the ramblings of a girlie doing her best

19 year old college student, i write when i inspiration hits. requests are open!!! please send me requests

[starryeyed-firefly]

Masterlist

Hannibal Media stargazing (Clarice/Will, eventual Clannigram) Squid Game Darling, You're Familiar (Salesman x F!Reader)

A Bedtime Story for Jun-hee Jun-hee's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day

Miscellanious Drabbles Detroit Become Human

Little Black Curls & Bright Blue Eyes

[4inchfae]

stargazing

Clarice Starling/Will Graham (eventual Clarice Starling/Hannigram)

A/N: Clarice Starling decides to find Will Graham, the only other person who's been in her shoes with Lecter. This is a slow burn for sureeeee, idk I felt inspired. you can imagine any mix and match of these characters but i was mostly inspired by the books and Manhunter (1986)

A gruff hand scrubs across scarred cheek. Picking at the healing flesh. His shoulders draw taught at the sound of clumsy feet on the sand. Someone small, from somewhere landlocked given the unsteady gait. He takes another pull of his beer and jerks his arm in a wave like motion.

"I know you're there, get it over with."

The footsteps stutter. "Mr. Will Graham-?"

His whole body slumps as he drains the rest of the beer, not turning at the voice. "…who's asking, kid." The sand shifts before the steps resume. They're mindful enough to not block his sun. Instead standing beside him. Clutching a jacket much too heavy for the weather. The bottle sits between his legs, and he goes back to his smoldering cigarette instead.

"Mr. Graham, I'm Clarice Starling-" He raises his hand. Exhaling behind his shoulder.

"Did Jack Crawford send you?" She shakes her head vigorously. He can see the sweat beading on her forehead, pleather loafers sinking in the sand as the Florida heat beats on her back.

"No- Mr. Crawford- he-"

"Spit it out."

"He doesn't know I'm here." He finally looks up at her. The scar on his cheek is ugly. The flesh is fading to white, but the pink is angry and Clarice feels pity in her mouth.

"…that's new."

"I have an absurd ask, especially given your background, Mr. Graham, but I'm-" She bites the word. His head tilts. The last time someone sat out here with him was when Crawford dragged him back into a case that nearly killed him and ended with a divorce.

"…you've seen him." He manages. "

Yes- Mr. Crawford sent me to speak to Dr. Lecter."

"Jesus H. Motherfucking Christ, Jack."

"He thinks- he thinks I'm at the academy, I thought I'd be able to get away for maybe a day or so. No one, will tell me what happened to you, just that…."

"I'm a drunk who lives in Florida? And doesn't respond to postcards?"

She lets him sit with his assessment. She doesn't fidget, only shifts on her feet as they sink in the loose sand. He gets more uncomfortable quickly, as men often do. "Mr. Graham, you're an incredible profiler, no one can beat your work. It's not even a competition."

"Kid-"

"Starling. Clarice, Mr. Graham, I cannot solve this case on my own. And Dr. Lecter seems to still have a lingering fascination with you. It is selfish of me, I will admit, but I don't want anymore of his focus on me than I already have."

"Kid-"

"Mr. Crawford doesn't need to know, hell, I don't need to know, but another girl is going to die, Mr. Graham-"

"He's got you on Buffalo Bill? As a trainee?"

"Do you have an assumption about me and Mr. Crawford?" She rolls her eyes.

He finally looks up at her and finds himself a little startled, though his face doesn't betray him. "If you're asking if I think you slept with Crawford to get here, I'm the last person who'd buy that. Especially if you're already disobeying his orders." He looks at her up and down, squinting at her hair, the tilt of her nose, the pursing of her lips. "Besides you're not his type."

She scoffs softly, more of a horse chuff than anything. "You're not exactly a rose either, Mr. Graham-"

"Will. Mr. Graham is my father, and I'm sure you can pathologize that's not a positive."

"Will. Could you look at me please, Will?"

[starryeyed-firefly]

also posting on the writing acc <3

[rocket-sith]

Reblog if you write fic and people can inbox you random-ass questions about your stories, itemized number lists be damned.

[starryeyed-firefly]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Squid Game (TV 2021) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Kim Junhee (Squid Game), Kim Junhee and Lee Myunggi's child (Squid Game), Lee Myunggi, Hwang Inho | Front Man (Squid Game), Hwang Junho (Squid Game), Seong Gihun Additional Tags: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Protective Hwang Inho | Front Man (Squid Game), Protective Seong Gihun, Protective Hwang Junho (Squid Game), Badass Kim Junhee (Squid Game), Kim Junhee's baby is named Kim Yi-Seo, Kim Yiseo, it means hope, bc we all know what that baby is a metaphor for, Junhee not buying any of Inhos BS, Little bit of Junho/Junhee, Call that Jun squared, Inspired by Squid Game (TV 2021), AU where the mercenaries find them during the rebellion, Hell is not Kim Junhee Summary:

What would have happened if the mercenaries found the island post-mingle and pre-rebellion?

