#<- rereads but we all know that by now i feel.

[cool-fancier]

Whispers Between Us

An Yujin x Female Reader

Synopsis: During a heartfelt visit, unspoken tensions between you and Yujin ignite into something deeper, turning fleeting moments into an unforgettable, slow-burning love story.

Word Count:3.2K

The cool air clung to your skin as you approached the dorm building, the city lights casting a faint glow on the streets below. You clutched your phone in your hand, rereading Gaeul's text for what felt like the tenth time.

"Come over tonight! The girls miss you, and honestly, so do I. It's been too long. We need some bonding time!

A small smile tugged at the corners of your lips. Gaeul had always been your biggest cheerleader, your confidante, and your best friend wrapped into one. Being only a year younger, the two of you had grown up inseparable, sharing everything from childhood secrets to late-night talks about dreams and fears. Now, with her thriving as a member of IVE, you cherished every opportunity to spend time with her and her friends.

But tonight, there was something else lingering in the back of your mind—someone else. Yujin.

The memories of your quiet, intense fling with Yujin played in your mind like a film reel, each scene more vivid than the last. It wasn't something either of you planned; it just happened. A connection that neither of you could ignore, no matter how much you tried to convince yourselves otherwise.

The door swung open before you could knock, and Gaeul's beaming face greeted you. "Finally!" she exclaimed, pulling you into a tight hug. "I was starting to think you got lost."

"You know I wouldn't miss this," you said, squeezing her back. "Besides, you'd hunt me down if I didn't show up."

"Damn right I would," she laughed, tugging you inside. "The girls are super excited to see you. It's been forever since your last visit."

The moment you stepped inside, the familiar warmth of the dorm wrapped around you. Wonyoung was stretched out on the couch, lazily flipping through TV channels, while Rei and Liz were huddled together, arguing over the rules of a card game. Leeseo was sitting cross-legged on the floor, her phone in hand, scrolling through social media.

"Unnie!" Wonyoung called out, her face lighting up as she jumped to her feet and rushed over to hug you. "You're finally here!"

"Finally," Rei echoed, smiling as she set her cards down. "Gaeul's been talking about you nonstop."

"It's been too quiet without Gaeul's sister around," Liz teased, giving you a playful nudge.

You felt a warmth spread through your chest at their welcome, but your eyes drifted to the corner of the room, where Yujin stood leaning casually against the wall. Her gaze met yours, and in that instant, the air between you seemed to hum with unspoken tension. She didn't rush over like the others, but her small, knowing smile sent a shiver down your spine.

"Hey," she said softly, her voice cutting through the noise like a thread pulling you closer.

"Hey," you replied, your pulse quickening.

— — — — —

It all started on one of your earlier visits to the dorm. Gaeul had invited you over to celebrate a milestone in the group's journey, and the night had been filled with laughter, food, and music. You remembered feeling a bit out of place at first, watching the girls interact with such ease, their bond palpable. But Gaeul made sure you were included in every joke, every story.

That night, you had stepped out onto the small balcony to get some fresh air, the city lights twinkling below like scattered stars. You leaned on the railing, letting the cool breeze wash over you, enjoying the quiet escape from the lively chatter inside.

"You okay?" a voice had asked, breaking the silence.

You turned to find Yujin standing in the doorway, her silhouette framed by the warm light from inside. She stepped out, joining you at the railing, her shoulder brushing against yours. The casual contact sent a small thrill through you, though you quickly pushed the feeling aside.

"Yeah, just needed a breather," you said, offering her a small smile. "It's a little overwhelming, but in a good way."

She nodded, her gaze drifting out over the cityscape. "I get that. Sometimes, it's nice to just...be still."

The two of you stood there in silence for a while, the sounds of the city below filling the quiet. It was a comfortable silence, one that didn't need to be filled with words. But eventually, Yujin spoke again, her voice softer, more introspective.

"You know," she began, "it's rare to find someone who doesn't expect anything from you. Someone who just...lets you be."

You glanced at her, noticing the way her brows knitted together, as if she were wrestling with thoughts she wasn't used to sharing. "I guess we all need that sometimes," you said gently. "Someone who sees us for who we are, not what we can do for them."

Yujin turned to face you then, her eyes searching yours. "Yeah," she murmured, a small, wistful smile tugging at her lips. "It's nice. Being around you feels like that."

The words hung in the air between you, heavy with meaning. And before either of you could second-guess it, you leaned in, your lips meeting in a soft, tentative kiss. It wasn't planned or rehearsed; it was spontaneous and real, a quiet confession shared under the stars.

When you pulled back, her eyes were wide, filled with uncertainty and something else—something that mirrored your own feelings.

"I..." she started, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't mean to—"

"I know," you said, cutting her off gently. "But I'm glad you did."

That moment was the beginning of something neither of you could define. It wasn't a relationship, but it wasn't just a passing fancy either. It was something more, something that lingered in the stolen glances and secret smiles you shared whenever you visited the dorm.

