Squid Game AU.
Please don't read this if you are uncomfortable with the yandere!
Pairing: Yandere!Player!Kagami x Reader
tw: obsession, death of characters, description of the murder, swearing (little)
I almost brought myself to tears as I wrote this ._.
"Don't worry. Everything will be fine. We can handle it."
Kagami says this and puts his hand on your shoulder, trying to comfort you. A lie is bitter. Should she continue to feed you with deception? The girl looks around dubiously at the other players. Then her gaze returns to your cheered face again and she realizes that she is standing. Anything is worth a happy sparkles in your eyes.
~
Kagami prefers not to think about what awaits you. She just comes up with clever tactics when the situation calls for it. Sometimes she does not do what is needed, but what she wants. In moments like this, she just pretends what it is tactic. As now, when she covered the disgusting face of this bastard and cut his throat with a quick, well-aimed movement. A piece of broken glass from a bathroom wrapped in a piece of T-shirt turned out to be an excellent weapon. These actions are dangerous. This can provoke another night riot. You may even get hurt in the process. Therefore, she is especially careful. She needs to render harmless this person before he harms you. This is a tactic to protect you. He was dangerous, and you didn't even notice what a dirty look he was throwing at you. You didn't notice how his hands itched when everyone was crowded and you got too close. You didn’t notice how he immediately asked to go to the restroom when you went there. Each time, Kagami was there, interfering with his plans. She will end it today. She's had enough.
~
The next night you lie with a girl on her bed. You are fast asleep. The game was especially hard today. But Kagami can't sleep. Her eyes got used to the darkness and she finally saw something that no one else had seen. Drawings of games on the walls. There are still many beds. This overlaps most of the drawings. But the girl sees enough. She sees geometric shapes and two human. And why didn't she think about it right away? It's so obvious. There can only be one winner.
~
Kagami is a cunning person. But today the game turned out to be trickier. It happened faster than she planned. She squeezes a pouch of glass beads and smiles regretfully at you. The look on your face breaks her heart, but she doesn't say anything. There is no point in lying further. Everything is clear. In this game, only one of you will cope. The girl remembers her promise to take care of you. Would it be a care to send you on to risk your life? Or is it better to leave you here. If she can't be there, then you won't last long. Perhaps you will lose in the next game. Or maybe you will reach the final and these cruel people will snatch the last grains of hope from your hands. They will leave you to die alone. Cold-blooded soldiers will put a bullet at you. They won't even remember your face. And she will not be there to comfort you in the last minutes of your life. None of these choices qualify as caring.
You are so distracted by your own pain that you do not notice its actions. Kagami holds out his hands, clenched into fists, and offers to solve everything at once. You just need to guess in which hand the bead is. You reluctantly point to her right hand. She opens her hand to reveal the cursed item. You win. In a panic, you ask for another round. The pink guard is slowly approaching you. He saw the agreement and the outcome of your game. Kagami hurts, but she smiles. This is the only time she thought about herself and realized that she could not leave you behind, even if it was best for you. She cannot take the future away from you. She doesn't need a life that doesn't have you. The girl shoves her pouch into your hand, along with the bead, and pushes it towards the exit. She orders you to win. For her, for herself, for anyone. Just survive.
The guard points a pistol at Kagami. She thinks of you for the last time. A lie is bitter. And the other glass bead in her left hand is very, very heavy. But she knows it's all for the happy sparkle in your eyes.ki
Reminder: English is not my native language. There may be errors here
I have more headcanon content. (I wrote too many.) Let me know if you want to see part 2 ╰(*°▽°*)╯
Please don't read this if you are uncomfortable with the yandere! Pairing: Yandere! Tangerine x Reader, Yandere! Lemon x Reader tw: platonic obsession, restriction of freedom, invasion of privacy (reading other people's correspondence), infantilization of the reader
Being a sibling to these two is definitely not an easy task. They love you more than their own lives. And they will do almost anything to make you happy. But work makes them terribly controlling.
Minimal social contacts. No schools or universities. The most you can hope for is homeschooling. They will be against you working. Darling, the Twins are some of the best assassins. Anyone could want to hurt you to get revenge on them. No one in the criminal world should know about your existence.
Another important point for them is the need to frequently change their place of residence. Despite owning properties in various locations around the world, they prefer not to stay in one place for too long. You will be able to visit a bunch of different countries and cities. As a compromise, the Twins are willing to occasionally return to the place you liked living the most. But only on the condition that you behave well.
It's most likely that such family relationships have developed since your shared childhood. I can't imagine these guys taking someone off the street and suddenly placing them in their family. That's impossible. They don't trust anyone. They don't let anyone get too close. But the fact that you grew up with them is more plausible. The older you all got, the deeper they got into the criminal world, the more they protected you. It was a slow and gradual process. Because of this, you didn't experience a strong shock from the restrictions and simply got used to these circumstances.
Tangerine is a bad cop. He constantly forbids everything and is the first to punish. It's important to him that you obey. But he does this not for his own sense of control, but so that you are always prepared for a dangerous situation. He does not tolerate fooling around in the face of a threat to your lives. If he says to hide and stay quiet, you do it. If he says to run, you don't ask questions and run.
Lemon is the one who pushes you into silly, funny adventures and then pretends he had nothing to do with it (an absolute rascal). After that, he throws crackers into your room window to make the punishment a bit more bearable. He relies more on your ingenuity and cunning in a dangerous situation. In his opinion, Tangerine underestimates you.
Punishments, though unpleasant, are not too harsh. They may lock you in a room for a few hours to a few days (Of course, they will continue to feed you. This is not torture). You may also lose various privileges, such as walking around the city with your brothers and some types of entertainment. There is a possibility of receiving a temporary ban on using the internet.
About the internet. Negotiating with them about this was the most difficult thing in your life. But through arguments (mostly Tangerine's shouting) and discussions, you all managed to find a compromise. They allowed it, but set several rules for you.
Rule #1: Maintain anonymity.
Rule #2: No real-life meetings.
Rule #3: Tangerine can read all your messages at any time. (Sometimes this "honorable" task falls to Lemon. Usually when Tangerine is busy. Then Lemon takes your phone and with the most concentrated expression he can muster, reads memes for 10 minutes. Afterward, he tells Tangerine there's nothing suspicious in the messages. This guy is the best bro in the universe.)
