#if this sounds like I want to study some of these characters under a microscope then you'd be correct | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

rintoki · 2 years

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experiment #1: does size matter?

characters: sanzu haruchiyo x dom!reader

warnings: dubcon, micro/macro, knife play, inspection, reader’s got a few screws loose

a/n: i don’t know if you could say the effort was proportional to the outcome. inspired by that one anon that said they wanted to dissect him and study him under a microscope

“what the fuck.”

even a low whisper sounded loud to the shrunken man as your hovered over him on your hands and knees, eyes wide in disbelief. what the fuck, indeed, of all people why did it have to be you to find him like that?

shuffling around the pool of clothes that drowned the tiny man, you picked him up gently; taking care to not use too much force. sanzu couldn’t even find an excuse to blurt as you held his naked body between two fingers, face almost as pink as his hair.

it didn’t help the questioning look on your face as you scrutinised him, even going as far as too lift him high over your head, looking all over from a lower angle. it was already far too late to try to retain any dignity or hide anything from you.

“nothing to say, really? thought you were always full of snark,” you quipped, looking more and more amused by the second as it became apparent to you sanzu’s embarrassment.

“just. stop staring and put me down already…” voice strained, he held his tongue, refraining from saying anything that might upset you seeing as you quite literally held him in the palm of your hand.

“and let some other random person find you like this all small and vulnerable? no way,” bringing him closer you pull open your breast pocket and with an almost insidious smile, you dropped him in, “let’s hide you here while i think about what to do with you.”

sanzu couldn’t even find the words to retort; the entire situation was far too overwhelming. while thankful to be hidden away from your piercing gaze, he was now stuck in your pocket. with reddened cheeks, sanzu could only imagine what you’d do to him as his bare body was rubbed and jostled against your soft chest with every movement.

you, in turn, could feel his tiny body squirming every so often against your chest. the feeling inexplicably made your lower belly heat up, imagining his miniature body against your own. suppressing a smile as you pondered how you should play with him, like a pretty new doll you’ve found.

“hey! where are you taking me!” he seemed to have calmed down a lot, you thought to yourself as you ignored his question, turning to lock the door behind you. now hidden away in a room in your residence, you finally pulled him out of your breast pocket.

sure enough, sanzu was no longer as flushed as before. he managed to get a hold of himself, now even making demands of you, “give me some clothes! how long are you gonna keep me naked, you pervert!”

seriously, what a brat. “does it look like i have clothes in your size?” you snorted, dropping him roughly onto the metal table. “besides, you won’t need clothes for what we’ll be doing now.”

sanzu’s eyes widened before swallowing nervously; your suggestive words made his body tingle. “w—what do you mean…?”

for the first time since you took him out, sanzu finally took a look around the room he was in now. clean white walls with various medical equipment, even the table he was on now looked like an inspection table. and to top it all of the overwhelming stench of antiseptic.

sanzu shivered when his eyes met yours once again. now leaning on your elbows on the table, you looked down at him with unreadable eyes. reaching a finger down you begin to trace a line on his chest, amazed at just how tiny he was; his torso about the length of half a finger he easily fit in your palm.

sanzu could only flinch under you, no hope of even pushing your finger off with the size disparity between the two of you. the intensity of your gaze and wandering fingers made him nervous, not because it was uncomfortable, but rather the opposite. it made his body heat up, the previous blush now flooding his face once again.

it made him nervous just how much he liked it. why this situation was even arousing escaped him, sanzu only knew that he hoped you’d do something more. turning away to hide his face behind his hand, sanzu tried to even his breathing as he curled up his body. he was getting far too worked up over just a few touches.

perhaps it was because of how small he was that made it hard to see clearly, plus the fact that he was now covering his face and curling into himself. any efforts to get him to lay straight resulted in tiny slaps from him.

while it you could barely feel sanzu’s weak slaps, his insolence made your patience run thin. pulling out a microscope slide, you taped his hands and feet to it and attached him underneath a magnifying stand.

under which everything was shown to you clearly; his flushed cheeks down to his chest that was rising and sinking quickly, and a now obvious hardened cock. you could even see his red tip that was swollen and leaking much more than sanzu was willing to acknowledge.

tears began to dot his lower lashes as he struggled against the restraints but even tape proved too much for his tiny body. now completely exposed to you underneath a magnifying glass, sanzu could only squeeze his eyes shut, quiet whimpers leaving his trembling lips. this was too much, why was he always reduced to such a mess under you?

“looks like you’re enjoying this was more than i am?” you drawled, leaning your head against your hand. “that’s not fair, i guess i’ll just do whatever i want now.”

“…haven’t you been doing whatever you wanted since just now?” too bad sanzu’s words were lost on you as you turned to retrieve something from another table.

“of course, you’ll let me do whatever i want with you, right ha-ru-chi-yo?” you smiled with faux innocence, taking a pause between every syllable of his name. sanzu scowled; asking a question you already knew the answer to, no, what you wanted was to hear him admit that you could always you do whatever you wanted to him.

lifting the scalpel you picked up just now, you brought it to his chest when sanzu remained silent at your question, applying a light almost nonexistent pressure. enough for him to feel it, but not enough to break skin. “right?” you pressed, voice now much more commanding than before.

“fuck, yes. yes, do whatever you want, please,” sanzu whines breathily. his mind going blank at the sight of the huge blade against his chest, and the slight pain of having it pressed down. you’re fucking insane, but he might crazier for enjoying it.

“good, because i’m gonna cut you open. dissect and inspect you closely,” you hummed, tracing the scalpel lightly over his miniature torso, down to his throbbing cock that just squirted out even more precum at your words.

even from before, you suspected he might be the only one messed up enough to enjoy this. true enough from the dazed, blank look on his face as you continued to leave long marks on his body from the blade of the scalpel, and his steadily leaking cock. you wonder if he might cum from just this alone.

sanzu thinks he might truly lose it this time. underneath your unwavering stare, he was restrained and inspected, with a cold blade being dragged all over his body. leaving a slight pain in its path that only served to tightened the knot in his lower belly.

such a mess in front of you again. his face red and wet with tears and perspiration, unable to speak a word from his muddled head past the unending string of whimpers. unfortunately, now pushed to the edge and aching for release, sanzu craves your touch on him. as always only you could make him crumble and fall apart, the cold blade hurt so good and now he ached for your warmth, certain that even just a touch was enough to push him over.

“look at you, are you going to cum already?” you pressed the scalpel against his balls and watched him jolt, whining pitifully at the sensation. finally reaching a finger down, you pressed it between his legs. and as sanzu had predicted it was enough to make his body convulse, twitching uncontrollably as you began to stroke his aching cock, smearing his precum all over before the tightness in his belly snapped.

cum squirting out all over your finger, sanzu struggled against the tape, squirming all over as his hips bucked. you must say you’re quite impressed with the amount of cum that came from his tiny body. lifting your cum-covered finger to your lips the exhausted man could only watch in a daze as you licked it clean, looking quite pleased with yourself. “hm, the results was satisfactory. let’s move on to the next experiment.”

next…?

#hmmm #i kind of #like this idea #it almost doesn’t even seem like a smut #tokyo revengers #sub tokyo revengers #six.writes #sanzu haruchiyo #sanzu haruchiyo smut #sub! sanzu #sanzu haruchiyo x reader

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shmorp-mcdurgen · 10 months

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I might be going off a bit of an off tangent here but the whole idea of how alternates age always make me think about Adam…within canon.

Like, since he’s an alt that pretty much grew up so much like a human, his body reflects that. I just kind of have the idea since he’s seemingly always thought he was human his body sort of thinks the same? He’s never like shifted forms or tried to look like someone else because he never knew it was something he could possibly do.

which makes me also think, if what is happening to Adam in catalyst is him shifting to a more alternate…like, icky look or whatever- then maybe it’s happening now because since he can’t deny anymore on what he really is neither can his body. Like “Ohh! We’re not human? Then let me just-” *bone crushing sound effects.mp3*

just makes me wonder if he would of looked like he kept aging like a person if he never found out what he was…or if his body at some point would just stop look like it was aging either way. (This is just how I look at it, I’m sure people look at these sort of situations with Adam differently but I felt like rambling my thoughts sorry lol. Talking about the age of Host and how the idea of aging works just made me think of this, and Adam is just one of those characters in my brain that really make me think and want to stick him under a microscope and study him like a silly bug.)

YEAHH LIKE. I think if he was never told, Adam would've. lived a mostly normal, human life. Though. eventually he'd have to find out right? find out why he's not aging any further or, how he's older than he should be able to live.

#asks are neat #headcanons and shit #It's so. fascinating for real.#Adam my. well. kinda beloved but not really cause he kinda sucks- /lh

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transhawks · 1 year

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re: your post on cishet male fandom spaces, I definitely see that as well for all the other shonen manga series I follow. for one piece, all the discussions on reddit, twitter & youtube are basically just dudebros arguing about powerscaling, when the story is actually very character- and plot-driven. I've seen male animanga youtubers start out with content focused on plot or character analysis and then pivot to cater to that demand for very surface-level videos. I think a comparison can be made between (usually) cishet women who get into shows to have new characters to fit a shipping formula, and the large number of cishet men that get into an anime/manga to have new characters fit a battle/strength formula. (this is of course a generalization). but essentially, it's easy for people to get lost in an echo chamber of interpretation and trends in a fandom space, and in this case those men may see that other people like them only care about fights etc in the story and follow their example.

I tend to be really hesitant about watching BNHA youtube stuff, and especially video essays, for this reason.

I've seen male animanga youtubers start out with content focused on plot or character analysis and then pivot to cater to that demand for very surface-level videos.

