#I will learn what other tags to put on original posts as I go along
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Happy belated bunny day !! Should make some of my own content to spice up this account huh -- take two of my OCs who decided to dress up for the occasion !
#Art#Suggestive#Lemon#Suggestive OC art#Playboy bunny outfit#Cedric Green#Drosselmeyer Schwartz#(names in order)#I will learn what other tags to put on original posts as I go along
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Vintage Drarry Fics
Thought I'd put together a list of some of the old Drarry 'classics' of my teenage years, for anyone interested. All posted between 2001-2006, compiled using my (bad) memory, a lot of googling, fanlore.org and numerous different LJ rec accounts (including the incredible @capiturecs). I checked as best I could, but if anyone knows of any fics that their author doesn't want to be shared, please let me know and I will of course remove.
Please also note that these fics are of their era, when attitudes may have been different, and they may not all be grammatically perfect. I haven't reread all, as my own tastes have changed, but most importantly do note that they may not be tagged - don't blame me when, for example, Harry dies tragically on a rooftop at sunrise...
Hogwarts Era (mostly 5th-7th year)
A Thousand Beautiful Things by Duinn Fionn/geoviki (M, 105k)
Draco Malfoy struggles with changed fortunes, shifted alliances, an ugly war, and an unusual spell, with the help of a concerned professor, an insightful house-elf, and an unexpected Gryffindor friend.
All Bets Are Off by Allegra (R, 53k)
I am SICK of Good-little-innocent!Harry...Enter Playboy!Harry and his Overinflated Ego, a challenge, a bet, a couple of Really Cunning Plans - and there you have it, "Forty days and forty nights", Hogwarts style. Mayhem ensues!
Angels and Devils by beren (E, 52k)
Harry defeated Voldemort and his act of heroism is famous throughout the wizarding world. He's trying to finish his final year at Hogwarts in peace, but, thanks to the method he chose to destroy The Dark Lord, something peculiar is happening to him, something he never would have expected. It's all rather embarrassing and making his life very complicated.
Artful Facade by Sky Sorceress (T, 66k)
Sometimes you fly too close to the sun and lose your wings. With sixth year approaching, the danger Harry seeks can be found only in the form of Draco Malfoy. What follows is a twist in the line between hatred, love, and need.
Beautiful World by Cinnamon/Lissadiane (M, 70k)
Harry finds out he's going to die on his 16th birthday. He embarks on a journey of self-destructive behaviour and drags Draco along for the ride.
Beneath You by Cinnamon/Lissadiane (M, 113k)
Draco had no idea that the repercussions of stealing Potter's journal and shoving it down the back of his trousers would be so extreme.
Bond by AnnaFugazzi (M, 173k)
It seems 95% of H/D writers feel compelled to write a "Harry And Draco Are Forced To Be Together By Something Beyond Their Control And Then Unlikely Stuff Happens That Leads To Twoo Wuv" story. Count me among the 95% ;)
Checkmate by Naadi Moonfeather (T, 245k)
Draco has the perfect plan to get Harry Potter and challenges him to a game of Dare Chess. But is it love, or betrayal, he has in mind?
The Cicatrix Cycle by Ivy Blossom (NC-17, long!)
Three parts: Origins, Haven, Belong
Draco In Darkness by Plumeria (T, 41k)
Following an accident in his seventh year, Draco loses his eyesight. After Harry elbows his way into Draco's dark world, both boys find themselves in a strange new friendship, and they each learn new ways to see each other … and themselves.
Eclipse by PhoenixSong/Mijan (T, 287k)
"You're dead, Potter... I'm going to make you pay..." Draco swore his revenge on Harry for Lucius's imprisonment, and Harry all but laughed at him. But Draco is planning more than schoolyard pranks this time. The old rivalry turns deadly when Draco abducts Harry for Voldemort. It's the perfect plan, guaranteeing revenge, power, and prestige, all in one blow. But, when Draco's world turns upside down, the fight to save himself and Harry begins, and the battle will take them both through hell and back. If they come back.
Friend Like Me by Lady Vader (M, 11k)
Draco's rendition of the love story that never was.
How Harry Potter Got His Groove Back by Durendal/Eleveninches (R, 12k)
Snape tries to hang himself, Draco enters an alternate reality, and Harry Gets a Clue. Humor, SLASH, naughty language, and other Evil Things. Harry/Draco, Snape/James/Lucius.
Irresistible Poison by Rhysenn (PG-13, 124k)
Under the influence of a love potion, Draco learns that poison doesn't always bring death -- there are other ways to suffer and live. Chemical emotion runs feverish as Harry and Draco discover the intoxication of love.
Lettered by pir8fancier (M, 7.8k)
Harry has a secret penpal, whose identity is as plain as the nose on his face. Except he's not wearing his glasses.
Love Under Will by Aja (R, 116k)
In their 5th year, Harry and Draco choose to be with one another; but the story--and the battle-- is just beginning...
playing the game, living the lie by Abaddon (R, 159k)
Set in Sixth Year, both the wizarding and Muggle worlds are threatened as Voldemort plans a final revenge. Past, present and future collide as all must consider where their loyalties lie; who they are, and who they want to be. Amidst it all, Harry and Draco begin a dangerous journey of understanding. Is it possible to leave everything you thought you were behind?
Resolution by Frances Potter (R, 322k)
When you've spent six years fighting evil, all you really want is a quiet time. But when your name is Harry Potter the chances of that are very slim. A series of vignettes chronicling Harry's final six months at Hogwarts. Exams, friends, lovers, Quidditch, the war and Draco all conspire to make the year end seem a very long way away.
Seamus is Seamus and You are Yourself by Ari Munami (PG-13, 31k)
Harry goes through some er... changes in his Sixth Year and everyone, including Draco Malfoy, sits up and takes notice.
Snakes and Lions by GatewayGirl (M, 139k)
When Ron and Hermione get together, they notice only each other. A nightmare prompts Harry to return alone to the empty Chamber of Secrets, and leads to a new look at an old enemy. Harry enjoys the company, but with Bellatrix Lestrange actively hunting him, how far can he trust a Death Eater's son?
Something Impossible by epicylical/Cassandra Claire (PG, 6.4k)
As punishment for an act of vandalism, Draco is forced to perform three tasks to win Harry's forgiveness - only they don't turn out to be exactly the kind of tasks he'd been expecting. With wet shirtless Draco, paint-covered Harry, and Proust-reading Goyle.
Transformation by amalin (E, 98k)
In Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts, he must face the consequences of the attack on the Department of Mysteries and the effects of Voldemort's return. And in doing so, he finds that even your enemies can teach you valuable lessons—about the world, and about yourself.
Walking the Line by SilentAuror (E, 179k)
Sixth year is over and Draco Malfoy is on the run. The war is on and an unwanted assignment is forced upon him by the only people he trusts - and a one-time arch-enemy just may be out to kill him.
Post-Hogwarts
Adagio in G Minor by furiosity (NC-17, 18k)
Seven years after Hogwarts and the war, life continues in the wizarding world. Draco Malfoy is rich, bored, and slightly jaded. Harry Potter is famous, busy, and somewhat disillusioned. They've not seen each other since school ended. What would happen if they were to cross paths again? What if it involved music?
Big Dick, Come Quick [PDF] by Calanthe (NC-17, 204k)
Draco’s got a theory. About sex. And after much searching for the right candidate, it appears that only Harry Potter, his life long enemy, can help him test it out.
Draco's Escort Service by Cheryl Dyson/dysonrules (15, 12k)
Draco's job is to escort travelers through the dangerous, war-torn countryside. Harry Potter is forced to hire him, but his destination isn't quite what Draco expected.
Left My Heart by Emma Grant (E, 85k)
Auror Draco Malfoy has disappeared, and Harry Potter has been sent to San Francisco to find him.
Malfoy, P.I. by Nancy (R, 60k)
"I'm Draco Malfoy, private investigator. I've seen a lot--I mean a lot, and I'm like sweet seventeen a lot. I thought I'd seen it all, until a pair of green eyes stepped into my office." A noir AU set in L.A. where passion and magic collide. Slashy and sexy.
Queen of Hearts by scoradh (E, 65k)
A spectre is haunting Harry - the responsibility of his destiny. It looms over his future and, more importantly, over the future of his friends. Harry is determined to exorcise this spectre for the greater good, but on the way, he enters into a few unholy alliances.
Tissue of Silver by fearlessdiva (R, 76k)
A love story concerning possessed furniture, black silk pyjamas, courtroom drama, premonitions of doom, assassination attempts, Death Eater yoga, absinthe, bare feet and a sensible werewolf.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by November Snowflake (M, 58k)
When the long-missing Draco Malfoy turns up at a Ministry field hospital with amnesia, bitter Auror Harry Potter must confront the shadows of their shared past to shed light on a potentially deadly mystery.
Transfigurations by Resonant (E, 71k)
Five years after Voldemort's defeat, Harry returns to England to help re-open Hogwarts.
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You know what, I assume that people always read my pinned, or notice the pointer "new reader? start here" in every new Fragments' episode. I might be deluding myself. So hi hello lemme TALK ABOUT MY COMIC.
Before I get too rambly (and I mean RAMBLY), here's a quick intro. Fragments is a comic focused on feels and slice of life, made by a queer guy, aiming to ~character study~ the main cast (Vivi, Raha, Alisaie, Feo Ul) and fill in the gaps in canon (or linger in canon moments that needed more air imo), the tone ranging from angst to fluff to meme. Good punches require a good windup, so please don't expect angst anytime soon :3c
The story's segmented (fragmented, heh) into episodes. Episodes 1-11 take place in ARR, you can enjoy them with no worry about spoilers. Episode 12 onward is ShB, with all the spoilers and lorebending.
My storytelling style assumes you haven't only played through ShB, but know it like the back of your hand, i.e. it's for nerds and thinkers. Of course there's plenty of silly moments that don't require any deep knowledge, but the overarching story does. Often I skip canon events, only hinting that they took place, simply because I don't wanna retell the msq 1:1, I've got plenty of original scenes waiting to be drawn. You're in for a treat if you like obsessing over emotional and moral implications of things. And, yes, this's a story about a morally grey mc. Don't expect to be spoon-fed "and this's why that thing's bad, kids".
Currently I've outlined all the main story beats up until post EW, so it's like, not being winged as I go. Yes I refine things here and there, but I know where I'm going. I'm going ham!!!! With the lorebending post ShB. Initially I didn't plan to, but the more I learned about Vivi and personally grew as a writer, the more courage I got to "divorce" from canon. The general xiv story may still be good wherever it's headed, but it's not suited for an established wolgraha, so I'm making food for myself.
Everyone imagines the lil scenes from their wol's life, I'm taking that a tiiiiiny step further. Fragments tells a cohesive story that's looking to be the longest project at least in our corner. I can and will hyperfixate on this for years.
I started out just like many others, being hit with ShB like a truck, I wanted to put a catboy under a microscope and rotate him forever. Although I'd already been drawing for decades, I didn't have the comic-making skills yet, or eloquence to write the dialogue, so I spent the first half of 2022 self-studying, just because I needed a mouth to be able to scream about my ship.
Vivi didn't exist prior to my obsession with Exarch. He was made for this, he started out as a reagent (or a foil, now that I know fancy writing terms) for a rich and fun chemistry, and keep myself entertained for years, first and foremost.
Me, a fool: okay let's make a guy that falls in love with Exarch in this particular moment, what kinda life must he have led to-
Me: ....oh no
The chemistry quickly bubbled up and exploded in my face, involving not only Exarch, but other characters (first as a means to subtly tell about Vivi, then they also demanded their own screentime), and here I am, sitting with a massive script on my hands, drawing my blorbos every day. Thanks for enabling that btw.
I care about characters a lot. I ask a lot of whys and hows. I'm critical-minded and burned on many bad stories that did their characters dirty, and I wanna be an opposing example. What I'm doing is extremely ambitious and risky, yes, but I can only invite you to tag along and see if I stick to my word.
The internet's a cruel and unforgiving place nowadays, and here I am, pitting my passion against what feels like decaying humanity. I'm making this comic to keep myself happy above all else, being sincere and cringe because life's too short to be anything else.
Thanks for reading this, and if you haven't yet, read Fragments here!
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I'm gripping the bars of my cage desperately, I'm chewing at the bars, begging, pleading for more zombie ghoap x reader au.
zombie ghoap x reader au coming right up chef 🫡
btw this is super similar to charliemwrites' jaw dropping ghoap x reader "the (scottish) cabin in the woods" so you need to go read that immediately (and leave a nice comment because charlie rocks)
cw for noncon puppyplay below the cut
i was talking to ceilidh a tiny bit about this earlier, and i think that johnny and reader met in like a cannibal cult kinda thing. very much so like that episode of TLOU, yknow? they both think they've found a little commune safe haven, but it very quickly becomes clear that that's not the case.
anyways, they end up trying to get out together when they realize what's going on, and have to kill a few of the cult members :/ they've been "stuck together" ever since
they threaten to leave the other for dead (or kill them in the middle of the night) constantly. it hasn't happened yet, obviously, but boy oh boy do both of them bring it up nonstop. they act like they hate each other, but honestly they just need to fuck
but they're sorta stuck together now. you're better off paired up with someone than on your own, that's something they both learned pre-cult fiasco. and, really, they don't dislike each other nearly as much as you might think based on the way they gripe
enter ghost. he spots these two survivors wandering through the forest, one injured and both filthy, and basically thinks to himself "hm. could be good in home entertainment"
(here's the deal with puppyplay like this - it's absurd, and we're just going with it. alright??? just WORK with me here)
if you didn't see, i put in the tags of the original post "#btw - he takes you home then chains you both up outside and says something like “this is where dogs stay” :/#dont worry you're perfectly safe (he has a high fence keeping zombies out) but he likes to hear how scared you get when you're out there all#you're both quite well behaved when he lets you in for dinner the next night <3#he only has to scold you once when you both complain about being made to eat while kneeling on the floor next to him"
you're probably both "behaving" because you don't want him to. you know. fucking KILL YOU. but this is also a zombie apocalypse au, so you're both totally feral too. and this is an apocalypse ghost too, which means he's probably way harsher and way rougher around the edges than he even is in canon
anyways i think soap and reader here are more likely to be like "lets wait this out and try to escape when he's not expecting it" except they're like... really bad at trying to play along
ANYWAYS!!!! ghost takes you two back to his compound, ties the both of you up outside for the night. he wraps soap's ankle first, gives him a stern command to stay off of it, and goes back inside like everything is normal. he watches you two over the camera while planning out how he'll build some outdoor kennels for the two of you
you're both cold and tired and hungry and scared the next morning, so it doesn't take much coaxing on his part to get you inside. it takes a lot more coaxing to keep you two on your knees :/
honestly johnny's ankle is so fucked that it's almost a relief to keep pressure off of it (even if it means crawling around on the floor like an animal) but you care a hell of a lot more. ghost threatens to break your ankles before you finally listen :/
he ties the leashes to your wrists, to keep you both out of trouble as much as he can. it's not like either of you are eager to go very far - his house is warm and you're both chilled to the bone from your night outisde
anyways. that's all i've got like, linearly. but i can offer some random little tidbits about their lives after
ghost makes you both eat from the floor. he gives you plates (no silverware) at first and lets you use your hands, and gradually works the two of you up to eating from bowls with just your mouths
you and johnny bicker constantly and simon frequently makes the two of you kiss to make up :( forces you to make out with each other while he smokes a cigarette and enjoys the show. no matter how mad you are, you both end up needy and humping the air when he finally lets you stop
he tries to have you two sleep in the same crate, but it does not go well. ghost very quickly realizes that you two will try to tear each other's throats out if forced that closely together for an entire night
sometimes one of you will try to get the other in trouble. there's one particular night where you trick johnny into misbehaving and he's stuck in the outside kennel all night - but it rains. and every time you glance out the window you see how sad and cold he looks :((( ghost lets you love on him the next morning, and soap is more than eager for a bit of comfort after such a miserable night
#sometimes i giggle putting a cw for noncon puppyplay cause like. why are you following me if you DONT like that lmao#but then i remember this stuff pops up in people's recommended. and i tag it properly#asks and answers#ghoap x reader#zombie apocalypse ghoap x reader
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Daughter of the 7 Rulers of Hell 3 (HC)
Fandom: Twisted Wonderland
Pairing: Ace with fem!Reader, featuring demon brothers.
Warning: None
Requested by: Anon
Original Prompt: F!MC x deuce but MC is raised by the demon brothersHeadcanon on the brothers reaction on MC dating deuce and what they would think of deuce after meeting him. Deuce reaction to finding out MC is adopted by the 7 rules of hell and what he thinks of them after meeting all of them.
Prompt: If you continue the daughter/kid of the 7 Rulers of Hell series, can you do Ace next?
A/N: Thank you for requesting this, anon! I went back to check the original post and found the series tag. At some point, requests in my messages disappeared, and that request was one of them. To the anon who requested the first years, I am so sorry for not getting to your request.
Series: [Deuce][Epel][Floyd]
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Definitely thinks you are pulling his leg when you tell him your family members are demons, and even teases you about it often. Until he meets the demon brothers and literally has an 'oh, shit' moment.
Ace is impressed by Lucifer's air of authority and regality; however, he can't help but feel like Lucifer is another Riddle with all the rules he puts out. No wonder you had no issues with Riddle's rules - you were used to Lucifer's strictness.
When he meets Mammon, Ace immediately considers him a soft target for playing pranks. At the same time, he can somewhat relate to Mammon because they both are pranksters and carefree. Ace sometimes teams up with the second brother to play pranks on others. But if they get caught by Lucifer, your boyfriend pins the blame on Mammon to avoid punishment.
Ace feels like Levi is a mild version of Idia, and Asmo is an extreme version of Vil. He doesn't really get along with them in the sense that he doesn't spend much time around them.
Satan, on the other hand, fascinates Ace, minus the anger issues. Your boyfriend doesn't want to be around the Avatar of Wrath when he loses his temper.
At first, Ace is intimated when he sees Beel, especially when he sees the Avatar of Gluttony eating. Where does all that food go, and how is Beel always hungry? Ace can't understand. Learning how easygoing and friendly Beel is, he eventually relaxes. He may or may not pull pranks on the sixth brother.
Ace is curious why Belphie always sleeps and thinks he might have some sort of sleeping condition. He even tries to ask Belphie, but you stop him and explain that the seventh brother is just the Avatar of Sloth, so it's second nature for him to sleep.
Overall, Ace is excited and a bit intimidated to meet your family. But most of all, he wants to see their demon forms. He can't image how cool they must all look.
Knows right away when he sees Ace that your boyfriend is a prankster - he has lived with a prankster enough to know one when he sees one.
For the most part, Lucifer doesn't mind Ace's presence or you dating him. As long as Ace follows the rules of the House of Lamentation and doesn't do anything stupid, the first brother doesn't mind.
What Lucifer doesn't expect is Ace's ability to speak the honest, brutal truth. He is amused when he hears the redhead set everyone in place. But if Ace dares to be brutal towards Lucifer, the first brother will not hesitate to make your boyfriend cry, even if you get mad.
Initially, the second brother likes Ace's lively and carefree personality, but when he sees your boyfriend's 'other' side, Mammon is secretly scared.
Being an emotional demon, he doesn't want to deal with another family member who is verbally brutal towards him.
Regardless, he sees Ace as a partner in crime when it comes to pulling pranks on others, except Mammon doesn't appreciate Ace holding him responsible for the prank to escape punishment.
Levi doesn't like the idea of you dating in general, but when he meets Ace, the third brother, he definitely doesn't want you to date him.
He can see right through Ace's bright personality and knows a 'demon' is hidden behind it.
Levi has a 'told you so' moment when Ace shows his verbally brutal and prankster side. Since then, he maintains his distance from Ace, not wanting to hear his brutal words or be a prank target.
He is the only brother who completely opposes you dating Ace.
After studying Ace's personality, Satan doesn't expect much from him until he realizes that your boyfriend is much cleverer than he leads others to believe.
Satan also sees Ace as a partner in crime when it comes to pranking, but much to the fourth brother's dismay, your boyfriend refuses to prank Lucifer out of fear respect.
One thing about the redhead that annoys Satan is Ace's lack of focus, especially in his studies. If someone has the intelligence to do well, then why not try to do well to succeed in life?
Initially, Asmo sees Ace as a cutie and a breath of fresh air, but seeing your boyfriend's pranks makes him feel like he's just like his brothers - more chaos in the family.
The fifth brother absolutely dislikes Ace's brutal honesty, mainly when your boyfriend targets Asmo's insecurities. It makes him want to cry.
Overall, he doesn't mind you dating Ace but could do without the pranks and unnecessary brutal honesty.
He happily welcomes Ace into the family and admires your boyfriend's energetic and bright nature.
But Beel doesn't understand why Ace keeps staring at him while he is eating. Is it really that amusing to watch him eat?
However, the Avatar of Gluttony does not appreciate Ace pranking any of his brothers while pushing the limits.
He thinks Ace is too energetic and feels drained just seeing your boyfriend's enthusiasm.
Though Belphie finds Ace's pranks funny, as long as the pranks are not on him or Beel, sometimes he thinks Ace pushes the limits more than he should.
Most of all, Belphie is amused by your boyfriend's brutally honest nature.
He doesn't mind you dating Ace but will get upset or agitated if the redhead tries to prank him or Beel.
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➣ Twisted Wonderland [1][2]
➣ Obey Me Masterlist: [1][2][3]
➣ Main Masterlist
➣ Buy me a Ko-fi?
➣ Commission: Open
➣ HC/Scenario Requests: Open || Quick Ask Requests: Closed || GIF Requests: Open
-----------------------------
#obey me#obey me nightbringer#obey me swd#obey me lucifer#obey me mammon#obey me leviathan#obey me asmodeus#obey me satan#obey me belphegor#obey me beelzebub#obey me beel#obey me belphie#obey me levi#obey me asmo#twisted wonderland#twst#twst ace#ace trappola#ace trappola x reader
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Here's my full post of Rayne which I will direct future related posts to. I will tag her with #TavRayne if anyone wants to start following along with her journey. She is my Tav OC from my first finished playthrough of BG3 and she is a Tiefling Sorcerer with Draconic Bloodline. I had this character made for a dnd game for a while but I never got to play her and then when Baldur's Gate 3 launched, I had my chance of playing her this way and I had lots of fun roleplaying her.
Her backstory was slightly changed between the original dnd story and the BG3 version so that it fits better with the setting, but I kept most of it the same.
It's pretty long, but I decided to put it here in case anyone might like to know about her more. I am not the best with descriptions sometimes and I was still trying to be brief, I also did not make her story while checking if any of it is connected to lore or not, I went along with what I thought was an interesting idea for a character, and the dnd sessions I was part of didn't require full knowledge of all of the books that contain the lore. In case anyone may feel like something doesn't feel lore accurate.
She was raised in her first years by her family that consisted of her father that started her sorcerous bloodline by entrapping the soul of a dragon in secret, her mother that was partly coerced into a marriage with her father and 3 siblings that were close to her age but not allowed to see her.
Although on the surface, it seemed like a family of a powerful Sorcerer that is successful, in reality, Rayne was raised for one purpose only, which she was not aware of yet. Her connections to her siblings and even to her mother were frayed in order for her to train her abilities, and although she received praise an approval for being able to overcome any challenge in her training, she would usually sneak away to play with her siblings as well.
One day, they decide to play a game where they each present something secret to each other, and she decides to bring her father's spellbook which she always sees but isn't allowed to look into. Because she was taught how to write mostly infernal and primordial and mostly spells, once she opens the book and decides to tell her siblings what she found, she finds a lot of sacrificial ritual spells and learns of her father entrapping a dragon's soul and using his successors of infernal heritage that would gain the draconic power to absorb their power and maintain his own, where one successor that has inherited the draconic power would be trained to be the strongest and then used as the primary sacrifice, while the siblings are used as collateral for ensuring the success of the ritual. The ritual also requires a type of lettering on the body of the main sacrifice, and Rayne already had it done. She half doesn't believe that they would actually be sacrificed, but ultimately tries to devise a plan with the siblings to find out more and what they can do in their situation.
In the end, the father was already close enough for the ritual to commence, and when he sees his book missing, he transports his kids in the ritual and starts it. Because the ritual also needs Rayne and anyone in her place to be willing with the transfer, it ruins the ritual and instead makes her powers go haywire and burn down the entire building they were under. She wakes up only to see ash everywhere and nobody in sight, and she stays there for an indeterminate amount of time trying to process what just happened until a fearful group of guard approach and take her away. Some of the inscriptions on her body remain etched into her skin as burn marks, and she remains with some of the marks always on her.
Most people in the vicinity don't understand what happened in that place and believe that she was at fault and the authorities plan to take her to a special prison. By that point, Rayne is heavily traumatized and nonresponsive.
On her way to the prison, a member of a powerful wizard guild shows up and takes her instead after hearing of the incident that her powers caused and Rayne solely accepts because she's given food. That is where she starts learning and realizes that there is more to the inscriptions that she was taught for the ritual and she also learns to read and write common. As she is given better conditions there, she gradually becomes more receptive to others over a few years but she still has a feeling that she might once again be trained in order to be used, so after she starts learning more of the world that she realized she was isolated from by her father, she begins to look into their operation closer, only to find out that they were using different people of tiefling descent in order to harness magical abilities from them, and she ends up making another plan to evade and help those tieflings.
She uses some of the things she was taught for her father's rituals to instead use that power herself and breaks the device that hold the tieflings and harness their powers one night. That night, she helps the tieflings escape on their own and she then runs away being chased by guards and wizards from that guild. This is where she makes her way to a city where she hides. For the game, I made it so that city is actually Baldur's Gate where she winds up for good.
Her life in the new city starts from the very bottom, as she tries to dodge the guards that are after her bounty, and she doesn't have any food or shelter and she is still in shock after the previous events. In the end, she becomes harder to find when sitting among the homeless and sells anything she owns in order to buy food for the small group of homeless people. When she hears some adventurers talk about a failed quest for the retrieval of a special item that the local apothecary needs, she decides to try for herself in order to make some money. Using her innate abilities, despite her still young age, she manages to get the item and deliver it to the apothecary for a reward.
