Hello and welcome to my little slice of the internet! I am primarily a blog for the Love and Deepspace fandom. Here you can find my collection of works in one post that I will keep updated.
Also feel free to check out my AO3. (I only plan on posting the multi-chapter fics on there as a heads up)
The only other thing I will say is that I DO NOT DO TAG LISTS. I've done them before in the past and they've only ever been annoying and tedious.
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my university is trying to piss me off. i swear they are. cause i was checking my uni email and one of the things i get from the university are job listings in my field that get sent to the university to disseminate to the students.
AND THESE FUCKERS! Send me a job listing for the graduate assistant position I had last year that i got furloughed from because they said they didn't have the budget for it! It's just back suddenly? We found the budget again?
Seriously debating if i should apply again and my resume just says: "You hired me once. Do it again." Cause I already got all the training! I know how to do everything! I was promised 2 semesters when i originally applied and I only got one! THEY OWE ME ANOTHER SEMESTER WORTH OF JOB EXPERIENCE AND PAY!
I may have went overboard TT. I was plotting out my Valko fic and i decided to give him a big family and I may have gone too big cause as it stands right now Valko has 11 aunts & uncles (including both current and old partners) and 22 cousins. And that's just on his mom's side.
Summary: Per tradition, before Rafayel can fully become god of the sea he must spend a year on land to find his destined human bride. Unsure how to go about finding his bride he enlists the help of a matchmaker. Your new client is a bit strange but he seems genuine in wanting a love match. With a face that handsome it shouldn’t be too hard to find this “destined bride” he keeps going on about.
Content: Finally some communication.
Word Count: 3100
Chapters: (First) (Previous)
Read on AO3
*Earlier*
You had stared at the keycard on the table in silence for what could be considered too long. You couldn’t find anything to say. Your mouth was open but no words came out. Jun was fidgeting in his seat waiting for you to answer but there was nothing.
“It’s too soon, isn’t it?” Jun said, breaking the silence. “I knew it was, I should have held off.”
“No, no, it’s just um…” you wanted to offer some kind of assurance but what were you meant to say in a situation like this?
In the rational part of your brain you knew that you should have taken the key, told him you’d be happy to move in with him. Things could go back to the way they were before you had ever broken up and you could move forward with your life. It would be so easy. An answer to your problems living with Rafayel and these damned feelings you couldn’t shake. All you had to do was take the key.
You didn’t move. You just stared, unable to form a word.
Jun sighed, running a hand through his hair. He looked at you, something painful and resolute in his gaze. “Does this have something to do with Rafayel?”
You sat up straighter. “Why--Why would you say that?”
“Because I saw him chasing after you when we left the house.” Jun’s eyes drifted to your mouth. “And he was covered in lipstick.”
Your palms began to sweat. “I’m sorry,” you said, “I should have said something sooner but I didn’t know how to bring it up.”
“Did he force it on you?”
You shook your head, eyes squeezed tight. “I…I kissed him.”
There was a pregnant pause. You couldn’t open your eyes again, couldn’t face the disappointment or the anger or the betrayal that was sure to be there on his face. You sat there waiting in silence for him to say something, anything to put you out of your misery.
“Can you tell me that it was a mistake?” he asked at last. “Can you tell me it didn’t mean anything?”
“I don’t know if I can.” Your voice shook. “I don’t know if it meant anything to him but I know it meant something to me.”
“And what about his bride? If it isn’t you, then what is there to gain? Won’t it just hurt? Don’t you deserve better than that?”
You knew that Rafayel had someone out there destined for him like Jun had said but even after knowing that it didn’t shake these feelings from your heart. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair that you should love someone that could not love you in return. But how could you get it to stop?
Another long, agonizing silence followed. You heard the scrape of a chair and soft steps rounding the table to your side. A gentle hand on your cheek, silently entreating you to open your eyes. Jun stood next to you, his expression sullen.
“Can I have the chance to make you happy?” he asked. “I did once, did I not? We were happy together, were we not? Can we not be that again?”
“You did.” you nodded. “We were.”
“But not anymore?”
Your lip trembled. He crouched next to you, taking your hand. “For years I stayed on land hoping against hope I’d find you again. I prayed that fate would bring you back into my life when the time was right and we could get another shot. Is it all really too late?”
“Jun…”
“I can be there for you, I can help you, I can cheer you, I can love you.” He squeezed your hand. “And I can do it all not because fate told me to but because I want to. You just have to want to love me too. Can you?”
---
Rafayel couldn’t stop staring. He was afraid to even blink lest this prove a hallucination and you disappeared.
You fidgeted on his bed when he didn’t say anything immediately and stood up. “Before I say anything else I wanted to apologize. I’m sorry. I am so sorry, Rafayel. I don’t know what came over me to kiss you out of the blue like that. I think it’s because we’ve been living together and you’re so nice to me the lines got blurred and I am deeply sorry.”
“You don’t need to apologize.” he said, air finally filling his lungs once more. “I kissed you because I wanted to. Please don’t think of it as a mistake.”