It's tragic, this. Simply put, they go where they can get compensation for their work, if possible, because more views means more subs and more spread. Heck more Patreon followers and Ko-Fis. Meta writing isn't all that easy. It's pretty time-consuming and knowing how hard it is to edit videos, I'm sure the video format of what I do is even worse. (I've thought about dipping my toes into it but I'm just a little hesitant about how my voice sounds recorded these days)

I think the point about cishet women (and others into shipping) having their own version of this is fairly on the money too. Like I went down my favorite character's tag yesterday and barely saw anyone discussing stuff, just endless h**ks and their OCs, Y/N, and no one really discussing the minefield that is this week's chapter. In fact I think some of the arguments on this website has been when fans who honestly prefer engaging with the material like that stumble upon people like me, who want to dissect our favorite characters to molecules we can observe under microscopes, and aren't fans of the conclusions drawn and just don't really understand the process of what people who do fandom analysis do.

Nevertheless, it's really interesting that these spaces are so "gendered". Still hoping a gender studies or sociology major jumps into my ask box and blows me away with a study or two lol.

#asks

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suffarustuffaru · 9 months

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🛒

What are some common things you incorporate in your fics? Themes, feels, scenes, imagery, etc.

MY BAD it has taken me a little while to get to every fic writer question ive been asked pfft but i appreciate all of them and theyre really fun to answer :o and alright ok common things—character psychology is a big thing in all of my work :o aa every time i write a characters pov i try to do at least some research into their personality, backstory, etc etc bc my writing is almost always like?? character study type things?? i Really like delving deep into how characters think!!! :o so a lot of my works are like. you Will hear almost every thought in their head HAH. ive been told i have a very recognizable writing style widndnd but i do try to switch up internal dialogue at least a little bit depending on the pov character. i dont know how effective i am at that but i try HAH plus i think its fun trying to capture how someone thinks in the same way that youd try to capture how they speak in their dialogue. i think the most obvious example is probably my recent reinhard stuff—i tried to sound more formal with him? even with little kid reinhard i wrote his internal dialogue kind of formally because i figured that Might be able to create that bit of Dissonance that reinhard has as a character, you know? hes uncanny.

and uh because i focus on internal dialogue a lot, by the nature of things i kind of Have To slap the unreliable narrator tag on the vast majority of my fics HAH but unreliable narrators are fun and i love playing with them!! and i think its realistic in the sense that even a character thats very fair and just and honest may still have the wrong information at times or have emotion cloud their judgment or be a little unreliable for those reasons. that and i tend to pick the mentally fucked characters (which is pretty easy with the rezero cast HAH) whenever i write Very detailed internal dialogue so!!! unreliable narration and spirals into madness it is!!! i just really like exploring like. the humanity behind each character and all their nuances <3 and i Love having to squint at internal dialogue and add that up with a characters thoughts and actions and figure out who this person Actually Truly Is Like?? its like a puzzle :o !!

as for themes. i went into this a lot in another fic writer ask thingy but Definitely like. when characters change as a result of shit hitting their fan and/or their own choices and now theyre Different from the person they used to be. they came back wrong so now what are they going to do? how are the people around them going to treat them now? how will they treat the people around them? i just really like going into like. identity crisis… and um…. suffering that triggers massive self searching bc. the character changed in some way in order to survive through it physically and/or mentally. like seeing characters change for the worse and seeing them either try to crawl their way out or they. keep going down. it can be hopeful or very tragic!!! (bc i love hurt/comfort and tragedy a lot ajdnd) and complicated relationships are a huge favorite of mine to tackle. fascinating multi-layered stuff that i want to study under a microscope!!! i like when multiple contradictions exist within a dynamic or like. a character and their journey. the complexity feels very real to me and i find it intriguing :o

i also love queer themes but due to um. some of the toxicity in this fandom i do hesitate to do stuff with that in this fandom but i DO love queer themes its just not in most of my work atm but thatll change eventually 👍 ill at least slip in a little bit every chance i get 👍👍 (i have exactly one fic with queer themes atm wjdnd)

motifs/random imagery i use a lot also!!!! mostly bc i find them cool and fun but. yes theyre there for a reason. in my first pride otto fic i used second person pov and avoided using his name at points to emphasize that hes 1. being dehumanized and 2. hes dehumanizing himself too as a result. i uhh have also used star related things for subaru a lot bc Of Course. butterflies and moths for emisuba things…. economics themed titles for my pride otto multichap…. bugs for general pride if things…. comparing the knights uniform to bird wings in my reinhard and heinkel fic… i like to describe outfits in general too (pride otto vs main ottos outfits, also felix not wearing blue in the 2 seconds of screentime he has in my pride if fics atm wkdndn) etc etc :o

#this is such a long response but wkdndnd hope this all made sense HAH #i almost decided to study psychology in college!!! atm i am not doing that but it is still a possibility i suppose.#i have no idea what im doing. but anyway!!! yes this is a good summary of the stuff i usually like writing pfft #i will like the skrunkliest characters im so sorry thats why i keep otto and heinkel posting KANDNDND #but it IS nice writing side character content if only bc ur one of the only people doing it in the fandom on ao3 so its almost kind of??#free reign??? they dont have as much like. fanon tropey things bc theyre not as Big. u know?? so absolute freedom to go buck wild writing #fic for them wofndndnd #and im also so starved of content ill make it myself just so i dont starve 👍#like its def a little less of an uphill battle to write uh for example. otto pov vs emilia pov. bc at least with otto pov i dont feel like #im fighting against loud fandom opinion + tappeis opinion. if that makes sense.#like i try to be as canon compliant as possible at all times but WHAT do i do with emilia is 14 yrsand 18 yrs and 100+ yrs at the same time.#sometimes i want tappei to shut up a bit HAH #i do hope to see more content for side characters tho fr 🙏🙏 otto fics where are u…#ask #and also rip if ur writing in depth content involving any rezero kids bc u have a 99% chance of having to wade through tappei being weird #about kids. cries.

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bettsfic · 2 months

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i finally started reading tbosas because i loved the film and the book-exclusive things you mentioned sounded interesting and JFC SNOW'S INTERNAL DIALOGUE. the amount of red flags. i want to study him under a microscope. also SEJANUS. SEJANUUUUUUUS. [dramatically rips off shirt under the rain] I feel so bad for him. for some reason i like him more in the book than in the film tbh. I'm about to start Part 3 and knowing how things end for him i'm gonna be screaming 24/7 for the next seven months

same anon who was talking about tbosas, ran out of space. forgot to say that i scream everytime sejanus or ma plinth rightfully complain about their circunstances and the capitol and snow just straight up goes "ugh i hate rich people and their rich people problems". LIKE. SNOW. THAT'S NOT RICH PEOPLE PROBLEMS. IT'S PEOPLE WITH A MORAL COMPASS PROBLEMS. MY MAN, CHILDREN ARE BEING KILLED. Also, the fact that Sejanus truly loves Snow and Snow can't fucking stand him guts me. this book is killing me

i've been so curious how i would feel if i watched the movie before i read the book and i think it would definitely be something like this. the whiplash of the narration alone would give me vertigo for a year. i can't emphasize enough how, i don't know, smarmy i imagined snow in my head. and then they went and cast tom blyth like coriolanus is some kind of YA protagonist and not the personification of wilted spinach.

also hard agree on sejanus. he's such an interesting and well-built character in the book but it just didn't feel like they had enough room for that in the film. personally i thought his final scene in the book hit me a lot harder than in the movie, but that might be because i knew what was going to happen.

i'd love to know your overall thoughts when you're done! especially about the differences between the film and the book.

#tbosas

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ace-disaster-weeb · 5 months

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A few of the many genres of characters I've encountered over the years (some overlap included)

Favorite characters

Exactly what it sounds like. Of everyone in this piece of media, this character or group of characters is my blorbo. A couple of my favorite characters are Gohan from Dragon Ball and Kakashi from Naruto.

Comfort characters

As the name suggests, these are the characters that I go to for comfort. A lot of people seem to view their comfort characters romantically, but with exceptions, I tend to view them in a more familial way. A couple of these characters are Chihiro Fujisaki from Danganronpa and Vivi from Final Fantasy 9.

Crushes

It might be an asexuality thing, but I've only really had 4 characters that I would say I've had a real crush on. Said characters, in order of when I was into them, are Machine Ghost from Skylanders, Geno Sans from the Undertale AU Aftertale, Sakura Ogami from Danganronpa, and Xiao from Genshin Impact. That being said, though, I have definitely noticed a couple types...

You're attractive, but...

Characters that I DO think are attractive, but don't consider full-on crushes. Seems to include about 7 of every 10 twinks with baggage and about 9 of every 10 women with muscles.

Squishes

Basically a platonic crush. For some reason or another, I want this character to be my friend. The first example I can think of right now is Itto from Genshin Impact.

Love-hate relationship

I have a lot of thoughts on this character. I don't exactly dislike them, but I'm not always a big fan of them either. Ultimately, I want good things for characters in this category, but I'm also really tired of their BS. Examples include Nagito Komaeda from Danganronpa, Childe from Genshin Impact, and most iterations of Karai.

GO TO THERAPY OH MY GOD

This character has been through a lot of horrible shit, and therefore, I am deeply concerned about their mental and emotional well-being. Oftentimes, this character will show strong signs of PTSD or some other trauma-induced disorder, but the writers usually won't get that deep into it. Examples include Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy 7, Last Ronin Mikey, and honestly, about half the cast of Danganronpa.

Fight me @ Dennys

Characters I would not hesitate to throw hands with in a Dennys parking lot at 3 AM, typically on sight. I always hate these characters, but I also feel like I could take them in hand-to-hand combat. Examples include Tsumugi Shirogane from Danganronpa and Heather Duke from Heathers.

I want to study you

Exact traits may vary, but for some reason, this is always a male character whose morality ranges from kinda ambiguous to straight-up evil that I might or might not actually like, but definitely want to study under a microscope. Sometimes (the Oni from Dead By Daylight), I just find the character interesting; sometimes (Kokichi Oma), their actions played a large role in the plot, and I want to understand the character better because of that. And sometimes (Hiroto from The Last Ronin), it's a case of, "You are a horrible person and I really don't like you, but GOD DAMN IT, that's literally the best villain monolog scene I've ever read."

Childhood friends

I loved the media these characters are from as a young child, so when I go to that same piece of media now, it feels a little bit like hanging out with an old friend. Examples include Spyro the Dragon and most good-aligned TMNT characters, especially the Turtles themselves.

