the poem is on the same name of Madelline's TSoA, ever since I have read this story, this pulled the strings of my heart and ever since became a part of my life. not one day have gone by without me tryin to reminsce about our dear Patrochilles.
thus, one day I wrote the prose poem of them. based on the book.
this is a pure personal space and writin of mine. constructive critisism is welcomed.
[ Spoiler Alert ]
~
honey dripping rays over achilles' golden silk like that of maiden's hair...
patroclus subdued over the long-lasting patern of his overwhelming gaze,
time flowed like sublime water, with calm serenity;
was asked, "you should be following me as my partner unless you want to get punished".
a muddy doubt and magnetism drowned in his mind
could only answer, "sure will."
older now, than they were first introduced, now were much broader than before,
might go to the shore, might go near the river,
all along the triumph of little journeys, would they be together;
tension sure climbed up the parameters; came down as it wished-
though such flickerings were bound to enlighten the nocturnal desire.
but, on such a pious day of Achilles was once born, a sheer doom fell on his once golden fate.
though travelled, though met, the uneasiness of the once proclaimed oracle;
resided in patroclus' mind like that of the crimson bleed on the rocks, on that day;
still forgotten in the depth of the world unknown of his mind,
the unwavering red thread of fate, must work wonders,
to be soon brought upon the disastrous interactions of Greeks and Trojans in life and death...
patroclus blinded by the overbearing fragrance of iron and earth,
reminscin about the once tranquil past time brewed with sweet filled moments with his beloved.
schemers and opportunists made through;
as the duskin sky raged over the powerful apollo...
Menelaus and his victorious desire filled; armies, stood with the wings of Myrmidons-
and Agamemnon; ruthlessly craving the thorn bloody throne of Troy.
many sacrificed, though remembered, between ego and wrath;
he made promises, thus, patroclus went between the pool of blood,
gnawking over the perilous mounts of heart-binded souls laid down over a distance.
tackling war was never a choice for him
as much as he wanted to be beside him
the never-ending cycle of the rhythmical sounds of two heartbeats over a single feeling
overcomed the sense of defeat within patroclus' mind, as-
he took his one last breathe down the hector of Troy.
emotions shook by the past knitted conversation
rememberance and regret filled the void of achilles' heart and mind
drew the blood thirsty sword and rampaged due to the loss of his sound of heart
neither was in a position to be logical and rational
nor could he feel through emotion
part of him was overthrown into darkness,
potrayed his Patroclus' revenge through hector's sadistic death
though, every one of Oracle fell to its place,
the puzzle was seemed to be in its rightful state.
'the lord of war', 'the one born to war' was striked at heart in the end-
as Achilles had then, fallen, met his once beloved, into- the depths of where light doesn't reach; the underworld.
though ended in tragic, but relives the love within the hearts of many, and so does them under the beautiful shaded tree.
m so freaking losing my mind over kdh like arghhhhhhhh m screaming crying throwing up keeping YOUR IDOL on repeat liek mad obsessed useless pos and i friggin like it ahhhhh i want jinu abck soooo bad m going feral abrkkkbarkkkwooofffwooofff
i think the only reason i continue to write is because I am my own little fan who really really wants to know what's gonna happen in the next chapters how the characters gonna act as if they aren't my own babies and I think that's lovely.
by far the funniest thing about reading fanfiction as a political professional is that I can always tell exactly who has and hasn't been to a fundraiser or gala based on how they write them
I’d love to hear your thoughts if you’d care to expand (I know this was originally about Batman but the Miraculous fandom also has a fair amount of gala-fic)
Sure! So my experience is more politics focused and thus cannot inherently be relied upon to discuss Bruce Wayne celebrity-level social galas (though I have been to one that was definitely on that level), but I'm more than happy to expound at length about what these events usually look like!
With that said, here's a (hopefully) in-depth rundown of what a lot of these events look like:
Fundraisers and receptions, for the most part, usually consist of a bunch of people—most of whom at least vaguely know or know of each other already—standing around chatting, eating hors d'oeuvres, and drinking. At some point, the host gets up and speaks, then introduces a special guest if there is one (there usually is at least one, and depending on the event there are usually at least two or three), who then speaks; occasionally the host is also introduced by someone else, depending on the event. Then there's more chatting as people start to trickle out, and then the host eventually boots you out at the end of the night if you've overstayed your welcome and they need to clean up.
