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sttm99 · 7 months

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Bakugo falling for a 'popular' girl.

Sometimes Bakugo felt stupid for falling for you. Not that there was anything wrong with you, or that you weren't up to standard. Quite the opposite. Quite frankly, you were out of his league.

You were one of those crazy pretty Management Course girls that had boys and even girls falling at your feet. You were so used to being hit on and flirted with, it was like you were desensitised to it.

He'd held open the cafeteria doors for you one afternoon, much to the amazement of his friends. They gawked as he stood near the door, holding it open for you and one of your friends, and instead of receiving some blushy words of appreciation, you just muttered a dismissive thanks and walked through without sparing him a glance.

He stood there for the next few minutes, fists clenched by his side, head turned down with wide eyes and red cheeks, whilst Kirishima, Kaminari and Sero guffawed.

Then he looked back up in your direction, and watched as some random boy literally ran over to pull out your seat for you, and another had even gone to get your food tray so you wouldn't have to.

He paused.

Was that what he was competing with?

How would you ever notice him if every other boy in school practically worshipped the ground you walked on?

He began brainstorming, with the help of Kaminari, because he was considered to be the more romantic one of his friends.

"You just keep proving why I was right to call you Dunce Face!" Bakugo yelled at his blonde friend, cursing at and dismissing every single idea he'd been given.

"I think Kami's actually got some good stuff, Bakugo. You're just picky." Sero defended.

But of course Bakugo was picky. This was you! He'd watched you, studied you, despite how creepy that sounded. He knew the things you'd scoff at and scorn, and he knew the things you wouldn't even bat an eyelash at.

"You're all idiots!" He yelled at them and stalked over to his room, slamming his door shut behind him and pacing the space.

It was later that evening, that Kirishima had pulled him aside and told him to just be forward with you.

"Just go talk to her. Like, actually talk. Not opening the door, or pulling out her chair and expecting her to fall at your feet. It doesn't work that way."

Bakugo contemplated it, turned the idea over and over in his head. He nodded at Kirishima's words, deciding that would be what he would do.

He wasn't some blushy boy that couldn't get any words out once in your presence, and he wasn't some entitled brat that thought he deserved your favour for doing the bare minimum.

He was better than all those idiots. And he'd show that.

The next day at school, he caught you on your way to lunch, stopping you and asking for your time.

"Sorry," you began, your pretty, fake smile making its way to your lips as you looked at him. "But I'm really in a hurry right now. Maybe later?" You said softly.

He knew that wasn't true. It was a tactic you used, the same sequence of words you gave all the boys so as to avoid stupid confessions like his.

But he was better than them.... he'd show you.

"Please," he said, resisting the urge to bite at his lips at how uncharacteristic of him this was. "I just- I want to ask you something."

You sighed softly, looking at the girls by your side and urging them to walk forward. They did, but not before offering Bakugo sympathetic smiles, as though they knew you'd reject him, as though they knew he'd come out of the conversation with a broken heart.

"What is it?" You said to him, one hand on your hip and your weight on one leg. "I really don't want to miss lun-"

"One date." He blurted out quickly, wanting to go through with it before any nerves caught up with him. He wasn't used to this; asking girls out, flirting, courting. He'd never participated in the stupid, juvenile acts of romance with his peers, when everyone was just realising that the opposite sex wasn't all that disgusting.

He didn't know how to do this, but he wanted you, badly.

"A date, huh?" You said with a slight smirk, pushing away the strands of hair that had fallen over your forehead.

You could admit the blonde haired boy standing before you was attractive, very much so; with wide shoulders and bulky arms, and a sharp jaw and intense red eyes.

That, and he was Katsuki Bakugo. A student notorious for his refusal to indulge in romance with his peers, considering himself above it, and finding the whole ordeal to be a distraction from his goals. That driven, obtuse boy was standing here asking you for a date.

It swelled your ego just a bit.

He nodded. "One date. I-"

"You do realise that you asking me for a date doesn't exactly make you stand out from all the other boys." You cut him off with bored eyes.

He almost gapes at you.

"They all do this, ask me out cause they think they're better, or different from the ones that hold the door and pull out my chair. I reject them. All of them. Why shouldn't I reject you, Bakugo?" You ask.

He steels his resolve, taking a step to you, almost dwarfing you in his height and mass. He's big, and he knows it.

"You know my name. Do you know the names of those shitty idiots that drool over you?" He raised a brow.

You scoffed. "Even if-"

"You should know that I'm never one to play games. I don't believe in wasting my time. I want to spend it with you..., because I like you. Even if I don't know you all that much, Yn. One date. Let me prove it. That I'm worth it."

You stayed silent for a moment, a little smile tilting your lips upwards. "A restaurant date... cause you're making me late for lunch. So the good stuff will be gone."

He chuckled softly, the sound rich and throaty. "I'll give you anything you want, Yn."

You smiled at that. "Really?" You teased.

He took another step to you. You could smell his cologne now, could see some of the little blemishes on his pale skin.

"I'll give you everything. Whatever you desire."

You nodded smugly. "I like that. Good."

"So...?"

"When's the day?" You smiled up at him coyly.

"Saturday. I'll pick you up at 8?"

You nodded. "Alright then. See you Saturday, Bakugo." You offered him a small wave as you walked past him, making your way into the cafeteria.

#bakugo x reader #bakugou katsuki x reader #bakugou x reader #bakugou katsuki #bakugou katuski x reader #katsuki bakugou x reader #bnha x reader #mha bakugou #bakugo fluff #bakugou fluff

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cosmicloved · 2 years

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i love making half, if not most, of my ocs fundamentally unromanceable for a whole variety of reasons, each to the oc in question, and then being like ‘ooooh woe! woe! are there no ships for me? weeping, weeping eternally!’ it’s normal -_____-

ok,,,maybe unromanceable is untrue and unfair but i do always end up w/really specific dynamics in mind that are perhaps TOO specific and then i don’t actually share them on my blog so it’s just like.................ooooh woe, why is nobody reading my mind!!

#« 𝐂𝐎𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐂 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 (ᴏᴏᴄ) » / 「 ooc. 」#actually my real problem is that i looooove to overthink things so if i'm not already super sold on a ship & the chemistry and somebody says #they wanna ship with me i just freak out and don't do anything instead ASDFGHF #i'm weirdly picky :pensive: and it's literally just a ME issue #i think i'm maybe just not the biggest romance fan but i still like the idea of it! love is NICE!!#but i have to be really sold on it to get invested so i'm bad at just winging a ship to see where it goes #maybe i should just try one day ; ________ ;

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leeneir · 6 months

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Relationship; Iso x Gender Neutral!Reader Headcanons

This is my first time posting stuff like this so idk how it fully works but I'm figuring things out🫶

These are mostly based off of what I have written for my Iso x oc ship, I'm sorry for that but take what you like💙💙🫶

Iso at first introduction isn't talkative. He's not necessarily an asshole, but he is introverted. Either you'll have to pull the first move quickly, or let him warm up to you

Very much goofy. If you have loose locks of hair, Iso will push it back and forth with his finger like a cat.