— — — — —

Back in the present, the living room was alive with laughter as the group dove into a game of charades. Gaeul was your partner, and her over-the-top miming had you laughing so hard, tears pricked at the corners of your eyes.

"Come on!" Gaeul groaned, flailing her arms as she tried to convey octopus. "You're supposed to be good at this!"

"You look more like a flailing chicken," you teased, wiping your eyes as you guessed correctly at the last second.

The room erupted in laughter, and Gaeul threw herself onto the couch in mock defeat. "I can't believe you got that."

But even amidst the fun, you were hyper-aware of Yujin's presence. She was watching you from across the room, her eyes soft but intense, as if she could see right through the façade of the game to the emotions you were trying to keep hidden.

"Truth or dare?" Wonyoung called out, shifting the game to a more playful and dangerous territory.

When it was Yujin's turn, she glanced at you, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Dare."

Wonyoung grinned, leaning forward. "I dare you to tell us about your first kiss."

The room erupted into cheers and teasing, but Yujin kept her gaze on you, her smile turning softer, more intimate. "It was...unexpected," she said slowly. "But it felt right. Like everything else disappeared for a moment."

Your heart thudded in your chest, and you quickly looked away, focusing on the glass of water in your hands.

— — — — —

The tension between you and Yujin had been simmering all night, and when you slipped away to the kitchen for a moment alone, you weren't surprised when she followed.

Her hands were on your waist before you could turn, her body pressing gently against yours, grounding you in the present.

"I've been waiting for this," she whispered, her lips brushing the shell of your ear.

"You're playing a dangerous game," you murmured, though you didn't move away.

"Maybe I like the danger," she countered, turning you in her arms to face her. Her eyes searched yours, filled with longing and something deeper.

Her lips captured yours in a kiss that was anything but tentative. It was a release, a culmination of every stolen moment, every unspoken word. Her hands slid under your shirt, her touch sending a shiver down your spine as the world outside the kitchen faded into insignificance.

"Yujin," you gasped, breaking the kiss to catch your breath, your forehead resting against hers.

"We can't keep pretending this doesn't matter," she said, her voice trembling. "Not anymore."

"I know," you whispered, your hands tightening around her.

— — — — —

The laughter from the living room faded into the background as you stood in the dimly lit kitchen, Yujin's hands resting lightly on your waist. The warmth of her touch seeped through your clothes, grounding you in the moment. Her eyes, dark and filled with unspoken longing, held yours, and for a moment, it felt as though the rest of the world didn't exist.

"We can't do this here," you whispered, though the breathlessness in your voice betrayed the conflict within you.

Yujin's lips curled into a soft, teasing smile, her thumb brushing gentle circles against your hip. "I know," she murmured, her voice low, sending a shiver down your spine. "But I couldn't stay away."

Her words wrapped around your heart, tugging at the very core of your resolve. The tension between you had been simmering for months, unspoken but palpable in every glance, every accidental touch. And now, here you were, on the precipice of giving in.

You leaned in slightly, the space between you diminishing until her breath mingled with yours. The air grew thick, charged with anticipation. Before you could think better of it, Yujin's lips brushed against yours in a tentative kiss, a soft press that quickly deepened. Her hands tightened on your waist, pulling you closer as the kiss intensified, slow and deliberate, as though savoring every second.

The sound of muffled laughter from the living room was a distant hum, barely registering over the pounding of your heart. Yujin's fingers slid up your back, tracing the curve of your spine through the thin fabric of your shirt. Every touch sent sparks skittering across your skin, igniting a fire that burned brighter with each passing second.

"We'll have more time later," Yujin whispered against your lips, her voice trembling with restrained desire.

You nodded, breathless, reluctantly pulling away. "We should go back before they notice."

Her eyes lingered on you for a moment longer, filled with a promise that sent your pulse racing. With one final glance, you both stepped back into the living room, trying to mask the heat that still simmered between you.

— — — — —

Gaeul greeted you with a wide grin as you rejoined the group. "There you are! We thought you got lost."

"Just needed some water," you said, settling back down beside her. "What's next?"

"Codenames," Rei announced, holding up the box with a triumphant grin. "Let's see who the real spymaster is."

The group quickly divided into teams, the energy in the room shifting as everyone focused on the game. Gaeul was beside you, her competitive spirit coming alive as she strategized her next move. Wonyoung's exaggerated guesses had everyone in fits of laughter, while Liz's dramatic clues left the room in suspense.

But even amidst the chaos, you couldn't help but feel Yujin's gaze on you. Every so often, your eyes would meet, and the world around you would blur, the tension crackling between you like a silent current. Her subtle smiles, the way her fingers tapped against her knee, as if itching to reach for you, kept your heart pounding.

"Gotcha!" Gaeul shouted, breaking your reverie as she pointed triumphantly at the board. "We win!"

"Luck," Rei groaned, throwing her hands up in defeat. "Pure luck."

"Skill," Gaeul corrected, winking at you. "Right, sis?"

You laughed, nodding. "Definitely skill."

As the game wound down, the energy in the room shifted, growing more subdued as the night stretched on. One by one, the girls began excusing themselves, retreating to their rooms.