Most often, Tangerine is the one you go out for walks with. He takes you to trendy boutiques and restaurants. Sometimes it seems to you that he does this just to have a reason to give a menacing look to other visitors who dare to flirt with you, or to start a fight with those who are rude. You roll your eyes every time at his nasty character when you get kicked out of a trendy restaurant because of a fight or his foul language. (God. How does this guy manage to work undercover? He has zero patience.) He simply shrugs and says it's not his fault. However, Tan genuinely enjoys spending time with you. He listens attentively and remembers everything. Tangerine feels a slight guilt for partly keeping you away from their lives and constantly disappearing on missions with Lemon. But he understands that this part of their life is dangerous. Therefore, he tries to make up for the lack of communication with these walks. He hopes this will help you not feel lonely. Sometimes when he pulls a stick out of his ass, you have a lot of fun with him. He taught you how to shoot a gun and basic self-defense techniques. At the same time, he's confident that these skills will never be needed for you. He and Lemon always watch over you and are ready to remove anyone who gets in their way.
Lemon is the one you spend lazy evenings with. Watching movies and eating all sorts of goodies are your main goals on every such evening. (He always suggests watching Thomas & Friends, but you swear that soon you'll start feeling nauseous from how often you've watched it.) Lemon is more approachable of the two brothers. Because of this, you talk more openly with him and often trust him with important secrets. Lemon honestly keeps it (which annoys Tangerine, but he can't do anything about it), but only as long as it's not something really important that he feels needs to be discussed with his brother. He often gives great life advice, though he disguises it as characters from the Thomas. Also Lemon loves to get on Tangerine's nerves through you. If there's something you can do to annoy Tangerine, under Lemon's careful guidance, you'll do it. And you don't mind. When else will you have the chance to get back at Tangerine for being such a jerk?
I need a yandere miraculous ladybug x reader like air. Please somebody.
Extra points for yandere Luka ┬┴┬┴┤( ͡° ͜ʖ├┬┴┬┴
Can I request a scenario with yandere Zoe (she is very fantastic girl), where s/o protects her from Chloe? And after that moment Zoe falls in love with s/o
A little reminder. Please don't read this if you are uncomfortable with the yandere!
(There are more than 200 of you. Wow ❤️)
Pairing: Yandere!Zoe x Reader
tw: Violence, abuse (not for the reader), non-consensual kissing
Chloe's hostility was no secret to anyone in the class. She liked to make fun of someone. Sometimes she openly humiliated people. Do not count how many people akumatized through her fault.
---
You stood among the crowd in the hallway of the school, looking at the next Chloe's tantrum. With the recent arrival of her sister, scandals have become even more. You ignored the squeals, not even trying to listen to the words. Any minor trifle could become the cause of the hysteria. Your eyes went from one scared and cowering blonde to another. Hatred burned in Chloe's eyes. You rolled your eyes. Why can't she just ignore what she doesn't like? Chloe shifted her position and you instinctively lunged forward, grabbing her hand. The crowd fell silent. The girl almost hit her sister in the face. Under dozens of condemning looks, she shuddered, finally shutting up. Her face turned red to the ears and she pulled her hand out of your grip and hurried away.
-Th… thanks. - Zoe says the first time. Her voice was trembling and her eyes were in tears. She was still frightened, but is grateful to you.
-Yep. - You brush aside her thanks, carefully take her by the elbow and lead her towards the restroom - away from prying eyes.
---
-What's your answer? - the girl glanced lazily around the library. When she didn't hear your answer, she turned around. Your soft sleeping face met her.
From that day on, Zoe couldn't take her eyes off you. Her heart fluttered every time you spoke to her. No one had ever stood up for her so bravely. She greedily clung to any chance to spend time with you.
Zoe quietly calls your name to check if you are sound asleep. You don't react. She looks back. There is no one in the library except you. Zoe leans into your face and quickly steals a short kiss. This is the best day of her life.
😂😂😂😂omg !! Love the Yandere incorrect quotes ! Yan Adrien is a himbo , yan Luka is baby ! And Yan Mari hun your yandereness is showering ! (Also just read your yandere luka story , it was great can’t wait to see what else you have planned !) ♥️
Oh i'm so excited! Thanks for your feedback. This is very valuable to me~ ╰(▔∀▔)╯
To be honest, I have no special plans. I'm just writing something that I think is missing. (Yandere miraculous ladybug is definitely missing (」°ロ°)」)
But there is something in stock. With Chat Noir. I'll be happy to share, but give me a little time to finish this.
You suffer a mental episode relapse after months of battling stress and you're too far from your family for them to help nurse you back to health. Luckily, your roommate has volunteered to assist you.
Warnings: dubcon/sexual coercion (fingering, short description of piv sex), mental disorders, slight infantilization, manipulation, forced isolation, controlling behaviours, gaslighting, reader is mentally unstable and nanami is making it worse, dead dove do not eat
You never thought it would’ve gotten this bad again. You thought that it had finally become manageable, that it was dormant enough for you to be able to live on your own again.
But you underestimated it, forgot how terrible it could get once it emerged. Not wanting to face the reality of it returning, you ignored the signs and symptoms in hopes that you wouldn’t have to put your half-baked plans to mitigate it to action. But distracting yourself with gallery deadlines and pretending that everything is fine could only do so much, and it only took one rejection email for everything to bubble up and burst through your chest, and for you to end up on the kitchen floor of your flat, knife dangerously close to your flesh, crying hysterically as Kento, your roommate, lurched towards you with terror in his eyes.
It was because of him that you weren’t dead. It was also because of him that you were now clad in a medical gown and grippy socks, laying against the rigid hospital bed, waiting for the doctor to come in and tell you that after 5 grueling days of tests and meds and various therapies, you can finally go home. When the doctor did finally emerge, Kento was at her side. The sight of him was no longer surprising, with him visiting you every day of your stay and playing advocate in place of your mother, who couldn’t make the trip into this side of the country due to her injured back.
“Came to listen in on my sentencing, Kento?” you greeted him. A tiny grin formed on his usually stoic face.
“A joke. You really are improving.” he responded. You smiled in response.
“Good news,” the doctor called your name. “Our test results do not indicate any need for further inpatient treatment. You’re free to leave. However, it’s heavily advised that you take your prescribed medication for the next 6 weeks for stabilization. It might be a bit tough for you to do it routinely, but you’re very lucky to have such a dedicated and loving partner here to aid you in your recovery.” she smiled.
