#14 sai no koi

[chocoxcaramel]

[14dayswithyou]

The 14DWY brainrot is real... >_< were ypu planning on sharing koi ren's design here too or is it discord only for now? remember to drink lots n lots of water today 🐸☔️

i don't rmbr if i included this but can you share any koi crumbs too?

✦゜ANSWERED: aaaaa I'm 14 years late to this ask (/silly), but thank you for reminding me!! I'll add the new Mer Ren design to da queue >:3

I'll also put the Koi Ren (I'm rocking with this new name!!) crumbs under the cut!!

"Stop rocking the boat, Ren." Without sparing a glance in his direction, you continue to stare out into the vast, open lake. "You'll scare away all the fish."

Had you turned around, you would've seen the faux-deadpan look on his face as Ren takes in the irony of your words. As if to prove a point, he gently swishes his tail in the water, which causes small ripples to form and (eventually) disturb your bobber. "I don't think the boat is the problem here."

"Okay, how about this... One more fish, then we can go back." You finally look back at your scaley companion — who was still leaning against the edge of your tin boat with a lazy smile — and give him a resolute nod. "Promise."

"Sure," Ren casually reaches into the boat to pick and pluck at some of your live bait. "But you said that about the last three fish."

"This will be the last one. I swear."

"You... swear?" You try to ignore the way Ren swallows up one of your minnows as if you weren't using them for bait as he continues to speak, "Like... curse words? Humans sure are weird creatures."

As if realising his comment, Ren's ocean-blue eyes widen slightly and shift towards your form. "N-Not... Not you, though."

With a laugh, you playfully try to nudge him off of the boat. All it does is cause it to tip slightly, but Ren steadies it when you show signs of losing balance.

"Alright. One more fish, then?"

You nod and cast your attention back to your rod once more. You don't even notice the silence — nor Ren slipping away — until you suddenly feel a tug on your line and call out to your companion in excitement. "That was quick!"

Quickly reeling it in, you wonder what kind of fish you'd just caught — it's definitely stronger than you anticipated, given how the rod drastically bends and snaps at every movement from the fish. And just as you see the shadow from the murky depths get closer, the ripples get bigger and cause a stir underneath your tin boat. Standing up now, you try with all your might to reel it on board...

...Only for a mess of black hair to emerge from below and peer up at you with a smug look.

"Ren!"

"Looks like you got a big one."

"C'moooon." You practically whine, though you allow Ren to haul himself into your tiny boat and rest his head in your lap. You can still feel his body shake from underneath your touch, no doubt still laughing at his poor attempt at a joke. "This doesn't count."

A beat passes before your fishy companion responds. "...Hm? Fine then."

Another moment of silence follows before he slithers back into the water without another word. Half of you worries that you might've said something to offend him (there was still the tiniest hint of a language barrier between you two). Still, it ultimately leads to nothing as Ren soon emerges once more — only this time, he's hauling the biggest largemouth bass you'd ever seen into your boat.

"This good enough?" He looks at you with wide, blue eyes. "If not, I can probably find a sturgeon and—"

"It's bigger than my boat!"

"Is this what your kind calls... exaggeration? Because your boat is big enough even for me to—"

"—Arghh! It's getting water everywhere! Put it back!"

It was almost comical how Ren tossed the fish over his shoulder and back into the water without breaking eye contact with you.

Another wave of silence hits, yet neither of you seems to move or break the awkward staring contest you'd somehow started. It's then when you notice Ren's grin get bigger — most likely at your resignation and embarrassment — which causes you to fall back into your seat in defeat.

"Fine. Enough fishing for today. Let's head back." Busying yourself with the bucket of fish and tacklebox in front of you, you secure your gear and pack everything away. But it seems Ren had other plans, seeing as he took it upon himself to climb back into your boat and rest his arms on your legs. No longer able to move as freely, you have no choice but to indulge in his carefree whims.

"But you caught me. Aren't you going to bring me home too?"

"As much as I want to," Truly, you do. You've always wanted to show Ren the world outside of Lake Bluemoss. "There's no way I'm carrying you all the way down the mountain."

"You never know until you cry."

"Try." You correct him. "Until you try."

"Your kind sure are funny." Ren nuzzles himself closer. "Perhaps another time, then... Stay here tonight."

Your body pricks up at his words, and you spare a glance at the abandoned boathouse near the dock. Despite its rough and rugged exterior, you and Ren actually made it quite comfy. It had some of your old blankets and sheets thrown over one of the boats to make it comfortable to lounge in — alongside a giant empty tank that you and Ren filled with water for him to sit in as well. Despite the lack of human traction, the place still felt homey and well-loved.

"...I guess I could."

"Then what are we waiting shore?"

You had to roll your eyes at his attempt at a pun.

[eskumii]

Can you pls do platonic yandere sanemi x demon child reader (that is also tanjiros and nezukos younger sibling to)

soft yandere!older brother figure!shinazugawa sanemi x child!demon!reader hcs [platonic]

TITLE: " TURBULENCE " — navi.

A/N: this contains huge manga spoilers in regards to sanemi's past/relationships!! also ,, ty for being patient annonie, if ur still there :') also i accidentally posted this b4 i finished it, so sorry if anyone saw that...

PAIRING: soft yandere!older brother figure!shinazugawa sanemi x child!demon!kamado!reader (platonic)

CHARACTERS: shinazugawa sanemi (21), reader (12), nezuko (14), tanjiro (16)

☆ sanemi hates demons.

☆ that much is clear from the spectacle he made of your older sister, nezuko, at the hashira's headquarters with that horrrible temper of his. needless to say, you don't like him at all and he clearly doesn't like you or your sister, either. it certainly doesn't help that master kagaya seems to have a sour sense of humor as you're now stuck with him as your babysitter.

☆ both tanjiro and nezuko vehemently object to master kagaya's orders. the servants of the residence had to literally rip you from the ironed grips of your older siblings, who were screaming bloody murder as if you'd be separated for the rest of eternity. they were certainly being a tad bit dramatic, but you'd be lying if you said you weren't just as upset.

☆ with the deal set in stone, however, sanemi drags you to his home as begrudgingly as humanly possible and condemns you to one of his spare bedrooms. apparently he lived alone (expected tbh) in a traditional style home, complete with the koi ponds and bamboo deer scares. it's nice, you'll give him that, but his nasty attitude doesn't seem to match the beauty of his residence.

☆ although your living conditions are less than ideal, you're old enough to know that staying under someone else's roof is almost never free. you try (keyword: try) to do what you can to help around the house but sanemi is constantly hollering at you to leave him alone or to not mess with his stuff.

☆ he insists you stay in your room and out of his way, but you still tail behind him from afar out of your debilitating boredom. if he notices, he says nothing, and simply ignores you as if you're not even there. at least when you were with tanjiro and nezuko there was always something to do—sanemi is so boring.

☆ sometimes sanemi gets really angry for seemingly no reason and at any given time. he'll storm outside and take it out on the poor practice dummies that litter his backyard, grunting in oblivious rage when he accidentally kicks one of their heads off. you're not sure what it is about you that makes him so angry; you've kind of already ruled it out as his perpetual state of being.

☆ and, well, sanemi doesn't... hate you. you remind him so much of his younger brother, genya, and most of his anger is only borne out of pain. as the eldest of the family he once knew, it's not like the instincts he acquired to take care of his siblings just went away. you simply remind him of who he used to be and the weaknesses that tore his family apart make him inexplicably angry.

☆ considering your resemblance to his late younger siblings (and genya), sanemi does get protective over you in his own ways. sometimes you meddle too close to the windows during the day, so he'll yell at you to move. or sometimes when you're scarfing down the raw meat he gives you, he yells at you to slow down lest you choke.

☆ it may seem like he's not paying attention to you at all, but he's always peeking at you with watchful eyes. he's notices that you like to watch him train but can't be out in the sun, so he hung up a blanket in the branches of a nearby tree without saying a word to you. you smile knowing that you're growing on him.

☆ during the evening, sanemi often catches you out in the garden picking flowers. usually he'd shrug his shoulders and turn his nose up, but he felt compelled to see what you were doing out there all the time. plus, he couldn't have you wandering out beyond the walls.

☆ "what're you doin', kid?" sanemi's booming voice scares you and you drop your basket of colorful flowers on the ground with a squeak. you scramble to gather them again and you're surprised to see a pair of scarred hands helping out, too.

☆ "i'm gonna make flower crowns for when tanjiro and nezuko get back." you answer once all the flowers are back in the basket. sanemi snorts. "flower crowns?"

☆ you nod. "yup! here, i'll show you how to make one." sanemi has zero time to refuse as you grab his hand and pull him down onto the grass with you. you take a length of string that you had stolen from one of his many rooms of junk and began to attach the flowers to it with a clever weaving pattern.

☆ sanemi is fuming in embarrassment as you eagerly teach him how to make a stupid flower crown. this is ridiculous. but why can't he just get up and leave? when you hand him the string of flowers to try it out for himself, your childish giggling is contagious as he fumbles clumsily and accidentally crushes the delicate stem in his callous grip.

☆ in the end, sanemi finds himself enjoying making flower crowns with you, but he threatens you violently with a ruffle of your hair should you tell anyone about it. he would never admit it but as he looks at the crudely made flower crown that you helped him with, he feels a distantly familiar feeling of warmth igniting in his heart again.

☆ the rest of the days you spend with sanemi begin to feel more pleasant than it did initially. sanemi no longer leaves you to your own devices, but instead tries to find things for you to do during the day when you can't go outside. he'll bring you puzzles and teach you how to read with children's folktales written on tarnished scrolls that he said he kept from his old family home.

☆ you're not sure what happened, but sanemi dotes on you now. once you had tripped and split your finger open, and sanemi rushed to your side like it had been your head. it healed within a few seconds, but sanemi still scolded you for walking around unsupervised.

☆ and when you get feverish due to your refusal of eating human flesh, which is often, sanemi tarries by your side day and night in order to make sure you're as comfortable as can be. cold, damp towels on your forehead, fresh raw meat at your bedside, and anything else you want, he gets for you. the worry etched into the lines of his forehead shows how much he cares about you.

☆ by the time tanjiro and nezuko return from their mission to collect you, sanemi doesn't even want to let you go. in fact, you've both grown attached to each other and while you're overjoyed to see your siblings again, sanemi has also become something like an older brother to you. you've grown to love the big residence and his presence.

☆ you're in tears as sanemi pats your head and smiles crookedly at you for what feels like the last time. you beg tanjiro to let you stay longer but he firmly tells you no. sanemi makes tanjiro promise that he'll take you to visit him or else he'll kill him (he's serious).