You are expected to dress nicely for fundraisers and receptions, but they're not really "formal" events; I usually wear business professional attire as a staffer, and many attendees end up being somewhere between business casual and business professional. There are certainly events that happen to be formal or black-tie, but the vast majority of people are not doing black-tie fundraisers/receptions. The exception here tends to be things like high-dollar fundraiser dinners, which skew more towards being a formal dinner than a traditional fundraiser.
Galas, on the other hand, are much more formal and usually have a set schedule of events. There's some chatting and milling around (sometimes with hors d'oeuvres) and then a sit-down dinner (sometimes buffet style, sometimes served via catering staff). There is an advertised schedule of live entertainment and/or speakers who are formally introduced and speak to attendees—usually right after dinner, but occasionally they'll do it during dinner. Afterwards….the best way to describe it is an after-party, but it's not really an afterparty? it's more like "enjoy the open bar, chat (or don't chat), and then eventually you leave." Occasionally there is dancing afterwards, though I have personally only ever been to one gala where this was the case.
People make them out to be this big thing, but they're basically like fancy high school sports banquets in a lot of ways. They also sometimes give out awards during the speaking portion depending on what the gala's for, so it's even more like those sometimes. Dress code is usually formal, so this is where you would see your long evening gowns and formal suits or tuxedos, though I've been to a few where you can get away with fancy cocktail dress in a pinch.
Silent auctions/auction galas are their own special breed of event. They're fun, but there's a definite air of competition because people want to go home with stuff whereas most other fundraisers/galas are mostly just "hey, fun chance to drink and chat with my buddies and catch up on what's going on" (hot gossip opportunities, mostly). Yes, these are almost always charity fundraiser events. That does not stop anyone from wanting to take home cool stuff lmao.
Logistics: Galas are always professionally catered and will often (but not always) have at least one or two security personnel. Receptions are always professionally catered but are much more lowkey security-wise; there's usually just a check-in table with some staff checking you off the RSVP list and handing out nametags. Depending on the location, financial constraints, and attendees, fundraisers may or may not have professional catering (sometimes it's just some party platters you picked up at the grocery store). They rarely have anyone except staffers, lower-level employees, or volunteers manning set-up/clean-up, check-in, and security unless there's a particularly high-profile speaker in attendance (in which case that speaker usually brings their own staff and security with them).
Entertainment considerations: yes, sometimes there is a DJ, live music, or other live entertainment. This is far more common at formal galas, but some outdoor events will do live music too. Decorations at fundraisers and meet-and-greets are often minimal; these events are "signs and tripod posters" level for the most part. Receptions sometimes have decorations and sometimes don't (depends on how "big" or "formal" the hosts are trying to be). Galas at minimum have table-clothed and decorated tables and usually have at least light decorations on the stage (if there is a stage); everything else depends on what the gala is for, if the gala has any particular theme, and the host's personal tastes.
In terms of money/tickets: While fundraisers and galas both have a base-level ticket to get in, galas are much more focused on the levelling aspect of the money ("people get goodies for giving more money than the base-level requirements"). Gala hosts often sell plates or tables to the guests who attend. Fundraisers absolutely have donation tiers (obviously), but it's usually more about attendance/access and getting personalized shoutouts vs. sponsoring/being seen as a big donor at a gala-level event. Receptions are rarely about the money; while some will be ticketed events, these are often closed events aimed at a specific group or groups of people, and most attendees are invited by virtue of who they are/who they work for.
The attendees and invited speakers will be different depending on the type of event. If you're writing a non-profit or lobbyist-hosted fundraiser or reception, for example, the point is for lobbyists and issue advocates to get face-time with targeted individuals (potential donors, elected officials, board members, community leaders, other advocacy group leaders, etc). Hosts/speakers will usually be talking about a specific issue, and their professional backgrounds will usually reflect that. Most of the time, the host will mostly just be thanking people for coming and talking briefly about the importance of 'x' issue before handing it off to someone else.
If you are writing about a campaign fundraiser (the ones I have the most experience with), the focus is on supporting the candidate/group of candidates, their causes, and working to make sure everyone there is engaging their family, friends, and neighbors to get involved, donate, and doorknock/phonebank/etc. The speakers—usually other elected officials and important political surrogates—are focused on why it's important to elect/re-elect whoever is up for election, the candidate themselves is usually the focus and many times the keynote speaker, and the money basically all goes towards a) the cost of the event and then b) the campaign. If your elected is up for re-election and they live in a safe district, that money usually goes towards helping out other party-affiliated candidates fighting to get elected in battleground districts and otherwise close races.
