t effecting her it would’ve been a disservice. Not only to Chloe, but to the story, & to us the viewers.  Truthfully I feel people have been a lil too heavy handed w/ the ‘OOC’ term. I’ve mostly seen it used as a means to say they disagree with what Chloe or -insert character here; has been doing. All I have to say to that is: Do you know how many times I’ve disagreed w/ a characters actions? A LOT! I’ve disagreed w/ Lucifer multiple times. I love my son, but sometimes he needs to be put in time out. It’s what makes a character unique, what keeps us watching. Do you know how boring it would be if we agreed w/ every thing a character did? Extremely.  Part of storytelling is putting characters into different situations & seeing how they deal with them. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad. In the end they’ll come out stronger, & more fleshed out than they were before. 

Each one of the characters on ‘Lucifer’ is dealing w/ their own emotional/mental health struggles. Our devil isn’t the only one who needs to hire a therapist. When I see people praising Lucifer’s or Maze’s growth from S1 to now, while at the same time denouncing Chloe’s pisses me off. It’s as if because Chloe is human she’s already a fully realized character with no more room to grow. So many of you have been complaining that she hasn’t “been doing anything” this season. News flash, yes she has. Chloe’s juggling being a single mom of a 10 yr old while managing a  full time career as a homicide detective. On top of that she’s been struggling w/ her unresolved feelings for Lucifer. We should be praising her for staying strong & not completely breaking down under the pressure.

^^^Maze is on the prowl, you know I mean business. Consider yourselves warned. #ChloeDeckerDefenseSquad I applaud the writers for taking this route with Chloe. Rarely do we ever see the beginnings of an abusive relationship portrayed so accurately. I’ve watched it be attempted, but more often than not the outcome is lackluster. Almost like the writers got spooked halfway through, or one of the higher ups told them to make it more palatable. People like Cain exist & should be talked about. Just because Chloe is overlooking these signs at the moment, doesn’t mean we should. Take away Cain’s immortality & he’s your average dude bro preying on women, or anyone. Everything is a game to them, a means to an end. I’m certain that if Chloe didn’t have a good head on her shoulders & an army of people to defend her, things would only escalate further. I’ve had the misfortune of being witness to these types of relationships on more than one occasion. They’re terrifying & I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. If we can find a positive from this plotline it’s to recognize Cain’s actions & words for what they are. Words of an abuser, a manipulator, a sociopath, etc. Don’t settle for someone who makes you feel less than. You deserve to be loved & treated respectfully. Take note of these signs & protect yourselves & others. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

Now that the main discussion is out of the way, let’s do a bit of spring cleaning if you will... Welcome to ‘Em’s Salty Corner’ aka ‘People Need To Find Their Chill’ This week we’ll be discussing the infamous ‘Bullet Necklace’ circa 3x19 Some of you were more than a little pissed at Chloe’s dismissal of it. “How dare she think this gift was a joke?!!?!!?! LUCIFER GAVE IT TO YOU BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU YOU BITCH!!” (again I’m paraphrasing here...) Now, look I’d be lying if I said Chloe’s line didn’t hurt my heart, cause it did. But instead of jumping to conclusions over it I paid attention to the whole scene. Her body language, her tone of voice, everything. And do you know what I see? I see a woman trying to lessen the significance of an item so as not to trigger her abuser. Followed later by an apology from the woman for hurting said abuser. When in reality there was nothing for Chloe to apologize for.

“It’s unfair of me to ask you to deal with this” Deal with what? A gift you received months before y’all were dating? He has no right to tell you what to do, how to act, how to feel, what to wear, etc. You’ve been dating him for less than 2 wks; Chloe this is BS & you know it somewhere deep in your heart. These are the classic signs of a dysfunctional relationship & yet y’all are focusing on whether or not Chloe thinks Lucifer got her a ‘joke gift’

^^^Lucifer & I are not amused. You saw the heart eyes Chloe was making while talking about that necklace right? She loves that necklace, & cherishes the memories she has when receiving it. Not to mention the look of longing she had aimed at Lucifer in the parking garage. There was more electricity in those missed glances than in all of Carcus’s scenes combined. Seriously what even was that peck; their lips barely touched. It looked like the kind of kiss you’d give an aging relative you haven’t seen since you were 3. If anything it was the perfect example of when 2 actors with no chemistry are made to pretend like they do.    Chloe referred to this gift as BEAUTIFUL upon first receiving it for crying out loud. If Chloe was really under Cain’s “spell” she wouldn’t be wearing it. Paraphrasing what I’d said in my previous post: Our detective openly wearing this is her way of telling Lucifer that he’s still important to her. Chloe’s heart belongs to him, he was her first choice. She’s trying to move on, but she’ll soon realize it’s with the wrong person.

“Do friends give you jewelry” Yes Cain, they fucking do. Especially ones who are destined to be together. So she was wearing a necklace, big deal! You’ve been dating for a min, chillax. I don’t see a ring on her finger... too much? ;). And even if there was, Chloe’s her own person with her own free will. What’s next, are you going to tell Chloe she can’t put one of Trixie’s alien drawings on the fridge? God I can’t wait for your ass to be grass. And thus concludes “Em’s Salty Corner”; we hope to see you again soon! :)

^^^Remember wuss’s don’t get any. Speaking of everyone’s favorite pigtailed, alien loving little cutie. Before I sign off I’d like to direct you to a post I & a bunch of other awesome people contributed to. It’s mostly us speculating about 3x20 & the rest of the season (prior to the release of 3x20/21/22 synopsis’s). I especially want you to focus on my section theorizing/discussing Dan’s “Cat Analogy”. All I’ll say here is that I believe Dan’s assurances that Lucifer is the ‘cat’ in Chloe’s life is false. Think we can all agree that a certain little girl holds more weight when it comes to Chloe making “life changing decisions.” Cain isn’t gonna know what hit him when he meets that little girl. As we head into the final 5 episodes remember to keep an open mind, have faith in the writers, & keep a steady grasp on your sanity. There have been a lot of crazy theories floating around; some intriguing, & some are out of this world. But that’s one of the best things about being in a fandom, we each see the thing we love differently. Even better when we’ve created a space in which we could converse w/o fear of reproach. Keep spreading the positivity & love! Whatever this show has in store for us will be amazing, as it always is. Till next time!! xoxox Em

Tribe:  @psychicninja90 @mametupa @aeruthien @boundtobeafraid @deckoutinstars @ships-sailing-in-the-night @ohmymorningstar, @youcantmakeme, @frankcastle, @sanoiro @wpbianca99, @mischief-with-sandra, @mendokayalways, @lux-i-fer, 

#it has been completed #finally!!! #take that technical difficulties #and with plenty of time to spare #pats self on back #lucifer spec #lucifer on fox #lucifer s3 #lucifer spoilers #chloe decker #team chloe decker #chloe decker defense squad #lauren german #lucifer theories #rambles

[ellanainthetardis]

Today: a typical Capitol night and a test... Will Haymitch pass?

[ff] or [ao3]

Chapter 44 : Mingling

Haymitch downed the two white pills with a gulp of the plastic bottle of water he had found in the car’s mini-bar, hoping the headache would go away soon. He strongly doubted it, not given that they were on their way to a party where the music would probably be loud and atrocious, but he still hoped.

They had recorded several interviews that day that would be aired later in the week – well, Haymitch had recorded several interviews, Effie had mostly remained backstage and made sure everything went without a hitch – and it had left him exhausted. The effort it took to remain cocky and slightly charming when all he wanted was to shout about the Capitol’s stupidity…

Necessary evil, Effie had promised. He knew there would be more of them. There had been enough shows and parties in the last couple of days to make anyone feel dizzy. There were only three victors left in the city now, including him, everyone else had gone home. One of them was staying for medical reasons – and it went to show that they were very short on the victors front that the Gamemakers were willing to invest in an old man’s health – and the other was a twenty-something puppy from Three who had won a few years earlier and who wasn’t hiding his plan to make the most of the sudden power vacuum.

