#like she would look immensely silly but she would also be genuinely loved

[the-floral-perspective]

Creepypasta kink headcannons!

In honor of (late) Valentine’s Day 😏 yk the drill, mentions of sexual topics! Do not read if uncomfortable!! MDNI 18+

Jeff the killer

-major sadomasochist, LOVES pain and loves causing pain too.

-hard dom energy fr

-definitely has a knife kink omg, but like almost to an extreme level, it’s a little concerning. He also loves fucking to horror gore movies and tbh has some more taboo kinks I won’t go into much detail abt.

-his biggest fantasy is fucking someone from behind and seeing all the pain he’s inflicted on them (scratch marks, slap marks maybe some blood ykyk)

Jane the killer

-tbh major role player, soft dom energy too.

-orgasm controller, loves overstim or teasing. Just LOVES giving someone immense pleasure that they just stop working completely.

-has a specific roleplay idea that she LOVES, oddly religious, like she’s a cult leader ‘sacrificing’ a new recruit, but sexual.

-like she likes pretending to be a leader of sorts and tying up whoever she’s with and either 1. Eating them out 2. Fucking them or 3. Putting a vibrator to them, until they physically can’t anymore.

Ben drowned

-switch energy, can be totally submissive and 100% dominant whenever.

-morning sex is top TEIR.

-loves filming ykyk and keeping pictures. Totally a masochist too.

-DESPERATE SEX, never ending sex or something like that ong. Maybe a slight breeding kink and bondage.

-I think his libido is pretty high tbh, so his biggest fantasy is probably like sneaking into his spouses shower after sex and fucking them again. Like he’s into desperate, passionate sex where neither can get enough of each other. Like he wants to be pussy-whipped by the end of the day lol and his spouse would be dick-drunk too.

Clockwork

-pleasure dom. She LOVES giving head, like genuinely one of her fave things.

-or like obsessive and possessive sex yk. She likes showing her territory or something like that. Like proving her worth whenever she gets jealous???

-Ik I headcannon her as ace, but ace people can still feel sexual desire! It’s a spectrum! This is when she does get yk.

Ticci Toby

-switch easily

-he likes his senses being taken away, but like ALL his senses except for touch. Bro is a huge masochist fr. Like if you put noise cancelling headphones and cover his eyes he’s hard as an mf.

-adrenaline junkie at heart, is a little bit of a voyeur, but more risky than the other pastas. Like public bathrooms, alleyways, or like under the blankets when hanging with other pastas.

-tbh lil pervy

Judge Angels

-dom ass worshipper lol

-idk the name but likes getting a show, like stripteases??? Tbh thinks they’re silly but like, likes the idea that someone is actively TRYING their hardest to arouse her. So basically humiliation.

-would totally be down to peg tbh, like she likes being a hard dom and like making someone who is normally so authoritative or monotone and making them pathetic and subby.

-loves corruption.

Puppeteer

-sadist dom frfr

-if you’d be aight with it he’d totally slap you, ONLY DURING THE DEED THO. He does hit irl or without permission, he just likes the look of marks or like mascara tears.

-loves tying people up a lot too with his yellow strings.

-also has a slight breeding kink lol I wonder where that came from

Nurse Ann

-soft dom fr

-I know I said she’s soft, but like she totally is into blood play. But she’s like gentle and praising yk, like she’d totally cut you but she’d lick up the blood and give you praises :)

-small… tiny little mommy kink going on yk. Don’t know where it comes from, but it’s definitely a thing that gets her going lolz.

-is a sexual yapper istg, like she talks a LOT. I feel like yes, she does moan, but she also just TALKS.

Bloody Painter

-switch mostly dom tho

-I think he’s into food play tbh, like whipped cream and chocolate syrup. LOVESSS making messes. (Hates cleaning them tho, coward.) he just likes the sweetness yk and also has an oral fixation so yk.

-loves being cockwarmed omg. He loves just forcing you to feel him and not being able to do anything about it. Or even just staying in you after sex because your so warm and tight he doesn’t wanna leave.

-specific sounds??? Like odd ones tho, like gagging sounds or slurping sounds. Whether sexual or not he doesn’t know why he gets hella bricked

Rouge

-switch (leans submissive)

-has a kink for hands, like LOVES hands and forearms omg. Not the super veiny ones, but the skinny defined ones. Loves getting like (consensually) groped and manhandled.

-I AM NOT GOING TO LIE, I think she likes the idea of ghost-fucking. I mean, she is some sort of ghost now, but like, the idea that someone dead is watching her she doesn’t know about and is able to touch her??? Like it gets her turned ONNNN, idk maybe she thinks it’s her dead fiancé 😭

-does not make that much sounds during tbh, like let’s out light whimpers but nothing else. What she does do tho??? She moves. A lot. I don’t think she has a kink for being tied down as much as she’d like being held down 😏

Masky

-hard dom

-believes in power balances, and is totally into soft BDSM.

-he’s hella into spanking and is a slight sadist (he balances it out tho with like overstimulation) he’s not at all a masochist fr

-huge fan of dirty talk and pet names, like tbh kinda nicely dehumanizes??! Idk if that’s the word I should use. But he LOVES like dumbing down his girl and like idk like “just sit back, I’ll take care of you baby, just let me do that, alright?”

Laughing Jill

-switch

-tbh I really don’t think she’s that much into sex at all. Like sure she’ll give head and whatnot, but her libido is too low for me to have much headcannons.

-I feel like she’d be into pegging and probably more of a pleasure dom. When she’s subbing than she’s getting the attention yk, but she’s a classic gal yk, she likes the basics.

-sweet, simple and passionate sex yk, like with soft moans, and light scratches on the back yk.

Hoodie

-probably a dom

-I feel like he’s kind of repulsed by sex tbh tho, like his drive isn’t that big. When he’s turned on tho things r spicy 😏

-big thing for mirror sex, like he loves seeing peoples faces as he’s fucking them. It just gets him into a rut, also like, he kinda compares himself to how he looks in the mirror, so he’ll go faster and harder to “compete” almost.

-nylon fetish probably, but without the feet aspect. He just likes ripping them open and fucking someone deeply yk. He probably loves the whole idea of stockings and whatnot too, like THIGHS. Someone needs to thigh fuck him stg.

Laughing Jack

-switch (mostly sub tho tbh)

-electrostimulation tbh, he LOVES getting the shock of it. Literally. Like this ties in hella with his strong masochism. Idk whenever he gets shocked, he just always gets hard and needy. Desperate mfer.

-shibari bondage, but on HIM. Loves being tied up 100% just the feeling of the rope on his skin turns him on, like the slight burn he gets when it rubs certain places. It hurts like a bitch, but he only gets hornier.

-masochist (as listed above), he LOVES being slapped n whatnot. It’s a little hard to hurt him tho.

Jason the Toymaker

-soft??? Hard??? dom

-somnophilia (fucking someone who is asleep), he LOVES waking someone up to pleasure or just completely surprising someone awake like that. The sleepiness and all of it he just finds adorably arousing.

-dumbification?? He loves dumbing down his spouses during sex. It gives him a power balance thing idk. It also might just be like an innocence thing too.

-he also just generally loves having full and total dominance over his spouse sexually, like he WEARS the pants and princesses you, so don’t question him.

Zero

-hardest dom in town.

-loves hatefucking and just taking complete control over whoever she’s with. Even if she’s with a dom, somehow she will break them down to a sub.

-loves aphrodisiacs and other stuff like that. Also does not like giving pleasure, she only takes it. Whenever she does give pleasure it’s only to turn herself on more than what she is so she can get full use of you and your body.

-very selfish lover tbh

Homicidal Liu

-switch (leans sub)

-boob fucker, loves the honka honka.

-aggressive toy user, like he brings out toys that look like actual SAW contraptions fr. Even has a rose toy and one of those moving fleshlights. Does not use his toys that often, but uses the others on you a LOT. Has nipple clamps for you.

-also really into spanking and gagging (getting gagged 😏) he likes the ripple ykyk. LOVES cumming on you and in you too, fr this man is a cum machine…. He wouldn’t mind getting overstimulated.

Nina the Killer

-bratty sub

-along with Kate, loves exposing herself and having her body be on show. Would probably be interested in getting watched by another person while getting screwed.

-loves being praised and called princess, but sometimes when she’s sad she wants something hella physical to make herself feel worse.

-gets more wet when getting dirty talked to more than being touched lol

Candypop

-prob a switch

-TO BE HONEST,,, COSTUMES LIKE SEXY HALLOWEEN COSTUMES. Those are his kink + if there’s STOCKINGS. He basically cums in his pants fr.

-tbh think he’s kind of vanilla, but like, in a free use type of way. Like he’s into like taking you whenever he feels like it (if he has your consent) and also being used whenever you feel like it.

-but like aside from the costumes and free use thing, I think he’s simple like that yk. Idk I don’t think he has that much pizzazz in his sex life, bro just LOVES quickies.

Kate The Chaser

-mostly dom

-has a specific fantasy for car sex and doing it in inconvenient places. Not a voyeur, but if you guys were in an abandoned house she’d totally do you against multiple surfaces. Or like a tree deep in the woods.

-LOVES mutual masturbation, or like stalking someone while they’re masturbating. Also loves having someone fucking her thigh.

-gets off on exposing herself (only whenever asked to by other people.)

Eyeless Jack

-Soft dom 100% fr

-YOU KNOWWW he has a breeding kink, like that’s just who he is. He can’t help but to cum in you when you look so pretty :(

-totally a somno too, but he’d never act it out unless y’all have talked about it.

-also likes predator/prey play, this one connects with bondage. As he is literally a demon, he LOVES fucking someone significantly weaker or something of the lines.

Dr Smiley

-experimentalist at heart, switch probably.

-likes temperature play, like with ice and candle wax yk. He loves to test out his babes reaction to the sudden changes. He likes feeling them too, especially the ice going down his happy trail.

-medical play 😔 he likes to act as a doctor who takes advantage of his patients in his lab, but he’d never actually do that. It’s just roleplay.

-also huge munch btw, loves having his face be sat on.

#creepypasta #creepypasta smut #eyeless jack #ben drowned #dr smiley #homicidal liu #jeff the killer #puppeteer #ticci toby #ben drowned smut #creepypasta fandom #nina the killer smut #nina the killer #nurse ann #rouge creepypasta #nurse ann smut #creepypasta hcs #jason the toymaker smut

[runwayrunway]

Miss Conenginality: Short SC.7 Skyvan

When researching for my post about the ancestors of British Airways I learned a lot I hadn't known before. Most of this was about logos and liveries, but some of it involved British European Airways' varied and eclectic fleet. One of the planes I hadn't known they operated is a plane that I adore for being, simply put, shaped.

image: Hugh W. Cowin Aviation Collection

The website I took this image of an SC.7 in BEA's 'Speedjack' livery from described it as having a 'sleek design and powerful engines'. While its turboprop engines are indeed pretty powerful for a plane of this size, 'sleek' is surely not a word I would use to describe a plane colloquially known as the 'flying shoebox'.

This...creature, which consistently gets an emphatic 'no way that's a real airplane' when I show it to people, flew for BEA's Scottish division. Red wings and all...I guess this is the shoebox they kept the Louboutins in.

The Skyvan, which with a height of 4.6 meters and length of 12.21 meters is one third as tall as it is long, is the brainchild of Shorts Brothers, best known for their pre-1950s flying boat designs. This may explain why the bottom half looks a bit like a DUKW.

This is the same thing. Unfortunately there was an accident involving a failed ditching of a Shorts 360, a stretched derivative of the Skyvan, suggesting they are not particularly seaworthy, but to be fair DUKWs aren't either.

149 of these delightfully pointy-nosed voxel-based planes were built between 1963 and 1986, seeing both civil and military use carrying cargo or up to 19 passengers. These days they're mostly used for skydiving, with around 35 still in service.

I have seen nothing at all to suggest that these aren't good planes. If you want a sturdy cargo or skydiving plane to use from short, poorly paved runways this may be a good choice for you. She's doing hard work, and I respect that. But...like, this is genuinely among the goofiest planes out there.

Shorts did make two stretched versions, the 330 and 360 (plus military derivatives of these), which were meant as regional airliners. These planes are also immensely goofy but just don't compare to the flying shoebox. They have actual elongated noses rather than a little flat nubbin with a cone stuck on the end, and they are far curvier, almost resembling an actual airplane. The 360 even has a relatively normal-looking empennage instead of the twin fins. These are still very silly but far easier to take seriously.

This is a square with rectangles attached, and it flies somehow. This is very silly, and I love her.

#miss conenginality

[uncriticalbunny]

me whenever I see people desperate for the writers to make sydney asexual and/or a lesbian.

long post ahead.

as a black woman who is ace, I don’t think sydney being asexual would be revolutionary or interesting. it would actually be so incredibly, hugely, profoundly... boringggggg. and people who insist on sydney being asexual get a massive side eye from me. especially white asexuals, because fuck your representation, and cishet people because who the fuck are y’all? 

so rarely are black women in tv and film treated with respect and nuance, much less when it comes to romance. so rarely are we treated as a person to be desired. to be loved. openly. warmly. carnally. even less so when it’s a darkskin black woman. writers pick from one of two things when it comes to black female characters: hypersexualized vs desexualized. superficially, for all outward appearances, there are lots of asexual black women in media. that is to say, they are certainly almost treated that way. unintentionally. intentionally. maliciously. void of sexuality or sensuality. no romance because she’s a Strong Black Woman who doesn’t need a man. or a relationship so pathetic that it can hardly be called a romance. would it be nice to have an asexual black female character who has a storyline that treats asexuality with respect? yes, yes it would. but that’s not really the point of this increasingly wordy essay. if the creators/writers are to be taken at their word that sydcarmy is strictly platonic, and they had her reject marcus because he misread their interactions, then it just shows they’ve developed nothing for sydney romantically. all the shots of carmy looking at her like she hung the moon and the stars are simply because she's his #bro. marcus really only liked her for her personality and simply confused that for romantic longing. platonic connections and a one-sided pursuit with zero heat. how groundbreaking. 

every fucking white character can have all of the romance-related things though. they can kiss each other, be shown as desirable, etc. etc. nat can be cuddled and cherished by pete. richie can go on dates in a nice suit with dirt caked under his nails, be loving with his then-wife, and ostensibly be wanted by jess. tiffany can still be yearned for by her ex-husband as she prepares to marry a new one. carmy can skip around like he’s in a romcom while neglecting his responsibilities to make out with claire and call her beautiful. claire can be shot in soft, dreamy sequences with closeups of her face and have a convo with her ass out for no reason other than to say she’s desirable and fucked carmy. claire and carmy can have screentime set aside for their relationship and a tender lovemaking scene. it’s expected for white people. it’s the norm. no romantic love for sydney though. because she’s driven. because she deserves better. because romance is unimportant. because she wants that star. because she can have no distractions. because asexual. because representation. [audience cheering]

sydney being a lesbian would also bore me immensely. too often are black female characters treated by writers as russian dolls with every diversity point they can think of. books, comics, tv, film, etc. she’s black, she's lesbian, she’s trans, she’s disabled, she’s poor, she’s this, she’s that. the diversity and representation everyone wants. why is every other character surrounding this ~pinnacle of diversity~ straight, or white, or a man? yes, because that’s who’s mainly writing and casting and greenlighting these things and maybe it’s silly to expect otherwise, but still, what the fuck? congrats on being represented by this fictional character. but it doesn’t feel genuine; it feels spiteful and lazy and self-congratulatory. like where's the other black women and diverse characters lmao. to be clear, I do want to see all the black lesbians in media because there's still not very many. and black women with one, or two, or all of those “diversity points” do exist in real life. we are lesbians, we are bi, we are disabled, we are trans. we're all of those and more. and we are loved and adored. on screen? maybe with a nonexistent or poor romantic storyline. or perhaps a decent and maybe even good storyline that eventually crashes and burns. there's a popular twitter thread right now about the disposable black gf trope and the examples that keep pouring in are bleak af.

the black lesbian character headcanon/canon increasingly feels like just another way to fridge us romantically. #notalllesbiantruthers but too many tbh. a black female character will simply exist without uttering a word and a slew of white women will be there to loudly proclaim her as the lesbian representation they want, need, crave, and adore. especially if there’s zero indication of the character being a lesbian. just stereotypes and vibes. hollow, insincere proclamations. bi black women don't even exist in their world. all these things I’ve observed with sydney. she's a bro, she's butch, she's a top, she's so husband-coded. babygirl is only reserved for the most woeful, pitiful white male characters. it's hilariously #coded. and no one will push back because after all, any gay representation is a good thing.

you’ll see hit tweets about how they know deep down sydney's a lesbian or how it will be so funny when the writers make her one. really, why is that? she can't be bi lest she actually gets with carmy. carmy can't be gay because they want to fuck him too badly. yeah I’m not so convinced all the lesbian sydney truthers earnestly want to see her loved, adored, cuddled, kissed, or fucked by another woman. because would that really be the writers’ objective or finished product? or will they just make her a lesbian and pat themselves on the back for doing only that. a throwaway line? maybe give her a cute romance built largely off-screen? lesbian sydney is a win for diversity and that’s enough. and who really wants to see sydney loved on loudly or be sexual anyway? that's not who she really is! she wears minimal makeup and oversized shirts and sweaters. let’s just focus on her working herself to the bone and getting that star. and I think deep down a lot of these truthers know her storyline possibly wouldn't be done justice. that's why it's going to be so funny to them when they make her one.

it all feels so shallow. fanfiction of sydney x fem!reader or original female character or nayia (the gorgiana black chef from s02ep03) is quite literally nonexistent [!!!]. sorry, y'all are not progressive or galaxy-brained. we get a black female character who’s multifaceted and fascinating, a deuteragonist even, in a show with a fandom that barely considers her as a person, and you’ve set your grubby paws upon her to be shelved romantically. bffr, the writers are already flailing romance-wise when it comes to sydney; they would not do an asexual/lesbian storyline justice. and even if they somehow make a halfway decent attempt, maybe they should have made it clear from the very beginning. not in season 3 or 4 or 5 or wheneverthefuck after they’ve given all the white characters romantic angles and developed her strongest and most important relationship with carmy, the main white guy or possibly because they hate the fact that people ship her with the main white guy. because then it just feels reactionary. and spiteful. and lazy. anyway, this ended up being way longer than I wanted. thanks for reading. fin.

#sydney adamu #the bear #no one has to justify their headcanons or whatever cuz who gives a fuck #but when I see your blog is filled with incestuous and other crazyyyyy romantic pairings #and you're desperate for sydney to be single #kill bill sirens fr #ok but the fanfiction thing gagged me so bad bc the sydcarmy sistren are going to work meanwhile #all their naysayers and supporters of other sydney ships/headcanons have vanished when it comes to ff #nobody wants to work these days #text

[beanghostprincess]

Came across a blessed post once again and it reminded me immediately of Sanuso for some reason. Newly out Bi Sanji going drinking with the crew and Nami negging him a little about his taste in men, asking him if that’s his type, or this one? How about that one? After a few suggestions a slightly tipsy Sanji speaks up, emboldened by the wine he’s been drinking, wagging a finger at her “Nami-swan, Nami-swan, Men aren’t attractive when they are good looking… they…uh… theeey… men are attractive when they are ….goofy… and a lil fruity…. AND have a big nose. that's true sex appeal!”

Nami shoots Usopp a grin that’s a mix between shit eating and encouraging, while the latter just sputters a little and hides behind his beer.

Sanji meanwhile leans back confidently like he just dropped some immense wisdom on this lesbian, not even noticing how Usopp keeps touching his nose for the rest of the evening.

Robin just nods and sips her wine because she completely agrees. Men need to be silly and loud and have hairy legs and wear tacky shirts. Those men are truly the most alluring things on the grand line.

I love drunk Sanji because we all somehow agree that he's an honest drinker. He keeps telling the truth and trauma-dumping and telling his deepest secrets after two beers because he's also a lightweight. So it's pretty easy to realize he has a huge crush on Usopp. In general, it's easy to notice that when he's sober too because he's... Like that. He's not subtle. But when he's drunk he doesn't try to deny it and it's the best moment to get stuff out of him. When they party and drink together, Nami often ends up offering Sanji a lot of drinks he can't deny (if they come from her) and she only does it because she's a good best friend (kind of) and wants to help Sanji and Usopp out (she just likes gossip and drama). So every time they drink, Sanji ends up talking about Usopp and how handsome and funny and wonderful he is and how hot he gets when he fights or whenever he's painting-- It drives Sanji crazy. And he keeps rambling and Nami won't stop laughing because wow, okay, the cook is down bad. And Usopp listens to some of it but not everything because at some point it starts to get,, A bit painful that Sanji only says these things when he's drunk, and it's not even to him but to Nami of all people. And not to make it angsty but-- But I want to make it angsty and say that Nami notices it bothers Usopp, so she has to start using her powers to actually get them to be together. But one thing leads to another, and telling Sanji to "go for it" and "why don't you simply confess, then? Idiot" turns into Sanji having a whole breakdown, crying on Nami's lap and telling her that he doesn't deserve Usopp/He doesn't want to ruin their relationship and... Things get too deep even before Nami can stop them. So she has to deal with it. Besides, she feels bad for the poor guy. He genuinely thinks Usopp doesn't like him back which, wow, he must be blind. But they end up fixing it at some point, don't worry. Sanji might end up confessing when he's drunk and Usopp might get angry at him for that but then Sanji speaks from the heart sober and genuinely one day and-- And Nami owes Robin money because she thought Usopp would be the first one to confess. Also, Robin and Sanji talking about their taste in men like that is so real and true.

#me making angsty things from simple asks is so funny to me #i just love drunk sanji okay #this whole thing is personal experience this is how i confessed to my partner wkrjfwjek #one piece #black leg sanji #sanuso #usopp #cat burglar nami #nami #nico robin

[the-era-of-shadow]

The Day The Moon Died Act II - The Wave of Black

Case 01: The Eternal Highschool Lovers

Chapter 5: Love Beyond Salvation

Written by Ash Rose & Lunar Eclipse

Cover Art by Ash Rose

CW/TW:

Fictional religious themes, murder, discussion of characters being injured & unconscious for multiple days (in a coma, basically), themes of eldritch horror, mentions of bodily mutation, abusive parenting & transphobia

Summary:

The Black Arms’ rally had been a complete and total success, and the group began to grow immensely in the weeks following it. To tell the tale of its spread in full, follow these three separate, and yet connected tales - cases of the Black Arms’ effect on PetalBloom, and see for yourself the damage that had been done.

