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#it looks like it's supposed to be a shortcut
skyenish · 2 days
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Twst mlp AU | thoughts behind the designs
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I made Leona an earth pony with a thicker build. Hes a square with sharp angles! Hes one of the first drawings I made for this ‘series’ so its a bit lackluster, but I wanted him to be nice and hairy. I gave him a more lion-like tail, and some jewelry from his culture. His ears are nicked and he has long, slightly tangled hair. He also has a lot of hair around his neck becuase he’s a lion! I gave him a color scheme vaguely resembling a lion as well. Also nice and hairy legs, i love to draw those on horses. His cutie mark is three claw marks over clouds of dust. There are multiple different meanings to this cutie mark.
Vil covers up his cutie mark for personal reasons, but its a spotlight shining behidn some curtains. I tried to give him a more ‘feminine’ look while also keeping sharper angles. I love his color scheme, and i made him a unicorn because I thought it fit perfectly. I considered making him an earth pony to really show how he works hard for everything and doesn’t take shortcuts, but in the end unicorn won. I might change it later though! I had to give him some elegant white spots too, because aesthetically it just clicked in my head. He has a purple bow and has his unique hair accessory in his bun. I gave him longer eyelashes, and instead of making his hair a blonde-purple gradient I made some locks purple.
Jamil!!! He’s one of my favorite designs. I know the obvious choice seems to make him a unicorn, but HEAR ME OUT ON PEGASUS JAMIL! It adds a lot of symbolism and extra layers I think, it’s very tragic. Plus, he looks pretty with wings. I gave him darker and greyer colors to portray his darker and jaded nature, and it’s a nice contrast to Kalim’s design. I tried to vaguely design him off of Arabian horses but it didn’t come through very well. Did you know that MLP has a race of horses called ‘Saddle Arabians’? I didnt and i think its absolutely hilarious. Jamil is also supposed to have bags attached to the thing around his waist, but I’m too lazy to draw them.. His cutie mark is an eye with the world as its pupil, and a snake curling behind it. I put a lot of thought into his cutie mark and I’m really happy with what I came up with! To me it has 4 different meanings! I kinda want to redraw Jamil because he looks so small compared to the others!
Kalim is a unicorn for even more delicious angst. His whole family is unicorns. He’d much rather be a pegasus, but at least he has the magic carpet! Jamil thinks it’s bullshit that Kalim can use magic AND can fly. I made Kalim’s colors more vibrant and yellow and lively. He wears lots of jewlery, has tattoos and is my favorite design of these four! He also took me the longest. His cutiemark is a sun or a coin with gems on it, and it has wings. This too has multiple meanings. I think in the Scalding Sands culture the snake jewelry was something the sorcerer of the sands, an alicorn, wore around his horn. Maybe the original was a magical artifact? Well, Kalim, and other people from the scalding sands, wear fakes to honor the sorcerer. Anyways, I made Kalim slightly hairier then Jamil to show how he’s softer and wilder.
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I’d love to do more with this AU, because my mind is already full with so many cool ideas! Thanks for reading my rambles and have a nice day :)
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viviennelamb · 2 days
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If you're a real artist of any kind, never read opinions from non-artists or people who haven’t taken any risks in their lives. Remember, you're not a feedback reader, you're making people like you feel less alone and perfecting your craft and process. When it comes to your art, think of this and nothing else.
The ordinary person doesn't know what devotion is like because their brains aren't even 1% functional.
They're not full nor complex people either, they're an ego programmed to please others so they can fit in. Uncreative people target anybody different from them. This is why they’re into politics and activism and can’t stand that anybody thinks differently than them. This is the Ego's nature.
I was there at some point too and it was repressive, but now I'm free. Those who aren't free judge because they're prisoners of their own minds. always remain aware of envy and the crabs in a bucket mentality. Doesn’t matter if they’re race, gender or sexuality liberationists, they are against you if you’re a real person and will hate you for being free without needing their help.
I know a lot of the people reading this are looking to break through their mental barriers and I must tell you the obvious... life is a millisecond in cosmic time and you must act quickly on the opportunities presented to you.
Nobody is rewarded for being "the most liked by egos.” When you die, you need to leave something that somebody can unearth and feel like they hit the jackpot to read, listen and look at and cherish for the rest of their lives.
There's no time for preoccupation with what zombies think. If you have time to worry, you need to add more work into your schedule (all real work is Spiritual, everybody else is just a busy body).
Successful people are too busy winning, or at least learning how to win, to judge people who are focused on their own craft. If you see somebody doing them but you’re judging instead of being inspired, you’re average and always will be until you decide to go for what you’re most scared to do.
Play your role to the fullest and you'll stop being depressed regardless of what the world shows you. When you're doing all that you can, you'll be lifted out of your depression. Most people are long-term severe melancholics because they’re not creating, but believe they're well and project that depression unto those who are sane and healthy.
Since being a depressive is normal, those who have the drive to do what they love everyday, regardless of what anybody has to say about it, are deemed unwell because it's not socially acceptable to serve your soul. Everybody wants you to be their social slave instead.
Beauty isn't balanced or normal, it's extreme and rare.
You keep daydreaming and thinking "if only I could..." you can! The second you decide to go for what you want, everything becomes available to you. You don't have to plan, just make the vow and act immediately and once you iterate and record what works and what doesn't, you're making progress.
If you want a shortcut, find a mentor. The more you stay in the freeze state nothing happens. Your conscious mind cannot comprehend "how," so forget attempting to understand or map out the trajectory of your life and just act.
Even if you're an aspiring artist, stop reading stuff you can't relate to, or negative people who judge others for stepping out of the box because that affects your mental health and therefore your art, even when it's not directed at you.
That fear they meant to direct at others doesn’t actually affect the supposed recipient, but the individual saying it as well as their peers. Now their peers are secretly scared to be open with somebody they thought they trusted.
By the way, the highest art is the Art of Self-Mastery. Once you take back full control of your mind, senses and body, you're well on the path to achieving the purpose of life. Even better if you share the process of achieving your purpose. Don't wait until everything is perfect.
Sure, people will think they know you even though you only share 0.01% of your life, but at the end of the day, you're stopping yourself from doing what you're meant to do. Any obstacles you face is a test to show yourself how much you really want something. Think of these obstacles as checkpoints.
Once you get going, you will get real life checks to show you how strong you've gotten and how much you've improved in your role/craft. Stay locked in regardless.
The vast majority are extremely mentally unwell because they don't create or share anything that brings light into other people's lives. That stagnancy, as well as their hatred of the soul is the death of the mind.
Never listen to a dabbler who only creates once a month even worse, once a year, tell you anything about your creation. Just nod and smile because you're listening to an opinionated slave.
Remember, the only thing the ordinary person produces daily is an orgasm and poop. It would take the fragile and mindless a month to write a post like this, same with the art you're driven about, but they will judge and dissect what you do when they haven't done anything, ever. They don't have the discipline to write and release something in the same day because they're too busy arguing and gossiping about what a random thinks.
Only intake art and perspectives from people who are utterly and crazily obsessed and then you'll feel like your heart is finally waking up, which is what happened to me. Only then will you reach that point of being unable to feign lukewarmness and soullessness anymore.
Once you begin to exit mediocrity, you will see people's hatred toward you (which is really toward themselves) leaking out as false concern, fighting, and creating dossiers on strangers yet this person doesn't even keep a daily journal of their own thoughts. These individuals exist for you. They're waiting for you because their life consists of talking about others, so give them something to talk about.
When an individual can't be honest and haplessly spends their life energy, they become afflicted with loneliness, anxiety, and a chaotic mind regardless of how many bodies they pile around them and how much validation they get. Most people are unskilled, emotionally, and socially retarded for this reason.
When I read stuff from those individuals in particular I'm severely underwhelmed... it's all misinformation about other people's lives and it's not even at least entertaining. I’m looking for anything real from them and there’s nothing but there’s nothing but race policing and sexual harassment.
They don't know what it's like to strive for something bigger than personal comfort and social validation. When their useless life ends, all that will be left behind of their existence is documentation of their sex-addiction, their list of diagnosed mental illnesses, ideology fights, and gossip.
Also, the people who say they wish they could meet certain artists are all lying. They would've been part of the crowd who judged them if they lived during the same time, especially the ones who pride themselves on being conformists whose best accomplishment is getting a girlfriend.
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todayisafridaynight · 1 month
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At which point did you realise that the plot of IW is ass? I've seen people complain only about the ending or the halfway point where the teams separate, while I was already actively rolling my eyes like four-five chapters in
i think the moment i fully accepted that IW's story was. Definitely A Story was the moment ebina announced 'bleach japan'. like i think leading up to that point i was thinking to myself 'oh i hope i see X happen' or being like 'i wonder where this is going' and that sort but the proverbial bucket of ice was definitely that moment
#infinite wealth spoilers#snap chats#what reaaaaally hammered it in too if it wasnt obvious already was the execution of the jimas/daigo like that still irks me LMAO#i cant even remember what chapter that happened in i just know when it did i was utterly pissed#i think i started to take things less seriously once bryce entered the picture but thats only because of how distracting his VA was#like much love the JP voice actors who try to speak english and japanese but i just cant act like it's not incredibly distracting#esp when the character is supposed to be white yk what i mean- or at the very least their first language is supposed to be english#typically i can look over that thing if its a one or two time kind of deal but he had to speak in english much longer than others#im just rambling about bryce tho this aint bout him. i mean he could be a part of it the cult was executed really sloppily#it might have been the introduction of bryce actually ... i remember thinking to myself 'oh brother' with the whole messiah thing LMAO#maybe it was when kiryu told us his cancer cam from radiation instead of. smoking 💀 ESPECIALLY not even five chapters in#like straight out the gate you just wanna drop that on us mr I Can Do Everything Myself I Cant Worry Others ok#thats a post for another day tho im EVERYWHERE#POINT IS this is not about Retrospect this is about First Impressions and memory warps over time#but i know for a fact i found the bleach japan thing utterly ridiculous and was squinting at the plot the entire time thereafter#like ive said this a million times at this point but although i love IW for it's gameplay (pardon some nitpicks like lack of shortcuts)#its story really feels so messy and had much to be desired. which is so sad after the wonderful stories rgg has been making since 0..#BUT OH WELL im still excited to replay it in english. god willing i ever get the time#i still wanna finish lost judgment <- isnt even halfway through the game#and i wanna do a fun stream Maybe with YK2 but ill get into that when i get into that#if youve read this far. thanks LOL id say sorry for the novel but thats what we expect of me at this point
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miabrown007 · 1 year
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eurgh pacing
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mutedstarss · 3 months
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Infatuation
Summary: Luffy stumbles across you in a forest and it's love at first sight
cw: All fluff
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“We’re lost, aren’t we?” Luffy deadpans, looking around the forest Zoro led them to. They were supposed to be looking for food since they ran out but of course, Zoro being the leader, they got lost. 
Zoro lets out a surprised grunt and raises an eyebrow, “We’re not lost. We’re taking a shortcut.” Luffy just hums and folds his arms, nodding his head with closed eyes.
“Let’s look around while we try to find our way out.” Luffy says, a huge smile on his face as he clutches the straps of his bookbag and turns toward the endless forest. “To the beetles!” He points forward, trying to move ahead before Zoro grabs ahold of the top handle of his bag.
“We’re supposed to find food, not… insects.” He clicks his tongue before dragging Luffy the opposite way.
“Well, I’m the captain and I say we should find beetles.” Luffy argues back, his feet dragging against the leaves and dirt. 
Zoro sighs and stops abruptly making Luffy bump against his back and let out a confused groan. “If you stop complaining, I’ll let you have my food when we get back.” Zoro tries to negotiate.
At that, Luffy’s mouth is shut and a new smile is on his face as he thinks of the food he’s going to eat. He rubs his now grumbling stomach and pats it. “You’ll be fed later.” He tries to whisper, but Zoro only furrows his brows at the weird action.
With a shake of his head, they move forward on their journey to find food and to get out of this forest that seems to be infinite.
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“Will you cut it out?!” Zoro yells as he turns around to see Luffy’s tongue hanging out of his mouth from the heat. The scorching rays of the sun was already irritating enough, but to have Luffy whining and complaining was making it more unbearable.
“No, I’m hungry! And it’s your fault we got lost in the first place!” Luffy yells, pointing a finger at Zoro. Zoro growls and opens his mouth to say something but gets cut off by an arm dragging the both of them into a nearby bush.
“What the–” Luffy starts with furrowed brows but you slap a hand over his mouth and glare at him, his brows furrowing even more in confusion.
You point to the big boar that was currently eating grass and Luffy followed your finger. The boar's tail was swaying back and forth as it minded its own business. Too bad you were about to mind its business as well. You were hungry and well, that’s food. You pulled out your bow you had tucked behind your back, pulling out an arrow from your pouch and loaded it onto the string. 
Luffy looked back at you, ready to bombard you with multiple questions but the words got caught in his throat, eyes widening and sparkling as it would when a plate of meat is shoved in his face. Luffy’s lips parted on its own accord when he finally took in your appearance. The way the sun shone down on you causing your skin to take on a glow along with the arrow. You looked out of this world in his words. Your eyes squinted and your tongue poking out in concentration. The way the muscles in your arms flex as you stretch the arrow back like a pro; almost like you’ve been doing this for years and to Luffy, that’s the coolest thing ever. 
Luffy’s stomach soared with raging butterflies, a feeling he wasn’t used to as he looked at you. He swallowed the lump in his throat as his eyes traveled down your figure. You had on a white bodycon, ruched mini skirt that hugged your thighs perfectly. An off yellow bikini top and sandals. His eyes traveled back up slowly just in time to see you release the arrow with a pretty smile, striking the boar in the head flawlessly. His heart leaped and excitement rushed through him. He’s never felt like this with someone before. He wasn’t sure if it was good or bad, but he knew he wanted more of it. So, when he grabbed your arm and gave you a big smile saying, 
“Join my crew!” 
You couldn’t be mad at him. 
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bvidzsoo · 3 months
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Who am I?
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Author: bvidzsoo
Warnings: mentions of a gun, cursing, smut
Pairing: Jeong Yunho x female reader
Word count: 14,2k
Summary: Going through the dark passageway late in the night really wasn't your greatest idea, but the angels were on lookout that night and sent Jeong Yunho as your savior. But what happens when you realize Jeong Yunho isn't at all what he seems to be?
A/N: Uh...hi? This piece here really shouldn't exist, like the way I wrote it was so against the routine I have when doing stories, I'm even shocked it became real. It also was supposed to be a mere longer drabble but oh well, I suck at writing short stories either way. Also, Jeong Yunho is a constant in my mind lately so...ig it was inevitable that I write something with him. *sigh* There's smut in here and ugh...yeah, I tried again lol. Leave feedback, I very much appreciate it and stay tuned for the next chapter of the rockstar!au Mingi story! Enjoy now and tell me your thoughts!
⟨Masterlist⟩
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            It really was my fault; I should have been smarter before turning down the dimly lit passageway between the two tall buildings. But the path towards my flat was shorter this way, and I was in a hurry, desperate to finally get home after a long and busy day. The streets were quiet as night had settled upon the otherwise lively city and as I exhaled through my mouth, a little puff of smog appeared in the chilly air. My hands slipped deeper into the pockets of my black bomber jacket as I nuzzled my nose more into it, the tip of it unmistakably red. Winter struck upon us quite unexpectedly and the hope that we still had a few more days of sunshine and as little warmth as the sun could offer came crushing down when the wind picked up two days ago and snow started falling immediately. And what was even worse is that the temperatures dropped so low that everything had frozen over by now and it was slipper; in the past ten minutes I have almost fallen on my bum at least three times. But the little scare got my heart pumping faster, and I wasn’t feeling as cold as I was supposed to despite the layers of clothing adorning my body.
There was a light shuffle behind me, that was the first thing which caught my attention, and then suddenly, the dark figure standing a few feet ahead close to the wall, as if they were facing it, was the second thing to alarm me. My heart leaped slightly as my hands balled up into fists in my pockets, but I quickly tried to calm myself down. Not all men were evil and not all men wanted to hurt women, and I wasn’t even sure it was a man standing up front. My legs carried me faster and I gulped when the person whipped their head around to look at me. My hunch was right, it was a man, and he had a bloodied lip as I took in his face while still approaching. I quickly averted my eyes and quickened my pace, hoping that if I ignored him, he would ignore me as well. I had nothing on me if he decided to attack me, I could only hope my fists were good enough and I wouldn’t break my fingers if I was forced to use brute force. I only would have had to take three more steps to be past the man, but he suddenly jumped in front of me and I came to a halt as he squared me up. I tried not to let him see the fear I was feeling pulsing through my body as I clenched my jaw as my body lightly trembled from the adrenaline coursing through my bloodstream.
“Hey there, bunny.” My eyebrows furrowed at his raw voice, almost as if it was hard for him to speak as a disgusting smirk painted his lips. I suddenly wished I had taken the longer way, walked on the main road instead of this shortcut. When the man realized I wouldn’t say anything back, he tsked, “Are you shy, little bunny?”
Nicknames were annoying in a normal scenario and it was only making my skin crawl right now, but I remained silent, gripping the keys of my flat’s front door which I had in my left pocket. One wrong move from the man, and I wouldn’t hesitate to stab him with it.
“Why are you not answering me?” His voice got rougher and he took a wobbly step towards me, and without much thought, I whirled around with the purpose of walking back the way I have come, but another man was blocking my path. He looked lanky and was hunched over as his lips pulled into a scary sneer. I was cornered. My hands started trembling more as I took a deep breath, trying to think level headed, but my mind was clouded with panic as I searched for an escape route without much success. Before I could even react, the man with the busted lip approached me from behind and as I turned to be able to see him, his rough hand made contact with my left shoulder. I quickly yanked myself away and slightly crashed into the concrete wall of the building behind me.
“Don’t touch me!” I managed to snap out with a shaky voice, yet it sounded rough. It certainly didn’t match the way I was feeling, scared absolutely shitless.
“Is my little bunny scared?” If I wasn’t so scared I probably would’ve seen red at his claim over me, and it only made it worse as the other man chuckled. My eyes snapped towards him before quickly looking back at the other man when I realized he tried to grab at me again.
“I said, don’t touch me!” I shrieked and went to push him backwards, breathing irregularly as I was full on shaking, on the verge of a break down. But if I started crying I would look helpless, which I was, and I probably wouldn’t be able to see anything, so I willed myself to blink away the tears quickly.
“You little bitch, you wanna play rough?” The man spat as he had stumbled backwards from my push and I shrunk against the wall when the taller one suddenly started approaching, a hungry stare in his eyes. My lips started trembling and I went to yank out my keys and lunge at the taller one, but a very amused chuckle halted everyone’s actions. All I could think about was a third man coming to do vile things to me and at the thought, a few tears rolled down my cheeks, but I quickly wiped at them when I saw the battered-up man smirking in my direction at my distress.
“I thought I beat your sorry ass into unconsciousness.” At the hear of the third person’s voice, the battered-up man suddenly froze and his eyes widened as the taller one took a step back, leaving just enough space for me to run away, “What are you still doing out here?”