Raye Adams wanted to be the new Finnick Odair. That was his funeral as far as Haymitch was concerned, he would simply have liked it better if the kid had stopped following him around, hoping to be splashed by his sudden rekindled fame. He wasn’t very fond of the young victor. Too much of an ambitious jerk.

Why, the way he had dismissed Effie the other day, asking her to fetch him another drink as if she was a waitress ready to comply to his every wishes and calling her darling as if he had any right to the pet name… Her reaction had almost made it worth it though. Effie had batted her fake eyelashes once, had looked him up and down and had looped her arms around one of Haymitch’s, loudly thanking providence that she had been assigned to a real victor. That had sent the kid into a quiet offended rage. He had taken exactly one threatening step. Haymitch had glared at him and had told him in a calm detached voice to think long and hard about what he was doing. Raye had left, red in the face and not very happy about being chastised. He had been back though. Haymitch’s spotlight was too tempting for him.

A gentle hand on his arm brought him back to Earth and he stopped staring through the window without really seeing what was happening outside to turn to his escort. She was wearing a blue dress that looked like it was made of running water. It rippled and gleamed under the light, the diamonds around her neck and wrists only adding to the effect. The moss green wig on her head was cut in a wavy short bob, a style that suited her enough that he could almost forget the color.

“We are almost there.” she warned.

“Where are we going tonight?” he asked, not having paid attention earlier when she had laid out the outfit he was supposed to wear. They were matching he realized, although it was subtle. The blue embroideries on his waistcoat were the exact same color as her dress.

She pursed her lips, not pleased by his lack of attention probably. “A birthday party. It won’t be a grand affair and I do not expect any camera. It isn’t a Games event and there shouldn’t be many sponsors. It will be a different crowd than the one you are used to.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Why are we going, then?”

They were usually kept on a schedule. Effie picked and chose the events they attended – he had to attend, really – but he was certain she was given a list of suggestions to begin with. Although, he supposed that the season was over now and official Games events would become few and far in between. It would all be about bringing the legendary Quell victor to private parties now and to official governmental events to give them a certain… flair.

“Because I have known Celeste since infancy and it would be rude of me not to attend.” Effie answered.

He frowned, understanding suddenly dawning on him. “Oh. They’re your friends, those people.”

She hesitated, briefly twisting the iris shaped ring around her finger in an unconscious nervous gesture. “I suppose that is the term one would employ. I would advise against trusting any of them though.”

“Cause I’m usually such a trusting kind of guy.” he taunted.

Her lips stretched into an amused grin before she could school her expression into a disapproving pout. “There won���t be cameras but it will be all over the city before the end of the night that we were here together… And since there is no real reason for you to attend other than escorting me…”

“Okay.” he shrugged.

They hadn’t made a lot of progress on that front. Questions were raised about their relationship but they eluded them out of habit and weren’t quite certain how to just… come out and say it. Haymitch was sick and tired of the empty Center though. The penthouse felt like a prison and he was ready to move out as soon as Effie judged it wise. People were already asking when he was planning on going back to Twelve… He hadn’t yet made it clear he wasn’t.

“There will be alcohol.” she warned as the car slowed down to a stop. She didn’t make a move to open the car door.

He swallowed hard. “Sweetheart…”

She looked down at the sparkly clutch on her knees. “I am not asking you… I know why you drink, Haymitch. I know why you feel you need it. And I understand that the Quell probably made that worse but… When we are in public…”

“I’m gonna try to keep off the stuff.” he cut her off. His face burned with embarrassment and he rubbed his brow. The headache wasn’t gone and he really didn’t want to have this conversation. “I’m not saying I’m gonna make it… Don’t know how long I can make it… But…”

It was too dangerous.  He had come to that conclusion after his stupid stunt with the sleeping pills. When he was drunk, he wasn’t in control and he needed to be in control, all the more so if he was supposed to live in the den amongst the wolves. The sharp memories of withdrawals weren’t an incentive for him to pick a bottle again either. He was only too aware how much of a liability booze was. What if he got addicted again only for Snow to cut his supplies once more? He would die this time around. He was sure of it. And while that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing in his book, it would leave Effie and the boy without protection. He was at the point where the thirst was something he could sometimes forget about. He wished for a drink more out of habit than out of need. It wasn’t easy, particularly when nightmares plagued him… But he thought he could hold on some more. And he hoped that, at some point, holding on wouldn’t be so hard anymore.

“I’m gonna try, yeah?” he awkwardly muttered. There was pride in her eyes and it made him even more embarrassed. “We’re gonna be late.”

An amused smile played on her lips. “Well, we wouldn’t be if you would do the gentlemanly thing and run around to open my door.”

He rolled his eyes. “Never gonna happen.”

She let out a theatrical annoyed sigh and opened the door herself. “You are insufferable.”

It was more fond than irritated.

It was refreshing to get out of a car and not be assaulted by flashes, calls of his name and pleas for his signature or his picture. The street was calm, it was a classy residential area where rows of respectable houses were lined up with obsessive preciseness… The house in front of them was full of light, music was drifting out as well as laughter and the occasional happy shriek.

He followed Effie to the front door, feeling out of place.

She didn’t bother ringing the doorbell or knocking – and it was probably wise because he was sure that nobody would have heard it – she made her way inside, holding out the door for him, lifting her eyebrows as it sudden obvious reluctance.

She had said it wasn’t the crowd he was used to… She was right. He was used to fancy expensive Capitol parties, this looked more like what he would have found at one of the clubs in town. People weren’t quite as stiff, the waiters and waitresses in dark uniforms weren’t Avoxes, and while looking just as ridiculous as Capitols always did, those people seemed a little less eager to impress.

He figured out without having to ask Effie that this party wasn’t exactly upper class. At least, not the upper class they were used to. They were certainly rich but they didn’t have the pedigree that went with it.

“Effie! I wasn’t sure you would make it!” a woman with a vivid orange wig screamed. His escort was briefly swallowed by a gaggle of Capitols and he watched, staying a step behind, as they exchanged air kisses and small talk about everyone’s good health. Eventually, orange wig’s eyes fell on him and she stopped mid-sentence to gape, making him even more uncomfortable. He buried his hands in his pockets and winced when the woman stared. “Oh, my goodness!”

Effie was back at his side in a flash, fishing one of his hands directly from his pocket, with a  sheepish smile. “I hope you do not mind, Celeste… I know I RSVP as alone but…”

“You brought Haymitch Abernathy to my birthday party.” Celeste stated bluntly, as if in shock. “I couldn’t even get tickets to the Crowning, it’s almost impossible to get close enough at red carpets and you brought him to my birthday party.”

The three other women who had jumped on Effie seemed equally impressed with his presence and Haymitch didn’t know if he ought to be amused or…

“Haymitch, this is my good friend Celeste Astworth.” Effie introduced them without further ado. “Celeste… I am assuming introductions aren’t necessary.”

Haymitch outstretched the hand Effie wasn’t holding. The woman shook it for far longer than was normal.

He had dealt with that kind of bemused fans before. Most of them were harmless. It wasn’t his favorite thing but he indulged her, hoping not everyone in that house would react the same way. He flashed her a smirk. “Hi.”

“Hi.” Celeste giggled, still shaking his hand.

He glanced at Effie for help but she seemed to find the situation hilarious.

“You will make her party the place to be tonight.” she explained with a grin. “That should warrant quite a few articles in the newspapers. Happy birthday.”

Celeste looked over the moon.

Haymitch thought it was the cheapest birthday present he had ever seen. Trust Effie…

“You mind if I get my hand back?” he joked.

