#tragically unexplored!

[agnesandhilda]

widespread use of circlusion as a concept would be great for the timeless literary enterprise of bringing all stories back to sexual neurosis

#bolo speaks #this is a compliment btw I LOVE weird sex interpretations of stories. don't always agree with them but they're never boring #you've got the classic phallic symbolism sword cigar etc but what about things that ENVELOP others in a dominating way #tragically unexplored!

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

since chuuya was under koyo for a while, do you think he also got the ye olde "flowers thrive in darkness bla bla bla the world of light is meaningless etc". because its...sorta perfect to like, kinda instill the fact that he belongs in the mafia (or the world of "dark") so id imagine hearing the detective from sb saying he wants to bring chuuya to the "world of light" mustve meant a lot to him, only to lose that man moments later because of verlaine (which, interestingly enough, is similar to how koyo lost the man who was going to escape pm with her- to the world of "light")

Anon I love the paralleling here.

You know, I've often wondered what kind of influence Kouyou had on Chuuya. The only thing we know for certain is that she had him sit in on negotiations, and in the main manga, Chuuya is sent to negotiate with the Agency, so suffice to say, he must've learned well from her.

But you know, I think there was never any need for Kouyou to be so explicit about her "flowers that bloom in the dark can only thrive in darkness" belief, mostly because even by Stormbringer with the offer from Murase, Chuuya didn't think he was worthy of such a thing as joining the world of light. I believe much of that had to do with his doubts about his humanity, but even by the end of the story - Who helped Chuuya? Who defended him? It was the Mafia. And Kouyou was there too (ironically looking down on Verlaine's behaviour when... that's almost exactly what she tried to do to Kyouka...). In his mind, these people fought for him, so he stays and protects them. That's just the way Chuuya's mind works.

See, even if nothing was stated directly, undercurrents of a belief like that probably would've been present in her actions and the form her guidance took. There would only be certain types of advice she would give - because those are the only options available for people like them, stuck in the dark and there to stay.

Thing is, both Chuuya and Kouyou have this interesting sense of loyalty where they stay with the Mafia in part because they have something to protect - Chuuya cares for the people within the organization as they are his family, while Kouyou refuses to let the Mafia return to the ways of the old boss and protects Mori specifically for that reason. However, another huge drive behind their loyalty is, I think, simply because they believe they have nowhere else to go.

I also think it's interesting to note that the two act wildly differently only around one specific character who reminds them of themselves in some way - namely Kouyou sees herself in Kyouka and tries to shield her (but not really seeing Kyouka as her own person in that sense and assuming she knows best for her), while Chuuya sees himself uncomfortably in Dazai and is furious about it (so he tries to be everything Dazai isn't, in a sense).

It's interesting because typically Kouyou is very logical and an expert in negotiation (honestly I think she's the only reason Mori gets anything done sometimes... she's like, one of only two functioning executives and the only one to call him out on his bullshit). But when Kyouka is around, she becomes incredibly shortsighted and actually commits a serious faux-pas in negotiation - which is when one becomes unwilling to see other options (think it's called the "fixed pie"... I can't remember). She's trying to save Kyouka but not really - Kouyou is actually trying to save herself, but that endeavour is hopeless, in her mind, so it manifests as this urge to just keep her with her.

And with Chuuya, he's typically quite rational as well. Sure, he prefers to punch his problems whenever possible, but he's no fool. He's also quite surprisingly empathetic - he'll lay a beatdown on anyone but he also really gets people and respects them as human beings - it's a really notable aspect of his character. But Dazai? Dazai makes him lose it. He refuses to consciously empathize with Dazai - precisely because, as I've described in previous posts, they are so similar at their cores that he does understand him - and that's deeply uncomfortable because Chuuya does not want to be like that, or rather, Chuuya does not want to admit that there are sides to him that are like that. He rebuffs Dazai, often quite violently. But then he also worries for him. But then he thinks Dazai can handle himself. I've mentioned this before too but Chuuya's self-concept is deeply screwed up. He's not protective of his foil like Kouyou is with hers - Chuuya does not include himself in his self-appointed duty of protection.

The tragic thing about both of them is they are both people who lost their childhoods and were forced to protect themselves. So, when they are offered the bare minimum of support or safety, they feel as though that is something worth protecting, or even something to feel grateful for.

In many other series, this would likely be a heartwarming thing. In the context of these characters, it's tragic.

They can leave at any time. But unless something significantly changes, they never will.

Anyways, think I kind of derailed a bit from your original ask anon (sorry about that) but yeah I absolutely agree that losing someone immediately after just hearing that they believe in your potential must have been horrible, on top of everything Chuuya was going through already, and I do suspect his trajectory might've been different if Murase had lived, much like Kouyou's would've been drastically different if her and that man had've succeeded in escaping, and how Kyouka's was because of Atsushi.

@originalartblog has a Murase design and some comics with him that are wonderful and make me feel bittersweet emotions; I highly recommend you check them out anon, if you haven't already!