Notes:

Happy Valentine's Day :D

[Act I]

[Moonlight Interlude I]

[Previous Chapter]

[Case 02] (COMING IN THE SOMEWHAT NEAR FUTURE)

When Uni awoke, the first thing she felt was the texture of sand caressing her skin as she stared up at the night sky. She also felt something else, a hand maybe? But she was still a bit asleep, so she couldn’t quite tell. Despite these sensations, there was just one thing that she thought to say.

“Am… Am I dead…?” 

“Thankfully, no. Unless I’m dead too… But that doesn’t seem to be the case!” A very familiar voice responded to Uni’s query.

Uni adjusted her position and woke up more, now most certainly feeling a hand holding her face gently - and most certainly seeing just whose hand it was.

“L… Latté?!” Uni exclaimed in surprise.

There she was, peering over her so tenderly. The one who Uni had yearned for so greatly for what had felt like so long. She looked at Uni with a loving gaze, and wings that were much bigger than they had been the last time Uni saw her.

“You… You saved me…!” Uni stated in awe.

“Of course I did, silly! What else are girlfriends for?” Latté remarked, light hearted and carefree, just as she had always been.

“... How??” Uni wondered.

“Oh! Well, you see these wings of mine?” Latté responded.

“I thought… I thought they weren’t big enough to fly with…!” Uni recollected, remembering Priestess Archæsis’ findings the day prior.

“Not originally, no! But earlier today, something absolutely incredible happened! You see, we had another rally in the cafeteria, and during it, an animal trainer was brought in and he had with him a baby Petal-scaled Dragon!” Latté began to elaborate.

“Wait, What?!” Uni blurted, genuinely not expecting what Latté had said.

“I know, right?! Anyway, even crazier than the dragon just being there in general - Lord Doom assimilated it into the Black Arms!! Right there on stage!! And when he did so, I felt a tingling sensation on my back, surging through my wings! Next thing I knew, my wings had grown like three times in size!!” Latté continued.

“Woah…” Uni uttered - she had no idea what else to say. 

She felt so incredibly happy to be alive and with Latté again, and was admittedly very intrigued by the grand tales Latté was telling her, but she still felt incredibly uneasy over the whole situation. She understood deep down that to become a Black Arms was just simply her fate at this point, but she still felt an attachment to the life she had lived thus far. She had spent her whole life living to the expectations of Madam Moonshine and those under her rule, she had imagined herself being loyal to Moonshine for the rest of her days. But now… well, that wasn’t going to be the case, it would seem.

Having some closure would be nice. Some understanding as to what really happened to Moonshine. The remaining parts of her stuck in the past still wanted to believe that she was still alive, but Uni was beginning to come to terms with the idea that she really was dead.

Besides, wouldn’t Moonshine being alive make things worse rather than better? If she was alive, then why wasn’t she speaking to any of the clergy, not even Archæsis? Why would she essentially leave Uni for dead, the reason she’s still alive now solely being because of the Black Arms rather than because of her?

Uni needed some time to deal with it.

For now, she was content with just being with Latté.

“Hey, I know this might sound… Silly, but-” Uni began to speak again.

“Who cares if it does? I just like hearing you say things.” Latté interjected lovingly.

“... Your wings are kind of hot, actually.” Uni revealed, making Latté’s face a bit green.

“Is that so? Why don’t I just wrap you up in them, then!!” Latté replied teasingly, tackling Uni as her two giant wings wrapped around Uni’s body.

“You fool, that’s what I wanted you to do! You’ve fallen for my trap!” Uni remarked playfully, to which both of the girls giggled.

As Uni enjoyed Latté’s loving embrace, she began to overhear a conversation nearby.

“That was a risky maneuver, Rehkloos. Whether or not you thought it was justified, you at least need to admit that.” One voice said, masculine and intentionally tough sounding, but also still pubescent.

“Risky is deeply underselling it. And, to be blunt, it was not justified. What did I just say to you and Latté earlier today about not killing kids?” Another voice chimed in, this one more androgynous sounding. 

Latté seemed to hear the conversation too, and got up to try to see where it was coming from.

“Oh, good… Vladmira and Death managed to rescue Rehkloos…” Latté said with relief.

“... I wonder if the others made it too…” Uni muttered, getting up as well. Though she had always cared at least a little bit about the members of Mini Mayhem, despite the trouble they would cause her, the day’s events made her feel quite attached to them. 

“Well, I saw Kæ’Mirah safe and sound just before I was sent out to go get you, so I bet she's alright.” Latté testified. “... Not sure about Kuel and Katrien though…”

“They had left the building just before you arrived.” Uni explained.

“... I see.” Latté replied, unable to hide the fact that she was worried as well.

Looking out in front of her, Uni saw Rehkloos alive and well for herself, with Vladmira and Death on each side of her. She looked quite remorseful, probably partly due to the chastising that Vladmira and Death were understandably giving her.

Though, Uni did also catch a glimpse of something that was behind the three of them, and shifting her view slightly, she managed to make out what it was that she was seeing. A Petal-scaled Dragon, in the flesh, fully grown as well, from the looks of it.

“I… I thought you said the one you brought in was a baby…!” Uni exclaimed in awe.

“O-Oh! That’s… That’s not the one that we brought in…” Latté revealed.

“Huh??” Uni turned to Latté, completely confused. “Then where did-?!” As Uni turned back towards the scene playing out before her, she and Latté witnessed something even more unexpected than the presence of a random adult dragon. The two of them watched as the “dragon’s” form began to change and shift, eventually revealing it’s true identity as the mysterious, god-like being that lead the Black Arms, which now, finally, Uni had a name to give to him, feeling the information shoot right into her from what she figured now was the Black Arms hivemind. The one and only Black Doom.

“... Huh. I had no idea that he could actually control the shapeshifting thing.” Latté remarked with surprise.

“It makes enough sense to me. If he’s able to shapeshift unintentionally, then shapeshifting intentionally shouldn’t be that much harder.” Uni speculated.

“I forgot that you knew about that.” Latté stated, looking slightly shocked.

“I figured. It’s not the most remarkable for only one god to give the most insignificant crumbs of information to Archæsis to then regurgitate to us.” Uni admitted, deciding to lay back down, though this time on Latté’s lap.

“... Makes me wonder if they’re even going to try to look for Lord Doom, or if they think that we’re not gonna do enough damage to warrant imprisoning him again!” Latté said out of the blue.

“... Again?” Uni echoed, curious.

“Yeah - from what I remember being told, before he came here to PetalBloom, Lord Doom was in charge of “stabilizing” the chaos energy in the universe - by “stabilizing” they more meant “getting rid of”, which basically forced him to stay in his chambers all day every day, and he wasn’t allowed to ever leave to Pantheon’s Plane - the only reason why they’re even here now is because another god used an ability called “Chaos Control” to warp him onto our planet!” Latté explained. “I’d say that’s pretty prison-like!”

“... And Moonshine knew about that?” Uni asked, feeling rather concerned by the thoughts her words implied.

“Most definitely! She was the one who made him in the first place!” Latté answered.

Suffice to say, Uni was appalled by what she was hearing. The actions attributed to Moonshine in the tale Latté retold certainly didn’t sound like the gentle-and-caring-but-also-a-little-strict persona that Uni had been raised to see Moonshine as. In fact, the only thing that seemed to be true according to such tales would be strict, though it was certainly not just a “little bit”. It made her angry, angry that everyone had lied to her all these years. Maybe joining the Black Arms wouldn’t be so bad after all.

“While you two are certainly correct, I must ask that you give Rehkloos some mercy… I can sense a deep instability within her.” Uni overheard Doom say to Vladmira and Death. “I will talk to her later. For now, allow her to calm herself and be grateful for her continued life.” He added.

“Can’t you just talk to her now? She’s right here.” Death questioned.

“I very much could, but I believe that there is something else that needs my attention first… Someone else, you might say.” Doom responded.

Uni turned over while still laying down to see where Doom would go, her curiosity piqued. As she did, she realized that where Doom was going was actually towards Latté and herself.

When Uni realized this, she started to get up and try to make herself look presentable, but Doom told her that she could stay right where she was, he just wanted to get to know her more and make her feel at home. It caught Uni off guard, but she complied.

“Though, first, I would feel it rude of me to not commend you on just how quickly you took action when the call came to you, Latté.” Doom began.

“Well of course! I don’t know what I’d do with myself if I lost Uni…” Latté responded. 

“... Yeah, same here.” Uni agreed.

“I figured as much, given how you just kept trying to find me..!” Latté surmised. “Sorry for leaving like that, by the way… I know I said that I wouldn’t, but-”

“No, I get it now… You had things to do and you were worried that if you told me then I’d try to stop you or tattle on you… It’s a reasonable assumption to make.” Uni said assuringly.

“I can tell that you two have a very close bond with one another…” Doom pointed out, to which both Latté and Uni’s faces began to blush in response to.

“We’ve been friends for a really long time even before we started dating!” Latté exclaimed.

“Latté was the only person I’ve ever trusted with my secrets…” Uni added softly.

“Well then, I am glad to see you two reunited, then.” Doom replied.

“Thank you for making it happen.” Uni stated suddenly.

“Hmm?” Doom wondered curiously.

“Latté told me it was the introduction of a baby Petal-scaled Dragon into the Black Arms that caused the enhancement of her wings to the point of being able to fly with them… She also said that such was your idea, right?” Uni elaborated.

“That is what I said.” Latté confirmed.

“Yes, that was mostly my idea. An animal trainer from the capital had been brought into the hivemind last week during the rally at the plaza - he and his wife had come to Riverbed after hearing some rumors about us back home. When I noticed this, I began to discuss ideas of expanding our connection and power to the animals they cared for. We ended up settling on the baby dragon for now, but this is by no means the end to such experimentation.” Doom explained.

“Well thank you for that.” Uni reiterated, holding out her hand for a handshake.

“You are quite welcome, young one.” Doom replied, accepting Uni’s offer.

“... I think I’ve come to terms with my fate.” Uni said, still holding Doom’s hand.

“In what sense?” Doom wondered.

“Between what I’ve heard from Latté and the distance I’ve felt all my life, I realize now that Moonshine would never dare be so openly kind and loving as you have been in just this little moment. You prove yourself to be someone worth following, Lord Black Doom.” Uni concluded.

Latté audibly gasped, clearly being unable to contain her excitement.

“YAAAAAAY!!! UNI’S A BLACK ARMS NOW!!!!!” She cheered as she tackled Uni to the ground with a hug.

“Huhuhuhu… I think it is safe to call this meeting of ours a success~!” Doom exclaimed with pride.

“I agree… And at the very least with me being brought in, I’ll have an easier time making sure the Mini Mayhem members are alright.” Uni remarked.

“My… What a selfless way of looking at things…!” Doom noted.

“Yeah! That’s exactly the Uni I know!” Latté added.

“... Thank you, both of you…” Uni replied, her face green and eyes watery.

“But before we part ways, there is one last thing we must do.” Doom then said. Uni was confused and curious as to what he could be talking about, but Latté cut off her chance to speak.

“Oh, right! Do you need me to be out of the way?” She vaguely inquired.

“Not at all. The more comfortable Uni is, the better…” Doom responded.

After the short meeting with Black Doom, it was decided that it became late enough into the night to have Latté and Uni not go back to their respective homes. Instead, the both of them along with Mocha, the members of Mini Mayhem, and some other miscellaneous Black Arms - such as the one who provided the baby Petal-scaled Dragon that was brought into the hivemind during the night’s festivities, went to Lillian’s cabin to stay for the rest of the night.

When morning came, some of the Black Arms being housed in the cabin were given errands to run. Even little Mocha was given something to do. But Latté and Uni were not a part of such activities, as the leaders had decided that after everything that the two had been through this past week, they deserved a break. And so, the morning came and went, the two spending their time together in one of the hammocks that were in the process of being put up about the cabin. When Uni first awoke, she had insisted on wanting to do something, feeling obligated to, probably because of the pressure put on her all her life, or out of gratitude for her life being saved the night prior, or even both. But Latté relayed to her what she had been told by the leaders.

Rest.

Which managed to convince her. Hell, eventually, Uni ended up just going right back to sleep!

Just as the afternoon had begun, Lillian came by the two of them, looking to strike up a conversation.

“Tell me… Is the hammock treating you two well?” Lillian inquired.

“I’d certainly say so! And I bet Uni would too, given how she not only slept through the night in it, but has gone back to sleep still in it!” Latté answered enthusiastically.

“Oh well isn’t that just wonderful to hear?” Lillian remarked. 

She then handed Latté a newspaper.

“What’s this?” Latté asked.

“A newspaper, have you never seen one before?” Lillian replied teasingly.

“No no I’ve… I’ve seen newspapers before..!” Latté assured between giggles. “I guess I was just wondering why you’re handing this to me.”

“I figured that you might have been getting bored up there all alone. I mean, you don’t even have your girlfriend to talk to, since she’s asleep.” Lillian explained.

“Oh! That makes sense.” Latté figured.

Looking at the newspaper, Latté noticed that just like during previous stunts of theirs, the front page story was about the Black Arm’s escapades. But there was something a bit different about this article compared to the others, for as Latté read it for herself, she came to realize that the writer spoke quite positively about the Black Arms in this article! After she read the article, Latté went to see who it was that wrote it.

Endrose Ræa.

Ræa…

That name sounded familiar, but not to Latté. She could feel through the hivemind that for whom it was familiar to was actually Uni, but couldn’t exactly access why.

"Hey, Miss Lillian, did we bring a journalist into the hivemind by chance?" Latté wondered.

"I think so, why do you ask?" Lillian responded as she was nearby in the kitchen, chopping up some vegetables.

"The article about us in today's paper is positive!" Latté exclaimed, displaying the newspaper outside of the hammock for Lillian to see.

Intrigued by Latté's claims, Lillian went back over to her and Uni's hammock to read the article for herself.

"Well I'd say, you're absolutely right, Latté!" Lillian remarked with pleasant surprise. "I should get more of these for the rest of the hive! Or at least the rest of us leaders."

"I could… Do that for you… Miss…" Uni muttered out in a half asleep state.

"No no, you were told to rest! You and Latté! I'll do it myself." Lillian insisted.

"Hi Uni! Sorry if Miss Lillian and I woke you up." Latté said as Uni laid back down.

"It's… fine…" Uni tiredly replied with a yawn.

"Oh hey! Miss Lillian! Before you go!" Latté called.

"Yes?" Lillian replied.

"Uni was wondering last night if the members of Mini Mayhem aside from Rehkloos were alright… Do you have any info on that?" Latté asked, her tone becoming more serious.

"They are all alive, that I do know." Lillian answered.

"Oh thank goodness…" Latté sighed in relief. She could feel Uni be relieved as well.

"Kæ'Mirah is out running an errand right now, actually. As for Kuel and Katrien… They are unconscious, knocked out by the blast. It might take them a few days to wake back up. And they did sustain some injuries - of which we're not sure yet. Right now we have some doctors that we managed to bring into the hive taking care of them." Lillian elaborated somberly.

"Just like… Kuel's brother…" Uni stated quietly.

"... Please know that we did not intend this outcome…" Lillian told the two, trying to comfort them.

"I know… I just hope they… recover…" Uni replied.

Feeling bad about the situation, Latté turned over in the hammock to embrace Uni, handing the newspaper back to Lillian.

As Latté got closer to Uni, she began to hear someone speaking in the hivemind once again.

“Hey, is this by chance a bad time?” It sounded like Widow was the one talking. 

Heh, what are the chances? Latté gets to overhear a conversation involving Widow twice in a row!

“Are… Are you talking to me?” And the other person speaking was… Uni? This is sure to be interesting.

“Yeah, I was hoping to, anyway.” Widow admitted.

“I don’t think us having a conversation would breach the assignment I was given. Go right ahead.” Uni responded.

“I mean, I figured as much, since I’m one of the leaders who gave you the orders to rest.” Widow remarked light-heartedly. “Anyways, I was just interested in coming up with a costume change for you.” 

“A… Costume change…?” Uni echoed with confusion.

“What you’re wearing currently looks pretty battered up from what you went through yesterday… And besides, it’s a nice way to show off the new chapter of your life that you’ve begun.” Widow explained.

“... Yes, I think I’ve noticed that! You yourself as well as the other Black Arms leaders had a change of outfits in the days after the Plaza Rally, right?” Uni recollected, now seeming to understand the concept that Widow was attempting to relay.

“Indeed! And they were all done by yours truly!” Widow replied proudly.

“Were they now? I think I do remember hearing about such passions of yours over the years…” Uni testified.

“Right…! Goodness me, with everything else going on, I nearly forgot that we’ve known each other for quite a while now!” Widow admitted.

“... For me, I think I’m thinking of having myself something relatively similar to my old usual outfit… But also a bit inspired by the outfit you made for Vladmira.” Uni requested of Widow after having a moment to think about her choice.

“Really?” Widow responded, surprised, though not unpleasantly so.

“... I know, you probably figured I hated them…” Uni awkwardly acknowledged.

“Ehhhhh…” Widow reacted, clearly not wanting to give away what she actually had thought.

“I had certainly convinced myself that I did.” Uni stated. “I mean, I also convinced myself that I disliked you, but I really went in hard with it on Vladmira. It began as a desire to not be associated with the two of you, as you two had a reputation of being “cursed” and “wicked”. I wanted to stay in good standing with my family and the church, so I did everything I could to separate myself from you, from them. But then Latté joined the Riverbed Choir… And while she was there, she met Vladmira and became friends with them… I was deeply jealous… But I was also incredibly paranoid. I was afraid that if Latté stayed friends with Vladmira while I was dating her, that all the effort I had put into making me look “better” than them would go to waste, and I would be shunned as well… Perhaps even abandoned completely, like how Archæsis did with Vladmira… I even started to worry that such things would happen to Latté too… So I antagonized them even further, not just for my sake anymore, but for what I thought was Latté’s own good…” She explained in detail. “But now I look back on that behavior and I… I hate myself for it… The both of you have been so kind to me… And Latté didn’t deserve me trying to make her stop being friends with Vladmira… She told me last night just how much Vladmira helped her in trying to get me back… I want to return the favor. I want to be their friend too, just like Latté. I figured that having similar outfits would be a start.”

As Uni finished speaking, Widow hugged her gently. Latté, feeling the tenderness of the hug and being moved by Uni’s words, began to tear up a little, the sounds of her choking on her tears being heard by Uni and Widow.

“L-Latté…! Have you been… listening this whole time…?” Uni asked, tearing up as well.

“Uhm… Y-yeah, it’s just kinda something that happens to me…” Latté answered skittishly.

“You must be exceptionally good at tuning into the hivemind, then…! It makes sense, given your circumstances over the past week!” Widow pointed out with intrigue.

“Yeah… Uh, one of those times I heard things from the hivemind may or may not have been when you and Sen talked about her feelings for you, by the way.” Latté admitted.

“... I… Okay.” Widow reacted, not knowing how to respond to that, it would seem. “Do you want a costume change too, Latté?” She then asked, changing the subject.

“Sure! I uh, don’t really know what it would be yet, but I’ll let you know if I come up with anything!” Latté answered.

“Anyway, back to what you were saying, Uni… I will let Vladmira know about how you really feel, okay? I mean, I’m sure they’d understand… We all had shitty parents like that, and the church is no better.” Widow said. “And on the topic of admitting things…” She continued, “I was kind of jealous of how you were allowed to become a girl as a kid when I wasn’t, I won’t lie… But I was naive back when I had those feelings. As I grew up, and watched you grow too, I noticed just how strict the barriers that your folks made your identity be really were… and instead of being jealous… I just felt bad for you. Sure, the outcomes were different, but in theory, the expectations put onto us weren’t all that different. And in the end, I ended up just wishing so badly that you would realize that… That you would fight back… Because I felt like you deserved to.” 

“... I will. I will fight back. That’s my promise to you.” Uni pledged.

“Thank you.” Widow muttered.

“... How about tonight? I know you told me to rest, but-” Uni began to speak again after releasing herself from the hug that she and Widow had been in.

“For what?” Widow asked.

“To fight back… To get my revenge for all the years my parents controlled me and my identity.” Uni clarified. “I’m starting to come up with ideas.”

“Oh, I see…! I’ll ask the others what they think, but I personally am not against the idea.” Widow replied. “Mind sharing what those ideas of yours are?”

“Yeah! I wanna hear them too!” Latté chimed in, excited for what Uni had in store.

“Well, since you both asked so nicely…”

As day began to shift into night, the Bishop household was quite busy, as the parental figures of the home were quickly preparing a last minute celebratory dinner - excited to see their daughter Uni finally return home safely, accompanied by her darling girlfriend and her girlfriend’s sister.

They had become worried sick for Uni when she didn’t come home the day prior, asking Priestess Waning to go out and search for the girl. Latté and Mocha’s parents were deeply worried as well, from what Uni’s parents relayed. Their usually very busy father actually came home for once to support his terrified wife in this time of need, telling his work that he would not be returning until his daughters came home. 

And now they were home - that’s what Uni’s parents said. After this dinner, they would send Latté and Mocha home to their likely overjoyed parents.

But Uni’s parents had been worried about the two as well, and they wanted to take this moment to celebrate the girls’ return.

Just as Uni had expected they would.

“Will the Priestess be joining us tonight?” Uni asked as her mother was setting the plates at the dinner table. “You did mention her going out to find me, so surely you let her know that I’m back home now, right?”

“Oh, I did find her back when I went out after you three arrived!” Uni’s mother replied, “She was so happy to hear that you three were safe. But she unfortunately had to turn down the offer to join us for dinner. She had gotten a summons by the mayor of Lunar High-Rise up north while she was out looking for you - she had been delaying her response to it so she could keep searching, but when I told her that you had come home, she finally allowed herself to start packing for the trip.”

“Oh… That’s quite the shame… I would have loved to see her off!” Uni lamented. “Do you know why she was asked to travel up north?” She then asked.

“She told me that apparently this awful problem we’ve been having here with those rioters has started to spread into other towns and cities…” Uni’s mother somberly explained.

“Oh dear…! Well, even if she can’t be here tonight, I still give her my sincerest wishes of luck while dealing with this whole mess…” Uni responded, mimicking her mother’s sadness.

“It’s probably for the best that she isn’t here, anyways…” Latté added.

“What… exactly do you mean by that, Latté?” Uni’s father asked, Latté’s connections to the Black Arms probably still lingering in the back of both his mind and the mind of Uni’s mother - for she too looked a bit concerned by Latté’s words. 

“What she probably means is that… It’s better that she’s attending to whatever the situation is over there. Better to act early, and all that.” Uni reasoned.

Uni’s parents looked a little unsure of Uni’s explanation, but they decided to roll with it.

Once the plates of food had all been placed at the table, everyone took their seats and gave a united prayer of thanks to Madam Moonshine. Part of Uni wanted to chuckle, considering how she knew now that Moonshine would never hear the words she spoke. But to maintain her ruse, she kept such a desire at bay, and carried on with the prayer until its end.