Iso LOVES food, but he's also picky. He's the type to eat his favorite food nonstop, but if there's something he doesn't like, he won't eat it. If you don't mind, he'll let you have it.

Boy is RICH. Not like presumably Chamber, but he's an infamous assassin that can kill dozens at a time. He's got money for sure. Iso will spoil you with clothes, food, items, literally anything you want he'll buy it for you. Oh, there's a really nice top you saw at the store earlier? He'll buy all the options available. (Bonus: He knows your size and preferences.)

LOVES holding you. It doesn't really mean holding you. Iso will simply put a hand on the small of your back and just keep it there while you're talking to other agents.

Iso is a jealous type but it isn't too much of an issue. He'll notice how you were extra chatty with Yoru during training or how you volunteered to help Sage the entire day and he'll get a bit annoyed that you aren't spending time with him too. Later that, he'll come into your room with a knock and literally just bury his face in your neck while keeping his arms firmly around your waist. You wouldn't see it, but he's definitely pouting.

Adding on to the last HC, Iso will stay like this with you even though your standing. If you complain that your tired, he'll simply pull away, pick you up, and carry you to your bed where he'll snuggle up to you for the next few hours.

Iso isn't open about your relationship. He's not one for PDA, the most he'll do is just place a hand on your shoulder or back. No one even knows he has feelings for you (even you earlier on). But behind closed doors, he's one big softie.

Iso has of playlists for any scenario. You're on a mission and he misses you? He's got one. You two are together and he's just staring at uou lovingly? Yup, got one for that too. Both of you are with the other agents and you're on opposite ends of the group and it feels like a slowburn friends to lovers romance? You bet. This man has playlists for a n y t h i n g .

Iso does that thing where when you're aim training and your form is a bit wrong, he'll hold you and guide you properly and intimately. There's no room between you guys.

If you get injured on a mission, Iso will beg Sage in his mother tongue to stay by you and make sure you're. He doesn't tell her about your relationship, but because he's asking in their native language, Sage has a suspicion that there's more than he's leading on. (Bonus: She's the first to figure out your relationship but is a good bro and doesn't tell.)

Iso is an artist. He's more into environmental sketching, but he'll occassionally draw you. He gets embarrassed when you find out and probably assumes you think he's a creep. Show him some TLC and reassure him that you love the drawings, it'll get you a kiss.

#iso #iso x reader #valorant iso x reader #valorant iso #iso valorant #valorant #headcanons #valorant x reader #x reader #iso x reader hcs #li zhao yu

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arseholism · 1 month

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[ Wow, you're seriously going to attempt reading about me?? Alright then, before we begin this long and tiresome charade, let's go over the basic information you NEED to know and understand.. ] [ NO! i do not want to subscribe to your OF] [ I don't "want" you. I don't "need" you. I don't want to "come see you". ] [ Please for the love of whatever you love most, do not bother telling me this post offended you]

[ Aw you look beautiful when you’re smiling! Love those shoes too ;) ]

[ Alright, get comfortable my darling ] [ I love people, i just don't find many interesting. So technically, the law of averages works against you.] [ You might be awesome.. please, feel welcome to change my mind ] [ Okay, Lets go. ] [ My name is Arias ]

[ You pronounced that wrong! ] [ I like coffee ] [ I like people. I wouldn't be able to live without people.] [ I love talking ] [ You don't know me ] [ You probably wouldn't understand me even if you did ] [ I'm From London ] [ I also live in Los Angeles, Sydney and New york ] [ Because i can ] [ I travel a lot ] [ I'm 6'3 ] [ I like short girls ] [ Not midgets. Short girls ] [ My dad's white, my mum's spanish .. Incase you wondered ]

[ I love American accents! They’re so fucking cute!! ]

[ I'm English ] [ Yes i have an accent, it's london with a hint of sydney] [ I like it.. ] [ No you probably will never hear it ] [ I've played Piano, Guitar and Violin since i was 4 ] [ I write lyrics and music when i'm bored ] [ No i will not write you a song ] [ Yes i can sing ] [ No i will not sing for you ] [ I love to cook ]

[ No i will not cook for you ] [ I'm blunt so i can be an arsehole ] [ I'm quite nice in general ] [ I'm passive, i really don't give a fuck ] [ Unless i care.. then I absolutely give a fuck ] [ I won't suck up just so you like me ] [ I do what I want ] [ I do not like cameras, in case you’re wondering why my page isn’t littered with selfies ] [ No i will not be your trick monkey ] [ or your human puppet ] [ enough. ] [ Make me smile, make me laugh, i'll get addicted to you ] [ I'm a cuddle whore ] [ I'm attracted to pretty faces and beautiful smiles ] [ I'm a dreamer ] [ I love to plan dreamy dates and sensational moments] [ I have sleep issues. I like my issues ] [ I love to read ] [ I think you're spiffy because you're still reading this ] [ I'm bored right now, so i may NEVER stop. ] [ I LOVE to cook. I even bake my own bread haha ] [ If you tak lyke dis, dun fuhkin tak 2 me mkay? ] [ Right. got that off my chest ] [ I swim, i run, i eat unhealthy, my body is so confused, but it's pretty to look at? ] [ I love music, i have way too much music for one guy ] [ I love kids, i have 3 god children and they rock my world ] [ I'm opinionated and judgemental, however, i will listen to your opinion and i will listen to your side of the story] [ I'm hopelessly romantic ] [ I'm very very very picky ] [ No. I'm not looking for anything or anyone ] [ Romance.. is so misunderstood ] [ I'm broken ] [ No. You can't fix me ] [ Wow. I didn't stop. You didn't stop. We're still here and we're meant to be *gushes* haha ] [ I'll probably adopt. ] [ I'm always bored ] [ I like conversation ] [ I love to read ] [ I don't like pictures, i figure that if there is something beautiful enough, it'll burn into my memory ] [ I however, do not want you to hit on me ] [ I can be very perverted ] [ No, this does not imply i want to talk dirty ] [ Or.. that i want you to talk dirty ] [ Please try not to be too creepy.. PRETTY PLEASE? ] [ I'm also very moralistic ] [ I love my imagnation ] [ I have a major oral fetish ] [ Do we have things in common? ] [ No, You could probably never be my dream girl ] [ I have never had a one night stand ] [ Yes, i'm very picky and fucking frustrating ] [ Are you Captain Entertainment? Sent to rescue me from the trescherous depths of boredom? ] [ Didn't think so.. ] [ I love cookies, they make me happy ] [ I love cold miserable rainy weather ] [ I'm cheeky ] [ I'm complicated ]

[ I'm curious ]

[ Did the brackets annoy you? ]

[ Stupid word count ]

[ Go on.. Judge me! ]

[ Message me if you still want more ]

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leviismybby · 1 month

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However, I don't know how to feel about Levi because of the real source material (Isayama interviews, smartpass story and side material like that…) and the 'professional' Japanese translators on this blog. I think he really is, according to the correct Japanese translations and Isayama interviews, he is really dragging humanity through the mud for his personal feelings… and he is someone who is floating and aimless because of Erwin's death… So much so that Isayama even thought of killing him many times because he didn't know what to do about him and threw him aside… also I guess he has no interest in women… oh and Ackerbond is probably real… I know it's not a canon ship and I know he's not in love, but that doesn't mean it's not written too reductively to Erwin. And it disgusts me…

Because of the source material, side material, canon discourse and Japanese translator blogs, my opinion of him is changing more and more and I think I will throw my LevixOc project in the trash… Levi is really someone who (because of Isayama's writing) has been hypnotized by Erwin's own goals and has taken control of Levi's entire character and actions. I don't think I could take him (or s/o) out of this hypnosis.

