#Do as Infinity Live in Japan

[cobaltfluff]

"Being in the snow with my lover like this immerses me in a special feeling. I like it."

[bloodxbat]

Stress Relief

Satoru Gojo x Fem! Reader

Warnings: smut, 18+, MDNI, praise, degradation, breeding?, oral (male recieving), face fucking

Word Count: 1,446

Summary: Gojo comes back home to you after a long day and mission. He uses you as his stress relief…and you love it.

A/N ello ello, I know this might not be the best (I finished this at 3am lmao) but it’s a start and i’m so hyped for all you Gojo lovers to read this!! I’m absolutely on a chokehold from that man! 

Masterlist

Taglist

Ko-fi

It was silent in your apartment. Satoru was out on a mission as always and probably wouldn’t be home for another hour. You were trying to relax and watch the TV but anytime he’s out on a mission you can’t help but stress, each night he comes back,,,,he’s not himself. The stress of each mission is slowly tearing away at his positive personality and it’s heartbreaking to witness. 

Being the most powerful modern sorcerer comes with a reputation of never failing. Being the best. If it takes Satoru even slightly longer to complete a mission it was as if his world was breaking apart bit by bit each time. 

You were just about to go lay in bed ready to sleep as the clock ticked 3am, until you heard the rattle of the door opening. You almost broke an ankle breaking into a sprint through the hallway to see your boyfriend standing at the door. 

“Toru?” 

He was covered in blood, not sure if it was his own or someone else’s. His blindfold still covering his eyes, desperate to look you move closer hesitantly. Each step echoed through the apartment as your slippers hit the cold wooden floor. Gojo stood still, breathing heavily. 

Reaching up you take off his dark blindfold, letting his snowy hair fall down. His normal sparkling bright blue eyes are dark and full of lust. Like an animal that caught sight of its prey.

“Toru, are you ok?” 

Your hand grazes his cheeks and his hand flies up and grasps your wrist tightly. Staring into your eyes he growls out.

“I’ve had a very-very rough day my love, so what I need you to do…what you’re going to do, is get undressed, go into the bedroom and lay there waiting for me ... .understood?” 

You nod your head weakly, biting your lip as you feel the wet patch beginning to form in your pants. Walking to your shared room you leave behind a trail of your nightwear leading through the hallway. Whenever Gojo was in this mood you knew your purpose…and you loved it. To be used by the most powerful sorcerer would be most girls' dream, but only you got to live it, and for the rest of your life. 

Laying on the bed you hear Gojos footsteps getting louder and louder as they approach the bedroom. Squeezing your legs in anticipation as you felt the bed dip with your boyfriend's weight. His hands lay above your head supporting himself above you. He looks down all over your curved body and lets out a moan with a smirk and cocky laugh. 

“Look at you, so perfect, so fucking beautiful, all mine” 

You shiver as his hands grapes onto your sides and squeeze as he trails them down the rest of your body. It’s not often Gojo deactivates his infinity technique given that he is pretty wanted by a lot of the cursed spirits that roam japan. But for you, he’d do anything, you were his oxygen, his purpose, his plaything. 

His slender fingers reach your heat as he slides them through your folds and you both moan at the feeling. 

“Mmmm fuck, all nice and wet for me, haven’t even done anything to you yet” he lets out a breathy laugh “what is it that gets you so worked up, is it my touch? Or is it my voice” 

“B-both” 

He laughs at your pathetic stutter.

“Wow I really do have you all worked up, good.”

The bed rises as Gojo gets off the bed. He begins to undress, he kicks off his shoes, and tears off his outer shirt. Painfully slowly as if to tease you, he knows what he’s doing, the anticipation of seeing his god-like naked body seemed to go on forever. 

Once he gets down to just his boxers you can feel your own drool drip down your chin, it will never not take your breath away at just how big he really is. His hard cock desperate to be freed from his boxers. 

You sit up at the edge of the bed, wordlessly begging him to move closer and he does. You pull down his boxers exposing his cock, the red tip soaked and dripping with precum. 

As if it were instinct you instantly take his cock into your mouth, tasting him and moaning around him. Gojos hands fall into your hair as you bob your head onto him.

“Fuck, didn’t even need to ask you, just like a whore you just get on with your job huh? Sh-it darling so fucking good with your mouth” He moans loudly. 

He thrusts his hips into you, forcing you to take all of him down to the balls, small gags escaping your lips as he hits the back of your throat. At this point you don’t need to do anything as Gojo has grabbed onto your hair moving your head for you, fucking your throat, using you. 

A mix of your drool and his precum now coats the floor beside the bed as he pulls out of your throat, grabbing your chin forcing you to look up at him. Your face covered in spit and your eyes watering from your gags.

“You’re my fuck toy aren’t you darling, get to use you for stress relief after a hard day at work”

You nod your head agreeing, wanting, needing him to continue using you. He lets out a laugh as he pushes you down onto the bed. Climbing on top of you, you can feel his cock grazing your clit. Gojo crashes his lips onto yours, instantly pushing his tongue down your throat, tasting himself on your tongue. Both of you let out a moan, the sounds vibrating against each others lips. 

He swipes his cock up and down your folds before thrusting into you with a growl. 

“Fuck, so fucking tight for me, f-feels so fucking good baby, you’re mine, you belong to me and no one else. Who do you belong to, who does this pussy belong to? Hmmm nhhggg” 

“Y-you Toru belongs to you all for you and only f-f-for you FUCK” you almost scream as he picks up his pace.

The sound of your skin clapping together echoing round the room, both not caring who hears you and you moan loudly with each thrust. Gojo’s eyes are filled with drunk lust, the feeling of your walls squeezin around him is almost too much for him to handle.

He flips you over so your ass is in the air. Your face pressed down into the pillows, muffling your noises as he re enters you with a slam. You reach your hand down and start circling your clit with your finger. 

“Mmmmhhfff are you touching yourself baby? Yeah, such a slut flicking at your clit as I fuck you hard, keep going baby you’re squeezing against me with every movement, feels so fucking good” 

You can feel the tip of his cock hitting your sweet spot. You just know he’s bruising your insides with how big and hard he is. The thought makes you even more weak, the fact that your limps tomorrow will show everyone just how well Satoru Gojo can pleasure you, just how much he uses you. 

It’s not long before you’re both almost at the edge, both pulsing and silently begging to cum. But you know you shouldn't’ even dare, not without Gojo.

“M’gettin close Toru, gonna fucking cum nnnhhhgg please, please can I cum, i-i’ve been so good please” 

Gojo keeps thrusting in you with an animalistic growl each time, driving you even more crazy. 

“Cum with me darling, come on cum with me as I fill you up uuugghhh” he moans out

With one final thrust you both reach your climax with a scream and groan. Gojo paints your insides with his cum as you soak him and the bed with yours. Your eyes are heavy and body weak from being thrown around and used. The very feeling you love each time, to feel so used. 

Gojo collapses next to you on the bed. Both of you are breathing heavily. You watch as his muscled chest rises and falls with every breath. Sweat drips down his forehead as his hair sticks to it. 

“You’re such a good stress relief my love, you have no idea”

“Glad I can be of assistance” you laugh out breathlessly.

Gojo chuckles as he pulls you close to him, laying your head on his chest, he leans down and kisses you gently on the head. You look up and kiss him, smiling like an idiot, bathing in the fact that you know, Satoru Gojo is yours…forever.

taglist: @writing-wh0re @skarlettmikaelson

[errrrrror4zero4]

content warnings: 18+ MDNI(minors do NOT interact) , nsfw, smut, sex mentions, sexual coercion, degradation and more. Also it’s my first fanfic and first time writing something…smutty…I had to do lots of research and etc. since I’m not use to a lot of terms and etc. so pls bear with me ;;

In between The Strongest

By 4zero4

A Gojo x oc x Geto fanstory

“Gojoooooooo! Give. It. Back.” I whined looking at Gojo Satoru who was smirking away, mocking me for my stature as he held my journal up high. He knew I wouldn’t be able to reach it, him being 6”3’ in height and me being at least with shoes a good 5”0’ in comparison.

As Gojo began to chuckle as I felt my face turn red in frustration, the journal returned safely in my hands without me having to get it myself. I looked beside me and Gojo, Geto Suguru was there sighing at his best friend's antics. Geto had swiftly retrieved the journal while Gojo let his guard down for a second from being distracted by my whines.

“Satoru, why must you always tease Sa-rang at the most difficult times?” He asked Gojo in an apathetic tone.

“When did you two get so comfy to be on a first name basis?” Gojo remarked while studying Getos facial expressions. I intentionally kept a line drawn between Gojo and I. So only Shoko and Geto were on an informal basis with me. Though I still by habit call Suguru by his family name. The wind blew Geto’s bangs back a bit as he went to sit opposite of us at one of the benches, clearly not going to answer Gojo’s question. Geto was too busy surveying our surroundings with one of his cursed spirits.

Geto leaned his head back and rubbed the temples of his forehead.

“Still nothing.” he let out an exasperated sigh.

We three were sent to an abandoned shrine in a rural part of Japan. Usually Shoko would be here to be my guardian from Gojos games of mockery but she had another mission elsewhere.

Only 4-8 families still lived in this village and the shrine has not been in use since long before the village was founded. The shrine was already there when the villagers settled here in the past. They attempted to reconstruct it but after superstitions and bad incidents that occurred they closed this part of the town off and it’s been untouched since.

Us guys were assigned here because one of the village elders' oldest son wants to get rid of the shrine and rebuild some housing areas to boost income and population in their village again. But they wanted whatever was there to be exorcized and cleansed before rebuilding. In fear of cursing the rest of the village by disturbing its grounds.

“Geez, Suguru you’re such a downer”

Gojo rolled his eyes and scratched his head. Disappointed, his question wasn’t answered but not caring enough at the moment to press further.

“We don’t have to be so serious, I’m sure nothing is even here anyway. Neither of us have picked up on anything since arriving.” Gojo said to us while stretching in boredom.

I sat down at one of the benches as I put my journal in my backpack.

“I hate to say it Geto but Gojo might be right.” Sa-rang said, looking back at them.

“I mean think about it, we’re only here because sensei’s old friend who has a relative here asked for a favor. And we were just slacking for a week since our last mission so he sent us as some type of punishment.” I explained to them as I got back up and started to walk off a little to sight-see.

“Gojo, do you still have your infinity turned on?” I asked looking back at him. He was already slacking next to Geto on the bench.

He rolled his eyes and looked towards me. “Duh.” he said in that taunting tone he uses whenever he pokes fun at me. I rolled my eyes back and walked back up to my fellow classmates.

“Well if YOU almighty Gojo and YOU all-knowing Geto does not sense anything either, then I guess we should do one more quick walk around and go home already.” I retorted to them, mostly aiming the sarcasm in my voice at Gojo. He always knows how to irk the right nerves to piss me off. Gojo is known for his laidback playful charisma but he always chooses to bully me more constantly than others. The only other one I ever see him do it to is Geto, yet I can feel when he aims that energy towards me it’s…just different.

Gojo and Geto exchanged looks then stood up choosing not to josh back at the note of my sarcastic tone towards them, they too wanted to just hurry and go home. We did a quick rewalk of the land of the shrine and determined whatever bad incidents they claimed happened ages ago were merely typical coincidences and old wives tales of the sorts. Yet to ease their minds we each performed a ritual in front of the shrine for the villagers who've been gawking at us and whispering for the past couple hours about us, to witness we did a cleanse to appease their anxieties and prevent them manifesting to something actually cursing them.

Many moments later after many thanks and goodbyes from the villagers we departed from their quaint town and were on a bus back to Tokyo. It was a long bus ride to the airport and a long flight to our destination. As we finally landed and we rode a taxi to our school, Tokyo Prefectural Jujutsu High School. Once the car dropped us off at a good distance, I began to speed walk to the building's dorms. Hoping to find Shoko here already before Gojo starts his shenanigans but before I could reach the front entrance Gojo was already in front of me mischievously grinning.

“You’re moving MIGHTY fast for a person with such small legs” he said with his devilishly sweet smile.

“Move Gojo, I have business to handle.” I started firmly moving past him, eyes forward to ignore the stupid grin on his face.

I adored and loathed his smile at the same time. Though Gojo clearly has the untouchable Idol looks and did make many women and men alike swoon, Geto was more known to be popular with the ladies more so than his best friend Gojo. Gojo was known for being adamantly….what’s the word…annoying? No….rude? Closer, yes. He was very ungentlemanly unlike Geto. Plus Gojo may act playful and carefree but he’s also ruthless and obnoxious. He also clearly draws a line from himself and others. No one is ever to get too close to Gojo Satoru. Well except Geto. Speaking of Geto, he was already ahead of us, probably on his way to give Sensei the report on our mission. Though he slacks off and jokes around with Gojo a lot he still follows the book and tries to at least get his job accomplished ethically.

I subconsciously pouted as I stared at Geto walking away. Not noticing Gojo is still beside me observing. “Miyoshi.” he called out to me to break my gaze and put it back towards him.

