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greatooglymooglyyy · 1 month

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Lovers and Friends 2 (M.S.)

summary: when y/n's boyfriend invites her out to a dinner a week before her birthday, the last thing she's expecting is to get broken up with. but little does she know, it opens a window for her bestfriend, matt, to tell her what he's been trying to for years; that he's hopelessly in love with her. headed off to vegas for her dream music festival, matt (and the rest of their crew) try to find a way to open her eyes to what she's been blind to for years... that it's been them all along.

executive produced & cowritten by sienna @rootbeerworshiper

contains: pining, brokenhearted reader, fluff, cussing, flashbacks (in italics), 2.4k words, dual pov

a/n: sigh, i couldn't bring myself to proofread tn. maybe tmw. also ik the real lovers and friends festival is only one day BUT i needed it to be 3 days so just vibe lil baby

series masterlist

Y/N's POV

“How the fuck are you still not done packing?” Nick questions, standing there like a disappointed father while I shove random articles of clothing into my suitcase.

“I….. well I’m not sure. I just procrastinated.” I reply, a slight wash of embarrassment settling over me as I attempt to zip up an already full pouch in the suitcase.

Madi just laughs from the couch, her bags packed and placed neatly beside her. “Y/N always takes forever to pack. It’s just who she is."

“Well I want to meet the person who’s great idea it was to book plane tickets for a six am departure time.” I groan, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear as I think about what else I might need.

“Hey, are we ready to go?” A familiar voice says, walking out of his bedroom on the main floor.

“There you go! The man of the hour.” Nick jokes, gesturing towards Matt who’s walking towards the living room with freshly wet hair and a duffle bag slung on his shoulders.

“Y/N, are you still not done packing?” Matt questions, walking over to me after setting down his bag on the floor.

I look up at him, scolding him with my eyes. “No, I'm not done Matthew. Someone decided to book the world’s earliest flight.”

He chuckles softly, bending down to my level and beginning to help you repack slightly, his hands rolling up my clothes smaller than I could have.

For whatever reason I can’t bring myself to look away, infatuated by his focus as he tucks away random shirts into my suitcase.

This is until his eyes meet mine, looking up at me and holding my gaze for a moment. My head keeps telling me to look away, but it’s as if my body is speaking for me, our eyes maintaining contact until someone walks in, the sound of the front door breaking the hold we shared.

I cough, clearing my throat as Nate makes his way up the stairs. “Are we ready to go?” he asks, making his hands comfortable on his hips.

Before I can speak, Matt answers. “Yeah I think we’re good now”

“Wait where the fuck is Chris?” Nick asks, standing up from his spot on the couch next to Madi.

“Did no one wake him up?” Nate questions. “This happened last time too.”

I laugh at the irony of being judged for packing at the last minute when a member of our group is still sound asleep. “He’ll be fine. It takes him two seconds to pack.”

“Christopher!” Nick singsongs, skipping out of the room and heading to annoy Chris awake. Nate laughs and trails behind, yelling something about the city that never sleeps.

Madi and I share a long-suffering look before I turn back to Matt and shrug. “I think I’ve got everything.”

He sweeps his eyes over the room doing a last scan, his eyes stalling on the kitchen counter. “You’re not taking your glasses?”

“Nah. I’ll put my contacts in when we get there. I don’t really need to see anything before that.” I say as I place my suitcase on the ground and yank up the handle.

“Okay.” Matt says, hesitating and dragging out the word like he’s unsure.

Before I can respond, Nate and Nick come back up the stairs, each of them holding one of Chris’ bags. He trails behind them, yawning and clearly cranky. When he sees us staring at him, he throws us a hard glance. “What are you looking at motherfuckers? We going to Vegas or what?”

*********************************************************

After we get through security, we sit in our section huddled over Nick’s phone as he explains the itinerary. I squint down at the phone, throwing daggers at Matt when he gives me a pointed look. Okay so maybe he was right about the glasses. So what? Broken clocks babe.

“Wait!” I cut in as I look at Sunday’s lineup. “What if we miss N-Sync?”

“Then I’ll do my little dancey-dance.” Nate mutters under his breath and Madi pushes his shoulder.

“We won’t.” She assures me and I smile at her gratefully.

My phone pings alerting me that my ex has posted and my face drops. Before I can open Instagram, Nick looks over my shoulder and sighs. He holds out his hand and gives me a stern face. “Give me your phone. I’m deleting the app.”

“But-”

“Y/N. You are not spending your birthday trip cyberstalking this fucking loser. Phone.”

I groan and hand over the phone, dropping my head onto Chris’ arm who pats my back awkwardly. Nick grins and hands me my phone back sans Instagram. “There. Download it back and I’ll hurt you.”

Over the intercom, an attendant calls for our group so we stand to line up. I walk over to Madi and link our arms since we had to get seats a few rows behind the rest of our group. “I downloaded the Corpse Bride just for you babe.” I say as we make it to our line.

“Um, actually” Madi says, pulling away from me, her face showing a tinge of panic. “Matt, is it okay if we switch seats? I have something I need to talk to Nick about.”

Matt looks confused for a fraction of a second but nods and steps out of line, swapping spots with her.

I look between all my friends with a raised eyebrow, the feeling that I’m missing something rising. “What do you-” I start to ask but Matt cuts me off, uncharacteristically loud.

“What’s your favorite song of the week?” He asks, giving me a small private smile. I grin at the question, pulling out my phone to check.

“favorite color?” matt scrawls out, sliding a piece of paper across the desk when our teacher turns back to the board.

“light pink” i write back quickly, watching his reaction and smirking before he even writes back.

“basic.”

“okay mr.blue” i toss him an joking evil eye when i pass the note back and he bites his lip to hide a smile.

“favorite song?”

i stare at the note for a long time, tapping my pen against my chin, before i finally answer. “that’s impossible to answer. there’s too many to pick from.”

matt thinks for a while, leaning back into his chair. “what’s your favorite of the week?”

“probably selfcare by mac. why?”

he smiles over at me when he passes the sheet back. “i’ll keep asking you every week. maybe one day something will stick.”

And for the last six years, he’s done exactly that, remembering to ask like clockwork. I look up at him from under my lashes, already knowing he’s going to make fun of me. “Okay, hear me out.”

“Oh god-”

When we take off, I connect Matt and I’s headphones both to my phone so I can play him my throwback playlist. He’s being a bit of a hater but I know if we weren’t in public, he’d be jumping around and dancing to Jay Sean’s Down.

I huff in frustration as I bring my phone closer to my face, feeling a lot like a grandma. Matt leans down and grabs his backpack from between his legs, reaching inside and pulling out my glasses. I laugh without meaning to and give him a grateful smile. “You’re such a know-it-all.”

“Someone’s got to be.” He responds, leaning over my seat and hitting skip when Akon comes on.

As a 90’s love song starts up, I notice Matt bouncing his leg a bit like he does when he’s nervous. I furrow my brows that this, knowing he’s not usually an anxious flier. When I drop my head on his shoulder, he stills immediately so I keep it there, closing my eyes and letting the music take me away. The last thing I register before I fall asleep is the pressure of Matt resting his head gently on top of mine.

*********************************************************

“Wake up, Madi!” I say as I flop onto her bed. “Let’s go see the turtles.”

She's been crashed out in the bed since we made it to the hotel an hour ago and she's showing no signs of moving soon.

“Go. Away.”

I can definitely understand her want for a nap after that flight but thankfully I’m wide awake. Matt and I managed to sleep the entire flight away unlike our friends. They apparently started up an entire Candy Crush tournament complete with a betting ring. Madi, the saint that you are.

“C’mon. You gotta get up for Y/N and Matt.” Nick says. When I throw him a puzzled look, he adds hastily, “and Nate and Chris!”

Weird.

Madi groans but rolls out of bed like a trooper to Nick and I’s chants of encouragement. While she goes to touch up her makeup and Nick makes sure the boys are ready, I order the Uber. When it’s confirmed, I open my messages, reading the one I received last night for the hundredth time.

‘i’m sorry. i wish it was you"

My fingers hover over the keyboard as a million replies rush to my head but I force myself to put the phone down instead. I’m on my dream trip with people who love me. Somehow I can make that be enough. Even if I wasn’t enough for Asher.

When we pull up to the aquarium, I’m bouncing with excitement. I look over at Chris knowing he loves shit like this just as much as me. “What’s first?”

To my left, Nate opens up the map of the aquarium, looking like a dad on vacation. “I vote seahorses.”

“Lame!” I protest, looking over his shoulder. “They have a fucking shark tunnel, bro.”

“But can their males get pregnant?” Chris retorts as if that is the most obvious deciding factor there could be. I roll my eyes and look back as Matt gently touches my elbow.

“I’ll go with you to the sharks and we can meet back up later.”

I clap excitedly before waving at the rest of our group and heading upstairs.

“It’s been a lot of me and you so far, huh? Hope you’re not getting sick of me.” I joke as we step to the side and allow a mom with a stroller to pass us.

But Matt doesn’t laugh, he just shakes his head giving me a quiet and earnest, “Not possible.”

In the tunnel, we stand shoulder to shoulder and look up as a tiger shark swims over our heads. I glance over at Matt, noticing how the reflection of the water tinges his face a cool blue, and let my eyes wander down his jawline.

When he flicks his eyes back to me, I look away, pointing at a shark in the distance. “I wish she’d come closer. She’s beautiful.”

“Yeah. She is.” He replies, but when I look back at him he’s not looking into the tank at all. When I open my mouth to question him, I hear someone call our names.

“What, Nick?” Matt says, sounding a bit irritated.

“They are going to let us hold the baby turtles!” He says, his voice pitching up in excitement.

At this, Matt and I share a glance before we take off out of the tunnel, pushing each other childishly to be the first in line.

While we’re waiting for the show-and-tell to start, sitting criss-cross applesauce like a bunch of kids, my phone dings so I pull it out. My heart drops when I open a text from one of my friends with a screenshot of Asher’s instagram story.

It’s a picture of him and Olivia, her sitting casually in his lap while they both grin. When I look closer, I realize that I know the background; they are at his parent’s house. He’s already brought her home to them. My eyes start to water and I stand up.

The same Asher who told me time and time again that he just ‘wasn’t the Instagram official type’. The same Asher who only let me meet his mom once after months of asking.

“Are you okay?” Madi asks, standing with me and looking down at my phone. When she sees the picture, she whispers a quiet, “oh” and wraps her arms around me.

Chris takes the phone out of my hand and almost immediately starts ranting which is more than I can handle right now.

“I’m going to head back to the hotel. You guys should stay.” I say, grabbing my phone back and ordering another Uber.