"I'm exhausted," Wonyoung yawned, stretching her arms above her head. "I'm heading to bed."

"Me too," Liz added, nudging Rei. "Goodnight, everyone."

"Night," you and Gaeul called out in unison, watching as they disappeared down the hall.

Soon, it was just you, Gaeul, and Yujin left in the living room. The atmosphere was quieter now, the hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen the only sound filling the space.

"I think I'll head to bed too," Yujin said softly, standing from her seat. Her eyes met yours for a brief moment, a silent promise lingering between you. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," you replied, your voice steady despite the fluttering in your chest.

— — — — —

As Yujin disappeared down the hall, the dorm fell into a deeper silence. You leaned back against the couch, exhaling slowly, the weight of the night pressing against you. Gaeul shifted beside you, her gaze steady and knowing.

"You think you're being sneaky, don't you?" she teased, her voice light but filled with amusement.

You turned to her, eyebrows raised in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

She chuckled softly, nudging you with her shoulder. "I've known about you and Yujin for a while now."

Your heart skipped a beat. "You... you knew?"

Gaeul nodded, her smile turning softer, more affectionate. "Yeah, it wasn't that hard to figure out."

"But how?" you asked, still processing her words, your mind racing to all the moments you thought you'd been discreet.

"There was this one night," Gaeul began, settling in comfortably, "when Yujin and I had a little to drink. Just enough to get her talking. She's pretty weak to alcohol, you know."

You nodded, listening intently.

"She started talking about someone she had feelings for. She didn't say your name at first, but she kept going on about how this person made her feel like she could be herself, like she didn't have to be perfect all the time." Gaeul's eyes twinkled with the memory. "And then, without realizing it, she said your name."

You sat up straighter, shocked. "She did?"

Gaeul grinned. "Yeah, she didn't even notice. But I did. And from then on, I started watching. You guys weren't as subtle as you thought. I even caught you making out in the kitchen once."

Your cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Gaeul!"

She laughed, raising her hands in mock surrender. "It was gross but in a cute way. Honestly, I just want you to be happy."

A warmth spread through your chest at her words. "Thanks, Gaeul."

She smiled, leaning her head on your shoulder.

— — — — —

Once the dorm had quieted down, you found yourself standing outside Yujin's door, your heart thudding in your chest. The anticipation of being alone with her again filled you with both excitement and nervous energy. You knocked softly, and Yujin opened the door almost immediately, her eyes softening as she took you in.

"Hey," she said, her voice quiet and inviting.

"Hey," you replied, stepping inside. The room was dimly lit, the soft glow from a small lamp casting warm shadows on the walls. It felt cozy, intimate—a world away from the bustling dorm outside.

Yujin closed the door behind you, and for a moment, neither of you spoke. Instead, she reached out, her fingers intertwining with yours as she guided you to sit on the bed. The silence between you was comfortable, filled with the weight of everything unsaid but understood.

"What are we doing?" she asked softly, her thumb brushing over the back of your hand.

You took a deep breath, meeting her gaze. "I don't know," you admitted, squeezing her hand gently. "But I know I don't want to stop."

Yujin's smile widened, her eyes glistening with something unspoken. "Me neither," she whispered, leaning in slightly, her forehead resting against yours.

Before either of you could say more, the door burst open with a loud bang, and Gaeul marched in, grinning from ear to ear. She threw herself onto the bed between you two with all the dramatic flair of a little sister who knew exactly what she was doing.

"What are we talking about?" Gaeul asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she wiggled her way between you and Yujin, making herself comfortable.

"Gaeul!" you exclaimed, half-laughing, half-exasperated, as she sprawled out across the bed, pulling the blanket over herself.

"What?" she said innocently, looking up at the ceiling. "I'm curious."

Yujin chuckled, shaking her head, clearly amused. "We were just talking," she said, glancing at you with a knowing smile.

"Mm-hmm," Gaeul hummed, snuggling deeper into the blanket. "Sure, sure. But seriously, I'm glad you guys found each other. It's cute. Gross, but cute."

Before you could respond, the door opened again, and Wonyoung peeked in, her eyes lighting up when she saw the three of you. "Ooh, a secret meeting? Without me?" she pouted, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.

Rei followed close behind, raising an eyebrow. "What's going on in here?"

Liz and Leeseo appeared right after, each carrying their own blankets and pillows, grinning as they entered the room.

"Sleepover in Yujin's room!" Liz announced, dropping her pillow onto the floor and flopping down.

"I knew something was up," Leeseo said, setting her blanket down and joining Liz. "You guys can't hide anything from us."

You exchanged a glance with Yujin, who looked equally surprised and amused by the sudden invasion.

"This wasn't exactly planned," Yujin said, but there was no trace of annoyance in her voice. Instead, she smiled, scooting over to make room for the others.

"It is now," Wonyoung declared, climbing onto the bed next to Gaeul. "There's no way we're missing out on the fun."

Rei grabbed a spot on the floor, leaning back against the wall with a satisfied grin. "This is perfect. We haven't done a proper sleepover in ages."