(Kim Jun-hee centric)

[player016]

In contrast to my last posts, consider this, too—

Gihun doesn’t know that the Frontman is Junho’s brother until he’s off the island, ‘safely’ back with Junho (as physically safe as he can be, anyway).

Junho is in a weird place because of Inho’s death where the grief is so overwhelming his ability to feel is just turned off. Couple that with his ability to act under pressure and he’d know he owes Gihun answers.

Junho would be taking care of Gihun at this point because he’s too weak and injured and traumatized to function on his own, but when Junho tells him, somehow it manages to break him even more.

First the betrayal from ‘Youngil’, now from Junho, who Gihun had finally let slip through the cracks in the fortress he’d built around his heart.

There would be paranoia, the accusations—“have you been helping him this whole time? Has this all been to keep an eye on me?”

There would be words fired to hurt—“you’re a liar. You’re no different than he is. I don’t ever want to see you again.”

There might be tears, there might be a panic attack, there might be a complete meltdown, but Gihun doesn’t let Junho touch him the whole time.

Then there would be the silent treatment as Gihun processes what happened, as Junho refuses to leave his side for long, terrified that Gihun will kill himself the moment he’s alone.

God, I can’t fucking WAIT.

[frodothefair]

[starryeyed-firefly]

A Bedtime Story For Jun-hee

Based off of a prompt from @hwang-inhos-fish (Cross-posted on my main) I gave it a hopeful ending bc after that teaser I could not take anymore angst.

The dorm is dim, room aglow from the piggy bank, the soft shuffling of sheets and gentle murmurs of people struggling to find sleep.

Gi-hun is on first watch, eyes sharp, used to little sleep. He hears the soft squeal of rubber on concrete floors before he sees her, little Player 222. Little in both her stature and age, with a hand on the pronounced curve of her stomach she waddles quietly, and plops down beside him.

“You should be asleep, Jun-hee.” He tuts softly, the young woman makes his heart ache. She’s too young to be here, let alone pregnant. She reminds him of Ga-yeong, and…

“I couldn’t sleep, I’m sorry to bother you…” She admits quietly, barely a whisper in the dorm.

“You’re not bothering me.” He says after a moment.

“I’m sure you have a million questions for me, Jun-hee.” He says softly.

“...just one, actually.” She turns her head to look up at him, the glow of the piggy bank illuminating her face in a way that reminds him of Ga-yeong’s first night light. (Shaped like a daisy, Ga-yeong insisting that a fairy would want to use it as a perch and protect her from the monsters when daddy was away.) 

He looks back at her, eyes soft. 

“How old is your daughter?” She says softly.

His eyes go wide.

“What-?”

“You look at me like I remind you of her. How old is she?” She pushes gently.

“...she turned fourteen a few months ago.” He mumbles.

She picks at her cuticles. Her other hand on her tummy.

“It’s a selfless thing you’re doing, Mr. Seong. To come back from some place so dark and choose to plunge yourself back into darkness instead of basking in the light.”

“That’s not-”

“It is. Don’t convince yourself that you’re not a hero. Because any sane person would’ve taken their money and washed their hands of this entire experience.”

His breath catches and his eyes water. Turning his head away from her. A gentle hand pressing into his shoulder.

“...thank you, Mr. Seong. If it wasn’t for your advice I…” Her voice trails off. She scoots a little closer, wrapping her arms around his middle. Hugging him loosely.

It feels like an eternity, like he’s the tinman shaking rust from his joints, but his arms wrap around her too. The pair are silent as they both soak in affection they’ve missed.

“Alright, kid.” He starts softly, brushing her bangs out of her eyes as he peers down at her.

“Let’s get you back to bed,” He helps her to her feet, the two look more like penguins as he matches her waddle. Helping her lay down, and tucking the blanket under her chin.

“Ahjusshi?” She whispers, snuggling into the blanket and peering up at him.

“Hm?”

She hides further in her blankets.

“...would you tell me a story?”

His eyebrows shoot up, and his face softens.

“I’m a little rusty, but I’ll do my best.” He whispers. Sitting beside her.

Two bunks over, laid under the bed as Gi-hun quietly demanded, In-ho, listens intently. He had perked up, when Jun-hee Player 222 had waddled out of her bed to merely thank Gi-hun. In-ho wishes he’d paid closer attention to the recruitment list this year, he would’ve put his foot down on recruiting a pregnant woman. Let alone someone as far along as Jun-hee. It’s not like he cares or anything. There’s nothing he can do about it now… not like making sure to help her walk, or giving her his breakfast, throwing a glare at players 124 and 230…And okay, 333 too. He’s seen them interact, inferring his place in Jun-hee’s condition quickly. Regardless he’s keeping an eye on the pair. For his duties as Frontman, nothing more.

His eyes didn’t water as Jun-hee thanked Gi-hun, nor when she hugged him, and definitely not when Gi-hun tucked her in like she was his own blood.

His head most definitely did not turn to face them both as Jun-hee requested a story.

“Once upon a time: “ Gi-hun begins.

“There were some… stray kittens…”

“Kittens?” She asks sleepily, amusement lacing her tone.