“You’re not going back alone. Are you crazy?” Nate says, standing with the rest of the group.

I sigh in frustration, trying not to snap at them. I know they are just trying to help. “Please. I need to be by myself.”

*****************************************************

Matt POV

Thanking my Uber driver, I get out of the car with my bag and gently close the door. After Y/N left the aquarium, the day was pretty much over for me. After we sat together watching her location to make sure she got back to the hotel safely, I was the next to go.

I headed off to the store to get some of her favorite things in the hopes of maybe saving the first night of her trip. For some reason, I’m full of nerves as I knock on her room door. But to my surprise, Nick swings the door open instead of her.

“Oh, hey Matt. We were wondering where you were.” He says, his voice holding a bit of relief.

I give him a weary smile and peer over his shoulder, noticing Madi and Y/N sitting in the bed, all three of their faces covered in a lime green mask. Nick steps back to let me in and I stroll awkwardly over to stand in front of her.

“I…uh…got you some stuff. Thought it might make you feel a little better.” I say as I hand her the bag. Her eyes light up as she looks through the bag and I smile, taking in her face. She’s obviously been crying, the reddening of her eyes giving her away, but she seems okay.

“That is so sweet, Matty. You didn’t have to.” She says, reaching up and touching my arm.

I shrug, not knowing how to tell her I’d do it a thousand more times just to see her smile. “It’s nothing.”

I tell them all goodnight and head back to my room. As I leave the room, I hear Nick tell a joke and Y/N’s genuine full laughter. I pause outside the door, leaning against it for a second and smile sadly.

I’m just glad she has someone with her to make her laugh, someone that gives her comfort. Even if it’s not me. Even if it never is.

🏷️/ @sttzee @tillies33ssss @miloisdone1 @sstvrnioloo @junnniiieee07 @sturnioloslurps @mrsmiagreer @asturniolos

@teapartyprincess4two @whicked-hazlatwhore @sukiipjs @accio326 @sturniolosmind @imfromthediningtable @st4rswrld @thvvluvr @sturnssmuts @littlenerdybee @sturniolossss @iloveneilperry @eclipzw @chrissloverrrrrrr16 @sstvrnioloo

@clemlament @fwskullz @luv4kozume @lotsofloveloulou @thebottledwatersupplier

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kithtaehyung · 4 months

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back to december (teaser) (m) | ksj

title: back to december (teaser) pairing: brother's best friend!seokjin x reader(f) rating/genre: m (18+) ; angst , fluff , smut ; brother’s best friend au, wedding au, second chance au summary: ever since you left town to pursue your dreams, life has fast forwarded into one big blur. so when you hit pause to attend your brother’s wedding exactly three years later, your brain instinctively resets and rewinds. because you have to spend it with the very person that had been there at the start. the one person you regret leaving behind. note: this originally started as a one-shot for @raplinesmoon for the maui relief fundraiser, but turned into something more. since it also fit into the mold of this holiday collab, here we are! note 2: this is part of the jingle all the way collaboration with @kpopfanfictrash, @leahsfavefics, @cybrsan, @yoonia, and @sugaurora! all the holiday collab fics have the phrase “the holidays aren’t so bad with you around.” warnings: [explicit warnings to be posted on drop day!] language, alcohol, angst lol, time switches/flashbacks, seokjin being the sweetest until he’s not >:)), reader being damn cool, overthinking, bbf!jin needs his own warning i am warning y’all now, horribly great jokes, winter themes, relationship failures, stress/anxiety, jin being jin, did i say angst?, falling into cold water, a lot of gd yearning mood: back to december - taylor swift, halley's comet - billie eilish, universe/snowing in la - thuy teaser word count: 1.2k | est. word count: uhhh 20k+ lol wanna be on the taglist? add yourself here! est. drop date: january 2024

It all started with an accident in winter.

Ever the gracious hosts, your family decided to throw a cookout for your brother’s birthday, inviting everyone in the neighborhood and its outskirts to join in celebration. While your brother was initially opposed to being outside in the frost, word got around that his crush of three years running would be present, which suddenly warmed him right up to the whole idea.

Typical.

You were also initially opposed—having to sit through the festivities while your older sibling hogged all the attention—until you discovered your own downfall was attending, too.

Because of course he would.

And if he was coming, you were set on making your naive self presentable and noticeable, and you still consider the day of the party to be the best you’ve ever carried yourself. You were confident, you were radiant.

Until you got bumped into the backyard pool.

You don’t even recall who knocked you in. All you remember was water rushing into your vision, and paddling through outright shame and embarrassment when you shakily swam your freezing bones to the ledge. Everyone saw you: your friends, your family, your brother’s older circle and acquaintances. In your adolescence, it was the literal worst thing to have happened to anyone in the history of ever.

But someone’s outstretched hand greeted you when you got to the pool’s edge.

And when you looked up, you questioned if you hit the bottom on the way in because the face you were seeing was a shock. Were you deceased? Did you somehow swim to heaven’s beach?

No. It was really him, the very person you got all dressed up for.

Seokjin. Handsome, reserved, off-limits friend of your brother Seokjin.

Years later, you still question why he was the one helping you out. But it didn’t matter at the time because all you wanted was to get thawed out as soon as possible.

“Come on,” he had urged. “You’ll get sick.”

Trembling because of the cold and nothing else, you took his hand and let him haul you into the house, wondering what the hell was going on the entire time. Why was he the one helping you? Where the hell was your brother?

Because not only did he lead you inside, but the boy also accompanied you to your bathroom, grabbing a towel off its rack and wrapping it around your knocking shoulder blades.

“Grab some clothes, okay?”

“Huh?”

“Go get clothes,” Seokjin ordered, moving towards your shower. “And change out of those as soon as you can.”

“Oh.” Blinking, you couldn’t decide if your shivers were from the fall or his comments. But either way, you were shaking horrendously. “Yeah, okay.”

After that, you remember being so cold you couldn’t even move your legs. Which meant that Seokjin had to lead you to your room and wait at the entrance while you hastily grabbed whatever you could find.

There was no way he was gonna catch the cutesy patterns of your underwear. No way.

When you were done, Seokjin brought you back into the restroom, the spray of water echoing through the festively decorated space. “It should be warm enough now,” he urged. “Don’t wait.”

“Thank you,” you finally huffed, hating how your shakes stifled your gratitude. “You can, uhm. Go back out there now.”

“Mm.” In the doorway, his eyes reflected the bright lights so perfectly. To this day, you still remember the way you compared them to stars. “Well. Umm. Good luck.”

And you will never forget the way you felt heat before you even touched the run of the shower.

“Yes, it’s all set. We are still on for Monday.”

“Good. This is the meeting we absolutely cannot miss.”

“Umm, yes—I mean—Understood.”

“Is everything okay over there?”

Rushing to close the door of your rental, you bite back a curse as your suit jacket catches in the edge. Because of course it does after the frantic day you’ve already had. “Yes! Everything’s”—you smush your top against your side while shutting the door again—“Fine! But I do have to go.”

“Sure, sure. Oh, one more thing—”

Right. Rummaging through your purse, you locate the keys at the very bottom while trying to ingest the four things being tossed into your ear, locking the car in a fast walk to the massive mountainside property ahead of you.

“ —then we’ll finalize the merger. Got that?”

Holy shit, your brother must be doing even better than you or his fiance is loaded.

“Hello?”

“Oh, shit, sorry. Yes, Mr. Hamada, we can do that.”

“Mm. What did we say about language.”

“Apologies.” Damn your filthy mouth for running even faster in cold weather. Because it is the goddamn arctic out here. “I will say I have been getting better, though.”

“Improvement won’t matter if you fuck up during the meeting.”

“Alright, buddy.” Your superior’s laugh grates your ear as you haul ass into the warm estate, worry suddenly gripping you when you realize that no one is walking around.

Shit, are you that late? Did you miss everything?

Skittering right to the main doors, you start to panic. Are these the main doors? They look like them. Fancy. Very fancy. Shit, shit, shit, is the wedding over—

A full body bumps into your side as you round a table bursting with flowers. Having a sound enough mind to cover your receiver, you react in a shout, “Hey, watch it—”

“Sorry!”

Wait. You know that voice.

Even though it’s one that you haven’t heard in years.

“…Jin?”

Everything slowly stops as the man turns and, if you weren’t so in shock, you would’ve noticed the way his eyes traveled from your heels to your perfectly trimmed brows.

You expect both something and nothing. Because when it comes to the person standing in front of you, there’s no telling what he’ll destroy you with next.

But what comes out is merely a tiny, chest-constricting,

“Hello.”

You stare, and stare, and stare some more. Even your boss cannot bring you back to the present with his incessant poking.

Because Jin looks so fucking handsome in his suit that’s not quite dressed yet, with hair that’s swept just enough to throw you off planet earth. Even the way his tie lounges around his neck gives you pause, because it showcases how broad his shoulders have become.

How can he look the same and yet so heartbreakingly different?

“I—”

“Later, tuna fish.”

Your heart lurches.

“They’re waiting for me.”

To your dismay, Seokjin presses a soft hand on your shoulder while passing through the ornate entrance, his lingering burn searing through as you watch him button his suit on the run.

Well. At least you didn’t miss the wedding.

You hear your sibling’s hearty shout echo throughout the hall, but you have to physically tear yourself from your spot to finally answer your boss.

And to not fixate on the one person you thought you were safe from today.

But of course he’s here. Why wouldn’t he be? Him and your brother have been inseparable since the beginning, and you should’ve known even being on different planets wouldn’t keep them apart too long.

Speaking of…

Traveling to another galaxy might solve the numbing ache in your chest. Maybe you should consider that gigantic leap yourself.

Because seeing Jin again brings you back to December.

And the frost you feel in your bones overshadows any weather brewing outside.

tbc.

wheee! we have a teaser! | join the taglist!

a/n: isi i hope you know what monster you're about to unleash lmao. here's to another holiday seokjin! gosh, he will keep haunting me and i love him for it. second chance with isi's initial brother's best friend!jin request? gotta love it. the one-two-three punch, i reckon. anyways, hope y'all enjoyed the teaser and i am so so nervous about the main drop but hope you like that, as well :'))

links: jingle all the way collab ; masterlist

#let's get it!#bts fic #bts fanfic #seokjin fic #*latest #*ryenfictalk #holidaycollab #fic:btd #seokjin x you #seokjin fluff #seokjin angst #seokjin smut #bts imagines #bts reactions #ryenwrites

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yuurei20 · 28 days

Note

So…what’s the deal with Jamil Viper’s parents, if you haven’t already talked about that

Hello hello!! Thank you for this question!