#didn't realize i had so many thoughts about kouyou... #i wish people talked about her more actually i find her character deeply tragic #i also don't mind the fanon and wan 'big sis little bro' dynamic she has with chuuya #but i suspect they're not all that close actually outside of training and then executive duties #i very much wish we discussed her as a character in her own right though #or that she was utilized more in the series #there's a lot to her but she's left relatively unexplored and it kind of bugs me #i'm a little tired so i apologize for any incoherentness #bsd #bsd kouyou #bsd chuuya #is this a meta? sure why not #bsd meta #storyrambles #it's certainly a ramble - i have been activated by the magic word which is chuuya

[bumblingbabooshka]

Your Thoughts To My Prayers

#Tuvok #Neelix #Tuvok art #Neelix art #I wanna church girl who goes to church....AaAAndreADSerbiiiBLE #st voyager #st voyager art #Tuvok was a rebellious teen in a love with some girl so he got sent to spend the summer at sleepaway church camp and it fixed him #and Neelix -looks at episode bio- died and discovered there might not be a heaven making him afraid not only for himself but for his entire #family and a good chunk of his people who died tragically #so you know #ALSO...my favorite unexplored line in 'Innocence' is when Tuvok says he's been questioning whether or not katras (souls) actually exist #lately??? Voyager's GETTING to him.......it would have been nice to have that come up again but oh well #anyway I just think they're neat -squeezes their midsections and they let out a cartoon squeak sound- #bea art tag

[trash-gremlin]

this 🤏 close to creating a fakemon because there are like only two dark fairy types and their designs are lacking

#this is such an interesting combo which is tragically unexplored #i wish i had more time on my hands #<- guy who sits around watching youtube all day

[emerald-observance]

So, I'll admit that I may be a little biased, but there are two parts of this that really stick out to me:

"To their surprise, when they arrived at Naktamun, they found the Scarab God and Locust God already there, engaged with the invaders. With the insect gods' undead hordes distracting the Phyrexians, Hazoret used her flaming spear to ignite the glistening oil within the Phyrexians' veins. As they writhed in agony, Djeru led a crop of elite fighters to dismember them, making sure they were out of the picture for good. In the aftermath, the inscrutable insect gods departed for the deep desert without a word."

Scarab and Locust are back baby! And some of the other cards suggest, of all things, Lazotep Phyrexians with the lazotep interfering with Norn's control. Possibly interfering with the coma that her death caused? We'll see, but I have hopes.

And the second one:

"Tragically, this star-crossed friendship came to an end when Rankle nobly sacrificed himself—and the last wish in the wishing ring—to lure the Phyrexians into a giant chasm, where they were put into an everlasting slumber. Torbran is sure to mourn his fallen ally for the rest of his days."

RANKLE DEAD POG!!!!!1!

#march of the machine #amonkhet #I know that Rankle isn't actually dead #but I can dream alright #the idea of zombie gods remain one of my favorites #and tragically unexplored during amonkhet #I hope they go somewhere with this #mtg #magic the gathering

[generalized-incompetence]

I'm taking custody of Lydia. by the way.

#i share custody of friedkin and i have reluctant partial custody of assistent and i would never presume to take custody of tina and hobbs #has custody of me. lydia however. #the situation is tragic. #i will gladly share custody but that poor girl is out there with Unexplored Trauma and that Cannot stand.

[hyper-c]

how do i stop seeing my own posts on my dashboard

#i know it's good but i would like to see. something else. other things #previously unseen unexplored hidden from my eyes etc. you get me #yet i venture out in this digital crypt only to find myself in a weird mirror-room surrounded by my reflections tragic i say tragic

[imaginesforfandom]

A Wolverine's Heartache - Part II

Part I Part II

Logan/James Howlett x Reader

She/Her Pronouns

Summary: The Sentinel battle takes a turn for the worst causing Logan to lose someone dear to him.

Before the Sentinels descended upon them, there had been a quiet undercurrent of tension between Logan and Y/N, an unspoken dynamic that lingered beneath the surface of their friendship. The Xavier Institute, a haven for mutants, had become a place where emotions and connections were heightened, but not always openly acknowledged.

Logan and Y/N had shared moments of camaraderie, their friendship deepening over time. Yet, a subtle dance of longing and hesitation played out between them, unnoticed by others but felt in the quiet glances and stolen smiles. Each held a key to the other's heart, but the lock remained unturned.

In the tranquil moments before the storm, Y/N often found herself stealing glances at Logan, a flutter of uncertainty in her chest. She admired his strength, both physical and emotional, and valued the camaraderie they shared. Yet, there was an unspoken desire for something more, a connection that hovered in the uncharted territory between friendship and something deeper.

Logan, too, grappled with his own conflicting emotions. He had always been a lone wolf, accustomed to the solitude of his own thoughts. However, Y/N's presence had become a soothing balm to his restless soul. There were times when he caught himself staring at her, a vulnerability in his gaze that betrayed the unspoken depths of his feelings.