I know you can say "Isayama's opinions can change" or "only what is in the manga is canon" and I used to hide behind that for consolation, but I realized that once Isayama said it, it was true and it stayed there. And I think the interviews are necessary to understand the content of the scenes etc. in the manga.

Even analysis is no longer a comfort for me… after all, why need complicated writing when interviews and manga are the source of what really happened there…

I guess he's not the character I thought I wanted… I wish he was his own man… I wish he wasn't a character to be discarded just because he died because of another character… or someone who is too picky and only accepts high standards… (this is just my own opinion based on the manga and the material/opinions I think Canon!Levi would be like that)

I'm deeply disappointed… As delulu as the Eruri fandom is, most of what they say is unfortunately true… after all, they take real sources and cite them as evidence… I don't think they are mistranslating because there are professional cold-blooded translators in this fandom and most of them quote what that blog says…

I wish I had never encountered this fandom and this character, so I wouldn't have to be so upset all these years…

Except that half of the interviews are either fake, completely twisted or don't exist. Especially that flaoting ballon bullshit, which a lot of Japanese fans say wasn't even said.

I will this again, please read the manga on your own and base your opinions on Levi on your own.

Since you already mention Eruri and i might ruin your day here but Eruri is as canon and Levihan is, it isn't. No Levi never prirotized Erwin over humanity and you'll understand that if you read the manga for yourself and analyse it for yourself without letting the fandom get to you.

Levi is his own man, he has his brain to think with and the only people who think he doesn't are shippers. Not once did Levi put his own selfish desires before humanity for anyone, he was as sad about Erwin's death as he was for the rest of his comrads. Not a single instance in the manga/anime or any actual official interviews given by Isayama was Levi reduced to Erwin, only a shipper would think that way. Oh and Ackerbond thing too, not only is that damaging to Levi's character, it is just creppy and definitely not a thing.

I am sorry anon but it seems like you don't understand Levi and his character at all. Isayama always said that Erwin and Levi were equal and sworn friends, he didn't say that because he hid some sort of hidden romance between the two, he said it because that's how it is, its a strong bond of trust and commandership and reducing it only to "Oh Levi is a love sick puppy who only cares about Erwin." is a mischaractertion at max.

My advice to you is to take a break from the fandom is they are making you not like your oc x Levi anymore, that's the best way to get them out of your head and please, base your own opinions, not what people online say.

#levi #levi ackerman #attack on titan #aot levi #captain levi #anonymous asks #also to point out #this isnt about all shippers #most are sane and can actully be talked to #and then there are some who have to harass and bully people for not shipping a fanon ship

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hiwelcometothemonstersancturary · 2 months

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So, did Smilling Critters really die out here? Wouldn't there be some kind of way for them to still be alive, or for the prototype to revive them? It's because I would like to see them here in your AU, mainly I would like to see CatNap apologize to them and have an emotional meeting with all of them.

(besides, you have a great AU, I loved it the first time it was posted :D)

AAAAAAAAA, thank you so much!!! I'm glad you like my AU!

I have been going on and off about letting the other Smiling Critters have a permanent death in my AU or not, but I think that for the "main version" of the AU they will be gone. Permanent type of gone.

In my own headcanons, PickyPiggy ate the remains of CraftyCorn, Bubba Bubbaphant and KickinChicken. I still don't know if I prefer her to have been so hungry she ended up turning on her friends, or if an accident happened and she was so hungry she ate their bodies. Either way, she also tried to attack Bobby, with Hoppy and Dogday stopping it from happening and leaving her behind. Hoppy died during an accident while the trio was running from Catnap, and Bobby died soon after. Again, I don't know how she died: Either a broken heart from losing so many of her friends, or from a critical injury from trying to save Dogday.

I think most of their bodies if not all of them were claimed by the Prototype, so in theory they could be brought back. In practice, however, all of this started because Elliot Ludwig couldn't accept the fact his daughter would be gone and desperately wanted her to have a chance to live. Angel and Prototype both know Dogday and Catnap miss their friends, and the duo's ever-increasing guilt is only going to get worse as they process their trauma, but bringing their friends back from the dead is not the way to do it. Deep down Angel wants to try that, but they can't and shouldn't. And it hurts, yes, but they can't allow the cycle to continue.

... ON THE OTHER HAND. Good God do I wish I could bring these dumb critters back from the dead, or at least make it so that Catnap trapped everyone/sent them to the Playtime Co's equivalent of the shadowrealm or maximum security prison, and Angel has to save them and stitch them back together during chapter 4. OR, EVEN, everyone discovering the other critters were still alive when the authorities go in to investigate the factory and find them very malnourished, but still alive.

IN MY OPINION Picky would have a hard time eating, thanks to her trying to eat her own friends. She goes vegan because even the smell of meat makes her stomach curl, and she decides to try gardening around the isolated house. She can't look most of the other toys in the face due to trauma, but she's trying so hard.

Kickin picked beef with both Mommy Long Legs and Kissy Missy. MLL finds him to be a sort of "annoying little brother", and Kissy is always making an >:( expression with some of the things Kickin tries to do. His way of coping is via trying to fill himself with hobbies. He gets diagnosed with ADHD and surprises no one.

Bobby has abandonment issues, becomes Long Legs' and Kissy's best friend, and now they NEVER leave each other's side. Bobby tries romance books and movies, only to realize what really soothes her anxious mind is, ironically, horror. And Doom. Lots of Doom. She also takes responsibility in helping take care of the younger toys, and I think she's also the first to fully accept Catnap's apologies. She hugs him and he becomes close to crying, then she starts sobbing and they're both hugging each other and crying. Her right arm needs extensive treatment due to her getting it badly injured, though.

Craftycorn has a 50/50 chance of becoming an Youtuber or influencer and no one can't change my mind, girl is the queen of MySpace /j. But being serious, she, much like Bobby, has abandonment issues, but is also TERRIFIED of the dark thanks to Playtime. It also takes her a long time to go back into drawing, and an even longer time to pick up any red pencils. It reminds her of blood. This however does end with her finding out drawing horrifying creatures helps her cope with her anxiety! Second to forgive Catnap and acquires an habit of making outfits and trinkets for the other toys. Also she has to wear braces on her hands and is always grumpy when her hands (hooves?) start hurting.

