# ★ & ☆ contestants. — all in this together

[twstowo]

Kissing Their Foreheads [Rollo, Che'nya and Neige]

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗SYNOPSIS: You kiss their foreheads.

♡︎Reader is from Noble Bell College in Rollo’s part and from Royal Sword Academy in Neige's part

♡︎I feel that I wrote so much more for these guys than the rest…my bad?

[First Years]☆[Second Years]☆[Third Years]☆[One final forehead kiss]☆[Here]

⋆⋅☆Rollo:

You have no idea how you ended up in this situation, but here you are, stuck in the same room with Rollo Flamme while he is giving you the chills. To be fair, he always had those dead eyes, but surely he isn’t mad at you, right? He doesn't want to burn you or anything... That’s just how his face looks all the time.

Well, you're not so sure about that anymore because now he is approaching you! And he is getting way too close for your comfort. You can hear yourself gulping from the nervousness.

You don’t even know why you’re reacting this way. You and Rollo were somewhat close; you’d dare to call him a friend by now, though you’re not sure he sees you that way. The two of you always ended up studying together after classes. Whenever you had trouble understanding a subject, Rollo would always help you out. He wasn’t that bad of a person once you got to know him.

However, he still had those questionable morals of his, and right now, he didn’t seem very happy. He kept ranting about the students from Night Raven College and by the Seven! He seemed particularly mad at this Malleus Draconia, and he had kept on rumbling about him for the past hours.

At this point, you had just shaken off your feeling of unease. You knew that Rollo was probably just stressed about wanting everything to be perfect for the new students. Yes, that had to be it! In fact, you were starting to pity his state.

So, without thinking about your own actions, as Rollo sat down next to you to continue your study session, you took hold of his face and pressed a quick kiss to his forehead. As you leaned back in your seat, realizing what you had done, you noticed that Rollo was as embarrassed by your actions as you were. Both of your cheeks had a pink tint as you stared at each other, and now you had no idea of how to get out of this situation.

──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

⋆⋅☆Che’nya:

There you were, invited to an unbirthday party by Riddle himself. You were having lots of fun eating and drinking while talking with your friends when, out of nowhere, Che’nya decided to show up and scared the living daylights out of you with his floating head.

And that wasn’t all. He seemed to have enjoyed your reaction so much that it turned into a contest to see how high you could jump when he scared you. Not fun. Not fun at all.

The second time his head popped up, you spilled your tea all over your clothes. You had to excuse yourself from the party to wash your shirt.

The third time, you almost stumbled against one of the pink flamingos. You swore that if Che’nya hadn't vanished right away, you would have hit him with one of those.

By the fourth time, you were ready to just run away from the party. But you were having such a fun time with the rest of your friends that you didn’t want Che’nya’s antics to get to you. You really needed to find a way to get payback—something that would surprise him so much that he would no longer pester you.

So, by the fifth time he showed up, you didn’t think twice. You grabbed hold of his floating head, not wanting him to escape. Che’nya had a huge grin plastered on his face, and you were so annoyed by his attitude. You did the most unthinkable thing you could think of: you kissed his forehead.

For the rest of the day, Che’nya didn’t annoy you anymore.

──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

⋆⋅☆Neige:

By now, you and Neige had become pretty close friends. Not that it was very difficult—the guy was a ball of sunshine. He was also such a hard worker, helping out the dwarfs, studying for exams, training for his acting gigs; overall, he was always filled with work. Yet he always made time for the two of you to be together.

You always tried helping him out, whether by summarizing some of the content from your classes to help him study better or by making his lunch so that he could fully focus on his own stuff.

Neige always appreciated your help, even when he kept on saying how much he didn’t want you to overwork yourself because of him. You never listened to him.

One day, you found Neige, the ball of sunshine always full of energy, knocking at your dorm room. Normally, he would send you a message when he had free time; he never showed up without warning. And by the uncharacteristic dark circles under his eyes and that quivering smile of his, you knew he was tired. So you let him in, and you let him rest in your bed as you cuddled him, pressing a soft kiss on his forehead to help him relax.

[m-ayo-o]

　✦　˚ your hot psycho course mate ★⋆. ࿐࿔

𐙚 light blackmails reader (she knows a little about kira) into doing his bidding with the death note -_- college au [21+]

*　✦　.　nsfw cw: DARK CONTENT non consent: reader is blackmailed → dubious consent: she enjoys it. threat, murder, oral, toy use; clit clamp, ring gag. overstimulation, squirting  ˚　.   *

He's your snobby stuck up college course mate and there's nothing about him that you like. He's a smug fucking bastard and you wish he'd stop staring at you in class.

Luck isn't on your side, since he gets you to himself when you're paired into a group project together. Typical, that you get put with this creep.

He manages to lure you back to his place because it's bigger and more comfortable than your small single apartment.

And that's when he first shows you it...

A black book...

It looks simple enough, but when he pulls it out of the drawer you start to shiver and he tells you what he could do to you... if you disobeyed him.

"What the fuck are you talking about," you knew he was weird, but this is too much, "Light?"

"Get on your knees"

He gives you a smirk like he expects you to do what he says. He knows you will sooner or later.

But you laugh and scoff.

"What?"

Your laughter turns nervous when he just keeps staring and you stutter something about needing to leave. But his left hand circles around your wrist in a bruising grip and his right finds a pen.

"Stay still"

The TV is on. Some stupid talk show.

He scribes something down on the white lined paper. A name, in immaculate handwriting.

He's finished. Time goes slack.

"Watch"

He takes your chin between his fingers and points your face towards the screen.

He studies his watch.

"Now"

Your eyes are glued to the TV. Your lip starts to tremble and you see one of the talk show contestants start to convulse. His whole body shakes, he chokes out a few terrible noises and collapses right there on the set.

The entire TV station descends into chaos and the channel abruptly goes blank.

"See?"

It's him, it's really him. Kira is real. And he's in your class. Undetected... A normal student???

"No-"

There's nothing normal about him.

Your eyes blink up to meet his hollow glare and you slowly shake your head, terrified.

"Come here," his hand slithers up your arm and rests on your shoulder- the one he knows you hurt in netball practice the other week- and he squeezes. You wince and he pulls you closer.

"Say no again, pretty girl"

You didn't.

And when he touched you, god, all you could think about was how good it felt...

Your pleasure points... Your pain... He controls it all...

And you succumb to his touch until your wrists are bound to his bedframe, your eyes are bleary from it all and you momentarily lose sight of him.

"Light?"

You call out like you need him.

His body looms over you. He removed his shirt and pants. He stripped you bare.

He has something in his hand.

"What's that.."

He hushes you and slips something cold and hard in your mouth. It feels like a circle. Your mouth is forced open. You can still breathe.

You gasp and he lets out a sinister chuckle.

Then attaches a toy to your clit.

"Oo-wh--"

You can't talk.

"Don't worry it'll feel good."

It clamps onto you hard and starts buzzing.

The vibrations are so intense your eyes well up with fresh tears of overstimulation and he watches your legs twitch and your hips buck with a painfully hard orgasm. You can't control it. Liquid starts spilling out of you and the mattress feels unbearably wet. Your arms tug at the ropes and you let out some cute weak noises from the confines of your ring gag.

"Haha, wow, you look cute when you squirt" he finally takes his boxers off and shows you what he's packing...

"Uh-" your efforts to back away only get him harder.

He approaches you and climbs over your body, pressing his knees either side of your shoulders and he slaps your face with his dick.

"You can't say no, remember?"

You're not in a position to say no.

Do you even want to?

Your mouth gapes and you start drooling, the vibrations continue and you feel like you're about to cum again. Your eyes flutter back and he calls you a good little slut before sinking his cock through the metal ring and over your wet tongue.

He gets himself off with your mouth but you can barely suck him due to the compromising metal ring. Your saliva drips everywhere; down your chin, over your neck, and he starts using your throat.

He hums with pleasure when you gag and everything gets a bit dirty and hot and you swear you've never been so turned on in your life.

He finally takes his cock out and releases you from the gag...

The first words that spill out of your mouth leave you shocked. But he's not surprised at all.

Just amused.

"Light- fuck-- fuck me??"

Your thighs are holding onto the clit clamp so tight he can barely open your legs.

But when he manages to spread them and finds the mess you've made... your juice so slick and dripping in filthy strings from your thighs...

"Oh," he lets out a moan, "good girl"

His praise and that expression on his face make him look so... hot. Your body shudders at the thought of finding him so attractive but he coaxes out a few more whimpered noises to the tune of begging and he slides his cock through your mess.

"Now, aren't you so glad we played this little game?"

A game of blackmail and murder.

You nod slowly and he tells you how pretty you look. Your pussy starts throbbing and sucking him in and, with the vibrator still on full power, he sinks in and you cum over his cock instantly.

"Finally got something to cum around, huh. Feel good, angel?"

You nod and he fucks you stupid.

You can't stop asking him for more and he gives you exactly what you want.

He gets everything he needs and more and he thinks this could be quite a nice arrangement.

Now, after college, you get yourselves into a little routine and, even after your group project is finished, you make a habit of getting fucked by your hot psycho course mate.

[alexrosa13]

What a Lie

Caleb x female!reader

Genre: fluff/suggestive/angst

Warnings: minor writing suggestive content!, mc!reader, mention of past trauma/mental health problems, Caleb getting slapped (out of love), reader cries... a lot... cause that's how I feel with his comeback

Note: husband came back from the military guys, it was written for the official contest made by L&Ds, if you'll like my work please consider sneaking a peak to my Twitter/X and leaving something behind to boost my chances for the win, thank you <3 (should I write some additional memories later on? expect something hot)

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~★~

Walk through your memories with him to the moment of your reunion.

I feel a little nauseous and my hands are shaking

I guess that means your close by

My throat is getting dry and my heart is racing

I haven't been by your side

In a minute but I think about it sometimes

Even though I know it's not so distant

Oh no, I still wanna reminisce it

Memories of your childhood started flowing down your mind.

The day when you scraped your knee and Caleb took you back home on his back, while trying to calm you down, eventually his ramblings managed to distract you from your cries and a joyful laugh replaced sobs, laughing with tears still lingering in your eyes.

The day when a boy in your school pushed you with succeeded in making you fall and drop all the things previously in your hands. Caleb was close by that day, and noticing the situation rush to your aid, 'threatening' the boy, which almost made him pee his pants, since Caleb was older, and of course that the older kids in school were always scary. After that he helped you gather your things and back at home you thanked him with a bone crushing hug.

Or the day where you were running around with water guns, playing with the other kids in your neighbourhood. By the end of the fun you were both left with wet clothes and hair, but the joy was worth it. Noticing you shaking slightly when the wind blew towards you, he was quick to wrap you in his hoodie and take you home, when you spend the evening playing the games until your granny had to force you two to go to bed.

I think of that night in the park

It was getting dark and we stayed up for hours

What a time, what a time, what a time

You'd cling to my body

Like you wanted it forever

What a time, what a time, what a time

For you and I

What a time, what a time

For you and I

First day of Summer, your teenage years. Right after lunch you two left for a 'short trip' for ice cream, somehow spending the rest of the day walking around, sharing the memories, the one that you made together and those created with and by your friends.

Talks about the future weren't as scary as they will be someday.

Without noticing it the sun has set, your silhouettes visible only because of the street lamps. You were lying on the grass in the park, the area quiet with no one else around. You watched as the fireflies danced in the distance.

"Caleb?" your quiet voice caught the attention of the older boy to you.

"Yes?" his response calm. He heard the hint of the hesitation in your voice.

"Promise to stay with me forever?" your voice broke down, he looked at you, the tears visible in your eyes, threatening to fall down.

"Pipsqueak..." one of his hand went to brush the tear that managed to leave your eye "I promise." he stroked your hair, in a soothing gesture.

None of you knew what the future was planning to throw your way, but both of you believed one thing: that you will stay together, always.

I know we didn't end it like we're supposed to

And now we get a bit tense

I wonder if my mind just leaves out all the bad parts

I know we didn't make sense

I admit it that I think about it sometimes

Even though I know it's not so distant

Oh no, I still wanna reminisce it

Living with the traumatic past wasn't easy. No matter for how long the thoughts of the past events left your mind, they always had a way to remind you of their existence. Never ending cycle.

"It's okay, ssh, it's okay." his gentle voice broke through the sound of your sobs, it was middle of the night, your mind played tricks on you making you mistake what's the reality and what's not.

After about half an hour of silently crying into you pillow your unconscious mind made you walk to his room.

You opened and closed the door silently, he stirred in his bed, clearly not asleep yet and looked your way.

"Pipsqueak?" you looked at him, but your consciousness was closed inside of you, he felt like he was starring at the ghost.

He sat down fast, brushing the covers aside and rushing your way, hiding you in his arms the moment he found himself close enough.

The sobs shook your body with your head falling to snuggle in his neck. The voices in your mind quieting down, leaving only silence behind. The warmth of another human body next to you kept you grounded, making you come back to reality.

You spend minutes, maybe even an hour in his arms, not moving, just listening to his breathing and the beating of his heart. He didn't ask, he just stayed there with you knowing that you needed him, giving you time to calm your thoughts down.

When he noticed your steady breathing and the exhaustion visible on your face he picked you up, carrying you to his bed. He lay down behind you, dropping the covers over you two. One of his arms worked as your pillow, while the second hugged you to him. Slowly you started falling asleep, with a calm mind, last thing that you heard before you doze off was:

"Goodnight pipsqueak." and a gentle kiss on your head.

I think of that night in the park

It was getting dark and we stayed up for hours

What a time, what a time, what a time

You'd cling to my body

Like you wanted it forever

What a time, what a time, what a time

For you and I

What a time, what a time

For you and I

The last night with Caleb home before he had to leave for his aircraft training. You were happy for him, of course you were, but... That didn't help the feeling of sadness that came together with the realization that you won't see him for months to come.

No matter how selfish you wanted to be and keep him with you, you knew how important it was to him, you wouldn't dare to get in the way of his dreams. Shutting down your phone you stood up from your bed, making your way to the room where you always felt the safest. That would change after that room won't have a resident anymore.

You knocked gently on the door, almost sure that he wasn't asleep yet, and your suspicions were confirmed with a quiet 'come in' from the other side of the door.

You grabbed the handle and opened them, they let out a quiet creak.

You noticed that most of his stuff was packed. The messy room that used to be full with various little things now clean and empty. You couldn't help the feeling of your heart tightening up. Finally your eyes meet his, he looked at you expectantly, he probably guessed that you'll visit him tonight, just like you did every time you needed him.

He stayed quiet, waiting for you to say your thoughts, which you did with a shaky voice and your eyes dropping down.

"I'll miss you." you didn't talk about your deep thoughts and problems much, most of the time deciding to stay silent and enjoy the peace that came with the presence of the other. It was also probably because you knew each other so well that you knew what the other was thinking about, no words needed.

"Oh c'mon pipsqueak, I'll be back before you know it. I'll be texting and calling you whenever I can. You won't even notice me gone in between all of your plans and training to become a hunter." he smiled, unbothered. He wasn't worried about your relationship changing for the worse, you two were too close to just forget about each other and start treating the other like a stranger.

Noticing your sulking form he stood up from where he sat on his bed, placing the photo of you and him that he was looking at before you came to him back on the shelf. He walked up to you, grabbing your chin with one of his palms, forcing you to look him in the eye.

"You know; goodbyes are not forever." the smirk on his lips made you scoff. He really couldn't treat that situation seriously, could he?

"So you won't miss me huh? Okay, got it." your voice let out the annoyance you felt at his indifferent demeanor.

"Of course I will, but I know that I'll see you again." his hand went up to mess up your hair, you caught his arm with both of your hands, but because of the sudden movement you stumbled a bit, your body falling his way. Luckily his fast reflexes managed to catch you in time, pulling you close to his body in the process. Your breaths stopped for a moment, your hearts starting to beat faster, none of you wanted to look the other in the eye right now.

The atmosphere in the room changed. Something unspoken lingered in the air. For the first time in forever you wondered what the other was thinking with no clue if your suspicions were right. You didn't know if you should move away, stay in one place or... Move closer..?

You felt his hand gently caressing the back of your neck.