“Aish- I said I was rusty, let me think-” He whines softly, tickling her sides gently. She giggles before settling down and waiting for him.

“There were two stray kittens, who grew up into cats together. A gray one… who was the younger of the two, and the smarter. And a brown cat, with long hair, that always managed to beat the gray cat in games, but always kept the gray cat safe. Even if it meant he got scratched up.”

Jun-hee listens intently, her eyes glimmering under the warm glow.

“The brown cat and gray cat were close, the best of friends… and… for a while, something more. But the gray cat found a nicer alleyway, it was cleaner and safer, and he’d probably get adopted by someone rich. The brown cat was sad to lose the gray cat but told him to go. So he did, and they grew apart.”

“The brown cat met another cat, a pretty girl cat. They fell in love and had a kitten, but… the brown cat got hurt. Saw another one of his kitty friends get hurt before him, and he distanced himself from the pretty girl and the little kitten. He got into some trouble…”

“What did he do…?” She asks softly.

“He got an offer, from a suspicious cat, with soulless eyes and the prettiest black coat. He said he could fix all of his problems. If he just went to play some alley games. The kind he’d grown up playing with the gray cat.”

“So he went, and there with all the other alley cats and dogs was the gray cat.”

“What was he doing there?” Jun-hee interjects. Clearly invested.

“...he’d gotten into trouble too. The people who adopted him weren’t as honest as they should have been, and after the gray cat made a mistake they dropped him back onto the street, sent animal control after him.”

“The gray cat and the brown cat made it through, and they made some friends along the way. A darker brown cat, with a curly coat. An old siamese, who knew more than he led on. And a kitten, who the brown cat adopted.”

“They kept each other safe, but this place was deadly…” Gi-hun swallows the lump in his throat. His eyes drift to the piggy bank as he continues.

“It was down to the brown cat, the gray cat, and the kitten.”

“The brown cat and the gray cat argued, saying that there was no point in all of this. That they were being turned on each other, for someone else’s entertainment.” He says softly.

“What happened after they argued?” She asks softly, her voice quiet, like she doesn’t really want to know the answer.

“The kitten was hurt, she’d gotten hurt in one of the alley games.”

Jun-hee stays quiet, letting Gi-hun tell it on his own time, now.

“...she’d… gotten hurt by a piece of glass. And when the brown cat had gone to plead with the other cats guarding them, the gray cat struck.”

“...he killed the little kitten. And the brown cat and the gray cat went to fight, but the wolves separated them for the night.”

“But the next day, they took them out of the alley and into a sandy playground.”

“...did they fight?” Jun-hee asks softly.

Gi-hun nods, his face grim.

“Who won?” Even quieter.

“It was a draw.” He says quietly. Letting the words settle.

“What happened next?” Jun-hee dares to ask.

“...the brown cat went home, much richer than when he left. But his heart ached. He found out that the games were played for a pack of wolves. So hungry for violence, they paid to watch other animals kill each other and be killed, that the games were run by a fox. Who saw the alley cats as ants, not even as cats. So the brown cat swore he’d be back. That he’d… he’d never let another cat die there, especially not another kitten.” He finishes quietly.

In-ho can feel the blood rushing in his ears. The story is familiar to him, in more ways than one. His own kitten falling into the ocean because the black fox couldn’t handle the truth. His mouth tastes sour and his eyes burn. He blinks his eyes clear and rolls onto his back, staring blankly into the bunk above him.

“...Ahjusshi?” Jun-hee begins. Breaking Gi-hun’s spiral.

“Hm?”

“I think the brown cat is very brave. And that he should realize that it’s not his fault.”

“...”

“That there are new cats, and kittens, who think he’s very brave, and want to help him.”

“...”

“Let’s go to bed, we have games to stop tomorrow, yeah?” Jun-hee encourages softly. Gently offering her blanket to him. The two fell asleep quickly.

In-ho doesn’t sleep the rest of the night. Taking watch, and thinking about the brown cat, and the chubby cat, the striped cat (who looks like a tiger), the kitten with her own kitten on the way, and the fox pretending to be a cat.

The next morning comes quickly. Breakfast is eaten in a comfortable silence, In-ho and Gi-hun sharing their food with Jun-hee (who tries to argue, but is quickly shut down by her two elders). In-ho and Gi-hun walk on either side of Jun-hee as they walk into the third game. In-ho’s shoulder brushes into Gi-hun’s, garnering his attention. “Young-il, are you alright?” His eyes alight with concern for the very man he’s supposedly on the hunt for. “Gi-hun… I didn’t mean to overhear, but last night I heard your story to Jun-hee…” “Oh that- that’s alright…” He stammers, face flushing a pretty pink. “...I just wanted to say that I agree with Jun-hee, that I think the brown cat is very brave… and that what happened to the kitten won’t happen again, and wasn’t his fault.” He says, the gentleness surprising even himself. Gi-hun’s eyes water, but he blinks the tears before they can fall. Both men’s eyes wander over to little Jun-hee. Young, and vulnerable with a baby in her belly. A stubborn glint in her eye and her chubby cheeks unused to being cared for. “...our kitten and her kittens will be fine, Gi-hun.” His fingers mindlessly intertwine with Gi-hun’s. Whose eyes widen and then soften, eyes locked onto Jun-hee. “...promise?” Gi-hun asks softly. “Promise.” ‘Young-il’ promises, but In-ho does too. Whatever happens… he’s sure he can find a happy ending for their band of misfit cats. And a safe home for them and their kitten.