☆ when you inevitably depart from sanemi (tanjiro has to pry you away from him), he feels about as lonely as the day is long. the residence feels too big without you following behind him like his own shadow, and every time he turns a corner he half-expects to find you doing something to cause trouble.

☆ sanemi takes the flower crown you both made and seals it in a glass jar. he hopes that you'll visit again before it withers, or else he might just go out and find you himself.

[magnetic-rose]

man as i'm rewatching all of a:tla i really want to make a post about what are (imo at least) common misconceptions about the show and characters.

like a very common one that i see parroted way too often is "katara is too mature/motherly and babies aang," with the implication that her romantic love for him makes no sense.

but i'm more than halfway done with s1 and i think the fandom forgets that katara is a 14 year old girl. she's not a young woman, she's a child. and often times she's mischievous and funny and childish. she's usually right there WITH aang participating in his shenanigans. she even creates her own shenanigans. the show spells it out for the audience in episode one where katara and aang are penguin sliding and she says "i haven't done this since i was a kid" and aang replies "but you are a kid." one of the reasons she was so mad at sokka and gran gran for kicking aang out of the village was because "he brought laughter back."

and that's why they work and that's why she falls for him. he brings levity back to her life. he allows her to be a goofy, silly kid. they often support each other's little games. she cheers on him when he's riding the giant koi fish (until she gets distracted). they play in the river. she wears the necklace he makes her. he wears the goofy hat she makes. he goes along with her fortune-telling obsession.

and if anything, sokka is usually the voice of reason between them, trying to reel aang and katara in. and yet sokka gets the fandom reputation as the chaotic fun guy and katara gets the reputation as the "mom" who's telling people off. she's aang's biggest partner in crime and yet fandom treats her like the exasperated mom friend.

[flightrising]

Resistance is futile.

Video description below the cut

Video Description:

Video set in a garden drawn in the style of Flight Rising. There are high hedges in the background and two wooden arches with rose bushes growing on them in the foreground. The video starts with a single Spiral dragon hatchling popping into view when the narrator says he's only going to get one. Then a Skydancer hatchling pops into view when he says he needs another one. This is followed by a Snapper hatchling showing up when he says he needs a third. Finally the narrator gives up and says he may as well get the full set and 19 more dragon hatchlings representing each breed of dragon currently available on Flight Rising pop up and take over the screen.

Transcript:

0:00 Okay.

0:00 I'm just gonna get one.

0:01All right.

0:02 It's just one, right.

0:02 How bad could one be?

0:04 It's not that expensive.

0:05 It's not, well, I mean, I have to get it a friend.

0:06 Right.

0:07 I mean, who's, who's he gonna talk to?

0:08 He's gonna get bored and, and you know what, if they get sick of each other, you know, they, they, they need a third guy and honestly I have three.

0:14 I might as well get the whole set, you know?

0:16 I mean, like, why, why not?

0:17 I mean, just, just, just complete it.

Dragons:

Aberration Hatchling: Leaf Slime/Vermilion Sludge/Black Kumo

Aether Hatchling: Bubblegum Flaunt/Orchid Flair/Cyan Stinger

Banescale Hatchling: Triple Ruby, Fern/Paisley/Fans

Bogsneak Hatchling: Radioactive Poison/Toxin, Red Capsule

Coatl Hatchling: Fire Cinder/Marigold Blaze/Umber Contour

Fae Hatchling: Fuchsia Starmap/Bubblegum Constellation/Rose Sparkle

Gaoler Hatchling: Orca Shaggy/Streak/Blossom

Guardian Hatchling: Sky Cherub/Pearl Striation/Navy Underbelly

Imperial Hatchling: Bronze Iridescent/Sunshine Shimmer/Gold Glimmer

Mirror Hatchling: Pumpkin Harlequin & Jester/Royal Ghost

Nocturne Hatchling: Grape Petals & Butterfly/Cantaloupe Runes

Obelisk Hatchling: Ivory Boulder/Latte Myrid/Umber Points

Pearlcatcher Hatchling: Yellow Fade & Blend/Sanddollar Polkadot

Ridgeback Hatchling: Copper Metallic & Alloy/Metals Circuit

Sandsurge Hatchling: Rust Sailfish & Marlin/Aqua Augment

Skydancer Hatchling: Peach Pinstripe & Trail/Wisteria Glowtail

Snapper Hatchling: Brown Skink/Dirt Eel/Latte Points

Spiral Hatchling: Sunshine Crystal/Leaf Facet/Lemon Koi

Tundra Hatchling: Ice Mosaic/Breakup/Spines

Undertide Hatchling: Abyss Octopus/Rings/Tentacle

Veilspun Hatchling: Abyss Shell/Hawkmoth/Branches

Wildclaw Hatchling: Peacock Petals/Fern Butterfly & Glimmer

[mxtxfanatic]

Alright, last jc-centric post before the clock strikes midnight, but it actually pisses me off that Wei Wuxian and Jin Ling’s convo in the Iron Hook Extra is being recontextualized to say that either Jiang Cheng was never abusive or that Wei Wuxian is encouraging Jin Ling to stay in contact with his abusive guardian, because outside of the fact that Wei Wuxian only witnessed Jiang Cheng slapping Jin Ling once out of the myriad of times he does so in the story (in Guanyin Temple), the point of this scene is to reveal that even if Jiang Cheng has missed his chance to do right by any other character, he is finally doing right by Jin Ling!!!!!

Jiang Cheng spends the entire main story of the novel verbally abusing Jin Ling, ripping into him about how he disgraces his Jiang and Jin heritage by not being some kickass legendary cultivator by age 14, how Jin Ling needs to “know his place” by never questioning or talking back to Jiang Cheng (lest he be slapped), rigging nighthunts so that Jin Ling can get his ego stroked but never actually learn anything useful, and all around treating Jin Ling like a child he can keep pressed beneath his thumbs forever. And then Guanyin Temple happens, and Jiang Cheng walks out of the situation and decides against hitting Jin Ling for criticizing him. And then the Banquet Extra happens, and we hear that Jiang Cheng has taken a more passive role in Jin Ling’s nighthunts where he only exists as outside support if things go wrong but otherwise lets the boy figure things out on his own, rather than teaching him to cheat and harm others in the process. Then we get the Iron Hook Extra where we hear about how Jiang Cheng stormed Koi Tower to threaten the Jin elders into accepting Jin Ling’s rightful place as Jin leader, rather than just whisking Jin Ling away to continue to be treated like an incompetent child under his rule.

For once, Jiang Cheng is making steps to support someone else using his power and authority as a Great Clan leader instead of lording said authority over them to coerce them into subordination, but when your conception of Jiang Cheng’s character is “he did absolutely nothing wrong ever, and if he did, that means others let him and therefore it’s not his fault,” you ignore his growth! He’s finally learned how to have a healthy relationship with someone where the goal isn’t to keep them trapped in his sphere of influence! He has finally let go of his entitlement to “benefit” from his relationships! He is no longer treating Jin Ling like an unruly child but as a young clan leader who only needs a little bit of protection and support to truly come into his own! And that’s great!

If only his stans can see that.

[shanastoryteller]

Happy Pride! One of the genderbendy stories, please? Lady Mo, maybe?

a continuation of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Xuanyu groans and rolls her eyes when Lan Wangji insists on treating her wounds before they continue, but apparently decides she's tested his patience enough for one evening because she says, "Fine," and and begins to untie her robe.

He steps closer and grabs her wrists. "What are you doing?"

She looks up at him and this close he can see the exhaustion lingering in her dark eyes. "You just said you wanted to bandage me up before we left again!"

"You cannot undress in front of," he gestures around them.

She frowns, following his hand, and then looks down at herself. "Oh. Right, forgot that mattered now." He quirks an eyebrow and she blinks, face going a shade paler before she pastes a too wide smile across her face. "Okay, well, the carriage then?" She doesn't wait for him to answer, instead raising her voice to shout, "Sizhui, make sure our guests get something to eat before we get moving."

"Yes, Lady Xuanyu," Sizhui says, more formerly than he would normally, but Sizhui takes after him in that he tends to fall back on formality when he's feeling out of sorts.

Lan Wangji sighs and leads her to the carriage with a hand on the small of her back. His instinct is to grab her arm and drag her there, but she gets squirmy and argumentative, and he's had quite enough of both.

She hops into the carriage, only wincing at little at the sudden motions, and he follows her in, setting down the supplies he'd grabbed and then closing the doors firmly behind them.

"It's really not that bad," she says as she undoes her robes and slides them down her shoulders. "We'll have time to bathe when we arrive at Koi Tower and I could have just cleaned them there. They don't really need bandages."

He ignores her and doesn't let his eyes linger on her breasts even as he gets flash of memory of closing his lips around a small, dark nipple and biting, his tongue running the indents his teeth had left in soft flesh.

"You didn't need to go running off alone," he says, hoping it's dark enough that she doesn't see the flush he can feel crawling up his neck.

She scoffs as he presses a damp cloth against the stab wound between her shoulder and collarbone, cleaning away the tacky blood. "Song Lan needed help and he's my friend."

Lan Wangji wants to ask once again how in the world she knew were Xiao Xingchen was, how she'd been able to lead Song Lan right to him, but one issue at a time. "You could have told us that and we would have helped."

"Uh huh," she says.

He presses down harder than he'd intended and she hisses in pain. He pulls back, grudgingly admitting to himself that she was right. The wound has already closed and the bruises covering her chest have turned a sickly yellow, looking days old rather than hours. He's never seen anyone improve a golden core so quickly before, especially using such dubious methods.

He doesn't want to say the wrong thing, so he gives himself time to gather his thoughts as he wrings out the cloth. "We are not the Mo. Or the Jin."

"Uh, yeah? I noticed," she answers, pulling her robes open even wider to reveal even more bruised skin and the curved slice around her right hip.

"Have you," he asks quietly, keeping his touch gentle as he cleans the blood from thigh. "You are not - you don't have to," he stops, taking a deep breath and pausing his motions so he doesn't accidentally hurt her again. "You are not required to tell me anything that you don't want me to know. However. I am your husband."

"I noticed that too," she says, voice coming out low, and Lan Wangji does not allow himself to be distracted by the fact that he's kneeling over his mostly naked wife, her body small and soft and strong, evening bleeding and bruised.

"Then you should act like it," he returns, and odd reversal of their argument after the waterfall. "In the Lan you are not a bastard daughter but my legitimate wife. If you'd told me you wished to assist Song Lan, I would have helped you, and others would have volunteered to accompany us. You would not have needed to go alone. "

Xuanyu glares at him, somehow even more compelling with the anger brightening her eyes. "I was fine alone. I didn't need you."