Jamil's parents are, I think, maybe still something of an enigma!

They appear in silhouette during Jamil's overblot monologue, where we see them strike Jamil in front of Kalim for refusing to play a game, calling him foolish to his face.

Jamil says that his very first memory as a child was seeing them bow to Kalim's parents, and "(he) couldn't stand the sight of it" even at that age.

In the flashback Jamil's parents then plead with child-Jamil to be understanding of their situation (after hitting him), and Jamil explains that this taught him, "Kalim's parents were far more important than mine. Therefore, Kalim was more important than me."

The situation seems very complex!

Jamil's parents are servants working under Kalim's family, and we get a little more information about what it is that they actually do in Jamil's third birthday vignette: Jamil explains that their duties include entertaining visitors (business contacts of Kalim's father? It is not specified).

When Silver comments on Jamil's admiration for his parents Jamil responds that it's not exactly admiration: he just wants to adopt useful skills, like their knowledge of foreign countries.

Jamil says he has not confided in them the reason why he overblotted in Book 4.

And Jamil's parents' responsibility of providing hospitality has been hinted at before! Jamil says in a ceremonial robes voice line that his parents "immersed (him) in this world since (he) was a child" and he can "breeze through any social occasion," while Jamil's father sends Najma out to find him during Firelit Sky with information about visitors' seating arrangements.

(Najma is forced to hunt down Jamil during the festival even after confirming the information with Jamil over text because their father "doesn't really get smartphones...or computers even," and despite how doing so ruined his daughter's own plans for the day.)

We learn a little more about Jamil's childhood interactions with his parents during the event, such as how he would have to pick up after Najma ("usually with Mom and Dad hounding me to do it") when she'd run away from messes, and a time when he tried to escape his "mom getting on him about something" by hiding inside a vase.

When he tells Najma to to stay out of trouble she reponds, "Ugh, you sound just like Dad!" Jamil responds, "...you've got a point."

And I believe that is all that we have seen/heard of Jamil's parents thus far! It will be interesting to see if they come up again the story, as they seem to have had a not-insignificant role in Jamil's overblot!

(Also, small trivia: Jamil's father in Book 4 is voiced by the same voice actor who did Floyd's deep Book-4 voice, after he trades his unique magic to Azul ^^)

#twstask #twisted wonderland #Jamil Viper

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cirilla-fiona-riannon · 10 months

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Give Me Everything You Have

Translations may not always capture the exact nuances or tone of the original text. Please support Cybird by buying their stories. Expect grammatical errors.

My beloved fiancé’s birthday was almost here.

Emma: “.........”

Silvio: “What happened to you earlier?”

Emma: “What are you talking about?”

Silvio: “You have this intense gaze, like you’re about to pounce on me.”

Emma: “Don’t worry about it.”

Silvio: “Don’t be ridiculous.”

(Probably just a few more minutes left.)

As his birthday drew closer, the tension built up because as the clock struck midnight, a competition was about to begin.

(I won’t lose, no matter what.)

------------Flashback------------

Rio: “You better be careful on his birthday.”

A few days ago, Rio told me this while I was gathering information for Silvio’s upcoming birthday.

Rio: “He’s the wealthiest businessman on the continent, so his birthday is no joke.”

Rio: “On that day, merchants and prominent figures from various countries gather to celebrate him.”

Emma: “Is it that grand?”

Rio: “Oh, it’s beyond grand. His birthday has such a huge economic impact that it’s no laughing matter.”

Rio: “All the accommodations near the castle are fully booked, and the guest rooms in the castle are occupied by VIPs.”

Rio: “The gifts alone surpass the average person’s lifetime income.”

Rio: “Everyone wants to celebrate him, so the entire city turns into a festive frenzy.”

Emma: “That’s incredible, as expected of him.”

Emma: “But that means it's going to be difficult to celebrate with him on his birthday.”

Emma: “Maybe it’d be better if I celebrated it with him the day before his birthday.”

Rio: “No way. Why should you, his fiancée, have to compromise?”

Rio: “If that flashy guy puts other people before you, I’m going to riot.”

Emma: “Hehe, knowing you, you might actually do it.”

Emma: “But wouldn’t it annoy him if I asked for his time on his birthday?”

Rio: “Not at all! I assure you.”

Rio: “He’s freaking crazy about you, so there’s no way he wouldn’t be happy.”

Rio: “You shouldn’t yield to that flashy guy or other people.”

Rio: “You can say this to him if you want: As my fiancée, you need to obey me and give me your time!”

Emma: “Okay. Thank you, Rio. I’ll do my best!”

---------Flashback Ends---------

(Even if he’s busy on his birthday, it should be fine the moment the date changes.)

By the way, Silvio didn’t know I knew about his birthday.

I wanted it to be a surprise, so I prepared the cake and presents meticulously and made sure he wouldn’t notice.

As I gathered my determination, he playfully stroked my head, unaware of everything.

Silvio: “By the way, it’s not good for you to stay up so late. It’ll affect your health.”

Emma: “I’m an adult. I’ll be fine.”

Silvio: “That’s not an excuse. Should I put you to bed like an adult, then?”

Emma: “No, thank you!”

(Just a little more.)

Amidst the sound of waves outside the window, the ringing of a bell echoed, indicating that the time had changed, and it was now his birthday.

(Alright!)

Emma: "Prince Silvio, happy birthda一"

Before I could finish my sentence, a knocking sound reverberated through the room, interrupting me.

(Who could it be this late at night?)

Without much surprise, he stood up and lazily opened the door.

Gathered people: "Happy birthday, Prince Silvio!"

(!?)

I rushed to his side and peeked into the hallway, only to see a long line of people.

The line stretched so far that the end was no longer visible.

Emma: "This is..."

Silvio: "It's always like this on my birthday."

Silvio: "Everyone tries to get my attention, resulting in fierce competition."

(.........)

(I was naive!)

The line that formed at midnight to congratulate Silvio on his birthday never stopped.

Since many of them were noble guests and influential merchants from other countries, he couldn’t simply ignore them.

It didn’t take long for the lively, bustling night to turn into the morning.

(Nn...)

Lured by the soothing sound of waves, I opened my eyes and abruptly sat up on the sheets, soaked in a gorgeous scent.

(Crap, I fell asleep.)

I recalled him telling me to go to sleep and pushing me to bed in between chats last night.

(Where's Silvio...?)

I could hear his voice outside in the hallway.

It seemed like the line was still ongoing.

(No way, right? So that means he didn't sleep at all?)

I hurriedly got up and changed into the dress I had left in his room.

I tidied myself up a bit and gently opened the door.

Silvio: "You woke up at just the right time."

He had already changed without me noticing and turned towards me.

(Oh wow, there are still so many people in line.)

Silvio: "Let's go have breakfast."

Emma: "Are you okay?"

Silvio: "*Sigh* You're worrying about me way too soon."

Emma: "But you didn't get any sleep, did you?"

Silvio: "It's always like this on my birthday."

(It's always like this!?)

(He seems fine at first glance, but can't he at least rest during breakfast?)

(That's what I thought, but again, I was naive.)

While we usually have breakfast in his room or the dining room, today, however, it was in the courtyard.

The guests didn't forget to approach Silvio and speak to him as they enjoyed the seafood dishes.

(He doesn't even have time to rest.)

(It seems like he hasn't had much to eat either.)

While keeping a respectful distance, I stood nearby and waited for a brief pause in their chat before quickly speaking up.

Emma: "Would you like me to get you something?"

Silvio: "I don't need it. Just make sure you eat your fill."

Emma: "Don't you have an appetite?"

Silvio: "It's not like that. I just want to hold back a bit to prepare for today's main event."

(Main event?)

Before delving further into the conversation, a guest took Silvio away.

(What should I do? Is it going to be like this all day?)

(But if this continues, he won't get any rest.)

(I want to celebrate with him, but I also need to look after his health!)

After the buffet party, we next went to the city.

As soon as we passed through the city gate, people who had been waiting surged forward all at once.

The escort knights managed to hold them back to some extent, but it looked like the line at the court was just the beginning.

(I'm going to get squished and separated!)

I desperately clung to him, and he overreacted.

Silvio: "You...!"

Emma: "If I don't do this, we'll get separated!"

Silvio: "Don't do such things in public."

Emma: "I was just holding onto your arm!"

Silvio: "That's exactly the problem. *mumbles*"

(Did he say something just now?)

Emma: "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you!"

Silvio: "Ah, is that so? Then I won't say it again!"

(What!?)

He turned away and started chatting with everyone again.

(I feel like I missed out on something important.)

Despite feeling disappointed, I desperately clung to his cape, not wanting to be separated from him.

After what seemed like an eternity, I finally got my chance.

Perhaps tired from it all, he conspired with a knight and took a break in a secluded alley we escaped into.

Silvio: "Those guys should tone it down a bit."

(We finally have a moment alone.)

(At first, I thought I just wanted to have time to celebrate, but seeing how difficult it is, I can't afford to be selfish.)

(If only I could say happy birthday already.)

Emma: “Prince Silvio...”

Before I could even say it, he forcefully grabbed my chin and silenced me with a kiss.

(!?)

Emma: “What are you...”

A voiceless scream escaped me as his lips curled into a mischievous smile.

Silvio: “You just made a face like you’ve had enough.”

Emma: “Huh?”

Silvio: “You should come at me more seriously.”

Emma: “What do you mean...?”

Silvio: “*Sigh* You wanted to greet me, right?”

(He noticed.)

Silvio: “Then don’t give up until you give me everything you got.”

(He seems to see through my attempts to greet him.)

He messed up my hair and stepped out into the bustling city.

It didn’t take long before the people surrounded him again and disappeared.

I was stunned by the sudden kiss, but I quickly regained my composure.

(He’s gone. He must have known I wanted to celebrate.)

(Wait, could it be...?)

(Is he running away from me!?)

Part 2 ╎ His POV

#ikemen prince #ikepri jp #ikepri silvio #silvio ricci #ikepri #ikepri translations #cybird

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noacfapologyst · 22 days

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birthday surprise — matty healy

(the birthday party: day two)

summary: even surrounded by people he loves and people he doesn't know at his birthday party, matty feels alone. by chance or by consequence, he finds a piece of his past that it stirs absolutely everything in the depths of his soul.

warnings: mention of alcohol, approach to loneliness, flashbacks of the past. cry on your birthday (guilty). open ending (maybe?)

wordcounter: 4,8k

Birthdays are one of the things Matty has enjoyed most since he was a kid. It's not just the fact of seeing all the people he wants in one place or the gifts he receives, although obviously that's also a plus for the basis, but the most important reason boils down to another: Matty has learned to celebrate being alive, to have a day, or a year more to live.