Gaeul turned to you, her expression smug. "See? It's not just me who thinks you two are cute. Now, let's make this an official sleepover."

You couldn't help but laugh as the room filled with chatter and the sound of blankets being spread out. Yujin leaned in close to you, her voice low enough for only you to hear. "Well, so much for being alone."

You smiled, squeezing her hand. "This isn't so bad."

Yujin's eyes softened, and she pressed a gentle kiss to your temple. "It's perfect."

As the night wore on, the room became a cozy nest of warmth and laughter. Gaeul told embarrassing stories from your childhood, Wonyoung shared funny anecdotes from their tour, and Rei attempted to start a pillow fight that quickly devolved into chaos.

You leaned against Yujin, her arm draped around your shoulders, feeling the weight of the day melt away. It wasn't the private moment you had imagined, but it was something even better—being surrounded by love, laughter, and the people who mattered most.

And as the early hours of the morning crept in, you realized that these moments, chaotic and unexpected, were the ones you would treasure the most. Together, with Yujin and your newfound family, everything felt right.

The future could wait. For now, this was enough.

[jeanmoreaux]

do you guys ever think about how the story starts with andrew acting quickly slamming a random racquet into neil's stomach to keep him from running away and ends with andrew acting quickly breaking riko's arm with his racquet and then using it as a shield to protect neil. because i think about it all the time.

[akai-anna]

it's been a while on my rewatch, but i'm watching the fake wedding case and... can we just talk about how shinichi's reaction is so different in the anime compared to the manga?

bland. boring. WHERE IS THE FEELING IN THIS. just. No.

THIS THO

SMITTEN. BESOTTED. A TRUE SIMP. JUST LOOK AT HIM. HE'S A BABY YOUR HONOUR. BABY IN LOVE!!!!

bonus: shinichi peeking at ran with a blush on his face at this bit (and ran blushing too, pretty please)

We Were Robbed.

[souenkun]

Judging from these panels, would it mean that there's no other yorishima exorcist that's still alive (since natori said that the yorishima family "was once" a big name, past tense) in the canon timeline, and that the yorishima we know probably ended his family's exorcism business for good by retiring himself? If so, was the reason tied to the youkai living in his left arm, or is there another cause? And when exactly did he retire— was it before or during seiji and shuuichi's high school days, which was why his left arm appeared with the thick bandages when he gave them the loquats in the anime, but he still lived in the estate during that time, or was it after the two became legal adults, which lined up somewhat with him moving into his forest home, abandoning his family estate in favor of living in isolation?

And, speaking of retirement, I wonder if we'll ever know why midorikawa told us that the takis were "famous" (which presumedly meant they were strong enough to be well-known) as occult diviners, since tooru herself only ever mentioned what their previous family business entails, and never about their status in the exorcism community? We don't really need this extra bit if she wanted to further establish how tooru has an aptitude for spell-casting, either. Again, there's another "strong" family (whose members are still alive in canon) that went into retirement, but did the taki family lost their power because the ability to see (if they were needed for diviners) disappeared for at least the last three generations (if we assumed that tooru and isamu's parents couldn't see youkai too), or was it due to another reason? How close was shinichiro (tooru and isamu's grandpa) to the matobas that even the current clan head came to pay his respects during his sixth death anniversary; was his relationship with seiji's father strictly resolved around exorcism business, or was anything else involved? Does tooru herself doesn't fully understand the prowess her family once had, hence why seiji was the one who told takashi (and us readers) about it? What would this tiny bit of lore mean for tooru with it revealed this late into the manga, when tooru herself only talked sparsely about her ancestors in previous chapters?

[astracora]

A Mandated Holiday Break - Chapter 8

Characters: Sylus x gn!mc (poly lads)

Warnings: Sylus myth mentioned, mild hurt/comfort

Word Count: 1424

Written: 22nd December 2024

Notes: Post-relationship Sylus/MC-centric but poly LADs, with my personal pov of the game and lil headcanons littered in.

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

Masterlist AO3

Sylus enjoys a karaoke bar, especially if he's got access to you for a duet. You tease him but you'll always join him, hanging onto his arm and letting loose, and he sometimes falters over the words because he's too busy watching your face.

Still, this is good too. You've set up the game system that the doctor bought for his base, presenting it with a sigh. 'You won't know the right one.'

He'd been a little insulted, but he'd acquiesced, in the end the doctor knows gaming better than he does. It's never appealed to him, and he's never had real time to try. A sing-a-long game is loading up, yelling out 'let's sing' loudly from the speaker system.

You'd presented it to him with the doctor, beaming, "You'll like this one, I promise!"

The fish had groaned from the sofa, "Why do we all have to suffer the crow's crooning?"

As much as you've teased him for being out of tune, you've always encouraged him. He can't count how many times you've asked him to hum for you. Lay against his chest, and unable to sleep for nightmares.

The reason for the at-home karaoke session, are the cocktails that Luke has decided he wants to try making. Kieran is his primary test dummy, and if anything doesn't make him spit it straight back out. You're trying them.