Galas usually fall into one of two categories: annual galas hosted by a specific organization (for example, an annual charity gala run by the local Rotary Club chapter, or an annual awards gala to celebrate the organization's successes over the past year) and galas thrown in conjunction with a major event (an organization might put on a gala to celebrate their 50th Anniversary). Speaker choices will reflect host organization priorities or the theme of the event; you will also often see "big name draw" speakers who are invited so that more people will purchase tickets and attend.
Attendees also depends on the type of event you're at. Political events are going to prioritize politically active and affiliated individuals. An event hosted by a museum is going to prioritize community leaders, major supporters, and potential new donors. Fundraisers focused towards the financial and social elite are going to prioritize inviting current and potential donors, major community leaders, cultural influencers, and whoever is considered "elite" in that space. However, most fundraisers and galas have a wide variety of people there. If you're staff or a lobbyist or very actively involved in whatever social scene the fundraiser's for, you're usually invited.
For reference, I've been to three political events of differing formality in the last week:
A social hour/meet-and greet hosted by my local Young Democrats chapter, which included chapter members, elected officials, a candidate or two that is currently running for office, a few issue-oriented lobbyists, and several adults active in our community who wanted to come and meet with us
A political fundraiser hosted by my boss that was was attended by her, other elected officials (including the mayor and our congressman), donors, a few local community organization leaders, and a couple of staffers (including me).
A gala associated with the state Young Democrats annual political convention, which included young Dems from across the state, current and former YD executive board members, elected officials from the city hosting the convention, some other electeds, the (adult) state party committee chair, various local party committee chairs, executive-level staff from a few key advocacy organizations, a few people who have a longstanding relationship with the organization, and several speakers who focused on their work and issues they felt mattered to Young Democrats aged 13-35 (including multiple candidates running for statewide office).
tl;dr: cater your attendees to the type of event being hosted and the people/organization who is hosting.
The social dynamics/internal politics that go on at these things will also be different depending on the type of event.
For fundraisers and receptions, people may or may not actually talk business or about whatever specific issue is top of mind for them with any given person; while talking issues is not out of the ordinary, the major point of these events is to act as a meet-and-greet opportunity so you know an advocate's face and recognize their name when they call or email you a few days later asking for a meeting. If you do have characters "talking business," do so carefully and couched in a context of "this is casual business talk;" people usually don't go to these events to have conversations that would be better had in an official meeting capacity. They're there to network, catch up with social peers and professional colleagues socially, and talk to people they don't normally get to talk to.
Do not talk business at a gala; that is profoundly not what they are for. You are there to eat, drink, and have a good time, not to do your job after-hours. If you're talking actual business at a gala, there better be a damn good reason for doing so. Chit-chat, gossip, and non-work related talk? All fair game.
Non-profit fundraisers/galas (like silent auctions) are, again, their own special breed because they're usually put on for a specific purpose (as a fundraising event for a capital project or specified charity issue, as an annual fundraising effort for the organization's work, etc), and so the attendees, talk, and event-relevant background drama will largely revolve around whatever cause the non-profit works on or why the event is happening.
And finally, the million dollar question: do children, specifically the children of the event hosts, normally attend these events?
The answer is: well, yes and no. It depends on the type of event.
Things on the level of the Met Gala? No. Political or non-profit event galas, or more formal reception-type events? Sometimes, but it's heavily event-dependent and minor attendees are usually older teenagers and kids old enough to conduct themselves in public. Seeing someone under 12 or 13 at an event like this is very rare. Fundraisers? Depends on the type, but kids will often show up at the smaller or more casual ones.
It's a tricky balance because most events are not exactly child-friendly and most people want to keep their kids out of the spotlight anyway, but there's nothing like a couple of cute kids to give off the wholesome family image and open pocketbooks at fundraisers. So they tend to leave them home for big galas, but they'll regularly turn up at specifically advertised family-friendly events and at smaller, more intimate fundraisers where they don't really have to worry about them getting into trouble or running off or grabbing a glass of alcohol when they're not looking.
Bonus: fun facts about drinking at events!
If there are drinks provided at an event, there are two types of 'bars': cash bar and open bar. At a cash bar event, attendees are paying for their own drinks. At an open bar event, drinks have been prepaid by the host or a sponsor and attendees are free from a financial perspective to get whatever and however many they like. Open bar events are often the mark of a rich or particularly generous host. You can signal stinginess or potential financial trouble by writing a rich host/host organization who puts up a cash bar at an event.