[starryeyed-firefly]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Squid Game (TV 2021) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Hwang Inho | Front Man/Seong Gihun, Cho Sangwoo/Seong Gihun, Hwang Inho | Front Man & Kim Junhee (Squid Game), Kim Junhee & Seong Gihun, Kang Saebyeok & Seong Gihun, Cho Sangwoo & Seong Gihun, Cho Sangwoo & Kang Saebyeok, Hwang Inho | Front Man & Hwang Junho (Squid Game) Characters: Kim Junhee (Squid Game), Kim Junhee and Lee Myunggi's child (Squid Game), Hwang Inho | Front Man (Squid Game), Hwang Junho (Squid Game), Seong Gihun, Cho Sangwoo, Kang Saebyeok, Oh Ilnam, Choi Subong | Thanos, Namgyu (Squid Game), Lee Myunggi Additional Tags: Found Family, Squid Game Spoilers, Protective Hwang Inho | Front Man (Squid Game), Soft Hwang Inho | Front Man (Squid Game), Soft Seong Gihun, kim junhee is their daughter, junhee is smarter than people give her credit for, guilty hwang inho, Mentioned Hwang Junho (Squid Game), POV Hwang Inho | Front Man (Squid Game), POV Seong Gihun, POV Kim Junhee, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst with a Happy Ending, The Games Are Ongoing, they're my babies and i will make sure they get that happy ending, Squid Game (TV 2021) Season 02, Junhee needs a hug, Junhee's baby is going to be spoiled, Junhee deserves a nap and three trillion dollars because i said so, Paternal Seong Gihun, Paternal Hwang Inho, Junhee getting the parents she deserves, Inho feels bad but doesn't want to acknowledge that so he continues to protect Junhee pretending that it's just part of getting close to Gihun

[starryeyed-firefly]

A Bedtime Story For Jun-hee

Based off of a prompt from @hwang-inhos-fish (Cross-posted on my main) I gave it a hopeful ending bc after that teaser I could not take anymore angst.

The dorm is dim, room aglow from the piggy bank, the soft shuffling of sheets and gentle murmurs of people struggling to find sleep.

Gi-hun is on first watch, eyes sharp, used to little sleep. He hears the soft squeal of rubber on concrete floors before he sees her, little Player 222. Little in both her stature and age, with a hand on the pronounced curve of her stomach she waddles quietly, and plops down beside him.

“You should be asleep, Jun-hee.” He tuts softly, the young woman makes his heart ache. She’s too young to be here, let alone pregnant. She reminds him of Ga-yeong, and…

“I couldn’t sleep, I’m sorry to bother you…” She admits quietly, barely a whisper in the dorm.

“You’re not bothering me.” He says after a moment.

“I’m sure you have a million questions for me, Jun-hee.” He says softly.

“...just one, actually.” She turns her head to look up at him, the glow of the piggy bank illuminating her face in a way that reminds him of Ga-yeong’s first night light. (Shaped like a daisy, Ga-yeong insisting that a fairy would want to use it as a perch and protect her from the monsters when daddy was away.) 

He looks back at her, eyes soft. 

“How old is your daughter?” She says softly.

His eyes go wide.

“What-?”

“You look at me like I remind you of her. How old is she?” She pushes gently.

“...she turned fourteen a few months ago.” He mumbles.

She picks at her cuticles. Her other hand on her tummy.

“It’s a selfless thing you’re doing, Mr. Seong. To come back from some place so dark and choose to plunge yourself back into darkness instead of basking in the light.”

“That’s not-”

“It is. Don’t convince yourself that you’re not a hero. Because any sane person would’ve taken their money and washed their hands of this entire experience.”

His breath catches and his eyes water. Turning his head away from her. A gentle hand pressing into his shoulder.

“...thank you, Mr. Seong. If it wasn’t for your advice I…” Her voice trails off. She scoots a little closer, wrapping her arms around his middle. Hugging him loosely.

It feels like an eternity, like he’s the tinman shaking rust from his joints, but his arms wrap around her too. The pair are silent as they both soak in affection they’ve missed.

“Alright, kid.” He starts softly, brushing her bangs out of her eyes as he peers down at her.

“Let’s get you back to bed,” He helps her to her feet, the two look more like penguins as he matches her waddle. Helping her lay down, and tucking the blanket under her chin.

“Ahjusshi?” She whispers, snuggling into the blanket and peering up at him.

“Hm?”

She hides further in her blankets.

“...would you tell me a story?”

His eyebrows shoot up, and his face softens.

