#Express Sports Quiz

[testrella]

CRAZY RICH ASIANS…! G.SATORU X READER

𝜗𝜚 |CHAPTER TWO : rare sighting.

NEXT… CHAPTER THREE : just..friends!

“you scored a 0% on a true or false quiz,” you slide the paper across the desk towards megumi. “which…came to a surprise to me as you don’t usually score this low. but it’s been happening so much i decided to pull you aside.”

you sat quietly at your desk, it was time for school dismissal but regardless you stopped megumi before he could leave. you watched his gaze be fixed onto the floor as he came up with some sort of excuse.

“a 0%..? a few more of those and i guess i’ll have to be kicked out of this sch-”

you interrupted him, “if a person wearing a blindfold were picking answers on a true or false quiz at random, do you know what score they would get?”

megumi’s eyes flickered down at his paper and back at you. “..50%.?” he remained silent until it finally clicked for him, “w-wait wai-”

“exactly, which means the only way to get all the answers wrong,” you write a 100% on what used to be a score of 0% onto his paper, “is to know what answers are right.” 

megumi’s cheeks flushed slightly out of embarrassment, and looked away from you. he had some nerve trying to fail your class on purpose.

you soften your tone before speaking again, “you want to give up but i’m not going to let you.”

megumi finally built up the courage to look you in the eye, his expression was a mix of guilt and shame. “it’s just a stupid quiz miss. l/n..” he muttered.

“megumi fushiguro, i will not allow you to fail. you have potential, so use it.”

megumi stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his bowtie to properly fit his collar, as he recalled one of the earliest memories of you. it was about the third time he’s ‘fixed’ his bowtie, only for him to undo it and try again. 

the elegant dining hall in the hotel was full of live music, soft murmuring from the people attending and clinking of silverware. there were government officials, professional sport players, and well known clans from all of japan. a small dinner hosted by gojo that was only supposed to be a sign of his gratitude turned into an elite party posted on all the newspapers. 

despite his nose being filled with smells of his favorite dishes, and his ears listening to his favorite band perform downstairs, he couldn't help but be nervous. you were told it was going to be a small dinner but there were news reporters outside the hotel. there were the regular common folk outside the gates as well, hoping to get a glance of the life of being an elite. no matter how prepared you thought you were, you weren’t prepared enough. 

you sit across your friend from her dining table. the both of you attended the same university back in the united states. the difference is that you were majoring in education while she was getting her doctorate within two years as a foreign exchange student. to say her strive for excellence consumed her entire life was an understatement. it had been so long since the two of you had a chance to reunite, with her busy running a hospital at 26 and yourself being busy settling down in japan. 

“so i have dinner tonight with one of my students' guardians,” you mentioned as you took a bite from one of the side dishes provided to you. her home was no doubt worth over 90 million ¥. the floors were a clean and white marble and the walls seemed to stretch so high it could reach the clouds. it almost looked like a hospital, how ironic. 

“i’m really excited since the dinner is to be hosted in the grand hotel in central tokyo.” you mentioned. 

suddenly, the servants that rushed from point A to point B stopped, your friend dropped her fork into her soup and the dogs stopped barking. it goes dead silent and the only noise heard was your slow chewing.

“y/n.. did you just say you’re having dinner at the gojo grand hotel? you know, the one everybody in japan has been talking about?!” shoko whispered-yelled. 

“uh- yeah, mr. gojo invited me to-”

a servant puts herself into the conversation, “the gojo satoru personally invited you to attend?? how do you come across him so casually! they say he’s japan’s bruce wayne, never seen in public unless its-”

“unless it’s for business. someone like you would’ve never come across him! neither of us would except ms. shoko..” another chimes in. by now everyone is looking at you and whispering comments. with the limited information provided, you assume mr. gojo was a rare sighting, like bigfoot.

“do you not know who satoru is? do-does she not know?” shoko asked around, slightly laughing at the confusion written all over your face. shoko takes a sip from her wine as she rubbed her nose. 

“you’re going to the gojo clan’s resort dressed like that?” she teased and everyone around you let out a muffled giggle. 

you looked down at your casual attire. “what’s wrong with what i’m wearing?”  

shoko grabs you by the arm, pulling you out from the dining room. “come with me. you’ll thank me later but you cannot go looking like that.” 

you find yourself going in and out of her walk in dressing room, and being rated how how flattering the dress fits you. 

as you’re changing out of one of many dresses, shoko mentions gojo again. “you know, him and i go way back.” 

you turn to her, “mr gojo?” you suck your stomach in as she tightens the back of another dress. “i’ve never heard of him.” 

“of course you haven’t, you foreigners know nothing about japan’s elite.” you watched her from the mirror in front of you, her eyebrows knit together when she’s tying the back of the dress. 

“japan’s elite?” you questioned.

“satoru is from the gojo clan, one of the richest and old money family in japan. his family owns like half of

japan,” your mouth slowly gapes open as she reveals this information. “they say when you stand next to satoru, you’re nothing but an ant compared to him.” 

shoko pauses to admire you. the dark navy floor length dress flattered you in all the right places. it was certainly something out of your tax bracket.

“he’s apart of the most influential family ever.” she whispered. in a way, she wanted to warn you of what you’re about to step into. it’s a different world than the one you’re living in. 

“how do you know him then?” 

“we met back in high school. he’s the only reason i was able to attend school overseas.”

you looked back at her, “what do you mean?” 

“he paid for my tuition.” she smiled.

your face goes pale. if it weren’t for your full ride scholarship, there wasn’t a chance in the world you’d be where you are now. standford wasn’t exactly the most affordable option. 

suddenly, your stomach starts turning and flipping in ways you didn’t want it to. it was nerve wracking. 

“y/n, don’t be nervous about attending the party. sure, he has a shit ton of money but he’s still a humble guy deep down.” you snort at the last comment. how could someone as rich as him be humble?

“i think i’ll feel a lot better if you came with me shoko.” you face her as she cups your face with the gentle care you’d give a wilted flower. 

“i guess seeing that blue eyed freak won’t be too bad.” 

as the car pulled up to the main entrance of the hotel, your heart started pounding rapidly fast. you continue to wipe your sweaty palms against your seat before stepping out the car. the valet takes the keys from shoko before greeting you. 

“you look amazing, y/n. don’t stress. you belong here just as much as anyone else here.” she whispered some words of encouragement before you spot a familiar jet black haired boy. 

“megumi!” you exclaimed excitedly. relief came washing over you as you spotted your student. 

megumi, dressed in a black and white tux, gave you a soft smile before walking up to you. he extends his arm as he offered to escort you inside. 

“ms. l/n! i’m really happy to see you. i know this was supposed to be small but gojo got caught up with his business.” he continues to hold onto your arm before letting go when the both of you enter, allowing an attendant takes your coat from you. 

he guides you through the lobby and, into the ballroom that is covered in marble floors and crystal chandeliers. all of it scream luxury as you admired the family portraits and spotting a familiar white haired male as a baby. 

megumi finds gojo across the ballroom before you do since you’re too occupied on viewing the art. “gojo has a habit of making things a lot bigger than it needs to be. i’ll leave you in his care.” 

from across the ballroom, gojo observed megumi guiding you through the room with an unusual feeling of anxiety. he had always been confident, some may say overly confident, in meeting new people or greeting them. introducing himself to others was something he knew like the back of his palm. he was charismatic and witty; people loved him.

but tonight felt different the moment he laid his eyes on you. the blue gown, that coincidentally matched his tie, caught the eye of not just himself but every other man in the room. he was around the presence of the most important figures yet he felt a twinge of nervousness in his stomach build up as you got closer and closer. 

‘seriously? out of all the nights to feel this way it just had to be tonight?’ he thought. 

he glanced around the room, desperately trying to maintain his composure, but his thoughts were going 100 miles a minute. it felt like he was back in secondary school and had a schoolboy crush. 

gojo felt a surge of warmth as you presented yourself in front of him. you looked even more breathtaking up close. you had his full attention. before you could see through him, he quickly puts up his business facade. “ms. l/n! it’s a pleasure to see you tonight.” he said in his infamous charismatic manner. 

you shake his hand that he extended out. “the pleasure is all mine. although, i was told this would be a small dinner between you, megumi and myself.” you joked.

he chuckled a bit before leading you into a private room upstairs. the conversation on the way up flows naturally, starting off how the day was going for the both of you. 

“wait wait wait, let me get this straight. you had no idea who i was before you shoko? and you know shoko too?!” the two of you were a few drinks in. a slight blush was spread across his cheeks. 