Partner? You blushed in embarrassment at the mistake, but it was understandable that she would’ve come to that conclusion. It’s not exactly common for a simple roommate to go as far as he has in terms of checking up with you, and while you were far from ungrateful for his efforts, you did find it a bit odd. It didn’t help that he made no attempt to correct the doctor, opting to carry on the conversation with a stoic expression.
“Yes, Doctor. There’s no need to worry. I’ve followed your guidelines and made the necessary preparations.” He glanced at you, eyes softening.
“There’s nothing I won’t do to ensure that you recover properly.”
The car ride home was silent, awkwardly so. Kento made no effort to explain his behaviour at the hospital to you, and you felt it wouldn’t be in good taste to start questioning the man who saved your life as soon as you got discharged. You eventually gave up on mulling over it once your apartment building came into view, the prospect of a nice home cooked meal and the comfort of your own bed flooding your mind with relief.
Kento set your bags down near your bedroom door as you took a deep breath to let the comforting smell of your own space wash over you. The comfort didn’t last too long though, because when your eyes followed him moving towards the kitchen, feelings of guilt and embarrassment poked at your chest.
“Kento,” you started, looking down at your feet. “I’m really sorry that-”
“Are you hungry?” he cut you off, tying one of your aprons around his waist. “I’ll make you something. You should get some rest in the meantime. I’m sure you missed your bed.”
“Listen to me Kento,” you pushed. “I just want to-”
“If you want to apologise to me over something you had little control over, you’re wasting your time. I won’t accept it.” He stated.“I’m just glad that you’re safe. Now, go rest.”
When you finally woke up from your blissful nap, the sun had already set. As you stretched lazily, your eyes caught on to the changes that were made to your room that your prior tiredness prevented you from seeing before, the most notable change being the absence of some very important items.
“Hey, Ken,” you approached him at the table. “Where’s my laptop?”
“The doctor ordered that you stay away from the internet and work until the mood stabilizers settle you.” he replied nonchalantly as he continued to set the table. You scoff.
“No work, either? Is that why I can’t find my art supplies too?” you folded your arms.
“Exactly. You can’t use your phone either.” He pulled out one of the chairs, gesturing for you to sit.
“How am I supposed to talk to my mom, then? What exactly am I supposed to do in general?” you asked, sounding a bit more incensed than you hoped. Kento remained impassive, giving you a quick glance before returning his focus on plating the food.
“There’s no need to worry, I planned for all of this. You can use my phone to call your mother. I've been keeping in contact with her ever since your admission and I’ve promised to keep her updated. As for keeping you occupied, I’ve followed the guidelines that the doctor provided and organized some activities that you can do in the meantime. I know how much you crave creative expression, so I took extra measures to ensure that you can still freely do so. You’ll start tomorrow. I’ll also be working remotely from now on, so you can always come to me if you’d like to talk.”
You figured that you should be feeling grateful that he meticulously planned out everything for you, but all you felt was a familiar unease. Prior to all of this, the best and only way you could describe your relationship with Kento was that he was the perfect roommate; quiet, considerate, responsible, reserved. Despite living with him and being on a first-name basis with him, you knew little about his personal life and most of your conversations had never been more than polite banter, yet it was clear that all this time, he’s been observing you. Still, he was the only person who was available to help you, so you swallowed any remaining anxieties in favour of believing his intentions are pure.
“Let’s eat.” He cut through the silence.
As you looked down to pick up your utensils, you noticed what could only be another one of his preparations.
“A baby spoon and plate to eat oyakadon?” you looked at him, exasperated. His mouth twitched slightly. “I can’t trust you with anything too sharp right now. You understand, right?”
You sighed. It was going to be a long six weeks.
The rest of the night was uneventful. You took a shower, brushed your teeth, and decided not to acknowledge Kento standing outside your bathroom door the entire time. He watched you as you took your medication, making sure that you took every pill correctly. When you climbed into bed, he took a seat at your desk chair, saying that he just wanted to stay with you until you fell asleep. You were too tired to protest.
When you woke up in the morning, the world felt hazy, your body heavy. Side effects of the medication that would wear off in a few hours was what Kento told you when you made your way to the table for breakfast. Keeping true to his word, after you finished eating he let you call your mom, and you spent half of the phone call listening to her gush about how thoughtful of a man he was, how he called her everyday to soothe her worries about you, and that you were lucky to have him around while she couldn’t be there. The last part sounded as if she believed you two were a couple, but you didn’t have the energy or the heart to explain to her that Kento was just being a really thorough and kind guy. You doubt she’d believe you anyway. You barely believe it yourself.
When the grogginess started to clear up later in the morning, he introduced you to one of the activities that was supposed to help ‘satisfy your need for creative expression’; an assortment of colouring books, each one clearly designed for children under the age of six. Before you could open your mouth, Kento began to explain.
“Colouring is considered a very relaxing and stress-free activity. Your doctor suggested that completing a few pages a day should help you recover properly.”
“I get that part, and I’m grateful, don’t get me wrong, it’s just… I think I’d enjoy colouring in things that are a little more complicated than cartoon princesses and giant numbers, Ken.” you reply. He offered you a sympathetic smile.
“I understand that this is below your caliber but it’s only temporary. I suggest you give it a try.”
You sighed in response, reaching for the crayons. Kento’s face briefly softened before he turned his attention to his laptop. The two of you stayed in the living room like this for the rest of the morning, working mostly in silence, occasionally breaking it to make small talk about Kento’s work or your colouring progress.
As soon as noon arrived, you were given lunch, another preparation made by him. When you were done eating, you spent the rest of your afternoon doing crosswords and sudoku puzzles, or “brainteaser activities” as Kento called them. You were given a short break to follow the doctor’s recommended stretching routine, and then the two of you ate dinner while watching some lighthearted television. The rest of the night followed the same pattern as the one before; you cleaned up, took your meds in front of him, and fell asleep with him watching you.
Soon, this routine became the norm, with very little variation. But if it was helping you get better, you couldn’t tell. It was becoming more apparent that the side effects of the medication were starting to last longer, with the initial morning haziness now bleeding into the afternoons, and the monotony and simplicity of the activities given to you only amplified the feelings of dullness that permeated through your skull. Still, feeling numb was miles better than feeling suicidal, and Kento didn’t seem to have any concerns about your quieter demeanor, so you figured it would be best to simply rally through it.
Until you nearly cracked your skull open on the bathroom sink.