What Uni’s parents had made for dinner on this night was not very extravagant, which made sense given the short notice. Just fish fillet and vegetables, a very common meal in the Riverbed Town. The star of the meal, however, was instead the beverage served alongside it - a special blend of tea prepared by none other than Uni herself. 

As everyone chowed down on the meal after prayer, Uni made sure to keep her eye out for just how much of the tea her parents were having. She noticed that her father was drinking significantly more rapidly than her mother was. On the other side of things, however, Uni’s parents didn’t seem to notice how Uni nor Latté or even Mocha had taken so much as a sip of their cups of tea.

“So, Uni… How did you end up finding Latté and Mocha, anyways? You took quite the time doing so…” Uni’s mother eventually inquired.

“Oh dear me, it certainly was quite the adventure! One that I just don’t think we’d have the time for me to tell in full, I’m afraid.” Uni replied.

“Don’t be ridiculous! No one here is in any rush! There’s really no reason for you to feel that way-” Uni’s mother tried to insist, but Uni cut her off.

“Oh no, no, I’m quite sure I remembered you two having an appointment with Madam Moonshine later, surely!” Uni argued, which seemed to cause the confusion likely already stirring within her mother to come up to the surface.

“A-A meeting with Madam Moonshine? What ever could you mean by that, Uni??” Her mother questioned, a bit of panic slipping into her voice.

Before Uni could answer, the sound of the head of Uni’s father slamming into the dinner table resounded throughout the room.

Uni watched with morbid fascination as her mother attempted to awaken her husband - then realizing in her attempt that he no longer had a pulse. Her panic becoming much stronger now, Uni’s mother desperately begged Uni’s father to wake up, to not leave her side like this, as she struggled to grasp the reality of her husband’s sudden demise. But soon, a realization seemed to come to her, as she then turned to Uni with a horrified expression.

“No… No…! You… You couldn’t have…!” Uni’s mother begged, failing to truly comprehend the current situation.

“But I did, didn't I?” Uni replied simply, maintaining a smile.

“Why…? Why would you do this- Don’t you realize what you’ve done???” Uni’s mother wailed out hopelessly. Did she really not understand what has happened? What was happening at this very moment? To be so lost felt so strange to Uni. It was almost like through Uni’s perspective, that her mother’s mind existed in a different realm of consciousness from her own, an inferior realm, compared to her own. The concept captured her curiosity, making her wonder what the cause of this separation could be. Perhaps Lord Doom would know the answer.

But Uni would have to save those thoughts for later, as she did not want to lose the only chance she has at savoring her vengeance against the ones who controlled her all her life.

For now she was in control. Not of their lives, per say… But rather, of their deaths.

“Have… Have you…?” Uni’s mother muttered out, her body struggling to keep itself going as the toxins from the tea took hold.

“What else would it be, mother? I’m surprised you hadn’t even considered the idea. I was away for a whole day and a half, looking for two individuals who you knew were sworn into their hivemind… Was it really not obvious that they had taken me too?” Uni answered her, locking eyes with her mother, watching the life fade out from her mother’s eyes. “Or was it that… You perhaps, in some part of your mind… Actually considered it? But the rest of you was not ready for such a revelation? You were unequipped to face the corruption of your sweet beloved daughter… So you, consciously or not, forced yourself to remain ignorant… Heheheheheheh…. How ironic, isn’t it? That you act this way… Despite treating me as if I was already corrupt my whole life, no matter how much I tried to prove I wasn’t? Well, now I am. I’m your corrupted little girl… Are you happy now, mother?”

Uni’s mother tried and tried to speak, to respond to Uni’s words. But everything that came out was incomprehensible, the toxins and Uni’s betrayal seeming to quite literally break her mind. The sight brought much delight to Uni, as well as Latté and Mocha. Uni was able to have her revenge, and her parents - or at the very least her mother, was able to experience chaos through means of utter madness before she met her demise. A win in every aspect.

But soon enough, the last bit of life finally left Uni’s mother, and she, just like her husband, slumped in her chair and let her face fall onto the dinner table, her body without a single heartbeat.

As the tension from Uni’s reveal settled, Uni looked upon the lifeless corpses of her parents, fixated upon them, almost.

“What’re ya thinking about?” Latté asked her.

“... Do you think that in their last bits of coherent thought… Despite my own words… That they still referred to me in their minds as their son?” Uni pondered.

“Knowing them… They probably did.” Latté replied.

“Hmph… Then this fate of theirs was exactly what they deserved, that much is certain.” Uni stated.

Latté nodded, but then spoke again soon after.

“I just wish it could have been… Bloodier.” She admitted.

“I understand that, I really do. And in hindsight, it would seem I did not have much need for this way of doing things after all… But you know very well the reason why I had chosen this method.” Uni reminded her. “While I might not have the plans completely worked out just yet, I do wish to help Vladmira get their revenge on Archæsis when the time does come for that… And for what I have planned currently to work, I would need Archæsis to trust me still.”

“I know, I know! I’m just really craving some guts right now…” Latté elaborated slightly.

“Goodness me, dear Latté… Isn’t that rather selfish of you~? This is my first time doing something like this, and all you can think about is how much gorier you wish it would have been~?” Uni chastised her playfully, wrapping Latté into her arms.

“It’s not like that, I swear! I-I just-” Latté attempted to stammer out an argument in her defense as her face began to glow green.

“I’m just teasing you, my love…~” Uni reassured Latté, playing with her hair ever so tenderly. “But if your bloodlust is truly so insatiable… I’m sure your parents would just love it if we stopped by~.” She then proposed.

“Oooh, that’s a great idea!” Latté replied joyfully.

“Can I come too?” Mocha asked.

“Of course! It’d be rude of us to leave you out!” Latté answered her, Uni nodding in agreement.

“But first… Let us please savor this moment, my sweet Latté~...” Uni requested, pulling Latté in for a kiss on the lips.

Latté fulfilled Uni’s request, reciprocating the tender moment.

Case 01 CLOSED

-☆☆☆-

“Wooo!! Yeah!! Everybody give it up for Uni and Latté reuniting within the Black Arms!!” Garrick commanded excitedly. Seeing no reason to not comply with the young prince’s order, everyone else currently congregated gave their applause.

As the applause was happening, Eclipse stood up and seemed ready to return to their work, but stopped themself when they heard the sound of Shadow sniffling.

“Are you alright?” They asked her with concern.

“Oh… Y-yeah… Just emotional over the story again…” Shadow assured them, wiping away her tears.

“What’s got ya this time, hun?” Rouge inquired teasingly, though still rather sincerely.

“What… What Uni said towards the end there, about how she pushed mom and Vladmira away to look good in the eyes of those who had dictated her life… It… It really resonated with me…” Shadow admitted, its eyes watering up again as they spoke.

“Oh come here you…!” Eclipse said as they pulled Shadow into a tender hug.

“And you got better, just like Uni did!” Garrick pointed out, which really seemed to make Shadow feel better.

“I guess I did… Didn’t I?” Shadow replied.

“Considering we’ve reached the end of this part of the story, we can take a five minute break if you want some time to pull yourself back together, Shadow.” Widow suggested.

“Oh, you really don’t have to do that for me-” Shadow tried to object, but was interrupted by a rather familiar voice.

“No no, I think that would be rather good for you, don’t you think?” In the spot where Leanni once sat, Yuki now stood, its shared body having shifted back into its default form, and now wearing Yuki’s signature navy blue face mask, decorated with dark gray spikes on each cheek, just as it had always been.

“O-oh, okay..!” Shadow obliged, her face a very vibrant shade of green.

“Shall we get some drinks from the communal fridge in the energy chambers? I could certainly go for a can of ginger ale right about now.” Yuki suggested.

“Oh, I think I’m heading that way anyways, why don’t I go get them for you two?” Eclipse chimed in.

“Are you sure, you’d have to come all the way back here - wouldn’t that time be better spent working on Rouge and Relic’s assimilation pods?” Shadow questioned.

“... Have you not considered that I could just use Chaos Control to teleport back here? Or even just teleport the cans themselves?” Eclipse responded incredulously.

“... Wait.” Shadow spoke, the realization registering in her mind. “... Oh yeah.” She added with embarrassment. 

Yuki couldn't help but chuckle a bit at the situation - something that several others joined him in on.

"Oh, wait! I just remembered! I had something to tell you about!" Shadow suddenly exclaimed.

"Tell me through the hivemind. That way I can easily store it within the databases for later." Eclipse responded as they prepared to take off.

"That's quite a smart idea of yours, I must say…!" Widow remarked.

"Thank you, Madam Widow." Eclipse replied.

"I agree! This is something you'd probably want to have documented, honestly." Shadow noted.

"Well then, you shouldn't waste anymore time stalling! Tell me every detail of what you've had in mind." Eclipse instructed.

As Eclipse began to travel back to their laboratory on the opposite end of the Aerth Temple, and Shadow and Yuki began to get themselves seated back in the area that everyone else was still congregated in, Shadow began to lay out the plan she and several others had devised earlier that night to take over Starlight City to Eclipse through the hivemind. Even from a distance, Widow could see that at some point, Eclipse had stopped walking, clearly incredibly intrigued by Shadow's ideas.

"Lord Doom Almighty, how did I not pick up on this when you all first discussed this??" Eclipse questioned with awe over the hivemind.

"Must've been so absorbed in your work that you just didn't hear it! Sounds like something you'd do!" Harazuki suggested an answer quite teasingly.

"Oh quiet you…" Eclipse sneered, everyone being able to tell that they were absolutely rolling their eyes at that moment despite the distance.

"Well it's good that you're hearing about it now, isn't it?" Relic chimed in, to which everyone else agreed.

"Yes! Shadow! Everyone! This plan you have plotted is quite brilliant, honestly!! If we are to use anywhere to rebuild our once great army, why shouldn't it be a city with "Star" in the name?! And besides, I'd like to think that I've already made a start on something akin to this! You all are aware of the fact that I've already assimilated the Starlight City Militia, yes?" Eclipse continued on with enthusiasm.

"Oh yes, that's right! What a useful bit of leverage!" Relic recollected.

"And my most recent work will do wonders in keeping off that foolish Doctor, too!" Eclipse added.

"Ooh! Ooh! And for the rally, we could attract a crowd by having Roses & Renegades play a show beforehand!" Shadow suggested.

"Well aren't you three being quite productive right now…?" Doom remarked, a sense of admiration coming from his voice.

"I'd certainly say so!" Eclipse responded.

"Goodness, this reminds me of when we would plan out the rallies on PetalBloom!" Widow pointed out, her comment clearly making Shadow feel very proud of herself.

"I concur…" Doom added, contributing to Shadow's sense of pride, which seemed to start rubbing off onto the other members of the hive.

"Yippee!! We're gonna make the Black Arms a big name once more, just like those before us!!" Garrick cheered.

"Oh! This actually has me thinking of something of a prelude into the next part of the story!" Widow said suddenly. "We can still take our little break, but may I tell that first?" She then asked everyone.

"I say yes!!" Garrick answered.

"I'd love that!" Shadow agreed.

"You are the one telling the story, your majesty." Yuki remarked.

"As you had said before yourself…" Doom added.

"Of course, I would love to listen in as I make my way back to the lab. Just let me make sure our plans are not forgotten…!" Eclipse responded.

! One new item added to the Black Arms Information Inventory under "Future Plans" !

"There! You now have the floor, Madam!" Eclipse concluded.

"Thank you very much!" Widow replied cheerfully.

-☆☆☆-

It had been about a week since the rally at the schoolhouse. With how hectic the week following the plaza’s rally had been with so many newly recruited Black Arms taking shelter at Lillian’s place after having abandoned their old residences for whatever reasons they may have had - most of the time it was that they had killed their resistant caretakers, the past week’s focus was to truly expand the Black Arms’ presence beyond the Riverbed Town. Sure, they had already attracted some folks from other towns and cities, but the people from there had to come to Riverbed to be with their brethren in arms, which was the root of the problem as far as overcrowding goes.

Slowly but surely, the Black Arms that had emigrated from other towns moved back to their old residences to spread the hivemind’s influence. A good lot of the Black Arms that were native to the Riverbed Town were also traveling to other places, too. They had come to understand that the cabin was becoming too crowded and desired to help clear out the space, as well as hoped that they could spread the hivemind into parts of PetalBloom that were still untouched by its metaphorical tendrils.

Eventually, the cabin had become a lot more habitable, with only about a dozen members left living in the cabin, not including the leaders that were in there as well - all but Death and Tsunami.

But it was still kind of crowded, at least to Sendrir’s liking.

Despite being constantly made to do such labor all her life by her now late father, Sendrir found herself usually in the kitchen helping Lillian with cooking and/or cleaning. It kept her away from the crowd, at least. Though it also kept her away from her friends and her girlfriend most of the time, which did bum her out. She could tell that they could tell it did, but what were they to do? She figured that she’d just have to wait it out til the last of the non leaders found a place to be other than the cabin.

But for now, she was in the kitchen, cleaning the dishes from the most recent meal. While she was fortunately not too closely reminded of her childhood, she still was a bit bored. So she decided to pass the time by eavesdropping on whatever it was that was happening this time in the living room.

“I was told that it should be any day now that he wakes up, but I just couldn’t stand to see you so upset for days on end like that… So I figured I’d bring you here.” The voice of a man said in a comforting tone.

“I… Thank you… But I’m still… I still feel lost.” The voice of another man, noticeably younger than the first, responded.

“Heh… Sorry ‘bout that, kiddo.” The older man apologized.

“So what does this all mean…? Are you… one of them?” The younger man questioned the older one.

“You’re in a room with several of us, buddy.” A bystander remarked.

“O-oh, um, right. Sorry…” The young man muttered with guilt. “... Is he one of you?”

“Partially. Though even that partial introduction into his body and mind is irreversible.” The older man explained.

“And why should I trust you on that matter? I mean, other than because you’re my boss. How can you possibly have an unbiased viewpoint?” The younger man argued.

“Funny how you’re asking me such a question about this and not about the recent articles I’ve written.” The older man retorted.

“W-well-” The younger man was about to speak, but was interrupted.

“We’re just about ready to go!” A woman called out to one of the people in the room.

“Oh shit! Thanks, honey. I got distracted.” The bystander from before replied.

Shortly afterwards, Sendrir heard the door to the kitchen open. Not putting two together in her mind at first, she immediately lamented to herself about possibly getting an unwanted flirting with when she didn’t pick up the new presence as that of another Black Arms leader.

“No need to worry about that, Miss. I’m a married man!” But when the new person in the kitchen spoke, Sendrir recognized it to be the same voice as the bystander in the living room, and as she turned and saw the bystander for herself, her mind started finally connecting the dots.

“Well if it isn’t Ferosæ the Dragon Trainer?” She greeted him.

“That would be me, yes.” Ferosæ responded.

“So, was the woman I heard out there that wife of yours, then?” Sendrir inquired in a playful manner.

“Indeed she is! She’s just about ready to head back home to Lunar High-Rise!” Ferosæ answered.

“And I assume you’re going with her, right?” Sendrir asked, wanting to mess with the guy while also admittedly being relieved that the cabin was clearing up more.

“Of course!” Ferosæ replied. “Though we won’t be traveling alone, actually.” They then added.

“Is that so? Who’s coming with?” Sendrir queried.

“Lord Doom, Queen Widow, and you! The three of you will be staying in a hotel that us High-Rise Black Arms collectively funded!” Ferosæ explained quite casually, as if Sendrir wouldn’t be completely caught off guard by that answer.

“I’m sorry??? ME??? I-I’m going to Lunar High-Rise???” Sendrir reacted with absolute shock.

“No one told you? Like… Actually no one told you?? I thought you were doing a bit!” Ferosæ questioned, just as surprised.

Just like that, a memory of Doom talking to her about the trip a few days ago came to Sendrir’s mind.

“... I think I forgot.” Sendrir admitted.

“Hey, that happens to the best of us. I was supposed to tell you to get ready like thirty minutes ago but when I entered the living room to get here I ran into another Black Arms with an outsider and it caught my attention.” Ferosæ testified, clearly trying to kill two birds with one stone as he comforted Sendrir as he also explained his lateness.

“Well, we’ve got no time left to waste here talking then, don’t we? Come on, let’s get packing!” Sendrir told Ferosæ, setting down the cleaning supplies she had been using and heading off to where her stuff was.

“Yep! Got it!” Ferosæ uttered, following behind her.

In just a couple of minutes, Sendrir had gone from being bored out of her mind to incredibly excited. After all, she had never been anywhere outside of the Riverbed Town before!

#the era of shadow #teos #sonic au #undescribed #black arms #sonic oc #writing tag #sonic fanfiction #the era of shadow: origins #teos origins #mod ash #mod eclipse

[chidoroki]

182 Days of TPN - Day 165

Chapter 165: "You Can Fly!"

(I've finally reached that point where those old chapter reviews of mine became consistent, so if there's some deja vu moments with stuff I say from here onwards then I apologize. Might not happen since those were done blindly while I have a perfectly good idea of what happens in the story now, but I'll look back at those posts just in case so I don't become a broken record.)

I find it so adorable that even after so many years, Isabella still thinks of Leslie.

The hatred I feel for Sarah has grown immensely over the past couple months, so of course now I can't help but feel a bit giddy over her being shipped out. Peter eventually comes in with a comment stating that the farm made the decision based on who, between Isabella or Sarah, would be more beneficial to the farms, and with the impressive results Isabella has made during her time as caretaker, she was chosen as the obvious choice to keep around. And rightfully so. Thank heavens.

I know this poor woman just wanted to be free from all this hell and while I certainly don't wish to see Isabella suffer under the farm's rules and restrictions anymore, I love her too much to just see her get killed off, so you gotta stick around for a couple more years to help out the kids honey. It'll be worth it.

As much as I despise the man, I do like the intense shadow Peter gets across him during this panel. It really makes the sinister aura believable with how terrified Isabella looks, and for a woman who's been around death for so long and perfected a strong facade over the years to actually show some kind of fear, that's quite impressive he managed to make her feel that way.

After all this time and now I'm just getting the feeling that Isabella was crying a bit sometime during that panel of her looking at her number and chip implant in the mirror back at GF. Anyways, I know it was intentional for her to look completely scared upon making this deal with Peter here, but I love that it's all just an act as we later find out in ch170. (also, not important but this is my post so it was gonna get mentioned anyway: absolutely thankful that the second season decided to keep Isabella's hair down during this scene. She may have made the deal with one of the GF demons instead of Peter, but I can forgive the anime for that because Isabella just looked so perfect.)

Duh, everything this woman does is impressive. Sure, it's real bummer for those kids who had to be shipped out, but at least we learned during 181.7 that she did lower the frequency of the shipments so a fewer number of children were shipped out all together. It was a whole quality over quantity idea that worked out well so good for her. The less lives lost the better.

I'm certainly repeating myself from somewhere, but the way Isabella was able to successfully rally all the other moms and sisters together in less than a day is just fantastic. Such a power move. I still geek out over it.

Motherly instincts kicking back in (pfft, silly me, as if they ever left. that's genuine concern on her face). It's certainly a painful way to fix a finger but at least she helped!

The switch from "mom" to "caretaker" happens so quick it could give someone whiplash. Honey, I know this is all part of a grand performance but I don't like when you openly treat your precious children as food!

Still wondering how y'all managed to cross the giant cliff in order to sneak into headquarters but whatever works I guess. I'm certain they didn't just cross the bridge since security probably would've been alerted much sooner and I'm not gonna believe they arrived via random hot air balloons like the second season did. Regardless, it was quite a surprise to see Norman armed with a gun but very welcomed. Seeing him in the shelter jacket and pants is a good look for him too.

Favorite panel/moment:

Oh to be lucky enough to receive a hug from such a beautiful woman.

#the promised neverland #tpn manga #182daysoftpn #chidoroki used chatter

[unvergangliche]

* psa / height of magic.

i'm probably going to update my rules in terms of how combat if any, granted how lazy and uninterested fri.eren is in battle, are conducted and what i myself, as a mun will allow granted i write a very, very overpowered muse. this doesn't equate to 'unkillable / undefeatable ' but i frankly see interactions with people who pursue her line of the ' height / apex of magic ' as fern calls fri.eren's prowess just doing a dungeon, who still to this current updates in the manga , has not revealed her full hand which.. is absolutely terrifying, more of a teacher.

in most cases granted fri.eren's absurdly huge mana pool, which is quoted to be almost the same amount as serie's, who fri.eren isn't even half her age, or less!, her 1000+ years of knowledge and experience, i think it's important how well the fight between fern against her clone and ultimately frier.en facing her own replica demonstrates that experience > most anything else. you can be a prodigy like fern and there will still be a gap. you can have incredible imagination like ubel , but with sheer numbers, still be overwhelmed like the replicas overpowering her and denken in 'attrition'.

it isn't just ' fri.eren' is the main character . this is a character that 9/10 i think of my interactions has likely lived longer than most muses she'll meet, if not, cool! but those 1000+ years of experience, magic, instinct, mana pool, and battle strategy, the woman has killed the most demons in history including the demon king, kind of cement that despite the 'cute elf falls into a mimic for fun' is really the last person you'd want to test. thankfully, i think it's more in character for fri.eren unless it's a crisis, to be a teacher, something she excels at with fern, who only would have gotten that far with her own prowess and efforts as her own brand of prodigous young mage, and also having spent time actually /studying/ fri.eren over time journeying with her and knowing her personally. it's not something you'd come with naturally, and even THEN the 1000+ years vs her what, 16? time makes a huge difference. but she still is someone fri.eren is highly looking forward to watching succeed, and it shows how incredible a teacher she is even for brief periods of time, like with lawine and kanne.

this doesn't mean fri.eren is invulnerable. but granted as a manga-reader too , we still haven't seen her go all out, which, i'm not sure if we will or not ? granted her lazy nature and dislike of fighting 'strong opponents' even if frankly, she is the strong opponent, frightfully so, i'll be picky with any fight / combative threads against her, as again, i write an immensely overpowered character and i'm not going to bend canon or my muse to have her magically 'lose' for no reason even if MY muse could genuinely care less about battles, and madhouse really hammers that home when i think we as an audience almost are lulled into this sense of security with fri.eren as a character with her laziness, her sloth like nature, her bouts of silliness with mimics and her tenderness with fern, awkward as it may be, until it really slaps you in the face be it the anime or the manga. this is someone you would not want to fight by choice.

i just love the heavy emphasis of years / mana pool vs variety of magic, and how years of experience, impossible levels of years that go on and on for, well, ever, basically, are still 9/10 going to crush the opposition. but still the era of humans is coming and fri.eren looks forward to it immensely. as the humans learn, one of the last living elves, will learn too, for fun though like let her nap okay?

i'm just really happy with this episode. if your muse ever wants a part-time teacher though, frie.ren will be happy to oblige. her main focus is her apprentice and familial figure, fern, who will certainly rise to great heights in the era of humans, but if you ever need someone who likely will catch onto your methods / be an impartial teacher who actually ironically is amazing at teaching . . . fri.eren is your woman.

#𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐃𝐘. | the one one hundredth. #𝐎𝐎𝐂. | all the time in the world. #𝐏𝐒𝐀. | now is all there is. #i cannot tell you how insane this episode was done i am so happy with it! proud of fern! #proud of fern and how fri.eren had so much faith in her :' ) the mom/daughter/grandmother/grandaughter duo... #also love how the a.nime just like the ma.nga is like 'oh was fri.eren being too silly let's remind y.ou why she killed the demon king.' #i try to avoid most combative threads when i write someone this op because...yeah it's kind of frustrating. #plus it's not really ic imho for fri.eren to take someone on out of CHOICE. she really is lazy LMAO.... #but if you want a teacher who will...yeah outlive you and has more experience than most can catch up with to your benefit #then she will happily share because as frie.ren says #'magic should be free.'

[lanaevyssmoved]

3, 7, 10, 37 and 50 + your most special OC atm for the OC questions?

3. Do they enjoy cooking?

i think if u put afhiri in front of a fire something terrible would happen :) however since her mans be a housewife in disguise who absolutely adores cooking for everyone and anyone, they definitely Watch.. and they think it's Really Cool and Awesome.. they are indeed impressed that gale can make things that taste good . but absolutely no one would trust afhiri to cook. i think gale would scream as an instant reaction if she reached for a cooking utensil .........

7. Do they have any unusual fears?

hmmmmmmm.. this is a difficult one.

i can see afhiri being the type of person who fears absolutely nothing. i mean, i don't think they do fear anything, genuinely. this clown doesn't have that part of the brain that yells danger danger for them to experience fear in a base regard. they absolutely fear for their friends lives when they're hurt in combat, they fear gale's death, they fear very real and understandable things. but these things are also cured so quickly with a reassuring word because if loved one says there's no need to fear there's no need to fear! unusual though?

i can see them having stupid, illogical, weird one off fears, "what if you turn into a gnoll!" "can't turn into a gnoll, dear, i'm not a hyena" "oh....... thats good. being a gnoll would be pretty cool though" "yes dear" you know how it is. can absolutely see astarion giving a shit ass comment like YOU'RE AFRAID OF THAT BUT NOT THE MYRAID OF THINGS WE'VE ENCOUNTERED THAT WERE ACTUALLY LIFE THREATENING? ah.. theres no point fighting it astarion you will only exhaust urself my friend

but it is safe to say even the weird fears could not be considered real fear, just being a bit stupid

10. Do they have any regrets?

no, easily, no. i don't see afhiri being capable of regret. every action is done on instinct, it's gut reaction, it's doing what feels right at the time and there's no way you can regret being true to yourself like that. even in those rare occasions they look to friends for guidance, how can they regret a choice they had help with, when that help came from someone they love and trust entirely? nah, there's no regret in this clown

37. Are they religious? If so do they have a strong sense of faith, are they uncertain, or are they somewhere in between?

afhiri is fucking stupid and didn't think gods were real. in a d&d setting. absolute moron (affectionate). it wasn't until being close to the explicitly religious members of the group (shadowheart and gale) that they started to think about it seriously and not like fairytales for children. since these two are like. yknow. very insistent that gods do be real things, afhiri, she believes they are real things now. progress. but that just leads to immense dislike. ok, so ur telling me, that higher beings with the ability to do whatever the fuck they want, including help people in need, not allow people like my family to struggle with basic things like making sure everyone can eat today, could help us with our problems, and theyre also.. causing your hand to hurt constantly, and making my babyboy clowny silly wizard man cry at night? ok. so why do we worship them? sounds like theyre shitheads. does a strong sense of faith mean a strong sense of im gonna punch shar and mystra so hard in the nose it collapses into their skulls? (breaks her own hand. worth it)

its safe to say if afhiri is opinionated on anything its that the things hurting their loved ones are evil. that includes gods

50. What is your favourite thing about them?

answered here hehe

but instead this time i'll say my favourite thing about afhiri is that they've helped me bond with so many cool people who care about my ideas and creativity and i think thats really neat and deserves to be appreciated by speaking it into the world in a small moment of vulnerability

#ask #cetra #i like how i answer these like im trying to guess what she would do like shes real and im just an obsessed fan #that has her instagram notifications on #thank u so much these asks made me insane #oc afhiri #she/they

[trainingdummyrabbit]

late for the ask game but if you're still doing it; molly blyndeff !

oh i am absolutely still doing it! lets see what we got!

> First impression  i actually didnt see her at all until i started watching! from the start it was kind of an ambient “oh whos this? cute design.” an overall positive!

> Impression now  oh i wanna give her a hug SO bad. genuinely so good. ok so, from a writing standpoint, she is SO good. love her little quirks, the way shes written is immensely solid and she fits in so well for the genre. capable of being both the “What Is Actually Going On Here.” role and the “Sillymode(tm)” role, sometimes at the same time.  also, as a kid character, that aspect comes across so well! shes never belittled or looked down on (by the narrative) like other series have a tendency to do-- shes just a person. and thats nice. and shes Written like a person! shes taken seriously, and still has those little quirks where she is Very Clearly A Kid, without hammering it in too hard! 

> Favorite moment  honestly... a really big sucker for the exchange she has when she first meets the banzai blasters. it tells so much about her character and the way she thinks, while seamlessly melding with the silly antics the other characters present! and she harmonizes so well with it, being Mostly the role of the Level-Headed one, but still so clearly dyed by the context of the narrative theyre in being... well, silly!  her craftiness and the blasters’ dumb villainy is just... utterly infectious to watch.

> Idea for a story [smacks hands on table] there are never enough museumtrio sleepover fics. on the other hand though, molly is another character that would benefit really well from an introspective-centered story, one where things are happening, yes, but the main focus is on Molly’s internal thoughts and feelings, how She chooses to act or react to things. it could be anything, honestly-- but itd do really well in a scenario like the banzaimeeting like stated above. let! her! SCHEME!

> Unpopular opinion  this is less of an unpopular opinion and more of something i try to be wary of reading or writing: babying her too much. she Is baby, yes, and she is. so so tired and so badly deserves a nap, but she is also Immensely sharp witted and quick to solve problems, and its very easy to fall into writing kid characters (especially like her) as cardboard cutouts: weak stand-ins for where a character could go. not to say ive necessarily Seen it (at least, not that i directly remember,) but i so badly want to exemplify Every Bit of her character. she is a kid and should Not be burdened with the responsibility of what so many other characters must-- but she isnt useless. she isnt some damsel in distress. she should kick someone in the shins if she has to. id clap.

> Favorite relationship  ok a little bit of a weird one. its kind of a tie right now but: giovanni or indus. her interactions with giovanni are genuinely so infectious to watch. they play off of each other perfectly, both of them enabling the other in silly shit while flailing around trying to make shit work. not to mention what a good emotional influence gio is on her, or the amount of level-headedness molly brings to the table. their balance is very very good and watching them mess around was very fun! indus... might be a little biased, but indus’ complete and total envelopment in the genre makes watching molly interact with him Immensely fun. and the fact that indus genuinely respects her makes me immensely happy! especially considering she does the same right back to him. whether theyre on the same side or not, the way their characters flow around each other is very fun. id love to see them talk to each other again.

> Favorite headcanon molly likes to feel tall. piggyback rides, tall stools, theatre seats wayyy in the back-- its fun! i think she would enjoy it. she likes being able to look over things and point to things in the distance she couldnt have seen otherwise. i imagine shed like to swing her feet if she gets one of those tall chairs at a restaurant or something. 

[Ask Game]

#ask game #oh this was a Fun one to tease out. #also i should clarify that the relationship section is like. never gonna be romantic except if i specify it as such. #it says in the post it isnt ship related at all; but i feel i should disclaim it here again anyway. #anyhow. i love molly and the way shes written so so much; i just never ever talk abt it. not much i can say that others havent! #genuinely a very good protagonist though-- she was so much fun to follow along. big part of my love for th museum arc skdjgn

[cheese-the-hobgoblin-wizard]

Questioning of a young wizard

Sometime, about an hour later, there is another knock on the door. Acera had been lying on the bed, and I was reading a book while we waited for the little lemon cakes. I get up, mage hand the door open, and retrieve the tray. Now, the tray is placed in front of Acera. The plate has five little lemon cakes, of the exact shape Acera had asked for. There are three small porcelain vessels included next to it. They hold strawberry jam, clotted cream, and something that looked a lot like clotted cream, but was much whiter. I look closely at the young lady’s reaction. She starts eating the cakes quickly, and there was no more need for negotiation. I look at her eating with immense relief.

"Oh pumpkin," I say softly as I pet her hair, "I wish you would have told me about this from the start." My voice is soft and caring. She shakes her head. "I never tell anyone... It was... my s-sister and I...wh-when..." she seems unable to form a sentence through the tears. Now my curiosity finally gets the better of me. I stroke her back gently. "Shhh, everything is fine. You can tell me whenever you are ready, don’t worry darling." I kiss her warm, smooth cheek, and press my forehead against hers. Then, I fix my hypnotic gaze on her, before sending a telepathic question. "Why do you never tell anyone?"

Her mind opens up to me. The answer shows very clearly in the young wizard’s thoughts. It's embarrassing. Like a teen being reminded of something silly they did as a toddler. Underneath that embarrassment, a memory of young Acera. Very young, not older than five years. A memory blurred and softened by nostalgia, of the loving older sister and the adoring little sister, Acera, enjoying tea and little lemon cakes together. The memory is faded, but it looks like it could very well be one of her most genuinely happy memories. Though it is clear that she herself would disagree with that.

I sigh, as I ponder on whether or not I should ask more questions. In the end, I opt to sate my curiosity over the young lady’s life before she ended up here. "What happened to your family?"

Intense sadness, fear and anger loom over the memory of her dead sister. The memory is somehow broken however, torn. I can see her swearing she would bring fire and death to whoever killed her older sister, but she never found the answer. Regret and frustration cloud the faint memories of her frantically searching for an answer. Then... her parents, also dead. Manic relief and glee embrace the clear memory of the fifteen year old Acera coming to her family home, knowing that she was unwelcome. Fire and necrotic energy everywhere, the mansion was set ablaze, servants brutally killed, and finally, her mother and father. Both painfully killed, while begging for mercy. She showed none.

I am taken aback. This was within my expectations, yes, but it is one thing to see it for yourself. Still, why is the memory torn? Very unusual, I ponder. This only makes me more curious. I weigh my options. I could repair the memory, but that would fundamentally alter her psyche. This memory is certainly a cornerstone of her current personality. The one I so enjoy, the one that makes the days in this otherwise dull and grey castle interesting. Even if I were to restore and then remove it, I could not replicate the damage it has left now. Not even with the spell I created with my own two hands. In the end, the risk of losing the wizard as she is now would be too great. Instead, I use my next questions to find out more about her father. I compel her to show me the worst, the strongest, the happiest memories of him.

A messy blur of several different memories of her father ignoring her, and complaining about how useless his second daughter is, how weak and sickly she is, shows up. But then, one volatile argument emerges at the top, burning red with anger and resentment. "Of course she killed her! She was always jealous of her big sister! She even looks guilty. Twisted thing, I tell you, she should have been sent away a long time ago!" her father yelled, his noble featured face red and angry. Mother was just sobbing. The other man at the table shook his head. "My lord, my lady, I must disagree. Grief has dimmed your senses..." the elven man said gently. Father had none of it. "I want her gone, Alirios, GONE! Take that twisted thing out of my sight now! And you too, never return here! I have no need for you after she's left!" He kept yelling. Calmly, the elven man stood up, and walked to the poor young lady. "We are leaving now, Acera. Pack your things and get Shadowprancer ready," he said. The memory fades in hot tears and anger.

Next, the same memory repeats once again, unchanged.

And then finally... The burning mansion, dying servants. This is the same memory as I saw earlier. Now, Acera is looking down at her painfully dying father. He is at her feet, begging for forgiveness. Necrotic energy surrounds him as his body keeps slowly, painfully withering. Acera smiles. "Forgiveness, father? Forgiveness? After all these years? How sweet... Pray, father. Pray. Pay your respect before the might of Orcus and his chosen!"

After that, I see a gold tinted memory of the young wizard raising up her parents’ corpses. The fire has calmed. The first light of dawn is showing as warm pink hues in the sky. "Here father. I have forgiven!" She says as the corpses rise up, fueled by her necromancy, ready to serve her.

I smile widely. Yes! A worthy daughter indeed! Such prowess, such hatred! She will make a perfect vampire one day, I muse as I run my tongue over my sharp fangs. My mind goes to all the times when the incredibly powerful, volatile young necromancer has been reduced to a glassy eyed darling, by my power. To the times I have forced her to my will. To kill for me, to heal me in battle using her necromancy. Oh, what a weapon I hold. A mesmerist like myself could otherwise never wield such power. I don’t revel in excitement for too long, however. I have a new question. "Who is Alirios?"

Acera’s mind shows a clear answer again. The mild tempered elven wizard, Alirios, was Acera’s teacher since the age of 6, when she first started showing interest in the arcane arts. He was an evoker of decent skill, and enough patience and care to teach a stubborn child such as the young Acera.

Perhaps not tremendously important then, I muse. Just a teacher. I think of something else that came up earlier. Orcus? A possibility, an extremely exciting possibility, rears its head in my mind. "Who is Orcus?" I ask, unable to contain my excitement.

Another answer clear as day surfaces in the girl’s mind. Demon prince. Master of the undead. The solution to gaining more power, and making people fear and respect her.

Now, that brings me to ask the real question I was thinking of. "Can you speak to him in this world?"

This time, her mind hesitates. It could be that she doesn’t know the answer for certain. An uncertain thought comes forth. She never spoke to him alone. She would need the aid of her fellow cultists for such task.

I sigh in disappointment. I suppose that would have been too simple. Too easy. I have one more question in mind before I wipe this questioning from the wizard’s memory. "What are your happiest childhood memories?"

A few different, faint memories pop up. All are drenched in the warm glow of nostalgia. One of them is the memory of the older sister having a tea party and lemon cakes with the young Acera. Another is Alirios praising her for her exceptional talent. Going for a ride in the city with her sister. Shadowprancer was adorned in silver decorations, and her sister had bought her a new dress. She felt beautiful for once, and a traveling bard gave her flowers and made up a song about a young beauty he met in Elturgard. Alirios drove him away after the song, telling him that the young lady was barely ten years of age, and that this was no way to speak of a lady of that age, especially for a lowly bard. The sister and Acera just giggled, and begun idly teasing Alirios and their other escort about this and that.

I nod, more to myself than anyone else. I let my spell, Mind Probe, lapse. I seal the last minute or so from her memory. The unassuming wizard returns to the moment she had just tasted the lemon cake. I pet her back gently. "I am happy you like them. You can have them anytime you want, my darling daughter."

#short story #creative writing #vampire literature #original character #fantasy #fantasy writing

[sisterssafespace]

Salam sisters!

How are you? hope ur well 😚❤️

I wanted to ask your advice… I used to work with a brother 6 years ago when we were both in our very early 20s. Let’s call him “M”. From the time I worked with him, he possessed great character and

We ended up bumping into each other a few years later briefly at an event and we briefly spoke and caught up (not alone).

At the time I wasn’t very practicing but Alhamdullilah things have changed drastically- I went from not wearing hijab to wearing khimar, abaya and Alhamdullilah following the Qur’aan and sunnah!

I want to stress that aside from working together 6 years ago, we never spoke outside of work and never had each other on any social media etc. He knows I put on the hijab and we since haven’t spoken. I also don’t use any social media aside from tumblr (I don’t count LinkedIn as social)

We recently connected on LinkedIn - I briefly reached out to ask him to share something related to my degree at the time. He shared it, end of conversation.

For some reason, my mother has always loved this brother, although she’s never met him she’s always told me she’d love me to marry him. We’re both Arab so there would be no issues there. She’s encouraged me to find out if he’s available and or interested. The reason being he doesn’t have any social media and so there’s no way for my father or brother to approach on my behalf etc. However, although I know he’s practicing I haven’t spoken to him in so many years that I have no idea what he’s like as a person now.

I’m interested in reconnecting in a halal way to see if there could be compatibility but I fear looking silly and embarrassing myself. Not only that, I have no clue how to even start the conversation and keep it formal but still gauge whether or not he’d be interested in getting to know each other. Bare in mind, there was a short period when it became increasingly clear to me that he was interested in me, nothing outward or inappropriate but I quickly distanced myself.

What so you think?

I think, this is so cute and precious!

Assalamualaikum habibty, may Allah swt bless you immensely. It is very heartwarming to see that sisters out there are being very respectful to their deen and trying to do things the right way! Allahuma barik laki.

I just find it hard to believe that you have nothing on this brother 🫢🫣 like, as girls we are better than the FBI in these stuff 😅 You should have figured him out by now, especially whether he's married or not :')

I genuinely don't know what to tell you, like wouldn't it be possible that he goes to the same masjid as your brother or like they hang out around the same places or have some friends in common? Can't you ask someone from work, from when you used to work together? Can't your mother happen to know an auntie who knows an auntie who knows his mom?

Anyways, I pray you find your answers soon and that Allah swt facilitate for you whatever has khayr for you in it. May Allah swt grant you the pious kind husband who knows how to take care of your heart, whether it is this brother or another. Ameen.

I will post this and ask the sisters who follow, if anyone has any idea, please do share in the replies !!

- A. Z. 🍃🤍

#sisterssafespace

[summertimeflamingo]

people are sooo weird about groomed poodles they’re like “yeah only annoying rich pretentious people style their poodles like that” you’re telling me you wouldn’t customize your dog if you got a poodle?? your dog would look like a bland human skyrim default man and my dog would look like an electric blue lizard man with a mullet. my dog might HAVE a mullet. unless my hypothetical pre-pet research indicated it was unwise for the pets health somehow that bitch would get a new haircut every time it grew back out and it would be BRIGHT PINK (radish water babes, as long as it isn’t allergic you can dye any white animal you like pink unless it can’t get wet like rabbit chinchilla etc just dab someone on and magic pink pet just be smart about it and have water and radishes) i’m poor as fuck i’ll do it with kitchen scissors like i do my own hair lol (also my big sis cuts it with a knife sometimes and it makes it a cool texture that styles really well but i wouldn’t use a knife on a dog cuz they move around a lot i don’t trust that bitch to stay still i’m not even allowed 2 use them on myself much less a wigglebeast LOL) like if i ever got a poodle they would have to classify her a traffic hazard. neon green collar ultramarine leash dog sunglasses if she likes them. it would be sick. you guys just aren’t Enlightened like me and you let rich people ruin things for you. they can’t steal CustomDog from me. people are gonna be like “what the fuck is that” when i walk around with my awful triangle dog and i’m gonna love it. this was just me complaining about a cool idea getting passed up and now i kinda want a poodle 🤔🤔🤔

#i hear they’re VERY smart and i love an animal that can both be trained and troublesome. enriching eachothers lives and shit #like she would look immensely silly but she would also be genuinely loved #can’t get a dog like that anytime soon tho bc space and money and we already have cassiecass my darling dearest kittykat #hashtag cass i am coming to kiss your fluffy white head #also yes if you’re wondering it Is because i cut myself using the knife #i am 16 i am Allowed To Use Knife i don’t live in a hell house #just not on hair #ITS HARD TO DO THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD WITH A KNIFE #also i was NOT paying attention #i get caught in the Thrill Of The Haircut #ooo i’m due for a new one soon aaa i cannot post face pics bc obvious reasons but maybe i will post a drawing of the new me #this last one was experimental and it turned out good but not perfect until the very last few cuts when i figured it out but #this next haircut should be spectacular but this time Big Sis has to do it. she’s probably better anyways she is the knife expert #she says the best one is a hawkbilled knife and having tried with a hunting knife pre adoption it’s soooo much easier to use they’re right #they let me use their favorite knife that they use for everything #she always has it on her hip like the butch she is we love to see it <3 #hashtag butch rights #i look kinda like my icon except my eye is only a little fucked up not totally blued over #and my hair isn’t purple rn #rn it’s natural black and next is blue but i’ll get back to you soon purple i love you mwah #god i love talking

[minteyeddevil]

Hi! I was wondering if I could request the brothers and undateables (dateables?) With an mc that has a small chest. Like nearly flat. Only if that's comfortable for you, and if that's too many boys it's ok. Just frustrated with the lack of adult small titty girl rep out there 😭 thank you

Lucifer:

Size has never mattered to him whatsoever. He may be prideful, but he is not shallow. What matters most to him is having a partner who works with him and understands him. He will shower her in all the attention he can give her, of course when he has to time. Or, if she makes him have to time of course! If she is insecure about their size, he will zero in on her breasts, kissing and biting on them until she gets the point that he loves them, and her just they way she is.

Mammon:

The last thing he is paying attention to is the size of her bust because he is too busy being a tsun about everything, acting like a flustered brat all the time! Okay, jokes aside, he doesn't care about her breasts size at all. He will worship her body all the way around if she allows him too, and shower her in compliments til she is the one flustered and trying to hide her face in his neck. If she needs the reassurance, he will lay his head on her chest and just tell her everything he likes about her breasts in immense detail.

Leviathan:

The fact that MC has chosen to show him her affections is enough for this demon to begin with. He is over the moon that she is willing to be by his side, so the last thing he cares about is what her body looks like. Not in a negative way of course; he is just happy to shower her in the same amount of attention she is giving him, once he is over his initial uncomfortable-ness with being touched. He will show her chest the most of his attention if she is feeling insecure about her breasts size, to help her understand that the size really doesn't matter.

Satan:

He will give MC a million reasons as to why her breast size is the least important thing to him. All that matters to him is the heart beneath. Call it cheesy all you want, but he means it; the feelings and emotions he has learned being with MC are what matter the most to him, and her physical form will not stop him from loving on her. He will happily show her chest all the attention she wants, of course; he wants to help her overcome the insecurities and fully know her worth.

Asmodeus:

With the number of beings he has seen and shared himself with in his life, there is no way he is going to make a big deal about MC having a tiny chest. All that matters it to him is that she loves him for who he is and cares about him as much as he cares about her. Of course he will shower her in attention and even body worship to help her with her insecurities on the issue; but as long as he gets to love her and hold her whenever he wants to, he isn't going to make a big deal about it at all!