"This is not about needing," he says softly, "but about having. Whether you need me or not is irrelevant. You have me. Next time I hope you remember that."

He ties her inner robe together before jumping out of the carriage, leaving her to redress herself. He feels the weight of her gaze on him, but she doesn't say anything.

Lan Wangi sighs, rubbing at his forehead. He drops into the seat next to his brother, noting Sizhui and Jingyi sitting at the same table as their guests and insistently putting more and more food on their plates over their protests. Well, Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen's protests. A-Qing seems quite happy to eat everything put in front of her.

Xichen raises an eyebrow.

"How long did it take Jin Guangyao to trust you?" he asks impulsively, regretting asking almost as soon as it's out of his mouth.

Xichen sighs, "Oh, Wangji," and doesn't answer.

[voidedaurora]

I didn't want to talk about this PUBLICALLY because I didn't want to air out her personal business like that, and I did try friending Lance and talking to Kiwi about this in private but unfortunately I was asleep when Lance accepted my friend rq and they randomly decided to block me before I got to talk to them about things, claiming they gave me "all day" but it was only like 8 hours max (bc its 4pm for me rn as I'm posting this)

But Lance has been posting stuff on Mels account on her behalf lying about some things regarding a wellness check I'd had called on her out of concern for her life and I'd like to clear all of that up 100% since they're flat out lying about parts and trying to spin a completely untrue narrative for other parts. I'm not sure what they're trying to do other than make me look bad but I digress Here is the post I'll be referring to https://www.youtube.com/@Quartelz9377/community

and the screenshot they use as "proof"

Now, firstly the easiest thing I can disprove is them saying that "it seems more like an attempt at damage control. This message was sent after the fact that the police were called, and Mel was hospitalized."

This isn't true, the message they use to prove this was sent on 10/14/2024 at 7:23am and then edited ONE MINUTE LATER to presumably correct a spelling mistake Evidence/proof that I sent that message on the 14th and NOT the 1st of November when the wellness check was called

And then proof of the edits within the message supporting the time It was sent/what I claim (for anyone that doesn't know, you can click the edit next to an edited message of your OWN to show your edit history, you cant see previous versions but you can see when it was edited)

This was NOT when I called a wellness check on her, I was concerned for her wellbeing and was debating it but I decided it'd be best to leave her friends to make sure she was okay since the things she was posting in her server hadn't yet gotten to "I'm gonna kill myself!" type of messages Here's the doodles that concerned me and prompted that message to Kiwi on the 14th please note these were PUBLICALLY posted in her discord server so I'm not rlly "exposing" or leaking anything

Now, Lance, Kiwi, and Koi have all been trying to downright smear my name saying I don't care about Mel and only called the wellness check to "look better" or gain something from it. This absolutely is NOT the case. I understand ya'll are used to Mel and everyone around her's actions being purely out of them gaining something from EVERYTHING they do but that simply is NOT me. Unlike ya'll I can not like someone and not wish fucking death and harm upon them. Now, I think its important to make it clear why I called the wellness check. I'd been let know by a mutual that on the 1st (Nov) Mel had been openly talking about her being suicidal atm and saying things that generally suggested she was going to harm/kill herself. Here are said messages.

Now, I think ANY PERSON would be concerned about someone if they were seeing them say shit like this, she literally says "I'm already on the fuckin' edge I just need one more reason". These personally were enough for me to believe that she was possibly going to hurt herself or end her life, and I do not want that. I don't like her. I don't want anything to do with her. These are true things I stand by, but I do not want her to hurt herself, I don't want her to end her life, and I don't want to harm her as an individual. I care about her as a FELLOW LIVING BREATHING PERSON and I at the time would've rather risked being wrong about her hurting herself and looking stupid calling a wellness check, than sit back and do nothing and possibly allow her to kill herself. If I CAN do something to prevent that I will, I could and I did. I do not regret this decision and I would do it again if she or ANYONE was in danger of hurting themselves or others. - Now that those intentions are clear I'd like to address the clear smearing of my name in all of this based purely off of personal hatred and bias from everyone involved?? Here's a couple statements from Kiwi and koi of them just flat out lying/smearing my name and otherwise trying to prove I'm an evil egotistical piece of shit or sm

I'd put more but I don't think that's necessary. As you can see from these, they're all trying to paint this as some malicious premeditated thing I was trying to do to Mel, using that message I sent to kiwi on the 14th as proof. I came off as not concerned because of WHO I was talking to (I really don't like kiwi </3 she's kind of a piece of shit so I cant help but be a bit blunt) and at the time I was also kind of upset she was flat out venting to everyone in her server, seeking comfort from a bunch of 16 yr old's is just crazy to me and it felt really icky to me, but I still did want her to be checked up on at the time. I'm not going to share the messages for what I'll mention now out of the privacy for the people I'd dmed to make the wellness check happen, but when she sent the messages alluding to killing herself on the 1st I panicked and immediately got onto figuring out a way to call a wellness check on her because I couldn't myself, dming ANYONE who would be able to about it because In my head, I didn't want to risk it and be too late. I ended up being able to wake up clover and have her call in the check in the end. I didn't even think about the fact Mel could've been pissed off/would've started things because of it until after the wellness check was called, it was definitely a concern that she would start shit because of it but I knew I'd be okay because after all, I did NOT do anything wrong by calling that check in because there was no other intent there other than her safety. I've never even done anything to suggest the idea that I'd ever do something like this just to "look better" either (to my knowledge) so I'm pretty sure what they're all trying to do right now is PURELY out of hatred and spite for me, trying to get back at me from what I can tell, although I do not deny that Kiwi could've lied about when it was sent, or lance could've convinced kiwi it was edited on a day it wasn't, or whatever else. This could've been a misunderstanding on their end but I don't think that's the case considering their attitudes and behavior regarding all of this. The last thing I will mention is this part of their announcement here

It's been going around that I blocked Mel and that she couldn't reach out to me because of that to clear things up personally, I dont remember exactly who, when, or where this was said but I do know it's been going around. This isn't true, I haven't had Mel blocked a SINGLE time since she left because I'd been advocating for her to talk to me about all of this privately, as much as it would've been more comfortable for me to do, I knew I couldn't. Additionally Lance is implying here that I've been constantly dming/harassing Mel or her friends, this is not the case. The only times/people I've dmed about any of this of her friends have been trying to DM lance about all of this to sort it out in private last night (sending a friend RQ) and then Kiwi on a couple occasions, the last instance we actually talked was when I was asking Kiwi to credit me for the VTuber she'd commissioned which she'd been using without ANY credit and intentionally not telling people who rigged it and ignoring when they asked (the biggest instances of this was her actual debut.) and then here's the rest of the dms until I recently relocked her

That's honestly all I have to say about all of this, I'm hoping I was able to provide some clarity to any of you confused and properly was able to clear their mess up, if anyone has questions or concerns my dms and asks are open

[typellblog]

almost wrote a whole post about the hana watch order thing but basically the idea is that ppl say it drains the tension from koi if u know everyone is going to be alive and i honestly think thats the point because ur not supposed to take nadeko seriously as a god (she is 14) or kaiki seriously as a conman (hes just a guy), or even perhaps ougi seriously as a hidden threat (she's doing her best, but you know how it is)

monogatari is a coming of age story set during highschool and i always got the feeling it was kind of time limited in that sense

that this is a specific period of these people's lives and growing up

it isn't everything to them and in a few years they will have moved on, taking these experiences with them

[blueberryspiders]

im sorry this is my KNY OC! I'll give information down here. Her name is koi she is 13-14 she is the mimic hashira [more information at the bottom] she was abused by her parents. she is mean and cold at first but she was taught that by her parents she is 4'11 in height she has a regular demon slayer uniform but has shorts under the skirt she wears blue leg warmers and a black and blue haori and its blue and black because blue mentions of sadness and black means void she loves plants,painting,being outside, and baking her pet is a tea cup kitten! her favorite drink is blueberry vanilla milk tea her favorite food is steak and rice [information about her breathing style] Koi is the mimic hashira for a reason,she was manipulated by her parents and was abused by them emotionally and mentally. they would call her names which if you say to her, lets just say shes gonna have a mental breakdown and these names are "stop being a baby", "crybaby","your so skinny","no stay home and watch your siblings be useful", and the worst "your fine such a weakling" all she wants is a friend *COUGH* tanjiro is trying hella hard to do and she does want to be near muichiro since she thinks he's really interesting. Koi is also shy when having to speak to hashiras *COUGH* sanemi taught her naughty words koi's favorite line it "man,I wish I gave a sh*t you stupid b*tch" And her pet is a tea cup kitten ANYWAYS that's my KNY OC! sorry for the ugly art I'm having art block right now 😭

GIF by moon-lyrics-blog-com

@muichirolover12 @muichirotokito-122 @ad0rebrial @mu1nfinityx @ask-milo-suzuki

@misty-sees-you @larz-barz

[someone pls make a little one shot or something with koi and muichiro meeting for the first time pls 😭]

[thegigilwriter]

01 | “Danger & Star, Rooster & Angel” — Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x Female Mitchell OC

Summary: 26-year-old Lucy Asa Mitchell did not know what was in store for her when she first bumped into Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw. After an instant mutual connection followed by a sweet whirlwind romance that swept both their feet, Lucy found herself being immersed deeper into Bradley’s world of the Navy, F-14s, and deployments. What she didn’t expect was finding was the answer to an elusive part of her past — the identity of her long-lost father.

Masterlist

Keywords/Warnings: Romance, Inaccuracies of the Navy and Marine Biology

01 | Koi No Yokan 🎐

1 year after Top Gun: Maverick

Sunday May 28, 2023

Bradley

It was a sunny mid-morning in San Diego, and Bradley Bradshaw and Natasha Trace were taking the Bronco for a drive down a palm-adorned boulevard.

“Thanks again Rooster,ˮ Nat grinned as she basked in the daylight of the open air. “SʼAlways nice takinʼ a ride in the olʼ girl.ˮ

“Quiet now,ˮ Bradley replied, mocking hurt. “Sheʼll hear you, you know?ˮ

Nat rolled her eyes playfully, untucking her shades from the hem of her tank top and covering her eyes. Seagulls flew overhead, the taste of salt was in the atmosphere, and a lovely shade of blue began to appear on their horizon. Bradley licked his lips and stepped on the accelerator. He reminisced to himself about the beaches in Okinawa from his previous deployment. Sure, they were great but there is something about the California coastline you canʼt just feel the same way about anywhere else.