Bubba... My baby. My poorest boy. Mentally speaking, he seems to be the most well-adjusted, until he finds out he keeps forgetting what he reads or studies. He tries to play it cool, to be a helping hand to poor Dogday and Angel, tries to learn everything from the other toys so he can start making plans on what he wants to do for this future, but he just. Can't think about a future. And a few months later it's 3AM and he can't stop crying and chewing on his own pillows, and he feels awful and he keeps forgetting things and why does every little thing bothers him SO much, his recovery has been going so well, why is it happening? And then the flashbacks happen, and oooh boy, he does NOT escape the PTSD and burnout diagnosis. Much like Craftycorn he's extremely grumpy about his symptons, but Bobby and Crafty are trying to help him be kinder to himself.

Hoppy would probably need at least an year or two to physically recover from her injuries. She hates the fact her legs got so badly hurt during her time at Playco, and for the first few weeks she's grumpy, very easily startled, and very mean to others. It takes her the longest to even look at Catnap without wanting to murder him. Catnap sometimes wishes she had never started to forgive him, because now the only one left to forgive him is himself. Also I think Hoppy is the second one hit with the ADHD diagnosis, surprising no one.

Also. Ahem. All of them are besties with Miss Delight, who helps some of them try to understand Catnap more. Our big feline is constantly worrying about hurting his friends again and his guilt is eating him from the INSIDE OUT, but at least Dogday is there to help him. Speaking of which!

Don't tell anyone but Dogday has been smoking and drinking. He's 21, tired, and therapy is a long process. He thinks he's hiding well from everyone else (he can't be a bad example to them!) until, again, 3AM hits and he sees Mommy Long Legs smoking and Catnap coming back from the Prototype's barn smelling like alcohol. So all three of them stare at each other like "...", until they hear something falling down inside.

Surprise surprise, it's a drunk Angel.

THANKFULLY. These bad habits will eventually go away as, again, they recover from the trauma and start finding healthier coping mechanisms. But until then everything is MESSYYYYYY

... Okay now I'm once again reconsidering the idea of bringing them back from the dead or not rip-

#poppy playtime #dogday #catnap #the smiling critters #smiling critters #bobby bearhug #picky piggy #craftycorn #hoppy hopscotch #bubba bubbaphant #save everyone au #poppy worldwide #mommy long legs #miss delight #kissy missy #also FOR ME poppy doesnt smoke nor drink but no one can leave her close to any bottle of wine bc she WILL drink wine #she cant get drunk but she loves wine

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howlingday · 4 months

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Jaune go's to a monster school au. He is a Human aloud to go because his family His ability and his abundance of Mana. He was never that how to use it the So, despite getting similar results to other students, he uses absurd amounts of manna on stuff that really should abuse that much. Weiss is a vampier, rwby werewolf, yang a dragon, penny a golem, Blake is a werecat, Ren a ghost, Nora a Valkyrie, pariah is a demigod daughter of Aries.

Jaune: Hi, I'm Jaune. Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, and rolls of the tongue. The ladies love it~.

Jaune: ...Okay, maybe they don't now, but they will! Anyway, that's not what I wanted to talk about. See, I kind of need to vent, and this is the only way I really can.

Jaune: But what do I have to vent about? I have a great family, a lot of great friends, and a bright future ahead of me! I just... have to survive until I reach it.

Jaune: ...Let me start over. My name is Jaune Arc, the only son born to the Arc family, who are one of the few families on Remnant with access to mana, or magic. I'm not very good at it, but I'm good enough to not be allowed to go to normal, regular people school.

Jaune: So that's why I'm attending Beacon's Light Academy of Magic, which was explained to me at one of the four "Great Mage" academies in Remnant, along with Atlas's Might, Haven's Garden, and Vacuo's End. It's not so bad so far, since I'm learning a lot at Beacon with my best friend, Ruby Rose.

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Jaune: What's for lunch, Ruby?

Ruby: (Sniffs) Mm... Beef...

Jaune: What else?

Ruby: Uh... I don't know. Why? The only thing you need to eat is beef, pork, and chicken, right?

Jaune: Uh...

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Jaune: See, Ruby is a werewolf. Yeah. You heard me. Half-human, half-wolf. I don't really know what the story is, since I don't really pry into her business, but Ruby basically has what's called "primal mana," which is magic based on tapping into your most base instincts and emotions, like fear, anger, and hunger. She's usually cool, except on the days that have full moons later that night, then she gets super irritable. She can still go to day classes, but she has to go to the safety bunker before... Well, based on the claw marks I see getting fixed the next morning, it's something super bad. Like, so bad, Weiss can't go to her night classes.

Jaune: Oh, speaking of Weiss, she's also my friend, and I kinda have crush on her. ...Okay, she's not really my friend yet. More of a friend of a friend. But I'm getting there, I think. But it might be best for me to keep my distance from her because the reason I can only see her so few times is because...

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Jaune: Oh, uh, h-hey, Weiss!

Weiss: For the love of... Good morning, Jaune.

Jaune: So, uh, how... How were your classes?

Weiss: Fine, Jaune.

Jaune: Cool, cool... So, uh... Do you... wanna get some... blood?

Weiss: (Puts her book down)

Weiss: (Slowly turns to look at him, Bewildered)

Jaune: ...Is that a no?

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Jaune: Look, if someone as flat and uninteresting as romance novel teens can get vampires, why shouldn't I try my luck? You know, besides the fact that I'm Type-O and probably a better meal than a friend to her. Nevertheless, I will keep trying... until she tells me she wants nothing to do with me. Which she hasn't. Yet. But she won't! Maybe.

Jaune: Anyway, being a vampire is kind of a double-edged lottery sword. It's part of something called "genesis mana," or "Blood Magic". Only people of a certain bloodline can access this, but it also curses your family to become some kind of monster, like a vampire, a wendigo, or even a werewolf. And that's why the Schnee family is so picky about who hangs out with who. My dad used to tell me that some families turn away suitors because "certain blood dulls the mana". He also tells me it's stupid, but also stupid to try my luck. Thankfully, he's not here to judge me, and I have friends who're willing to support me, like Ruby and...

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Penny: Sal-u-tations~!

Jaune: Oh, hey, Penny. What's going on?

Penny: I have heard about your recent failures with friend Weiss and have been instructed by friend Ruby to cheer you up!

Ruby: W-What?! N-No, I didn't!

Jaune: ...

Jaune: (Writes on a napkin) Ruby, I have a command written on this napkin. The command is, "Show me every command Ruby gave." You either tell me the truth, or I ask Penny to eat this.

Ruby: She can say no, though, so there!

Jaune: Penny, would you like to eat this napkin with a command written on it?

Penny: Yes, I would!

Ruby: NOOOOOOO!

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Jaune: She's also a really great lie detector. I mean, except for when telling her own lies. That's just how golems are, I guess. Penny is kind of a... experiment Atlas is testing out at Beacon. She's going to be attending here as a way to test if golems are sentient and capable of safely interacting with other people. Why a school full of young adults would be considered safe, I have no idea, but I'm glad to have a friend like Penny around. And as far as I can tell, whether you were born or crafted together with "creati mana," you're still human to me!

Jaune: Uh, I mean people! You're still people to me! Hah... Sorry... Last time I said "human," I got on the bad side of...

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Blake: You were late to class.