Beelzebub:

Beel literally does not care about her bust size at all. Don't take it the wrong way, though, he is extremely attracted to her! The physical form of his partner is not a big deal to him, unless she were to mention wanting to change it, than he would offer for her to come with him to work out sessions and things of that nature. He does kind of like the fact that her breasts are so small in his hands because it makes them look far bigger than they already are, so that's a bit of a plus for her. But he would enjoy them if they were larger as well, he just loves his MC!

Belphegor:

Is he able to cuddle against MC's chest when he wants to take a nap on her? Than he doesn't care about her breasts size. He just wants to wrap himself around her like a koala and nuzzle her until he falls asleep. He will nip and kiss on her chest while doing so if she starts feeling insecure about them, mainly to tease her and get her to stop. Makes jokes about how maybe if he squeezes them enough they will grow bigger, only because she gets all red in the face and swats at him while he laughs. But will always reassure her that the size really doesn't matter, he just feels the most comfortable when laying with her.

Diavolo:

Can't seem to wrap his mind around why MC would worry about having small breasts. She is beautiful in his eyes regardless of what her body is like, so why can't she see it? Makes the biggest effort to show her how it doesn't matter to him how big her chest is by lavishing her in attention; lots of nipping, sucking, and kissing all over her breasts until she finally gets the point. Will help her find clothing that suits her form better and help build up her confidence. He is genuinely happiest that she picked him as her life partner.

Barbatos:

This demon has lived for many millennia, and has chosen her to show his affections to; he is not going to care about how large her breasts are. When alone, he will sneak up behind her and cup her chest in his gloves hands, squeezing and kneading them to get her riled up so he can have some fun with her before he needs to back to work. All he wants is to share what free time he does have with her, and not allow her to be down on herself for her body. He is also the king of showering compliments, so if ever she needs some affirmation, he is more than willing to give it to her.

Simeon:

Okay, though this angel is confident and steadfast, he becomes quite the shy and flustered mess when around MC. He is attracted to her with zero restraint, despite having a hard time getting over how flustered she makes him feel. So the last thing he is concerned about is how big her bust size is. He just wants to bask in her attention and return the love to her tenfold. He will, in a way, scold her when she starts to talk ill about herself in front of him. Will eventually get over the initial shyness and pull her into his lap, showing her just how much he adores her body with his hands and mouth.

Solomon:

This one may be a bit of an ass and tease MC on how small her breasts are. Mainly to make a point on how silly it sounds when she does it to herself first. You don't like when he says it, so why should you get away with saying it about yourself, MC? More than willing to give her breasts all the attention she wants, pulling her to straddle him as he buries his face in her chest. Also another one who is extremely good with words and compliments, making her melt like putty in his hands. He's beyond happy to just have MC as his partner more than anything, considering how alone he had been before her coming into his life.

#obey me #obey me smut #obey me nsft #lucifer #mammon #leviathan #satan #asmodeus #beelzebub #belphegor #diavolo #barbatos #simeon #solomon #request #headcanon #fem!mc

[the-bugs-under-ur-skin]

Yandere Kel, Sunny, Aubrey, Hero and Basil w a Flirty Friend HCs - Omori

[yandere Kel x reader]

-since you guys aren’t dating yet, Kel is a little more awkward about it

-he’ll just laugh and blush most of the time, taken aback by the fact that you’re flirting with him

-he’s always going into it bold and thinking that he’s going to end up flustering you but he’ll usually come out of it giggling and bashful

-not gonna lie, he’ll start to get competitive about it

-he starts to think of it like a race or a challenge

-especially since over time he builds up more courage; he’ll basically just be aggressively complimenting you back

-but he does get very jealous when you flirt with other people

-he’s an attention hog so having you give someone else such “special” attention gets him really upset

-Kel’s very childish so don’t be surprised if he tries to drag you away or insert himself into your conversation

-the knot that forms in his stomach, that tightness that hurts his chest is just too much for him to handle

-being a flirty person will just convince Kel to finally date you even more

-not only does he want the jealousy to end, but he’s also convinced that your flirting has meaning behind it

-and honestly, I think holding back on the flirting will only make Kel worse

-you just suddenly took one of his favorite things in the world away with no warning, he’ll definitely become more than a little unstable

-but you shouldn’t worry too much, it won’t be you who he blames for your lack of affection after all

[yandere Sunny x reader]

-Sunny isn’t exactly known for being well with words so don’t be surprised if he just stands there awkwardly because he doesn’t know what to say

-he’s probably more confused than delusional

-he genuinely doesn’t know if you’re just being silly or if you are actually interested

-Sunny’s reactions to your flirting isn’t all too special, though

-you might even get bored of him since he keeps such a good poker face on

-but he always replays those moments in his head all the time

-he can feel his face heat up and a soft smile form on his face

-however if you’re looking for big reactions in Sunny then go ahead and start casually flirting with one of your friends

-Sunny is a very jealous person, so he doesn’t really care whether you mean anything behind the flirt or not

-he’s not the type of person to run up and confront them, especially if you both aren’t dating yet

-but he would try and find the perfect time to actually confront the person

-he probably wouldn’t plan it out too much though; just whenever you seem to be out of sight is when he’ll strike

-and if being flirty is an entire personality trait, the town is gone

-Sunny probably wouldn’t be hesitant to just snap and go on a rampage, he doesn’t care

-all he cares about is you, and he doesn’t want anyone touching you

-he doesn’t really mind if you stop being flirty, he’ll just assume it’s because you’re getting shy around him

-though, he’s probably already adapted to your flirting, so don't be surprised if one day he tries to give you a small and shaky compliment

-it’s all just build-up to his inevitable confession where it’s either a “yes” or social isolation

[yandere Aubrey x reader]

-Aubrey does not do a good job of playing off her embarrassment

-she isn’t completely delusional so she can tell straight away that you flirt with everybody and just the thought kind of pissed her off

-she’s also going to be angry at herself for being so pissed off over you so Aubrey might bully you a little bit

-she can’t take in both her overwhelming feelings and your constant flirting with not only herself put ever other person you talk to

-so she does the only thing she knows how to do; she bullies you

-also a bit of a twisted tsundere personality would be at play

-like if you did the logical thing and stopped playfully flirting with her than she’d be pretty upset about it

-but if you keep on going with the flirty personality for whatever reason, then she’ll cave eventually

-though she can’t make comebacks as quick (if at all) since it’s both the start of her obsession and the start of you’re relationship 

-but that doesn’t stop her from exnihilating any competition

-she’s more than wiling to fight someone in front of you, most because her ego is so big she just assumes you’ll be cool with it

-but also because you’re just starting to become close friends, she’s actually more willing to listen to you when you tell her not to hurt anyone

-a darling with a flirty personality will actually end up bringing out some of the worst traits in her

-so honestly, i would avoid flirting with Aubrey until you both are dating

-it might end up saving a lot of pain from both you and your friends

[yandere Hero x reader]

-Hero would probably get flirted with a lot and it didn’t annoy him as much until he met you

-when he first encountered you, he thought you were just flirting with him because you liked him so he just tried to awkwardly laugh until you left

-but he’s one of the few in the group who can quickly realize it’s just how you always act

-then he’d think about you a little more, so he’d watch you a little more and then he would slowly start to obsess over you

-and you’re flirts start to become like an earworm, he would quickly try to reacquaint himself with you so that those flirts can be directed at him

-Hero honestly missed love and affection like this and he soaks up everything and anything that you give him

-he does become more and more protective over you as you both become closer

-he won’t try and stop you since not only is he aware of the fact you both aren’t dating, but also because he knows that it’s natural for you to flirt with everyone

-of course, if you’re friend starts flirting back or starts to get too touchy, he’ll deal with it in private

-even if they don’t, he can’t stop himself from feeling immense jealousy at just the few meaningless words you say

-he vows to one day make those words be said to him and only him, no matter how long it takes

-he’ll wait forever for you

[yandere Basil x reader]

-we already know that Basil will have no clue how to handle your flirts

-though, unlike Sunny, he won’t just stay silent in embarrassment

-he desperately tries to play it cool but he kinda lost the ability to speak in coherent sentences because of you

-i think that if you giggled at him, at first he might think that you think he’s lame and are mocking him or something

-but the more it happens the more his deluded mind will just decide it’s because you like him so much

-it’s something he thinks about all the time; he’d even write down little pick-up lines or affectionate nicknames that you called him in his photo album

-and at first it might just seem like he’s just shy and a little too obsessive, but it’ll start to go down hill when he starts pushing people away from you

-since you both aren’t exactly dating yet, he won’t have the guts to physically hold you down and beg for you not to leave him

-if you’re willing to listen to him, he’ll start telling lies about others and would start to ease his way into begging and crying

-but if you don’t listen then he’ll probably just tell lies about you instead

-he doesn’t want to!! and he definitely doesn’t believe them of course!

-it’s just something that he has to do

-besides, if he’s the only one you’re talking to, then he’s the only you can flirt with... doesn’t that sound like a dream come true?

#yandere #yandere x reader #yandere x y/n #yandere x you #yandere x darling #yandere hcs #yandere headcanons #yandere omori x reader #yandere omori #yandere kel #yandere kel x reader #yandere sunny #kel x reader #yandere sunny x reader #sunny x reader #yandere aubrey #yandere aubrey x reader #aubrey x reader #yandere hero #yandere hero x reader #hero x reader #yandere basil #yandere basil x reader #basil x reader

[just-come-baek]

body rhythm

Pairing: Taeyong x reader | mentions of Seulgi x Irene | mentions of Johnny x almost everybody

Themes: smut | fluff | dance!au 

Word count: 14.8k

Summary: Taeyong and Seulgi participate in a nationwide dance competition. However, due to unfortunate scheduling, she has to drop out of it, suggesting you, out of all people, fill in. Taeyong isn't pleased with how things manage to fall out of place, but he is in no position to be whiny about it. For him, it's either learn to work with you or lose yet another time to his arch-enemy.

Warnings: a moderate amount of fluff | Johnny flirting with everybody in plain sight | Johnny stalks people out on social media | cursing | Doyoung being a huge dick | Doyoung flexing his hips | reader has inappropriate thoughts about Taeil | Taeyong being very demanding dance teacher | stressfull situations | drinking | reader is kind of bratty and Taeyong finds it really frustrating | frustrated/angry making out | as per smut | oral!female receiving | unprotected sex (never try it at home or else Imma tell your parents) | they kinda fuck in the open and kinda check our their refection in the mirror |

A/N it's my entry for song association event, I hope you like it, and also don't forget to check out other entries ^^ they must be all out by now lol

“Are you ready?” Johnny inquired as he set his fourth coffee of the day on his desk and plopped onto the swivel chair in a cubicle next to mine. It was a really long day at work, and we both had trouble sitting through the end of it. Heaving a deep sigh, I looked at the pile of documents that required my attention, groaning before I sprawled across my workspace.

“I thought it’s canceled tonight,” I spoke as I looked at my wristwatch, wincing when I realized there was still one more hour until Johnny and I could finally clock out.

A few months ago, our lovely firm, instead of giving us a well-deserved raise, had decided to provide us with a variety of extra activities. Though I’d rather get some monetary benefits, together with Johnny, we chose dance classes. Our company was paying for it, so we might’ve as well attended.

Ever since then, every Thursday, we would go to a dance class to sweat out all of the pent-up frustration. I didn’t have plenty of expectations, still bitter after the company’s decision, but the dance class turned out amazing. Seulgi was our teacher, and although she was a bit demanding, she was patient enough to teach us some sick moves. If that didn’t scream talent™, I had no idea what did.

“Well… last week, she said she might be absent today, but I got a text from school that someone will fill in,” Johnny spoke matter-of-factly. I sighed, checking my phone, reading the same text message from the studio. I really didn’t have energy for dance classes, but there was no way Johnny would let me skip.

“Do you want to grab a drink after? I think I need one, or a few,” I proposed as I sat back in my chair, trying to let my eyes rest from the computer’s screen.

“Does a bear shit in the woods?” Johnny asked rhetorically, smiling at me as if I just read his mind. It was almost Friday at this point, and we deserved a little treat.

Though it felt like an eternity, the clock finally struck 5 p.m., letting us leave our claustrophobic cubicles. Tomorrow we would come back for another dose of torture, but right now, we were free. Only for a few hours, though.

Quickly, I returned home to get my gym bag. Thankfully, I lived within walking distance from both – my office and the dance studio, so it wasn’t as troublesome to commute as it was for Johnny, who got stuck in traffic almost every day.

A few minutes before the dance class, I was already changed into my gym attire, waiting for Johnny. Though no one was texting me, I stared at my phone, furiously typing away. Moon Taeil, also known as my secret crush, was leaning against the wall on the other side of the corridor, and I tried every single trick my mind could come up with not to look desperate.

“At this point, he must think you hate him,” Johnny commented as he conjured in front of me out of nowhere. “You should hit on him instead of trying to bolt every time he approaches you,” he added, and I rolled my eyes at his yet another one shitty advice.

“Can you remind me why I don’t take dating advice from you?”

“Why are you attacking me? I just wanted to help. There’s no need to get so aggressive,” Johnny defended his case, not really answering my question. Johnny was a self-proclaimed love expert, but to me, he was more of a pathological playboy. Either way, he seemed to understand the secrets of flirtation to pick up girls whenever he set his mind to it.

“I am just trying not to be obvious,” I commented, stealing a glance at Taeil. It was a silly crush, and though Johnny encouraged me to go for it, I never decided to act on my feelings. Taeil probably didn’t feel this way about me, so remaining idle actually saved me embarrassment after an inevitable rejection.

“Speaking of which, I figured out why Seulgi is so resistant to my charms,” Johnny announced proudly, and I raised my eyebrow, waiting for the big reveal. Everybody in our group knew that Johnny was attracted to Seulgi, but every time he tried to approach her, she would brush him off.

“By figured out, you mean you stalked her, right?” I commented when Johnny handed me his phone, showing me Seulgi’s profile. According to what Johnny dug out in social media, Seulgi was getting married to Irene – her girlfriend of five years. “Huh,” I mused as I gave him back his phone, trying not to laugh at him. Seulgi was already madly in love with someone else, no wonder she could resist his charm.

“Call it whatever you want,” Johnny started, putting his phone away. “Just don’t hold me down when FBI finally recruits me for my impeccable detective skills,” he argued, and I laughed as I imagined him leaving our lovely company. That would be a shame; I couldn’t imagine anyone else sitting in the cubicle next to mine.

“The room should be open,” someone hollered, mentioning for us to open the doors and get inside. I had seen him a few times around the school, so I deduced he must’ve been our substitute teacher today.

Once everybody took their spot on the dance floor, the man cleared his throat. “Hello everybody, my name is Taeyong. Together with Seulgi, we run this school, and I hope we will have a lot of fun today with new choreography,” he announced politely with a practiced professionalism. Perhaps Taeyong didn’t seem as cool as Seulgi, but we had to give him a chance to prove us wrong.

Taeyong was intimidating. I wouldn’t want to be left alone with him. When he showed us a few moves, he was immensely focused on delivering one hundred percent. It was impressive and admirable, but at the same, Taeyong gave off a scary fierce aura. Though he was a great dancer and teacher, Seulgi was just better.

“I think I have a heart attack,” I panted, gasping for air. The new choreography required lots of jumping, and I didn’t expect so much cardio today. I wasn’t out of shape; however, after dancing to Taeyong’s choreography, I had some doubts.

“We should’ve skipped,” Johnny commented, bending over with his palms on his knees, supporting his huge body. Taeyong’s dance routine was too much for us, and we weren’t the only people struggling to breathe. Thankfully, next week Seulgi would be back.

***

“You’re not gonna believe this,” Johnny announced, craning his neck to look inside my cubicle. Heaving a sigh, I put my pen down, giving him my full attention.

This better be good.

“What is it? Who are you stalking this time?” I inquired, giving him the attitude. Johnny was spending too much time on his phone during working hours, but I couldn’t really frown upon it because I often caught myself doing the same thing.

“First of all, I thought we agreed to call it researching, not stalking,” Johnny clarified, and I rolled my eyes. “And second of all, it’s Seulgi. She and the other guy from the dance studio qualified for some dance competition. Check this out,” Johnny explained, handing me his phone.

Seulgi and Taeyong rocked the stage. Though I had nothing to compare their performance to, they just oozed charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent. Without any shred of doubt, they would make it to the grand finale.

“Wow,” I mused, not sure how to appropriately respond. I was happy for their success; after all, their performance was broadcasted during prime time on national television. At this point, Seulgi and Taeyong were celebrities.

“I can’t wait for today’s class,” Johnny added in excitement, hiding his phone away inside the pocket of his jacket. “I have to congratulate her.”

“Them. You have to congratulate them,” I corrected Johnny as he seemed to forget about Seulgi’s dance partner. It wasn’t a solo competition, so both Seulgi and Taeyong deserved praise. “And as if you’ve forgotten, Seulgi is not and will never be interested in you. You gotta let this one go, man,” I added, hoping Johnny would stop his relentless flirting with Seulgi. Though it was funny at the beginning, it was evident Seulgi would appreciate it if he stopped.

“I am all over her. Trust me,” Johnny reassured me, and I let out a shallow sigh, wanting to believe him. “Do you know Wendy from the HR department? I think I’m gonna ask her out. I am all over Seulgi,” he added, and it actually convinced me. Although Johnny didn’t seek anything serious at this point in his life, and when something didn’t go according to his plan, he would shake it off and forget all about it.

“Ok, I believe you,” I said, giving him a genuine smile. “Oh, and I was thinking… how about some beer and chicken after dance classes today? I’ve been craving them the whole day,” I offered, and Johnny enthusiastically nodded. It did sound like a solid plan.

Thankfully, this week Seulgi was back, and everybody appreciated it. Taeyong was a great teacher, but we were a group of beginners, and it was difficult for us to follow his routine. We just weren’t ready for such complex choreography.

Everybody had so much fun today. At first, we practiced some old routines, working on synchronization. Later on, Seulgi taught us a few new moves, which I recognized from her television performance. Admittedly, they weren’t as difficult as they looked. Maybe it was a little bold of me, but I was thinking I was doing a pretty good job today.

At the very end of the class, Johnny delivered a dramatic congratulatory speech, making people laugh out of utter cringe. It was a nice gesture, and Seulgi’s embarrassment was adorable. She would cover her blushed cheeks and turn around, hoping the ground could swallow her up. In all honesty, it seemed to be the only way to shut up Johnny.

Just when we were about to be dismissed, I heard someone calling my name. Surprisingly, it was Seulgi. She must’ve wanted to discuss something with me. Damn it, was she going to scold me for not improving? Or was it because I sat half of the song out? I just needed a short break; I had no idea it would get me in trouble.

“I am sorry,” I apologized even though I wasn’t sure what for yet. Seulgi would enlighten me in a second, so I cleared my throat to apologize to her once again. However, when she giggled instead of yelling at me, I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

“I’ll wait for you outside,” Johnny hollered before he strolled out of the practice room.

“Am I in trouble?” I asked, and Seulgi smiled, shaking her head.

Great, it was a relief.

“Actually, I may sound crazy to you,” she started, fidgeting a little. It was strange, Seulgi was a strong and confident woman, but right now, she seemed rather bashful. “Would you like to participate in a dance competition?”

Her question took me aback.

“What?” I asked, trying to wrap my head around the topic.

“Let me explain,” she offered, and I reluctantly nodded.

By the look on her face, I could tell it wasn’t going to be a quick chit-chat. Seulgi had a lot of things to explain, so we decided to sit on the floor before she began her speech.

Patiently, I listened to everything she wanted to tell me.

Seulgi and Taeyong wanted to participate in a dance competition ever since they had decided to open up a dance school together. Last week they really thought they were going to achieve their dream. Unfortunately, as soon as they qualified and received the schedule, complications started to follow.

Maybe it was a little bit overconfident of them to think they’d make it to the finals, but it still made them anxious. Regardless of their talent, they wouldn’t be able to perform in the grand finale. Apparently, on the very same day, Seulgi was getting married.

At first, I wanted to interject that they could reschedule, but Seulgi beat me to it.

“It would be the third time we reschedule it, and I just can’t let that happen. I don’t want Irene to think I prioritize dancing over her. She means the world to me, and I’d quit a thousand times to get married to her,” Seulgi confessed, and I tried my best to contain my feels. There was something raw and pure about Seulgi’s love, and it moved me.

Seulgi’s proposition was genius in its simplicity. Together with Taeyong, she would perform, climbing up the rankings. And if by any chance, they would make it to the final round; she wanted me to fill in. Given I had been dancing at their studio for about four months I couldn’t comprehend why she chose me.

I was a rookie, for crying out loud!

Finding a substitute dancer made a lot of sense, actually. Instead of dropping out, they could find a replacement. This way, Taeyong could still make his dream come true. And next year, together with Seulgi, they could try to defend the title.

However, once again, Seulgi read my mind and answered my question before I voiced my doubts. She must’ve really thought this through before approaching me. It seemed she had rehearsed all possible inquires and came up with perfect answers.

“All of our dancer friends either compete against us or failed during qualifications,” she declared, and I hummed in response. “Unfortunately, people who already attempted joining can’t fill in for other dancers.”

“That sucks,” I commented, and Seulgi dryly chuckled.

“I think you would be a perfect fit,” she started, and I held my breath, wanting to hear what made her think I’d be able to rise to the challenge. “Everybody can memorize moves, but you have a natural passion for dancing. I can see it in class. Maybe you can’t see it yet because dancing is a hobby to you more than anything else, but I can tell you have the it™ factor.”

I was speechless. Seulgi, the dance prodigy, was praising my dancing skills. I couldn’t believe my ears. What kind of self-indulgent dream was it? Why couldn’t I dream like a normal person? I had tendency to toot my own horn sometimes, but it was just too much.

“I bet with proper training, you and Taeyong could win.”

“Let me think about it, okay?”

“Sure, of course! No pressure!” Seulgi replied enthusiastically, giving me enough space to clear my mind and think about it.

“See you next week.” I waved at her, exiting the dance room. Absentmindedly, I changed out of the gym clothes and walked out of the building, almost walking past Johnny.

“Hey, what did Seulgi want?” Johnny asked, grabbing my wrist, pulling me out of trance.

“She wants me to dance in her place if she and Taeyong ever make it to the finals.”

“What?!”

 ***

At first, I was hesitant about this whole thing. I wasn’t a professional dancer, and I really didn’t want to contribute to them losing the competition. However, Seulgi really made a point that they would have to drop out anyway, so in some twisted way, my participation gave them a slimmer of hope for victory.

Once I explained everything to Johnny, he really insisted I should help them out, spitting nonsense about fame and recognition and how I couldn’t doubt myself and just go with the flow. Opportunities like this rarely occurred, and I ought to welcome them with excitement.

So I did.