"Tell me you don't want this." he whispered with his head dropping to yours, it was one of those times when you got a reminder of just how tall he is. Your forehead rested on his torso, the words not leaving your mouth.

What did you want?

Uncertainly your hands went up to his face, your palms gently caressing his cheeks. The hand on your neck made you raise your head up, the other one coming to hold your chin, his finger softly tracing your lips.

"Please tell me you don't want this." his voice even quieter than before, the words leaving his mouth with his face centimetres away from yours.

"I don't want to lie." you swallowed nervously, was it really happening?

He looked at you for a moment longer, trying to catch a glimpse of uncertainty in your eyes, finding none his body decided what to do before his mind could.

His lips came to meet yours, slow and gentle at first, but the very moment you reciprocated the affection his hand left your neck to wrap itself around your waist, pulling you even closer to him and deepening the kiss.

You lost track of the time, everything else not important right now, millions of unspoken feelings finding their way onto the surface. You felt a tear tracing your cheek, not even sure when you started crying.

After what felt like seconds, which probably were a couple of minutes, you broke the kiss with the need to breath. You opened your eyes, your gaze finding his, the longing in his eyes will probably stay in your mind forever to remind you of him every time you'll try to fall asleep.

Once more, there was no need for words, both of you knew what the other one thought and wanted, your heavy breathing met the quietness of the night, and in the next second your hands grabbed his t-shirt to pull him back in harshly, his palms matched your fierceness, pulling you by your waist and the back of your head. The noises of heated kisses and quiet moans filled the air, you hugged his neck, standing on your toes to get even closer to him.

You'll miss him so much.

For you and I

For you and I

For you and I

First months without him made you feel so lonely, it felt so weird to not be able to walk up to his room and hug him to sleep, or wake up without him making you breakfast.

He kept his promise, calling and texting you when he could, but that didn't happen often, since rookies were rarely given a time to spend on their phones.

You were staring at the photo of him smiling with the necklace you gifted him perfectly visible, the plushie that he won at the arcade for you when you were teenagers tightly wrapped in your arms.

The night you spent with him months ago still in your head. That man turned your world upside down, changing your attitude towards him drastically. You felt like you were fourteen having a crush on the boy from your class and planning all the things on how to win him over.

Soon he'll be here. Where he belongs, with you.

But until then the memories of him will have to somehow be enough.

You played the voice message he sent you a couple days ago again. The words leaving his mouth were already memorized by you, his voice brought you a sense of calm nothing else could.

He was cruel to leave you for so long after sharing his feelings for you the night of his departure.

But... You were cruel too, letting him have you the night he had to leave, making him leave with the memories of your warmth and comfort, with the memory of your quiet pleads to remember about you and to come back to you, you were so fragile in his arms, the walls you build up around yourself collapsing the moment his skin touched yours underneath the covers, with the moon being the only witness to your love.

What a time, what a time

For you and I

What a time for you and I, yeah

What a time, what a time

For you and I

The tap out ceremony after finishing the training was today, Granny let you go there by yourself, saying something about having a doctor appointment. Caleb will stay at your apartment for the first days, since your rooms in your childhood home are currently in a not really good state.

You were excited and nervous at the same time, your heart threatened to break through your chest with how strong it was beating.

You got there and saw all those people, soldiers, standing in perfect rows, people looking for their kids, siblings, lovers. A lot of noises full of joy could be heard from everywhere around you. Slowly, you walked forward, trying to catch a glimpse of the boy who's been living in your mind rent-free for the past months.

It took you some time, but you finally noticed him. He wasn't facing your way, so he had no way of knowing you were already there. You felt your eyes getting glossy, and your hand went to cover your mouth. You stood there for a moment, finally seeing him in person after what felt like forever spent without him by your side. How much has he changed?

Not letting your thoughts distract you for too long you finally took slow steps his way, walking between the lines of other people waiting for their close ones.

You found yourself right before him, his gaze stayed focused ahead of him, emotionless expression still on his face, waiting for your touch.

You took a moment to admire him. He looked almost nothing like the boy that left, a man now, one could say. Did he change on the inside too? Is he still your Caleb?

With a deep breath you stepped even closer to him, your arms behind your back. Standing now centimetres away from him, your smile widens and finally you shoot up to embrace him in the hug that you needed for months now.

He didn't miss a beat, instantly hugging you back, and picking your body above the ground.

"I told you I'll be back." he said, with his mouth right above your ear. You didn't respond, just hugged him even tighter, letting the gesture speak instead of words.

You were finally home.

I think of that night in the park

It was getting dark and we stayed up for hours

What a lie, what a lie, what a lie

You'd cling to my body

Like you wanted it forever

What a lie, what a lie, what a lie

For you and I

What a lie, what a lie

For you and I

He was right there, the same..? But different...

How could he... After so long...

Your expression gave out the million thoughts stucked in your head.

You started at him, was it really him?

You had enough of crying after that guy, blaming yourself for what happened, that you should go inside of the house with him, or maybe said one sentence more to keep him outside, anything.

And now... It all didn't matter. He was here, changed, but still him.

More tears lingered in your eyes, you felt like you were drowning, couldn't breath, your heart racing. It couldn't be real. He couldn't be real.

He looked at you indifferent, as if not moved at all by the sight of you before him.

You felt your knees giving up, before collapsing under you and sending your body to the ground. But before you could hit the hard floor your body stayed above it, before gently getting lowered down. You heard steps coming closer to you, but your eyes stayed focused on the floor, not really understanding what is happening right now.

You felt a hand holding your chin, making you raise your head and look the man in the eyes. It couldn't be...

"What? You don't recognize me anymore?" his tone cold, was it really the very person who plugged your mind everyday?

"Caleb..?" your voice so quiet that you almost didn't hear it yourself. You saw his gaze soften, more and more tears started filling your eyes. You started at him, not knowing what to do now. You believed he was dead for so long.

"It's me. I'm back." he said, his tone changing for something softer this time, dropping his cold demeanor.

You raised your hand slowly towards his face, he looked at it for a moment, letting you take your time with processing the situation.

But then you did something unexpected...

The sound of a slap echoed in the room, he looked at you in shock. You did not just do that.

"That..." your voice shook, with sadness, but also anger "Is for your 'death'." the last word came out snarky.

"Pipsque-" you pulled him by his uniform's collar crushing your lips with him, he stayed frozen, his eyes widening. He wasn't expecting that. Before he had a chance to reciprocate your angry kiss you already pulled back, pushing him away from yourself.

"And this... Is for your return." tears fell down your face, he stared at you in awe. You weren't crying. Little drops were still making their paths on your face, but there were no sobs, no shaking of your body, not even sadness left in your eyes. There was numbness... But also hope in your gaze. One thing that he wished at this very moment was that he'll manage to make everything okay. He has to make everything okay.

For you and I (For you)

For you and I (For you)

For you and I (For you and I)

For you and I, yeah

[jihyoruri]

❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ 𓍢 CAUGHT IN BETWEEN kim chaewon & huh yunjin

prev. masterlist . next

🧋★ ͘ ⴰ 10 minutes of chaewon and yunjin agreeing with each other once in a blue moon 978k views

➩ CLIP #1 PLAYING… 📼

“yn unnie I love watching my demon, im so proud o f you.” yn reads before letting out a squeal and turning to chaewon and yunjin, “they don’t like the show.” she points at them accusingly.

both chaewon and yunjin jump up in defence shouting in over each other as yn glares at them.

“we like the show.” yunjin says explaining to the fans but yn looks away dramatically.

“we just don’t think dohee and guwon should be together.” chaewon adds, “and some scenes are unnecessary.” she says a little more quietly to herself that fans couldn’t hear but yunjin could and nodded rapidly in agreement.”

“attack them.” yn demands the comments, the fans immediately listen to the girl, attacking the two other members.

➩ CLIP #2 PLAYING… 📼

“pink looks nice on you yn,” the interviewer said to the girl, this whole interview it was like she was only person he could focus every time he was talking to another member he would find a way to drift the conversation back to yn.

“oh, thank you, it always looks good on me.” yn smiles, “I like to think pink is my colour.” she responds as he nods in response telling her that it very much is.

chaewon looked at yunjin who looked back at her with the same expression on her face,as he continued the conversation with yn like the other girls weren’t there

“I finally watched the glory, you playing young yeonjin really freaked me out, you were so good.” he says as yn smiles at the compliment, “you should definitely give me acting lessons, im think im gonna get into acting.”

“oh then you probably need it.” yn responds and he lets out a laugh like she said the most funniest in the world.

the camera pans to yunjin and chaewon who both have faces scrunched up at the man.

➩ CLIP #3 PLAYING… 📼

“red isn’t my colour.” yn mumbles to herself in disgust adjusting her pink sunglasses, but everyone could pick up on it as the girls stood in grass under the summer heat.

“every colour is your colour.” yunjin responds putting her arm around the restless girl as the host announces the next game, chaewon side eyes them clearing her throat.

“it’s hot in both ways, im sticky, im in this ugly red, i don’t like running-” the girls rant gets cut off when her name is shouted asking her to come in the middle.

yn turns to chaewon with pout but the leader just laughs as taps the girls cheek as yn groans and walks into the middle coming face to face with yeonjun.

“you two will be doing a staring contest.” the host starts, “so yn you’re gonna have to take off those nice looking sunglasses.”

“staring is a sport?” the girl asks sassily as people laugh at her obvious dislike for this hybe caterers thing it was amusing to all of the groups.

“in this it is.”

yn groans and turns to look at members who laugh at the girls distress especially eunchae and sakura.

she brings the glasses to rest on the top of her head and stands closer to the txt member fixing her gaze on him.

he steps closer to her as well, a little too close for two certain girls comfort.

“im not liking this.” yunjin whispers to the leader who nods in agreement.

“are staring contests supposed to this close?” chaewon says out loud causing people to laugh be she was being dead serious.

★my new years gift‼️

[elyxir1zz]

★ — New years party

CW : Sevika x reader, a tinnnny bit of jayce x reader, making out, no porn, but suggestive dialoge, making out, modern au, vi and sevika are besties, pure fluff, no use of y/n

A/N : this was gonna be a christmas fic but i wasnt able to finish it till today sooo...hope you guys enjoy! oh AND im working on the eneimes to lovers fic, it should be out tommrow night (hopefully)

Sevika was friends with your sister, vi. They had started working together at a mechanic shop and had their lunch breaks together which was code for smoking weed for an hour then coming back to work, handling heavy machinery. Eventually vi invited Sevika to a new years party. Sevika wasn't really one for non rave parties but vi told her that there were cute girls there. So sevika agreed, however there was a ugly christmas sweater contest but no matter how much vi begged so she threw on a pair of baggy jeans and a cropped tank top 

You and Jinx sat on the couch, you were painting her nails for the party as she watched some hallmark movie ekko put on. Then vi walked in “so i invited a co-worker to the party” vi said sitting next to you and jinx “uh seriously, is it that divorced dad who got drunk at the halloween party?” you ask furrowing your eyebrows “no-” vi began to say before jinx interrupted “ooo maybe it's that frat boy who got caught with that 50 year old professor?” she asked and you nodded looking at her “no its not-” vi ventured “is it-” “LET ME TALK” vi shouted “jeez” jinx rolled her eyes

“It's a woman and her name is Sevika,” Vi exclaimed crossing her arms “is she old?” Jinx asked, “is she hot?” you giggled “oh! Is she a milf?” jinx suggested “you know you will find that out when she gets here” . Vi stood up walking out of the room “was that seriously all she came in here for?” you roll your eyes “i know right just send a text, this isn't the 1850s” jinx grumbled “wait did they have texting then?” she continued “uh i don't think so..maybe?”  you shook your head as jinx pulled out her phone, searching it up “no they didn't” jinx sighed “you know if texting was a thing we would have avoided a lot of wars” you said “probably”

“Hey is something burning?” ekko yelled from the other room, you and jinx exchange looks “the cake!” you yell remembering you and jinx made a cake and put it in the oven like 45 minutes ago “oh shit” jinx can't help but laugh as you both run to the kitchen, jinx opens the oven and a bunch of smoke leaves it, you cough as she took it out, setting it on the counter “it can be saved right?” she asked “uhhh. Probably” you say “let's put some icing and cherries on it” she countered 

Ekko walks in “uh is everything okay?” he asked raising an eyebrow, you and jinx look over “yeah! Just the cakes a little crispy” jinx smiled as ekko approached “i dont think-” ekko touched the cake “this is cement, jinx. This isn't edible” ekko looked back to jinx who was making a very sad face “you know what? Maybe it is salvageable, I'm sure it’ll taste great.” ekko sighed and patted his girlfriends back “i knew you were gonna come around” you smiled, watching him walk out of the kitchen 

“So, is jayce coming to the party tonight?” Jinx asked as she began icing the cake, looking at you “uh..i asked him too, but lately he's been a little…” you look off to the side “a little..?” jinx retorted “distracted? I guess?” you sighed leaning on the counter “what do you mean?” she countered “well he's just like, he's becoming a little soft..the bedroom” you and jinx were comfortable talking about your personal lives, being so close in age and all “like he cant get it up?” jinx bit back a laugh, earning a frown from you “no! He's like, i don't know…I just feel like i have to do everything” 

You sigh holding your forehead “he just doesn't seem interested in me anymore..i mean have i changed? Did I gain weight?” Jinx was appalled that you doubted yourself because of him “no, and even if you did it would be completely normal, humans biologically gain more weight in the winter then the summer and besides, he's not worth it if he sees you like that.” jinx ranted “your right” you say looking at the floor “What if he's gay” Jinx asked. “i don't think so, i mean he looks like he's enjoying it so” you ponder “maybe he's bisexual?” jinx added “maybe…” you cross your arms “lets just..enjoy tonight, okay?” you add the cherries onto the cake “of course” jinx replied softly

“Do we have to listen to Christmas music when christmas was 5 days ago.” ekko groaned, leaning his head back. Everyone was chatting, drinking, or making out somewhere. Jinx rolled her eyes “yes it's in season.” she scoffed. Vi looked over at the door where she heard the knocking, opening it and seeing sevika “vika!” Vi greeted moving to let her in “vika?” sevika asked looking at vi with a raised eyebrow “sevika? seVIKA? It's a nickname, something you call someone to shorten their name” vi laughed

“I know what a nickname is, vi” sevika rolled her eyes “my question is, why did you give me one?” she asked “i thought it was time id give you one of my famous nicknames” vi snickered, wrapping her arm around sevikas shoulder “i feel so special” sevika said sarcastically, walking into the living room where everyone was “this is my sister jinx, i have another somewhere around here but she's probably making out with her boyfriend.” vi frowned  “That's her boyfriend, Ekko and my fiance, caitlyn.” Vi smiled “and everyone else you can find out for yourself” she continued patting sevika on the back “let's get you a drink.”

You were looking for your boyfriend, knocking on all of the doors before opening them “jayce?” you call out walking down the hallway. You reach the final door, sighing as you open it “jayce?” you flip the light switch on The first thing you see is jayce on top of viktor “TURN THE LIGHT OFF!” jayce yells as you scream, turning the light off and slam the door you turn around running down the hallway and down the stairs. Your hand was resting over your mouth in shock 

Sevika looked at you as you ran past, seeing nothing but beauty in you “who-” sevika coughed “who was that” she looked at vi “that was my sister” vi sipped her champagne. “I'll be right back” jinx looked at ekko “of course..” Ekko muttered quietly, worried about you. Jinx walked out onto the backyard porch. Finding you leaning against the porch “Is everything okay?” jinx closed the back door behind her. You turned to her with a cigarette in your mouth, struggling to light it “I thought you quit.” Jinx said with worry laced in her voice “I'm trying!” you snapped, finally lighting it and breathing the smoke out 

Jinx frowned, she walked over, leaning against the railing next to you. You felt the guilt stab itself into your chest “im- im sorry” you say softly. “It's okay- just- What happened?” Jinx asked as you offered the cigarette to her. She hesitates before taking it and bringing it to her lips “jayce is cheating on me.” you say bluntly earning a cough from jinx “oh my god” she breathed heavily. “Yup.” you sigh “do you know who?” Jinx asked. Viktors face flashed in your mind. “No- i didn't get a good look at them” you lie

You hear footsteps behind you, you turn around. “I thought you quit.” jayce chuckled nervously as you twirl the cigarette in your fingers, shooting him a look as Jinx walks past him and into the house “im…sorry” jayce said looking at the ground “i'm sure you are.” you turn your back on him “i- it's not like i never loved you” jayce pauses “i did.” jayces voice ran down your spine. “But, i started liking viktor and he made me feel different. Like you did when we first met.”