ADOPT ME PLEASE

Usually directed at groups of characters rather than just 1. Basically, I want to be part of whatever family unit these characters are part of. Yes, found families are included with this. Examples include the Dreemurr family from Undertale, the Chain from Linked Universe (more specifically Time, and by proxy Malon), and Aizawa from MHA.

PROTECC DA CHILD

This is a child character that has probably been through some shit (though not always). Regardless, I feel very protective of this character. Examples include, but are not limited to, Eri from MHA, Marlene and Denzel from Final Fantasy 7, and all of the Warriors of Hope except for Monaca.

Give me the adoption papers STAT

I want to adopt this character as my own. Oddly enough, the only human character in this category is Gonta Gokuhara from Danganronpa. The rest are various animals and fantasy creatures.

The "Adopt, Don't Shop" PSA

An escaped lab experiment that I want to befriend. The name of this category is inspired by a post I made a while ago. Examples include Shadow the Hedgehog, Izuru Kamakura, and Mewtwo, among other, debatably less edgy characters.

Sleep paralysis demon

Something about this character deeply unsettles me. Maybe they just look creepy (Sonic.EXE), maybe it's something they did (Junko Enoshima), maybe it's something I associate them with (2012 Shredder). Either way, this character represents bad things in my mind somehow.

Blorbo by association

I really like this character. This character also reminds me very much of another character I like from a different piece of media. That other character is probably dead. I'm pretty sure these things are all connected. Examples include Razor from Genshin Impact and Eri from Pokémon.

HONORABLE MENTION: stray cats

I can't tell if I want this character as a friend or if I feel bonded to them like a stray cat who can't be adopted separately. The only character in general I feel this for is Future Trunks, but it's a specific enough emotion that I felt like it was worth mentioning.

#fictional characters #character tropes #i guess #in a weird way

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lepoppeta · 11 months

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I got another one for you!! Rank the main villains/misguided antagonists of Pokémon, worst to best!

Oh gosh, this one's going to be a bit tricky.

1 - CYRUS. Team Galactic is such a fucking slog; they aren't even mildly amusing in the same way Team Rocket are, they just get in the way. At the head of this bizarrely hedonistic operation is Cyrus, a lunatic with his head so far up his own ass that he can't hear how fucking boring and self-centered he sounds.

2 - GHETSIS. He's creepy and deranged, certainly, but he's also kind of boring. In my opinion he also got a downgrade in B2W2 when he stopped being this "man behind the throne" kind of character and just became an evil dictator. N's presence is integral to his effectiveness, and once they split up he's not nearly as interesting.

3 - GIOVANNI. Credit where credit is due - Giovanni is the OG Pokemon villain, and he's not half bad either. He's also the only explicit villain that is on a League - Malva might count but I don't know if it was ever confirmed if she had anything to do with Team Flare or if she was just kind of there. Giovanni's also great because, as far as I'm aware, his ultimate goal is largely financial power, which is easier to understand than some other Pokemon villains.

4 - VOLO. Volo is where things start to get interesting in this list. He's a play on a zealous acolyte; he craves Arceus' blessing and he ends up enlisting Giratina's help to tear open a hole in the universe in order for them to meet, but he ultimately fails when you defeat him and Giratina flees. I liked his vaguely unsettling aura and the fact that he was always there when you least expected him to be, and I kind of get his motive to where he wants a reason for any suffering he faced, but ultimately the rest of his character kind of falls flat.

5 - LUSAMINE. I really liked Lusamine when I first fought her - how batshit crazy and obsessed she was; how she was willing to basically disown her own children in order to get what she wanted. In immediate hindsight her whole shpeal kind of petered out for me because I didn't know who Mohn (her long-lost husband) was and thus I had no idea what her motive was. USUM definitely did her a disservice by kinda-sorta redeeming her on-screen instead of leaving her fate up in the air like the original games did.

(The rest of these are all pretty close together in terms of how much I like them, so ranking is a little more approximate from here on out.)

6 - ROSE. SWSH unfortunately suffers from a poor plot anyway, which really doesn't do Rose any favors, but I really enjoy his calm, bussinesslike approach to everything, and how he's genuinely done good things for his community while also doing some questionable ones. I like how it's hinted that both Magnolia and Sonia regard him with hesitancy but no-one really elaborates as to why. I like how when you defeat Eternatus he just kind of... disappears, and his name is scrubbed from the League. I don't think anyone talks about him after that. That may be a plothole and not a deliberate choice, but it makes me want to study him acutely under a microscope.

7 - ARCHIE / MAXIE. (I'm counting these two as a pair because they serve the same purpose within their respective games.) My first villains! This is where my "well-intentioned but dumb" appreciation stems from; these two wanted to aid in the progress of humanity and also the conservation of certain Pokemon, but obviously didn't have any braincells dedicated to the consequences of their actions. It's actually really interesting to see them wholeheartedly regret their actions and realise their colossal mistakes in the moment.

8 - SADA / TURO AI. This villain and overall culmination of the SV story is so fucking terrifying and intimidating that I can't not love it. The plot twist that the Professor had been dead for years before your introduction to them was applause-worthy; the reveal that the AI had more affection, or at least respect, for the current world and the Professor's neglected son was heartbreaking. That was the moment that really shattered the illusion - that maybe, just maybe, Sada/Turo was a good person after all, but nope! They were just a deadbeat, obsessed parent all along.

9 - LYSANDRE. There's something about Lysandre that I find very, very appealing. He and Rose are very similar, and he also shares certain traits and motives with Cyrus of all people, but Lysandre succeeds more due to seemingly being more likable and having more genuine relationships - he at least has a friendship with Sycamore (or so the Professor claims). It's evident that no-one thought the worst of him and just considered him to be passionate about his desire to make the world more "beautiful". He sacrifices himself because he can't bear to live with his mistakes or his inability to accept the world as it is. He cries on-screen. He's a very poetic antagonist and I enjoy him immensely. Also his design is A+ and I love the way he carries himself.

#answered ask #pokemon #galactic boss cyrus #rocket boss giovanni #plasma boss ghetsis #pokemon wielder volo #aether president lusamine #chairman rose #aqua boss archie #magma boss maxie #professor sada #professor turo #flare boss lysandre

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kyogre-blue · 1 year

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Finally did the stupidly-named first quest of inazuma ch3 and some more (until right before the special shogun training) and I see the resistance still has no clue what the fuck they're doing, cool cool. Are you seriously telling me that NOBODY realised that using whatever kind of fucked up elemental energy Delusions use wasn't normal (like. elemental energy shit ain't subtle) until people started dying bc of it? And when exactly did we learn Delusions drained the bearer's life force?? Viktor didn't know shit about how they actually work. I'm so confused... (plus, yknow, Signora had a delusion for like 500 years and it did the opposite and kept her alive, but I guess she's a special snowflake. And it doesn't seem to track like how Diluc's dad died)

I wouldn't even know Teppei had died if it hadn't been for the mission description like. You can go to the back to talk to Teppei after the Dramatic Death Scene and he's still alive there even if his breathing is getting weaker?? Aren't we still in time to save him? Hello??

love how the domain letters were like 'we need to make sure nobody knows NATHAN is the spy, sure would suck if NATHAN's cover was blown bc NATHAN's role is crucial' did kokomi really have no clue about all this stuff? The GIANT RADIOACTIVE ZONE between your island and the rest of inazuma is pretty hard to miss, did she seriously not put any thought on how it got that way? How the hell did they get to the beach without trawling through that?

On the plus side finally met the scarameowmeow and I want to study him under a microscope he's so fascinatingly fucked up. humans always die so it's all the same if they do it sooner rather than later? (hello three betrayals trauma) seems to really believe killing yourself for power is worth it? just. Wow. Also he really sounded like some kinda sith lord for a hot sec there lol, more like he was trying to turn us than kill us. scara vc: EMBRACE THE ANGER!! EMBRACE IT!!!

As a result I'm kinda dubious of Yae Miko's claims of saving us bc sure, Scara was kinda laughing at us as we blacked out, but he really didn't seem interested on fighting us at all, given that the first thing he told us was that he wasn't in charge and to get going to find who was. Kinda thought he'd leave us there passed out and dip, plus given that Traveler's resistant to dead god taint (re:xiao's karma) + has purification abilities + it's hard to be angry when passed out = I'm sure we'd have been fine. Maybe I'm just looking for in-canon reasons for the main character shield though

But glad to know SOMEONE (even if it's Yae) sees how the inazuman people SHOULD be gunning for the shogun's head even though nobody does against all common sense (seriously, if that's not the goal of the resistance then Why The Fuck Are They Fighting. Fighting should be a means to an end, not the goal itself!)

I've stalled out on starting Inazuma act 2 on my alt because I don't want to deal with all that drama. Inazuma is so unappealing, especially as it keeps going... hot take, but Genshin is vastly improved by just not engaging with the story at all.

A lot of the information Genshin presents is misleading or just straight up wrong, so it's probably better not to think about it too hard. (Example A: Archons don't give out visions regardless of what characters keepsaying).

I'm amazed you got all that out of Scaramouche. Doesn't he say like 3 lines total to you there? I only recall that he sounded like a bland evil type and that was my first time ever seeing him, so I wasn't particularly impressed.

As for the resistance, Genshin's writing has a very strong pro-authority undercurrent. The authority of the archons and the divine is absolute and correct. We can only go against human usurpers who are misleading or misusing divine authority that doesn't belong to them. Since Raiden is the rightful god of Inazuma, naturally she can't be rejected or opposed, only lightly persuaded so she can find her way back to the right path or whatever.

The ultimate outcome for Watatsumi is that Kokomi advances the idea that people need to get over the Orobashi being killed (and used as material and tool to forge weapons??) and makes a backroom deal with Yae to have the government provide aide to them. And that's basically the outcome for the desert people as well. So yeah.

#playing genshin

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script-a-world · 2 years

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Submitted via Google Form:

I'm trying to design an alien species that is categorised as both plant and animal. Is that possible? Or only if defined to how we define plant and animal? In that case how could aliens define them differently?