Maybe for the same reason, one of the environments Matty is best known for could be at parties. He always gathers endless crowds inside the walls of his house, always ends up being crazy between the amount of mess he has to clean up afterwards and the mess he has to take care of while they dance drunk on the tables and sing without being able to stop.

He has never considered himself a person of few friends, but he doesn't think he has a huge amount either because he's had to leave a lot of people behind. He has the necessary ones to be good with himself and with them, his presence does not suffocate them and they know how to understand him even when he cannot control himself and impulsivity controls him. But he's calm, he always is.

Of course, he now finds himself in a situation where many people entering his house are unknown to him because they are companions of his friends, or acquaintances of them. And God, Charli gathered a crowd in here. He recognizes them because he believes he went to high school with one or two, the few years he attended before deciding to miss an exam to go to a music festival.

Entities mix because he fails to recognize among low-profile, famous or just known people who have found out. In a way, it feels a bit like a party I'd throw if I was 18 and walked out of a Santbury's with several bottles in my hand and on my head. But it is not, because he is 35 and is in the middle of going through his thirties crisis.

Although now he deduces that none of it matters to him. He's much better than fine. He has gone from having the weight of a feather to getting stronger and seeing its fruits after many months without stopping at the gym. It has healed in all senses: broken heart, mental frailty, bad habits and addictions. Or at least in most of them, because he still smokes and still drinks alcohol, but at least now he equates it with something else and knows he can control it better. It's not entirely perfect, it could never be because that's metaphorically what the human being represents: a canvas that looks beautiful, beautiful and honest until you see the poorly made brushstrokes, over and over again until a result bulges.

"Hey, come to the kitchen." George awakens him from his thought with a touch. Matty leaves the beer can half-open on a shelf in the living hallway.

Then they arrive in the kitchen amidst a tumult of people that opens up in their path. The open backyard door is a plus because it's a good place to get some cold air and realize that he's lost a lot of stability and composure after several beers and a few more shots.

Ross is leaning on the recently acquired white marble countertop, as he opens a bottle of Don Perignon and the foam splashes over the top of the bottle. With quick movements, he pulls seven glasses from the shelf, and fills them to distribute later.

"Let's toast in honor of Matty, because it's his birthday and we love him. And we are incredibly proud of him." Ross cheers, while everyone raises their glasses. Charli applauds with the palms of his hands, and everyone knows that he has lost his mind. Matty smiles as much for that last act as for what his friend has just said, it's really an honest smile and full of feeling though he may not be able to prove it now.

Everyone toast, and then Carly pulls out of her purse a digital camera to capture the moment in eternity. They take a selfie together: George, Matty, Ross, Adam, Carly, Charli, and Chloe. Then there are some spontaneous ones between the four guys, the girls and one of each of them with Matty.

"Oh, my boys. I love all of you so much. You are the best on my life, really." It's finally Matty drinking the champagne out of his glass. Feel the golden bubbling liquid falling down your throat. "Thanks for everything you've done for me throught this years, forever."

When the conversation becomes that emotional tone that always happens on birthdays, it is also the moment when the bubble of intimacy breaks and everyone leaves that state.

"Hey I'm sorry, but there's not more ice." A woman's voice sounds from the frame of the kitchen, but Matty can't recognize her even when he looks at her with a frown.

"Oh! Now I'll bring more, thank you darling." Matty answers almost automatically as if he had given up control of his head. Actually the words are leaking out of her mouth but it's nothing too worrying yet, and she hopes it stays that way. "Some of you know who is?" He receives negative responses after the restlessness and sighs sillylyly laughing. "Thanks for all, friends."

A song by the Backstreets Boys begins to ring through the speaker in the living room and resonates between all the divisions of the house. Taking advantage of the commotion and celebration about it all he leaves the kitchen and disperses. Matty searches for a bag of ice from the fridge, breaks the wrapper with scissors and takes it to the main table where he places it in the fountain designed to keep the cold.

When he crosses the center of the dance floor, many people greet him and flatter him, giving him little shouts of love or complete sobriety, and more than one even asks him to dance for a few moments.

For a moment he manages to put away the idea of how he is the only one in his group of friends who has no one, which becomes more raw when he sees too many couples kissing on his couch, also generates a bit of disgust but he doesn't want to feel like a snob. He did the same thing and doesn't know when he stopped doing it but he understands the adrenaline generated by kissing someone when you're drunk and hot in public spaces, even if it's a pretty adolescebte attitude.

He takes his beer from where he left off and goes on. They have all built long-lasting relationships or are in the process, which makes sense for the age that passes.

He's okay with that, too. Yeah, logically, he´d like to have someone to dance together right now and then sneak out to enjoy a moment alone. Intertwining his hands with someone and having someone fixed to wake up with every morning while the smell of coffee runs through the room. He wants it the same way people who don't have it do, but he thinks he needs a break now.

Her last love attempts have gone overboard, and further down. They have simply come out disastrously and reject the idea that he wants to have for love: it all ends in silly discussions about mundane and monotonous everyday things that make up a ball that explodes, then everything weakens and the routine too tiresome. He wanted to live in the madness with which he used to live love in his 20s, where there was no fear of the future and only the expectation of living in the present.

Remember that frenzy of love when he was a teenager, when it is the purest love you contemplate inside you, when the barrier of who is going to judge you and the responsibilities are inhibited and you just go drunk with love walking down the streets arriving at the door with different flowers every day. He wants to love and get it right this time, obviously, but he doesn't want the person he leaves his legacy with abruptly taking away the magic of love Matty once had.

By the same token, he takes care of letting it flow. He's not waiting for anyone and he's hoping that things will just get better. She doesn't know if her future is to love someone and make it work, but she doesn't give up hope.

"I'm going to smoke, just in case." He says, when he sees Carly near him. He knows she's the one he can trust most because she's the most sober and the least alcoholic.

"Stay safe, Matty. Hope I won't have to look for you." She approaches him and kisses him on the cheek in an act of love, something like a motherly love. Even though she's only a little older than him, since she's with Adam she considers Matty to be completely special to her, and she loves him as much as she literally loves her children.

He says goodbye to her and walks to find the back door sneaking around. He looks the place and he see that there are really not so many people huddled together in the same place as they are scattered. The courtyard is huge, after the cement floor the grass extends along perhaps half a kilometer, where in the middle there is a swimming pool, and in the width there are some palm trees that accompany it. In the background there is a gate that leads to a construction connected to the house, but for which Matty is not responsible.

He looks for a place under the palm tree, the breeze that the leaves cause as they move embraces him at dawn. It's funny to him, he sneaks away just like he did all his life at these kinds of events, punctually on his birthday. He loves people and loves being with them, but at some point he needs to isolate himself from that same environment and have air to himself.

He fiddles with the lighter between his fingers passing it from hand to hand until he decides to pull a mentholed cigarette out of the pocket of his black leather bomber.

"Matty?" A whisper of the wind reaches his ears, although he does not know where it comes from, he acknowledges that there are not so many people who call themselves that.

He hears footsteps on freshly cut grass and hears crackling under his shoes. The only light out there comes from a curtain of lights hooked to the grill, so it's pretty dark.

But then a female presence appears in front of him. He really does nothing but admire her and for once his eyes run out of the cylinder he is about to light.

The two look into each other's eyes, Matty feels his whole life is passing before his eyes and is afraid he's having a concussion, or he's having a stroke. It doesn't make sense for her to be here in front of him after all these years.

"y/n?" He dares to ask. He doesn't have anyone around to confirm his presence there so he hopes he's not too drunk to hallucinate and hopes he's really on the physical plane. "I'm sorry, it's just…wow." Her tongue catches the words as her head runs a thousand miles after seeing her nod to get out of her trance.

"Isn't it?" With every word the past moves down the earth for both him and her. Too many, too many layers of memories that were left behind many years ago now threaten to float as if they could seep through the holes in the green ground.

There is a prolonged silence for a few seconds. Actually, nobody knows what to say because everything seems like a fantasy about to be pricked with a pin and nobody wants to go beyond that.

Matty's looking at her. She has always had that carefree but wrinkled profile and he recognizes her under the black dress sleeveless dress glued to her body and the hair cut on her shoulder, with the last minute scissors marks and something uneven. She complements it with high-cane boots, something like the ones she defined as her favorites too long ago. She still has that sparkle she had when she was a teenager, she's still incredibly beautiful without asking. He looks at her surprised that she's here, grateful to see her once more. He can't stop thinking about it, but she's really radiant.

She looks at him. He has changed a lot from the superficial, his hair is now almost shaved, only with hints of hair growing on his entrances. She doen't need to inquire to know that his fitness owes it to the gym, even under his jacket she can see how well marked are his muscles compared to the little skinny teenager she met a long time ago. The expression on his face did not change, if he looks into his eyes he still finds the frightened child because he does not know if things will turn out well, but also the child waiting for his mother after school to give her a hug. She has a white T-shirt that's stuck to her body and her tattoos are transparent. She looks at him impressed.

"Hey." He breaks the silence by speaking softly but with total softness. She smiles at him without showing her teeth and Matty feels something rising up her body. "What are you doing here?"

He is lying against a palm tree, she is standing nearby but neither wants to move into the position of the other, there is some barrier that prevents it and possibly it is discomfort.

"I'm the babysitter of my sister and her friends, they are your brother's friends." She anwers by returning the tone of calm. "In fact, I found out today."

"Wait, really?" He answers, and for a moment the atmosphere seems to disappear only because he is seeing everything through it. "But Louis is not there." He shrubs his shoulders.

"Yes, I noticed that. I guess he told the others in some nonsense conversation." She analyzes how he hasn't lit a cigarette since he arrived. "Are you going to turn it on or?"

Matty feels like a fool. "Do you continue smoking?" Ask without a second thought. He just wants to know what's in her life now. "Sorry, what about my maners, do you want one?

"No, but I'll share one just for the old times." She smiles at him again, and he mentally keeps the memory of how the burgundy color highlights the cheekbones of the white skin of the woman in front of him.

"Do you want to sit?"

"I'm alloweed to?" Matty is restless under such a formal tone and considers that the passage of the years now takes its points.

"Of course." Now he's the one smiling at her. "Are you still in the same job?

She laughs slowly, refuses with her head a bit apart. "God, no. I work in a notary's office now, but I'm more comfortable." She answers, he opens his lips in surprise, a whistle escapes from her lips. "May I suggest why are you here and not inside dancing with the others?" She asks with some shyness as she approaches to sit down, without doing so facing or beside him, as at an angle of seventy-five.