Jaune: Sorry, sorry!

Blake: Being sorry doesn't excuse you showing up late.

Jaune: Right, sorry. I was up late last night, reading a really good issue of X-Ray and Vav.

Blake: ...You stayed up late. For a comic book.

Jaune: A really good one! You like reading, don't you?

Blake: ...

Blake: (Digs claws into the table)

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Jaune: Yeah, Ruby isn't the only one who can access "primal mana". In fact, it's a lot more common for faunus to access it than humans, for obvious reasons. But unlike Ruby, Blake seems irritated all the time when it comes to hanging out with me. Honestly, she feels more like a friend of a friend than Weiss does with me. Almost every word that I say seems to piss her off, and I don't know why.

Jaune: Hah... Guess I'm just unlucky with girls as friends, since I get along really well with...

-------------------------------------------

Jaune: Yo, Ren!

Ren: Good morning, Jaune.

Jaune: Any luck last night?

Ren: Not yet. But I did rearrange the recipe in the cafeteria for a healthier meal this afternoon.

Jaune: Oh... Uh...

Ruby: WHERE'S THE BEEF?!

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Jaune: Ren is a ghost, and he's been haunting this school for the past... I don't really know. But what I do know is how Ren got to where he is now. See, he was human, like me, and before he died in school, he cast a spell that bound his soul to the school.

Ren: Wrong.

Jaune: AGH!

Ren: I was attuned with "psyki mana" and could manifest my soul so I could find my best friend after I died. We were supposed to graduate, but when I finally came to life, she'd already left without me.

Jaune: Wait, you didn't cast a spell or anything?

Ren: In order for me to cast, I would require access to my aura, which was lost in my final moments. But my soul is still present, though it requires time and effort to manifest.

Jaune: ...

Ren: You can just say you don't know.

Jaune: I don't know. But, uh, were you able to get into the office?

Ren: No. Access to the office is protected from every mana variant known to Remnant. Nothing magical in nature, including a ghost, can enter.

Jaune: Geez, that's rough. You know who might be able to help?

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Nora: Alright, alright, what's going on now?

Jaune: Uh, well, I was just making my way to class when suddenly-

Nora: Were you attacking this poor girl?!

Jaune: What?! No! It's the other way around!

Nora: HA! Yeah, right! Look at you! You're twice her size and SHE attacked you?

Ruby: You stole my comic book!

Jaune: I did not!

Nora: Oh, really? Hand it over, kid.

Jaune: But-

Nora: HAND. IT. OVER.

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Jaune: ...On second thought, nevermind. Valkyries aren't really that helpful, are they?

Ren: It depends on what the situation is. If it's in response to a violent crime, they are merciless and will do whatever it takes to protect the innocent in the magic realm.

Jaune: But if it's a petty crime?

Ren: They... can be a bit biased in who they assist. Unless their opponent is a hostile monster with a weapon, they're not good with delegation and diplomacy. But they do care.

Jaune: Well, you could always ask one, right?

Ren: Unfortunately, no. Valkyries are protected by a specialized armor that prevents the effects of mana. A ghost like me can't even be seen by them, let alone get near one.

Jaune: Dang... Well, best of luck to you.

Ren: Thank you. Also, before I leave, I was asked to find you.

Jaune: Really? By who?

-------------------------------------------

Jaune: Uh, h-hi...

Pyrrha: H-Hi...

Jaune: ...

Pyrrha: ...

Jaune: So, uh-

Pyrrha: DADDY, NO!

Jaune: Wha-?

Jaune: (Sees giant boar barreling at him)

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Jaune: Ugh... Great... You ever heard of helicopter parents? Well, with someone like Pyrrha, her helicopter dad comes equipped with a rocket launcher and twin machine guns. And a hatred for any boy that gets close to his daughter. Kind of expected since her dad is the God of War. And when I say god, I mean ALL the gods of war to have ever existed. It's part of her "deity mana," where a very lucky few are literal descendants of the divine. And hers happens to be the embodiment of war, violence, and combat. So not only can her dad kick my ass, but SHE can kick my ass!

Jaune: I don't know how I'm going to survive this school, but hey, here's hoping I can at least make it to graduation!

Jaune: ...Er, no offense, Ren.

#rwby #rwby au #supernatural superschool au #jaune arc #ruby rose #weiss schnee #penny polendina #blake belladonna #lie ren #nora valkyrie #pyrrha nikos #werewolf!ruby #vampie!weiss #golem!penny #werecat!blake #ghost!ren #valkyrie!nora #wizard!jaune #demigod!pyrrha

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makeitmingi · 9 months

Text

Cause Baby You're My Muse [Chapter 16]

Genre: Romance, Idol!AU, Music, Slight angst

Pairing: Mingi x Reader (y/n)

Characters: Producer!Reader, IdolLyricist!Mingi, IdolProducer!Hongjoong, Idol!Seonghwa, Idol!Yunho, Idol!Wooyoung, Idol!San, Idol!Yeosang, Idol!Jongho, cameo(s) by other celebrities

Summary: You always preferred producing underground, having an unknown face and governed by your own rules. But when you start freelancing for idol groups, you say goodbye to your lone wolf lifestyle as you learn to work with idol producers and lyricists.

Word count: 3.3K

"Haneul, why are you so happy?" You asked, noticing how giggly the girl was as she drew with her crayons on the floor. You sat in front of her, making her look up.

"Wooyoung oppa is coming!" She grinned.

"Do you really like Wooyoung oppa so much?" You chuckled, reaching out to tuck the stray hairs behind her ears. She nodded her head with a big smile. Now, you didn't know how to tell her that Wooyoung might not come with Hongjoong.

To be fair, you did try to tell her that someone else was coming. But she obviously assumed that any 'oppa' that was visiting the house was Wooyoung.

"Let's have dinner first, baby. We can continue drawing later." You told her.

"No, I want to finish my drawing before Wooyoung oppa comes." She frowned and turned back to the paper in front of her.

"Baby, I promise you can come back to it later. You need food and energy to draw, don't you?" You tilted your head. She seemed to process your words and contemplate it for a while.

"I can draw after?" She asked.

"Promise." You pinky promised her. After that, you sat her down at the table and placed her bowl in front of her.

"Unnie, can I have a jelly after? ...Please?" She added the magic word a little later, remembering how you taught her. When she asked so nicely and with her cute face, you really found it hard to say no to her.

"Okay. Just one." You laughed. You took a jelly cup out from the bag and showed her how you placed it aside for her. She kicked her feet excitedly. Haneul wasn't a picky eater, she always ate what you gave her, which you were very grateful for. You sat beside her and ate your meal with her.

"You eat so well~" You complimented while stroking her hair. Only at the end, you helped her get the remaining pieces onto her spoon.

"Can I have more soup?" She requested.

"Of course. More rice?" You asked. She shook her head. You got the bowl and stood up, going to get her more soup. You made a mental note, Haneul now likes beef and radish soup.

"Here you go."

"Thank you." She said when you placed the bowl back down. You smiled, leaning down to kiss the top of her head.

