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#easy breezy edit
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“Even if the morrow is barren of promises, Nothing shall forestall my return.”
GENESIS RHAPSODOS || CRISIS CORE: FINAL FANTASY VII REUNION
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anisaanisa · 1 year
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Kagome, Volume 1 Headshots ☆ Next 》
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maxsix · 6 months
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unamusedyams · 1 year
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hey guys did y'all know that
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c4tsc4pe · 6 months
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Classpect Analysis Definitions Guide Combob
i read a Smashing aspect analysis by @/alicesonions (which this is very inspired by check it out right now the redesigned symbols are awesome) and wanted to revamp my own so here we go shaggy 2 dope classpect guide 2.0 (og draft here)
this is just a rundown on how i personally understand/use classpects even though i love talking my ass off and want to over explain all this i tried to write hopefully easily digestible and to the point definitions using key words and phrases bc thats how i personally learn things (i might make an extended version with further information and analysis later)
this can always be edited too i am So open to discussion criticism etc please tell me every single one of your thoughts about classpects in tags comments whatever I LOVE HEARING IT
anyway fat megapost ahead man the cannons
- - >
Classpects
A “Classpect” is a player’s title in Sburb, which uses the formula [Class] of [Aspect]. Not only does a Classpect dictate a player's reality-bending powers, but it defines a player’s place in their session, their place in reality, and their place within the narrative itself.
There are two components that make up a player's Classpect: their aspect and their class. There are 12 aspects and 14 classes in total. Hypothetically, ANY player could be ANY of the 168 total combos of these, no matter the person, but Sburb will narrow down the options and pick a player’s Classpect depending on how it thinks it can BEST use them in the game/their specific session.
A Classpect is chosen via a sort of “sorting hat” method. The person you are (struggles, goals, gaming strategies, how you interact with the world and others, etc.) inadvertently dictates your Classpect, but that is only BEFORE THE GAME STARTS. Once you’ve entered Sburb, Skaia will ultimately decide your role based on everything it gathered, and you are stuck with it whether you like it or not.
[In total: Classpects are a predetermined in-game role to fulfill as well as a narrative tool.]
Aspects
Aspects are described as “the basic building blocks of everything that exists within paradox space”; a cosmic property that relates MOST to a player and that they have the potential to BEST excel at.
A player’s aspect is always something the player starts out STRUGGLING with in some way. No one ever has total control or knowledge of their aspect right off the bat. It is something that challenges the player and must be learned over time so the player can grow and reach their full potential as a Hero of their aspect.
Aspects are a neutral and nuanced concept- no aspect is inherently good nor bad.
The 12 aspects: Breath, Light, Time, Space, Life, Hope, Void, Heart, Blood, Mind, Doom, and Rage.
Breath: The aspect of freedom and detachment. Breath is impossible to hold down, easy breezy, head in the clouds, go with the flow. Breath is breeze, movement, flight, weightlessness, indirection, and independence. Breath blows whatever way it feels like, not caring about much else.
Narrative connection: Plot development.
Breath’s opposing aspect is Blood.
Light: The aspect of knowledge and illumination. Light exposes the hidden, brightens the dark corners, brings things into the spotlight. Light is relevance, illumination, luck, enlightenment, sight, visibility, definition, and attention. Light brings itself to what is hidden in the dark.
Narrative connection: Plot relevance.
Lights opposing aspect is Void.
Time: The aspect of rhythm and destruction. Time is connected to death, the past and future, taking action, small details, the destination over the journey. Time is repetition, iteration, cycles, pace, patterns, preservation, decay, continuity, and management. Time is the steady tick of a clock, the constant rotation of an ever-turning gear.
Narrative connection: Pacing.
Times opposing aspect is Space.
[Time is one of the fundamental fabrics making up paradox space and is therefore an aspect required to win Sburb. If your session does not have a Time player, your session is doomed to fail.]
Space: The aspect of creation and beginnings. Space is new things, focused on the wait-and-see, the big picture, the here-and-now, the journey over the destination. Space is destiny, matter, physics, making, innovation, and intuition. Space is a vast endless infinity of possibility.
Narrative connection: Setting.
Spaces opposing aspect is Time.
[Space is one of the fundamental fabrics making up paradox space and is therefore an aspect required to win Sburb. If your session does not have a Space player, your session is doomed to fail.]
Life: The aspect of agency and autonomy. Life is foraging your own path, own destiny, self-direction, growing and strengthening. Life is nature, health, resilience, energy, progress, healing, vitality, and nourishment. Life sees its route and fights to take it.
Narrative connection: Agency/action.
Life’s opposing aspect is Doom.
Hope: The aspect of belief. Hope is dreams and wishes, blind optimism, unstoppable force, the "there’s always a way, nothings impossible". Hope is faith, possibility, positivity, will, imagination, and determination. Hope is a clear, enthusiastic "YES!".
Narrative connection: Convenience.
Hopes opposing aspect is Rage.
Void: The aspect of nothingness and the unknown. Void is a blank canvas, an empty page, a dark corner, a shadow concealing darkness. Void is secrets, mystery, invisibility, unexplained, ignorance, irrelevance, and uncertainty. Void obscures what the light can't reach.
Narrative connection: Plot irrelevance.
Voids opposing aspect is Light.
Heart: The aspect of feeling and self. Heart is the core of a person, their identity, passions and interests, the soul, feelings instead of thoughts. Heart is motivation, love, emotions, uniqueness, personal, individualism, bias, and passion. Heart follows itself.
Narrative connection: Inner self.
Hearts opposing aspect is Mind.
Blood: The aspect of unity. Blood is down to earth, grounded and chained, has expectations, forms relationships. Blood is community, responsibility, care, effort, stability, obligation, and connection. Blood is running through everyone's veins and knows it.
Narrative connection: Character dynamics.
Blood’s opposing aspect is Breath.
Mind: The aspect of thought. Mind is unbiased decision making, apathy, black and white, blends in with the crowd. Mind is equality, ration, logic, reason, judgement, calculation, choice, balance, and justification. Mind pushes away feelings and thinks instead.
Narrative connection: Outer self.
Minds opposing aspect is Heart.
Doom: The aspect of fate and constraint. Doom works within the rules, within restriction, follows damands. Doom is burdens, prophecy, acceptance, necessity, limitation, punishment, and misfortune. Doom does not negotiate against the inevitable.
Narrative connection: Conflict.
Doom’s opposing aspect is Life.
Rage: The aspect of refusal and rebellion. Rage is the ugly truth, holding back, immovable object, being stuck, “it’s impossible, there’s no way out”. Rage is cynicism, defiance, fury, negativity, anger, riot and revenge. Rage is a loud, guttural “NO!”.
Narrative connection: Contrivance.
Rage’s opposing aspect is Hope.
Classes
Classes are the second ingredient of the Classpect formula. Since an aspect is a cosmic property that relates most to a player, a class is how that player USES/INTERACTS with that cosmic property & its powers. Classes are NOT something a player struggles with and are just dictated by how they approach/play the game.
Classes are a neutral and nuanced concept- no class is a “worse/better” or “evolved” version of another, no class is gender locked, and no class is inherently good nor bad.
There are six functions of classes: creation, destruction, exploitation, manipulation, knowledge, and relocation.
[Creation: Bringing something into existence.
Destruction: Taking something out of existence.
Exploitation: Having something and using it.
Manipulation: Changing or altering something.
Knowledge: Knowing all about something.
Relocation: Stealing and/or moving something.]
The 14 classes: Heir, Seer, Knight, Witch, Maid, Page, Rogue, Prince, Mage, Sylph, Thief, and Bard, and the two master classes: Lord and Muse.
Heir: One who changes with their aspect or is changed through their aspect. Heirs inherit their aspect and can greatly use it for their session and coplayers.
Class function: Manipulation.
Heirs' counterpart class is Witch.
Seer: One who knows their aspect or knows through their aspect. Seers are knowledge-seekers who obtain information by observing, and guide their coplayers using what they learn.
Class function: Knowledge.
Seer's counterpart class is Mage.
Knight: One who fights for/protects their aspect or fights/protects using their aspect. Knights are set on serving and defending their session and coplayers, using their persona as a shield and their aspect as a weapon.
Class function: Exploitation.
Knight's counterpart class is Page.
Witch: One who alters/bends their aspect or alters/bends using their aspect. Witches utilize their powers to bend the rules and test the limits of their aspect and session itself.
Class function: Manipulation.
Witch's counterpart class is Heir.
Maid: One who serves/repairs their aspect or serves/repairs with their aspect. Maids clean, preserve, and maintain their session with/and their aspect, just as a housekeeper would.
Class function: Creation.
Maid's counterpart class is Sylph.
Page: One who strengthens their aspect or finds themselves through their aspect. Pages start out as weaker underdogs, but once their potential is fully realized, they can use their power to an astounding degree.
Class function: Exploitation.
Page's counterpart class is Knight.
Rogue: One who steals their aspect or steals from their aspect to provide others with it. Rouges take from their aspect and redistribute what they steal to their coplayers Robin Hood style.
Class function: Relocation.
Rouge's counterpart class is Thief.
Prince: One who destroys their aspect or destroys with their aspect. Princes are powerful, blunt forces in their session who once fully realized, will stop at nothing until they reach their goal.
Class function: Destruction.
Prince's counterpart class is Bard.
Mage: One who understands their aspect or understands through their aspect. Mages are the experiencers of their aspect that utilize their experience with it to guide themselves.
Class function: Knowledge.
Mage's counterpart class is Seer.
Thief: One who steals their aspect or steals from their aspect to keep themselves. Thieves are focused on taking from their session and others in it, then keeping that power for their own benefit.
Class function: Relocation.
Thief's counterpart class is Rogue.
Sylph: One who heals/mends their aspect or heals/mends using their aspect. Sylphs are vastly supportive to their coplayers through both backstage influence and personal interference.
Class function: Creation.
Sylph's counterpart class is Maid.
Bard: One who allows the destruction of their aspect or invites destruction through their aspect. Bards can be kind of a wildcard for their session, possibly for the best (or the worst).
Class function: Destruction.
Bard's counterpart class is Prince.
Master Classes
Lord: One who rules their aspect or rules using their aspect. Lords are intensely powerful domineers who command their aspect, session, and everything in it to bow down to them.
Lord's counterpart class is Muse.
Muse: One who inspires their aspect or inspires through their aspect. Muses are completely in tune with their aspect and influence their session with it, leading it like a conductor with their baton.
Muse's counterpart class is Lord.
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empyrealen · 7 months
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Kingdom Ponies!! Sea Salt trio edition!! 🩵
Last post, I got requests for design notes so first off, all Organization members are branded with the Recusant's sigil. For ponies, this replaces their cutie mark.
Axel being a griffon layers with his insecurities, he doesn’t have a mark like ponies do so he worries he will be forgettable, especially after leaving the organization. His name reflects this; an old memory that’s fading at the edges. Vignette also means to recount evocatively with nostalgia.