“What if it was a mistake though?” you asked. You sighed, pain flashing in your eyes. “I know why you’re here on land, Raf. You only ever told me half the story though, didn’t you? You came to land to find love but you didn’t tell me why. You didn’t tell me exactly what was at stake if you didn’t find someone to love.”
His brow furrowed. “You know?”
“Jun told me.” You were staring down at your toes. “He told me that the sea god is chosen and that before you can become the real god of the sea you need to come to land and find your bride. Is that true?”
He nodded. “It is.”
“And I’ve wasted months setting you up with random girls all this time. I know that you only chose me because you accidentally thought I was actually magical and could find this soulmate of yours. But even after you knew the truth you still let me set you up. Why? Why let me do any of it if you knew none of them would be the one?”
“Because I think you’re a good matchmaker, my little witch.” He was dying to wipe away the dark rivulets of makeup that stained your cheeks. “I didn’t know that they wouldn’t be the one for me until after I met them.”
“But you went out with Merri for weeks knowing she wasn’t the one. Why?”
“Because I thought I could force her to be the one. It would all be so easy if it was her but it could never be her, not when there’s someone else in this world who owns my heart entirely.”
Your shoulders slumped further. “Why don’t you go find her then? Aren’t you worried about running out of time? Aren’t you scared of losing your title and becoming human?”
“I already found her.” Rafayel stepped forward, his wet clothes dragging puddles against the floor as he closed the space between you. “How obvious do I need to be, cutie?”
“It’s not me, Raf.” You began to tremble, your head still bowed.
“Cutie--”
“And stop calling me cutie!” you snapped. “Please! It hurts me when you say stuff like that!”
You sighed, knees giving out and you fell back to sit on the foot of his bed again. “Jun asked me to move in with him.”
“What?” his heart rate spiked.
“He said he missed me, missed all the years we didn’t get together after we broke up and wanted to start making up for them. He likes me. I know he likes me and years ago I could say with certainty that he loved me. Maybe he still loves me and maybe I can be in love with him. Maybe part of what is keeping me from being dedicated to him is because I am living here with you. So the logical thing to do is move out, stop mooching off of you and Talia, move in with the man I have a history with and go back to that life I was living before we broke up.” Your voice cracked as you spoke. “So why couldn’t I do it?”
The roaring of blood in his ears quieted.
“I told him no. I told him I was in love with you even though I know you’re not in love with me.”
“Who says I’m not?” Rafayel knelt by your side.
“Because I’m not your destined bride! If I was then wouldn’t you have known? Wouldn’t you have told me instead of doing whatever it is we’ve been doing? Don’t lie to me and don’t try to make me feel better about it.”
“What are you talking about?” Rafayel asked.
“Jun, he told me at dinner that you’re here to find your destined bride, your soulmate, the one that has been pre-ordained by fate to be your perfect match. Isn’t that right?”
Jun didn’t know the truth about the destined bride either it seemed. “That’s not how it works. There is no destined bride. Destiny is purely poetic. It has always been my choice.” He reached out, tilting your face up to his so he could look into those beautiful eyes he adored. “I love you. You are the only one I could love and if you love me and want to be with me then that is what we will do. We will love each other now and for forever. Just say that it is what you want and it is what will be.”
“What about everything else?” you asked, one final wall standing between him and you. “Leaving land, living in Lemuria, being a queen or whatever it is your wife is supposed to be. I have a life here, I have friends, I have a family that relies on me that I cannot and will not abandon.”
That was a problem, wasn’t it?
When Rafayel first came to land he wanted nothing more than to leave. He couldn’t fathom the idea of being able to fall in love with a human or ever wanting to stay on land. He was convinced that whoever he found would only be too glad to abandon this wasteful and hateful surface world he had loathed so they could live with him under the sea.
But as time went on he found the beauty in your world. He met people that he now saw as good friends. The surface still had its problems but the people in it were inherently kind and helpful. And despite what he had thought at first, loving a human came so easily. Little by little you had become someone very dear to him. Someone who he would have missed a great deal if he had swam back into the sea and never returned.
He wanted to take you home. He wanted to show you his world. But he knew he could not ask you to leave your life entirely for his. There could be a world where you spent some time on land and some time at sea but those were details that needed to be discussed more deeply when he wasn’t fighting to just have you at all.
“I do not know how life will be for us and I know what I ask is a lot of pressure to put on you. But I want you to know that if you decide that it is all too much then…then…” He held your hands tight, his voice strong and unwavering. “Then I will not be god of the sea.”
Your eyes went wide, unblinking. “What? Rafayel, you can’t just choose not to be god of the sea!”
“I can. It is clearly stated that if I don’t bring my bride back to Lemuria by the end of the bridal year then I will become human. I could stay here with you.”
“You…” your voice caught, “You would really give up being a god, give up being a Lemurian, seeing your people, seeing your home, for me?”
“If that is the only way to have you.”
“I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You don’t need to, I’m offering it right now. Whether you decide to come with me or remain here, I will not leave your side and I will be all the happier for it.” He bowed his head over your hands. “I will be happy so long as you are with me.”
You leaned down, your head pressing to his over your clasped hands. “I want to be happy with you too, Rafayel.”
He breathed out, tears dripping down his nose.