DING DONG

"Oh, early." You stood up and wore your mask before you went to answer the door. When you opened the door, you saw Hongjoong and Wooyoung standing there with bags in their hands.

"Woah, what's with all this?" You asked, stepping aside to let them into the house.

"I was out and got some gifts for Haneul and you. I thought she might like some toys and clothes. Also, I was going to come alone but Wooyoung insisted on coming. I couldn't stop him." Hongjoong said, making Wooyoung glare at him.

"Yah, Hongjoong ah. Why are you acting so formal?" You scoffed, punching his arm, gesturing to all the gift bags on the floor.

"You're the first person I know who hits people for giving them gifts. And most of them are for Haneul anyway." Hongjoong stuck his tongue out at you.

"Of course I will come. I'm not gonna let you visit my princess alone. Speaking of, where is... My princess!" Wooyoung ran over to where Haneul was eating and picked her up to hug her.

"Luckily he's here. She already assumed he was coming, I wouldn't know how to break it to her if he didn't come." You laughed.

"Wooyoung, let her finish her meal first, please." You instructed. Wooyoung put Haneul bag down in her seat.

"Eat up, my princess." Wooyoung patted her head.

"I already ate but I cooked extra for you guys. Eat before we start working." You waved to both Hongjoong and Wooyoung to sit down. As Hongjoong took his seat, Haneul sent him a wary look. Hongjoong gulped, suddenly feeling nervous with the child's stare of scrutiny on him. You placed the dishes down.

"H-Hi, I'm Hongjoong. I saw you yesterday on the phone." Hongjoong gave a small wave.

"I'm Haneul." The girl mumbled in reply. Wooyoung stifled a laugh as he stood up to help you get rice for himself and the captain. You handed out the cutlery and sat down beside Hongjoong.

"Haneul, this is Wooyoung oppa's... brother!" You explained to her. Haneul looked at Hongjoong up and down before looking at Wooyoung.

"You don't look like brothers." She stated.

"Actually, people say your unnie and I are similar so we're like brother and sister. I used to have blue hair like her." Hongjoong corrected.

"That's impossible. I'm unnie's only sister. She doesn't have a brother." Haneul reasoned. You nodded, Haneul did have a point. You and Wooyoung laughed at Hongjoong's fallen expression.

"Doesn't mean you have sparkles like unnie on your ears mean you're unnie's brother." She added. By 'sparkles', she meant the multiple piercings you both had.

"But Hongjoong is still unnie's friend. And he's a really nice oppa." You reached out to ruffled her hair. Haneul just nodded her head, not really saying anything much to that. The two boys just dug into the small meal that you prepared.

"The soup is good. Like the one my omma used to make me." Hongjoong complimented.

"I like the spicy pork." Wooyoung said. That was the extra dish you made, afraid that there won't be enough food for them. Haneul didn't eat that since she wasn't a fan of spicy food.

"Oh, also I brought some white kimchi. I told my mum you have your little sister with you and she sent some over." Wooyoung informed.

"Wow, thank you so much. Haneul just started eating white kimchi and she absolutely loves it. Help me thank your mom, please." You bowed your head.

"They put a lot of sugar in the store bought ones. My omma sweetens hers with fruit so it's better." He said.

"Perfect." You laughed. Haneul finished eating first so you cleared her eating area and gave her the promised jelly cup. Knowing that the two were watching her, you did the dishes that were in the sink.

"We'll do the dishes later." Hongjoong said.

"I can't possibly have you guys do the dishes in my house." You scoffed."

"Weren't you the one who said that we don't need to be so formal? Come on, we're not strange guests. You already did the cooking so we'll do the dishes and just leave them on the rack." Wooyoung insisted. You knew you wouldn't be able to beat the two of them so you gave in despite feeling unsure about it.

"Unnie, shall we give Wooyoung oppa a jelly too?" Haneul tugged on your sweater. She tried to whisper to keep it a secret. You nodded and followed her to the fridge.

"Baby, it would be nice to give something to Hongjoong too. He likes yoghurt a lot." You said softly.

"Really? He likes yoghurt too?"

"Mhmm. Just like you." You tapped her cheek. She thought about it before nodding and reaching out for a yoghurt tube. You took a jelly cup out of the bag and handed it to her.

"Yoghurt for Hongjoong oppa and jelly for Wooyoung oppa." She peaked over the dining table, slipping the two items beside the boys' bowls.

"Really? Thank you, Haneul ah." Wooyoung said with exaggerated awe. Haneul had a shy smile on.

"You're so kind. Do you know I love yoghurt?" Hongjoong asked. Haneul nodded her head, running to you to bury her face into your thigh shyly.

"Why are you acting shy?" You laughed, stroking the back of her head. While Wooyoung and Hongjoong finished their dinner and did the dishes, you sat with Haneul, accompanying her as she finished her drawing from earlier.

"I need to make one for Hongjoong oppa now. Or else he will be sad that he doesn't have one." Haneul told you, setting aside the one she drew for Wooyoung and taking a new sheet of paper.

"That'll a great idea, baby. I think he will really like that." You pinched her cheek.

"Unnie, what's all that?" Haneul suddenly pointed to the stack of paper bags by the front door.

"Those are from Wooyoung and Hongjoong." You explained.

"Done." The two finished the dishes and came to sit with you and Haneul. They brought over the paper bags to show Haneul what they bought her. There were toys, shoes and clothes.

"You guys! Why did you buy so much?!" You scolded. Haneul didn't mind, she was over the moon as all the pretty clothes and new toys she had to play with.

"You must always spoil daughters. Right, princess?" Wooyoung grinned, tapping Haneul's cheek.

"But she's not your daughter. I swear, you met her a few hours ago and you're already wrapped around her finger." You scoffed at how lovestruck Hongjoong looked. He leaned back on his hands, watching her prance around in one of the dresses he bought her. Both Wooyoung and Hongjoong just ignored you.

"They bought you so many presents, baby. What do you say?" You prompted. Haneul giggled and ran over to hug them, giving them each a kiss on the cheek.

"Ugh, she's so cute." Hongjoong held his heart and fell back, making Haneul laugh.

"I was like that when I first met her too." Wooyoung completely understood what the captain was feeling.

"Let's start working or we'll never get anything done tonight. I'll come put Haneul to bed when it's time for her sleep." You said after checking the time.

"Have fun." Wooyoung waved. Hongjoong pouted, unhappy that Wooyoung got to play with Haneul, as you grabbed his jacket and dragged him to the room to work.

"I didn't know you like kids so much." You raised an eyebrow as you closed the door.

"I'm not crazy over them like Wooyoung and San are. But she's super cute and I think I have a soft spot for daughters, seeing her in the dress I bought just melted my heart." Hongjoong said.

"Your future daughter will have you on your knees then." You chuckled and Hongjoong nodded his head with a laugh of agreement. He took his laptop out from his bag and sat in the spare chair beside you at the desk.

"This is what I've been working on for the track, I added some piano overlay using the MIDI." He played for you the edits. You bobbed your head, listening to it.

"I like that." You nodded.

"And these are the lyrics I wrote for the chorus. Mingi is still working on the rap portion and the bridge." He said.