Roxas’ design is a fusion of Sora (Easy Breezy) and Ven’s (Windfall) most notably he gets Sora’s crown shaped fur tuffs. His cutie mark is supposed to emulate his X shaped symbol and he’s the only character with mismatched hoof tones. His name is very literal but as an idiom, it reflects Roxas’ role in the organization!
Pareidolia is the act of seeing faces in things that do not. She’s also a changeling! Changelings feed off of energy and affection so just like in Days, she’s accidentally absorbing Roxas throughout. Reformed changelings are very colorful so I based the tones on Thalassa shells. She also gets a pony form-just like white lies, she resembles pinky promise. Together they both make up Kairi’s alicorn status (Xion pegasus Namine unicorn) Xions main seashell on her mark is shaped like the organization symbol. In the story, her cutie mark would change depending on who sees her, before she establishes her identity
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starsandhughes · 1 year
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Penalty Box— Trevor Zegras (Part Eleven)
SERIES MASTERLIST
previous: ten
next: twelve
corresponding quinn post
note: i’m posting this as if i posted on game day but bc the game wasn’t uploaded on espn+ til midnight, i’m posting now!
i kinda hate this but it’s fine
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2023
PREGAME
yourusername
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liked by colecaufield, jamie.drysdale, and 4,782 others
yourusername welcome to my pregame penalty box update: bets edition! tonight is a very special game because it’s the ducks vs canucks, zegras vs hughes, trevor vs quintin, z vs huggy, z-baby vs quinny, trevy vs quinner, trevorsaurus rex vs quinncerarops, trevanthemum vs quinnrose, boyfriend vs best friend! the current standings are as follows:
trevor zegras (11): 1 game since his last penalty
quinn hughes (43): 3 games since his last penalty
let the chaos commence🧡💙 (oh and good luck babe and side hoes)
tagged trevorzegras, anaheimducks, _quinnhughes, and canucks
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jackhughes tag yourself i’m trevor vs quintin
jamie.drysdale i’m z-baby vs quinny
colecaufield i’m trevanthemum vs quinnrose
_alexturcotte i’m the entire collage
trevorzegras i better be babe
yourusername 🤷‍♀️
jamie.drysdale @/yourusername i wanna go back to side hoes plural, whomst is the plural??
yourusername @/jamie.drysdale 🤷‍♀️
trevorzegras I BETTER BE BABE
user1 brb making y/n’s collage my lockscreen
_quinnhughes why?
yourusername you’re going to have to be more specific
_quinnhughes why to all of it
yourusername yes :)
jamie.drysdale i’d like to focus on the collage please
trevorzegras @/jamie.drysdale she made it with love
_quinnhughes @/trevorzegras i wouldn’t be so sure
user2 there’s not even new out of pocket photos and this post is one of my favorite updates due to nicknames alone😂
user3 i cannot pick a favorite part about this post
POSTGAME
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liked by trevorzegras, lhughes_06, and 7,553 others
yourusername welcome to my postgame penalty box update ft drunk y/n!! somehow, even though these two teams get so many penalties, there was only two in the first period. but i took a shot per goal for both teams so i’m winning in life!! life is grand!!
my lovely boyfriend, trevor zegras, is now at two games since his last penalty! he’s been working on not getting as many penalties, and he’s proving to be successful in this endeavor so far!
sorry about the loss, but at least you got some money! i love you, always, z-baby🧡
p.s jamie-baby says hi everybody!!!
p.s.s bet winnings will be posted on quinny-baby’s post!
tagged trevorzegras
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trevorzegras there’s so much going on here but i’m pretty sure you said you love me so i love you, forever, y/n-baby😘
yourusername i did say that!! get home faster! jamie is fighting cuddles
trevorzegras @/jamie.drysdale love her
jamie.drysdale @/trevorzegras she climbed under my shirt
trevorzegras @/jamie.drysdale there is no way this is the first time she’s done this
user1 some people have bitches, y/n has babies
lhughes_06 i knew betting on him was a good idea
trevorzegras i knew you were my favorite hughes brother
yourusername “remember i’m still betting on you girl on fire”
lhughes_06 @/trevorzegras how many times has she watched the hunger games series since it hit netflix?
trevorzegras @/lhughes_06 i stopped counting at four
user2 easy, breezy, beautiful, cover girl
user3 drunk y/n posts>>>
_quinnhughes @/trevorzegras congrats on your loss
trevorzegras @_quinnhughes how’s your face?
jackhughes @/trevorzegras DAMN Z
user4 drinking should’ve been the move i hate tnt games
jackhughes i’d like to change my bets
yourusername well, well, well, how the turntables… (michael scott)
jamie.drysdale i gotta hand it to ya… your tolerance is impeccable
yourusername thanks it’s a talent
trevorzegras my girl>>>
user5 z was so pure interacting with the refs tonight!!
user6 and how they said he had a heart to heart with dallas?!?! swooning. what a man.
colecaufield @/trevorzegras atta boy, trevorsaurus rex!!
yourusername !!!
trevorzegras yeah okay😂 thank you
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desceros · 2 months
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Re: ableism w/Symphony Donnie: Definitely some internalized ableism but I think that’s unfortunately due to not many people knowing what exactly neurodivergence looks like and how people with it processes things differently.
Like, honestly, my biggest gripe was the recording and even that, for the SPECIFIC context of this story and Donnie as a character, it makes sense. Does it make it right? No, but if Donnie never had to think about these things before, for him it’s the same as recording everything to protect his family. Just something he does.
Also, even though my heart broke with Reader’s at her realization, MULTIPLE times reader has said Donnie says what he means and even at the beginning with the “I like you” thing I was like, “Girl, I’m going to need you to define the relationship with him.”
And I think, with Leo, even when writer’s do write him as neurodivergent, what I’ve read always has him as the he better masker whether it’s explicitly said or not. Idk if Symphony Leo is neurodivergent or not but STILL, reader has picked up that he’s good with masking which usually comes off as charming or “easy breezy beautiful cover girl”.
Idk, maybe because I know a lot of people like Donnie irl but if anything I was more frustrated at the obvious miscommunication between both of them than him directly, because as reader said, she projected her feelings on to him when he’s been super direct with his intentions.
Basically, there are sometimes where I wish people would just realize that processing the same thing between two people doesn’t always look the same and that one isn’t necessarily bad.
well-said, anon-chan!
edit: this got SPOILER!! HEAVY!! for chap. 22 and also soooo long so i'm going to tuck it under a cut. but here's some meta on symphony to explore this a bit since it's something that's very important to me and also... pretty critical to the fic itself! i don't typically like explaining myself outside of the text and letting the fic itself speak but. hm. i suppose i shall let it slide for today!
as you all have hopefully noticed by now, as an author, i like to be. hm. more subtle with things. i prefer to tuck things away versus having things be blatant in the text. and this is kind of coming back to bite me a little with donnie and his neurodivergence, i suspect.
i've tried pretty hard to make it contextually obvious that donnie's autistic. i've all but used the word. the way he behaves and communicates is heavily autism-coded.
meanwhile, the story is from viola-chan's pov, and she's neurotypical-coded (well. as much as i, an adhd-riddled autistic cat in a trenchcoat can manage).
as a result, she doesn't... pick up on donnie's problems with communication. not right away. but here, in this chapter, we see where she finally figures out what their issue has been the entire time:
…Oh. Oh god.  He really doesn’t get it. You’d known, of course, that Donnie wasn’t great with people. That he doesn’t communicate well. He doesn’t pick up on cues, or use them himself. No wonder he’s always so frank in his language, you realize. No wonder he’s so comforted by the firm rigidities of science. No wonder he looked so lost. No wonder he was so perplexed.
then, she puts that into practice by being specific and precise with how she talks. and we see that she now knows how to communicate with him in a way that works for both of them. and it works for them:
God; it’s like—a breath of fresh air, you think, staring at him in a little bit of awe. It’s so easy to talk to him, now that you’re just… letting it all out. Being honest. Frank. Infuriating that you hadn’t done this earlier. Feeling your irritation deflate, you nod. “…Okay. You just—need an explanation. Clarification.” “Yes, please,” Donnie gushes, fretting a little.
it's going to take some work. she still takes things he says personally and extrapolates past them (the whole "leo being an important person" thing). but she immediately nips it in the bud and is like. no. we're not doing that anymore. so, going forward, her relationship with donnie is one that's built on learning how to develop this open communication.
of course, it's not perfect, because they're human. donnie twisting her arm into still talking to him by calling in the favor is shitty behavior. a desperate bid to keep someone close that, for some reason, he can't imagine being without. not cool. the recordings of them having sex were shitty behavior to us, people who Know Better. but when violist-chan said 'hey, that's not cool, don't do that' and donnie was given a reason why not to, he just says ok. he might not understand ("but i record everything"). but he acknowledges that there's a concern there, and he agrees to be more conscientious in the future (having a consent sheet).
now then, let's look at leo's behavior in comparison.
donnie's biggest fault was that he didn't know to check in and make sure they were on the same page with everything. leo's fault, on the other hand, is purposeful, manipulative, and cruel. his open admission that he's been manipulating her from the beginning. manipulating donnie. lying to her.
to me, this is much, much worse than what donnie did. even knowing that at some point he starts developing friendly feelings towards her—and some of their interactions were indeed genuine!—i'm with violist-chan here. i'm not going to be digging through every one trying to parse out which ones were real and which ones were him being a dickhead. they're all tainted by the stain of betrayal.
also. because it has come up in a different ask that i will be publishing probably tomorrow bc of spoiler reasons: someone said something to the effect of 'why didn't he just not say anything? he could have taken that to his grave. how selfish'. i will remind you of a conversation between violist-chan and leo that happened in the previous chapter:
“Most of all, he’s honest,” you keep going, tangling your fingers together, staring down at the way they knot at your waist. “If he says something, I can take it at face value. There’s no hidden meaning. Nothing deeper. If he says something feels good, I know it feels good. If he says he likes something, he likes it. If he doesn’t like it, he doesn’t like it. If he asks for something, I don’t need to ask if he’s sure. He asks, so he’s sure. It—It’s a breath of fresh air. If I want to know what he’s thinking, really thinking, all I have to do is ask. And...”  [...] Leo’s still as stone for a few moments longer, looking at you like he’s trying to decide if he wants to say something; but finally he relaxes and comes back to you himself. Reaching out, he flicks your forehead, causing you to wince and rub at it.
i think... leo maybe wouldn't have ever said anything about it. but then you said this. how donnie matters to you because he's honest. there's nothing deeper with him. it's all at face value. you never have to worry about what he's doing, what he's thinking. and that i think... really messed with leo. because he knows he hasn't been honest with you. you can't trust what he says at face value. you do have to worry about what he's doing. and for you to say that that's the main thing you love about donnie—it messed with him. so, even though he knew it would jeapordize the relationship with you, even knowing he wanted to put this off for as long as he could, even though, even though, he decides he has to tell you. he has to come clean.
so even though it feels like shitty, selfish behavior... it's actually him trying to do right by her for a change. to conform to what she looks for in a relationship (both romantic and platonic). it just... didn't go over so well, predictably. most people don't like hearing that not one, but two of their most precious relationships were built on a foundation of misunderstandings or lies.
side note. i do headcanon leo as having adhd that primarily manifests itself as an inattentive form. i don't suspect it has much to do with his behavior here... save perhaps for some possible rsd being triggered when violist-chan is like 'ok actually go fuck yourself i'm out of here.' i don't find it particularly relevant to the discussion of ableism, in this context.
so anyway. long post aside. it's... interesting to me. to see people saying 'actually fuck both donnie and leo equally!!! bleh bleh bleh!!!!' i don't know that it's. hm. active ableism. i'm certainly not accusing anyone of the sort. but it is, at the very least, indicative to me that there are a lot of people who don't read into the text as deeply as perhaps i would like on certain character traits, if i had a magic wand to wave.