Every Saturday and Sunday, I dropped by the dance studio for practice. Taeyong still intimidated me, but I could deal with it. Seulgi was always around me to nag him whenever he demanded too much from me. They balanced each other very well, and it was fun working with them. Even though each practice left me with sore muscled, I was still excited. It was tangible proof I was improving.

Seulgi and Taeyong smoothly went through the contest, winning each battle with ease, slowly climbing in the ranking. There was still plenty of work until the grand finale, but everything looked they were to make it to the very top.

Unfortunately, the closer to the D-day, the less time Seulgi had to help us during practice. With her wedding coming up, she had a lot of preparations to deal with. As a result, Taeyong and I had to practice the dance routine on our own.

“No, you’re doing it all wrong,” Taeyong yelled in irritation when for the nth time, I turned to my right instead of my left. “Do it again; five, six, seven, eight,” he added, playing the song from the very beginning.

To say I was frustrated was an understatement of the century. I was aware that Taeyong really wanted to win the competition, but he didn’t have to be a dick about it. With no Seulgi to supervise him, he was unbearable.

“I think I need a break,” I declared once I turned to the wrong side again before Taeyong managed to scold me for it. Even though he shouted something again, I ignored it. With a deep sigh, I walked over to my gym bag to get my water bottle.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Taeyong asked, staring down at me with his arms folded across his chest, his demeanor dominant. His eyes were drilling holes in my head, his jaw was tightened – it was evident I was driving him up the wall. It was just a matter of seconds before Taeyong would snap, lashing out at me.

“I am taking a break,” I answered quickly, ignoring his angry stare. I was at my limit. If Taeyong didn’t back off, it would be the end of the practice for today. One more mean word and I’d storm out of the studio. I was here voluntarily. I was doing him a favor, and I didn’t deserve this type of treatment.

“Is it a joke to you?” Taeyong carried on, and I rolled my eyes. Of course, it wasn’t a joke to me. But at the same time, I was sick and tired of his shenanigans. I wanted him to win, but not when my mental health was on the line. He was pissing me off, and I wouldn’t let him walk all over me. “I thought you decided to help us out, but you’re not trying at all.”

He did not just say that.

“What?” I rhetorically asked, standing up, poking his chest with my forefinger. “I am trying my best here. You’re the one who makes it impossible to have fun dancing. You’re making it a chore, sucking all the fun out it.”

“Then tell me what I should do for you to finally make some progress? We’ve been stuck at this part for two weeks, and you still haven’t learned how to turn right!”

“Then go ahead and find someone else who can put up with your shit. I’m out,” I spoke, bending down to pick up my stuff, ready to leave the studio. Unfortunately, before I managed to exit the practice room, the doors opened, and Seulgi walked in with a confused expression on her face.

“Hey, what’s going on here?” She asked in worry, trying to put two and two together. It wouldn’t be the first time Taeyong and I argued, but it seemed to be the most intense one so far. It didn’t sit right with her. “Please don’t tell me you fought again.”

Briefly, I summarized what happened, and Seulgi looked down at Taeyong disapprovingly. I was glad Seulgi took my side; after all, she knew Taeyong could be too demanding.

“I am a dancer, but why does it feel I am a couple counselor? You two really have to learn how to work together when I’m not around,” she scolded us, making her point. If this whole arrangement was to work out, we both needed to establish some ground rules and learn how to put our differences aside. “I have an idea.”

Oh, no.

There was something mischievous in her tone, and I didn’t particularly like it.

“Let’s finish for today,” she proposed, and I smiled, thinking it was a great idea. Taeyong and I needed some time to chill, and calling it a day seemed like an appropriate way to do it. “Let’s go out clubbing instead!” Seulgi added cheerfully, clapping her hands in excitement.

“What?” Taeyong and I asked in unison, a bit surprised by Seulgi’s statement.

“That’s my prescription for the two of you,” she started, and I rolled my eyes. Taeyong and I didn’t get along as well as she wished for us to, but it wasn’t that bad. We didn’t need to bond over a few drinks in a crowded club. We would do just fine if Taeyong learned to go easy on me. “I believe we all can benefit from clubbing.”

“How come?”

“First of all, it will remind Taeyong that dancing is about fun, not overworking oneself,” Seulgi spoke, and I hummed, agreeing with her. “Second of all, it’ll give you a chance to loosen up. Your moves are still a bit stiff during intimate parts of the choreography,” she added, and Taeyong nodded in agreement. “And I really need something to drink because wedding planning is stressful as fuck.”

Not even thirty minutes later, we were inside the club.

“It’s a very sensual song. And you two really have to work hard to convey emotions through your dance,” Seulgi started as she sipped her tropical cocktail. “You must feel comfortable around each other and just ooze longing and sexual attraction,” she added, and I almost choked on my drink.

Performing with Taeyong was going to be more difficult than I had anticipated. When Seulgi and Taeyong showed me the choreography, I was amazed. Absolutely blown away. The way their bodies moved in synchronization left me speechless, but at the same time, I was a little bit nervous because I didn’t see myself living up to their level.

I wouldn’t consider myself particularly sexy. It made me feel awkward when I thought how seductive the dance routine actually was. I wasn’t sure I could pull this off, but Taeyong still had a lot of time to teach me.

“Take her to the dance floor,” Seulgi elbowed Taeyong, almost spilling his drink. Unenthusiastically, Taeyong looked at me before standing up and extending his arm.

Drunken people were jumping around us to the rhythm, and I awkwardly swayed from side to side, staring at Taeyong. With godlike precision, he moved, getting lost in the music. One could tell straight away Taeyong was a professional dancer.

Upon noticing how stiff I was, Taeyong shook his head, yanking me against his lean body. “How about you take a five-minute break to get that stick out of your ass? You look like you have no joints,” he yelled into my ear, his breath tickling my sensitive skin.

“I’ve had too little alcohol,” I replied, but Taeyong wasn’t having it.

“When we perform on the stage, will you need alcohol to let loose too?” Taeyong challenged with a playful smirk, and I rolled my eyes, too prideful to admit he was right. I couldn’t participate in that competition drunk. We wouldn’t win if I wasn’t able to come out of my shell and show everybody I had a sensual bone in my body.

“No,” I yelled into Taeyong’s ear. “How do I let loose?” I asked, hoping to hear some words of wisdom from him.

“Mirror what I’m doing,” Taeyong guided, and I nodded, focused on my new task. I could do that. I had been mirroring Seulgi’s movements during our classes, and I was pretty good at doing it. I could copy Taeyong’s moves.

At first, Taeyong danced a few classic moves we usually did during our warm-up routine. It was easy, and I think I nailed it. Later, he wiggled his upper body, feeling the rhythm. With envy, I observed how his body executed every single move, owning it. I wish I was half as good as Taeyong. Next to him, I probably looked like a crippled kid.

Upon noticing my struggle, Taeyong began jumping around, throwing his hands in the air. He looked ridiculous, but I remained focused on my task, dancing as if I was his shadow. Our bizarre moves earned some attention from other people, but our eyes were trained on each other, slowly getting lost in our own bubble.

I was sober, and I was on my way to owning the dance floor. I couldn’t believe it was happening. Maybe Taeyong’s charisma overshadowed my poor attempts of showcasing mine; however, I was sure I made a big step in the right direction. Slowly, I was improving.

“How about we spice it up a little bit?” Taeyong shouted into my ear, and I cocked up my eyebrow, thinking what he meant by that. “Don’t be shy,” he added, yanking me against his body. Taeyong was so close I could feel his legs rub against mine. “Come on, sweetheart. Touch me, tease me, feel me up,” Taeyong snickered, getting on my nerves. Not only Taeyong was smug for no reason, but he also quoted the song, which I was slowly growing to hate.

Taeyong must’ve assumed I’d back out. Surely, he didn’t expect me to follow his instructions and actually run my hands across his chest, shoulders, and back while simultaneously swaying my hips, earning approving stares from impressed men on the dance floor. At first, he was surprised he talked me into it, but a second later, he smirked, resting his palms on my sides, slowly exploring the valley of my butt.

I had no idea I had it in me, but Taeyong helped me discover it. We were basically grinding against each other, and it somehow didn’t feel awkward at all. We were just two people having fun.

“I’m sorry I was so harsh on you,” Taeyong apologized, shouting in my ear. “I’m just stressful all the time, and I think I may sometimes take it out on you,” he added, and I looked at his face, which was dangerously close to mine.

“It’s understandable,” I replied as I wrapped my arms around Taeyong’s neck, finding it much more comfortable. Now with our bodies pressed together, it was easier to have a conversation. “I know how much you want to win this competition. I’ll try harder,” I promised, and Taeyong released a relieved chuckle.

Who would’ve thought an adult conversation would work better than shouting at each other?

“Thank you,” Taeyong spoke genuinely, and I pulled away, staring at his face. His eyes were trained on mine. No matter how many hours we had spent at the dance studio, his gaze still intimidated me sometimes.

“Ekhm, I need a break,” I said in a desperate need to break eye contact with him. The dance floor was crowded, and it was making me dizzy. I was getting dangerously hot, and it seemed like heaven to get back to our booth and finish our drinks.

“Of course, you need a break,” Taeyong teased, sending me a lopsided smirk. “It’s okay, though. We still have plenty of time to work on your stamina,” he added as he grabbed my hand, leading me out of the crowd. Carefully, we zigzagged around drunken people, trying to make it safely to Seulgi.

Unfortunately, by the bar counter, someone walked into Taeyong, almost knocking him down.

“I’m very sorry,” a man shouted, but I could sense the words weren’t genuine.

“Doyoung,” Taeyong spoke, gritting his teeth, staring at the other man. Taeyong’s grip tightened around my hand. I figured he didn’t particularly like Doyoung.

“Taeyong,” Doyoung sighed, checking Taeyong out from head to toe before his gaze shifted to me. There was something spiteful about his lingering eyes, but I couldn’t pinpoint it. For sure, there was some bad blood between two men, and I suddenly felt an urge to know more. Inquisitiveness got the best of me.

Taeyong and Doyoung kept glaring at each other almost as if it was a competition. The tension was so intense one could cut it with a knife. I cleared my throat in a poor attempt to break their stare contest, but they didn’t even acknowledge my presence.

“I saw your last performance,” Doyoung finally spoke, scoffing. “You’re getting out of it, and here I expected to kick your ass in the finale. I wouldn’t be surprised if you and your partner got eliminated next week.”

I thought I had seen Taeyong furious, but right now, I was proven wrong. The way he looked at me whenever I was a handful during our practice was nothing compared to the way he glared at Doyoung. Taeyong was scary, and I decided to not get on his wrong side ever again.

“I’d gladly kick your ass here, but I’d rather wait for the finale. You know what people say about prolonged gratification,” Taeyong talked back, and I gasped, trying to comprehend what I just heard. Taeyong was getting cocky, and it made me nervous. I was already stressed about the possibility of performing, and he just added more pressure on my shoulders.

“We’ll see about that,” Doyoung replied, focusing his scrutinizing gaze on me. “But I have to say I kinda look forward to seeing you cry again. The way I beat you the last time was spectacular.”

“Let’s go, Taeyong. Don’t waste your breath on him. He’s not worth it,” I exclaimed, pulling Taeyong’s hand, reminding him I was there the whole time. I couldn’t listen to Doyoung talk trash about Taeyong. If Taeyong wasn’t going to walk away by himself, I had to intervene and pull him aside. Doyoung was provoking him.

“And who is that?” Doyoung asked in a mocking tone, displeased by the way I looked at him. Though I didn’t know the back story, I took Taeyong’s side. At least, Taeyong didn’t try to humiliate his rival, while Doyoung had already tried a few tricks to tick Taeyong off.

“You’re right,” Taeyong said, looking at me. It was evident he was holding himself back, trying his best not to take the bait. “Let’s go,” he added, pulling me away from Doyoung.

“Who was that?” I asked as we approached our booth. Unfortunately, I didn’t get my response. Upon arrival, we noticed that Seulgi was sprawled on the table, giggling to herself.

“Is she always like this?” I inquired, concerned about how drunk Seulgi got in such a short amount of time. We were gone for thirty minutes tops, and she was barely conscious after drinking her and our drinks.

“Aww… there you are… my dear friends,” she cooed cutely, trying to attack Taeyong with cuddles. She was adorable, but it was kind of irresponsible to drink by herself when we were on the dance floor. Thankfully, nothing happened. We returned just in time to collect her and escort her home.

“I can’t believe my plan worked,” Seulgi grinned, pointing her finger at Taeyong. “You no longer have a stick up your ass,” she exclaimed at Taeyong, too drunk to realize she should be talking to me. “And look at you! You were having fun!” Seulgi yelled, extending her arms to hug me. “I am so proud of you!”

“I should take her home,” Taeyong reasoned, considering it the safest option. He could call an Uber for Seulgi or just phone her fiancée to pick her up but bringing her home himself seemed to be the most rational solution. “Will you be alright by yourself?” He inquired, and I nodded right away. It was sweet of him to look after me too. Thankfully, I barely touched my cocktail; I could get home safely on my own.

“Don’t worry about me,” I replied casually, sending him a reassuring smile. “Just make sure Seulgi makes it home safe,” I added, warming up at the way Taeyong hauled up Seulgi, carefully leading her out of the club. It made me wonder if Johnny did the same to me. Probably. He wouldn’t be that gentle, though. If anything, he’d throw me over his shoulder like a bag of potatoes. Or just drag me out like a corpse.

“Give me a call once you get back home,” Taeyong demanded before we parted ways.

 ***

“You went clubbing without me?” Johnny dramatically asked after I told him everything that happened on the weekend. Despite my detailed narration, it seemed as if that was the only thing he caught on to. “How could you?”

“Relax, dude,” I rolled my eyes, shuffling around my desk, getting ready for work. It was Monday morning – it was about time we start our gossip routine.

“And I was wondering… would you mind helping me researching this shady dude? There’s some conflict between him and Taeyong. And I need to know what happened,” I started, wondering if Johnny would cooperate with me and put his stalking abilities to good use.

I was too embarrassed to ask Taeyong about Doyoung. Besides, I had a hunch he would either brush me off or scold me.

“Do you know anything about this dude besides his name?” Johnny pulled out his phone, no questions asked. “Please, don’t tell me that’s the only thing you know.”

“I mean… he’s probably a dancer,” I added with a sheepish smile, making Johnny heave a deep sigh. “He must be a big deal, though. Apparently, Taeyong lost a competition to him.”

“I’ll try to find some dirt, but it may be difficult given how little info you gave me,” Johnny declared as he began his thorough research.

It took Johnny five minutes to find the correct Doyoung. It was remarkable. If it wasn’t enough for the FBI to hire him, I’d gladly present them a recommendation letter. Quickly, I opened Doyoung’s profile on my phone, scrolling through his feed.

At first glance, Doyoung seemed to be a regular bratty internet star with an overgrown ego. His follower count was impressive. Studying his profile, I learned a lot about him. Unfortunately, it had no value. There was nothing specific about his conflict with Taeyong.

“How was your date with Wendy?” I asked Johnny as I gave up on my research. Whatever was the root of their bad blood would have to remain a mystery.

“It was fine,” Johnny started, but I could tell he wasn’t entirely honest. His disappointed tone betrayed him. “She left before the waiter brought the dessert. Apparently, she didn’t particularly like when I kept calling her Wanda.”

“Ouch.”

“No hard feelings, though,” Johnny shrugged it off, trying to focus on the positive aspect of their terrible date. “At least, I’ve had two slices of cheesecake. Besides, I’m kind of into Sooyoung from the creative team now. I think she is the one.”

“Every girl you’re into is the one,” I interjected, rolling my eyes, done with his antics.

“Oh, by the way, I’ve forgotten,” Johnny chimed in, staring at me in excitement. “Taeil asked me about you,” he revealed, and I almost spat out my morning coffee.

“What?”

“Are you still into him, though?” Johnny inquired, rubbing his temple in deep thought. “I haven’t heard you gush about him these days,” he pinpointed, and I wondered if my crush on Taeil was still as intense as it was a few months ago.

Taeil was insanely hot. I kept drooling whenever I saw him operate the printer. It was inappropriate to check him out whenever he bent down to change the ink, but I couldn’t help myself. Or whenever we met by the vending machine.

Good old times.

Right now, though, I rarely caught myself thinking about him. At first, I thought it was due to a hectic schedule. I was either at work or at the dance studio or getting shit-faced with Johnny on another wild adventure with him and his friends.

It was difficult to comprehend how easily my crush faded into thin air. Taeil was still sexy as fuck, but while I appreciate his looks, I wasn’t daydreaming how to get into his pants. At this point, I was just admiring his attributes in the most nonsexual way imaginable.

Apparently, the lack of response on my part was everything Johnny needed to confirm his suspicion.

“So what? Are you into Taeyong now?” Johnny asked boldly, and now, I actually choked on my coffee, thinking I heard him wrong. How did he jump to that conclusion?

“What?”

“Don’t get me wrong, but it kinda looks like you’re into him,” Johnny commented, playing with a pen. “You talk about him all the time with lots of passion. I think there’s something going on between you two. Is he single?”

“I talk about him all the time because I live to complain, and recently he’s the sole reason why I gotta vent,” I defended, but Johnny didn’t seem convinced. “And I don’t know if he’s single. I don’t really care,” quickly, I rejected all accusations, but in all honesty, his words got me wondering.

Was I attracted to Taeyong?

Surely, Taeyong was ridiculously attractive. He danced well, too. Unfortunately, we didn’t click much. There was passion between us, but it wasn’t romantically stemmed. We just kept annoying each other. I wouldn’t consider it sexual. We were just getting on each other’s nerves often, unable to properly solve our differences.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, honey,” Johnny teased, and I fought the urge to throw the stapler at him. “I bet fifty bucks you’ve imagined him naked, fucking you dumb.”

What the fuck, John???

I did not imagine Taeyong naked!

Not until now, at least.

“I seriously hate you right now,” I complained, deciding it’s about time I focus on work.

 ***

After Johnny had planted naughty thoughts in my mind, each dance practice was unbearable. My mind was running wild, coming up with different scenarios involving Taeyong and me in intimate situations. It was wrong on so many levels, but I couldn’t bring myself to stop.

After months of practicing the dance routine, we decided it would be best to make some changes to the choreography. Though it was still sensual as hell, with our hands roaming each other’s bodies, we found it crucial to accentuate Taeyong’s talents.

It was a strategic plan. While typically male dancers helped the female dancers shine, we put a little twist to it. Though our performance was still pretty balanced, Taeyong had a few crucial parts of choreography, in which he would snatch everybody’s hearts.

Seulgi didn’t object to our strategy. Well… she was never there, to begin with. Seulgi was a ghost, never present during our practice, always busy doing some last-minute wedding prep.

“Let’s take a five,” Taeyong hollered as he turned off the music, sending us off to a short break. It sounded weird when it came out of his mouth, but I didn’t complain. We’ve been practicing nonstop for the past hour. At this point, I was panting.

Lying down onto the floor, I rested my head on my towel, reaching for my phone. Quickly, I unlocked it to see a series of notifications from Johnny. He had sent me a link to a video, telling me in all caps to watch it.

Having left the earphones in the locker room, I played the video quietly through my phone’s speaker. It was a short film with Doyoung. It must’ve been his performance from last year’s competition. Jamming to the music, I studied his moves.

Doyoung was really good. I mean… it wasn’t professional expertise, but I could tell he had talent. His body control was impeccable, his hip thrusts must’ve impregnated plenty of women in the audience, but his shoulder rolls were just otherworldly. Along with the female dancer, they showcased quite the performance. From the beginning to the very end, I couldn’t look away, failing to notice Taeyong approach me.

“What the hell are you doing?” Taeyong shouted, tearing my phone from my hand, double-checking what I was watching. “Why are you watching this?” He angrily asked, locking the device, wishing for it to stop playing music.

It was difficult to explain.

I couldn’t exactly tell Taeyong that I asked my best friend to do research on Doyoung in hopes of finding out what was the root of their conflict. Though we had never found anything substantial, Johnny would send me more footage to check out. However, regardless of how much stuff Johnny had provided me with, I was still clueless.

“Why are you shouting at me?” I spoke, biting on my bottom lip. I was in big trouble, so it was only logical to play dumb.

Taeyong stared down at me, demanding a genuine answer. His jaw was tensed, his knuckles around my phone turned white. It was just a meaningless clip, but it got him fuming at me. Regardless of what I’d tell him, he wouldn’t like the answer. I figured this much.

“Why were you watching that?” Taeyong yelled, raising his hand, almost smashing my phone against the floor. Thankfully, he held back and gently put it on my bag.

It was incredible how much the video affected Taeyong. The movie worked on Taeyong like a red rag to a bull. One moment he seemed fine, but once he figured out what I was watching, he snapped.

“You really want to know?” I challenged as I rose to my feet, staring at him. It was my turn to raise my voice. If he kept shouting at me, I was going to give him the same treatment. “Ever since that night at the club, I was curious. You were basically throwing daggers at each other, and I really wanted to know what happened between you two. You never bothered to explain it, and I didn’t want to push you.”

“Do you have your answers now?” Taeyong exclaimed, and I rolled my eyes, agitating him even more with my fed-up behavior. He was scary right now, but I refused to let him intimidate me. “Or do you want to read my diary too?!”

I resisted the temptation of saying yes to his offering. Taeyong wasn’t the type of person to write a dairy. He was exaggerating, but I didn’t want to provoke him further. At any mention of Doyoung’s name, wrath took control over Taeyong, turning him into his destructive self.

“If it makes you feel any better, I know shit about him,” I confessed, throwing my hands in the air. “I wanted to know what he did to you, but I came up with nothing. And believe it or not, the way he treated you that night made me worry. You’re my dance partner, and I care about you a lot, and it really hurt me seeing you in distress,” I spat, not thinking about consequences. I was talking without filter, probably spilling too much information.

My verbal diarrhea confused Taeyong. His huge eyes were staring at me in astonishment. He was studying my expression, wondering if everything I said was true. Oh, no! My reckless words made him uncomfortable. He must’ve grown to hate now.

In embarrassment, I looked down at my shoes. I felt terrible, and I needed to come up with something clever to say to save my dignity and ease the tension. However, before I managed to voice my sincere apology, I felt Taeyong’s hands cup my cheeks as he surged forward and kissed my breath away. It was sudden, but I reciprocated the kiss in an instant.

Stress, anxiety, anger, sexual frustration, and probably many other factors led us to this very moment. I had been daydreaming about Taeyong’s mouth on mine for a while now. And when it finally happened, I eagerly swept my tongue across his lips, deepening the kiss. Though I had tried my best to withstand the tension between us, I wasn’t oblivious to it.