"How is Mingi? I haven't spoken to him in a while, being busy with Haneul and all that." You asked, trying to remain nonchalant. Honestly, you missed Mingi quite a bit and you missed talking to him.

"You haven't spoken to him at all?" Hongjoong tilted his head. He meant it as a genuine curiosity.

"No... But I'm sure he's just busy." You rubbed the back of his neck.

"Hmm... Well, he's been working on his lyrics a lot. And some of his own producing in his own studio." Hongjoong recalled. You nodded your head.

"Back to this, let me listen to what you have recorded so far?" You changed the subject back, thankful your mask could hide your face now. Why did it hurt to remember that every member has reached out to you except Mingi? The last time you spoke to him was when you first had Haneul over and he called you.

But like you always do, you pushed your feelings aside and focused on the work in front of you. You and Hongjoong were even able to do some recording and experiemental adlibs.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

"Come in." You and Hongjoong paused the music. Haneul ran in with Wooyoung behind her.

"Hey, baby." You greeted. She ran past you, boldly climbing into Hongjoong's lap. Hongjoong was quick to hold his arms out to steady her and catch her if she fell.

"I drew something for you!" She told him excitedly, handing over the piece of paper.

"Wow! For me? It's beautiful, Haneulie." He said as he looked at the drawing. It was a picture of him, judging by the figure with the blonde hair

"You like it?" She asked.

"I love it. Thank you." Hongjoong hugged her. She wrapped her arms around his neck while giggling. Wooyoung got his phone out, taking a picture of Haneul animatedly talking to Hongjoong about her drawing while she sat in his lap with his arms around her waist.

"That's so cute. Send it to me?" You looked over at the screen. Wooyoung gave you a thumbs up. After letting them talk for a bit, you decided it was time for Haneul to sleep.

"No... But I want to stay with Hongjoong oppa and Wooyoung oppa." Haneul pouted as she whined.

"They'll come play another day, hmm?" You bent down in front of her.

"No... I don't want that." Tears welled up in her eyes. Haneul rubbed her eyes but you grasped her wrist gently to stop her.

"Don't cry, baby." You said, wiping her fallen tears with a tissue instead. Haneul was still a kid and you knew that you couldn't give into her staying up any later.

"What about Wooyoung oppa put you to bed? I'll read you a bed time story." Wooyoung coaxed.

"How about that?" You were fine with Wooyoung doing that. As long as it got her to sleep. Haneul nodded her head, albeit unwillingly. Hongjoong hugged her and kissed her cheek.

"Goodnight, sleep tight. I'll come and play with you again soon." He patted her head. You momentarily left the studio to get Wooyoung a set of Haneul's pajamas and showed him where her toothbrush was. He knew what to do since he helped his mother with his younger brother before.

"I'll come when I'm done with work, baby. Goodnight." You gave a hug before she held Wooyoung's hand again. You mouthed a 'thanks' to him as they left the room.

"I'm not good at dealing with the meltdowns and tantrums yet." You sighed as you sat back down.

"It's not easy... It'll take time, Indigo. You're doing great things for her and raising her well enough." Hongjoong patted your shoulder.

"Thanks for saying that. Now, where were we?" You turned back to the computer. There was a lot of guilt that you felt when it came to raising Haneul. But you weren't going to get into that now.

When you and Hongjoong finally decided to call it a night, you realised that it was nearing 3am.

"Wooyoung, let's go-"

"Shhh." You shushed him. After shutting the systems down, you and Hongjoong came out from the studio to find Wooyoung laying on the couch, fast asleep, with Haneul on his chest.

"That's adorable." You took a picture of them. You carefully stepped over and took the fallen book that was near Wooyoung's hand to put it aside. Haneul would always get fussy if she was woken up so you didn't know how to move her.

"How should I...?" You tilted your head.

"I can come back for him in the morning." Hongjoong shrugged, completely fine with just leaving Wooyoung there like he was some puppy or pet.

"No, that's bad for his back. I don't want him getting hurt especially since he has so many dance schedules." You said.

"Do you want me to carry her?" Hongjoong offered.

"It's okay. I'll move her to the room quickly." You took a deep breath. Luckily, Haneul didn't seem too disturbed as you picked her up and brought her to the room. She did whine as you laid her down.

"Shhh... It's okay." You whispered, rubbing her back to coax her back to sleep. You put her bunny in her arms.

"Thanks again for coming. And for looking after Haneul, Wooyoung." You said to the half asleep Wooyoung and Hongjoong. Wooyoung shook his head.

"My pleasure... Anytime..." He yawned.

"Be safe on your way back." You walked the two to the door as Hongjoong steadied the sleepy Wooyoung, who almost fell over when wearing his shoes. As they left, you poked your head out to watch them until they disappeared into the lift. You let out a tired sigh and closed the door.

"That was a good session." You smiled to yourself. With that, you turned off the lights outside and changed into your own pajamas. You washed up and crawled into bed with Haneul.

"I love you." You whispered.

"Ugh." Mingi fell back onto the couch with a sigh. He had been trying to bury himself in his work for the past few hours but it wasn't working out.

Honestly, he would never admit it but he missed you. He hadn't seen you in so long and the only thing/ person in his head was you.

'Hey, Indigo. How have you bee|'

That was the message that remained in the text bar for the past week. Although Mingi wanted to know how you were, he felt nervous about starting a conversation with you.

"Yah, Mingi ah. Go home. It's late, you've been here for hours." His hyung poked his head in.

"But-"

"Just go." His hyung didn't even let his protest before chasing him out of the studio space. Mingi sighed, adjusting his bag over his shoulder before calling his manager to come pick him up. His hyung probably knew he wasn't even being productive anymore.

"Hey, hyung. Thanks for getting me so late." Mingi greeted as he climbed into the van. He sunk into the seat immediately, taking his cap off and ruffling his hair.

"No worries." The manager said. Just then 'It's Been A While' by Loco feat. Zion.T started playing on the radio.

'오랜만이야 웃음만 나와 거울 같아 너를 보면 어린 시절 내가 떠올라 오랜만이야 오랜만이야 손가락을 접어 이게 얼마 만이야 언제 봐도 넌 어제 본 것 같아'

Mingi shook his head as he let out a soft scoff of disbelief. How apt that this song is playing? Still, Mingi softly rapped along, knowing the lyrics by heart.

"You can tell that she was raised by Indigo. Or rather, is being raised by Indigo."

"Right? I told you she was cute. Luckily I went along to take care of her, seeing as to how you guys ended up producing for hours." Mingi heard Wooyoung and Hongjoong's voices as he entered the dorm. What were they still doing awake at this hour? And Mingi was sure he heard Hongjoong mention you.

"That is why Indigo is stressed... She wants to be there for her but her work takes a lot of time away. I understand that though, it's not easy as a producer." Hongjoong sighed.

"But she's already doing a great job." Wooyoung said softly.

"That's what we think, it doesn't matter as long as Indigo thinks differently." Hongjoong replied.

"Should we suggest her to move closer to us? I'm sure we can ask KQ to get a smaller apartment or something. That way, we can help her and she can build a bigger home studio." Wooyoung suggested.