“Raf,” you tilted his head back up. “You’re dripping.”
“Oh, right.” He had momentarily forgotten that he was soaked to the bone.
“You’re so cold,” you cupped his face. “I’ll go run you a hot bath to get your temperature back up.”
You stood up, a noticeably large wet spot on your dress from where he had been pressed against you. Rafayel trailed behind you like a lost puppy, watching as you went to the bathroom and began running some hot water. “Just give it a minute to heat up and--oh!”
He grabbed you from behind, locking his arms around you and holding you tight. “Can you say it again?” he asked.
“Say what?” you peeked over your shoulder.
“You told Jun that you loved me, now I want you to tell me.”
You turned in his arms so you could hug him back. “I love you, Rafayel.”
“Can I kiss you?” He wasn’t going to make the same mistake and just spring it on you again.
“Please do.” Before the last syllable was fully out of your mouth his lips were on yours once more. It wasn’t hard or messy like the last one had been. It was slow, tender, everything that he had been wanting to say and do for weeks poured out in a single kiss that went on and on and on. Your body was so warm and your lips so sweet, he almost didn’t notice when the water started pooling at his feet.
You broke apart, a small shriek of alarm escaping you as you realized that the tub had begun to overflow. You scrambled to stop the water and drain some of the water. “Shoot,” you stared at the water all over the floor. “Now I gotta clean this up--”
“Cutie,” Rafayel stooped down next to you, taking the towel out of your hands. “I can clean this up. You go get changed into something comfortable, okay? After I’m done in here maybe we can continue what we started?”
“I--I’d like that.” You were too cute. He pressed one more kiss to your cheek then shooed you out of the room.
Rafayel finished cleaning up and while he did like a nice long soak he was too impatient to get back out of the water and with you again. After he had dried off he found you back in his room and practically tackled you into the bed, holding you tight and kissing your face repeatedly as you laughed and tried to wiggle out of his grasp. He wasn’t letting you go far though, not now, not ever again. You were finally his and he wasn’t going to risk losing you, no matter what.
“Stay here tonight,” he said, face buried in your neck, inhaling your sweet scent. “Please.”
You settled under the covers of his bed. He was laying between your legs, arms wrapped around your middle and head resting on your chest so he could listen to the steady thumps of your heart beneath his ear. Your hands ran through the curls of his hair and for a moment he knew what it must be like to be one of your cats. If this was the kind of attention they were used to he understood why they were always climbing into your lap. Too bad for those feline fiends though Rafayel had decided that this was now his spot.
“Raf,” you said after a few minutes of companionable silence. “if you don’t become the sea god then what happens?”
He shrugged. “The elders will pick a new one. It might be Jun or it might be our friend Neri.”
“So Jun could end up the next god of the sea and that doesn’t bother you?” you asked.
He propped his head up so his chin was resting on your chest. “Do I think he deserves it? Not really. But if it does go to him then he’ll be in Lemuria and I’ll be here with you so I think I won out in the end.” He closed the scant distance between your faces and kissed you again, savoring the soft pad of your lips and the small sigh of pleasure that breathed out from them.
“Are you saying I’m worth more than being a literal god?” you laughed.
“Of course you are,” he answered seriously. “Godhood I could do without, but I’d lose everything if I didn’t have you.”
The joking smile from your face dropped, tears gathering in your eyes again. “What happened? Why are you crying again?”
“I--I just--” you sniffed, wiping feebly at your eyes, “I don’t m-mean to. It just hit me. You--you really do love me, huh?”
He eased immediately, pulling himself up farther so he could hold you closer. “Of course I do.”
“When did that even start though? When did you start liking me?”
“I realized I was in love with you a few weeks after I started dating Merri but when those feelings started growing I don’t know. I think maybe it all started from the moment we met on that beach and you clocked me in the face.” he chuckled.
You snorted. “Be serious.”
“I am. From the moment I saw you I thought you were beautiful, I was mesmerized by you and in the moment I saw you I thought to myself that this woman was my bride. And I was right. Sure it took some time for us to figure that out but you’re the one for me and whether it’s in a few months or a few years I’m gonna marry you.”
“We haven’t even technically been on a first date and you’re already planning the wedding.”
“I’ve delayed long enough getting you, I’m not wasting a second.”
“Well, wedding planning can wait until morning.” you yawned. “It’s been a long day, I wanna go to sleep.”
“Go to sleep then. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”
You smiled, giving him one last kiss before closing your eyes. Rafayel stayed awake for a few minutes more memorizing the way your eyelashes rested against your cheek and the way your nose scrunched when you wiggled into a more comfortable position. He tucked the blankets tighter around you, cocooning you against him before following you into sleep. Outside the clouds had disappeared and the sea was calm as the bright rays of the moon shined in through the window of the god and his bride, together at last.
imma bitch for a second. family stuff. move on if you don't care i just need to vent this
But jesus fucking christ i need out of this damn house! I was having a nice day up until ten minutes ago! I had gone out shopping with my sister and my mom and we were having a lovely car ride back to the house and then as we are pulling into the garage my mom ruined it.