....and also perhaps just ableism, haha.
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shiesan · 1 year
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Shu Yamino HCs + more
I think it’s gender neutral? hehehehehehe i dont proof read pardun my ass.
Classmate edition!
- Class presiden’t. He has the vibes of a class president but isn’t the actual president. I fee like Shu would decline even if the whole class wanted him as president.
-Teachers’ fave. I can imagine Shu just minding his own business, reading away, and then suddenly the teacher calls him to answer the question a classmate failed to answer. He’s not arrogant about it though, sometimes he even gets them wrong but he apologizes immediately and states that he has much to learn. The exact reason why the profs love him lots.
-Shu is one of the best seatmates! Don’t have your book? Scoot a little closer and he’ll share with you. Need some trouble with a math problem? He’s there to help. Need a cough drop, pen, paper, paracetamol, and a whole house? he has it in his bag. Everyone at the start of the school year prays that they’ll be seated next to Shu. Did I mention he smells great?
-Lunches with him. He usually packs his lunch and eats with you. On most days you guys sit somewhere a bit more breezy and quite since you guys like to have silent time and a break from your rowdy classmates. 
“Y/N, why don’t we eat near that tree today! Its not too hot outside today so I think it’ll be pleasant.”
Sure enough it was. You guys always enjoy your lunch break with each other, sometimes even bringing the other person a little dessert or snack. So cute!
- Going Home. Shu is really the sweetest. When you guys are going home he ALWAYS follows the sidewalk rule! He tries not to be to obvious about it and hopes you don’t point out anything (babu is shy). Although he can’t go home with you all the time he makes sure you’re home safe, you are a good friend of his after all . He knows some of his friends take the same route as you so he asks them if they don’t mind looking after you as well (ofc without you knowing hehe). Tells you to immediately text him when you get home and reminds you to rest first before taking a bath.
-Summer Break. Messages you and asks if you want to hang out. Honestly he just misses you since he hasn’t seen you in two weeks.
Y/n, are you busy today?
Not really. Why?
Was wondering if you wanted to hang-out? I don’t really have anything in mind though hahaha.
You picked the arcade. It’s so much fun!! You remember that after every exam you guys would go to the arcade to celebrate and memories of Shu’s radiant smile immediately warms your heart. What is this. You’ve had a crush on Shu since forever! Ignoring it was so easy back then but not anymore. Especially when everyone around you thinks that there’s something between you guys. Honestly, you wish there was. You always thought “Oh, Shu’s future partner will be so lucky,” silently hoping that it was you. 
Discarding your romantic feelings toward the man was hard, you kept asking the universe to stop giving their least experienced player the hardest quests but alas! Here you are. Infront of the arcade you and Shu frequent. Silently hoping he doesn’t show up so your heart doesn’t go crazy and you live another day. But it’s Shu we’re talking about, the oh-so lovable Shu. 
The Shu that takes your breath away.
The Shu that always makes sure that you’re okay.
The Shu that will always help you with your homework.
The Shu that will always reach out to you first when it comes to group projects.
The Shu whose whole family loves you so much so that sometimes they tell Shu to bring another bento for you.
The Shu you spend all night playing online games with.
The Shu you want to be yours.
Maybe he’ll be your Shu one day.
Your thoughts get interrupted by the sorcerer himself, Shu Yamino.
“Y/N! I bought you a _____ shake on the way here. It’s a bit melted because of the heat, hope you don’t mind.” You shake your head, smile, and take the shake he was offering you. You hugged him as a sign of gratitude and just because you missed him, even if he drove you crazy.
Shu froze for a bit. It was quite strange, the feeling that Shu felt. It was like any normal hug though, you guys hugged plenty of times! Why now does he feel like he doesn’t want to let you go.
The hug that felt like minutes came to an end as you pulled away from him and dragged him into the arcade. With a bag of tokens in each of your hands you guys spend hours and hours inside the arcade. Hours spent having so much fun with the person you love, hours creating memories to cherish forever.
You wanted to switch thing up. Although anywhere with him feels like the best place on earth, you wanted to create a new core memory with him. 
“Shu, wanna go watch the sunset?”
Boing boing boing. A basketball falls to the floor, a ball that Shu was supposed to shoot but due to shock he just froze. Realizing what the did, he picks up the ball and returns in to the machine, dusting off his hands afterwards.
“Sure!” He smiles. That sounds sweet, said his inner thoughts. Shu returned the favor, this time he was the one who took you by the hand and dragged you outside to watch the sunset. 
The mall you guys frequent is actually close to the sea. The back of the mall overlooks the vast ocean and the sun happened to be setting in that direction. Hurried steps came from the both of you as you rush outside to make sure that you would see the sunset. It confused you though. The fact that Shu, instead of letting your hand go once you got out of the arcade had intertwined them instead. You weren’t complaining. Not at all. But this gave you the idea that maybe the feelings you thought were once one sided weren’t as one sided as you thought. 
“Ey, we’re here!” Shu says as you guys get close to a railing which gave you the perfect view of the sunset.
“Yeah,” you slowly say as you catch your breath. “We made it just in time.”
The sun slowly began to leave your sight, it looked like it was lowering itself into the ocean, leaving shades of red and orange behind. 
How pretty. Both of you thought. Your eyes remain on the setting sun and Shu’s sight remains on you.
He readjusts his grip on your hand, reminding you that he was still holding it. 
You took your eyes off of the sunset and looked him in the eyes. He looked so happy. So at peace with himself.
“Shu, your hand.” he maintains eye contact with you and just says “hmm?” 
“Your hand.” You say again, this time lifting your intertwined hands. 
He just smiles and holds your hand tighter. Suddenly it felt warmer. And suddenly you found yourself in Shu’s embrace.
______________________________________________
OKAY I LIED IT WASNT ONLY HCS
Anyways, hope you guys enjoy my ass writing. Till next time
-shie-san
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obxone · 1 year
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Assumptions (Part 4)
Rewritten/Edited. ~2.3k words
Master Page
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The Island Club is your destination for the day as you fill in for a friend that is out sick with strep throat, likely caught by one of the kids you are overseeing on the beach. Shading the sun from your eyes with your hand, you giggle as the preteen boys play a fierce game of volleyball, nearly taking each other out while trying to show off for the cluster of girls watching them.
“Well, look who it is,” Rafe’s voice calls from behind you, and you turn to see him walking toward you. Kelce and Topper stand on the golf course a few meters back. Both smirking at you as Rafe gets closer and closer. You look him over, white and blue striped polo, pressed khaki shorts, white cap, and golf shoes that probably cost more than your car. His golf club rests up against his shoulder as he strolls toward you.
“I’m working,” you respond once he is close enough, and you turn back to watch the kids. “Something you might try.”
“Right,” he scoffs before looking at you. His gaze drags over you in your Island Club summer camp uniform that consists of tempo shorts and a t-shirt that reads Summer Haven. His eyebrows scrunch together. “Working?”
You crack a smile before looking at the sand beneath your feet. “Summer Haven.”
“You work at Summer Haven too?”
“As a fill-in when they are short-staffed.”
He chuckles. “Didn’t see that coming.”
You shrug. “I like kids, and it lets me hang out in air conditioning or on the beach while getting paid.” You turn your face to look at him. “You should join the staff.”
“Right,” he snorts. “I don’t like kids.”
“Not surprised in the least.”
He shakes his head at you while trying to hide his smile. “That is an insult I know it.”
“Oh, it is,” you agree. “You probably barely tolerated Wheezie when she was younger.”
He shakes his head before knocking his elbow against yours. “Why are you being mean to me?”
“You started it,” you mutter, crossing your arms over your waist.
“How?”
“By existing.”
“You are so funny,” he mocks before his hand is on your waist, guiding you closer. Your shoulder brushes his chest as he stares down at you. His expensive cologne masks the scent of sunscreen that still lingers on you. The heat of his touch burns through the cotton of your t-shirt, and you are aware of how this could look. You open your mouth, but he beats you to it. “When we were kids, they said when someone was mean to you it meant they had a crush on you.”
You roll your eyes. “So you crush on all the pogues?”
“Touché,” he mutters, a smile toying at his lips. His fingers squeeze against you like you are his lifeline.
“Is that your boyfriend?!” One of the twelve old girls asks loudly, smirking at you and Rafe.
“Breezy has a boyfriend!” Her companion cheers.
You laugh, shaking your head and pressing your hand against Rafe’s chest to create space between you.
“Who the hell is Breezy?” Rafe questions.
You laugh more, resting your hand on his arm as you try to calm yourself. He shakes his head, fighting a smile at your amusement.
“I’m Breezy, it is my summer camp name,” you offer before squeezing his arm. “Because I make their days easy breezy.”
“Jesus Christ,” he mumbles, shaking his head as he looks down at his shoes. “You are so corny.”
You sigh before shoving him away from you playfully. “I didn’t pick it, Mr. Cameron. They did.” You gesture to your group of kids, all gaping at you and Rafe now. A few make kissing motions and noises while some stare. “You should go before they start posting us on Instagram.”
“All right,” he says, his hand skimming your back. “Find you later?”
“Maybe,” you tease. “Bye, Rafe.”
“Bye, Baby.”
The growing cluster of girls all share a high-pitched shriek, and you blush before shaking your head at him and mouthing asshole at him. He laughs, you smile a little before he goes back to playing golf, and you try to distract the others.
— — — —
Day camp ends, and you are ready to change into regular clothes after signing the last kid out. You close the now-empty event room where the staff and children camp out during pickup hours to see Rafe coming down the hall.
“Rafe Cameron,” you smile at him, leaning back against the door.
“Beautiful.”
“Oh my god,” you mutter, and he laughs before his hands rest against the door on either side of you, effectively caging you.
“Ready for our date?”
“Will you ever let that go?” You ask.
He shakes his head. “No.”
You frown at him before patting his chest. “I have to go.”
“The Wreck?”
“No. Meeting my mom for dinner.”