I turned to him and I could swear for a moment I saw a subtle frown in his lips. I quickly disregarded it thinking I must’ve seen it wrong. “Gojo, if you’re planning on terrorizing me again right now can you postpone it till tomorrow? I’m 100% sure I’ve had my fill of Gojo Satoru today.” I told him as we reached my room in the dormitory. Hoping he would’ve walked away after my comment and went to harass Geto instead. I approached my door and before I could open it Gojo closed it shut with one of his hands towering behind me. I turned and looked up and just as I suspected he had one of his stupid smiles plastered on his slightly pink lips. Before I could ask him what his deal was he leaned down into my ear and whispered “Now I’m 100% sure you haven’t had your fill of Gojo Satoru today, Sa-Ra-Ang” I immediately blushed and ducked below his arm strengthening the distance of our bodies. I glared into his tricksy vivid blue eyes. This was a new taunt coming from him. “Gojo. Why are you being s-so so audacious right now!” I shouted trying my hardest not to stammer and show him his sly perverted comment got to me. But his eyes caught everything like they always do and he could already see how nervous his words made my heart race. He stepped towards me closing the distance between us again, his grin looking more fiendish as he anticipated what other expressions his words could make my face turn into. “Now, now Sa-rang I didn’t say anything wrong though did I? I’m quite sure you can handle more of me today” He said my name so sweetly compared to his way of usually saying it. Before I could respond while being hung up on that he was already pressed against me closer than before. I could feel the heat of his body against mine, he gently lifted my eye patch up and gazed deeply in my eyes. As my eyes widened trying to catch my brain up to what was happening. He leaned lower to my eye level and planted his lips against mine briefly. It was soft and pleasant to my surprise. I looked up at him and frowned, shaking any desires rising from within me. “Gojo, if this is some new way of pranking me it’s not funny.” I said to him as I turned my face away from his. He swiftly grabbed me by my chin and turned my face back towards his. He was slightly frowning as if he was hurt by my conclusion that he would kiss me to hurt me. “Sa-rang, I’ve been madly into you since you transferred here. I know I have a weird way of showing it.. This is my first time. I’m usually so good at everything but when it comes to you I’ve been clueless. I thought if I treated you like I treated Shoko and Suguru you’d pick up on the fact I care deeply about you.” he said to me.

Taken aback by this sudden side of him, all I could do was look up at him in confusion. He sighed and stepped back from me a little, I could feel all his warmth escape from me.

“I had a plan. I did, I was going to approach you better and talk to you. I was going to apologize for all the bullshit I’ve put you through but then all day today I saw how you looked at Suguru. I shrugged it off but the way you pouted at the fact he was already walking ahead of you as if you wanted more time with him today, I couldn’t take it Sa-rang.” He told me with a hint of anguish in his tone.

Gojo Satoru. The man who was always seemingly collected was near falling at the seams over me and I didn’t hate it. In fact I think somewhere inside of me I waited for something like this from him. He always had a wall around him that only Suguru had a way to pass. I never blamed him for it, I was the same. Yet part of me always wanted to get closer to him and bulldoze that wall. I assumed it’d never happened though with the way he acted around me, so I purposely made my wall sturdier around him. I let Suguru and Shoko a few inches closer than him. As to not hurt myself from any expectations. Yet here he was shattering my presumptions of him.

He was clearly jealous of Suguru, though I highly admired Suguru and found him very attractive. I never intended to pursue him as an actual crush or anything. I did not intend to get romantically involved with anyone. I simply respected him and the way he carries himself. After Shoko he was the first to welcome me with open arms to this school when I transferred.

I chuckled in my mind at this, the boy with the six eyes that can see everything. Saw wrong for once.

I moved away from the wall and approached Gojo. I don’t know what came over me but before I was aware I was already on my tippy toes and stealing a kiss from him. I never kissed anyone before so I wasn’t sure I planted it against his lips right as he did mine earlier. I began to step back a bit embarrassed at my actions. As I did so, Gojo grabbed me by my waist and pulled me back towards him back to his famous smile that draws everyone who catches it in. This time however I could sense the sincerity in it.

“Sa-rang, I want you.” he said to me as he pressed his lips firmly back to mine. This time I could feel his tongue enter my mouth, swishing against mine as if looking for something. I struggled to breathe a little. It was as if our mouths were at war and Gojo was definitely winning. He broke his lips away from mine, giving me a chance to catch my breath. I could hear him softly panting and I looked up at his pale ocean blue eyes. Unbeknown to me I was gazing at him with pure lust in my eyes, my body wanting to taste him more as if this was what it was searching for all along. He picked up on it quickly as he lifted me up and carried me quickly into my room.

Next thing I knew we were already on my bed making out again. He was ontop of me kissing me with more intensity than he did before but so was I this time.

“Fuck- Sa-rang I need you now.” Gojo exclaimed under his breath between our kisses. I could already feel something hard press against me. I looked down and then back up to him with curiosity but also with unsureness.

“Gojo I don’t know, I’ve never even kissed before now.” I confessed to him. It was true the most I knew about sex was from the smut books I caught glimpses from adults reading when I hopped from libraries to libraries for shelter after they closed for the night as a kid. I read them to pass time along with plenty of other genres but I’ve never done anything like what happened in the stories. Even though my journal was filled with deep desires that crossed my mind from time to time that were in that category, I was completely inexperienced in this field.

Gojo looked at me while he replied back “We can continue kissing and see where it leads. I want you so bad Sa-rang. I’ve waited so long for this”

I wanted him too and I was already so into the kissing I nodded to his suggestion. Gojo began kissing me all over every so often, going back to passionately locking his lips back to mine. Before long he was already kissing down to my privates, undressing me as he did till I was already in my underwear, I blushed and was shocked at how I was so entranced from his kisses I didn’t notice my clothes gradually disappearing. Gojo was below my pelvis and he looked at me smirking. I knew that smirk, he was about to start teasing me. “You’re already so wet down here I dont even have to remove these panties to tell” he remarked as he pressed his lips to my private area. I let out a quiet moan as I felt his lips through my panties and covered my face in embarrassment. Gojo grabbed my hands with his hand and pinned them above my head preventing me from hiding away. “Don’t hide Sa-rang, I want to see all of it” he said as he began using his other free hand to slip inside my panties, I could feel his fingers inviting themselves into my folds. “Wooow I knew you were wet but this? This is something else Sa-rang” he mocked me as he began playing with my vagina.

“S-satoru!” I started to say in protest to his perverted comments but instead it resulted in me trailing off into a loud moaning whine. Gojo’s face lit up into a sly grin as he then inserted a finger into me. I fought back the urge to moan out. “Now, now go on and moan out my name again with that sweet voice like you just did. Let me hear it again, beautiful” He said to me as his fingers played inside me. I ended up moaning more the faster his fingers moved inside me. He chuckled as my back began to arch while I came to his fingers. I laid back panting from the new feelings emerging from me. Before I could collect myself, Satoru already undressed his shirt revealing his chiseled body. As if the world made him with his existence being considered art in mind. I subconsciously raised my hand against his chest, feeling him up. “Sa-rang you’re so bold~” he exclaimed at my sudden advances. I felt my face turn red and pouted “You! Were freely touching all over me earlier. If anyone is being bold it's you, Satoru!” I retorted back.

He leaned back on top of me joyfully grinning at my reply. “I love it when you call my name” He said as he locked lips with me again, moving his hands back to undress the last of my clothing. He looked up and down at me as I became flushed at revealing so much of myself to him. The underwear was tolerable. I just imagined I was simply in a swimsuit but now I had nothing on at all. Just bare skin and Satoru was gazing at me as if he were a hungry beast preparing for a feast. He let out an exasperated sigh and looked into my eyes as he pulled away from me. His warmth escaped my body yet again. “Sa-rang, I don’t think I can control myself anymore. I’m at my limit now” he said his dick was clearly outlined underneath his trousers as if it was aching to be let out. In a way I was flattered. The Gojo Satoru, one of the Strongest if anything, the strongest out of us all here was completely vulnerable right now. His body practically begging to be inside mine. I was super turned on. I sat up and began to undress his pants and lower his underwear and out came his hidden member. I was taken aback at its size though I had nothing to compare it to. Something inside me told me this was going to be a challenge going inside me. I stroked the tip of it and I could feel it quiver at my touch, enticing me more. I leaned down towards it and before Satoru could say anything in shock I had already placed his dick inside my mouth and began to lick and suck it all over. I don’t know what got into me but I wanted to see Satoru tremble more like how he made me tremble earlier. With that in mind I sucked him more while he let out a soft moan in excitement. “Hmmm How are you so-” he began to say through clenched teeth but I cut him off mid sentence by putting him farther in my mouth, I felt his hand grab the top of my head and push me down. His dick went deeper hitting the back of my mouth as he began moving my head at his own will. I could feel the tears well up in my eyes as I fought back the feeling of choking and focused on sucking him off more. “Sa-rang I’m about to burst” Satoru moaned out while still fucking the inside of my mouth. I tried to respond but all that could get through was a mumble and he was already cumming in mouth. I felt a thick warm liquid well up inside my throat. Some of it slithered down while the rest stored itself inside the rooms of my cheeks as he exited my mouth. He looked at me pleased with himself yet somewhat guilt reckoned he was about to say something about letting his load in my mouth but I had already swallowed it all. I looked back at him as I licked the remains of his cum from my lips. I could see something awake in him again in his eyes and his dick. I also felt something throb between my legs as I had swallowed his cum. Before I could tell him what I felt he had already had me pinned down to the bed again, panting against my ear. “Sa-rang I’m not holding back anymore” he said in a breathless rasp of pure lust while he held my hands down and used his other to press his dick against my vagina. I could feel it throbbing almost as restless as its owner. I said nothing but a loud moan as he inserted it inside me. “I’m almost in, just gotta a bit more to go” he said as I peered down, this man only inserted the tip and I was already close to coming again. He slid more deeper and moaned along with me. I ended up coming again this time all over his dick instead of his fingers. “Though I love you coming on me already, I’m just getting started baby” He said with a sadistic smile. He began to thrust deep into me. “Damn, youre gripping on me so tight it’s sucking me in” He moaned. “It’s like this pretty hole is starving for me, Sa-rang” He added in between thrusts all I could do was moan out in response. Every thrust I could feel him moving deeper up and down inside me. “Sa-rang, I didn’t know you were such a little slut? Your body is practically begging me to fuck it more” he teased me.

I looked up at him and glared at his mocking. “I-I’m not a s-slut!” I somehow refuted between the moaning escaping my lips. He grinned at my expression, loving every moment of this “Right, you’re not a slut.” he said with a pause in both speech and movement as leaned towards my face locking eyes with me. “You’re my little slut.” he said firmly as he thrusted hard into me. I let out a gasp as he shoved his tongue down my throat while he continued turning out my insides with his dick. And honestly, it felt so good. He unlocked his lips from mine and stopped thrusting once again and whispered into my ear. “C’mon tell me how much my little slut princess wants me to keep shoving my dick in her” he teased and waited for my reply.

“Satoruuuu!” I whined in defiance. But to no avail he didn't move.

“I’m not continuing till you say it, precious” He coaxed as he began to slide his dick out to exit me.

I wanted to respond back in jest but I could feel my lower half aching for him. I wanted to feel him move inside me deeply again.

I looked at him with tears of annoyance and defeat. “Satoru I want your dick shoving inside me.” I said to him waiting for him to slide back into me.

“Ah-ah you gotta repeat it exactly” he teased with a devilish tone.

I pouted but caved in “Satoru…your little s-slutty princess…wants you to keep shoving your dick inside her.” I repeated word for word begging for him to fuck me more.

He immediately pushed hard into me while I gasped for air, I dug my nails into his back. “Good girl.” He whispers into my ear proudly as he starts to thrust in steady paced rhythms. I could see the sweat dribble down his forehead in between his movements causing his long white bangs to swoop and swish around his face, some strands clinging along his pink flushed skin. He drops his head and starts to suckle my neck and chest planting wet and messy kisses on . While increasing the pace of his hips clashing into me. He was enjoying every second of this. As if he was savoring every sound he could jolt from my lips.

“W-wait Satoru that’s too fast” I whimpered out shakily. He lifts his head back but not before tugging at my nipple with his teeth in a grin causing me to yelp out and cling my legs around him. “C’mon you know you love it” he rasped out of his teeth as he lifted me up as he sat up, positioning me on top of him and causing his shaft to hit an even deeper part inside me. Each thrust this time I could feel the tip of his dick kissing my womb as if greeting it. “Here look down at how you’re basically clenching around me, your cunt starving for my cock like the good little slut you are for me” he cooed.

He wasn’t wrong, I was loving the sensation of him slamming into me. It was a mixture of pain and electrical pleasure. However I still had some ounce of boldness left in me and leaned my body forward before his next timed thrust. Using the tides of my actions to push me on top of him now. He looked up at me with peering blue eyes of curiosity. In which I answered in grinding myself on him, his engorged cock twitching inside me with burning eagerness. Satoru found himself squirming his pelvis under me in response to my hips sliding against him, moving as to tease his throbbing dick. I exhaled a breathy moan as I ran my bangs through my bangs to move them away from my burning face. “Shit, You’re so hot baby” Satoru groaned out all while admiring the view of me riding on top of him. He bit down on his lip and I felt his hands move from his sides now gripping the sides of my hips. He slowly started to glide me up and down over his pulsing dick. Though I was initially ravishing the idea of triumphing over the man who so easily turned me into a mess moments ago, I could feel my clit prickle at the feeling of his tight grip on my hips. I couldn’t help but wish he’d ram his long cock deep up into me. Somehow knowing what I desired, Satoru raised his hips up and proceeded to slam up into my slit down on his now squelching dick that was soaked in all my juices. As I bounced on top of him, my breast jumping up and down in front of him, he couldn’t help but grab one of them with his mouth. He swirled his tongue around my erect nipples.

“Whatever happened to that fiery attitude you had a second ago?” He taunted me but all I could do was let out a choked sob of complete ecstasy. Noticing the breathless daze he was putting me into he let a toothy grin spread across his lips. He continued to thrust in and out of me at the same intense quicken pace. I felt the thick veins running along his huge cock rubbing my walls in every vigorous pound. It was as if Satoru was forcing my insides into the shape of his dick. Suddenly I could feel his core clenching. He locked lips with me, groaned into my mouth as I moaned back into his.