“well i am a foreigner, i wasn’t aware how prominent your family is.” you giggled as you took another sip of wine. 

laughter bounced off the walls as the two of you dined together the entire night. he found himself captivated by your intelligence, kindness and how naive you were. 

and for the first time in gojo’s life, he felt truly engaged in a conversation. nothing business or family related, only a genuine conversation between two people. 

tag list @roscpctals99 @poeticlovefanpage @mistyheart @sureconfused @chilichopsticks @lightshowerrr @faeryminnyx @0001010dog @myabae @nivi @therealestpussyeater @kolpvii @sleepykittycx @browrm @tojisworm-5 @universallystrangeravenue @catobsessedlady @shivzypuff @nico707 @invisible-mori @peqch-pie @dilflover-3 @lovelivelaygh1324 @moOsin @gojoracle @foliea @honoredalone @goldenglow149 @portgas459ace @sealsu @misorastars @hyori2 @selysixn @silkija @prettylvne @r0ckst4rjk @ritsatoru @starlostwish @yihona-san06 @zoeyflower @mx-mekla @iaminyourfloors @gabi-moureira  @thesharkcollector @misorastars @hyori2 @selysixn @miffysoo @lordbugs @mimidonottouch @moonlightazriel @bubybubsters

[pinkacademiaprincess]

“she’s like a real life elle woods…”

fictional study icons guide, part 2: elle woods

relentlessly chase your goals

similar to rory, elle set her sights on harvard law and let nothing get in her way. people doubted her, she had no background in law, and nevertheless she made it happen. having a goal and wanting something is one thing, but you have to make it happen. elle spoke with an academic counselor, created a plan for herself, and meticulously checked off all the requirements. you can’t just sit around and hope you get what you want! determine the end goal, outline all the steps that you need to take to get there, and get to it.

have faith in yourself

throughout the process of getting into and attending harvard law, elle dealt with so many people who doubted her, were mean, and underestimated her. if she listened to all those people, she never would have applied or stayed in law school. no one knows you like you know yourself, so do not let strangers’ negative opinions of you rule your life. people assumed elle was unintelligent and not fit for law school, but she knew that she could succeed and she did. no one decides what you can or can’t do but you. tune out any criticism that isn’t constructive, focus on your strengths, and seek your goals.

let your personality shine

elle always had a strong sense of self. even when she started going to law school, in a totally new environment from her previous college, she stayed true to her personality. she continued dressing in pink outfits, getting her hair & nails done, and got school supplies to match her girly aesthetic. when you go to class, let your personality show through your outfits, accessories, school supplies - find little ways to bring yourself happiness through self- expression. especially when school and classes might seem to rule your life, these small personal touches will help keep you positive.

study with others

elle used the tactic of studying with others to help stay focused & accountable. when she was studying for the lsat, she had one of her sorority sisters keep her on track & practice with her. for some, it can be helpful to “body double,” or to have someone else with you while you study/ work to keep you on task. it might also help to have a study buddy to quiz you and work through problems together. at harvard she also tries to join a study group, which shows she generally thrives when studying/ working in a group setting. if this is something that works for you, find a classmate or group of classmates willing to meet up & body double or study together!

stay active

nowadays, a lot of schooling requires you to either sit at a laptop or hunch over notes for countless hours of your day. being seated for so long with questionable posture is not good for you, humans are meant to be active! elle is shown walking on a treadmill while she studies, and combining physical activity with schoolwork can be really effective for some. engaging your body while engaging your mind might help you focus better. otherwise, try to get some daily movement to give your body a break from being stiff & seated. find physical activity that you enjoy - going for walks outdoors, taking a sports class, hitting the gym, doing a youtube workout video, playing music & dancing like a maniac - move your body and have fun with it! in the words of elle, “exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy.”

pet therapy!

elle woods is always accompanied by her beloved chihuahua bruiser. spending time with animals is a great way to boost your mood & relieve stress. if you have a pet, spending time with them, petting them, having them in your lap or nearby are all ways you can take advantage of their presence to feel happier & more relaxed.

that’s all! elle is such an inspiration to me tbh. she really embodies that being true to yourself & being kind to others are the keys to success. good luck in your studies! 🩷

[carlatsukinamistolemyhamsandwich]

Diaboy Yandere Quiz Results

So if you haven't taken my "which one of the diabolik lovers boys would go yandere for you?" quiz, you might want to do that before reading the rest of this post. If you have taken the quiz and are curious as to what the other results are like but don't want to retake said quiz 14 times, then this post is for you! Below the cut are the yandere!diaboy x reader drabbles for every diaboy + Karl that I wrote for the quiz.

Quick warning: These drabbles feature dark content including themes of imprisonment, torture, blackmail and stalking.

Combined these results have a total word count of 3.4k :') If you enjoy them, let me know which one is your favourite!

Shuu

You’re crying again. You’re not being loud about it but from where you’re currently splayed half on top of him—the heat of you warming his bones in lieu of the fireplace he refuses to light—it would be impossible for him not to notice the faint trembling of your body and the growing wet patch on his shoulder. There isn’t any point in saying much when you’re like this, which is somewhat ironic when you’re the only person he’d even consider putting the effort in for. Instead he shifts slightly, moving his arm over you so you’re more securely held against him while the other slips out one of his earbuds and places it into your ear instead. He’s not stupid, he knew what dragging you to the other side of the world—far away from everything you’d ever known—would do to you, but if he’s honest with himself he’d do it again in a heartbeat. It was your own fault, in a way, for making him care, for making the fear when he saw the way Reiji looked at you sharp enough to cut through the numbness he’d lived with for so long. Yes, it was you who’d sought him out in the first place, so no matter how miserable you might be now, you only had yourself to blame.

Reiji

The tea in your cup is poisoned. You’re sure of it, even without the faint bitterness tainting the delicate aroma, you can tell from the look in Reiji’s eyes alone—you’ve seen it often enough. The question is what concoction he’s prepared for you this time; whether he’s decided he’d rather you be numb and pliant or feverish with want. Still, you do not break your composure, remaining the image of grace as you lift the cup to your mouth. The tight corset your captor has forced upon is not nearly as constricting as the way he watches you, his own cup left ignored on the table. Months ago you’d have scoffed at the idea of someone willing drinking poisoned tea, but now you are aware the consequences if you do not will be far worse than whatever toxins he’s prepared for you. He won’t kill you, you don’t think, not when the way he looks at you can only be described as obsessive. You used to think it came from his desire to mold you into his ideal of a perfect partner, but now you’re not so sure. Sometimes, when you catch him watching you while you’re supposed to be asleep, you wonder if just maybe he simply wants you. A pity for him then, that no matter how many restraints he binds you with or drugs he pours down your throat, you will ensure your heart remains forever out of his reach.

Ayato

Blood always tastes at its best when the person being drunk from enjoys it. It’s something Ayato figured out after the old bastard let them loose in the human world, the occasional sacrificial bride being ferried in to keep them from causing enough trouble to attract unwanted attention. But no blood has ever tasted as sweet as yours when you’re pinned down beneath him, whimpering in the ecstasy of having your lifeblood drained away and mixing with his. He draws away only briefly to take note of your expression, eyes screwed up with tears of pleasure brewing at the corners. You look amazing like this, even better than you had in the cute little cheerleading outfit you’d worn to school sports games, back before he’d had his first taste of you. You’d screamed the first time, your usual bright enthusiasm falling off your features as you’d realized what he was. And yet you’d still come to your practice the very next day, a brightly coloured band-aid on your neck to hide the marks. When he’d come back for a second bite, you’d only struggled a little—enough to keep things interesting, but not so much that you could fool him into thinking you were actually trying to get away. No, you want to be here, he’s certain of it, and he’s generous enough to keep you.

Kanato

You’re alone again today. Sitting perfectly still, empty bento box in your lap, eyes shut as you listen to a soft melodic tune through your headphones. You look lovely like this, the moonlight filtering through the window painting the planes of your face a silvery hue. It's only the fact you look so peaceful—almost like one of his wax dolls—that keeps Kanato from tearing your headphones away. He will, once he's had enough of watching you like this, and he knows from your previous encounters that the wide-eyed expression you’ll make is almost as good as the one you wear now. The still healing marks from his fangs peek out from the collar of your white school shirt and the corner of his lips twist. You’ve not told any of your schoolmates of any of your encounters, he’s certain of it from how closely he’s been watching you. If anything, you’ve isolated yourself even further than you already were, only briefly exchanging pleasantries in that barely there voice of yours he’s grown so fond of. The air stirs faintly, a gentle breeze through a cracked open window, and you open your eyes. The fear is immediate as you take in his face, close enough to yours that you should have been able to feel his breath—if he had any need to breathe. He does now, to take in the scent of your terror, and it is oh so very sweet.