He lowers his arm to let you pass, but as soon as you try, he snags you by your waist, dragging you back. “Can I come, Breezy?”
“Rafe…”
He smirks before pressing his forehead to yours. “I’ll behave.”
“I bet you would,” you whisper while pushing your hands to his chest. “But no, I have not seen my mom all week, and she is not exactly your biggest fan with all the fighting and beating the crap out of my friends.”
He frowns. “Your mom knows about that?”
“Who do you think patches JJ up half the time?”
“Fuck,” he exhales, and you smile weakly.
“Thank you for offering,” you whisper before pressing your lips to his cheek. “I’ll see you later, okay?”
He lets you go, and you walk away, only glancing back once to see him observing you. His hand raked through his hair, a small smile on his face.
— — — —
It has been a week of no Rafe sighting. Part of you wishes he has gotten the message and moved on to some pretty kook girl, but another part of you is disappointed at the thought of him being deterred so easily. That part of you causes you a little anxiety. You could not possibly be falling for Rafe Cameron's charm. There is no possibility of it happening.
Tonight is a pogue night at the Boneyard. Another kegger. You laugh as Peeler tells you a story about another pogue and a fishing net incident at the docks. She animates his face, and you can not help but laugh a little louder. However, that fades out when her face shifts to one of annoyance after her gaze drifts to something over your shoulder.
You turn to see the Death Squad together, solo cups in hand and near the fire. Kelce and Topper’s attention is elsewhere, but Rafe is staring at you. His gaze flickers to Peeler and then back to you. Your heart races a little, and your hand tightens around your cup. He is here, and his attention is still on you. Good or bad? You are not sure yet.
“What does the Kook Prince want?” She asks.
“No clue,” you respond before touching her arm. “I should find the others. Thanks for the story. That was great.”
“Anytime.” She grins before giving you a hug. “I miss hanging out with you.”
“We’ll do it again soon,” you promise before leaving her to go in the opposite direction of Rafe. You spot Kie and Pope in the distance, along with JJ and a tourist making out by the water. John B is nowhere in sight.
“Hey,” Rafe calls, you stop and turn to look at him as he advances through the clusters of people to get to you. His free hand locates yours. His touch is a whisper across your wrist and forearm. “I’ve missed you. How are you?”
“I’m good,” you respond, looking around to see if anyone has noticed the kook and pogue together. “You?”
He shrugs. “I’m glad I came. It’s been a week since Summer Haven.”
“I know.”
He purses his lips. “Why?”
“I told you I was busy.”
He frowns, shifting on his feet a little. “Are you avoiding me again?”
“No.” You whisper before meeting his gaze again. “I worked a few extra shifts at The Wreck to cover my car repair, and then I found a new book series.”
Humor lights up his eyes, his bottom lip caught between his teeth for a moment before exhaling. “Can we go talk somewhere?”
“I don’t think so, Rafe.”
“Why not?”
You frown. The desire to touch Rafe consumes you, but you reframe even though he has not stopped touching you. His fingers brush over your wrist and forearm consistently.
“You know why.”
The annoyance surfaces on his face before he leans in. His lips are next to your ear. “Is this because of your friends?”
You inhale sharply when his lips brush against your jaw before going back to your ear. Your mind clouds from his touch and cologne as it seems to wrap around you like a blanket.
“Because I can keep a secret.”
“Rafe,” your voice quivers, and your hand presses to his chest, trying to push him back a few inches so you can think. “That…”
“Please.”
Your eyes flutter close as his hand moves from your arm to your waist. His touch burns through the linen dress you are wearing. You tip your face towards his. Your body betrays you as it attempts to give in to him.
“I can’t,” you hear yourself say before you pull away from him and take a step back. His touch falls away, and he groans. “Sorry, Rafe.”
You leave him where he stands before pushing through the crowd towards the parking lot after you hand your still half-full beer to an already tipsy tourist who takes it with glee. You do not notice that he has followed. His legs are longer than yours as he closes the distance between you within seconds. He pulls you to a stop with his hand on your wrist, and you turn to look at him. Eyes wide in surprise.
“What are you-?”
But your words are silenced by him and his soft lips on yours. His hands cup your face as he kisses you. You stand frozen for a moment, your brain short-circuiting before you snap to attention and kiss him back. Your hands trail up his arms and down to his abdomen. Your fingers tangle in the cotton material when his tongue brushes against your lip. The kiss deepens, and he groans, his fingers intertwining through your hair, and the other hand remains on your face. His thumb brushes back and forth over your cheek, and it sends sparks of heat across your face.
Once the kiss ends, you step back, your chest rising and falling rapidly for air, and from the electricity in the kiss. Rafe's eyes cloud with desire as he stares at you. His arms are down by his side as he waits for a verbal reprimand or a request for more.
You shake your head, trying to clear your mind as you brace your hands against your stomach to quiet the butterflies from within.
“Please tell me this is some sick joke!”
You turn to see Kie, Pope, and JJ all gawking at you. Kie looks on in anger, but the other two watch with eyes wide from shock. Your swollen lips part in surprise before you turn back to Rafe, whose demeanor has pivoted to the one you know all too well.
“He kissed me.”
“She kissed me back,” he says simply. “She was not exactly pushing me away was she?”
“Rafe!” You scold, and he chuckles.
“What Baby?”
“Baby?!” JJ asks, his face screwing up in disdain. “What the hell is that?”
“Nothing,” you say as you shift closer to them. The awareness of how this looks sets in. They had seen you on the beach with him, they saw you walk away, and Rafe had followed, and now you are in a dimly lit parking lot, hidden amongst the vehicles kissing. “Kie, he followed me out here, and he kissed me.”
“I saw him follow you, which is why we came after you,” she says glancing at Pope and JJ, who both nod in unison. "We were worried."
“She asked me to kiss her,” Rafe’s tone is casual, and you turn to glare at him. His hands are in his pockets as he leans back against an SUV. “I wanted to in front of everyone, but she asked me to meet her here to keep the secret.”
“He’s lying,” you whisper, turning back to your friends. “I swear.”
JJ looks at you as Pope and Kie seem to share a silent conversation.
“J,” you say. “Please believe me.”
“I do,” he responds, shifting to stand between you and Rafe. His blue eyes are like fire as he glares at Rafe, his jaw clenched in anger before his next words rock your world. “I heard him a few weeks ago at the Island Club, he made a bet with Kelce and Topper.”
“A bet?!” Kiara's attention snaps to the current conversation shift.
He looks away from you to Rafe. “He bet them that he could get her to fuck him by the end of the summer for $5k. $10k if she did before the Midsummer party."
“Holy shit,” Pope mumbles. Kiara's jaw drops in shock at JJ's confession.
“Are you kidding me?” You question, your voice hollow, and look at Rafe. His face is expressionless as he stares back at you. Your hands ball into fists so tight, your nails dig into the soft skin of your palms. “A fucking bet!”
He shrugs. Cold emotionless kook prince Rafe Cameron emerges and it makes your heart ache. “So?”
“Oh my god, I’m going to be sick.” You try to focus on your breathing as Kie touches your back in comfort. “Get me out of here, now, please?”
“Come on,” she urges you towards her car. “We’ll go to my house.”
You nod, closing your eyes for a moment. Rafe calls your name, but you ignore him knowing that JJ will not let him near you. You do not meet his gaze again or even have the urge to look at him as the butterflies that had previously fluttered in your stomach evaporate. Your stomach twists as you leave the Boneyard behind, and you try to concentrate on your surroundings instead of the turmoil raging inside you at the idea of being played by Rafe Cameron.
Part V
243 notes · View notes
greyeyedmonster-18 · 5 months
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(i don't usually rec things, or make rec lists, but the occasion has presented itself so here's a short little list of wolfstar recs. some from authors i know and love and trust, and some from strangers who I've never met but love anyway:
edit: i got to the end of the post, and decided to call this my beach read collection of wolfstar fics because they're all just...delightful to read. some angst, but otherwise. beach reads!)
-i'm not going to tag them, because every time i make a rec list these two are on it, and i'm sure they're tired of me being a banshee about their works but. here is a short list of some of my recent reads by aerid0nis and dykesiriusblack (@ steelycunt and @ dykefever on tumblr respectively
by aerid0nis and it only felt good while moving (written for their RS Candy Hearts and its SO CUTE) station to station : i read this one not too long ago after conjuring my courage because ridi's writing does things to me and ohmygosh was it lovely and fucking worth the fucking wait. there is angst and there is pining and there is so much love standing, by the wall honestly, just read it. by dykesiriusblack the shape and sound of god: a wolfstar fleabag au. i'm obsessed with the way this is written. lover, you should come over: look, the boys are messy in this and its beautiful.
Fearless Liabilities by @femme--de--lettres: a wolfstar summer camp AU. I admittedly have not yet finished this one, but I have read enough to comfortably rec it. andies writing never fails to make me laugh-- like audibly out loud. multiple times. i don't know anyone who is better at illustrating absolute shenanigans as well as andie can and this story is SO FREAKIN' CUTE. it has romance. it has camp. it has complicated families and friendships and. yah.
Only Fools are Satisfied by grumposaur (aka tumblr user @pancakehouse). AGAIN. I admittedly haven't finished this yet, but i'm going to rec it because sports AU girlies rise up and-- YES. this is a wolfstar tennis AU. Do i know anything about tennis? No. Am I hooked? yes. I am in love with sirius as we all should be, and it is so fun. (also, i can't explain it, but tumblr user pancakehouse, there is something...so like...nonchalant and casual about the way you write? effortless, every sentence and i'm enjoying every bit of it).
Just what the doctor ordered by wrappedup: i feel like everyone and their dog recs this one (pun intended) but rightfully so. beware tall remus, but the banter and pacing in this is so good.
Hard to Find by accioromulus. this one is short, easy breezy read. the dialogue is so fun and quick and its just...simple and cute. Muggle Roadtrip AU.
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Sucker For Love ♡ Date to Die For
(That’s what I’m fhtagn about.)
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[CN] Victor’s Difficult Problem Date (Eng Translation)
⌚Warning⌚ This post contains detailed spoilers for a date, 难题之约, that is yet to be released in the global server! ♡
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[Translation Under the Cut]
•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•
✧ [Chapter 1] ✧
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The delicate snow falls silently outside the window, and the fire in the fireplace burns warm.
I curl up on the sofa with the computer in my arms, faced with a screen full of red documents, and I can’t help scratching my hair.
After typing a line, my brows wrinkle into a frown, and I delete it again. Having done this back-and-forth several times, I finally can’t resist any longer and knock on the door to the study holding the laptop in my arms.
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Victor: What’s wrong?
Victor is busy reading the reports in the study. As the end of the year draws nearer, he has numerous matters to deal with.
Fuming, I place my laptop on top of his reports and point to his countless red annotations, my hand clenched into a fist.
MC: Victor, what on earth do you really want from the LFG New Year’s Eve party?
MC: Why, after modifying five editions, you still made the annotation that I “lack inventiveness?”