The battered-up one cursed under his breath before putting on a fake smile as he whirled around, facing the third man. I was too scared to look, shaking, as I pondered whether it was the distraction I needed to run away, “I was just playing with my little bunny, you should go on your way—”
“She doesn’t look like she wants to play with you, Siwon.” The third man snapped and my eyebrows furrowed at the familiarity of his tone. It resembled someone’s I knew from my university, but I remained unmoving as the tall man slowly backed away, “And you, Nikhun, I thought I said I didn’t want to see you around here, anymore…”
“I was just passing by.” The taller one, Nikhun, stiffly said before he abruptly turned around and took off almost in a run as the familiar voice just chuckled. My muscles slightly relaxed as I realized I could now just run back the way I had come, and moving slowly, I started heading just that way.
“I know I said I wasn’t going to kill you, Siwon,” The familiar sounding man tsked as I continued slowly walking with my back pressed up against the building’s cold wall, “But you’re really testing my patience lately.”
“Fuck you, man.” Siwon spat and I jumped when there was suddenly a loud crash and an exasperated scoff. I froze and didn’t dare breathe as I felt eyes on me. I didn’t know who was looking at me or what happened, I was scared to turn my head and look. I had to run. But as I pushed myself away from the wall, the familiar voice suddenly called out.
“It’s okay now, Y/N.” What—I whipped my head around and first took in the scene. Siwon, the battered-up man, was lying on the ground unconscious by the big trashcan. The loud bang must’ve been him. With wide eyes, I looked at the third man alarmed, and my jaw dropped as I stood staring at the familiar face of Jeong Yunho. Everyone knew him at university and everyone loved him. Jeong Yunho was like the sunshine. He was always smiling and laughing, cracking harmless jokes and hitting up a conversation effortlessly with anyone. He was kind and considerate, he always helped out anyone who needed help. He would carry your stuff if they were heavy and he’d walk you home if it was too late. He held the door open for anyone and he would make place for you at the Cafeteria if there were no more empty spots. The Jeong Yunho who was often found in the library with his nose buried in books, typing furiously on his laptop, and always turning in his assignments way before their deadline. He wore light colors and fluffy clothes, often paired with hilarious beanies and hats. But the guy standing a few feet away from me looked nothing like the Yunho I have taken glances at or heard stories about. Yunho and I weren’t friends, we were far from being acquittances even, but everyone knew him at our university and that included me. We were people from two very different universes and I had no idea how he knew my name. Yes, sure, we would cross paths in the library at times when I was in a rush as my deadline was a day or two away, and yes, I did almost spill my coffee on him once, but there was never a conversation involved or an exchange of names. Just a small, “Oh, my, God! I’m so sorry, that was a close call.”, and a “Don’t worry about it, you have great coordination, you stopped in time.” If I would have had great coordination, I wouldn’t have nearly ran into him, but I didn’t have the time to tell him that as I was late to work.
“Yun—Yunho?” I stuttered out finally once I was one hundred percent convinced it was Jeong Yunho. The dimly lit passageway made it harder to see his face from where I was standing and his clothes were unrecognizable, but it was his voice which confirmed his identity.
“Jeong Yunho in person.” He chuckled and I finally pulled myself together and slowly started approaching him. My legs were slightly shaky and I was still clutching my keys tightly in my left hand, but my heartbeat was slowly calming down. I passed by Siwon and took a peek against my better judgement, eyes widening when I saw the little trickle of red from the side of his head. Was he…going to die?
I looked up as I came to a stop a few steps away from Yunho and exhaled, coming face to face with a very unfamiliar looking Jeong Yunho. Despite the cold weather he was wearing a black leather jacket over what seemed to be a long-sleeved form fitting blouse with graphic design on it, and wide black jeans hugged his legs with the blouse tucked in, showing off his waist. His neck was decorated with various necklaces and as he extended one hand towards me, I noticed all the rings on his long fingers. I gulped as I looked back up at him, slightly intimidated and mostly confused. His black hair was completely pushed back and the usual fluffiness was gone from it.
“Come, you’re safe now.” Yunho encouraged me with his usual warm smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. My eyebrows furrowed as I reluctantly extended my hand and placed it in his palm, gasping when he yanked me forward, making me jump over Siwon’s slumped body. Yunho smirked as I somehow managed not to fall against his chest, big eyes staring up at him in shock, “Good thing I was passing by, angel, or else these two…”
He didn’t finish his sentence and he didn’t have to; I knew. I gulped and became aware of the awfully obvious height difference between the two of us and scrambled to pull my hand out of his, but Yunho’s grip suddenly tightened and he stepped closer, making me tip my head back as I tried looking in his eyes. My heart was racing once again and I could feel a blush creep up onto my cheeks as Yunho’s eyes examined my face with a small smirk, “What are you doing out here so late at night?”
“I—” My mind blanched for a second as Yunho’s cold fingers intertwined with mine, “I had the evening shift today, I—I was just walking home.”
“It’s unsafe at this hour.” Yunho’s voice turned stern and I averted my eyes, suddenly embarrassed that I was getting scolded by him, “And especially through this neighborhood, Y/N. You should’ve stuck to the main road instead.”
“I know.” I grumbled under my breath and Yunho chuckled, his voice deep, and it only made me flush harder as I avoided eye contact.
“Let’s get you home.” He said quietly and I looked at him alarmed, extracting my hand from his as he started walking us towards the end of the passageway.
“I can walk on my own—” I said in a panic, not wanting Yunho to walk with me. I wasn’t even far away, I have taken this route so many times before, I was going to be fine now that those two men were gone, but Yunho’s tone definitely made me rethink my words as he spoke up.
“You are not walking on your own, especially around here.” Yunho’s voice was sharp and he threw me a quick glare as he looked behind, at me, “Do you not know anything about this place?”
I shrugged and pushed my hands into my pockets again, “I do, but it’s not that big of a deal. I always walk home at this time and nothing has ever happened. I just had bad luck tonight.”
“Bad luck, you say.” Yunho scoffed, face contorted into disgust, “The things those two would’ve done to you would have been terrible, Y/N, and you call it bad luck?”
“Okay, fine.” I snapped and walked up to his side, giving him a wide-eyed stare, “Walk me home then, but this is fucking weird. How do you even know my name?”
Yunho’s eyebrows furrowed and his sharp stare made me gulp as I shrunk back, walking a little further away from him, “We go to the same university.”
“I’m not popular.” I deadpanned and Yunho shrugged, looking ahead as his jaw clenched and unclenched.
“You once scribbled in a book from the library and I was at the front desk when the librarian lost it. She rambled on about you for a good fifteen minutes before I was finally allowed to rent the book I wanted.” I cleared my throat in embarrassment, remembering well what the next day looked like when I walked inside the library. I have skipped going there for the next two months from shame as the librarian had screamed at me for ten minutes without even as much as taking a breath.
“Whatever, it’s still weird.” I muttered and nuzzled my nose behind the neckline of my jacket, regretting now that I haven’t worn a scarf. Yunho just chuckled and cast me a side glance as his longs legs carried him around faster than my shorter ones; it almost felt like I was jogging next to him. He must’ve been cold with how few clothing items he was wearing. I couldn’t help but let my eyes wander towards him as I took in his appearance again, deciding that this version of Yunho was intimidating and quite…hot. His bright persona was certainly eye catching but this felt different, alluring almost.
“It’s not weird,” Yunho said with a chuckle, lips pulling into an amused smile, “I’m just observant.”
I hummed, but didn’t look at him as I asked my next question while we crossed the road, “What are you doing here, anyway?”
Yunho chuckled again, but it was lower and as we looked at each other briefly, there was a dark glint in his beautiful chocolate brown eyes, mischief written all over his face, “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
I rolled my eyes and quickened my pace, just wanting to get home already. I was tired and cold.
“Do you have the evening shift often?” He asked after a minute of silence.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I fired back and Yunho laughed, head tilting back slightly, “Don’t expect me to give you an answer when you evade mine with a question.”
“You didn’t look like you’d be this feisty, angel.” My steps halted as I stared at Yunho incredulously, eyes slightly widening in offense. What did he mean by that?
“I’m tired.” I called out since Yunho hadn’t stopped walking and now I had to jog to catch up with his long strides, “And you’re walking too fast.”
“My apologies.” Yunho suddenly slowed down and looked at me with a big smile, the first time he looked like the Yunho I knew from university, “Sometimes I forget not everyone has long legs like mine.”
“Yeah,” I rolled my eyes, “I wonder how’s the weather up there.”
Yunho suddenly laughed, pressing a palm against his lips as it was loud, “I haven’t heard that one in long.”
I just hummed and cast another glance at him, confused of our whole conversation and the situation we were in. To be fair, I was grateful for him, of course I was, but the shock still hadn’t worn off and I was still slightly thrown off by his demeanor and change of personality…and looks. We continued walking in silence, steps hurried as the wind started blowing harder and all I could think about was Yunho being cold and getting sick because of his choice of clothing. However, the quiet didn’t last for long around us as we heard approaching footsteps, it sounded like they were running towards us. Yunho and I looked back at the same time and I failed to notice the way his expression hardened and jaw set. Before I could react, a heavy arm was draped around my shoulders and I was pulled into a sturdy body, warmth wrapping around myself and a masculine scent. I looked up at Yunho flabbergasted before watching the running man again as he came to a stop a few feet away from us.
“Hey, Yunho—” He panted as he leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees, “Finally found you, man.”
Yunho said nothing as he watched the guy, strengthening his grip against my shoulder when I tried to move away. My eyebrows furrowed as I struggled for a bit more, until Yunho clicked his tongue and I looked up at him, feeling his gaze on me already. His eyes were sharp and dark and I gulped as I looked away, stilling in his grip when he looked back at the younger looking guy, “What do you want?”
His voice sounded nothing like the friendly person I have been just talking to, it was ice cold and it made me shiver.
“Yeah, uh,” The guy glanced at me reluctantly, “Cheol wants the money. Soon.”
Yunho scoffed and rolled his eyes as I looked at him curiously, wondering where this conversation was going, “I thought I have made myself clear already, Chan.”
“Hey, don’t shoot the messenger, alright?” The shorter guy scoffed and stood up straight, his eyes hardening as he looked at Yunho now with a slight glare, “You’ve been avoiding us for months now, Cheol is getting fed up…so is everyone else.”
“And I have a reason for that,” Yunho snapped, anger coating his voice, “which you all know of. If you want my money, do your fucking end of the deal for once.”
“Was the merch not good enough last time?” Chan raised an eyebrow. These two were acting like I wasn’t even there, so I tried to get out of Yunho’s grip again, but instead, he gripped my nape and roughly pushed my head into his chest, making me gasp. I clutched against the collar of his leather jacket and tried to pull away, but Yunho’s strength was immense, so, instead my cheek was mushed against his firm chest, his musky cologne invading my senses and making my head slightly dizzy.
“If it were good, you would’ve seen the money by now.” Yunho’s voice held no emotions and I watched as best as I could from my position as he reached with his right hand behind himself, moving at what looked like lightning speed to me, but with my vision obscured I wasn’t able to see what was in his hand, “Go back to Cheol and tell him to get his fucking act together before I take action.”
“Asshole.” I heard this Chan guy snap and then an unsettling silence followed. I bit my lower lip and wondered what was going on, and it didn’t take long to find out as he spoke up soon again, “Got yourself a shiny new toy?”
“She’s a person, not a toy, Chan. And she’s not mine.” Yunho’s voice was rough and my breath halted for a second as I felt Yunho’s fingers twitch against my skin. I moved my head slightly to look up at him and caught the quick glance he sent down at me. It was dark and emotionless, yet it held a clear warning that I needed to stay quiet. My heart skipped a beat involuntarily.
“You better claim her then, before Cheol gets his hands on her—”
“Get lost, right now.” I have never heard such a threatening tone from anyone before, and my blood froze over at the anger and sneer in Yunho’s voice as he grabbed onto the back of my head tightly, making me freeze as I heard the click of something. Was…was he holding a gun? I gasped quietly as my fingers dug harder into the fabric of Yunho’s jacket and I heard the Chan guy cackle before his footsteps stared fading away. Yunho, however, didn’t move and I was too scared to do so as I realized I had started shaking. Suddenly, my head was being pulled back by Yunho’s hand on my nape and we made eye contact as he looked down at me menacingly.
“Not a word to anyone.” I exhaled shakily and frantically nodded my head as I dared to take a glance at his other hand, which, to my horror, held a black gun. My blood ran cold as Yunho released me at the same time as he put his gun away, behind himself, probably in the belt of his jeans, “Let’s go.”
And the rest of the walk was silent and hurried as I almost ran to finally get home, confused and scared and needing a shit ton of answers to the questions swirling in my head, which Yunho was probably unwilling to give. I valued my life above all, and therefore I remained silent, besides, the anger oozing off of him was enough to shut me up despite my sparkling curiosity. Who the hell was Jeong Yunho?
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            The next day I did everything in me to forget about last night’s endeavors and about Jeong Yunho. I could act like nothing happened, like it was all just a dream. And everything was going well, until…until Yunho and I crossed paths in our university’s hallway. Well, we didn’t actually cross paths, but we saw each other briefly as I was walking with my best friend to class and Yunho was headed towards the stairs, the two of us on the two opposite ends of the long hallway. My friend was talking about the book she was currently reading and I would hum or nod along to her words, letting her know that I was paying attention despite being silent as we walked, my hands gripping the straps of my backpack. I nodded in agreement at her characterization of a character we both enjoyed from the book, when I finally looked ahead and my mind blanked. It certainly did feel like last night was a fever dream as Yunho stood on the other end of the hallway, black hair falling in soft curls against his forehead with his rainbow-colored sweater hanging loosely around his frame, big hands disappearing in the sleeves of it. His jeans were a faded grey and he was laughing as he talked to someone, eyes disappearing and cheeks puffed out. He looked nothing like the guy from last night and it gave me whiplash as his menacing and threatening eyes flashed before my eyes just as Yunho suddenly looked ahead, his eyes finding mine, looking at me with the warmest gaze anyone could muster up. I realized I was gaping, but I couldn’t help it when my brain convinced me that Jeong Yunho from right now and Jeong Yunho from last night weren’t the same person.
“Are you staring at Yunho right now?” My best friend’s voice finally snapped me out of my staring and I looked at her with the same wide eyes.
“I—yeah, but—” I needed to get it together, “That’s not Jeong Yunho.”
“Uh,” My friend looked at me like I had grown another head, “then who is he?”
“I don’t know, but—” I let out a long huff, eyebrows furrowing as I looked back at Yunho, “but that’s not the same guy from last night, I’m telling you.”
I could see the confusion on my friend’s face as she looked towards Yunho, crossing her arms in front of her chest, “He looks like—Yunho. I mean, what are we even talking about right now? Did you hit your head or something?”
“Stop it.” I snapped at her and pushed at her shoulder in frustration, making my friend glare at me, “He must have two personalities or something.”
“That’s not a very nice thing to say about someone, Y/N.” My friend chastised me and I groaned in frustration. Of course she wouldn’t understand. She wasn’t there. She didn’t see the Yunho I have. Coming to think of it…I don’t think anyone had from around here, seeing as everyone was flocking towards him and acting so freely with him. His laughter carried down the hallway and it was soft, his cheeks slightly rosy as a girl leaned too close to him and he averted his gaze shyly. He was void of all the accessories he had been wearing last night and his clothes were what I was used to seeing him wear on a daily basis. He kept shifting from one foot to another as a guy threw his arm around Yunho’s shoulders as the two giggled about something, Yunho covering his mouth before whispering something to him back with a cheeky smile. The image of him holding a gun suddenly flashed behind my eyes and I jumped, sucking in a sharp breath of air. My friend looked at me like I was crazy and I averted my eyes from Yunho, looking at her like I have seen a ghost.
“There’s something very wrong with that guy, I’m telling you.” I muttered as I grabbed her wrist and pulled her in the opposite direction, scared of facing Yunho after his weird personality shifts.
“You sound super crazy right now, bestie.” I rolled my eyes and huffed as my best friend taunted, cackling when she saw the discontentment on my face.
            And the days passed just like that. Jeong Yunho, wearing every existing bright color, avoiding eye contact when he felt shy and hiding behind his hand when he laughed a little too hard. His cheeks had a flush to them constantly and he would carefully arrange his wavy bangs against his forehead. It was confusing. I was becoming convinced with each passing day that what had happened that night was just a fever dream, and that it was so real that my mind decided to believe it. Perhaps I was lucid dreaming or something, it wouldn’t be the first time. Two weeks had gone by since my strange encounter with Yunho and I have finally come to terms with the fact that maybe what happened wasn’t even real. It couldn’t have been, not when Yunho didn’t even glance my way once. Not when he remained the bright and lovely popular boy and I…continued almost missing my deadlines, which meant I was coped up in the library currently, searching for the book I needed without having much luck in finding it. I was too lazy to ask the librarian as I would need to descend the stairs, so I instead grew more and more frustrated as I stomped around between the bookcases. I was surely disturbing someone, but I didn’t care. Eyes set on the books, one title caught my attention and I stopped, hoping that it was the book I needed. It was at eye level and I pulled it back just enough to be able to see the cover and title of it. I felt like banging my head against the shelf when I realized it wasn’t the book I needed, and with a very loud sigh/groan, I pushed it back harshly, almost screaming when a human head was casually leaning against the bookshelf next to the book I had just examined. My heart beat like crazy as I gaped at Yunho, his warm eyes twinkling with amusement as his eyebrows were slightly furrowed. His baby pink shirt hugged his frame messily as the collar fell a little low, showing off the smooth skin of left shoulder, and his dark green cargo pants were an interesting choice to wear. Yeah, this was the Jeong Yunho I knew. Dressing quirky and looking almost like an oversized puppy as his lips were pushed into a pout. I couldn’t find any words to say so I just scrambled through my brain for something, pushing my hair behind my ears as Yunho continued staring. It was becoming too much, his gaze.
“What?” I managed to say, still at a loss and not knowing how I should approach him.
“Hi.” His lips suddenly pulled up into the brightest smile I had ever seen, and his eyes twinkled with so much warmth that I took a step back. I’m going crazy, aren’t I?
“Hi.” I willed myself to greet him back, taking another step back as Yunho took one towards me, smile still on his face. He didn’t say anything else as he proceeded to come closer and closer, making me chuckle nervously as I continued putting distance between the two of us, not for long though. My back soon ran into the bookshelf and I internally whined as it cut into my back sharply. Yunho came closer, caging me in between the bookshelf and his body, making my heart somersault as I looked up at him confused, but intrigued. He was still smiling, still looking as friendly as ever, still the bright and well-liked guy from our university. Suddenly, his arms raised and were placed on each side of my head, slightly above. Yunho went and leaned down a bit, crooking an eyebrow as my eyes widened and body shrunk against the hard shelf. His musky cologne wrapped around me once again, and the events of that night flashed before my eyes without a warning.
“What are you doing?!” I whispered, sounding panicked as Yunho looked almost confused by my reaction. Almost as if it didn’t make sense that I was reaction to him like this. But I had every reason to, I can’t be crazy.
“I’m looking for a book,” He said with a light tone, expression calm, “this is the medical section. You know I’m studying to become a doctor, right?”
“No.” My answer was instant; I had no idea what his major was. I only heard rumors about how great he is, not about what he does or studies here.