It's ill advised… Sylus knows you're not a light weight, but he does know you and the twins can get competitive. It feels like it's only moments before you start doing shots together, and if that happens he's bound to get dragged in, and as quick healing as he is, he doesn't fancy driving anyone anywhere. Nor does he want to get into a taxi with someone he doesn't trust. Not with you and the twins.

He needs you safe.

He also blames you for Luke’s new hobby, you’d showed them some movies, made comments about how stylish a good bartender is, (He hadn’t filed that information away, to practice. At all.), and Luke had taken that as a challenge.

“It can’t be that hard.”

“Yeah! You can do it bro!”

You’d laughed and not thought anything of it. They’d gone out, and returned with… boxes.

Then raided his alcohol supply.

He’d dragged them both back by the scruff of the neck when they went for the very expensive top shelf. In no world were they mixing that with… was that moonshine? Where did they even get moonshine from?

He doesn’t see you drunk often, there are times you’re out in busy places because you feel you have to attend, and he’s seen you drink then to soften the anxiety and stress. You always call someone to be there then, drunk you is far more willing to rely on others. He also has seen you drink when you feel safe, has carried you on his arm more than once in those situations.

You apologise but there’s no need, especially when he gets to see the embarrassed but enamoured look on your face as he holds you in one arm. Your fingers drifting over the veins in his bicep, with a look he can only describe as hungry. He flexes a little more than he needs to on those occasions.

(There was one time you’d made a comment about beef clod, and he had truly not known how to respond.)

He can see you getting to that point now, you’re trying something green that you and Kieran are sipping from the same glass with separate straws. Luke is taking his turn at the microphone, singing something about what he wants for Christmas. Sylus is unsure if the radioactive green drink is good for either of you, but you don’t look sick, still. He’s wary, and flicks your forehead. As you put a hand to the targeted area, pulling away with an offended ‘Oi’, he grabs the glass and sips from your straw.

“Aww, Boss come on.”

It’s… not as bad as he expected, but he can’t imagine drinking it for fun.

Whether his taste buds are ‘broken’ like you’ve claimed before, and its somehow worse than he tastes, he still doesn’t feel good about putting it back in either your’s or Kieran’s hands. So he downs it.

Wrinkling his nose and pushing the glass away.

Before you can grab another concoction, now that Luke is back and shoving something else onto his brother, (He’s going to have to hide the key to the liquor cabinet he thinks, if this becomes a long standing hobby for them.), he pulls you over to the karaoke machine. “It’s our turn kitten, I’m owed a song for saving you from a terrible fate.”

Your tongue is out at him, but you stumble over grabbing his arm to steady yourself, and pick up the controller to find something you both know well enough to get through it with little effort.

His song repertoire has grown substantially since you’ve reentered his life, he feels confident that anything you sing to often he has memorised. Catalogued away to think about on nights you’re not here to sing for him.

When you’re satisfied, lining up a particular choice, you thrust the microphone into his hand, that’s not currently steadying you at the waist.

You look right at him when the song starts, familiar with some things enough to sing them blindfolded, and as tipsy as you are, with your voice wavering a little, he’s as starstruck as he always is.

“And I’d give up forever to touch you, ‘Cause I know that you feel me somehow, You’re the closest to heaven that I’ll ever be, And I don’t want to go home right now.”

There’s moments in his life, where Sylus wonders if he blinks, will you disappear? A fragile illusion on a wishful soul. That someone, somewhere has truly seen into him and seen something worth adoring and loving. He thinks you are easy to love, there can be no doubt that you are worthy without the need to earn it.

“And all I can taste is this moment, And all I can breathe is your life.”

You have reminded him, again and again that you love him, that he does not need to pay for it, or gift for it. That everything that is offered is freely given, and wholehearted. That there is nothing to earn. It is not a transaction, no relationship should be. You do not keep score, and you would rather he did not either.

“And sooner or later it’s over, I just don’t want to miss you tonight.”

It still leaves him with the feeling that in seconds he could wake up, in a cold cave, surrounded by gems he no longer sees beauty in, in a world where he is nothing but broken horns and lost family.

“And I don’t want the world to see me, ‘Cause I don’t think that they’d understand, When everything’s meant to be broken, I just want you to know who I am.”

He loves you, he loves his life with you, and he is so scared-

Your hands move to his cheeks, his voice halts, wavering and pausing. Blinking at you. The microphone is out of your hands and you stretch up as tall as you can pressing a kiss to his eyelids. He almost drops his own, hand tightening on your waist. You sing just for him, lips at his cheek now, and his breath escapes in a long exhale, shaking.

You are his, you are his, you are his.

When his heart wavers, yours is there, keeping it beating, in time to a song only you can hear.

He is yours, he is yours, he is yours.

“I just want you to know who I am.”

He lifts you into his arms, and he sings with you, game forgotten because it doesn’t matter. Nothing else matters. If you are happy, he is happy, and he is so very happy with you in his arms.

If he wakes up tomorrow and you are not here, he will find you anywhere. He has done it before, and he will do it for the rest of time, because you are the one who sees him.