Because we were in the car and we were talking about my one friend who is dating this guy and i was commenting on how cute a couple they are and how they're likely to get engaged by the end of the year. This guy is super smitten with my friend and my mom says "of course he's smitten, she's giving him sex."
And my sister and i are joking around cause if you know our friend you know that she is WAAAAAY hornier than her bf. Like yeah, he is dating the big titty goth girl and that's part of the reason he likes her but they've also been friends for years before they ever started dating. AND he's been super sweet and accommodating when she got sick and is now living with permanent mobility issues. And my sister and i bring this up and my mom responds. "Yeah, because her vagina still works."
And at this point we're just tired and pissed because my mom is super misandrist. She sees the world as "guys only want sex and are all dumb and make every decision with their penis to get sex and that's all they care about." That is the world she lives in and it gets fucking annoying.
So I say "Not every guy is obsessed with sex."
And she confidently says. "Yes they are."
And I say. "What about people who are asexual or something like that? You know that men are full people that have interests other than sex right?"
And it is at this point she gets pissed with us and starts yelling at us for disrespecting her way of thinking and that we didn't need to be assholes about it. I kid you not. She gets angry at US because we said, "men have personalities" And she has now locked herself in her room like a sulky teenager and refuses to talk to us which I'm fine with. She's so annoying when she gets like this. I cannot wait till I graduate in the fall and move out, I cannot take living with her any longer.
Everything is on fire and sucks big time but the fanfic doesn't stop! I have A LOT of Valko fic ideas. I'm currently working on a smutty little one shot but after my current Raf fic is done I'm posting a multi-chapter Valko fic and you get to choose which! BTW I know he's a chairman but CEO is easier to fit on the poll.
Which Valko fic should I write?
CEO!Valko x Assistant!Reader. Office romance. Secret relationship.
CEO!Valko x Poor!Reader. Marriage of convenience. Super sweet.
Wolf!Valko x Villager!Reader. ABO AU. Beauty & Beast vibes.
Wolf!Valko x Red Riding Hood!Reader. Red Riding Hood AU. Short fic.
Voting ended onJul 13
About the fics:
Option 1: Reader is the long suffering assistant of Chairman Valko Ao. There's always been tension but after one heated slip-up they're forced to confront that maybe there's something more than just professional respect between them.
Option 2: Reader wants away from her toxic family and Valko's family wants him to settle down. After a chance meeting they decide to marry to escape the individual pressures they're facing. And maybe this marriage isn't meant to be just "in name only."
Option 3: When wolves attack the village the leader of the pack says they'll let them live if Reader comes back with them. Wanting her village to survive she agrees and starts her life living with the wolves. But is there another reason Valko chose her specifically?
Option 4: Reader is heading up the mountain to stay with her grandmother for the winter but ends up off the trail and lost. Valko offers to show her the way. With no options she agrees, cautious and curious about this wolf that everyone fears but who smiles so sweetly. (This is a really short one. Maybe 10 chapters at most if I write it.)
Summary: Per tradition, before Rafayel can fully become god of the sea he must spend a year on land to find his destined human bride. Unsure how to go about finding his bride he enlists the help of a matchmaker. Your new client is a bit strange but he seems genuine in wanting a love match. With a face that handsome it shouldn’t be too hard to find this “destined bride” he keeps going on about.
Content: Reader is spiraling. Rafayel is also spiraling.
Word Count: 3700
Chapters: (First) (Previous) (Next)
Read on AO3
The car was silent. You had yet to remove your hand from your mouth, as if keeping it there could take back what had happened.
But there was no taking it back. You had kissed Rafayel and then like a coward you ran away.
Why had you kissed him? You were supposed to be getting over your feelings but instead you had stupidly dove right back into them in the worst way possible. Because now it wasn’t just a hazy memory of him kissing you to save your life in the ocean, it wasn’t just a dirty fantasy in the shower, it was real. You knew what it was really like to be held by him and kissed by him.
Did this mean he liked you? He had to, right? He wouldn’t just kiss you if he didn’t, Rafayel didn’t strike you as that kind of person. Was that why he broke up with Merri? When did he start liking you? Or was it possible that he was just giving into temptation and he’d come to regret it now that it was over?
You glanced over at Jun and the crash of guilt rocketed through you like a shockwave. You had to tell him, right? You were dating, he was basically your boyfriend again, he deserved to know. But how could you tell him? How could you tell him that you had made out with his friend while getting ready for a date with him? He’d want to know why and if you were honest you’d have to say it was because you had feelings for Rafayel, that you had feelings for him the entire time you had been dating.
In an ugly honest part of your heart you’d need to tell him that part of the reason you agreed to date him again was because you were using him to try and get over Rafayel. That would make him feel great! This person that you had thought you would marry years ago nothing more than a distraction from an ache that ate you from the inside out.
It was not as if you had zero feelings for Jun. You did genuinely like him and if you had never met Rafayel then you’d be over the moon being with him again. And maybe you could be happy with him like you were. Maybe these feelings for Rafayel would die away once you weren’t living with him and you could love Jun. As it was, you couldn’t be sure of any of it.
“Wanna tell me what’s on your mind?” Jun asked as you got into the city proper.
“Not really.” There was far too much on your mind to begin to narrow it down.
