akuima

[akuima]

ayame being moved over to @ilfateds !

[akuima]

at the word buzzkill, she turned to face him again, eyes narrowed and jaw set. the day he met the end of her blade, all would be right within her world again. the day their deal was done, whatever abhorrent debt paid, she would fall to her knees and thank whatever god would still take her. despite the task at hand, she felt the need to bite. readying herself at the doorway, she began taking off her glove, glancing at him briefly. in a matter of seconds her expression shifted, though, eyes suddenly bright and tone lilting, drawling faux sweetness. “ actually, you're right. i'm sorry, i take it back, ” another instantaneous change, her features fell blank as her crimson sabre manifested from the palm of her hand, fingers grasping the hilt of it and giving it a testing swing with a flick of her wrist. “ i don't think a pureblooded demon would touch you with a ten - foot pole! ” and then she kicked the door open.

✱ @aknma — continued from here

❝ ... are you always such a buzzkill ? ❞ the cambion huffs with a scowl, idly twirling the pistol in his hand as if debating his next move with it, ❝ the statement still stands, but a pureblooded demon ? fuck no, i have standards. even with a shitton of alcohol i'm not going there. ❞ in truth, he'd almost had an escapade with a succubus once but he'd bolted it out of there as soon as the realisation hit him. not that she needed to know that.

kain isn't one to anger easily but he found the little shred of patience he had dissipating whenever ayame was around. this was why he worked alone. but fine, he'd agreed with reluctance that a bit of eye candy couldn't hurt. and he figured it'd be a bonus if they'd be helpful to the investigation. how the fuck was he supposed to know that said eye candy would be an absolute pain in the ass ? and not in the good sense.

he cracks his neck as they near their destination, a habit he'd picked up without really noticing, ❝ lets just get this over and done with. ❞

[akuima]

carmine optics grazed over his features with a quite sound of relief at his touch, sinking into it without reservation. she could see the worry in the crease of his expression, would normally have lifted a hand to work it out with the tips of her fingers, chastise him for giving himself wrinkles far too early. both hands preoccupied staunching the wound at her side, she settled for a downward twitch of her lips, instead, and an effort to make light of the situation. “ i've never begged for anything. if you're not going to make me start, i wanna keep my streak. ” a short laugh, more an elevated exhale than anything, too aware that any serious jolt would result in a twinge she no longer had the energy to grit her teeth through. her nose wrinkled anyway, efforts useless.

a moment of reflective silence, and she begrudgingly broke from kezo's touch to drop her cheek to his shoulder, releasing a breath through a thoughtful puff of air between her lips. “ you think so loud. who're you cursing? ” it didn't need an answer, ayame thought almost the same, that it didn't matter the risk to their lives, most often it felt as though they were entirely dispensable, easily replaceable. maybe they were. she chose to work alone for that reason, in her first year she had cycled through two squads, and when she had opted for a singular mission partner, one loss had been enough. it was better that she got to choose who she worked with based on their own capabilities, their measurements against her. kezo was always an easy choice. in an effort to stop his wasted thinking, she freed a short groan, a huff of annoyance towards herself and her failing body that didn't quite match up to the healing prowess of most venkari. “ don't freak out on me here, but i kinda need a nap. ”

“ i could use a new shirt, actually. ” head looked down, fingers tugging at the fabric and puffing it out jokingly. “ but i'll be too cold. so i'll pass. ” leave it up to ayame to make light of such a situation, he could continue to lecture her about it, but he knew it would have been more concerning if she weren't given him the hardest time while trying to ensure her well - being. his body was hot to the touch, adrenaline running high, but he felt cold, chills running down his spine — logically, he knew it wasn't his fault. nor was it really hers. yet, he felt guilty — he was her partner here, he was supposed to have her back to prevent something like this from happening. they were lucky it wasn't as bad as it could have been, but fate had never been a friend of theris and he couldn't rely on it should it happen again. and knowing their lives and the expectations set upon them, it will happen again.