“I’m a little rusty, but I’ll do my best.” He whispers. Sitting beside her.

Two bunks over, laid under the bed as Gi-hun quietly demanded, In-ho, listens intently. He had perked up, when Jun-hee Player 222 had waddled out of her bed to merely thank Gi-hun. In-ho wishes he’d paid closer attention to the recruitment list this year, he would’ve put his foot down on recruiting a pregnant woman. Let alone someone as far along as Jun-hee. It’s not like he cares or anything. There’s nothing he can do about it now… not like making sure to help her walk, or giving her his breakfast, throwing a glare at players 124 and 230…And okay, 333 too. He’s seen them interact, inferring his place in Jun-hee’s condition quickly. Regardless he’s keeping an eye on the pair. For his duties as Frontman, nothing more.

His eyes didn’t water as Jun-hee thanked Gi-hun, nor when she hugged him, and definitely not when Gi-hun tucked her in like she was his own blood.

His head most definitely did not turn to face them both as Jun-hee requested a story.

“Once upon a time: “ Gi-hun begins.

“There were some… stray kittens…”

“Kittens?” She asks sleepily, amusement lacing her tone.

“Aish- I said I was rusty, let me think-” He whines softly, tickling her sides gently. She giggles before settling down and waiting for him.

“There were two stray kittens, who grew up into cats together. A gray one… who was the younger of the two, and the smarter. And a brown cat, with long hair, that always managed to beat the gray cat in games, but always kept the gray cat safe. Even if it meant he got scratched up.”

Jun-hee listens intently, her eyes glimmering under the warm glow.

“The brown cat and gray cat were close, the best of friends… and… for a while, something more. But the gray cat found a nicer alleyway, it was cleaner and safer, and he’d probably get adopted by someone rich. The brown cat was sad to lose the gray cat but told him to go. So he did, and they grew apart.”

“The brown cat met another cat, a pretty girl cat. They fell in love and had a kitten, but… the brown cat got hurt. Saw another one of his kitty friends get hurt before him, and he distanced himself from the pretty girl and the little kitten. He got into some trouble…”

“What did he do…?” She asks softly.

“He got an offer, from a suspicious cat, with soulless eyes and the prettiest black coat. He said he could fix all of his problems. If he just went to play some alley games. The kind he’d grown up playing with the gray cat.”

“So he went, and there with all the other alley cats and dogs was the gray cat.”

“What was he doing there?” Jun-hee interjects. Clearly invested.

“...he’d gotten into trouble too. The people who adopted him weren’t as honest as they should have been, and after the gray cat made a mistake they dropped him back onto the street, sent animal control after him.”

“The gray cat and the brown cat made it through, and they made some friends along the way. A darker brown cat, with a curly coat. An old siamese, who knew more than he led on. And a kitten, who the brown cat adopted.”

“They kept each other safe, but this place was deadly…” Gi-hun swallows the lump in his throat. His eyes drift to the piggy bank as he continues.

“It was down to the brown cat, the gray cat, and the kitten.”

“The brown cat and the gray cat argued, saying that there was no point in all of this. That they were being turned on each other, for someone else’s entertainment.” He says softly.

“What happened after they argued?” She asks softly, her voice quiet, like she doesn’t really want to know the answer.

“The kitten was hurt, she’d gotten hurt in one of the alley games.”

Jun-hee stays quiet, letting Gi-hun tell it on his own time, now.

“...she’d… gotten hurt by a piece of glass. And when the brown cat had gone to plead with the other cats guarding them, the gray cat struck.”

“...he killed the little kitten. And the brown cat and the gray cat went to fight, but the wolves separated them for the night.”

“But the next day, they took them out of the alley and into a sandy playground.”

“...did they fight?” Jun-hee asks softly.

Gi-hun nods, his face grim.

“Who won?” Even quieter.

“It was a draw.” He says quietly. Letting the words settle.

“What happened next?” Jun-hee dares to ask.

“...the brown cat went home, much richer than when he left. But his heart ached. He found out that the games were played for a pack of wolves. So hungry for violence, they paid to watch other animals kill each other and be killed, that the games were run by a fox. Who saw the alley cats as ants, not even as cats. So the brown cat swore he’d be back. That he’d… he’d never let another cat die there, especially not another kitten.” He finishes quietly.

In-ho can feel the blood rushing in his ears. The story is familiar to him, in more ways than one. His own kitten falling into the ocean because the black fox couldn’t handle the truth. His mouth tastes sour and his eyes burn. He blinks his eyes clear and rolls onto his back, staring blankly into the bunk above him.

“...Ahjusshi?” Jun-hee begins. Breaking Gi-hun’s spiral.

“Hm?”

“I think the brown cat is very brave. And that he should realize that it’s not his fault.”

“...”

“That there are new cats, and kittens, who think he’s very brave, and want to help him.”

“...”

“Let’s go to bed, we have games to stop tomorrow, yeah?” Jun-hee encourages softly. Gently offering her blanket to him. The two fell asleep quickly.