Their interactions were laced with a delicate balance, a dance around unexplored territories. A brush of hands during training, a shared moment of laughter by the fireplace – each encounter left an indelible mark on their hearts, pushing them closer to a truth neither was ready to confront.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The battle with the Sentinels unfolded in a crescendo of chaos and destruction. The ominous hum of their massive metal bodies echoed through the war-torn landscape as the mutants of the Xavier Institute rallied to fend off the relentless onslaught.

The sky crackled with energy as Storm unleashed her powers, attempting to create a barrier against the relentless advance of the towering machines. Colossus, his metallic form glinting in the harsh light, clashed with the Sentinels in a display of brute strength. Cyclops fired optic blasts with precision, desperately trying to hold the line.

Amidst the chaos, Logan moved like a feral blur, his adamantium claws slicing through the mechanical monstrosities with unmatched ferocity. The air was filled with the acrid scent of burning metal and the distant cries of mutants in peril.

Y/N fought valiantly alongside the team, her powers contributing to the defense, but the fear of being overshadowed by the more powerful mutants gnawed at her. In the midst of the mayhem, she kept glancing towards Logan, seeking reassurance, but his attention was consumed by the battle.

As the Sentinels closed in, a momentary distraction led to a tragic turn of events. Y/N found herself isolated for a brief second, and in that moment of vulnerability, a Sentinel seized the opportunity. A deafening scream pierced the air as Y/N was ensnared in its metallic grip.

Logan, several yards away, sensed the danger too late. His instincts kicked in, and he sprinted towards Y/N with an urgency that defied the chaos around him. With a primal roar, he lunged at the Sentinel, claws slashing through its armored exterior. The metallic giant released its grip, but the damage was done.

Time seemed to slow as Y/N crumpled to the ground, Logan catching her in his arms. The battle raged on, but in that harrowing moment, everything faded into the background. Logan's heart pounded as he held Y/N, the world collapsing around them as her life slipped away.

Logan's world shattered as he held Y/N's lifeless form in his arms. Time seemed to freeze, and the chaos of the battle faded into a distant murmur. The weight of grief pressed down on him like an unrelenting force, threatening to consume him whole.

In that agonizing moment, Logan's senses, normally keen and alert, dulled to the outside world. The smell of burning metal, the distant clashes of mutant powers, and the acrid taste of despair in the air became distant echoes. All that remained was the profound silence that accompanied Y/N's departure from the living.

Logan's heart, usually a steady rhythm amidst the storm, now pounded with a raw, aching intensity. His hands trembled as he cradled Y/N's lifeless body, unable to comprehend the reality of her absence. The world around him blurred, and tears – a rare expression of vulnerability – welled up in his eyes.

Regret and guilt gnawed at Logan's soul. If only he had been quicker, more vigilant. If only he had protected her better. The weight of responsibility bore down on him, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he had failed the one person who had silently meant more to him than he had ever admitted.

A guttural, primal scream tore from Logan's throat, reverberating through the battlefield. It was a scream of anguish, of a grief so profound that it echoed the depths of his soul. In that moment, the Wolverine, known for his stoic demeanor and unyielding strength, crumbled under the weight of loss.

As Logan clung to Y/N's lifeless body, the reality of her absence sank in, leaving him stranded in a sea of sorrow. The battlefield continued to rage around him, but in his world, everything had come to a standstill. The connection he had shared with Y/N, the unspoken bond that had grown between them, was now a painful void that threatened to engulf him entirely.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! this made my heart break :,( i just wanna give him a real big hug now

#logan howlett #james howlett #wolverine #logan howlett x reader #james howlett x reader #wolverine x reader #logan howlett x you #james howlett x you #wolverine x you #logan howlett x y/n #james howlett x y/n #wolverine x y/n #logan howlett oneshot #james howlett oneshot #wolverine oneshot #logan howlett imagine #james howlett imagine #wolverine imagine

[anotherkindofmindpod]

I think it's very sad that Lewisohn chooses to characterize Paul's reluctance to share cigarettes as "stingy." I think it's quite endearing, tragic, and worthy of empathy, and an interesting anecdote that's left unexplored (and explained in the most droll, least imaginative way possible).

As an adult child of an addict, life can be so terrifyingly expensive (to say nothing of all the emotional and mental trauma). Paul was faced with what all children in that situation face: how do I keep everything afloat when the house is gone, the car is gone, etc? When the person I looked up to the most decides to stop working, to stop bathing, to have their personality altered on a fundamental level in order to feed their habit? Even in 2023, most of us have to accept that these parents will simply end up homeless or institutionalized, because society won't support them. Unlike the others, Paul HAD to make money. Legitimate money. And he'd already taken a huge gamble on the band instead of pursuing a more traditional career. If it were me, I would have pushed Stu off of that stage just for refusing to pay me back, let alone for not taking the band seriously. I wonder what Stu's financial situation was like at home.