“Oh, now you know.” Yunho said surprised and looked above my head, grinning happily as he reached out. What the hell was happening?
“You’re majoring in architecture, right?” I nodded wordlessly, confused as to how he knew once again something about me. I never told him. Just like with my name.
“So, did the librarian tell you this too about me?” I asked, sounding a little accusatory, as I raised an eyebrow at Yunho. He chuckled and shook his head, looking down at me in amusement.
“Not quite, I figured it out when I saw you leaving class a good while ago.” Right. He saw me leaving class. Sure. My eyes narrowed at him and I licked my lips, about to slip away and go on my merry way as this whole interaction was weird and confusing, but as if Yunho read my mind, he stepped even closer, the front of our boots touching. I looked up at him alarmed, eyes widening as Yunho lowered one arm, holding a book.
“This is so weird,” I muttered to myself, feeling uncomfortable, “Is there something wrong with you?”
My question was quite offensive and I didn’t think it through before I said it out loud, but it didn’t seem to affect Yunho as he started giggling quietly, eyes becoming smaller as his cheeks flushed. How was this the same man from that night? Did he have a twin or something? Why would his name be Yunho too? Was he fucking around with me? Or did he just have multiple personalities?
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with me, angel.” My body tensed at the nickname and I watched as Yunho composed himself, and yet, the Yunho suddenly caging me against the shelf wasn’t the same Yunho from just a second ago. The friendliness and warmth slipped from his face as his eyes slightly narrowed, darkening as a smirk appeared on his lips instead of the cute smile he directed at everyone. My heart started beating faster as he bit his lower lip, leaning down even more to be eye level with me, making my breath catch in my throat, “Do you think there’s something wrong with me?”
“Something very wrong.” I managed to whisper as Yunho chuckled darkly, the knuckles of his free hand suddenly grazing against my cheek. I flinched, but didn’t pull away as his eyes ran over my face. The way his wavy hair fell in his eyes made them look sharper. He oozed danger and my mind screamed at me to high tail it out of there, yet my feet remained planted.
“There’s nothing wrong with someone who has a colorful personality, angel,” Yunho’s deep voice rang through my ears as he leaned in to whisper in my left ear, goosebumps erupting on my skin, “Have you told anyone about our encounter from that night?”
I quickly shook my head no and Yunho smirked, pulling back and gripping my chin tightly, yanking me forward and knocking the wind out of my lungs, “Good girl, keep doing that. I’m afraid something might happen to you if you decide to blabber on about it to someone.”
I shuddered as his piercing gaze kept me locked in, a whisper barely passing between my lips, “Like what?”
The sinister look which crossed Yunho’s face felt like a punch to my gut and I suddenly remembered the gun he owned. He’d shoot me. He’d kill me. Of course he would, something told me he wouldn’t hesitate or think twice about it.
“I would have to punish you—” He bit his lower lip as he paused for a second, making me realize I started shaking, “And not in the way I would love to.”
“Fuck.” I muttered, gripping his wrist and lightly pushing against it. His words were meant to be threatening, and they were, I was shaking after all…but his words also did something to me as my stomach twisted and body shivered, eyes subsequentially falling onto his red and plush lips. Yunho’s smirk widened and he leaned so incredibly close that I could feel his breath hitting my lips, his skin seemingly flawless from up close. My fingers closed around his wrist tighter as my back melted into the bookshelf behind me.
“Let’s keep it our little secret for now, angel.” His thumb swept against the skin of my chin, my face flaming at the motion, “And I shall reward you if you’re a good girl.”
“How?” I whispered, looking into Yunho’s dark eyes.
“You shall wait and see.” He winked and before I could think more about his words, he was gone just as quickly as he had come. I was left blinking confused at nothing and struggling to breathe regularly as Yunho’s warm, and big, hand left my skin burning where he had touched. What have I indirectly gotten myself involved into?
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            Things happened the same way like the first time after my strange encounter with Yunho in the library. He didn’t look my way, he didn’t acknowledge me, he didn’t speak to me for at least a good two weeks. It was weird, everything he was doing. I had so many unanswered questions, but I pushed them to the back of my mind and hoped that whatever weird thing going on between Yunho and I would stop for good now. I didn’t want to get tangled up in something which felt so unsure and dangerous. I still haven’t forgotten the gun Yunho owned nor the conversation between him and that Chan guy. Even a dumb person would’ve understood that there was something illegal, at least, going on between the two of them and I didn’t want to get involved. However, the radio silence didn’t last for long as it was another Thursday and I was closing up the small convenience store I was currently working at. I had the evening shift again; the clock was close to hitting midnight and it was snowing heavily outside. I sighed when I realized I would have to walk twenty minutes just to get home. There were no signs of snow half an hour ago, it came out of the blue and I watched as a group of teenagers ran past the convenience store laughing loudly and having a snowball fight. I couldn’t share their joy as I shrugged on my coat, the weather had been nice today, I thought it wouldn’t get cold and thus abandoned my thick winter jacket, which I came to regret now. I switched off the lights and braced myself for the cold as I pushed open the door and instantly shuddered. There was a freezing chill in the air and it clung to my body as I quickly tightened the scarf around my neck, at least I had half a mind to bring one with myself. I struggled for a few seconds with the lock, it's been acting up for a while now but the owner didn’t bother to fix it, until I heard a click and pushed against the door, making sure I have truly locked it. I whirled around to stalk off towards the bus stop, with little hope that the last bus hadn’t went by already. However, I was quickly forced to stop by the sight in front of me. Yunho, painfully underdressed for the current weather, stood leaning against a black massive car. It was an SUV, a very expensive looking one.
“Evening, angel.” My jaw shouldn’t have almost hit the pavement, but I couldn’t help but gape at him. What was he doing here? Why was he here? Was that his car? How? Was he rich? Now that I come to think of it, I have no idea what Yunho does outside of university or the type of family he comes from. The sudden realization of knowing exactly nothing about him besides the persona he paints himself as was startling as a sly grin crossed Yunho’s features. It made my stomach flip.
“What are you doing?” I managed to ask, reluctantly walking closer to him. Yunho pushed his hands inside the pockets of his leather jacket, which looked thicker than the one he wore on the night he had to save me from those two creeps. His jeans were ripped and black and a very tight, form fitting, white shirt clung onto his well-defined body. With a black baseball cap over his wavy hair he looked extremely handsome underneath the street light, I had to stop myself from letting my eyes wander all over his body once again.
“Saw how hard it started to snow,” Yunho spoke up casually, smirking when I stopped a few feet away from him, “Figured you might just take the shortcut again, so, I’m here to pick you up.”
“No, you’re not.” My answer rushed through my lips instantly and I looked at him startled, slightly taking a step back as Yunho pushed off his car, “I am perfectly capable of walking home and besides—I might still catch the last bus.”
“It went by while you were still locking up, angel, just accept my offer and stop being so stubborn.” Yunho sounded slightly irritated as he walked closer, head lowered so that I was able to see his eyes from this angle. They were narrowed and I gulped, realizing that he wasn’t playing nice nor would act goofy like at university, this was the weird and intimidating version of Yunho.
“Excuse me if I’m hesitant in accepting your offer, Yunho,” I snapped, slightly fed up with the constant whiplash this guy was giving me, “But I have no actual idea who you are and so far you’ve been acting like a stalker. You know my name, you know my major, you randomly show up when I’m in trouble and then you walk me home despite my complaints. You proceed to act completely different than the guy I’m used to seeing at university and you have strange conversations with weird people who are threatening you and are calling me yours like I’m simply just a piece to be put on display and you—you have a gun! And you’ve threatened someone with it. So, yeah, I don’t exactly want to get in your car for you to—drive me home? Or kill me. Or do something else to me.”
“If I wanted to do something to you or harm you I would’ve already done so, Y/N, I had plenty of chances for that.” My jaw hung open once again at Yunho’s instant reply, heart hammering at his admission. Is this seriously the only thing he’s taken from my rant? Which felt good to finally get off my chest, but it seemed to make no difference as Yunho shook his head lightly and suddenly invaded my personal space, taking me completely off-guard, “Who I am at university and who I am outside of it might seem like two completely different people to you, but it’s me. I’m not always happy, and goofy, and I’m not always in a good mood. I just don’t like showing the real me around people.”
“I am people, so what’s different?” I scoffed, glaring up at him, “We don’t even know each other so I don’t understand why you feel the need to drop your act around me.”
“Would you prefer me acting all fake, then?” Yunho’s tone was harsh and his face read displeasure as I allowed my eyes to soak in his expression. Would I prefer that? It was the Yunho I was accustomed to, but would I like that?
“I don’t know,” I managed to mutter out, averting my eyes when Yunho’s dark gaze became too much, “I guess I’m just used to that version of you and this—feels weird, perhaps scary.”
Yunho suddenly sighed and his shoulders slightly dropped as he looked up at the sky, his smooth skin glinting under the streetlamp, “I’m sorry if I scared you, that wasn’t my intention.”
I chewed on my bottom lip as Yunho looked at me again, our gazes connecting. He was sincere, his eyes were shinning with honesty and an almost innocent like gleam, just like the one I was used to seeing. I hummed wordlessly and looked away, feeling slightly more at ease in his presence. He just sighed quietly and I heard shuffling before I felt the weight of a big hand pressing against the top of my head. I looked up at Yunho wide eyed as he started patting my hair, almost as if he was flicking something out of it. The snowflakes, probably. My cheeks flamed at his action.
“Will you let me drive you home, then?” Yunho asked again, voice softer this time and features relaxed, “I don’t want you walking around late at night and in this weather.”
“Alright,” I gave in, clearing my throat as Yunho suddenly grinned widely, “But you should be worried more about yourself, you’re barely wearing anything.”
It made Yunho chuckle as he headed for the passenger seat’s side and opened the door for me. I muttered a small thank you as I carefully slid inside.
“I’m rarely ever cold.” Yunho said with a cheeky wink before closing the door and jogging around to the driver’s side. I allowed myself a quick check-out of the car, eyes widening when I saw the emblem on the wheel. I was sitting inside a Maserati Levante. Just how did Yunho afford this car? The seats were of black leather and it was definitely heated as I felt my body warm up quickly as the engine has been left on. Yunho grinned as he slid inside and quickly buckled his seatbelt, reminding me to do the same as he put on the blinker, signaling that he would drive off now. The car slowly started rolling, pulling away from the store as I gazed out the window, feeling slightly awkward that I was now enclosed in such a small space with Yunho. I took a quick peek at him and watched him gripping the steering wheel lazily, hair framing his face as tonight it wasn’t as wavy as usually. His eyes were set on the road and he licked his lips before glancing at me, making me quickly look back outside the window, hating the way my cheeks instantly flushed. And as we drove by the bus stop, my eyes widened when I spotted the bus which would’ve taken me home.
“You said the bus went by already!” I exclaimed and turned to look at Yunho slightly offended.
“Oh,” He hummed but by the smugness coating his face I knew he had lied on purpose, “my bad, thought I had seen your bus.”
I scoffed and shook my head, melting into the warm seat as I glared ahead, ignoring the fluttering feeling of butterflies in my stomach at the thought that Yunho only lied because he wanted to drive me home. Perhaps he wasn’t so awful at all times.
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            Despite me feeling like Yunho brushed over my outburst that night, he seemed to change a bit. He started gradually approaching me at university and even hung out with me during our shared lunch breaks. He also started stopping by the convenience store whenever he had free time and I soon came to know that he lived just a few blocks away from it. Which was a surprise because I have been assuming he lived in some fancy rich neighborhood due to the car he was driving. Nobody really seemed to question our suddenly blooming friendship, although I felt like we still had a long way to go, and Yunho also stopped being so mysterious. He still didn’t answer all of my questions and often changed the subject when I asked about that first night, so I stopped asking about it after a while. I figured that I might get him to tell me at some point, and if not, I could always start asking around. People loved to gossip and maybe they would know something about this Chan guy who had called Yunho a few times while we were hanging out, but he always declined his calls. Tonight was supposed to be a chill night, but my best friend decided that she has had enough of staying at home every Friday and thus dragged us to a house party not far from our university. It was a half an hour walk away from my flat, so we opted to walk and just grab a cab on our way back. The house was large and packed with people as we made our way inside and I sighed at the sight of so many familiar faces. Almost everyone from our university was here and I realized I was tricked into coming to a party organized for our university specifically. My best friend just giggled as I have her a glare, already hating the fact that I had to stay here for hours and hours as she was in the mood to party. The only savior I found at the moment was alcohol, so the two of us made our way into the kitchen, both grabbing some beer from the fridge. Apparently, my best friend knew the host of the party and got us invited easily.
“I really needed this.” My best friend said as she threw her head back, downing half of her beer in one go. I raised my eyebrows at her as I sipped on mine casually.
“I can see that.” I chuckled and allowed my eyes to wander around the kitchen, taking in the faces. A few people above our grade were gathered around the sink, laughing about something and pointing at something. I wasn’t further interested, so I averted my eyes and noticed two friends of Yunho’s.  They were standing in the corner and laughing about something as the taller one had his phone out. My staring must’ve been insistent as he looked up and we made eye contact, a smile appearing on his lips. He smiled and waved as he called us over. Due to Yunho and I hanging out more often lately, he was quick to introduce me to his friend group. They were a nice bunch but a bit too energetic and happy for my liking. My best friend, however, was totally into their vibe and would beg me to hang out with them. It was fine, I knew she wanted to make some new friends and these guys were nice and…handsome.
“Hi!” Mingi was quick to greet us happily and I smiled at him, waving at Seonghwa as my best friend went and hugged him. The two seemed to click instantly, it was nice to see.
“Was it you who urged Sooyoung to come to this party?” I asked Mingi accusingly and he laughed as he looked down.
“It was actually her who gave us the idea of coming here tonight.” I hummed and threw a knowing look at my best friend as she didn’t bother focusing on Mingi and I, already wrapped up in a conversation with Seonghwa.
“I see, I should’ve known.” I chuckled and Mingi nodded while putting his phone away. It was a little unusual that these two were here without Yunho, but I didn’t question it. I knew he wasn’t a big fan of parties and besides, he didn’t tell me he would be coming. Therefore I didn’t expect to see him here.
“Did you finish your project?” I asked Mingi, remembering him complain about it two days ago. Mingi’s shoulder slumped and he started pouting as he stole my beer swiftly.
“Almost, I have to design the garden and then I’m done.” Mingi was a landscape architecture major and he was always busy with projects, barely out of the house if it wasn’t for Seonghwa and Yunho dragging him to places. He was quite dedicated to his work and it was admirable. Especially when I could barely find any inspiration to do my assignments. Whenever we shared a few of our classes I was amazed by his knowledge and drive to learn even more.
“That’s good, you’ve got this, Mingi.” I gave him an encouraging smile and he chuckled, looking at me knowingly.
“So, did you start your design?” I fake laughed and took a swing of my beer after taking it back from Mingi.
“You know me, I’ll do it two or three days before the deadline.”
“At this point I’m afraid you’ll fail.” Mingi’s eyebrows furrowed and I chuckled, shrugging.
“Don’t worry, I function best under pressure.” I saluted him mockingly and Mingi chuckled, soon our attention on Seonghwa as him and Sooyoung approached us.
“I really want to dance,” Seonghwa said, drunkenly gazing at Mingi, “Are you coming?”
Mingi just sighed but stood up, throwing an arm around Seonghwa’s shoulders, “Of course, I’m coming. Someone needs to make sure you don’t trip over your own legs.”
Sooyoung and I chuckled as we followed after the two boys despite me not being too fond of the idea. I didn’t feel like dancing tonight, but I didn’t want to leave Sooyoung alone, and besides, I could see it in Mingi’s eyes that he didn’t want to be alone with the two. Whatever was going on between them, which both were denying, was pretty obvious.
The music was loud in the bigger room compared to the kitchen and I looked around, realizing it must’ve been a sort of library hence the bookcases on both sides of the room were filled with books. My heart broke a bit for the books, I could only hope no one was stupid enough to damage them. Otherwise the room was cleared up and there was a table with a mixing console on it, the DJ standing behind it and playing trendy songs everyone seemed to enjoy. The bas thrummed against my chest and I downed my beer in one go before I pushed through the crowd, making way for myself and my friends. Somewhere in the middle we found a good spot and formed a circle starting to dance.
I couldn’t tell how much time passed before I needed to use the restroom, but just as I went to tell Mingi I would be leaving for a few minutes, he leaned in to tell me that he needed some air. And so, after telling Seonghwa and Sooyoung where we were headed, Mingi and I took off hand in hand towards the exit. We agreed on meeting in the kitchen in around ten minutes before heading back to our friends, and so we parted, going on our way. The bathroom was in the far back of the house and I was thankful as the music didn’t reach here, I could finally hear my thoughts. The air was gradually better too compared to the suffocating heath in the library like room. Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long to make it inside the bathroom and I was quick in doing my business, washing my hands thoroughly before splashing some cold water on my face, tapping it against my flaming skin. Perhaps I should join Mingi outside for a second before grabbing another drink. I huffed and smoothed down the top of my hair, baby hairs all over the place, before I unlocked the door and left the quiet bathroom. The hallways had no lights but it was fine as the living room was well lit up and it poured out here too. There was a staircase leading upstairs, but it was barricaded off and I knew not to go upstairs even if I wanted to. Just as I went to walk past the staircase, someone collided into my shoulder, knocking me slightly backwards. I gasped in surprise and looked back, surprised to see a slightly familiar face. The guy was younger, and he quickly apologized before a look of recognition crossed his features. Despite it being almost two months ago, I remembered his name. Chan. The guy Yunho threatened with a gun. I gulped and accepted his apology, about to walk off when he spoke up again.
“Don’t I know you?” He asked with narrowed eyes and I cursed silently, facing him again.
“Uh, barely.” I offered with a small smile and Chan hummed, eyebrows furrowing.
“Weren’t you with Yunho once?” So he remembered too, huh.
“Chan, right?” I raised an eyebrow and suddenly the guy was grinning and extending his hand towards me to shake.
“Knew it,” He said with a chuckle as I reluctantly shook his hand, “I don’t know your name though.”
“It’s Y/N.” I introduced myself and Chan smiled, his grip lingering for a second longer than necessary. It unsettled me as I cleared my throat and very obviously made to leave, but Chan seemed like he wanted to talk a little bit more.
“I had no idea you knew Jeonghan.” My eyebrows raised at the name and I thought for a second until I realized he was the host.
“I don’t, my best friend does though.” I explained and Chan hummed, a small smirk appearing on his lips.
“Now that I come to think of it,” He took a step forward and I willed myself to not move backwards, “Yunho never mentioned you again after that night.”
Oh, well…that didn’t feel nice to know. I thought we were sort of friends by now, but maybe Yunho needed more time. Our relationship dynamic was still weird and most of times I didn’t know where to put us, so maybe Yunho was feeling the same way. Or maybe there was something dangerous about this guy and Yunho just simply avoided talking about me in his presence. Our encounter that night felt almost fresh in my memories and I willed myself to not think about the gun pointed at this younger guy.