The woman seemed to remember herself and let go of his fingers, flushing a bright shade of red. “My apologies! Oh, Effie, I ought to chide you! If I had known I would have… This was supposed to be a night between friends, you understand...” Those words were directed at Haymitch. “If I had known to expect more distinguished guests…”

“I’m sure everything’s fine, sweetheart.” he told her.

She almost swooned at being called by that pet name.

Effie’s grip became a tad firmer on his hand and she introduced him to the other women without waiting for Celeste to answer. They were a little more composed fortunately.

For a party between friends the house was crowded with people. Effie knew everyone, it seemed, but he quickly lost track of names and faces. He identified a couple of people as regular sponsors but they were in the minority.

Effie’s friends were crazy people but he wasn’t really surprised.

It wasn’t his scene at all and he hung back most of the time, sipping from the alcohol free cocktail Celeste had only been too happy to fetch for him, trying and failing to pretend he belonged in that sea of bright colors and idiotic people. Most people Effie stopped to talk to were in the fashion industry and he was bored out of his mind. She must have realized because she steered him toward a group of men who looked less flamboyant than the others.

She was welcomed with appreciative looks and predatory smiles that made him let go of her hand to place an arm around her shoulders in an instinctive claim. She automatically melt against his chest, not even batting an eyelash at the public display.

She greeted each of them by name far too ridiculous for him to remember them but her attention remained on the one with curly bleached blond hair. “Aspecus, may I entrust Haymitch to you? I am afraid talks of frills and lace bore him.”

Alarmed at the prospect of being left alone with those people, Haymitch tried to protest but she was already gone with a peck on the corner of his lips.

“Who wouldn’t be bored.” the man with purple hair on his left complained before downing his glass. “I swear, Pec, your wife always only invites stylists and models.”

Aspecus – Pec for short, it seemed – gave a helpless shrug. “Her party, her rules. So, not a fan of fashion, Haymitch?”

“Can’t say I care much for it, no.” he snorted.

“I’m surprised you would come to this kind of party…” the third man commented carefully. “It is a far cry from the City Circle. No offense, Pec.”

That one, Haymitch recognized. Maneo, he thought. The name was Gellert Maneo or something like that… He did sponsor sometimes although not every year.

“I guess I’m Effie’s present to the birthday girl.” he admitted.

“Are you?” Pec laughed. “Celeste will certainly be happy with that. She is a great fan of the Games.”

Haymitch tried not to cringe.

“I see.” Maneo said quietly at the same time.

And Haymitch thought maybe he did see, which made him cringe even further. “Not like that.”

“Like what?” purple hair asked, clearly confused by the long look Haymitch and the sponsor were exchanging.

Maneo took a sip of what Haymitch suspected to be whiskey. “So, Sal, what were you saying about the pearl market?”

As it turned out, the men were businessmen. There were plenty of those amongst the sponsors but Haymitch had never really had an opportunity to talk about… business before and it was more interesting than he would have cared to admit. They were still shallow people – he didn’t think he would ever find anyone in the city who wasn’t shallow – but they were more pragmatic than most. They weren’t stupid either and that made it easier for him to eventually relax and enjoy the conversation that, for once, didn’t revolve around fashion, the Games or who was screwing who.

It was plain to see they were surprised he could hold his own in debates. Politics was avoided – probably because it was rude or whatever but since that suited him just fine, it was alright – but Haymitch wasn’t that bad at other topics like literature, philosophy or ancient history.

“There’s not much else to do in Twelve other than read.” he awkwardly answered Sal’s diplomatic enquiries as to where he had gone to school, feeling embarrassed for no good reason. He had no university degree to boost, no degree at all to be honest since he hadn’t even finished high school, but that didn’t mean he was stupid.

All in all, he finally admitted after a whole hour of talking to them that the party wasn’t that bad. Down to Earth people, he could deal with. Still, he was a little surprised when Pec asked if he wanted to have dinner with them the following week – mainly because it sounded like a genuine invitation and not something born out of a need to be seen with the Quell’s victor. He had been wondering why Effie had kept in touch with people who were so obviously beneath her in the food chain, now he was getting a clearer picture. She might not trust them – and that was wise because who could trust anyone in the Capitol? – but they were certainly a nice change from the pompous people they had to deal with on an everyday basis.

“Here you are!” Celeste eventually appeared, wrapping her arms around Pec’s waist. “You are not mingling. Very rude.”

Effie wasn’t far behind her. Her blue eyes studied him and she must have come to the conclusion Haymitch wasn’t in need of a rescue because she flashed him that smug I know better smile. He rolled his eyes at her but didn’t protest when she leaned against his side. If her friends were surprised by their behavior, they didn’t let on.

“You were doing so well by yourself, my love, I did not want to rain on your parade.” Aspecus smoothly replied.

Celeste looked pleased by the compliment but her attention soon settled on the victor. “Are you having fun, Haymitch? I hope my husband and their friends stopped talking shop long enough to make sure you have everything you need…”

“I’m good, thanks.” he answered.

He was rewarded for this small polite act by fingers brushing against his, loosely entwining them together. He looked at Effie, a little surprised to realize she looked content, not quite harried or eager like she usually was at official parties but… relaxed. She still had her bubbly persona on but it was a bit toned down. Probably because there were no sponsors to impress. He wasn’t stupid enough to think that he was just there to serve as a birthday present or because gossip rags would have something to say about her bringing him to a private party… This was something else. She had clearly known those people a long time and she felt comfortable around them. She had brought him on her turf. This was a test of sort, to see if he could fit in her life.

“How am I doing?” he asked in a low voice and with a small unimpressed smirk while the Capitols were having a loud debate about a reality TV show or other.

She probably had expected him to figure it out at some point because she grinned. “You are passing with flying colors.” He shook his head at her and she tilted hers to the side, studying him. “Are you mad? I thought you and Pec might hit it off.” She wrinkled her nose. “He and his friends are a little boring, Celeste always complains about it. I thought they might be to your liking.”

“Cause I’m boring too?” he taunted.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and it was an automatic response to circle her waist with his. There was some staring and he was sure a few pictures were covertly taken but he didn’t really mind. That was the point, wasn’t it?

“Most Capitols would think so.” she hummed as he tightened his hold on her, bringing her even closer.

“And you?” he snorted.

“I know better.” she chuckled, leaning in to whisper in his ear all the not boring things she wanted him to do to her later. It was very hard to keep countenance or to resist dragging her back to the penthouse right then.

“Minx.” he accused in her neck.

“I am sorry to interrupt but I think it is high time for Pec to go fetch the cake in the kitchen and to start singing while I stand here and look surprised.” Celeste cut in with obvious amusement, clearing her throat. “Perhaps, Haymitch, you would be so kind as to help him? If you wouldn’t mind. I trust you can light a few candles without almost burning the house down.”

Pec rolled his eyes. “The match slipped through my fingers once and there was no damage. How long will you keep holding this over my head?”

Celeste’s look clearly indicated it would be a very long time indeed.

Effie dropped her arms and thus he had no choice but to follow Pec, a bit annoyed to have to let go of his escort. Still, the ruse was obvious because he wasn’t two feet away when Celeste loudly squealed. “How did this happen? When did this happen? Is it serious? How serious?! You have to share the gossip, Effie! Oh, this is the best birthday ever!”

All in all, it wasn’t the worst time he had had in the city.

He was startled to realize when they climbed back into the car that he had actually had a good enough time and that he hadn’t thought about the Quell in a couple of hours. The easy friendship between Pec and the others had made him miss Chaff but the dull ache had been eased by their willingness to include him.

He hadn’t quite meant to make plans with them but he had accepted the pressing invitation to get together some time in the following week.

Maybe, he thought as Effie’s head rested against his shoulder, just maybe he could find a place in this city.