Taeyong already knew almost every inch of my body, so his hands naturally began roaming across my skin. Moaning into the kiss, he held me closer, keeping me pressed against him.

“Taeyong,” I breathed out as I pulled away, only for Taeyong to smash his lips against mine again, successfully shushing me. This time around, the kiss was even more passionate, making my knees weak. In a rush, Taeyong pushed me against the wall, pushing his thigh between my legs. “We shouldn’t,” I spoke, but my tone wasn’t convincing at all. I wasn’t even sure who I was trying to convince that it was a bad idea.

“Shut up,” Taeyong demanded as he tilted his face, sucking on my bottom lip. His hands were on my butt, kneading my flesh, trying to make me moan into his mouth. In all honesty, it worked. Maybe, I whimpered incoherent sounds, but it’s was just a poor attempt to encourage him to keep kissing me.

Regardless of how much he was to gift me, I needed more. I wasn’t going to stop until I’d take everything Taeyong was willing to give.

I craned my neck to the side, and Taeyong quickly caught on, leaving a wet trail down my neck. His lips were delicate, careful not to leave a mark, while his hips were grinding against me, letting me feel how stiff he already was.

“Legs,” Taeyong ordered, gently slapping my thigh. Obediently, I spread my legs apart, letting his hand cup my sex. It was ridiculous how horny he was making me. Once his raspy voice echoed in my ears, I fulfilled his wish, waiting for another command in excitement.

“Please,” I begged, needing more of him. Whatever he planned on doing to me, I needed it now. Whether he was to tease me with his beautiful fingers or fuck me raw with his cock, he better do it now.

“Patience, sweetheart,” he whispered against my skin, pressing feather-like kisses along my collarbone. His touch was driving me insane. His hands were everywhere but where I wanted them the most. This type of teasing should be illegal.

It was more than I could take, so I took matters into my own hands. I could play this game, too. With a mischievous smirk upon my face, I hooked my forefinger under the band of his tracksuit bottoms. Unfortunately, Taeyong quickly swept my hand away.

“You’re such a bad girl,” Taeyong commented before he captured my lips again, sliding his tongue into my mouth, knowing I’d talk back to him. “You have to do everything your way. Would it kill you if you listened to me at least once?” Taeyong muttered, staring into my eyes.

Yes, I was a brat. Taeyong wanted me to submit to him, and I would do it eventually, but not before I’d tease him first. What was fun in that?

“Don’t answer that,” he added, and I rolled my eyes. Though we barely hung out outside the dance studio, Taeyong learned a lot about me. Having an answer to everything was one of those things he had the pleasure of discovering.

“Just fuck me, please,” I said nicely, staring into his eyes, hoping it would be enough to make him cave. “I can’t take it any longer,” I added, rubbing my loins against his restrained cock, making him let out a guttural moan.

My plan was working. Slowly, Taeyong was giving in, probably taking his time to think about the consequences of letting me experience instant gratification. Orgasm would’ve been sweeter if he made me wait a bit more, but it was difficult for him to control his urges.

Without any doubt, Taeyong wanted to bury his cock inside of me as much as I wanted him to fuck me dumb. We withstood so many practices without jumping at each other – I should consider it foreplay.

“Fine, but I’m gonna eat you out first,” Taeyong spoke, and I almost lost it by just imagining his jaw going between my thighs. Swiftly, he knelt in front of me, pulling my leggings down to my ankles in one fluid motion. Having kicked off my gym shoes, I wiggled the fabric off my feet, sending it flying across the dance studio.

Taeyong ran his fingers across my panties, inspecting how soaked they already were. With a smirk upon Taeyong’s face, he pressed a chaste kiss against my skin above the waistband before he yanked the undergarment down.

“Beautiful,” he said under his breath before he surged his face, taking my clit between his gorgeous lips, making me tilt my head in pleasure. Frustration got me sensitive. Even the slightest touch got me purring in delight.

Taeyong licked and nipped at my entrance, and I run my hands through his hair, encouraging him to keep going. He flicked his tongue, and I buckled my hips, wanting more.

“I need your fingers,” I pleaded, looking down at him. Taeyong looked breathtaking, with my juices were dripping down his sharp jaw, with his lips turned into a satisfied smirk. He was proud of how he was making me feel. His glistening skin was the very evidence of his skillful moves. “Taeyong, please, I am so close.”

Though I didn’t expect him to, Taeyong listened to my humble request. His middle finger slid right it, making me purr in satisfaction. I could finally feel him inside of me, and it was heavenly. His palm moved quickly, working me up.

The first orgasm was building up. Taeyong was fucking me now with two fingers while his mouth was fiddling with my clit. If it wasn’t for Taeyong’s palm, holding me still, I’d buckle right into his face for more friction.

“I’m about to come,” I declared, shutting my eyes close. As tempting as it was to peek at the mirror on the other wall and check out the view of Taeyong eating me out, it was more than I could take. My instinct to squeeze my eyes shut and welcome the orgasm was too much.

Unfortunately, it didn’t happen.

Before tiny tingles of electricity could unite and explode, shooting through me like a lightning strike, Taeyong pulled away, denying me of my orgasm. It physically hurt when instead of a blissful peak, I felt nothing.

“What the fuck?” I barked angrily, ready to pull him by his hair against my sex and press him against me, so he could finish the job.

“We’re coming together, or we’re not coming at all,” Taeyong sternly replied, standing up. His lips were swollen from all the work he was doing, and they looked even more kissable.

“I’ve never pegged you for such a teaser,” I stated matter-of-factly, still a little bit butt-hurt over the way how smug he was about not letting me come first. Maybe I was a handful most of the time, but I didn’t do anything wrong to deserve such treatment.

“I’m not,” Taeyong chimed in, biting down on his lip. “There’s just something about you that makes me want to punish for your misbehavior,” he explained, and I got it where it came from. I wasn’t the best student he could work with. “Isn’t it the sweetest torture?” Taeyong challenged before he surged forward, smashing his lips against mine again, raising my thigh and giving it a gentle rub.

“Please, Taeyong, I need you inside of me,” I begged as I ground my sex against his rock-hard cock. I couldn’t comprehend how self-disciplined and patient he was; his budge was throbbing underneath his pants. It must’ve been painful for him, and he did all of that to teach me a lesson. “Fuck me, already.”

“Relax, sweetheart. I got you,” he softly spoke as he hoisted me up, pressing me tightly against the wall. “To be honest, I expected you to lose it sooner,” Taeyong added, and I hoped he was talking about my sanity. I endured more than enough; his teasing was too much.

“How should I fuck you?” Taeyong asked, looking around the practice room, seeking a perfect spot to stuff his cock inside of me. We didn’t have a lot of options, but I didn’t care. He could fuck me in the middle of the room, and I’d eagerly spread my legs for him. “Screw it,” he cursed, gently lowering me down onto the floor. “Do you mind?” Taeyong inquired, and I shook my head as I wrapped my legs around his hips, pressing him against me.

“Strip,” I ordered, and Taeyong smirked before he pulled his T-shirt over his head, revealing his lean physique. My eyes marveled at his beautiful shoulders and toned muscles. I had touched him more than I could count, but I never saw him bare, and when I finally did, I gawked.

“What about you, sweetheart? Come on, I am waiting,” Taeyong teased, and I took off my T-shirt. I was only in my sports bra, and Taeyong bit his lip, staring down at me, admiring my simple beauty. With no further comment, Taeyong leaned in, attacking my collarbone. It was hot how attentive he was, but right now, all I needed was his cock buried deep down my cunt.

Desperately, I reached to his sweatpants, palming his erection through the fabric. As soon as I touched him, Taeyong released a needy growl, rolling his hips into my hand, finally giving in to the pleasure. He lost his self-restraint, and now, he seriously needed to fill me up with his throbbing length.

“Take them off,” I breathed out, pulling by the hem of his pants. With a lowered head, Taeyong tsked before he yanked them down to his knees, wriggling out of them. Just as I expected, his cock urgently entailed my attention.

Though the thought of blowing him crossed my mind, I eventually decided not to entertain this idea too much. It was apparent Taeyong wanted to him inside of my pussy. I’d suck him dry on a different occasion. Hopefully, it would happen soon.

“Fuck me, Taeyong,” I moaned as I trembled when the tip of his cock brushed against my folds. I was embarrassingly sensitive after his ministrations, and he dared to tease me again. “Please,” I begged as I gave his length a few gentle strokes, aligning it with my entrance.

“Aaahh…” Taeyong growled, slowly pushing his dick inside of me. Inch by inch, he filled me up, stretching my walls. A lot of different sinful noises came out of his mouth as he began steadily thrusting his hips.

Taeyong’s stamina was no joke. It was hard to believe how long he could snap his hips without messing up his rhythm. His low voice mixed with my desperate moans echoed inside the room, creating a wicked symphony along with the sound of our sweaty bodies smashing against each other.

He was fucking me hard, and I was in seventh heaven. Taeyong was filling me up so good; I could come undone on his cock anytime.

“Taeyong,” I moaned his name as I watched him fuck me. Though it was hot to look at his cock disappear in my pussy, it was even sweeter to stare in the mirror. With my head turned to the side, I studied the whole picture how Taeyong was fucking me.

“I am coming,” I screamed as I felt the bliss approach. Taeyong was panting, struggling to maintain his tempo with the way my walls tightened around his sensitive cock. Once he hit my sweet spot, I was a goner. After a few thrusts, I came, digging my nails in his back.

“Fuck,” Taeyong cursed, shouting my name as he shot his load inside of me, collapsing on top of me. We were a breathless mess, our bodies sticking together, but neither of us minded. At this point, we were too spent to care. “You were incredible,” Taeyong whispered as he pulled out, rolling to the side.

“You weren’t that bad yourself,” I panted, giggling, still recovering from the mind-blowing orgasm. Thankfully, Taeyong didn’t pay much attention to my playful jab. “I meant it what I said,” I added, turning around to look at him.

“I’m sorry for yelling at you,” Taeyong started, staring into my eyes, showing me his sincerity. “I just can’t help myself but get angry when I see him or hear about him,” he continued, and I nodded my head, letting him know I was willing to listen.

I didn’t expect that Taeyong would agree to vent to me, but when he did, I patiently heard him out. After all, I was pretty sure we were at least friends now.

“It all happened about a year ago. We were competing in the same contest, and he made my dance partner quit. Doyoung seduced her, toyed with her, and once the trophy was his, he dumped her. Because of him, I was disqualified, and she quit dance altogether.”

Listen to his story made me both sad and angry. Doyoung had been a dick to interfere like that – he must’ve known he hadn’t stood a chance against them in a fair fight. My blood was boiling in my veins as I put all the pieces together.

Sadness took over next. The way Doyoung had manipulated Taeyong’s dance partner was upsetting. The wound had been cut so deep, she couldn’t have forced herself to keep going. Doyoung had wrecked two lives, and it made my blood boil, too.

“We’re gonna beat him. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure we do,” I spoke, reassuring him. It was impossible to tend the wounds, but the least I could do is help Taeyong win. For what he had done, Doyoung deserved punishment. If I were Taeyong, I’d not hesitate to beat him up.

“I hope so,” Taeyong muttered, reaching for my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “It’s still fine if we don’t. I’m pretty sure karma will get to him eventually,” he added with a sigh.

“I’ll work harder,” I declared, feeling an extra wave of determination wash through me. “I’ll try my best,” I said, and Taeyong smiled fondly, content to hear me say it.

“Thanks. It means a lot to me.”

For a while, we were staring at each other. It felt nice and somehow more intimate than all the fucking we had done. If we were in bed, I could do it all night. Unfortunately, we were still lying on the uncomfortable floor.

“Let’s get washed up before we get too sappy,” I added, trying to ease the tension. I really enjoyed it, but it was getting a little too much.

“I hope you don’t mind sharing the shower with me. You know… water bills are a bitch,” Taeyong spoke, and I giggled at his bullshit excuse, finding it incredibly cute, considering what we had been doing a few minutes ago.

“Of course they are,” I deadpanned, chuckling. Though his excuse was lame, I liked Taeyong enough to go with it. “Come on. Let’s go. I don’t want anyone to catch me naked.”

 ***

After that one time at the dance studio, Taeyong and I made it a regular thing. However, we kept it civilized. We wouldn’t jump each other’s bones in the open like animals like we had done the first time. Usually, we would go on small kind-of-dates, which consisted of picking up food, going to my or his place, and then rolling in the sheets.

We were having lots of fun. It was a perfect way to de-stress. After all, the finale was this Saturday, and we were nervous as hell. In all honesty, I was still scared, but these orgasms were numbing my anxiety.

“I think that’s it,” Taeyong spoke, and I smiled brightly, unable to contain my joy. It was the first time Taeyong ever approved of our performance. Most of the time, he was nitpicking, complaining about the slightest mistake, but finally, he was satisfied with it.

I was ecstatic; I never expected to live up to Taeyong’s approval. Through hard work and persistence, I managed to earn his eulogy.

“What should we do now? How about we order some food?” I asked, feeling in a celebratory mood. Maybe it was a little bit too early to drink to this small success, but it’s still worth a shot.

“We should do it again. We should dance it flawlessly at least a couple of hundred consecutive times before celebrating,” Taeyong seriously replied, and I rolled my eyes. Despite his painstaking nature, a couple of hundred times, it was a bit too much. Even for him. “Don’t give me that look. Let’s start again; five, six, seven, eight.”

Though usually, I’d complain and try to force him into a five-minute break, right now, I was oddly energized. We were dancing for the past two hours, and I was panting out of exhaustion. Nevertheless, the thoughts of finally mastering the choreography kept me going.

“I’m pretty good at this,” I confidently commented while roaming my hands across Taeyong’s shoulders before he twirled me around to the rhythm. I could tell that Taeyong was just waiting for an excuse to pause the music and scold me for making a mistake. However, much to his dismay, I executed every move impeccably. “I had a pretty good teacher,” I added, stroking his ego. The D-day was approaching, and Taeyong obviously needed an extra boost of confidence.

“I must admit you were a piece of work. I have no idea what kind of sorcery is this,” Taeyong teased, staring into my eyes. We had practiced the routine plenty of times; we could probably perform it in blindfolds and not make a single mistake. “I must be a magician or something.”

“Don’t push it,” I warned him in a very non-threatening tone, making him smirk. “But it’s only partially your success. Seulgi told me I have the it™ factor,” I proudly said, cracking Taeyong up, messing the choreography. “Is it a student-has-become-the-master kind of moment?” I asked, laughing at Taeyong. For the dance prodigy, he was getting distracted way too easily. It was suspicious.

With a broad smile upon his face, Taeyong grabbed my wrists, making me look at him.

“How about we finish up for today? I have a surprise for you,” Taeyong said, and I cocked my eyebrows, biting my bottom lip. “Not that kind of surprise,” he added, rolling his eyes at me. “We might get it on later, though.”

“What kind of surprise then?”

“Wait a second,” Taeyong spoke, quickly jogging out of the practice room. In a minute, he was back with a garment bag in his hands. “Here, that’s for you. Seulgi came in the morning to drop it off for you,” he explained, and I pulled down the zipper. It was going to be my costume for the contest, and I was curious how it looked.

I was speechless. At first, I thought it was a joke. I wouldn’t be able to perform in that. However, the more I looked at it, the more sense it made. It was a simple white suit shirt, but when mixed with a leather body harness, high-waisted shorts, and boots, it fitted the concept beautifully.

“Do you like it? I thought it was too revealing, but Seulgi insisted you would look amazing in it. I mean… it fits the mood, but if you’re not comfortable with it, we still have some time to find something else,” Taeyong blabbered, and my heart swelled. It was very sweet of him to consider my comfort above anything else.

“It’s skimpy, but it’s fine. I like it,” I replied, having no idea where my confidence was coming from. A few months ago, I’d be anxious to even try it on in the confines of my bedroom. However, now I was planning on showing a lot of skin on national television during prime hours on the weekend. I must’ve gone insane.

“Do you want to try it on?” Taeyong challenged, pulling the hangers out of the bag.

“You mean… here?!”

“Come on, it wouldn’t be the first time you took off your clothes in the middle of the practice room,” Taeyong concluded, smiling at me mischievously.

“Pass,” I firmly rejected his dare, even though it felt tempting. “It’s not fun when I’m doing it alone,” I added, and Taeyong grabbed the hem of his T-shirt, more than ready to discard his clothes in a blink of an eye. “Don’t fool around,” I warned him, placing my hand over his before he managed to take his T-shirt off.

“You’re right. Let’s go to my place first,” Taeyong agreed, zipping the bag before he grabbed my hand, leading me out of the practice room.

 ***

 On the day of the performance, I woke up with a terrible stomach ache. No matter how much fantastic sex Taeyong and I had, I was not mentally prepared to perform in front of the whole nation. I felt sick, almost as if my body was telling me to quit before I’d embarrass myself on national television. Stress was eating me from the inside.

“What are you doing up so early? Let’s go back to bed,” Taeyong purred in his raspy morning voice as he sneaked his arm around my waist, pulling me against him. “You need to be rested before the performance. Trust me, you don’t want a camera to catch you yawning,” he added, nuzzling his nose in the crook of my neck, breathing hot air against my skin.

“Thanks for giving me one more thing to stress about,” I deadpanned, heaving a deep sigh, staring at the ceiling. It was a mistake. I should have never agreed to Seulgi’s proposition in the first place. What the hell was I thinking? “I think it’s a bad idea. We should quit.”

Taeyong wasn’t in the mood for my nagging so early in the morning; he was having none of it. “You’re being ridiculous. We’ve practiced so much. We’re gonna win it with ease,” he declared, pressing a featherlike kiss against my jaw. “But for real,” he added, climbing on top of me, trapping me between his thighs, “we’re going to win. And even if we don’t, it’s fine. Really, if somehow we lose to Doyoung and his partner, I’ll just punch him backstage.”

“How can you say that?” I said with a sigh, running my hands across his thighs, finding it rather calming. “I know you said we should rest, but how about…” I trailed, and Taeyong smiled before eagerly capturing my lips, reading me like an open book.

“Say no more,” Taeyong whispered before his hands traveled under my shirt.

Unfortunately, Taeyong’s phone started buzzing on the nightstand before he managed to pull my panties down. With a groan, he extended his arm, staring at the screen.

“It’s Seulgi.”

“What are you waiting for? It’s her wedding day. Pick it up,” I yelled at him as I fell on the pillow, admiring his handsome face when he was talking to Seulgi.

“Please, not you, too,” he barked, rubbing his face in annoyance. Though I barely could make out what she was saying, I figured this much Seulgi and I were suffering from the same stress-fuelled illness. It was her wedding day, after all. Even if it was obvious she loved Irene with a burning passion, she wasn’t immune to pre-wedding anxiety.

Seulgi was talking her stress away, and Taeyong just hummed and nodded his head, registering her words. For some reason, the pressure didn’t seem to bother Taeyong at all. It was weird, but at least he was the voice of reason, which could help me and Seulgi cope.

“Breath in, breath out,” Taeyong spoke when Seulgi made a pause long enough for him to interject. “I know it’s a big deal, but there’s nothing to worry about. You’re getting married to Irene. You love her so much,” Taeyong reminded her, winking at me, expecting Seulgi to end the call soon. “Everybody’s a little nervous; it’s completely normal.”

It was beautiful how close Taeyong and Seulgi were. They had each other’s backs in all types of situations.

About ten minutes later, Seulgi finally calmed down. Taeyong’s reassuring words swept the anxiety away, and she was more than ready to get married to the love of her life.

Once Seulgi hung up, Taeyong threw his phone on the bed and secured my legs around his hips before he leaned forward, giving me a quick kiss. “Seulgi says hi, by the way,” he added, sneaking his hand under the hem of my panties.

“What?”

“What do you mean what?” Taeyong looked down at me, creasing his eyebrows in confusion.

“She knows?” I yelled, unable to comprehend how, on Earth, Seulgi figured out I was in Taeyong’s bed. She couldn’t know. She wasn’t even there when our romance bloomed. “How?”

“Yeah, is it a bad thing, though? You didn’t want to fuck me in secret, did you?” Taeyong challenged, not really answering my inquiry. Did Seulgi figure it out on her own? Or did Taeyong told her about us? And, the biggest question mark was: what were we to begin with? “Seulgi must have some sort of sixth sense. She was bothering me about the sexual tension between us since day one of your training.”

“I wouldn’t call it sexual tension per se, but there was something going on,” I replied, reminiscing how rocky our beginning was. “But I think we were interrupted…” I reminded him, and Taeyong with a playful smirk on his face dived right between my thighs.

 ***

 The streaming should begin at 8 p.m., but we had to arrive before 5 p.m., so the make-up artists and stylists could prepare us for the performance. Sitting in that chair and waiting for all pampering to be over with was stressful as fuck. I tried to preoccupy myself with an idea of Taeyong, but whenever someone threw a question in my direction, I was being pulled out of my train of happy thoughts.

I wanted to get on the stage and be done with it. Unfortunately, whoever funded that contest didn’t think of the mental health of its participants when making today’s schedule.

Punctually, the show began its transmission at 8 o’clock. However, at the very beginning, the MC had to introduce all sponsors. Going through them took him about twenty minutes. Then, they interviewed some of the eliminated dancers, asking them questions either about their experience in the competition or simply who they thought would win.

Later, they decided to rewind the contestants’ moments in the show. At first, they showed Doyoung and his partner, and a few experts analyzed their performance, wondering what the odds of them winning were.

When the host announced the rewind of Taeyong’s and Seulgi’s stages, the jury only talked about the sudden switch up, confirming it was the first time it ever happened in the grand finale. It startled a lot of people why would Seulgi drop out, but Taeyong explained it in a brief interview.

“It was a crazy coincidence, but Seulgi couldn’t participate today because she is getting married today,” Taeyong revealed, and the audience cooed loudly, obviously supporting her choice. “I was stressed at first, but Seulgi found an amazing dancer to take her spot. She really chose well,” he added, and I looked at him, trying not to cry in front of everyone.

It was almost impossible to fish out a compliment from Taeyong during practice, but right now, he did it on his own accord, melting my heart with his words.

“Everybody is dying to know more about your partner,” the MC started, shifting his attention to me. I didn’t particularly like to be put in the spotlight, but before I managed to spit some nonsense, Taeyong butt in, rescuing the day.

“Although she doesn’t have much experience in dance competitions, I think she’s a great dancer. To think of it, she is my secret weapon,” Taeyong added, and I almost ran into his arms, feeling too overwhelmed by his speech.

“Alright then, let’s see what you got after a short commercial break,” the MC cheerfully announced before I bolted out of the stage as I felt the stress crept into my head.

“Calm down,” Taeyong softly spoke as he approached me, holding my hand, drawing circles with his thumb. “You’ve got this. Just focus on me,” he added, flashing me a reassuring smile before kissing my knuckles.