Regardless of bar type or the number/type of drinks served, these bars are universally run by professional bartenders (paid at an hourly rate plus a flat bartending fee; fees can also sometimes increase based on the quality or type of drinks being served).
Unless you are going to an event hosted at a restaraunt that already has an actual bar, the "bar" at these events is usually a designated table set up in a corner or along a wall. There will be an available drinks menu somewhere on the table and available bottled drinks (like wines and beers) will be openly displayed.
Most people know how to drink responsibly at events, even ones with an open bar, but you occasionally get 1 or 2 who take too much advantage and have to be looked after or escorted out by their buddies, staffers, and occasionally, a very unlucky host.
At galas: drink switching used to be a fun thing I sometimes saw in the pre-covid times. You'd usually see a couple of friends who would sit at a back table, get different drinks, and then switch up with each other at certain times, such as when speakers changed.
This is probably a lot more information than you asked for, but I know I still missed a lot of things. I hope this has been helpful! Please let me know if you have any other questions; I'm happy to do my best to try and answer them!
Mysterious girl with beautiful golden eyes and star motifs, and guy who is stoic (but is actually a gentle sweetheart with trauma, and is associated with the military in some way) and has a teal colour palette.
Hey, doksoo truthers! Would you like some doksoo angst?
Here's a doksoo postype fic!
You need a built-in google translate if you can't read korean tho. Even tho google translate is a little shitty, you'll be able to get it perfectly.I've been bawling my eyes out since this evening while reading this. It's a little sad but the story is BEAUTIFUL!!
❀ ˎˊ- prompt: how they are in the crushing/pining stage
❀ ˎˊ- characters: blade, argenti, jing yuan, dr. ratio, dan heng, luocha, caelus, dan feng
❀ ˎˊ- warnings: argenti might ??? be ooc because i still havent done his quest yet 🙈 dr ratio is also probably ooc bc he's wrriten before release lolol
❀ ˎˊ- a/n: i totally did not write this instead of studying for my bio final oopsies <3 ALSO LONG HCS INCOMING
Blade keeps you at an arm's distance - never too close, but never too far either. He watches you in the corner of his eye, transfixed by your presence alone. Yet he never steps outside of his shell, and instead torments himself by forcing a distance between him.
He's spent hours by his lonesome, lost in his thoughts and wondering just what you were to him. If he loved you, like every one of his coworkers have been telling him, what did it mean for the future, for his deal with Elio?
It'll fade soon enough, he tells himself. When the deed is done, and Elio's script has finished, and death is finally granted to him, there will no need for these fleeting emotions. Yes, when he finally is given rest, this "love" will fade.
But his heart is not as easy to sway as his mind. When you smile at him, something in his chest squeezes. It pulses and beats with life when you come too close for comfort, and at your touch, warmth spreads throughout him like a fireplace in winter.
Blade protects you, even when you aren't aware of it. Even the most dangerous of cities are harmless to you - because no one is idiotic enough to challenge an intergalactic criminal; at least, no one alive. Whenever he accompanies you on missions, his arms are always locked around his broken sword, or something similar. The reason as to why he does this is simple, really. Had he had nothing to hold onto, his hands would naturally hover around your waist, ready to pull you against him lest danger come upon you.
When combat does ensue, Blade's movements are quicker, precise, but most importantly, more impressive. Even if you're busy holding up your own end of the fight, Blade always ends up trying a little bit harder when he fights by your side. Whether it's to keep you safe or to keep your attention on him, well, he isn't going to be the one to tell you.
The way Blade melts when he's around you is undeniable, even by his coworkers. His apathetic face of stone softens into fondness once he looks at you, blood-colored eyes giving way to rose petals. Smirks turn into smiles, genuine smiles that neither you nor Blade knew he could make. Just by being by your side, Blade finds warmth in life once again - and that is enough for him.
Argenti, truth be told, never thought he'd fall in love. After all, he'd long accustomed himself to the idea of traveling alone. Yes, he'd been infatuated with the various beauties that the universe had to offer, but it was never more than that - a mere admiration. And yet, here he was, wiping at a crumb by your lip with his thumb, his eyes staring at your lips for a second too long.
Contrary to what some may say, Argenti is quieter when he's in love. Yes, he does have his moments where he's back to being a theatre kid in the wild, but for the most part, the knight is tamer, almost shy.
Despite regularly basking in the limelight, Argenti almost becomes bashful when subjected to your praise. It's not like he hasn't gotten compliments before - far from it. But it's different, as cheesy as it sounds, when it comes from you. His heart swells wonderfully at your words, and long after you have parted, Argenti replays the memories in his head, over and over again as he sighs like a lovesick maiden.