I'm suppose you may already be thinking of stuff people create that do seem to be both plant and animal. Like those carnivorous plants with whip like vines that can seize prey - but they're considered plants and not an animal. Then there are ents in Tolkien's work. But those are still animals that resemble trees, not considered plants. Not what I'm looking for.

Miri: Scientifically, we differentiate plant vs animal at a cellular level: plant cells do not have a cell wall, animal cells do. That’s just the start of the differences, which are mostly contradictory enough that they could not exist in the same being. A table of differences can be found at https://www.toppr.com/guides/biology/difference-between/plants-and-animals/ (and more information is available at many sites with a quick “plant vs animal” google search as this is a topic that was covered in many high school biology classes in North America when I was in school - I have fond memories of doing stains of plant cells to look at under the microscope.).

Aliens may not even have the same concepts of “plant” and “animal”. We haven’t met any (so far as we’ve been publicly told) so it’s all up to imagination. This may be a case of Aunt Scripty’s Rule of Reality - you break it, you bought it. Consider if it’s something you really need to define that accurately. If they think it’s a plant or think it’s an animal, does it matter to your plot if it really is? Is anyone pulling out the microscopes to check? If they are, then it’s worth making those distinctions in your story and building what it means in your world. If it doesn’t matter to the plot, and it’s never going to come up, this may be a bit of world building you can keep behind the curtain.

Feral: Plants and animals are not even the only defined categories of life in our world. You seem to be drawing your categorization of life from Linnaean taxonomy, which is not a particularly helpful classification system as it was developed in 1735, aka before Darwin proposed the theory of evolution. If you look at other taxonomic ranking systems, like Whittaker’s 1969 Five Kingdoms or Woese’s 1977 Six Kingdoms, you might find more inspiration for how the domains of life may be divided and categorized. And increasingly, it’s being accepted that it’s not just humans or even non-human animals, but plants can have a form of intelligence, and possibly anything or everything else could experience consciousness.

Utuabzu: sounds like you're describing fungi, archea and bacteria, none of which are plants or animals but are most certainly alive. Fungi have been observed to transmit electrical signals across their mycelia and to react to stimulus, which may indicate some level of awareness (if they think or feel, it's in a way that's pretty alien to us). Lichens are even weirder, being composite organisms made of various combos of fungus, bacteria and plants, and also being some of the oldest land organisms and the sturdiest (lichens are the only plant-like-things growing on Antarctica, and the ISS has had problems with lichens on its outer hull).

Plenty of plants react to each other and their environment and plant cognition is a legitimate field of study within botany, so plants that move and act more like animals are perfectly possible. But honestly, if you're working with aliens, there's no need to fit things neatly into the taxonomic categories we're used to. They're alien organisms, they'll have (presumably) had an entirely separate evolutionary history and fall into their own categories. You can have human characters refer to things as plants and animals, and then have another character correct them if you want.

For worldbuilding purposes your most important concern is going to be the difference between autotrophes (organisms that create their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis) and heterotrophes (organisms that must acquire energy from other organisms, generally by eating them). Autotrophes tend to be more sessile (unable to move) because motility (the ability to move) requires energy and specialised structures that don't necessarily make sense for something that just needs a source of light energy or chemical energy and nutrients. Heterotrophes do tend to be motile because they have to find food, but there are plenty of sessile heterotrophes. Most corals, sponges, and fungi either rely on water currents to bring them food, or grow outwards to find more food and are able to reproduce and spread out in sufficient volume that it doesn't really matter that their food will run out. Remember, evolution doesn't prefer the “best” lifeforms, just the ones that continue to successfully reproduce.

#pylons #google submitted #plants #animals

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nyerus · 3 years

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Hi, nyerus.....If you don't mind me asking, who are your favorite MXTX characters (top 5 from each novel)? And why? I'm sorry if you've answered this question before.

Thank you so much for asking! I would love to! (Apologies for the delay, and also for how long this is lol....)

TGCF

1.) Xie Lian: I could write forever about why I love him, but XL is just a really great character who subverted my expectations. He's gentle and compassionate, but also funny and snarky on the inside. His character arc is the classic hero's journey but told out of order. So we meet him when he's already wise and world-weary, then get to see what he was like before, and how he finishes his journey later on. He's extremely inspiring, to show that our choices and our actions are what make us, and ultimately no one can take those from us.

2.) Hua Cheng: This is no surprise! I also just adore HC for being a very intense character! He's completely devoted to XL and that zealotry is very unique in a character. He's 100%, not 50, not 75. While he has a lot of relateable aspects, this part of him is utterly fantastical, on the level only myth and fable can achieve--which tracks. After all, he isnt a Ghost King for nothing. In the story, he is the embodiment of the purest devotion, no strings attached.

3.) He Xuan: I actually like him for the same reasons as HC! He too is a walking fable, only instead of devotion, he represents vengence. (They're actually like foils of each other, which is quite neat.) I really adore his arc, and how murky his whole character is. It tells a cautionary tale of how sometimes, our worst enemy--the one who makes us most miserable--is often ourselves. SWD wronged him greviously, but HX's obsession with vengence ultimately prevented him from getting the peace and recompense he wanted in the end. Absolutely stellar storytelling.

4.) Mei Nianqing: While I often question his motives and methods, he is still a really good character. Caught between wanting to be a mentor and protector to XL, but still loving (platonically or romantically, that's up to you) JW. He's the only father figure in XL's life that actually took him seriously, even if he did have to come around to it. But ultimately, he was proud of who XL became even before he ascended. He was just terrified of XL drawing the attention of the one man he shouldn't--and did. However his belief in superstition and fear of Hong Hong-er also makes sense, even if it's sad. MNQ is also just a quirky and fun dude lol.

5.) Mu Qing: I really like how complicated and murky MQ's is in terms of his inner turmoil. I'm somewhat similar to him in the way he thinks, and it's real work not to make things worse for myself by expecting the worse. His background makes him naturally suspicious of... basically everyone, all the time, and it's honestly understandable. Ultimately, he does understand that you can't make assumptions about people's intentions by projecting your own insecurities onto them--which I think is something everyone can relate to. I really like his subtle journey of self-realization and self-forgiveness, and he ends up far better for it.

MDZS

1.) Lan Wangji: I love the fact that LWJ was just so ready to Night Hunt himself to death upon the loss of his beloved. As you can tell, I really like complicated characters who have extreme traits, haha! That being said, I just also really like his stoicism and reliability.

2.) Wei Wuxian: Naturally, it's hard not to love WWX! He decided "yeah maybe the ends do justify the means" and went for it. To us, he is the hero. To the regular people of the world? Whose ancestors were dug up and disturbed to be used by the Yiling Laozu? His blackened reputation is not without cause! (Like... JGY literally has done more positive and helpful things for regular people than Wangxian, but those metas already exist lol.) Once again, his gray morality is what makes him so damn good, and can be debated at length!

3.) Jiang Cheng: JC gets a bad rep, but oh boy he doesn't make things easy for himself at all. However if I was in his position, I probably would be much worse off. He lost EVERYTHING, and still trudged on because there were people who depended on him. His hatred of the Wens also makes sense in the context that... that's often how humans react to and process extreme trauma. We find something to blame and *waves at literally every major conflict since the dawn of time.* (His rumored torture of innocent people due to that is reprehensible, of course, but given that MDZS is a book about how rumors can make or break someone's life... we should take that line with a grain of skepticism, much like all other hearsay.) He's not typically the type of character I like, but I found him really interesting to read.

4.) Jiang Yanli: I really love JYL, who decided to be the emotional backbone of her family from the time she was a child. It was an undue and extremely heavy burden to bear, but she did all of it without complaint. That's strength. I think many elder siblings can relate to her having to step up and be the third parent, when the actual adults fail at it.

5.) Wen Qing: I really like her arc in the novel, where she makes some of the hardest decisions anyone will ever have to make, over and over and over again. I don't typically love very "rough" characters, but she has ever right to be that way (and it makes sense for her character, and isn't just a tacked-on character trait like hair color or eye color in a CC), and honestly I want to marry her very seriously.

SVSSS

1.) Luo Binghe: Probably the most misunderstood main character of all of MXTX's works. LBH is neither truly a crybaby nor is he a ruthless maniac. He's right in the middle, in the valley of misanthropy. And yet, he knows just how to use his charisma to get his way. Cunning and devious, intelligent and ruthless. Meanwhile, he craves love and intimacy--something he could only ever dream of.

2.) Shen Qingqiu (Shen Yuan): Extremely refreshing to see an transmigrator know how to handle transmigration almost flawlessly. (Me reading/watching other works with this trope and wanting to tear my hair out at the protags = me sympathizing on a personal level with SQQ.) This also proves to be SQQ's fatal flaw!! His knowledge of the novel is both a boon and a obstacle to him, and prevents him from understanding the other characters as people until he lets go of his pre-conceived notions. And of course, his snarky as heck inner dialogue is amazing.

3.) Liu Qingge: I don't actually even know why I love LQG as much as I do. He's just neat.

4.) Tianlang-Jun: Honestly same goes for TLJ. He's just great though, and I have a blast reading about him. He wanted to see the good in humanity, and ultimately comes around after writing them off.

5.) Yue Qingyuan: He's a fascinating character. Harmless on the outside, but a quagmire on the inside. His love for Shen Jiu was quite... problematic, in that he saught forgiveness from SJ, without actually ever taking the time to understand him or to make amends. Patronizing and judgemental, yet willing to let SJ get away with literally anything because of his own unresolved turmoil, etc etc. Fascinating.