Laito

Laito has broken so many mortal things, he’s long since lost count. He can’t even remember what all of them looked like, but he does remember the expressions on their faces in their final moments—fervent devotion, desperation and sometimes just pure madness. You, however, he’s had for months, and yet the light has yet to fade from your eyes despite his very best efforts. Sometimes you even look at him with pity—likely due to what you’ve put together of his history from the scraps of it scattered over the manor—though those days have grown less frequently since he made your move to his room a permanent affair. Now when you look at him, it’s mostly filled with a hatred that burns brighter than any emotion he’s ever had from his other lovers. It’s intoxicating, more so than even your blood. Laito’s not sure when exactly he stopped wanting anyone else to see it—or when he stopped wanting anything else for that matter. He thinks you feel the same way, that you’d like nothing more than to see him dead, enough that it keeps the spark inside of you burning bright. You’d confessed to believing in love once in the early days and he’d laughed at you for it. Even now the memory makes him scoff, for the love you spoke of that day could never possibly compare to this.

Subaru

You get the impression you’re being watched. It’s subtle at first, a small movement at the corner of your eye that vanishes as soon as you turn towards it. A faint prickle on the back of your neck every so often when you walk through the hallway. It doesn’t take long for things to escalate, until you can no longer shake the feeling of eyes on you almost everywhere you go. You think there’s something else going on too, the underclassman who you could have sworn had a crush on you now refuses to so much as look at you and he’d gone running like the devil himself was on his tail when you’d tried to approach him. Other people around you have started behaving weirdly too, a strange hush following you wherever you go, your fellow students going out of their way to avoid jostling you when you have move classrooms between lessons. There is one constant in all of this, and you’re starting to wonder if he might somehow be responsible for it. Subaru Sakamaki, despite the prestige of his father’s name, has the air of someone who’s had a difficult life. You’d decided to make an effort to be kind to him when you’d first noticed it, not necessarily going out of your way to hunt him down, but to grant him a little more patience and understanding than you might normally. He’s currently the only person who hasn’t started acting like you’ve contracted some horrible contagious disease, but you do catch him looking at you strangely sometimes. The moment he notices and immediately turns away are the few occasions you no longer feel watched. His expression in those moments is a bit like someone caught between wanting something but feeling conflicted over whether or not they should have it. And for some reason, the thought that he may eventually make up his mind fills you with nothing but dread.

Ruki

You’re being difficult again. It’s not that Ruki had believed you were past this stage—far from it in fact—but he had thought the punishment you’d received in your last session with him might have at least served as a temporary reminder to not push his limits again so soon. He knows the wounds have yet to properly heal from the faint trace of your blood that blossoms in the air whenever you move in a way that strains the skin of your back—and yet still you insist on running your mouth. Ruki regards you coldly for a moment. Back when he’d first met you, he might have mistaken the look on your face for defiance, but now he takes note of how brightly your eyes shine, the faint tremble of your lower lip. You’re lashing out because you’re afraid, like a cornered animal that hasn’t yet learnt not to bite the hand that feeds. He closes his book and places it to the side, not missing the way you try to hide your flinch as he stands up. There need to be consequences for this type of behaviour, there’s no point in putting this much effort into your training if not, but rather feeling annoyed, Ruki finds himself almost pleased at the prospect. For as much as your insolence grinds, there’s something about the way your tough façade breaks almost as soon as he gets started—and in the way you fall apart under his hands with the sting of antiseptic that follows. You cling to him sometimes, half delirious with pain, and it’s those moments he finds he savours the most.

Kou

Kou chuckles as you cling onto his arm, still unused to the heels he’d forced you into before you left the mansion. It’s honestly pretty cute, although not as cute as the way you keep glancing around anxiously, convinced that at any moment now his fans will appear around the corner and start baying for your blood. That same fear, however, is the only reason you’re here in the first place—his demand in return for not posting staged pictures of the two of you tangled together online. You’re actually doing pretty well all things considered, you even manage to flash him a wobbling smile when he tells you about the café he’s taking you to. Kou can’t quite decide what he likes most about about your little arrangement—that you’ve gotten good enough at acting that he can almost pretend you’re on a date with him because you want to be, or that the scent of your fear in the air tells him is doesn’t really matter because he has you right in the palm of his hand. 

Yuma

Yuma’s used to people being intimidated by him. If not for his stature, and it usually is, then the way he speaks is often enough to set those around him slightly on edge. Not you though. No, the first time you meet, you look him dead in the eye without a hint of any sort of fear in your face. It’s not a judging look either, more of an assessment, that you realize he is used to being one of the biggest people in the room but that will carry no weight with you. It feels more like a challenge than anything else, and he feels the tips of one of fangs peek out from where the corner of his lip curls into a smirk. You never show fear when you look at him in any of your subsequent meetings either, even when you really should—like now, when he’s keeping your hands secured above your head with only the sheer weight of him. You're not stupid enough to put up a real fight, not when you can already feel the strain on your bones from his grip, but you are stubborn. And the defiance in your face even when you’re pinned helplessly just makes your blood taste all the sweeter for it.

Azusa

It had been an accident, the first time you’d pushed him down the stairs. You’d been in a rush, running late to one of your classes, when you’d tripped over your own feet, the hand you threw out to steady yourself slamming into the back of someone you hadn’t realized was there. All you could do was watch with a look of horror as the figure lost their balance and fell right down the otherwise abandoned stairwell. Perhaps you should have registered there was something wrong then, when instead of crying or getting angry at you or having any sort of normal response to being shoved down a set of stairs, Azusa—as you’d later come to find out his name was—had simply sat up and stared up at you like you were some kind of god. The second time you’d pushed Azusa down the stairs was less of an accident. He hadn’t left you alone after the first unfortunate incident and no amount of apologizing or promises it wouldn’t happen again were enough to get rid of him. One day, he’d managed to corner you after the ring of the final bell, standing so close you could feel an eerie coldness emanating from his body, and you felt the final threads of your patience snap. In truth, you hadn’t registered how close you were to those wretched stairs—too focused on the primitive part of your brain that screamed to get away from the strange boy—and thus, the quick short shove you gave him was enough to send him tumbling a second time. You’d stood there, frozen, as he slowly sat up, a rivulet of blood trailing down his face from where he must have knocked his head on the way down. And yet the injury was not the most appalling part of the scene. No, that right was reserved for the look of pure adoration in his eyes, directed straight at you.

Carla

You’re too kind for your own good. It’s something Carla’s become painfully aware of over the months he’s known you. At first he’d believed you were simply frightened by him, acting on his wishes to avoid his wrath as so many others had done in the past. But he’s familiar with the scent of your fear now and it is not fear you feel when you check on him after hearing the Endzeit-induced coughs from his room or when you make dishes with cured ham for him after he let slip that he was fond of it. It is a weakness, he thinks, but one he could perhaps tolerate if simply reserved for him. It is not however, anyone who crosses your path is greeted with your good nature and it eats at Carla’s insides far more than the disease rotting his blood. He is the Founder King, he should be able to have what he wants. And he will have you, all of you, so that no one else ever will.

Shin

Shin knows you like him, at least, he’s nearly certain of it. Because despite the hell he’d put you through after you first met, you’d still ended up hanging around him. The once fear-filled look on face whenever you saw him slowly becoming resigned until, at some point, your gaze had started to turn heated. For Shin’s part, you’d only been a bit of idle amusement at first, someone to terrorize whenever the frustration of his and Carla’s situation got to be too much. Eventually, however, your interactions had gone from being a way to pass the time to something he looked forward to; a wolf anticipating a meal. It was the first time he’d noticed the look of want in your eyes that he’d started to feel the same. So then why? If you want him, why does he never quite feel like he has you? His initial conclusion had been that it was something to do with Carla, that you were trying to pull one over on him to cosy up to the Founder King. But no amount of stalking from you from the shadows or checking on your scent every time he saw you had revealed that anything was going on between the two of you. If anything, you actively avoid his brother—Shin’s only ever seen you in the same room together when he himself is present. Perhaps you’re still hung up on how your relationship started, some part of you yet to forgive him for all the things he did to you. Or maybe, you’re doing it on purpose. After all, you’ve seen enough of his wolf form to know that when something runs away, there’s always an instinctive drive to chase.

Kino

Kino makes it seem like a coincidence when he runs into you outside of the local games arcade. You have no need to know he’d seen your social media post featuring a photo of a popular new café, the one opposite the shop he’d lingered in, waiting to stage this particular encounter. He’s done it a couple of times now—pulling at the strings attached to you to arrange these chance meetings. A couple of months ago he could never have imagined putting this much effort into a single human, especially one who wasn’t the Vampire Lord’s chosen Eve, but now it's turned into a game of sorts—to what degree can he entangle you in this web before you start to notice. It’s going well so far, you think him a simple classmate who’s a regular in the area—you’ve even given him your ID for a couple of the games you have on your phone. Tonight’s looking to be a lot of fun too. In just a couple of minutes, the friend you’d been hanging out with will get a call from their mother who should have just received a selection of pictures showing her precious darling skipping the cram school she paid oh so much money for. The friend will likely get called home—a shame, Kino will say, with a smile on his lips, but there’s no reason he and you can’t still have some fun before the night is over.