Tears betrayed your eyes, squeezing them shut as you wiped your cheeks “why didn't you break up with me as soon as you felt yourself losing feelings” your voice broke. “Did you invite him here on purpose? Just so i would find you 2?” you muttered. “Do me a favor, get out of my life, including vi’s.” you continued “what? You can't just-” “get out.” you cut jayce off and he scoffs and leaves. You breath, take a deep breath in, going back inside. Luckily nobody questioned you, everyone was still chatting and listening to music as you walked over to the kitchen island where sevika and vi were. you took a bottle of whiskey and started chugging it

Vi smelled the stench of cigarette on you. Sevika did not, since she was used to the smell and just ignored it subconsciously.  “i thought you quit” vi said for the 3rd time “leave me alone!” you snap again “jeez im sorry” vi rolled her eyes. You scrunch your face, mouth full of whiskey as you swallow it. Sevika couldn't stop making glances at you trying to look longer each time “problem in paradise?” claggor walked over, grabbing a beer from the fridge 

“No everythings perfect!” you say, squeezing your eyes shut. “Pretty boy seemed pretty upset when he left with that viktor guy” claggor walked over “he's fine” look off to the side “were on a break.” you look down at the counter avoiding all of their gazes, vi exchanges looks with claggor. Sevika couldn't help but feel just a little joy. I mean yeah she felt bad and all but it meant you were up for grabs. “Where's your sweater” you ask looking at sevika, switching the subject “i hate sweaters” sevika was caught off guard at the sudden question 

“Seriously? How boring.” you roll your eyes looking off to the side. “Why are you calling me out when you're not even wearing an ugly sweater?” sevika smirked, looking down at you “i can't help if everything looks good on me” you giggle. Sevikas cheeks turned red as you walked away, she was definitely checking your ass out “dude.” vi pulled sevika out of her daze “uh- what?” She looked around  “That's my little sister.” Vi scoffed, crossing her arms “yeah right sorry.” Sevika looked off to the side. 

You walk over to jinx and ekko “hey pretty lady” jinx smiles as you sit down next to her on the couch “i need to get drunk” you say drinking the bottle of whiskey “you need to? Or want to?” Ekko asked, you shoot him a glare “jinx control your man” you look at jinx as she laughed. “Fine, get drunk, see if I care, ” Ekko jokes. You take another sip of the bottle, setting it on the side table “so, do you need a place to stay tonight?” Jinx asked “I don't know” you rub your forehead “well if you don't want to go back to the apartment, our place is always an option.” ekko said, resting his hand on your shoulder. “Thank you guys.” you smile softly. “Okay enough with the sappy stuff” jinx sighed “Let's do the resolution game!”

Everyone gathered in the living room sitting in a circle, everyone was given a piece of paper to write down their resolution. Sevika thought for a moment, maybe learn to cook? She just wrote something stupid down. Not really paying attention. You on the other hand wrote down “get more bitches” you snicker as you put it in the bowl. When everyone was done they started passing the bowl around. Caitlyn mixed the bowl up before pulling a paper out, reading it “this just says scissor city..” caitlyn sighed “violet” she turned to her fiance “what- im not all about sex you know” vi said earning an eyebrow raise from caitlyn “but i did write that, yes.” vi muttered. Everyone started talking 

You sigh walking away from the circle. You find yourself in the library of the house, of course caitlyn would have a library in her own house. You sigh, closing your eyes, lifting your head. “Are you okay?” you turn to the voice seeing sevika standing there “yeah, i just got lost. I've never been in such a big house.” you laugh. “Me neither, i don't think anybody needs this much space.” she walks forward “where were you trying to go?” she asked, sitting on the couch. You sit next to her 

“The void” you whisper in response “really? Mind if I come with you?” sevika requested. “Maybe, can you drive?” you tilt your head “wait, you don't have your license? How old are you?” Sevika chuckled. You blush in embarrassment “i- um…i just never got around to it” you lie. The truth is, you failed, like, 3 times “oh really?” sevika asked in a certain tone that ran shivers up your back. Fuck that was so hot. “Yes really!” you groaned and rolled your eyes. 

Jinx narrowed her eyes, looking around for you. Vi also noticed sevika was missing “where did sevika and my sister go?” vi asked everyone shrugged, not even noticing. Jinx went upstairs looking for you, and sevika I guess but mainly you. She sighed opening every door

Sevikas mouth clashed with yours. Her hand resting on your lower back. And her mech hand against your cheek. Her tongue fought yours for dominance as your hands rested in sevikas hair. She moans into the kiss. You giggle, pulling away to catch your breath. You lean your head back, holding onto her so you don't fall onto your back. “You're such a dirty dove,” Sevika whispered in your ear. She kissed your jaw and your neck before returning to your lips, she bit your bottom lip. You moan, she chuckled 

“I've barely touched you and yet your coming undone already. I guess the golden boy didnt do a very good job” sevika said seductively, you nod as she laughs. Taking the wonderful view she has of you in “your the most gorgeous girl ive ever seen” she smiled 

There was a crack in the door, jinx picked on seeing you and sevika making out. Her lips pulling into a tight line, she hesitated busting in on the both of you but she stops herself “she needs this.” jinx tells herself. 

[appeal-zone]

Ahoy!! I'm the famous Contest Idol hailing from Hoenn, Lisia~ ホウエン地方���ら大有名アイドルのルチア〜

And I'm the ELECTRIC-SUPERCHARGED streamer from the Paldea region, Iono!! ボクは大人気の電エレキトリカル★ストリーマー！ナンジャモじゃも〜ん！

Together, we are...

APPEAL☆ZONE!

We're here to run this Rotomblr blog as part of our NEW idol duo... Appeal☆Zone!! Amazeballs, amirite!?

//mun + blog info↓:

hii! my name is actually lisia — part of a reason why i'm a big fan of lisia pokémon. i'm lisia, 17, and speak english + japanese! i run the official @bulbagarden blog, but my personal account is @bulbalisia. nice to meet you~

アホイ！あたしの名はリシアで〜す。17歳で♀！英語も英語も話せますよ〜！@bulbagardenの公式ブログの担当する女の子〜 専用ブログは @bulbalisiaです〜よろしくね✧

blog rules✧ブログルール:

please keep everything sfw! even as i turn 18, i still don't want to be near anything nsfw, thanks for understanding! r15にしていこうね〜

you can interact in english or japanese! 日本語でも英語でも話してもいいのでよ〜

if you want to ask lisia or iono specifically, just ask! if not, you'll get both of them! ルチアちゃんかナンジャモちゃんだけを問いたいなら、そう言ってね！しないとルチアちゃんもナンジャモちゃんが答える〜

lisia speaks in blue text, and iono speaks in pink text! ルチアちゃんは青いテキストでナンジャモちゃんはピンク色テキスト！

tags are:

#mod iono speaks! #mod lisia speaks! #mun lisia speaks! #日本語 #appeal-zone ask!

this shooould be all, but if there's anything else that you think should be added, please let me know!! for convenice's sake, you can refer to me (on this blog) as mun lisia! (or bulbalisia if you'd like~)

遠慮もなくどうぞ〜！！

[the-goldenbunny-diaries]

Mixed Messages

⚢ Pairing - Momo x 10th Member!Reader

✎ Word Count - 2.6k

☆ Genre - Angst/Fluff

♡ Description - You and Momo have been close ever since SIXTEEN, When your company decides to take advantage of your intimate moments with Momo to benefit themselves without your knowledge, things get rocky. (A/N: I haven't had a chance to proofread this in its entirety yet, so please bare with me if there are errors)

★······★

Before you became the 10th member of TWICE, your journey began on the reality show "SIXTEEN." This show was the very platform that brought you closer to the members of TWICE and laid the foundation for the unique bond you shared.

SIXTEEN was a survival reality show that aimed to select the members of a new girl group, which would later become TWICE. You were one of the sixteen contestants vying for a coveted spot in the debut lineup. From the very beginning, it was clear that the competition would be fierce, as each contestant possessed their own unique talents and charm.

During the grueling weeks of training and competition on the show, you had the opportunity to get to know Jihyo, Mina, and the other members of TWICE on a personal level. You practiced together, shared meals, and offered each other support during the tough times. It was through these shared experiences that your bonds began to form.

Jihyo's unwavering determination and leadership qualities made her a source of inspiration for all of you. Mina's quiet elegance and grace captivated everyone, and she had a calming presence that helped ease your nerves. These initial interactions allowed you to see them not just as idols, but as individuals with their own dreams and aspirations.

However, it was with Momo that you formed an especially close connection during the show. You discovered a shared passion for dance and spent countless hours perfecting your moves together. Your late-night practice sessions turned into heartfelt conversations, and your friendship deepened with each passing day. Momo's infectious energy and warm personality made it easy for anyone to get close to her.

As the competition progressed, you all faced eliminations, and the pressure intensified. Bonds were forged and tested, and you relied on each other for emotional support. You remember Mina being a calming presence, Jihyo motivating all of you with her words, and Momo always ready with a comforting smile.

In the end, only a select few of you made it to the final lineup, and you were not among them. It was a bittersweet moment when you left the show, knowing that you wouldn't be a part of TWICE's official debut. But little did you know that fate had a different plan in store for you.

Shortly after the conclusion of the show, you received an unexpected call from Park Jinyoung, Mr. JYP himself. He had been impressed with your performance on the show and saw the potential for you to contribute to TWICE's success. Thus, you were brought in as the 10th member.

Eight years into your career with Twice, your management company saw an opportunity to capitalize on the natural connection between you and Momo, the connection fans had seen ever since SIXTEEN back in 2015. They believed that fan service between the two of you could add an extra layer of excitement and intrigue for ONCE. While Momo and Jihyo were fully informed about the scripted nature of these interactions, you were kept in the dark, leading you to believe that Momo’s gestures were driven by a genuine romantic interest.

As time went by, you found yourself caught up in a whirlwind of emotions. Momo's lingering glances, soft touches, and playful banter seemed to speak a language of their own, one that resonated deep within your heart. Her actions seemed to echo the unspoken feelings you had begun to harbor for her.

★······★

The electric atmosphere of the music show's stage pulsed with energy as you and Momo settled into your seats, ready to share a recent highlight from TWICE's journey. The host's introduction sent waves of anticipation through the audience, and the spotlight turned to you both.

"Hello, everyone! We've got a fantastic treat for you today with our special guests—the dynamic duo from TWICE, Momo and Y/N!" The host's excitement was palpable, matched only by the cheers from the eager crowd.

As the host turned to you, a smile graced your lips. This was your chance to talk about a moment that was fresh in your memory—the most recent concert that had brought you and Momo even closer together.

"So, you've just wrapped up a series of incredible concerts in the US, haven't you?" the host asked, his gaze switching between you and Momo.

"That's right," Momo replied with a grin. "Our recent concerts in the States were an absolute blast. The energy from our ONCE was electrifying, and we were able to share some truly unforgettable moments."

The host leaned in, curiosity evident in his expression. "Could you give us a glimpse of one of those moments? Something that stood out to both of you?"

You exchanged a knowing glance with Momo, a shared memory already forming between you. "Well," you began, your voice filled with enthusiasm, "For our final concert, all of the members prepared special stages. Momo and I had been planning a special duet for a while, so we decided we should show it at the concert."

Momo's eyes sparkled as she shifted her chair slightly closer to yours and grasped your hand, taking you a bit by surprise. "Yes, that duet was really something. The crowd was completely invested, and the energy was through the roof. We were dancing side by side, and there was this moment where our choreography synced perfectly." 

The host leaned in, intrigued by both the story and the surprise piece of skinship. "Synced choreography? That sounds amazing!"

"It was," you continued, a subtle blush spreading across your face. "And in that moment, it felt like time slowed down. Momo and I locked eyes, and there was this unspoken connection between us. The fans were cheering, the lights were flashing, and it was as if we were in our own little world." You couldn’t help but smile as you pictured the moment again in your head. 

Momo nodded, her smile softening. "Exactly. The best part was that it wasn't just about the performance itself—it was about the shared experience, the bond we have as friends and as members of TWICE."

★······★

With your heart still fluttering from your latest interaction with Momo, you found yourself grappling with a question that had been lingering in your mind. Wanting to seek guidance, you decided to confide in Jihyo, who was not only your fellow member but also a close friend of yours

You found her sitting alone in her room at your shared dorms, and the words spilled out before you could second-guess yourself. "Jihyo, can I ask you something?" you began, your voice tentative.

Jihyo turned to you with a warm smile. "Of course, what's on your mind?"

You took a deep breath, your gaze drifting towards the ground for a moment before you met her eyes again. "It's about Momo," you admitted, your voice softer now.

Jihyo's expression shifted slightly, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "Momo? What about her?"

You paused for a moment, thinking about the best way to ask her. "I've been feeling... something between me and Momo. But I can't help but wonder, do you think she really likes me?"

Jihyo's eyes met yours, her expression thoughtful, and for a moment, you sensed a flicker of uncertainty in her gaze. Her lips parted as if she was about to speak, but then she hesitated. The silence hung between you, a palpable tension that you couldn't ignore.

Finally, Jihyo let out a sigh, her voice a mixture of honesty and reluctance. "I think Momo cares about you a lot," she began, choosing her words carefully. "But feelings can be complex, and sometimes, what we see isn't always the whole picture."

Your heart sank at her response, uncertainty gnawing at the edges of your thoughts. Jihyo's words left you more conflicted than before, as if the truth was both tantalizingly close and just out of reach. The conversation ended on a note of ambiguity. You thanked her before walking away, leaving you with a sense of unease that refused to be shaken off. 

Little did you know, the reason for Jihyo's hesitance went beyond what she could openly reveal. She was aware of the scripted interactions, the orchestrated gestures that had given life to a romantic facade. But it wasn't her place to shatter the illusion, and so, she found herself treading carefully around a truth that was known to her alone.

★······★

Then, one day, as fate would have it, in a quiet corner of the practice room, you stumbled upon a moment that shattered the delicate facade you had built. Momo's phone was briefly unattended, and a curious impulse prompted you to take a peek. What you discovered within her digital world was a revelation that rocked you to your core.

In her phone were meticulously crafted notes, detailing every interaction you had shared, every glance, every touch, and every word exchanged. As you read through these entries, your heart sank as the truth became evident: the romantic moments you thought were genuine were nothing more than carefully orchestrated performances, following a script that only Momo was privy to. 

The moment of truth arrived with a mixture of dread and curiosity. You had managed to keep your discovery to yourself, unsure of how to approach Momo about it. But as the weight of the secret became too heavy to bear, you found the courage to broach the subject. 

You took a deep breath as Momo walked into the practice room and looked directly into her eyes. "Momo," you began, your voice a mixture of uncertainty and vulnerability, "Is this what I think it is? Were all of our interactions, everything we did together, scripted?"

Momo's gaze held yours, and her expression was a complex mix of remorse and understanding. She nodded slowly, her voice gentle as she responded, "Yes, it's true. The interactions between us, they were scripted for fan-service. The management thought it would be a good idea to create that illusion to appeal to ONCE."

Your heart felt like it was in your throat, the reality of the situation sinking in deeper. "So, all those moments, the glances, the laughter... they weren't real?"

Momo's expression softened, and she reached out to gently touch your arm. "The feelings behind them were real," she admitted, her voice sincere. "The bond we share, the friendship we've built, those are genuine. But the specific moments we were encouraged to showcase, those were planned."

A whirlwind of emotions swirled within you—a sense of loss, confusion, and the lingering question of where to go from here. "And the notes?" you pressed, your voice quivering slightly. "You have details for all of our interactions, even ones that haven’t happened yet?"