#if this sounds like I want to study some of these characters under a microscope then you'd be correct #i also have a lot more faves i would want to talk about but actually it's a lot of work to Think #i just really love characters who make me think or are very complicated #tgcf #mdzs #svsss #asks #nyerus.txt #thanad-zid

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actualbird · 2 years

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tot ao3 fic recs part 5: character studies or just any fic that made me go, "damn, author knows/interprets this character AMAZINGLY!!!"

previous tot fic recs post can be found at the very bottom of my tot masterlist

these are fave fics ive read that made me further Understand the tot character in question, that opened my eyes or delved deeper into an already visible trait, that well and truly studied tot characters like a bugs under a microscope (affectionate).

all 6 fics here feature no ships and are completed

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it waits for you by quarterweeb

“I hope you liked the city; it’s a favorite of mine.” Artem nodded, and the old woman smiled indulgently. “Did you visit Vienna, too?” - Inspired by Billy Joel's "Vienna."

focus on artem, outsider pov

this fic is the most recent one on this list that i read and oh my god, it made me actually cry. real tears, yo. in the span of 1.5k words, artem wing was gently pried open and told the exact kindness he NEEDS to hear and also will have the MOST trouble believing. the prose here is so like, beautifully simple, just an everyday conversation that can happen to any of us. but then there are lines of dialog that happen that artem is never gonna forget.

and also im never gonna forget a very specific line here. it's been etched into my BRAIN. i wont spoil it tho, GO READ THIS! ESP IF UR AN ARTEM ENJOYER!!!

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artblock by quarterweeb

There’s the sound of some slapping, and then a switch flicks on. Cody blinks against the light, although it’s still kinda dim. The whole hallway looks...gross. It looks gross! The walls and the floors are just gray-brown concrete with little posters and stuff hung up to make it look less like a jail. In front of him is a guy with normal clothes on and dog tags. “You look like an asshole,” Cody says, because it's true and his parents aren’t around. - Cody Teller is locked in the depths of the Stellis Art Gallery, when some random guy comes out of nowhere to help him out.

focus on marius, outsider pov

yo, i think quarterweeb is a master of outsider pov by this point. this is another one of her fics and it's SO DELIGHTFUL!! LITTLE KID POV and thru this pov the fic takes us thru this like, rlly sincere snapshot of who marius is when hes connected over something he loves: art. thru just the interaction in here, a very clear understanding of marius shines thru even if the fic isnt going too "deep" so to speak.

all in all, this is funny and very earnest read!!

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Two Degrees (of Separation) by samandspam

“... After all, I have two doctorate degrees, whereas Artem has only one.” Sure, he only had a doctorate in law, but he had managed to pass an exam that had a one percent pass rate with flying colors. He may have the patience and goodwill of a saint, but Neil and Celestine had honed on his subtle pettiness. But such was the saying: you should always lookout for the quiet ones. or alternatively: Artem is a petty guy who does not take lightly to being called out without reason.

focus on artem, comedy

who says character studies have to be "serious" all the time? not sam cuz this fic is a frigging HOOT. showcases an artem wing that, under what many think is a wooden sign that says No Fun Allowed, is a person who actually is Very Fun Allowed (Because Of Spite). sam is super great at taking what you "expect" a character to do and then turning that on its head in a way that still completely fits, and that specialty is v much highlighted here!

v much recommend if you want something lighthearted!!

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Penne for your thoughts? by samandspam

"If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him... The people who give you their food give you their heart." — Cesar Chavez or alternatively: artem makes food for the nxx. a series of three (maybe four) drabbles where artem makes food for marius, vyn, and luke.

focus on all nxx boys, comedy, found family

i like to call this fic "i cant believe pasta counts as therapy!" kJBKJKFGS but rlly, this fic is the 2nd in a series where artem is rlly fucking good at making pasta and each chapter delves into each nxx boys' insecurities or feelings. and then those feelings r met with warmth and comfort and pasta. each chapter shows a rlly wonderful understanding of who the boys are thru what they fear and how to address those fears.

in this fic, you'll get a laugh and also maybe a cry if ur a repressed bastard like me who really kins luke, HAHA. deffo give this a read if u want to feel an ache in ur heart but then like, a hug after that.

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Despite All Odds, It Seems I've Met My Match by sure_galena

Now that she’s facing him — and at a closer distance — Artem notices there’s something familiar about her eyes. He’s used to seeing them each time he looks in the mirror. “Who—” Artem clears his throat, trying to shove away the pinpricks of fear, the snake’s fangs beginning to poke at him. “Who are you?” The woman stops about a meter away from him, keeping a cautious distance between them. “Artemis Wing, senior attorney at Justitia Law Firm. And I’m inclined to ask you the same question.” * Or: after an NXX mission causes Artem to get transported into a parallel universe, he meets the genderbent counterparts of the NXX Investigation Team.

focus on artem, found family

man mAAANNNNN!!! this fic is such a huge fave of mine!!! the artem wing we know and love ends up in a universe where things r the same but Not Really. that in itself had me hooked but then galena goes the extra mile by using this fantastic premise as a way to make artem realize and confront his flaws and fears. that + some rlly cool plot + SO MUCH FOUND FAMILY FEEEELLLSSSSS //SOBS. artem's pov here is exquisite, it's got this solid/strict vibe in how he handles himself but also this like, looping and almost endless questioning of his faults as a person, IT'S SO GREAT TO READ!!!

artem enjoyers, check this fic out!!

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In the end, all I hope for is to be a bit of warmth for you by sure_galena

When Vyn is away on a business trip and needs help with his plants, Luke (and the rest of the NXX crew) end up signing up for more than they thought they would

focus on luke, action, found family

nothing brings a team together than fighting a giant evil plant that vyn supposedly ordered!!! vyn, what the HELL?? but srsly, this fic is wonderful and i love it to bits. galena back at it again with a wonderfully absurd premise and then uses that premise to dissect character and this fic's victim is Luke Pearce. take it from me, self diagnosed luke pearce enthusiast, that this fic is incredible. be it through little quirks luke does with his phone contacts or how he strategizes a battle plan or the thoughts only us readers are privy to in his internal monolog, this fic delivers a LOVELY interpretation of who luke is. all the while telling a very entertaining and well paced story.

im pspspsppspss-ing luke enjoyers, come here, read this fic, it's great!!

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if you enjoy these fics, make sure to support the story with a kudos, comment, and/or bookmark!!!! feedback is the best way to make an author happy :D

#tears of themis #tears of themis fanfic #not getting much time to write this week so it's time to hype up my FAVESSS #tot fanfic

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becquerelian · 2 years

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It is time for the TGCF impressions and theories masterpost

I've seen the donghua three times and, now that the official English novel translation is coming out, I figured it could be fun to write all this out before I get any further in the story

MARTIAL GODS

So Nan Feng and Fu Yao are those two martial gods in disguise. I know Fun Yao is Mu Qing but I forget Nan Feng's other name even though he didn't change it that much. They are my favorites; if you've ever heard me say Ling Wen is my favorite. If you've ever heard me say Hua Cheng is my favorite. No you didn't. These two are just angry and mean bastards and that's peak performance.

Prediction that Mu Qing is going to be ride-or-die with Xie Lian but something is going to drive the other dude away. Maybe he's a traitor, I feel like there has to be a betrayal of Xie Lian by someone at some point

Anyway it turns out Pei Jr has to be another favorite of mine, he seems just awful. He is just very calm and composed and probably would no hesitation kill and destroy at any given moment. He's on the verge. When he first shows up and talks to Xie Lian for a bit he's so distant and correct in his manners but if he suddenly decided to snap Xie Lian's spine over his knee like a stick I would not have been surprised. We know he committed massacre before he ascended which makes me wonder what.. the criteria for ascension are? But good for him. Hope you get to go insane again soon king

You can probably tell what my taste in fictional characters is

But despite what this section may have led you to believe, no, I am not going to talk about A-Zhao

XIE LIAN

Xie Lian has a lot of secrets and past selves and even present selves that haven't come to light. I'm not sure he's a Big Pretender but he is at least a little bit of a pretender. He's snarkier and cleverer and possibly more judgemental than he acts like he is. I'm like 99% sure of these things, I'm at least staking all my bets on them being true

Something seems to have caused him to develop a lot of shame -- the crown prince of Xianle and the Xie Lian we're presented with almost appear to be different characters entirely

Something went badly wrong at some point, and it seems to at least partially tie in with the fall of his kingdom. And like.. getting kicked out of heaven again in the length of time that it takes to burn an incense stick sounds funny the first time but the more I think about it the more I'm... sir, what did you do????? And then there's him telling San Lang Oh you know, sinners deserve to be punished 😔🙏 HELLO??????

He's also weirdly, occasionally down for violence?? My man is just okay with Hua Cheng committing mass murder. I don't know what is up with his moral compass or what is in his brain in general. Maybe his moral compass is murder is okay if I or my husband do it. I want to put him in a drop of water on a little slide and study him under a microscope

Related: to be demoted from a lieutenant you have to have done something to become lieutenant in the first place, which is something he seems to have deliberately left out of his little story when talking about his General Hua hours. Actually that story is full of pretty blatant holes. What are you hiding

I don't really know what to make of all this for now. Just a lot of conflicting characterization that I'm not yet sure how to reconcile. I'm very much looking forward to reading the novel and being in his head, because he seems like he's going to be FASCINATING, but in the donghua.. his character doesn't come across with much clarity. I'm assuming this is a problem in the translation from book to show

XIE LIAN'S PAST AND BAI WUXIANG

There's definitely something relating Xie Lian to Bai Wuxiang. I know that the human face disease is what led to the downfall of Xianle and I know that Bai Wuxiang is somehow connected to.. the disease, or that event? I'm not sure if it's necessarily so much that he even caused it, exactly? He kind of seems to be treated almost as a physical representation of or a stand-in for the disease, so maybe not the direct cause of it but very much associated with it. But yeah it makes sense for a scary ghost man to wreak that kind of havoc

They also say that Bai Wuxiang is hundreds of years dead by now but I don't believe that for a second. He probably never died in the first place or maybe died only in a metaphorical sense. I think it very likely that he's still around and just became someone else (maybe literally or maybe same man new identity)

So here's a theory. Xie Lian is Bai Wuxiang? I don't know if that's even possible as a god. But they both.. wear white.... And I can see major angst potential. Being the reason your kingdom fell? Listen: he definitely had a major fall from grace at some point. I can see in this a struggle with trying and ultimately failing to be a good person. Also. Mask. Not only do we not know the identity of Bai Wuxiang, but parallels with Xie Lian's prince mask

Then there's also the emperor. He's probably an if not The antagonist and probably the source of Xie Lian's problems. He just feels like an abusive dad, and a prince is a son of an emperor (be that literal or symbolic). But either way he looks similar to Xie Lian so big likelihood here for misdirection and/or MXTX's famous parallels

What I'm saying is he could also be Bai Wuxiang. Maybe both of them are?! Maybe Bai Wuxiang isn't any specific person at all??!?