“You arrived at your destination,ˮ Google announced. “The Umi Research Center. ˮ A crystal dome came into view and steadily emerged as this enormous limestone edifice that was akin to the Parthenon.

Bradley pulled up by the docks and Nat jumped out as soon as the Bronco was in park.

“Wanna come with?ˮ She asked him.

“Iʼll stay put,ˮ Bradley reclined his seat. “Unless this Sam guy, needs to be forcibly removed from the premises?ˮ

“Well in that case, I can handle it myself, canʼt I?ˮ

Bradley turned on the radio and tugged at his Hawaiin-print shirt to fan himself. He watched as Natʼs figure disappeared into the entrance of the building. His attention was then directed towards the sea and the pristine boats that thudded against the docks. Natʼs own sedan was in the shop, so she called in a favor from Bradley to borrow his Bronco. Since there was no way her wheel was to be steered by any other set of hands other than his, Bradley opted to be a personal chauffeur to Nat and her first cousin, Sam, for the day.

The heat of the sun was beginning to wear down Bradley, so he took his keys from the ignition and hopped out for a quick walk on the dock. The cool sea breeze helped soothe the sunʼs scalding presence. It was on days like this when his parents used to take him to the beach as a little boy. But thatʼs all what those moments are now—memories. He stopped to stare at the water. A lot of people like to say he looked a lot like his father, and he agrees. But on some days, it feels like the man staring right back at him was a stranger.

Thud.

Bradley felt something collide against his back, and heard a clatter of things falling against the wooden walkway and a small gasp. He quickly turned around and beheld two boxes filled with audio tapes and folders tipped on their sides, and beside them, a young woman rose to her feet.

“I apologize,ˮ she breathed out as her frame got on her knees and began to return the contents to her boxes. “Iʼm afraid I wasnʼt watching where I was going...ˮ

She was wearing a navy-colored bathing suit underneath a white, fitted, cropped tee-shirt, and a sheer floral shawl tied around her waist. Her feet were clad in copper-colored slippers, her wrists were adorned with braided bracelets, her right ankle with a dainty metal chain, and her neck with a cross underneath a string of little, iridescent pearls. Bradley did not even realize he was on his knees with a tape in his hand, for his eyes simply could not part from her face. Mahogany waves framed her lovely visage and her dark-caramel eyes were cast to the floor beneath them.

“Um... do you mind?ˮ She smiled kindly at him.

“Huh?ˮ

“The tape — in your hand,ˮ she pointed.

“Oh — uh... Sorry,ˮ Bradley scratched the nape of his neck as he reached the tape over to her. Their fingers met and so did their gazes. Bradley chuckled and she shyly looked away.

“Again,ˮ she spoke, as she put one box on top of the other. “I apologize.ˮ

“None needed,ˮ Bradley finally collected himself. “Those look quite heavy, need a hand?ˮ

“If you donʼt mind, please.ˮ She sighed. Bradley eagerly lifted the boxes in his arms.

“Lead the way,ˮ he grinned.

“Thank you,ˮ she replied as they proceeded to cross the dock towards the research center.

“I donʼt recall seeing you around here,ˮ the woman stranger spoke. “Are you new?ˮ

“Nah, Iʼm here with a friend whoʼs picking up a cousin who works here. Apparently, he just came from Antartica.ˮ

“How intersting,ˮ she mused. “I was just stationed there.ˮ

“Youʼre a researcher?ˮ Bradley raised a brow.

“You seem amused.ˮ

“I didnʼt mean to—“ Bradley blushed.

Her laugh resonated, it was as clear as a spring and as sweet as her eyes. It was the kind of sound you wanted to play on repeat.

“I was simply kidding. I know fairly well the distresses of a woman in a man's world... I just choose to make the most fun I can out of it.ˮ

Bradley chuckled.

“You make ‘em underestimate you, then you pull the ground from under their feet like a riptide.ˮ

She looked at him with great consideration.

“You just see right through me, donʼt you?ˮ she teased.

“I think you did, otherwise we wouldnʼt be talking right now. Which would be unfortunate, of course.ˮ

She laughed once more, and Bradley smiled as they stepped into the marble-floored foyer after a swipe of her card at the door. For a research center, this was far grander than Bradley had imagined from the outside looking in. Tall, corinthian, columns lined the limestone walls on either side. In every space, oil paintings of founders with solemn and peaceful expressions resided there. The glass dome above filtered the sun rays into iridescent shards of light that danced on the cylindrical and tremendous aquarium in the center of the room. It housed vibrant schools of reef fish and brilliant coral, all so dramatically composed to evoke in every beholder pure awe. Bradley whistled, head tilted skywards with a gaping mouth.

“Glorious, isnʼt it?ˮ She chuckled at his expression. “Wait ‘til we really get inside.ˮ

Bradley trailed behind her as they crossed the foyer and climbed up the steps just a little bit past the elevators. The space alone was fit to be a ballroom for a grand royal celebration. Shelves and shelves of books lined the limestone curved against concave walls except in the very middle where a tall, rectangular window allowed a picturesque view of the ocean. In the center of the circular facility, a behemoth, holographic globe floated above a ring of conjoined computers. The remaining space was lined with bench tables and plush chairs.

“Welcome to Umi,ˮ The woman stranger smiled.

“The lights on the globe,ˮ Bradley asked her. “Are those your other branches?ˮ

“Every light represents a team of researchers from all divisions, all around the world.“

“Impressive,ˮ Bradley nodded.

“Umi is that and everything else,ˮ She sighed, as she turned towards the elevators.

“You must love working here with that shine of yours and all,ˮ He mused as they waited for a lift up.

“I do,ˮ she replied passionately. “The sea is my first love.ˮ The elevator doors parted open and Bradley followed her in.

“Do you have anything youʼre passionate about, Mr.—?ˮ She spoke to him. “Iʼm sorry I should have asked for your name—“

“Itʼs Bradley, Bradley Bradshaw. And if I may know yours?”

“Lucy,ˮ the woman smiled at him. “Lucy Mitchell.ˮ

“Lucy,ˮ Bradley repeated. “Like light.ˮ

“What?ˮ

“Thatʼs what your name means,ˮ he told her. “Explains the shine.ˮ

“Do you know the meaning of the names of every woman you meet, Mr. Bradshaw?ˮ Lucy raised a brow playfully. “I hate to admit how clever that is of a way to disarm any of us women.ˮ

“Oh yeah,ˮ Bradley played along. “I read about one name every day from my dictionary, yours just happened to pop up recently.ˮ

“Is that so?ˮ She chuckled. “Then I should warn the others, ‘There is a serial flatterer on the loose with an intent to charm!ʼ“

Bradley laughed.

“Iʼm surprised Iʼve kept up a conversation with you this long at all, to be honest.ˮ

“Now what makes you say that?ˮ Lucy cocked her head to the side.

Bradley wanted to say it was because Lucy Mitchell was beautiful and smart and young and hilarious and sophisticated despite the casual comfort her disposition exuded. That Bradley was old and truly awkward when it came to the really pretty girls that make him laugh. How he desired to so effortlessly make her know that she had a slot in his schedule for a dinner with him. Yes she was a stranger, but this entire interaction surely trumped any small talk he had over the previous online dates he set up and the lonesome evenings at the bar bench when women sauntered over to him to have a little fun for the night

Get off your perch and take the fucking shot, Rooster! He could hear Jake Seresin ringing in his ears.

“Lucy—“

“Lucy!ˮ

The elevator doors parted ajar once more, and in front of them, Nat and her cousin Sam were.

“What are you still doing here?ˮ Sam asked her as they stepped off the lift.

“I just remembered that we left some material on deck,ˮ Lucy replied as she gestured towards Bradley. “And this gentleman is helping me get them to my office.ˮ

“Gentleman, huh?ˮ Nat smirked as she leaned her elbow against Samʼs shoulder. She reached out her hand to Lucy.

“Nice to meet ya, the nameʼs Natasha Trace, but itʼs Nat for everybody.ˮ Lucy shook her hand.

“Likewise. Iʼm Lucy, Lucy Mitchell.ˮ

“I see youʼve already met my friend, Lieutenant Bradley,ˮ Nat had a Cheshire grin stretching across her face. Beyond Lucyʼs periphery, Bradley directed Nat a stern look. Nat quickly cocked her head towards Lucy.

“Sheʼs cute,ˮ she mouthed at him. Bradley raised his eyebrows in agreement.

“You must be Samʼs cousin,ˮ Lucy smiled at her. “He talks a lot about you.ˮ

“Aw, Sam!ˮ Nat cooed as she tucked her cousin under her arm and affectionally rubbed his hair. “My little cousin misses me that much?ˮ

“Only how annoying you are!ˮ Sam groaned. He was a young-looking fellow despite his age, a 23-year-old new grad looking like he just celebrated his 16th birthday. He was tall, lanky, and freckled. His dark and bold features are similar to Natʼs, but Sam’s looked a little softer around the edges, like a muted color compared to Natʼs natural exuberance.

“You—ugh.ˮ Sam struggled against Nat. “Must be Bradley, right?ˮ

“Nice to meet ya,ˮ Bradley confirmed.

“Donʼt let Lucy take those to her office,ˮ Sam finally escaped from Natʼs grasp. “Sheʼs been working non-stop in the expedition and I've been given strict orders that she shouldnʼt be here until next week.ˮ

“Oh come on, Sam!ˮ Lucy whined. “These are the mourning recordings! Weʼve never seen them sing like this! If Foster asks, just say I wasnʼt here!ˮ

“Sheʼll have my ass, that woman!ˮ Sam sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Lucy, go home. Compression Sickness is no light matter. Youʼre still recoveri—! You literally just went for a dive, did you?ˮ

“Perhaps,ˮ She replied nonchalantly. Sam groaned.

“Workaholic, huh?ˮ Nat remarked. “Listen, why donʼt you come out with us? Weʼre hitting the Pier today and catching a movie later. That way, Samʼs ass isnʼt grounded and I get a new girlfriend. Iʼm sure Rooster wonʼt mind, do you Rooster?ˮ

Natasha grinned at him smugly, as Lucy chuckled. They were both resigned to Natʼs insistence.

“Of course not,ˮ Bradley replied.

“That settles it,ˮ Nat smiled. “Meet us in the foyer.ˮ

They exchanged places, Nat and Sam towards the lifts and Bradley and Lucy towards the offices. As the doors closed, Natasha sneaked a quick wink in Bradleyʼs direction. In addition to that, her signature, ‘donʼt screw it upʼ look.