In-ho doesn’t sleep the rest of the night. Taking watch, and thinking about the brown cat, and the chubby cat, the striped cat (who looks like a tiger), the kitten with her own kitten on the way, and the fox pretending to be a cat.

The next morning comes quickly. Breakfast is eaten in a comfortable silence, In-ho and Gi-hun sharing their food with Jun-hee (who tries to argue, but is quickly shut down by her two elders). In-ho and Gi-hun walk on either side of Jun-hee as they walk into the third game. In-ho’s shoulder brushes into Gi-hun’s, garnering his attention. “Young-il, are you alright?” His eyes alight with concern for the very man he’s supposedly on the hunt for. “Gi-hun… I didn’t mean to overhear, but last night I heard your story to Jun-hee…” “Oh that- that’s alright…” He stammers, face flushing a pretty pink. “...I just wanted to say that I agree with Jun-hee, that I think the brown cat is very brave… and that what happened to the kitten won’t happen again, and wasn’t his fault.” He says, the gentleness surprising even himself. Gi-hun’s eyes water, but he blinks the tears before they can fall. Both men’s eyes wander over to little Jun-hee. Young, and vulnerable with a baby in her belly. A stubborn glint in her eye and her chubby cheeks unused to being cared for. “...our kitten and her kittens will be fine, Gi-hun.” His fingers mindlessly intertwine with Gi-hun’s. Whose eyes widen and then soften, eyes locked onto Jun-hee. “...promise?” Gi-hun asks softly. “Promise.” ‘Young-il’ promises, but In-ho does too. Whatever happens… he’s sure he can find a happy ending for their band of misfit cats. And a safe home for them and their kitten.

[lieutenantbatshit]

A Familiar Stranger (What if...?)

Summary: After the Red Light, Green Light game, the players vote to continue or leave the games with their own shares. In-ho votes for X this time, and the players are all sent home. Gi-hun goes back to the outside world and finds In-ho in a convenience store, but he knows him as Young-il.

REQUEST HERE

The warehouse reeked of stale sweat and blood as the players crowded into the middle, awaiting their turn to vote to continue or leave the games. The voting box was placed at the center of the room, ready for everyone to decide their life.

The red and blue buttons blinked softly on its surface like a heartbeat, waiting. For some, it was hope. For others, it was a cruel tease of a chance to escape. 

Gi-hun’s hands trembled as the last player, 001, took their turn. The vote had been close — shockingly so. The players were divided to Xs and Os, who had been nearly neck-and-neck after the Red Light, Green Light game bled the truth into their bones.

91 people died in less than five minutes into the game. There was no sugar-coating on such a bloody and violent scene. The gunshots still echoed behind their eyes.

Player 001 seemed to think first before pressing one of the buttons, adding to the tension. Gi-hun whispered under his breath as if he cheered for 001 to vote for X, so all of them could go home, and everyone could still have a chance to be saved. 

Or was it?

Was it really because he wanted everyone to be saved, or just to prove to the system that there is still something good in humanity?

Then, a click.

The computer above showed the score of votes, seeing a close call. 

X - 183, O - 182

A crowd of cheer erupted inside the warehouse, only to be interrupted by the lights being shut off, then a hiss of air followed. Gi-hun’s vision blurred, his heart pounded as he struggled to stay upright, but the weight of exhaustion and chloroform dragged him into darkness. 

——

Gi-hun awoke to the sting of cold pavement scraping his cheek.

Rain drizzled softly on the city street as Gi-hun groaned and pushed himself onto his hands and knees. The van’s taillights disappeared into the night, and the alley it had dumped him into was as empty as it was unfamiliar. He was back in Seoul, just like last time.

He wiped his nose with the back of his hand and froze, only to find a small, rectangular shape sitting in his palm, wrapped in plastic. It was a cassette tape, seemingly new, with three shapes on it - triangle, circle, and square. His pulse kicked into high gear as he looked around, but no one was in sight. Just the eerie hum of a city that truly never slept.

Gi-hun pulled the tape closer and saw a faint marking on the side, written in black ink.

“456.”

Gi-hun’s breath clouded in the cool air as he stood outside the nondescript apartment door, knuckles poised mid-air. The city buzzed below like it always had. But in his chest, something old had awakened. The tape sat like lead in his jacket pocket.

The door creaked open before he could knock, seeing Jun-ho staring back at him, who seemed scruffy, leaner, and shadows carved beneath his eyes.

“Gi-hun,” Jun-ho said, his eyes with a hint of question as he looked at him. “You’re back. How?”

Gi-hun stepped in without asking, pulling the cassette from his jacket and showing it to Jun-ho. He immediately closed the door as Gi-hun placed the cassette on the kitchen table like a loaded gun.

Jun-ho narrowed his eyes. “What is that?”

“A message from the inside,” Gi-hun’s voice was low and hoarse. “There’s something else. They took out the tracker.”

Jun-ho blinked. “What?”

“In my tooth. It’s gone. Someone knew it was there. They knew it from the from start,” Gi-hun’s hands trembled as he rubbed at his jaw.