And, not for nothing, but I believe I read that Paul had to buy back the house he gave to his father multiple times, due to his father's gambling addiction (I don't recall the exact source, and I'll be transparent about that, unlike Lewisohn). I believe it was Mike who spilled the beans on this. If Paul hadn't become rich and famous, what would have happened to Jim, I wonder?

Anyways, thank you for this beautiful (and heartbreaking) series. The fandom really deserves better than what Lewisohn gave us.

Thank you, Anon! For the kind words, for listening and for sharing your thoughts!

#AKOM #Fine Tuning #A Prolonged Jealousy

[bat-besties]

I know you guys don't go here but the Rose-Cass-Mia-Steph mutuals would adore Tora Ziyal of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Villain daughter with an unexplored tragic backstory who chooses good and has a talent she loves???

I need to talk about Ziyal, I love her so much

#ds9 #deep space nine #deep space 9 #tora ziyal #there is also an extremely interesting conversation about being the daughter of a colonizer and a colonized woman he takes as his lover #and how she tries so desperately to believe it was the romance her father said it was #and how that shapes her own romance #and how she tries to recreate it with major kira to make a family- #plus the way they HARDLY EXPLORE HER LIFE IN THE BREEN CAMP #AND THE WAY SHE LIVES THROUGH DREAMS SO SHE BECOMES AN ARTIST WHO CAN SHARE THOSE DREAMS WITH OTHERS #ahhhh #and how she betrays her father but doesn't stop loving him? #deep space nine spoilers

[dracocheesecake]

Today’s thoughts are spent on thinking about Kai and Oogway. Guy who probably really didn’t expect to make friends on a battlefield because it’s a battlefield but found a fast friend who could match him. Guy who rags on said fast friend to hide the affection he has for him because this is still war and he wants to push down those feelings as much as he can. And then the ambush happens. They are the only ones who make it out alive (or…I assume they’re the only ones who do? Because the alternative is there were others still alive that Kai could have helped and in a split second panic he chose Oogway over any survivors of their army. Chose Oogway over the duties and responsibilities he held as a warlord of China) and despite the inner thoughts of pushing down how much he cares about this person who has matched him in every way and become his equal, his balance in life, it jumps out of him instinctually.

Kai has lost everything but Oogway, and he’s on his way to losing him too. And probably for the first time in decades, he feels fear. And that fear isn’t even for himself. He only knows how to create death and suffering, not fix it, there is nothing he can do to salvage Oogway except desperately hope he can make it to someone who can do it for him. And sure, he does, but how powerless can it make someone like a respected, venerated warlord like him feel that he has to stand by and watch this healing happen? Death is the one thing Kai can’t protect the people he cares about from, this is the one thing he feels he can’t do. He can’t heal. He can only destroy.

And he takes that information, and the knowledge of Chi and uses it in what he thinks is the only way he’ll be able to: power and strength for himself. Because if he’s just powerful enough, with more strength than any number of forces could put in an ambush, he’ll never have to lose any of the people in his care again. He can’t protect the people he cares about with the strength he has now, he needs more. And if a few innocent lives need to be taken advantage of to do it? That’s the price of war anyways. There’s always a price, and Kai has always been prepared to pay it.

And then Kai not understanding why, of all people, Oogway is the one to tell him no. The same man who has been by his side for all the atrocities they’ve already committed, all the deaths of husbands, sons, daughters, wives, has decided to draw the line here. There is finally a way for him to overcome the weaknesses he has and protect everyone who matters to him- to protect Oogway himself and prevent this would be tragedy from ever happening again- and he’s just supposed to ignore it? He’s supposed to have empathy and care in his heart for strangers, or worse yet, enemies that he could use this against? The utter heartbreak in Kai’s mind of risking your career, honor, everything to keep this man protected and alive, only for him to turn around and essentially kill you for the act of trying to make sure the same man never meets this fate again.

And then centuries later, making your way back to the mortal realm and finding out your so called “brother in arms” erased you from history because he was so ashamed of your actions (and his, and yet he still gets to be honored and revered). I mean, hell, I’d try to destroy his memory too. They make for such a tragic pairing whether it’s romantic or platonic augh AUGH I LOVE TRAGEDYYY. (Sorry for the rambling but man-)

Never. Ever. Apologize for rambling about Kai and the intricate (and honestly quite unexplored) tragedy that is Kai and Oogway's relationship. You left an entire poetic ficlet in my inbox and I could not be happier because DANG this is practically spot on.

Just...imagine losing everything you could have to lose, and then almost losing the last two things you had left to lose (your sworn brother's life and potentially your own), and then lose him again- this time because (in Kai's view) he turns on you without reason. After everything you did for him, trying to save his life, trying to use this second chance you've miraculously been given to reclaim what you've lost and ensure you never lose it again- and he turns against you the first chance he gets. I could understand Kai's rage, there (of course he was still wrong but I can understand it). Maybe there's a deep sorrow there, too, buried under the rage, but you know we'll never see it.