“I'm sorry about her,ˮ Bradley spoke as they walked the sun-lit hallways together towards her office. “She doesnʼt get to meet a lot of women in our line of work, and when she does theyʼre often not nice.ˮ

“I think your girlfriendʼs sweet,ˮ Lucy replied. “Sam thinks really highly of—“

“Sheʼs not my girlfriend,ˮ Bradley interjected.

“Oh,ˮ she closed her eyes briefly and shaking her head. “Iʼm sorry, I shouldnʼt have assumed. The both of you just seemed really comfortable with each other.ˮ

“Yeah we get that a lot,ˮ Bradley sighed, a wave of embarrassment washing over him at his premature response. “Sheʼs one of my best friends, thatʼs all. Weʼve known each other for over 15 years.ˮ

“Are you a naval aviator, yourself?ˮ

Lucy noted the swell in his chest and the small proud smirk that settled on his lips. “That I am.ˮ

They finally arrived at the office and Lucy promptly turned her key in the lock. The translucent door swung open and she quickly gestured towards the side of her desk where Bradley deposited the boxes.

“Thank you, Lieutenant.ˮ Lucy smiled.

“At your service,ˮ Bradley replied. As he bent down, she noticed a small, transverse cut in the inside of his left bicep. He was carrying them for much longer than she had anticipated and the upper corner of the top box must have done it. She opened the top cabinet on her table and retrieved a small metal box with a biscuit label.

“Those look good,ˮ Bradley remarked.

“Sorry to disappoint you, Lieutenant,ˮ Lucy laughed. “Iʼve already ate them all. You cut your arm, by the way.ˮ

“Oh would you look at that,ˮ he mused at the prickle of blood that began to emit. “The horror.ˮ

Lucy laughed again.

“Now, now,ˮ she played along as she ripped an antiseptic wipe open from its paper container. “This will all be over soon.ˮ

She pressed the wipe into his bicep. Her hands were dainty and soft and cool against his skin. He watched her eyebrows furrow just a little as she encountered a little resistance from placing a bandaid decorated with small, little fish— and regarded the way her tongue would poke from her lips. Bradley felt a searing heat in his chest and her touch had become so much more apparent to his senses.

“There we go,ˮ Lucy chuckled. “Crisis averted.ˮ Not quite, Bradley thought. Not quite.

A silence fell between them from the moment they left Lucyʼs office; to the moment Natasha elbowed Sam into the back seat with her (even though Sam wanted to call shotgun, but was then dismissed as Nat was playing wingman); to the moment they placed their orders at a nearby Shake Shack; to the moment they sat side by side through two movies at the theatre; and until now as they watched Sam and Nat board the Devilʼs Drop at Ruby Pier. It wasnʼt the awkward, painful kind of silence that say two middle school sweethearts would experience at a secret, last-minute first date as one or other try to make the first move. It was peculiar kind that was quite comforting.

Lucy tugged Bradleyʼs sleeve. He turned to her, very much endeared by this gesture.

“Wanna take a walk?ˮ She suggested.

“Might as well,ˮ he agreed. “Phoenix is an adrenaline junkie, sheʼs gonna try a couple of those kind of rides before sheʼs done.ˮ

“I feel bad leaving Sam,ˮ she frowned. “Heʼs terrified of dives, let alone those rides.ˮ

“I donʼt,ˮ Bradley kidded. “I get you all to myself.ˮ Lucy chuckled.

“Iʼm afraid I donʼt have a lot to offer with my companionship, Lieutenant, but I think those girls do.ˮ She cocked her head towards a herd of girls giggling in Bradleyʼs direction as they stared at him with glinting eyes.

“I gotta say,ˮ Bradley drawled. “Iʼm a bit offended that you think of me that way.ˮ

“How so?ˮ Lucy challenged with a smile.

“I think I can tell for myself the sort of woman I find interesting, little lady.ˮ

“And you happen to find me interesting?ˮ Lucy laughed.

“Very much so.ˮ

They stopped at a saltwater taffy stall as they began to cross the boardwalk. It was by far the grandest saltwater taffy stall on the Pier, decorated with exuberant colors and classy old-time fonts. The vendor was a short, Asian man in what appears to be his 50s, with smile lines and youthful eyes. His skin was the color of chocolate milk and his eyes were piercingly gray.

“Hello Manong,ˮ Lucy grinned at him.

The old manʼs eyes did not shift, but his lips broke into a great smile.

“Lucy!ˮ He exclaimed in a coarse voice. “How are you? Where have you been, silly girl?ˮ His English was perfectly American, but it did betray some intonations of his own mother tongue. Bradley watched as Lucy reached out her palm to his and pressed his knuckle against her forehead.

“Iʼve been well,ˮ she smiled. “I just arrived home today. Where is Victor? Have you been here all day?ˮ

“Now donʼt you worry sweet girl, I just came here for a short shift. Victor is at the hospital with Sherry. I think theyʼre going to have their third kid. His sisterʼs gonna pick me up in an hour.ˮ

“Itʼs the third one already?ˮ

“I know, Iʼm getting old!ˮ He raised his hands laughing as he proceeded to pack a bag for Lucy, working skillful behind the counter. “Youʼll have the usual one, yes? Now whatʼll your friend be having?ˮ

Bradley without having uttered a single word yet, stared at him. “Well, young man?ˮ

“Iʼll have the caramel swirls with raspberries please,ˮ Bradley replied. The old man chuckled as he got to work.

“This your girl?ˮ

“Manong!ˮ Lucy scolded, a blush quickly staining her cheeks.

“I tell you now that sheʼs a keeper!ˮ He laughed as he handed them their taffy. Bradley was ready to swipe his card, when the old man shook his head.

“On the house for sweet Lucy and her new friend!ˮ He said cheerily.

“Thank you Manong,ˮ Lucy smiled. “Youʼre a gem!ˮ

The old man waved at them as they walked farther down the boardwalk. Lucy gently opened her taffy, inhaling its delicious strawberry and vanilla fragrance before enjoying a pair of them. Bradley followed suit.

“That man was blind, wasnʼt he?ˮ Bradley asked her. Lucy nodded.

“Itʼs not just because of his age. His eyesight just suddenly began deteriorating,ˮ she explained. “His family is one of the oldest saltwater taffy makers in California. Victor is his eldest, and took over when his vision got worse.ˮ

“Iʼd say that heʼs one of the most clear-sighted people I ever met,ˮ Bradley said.

“I agree,ˮ she chewed on a vanilla taffy and covered her mouth as she spoke. “I didnʼt think he could tell that you were even there, much less a man. But he probably should never drive a plane, donʼt you think?ˮ

“Absolutely not,ˮ Bradley laughed. “But he did prove you wrong.ˮ Lucy gazed at him.

“That you, Lucy Mitchell, are indeed interesting.ˮ

They arrived at the near end of the boardwalk in silence. Lucy leaned against the railing, staring out into the ocean. The shards of rich light from the opalescent sky above glimmered all around them, and Bradley saw them dance in the irises of her eyes. Her tongue poked out from her smooth lips just as he had seen this morning. Her hair, like the sea before them, trembled at the wind. Then her gaze finally met his.

“I would say the same Lieutenant,ˮ she said to him. “If you spoke truthfully.ˮ

Bradley did not speak. There was a seriousness in the way she looked at him. He would wait for his turn.

“I am not a fickle woman or one who is easily flattered,ˮ she whispered. “But your words today meant greatly to me, and I canʼt help but think of your intentions. You say that Iʼm a riptide. That my passion shines through. Then you say that I am unexpectedly easy to talk to, and now you say that Iʼm interesting. But you’ve only just met me…”

“I donʼt want to you to misconstrue my intentions or yours, Lieutenant,ˮ she spoke bravely. “And I donʼt want to get my hopes up. But aside from all the things youʼve learned about me today, there is something else you should now... “

“Iʼm not one for casual relations. If someone must have me, then he must earn me first.ˮ

Lucy had fired the first shot.

At Natʼs insistence, she persuaded Lucy to let Bradley take her home instead of the taffy-manʼs daughter. To be fair, it was not too far from her apartment and the fact that Bradley got seven more minutes with Lucy was a bonus on account of Natʼs wingman game. She gave a thumbs up to Bradley before assisting a nauseated Sam from the backseat of the Bronco. Lucy and Bradley were once more enveloped in silence, but it was not as comfortable as it had been during their day out together.

“Hereʼs me,ˮ Lucy told him, hopping out of the Bronco.

Bradley turned the ignition off and walked her to the gate of her quaint, little apartment complex. Three rusty-colored brick buildings surrounded a small courtyard with flower gardens and a concrete fountain with small koi.

“I guess this is it,ˮ Lucy smiled. “It was nice meeting you, Lieutenant. Thank you for the ride home.ˮ

As she turned towards the gate to unlock it, all Bradley could think about was the shots he was too reluctant to take — both in the air and his life. So in that moment, in the crimson light of dusk, his fingers instinctively bound themselves around her wrist. She looked at him in surprise, her sweet, caramel eyes glowing in the sunset.

“This morning you asked me what I was passionate about,ˮ he told her. “Even if I did have the time to answer, I wouldnʼt have known what to say to you because as much as I love to fly and...play music—I donʼt— I donʼt think thereʼs anything I love like how you love the sea. I havenʼt found it yet. A-Anyways, Iʼm probably talking stupid right now, but all Iʼm trying to say is... do you want to help me find out?ˮ

“What?ˮ Lucy uttered in a small voice, stunned.

Bradley tried breathing, but suddenly found it very hard to with the thunderous beating in his chest.

“Will you, Lucy Mitchell, go on an official date with me?ˮ

Her silence made him quiver. Despite how clear her gaze was, there was no telling of the tumultuous thoughts that ran behind it.

“Is it because you felt bad for me? For what I said at the Pier?ˮ Lucy asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

“Not at all,ˮ Bradley insisted. “If anything, it just made my intentions for you clearer.ˮ

“I date to marry Lieutenant and I donʼt settle for less,ˮ she told him firmly.

“Is that supposed to scare me?ˮ

Lucy gazed at him considerably before speaking.

“Is this Saturday okay for you?ˮ

“You can have me by tomorrow,ˮ Bradley grinned.

“Wow Lieutenant,ˮ she chuckled. “Donʼt you think this is going a little too fast?ˮ

“Iʼm a pilot,ˮ he smirked. “Iʼm basically supersonic.ˮ

God, he loved the way she hid her giggles behind her dainty fingers.

“Alright then,ˮ Lucy spoke. “Tomorrow at 1400, come pick me up. Weʼll go to Sitaʼs on Newport Avenue at Ocean Beach and go from there.ˮ

“Itʼs a date,ˮ Bradley smiled.