“I’m going to go out on a limb and say it has something to do with Rafayel.” Jun glanced over at you. “He came running out of the house after you. Did you get into a fight or something?”
“Or something.”
You pulled up in front of the restaurant. Jun interlaced his hand with yours. “Whatever happened, don’t let it ruin our night. I promised you a romantic evening and that’s what we’re gonna have.”
“Great.” You tried to smile but you felt gross pretending that everything was actually okay.
You got out of the car and went up the elevator to the restaurant. It was exactly what you expected from a fine dining establishment. Waiters in suits, a string quartet playing soft music, a warm yet dim glow that kept the atmosphere around each table personal and romantic. You were led away from the main dining area into a private room with a breathtaking view that looked out over all of Linkon and its twinkling lights.
You knew that Medallion was expensive but a private room was even more so. How much had Jun sunk into this night and you had started it kissing Rafayel?
Wine was poured, the first course was brought out, Jun complimented how you looked and remarked on the great view. All the while your thoughts still churned and burned in your head.
You had to tell him. You had to tell him what you had done. It didn’t feel right sitting here, letting him dote all this money and attention on you after kissing his friend.
He was going to be upset with you that was for sure, betrayed definitely, and angry no doubt too. Not just at you for kissing Rafayel but Rafayel for kissing you back. What if he broke up with you because of this? You wouldn’t fault him if he did. But then what would happen between him and Rafayel? Would they stop being friends? Would they fight? You didn’t want them to fight. You didn’t want to hurt anyone but you couldn’t see a way out of this that didn’t fill you with guilt.
And if…
You twisted the napkin in your lap so tight your hands shook.
If you did break up with Jun, would it be so bad? He’d be hurt but he’d move on and you could go back home. You could go back to Rafayel and ask how he felt about you. You’d know definitively if he liked you or if what had happened was just the tension pulling you together for a stupid hormonal mistake. And if he did like you then you could kiss him again. You could tell him how you felt and you could just be happy together, not just as friends but as something so much more.
You glanced up at Jun who--and you had to applaud his effort--was trying to pull a romantic evening out of this mess you were trapped in.
Then he hit you with a sentence that sent a fresh wave of panic through you.
“Did you know this place is the number one proposal spot in all of Linkon?” he asked.
“I’ve heard that.” You nodded.
“This was where I was planning on proposing, if we had ever gotten that far.” he said, gazing out over the city.
He read the panic clear as day on your face and chuckled. “Don’t look so scared, I’m not proposing. I only bring it up because it got me thinking.”
“About what?”
“A lot of things.” he shrugged. “Mostly it made me think of Rafayel.”
“How so?”
“I know he hired you to help him find a girlfriend and I have to admit I’m a little nosy and want to know how that’s going for him. Any luck matching him?”
“Oh, uh, I mean I’ve been trying but no one has stuck.”
“Gotta say I’m not surprised, and it has nothing to do with your abilities as a matchmaker. I just mean to say that you could throw a hundred girls at him and the chances that they were the right one would be slim.”
Your brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“Well because he’s not just looking for a girlfriend he’s looking for a wife, you know that much, right?”
“Well, yeah, he made a lot of mention about his bride when we first met. I figured he was just really keen to get married. I don’t know why it’s such a big deal to him though, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“So he hasn’t mentioned the bridal search that he is on as god of the sea?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Okay, so he hasn’t.” Jun leaned forward, his elbows on the table. “So the god of the sea isn’t just a randomly inherited title, the inheritor of that power and responsibility is chosen by the Lemurian elders. Rafayel was chosen and named the next sea god but he has not yet inherited his full power. Still with me?”
“Yeah. What does this have to do with him wanting a bride though?”
“Well, the final custom that the named sea god has to complete to inherit their full power is to get married. Specifically, they need to come to land, find the human that is destined to be their partner and bring them back to Lemuria to basically rule the seas by their side. From the time they are named the god of the sea they have a year in which to find their predestined bride or else they don’t get to be the god and someone else is chosen.”
You forgot how to breathe as the information settled in. You knew that Rafayel wanted to find someone to marry and that he wanted to do it fast. You knew that whoever you set him up with would have to live in the ocean with him but you couldn’t recall knowing anything else. Did Rafayel tell you that finding a match was what determined whether he got to be a god? You felt like you would have remembered something so huge!
More strange interactions began to make sense. His initial e-mail, why he walked out on his first date after two minutes. It wasn’t because he was an idiot it was because he was looking for his destined bride.
That word stuck to you. Destined.
“Do you mean to say that there is someone meant to be Rafayel’s soulmate or something?” you asked.
“Yep.”
You could physically feel your heart splintering into a million tiny shards. “Why wouldn’t he tell me that! It feels like very pertinent information!” He had a literal soulmate and you had just been setting him up with random people.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay. He probably just didn’t want you to worry. It’s a lot of pressure to put on one person.” Jun said, taking your hand from across the table.
For a moment you had forgotten that Rafayel was literally a god, or almost a god. He was someone of extreme importance back in Lemuria and whoever stood next to him would be essentially a queen or something like it. They’d be rulers of the ocean, living in a mystical city under the waves far away from land never to see the surface or friends or family again.