“Baby, I’m about to burst inside of you.” He warned me with a growl against my lips. “I want to come deep inside you, Sa-rang.” he mumbled under his raspy breath. I felt my heart race at the thought of his seed gushing into me. He grabbed my face, studying my disheveled appearance. “You can take it all for me. Can't you, precious?” he beckoned to me in a tone that was more instructing than asking. I nodded eagerly, not able to hold back my curiosity due to the daze his dick was putting me into. His aching dick convulsed inside me, letting his thick cum pour into me. I could feel it trying to fill me up completely. I couldn’t help but climax with him. As he embraced me tightly he bit down against my neck sucking a mark on my damp skin. Releasing all of his seed into me as he told me he would. As he broke his body away from mine, pulling his now limp dick out I could feel his cum oozing out of me. Coming back to my senses at the sight of it getting on my sheets, I shouted out to him.

“GOJO SATORU! I can’t believe you just did that!” I exclaimed with a glare pointed at him. “It was bad enough we didn’t use protection but you came so much into me! What if I become pregnant.” I rambled on while still processing everything we just did in my post-tidy room. I knew I agreed with him doing it but I still couldn't believe it. Why’d I agreed so enthusiastically? It wasn’t like me to lose my rationale like that regardless of any pressure I could be in.

Gojo was already up and was coming back with tissues to wipe his seed off of me and my sheets. He was still focusing on everything I was saying but he knew until I gathered myself anything he said in response would just be lost in translation once I got like this. I was soon more collected than before now but I was still slightly concerned. After tossing the used tissues, he sat next to me and pulled me into his arms. In just that one action I felt calmer. I sighed and immediately planned the solution to my worries. I’ll buy a concoction tomorrow to deter the chance of any pregnancy.

I turned my face towards him, he was already gazing down at me with a charming stare in his eyes. “Sa-” I started to call out to him but stopped myself instantly remembering my resolve before our shared intimacy. “Gojo.” I said and I could note a frown in his brow. I pulled out of his embrace, now sitting beside him with some distance. He looked at me and smiled a smile of disappointment and bitterness at the revert of my calling of him. “So it’s now back to just “Gojo” huh?” He asked with pain in his tone.

“Gojo this happened way too fast….I-” I struggled to find the words to explain myself.

“I can’t love anyone right now, Gojo. I don’t have time to let someone close to me again right now.” I stated to him firmly trying to hold back the sting in my throat.

Gojo laughed. It wasn’t a laugh of joy or anything. It was a laugh of contempt towards my statement. It was a laugh at himself for even believing for a second this was going to go anywhere with us. He got up and walked towards my door to leave but stopped before exiting. He turned towards me, his eyes somewhat pained.

“It’s funny. You’re telling me you don’t have it in you to be close to anyone else right now, but I know you mean just me. You don’t want to be close to me. I bet if I was Suguru it’d be a different story……whatever, don’t forget a moment ago it was my name you were moaning out though.” He said coolly with a harsh grin upon his lips. He left my room before I could add anything to his conclusion.

I laid down in my bed, exhausted. Though I was tired from what we did, this tiredness weighing down on me right now was more so emotional. I never hated Gojo. I enjoyed the intimate moment we shared more than my brain was ready to accept. Yet I was plagued with the reminder of what it was like to devote yourself to someone. To care deeply for anyone and then to have them torn away from you. I lost too many of my family dear to me to consider opening my heart to loving anyone again. I saw no point in sharing that with Gojo though while basically rejecting his care in his heart for me. I felt it’d be irrelevant or not understandable to him. Since we both knew Gojo Satoru is the strongest, no one could ever hurt him. He’d state I wouldn’t have to worry over such a thing. No one has ever hurt Gojo until I just did….

{Perspective change}

After Geto Suguru finished his report he went to go find his companions. He first went to find Sa-rang not aware of the spectacle he was about to overhear as he approached her door. He heard sexual noises. He could hear her blissed out gasps and moans leaking from her room. Bewildered at the sound of his friend experiencing pleasure he then felt his pants tighten below his abdomen. Before he could process that he then heard her breathlessly gasping out for Satoru and he swore he could hear his best friend, Gojo Satoru in there panting and whispering to her.

Geto silently rushed back to his own room in the dorms. He entered his room and decided to take a cold shower while he pondered about what he witnessed. How long were Satoru and Sa-rang involved in such an intimate way and how did he not notice sooner. They’ve always spent their days together and never saw anything to hint they were together in that way. Gojo teases everyone and he noticed how he was more obnoxious towards Miyoshi but he thought nothing of it. Meanwhile he was aware Miyoshi drew firm lines between herself and everyone else, an especially thicker line towards Satoru. He assumed she disliked him and who could blame her for the way he always treated her. At most he knew she tolerated Satoru.

He got out of the shower and dried off, then dressed himself. He laid in bed in puzzlement. While he laid there his thoughts went back to the sound of Sa-rang moaning. He couldn’t shake it out of his mind and before he knew it his dick began to press against the fabric of his sweatpants just like before when he was outside her dorm room. He took his dick out, rubbing it from the balls up the shaft to the tip. He imagined her moaning out his name instead and the view of her underneath him taking in his cock loving it more than how she felt with Satoru. Delving deep into his fantasy he continued to pleasure himself till completion. After another shower he went to sleep, blocking everything that happened to deal with tomorrow. Yet in the back of his mind he wanted her.

Lmk if I should continue or scrap this ✨

[truwaifu]

Heartstrings Entangled

Chiyoris has officially moved to her new home and has started her new job. What she didn’t expect was to see Nanami at her new company as her coworker. How can she look this man in the eye knowing what she does in the dark to thoughts of him? What about Satoru, her best friend? 

Chapter Two in this series. Read Chap. 1 here

Pairing: Nanami Kento x Chiyori (fxreader) Word count: 1.3k Warnings: Slight angst at the end? I've been having a lot of fun writing this and I hope you guys enjoy!

The next couple of weeks flew by. Chiyori nailed the job interview and before she knew it, she was being relocated to Japan. Chiyori couldn’t remember the last time she felt so nervous. She’s been in the corporate world for the last five years and being in a male dominated field wasn’t anything new to her. Now packing up and moving to Japan? That definitely constituted as something new. She would be closer to Satoru, which made her happy. He’s been her best friend for almost 20 years and she’s convinced Satoru keeps her around because she’s human. Her mundane normie life keeps him tethered to the real world. 

Some nights when his sorcery got to be too much, Satoru would just show up at her door with their favorite snacks and crappy rerun box sets. They never talked about the horrors he saw but she knew enough. She didn’t need the gory details to know her 6 foot hero needed an escape. Satoru knew to check in when he went too long without answering a text. It was easy for them to show up at each other's homes when he was working in the States but that got difficult when he had to move back to Japan. He always insisted Chiyori move to Japan as if it was something that was so easy for any regular person to do. Even if they didn’t talk every day, Satoru knew his well-being was non negotiable. So knowing she would be living in the same city as her best friend, gave Chiyori a sense of comfort and familiarity that she missed dearly. 

With this new company Chiyori was relocating to, they allowed her to have a week off before her official start date. This gave her enough time to unpack essential living things and some clothes. Making sure to prioritize unpacking her work clothes first. Satoru helped her move everything in, they caught up on things she missed but he avoided the main topic Chiyori had been curious about. What is the deal with Mr. Arctic! Satoru was being incredibly stingy with the details and she kicked herself for not being able to let it go. 

“If it’s serious you could just tell me. You’ve never been this secretive before.” She pushed the topic again. “And you’ve never been this curious before. I wonder why that is?” He would evade again. “You know what, it doesn’t even matter, I really don’t care. I was simply trying to make conversation.”

 “Mhm, sure you were.”

 “Oh, you’re such a dick.” 

“But you love me anyway. Some would even say obsessed with me!” 

“Okay, Toru, let’s not get too ahead of ourselves.” 

“Hey, I’m not the one who moved continents to be closer to the other.”

“I will literally ghost you the second you leave this apartment.” 

“As if!, With these six eyes I could find you anywhere! The bar, the bakery shop, the street corner looking for your next victim!” At this statement Satoru had lifted his blindfold so Chiyori could get a clear view of his eyes. 

“Put it back down, I hate it when you have that look in your eyes. You fucking creep.” She had fallen into a fit of giggles as she lurched towards him to pull his blind fold back down. Satoru being who he is had turned his infinity on. 

“Cheater! I'm gonna finish unpacking the bathroom box.” She stuck her tongue out while walking out of the living room. It really was nice to have family this close to her again because that’s exactly who Satoru was, Chiyoris family. Which was exactly why her smile faded the second she was away from Satoru. Does he know how much of a fucked up friend I’m being? She knew deep down her motives for wanting to know anything about Nanami Kento were far more sinful than she would ever allow herself to speak on. She could never tell Satoru how almost every time she needed a release it was to filthy fantasies starring Nanami and Nanami alone. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Before Chiyori knew it, her free week was up and it was time for her to start her new job. At Kirin Enterprise they took new hires seriously. Especially when the position that was being filled was for a Chief Marketing Officer from the states. They had a welcoming meeting for Chiyori in a huge conference room that looked more like a meeting hall. It was far too spacious. The table felt an oceans away and she felt like she was being auctioned off. 

“Hello everyone, I’d like to introduce you to our new team member, Chiyori Shelts. She moved here from the States and has a lot of experience working as a Chief Marketing Officer. She was the top of her team in the states and won many awards and closed many deals.Trust me when I say we are lucky to have her joining our team. Please Ms. Shelts, tell us about yourself.” 

Mr. Nakayamaha was boasting and Chiyori felt her heart in her throat. 

“Well that is some introduction. Kind of hard to follow up. Um, yes, well the names Chiyori Shelts, just like he said. Call me Chi, call me Shelts doesn’t really matter so long as you call me, amiright?”  She let out a half hearted laugh. Please, someone kill me now.

 “Okay, sorry, that was supposed to be a joke. I like cats, bit of a gym rat and if you’re ever wanting to earn some points with me, matcha boba is the way to do it. I look forward to working with you all, thank you.” 

While she scanned the room she felt her face get hot. Chiyori hated having to talk about herself, let alone in front of people she didn’t know. Amongst the crowd she saw a head of silky blonde hair. When she zeroed in on the blonde locks, she thought she was dreaming. Too shocked to speak she looked away quickly putting her head down and hoped she had it wrong,  hoped he hadn’t recognized her. Nanami Kento was here. She couldn’t explain why she felt so embarrassed. She dared to look up and peek at him only to find Nanami already had his eyes on her. He looked so different in the light of day. He had glasses on this time. Does he always wear those? She wondered how it would feel to be the one to take them off his face. She placed her hand on her cheek to try and help ground herself. Chiyori shook her head and turned to look at her welcome folder. Her thighs clenched at the thought of Nanamis’ eyes still being on her. Get a grip! This is Satoru’s boyfriend for fucks sake. She didn’t need any distractions. Not any involving him. An image of Satoru came to her mind and she felt horrible. Some friend, I am… Chiyori noticed that the welcome meeting was coming to a close. 

“Ms. Shelts, please let me show you to your office.” This was exactly what she needed. Bless you Mr. Nakayamaha.

“Right away sir, thank you.” Chiyori gathered her things and began walking out and no matter how hard she tried to keep looking forward, she couldn’t help the need she felt inside her to look back towards Nanami. He was looking back at her with an indescribable look on his face. Beautiful. She thought. Absolutely beautiful. It was almost tragic the pang she felt in her chest when she looked away from him. She knew she had to talk to Satoru about this because she couldn’t stand feeling like she was betraying him. Chiyori might not have outwardly done anything with Nanami but she knew the feelings she had about him were not right. This was wrong on so many counts and she needed to rectify this somehow. She just didn’t know how. 

Chapter 3

[theviolenttomboy]

Found this interesting segment off of an Anime News Network post about Nintendo:

This past week, there was a lot of news about Nintendo and their corporate policies; their new employee rate is clocked in at an astounding 98.8%, which isn't just high for the industry. That's an unprecedented high for Japan in general. There was also the development that the upcoming Super Mario Wonder wasn't developed with a deadline in mind—developers were allowed to iterate on ideas and metaphorically throw stuff at the walls to see what stuck. The result is, well, Super Mario Wonder. And let's not forget, this year's The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was also delayed by a whole year in the name of polishing the base game—the result is absolute programming witchcraft, courtesy of how well the ridiculously-intricate Fuse mechanic works on a Nintendo Switch (while "bigger" open-world games can't even keep their physics in line). Also worth pointing out is that Nintendo was willing to start from scratch with Metroid Prime 4 because they didn't like how the game was coming along in development. Nintendo is the result of a studio actually giving a rip about what they put out and making sure the people they hire are well-cared-for while they do it, not just in the office but also in their personal lives—while Japan doesn't formally recognize same-sex marriage, Nintendo extends the same benefits to developers in same-sex partnerships as they do to heterosexual ones. (For the record, Nintendo isn't perfect, and I look forward to Nintendo of America cleaning up their act with regards to their contractors.) Smarter people than myself have also pointed out that, unlike many American studios, Nintendo rarely—if ever—sees the kinds of mass layoffs that the likes of Activision-Blizzard see. The people working on Super Mario Wonder likely include many veteran staff who have worked at Nintendo long enough to get a grip on how a Mario game should "feel," and in turn are allowed to offer advice to younger, newer developers who know they don't have to worry about their job security. Compare this to the likes of EA, who so callously lay off key staff, including some of their most celebrated writers. While the peanut gallery explains how "underpowered" the Switch is, Nintendo has quietly written the book on sustainable production. (It's a real shame that there isn't much they can do about GAME FREAK.) I've seen some folks claim that Nintendo can only do all of these because of how much money they have. And this is valid... to a point. I can see Supergiant Games (creators of Hades and Bastion), Coldwood Interactive (creators of Unravel) or rose-engine games (creators of Signalis) not being able to just dump a ton of work to start all over again on a current project, or just delay a game for an entire year because they wanted to make sure all their "T"s were crossed. But if we're talking the usual American stand-bys—Gearbox Studios, BioWare, NetherRealm Studio, Infinity Ward—then you can miss me with that load of bullcrap. As always, the late Satoru Iwata taking a 50% pay cut during Nintendo's lean years is a big, fat black eye to the rest of the gaming industry that loves to report their record-breaking profits before dropping the axe on whole chunks of their workforce. And it's a tremendous indictment to the likes of Bobby Kotick and other overpaid executives who sit atop these gaming studios.