“Goodnight, Lieutenant.ˮ

“Itʼs Bradley, for you.ˮ

“Goodnight, Rooster.ˮ

Bradley laughed again.

“Goodnight, Angel.ˮ

Fun Fact! “Koi no Yokan” is a Japanese saying, which means love at second sight. It is described as a feeling of inevitably falling for someone. Jump to their first date at 02 | Halo-Halos by Beach! DM to be tagged!

[just-sp-in-inginthevoid]

Analysing Benkei & Wakasa's tattoos and clothes on their volume cover !

Starting with Benkei’s tattoo :

First, the Mitsudomoe, the spinning thingies the bulls have on their head/as their head. It is associated with samurai, martial arts and the God of War Hachiman. It can symbolize several things such as : life, water, protection, man-earth-sky, earth-heaven-underworld…

I couldn’t find much about cows/bulls in Japan. But there’s still Akabeko (‘red bull’) that I can talk about, although I don’t see how it can be linked to Benkei (maybe it’ll come to me later).

They aren’t popular animal in Japan, they don’t hold a huge cultural importance/influence (unlike foxes, turles, koi or cranes for example). They are associated with the god Tenjin, god of scholars, academics and learning. In Aizu, they are said to have saved the people from a smallpox epidemic.

And an important fact : it’s Ragnarok’s emblem.

He was barely 14 when BD was created. Actually, his birthday had been the week prior ! And he already got his tattoo, so he was 13 at most when he got tattoed. Probably when he became Ragnarok 3rd Generation leader, perhaps before ? We don’t know how he got into Ragnarok after all. And here’s the thing, 13 isn’t the oldest a tr character was when they got tattooed – Draken & Mitsuya where like 10 – but Benkei’s tattoos, 1. cover his pectorals and upper-arms, like some irezumi, Yakuza tattoo, 2. it’s Ragnarok emblems. The only other characters I can think of that got their gang/organisation tattooed on their body are Bonten members. And they aren’t 13 or younger.

Benkei got a full Irezumi, although with rather tribal art/not traditional japanese art/not how Irezumi commonly look (and also i don’t think he got anything on his back) at age 13 or younger.

The ‘why’ lies in his backstory which we can only make suppositions on (since we don’t have it ofc). He (and Wakasa) could have been around delinquents (notably, the previous Ragnarok leaders) as a child. And if that happened before 1992 and the anti-gangs laws (which were really anti-yakuza only), then, yes, he could’ve gotten a full-irezumi that young, thinking he’d become a yakuza someday (which Ragnarok leaders 1 & 2 probably did)

Ragnarok should mean a lot to him to get such imposing tattoos on his body.

Now, about Wakasa.

The only visible thing are the flowers. They’re don’t seem to be camelias like he has on his Brahman uniform but rather peonies or roses (take that with a pinch of salt, I’m not a flower professionnal). Peonies symbolize honor, bravery, courage, good fortune, wealth, prosperity. It’s is nicknamed ‘the queen/king of flowers’ as well as ‘the rose without thorns’ and is a common filler in irezumi. Roses symbolize the same things as they do in the western flower language – to name the best-known, love and passion.

And then there’s this thing

And I’m going full instinct and say it’s a komainu. Because it’d make SO MUCH sense for Wakasa (and it would for Benkei too!) to have one.

The important things about Komainu for this post are : 1. they’re guardians of sacred places in Japan (such as Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines), ward off evil spirits, are deities’ protectors, and are always in pair 2. most of the time, one has its mouth open, the other has its closed. do you see where i’m coming from and where i’m going.

I don’t need to extant on the first point, you all get it, and the second, I think you do too but –

Wakui really just decided to always make Benkei grin his teeth and Wakasa always (?at least mostly) has his mouth shut. Because. Because they’re Shinichiro’s (and possibly Takeomi’s, most definitely BD as a whole) guardians.

Wakui Ken is a very funny man imo

About their volume cover now, Wakasa keeps his peonies, and add plum or cherry blossoms. I’ll stick with plum, since cherry blossoms are Senju’s flowers. Plum blossom symbolize good fortune, herald of spring and ward off evil spirits.

Benkei is the one to have (opened) camelias (or peonies ! Opened peonies look like that, too, althought with more petals) this time, among waves. Waves symbolize movement, strength, fluidity, life. It compares life to water ; both can be strong and swift but also gentle and calm ; power and resilience.

He has several Mitsudomoe as well which come with Raijin and Fujin (one of the rare things I’m 100 % sure of).

Wakasa was meant to represent Fujin and Benkei Raijin. 1, those two are rivals and fight for the control over the sky 2, Raijin has Mitsudomoe and Fujin wears clothes made of leopard skin 3, Raijin has a red skin – Benkei was nicknamed Red Cliff because of that one time he walked out a fight covered in blood.

Futhermore, Fujin is the god of wind – Wakasa’s fighting style is light and fast – and is nonchalant ; apathetic (as he can be both the calm wind and the storm) – which fits Wakasa’s own personality. Raijin is the god of thunder and owns hammers – like Thor. Both Fujin and Raijin cause troubles but aren’t evil spirits.

And since by analysing Benkei’s tattoos I analyse Ragnarok emblem, have the only thing I figured about to Kodo Rengo’s :

It looks like a raising sun with its rays. The triangle is most likely Wakasa, while the rays (there are 12 of them) are each of the gangs that make up Kodo Rengo. The sun is the source of all life and light and has cleansing powers, yada yada, they were made to rivalize Benkei’s Ragnarok. Plus, the rays kinda look like spears ? You know, to push Ragnarok back ? And it’s also Japan/Japanese Imperial Family/Japan ‘main’ godess, Amaterasu‘s symbol. Wakasa is never beating my those young-master-from-a-yakuza-family allegations. Never.

[willows-pjo-ocs]

I've seen a lot of other people talking abt the @/demigodjackhearth situation and I'm gnna be saying this on behalf of the rest of my blogs since this is kinda the master blog

I apologize for not really saying anything, including in comments, reblogs, my own posts, etc. I do not know how I should react. How upset I should be. I was personally not effected by the circe blog but that doesn't make it right

My point is, you can feel however you want to feel. I simply do not want to speak on it too much as i am 1) a minor (14 going on 15 as of this post) and i do not have the life experience nor maturity to handle it as good as i would like and 2) i do not want to say anything wrong and accidentally hurt anyone.

I am not going to be tagging them, but i also do not have them blocked, so if they see this, they see this.

If, on any of my blogs, i ever mess up in a way that is concerning, harmful, or anything like that, please, let me know. I want to be able to hold myself accountable and to be able to learn and grow.

I apologize for my grammar and if it seems like i was shifting the focus to myself. I just feel like that last part really needs to be put out there.

@the-gods-abandoned-us @arisdaughter @mache-of-greece @unhinged-waterlilly @kaiaalwayswins @yourlocalfallenstar @son-of-the-moonlight @luci-likes-dinoss @elixs-mythology-corner @bast-the-best26 @emdabitchass @if-chaos-was-a-boy @luck-is-crucial @dolorem-et-chaus @the-prince-telemachus @pink-koi-lovejoy

[cheerleaderman]

Astrid Primrose

A quite person who doesn’t want to stand out.Some-people think he’s hiding something deep given his curse but others see him as friendly and helpful.

Personality :

quite, reserved, socially awkward,only show true self with people their comfortable with, won’t say if he’s hurt, more Genuine with people they are comfortable with, pretty simple , Gracious  

Twst : the enchanted rose 

Basic Info

Age: 17

He/they

Voice claim: Langa- Sk8 the infinity (eng and Jp)

Birthday: September 18

Height: 174cm

class: 2-C

Dorm: Diasomnia

Nickname: koi fish (Floyd) ,Monsieur rose enchantèe(Rook) ,Ash

Dominant Hand: Right  

favorite food: different kinds of bread, salad, chocolate and melon

Hobbies/likes: chess, cross word puzzles, puzzles, origami , snow, birds, architecture, stargazing 

Dislikes: feeling trapped, moldy food, mold , dumpster diving

Club: Equestrian  

Hometown : Briar Valley  

Best subject: astrology

Talents: Completing puzzles quickly and reading maps

Unique magic/Curse : Beast of the guilty 

He has no control of the curse but it seems like if he touches or direct eye contact for long enough. A shadow looking beast will surround a person in vine staring them down making them relive something they deeply regret and it could last for a day or two after being let go basically tormenting them with guilt. Astrid curse that will later become his UM.

For the selfish and the lairs

You must not feel pity

Because soon they will meet

The beast of the guilty

More info

-Wants to travel the world when they hit 21

-thinking of becoming an architect 

- Astrid pretty goofy with people they are comfortable with and would do it with his resting expression having others if he’s serious 

- Doesn’t talk much about their home or family when they do some say there is a kinda unsettling feeling/ look in his eyes

-Swears the horses like messing with him

-Part Fae but didn’t know until Sebek said something ( Malleus and Lilia thought he knew about it)

- is like 80% Fae 20% human [ he can Fly ,is super strong and poison doesn’t have the same effect on him as humans]

- believes they’re unlovable

-played against Leona in chess during a school club event and impressed Leona so now they play against each other often (Astrid got adopted )

-Friends with Jamil (they don’t have a label on their relationship) They met during joint classes in 1st year and would talk continue to talk. Would look Astrid in the eyes and miss the shot on purpose goofy stuff like that.

J-“what’s your obsession with bread?” A-“Bread was the only food that wasn’t stale or moldy that was given to me at the orphanage * goes back to eating bread*” J-*shocked*

-Managed to get Azul indebted to him with 2 favors and would always avoid his attempts saying “he doesn’t want anything from Azul” Azul can’t even blackmail since there isn’t much he can use besides basic info even then Astrid blocks the attempt.

-good at drawing manly buildings and interiors and has some sketchbooks filled of them

- Would carry Sliver back to the dorm if it’s late/ Sliver would sometimes fall asleep on them

-Sebek has never called Astrid human

More about Astrid

Outfits

(Astrid’s hair is covering his eye in lab wear just lazy to fix it)

Backstory

Astrid lived in an poor orphanage in Briar valley until they were 10. During their time there others would stay away or bully him because of his curse thinking he did it on purpose causing them to run away.Astrid would dumpster diving for food, doing best to survive when he teacher found them.

Being taken in Astrid reside in the west wing of the place.Given a place to stay and food to eat he was very grateful for finally finding a family so he thought. Even though his teacher showed him love and kindness the rest of her family didn’t seem to like him and didn’t understand why.