Karlheinz

Under any other circumstances, the scene before you would have had you swooning. A meal not out of place in a Michelin star restaurant laid out beautifully before you on top of an intricately carved antique table with possibly the most handsome man you’d ever laid eyes on seated at the opposite end to you, swirling a glass full of a rich, red liquid. The view out of the floor to ceiling windows is spectacular, a sky full of stars and a view of the forest and various small towns far below. Except these are not other circumstances, and the man who sits, watching you carefully as you cut into your food is none other than the Vampire King himself—and you are quite certain that it’s not wine that sits in his cup. The view is no comfort either, not when you know you are looking out over the demon world, a place that you’re sure would be quite hostile to you if not for the protection of the man keeping you here. Not that you’d gotten any real chance to see it save for the view from the castle you hadn’t left once in the months since you’d arrived here. You tell if the complete lack of any sort of guard makes you feel better or worse, on one hand at least you’re not followed everywhere, but on the other hand, the fact Karlheinz is powerful enough to keep you here without them makes the odds of escape seem slim. 

[thetourturedwritersclub]

Finis vitae sed non amoris-its the end of life but not of love

Chapter Four: December

December 1st 1976

Dear diary,

The quiz was really easy. I guess all that studying did pay off. I saw James on the hall today. I quietly observed him. He was laughing, his smile as bright as the sun. James has a very special charm, a very comforting one I would say. But he's also incredibly annoying at times (a big portion of it).

Goodbye for now

R. A. B

December 3rd 1976

Dear diary,

I hung out with Narcissa today. We took a walk around the Black Lake. It's her last year at Hogwarts and I don't want her to go. Narcissa is my favourite cousin. She's the one I confine in. She is like my safe space. But I want her to be happy. And if Malfoy makes her happy, so be it.

Goodbye for now.

R. A. B

December 5th 1976

Dear diary,

I had another tutoring session with Potter today. This time we discussed Amortentia. The potion of love. We spoke of the effects of the Potion and I taught him how to prepare it. One thing I've really noticed is that James, yes James. We're on a first name basis now.

Has started concentrating more and has stared paying more attention. Which is nice, it does show that our hard work is paying of. The atmosphere has become filled with a tension I can't quite name. Which is a shame because I thought we were becoming somewhat friends.

Goodbye for now

R. A. B

December 7th 1976

Dear diary,

I finished the book Remus gave me. And it was so incredible and heartbreaking at the same time. Incredible in the way that it's written, yet while having a heartbreaking story. I feel really bad for Orpheus. His insecurities are his biggest regrets. His is going to regret his lack off trust forever

Goodbye for now

R. A. B

December 11th 1976

Dear diary,

Today the Hufflepuf versus Ravenclaw match took place. Pandora was doing the commentary. Now one thing to know is that Panda isn't the most well-versed when it comes to sports like Quidditch. Frankly she doesn't care at all.So the commentary involved a lot of cursing, chaotic descriptions and it was hilarious. I'm glad I saw the match. I'm glad I didn't stay in my dorm.

But I did see a pair of hazel eyes on the crowd looking at me. A pair of very pretty eyes that belonged to James Potter. He was just quietly looking at me with such a soft look on his dumb face that made me feel... strange. Really strange. His expression changed rather quickly when he noticed I was looking back at him. It went from soft, to calm to nervous and embarrassed. My face showed it less but I went threw the same mental roller coaster.

Goodbye for now

R. A. B

December 16th 1976

Dear diary,

Merlin I have been busy. So busy. School can sometimes take you like an angry storm which lasts for days.

Goodbye for now

R. A. B

December 17th 1976

Dear diary,

I have been invited to form a book club with Remus and Lily. Remus and I have become friends. We meet at the library occasionally. I'm really excited and happy. Goodbye for now.

R. A. B

December 20th 1976

Dear diary,

Today was the last day of classes because of Winter break. Thank you Merlin! I'm spending it at Hogwarts with my friends. For five days it's Christmas so I went shopping with my friends. You say where particularly? I say outside of Hogwarts territories

We snuck out to go shopping. I noticed Barty was looking at some type of piercings machine and I got that for him. Secretly of course. For Evan I got a model of the human skeleton which came with a book about anatomy. For Dorcas I got set of paints and brushes. For Remus I got a murder mystery by Agatha Christie and a box of chocolates. For James I made a cart and got him a red sweater with an embroidered lion. It reminded me of him because he is really adamant to show his Griffindoor pride. I think it's nice and I hope he likes it. Goodbye for now.

R. A. B

December 25th 1976

Dear diary,

Merry Christmas!! We had a Christmas gathering at the common room, since we were the only students from Slytherin staying at Hogwarts.

We ate a nice breakfast and decided to explore the castle until lunch, then we ate said lunch. After that I went to the library and met Remus. The library has become our meeting spot now. I always find him there after lunch. I gave him the present and he seemed to like it.

From the library I left with an annotated copy of "Anna Karenina". Which such a sweet gesture and incredible gift. I thanked him and gave him a hug. I thought about asking him to give my gift to James but then I realised that was really cowardly so I didn't. I went and gave to him myself.

Well to be honest,he approached me first. I wished him merry christmas, asked him if I was spending it here at Hogwarts. He was and I gave him the gift. Strangely he also gave me gift in return. A necklace. A beautiful silver necklace with my name on it. He looked so nervous for my reaction, while I was thinking that this was the second most beautiful thing I ever layed eyes on. I smiled at him like a damn foul and thanked him. He helped me put it on. When his fingers touched the back of my neck I felt sparks of electricity.

He opened the gift I gave him and he looked very happy. He thanked hugged me. We took a walk together in the yard untill he had to go to his friends and I met up with mine. We went for dinner and then in the common room to open the gifts, like a big happy family.

Pandora had crocheted me an emerald green sweater, Barty got me star shaped earrings, Evan got me a new notebook and quill set, with a cart which said :" For your poems, because I know you love to write - With Love Evan", and Dorcas made me a painting.

By the end of the night I wanted to cry, tears of joy of course. Even tho I say that sometimes I feel like a parent, I'm just so grateful to be surrounded by such an incredible and thoughtful group of people. Usually I don't show a lot of emotion and have good composure but it takes so much energy to not smile all the time when people make you happy. It's just so draining to not show emotion in fear of being perceived as weak. It takes so much energy to always be so composed.

Goodbye for now,

R. A. B

December 28th 1976

Dear diary,

I reorganised my part of the dorm. Now it looks nicer. It has less of a mess and more decorations.

Goodbye for now

R. A. B

December 31st 1976

Dear diary

We went to the Griffidoor New Year party today. It was nice. It wasn't extremely loud which I do appreciate. We were all so drunk. Evan and Barty were dancing, giving their all. While Sirius was singing Rasputin on top of a table. He looked crazy and I was struggling to contain my laugh. Marlene and Dorcas were making out on a corner while Panda was making moves on Lily.

I went outside for some fresh air and there I meet James. He also was there for fresh air, while drunkenly flirting with me. I had to say I was enjoying myself. Then the clock went 11:59. Almost midnight, when James Potter asked me question I never thought I'd hear from his mouth.

" Do you want to kiss me at midnight?". And then I replied with. "Only if you promise me a real kiss next year." He replied grinning "Yes." and kissed me. How much I wished that yes was true.

And then we kissed.

Goodbye for now

R. A. B

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello yall!!! This chapter features : Drunk! Starchaser, Regulus angst, Platonic moonwater, Panda lily, Rose killer, Dorlene and so much more. Also Regulus is drunk and spontaneous here. This chapter was so long and bit difficult to write bc I'm not rlly good with the emotional or romantic stuff, I'm more of a scenery and dynamics person. Tho it was so fun to write! Hope yall enjoy it!

Amazing ppl who wanted to be tagged (tell me if you want to be tagged or unttaged) :

@ivy-is-chaos

@reddamselette

@permetutotheworld

@that-stressed-out-chic

@raine-ray

@blurstardust

[hannieluvsyou]

Super shy.

Kwon Soonyoung x Reader

description: Wherein the loud boy gets smitten with his seatmate, the shy girl.

genre: fluff

warnings: swearing.

note: I apologize in advance for any typos or grammatical errors.

'This guy keeps staring at me...' I thought as I shift uncomfortably in my seat, trying to ignore the intense stare that shoots holes through the side of my head.

Who you may ask? Kwon Soonyoung. My seatmate.

Ever since he became my seatmate, he's a bit too uh... Loud for my liking. I don't really pay him any mind but his stares and loud mouth make me sweat literal fucking bullets.

"Hey uh– do you have a spare pen?" I quickly looked at him, surprised at the sudden question. He just stares at me as he waits for my response.

'Shit shit shit what do I say?!' I internally panic as I look for a pen.