A long silence followed, broken only by the soft click of Jun-ho inserting the cassette into an old player and hitting play. The tape hissed before starting, then came a voice.

“I must admit, watching you squirm has been… entertaining.”

A soft static crackles.

“Gi-hun, you should’ve taken your prize and disappeared. But I suppose you’ve never known when to walk away to try and be a hero.”

A pause came, then a faint sound that seemed like footsteps or breathing. 

“You thought you were clever. Hiding a tracker in a tooth? Cute. But I’ve been watching longer than you’ve been planning.”

The voice lowers, almost a whisper now. A sharp breath caught in Gi-hun’s throat.

“You should’ve stayed gone, Seong Gi-hun. You want to expose us? Tear everything down? Fine. But know this: while you waste time chasing shadows, we’ve already found her.”

Jun-ho’s head snapped toward Gi-hun.

“She looks so much like her mother.”

Gi-hun surged forward and slammed a fist on the table. “You son of a—“

The player stopped as Gi-hun was shaking now, clenching his teeth, curling his fists until they turned white. “He knows about Ga-yeong. He’s threatening my daughter.”

Jun-ho’s mouth opened, then shut. Something passed behind his eyes, something along the lines of guilt, recognition, or restraint. The cassette whirred softly behind them, tape still spooling, like a ticking clock counting down to something neither of them could stop.

The day when the line between brother and monster would no longer be a line, but a fog — bleeding through every breath he took, every step he retraced. But knowing that the voice belonged to his brother, crackling through the cassette player, was like being buried alive in guilt all over again. 

He hadn’t slept much since returning from searching around the islands. Sleep came in bursts, always haunted by the rhythmic thud of bodies hitting the ground, the clicking of guns disguised as toys. 

And his brother’s face. Always, his brother’s face.

But Gi-hun’s reaction had shaken something loose in him. That rage and fear. It wasn’t just about revenge anymore. Now, it was personal for him too. They crossed a line.

Jun-ho watched Gi-hun pace the room like a cornered animal. He knew that look. He had seen it in the mirror for years.

What if Jun-ho had pulled the trigger first? What if he didn’t hesitate back then, on the cliff…?

Jun-ho swallowed hard, his voice hollow as he broke the silence. “There’s a chance it’s a bluff.”

Gi-hun rounded on him. “Would you bet your daughter’s life on that?”

Jun-ho didn’t answer. In fact, he couldn’t. Because deep down, he knew In-ho never bluffed.

Jun-ho walked into the bathroom, shut the door behind him, and leaned heavily on the sink. In the mirror, his reflection stared back with eyes that didn’t belong to the cop who once believed in justice. They were the eyes of someone who knew too much — who lived too long in the underworld without dying. 

He couldn’t tell Gi-hun the truth — how he knew it was his brother who’s been running the games along and was a player. Because he knew that if he did, Gi-hun would run into hell blind.

——

The rain pattered against the glass as Gi-hun sat at the tiny plastic table near the window, slurping instant ramen like it was the first meal he had in days. In truth, it probably was. He stared into the broth as if it could answer the questions clawing at his brain.

The bell above the door jingled softly. Gi-hun barely glanced up, until he heard a voice.

“Mind if I sit?”

Gi-hun looked up, almost startled. A man stood across from him, casual in posture but sharp in the eyes. He wore a weathered jacket, sleeves slightly too long, and a disarming smile on his face.

“I saw you from the inside,” the man added. “Thought you looked familiar.”

Gi-hun blinked. “Have we met?”

The man nodded. “Briefly, I think. In the games.”

Gi-hun studied his face, but nothing rang a bell. Still, something about the man was unsettlingly calm. 

“You played?” Gi-hun asked.

The man took the seat across from him, folding his hands. “First game was Red Light, Green Light. It was total chaos. I tapped out early.” He took the seat across from Gi-hun. “Oh, and I’m Young-il, by the way.”

Gi-hun nodded. “Gi-hun.”

Young-il’s eyes lit up with interest. “So, It’s true then. You’re the winner from the last game.”

Gi-hun didn’t answer right away, but the man’s gaze was unwavering, so he shrugged. “Yeah, if you could call it that. I spent months trying to figure out how to stop it. Now I’m working with someone… trying to take it down.”

Young-il’s lips curled slightly. “Is that so?”

Gi-hun frowned, which seemed to make Young-il chuckle, much to his surprise. He leaned back in his seat, lifting both hands in mock surrender.

“Sorry, I’m not here to cause trouble. Just… I guess I needed someone to talk to. My wife’s in the hospital.”

Gi-hun's suspicion softened slightly. “Oh?”

Young-il nodded, eyes lowering. “She’s seven months pregnant. Liver cirrhosis. Doctors say she might not survive the birth,” Young-il paused, then continued. “We needed the money. That’s why I signed up. But I didn’t make it past the first night. Coward, right?”

Gi-hun shook his head. “No one who left that place is a coward.”

Young-il’s smile returned, faint and thoughtful. “Thanks.”