Beauty's knight is practically at your beck and call, and he does anything he can to see that radiant smile of yours. Are you cold? He'll drape his cape over your shoulders. Need something? No need to overexert yourself, let him get that for you. Yes, that flower is pretty, isn't it. The only thing that would make it even more beautiful, naturally, is if it were tucked behind your ear.
The kisses he presses to your knuckles linger longer than when he'd first met you. When he extends his hand to you, he is reluctant to let go when it does come time to part. More recently, he's taken to brushing his knuckles against the side of your face, his expression far too tender to be attributed to mere fondness.
A beautiful pink flush, like the dust of spring roses, blooms across his face as he gazes upon you with nothing but tenderness. This wasn't so bad, he thought to himself, this feeling like his heart may burst out of his chest. Even if he so desperately wants to sweep you into his embrace, and kiss you passionately like the lovers in fairytales, Argenti is patient, and he is content to wait until the right moment to confess.
Jing Yuan... Well, to put it bluntly, he's more of a brat with you. The thing with Jing Yuan is that he doesn't fall in love as easily as one might think - on the contrary, it takes years of friendship and working side by side in order for Jing Yuan to catch any sort of feelings.
With love, trust must come first, no matter how fleeting of a crush this love is. So for Jing Yuan to have fallen for you, it means that he's long become comfortable to start teasing the ever loving hell out of you. Whether it be through playful comments that are just barely disguised by professionalism, or intentionally skipping out on paperwork just to have you scold him, Jing Yuan makes sure that you have to think about him at least once in your day (don't worry he does do the work eventually he's somewhat responsible I swear).
To add on, he's dramatic, too. The great general turns into the biggest drama queen of the Xianzhou Luofu the second you even hint at not being able to make it for one of your scheduled meetings together. Does Jing Yuan understand that life sometimes gets in the way? Absolutely. Is he going to give you a hard time regardless? 100%. You both know he'll let you off the hook in the end anyway, so why not have some fun with it?
Now, one of my favorite headcanons for Jing Yuan is that he is a very clingy man. When the relationship transcends from mere coworkers to something more, he becomes touchy. Not enough to the point where you'd get uncomfortable, naturally, but just enough so that you're forced to look at him. If you're doing work and he feels like you're not giving him enough attention, he'll plop himself right next to you and lean his entire body weight onto your side, feigning innocence when you give him a look. But it's important to note that Jing Yuan, again, only does this in places where he's comfortable and confident to do so. He's not going to bother you in say, a work meeting (Yukong and Fu Xuan would team up to kill him).
But then come the quiet moments, where it's just you and him, simply appreciating the other's presence. This can come in many forms - whether it be a simple walk down the streets of the Xianzhou, trying a new tea shop that had opened in Aurum Alley, or just taking a nap in the gardens. Away from the eyes of society and away from work, you're allowed to relax. It's times like these where Jing Yuan's teasing slows, and he lets down his guard. Perhaps, when the silence runs on for too long, and you turn to look at Jing Yuan, you may find him already gazing at you, a tender smile on his face.
The great Veritas Ratio? Pining? What a joke. Why, even the mere notion that he might have a crush is absolutely ridiculous, why would you even say that-
Yeah, he's not fooling anyone. Even his own students can see that behind that marble head is a man who's hopelessly in love with you. He'll rush out of class the second the bell rings to meet with you, clutching his stone tablet to his chest. If he wasn't well known to the Intelligentsia Guild as one of their best professors, he would've easily been mistaken as another student experiencing a university romance.
Ratio rambles endlessly about anything and everything to you, from the research he's been conducting to his students' progress to the random salaryman who managed to piss him off. He's so excited about it too. You wouldn't be wrong to call him a puppy when he's around you, but can you blame him? There's not a lot of people who can listen to and keep up with him, after all.
Likewise, Ratio repays the favor to you by listening to every word you say. Even the most insignificant of things, he remembers. Your favorite drinks, seasons, anything, he'll make a note of. Your worries and insecurities, he doesn't beat down on or ignore them. Rather, he tries to help you work through them rationally. He gives you an ear to rant to, provided that you too listen to him when he needs you to.
He'll gush about the things you did to his coworkers and students alike, even if he himself doesn't consider it gushing. Professors who have never seen your face know all about you thanks to Ratio's giddy ramblings about you. The guild members are honestly tired of it, but his closer friends can't deny that they're happy he's found someone he cares about to this degree - although, if they have to hear about how cute you were when you did this and that one more time, they're going to explode.