That sparks curiosity among adventurers and people involved and she begins to take on different jobs on retrieving and finding magical and special items, working with both reputable sources and networking around the underground, which becomes her job for a long time in the city. Due to her charismatic nature and ability to always deliver on her quests, she is able to have strong enough connections in the underground of the city to rid herself of the initial accusations due to her past, being able for the first time to live for herself and start once again enjoying using her magic without being reminded of her traumatic past.
At the start of the game or story, she is pretty much in a decent place both in spirit and the house that she owns in the Baldur's Gate, but along with the kidnapping of the mindflayer ship and becoming infected, she finds a group of companions that are more similar to her and each other than they first realize.
For the dnd game, I also noted that the sorcerer father was still alive and could become a challenge in the future, along with the wizard that found her afterwards, both becoming obstacles at one point.
Overall, I really liked playing as her because some parts of her story fit well with the companions. Her experiences with abuse of magic can contrast Gale's nature of being both chill and overly confident when it comes to using magic, but also relates by loving magic just as much. Her story of a father that wants to control her and absorb her power through a ritual and giving her no other purpose can relate to Astarion's story with Cazador, and the idea of his possible apparition really puts her story in the same trope as his. Dealing with a father/authority figure that presents themselves as having her best interests when in reality they are training them to be used can relate to both Shadowheart and Lae'zel, and her sense of adventuring and heroing, can relate to Karlack and Wyll.
Overall, if anyone got to read up to this point, I am looking forward to showing you through a mini comic series different parts of her story with these companions. Thank you for reading up to this point! And if anyone wants to he tagged to future posts, let me know.
#Rayne#TavRayne#baldurs gate tav#my tav#bg3 tav#tav oc#oc tav#baldurs gate fanart#baldurs gate iii#baldur's gate 3 art#baldur's gate 3#baldurs gate astarion#baldurs gate 3#gale dekarios#bg3 gale#gale of waterdeep#gale x tav#baldurs gate gale#gale#wyll ravengard#bg3 wyll#wyll#shadowheart#karlach#karlach bg3#character design#character art#my art#bg3 tag#minthara
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What Kind of King is in my Blood?
Context: this piece was inspired by the song "In My Blood." sung by Joel Smallbone from Journey to Bethlehem (the movie). And contains the lyrics of the song.
Warning: content contains blood (mild) & implied physical abuse... the more graphic scenes to be underneath the keep reading section of the post... if you are uncomfortable with such things.
I've mentioned this before in a previous post & please check out the original video (have a listen: it's incredible). Or better yet, put it on while reading the comic. :D
I do suggest you read: Celestine is Merlin before this;
Young Arthur... was not a good person in the sightless and was very close to becoming a mini-Sir Uther. And I also would like to stress how evil Sir Uther is...(Uther is not Arthur's father, but the song just fits them so...)
Behind the arrogance and pride, his actions were a tie of wanting and seeking Uther's approval...
Other than that, please enjoy the content.
Background info: this takes place around the time Arthur starts to take a liking to Merlyn and even trust them (and before he found out Merlyn was Lady Celestine). Soon their game of cat & mouse blossomed into a friendship...
Celestine never put pressure on Arthur to change: in fact, she tried to save Nonsurat & Morgan, too... she'd put them in scenarios where she'd see them grow empathy. (Putting someone in another's shoes.)
She'd show them the damage the war was doing to the public... and the innocent.
Allowing them all the chance to do good but in the end...The only one who was receptive to it was Arthur. Which surprised her... she believed Arthur would be the last person who would be captivated by the lesson. (Since he was Uther's most loyal soldier... his right-hand man...)
When it was clear that the lessons were only effective for Arthur (and the only one who was willing to change), she started to tailor them for Arthur. Genuinely started by doing vigilante work with Merlyn and learning more about this "outside world he never knew about."
(Unbeknownst to these goobers these were pretty much the equivalent of dates.)
However, Arthur couldn't help but feel guilty that he was betraying his master (Uther). That all changed, however, after a certain mission...
Arthur & Company were tasked to clear a demon infestation of a cave. Which held serval rare artifacts that were stolen. Some of Nightmare's monsters had made it into a stronghold (a secret base), and Arthur was in charge of clearing it. Morgan tried to trap Arthur in the deeper, darkest part of the cave where the majority of the monsters were dwelling.
Thankfully, Celestine secretly tagged along with him!
It took them a week... to escape the cave ... everyone had started to assume that Arthur had died during the mission. He was about to report his return as soon as he arrived at the camp base until... he overheard a very upsetting conversation.
Sir Kay (Kit Cosmo): Sir Uther! Sir Arthur is still missing, we can't leave just yet...
Sir Uther: He's been missing for a week... we only have three days left on this planet, and we need to finish recovering the reset of the artifacts... our time & manpower is limited.
Kit Cosmo: It that's the case... I'd be more than willing to take a small team to recover him... heck, I'll even go there by myself if I have to...
Sir Uther: DID YOU NOT HEAR WHAT I SAID! I am not wasting manpower... are you questioning my judgment?
Kit Cosmo: NO SIR!* Nevourly but still firm* I just thought you'd press the issue more... he's our captain and, more importantly, your right-hand man-
Sir Uther: WHY do you think you have two other apprentices... he's replaceable...If he died out there then he's a failure that deserves to be left... DON'T NOT BOTHER LOOKING FOR HIM!
You're lucky I have more pressing issues to attend to or that right arm or yours would've been charred... This conversation is over! *leans into Kit menacingly* YOU'RE DISMISSED! *Kit lets out a big gulp and backs away out of the tent*
Little did they know Arthur & Celestine (Merlyn) were listening in on the conversation. With Celestine fuming... and with Arthur shaking...
Celestine (currently disguised as Merlyn): WHY THAT FAT HEADED TYRANT! Don't listen to him, you're- Arthur? *sees Arthurs gone* Arthur...
Arthur runs off to contemplate... his mind reeling from what he had just heard. He always knew that Uther saw him as nothing more than a tool. The title of the right hand was just merely a cover-up... a lie made by Sir Uther (that he was something to him). He always knew this, but he couldn't understand why this still hurt him so much.
Arthur, at his core... still just wanted to be praised and desperately wanted at least a shred of affection from Uther. Hearing this broke him instantly... and forced him to look inside himself. He may have always known it... but a part of him always wanted to believe in the lie... So he put this facade of pride and arrogance to ignore it.
Only realizing how much Uther took advantage of his desire for affection from him... allowing him (Uther) to mold him into what he wanted. The brilliant golden amor (that Uther gave him), was all part of the illusion... he was no hero... he was just a monster... just like his master... just like Uther...
This leads us to this scene...
-The key things I wanted to mention were those marks on Arthur's shoulders are burn marks...
-Those bubbles at the end represent Celestine's influence
-I featured a Kirby-sized baby Arthur with a little training armor... it's pretty much his inner child... Sweet little bean didn't deserve this
-I also updated Uther's shoes :3
At this point, Celestine already cares for Arthur so much, and he's already redeemed himself (in her eyes). But Arthur can't help but hate himself for his past actions now seeing the full picture...
He destroyed himself for a man... who would never care for him... Arthur couldn't help but feel ashamed. He felt so disgusted with himself... forgetting all the progress he'd made... Believing himself to be a worthless puppet...
And it broke her heart to see Arthur like this... that's why she reminds him of what she sees him as. And this is where Arthur finally breaks down his final wall and truly opens himself up. Celestine always saw Arthur as a more than worthy king and always saw the best in him... and that's why Arthur always saw her (in the future) as his queen...
"Did I put too much characterization to a background character we only saw for less than 5 minutes in the anime?" YES, I DID!
"Was it worth it?" YES IT WAS!
(In the KBASW) Sir Arthur is the one who approves and legitimizes the "Star Allies" because if someone like him could be changed for the better... why can't this rag-tag group. Sir Arthur (in a sense) is the first "redeemed villain"...
It just took one person to see the good in him... I really can't wait to explore their relationship (Celarthur) more... I have something special planned for them in February. And I do want to explore Kit Cosmo & Arthur's friendship: it's really fun~
(The Star Allies are going to be the equivalent of the Knights of the Round Table in KBASW, but I'll explore that later...)
Hope you all stick around to see how the story unfolds...
#kirby#kbasw#sir arthur kirby#sir arthur#sir uther#kirby oc#lady celestine#kirby anime#celarthur#kirby gsa#merlyn#journey to bethlehem#kirby right back at ya#krbay
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𝓕𝓲𝓷𝓭 𝓨𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓦𝓪𝔂 𝓗𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓒𝓱. 𝟑 (𝓟𝓽.𝟏)
𓆩⟡𓆪Summary: Wooyoung is a culinary student and he and two of his best friends have been brought along to Namhae to learn and study the farmers out in the countryside and disconnect a bit. Reluctant at first, he just wishes he could've been back in the city and close to his long-time crush Yeosang. Things change when he lays his eyes on the dimpled country boy staying with them that show them around and teach them more about Namhae's way of life, all with a spine-tingling Satoori.
Maybe things aren't so bad out here in the sticks, after all.
𓆩⟡𓆪Pairing: WooSan + Endgame WooSanSang
𓆩⟡𓆪Genres/Aus: Non-Idolverse, Fluff, Romance, Humor, Smut, Hurt/Comfort, Found Family, Fish Out Of Water Tropes, Au, Mutual Pining, Country Boy San, Culinary Student Wooyoung, Poly Endgame
𓆩⟡𓆪Tws: Swearing, Miscommunications, Jealousy, Mentions of Homophobia, Light Instances of Unwanted Advances (from non mcs)
𓆩⟡𓆪Sws: Wet Dreams, Threesomes, Blowjobs, Handjobs, Risky Sex, Biting, Scenting, Hair Pulling, Praise Kink, Creampie, Cock Sharing, Dirty Talk, Bareback Sex, Riding, Doggystyle, Cum Swallowing
𓆩⟡𓆪Rating: Explicit/Mature (18+)
𓆩⟡𓆪WC: 21k
𓆩⟡𓆪A/n: This is the first of two parts of the final chapter of @schone-lie's commission! Thank you so much my dear and Thank you everyone who has enjoyed this little series. Tumblr did not like that the original document for this was 37k words long. I had to split it up into two parts, but the archive link has the entire chapter all in one. I worked very hard on this, especially given the wait between posting so...If you like it, please make sure to reblog it as well, so that other folks may see my works come across their respective dashes, too. Have a good time zone~
𓆩⟡𓆪AO3| Taglist Form (Please make sure your urls are updated and able to actually be tagged) | Commission Sheet𓆩⟡𓆪
𓆩⟡𓆪Network Ping- @kwritersworld | @kdiarynet | @k-vanity | @cultofdionysusnet𓆩⟡𓆪
𓆩⟡𓆪©atiny-piratequeen. do not repost, translate, or use my works𓆩⟡𓆪
Chapter 2 Chapter 3 (Pt. 2)
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
Yeosang snapped out of his daze when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked back, smiling at Yeji as she quietly observed him. She and the others had returned a few days ago, clearly enjoying their time reunited with their significant others, if the fresh marks on her neck were anything to go by.
He forced a smile and opened his mouth and she narrowed her gaze suspiciously. He caught the look and lowered his shoulders, rubbing his neck.
“It hurts like a bitch. But it's alright. That’s just how things are. As long as Woo is still in my life, that’s all I care about.”
Her eyes softened and she gently rubbed his back, frowning.
“Do you think…?” He began a sentence and then paused, brows furrowing. Did he want to know the answer? She waited patiently for him to gather his thoughts and his words before he ran a hand through his hair, pushing his bangs back before they fell back into place.
“Do you think he’s happy?” He questioned quietly, thumbing the book in his hands. She looked at him, her heartbreaking gently as she took in the expression on his face.
He…really loved Wooyoung. Just, not enough to put their friendship at risk and potentially lose him forever.
She considered not answering him, but instead, she gently nodded, rubbing his back when she saw him take a shaky breath before exhaling.
“Good. He deserves it.” He squared his shoulders and picked up the other books on the table before them, turning away from him. Yeji’s eyes followed him as he began to walk down the aisle of the bookstore he part-timed in on days he didn’t have school or his training classes.
“He comes home in a month. What will you do then?” She inquired. Yeosang gently slid the books back into their places and turned to her, a soft smile stretching across his lips. His eyes didn’t mirror them, but she didn’t call him on it this time.
“I’ll do what I always do. No matter what, I’m always going to love him and he will always be my best friend as long as he still wants to be. I don’t need to do anything unnecessary to jeopardize that.” His words hung in the air between them before he rolled his neck and found other ways to busy himself.
Yeji sighed and began helping him out, cracking jokes here and there until she could see him smile.
《☆》★《☆》★《☆》★《☆》★《☆》
When San stepped foot into his home that day, he noticed a distinct lack of his favorite (and only) three siblings running up to greet him. He frowned, his shirt splotched in dirt and sweat from the day. It had rained before and he’d taken a fall or two while out in the field.
That's beside the point, though.
“Gahyeon? Eric? Jongho?” He called into the home and heard the sound of screaming and the pitter-patter of feet rushing toward him.
Gahyeon appeared first, her face flushed as she stormed into his space with her hands on her hips.
“Oppa! Wooyoung can’t leave! He has to stay and marry you!” She huffed. San blinked and looked over her shoulder, finding Wooyoung kneeling, cooing to Eric and Jongho as both toddlers threw tantrums.
“If you go away, Hyung is gonna get sad!” Eric protested. Jongho sniffled and held out the chunky dragon plushie in his hands.
“I-I’ll give you Mingi, please don’t go? Hyung doesn’t go to the city, he’s gonna get sad and cry.” His hands shook as Wooyoung gently pet his head, brows pulled up.
“I’m sorry, Jongho. I have to go home but that’s not for another month. I can’t take Mingi from you.” He gently declined. Jongho’s lip wobbled and he held up his plushie higher.
“Take Mingi. And stay, please.” He tried again. Wooyoung looked distraught until a calloused, yet gentle hand landed on his shoulder, drawing the eyes of the two boys.
“That’s not nice, boys. You can’t force someone to do something like that.” He gently scolded before meeting Wooyoung’s eyes.
He looked torn.
San chuckled, kneeling beside him and kissing his nose until he scrunched it up.
“Just trust your big brother, it’s going to be okay.” San reassured. Wooyoung blinked at him before something seemed to click in his brain, his lips parting as an excited look sparked in his eyes.
Gahyeon looked between them before turning to her brothers and smiling.
“Okay, Oppa said it’s going to be okay and Oppa doesn’t lie. We have to find Mama and Papa and see if they wanna watch Pororo with us!” She pointed proudly down the hall and her brothers perked. Eric bounded down the hall and Jongho trailed slightly behind him before looking back at the men, hugging his stuffed animal close to his chest.
“I think…I think Hyungs look happy and should stay together…yeah.” He nodded and toddled down the hall, his bare feet slapping against the tile as his bangs bounced with every step.
Wooyoung watched them go, his shoulders relaxing before he glanced at San. The slightly older man hummed before putting his hands on his knees and pushing himself up to stand.
“Wanna go on a walk?” He inquired. Wooyoung looked at his hand as he extended and nodded, rising to his feet and following San.
They walked in silence for a while, though neither of them seemed like they were in a rush to break it. Wooyoung glanced to his left and reached to hold San’s hand, smiling when he felt his fingers lace between his without hesitation.
By the time they finished walking, San had led him to a railing that overlooked the lower level of the village. Night had begun to fall. San leaned on the railing, the wind sweeping his bangs as Wooyoung stood beside him, staring out at the town.
“I wanted to clear my head.”
Wooyoung looked at him out of the corner of his eye.
“Did the little ones upset you?”
“Not at all. I knew the night you asked me, I’d happily leave this place behind for you.”
Wooyoung’s lips parted in shock. San smiled softly, a fond half-lidded look in his eyes.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been up here.”
It seemed like a change of the subject, but Wooyoung liked to think he’d gotten very good at reading San’s body language during their time together, so instead of addressing the first part of their interaction, he put his hand at the small of San’s back, gently rubbing.
Waiting.
San exhaled after a long beat of silence.
“When I was rejected at the festival by the boy I had a crush on, he told me to meet him here a few days later. I never skipped school or anything because of it, but he made a point to slip a note in my desk and ask me to meet him here.” San, rolled his shoulders before standing straighter, his eyes staring out but not focused on anything in particular.
“He told me I was a freak. Asked me why wasn’t I ashamed. A man with another man? What was wrong with me? He told me I didn’t belong here in Namhae.”
Wooyoung’s fingers tensed along his back and San let out a humorless chuckle.
"Ever since that day, this hasn’t felt like home. Once I step foot out of Chae-noona and GD-hyung’s home, I’m an alien alone in a foreign planet.” He drummed his fingers against the pole of the railing and then turned to Wooyoung. He slowly pivoted on his heel, turning his back on Namhae and instead facing Wooyoung completely, holding his hands in his own.
“Then you all came. And I wasn’t looked at weirdly, even after you found out about me.” he continued. Wooyoung didn’t interrupt him, gently rubbing his knuckles as he talked.
Of course, he wouldn’t treat him differently. None of them would. They understood the hardships well.
“When you asked me if I’d come to the city with you with that bet, I already knew my answer. Wooyoung,"
San pressed their heads together, staring into his eyes. Wooyoung let go of a breath he didn't know he was holding.
"I think anywhere you are will feel like home to me. If the offer is still on the table, can I live with you back in the city?"
Wooyoung smiled, kissing San as if he was the only person in the world. San smiled and held him close, unbothered by being out and in the open.
Wooyoung laughed in disbelief when they pulled away from one another, wiping his eyes of tears he wasn’t aware he’d shed.
“Of course, the offer is on. Are you sure ? I won’t take any offense if you decide to wait for a bit longer or-”
“Wooyoung. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
San put their heads together, gently rubbing Wooyoung’s cheeks and tilting his head. Wooyoung held his gaze and then pulled him in for a hug, pressing a prolonged kiss to his cheek, right on his dimple.
“You have no idea how giddy I feel right now. I feel like I’m in one of those romance novels or something.” He sniffled. San kissed his head and held him close, tucking him in his arms.
“I think I have an idea. I feel the same.” He whispered into his hair. He looked down at the village as the streetlights turned on and the sun began to set. His apprehension was gone and the fear he had of the great unknown of the city was replaced with an excitement that shook him to his very core.
“I think we should celebrate,” San suggested, holding Wooyoung’s hand without a care in the world as they slowly made their way back to the house. Wooyoung nodded with his head on his shoulder, squeezing his hand.
“How about we make that dish your grandparents used to make? I memorized the recipe and taste when you made it for me.” He offered back. San smiled at him and nodded, unlocking and opening the door.
Three, small heads peeked around the doorframe of the kitchen and three sets of boba-shaped eyes locked onto the two and the honeymoon-worthy smiles on their faces.
“Operation: ‘ Get Wooyoungie Oppa to marry Sannie Oppa’ is a success,” Gahyeon whispered. Eric squinted, tilting his head.
“But they don’t gots the ring like Eomma and Appa do.” He muttered back. Jongho squeezed his dragon plushie and gathered his courage, waddling out of his not-so-subtle hiding place and heading over to the two men as they toed off their shoes.
“-I’ll mince the garlic and you can start prepping the breadcrumbs-Oh hi Jjongie.” San smiled down at his brother and Jongho looked at the two of them with wide eyes full of wonder.
“....Hi hyung.” He wanted to say more, but found his voice failing.
San knew his siblings well, and bent down, picking Jongho up before kissing his cheek.
“Wooyoung-ah is going to be here in Namhae for a few more weeks, Jjongie. Will you help us pack when its time for us to go back to the city?” He inquired. Jongho looked at him, almost seemed upset for a moment before he blinked.
“Us? Both of you?”
San simply smiled, bouncing the toddler on his hip.
“I don’t wanna make Mingi sad, right?” He grinned.
Realization crossed Jongho, Eric, and Gahyeon’s faces, and instantly all three children burst into tears.
Chaerin came running at the sound of her babies crying, stopping short when she found the trio tightly holding onto both San and Wooyoung, bouncing excitedly.
“Will you let us visit? Can we come over?” Jongho questioned excitedly, talking even though San tried to wipe the tears from his cherub cheeks.
“Are you gonna get a race car bed? Do they make race car beds for big kids like you hyungs? WAIT! Hyung!!!! Do you have a race car in the city?!” Eric gasped, pointing at Wooyoung and catching the Oreo-haired man off guard.
Gahyeon twirled and bounced around them, her ponytail swinging as she hummed the infamous fanfare for marriage ceremonies.
“Oppa’s gonna get married~ Oppa’s marrying Oppa~ Oppa’s marrying Oppa, and I’m gonna bring flow-ers!” She sung to the beat. Cherin’s shoulders relaxed as she looked over at the men, finding San and Wooyoung smiling from ear to ear as they humored the energetic children.
“I guess their night walk went well.” her husband’s voice came from behind her as Jiyong placed a hand at the small of her back. She crossed her arms and watched them a bit longer.
“I guess it did. It’s about time he got the hell out of Namhae.” She nodded in approval, looking over to Wooyoung.
“I just hope wherever he goes, he’s happy. He won’t be too far from us, anyway. C’mon, my little rascals. You need to tell us what you three want to be for Halloween so we can start buying the fabric.” She turned and pulled him away, letting the new couple entertain the excited children.
After dinner and washing up, San and Wooyoung found themselves curled up on the couch in the living room. Jongho, Eric, and Gahyeon slept soundly sprawled out in their laps while Changbin watched the screen with rapt attention. Yeonjun played a game on his phone, the screen illuminating his face as his half lidded gaze looked it from top to bottom.
San looked at Wooyoung out of the corner of his vision, his gaze softening as he took in the city man’s kind gaze. He ran his hand through Gahyeon’s hair, adjusted Eric’s arm so he wouldn’t hurt it with his position, and pressed Jongho’s dragon plushie into his arms before he settled himself.
In the calmness of the living room, San felt a smile come to his face.
He’d known he’d made the right decision.
╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗
August 30th
╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝
“Okay, do you have all of your things? We can go back and check the house and-”
“Noona-”
“What about your new bank card? Do you have your new bank card? Ji, did you give him his card? He can’t buy anything without-”
“Noona-”
“Oh wait, hold on, I have a basket with some goodies coming, let me just double-check the address-”
“Mom!”
Chaerin paused in her fretting, looking at her eldest ‘son’ as he stood before her, his bookbag tossed over his shoulder and a teary smile on his face. She bit her lip and stood straight, collecting herself as she met San’s gaze.
“I’m going to be okay, Noo-mom. Mom . We don’t live too far from here. If I need anything or missed anything, I’ll call. Besides, it’s not like I'm going anywhere drastically different. I’m going to help out in the restaurant with Kibum hyung.”
Chaerin cupped his face and smiled softly.
“You know, that’s the first time you haven't corrected yourself when you’ve called me Mom. Not Noona, not Miss Chae. Mom.”
San blushed and kissed her cheek, patting her hands.
“You’ve been nothing less than that since you took me in. It’s long overdue.” He whispered as she fixed his magenta bangs.
“Go on. You still have a lot of unpacking to do.” She shooed him off, hugging herself as he waved and jogged back to the car waiting for him on the curb.
Wooyoung bent down until she could see him, sending her a million-dollar smile as he waved at her.
“I’ll take care of him, Noona!”
“You better, if you don’t want my foot up your ass, Jung Wooyoung!”
Wooyoung laughed nervously as San got in the car, taking his hand in his as the Namhae native waved one last time. Wooyoung pulled off, rubbing San’s knuckles as he drove, unable to wipe the smile off of his face.
“I called everyone over to help us unpack. Did you want to stop off and get breakfast first?” Wooyoung inquired after twenty minutes of navigating through the city traffic. San looked around the city with eyes filled with wonder.
“....Maybe some other time. I think it would be nice for me to meet up with everyone and thank them properly for welcoming me….Oh, unless I should get gifts. Hell, I didn’t even think of that-” San began to fret as Wooyoung laughed, turning down a street and watching him out of the corner of his vision.
“I don’t think that’s usually the order of operations, my love. You can give them thank you gifts after you’re settled in.” He told him. San pursed his lips, leg bouncing.
“Are you sure? I want to make a good first impression with the lot of them.” He sighed, sitting back and watching the houses as Wooyoung drove past them.
“What’s not to love about you? Plus, everyone’s heard nice things about you from me and the others already, there’s no need to be worried. You have met most of them already.” Wooyoung cheerily told him. San smiled and rubbed his sweaty palms against his pants.
Right, he hadn’t done anything to make anyone dislike him.
He had a nagging, persistent feeling like he had forgotten something, though.
It was replaced with an overarching sense of anxiety when he noticed Wooyoung pulling into a home where several cars had already been lined up outside of.
The front door opened before he could even put the car in park and a familiar face appeared in the doorway.
Yeji smiled from ear to ear as she locked eyes with the men.
“You were late, so we helped ourselves inside!” she answered the unasked question and put her hands on her hips, looking over at the two of them with a smile on her face.
San stepped out first, his hair lightened over the past month to a soft bubble gum pink.
“Sorry, my mom was fretting and-”
“Oh, don’t apologize. We all know what it’s like to leave the nest the first time. I hope Chaerin-noona is doing well.” Changbin said from the door, stepping out into the warm August sun with the others.
Wooyoung popped his head out of the car, scanning the group before some sort of realization hit him and his smile slightly faltered.
“Where’s Yeosang?” He inquired. Soobin and Yeonjun exchanged a look before Yeonjun piped up, crossing his arms.
“He said things were a bit backed up with the training, so he wouldn’t be able to make it today. Something about there being an influx of new training classes for him to lead and another trainer being on maternity leave.” He told them, shrugging. Yeji sighed quietly, but didn’t say a word.
San couldn’t see Wooyoung’s face, exactly, but he was certain the news wasn’t very favorable to him given the subtle change in his tone when he replied with a simple; ‘Oh, really? That’s too bad, then.’
Chan came around the side of the car and greeted San with a fist bump as he popped open the trunk to Wooyoung’s car.
“We’ve already unloaded the desk and the dressers from the moving van that came by earlier. You don’t have very many items, do you?” He questioned, changing the subject and picking up two suitcases in an instant. San barely had the time to offer help before Chan was marching up the driveway.
“I didn’t wanna take up too much space in Woo’s home. Namhae doesn’t really have a shopping district like this place where you can get all kinds of things and I don’t have like, a huge wardrobe of clothes and such.” San admitted, waiting for Wooyoung to exit the car before the two of them grabbed the last few armfuls of boxes and headed inside.