At 14 is when he finally understood sneaking out of the west wing. Walking around coming across room where Teacher and her husband were talking about no other than their cruse.

The cures was supposed to be used against his teacher.Due to the selfishness and betraying her old friend.

One day you will come across a child who will be your downfall.

By the time the child turns 21 you will pass as they will obtain the magic you prioritize so dearly.

But if you put away your selfishness and welcome the child into your arms truly loving them you may live to see another day.

He never heard such a venomous tone from his teacher but didn’t hear anymore running back to his room heartbroken.

“That why teacher family doesn’t like me”

“Were those accident everyone trying to get rid of me”

“Teacher doesn’t even like me, My parents didn’t want, The staff ignores me, no one wants to be around me”

“All because of this stupid curse! The only reason I’m here is for someone’s revenge”

“I’m I really that unlovable?”

After that day Astrid started to pretend to reciprocate the “love”  their teacher gave them.Planning to leave at 20 which changed when he got excepted into NRC for when they graduate they’ll just never return home.

Divider

[nowoyas]

koi no yokan 14: the second day (nishinoya yuu/reader)

First - Prev - Next - M.list - Ao3

A/N: meow

Summary: You spend the night at Noya's and survive another day.

Warnings: blanket series warnings, inadvisable punnery, light mentions of bruising/injury

Words: 3800+

Sleep comes to you in short, restless bursts. You don't have a great metric for the time passing—either Noya doesn't have an alarm clock in his room, or else he's put it away to avoid bothering you with the light while you're here—but you just keep fucking waking up, again and again. You wake up no more rested than before, maybe even more exhausted than before you, and then you lay there for way too long trying to get back to sleep.

It must be the fifth time you've woken up this way, and you're about fucking done trying if not for how tired you still are. You push yourself to your feet in hopes that maybe an attempt to acquire water will make it easier to sleep. Noya left the bedroom door open a little—you presume so he could hear you if you called for him—so you slip out, carefully stepping around him on the floor.

Dumbass. He really didn't need to sleep in the hallway.

The stairs are the scariest part of this endeavor—you're not sure how long the vestiges of dizziness are supposed to rattle around up there, but you're definitely still feeling it as you stare down at the landing. Still, you don't want to wake Noya when he's got practice in the morning. You don't want to be the reason any of the boys aren't ready to destroy the competition when the time comes.

So you take the stairs: one at a time, death grip on the railing, moving as slowly and quietly as you can manage so as to not alert anyone to your little adventure. When you make it to the bottom unharmed, you silently cheer for yourself before navigating to the kitchen. It's barely lit, only by the moonlight through the window, but given the state of things right now, that's probably good for you.

And then you realize: you don't know which cabinet the cups are in.

It feels weird to rummage through a stranger's kitchen as you start carefully checking cabinets, but you can't ask for help for something as simple as grabbing a fucking glass of water. You adamantly refuse. They're all already doing so much for you, and you're not going to—

"If you're looking for a cup, they're in the cabinet to your left."

You yelp something awful, jolting to see Kaede leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed.

She laughs, and you flinch, turning to look in the mentioned cabinet.

"Looking for anything to drink in particular, or just water?"

"Just water," you mumble.

"Ice?"

You wrinkle your nose at the thought. "No, I'm good."

She comes to stand beside you, takes the empty glass from your hand to fill it.

"Guess it's probably hard for you to sleep right now."

You nod, mumbling a quiet thank you when she passes back the glass of water. "Definitely not easy. I have issues enough trying to sleep when I'm not concussed."

"I can imagine." She moves to the freezer, pulls out a popsicle. Must be a family trait.

"You're, uh… the oldest, right? Kaede-san?"

She nods. "And you're the poor girl Yuu's stalking."

You laugh softly. "The very same."

"I'm kinda glad you're staying with us for a bit. I don't know your situation, but it's rare for Yuu to actually be worried about something. You two must be closer than I thought."

A soft huff. "We're just friends. My family situation's not… the best, so I think he tries to dote on me to make me feel better about my life or something."

Kaede shakes her head. She's moving around the kitchen, apparently grabbing stuff to make tea. "Yuu's not like that. He says what he feels and does what he feels like. If he's acting like he cares about you, it's because he actually does."

"Yeah, I'm starting to get that impression." You pause, take a slow sip of your water. "Everyone's so nice here. It's weird."

"Jeez. We've barely even done anything yet."

"You helped me get water. Noya-senpai's given up his bedroom instead of just, like, having me sleep on the couch. Mei-san made the dinner I requested, and—"

"I'm gonna stop you right there. I literally just turned on the sink and handed you a cup. Yuu offered to give up his bedroom so you could be somewhere you're likely to actually rest, and because you're likely to fall off the couch if you move around at all in your sleep. And it was Mei's night to cook. She loves cooking but fucking hates having to decide the menu, so you having a specific request did her a lot of favors."

"When you put it that way, it sounds really basic and obvious," you grumble.

"They're all really basic, obvious things."

You don't know how long you lean against the kitchen counter, watching Kaede work, just that, eventually, she takes the barely-drunk glass of water from you and puts a mug of tea in your hands instead.

You blink at it a moment. "Wait."

"Helps me sleep, too." She sips her own mug slowly. At some point, the popsicle she was eating ceased to exist. You choose to believe she ate it like a normal human being instead of like her brother, and you simply weren't paying attention enough to notice. "It's already made, so you'd be wasting it if you didn't drink it."

Damn social conventions. "You didn't have to do that."

She shrugs. "The electric kettle makes two mugs' worth of hot water at minimum and I only ever want one."

"…thank you."

You sit together and drink your tea in silence.

~

Kaede helps you up the stairs when you're done. At the top, you catch sight of Noya: sitting straight up at the end of the hall, staring at you with a pout and crossed arms. Kaede stifles a laugh and leaves you to his mercy without a word.

"Did you get down the stairs by yourself?"

"How long have you been waiting up for me?"

"Time isn't real, and you're avoiding the question."

"I was really careful," you grumble.

"[name]-san, that was dangerous. Aren't you still dizzy?"

"Not as dizzy as before."

"Still…"

"I couldn't sleep," you admit quietly. You step around him to get into his room, pausing in the doorway. "I'll try again."

He watches you with a worried expression, and you stare back a moment.

"What would make it easier?"

"Eh?"

"To sleep, I mean. Is there anything getting in the way?"

"…can you just, like, bring your futon into the room? It's harder to sleep knowing I literally kicked you out of your bedroom. Even if you say it's fine, I feel guilty."

He practically leaps up to move into the room. "Consider it done. What else?"

"Um… maybe, like, an extra pillow? If that's alright? It's, um…" Your cheeks heat up. You feel like an absolute child suddenly. "It's hard to sleep without cuddling something."

"You've got me," he says with a grin. "Soba seems to think I'm a good cuddler. Someone else I know, too, though she doesn't seem to want to admit it…"

You snort. "Shut up."

He smiles at you fondly while you crawl into your futon, and before he can continue to press the suggestion, your favorite ball of fluff slinks into the room, stares at you, and curls right up in the space against your chest.

Noya climbs into his own futon, and you accept Soba as your cuddle partner for the night, a pleased smile on your lips.

~

When Noya wakes up, it's to the first hints of sunlight crawling into the room and a hand on top of his. He slept as he usually does—on his back, arms splayed—only this time, he follows a soft hand resting in his open palm and finds you, laid on your side and snuggled up to Soba, one arm outstretched during the night.

He finds his phone beside him and nearly panics trying to cancel the alarm before it goes off. The photo he manages to take after that is surprisingly well-framed, and one which he immediately favorites.

He lays there a moment, staring, and then he carefully shifts to pull his hand out from underneath yours. You'll probably want the blinds closed in case light is still bothering you, and Soba's going to be very angry and demanding food soon. She keeps a tight schedule.

The second your hand hits the floor, you shift, eyes opening blearily with a sound that might be a whine, if he had to categorize it. In your arms, Soba lets out an uncannily similar mrrp? as she, too, opens her eyes and looks at him.

"Good morning," he whispers. "You ladies can go back to sleep."

You nod sleepily and kiss the top of Soba's head, and Noya melts, snapping another picture out of solemn duty before moving to darken the room for you. When he moves to leave for the bathroom—shower and changing are in order—you let out a mournful cry. He looks back—Soba has gotten up to follow him, sensing impending breakfast but leaving you with nothing to cuddle.

He laughs softly. "Just cuddle my pillow or something. Soba's gotta eat."

Another mournful whine, but you scramble over and pull his pillow into your arms, falling asleep again what looks to be immediately. Cute.

He leaves the door cracked when he goes.

~

When Noya returns, his hair is wet and he's topless, probably just to taunt you. It might have worked if you—freshly awake, probably looking awful, distinctly feeling like roadkill—didn't feel violently nauseous.

You nod to him, a pillow pulled to your chest as you sit.

"Oh, you're up."

"Mmrgh."

He laughs, ruffling your hair as he walks past you. "How are you feeling today?"

You respond with a slightly deeper mmrgh.

"Wow," he says. "Really?"

He only laughs harder at your glare.

"You are not a morning person, huh?"

Your eyes track him as he finds a shirt, lingering on the muscles of his back.

"Want some breakfast? Or are you just gonna keep checking me out until I have to go?"

"'F you make me eat anythin' right now, I'm gonna throw up on your floor," you say. Your voice is hoarse with the morning, and you clear your throat in hopes of making it come out less so.

Noya cringes. "That bad?"

"I sat up and the room spun so bad that I almost did."

"I'll let Okaa-san know. Got your phone?"

You wave it at him, pulling at the charging cord a bit.

"Attagirl. Yell or text if you need me, alright? I'll be downstairs for a bit."

When he leaves the room, your phone buzzes with a text.

Noya to [name] at 6:47

Noya: [image attached. Image description: you, cast in the glow of the morning, Soba tucked under your arm. Both of you are asleep in similar positions, with your top arm stretching towards the camera. Your hand rests on Noya's in the foreground as you sleep.]

Noya: morning soba to encourage you to get well soon :)

[name]: stalker

You hear a familiar laugh down the hall and turn back over to sleep, smiling.

~

Noya's mom checks on you periodically throughout the day. When you wake up a little after lunchtime, the nausea has passed, and she helps you down the stairs to at least nibble on something in the kitchen while you can stand to. After that, you watch her bustle about the house doing housework for a while, checking your phone periodically until you feel your head start to hurt again.

Noya sends little texts apparently whenever he can get away with it: one before morning practice to the tune of stop looking at your phone and get some sleep and another after to report in on how practice went. The others haven't reached out at all; even though Hinata has your number, you've received no apologies from him. Not that you need one or think he should, but…

Well, you're lonely.