Hearing my series of “accusations,” Victor shoots a glance at his own annotations, but his face remains calm and breezy.
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Victor: You are the one who fought for wanting to plan LFG’s New Year’s Eve event. A certain someone patted her chest, assuring me that it’s gonna be a big eye-opener for me.
Victor: Furthermore, as Party A, I’ve already clearly told you about my requirements in the annotations.
MC: But you haven’t made your requirements absolutely clear! What did you mean by “the theme is too strong and not sufficiently soft”?
MC: I remember that before this, the theme you decided for the annual meeting was “blooming magnificently, and unstoppable.” And it wasn’t that soft either…
[Tidbits]: There’s an interesting little wordplay here ahah~ LFG’s actual name in Chinese is “HuaRuì.” The theme Victor decided on was “华丽绽放 (Huálì zhànfàng), 锐不可当 (Ruìbùkědāng).” So if you take the first characters of each phrase, you get “华锐 (HuaRuì)”~
I protest with dissatisfaction, but Victor only lifts his eyes indifferently.
Victor: Being LFG’s Party B is not that easy. Since you’ve dared to do it, you must be prepared to welcome the difficulties as well.
He picks up the red bunny cup and takes a sip of his coffee, his gaze landing on me unhurriedly.
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Victor: Besides, don’t you often say that I’m an evil capitalist?
Victor: Capitalists are like this. They only put forward their demands; they don’t tell you how you are to get it done.
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MC: ...
Victor’s words cause me to feel even more depressed. I can’t help but take a step forward and pin him down in his seat, staring at him with a condescending gaze.
MC: And do you know what’s the thing every Party B wants to do the most?
Victor: [in an extremely small voice]  What?
He looks at me with an inquisitive gaze while lifting his hand to my side to protect me from accidentally bumping against the table.
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MC: That is to tie up Party A and “silence” them.
I make a vicious gesture of slashing his neck, but Victor seizes the opportunity to reach out and draws me into his arms, breathing in my breath.
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Victor: [that precious, indulgent laugh]  Even if you want to “silence” me, a certain dummy must do what she’s promised me.
Victor: It’s the fundamental attainment of being the Party B.
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MC: …
He doesn’t seem inclined to tell me any more information than this. Regardless, he still patiently accompanies me as I “vent” my dissatisfaction.
But then, my gaze suddenly sweeps over the thick piles of documents stacked on his desk. It seems that Victor’s year-end work is even busier compared to mine.
Heaving a sigh, I let go of my hand that is draped over Victor’s shoulders. I then stand up and pick up my laptop, deciding that I should better push harder on this on my own.
But I haven’t taken more than a few steps when I hear Victor’s voice resounding behind me.
Victor: Wait.
I turn around and find Victor looking at me, his eyebrows slightly raised.
Victor: This “evil” Party A still has a bit of human warmth within him. What do you want for a New Year’s gift?
Blinking, I ask to sound out.
MC: Will you say yes to any request?
Victor: Anything, you name it.
Given this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, my eyes light up immediately. This being the case, I also deliberately want to make things difficult for Victor, to have him try out the torment of demands.
After pondering for a moment, I slowly nuzzle up to him, pick up a pen, and write down my request.
Victor looks at the words on the paper, and his brows arch down into a rare frown.
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Victor: [reading the note]  “...the most solid, yet the softest thing in the world.”
Victor: Did you get inspired by the prismatic black, or are you taking revenge on me for the annotations I made earlier?
I give him a mischievous smile, mimicking his tone from just a moment ago.
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MC: I’ve already clearly told you about my requirements. As for how you are to get it done––
MC: That will depend on CEO Victor’s fundamental attainment as Party B~
•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•
✧ [Chapter 2] ✧
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MC: Where’s CEO Victor? I’ve come to have him review LFG’s annual meeting proposal. Why isn’t he in the office?
Goldman: The CEO is at the shareholders’ year-end general meeting. It will be over soon. He said that if you arrive before he is done, just wait for him in the office.
MC: Okay, got it.
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But after waiting for quite a while, there is still no sign of Victor. Thereupon, I can’t help but get up and wander around.
While fiddling with the ornaments on Victor’s desk, I suddenly see a couple of advertisement brochures that are pressed down by the report forms.
I can vaguely see the names on them. Most of them are about introduction to jewelry customization, and there are even recommendation lists on diamonds.
Why would Victor personally collect so many advertisement brochures… amid my puzzlement, a flicker of light suddenly appears before me, and I remember the request I had previously made.
Some vague conjectures emerge in my mind, and I can’t help but tug the corners of my lips upwards.
Although jewelry is the most solid of all, it’s certainly not the softest. It seems that “Party B,” too, is unable to comprehend my demand.
After a while, Victor returns. I immediately hand him the proposal and pat my chest, brimming with confidence.
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MC: Reporting to CEO Victor, I’m very confident that the proposal will get approved this time!
He raises his eyebrows at my words, casually picking up my proposal.
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Victor: Oh. I’ve already heard a certain someone’s “big speech” five times now. I hope that you will be able to deliver on your words this time.
MC: Affirmative!
The office is extremely quiet. The only sound that can be heard is the rustling sound of Victor flipping through the proposal.
It’s not until he’s finished reading the last page that he lifts his head to look at me, and I nervously swallow a gulp.
Victor: Mm, you’ve done a great job. It seems that you finally understood the annotations of “Party A.”
Victor: I’ve changed the hotel location to where the annual meeting was held. Aside from that, there is no other problem with this.
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MC: Great!
I breathe a long sigh of relief, so immersed in the joy of the proposal being approved smoothly that I don’t concern myself with why Victor has changed the hotel location.
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Victor stares at me, who is cheering jubilantly, a little hint of contemplation flitting through his eyes. He then walks up to me and takes my hand in his.
Victor: Work is over. Let’s go. It’s time to get off work and return home.
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It’s not until I’m sitting in the car that I think about the advertisement brochures I’ve seen on Victor’s desk earlier.
I glance at Victor, who is driving, and can’t help myself from coughing lightly, beating about the bush.
MC: Umm, now that the proposal is approved, it suggests that New Year’s Eve is about to knock on the door.
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Victor: Mm, and?
Victor has always been familiar with my pattern, so he takes my words from where I left off.
MC: So… how is your preparation for my gift coming along? Do you have any ideas yet?
Victor holds the steering wheel with a steady gaze, his voice calm and collected.
Victor: Regarding that matter, I think you can have faith in your Party B.
His voice is steady, and he looks straight ahead, not glancing at me even once. He seems to be very confident. Thereupon, I blink and nod deliberately.
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MC: Of course, I have faith.
MC: Mr. CEO will definitely not choose things such as… diamonds… jewelry… or any such items as they do not meet the requirements for the gift at first glance.
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Victor’s hands driving the car halt a little.
Coincidentally, there just happens to be a red light ahead. Victor steps on the brake, then turns his head to look at me, not batting an eyelash as he opens his mouth.
Victor: Since we’re on the subject, I actually have an opinion.
MC: What?
He pauses, a slight hint of tardiness taking on his tone.
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Victor: Is it possible to narrow down the range of the trial a little bit?
I can’t help but curl up the corners of my lips and look at Victor.
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MC: If Mr. CEO is willing to request me now and say, “please, Boss MC,” then I’ll consider narrowing down the range a little.
Victor: [long, hard, helpless sigh]  …
At this moment, the green light flashes ahead, and the traffic flow begins to move forward. So, Victor turns his head and continues to drive without any expression on his face.
He doesn’t look like he will agree to my request. I can’t help but mumble to myself in a low voice.
Humph, it looks like Junior Vic’s proposal is going to be rejected when the moment comes.
[Tidbits]: MC here addresses Victor as “小李” (Xiao Li), basically to declare her “upper hand” in this “gift deal” – where Victor is the “Party B,” and she is the “Party A.” It’s also an echo of how she tells him to call her “Boss MC” earlier 🤣
•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•
✧ [Chapter 3] ✧
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Time flies by at lightning speed, and in the blink of an eye, today’s New Year’s Eve.
The ambiance of LFG’s New Year’s Eve party is fervent. I take a sip of my drink, my gaze resting on the man speaking on the stage along with the crowd.
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Victor: Everyone has worked hard this year. And to all, I hope that all of you have a good time and enjoy the rewards of your effort as we welcome the last moments of the year.
Victor: Regardless of what you’ve experienced throughout the year, a day of drinking fine wine to heart’s content and enjoying fine food is the year-end present everyone deserves.
Holding the microphone, Victor pauses for a moment, and his eyes sweep over me.
Victor: I also hope that the architect of this party can enjoy a satisfying time tonight.
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He returns the microphone to Goldman and steadily lifts his wine glass to send greetings to everyone. In the audience, I smile back at him and raise my drink to him in response.
Tonight’s New Year’s Eve party is a benefit event for the staff who have voluntarily participated, and everyone can move about as they please. Victor also walks up to me after his speech.
Victor: Let’s go. It’s time for that New Year’s Eve candlelight dinner you’ve been eagerly waiting for.
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MC: It’s the last dinner of this year. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s looking forward to it~
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I smile and take his arm. He lowers his gaze and looks at me, rather helpless.
Victor: Of course. If I wasn’t looking forward to it, how could I have prepared it?
Victor says as he leads me toward the open-air restaurant. On the way, I can’t restrain my curiosity and open my mouth suggestively.
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MC: But you’re right. I’m indeed looking forward to it more than you, and it’s not just because of the beef bourguignon for dinner.
MC: Gee, I also wonder how the result of this year’s last demand will turn out~
But Victor doesn’t give any answer to my words.
Victor: The beef bourguignon in this hotel is made by a Michelin chef brought in from France. Hasn’t a certain someone been craving it for quite a while?
Victor: Now that we are here, let’s focus on enjoying the fine food.
I nod, thinking to myself that perhaps Victor has some “big tricks” up his sleeves and is not disclosing any clues to me on purpose.
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But… even when we’ve returned to the hotel after dinner, and even after washing up, Victor still doesn’t reveal any intention of showing me the gift.
As I blow-dry my hair, I glance at the clock hanging on the wall. The hour hand is already pointing to eleven, and in less than an hour, the year will be closing down the curtains.
I can’t hold myself back any longer and shift over to Victor’s side with the hairdryer in my hand.
Seeing me suddenly coming up next to him, Victor’s eyes flicker a little. He takes the hairdryer from me and continues to blow-dry my hair, opening his mouth while doing so.
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Victor: The New Year’s Eve fireworks display is about to start. I’ve heard that you were personally involved in designing the patterns of the fireworks.
Victor: What’s it like?
MC: You’ll find out when the clock strikes midnight~
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MC: On our anniversary, you gave me such beautiful rose fireworks.
[Tidbits]: MC is referring to the 5th anniversary final segment~
MC: Today, I’m more or less being a “copycat,” you might say. It’s my New Year’s Eve gift to you.