The silence that followed felt heavier than before. Then, Young-il pulled something from his pocket, which seemed to be a small, crisp invitation card, just like the ones given before the games.

“There’s a new date, and I got two cards. I don’t know why they gave me two.”

He slid one across the table to Gi-hun, who looked down at it, his heart thudding. 

“I think they want us back,” Young-il said, his voice quieter now. “Maybe it’s a second chance. Or maybe something else.”

Gi-hun pocketed the card slowly. “Why give me yours?”

Young-il shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe you might want to think about it? I’m not really sure. But given what you’ve told me, maybe this could be your way in to… tear everything down.”

Gi-hun’s hand hovered in the air for a moment before he took the card and looked it over. It had the same symbols and format, like déjà vu written in ink. 

The date was five days from now. 

Young-il smiled faintly, rain dripping from his lashes. “The games might be full of traps, but after seeing my wife again, I definitely need the money.”

Young-il turned, ready to walk away when Gi-hun called after him. “Wait! What are you planning to do? Are you going back in again?”

Young-il glanced over his shoulder, the words leaving his mouth left Gi-hun in pure shock.

“Some of us never left.”

----

REQUEST HERE

[hwang-inhos-fish]

Oneshot where Gi-hun tells Jun-hee a bedtime story in the player dormitory featuring himself as a stray cat, the Front Man as a black fox, and the VIPs as wolves.

(Obviously In-ho, always listening, overhears and has Feelings about how Gi-hun is telling his own story, through this layer of abstraction and anonymity.)

(Sang-woo is portrayed as another street cat from Main Character Cat's home alleyways. When Gi-hun gets to the part about the gray cat (SW) killing the brown cat's (GH) adoptive kitten (SB), Jun-hee asks, "Did they fight?" and Gi-hun nods solemnly. "Who won?" she asks in a hushed whisper, and In-ho listens with his heart racing for reasons he can't name when Gi-hun says, "It was a draw.")

[allthingswhumpyandangsty]

heard someone say archive of our own should install a "dislike" button and I thought I should say this: no, there's absolutely no need for archive of our own to install a "dislike" button.

why? because archive of our own isn't tiktok or youtube or twitter/x where users can monetize their content. archive of our own is a nonprofit site run by fans for fans, which means every content — every fanfic — you see on archive of our own was made out of pure love and passion from the artists/authors.

ao3 authors write because writing about these characters is their happiness and passion. they write for themselves, but they were generous enough to share with you their creations.

they're not "content creators" the way tiktokers or youtubers or instagram models are. they don't "make content" for views and engagements that can be monetized.

so no, you don't get to "grade their works" unless they specifically and directly ask you to.

you don't get to "say what you dislike about their works" unless they specifically and directly ask you to.

you don't get to "dislike" works that are not made specifically to please you in the first place. you're just a guest in someone's house, a house in which they let you in because they were kind, you don't get to roam around their house and say what you dislike about their furniture. you don't get to roam around their house and say you "dislike their house".

of course, you can have your opinion about the house its host invites you in. but if it's a negative one and you find yourself not liking the house, the polite things for you to do is excuse yourself and leave without telling them you dislike their house.

and just because you personally dislike the house doesn't mean the house is "ugly" either. the house you dislike could be a favorite, most luxurious place to many others.

my point is, don't be entitled by wanting the rights to voice your disapproval of things that you get to enjoy for free. don't be entitled by wanting the rights to voice your disapproval of things that were made out of love and passion — things the artists made for themselves for fun.

it makes you look like an entitled jerk with main character syndrome. the universe does not revolve around you.

now repeat after me: don't like don't read. no one forces you to continue reading a fic you don't like. quietly leave instead of being rude to authors who write for free because writing is their source of comfort.

people are so used to contents that were made because it's a trend / contents like tiktok that were made with the main purpose of reaching high engagement and making profits that they forget sometimes things can be made out of love and be made just for fun. sometimes things are supposed to just be for people to enjoy, and if some people don't enjoy them, then they can simply leave without being unnecessary unkind.

[shyjusticewarrior]

At some point "fanfic can be as good as professional writing" became "fanfic should be as good as professional writing" and that's caused major damage to fandom spaces.

[angelsdean]

like i'm sorry but we as a fandom have to stay firm on our anti-AI values. we cannot suddenly start giving AI a pass when it's something we "want to see" like destiel kisses. it's not suddenly fine. we're not going to start using AI to make fanfic scenes come to life or audio AI to make characters "say" stuff we want to hear. you have GOT to be firm on your anti-AI stance. if you start making exceptions then suddenly anything will fly. fandom is for real art and creations made by real people. no AI fanfics. no AI art. no AI rendered "bonus" scenes. no AI audio. none of it has a place here.

[allthingswhumpyandangsty]

reblog if you’re okay with people writing fanfics of your fanfics and/or fanfics inspired by your fanfics

[zerozerozio]

bring back tumblr ask culture let me. bother you with questions and statements

[boimann]

reblog to let people know it's ok to bother you with questions and statements

[notyetgolden]

[starryeyed-firefly]

canon to me