#hayffie #effie trinket #haymitch abernathy #into that good night

[isabelle-scheinberg-blog]

( GAL GADOT, twenty five, female, she/her ) – ISABELLE SCHEINBERG is a TEACHER and is described as COMPASSIONATE & FILIAL, but can also be OVERLY-FORGIVING & SLIGHTLY NAIVE, which is why they are known as the ABANDONED DIAMOND. They are FOR this marriage because SHE HAS TO PROTECT HER FAMILY’S REPUTATION & SAVE HER HALF-SISTER BY TAKING HER HALF-SISTER’S PLACE IN THIS MARRIAGE ARRANGEMENT DUE TO HER HALF-SISTER SECRETLY RUNNING AWAY A WEEK BEFORE THE WEDDING. Congratulations on your marriage - Your nation thanks you.

She as of now is currently married to Samuel DeLuca for  3 weeks and has also only moved in to Harmonia when she got married 3 weeks ago.

Hi lovelies!! Under the cut, is bio/background on Isa as well as the full backstory of what happened with her family’s secret that they’re all currently keeping. I ABSOLUTELY LOVEEEE PLOTS & CONNECTIONS FOR HER, SO DO HMU OR LIKE THIS POST AND I’LL IM YA ASAP!!

So I haven;t fully decided where exactly is her hometown or rather the city which her dad’s family lived and the smaller city where she and her biological mom lived. But I’m imagining that her dad’s family which includes his legal wife, her half-sister, her paternal grandmother and her paternal widowed aunt lived in a highly elite, upper-class, super expensive neighbourhood in a shiny high-tech city akin to Manhattan? While she and her mom & maternal grandma lived in a rather small city a couple of states away, in middle-class neighbourhood. Her mom and her maternal grandma were actually working class ppl, but due to her dad paying a decent sum of money for all their living expenses, house and  including her education, they were able to live as comfortable middle class small family instead of being in a small rented apartment. 

So yeah, back to how she was born.. She was born a healthy beautiful baby girl and given the name  Isadora by her blissful and devoted mother who loved her with every inch of her being the moment she was born. Her conception howver wasnt a very beautiful story. Her disgustingly rich dad, Gersham Scheinberg  ( HE IS DAMN SUPER WEALTHY AND HAS PRETTY WELL-KNOWN STORIES OF THEIR FAMILY FLAUNTING THEIR WELATH WITH SEVERAL PRIVATE HOMES, THEIR PRACTICALLY GILDED IN GOLD MANSION/ESTATE/PENTHOUSE THEY WERE ALL CURRENTLY STAYING IN) was already married with another equally high-born upper-society socialite who had a bit of blue blood from her family but yet, he had a secret wandering eye, and loved to secretly flirt and have secret liasions with several women withou this wife’s & society’s knowledge ofc. He then speedily charmed, flirted and romanced Isa’s naive young mother who was of the working class and really didnt know who he was at that time since she wasn;’t interested at all in reading society pages and was living several states away from him and his family, till he finally managed to seduce her into sleeping with him after some months of being in a close relationship with her. However, to his shock, she unexpectedly fell pregnant, something he thought unlikely to happen since he had a bit of a fertility problem and it took him and his wife several years before his wife finally fell pregnant. His first option, was to ask her to get an abortion, but Isa’s mother was quite  religious and had already wholly loved the embryo she was carrying as she believed her baby  was a product of love.He then broke her heart by revealing the truth about his identity and the fact that his wife was already currently 5 months pregnant at that time with his first child. Nevertheless she was adamant and stubbornly wanted to give birth and raise her love child. She tried.  her best to convince him that she would go far away and he would never see her or their baby in his lifetime and she would nvr disturb him or his family since she wasn’t a gold digger at all, and honestly didn’t want to cause any  trouble or grief to his wife. But he was still slightly paranoid about it and didn’t believe her thus he forced her to stay a couple of states away from his family , so he could keep an eye on them and he would secretly pay for all their living expenses for the rest of their lives including his illegitimate daughter’s education, in exchange for her silence.  Faced with an offer she couldn’t refuse despite how much her principles hated it, for she rationally knew how hard and extremely difficult  it would be to raise her child up happy, healthy and extremely well-provided for and taken care of with her very low wages, she had no choice but to agree to the deal.

Thus once Isa was born, she and her mother moved to comfortable middle class neighbourhood in a small, moderate but comfortable house chosen by him. With pure love and strong motherly devotion, she raised up Isa with good moral values and plenty of happiness and love. She also didnt want to withhold the truth from her daughter about her true biological father for very long, so once Isa was about 7 or 8, she gently explained to her the truth. However, she constantly expressed and stressed on Isa to not hold any grudges but be dutiful daughter to him and tried to tell her of some of his few merits as well as tell her that he did love her deep down somewhere in his heart (tho he only visited them once a year and even then he was a lil amiable but also quite brief and distant with isa to an extent). Thus despite the shock, Isa then tried her hardest to believe and listen to her mother and held no bad thoughts towards her dad despite her longing for more of his show of parental love . Over the years Isa thus grew up to be  beautiful, healthy, happy, optimistic, extremely kind and good hearted person, full of compassion towards everyone she met, overly-generous, loyal and a v devoted daughter and granddaugther. She was also a fair and open-minded person and VERY JUST. She was also pretty naive , sometimes susceptible to strong manipulation,, a little dis-organised at times, overly -helpful, a lil innocent and overly-forgiving (strongly influenced by her mother in that area, eventhough Isa sometimes had to swallow her hurt at ppl who had wronged her(no matter how difficult it was) and stay quiet and move on and her damnest best to forget due to keeping in mind her mother;s strict teachings.) She was also quite innocent on sexual matters and till now her sexual/sensual nature hadn’t really been wholly awakened yet due to her over-protective mom and grandma. Thus she can be a bit of a prude and she had vowed to remain a virgin till she got married due to her mother’s experience and also cos she was purely romantic at heart. 

However, tragedy struck when her grandma died to an accident when she was 12 and then later on when she was 14, he mom also died due to liver failure. Devastated and in complete grief and shock, she was then forced to secretly move into her biological dad’s home due to his urgent insistence. His reasons were because he was afraid of Social Services digging onto her past and thus exposing the whole secret illegitimate child he had and marring his perfect and polished reputation. His wife was then told the truth and despite her anger and bitterness, she had to keep her mouth shut as she also wanted to uphold their family’s golden reputation and name. For the Scheinberg’s were a very highly respected, reputable and well known crystal-clear family name. Throughout the past few decades, they had maintained a shiny and well known reputation by using their wealth to help grow up the biz economy( due Gersham’s cunning and enterprising nature as well as his dad’s intelligence in the past generation) , helped many startup businesses, and was very philanthropic by establishing many large charities. So despite some stories of them living quite extravagantly in their lifestyle, since they had done so much benefits and good towards society, ppl dared not really spread any bad rumors against them and some parts of the population even revered them. 

So in her father house, she was subjected to become a maid in order to cover up her identity and as often as possible kept out of view from any  outsiders or visitors to the mansion. Her father’s wife, Anyx Queen-Scheinberg, a  vindictive and callous woman took her revenge on her husband’s infidelity but treating poor Isa very harshly and sometimes cruelly, by constantly scolding her, subjecting her to all sorts of tedious labor work, tossing scornful and untrue remarks about Isa’s mom and Isa, and once in while even manipulated Isa to doing an activity that would end up injuring Isa a little bit. Poor Isa had to endure this harsh living environment for the next 4 years, and bite her tongue for a few reasons: one; due to her personality I mentioned above, two; because her mom made her promise to be dutiful daugther to her dad’s family no matter what (poor woman was oblivious to how shallow and self-absorbed the Scheinberg’s really were and the true nature of Anyx as she had nvr met the woman in her life and only knew her though media’s picture-perfect stories about her), and three; because it’d be pointless to argue back or show resistance as that would only lead to more harsher punishments from Mrs.Scheinberg. Her shallow, self-indulgent, pampered and narcissistic half-sister Isabelle, who surprisingly was almost identical to Isa in looks, barely spared a thought for Isa and sailed through the next few years carefreely ignoring her, though she wasn’t really unkind to her like her mother was.