There was someone meant to be his bride. Someone that he would know instantly if it was. So was he just humoring you when you set him up on those dates so not to hurt your feelings all the while knowing none of them were his soulmate.
And if he was supposed to know instinctively who he was looking for then there was no chance it could be you. He called you his bride when he first came out of the ocean but he had made no mention of it again. If you were the one then why not tell you? Why hire you instead of asking you out? He had made a mistake. You had made an even bigger mistake kissing him and you both got carried away.
You really thought that you were something more to him but you were nothing. You were just a friend who made a mistake and he’s the god that decided to indulge the stupid little human that let her own foolish heart take over her rational mind.
“It’s a lot to take in, I know.” Jun said, dragging your attention back from the spiral you were staring down. “I didn’t mean to upset you or anything. I had actually wanted to ask you something very important tonight but now I feel like I’ve ruined the moment.”
“No no, I’m the mess.” The understatement of the fucking century. “What is it you wanted to ask me?”
He pulled a card key out of his pocket and slid it over to you. It had the name of his apartment building on it. “Would you consider moving in with me?”
Your eyebrows shot up into your hairline. “Jun, I--”
“I know it’s a little soon considering we just started dating again but think about it. If you moved in with me it’d get you out of Raf’s house and my place is closer to your waitressing job too.” he grasped your hand in both of his. “But if I’m really honest the real reason I want you to live with me is because I’ve missed you. We missed out on so many good years together when we broke up and I don’t want to waste another second not being by your side. So, what do you say? Will you move in with me?”
---
For the briefest moment Rafayel had been the happiest man in existence. You were in his arms, your lips on his, and the world felt right. For a moment you were his and he never wanted it to end.
After so long of wanting you, after so long showing you how much he loved you in the ways he could, he had you.
Maybe it was all the waiting wearing on him, maybe it was having your practically naked body pressed against him all afternoon that had him laying at the bottom of the pool jerking off after you left. Fantasies that he wanted to be reality playing out in his head, things he wanted to say to you, things he wanted to do to you. He had a very good imagination and under the water, the feel of your hand caressing his tail fresh in his mind, he could imagine it was you. Your hands on him, your lips pressed against his skin, your body atop his burning hot under the sun.
He could see it all so clearly. The shine of the sun on your shoulders, eyes dark with lust, breasts bouncing in his face, and your cunt squeezing him tighter than the grip he kept on your naked hips. Your whimpers and moans meant only for his ears. “Raf! More! Need more!”
He’d give you everything. He’d do anything to see you unraveling for him, telling him you loved him, loved the way he made you feel. “Come--come for me!” he hissed. “My bride!”
The orgasm whited out his brain. He pulled himself out of the water, the reality of the situation washing away the fantasy. You were inside getting ready for your date and he was jerking off in a pool. Pathetic.
He hadn’t intended on kissing you. Hell, the whole ordeal of putting on your makeup so you’d look nice for your date with Jun made him feel sick. But he’d never sabotage you, he’d only ever help you look your best. But then…
Then you were looking at him and it felt like there was a thin tether wrapped around his heart with the other end tied to yours. Any distance between you suddenly felt unbearable. Then the next moment there was no distance. Sure, he had ruined the makeup he had just painstakingly spent the past few minutes perfecting but it hardly mattered if it meant your mouth was on his. It didn’t matter if you were finally his.
But you weren’t. You weren’t his. Not yet anyway. Because instead of staying with him, instead of giving him the chance to tell you he loved you, you ran away. Ran to fucking Jun!
Rafayel had taken off after you, determined not to let you get away without clearing the air and confessing what he needed to. What he saw when he caught up was you slamming the passenger side door to Jun’s car closed and Jun staring daggers at Rafayel. His gaze was locked on Rafayel’s mouth, still stained with the color of the lipstick you no longer wore. When he looked Rafayel in the eye again it was chilling.
With a jerk of his hand vines lashed out from the garden and snapped around Rafayel binding his legs, one lashed around his mouth so he couldn’t call out for you. Damn it! He had forgotten the bastard could do this! He used to use his damn power to do the same thing when they were kids, turning kelp forests into traps if Rafayel got too close.
Without a word spoken Jun turned away and got into the car, driving away. Rafayel used his fire to burn the vines away but the car was already moving fast down the street by the time he got to the sidewalk. No! No, he was not losing you like this! He needed to fix this!
He ran back inside, grabbing his shoes and tugging them on.
“Rafayel, what in the hells happened?” Talia followed. “Did you tell her? What’s going on?”
“Didn’t tell her. We just started kissing--I don’t have time for this!” Rafayel turned back for the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To get the love of my life before it’s too late!” Rafayel took off running down the road. He really should have taken Talia’s suggestion about getting a driver’s license but he couldn’t sit in regret about that for long. He knew where Jun was taking you. He just needed to get to the restaurant.
It took far too long to get into the city. Thunder started to gather overhead, thrumming and booming in time to the rapid beats of Rafayel’s heart. Rain began to pour, people scattered for cover while Rafayel continued tripping and slipping down the streets until he was at the restaurant. He had made it!