Victor doesn’t say anything more, blow-drying my hair for me. I glance at Victor and speak implicitly.
MC: But, speaking of New Year’s Eve gifts, you haven’t forgotten to get me something, have you?
Victor arches an eyebrow, laughing softly.
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Victor: [teasing, soft, heavenly laugh]  What? Can’t hold your breath any longer?
MC: Says who!
MC: It’s just that… I’m wondering if a certain CEO feels that he probably hasn’t been able to meet my requirements, so he finds it embarrassing to bring it out?
I deliberately provoke him. But to my surprise, Victor remains even more composed than I imagined.
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Victor: A certain someone has handed me so many bad proposals before and never found it embarrassing. So, why would I?
MC: Then you…
Just at this moment, the New Year’s bell suddenly rings out. And accompanied by the sound of piercing the air, fireworks bloom outside the window.
The bright and beautiful colors illuminate the entire night sky splendidly. The streaming fireworks outline the shape of a panda holding ingots, with the logo of LFG flashing underneath.
The surprised cheers of the LFG employees can be heard drifting from afar. The fireworks illuminate Victor’s side profile as he gives his full attention to watching the light show. I purse the corners of my lips as they form into a smile and speak softly.
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MC: Victor, Happy New Year.
Looking at me trying to hang in there and yet unable to help my face from drooping down, an indescribable smile flashes through Victor’s eyes, and he interlocks his fingers with mine.
Victor: It’s obviously the New Year’s a certain someone likes the most. Why did you suddenly turn into a “depressed-faced kitten?”
Seeing that he is knowingly asking this question, I can’t help but puff out my mouth. But Victor immediately follows with the next words.
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Victor: [heavenly laughter]  I haven’t forgotten what I promised you.
Victor: It’s just that… now is not the best time to accept the gift.
MC: So, when will it be?
Victor gives me a glance, smiling. He then pulls me into his arms and gazes at the fireworks outside the window.
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Victor: [laughs softly]  You’ll find out when the time comes.
His tone of voice carries a certainty. The warm breath belonging to him wraps me up so intimately that I can’t help but be intoxicated by it and give up asking questions.
Since Victor has his own plans, let’s focus on enjoying the present moment first.
•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•
✧ [Chapter 4] ✧
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While still immersed in the sweet land of dreams, I vaguely hear Victor’s voice all of a sudden.
Victor: [softest of the softest whispers x1]  Dummy, wake up.
I open my eyes with difficulty and see that the light outside the window is dim, and the sky hasn’t brightened up yet.
I immediately roll over and bury my head under the blanket again, pulling Victor together with me.
MC: It’s so early. Let’s sleep a bit longer.
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But Victor is unforgivingly persistent. He wraps his arms around my waist and picks me up. Seeing that I’m still not opening my eyes, he seems to release a sigh.
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Victor: [whisper continues x2]  I’m taking you to see the gift you’ve been waiting for so impatiently. Still not gonna open your eyes?
My ears twitch as I vaguely catch the keyword “gift.” My consciousness, however, is still immersed in the half-asleep and half-awake state.
Victor seems to have given up on waking me up. He just directly puts clothes on me, wrapping me up in three layers.
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After wrapping my scarf, he drags me out of the hotel. I follow him in a daze until we arrive at the mountain behind the hotel.
The cold breeze wakes me up to consciousness. I sniffle and hear Victor’s voice resounding next to me.
Victor: MC, Happy New Year.
Victor: It’s time to accept your gift.
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As I open my eyes and see the scenery unfolding in front of me, I immediately find myself frozen where I’m standing.
There is a Chinese rose flower waterfall on the mountain behind the hotel. The pink flower branches extend all the way from the hillside to the valley, reminiscent of spring pouring down in torrents.
But right now, all the rose petals are enveloped with sparkling and crystalline ice. Beneath the hazy sunlight of this New Year’s dawn, they seem to glisten and appear incredibly translucent.
It’s as though someone has frozen the entire spring, giving it to me as a gift.
Unable to fathom all this, I turn to look at Victor. He is holding my slightly chilly fingertips, and the air he breathes out dissipates the cold breeze of the misty mountain, his eyes as warm as spring.
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Victor: [heavenly, soft^∞ voice x1]  The most solid, and yet the softest thing in the world–– is a flower frozen in ice.
Victor: [x2]  It’s solid on the outside but soft on the inside. This is my answer.
I’m rendered speechless for a good while before I find my ability to organize words.
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MC: I thought, what you prepared wouldn’t meet my requirements.
MC: After all, what I asked for was very difficult. Even I, myself, had no idea what it could possibly be, but I can’t believe you really did it…
Victor lowers his gaze and looks at me, his eyes carrying within them a faint smile.
Victor: Disappointed not to see me being embarrassed?
I shake my head and look at the ocean of ice crystal flowers in front of me, my heart incomparably warm.
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MC: I received the best and most precious gift in the world on New Year’s dawn, and I couldn’t be happier!
MC: But how did you do it? I remember that the temperature difference between day and night in Loveland City isn’t sufficient to freeze the petals, right?
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Victor: It wasn’t too difficult to get the petals to freeze.
Victor: The difficult part was to meet the unspecified requirements of a certain “Party A.”
Victor: And also, to prevent her from turning into a “depressed-faced kitten” because she hadn’t received her gift yet.
[Anika’s ‘notes’]: LMAO the pun about having to appease her with “spice-rounds” aksksvkd 😂🥴🫠
I can tell that he is teasing me about last night, and I can’t help but blush a little, coughing in an attempt to cover it up.
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MC: Okay, I was being too impatient yesterday… so tell me, how on earth did you do this?
Victor’s gaze falls on the nearest flower branch, his voice low and mellow.
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Victor: Chinese roses are originally resistant to cold. Therefore, they were watered yesterday evening in advance to seize the opportunity of the temperature difference and have them frozen by the time morning arrived.
Victor: However, when the sun comes out, the temperature will rise again, and they will melt after a few moments.
Victor: That’s why you had to come here at dawn to see it.
Along with the sunlight brightening little by little, this ocean of flowers is also illuminated in even more gorgeous colors.
I hold my breath as I take in everything, trying to securely preserve the beauty of this moment in my heart.
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MC: When we were talking about New Year’s Eve before, I seemed to be looking forward to that particular night more than anything.
MC: But today, you’ve made me like the first day of the new year even more~
As he watches my raised smiling face, the smile on Victor’s face becomes even more apparent. He draws me into his arms, and together we enjoy the scenery that belongs only to us.
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Victor: [that precious, heavenly, soft tone x1]  For me, it’s admittedly important to bid farewell to the old, but the early morning of the New Year also has an equally festive significance.
Victor: [x2]  I want to spend the first dawn of the New Year together with you, to see the first beautiful scenery of the New Year.
Victor: [x3]  This, to me, is the best beginning of the year.
Victor’s words cause my heart to stir gently. Just as I’m about to open my mouth to say something, I hear Victor speaking again after a pause.
Victor: So, is my “Party A” satisfied with this New Year’s gift?
I smile and breathe in the cold breeze blown to my nose, lifting my face to look into Victor’s deep eyes.
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MC: Party A likes it so much!
MC: And it’s the first gift I’ve received in the New Year. It’s very beautiful; it’s as if spring has arrived together with winter.
MC: I wish that our new year will be like this too, just as fervent and beautiful as this rose waterfall!
I fold my hands together and devoutly make the first wish of the New Year, only to hear Victor chuckle.
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Victor: [laughs softly]  Wanting to make a wish whenever she sees something; indeed, as expected of a certain dummy.
He pauses, grasping both my hands resolutely.
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Victor: [return of the heavenly, soft voice x1] With you by my side every single day, for me, time is sufficiently fervent and beautiful.
Victor: [x2]  It has been the truth for every year in the past, and it will be the same for every year in the future.
[Tidbits from Anika]: In case you’re still wondering about those “jewelry customization brochures,” — a lil spoiler in advance (from the phone call), he customized an “eternal rose necklace” for her, while MC decorated their home with all kinds of roses as a token of her “unconditional love” for him~ 🥹❤️
📞 [Calls and Moments]: HERE!
•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•
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[Anika’s scattered afterthoughts, feel free to ignore haha]
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ronearoundblindly · 2 years
Note
Whattt I just read the Mr and Mrs Smith thing and I loved it it was so frkn good!! love the movie too . It made me think of Tony and Peppers dynamic so if you'll like an au could we get the girl Friday thing where Stevie is more of an idiot than usual, they are pretty smart as individuals but they both share one brain cell when they're together still she puts out all his fires I think it'll be nice to have someone do that for Steve as opposed to Steve always doing that for ppl.
CEO!Steve x assistant!reader (see series)
This got way longer than I intended, but it took everything in me to minimize this to a one-shot (well that f***ing escalated! It's a three-parter now). 😂 Warnings for zero editing and drinking. Non-powered, modern AU btw. This part is ~2.5k
Eighty-Third Time's the Charm (1 of 3 yeah, yeah, it's 4 + a 5pt follow up now, haha, joke's on me): WORK
Steve’s been the logistic coordinator for Stark Industries since Tony took over for Howard. Howard hired Steve to acquire and transport materials for his early projects, and Steve’s own business grew from there. He now handles most of the further distributors for Stark Tech across the globe, and you’re his secretary.
Assistant.
Right hand.
Ok, well, maybe both of Steve’s hands and his mouth because his brain is already doing ninety things at any given moment. He needs a lot of help, and that takes time. Unreasonably lengthy amounts of time that can (and do frequently) span more than the average working and waking day.
You’re happy to do it. You love the work. It’s a challenge in quantity, not quality, and most of the men (because it is almost entirely men) who you deal with are happy to do as they are told when you smile and make them feel heard.
Really, the only challenge is to smile that much in person and on video calls. You never thought you’d be so excited to handle something by email every now and again.
Trip #83 with Steve Rogers takes you both three days overnight to a big city not far from where you grew up. You even have a few school friends who live in town, and you’ve made very tentative plans to see an old high school flame if the schedule permits, which it just barely seems to as the clock inches past 6:37.
Those 7 o’clock drinks can’t pour themselves fast enough.
In your hotel room, you’ve just shed the professional pant suit for light, breezy dress (something both easy to wear and easy to pack) and are in the process of typing out a confirmation of the restaurant when the call waiting comes up.
Steve.
“Hey, where is the contract for Sauters’?”
“We confirmed it all with them before the flight here, boss. Why—“
“I want the language changed to reflect payment before they take possession. They’re delinquent again. I’m not gonna allow them to keep profiting off of our efficiency while they sit with a thumb up their butts.”
“Sir, it really would be more impactful if you just said asses. I don’t think your mum is going to hunt you down for that.”
“Absolutely not. Ok, room 1512, bring the copy and patch in legal.”
“Wait, boss, I—“
The boop boop boop lets you know you’ve been hung up on, and you’re about to pass the feeling on to cute Jimmy from fourth period senior english. Damn. You rewrite the text and send your apologies.