Momo's gaze dropped briefly, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her phone. When she looked back at you, there was a raw honesty in her eyes. "Yes," she confessed softly. "I had to keep track of everything for the fan-service plan. The past interactions we shared, as well as the future interactions the company had planned."

The weight of the truth settled heavily upon you, and for a moment, the room felt stifling. It was as if the world you had come to know had been turned upside down, revealing a new layer of complexity beneath the surface. But as you looked at Momo, the vulnerability in her expression spoke volumes—a silent admission that while the circumstances may have been manufactured, the emotions that had blossomed between you were as real as ever.

As the weight of the truth settled upon you, a tumult of emotions stirred within your chest. Disappointment mingled with a bittersweet understanding, and the sense of vulnerability you shared with Momo made the moment even more profound. But amidst the confusion and the pain of realizing that certain moments were scripted, you couldn't deny the warmth that still lingered between you two.

When your eyes met Momo's, you could see the genuine remorse and sincerity in her gaze. The silence that hung between you was broken by her soft voice. "I know I messed up," she began, her voice wavering with a mixture of regret and hope. "But please, can you find it in your heart to give me a second chance?"

Your heart wavered as you gazed into her eyes, searching for the truth in her words. Momo's vulnerability was palpable, and you could see the pain she felt for not being completely forthcoming with you. Despite the scripted interactions, you couldn't deny the genuine connection that had grown between you.

Taking a moment to gather your thoughts, you spoke with a mix of caution and sincerity. "Momo, this is a lot to process," you admitted, your voice soft but steady. "I appreciate your honesty now, but I need time to understand my own feelings."

Momo nodded, her gaze never leaving yours. "I understand," she said, her voice filled with understanding. "I'm willing to wait, to give you the time you need. But please know that my feelings for you have always been real."

Days turned into weeks, and amidst the quiet contemplation, you found your thoughts repeatedly returning to Momo. Despite the scripted fan-service, the bond you had formed was unbreakable. You remembered the genuine laughter, the shared dreams, and the way she had been there for you through both triumphs and challenges. It was clear that the emotions you felt for her were just as real as any script could ever dictate.

On a warm August evening, as the two of you found yourselves sharing a quiet moment in the practice room, you looked at Momo, your heart speaking more clearly than ever before. "Momo," you began, your voice filled with a mixture of vulnerability and determination, "I've thought about this a lot, and I've come to realize that what we have is too special to let go."

Momo's eyes widened with hope, her breath catching in anticipation of your next words.

You took a deep breath, your gaze unwavering as you continued, "I want to give us a chance, a real chance, beyond scripts and fan-service. I want to be with you, Momo, not as a performance, but as a partner."

Tears welled up in Momo's eyes, her lips curving into a radiant smile. "Yes," she whispered, her voice filled with emotion. "I've been waiting for this, for us."

In that moment, you closed the distance between you, your heart racing as you cupped her face gently with your hand. With the sincerity of your emotions guiding you, you leaned in, your lips meeting Momo's in a soft and tender kiss.

Time seemed to stand still as your lips brushed against hers—a moment of truth, vulnerability, and shared affection. The scripted interactions may have brought you together, but it was the undeniable chemistry and the depth of your feelings that made this kiss feel like the most genuine moment of all.

As you pulled away, the world around you felt hushed, the energy of your connection palpable. Momo's eyes fluttered open, her gaze locked onto yours with an intensity that mirrored your own.

"This is real, isn't it?" she whispered, her voice tinged with awe.

You smiled gently, your heart full of warmth. "Absolutely real," you affirmed, your voice steady and sincere.

And as you held each other in a quiet embrace, you both knew that this was the beginning of a new chapter—a chapter defined by the authenticity of your emotions, the depth of your connection, and the unwavering truth of your hearts. The scripted interactions had led you here, but it was your shared journey that would guide you forward, hand in hand, into a love story that was truly your own.

[jessie223]

ROTTMNT CHRISTMAS HEADCANONS ★‼️‼️

- Gifts 🎁

- Leo is the worst at wrapping but claims to be the best

- Raph makes it almost impossible to open

- Mikey usually uses bags bc he never knew how to figure out wrapping

- Donnie does it like absolutely perfect you almost don't wanna open it

- April gets creative with it

----

- Mikey gets hyper focused on making stuff during December, no one can bother them.

- Donnies the same way but burns out faster (Raph and Leo make sure he gets breaks before that happens)

- Leo bought them like in a year in advance

- Raph makes sure he gets lists n stuff before he goes shopping

- April is like, the best at the gifts that you wanna know what it is so bad.

- Activities 🎄

- April and Mikey bake

- Raph and Leo are on music and decorating duty

- Donnie makes sure the tree is as spectacular as possible

- they always have a gingerbread house making contest every year

- Raph makes the best hot coco for everyone

- Donnies already got the Christmas playlist ready

----

- April and Leo do karaoke

- Raph takes way too many pictures

- Donnie always has some kind of game for them to play

- Mikey makes them all do a puzzle together, (Raph ends up eating the pieces and they can't finish it)

[xreader-fandom]

﹐﹐ PINK STAR FISH ⸝ ﹐★﹕OCTATRIO

I had a lot of fun with this!! @kiirastarr

—AZUL

𝑹𝑨𝑰𝑵 𝑷𝑨𝑻𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑺 𝑫𝑶𝑾𝑵 𝑶𝑵 𝑵𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻 𝑹𝑨𝑽𝑬𝑵 𝑪𝑶𝑳𝑳𝑬𝑮𝑬'𝑺 𝑹𝑶𝑶𝑭. 𝑰𝑻 𝑺𝑻𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑴𝑺 𝑫𝑶𝑾𝑵 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑹𝑨𝑰𝑵 𝑫𝑹𝑨𝑰𝑵-𝑷𝑰𝑷𝑬𝑺, 𝑭𝑶𝑹𝑴𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑺𝑴𝑨𝑳𝑳 𝑷𝑼𝑫𝑫𝑳𝑬𝑺 𝑨𝑳𝑶𝑵𝑮 𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑯 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑴𝑼𝑫 𝑭𝑹𝑶𝑴 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑮𝑹𝑨𝑺𝑺-𝑨𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑺 𝑨𝑹𝑶𝑼𝑵𝑫 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑪𝑶𝑼𝑹𝑻𝒀𝑨𝑹𝑫.

You shiver as you hold the hot pink raincoat you’ve managed to save up from all the jobs since coming here in August. NRC is surprisingly boring, even with being the only girl at the school. Who wouldn’t wanna stare at you? You’re hot, and you just gotta own it. But it’s honestly whatever. You press a hot-pink heeled rain boot in a nearby puddle, the water rippling from the movement of your shoe. You don’t know why you’re out here, but when you saw the first raindrop fall from in sky while laying in ramshackle. There was just something telling you to go outside, and for some reason you walked all the way to the school’s courtyard. It was the first breath of winter although, it wasn’t cold enough for snow to fall across the campus but just enough for your exhaling to turn into slight fog. 

You reflect on all these months, how hectic they’ve all been. From each overblot leading up to this moment, then your thoughts trace back to a certain trio of mers. Looking out at the courtyard as the rain drips down onto the grass, you lean on the courtyards fence. Sighing as a unknown voice strips you from your edgy daze. ❝Miki? What are you doing out here? Especially at this time of day and weather?❞ the voice, belonging to no other than one of the core members of your thoughts. You turn your face to the side, head held up by your palm connected to the arm sitting on the rail as you look the grey-haired boy who stands just a few feet behind you. He looks subtly at you with intrigue; As he stands, in his school uniform— the rain continues to fall in the background as your mind settles on the boy in front of you. Pink stares back at grey as the staring contest only gets more awkward while the boy continues to fixate straight at you. He tries his best to get anything out of your facial expressions, a slight frown, quiver of the lips, dent in the brow, red in the cheeks, anything at all. But your face just stayed motionless, before a small quirked up smile formed on your face as your head finally registered the guy fully.

 ❝AZUL! Hi! I thought school ended three hours ago?❞ you smile and wave at him. ❛Disregarding my question, just what is she doing out here?..❜ he thinks everything of your actions but what he doesn’t know is that you just felt like going for an outing. You get off from leaning on the rail, brushing off your rubber coat as you walk nearer to Azul who continues to stand still, now also noticing a book with an ocean picture on the front. Azul continues to study your face and respond, leading his head to where your eyes were focused in at— suddenly remembering the paper book wedged between his fingers, he coughed and turned the cover to face away from the two of you. ❝It’s a traditional coral sea children’s book— ranges from ages 5 to 17— ahem, Ja-Jade asked me to find the book, this specific version.❞ pink dusted his cheeks while he murmured, his voice full of abasement. ❝NRC had the copy in its libraries. It’s why I’m out here this late; I had been tutoring some students too..Now, back to my question.❞ rain continued to fall, the pitter patter of rain hitting the roof and floor was washed again from Azul’s voice. ❝What are you doing out here, Aiuich?❞

He crosses his arms as you smile softly, grabbing a strand of your hair as you twirl the golden strand between your fingers. You sigh as you lean back over the rail, shrugging your shoulders. You then disregard your past movements and stand up straight and walk over to the mer-man. The corners of his glasses fog up like windows in winter night. Your faces so close together, the smell of your chapstick clouded Azul’s thoughts. He could only focus on your eyes, so well lit up, strong and beautiful passions of pink. It reminds him of those crab pastries in this mother’s restaurant. ❝I just wanted to be out here❞ you say, the two of you look into each other’s eyes. A small, innocent moment for the both of you. It’s suffocating silence that disparates you and him. A distance that cannot be closed is formed around you and him. It intertwines between your fingers, it wraps around your bodies, it loops over your shoulders, it coils around your ankles. 

You can’t tell if it’s love that brings you both together, you’re sure you could never be one. After all, you’re bound to return to your world— and he’s to remain here. You smiley softly before pressing a kiss to his cheek, glossy chapstick residue stays on his skin. You bow out of random and turn away, he raises a hand— a heavy heart in his chest. He digs his teeth into his tongue, feeling blood drip— the same motions as he’s done for years and years. Refusing to speak, to bite his tongue and watch as you go. Rain spills down the roof, it’s subsided but it still falls. 

—JADE

𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑺𝑶𝑼𝑵𝑫 𝑶𝑭 𝑷𝑨𝑷𝑬𝑹 𝑭𝑳𝑰𝑷𝑷𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑷𝑬𝑵𝑪𝑰𝑳𝑺 𝑺𝑪𝑹𝑰𝑩𝑩𝑳𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑭𝑰𝑳𝑳𝑺 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑹𝑶𝑶𝑴, 𝑨𝑳𝑶𝑵𝑮 𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑯 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑭𝑬𝑬𝑳𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑶𝑭 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑷𝑹𝑶𝑩𝑨𝑩𝑳𝒀-𝑷𝑺𝒀𝑪𝑯𝑶𝑷𝑨𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑪 𝑬𝑬𝑳𝑴𝑨𝑵. 

You fidget with the rings on your right hand, twisting and fiddling with the silver as the boy besides you scribbles down his notes and information from the mushroom encyclopedia you had recently found in a pile of books on the floor. His hair floats down like streams of rivers leading into an ocean, the singlar black strand on the right of his face is bent over and lost in the chopped and clean strands of hair. ❛He’s always been so— stiff. Even as he writes, his whole body is as stiff as a board.❜ you put an arm on the table and hold your chin as you rest and look over at Jade’s hand movements. In just ten minutes, Jade as drawn an oddly incredible and realistic mushroom straight from the book— his shading skills are immaculate it’s just, the mushroom’s line-art is very wonky and out of place. ❝I’m not, very good at drawing…Floyd has always been the more artistic one in the fine arts…❞ he smiles embarrassingly at your face, peering up from his concentration on the art beheld at him.❝Uhm, oh! No it’s good!❞ you reassure him, although you probably know he doesn’t need it as he goes right back to doodling down smaller and different mushroom species on the sides of his notebooks with a soft smile on his face that jolts at your heart. Peering at the textbook, the species (well what you are assuming is) is big and bold in golden-brown letters that say “ʜᴇʙᴇʟᴏᴍᴀ sʏʀɪᴊᴇɴsᴇ" with a small subtext of a brief description about the fungi. 

——

ʜᴇʙᴇʟᴏᴍᴀ sʏʀɪᴊᴇɴsᴇ

ʜᴇʙᴇʟᴏᴍᴀ sʏʀɪᴊᴇɴsᴇ  ɪs ᴀ sᴘᴇᴄɪᴇs ᴏғ ᴍᴜsʜʀᴏᴏᴍ ɪɴ ᴛʜʀ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ʜʏᴍᴇɴᴏɢᴀsᴛʀᴀᴄᴇᴀᴇ. ɪᴛ ʜᴀs ʙᴇᴇɴ ɴᴏᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ɢʀᴏᴡ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ sɪᴛᴇs ᴏғ ᴅᴇᴄᴏᴍᴘᴏsɪɴɢ ʙᴏᴅɪᴇs. 

——

The soft smile on his face doesn’t make you feel any better as you realize all his notes on the mushroom are just so particular about them on decaying bodies and how well/fast they consume the flesh and dna. Thinking about how he must be trying to hide a body, then again you haven’t made up your mind if the Leech family is a mafia or not….❝Are you worried?❞ his voice breaks whatever thoughts upcoming, twisting your neck to look at the teal haired boy. He’s settled down his pencil  next to all of his other ones in order from shortest to longest. ❛Maybe he just has ODC?..❜

❝I’m just very particular about my fungi. But you know I’m very glad you came with me to research about them. I still haven’t found anyone to officially join The Mountain Lover’s so it means a lot me, Miki❞ he turns around, his words seem genuine with gratitude. He reaches a gloved hand over, tucking a strand of hair behind your hair with a soft smile and returns back to his work; flipping a page of his notebook and his textbook.

—FLOYD

❝𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑺 𝑫𝑶𝑬𝑺𝑵'𝑻 𝑺𝑬𝑬𝑴 𝑽𝑬𝑹𝒀 𝑺𝑨𝑭𝑬, 𝑭𝑳𝑶𝒀𝑫..❞ 𝒀𝑶𝑼 𝑺𝑷𝑬𝑨𝑲, 𝑺𝑻𝑹𝑼𝑮𝑮𝑳𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑻𝑶 𝑲𝑬𝑬𝑷 𝒀𝑶𝑼𝑻 𝑩𝑨𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑪𝑬 𝑶𝑵 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑹𝑶𝑶𝑭'𝑺 𝑺𝑻𝑹𝑼𝑪𝑻𝑼𝑹𝑬. 

The mer just turns and laughs at you before running as fast as he can across the roof, your heels don’t help you make it far as one of the pumps gets lodged in a gap between a roof tile, you twist your ankle in hopes of it being dislodged but you only end up twisting your whole leg and it getting caught so that your leg is twisted and bend at a very uncomfortable angle. You think about calling out at Floyd but he’d probably just leave you here. You bend over and slip off your heel, twisting the shoe enough so the pump is released from the gap of tile. A pair of the most ugliest shoes anyone could possibly wear come into view, a hand bends down and grabs you by the back of your shirt. ❝H-HEY! YOU’RE GONNA STRETCH OUT MY SHIRT!—AHHHHHH!!❞ as soon as you start to nag about your shirt, Floyd jumps with you by his hands over a few buildings with large steps. Fear and disquiet flowed through you as you held on tightly to the heel in your hand, sweat forming in your palms but your grip only increased as you held on for dear life. 

Dashes of autumn trees, whites of the snow on the floor, blue of the sky across your sight as the boy runs with you in his arms. Stopping while Floyd throws you on a higher roof with a flat bottom, gripping your nails and knuckles on whatever seemed sturdy enough to hold you down to the roof. The two of you on a hightower near the field, numerous people were seen doing squats, running, broom exercises, whatever the athletic course this ungodly school offered. ❝Watch it, star-fish! You might fall down on that Heartslabyul group!❞ you look down at the structure in your hands, one slip of your fingers could sending you tumbling down where you see Ace and Deuce doing sets of jumping jacks. You throw yourself back and hold onto the roof’s floor instead. Floyd just smiles at you crudely while plopping himself down criss-cross. You glare at the teal haired boy, wondering just why you had decided to come along. Floyd lays down, his head now in your lap with a draft smile. You take a strand of hair and play with it while staring up at the sky, for such a time at winter- its so bright. The clouds are much more  fluffier than the ones back in your world, you grab enough strand and twist the two hairs and eventually start a small braid with Floyd’s hair. He doesn’t seem to mind. 