“ we can't see everything. ” getting himself settled over the ground more stably, he froze for a second — unsure of his next moves, surface of her buzzing as if her body was working in overdrive. he resisted the urge to check his phone on the whereabouts of their medic team, fearing it would instead worry her more than assuage her. he knew he'd only get angrier. he had half a mind to just pick her up and run. the organization relied on them by forcing them to face unpredictable danger, the least they could do was provide adequate and timely care. “ your secret's safe with me as long as you don't pass out. ” hand adjusted to provide more support for her face, pad of his thumb gently caressing her cheek, lightly tracing the outline of her bottom lip. “ you can beg me for something else another time. ”

[akuima]

and if her manga fc was HER?

i simply dont think you can fight demons n other creatures without getting a little scarred

[akuima]

ok but joyride .... its her

[akuima]

MASK GIRL 마스크걸 (2023) writ. & dir. Kim Yong Hoon

[akuima]

more tidbits about ayame and her ability :)

as her weapons are made from blood (established already that this is from a constantly - open wound on her palm, but that if she cannot remove the specially made glove she wears, she can bite/slash her free palm, wrists for quick access) she can only create 2-3 weapons from this as they are drawn from her 5litre blood supply. there is also a time limit onto how long the blood can exist outside of her body in terms of it going back in, if a fight is too long and the blood becomes too oxygenated, she simply has to let it go splash onto the floor. she limits the usage of her weapons during battles then, to avoid the need for another manifestation.

where healing is concerned, as she loses blood due to the manifestation of her weapons, she heals quicker than the average person but slower than some venkari due to the fact she has usually had to let go of part of her blood supply due to it being outside of her body for too long.

she can create smaller, hardened shards of blood that she can then expel towards a target. this is usually a last - ditch effort, though, and not something she has mastered.

in terms of the red eyes i was obsessed w, they turn red once she has activated her ability :)

[akuima]

heyy <3 plot with me <3

[akuima]

↪   ᵀᴴᴱ 𝑀𝐼𝐶𝐾 .    (  a  series  of  sentence  starters  from  season  1  of fox's sitcom ,  “ the mick ” .   adjust  phrasing  as  necessary . will be updated !  )

oh my god , why do you have gasoline ?!

we're fine , not that it's any of your concern .

stay out of trouble .

no , you're not coming in with me .

you're embarrassing . you embarrass me . i'm embarrassed of you .

can i bum a smoke , please ?

it's okay , i already have a dollar .

i get the sense that you're in need a lot .

i don't have a problem . you do , otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation .

what do you mean ? you invited me .

i got into yale , that doesn't mean i'm going .

the scales of justice tip in favor of the wealthy .

if we throw enough money at this thing , i'm sure it'll go away .

let's catch up in ten years when you need another loan .

i feel like we got off on the wrong foot .

i want you to come to me with boy problems . or girl problems , i don't assume .

i know you think you're pretty clever with this plan to drink me under the table , but there's two problems ... you're not , .. & you can't .

she's not dead , i can see her breathing .

i cannot count the number of times i've been ripped off a barstool & thrown in a cage .

i should probably get out of the house , yesterday kinda got away from me .

i don't like these people . but i like you .

why are we at a poor person's restaurant ?

don't touch my stuff , psycho .

no , i don't believe you . you're lying .

uh , i don't know , maybe because you're a lying bitch .

okay , look , i understand this stuff is really hard to hear .

let's just keep our voices down , okay ?

you think i care about these idiots ?

what is wrong with you ? you're making a scene .

how's that for a scene ?! dinner & a show !

i know what you're up to , & you're not gonna get away with it .

i'm sorry , you think you're in charge ?

once all this is gone , all that's left is this . & nobody wants just this .

wait , wait , wait ! i'm coming with you !

i will only go if i have your blessing .

if you need anything at all , do not hesitate to call 911 .

[ name ] , my beautiful angel !

i heard about that little accident you had .

so , this is it ! home sweet home .

holy crap , you're alive ...

what are you doing here ? are you living at my place ?

okay , i'm sensing some major hostility here .

i thought you were dead !

don't pay attention to him , he's no one .

— i'm just kidding ! oh , i'm so sorry , your face ...

no ... you're joking — this is a joke , right ?

i'm gonna go freshen up , this'll be fun !

my legs are heavy , but my mind is light ...

wait , why is my window open ?

do i look like i'm playing games ?

we both burnt that bridge , it doesn't matter who lit the match .

i need you to do me a favor , i did you a favor .

oh , thank god you're here . you've gotta help us .

oh , i'm not going anywhere .

what do you want me to do about it ?

knock - knock ... can i come in ?

oh ... i get it . you're jealous .

enough with the guessing games , i'm freaking out over here .

fine . i'll fix this myself .

i thought we agreed i'm the boss ?!

if you saw my silence as agreeing with you , that's on you .

don't take it personally , his heart just isn't for sale .

not now , [ name ] , i'm gloating .

[ name ] ?! since when do you smoke ?