“Awww… isn’t it adorable?” Someone snickered, and I didn’t need to turn my head around to know it was Doyoung. He was like a venomous snake, trying to sneak into our subconscious and make us even more anxious. It couldn’t be fair play.

“Buzz off,” I barked as I didn’t want to let him tick Taeyong off. Taeyong was my safety pin, and I didn’t want him to go full rage on Doyoung. Their backstage battle would make it to the news, but I’d rather prevent it from happening.

“With Seulgi on your arm, I was giving you a five percent chance of winning,” Doyoung started, ignoring my warning. “Now, when she’s gone, I won’t even have fun beating you on the stage,” he added, and I almost surged forward to punch him. If it wasn’t for Taeyong, who held me in my place, I’d definitely rearranged Doyoung’s face.

“Don’t let him get into your head,” Taeyong whispered into my ear, and I nodded my head, sighing. Then, it struck me. Doyoung’s motive wasn’t to mess with Taeyong but with me. He knew I was the weakest link, and he wanted to guarantee his victory by making me doubt myself. His words rung in my head, but one look at Taeyong helped me relax. We had practiced it a thousand times; there was not a chance I would make a mistake.

“Come on. Let’s go. They’re calling us out,” Taeyong mused, pulling me towards the stage.

The silence filled the auditorium when we got on the stage, taking our respective places. I stole a glance at Taeyong – he was mouthing words of encouragement seconds before the MC announced our performance.

I can hear it callin'

Loving the way you wanna talk

Touch me, tease me, feel me up

Callin', something in the way you wanna talk

On two sides of the stage, we moved to the rhythm, telling the story of two strangers lusting over each other from afar. With hunger in our eyes, we tried to seduce each other with sharp movements, showcasing our attributes.

You got me sayin', you got me sayin'

How you doing? Tell me what's your name (Ey, tell me what's your name?)

What's your sign? Feeling like you are into me

Taeyong ran up to me like a man enchanted by the siren’s voice, rolling his body against mine. It was his moment to shine; everybody’s eyes were on him as he owned the stage with his overflowing charisma.

Baby, we're two distant strangers

I know you don't speak my language

But I love the way she's talking to me (Talking to me)

I can hear it callin' from where you are

Loving the way you wanna talk

Touch me, tease me, feel me up

Touch me, tease me, feel me up

It was a classic game of cat and mouse. Though our bodies were so close to each other, we moved in perfect synchronization, careful not to brush against each other. The chemistry between us was undeniable, and the feeling of yearning was visible from the very last row.

Max, max, max, we can have it all (To the max)

If you back, back, back, back, back it up (Back it, back it)I'll take you where you wanna, got the gas in the tank (Wow)

If you really wanna make it last (Git, git, git)

Finally, as the song slowly progressed to the end, we were showing intense frustration. We were portraying two individuals, yearning for intimate contact, who were hastily losing their minds over uncontrollable passion.

I can hear it callin' from where you are (Callin', woo)

Loving the way you wanna talk (Love the way you talk)

Touch me, tease me, feel me up (Yeah, yeah)

Touch me, tease me, feel me up

The song was to end soon. The last chorus rolled in – it was our cue. After all teasing, we finally made the connection, ready to combust out of raw craze. After three minutes of painful longing, we were to reach completion.

I can hear it callin' from where you are (Callin', woo)

Loving the way you wanna talk (Love the way you talk)

Touch me, tease me, feel me up (Yeah, yeah)

Touch me, tease me, feel me up

It was all or nothing. We were finally together, touching each other with fervor.  The audience was eating our performance up – particularly when Taeyong showcased his flexibility and body control.

Tell me how you like it babe (How you)

I don't even know your name (How you, ey)

I love the way you're talking to me

It was finally time to finish our performance with a bang; we needed to show something spectacular, something Doyoung wouldn’t ever think about. As the singer began the last verse, it was my cue to run into Taeyong’s embrace. The second the last syllable rolled of the singer’s tongue, Taeyong caught me in his arms, and the lights went out to add a dramatic twist to our performance.

For a while, the audience was silent. However, a few seconds later, they roared in excitement, clapping loudly, showing how much they enjoyed our stage.

The MC was congratulating us, but I was too thrilled to register his words. I still couldn’t believe I performed on national television and didn’t trip and smash my face.

I had no idea how I found myself backstage, but there was a high chance Taeyong led me off the stage. I was too overwhelmed to do it on my own.

I even forgot that Johnny, together with Yeri – the love of his week, had backstage passes. I only remembered that when he wrapped his arms around me in a bear hug, congratulating me.

“You gotta quit that office job and start dancing professionally,” Johnny ordered, and I smiled, glad that he enjoyed my performance. “We both gotta quit. You’ll be dancing, and I’ll be a badass FBI agent.”

“You two were great,” Yeri politely said when Johnny let me go. “Thank you so much for letting me backstage.”

“No problem,” Taeyong replied as he grabbed my shaking hands. “Are you okay?” He asked, cupping my face, making me look at him. “You rocked the stage,” he added before he leaned forward to peck my lips.

Ignoring Johnny’s perplexed expression, I wrapped my arms around Taeyong in a comfortable hug. I hadn’t suitably introduced Johnny to the concept of me dating Taeyong, but hopefully, our interaction got the message across.

Emotions were slowly fading away, but I still needed Taeyong’s support. I was a rookie, and I had no experience with this type of stress. Something was calming about Taeyong’s aura; I couldn’t pinpoint what exactly, but I wasn’t going to question it.

“Anticipation is killing me,” I muttered against his skin. “Can he already go on that fucking stage?” I yelled, wondering why Doyoung’s performance didn’t start yet. I knew the MC was building up tension, but it was too much for me to handle.

“We could always skip,” Taeyong casually spoke, and I pulled away to look at him. What the hell was he talking about? I hadn’t agreed to help him out, so we didn’t wait until the end. “If we lose, we lose. If we win, your friend can accept the prize, can’t he?”

“Are you insane?”

“Maybe a little bit,” he answered with a bright smile, brushing stray hair off my forehead. “I just want to know the result already so we can go to Seulgi’s wedding and congratulate them,” he added, and I nodded my head. Though we couldn’t participate during the ceremony, the least we could do was to show up ridiculously late to the reception.

“Can they hurry the fuck up now?” I craned my neck, trying to find Doyoung and his partner. They were arguing about something right behind the curtain. Everything seemed they weren’t in the right headspace.

“I don’t think I want to see their performance,” Taeyong whispered, tightening his grasp on my waist. “How about a quickie in the dressing room? What do you say?” He proposed, and I smacked him, telling him to behave. It was tempting, but we really shouldn’t. I wouldn’t walk up that stage with messed-up post-sex hair.

“Get a grip,” I added, gently elbowing him. “Let’s just hit the snack table. I am hungry,” I spoke, pulling him away when the MC invited Doyoung and his dance partner onto the stage.

While munching on snacks, we stared at each other fondly. In some weird way, we were helping each other cope with anticipation and stress. Though it was tempting to check out their performance, we decided it was for the better if we didn’t.

They performed to “Hips Don’t Lie,” and it was almost impossible to turn my head around to check out Doyoung’s sick moves. Having considered all the videos I had seen of him, I was sure he looked gorgeous.

“What about a little peek?” Taeyong questioned, unable to control his urge to see his rival’s performance. “I thought I could endure it, but I can’t,” he added, and I nodded, giving in. Instantly, we ran to the nearest screen to watch their stage.

It was everything I imagined. Their moves were executed with precision and grace, but entertainment-wise, I was bored. They had the skills, but something about the general concept didn’t fulfill my expectations.

No matter how great of a dancer Doyoung was, he just could not pull this song off as the original artist did. Regardless of how hard he swayed his hips, it just didn’t live up to its potential. Though I wasn’t educated enough to give an honest review, it felt meh.

The audience in the studio whistled and shouted once they finished their performance, giving them a round of applause. With genuine smiles, Doyoung and his partner bowed before they ran off the stage.

Now, only thirty minutes of aggressive advertising, and we would know the winner.

“Is it too late to agree to that quickie?”

“You should’ve said so earlier,” Taeyong answered with an innocent smile as he reached to hold my hand. “The best I can do is cuddles,” he added, leading me to the couch, letting me rest my head on his shoulder. “It feels nice.”

“It does, but it doesn’t take my mind off things like a quickie would.”

“Don’t even try. I am not going on that stage with a boner in my pants,” Taeyong warned, peeling my hand off his thigh, pressing a delicate kiss against my knuckles.

Though it wasn’t as preoccupying as sex, it was still nice. And most importantly, it took our minds off the unbearable anticipation. A staff member actually needed to gently shake Taeyong’s shoulder to remind us that the MC was calling us to the stage.

Taeyong’s hand didn’t leave mine once we were waiting for the big reveal. It was fine if we lost. Next year, Seulgi and Taeyong would definitely make it to the top.

When the MC announced the winner, a few confetti bombs exploded. The audience roared in excitement, but I had no clue what was going on. Uncertainty was over – one of us won.

Stress, anticipation, and anxiety slowed down my reactions. However, I figured it would be weird if Taeyong picked me up and spun me around in his arms if we lost. It could only mean one thing – we did it.

We won.

Taeyong’s acceptance speech was short and simple. He thanked everyone who succored him discover his passion for dancing, who supported him throughout his dream, who directly helped him get this far, and me.

When I was handed the microphone for the first time that evening, I basically rephrased Taeyong words. Maybe it wasn’t my dream, but it felt damn good to assist Taeyong in achieving his. It was a bumpy road, but overall, it was all worth it.

The MC handed me a statue after shaking my hand, congratulating me once more. Taeyong, on the other hand, was gifted a huge check for 20 thousand dollars.

“Let’s go,” Taeyong whispered to me, running off the stage with me.

 ***

It was shortly before midnight when the Uber parked in front of the hotel where Seulgi’s and Irene’s reception took place. It was beautifully decorated with lights and flowers, making it look like a magical castle.

Though the security didn’t want to grant entrance, one of Seulgi’s aunts recognized Taeyong and told the man to let us in. She was nice enough to help us out, but she still found some time to glance disapprovingly at my stage costume. I wouldn’t be surprised if she gossiped to her entire family I was a prostitute.

As soon as we walked into the ballroom, Seulgi noticed us. She was sitting by the table, eating the wedding cake with Irene. In an instant, she rose from her chair and ran up to us, throwing herself on Taeyong’s neck.

“You won! I knew it!” She shouted as she gave Taeyong a bone-crushing hug. “Irene and I sneaked out for a while to watch your performance. You smashed them,” Seulgi added before she turned to me, congratulating me too.

“You were amazing,” Irene approached us, sending a polite smile. Unlike Seulgi, Irene was much calmer and collected.

“You are finally married,” Taeyong spoke, beaming. “You better have everything recorded. I gotta know every embarrassing thing that I missed,” he added in a teasing manner, earning a playful jab from Seulgi. “I bet you cried during your vows.”

“Congratulations,” I chimed in, breaking their friendly banter before it properly started. It was Seulgi’s wedding day, after all.

After we caught up, Seulgi and Irene walked off to the dance floor, leaving us by the table alone. For a while, we admired them. They looked absolutely stunning in their white suits, dancing, basking in happiness.

“Do you know where the gifts are held?” I inquired suddenly, looking around.

“Why? Did you have time to get them anything?” Taeyong asked before he stuffed his mouth with a chocolate glazed strawberry. “Or are you thinking of stealing some?”

“I just want to give them my part of the prize,” I started, making Taeyong choke on the fruit. “Seulgi’s the rightful winner, and I think it’s only right.”

“Are you sure? It’s a lot of money.”

“Yeah, I know, but I really want to do that,” I replied, fiddling with my fingers. “I don’t need this money, so I want to give it to her.”

“You’re so hot right now,” Taeyong said, making me turn my head in embarrassment. “If that’s what you really want to do, do it. But remember, you earned it.”

“I am sure.”

“Then let me spoil you with my prize,” Taeyong offered, staring into my eyes. At first, I thought he was joking, but when his gaze didn’t even falter, I understood how serious he was. “Well… look at that. What are the odds?” Taeyong spoke as a familiar melody echoed within the walls of the grand ballroom. “It’s our song. Shall we dance?”

Having glanced at Seulgi, who whispered something to the DJ, I smiled at Taeyong. Though I was sick and tired of Love Talk already, it was kind of our song. We had been listening to this song too much, and regardless of how good it was, the prospect of it being our anthem terrified me.

“One last time,” I gave in, accepting Taeyong’s invitation, letting him lead me to the dance floor. Despite having mastered the choreography to it, I just wrapped my arms around his neck, slowly waltzing to it.

“That’s nothing like we practiced,” Taeyong pinpointed, and I chuckled, shaking my head. “I don’t mind, though. It’s comfy,” he added as his hands found purchase on my hips.

“Seulgi doesn’t look pleased. She didn’t expect us to perform, did she?” I whispered into Taeyong’s ear, hugging him closer. “Also, it can’t be our song. We have to change it; the sooner, the better,” I complained, but Taeyong just chuckled into my ear, humming softly.

Instead of giving me an actual answer, Taeyong decided to sing it.

“I love the way you're talking to me.”

#taeyong smut #neosmutsongs #neosmutcollective #nct smut #taeyong #lee taeyong #nct u smut #nct 127 smut #nct fluff #taeyong fluff #dance au

[cyndavilachase]

I’m Looking Forward Now 💖Thank you and good bye

So, it’s been a little over a week since Steven Universe Future ended… 

I’ve been hesitant to write this, honestly, but I’m tired of holding myself back from properly expressing myself in fear of appearing overly invested in the media I consume, even in private. Writing helps me organize my thoughts and feelings, and I feel like these thoughts in particular may resonate with many, so I want to share them. I want to talk about what Steven Universe has done for me personally, both as an artist, and as a person.

I’ve been around since the day the first episode of the original series aired. I actually remember when Steven Universe was just a logo on Wikipedia’s “List of Upcoming Cartoon Network Shows” list, back when I was a freshman in high school. It piqued my interest, but when commercials finally dropped for it, I thought it was going to be bad because of the way marketing handled introducing Steven as a likeable character. There was still something about it that made me want to give it a chance though, so I went online and watched the pilot before the first episode's release. I was hooked immediately. I knew I was going to love it, and I did. I fell so absolutely in love with Steven as a character, and the world that he and the gems lived in. I became obsessed. I was always so excited for new episodes to come out. Little did I know what else it would do for me as I went through my adolescence alongside it.

As the show progressed, it was evident that what I wanted out of a western animated childrens’ cartoon was finally coming into fruition: this show was becoming serialized. There was continuity, there was plot, there was character development-- it was getting deep. It was pushing the groundwork that Adventure Time laid out even further (thank you, Adventure Time).  

I will give credit where credit is due: earlier western childrens’ cartoons I grew up with like Hey Arnold, and Rugrats, among others, also touched on heavy topics, but Steven Universe was able to take similar ideas (and even more complex ones, concerning mental health and relationships) and expand on them outside of contained episodes and/or short arcs. These themes, which were a part of the show’s overarching story, spanned across its entirety. Continuity was rampant. 

What did this mean? It meant kids cartoons didn’t have to be silly and fun all the time and characters weren’t just actors playing a part in 11-minute skits. Steven and the gems would remember things that happened to them, and it affected them and how they would function and play a part in their story. This was a huge deal to me as a teenager. I always wanted the cartoons I grew up with featuring kid characters to feel more. In my own work, I often felt discouraged when combining a fun, cutesy western art style with themes as dark or layered as anime would cover. I always thought it had to be one or the other because an audience wouldn’t take a combination of the two seriously enough, based on discussions I had with classmates, friends, and online analysis I read at the time. Steven Universe proved to me otherwise. This show was opening the door for future cartoons exploring in-depth, adult concepts. I felt so seen as a kid, and was inspired to stick with what I love doing.

I was actually very worried about the show’s survival. It was in fact immensely underrated and the fandom was miniscule. Then in 2014, JailBreak dropped, and it’s popularity exploded. Part of it was because of the complex plot and the themes it was covering like I mentioned, but also because of its representation. 

I remember when fandom theorized that Garnet was a fusion due to grand, tragic reasons. Turns out, she’s simply a metaphor for a very loving w|w relationship. This was huge. I cannot stress how important it is that we continue to normalize healthy canon queer relationships in childens’ media, and Steven Universe finally was the first to do that proper. Introducing these themes offers the chance for a kid to sit there and ask themselves, “Why is this demonized by so many people?” I asked myself exactly that. Ruby and Sapphire were my cartoon LGBT rep. They were the first LGBT couple I ever ecstatically drew fanart of. I was dealing with a lot of internalized homophobia at the time, and they showed me that I was allowed to love women and feel normal about it. The process of overcoming this was a long one, but they played a part in my very first steps into becoming comfortable with my sexuality. I could go on and on about it’s representation in general-- how it breaks the mold when it comes to showcasing a diverse set of characters in design, in casting, and in breaking gender roles. It’s focus on love and empathy. Steven himself is a big boy, but he's the protagonist, and the show never once makes fun of his weight, or any other bigger characters for that matter. It wasn’t hard to see why the fandom had grown so large.

Fandom was always a joy for me. It was a hobby I picked up when I was in middle school, like many of us here did. I would always cater my experience to fun, and fun only. I only started getting more deeply involved in SU’s fandom when I had just turned into an adult. During the summer of 2016, between my first and second year of college, I drew for the show almost every day non-stop when the Summer of Steven event was going on and posted them online. This was a form of practice for me in order to become not just more comfortable with experimenting with my art, but also to meet new artists, make new friends, and learn to interact with strangers without fear. I dealt with a ton of anxiety when I was in high school. When I was a senior applying to art school for animation, I decided I was going to overcome that anxiety. I made plans to take baby steps to improve myself over the course of my 4 years of college. Joining the fandom, while unforeseen, was definitely a part of that process. I started feeling more confident in sharing my ideas, even if they were fan-made. I fell in love with storyboarding after that summer, when I took my first storyboarding class, and genuinely felt like I was actually getting somewhere with all of this. I remember finally coming to a point in my classes where I could pitch and not feel hopelessly insecure about it. I was opening up more to my friends and peers. 

But this process, unfortunately, came to a screeching halt. 

My life completely, utterly crumbled under me in the Fall of 2017 due to a series of blows in my personal life that happened in the span of just a couple weeks. My mental health and sense of identity were completely destroyed. All of that confidence I had worked for-- completely ruined. I was alone. I nearly died. My stay at college was extended to 4 and half years, instead of the 4 I had intended. I lost my love for animation-- making it, and watching it. I could no longer watch Steven Universe with the same love I had for it beforehand. It’s a terrible thing, trying to give your attention to something you don’t love anymore, and wanting so desperately to love again. I dropped so many things I loved in my life, including the fandom.

Healing was a long and complicated road. I continued to watch the show all the way up until Change Your Mind aired in the beginning of 2019, and while I still felt empty, that was definitely a turning point for me with it’s encapsulation of self-love. I was hoping James Baxter would get to work on Steven Universe since he guest-animated on Adventure Time, and it was incredible seeing that wish actually come true. The movie came out and while I enjoyed it and thought highly of it, I was still having issues letting myself genuinely love things again, old and new. It was especially difficult because cartoons were my solace as a kid, when things got rough at home. I remember feeling sad because the show ended, and not getting the chance to love it again like I used to while it was still going.

By the time Steven Universe Future was announced, I was finally coming around. I was genuinely starting to feel excitement for art and animation again. I wasn’t expecting there to be a whole new epilogue series, but happily ever after, there we were! Prickly Pear aired, and the implications it left in terms of where the story was going did it. I was finally ready to let myself take the dive back into fandom in January of this year. My art blew up, something I wasn’t expecting considering my 2-year hiatus. Following this, I was invited into a discord server containing some of the biggest writers, artists, editors, and analysts in the fandom. I had no idea there were so many talented people in the fandom, some already with degrees, some getting their degrees-- creating stuff for it on the side just for fun. The amount of passion and productivity level here is insane, and so is the amount of discussion that has come out of it.

I didn’t realize it at first, but it was actually helping me gain back the courage to share ideas. I lost my confidence in pitching while I was taking the time to heal, and graduating meant there would no longer be a classroom setting I could practice in. This group helped immensely. 

I have made so many friends through this wonderful series, and I have so many fond memories talking to like-minded creatives, getting feedback and a myriad of sources for inspiration, as well as all of the memes and jokes and weekly theorizations that came about as we all waited on the edges of our seats for episodes to air. I needed this so badly, I needed to get back in touch with my roots, when I would go absolutely hog-wild over a cartoon I loved with people who loved it as much I did. Future has been a blessing for me in this way. I graduated feeling like I was back at square-one, but now I feel like I’m on my way again.

It’s 2020 and while I’m doing great right now, I am honestly still recovering from the total exhaustion that followed after graduating a few months ago, and finally leaving the campus where my life fell apart behind. Needless to say, watching Future was like looking into a mirror. Watching one of my favorite characters of all time-- one that grew up with me-- go through so many of the same things I went through not too long ago was absolutely insane to watch unfold. It’s such an important thing too, to show a character go through the process of breaking down over trauma and all the nasty things that come with it, and to have them go on the road to healing. Steven got that therapy. He wasn’t blamed. The gems were called out. The finale was everything I could have ever hoped for. The catharsis I experienced watching it was out of this world.

As I continue my own healing journey, I will always look up to the storyboard artists, revisionists, and designers that I have been following over these past 7 years, as well as the new ones introduced in Future. It's been such a joy watching these artists release their promo art for episodes, talk about their experiences working on the show, and post the work they've done for it alongside episodes airing.

Thank you Rebecca Sugar, the Crewniverse, and the fans, for making this such a truly wonderful and unique experience. Thank you for reminding me that I am, and always will be, an artist, a cartoonist, and a fan. Thank you, my followers, for the overwhelmingly positive response to my artwork. I have had so much fun interacting and discussing the show with you all again over these past few months. Steven Universe and it’s fandom will always have a special place in my heart, and it will always be a classic that I will return to for comfort and inspiration for decades to come. I am sad that the cartoon renaissance is over, but so many doors have been opened thanks to this show. I am so, so excited to see what this show will inspire in the future, and I hope one day I get the opportunity to be a part of that. 

Goodbye Steven, thank you for everything. I wish you healing, and I wish Rebecca and the team a well-deserved rest. ♥️

-Cynthia D.

#steven universe #steven universe future #steven universe future finale #steven quartz universe #the future #i am my monster #good bye steven universe #thank you steven universe #crystal gems #garnet #amethyst #pearl #bismuth #lapis #peridot #greg universe #connie maheswaran #lion #su #suf #su future #art #artists on tumblr #illustration #tears #lineless