When she was 18, a small event happened that got her kicked out from her father’s house. Mrs Scheinberg had been in  very bad and irritated mood that day coming home, and had lashed out at kitchen maid for a small mistake she had done and falsely blame her for omsething the poor female was hardly at fault for. She had harshly slapped her and accused her stealing a  piece of jewellery in her bedroom. When the maid actually dared speak  and protested her innocence, Mrs Scheinberg saw red and actually picked up a red hot fireplace poker to use on her! isa who had been at first watching the whole situation in utter dismay and complete shock, then for the first time in her life couldn;t control her disgust for her father’s wife upon seeing her about to advance and hurt the poor maid with the poker, then instantly sprang foward and pushed the other maid out of the way and instd recived a bad burn on her upper left arm from the poker. Biting back the painful tears, she then shouted back and scolded the horrified Anyx Queen-Scheinberg, using just, truthful and intelligent words and nvr once resorted to cursing or foul language(cos she had been deeply and strictly ingrained by her mom to use proper language and its too soon for my baby to lose total control and curse anywayXD hehe) despite her anger towards her father’s wife. Outraged and once overcome from her shock  that her husband’s bastard actually dared to give her a proper telling-off, she then struck Isa several times despite having already burned my poor baby’s upper arm, and then threw her out of the house, claiming that she was old enough now to live on her own and she was pretty sure that fillial Isa would never let out her father’s secret. 

Despite her pain, Isa was finally relieved and felt almost happy at finally being free from her father’s home. Excited with her newfound freedom, she then went on to study a BSN on a college scholarship she had obtained earlier due to her smarts, as she had long wanted to become good nurse as her future job and actually completed her degree within 3 years with extreme hard work. Her dad then paid for her to continue with a  master's  Nurse Practitioner program which she then diligently completed within 2 years and when she was 24, had started working as a nurse in a local small hospital. However her happy life was disrupted again when a week before her half-sister’s arranged wedding, she was called up by her dad and told the news that her half-sister had thoughtlessly and recklessly ran away. He then manipulated and relentlessly guilt-tripped her to taking her half-sister’s place by stressing on how she could save her half-blood sibling’s life and their whole family from possible Govt. punishments due to them unable to prevent  this awful thing from happening. Isa finally accuiqsed to the plan though her heart broke about her dad’s obvious prferential love for her half-sister instead of her  and the thought of her own wasted oppurtunity at beaing able to escape from this govt. program herself. For lately, Isa had been thinking of faking her death and running away secretly to find her chance at marrying for love being the aboslute  romantic and optimist that she was.

Small Scheinberg PLAN execution to cover everything flawlessly: Both her dad and his wife made a complete fake story about Mrs Scheinberg wanting to apologize to her “former maid” for accidentally burning her upper arm and firing her badly, and make amends by welcoming her back into one of their country homes and doing the apology reconciliation there. Unfortunately, an “accidental” and rapid house fire happened while they were all there, and unfortunately the “poor maid” Isadora got trapped by a crushing beam after having saved her former mistress life by pushing her out of the way and thus couldn’t escape and was died in that awful fast house fire. And that was the story they told to the authorities ir order to fake Isa’s death and prevent the goverment from placing Isa into the arranged marriage program for alas that poor girl was dead. Till this day, no one had really investigated Isa’s true father’s identity as Isa’s mom had written her dad’s name as unknown on the birth certificate and claimed it to be a very drunken one-night stand conception. With “Isadora’s unfortunate demise” this lead the path free and easy for Isa to take the real Isabelle Scheinberg’s place in the upcoming wedding and thus cleanly covering up her half-sister escapade. Oh and this crafty Scheinberg couple also managed to use Isa’s former job as a nurse(despite her distress over it) and with some bribery of a few of the hospital’s medical staff they managed to steal a freshly new cadaver from the hospital morgue and placed it properly in the house before the fire started so as to produce a burned grotesquely burned dead  body when the fireman hosed the place down and went in.

Thus the whole plan went smoothly despite how last-min it was and it was easy to trick ppl into believing that Isa was the real Isabelle as they were almost identical and she could also just lie and say that marriage had matured her a little and she had decided to to try turn over a new leaf as a grownup if Isa were to accidentally meet any of Isabelle’s old friends in Harmonia (FOR THE REAL ISABELLE AND ISADORA HAD COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES! xD) There was a tiny problem of the real isabelle having a slightly different nose and smaller and slightly different shaped eyes as well as a very lighter brown hair compared to Isa but both Mr and Mrs. Scheinberg constantly convinced Isa that she could just bluff her way through if any close and sharp -eyed ppl who knew the real Isabelle were to notice this tiny changes. For it was a known fact that Isabelle had done a lil plastic surgery before (tho it was a cheekbone structure thing and not the nose) and real Isabelle had loved putting on very heavy makeup and sometimes coloring her hair in different shades. the only giveway would be now would be Isa’s small lingering white burn scar mark on her upper left arm. that and if any truly suspicious and nosy person were to really dig into “the dead Isadora’s” past life history and put in a VERY  thorough investigation on that house fire accident. Which till now, no one did...yet. (heheXD)

#tddupintro #it's a full bio as i just has so much muse and inspo for her so all my eternal love and highset affection to anyone who manages to read this #*managed* #<3 <3 <3 #oops typo *highest* #tw: death #tw: slight child abuse #also further headcanons on isa's likes/dislikes/hobbies/habbies/fears/hidden insecurites/hopes/dreams/interests/etc can be found on the hadc #on the headcanon link on her navi and her headcanons will be constantly added to or edited from time to time ;)

[ultralifehackerguru-blog]

New Post has been published on http://www.lifehacker.guru/50-abandoned-places-around-world-history-behind/

50 abandoned places around the world and the history behind them

Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia.

MISHELLA/Shutterstock

Every abandoned building has a story about how it got that way, whether it’s an urban legend or the truth.Rotting, crumbling, or completely invaded by nature, abandoned buildings can be as creepy as they are fascinating.

From ancient ruins uncovered underneath ash to mental hospitals that have been left to rot, we’ve rounded up 50 abandoned buildings around the world and the history behind them.

The Pontiac Silverdome, Michigan

The Pontiac Silverdome once hosted the Super Dome.

Carlos Osorio / AP

The Pontiac Silverdome was once home to major events like the Super Bowl and concerts by The Rolling Stones, The Who, and Led Zeppelin. However, since the Detroit Lions left back in 2002 it has been empty and abandoned. It is now in the process of being demolished.

Graun Church Tower, Lake Reschen, Italy

Only the tower of this church still remains above water on Lake Reschen.

w.deframe/Shutterstock

Graun Church on Lake Reschen in South Tyrol, Italy, was once a regular Italian church. However, an artificial lake was built in 1950 in order to provide the town with electricity, drowning the historic church.

Today, all that remains visible is the church’s bell tower, which looks as though it’s floating in the middle of the lake.

Ross Island, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Ross Island was originally a British settlement.

Matyas Rehak/Shutterstock

Vegetation has all but consumed the remains of the the island, which was once referred to as the “Paris of the East.”

In its prime, it was home to British government officials, as well as a penal settlement set up after the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The British residents made it their home with extravagant dance halls, bakeries, clubs, pools, and gardens, until 1941 brought an earthquake and an invasion by the Japanese. Ross Island was then alternately claimed by the Japanese and British until 1979, when the island was given to the Indian Navy, which established a small base there.