You barely even remembered it. You got up in the middle of the night with the intense urge to pee, which was rare these days thanks to your meds usually knocking you out until morning. You remember stumbling down the hallway and then waking up in Kento’s strong arms, your head pounding and his eyes bulging out as he shakily called your name, just as he did on the night of your breakdown.
The following morning, you were still laying in bed as Kento sat near the edge of it, his calloused fingers rubbing circles absentmindedly on your calf as he relayed to you the doctor’s new instructions. If it wasn’t for the constant throbbing in your head, you might’ve had the mental energy to feel confused about the intimacy of his touch, but right now it was taking all of your power to focus on what was being said.
“- so that’s why you’ll no longer take the antidepressant until your next ward review. You may experience some irritability and insomnia until then, but it’s nothing that can’t be fixed with some additions to the routine.” You nodded in acknowledgment, your eyelids heavy. You wanted him to stop talking so you could sleep off the pain.
“Furthermore, until your next appointment, I will be accompanying you to all your trips to the bathroom.” Your eyes shot open. You were wide awake now.
“Kento,” you mustered your strength. “I can’t let you do that.”
“It’s nothing,” he replied nonchalantly. “Just call for me whenever you need to- “
“No, I mean I won’t let you do that. It’s too weird.” you asserted.
“There’s no reason to feel ashamed, there are many people who need assistance for things like this.” he responded, his tone still neutral.
“Well I’m not one of them! I’m not that sick!” you raised your voice.
“You nearly split open your forehead trying to use the bathroom.I think it’s reasonable to-”
“You’re not gonna watch me piss and that’s final. I’ve let you take the reins these past few weeks and I’ll be glad to let you continue but not on this. No.”
You were expecting some sort of retaliation, another lecture about the importance of a buddy system for toilet time perhaps, but Kento simply sighed, stood up and wordlessly made his way to the door.
You were unsure if to take his silence as a sign that you won, but at this point your head was pulsating too much to ponder about it.
When you woke up, you found yourself needing to use the bathroom again. Thankfully this time you were able to control your body more properly and you managed to make it down the hallway to the bathroom door without any stumbling. But when you turned the handle, it didn’t move.
“It’s locked.”
You turned your head to see Kento sitting on the recliner in the living room, pretending to be engrossed in the book on his lap. When you caught sight of the bathroom key dangling in his hand, you couldn’t help but flare your nostrils.
“Do you think this is funny? Unlock the door.” you spat.
“I don’t think you potentially hurting yourself because of your pride is funny, no.” he responded nonchalantly.
“Did you not see me walk down the hall without a scratch? I’m fine!” you barked, trying to ignore the pressure building in your pelvis.
“Your tone is becoming rather hostile,” he replied. “It’s a bit concerning.”
The pressure was growing stronger, fueling your panic. “Kento, please. This is insane, if you don’t open this door I’ll, I’ll-”
He sighed, rising from his seat to walk towards you.
‘If you don’t want to wet yourself, I could offer you some adult diapers. I had them prepared in case your medication caused any incontinence.” Your mouth fell open at the suggestion. He cut you off before you could protest.
“Or,if you find that to be too inconvenient, we can go back to the original proposed arrangement. It’s your call.” he gave the key a light twirl. For the first time since you’ve known him, you wanted to cuss him out, to scratch those hazel eyes that were currently looking down at you as if you were some miserable child. But the fear of being humiliated even further cancelled out your indignation.
“Fine! Fine!” you trembled, squeezing your thighs together. “You can come in, just please unlock-”
Before you finished your sentence, Kento had placed the key in the handle and turned it. You were on the toilet before he cracked the door fully open. True to his word, he stood near the sink, waiting for you. Your face burned.
“I apologise for my harshness.” he murmured as you washed your hands. “I only did it because I don’t want you to get hurt again.”
You didn’t answer. Instead, you kept your gaze to your feet as you hurried to your room before he could revoke your right to cry in private too.
The days following the incident were torturous. You knew now that Kento was capable of cruelty, and that put you on edge. The air felt thick and heavy whenever the two of you were in the same room, but if Kento was aware of the tension, he was doing an excellent job of not showing it. His perpetually composed demeanor left you unnerved and unable to decipher his true intentions, a far cry from the days where it used to soothe you, back when you believed he was just being kind, if not a little neurotic. It was because of this shift in your perception of him that you continued to diligently follow this ridiculous routine despite how frustrated and angry it made you. You could no longer safely predict how he’d react if you did otherwise.
But the routine was suffocating and Kento was suffocating. He bled into every inch of your existence, he was the first voice you’d hear in the morning, and the last thing you’d see at night. He followed you wherever you went, he’d supervise your calls with your mother, he had a front row seat to your bathroom breaks and even though he swears that he doesn’t look when you have to strip yourself to shower, you’ve felt his eyes linger on your back.
And you were tired. Tired of playing along to avoid any possible repercussions, tired of pretending that his care and activities were doing something to help you, and tired of these fucking insulting colouring books.
“Kento,” you called to him calmly from the dining table, crayon still in hand. “I’ve finished all of the colouring books you’ve given me. May I have my sketchbook and drawing pencils back? I’m ready to start drawing again.”
He glanced at you from his place on the couch. “I can’t. The doctor’s guidelines state that I am to give you activities that will not cause any stress.” You felt your eye twitch.
“I think I can handle some doodling, Kento.” you responded, fists clenched.
“I’m sorry but you don’t know what you can handle, not in your current state. I won’t-”
“When are you going to stop treating me like a fragile flower?” you were barely hanging on to your composure.
“When you no longer are in a fragile state.”
“I’m not fragile, you’re just being a condescending prick.” you spat, composure slipped.
“What I’m doing,” he replied, annoyance dripping through his voice. “is trying to help you heal. Now please-”
Something in your chest snapped. Before you knew it, you had thrown your crayons directly at him, hitting him squarely in the chest.
“You’re not helping me! You’re making me miserable! Just give me my fucking shit you fucking- you fucking-” the pounding in your ears and heat coursing through your chest made it difficult to remain coherent.
Kento just stood there, collected as usual, staring into your wild, bloodshot eyes as you continued to breathe shakily, as if he was assessing your existence. After 20 seconds of his scrutinizing stare, he completed his assessment.
“The medication must be making you irritable as the doctor said. Your poor sleep may also be a factor. Let’s see about taking a nap, that may calm you.” he strode towards you.