[astrangetorpedo]

boygenius: “This is the time we finally get to be around each other – we’re gonna enjoy it”

As they release The Record, one of the year's most anticipated and acclaimed debut albums, we meet Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker in New York City to discuss their unique creative bond

by Gemma Samways

Tonight, the room is playing host to the 36th annual Tibet House US Benefit. Curated by Philip Glass – and featuring Laurie Anderson, Arooj Aftab and Bernard Sumner and Tom Chapman of New Order – the line-up reads like a particularly A-list episode of Later with… Jools Holland. It soon transpires its staging is similarly chaotic, with the event running approximately an hour behind schedule and artists often walking onstage unannounced.

boygenius are one of the few acts to enjoy a proper introduction. Added to the bill just 24 hours ago, their first public appearance in almost half a decade has prompted a frenzied, last minute scramble for seats, with $35 tickets exchanging hands for ten times that amount. A day later, in a photo studio in the East Village following our shoot at Jane’s Carousel in Brooklyn, the trio admit to having felt a little freaked out in the build-up.

“I was really emotional because I’ve been obsessed with Nina Simone’s Carnegie Hall album of late,” Lucy Dacus confides, sat on the sofa, sandwiched between her bandmates. Julien Baker nods, confessing to having been “so stressed about doing my job that I couldn’t fully absorb that I was playing alongside living legends.” Meanwhile, Phoebe Bridgers was still semi-delirious with jetlag, having recently landed back in the US from Japan.

“Look at this photo,” she laughs, extending her phone to me. Taken pre-gig, it shows her passed out on the dressing room floor while Lucy smirks in the foreground. “With full make-up, I look like I’m in an open casket. And because Julien was playing piano, I was having Julien-fuelled dreams.”

Certainly there were no visible signs of unease as they stepped out onstage to play stripped-back versions of ‘Not Strong Enough’ and ‘Cool About It’ – taken from their long-awaited debut album The Record – for the first time. And despite the all-star bill, the supergroup proved one of the night’s biggest draws, eliciting excited whoops from an audience who had greeted every other performer with respectfully restrained applause. Ultimately, once they started playing, they enjoyed the experience.

Less gratifying was the discovery that a group of particularly intrusive fans had tracked down their hotel after the show. “They were like, ‘Don’t worry, you’re safe’,” Lucy shudders. “And it’s like, ‘No, we aren’t: how’d you find out where we are? That’s stalking. Don’t do this.

Phoebe continues: “I mean, interactions with fans can be really sweet, especially when it’s a show like Carnegie Hall which might’ve been hard to get tickets to. But often there’s this weird thing where the rudest people bubble to the top, and the poor kid who just wants their record signed is too nice to ask. And so, while I’m trying to escape the fucking full-grown man who just grabbed me, I’m ignoring the sweet kid.

It’s fair to say a certain level of hysteria has surrounded boygenius ever since their formation. Five years ago they were all ascendant stars of the alternative scene, with the Tennessee-born Baker and Richmond, Virginia-raised Dacus being the most established, with two acclaimed albums each. By the end of 2018, the trio were being breathlessly billed by Vogue as “the Infinity War of female-led indie-rock outfits,” while their self-titled EP received widespread praise.

Objectively, it’s a collaboration that made – and still makes – total sense. Despite outgrowing their respective DIY scenes, they had each retained a fiercely independent outlook and an emotional authenticity, and that struck a chord with similarly principled, serotonin-starved audiences. Just as tantalisingly, interviews and social media interactions revealed that they didn’t take themselves especially seriously and seemed keen to distance themselves from the pedestal that fans were so intent on putting them on.

“It’s probably refreshing that we’re not character artists,” Lucy says when asked to summarise the appeal of boygenius. “Because ultimately we’re talking to you now how we usually talk to each other. Even when I’m doing my own [solo] stuff, I present a curated version of myself – like, I pick one aspect of my character per album to share. But with this band it’s totally artless.”

It’s not hyperbolic to suggest that The Record is one of the most anticipated albums of the year. To some degree that demand can be explained by Baker and Dacus expanding their fanbases further off the back of their 2021 solo records Little Oblivions and Home Video. But the real responsibility for the band’s reach surely lies at the feet of Bridgers, whose second album was nothing short of a cultural phenomenon.

Unanimously agreed to be one of 2020’s standout records, Punisher propelled the Pasadena-raised artist into music’s A-list, resulting in four Grammy nominations, an offer to found her own label (Saddest Factory, home to MUNA) and invites to collaborate with household names like Paul McCartney, SZA, Lorde and The 1975. Just days after our interview Phoebe is named one of Time’s 2023 Women of the Year, alongside Cate Blanchett and Megan Rapinoe. This coming May she will open for Taylor Swift in Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New Jersey.

Despite the difference in their public profiles, the power dynamic in boygenius appears impressively balanced. A friendship first and foremost, they’ve signed the contract by acquiring matching tattoos of a tooth and of a cluster of goblets, the latter inspired by the tarot card the three of cups.

“That’s based on the first tarot reading Julien ever got,” Lucy – the band’s resident tarot expert – recalls fondly. “We were all together and that’s the first card she pulled. Plus it’s three women partying. Friendship is the highest form of love and that felt like a sweet entry into that world.”

Having been raised in the world of evangelical Christianity, Julien was initially resistant to the idea of tarot. “When you started doing a reading, I got up and sat in the tour van by myself because I thought God was gonna steal my soul,” she explains, totally serious.

“Does God do that?!” Phoebe laughs, incredulous.

“Yes! In [the book of] Samuel! But then I was like, ‘Alright, I trust you guys. I guess you can guide me through this.’ That was a fear that you guys helped me dismantle. Because by watching you engage with it, I realised that this was a tool for self-interrogation, not for summoning the devil.”

Within the band, all decisions are made democratically and affectionate ribbings are a big part of their social currency. “Roasting each other is an act of love,” Julien reasons, to the others’ approval. “If your friends aren’t talking shit about you, I don’t think they care about you.”

With Phoebe based in Los Angeles, Lucy in Philadelphia and Julien in Memphis, they largely stay in touch via group chat and FaceTime – a support network they all clearly cherish. “I can text cold something horrible that happened to me and not feel the pressure to look at my phone for hours,” says Phoebe. “But when I do I’ll see a bunch of validation.”

Julien concurs: “It’s neat that we can confide in each other. Because sometimes my sense of imposter syndrome makes me not want to talk about how excited I am about this with friends who don’t work in music. I’m talking to them like, ‘You gotta get on a plane super early and carry all this heavy equipment, so it’s not all fun.’ And having people understand it’s a job and that I’m dedicated to it is very important. But equally, with y’all I get to be like, ‘Shit’s so fucking sick!’ Like, in this band I get to be the type of excited and thankful that lacks decorum, especially when there are so many talented people in my life where our roles could have been switched in an alternate timeline.”

The roots of boygenius were laid in 2016, when Julien and Lucy performed on the same bill in Washington, D.C., followed by Julien meeting Phoebe a month later. When a canny promoter booked all three to tour together in 2018, they decided to record a collaborative seven-inch, a creative experiment that proved so fruitful they emerged with their eponymous EP.

By all accounts, the story behind The Record is similarly stress-free. Phoebe kickstarted the creative process just a week after releasing Punisher, sending a demo of ‘Emily, I’m Sorry’ to Lucy and Julien with the words, “Can we be a band again?” From there, the floodgates opened, with all three uploading demos to a shared drive, followed by two in-person writing trips – one in Healdsburg, California in April 2021 and another in Malibu in August of the same year.

Though carefully scheduled due to their individual work commitments, Lucy describes these retreats as anything but regimented. “We didn’t intend to work that hard,” she insists. “If anything, the regimen would have included breaks and we didn’t allow ourselves those.” Julien expands, “We’d be like, ‘Okay, today is a chill day,” but then we could not stop thinking about the record. And it’s just nice to be around a bunch of people who are passionate about the exact same thing.”

After whittling down the demos from a pool of 25, the final 12 were recorded at Rick Rubin’s Shangri-La studio in January 2022, with the help of co-producer Catherine Marks (Wolf Alice, Foals, PJ Harvey). Lucy specifically cites Marks’ work with Manchester Orchestra as a motivating factor for them initially reaching out, and Phoebe enthuses about her hands-on approach. “She’s the kind of producer that immediately kicks off their shoes. Wait, I’m gonna text her and tell her we’re talking about her.” She takes a group selfie of them all grinning, flicking Vs, and hits send.

Other key contributors included engineer and producer Sarah Tudzin (Slowdive, Weyes Blood), plus Jay Som’s Melina Duterte on bass. Melina will also appear as part of Boygenius’ seven-strong touring line-up, set to be unveiled at Coachella in April. Given that their band name specifically mocks society’s tendency to unfairly exalt male creatives, the idea of boygenius assembling a largely female team for this album feels satisfyingly utopian. Today, they insist it was purely circumstantial.

“They are the best people we could think of,” says Lucy. “Some days I’m like, ten-year-old me would feel that this is very important. But also there are days where I’m like, we’re doing press right now and it’s completely uninteresting that we’re women. Why are we talking about this?”

“Plus, it’s not a given that if you work with women you’re not also working with a bunch of assholes,” Phoebe grins. “Fortunately, we picked a bunch of people who aren’t assholes.” Lucy laughs. “Women can be assholes: there’s your pull quote.”

Sonically, The Record is a much richer, more ambitious collection than anything boygenius have produced previously, taking in widescreen folk-rock (‘Not Strong Enough’) and low-slung punk (‘Satanist’, ‘$20’), campfire folk (‘Cool About It’, ‘Leonard Cohen’) and string-flecked dream-pop (‘Revolution 0’), plus a swooning a cappella piece shaped around a lush three-part harmony (‘Without You Without Them’).

Though written by Lucy, Phoebe can take full credit for unearthing the latter. “I was like, ‘I want a song that’s like ‘Blue Velvet’.’ And Lucy’s like, ‘Oh… Actually I might have a song…’ And I’m like, ‘What the fuck are you talking about?!’”

“It was a washing the dishes song.” Lucy protests, smiling. “There’s, like, this whole category of songs that I don’t show people. And I didn’t think of that as a ‘me’ song because it doesn’t sound like what I do, you know? But Phoebe was like, ‘We have to do it.’ Plus, I like that it kind of picks up where we left off with ‘Ketchum, ID’ [from their 2018 EP]. So I’m glad you made us do that.”

This process of mutual encouragement is integral to the band. They’re the first to admit they’re one another’s fiercest supporters, to the extent they accidentally plagiarise each other on a regular basis. “I totally wrote ‘Garden Song’ the other day,” Julien tells Phoebe, who cheerfully bats back. “‘Revolution 0’ is basically me ripping off ‘Good News.’”

Jokes aside, all three songwriters boast instantly recognisable styles, as demonstrated by the triumvirate of singles with which they announced The Record. ‘Emily, I’m Sorry’ is quintessential Phoebe Bridgers, a slice of folky introspection that wouldn’t sound out of place on Punisher, while ‘True Blue’ showcases the quietly anthemic indie-rock that Lucy has made her calling card. Meanwhile, the buoyant ‘$20’ sees former hardcore kid Julien leaning into her love of riffing.

With most structures initially emanating from one particular songwriter, it does beg the question, what makes a track right for the band rather than remaining a solo endeavour? According to Phoebe, she relies on a type of benign Spidey-Sense. “I always know when I’m writing a boygenius song. Even with ‘Me And My Dog’ I was like, ‘I don’t think this is a solo record song.’”

Lucy is more specific. “A lot of times I’ll write a song for us in a different frame of mind, so you can be harmonising with me and saying something that’s still true for you. I don’t want to make either of you sing lyrics that don’t resonate with you.”

“I really struggle with that,” Phoebe says. “So much of my music is directly my point of view and so specific.”

“Totally,” Lucy nods, “I feel like on a lot of your songs we’re supporting…”

“…like a chorus in a Greek play,” replies Julien, finishing Lucy’s thought. “We’re not a part of the action: we’re standing behind, commenting on or observing it. But these songs only exist because we made The Record. They’re an article of the endeavour rather than a pre-planned thing.”

Lucy takes the final word on the subject. “These aren’t solo songs that we donated to each other: we had to be together to make it.”

Lyrically, The Record treads a tightrope between deadpan humour and quiet devastation. The opening line of ‘We’re In Love’ sees Lucy resolutely opting for the latter, singing, “You could absolutely break my heart / That’s how I know that we’re in love.” ‘Leonard Cohen’ falls firmly into the former camp, delivering a frontrunner for lyric of the year in: “Leonard Cohen once said there’s a crack in everything / That’s how the light gets in / And I am not an old man having an existential crisis / In a Buddhist monastery / Writing horny poetry / But I agree.”

“I think my songs have a theme of being known and feeling present,” Lucy reflects. “Because I don’t feel that at all points in my life, I’m expressing my gratitude for that.” Phoebe sees her contributions as aspirational; evidence of the very process of self-improvement. “Each of the songs I contributed have a vibe of me trying my absolute hardest to not float ten inches above my body at all times. And you guys have helped me with that, so it makes sense that it would make the album.”

‘Not Strong Enough’ is perhaps their most collaborative song: a patchwork of ideas in which each band member takes a verse, as Julien jokes, “boyband-style”. Musically, it’s also the album’s most uplifting moment, its bright melody providing a smokescreen for lyrics exploring panic attacks and low self-esteem. When I point out the deception, Phoebe laughs. “You know the meme of the pink house and the black house next to each other, where it’s like one is the music and the other is the lyrics? That’s literally a couple miles from where we recorded our album. We’ve been talking about taking a photo in front of it for years.”