I'm also saying that I'm just generally looking forward to getting more of the emperor in season 2 👀 I want to meet the scary man

OTHER CALAMITIES

The intro song lyrics are very good. I was really pleased to find that they're specific to TGCF because that was honestly one of my favorite things about the MDZS donghua; slowly getting a handle on certain terms and themes and then seeing them in the intro. The Realization. Good stuff. I wish that Netflix displayed the translation, not just because having that realization while watching would have added some kick to the experience, but also because it rounds out Hua Cheng's characterization nicely

So here's some character analysis for you: Hua Cheng talks about not wanting to show Xie Lian his true form because "it's ugly" or whatever. Either that's an excuse or it's just misleading. Once again with the shame. Hua Cheng thinking he's not good enough for Xie Lian. Which is understandable given the circumstances under which they first met/came into contact with one another (all this time later after Xie Lian has long since fallen out of favor and Hua Cheng still puts him on a super high pedestal because Xie Lian is still his reason to live and, in his mind, still the good and kind prince of Xianle. I think Hua Cheng also doesn't want Xie Lian to connect the atrocities (re: ugliness) to that little boy), but honestly hilarious given the way they're presented to us, the audience (These powerful forces of good and evil respectively have Self-Esteem Issues)

The things he says on the cart as San Lang I also don't want to discount as lies but more as him being a little tricky. He mentions gouging out his own eye and being kicked out by his family, and with the way that we're shown him as a little kid in flashbacks (bandages over his face, wearing rags and standing out in the rain), I'm betting these are things that happened 800 years ago

Also I think Hua Cheng wants to kill the green ghost and I hope he does it. I, too, hate the green ghost

I just hope Hua Cheng commits some horrible crimes in general over the course of the story and I'm betting that's what season 2 is going to be about. Man and his ghost city:)

I should mention Black Water Sinking Ships too because nominated coolest ghost. I don't know anything about him but I wish I did. There's also the tiny mention of the water tyrant which. Yeah. I couldn't help but be reminded of this man. Wouldn't be surprised if they're the same. It does sound like there's a good bit of corruption in the heavenly realm

BROAD THEMATIC STROKES

Identity is a big recurring theme for sure. Everyone is someone else, whether that be a disguise or a past life or what have you. I don't know where that's going and I'm very curious to see. I'm not sure it's necessarily about deception (most of the time?), maybe it's tied in with something along the lines of self worth/remaking yourself?

TGCF also seems to explore ideas of morality similar to MDZS but slightly to the left; I'm not really sure what the twist is though. There's obviously play with the seemingly harsh divide between heaven/good and the underworld/bad. Here's the direct comparison: MDZS takes the tone of acceptance. To be a person is to do good things and to do bad things, and that isn't something to be ignored. "Evil" is neither inherent nor unusual. Weirdly (given how the besties and I talk about MDZS as the pain show and TGCF as the fluff show lmao), I get the idea that TGCF is more.. pessimistic? Maybe it's bent less on the acceptance and more on the.. I don't know... commiseration?

Sensing the topic of mental health in here too, which is probably why I'm feeling like this one is possibly going to be more pessimistic/darker in tone than MDZS. One big question that I'm betting is going to get tackled is, what do you do when you want an escape? That seems embodied by both Hua Cheng being suicidal and Xie Lian seemingly trying to forget his past and/or reinvent himself.

Thanks @tiabwwtws for talking about this stuff with me and going insane. It's hard for me to make decent predictions because I honestly have no clue where this plot is going, character-driven stuff is easier with what little I know

#TGCF #MXTX #long post #very long post #this got way longer than I thought it would #suicide mention #now I get to go read the novel and see how much clearer it is than the donghua WHOOO #and come back to this in like a year and a half to see how dumb or alternately how big-brained this was

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mintymiknow · 3 years

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Trust Fall - ch. 9 | Lee Minho

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Pairing: Lee Minho/Lee Know x Reader

Summary: Are you ready to open up to Minho, or does all the effort and time still remain futile in an attempt to open your heart? Something between the two of you begins to shift, but are you ready?

Genre: Secret agent/spy au, romance, angst, action

Word count: Approx. 5k

Warnings for this chapter: The mc talks about death/someone dying, but nothing is described in graphic

A/N: Surprise! Here’s another update for the series. I seem to have underestimated my current semester...I’ll be way busier in the coming days and weeks, so updates might take longer than usual now. So sorry. To make up for it, here’s ch. 9 with some swoon moments. I hope to update more, but in the case I get swamped with work, I do apologize for delays. Anyway, enjoy this for now! Again, take note that the scientific and medical things mentioned here may not be accurate or realistic, so don’t take them to heart or something hahaha!

[A/N: the italicized parts are essentially a flashback or recollection of events until the paragraphs become un-italicized again!]

After having your cut disinfected and cleaned in the medical wing - by yours truly, of course - you then proceed to the other medical room where Minho went for treatment. You’re just about to approach the door when you hear muffled voices - Minho and Seungmin.

“You got pretty beat up this time, huh?” Seungmin muses, “Last time you were injured to this extent was what? When you and Jeongin went in blindly into the den of gangs last year?”

Minho laughs tiredly, “Yeah? Well, her safety was my priority this time.”

“Romantic.” the doctor teases before comically letting out a grunt as Minho presumably smacked his arm or whatever.

You feel heat rising to your cheeks, but you shake any weird thoughts away and steel yourself. No time for useless and fluttery “feelings”. You and Minho were being professional, that’s it. You open the door to see Seungmin givin the agent the usual instructions for cleaning and taking care of the injuries he received from the fight prior. Afterwards, he turns around to leave the room, eyes finally falling on you.

“Hi, y/n. Were you able to find the things to tend to your wound?” Seungmin offers a smile.

You nod and smile back, “Yes, thank you.”

“Alright.” the doctor says, approaching the doorway, “Glad you’re safe.”

You give him a soft hum before stepping out of the way so he could walk. Once Seungmin leaves the room, you turn to Minho who is much too preoccupied with looking at the bandages on his torso. It was as if he was too bashful to look you in the eye - were his cheeks actually a shade of pink right now?

He probably knew you were outside when he said things to Seungmin but realized too late that you were just behind the door. If that were the case, why was he embarrassed? Again, you shove those thoughts to the deepest crevice in your mind.

Slowly, you approach the agent and clear your throat. “Are you ok?” you ask timidly.

Minho hums, finally looking up to meet your eyes. They’re tired, you can tell, but the glimmer in them doesn’t waver; you wished you were like that too. “This is nothing.” he replies, nodding his head towards you, “I should be asking you that question.”

You nod, releasing a heavy sigh; that’s all you do in response, and Minho drops the conversation all together. He stands up, lightly patting your shoulder as he walks past you. “Get some sleep, y/n. You need it.” he says.

“So do you.”

“I need to report to Jung.” the agent says flatly, putting a new shirt back on, “I’ll be fine, stop worrying.”

“I’m not worried.” you nearly pout, narrowing your eyes in exasperation.

At this, Minho has to stifle a teasing chuckle, “Fine, whatever. Just get some rest, alright?”

You nod, and Minho takes it as his sign to leave, walking out of the medical room with his hands shoved in his jean pockets. You watch him leave, trying to comprehend why your heart was beating so fast all of a sudden.

You're brought back from your daze when one of the lab equipments rings with a slight dinging sound, alerting you that a test had just finished. You unintentionally jolt in surprise, blinking your eyes a few times to regain your composure. You then glide the wheeled stool over to the far end of the table to retrieve the paper that had printed from the test equipment.

“Hmm.” you hum to yourself, scanning the sheet of paper with your eyes.

You continue to tinker with the red substance from the vial, running tests and combining it with other chemicals to observe specific reactions. You note everything down, unceasingly performing experiments. At some point, you combine the red substance with a few formulas before adding in a drop of liquid from the original serum Cle was currently trying to produce - this was the same serum you had kept hidden from the agents from way back.

As you glue your eyes to your experiment, they widen in surprise as some sort of chemical reaction happens. The liquids combine and fizzle for a few seconds; the red formula mixes with the bronze liquid of the serum, turning into something more copper-like. However, the warm-colored swirls begin to disappear, drastically changing the mixture into a faded yellow color akin to very diluted urine - the liquid was now essentially transparent, save for the subtle tint of yellow.

Your mouth opens slightly, leaning closer to make sure your eyes weren’t deceiving you. If this is what resulted from what you were conducting, that meant you were super close to finally finding the solution. What about that red liquid was so special? You wanted to find out, so you grab another petri dish to put drops of red liquid in, getting ready to examine it under the microscope.

That is, until the door slides open, and a familiarly smooth voice says, “What are you up to?”

Your heart leaps out of your chest, eyes wide as your body tenses. Unclenching your jaw, you swivel in the stool to face the handsome agent, “Going through the samples we got from the last mission.”

Minho hums, eyes scanning the items on the lab table. “Where are Jisung and Seungmin then? Why are you alone?” he asks.

You shrug, “I work better when I’m alone. Please just trust me on this.”

Minho raises an eyebrow before sighing as if he were too tired. Well, his face was still littered with injuries, so you assume he still was tired. “As much as I’d want nothing but to speed things up, you are supposed to be working with your team, y/n.” he says.

“I know.” you start, gesturing around the table, “But I’ll give all my findings and reports to them after. I always do.”

Minho looks at you in a deadpan manner but decides to let you off the hook. Instead, he asks, “What did you find then?”

“Well…” you trail off, still unwilling to tell him everything - just in case, right? You continue, “I have a very big feeling - and I am confident - that these substances are key substances to formulating a solution. Just...give me more time to study them.”