The bitter feeling of returning home comes swinging back like it did with Azul. You’ve been feeling homesick so much more often as you noticed how well you’ve gotten attached to everyone here. You wish it was so much more simpler than just packing up and leaving, magic is so wonderful and— looking down at the closed eyed merman below you, your cheeks grow dashes of red while you think about the other two. You can’t keep acting like you resent the three, but you just can’t make up your mind on what to do. 

The braid is finished, it’s minuscule and uneven (you did only use two strands of choppy hair..) but you’re proud of it. You look over back at Floyd’s now sleeping face. Whatever you have to do, you’ll do it with them in mind.

[twilightmalachite]

VS★PRINCESS - World Order 4

Characters: Mao, Leo, Subaru, Tsukasa

Translator: Mika Enstars

JP Proofreader: 310mc

"I said quit it. We’re just gonna go in circles with this."

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Season: Spring

Location: Prince Castle (Hall)

Several hours later…

Subaru: ♪~♪~

Mao: ♪ ♪ ♪

[WINNER—Isara Mao, “Chandeliers”]

Subaru: Gah, frustrating! I guess you were a bitter fit for that song, Sally~.

Mao: Haha, sorry, Subaru. I can’t afford to lose either, you know.

Now that dang mirror ball’s outta the way. The food and drinks are kind of a mishmash of things still, but things are coming together. It’s starting to look somewhat like a ball, I guess?

Subaru: I’m not satisfied, though… What’s wrong with the mirror ball?

Alrighty then, if you’re gonna block my path, Sally~, then let’s settle it with another “showdown”!

Mao: I said quit it. We’re just gonna go in circles with this.

Well, you’re why we’re where we are now, Subaru, since you started out with a controversial opinion.

Y’know the McDonald’s theory, I think it was called…? If you suggest the least feasible idea, hamburgers, to a group of people who are stumped on what to have for lunch, those who aren’t in the mood for hamburgers will offer up all sorts of suggestions.

Subaru: That theory’s just plain disrespectful!

Mao: Well, guess you’re not wrong. I like burgers too, and the theory really is a cruel one, but…

Even so, I understand why there are standards out there. Thanks to your initiative, the participant’s ideas of their “Best Ball” have become clearer.

So despite the contests for even the most trivial details, it’s starting to look like that fairy-tale-esque ball we’ve been imagining now, isn’t it?

Subaru: Well, that is true. It’s starting to take form, yeah.

It’s far from my idea of a “best ball”, though. I’d like it if everyone could make it more sparkly, but oh well…

Let’s work together, Cathy~! ♪

Tsukasa: Why me?

Please look at the bigger picture, Akehoshi-senpai. As the “portrait contest” made clear, you and I’s ideas are completely incompatible.

No—this issue extends past just you and I. Within this Prince Castle, two primary forces are emerging.

Subaru: Huh? Really? Know anything about this, Sally~?

Mao: Well, it’s obvious to most people. After one “showdown” after another throughout the day, you’ll start to take notice of exactly who is giving what order.

Subaru and I too are becoming rivals.

Tsukasa: That’s right. The venue is now divided into two major forces of disorder and order—Chaos and Cosmos.

Cosmos being the force attempting to recreate the “universal ball” seen amongst fairy tales and the nobility, like Isara-senpai and myself.

And Chaos being the force aiming for a “never-seen-before ball”, with those like Akehoshi-senpai and Leo-san.

Which side is the correct one however, is for the judges to decide, so I will not comment on that. But, they are in natural conflict.

Subaru: Wow~. How do you guys pay such close attention?

But based on how it sounds, the Chaos side doesn’t sound all too cooperative, huh?

Mao: Seems to be the case. It seems the members of that group are each dedicated to what they each want to do. Each of them are just firing off orders as they think of them—no sense of unity at all.

That’s also the reason the Order side is the predominant force, despite there being hard-hitters like you and Tsukinaga-senpai on the Chaos side.

Tsukasa: That’s Teamwork for you.

It is exactly as Nice-san has said. By bringing everyone together towards a unified direction, we can move forward towards the “Best Ball” at a rapid pace.

Subaru: Really? I don’t think that’s the case, though.

Tsukasa: ? Are you trying to lead me astray, Akehoshi-senpai?

I won’t fall for that. This many participants would not be able to come together if it weren’t for Cosmos.

Subaru: No, it’s not that. I mean that the Cosmos side isn’t unified either.

Maybe the rules had been established with this in mind? That’s just a hunch, though.

Tsukasa: Hm… What is it you mean by that…?

Subaru: Sorry, it’s just a hunch of mine, so don’t take it too seriously. Like, a part of me is just thinking, “I wish that were the case~”.

Anyway, we should think about the next order! There’s still a ton of essential stuff we gotta figure out for the ball, isn’t there?

What we have so far is the lighting, and a portion of the food, and the drinks…

What the music to dance to will be, where the dancing will be and by who, and who will be invited and for what purpose—I don’t think we’ve figured out anything like that.

Even without the Chaos side to contribute, I have a feeling it’ll become even more chaotic once it comes to judging.

Those who are on the Cosmos side might also become on the Chaos side when that time comes.

Mao: That’s true. The most important thing we'll have to show the judges is the eventual “Best Ball”.

The genre of song will also influence the dance. Even the idols who are keeping to themselves now will be up for a “showdown” if it means being able to use their best choreography for the dance.

Tsukasa: So the judging for Prince Castle has only just begun, huh.

Come to think of it, I feel that Leo-san has been rather quiet today. Perhaps he’s evaluating the trends of the Audition program? That’d be surprising…

Leo: Done!! This’ll do!

Tsukasa: Huh?

Leo: I’ve thought up ballroom music for the “Best Ball”! Twelve of them!

Tsukasa: T-Twelve? How did you find the time to make something like this?!

Leo: I don’t wanna be underestimated too much~! ♪ I’m a genius composer, so this much is easy peasy!

I’ll be decidin’ who and what this ball is held for!

Anyone who doesn’t agree with my music can bring it on! I’ll deal with you all at once…☆

[ ☆ ]

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[katherinewinchester13]

This scene feels like what I once saw on a screen

I searched 'aurora borealis green'

I've never seen someone lit from within

Blurring out my periphery

My smile is like I won a contest

And to hide that would be so dishonest

And it's fine to fake it till you make it

Till you do

Till it's true

Now it's like snow at the beach

Weird, but fuckin' beautiful

Flying in a dream

Stars by the pocketful

You wanting me tonight, feels impossible

But it's comin' down, no sound, it's all around

Like snow on the beach

★∻∹⋰⋰ ☆∻∹⋰⋰ ★∻∹⋰⋰ ☆∻∹⋰⋰★∻∹⋰⋰

★★★✩✩

° ∆ -------- ••• ------- ∆ °° ∆ -------- ••• ------

Complete 💯

Words: 7,224

╱╲❀╱╲╱╲❀╱╲╱╲❀╱╲╱╲❀╱╲╱╲❀╱╲╱╲

✨SHIPS✨💙

Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz

╲╱❀╲╱╲╱❀╲╱╲╱❀╲╱╲╱❀╲╱╲╱❀╲╱╲╱

DESCRIPTION

He was surprised to hear a few voices in the room, he lived with a bunch of guys but they weren't the type to sit in a hospital together waiting for him to wake up and he'd not long been working for station 118, they didn't know him that well.

He opened his eyes, hearing a chorus of

"Buck," all calling his name, one of the voices sounded young which confused him, he didn't know anyone young.

He also didn't recognise a couple of people. Bobby was sat to his left and Hen and Chimney were at the bottom of the bed near his feet but there was a man sat by his right, a young child no older than 13 with red rimmed glasses sat next to him.

"You gave us a fright Buck." He stares at the man with wide eyes before turning to his captain with a look of fear.

"Bobby, who are they?"

▅▄▃▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▂▃▄▅

[sucrosette]

★— ⋆｡˚ [What If We Rewrite the Stars?]

For Day 4 of Carry on Countdown 23, Stars.

On proposals.

Rated M for Baz and Simon getting (un)surprisingly frisky.

⋆｡˚

If Basilton ever proposed to anyone– not that he had anyone in mind, and certainly not his roommate who wanted very much to defang him and who Basilton certainly did not want to snog– he already had his plan laid out. Mage weddings were notoriously elaborate and romantic, as anyone with their thumb to the page of Mage Histories would have been well aware, so of course Basilton, best mage in his class, would already have his plan. Not only did he have the general populace of magekind to contest with, but also his very own mother.

Everyone bloody well knew she’d hung the moon for his father. Basilton couldn’t hide the scowl the thought of his father brought him, shaking his head to clear his mind of it. He refocused himself back to the empty field before him and then up to the clear sky above.

If his mother had hung the moon, he could bloody well rewrite the stars.

It’s in the theory of it, not the literalness of the thing. He wasn’t trying to throw the entire universe out of sorts or ruin planetary alignments. What Basilton was going for was a simpler thing, the illusion of rearranging them. He wasn’t entirely sure into what yet, at least not for the proposal, he knew that should be more personal, but for this practice bout, he has an idea.

He’d already tried a number of quotes from the classics, “I defy you, stars”, “there was a star danced”, “the stars are painted”, and that was only a small sampling of the Shakespeare he’d performed for the empty field and night sky, but nothing had taken yet. He’d tried any number of classics, a good few popular modern publications, several different poems, and just about any song that had broached the top one hundred in the past decade that also made mention of the barest, but nothing had taken yet.

Today, Baz is trying something a little off the cuff. Not exactly about the stars directly, but maybe something that could cause that illusion. ‘You would not believe your eyes–’ his wand flourishing elegantly out and up towards the starts, but as soon as the phrase leaves his lips, the field floods with fireflies. Fireflies. Which were not stars. He supposed at least something had happened, but the phrases were too tied together, either as some sort of ubiquitous social thought or a pervasive tie within his own mind.

Baz lets out a sigh and sits himself back down in the grass, hand resting palm up on his knee, facing the swarm of lightning bugs in front of him, staring off into utter nothingness. A firefly lands on his palm, it’s little legs tickling at sensitive skin.

So they were real.

Basilton was probably going to get in trouble for this.

⋆｡˚

The moment Baz knows he’s going to ask Simon Snow to marry him is the same moment they’d banished the room to a swirling galaxy all around them. He’s awestruck, confused, alight with affection for the soft contact between their hands, even amid all the violent, frustrated thoughts flying about his head in a haphazard flurry.

He knows he shouldn’t think such ridiculous things about Simon Snow. It’s not like he’s ever going to confess to him, let alone ask Snow to marry him, but Crowley, something about the stars pulled down into their room is doing something to him. It’s not the feeling of fire in his veins, nor the crackling electricity on his skin, nor even the ridiculous alluring way Simon looks all open and vulnerable like this, but the whole situation.

Of course it was ‘Twinkle, twinkle little star!’ he’d spoken the magick into. He knows it’s not a spell, he’d tried it a dozen and a half times before this in a dozen and a half different ways and come to nothing for it. But this time, burned clean with Simon’s magickal fire at his fingertips…

This is as close as he’s gotten to success, it’s more magnificent than he could have possibly envisioned in all his years as a mageling up to this. It would probably be better than he could ever hope to deliver too, but that doesn’t matter to Baz in the moment. All he can think is there’s no one else he’d rather share a sight like this with than Simon Snow.

Merlin and Morgana’s sake, he’s a bloody lovestruck nitwit and Baz has never been more certain of anything before. He’s going to ask this ninny to marry him one day, if they both survive the year.

⋆｡˚

It happens two years after their graduation. Simon and he both are on break from classes and Baz’s father and stepmum have flown the girls to the states for their own hols away from home. Oh sure, Baz and Simon could’ve joined, but an extended stay with his dad sounds like hell to Baz, so Baz and Simon decide to take their holiday in Ireland. Well, rather Baz decides and Simon can’t deny it’d be nice for a change of scenery. Okay, so the weather wouldn’t be much different from London, but he’d never been before, and Baz excited always makes for a good time.

Apparently, the mages in Ireland are absolutely insane, in that their spells are like nothing anywhere else in the world, old magicks still running wild throughout the lands, but also in that they also throw a damn good holiday party. Baz has never been one to avoid an excuse to show up and show off, especially now that he’s got such a divine dancing partner. Simon makes excuses, says he doesn’t know the steps, he’s got two left feet, he’ll trip them both up, but he lets Baz drag him around from place to place anyway.

He doesn’t like to be in the spotlight anymore, Baz knows, not on his own. But Baz also knows when he’s holding Simon’s waist and leading him in their dances, in their lives, the world falls away from both of them, leaving everything but the music and their footsteps behind.

It’s an impulse, a moment of downtime between the parties and the socializing and sightseeing, a moment where Basilton doesn’t have anything planned in his neatly penned itinerary, and Simon sights a theatre across the way from their cafe where Baz had been enjoying coffee and cake.

“Let’s see a movie,” Simon hums between sips of his thick cocoa, eyeing the titles in the display across the way.

Baz hums his own acknowledgment, watching Simon more than anything else around them, nodding before Simon even decides on a feature for them. “Why not? We can have an easy night tonight too, take the night off dancing and stay in our room, enjoy some whiskey in our bed, kick our feet up.”

Simon’s eyes are already twinkling, his feet tapping under the table excitedly, and Baz knows he’s made the right decision immediately.

It’s a musical they agree on, something loud and high energy, in contrast to Baz’s idea of a lazy evening, but Baz can never say no to a musical, and Simon doesn’t really care one way or another whatever they watch. So it’s a musical they’re watching.

It happens not too long after the hour point in the movie. The song starts playing. Not just any song, but The Song. Baz hears it and he knows this is going to be the song that changes everything about his proposal, that it’s going to be powerful enough, popular enough, to sink into every blade of grass and tree and rock and, oh this song is going to be good magick. There’s not a doubt in his mind.

His fingers are already twitching to find his wand and try it, iching to see if he could get it right the first try, to see if the magick’s already powerful enough for it. Simon must sense his insane spike in energy though, because his hand snakes out to grasp Baz’s and twine their fingers together, squeezing over his digits and bringing him back from the machinations of magick for the rest of the movie.

Simon listens through all Baz’s technical ramblings on the music, the inspirations the writer’s must’ve taken, the absolute chops on one singer in particular, the confusing choices made about the one singer who had supposedly been an operatic. Simon listens patiently through it all until warm whiskey settles Baz’s anxious energy and the movie’s finally forgotten between their lips.

“You’re terribly adorable when you get like this, you know, Pitch?” Simon asks before stealing a soft, slow kiss, his warm hands cupping Baz’s cool cheeks to keep them close together. Simon presses Baz’s back down to the mattress and climbs atop him, knees braced at Baz’s waist, straddling him slow, kisses trailing tender along Baz’s jaw and cheeks until Baz is humming low for him.

Baz’s hands wander up Simon’s bare back, following the notches of his spine tenderly, mapping his back all the way up to his wings, even though Baz knows these plains of Simon better than he knows his own hands. “Oh, shut up, Snow,” Baz groans, voice heated between shared kisses, lips wet with their want, “You’re just as bad going on about any and every new pastry we try.”

“I am,” Simon doesn’t even bother to deny it, kisses wandering over Baz’s neck, marking him with soft love bites, sucking the skin underneath dark with his affections, “But there’s better things to think about right now, aren’t there?”

Baz’s fingers crawl up Simon’s wings, dragging soft over their leather, lips quirking into a frown. Simon wasn’t wrong, he supposed, but he wasn’t going to just say it outright. “Why don’t you tell me what you’d like me focusing on, love, and we’ll go from there…”

Simon kisses a soft trail down Baz’s chest, unbuttoning his perfectly pressed shirt as he goes, “You know what I want, Baz.”