“He must have a reason, then.” I found myself answering with a cold smile, ready to excuse myself finally, “My friend is waiting for me—”
“Just because he doesn’t mention you doesn’t mean we don’t know about you, Y/N.” His sinister smile and cold tone sent a chill down my spine and my eyebrows furrowed as I looked at Chan, “Do you have a tattoo?”
That was a very random question, one that took me off guard as my eyebrows raised, “Uh, no, I—”
“What a pleasant sight, Lee Chan.” A sharp tone cut me off and I turned my head to see Yunho approaching us in all of his tall glory. His glare was sharp and body stiff as he came to a stop next to me, instantly pressing his warm palm against the small of my back. It made me straighten up slightly as I gazed at Yunho’s profile, surprised to see him here.
“Thought you weren’t coming, Yunho.” Chan said with a chuckle, eyes falling between the two of us and the non-existent space between our bodies as Yunho pressed up against me, his musky cologne invading my senses.
“Maybe you should check on your friend, Chan, he might be unable to walk for a week or two.” The dark smirk which crossed Yunho’s lips made me gulp, and I watched as Chan’s expression fell, suddenly it felt like we were back to that chilly night out on the street.
“You son of a bitch,” Chan hissed and marched up to Yunho, who didn’t even as a little as flinched, “What did you do to Hansol?”
“Nothing he won’t survive.” My eyebrows furrowed as I looked up at Yunho, who seemed to be unbothered by my piercing gaze. Chan hissed under his breath and with one lasting glare quickly stormed off, grabbing for his phone as he raced towards the front door. I released a breath I didn’t know I had been holding just as Yunho faced me, and I took in his attire in surprise. His black long-sleeved blouse was tight and was unclasped down to his chest, blank ink peeking through from underneath on his left pectoral. His outfit was completed by black leather pants and his black hair, which fell messily against his forehead. I was snapped out of my staring the second I felt Yunho caging me in against the railing of the staircase, big palm still pressing against the small of my back, eyes very slowly dragging up from his exposed milky chest to his chocolate warm brown eyes, which were narrowed and carried a hint of frustration.
“What did he want?” His voice was low and it brought a flush to my cheeks as I looked up at him, suddenly all too aware of the lack of space between us.
“Nothing much.” I muttered with a shrug, but Yunho didn’t seem to believe me as he lowered his head, eyes boring into mine. His gaze made my skin crawl and my fingers twitched as I placed my hands behind my back, doing everything in me I could to focus on his eyes and not on his cherry red plush lips, which were too close to my face all of a sudden.
“Don’t lie to me.” His right knuckles grazed against the skin of my cheek and I gulped as something coiled in my stomach. Was I this transparent? He could read me so easily.
“He just asked if I have a tattoo or something.” I answered after a beat of silence and Yunho’s eyebrows slightly furrowed as I dared to peek at his chest again, the ink more visible because of his stance. The collar of his shirt fell lower and I could make out a thick line which went in a circle and the tip of a letter, perhaps A?
“And what did you say?” His forefinger was suddenly underneath my chin as he tipped my head back, pulling my eyes away from his chest. I blushed furiously because of the amusement in Yunho’s eyes and the wide smirk on his lips, I was caught staring. His voice was low and breathy and I bit my lower lip for a second, trying to ignore his proximity and scent as his head seemed to be even closer to mine right now.
“No—nothing,” I exhaled and licked my lips, “you got here when I was answering him.”
“Good girl.” My legs shouldn’t have almost given out at his praise, but my mind wasn’t clear anymore. Yunho’s scent and proximity were intoxicating and I sure as hell wasn’t drunk from one beer, but everything about Yunho made me feel like it. I don’t know when it happened, but I couldn’t pull my eyes off Yunho whenever we were hanging out. And when we were at university, I was just like the others, flocking towards his bright and warm aura, desperate for his attention at times. When it was just the two of us, I yearned for his warmth and dangerous eyes, often breathless when his voice dropped to chastise me for something. When we hung out with our circle of close friends, I wanted his undivided attention on myself only. I had come to realize that Jeong Yunho was insanely good-looking and his mysterious aura was nothing but a little spark which made him even more irresistible.   
“Wanna get out of here?” I heard him asking once I was done daydreaming, “I know you don’t like parties.”
I nodded wordlessly and as Yunho slowly, without breaking eye contact, pulled away I almost chased after him, hands balling up into fists in order to prevent myself of doing something I might regret later. There wasn’t a label to our relationship, but friends certainly didn’t want to fuck each other, therefore I needed to keep myself in check and control my desires.
            After letting our friends know that Yunho and I would be leaving we got our jackets and went up to Yunho’s car. It was slightly dirty, which made me wonder where he had been as he had a habit of keeping his car crystal clean, even just a speck of dust made him wash it. The car ride was quicker than I expected as we flew through the quiet city, lights blurring at the speed Yunho was driving. He wasn’t a reckless driver, but it seemed like he was eager to get home. I couldn’t blame him, there was nothing better than the feeling of finally reaching home after a long and tiring day. I could imagine Yunho’s had been the same after he texted me in the morning that he had some business outside of the city and wouldn’t attend his classes, therefore we wouldn’t meet up. It was a surprise that he even made it to the party. It wasn’t the first time Yunho and I hung out in his apartment, but it was the first time I had come here so late and without a real purpose. Usually we huddled together to study, Yunho’s determination finally rubbing off on me to do to my assignments in time or when our friend group wanted to hang out and have a chill night.
After Yunho and I got settled, he went and grabbed a bottle of red wine, saying he needed it after the day he had. I didn’t complain as I watched him from the couch, body turned around and eyes running all over his frame. The clothes he wore did an amazing job at showing off his forms and I couldn’t help it but linger on his shoulders and waist as he had his back to me, grabbing around his counter while he had the wine in front of him. He popped it open without much struggle and then poured some red wine in two glasses, putting the bottle away. I watched as he turned around and leaned his hips against the counter, crossing one arm over his chest as he grabbed a glass and raised it to his lips, closing his eyes. He took a small sniff of the beverage before taking a long sip, letting out a content sigh. The image shouldn’t have made the hairs on my skin stand, yet all I could do was watch and gulp, mind blank until Yunho’s dark eyes snapped open and he smiled. It was mischievous as he spoke up.
“Won’t you get yours?” He pointed at the second glass and I hummed, wondering whether I should mix beer and wine, but it’s been a few hours since I last had beer. Besides, I was feeling fine. It shouldn’t do any damage. So, I pushed off the couch and approached him carefully, feeling fidgety under his sharp gaze. His eyes followed my every step as I stopped next to him and grabbed the glass, copying him. I sniffed it before I took a careful sip of it, the sweet taste exploding in my mouth. I hummed and took a bigger sip, appreciative of its taste. Yunho was smiling as he sipped his, and we remained standing like that as I tried to find anything to look at which wasn’t Yunho. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was getting too much and I felt like I needed to break it, so I spoke up, “You never told me you had a tattoo.”
Yunho eyebrows slightly raised, almost surprised that I knew, until he glanced down at himself and chuckled, “Ah, I forgot this blouse was low cut.”
“It’s not low cut,” I snickered, “You’re just wearing it like that.”
“Are you saying I should button up?” He asked with a playful smirk and I just smiled while shrugging. If he did that perhaps I would stop staring, but I wasn’t about to say that to him.
“So…does it mean anything?” I asked nonchalantly, having now an excuse to look at his exposed chest as Yunho glanced down too. He remained silent as he looked up, eyes searching my face for a few seconds before he lowered his glass on the counter.
“Not one you’re expecting to hear.” He said lowly and I raised an eyebrow as he suddenly stepped closer, looking down at me with a serious expression and darkening eyes, “Do you want to know?”
I gulped and busied myself with the glass I had in my hand as I looked down at it, pursing my lips in thought. I was trying to ignore the rapid beating of my heart but Yunho took away my only distraction as he took the glass from my hands and placed it on the counter next to his, now I was forced to look at him.
“I guess.” I muttered, hoping he couldn’t hear the shake of my voice. His scent was once again all around me and it was hard to focus on anything he was saying.
“But if I tell you…” He took a step forward, making me step back and collide into the counter, “and you tell anyone…”
My body tensed as he reached forward and pressed his thumb against my lower lip, eyes focused on my lips, “I will have to kill you, angel.”
I gulped as I shuddered, and Yunho lightly dragged my lower lip down, licking his lips as we looked at each other. His gaze was challenging and dark, lips about to break into a sneer as I was scared but intrigued, “I won’t tell anyone.”
“How can I know for sure?” Was he testing me? His voice dropped to an almost whisper and he cocked his head to the side, eyebrows raised almost mockingly, “You have a vengeful personality, who knows what you’ll blabber on about if I happen to hurt you.”
“Don’t hurt me then.” I snapped and Yunho chuckled, but there was nothing amusing about it.
“Are you reckless or simply dumb?” He was taunting me and I didn’t like it. I grabbed his wrist and glared at him, pulling his hand back and thumb off my lips.
“That’s some nerve coming from someone who was everywhere I went and knows everything about me without actually knowing me.” Yunho’s lips pulled up into an amused grin at the way I snapped at him, nose scrunched in annoyance.
“I’m in a gang,” He stepped impossibly close and placed both hands on the counter on both sides of body, “A very dangerous gang, the tattoo is to signify where I belong to.”
I gulped, slightly thrown off. I was expecting many reasons to answer the enigma around Yunho, but I didn’t exactly envision him being involved into gang activities or the mafia, even. Was he just simply not saying? Wouldn’t be the first time he lied to me.
“Why did Chan ask if I have a tattoo?” My voice was hard and I tried not to shake when I felt Yunho’s large hands gripping my waist. His hold was firm, like he was afraid I would run away.
“Because,” Yunho licked his lips as he lowered his head so I didn’t have to crane my neck up so high, “if you’re mine you have to get the tattoo as well.”
“But I’m not yours.” I quickly said as I tried to process everything and ignore the way Yunho’s grip tightened around my hips and jaw clenched, “And I don’t want to have a tattoo.”
“Then you won’t have one,” Yunho’s tongue peeked out as he liked his lips swiftly, his eyes glued onto my lips, “But you are mine, Y/N.”
Before I could ask him since when, Yunho closed the gap between us and pressed his plush lips against mine. I didn’t mean to flinch, but it was unexpected and rough as his hands on my waist pushed me up onto the counter, easing the height difference a little between us. I kissed back when I felt him about to pull back, probably thrown off by my lack of response, and Yunho was quick to smash his lips against mine with a fever, setting a hasty and messy rhythm as my head was tilted back and arms circled around his shoulders. It was everything I have envisioned and yet nothing like it. His lips were plush and warm yet rough and relentless as he bit at my lower lip, almost as if he was trying to inhale the whole of me. His scent was the only thing I could smell around us and my brain was fogged up as Yunho’s lean body pressed into mine, pushing me flushed against himself by placing his hand on my back. My legs parted wider, making more space for Yunho as one of my hands traveled towards his hair, gripping at the black wavy strands firmly. His warmth was overwhelming and it made me breathless as his large hand wrapped around my neck as if he needed something to hold onto. My lungs were screaming for air and I pulled back once it got too much, lightheaded as I leaned forward, teeth attaching against the soft skin of Yunho’s neck. His chest was falling and rising rapidly, just as breathless as I was feeling, the hand from my neck traveling to my nape as I pressed open mouthed kisses against his skin, lips trailing down to his collarbone. Yunho groaned when I bit lightly at it, teasing and licking, before I was pulled back and forcefully met with lips against my own. It didn’t take long for Yunho to push his tongue against my lips, asking for permission. I opened up without hesitation, letting him take the lead as his wet tongue licked against mine, humming, the vibrations traveling through my whole body as I pulled on the smaller strands of his hair. Yunho tasted like the red wine he just had, sweet and so intoxicating that I couldn’t get enough of him. His tongue explored my mouth as my hips bucked against him and I wasn’t surprised to find him just as affected as I was feeling. I could feel him through his leather pants and the friction was much needed against my throbbing core as I grinded against him once again, catching his lower lip between my teeth as he went to pull back. Yunho’s eyes were the darkest I had ever seen them and his cheeks were lightly flushed as he grabbed my nape firmly, jaw clenching and lips plump from the kissing.
“Bedroom, right now.” His voice was raspy and it sent a chill down my spine as I quickly clung onto him, legs firm around his waist as he walked us to his bedroom, large hands holding me up by my ass and allowing me to grind against him as Yunho groaned and nipped at my lower lip until we were standing in his dark bedroom. He carefully lowered me and onto the ground and I was quick to get rid of my jeans and shirt, helping Yunho in undoing the zipper of his leather pants as he had gotten rid of his blouse. I allowed myself to stare unabashedly at his body, taking in his lean but muscular form as he towered over me, stomach well defined and thighs thick. It was a sight worthy for drooling and I snapped out of it when Yunho started walking me backwards, not expecting me to palm him through his boxers. He sucked in a harsh breath and allowed me to feel him up and massage him before I was pushed down onto the bed by my shoulders. I scooted back before he crawled towards me and leaned down to press kisses against my neck and shoulder, tongue flattening against the flush skin of my collarbones before he sucked hard at a patch of skin, making me groan at the sting. His kisses didn’t stop there as he kissed down between my breasts, biting at the skin before he continued, all the way down to my stomach. I was panting and itching to grip onto his hair, but his face was in front of mine in an instant and he kissed me breathless once again. My nails dug into his back as my hands roamed over it, mapping every flaw of his skin, soaking in his warmth. Before I could register it, his fingers were ghosting over my thigh and slowly itching closer to my panties. I groaned into his mouth as he yanked them down, eyes opened as Yunho pulled back just slightly, hot breath hitting my face as one finger slowly slipped inside my wet hole. I gasped at the feeling and Yunho groaned, lips pressing against my cheek as he pushed himself up by one hand near my head. He slowly started thrusting it in and out, making my eyebrows furrow as he dragged the movement out, not waiting long to add another long finger. I grabbed his arm as my toes curled and hips lifted off the soft cover of the bed, trying to meet his lazy thrusts. They weren’t enough and they made my skin burn as my other hand tangled into his hair.
“Please, Yunho,” I whispered out, moan choked back as his thumb pressed against my clit, stomach coiling at the added sensation, “Faster.”
His teeth bit into the skin of my jaw, not hard enough to leave a bruise as he slightly picked up his pace, fingers curling against my walls and making my back arch off the bed as he rubbed harsher and faster against my clit, fingers thrusting in and out. A knot was forming in my stomach as more sound left my lips, sharp exhales and broken moans as Yunho’s fingers reached the spot which made my back arch off the bed, my own hips picking up its pace as I chased for an orgasm.
“Such a good girl,” Yunho rasped in my ear, making me moan as his finger grazed the spot again, “you were so patient for me.”
“Yunho.” Our eyes connected and I pulled his head closer by the hand I had tangled in his hair, “Please—”
“Not yet.” He bit my lower lip as his hand stilled, making me whine as my walls clenched down against his fingers, every nerve in my body burning. I tried to move my hips despite it, but Yunho’s fingers quickly were pulled out from where I needed him most and I watched helplessly as he sat back, the tent in his boxers obvious. He proceeded to pull my panties all the way down before getting rid of his own boxers, pumping himself as his head fell back. I watched with hungry eyes as his size came as no surprise, matching the massivity of his body. He reached over my head, holding a package as he opened it, putting on the condom before he hovered over my body. For a second he didn’t move and my skin tingled in anticipation as I reached my arms around his shoulders, pulling his hot body against mine, whispering in his ear.
“Yunho, just fuck me already.” I didn’t expect him to moan and before I could blink, his tip was at my entrance, slowly pushing in. My mouth opened as I clenched my eyes shut, surprised at the burn as he stretched me out more and more as he slid inside. He was bigger than anyone I was with before and I needed a moment to adjust to his size as Yunho pressed kisses all over my face, biting my earlobe.
“You can’t tell anyone.” He said lowly, and despite our predicament I heard the threat in his words.
“Which part?” I questioned despite knowing what he was talking about, hand trailing down his smooth back.
“The gang part.” Yunho clarified, as if I needed it, lightly thrusting up. I gasped and gripped his sides, walls clenching around him, making him groan.
“I won’t, I won’t, just—” My voice broke off as he did the same again, smirk on his lips, “Move, please, Yunho.”
“As you wish, angel.” He whispered in my ear before pulling out almost all the way and slamming back inside, making me gasp loudly as I didn’t expect it. Yunho’s smirk stayed glued to his lips as he did it again, ripping a loud whine from between my lips, nails digging into his skin as he set an excruciatingly slow rhythm. It did no good but rile me up and make me reach around for anything to hold onto as my body flamed, walls clenching more around him, desperate for more friction. But Yunho seemed to enjoy the desperate state I was in as he chuckled, and suddenly, I felt his big hands bringing mine together, pushed above my head as he pinned my wrists together and pushed them down harshly into the mattress. He suddenly was moving, getting up onto his knees and sitting back as his right hand slipped under my lower back, guiding me up, lower back hovering in the air. Yunho only paused for a small second, eyes connecting with mine before he moved, sharp and clear, pace nothing like the slow one previously. I moaned loudly as he started rocking his hips harshly, pace relentless and dick reaching deeper than before, making my hands ball up into fists as I couldn’t hold onto anything with Yunho pinning them above my head. It didn’t take long for Yunho to get vocal, cursing under his breath as his eyes were closed and he was biting his lower lip, pace picking up the louder my moans got. I couldn’t focus on anything else but the pleasure building up in my lower abdomen and the electricity coursing through my veins, mind wrapped up in the scent of Yunho, the feel of Yunho…Yunho.
“Yunho.” He was the only thing I could think about and at the desperation in my voice he got rougher, pistoning his hips at an unforgiving pace, making me cry out in pleasure as my hips thrusted up, chasing for an orgasm as I tried to meet Yunho’s frantic thrusts. He finally released my wrists and gripped my hips firmly with both hands as he helped me move against him, my head thrown back at the constant ripples of pleasure as my fingers tangled into the sheets above head and twisted hard, moans of Yunho’s name tumbling through my lips. He was panting loudly and whines left his lips as I could feel him throbbing and I knew he was close like I was.
“Fuck, Y/N, you feel so good.” He moaned out as my walls clenched down hard on his length, toes curling and mind completely fogged up with pleasure. The second his cold thumb started rubbing circles against my clit I saw stars and I came with a high-pitched moan of his name, Yunho’s hips stuttering before he guided my hips, riding out my orgasm just as he muttered a quiet fuck before he came too, groan low and guttural, movements never ceasing until it became too much and I whined, gripping his wrist in an attempt to ask him to stop as I haven’t managed to find my voice yet. Yunho groaned as his hips stuttered and slowly stopped, panting hard as he stared down at me. My eyes took him in before they stuck to the tattoo on his left pectoral. It was big. A big circle going around the letter A and cutting into it at the bottom. I shuddered as he slipped out and got off the bed, leaving my limp body on the bed to recover as my fingers tangled in my hair in an attempt to tame the wild strands. Yunho got rid of the used condom before he stood by the bed, towering over me. We stared at each other for a few seconds before he leaned down and tucked the covers away, effortlessly picking me up and slipping me underneath them. He got in next to me and pulled the soft covers over our bodies. I sighed in content at the warmth spreading over my naked body and nuzzled my nose into the pillow which smelled so much like Yunho. I felt him shift behind me before the front of his big body was pressed against my back, a hand coming around my body to hold me. I didn’t expect him to grip my neck firmly and push me back even more into himself as he slightly leaned over me. I was able to look at him from the corner of my eyes and I watched the menacing look on his face and the darkness in his chocolate brown eyes as he leaned close enough to be able to whisper.