Soonyoung patiently waits with sweaty palms. He finally talked to you! Even if you looked scared shitless, he talked to you! All he has to do now is do it every chance he gets. The hard part is well, talking to you.

Talking to people is like taking a walk in the park for him. But when it comes to you, it's a completely different story. His usual loud ass mouth becomes a thin line and his usually relaxed eyes are almost bulging out of it's sockets.

After some time, he saw a pen slide on his side of the desk.

"Here, I hope you don't mind. I don't have any other pen available." I say as I play with the pages of my book.

Soonyoung stares at the unicorn themed pen in his hand.

'Cute.' He fanboyed in his mind, pink dusting his cheeks.

He clutched it and looked at you with sparkly eyes.

"I like it!" He started. "Thank you." He said while sporting a blinding smile.

"No problem..." I whisper lowly. I don't think he heard me but his smile that widened says otherwise.

He knows that you're a shy one, but that does not stop him from feeling these particular emotions. He strongly believes that 'opposites attract'.

A few days have passed since that interaction. I have embarrassed myself once, I'm not letting myself get embarrassed twice. I just have to avoid him for as long as I can. It's not that I don't like the guy, I just don't think that we'll ever get along.

Soonyoung on the other hand, will do anything just to talk to you. Accidentally bumping into you, asking for notes, inviting you for lunch, he has tried everything. Yet what does he get? A scared expression and quick nods. It's not like he's not hurt about it, but he understands that you may be a bit overwhelmed with his advances.

But today may be the day that things will change.

I have a quiz today, and that means that I only got 2 hours of sleep. I might've aced the exam but I am tired as hell.

I can't help the bobbing of my head. 'It feels like I have a fucking brick as a head.' I thought while my eyes are only halfway open.

Soonyoung of course notices, and is about to ask if you're okay. But before he can, your head is immediately met by the hard table resulting in a loud 'bam!' sound. You remained still, already fast asleep. Luckily for you, there was only four other people in the room that don't seem to really care.

'Her position looks really uncomfortable..' he thought. An idea came up, but he ponders for a bit since you might not approve.

Finally he caves in and gently brushes the stray hairs out of your face, admiring your face in the process.

"So cute.." he said quietly as to not wake you up.

He shifts your position and now you're head is laying on his shoulder while his arm is securely wrapped around you. You unconsciously snuggle closer to him.

You stir a bit and notice your change in position. You look up and see Soonyoungs face, but before you can say anything he silently assures you that it's okay.

You ponder for a bit but doze off again, wrapping your arms around his waist slowly.

'I guess he's not that bad..' I thought before fully letting darkness engulf my vision.

He prays that you won't kill him when you fully wake up but for now, he'll enjoy this moment with you.

[honey-minded-hivemind]

Another cute scene I thought of:

Kitty: what did you guys get on question 6?

Pietro: I got 7

Wanda: I got 9

Kitty: Damn, I got 42, guess I flunked this math quiz… Reader, what did you get?

Reader, with this expression 🫠: I got George Washington…

-Later-

Professor Xavier (who’s favorite student definitely isn’t reader, what are you talking about?): I got your tests back. Except for Readers, sadly your test…drowned. You get an A though

- ❤️ Anon

🤣😂😅 Oh dear... I can see that happening! But I raise you this: What if Reader actually was correct? Now that would be hilarious 😆...

• I headcanon Reader is great with things like algebra and multiplication, just maybe not word questions in math or English

• Reader is good with drawing notes, charts, and diagrams/pictures for science, biology and anatomy classes. Scarily accurate, in a way, at least compared to the other teens closer to their age

• Reader has weaker arms, but really strong legs. They're a good defense on sports teams, so they're more likely to block someone or hit/kick/strike the ball to someone else (they accidentally kicked someone in the shin, hard enough for then to fall over in agony)

• Reader is good at baking/cooking. They tend to be okay with measurements, but struggle a bit when it comes to dry vs. wet ingredients and diffent oven temperatures

• I'm going to say the campus appears similar to a boarding school: Everyone lives there, basically

• Reader does not have a roommate; they are invited to stay over with others, though... or have a few platonic yans invite themselves to stay over with Reader in their room

• The town near the school (it's a few miles out) is pretty much like a ghost town, save for a few odd individuals... There are places to go for field trips, such as a science and history museum, an aquarium, an art museum, and some landmarks/environments such as a mountain range, the beach/coast, and a few forests...

• The Town has a few places to visit, for food or clothes or movies, it's just... really, really quiet... If it weren't for the few people living there, one would think they're in the middle of nowhere...

• Is there a uniform? Not exactly? Everyone has to wear a wristband that states their name and school number, but otherwise? There isn't much of a dress code

• The campus has dorms, it has a few built-in cafes and galleries, as well as an auditorium, gymnasium, pool, garden, library, and a few other places... (Don't look beneath the /&>=# &!))... )

• The students and teachers have their own living areas and recreational rooms. Sometimes the students throw large sleepovers in one or two of their rec rooms, because no one's room is big enough to hold everyone; Reader, once they join the school, is being invited to these sleepovers almost every time

• The students, the mutants ones, have their mutations. Sometimes they have to take a day or two off, due to them (namely those who have feral mutations and instincts, those with mind-reading or telepathy, those with specific needs where their mutation has to be controlled, ex. Rogue wearing gloves, Scott wearing glasses, etc.)

• Reader has a mutation, but for some unknown reason, it isn't showing or known to the students or teachers... They've had tests done and had the feral mutants see if they can scent the X-gene from them (it causes a distinct scent), and so far Reader has passed each test... It's confusing for a lot of them...

• There is a dark secret buried beneath everything, something pulling a few characters' strings and forcing paths and actions... But this secret keeps itself hidden and unknown... What I can say, without spoiling anything, is that it's not one person who's behind it... It's several...

And these are a few fun facts to know about the 📒Mutant High🧪 AU!

(Thank you, ❤ Anon, or Bee🐝!) (Or BeaBee🐝!)

[minkkumaz]

I'M JUST YOUR PROBLEM

after blowing you off, you never thought that things between you and kyungmin would be the same. and it didn't, he was your enemy. when finally getting the chance to confront him about all the shit he's done, why does it make you want want to try making up with him?

DISTANT LANDS AND OTHER ADVENTURES series

PAIRING cho kyungmin x fem!reader WC 2.6k TAGS enemies to lovers trope. forced proximity trope. school au. angst/fluff. cussing. kissing. making up. bsf minho. like one kys joke. OMI NOTE marceline songs hit like ten times different so writing this literally had me pumped. i've never done forced proximity before but it's extremely fitting.

cho kyungmin was quite literally the spawn of satan, your sworn enemy til the day you’d die. the face that you fell for ended up being the face that also left you stranded like an idiot. when you couldn’t cry anymore and your eyes felt puffy and numb, you turned to hate.

classes the following week became even more difficult to believe, as you felt small in comparison to his lingering presence. there was a possibility that maybe he forgot about the first date he planned, things happen and that was something you were okay with.

but you weren’t expecting him to act like nothing happened, act like he didn’t spend countless nights laughing over the phone like he was yours. you felt like a mere ghost, parading through his life like a fucking play toy. because from your perspective, you were just his problem.

“i’m going to bury you in the ground, kyungmin.” you sobbed, anger seething through your teeth.

the expression on his face was blank, though you almost swore he let down his guard for a second seeing you hold back hot tears. but you didn’t want pity, you wanted closure. a reason why the idea of your existence dropped from his earth.

no understanding, no communication, not a single dust particle of love behind his dark eyes. that day marked a countdown of hating him and everything that involved him. an ill circumstance that landed him in the most broken spots of your heart.

he understood your feelings in a way that he felt the need to reflect them. so what was once a one - sided hatred became a mutually agreed upon alliance against one another. if anything, this made you more upset. what did you do to end up on his black - list?

day eighty - five of loathing cho kyungmin, and school became insufferable around him. the recent weather forecast had been wearisome, leaving you wanting nothing more than to kick back at home and sleep for the remainder of your life.

the court yard was always busiest during lunch hours, yet the rustle and bustle of school life kept you awake. students scattered about in their cliques, chatting about recent homework assignments or bothersome teachers. you poked at your food with your chopsticks since you didn’t have much of an appetite.

“are you okay, y/n? you’re not eating any of your food and i swear i heard your stomach grumbling during the quiz.” minho asked, stealing a piece of kimchi off your plate and dropping it in his mouth.

“not really, i don’t know. i’m just a little frustrated with everything right now.” you groan in response, setting down your utensil to bury your face in your hands.

“let me guess, does this have something to do with him?” he raises one of his eyebrows as you nod in annoyance.

“dude, i overheard haemin complaining that his only friend,” you air quoted, “was being transferred into my p.e. period. and we both know exactly who he was talking about.”

“that’s rough, have you talked to jaeyun about it? since he’s one of the sports captains, he could probably tell you for sure if that’s what you’re worried about.” he suggests.