They are absolutely tragic and it's a shame it's not talked about enough. 😔😭💔💔💔

#ask #thank you for the ask! #kung fu panda #general kai #master oogway #kaiway #kfp #kfp3 #everything about them is so tragic it hurts

[trashy-greyjoy]

theonsa is so tragically sexy because they have so much untapped potential in canon. the whisper of the possibility of love doomed by a war it was never going to survive? the beginnings of devotion, cut short by sacrifice?? the tenderness of something left unexplored???

#its about the tragedy of ALMOST #they werent in love yet but they would have been if they were other people in other circumstance they would have been #oh it makes my chest hurt #theonsa #got #theon x sansa #theon greyjoy #sansa stark #game of thrones #i am really going through it again im so sorry

[wickedlyqueer]

do you have any elphaba headcanons? like just in general. your last headcanon post was really fun to read!! :)

Hmm, I feel like I put most of my Elphie headcanons in my fics so after 7 years I doubt there's much new I have to deliver but here goes:

Elphie is intersex, non-binary, aromantic and bisexual. I might stray from this sometimes for the sake of a fic, but it does feel like "straying" from their Original State to me.

Elphaba never makes the first move on Glinda, fully convinced it's one-sided. If you put all my fics next to each other, you'll see a pattern where Glinda pretty much always kisses or confesses first. Or, figures it out and makes Elphaba confess. It's just not in Elphie's self-depreciating nature to move first (which is ironic, if you watched my wicked is gay video. bc I make the case Elphaba is super impulsive and Glinda always needs to think everything through. But, this is the one area where Elphaba restrains herself. And Glinda does move. But only if she's sure it has the outcome she wants—hence why gelphie can be such a delicious mutual pining ship).

Elphaba's character is full of adolescent angst and esp in canon that trauma takes a hold of them. But, as I've gotten older myself and found more stability, I really like to play around with a mature(d) Elphie. Who might still have some negative thought spirals, but has enough life experience to recognize where it comes from, and doesn't get lost in it. Sometimes I do worry it strains too much from their "core" character, but I find it so tempting to play with, because it's such unexplored territory.

Like, Elphie is such a tragic character on a fundamental level, that giving them a happy/cathartic ending is about the most radical thing you can do. Which does feel really in character again, somehow.

Actually, I'm going to stop myself, bc I'm noticing that I'm brushing very broad strokes, which doesn't make for a fun list (like the gelphie one), but that's because — especially when it comes to details — I've always argued that:

Whatever you headcanon Elphie as, you can argue the complete opposite of that, and it still would feel in character.

(e.g. Elphaba has the cleanest room. Elphaba has the dirtiest room, or is Elphaba an incredible cook or a terrible one?)

Both make total sense to me, because Elphaba's character depends so heavily on the context they're in. So if you want more fun/quick Elphie headcanons, I feel like you'd actually need to give me a setting. :') Because through making this list, I realized it heavily depends on that.

#wicked #wicked the musical #gelphie #elphaba thropp #sam's asks #headcanons

[sapphic-agent]

¿What is your opinion on Himiko Toga?

In my opinion, she's wasted potential all around. As a tragic character, she's unexplored in favour of a tasteless love triangle with izuku and ochako.

And as a yandere character, she's the most boring yandere i've seen in my life. Like toga barely has genuine interactions with both of the objects of her obsession, she's an embarasement to the arquetype.

¿How in the fuck are we supposed to think that izuku and ochako want her to change, when she barely shares any actual information of her past to them?

The fact that the audience knows, but not the other characters that supposedly want to save her makes it impossible for me to care for her as a PERSON.

Agreed, for the most part.

I don't have many issues with Toga's concept. I even liked her at the beginning of the story. I think her backstory was pretty solid. But, similarly to Dabi, she's wasted potential.

You can actually see, though the two of them, where Horikoshi decided to change the direction the story was going in. The implication they both had in the beginning was a kinship with Stain, who- even though he was extremist- did want to change the world for the better. They were meant to be the products of the faults with society, and their role in the story was implied to be to change those faults, even through villainous ways.

But of course, keeping that in would also mean addressing how society failed Izuku. Which would also mean condemning Bakugou's role in that. Which means Horikoshi couldn't as easily justify Izuku forgiving him without actually giving him a solid redemption arc.

It's so sad how so many faults in the story tie back to Bakugou's shitty character

#anti bakugou katsuki #toga critical #dabi critical #wasted potential

[esther-dot]

I've been watching Alt Schwift X (Alt Shift X's evil twin) streams and he and Glidus did a ASOIAF theory ranking and I had to sit through like thirty minutes of umming and ahhing about Jon marrying Val, all of Jon's dreams of Winterfell, Jon getting what he wants in the worst way that he doesn't want anymore now he's a zombie etc. etc. and I was like

guys

guys come on

If you want to give him a cursed romance which makes him question his lingering humanity and can totally end up tragic/a 'you get what you wish for' scenario, his half-sister/cousin is right there

I don’t dislike Val, but she definitely captured the imagination of part of the fandom in a way she didn’t for me. She’s beautiful and brave, but her mindset is quite different from Jon’s, and on some very important issues like kid killing. 😐 Also, Jon’s already had a romance with someone from the FF, and now that they’ve formed a tentative peace, another relationship with a FF woman is far less conflicted ie interesting? I’m not sure what would make this dynamic worth exploring via a romantic relationship?