“You don’t have to get a tattoo,” Despite his expression, his tone was soft, “but you’re mine and everyone else will know about it. I’ll make sure.”
I gulped as Yunho pressed a chaste kiss against my cheek before his long fingers slipped from my neck, making me realize I had been holding my breath. I released it shakily and felt him settle down behind me once again, nose pushing against my shoulder blade as his arm was firmly planted around my middle.
“Alright, let’s say I’m yours for now.” I found myself saying, but didn’t expect the chuckle from Yunho. I didn’t like being called nicknames nor being claimed like I was an object, but they didn’t sound so bad coming from Yunho’s mouth, they held no menace nor ulterior motives.
I didn’t know what this made us, but I knew I had one or two secrets to keep and that Yunho wasn’t letting me go nowhere from his sight.
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⟨Part 2⟩
547 notes · View notes
artist-issues · 4 months
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You know what’s great about Dr. Facilier?
He’s the perfect villain opposite both Tiana and Naveen.
He’s not exactly like Jafar or Ursula, who know they’re evil and delight in it as like, a lifestyle. He’s more like Scar. He’s introduced getting money on the street through cons and feeling satisfied…until Big Daddy LeBouf drives by with all his money and makes him feel insignificant.
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You get the idea that something in life made him this way—there was a beginning to his villainy. You don’t get that sense from like, Clayton or Gaston.
So he’s a relatable character with flaws, to an extent.
But those flaws specifically play off of Tiana and Naveen’s characterizations.
Tiana has no real respect from her peers—she is in a position to be jealous of Lottie the same way Facilier is jealous of the Cotton King. But where Tiana simply works hard and refuses to let others make her bitter, Facilier has clearly taken shortcuts. Or…”the easy way.”
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Then there’s Naveen.
Naveen has no thought beyond the present; he thinks they’re “on this earth to have some fun,” and frequently jumps without looking at the consequences. Leaps without looking! Doesn’t stop to find out if the girl he’s kissing is a real princess even though he knew his original invitation was to a costume party, forgets that he’s supposed to be getting married and plans on continuing his playboy lifestyle, wanders into a shadow-man’s shop. But eventually he learns to open his eyes to what’s important, and what will last, in Tiana. And he takes that seriously; if he marries her instead of Charlotte, he has to get three jobs.
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Facilier, on the other hand? He not only does the opposite of Tiana and has taken shortcuts to get where he is—but he also suffers from Naveen’s flaw; he keeps making what are basically get-rich-quick schemes with his “friends on the other side.” When we meet him, he’s stressed and certainly on edge about failing—but that doesn’t stop him from asking for more and more debt from the demons, and he basically goes to his grave still making promises he can’t keep…like Naveen’s promise he couldn’t keep to pay Tiana for kissing him.
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He’s got Tiana’s focus and Naveen’s charisma. He’s got Tiana’s lofty goals and Naveen’s dependence on others to do his dirty work.
He’s exactly like Tiana and Naveen put together, aged about twenty years, but with none of their good qualities. Perfect villain for those two main characters.
But he’s also the opposite of Mama Odie.
He entices innocents with what they want while she lights their way by explaining what they need.
He wants total control, while she’s satisfied with simply giving advice and sending people on their way.
He directly transforms his victims, while Mama Odie shows Tiana and Naveen how to work toward their transformation on their own. I mean, you guys noticed that she could have done it for them, right?
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But she doesn’t, because she’s the symbol of that Disney Faith-Based morals: you act on what you know is true instead of taking the easy way to what you want. Facilier does the opposite: he promises to give you the easy way to what you want, and tries to tell you why you should accept his deals—but his reasons are all lies.
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That’s how you write a villain, ladies and gentlemen.
569 notes · View notes
auggieblogs · 8 months
Text
Mario Kart ⋆。°✩
Max Verstappen x fem!reader
Author's note: Hi, hi, everyone. This one-shot has been sitting in my drafts for a while now but I FINALLY edited it. So, yayahwgsgsjshs. Also whilst talking about the reader's gaming skills, I might have projected a little too much, yeah sorry about that.
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You sat cross-legged on the couch, a determined look on your face as you tightly gripped your controller. The colourful world of Mario Kart played out on the TV screen in front of you, and you were absolutely certain that this time, victory would be yours. But, there was a tiny problem - you were absolutely, unequivocally, and hilariously terrible at video games. It was almost impressive how bad you were. You, however, were in complete denial about your lack of skills. Instead, you firmly believed that the reason you were losing was because your boyfriend was cheating.
"You're cheating," you accused, narrowing your eyes at him.
Max chuckled, his eyes fixed on the game. "I'm not, love. I've just had more practice."
(You crossed your arms, looking absolutely adorable in your pouty frustration. Max couldn't help but smile and resist the urge to pat your head like a mischievous kitten).
But you weren't having it. You knew the reason you were losing couldn't possibly be your own lack of gaming prowess. So, you hatched a plan. With determination in your eyes, you scooted closer to Max on the couch, your fingers itching to snatch the controller from his skilled hands. As you moved closer on the couch, leaning towards Max to snatch his controller, he decided to take matters into his own hands. In one swift move, he pulled you onto his lap, your surprised squeak filling the room. He placed his hand above yours, which was still firmly on the controller, and looked into your eyes.
"Schat," he said, his voice warm and tender, "I'll teach you how to play this. You'll be beating my ass in no time."
You were still pouty and looking absolutely adorable, but you nodded, realizing that maybe, just maybe, Max could help you improve your gaming skills. "I know what to do, Max," you protested weakly.
"Shh," Max hushed you with a gentle smile, and your heart melted. You were sitting in his lap, and he was going to teach you how to be a pro at Mario Kart – what more could you ask for?
Over the next few races, Max patiently guided you, explaining the mechanics, tricks, and shortcuts. You listened attentively, your determination to win gradually replacing your frustration. Finally, after a few races, the moment of truth arrived, and you BEAT MAX. Your victory was met with an impromptu dance and an exaggerated "L" sign.
"You did it, my little champion!" Max cheered, genuinely proud of your accomplishment.
With a joyous grin, you returned to Max's lap, burying your face in his neck. You showered him with hugs and kisses, peppering his cheek with affectionate smooches. Max's heart melted at the sight of your overflowing love and affection.
"Oh, and by the way," Max said, a mischievous twinkle in his eye, "you owe me ice cream for losing."
You pulled back, your eyes wide with mock surprise. "Ice cream? Well, I suppose I can't argue with that. My baby deserves a treat."
Max chuckled, leaning in to steal a sweet kiss from your lips. "That's my girl."
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antoniosvivaldi · 1 year
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Rotoscoping Tutorial by @antoniosvivaldi​​
Hi everyone! I’m excited to announce my long-delayed Rotoscoping Tutorial - requested by a number of people over the past calendar year. 
In this tutorial, I will show you how to create the cutout gifs like this (and seen in most of my gifsets under this tag) with Rotoscoping on After Effects. I’ll also provide additional examples and a number of things that I do to optimise my giffing / Rotoscoping workflow (e.g. useful shortcuts & other things to be aware of).
This is the structure of the tutorial:
Why Rotoscoping? Photoshop video timeline’s limitations
Photoshop workflow pt 1: Preparing your gif
After Effects workflow: Interface, shortcuts, and Rotoscoping tools
Photoshop workflow pt 2: Assembling your gif; with multiple examples
Bonus content: Rotoscoping tips* & workarounds to common issues
For quick reference, here are example gifsets (and where Rotoscoping is used in the posts) that I will mention in the tutorial:
Example 1: Cutout gif effect | panels 2 + 4
Example 2: Changing a gif’s background colour | all panels
Example 3: Cutout gif effect in a shape | all panels
Example 4: Putting it all together | panels 1, 3, & 5
What you need & need to know:
Software: Photoshop & After Effects (After Effects 2021 or later for Rotobrush 2.0)*
Hardware: 16GB RAM required to run later versions of AE*
Difficulty: Advanced; Knowledge in making gifs, applying layer masks, and using video timeline interface assumed
Key concepts: Rotoscoping (AE) / Video Timeline (AE+ PS) / Layer Masks & Groups (PS)
Supplementary files: tutorial resources
*I’m currently running the latest version of PS & AE on an M2 Mac, but I’ve also used older versions (CC 2015 & 2020) on Intel-based Macs. I’ll outline some known compatibility & performance issues, and workarounds later in this tutorial that could help streamline your giffing workflow.
Tutorial under the cut. Like / Reblog this post if you find this tutorial helpful. Linking this post / the example gifsets in your post caption, will be greatly appreciated if you read this to create effects seen in Examples 3 + 4.
1) Why Rotoscoping?
My Rotoscoping journey is motivated by the shortcomings on Photoshop - namely the limited options to manipulate the Layer Mask keyframes in the video timeline interface, as well my need to gif more efficiently.
Suppose I want to cutout this subject or recolour the background of a gif on Photoshop: I personally classify the gifs that I prepare on PS into 3 types based on the motion of the subject
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These are the common Photoshop-only approaches when attempting to mask the subject in the gif.
Case 1: minimal motion in the subject → a simple layer mask will do the trick
Case 2: some linear panning of the subject in the gif → using the Layer Mask Position keyframes in the video timeline interface will do the trick
Case 3: subject moves around a lot (e.g. zoom motion) → Unfortunately this is where a Photoshop-only workflow will require frame by frame masking. Layer Mask Position keyframes only apply positional translation (but not transformation / rotation) on the layer mask
Enter Rotoscoping on After Effects: Instead of resigning to frame by frame procedure on Photoshop, I opted to make my life easier by learning to Rotoscope on After Effects. This essentially provides me an opportunity to cutout / recolour a wider range of gifs with relative ease.
2) Photoshop pt. 1: Preparing your gif
Prepare your gif the usual way - whether you screencap or import frames from video.
Then your Photoshop should look like this:
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Now, I shall walkthrough & explain my personal giffing workflow (as of 2023) after loading the gif frames. To speed up the process, import my gif prep action file to Photoshop.
Going to Window > Action, you’ll see a set of actions under the “gif prep” folder. 
"set frame delay for timeline” (highlighted in yellow) will set all of your entire gif’s frame delay to 0.03s
“convert to timeline“ (highlighted in red) will take you to the Video Timeline interface
To play an action, press on the Play button (highlighted in green)
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i. Set the frame delay of the entire gif to 0.03s. (play “set frame delay for timeline” from my gif prep action pack)
I work with everything in 0.03s frame delay (or equivalently 30fps) at first. It’s always possible to change the frame delay of the final gif to 0.05s before uploading onto Tumblr.   
ii) Convert this gif to a Smart Video Layer (play “convert to timeline” from my action pack)
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Note: I personally don’t resize the gif just yet. That’s because Rotoscoping in full video resolution will render higher quality details around the edges as well as more flexibilities later on in the editing process.
Performance optimisation: If your computer has 8GB of RAM or less, you might find it helpful to crop / resize your gif to Tumblr dimensions now for a less sluggish performance in After Effects later on. 
(I have giffed on a desktop with 8GB of RAM and it’s quite slow at rendering individual frames of a 1080p short clip on AE)
iii) Add colouring adjustments on the gif. This will save you A LOT of time when you Rotoscope gifs that are originally very dark / poorly lit (e.g. the uncoloured Taylor Swift gif shown just above). 
If you usually colour your gifs at the very end of your giffing process (i.e. after sharpening), this will be a bit of a change.Nevertheless I still highly recommend adding some base colourings now to at least increase the contrast between the subject and the background.
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iv) To minimise lagging on After Effects, simplify this gif file as follows: 
Flatten / Unsmart this gif file back to frame animation mode: play “flatten” (highlighted in red) from my gif prep action pack
Set the frame delay to 0.03s: play “set frame delay for timeline” (highlighted in green)
Convert the simplified gif file back to the video timeline interface: play “convert to timeline” (highlighted in yellow)
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After “unsmarting” and converting back to the video timeline, your interface should look like this
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And voila! This gif PSD is now ready to be imported to After Effects for Rotoscoping work!
3) After Effects: Interface and useful shortcuts
Open After Effects and Import (Cmmd / Ctrl + I) your gif PSD that you’ve just prepared.
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After importing your gif PSD to After Effects, the interface should look like this. 
In the screenshot below, there are two compositions: the imported gif (highlighted in green) & another composition file made from selecting the imported gif (highlighted in red)
For the rest of the workflow, we will edit from the clone composition (the one highlighted in red), so select this one.
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Before we take our plunge into the Rotoscoping, here are a few useful shortcuts to remember. I’ll explain the Roto Brush tool in the next section.
Preview the previous: fn + up arrow
Preview the next frame: fn + down arrow
Add to Roto Brush selection: holding Shift while you’re using the Roto Brush Tool
Subtract from Roto Brush selection: holding Alt while you’re using the Roto Brush Tool
Change Roto Brush size: while holding Cmmd / Ctrl, click + drag your mouse left / right
4) After Effects: The Rotoscoping Process
To access the Rotoscoping tools, click on the Roto Brush icon (highlighted in red in the screenshot below)
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Then you’ll get the following dropdown options with two Rotoscoping Tools
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Roto Brush Tool: This is where you add / subtract your Rotoscoping selection in your composition
Refine Edge Tool: Paint around the edge of your selection for more refined edges. Very helpful for Rotoscoping fuzzy edges / hairs
To make some Rotoscoping selection, first grab the Roto Brush Tool and click on the subject you want to cut out from your composition. 
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When you’re Rotoscoping you’ll see this in the Effect Controls panel. 
There are two versions of Roto Brush:
Version 2.0: The Rotoscoping selection is powered by AI for higher accuracy when you propagate the frames. 
Version 1.0 (Classic): This is the legacy Roto Brush Tool that uses a lesser algorithm. Recommended only if Roto Brush 2.0 is unstable on your machine due to RAM issues.
And two quality settings for Roto Brush 2.0:
Standard
Best
Note: I am currently unable to use Roto Brush 2.0 with Best quality model on my machine to compare the differences myself, so I’ll link this page that explains the two quality settings.
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Note: if you’re using an older version of After Effects you’ll see this instead. This corresponds to Roto Brush 1.0 / Classic in the newer versions of AE.
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When you’ve made a selection using the Roto Brush Tool, you’ll see the pink lines around the subject. This is the region that you’ve selected to Rotoscope!
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To bring out some details around the edges, grab the Refine Edge Tool and paint around the edges
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Then the interface will look like this
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To view the Rotoscoping selection that you’ve made more intuitively, you could click on the following buttons.
Personally I like the viewing my selection using Toggle Alpha (the second box from the left) & Toggle Alpha Boundary (the 3rd box from the left)
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Toggle Alpha
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Toggle Alpha Boundary
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Note: If you aren’t happy with the initial Roto Brush selection, you can always add (press Shift while using the Roto Brush Tool) / subtract (press Alt / Option using the Roto Brush Tool) your selection.
After you’re happy with your Rotoscoping selection in the first frame of your composition, press fn + down to view the next frame.
Repeat pressing fn + down and fix the selection along the way (e.g. I subtracted a small area from my Rotoscoping selection with the Roto Brush tool to make the edge look cleaner).
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After fixing the selection along the way, go back to the composition file (select the clone composition again) and you will see that a cutout gif is made!
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To export this, go to File > Export > Add to Render Queue. You’ll be redirected to the Render Queue panel at the bottom of After Effects. 
Highlighted in red: click to change export setings
Highlighted in green: click to change save destination
Highlighted in yellow: click to render video
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To preserve the transparency of your cutout gif, you need to change your export settings in the Output Module. 
Under the Video Output section, change your Channels to RGB + Alpha. Press OK. Then Render the video.
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5) Photoshop pt. 2: Assembling your final gif
The essence is to drag the cutout gif (aka the video file that you’ve just rendered on AE) into a new PSD composition file. This will be where you’ll do the rest of your giffing. Your workflow will contain the follow steps:
Make a new blank PSD composition file in Tumblr dimensions
Enable the Video Timeline
Follow the instructions detailed in the individual examples i.e. drag the cutout gif into the PSD & adjust the timeline start / end points
Exporting the final gif. If you’ve worked in 0.03s frame delay all the way up to here, just play the action that I’ve provided in the tutorial in the following order to set the frame delay to 0.05s.
EXAMPLE 1: finalising your cutout gif | sample gifset
After enabling the Video Timeline in your PSD composition file you’ll see something like this
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Go to your folder, drag the cutout gif you’ve made on After Effects, resize / reposition, then press Enter. 
And also make sure to adjust the Video Timeline’s start / end values.
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Add some finishing touches. Because I did the Rotoscoping at full HD resolution, I’ll also need to sharpen my gif in this step.
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After you’re happy, you can export this into a gif file and do what you usually do to change the frame delay to 0.05s. 
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Notes on my “Unsmarting” approach:
To prevent accidentally writing over a PSD composition file that I’ve spent time editing, I personally render this into a short video (File > Export > Render Video) and use the following export settings (to prevent quality loss)
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Then I open the rendered clip and play the actions in my gif prep action pack as follows:
flatten: this “Unsmarts” the clip / video
set frame rate: this sets all frames to have 0.05s frame delay
This is the final interface that I get before I pull up the Save For Web window.
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EXAMPLE 2: changing your gif’s background colour (for Case 3 gifs) | sample gifset
From your folder, drag BOTH the cutout gif (rendered on AE) and the original gif to your blank composition. 
Important: you need to make sure that both layers are properly lined up in the composition file (i.e. selecting both layers when repositioning / resizing)
 On Photoshop, press Enter twice and place the cutout gif on top of the original gif from the Layers panel. Then you should get something like this
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Select both layers and resize / reposition them in your PSD composition until you’re satisfied with the placements.
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The basic idea here is to add some adjustment layers / other things in between the cutout gif and the original gif. To do this, select the original gif layer in the Layers panel.
Then you can start adding.a bunch layers e.g. textures, onto the composition.
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And then here’s the exported gif!
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6) Fancier Rotoscoping examples
Note: knowledge in using layer masks / groups and making shape / text layers assumed
In the next two examples, I’ll show you how to combine the two previous examples with shape / text layers.
EXAMPLE 3: Placing your cutout gif into a shape / text layer | sample gifset
Add a text / shape layer to your blank PSD composition
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We want to prepare a masked group so in the Layers panel:
Make selection from layer: Cmmd / Ctrl + Click (highlighted in red)
Make a new group: click on the folder icon (in yellow)
Create layer mask: click on the icon (in green)
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After duplicating the masked group you’ll get something like this in the Layers panel
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Drag your cutout gif into the PSD composition
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Place the cutout gif into the masked group on top
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Select the mask of the top group and paint (in white) over the region you want to reveal for the cutout gif
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Add some finishing touches & export the gif!