“I’m not a cranky toddler you piece of-” you didn’t get to finish your statement before he swiftly wrapped his arms around your torso and lifted you, his grip tight enough to squeeze the air out of your lungs. Before you could look up at him, he moved one of hands to the back of your head and pushed it to his chest, forcing you to inhale the crisp scent of his shirt as he headed down the hallway, shushing your muffled protests. You heard the sound of keys turning a lock and a door opening before he released you by tossing you onto what seemed to be a mattress on the floor.
This wasn’t your room. This was supposed to be the office space that the two of you agreed to share, but instead of a small desk and chair in the corner and some easels near the window, the room was bare save for a standing lamp that was securely strapped to the floor, a large stuffed animal in the corner, the mattress that you were landed on, which was covered in frilly bed sheets and the addition of burglar proof grates on the window. You heard a click, and turned to see that Kento had left, closing the door that now only locked from the outside.
“I apologise for how bare-bones it is, I didn’t have enough time to finish it.” He spoke from behind the door. “I was honestly hoping that we wouldn’t have to use a safe room but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. Please try to get some rest. I’ll come back for you once you’ve calmed down.”
Rest was the last thing on your mind, not when your roommate basically placed you in a makeshift padded cell. You kicked, you banged and you screamed as many threats as you could to try.to get him to open the door, only to be met with silence on the other side of it. Eventually, your kicks and threats were reduced to weak knocks and pleas. When you saw the setting sun through the caged window, panic began to spread through your chest. It had been hours and Kento refused to even acknowledge your existence, and you had no idea how long he planned to keep you trapped in there. As time continued to pass slowly,there was little else to do aside from curl yourself up on the floor and wonder how things got so bad. Were you actually in the wrong about this? Was this actually your fault? Kento was just trying to help you, even if he was being a bit controlling about it. And you screamed in his face and threw things at him like a bratty child and he still didn’t get mad at you. He never gets mad, you’re the mad one. That’s why he locked you in here, you scared him. You scare everyone. You always scare everyone.
You should’ve never moved out of your mom’s house. You should’ve never felt guilty about the idea of her having to take care of you even in her old age. You should’ve never believed that you could live like a normal person. You’ll never be normal, you’ll never be healed no matter how many pills you take or routines you follow, you should’ve just finished what you were going to do before Kento walked in on you in the kitchen. At least that would’ve been quicker than starving to death in here and-
Click!
Your spiralling thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door finally opening. You found yourself at Kento’s feet, clinging to his pajama pants, tears spilling from your face, blubbering helplessly as your pride prevents you from properly apologising to him. You felt a hand rest at the top of your head, and through blurry eyes you looked up to see him looking down at you pitifully.
“It’s okay,” he cooed. “I know you can’t help it.” He helped you to your feet and took your hand to guide you back to your room. You were relieved, you were so incredibly relieved. He didn’t leave you to die, he wasn’t scared of you. He knows you can’t help it. He just wants to help.
You were sitting on your bed, freshly showered and properly fed when he spoke.
“I was going through the doctor’s guidelines on how to resolve your current issue.” he sat near the edge of the bed. “Unfortunately, even though you didn’t hurt me, your actions are considered to be violent.” Your eyes widened slightly. He continued. “It says that if you were to begin displaying violent tendencies, I am to contact the hospital to have you committed again. However, they will have to put you in seclusion, where you’ll be locked in a padded room that smells of filth and unlike me, they won’t hesitate to keep you in there for longer than two days. I don’t think you would want that, would you?”
You gulped. He was right, you didn’t want that.
“Please,” you rasped. “Is there anything you can do to avoid this?”
“Well, there is one last activity that I haven’t tried that is supposed to help soothe your symptoms. If it can calm your nerves effectively then I can delay having to call the hospital.” he inched closer.
“What is it?” you asked.
“We can add orgasm sessions to your routine.”
You blinked. You couldn’t have possibly heard that correctly.
“Add… what?”
He inched even closer, snaking a hand up your thigh. You tried not to recoil in disgust.
“It’s proven that orgasms release oxytocin and dopamine, which could help improve your mood and relax you. You could try to do it yourself, but if that’s not possible…” You caught a faint blush spread across his cheekbones, and your heart sank.
“I don’t- I don’t think I want-” you stammered to find the right words to reject this proposal without causing any repercussions. But he took your inability to form a sentence as an invitation to get even closer, shifting himself so that he was now in the center of your bed and you were in his lap, your back pressed against his solid chest.
“It’s okay if you’re a bit nervous,” his voice was gentle above you, eerily so. “I will admit I don’t have much experience but I won’t hurt you.” You felt his hands slip under your shirt, trailing along your sides, causing you to squirm at the contact.
“Kento, please I’m not sure if this is-” your protest is cut off by the feeling of his hands groping your breasts.
“Shh, don’t think. Just focus on how it feels.” He pressed a kiss into your temple. “I want this to work as much as you do. I don’t want you to leave me again.”
You didn’t have the time to process his words before one of his hands dropped to your core. You shut your thighs closed on instinct, and you heard him tut against your earlobe as he spread them apart again.
“Uh uh, none of that. I’m doing this to help you, remember?” You were trying your hardest to remember, to convince yourself that this was just another activity to help you, but the way he was touching you so eagerly, how you could feel something hard pressing against your lower back, and how he groaned with every open wet kiss he placed on your skin as he sunk his fingers deeper into you made it very difficult.
And despite his self-proclaimed lack of experience, whatever he was doing was working. You eventually found yourself succumbing to his ministrations, your mind unable to do much but swim in the waves of pleasure that flooded your body. When you finally came, it was probably the hardest orgasm you’d ever experienced in your life, your vision burning white as his whispered praises barely registered in your brain. But most importantly, it was over. The way you laid limp and pliant on your bed as Kento moved from underneath you was hopefully enough to convince him that you didn’t need to be committed again. You were waiting to hear the sound of Kento closing the door behind him before you could fully drift into a hopefully dreamless sleep, but it was taking a while for him to leave. It was only when you felt a pair of rough hands pulling apart your legs, you realised that he wasn’t done.
He was now breathing heavily above you, his hair disheveled, his face flushed and his eyes now filled with hunger instead of apathy. Your eyes dropped to his lower half, where he was using one of his hands to hold up your leg while his other hand was occupied with pumping his now exposed leaking cock that was getting dangerously close to your entrance. You felt your heart shatter.