“haemin and kyungmin are practically inseparable. even when i liked kyungmin, he was honestly kind of hesitant talking to me without him around. so i know for a fact i’m going to see his stupid face tomorrow.” you ramble, letting out a defeated exhale.

“listen, you’ll be perfectly fine. don’t let him work you up like that, he doesn’t deserve the satisfaction, okay?” he advised you, patting your shoulder for comfort.

“minho, he shouldn’t even need satisfaction in the first place! kyungmin left me at a park. in the rain.” you emphasize the last bit, “i’m the only one that deserves to hate him.”

“i know, and it sucks. but i’ve heard this story like a million times, y/n. we need to get you some kind of therapy sessions if you’re going to keep at it like this.”

“literally choke.”

“kidding! i’m kidding. don’t do that to me please and thank you.” he laughed lightly, “but seriously, you’ll be okay. you always are. plus i’m just a phone call away if you need me to curse him over the phone or something, i don’t know.”

“you do too much for me minho. don’t worry, i know you just want to help me, thank you. i’ll try to figure it out i guess.” you exaggerate a sigh, making minho lean over to give you a friendly hug.

“now, eat your food before i feed the scraps to the birds on our way to next period.” he threatens, pointing a chopstick at your forehead.

after letting out all of your problems like word vomit, you were finally able to swallow down some of your meal. minho, your respective best friend had heard almost all of your hell stories about wanting to rip off kyungmin’s head. it was almost like he experienced the whole thing with you; or maybe the idea of him drenched down in a casual dress was a funny thing to imagine.

lunch passed by quickly, as did the rest of the school day. you took notes, turned in assignments, complained minho’s ear off once more, and suddenly the final bell rang meaning you could finally return home. in between all of this, you somehow forgot about the boy in your aching heart.

your steps pattered against the pavement when a feeling of dread washed over you. why did it feel like your world was going to shatter at school tomorrow? fallen leaves crushed underneath your shoes, resembling how scattered your mind felt.

day eighty - six of loathing kyungmin and every bone in your body felt like it was going to give out and abandon you as a pile of fleshy mush. you and your classmates gathered in the field wearing your p.e. uniforms, waiting for your coach to come out with the proper equipment.

kyungmin was only a couple people away from you and it already gave you an incomprehensible headache. just feeling his presence near you sent shivers down your spine, and you knew he could care less about whether you were there or not.

was it immature to still be hung up on what happened between the two of you even after almost three months?

you couldn’t stomach your stress right now, attempting to take deep breaths to soothe yourself. the cold air helped slightly; you became thankful for the dreary weather and couple raindrops that fell from the sky.

“alright everyone, it seems to be sprinkling a bit, but we’ll pass around the football for now. let’s just hope the rain doesn’t get too intense.” your coach explains, “pair up with the person next to you and come grab a ball.”

“i can go get the ball.” you offer  the girl next to you before walking over to the net full of footballs.

reaching your hand into the bag, you press a finger into each one, making sure you grab one that isn’t too flat nor too full of air. you’re searching for a couple seconds, before another hand bumps into yours.

“oh, i’m sorry–” looking up to apologize, you find yourself face to face with kyungmin. you take back your hand quickly.

“don’t be sorry, it’s not your fault your hand was in the way.” he smiles almost mockingly.

“whatever.” you mumble, pulling away to let him grab what he needs first although there were two bags.

while you wait, more droplets of water pattered against your skin, becoming slightly more frequent. you look over to your coach talking to another teacher, darting his gaze up from the sky and to his co - worker. he blows his whistle suddenly, as everyone looks over in his direction.

“seems like the rain is just going to get worse from here.” he announces before pointing at you and kyungmin, “both of you go put the equipment away, the rest of us will head back into the gym and run some laps around the courts for the rest of the period.

there was a chorus of disappointed murmurs from your classmates, before they all dropped the footballs they were able to grab. this left you and kyungmin alone, making your anxiety sky - rocket. against your will, you grab one of the bags and start towards the shed.

the sound of shoes against squishy grass tell you that kyungmin is following closely behind. you speed up with half of your intentions to get away from him and the other half to escape from the drowning rain.

once you get under the awning of the equipment shed, you slide open the already half - open door to let yourself in. there’s an assortment of different sports balls and rackets, all somewhat organized. kyungmin closes the door behind the both of you unknowingly while you find a spot to put away the footballs.

dropping down the bag in silence, you leave him to do the same and head out. when you twisted the door knob, it felt almost jammed. turning it harder and harder, it was deemed useless, making you panic.

“hello? hello!” you fidget with the door, practically throwing yourself against it in hopes it will magically open.

“did we get locked inside?” the boy behind you questions, making you turn around in disbelief.

“no actually, i’m just communicating with god on the other side. yes it’s locked!” you argued, “why did you close it behind you?”

“i didn’t know it wasn’t supposed to be closed!” he defended himself.

“oh my gosh i think i’m going to fucking faint if i have to be here with you for who knows how long.” you start pacing around the shed.

“i’m right here, you know.”

“do you want me to treat you like a princess or something? is that what you want me to do?” you tell him, “we’re not exactly on good terms you know.”

“you don’t have to freak out about it, someone will come find us eventually.” he shrugs.

“please tell me this is a nightmare.” you mutter under your breath.

“it’s pretty real, i don’t know.” he says, sitting down on the floor.

“oh my god i’m not asking you, kyungmin.”

“this isn’t fun for me either, you know. you don’t have to pretend like you’re the only one in distress here.” he mumbles.

“am i that much of an inconvenience to you? last time i checked there’s no reason for you to be mad at me.” you scoff, taking your own seat on the floor.

“i never said you were an inconvenience to me, i just don’t really want to be trapped in a sweaty equipment shed with the smell of leather like.. everywhere.” he explains casually, picking up a tennis ball.

you curl your knees into your body, leaning your head back against the wall, “yeah, right.”

“do i really stress you out that much?” he asks you out of nowhere.

“yes.” you respond blatantly.

“why?”

“i shouldn’t have to justify what i do. i have nothing to prove, kyungmin. you just do.” you claimed, “and i haven’t even got a proper explanation or apology yet.”

tension became thick in the air, palpable enough to be cut with even the dullest knife. being in the same room with someone you swore was your most hated person made your face heat up. yet you still wrapped your arms around yourself in an attempt to feel less cold.

the sound of a tennis ball being thrown against the wall and bouncing back filled your ears, though you weren’t in a circumstance to complain. anything was better than sitting in silence for who knows how long. 

minutes went by with no sign of a teacher coming to break the two of you free. it wouldn’t be long before the bell rang for the next period, leaving you feeling hopeless. the rain only seemed to get heavier outside.

being forced in proximity with kyungmin made you less angry in a way. every second that ticked by messed with your head, inching to get come kind of answer out of him. though in a way, it made you miss him more. he’d never leave class without you by his side, getting you juices from the vending machine, holding your hand tightly when you were nervous for a test.

“you’re kind of unbelievable, you know.” you spoke.

“what is that supposed to mean?” he glanced over to you curiously.

“that night. you said you’d take me on a walk through the park after we stopped to get food. but you never showed up to the restaurant, so i assumed you’d be waiting for me there.” you told him, feeling tinges of sadness rather than hate, “i waited on a bench for an hour before it started pouring. you never showed up.”

“you waited in the rain..?” he stammered slightly.

“i shouldn’t have to be the one that makes up with you.” you whisper, “but why do i want to?”

“y/n..” your name falls from his lips like honey.

he scoots himself closer to you until your shoulders are barely touching, his sudden appearance making you flinch. you were still tense next to him as he started to speak.

“i’m so sorry for being so mean to you. for ignoring you, pretending like nothing happened between us when everything happened.” he apologized, “you don’t have anything to apologize for. my mind was so crowded that night. i wasn’t sure if i was ready to love someone like you.”

“then why didn’t you tell me anything, kyungmin? you hurt me.” you began to tear up.

“i didn't know how.. can you tell i’ve never done this before? confronting my feelings while trying to convince myself that you wouldn't break things off with me if i wasn't ready. but listening to my head didn't get us anywhere either.” he confessed, “i was really intimidated when you came up to me the day after, and i wasn’t sure what to do. so i did nothing. it’s a terrible excuse, really.

“you fucked up. i absolutely hated you for standing me up like that..”

“you had every right to hate me. so i don’t know why i thought it was a good idea to hate you back. now that i’m looking back, it was immature. i missed so much time with you because i didn’t have a taste of what it was like for someone like you to love me back.”

“kyungmin, i don’t know what to say i–”

“let me fix this, please?” he moves your head by your chin, turning you to face him directly.