"Maybe you know the answer. It hasn't changed." He answerd and when he feels that he is drowning in too much of the past, he lights the cigarette. He pauses and takes a drag.

"You still get loneliness sometimes." She reasons, he nods with a look of pity and gave her the cigarette. "I really didntt know this was your house."

"It's quite different from the old porch, it doesn't have a loft with a balcony or red tiles either, but i like it." He sighs embracing the melancholy that escapes from his bone structure. "How did you get here?

"My friend was dizzy from so many people and then I lost her because of a child." She laughs wryly. "I started walking and then I reached the palm tree, and maybe I understood the host of the party."

"¿Yes?"

"How many people do you know whose birthday is April 8th, Matty?" She stares at him with direct intent. He flies in the nebula. She remembers her birthday.

"You still remember it." He has a smile that runs through his face from end to end, he feels satisfied with the interaction, whatever it takes. She leaves the cigar in her hand and the touch makes him shake.

Matty's head is about to fall apart. He himself sees how his vision becomes twofold, one leaving him in reality under the palm tree, and the other teleporting him 22 years ago to a rather similar place.

It's autumn, the leaves of the trees turn yellow and fall to the ground. There's a breeze but it's not cool or threatening, it's friendly. Matty's eighteen now, he's of age.

On the other side of the race to see who gets to the pile of leaves first, there's her. She's dressed as simple as if she'd just gotten up, the blue skinny jeans and a black shirt with a print of some band scratched by the number of times she's washed. They're both older, but running down the alleys of New Castle looks like they're 12 still.

The muddy shoes, their coats that shelter them both, her bracelet tied to his hand, the kiss on the cheek when greeting each other, the butterflies every time they look at each other. The celebration of walking, the adrenaline of winning the race to the leaves and rolling in them.

Matty abandons everything else, leaving behind the nightmares, his parents' parties and sleepless nights when he has her. He's happy with her, he feels protected and nothing can hurt him. He loves her, with all his heart. He's eighteen, newly grown, wears glasses that slip on the tip of his nose but make him look smart. It has some protruding pimples between the cheek and forehead, but in sunlight it still looks like a baby's skin, fragile to the touch.

He doesn't know when he fell so in love with her, he doesn't know when he found the connection and when it began to appear in his innermost dreams. He couldn't stop thinking about her and all her dreams, the dress she wore on her birthday, the hug after the holidays. Every touch gives Matty years to live, and although he's been a sad kid for most of his life, he'll always be grateful that she changed that.

"You are eighteen, you can run fast." She says in a competitive tone, without slowing down.

"I will win, idiot." He's self-proclaimed.

"And if you do, what will you get? A painful coronation as king of the leaves." She jokes and throws herself headfirst on the leaves of the ground. "I told you."

But Matty was willing to win.

"I already decided my prize." Vitorea approaching the leaves, diving into them.

"You didn't wi-"

Matty doesn't think about what's going on, he just lets the impulse take him further and control him. It may be his only chance, and it may ruin it, but he have to try before he let any more time pass.

She is in shock on the leaves when she feels the lips of Matty on top of hers. She doesn't understand what's happening, or if it's really happening. The only thing she remembers afterwards is feeling Matty's hand squeezing her cheek with soft caresses. He kisses as much as he can, and after a while she gets used to the movement.

They go on like this, without saying a word for many minutes. Their sequence and their need is to kiss until the lack of breath wakes them up, smile with their noses stuck and merge again. Maty tastes like mint and chocolate, so it's the flavor she'll love the most for the next two years. Teenagers at the height of their purest love.

"Didn't I tell you? I would win." Matty comments when both feel they have shared too much saliva, but he does not take his hand off her cheek.

The wind is blowing in both heads. They have never known love this way, and they will remember it so well for the years that this love lasts, and for a few more.

Actually, and though Matty doesn't know it yet, she, sitting in Matty's house, is thinking about the same fall of memories. She feels like she's about to die and the best years and moments of her life go by, they've always had that facility of telepathic connection without having to try. Also because, for a long time, it was the memory they most enjoyed in years.

Matty then sees, in his memories, everything he's longed for for so many years. Midnight getaways, intense kissing at nightclubs, family meals, she dressed in him on Sundays, family trips, snow wars with her kisses sunk in the snow. He sees fireworks now that he remembers her, how he was first in everything for her and how she has marked him even more than he can say.

After that comes the band, and even before and after the previous names. But he focuses on when the band is already confirmed as Drive Like i Do and then like 1975, he sees her sitting at the table listening to them rehearsing, he sees heer at the clubs drinking beer and screaming crazy when he comes out in his most misaligned ensemble.

Matty may never have said it like that, but the girl he fell in love with is part of the band just like them. Almost the entire first album has its muse, in each of the stanzas and in each of the notes of the compass. She has followed him for all these years, it has been his greatest point of inspiration and of genuine and re-created love. She has given him the best years when he was twenty, he has written the songs he enjoys most thanks to her.

But equally, to say that he hasn't forgotten her or that he's remembered her like that for fifteen years without seeing her since she left in her twenties, would be lying. He remembered her for years, but then he was no longer present in her mind.

She can't judge him. Maybe she waited longer, but she had to move on anyway.

But it's okay, they existed at the time they had what. They learned enough from each other to remember each other fondly.

"You think about that autumn too, didn't? "During all this trance, the connection has become stronger. The discomfort is ignored, and she ends up sitting next to him.

"You are inside my mind, literally." He laughs with his eyes full of glass. He just had a recession that knocked him down. "Yes, I thought about it."

"That autumn was the best of my life. The fucking golden time." She confesses, with the moon now fully reflecting her. He looks at her with a longing smile, he also misses feeling so complete. "I have loved you for so many years and I think I could do it for more."

She complains hugging herself. Matty leaves the previous state and now the alcohol seems to have lost its effect. He extends his hand to put it behind the brunette girl's back and draw her in. The woman's head rests on his chest.

"I have loved you too, you know? The first album is about you." He kisses her hair, but she can't help but cry. They are breaking up with each other next to them and that's why they prefer not to be seen. It's too strong for both. "I'm sorry."

"What do you mean?" She looks up. The brown eyes meet the eyes of the british man.

"I-I screwed up that June afternoon, and I carried the blame for many years. I've never really been able to apologize, and I know the last thing you got from me was a horrible argument. I'm sorry, it won't fix something so many years later, but it's sincere." He manages to loosen a gear that has been weighing on him for a long time. He finds serenity in the brightness of the moon, and though he knows he can't go back in time, when she intertwines his hands he thinks he hasn't gone too far.

"Thank you for that. I know it's your party, but you don't have to cry to the end." She kisses his cheek and wipes his tears with her fingernails painted dark red, then returns to his neck. She repents and prefers to sit in front of him. "But it was true, wasn't it? Did you fuck everybody in this town?" She asks, without any resentment or sense of judgment.

"You compromised me, honey." He nods nervously accompanied by a laugh. In fact, he's still crying, but he's feeling much better. More airy, more connected and more peaceful. "I missed the car and the argument."

The two laugh at each other, it's an atmosphere that has now become more comfortable than ever. She has got her makeup destroyed by tears and he is s getting water marks through the seams of his shirt.

"The end of that hallway was fateful." She ironizes it with a recharged energy that dances inside. It feels as if she is now the final part of a song that breaks the melody and raises the instruments to a higher level to close it in the greatest ecstasy. "Even so, maybe you were right a few years ago. You needed more than me." She points to itself and then points to the atmosphere.

"Sorry, I don't get it." He feels bewitched by her words, but is so deep inside that he can't even think about what she's saying.

He just knows she comes, again. He sees her crawling and crawling up to his lap. He's afraid that this will still be a bad trick in his head and that tomorrow she'll never have been here. She'll be in another country, with someone else, and without him. His heart pumps like it has seldom done.

He knows they're soul mates, or he used to know, and now he's reconfirming it. Now there's only one thing that separates them and one thing that could bring them together.

"You needed a cigarette, alcohol and a sad conversation." She finally answers, as she settles down to her mercy on his lap. Matty feels like he has a fever when he feels the back of her palm on his face. It's been floating for over 15 minutes. "As i do."

After this, it just happens.

After 15 years, they're kissing in Matty's backyard. The two cry in between, because they haven't recovered from the emotional delirium they just had, but the fireworks they once had at eighteen come back the second their lips touch.

He hasn't changed, Matty still smells like chocolate and mint. She neither, she tastes the same as always does, she still tastes well enough to satiate Matty. They remain exactly the same for each other and what they still need.

The kiss does not have a taste to be described by or a unique feeling. It is the taste of remembrance and reunion, of melancholy, of adolescence, it is pure nostalgia in its splendor. It tastes like sadness, the tears of the last time they argued, and in turn it tastes as the ice cream they ate holding hands in the park, the chocolate they always gave each other as a gift. It tastes as Christmas food and the summer breeze. It's all together in one, and that's why they don't bother to feel sorry for how the waterfalls in the eyes accumulate coming down later.

A kiss, that's all. Matty doesn't want to think, but he inevitably does and finds only two options.

Tomorrow you will both remember this and you will both retire by lowering your guard and remember it as a secret. There is no one around to prove the presence and existence of the woman he has there, no one has seen her and the easiest excuse is to say that he simply confused everything with someone else because of the amount of beer. Or they could tempt fate and stay there, they could heal the wound and they could try again to have the best they ever had.

But now, does it matter?

"Hey." She puts pressure on his hair. He opens his eyes feeling fuller and more human than ever. "Happy birthday, Matty. The birthday boy always needs a gift."

let me know what you think about it. my taglist is always open. 🤍

#matty healy #matty the 1975 #matty healy fic #matty fic #matty healy fanfiction #matty healy 1975 #matty healy x y/n #matty healy x oc #matty healy x you #matty x reader #matty x you #matty healy x reader #matty healy angst #matty35 #birthday matty #the 1975 fanfic

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lucariogirl369 · 25 days

Text

So...I got a Striker related theory...

Every time I watch the HB s2 episode Oops, this Striker scene near the end has been and always will be burned in the back of my brain.

Just by looking at THIS screenshot in particular, you can tell one of two things going through this man's now unstable mind; knowing he screwed up big time and is about to die...or, the biggest theory of all that a lotta of us HB enthusiast and Striker simps have theorized SINCE the dawn of his introduction back in The Harvest Moon Festival...he's about to relive some trauma.

I do have a multitude of theories about everyone's favorite lil' cowboy from this side of the Wrath Ring, but this singular screenshot alone already speaks volumes. One of which is that he lost his family during sometime in his childhood and/or he was once a husband/father at one point in his life, and seeing how he despises royals (despite the fact he only worked for Stella to get to Stolas...probably to get to her next, but that's a theory for another time), he probably lost them during a fire a royal family set upon his homeland and now he's reliving the horrible memory all over again.