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EXAMPLE 4: Putting it all together | sample gifset
You follow the same approach as in Example 3 to prepare the masked groups, but you need to drag two gif layers in (and resize them using the approach outlined in Example 2)
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Place the gif layers as follows
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While selecting the mask of the group on top, paint (in white) over the region that you want to reveal in the cutout gif
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Now select the original gif (placed within the other group) and add some adjustment layers
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After adding some finishing touches & exporting the gif, I get this!
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Note: you can do even more overlay effects in the background portion of example 4. There will just be more masked groups + adjustment layers
7) Bonus: Some useful Rotoscoping / giffing lifehacks
GIFFING LIFEHACKS:
— Use best quality footage that you could find & Rotoscope in full video resolution, for better details around the edges
— Poorly lit scenes & low contrast edges are harder to Rotoscope (e.g. Toy Story set / TS evermore set).
If you’re new to AE, I would recommend choosing videos with well-lit gifs with simpler backgrounds and high contrast edges (e.g. Maisie Peters Cate’s Brother set)
— Use Rotobrush 2.0 if you’re using After Effects 2021 or later. It’s more difficult to Rotoscope / change background colour for gifs with a lot of movements with the classic Rotobrush tool. If the scene is tricky, you might want to switch to the “Best” quality model.
HARDWARE-RELATED PERFORMANCE OPTIMISATION:
— The recent versions of Photoshop require at least 8GB of RAM. If you have less RAM, it will still work provided you have enough scratch disk space. For better performance, it’s best to close other applications when you’re using Photoshop.
— The recent versions of After Effects require at least 16GB of RAM. If your machine has less RAM than this, there are some workarounds to prevent your machine from hanging: 
Essential: close other applications that you’re running on your computer
Resize your gif down to Tumblr dimensions & sharpen it before importing to After Effects.
Install an older version of AE 
8) Bonus: Some known software + hardware issues, and workarounds
KNOWN ISSUES ON PHOTOSHOP:
I currently have minimal issues in my giffing workflow, but I’ll nevertheless outline a few common known Photoshop issues for anyone who needs some workarounds.
— Video Timeline interface missing: this affects Apple Silicon Macs (i.e. M1 / M1 Pro / M1 Max / M1 Ultra / M2 / M2 Pro / M2 Max)
Update to newer version of Photoshop (updated 2022 or 2023)
Open Photoshop with Rosetta
— Scratch disk full error: This is a common issue with machines that lack RAM & have nearly used up internal storage. Editing video layers in the timeline interface uses a lot of memory hence will require a lot of scratch disk space. 
Make sure that you have enough free storage space while using Photoshop. Alternatively you can use an external hard drive as a scratch disk.
KNOWN ISSUES ON AFTER EFFECTS:
These are a few issues that I have personally ran into over the course of giffing on multiple devices & multiple versions of After Effects.
Note: Inputs from M1 / M2 Mac users with regards to experiences on using the After Effects Rotoscoping tools are welcome!
— Rotobrush 2.0 set to “Best” quality model causes AE to crash: this affects anyone who’s using MacOS Ventura
I’m currently experiencing this issue on my M2 Mac. The workaround right now is to change the Roto Brush 2.0 quality setting to Standard. 
This is due to some software compatibility issues on Adobe’s side specifically with MacOS Ventura. Fingers crossed that they will properly fix this bug in the future updates!
— Cannot re-open project files with Rotoscoping: this affects anyone using the initial release of After Effects 2020 (I had installed this on an Intel-based machine and it sucked)
The only option here is to update to a later version of After Effects.
8) More useful Rotoscoping resources
Rotoscoping + Keyframes Tutorial by @jenna--ortega​
Rotoscoping + Masking Tutorial by @usergif​
Rotoscoping For Beginners in After Effects | Motion Graphics Tutorial
I hope you enjoy reading this! If you have any questions / need any help related to this tutorial, feel free to send me an ask!
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I used to think that the reason I wasn't satisfied with Izzy's death was because I was too attached to his perspective as a character and couldn't focus on the big picture of the season and the main Gentlebeard relationship enough. I mean, I was still convinced that his death and the way it was carried out was a shit writing decision, but everyone else outside the Izzy Canyon circles seemed fine with it, so I was starting to think that maybe they were right.
So I looked back on the rest of the season and rewatched the finale... And realised something that I'd been trying to ignore because it was too painful to admit. A huge part of why Izzy's death hit so hard (in a bad way, not that delicious masochistic pain of having a beloved character die a good, narratively satisfying death) was because throughout this season he was the only character who actually had a satisfying arc and development. Practically no one else did. I didn't actually care for Gentlebeard this season, not the way I cared in S1. From episode 1 to 8 and a half, Izzy's arc was crafted with more care, kindness, subtlety and narrative weight than the main Gentlebeard arc which, in comparison, felt like a string of choppy beads badly tied together in an approximate shape of an arc, but collapsed as soon as you looked at it too closely.
Yes, we all know this season suffered for being 2 episodes too short, but I don't think that's all there is to it. This is starting to feel like GoT season 8 all over again. Would it have been better if it wasn't so rushed? Maybe. Or maybe it would have been even worse because this season just didn't seem to know what to do with itself or the characters. The themes and symbolism are all over the place and completely inconsistent. Ed and Stede's characters are practically back at the same place they left in S1. All they did was bounce off the walls back and forth with no real growth. As soon as they took a step towards fixing their relationship or growing as people, they either tool three steps back or it just got dropped. Stede letting fame get to his head? Interesting and realistic development. And how was it resolved? It wasn't. Stede and Ed being whim prone? I'm glad they brought it up. And then they just fell for another whim and it was presented as a satisfying ending.
Ed went from the Kraken, to taking the first steps towards being Ed, then suddenly all the way to being Ed by way of a Night of Magical Healing Sex that he he didn't actually want to happen because he wasn't ready. And then all of a sudden he pivoted to abandoning Stede and piracy and becoming a fisherman... for 5 min. And then back to Blackbeard again because two fishermen were mean to him for 5 minutes. And then abandoning it again to open an inn. How was any of this even remotely coherent or satisfying? They didn't even have a single conversation about any of it. Ed had more proper closure and communication with Izzy during his dying scene than with Stede and the rest of the crew put together. Izzy's arc got sacrificed to do the heavy lifting for Ed's arc and became nothing more than a shortcut to speed run his character growth. Except it didn't even lead anywhere. "Ed, they're your family, they love you" no they don't, he didn't even have a single positive conversation with any of them except Fang. Of course this could have been the point, and Ed could have seen Izzy's death, his own discovery of found family and his dying words as a pretext to repair his relationship with the crew. But he just left them and stayed with Stede instead.
Sure, you could say this was only the second act of the story, and S3 will resolve everything. But the second act is still meant to move the story and the characters forward in some way. Yes, of course if we get S3, I imagine Stede and Ed's life as innkeepers won't exactly be idyllic. But the problem is that the conflicts they'd have will only be a rehash and repeat of the same conflicts they've already have, or were supposed to have, this season. Multiple times, even. We already know that Ed is simply unable to live with himself no matter what life he chooses. The title of S1 was literally "wherever you go, there you are". We already know Stede's love isn't enough to fix him. We already know their goals in life are completely opposite. Maybe they could have shown Stede realising, after his humiliating in S7, that piracy wasn't all it was cracked up to be or he isn't suited for it, and that's why he chose to leave it behind and open an inn, but that's not the explanation we were given. It was just another whim. They literally didn't learn anything this season. They had two baby conversations in E4 and E5 and didn't take anything from it, just kept doing the complete opposite of anything. "We're both prone to whims, let's take things slow" became "let's take things extremely fast by moving in together permanently and becoming entrepreneurs". They never talked about the actual, deepseated, longstanding trauma issues they needed to resolve before they could even begin to have a proper relationship. They literally got a heavy-handed glimpse in what their life would become if they just stuck together without addressing their own personal issues, and chose to do that very thing. It that's what S3 is going to address, then why were Anne and Mary part of this season instead of the next one?
I remember everyone saying they wanted Ed and Stede to reunite as quickly as possible in S2, and I get why. They have great chemistry together. The season is about them. But for it to work, spending more time apart is exactly what they needed. They needed to learn how to live with themselves and others, first. Romantic love alone can't fix you as a person. You have to fix yourself first. Community can help (as with Izzy's case), but you still have to put in the work. In retrospect, I'm glad that Izzy didn't get a love interest this season - because he wasn't ready yet, and had to learn how to have normal relationships and friendships with other people before attempting an intimate romantic relationship, lest he ended up falling head first unit another toxic mutually dependent relationship. That's what Stede and Ed should have tried too. Instead the show just ended up using Izzy's death as a quick surgical fix, robbing Ed of his agency and having to do the hard work repairing himself and his relationships with other people. There's a sad irony in getting exactly one character's arc just this, and then using it as a sacrificial lamb to patch over the main character's arc.
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theorphicangel · 3 months
Text
𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐨 𝐜𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬. | 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐨’𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐱 𝐟𝐞𝐦!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫
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Synopsis: It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single, brooding man in possession of a good future in genetics, must be in want of a girlfriend.
Or at least a fake one to get his family off his back.
(college au & fake dating trope ft my favourite grumpy man who doesn't fall first but ends up falling harder. ouch.)
ao3
series | next chapter
𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞: 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝…𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞?
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You’re running late.
But then again…is there ever a day when you’re not running late?
It’s hard to differentiate whether it’s due to the fact that you left all your pre-reading till the last minute or if your alarm forgot to go off or if it was due to you oversleeping for an additional thirty minutes because your roommate had dragged you out last night for the fourth freshers party of the week.
Either way, you’re running late. Your bag is frantically packed with notebooks and random essentials, your laptop is less than half-charged and your socks are mismatched. It’s not the best start that you had imagined for your first week of lectures but as you glance at digits in the corner of your phone, you figure that you don’t even have the time to complain.
The campus is still relatively new to you, and also fucking huge. Groups of people swarm around like insects, trying to find their way around to their own lecture. Glancing down at the map app currently open on your phone, a frown reaches your brows.
It seems like you’re still so far away from the humanities block which is on the other side of campus.
You scroll down, pausing your steps to look for another route. If only there was….
‘Want a shortcut? Press here.’
“Yes fucking please.” you mutter to yourself, clicking the bold button absentmindedly.
The muffled sound of a robotic voice announcing your destination perks up your mood entirely as you reach the lecture doors of 202. You made it with just about five minutes to spare and you’ve never felt prouder, not even during all those times when you’ve forgotten to study for exams but had luckily gotten away with pretty decent grades.
Entering the hall, you find most seats are taken, nearly all the rows are unavailable. Scanning around desperately, you find a seat near the back next to a guy mindlessly scrolling on his phone. Hastily, you walk to your desired seat before the rest of the row fills up, and you find that as soon as you have taken your seat, there’s no spare seats left at all.
Taking a deep breath, your anxiety now sits comfortably in the pit of your stomach.
This is how college was supposed to go.
Prepared, calm and on time. You’re so relaxed right now that you’re not even slightly bothered about the percentage of your laptop when you slide it open in front of you, knowing that you have your notebooks in your bag if needed. You take a quick sip of water before the lecture begins and soon all conversations in the room seem to die away slowly.
Those unlucky enough to have found a seat, have to settle with sitting on the steps of the lecture hall. A silent sigh of relief that you are not a part of that majority runs through your body. God, you forget that literature was so oversubscribed.
A hushed silence takes over the room and a steady grin creeps at the corner of your lips as you wait for the professor to start.
“Good morning all, it is nice to see you all bright and early for the first genetics lecture of the year. I know some of you had to clear up clashes with microbiology this morning which may be the reason why we are so oversubscribed today, but we’ll make do, there’s plenty of room for everyone.”
Remember that eager, excited smile that you just had a few moments ago? Yeah, well it just died and here was the funeral. You blink in confusion as the words of the lecture settles into your brain.
Genetics? Microbiology? What the fuck was this professor talking about?
The lecturer drones on at the front of the hall, her voice echoing. “For those of you who don't know already, I'm professor Dr. Michaleson and I’ll be your genetics lecturer for the remainder of the year.”
Oh no. Oh fuck no. Oh hell no.
You look around, scanning the wide room to already see people begin to type away at their laptops. No one else in the room seems to be as confused as you are right now and it’s concerning. Reaching into your coat pocket, you open up your maps app checking your location.
Shit.
You’ve found yourself in the general medical sciences block, not arts and humanities. Zooming in further you find that the humanities block is direct from the building that you’re in right now.
If there was a moment for you to have a breakdown, it would be right now. All of your panicking and frantic packing that you had gone through this morning has now gone completely to waste because you’re not even in the right fucking lecture hall.
You turn towards the person on your left but notice that they’re rapidly typing away as the lecturer proceeds to run over the future modules for the course. Not wanting to bother her, you decide to glance towards your right, to the guy who was once mindlessly scrolling on his phone who has now replaced it with his very own laptop but…he’s not typing away yet.
So you take your chances.
“Hey.” you whisper, trying to keep your panic out of your voice. You lean over a little so that he can hear you.
The man frowns a little, looking towards you.
“What?” His tone is soft like yours, quiet so as not to disrupt other people but you can’t help but notice the annoyed intonation in his voice.
“What lecture are we in right now?” you subtly prompt, quickly noticing the crease between the eyebrows of the stranger sitting next to you. His nose curves up in distaste as if you’ve just asked him whether he thinks the earth is round or flat.
“Please, just answer my question.” you plead gently, reading his expression.
You know he probably takes you for an idiot right now but you just need confirmation so that,
One: You hadn’t just misheard and this was definitely a genetics lecture
And two: If it was a genetic lecture this officially gives your body the right to go into full panic mode right now.
The guy lets out a light sigh before answering, “We’re in genetics right now.”
“Fuck!”
A few heads in the row in front of your glance back at the sound and automatically your cheeks burn up out of embarrassment.
“Why are you asking?” the man sitting beside you questions.
You hesitate in giving your answer, embarrassed that you had messed up one of the most basic rules of things not to do at university. Now it’s your turn to let out a beaten down sigh.
“I–”
“You’re in the wrong lecture, aren’t you?” the stranger estimates. Clearly based on your mixed expression of disappointment and panic.
You nod silently, rubbing your hands across your face. Internally, you wished that you could go back in time. Back to before you had entered this stupid lecture room, double checking the location or at least had the chance run out before the lecture had started.
“What are you supposed to be in?”
“English Literature.”
The man sitting beside you stifles a laugh and again, a number of heads back to look at the two of you in frustration. He attempts to cover it up with a cough and you notice the way that his cheeks slowly turn to a dusty shade of pink.
“Por dios, what are you doing here?” he whispers. And again you don’t miss the tone of irritation in his voice.
“I–I think I got lost.” you stammer quietly, looking down at your phone. “I’m supposed to be here.” you point at a spot on your phone as you show him. “But I got it messed up.”
“It’s across from this building?”
You nod begrudgingly, before shutting off your phone and laying your head down on the table in surrender.
You stay down for a minute before perking back up. The lecturer is still droning on about god knows what and the man beside you begins to take notes.
Leaning over, you whisper another question.
“How long is this lecture?”
“Two hours.”
Yep, you were screwed.
And it wasn’t like you could get up and leave. Well, you could, but that would mean drawing all the attention from half of the people in the room, disrupting them and causing your entire row to stand up so that you could leave. You think that you’d rather die than be that person.
The man beside you says nothing more, choosing to ignore you and your situation as he types away along with the rest of the people in the hall.
Looks like you have no choice but to buckle yourself in for this ride.
Two hours later, you find yourself on level 12 of the world’s hardest game, still without any new literature knowledge but now have a deep insight into what the genetics modules will look like for the next three years as well as having a deep insightful knowledge about prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms.
That’ll be some useful trivia some day at least.
You sit back watching everyone else pack away. The man beside you glances towards you briefly, he’s packed away too, now waiting for the people in your row to start filing out.
“Thinking about drastically changing your degree to biological sciences?” he asks, a smirk on his face.
You snort as you pack away your laptop, which surprisingly managed to survive the whole lecture.
“I fucking wish.”
“How about next time you check that you’re actually in the right block before stepping into a lecture hall?”
You barely know this man and yet you can feel his judgment, not just now but throughout the whole lecture you’ve felt his continuous side-eye as you died for the 400th time in your game.
“Will do.” you note, hoping to cut this conversation short. “Looks like I’ve got a literature lecture to catch up on.” you mumble to yourself as you begin to walk away, filing out of your row and heading to the doors.
/
“You what? Ended up at the wrong lecture hall?!”
Burying your head onto your arms, you groan aloud as a non-committal response. Your college roommate and new friend, Lyla, laughs out loud which unfortunately attracts eyes from around the cafe.
You groan, this being the second time that your face has burnt up this morning. “Please don’t make my misery any louder ly’ ”
She wipes at the corner of her eyes, adjusting her glasses. “I'm sorry, m’sorry.” She chokes, spluttering her hot chocolate. “But could you go through exactly what it was that you did again?”
You perk up your head on the table, keeping your eyelids shut. A mumble escapes from your lips.
Lyla cups her ears, teasing you unabashedly. “What was that?”
“Iendedupinageneticslecture.”
“What?”
“I ended up in a genetics lecture!”
And if you thought that her first laugh had been loud enough for the tables near you to hear, her second laugh practically caused the entire cafe to turn their eyes on you.
“This is all your fault by the way.” You pick up your cup of hot coffee and as if your day couldn’t get any worse, you’ve managed to burn your tongue and now you wonder whether there’s any point whatsoever in living on this sadistic earth.
Lyla points at herself, “Me? What did I do?!”
If you–” you lower your voice, cautious of multiple eyes staring at your table. “If you didn’t drag me out last night then maybe I wouldn’t have been so sleep deprived that I could have actually gotten to my proper lecture.”
Lyla snorts, waving her hands around. “Oh, please! Didn’t I get you that number off that guy you liked? Matt, was it?”
“Tom.”
“Right, whatever.” she says, picking up her cup and dipping her tongue into the generous amount of whipped cream and marshmallows that cover her hot chocolate. You stare at your own order in distaste, deeply wishing that you had gotten one too.
/
The next two weeks following your god awful mishap, you were fine.
From now on you and Lyla had a pact.
No more nights out.
Only up until the halloween season.
With your reading classes and her technology lectures, the two of you found each other up to your necks in assignments and essays along with being forced to help out with Lyla’s little coding club maintenance.
Thankfully you’ve managed to maintain some sort of routine, attending most – if not all – of your lectures both on time and double checking that you were in the right ones. You’ve made a few friends here or there at social events and finally found a job as a barista at the same cafe where Lyla gets her favorite hot chocolate from – and you must admit that they are pretty great.
All in all, college is going pretty great.
You think.
It’s going well in terms that you’ve managed to dodge every single phone call from your mom ever since you got here. Weekly, you’ve been coming up with good excuses and you don’t think that she’s caught on. Yet.
It was something that you had expected to happen once you made the decision to move away, I mean it was only fair, her only child leaving the bird’s nest, what else is she supposed to do?
You did feel guilty, of course you did. You hate lying to your mom but having her call every five minutes is not the reputation that you want to set up for yourself.
You’ll call her at the end of the week.
You swear on it.
- ‘Sorry, I’m in the library right now mom, I’ll call you back later okay? Love you <3’
Sent: 5:34pm
Setting your phone on ‘Do Not Disturb’, you place it next to your laptop, your playlist resuming through your headphones.