Around the time you get a check-in from Noya before afternoon practice, Noya's mom takes you to freeze your curry leftovers and get some necessities from your place. She draws the line at any additional chores, even though you really should run the trash out and maybe throw in a load of laundry and—

She vetoes all of it.

Maybe you should make it a point to come back and check on things whenever you're given the ability to do so. It makes you nervous, thinking about leaving the house empty. Then, it makes you sad, and then your head is spiraling towards one thing, and one thing only:

You haven't been home in two days, and your father doesn't seem to have noticed.

~

Everyone in the Nishinoya household calls out a greeting when they come home.

It feels like such an obvious thing. Mei comes home from something, she says I'm home! loudly enough that at least one person hears her, and from within the walls of this house, welcome back! invariably echoes back. Satsuki gets home from hanging out with friends and she shouts it into the house. Even Soba welcomes her back with a meow from where you hadn't known she'd been hiding in the TV stand. Noya's grandfather (still insistent you call him Jii-chan, which feels too profoundly weird to even attempt at this time) grins and waves and calls out an easy yo! when he returns from wherever he's gone.

It's… sickeningly cozy. You know who's home at any given time this way, don't have to wait to hear someone make conversation or wander into whatever room you're in to know who opened the front door and whether they were coming or going.

Noya, predictably, is the last to come home, beaten by Kaede to the tune of several hours. This makes sense. He's got practice, after all, and he texted to let you know that he was staying to work on that jump set he told you about, but you're still disappointed to hear the door and hear her voice call out I'm home! instead.

"Oh, you're up," she says when she sees you.

You nod. Words have been hard today, but you manage to mumble a welcome back all the same.

"Do anything fun today? Or are the regulations for you still 'rot until your head feels better'?"

"Rotting," you grumble. "I feel gross, I'm not allowed to do anything, I get maybe ten minutes with a screen before I have to stop for an hour, and I dunno how to do anything without either thinking or a screen."

"You can shower, you know. Pretty sure no one would stop you."

"I've been too dizzy. They're worried about me slipping or something."

"Want me to wash your hair for you?"

"Why?"

"What do you mean, why?" she snorts. "You feel gross, you're too dizzy to take a full shower, but you can at least like, sponge down and get your scalp clean. It'll help."

"No, I mean… why are you offering?"

"Because you feel gross, you can't take a full shower, and it'll help." She speaks patiently, like repeating her previous points answers your question even a little.

You study her for a moment. She doesn't seem to have any weird motives or anything, so…

"Alright. That… that would help. Thanks."

This is how you find yourself in a chair in the bathroom, leaned over the sink while Kaede massages your scalp. She seems to have been ready for this, really, and when she's done rinsing, she waits.

"Do you think you can handle the noise of the hair dryer right now?" she asks. "I can get you earplugs."

You hum thoughtfully. "Earplugs first?"

"Great. Wait right there!"

She darts out of the room, returns with some silicone plugs. She's actually almost too good at this—the noise is still a lot with the earplugs, but it's tolerable, and you admire how much nicer it looks in the mirror when she's done.

"You're really good at that," you mutter as she stands behind you proudly. It's hard to focus on the hair, really—you're struck by the rest of your appearance, tilt your chin to the side to observe. You haven't really looked in a mirror the past few days, or however long you've been here, between the dizzy and the light sensitivity and the dread at seeing how bad you look.

If you had, you might have noticed the colorful curve of a bruise decorating your cheek. You'd imagine that came from the same spike that concussed you, but no one has said a word about it since you got here.

"I'm in a program for cosmetology," she explains. She bustles around behind you, wiping off spilled water on the counter top. "It's a bit harder in a bathroom sink, but I think I did a pretty good job. I've been doing everyone in the family's hair for ages, though."

You follow her out of the room as she inspects your hairbrush, her nose wrinkled.

"So who did the little blonde streak first? Senpai and Satsuki-san have a pretty similar thing going on."

"Believe it or not, they got them together. Before Satsuki hit her growth spurt, anyone would've sworn they were twins. Not sure whose idea it was, but they'd been getting those done for a few years before I learned to do it for them. When's the last time you cleaned this hairbrush?"

"Cleaned it?" you parrot back.

She looks back at you, fully aghast, and grabs your wrist, pulling you along. "Okay, we're giving you a crash course in hair care while you're here. Don't worry, I'll send you home with written instructions, too. I know your brain's sludge right now."

She sits you down on the couch, sits across from you to clean your brush in a bowl of water while she walks you through decidedly too much information about hair care. After a while, she leaves you to rest, declaring she needs to type up your care guide before you go home, and you fall asleep right there on the couch, head swimming with new information.

~

You're woken up this time—not by anyone's intent, exactly, but by the feeling of something warm and fluffy leaving your head (???) and immediately producing the saddest cries you’ve ever heard from a cat.²⁸ You open your eyes to see that Noya is prying Soba away from you, and you melt a little at her meows of complaint.

"Oh my god, put her back," you say, making grabby hands at her. "She sounds so sad!"

"Sorry, [name]-san," he says with a grin, "it's dinner time, and you're not gonna get up if she's sleeping on you."

"You're evil," you whine.

"I am evil. I'm also not putting her down until you get up."

"I'm going to bite you." You push yourself to sit up, pouting at him. Though Soba is continuing to voice her devastated complaints, he raises an eyebrow.

"You can bite me whenever and wherever you want, but I said get up, not sit up."

"Evil."

"Responsible."

"Why can't you be this responsible any other time? I'd love to see you be responsible during practice."

He sounds aghast at the implication. "I'm always responsible!"

"Try telling me that again after more than fourteen days have passed since the last Bowling Thunder incident."

"Oi, it's Rolling Thunder—"

"Maybe it is when you don't do it directly into the legs of three people."

"Listen, if someone hears me shout "rolling thunder" within a few meters of them and they don't pay attention enough to get out of the way, that's them being irresponsible, not me."

"Uh-huh. Sure."

You stand at last, and he lets Soba free.

"See, that wasn't so bad!"

"Maybe someday I'll even forgive you," you tease back. You take a moment to rub the final bits of sleep from your eyes, following him towards the dining room.

"I eagerly await the day you forgive this awful transgression. In the meantime, how are you feeling? I noticed you made it downstairs."

"Better!" you chirp. "Kaede-san helped me get cleaned up a little bit, since I'm not quite shower-ready yet, and I feel way better."

"You look better. Seems like you're sleeping better, too."

"Definitely. It helps that a certain someone's so sweet." The "certain someone" in question wraps around your legs, and you lean over to stroke her head gently. "Yeah, baby, I'm talking about you. Stay—snrk—" You pause, interrupted by your own startled laugh as the joke comes to you. "—stay So-by my side tonight, too."²⁹

Noya stifles his own laughter. "Shouyo definitely hit you too hard. That was the worst joke I've ever heard."

"What, you don't like my humor?"

"That's not humor, that's an affront. Marry me."

You giggle, shove his shoulder playfully. "Ooh, big vocabulary. Ask another nine hundred thirty-eight times, and maybe."

"Please marry me?"

You're about to retort with something when you remember the presence of his family in the room, watching the exchange in varying degrees of amusement. It takes some effort, but you're able to control your last giggles. The embarrassment helps. So does sliding into a seat next to Satsuki, who elbows you and whispers, "single?".

You elbow her right back, whispering, "yes!" as your cheeks burn.

"[name]-san, if you don't answer me I'm gonna keep asking—"

You nearly throw something at his head. If you didn't have perfect faith he'd catch it, you would. "Nine thirty-seven, you are shameless!"

"If I had any shame, you wouldn't talk to me. I'll take it as a victory!"

You sigh and turn your attention to dinner, to eating and joining in conversations and feeling warmer and more energetic than before the little gap in your memory.

You could get used to this.

Footnotes

28. If you would like an audio reference for how deeply saddened Soba is at being moved, please reference the video in this tumblr post. If you don't particularly need a reference, please reference the video anyway.

29. Original Japanese: 今夜もそばにいてね。(romaji: "konya mo soba ni ite ne", tl. "Stay by my side tonight as well"). I thought of the "そばにいて/soba ni ite" joke around the time the name "Soba" won the cat name poll and trying to find a decent equivalent in English (and a good opportunity) ever since. If the original Japanese is a little awkwardly phrased, that's because I'm only just learning Japanese. And yes, this joke is my greatest accomplishment.

Tags: @deeplightgarden @idonthaveanameideayet @dusstory @kazunish

[mxtxfanatic]

So I just did some math, and y’all got me fucked up. I’ve seen so much handwringing in this fandom about the age disparity between Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian’s body because “oh, lwj is soooooo much older than Mo Xuanyu, it ‘basically’ counts as a grooming that wwx was given such a young body and lwj is still attracted to him!”

It’s literally not true. Lan Wangji is around 33 at the start of the present-day plotline. Mo Xuanyu is 27. Y’all are so full of shit.

The math:

Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian are around the same age, give or take some months. They are 15/16 at the start of the Cloud Recesses arc, the discussion conference in Qishan happens less than two years later (16), the Wen indoctrination camp happens definitively when they are 17 (madam yu says so) a year later, then the Sunshot Campaign takes place 2 weeks after that with Lotus Pier’s fall. The war lasts for around a year or two, but wwx mentions he is 20 during the Phoenix Mountain hunt. This means he’s still 20 when he breaks the Wen remnants out of the labor camps 2 months later, and they abscond to the Burial Mounds. For Burial Mounds arc timeline, you have to go by A-Yuan/Lan Sizhui’s. A-Yuan is a teething toddler between one and two (jc deduces) in the Burial Mounds. He’s 15 at the start of the story 13 years later. The Burial Mounds settlement, therefore, lasts about a year. By the time of the siege, wwx should be 21 (again, give or take a few months). Thirteen years later, lwj is 33/34.

Mo Xuanyu, on the other hand, is given a definite age start. He is 14 when he is taken by Jin Guangshan back to Koi Tower. This happens after the siege but  before Nie Mingjue dies (Jin Guangyao mentions this in the chapt. 79 flashback during his argument with Nie Mingjue about Xue Yang), and Nie Mingjue dies a year after the first siege takes place. This would mean that Mo Xuanyu is 14 when the siege happens and, 13 years later, he would be 27 when he sacrifices his body to summon Wei Wuxian.

Mo Xuanyu is not some barely-legal young adult at the start of the story, and the age difference, besides, would be 7 years at most. The fact that this is regular discourse is embarrassing.