After an hour in their company, it’s not difficult to see why boygenius are inspiring such levels of adoration. A tight-knit gang of smart, talented, young songwriters, they’re the sort of band I wish had existed when I was growing up, even if I am battling to resist the urge to cast them as role models. After all, why should the men of rock be lauded for chaos while women have to be figures of unimpeachable virtue? When I mention the double standard, Lucy rolls her eyes.

“I remember when Phoebe did that Playboy article [in 2020]. People were texting me like, ‘I thought she was a role model for young girls?’ And I was like, 1. You can pose in Playboy and be a role model, and 2. When exactly did she sign up for that?”

“It is tight to me that you got texts and I did not,” Phoebe smiles. “I want to be scary. Like, as women or as queer people, we’re taught that anger is not useful and that forgiveness is the highest form of enlightenment. But I don’t think so. I think that I’ve spent a lot of my life trying to make everybody in a room feel ok when I don’t feel ok. It’s great to have boundaries. And as a band we’re all really good at protecting each other.”

Staying loyal to their DIY roots, boygenius are ultimately motivated by creating a community and enjoying the process of a shared endeavour. “Writing songs for this band is the opposite of saving your darlings for yourself,” Julien explains. “I want to bring the best possible offering to the band because it’s my favourite thing. It feels good to give the songs away.”

“Seriously, we have been looking forward to this time together for years,” says Phoebe. “This is the time we finally get to be around each other so we’re gonna enjoy it.”

(x) 4/5/23

[mad4turtles]

Do you happen to have any thoughts, shenanigans, or ideas about Usagi and Leo from the apocalypse timeline? 👀

Any… hare-y conflicts hAHA… I’ll see myself out. /lh

Oh, anon. This. This is lovely!

(And it was supposed to be a one-shot but I'm splitting it into two, why do I keep doing this?!)

---

In another time, Miyamoto Usagi isn't attacked by a band of hired muscle sent from Japan by Lord Hijiki. No blue-masked turtle with a daring grin and flashing blades comes flipping into the vacant alley of the Hidden City bazaar to change Usagi's life forever with a quip on his silver tongue and wink to the baffled samurai he'd come to rescue like a damsel.

In another time, the Krang rip open the sky and run the humans underground, mixing with mutant and yokai kind for the first time in centuries for safety and security.

In another time, Usagi's sensei, Katsuichi—his father—is torn to pieces by a horde of infected Yokai before him and his little sister, Hana, roaring at them to run and leave him behind.

“Protect your sister! Live, Miyamoto Usagi!”

In another time, The United Council are formed--a (very) tentative alliance between the Council of Heads and the remaining human leaders of the United States to establish order and a semblance of peace as the world caves in, forcing everyone further underground.

It doesn't last longer than a year. Society finally crumbles, splitting into colonies across the country.

In another time, the survivors of the fabled Hamato Clan rise from the ashes of their own tragedy to take the lead of the Liberty Colony. Not all are on board with this, least of all the remnants of the crumbling Earth Protection Force, most notably their leader, Bishop.

In another time, Usagi joins the ranks to fight alongside the honourable (if unconventional) ninja clan, fulfilling his master's final order and honouring his own late ancestors to fight for those who cannot.

(The blue-masked turtle jokingly calls him “carrot cake” once, and Usagi decides he hates him.

It spurs a rivalry between them, which has half the base rolling their eyes, caught between exhaustion and fondness as they bicker like children every chance they get.

The other half starts a betting poll on how long it'll be before they finally kiss, for god's sake.)

In another time, the Krang break through their first base, and Usagi falls, injured. The blue-masked turtle—Leonardo—saves him from the jaws of a Krang hound, all grace, muscle and deadly steel dipped in searing rage. Usagi, speechless for once, lets Leonardo carry him to safety and passes out in his arms.

(Later, waking up in the makeshift infirmary, his sister cuddled under his left arm, Leonardo dozing fitfully on his right, Usagi stares at the turtle's pinched, restless face and decides he owes him his life.

A friendship blooms like a tentative rose among the thorns of a crumbling world, scathing jeers morphing into teasing jabs and scrappy spars in the vacant training hall. Their friends and family watch on with tolerant grins and, in the case of Donatello, mild jealousy but begrudging acceptance.

Soon, the jabs turn into hip bumps in the hallways, mirroring grins during training, brushing shoulders during war meetings, twinging hands during blackouts and lockdowns, sharing beds on colder nights and whispering secrets after screaming nightmares.

The rosebud blooms full and bright weeks later with Leonardo's awkward smile, sweaty palms and a stammered question that Usagi, hopelessly fond, answers with a kiss.

Donatello wins everyone's money.)

In another time, Usagi fails. A recon mission goes awry, and in her second-ever mission, Hana gets infected.

On his knees, he watches in frozen horror as his little sister, barely ten years old, writhes and screams in terror and agony as the Krang infection takes over. She begs her big brother through tears to kill her, spare her from turning, from hurting him.

It feels like hours, years, an eternity, infinity. In reality, it's only seconds as he slices Willow Branch through her chest.

Leonardo is there in the aftermath, stopping Usagi from taking his blind grief and rage out on the corpse of the Krang that killed his sister, yanking him away and holding him until his roars and struggles ebb, until they're on their knees in the abandoned office complex, Usagi sobbing his heart out in Leonardo's chest.

The days pass in a blur, but Leonardo is there, unfailing, patient, kind, loyal and true, and Usagi decides he loves him.

(A year later, standing among the gore and gravel of a rare but hard-earned victory against a legion of Krang, Usagi seeks Leonardo out. A fair distance away atop a fallen Mech suit, he stands tall and strong despite his exhaustion, covered in blood that's not his own, glowing in the spotlights of Donatello's searching drones. In that moment, he is beautiful, and Usagi doesn't—can't, won't—wait a second longer.

“Leonardo!” he calls.

Immediately, his boyfriend turns to find him, meeting his eyes across the way. “Yeah?”

“Will you marry me?!”

“WHA—?!” he hears Donatello squawk through the comms. Around him, their squad starts laughing and whooping and swearing in shock. April is screaming, shaking or slapping the nearest person—judging by the cries of pain, it's probably Donnie.

Leonardo's eyes are comically huge, his jaw gaping. Heart hammering, Usagi doesn't take his eyes off him, and he's glad for it when the slider's shock turns into a gleaming, helplessly delighted grin.

“You asshole!” he cries through gasping laughter, tears leaving scars down his bloodied face. “You couldn't—are you for real right now?!”

“Is that a yes?!” Usagi asks.

“IT BETTER F%&CKING BE!” Michelangelo hollers from—somewhere on the battlefield; honestly, Usagi had lost track of him in the chaos. “I AIN'T LOSING NO MORE BETS!”

“Language!” Raph barks on comms.

“I'M TWENTY-ON YEARS OLD, YOU BITCHASS SNAPPER! I CAN SWEAR IF I WANT TO!”

Leonardo throws his head back with a cackle, a trembling hand over his streaming eyes as his family devolves into an argument. Usagi climbs and leaps the distance between them just as the turtle drops his hand and faces him, golden eyes brighter than they've been in years.

“You idiot,” he chokes, reaching for Usagi's hand and holding it tight enough to hurt. “Yes.”

April screams in delight with the rest of their squad. Donatello hollers as his sister shakes him senseless, Raphael sobs, and Michelangelo lets loose a stream of mystic fireworks right as Leonardo sweeps Usagi into a spinning hug. Breathless and giddy, Usagi wraps his arms around his boyfriend's—fiance, husband—broad shoulders and kisses him. Leonardo holds him closer and kisses him back.

I won't waste this life. I won't waste our time together, however long that may be. I won't let you go, Hamato Leonardo.

When they part, Leonardo makes a face even as he presses their foreheads together. “Couldn't wait 'till I had a shower?” he chuckles. “I'm literally covered in Krang blood.”

Usagi nuzzles his nose against his own. “Apologies. I couldn't help myself,” he says, running a hand down Leonardo's plastron with a grin. “You looked very sexy just now. In a ravaged, war-torn hero kind of way.”

“Oho,” Leonardo raises a brow, his new grin downright devilish in a way that sends a shiver down Usagi's spine. “Ravaged, eh? That's a funny word to use outside the—”

“I swear to god, Nardo, if the next word out of your mouth is 'bedroom', I am going to be physically ill ALL OVER YOUR FACE!” Donatello shouts through comms. 

That does it as Usagi collapses to his knees in laughter. He doesn't collect himself in time to avoid being whisked into a bridal carry by his fiance when the commotion (and mystic fireworks, Mikey) attracts more Krang in the distance. But he doesn't complain one bit.)

In another time, Leonardo and Usagi are twenty-two and married without a ceremony.

In another time, Hamato Usagi is happy even at the end of the world.

---

Stay tuned for part two <3

[violetsaffron5]

Infinity

| Ao3 | Discord 18+ | Series Masterlist |

16 | Yes

Pairing: Gojo Satoru x f!Reader

forever and always, you'll have each other

words: 2577

cw: light food play, vaginal sex, feelings

an: I'm considering doing an "Infinity 2" - a continuation with this couple, set a few years into the future. Let me know in the comments below if that's something you would be interested in.

Thank you to everyone who has read this story, liked and reblogged - it is all greatly appreciated!

Big thank you to Lemon, Ayyypee, Vice and Dayanim8991 for beta reading at various points during this series!

Meeting Megumi and Tsumiki went well last week and Satoru has been ecstatic ever since. He told everyone at work about how you were able to get Megumi to smile while you sat back and laughed while Shoko blatantly ignored him, and Nanami grumbled about how he didn’t give a shit. 

Now, you’re in Satoru’s kitchen, opening a package of cookies first thing in the morning. He ordered breakfast and just got done unpackaging everything and splitting it out onto separate plates. You’re planning on giving him a few cookies to crumble onto his waffles while he adds an exorbitant amount of whipped cream to his already too sugary morning confection that sits atop his waffles.

Satoru’s elbow is on the island countertop, chin resting in his hand as he watches you pick one of the cookies out and twist it to reveal the creamy inside and lick the icing off.

“I love you.”

You blink several times, tongue out on the chocolate cookie looking absolutely ridiculous as your eyes search his face, unsure if you just heard what you think you heard.

A goofy smile spreads across your face when you realize how you must look in front of him, frozen, partially eating a cookie, so you clear your throat and set it down as your body heats from embarrassment.

“I love you too.” You tell him, a little breathless from his random morning confession. 

He smiles, wide and all teeth as your cheeks flush and you bite your lip trying to hide your face from him. At no point in your life, even up to when you followed him to Japan and met him again at the strip club did you think you would have fallen in love with the overly cocky kid you met back in New York.

But you have, and it was the easiest thing you’ve ever done.

You’re not exactly sure of the moment you realized you were in love with him. It could have been in the cave with cultists, or even when you had your heart to heart over the Tokyo skyline. Perhaps it was when he took you out on an impromptu date after the night you saw him at the strip club.

It could have even been the moment you first laid eyes on him.

All you’re really sure of is when you look at him, it makes your heart race, that when you’re not by his side you want to be. That when he’s gone on missions, you miss him. And you want your lives to be entwined in every possible way - the good and the bad.

“I know.” He said simply, watching you pull out several cookies from the package in front of you. “Bring those here.”

You look at him through thick lashes on the other side of the island with a soft smile before walking around to the other side. He grabs you by the waist with one arm, pulling you in close to him as you crush several of the cookies in your hand.

“You know, this looks disgusting, yet oddly beautiful.” You’re watching the dust from the cookies fall gently on top of the mounds and slopes of whipped cream.

Satoru opens his mouth to reply and by now you just know it’s going to be something he means innocently, but is going to come out the wrong way so you shove the remaining cookie in his mouth, making him chuckle.

“You were going to say something cheesy, weren’t you.” He smiles, chewing on the cookie and nodding his head before swallowing.

The next thing you know, you’re on top of the counter, his lips latched to yours as he gives you a dazzling and dizzying kiss that’s leaving you breathless.

“Baby?” He asks, hands roaming the bare skin under his shirt you slept in last night, fingers dipping into the waistband of your panties before moving up to span your waist rubbing small circles just below your breasts.

You hum when he moves his kisses to your jaw and down your neck closing your eyes and letting a content sigh leave your lips.

“Wanna give me head?”

You chuckle and shake your head, opening your eyes to meet his, “no, I want to eat.”

“Mm. Me too.” He’s grinning with a mischievous look in his eyes before dipping two fingers in the mountain of whipped cream, using his free hand to pull your hips in closer to him. When you gasp he sticks his cream coated fingers in your mouth where you swirl your tongue around them immediately, watching his reaction as you suck his fingers clean.

His lips part, rocks his hips slowly against you before swallowing thickly at the sight. Satoru’s in his black briefs, the only thing keeping you separated is the two very thin pieces of fabric you currently wear.

You said you want to eat but he also knows you well enough to know you won’t say no, because you want it just as much as him. He lifts his shirt over your head and tosses it behind him where it lands on the dark hardwood floor with a soft thump.

“Gorgeous,” he mutters as his gaze roams over your bare breasts, appreciating every dip and valley of your near naked body. He kisses and nips your clavicle before laying you down on the island, gasping at the cold contact of the marble on your back, arching up into him where you can feel the heat radiating from his body.

Satoru’s large hands massage the skin of your hips and thighs, holding you close to him as he slips a nipple into his mouth, tugging, nipping and swiping his tongue over the hardened bud. Your legs wrap around him in response, holding him as close as he can possibly get with your pussy and his hard cock still clothed.

Your hands find purchase in his hair, tangling your fingers between the silky strands as he kisses between the valley of your tits to the other side, murmuring low “I love yous” in between, and you return the sentiment in conjunction to rutting your hips against his, soaking through both thin fabrics.

Satoru takes the whipped cream from his waffles and spreads it across your chest, tits and stomach, licking a strip up from the fabric of your panties working his way up, licking the sugary whipped topping clean from each spot he piled it on.