Another thing that you were also proud of yourself, was getting in regular study periods in preparation for midterms. Your old self would have been procrastinating right up until the night before the exam but now? You’ve matured. You’ve changed your ways for the better and by getting in some pre-reading of essays and books, you know that you’ll be thanking your future self in the long run if you keep up this mindset.
And this mindset is a great mindset…as long as you don’t get distracted.
/
You lasted ten minutes.
You had barely gotten through the second page before your attention was taken somewhere else and by somewhere else you mean somebody else. And this particular somebody reminds you of a moment that you are trying so hard to forget. Which is impossible to do when he had just so coincidentally pulled up a chair next to you.
It was him. The guy who you sat next to in the one lecture that we don’t talk about for certain implicit reasons.
On recognising his face, you hope that he doesn’t recognise you. He pulls up a chair beside you, not truly noticing you are until he glances up. You can already sense what he’s about to say. Taking off your headphones you go to speak but he suddenly cuts you off.
“I’m surprised that you didn’t mistake the janitor’s closet for the library then.”
“Oh, you’re funny.” you deadpan.
“I try to be.” he quips, the corners of his lips tilting upright.
Now that your body is not in fight or flight mode, you get a chance to take in this stranger. He’s…attractive. Conventionally. Tall. Awkwardly tall. Looks like one of those gym junkies or you guess that he actually is one based on those muscles on him. And those model cheekbones and naturally tanned skin and bushy eyebrows and soft lips–
“Do I have something on my face or are you just eyeballing me?”
“Neither.” you say, a little too quick for your judgment.
“There’s no shame in admitting the latter.” He prompts, a playful tone in his voice.
“You’re a little bit cocky don’t you think?”
This stranger leans back into his chair a little, raising a brow before dismissing your statement.
“I would disagree.”
“Of course you would, you’re a STEM student.”
The stranger huffs, glancing at you up and down. “At least I’m guaranteed a job as soon as I’m out of here.” He remarks, rummaging through his bag. “Good luck in getting out of your student debt with–” he squints over to one of the closed novels by your side. “Whatever book that you have over there.”
“You mean pride and prejudice?”
He simply shrugs, choosing to ignore you as he pulls out a huge textbook and his laptop.
Your eyes glimpse the front cover, reading ‘Biological Sciences.’ Your face turns to distaste at the thought of having to read that through your own free will.
“Have you read Pride and Prejudice?” you ask, trying to maintain a friendly unbiased tone.
“Never have and never will.”
“You’re missing out.”
“On what?” he scoffs, flicking a page of his massive textbook. It hurts your brain to even think about how much that would even cost. “A bunch of rich upper class Englishmen complain about their problems for a whole 300 pages?”
“Firstly,” you note, slightly offended. “That’s not what happens. Secondly, it’s 400 pages but it’s debatable depending on what version you buy. But when you suddenly get a gun cocked to your head with someone asking you to quote the first line from Pride and Prejudice one day, you’ll be regretting this conversation.”
“I highly doubt that’s even a probable situation.”
“There’s always a few anomalies lying around.” You shrug absentmindedly, flicking through your own novel which you had to complete reading for this week.
“Rarely.”
“But often enough to catch you off-guard.”
This…stranger lets out a sigh heavily through his nose, a sign of which you know means ‘please shut the fuck up.’ He ignores you for the nth time, eyes slightly squinting as he scrolls down, closely reading an article.
That’s it. You’ve lost your concentration. He’s ruined your mood and your mindset.
You begin to pack away, huffing as you place your novel in your bag. You’ll have to get started when you get home it seems.
“Don’t let me spoil your 19th century fun.” he murmurs, scrolling further down on the article.
“I’m going somewhere else, so that I won’t be bothered with your stupid microbiology shit.”
The man huffs, barely acknowledging you as you stand. “Good luck finding another free spot because this place is packed.”
“I’m heading home actually.” you quip, zipping up your bag after placing all your materials.
“Make sure that you don’t accidentally end up in someone else’s dorm–”
“Hilarious.”
You walk away before he can poke another joke at you. Once again, mocking you and you barely know his first name.
You kinda hope you never see him again. Partly because he’s an annoying STEM student but mostly because he reminds you of the excruciating pain that you went through by sitting in a genetics lecture for two hours without a single break.
Key word: kinda.
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Text
Out of The Woods
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pairing: Eddie Munson x Reader
summary: You're back in Hawkins, and the memories keep on coming.
chapter warnings: mentions of grief, parental loss, motherhood, swearing, brief description of injury (bloody nose)
a/n: chapter one! the ball is officially rolling! I'm so excited for you all to read and get to know these characters. Enjoy!
chapter one: I've Got Sunshine || series masterlist
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Muscle memory is a funny thing.
The faded wheel of your ‘88 Ford Escort was being gripped so hard that your knuckles ached. You recalled shortcuts and one-ways with ease, moved through neighborhoods and back roads you hadn’t been down in nearly decade--seven years to be exact. They say home is where your heart is; if that was the case, Hawkins stopped being home a long time ago.
Still, part of you supposed it was normal.
Normal to remember this place so vividly, you could draw its map with your eyes closed. Normal to recall the smells and sounds and the stoplight that hasn’t worked properly since ‘79.
Normal to see the Plant, and Melvald’s—Joyce Byers’ car parked dutifully out front. You remembered everything, despite having tried to forget.
You never thought you'd be back here. After you got your diploma, after all the hell you'd been through--after what happened, you’d gone East. A scholarship earned you a full ride to Yale University.
Then life happened.
Maggie happened.
Once school was no longer an option, you looked for work. Doing job after job, sometimes three at a time to make the rent and keep food on the table for her.
As much as you tried to deny it, everything seemed like a sign from above that this place wasn’t meant to be. Rent went up, you’d been let go from your waitressing job, and then your car started to shit the bed.
Hey, when it rains it pours, am I right?
Then came the call that brought you back here to Hawkins in the first place.
Your Dad died.
Not that you’d ever been particularly close, especially not after your Mom died. You were just 14 at the time and it was hard. That's the age every girl needs her Mom, and without yours, you were left to navigate grief, high school, and becoming a good person all on your own.
Your Father was...an unfortunate side effect of her passing. Consumed by his own grief, you assumed. It turned into him not being able to stomach being around you. The fighting was constant, you could never do anything right in his eyes, and he could never replace your Mom in yours. You’d practically lived everywhere but home your entire high school career, and he was either working at the Plant, or too drunk to care.
That’s why when a lawyer called you up and told you you’d been left his house, you damn near fainted.
"You're sure you have the right person?" You asked, stretching the cord around your finger nervously.
The man repeated your name, date of birth, and 'relationship to the deceased'.
"The home has been paid off since, lemme see here," You heard the flip of a paper, "'Ah, '78. Taxes and such can be put into your name when you begin occupying the residence, but we do need a decision by--"
"I'll take it!" The words flew out of your mouth before your brain could stop you.
This was a sign, the last sign you needed. You took $300 out of your savings to fix your car, packed up everything that mattered, and the two of you started the 12 our road-trip home.
Now you were just two right turns away.
“Hey, Sunshine. You awake back there?” You ask, a smile in your tone.
Maggie stretched, adjusting the blanket on her lap. “I’m up, Mama.” She's smiling, clearly just beginning to wipe the sleep from her eyes. “Where are we?”
The question left your daughter’s mouth just as you turned into the driveway.
Slowly, you find the strength to put the car in park. Deep breaths, right? That's what you tell Mags to do when she's scared. So you take your own advice, and do one big deep breath. “Our new home.”
Maggie’s gasp startled you. “We get a whole house?”
You couldn’t help but laugh, “Yes, baby girl. A whole house, and guess what else?”
She clutched her worn, stuffed teddy bear tightly to her chest and watched you with bated breath.
“You get your own room!”
Your six-year-old squealed with delight, kicking her feet into the seat in front of her. “Mama I’m so excited! Can we go in? Please! Please!” She begged happily.
With shaking hands, you snatched the key from the ignition. “Absolutely.”
Maggie’s feet were taking her faster than the rest of her could follow. As she waited on the stoop of the familiar blue house, you bent down and lifted the 5th rock from the left that lined the path. The key was there, just as it always had been, though now it was aged with rust. You’d hidden it there after being unable to wake your Dad from his drunken stupor on more than one occasion.
The house—your house, was nothing grand, but the look on your daughter's face said otherwise.
“Mama, we get this whole place?”
You tussled her hair as she moved to wander the living room. “Sure do, baby girl.
The two of you had lived in a one bedroom for her entire life. In the six years since you'd had her, she’d never really had a space to call her own, and even though you’d given Maggie all you had, it killed you not to be able to give her what she deserved.
“So, I was thinking…Maggie?”
You walked the familiar hallway to find her in your old bedroom; it looked exactly like it did the day you left.
“Mama! Is this you?” She ran at you, holding an old Polaroid.
With tender hands, you grabbed it from her. “It sure is, Mags.”
Her smile grew as she spoke, “So pretty, Mama. Who’s the peoples with you?”
The grin on your face matched hers, “This right here? This is Robin, she’s the one who sends me all of those funny birthday cards.”
Robin didn’t know you were back, and you’re not exactly sure how to say, “Hey remember me? Your friend who disappeared? Well, I’m back for good and so is my daughter that you’ve never met.”
“Oh, who’s this boy?”
You chuckled, “That’s Steve. He’s a real cheese-ball, but you’d love him. I hope you get to meet him some day"
Maggie's giggles filled the room, and you could feel your cheeks aching from the size of your smile.
She deserves the world. I'm gonna make sure she gets it.
"Mama?"
You sit on the edge of your old desk, "Hm?"
"Who's this guy with the long hair?"
Your heart sank. Collapsing in on itself, and descending into your stomach. "That's uh, his...his name is Eddie."
Saying his name--speaking him into reality made you sick. It made your bones ache and your muscles twist with rage and grief.
Just then, your beautiful daughter, blissfully unaware and innocent, asks a follow up question.
"Is he your friend too, Mama?"
The lump in your throat was hard to swallow, but you do it for her. "He used to be." It's all you can manage.
She holds the photo in her little hand, analyzing the image with all of the brainpower her six year old mind could muster.
"His eyes kinda look like my eyes!"
7 little words, spoken in the sweetest, happiest tone, break you.
"They kinda do, don't they?" You ask, turning around to pretend to organize whatever random clutter you could find.
Maggie places the photo on the desk, and moved on to the next room.
"Wow, Mama! A bathtub! i can take bubble baths!" She echos off the tiles walls, and you crumble. Falling to you knees and silencing your sobs with you palm.
How are you gonna do this? How are you going to live here and avoid him? What will happen in he sees you? See's her?
Maggie is all that matters in this. Hawkins is big enough, right? Surely, you can avoid all of the old haunts you remember Eddie going too. Avoid the Hideout and Lover's Lake, and certainly avoid the Forest Hill's trailer park.
God, that place was your sanctuary for so long--both you and Eddie.
After every party, every fight with your Dad, you'd find comfort at the Munson home. Wayne demanding you stay as long as you wanted, and assuring you that this place is as much yours as it is Eddie's.
The trailer was where you cleaned Eddie up after every run in with Jason and the other douchebags at Hawkins High.
NOVEMBER 15th, 1985
Your fingertips turned crimson as you held the damp towel to Eddie’s nose. He winced the moment it made contact with the newly bruised flesh.
“Fucking…fuck.” Eddie barely managed to get it out.
You recoiled, but he protested. “Nope…no. Just, just get it over with.”
Slowly and as carefully as you could, you dabbed the blood from the already purple skin. “Jesus, Eds. You bruise like a peach.” It’s a small offer of a joke, a way to ease his pain and your guilt.
A hiss as you touch a particularly sensitive part on the bridge of his nose. “Sorry.” You’re the one wincing now.
“Still look tough though, right? Even if I got my ass kicked?” He smiled gently, a self-deprecating pull at the corner of his mouth.
The trailer was cold, it was just turning fall in Hawkins, and Wayne didn’t use the heat unless it was below freezing. A chill ran down your spine as your stomach flipped.
“You got a couple of good licks in, I just wish you didn’t—“
He cuts you off immediately. “It’s never a question, and you know that.”
A shaking sigh passes your lips as you turn your back to him. The warm water running from the sink rinses the blood out of the washcloth, and as swirls of red spin down the drain, you're fighting back tears. “Jason’s a prick who gets his rocks off watching people squirm. He knows I’m repulsed by him. He’s not worth it, Eddie.”
You hated seeing him like this because of you. Jason was being foul and vulgar and his typical jock-with-one-brain-cell self when he’d cornered you in the cafeteria.
Fortunately for you, he didn’t see Eddie walk in behind him.
Jason was describing exactly how he’d 'make you moan'—barf—when Eddie spun him around and decked him.
He was able to get three or four shots on him before the rest of Jason's caveman friends ganged up on Eddie, only stopping when Principal Higgins stepped in.
“He’s not, but you are. I don’t know how many times we gotta go over this, Bug. I’ll never let anyone hurt you--ever. Who cares if I get a little banged up in the process?”
Bug.
The nickname he's called you for the past 4 years. A way he shows you that it really is just you and him against the world.
"I care. You're all I've got Eddie Munson." You say it dramatically, in hope the seriousness of the moment wouldn't make things weird. Eddie's warm hand finds your cheek, the pad of his thumb swept over the soft skin.
"Forever, kid. You and me."
The memory made you shiver.
Get it together. You chastise yourself.
"Hey Mags?" You call, scrubbing the emotion from your face onto your palms.
She bounds down the hall, still in awe at the space. "Yeah, Mom? Did you know my room has a closet? I can fit all my toys inside!"
Your arms reach for her, and she jumps into your embrace instantly. After squeezing her, you pull back to take in the little person you'd made.
God, she really does look so much like him.
She's got your nose, and cheeks for sure. But those eyes? The smile? That's Eddie, through and through.
"You know I love you, right?" You kiss her forehead.
Maggie pushed your cheeks together, smushing you face in her palms. "I know, Mama. 'Nember what you always say?"
"What's that, Mags?" You ask, brushing the hair from her eyes.
"You and me, kid. Forever and ever."
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toji-girl · 2 months
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all ours | alphas! k. bakugo & e. kirishima
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synopsis: Coming into heat a few days earlier was not something you planned on, and for sure it not happening when you're walking home in the woods.
wc: 3.7k
tags: 18+ ONLY content + explicit smut: minors and empty blogs DNI + not beta read + all characters are over the age of 21 + repost + monsterfucking + mfm threesome + you're in heat + they're in ruts + double dp + anal/fingering + they pick you up + it's mating season + breeding + talks about pups/liters + hints at a poly relationship + they manhandle you + knotting + they fight over you kinda + pussy eating + unprotected sex + creampies + they have monster cocks + mostly smut
an: again, I don't know much about Omgeaverse and all that, I just know I want them both djkgnrekgerand it was supposed to be less than 2k
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You regretted this more than when you listened to your friend and jumped off the swing which ended in a fractured ankle that still aches at times even years later. Cold nipped at your exposed skin and became covered with goosebumps the more you walked slower. 
It was after a party Mina was able to pester you into going to for a while, after all, it was the Halloween season, and she needed an excuse to show off her new costume and you needed to get out. 
After you reassured your best friend multiple times that you would be fine getting home and knew a shortcut home that led you to the mouth of the dark woods, the branches creaked as they reached out to you what felt like when the wind swayed the heavy wood. Your ears twitched when you heard the animals in the woods scurrying away from whatever it was. 
Your eyes darted around for anyone around but it was well after ten in the evening on a Thursday night and when Mina kept the reminder that you didn’t have work tomorrow and you needed this it was fruitless to argue with her and ended up going wishing you brought a coat. 
The night was still and silent minus the leaves that got swept up in the wind that breezed around you and pooled around your high heels that would only sink into the damp dirt making it impossible to walk, however, you were grateful that you wore thick thighs to keep your feet warm as you stepped over a fallen branch stepping into the woods with trepidation and a sigh. 
There was a path that you’d taken a million times already knowing it would take ten minutes tops to get home and using muscle memory you held your shoes from the tips of your fingers making your way over the soft earth as the moon high above you bathed the naked trees in a creamy white color, tonight it was bright and full that it made you put an extra pep in your step. 
With a full moon nearing Halloween you knew that sometimes werewolves would roam these woods looking for something to sink their teeth into, and the scariest part was that you knew if you were to run into any of them they would be ones you know. Your pace picked up as you gripped the jacket Denki placed on your shoulders before he and his friends left the party. 
Maybe you should’ve asked them for a ride home, they went back before you and Mina did anyway, and instead of walking through the woods you could be in the bath then be cuddled under the blankets with a horror movie marathon playing in the background as you finish up work you brought home with you unfortunately. 
Off in the distance, you could hear two owls hooting back and forth having some sort of conversation making you feel a little less lonely, this was a dangerous game you were playing even with the fast steps you managed to take until a cramp from between your legs halted you dead in the mess of fallen leaves, dirt, and a few sticks. “No. No.” You whimpered softly. 
This cannot be happening right now, your heat was a few days early and your heat suppressant pills weren’t able to come in on time and for the first time in months, you’ll be experiencing it. Rapid warmth filled your entire being suddenly, your knees knocked together as you dropped your high heels and let out a whine that was caught in the air with a white cloudy puff. 
You had hoped with the weekend coming up and half of the week taken off from work you would be in bed when it came or at least in the comfort of your own home where you had plenty of snacks and things to help get you through this. Another pitiful whine parted your glossy lips, the product made them stick together as you dropped to your knees now gripping the dirt. 
The way it hit you, your body produced the sickly sweet smell of your pussy that gushed around nothing, it slowly ramped up until your leg was shaking and you were curled into yourself unable to call for anyone, and you knew all you had to do was wait it for fifteen minutes then you’d be able to make it home and into your mattress where everything was waiting for you. 
With the way your body craved to be bred, your bunny brain could only think about one thing. Cock. How you hated it sometimes when this happened, all you could do was hump things, your pillow, clothes, the edge of the couch, or the showerhead. Anything you could get your greedy hands on it was either going inside you or at least rubbed against your clit for friction. 
It truly melted you down into a puddle of need, and with the way, Denki asked if he could take you home after the party you should’ve agreed but at the time you weren’t even in the mood to be kissed and groped on after the long day at work, home was the only thing you wanted. Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes from the intense waves that crashed over your body. 
“Please just let up.” You mumbled your breath and shed the jacket you wore to create a makeshift pillow that would keep out of the dirt as you assumed the usual position of face down and ass up to rub at your pussy from behind so fucking needy and unashamed about touching yourself like this in such an open space for anyone to come by too and see you in such a state. 
When you were comfortable enough your hands made quick work and pushed your dress to meet your bra almost thankful that it wasn’t too tight or you’d just rip it off or go naked, your panties were next that were shoved down to your knees putting your cute cunt on display. 
Your fingers parted your slicked-up pussylips with a soft whine when the cold air caressed your inner heated flesh and your other hand took care of massaging your clit exposing your hole to the air, it should be so embarrassing and downright degrading to be doing this without a care in the world, the only thing you wanted or chased was at least one orgasm to get up and go home. 