Jonsa is way more of a mind fuck while simultaneously offering Jon a far more compatible (re: personal values), compassionate (Sansa is the standout character that way) partner. It’s wild their dynamic can be healthier for the individuals personally while also offering lots of conflict because initially, it will seem very wrong. It’s a really shocking, and yet, rewarding, healing even, potential relationship. It messes with the characters, pushes them into unexplored territory. Rather than their previous relationships which were coerced, this time it isn’t external pressures forcing their hand, but their own horror over incest they wrestle with.

#dot chat #jonsa

[aclowntiny]

The Wind Again- Jongho x Paranormal Investigator!Reader (Gender Neutral)

Hello I just found the concept of Jongho as the token skeptic on a paranormal show really funny ok? Like, look me in the eyes & tell me he wouldn't be

Word Count: 2670 | Humor, Slightly Spoopy | Warnings: some gruesome references, mentions of death & ghosts (obviously lol), one scary thing happens but no graphic violence or anything like that :)

“So, this hospital was once, shall we say, home to some investigative medicine.”

“Don’t tell me it’s another one of those places that used to rip people’s teeth out and stuff.”

Jongho had, if forcibly, read up on mental hospitals of the old days, the cruelty of which was often said to leave residual energy behind in the form of the tortured patients. Quite obviously he did not like it, but then, who did? You yourself shuddered at the thought.

“No, not teeth or anything, but they did perform lobotomies, which were a new, unexplored procedure at this time. Things like lobotomies and bloodletting were still considered possible treatments to a host of conditions.”

“Of course they were.” Jongho was always like this on camera…and sometimes off. A running joke on your youtube channel was that you’d convert him someday, but he just didn’t take the idea of the spirits people had experienced remaining in tragic places seriously. Not even out of being a hardcore science-minded person or some other form of personal arrogance, but out of never experiencing it himself. “How did they think taking a chunk out of people’s brains wouldn’t completely destroy their working functions?”

“The working hypothesis was something along the lines of amputating a shattered limb- pruning off that which didn’t serve the host.”

“Why do you have to say it like that? You sound like a serial killer,” Jongho complained, looking up at you from his seated position as you erased some more writing of your whiteboard.

“If you haven’t noticed,” you jerked your head towards the tripod in the corner of the room with a giggle, “we’re kind of making a show here.”

“I know. You work so hard.”

“Then listen to your professor,” you teased, tapping his shoulder with the soft velcro bit on the tip of your dry erase marker, “we’re learning about spooooooky stuff.” At that drawn-out syllable, you started waving your arms around, swaying side to side and bouncing on your knees.

Shaking his head, Jongho lost it, cracking up as you soon joined him. Perfect cut point for the video.

“You really do too much,” he wheezed.

“My pleasure,” you did a V pose and winked into the camera.

Unspooling your microphone and headphones, you started to record voiceovers for your video intro and hospital overview. You and Jongho were going there the next week with all your equipment, so some of that footage would be covered with your voice.

A while later, you were still speaking as Jongho sat watching you.

“And they say that many of the patients are still seeking treatment…to this day,” you announced in what you think is an ominous voice.

Jongho, however, burst out laughing again.

“Aw, come on, what was wrong with that?”

“You expect people to take that seriously?”

“I was trying to be spooky!”

“I know,” he patted your shoulder between chuckles.

Now it’s your turn to look up at him from your seat. “Is your job on this show to be funny?”

He shrugged, smiling down at you. “We do get lots of footage that way, don’t we?”

“Yes, we do,” you smiled back.

~

“What will you do if you see an apparition for the first time?” You asked Jongho as you guys pull up to the looming, sprawling, ivy-snaked expanse that was your overnight destination.

“I’ll fight it.”

“You’re going to fight a ghost?”

“No, I’d just leave it alone. What’s it going to do to me?”

Honestly, it wasn’t even frustrating having Jongho around on investigations- almost all the fear you could have had at entering a dark, dilapidated, and condemned space said to house tortured souls faded in the face of companionship, especially drily hilarious companionship. Jongho was so assured that everything was fine, he was like a living shield from anything that could pop out of the shadows at you.

That didn’t mean it wasn’t creepy, though. “Oh geez, what was that?” Jumping slightly, you turned the camera down a doorway.

“Uh, the wind?” Jongho replied.

“It sounded like something getting slid along the floor!” You said, shaking your head as you took a tentative step forward.