He starts low, gliding his wet tongue across your stomach, dipping it into your navel as you watch with half lidded eyes, and he teases with kisses and licks excruciatingly slowly.

When he finally makes it back up to your lips, your hands cup his cheek and your brows furrow in realization that some of the topping made its way onto his neck. You laugh slightly when he pulls away before sitting up and grabbing a strawberry from his plate and using it to wipe off and seductively eat half of the strawberry in front of him.

Satoru watches, eyes blown, full of lust when you hold the other half to his lips. He accepts, chewing the strawberry half slowly, savoring it while you kiss and suck the remnants of the strawberry juice from the smooth column of his throat.

A deep growl erupts from his chest when he swallows, lips finding yours in a passionate, sloppy kiss where your tongues glide against one another in haste.

Satoru easily lifts you from the counter, gripping a handful of your ass, your hands wrapped around his neck and in his hair as he carries you off to his bedroom, dropping your onto his bed before discarding his briefs and ripping off your panties.

The honeyed and haste filled kisses quickly turn into your wrists being bound to his headboard and gripping the sheets below, pillow under your stomach so your ass is raised enough for Satoru to snap his hips at a relentless pace, watching the way your ass jiggles with each thrust.

The bedroom is filled with sounds of his headboard knocking against the wall repeatedly and wet, slick slaps with each pump of his hips. You’re calling out his name, telling him how good he feels with your eyes rolling to the back of your head.

Satoru’s losing himself in you, the same way he always has, thrusts becoming more and more sloppy by the second, placing several kisses in the center of your back between your shoulder blades and running his nose along the edge of your shoulder.

The moment your pussy clenches and throbs around his thick cock he moans out your name next to your ear, filling your cunt with his release. 

He releases your wrists, flipping you over to your back before dramatically plopping down on top of you with a grin when you huff at his full weight pinning you against the mattress.

“Satoru,” you laugh, “get off me, you’re so heavy!”

He smiles against your neck, giving several gentle kisses before sitting up on his elbows. You take a deep breath, moving the sweaty strands of hair stuck to his forehead out of his face. Eyes locked together, taking each other in.

You’ve never felt happier, luckier or more cared for in your life than you have in his presence, since the very beginning.

“I love you.” It’s quiet, comes out as a sigh and his lips are on yours again until he’s hard, legs tangled between the sheets of his bed and entwined together for the rest of the morning.

It’s midafternoon now, and Satoru ordered out once again, neither of you having much of a desire to get dressed and go out into the world or to take the time out of your day to attempt to cook something that would likely result in having to order out anyway.

Since you didn’t bother to eat a real breakfast this morning, the two of you are starving, having spent your morning rolling between the sheets. He’s sitting on the couch in his briefs, you in a small silk robe that’s barely tied at the waist in his closet with the T.V. down low as the two of you eat, laugh and joke around.

You find yourself on his lap after you finish eating, back to his chest as the muted show on the television plays in the background. He’s ghosting his hands over your skin, the robe having fallen open when you moved to sit on him.

He glides his hands over your arms, shoulders, chest and stomach with gentle, barely there touches leaving goosebumps and fire in his wake. Your head is leaned back on his shoulder, nose nuzzled into the crook of his neck where you leave several small tender kisses and eventually fall asleep in his arms.

By evening, you’re wrapping your legs around his waist, moaning at the slow deep strokes he’s giving you, your arm’s are around his neck, his around your waist holding each other close, neither wanting to let go.

He’s whispering sweet nothings in your ear: you’re perfect, his everything, how much he loves you.

The day has turned from marathon sex into something else, something sweeter, it’s solely about being present with one another.

Your hips work slowly together, deep strokes that bring pleasure in an entirely different way than either of you have ever experienced before. Rather than racing to your finish, or trying to get each other off as many times as possible, you’re taking it slow, enjoying the time together.

The deep breathy moans on the crook of your neck, the soft tender kisses to your cheeks and lips, the way your bodies move and glide with one another, it’s an expression of love neither of you had ever thought possible.

Neither of you thought of sex as anything more than a physical release, but together it’s a vulnerability you share only with one another.

“Marry me,” he whispers, and your eyes shoot open, searching his. He’s got a gleam in his eye, one you’ve seen several times but could never make sense of before.

“What?” Your eyes flicker across his face for any sign of teasing, you cup his cheek, hips slowly coming to a stop.

He looks a little nervous, a little afraid you might say no, and that maybe you really don’t feel the same way about him, that you didn’t really mean it when you told him you loved him earlier.

Swallowing thickly, he tucks a few strands of hair behind your ear, “think about it. Every curse user and organization knows what happened during our last mission by now. They’ll most likely abandon any hope they had in fucking with you in the future. But if you’re my wife, it’ll never cross their minds again.”

“So, this is just to protect me?”

“Yes and no,” he chuckles, “it’s also because I love you.”

You feel your heart literally skip a beat as you look at him, blinking with wide eyes, palms getting sweatier and more clammy by the second. “Satoru, we’ve only been dating for like… a few months, and-”

He places his hand on the back of your head, pulling you in a tender kiss, “stop thinking about it so hard.”

Closing your eyes, you take a deep breath, already knowing the answer. From the moment you ran into each other in New York, moving halfway across that world because there was a miniscule chance you’d see him again and find answers, through all of the jealousy and anger. It was always going to be him.

“Fuck, okay,” you whisper, opening your eyes to meet his crystal gaze nodding your head, “yes.”

You’re both smiling, giggling into one another, as he rocks his hips back and forth slowly again, talking about how everyone is going to think this is insane until your foreheads are pressed together, legs trembling as your pussy clenches around him and he groans, falling over that edge by your side.

The two of you lay like this for a while, him still inside you; you’re pushing his hair out of his eyes, he’s tucking hair behind your ear with soft sweet kisses in between, laughing, smiling and whispering to one another until he’s hard again.

Eventually, you’re curled next to him, asleep on his chest as he runs his hand up and down the length of your back, watching you sleep.

He never thought things would turn out this way when he felt the presence of that curse, hidden deep within an alley so many years ago. Laying eyes on the prettiest girl he had ever seen in his seventeen years of existence, who’s turned into the most beautiful woman he’s ever laid eyes on.

He grabs the hand on his chest, entwining his fingers with yours as you sigh, content in his presence and he’s happy. Truly happier than he ever thought possible for him.

Two people who thought themselves cursed - one the strongest with the weight of the world on his shoulders, the other never knowing what they are or where they belong. Both cursed to live a life of loneliness.

You’re exactly what the other needs, two odd shaped puzzle pieces that against all odds, fit perfectly next to one another.

He knows, as he lays in bed, tucking strands of hair behind your ear, smiling softly as you unconsciously move closer to him, leaving no space between the two of you, that if he had to do it again; the curiosity, questions, jealousy, anger, heartbreak.

He absolutely would.

taglist: @q-the-rockaholic @greenlovers @naorizenin @a1hina @plants-w0rld @patat-boi @rlvslouis @littledemoness15@thisbicc @nothisispatrick300 @km7474 @missyasma @hecatesflames @arisucat @creolequeen11210 @imperatorkhaleesi @xiaosie@the-loneliest-girl @violetsapplejuice

[littlefankingdom]

I have been reading some jjk fanfics recently, and I'm having some minor issues with what y'all are writing. So, here are some infos for the writers out there:

Megumi and Tsumiki are step-siblings, like Cinderella and her sisters are. They do not share a single parent. Megumi explains (and I read the manga in French and in English) that HIS father and HER mother left them. They don't share blood, but they're so young, they don't care.

Megumi accepted to stay with Gojo to be able to stay with Tsumiki (and have her be happy) That implies that Gojo has to take Tsumiki under his care also, because it's literally the reason the child accepted. So, please, stop writing that Tsumiki is staying with her family while Gojo is taking care of Megumi, or writing Gojo only bringing Megumi to live with him. Megumi makes it clear they are a package deal, and Gojo better makes his sister happy.

Gojo does not use his infinity to stop people he's closed with to touch him, or to hit him if he's annoying. There are multiple times in the manga, and also the anime, where he let people rough him up because he was being a little shit. He may be the strongest and able to "stop" anything from touching him, but he doesn't use it to be free from consequences from annoying people he's close to. He probably doesn't like the feeling of being invincible while he's bonding with others, as it would separate him from them (physically and emotionally). Gojo's goal is to have equals, he wants to bond with people and be close to them. (He had probably let Megumi hit him so many times, and then complained about the child being mean to him)

Please, for the love of food, stop making them go to some USAmerican restaurant/shop chains. You don't have to know Japanese brands, but don't make them live of USAmerican brands either (especially the one that are not present in Japan) Stop making Gojo buys treats from an USAmerican fast food chain, when he has the money and probably the education to buy them from a local well-reputed business, traditionally family owned (no food from a chain is better than those). Like, no, he isn't going to buy donuts from Dunkin Donuts, especially because there are only 2 shops in Japan in military bases, as the brand is not popular, and not a single one is close to Tokyo (just a quick google search).

[cum-villain]

it’s me. a hate anon. i’m being incredibly annoying about my take on fictional characters.

anyways who is a*am or whatever i want all the tea

lol oh buddy you have no idea. its been so many years of bullshit and, granted, its been a while since ive been in the trenches, but i have ALL the tea to spill. okay, so,

Sk8 the Infinity was a shounen sports anime that aired in early 2021, January to April. It followed the protagonist Reki Kyan, a 3rd-year in high school who was a skater. But this isn't just an anime about skateboarding. The grand majority of the skating took place at "S", an illegal skating course in an abandoned mine. The important races are "beefs", and there are no rules to beefs; you can injure your opponent in any way, and there's no consequences.

Some other relevant characters are: Langa Hasegawa, nicknamed SNOW, the deuteragonist; Ainosuke Shindo, ADAM, the antagonist; Tadashi Kikuchi, supporting character. Not sure whether to place him as an antagonist or protag, he kinda straddles the line.

The thing about ADAM is that he's the subversion of an all-too well known anime trope: Pedophile villain. See, while he does not in fact have those feelings towards minors in the show, he. Is very complicated. He has a whole thing where he thinks love is a good thing but also pain, because his aunts beat him and said it was because they love him and he believed them. He's also still grappling with the trauma of being "betrayed" by his childhood friend, Tadashi.

He's trying to find the EVE to his ADAM, because he hurts from being betrayed by the person he cares for most, but in reality, what he really wants is Tadashi back. But he's confused, and thinks that wanting to hurt someone means loving them. So he doesn't know what love feels like. If he thinks he "loves" himself, he hates himself and wants to hurt himself. Which. He kinda does try to kill himself sort of in the finale. It's a whole thing.

(Notice how I put "betrayed" in quotes. If you read scum villain, its a similar situation as with QiJiu. One party wanted to protect the other and failed, so they stay silent and do all they can for that person out of guilt. The other thinks the other really did betray them, and is hurt that that person is so much colder now, that the other person doesnt love them anymore.)

So, anyways. Adam is confused about what love is, and his arc in the first season was learning to not "love" people the way he does, and to accept care, even if he doesn't know it's love. When he reconciled with Tadashi in the final episode, he said "You'll be my dog for the rest of our lives", and I and everyone else in the Tadaai fandom understood he said that because 1. kinky fuckers lol 2. more relevantly, saying he loves Tadashi would be a red flag, because his definition of love is completely warped. Regardless of how he said it, the "be mine forever" was the important part. And Tadashi understood.

But most of what I'm referencing happened in the later episodes. Like I said, he was a subversion, which means that first he had to be slotted into the role before undoing it. Now I bring up The Langa Thing.

Langa was half-Canadian, and grew up in Canada. But when his father died, his mother took him back to Japan so she would have family around her in her grief. He ended up in Reki's class, and the two quickly became friends.

Reki taught Langa how to skate, but because Langa snowboarded since he was 2, he picked it up rather quickly, and even showed extreme talent. This extreme talent caught the eye of most of the skaters at S, and he earned the moniker "Snow". It also made the founder of S notice him. And that founder is Ainosuke Shindo, Adam.

Remember how I said he's trying to find his EVE? He thinks he wants an equal in skating, his only escape from his suffocating life, but he really wants Tadashi back. But he sees this genius in skating, and really is excited to skate with someone new. But he doesn't recognize it for just that, he thinks he found his "Eve". There's plenty of things he does, calling Langa "Langa-kun", being very excited to skate with Langa, giving him a bouquet of roses at one point (though one would argue that it's perfectly in line with his dramatics, hes essentially a drag king whose show is skateboarding).

All in all, there's a lot of suggestions he's attracted to Langa, but later episodes disprove that. There were other sketchy things (him saying to a middle schooler "I'll love you when you're older", but this was in reference to skateboarding, and by his definition of love, he means "yea you're too young for me to beat the crap out of you kid". Which is a perfectly normal sentiment, he just has an extremely weird way of saying it.) But... here's the thing.

There were weekly episodes.

Meaning: People pegged him as a "pedophile anime villain" type for months before his true nature was revealed. And when that evidence showed, people weren't inclined to believe it. People also thought he was Tadashi's abuser before the true nature of their relationship was revealed.

So, Adam isn't a pedophile. His relationship with Tadashi is rough, but Tadashi has full autonomy and chooses to be a part of it, and they're getting better. Adam is weird, sure, but he has reason to be that way. But the fandom lacks reading comprehension and hates to be proven wrong. So, people still think of him as a pedophilic abuser.

And like. I harken from ye olden days of Black Butler, okay. I'm not exactly put off by edenshippers (adam x langa). But for gods sake the show disproved it. Why are y'all acting like this.

So. Being known as an Adam fan is a one-way ticket to getting a bunch of harassment. Was back then, apparently still is now. I can't wait for season 2 to prove these assholes wrong.

sorry for the essay sprung on you bestie

[kokiafans]

KOKIA updates - new releases (November 2024)

KOKIA has updated her official web page with new information about her recent single and upcoming new album. Here are the updates to keep you in the loop.