Today, tour groups visit the island almost every day.

Maunsell Sea & Air Forts, Thames and Mersey estuaries, United Kingdom

These forts have been abandoned since that 1950s.

Mansell Forts/Wikipedia

During World War II, the Maunsell Army Sea & Air Forts were built to defend England against German forces.

A group of forts raised above the water on stilts made up the complex, designed by Guy Maunsell, a British civil engineer.

The forts officially closed in the 1950s, but the structures that remain can occasionally be seen from land at East Beach Park in Southend-on-Sea.

Kolmanskop, Namibia

A building invaded by sand dunes in Kolmanskop.

Flickr Creative Commons/jbdodane

Kolmanskop was at its liveliest in the early 1900s, when German miners came to the area to hunt for diamonds. With them, they brought German architecture, giving the desert area an opulent, out of place look. The town featured a ballroom, a hospital, and a bowling alley among other amenities.

The town’s decline began shortly after World War I, but the final nail in the coffin was the 1928 discovery of a diamond-rich area along the coast. Most of Kolmanskop’s residents hurried to the new hotspot, leaving their belongings and the town behind.

Kolmanskop has been slowly getting eaten by the desert ever since. Tours to Kolmanskop can be booked in the nearby coastal town of Lüderitz.

The Orpheum Theatre, New Bedford, Massachusetts

This theater was once lavishly decorated, but it has been abandoned since 1962.

New Bedford Orpheum Rising Project/Facebook

In its heyday, the Orpheum Theatre was a prime example of Beaux-Arts architecture, thanks to its flat roof and symmetrical design. Its interior was equally impressive.

It first opened on April 15, 1912, the same day that the Titanic sank. The space also boasted a large ballroom, gymnasium, and a shooting range, making it a popular event space in New Bedford.

The building has gone through several owners since its closure in 1962, and plans have been in the works to reopen it as a community theater in recent years. While it has not yet reopened, urban explorers frequent the site and claim that it’s haunted.

Haludovo Palace Hotel, Krk, Croatia

The Haludovo Palace Hotel was a luxurious retreat on the Mediterranean Sea in the 1970s.

AP Photo/Darko Bandic

This mid-century-style hotel opened in 1971, drawing visitors to the small Croatian island of Krk.

A year later, the founder of Penthouse Magazine, Bob Guccione, invested $45 millionin the property and expanded it, turning it into the lavish Penthouse Adriatic Club Casino.

Once the Yugoslav Wars began in the early 1990s, Krk was no longer a popular travel destination, and the hotel was eventually abandoned.

Bannerman Castle, Beacon, New York

What remains of Bannerman Castle today.

Bannerman Castle Trust/Facebook

Located on Pollepel Island on the Hudson River, Bannerman Castle once acted as arms storage for Frank Bannerman, a Scottish munitions dealer in New York City. Bannerman and his wife eventually built a glamorous, castle-like home on the property, and resided there during the summer.

After a powder explosion in 1920, several fires, and various changes in ownership, the castle is not the breathtaking sight it once was, but Bannerman’s name can still be seen plastered on what remains of its facade. Today, visitors interested in the historic site can tour the island via passenger boat or kayak.

Pripyat, Ukraine

Pripyat was evacuated during the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986.

Kateryna Upit / Shutterstock

On April 26, 1986, a radioactive release 10 times bigger than the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima occurred at the Chernobyl nuclear power station. Around 350,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes, leaving in such a haste that the city looks like it’s frozen in time.

Dolls are scattered on the floors of abandoned kindergartens; shreds of sheets and pillows remain on beds; and dishes rot in sinks. Radiation levels in the city are still too high for people to live there, so it remains untouched.

Military Hospital in Beelitz, Germany

Beelitz-Heilstätten (Beelitz Sanatorium) once treated Adolf Hitler.

Pixeljoy / Shutterstock

This eerie military hospital once treated Nazi leader Adolf Hitler for a thigh injury he acquired during a WWI battle in late 1916.

It was built in the late 19th century to help rehabilitate tuberculosis patients in Berlin, but was later abandoned during the fall of East Germany.

The chilling building was used as a set for Oscar-winning film, “The Pianist.”

Jonestown, Guyana

Jonestown has been taken over by the dense jungle.

Tomas van Houtryve / AP

Jonestown, Guyana, was the location of one of the most shocking tragedies in American history, as 909 members of the People’s Temple died from cyanide poisoning at the direction of a cult leader.

The village where the cult resided is now mostly covered in dense jungle vegetation, although a few structures still remain.

The Abandoned City Hall Subway Stop in New York, U.S.A.

You can see City Hall station if you stay on the 6 train after its last stop.

Felix Lipov / Shutterstock

Completed in 1904, City Hall station was the first southern terminal of the first line of the New York City subway. Built to impress New Yorkers with their swanky new mode of transportation, the station featured Roman brick walls, brass chandeliers, and vaulted arches.

It closed in 1945 as it could no longer accommodate the growing ridership, but apparently you can still see it if you stay on the 6 train after its last stop, on its way back uptown.

Buzludzha Monument, Bulgaria

The Buzludzha Monument was once the House of the Bulgarian Communist Party.

Milen Dobrev / Shutterstock

This abandoned monument, which sits high in the Bulgarian mountains, was once the House of the Bulgarian Communist Party. In power during the height of Soviet influence, the party decided to erect the monument to commemorate socialist communism. However, the site was abandoned after the government’s fall from power in 1989.

Simacem, North Sumatra, Indonesia

An abandoned classroom in Simacem, Indonesia.

Binsar Bakkara / AP

After 400 years of dormancy, Indonesia’s Mount Sinabung has been erupting in recent years, causing various villages on its slopes to be evacuated. They remain abandoned, declared too dangerous to inhabit. Simacem is one such town, and filled with the remains of lives hastily left behind.

Coal plant in Lynch, Kentucky

Lynch, Kentucky, once had around 10,000 residents.

David Goldman / AP

Lynch, Kentucky, was at one time the largest coal camp in the world, with around 10,000 residents at its peak. It even had its own power plant, which was built in 1919. However, as coal declined, so did the city, and the plant — and most of Lynch — now sits abandoned.

Abandoned Submarine Base in Balaklava, Ukraine

The once top-secret submarine base is now a museum.

A_Lesik / Shutterstock

This abandoned aquatic facility was originally built by the USSR as a top-secret plant designed to house a fleet of nuclear-ready, Soviet submarines during the Cold War.

The complex remained untouched for a long time, until the Russian Federation gifted the abandoned base to the Ukrainian Navy in 2000. It is now a museum.

Humberstone, Chile

Humberstone was left so suddenly that it appears frozen in time.

Shutterstock / JeremyRichards

Humberstone is a former English saltpeter mining town in the Atacama Desert. Synthetic nitrate invented during WWI replaced saltpeter, meaning that the facilities were no longer needed.

People left so abruptly that much of the town appears frozen in time, with pictures still hanging on walls, and closets filled with clothes.

In 2005, Humberstone was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Michigan Central Station in Detroit, Michigan

Michigan Central Station in Detroit used to be the tallest train station in the world.

Matt Ragen / Shutterstock

Although Michigan Central Station was once the tallest train station in the world, it has been abandoned since 1988, when Amtrak stopped running there, and has become a symbol of Detroit’s decline.

Athens Olympic Village, Athens, Greece

A deserted training pool in Athens’ Olympic Village.

AP

Although you’d expect ancient ruins in Athens, these modern facilities fell into disrepair sooner than expected.

After hosting the Olympics in 2004, Greece simply had no use for world-class, expensive-to-maintain venues for niche sports like softball, beach volleyball, or even swimming, so they became useless immediately after the Olympics left town.