And later, when you are laughing and stumbling through his bedroom door, trying to pull away from the uncontrolled kisses he plants on your skin, tickling you and nipping, he will swear into your skin that he will always see you too.

Whoever you choose to be.

[turnedpalefromlackofsun]

i wrote a fanfic

[kyouka-supremacy]

Well.

[james-spooky]

this is a test

[tetzoro]

You're halfway through folding laundry when two familiar hands cover over your eyes. The smell of sweat, metal and sake washes over you and you can't help but roll your eyes behind the hands as you drawl out,

“Goodness, who could it be?”

There's a slight rumble from the chest behind your head as it pulls you to it, though the hands don't move from their spot.

You give an over-exaggerated sigh before snickering out, “Okay Franky, you got-”

“Franky?! You kiddin’ me?!”

You laugh outright at the outburst, knowing it confused and infuriated your poor green haired lover all the same. Your hands drop the shirt you were folding and gently cover over the larger ones, pulling them from your eyes as you lean back into Zoros broad chest properly.

“Why the surprise?” You question, curiosity in your eyes as his steel grey one stares back down at you. An annoying tint of pink covers his cheeks as he mutters, “Can't surprise my pretty girl? Damn.” He then smirks slightly, a joking tone dancing on his lips as he presses a quick kiss to your temple as he murmurs against your skin, “Learn somethin’ new about you every damn day.”

You chuckle again, though you press a kiss of your own to each of his palms. “You trying to surprise me because it's my birthday?”

There's a chilling silence from your lover and you look up at him with wide eyes as you ask softly, “... you know it's my birthday, right?”

Zoro blinks once, twice, before he mutters in confusion, “It's your birthday?”

You gasp and swat at him, only for his laughter to break you out of your shock as his hands grip your wrist gently. “Don't be stupid, of course I know it's your birthday.” He's quick to press a few chaste kisses to your wrist before holding your palm to his cheek.

“I got somethin’ for you. You gonna come open your gift or you gonna fold laundry all damn day?”

You grin and roll your eyes again before giving another sigh, this time with a wide shrug as you tease back, “Well, I guess your gift is more important than some laundry…”

Zoro chuckles lowly at your joking tone, pulling you up as he stands straight, though he keeps his hand in yours the whole time.

“Good, because I worked damn hard pickin’ out something you'd actually like.”

You grin and slyly ask,

“And how much do you owe Nami for asking for her help?”

Zoro pretends to be wounded, holding his free hand over his heart as he snarks back, “Not a damn thing, thank you very much.”

You both stare at each other for a moment, your gaze disbelieving to the point it pulls a deep sigh from him a few moments later as he hangs his head slightly.

“... too much, Aims. Too damn much.”

You laugh again and pull him closer before getting on your tippy toes to press a few kisses to his jawline and the corner of his lips. “Zo, you could have got me a bottle of sake and I'd have cried. You didn't need to go all out.”

He grins slightly before snatching your lips up with his own, humming against them for a moment before he pulls away with a muttered,

“Just wait till you see. Promise you'll like it, no matter what it is?”

You grin in response with a slight nod, gushing in earnest, “Of course, Zo. You picked it out, how could I not love it?”

Zoro hums in agreement before pulling you into his arms, pressing another quick kiss to the top of your head before he jokes,

“Then stop wasting time and come open my gift.”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AIMS LOVELY !!!!! I hope you don't mind the lil blurb, I saw it was your birthday and just had to write some soft Zoro for you 🥺🥺🥺💖💖💖💖 I hope your day has been as wonderful, kind and warm as you are 💖💖💖💖💖💖 ALL MY LOVE TO YOUUU !!! 💖💖💖💖💖💖🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

mandie .. MANDIE !! you did NOT just leave me the most beautiful and wonderful gif on my little doorstep ! i can not tell you how many times i’ve read this :( i am going to give you my unhinged reactions in the tags ofc but firstly !! thank you for doing this for me, i feel so incredibly touched that you put in the time to create this for me 🥺🥺 you’re so thoughtful and i am giving you the biggest hug in existence !!!! THANK YOU !! SENDING YOU SO MUCH LOVE !!! and giving you as many smooches as you want ^___^ !

now . for the fic . rubbing my hands together like a little fly hehe. let’s see if i can keep this coherent enough, shall we ? (<- said moments before i incoherently express everything)

ft. my moodboard of emotions i felt during reading btw

[camels-pen]

(i haven't read Whole Cake in a while, and i never really watched it, so bear with me)

I'd love to write a fic with Usopp on Whole Cake. it'd be sooo fucking long and i'd need to refresh myself on the entire arc, but god i'd probably be so satisfied when it's done. specifically for having brought a single moment in my head to life, but we'll get to that.