Arigatou... (KOKIA's version)

(October 1 blog entry & October 3 news)

KOKIA recorded her song Arigatou... ('Thank you...') again for a digital single, this time labeling the version 'KOKIA's version'. The single was available starting midnight from the night rolling into October 2.

The single is available via various online sources here. She also produced a music video to go along with the single, which can be found on her official YouTube channel.

Essence -25th Anniversary All Time Best-

(October 3 news & October 3 blog entry)

On November 20, 2024, KOKIA's best album Essence -25th Anniversary All Time Best- will be released. Unlike many of her most recent releases, this album will be available in general music stores and not her official web shop. The full tracklist is also available (I'll include it at the end of this entry).

Several websites have also posted about the album, some including extras:

The HMV website offers a special first come, first served postcard if y you pre-order the album via their shop.

Tower Records has a special in-store event on November 27, 2024 at their Umeda NU Chayamachi store in Osaka, Japan. If you purchase your copy of the album there, you will receive a ticket for event admission and for an autograph session (both first come, first serve, with the former given out once per order, and the latter for every album purchased). The event will open at 19:00 and start at 19:30. Purchasers will also get a postcard as long as supplies last.

Additional events

General ticket sales for her November 2 strings concert SHI-NA-RU at Suntory Blue Rose have started, so the release month of her new album. The concert features KOKIA with just piano, violin and cello, themed around Arigatou... (her gratitude). The concert is being prepared as a replacement for her big hall concerts in spring, which she didn't get to do this year.

KOKIA's album shares its name with KOKIA's new radio show, KOKIA's the Essence of Music, which started airing Sunday, October 6, 2024 from 1:30 to 2:00 AM (technically early Monday morning), and is a weekly radio show.

Tracklist

Below follows the tracklist for KOKIA's album Essence -25th Anniversary All Time Best-. It will also be featured on the discography page.

Disc 1: YELL

1. Shiroi Notebook ('White notebook') (2023 digital single) 2. The Power of Smile (2003 single) 3. Say Hi!! (2003 single) 4. Ningen tte sonna mono ne ('that’s how people are’) (2002 single) 5. Kawaranai koto - since 1976 - ('things that won’t change’) (2003 single) 6. So much love for you (2004 single) 7. Yume ga chikara ('dreams are strength’) (2004 single) 8. Dandelion (2005 single) 9. Ai no melody ('melody of love') (2006 single) 10. Watashi ni dekiru koto ('The things I can do') (2007 single) 11. Inori ni mo nita utsukushii sekai (Music, like a prayer) (2007 album aigakikoeru) 12. Kodoku na ikimono ('Lonely beings') (2010 single) 13. moment ~ima o ikiru~ ('live in the now') (2011 album moment) 14. Yume no tochuu ('on my way to my dream') (2013 album Where to go my love?) 15. INFINITY (2009 album KOKIA∞AKIKO ～balance～)

Disc 2: HEAL

1. Arigatou... (KOKIA's version) ('Thank you...') (New recording) 2. Fukurou ('Owl') (2017 digital single) 3. Chouwa oto ~with reflection~ ('Sound of harmony') (2006 single B-side) 4. tomoni ('together') (2001 single) 5. Tenshi ('Angel') (2001 single) 6. Remember the kiss (2003 single B-side) 7. Time to say goodbye (2005 single) 8. Ooki na senaka ('Broad back') (2009 album AKIKO∞KOKIA ～balance～) 9. Kimi o sagashite ('Searching for you') (2009 digital single) 10. Hontou no oto ('Real sound') (2011 album moment) 11. Where to go my love (Piano ver.) (2013 album Where to go my love?) 12. Kotou (’isolated island’) (2020 digital single) 13. Kisetsu hazure no sakura ('Late blooming cherry blossoms') (2022 digital single) 14. a gift (2002 album trip trip) 15. Obake ga kowai nante (’what is it with ghosts being scary’) (2018 album Tokyo Mermaid)

Limited first edition Blu-ray:

Music video collection of the following:

Arigatou... (KOKIA's version) ('Thank you...')

tomoni ('together')

Say Hi!!

Tenshi ('Angel')

Ningen tte sonna mono ne ('that’s how people are’)

(TV spot) Kawaranai koto - since 1976 - ('things that won’t change’)

Kawaranai koto - since 1976 -

(TV spot) Remember me (album)

The Power of Smile

Remember the kiss (duet "KOKIA & piano")

(TV spot) so much love for you

so much love for you

(TV spot) Yume ga chikara, uta ga chikara ('dreams are strength', 'songs are strength') (album)

Yume ga chikara

(TV spot) dandelion

dandelion

(TV spot) time to say goodbye

time to say goodbye (duet "KOKIA & piano")

(TV spot) Ai no melody ('melody of love')

Ai no melody

moment ~ima o ikiru~ ('live in the now') (Stage recording)

Bonus video:

Arigatou... (KOKIA's version) (making of)

[lady-of-ocs]

The Beginning of my Rampage

Alright. I advertise this as an OC blog, so it's time to introduce the first.

This is Odette LaRue. She's a 26 year old tattoo artist and piercer living in Japan (where in Japan depends on what show/movie I've decided to watch recently). Her father died when she was eight, while her mother was pregnant with her younger sister, Céline. She was nine by the time Céline was born, and their mother died three years later (how they die also depends on what show/movie). They lived with their grandmother, who didn't abuse them, but didn't treat them nicely either, until Odette was seventeen. She made a deal with her grandmother that she'd take Céline away and they'd never come back as long as the grandmother gave them enough to pay for leaving. They moved to Japan and Odette raised Céline from age eight to the current day (in a majority of the stories, Céline is seventeen when the story is taking place).

In the case of this particular Odette, she resides in Okinawa because I watched Sk8 the Infinity and loved it. Céline will get her own separate drawing with additional facts, so here are some quick Odette-in-Sk8 Facts:

She became friends with Kaoru and Kojiro shortly after moving. They bonded over skating and are still close to this day

She started skating at around thirteen

She skates at S under the persona of Siren (that'll get its own drawing as well)

She's some flavor of LGBTQ+ but I haven't specifically labeled her

While her main canvas tends to be skin (due to her tattooing), she's generally a pretty talented artist

She designed all of her tattoos herself

She's the one who tattooed the sun on Kojiro's shoulder

She retains a noticable French accent despite living away from there for almost ten years

She and Kojiro had a one night stand when they were 21-22. It changed literally nothing about their relationship and they now laugh about it

175 cm/about 5'9" (so the same height as Langa and Shadow)

P.S. All of these were initially sketched either on a plane or on an island when I went on vacation. It took me a long time to get around to cleaning up the sketches, but I'm very proud of how they all turned out. The entire thing took 20 hours and 2 minutes to complete!

Additional facts and close-ups below the cut:

Fun Facts:

Kaoru is the one who wrote out the script of Céline's name in Japanese that Odette now has tattooed on the inner side of her left wrist

Céline and Reki are friends. Reki's had a crush on Odette since he was twelve

Technically ambidextrous but an injury to her left wrist during teenhood means that she can't use it for long without it starting to hurt, so she primarily uses her right hand

Primarily acts as a big sister to Céline rather than a maternal figure even though she raised her

Considered hot by Kojiro (I cannot do her justice, honestly)

Rarely has time for fun things because she's often busy working

Runs her own tattoo and piercing shop near Sia la luce

Céline's nickname for her since childhoot is "Dettie." Kojiro and Kaoru also picked it up because they found it cute and amusing

Regularly gets free food from Kojiro

Technically considered a collaborative business partner of Kaoru's

She's got a great singing voice

And that's all I can think of at the moment, but I'm literally writing a fic that's just writing her and Céline into Sk8. So. There'll be more about her in later posts.

[hardcore-lonewolf]

I made this time-line for Eva Nelson with Gwen Tennyson's face claim!

Quest/Teen Titans/Origins (S0): Eva Nelson (10-11) is taken under the claws of her godmother Selina Kyle since her parents and family members lived in Bellwood. She starts as Mouse, Robin's main romantic interest and the very first female sidekick in history with pure magic energy. Eva was graduating from Evermore College as honorable valedictorian and has the highest scores due to her skilled talents. She meets her godfather Bruce Wayne and her crush Dick Grayson through Gotham City's Red Carpet Gala with her godmother, who's a famous entrepreneur of expensive jewelry and fashion trends. Eva goes platinum and gold with music, dancing, acting, videos, movies, and more. She was the Lucky Girl of Gotham City and she begins her journey in Tokyo, Japan...as Mouse...with trouble right down her path. Will she become the White Kitten Thief or will this "kitty" lose her claws?

Retaliation/Next Generation/Infinity (S1): Eva Nelson (12-13) is currently in Friedkin University for her doctorate degrees and has the best elite awards. She founded the Team with Robin I, Aqualad II, Kid Flash I, Superboy I, Miss Martian, Wonder Girl I (OFC: Ophelia Trevor), and Artemis I. Eva lost her paternal grandfather Kent Nelson and her maternal grandmother Inza Cramer to her two major enemies as Catgirl, who then awakens her hybrid form and fuse her pure mana with her inner phoenix out of mixed emotions when all of her loved ones got hurt at the Tower of Fate. The Forever Knights and Genomorphs join alongside Zephyr Incorporated after the head manager of the company turns out to be Dubbilex. The battle between henchmen and sidekicks has begun, a powerful watch is upgraded and its wielder is her best friend Lumus (OMC: Matt Ferris). The Young Justice League have fully merged with the Teen Titans, and the fight against Onslaught and Incursion is on. Who will win this epic battle?

Legacy/Invasion/Aftermath (S2): Eva Nelson (17-18) earns all of her degrees and start her mana training during the whole five-year gap at Legerdomain, Zoraster, Soulland, Anodyne, and Earth. She resurrects all the loved ones of her close friends at the Forge of Creation, saved Kid Flash I within her Anodite form, and ended a ginormous alien invasion by fusing with Solstice...the life-force phoenix within her soul to scare them off and absorb all of the zero-point energy from all 21 Magnetic Field Disruptors in order to save Planet Earth against the quantum forces of evil. Eva becomes Black Cat during that time with Nightwing (Robin I) as her boyfriend, she currently has three adopted god-sisters and was their big sister figure. It's the war between the Team against the Light, Hive, Reach, and Naga for the safety of Planet Earth...and one shocking plot twist is...uncovered. What secrets are hidden in this saga?

Darkside/Outsiders/Enlightenment (S3): Eva Nelson (20-21) was pregnant and expecting a magical pair of baby twins with Nightwing during the two-year gap, they've been engaged and to be married at a private ceremony. They secretly tied the knot without any villains knowing their location at Anodyne, though they have to save meta-humans and protect mutants from more villains on Earth. Eva were being aligned with the Genomorphs and Forever Knights, but are defending them against the Lucabras and Flame Keepers who were trying to make her a living sacrifice to their inner circle by doing a blood ritual in order to summon Dagon. The birth of the next generation has arrived and this one will be the most extraordinary one...yet. Can the Team protect her and her family from Dagon?

Phantoms/Ultimate Team/Targets (S4): Eva Nelson (23-24) saves Steel Scion (Superboy I) and Rocket I from the Zod War. She brought Changeling (Beast Boy I), White Raven, Cyborg I, Starfire, Lumus (OMC), Zatanna, Aquaman II (Aqualad II), Wonder Woman II (Wonder Girl I/OFC), Breach (OMC), Tigress (Artemis I), Nightwing, Miss Martian, and Flash III (Kid Flash I) with her to save the Son of Steel and revive Rocket I. It's the Team against General Zod's family, the final battle that destroys the House of Zod with the El Family's remaining members, and the Lucky Girl faces off against her grandmother's greatest enemy with Tashmetum by using the Mask of Destiny to become Mistress Destiny. It's about to be a swarm of nanochips and the Team is prepared to take down the Decoy Queen of the Hive...once and for all. Will they dethrone this monarch and end the general?

Armageddon/Missing Years/Enhanced (S5): Eva Nelson (29-30) is back and is ready to take down some bad guys with her loved ones. The Lucky Girl joined forces with the rest of the Team to defeat Darkseid after he destroys the Map of Infinity to cause the dimensional paradox, she revives it and restores everlasting peace by balancing an internal vortex of portals to revert everything back in place. Eva becomes the main entrepreneur and head president of Zephyr Incorporated, wedded spouse of Dick Grayson, mother of two children, and future member of the new Justice League of America. Time must be restored and every paradox must stay...infinite. Will the Team be able to fix the time-lines?

She's voiced by the late Meagan Smith at Origins and in her childhood memories. Her permanent voice will be Hayley Williams of Paramore for Retaliation to Phantoms, and it fits her well. Her future voice will come from Erica Lindbeck, who voiced Felicia Hardy aka "Black Cat" from "Spider-Man".

[britonell]

5 Favorite Songs at the Moment

Tagged by @atsadi-shenanigans! As a disclaimer, I'm currently having a nostalgic moment while visiting parents, and we used to live in Japan, so...

I have no idea who's done this already 🤔 random tagging time! @justafewsmallsteps @coquinespike @clearwillow @artistefish @shinidamachu

And whoever else wants to~

[dustedmagazine]

Listening Post: Les Rallizes Dénudés

It’s difficult to paint an accurate picture of the history of Les Rallizes Dénudés, as an aura of mystery and an inordinate amount of conjecture surround the band. This we do know: Les Rallizes Dénudés sprung from the fertile music scene in late 1960s Japan, in striking opposition to the Group Sounds and folk-rock music that was popular in their country at the time. The original line-up of the band formed in 1967 at Doshisha University in Kyoto, comprising guitarist and vocalist Takashi Mizutani, guitarist Takeshi Nakamura, bassist Moriaki Wakabayashi, and drummer Takashi Katoh. They initially dubbed themselves Hadaka No Rallizes but, according to legend, after Mizutani befriended the radical theater ensemble Gendai Gekijo they became Les Rallizes Dénudés in accordance with the fake French slang that the troupe had invented. 