“It’s your home too, now. I say the first big paycheck you get from working in the restaurant, we go on a big shopping spree for you.” Wooyoung grinned, the bounce back in his voice and step as he lead the way back inside. San laughed, happy the hiccup in his mood didn’t persist longer than a few moments.
“I’m not sure about that, but for now let’s just get settled in. I wanna make everyone a big, hearty Namhae dinner as a thank you for helpin us out.” San muttered. The moment he stepped into the home, the scent of cooking food hit him full force.
“Oh please, did you think we were gonna let you come home on an empty stomach? You can cook some other time. Get settled in, take some time to yourselves and go put your clothes away.” Yeonjun pointed to the stairs and San smiled, taking one of suitcases out of Chan’s arms, while Wooyoung grabbed the other.
When San first stepped foot into what was to be his and Wooyoung’s new shared room, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
It was so overwhelmingly Wooyoung that he needed a moment to let it sink in.
He was here. This was his home.
Wooyoung rustled about behind him for a few seconds before he felt his arms wrap around his frame, his breath fanning over the back of San’s neck.
He shuddered and leaned against Wooyoung, playing with his hands where they stayed around his waist.
“You did it.” Wooyoung whispered, his lips making the hair at the nape of San’s neck stand on end. San simply purred in response, squeezing Wooyoung’s hands.
“We did it. I wouldn’t have made that step without you.” He admitted, turning in Wooyoung’s arms and draping his arms over his neck. Wooyoung smiled, looking up at nothing in particular.
“I know, I am pretty damn convincing, aren’t I?” He teased. San rolled his eyes and kissed him, bringing the room into a comfortable stillness.
When they broke from each other, Wooyoung ran his hands lower, lightly squeezing his ass.
“We could make the room more ours, if you were feeling daring.” He smiled lazily and San felt heat rise to the tips of his ears.
“Your friends are all downstairs.”
“ Our friends can busy themselves, they do it all the time. Is that a no? Because we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”
San looked at the door behind him for a moment before looking back at Wooyoung.
“Nothing that’s too much, I don’t want them knowing.” He cleared his throat and Wooyoung sent him a devilish smile.
“It’s fine. I can find a way to keep you quiet.”
Wooyoung was nothing if not a man of his word.
That’s how San found his head hanging upside down from the edge of the bed, his mouth occupied with Wooyoung’s cock as he slowly rolled his hips. Despite the occasional gag when Wooyoung hit the back of his throat, San was proud of the fact he could take him completely, his arms woven around Wooyoung’s thighs.
Wooyoung’s hands had been splayed across his own thighs, kneading and massaging as he placed contrasting kitten licks and kisses to San’s cock, smiling at the near-desperate way his boyfriend lifted his hips in anticipation.
“You gotta be still~” Wooyoung whispered along his heated skin, licking up a pearl of precum that beaded at the head of San’s cock.
San whined in frustration below him, but swallowed sharply when he felt himself being enveloped with the heat of Wooyoung’s mouth.
Predictably, his hips kicked up at the sudden change, but Wooyoung pushed down on his thighs, surprisingly stronger than before thanks to his time helping out on the farm.
San’s eyes fluttered, trying to keep his noises down as Wooyoung bobbed his head, his hands trailing up San’s thighs as he worked his hips, gradually thrusting faster into San’s mouth.
‘Oh so he can thrust but I can’t?’ San pouted mentally, though his cock throbbed at the treatment, squeezing Wooyoung’s thighs in encouragement.
Wooyoung smirked around his cock, tilting his head and deepthroating him without a single gag, moaning and purring around San.
The muffled moan that had brought forward made Wooyoung lift his head, laughing softly as he stroked San’s cock.
“You gotta keep it down, my love. Who knows who could hear us if you can’t.” He purred. San had half a mind to half-heartedly pinch his thigh at the teasing, but he heard a cap open somewhere between his legs and perked.
“Remember, Sannie. Keep it down for me.” Wooyoung urged, squiring lube into his hand and licking up the length of San’s cock once more. San’s thighs flexed when he felt Wooyoung swallow him down once more, cool fingers rolling against his rim teasingly.
San would be lying if he said the action didn’t make his heart rate increase.
He was the quieter of the two of them, that much was for sure, but the looming possibility of them being found out, even if it was just through the door, made him excited in a way he couldn’t describe.
San was convinced this city boy currently using his mouth and playing with his ass and cock had corrupted him in more ways than one, but there was honestly no place in the world he’d rather be than right here in this moment.
The pink haired man gently moved his roughened hands up to Wooyoung’s ass, encouraging him to thrust faster as his legs subtly inched further apart, welcoming his fingers deeper.
He was met with a purr of approval and Wooyoung curling his fingers ever so slightly inside of him. San swallowed sharply, eyes rolling back as Wooyoung began massaging his prostate with two persistent fingers.
“M-mmfnn- mmnnn-”
Wooyoung held himself down on San’s cock, letting him buck his hips freely as he alternated his fingers between stretching him and toying with his prostate. He was careful not to put his full weight on San as he felt himself getting closer to his climax.
The two came only a minute or so apart from one another, and Wooyoung was careful when he pulled away, immediately kneeling to check on San as the man panted, a dazed expression on his face.
“You alright, baby?” Wooyoung inquired, helping him right himself from the upside-down position. San nodded, drool making a mess of his lips. Wooyoung grinned and placed a messy kiss to his lips before pressing their foreheads together.
“ Welcome home. ” He purred. San smiled at him, opening his mouth to respond before a voice startled both of them.
“HEY! YOU TWO BETTER NOT BE FUCKIN WHILE WE’RE HERE! THE FOOD’S DONE, GET YOUR ASSES DOWN HERE!” Yeonjun called up to them from the bottom of the staircase.
San blushed and haphazardly wiped his messy face with his own shirt while Wooyoung stomped to the door, opening it and calling down to him.
“NO ONE IS FUCKING, WE SAID WE’RE GONNA PUT SOME STUFF AWAY.”
“IT’S BEEN AN HOUR, ASSHOLE.”
“DON’T RUSH US, JACKASS.”
The two bickered and San laughed behind his hand.
Yeah, he was certainly in his new home.
╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗
September 1st
╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝
“San moved into the house yesterday, by the way.” Chan brought up casually. The sound of feet running on a belt beside him continued, pounding away.
“Is that so? That’s good. Glad it went well.”
“Wooyoung was looking for you.” He continued, eyes watching carefully.
He was met with nothing more than the sound of those feet on the treadmill, running. He sighed softly, watching Yeosang run beside him.
“Yeji said something about you having more classes?””
“Something like that.” Was the brisk response, followed by the beeping of the treadmill being turned up a few more speeds.
“We’re all trying to set up a big dinner or something soon.” He carefully brought up. Yeosang kept his gaze fixed on the wall across from them in the gym, bangs bouncing as he ran. It took him much longer than usual to give him a response.
“I’m really busy. It may be better to go ahead without me for a bit.”
Ah, so that was what was going on.
“Yeosang, are you avoiding going anywhere near Wooyoung?”
Yeosang cut him a glance before looking forward again.
“I just need some time to collect myself. It’s not fair to him or his boyfriend to have me be…like this around them”
Chan sent him a sympathetic look. It had been over a month but the news of Wooyoung not only finding a boyfriend in Namhae for his studies and then bringing said man home to live with had clearly hurt Yeosang more than he originally let on.
“Do you want some company? I can set up something, just us, Yeji, and Binnie?”
Yeosang shook his head, sweat rolling down his brow as he carefully turned the treadmill down, slowing to a stop, putting his hand on his hips as he panted harshly.
“There’s no need to do that. You guys go, have fun. I’m going to be busy with work, anyway.” He sent Chan a smile that was as fake as they came, walking past him after he’d hopped off of the machine.
Chan watched him go and sighed, lips pursed.
He hated seeing his friend like this, but he had no idea where to start. Heartbreak was one of the trickiest things to heal from.
╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗
September 13th
╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝
San had expected working in the kitchen in Kibum’s restaurant to be one of the most daunting things he’d ever have to do.
After all, a fancy restaurant full of students who spent their college years to get here, now having some country bumpkin come along and encroach on their territory? He thought he’d get eaten alive-
Instead, he was adored as soon as he’d walked through the door.
“San, can you accompany Jiwoo outside? This is for table number three and there’s a full party.”
“One of the waiters called out, San, do you mind helping on the floor?”
“San, do you have any suggestions for a new menu option? We’re workshopping a rotation of some dishes to change things up.”
San wasn’t a religious man, but in these moments, he couldn’t help but to feel blessed. He’d found somewhere he’d fitten in and was not only useful, but able to still be who he wanted to be.
“Hey,” Wooyoung snuck a kiss as he passed him, an armful of freshly washed vegetables in his possession before he rushed to the other side of the kitchen to prep them.
All of this, while working alongside the man he loved. What else could he ask for? What else could he need?
The cool September air helped him clear his head as he walked, pushing a cart of supplies toward the restaurant.
“I should visit mom and tell her about things once we’re done today.” He mused before he heard the sound of wheels on concrete.
They're going…rather fast, huh?
He turned his head to the right, blinking as he watched a man come skateboarding down the block with a giant dog on a leash in front of him.
San was startled. The dog looked huge , like a bear. Without thinking, he pushed the cart faster and swiveled it off to the side, eyes wide as he watched the dog barrel towards him.
“Yunho, heel.”
The dog stopped in an instant, sitting politely with his tongue out, staring at San from beneath a mass of hair as the man on the skateboarding man skid to a halt just shy of colliding with the cart.
San held his chest, looking at the man in surprise.
Oh, he was…well, he was rather attractive , wasn't he?
San felt a panic rise in his chest at the passing thought, unable to speak first. Thankfully, the man did it first
“Are you okay?” he inquired, glancing back and forth between him and the giant bear of a dog looking at him curiously.
At least, he thought he was. He couldn’t exactly see his eyes.
“I’m fine. Sorry about that. Normally there aren’t many people out on this street so late at night. Did anything fall? Are you alright?” the man inquired, looking at the cart San had yanked aside. San looked down, swearing when he saw he’d flung off some of the delicate items sitting at the very top of the cart off with his hurried movements.
“Shit, Kibum-hyung is gonna be pissed.” He ran a hand through his freshly dyed black hair. There was a small look of surprise on the other man’s face before he cleared his throat and knelt down to pick up some of the ingredients. San looked at his side profile, watching as he sighed quietly.
���I’ll go and apologize properly. We were being reckless.” he ignored the confused and concerned noises coming from San’s lips, looking at the dog and offering his skateboard.
“Yunho, hold.”
Yunho took the board carefully in his mouth, standing and following the man as he walked towards the restaurant. San frowned and gathered his bearings, following him from a decent distance so he didn’t accidentally hit the man or the dog.
Something about him was oddly familiar.
“Excuse me, you don’t have to do that, I was the one who dropped it.”
“I was the one that startled you. I’m responsible for this, too. I’ll just apologize so you don’t get in trouble.”
San began chattering in a panic, but the man with the fluffy black hair didn’t respond to him, knocking on the back door of the restaurant. San pursed his lips. He hadn’t gotten much of a look at the man’s face, maybe he was a worker he had yet to meet? He was awfully familiar, though.
“Hm? San, are you back-Yeosang?” Wooyoung looked up in surprise and San felt that last puzzle piece click into place.
So that’s what was so familiar.
“I knocked over some of these. Ask Hyung to send me the bill, it’s not San’s fault it fell.” He told Wooyoung. The slightly shorter man narrowed his eyes at him, pointing a finger in his direction.
“Where the hell have you been?” He completely ignored the sentence, huffing at him. Yeosang looked at Yunho, seemingly giving him a command with a gesture of his hand before he stepped inside and placed the destroyed ingredients on the floor. Yunho patiently waited outside, sitting politely with his tail wagging to and fro.
Wooyoung followed Yeosang’s every step with his eyes until finally, the older man spoke.
“Working.” Was the simple response. Wooyoung narrowed his gaze.
“Every day for nearly two weeks since I’ve come home?”
“Yes.”
“Yah! Kang Yeosang, are you out of your damn mind?!”
The two bickered, with Yeosang’s voice calm while Wooyoung wore his displeasure on his sleeve. San glanced back and forth between them, unsure if he could (or should) interrupt their squabbling.
“You could’ve stopped by and said hi or something once you got off!”
At that, Yeosang finally broke eye contact, pressing his lips together before he sighed.
“.....You’re right, I’m sorry. I figured I would be bothering you so late.”
Wooyoung’s eyes narrowed for a moment before he took a look at the man, gasping and cupping his cheeks, yanking him down. Yeosang hardly blinked, though a small, tired smile came to his face.
He was used to Wooyoung’s over the top fretting.
“Your eyes have bags under them, are you not sleeping?!”
“I’m fine, Wooyoung.”
“You are not, I’m gonna kick your ass, you’re gonna make yourself sick again. Do I have to come over and take care of you again like last time?” Wooyoung half-heartedly glared into his eyes. There was something…sad in Yeosang’s eyes for a moment before he gently took Wooyoung’s hands off his face. He gently set them at his side and sent Wooyoung a tired smile.
“I appreciate you. But it’s alright. It’s a busy patch at work and then once it passes, I can take a vacation or something.”
Wooyoung furrowed his brow in worry. Yeosang never did so unless someone forced him to. The man was practically allergic to taking time off. Finally, San found his voice from beside them.
“How about you come over for dinner?”
Both of them turned their heads over to look at him, Yeosang met his eyes and then glanced away, all while Wooyoung’s eyes lit up as he perked.
“That’s a great idea!” Wooyoung cheered, hooking an arm into a startled Yeosang’s.
That’s how they ended up here, hours later, with Yunho pressed against Yeosang’s side, licking his jowels as he waited for Wooyoung to fish out the extra bowl he kept in his house for the hound’s visits.
San came up to them, softly smiling at the man he’d only heard about through the others. Yeosang turned his gaze from Wooyoung and looked at him as San bowed slightly in greeting.
“Sorry for not introducing myself earlier. My name’s Choi San.”
Yeosang bowed back, running his hand through the fur at the top of Yunho’s head to busy at least one of his subtly shaking hands.
“Kang Yeosang. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
There was a silence that hung in the air, something unsaid hanging in the air after the end of the sentence and San wondered if he’d left a bad impression on the man.
If so, he didn’t mean to! From what San could gather, Yeosang is Wooyoung’s closest friend, and the two had been attached at the hip since elementary school. The whole reason Wooyoung had moved into this particular city was to keep close to Yeosang, after all.
San reckoned this was around the moment some people would try to size up the ‘competition’ or something of the sort. Yeosang was Wooyoung’s first love, San knew this well.
And here he is, standing in front of his current love and boyfriend.
San still felt this odd, mystified feeling looking at the quiet dog trainer. It was familiar, yet foreign, and San combed through himself to see if he could pin down exactly what that emotion was.
“I got it!” Wooyoung cheered, startling him out of his thoughts as he victoriously knelt on the counter. At some point, while they were talking, he must have jumped up onto it to reach a dog bowl with Yunho’s name engraved on it. He wobbled ever so slightly as he attempted to move into a more neutral position.
San startled, jerking to attention.
“Wooyoung, get down!” He moved towards him as Wooyoung tried to dismount himself but Yeosang let out an exasperated sigh and picked him clean up, holding him bridal style with an unimpressed look on his face.
"Now, if you crack your ass on the floor and I laugh at you, I'm in the wrong, hm?"
Wooyoung seemed perfectly comfortable, deadweighting in Yeosang’s arms.
"You wouldn't do that~"
"I absolutely would. After making sure your stupid ass isn't concussed or sitting on the floor in a dead roach position."
Yeosang put him down and then moved around him to set up the bowls for a patiently waiting Yunho. Wooyoung made his way over to San, leaning into his space and startling him into focusing his gaze back on Wooyoung instead.
"Are you okay?" He whispered, sending him a curious look. San glanced at Yeosang as the trainer stepped into the next room to set up and then nodded once.
"Yeah."
Wooyoung caught the glance, though, and the smile on his face flickered.
"Oh…I'm sorry. Am I being too much? I'm always this clingy with Yeosang but I…I guess it's not really appropriate-"
San shook his head and put his hand on Wooyoung’s forearm.
"I'm not bothered. I'm actually really happy you were able to see him. He's your best friend, he's important to you."
Wooyoung slow blinked in surprise, his lips parted. Eventually, he let out a small laugh and wrapped his arms around San, kissing him once as the country-born man wrapped his arms around him instinctively.
"You'd be 100% valid if it did bother you. Not everyone is comfortable with that kind of stuff with their partners and other people…be it friendly or flirty. Are you sure? I wouldn't be upset if you told me you weren't comfortable with it." Wooyoung whispered. San sent him a kind smile. He truly did not mind.
"I don't lie to the folks I love," San told him, tenderly massaging his hips. Wooyoung smiled and stole another kiss from him before both of them shifted away from each other in a flustered hurry as Yeosang came back in the kitchen to wash his hands.
"Sorry-" San began to apologize, but Yeosang shrugged, sending him a small smile.
"It's your house. I'm gonna sit in the living room with Yunho and stay out of the way of you two so you can cook in peace.” Yeosang excused himself without conflict, moving to sit on the couch while Wooyoung rolled his sleeves up.
“C’mon, San. I know exactly what we should make.”
In the living room, Yeosang let his head thump onto the back of the couch, a deep exhale pushing past his lips as he tried to calm the chaotic storm of emotions in his mind.
Seeing Wooyoung was good. He couldn’t keep avoiding him. Yeosang missed him dearly and he felt like a bold-faced liar for telling Yeji he wouldn’t change how he was acting towards his best friend.
But at the same time…Yeosang wasn’t sure he liked the tightness in his chest every time he saw the tender look in Wooyoung’s eyes when they landed on San. He’d felt punched in the gut when he walked in on them kissing. Maybe he wasn’t ready to be around Wooyoung and San yet.
And that was the other piece to the equation. San.
The country boy who had stolen everyone’s hearts with a dimpled smile and a purred satoori.
Yeosang had ignored all the times the pink haired man had been staring at him when he thought neither he or Wooyoung were paying attention. Yeosang had good senses for things like that, especially when being in charge of mischievous dogs when training and preteens trying to sneak into the section of the book store that held the adult reading material.
Even when he wasn’t looking back, Yeosang knew the feeling of being stared at well.
Which begged the question, why?
San had no doubt heard about him while Wooyoung was away. Yeosang’s first thought was that he was being sized up or something of the sort and San took offense to Wooyoung’s particular brand of…clingy affection.
But that didn’t seem to be the case. He’d caught San’s gaze softening several times during Wooyoung and Yeosang’s (many) playful bickering bouts throughout the evening, and if Yeosang didn’t know better, he could have sworn he’d seen San let out more than a few sighs of relief when he seemingly realized the two of them were not, in fact, at each other’s throats for real.
So, why?
Yeosang hadn’t realized his leg was bouncing until a warm mass of fur set itself directly in his lap. He laughed and looked down, running his hand through Yunho’s fur as the mastiff cuddled close to him, clearly resisting the urge to jump on the couch for the full cuddle, if the way his back legs kept shifting were anything to go by.
Yeosang smiled. Yunho always knew when he wasn’t doing to well mentally or emotionally.
The trainer moved himself to the floor, accepting a few kisses from Yunho as the giant canine shifted to make room, seemingly happy with the development. Yeosang nuzzled Yunho’s abdomen, eyes closing as he enjoyed the comfort from his canine best friend.
Resting his eyes, that’s all he was doing.
Idly, he wondered if he would have an easier time with all of this if San was someone he could hate. If he was ugly, if his personality was rude, if he was overly vain, something.
Instead, Yeosang was left with this heavy feeling in his chest and the reluctant realization that Wooyoung’s boyfriend, at least from what he could tell right now, was a good match for him.
Resting…just resting. That’s all. His eyes, resting.
Wooyoung poked his head into the living room an hour later, a hand on his hip and an amused smile on his face as he watched Yeosang. The slightly older man was fast asleep on the floor, with Yunho sitting as still as a statue with his head resting beside Yeosang’s, occasionally lifting up to give his owner a small, grooming lick to his face or his hair.
Wooyoung made his way over, kneeling down after grabbing a blanket that was on the couch.
“You’re not getting enough rest, stupid-” He muttered under his breath as he covered Yeosang up. Yunho lifted his head to sniff Wooyoung’s hand before relaxing, giving him a small lick to his knuckles before closing his eyes. Wooyoung laughed and kissed the top of the dog’s head.
“You be a good pillow for my stubborn ass friend, okay?” He whispered into his fur.
Yeosang stirred slightly, but Wooyoung only pet his head, fingers running through deep conditioned silken locks.
“And you settle down. It’s not time for you to wake up yet.” He scolded the unconscious man and Yeosang ended up relaxing his muscles, the momentary furrow of his brow evening out. Wooyoung lingered for a moment or two longer than he had intended before he finally moved away from Yeosang to finish cooking with San.
They woke him up once they were done, with all three men seating themselves on the couch, watching a comedy to go along with their meal.
“It’s delicious.” Yeosang quietly complimented, eating his chicken with an impressed hum. Wooyoung smiled from ear to ear, settled between the two of them.
“Thank you~ We took back some of the garlic we harvested back in Namhae and San helped me tweak the sauce. I think it tastes a lot better.” He smiled while San shyly rubbed his neck with his clean hand.
“It’s not really much of a change, yours was great already.”
Yeosang glanced at him over the top of Wooyoung’s head.
“....but it does have more of a lingering aftertaste now. I’ve eaten plenty of Wooyoung’s food in our years together. The garlic chicken is always my favorite. I do like your addition to it. Good job.” He complimented with a small approving nod.
San felt a flicker of heat settle in his cheeks as he bashfully nodded and looked away.
“No problem.”
“Yeosang~ Praise me more too” Wooyoung teased, earning him an elbow to the ribs and a half-hearted ‘ nevermind, I take it back ’ from his best friend.
The two bickered for a bit more before settling into a comfortable near silence, only interrupted by chewing and the occasional sip of someone’s drink.
San felt his eyelids getting heavy, and apparently, he wasn’t the only one. Wooyoung’s head had made its way to his shoulder, and he’d cuddled in almost instantly, falling asleep minutes after San put an arm around him.
Yeosang stood, collecting the plates and cups before San could sleepily protest. Yunho followed him into the kitchen, and San could pick up the sound of the dog trainer washing dishes inside.
He finished minutes later, strolling into the living room again and taking the same blanket Wooyoung had draped over him and setting it over San’s shoulders and part of Wooyoung’s body.
San perked ever so slightly, feeling soft fingers brush over his bicep with the motion. He lifted his head, watching as Yeosang hooked his leash back into the loop of Yunho’s harness.
“You’re leaving…?” He drowsily inquired. Yeosang glanced over his shoulder at San, his eyes drifting down to Wooyoung for a moment, and then looking back into the country man’s eyes.
“Yeah. I appreciate you making dinner for me. I’ll lock the door after myself, so don’t worry. You two should move somewhere more comfortable to sleep so you don’t hurt your necks, by the way….whenever you want.” Yeosang nodded and began making his way to the front of the house.
San called out to him as he was sliding his shoes on.
“Come back soon! You’re always welcome.”
He missed the way Yeosang’s jaw tightened, his fingers lacing his shoes a bit tighter than he’d needed them to be.
“Thanks. Have a good night, San.”
Yeosang left quietly, and San looked to his side. Wooyoung had been undisturbed by the movements and talking above his head, completely content with his cheek squished against San’s chest.
San kissed his head softly and shifted, picking him up and carrying him to their bed. Wooyoung shifted deeper into his arms the moment he laid him down and San smiled softly, finally letting sleep pull him under, as well.
Yeosang rode his skateboard down the block with Yunho easily pacing him with long gallops. The wind blew his hair across his forehead and the chill of the night shocked him awake, seeping into his bones through the light jacket he was wearing.
“Come back soon! You’re always welcome.”
Yeosang sighed as he rolled down the block.
Why couldn’t that Namhae guy have been an asshole? Everything would have been so much easier.
╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗
September 15th
╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝
“Okay~ So we’re both off today and I think I’m gonna take you out for a shopping spree.”
San squinted at Wooyoung from across the room, fresh, dark red circles littering his neck and chest as Wooyoung began preening in the mirror.
They’d had…a very long and energetic night that carried into the early morning. San was normally the very first to rise out of the two of them, a circadian rhythm carried over from years of early rising to farm.
However , today was different. Today San was tired.
“I’m goin’ back ta sleep.” San grumbled, closing his eyes and letting his head thump back onto the pillow that smelled like a mixture of him and Wooyoung’s preferred colognes.
Wooyoung glanced at him before smiling devilishly.
“Aw~ Is my handsome baby tired?”
“Wooyoung, you made me cum three times and edged me between the second and third time. Yes, yes I am tired.” San grumbled. As muffled as his voice was from the pillow, Wooyoung heard him loud and clear, laughing as he walked up, kissing his shoulder.
“I’ll treat you to coffee~”
San didn’t move for a moment before finally lifting his head, eyes half-heartedly narrowed at him.
“Bribery.”
“It absolutely is. I’ll even throw in some kisses if you hurry.”
“You’ll kiss me anyway.”
“Of course I will.”
San rolled his eyes and got up, kissing Wooyoung’s nose before he set off to get dressed. He appeared half an hour later with a pair of comfortable jeans and an overgrown hoodie, a pair of glasses settled on his nose as he watched Wooyoung rush back and forth.
“Too cold for this…this is faded…. is that a tear? ” Wooyoung muttered under his breath, rummaging through his clothes. San arched a brow and stood, making his way over and extending an arm, catching Wooyoung around the waist one of the times he moved to rush by.
“Just wear something comfortable. You look good no matter what.” He lightly scolded. Wooyoung paused for a moment before seemingly recalibrating, dipping back into the closet and emerging moments later with his pair of comfy jeans, accompanied with a low cut v-neck sweater that showed off his own marks he’d gotten from San in return last night.
“Thank you, darling. C’mon, we gotta get there early. There’s this place I want to take you to specifically.”
San tilted his head, his curiosity peaked, but didn’t ask. He liked surprises, and if the look on Wooyoung’s face was anything to go by, he probably wouldn’t get any answers even if he did ask.
They headed out together, and San realized this had been his first time getting to walk through and window shop in the heart of the city since they came here.
They’d moved and he practically spent all of his time settling into his new job and new home.