One of Baz’s hands slides off Simon’s wings to grip over Simon’s ass, gripping tight and forcing them to grind together, pulling a sharp gasp from Simon above him, the nails remaining edging just on this side of sharp against sensitive joints. “Words, love. I won’t ask nicely again.”

“You,” Simon rasps into his chest, nosing over the soft hair there, “Just you.”

Baz’s tongue darts out to wet his own lips, grinding them together again before that same hand slips to wrap Simon’s tail about his wrist, tugging it sharp in the moments following. “Needy thing,” Baz murmurs back, but he doesn’t argue against it. Baz’s always been terribly bad at denying Simon when he was honest with him, “I’ll give you what you want, love of mine, all you want and more…”

The moments melt into hours like that, between heated kisses and soft marks burned into skin, hands tugging in hair, gasps and moans lost to the air between them. Naught between their skin but Simon’s whispered worship and Baz’s quiet praise, pressing closer and closer into each other until nothing remained but each other. 

Still, it keeps playing in Baz’s head the next morning, that week, through their anniversary and the rest of the month too. “Rewrite the Stars,” the song rang in his mind, and Baz knew that was exactly what he intended to do, what he’d always intended to do.

[revunin]

Knife from ii is like literally the best character

I'm pretty sure none of the ships you could put him in are that healthy I'm pretty sure the only exception is Mephone3gs X Knife aka Glitchyknife or whatever it's called

Marshmallow X Knife? They canonically hated each other for a really long time and I cannot see Marshmallow forgiving Knife anytime soon. Darkship and/or comship.

Suitcase X Knife? Idk it's just kind of got a lot going on more of a comship than anything.

Trophy X Knife? Darkship and comship. Just look at all their interactions in season 2, I don't need an explanation for this.

Pickle X Knife? Idk it can be whatever you want

Knife X Nickel? Match made in hell. They're perfect for each other in the way that they share similar traits and mindsets. One of my all-time favorite ships for Knife AND Nickel tbh.

Knife X Mephone4s? They barely interacted. Idk they don't got much going on but I like it so I'll feature it.

Knife X Mephone5? Same as Knife4s.

Knife X Mephone4? Probably a darkship and/or comship. And a technical power imbalance because Mephone4 is the host.

Knife X Microphone? I could really see them being together in any way. This ship might not be toxic, but it's low-key a good ship idk they'd be cute together.

Knife X Paper? Idk I just kinda like it (I kin Paper and one of my favorite characters is Knife so-)

Knife X Steve Cobs? To me it's kinda a crackship but it's also literally the only way I can explain Steve Cobs having Knife as his favorite contestant.

Sorry,just wanted to rant!!! ★

[ayumicchi14]

GAKUEN K -WONDERFUL SCHOOL DAYS-

Fushimi Saruhiko route

Event 26

Translation under the cut

Yukizome Kukuri: "Umm, Saya-chan."

Konohana Saya: "What is it?"

Yukizome Kukuri: "Could it be that something happened with you and Fushimi-kun?"

Konohana Saya: "Eh? Why all of sudden?"

Yukizome Kukuri: "You two are close right? Since both of you were together at school's trip."

Yukizome Kukuri: "But, lately, I think I didn't see you two are chatting."

Yukizome Kukuri: "So far, although Fushimi-kun has that feel of not letting anyone get close to him... I realized that his atmosphere has became a bit softer."

Konohana Saya: (Since Fushimi-kun left in the middle of discussing about talent contest, I didn't talk with him that much...)

Konohana Saya: "Yeah, a bit..."

Yukizome Kukuri: "I see. Sorry if I'm trying to pry."

Yukizome Kukuri: "If you need some advice, just call me anytime."

Konohana Saya: "Thank you, Kukuri-chan."

Konohana Saya: (It had been a few days since then. Even though the school festival is getting near, I still couldn't decide the content for talent contest)

Konohana Saya: (I can't think of any ideas, and so I can't face Fushimi-kun)

Konohana Saya: (Looks like because he's being around with the job as disciplinary committee and a student council's member, so he didn't show up that much at the clubroom)

Konohana Saya: (I wonder if I'm being avoided. Since he looked so angry...)

*clubroom*

Konohana Saya: (Something that suitable for high school school's festival, that can be done together, having an impact and not making Fushimi-kun uncomfortable)

Konohana Saya: (No good. I have no idea. I wonder if today will be over too as nothing is decided at all)

Konohana Saya: (......Fushimi-kun isn't coming too)

Konohana Saya: (What if we keep going like this until the day of school festival...?)

Fushimi Saruhiko: "Why are you dazing off?"

Konohana Saya: "Fushimi-kun! So you came to the clubroom."

Fushimi Saruhiko: "Because I didn't drop by lately."

Konohana Saya: "Thank goodness... I don't know what I'm going to do if I can't talk with you."

Fushimi Saruhiko: "You must be have some ideas, do you?"

- Nothing (★)

- How about Manzai* (proceed to Bad Ending)

(TL note: Manzai is a two person comedy act. Some kind of skit)

Konohana Saya: "That's... I still can't decide anything."

Fushimi Saruhiko: "Tch..."

Konohana Saya: "S-Sorry."

Fushimi Saruhiko: "......If it's a performance of blooming a flowers with your ability then I could go out with you."

Konohana Saya: "Don't you say to not treat abilities as a magic trick?"

Fushimi Saruhiko: "Because your abilities is different from the blue club, and not known to others, so it's enough to give some surprise."

Konohana Saya: "But then, what will Fushimi-kun do?"

Fushimi Saruhiko: "I'll be a supporting role."

Konohana Saya: "Supporting role?"

Fushimi Saruhiko: "Guiding you and the time when you enter and out of the stage, also dealing with some unexpected incident if there's any."

Konohana Saya: "Okay. Please support me!"

Fushimi Saruhiko: "If that's all right with you then bring some potted plant and plant seed from the horticultural gardening club."

Konohana Saya: "We're going to practice with that?"

Fushimi Saruhiko: "Yeah. We don't have much time until the school's festival."

Fushimi Saruhiko: "We're going to practice from today until you're mastering how to control your abilities until the day of school's festival."

Fushimi Saruhiko: "If we kept instable then it won't do anything."

Konohana Saya: (It will be one hell of intensive training, but Fushimi-kun will cooperating. Let's do my best!)

Fushimi Saruhiko: "If you understand then hurry up go to the horticultural gardening club."

Konohana Saya: "Yes!"

Konohana Saya: (That day, I'm doing an intensive training with Fushimi-kun until night comes)

Konohana Saya: (Operating the abilities is really hard)

Konohana Saya: (If there's a moment when the sprout didn't come out, then there's a moment where the plants were covering the whole clubroom)

Konohana Saya: (It's very tiring after I'm using my ability. Although it will be hard if days like this keep continue from now on until the school's festival...)

Konohana Saya: (But, because Fushimi-kun will be watching me, surely it will be alright)

[ohmygodryan]

𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚 | 𝐒𝐮𝐤𝐮𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐨𝐣𝐨 𝐱 𝐟! 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 (Part 1)

"𝑰'𝒅 𝒄𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕. 𝑾𝒆'𝒍𝒍 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖." -Muse

Summary: Hunger. Nearly every moment of her life it plagued her. The deep void inside her that only cursed energy could fill had nearly torn her apart. Yet Satoru had always been by her side. They grew up together and found solace in each other. With a ruined head, she knew nothing of her past and eventually, she'd come to terms with it. That was until someone came along who had answers. Except that person was none other than the King of Curses.

pairings: Satoru Gojo, Ryomen Sukuna, and Suguru Geto (somewhat) x f! reader

~

This story will have many parts, please follow me on Wattpad or AO3 for more consistent posting. This is the prologue, if you'd like to read chapter 1, it can be found here. This story will be somewhat close to the canon, although there will be a few major changes. Please enjoy!

(art by Innailus on twitter)

Prologue┆Rot ★ ₊ ˚⟡

"𝑨𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔?"-DBMK

Snapping. That was the first thing she heard. The steady tearing crackled through the air with each pop reverberating across her ears. The culprit of the noise was unknown, for all she could see was darkness. In fact, she couldn't feel anything except the gnawing hunger deep within her core. The emptiness became so palpable that it was all she had to go by. So she followed its whim, reaching through the abyss in whichever manner the hunger told her to.

She couldn't be sure how long it persisted like this but she quickly became aware of the light invading her senses. Suddenly, she found herself in a staring contest with the moon. She looked around and discovered the swaths of trees surrounding her. As she inspected the dense leaves, it struck her that she had no idea how she got there. Come to think of it, she didn't know anything at all. All she remembered was the hunger and now the trees. As she pressed through her thoughts only one word stood out to her.

A name, (Y/N).

She knew this was her and that was a start at least. She furrowed her brows and looked down at herself. She hadn't noticed until now that she was covered in a strange dark liquid. It was a strange purple hue and although it wasn't blood, it disturbed her all the same. Her heart rate quickened as she looked around in panic. She was so confused and the distress of not knowing how she got here was becoming incredibly real. That, and the hunger still stirred within her. It pulled at her consciousness and it didn't take her long to lose the battle of self-control. It willed her to turn around and she obeyed, yet her conviction didn't last long.

Something was watching her within the trees. Its glowing eyes stared into her and she took a step back in alarm. It crawled out of the shadows, revealing a hulking misshapen beast. It looked unnatural in all ways, yet the hunger urged her forward. Was this what she was starving for? It was vile, but she wasn't going to kill it. She wasn't even sure she could. But as it lurched towards her, it became increasingly clear it wanted to kill her instead.

She stumbled back, barely able to catch herself before hitting the ground. She tore off into the forest despite every bone in her body willing her to fight the creature. Her fear was far stronger than the void inside. Her clothes caught on branches as she ran but she didn't care, despite them leaving deep tears across the cloth. She ran until her legs were burning and just as they were about to give out, she saw an opening in the trees. She willed herself forward and burst through the treeline with harsh breaths.

A wide road spread out before her and she tumbled to her knees at the sight of it. No sooner had she done so, a blinding flash came into view. The fear once again shot through her veins and she scrambled back into the comfort of the shadows. She wasn't sure if the strange creature or the mysterious light was worse, but she didn't have time to consider it as they were fast approaching. They began to slow, followed by an overwhelming hum. A strange vehicle stopped before her. She was about to retreat once more, but the groan behind her stopped any further attempts at that. She decided to brave the vehicle, squinting her eyes to see someone emerge from it.

The mysterious figure hurried to her side and she quickly realized it was a woman. Everything about her was strange, she realized, yet her eyes held concern.

"What happened to you?" The woman said, her voice soft yet tinged with alarm.

She held out her hand to her with wide eyes, "Are you alright?"

She didn't know how to answer. Describing the creature behind her would only make her seem crazier than she already looked. She figured she'd take any help she could get, even if she didn't entirely trust the strange vehicle.

"I'm lost—" The girl couldn't help but cough, her throat felt like it was filled with sawdust, "I don't know how I got here...I think I might have hit my head."

Of course, that was a lie. Her head felt fine, but she knew for a fact she must be injured. Why else would she feel like her body had turned against her?

The woman pulled her to her feet and looked her over, "I think you must have hit more than your head."

The woman surveyed her in concern, noting how the girl despondently looked between her and the forest. She couldn't bear to leave an isolated teenager on her own. Despite the peculiarity of the situation, the woman led her to the passenger side door.

"Come on, I'm not going to leave you here." The woman gave her an encouraging look.

The girl sucked in a heavy breath, considering she didn't entirely trust the vehicle. She assumed she should know what it was, seeing how nonchalant the woman was about it, yet it seemed foreign to her all the same. She nodded and allowed the woman to help her into the seat.

The woman soon slipped into the driver's side and turned to face the girl, her lips pressing into a nervous smile.

"The main road to town is closed so I can't take you to the hospital. Is there somewhere else I can take you? Family, friends?" She spoke carefully.

The girl felt her heart clench in her chest. She had no idea, she realized. Her brain mulled between faceless figures clouded in fog. She couldn't recall a thing. She shook her head slowly.

"No. I don't know, I can't remember." She admitted, looking down at her destroyed clothes.

The woman gave her a piteous look. She rested her hands gently on the wheel, taking a moment to think.

"You can stay at my house for the night if you'd like. In the morning the roads should be clear again. We can take you to the hospital." She said apprehensively.

The girl widened her eyes. Why was this stranger being so kind to her? She seemed to have no choice but to trust her. The girl nodded again, wordlessly.

"Alright, it's settled then. What is your name by the way? I'm Tsuji Yuna." She bowed her head in introduction.

The girl hesitated, "(Y/N)... that's all I can remember."

Tsuji smiled in return, "(Y/N), huh? That pretty. Come on, let's get out of here. It's too creepy."

~

The girl sat staring at herself in the mirror of the spacious bathroom she found herself in. Tsuji had been kind enough to offer her new clothes and a shower, along with a bed for the night. Her house was incredibly lavish, decorated in a modern style the girl had never seen before. Of course, she couldn't be sure of what she'd seen before. Tsuji had explained that she lived there with her husband, who was away on business. She wasn't entirely alone however, the housekeeper had briefly greeted the girl, although she seemed wary of her.

The girl was relieved to find she recognized her own face, one of the few things her memory held intact. She seemed relatively unharmed, despite her strange circumstances. Her old clothes were torn beyond recognition and she now wore a simple shirt and sweatpants. She sighed as she turned around, no longer wanting to dwell on it.

Her body ached, almost as much as her grumbling stomach. The food Tsuji gave her hadn't done much to satiate her hunger, although it made it slightly more tolerable. She had no idea how long she'd been lost for, so perhaps it had just been a very long time since she'd eaten. She decided to stick to this narrative, yet she couldn't deny the thought in the back of her head that something was very wrong. She sat down on the bed, which Tsuji's housekeeper had turned down for her. She reasoned she'd begin her journey of self-discovery in the morning. For now, she lay her head down on the plush pillows, resigning herself to sleep.

Resting was easier said than done, however. No matter which way she turned, she couldn't stop the aching in her stomach or the flashes of faceless beings from haunting her every time she closed her eyes. The blankets seemed to cocoon around her in a suffocating manner and she couldn't stand them any longer. Yet even as she removed them, sleep still eluded her. After a particularly excruciating hunger pang, she had gotten to her feet. She couldn't stand to lay there any longer and began to wander the house instead. She hoped to distract herself from the pain, ready to try anything to keep her thoughts from eating. As she rounded the corner to the kitchen, however, she was surprised to find the light still on.

Tsuji sat at the bar, stirring a spoon in a mug dreamily. She jumped at the sight of the girl but smiled in recognition soon after.

"Oh (Y/N), you scared me!" She sighed in relief, "Are you alright?"

The girl looked to her feet, feeling the ache move to the back of her throat. Even talking seemed hard as the words caught in the back of her throat.

"I can't sleep." She admitted, "There's so much running through my head."

Tsuji nodded in understanding, "Anxiety, huh? I get that. I bet you have a lot on your mind. You still can't remember anything?"

She motioned to the empty chair beside her. The girl shuffled over reluctantly, still feeling her body shake. She sat down and clutched her arms to her sides. She didn't know if telling Tsuji about what was wrong with her was the right thing to do. She wanted so desperately to let it out, to scream about how her insides ached, and how her mess of head was nothing but jumbled pieces.

"No, everything is a blur. Sometimes I think I have something and it disappears." She couldn't stop the words from pouring from her mouth, "My chest burns, it's like I have a hole inside me. It overwhelms me and I can barely think straight. I don't know if I'll even stay conscious sometimes."

To her surprise, Tsuji only listened with a calm expression. She patiently sat there as the girl expressed her pain and once she finished, she simply gazed at her softly.

"Maybe you're sick, you've out there for god knows how long. Or it could be the stress from your situation." She said smoothly.

The girl took in her words with due consideration. Her memories of the forest were a haze, almost like someone had been shutting a light on and off. She could very well be ill, that could explain the monster she witnessed.

Tsuji got to her feet, "Would you like some tea? That always helps me."

Her soft smile was puzzling to the girl. She had let a stranger into her home and even allowed her to stay overnight. She didn't so much as bat an eye to offering her hospitality, even when she began to spout madness. She had no reason to be so kind.