On Zou, he insists to be taken along on the Sanji rescue team and has worked himself up with a whole bunch of very good reasons as to why he should go there instead of helping in Wano, but of course Luffy just immediately accepts with a "yeah sure"

With Whole Cake, I think he'd be flipping between having fun as part of the idiot trio/quartet (Luffy, Chopper, Carrot), and being terrified with Nami. There wouldn't be that many differences in the arc as a whole, though; some things would be easier/better and some things would be worse- I don't necessarily think Usopp's presence would be overall an advantage or disadvantage, just different. Like, major events would stay mostly the same, but little details would change and maybe those little details would build to a far more drastic change-

for example, maybe one of Big Mom's kids considers themself a great sniper and wants a match with Usopp, or is motivated to work harder because Usopp is around and they want to take him out and boast about it. Maybe it means Sunny takes more damage than canon, or maybe Usopp's help means less damage to Sunny. (idk if i'd really do smth like this, but it's just an example)

skjdhf fuck i'm really not equipped to try and figure this out when i don't remember shit from Whole Cake aaaa

I do know that, despite his penchant for talking and rambling, I'd probably have Usopp be dead silent after his initial shock when Sanji fights Luffy. Everything about that is the same, except Usopp is just watching Sanji the whole time- not panicking, not moving, and not speaking. He doesn't say a word the entire time, doesn't even make a sound, and that, along with Luffy's words and Nami's begging, stick with Sanji.

(Usopp is thinking of his own fight with Luffy in Water 7, he's partially wondering if this was what it was like- if it was this painful to watch from the sidelines- and partially knowing he doesn't have to say a word, because he knew, like he knew back then, that it didn't matter what was said. It wasn't quite the same, but he could tell in the way Sanji moved, in the way he spoke and held himself, that he was putting on a front, trying to be brave in all the wrong ways. Usopp didn't say a word to Sanji because there was nothing he could say that Sanji himself didn't already know. Should've known. And his quiet, direct stare, was more than enough.)

the singular moment i really wanna write, is a scene where Sanji is apologizing for dragging them into his mess- either during the big meeting in Bege's castle or some other time- and Usopp's like "I'll do what you can't, you do what I can't, right?" and Sanji pauses, a little confused, until he remembers Enies Lobby and a stupid mask and cape and-

and tears are gathering in his eyes now, fuck, but he laughs a little. It sounds wet and his face is itchy and they're surrounded by tentative allies, but he- he laughs again and he says, "Fuck, you remembered that?"

Usopp shrugs, a little smile on his face. "They were some wise words from a wise man."

Sanji laughs a third time. "You think I'm wise?"

And they banter a little more before Bege tells them to quit it since they're on a time constraint or something. Quietly, Usopp will ask, "It-it helps. On bad days. And I figured, 'what's a worse day than this?' Ah, not that you getting married would ever be bad per se-"

"Usopp," Sanji says, looking more relaxed and settled. He smiles fondly and grabs his friend in a one armed hug, crushing him to his side. "Thanks."

And yeah, don't remember much beyond that, except the whole "hiding and then busting out of the cake" bit, which would mean Usopp in a cute little tuxedo or smth- maybe with a fedora aaaaaa <- loves fedoras- helping out with the fighting and eventually sailing with everyone to Wano.

He would be so distressed about fixing up Sunny now that the whole thing with Whole Cake is over. Maybe there'd be a gag about him promising Franky to take good care of Sunny while they were gone and being confident, after being Franky's tinkering partner and learning from him over time, that he could handle minor repair work much better than he did the first time around with Merry. And so when he finally takes in all the very-not-minor repairs he has to do, he's certain Franky is gonna strangle him for not keeping his promise. Probably also try to write in some nostalgic 'repairman Usopp' vibes from pre-Water 7.

Also something something, Sanji, wanting to do more for the crew bc he still feels guilty about Whole Cake, decides to take it upon himself to help Usopp not fall into a whole anxiety spiral about the ship. In turn, Usopp ends up helping Sanji not feel so guilty- usually by handing his own words back to him on a silver platter. And, yknow, having the two of them bonding and being buddies again like they so rarely get to be in canon nowadays qwq

[dragonseeds]

maybe like four blogs ago i wrote the most insane book-focused meta about will as john the baptist and starling as a sacrificial christ figure who becomes one with god in a way john cannot and is absorbed in the process of her apotheosis—but the point is the story is about her and will’s only the forerunner, the prologue. like, i love hannibal the show and will graham is my favorite unhinged wet dog, but i’m still a little bitter starling’s story was dissected and given predominately to a male character instead of fuller just coming up with something unique for will and hannibal.

what’s most interesting to me about them has always been will’s fundamental inability to handle the work that he was asked to do and that everyone knew this but they kept asking because he’s so Special—whereas starling could handle it, being clever and hard-working and exceptional at compartmentalization, but was never allowed to do so because she wouldn’t compromise herself to get ahead. it’s stings because gender is precisely why they ended up where they did; the horror and violence of gender is so thematically significant and inextricable to the series for me. will caught hannibal almost by accident in the books. hannibal caught starling not by devising a trap for her or gaslighting her (that came later) but simply because the systemic misogyny she faced pushed her out of her career and her life, and her contempt for the corruption of system grew and grew and crystallized inside her until she was forced to make a choice—shoot the dirty cop or let hannibal be eaten by the pigs—and in making it she revealed the truth of herself: that she believed she was above the law, above the broken system, above the men who uphold it. that choice drove her straight to hannibal. he didn’t have to do anything at all to isolate her. she came for him; he just had to wait.