Everything here was so… big . It was kind of overwhelming at first. Crowds of people so dense he’d had to constantly shift to and fro beside Wooyoung so he didn’t bump into anyone hustling by to get to their jobs.
Wooyoung laced his fingers into San’s, sticking his hand in his boyfriend’s hoodie pocket and pressing himself close to him.
The tension San hadn’t noticed gathered in his shoulders melted away in an instant. He smiled, running his fingers over Wooyoung’s knuckles.
“So, we’re heading to the mall?”
Wooyoung smiled.
“After somewhere else.”
There it is. San knew Wooyoung had something else under his sleeve. He squeezed his hand and chuckled quietly.
“I’m already up and about. Take me wherever ya want.”
Wooyoung smiled triumphantly and continued pulling him along, making idle conversation about the ins and outs of their kitchen and the upcoming plans for some changes as the holidays began to roll in.
San listened with rapt attention, curious to try some of the food Wooyoung had mentioned. The telltale rumble in his stomach as they stepped into a building reminded him that he hadn’t eaten yet, either.
Before he could voice this, he realized they’d stepped into a building with giant, sprawling murals of aquatic animals, hand painted just behind a smiling and waving team behind the counter in front of them.
San’s lips parted.
An aquarium?
Wooyoung let his hand go long enough to practically skip over to the woman at the middle register, leaning on the counter.
“Two tickets, please. I’d like to include the Orca Diner package, too.”
The woman smiled kindly and nodded, her hands flying over the keyboard in front of her. San appeared beside Wooyoung, looking at the giant sea turtle panting behind her on the wall. Wooyoung pressed his hips back, settling down when he felt San’s solid form behind him.
“You’ve never been to an aquarium, right? I wanted to surprise you. It's early on a weekday, so we don’t have to worry about a big crowd just yet.” Wooyoung explained, smiling as he handed his card over to the worker.
San felt his gaze soften, his hand subtly rubbing his hip.
“No, never. Thank you, Woo. I’m excited.”
Wooyoung looked pleased, taking the card and the two wristbands they were given. He fastened the clasp on San’s wrist before letting his boyfriend put his on. Once done, he led the way down the left hall, a bounce in his step San found absolutely adorable.
“The Orca Diner has such good food and the package I paid for has a special view. I’ve always wanted to go on a date here.” He mused, flashing his wristband at the worker stationed outside. He checked the design on the bands and then guided them to a room.
When he opened the door, San felt his jaw drop.
The room’s ceiling and wall was all glass, and as they settled at their table, they watched as schools of fish and even a lemon shark swam past them. San looked up, the blue of the aquarium water making his face light up as he watched the animals in wonder.
Wooyoung propped his head on his palm, watching San with a smile. He felt warmth bloom in his chest as his boyfriend placed his palm on the cool glass, his eyes darting left and right, up and down, unable to focus on just one creature, smiling so wide it made his dimples pop.
Wooyoung felt his heart flutter, pride welled in his chest.
San had worked hard, he had only wanted to treat his beloved. He was glad it had worked out this way and San was enchanted by the beauty around them.
They both ordered themselves a hearty breakfast meal, and finally San tore his gaze away from the glass to look at Wooyoung.
“Did you plan this date?”
Wooyoung’s lips curled upwards proudly.
“Of course I did.”
San smiled softly and leaned over, kissing him softly.
“Thank you. I’ve never seen anything like this.” San sounded as if he was in a dream, casting glances back at the fish as they swam by, paying them no mind as they went about their aquatic day.
Wooyoung smiled. He’d always wanted to go on an aquarium date. As weird as it may sound, he often found himself getting design and decorative ideas when looking at the more outlandish and flamboyant animals their world had to offer. He found peace going to places like this in his free time-and he’d been here several times, knew this place to be a rehabilitation center for wildlife release, as well-and he’d breathed a sigh of relief knowing San also was enjoying himself.
They’d gotten their food and ate while making light conversation. Wooyoung told him between bites where he’d like to take them in the aquarium. San leaned over, eyes twinkling excitedly as he listened to Wooyoung with rapt attention.
“-and then we finish off with the seals. Seals are my favorite, next to the otters.” He told him triumphantly. San smiled and kissed his nose, setting his chopsticks aside.
“Sounds like a good plan. I’ll follow ya. We should take pictures, I think Mom, Dad, and the little ones would love to see.”
Wooyoung smiled and nodded, standing and heading out after he’d finished paying. The two walked hand and hand through the aquarium, walking nearly in sync as they took in the sheer size of the facility.
Wooyoung always found places like this to feel so much bigger inside than out.
San couldn’t hold back his quiet, amazed ‘woahs’ and ‘wahs’ as he looked around, taking time to read nearly every informational plaque on the animals they happened to pass by.
“Oh, they’re so smooth, seriously, come feel this, Woo!” San gasped as he ran his fingers over the back of a baby ray in the handpool. Wooyoung couldn’t hide the sheer joyous smile on his face as he obliged his boyfriend, running his fingers gently and politely over the ray as it swam past him.
The two took pictures of nearly everything, taking turns on taking pictures of the animals, then each other near the animals, and then them together with the glass walls of the aquarium behind them for a stunning backdrop.
By the time they’d reached the seals, both of them had sore cheeks from the smiles and laughter. They watched as a trainer explained the story of the one-eyed seal they’d had in a particular tank, her rescue and recovery story, all while the excited mammal hobbled about beside her, eagerly patting her own belly and waiting for a fish she was so generously rewarded between the trainer joyously explaining everything.
San looked down at his arms, full of souvenirs and plushies from the aquarium by the time the duo popped out of the facility. Wooyoung grinned and opened the bookbag he’d purchased inside, taking his time to arrange every purchase they made nearly inside before he zipped it up and slung it over his shoulder, sending San a fox-like smile.
“You look so cute, I never would have thought you’d like whale sharks so much.”
“They’re pretty!” San pouted, following him down the block. Wooyoung snickered to himself before he nudged him.
“Don’t get too comfortable, my love. We still have all the other shopping to do.” he reminded him before hooking his arm under San’s and taking off running, both of them speeding off towards the subway.
╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗
October 12th
╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝
-“Your brother’s birthday is coming up.”
San looked up from the basket of laundry he was folding. He had one of Eric’s race car hoodies in his hands as he peered over it at Chaerin.
“Do you have any big plans? Are we going to do another pumpkin patch thing or go to a petting zoo?” He inquired with a smile, folding Gahyeon’s dress next. Chaerin stirred her food on the stove thoughtfully before she turned to look at him over her shoulder.
“He wants to spend it with you…and Wooyoung. The others, too. He says you all are his ‘bestest friends’.” She hummed. San’s gaze softened as he glanced into the next room, finding his three siblings sleeping together under a blanket Jiyong had sewn for them.
She added a sprinkle of spice to her mix, the chopsticks occasionally tapping along the sides of the pan.
“Eric started kindergarten and we found a daycare that will accept Gahyeon and Jongho, but Jongho is worried about making friends, so he wanted you all to come over. Feel free to tell them to bring their partners, just all of you bare in mind he’s a bit of a sensitive boy.”
San smiled and nodded, finishing up his cleaning before he dried his hands and got to work sending a mass text to all of his friends.
At the very least, he and Wooyoung would be there, he just hoped the others would come along with them.-
“Thanks again for letting us come over, Noona!”
Well, this went…better than expected.
Chaerin put her hands on her hips, watching as Wooyoung and San’s friends filtered into the home, each in pajamas and holding some kind of snack.
Jongho held her hand, his eyes lightening up as he saw everyone setting down snacks and at least one present each.
There were people there he didn’t know, but the comfy pajamas Chaerin had instructed them all to wear for the party helped.
Wooyoung smiled and knelt down, opening his arms.
“Is that my birthday boy? Happy birthday, Jongho!”
Jongho smiled and rushed out, throwing his arms around Wooyoung’s neck and smiling as he peeked over his shoulder.
“Hi..I’m J-Jongho.” He quietly introduced himself, hiding moments later as the other adults smiled at him.
“Hi Jongho! I’m Yeji!”
“Happy birthday, sweetheart. My name is Chris, but you can call me Chan, if you want.”
They went down the line, introducing themselves and handing off high 5s and gentle ruffle’s of Jongho’s hair while passing off their gifts.
San stood off to the side, taking the gifts and smiling from ear to ear while Gahyeon and Eric balanced on his hips.
The very last person to arrive was Yeosang, who stayed close to the door, talking with Jiyong while the others were giving their greetings.
Once Jiyong smiled and nodded, pointing behind him, San saw what they were talking about.
Yunho was with him, a sleeping hat on his head and a set of fluffy dog booties on each of his paws. All three of the children locked eyes on the massive canine and Yeosang stopped, making a motion with his hand and having Yunho do the same.
“Sorry we’re late. This is Yunho and my name is Yeosang. Happy birthday, friend.” Yeosang smiled softly. Yunho’s tail wagged, a bag held in his teeth.
Wooyoung looked at Jongho, checking for any signs of fear. Yunho was bigger than him by a significant amount, after all.
Instead of apprehension or even tears, he found Jongho wiggling trying to climb down, and as soon as he did, he toddled over to Yunho and Yeosang.
Chaerin watched like a hawk, her body tense, while both Eric and Gahyeon wiggled free of San’s grip, coming over to the dog, as well.
Yeosang kept an eye on the situation, kneeling once they got close. Before he got the chance to inform them of how to greet dogs, Jongho looked up at him, shifting from one foot to the other.
“Can…can I pet the doggie, Yeosangie-hyung?”
Gahyeon nodded eagerly, looking from him to Yunho and then back again.
“Is it okay? He’s so pretty!”
Eric was practically vibrating.
“And big!”
Yeosang felt his heart melt. What a good set of kids.
“Yes. How you greet a dog is like this-”His voice was tender as he instructed the children, his hair pulled back into a low, fluffy ponytail while some of his bangs framed his face just right.
Wooyoung couldn’t take his eyes off of him.
San wasn’t much different, watching as Jongho reached his hand out. Yunho sniffed his cherub fingers and set the bag in his mouth down, lowering his head and licking at the birthday boy’s arm while he and his siblings began to gently pet his head and ears.
“Well, that’s settled. Everyone is here so we can actually get this party started!” Chaerin beamed, moving to pour cups of soda for the lot of them while her starry-eyed children asked Yeosang a million and one questions while sending loving glances at Yunho. The canine was patient, calmly giving dog kisses and cuddled whenever the children called to him or offered their hands again for sniffing.
“Here, let me help, Unnie!” Yeji offered. Wooyoung was in the kitchen in an instant, grabbing some plates so he could help pass snacks.
Chaerin smiled and began directing the younger adults while San walked over to Yeosang.
“You can set up a water bowl and food bowl over here. We have sliding doors that lead outside, so if he needs to go on a walk, it can be close…thank you for coming.” He smiled and bowed to him and Yeosang rubbed his neck, noticing San had approached him without Wooyoung at his side.
Part of him was still expecting the man to pull him aside and show him a different side of himself regarding Yeosang and Wooyoung’s closeness.
There was nothing of the sort, and instead, San extended his hand to Yunho, voice kind and eyes soft.
“Hey there, Yuyu. Thank you for coming, too. My siblings seem to love you already.” He beamed. Yunho happily licked his hand and walked closer, nuzzling him to entice him to scratch his neck.
It worked, and Yeosang felt some of the tension he was holding onto relax as he moved to set up Yunho’s little corner by the back door while San scratched his throat and eventually his stomach when the large dog flopped over to the side.
From across the room, Chan watched the two interact subtly, his arm around Changbin’s waist. There didn’t seem to be any conflict, and the man was pleasantly surprised at that.
“Oppa?”
Chan blinked into focus and looked down, finding Gahyeon staring up at him with wide eyes of wonder. He tilted his head and bent down to her eye level, smiling at her.
“Yes?”
“Is Binnie Oppa your boyfriend?” she inquired. Chan laughed, the sound rich and soft as he nodded.
San’s head perked as he looked back to the kitchen, brows furrowing. Usually, his siblings minded their manners when it came to prying into an adult’s life, but they were still kids, at the end of the day, and sometimes they lacked a filter all the same.
“Gahyeonnie, let’s not get all in othe folks’ business-”
“Isn’t Yejie Unnie also your girlfriend? I saw you two smooch.”
Chan blinked owlishly while Changbin choked on his drink above them. Somewhere behind them, a howl of a laugh came from Yeonjun and Yeji snickered behind her hand, more amused than anything, while Chaerin was less than pleased.
“ Lee Gahyeon! You do not ask people that!”
Gahyeon pouted and Yeji smiled.
“It's okay, Unnie. That’s why we let you know before we came. Chan and Changbin are both my boyfriends, Gahyeon.”
Gahyeon looked up at them, lips parted before they began to shimmer.
“You can do that?! Woah!”
Chaerin scolded her daughter, apologizing profusely to the trio while Wooyoung handed Eric his juice and some of his snacks. Eric thanked him and whispered.
“Would you date someone else with our big brother?” He inquired. Wooyoung’s lips parted in surprise and despite himself, his eyes instantly landed on Yeosang, who was looking towards the kitchen due to the chaos.
Eric stared at him for a moment, tilting his head as he noticed Wooyoung’s lack of a response. He went to ask again, when he suddenly felt a ruffle to his head.
By the grace of some higher power, Jiyong appeared, steering his son away with a gentle scolding tone. Wooyoung’s shoulders relaxed a bit, and he immediately moved to busy himself with setting up the game console in the living room, unaware of the curious eyes following him.
San’s, Yeosang’s.
Once the two older children got a stern talking to regarding ‘boundaries’, the group migrated to the living room, eager to play the party games Wooyoung and San helped prepare on Jongho’s behalf.
Said birthday boy sat beside Yunho and Wooyoung, big eyes focused on the screen while some of the others took their turn customizing their karts.
“Do you wanna race, or do you wanna watch, baby bear?” Wooyoung inquired. Jongho looked up at him, one of his hands petting Yunho in repetitive, short motions.
“I’m not so good at it…” He murmured. Wooyoung smiled and picked him up, setting him in his lap and scooting closer to Yunho so Jongho could still reach him for pets.
“Your Hyung is gonna win every single match for you, so go ahead and customize our kart!”
Jongho looked at the controller and smiled, gently taking it and fumbling around to get the kart the way he wanted, uncaring of stats.
Wooyoung smiled softly and looked on the other side of Yunho, at Yeosang watching the screen while everyone got settled. He’d already gotten his kart ready in the meantime.
“Thank you for coming, Sangie. I know you’ve been busy with work, so I really appreciate you and YuYu stopping by.” He smiled. Yeosang looked at him and sent him a quiet smile that made his heart flip.
“I see why you insisted so much. They’re sweet kids.” He looked over at Yunho, seeing his companion so comfortable in the environment that he’d closed his eyes, his head on Jongho and Wooyoung’s thigh as he enjoyed the attention.
“And I think Yunho has made some new friends today, too.” he chuckled. Yunho’s tail wagged subtly, an indication he wasn’t actually asleep, and that drew a laugh from Soobin’s lips as he walked by with some trash to discard of.
“This is the best birthday ever.” Jongho muttered, looking at Yunho and kissing his head, between the eyebrow-like markings there. Yunho’s tongue swiped out for the briefest of moments, licking his own nose before he settled back in.
Yeosang’s eyes softened even more, feeling warm and fuzzy at the gentle interaction.
“I’m glad.”
The rest of the night went off without a hitch. Jongho, surprisingly warmed up to all of the new faces fairly quickly, thanking and hugging everyone when he got to open his gifts.
By the time 9pm rolled around, San had two out of three of his siblings unconscious and dangling from his arms, sleeping without a care in the world. He moved to grab Jongho, bur a different hand eclipsed his vision, and he watched as Yeosang came to pick up the birthday boy himself.
“Oh- you can put him on my back, I’m used to carrying these three around all the time.”
Yeosang shook his head.
“I can help out. Besides, all that weight on your back isn't good for you. Just tell me where to go.”
San sent him a grateful look as he told him to follow him down the left hall. It wasn’t a far walk to get them where they needed to be, and the gentle, off-beat sound behind him told San that Yunho was close in tow.
Yeosang helped him open the door to Eric and Gahyeon’s rooms, respectively, standing aside as San tucked them in, giving gentle kisses to their heads and placing their favorite plushie in each of their arms.
“Jongho’s room is across the hall.” San informed him, moving to close Gahyeon’s door and then opening Jongho’s moments later. Yeosang followed his lead, setting Jongho in bed and tucking him in. San handed over Jongho’s favorite dragon plushie and kissed his head, slightly leaning over Yeosang to do so.
The older man didn’t move a muscle, simply glancing up, his breath fanning over San’s neck momentarily as the man tucked his sibling in and then moved away, sending him an honest smile.
“Again, thank you so much for coming. I hope you got to unwind and enjoy yourself.” He sent Yeosang a dimpled smile and beckoned for him to follow him back out.
The two walked in a comfortable silence, joining the others as they helped pack up the leftovers, distributing it in plates to take home and some getting stored away in Chaerin and Jiyong’s fridge.
“You all have my thanks. My babies are going to have to learn how to make friends their own ages, but for now, It's nice to see my family grow.” Jiyong put a hand on his hip as he looked over all of the people in his home.
“As a thanks, you all are invited to a Halloween party I’m throwing later in the month.”
Wooyoung nearly tripped over himself, he spun so fast, eyes lighting up.
“Wait, really?! Is it like, some really fancy, high-end costume party?!”
Chaerin snorted quietly and Jiyong hummed, shrugging a shoulder.
“I suppose it can be considered as such. But its more of a gathering between friends, so think nothing of who else might be there and have fun as you would at any other party.” He instructed, smiling softly as he saw San and the others chatter amongst each other.
“You have some time to think about it. If you’d like to come, just let San or Wooyoung know to tell me and I’ll update the headcount I have.”
They were met with a collection of eager nods from most of the group. Yeosang didn’t respond verbally, using the guise of packing up Yunho’s bowls as an excuse.
It's not that he didn’t want to go and be with his friends, he swore he wasn’t some sort of antisocial person.
He just-
Healing was taking it’s sweet time. He was truly grappling with being able to wrap his head around his own emotions.
That’s what happens when you spend entirely too much time hiding from them, suppressing them, even.
But it was fine, Halloween was on a weekday this year, so he could just make up some excuse, say he had work or picked up a shift from someone and-
“Yeo, are you going?”
If you were wondering, no , Yeosang did not squeak when Wooyoung appeared at his side. He simply…exhaled in a particular manner, that���s it.
Seriously.
Regardless of his status as a squeak toy, Yeosang glanced at his friend, finding Wooyoung crouching, petting Yunho as he held his gaze. The trainer flushed slightly, biting the side of his tongue to remind himself to keep his calm.
Wooyoung was Wooyoung. He was always this close to him. He always looked him in the eyes when they spoke.
Why is keeping his cool such a struggle nowadays?
“I don’t know if I can, I probably have a class and-”
“Can’t Jungkook or Hyunjae take over the class? Just this once? I wanna wear matching costumes!”
Yeosang blinked at him. Once, twice, Yunho’s bowl dangling uselessly in his fingers as he stared at the energetic man, listening as he listed off different outfits they could do.
“Angels…? Hm. Sirens! No, we don’t have enough time for a good quality one and those scales are a bitch to do makeup wise…pirates?...Oh, might workshop that a bit-”
Yeosang watched Wooyoung’s brain take off running down the block, firing off suggestions left and right. Yunho had made himself comfortable, his chin settled on Wooyoung’s thigh.
At some point, a well-worked hand settled on Wooyoung’s shoulder and San appeared, smiling softly down at the two.
“How about some kind of modern animal thing? We can use somethin’ in our closets and just need to worry about the, uh, ears and tail, I guess.” He offered, seemingly trying to save Yeosang from Wooyoung’s active imagination.
Wooyoung perked and stood to his full height, grinning like mad, pointing at each of them.
“Rabbit, Fox, Cat!”
Yeosang blinked.
“Why do I have to be a rabbit? It's the smallest out of the three of those and I’m not even the shortest here.” Wooyoung sent him a devious look.
“Because you’d look cute in bunny ears?”
Yeosang stared at him, jaw slack, and his brows only twitched in interest when he saw San look in his direction, nodding quietly, lips twisted as if envisioning the sight.
Whatever that weird flutter in his stomach was just now needed to stop immediately.
“Well too bad. I want to be the cat if this is what we’re doing.” He cut in, trying to get some of the control back in the situation he was quickly careening towards. Wooyoung pouted, clearly, he’d wanted that one.
“How about you be the fox, Woo? I know you were probably going to make me the cat, but I can be the rabbit. Cats and foxes are super close, anyway, I’m sure ya won’t have to tweak your vision too much, right?”
Two sets of eyes turned to San, then to the top of his pastel pink head, and whether they noticed or not, both of them nodded in unison, clearly agreeing with the idea of a set of rabbit ears situated atop the country man’s head.
Yeosang cleared his throat, cheeks flushed, and stood to his height.
“Right, should I go looking for what this ‘outfit’ should be or should I leave it to you?” He inquired. Wooyoung’s eyes lit up and a devious smile came to his face.
“Leave it to me, just tell me your clothing sizes.”
Oh goodness, this wasn’t going to be a simple closet fit, was it?
San, as if reading his mind, sent Yeosang a sympathetic smile, letting out a small amused huff as Wooyoung began rattling off about matching and not being ‘basic bitches’.
Yeosang cleared his throat and made his way to the door, taking his skateboard out of Yunho’s mouth and zipping up his coat.
“Well, I’ll leave you to it then. I’m headed out. Thank you again for inviting me, it was nice to be able to hang out with everyone and Jongho looked like he had a lot of fun today too.” He bowed and was met with a collection of goodbyes and waves.
“Hey, call me when you get home, alright? So I know you’re back safe.” Wooyoung called to him one last time, standing a few feet from the door as Yeosang laced his shoes up.
“I’ll text you as soon as I’m home.”
Wooyoung narrowed his eyes at him half-heartedly.
“ Call me when you’re home so I know you’re safe.”
Yeosang had half a mind to be a little shit and repeat himself, too, but instead, he settled for putting a hand on his hip and nodding.
“Yes, yes. Anything else, darling?”
It slipped, honest. The two of them used terms of endearment with one another all the time before…Wooyoung came back from the summer and it truly was a slip of the tongue-
“I love you, darling. Bye.” Wooyoung met him halfway, grinning once again, his body language a bit looser. San smiled from his side, waving without a care at him.
“Goodnight, get home safe.”
Yeosang cleared his throat and nodded, muttering a quick ‘you too’ before he disappeared into the night with Yunho.
Chaerin and Jiyong watched on from the kitchen island, eventually exchanging a look with one another.
“....do you think they know yet?” She mused to her husband. He snorted, leaning against her.
“Those three goofballs? No, not at all. Why do you think I pulled a Halloween party out of my ass?” He muttered into her ear. She snickered and watched Wooyoung and San move back to the rest of their friends, exchanging hugs and plans to set up upcoming hangouts.
“Think it’ll work?” She inquired, brow arched. Jiyong shrugged.
“Dunno. That’s up to them.”
╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗
October 18th
╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝
“My love, do you want to plan a picnic sometime?” Wooyoung inquired as he rolled up rice balls. San looked up from the small mason jars he had lined up on the counter, blinking owlishly.
“Where did that come from?”
“Well, you haven’t really gotten to sit down and relax at all since you’ve moved in and I feel bad. We immediately threw you into the hustle and bustle of work instead of letting you relax and explore…” Wooyoung trailed off, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. San smiled at him.
“Is it that much different from when you all came to Namhae? The very next day, you were out in the fields with Hyung and I. Besides, I’m used to keeping busy like this. My only off time was when I was home with my family. We have been relaxing when we’re here. And there was the aquarium date! That was fun!” He reminded him, humored by the pout that settled on Wooyoung’s face, clearly not thinking it was enough.
“Well, it’s not exciting if it’s just the same as Namhae!” He huffed. San arched a brow at him, pouring drinks into the mason jars.
“Then we can set up a date night. How about next weekend? We have a long weekend because of our schedule.”
Wooyoung perked and nodded, smiling from ear to ear, a bounce in his step as he began packing away the rice balls he’d made.
In front of the two, lay a spread of lunch boxes for their friends. San had come up with the idea after seeing how tired Yeosang was the other day and worrying about their other friends in their circle.
After adding a side of veggies and protein and letting Wooyoung customize each little box with a small ‘mascot’ made from the ingredients he used, the two were off for the day, making light conversation as they decided to walk through the city.
“First is Soobin and Chan, they’re the closest. If we’re lucky, we can catch Changbin working out at the gym. He’s not working until later tonight.” Wooyoung brought a finger to his chin as he worked out their game plan. San simply adjusted his grip on the box that held the mason jars, worried he’d drop them.
The two made light idle chat as they walked, eventually making their way to a spacious fitness gym just a few blocks out of the heart of the city.
The receptionist looked up, her eyes brightening as they landed on the duo.
“Oh, Wooyoung~ Good Morning! I don’t think I’ve met you, love. What’s your name?” she smiled at San, leaning on the counter and seemingly sizing him up. The dimpled man blinked in surprise.
“Oh, good morning, Miss. My name is San-”
“He’s my boyfriend, Noona.”
Her smile fell immediately and she sent Wooyoung a flat look.
“What did I tell you about coming in here with ‘off-limits’ cuties? First Yeosang, now him. What’s a girl to do?”
Wooyoung smiled casually, shrugging a shoulder. He seemed to take no offense, though San perked at the ‘off limits’ comment.
Of course, Wooyoung was in love with Yeosang, after all.
“So, does this mean I can bag Yeosang now that you have this cutie for a boyfriend?” She whispered, though San heard her clear as day. She hadn’t been trying hard to keep her volume down.
Wooyoung rolled his eyes half-heartedly.
“Not a chance in hell. Anyway, we’re going to find Chan and Soobin, byeeee.” Wooyoung beckoned San with the tilt of his jaw and San fell in step with him, catching the receptionist huffing playfully under her breath.
“Oh, so you get TWO boyfriends? Life is unfair-”
San blushed and looked over at Wooyoung.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen ya get snippy with anyone like that in regards to me before.”
Wooyoung hummed, leading him down a hall.
“You’re hot, I can’t let just anyone think they have a chance with you.” He puffed his chest out proudly, grinning when he saw San blush down to his ears before glancing away.