“you can try..” you murmured, watching his stare fixate from your eyes to your lips.

closing the gap, he enveloped you in a kiss that almost felt criminal considering every feeling you’ve had for him in the past three months has been hate. but he was trying. you’d never forget the pain he caused you, but part of you could forgive him.

it was soft, and he held you oh so gently against his lips. his hand trailed around your waist, pulling you closer into him. could this be the beginning of something different between you and him? as he pulled away, he couldn’t help but show a sad smile on his face.

“y/n, can i take you out on a proper date this time..?”

“i’ll see if minho lets me first after all the shit i talked to him about you.” you laugh, looking at his pretty pink tinted face.

“okay, that makes sense, i kind of deserved it. if it makes you feel any better, i’ll pick you up so you don’t have to worry!” he suggests.

“what if i stand you up by not being at my house, hm?”

“then i’ll wait on your porch in the rain for you until you show up.”

© 2023 minkkumaz, all rights reserved support your writers by reblogging + giving feedback! it is greatly encouraged and appreciated. thank you! → why feedback + reblogging is so important. ~ (´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ♡ if you'd like, donate to minkkumaz ! DISTANT LANDS AND OTHER ADVENTURES series

[moonysfavoritetoast]

i have to do i fucking presentation on my bad fucking henry ford essay (way too much info i already knew all that shit) and im not doing that shit fuck no because my goddamn voice is too high and people will laugh and fucking not shut up bc why is a girl called evan and and i cant even play my trumpet for a playing quiz what makes you think my fucking voice will work fucks sake im never going to need to know how to speak in front of a bunch of bitchy middle schoolers who will do nothing but laugh at my fucking appearance and voice i fucking hate school this shit is what made me relapse last time im going to fucking skip idc if i fucking fail i already am fuck you if you think im just okay with this dumbass shit

the suicide rates were so high yoiu put the fucking prevention hotline number on the back of every school issued id and you claim to want to help us then maybe make the goddamn curriculum more flexible i mean god fucking damn its like kids dont have fucking anxiety that nobody believes is real fuck off with your bullshit about caring about us you just want good test scores and good sports players shit like this is why i want to fucking kms

oh and god forbid i express these feelings in any way to trusted staff. they'll send me to counselling who will immediately call my parents which will get my phone taken because its obviously the goddamn phone making me feel this way. even if i tell them to not call my parents they will. and then my mom will go through my texts because shes worried about me and she'll cry and make me feel like shit when she was the one who started this. she'll find out everything. she'll take my binders away because i wear them too long and she'll never let me see friends again adn i'll be homeschooled again bc obviously school is too much.

she'll try to make me talk to her then she'll get mad and cry and yell when i try to say nothings wrong. she fucking hates me anyways. her backup child is fucking failing even though she was the firstborn. she knows her first daughter was the only chance she had at having a successful child because the other one has a shitty attention span and cant fucking spell anything. her baby girl is a fucking failure and she cant fucking accept im not her fucking baby girl anymore.

clearly i dont know what tired feels like. i sleep so much, why am i still tired? must be faking it. i dont know what depression is and i dont know what pain is. i dont know what anxiety is because i just want attention. she cant fucking accept the fact i'm clearly not neurotypical because i fucking have to be or she'll lose all goddamn hope she doesnt have for me.

nobody thinks somethings wrong and i fucking hate it. im the liar because "youre always so happy"

why would someone my age want to die?

fuck off.

[ahordeofwasps]

15 Questions Tag

I've been tagged by the spectacular @talesofsorrowandofruin! Thanks for the tag! The purpose of the tag game is to answer 15 questions, either as your OC or as yourself. I'll do this tag for an OC from To Not Falling Off Cliffs! As I already did this tag for Tiffany, I'll do this for either Erika or Steve, as determined by dice roll.

And the dice has decided on... Steve!

But first, the no pressure tags! I'll be tagging @space-writes, @kaiusvnoir, @red-pen-ally, @sam-glade, and open tag!

Now, onto an interview with Steve!

It's Thursday at the Seventh Eye, which means only one thing: Pub Quiz Night. During quiz night, teams ruthlessly compete for the ultimate prize: some tacky t-shirts, a round of drinks on the house, and a plastic trophy.

You're part of the trivia team known as the Knowledge Sniffers. It is your first time competing in trivia night and you have won 5th place. Buzzed on both alcohol and of getting half the questions right, you've gotten the idea to interview one person from each of the teams. You jokingly said it was to "get to know the enemy" but you honestly just want to have fun and this is one way to do it.

You're now approaching the table for the Immortal Kittens team. Nearly all of its members seem to be locked in a debate on whether or not fish can fly. All except a reaper in a Hawaiian t-shirt, who instead is leaning back and listening to the conversation. You think he's happy, but it's hard to tell; reapers don't have facial expressions.

You manage to get the reaper's attention and introduce yourself, along with an overly dramatic speech about your "evil plan" complete with a maniacal laugh. This earns a chuckle from the reaper. He introduces himself as Steve and agrees to be interviewed.

You pull out your pre-prepared questions written on three different bar napkins. You commence the interview.

Are you named after anyone?

He shrugs, taking a sip of his drink. You notice his relaxed composure stiffen a little. "Nah. The man doesn't work like that."

When was the last time you cried?

He relaxes again and points to his empty eye sockets. "Never. Don't have the right equipment."

Do you have kids?

Steve laughs. "Don't have the right equipment for that either. Not allowed to adopt too. Not even baby goats."

Do you use sarcasm a lot?

He looks at you, silent for a moment. He has no lips, just a skull, but you get the distinct impression he's grinning. "What do you think?"

What’s the first thing you notice about people?

"How they're wearing their mug. 'Suppose it's 'cause I don't have one myself."

What’s your eye colour?

"The same colour as my ferrari."

Scary movies or happy endings?

He thinks for a moment. "Happy endings. Though I suppose a scary movie can have a happy ending. That'd be cool too."

Any special talents?

"Yeah, this!" Steve proceeds to do that hand trick where you pretend you're removing half your thumb from your hand. It's not very impressive and although he's not lying, you get the distinct impression he's holding something back.

Where were you born?

"I was spawned in Byzantion. I think it's called Constantinople now?"

You tell him it's now Istanbul.

"Snaps. That's why we shot in the brown last week. My bad."

What are your hobbies?

He pulls a small digital camera from his pocket. "Shooting people."

You ask him to shoot you and strike the campiest villain pose you can think of. Steve chuckles and takes your photo. "I'll bring a copy next week."

Have you any pets?

"Nah. The man doesn't allow that either."

What sports do you play/have played?

"Got in a duel once. Made a real mess with it. Not a ball at all."

How tall are you?

"Five foot five inches."

Favourite subject in school?

Steve laughs again. "Been playing court-ordered hookey. But, if the man allowed it, it'd probably be art."

Dream job?

He stiffens, but not in the same way as he did when you asked him about his name. You didn't touch a nerve exactly, but you did catch him off guard. Steve leans back and takes a sip from his drink, thinking for a moment.

"Depends on the dream," he murmurs, "In a happy dream, I'd be a photographer, an artist, or even a sculptur. But in a bad dream..." he pauses, "... a lawyer."

With that, you've reached the end of your questions. You thank him for his time and then add a quick quip about how the "Immortal Kittens will meet their match" next week followed by another evil laugh. Steve chuckles again and gives you a polite wave goodbye.

***

Here are the questions for anyone that needs it!

Are you named after anyone?

When was the last time you cried?

Do you have kids?

Do you use sarcasm a lot?

What’s the first thing you notice about people?

What’s your eye colour?

Scary movies or happy endings?

Any special talents?

Where were you born?

What are your hobbies?

Have you any pets?

What sports do you play/have played?

How tall are you?

Favourite subject in school?

Dream job?

[weirdmarioenemies]

Alright, class, that’s all for today! Your parents are waiting to pick you up outside! I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day, and I’ll see you tomorrow! Remember, tomorrow’s our quiz on sprockets!

...Ah, I love my job as a Robot Kindergarten Teacher. It’s so rewarding, helping to nurture the next generation of automatons, putting them on the right path toward reaching their potential, whatever their dreams may be! Yes, it is a wonderful full time job which I have, and have had this entire time, and-

Oh! I’m sorry, Clown Junior, I was lost in thought! What’s the matter? Your father is just outside, I saw him pull his self into the usual parking space.

...You’d like me to write... a letter of recommendation? For Clown College? Wow! Well, you have quite a long time to go until you have to worry about that! But... I know how serious you are about your clowning. You mean this. And I’m not one to dash the ambitions of any child! I’ll do it! Your ambition is going to knock the polka-dotted socks off of those admissions office clowns! Now, let’s not keep Mr. Car waiting, I’m sure he’d love to hear all about your day at school!

Name: Junior Clown Car

Debut: New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Junior Clown Car is, to get straight to the point, a top-notch clown. Clowns, as we all know, are all about containers. They come from containers (clown cars). They themselves are containers of things (colorful handkerchiefs). So as a clown car and a clown itself, we can expect Junior Clown Car to both contain clowns, and contain all manner of wacky things!