[nemesis-is-my-middle-name]

yknow what minor transient detail abt s4 is fun to me? prior to john's reveal, noel apparently assumes the KIY to be a totally unfamiliar character to them both. he pauses his story to give background info on him ("he rules the dreamlands, he's a master manipulator, etc") in a way he doesn't with other stuff. he points out yellow like "that's the bitch btw. if you were curious." which is. like he knows they were in the dreamlands. i think he knows or at least assumes they were in the pits for a while given they ran into lorick. what does he think they were doing there. just. passing through??

[neil-jortson]

I cannot begin to describe my level of confusion rn

[disengaged]

wrote a 6 page acid-fueled letter to my ex about how i’m still in love with him and probably always will be, blah blah blah . his reaction ?? asking if i want to go on a trip to montreal to get tattoos together

[themindelectricdemo4]

at fitrst i thought aroace volo was jsut a cool hc but ....guys .... He just told me its true. Wtf!!!!!!!

[yamatonikado]

translators dropped an english translated version of okaeri, alice's final afterword. if you're not familair with the work and it's author, Okaeri Alice, or Welcome Back, Alice, is a seven volume manga written by Oshimi Shuzo. It follows three middle-school students: Yohei, Mitani, and Kei. All three were childhood friends, that grew apart due their own circumstances. The story starts really starts when they enter highschool and Kei moves back into town, only he's a bit different from before...

Okaeri Alice is one of Oshimi's more controversial works. It's one i've blogged about before, albeit briefly, but i have been following and reading each update as it's come out. I would not recommend it for the faint of heart or for people unfamiliar with shuzo's works.

One of the most talked about parts of this work in particular, are the volumes afterwords, where Oshimi talks about Okaeri Alice and how it relates to him as a person and author. They get pretty serious and pretty explicit. They're very emotionally charged afterwords, and this last one was no exception.

i originally wanted to post this in the chapter forums but i decided not to, mainly because the forums are full of all people and this has turned into an essay, not fit for forum posting. i'll post it under a read more. especially because i mainly wrote it for myself lol

i think i get whats going on here. he's upset that he's always viewed/been expected to view women a certain way as dictated by gender roles and expectations. ever since he was a young he's been viewing women as a sort of male fantasy. growing up he's seen women as society expects them to be, cute, clean, prim, proper, and most of all innocent/naive. 

however, as he's grown older, it seems like he's realized that women/girls aren't like how they're portrayed in sexual media--at all. as we can see from all his works, the women he writes about are messy, they're a bit mean, manipulative, and they're selfish. he knows that women still have desires and their own personhoods. because women are still people. just like men.

(if you struggle to understand this, look at how mitani is portrayed in the earlier chapters as yohei uses her as "material". pay attention to how she's presented in his sexual fantasy. now compare that to how she's drawn when he actually is in a relationship with her, when he tries to kiss her in the park he says "i need to move on as a man!" and she looks at him filled with disgust. she rejects him completely. especially when compared to kei-----wait now im just rereading with brainworms uhm anyways----in later chapters when she does have intercourse with him, it deviates so much from his first fantasies with her, that he's been pursuing under this notion that he needs to prove himself as a man, it throws him off and he's unable to perform).

and he struggles to wrap his head around that. a lot media, not just Japanese in origin, portray female characters as a sort of light in the darkness. a good woman will open her arms and accept her man for all he is and fix him. she will be his emotional support, follow his every command, and give unto him everything he demands of her. 

so he's struggling to understand why that is. why are girls reduced to such a sanitized image when they're human too and have the same desires, wants, and needs? and why can't men be seen or portrayed as women are--pure, clean, submissive, innocent. (in fact i don't even think many female oriented narratives portray men that same way, not unless they're being satirical). 

he wants to be loved the way a girl would love him. if he could become a girl, then he wants to be a girl that would love someone like him. but he knows a girl like that doesn't exist, because women like that often don't exist. he knows that even if he did become a girl, he could never be the sort of girl he idolizes because that sort of person doesn't exist at all, especially if they view the world in such a sexual way as he does. his sexual history would follow him, and that sexual history is less close to his ideal, and closer to the kind of person he despises and wants to be away from. 

i think he's just upset that there's no way for him to become what it is he aspires to be. im sure that there's a lot more too it, but i also think labelling it as tran-ness is oversimplifying it. he's really trying to find the answers in gender and sexuality, but it'll be hard to do that since he's trying to understand something very societal, patriarchal, personal, and above all--stigmatized. 

also to everybody saying he needs therapy where is he supposed to go for therapy? as if therapists in the united states aren't shoddy in quality as is you think he'll be able to find a therapist that'll easily agree to help him work through his issues with sexuality, masculinity, gender/dysphoria, anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation without signing him into a ward? even if he does have a therapist. that's a lot of work to get done, and it'll take more than a year to address all that.