“Good enough.” Minho offers a small smile before playfully flicking your forehead, “Now, I came to tell you to rest. Jung wants you to accompany us on another mission.”

“Why am I needed?” you glare, rubbing the area on your head where he flicked.

Minho answers, “It’s a ball or gala of sorts, and Jung thinks your credentials will allow us easy access into the VIP guest list. Hyunjin somehow managed to come up with some esteemed political cover too.”

You cast your eyes to the floor, involuntary shivering at the thought of having to go on another mission. The last one wasn’t the most pleasant one after all.

The agent isn’t blind to your apprehension; he completely understands and sympathizes with you, in fact. He then reaches a hand out to rest on your head, lighting ruffling your hair. “I promise no harm will come your way.” he gently smiles, but there’s a confidence to it as well, “I’ll keep you safe, promise.”

You look at him with furrowed eyebrows. His eyes still hold their distinct mysteriousness, but you can clearly see the swirls of certainty and warmth in them. It prompts a small blossom of trust, blooming within the dark corners of your heart. You end up sighing and nodding your head, “Fine.”

“Good. Get rested; we leave tomorrow at 4:00 PM.” he smiles once more before making his leave so casually.

You glare and pout, thinking to yourself, “That stupid agent...”

You bite your lip, glancing at your phone laying on the table before your eyes quickly shift to the vial of the now nearly transparent liquid from your tests and experiments.

With a sigh, you squeeze your eyes shut, “This will be the last, I promise.”

Minho doesn’t really understand why his cheeks are so flushed right now as he stands in front of your bedroom door, hand poised to knock on the surface. His eyebrow twitches nervously, but he steels himself and proceeds to knock either way. A few seconds pass, but you don’t respond. Surely, you were back in your room at this time right? He did tell you to rest.

Minho knocks again, sighing when you don’t respond once more. “Dr. Song?” he calls, but no reply.

“Y/n?” he tries, but alas, nothing again.

He didn’t want to resort to it since he knew you valued your privacy, but his mind went into overdrive at your non-response. He scans his own ID in your door’s digital lock, a beeping sound ringing lightly before the lock makes a clicking sound. The agent slowly pushes the door open, being cautious just in case you were dressing or in the shower. When he’s sure you’re not even inside, he sighs and visibly relaxes.

He looks around the room before looking at the photo in his hand. He was supposed to return it to you from the other day it dropped from your notebook, but he had forgotten. Now that he remembered, you weren’t in your room. Minho ended up thinking you were still with Jisung, so he got his phone and navigated to send you a text.

Coincidentally, he received a text from you at that moment.

Song y/n: Agent Lee, I’ve gone out for dinner and coffee. I also told Chan in advance, so please don’t worry. I’ll be back right after.

Lee Minho: Is that so? Are you alone?

Song y/n: Yes, but don’t worry, I didn’t go far.

Lee Minho: Fine

Afterwards, the agent goes to his conversation with another fellow agent and texts him.

Minho: You let y/n go out?

Chan: Uh...yes. Why?

Minho: Chan…

Chan: Haha, I know Minho. But there’s no harm in it, right? Maybe she got sick of the cafeteria food. She promised to be back soon anyway. Remember...trust her.

Minho: I know but still. Now isn’t the time.

Chan: If you’re so worried, go after her. Lix can track her phone for you.

And without a second of hesitation, Minho leaves your room and heads straight to the tech department in search for a certain freckled agent.

Meanwhile, you’re seated in front of a familiar face, eating cheesecake and drinking coffee. The figure chuckles, an amused smile on his face, “Cheesecake isn’t dinner, y/n. You need more than that.”

You sigh, raising an eyebrow, “We’ve had worse things for dinner in the hospital, Hyunbin.”

The male doctor shrugs, smirking, “Admittedly, that’s true.”

“Well, I didn’t call you here to lecture me about dinner habits.” you laugh, leaning forward on the table.

“You miss me?” Hyunbin jokes heartily.

You laugh a bit louder, shaking your head, “Hardly.”

“Alright then little miss doctor.” Hyunbin playfully wiggles his eyebrows, “Why did you want to meet?”

“I have something to tell you.”

“Oh?”

You sigh, slightly deflating in your seat. “It’s about work. I can’t tell you all the details right now, but I needed your input because you’re still better at chemistry than I am.” you lightly chuckle.

Hyunbin chuckles as well, crossing his arms, “That I do not deny. Well, fire away. What do you need?”

“My job right now requires me to...test certain formulas, and one particular formula I managed to dig out was for fluoroantimonic acid - you know, the strongest acid.” you start to explain, careful to say parts of the truth, but also not everything, “I mixed something in the formula, and the overall structure changed. It was barely an acid afterwards.”

“Polytetrafluoroethylene.” you both say in unison.

Your eyes widen in curiosity, and Hyunbin can’t help but chuckle, “PTFE is used for storing superacids such as fluoroantimonic acid, right?”

“Yes, exactly.” you nod enthusiastically, “So, I am right in concluding that that particular chemical reaction happened because of the PTFE...right?”

Hyunbin hums, leaning back on his chair, “I believe so. In liquid or powder form, I think PTFE is more than enough to create such reactions in superacids.”

You release a sigh of relief, leaning back on your chair as well, “Amazing.”

Hyunbin laughs, tilting his head, “What’s wrong?”

You shake your head and laugh, “It’s just a relief to know that I’m doing an...alright job in work.”

“You always do, what are you talking about?” the male laughs.

“Whatever.”

For the next few minutes, you and Hyunbin then converse and catch up with each other, reminiscing about memories in the hospital and so on. After about 30 minutes, Hyunbin excuses himself as he needed to get back to his shift. You also explain that you have to head back to work. When the male doctor leaves the coffee shop, you step out a few minutes later.

You’d be on your way back to HQ, but a certain black-shirt-wearing male with his arms crossed blocks your path.

You curse in your mind.

“Minho.”

“Y/n.”

The agent glances sidewards, nodding his head towards a figure that had just entered his car. “So...dinner alone, huh?” he says a bit hostile.

You sigh, closing your eyes, “I know what you’re gonna say, so don’t bother. I’m sorry I lied, but I knew neither of you were going to let me have dinner with him.”

Minho sighs, lips twisting into a disappointed frown, “You could have tried.”

“We both know what your answer is gonna be.”

“What did you guys do? Talk about?” Minho then shifts the conversation.

You don’t bat an eye as you answer the male, “Hospital stuff. Catching up on how work was in Gongjak. Talking about old memories we miss.”

Minho hums, unfolding his arms, “And speaking of memories…”

The agent then pulls something from his wallet, handing you a small photo. Your eyes widen upon landing on the picture, and when you take it from the agent, you look at him in confusion, “How…”

Minho’s expression softens, though you know he’s still a bit annoyed. “I think you dropped it the other day in the lab. Not sure how though.” he explains.

You slowly nod, eyes glued to the polaroid photo, “Oh. Thank you.”

“The guy is obviously your friend, but who’s the other woman?” Minho asks, “Must have been close for you to go all the way here to meet with Dr. Kang to reminisce on stuff.”

You glare at the male, appalled by the callous tone in his voice. “Yes, we were very close as a matter of fact. Closer than sisters.” you huff out, willing your tears to retreat.

Minho glances at his watch before sighing, “Want to take a walk?”

“What?”

“You look like you need the fresh air.” Minho offers an apologetic smile.

“Ok.” you say softly.

And so you and Minho end up casually walking along a nearby park, letting yourselves relish in the calming wind and basking in the moonlight.

“Hyunbin or Dr. Kang and Ahn Hyejoo - the woman in the picture - were my closest friends in Gongjak.” you suddenly say, quiet enough for only Minho to hear, “After I left SKZ, the three of us started working in Gongjak at the same time. Basically, we entered the hospital together.”

Minho looks at you earnestly, choosing to listen quietly. It wasn’t everyday you’d actually open up, after all. You continue to speak, eyes filled with a certain gloominess, “Hyunbin came from a smaller hospital at that time, and Hyejoo had just finished her training or residency. The three of us had similar shift times and worked in the same hospital floors or area, so eventually, we became friends. As you probably know, I had a difficult time opening up to other people after SKZ, but those two managed to help me through it.”

“Dr. Kang is still in Gongjak.” Minho treads carefully, “Where’s Dr. Ahn?”

“She’s dead.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.” you smile sadly as if remembering a distant memory, “She got into an accident but somehow, her heart survived. So...in a way, she’s gone, but I know her heart was donated to someone who needed it so somehow, she’s still alive. It’s weird, but that’s the world of medicine I guess. No matter what happens, us doctors keep people alive as best as we can.”

Minho can’t help the smile that curls at his lips, specks of adoration and warmth swimming in his eyes as he looks at you. You’ve both now made it back to his car, merely standing by the passenger’s side. The wind howls by, scattering strands of your hair across your face. Minho chuckles softly, reaching out to tuck the stray strands behind your ear; his fingers ghost over the shell of your ear, and you can feel the warmth of his skin.

Your heart hammers in your chest as Minho looks down at you; his features are softened by the soft glow of the moon, and you can’t help but think about how ethereal he looks right now. The male agent’s lips curl into a smaller smirk, “I guess Jung was right.”

You tilt your head, accidentally leaning into Minho’s hand by your ear. He then chuckles, smirk replaced by a small smile, “You certainly are one of a kind.”

And then his hand is gone, and he’s walking towards the driver’s side. You stand there, speechless at his actions and gape like a fish. “Hey...Lee Minho!” you stutter.

“Get in the car, Dr. Song. We should get back and rest.”

“I want to strangle you.”

“How cute.”

Mission day commences, and you and the other agents have gathered in a luxurious function hall in yet another five-star hotel. Apparently, a Cle agent was attending the gala to meet with a prospective serum buyer. The agents needed to infiltrate the Cle person’s hotel room where, as per intel, his papers and plans were being held.

Minho, Jeongin and Chan were to loiter in the gala hall, eyes scanning the crowd for signs of the target. Changbin and Hyunjin would handle getting into the room when the time was right. You were there to ease suspicion as your credentials landed your group a place on the VIP list.