"We can't just ask her to pack up and move right after she invites us into her home. Also, her current situation is only temporary, remember? And she's not officially a KQ employee. I don't want to put her in a tough spot."

"Well, let me know when you're going over again, I'll tag along if I can and help out." Wooyoung said.

"I will. I'm sure she would appreciate you helping while she's working." Hongjoong agreed. Mingi decided to make himself known. He saw them still in their outside clothes, which means they just came home.

"Oh, Mingi ah. Just came back from the studio?" Hongjoong asked. Mingi nodded his head.

"You guys went out?" Mingi asked back, trying to sound like he had just entered the house and wasn't eavesdropping.

"Schedule." Wooyoung replied.

Series Masterlist

116 notes · View notes

shannankle · 5 months

Text

My Top Shows 2023

Doing this at the last minute but here goes--the top 10 shows I watched in 2023!

*Note: I rate my shows on a letter scale cause I don't like narrowing it down to a specific number. (S-standout As-Strong Bs-Fine Cs-There's some problems Ds-ooof)

1. Oh No! Here Comes Trouble

This one instantly became an all time favorite. It covers themes about grief and loss in a deeply empathetic and humanizing way along side the supernatural elements. I don't know if it's because I've experienced loss myself or because it's a universal experience, but I love shows like this that help you understand what it means to grieve and heal in a familiar yet new light. It reminded me a lot of Natsume Yuujinchou (another favorite) in that respect.

Aside from the larger themes, you have a distinct directing style, quirky sense of humor, well-rounded cast of characters, and excellent acting (the lead actor was also in Your Name Engraved Herein and he's just as standout here). In addition to all that, the show gives us a main trio of characters whose strengths are deliberately not their wits. This is used for humor but also to make more meaningful points about connection, empathy, and different ways of thinking (yes, I headcanon the main trio as neurodivergent).

Rating: S+

2. The Eighth Sense

This show! Another piece that is deeply rooted in exploring trauma and loss. This time within the framework of a romance. I'm usually pretty hesitant with stories that bring disability into romance, especially mental illness. There's a tendency to lean into the idea that love cures all and other not so great tropes. The Eighth Sense does a great job balancing that line, giving us romantic beats without wading into them uncritically. In the end, healing and love are things we choose not something guaranteed, but there's still an immense hope in that. I'm an giant sucker for shows that tackle both queer and crip experiences with nuance and grace, and the Eighth Sense hit that mark for me (so much so it even had me writing a little meta). On top of that it has beautiful cinematography and visual choices.

Rating: S

3. Moonlight Chicken

A beautiful show all around! P'Aof constantly knocks it out of the park with every show he directs, but I felt particularly strong about Moonlight Chicken. I adore the way it centers on themes of home and community. It even inspired some meta and a bit of personal reflection for me on what it means to choose home as someone who is queer and disabled. The show gives us the messiness that comes with navigating new and old relationships and somehow also the simplicity of it all. And of course, the show includes a Deaf character and handles his story with nuance and clear care.

Rating: S

4. Shadow

Singto, Fluke, and Fiat in a queer horror show--sign me up! It wasn't as scary as I expected, more psychological (which is good because I am so picky about what types of horror are too much for me vs what I enjoy). I loved the way the show played with time and reality and drew upon various religious practices to create a unique atmosphere. I also adored the attention to small details that make the piece ripe for analysis. I will probably be eyeing clocks and tech in many shows to come. It's also a show that is bringing up themes about queerness, mental illness, domestic violence, and historical trauma. I'm continually drawn to pieces that are queer and crip, so I suppose it's no surprise that this one drew me in too.

I know this show was divisive, about as many people thought it stuck the landing as didn't. I happen to land in the former category. I adore media that makes me stop and think, and given the amount of meta the show had/has me writing, I'd say it well and truly tickled my brain. The show didn't always go where I most wanted or expected but I think that challenged me even more to really think about what the show might be trying to do (my thoughts on that here, spoilers though).

Rating: S

5. Our Dining Table

Japan does a lot of things well, but I'm particularly fond of their slice-of-life. Our Dining Table fits right in there with food and found family at the center. It's warm and cute, but has a depth beyond it's soft exterior, delving into loss, loneliness, and what it means to be fully seen by those around us. All of this tied up in a queer bow. It was easily the show I was most excited to watch each week when it was airing.

Rating: S

6. Mysterious Lotus Casebook

Another one I fell in love with this year! While it has plenty of tropes, cutting through the core of all of this is the growing friendship between the main trio, especially between Li Lian Hua and Fang Duo Bing. Their relationship and personal growth as characters was really beautiful to watch, on top of it just being a fun show with a great balance of humor and drama. Plus Fang Duo Bing's mom 😍

Rating: S

7. One Room Angel

Another solid entry out of Japan. As much as I love Japan's bright slice-of-life offerings like Our Dining Table, they also excel at stories that don't shy away from heavy or complex emotional themes. And I'm noticing as I tackle this post that I really resonate with heavy themes. One Room Angel has it's lighter moments and own quirky humor. But it also tackles depression and suicide as it explores the journey of finding enough connection and meaning in life to keep moving forward.

Rating: S

8. I Feel You Linger in the Air

I Feel You Linger in the Air was such a beautiful show! I'm so happy we got a historical thai bl this year and that it was so so lovely. I really liked last year's To Sir With Love but it does have it's Lakorn/soap style that is a bit more of an obstacle for me. IFYLITA certainly has it's drama, but it feels more tightly drawn. Throw in a little time travel and beautiful love scenes and it was a delight to watch.

Rating: S

9. My Beautiful Man S2, Eternal

When I watched the first season of My Beautiful Man I liked it but wasn't exactly sold. I read a bit of meta from the community which changed my tune a bit. But it wasn't until watching season 2 and Eternal that something really clicked. I immediately went back and watched season 1 after finishing the film and oh boy did I fall in love. Not only do S2 and Eternal give us great character growth and forward motion to Hira and Kiyoi's relationship, and they feel like a natural expansion of the first season in the best way possible. What can I say, I love the whole series!

Rating: A+

10. Kiseki: Dear to Me

Kiseki: Dear to Me feels like an outlier to me. It's hard for me to put my finger on just what made it click for me, but I was so into it when it was airing. I recognize that plot wise this show is a bit of a mess, but at the same time it hit something just right in my brain. Perhaps it was the emotional intimacy the actors portrayed? They did a fantastic job drawing me in. Apart from that I couldn't take my eyes off of Ai Di's impeccable fashion choices, and the many many cameos were quite fun.

Rating: A+ YMMV

A few close contenders:

My School President (S) *split airing 22' and 23'

Tokyo in April Is... (A+)

Laws of Attraction (A)

Bed Friend (A)

The End of the World with You (A)

Me, My Husband, and My Husband's Boyfriend (A)

If it's with You (A)

Our Dating Sim (A)

Love Tractor (A)

The Warp Effect (A) *split airing 22' and 23'

The New Employee (A) *split airing 22' and 23'

La Pluie (A-)

Midnight Museum (A-)

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