"Why are you helping me?" The girl said finally, "You don't even know me, I could have been dangerous."

Tsuji turned around, placing a hot mug of water in front of her. She crossed her arms, leaning on the edge of the bar.

"My husband and I could never have children. I always volunteer at the elementary school in the nearby town. I'd always wanted to have kids and even though they aren't mine, I still know how horrible I'd feel if anything happened to them. I couldn't stand to leave you out there by yourself when you probably have a family of your own worried sick." She explained, looking thoughtfully at her cup of tea.

The girl was silent for a moment, watching her reflection in the water. This woman had taken risks for her well-being and she was incredibly appreciative of the comfort she'd provided. Despite her lack of memories, feeling cared for seemed foreign to her.

"Thank you." The girl said finally, a soft smile spreading across her features. "I'm not sure what I would have done without you."

Soon after, Tsuji finished making the tea. It warmed her insides, temporarily distracting from the void in her stomach. They chatted for a bit and after a while, she forgot her hunger entirely.

That was until there was a disturbance upstairs. A crash was heard from one of the bedrooms. Like clockwork, the hunger tore through the girl's stomach again. It was more palpable than it had ever been before and she had to restrain herself from doubling over in pain.

Tsuji instantly got up, noting the girl's discomfort.

"Don't worry, I have a security system. If someone were to break in, I'd know." She said reassuringly, although she didn't look convinced.

"Something may have just fallen. Why don't you wait here, I'll go check it out." She placed a hand on the girl's shoulder and offered her a smile.

The girl could only nod her head, although she had a terrible feeling about what lurked upstairs. As Tsuji disappeared from the kitchen, she began to have doubts about the situation. If someone was up there, she couldn't let her go up by herself. The girl slid off her chair and began to make her way upstairs. It became increasingly difficult as she neared the upstairs, her stomach felt as if it were trying to claw its way out of her. As she stood before the room, it had hit a peak. The girl limped over, pressing one hand to the door and the other on her stomach. As she pushed the door open, she froze at the sight.

A beast, much like the one from the forest, only much larger, stood in the center of her bedroom. It had a taunting grin filled with a maw of eerily straight teeth. Tsuji stood in front of it, yet she didn't seem phased at all. She only turned to look at the girl with a relieved smile.

"See, I told you there was nothing to worry about. Something just fell off the desk." She took a step towards the girl.

"Tsuji!" The girl cried, reaching her out, "Behind you!"

Yet she was too late, as the beast reached out a clawed hand and sliced right through Tsuji's chest. Blood spurted from the wound, Tsuji's eyes widening promptly. She let out a cough before the creature reared her body back and threw her across the room. As she flew, her blood splattered across the girl's face. She could only watch in horror as the woman's body smacked against the wall motionlessly. She reached up to feel the blood on her cheek. She looked at her fingers, then at Tsuji's body. Her blood had begun to pool on the floor around her, tainting the once comfortable room in gore. She had only spent a brief amount of time with her, yet in that time she'd been the only face of comfort within the storm of her mind. She felt that with Tsuji's kindness, she may have been able to figure out her situation. Now, she lay on the ground surrounded by her own blood.

The girl didn't even notice the creature approaching her, only the void curdling in her chest. The hunger raged through every vein in her body, she kept it at bay no more. It tingled through each limb until all she felt was emptiness. Her hand willed itself forward and she gripped the creature with iron force. She could only watch as it began to melt in her grasp, before her vision was engulfed in a flurry of hunger fueled darkness.

The snapping had returned, this time accompanied by banging and occasional gurgled screams. It was hard to discern which sound was which. Nothing was as strong as the void puppeting her. Her body wasn't her own as she followed the melody of the tearing, her consciousness felt like it was in a deep pool of water. She felt like she was going to drown in it until something pierced through the darkness.

A force reached out for her, pulling her from the ocean of her mind. The first thing she saw as the world became clear again, were bright blue eyes.

"Hey, I think it's working!" The voice sounded as if it were underwater.

She was snapped back into reality by the sensation of someone slapping her cheek. A boy around her age with frosty white hair stared back at her.

"Oi, can you hear me?" He gave her face another light smack.

She shook her head, squinting at him in confusion. She nodded slowly, reaching a hand up to stop him. It was useless, as her arms felt like they were weighed down by sand.

"She's responding!" He called to someone behind him, smiling confidently.

"Well, you don't have to keep smacking her then." Another deeper-sounding voice called back.

She felt the presence of another person next to her. She looked up and although her vision was still muddled, she could make out another boy with black hair tucked neatly back into a bun. He stared down at her with tired eyes and she couldn't help but stumble back a bit.

Her head felt like it was spinning and she tried to focus her vision frantically.

"Woah, easy girl!" The frosty-haired boy gripped her shoulders tightly, "Don't let me lose you again. Come on look at me, like this ready? Deep breathes, in and out."

She focused her attention back on his strikingly blue eyes and followed his actions. His gaze seemed to ground her and with each breath, she had begun to piece herself back together. The air washed over her and she felt her vision slowly begin to even out. Her heart rate had started to settle and she heard the boy let out a relieved sigh.

"Thank god, I thought you were about to go crazy again." He chuckled.

She ignored his words as she began to notice their surroundings. She was still in the same room from before—or what was left of it. The furniture had been blown into jagged chunks of wood that were littered about the mangled flood. It had caved in within certain areas and walls in turn had holes exposing them to the night air. The mess was topped with splatters of purple sludge like icing on a cake.

"Did I.. do all this?" She finally spoke, her voice cracked with the effort.

The boy huffed, "Yeah, it was actually impressive, and kind of a pain. I mean considering how many curses there are, it's incredible you're even alive."

She noticed the bodies of the strange beasts, which he called curses, strewn about the mess. Her heartbeat quickened at this, and her gaze trailed to the corner. She regretted it instantly, and her eyes snapped back to the boy.

"Tsuji—" Her voice was barely a whisper, "Is she...?"

The boy with the black hair spoke up suddenly, "Your friend? She didn't make it."

He looked at her sympathetically, his voice soft as he broke the news. This did little to comfort her as her breath began to quicken. Both boys seemed uneasy at this, hesitant to make any sudden movements.

She shook her head in disbelief, "Those things followed me. If I had never gotten into her car, if she had never helped me, she would still be alive."

The tears threatened to pour from her eyes and she pulled her knees to her chest. Her heart felt like it would shatter her ribcage at any moment. She couldn't bear to look in the corner, she couldn't accept the fact that this was because of her.

The pair exchanged glances and the boy with the black hair silently kneeled next to her. He allowed her to sob for a moment before turning to her again.

"It's not your fault. Curses are unpredictable, they could have been drawn here for any reason." He spoke calmly.

Curses? Why did he keep saying that?

"What do you mean?" She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at him apprehensively.

The one with the white hair scooted closer again, tilting his head curiously, "You don't know about curses? You were definitely killing them like you did."

She shook her head, "Maybe I did once. I can't remember anything."

They both considered her words, exchanging glances again. The one with the black hair cleared his throat.

"Not everyone can see curses, it's rare. Those of us who can, most of the time, have cursed energy of our own. We are called jujutsu sorcerers, we hunt curses." He explained, eyeing her closely.

The knowledge seemed familiar to her and she perked up at his words. She looked at him curiously. The hunger inside her had something to do with curses, she was sure of it.

"That... seems familiar." There was a tinge of hopefulness in her voice.

The one with the white hair looked around the room, taking in the destruction once more. He surveyed her, his blue eyes flashing under the pale moonlight.

"Well, do you want to learn?" He looked at her expectantly.

She furrowed her eyebrows, "Learn about curses?"

"I mean all of it. If you come with us, you could learn about cursed technique and all that. It may help get your memory back." He gave her a small smile and pointed to his head as an example.

His raven-haired counterpart looked at him in surprise. The frosty-haired boy raised his eyebrows at his friend as if daring him to challenge him.

"He's right, it's worth a shot." The other finally sighed.

The girl mulled over their words. The idea of curses and jujutsu sorcerers felt like something she was once well acquainted with. Despite the haze of her mind, she had felt each curse that she'd killed satisfy her hunger. This could be the perfect opportunity to learn more about the abyss that plagued her. She, of course, couldn't ignore the fact that those very same curses had been the cause of Tsuji's untimely demise. The girl couldn't live with herself if she didn't at least try to save more innocents from their clutches.

"Alright," She said finally, "I'll go with you."

The white-haired boy smiled eagerly in response. He got to his feet, stretching a bit as he did so.

"Smart decision." He looked back to her and held out his hand in invitation.

The girl stared at him hesitantly before placing her hand in his own. He pulled her to her feet, that same grin still plastered on his features. She looked between the two, her body still reeling from the previous stress. The black-haired male gently steadied her, surveying her with thoughtful eyes.

"What's your name, by the way?" The blue-eyed one spoke up.

She did her best to smile, "(Y/N)."

His grin only widened and he placed an arm around the other's shoulders playfully. His enthusiasm spread to her and the stress from before had begun to lift. Being around them, being around him, would be good for her.

"I'm Gojo Satoru," His blue eyes flashed once more, "and this is Geto Suguru."

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒅: Rot by DBMK

[cryoculus]

— reparations 05 ⟢

i have a very marketable skill called “jumping to conclusions”

★ FEATURING; arataki itto x gn!reader

★ WORD COUNT; 4.6k words

★ TAGS; modern au, flower shop au, slow burn, idiots to lovers, tooth-rotting fluff, mutual pining, no smut, sfw

★ NOTABLE CHARACTERS; arataki itto, thoma, kamisato ayato, kamisato ayaka

★ MASTERLIST . AO3 ★

“I can’t believe I wasn’t here when he did the thing. What kind of father am I?!”

You’re in the middle of shaping the bonsai you have on display when Itto sulks behind the counter—chin propped on top as he watches the silk white cocoon inside Itto the Fourth’s jar. You roll your eyes.

“Well, if you spent your precious time being here for his milestones in life instead of canoodling with the yakuza…”

“Nope! You are not guilt-tripping me out of this, master!”

“Wasn’t counting on it,” you scoff.

So, as things might have it, after placing your late-night order at Shimura’s, you and Itto decided to lounge in the shop to wait for the food. But the moment he sat down on your swiveling seat, the gang leader refused to take his eyes off the caterpillar-turned-chrysalis that was Itto the Fourth. You actually forgot to bring up that it was finally one step closer to the next phase of its insect life given all the commotion that occurred over the last hour. But your patient didn’t seem to mind the delayed info.

“Say,” you begin, putting down your shears as you flash him a pointed look. “If you won’t tell me exactly what’s going on, can I at least know how you got on the yakuza’s bad side in the first place?”

Itto hums, craning his neck to meet your gaze. “Eh? Ain’t that the same thing?”

“Don’t think about it like that! Your origin story is different from your current predicament, you know.”

And then Itto makes a motion of pinching his thumb and index finger together before sliding it across his lips like a zipper—shaking his head petulantly. What a damn kid. 

To his credit, Itto may be idiotic about eighty percent of the time, but he’s still pretty sharp. You’re not sure if he’ll even spill the details once the entire ordeal is over. You can almost hear your mother chiding you for nosing into another person’s business, but what the hell is so important that Itto would have to (literally) break his back for the sake of it? A lifetime supply of yakisoba? A printed certificate that says ‘Arataki “The Yakuza Boss” Itto’? The longer you wallow in your own thoughts, the wilder your imagination runs, so you decide to spare yourself the trouble.

As you get back to your feet, you peek behind the blinds you drew at closing time, wondering when your food is going to arrive. Though it’s only been ten minutes since you placed your order, you were beyond starved. However, there don’t seem to be any delivery motorcycles in sight. Guess your dinner isn’t arriving miraculously early. 

“Is there anything I can do to make you tell me?” you ask out of the blue, turning your head to Itto, who is now comfortably leaning against the backrest of your chair. “Beating you in an onikabuto battle? An eating contest? Rock-paper-scissors?”

Yeah. You’ve totally lost it. You don’t even know why you’re trying so hard to get it out of him. It’s none of your business! Repeat until true! 

“Those are quite the honorable choices, if I do say so myself.” He laughs, cracking his fingers together. “But not even a mountainload of mora can get me to disclose the details. And that’s saying something ‘cause I’m kinda broke right now, but who cares!”

You do a double-take on that one. “Wait, you’re broke?” 

“Hm? Is that so hard to believe?”

You’re quick to stride back to the counter, placing a palm in front of him as you shoot Itto an incredulous stare. “The rent in this place is forty thousand yen a month. Rent that I pay to your gang. Your gang, who owns this property. Did you just happen to forget that?”

“Oh, yeah…”

“Shinobu doesn’t let you handle any of the money, does she?”

“Um… No, she does not.”

“Then how the hell have you been getting by all this time?” you nearly shout, throwing undecipherable hand gestures everywhere. “I-I don’t even pay you—”

Itto effectively cuts off your rambling by pressing a finger to your lips, making your eyes go wide as he shushes you. He meets your gaze earnestly, and only speaks once you’ve completely gone silent.

“I know you’re my master and I still have tons to learn from you when it comes to gardening or whatever. But lemme tell you this: you need to learn how to chill.” He says every word so slowly, it’s as if he’s talking to a prepubescent teenager. “Look at me! Barely escaped with my life back there, but I’m bonding with Itto the Fourth ‘cause the situation calls for it. Sometimes, you gotta adapt to strange environments, y’know?”

Chill. Right, yeah. Chill. A.K.A., something that you were already lacking the moment Itto didn’t step through the front door on the first day of his leave. And now he barges into your home, passes out, makes you treat both his wounds and him to dinner. Where the hell are you supposed to get a decent supply of goddamn chill?!

“Gee, why didn’t I think of that?” you balk sarcastically, slapping his hand away. “Thank you, Arataki. You just solved half the world’s problems with unsolicited advice.”

To your absolute joy, he chuckles aloud, looking way too pleased with himself. “You’re too kind! Some of my boys said I should start writing for an advice column in the daily newspaper. What do you thi—”

All of a sudden, Itto’s cheery voice cuts to the thick silence of the shop. He stills, rising to his full height as rusty amber eyes do a cautious sweep around the room. You’re about to ask what’s gotten into him before the man before you promptly has all the color drained from his face, as if having realized something drastic.

“Tsk, he’s coming...” he mutters, and for a moment, you momentarily mimic the shock on his face. Who’s coming? Those fuckers that hazed him? 

“Itto—”

“Yo, I’m going to, uh…” he trails off, grabbing Itto the Fourth’s jar before tucking it beneath his arm. The gang leader jams a thumb over his shoulder with a wobbly smile. “Hide in your room for a sec. Is that okay with you?”

“What?” You scowl. “Are you just going to leave me to entertain those lunatics alo—hey!”

Not even securing your explicit permission, Itto bolts back up to your apartment with his stupid hibernating caterpillar—leaving you right in the dust. The room is silent, save for the erratic thrum of your heartbeat that’s making you feel a little psyched out. Should you call the police? But if the person (people?) that Itto sensed was dangerous, surely he wouldn’t leave you to deal with them for him, right? But then again, cooking up assumptions about your unwitting apprentice was a common mistake that you’re growing tired of making.

Your instincts jolt to life when you hear three knocks on the front door of the shop, making your heart plummet to your stomach. 

It takes you a moment to realize you’re locked in another game of ‘Guess Who’s on the Other Side’. This time, it could either be A.) Itto’s assailant(s) or B.) the food delivery guy. Though your hunch was wrong about Tora’s sudden appearance in the balcony, you were pretty damn sure this can only be one or the other. 

Calm down, you tell yourself. Sure, Itto isn’t the best at keeping his temporary employment here all that discreet, but surely the yakuza won’t try to drag you into their problems. You’ve got nothing to do with all that! 

With a clean conscience, you breathe deep, compose yourself, and open the door.

“And here I thought you’d gone straight to bed.”

When you see who it is, your jaw nearly unhinges itself from your skull and lands on the floor. How the fuck can you be so wrong twice in the same night?!

“A-Ayato?” you stammer, but he’s already letting himself in—shrugging off the coat off his shoulders as he marvels at the state of your shop. “Lovely place you have here,” he comments. “I might send in an order or two pretty soon since Ayaka has been gushing about your bouquets non-stop.”