So here you were, dressed in a pretty white dress, hanging back by the wall and sipping some champagne with the three agents. Chan sipped on his champagne glass as well, sighing, “I want this whole mission to be over so we can celebrate and drink champagne comfortably in HQ…”

Jeongin chuckles, “You say that during every mission.”

The eldest agent shrugs, “My point still stands.”

Minho smiles, adjusting the vest of his three-piece suit. “But you’re drinking champagne now.” he laughs.

“Barely taking sips.” Chan laughs, “We’re on duty, so we can’t risk too much alcohol.”

Jeongin then smiles, clasping his hands together, “Well then, time to split up.”

Chan and Minho nod, and before you know it, the three agents are scattering amongst the crowd. Chan goes towards the other end of the hall, blending in by talking to two women who more or less giggle at everything the dimpled man says. Jeongin heads over to the refreshments table, pretending to be knowledgeable on all the wine as a middle-aged man approaches him. Slowly, the orchestra begins to play some classical music, and the gala-goers are either ballroom dancing or engage in conversation amongst themselves.

Minho takes the champagne glass from your hand and places it on the tray of a waiter that passed by. You look at the agent with a tilt of your head, and he smiles, “Shall we dance?”

“I’m a horrible dancer.”

“Just follow my lead.”

You pout at the male, but he merely laughs and takes your hand, smoothly dragging you to the area where other guests are dancing. He wraps an arm around your waist, pulling you close much to your surprise. His other hand gently grasps your own, giving it a light squeeze. Without much choice, you squeeze back as your other hand rests on his shoulder. Soon, you’re both smoothly swaying to the music.

“I’ll admit that I wasn’t expecting agents to know how to dance as well.” you playfully jab, “Are you trained to do everything in existence?”

Minho smirks, “Not exactly. We just pick up on it especially on undercover missions.”

“I think I’ve watched too many James Bond movies.” you tease.

“Oh? So you like those debonair types, huh?” Minho teases back.

You scoff, rolling your eyes, “I’m just trying to see if they depict agents accurately.”

“50/50.” Minho laughs, “Do you want me to start acting like James Bond?”

You raise an eyebrow playfully, “And end up with me in your hotel bed? No thanks.”

The agent laughs again, playfully pinching your cheek, “Why, what a mind you have, dear doctor.”

“It’s true! Have you not watched any of the movies?” you laugh while trying to defend yourself.

You aren’t sure how the conversation moves along, but somehow, you both end up talking about the previous mission - the one where he had gotten hurt to protect you. While dancing to the orchestra’s music, you don’t miss out on how Minho pulls you closer, giving your waist a very subtle squeeze.

“You know…” he trails off, “I’m rarely a shaken or anxious person, but the day of that mission, I was genuinely frazzled.”

“Why?” you ask quietly.

“Because it’s my duty to keep you safe as an agent of SKZ” is what he wants to say - to pretend he doesn’t genuinely care and hide everything under the guise of obligation.

But he lets something else slip past his lips just this once.

“Because I was afraid you’d get hurt.” he says while staring directly into your eyes.

You feel the heat rising to your cheeks, but you try your best to remain calm. “Isn’t that...normal for people you’re working with in your field of work?”

“As skilled as people think I am, anything is possible. The people that attacked us could have killed me and hurt you. Taken you hostage or brought you to Cle.” Minho starts, “I didn’t want that.”

You hum, “Is this what Jeongin meant when you’re nicer and much more caring than you seem?”

Minh chuckles airily, and suddenly, all other noise is drowned out. “This is me showing you the side of me that only Chan and the rest are privileged to see.”

“Why though?” your voice nearly wavers as you notice how Minho lets go of your hand, both of his arms now around your waist.

“Because I trust you.”

You gulp, slowly but surely wrapping your arms around his neck. “Why?” you repeat your question, afraid of his answer. Or worse, afraid of his decision.

“Because I can.” Minho answers with confidence, “I want you to know that I trust you so that you can trust me as well. I don’t even need you to trust the whole of SKZ. Just me, Chan and the other boys at least.”

You nod, but before you can speak or make any response, Jeongin speaks into his communication device, and you can somehow tell he’s grinning as he does so, “Target spotted. Shall we set the plan in motion?”

“Got it. We’re on standby now.” Minho says, looking past your shoulder to observe the crowd.

Somewhere in the room, Jeongin has managed to engage in conversation with their target, a bit too enthusiastically talking about the wine in their hands.

“I do prefer white wine.” Joengin laughs with practice, “Lighter and sweeter, you know?”

The target hums and smiles unknowing, “Perhaps, but red wine is much better suited for meat.”

“Oh, steaks and such? You’re a man of fine dining, I see!” Jeongin laughs, “Expensive taste.”

“Hardly. I just see it in cooking channels all the time. Makes me really hungry honestly.” the target points out before sipping his red wine.

Jeongin nods, but afterwards, Chan arrives at the scene and pretends to trip, thus dowsing his own glass of red wine on their target. The eldest agent feigns innocence as he gasps and repeatedly apologizes, “I am so sorry, my goodness! Sorry about that, mister!”

Jeongin pretends to watch in shock, grabbing a bunch of table napkins and dabbing it onto the spilled area on the target’s white dress shirt. “Oh dear, oh dear.” Jeongin sing-songs.

The target awkwardly laughs, gently pushing the two males away from him, “Don’t worry, um...I’ll just get changed. It’s just a stain. I have some clothes in my room, so if you’ll excuse me.”

With that, the target hurriedly makes his leave, and Jeongin smiles a bit too mischievously. “Target is on his way.” he says into his device.

A few seconds later, Hyunjin and Changbin speak into their own devices, “Got it. We’re on stand-by.”

Silence ensues as your dancing slows, no longer ballroom dancing but just subtly swaying to the music. Minho’s arms are secure around your waist just as yours are around his neck. Somewhere along the way, you rest your head against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat - steady just like he always was. Minho rests his head on top of yours as well, allowing himself to melt and relax with you in his arms.

Never did he think he’d let himself do such a thing. If Chan and Jeongin could see this, they were probably stifling their snickers.

“Minho.” you suddenly say, voice barely above a whisper.

“Hmm?”

“I...have to tell you something.” you say, unconsciously hugging him closer.

You can feel Minho nodding for you to continue, so you slowly lift your head from his chest to look at him. Your eyes quiver and you have to swallow a ball-sized lump in your throat for you to gather the courage to speak again.

“I’ve been hiding some findings and results from you and the team.” you admit, closing your eyes guiltily, “And one or two vials of evidence.”

You expect Minho to scowl and glare at you coldly, maybe drag you out of the hall to lecture you once again. You, however, do not expect him to hold you closer, inching his face closer just to whisper between yourselves. “I’m not surprised, y/n. I had a hunch that’s what was going on.” he says, and you can swear you hear a sense of amusement in his voice.

You open your eyes to look back at him, furrowed eyebrows expressing your surprise. “I’m sorry, what?”

“You’re not the best liar, y/n.” Minho chuckles, “Though of course you aren’t. You hate lying. I sort of knew all along that there were things you were hiding from me, but Chan asked me to be more understanding of your reasons, and I trust Chan more than anyone, so I decided to listen to him and wait for you to admit it yourself.”

The look of embarrassment that flashes across your face puts a cheeky smile on Minho’s lips before he shifts into a more serious expression. “I do have to ask why though.” he says.

You sigh, looking down at the floor. You’ve both now stopped dancing altogether, merely standing in each other’s arms amongst the busy crowd of guests. “I didn’t know who to trust with this information. The things I’ve discovered could potentially put an end to this Cle serum issue, but I just...couldn’t risk it.”

Minho continues to look down at you expectantly. You clear your throat and bow your head lower, “Sorry, I know you just said you trusted me.”

You feel fingers on your chin, lifting it up to bring you face-to-face with the male. Your eyes meet Minho’s, and there’s some sort of cosmic dance between you two. With raised and expectant eyebrows, Minho whispers, “I’ll let it slide for now since you told me this soon, but please, y/n, refrain from doing that ever again.”

“I know. I’m sorry again.”

He sighs, nodding in acknowledgement. Another blanket of silence covers the two of you despite the orchestra still playing music and other guests chattering with each other.

“Thank you.” Minho suddenly whispers, and it only dawns on you now that he’s mere centimeters away from your face.

He’s so close that you feel his breath mingling with yours, the tips of your noses barely touching. His hands rest at the small of your back, but there’s a certain pressure to his touch as if he was restraining himself from something. Your breathing comes to a stop as does time, and your grip on his broad shoulders tightens. Both your eyes are lidded as you stare at each other; you can tell his eyes have landed on your lipstick-covered lips, and the agent can deduce the same for you - your eyes are definitely caught up in looking at his own lips.

Something in your heart booms - or maybe snaps - and it would seem the same for Minho because he’s leaning closer, eyes now closed as he closes the gap. You shut your eyes as well, preparing yourself for the touch of his lips on yours.

You soon feel the ghosting touch of his lips grazing yours, sending a jolt of electricity up your veins. But just as soon as your lips barely touch, the sound of his communication device going on surprises both of you, and you abruptly pull away from each other.

Embarrassment floods both of you; your cheeks are a shade of deep pink as Minho’s ears turn bright red. Clearing his throat, the agent listens to what his fellow agents have to say. “Target apprehended. We’re in his room. 1117.” Hyunjin says slyly, and it probably was because he was smirking.

“On the way.” Jeongin and Chan say simultaneously.

Minho turns to you, all remnants of flusteredness now gone. “Let’s go.” he says, grabbing your wrist.

But you stop in your tracks, hesitation evident in your body language. Minho understands why, so he offers you a small smile. “Y/n, this time, I promise. No one will harm you. I’m there, Chan’s there, Changbin’s there. Just stay with me, ok?” he says softly.

You eventually nod, answering him by giving him a small smile. Minho flashes one more warm smile before moving his hand to interlace his fingers with yours. With that, you both calmly proceed to the elevators to meet up with the other team members, his hand never leaving yours.

It’s all too familiar.

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