But for this post, I'm sticking with the one during his childhood. Again, seeing how he hates royals, bluebloods, anyone who's a part of the "rich life" or is a part of the royal families, etc. His family grew up with not much but managing to barely get by with what little they had.

Only managing to afford food, clothes, a home, etc. If his family were to have more money in the pockets, they'd save it for emergencies or celebrations like birthdays or other holidays. This would've made him a target for bullying by richer families add to the fact that he's also a hybrid. No, seriously, he's a hybrid. That aside...

I would also assume his family either worked for a royal family under contract or were put into slavery and he witnessed the treatment his parents and possible siblings received throughout his youth. Which would explain why he hates royal demons, overlords, and the like.

As for the fire...I theorized what happened was the following; his parents didn't have enough to buy for food or anything else, so, they made the riskiest decision by stealing from a royal family so they'd at least have enough for a meal, but ended up getting more so they could afford not just the necessities, but luxuries as well for their children.

That would end up being the biggest mistake of their lives. Once the royal family found out, they immediately attacked Striker's homeland, burning everything to the ground and destroying and harming the residents who lived there. Striker's parents and siblings getting the worst torment and torture of all. His parents told him to run and to not look back, but once he was far enough and he did look back...he was traumatized by seeing his family burning to death, no thanks to the noble demon taking his family away from him.

Maybe I'm looking too deep into this, but IT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE! His speech also signifies more from Western Energy!

"Not every ring is some fancy-ass city. With some fancy-ass mansion, that only FANCY-ASS royals get to live in! Some of us have hard lives to live! And some of us, have EVERYTHING we care about taken away by fuckers like you!"

From his speech about royal demons to Stolas, his "deal" to Blitz from Harvest Moon Festival, and the screenshot before the explosion says a LOT about what happened to Striker! Now, whether or not we see an official flashback from the Spindle Horse crew or at least get some kinda backstory for Striker, it would make a lotta sense as to why he is the way he is!

Ngl...I feel so bad for him! I wanna take 'em home, wrap 'em up in a fluffy blanket, feed 'em ice cream, and hug and snuggle him until he has a good cry and feels better! Our little cowboy has suffered enough and needs some loves and DESERVES some kind of redemption arc! 😭😭😭

#helluva #helluva boss #helluva striker #helluva boss striker #striker #boss #striker theory #helluva boss theory #theory #vivziepop #vivienne medrano #spindlehorse

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cakexblankett · 4 months

Text

Tag

Green

Words

817

~•~

You looked around, only then noticing the amount of couples there were. You were in the middle of the crowd, it was packed with people, holding hands or hugging eachother, and then there was you, alone. You looked up at the dark blue sky, stars shining bright above you. The moon was full and bright, lighting slightly the night.

You had a flashback of the year that passed. You cried, you laughed, you found love...

You remembered the day you met her. You had only started your first year of university, and your first subject of the day was about to start. You waited patiently for the professor to arrive, sitting at the last row. You chatted a bit with the girl beside you. She was nice but you hadn't too much in common so it was a bit hard communicating.

Then she arrived, in all her glory. The professor cleared her voice and scrutinized the crowd. You looked at her in awe. She had red curls, blue eyes and lips that seemed so kissable, you wanted to jump at her and see if that theory was true.

You then started attending her every lecture, discarding the others. You just wanted to see her, you didn't even pay that much attention to the lesson. You watched her every move; how she motioned her hands while she spoke, how she quirked her eyebrow when somebody said something idiotic, how her lips motioned upwards when somebody said something intelligent. Her voice was soft like summer rain, and sweet like peaches.

Everyday, you tried to find a reason to talk to her. At times, you consulted her because you didn't understand something- and that was true, since you only paid attention to how her lips moved but not to the words escaping them. When it was a festivity, you gifted her chocolates or flowers, ignoring the looks of the other students.

At first, she was cold and distant. She replied briefly, asking you to pay more attention during the lecture. But slowly, she started accepting your gifts.

She even let you call her by her first name: Zelda. You repeated her name like a mantra, when you woke up, when you were arriving to the lecture, when you left the class, when you were on the train, when you arrived back home, before saying goodnight. Her name sounded fantastic, and it was so her. She looked like a Zelda.

One day, you received an e-mail from her. You were ecstatic. You opened it immediately. She asked you to go see her in her office. You giggled, starstrucked. You prepared yourself in less than five minutes and literally ran to her. You talked about how was the studying going, diverting then to talking about anything and everything.

She made you feel at ease, feel secure. For her birthday, you surprised her with a birthday cake made from scratch by you. It didn't look that fancy, and it didn't taste that good, but she complimented you nonetheless. You blushed, smiling.

Then you confessed. You told her your feelings, and it all crumbled down. She explained to you that she was your professor, she couldn't be with you, even she liked to be.

And so she began acting colder and colder by day, she returned to replying to you with short sentences, she didn't accept any more gifts. You cried and cried, for months.

"... 10..."

You shook your head, making those memories go away. You took a sip of you champagne, looking at the crowd.

"... 9..."

Your heart ached. You tried to forget her, but you were unable to. She was ingrained in your memory.

"... 8..."

You just wished she was there, even if only as your professor. You wished to start the year with her.

"... 7..."

You finished your glass. A hand slithered around your stomach. You gasped, looking behind you.

"... 6..."

Your jaw dropped.

"Hello dear."

She smirked. You stared at her in disbelief, her hand now on your hip. The contact of her palm on your clothed skin made you shiver.

"... 5..."

You tried talking but you couldn't emanate a sound. Her eyes pierced into you.

"You don't have to say anything."

You closed you mouth, gulping.

"... 4..."

She came closer, you two were so close you could feel her perfume. She smelled like peaches. You loved that fruit.

"... 3..."

She looked at your lips, then back at your eyes.

"... 2..."

Her lips were so close, they barely touched yours. You closed your eyes.

"... 1..."

She whispered something but you couldn't hear it, since the cloud went feral, screaming at the top of their lungs.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

And then she kissed you. Her lips were soft, and she tasted like cherry. Your second favourite fruit. Then the kiss stopped. You opened your eyes.

"Happy new year, Y/N."

You smiled.

"Happy new year, Zelda."

#fanfiction #ff #lesbian #actress #gxg #caos #chilling adventures of sabrina #zelda spellman x reader #zelda #zelda spellman #spellman #miranda otto x reader #miranda #miranda otto

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shimamitsu · 8 months

Text

feel free to share your thoughts in the tags!

brief summaries if you need to refresh your memory below

scene 11: pt. 2 of shimamitsu's little misunderstanding. the next day, mitsumi asks mika for advice and realizes what she really wanted to say to shima. after school, she tells him that things are dull when he's not around. shima tells her he doesn't want her to believe or even listen to the rumors going around about him. he says it's the first time he's been real friends with a girl. the chapter ends with mitsumi calling fumi and asking her if she can feel that way about a friend

scene 19: the chapter starts with a flashback of young shima reciting lines to cheer his mom up. after both shima and mitsumi hear their classmates talking behind her back, shima talks to her. shima wishes she doesn't get hurt and never changes who she is inside. they dance to the musical number they're preparing for the school festival for a few seconds. after that, mitsumi tells him that she trips up a lot, but that makes her a pro at jumping back up. the chapter ends with their classmates singing happy birthday to shima and his mom finding a festival flyer in his room

scene 22: at the school festival, ririka accuses shima's mom of making him act for her sake again. after picking keiri up, shima's mom leaves. mitsumi realizes ririka did it on purpose and before she can say anything else to shima, mitsumi strikes her famous anteater pose. while doing his last show, shima wonders what the thing he feels towards mitsumi and kanechika is and realizes it's jealousy. after the show, shima tells ririka he doesn't want to follow her down a destructive path anymore and that he enjoys his school

scene 27: after the events of pt. 1, makoto hangs out with her senpai from her club. when she mentions yuzu and he calls her "the pretty one", she starts overthinking and gets frustrated. they part ways, she calls yuzu and shes asks makoto to hang out. when they meet up, yuzu tells her she looks super cute and fixes her hair. while listening to her speak, makoto thinks that being friends with her makes her happier than yuzu will ever know. the next day, her senpai sees her in the hallway and he thinks she was cute the day before

scene 29: while chatting with a co-worker, nao-chan reminisces abou the days she spent taking care of young mitsumi back in her hometown. in a flashback, nao-chan picks up mitsumi from kindergarten and mitsumi shows her a flower crown. nao-chan tells her she'd always wished to be a pretty girl who wears pretty things like her. after a while, mitsumi gives her a flower bracelet, nao-chan asks her if she's cute and mitsumi answers that she's super cute. back in the present, mitsumi's family receives the new year and her dad calls nao-chan. she tells him she'll visit them this summer and bring mitsumi's friends with her

scene 31: after the events of pt. 1, mika tells mukai she's gonna confess to shima and asks him if it would gross a guy out to receive chocolate from her. mukai tells her the average guy would be psyched. mika confesses, shima turns her down and she cries while saying she's glad she's allowed to fall in love. the next day, the girls share sweets and mitsumi gives shima a little heart shaped chocolate

scene 33: mitsumi and her friends hang out after school to celebrate her birthday. nao-chan meets up with goro, her boyfriend, and tells him that even if she loves mitsumi, sometimes she can't help but feel she has the life nao-chan always wanted. the next day, nao-chan makes her pancakes. the chapter ends with mitsumi telling shima her aunt's the best

scene 39: after yuzu's friends set her up on a date without her knowing, she has an argument with them and goes home early. the girls find out about this from shima, so makoto visits her and tells yuzu she wishes she'd tell her when she's hurting. while crying, yuzu asks makoto if it's ok if she doesn't have many friends, and makoto tells her it is

scene 45: mitsumi and ujiie compete for the position of student council president and mitsumi wins. ujiie cries and tells her how he really feels about her and that she wouldn't get his struggles. mitsumi also cries and says she gets it and tells him she knew all of it was impossible for her while thinking about shima and her friends

scene 46: mitsumi and shima go on a picnic date. after having a talk, they decide to break up. even if he agrees, shima still feels upset. mitsumi reassures him and tells him that no matter who he is, she'd still like him, and that's why she wants to be friends. the chapter ends with both of them walking while holding hands

#pls vote i'm curious and also bored #i have a list of my fave chapters and there are like 20 of them but i picked the top 10 for length reasons... it was hard #most of these are fan favorites anyway #skip and loafer #skip to loafer #using the tags so more ppl see it hehe

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gateway-2000 · 2 years

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disabled intersex trans man needs help escaping domestic violence during pride month

happy pride month!!! 🏳️‍🌈 ⚧ it's also my birthday today! I'm a t4t intersex bigender trans man. i am currently fleeing a domestic violence situation where i was attacked physically by my ex. i am still healing from this injury. i am applying for disability and only make $245/month from the government while i wait for my case to get approved.

i am being evicted from my home because my ex left me to deal with our entire apartment by myself. i don't have money to cover the costs of moving either as i cant drive and don't own a car.

i have been having nightmares every night since this happened, and constant flashbacks during the day where im convinced my ex is still here and can hurt me. they have a very long history of stalking their exes. i have 2 pet rats and need to keep myself and them housed, fed and safe while i figure out what my next step is.

anything at all will help us keep our head above water right now. thank you so much, and happy pride again! enjoy the weather and festivities, thanks for considering helping a trans man celebrate by stabilizing hir housing✌️

p#ypal: [email protected]

c#shapp: glitterGraphix

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sirianasims · 5 months

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Chapter 24

Just Give Me a Reason

Shortly after Freya’s first birthday, we found ourselves back in Britechester for Jamie and Athena’s wedding. That was definitely not something I’d seen coming.