HEY .. !! [ name ] . just the person i wanted to see .

i haven't gone this long without a smoke in years .

either be part of the solution or get the hell out .

well , now i feel like you're lying .

regardless of how we got here , i'm having a really good time .

is it ? is it creepy to be ahead of everybody at all times ?

i want to squeeze you around your neck until you can't breathe .

i said that forever ago when i was young and dumb .

if i were you , i would take this opportunity to lay low .

that's the opposite of what i just suggested .

[ name ] , you've been overruled .

i don't mean to offend you , you don't fit the [ surname ] brand .

it's already happening , we're becoming socially radioactive .

i'm sorry , that night is a blur of bad pinot and intolerable conversation .

oh , so you're a liar too ?

i was sitting at home , and then i remembered you're not my boss .

what's the matter ? little plan didn't work ?

[akuima]

ok mini revamp over tell me shes pretty

[akuima]

not looking at him was a battle of wills, and ayame was intent on winning over the innate desire to let observance wander without restrictions. “ a call and you could've warned me you had company, i'd have done a loop around the block. ” perfect brow arched to his tone, but with the way that it had looked there was at least some sincerity to the words. despite her earlier statement she her back stayed turned to the door, foolishly stubborn to the fact that she had walked all the way here, late at night and in the rain, and it wouldn't be for nothing. even reserved to focusing her gaze directly through him, she felt his study of her with a familiar warmth. her lips might have twitched, but reaction could just have easily been reserved for his words instead.

ah — the sound left her and she wondered briefly where he kept the cabinet, under the bed? in the sheets? interesting way to conduct business. then he was in her space, and trying to look lightly affronted she leaned back, chin tilting and optics tearing away from a space he no longer occupied to meet his stare. kezo was warm despite the subtle chill in the air. “ i don't think your girlfriend would like it if i stared. ” breath left her in a gentle laugh, tone light, as though to confirm that she'd been sold on the version of events as he claimed they were. her nose scrunched and she raised a hand between them to poke him once in the arms folded over his chest, gentle pressure to prompt him backwards. “ rule is, if i'm staying you at least have to put on a shirt. ”

the air of his residence was colder, the humidity of his room shielding him from the chill, and now goosebumps had littered over the bare skin. it didn't help that every few seconds another cold droplet would hit his back, and he was fighting the urge to react. it didn't matter when the pace of his heart had been skyrocketing ever since his sights landed on her, happy initially, and then filled with dread upon just precisely how it must have looked. or was he simply overthinking it and making it worse ? “ you know you don't have to call. ” tone was stern, adamant, a necessary grounding in what he felt like unrivaled chaos storming. it may have been his doing, his lack of clarity — he never minded not having all the answers but now faced with the reality and the consequences of his own decisions, he was dumbfounded. a stagnant force in the face of a freight train.

arms remained cross over his chest, head lightly shaking some of the water in a subtle attempt to dry off, careful not to get them in her vicinity. attention flickered from the cracked door of his bedroom, where the steam was slowly dissipating, and then back to her — kezo was nothing if not discreet, but the way his gaze inspected every detail of her from the ground up, was shameless to say the least. “ it was just business. ” a pause, before he blinked. “ the unfunny kind of business. i have folders i can show you. ” he gestured with his shoulder, taking one step towards her, distance closing enough so that he was towering over, almost tauntingly. “ is the wall that interesting ? ”

[akuima]

the key he had given her stayed separate to her own set, isolated on a chain, one defining feature the heart - shaped keychain that hung alongside it. divided because she understood how important it was to him that it remained her best kept secret, and to do this meant to avoid unwanted questions. she usually called ahead and if he wasn't home, let herself in with his clearance and waited. kezo always said she didn't have to ask, that's what the key is for, but it was the promise that came after she wanted, i'll be there soon. she hadn't tonight, her visit a mere impulsivity she couldn't ignore, the silence of her own home emphasising the ticking of the clock on the wall, the rain hitting the window. normally she would be satisfied the silence, but instead it threatened to suffocate her. but if the quiet of her own quarters were suffocating, the uncomfortable silence that befell them upon his exit made her wish she could internally combust and turn to ash on the spot.

outward awkwardness wasn't something that managed to show on her face, and when the two of them appeared from the bedroom, the woman's aura giving definitely shouldn't be here and kezo in nothing but a towel, hair dry and little on the unkempt side, she said nothing — but her lips wrapped around a silent wow. kezo's guest escaped with more dignity than was spared between the two of them, ayame offering her a small wave in the folding of her fingers to her palm, before she made a swift attempt to follow suit, only to be blocked. “ hm? ” she questioned, the sound short, standing between kezo and the door. “ nothing, no, you're fine. i just should've called. sorry, didn't mean to cut that short, whatever it was. ”