“Wooyoung? San? What are you two doing here?”
The pair looked up as Soobin jogged down the hall to greet them, covered in a light sheen of sweat, though San felt like the man’s kind smile made him glow even more.
“Just one of the handsome men we wanted to see~ Sannie and I made lunches for everyone since we were off anyway, so we figured we’d make sure our lovely best friends are eating properly.” Wooyoung explained, fishing into the large tote he had brought along and handing Soobin a pastel blue bento box. Soobin looked touched, peeking inside and smiling at the bunny Wooyoung had made out of the food inside the box.
“That’s so sweet…thank you both so much. I’ll go grab Chan and Changbin. They only just started their arm and chest workouts, but it’s in Chan’s private room, so I won’t be interrupting too much, I think.” He mused. Wooyoung scoffed half-heartedly and nudged San.
“What did I say? I told you Changbin would probably be here. Yeji not being here means she’s working at the bookstore, so we’ll go there after we make sure her other two-thirds are eating.”
San watched Wooyoung march forward with a soft smile on his face. He really had a way of taking charge in a myriad of situations, and this was no different. San could tell he felt back at home in his own skin since they were back in the city, though.
Wooyoung was, by no means, a quiet man, but being back in the hustle and bustle of the city only made the man bloom fully into what he assumed was his full nature. San needed a bit longer to adjust to his surroundings, and found himself being a quiet observer more often than naught.
Soobin glanced over at the man and gently pat his back, turning up the watts on his smile when San turned his attention back to him.
“How are things doing? Are you adjusting well? We didn’t get to talk much at Jongho’s party about life.” He sent him a genuine smile to ease San, as if reading the man’s wandering thoughts. San flushed and nodded, smiling at him.
“I am. Everyone is so kind. I just hope I’ve left a good impression on everyone.” He adjusted his grip on the box nervously and Soobin looked down the hall to where Wooyoung had poked his head in.
The man had clearly caught Chan and Changbin giving each other ‘reward kisses’, if the teasing was anything to go by as they approached.
“I don’t think you have to try too hard at all. You’re a very likeable and down-to-earth guy, San. I’m excited to spend more time with you and everyone else. Has everyone been welcoming you in well?” He inquired. San nodded.
“Yeah, everyone’s been so kind. I’m looking forward to the party. Wooyoung’s been working hard on his, my, and Yeosang’s costumes.”
Soobin’s smile faltered ever so slightly, seemingly waiting to see if he had a bad experience with the somewhat elusive dog trainer. When San only met his worried gaze with a curious one of his own, Soobin blinked.
Once, twice, then he relaxed his shoulders.
“Oh, is that so? Things are going well?”
San had gotten good at reading people. Soobin was trying to feel out if there was any tension between the two men. Understandable, given the circumstances, but San’s expression didn’t sour in the slightest.
“Yeah, he’s been over a couple of times for Wooyoung to take measurements before he and I get kicked out of Wooyoung’s, and I quote; ‘creative room.’” He laughed softly, though there was a fondness in his voice that caught Soobin off guard.
Yeosang was not, by any means, a disrespectful or confrontational man, so the lot of them didn’t expect him to throw a fit when he was with San, but it was still a surprise to know he had made such an impression on the man who was with Wooyoung.
They all knew how Yeosang felt about their energetic friend.
“Well then, I’m really glad everything is going well for you! If you need anything, please let me know. Of course, friends get free passes to the gym, just let Chan or I know when you’re coming.” Soobin told him before looking into the room.
“I appreciate the bento box, but do you have to be so obnoxious? We were in the middle of working out.” Changbin huffed, standing with his arms crossed. Wooyoung looked back at him like the cat that ate the canary.
“Of course. If no one else is going to give you shit, who will? I wanna know what workout you two are doing that involves so many kisses in the gym~” He teased, yelping and dodging the slap Changbin aimed at his arm.
Chan stood beside the two with a small, patient smile on his face, seemingly more than used to the shenanigans of the two. He looked up when he saw San and Soobin and made his way over to the two while Changbin and Wooyoung bickered.
“Thank you so much for the lunch. It came at the perfect time. I didn’t bring one today because we were running late this morning and I almost called Yeji to ask her if she could stop by with some on her break. I appreciate it.” He bowed to San and took the mason jars San had offered with a subtle lift of the box and a smile.
“Of course. It’s nothin’ too crazy, but I hope it’s at least filling until lunchtime.”
Chan smiled at him and finally cast a look over his shoulder when Wooyoung let out an unruly shriek.
“Alright, that’s enough, you two. Changbin, my love, let him out of the headlock and give me your box so I can put it in the fridge in my office.” Chan scolded. Immediately, the two of them froze, looking at Chan like a pair of deer in headlights before they pouted and pulled away from each other.
“ Anyway, thank you. Both of you. I’ll pay you back next time I have time.” Changbin smiled as Wooyoung fixed his hair and stood to his full height.
“Asshole, do you know how long it takes me to do my hair?” He muttered playfully before picking up the tote.
“Don’t mention it. We’re gonna go head to Yeji now. Have a good day, tell us if you like it. I tried some new things with San’s advice, so I need the feedback.” Wooyoung fixed the men with a stare until they all agreed with either nods or half-hearted ‘yeah yeahs’ (courtesy of Changbin).
Satisfied, Wooyoung stepped out of the room, kissing San’s dimple before he headed down the hall.
“C’mon baby. We need to make sure all of our lovely friends eat. Where would they be without us?” He lamented dramatically. Soobin laughed, Changbin rolled his eyes, and Chan watched the trio leave with a hand on his hip.
The two engaged in light conversation until they came across a cozy-looking bookshop with an hourglass depicted on the blade sign outside of it. Wooyoung smiled and stepped up faster, opening the door and smiling flirtatiously at San.
“After you, my love~” He winked, his chest puffing up proudly at the flustered way San cleared his throat and hustled in.
Immediately, he’s met with the scent of cinnamon sugar and vanilla.
The bookshop appears bigger on the inside, and as much as everyone has told him it was ‘small’, San was still blown away at how many different sections there were to walk through and he almost didn’t hear Yeji come over to them.
“Good morning, Binnie and Chan told me you were coming. You two got here fast, though!”
San and Wooyoung looked over, finding Yeji jogging over to them, peeling some gloves off of her hands.
“It wasn’t too far but uh-what are you doing?” San blinked owlishly as he watched her take off her apron, which had been speckled with all kinda of color smears.
“I was doing some demos for our upcoming arts and crafts day. We’re going to make some spoopy soap for Halloween and give out candy to anyone who stops by in costume.” She grinned, hands on her hips as she watched Wooyoung rummage around before handing her a bento.
“Here’s lunch!”
“Thank you~ You two are like, a pair of house-husband saviors~” She smiled and moved to a counter, glancing over at San when she saw him looking around in interest.
“Go ahead, baby boy. Look around my little shop. Let me know if you wanna check anything out.” She grinned and waved the curious man off. San smiled and nodded in thanks, moving to walk through rows upon rows of colorful books.
There were a few people littered around here and there, but given the time of day, there wasn’t a high concentration of people in the area that would make things claustrophobic.
He ran his fingers over book covers, spotting several books with beautifully crafted covers that drew his attention.
Some of them were a bit larger in size- ’That one Against the Tide thing on the table has like 3 volumes and the small paper sign says its not done?’- while some were significantly smaller. San glanced over to see Wooyoung and Yeji leaning on a counter, talking and laughing as she ate her bento.
San didn’t want to disturb them and interrupt them speaking, so instead, he plucked the closest book he could find, missing the fact he’d wandered into the section of the shop with the more explicit works.
He’d found a spot on a nearby cat-shaped bean bag on the floor and settled in, opening his book.
He was unsure how many minutes had passed, his eyes combing through the pages. He found himself engrossed in the story, though he found a bit early on that he’d grabbed not only a book from the queer adult section, but that it had also contained very vivid material on the inside.
-”Tilt your head up, I want you to look me in the eyes, Hyunjin.”
Minho is met with a slow smile stretching across his love’s ruby-red lips, the lipstick smeared at the corner. Hyunjin obliges, purring as Minho crossed the room, running his fingers through Hyunjin’s silken hair.
Then, his eyes drift down to Jisung, spent and panting, still buried deep inside of Hyunjin, the evidence of their lovemaking making a mess between their legs.
A smile stretches across Minho’s face as he leaned close, stealing a kiss from Hyunjin before he caressed Jisung, kissing him too and reveling in the man’s soft moan as he pressed Hyunjin flush against him in an attempt to feel them both.
“There’s no need to rush,” Minho chuckled, moving to settle himself in a chair just beyond their bed’s reach.
“I'd like to…savor it a bit more. Every beat of your heart, every thrum of excitement in your blood. I can taste it from here. I'm enjoying the show. Continue. I'll join when I'm ready for a bite.”-
San stared at the page slack-jawed and beet red.
Two vampires and their human lover. All of them, sharing kisses and whispers of love, standing by each other in a love story that had been…oddly domestic despite the vampiric nature of two-thirds of the main characters.
Maybe throuples like this are more common than San could have guessed…
"Whacha reading?"
San jolted and nearly hurled the book, clutching his chest with wide eyes as he looked at a mischievous Wooyoung. His boyfriend nearly cackled behind him, covering his mouth to keep himself from laughing as San gave him a half-hearted shove, standing up.
"Don't do that!" He huffed, glaring at Wooyoung. His boyfriend put his hands on his hips, proud of himself.
"Yeji and I are all done babe. We just need to drop Yeosang’s off since Yeonjun is out of town."
San glanced down at the book in his hands and cleared his throat.
"Gimmie a second. I'm gonna, uh I'm gonna buy this real quick." He shuffled along while Wooyoung hummed and moved to peruse the books himself.
"No problem, call me when you're ready, my love."
San nodded and headed off to Yeji, sheepishly putting the book in front of her. She smiled at him, glancing down at the book before humming, her brows going up just a margin.
San felt his cheeks darken even more.
"This is a pretty good series. This is the second one, though. I recommend you read the first one before you continue this. It makes their relationship feel more impactful.” She advised, smiling sweetly at San as she scanned the book regardless of his decision. He shifted from one foot to the other, worrying his lip between his teeth for a moment before he moved back to the section of the bookstore he had been in, coming back once he found the aforementioned first book.
Yeji smiled and added that one, applying an employee discount before she put them in a paper bag with a cat on the front of it.
“If you have any questions on the book or…anything similar, let me know.” She added the last part in a whisper, glancing at Wooyoung before looking at San once again.
“I- N-no it’s nothing like that. I-”
“San, I’m not assuming anything. I’m just saying…if you ever want coffee and to talk about some books, I’m your girl.” She beamed and tilted her head, smiling at him.
San looked at the bag and cleared his throat, nodding.
“Right..thank you, Yeji.” He bowed and headed back to Wooyoung, finding him pursuing the manga. He perked and smiled at San, adjusting his grip on the tote with the last bento and mason jar.
“Got everything you wanted?” He inquired. San nodded, kissing his head as they stepped out of the shop, a melodic chime following them as they went.
They had to walk significantly farther to get to the dog training facility, and San could tell it was after lunch despite their efforts to deliver the food and drink to their friends by the noon hour. The streets, while still bustling in their own right, had less suited men and women rushing to and from food shops, and San had enough room to walk side by side Wooyoung comfortably without worrying about accidentally brushing into anyone.
They still kept their hands unlinked, just in case they needed to maneuver apart as a wayward office worker or a teenager in a hurry came darting down the middle of the sidewalk, but overall, this time of day proved to be more flexible than their earlier runs.
When they finally got to the dog training facility, San could hear a cacophony of barking and yipping coming from beyond a set of heavy, tinted doors.
Wooyoung took the lead, checking first before pushing the door in, making sure no dogs were trying to make any great escapes the moment he did so. Once the coast was clear, he guided San all the way in, and the two walked up to a man and woman standing by the front. The man smiled jovially at them, his piercings shimmering in the light while the petite woman at his side rubbed her belly.
Ah, she must be the one that was heading off to her maternity leave soon.
“Kookie-hyung~ Jennie-noona~” Wooyoung practically sang, smiling ear to ear at the two. Jennie smiled back before glancing at San curiously.
“I can’t ever get you to visit with a dog, but instead, you bring a new friend?” She teased. San blushed and bowed,
“My name is San. I’m his boyfriend.”
Both her and ‘Kookie’s’ eyebrows shot up. They exchanged a look with one another before some kind of silent realization dawned on them, if the small ‘ah’s they let out was anything to go by.
San fidgeted. If Yeosang worked here and they had that kind of reaction, clearly they’d heard of him in some capacity.
“Are you looking for Yeosang? He’s started a class but Jungkook-ah can bring you to the sidelines. Just try not to distract the dogs, okay? He gets really upset when his classes are interrupted.” She advised them. Jungkook nodded and kissed her head before beckoning both men to follow him down the hall.
“Thank you, sorry for intruding.” San humbly apologized while Wooyoung waved, puffing his chest out.
“Bah, don’t worry! Yeo Yeo has a nasty habit of not eating properly when I’m not cooking for him, so we’re doing him a big favor.”
Jungkook only smiled, listening to the two before stopping outside a room with a fox painted on the door.
“Alrighty. Follow my lead, keep your voices a bit down if you can, and try not to distract him, I can see he’s already started in there.” He instructed, guiding them into a room that had a big, circular area in the center with turf. The area outside of it had raised walls so (most) dogs couldn’t get out with ease, and as asked, the two of them silently filed into the area where there were seats, opting not to stand too close to the walls, for fear they’d become a distraction for what was assumed to be a beginner class.
They were far enough that they believed they could eat their own lunches, despite the lateness, so they began rustling about as quietly as they could to eat as they watched Yeosang’s class. Once they were settled, Jungkook left them to their own devices and they watched on as Yeosang scanned the group in front of him.
His long, fluffy hair was secured under a cap and his tanktop was tucked into his pants as Yunho stood dutifully at his side. He looked more like a military drill sergeant than what San had expected a dog trainer to look like.
It was quite…quite an impressive look, if he was being honest.
“When you are here, it is not just the dogs that will be trained. You yourselves, as their owners and companions, will be training alongside them. That is the most important thing here. During my classes, you and your dogs are equals , and I will train you both as such. A dog can be as well-behaved and wonderful as can be, but the moment they are put around reckless people, gradually, over time, that behavior switches. It changes. And it does not take much of a dogs bad behavior before society deems them a risk and I'm sure you all know what happens then." The black-haired man made a gun motion with his hand and Yunho immediately flopped onto his back, tongue out as he stayed still, playing dead,
Yeosang strolled past the dog before he patted his own thigh, giving him a treat as Yunho immediately rolled back onto his paws and appeared at his side.
“The best thing that can prevent a dog biting or fighting incident is proper training of both the owners and their canines. And that’s why you all are with me.”
San watched, chewing quietly as Yeosang walked back and forth past his class. He could see some people listening with rapt attention-he was one of them-while others rolled their eyes, surely thinking the trainer was "over dramatic".
Wooyoung took a sip from his mason jar, leaning on San as he spoke quietly.
"Yeosang really loves dogs. Training is his passion. It pisses me off that some of them think this is a game." He muttered. San chewed thoughtfully and watched as Yunho sat dutifully in the same spot, despite all of the dogs and people in the training ring.
At one point, the giant dog’s eyes move towards them, there is a subtle wag to his tail, but he remains unmoving.
The two watch while whispering, not wanting to disturb the dogs or their owners. Yeosang’s face remains calm, yet authoritative as he trains, never raising his voice over a certain volume, every movement and instruction precise and to the point.
San found himself unable to tear his eyes off of him. Wooyoung is the same.
“Today’s lesson is over. Report cards will be sent out by the end of the day for the lesson’s progress, along with ‘homework’. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions between now and our next lesson.”
Wooyoung finally stood as the group began to filter out, leashing up their dogs and dispersing while talking amongst themselves. San is right behind him, though both of them hang back as one of the trainees walked up to Yeosang, smiling handsomely at him.
“I really appreciate your lesson, Yeosang-nim~ With your help, Coco and I will be just as impressive as you and Yunho in no time.” He grinned, holding a pomeranian under his arm. Yeosang glanced and then crossed his arm.
“Remember my lesson about the detriments of carrying your dogs unless necessary, Lee-nim. You do not want to give Coco a complex by always carrying her just because she is small.”
Lee nodded, though he didn’t seem too interested in what Yeosang was saying, rather, his eyes subtly combing over his face, and chest, and even darting down to admire his abs once he stood back up after setting Coco down.
San pursed his lips, a small nagging in the back of his mind as he watched the two.
Agitation.
“You’re the best teacher I’ve seen in this place, Sang-nim. Could I ask you out for dinner as a thanks?” He inquired, his eyebrows going up flirtatiously.
Yeosang blinked, the calm expression on his face shifting ever so slightly to one of surprise before suddenly Wooyoung tossed an arm over Yeosang’s shoulder, dangling off of the man’s side and smiling with a tilt to his head.
“Sorry! We have some food for Yeosangie already. Dinner too, we’ve already made plans for him.”
Yeosang looked at him, his face didn’t betray the confusion he felt, and Wooyoung was grateful, his eyes never leaving Lee’s face.
He could see the way the shorter man’s eyes narrowed subtly before he sniffed, wiping his nose.
“Oh, next time, then, Sangie-nim .” His voice dripped in the untold challenge, and then he turned and headed out of the training ring, his Pomeranian following at his side with hurried footsteps.
Wooyoung didn’t take his eyes off of him until he was out of view, muttering in displeasure.
“I don’t like him.”
“Since when did we have dinner plans?” Yeosang inquired, the neutral expression of his face changing into a more casual, expressive one now that he wasn’t teaching.
“Since just now because that guy is a creep. I mean, who asks out their tutor?” Wooyoung began rambling, never moving from his spot leaning on Yeosang. The slightly older man let him speak, calmly watching him with a smile on his face until San moved closer, drawing his attention.
He held up the box Wooyoung had left behind when he moved to his side, looking Yeosang in the eyes and smiling softly.
“You must be hungry. We made bento boxes for everyone. Even Yunho.” He offered, keeping his hand extended.
Yeosang looked at it for a beat longer than the others had, but then he took it, smiling softly.
“I see. That’s sweet of you. I appreciate it. Yunho-” Yeosang made a motion with his hand, and in a flash, Yunho’s massive form appeared, licking at both Wooyoung and San’s hand before sitting in front of his owner.
Yeosang gently moved away from Wooyoung, making sure he did not lose his balance before he crouched down to set up the food they had made for the canine first.
Wooyoung bent down, petting Yunho and cooing to him, eyes half-lidded.
“Yeah, Yuyu. That guy is stinky, anyway, you don’t want him taking your papa out to dinner either, do you?” He talked to the animal as if he were human. Yunho blinked at him, head tilting before he licked Wooyoung’s hand, as if that were the response to a command he hadn’t quite learned yet.
Yeosang-and San-glanced at him at the comment, yet neither said a word.
"I appreciate you for making a bento for me and including Yunho. Thank you, both of you." Yeosang bowed slightly, sitting with his legs crossed on the ground beside Yunho as he inspected the bento, a genuine, big smile coming to his face when he saw the small character they'd made out of the bento's contents, the floral-themed 'Hethetmon' staring back at him.
Wooyoung smiled triumphantly and watched as Yeosang ate.
"I knew you'd be more focused on training your classes than eating properly-again-so we put extra in yours."
Yeosang chewed thoughtfully, humming.
"I guess I did forget."
San frowned and put a hand on his hip, looking at the man in disapproval.
"You can't forget things like that, Yeosang-ah. Your health is important. Please take care of yourself."
Yeosang’s gaze shifted to him, calm, yet doe-like and for a second, San could swear he felt a sound akin to a fax machine struggling to work in his brain.
He and Wooyoung have such pretty eyes.
San panicked, tripping over his own words as he quickly added; "Besides, who's going to take care of Yunho when you get sick?"
Yeosang hummed quietly before nodding, petting the canine as he finished his dog-safe bento.
"Probably Soobin."
Wooyoung let out a scandalized gasp.
"You didn't even hesitate! What about me!?"
"Wooyoung, I don't trust you with my plants , I damn sure aren't trusting you with my dog."
Wooyoung clung to his chest, falling to his knees dramatically.
"See that, San? We make him a beautiful lunch, and he wounds me! Blasphemy! Gimme back my damn food, then!"
Yeosang smiled, and it reached his eyes, a spark of mischief in it as he started eating noticeably faster. Wooyoung narrowed his gaze and lunged at him half-heartedly, though he tumbled a bit too far forward, falling on top of Yeosang and nearly knocking the food out of his hand as he moved to catch him.
The two lay on each other in an awkward heap. Wooyoung went beet red to his ears, his face entirely too close to Yeosang’s as he tried to gather his bearings.
What San had believed to be Yeosang’s "normal" deadpan calm around Wooyoung’s shenanigans was broken in an instant, his face dark red as he stared at him, mouth agape.
The two stared at each other like deer in headlights, and San was certain neither of them were actually breathing .
Hell, he didn't know if he was.
But he recovered first-naturally, he wasn't directly involved, after all-and he spoke first.
"Are you two okay?"
Wooyoung swallowed thickly, sitting up and clearing his throat.
“Y-yeah- sorry I didn’t mean to knock you over-”
Yeosang cleared his throat, sitting up and speaking quietly.
“I’m okay…don’t worry.” He muttered, eating with his head down. Wooyoung bit his lip and looked at San with an almost sheepish expression.
“We’ll go on ahead. I’ll make a big dinner. You can stop by if you have time. Okay?” he offered, pausing to wait for an answer. He got a small nod in response, as Yeosang found his gaze transfixed on the meal in his slightly shaking hand.
Wooyoung laced his fingers in with San’s, and the countryman couldn’t help but to notice the small amount of clamminess to them.
San waved goodbye, pulling him outside.
The two walked in silence until they got home.
Wooyoung came to a stop before they got to the door, his eyebrows pulled up. San looked back at him.
“Wooyoung?”
“I’m…sorry.”
San felt the heaviness in his tone and turned his full attention towards him.
“Why?”
“I…God, I’m such a horrible boyfriend, aren’t I? It looks like I’m throwing myself at him and I…I swear I’m not trying to be disrespectful to you, I love you, I just-I have these habits that die hard and around Yeosang I-”
“-you still love him.”
Wooyoung’s fingers twitched in San’s grip. He didn’t meet his gaze, but San could see the storm settling on his face. He didn’t deny the statement, and while his gaze was fixed on the ground, tears welled up in his eyes.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I’m such a shitty boyfriend.”
San pursed his lips and gently twisted his hand out of Wooyoung’s grip. Wooyoung took the action as a rejection and slumped his shoulders.
San didn’t want the miscommunication to escalate, so he wrapped his arms around Wooyoung, pulling him into a strong hug.
“Please answer me honestly. Do you love me?”
“Of course I do! I-”
San pushed forward.
“Do you love Yeosang, still?”
“.....”
“Wooyoung, I need you to be honest with me. I have never told you a lie since we met, just answer me.”
“...yes.”
San caressed his cheeks as he sobbed, holding his wrists. Wooyoung looked torn up as he stood in front of him, hiccuping as tears ran down his cheek. The empathetic part of San felt his own eyes water at seeing him like this.
The other part, felt relief.
San kissed the top of his head.
“So, what’s wrong with that?”
Wooyoung nearly didn’t hear him. Between his hiccups and sobs, San’s calm voice was nearly drowned out.
“W-what?”
“So what, you love him. You also love me. And I have never doubted that from the day you told me for the first time.”
Wooyoung looked at him, still crying, though he’d been shocked out of saying anything further. San ran his thumb over his eyes, humming quietly.
“A…aren’t you mad?”
“Wooyoung, I have had a lot of time to think about this since we got here, hell, since you told me back in Namhae. And you know what? No. I’m not. It’s not such a scary concept, you loving him as well. It doesn’t bother me at all.”
Wooyoung’s eyes flooded with tears as he squeezed San tight, sobbing into his shoulder as they stood in the doorway of their home.
He felt selfish, he felt anxious, he felt like he was stabbing his love in the back.
And yet, those few words, they calmed the chaotic waters of his mind, a lifted weight from his chest.
Wooyoung loved San. He loved Yeosang. He’d convinced himself long ago that he’d never get to truly share his love with Yeosang as deeply as it ran, but this alone, brought him solace.
San ran his hands through Wooyoung’s hair, kissing him softly.
His boyfriend was plenty overwhelmed right now.
San didn’t feel it appropriate to mention the other thing tumbling around in his mind.
That he also felt a subtle pull he’d felt before.
With the boy he’d invited to the festival, with Wooyoung.
Now, with Yeosang.
The undeniable tug at his heart; yearning.
Instead, he guided Wooyoung into their home, the chill of the October air reminding them that they were, in fact, still outside. He brought him over to the couch, sitting him down and pulling him into his arms once more, just rocking with the man and letting him cry.
Wooyoung ended up laying in his arms, the energy expelled from his episode leaving him asleep in San's embrace, cheeks still red. San carried him upstairs, tucking him into bed with a kiss to his head before he sighed and moved downstairs to cook on his own.
He made a quick stir fry, thankful for all the cooks he had in his immediate circle that he got to study from. San was sure he wouldn't be able to do half the technical things he'd learned to do from them on his own.
San headed back upstairs once he was finished, casting a small glance over his shoulder at the front door.
Yeosang hadn't stopped by.
San pushed back the sadness he felt and instead focused on not tripping with him and Wooyoung’s food on the platter the two of them bought for their home.
Wooyoung perked when he entered the room, the scent waking him in an instant.
"San…? Oh- shit, I fell asleep? I was supposed to help, I'm sorry!”
“Shh, it's not much but it should be enough to get a full, happy belly,” San told him, handing him his plate first. Wooyoung tiredly ate, for once not filling the silence with any animated talking or anything of the sort.
San didn't press him on it, eating just as quietly and cleaning up shortly afterwards.
When he came back to the room for the second time, he found Wooyoung dozing, looking at him with half-lidded eyes. He reached for him, making a small noise as San laced their fingers together and climbed into bed with him.
He stared at San for a while, his blinks getting noticeably longer as his breathing began to even out.
"I love you." He tiredly muttered, finally closing his eyes to rest for the night. San kissed his head and held him close.
"I love you too." San chuckled softly and nosed his hair, just listening to his heartbeat and breathing.