“Kento, what are you doing?!? I- I thought-”
“It’s okay. I just think you should have one more. Let me take care of it.” he strained, hardly containing himself as he sunk into you.
_
Kento was still asleep in your bed when you woke up. This was your only chance. You slid out of the covers as quietly as you could and made your way down the hall to his bedroom. You would’ve made a break for the door if you didn’t already know that he changed the passcode for it. Instead, you needed to find your phone and get someone else to help you get away from this monster.
You rummaged through his drawers, his wardrobe and the cabinets in his bathroom before finally finding what you were looking for in his closet. Your phone and laptop were laying neatly on the floor in a ziploc bag. You closed yourself in to hide and with shaky hands, pressed the power button on your phone. You sighed with relief when you saw the familiar boot up screen pop up.
You called your mom. She would be the only person who’d believe you. She’d be able to send someone to collect you, to take you away from this cursed flat and to safety. When you heard her soft voice through the speaker, it took everything to not start bawling in the closet.
“Mom, please listen to me. I don't have much time. I’ll explain everything when I’m out of here but I need you to send someone to get me. Or maybe call the police. I just can’t stay here anymore. It’s Kento, he’s-”
The closet door slid open and you shrieked. Kento grabbed your wrist and yanked you to your feet, grabbing your phone in the process. You could hear your mother’s confused shouts coming from the phone over your own protests as he tossed you onto his bed and straddled you, pressing his full weight onto you. Before you could scream to your mother for help, he swiftly shoved one of his socks that was lying around in your mouth, gagging you. Once he was done silencing you, he turned his attention to your panicked mother.
“I’m so sorry ma’am, I was hoping to avoid something like this happening.” he spoke calmly. “But now you’ve witnessed it for yourself. How much worse she’s getting.” If you weren’t so frazzled, you’d roll your eyes. There was no way your mother would believe that this was some episode-
“Oh my, this is the first time her paranoia has gotten that bad. Have you spoken with the doctors?”
You froze. Why wasn’t she suspicious? Why was she actually listening to him?
“Yes I have.” he lied. “We’re waiting til her review next week. Hopefully, a change in medication might resolve this.”
“You have no idea how relieved I am that she found someone as dedicated and responsible as you, Ken. I was worried that I would have to take care of her alone for the rest of my life. I can rest easy knowing her fiance will be there to care for her.”
You tried your best to tell your mother that this lunatic was not your fiance and that she was being lied to, but all you could manage to make were pathetic, muffled whines. Kento remained nonplussed.
“Don’t worry, ma’am. Your daughter is in good hands.” He ended the call and tossed your phone somewhere on the floor, turning his full attention on you.
“Did you hear that?” he spoke, stroking your cheek. “Your mother just confessed that she was terrified of having to take care of you.” he gently pulled out the gag.
“That’s not true!” you wheezed, ignoring the burning dryness in your mouth. “She’s just being lied to!”
“And she believed it instantaneously. She didn’t even question why you never told her about our engagement yourself. She was all too happy to relinquish all of her duties to me.” he sounded as if he was disgusted. “I’m sorry, but she thinks of you as a burden. But it’s not just her.” He eased himself off of you and walked back to the closet. He kept talking even as you climbed out of the bed.
“Your friends, your coworkers, our neighbours. Everyone knew what happened to you and yet no one wanted to help you. No one even came to visit.” You ignored him and tried to pull open the door. He was behind you in an instant, placing one of his hands above you to push it back closed. You hesitantly turned to face him.
“Is that what you’re so desperate to return to? A world where no one cares about you?” he asked gently.
“I’d rather that than whatever the fuck is this.” you spat.
“Then you really are unwell.”
He swiftly took hold of your wrists, and that’s when you noticed what he was carrying in his arms. It resembled a sweater but its sleeves were way too long. A straitjacket.
You thrashed and kicked as much as you could to get out of his grip, but he was too strong, too overwhelming. You were soon restrained within the jacket, and Kento scooped you up into his arms as if picking up a swaddled baby. With the way you were crying, you might as well have been.
“That night I found you in the kitchen was the scariest night of my entire life.” he spoke softly as he carried you down the hallway. “The only person in the world that makes me feel worthy to feel alive and I nearly lost you because of your own mind, of all things. I was at a loss. I could protect you from other humans or accidents, but how could I protect you from yourself? Even now, I don’t know the answer.”
He opened a door. You were back in the poorly-constructed ‘safe room’ again. Your throat tightened.
“Regardless, I love you, and I want us to work. I want to enjoy your cooking again, I want to hear you laugh at the terrible sitcoms you make me watch. I want you to be perfect again.” He set you down on the mattress, and pressed a kiss to your temple. He made his way back to the door, and despite your desperate pleas, he once again closed it, leaving you trapped.
“And there’s nothing I won’t do to ensure that you’ll recover properly.”
I enjoy ur Moamao x reader x jinshi series! I would love a part 3!
Hi, sunshine. Thank you! Appreciate the feedback 💙 (I haven’t replied to requests this fast in a while lmao). Part 3 is ready :3
Yandere!Maomao X Reader X Yandere!Jinshi Please don't read this if you are uncomfortable with the yandere! tw: Jealousy (nothing special anymore) I think this time, more attention was given to Jenshi. I'll try to write about Maomao next time. She's a sunshine and also deserves her happy time with the reader! (ノ・ω・)ノ
Part one, Part two, Part three
— You want me to take part in the play? — you ask Jinshi in complete confusion. A thought creeps into your mind: has he lost his mind? As if agreeing with your thoughts, he gives you a confirming nod.
— You know I was assigned to organize the play. This performance is extremely important because the order comes almost directly from the Emperor. Everything has to be perfect. After all, it's a gift from the Emperor to the entire harem. There are only a couple of days left before the performance, but something happened that we weren’t prepared for. A few actors fell ill. Their roles are minor, but still crucial. We can't just remove them from the script, — Jinshi patiently explains the situation while your brain struggles to process it. He looks truly exhausted and tense. Organizing the event must have drained him. You start to feel a bit sorry for him, yet you still can't understand why he came to you with such a request.
— Just replace them with other actors.
— That’s impossible. All the actors are already involved, — Jinshi glanced at Gaoshun, who immediately joined the conversation.
— We also considered casting one of the concubines for the role, but one of the Emperor’s requirements was to keep the play’s storyline a secret until the main performance. We’re not sure whether the chosen concubine would be able to maintain that secrecy.