However, he gets defensive whenever questioned about his feelings. Whether it be his pride or just plain denial of his feelings, Ratio thinks that he's too busy for such frivolous feelings. He just admires you, that's all! There's nothing more to it. Who wouldn't be fond of another genius in the Guild? Well, he can defend his feelings for as long as he wants, but not even a sculpted face could hide that you undoubtedly have the doctor wrapped around your finger.
Dan Heng is just adorable when he's got a crush. He's so obvious about it too, or at least, the members of the Express think it's obvious. Dan Heng is normally a reserved gentleman who rarely expresses himself - and when he does express himself, it's usually exasperation from March or the Trailblazer's actions.
So when you come along and soften the sharp glare of his eyes, changing that indifferent expression into a gentle smile, they already know that he's fallen for you, and by the Aeons did he fall hard.
He's more impartial to your ideas than he is to say, the likes of March (she's claimed favoritism more than once, and well, he hasn't exactly denied it). Even if your ideas can be stupid, Dan Heng will go along with it no matter how much he himself objects - all to make sure you're safe. He'll sigh in exasperation and cross his arms a few times, but when he sees you smile and hears you laugh, he can't help a warm smile of his own slipping onto his face.
When March teases him about his budding feelings for you, Dan Heng brushes her off with a sigh. He's just being nice, after all. A smile or two didn't really mean anything, right? The two of you were just friends. Being courteous didn't mean that he liked you in well, that way. That's what he tells himself, anyways.
Because no matter how much he's used to keeping that stony face, it all goes down the window the second you do anything for him. You tell him one morning that he looks really nice? It's all he'll think about for the rest of the day. Visit him in the archives to bring him food after he's skipped out on meals yet again? Yeah, he's not going to be sleeping. Catch him a surprise hug, and his entire face erupts in bright red.
You, undoubtedly, are his greatest weakness. But Dan Heng doesn't mind it, to be honest. As much as he may appear to hate the embarrassment that comes whenever he freezes or flusters from one of your actions, he can't deny that when you make his heart flutter or his skin goosebump, it feels... nice.
To be honest, if Luocha liked you, you wouldn't notice it - at first. He treats you the same as he would any other friend, save for some very minute differences that slip under the radar of basically everyone. It's mainly what he feels on the inside that makes him realize that, against all odds, he's fallen for you.
It starts out small. He hadn't expected much out of you, to be honest. At most, you were to be a mere acquaintance, a short chapter in his life's saga. But of course, life never went the way one expected it to.
Luocha notices his feelings for you when he sees you laugh at one of his sassier remarks. It didn't take long for him to realize that he enjoyed pulling that reaction out of you, being the reason behind your smile. As time passed, he'd make it his goal to make you smile at least once each day.
Of course, he's surprised by how he feels for you - startled, even. As a wanderer, his relationships were purely professional, and at most, he'd make a friend or two. He was constantly leaving, traveling, journeying. But with you, he finds a little home for himself.
If Luocha ever got to the point to where he'd fall in love, then he'd be a lot more vulnerable with you. Sometimes, he'll be uncharacteristically tender, such as when he tucks one of his favorite flowers behind your ear. The expression on his face is indiscernible, clouded by an emotion you don't recognize. But it's raw, soft, emotional. His gloved fingers linger there for a moment, and his eyes flicker to your lips for a split second before he pulls away. Had it not been for the flower still behind your ear, you would've thought you'd hallucinated that exchange from the way Luocha was acting.
But this isn't to say that he won't tease you - far from it. His comments are borderline flirtatious when the two of you fight, as it's mainly you doing the damage while he supports you from behind. It's not uncommon for him to ask where you'd be without him when he heals you, especially when he patches you up after a fight - that rare, yet irritating smirk on his face. Sometimes, you think he goes out of his way to aggravate you, just to get a reaction (you're 100% right, but when questioned, all you get is innocent smile).
Caelus doesn't really know what he's doing, but he's trying his best. His crush is puppy love at its finest, and considering that he's only been alive for a few months at most, you're likely the first person he's ever had a crush on. As a result, he's clumsy with how he handles it, but in an endearing way.
He's stupid when he's around you, even moreso than usual. His recklessness is ramped up to the max as he tries to impress you. Sometimes, it miraculously works in his favor and he looks like a badass. Other times, he ends up falling flat on his face - which is embarrassing, of course, but Caelus wouldn't be Caelus if he let something like that knock him down.