They stayed like that until San felt his own eyes getting heavy, and soon he, too, fell asleep.
Despite the high-strung emotions of the evening, he found that his mind wasn’t quite done running amok.
╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗
. . . . .
╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝
“Show me your face, beautiful.”
San moved closer to the bed, cupping Wooyoung’s face lovingly. Wooyoung looked up, lips stained ruby red.
They’re smudged, right in the corner.
Bite marks trail down his neck, and he leans into San’s hand, keening as he kisses his palm. There’s melted love shining in his eyes as he sat up higher on his knees to kiss him. San caressed him, pulling him flush against his bigger body, making sure he felt how excited he’d become in the time they’d spent in there.
Then, another voice.
“Starting without me? You’re really spoiling him.”
San cracked his eyes open, exhaling sharply when his eyes locked onto another’s, a chin suddenly resting on Wooyoung’s shoulder.
“Yeosang,” he breathed, eyeing the man with an undeniable want rumbling in his voice. Yeosang smiled, a calm devilish vibe to counter Wooyoung’s needy squirming and panting between them.
His lips were swollen from kisses, a telltale smear of red on them.
It went without question where they came from, as he got his answer to the unasked statement moments later when Wooyoung turned his head, his neck bared as he kissed him.
It was needy, near desperate, and San felt himself throbbing with need, grinding on Wooyoung’s thigh. Wooyoung moaned into his kiss, flexing his thigh one moment and pressing his ass back the next.
Yeosang broke the kiss and pushed him forward just enough to press him flush against San, catching the slightly younger man’s attention before he pulled him in for a kiss, capturing his lips with the same hunger he did Wooyoung’s.
San felt a spark run up and down his body. His hips jerk and he buck as Wooyoung teased his nipples with his thumbs, mouthing at his neck and creating more ruby-red smears.
He was melting. San felt like he was going to slip through the sheets in a puddle, especially when they switched positions, and suddenly he was in the middle, with both Wooyoung and Yeosang grinding and humping his thighs.
“Sorry for the mess~” Wooyoung half-heartedly apologized, leaving a glistening trail of precum on San’s thigh as he hugged his waist. San opened his mouth to respond, but was met with the sound of his own jerky moan as Yeosang wrapped his hand around his cock, stroking him.
“Oh, I’m not. I’m going to make sure you make an even bigger one.” he promised, looking him in the eyes. San gasped and bucked into his hand before whimpering when his chin was grabbed by the man.
His hair was down, fluffy and wild as he looked him in the eyes.
“Hang on a bit longer, darling. After all, we have to keep you nice and hard for our Woo-ya, don’t we?” He purred into his ear, nipping his lobe as San nearly came in his hand. Wooyoung keened in excitement beside them, trading kisses between both of their chests before he moved to their lips, hovering over them both.
San wondered what it would feel like to share a kiss. It probably would be messy between the three of them.
He wanted it. Found himself leaning in for it.
He’s so close-
“Sannie?”
San jolted, eyes opening in an instant before he hissed and shut them, feeling the sunlight stream directly into them. He groaned and opened them back once he’d raised his arm, squinting to find Wooyoung peering up at him.
His eyes were still puffy from crying, and his face a bit swollen, but San was happy to see he’d gotten some color back to his cheeks.
“Good morning.” San groggily muttered. Wooyoung glanced down between them without saying a word before he looked up at him once more, slow blinking.
“I bet it is. Did you sleep well?”
It took San a moment to realize what he meant. He got his answer mere moments later when he felt the telltale throbbing between his legs as Wooyoung raised his thigh between them.
He went beet red and Wooyoung smiled softly, kissing his nose.
“Do you need a hand? Is it okay if I help?” He inquired. There was a hesitation in his tone that made San sober up from his flushed state for a moment. Wooyoung had certainly been worried still, and it was to be expected.
San didn’t like all the apprehension his boyfriend was beginning to feel around him, however.
Instead, he cupped his face, looking into his eyes. The same ones that always looked at him so full of bold love and mischievous energies now held a worried edge to them as Wooyoung put his hand over San’s, waiting.
“I don’t want to do anything like that while you’re worried about me being mad at you. If we do anything intimate, it should be because we both want to feel good, not because you feel you have to or need to.”
Wooyoung’s lips parted as if he was going to protest the notion before he stopped, thought about it, and nodded. He seemed to think about it in earnest before he scooted closer to San, kissing him gently.
“I want to.”
San fixed him in place with a heated, half-lidded stare, before he pulled him into his lap, stealing a kiss and squeezing Wooyoung’s ass until there was no space left between the two of them.
Wooyoung’s arms wrapped lazily around his shoulders, kissing him with a slow, almost methodical pace. San didn’t mind, nor did he rush, sighing into the kiss and leaning against the headboard. The two of them messily pushed their pajama pants down, haphazardly discarding it elsewhere in the bed.
With freedom of movement now, Wooyoung placed his palm on San’s chest, lightly raking his nails down his pectoral as he kissed down his neck, rolling his slender hips down. He could feel San’s cock smearing precum over his own and a thrum of excitement ran up and down his spine when he chanced a glance up, finding San leveling him with his signature feline narrowed gaze. His jaw locked ever so slightly as big, calloused hands cupped his ass to pull him flush against him once more and control their pace and movement.
Wooyoung held his gaze, though he felt the heat creep up his neck as San tilted his chin up ever so slightly, eyes combing over his frame before landing back on his face, lips quirking ever so slightly at the shiver the simple motion caused in his boyfriend.
“When you look at me like that, I lose my train of thought.”
“I’m more than happy to take over, then. You can sit back and let me do it.”
Simple, it was so simple, yet those words made Wooyoung shudder even more as he licked suddenly dry lips. He rolled them until San was on top, his hair splayed around on the pillow like a silken halo.
San kissed down his neck and torso, pushing his thighs apart and making him hold them open as he fished around for the lube in their nightstand. He made a mental note they needed to buy more later before he coated his fingers, teasing his rim as he nipped his pelvis.
“You're trembling in anticipation.”
Wooyoung looked away, cheeks strawberry-tinted as he fumbled in his attempt to catch his breath. San smiled and got in his face, turning his face so he met his eyes.
“Don’t look away.”
Wooyoung shuddered and rolled his tongue over the inside of his cheek. Neither man said anything and eventually, Wooyoung tilted his head up, lips brushing over San’s jaw.
“I won’t, then.”
He didn’t keep his voice down the second time around, moaning as San meticulously stretched him open, leaving love bites and kisses all over his shoulders and neck.
San stopped when Wooyoung’s hand flew down to his wrist, gripping tight as he shuddered, meeting his eyes as he panted.
“I can’t- I’ll cum-”
San smiled, rewarding him with a kiss, slicking himself up.
Wooyoung wiggled in impatient anticipation beneath him, eventually wrapping his arms around his neck as he felt San finally press against him, both of his palms pressed at either side of his head. Wooyoung nearly bit back the moan of delight that tumbled out of his mouth as San pressed into him. His mouth fell open instead, a moan of wanton abandon rumbling out of his throat as he rolled his hips down, urging San deeper.
The slightly older man fisted the sheets near his head, hips rolling down with slow, practiced motions. He’d knew Wooyoung’s body better than his own in this regard in the very short time they’d had together.
The wicked little devil on his shoulder reminded him of flashes of his dream, a certain dog trainer’s hands running up and down his body as he thrusted into Wooyoung.
Maybe it was heat of the moment, maybe it was the fog of his somewhat sleep-riddled brain, but San found himself slipping up as Wooyoung moaned for him.
“San~ San, faster, please -”
“So fucking pretty for us- ”
Wooyoung looked up at him, blinking in confusion before he choked on a moan as San’s cock curved just right.
“W-what-”
San felt his cheeks growing hot, but he bit his lip, leaning down so Wooyoung’s couldn’t see his face-hypocritical, he knew, but he worried if he held his gaze, he’d falter in his words.
He already slipped, might as well continue letting his thoughts freefall.
“Do you want to know what my dream was about?” He growled, sucking at a yet-to-be-marked part of Wooyoung’s neck. He whimpered and gasped, trying to look at him. San sped up instead, distracting him with every pleasurable brush to his prostate.
“S-San-? Fuck! Wait fuck, I c-can’t think straight if you’re-fucking hitting it so much, shit -”
San slowed to a stop, growling and swearing underneath his breath as he looked at Wooyoung. The young chef panted, eyes glazed over and slightly frustrated at the loss. He looked up at San, searching his eyes.
“What did you d-dream about that was so good you’re bringing it up now?” He huffed, partially teasing him and partially urging him to take the hint and keep thrusting. His hand moved up to cup San’s cheek and instead, he felt him wrap his fingers around his wrist, kissing his palm as he looked into his eyes.
“Yeosang was there. The way he touched both of us was addicting.”
Wooyoung’s eyes widened, his lips parting as he clenched slightly. San’s eyes narrowed as he ran his teeth over his palm.
“You clenched. Does it turn you on that I had that kind of dream? With both of you in it?”
Wooyoung shuddered, searching San’s face for any signs of dishonesty. Naturally, there were none, and San took the time to resume thrusting, keeping his pace deep and slow so Wooyoung could hear everything he had to say.
“I never…mm, minded you liking him so much but I can see why you do. You two have good chemistry, darling.”
Wooyoung’s fingers flexed along his cheek, his other weaving into his hair as the words made his cheeks darken San’s satoori bounced around his head like a hymn, and Wooyoung felt his mind swirl, a spark of hope and desire in the muddied thoughts.
“Do you think you’d try to hide your moans more or less if he was here too, touching you with me? Do you think you’d try and talk back to him while you kiss, only to crumble mid-way because my cock feels too good and you can’t focus?”
“San, oh my god- ” Wooyoung clenched again, tugging San’s hair to ground himself as San suddenly sped up, growling in need. The bed rocked below them, the headboard hitting the wall at an off-tempo pace as San’s hands ran all up and down Wooyoung’s body.
“Keep moanin’. You sound so pretty like that, baby. You’ll drive us crazy.”
Wooyoung clenched tighter, closing his eyes. The room had begun the spin from how hot he was, his thighs shaking as he listened to San purr his fantasy out to him.
It made him throb, his cock red and hard as a rock against his abdomen as he imagined Yeosang’s soft fingers all over his body, contrasting with San’s rough work-worn ones.
Wooyoung looked up at him, eyes begging, though all that fell from his lips were disjointed and desperate pleas for more.
“S-San-! San I c-can’t, I-I need to cum, please, please- ”Wooyoung’s voice was airy and desperate as his eyes rolled back, the lube making a slick mess between his cheeks. San laced their fingers together and kissed him, claiming every inch of his mouth as he rocked forward, hell-bent on making him fall apart first.
“D-Do you think Yeosang would go wild listening to you moan like this? Mm?”
That seemed to do it for Wooyoung, and he threw his head back with a shaky gasp and moan, thick spurts of cum making a mess of both his and San’s abdomens. San kissed him, languidly mapping out every part of Wooyoung’s mouth as he came inside, purring sweet nothings against his lips.
It took the two longer than usual to come down from the adrenaline of their lovemaking, but when they did, Wooyoung pulled back first, looking up at San with flushed cheeks and a curious slow blink.
“So that was…something.”
San cleared his throat and blushed, looking back down at him. While a moment ago he spoke with a deep satoori purr and a seductive smile, now he was speaking airily and softly as the reality of their encounter sunk in.
“I think I like Yeosang too.”
Wooyoung blinked at him, lips parting.
“...wait that wasn’t just you teasing me?”
San flushed darker and hid his face in Wooyoung’s shoulder, muttering incoherently. Wooyoung combed his fingers through pastel pink locks and kissed San’s jaw, his heart fluttering.
“How about we get cleaned up? We can talk about it when you’re ready…?” He left the sentence open-ended and waited for a moment, smiling and laughing quietly at the small nod that followed a few moments later.
“Breakfast first?” San muttered. Wooyoung laughed, his eyes crinkling with joy.
“Breakfast first.”
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i feel a lil bad asking this right when a lot of people are excited for hostile takeover, but for financial reasons, i might need to start putting some of my energy into more serious original projects again.
i'm not pausing HT — i don't think i could stop thinking about those lezbots if i tried — but being able to take breaks to work on other things tends to be good for my energy levels in general.
and honestly, when i first started, i thought HT itself was just going to be a quick break from those projects, and now i'm four months in and my plans keep growing >.>
anyway, the purpose of this post is that i wanted to gauge interest. i know most people follow me for murder drones stuff, but do any of the original stories i'm considering interest you?
more detailed pitches for each of these can be found under the cut. honesty is appreciated.
a note before i pitch them — when i write original fiction, i post it to my site and a site for original fiction called royalroad. i'll probably reserve my ao3 account for, yknow, fanfiction.
the plan is that while the stories will eventually be available publically, supporters to my patreon will get to read several chapters ahead of everyone else.
Aurora Moonrise
It is the nature of comets to dazzle and destroy. These eldritch spirits from beyond the stars grind kingdoms to dust with joyful ease. Only the power of a daughter of the moon can repel them. There are none left.
Aurora knows she is different. Her father is a plain man, and her mother is a mystery. Her prismatic hair, her divergent mind, her inability to weave common enchantments — it must come from her mother's side. But her mother is gone and no one will say why or where or anything. It's enough to make her want to fight someone.
And Aurora fights — people, animals, spirits, it doesn't matter. She doesn't want to hurt them, but it's thrilling. She'll just have to become a knight — knights get to fight things, right? And knights get answers to who their parents were.
When a cursed storm leaves Aurora glowing in the light of the full moon, she awakens new powers she can't control. Powers unheard of, except in those old stories.
But the word on the lips of churchmen is witchcraft — communion with unnatural spirits that spells doom.
Will she defend humanity? Or is she a threat to it?
pitching this one is hard, because the most interesting thing about is a twist reveal at the end of the first arc. at first, you can see it's framed to suggest — and Aurora initially believes — her mother is a "daughter of the moon", but of course, she's actually a comet.
as the poll option suggests, her inhuman heritage makes urges her to fight and hinders her ability to understand the basics of human social interaction.
this would be a long story, lighter in tone than the others, and structured like a fantasy trilogy, about Aurora journeying across the land doing what she thinks heroes do. along the way, she picks up several party members with their own weird baggage. all of them girls, of course, and it gets very gay by the end — but it's slow going because, yknow, aurora doesn't understand romance, either.
i'm very excited about this project — just thinking about it is enough to get me bouncing. you can actually read a four chapter teaser right now, and i have over 70k words of notes past that, with the whole thing outlined start to finish.
Thy Wretched Mask
Everyone wants to peel off their skin and scream into the night. You're just supposed to keep a handle on that.
Beca's trying. Now on the run, she'll just have to get it right in a new town. She's got nothing to her name save a pet raven, but a little pickpocketing will change that. Maybe a burglary or two. As long as she doesn't tear someone's flesh apart in broad daylight, she could keep things controlled.
It's a lonely life, but friendship is only temptation. She should just keep to herself. So why does she listen when the woman from the shadows talks? They're making an offer that could lift her off the streets for good.
The catch? She has to kill someone. Again. That's definitely too much temptation.
once again, the most interesting parts of this are a surprise. Beca isn't human; she's saddled predatory instincts she doesn't understand. the "fungal possession" comes into play several chapters in. it gets intense enough that i believe it's one of the few times i've teared up while writing something, and it's so far the first and only time i've written something that explores topics of plurality, which is pretty personal to us
i say HT is the first time i've written romance (and it is), but TWM came close, and would have gotten even closer if i continued it.
i've already written over 20k words of this (unpublished), but due to the writing exercise it began as, it requires substantial rewrites; i cringe when i try to reread it, and it honestly makes the prospect of returning a bit unexciting.
this would probably only about the length of a novel. (original projection was novella length, but i think i want to flesh it out more.)
of all of my potential projects, i think this one is probably the biggest thematic overlap with Hostile Takeover. but uh, it's dark enough to make that look like a sappy romance >.<
Running Out of Skin & Time
Tomorrow, a lord will be flayed alive. Once his flesh, freely given, is woven into a vast frame, enchanted scars will turn him into a living portal, a gift that could turn a blightstricken town into a bustling trade nexus.
Apnoe has woken up beside the same dead girl three nights in a row. The lord's flaying is tomorrow — same as it was for the last three nights. She's the only one who's noticed. Assassins lurk in the flaying festival's crowds, and when they strike the lord dead, the whole town watches their dreams crumble, and then Apnoe wakes again as if from a dream. She knew this quite well; on the first night, she had killed him.
Scarred flesh grants magic. How deep a wound did it take to make every living soul in the city relive the same day? It wasn't Apnoe's, and she doesn't know why only she remembers, but then again, most scar magic treats her differently. After all, she's dead half the time.
Apnoe would kill to end this nightmare — but it seems the only way out is saving a man who'll die tomorrow anyway.
of all the options, this story is the least well flesh out (no pun intended), but it has a lot of potential. a "time loop" where a character relives the same day over and over is something not enough stories explore well
(if it means anything to you, the inspiration for this fic was literally just thinking "what if the Shibuya Incident was a time loop?")
i call this "superhero fantasy" because, while i havent figured out the tech level (it's industrial, but how modern?), the magic system gives everyone unique and specific abilities that are easiest to imagine as superpowers.
the time loop effect itself is the rube goldberg interaction of half a dozen powers, and part of the fic is puzzling out just how it works, as well as puzzling out how to overcome the various powers arrayed against the lord.
it would be a very complex, cerebral fic, all about power progression and fight scenes, but at its heart, i want it to be the story of two dead girls who love each other enough to unravel fate itself
A Chimerical Hope
Duskroot is destroyed. A minor stronghold, its enemies were cunning and coordinated and its allies didn't lift a hand. As vultures at a corpse, mercenaries hunt for survivors.
Awelah escaped Duskroot. She lost everything. Vengeance drives her, but can she kill a angel beyond death?
Ooliri's mission is to aid the refugees. He has to prove he belongs in a family of medical geniuses. But healing isn't enough — can he bring the dead back to life?
Makuja seeks safety among the refugees. Death and servitude leaves her gaze empty. It's easy to be a follower, but is there a purpose worth living for?
First, the three need answers. A grand scheme is unfolding, and Duskroot was only the first step.
unlike all of the others, this isn't an idea for a story, or a plan for a story, it is a story, one i've written 100k words for. you can read it here
it's set in an expansive setting i've spent literal years thinking about with giant insects empowered by virulent mutant bat blood and cold black corruption pouring out from a hole in the sky.
it's also, shamelessly, only avoids being called naruto fanfiction by dint of sheer weirdness
Aurora Moonrise may be the story i'm most excited about, but ACH is the one with the most ambition and purpose behind it. if i could only ever tell one story in my life, it'd probably make it ACH. it might be over a million words if i ever finish it
but i also think it's probably too weird to get very popular.
And so on
if you can't tell already, i have a LOT of story ideas. before i ever watched murder drones, would you believe i was literally already working on a story about killer lesbian robots on a inhospitable frozen planet haunted by a creeping cosmic horror?
and i'm kind of tempted to work on a story about modular mushroom creatures that live underground. or a fricken pokemon mystery dungeon self-insert i've already finished one chapter of.
and of course, i have several other stories i could continue working on.
but like, the stories i've listed are the ones i can honestly say i might work on right now. and, practically speaking, the stories that might genuinely takeoff, if i dare hope.
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hey hii helloooo
i've been interested in your feral pk au for a while now, but i've been struggling to get around to reading everything
could you perhaps compress the information and possibly add some little fun facts and details that you think are interesting?
(also little side question, does pk purr, and would grimm be able to purr as well?)
(apologies if you've already answered questions like this)
Hiiiii
Of course, I'm always glad to talk about the AU and I don't mind detailing everything, even if I'm repeating myself! Quite the opposite actually, some details change with time so I think it's nice to sort of "refresh" the general background of the AU.
I'll put it under the "read more" thing, this is likely going to be very long since I'm not very good at keeping things short and brief hahah. Also, I'll primarily focus on FPK as he's the main point of the whole AU, but I'll sprinkle in some additional info about the other crucial characters.
Here's the timeline for the AU, and under the cut you can find the detailed summary of the events.
---
I'll start at the very beginning since it's crucial for FPK's later character development. He was born a runt, so from the moment he hatched from an egg he was smaller and weaker than his siblings (and significantly lighter in color due to his leucism). For that reason he built a very close, but unfortunately unhealthy relationship with his mother. She saw him as weak, and so he tried everything he could to make her proud. But as wyrms do with their young, she eventually abandoned him to fend for himself, which gave him terrible abandonment anxiety as he believed that his failure to meet her expectations was the reason why she left.
Along the way, he developed very unhealthy eating habits. Being the weak one of the litter, he always had to fight for his food, otherwise it would be stolen from him. This left a permanent mark on his brain development, and to this very day he eats in a very quick and greedy manner if he feels even a little bit anxious. This plays a big role later in his life when he decides to create a kingdom.
I'll refer to FPK with his name, Vyrm, from now on. It is the original spelling of his species' name used where he comes from, one which he later adapted as his own name, though "wyrm" is the spelling used in Hallownest. FPK is what I usually use for the tags and in posts since I'm used to it, although "Pale King" is not actually part of his name in the AU anymore.
Throughout his early life, he had to constantly worry about being killed and eaten by other members of his kind. Cannibalism was a trait extremely common for wyrms due to lack of prey of their size, a side effect of the mutation that allowed them to stop aging - they outlived the other giant creatures of the region and were left with no sufficient food. This prompted Vyrm to find new ways of defending himself, which led him to learning soul magic from the ancient tablets left by the gods, made to assist any being that manages to decipher their meanings. Around this time, he developed a rising interest in the tiny bugs he often encountered, and seeing their attempts at forming communities, he believed he could become their equal and help them, to show the world and himself that he wasn't as destructive and cruel as the rest of his kind. So after traveling towards the mountains, he used a powerful spell that reduced his form to something that wouldn't frighten them, and eventually created Hallownest after giving many of the bugs in that area sapience.
The White Lady was the first being he encountered that helped him get back on his feet after the mentally draining change of form, and as he got attached to her, his childhood trauma kicked in - he wouldn't figure out that he was gay until much, much later, and since his bond with his mother was the only form of love he experienced thus far, he assumed that what he felt towards The White Lady was love. Unfortunately, this meant that his idea of love was obsessing over making her happy and meeting all of her expectations, a mindset that proved to be quite devastating for his mental health in the long run.
WL is a being that's very cold and distant in nature, at times appearing self-absorbed, and her ideal vision of her marriage to Vyrm unfortunately went against his more shy and emotional nature. He would sacrifice his own happiness so as not to upset her, and she sadly failed to notice how much that stressed him out. He was to attend important meetings, deliver speeches during royal events, and satisfy her needs, and he obliged, no matter how unhappy it made him. Here is a post that goes more in detail about their relationship.
Another very important reason for his continuous anxiety and decline in health was his refusal to eat food. Ever since learning the spell, he sustained himself with soul as opposed to eating, for a very simple reason - he knew how feral he was when eating, and he did not want to scare his subjects. On top of that, he feared being seen as a hypocrite, as he always encouraged the mortals to reject their beastly instincts. For the longest time, it appeared to have no negative side effects, but following his divorce with The White Lady (which was a result of their disagreements over the vessel plan as well as all the built up tension between them), he started showing signs of starvation. His body became very skinny, and he would frequently fall sick. Any attempts at eating food only backfired, as his stomach wasn't used to it.
But to rewind a little bit - some time after he married WL, he met Grimm. Grimm is the brother of The Radiance and one of the children of The Dream Lord, the king of The Gods' Plane. Soon before their father perished in the fight with The Shade Lord, they were both given a share of his domain to rule over - The Radiance was meant to control the dream essence, guard the happy dreams of bugs and give them hope, while Grimm (also known as The Nightmare at the time) looked after the nightmare essence, the bugs' nightmares and fears, and helped the mortals overcome and learn from them. To his sister's disapproval, he did not see eye to eye with her vision of godhood - he did not care for worship, and instead created himself a physical form to spend time with the mortals, whom he gained a fondness towards. They disagreed, she was paranoid about him conspiring against her and overthrowing her, and they eventually fought, which ended with Grimm's defeat and exile from The Gods' Plane. He began calling himself The Nightmare King to spite his sister, though he introduced himself as Grimm in the physical plane. Ever since, he has to periodically replace his physical body as the weakened Nightmare Heart is unable to sustain it indefinitely. He calls that process the ritual.
Grimm and Vyrm's first meeting wasn't exactly what you'd expect. Grimm had a fondness for pleasure, he loved to drink and make love (though his reasons for the latter were rooted in his loneliness and desperation for intimacy). And he saw Vyrm as the next name on his list of casual flings. However, as they talked, Grimm started noticing things about Vyrm that struck him personally. He could see the loneliness and sadness in his eyes, something that resonated with him. He was just as lonely, yearning for a fulfilling and intimate life that he witnessed in his interactions with the mortals, but aware of the fact that his immortality prevented him from finding true love and living that ideal life that he wanted. Hearing Vyrm's passionate rambles about his hobby, and sensing that similar loneliness, he thought that perhaps by helping the wyrm, he could help himself. So they became friends, very close friends, and although Grimm has had feelings for him from the start, Vyrm wouldn't show signs of returning them until after he separated with WL. Unfortunately, Grimm's rare visits to the palace and the return of the infection meant that they were not given a chance to confess their love for each other, as Vyrm disappeared with his palace soon after. I highly recommend reading this post for a more detailed description of their relationship.
I think this is a good opportunity to mention Holly (THK) and Hornet. I'll start with Holly since their relationship with Vyrm is closer to what you might expect. Vyrm tried his best not to get attached to them, as he had to remind himself that the vessels were not meant to be his children, but unfortunately he slipped occasionally. Holly idolized him and wanted to make him proud, but more importantly, they really wanted him to acknowledge them as his child. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to do it until after his hibernation (which I'll mention in a bit). Hornet, meanwhile, was always his beloved daughter whom he was incredibly close with. He raised her on his own, as WL left the palace around the time Holly was sealed away, all the way until his hibernation.