After Gaoshun’s words, things became a little clearer. You exchanged glances with Maomao. She had been quietly listening the whole time, stirring a mixture with a wooden spoon.
Jinshi took your hand in his and pressed it against his chest. The spoon in Maomao’s hand let out a desperate crack.
— Please, don’t refuse. I don’t know anyone else suited for this role whom I trust as much as you. I promise, everything will go smoothly. I’ll be right there with you. All we need to do is step onto the stage and perform a short dialogue. There’s still time before the performance. We can rehearse, — with each sentence, Jinshi moved closer. You barely noticed, too distracted by your own anxiety.
Performing in such an important play, in front of everyone—it was nerve-wracking. Oh, Emperor! What if you forgot your lines? But Jinshi was so serious, so certain that he would be by your side. Surely, he would help if anything went wrong. Your heart slowly softened. You wanted to help him.
— What’s the role?
— Lovers.
His answer struck like thunder in a clear sky. A loud crack echoed in the room. The poor spoon — it seems to have broken. You cursed internally. You should have suggested Maomao for the role instead. Such a golden opportunity, wasted.
---
You stand on an improvised stage set up in one of the large halls. A couple of eunuchs are busy checking the props. The main cast has gone on a lunch break. Jinshi said that the two of you should practice a few times on your own before joining the final rehearsal with everyone else later today.
Tense, you try to discreetly wipe your sweaty palms on your skirt. You can’t even imagine how you’re supposed to act. You’ve never experienced anything like this before. Unfortunately, no one thought to teach you acting skills between rounds of physical labor. The harem really should reconsider its system.
Right now, you’d gladly trade places with Maomao — not just for the sake of her and Jinshi’s bright future, but for your own peace of mind. You cast a helpless glance at the makeshift audience area. Maomao gives you an encouraging smile, trying to cheer you up. Gaoshun nods approvingly and gives you a thumbs-up. Your attention shifts back to Jinshi, who is patiently waiting. He’s too kind to pressure you, letting you take your time. You promised to help. There’s no turning back now.
Blushing slightly and taking a deep breath, you finally begin to say your lines.
— Ah, my beloved! Is fate not cruel? We come from different worlds! — you sigh dramatically, crossing your arms over your chest.
— Fate? I won’t let destiny decide for us! — With a sly smile, the man takes your hand and leans in, his lips almost brushing against your fingers.
To your surprise, Jinshi slips into his role effortlessly, as if he’s been acting his whole life. Watching his confident performance, you start to relax, feeling a little bolder.
— But what will people say?! What will my father say?! — You pull your hand away, turning your back to him, clenching your fists. Jinshi gently turns you back toward him, reaching for your chin and tilting your face up.
— Let them say what they will… You are all I need.
Maomao, watching the rehearsal, takes a hurried sip of tea, trying to hide the nervous twitch on her face. Was this cursed scene supposed to be this intense?
She knew. She felt it. No actor had actually fallen ill. That wretched eunuch had planned everything from the very start.
— Then… then kiss me, if your feelings are true! — you said, your lips trembling.
Jinshi smiles broadly and slowly leans in closer, enjoying the way Maomao grips her cup tighter. Gaoshun nervously swallows. It seemed like, any moment now, the apothecary might start killing. At the last second, you place your palm on Jinshi's face and suddenly pull back.
— No! I can't! — you cry out dramatically.
Maomao exhales in relief. Jinshi laughs, throwing a brief glance at her. With feigned regret, he delivers the final line.
— What a pity… I really tried so hard.
The eunuchs, who had abandoned their work somewhere during your rehearsal, suddenly clap. They enthusiastically mention that the passion between the lovers was played out so convincingly. Encouraged by their praise, you bow to them gratefully. As you finish, Jinshi places his hand on your shoulder.
— You did wonderfully… So, shall we do it again?
You mentally apologize to Maomao, feeling regret. How did it happen that you stole her shining moment? A crack of glass is heard. The poor cup… It seems to have broken.
I finished watching season 5 of Ladybug. Wait… what? What was it? I want to love this the series but it makes me suffer (т_т)
Please don't read this if you are uncomfortable with the yandere! tw: Jealousy, persecution Enjoy reading! (ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ*:・゚✧
Everything highlighted in purple is Jinshi’s thoughts.
You constantly forget to bow to important figures, trip over your own feet, ask awkward questions... and laugh just a little too loudly. “They keep breaking protocol. I remember every mistake they make, yet somehow... I don’t feel annoyed.”
He finds himself listening for your footsteps. When you're in the corridor — he knows. When you're not — he knows that too. He's started noticing even when you're late by just a few minutes. “I should be focusing on the reports. Where are they? Who’s delayed them? Why don’t I know?”
Sometimes you leave little things behind in his office — a handkerchief, a ribbon, a feather. He keeps them. All of them. Hides them in his desk drawer. Sometimes, when he’s alone, he opens it just to look. “Their scent is almost gone. I should ask them for another handkerchief. Or... make them forget they ever left it here. That way, it’ll be mine.”
His jealousy is subtle. Almost invisible. You laugh with someone else. Thank another man for helping you. Bow just a little lower than usual. Jinshi only smiles. “I’ll remember his face. His name. His position. If he ever hurts them... or if they look at him too often...”
Sometimes you bring him strange snacks: “Try it, you’ll like it!” He doesn’t know where you find them. He doesn’t usually eat food like that — too unusual. But he accepts. Eats every last crumb. “Too sweet. But... if it’s from them, I’ll get used to it. I'll teach my body to crave their taste.”
“You're too perfect. It must be so boring. No chaos in your life at all,” you say with a laugh. “You are my chaos. And you don’t even realize how deeply you’ve already taken root in my life. All that’s left is to convince you to stay.”
Jinshi isn’t watching you. Of course not. He’s merely checking on the state of the garden. As always.
The fact that you happen to be there at the same time — a coincidence. Just like how he knows exactly who you're speaking to, what you're saying, and for how long. The physician needed help gathering herbs. Out of everyone in the inner courtyard, he chose you.
Laughter. Light and clear, like bells in the spring breeze. He loves your laughter. Usually.
Right now — he does not.
Right now, he wants to crush that sound in the throat of the one who drew it out.
Jinshi smiles. He approaches silently.
"Ah, you're here. How fortunate," he says, as if he hadn’t heard their entire conversation.