Drool has already begun to leak out from your parted lips with fast and hot breaths that huffed from them as your middle and index finger rubbed messily rubbed at your clit missing it from the copious amount of slick that stuck to your cunt, it was sticky and thick making it easier for your mate to fuck you. Tears poured down your cheeks as you sobbed from the pressure of it all. 
Your pussy ached to be fucked and played with, your fingers were not enough and you cursed whoever it was that you had to go through this. It’s not fair. Maybe you could call someone to come and help but then you mentally ran through the list of men you knew and couldn’t bare facing them this way, face pushed into the dirt as you finger fuck yourself like a bitch in heat. 
Technically you were, and you were glad you got the bunny gene knowing that in your teenage years when the alphas start to fill out and come into their natural beings, they would constantly tease you about it and call you just that whenever you had to stay at home from school away from everyone and holed up in your bedroom whimpering as the heat suppressant worked. 
It felt like your skin was stretched over your muscles and bones in a taut way that harder you fell into your heat like it was some cosmical punishment for something you did, the pain and pleasure beat against each other like a drum, pain from not having someone stuffing you full and how your body arched then pleasure from your fingers drilling your dripping cunt fast. 
You whined louder when the tip of your finger brushed against your G-spot over and over until your toes curled hard but it wasn’t enough. Your cotton tail twitched as you humped your own hand when the snap of a twig had you fumbling to sit up with your fingers now painfully removed from your cunt that kept drooling making a mess under you, there was so much slick it pooled. 
More branches snapped in either direction of you, and your head whipped side to side as fear trickled into your bones making your teeth chatter with it, you know calling out would only give away your location. Your body fought hard against you to get up and pull your panties on the right way when you heard a deep and almost guttural snort from the left of you. “Bunny.” 
Your ears twitched as did your nose at the growl. Immediately you knew it was Katsuki, he and his friends had been at the party earlier and you spoke to them, even danced a little between him and his red-headed best friend. “B-Bakugo?” You whined, your fingers curled around damp leaves as he stepped closer, your scent was sickeningly sweet and it made him mad with the feral need to mount you, slipping into his own heat. He wanted nothing more than you on him. 
“We can smell you a mile away.” It was Eijiro who spoke up this time, his usual soft voice was replaced with something else, the animal in him was fighting to come to the surface and it became unbearable for both men approaching your smaller form. “Kirishima.” You gasped. 
They flanked you on both sides, large and looming over you. They were so big they blocked most of the moonlight making you focus on their outlines, their heavy breathing was in sync as they curled their fingers into fists feeling their cocks leak. What kind of timing is this? You in your heat and them in their rut? It felt like a present was being handed to each other and it was all you ever wanted or needed. 
And it wasn’t like you didn’t know them, ever since high school you had known both men. Katsuki was the first one to inhale gruffly, a large hand that only grew bigger came down to rub at the very obvious bulge in his pants, and poor you looking up at them with big wet shiny eyes, your hand going back down between your legs to slip back inside your panties knowing you could trust them and the three of you were past caring, too deeply infused with the need to cum like mindless creatures only made to feel release and breed. 
A pair of red eyes watched as your own rolled to the back of your head as you maneuvered yourself to your back and caressed your puffy clit splaying yourself open for them both. Like this, you were a completely different person. “Want you two ‘s bad please fuck me, I want your knots.” You begged and whimpered looking like a complete mess fingering yourself like that. 
In the middle of a forest floor with not just one intimidating alpha, but two of them who both dropped to their knees in front of you. Katsuki was the first one to shoulder pump Eijiro out of the way to be the first one to kiss the wet slit of your pussy once you removed your fingers, his rough tongue lolled out of his mouth filled with sharp canines. “Poor little bunny came into heat.” 
His tone was a bit mean as he licked a wide stripe up your cunt to your clit he sucked into his awaiting mouth that felt like it completely covered you as he thumbed you open to his liking to keep licking into you like a madman that’s eating the best meal of his life, the red-headed man who was fueled by his own lost crawled over to you on his knees. “So pretty for us though.” 
Propped up on your elbows you were in a position to kiss him when he bent at the waist, his tongue was large and wet as he swirled it around your open mouth and then down your throat making you gag and the kiss messy and wet when he pulled away you coughed and hacked then broke off into a loud moan when you fluttered around Katsuki and arched your back. 
He was stroking all the right spots until your thighs were clamped against his head keeping it still between your legs all the while you pawed at Eijiro’s pants thankful there weren’t any buttons as you freed his fat heavy cock that dripped with pearly thick pre-cum, it reminded you of your slick earlier that leaked from your needy pussy that Katsuki ate up without a care. 
The rational part of your brain wanted to fight at first, the idea of them knotting you was not a good one knowing you could actually end up with a liter of pups or even a single one and while you were pretty good friends with them you knew after this the relationship would be a little strange after engaging in a threesome in the open woods dressed in Halloween costumes. 
None of that mattered when you felt like your body was going to burst open at the seams, your jaw went slack as you used Eijiro’s thick arousal to coat the impressive length of his cock, it wasn’t quite normal, the end tapered off and it was thicker and longer than what a humans
should be with a deflated knot at the base meant to fill you to the brim and keep it plugged in. 
The idea made you whimper as you tugged on Katsuki’s hair with your free hand grinding his face and tongue deeper into your pussy as your first orgasm rose higher and higher, the blonde man wanted to push you over the edge to hear you cry out his name while his best friend watched from above fucking your fist, when your head turned the sticky tip kissed your lips. 
It was a mess, the three of you chasing a high and wanting to fuck each other dumb was the only thought in your lust-riddled brain not caring about anything even if you get caught. It was almost scary how you got like this. “C-” You couldn’t even force the rest of the word out as you tumbled head first in your climax panting and moaning Katsuki’s name like a daily prayer. 
Your hand fell from Eijiro’s cock which felt neglected, and so did the other man between your legs. They wanted to release and while usually, they’d love to see your pretty lips wrapped around their cocks it wasn’t going to happen this time, and the last thing they wanted to do was to knot in your mouth so they’d have to take turns which came down to who won the fight first. 
Eijiro panted and brushed back his red hair from his forehead to muscle his friend out of his way as he did to him earlier earning a deep growl and grunt. “You got to taste her before anything and this was your idea-” Katsuki glared over and shoved him in his chest at the slip-up. Your ears perked up at the words and gazed at them both, your eyes glassy and blown out. 
“Idea?” You slurred. Did they plan this? Katsuki ignored Eijiro and towered above you, one large palm cupping your cheek as he stared at you intently, his chest heaving with fast breaths that smelled so much of you. “We could…smell you at the party so we followed you to make sure you got home safely then we were going to head home but then you got caught fingering that cute little pussy wanting and needing to be bred. We’ll take care of you, do you trust us bunny?” 
Your heart melted at their protectiveness of you, your brain pumped information into you that they would make good mates and you were suddenly looking at them in a new light. “I do yes.” It was all they needed before Eijiro was the first one to manhandle you into his arms picking you up and raising to his full height, his hands cupped your ass as your legs wrapped around him. 
Katsuki stood behind you to keep you propped up between them, their cocks drooling with pre-cum that produced enough slick that you didn’t even need your own. They both nuzzled their noses into you, their bodies half-stuck between changing. Their ruts prevent it from happening otherwise they’d both be taller and much more imposing, and there would be no way you could take them without feeling like you’d be getting split in two. 
Parts of their flesh sprouted fur making them look more monstrous as their red eyes glowed under the inky sky, their tongues tasted your flesh memorizing the taste as you held onto Eijiro’s shoulders grinding your bare and throbbing pussy against his cock. “Stop teasing!” You whined and tossed your head back to look at the other man with a small pout and furrowed eyebrows. 
“She’s right s’not right to tease a bunny who just wants to be stuffed full to the brim, mhm?” Eijiro murmured as he nuzzled his face into your neck kissing the fevered skin, the position they had you in was directed right under the moon that pushed more of their body to contort and gain full control of the animal inside them raging and sizzling wanting to be released to ravage you. 
You shook your head and tried to bounce a little feeling the sticky swollen head of his cock catch between your thighs, he was so warm that it almost burned when he angled his knees letting you drop down a little while Katsuki spread you open from behind to make sure his friend could catch the narrowed tip of his fat cock against your hole that opened for him greedily before he pulled away rubbing it against the opening again slowly before Eijiro pushed inside halfway. 
Katsuki kissed the back of your neck, his fingers rubbed at where you and his friend met gathering the slick to lube your asshole before he did the same with teasing movements, his teeth flirted with your flesh. “Still good for us?” He husked before he pushed his finger inside. 
All you could do was nod and sob from it all, the way they handled you all while wrapped up in their own lust. They kissed away your tears being soft in their treatment even with raging desire throttled them to ravage you, and they would too but at first they wanted you nice and pilant. “Got to get you nice and dumb on your cocks, can you handle two knots bunny?” Eijiro asked. 
Your cunt gushed around him when he mentioned that. Red eyes clashed together again. “Should feel her clenching around me so tight at that, she wants it so bad, double bred. Want to be our little mate?” The first part of his sentence was tossed at Katsuki then the rest was for you. It all made sense to agree in the moment and that didn’t sound bad, being taken care of. 
You could feel Katsuki’s chest rumble against your back as he slipped his finger inside stretching you out before he worked in tandem with Eijiro until the blonde man could fit at least three thick fingers then his cockhead was pressed against your slicked-gaped hole; hot and wet. 
He pushed in when Eijiro pulled out and they both held you up using their incredible strength as growls gurgled from their throats, your name came out in white puffs as their hands kept groping your body tearing away the rest of your clothes with claws until you were naked, ribbons of your costume were pooled at their feet in shreds. With the way they had you pressed between them, it was easy for them to tug and pinch at your nipples causing the ball to get tighter in your belly. 
Katsuki’s hand found your tail and grabbed it in his big hand pulling it very slightly making you croon and gasp out loud, your pussy clenched around them when they both bottomed out inside and ground against you lazily feeling their orgasms not far behind.
Eijiro’s fingers found your swollen clit and rubbed against it. “Cum for us bunny, gonna give you our knots.” He growled, his teeth sharper when he spoke, white teeth glittered under the moon making him look feral. 
That’s how he felt when you leaned in and held his shoulders to find his lips in a hot and needy kiss, his tongue found the back of your throat again almost too large for your mouth. You sucked on it moaning around the appendage hearing the wet sounds of it and them fucking you, your slick gushed around their cocks coating their pants in the sticky mess that would serve as a reminder for later. 
The last stroke was when Katsuki let his teeth sink into one shoulder and Eijiro did the same to the other, together they marked you. Your pussy creamed around the red-headed man and Katsuki almost felt fear when you orgasmed, your walls pusled around him so tight he thought they were going to rip his dick off. 
They both fucked into you fast and frenzied bullying their cocks into you despite you coming around them anyway until their own climaxes had them roaring into the night air, a primal display of mating that was a warning to everyone around that you are now theirs. You could feel them push the last few inches inside making you feel so snug and full as they painted you white. 
You weren’t sure of how long passed as they petted and kissed you until their knots deflated and they could slip out and carry you home to finally get you into the bath and into bed, snuggled between them warm and sated, their cum still buried deep in your womb. 
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neowonderland · 21 days
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Addicted || l.jn
Summary: Jeno's the heir to the Lee Corporation but night after night, you find him in your room hungry for you Pairings: Vampire Jeno x reader Warnings: 18+, dark content, implied(?) noncon, smut Wc: 0.7k
Dark Content, Minor please DNI
Disclaimer: this is a work of pure fiction. I do not condone the actions of any characters in this story and the actions do not reflect the idols in any way.
“It was your fault, really.”
That’s what Jeno whispered into your ear after the first night he fed on you, his blood stained lips pressed against the shell of ear. That was the first and only time Jeno had spoken to you despite the amount of times Jeno has fed on you since then.
You tell yourself it’s not your fault, that it’s Jenos. It’s not your fault that you had taken the shortcut back home from your work at the Lee Corporation. It wasn’t your fault that you had found a man slumped over on the sidewalk. It’s not your fault you were worried about a man who looked sick and pale. It’s not . It’s not your fault that later the man, Jeno, had showed up inside your home to bite and feed on your blood.
Jeno knows you won’t tell anyone about him, you’re far too isolated and secluded. You care too much about your job and your financial stability. Besides, who would even believe that the famous head of the Lee Corporation had been breaking into your home in the dead of night to drink your blood? 
It used to happen once a month, randomly where you’d be awoken by Jenos weight pinning you down and then the pain of his fangs piercing your throat. Then, once a week. Now, every three days. 
You hate him, hate how he’s disturbed your peaceful life. You hate that you’re burdened with his secret. You hate how he invades your space. You hate the pain he inflicts on you. You hate how he’s so quiet, never talking, never making an attempt to soothe you before or after he bites.
You hate how he forces your legs open, how he never preps you, fucking into you with too much strength. You hate how he pins you down, shoving your head into the mattress as your tears soak the pillow while your sobs rack your body. You hate how weak and small you feel against him, how easily he’s able to overpower you and do whatever he wants to you.
Jeno knows you hate him. You minimize any sort of contact with him when he stops by to supervise your department. You don’t even spare him a glance, avoiding eye contact and being alone with him, doing everything in your power to not give him any sort of attention. You don’t try to speak to him or praise him like the other workers and your boss, instead opting to stay silent and look away. 
Still, that never stops Jeno’s late night visits to your home, nor does it stop your tears from falling when you see him arrive in your room late into the night.
‘You’re not really his type, you’re just accessible,’ is what you tell yourself. ‘He’ll go away once he finds someone else.’
What you don’t know is that Jeno’s secretly addicted to you. 
Your blood is like a drug, sweeter and more addictive than any sweet or alcohol. Just the taste of your blood puts Jeno into a blood-drunk haze, calming Jeno’s thoughts and mind until he’s left with a pleasant buzz. It’s hard to limit himself and prevent himself from coming back to you when he’s not supposed to. He knows humans are fragile, that without enough blood you won’t be able to function. 
Jeno’s addicted to your tears too. He loves the way your eyes become red and puffy, loving the redness of your nose and cheeks and how your sobs rack your body. He loves how you try to suppress your sobs and wipe your teeth and snot, trying your best not to show him any vulnerability. How you try to hide and stay neutral towards him.
Jeno also finds your body cute, your soft sweaty skin against his while he ruts into you. He likes how much weaker you are against him, how easily he’s able to manhandle you to any position. He likes how your hands grip against his forearms, struggling to stabilize yourself. He likes how your nails dig into your palms when he bites you and your bites against the pillow to muffle your scream. 
Jeno’s addicted to you and night after night, he comes back to torture you.
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Ok but imagine the Noldor trying to have a nice banquet after the entire Finwean Fam has been therapized and released from Mandos. Except Eonwë is the one announcing the names and titles as people arrive (it’s supposed to be a sign of goodwill from the Valor).
All goes well (except when he announces to the entire room that “Fingon Findékano Astaldo Nolofiniwion, Prince of The Noldor and Husband of Maedhros Neylafinwë Maitimo Feanorian” has arrived. In his defense, Eonwë didn’t know secret marriages could last almost four ages). But the Real Drama starts when Elrond arrives.
When Elrond arrives; Eonwë looks at the Peredhel in the entranceway, looks at his magic Scroll of Heritage-Information, and there is a long moment of silence where Eonwë contemplates if he really wants to spend 5 whole minutes announcing Elrond’s heritages.
Eonwë, in the end, decides to take a shortcut. Cuz how wrong could it go? As such, he announced to the Finwean Fam, several courtiers, several politicians, and to the face of Finwe’s actual children that “Elrond, Lord of Imladris Remade, Descendant of Finwë Noldoran and Elwë Singollo, and [Insert Celebrian’s Introduction] has arrived.”
Speculations rise, and whispers are everywhere about what the hell “Descendant of Finwë and Elwë” could mean. (A lovechild, somebody says once jokingly).
Elrond was expecting Earendilion, Neylafinwion, or Kanafinwion, even Peredhel. He was not expecting the first kings of the Noldor and Sindar themselves to be named.
Anyway, the worst part is that because of Mixed Ancestry, Elrond actually does look like a combination of Finwë and Elwë. The lovechild rumors grow.
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dailyadventureprompts · 2 months
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Tableskills: Making a Game of It
Recently I learned a bit of an unspoken truth that I'd brushed up against in my many years of being a dungeonmaster that I'd never seen put into words before: If you want to liven up whatever's going on in your adventure, figure out a way to engage the players in some kind of game. It's simultaneously the best way to provide a roadblock while making your player's victories feel earned.
This might seem redundant, since you're already playing d&d but give a moment of thought to exactly what portions of d&d are gamified. Once you learn your way around the system, it becomes apparent that D&D really only has three modes of play:
Pure roleplay/storytelling, driven by whatever feels best for the narrative. Which is not technically a game, nor should it (IMO) be gamified.
Tactical combat with a robust rules system, the most gamelike aspect.
A mostly light weight skills based system for overcoming challenges that sits between the two in terms of complexity.
The problem is that there's quite a lot of things that happen in d&d that don't fall neatly into these three systems, the best example being exploration which was supposed to be a "pillar" of gameplay but somehow got lost along the way . This is a glaring omission given how much of the core fantasy of the game (not to mention fantasy in general) is the thrill of discovery, contrasted with the rigours of travelling to/through wondrous locations. How empty is it to have your party play out the fantasy of being on a magical odyssey or delving the unknown when you end up handwaving any actual travel because base d&d doesn't provide a satisfying framework for going from A to B besides skillchecks and random encounters (shameless plug for my own exploration system and the dungeon design framework that goes with it).
The secret sauce that's made d&d and other ttrpgs so enduring is how they fuse the dramatic conventions of storytelling with the dynamics of play. The combat system gives weight and risk to those epic confrontations, and because the players can both get good at combat and are at risk of losing it lets them engage with the moment to moment action far more than pure narration or a single skill roll ever could.
I'm not saying that we need to go as in depth as combat for every gamified narrative beat (the more light weight the better IMO) but having a toolbox full of minigames we can draw upon gives us something to fall back on when we're doing our prep, or when we need to improvise. I've found having this arsenal at hand as imortant as my ability to make memorable NPCs on the fly or rework vital plothooks the party would otherwise miss.
What I'd encourage you as a DM to do is to start building a list of light weight setups/minigames for situations you often find yourself encountering: chase scenes, drinking contests, fair games, anything you think would be useful. Either make them yourself or source them from somewhere on the web, pack your DM binder full of them as needed. While not all players are utterly thrilled by combat, everyone likes having some structured game time thrown in there along with the freeform storytelling and jokes about how that one NPC's name sounds like a sex act.
A quick minigame is likewise a great way to give structure to a session when your party ends up taking a shortcut around your prepared material. Oh they didn't take that monster hunter contract in the sewers and instead want to follow up on rumours about a local caravan? The wagon hands are playing a marble game while their boss negotiates with some local mercahnts, offering to let the party play while they wait. The heroes want to sail out to the island dungeon you don't have prepped yet? Well it looks like the navigator has gone on a bit of a bender, and the party not only need to track them down but also piece together where they left the charts from their drunken remembrances as a form of a logic puzzle.
Artsource
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