The hibernation was a result of his mental breakdown - after the infection returned, all of his fears and anxiety piled up until his mind was not able to take it, and in the last ditch effort to preserve it, he subconsciously used a spell that took him and his palace into his own manifested dream realm, separate from that of the gods, and started his hibernation. This was meant to erase all of his memories and save his brain from breaking down. The Knight (Ghost) interrupted it and woke him up, and he soon realized that he's been asleep for many, many years. The unfinished hibernation process messed up his brain quite a bit, and while most of his important memories were intact, he forgot a lot about his early life, which included the knowledge of how to use soul magic. Without the powers he relied on, he was forced to eat actual food, and so he began hunting the wildlife and feeding on it, now without the fear of being seen by his subjects. This is where the feral part of the AU name comes from - he's no longer the imposing, royal figure he once was, whenever he hunts, it's easy to confuse him for a beast. An intelligent one, but still a beast. And the big chunk of his character arc is accepting that part of his being, and finding happiness in his new life.
He eventually met with Hornet, who took him to Dirtmouth where he reunited with Holly and Grimm. With Holly, he finally expressed how proud he was of them, and promised to be the father that he never was. With Grimm, he confessed his love and apologized for taking so long to realize how he felt, and the two quickly became partners, and later husbands. With Hornet, his relationship had a very difficult start, as the years of being on her own made her bitter and angry. This is already getting very long, so here's a post I made about her relationship with Vyrm which goes in much more detail that I can reasonably fit here.
This is basically where the AU is at this moment. Vyrm lives with his family in Dirtmouth, returns to his old workshop hobby and slowly rebuilds the town using his skills and knowledge (some of it he had to re-learn from books). He completely rejects his old royal life, sees himself as a failure of a king and so does not want to be referred to as one (instead simply going by "Vyrm" as his name). He deals with many emotional and psychological issues - he lacks confidence, he's paranoid about failing his family and overall he's very anxious and quite emotionally unstable. Of course, he's much happier than he was before, his new life suits his nature a lot more, and even his more wild side is generally accepted by the community. But it's not all sunshine and rainbows, there is still quite a lot of trauma he has to process. And that goes for everyone in the main cast, they all have things they have to deal with. But at least they have each other.
There is an event that shakes their peaceful family life a little bit, and that is an attempt on Vyrm's life in the hands of one of the Grimmkin. Since Grimm decided to stay in Dirtmouth, he always returns to it between each ritual. And, after many years of being able to visit different kingdoms and enjoying what they have to offer, the Grimmkin got used to the relatively luxurious life, so the prospect of being stuck in this small town frustrated quite a few of them. One in particular decided to take the matter into their own hands, and while Grimm was away in the City of Tears, they attempted to take Vyrm's life in hopes that it would make their master leave Dirtmouth behind. They failed as Brumm interrupted the attempt, though they managed to wound Vyrm with a blade. He survived thanks to his family and friends rushing to treat his wound, meanwhile the Grimmkin behind it was caught by Brumm, and then brutally taken care of by Grimm after his return. It had a significant effect on all of them. Vyrm became more paranoid about being left all by himself. Grimm became even more protective of his partner and the rest of his family. Holly grew even more attached to Vyrm, refusing to leave him alone for a long time afterwards, out of fear that someone could hurt him again. And Hornet finally realized that she needed to be more clear about the fact that she cares about her family, in case she ever loses any of them. That's basically how it went, and I think this is the first time I actually mention it (as I debated whether to make this idea actually canon in the AU or not) so hey, I guess you can consider this a fun fact, even if it involves a lot of pain and blood hahaha
Also, I need to bring up the children. Their first child was Lewk. He's the child of Vyrm and Grimm, who hatched from an egg laid by the latter. He is currently 2 years old at the time of the AU (he was born about 5 years after Grimm and Vyrm's reunion). The newest addition to the family are the twins, Milo and Asta, who are currently about 2 months old.
Oh, also, Zote is part of the family as well. Initially Holly simply befriended him, but over time he got assimilated into the household. Here is a post that goes more in detail on how I see him, how he fits into the family and what the other characters think of him.
If you want to know more about the characters, especially the side characters I didn't mention here, you can read this post which has short descriptions for each of them.
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Some more posts that I'll link here instead of adding onto this already ridiculously long summary:
Lurien in the AU: how he survived / on his relationship with FPK
The state of Hallownest
WL's current whereabouts
On gods in the AU (more related posts linked in this one)
(will probably add more over time)
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God, I'm really sorry for the length of the reply, as I said, I struggle to condense this stuff into shorter posts especially since there's a lot to talk about (and I LOVE to ramble about this). There's a chance I missed some details, but if you're interested, just go through the #feral pk au tag on my blog (particularly the #save tag for the most important posts, it's linked in my pinned post), I tag all ask answers and related art with it, so it should be relatively easy to read through. If it's a bit overwhelming, you can always simply ask more questions if you're unsure about something, I'm always happy to answer! ❤
EDIT: I forgot to respond to the second half of the question, i'm sorry 😭 yes, FPK can make purring like noises. It's not exactly like cat purring, it has a bit of a stuffy noise sound to it i suppose? But I'd still call it purring. Grimm can't purr, though, so it's just FPK (and Holly with their purr-like void rumbling).
#ask stuff#feral pk au#au summary#<- so i can find this post easily in the future in case it's needed
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YES GIVE US THE JAVIERLAMB LORE PLS 🤲
JAVIERLAMB LORE DUMP UNDER THE TAG
(tw for themes of SA/CA, pregnancy, spoilers for rdr2/rdr1)
@sukunasstarlight @yinyuedijun -> u where in my replies so i hope its okay to tag u here
OKAY SO ME AND FANG HAVE VERY INTERWOVEN SELF INSERT LORE AND MY SELF INSERT HAS MY IRL NAME SO I WONT BE POSTING IT HERE.
my self insert comes from the recently established state of california and was taken in by a family that established itself off the californian gold rush and later through cattle + sheep farming to work as a maid/nanny. she is mexican as her family lived in “california” when it used to be a part of mexico and stayed when it was purchased by the united states.
her father died in an accident in the stables he worked at and then her mother died by wasting away after entering a huge depression when her husband died. somewhere in this time her older brother went missing. she was sent to a loosely established and assembled orphanage when this formerly mentioned rich family took her and made her a maid to work for them and to play nanny to the rich family’s daughter.
this life was very hard as this was a white family essentially uprooting a 12 grieving mexican girl and putting her in this position where the man of the house creeped on her (watched her bathe/watched her dress/etc) and as did other members of the staff (this undeveloped) and the lady of the manor did what she could to defend my self insert but it even that becomes incredibly toxic and twisted.
these years are very complicated but this is where my self insert learns many skills as she tries her best to stay out of the house where the abuse happens the most - she learns how to make hunting traps and forage (This Is A Mouseka Tool That Will Help Us Later.) she also has a childhood best friend named romeo who later on develops feelings for her and also becomes a painter of admired skill.
it’s important that i tell you that this self insert is a very kind and timid young lady - learning to keep herself hidden from other’s eyes BUT she is also incredibly vindictive (This Is Another Mouseka Tool That Will Help Us Later) and she has a sense of morality that is a little skewed, “take from me i take from you” is the name of her game so when she meets fang’s self insert they quickly plot to rob the family she serves BLIND.
remember how she learned how to forage? basically she excels at plant based knowledge and due to the library she has access to due to being a maid she would read and memorize a lot of poisonous plants/spores and begins to concoct numerous poisons. it is her main way of fighting (she coats her knifes with it, she laces people’s food/cosmetics/drinks with it) my self insert does not fight fair and fights only to win.
both her and fang’s self insert slowly but surely begin to rob the family of money, antiques and even gold bit by bit until the family heads to blackwater in 1899 (my self insert is 21 by this point) around the time the vander lin gang is there (coincidence?….I THINK NOT)
the reason why this family went from being in california to being in blackwater is because of how the daughter my self insert played nanny for is getting engaged to a rich family in the state of connecticut (where the man of the rich family is originally from) AND this is where my self insert and fang’s plan to steal the last bit of money the family has which is the daughter’s dowry.
this is pulled of successfully though due to fang’s own criminal shenanigans the do get SOME of the pinkerton’s attention which sets us off to go into the mountains inadvertently following the trail of the vander lin gang and coming into an alliance with them.
somewhere along the time she is spends working for this family she gets her horse -> a kiger mustang named artorius
IM SORRY FOR YAPPING ALL THIS TIME NOW ITS TIME FOR JAVIERLAMB
javierlamb is essentially love at first for both of them and they both fit into what it is they have been missing for the longest time. for javier it’s finding a sense of belonging in the world and for my self insert is finding a sense of safety in the world that for the most part has robbed her of identity and agency. their relationship is mostly smooth until chapter 6 where there are
TWO ENDINGS as by chapter 6 my self insert is pregnant and by the epilogue has a son. javier can either return to her side and they become a family -> this is the good ending.
OR javier abandons her completely following the collapse of the gang in chapter six and flees to mexico to follow the events of rdr1 -> this is the bad ending.
SONGS:
as pure as the driven snow -> off the a balland of songbirds and snakes soundtrack
and i loved her -> by kurt cobain
abrázame muy furete -> juan gabriel
#lamb.bleets#messages📩#hi stranger!#selfship#javierlamb#i have a lot to say but this is the most condensed ver of it im do embarassed to post this ik u asked but um. im scared#ive been writing snd stewing on this for WEEKS and months im willing to link my playlist and pin board if anyone is INTERESTED
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This post started out as a tag ramble (& became longer than the actual post as per usual) after seeing @mayasaura‘s tags in this post about the origins of Kiriona Gaia’s name. Especially the part about Kiriona’s first name:
#also yeah kiriona is her given name spelled using the phonetics of Te Reo #which I'm mentioning bc which language it is specifically is somewhat important #given that it's the language of John's people #that he likely never learned to speak fluently due to the colonial governement's attempt to exterminate it #so thematically that's rather signifigant
#she's the only other person he's allowing to share in the legacy of his lost home #(lost because he blew it to kingdom come but lets not bicker and argue over who killed who)
I think a lot about the implications of names in the Nine House following a very specific theme (ancient Greek, Latin, and Biblical first names, Latin-inspired arithmonic House names) but John gave his daughter the name Kiriona. This is very interesting to me, especially in light of what those tags say re: John being Māori but most likely not speaking the language of his people due to colonialism. We don’t have the full picture yet, but a lot of what we know points to John choosing to preserve some of the ~foundational mythology~ of western civilization when shaping his empire. A colonizing Empire, though we really don’t know if “space colonization” was John’s plan for the Houses all along or if he decided it later. (Also an Empire that’s in large % made up of descendants of historically colonized people so there’s that too). At the same time, John shares his own cultural heritage with his daughter – and his daughter only, as if it’s something to be kept between the two of them and better forgotten at large.
I’m not sure where I’m going with this and I’m sure a lot of the implications are going over my head, but I think the initial cultural mould of the Houses tells us something about John as a product of a society that valued one specific area of cultural history above all others, and John internalizing that to the extent that he reverted to those stories and those myths when he was looking for civilization building blocks. And then he went and turned to the language of his people when naming his newfound daughter. Maybe it’s a public vs. personal sphere thing, maybe he wants to wear a different hat as a long-lost father than he does as the God-Emperor, or maybe it’s just that by the time he finds out he has a daughter he’s over the whole ‘Classics names’ thing and sort of regretting those initial choices.
fwiw, John probably wasn’t very coherent in the early days (maybe early years?) so who knows if he actually put any planning into what he did. As a scientist he probably had a lot of Latin engraved in his brain so why not use that? Sounds very smart. But, also, the fact that our scientific classification is based on Latin is itself a product of western supremacy and so on so forth. It’s a tautology: I’m God now and I guess God likes ancient Greek and biblical themes as filtered down to us through the lenses of Western Christianity. Why? Because that’s what God does. I guess.
(Also: compare all of this with the Blood of Eden naming system where they chose random bits of human culture to preserve. Not those deemed worthwhile by the elites, just… random bits. Shakespeare but also an Eminem song and a verse of an anthem in an indigenous language. That last one especially is Curious and tbh it’s the only detail giving me pause from jumping 100% to the very obvious conclusion that BoE was founded by the descendants of the FTL ships just because of who was on those ships and what cultural resources they would’ve brought along. But that’s a whole different speculation.)
#tlt thoughts#I have way too many other thoughts re: John & The Classics that mostly come down to that one Taz soundbite#about John deliberately modelling himself after a specific Greek tragedy hero (my bet is on Orestes)#+ me being from a culture that values ~ancient classics but in a v. different way than english speaking countries IMO#so this makes me v interesting in the reasoning of a guy who decides to name his flagship after the ancient greek divinity of chaos#but that again is own damn post#anyway the days of me wondering WHO exactly named alecto are certainly coming to a middle#john gaius#ejg#the locked tomb#tlt
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Hello!
This is Mersi Kokhavasheva, she/her. She is an Ilsabardian Raen Au Ra diviner-turned-knight based out of Gridania. I hope this will be a repository for the fan content I write about her story, from thoughtful snippets to five-part fanfiction.
FAQ&A
It's pronounced "mare-see" — not "mercy", though she understands the confusion — "koh-hha-vuh-shay-vuh".
Her preferred jobs were originally Bard, Dragoon, and Paladin, but she has of late swapped her arms for those of the Samurai, Dancer, and Gunbreaker. Blue magic is something of a special interest. She was raised on astrology, but has sworn off the cards since leaving home. Above all else, Mersi is a talented Weaver and seamstress, and is learning goldsmithing from her love.
She is engaged! Her love, A'rhya Velore, is a Gyr Abanian Seeker of the Sun Miqo'te with gorgeous ruby hair, and eyes like sapphire and amethyst, and a lovely soft voice that's not always able to be heard, and she's more than Mersi could ever have dreamed. However, recent events leave Mersi feeling less worthy than ever, and it shows in her haunted eyes whenever she's asked about a date for their wedding.
There is a timeline under construction for Mersi, A'rhya, and some friends along the way, to see how their spin on the Warrior of Light saga might look in a world in which, logistically, not every one of forty-eight million heroes could be veterans of the same battles.
I'm on Behemoth, in the midst of post-Heavensward. Feel free to say hi if you spot me, but I'm just as happy to chat here on Tumblr, or to share what I've written of her on AO3!
I'll likely be bouncing in and out of character here on Tumblr because, while this is not an RP blog, it's just fun to write in her headspace. If anyone wants to ask her a question, I think we'd be happy to answer. Perhaps we'll crack open the ask box and find out!
Frequent Tags
the Road to Sharlayan: This is for the stories written about Mersi and friends, or for progress made toward the next. I am new to AO3, so I would appreciate honesty when it comes to tagging etiquette! I hear it's "the more tags, the better" but, stars above, there are so many tags.
the Ruby and Larimar: Any Q's-and-A's Mersi gets through the ask box will be tagged as such, as will any fanart I mock up along the way. Casual coffee shop vibes! We love it.
Lore Have Mersi: For when Mersi have lore! These will be posts that explore who Mersi is as a person, or how she came to be as such. I will likely also use it for theorycrafting, such as my thoughts on the Deck of Sixty.
an Average Day in Eorzea: Memes. Nonsense. Shenanigans. Nothing you wouldn't see in Limsa, I'm sure!
Stories So Far
the Spineless Serenade (Romance)
War in the north has found peace; those who fought alone to the east have found allies. From the patrol squadrons of Ishgard comes Mersi Kokhavasheva of the Knights Dragoon; from the war rooms of Rhalgr's Reach comes A'rhya Valore. This is not a story of their struggles, but of a rare moment in between. This is the story of a chance to grasp, and of their refusal to let go.
I'm sorry, but I have yet to post this one for the public. It's very special to me.
Coerthan Call (Drama/Tragedy)
A sudden decision on the battlefield brings dangers unforeseen, and well foreseen. High above the Coerthas Western Highlands, two Knights Dragoon weigh the risks and put it all on the line to slay the dragon Graoully, but Mersi Kokhavasheva's past flies close behind.
The Lovers' Plainsong (Drama)
In the fallout of her abduction by the heretics of Coerthas, Mersi Kokhavasheva rests with her fiancée in the shadow of war. Trauma shapes her future, worsened by the knowledge of how and why, of agency and fate. With the help of the one she loves, a woman broken must once again be made whole. All the while, the Dragon roars.
In Progress:
the Forgotten Berceuse (Romance)
Two outsiders, strangers to the land of Eorzea, have found themselves sudden heroes of the realm. One misses the sands; the other, the waters. Together they find harmony, self-confidence, and room to breathe.
Ballet de Cour: A'rhya's Card (Romance)
Despite two decades of training in the ways of astrology, Mersi has long been afraid to ask the cards for further guidance. With help from a dear friend, that bond may be renewed—or, by overcoming insecurity and learning unshakable trust, two diviners may strengthen their own bond instead.
A Tençon for Ishgard (Drama)
The Dragonsong War has raged long enough. Both sides seek harmony, yet forces of darkness and light yet seek destruction. Caught between both worlds and asking for neither, Mersi Kokhavasheva has put down her lance; she rejoins the fray on her own terms.
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This is a response to this thread of posts. This is not a direct copy paste of my response on that post so that one still has more information if people are interested in that. Since this thread was already incredibly long and I went over even more stuff in the most recent part I wanted to put that stuff here for easier access and to archive it. I'm not tagging or at-ing the person behind the original post here because I don't want to be rude to her and have put my response on the original post already.
This is just for archive purposes as it goes over a lot of my understanding of the events that have taken place so far. I'm so tired I've been writing about Milgram for a week straight...is hell drowning in the things you love?
I'd have to say I agree with you when it comes to the relationships being bad on both of their parts. I don't think Mahiru's partner being abusive would fully absolve her of accountability when it comes to his death.
I just feel as though Mahiru was wrongly blamed for all the issues in their relationship while he was just given a free pass which never sat right with me. Because relationships are dependent on both parties and no one individual within it can be fully blamed for the problems that come from it. When it comes to the last part where she said,
"If Mahiru's murder was in response to domestic abuse then it means her murder was to protect herself rather than out of love. Right now, it doesn't click together just right for me."
It's funny because it clicks so easily for me. Mostly, because when I first watched Mahiru's MV the thing that I immediately noticed is the formatting she chose to present it in. As it is said it was produced by Mahiru Shiina.
Mahiru's MV is formatted in the same way a self-care blog or magazine might be. Something not surprising given the interests she lists in her first interrogation. Then one of the first things we're shown in this magazine format is her doing self-care. That along with the song is titled "This Is How To Be In Love With You". Which could not only be taken from the angle of this is how to love you the one viewing the song or the boyfriend but as this is how to love (You)rself.
Most of the article snippets in the song are about selfcare and preening oneself.
So, I've been interpreting This Is How To Be In Love With You from that angle. To elaborate I've been interpreting the song as Mahiru maintaining appearances/putting on the front of a good girl. The feathers symbolizing undesirable traits she's preened off of herself. As many including yourself have pointed out Mahiru is more associated with the color blue than her lover is.
So, the feathers could be another representation of herself. Showing the bad traits, she's removed to be a person she sees as worthy of being loved.
Within that cage, throughout that video from beginning to end Mahiru wears the dress she states screams this year's fashion along with the cardigan she says is chic with a mature color. She's at her best dressed to give off that mature oneesan look throughout her first mv. The look of someone anyone would love in her opinion.
Even her earrings go from the playful and energetic sunflower ones to a mature make in her video.
Mahiru tries to give off this put together, reliable, older woman charm that says if you have a problem, you can always come talk it over with me okay. The sort of woman who's not complicated or clingy but instead a bit spontaneous in a fun not bothersome way, considerate, willing to listen, demure. The type of woman that can hold a conversation but doesn't overstep. Someone who is wife material. It's not like she doesn't know she's doing this either.
She shows us throughout her first MV that she knows exactly what she's doing when it comes to appearances. Not only when it comes to appearing a certain way to others but how she appears to herself as well.
We learn bits and pieces about her romantic partner through her first mv. We know that,
He can't handle his liquor.
He drinks to the point of unconsciousness on their date at the bar.
He's not the most observant.
He doesn't notice if Mahiru changes her style.
He likes running.
He has a part-time job at a convenience store.
He goes to the same school as Mahiru.
They lock eyes with each other as she's reading on the university terrace. That encounter on the terrace along with him having the part time job makes the chances of him being a student not a teacher or staff member at her university higher.
They live close to each other.
Mahiru runs into him at a bakery/bread shop and then he passes her place of employment on her first day working there. Chances are Mahiru chose a place to work at that was not too far from her residence. So, they more than likely live in the same area.
Then as the other person observed we know his aesthetic.
He has a red rug at the front door of his home and camouflage backpack. During their date, the park screening of the French film, we see the arm of his jacket which is also camouflage but has a dark navy blue or navy blue around the edges.
Quite different from the feathers we see falling within the cage. The color of the feathers aligns more with the color of Mahiru's rug, the throw blanket she has on her couch, and the dress that screams this year's fashion she wears throughout her first mv which is a slightly lighter dusty blue.
More allusions to Mahiru's preening habits have been made throughout the Portal Timeline but this is the one that sticks out the most to me.
20/06/29
Yuno: ……mmm, the food here is actually pretty nice. I wonder if the guard made it…… Oh yeah, Mahiru-san, do you cook?
Mahiru: Hm? I do~ Cooking, washing, cleaning, I love doing all those sorts of things~ Fufufu, I passed all my self-imposed training to become the perfect wife with flying colours!
Yuno: Wow, incredible… I don’t know whether to call that old-fashioned or what. ……isn’t it a pain?
Mahiru: Eh~? I don’t think it’s a pain at all~ It’s fun~
All these things led me to believe Mahiru wanted to give off the appearance of a woman that doesn't complain about the work she puts in to make something happen. The type who can make things seem effortless. The sort who goes; it's not a bother at all, in fact I like to help, I find this fun. A person who takes meticulous notes about all the favorite foods of whomever they love then practices cooking them to get them exactly right as a surprise.
The sort of woman that goes well now that I think about it, I could make chocolate from cocoa beans then make a cake out of said chocolate. Only to undermine their own efforts by going it's really no big deal I just wanted to do something nice because I love you it was really no trouble at all. Or,
"I'm Mahiru Shiina, twenty-two years old! I might not be much good at anything, but please be kind to me."
Hoping that the other person will notice all her good qualities and appreciate her even more.
It's also difficult for me to believe the feathers only represent Mahiru's boyfriend because of how Mahiru interacts with them during her first MV. Mahiru jumps on top of all the feathers after reaching towards them as if about to indulge in a guilty pleasure of sorts as the lines,
"If you don’t hug me, even our hearts will start drifting apart."/"I pretended to be a good girl; I don’t want to be “ok”. "
I can admit Mahiru can come off as clingy or could even be emotionally too much/draining to some. Yet, I don't think she would revel in doing something she recognizes as malicious/harmful directly to the person she loves. At least not to this extent.
Then there's the beginning of This Is How To Be In Love With You. The beginning of her song seems to reenact or at least directly mirror Mahiru's first encounter with her partner. Except this time, she's not looking at her partner but directly at the audience/guards as though having a once in a lifetime fated encounter with us.
Yet, feathers are already falling from above her.
The other post she linked to mentions the picture from Undercover. Where she states her belief that the image is taken in the suicide forest/Aokigahara. However, there's a higher chance it's the park she confessed to her significant other at on day 8.
I say this because it is my belief that the snippets shown during Undercover aren't when the prisoners committed their murders but instead the incidents that incited them to commit murder. Basically, the trigger that led to it.
I believe this because of Haruka, Yuno, Futa, Mu, Amane, Mikoto, and Kotoko's pictures in the MV.
There's Haruka. In his photo we see him in his or his younger sibling's room sitting on the bed a plush rabbit beside him with building blocks and a finished drawing on the ground in front of him. A drawing we know to be his because it appears on the walls in Weakness.
We see this drawing before he starts killing anything. Like exactly before comedically so. Right after we're shown this larger version of the drawing from Undercover the one aspect that links it directly to Haruka he kills the dog. Like it transitions into him killing the dog. I don't even think I need to defend why I believe this at this point Haruka is too perfect of an example.
Then In All-knowing All-Agony and Weakness the sister and most of the killings he's responsible for are alluded to have been outside of this bedroom. His sister was seemingly killed in the living room or another area of the house and the dog we see him kill in Weakness is killed outside.
Then there's Yuno who is doing what she's admitted enjoying doing people watching from the staircase. Something we see her do throughout all of Umbilical.
"In such conditions, observing other people sure does make for great fun; you feel?"
So, there is a chance that Yuno more than likely saw something she didn't like while people watching one day.
"Why are you here? You annoy me a little. I can’t smile well anymore It’s because of you."
Umbilical starts with Yuno at the bottom of the staircase and ends with her falling off the top back to the start. During her walk up through the MV we see her look over at someone from the staircase in this case it could be taken as her looking at us the audience, but it could be someone else as well.
It's also exactly when she asks,
"What do you want to do? Please, tell me."
Just like with Mu's second trial song there is imagery and lyrics in Tear Drop that call back to Umbilical, but Yuno is more subtle about it.
"Just the two of us I finally found it. The lies are endless. Just me alone, it really is lonely. Let’s reload the warmth!"/"Desire, bestow, and desire again the episode reloading on an endless loop. The fading warmth makes me anxious again Tear drops succumb and fall."
Having her hair tie snap and her hair fall in a way that's reminiscent to the staircase collapsing at the end of her first song. Then throwing off the jacket as she's messing up the room just to cling to it again like she came back to the staircases.
The staircase not only shows us step by step how she got here but her intention to do the same thing all over again regardless of what's destroyed/collapses in the end. Then Tear Drop follows up on that idea by showing us how Yuno has been working her way up from cars to top floor hotel rooms and private karaoke booths with beds in them.
Despite her spot in Undercover being less than luxurious and her own admission of liking simple things like just going on a date at a park.
Futa's is him taking a picture of the doxing victims house where certain information has been purposely scribbled over beforehand.
Now unless the doxing victim immediately committed suicide after this picture was taken, before he went home, or even sent the information to other people. This is already calling the idea that the instances we're shown in Undercover are during the murders into question in and of itself.
However, Bring It On! confirms that this is before the incident since Futa states in a Twitter post that he found out where she went to school and lived but does not post the image of her house. Something notably strange considering he's been mostly held accountable for the doxing and that would have been the easiest way to show he did it. Instead, he just makes an offhanded comment saying he knows where she is despite already having a physical picture of her house.