He doesn't spare the physician a glance. His eyes are only on you.
"I came for you. There's something… important."
You look up at him. Embarrassed. Offering a shy, awkward smile. But you follow, ready to do almost anything he asks. Because here, his word is law.
You belong to this place. To the harem. To his order. To his care. To his gaze. If anyone dares reach for you — they must be ready to lose a hand.
Jinshi gestures for you to go ahead. Once you've disappeared around the corner, he finally turns to the physician still frozen in place.
"In the future, please… delegate such tasks elsewhere." His smile remains flawless. "They are responsible for other, far more important duties. I'm sure you understand. After all, you seem to be a very busy man yourself."
And if not — Jinshi will make sure he becomes one
Can you please write a platonic Yandere Adrien with (best) friend reader. Reader also has a miraculous, Adrien finds out. Kinda like a scenario
Please don't read this if you are uncomfortable with the yandere!
Pairing: Yandere! Adrien x Reader
tw: platonic obsession, stealing other people's things
Adrian sighs heavily. Lately, too many problems have been piling up on him. He didn't get a moment's peace at school. His father was constantly demanding something. And Hawk Moth seemed to never sleep. He added work for the heroes at the most inconvenient times. During a recent attack on the city, another person joined the famous hero duo. A little later, Adrian (or Chat Noir, to be precise) learned that Ladybug had nothing to do with it. This made him worry. Who is this person? Can they be trusted? And where did another Miraculous come from that doesn't belong to the guardian of the box? Too many questions filled the blond's head.
———
You greet Adrien with a joyful hug. The boy finally relaxes and forgets all his worries. In your presence, he feels calm. You excitedly start telling him about a new game and make him promise to play it with you this weekend. Adrien looks around the classroom. Every classmate is busy with their own thing. Once (when he had just started going to school) they used to tease you with jokes about being long-lost sibling. You two had just become friends too quickly and easily. Adrien sometimes joked himself that you were actually an Agreste. A bright glint distracts Adrien from his memories, and he notices a new pendant on your chest.
"What’s that?" Adrien asks.
You don't immediately understand what he's talking about. But when you catch his gaze, you start to stammer.
"Oh… Umm… just a piece of jewelry," you answer awkwardly.
"I’ve never seen you wear it before."
"I found it recently in a shop. Just some junk. Doesn't matter," you laugh nervously and change the subject.
Adrien raises an eyebrow in surprise. You've never behaved like this before. So… strange. It's like you're hiding something.
———
The villain throws Chat Noir into some trash cans and moves further into the city center, leading Ladybug away. Cat Noir groans in pain and tries to stand up, not very gracefully. A new hero lands softly next to him and extends a hand.
"I thought cats always land on their feet."
"Ha. Very funny," Chat Noir grumbles, but accepts the help. Chat Noir's gaze stops at the new hero's Miraculous. It's a pendant. The jewelry reminds him of something, but he can't remember what exactly.
"Let's deal with this quickly. I still need to make it to the book fair," the hero heads towards the noise, not waiting for his partner.
Chat Noir freezes. There’s only one fair in the city today. And Adrien was already planning to go there with you. A strange feeling washes over him. Now that he knows the new hero will be there too, he’s not so sure if he should go. Although there will be hundreds of people. The chance of revealing someone's identity is practically zero. Even if he accidentally starts scanning the crowd.
———
Ladybug was delayed. The heroes found themselves in a disadvantageous position. They barely escaped. Chat Noir was in a panic. He admitted that he hadn’t come up with the best plan. But the idea was reliable if they wanted to throw the villain’s minions off their trail. The minions ability will not allow them to find specific heroes if the heroes exchange Miraculouses and become new heroes. They needed to buy time until Ladybug showed up. That was what Adrien thought as he handed his ring to his partner behind the door.
He shuddered at the thought that if they wanted to betray him and reveal their connection to Hawk Moth, now would be the perfect moment. But they obediently handed him their pendant. Adrien almost thanked them but restrained himself. It was best not to talk too much without the magic of the Miraculouses. After all, Adrien was a famous model and it wasn’t hard to recognize his voice.
He finally looked at the other’s Miraculous and felt a shock. In his fingers lay a very familiar object. He couldn’t help but recognize your pendant. He had looked at it too often since he first noticed it. You were the new hero. Adrien panicked, wondering if you would recognize his ring. You rarely paid close attention to his hands. The hero (it can’t be… it’s you!) knocked on the door and asked him to hurry. Adrien decided to put his inner turmoil aside. The city needed saving right now.
———
The next day, Adrien watches you more closely than ever. You act as usual, which leads him to think that you haven't figured out Chat Noir's identity. A whirlwind of emotions overwhelms him. He's angry that you haven't told him anything. He understands you because he kept his secret the same way. And he's scared. What if one day you can't handle a villain? What if Hawk Moth finds out too? What if all of Paris learns your identity? Adrien starts to have a small panic attack. Nino jumps up and tries to help. Adrien is gasping for breath and can't explain anything.
-------
Adrien sneaks into the empty locker room while you and the class are swimming in the pool. It's one of the rare moments when you take off your pendant. It turns out that not all Miraculouses are as convenient as his ring or Ladybug's earrings. He never thought about how lucky he was before. He quickly finds your locker and breaks into it. The lock is so flimsy that Adrien feels a bit ashamed of how easily he was able to open it. He grabs the pendant and goes to hide it in his bag.
Adrien mentally prepares himself to comfort you. If he lost his Miraculous, he would be horrified. He thinks about what words he could say to console you. Adrien wonders if you would tell him your secret if you had nothing left to lose. He wants this. This will prove your trust in him.
Adrien thinks about what to do with your Miraculous now. He would like to use it sometimes along with his ring. But that would completely ruin your opinion of Chat Noir. Maybe he should bury the Miraculous in the forest or throw it into the sea so that no one could find it.
Now, you don't have to worry about the villains. And Adrien doesn't have to worry about your safety. Protecting Paris is no longer your job. Ladybug and Chat Noir will handle it together.
There's only one main rule in this place: "Father knows best." You don't argue when his kisses get more intimate. "Let me take care of you", - he says and you let his tongue slip into your mouth. "Stay close - it's safe here", - he says and you believe him. His hand gently holds you close during the sermon. "Love is not a sin", - he says, leaning over you, spreading your legs. And you do not doubt his words, because Joseph knows best.