“Yeah, probably all these leaves all over the floor when the wind hits them.” Squinting into his night vision camera, he pointed across the lobby. “Or that tarp flapping in the corner over there.”

Alright, you’d give him that one. “Ok, we can debunk that. But we should really keep going. Room 52 is a couple floors up.”

Room 52 was the token ‘most haunted room in the building’, the place where supposedly an especially violent patient’s life ended. It was said that people heard him tell them to get out and even saw him standing over them when they woke up in the middle of the night. Or just had sleep paralysis, Jongho had mused.

“Right, is that my room or yours?”

“Well, you’re a buff guy, he might be more intimidated by you.”

“So you want me in there to provoke him?” He asked with a teasing smile. “You want some content of me trying to box him?”

“Well, at least ask him some questions,” you shoved his shoulder gently, “you’ve got a recorder in your pocket.”

“I’ll ask him how many people he killed and if he wants to add one.”

“Now you’re becoming an expert,” you praised him, shuffling out of the lobby and into a wing of operating rooms.

“Is there anyone in here with me?” You posed into the cold, breezy room, which still had pale blue curtains racked around the rusty beds. The way they rustled faintly sent shivers down your spine.

You waited. Nothing was palpable or audible to you, but that’s why you had the little silver rectangle that was your recording device in your hand- it was far more sensitive than your ears would ever be, and more believable too. A few more heartbeats passed.

“If you’re here with me, can you tell me how you died? What they did to you here? Did you get hurt?”

This time, you counted out a full minute, rewinding the recording after sixty seconds passed. Silence, rustling, you asking questions… muttering?

“Jongho, does this sound like anything to you?” You extended the device out to your channel partner, who held it up to his own ear. "Like two words?"

“If it’s words you’re looking for,” he replied, “sounds like ‘hurt me’?”

“If it’s words you’re looking for,” you repeated with a snort, “let me listen again.”

“It’s mostly garbled air. That's just the closest in-context thing that sound could be."

"You're just mad you heard it," you singsonged with a cattish smile.

"I'm not mad, just-"

"Skeptical," you imitated at the same time as he spoke.

"Yeah," he agreed, taking a few steps deeper into the OR and addressing the spirits, "how did they hurt you?"

Silence. Dead silence. Not a whisper on the air.

Before your skin could even crawl at the room’s still, the quiet, the musty, nearly suffocating air wafting odors of bygone years…a slamming sound had you jumping out of it.

“That was a door!”

“It sure sounded like it,” Jongho responded calmly as you ran out of the room, blood pumping in your ears.

“You set up the hallway cam, right?”

“Of course,” he replied, jogging after you.

Careening around the world’s creepiest gurney, footsteps echoing loudly around the high ceilings, you swerved into the hallway. Sure enough, a checkup room had a closed door.

You pointed. Jongho nodded, walking over to pull the small camera off its mount at the other end of the hallway. He pressed a few buttons as you ran over to his side, reviewing the footage to see that very door suddenly swing shut.

“Boom!” You exclaimed. “Look at that. They slammed the door!”

“They could be blown shut, too, you know.”

“The wind again?” You laughed, expression widening with incredulity. “Not everything can be the wind, you know. If you’re going to argue against ghosts you need something better than just saying the wind every time.”

“Alright, fine,” Jongho shrugged and smiled back impishly, “turn on the spirit box and I’ll explain to any new viewers why that’s baloney.”

“Hey! The spirit box provides shifting frequencies for the souls to manipulate-”

“It scans radio channels and spits out sounds. It did music once, (y/n).”

“Yeah, spooky piano music!”

“It could’ve been jazz.”

You crossed your arms as he re-mounted the camera at the end of the hall. “Why do I bring you on my investigations?”

“Because you’re too scared to go alone and like my ghost voice.”

“Yeah, do the ghost voice, do it!”

Jongho let out a series of wails you couldn’t take seriously, voice wobbling. When he was done, you were doubled over.

“See? Who else can do that?”

~

“Holy crap! Holy crap holy crap-” Your heart slammed and lungs burned, but you didn’t care, you just kept running. Panic had completely overtaken you.

“What’s wrong?” You heard Jongho’s voice from the other room. You’d split up to send him to film in Room 52, to ask the fabled violent male spirit everyone called ‘Han’ after he spelled that out on a viral ouija board video why he hurt people, if he felt like a man when he did that. If he really did scratch people.

Little did he know what was going on in room 64. “I- it touched me,” you panted, voice weak from fear and exertion.

“What?”

“I was in Room 64, sitting in the exam chair next to the bed. I asked if anyone wanted to talk to me, but I didn’t hear anything.” You shuddered. “Suddenly I…I saw a shadow dart, and as I got up from the chair I felt a hand grab me. Nothing’s ever touched me before,” you breath.

Jongho’s face steeled. “What room was this?”

“S- sixty-four,” you stammered. You wished you could be brave like him, “it really felt like a hand.”