His attempts at flirting are... well, it's the thought that counts. I'm not sure what personality Silver Wolf shoved into him, but his knowledge of society and their practices comes with a heavy tint of social media. Caelus's main form of flirting are pickup lines that are so stupid they're funny, and references from franchises you've never heard of. It's not exactly something that would sweep you off your feet, but it's charming and sweet.
What annoys his friends the most about Caelus's crush is that he'll go along with basically anything you do. Now, this could go one of two ways. Either you're also a little gremlin and Dan Heng has to come and save the two of you (+ March) after you screwed up, or you're actually responsible and keep a leash on him. What's funny is that Caelus could have a completely different opinion on something, such as where he wanted to have for dinner, but if you want something else, suddenly Caelus is advocating for what you want.
He also kicks his feet and giggles into his hands when he thinks about you. This is a very important detail.
But don't get him wrong, Caelus isn't just silly all the time. He's already protective enough of the Express members, but when it comes to you, he turns into a guard dog. Anyone who doesn't pass the vibe check (Sampo) is immediately warded off with his bat. Caelus isn't afraid to get physical, so I'd advise holding him back unless you want to see someone's bones get broken.
Caelus is like an little dog, excitedly showing off whatever weird thing he found to you. But knowing him, these things could range from ancient relics to him bringing back a particularly shiny trashcan onto the Express. He always lights up whenever you express interest in whatever he's brought back, and you can't help but indulge him, as long as you can see him smile like that a little longer.
He hates it. To put it bluntly, Dan Feng absolutely detests these feelings, especially when all the signs point to you being the cause of it. He hates his stupid heart for dancing whenever you're near him, hates how the tips of his ears flush, and utterly despises his tail for betraying his true feelings by wagging at your praise.
He's embarrassed, almost humiliated, and his friends teasing him doesn't make it any better. Yingxing and Jing Yuan are the worst; they keep bringing you up and it aggravates him to no end. He's better than this, he's the High Elder for Long's sake, he shouldn't be held down by something as mundane as a crush.
And yet he is. When he's by his lonesome in the Luofu, he finds himself wondering where you are, what you were doing. Who are you with? What expression are you making right now? His thoughts are plagued by you to the point where he's annoyed. Even late at night, he dreams of you, his face burning as he thinks back to how you looked that day, how you sounded, how you felt.
He wants to rid himself of these thoughts, but they persist regardless. Dan Feng longs for you despite himself, yearns for your touch and dreams of your kiss. When he sees you smiling at someone else, inadvertently, he finds himself wanting you to smile at him instead. He'll never admit it, but pride swells within Dan Feng's chest whenever you're excited by anything he does for you. Only later, when he thinks back to that moment, does he begin to worry - wondering just why he liked making you smile so much.
Dan Feng acts like doing anything for you is such a hassle and inconvenience, but if you even mention asking someone else to help you instead, he glares at you, grabbing you by the waist with his tail to stop you from going anywhere. He'll roll his eyes, maybe look away for a bit, but in the end, he'll concede, saying that he supposes that he take time of his very busy schedule, mind you, to assist you with your little problem.
He'll poke you a lot, too. This can range from flicking you on the forehead when you do something stupid to poking your cheek when he feels the need to drill something into your skull, or even whacking you with his tail (gently) whenever you insinuate the notion that maybe, just maybe, Dan Feng was beginning to like you a little.
in which: you tell veritas you love him. he gets upset with you.
warnings: contrary to what the synopsis implies, it's fluff, i promise. 1k words, first time saying ily, slightly cranky reader, no mentions of reader's gender, dr. ratio being so in love he becomes so soppy and lovestruck. confessions.
a/n: there's a phenomenon that happens whenever i write for dr. ratio, and it's that my heart literally lunges out of my chest and begins typing at the keyboard for me. i should get it checked out. anyways, this is to preemptively celebrate his release!!
“Why- why are you mad?” You exclaim, watching the way Veritas crosses his arms and pouts with the petulance of a child. His gaze has strayed away from your eyes, and all you can do is sit in his lap with your arms hanging at your sides, brain tirelessly racking for all the reasons that you could have angered him.
He doesn’t give you any clues, displeasure brewing in his eyes instead.
“Is it because I said ‘I love you’?”
The purple haired scoffs and sticks up his nose, hair bouncing with his actions whilst you jostle slightly on his legs from the quick action. As much as you love his side profile, you’d love it even more if he spoke to you about what is bothering him.