But I was happy for them, even if I could feel my own bitterness simmering underneath. I would never have what they clearly had.

It was nice to see all my old university friends again, though. I hadn’t really kept in touch with Cierra, Ivan and the others since we graduated.

Katherine felt awkward being there, obviously. Not only was she surrounded by former students, but everyone knew our story by now. And her old house was just across the canal from here.

I saw her wiping a tear away, but I ignored it. I didn’t want to draw any unwanted attention to her.

Instead, I was catching up with Ivan. We even laughed about how I’d once tried to hide that I slept with Katherine. He told me that the second he had asked at the festival, the guilty look on my face had confirmed everything.

Jamie and Athena were both straight edge health nuts, so it was an alcohol-free wedding, but I still managed to have a pretty good time sober.

Katherine came over and told me that she would like to go for a brief walk. Just to have a look around her old neighbourhood. Athena heard her, and gave me a worried look.

I had a flashback to the look Athena gave me in the library a few years ago when Katherine had asked me to meet her in her office. But I shrugged and told Katherine to do whatever she wanted.

She left and Athena sat down next to me.

“I think she wanted you to go with her”, she said quietly.

That hadn’t occurred to me at all.

I lost myself in conversation again as Katherine headed towards her old home.

When she reached the house, she ran into Antony, who was just about to leave. And he wasn’t alone. But they had already seen her, so she had no other option than saying hello.

Antony happily introduced her to his girlfriend Amber.

Or rather fiancée. They’d gotten engaged a few weeks before. Amber cheerfully showed off her enormous diamond ring.

She congratulated them, and Antony even politely asked how our daughter was doing. He and Amber seemed genuinely happy and in love.

Katherine said goodbye as quickly as she could without being rude.

When she came back to Jamie and Athena’s house, she was visibly upset. She told me what had happened.

I was not impressed. I felt like she was asking to be hurt by going anywhere near her ex-husband or his house.

We traveled home mostly in silence.

beginning / previous / next

#duchellilegacy #duchellichapters #duchelligen3 #eric duchelli #katherine gilscarbo #antony gilscarbo #sorry Kath you've been replaced by a literal barbie doll #and she seems so nice too uuugh #how dare

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yevasxvoid · 1 year

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On The Other Side - [Scaramouche x Reader] pt.2

flashback

Scaramouche wasn’t fond of mortals. They were inconvenient creatures. He refused to be defiled by their filthiness. The Balladeer strode with confidence, as any busy man would. The subordinates knew better than to ask his destination. The largest lavender melon farm in all of Inazuma was an area bustling with maids, farmers and mediocre salesmen trying to strike an unfair deal. At the center of all this, was a human who earned The Balladeer’s attention.

“Scaramouche, what brings you here?” Y/n beamed, and quickly dismissed her servant.

“Are you busy?”

“Not at all, do you need something?”

“Get dressed, and come with me.”

“Hm?”

“Have you overworked yourself to the point that you forgot your date of birth?”

Y/n’s eyes widened, “I..I’ll go change.”

There was nothing distasteful with Y/n’s work attire, but her clan symbol would be too eye-catching. An Inazuman noble and Fatui harbinger just conversing together could garner much suspicion. Humans would be too ignorant to realize there’s nothing a simple farm alone could offer The Fatui in the grand scheme of things.

‘She has nothing to offer me, why do I come here?’ Scaramouche tilted his hat. The thought was persistent in his mind ever since he met Y/n. A meager human who pondered over the trivial things that occurred beneath the false sky of Teyvat. None of it deterred him from coming to her, or remembering her birthday. Because she’s entertaining, is all.

He could only stare as Y/n appeared in the distance. This new attire undoubtedly suited her, but commenting on it would cross a boundary he refused too.

“Took you long enough, we’ll need to find a good spot for the fireworks.”

Scaramouche wasn’t a talkative person, and he detested prying questions. But when he spoke with Y/n, responses flowed between them seamlessly. He could never forget the way Y/n’s face lit up when they entered the heart of the festival. The way her hand wrapped around his wrist and insisted on going to every single food stall.

“Scara, try this.”

“I don’t-” The dango was shoved into his mouth before could refuse. He took the stick from her and reluctantly chewed, “..it’s good.”

He adapted to her system, and taste-tested food with minor complaints. The place was crowded, and on multiple occasions a child would randomly run out in front of them. As the sun began to set, they made their way up a hill, on the outskirts of the festival. Both held an assortment of food in their hands that was placed in front of them on a blanket.

“The sun has set, it should start soon.”

Y/n enjoyed watching others from a distance. She laughed at the shit-faced adults and smiled down at the energetic and impatient children playing hopscotch or waiting for fireworks.

That night was exceptionally beautiful to him. As he looked at Y/n’s smiling face, he allowed himself to be blinded by this world for a moment. They were not chess pieces on a rigged game board beneath a black ceiling which celestial beings peered down through. At this moment, they were sitting beneath an illuminated night sky.

They were staring directly at each other, hands resting beside each other. A gentle breeze blew. Y/n appeared as if she had something to say, but quickly averted her attention to the beginning of the fireworks. Scaramouche’s hand brushed hers as he retracted it away.

“It’s so beautiful.”

“Yes, it is.” He stared at her with a mix of fondness and sorrow. He spent the fireworks showcase observing her reactions to the bright colors that reflected in her eyes. The way her eyes crinkled when she smiled.

There was a comfortable silence between them as Scaramouche walked her home.

“Thank you for everything,”

“Hm?”

“As a harbinger, taking time out of your schedule for this must have been difficult. I’m telling you that I..appreciate you.”

“Your gratitude is unnecessary.” The mental boundary was being crossed once again, but it was inconsequential. Scaramouche had already decided that this would be his last meeting with Y/n, “If you want to express gratitude, then do me a favor.”

“Of course.”

“Take care of yourself.”

Y/n’s smile faltered at that, “So this is goodbye?”

“Yes.”

There was a moment of silence, “I understand, our paths aren’t the ones that should overlap for too long.”

He watched her enter her home. An unpleasant feeling settled into his chest. “They shouldn’t overlap at all,” He titled his hat. “Remember your promise to me.” Please.

—

Y/n’s body auto piloted through her night routine. Her room had already been cleaned by the maids, so she only had to shower and finish her skin care routine. The thoughts she had been running from ever since she returned home finally dug their sharp claws into her.

The death of her parents had already dealt severe blows to the family’s reputation. The Balladeer was correct, their paths should never have crossed. In any other circumstance, Y/n wouldn’t have entertained any connections to the Fatui. Her parents taught her to always repay debts, so she had insisted on returning the favor.

“There’s nothing a meager human like you could offer me.” He grimaced.

“Even so, it’s raining. Let me treat you to a meal.”

That first encounter was 3 months ago. In that moment, Y/n did not expect for the person to be a Harbinger, and especially not for them to have so many future encounters.

‘It goes to show how naive I am. A naive girl who received authority from tragedy.’

Y/n felt uneasy, and quickly exited the bath. She drank herbal tea and went to bed.

“Hello Y/n.”

“Hello sir, you look very familiar…I apologize for not remembering you.”

“No need to apologize, I don’t expect you to.”He smiled at me with soft features.

The two of them sat in a boat together, floating down a river. Nothing could be seen outside the lake, just darkness. Something prevented Y/n from asking about it. She looked down into the luminescent water. Lotus flowers covered the surface of the lake.

“This place is beautiful, is this your home?”

He laughed, “No it’s not my home. Tell me about yourself Y/n.”

The conversation went smoothly.

“By the way, I forgot to ask your name?”

He spoke an inaudible word. Y/n attempted to speak, but couldn’t. Something was caught in her throat. She coughed uncontrollably as her throat constricted. Her hands helplessly clawed at it.

Y/n’s eyes shot open, and a series of coughs escaped her. She sat up and turned on the lights in her room. The maids rushed into her room at the noise and froze. Y/n was paralyzed, as she stared down at the white flower petal in her hand. Hopeless love. In her hands, Y/n held a death sentence. “I’m selling the estate.”

—

“The estate has already been sold, exit the premises.” Y/n said to the tall man approaching her.

“You were much more polite the last time I encountered you, I guess imminent death brings out a person's true colors.” He grinned.

“Who are you?”

“I’m The Doctor, and I’m here to propose a deal with you.”

Y/n laughed weakly, “There is no cure for Hanahaki. Go find someone else to experiment with.”

“I already have someone for that, actually. If you agree to work as my assistant, you’ll live.”

“I don’t believe you.”

He reached underneath his coat for a vial, “Try this, and tell me your decision by tomorrow.”

The purple liquid was very shady, but Y/n had nothing to lose. She had maybe a few hours worth of life remaining. The next day, Y/n didn’t cough up anything. Life had returned to her face, he looked less sickly and she actually had the appetite to eat. Dottore’s offer weighed heavily on her mind. She wanted to be more than an easily-fooled country girl, but Dottore’s offer pulled her in. She no longer had to handle the burden of maintaining her family’s legacy. She had the opportunity to pursue something more interesting.

“Fine, I’ll listen to you.”

The Doctor grinned and shook her hand, “We have a deal."

#OTOS-yeva #genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #scaramouche #hanahaki disease #wanderer #dottore #fatui #slightly ooc #nepotism baby y/n

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fortune-maiden · 5 months

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Finished reading the tgcf extras now and... yeah I'm sorry but they're pretty boring ^^"

Lantern Festival - the overall extra is cute, especially the bit with He Xuan's family (furthering my headcanon that Xie Lian has met every major character at least once during his travels), but aside from reinforcing 'Hualian love each other very much' it doesn't really add anything

Amnesia Extra - the longest one of the bunch and aside from reinforcing 'Hualian love each other very much' it doesn't really add anything. My least favorite for wasted potential.