Steve’s all in a flourish, head run amuck with little things to change here and there in the 26-page agreement. It all takes another three and a half hours. He had room service delivered, has poured you both a splash of something from the mini bar, and finally, finally sits down and looks at you.
“What is that,” he blurts.
It takes a moment to figure out what he means.
“A dress, sir. I…I was…I’d made plans for drinks with a friend.”
“Here?”
“I grew up about an hour away, yeah.”
He swirls his drink around, not admitting—though it’s painfully clear—that he had no idea you weren’t from New York. He looks at his watch for the first time all day.
“Ah, I suppose apologies are in order for…” He waits for his bait to catch.
“Jim,” you slowly add. “Don’t worry. I let him know the instant you called. I’ve met you. I knew how this would go.”
How much of this scotch did you sip all at once? You don’t normally talk to Steve—Mr. Rogers— like that, but he seems good and chastised for a moment, draining his tumblr in one go and returning to the bar.
“Well, I can’t replace Jim—“ he spikes the name with sharp tone you’ve never heard before “—but I can offer you a drink here.” His gaze, once it finds yours after dragging up your legs, is expectant and intent. It’s the first time he’s ever waited for an answer from you that he didn’t already know before asking.
It’s also the first time you aren’t quite sure you understand what Steve is asking. Eighty-three trips in and countless hours with the man, and this is the least prepared you’ve ever felt.
“Already had mine, sir.” You set your empty glass down on the small table between you. “We have a long day tomorrow, or rather, I do, but I’ll be sure to inform you when the Sauters are settled.”
It’s just instinct to smooth the front of your dress when you stand, but the rake of Steve’s eyes forced down you by the move completely throws you.
“I’m sorry you wasted an outfit,” he adds, quietly, too low and deep to not sharply flame a heat that sparks out of nowhere in your gut.
“Right.” You gather up your things. “No great loss. It’ll keep. If that’ll be all, boss?”
When your eyes return across the room, Steve’s standing there with an empty little bottle still tilted over his glass. He’s just staring, lost in thought about god-knows-what.
“Get some sleep,” he mutters absently.
“Of course.”
You pour your own drink from your room’s mini bar and take a long bath. You’ve been up since 5am in order to get you and Mr. Rogers to the airport in time. That’s what you blame your runaway thoughts on. You do everything for that man. You know practically everything about that man. You know that he hasn’t gone on any sort of social date in at least seven months (a fact even his mother calls to remind you of), and you know that Tony takes him out to gentleman’s clubs and has women serve them at all their joint business dealings.
You have literally sat beside Pepper Potts and joked about this while watching Tony get a lap dance and Steve chat up a waitress. Why your mind still entertains those thoughts after all you know is beyond human understanding, and after a day like today, you can hardly categorize yourself as human.
You need the rest for sure.
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You’re already back on the phone by breakfast time, consuming strong tea and a croissant bite-by-bite while the American Capsules’ legal discusses the changes with SauterCorp’s legal.
Line-by-fucking-line.
You knew this would happen. It’s why you told them to start early. Of course, the team members you are on the phone with are different ones from last night because those folks worked late and are off work to make up for the overtime. You’re breathing in the smell of your drink with closed eyes like it’ll mainline the caffeine up your sinuses to your brain.
When you open your eyes, Steve’s pulling out the chair in front of you, ordering his own breakfast and motioning for a fresh pot of tea. He says nothing while you work.
Plates of food arrive and Steve reads the paper, glancing up every so often when you write a note to yourself about a follow-up after the call. After a while, he pushes a plate of scrambled eggs towards you and flips over a fork for you to take. He doesn’t take no for an answer, but since the call is finally wrapping up, you oblige and wolf down a few bites before typing out an email of your notes.
Steve asks a few questions of his own while refreshing both cups of tea and not bothering to offer sugar for yours. You…weren’t aware he knew that about you.
Until the car comes in an hour to get you to your next meeting, there’s nothing on the agenda, but you fully expect Steve to cram in a breakdown of the afternoon. Instead, he sips tea and folds the paper round and round until he’s done with all his interesting bits. You get to people watch, pedestrians outside the floor to ceiling windows of the hotel’s café bustling past in both directions.
Your attention is brought back when the table is cleared off, but Steve is no longer focused on the paper or the people. He sits and watches you again.
You smile as politely as you can even though you feel pinned down in the stare. “We better get going,” you advise, packing your things away.
Steve does put down his cup but doesn’t move otherwise.
“It’s your color.” He squints just slightly at his own revelation, relaxing back into his chair. “The dress.”
You have to swallow and clear your throat at that. “Yes, I suppose it’s one of my favorite colors.”
“It suits you.”
There’s no irony. Steve simply looks at you, blinks, looks some more, and it’s like you accidentally sat down naked in the lobby. His blue eyes are just that piercing.
“Thank you,” you say out of habit more than understanding and hurry on with the day.
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It pours down rain for most of the afternoon, drenching your shoes as you traipse back and forth to the car with Steve. You have an umbrella, but nothing stops the puddles invading.
“I can’t do this,” you finally snap on the way back to the hotel. You’re on the verge of tears. The sides of your leather heels have rubbed the back of one ankle and the top outside of the other foot raw, almost/possibly bloody. It takes effort to peel them off your skin, and you hiss in pain.
Steve sits across the backseat completely horrified.
“I know, I’m so sorry. I’ll put them back on—“
Steve puts a hand out to stop you.
“Driver,” he calls, “is there a first aid kit back here? No, no, we just need a few bandaids.” The reassurance cuts off panic from the front, and after the click of the glove compartment sounds, a small box is offered through the window. Steve thanks him.
“I can do it, sir. Please don—“
That stare pins you again, and there’s dead silence in the back while your boss rips open a few wipes, cleans the blistered skin, dabs antibiotic ointment on the broken parts, and smooths the coverings overtop. You can’t help but notice how tender his touch is, but he’s just being thoughtful. It doesn’t mean anything.
As Steve returns to his seat (after it feels like a struggle to break eye contact), he gets a call.
His friend Bucky Barnes is in town, too, on a quick layover before a transatlantic flight and long business trip. The two don’t get to talk as much as they’d like, and you know they don’t see each other very often either.
“Of course, we’ll do dinner, Buck. Name the place.”
We will do what now?
You start waving your hands and miming towards your feet.
Steve eyes you a second. “No, right, I will meet you there in—driver, how long is it to Chinatown from the hotel? Yeah, so about an hour from now? Excellent.”
You might have interpreted that wrong. He meant ‘we’ as in him and Bucky, no doubt. In case he didn’t though…
“Shall I call and make reservations for you two?”
“He’s handling it. Traveling with a few associates who know the area and the restaurant.”
“It’s a good one. You can dress down there.”
Steve offers a ghost of a smile as he looks down at his layers of clothing, pondering. He glances at your bandaged feet and looks like he’ll say something before shucking off his coat, and then his suit jacket, and then his vest.
Without a word, you hold out your arm to take the unnecessaries back upstairs.
“You don’t have to,” Steve all but whispers.
He’s never questioned using your service. Ever. He tosses the clothes onto the back-facing seats across the car and undoes the first two buttons beneath his tie. The car stops at the entrance just as he pulls the tie loose.
Shoes in one hand, briefcase slung over your shoulder, you sigh loudly and hold out your hand again very close to his face.
Steve drapes the tie across your palm.
“Have a good dinner, sir.”
You collect the rest and walk in barefoot. You don’t look back.
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Next Part Main Masterlist; Light Masterlist; Ko-Fi
Again, full disclosure: I have never seen the movie His Girl Friday. Just going off a synopsis and running away with it, but now that I've PLOTIFIED the whole damn thing, you're getting three cute-ass chapters *and you'll like it* bwahahahahaha
divider by @firefly-graphics
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tarisilmarwen · 8 months
Text
Rebels Rewatch: "An Inside Man"
The beginning of my endless stressed paranoia about Thrawn, also obvious reveal is obvious.
I expect this recap to be pretty breezy, I've already liveblogged this episode once.
Hoo boy I cannot tell you the amount of tension there was before this episode. The TV adverts were packaging the footage from both this and "Visions And Voices" together in order to hype up the midseason closer, before the show went on break for the winter.
So you know, the hype was real.
Let's get into it.
[EDIT: Oh screw you, Tumblr, that was a whole forty minutes of work that you just ate, this is ridiculous.]
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Right, so that's not subtle at all.
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In addition to leaning heavily into the "Axis-occupied territory in WWII" aesthetic, the smog around Capital City is so much thicker, practically a new ozone layer, ammonia yellow in color. That is not sunset that is the city lights bouncing off the cloud of pollution wafting through their streets.
I haven't mentioned it before but Taylor Gray sometimes has this way of pronouncing the word "my" that gives Ezra just a little bit more of a "folksy" drawl, fitting for an Outer Rim farming planet. I do love how you can kind of "geolocate" where different characters come from by how they talk. High British or Imperial British accent? Core World. Southern American drawl? Outer Rim.
Now imagine Pryce with an accent like Ezra's and remember that every time she speaks she's totally faking her Core World accent. XD
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Looks a bit like downtown LA, frankly. Minus the skyscrapers.
Yeah no, still love this shot Ezra pulls off while balancing precariously on the speeder engine. Such skill. Much badass.
The Kanan-Ezra tag team against the walker is great too.
Oh! Just noticed the non-fanfare titlecard has a bit of the dark male chorus from Thrawn's theme. Nice.
Something nice to note, the show does multiple chase sequences on this highway and none of them feel identical to each other. They're all uniquely staged.
I rewatched a couple times and the second speeder was actually taken out by debris from the first, bouncing forward and ricocheting off something.
Fitting right in with the WWII theme, internal saboteurs at the Imperial factories is very French Resistance. I honestly didn't expect to see the Sumars again so this was a pleasant surprise. Also a bit sad now, considering what happens.
*whispers* They paralleled Mr. Sumar's first conversation with Ezra.
This attack on Lothal's factories has been in the planning for a while now, since Season Two at least I think. Even though we were driven off Lothal, it's never been far from mind, and we've been constantly trying to get back there to liberate it. To Phoenix Cell and the Alliance it's a matter of strategy, of crippling or slowing down the Empire's war machine, but for the Spectres, for Ezra, it's personal, and it's been their focus from the very beginning. (Mostly. Ezra does get sidetracked with his obsession of personally destroying the Sith. More to meta ramble about that later when we get to "Twin Suns".)
Ha ha I remember when we all thought that the "new type of weapon" being referenced here was the Death Star. And personally, as I've said before, I still think Lothal was heavily involved in the Death Star's construction, that process was spread out across multiple Outer Rim worlds, resources and materials gathered from all over the place to keep it secret.