During this moment, the world stills. You think he’s genuinely mad, and Dr. Ratio’s fury-driven state is not something you should take lightly. Really, you’ve seen it multiple times, and though it has never been directed at you, you hope it never will be. Which is why you sit on his lap now, tensely anticipating his response, and for the answer as to what you did wrong.
“I was meant to say it first,” he grumbles, losing the arrogance that fills his tone whenever he speaks, air filling with sincerity.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. I was meant to be the one to say ‘I love you’ first.”
Your confusion is tangible at this point. Audible, if you will, because it rings like cicada sing. “Are you being serious?”
“Deadly.”
“You- why, then couldn’t you just have said it?” You sputter, slapping his defined deltoid, concern slowly melting into frustration. “Need I remind you that it was me who confessed to you first as well?”
“Yes, and it was positively the best day of my life.” He says that like it’s a simple fact. No sentiment, no heartfelt declaration, just another logical statement straight from a textbook of his life.
They say to be loved is to be changed, but no matter how much you love Veritas, all he knows is how to be an astronomical pain in your ass. Does he know how scared you were for his answer? You thought you did something unforgivable, or that he didn’t love you enough to respond in kind, or worst of all, that he wanted nothing to do with you anymore?
However, he's acting petty because he was not the first one to say those three words? You frankly don’t know why your heart beats for him as strongly as it does. In fact, you want to whack him over the head with his own codex.
Placing your hands firmly on his shoulders, you shuffle out of your position from his lap, planting your feet onto the ground. “Oh, you are so infuriating! Pretend I never said anything, I’m going back to my office until you-”
Not even two steps away from him and a hand clasps around your wrist to drag you back to where you started: on Dr. Ratio’s lap. His arms come to wrap around you like chains, leaving no room to wrestle him out.
“I never said you could leave. Especially not after telling me you love me,” he grumbles lowly into your collarbone, breath tickling your skin.
“I’m starting to regret it.”
“Can’t you at least say it again?”
“I don’t want to,” you grumble, arms snaking up to rest around his shoulders. “You don’t deserve it.”
“Well, that’s a little harsh. Is this how you treat the ones you love?”
“You haven’t even said anything back,” you pinch his skin. “Talk about harsh.”
“Do you remember the first time we met?” he asks with a fond chuckle, not missing the opportunity to leave kisses in a trail along your skin, making his way up your neck. Then, when his eyes meet yours, you almost crumble in embarrassment at the memory he’s injected into your mind.
You push him away and raise a hand to shield your eyes from him, clearly reliving a haunting memory. “Please don’t remind me.”
“Y’know, it’s not everyday someone gets to scold me and be right. If you weren’t so beautiful, I wouldn’t have let it slide, but it’s not everyday a gorgeous genius falls into my lap with guts to challenge me.”
“I was… agitated that day, so stop talking about it, please. In fact, for my sake, please just forget that moment. Completely.”
“Forget about it? Completely?” The scholar asks with genuine shock lacing his tone. “I fell in love with you in that very moment, how can you expect me to stop talking about it? You rendered me a fool in love and expect me to not think about the very moment it happened? Sweetheart, it was a pivotal moment of my life!”
“Not pivotal enough if you can’t even say ‘I love you, too’.”
“On the contrary, I have loved you longer. I yearned for you in wakefulness and in my dreams. I wished for you to look my way, and when you did, I never wanted your eyes to stray from me. How heartbreaking it was when they did.” His hand has snuck under your shirt now to rub circles on your skin. If he detached from you, he fears you’d slip away from him, and the worst thing you can give him is space. “Do you know how it felt chasing after you because you were the only one out of my reach? For three years, the only thing I wanted was to be yours. You made me an idiot.”
Stunned by his confession and the weight of it, you let him continue, sharp tongue softening. The only motivation you offer is a hand coming to cup his cheek, tucking aside his bangs so you can see his expression in its entirety.
His gold eyes shine when they look back up at you. For the first time, you feel like you’re seeing the parts of him that Veritas hides from everyone else.
“I love you.” He continues with heart wrenching devotion. “I’ll continue loving you until the streams stop, the rivers freeze, and the oceans dry. With three hundred thousand, eighty-three thousand, five hundred and seventy-one discovered planets in the cosmos, that phenomenon will approximately take-”
You seal his lips with yours in a gentle kiss, cradling his jaw and swallowing his words. Like wax to fire, Veritas sinks into you, completely helpless against your affections.
But, oh, you love him, and nothing else in the entire universe matters.