[akuima]

❛ enemies make the best lovers, you know. ❜ — kain

if she didn't need him, ayame would have disposed of him a long time ago. need was a strong word to use when it came to their services anyway, she could have completed this with or without kain, but without - kain would have taken three times longer, and her handlers were an impatient bunch that didn't like to be kept on the end of a loosely - dangling string. at first she had seen parts of herself in kain, now it left her wondering, fuck — am i really this annoying? she was five paces ahead of them and resisting the urge kick him out of the nearest window when he spoke, his voice nails on chalkboard. ayame stopped in her tracks, shoulders dropping in a vexed sigh. “ if you looked at me in any capacity when you were saying that, you better hope you aren't now. ” head turning, she met their gaze briefly in silent irritation before she turned and started to walk again. “ if that's something you truly wanna experiment with, i'll give you and the demon a moment alone. i bet you'll be a real hit, casanova. ”

[akuima]

i think you should die but that's only my opinion

[akuima]

Lowlife Princess BIBI

[akuima]

the removal of his jacket earned him a disgruntled sigh. “ so i owe you for a pair of shoes and a jacket. what, you don't need a new shirt? ” she hummed a quiet laugh, short, this time largely more careful not to cause herself any further discomfort. “ that's a shame. ” she joked, and at least in this case if she was poking fun, it was keeping her mind away from the sting and retaining possession of consciousness. it would've been the perfect time to make fun of him for worrying, tell him to stop fussing and that she'd save this memory forever to hold it over his head until the day they died — she didn't because it wouldn't be worth it, kezo's concern so obviously genuine that the wisecrack would maybe make him sulk and stop touching her, put himself at a safe - enough distance that he could be at her side if things went any further south. but ultimately it would make this even less enjoyable than it already was. in truth, she couldn't tell which ache was worse, the wound beginning to slowly rebuild itself piece by piece, or the space of time in which kezo wasn't touching her. she unabashedly leaned into his touch and seemed to be settled — even if her skin was on fire at the faintest of touch. “ i deserve it. ” words spoken with reflection. “ i wasn't paying enough attention, if i had been i would've seen it coming. a shit play on my part. ” a look snuck to her side, the hand coated in her own crimson. it could've been him in this position and somehow, that was enough to ease the embarrassment by the smallest measure. “ that doesn't mean i won't beg you not to tell them, though. ”

“ i'm not trying to, that's your fault. ” he was scolding her, yet his tone was still filled with hidden amusement. “ i'm the least funny person alive, your sense of humor is questionable. ” as gracefully as he could, he cleared the floor behind her and slung off his jacket just for her to have a barrier between the cement. honestly, just fuck his entire wardrobe. “ well, you can help me pick out the next pair. you're always running your mouth about how my fashion is bad, so. don't bleed out before you start healing otherwise you can't do that. ” ivories were gnawing on the inside of his mouth, an internal battle to keep him from turning himself into a verbal faucet. undeniably so, he was worried, and he didn't like that feeling. that fear that coated him like a second skin, grazed him with an intense burn. sometimes he'd forgotten they weren't invincible, they weren't made exempt in death's eyes — if anything, they were high up on death's list for escaping in the first place, for cheating and disturbing the natural balance of life. or whatever. kezo had his own gripes with death. so he kept his attention on her, molten discs scanning her features for any warning signs — blood never bothered him but he was beginning to accept he couldn't bear this sight. not when it was her. evidently so as he caught a tremor in his hand, the one that gently tucked her hair behind her ear. “ they're gonna make fun of you so bad for getting got. ”

[akuima]

❛   was  that  a  serious  question ?  ❜

the question deflated her. ayame had ventured all the way out here, on her own down - time and dime, and it looked too much like she'd be spending the weekend solo sight - seeing. could there be anything more depressing? “ uh. yes. why, was it stupid? did you not get what i said over the drilling? ” she set her case down on the nearest work - bench, dropping herself into a chair and giving it a little spin. “ i said, ” a soft clearance of her throat for effect, hands raising in a fun little wave, as her life depended on whether or not she was able to sell yaritza on the idea. “ you, me. shutting the shop down for the weekend so you can show me 'round. well. you shutting the shop, i don't work here. ” a point to yaritza as she spoke, smiling enthusiastically, nodding to further drive the point home. “ 'cause i've flown all the way out here for you, as a surprise ! ”