But once they introduced Thrawn they kind of had to give him a personal connection to Lothal, too. His rivalry with Hera wouldn't have cut it, that can play out anywhere, in any theater. (Hera's own stake in Lothal is also tenuous, generic, halfway between Ezra's personal drive and the Alliance's practical strategic considerations.) His being there at Pryce's bequest to help quell the Rebellion there offers no personal incentive outside of serving the Empire. But putting him in charge of the TIE Defender's development is perfect, in-character and easy to fit into what had already been established about Lothal, that it was a primary location where new TIEs were being produced.
Recall that Thrawn is not opposed to the Empire's tyrannical authoritarianism but he does think it's often ineffective. Advocating for the development of superior starfighters is right up his alley. If Thrawn had had his way or Palpatine had listened to him more, the resources, materials, and labor pooled into the showy but money-guzzling Death Star would have gone instead to bolstering the Empire's naval superiority, into better faster starfighters, more Inderdictors, and more capital ships like the Super Star Destroyers. Things to counteract the Alliance's flashbang hit and run tactics.
And the Rebellion probably would have lost.
So yeah, giving Thrawn a pet project specialized TIE fighter to be developed and constructed on Lothal was the perfect narrative decision.
...I went way off into the weeds there didn't l? Lol. Where was I?
Right, infiltrating the factory.
Love when Mr. Sumar asks Ezra if has any manufacturing experience and when he admits no, Ryder laughs and says he'll fit right in. Commie-style forced labor gang-pressing yaaaaaay!
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Once again, the imagery is very deliberate and not at all subtle.
Ezra grew up on Lothal and he doesn't know who Pryce is on sight. This bitch been shirking her planetary governing duties for literal years, busy trying to be "hip and in with the cool kids" as it were, the perfect Imperial suck-up and sycophant.
A large part of Thrawn's effectiveness as a villain in Rebels is that you never quite know just how much he knows at any given time. Was his coming to the factories to inspect them just an unlucky coincidence or did he know Kanan and Ezra were going to be there? Is he just Dangerously Genre Savvy? How does he keep turning up in places right when the Rebels have made their move? It stressed me the crap out when I was originally watching, gave me hella Paranoia Fuel, and made his presence in every scene just that much more uncomfortable.
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Like right here, with this scene where they linger just long enough on Thrawn observing the disguised Ezra to make you nervous, and the feeling lingers even though he steps away, because you almost think he picks Sumar out of the line-up because Ezra's there, targeting him for execution (basically) in order to flush Ezra out.
Also, btw, love the menacing cellos that accompany Thrawn's footsteps into frame.
The absolute slow dread and dramatic irony of this whole scene. D: It just builds and builds and then explodes (literally and figuratively), Thrawn's theme coming in full strength to emphasize the horror of the moment.
See, Thrawn's not above Make An Example Of Them when he thinks it's effective. (See also having Rukh behead that one officer in Legends canon.)
Lyste, you really should start questioning when Imperial astromech droids act crazy randomly around you lol.
It's a smidge distractingly fortuitous that there's always a convenient Scout Trooper around for Ezra to steal the armor off of.
This scene between Pryce, Kallus, and Thrawn is like some kind soothing British ASMR, everyone's voices are just so calm and smooth.
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Ooof, Thrawn's rare displays of emotion are always a big deal, I flinched just from this tiny flash of anger.
Something else effective about Thrawn's presence is just how much more competent other Imperials start acting when he's around. Not officers like Lyste or Konstantine but the low-level grunts always seem more keen to cop on to things, just a bit smarter and more ruthless, when Thrawn's in an episode, like he brings them up to more rigorous standards of performance just by being there.
Probably why Pryce immediately falls apart and makes stupid impulsive decisions as soon as he's more than thirty feet away from her lol.
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So there's Sabine's wall graffiti, already pulled off the building, I think that painting is from TCW, there's Ezra cadet picture, the mosaic from the Syndulla house, and a bunch of ancient Loth-cave scribblings.
I suspect Thrawn grabbed the retaining wall for the starbird (incidentally getting the Loth-cat drawing he'd later use to identify Sabine's work on Ezra's helmet in "Through Imperial Eyes"), and the cave paintings, obviously, because ancient Lothal culture.
Once again, Thrawn's deductions are razor sharp, but not OP. He's noticed the Phoenix cell has a particular attachment to Lothal, thus they will inevitably try to return to it.
Slowed down and replayed Kallus revealing himself a couple times just to look at this fight, Kanan starts by elbowing Kallus straight in the collar. Kallus reflexively throws a punch which gets pushed aside by Ezra. Kallus almost kitten bats the two of them before Kanan pins him to the wall.
Still LOVE how utterly flabbergasted Kanan and Ezra are at the reveal and how much grief they continue to give him after it lol.
Subtle animation appreciation moment: Kallus gives his very slight double-take at Kanan when Kanan pulls off his helmet, like he's surprised to see the scarring across his eyes.
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Living for how much Ezra just casually bullies Kallus here. <3
"Or perhaps... an expected one." Lol nope, I can safely assure you, Thrawn, they did NOT expect Kallus to be Fulcrum.
Case in point about Thrawn's mere presence making everyone else more competent, the AT-AT pilots immediately question the AT-DP's presence.
This was really clever, having Ezra drive the chicken walker behind the AT-AT and use it for cover. I may have mentioned but it bears repeating.
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MONEY SHOT.
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Back when the show was airing and people were speculating about eventual defeats for Thrawn I think I was one of the very small number of people rooting for Marida Sumar to get to shoot him in the face.
Still want that AU.
TIE Defenders be no joke, people. They are fast, agile, shielded, and they have hyperdrives. They would have shredded the best the Alliance had.
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Still love Zeb's chagrined grimace in the background there.
Ngl, once again, the ambiguity of "Just how much does Thrawn know?" is scarily effective. Thrawn's addressing Kallus seems deliberately calculated, like he's making some kind of subtle threat.
And whew!
After the shaky quality of the last episode this return to form is quite a relief. The tension is tightly wound and palpable throughout, and there's a genuine sense of danger. Thrawn is placidly competent. We suffer an actual loss. Everything is pretty much excellent this episode, even without the benefit of seeing Kallus's turn we believe it.
Love rewatching this one. <3
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hellsite-yano · 1 month
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porky did you finish that list of minecraft splash texts and if so may we see it?
Sure, keep in mind the Better Than Adventure mod uses a different colour formatting code than vanilla though. It's also a bit more difficult to edit splash text in vanilla from what I can gather. Anyway:
§5>it's wet Pynk! >ISHYGDDT GALO SENGEN! Pretty smooth flying, Fox! :kanabento: Sad! ingredience Everybody pose! :JUST: Oh, absolutely! Hallownest approved! Soda! Nope! §0The air crackles with freedom. Master Spark! An extant form of life! Yesh §dNyuuu! Also try The Witness! hampter.jpg The city and the city! Qud approved! Also try Mummy Sandbox! What U Need! Drink it and forget it all! which I invented! §fAll black everything The hero appears! Touch grass! Ut UNDERSTAND! Gapacho approved! Interior Semiotics! It's yours, my friend! The silo doors are open! Who are you quoting? Smoke coal evree day! §5>not having an avocado tree MODS = GODS Women! Wrong number! A super fighting robot from the year 2010! Even the mods have mods! Is shine! Cassis bleep! It's media -_- Also try Manifold Garden! Labyrinth Fight! Grow up, this is Minecraft! Welcome, Mr. Guest. His name is Gedächtnis! With these hands we will destroy! WAKE ME UP Fighting in the dojo! §eLalal Jack in! PUNK TACTICS! Close enough! I buy sausage! You ARE the support, son! A frozen cephalopod! Milk inside a bucket of milk inside a bucket of milk §0Hit +50! SB-129 mariositting.txt Clean! The democratic club! went shop Also try The Witch's House! Vanilla+! :3 TRUE! DOOR STUCK! Dubious castle safety gigue! Sexo! The numbers, Mason! Don't be so wide about it! MACHINE HEEEEEEEEAAAAAD! Victorius! The grink is here! k/l/l/i/n/g/s/t/a/l/k/i/n/g! GAS GAS GAS! Wimdy! A vision of happiness! Got any grapes? Message over! I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES 1N IT!!!1 wort wort wort Many such cases! I'm Kilroy! Just walk out! Detach the rear vehicle! SET ME UP! Wrong turn, tin daddy! Woomy! Gensokyo approved! Soup's on, baby! Fly away now! Literally who? Greetings from Germany! Papa Carlo! Superliminal! BAN THIS SICK FILTH King! Ari! Also try SOMA! SOME FOLKS ARE BORN 8 meters! This is most disturbing! Wheey! [Current thing]! Jerry! Welcome back, /v/! >:3 How does he do it? The Paper! 47 diamonds in my diamond account! The hero appears!!! Fly over! SICK RECOVERY The big bow-wow! Guest no. 431! GOODLUCK! CAMPEÃO DO MUNDO! Built from pieces of SR71! §eDe§5su! EEEEASY! Hedgehog stew! Unusual! :yey: Uranium Fever! Chinken nunget! There's friendship in the redstone! Axeil Edition! Beach City approved! §aourple! The Golden Path lies §4everywhere! Don't look at the silver lights The Electro Gypsy! Menacing! Cope! The hero appears!! OH GOD MAH DRILLS! eeeeeh? Also try Outer Wilds! Edith Piaf said it better Where's Reznov? INGERLAAAAAND! Also try Gorogoa! Orgasmic! Pure pare-do! §6It's lightish red! Also try Rain World! Hard Fast §kFaggot §rMaps! Hole approved! HUZZAH! Lost and farting! Selamat pagi! Deploy all units! CHARGE!!! Minute like a pixie! Most certainly! freaks dni! The ride never ends! Lucoa! Not what it says. The bits! The bits! The bits! :african_pensive: §mMother is watching §eH§1e§4l§5v§de§3t§bi§ac§2a §2S§6t§aa§6n§6d§1a§3r§2d Morioh approved! Comforble! Cocky little freaks! Also try Fallow! :pensive: Brillo whales soon! Scratch Perverts! Re-do! MEMORIES BROKEN! 300k starting! Also try sunny-place! tak tak tak ziip! NOW THE WHEELS ARE SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL! Roast beef and cornbread! No sappy lines allowed! With these hands we will rebuild! Also try The Beginner's Guide! Chefs kiss? Get the cool shoeshine! Happens often! Blood crystal obtained! MAKE IT BUN DEM! :hinableh: Also try Northern Journey! Welcome to Quindecim :) ARE YOU WATCHING HEAVEN? Daten City Approved! AS I LIVE! hina hina Nashi! Hack your 3DS! 4 = 2 > 5 > 7 > 3 > 1 > 6 > 8 Butcher is king! und cola! Lost at sea 1803 Bam-ba-lam! §3Aria approved! Seems legit! Easy Breezy! The World Revolving! Air 'em out! I live here? Splendid! Sing your sins! Surprisingly malleable! Comedy gold! §6Anglerfish Dance! Message to de west! Also try Dujanah! dubs Also try Iconoclasts! §aPudgy-Porky!?
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