Rum Orphanage, Büyükada, Istanbul, Turkey

Despite being made of wood, Rum Orphanage in Turkey still stands today.

Official/Shutterstock

This large wooden building on Büyükada, off the coast of Turkey, was originally designed to be a luxury hotel and casino. However, due to issues with permits, the building was sold and eventually turned into an orphanage in the early 20th century.

The approximately 215,000 square foot building is reportedly the largest historic timber building in Europe, according to the World Monuments Fund.

After ending operations as an orphanage in 1964, the building remained unoccupied for decades. In 2012, restoration began to turn the site into an environmental institute.

Pompeii, Italy

Pompeii today.

Shutterstock

One of the most famous eruptions of all time, Mount Vesuvius’ 79 A.D. eruption completely buried the ancient Roman city of Pompeii under a thick blanket of volcanic ash.

The city was abandoned for nearly 2,000 years, until explorers discovered it fully intact underneath 20 feet of dirt and debris in 1748.

Many of the abandoned structures are still standing today, and can be visited.

Prora, Rügen, Germany

Prora is a three-mile-long abandoned Nazi resort.

Sean Gallup / Getty Images

Three years before Germany invaded Poland in 1939, Adolf Hitler ordered the construction of a three-mile-long tourist resort on the island of Rügen called Prora, then the largest resort in the world.

When World War II began, however, Prora’s construction stalled and it was left abandoned for several decades.

It is currently being transformed into a luxury resort.

Houston Astrodome, Houston, Texas

Toppled stadium seats in the Houston Astrodome.

Pat Sullivan / AP

The world’s first domed stadium, The Astrodome, has been abandoned since the Houston Astros baseball team left it in 2003.

A staple of Houston’s city skyline, the stadium remains abandoned, with no plans to be demolished.

Mys Aniva lighthouse, Sakhalin Island, Russia

This lighthouse is located on an isolated island in Russia.

DmitrySerbin/Shutterstock

Aniva is a coastal town on Russia’s Sakhalin Island, near Japan. The Mys Aniva lighthouse sits on the rocky coastline, abandoned and worn down.

The lighthouse was built by Japanese engineers in 1939, and was used by both Japanese and Russian militaries over the years.

The site is popular today among urban explorers, some of whom have found belongings of people who once lived in the lighthouse.

Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia

Eastern State Penitentiary was once the most famous prison in the world.

Associated Press

The spooky Eastern State Penitentiary was once the most famous prison in the world, but now stands in ruins. It once held many of America’s most notorious criminals, including “Slick Willie” Sutton, an American bank robber, “Scarface” Al Capone, the Chicago mob boss, and Freda Frost, a female inmate who poisoned her husband.

St. Nicholas Church, Mavrovo Lake, Macedonia

The St. Nicholas Church is sometimes semi-submerged in water.

jordeangjelovik/Shutterstock

The Saint Nicholas Church was built in 1850, but has been abandoned for about 100 years. When Lake Mavrovo, which is manmade, was created, a dam filled the surrounding area with water. However, since the area has experienced droughts in recent years, it is possible for visitors to enter the the ruins of the church.

Dome Homes, Marco Island, Florida

This collection of dome-shaped homes now sits offshore.

L S Clayton/Shutterstock

These concrete dome-shaped structures may look futuristic, but they’re actually just the vacation home of a retired oil producer.

Bob Lee built the dome homes in 1981 as an environmentally friendly and self-contained getaway for his family on Marco Island, Florida.

While the pods once stood on their concrete pylons right on the beach, erosion has resulted in their current location in the ocean. While unlivable today, the igloo-like structures are still standing right off the coast of Marco Island.

City Methodist Church, Gary, Indiana

This church has been used in several movies, including “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Transformers 3.”

City Methodist Church (Gary, Indiana)/Wikipedia

The crash of the steel industry hit Gary, Indiana, hard in the 1970s. This economic depression resulted in the abandonment of many once-popular buildings, including the City Methodist Church.

The church reportedly cost a whopping $1 million to build back in 1926, which would be about $7 million by today’s standards. However, despite all the work that went into building the beautiful English Gothic style church, the parish officially closed in 1975.

Since its closure, the City Methodist Church has not gone entirely untouched. The site has acted as a shooting location for several movies, including “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Transformers 3,” and “Pearl Harbor.”

Waverly Hills Sanatorium, Louisville, Kentucky

This hospital housed patients from a tuberculosis outbreak in the early 1900s. Today, you can visit the building on a ghost tour.

Dylan Lovan/AP

The Waverly Hills Sanatorium acted as a hospital in which patients with tuberculosis were quarantined in the early 1900s, although the building that still stands today was not completed until 1926.

The hospital operated until 1961, when an antibiotic that cured tuberculosis was discovered. Today, many people believe that the site is haunted. Visitors can participate in ghost tours, haunted houses, and laser light shows on the hospital grounds.

Sathorn Unique Building “Ghost Tower,” Bangkok, Thailand

The “Ghost Tower” is a popular destination for urban explorers.

Nopkamon Tanayakorn/Shutterstock

Commonly known as the “Ghost Tower,” the Sathorn Unique Building in Bangkok is an abandoned skyscraper that’s shrouded in mystery.

The luxury high-rise was built in the 1990s, although construction was abruptly halted upon the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. As a result, the building has fallen into decay and has become a haven for urban explorers. The inside of the tower is covered in graffiti.

While climbing to the top of the building is really dangerous, visitors can still get a glimpse inside from the ground floor of a nearby parking garage.

Ryugyong Hotel, Pyongyang, North Korea

The Ryugyong Hotel is the tallest unoccupied building in the world.

Ho New/Reuters

At 105 stories with a striking triangular shape, the Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang towers over much of the city.

Construction on the building began in 1989 with plans of containing Japanese lounges, casinos, and night clubs. However, the hotel has remained unfinished for decades.

In August, Business Insider reported that construction may resume soon.

Bodie, California

This ghost town will take you back to the Wild West.

elleon/iStock

Bodie, California is just a few hours south of the popular vacation town of Lake Tahoe, but it feels like a step back in time to the Old West.

This ghost town, which is now a state park, had its heyday during the California gold rush in the late 19th century. Today, the park aims to keep the town as authentic as possible.

Every summer, the park offers nighttime ghost tours that take visitors to Bodie’s church and 106-year-old abandoned mill.

Teufelsberg, Berlin, Germany

These strange dome structures sit atop a manmade hill in Berlin.

Reuters/Hannibal Hanschke

Located in Berlin, Teufelsberg (“Devil’s Hill”) is a man-made hill built out of rubble after World War II.

During the Cold War, the dome-like structures were added and used as US listening stations. Antennas and satellite dishes were built on the site in order to intercept radio signals from East Berlin.

New York State Pavilion, Flushing Meadows, New York

If you’ve driven past these fairgrounds in Queens, New York, you’ve probably wondered what these oddly-shaped structures are.

JaysonPhotography/Shutterstock

The futuristic-looking structures that stand in Flushing Meadows Corona Park actually date back to the early 1960s, when they were built for the New York World’s Fair in 1964.

A dream team of architects, including Philip Johnson, Richard Foster, and Lev Zetlin, designed the complex, which includes observation towers, a theater, and a tent that once had a cable suspension roof.

While the fairgrounds have been empty for decades, a massive restoration of the complex that will make it suitable for visitors is underway, and is set to be completed by 2019.

Nara Dreamland, Nara, Japan

Nara Dreamland was inspired by Disneyland but went abandoned for around 10 years.

Merabet Hichem / Shutterstock

Built in 1961, Nara Dreamland was inspired by California’s Disneyworld in the US, but it fell into disrepair after closing in 2006 due to dwindling visitor numbers, according to Atlas Obscura.

Centro Financiero Confinanzas, Caracas, Venezuela

This skyscraper in Caracas remains unfinished.