Throughout the band’s three-decades-long existence, they cut a striking figure. Fronted by the long-haired, sunglasses-and-leather wearing Mizutani, Les Rallizes Dénudés took sensory overload to a new level. The band’s live shows were punishingly loud and replete with extreme visual elements. They had a repertoire of just over a dozen songs, but the myriad bootleg recordings that appeared in the band’s wake indicate that Mizutani and company never played a tune the same way twice. Their music seemed deceptively simple, with bass-and-drum vamps that stretched to infinity overtop of which Mizutani unfurled scorching clouds of guitar noise and vocals sung in his native Japanese. 

After original bassist Wakabayashi was involved in the hijacking of a plane in 1970, the already enigmatic Mizutani became downright elusive. Outside of their iconoclastic leader, Les Rallizes Dénudés’ membership rotated frequently. Official recordings didn’t appear until 1991, at which time the band issued a trio of CDs compiled from various studio and live recordings from across the first decade of their existence. These quickly disappeared, as the legend of Les Rallizes Dénudés had grown considerably by this time, likely indirectly due to acts like High Rise and Fushitsusha that followed in their wake. 

Mizutani passed away in 2019, and shortly thereafter an organization dubbed The Last One Musique appeared, complete with a new website devoted to the band. Earlier in 2022, the Temporal Drift label began issuing Les Rallizes Dénudés material, notably The Oz Tapes and the Oz Days Live compilation, supported by The Last One Musique. In November, the label plans to reissue those first three official releases – ’67-’69 Studio et Live, MIZUTANI / Les Rallizes Dénudés, and ’77 Live – completely remastered and with new liner notes that will hopefully dissolve some of the fog-like mystique surrounding the band. 

We here at Dusted have varying levels of affinity for Les Rallizes Dénudés, and felt that through group discussion, we’d be able to approach the music most adroitly. Given the sheer volume of material involved (The Oz Tapes is a double LP, ’77 Live is a triple LP, and the Oz Days Live compilation is a triple CD), we chose to focus on the official releases. 

I don’t know about you guys, but that ’77 Live release is what I typically associate with the Les Rallizes Dénudés “sound”. Apparently that Heavier Than a Death in the Family bootleg includes some of this material. 

Intro by Bryon Hayes

Ian Mathers: So, while I'd certainly heard of them (albeit thinking they were French for a bit when all I knew was the name), my first real encounter with Les Rallizes Dénudés was only a few months ago, hearing the Heavier Than a Death in the Family version of "Night of the Assassins" and going “What is THAT?” I hadn't gotten around to investigating much further than that, though, so this Listening Post is both very convenient for me, personally, and also when I started playing '67-'69 Studio et Live and "Les Bulles de Savon / Soap Bubbles" began I was very surprised.  Like you, Bryon, '77 LIVE is more what I expected, albeit on far more circumstantial grounds. And while, once I adjusted to the gentler, arguably more dated material on '67-'69 and MIZUTANI / Les Rallizes Dénudés none of it is particularly unpleasant or hard to deal with, it does suffer for me in comparison to '77 LIVE which on first listen is one of my favorite things I've heard all year, maybe longer. The 95-minute length and sheer abrasiveness of its noise means it's not going to be a casual play around my apartment, but I can honestly say I was riveted for every minute the couple of times I've been able to fit it in so far. The length of each track and of the album as a whole is part of what I think is so distinctive and incredible about it.

So if these three official/out of print releases have been around at least to some degree since the early 1990s, is the softer/folkier(?) sound of much of the studio stuff on there a big part of what people like about Les Rallizes Dénudés? I feel like once I heard more than the name I mainly heard people referring to the noisier stuff. And why did it take until this listen to realize that the bassline on what '77 LIVE calls "夜、暗殺者の夜 / The Night, Assassin’s Night" makes me think of that "I Will Follow Him" song from Sister Act? 

Mason Jones: I've heard a number of people refer to Rallizes as "Japan's answer to the Velvet Underground," which rings true in part because of the bands formed in their wake. While they were never well-known, perhaps "notorious" is a better description. Their influence leaked out over years, and their shadowy presence and noisy psychedelic swirl can be traced to many independent bands. I doubt that Keiji Haino would regard them as much of an inspiration for Fushitsusha, but there's at least a visual aesthetic that's even more visible in Kousokuya and Kaneko Jutoku's work and lurks behind many other bands related to the PSF label such as Shizuka and High Rise. Some of Japan's psychedelic underground readily admit Rallizes' inspiration, such as LSD March, Up-Tight, and Overhang Party.

Where the Boredoms inspired an entire Kansai scene of anything-goes indie anarchy, Les Rallizes Denudes infiltrated a smaller but no less impactful network of smoke-drenched psychedelic players. The heavier, noisier aspect of Rallizes is better-known outside Japan, but from the deep, slow strums of Suishou no Fune to the quieter aspects of Majutsu no Niwa and LSD March, the softer side is definitely there as well. That said, I've certainly always been more attracted to their more crazed, no-holds-barred work like that on '77 LIVE and bootlegs like Blind Baby Has Its Mothers Eyes. The 1980 Live and Soundboard collection (10 CDRs!) and Double Heads boots are also among the better ones, but in truth over the years it's been nearly impossible to untangle the recordings spread across dozens and dozens of poorly assembled bootleg releases. Seeing properly mastered and collected releases coming out now is very, very welcome.

Ian Mathers: Which brings up one of the biggest questions I have about all this: how does one “properly” master something like '77 LIVE? I think it sounds fantastic, so I clearly agree with the choices made, but I wonder what's involved and what's different about working with source material like that. 

Mason Jones: It's hard to say. In this case, it's possible that they have the original tapes, whereas the versions I've heard before are probably second generation or worse; very possibly duped from an old LP or cassette! However, I'm listening right now and comparing the old Le 12 Mars 1977 à Tachikawa bootleg I have, which is the same as '77 LIVE — same track lengths and all. The older bootleg feels slightly thinner and hissier, but interestingly it doesn't sound as much worse as I recalled. That one has a long history of unofficial re-releases, as shown on its Discogs page. The old bootleg I have of Mizutani is certainly improved on by the new reissue, with a great deal more clarity. I don't seem to have any previous releases that correspond to the '67 - '69 Studio et Live reissue, which is an intriguing collection of ragtag recordings. 

The OZ Tapes by Les Rallizes Dénudés

Ethan Covey: It’s funny you mention mastering as there was a minor Twitter flare up a few days back when someone posted a screenshot comparing audio files from the old CD release of ’77 Live with the new edition. It looked as if the dynamic range on the new release was crunched/maxed out/whatever the correct terminology is, versus a more forgiving mix on the CD. And there was the accompanying grumbling that modern mastering — especially on a release like this — is all about volume at the expense of subtlety. I haven’t listened to the new ’77 Live yet but have to say the mastering on The OZ Tapes sounded fantastic compared with previous versions of that material. I look forward to listening to the LP (if it ever arrives), and digging into these “new” ones. 

Mason Jones: Yeah, I can see that. Listening to my old CD copy versus the new one, while I haven't compared the files specifically there's certainly more modern compression on the new release. That's fairly typical these days. To my ears, it doesn't seem excessive, but it'll take more listening to let it sink in for sure. I do have to chuckle a bit about the idea of "subtlety" dealing with blown-out live recordings like these. As you say, though, I'm waiting for my LP copies to arrive, which will be a better test than mp3s. 

Bryon Hayes: I have a question for Mason and those of you who've been following Les Rallizes Dénudés for some time and have access to recordings from across their existence: these three releases document a band that appears to have experienced a sizeable shift in sound in its first decade of existence, from the almost garage-y tunes of '67-'69 Studio et Live and the softer acoustic sounds of MIZUTANI to the overdriven feedback onslaught that is the '77 Live set.  Does anyone know if this was a subtle transition that occurred slowly throughout the decade, or was there a Big Bang moment, with a clear delineation between those two sides of the band? 

Mason Jones: That's an interesting question, Bryon. I really don't have a solid answer but can make some guesses. The sequence you list is accurate, and these three albums essentially document three phases of the band: the first lineup from '67 to '69. The acoustic work on Mizutani was him sort of on his own (with some others playing with him) during the period when there wasn't a full band. Then in 1970 he moved to Tokyo and started with a new lineup. Takeshi Nakamura, who started the band with Mizutani, was quoted as saying "The live shows were really high volume from the very beginning" so the shift from garage-y as you describe it to the more out-there tracks might have just happened naturally due to the almost complete change in band members. But who knows, perhaps some of it's simply the selection of tracks we're hearing!

Ian Mathers: I am sympathetic to "loudness war" type concerns, generally, but I have to admit the notion that the stuff here that I really like would not be brickwalled seems a little funny. Interesting to know that aside from Mizutani himself there was a pretty complete change of personnel; I still kind of wonder, given the more standard/quality production on those earlier records, how much the production, not just the playing, on '77 Live was a deliberate aesthetic choice. Do we know if it's more a case of them playing high-volume shows with recording equipment that just wasn't up to the task, in unexpectedly glorious ways, or is there any indication they were leaning into that part of their sound (whether that's using equipment a step down from what they could, or playing in certain ways, or the recording process, or mixing, or...)? Any answer isn't going to make me like that sound less, to be clear - I have no stake in this being some variety of outsider or accidental art. I do wonder if when they first heard the tapes they went "great!" or "oh no..." though.   

Mason Jones: Yeah, it's hard to say whether the sound was intentional or not. In the case of the live recording, it's worth keeping in mind that in Japan it's unusual for bands to have their own equipment aside from the instruments and effects -- the live houses have amps and drums that the bands use. Since so few people drive, it's uncommon to be able to bring your own stuff. That means the amps they were using would have been the house amps, although '77 Live was recorded at Tachikawa Social Education Hall; who knows if they had a regular backline or rented equipment for the show. In any case, who knows how they felt about the tapes when they first heard them.

The overblown sound, though, was almost certainly the primary influence for Nanjo Asahito's recording and mastering approach for the first High Rise albums and later work that he did. Those recordings were infamous for the brick wall limiting, pushing everything into the red. I don't know for certain but given Nanjo's appreciation for Rallizes I'd be shocked if the sound of '77 Live wasn't the initial inspiration for that approach. 

Bryon Hayes: According to the information I've scrounged online, not only was the band notoriously loud, but they were also accompanied by a frenzied lightshow, beginning with their earliest performances. Apparently Mizutani coined the term "total sensory assault" to describe the experience and it is claimed that was the goal from the start. Of course, given the amount of speculation and conjecture that surrounds the band, this could be a red herring. In some respects, I hope that as Temporal Drift release more material, the mystery will slowly unravel, but I also kind of enjoy the mystique.

[hippy-pants]

TIL: Every time you stifle a sneeze, the force of the sneeze cannot simply disappear from existence. It must manifest elsewhere, often causing a small creature to explode or a chef's hat to fly off into the air. La toque blanche. The chef's hat. Why is it shaped like a mushroom cloud? Because they both sure can cook. And why is a mushroom cloud shaped like a mushroom? Not many people know this, but out in the forest, right where every mushroom grows, there used to be a tiny Japanese city, so tiny that even David the Gnome could commit accidental genocide just by taking a poop without looking. Ironically, Gnome Poop is highly sought after in Japan, because of its mystical properties and because it tastes good on sushi for people who can't handle wasabi. Here in America, Gnome Poop's mystique is somewhat overshadowed by that of Unicorn Seed!, the hip new soda pop that all the kids are guzzling on the street corners. Its popularity has been hugely fostered by product placement in popular films. For instance, in the film "Muscular Hooker 2," Will Smith's character takes a dramatically-framed swig of Unicorn Seed! and then suddenly grows a CGI erection which extends into infinity, and then Will Smith's mind explodes and the movie ends. For that scene alone, Roger Ebert gives the film 3 and a half stars. Not many people know this, but movie critics have a finit amount of stars they can award in their lifetime. They are often kept in a vault, heavily secured to prevent a senile Scrooge McDuck from wandering in, mistaking the stars for gold coins, and swimming in them. This is for Scrooge's own protection, as the stars have sharp edges and would laycerate his body into a bloody, feathered pulp. If this were to happen, his will states that the entire McDuck fortune will go to his grandnephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie; and that his nephew Donald will get zilch because nobody understands what the Christ he is saying anyway, so who cares. As for Scrooge McDuck's body, it will be jerked and eaten, as per Scottish tradition. Indeed, cannibalism of the dead is a cherished custom in Scotland. When a Scottish boy's coming of age is celebrated (a ceremony known as the Scot Mitzvah) he is forced to consume his own great-grandfather, bones and all, in just 24 hours, or else the local Shaman will hit him on the head with a magical stick that stops him from ever becoming an adult. Now, you might think that eternal childhood wouldn't be such a bad thing - Never-Never-Land and all that jazz - but no! Once your parents are dead, there's nothing to stop you from eating nothing but sweets, as children all want to do, and when your baby teeth have rotted away, there will be no adult teeth to take their place. Toothless, stupid, and unkissed by the spirits of puberty, you will be banished from Scotland to the only place in this world where an awkward manchild such as yourself can ever hope to be accepted: Ireland. You will live as a leprechaun. You will don a false beard and a green bowler and stand on the streets jabbering about a nonexistent pot of gold. When darkness falls, you will sleep in an alley on a bed of night soil, clutching a potato, which will be your surrogate mother. If you are found by leprechaun poachers, your only hope for escape is to mesmerize them with a sprightly leprechaun jig, and then stab their eyes out with your leprechaun stiletto. Then you must run away to find another Irish hamlet, and the cycle will repeat forever until one of three things happens. One: the poachers get too smart for you. Two: you starve to death. Three: the stifled sneeze of a distant someone causes you to explode and die.