Before you could say anything else, you saw what of his figure you could from his headlamp spread out, arms opening. “Come here,” he said, voice serious but soft.

You stepped forward into his strong embrace, letting him pull you against the firm warmth of his chest. Maybe you were overreacting, but it was jarring to have a hand reach for you in the dark, unseen fingers clamoring toward your chest and shoulders. It felt cold. It felt wrong. Jongho was the opposite; heat radiated from his hoodie and you could feel his heartbeat against the side of you, steady and comforting. Living. Familiar. Gentle.

“I’m sorry, you must think I’m being a baby. Just making up stories again,” you mumbled into his chest.

You could feel his head shake from where it rested on yours. “No,” his voice reverberated through his chest and your contact point against it, “even if I don’t believe in ghosts, your fear is real. Something made you feel that way. I’m going to go give Room 64 a piece of my mind.”

And he did. He barged right in, asked who was in there and what they thought they were doing grabbing at innocent people. “Just like Han, does that make you feel like a man? Or whatever you are?” It turned out he heard a hiss in response, but decided mot to tell you until you reviewed the footage, safe and sound in your studio, because you still had overnight in there to go.

~

Jongho insisted you guys pitch your sleeping bags in the same room rather than him sleeping in Room 52. “I already got some sound from Han,” he reassured you, “we had our fun. I think we should stay together.”

His words made your heart give a little leap. Your wish was granted in spite of content, both of you rolling out your little spaces of slick softness on the floor of room 2B, a maternity ward that wasn’t known for any malicious activity, mostly just things moving or the occasional woman’s voice. Some people even said the presences in there felt light, almost protective, so despite his skepticism Jongho was all for 2B.

“You think the mothers will look after us?” You asked him as you laid down.

“I think you’ll feel safer in this room,” Jongho replied simply, not taking the bait, but speaking earnestly and fondly.

“Sorry, everyone, maybe we’ll hear babies crying or something though,” you spoke into the camera, “besides, you saw, I captured a shadow figure.”

“No more about the shadow figure,” Jongho chided, making you giggle a little at his motherly tut.

“Alright, good point,” you agree before turning out to the beds lining the room and setting your recorder on the floor, “if you have anything you want to say to us, if you’d like to please tell us your name, the recorder is right here, mamas.”

“And babies,” Jongho added. You weren’t sure if he was teasing or not, but you echoed him.

“Want to sing to the ghosts?”

Your ghost-hunting partner grinned. “And give you a free lullaby in the process?”

You snuggled a little deeper into your sleeping bag, listening to it rustle all around you as its warmth enveloped your body. “Maaaybe.”

Jongho couldn’t resist your cute tone, you could tell. Shaking his head with a smile, he scooted a little closer to your bag, sitting on top of his and singing one of his favorite ballads. You took in his side profile as he did so- man, he really was amazing, wasn’t he?

The only activity you got in that room was a small clip of what sounded like a little girl’s voice singing too. Right at the same time as a little light drifted near Jongho. That one just brought you a smile.

~

“‘Wow, that shadow totally looked like an arm! That’s so scary, (y/n), sorry your first apparition came that way!’” You read a comment off your channel page to Jongho. “See? They thought it looked like an arm grabbing out too.”

“I couldn’t really see anything, but I agree with the rest of their comment.”

“Oh, and look at this one,” you scrolled it up into his view, pointing at the screen, “‘The two of them are the cutest couple I swear’, with that emoji that looks like this (😫),” you imitated the face.

“I see it,” Jongho chuckled, shifting to rest his arm along the back of your office chair, “there’s a lot like that. Someone else said they watch us for the OTP, not the ghosts.”

“Oh, internet,” you rolled your eyes, sardonic grin widening, “apparently you were looking at me with heart eyes half the time, too.”

He snorted. “Someone else said the same thing about you! Something about it’s always the ones that bicker that are in love.”

Your eyes fell off the screen, drifting over from the harsh backlight to the sheen of its reflection in Jongho’s eyes. His bore right back into yours, those beautiful eyelashes fluttering. “Should we tell them?” You ask. “Our eighteen months is coming up soon.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Jongho smirked before pulling your chair closer, leaning forward to completely seal the gap between you two. You followed suit, practically falling out of your chair and into his. When you pulled away, he wrapped an arm around your middle, letting you stay in his lap. “Besides, we might lose ratings if the OTP resolves now. I’ll just have to keep protecting you from all the spoooooky stuff.”

You smack his arm lightly. “That’s my line.”

“Well, you’re mine, so there,” he shot back, sticking his tongue out at you.

You just shook your head, heart feeling at ease in the amusement, in your little office, in Jongho’s hold. “I love you.”

“I love you too, even if you believe in campfire stories.”

For once, you didn’t take the bait, just wiggled a little deeper into his grasp and rested your hand over his.

#ateez #ateez imagines #ateez reactions #ateez x reader #ateez scenarios #jongho #jongho x reader #jongho x gender neutral reader #gender neutral reader #spooky #fluff