You can’t even be bothered to feel flattered at the promised revenue because you’re processing the presence of not just one, but three people that have entered your shop past closing time. Ayaka and Thoma followed suit right after the force of nature that is Kamisato Ayato, but thankfully these two look a bit more apologetic.

“You weren’t picking up any of our calls,” Ayaka sighs, stuffing her phone in her handbag and unraveling the scarf around her neck. “We thought you might’ve been in trouble.”

Calls…? As in, plural? Shit. You left your phone upstairs after that strange, heart-to-heart conversation with Itto on your balcony. You hadn’t bothered checking it since you finished patching him up. But you attempt to mask your surprise by shifting everyone else’s attention to Thoma instead.

“I told you something just came up, right?” you sigh. “Why’d you go ahead and let Ayato-nii march all the way here just to see if I’m fine?”

The blond chuckles, already sounding defeated. “We all know when waka’s got something set on his mind, there’s no stopping him.”

Well…that is true. 

You guess there’s no use trying to point fingers now that the Kamisato trio was here, so you just tell them to get comfortable instead. Thank Archons Itto suddenly rushed upstairs (for reasons that still eluded you). It’s going to be pretty hard to explain what a shirtless gang leader is doing waiting for late night takeout with you to these guys. Even if the four of you have been through weirder shit in the past. 

“Has business been faring well?” Ayato asks, carefully draping his fingers across the bonsai you were just trimming earlier. 

You nod. “Uh, yeah! So far so good. The people here in Hanamizaka have been sweet and accommodating. Didn’t really expect that in a place handled by the Arataki Gang.”

For some reason, the older Kamisato raises an eyebrow at that and you internally panic. Fuckfuckfuckfuck. Was bringing it up a bad idea? Nahhhhh, Ayato couldn’t possibly know about Itto’s temporary post here. You aren’t even sure if Ayaka knows since Thoma isn’t really a snitch. You should be safe. Maybe.

Then, you hear a loud noise coming from upstairs.

Ayaka glances over to the stairwell curiously and you bite the inside of your cheek to keep yourself from actually screaming. Yep, entertaining these three and kicking them out ASAP should be your main priority right now. Close college friends plus big brother or not.

“What was that?” Ayato wonders.

“I-It’s probably just Mikan,” you laugh nervously. “She’s been really hyperactive lately. Turns the place upside down whenever she isn’t asleep hahaha!”

He looks, by no means, convinced of your reasoning, but thankfully Ayato plays along and decides to drift over to your beloved succulent rack. “Oh, I nearly forgot. Ayaka, Thoma, we were…informally invited to the wedding of one of the daughters of the branch families. I say informally because the ceremony is still in its planning stages.”

“Is there any reason you’re telling us this in advance as well?” Thoma asks.

“Mmm, well I heard the bride-to-be, who is one of our cousins, is going to wed a commoner from the city,” Ayato elaborates. “A commoner who suggested that this flower studio is going to take charge of the necessary arrangements for the wedding.” 

You take a moment to process that, vaguely remembering a job your mother told you to look out for the last time you were home. “...Do you mean Andou-san?” 

For the past few weeks, you were so preoccupied with keeping Itto in check that you completely forgot all about it. But who knew Andou’s fiancée was from a Kamisato branch family? Huh, small world. 

“Forgive me, I’m not very good with names, but when our cousin bought up your store in today’s lunch meeting, I just felt the need to bring you three together again.” Ayato laughs softly as he picks up one of the tiny potted succulents, casting a cheery stare at his present audience. “Just like old times, yes?”

“Nii-sama, the three of us have always kept in touch,” Ayaka sighs. “Is there anything else you’d like to talk to them about?”

The older man hollers, setting down the succulent as he raises his hands in surrender. “Oh, fine, fine. You caught me. Another reason why I wished to catch up with our dear friend is…this funny story told to me by one of my secretaries.”

“One of your secretaries?” you repeat.

Ayato nods. “She lives around this area. Told me she was walking home after sorting out some documents at the estate in Yougou Heights when she walked past Sakura Street and… Realized a motorcycle crashed into this very same shop! Shocking, is it?”

…Count on Ayato to express his concern in the most backwards way possible. You can feel your tongue turning sandpaper dry as your eyes discreetly rivet back to Ayaka and Thoma—two people you kept in the dark about the night you first met Arataki Itto. They exchange puzzled looks almost in unison, which means this is probably the first time Ayato brought the matter to their attention.

“Crash?” you chuckle, gesturing around the shop. “Does this look like a place that’s been trashed by a motorcycle, Ayato-nii?”

“Well, now that you mention it, that certainly doesn’t seem to be the case,” he hums thoughtfully. “But I couldn’t help but wonder…especially when Thoma over here told us about your lively helper. Arataki…was it?”

Fuck. He’s on to you. Ayato is soooo on to you. 

“Oh, yeah. Itt—uh, Arataki. That’s his name. Y’know, the gangster.”

“From what I heard, that man is kind of a bum,” Ayato remarks warily, folding his arms. “Yet he’s working here?” 

“Yeah, ‘course he is!” you reply a bit too quickly. “That guy um, takes odd jobs whenever money’s starting to get tight so I’m just helping out. It’s only for a few weeks.” Shot in the dark. You still don’t know how Itto’s made it this far without a stable job, on top of those weird allusions to a life in prison he’s yet to speak to you about.

“So where is he now?”

As if the man in question wishes to answer Ayato’s inquiries for himself, yet another crash resounds from upstairs. Holy shit. You are going to rip Itto to shreds once you’re done dealing with Ayato. Could he be any more goddamn obvious?!

“Mikan, stop messing with the furniture!” you yell (somewhat) convincingly. “A-Anyways, that guy is on leave right now. So if you’re looking for him, you might have to contact his deputy, Shinobu instead.”

“Do you need help rounding up your cat or something?” Thoma offers. “You always count on me to calm her down, remember?”

The mere suggestion is enough to send you into cardiac arrest. “Nope! It’s fine. Mikan’s just going through it is all. She’ll calm down eventually.”

“Is that why you weren’t able to have dinner with us?” Ayaka shoots you a worried look. “I know a well-practiced vet from Watatsumi Island. Would you like me to give you his card?” 

“Hey, come on!” you groan—feeling all sorts of pressured from their kind suggestions. Gods, you can only imagine how much these three were going to fuss if they found out that Itto’s crashing stunt was actually true. “You have all got to chill. We haven’t gotten together in nearly a year, and you guys choose to spend the time worrying? How about we call it a night for now and let’s just…hang out this weekend! How’s that sound?”

Ayato starts to stroke his chin contemplatively. “Hm, I did ask my secretary to free up my schedule next week. Business trips drain the life out of a man, if you kids only knew.”

“Nii-sama, you’re only three years older than us.”

“Ah, the ignorance of youth is bliss I can no longer attain.”

“They’re right, though,” Thoma, thank Archons, agrees with you, straightening the collar of his own jacket with an apologetic smile. “We’ve already imposed too much. Let’s all just continue this on the weekend. Should we meet you here?”

The last bit was directed at you, to which you respond in turn. “Sure. I promise I won’t stand you guys up anymore.”

“We’ll hold you to that then,” Ayato huffs, digging into the pocket of his trousers before tossing something in Thoma’s direction. Fortunately, the blond is dextrous enough to catch it mid-air. “Go take Ayaka back to the car. I’ll just put down a few orders I’d like our dear friend to make for me.”

Thoma nods without question, twirling Ayato’s keys around his index finger as he and Ayaka exchange farewells with you. Though, you try not to think about how your best friend’s stare lingers on you a tad longer than usual. 

When the door shuts behind the two of them, Ayato paces around the shop for a few moments more. Though you’re sure as hell he was just stalling, you can tell that the fondness in his eyes as he surveys each shelf is anything but fake. 

“So my office back at home has been looking very dull to me as of late,” he laments. “The rainforests of Sumeru are quite a refreshing sight, and I’d like to emulate the scenery, no matter how minimal, inside my workspace. That’s why I wanted to ask which decorative pieces you recommend for the setting I have in mind.”

You rack your mind for a catalogue of tropical plants that could suit Ayato’s tastes right then and there, feeling a bit proud of yourself to have earned his favor. “Let me see, uh, Monstera plants make for good minimalist decorations in the office, Ayato-nii. I actually have some displayed right…here.”

Wandering around the rows of shelves, you show Ayato a miniature version of the lush green plant that seemingly has holes on its leaves. “This is what they actually look like. They didn’t get attacked by pests or anything.”

“Oho, these are exactly what I saw by the riverbanks.” He nods. “I’ll have someone pick up, hmm, five of these within the week along with a check for the payment. Just text me the invoice after.”

“Sure thing.”

You’d be lying if you say you weren’t expecting him to sneak in something else in such a casual conversation about the items you have on sale. If there’s anything you know best about Kamisato Ayato, it’s that he likes to keep his intentions tucked discreetly between two different pages of a book—so that only those who are meant to know their meaning can read between the lines. But as you quietly see Ayato out of the shop, you wonder if it’s actually possible for him to do things without an underlying motive beneath all that pretense.

“A shame that you weren’t able to sample Komore Teahouse’s special dinner sets tonight,” he sighs, raising a hand to pat your head affectionately as he puts his coat back on. “But we all have lives to live and other matters to attend to at times. Just make sure you show up on Saturday, yes? You promised~”

“Yes, Ayato-nii. I promise.” You spare him a hearty laugh, wrapping your arms around Ayato tenderly. The years you spent growing older alongside him and his siblings always makes you feel like you were part of their family, too. Well, Ayato did say to never hesitate calling them your family once, and you’ve always done as told.

“Can you promise me one more thing?” 

Pulling away, you meet his silver-eyed gaze with brows raised. “What is it?”

He gazes at you with a tinge of seriousness for the first time tonight, one hand placed on top of your shoulder. Ayato opens his mouth, as if raring to speak his mind, but the moment you anticipate his words, they never come.

“...Forget it. I might be speaking out of turn,” the older man sighs, smiling sheepishly to himself. “Just—take care of yourself. Your future’s looking quite alright here in Hanamizaka, but I hope you know it won’t hurt to be more cautious.”

“You sound just like my dad, it’s kind of creepy,” you joke, patting his hand with yours. “Got it. Now, shoo! Ayaka and Thoma are probably waiting for you in—”

“Shimura’s delivery!”

Startled, you glance over at a man whose motorcycle is parked by the curb—the familiar Shimura’s logo printed brightly on the delivery box behind him. You can practically feel the day’s fatigue evaporate from your body at the sight of it.

“I’m the one who placed the order!” you say, waving him over. But as the delivery man scrambles over to where you stand, Ayato flashes you a minute nod—one you return with a warm smile that doesn’t falter even when he’s already walking away.

“Late night special for—” the delivery man practically announces to the whole neighborhood as he squints at the receipt in his other hand. “Arataki Itto?”

Again, you feel your entire body seize up at the mention of his name. You whip around to the direction Ayato headed when he finally made his leave, chest threatening to burst. He hasn’t gotten far yet, and the possibility of him having heard what this mouthy delivery guy just said is more likely than not. But Ayato doesn’t look back. In fact, he just keeps his strides forward as if he heard nothing at all.

“Yeah,” you respond to the man in front of you with a queasy smile. “That’s our order alright…”

“Well that took long enough!”

You don’t even have the energy to snap at Arataki once you make it back to your apartment, carefully setting down your food on the now-tidy coffee table. Huh. Did he clean up while you were downstairs or something? Only the remote to your TV and Itto the Fourth’s pickle jar littered the surface.

“What took long enough?” you sigh. “The food or me getting rid of my impromptu guests?”

Itto snorts from where he’s sitting cross-legged on your sofa. Thankfully, he’s now wearing a shirt but it seems a few sizes too—wait, is that your old pep rally shirt? “Duh! I was talkin’ about aniki. I have the patience of a mother when it comes to food, mind you. But when that guy’s in the vicinity, ohhhh boy! I’m not really ready for my 781st loss yet. I hope you understand why I had to run with my tail between my legs. Don’t tell him that, though. He’ll laugh at me.”

No matter how much you try to make sense of what the hell Itto was saying, you’re way too famished to think. So you decide to fill your poor stomach with something to eat first before asking questions.

The scent of chili oil and steamed dimsum makes your mouth water as you pop one into your mouth, chewing happily as you watch Itto wolf down his own very late dinner beside you. It feels a little strange, having a meal with someone on a couch you’ve only shared with Mikan, but the change isn’t unwelcome. Even if he probably broke into your room to steal your clothes.

“So, this aniki person you mentioned,” you start, quietly slurping your fried noodles. “Are you…talking about Ayato-nii, by any chance?”

“Eh?” Itto stares at you, putting down his chopsticks before bracing his palms on his knees. “You know aniki, too?”

“Well, yeah. He’s the older brother of one of my best friends,” you inform him. “How do you know him?”

“Haha! It’s a long story, master. One that’s best told over drinks and not fast food takeout. But I’m sure I can convince ya to go out drinking with me sooner or later.”

“Do you even have the mora for that?”

“Ahh, no. No, I don’t. That’s why you’re footing the bill as usual.”

“You’re really fucking thick-skinned, you know that?”

Once the two of you have finished bickering over interchanging topics in the span of thirty minutes, you clean up after your food. Itto actually has the decency to help you dispose of everything that needs disposing, as if he isn’t sporting any healing injuries at all. You try not to laugh at how comical it looks for him to lug a trash bag down the stairwell of your apartment wearing your pep rally shirt-turned-crop top. It’s either this guy has zero self-awareness or he seriously does not give a fuck. You’re not really sure which one it is.

“So, can I sleep on the couch?” Itto asks once he gets back, wiping the sweat off his brow.

A pause.

“What? You’re sleeping here?”

“Of course I am!” he says. “I can’t exactly show up at our home base looking all jacked up like this, now can I?”

“Well, you can’t just volunteer your employer’s couch as a temporary stronghold either, wise guy!” you scowl, kicking him in the shin as you retrieve your phone. A quick scroll across the lock screen clues you in on the several missed texts and calls that your friends made earlier, and—damn. You should really keep this thing on you all the time.

“You’re kicking me out just like that?” He pouts, and god, it’s such an atrocious look on him that it makes you want to hurl. But then again, it’s already, what, one in the morning? 

If you evict him now, Itto would probably just go back to those assholes that hurt him instead of swallowing his pride and letting his gang see him like this. Which will give you more problems than if you just let the guy sleep over for one night. Dammit!

The gods better be looking down on you with favor right now. 

“Fine. Do you need any blankets or something?” 

“Nah, s’fine. They don’t give you blankets in prison, so.”

“...Remind me to do a background check on you tomorrow?”

“Hehe, now why would I do that?”

You let out a long, long sigh when you shut the door to your bedroom. Itto assured you that he’d hold down the fort and beat up anyone who tries to rob you in the dead of night while you slept. A promise that’s equal parts reassuring and terrifying but you’re frankly too exhausted to think about it too much.

To your surprise, Mikan is already inside your room. But she seems to be preoccupied by something—

A gasp flees your lips when you see one of the photos you have propped up on your nightstand on the floor, lying face down with a couple of glass shards littering the floor. Mikan mewls once she notices you draw near, pawing at some of the fragments as you pick up the frame with careful hands.

It’s a picture of you and your dad at your junior high graduation day, but the protective glass sheen was smashed to pieces. Thankfully, the photo didn’t seem to suffer any damage. 

“Did you do this?” you ask Mikan, to which she replies with a sharp cry that makes you chuckle. “Yeah… Just messing with you.” 

That night, you think of two things as you slowly drift off to slumber. The first is: what did Ayato want you to promise? It’s really not like him to cut himself off mid-sentence like he did earlier. You’re going to try and bring it up again this weekend, if chance permits you.

As for the second thing…

“Why the hell would he do that?” you whisper to no one in particular, one arm draped across your eyes. In your mind, you imagine a statuesque man with strange tattoos standing over the broken picture frame—a disdainful look distorting his usually vigorous smile.

For once, you decide to sweep the dust under the rug, where no one else can hope to find it.

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