Rawan

I don’t see the need at all to check the other versions to know the speech bubbles here are meant to be empty. Because, at this moment, both of them can’t hear anything due to different kinds of shock.

For Nakyum, someone who’s sentimental and sees the music box as a symbol of Seungho’s affection for him, to see it flung away by the very same person who gave it to him as if it meant nothing... Boy, imagine a thousand arrows pierced into his heart at this very moment.

As for Seungho, to be called a “stranger” by someone who’s love and attention he so craved, clumsy him sure didn’t see that coming. While I understand it is not easy for him to open up just like that, I think he truly deserved the verbal (reality) slap by Nakyum. It’s something he needs the most.

Seungho is too used to living with superficial and toxic people. Keeping everyone at arm’s length, is the only way to live, to survive. He is so used to being treated the way Jihwa and Kim treated him for so long, ignorance and indifference, he assumed Nakyum will turn out to be just the same. As the saying goes, expectation is the root of all heartache.

“There has never been anyone in this household whom I could call mine.” Seungho, you silly, if only you knew what Nakyum’s been thinking. But wait!

Seungho was beyond frustrated not knowing why Nakyum acted the way he did (in Season 2) and he tried so hard to get him to talk.

Chapter 48

But when Nakyum finally felt brave enough to open up and spoke his mind, we have here Seungho being dismissive and defensive... smh!

Chapter 85

WHAT. DO. YOU. WANT. SEUNGHO?

Anyway, when Nakyum refused to back down and said what he said to Seungho, I grinned from ear to ear feeling so freaking proud of this baby!

I’ll give my heart and soul to protect thomas’ smile

In chapter 84, Nakyum is not wearing pink. Instead, he opts for a burgundy jeogori, a stark contrast from his usual pink jackets, suggesting maturity and something darker as his characters becomes older, more mature and loses his innocence. It feels like he’s slowly adopting Seungho’s style and coloring. A subtle but meaningful change.

When a dark feral beast claims his mate who tamed him.

Such unbearable sweetness and tenderness from Seungho! He is touched Nakyum cares for him that he can’t help himself but to reach out, cup Nakyum’s face and give him a thank-you kiss, even if it’s also used as a distraction to stop his lover from asking questions that make him uncomfortable. He gives Nakyum these little non-sexual gentle intimatite touches more and more.

Nakyum might not have explicitly professed his love for Seungho, but everything he does and say shows how much he adores Seungho. How deeply he is invested in this relationship and this tormented, lost and cruel man whose pain he hates to see and wants to free him from it.

Nakyum asks of Seungho the deepest part of him that he’s been keeping away from everyone else and which he’s been trying to hide and numb for most of his life with sex, alcohol and opium and that rattles him. It’s going to take a long time before he opens up but this is a much needed start.

Seungho keeps telling Nakyum they are basically married and equals and Nakyum has believed those words and actually demands that equality and the honesty that comes with it, to share SH’s burdens, to understand him and comfort him. Nakyum is trying to make this relationship last.

Seungho can’t just throws words like equality and marriage and only cherry-pick what suits him because they go both ways. Unless he considers theirs the typical marriage where the husband basically owns and controls his ‘wife’.

Seungho’s words must hurt Nakyum so much because it sounds like he only wants him as his fuck doll and sugar baby while Nakyum isn’t allowed to know about Seungho. It’s reminiscent of the time Nakyum treated himself like a prostitute and Seungho desperately wanted to know what it’s that pained Nakyum so.

On a final note:

Yoon Seungho being needy and cuddly af and PDA king…

… and Nakyum getting used to it.

Asdfghjkl

Thank you for playing with me, Beifong.

Had a friend draw up some of the weapons from my Pirate AU Pink Skies (which you can read here)

Pretty close to how I imagined it, minus the throwing stars.