His lungs burned and his legs ached, the brief pause he took as he stood outside had his knees buckling. Not yet! He couldn’t crack yet!
He marched forward towards the doors but was stopped by a very tall and very broad security guard. “Name sir.” he said, his voice gravelly with authority.
“Qi. Please, I need in to the restaurant.” Rafayel begged.
“There’s no Qi on our list. Move along, sir.” the guard said.
“No. You don’t understand, I need up to the restaurant!” Rafayel tried to shove past him but the man was a brick wall and Rafayel was in no condition to be muscling his way past. The guard shoved him off and away.
“If you try to force your way in again I’ll be forced to contact the authorities.”
He didn’t have time for this! He brushed himself off and walked away, dodging down an alley to the back of the building. Like he had hoped, there was an employee entrance. Even better was that someone had propped it open. He could see the employee coming back with a large trash bag. This was his chance. He ran inside, dodging around the confused and startled employee and made a line for the service elevator. The employee taking out the trash yelled but Rafayel was already inside and heading up.
The moment the elevator stopped on the correct floor he slipped through the doors before they were even fully opened. It opened into the kitchen of the restaurant. Rafayel ran through, narrowly avoiding someone with a very large cleaver and burst out of the doors. The people sitting down for their meals looked up as this drenched manic looking man ran into the center of the room. His eyes scanned the crowd but saw no sign of you.
This is where Jun had taken you, Rafayel knew this was where your date was supposed to be. So where were you?
Before he could get deeper into the restaurant he was tackled by security. He bucked against them, trying to pull himself away so he could find you but he was tired from running and there were multiple people on him, forcibly pulling him away. When they made it back to the ground floor they threw him out of the building.
He tried going around again to the backdoor but there was already a security guard posted there to stop it from happening again.
Fine. If he couldn’t get inside he’d wait. He stayed loitering outside the building until security chased him off. The rain was now pelting down on the earth in fat wet bullets as he huddled under the narrow awning of a closed cafe across the street. The security was watching him but he didn’t care. He just needed to see you.
That was his plan anyway until the police car pulled up and Rafayel saw the security pointing the cops towards him. Damn it! Rafayel took off running again. He couldn’t talk to you if he got put in jail!
He was a few blocks over by the time he was sure the cops weren’t following him. He couldn’t go back, not with the cops there waiting for him. But what was he supposed to do then? If you went back to Jun’s place instead of coming home he could do nothing to stop it. He had no idea where Jun lived and he couldn’t track your location since you left your purse in your hurry to get out of the house.
Was that it then? Did he just need to go back to the house and pray you came home that night? He saw no other choice. Not unless he wanted to wander the city for hours on the slim chance he saw Jun’s car.
The walk back to the house was painfully slow, helped none by the rain that soaked him to the bone. He didn’t care though. Possible hypothermia was preferable to this pain that sat burning like a coal in his chest.
What if it was all ruined? What if he had scared you and it drove you straight into Jun’s arms? What if that moment in your bedroom was all he would ever have of you? Would you even still consider him a friend or would you come to despise him for taking such liberties and trying to break up your relationship with Jun? The closer Rafayel made it to home the more hopeless it all felt.
The front door creaked open as he entered, his shoes squishing as he stepped inside and finally out of the rain. The house was quiet.
With a sigh he kicked off his shoes and sloshed his way towards his bedroom. He opened the door and froze inside the doorway. Sitting on the edge of his bed was you, still in your dress and noticeable tear tracks from your makeup smeared down your face. You gulped, hands clasped tightly in your lap.
Okay, there's a lot going on. Let's take a breath (again). As always, I'm here to give you facts, my own speculations, and HOPIUM!
Quick note: this weekend I'll be dealing with some personal matters, so I may not be as active as I have been this past week. I will still be giving you any important or relevant information, but I may not be able to post my full reports. I am still very much here with you!
7/10/2026 AM
The Chinese Media
Like I told you last night, our protest tactic has changed. Here are all the details that I am confident in sharing:
Multiple Chinese media outlets falsely portrayed Valko as a predator who broke into MC's house and assaulted her. They are painting him as dangerous. Our TOP priority is proving that this is entirely incorrect. This post explains it very well.
Here is our strategy:
1. STAY ON US MEDIA. X, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube—anywhere you can post! But DO NOT get on RedNote or Weibo. Leave the CN apps to the CN girls—they will support us however they can.
2. Refrain from contacting any major news outlets. This could escalate tensions and encourage the CCP to get involved. STAY ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
3. Set aside your hate for—or disappointment in—Infold for now. Antis are going to use whatever they can against us. If they see us attacking Infold, this entire thing could backfire.
4. We need to focus on two narratives: Valko is innocent, kind, and not at all dangerous to MC or the players; and that Infold helps to positively showcase Chinese culture to global players. LADS is vital to China's global initiatives because of the international player base.
5. Remain KIND, RESPECTFUL, and PEACEFUL. This is not the time to attack antis, the CN media, or Infold. Our goal is to show that Valko is a symbol of love.
So, what do we post?