Bedtime Story - I like this one for the theme of stories and how they're told and warped over time, and would love to see more of this kind of stuff. The Hualian framing device bits were nothing special (and very much an excuse plot). Main theme here is 'Hualian love each other very much'.

Statue Sex - Ok I lied, there is one extra people sometimes talk about and it's this one. I feel like this extra gets treated as the tgcf equivalent of Incense Burner, but it's actually pretty funny! Mainly for FX & MQ's reactions to the nonsense. Main theme here is 'Hualian love each other very much, 10000x over'

Birthday Extra - This is possibly the best one. Numerous side characters appear including FX, MQ, SQX, & LQQ and we get a little more backstory from the Fangxin Guoshi era. Main theme here is 'Hualian love each other very much'.

And that's really my main issue with these extras: they're all just saccharine Hualian moments, which is great if you love Hualian but tiring if you enjoy lore and side characters. Or just want extras that give you more story. SVSSS revealed several backstories through its extras. MDZS gave us Incense Burner but also gave us other character povs, and several looks at the world post-canon and how its other characters are doing. Extras from other danmei novels I read have also included perspective flips, outsider pov, flashbacks

The best TGCF gives us is post-canon Xianle Trio, and especially post-canon Mu Qing. He is easily the best part of these extras with how much more openly honest he is towards Xie Lian, really feeling like a friend on equal footing now. The best part of TGCF has always been the Xianle Trio for me, while Hualian worked best when it was sweet moments bookending action packed story arcs, bouncing off other characters, and the two of them building each other back up after centuries of hardships and loneliness. When you take away those parts, it just becomes very boring.

The only other interesting part the extras revealed is that the heavenly capital has been rebuilt and Hua Cheng paid for most of it xD

(Another positive: Xie Lian's internal snark is always a delight)

#i think the worst part of these extras is that they're the only ones #if there were a few more varying ones like with svsss & mdzs #these would be nice breathers #although admittedly i don't actually read tgcf (or any novel) for the romance so i am very biased here xD #romance is an occasional nice bonus. the real meat for me is plot and characters #and tragedy! I was attracted to tgcf by spoilers of the black water arc xD #don't mind me having a moment

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fancylala4 · 1 month

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The lost princess plot line was poorly executed. It’s like Disney was trying to copy Barbie as rapunzel with this plot line but didn’t bother to make it good.

The lost princess plot line in Barbie as rapunzel was connected to everything and was very important. Rapunzel found out that gothel lied to her about her parents, and she went out into the kingdom for the first time to find out the truth. That’s where she finds out that there’s a war between the two kingdoms, and it’s over the lost princess. As the move goes on, we start to see how and why the events transpired. The movie even kept the lost princess identify a secret, and we learn who she is along with the characters. There is no flashback in the movie and we can tell what happened from the characters reaction to each other like the kings and gothel. Rapunzel even defeated gothel by herself.

With tangled, they told us from jump who was the lost princess and why she was taken (something stupid, sexist and outdated). Unlike Barbie rapunzel, where she had a interest about the lost princess, Disney Rapunzel never gives a fuck about the lost princess, nor did she ask any questions regarding that (because she was a dumbass throughout the movie). All she wanted to do in the was to see the lights because the plot says so (also she was too scared to leave on her own and she needed someone to hold her hand unlike Barbie rapunzel). The movie never tells us how the lost princess impacted the kingdom, and everybody is pretty happy there. They even have a happy, joyful festival on their kidnapped princess’s birthday (it’s weird. Imagine if we had a party every year on the day an important figure died). The parents are barely characters, and their one “character” trait is being sad that their child was gone. However, they didn’t do much about it. All they did was send up a bunch of lanterns on her birthday each year so she can find her way home (which is pretty stupid considering she could have been taken far away from the kingdom, but whatever), looked sad and called it a day. The way rapunzel learned who she really was in the end was poorly written and didn’t have the emotional weight of the Barbie one. She didn’t even feel sad, betrayed or upset about it. It also didn’t make it any better when Disney decided to have Flynn be in the ending scene, heavily focused on him instead of the only two who matter and save rapunzel from the villain instead of rapunzel defeating gothel by her own hand like the Barbie version.

#anti tangled #tangled critical #tangled criticism #disney criticism #barbie as rapunzel #mine

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kaymarie-bell · 1 year

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Diasomnia Book: The Ruler of the Abyss (7-1, 7-2)

Disclaimer: as always, translation done by me. I am not fluent in Japanese so there’s bound to be mistakes. Please do not repost!

I did this while sleep deprived, enjoy! 🌻

Episode 7-1 “Agonizing Awakening!”

(Dream Sequence)

[I heard the news of the child’s birth…]

Flora: Each of us the child may bless with a single gift…

Fauna: It’s Maleficent!

Maleficent: I really felt quite distressed at not receiving an invitation…

Merryweather: You weren’t wanted!

Maleficent: Not wanted?

Maleficent: I, too, shall bestow a gift on the child…

Listen well, all of you.

The Princess shall indeed grow in grace and beauty, beloved by all who know her…

But, before the sun sets on her 16th birthday she shall prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die!

(End of dream)

Yuu: So then, only a single person was left out…?

[Ramshackle Dorm - Your Room]

Yuu: That dream just now…

Grim: yawn, good morning Yuu

(Flashback to Maleficent in the dream)

(Clattering sounds)

Grim: fuwa- Yuu, what’s wrong? why are you in such a hurry?

Grim: Ahh~ You forgot about homework and now you’re going to ask Ace to let you copy his, right?

Grim: the Great Grim is going to tag along~!

[Main Street]

Yuu: (Comparing Maleficent’s statue to their dream)

Grim: Hey, Yuu! Don’t leave me behind!

Grim: What’s going on, you keep looking at the statues of the Great Seven

Grim: This one…is there something on the statute of the Witch of Thorns?

Grim: Is the writing engraved on the stone supposed to be a part of Trein’s test?

Grim: What…?

???: The Witch of Thorns who reigned over the Forbidden Mountain. She commanded thunderclouds and thorns, and possessed magical powers that could not be surpassed by anyone.

???: A noble witch who loved her solitude despite having many subordinates...

Episode 7-2 “Discussion on Solitude!”

[Main Street]

Malleus:…is what the engraving says. And our dormitory of Diasomnia is founded on her noble spirit.

Yuu: Good morning, Tsunotaro / Thank you for the description, Tsunotaro

Sebek: T- Tsu- Tsunota-?!

Sebek: YOU BASTARD!! THAT IS NO WAY TO TALK TO THE YOUNG MASTER!!!

Sebek: This is the future Ruler of the Valley of Thorns and the distinguished Head of Diasomnia dormitory-

Sebek: as well as the one who shall be the head of the noble Household of the Night, Lord Malleus Draconia!!

Sebek: APOLOGIZE FOR YOUR RUDENESS!! HUMAN!!

Grim: Wow! This guy was in the Coliseum back at the school festival, he’s the one with the loud voice!

Yuu: If I’m not mistaken, he’s part of the Equestrian Club…/ If I remember correctly, he’s in 1st year Class D…

Sebek: I am Sebek Zigvolt, a loyal subject to the Young Master!

Sebek: Right, first of all, apologize to the Young Master!

Malleus: That’s enough, Sebek. I am the one who permitted that Child of Man to use the nickname “Tsunotaro.”

Sebek: Wha- How-?…I see

Sebek: as expected of the Young Master, your heart is wider than the sea itself!!

Silver:…sigh, Sebek. First of all, shouldn’t you apologize for all the one-sided yelling?

Silver: It was you who was being rude to the Young Master’s friend.

Sebek: Huh…I don’t want you to just stand there and tell me what to do, Silver!!

Grim: What the hell is wrong with these guys…they’re being even louder than last time.

Malleus: Yuu, are you interested in the legend of the Witch of Thorns? I’ll tell you everything I know.

Yuu: Was she a hated person? / Did she get ostracized by others?

Malleus: Hated?

Sebek: YOU BASt-?! What are you saying about the reputation of one of the Great Seven?!

Sebek: the Witch of Thorns had magical powers beyond equal and a nobility that couldn’t be matched.

Sebek: She should be always respected, and she should never be hated!!

Malleus: I wonder about that.

Malleus: It is possible that she may have been feared and shunned by others “because” she was such an exceptional person.

Malleus: “Respect” becomes “Reverence” and then turns into “Fear.” It’s only natural.

Sebek: Any fool who could hate the Witch of Thorns for such a reason is no more significant than a roadside pebble.

Sebek: They’re not worth the attention!

Sebek: Do not ask such foolish questions to the Young Master, Human!

Grim: Hey, what are you so mad for? Is not like you’re the Witch of Thorns!

Silver: Sebek, just leave it alone.

(Clattering noise)

Lilia: I can’t believe it, I’m so late!

To be continued…

Some notes:

the wording in the dialogue of the dream is a bit different from what was actually written in Japanese because I decided to use the lines from the actual Sleeping Beauty movie. It doesn’t really change anything but I thought it would be fun to keep the original source.

I also did something similar with the name of Maleficent’s residence. The game called it “魔の山“ (the Devil’s Mountain) but the name used in the movie is “Forbidden Mountain.”

Not really important but I love it when languages do fun stuff like in Malleus’ Respect/Reverence/Fear line. The words he said were “尊敬“ / “畏敬“ / “畏怖“ and if you look at the kanji closely, the words themselves do seem to be progressing in that order (one character is substituted from the previous word to make another.) To visualize it better: they’re pronounced like “sonkei” -> “ikei” -> “ifu”

I was going to write summaries for the chapters but I ended up writing it line by line because of Diasomnia brainrot so now it’s taking forever rip. I’ve only slept like 3 hours in the past two days and I’m probably going to pass out after this so it might be faster to search for other translations ngl, but thanks for reading if you stay with me for the moment! 🌻

Ngl I get a bit upset at myself for being so slow whenever I try to translate TWST stuff but then I remember that I also struggle to translate English (primary language for the past decade) into Spanish (native language) and vice versa on a regular basis, so I guess it’s natural that going from JP (not fluent) to ENG is a struggle lmao 😭

#twisted wonderland #twst #diasomnia chapter spoilers #twisted wonderland translations #diasomnia translation #my translation #do not repost #yeah from the first batch of chapters alone I can tell that I was widely wrong with my predictions RIP

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