Centro Financiero Confinanzas/Wikipedia

This unfinished skyscraper in Caracas is more commonly known as “The Tower of David.” Construction on the building, which was intended to be a financial center, began in 1990. However, after the death of one of the project’s main investors and an economic downturn in Venezuela, construction came to a halt in 1994.

Squatters then took over the unfinished tower, creating a large community within the building that even came to include electricity, though all residents were evicted by 2015. The future of the building is still uncertain.

Centralia, Pennsylvania

Centralia has been on fire for over 50 years.

AP Photo/Michael Rubinkam

Until 1962, Centralia was just like any other coal mining town in central Pennsylvania. However, after a fire at a landfill spread to several local mines, the town became uninhabitable.

As the fire grew, it moved through the mines and underneath the town, creating health safety issues for residents.

Today, Centralia is completely abandoned, although it is full of eerily empty streets, houses, and businesses. You can still see steam rising from the ground in many areas, including on an abandoned strip of road that has become known as “Graffiti Highway.”

Garnet, Montana

These log cabins in Montana have stood the test of time.

MISHELLA/Shutterstock

Many mining towns were built quickly and cheaply in order to allow miners to start working as soon as possible. This was the case in Garnet, Montana, a 19th century town that was once home to 1,000.

Garnet is now known as Montana’s best-preserved ghost town, and log cabins, schools, and saloons that were once home to gold miners and their families can be explored for only $3. There are campgrounds nearby for people looking to get an overnight experience.

Craco, Italy

Craco survived earthquakes and landslides before being abandoned in 1991.

Stee/Shutterstock

This hillside ghost town was founded in the 8th century, and sits on a cliff that’s 1,312 feet off the ground. The city emptied due to various natural disasters. In 1963, many evacuated after a landslide; in 1972 a flood made conditions even more precarious; and in 1980 an earthquake caused the town to be abandoned in its entirety.

A locked gate surrounds the city, so visitors must book a guided tour. Thanks to a miraculously unscathed statue of the Virgin Mary, the town hosts various religious festivals throughout the year. And despite the fact that the area is a ticking time bomb, the city has been used for several films, including “Passion of the Christ.”

Canfranc International Railway Station, Canfranc, Spain

Canfranc was once the biggest train station in Europe upon opening in 1928.

Canfranc International Railway Station/Wikipedia

Located in northeastern Spain near the French border, the Canfranc International Railway Station was once a luxurious and architecturally beautiful stop for those traveling Europe by train.

However, the station was taken over by the Nazi regime in the early 1940s, halting regular travel. After World War II, a train crash in the 1970s damaged the tracks, causing another closure.

While the building is no longer utilized as a rail station, parts of the station are now used as a laboratory by the Spanish government.

Floating Forest, Sydney, Australia

The SS Ayrfield has gone from military ship to a beautiful forest on the water.

RRong/Shutterstock

The SS Ayrfield was frequently used during World War II, often traveling back and forth from Newcastle to Sydney, Australia.

However, after the ship was retired in the 1970s, it took on an entirely new purpose. The ship was abandoned in Homebush Bay in Sydney, not far off shore. Plants began to grow on what remained of the ship’s hull, which eventually turned into a lush forest.

Today, you can spot fully grown mangrove trees on the abandoned ship, providing a unique contrast with the hull’s rusted exterior.

Crookham Court Manor School, New York

The school closed down after high-profile child abuse cases.

Sherman Cahal / Shutterstock

This empty boys school in Berkshire, New York, has been abandoned since the late ’80s, after a high-profile child abuse case came out and forced the school’s closure.

A photographer who visited the building told Daily Mail, “I felt emotional as I walked around. I wondered what terrible things had happened in the rooms which are now eerily empty. It’s horrible to even imagine.”

Four former staff members have since been jailed, and the building remains in creepy ruins.

Letchworth Village, Rockland County, New York

Most of the buildings in Letchworth Village are partially demolished.

Letchworth Village/Wikipedia

Once a sprawling campus with stately buildings, Letchworth Village is a now-defunct mental institution that has fallen into deep decay. Despite being ahead of its time (it tested the first polio vaccines in the 1950s) it closed in 1996, after years of reports of abuse and horrible conditions.

While most of the buildings are covered in graffiti both inside and out, it is still possible to view some aspects of the original architecture and uses for specific hospital buildings.

Hotels in Varosha, Famagusta, Cyprus

Once popular tourist destinations, these beach side hotels are now vacant.

Varosha, Famagusta/Wikipedia

Varosha, a town on the island of Cyprus, was once popular among tourists, though the entire beachside community is abandoned today.

Elizabeth Taylor and Brigitte Bardot both visited Varosha back in its prime, according to the Daily Mail. However, after Turkish troops invaded and occupied the region in 1974, hotels and businesses lost their customers and became vacant.

Today, many beachfront hotels still stand, overlooking the ocean, although they remain empty.

Spreepark amusement park, Berlin, Germany

The once bustling Spreepark amusement park is now empty and overgrown.

RobertKuehne/Shutterstock

Spreepark was built as a dinosaur-themed amusement park by the communist government outside of Berlin in 1969. While the park’s popularity flourished in its early years, it was finally closed down in 2002 due to lack of interest.

While many abandoned buildings and parks are closed off to visitors, guided tours of the ruins of Spreepark are available.

Hashima Island, Japan

This ghostly abandoned island was used as the villain’s lair in a James Bond movie.

Michel Godimus / Shutterstock

Hashima Island was once known for its undersea coal mines, which began operations in 1881. The island hit peak population in 1959 with over 5,000 residents (mine workers and their families), but once the mines started to run dry in 1974 most people left.

The once-thriving island is now completely abandoned, with the exception of the sightseeing tours that drop off boatloads of tourists each day who come to see the abandoned homes, stores, and streets. The island was also featured as a villain’s lair in the Bond movie, “Skyfall.”

Chateau Miranda, Celles, Belgium

Chateau Miranda is an abandoned orphanage.

rphstock / Shutterstock

This abandoned building has served a lot of different purposes. It was originally built by French aristocrats who were fleeing the guillotine, later became an orphanage, and is now just a ruin.

Although its owners got several offers, they refuse to sell it, instead letting it fade into its surroundings.

Gwrych Castle, North Wales

Gwrych Castle was built in the early 1800s.

Gail Johnson / Shutterstock

Built in the early 1800s, Gwrych Castle once had a total of 128 rooms, including 28 bedrooms, an outer hall, an inner hall, two smoke rooms, a dining room, a drawing room, a billiards room, an oak study, and a range of accommodations for servants. During World War II, it housed 200 Jewish refugees, and was later open to the public.

Although the castle has long been vacant, it was bought several years ago with the intention of being converted into an opera house and luxury hotel, but those plans never came through.

Holy Family Orphanage, Marquette, Michigan

Holy Family Orphanage closed in 1965.

Flickr / Chad Johnson

Once home to 200 children, classrooms, dormitories, playrooms, a dining hall, and other facilities, Holy Family Orphanage closed its doors in 1965.

A plethora of urban legends and stories surround the orphanage, including the mistreatment and death of some of the children housed there over the years. Some say you can still hear the children playing.

The spooky building is now in the process of being renovated and turned into apartment buildings for residents who are brave enough to move in.

The Moynaq Ship Graveyard, Uzbekistan

This was once one of the largest lakes in the world.

Shutterstock

The Moynaq Ship Graveyard is a ghost town in the middle of the Uzbekistani desert, almost 100 miles away from the nearest shore.

Once one of the four largest lakes in the world (it was 26,300 square miles), the Aral Sea dried up when the rivers feeding it were diverted for irrigation purposes in the 1960s.

Today, dozens of abandoned ships are disintegrating in the scorching desert heat.

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