It's also not something highlighted by Futa himself. Instead, it's been quote retweeted by Jugement Onizuka seemingly after the incident with the girl escalated to the breaking point. Something highlighted more by the line in Backdraft,
"Me, the result of blame-shifting, no, can’t find that funny."
I know this isn't about Futa but if he ever intended to dox someone and had this picture then why not just post it? Why have anything scratched out if that was ever his intent?
Mu is rather self-explanatory.
We know that the murder Mu committed was outside. Yet, her image is of inside the classroom. More than likely because the altercation first began in the classroom. The inciting incident. A student appears to be crushed between two desks laying on the ground between them. We can see papers within both desks.
A lot of people speculate after "It's Not My Fault" that the person between the desks is Mu's victim. However, it's more than likely Mu herself. Though it could possibly be a third party. It can't be Mu's victim because when she's on the floor it's wet and littered with belongings. This is also the same reason I'm hesitant to say it's Mu. However, everyone else is in their pictures so it's more likely this is her but why she would be in such a position before the murder is a mystery to me.
If it were a third party, it could be the student Mu and her friends are seen harassing on the roof. The subject of the incident that caused Mu and her victim's falling out. Also, during the incidences where Mu or her victim are bullied all the desks are empty. So, this is just neither of those instances.
It's also nice because we see in After Pain that Mu is seated right next to the person, she ends up killing. So, this could be considered a visualization of a third party/ Mu herself and her behavior getting between them. As the desk with the flowers on it is her victims and the desk she sits at in After Pain is hers at the time.
There's also what appears to be blood on one of the sheets of paper in Mu's desk. Which could allude to the line,
"The stabbing of the little devil’s voice, counterattack being a suicide note “I love YOU”."
This would also go well with some of the lyrics of her first cover song.
"It's a penalty shoot-out, Feelings vs. Boredom."/ "A penalty shoot-out between my feelings and my boredom."
Mu admits to only bullying people because she was bored in It's Not My Fault. I feel the image we're shown in Undercover for her perfectly illustrates that feeling of wanting something to stave off boredom, but the thing being done ultimately getting in the way of what would actually be emotionally satisfying. Such as wanting someone's presence but being annoyed with them when they won't let you do whatever you want because friends shouldn't get in the way of what you want to do, they should support you even if they don't like it themselves.
Then there's Amane's, which is more than likely an image of her being waterboarded.
"Waterboarding is a form of torture in which water is poured over a cloth covering the face and breathing passages of an immobilized captive, causing the person to experience the sensation of drowning."
Waterboarding has also been considered a form of religious violence. The more you know the worse it gets-
"In his 2008 article “Torture and Religious Practice,” William Schweiker traces the Christian roots of waterboarding, which was used, for example, during the Spanish Inquisition and in the persecution of Anabaptists during the Protestant Reformation. Schweiker argues that waterboarding is religious violence not only due to its pedigree, but because it carries a particularly religious meaning: that it functioned as a kind of baptism."
Since this shot does its best to cut out the person's face where a rag or cloth would more than likely be and the visuals in Magic allude to this form of torture specifically it's more than likely that.
Like yeah, that seems to be Amane's hair and Magic expressly cycles through all the punishments she faced for giving that injured person medical care. All of which are extreme forms of torture, the least of which being a physical beating. The other ones are waterboarding, electroshock therapy, and sound torture.
Free my little girl she did nothing wrong and keep her in there those forms of torture work wonders she would be a danger to society should not be able to coexist, but I very much will hit guilty again. Maybe I might hit Innocent later just because she's committed. Telling her she's wrong isn't going to make her believe we're right. So, we really are catching a tiger by the tail here.
"At least I didn't meta vote Amane" like ha, ha, hah I still voted her ass Guilty she is the first person I voted on and I voted her Guilty recognizing this. Not because I think what she did was wrong but mostly because she openly states she wants to continue to perpetuate the thing she lived through onto others.
"You see, I don't hate Milgram. Rather than one single law, there are other standards to judge my sins by. Some are closer to my spirit, as well! The standards that judge my sins are somewhere else- In my heart, my blood, my entire body. They're firmly rooted in all those places!"
"And by those standards your murder was not a sin."
"Exactly! Ah, I'm looking forward to it. Seeing if your judgement will align with that of these higher standards, that is. If that's the case then maybe Milgram would be the right world for us to be in rather than the outside world! Milgram relies on your judgements, right? In that case you could become the mediator to a far more righteous world!"
We've got to teach her this is wrong oh how cute- No, fuck that. Guilty because I'm not becoming complacent with creating a cult how bout that. The fuck as much as I like Amane I can't in good conscious vote her innocent.
Mikoto's picture is of him unconscious at his work desk. Seemingly swamped with work. On another note, I do believe this may be a desk at his home and not in his office. Mostly because of the speaker near his cup and what appears to be a standing shelf next to it. It could be a cubicle in the office, but people usually don't hook up those sorts of speakers to their in-office computer. It could be something else though.
Outside of that his desk is incredibly junky, he has a knocked-over energy drink laid on some of his papers. One can also see above the can that he's done little doodles on the edge of one of the papers. If he were at the office where oversight was more likely his desk would not look like this. To be frank he'd probably get fired or at least scolded if it did. People have gotten fired for less. He'd have to be high up to have his own private office which he doesn't seem to be. All of that has led me to believe this space is more than likely in his place of residence.
There's also the chair we see sitting unaccompanied within his home throughout MeMe which is more than likely the chair to this desk. It would be kind of weird to just have a lone chair for nothing.
Let's get back on track though. We see most of his murders take place at an underpass. Not his home though the area could be near his office or place of residence. However, it's still not the place we see him highlighted in during Undercover.
So, yeah this is nowhere near his murders regardless of if it's his house or the office. Though, it once again highlights his job sorta sucks.
We know exactly where Kotoko's happened. It's the alley where she beats up her first victim.
It's not the building she beats a guy to death in. That's for sure.
Because of all this, I'm amazingly comfortable with saying that the images we're shown during Undercover were not taken directly from the scene of the crime or even during the crime itself but strictly before a crime had even occurred.
In fact, Mahiru's image in Undercover is odd... Simply because it does seem to show her there with someone else while everyone else is alone in theirs. Even people who are assumed or confirmed to be in relationships like Kazui and Shidou are by themselves. We also only see hands in Mahiru's image when almost everyone else has gotten full or half body shots.
The only other people we just see the hands of outside of her is Futa and Shidou.
So, that could be something that links both their crimes to suicide or being an indirect result of their actions. At least it's a clear visual attempt at pointing out the similarities between them.
We also only see the backs of Yuno, Kazui, and Mikoto. The side of Es and Kotoko though they're facing two different sides Es to the right before we're shown the images and Kotoko to the left right after Haruka. We're shown the front of Haruka and Amane.
Mu is difficult to figure out. Because she could be laying face down or face up. I'm not going to lie I can't tell which and I've been typing this for a while. A while at this point being since the other person reply which was right after I finished a long post about Mahiru already.
However, in every instance we're shown hands before Mahiru's the only hands we are shown are those of the prisoners. This is what makes Mahiru's snippet in undercover standout as it implies the presence of not just herself but her boyfriend. That is if the other hand shown in the image is that of her boyfriend.
Taking into consideration how the image is framed it is still a possibility that Mahiru is holding her own hand. It would also fit with every other prisoner being alone within their pictures in Undercover. It's really all about framing when it comes to Milgram. So, if every other prisoner is alone in their photos, then it should be questioned why Mahiru would be an exception.
I don't really know much about this but it's strange that every prisoner besides Haruka has scribbles in their silhouettes implying some sort of distortion. Futa's hands being somewhat transparent within his picture is weird as well.
Even though the distortion in Mahiru seems to only be on one arm it's slightly on the other beneath as well making it difficult to tell if it's just her partner's arm or her own again. All I can say is it looks like she's holding someone else's hand.
I read over a lot of her posts, and I recognized there's a fundamental point on which I and other fans of Milgram may differ on. This in and of itself is not a bad thing but I feel it should be noted. I do not believe any of the prisoner's murders were indirect or accidental. I believe each person in each pair has killed another living person purposefully.
Not by happenstance, accident, indirectly but with their bare hands and with the full intent of doing so. Because we are shown them do so from the beginning within Undercover.
Firstly, I'm of the mind that two things can be true at once.
So, Yuno stating she had an abortion and her being a murderer are not one in the same to me. In Undercover we see Haruka with blood on his hands despite knowing the only person he killed he strangled. The blood in this case would be that of the animals one of which we saw him kill with a rock.
Now even if I were to believe Yuno's murder was an abortion the amount of blood present on her within Undercover means it was passed the point where an abortion would be an option she could legally take. Even by Japan's laws.
"Abortion in Japan is allowed under a term limit of 22 weeks for endangerment to the health of the pregnant woman, economic hardship, or rape."
The amount of blood shown on Yuno within Undercover is uncommon when it comes to getting an abortion. There is some bleeding but it's less than the bleeding one would have during their period. So, she's already on thin fucking ice with me because the bleeding portrayed there is more commonly associated with miscarriages.
Something women have and still do induce within themselves if they do not want a child. It's my belief that at the point anyone is no longer capable or legally allowed to have an abortion they should immediately start looking into adoption options. Not for the sake of child but for the health of the woman since doing it after a certain point does have significant health risks.
This is why I'm under the belief that Yuno's case wasn't as easy as people played it up to be. Because there is still the chance this was directly malicious even when considering the victim may have been an unborn child. There are laws around abortion specifically with unborn children in mind even people who are for the women's right to choose or pro-abortion understand this.
All the anti-abortion ads in my state work under the false pretense that being for it means a person is okay with people having an abortion at "any time" and people can just "kill kids whenever". They are mostly promoted by churches as well. For example, when my state was voting on if women should have the right to abortion or not the catholic churches within my state spent money to make advertisements stating if the law passed murdering kids at any time would be legal. Comparing the act to filicide.
What I'm getting at is that depending on when Yuno did this and how it would still be considered murder legally.
Her asking if she's dead in her second interrogation makes her even more suspicious to me because people are more likely to die from self-induced miscarriages or at home abortions than legal ones. So, if it were just a legal abortion done in a safe environment- Why the fuck would she ask that...?
Not taking any of those misgivings into consideration, the abortion doesn't account for the multiple gifts throughout Umbilical that have inverted colors as though the people who gave them to her were fucking assassinated directly after.
How does the abortion account for those if it's the only thing she did wrong? What would these gifts or items even have to do with her having an abortion? Why would they be colored differently?
It's just suspicious and weird if it were that easy why do any of that?
Futa has basically said every way he could the doxing wasn't him since Milgram started. So, why would he be in here for the result of that? To be fair he could be lying. Yet, he could have just killed the person responsible for the doxing and ruining his reputation.
Then excused and justified his actions like I didn't do anything wrong that person's actions led to someone dying too it's just fair. Also, literally playing hide and seek with his sin by highlighting the bad thing the other person did first just to be blamed for it again would be fucking hilarious. It would also fit with his characterization because in his second trial interrogation he once again does this by pointing out how our actions are just as bad as his and going why is it okay when you do it then.
The only difference is this time it works.
Kazui blatantly admits in the lyrics of Cat that everything the viewers speculated might just be wrong as he condescendingly sings,
"Love + Fate= Crap (Love and fate are crap). Crush and Bye. (Destroy it and move on.) Disgusting playing house + disguise + fake. Devotion- Love, lame, cheating; let's make it victim and assailant."
All of the things Kazui lists in a mocking tone are all the things people assumed about his crime. He's literally singing so this is what you think happened fine then I'll make this simple and boil it down to victim and assailant. So, he's not helping anyone's case when it comes to the whole some people's crimes were indirect thing singing shit like this.
He's doing the musical equivalent of,
"My client may not be the best man but he's not murderous-"
"Murderous, huh...? Well, I won't deny that. At the very least I believe I'm a murderer and I regret it. Not that there's any use to that remorse."
Like he's pulling a no I did that shit lyrically. Those aren't the lyrics of an Innocent man they just aren't. Like Yuno and Shidou are just in Milgram like I don't agree with your judgement but respectfully while Kazui is out here like,
"You fool, this is what you think of me, what you think I did?! FIGURE ME OUT, FIGURE OUT MY LIES FASTER!"
I'm sorry Futa isn't even the issue when it comes to that Kazui is. After Mahiru he's gonna come in like,
"Give me that fucking mic- I hope you recover well Shiina but also please hurry and leave. I don't want you specifically to hear any of the shit I'm about to say. I know how much you care about love-"
"Kazui, you're going to sing about love?!"
"Please, get out."
That's the entire reason he's saying I feel bad for her. I guess his voice drama can make him appear more helpful to the indirect murder theory. Yet within that he even says,
"For example, why would someone gather a bunch of acquitted murderers together and try to make them repent. That's something a crazy person would do."
This means Kazui recognizes everyone here is a murderer, but they were all legally acquitted and therefore received no punishment for their crimes. Making what Milgram is doing here no different from what Kotoko does in Harrow. Even then just because they were legally acquitted doesn't mean there was no malicious intent behind their actions, or they didn't mean to kill anyone.
Everyone within Milgram could be acquitted for one reason or another and this would also explain things such as why Mu immediately used the self-defense angle. If she's already been taken to court for it and that's how she wound up acquitted before of course she'd fall back on it again.
Futa calling himself the Undead Hero near the end of Bring It On! as though he's beaten the allegations.
"You gotta be kidding, I’m an undead hero! Fuck it! Don’t you think so?"
Just to then get beaten by the allegations and go,
"Oh no, surrounded, lynched by the masses."
Like this shit hasn't happened before when we see it happen at the end of his first MV.
This could also explain how we see Haruka in All-knowing All-Agony, the room he's within, and the moment he's caught in the spotlight covered in blood. It would also explain why when he was brought to Milgram unlike everyone else, he was already wearing clothing associated with being incarcerated in a mental facility. So, there's all that.
Then when it comes to Mahiru this would explain why she is still fixated on love even if she purposefully killed her partner. If she were acquitted because people believed she was so in love with him that she'd never intentionally do such a thing, of course she'd more than likely try that angle again.
If Mahiru's boyfriend had allergies she was aware of she could cook something with said allergen in it and play it off as an accident or as if she didn't know and be acquitted.
Just like everyone else here could have been acquitted on grounds of self-defense or it being a heat of the moment thing like with Kotoko. It'd be easy to not hold Kotoko accountable if she were just acting against someone doing something that would be viewed by the public as abhorrent.
Mahiru cooking all his favorite dishes as a surprise while a nice loving gesture is also a good way to make sure he at least eats one of the things she cooked even if he isn't in the mood for a particular dish at that moment. She wouldn't even need to get poison but common ingredients that could be found at any store if he had a food allergy and as we know Mahiru is very good at cooking.
Mahiru holding her victim's neck in Undercover could represent her forcing him keep the food down or even illustrating the quite common fatal reaction to allergens which is one's throat closing. Mahiru's crime is as easy as frying rice in peanut oil or adding fish sauce. Like food allergies are super common and it wouldn't be viewed as something done with malicious intent if she literally cooked all his favorite foods and people could attest to that.
Under this framing Mahiru would still just be "being herself". If she were cooking food the way she was raised to cook it and unaware of these allergies she'd very much be "being herself". Her going to sleep after cooking the food makes sense as well because the first thing people would ask if she were awake as he was having an allergic reaction is why didn't she call for an ambulance or get him his medicine. If she were asleep after making him all his favorite meals then said something like,
"I just wanted to see the look of surprise on his face before turning in for the night but if I just stayed up then maybe-"
People would be more sympathetic to what she's been through, especially if they saw how she was in the relationship. If people knew she really loved him. Who's going to go up to a girl bawling in shock about the loss of her boyfriend someone she probably vocalized planning to marry and go did you do this on purpose?! Answer me you wanted him dead didn't you?! Didn't you?!
That would be odd, way out of line, even if she did the person behaving in that way would be being an asshole yelling at her isn't gonna make this man come back to life. To be honest, someone would have to have a lot of personal information about Mahiru probably see into her head to come to conclusion that she may have wanted her boyfriend dead, or this could be purposeful right of the bat.
They would have to see something like her expressly state she's been taking notes on all of his favorite dishes to know that overlooking his allergies could be purposeful on her part at that point. That's just a shot in the dark on my part though. Nobody would really know that- Except, Es and us the viewers. So, outside of us it'd be pretty easy to rule what Mahiru did an accident. Because nobody else was in the room when it happened.
Back to Kazui.
"Also, if what I did makes me a murderer. Then honestly, your definition of a murderer is too broad."/ "And even if you recognize me as a murderer... That would be a conclusion only someone deeply familiar with my circumstances could reach."
Congratulations in one voice drama you've succeeded in somehow making everyone look worse.
Kazui goes back and forth during his first voice drama between stating he believes himself to be a murderer, no one else would consider him one, to mentioning the hypothetical that everyone here has been acquitted as though it's fact. Stating someone would have to be crazy to do that.
For an acquittal to be necessary for what he did his actions would have to be under a certain amount of scrutiny. It would at least need to be enough to the point they needed to take it to court and have a decision be ruled. For that to occur there would at least need to be enough probable cause and evidence to accuse him of having malicious intent or even the motivation to want the other person dead.
Kazui just has to stand here and look good but he seems hellbent on making us really think about what he and everyone else here did. Too bad that because of that we probably won't see what he did. Unless he figures out that the more innocent or guilty a prisoner wishes to be viewed changes what we're shown then goes in with a very objective mindset. Like no I don't care how you see me now I'm over it. Then I don't know what will happen or how the machine will interpret that mindset.
Even if Kazui says in the end, "Yeah... That's right. It's true that my lies killed her, and even now I still haven't changed."
We still don't know what those lies are. It could have been him cheating but he also could have lied like, "Honey come look I had the balcony repaired like you asked me to." and his lies would have still killed her. That would still make what he says here technically true, but they can still just lie during the interrogations.
Kotoko doesn't help the indirect case either because we see her beat a man to death. Even if he succumbed to his wounds later at a hospital, she still gave him those wounds. Like there's blood on the ground beneath him as she's holding him up by the collar. She beat that man like a dog. She was on a hunt and when she found him she was relentless. Like got damn. She messed him up.
He deserved it given the snippets we see in Harrow but, "Cool motive still murder." Which I feel is definitely a fair thing to say about the woman singing,
"Why? Why stop me? Don't stop! I need a good reason to give justice, give me my next purpose!"
If Mahiru succumbed to the wounds Kotoko gave her before Shidou had gotten to her I would hope everyone could agree Kotoko was responsible for her death at that point. Though seeing how Shidou is spoken about he'd probably be blame too. Regardless of if Kotoko stopped before Mahiru died.
Beating someone to the brink of death then stopping before they die does not absolve anyone of murder if that person dies from the wounds they inflicted.
I can admit that it may just be my bias and naivety shining through. That I do want to believe that they are all murderers in the literal sense. It is my personal stance to try not to assume or make assumptions about the sort of actions a person will take. It could be because of my age but at a point I had to recognize that regardless of a person's age, status, level of education, religious beliefs etc no one is above doing something that's objectively wrong.
Because in a way the human experiences is doing many things wrong in pursuit of better understanding oneself and their surroundings. To expect any of the Prisoner's to not do wrong to me feels like a personal failing on my own part even if I like the character. I still feel the need to interrogate could they kill directly and what does it say about me that I believe this person couldn't have while clinging to the idea that this other person could have. What makes me think this character is more moral, more just that they are above stooping to the level these other characters did.
Through interrogating that I realized there's absolutely nothing within me outside of the hope that they wouldn't do such a thing that says they didn't. At the end of the day our expectations of others, fictional or not, is us hoping that another person wouldn't do something that bad but after a point we have to take even the people we believe the best of at face value when they admit to doing something wrong. There's only one guy here that says he didn't commit murder and that's only because he doesn't remember it.
Everyone else though has pretty much gone no I did do something that led to someone dying. I killed someone else but what else was I supposed to do, I suppose it's that thing I did that you could call murder but do you really have to form an opinion on it though, I'm a murderer it was for justice though and what about everyone else they were having fun too, I killed someone but it was self-defense, no what I did was wrong and meaningless give me the death penalty please, it was for love, you'll see through my lies eventually, it's my belief that even though I've killed I'm not a murderer because it wasn't against the higher standards I abide by, well with the right reasons anything is excusable some people deserve it what I did wasn't murder it was justice.
All of this is just how I personally feel about the situations that have been presented to me. I don't think anything I said here is fact and people can take it however they may. To be honest I don't even know if I properly explained myself to the original poster, but these are my beliefs and I guess the only thing I can do is stick by them honestly. I tried my best and I hope this isn't too confusing.
Things can just get difficult when I speak about Mahiru because she's a rather complicated character and I believe more of her personality shines through when the others are considered as well.
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Author Ask Tag Game
I don't usually like to talk about myself, but if that's how you play then I'll play along. Thanks for the tag @doublegoblin!
I'm interested to learn about @winterandwords @toribookworm22 @turnthemasunder-if and @comicgoblinart so I'm tagging them with a non-obligatory participation offer. If anyone else would like to participate then join on in!
The Garden that Burned series is what I choose to answer with.
(1) What is the main lesson of your story (e.g. kindness, diversity, anti-war), and why did you choose it?
To be honest my story didn't start out with an underlying meaning. It took me a while to grow and build as an author before I realized I'd unintentionally included little "moral to the story" arcs within my plot and character arcs. Some of the points I touch on are resolving racism, accepting people for who they are not who you want them to be, learning to understand your emotions, fighting and/or coping with anxiety, learning to accept death and manage grief, war is a cycle of hatred, forgiveness despite biases, and there are likely a few other things I can't recall at this very moment.
(2) What did you use as inspiration for your worldbuilding (like real-life cultures, animals, famous media, websites, etc.)?
Well, I really like Elder Scrolls, Tolkien's works, and Avatar the Last Airbender, so I'd have to say my magic systems are inspired by those, however, I've put my own twist on them so they fit better with the lore.
The flora and fauna I've created are mostly chimeras of existing real-life plants and animals.
(3) What is your MC trying to achieve, and what are you, the writer, trying to achieve with them? Do you want to inspire others, teach forgiveness, help readers grow as a person?
My MC was initially trying to become the leader of his village, but fate had different plans for him. Now his goal is to end the Divine war between the mortals and their gods.
What am I trying to achieve? Nothing too deep. I just wanna share some stories :D
If someone learns something or grows by reading my series then all the better. It would actually make me very happy.
(4) How many chapters is your story going to have?
My first book has 24 chapters, but I have no idea how many the second, third, fourth, or fifth will have. Your guess is as good as mine.
I suppose I'll try to aim for that same 24 mark, but who knows.
(5) Is it fanfiction or original content? Where do you plan to post it?
The series is made up of original content and I intend to publish each book.
(6) When and why did you start writing?
I started as a wee tot but picked it up as an actual habit when it became therapeutic to me. Writing helps me work through my anxieties.
(7) Do you have any words of engagement for fellow writers of Writeblr? What other writers of Tumblr do you follow?
The best I can say is if writing is a passion of yours but you struggle putting pen to paper try setting a daily word count for yourself. It doesn't have to be a large count, but I promise you will improve by practicing every day. If you can't think of anything to write for the day, look up writing prompts and I'm sure you'll find a few that pique your interest.
As for other Writers of Tumblr I follow, I typically follow the creatives. People who show their passion by posting their works. It inspires me to see so many others writing their stories and participating in the writing community, so I aim to join in on the fun!
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WIP Game
Saw this idea elsewhere on tumblr and wanted to play.
How to play: Post the names of all the stories in your WIP folder. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them and then post a little snippet of it or tell them something about it! Then tag a few folks to keep it going (or consider yourself tagged if you're reading this).
I’m going to start with tagging @chry5alis-05 because I know they have a ton of WIPS as well. @silverskull @wanna-be-bold @theawkwardanglophile I hope some of y'all will play along!
I'm limiting my list to Chenford WIPs (as I now dabble in other fandoms) and to stories that are at least in the outline stage.
Published WIPs
All of these stories have multiple chapters in progress (even if they haven’t been updated in a while). Listed in the order they were originally published:
Trouble, please be kind: (Rated T) After Amber, Tim and Lucy each have feelings realizations
Santa Ana Winds: (Rated M) Lucy and Tim start a relationship just as circumstances force them apart. Can they find their way back together?
Mixed Bouquet: Flower Shop Shorts: (Rated T) companion piece to my rom-com flower shop AU
I Keep Coming Back to You: (Rated T) meet-cute AU where Lucy and Tim can’t quite get their timing right
Interludes: (Rating varies) unseen moments from S5 after Chenford becomes canon
Bonus:
That’s What Partners are For: (rated T) Lucy collects evidence [*cough* undresses Tim] in the aftermath of ax explosion. This story is currently labeled as a one-shot, but there’s an E-rated follow-up where it’s Tim’s turn to undress Lucy.
(A Selection of) Unpublished WIPs
Moonlight & Magic: (Rated G) post-Tim’s proposal prank in 4x21, Lucy tries to put a curse on Tim
Sliding Doors: (Rated E) Two ways Lucy and Tim could have gotten together in Las Vegas, and one way they did
Dessert First: (Rated E) Canon Chenford-era - Tim is ready for dinner, but Lucy has other ideas
Dream Lover: (Rated E) Canon Chenford-Era - Sexy Rookie/TO roleplay
Bonus: Stories still being outlined**
Summer Associates: Rival law students Tim & Lucy learn to work together
A Series of Holidays: S4 Lucy and Tim spend their holidays (working) together
The Rookie/Rosewood crossover: slightly AU timeline where Lucy meets another Tim doppelgänger, Dr. Adrian Webb: a private pathologist who recently moved to LA from Miami [this is Eric Winter’s character from Rosewood]. Is Adrian everything Lucy has ever wanted? Or is he just a substitute for Tim?
It’s Always the Wife: Rookie!Tim is the only one who believes Lucy didn’t murder her fiancé.
The Bet: S2 AU - Tim goes on the date with Rachel but realizes Lucy is the one he wants
Grief hook-up: slightly AU S4 - after Tim’s father dies, he turns to Lucy for comfort
**not gonna be ready anytime soon
There’s more where this came from, but those aren’t even outlined yet. And there are soooo many of them.
#WIP game#chenford#chenford fanfic#work in progress#fanfiction things#writing fanfic#play along#tim x lucy#lucy x tim#lucy chen#tim bradford#the rookie#by SoloOjoJojo
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