Proof that the media gave false information. They clipped parts of his trailer and altered them to push their agenda. Post the full clips so that they cannot be misconstrued. Here are some links to good examples:
- This post.
- This post.
- This post.
- This post.
- This post.
- This post.
- This post.
Here are the hashtags to post under:
#VALKOWASFRAMED #VALKOISINNOCENT #BRINGBACKVALKO #BRINGVALKOBACK
If you don't have the resources to make any videos or edit any pictures, then I suggest reposting from others' profiles and adding the above hashtags. We need to be as loud as we can, and we need to work together.
Here is a general code of conduct:
What do we do about the game?
This part is debated. Some believe we should be logging in and raising ratings, others believe we should continue protesting.
Here are my two cents: I think we're fine where we are. The game still exists, they are still making money, and the bottom line of the situation hasn't changed. If you are not boycotting, that's okay. If you are, that's okay too. Our goal is to show that LADS is a positive game that should continue operating, but that we demand to have Valko's character released. I understand how confusing this can be. Trust that Infold is handling the situation on their end, and we will continue fighting as we have been for the past week and a half.
Personally, I will still not be logging into the game. I am not going to touch the ratings, nor am I going to follow LADS on social media again, but I am going to post in support of them.
How are things going?
I'm happy to report that things are going well thus far! Some of the articles have already been taken down, and we have been trending on X since last night. We ARE being noticed. CN girls are communicating amongst themselves and doing what they can to ensure our message is being heard. Remember, they have to handle the situation very delicately.
Hopium?
Always!! THIS IS NOT THE END. Remember that "rectification" was a big talking point a few days ago—NOT removal. The door for Valko is still very much open. We're most definitely looking at a delay at this point, but don't let this bring you down. If anything, let it give you hope!
Infold's silence makes MUCH more sense now. They're not purposefully ignoring us—we know this for certain. They're facing some absolute bullshit. I can't say I blame them for the way they've handled this, honestly.
Let's go back to the timeline for a moment. June 22nd, Valko is announced. For SIX DAYS, Antis spewed nothing but hatred. Infold endured, and even defended Valko. They issued a statement saying that they would continue pursuing a 6th LI. Then, the media gets involved. Slander, false articles, horrible press. THIS is when Infold folded and cancelled Valko's release. It wasn't because they wanted to—what choice did they have? They were fighting a war on multiple fronts—and still are!
I said it once and I'll say it again—Infold would NOT throw away a character they spent two years developing. He is vital to the storyline. The devs poured hours of labor into him. They love him, as anyone loves something they create. As a writer, I can't imagine someone spreading such hateful things about my characters or one of my books. It had to be devastating to them.
The tide is shifting. This is our chance to make our voices be heard. Be loud! I'm about to abuse the FUCK out of my first amendment rights.
For my spiritual friends: THE CARDS ARE MAKING SENSE. Many were talking about an outside/higher influence acting as an obstacle, which would cause this struggle to be much more drawn out. The energy is still in our favor, we simply have to push through the mud. There is light at the end of the tunnel! It's just a really fucking annoying tunnel!!
My Thoughts
It's truly amazing to me how all of this has unfolded. Everything last week really was just the tip of the iceberg...and the smear campaign rumors turned out to be true. Now, let me say this: if we go through all this bullshit and Infold doesn't properly compensate us, I'm literally going to Shanghai myself. I didn't sign up to be their PR manager, but here we are.
At the end of the day, I owe a lot to this game. It helped me out of some dark times. It helped me realize my own self worth after escaping a horribly toxic relationship. It raised my standards so much that they're virtually impossible to reach.
I know none of this has turned out the way we wanted it to, but when does life ever go according to plan? We've come together as a community, we've raised thousands for charity, and we've shown just how far we are willing to go to protect the things we love. This is not the end of Valko's story—it is only the beginning.
LISTEN! if the current speculation about the new update does indeed mean that Valko is getting released on time with 6.0 then I will be elated! I will be so psyched! (Do I think that's what's gonna happen? No. But I will happily eat my words if I'm wrong.)
I will also be a little petty and mad that my tarot, my sister's tarot, and my freaking pendulum readings were wrong! Because they were all pointing to an August release. I swear if all that shit about being patient just meant to wait a couple days for the initial release date I'm gonna be pissed. And then I'm gonna need to cleanse my pendulum because she's the one that told me August specifically! Even now she's still saying not this month for the Valko release do IDK!
was scrolling pinterest making LADS wedding boards (i need something to cope) and I know that we have like canon bridal dresses but THIS gown by Sandra Mansour!!!
Tell me that is not like a PERFECT Rafayel girlie wedding dress! It literally looks like a waterfall!! I am so obsessed with the embroidery on this cape i wanna die!
Valko with his two sets of ears but he can actively choose which ears he can hear out of unless instinctively triggered. Nine times out of ten he's listening with his wolf ears because they're just better at picking up sound so they're the dominant mode for hearing. But if things are too loud or he needs to use a phone it automatically switches to his less sensitive human ears. His brain just selectively chooses which ears are better for certain tasks and adjusts hearing as needed.
I have been around hybrid characters with two sets of ears for a long time and have thought about how hearing would work for those characters for far too long.