Junior Clown Car can contain not a clown, but some sort of strange, mischievous turtle child! And what better way to spice up a routine of clownery than to Keep ‘Em Guessin’? Everyone would expect a clown in there. This turtle is Junior Clown Car’s go-to sidekick, always tagging along on its tours, and the two play off of each other quite well! A truly great clown recognizes that performing as a group is not a sign of individual weakness. It’s a show of trust, of confidence, of the potential to improvise, and bounce off of a potentially unpredictable companion. That’s a very mature way for such a young clown to be thinking!

And what about props? What does Junior Clown Car have up its sleeve? A whole lot! It can even pop out some arms, allowing it to literally WEAR sleeves to have tricks up! Its go-to routine has it sporting a pair of boxing gloves, some of the silliest gloves out there- a real slapstick clown! And you know what it does sometimes? It plays tennis. This is not just a clown playing tennis, which would already be impressively wacky on its own. This is a clown, who is also a flying vehicle, containing a turtle, playing tennis, while wearing boxing gloves. There is so much going on here! Something for everyone!

If you’ve been worried about Junior Clown Car’s facial expression range, worry no longer. It can do much more than a simple smile. It even has a real flesh tongue in there, and a real flesh tongue is one of the cheekiest parts a clown’s face can have! Maybe not as iconic as a honky nose, but we have made it clear at this point that Junior Clown Car is not afraid to break traditions.

Even at such a young age, Junior Clown Car is undoubtedly an inspiration! Just look at this mass-produced model in its likeness. This different weird turtle guy is even performing acts of clownery with his! Truly, Junior Clown Car is bringing in a whole new generation to the art of clowning!

And lastly, this is a clown who can perform Fire Blast Attacks. Just another example of its wacky slapstick capabilities!

In conclusion, Junior Clown Car is the greatest clown I know, and it is just getting started. Any teacher should be HONORED to have it in their class. I know I certainly am! It may be a very long time before it will reach Clown College, but that just goes to show Junior Clown Car’s passion for the art. Maybe it will change its mind. Maybe it will someday want to be a Baseball Player Car, or an Electrical Engineer Car. But for now?

For now, Junior Clown Car is the best damned clown I’ve ever met.

[fanfic-the-wish-your-heart-makes]

Part 2 Gotham Characters' Reactions to the Reader Being Stressed Because They Have a Lot to Do

Barbara Kean:

If you need any utensils, or an expert, she can get those for you. She'll also offer you to do your work in her appartement if you need a calmer place. Barbara's great at making sure that you have good breaks. She's a professional in directing your attention to relaxing things. Of course she also understands that you might prefer not to go out or spend too much free time, that comes from her having previously been with a police officer.

She should know that you love her, but she might become a bit insecure if you ignore her, so there could be some angst. Once you tell her that you can't wait to spend more time with her afterwards, she'll cheer up again though.

I can really imagine her throwing on some music and dancing wildly for a few minutes until you've got to go back to work. Oh, and she'd be absolute best at making your work itself fun. She loves expressing herself, and would happily do a quiz show if you had some things to learn, or cheer you on in general like a sports commentator. "And there y/n is, having just gotten through another portion of work, everyone cheer for this fabulous person!"

If your (not learning-related) work gets too much, she might just hire someone to do it for you. If you had to learn things, she'd remind you of all the possibilities, "Absenteeism is a possibility, you know?" If you protested, she'd pout and say, "Well, at the rate you're going, your work might as well make you ill, so you better start relaxing, honey." She'd smile and give you a forehead kiss.

Harvey Bullock:

He's a pro at picking up on someone's stress. He knows his own tells and those of his colleagues very well, and also those of suspects, so there's no way that you can hide your stress from him, no matter how unconventional your signs of stress are. He tries to make you take breaks from the beginning on, "It's more sustainable, you know?", but if you don't take any, he'll just make sure that you're comfortable while working. If someone gave you that work knowing that it was too much, he'd talk to them if he knew them or make funny insults about them to cheer you up. Oh, and if it was multiple people that he knew personally, he wouldn't shy away from a whole speech about how you deserve better. If you were studying he'd have a look at the content and joke around so that you'd have things to connect with the content as well as a nice change in mood. He makes sure that you have plenty of good food during the whole thing. If there's no time for him bringing it to you or going eating together, he'd make you a list of the best places in your neighborhood. He's been to a lot of places because of his work, and he knows which ones are not only good but serve the food quickly.

Author's note:

I hope you succeed in whatever work you've got to do, or if you don't have any at the moment, that you know that these fictional people would be so supportive :)

[lawrence-songs]

Inhale-

Do you play Undertale, Cuphead, or Hollow Knight? If so, I'd love to talk to you about those games and quiz you on all the best parts and tell you how silly goofy they make me feel-

What's your favorite instrument to play? To hear? What gives you the best overall vibes? Can you sing? What part? What's your favorite instrument to just feel? Tactile-wise, that is-

Do you have an opinion on the meaning of life? Why does it exist? What are we doing here? Is there any real answer, or are we doomed to wander the cosmos in search of something that doesn't exist?

Can you draw? Do you like to draw? Paint? Write? Do you do sports? Do you prefer land, air, or sea? Do you have stuffed animals/plushies? Who's your favorite?

Do the demons you know act like cats? All the demons I know act like cats.

What's your favorite flavor of post-it note? Mine's purple.

..

Excuse me.

Ahem.

I've fully played through the pacifist and neutral routes of undertale, currently working my way through genocide. (I've gotten stuck on Undyne.)

Cuphead, I've tried, but I've not yet been able to make it past the first level. I'm still quite enthusiastic about it though.

And I've never touched hollow night, but I've heard good things.

Banjo, violin, oddly enough I prefer listening to things a cappella. There's something beautifully haunting about it.

I can sing, I do sing, my voice ranges about 2.5 octaves, and I have wonderful projection. Bass is my favorite to feel, and I've gotten hooked on modern music due to the thrum that can shake the earth when you're at a concert.

Life exists because energy cannot be destroyed nor created and therefore we are all doomed to cycle into something new no matter what form we take on.

What are we doing here? Learning. But learning what is up to you.

There are many real answers but the idea that we could attempt to qualify what's going on around us is somewhat blasphemous. The experience of "i was stuck in a meat sack piloted by a wad of soggy bacon so twacked it started to perceive itself", "i was placed here by something far larger than I am and I will not ever be able to do anything but my best", and "I am in control of the way my life flows" are all contradicting but not at all mutually exclusive ideas. No one can comprehend all of life. All of us can comprehend some of it. We are all doing our best to express it. It exists because we have brought it into creation. Our environment is a part of us just as we are a part of it and therefore what we bring to it is what it is.

I can draw. I like to draw. I drew this the other day.

I also drew this.

And this.

And this.

I don't paint. Unless it's cosplay, in which case I definitely do paint.

Typically, I learn any skills I need to complete a project and only to the amount that I need to complete said project. However, my projects vary wildly. So I've come across as a very mediocre person at everything. /pos

I have few skills that I can do superbly but I have many that I can at least do.

I do not do sports, unless you consider dancing a sport. Sea, definitely.

.. I do have a small collection of stuffed animals. (it's not small)

While I honestly love all of them, I adore my ink demon plushies (I have three). My favorite is the one I've owned the longest.

Actually, the demons I know act like dogs. Angels tend to act more like cats. With angels, it's "you ask one wrong question and they simply do not respond to you", whereas with demons it tends to be "I love you but stop chewing on the couch". At least in my experience.

Yellow. With the red and blue lined ink.

[argumentl]

The Freedom of Expression Vol:12 - Again, looking back on 25 years with Gara.

K: Hi, here we are with The Freedom of Expression on our Nico Nico channel. Im Kaoru from Dir en grey. 

J: And Im Joe Yokomizo, who has just been for a beer in the Chinese restaurant near the studio. 

T: And Im Tasai from Tokyo Sports. 

K: And we also have someone who was with us last time, and he just didn't talk enough, so he's here again this time. Its Gara from Merry. 

G: Good evening, Im Gara from Merry. 

J: The staff have told me you're pretty annoying. 

K, T: Haha 

G: Not at all!

J: Kaoru, what would you say? In your view, is he annoying?

K: Haha, no, he's not. 

J: Gara, I wanted to ask you, were you Dir's first roadie? 

G: For the past 20 years, I always thought that I was, but after the show last time, I was in the dressing room, and I got a message from Shinya. He told me the name of the guy who was there before me. So I thought, 'Aghh, there really was someone before me!'. I wonder if that guy actually counts though?

J: Haha, Leader, what do you think? This is quite important. 

G: It was only for a short time. 

K: Yeah, but it still counts. As soon as I heard it, I thought, 'Oh yeh, of course!!'

G: Kaoru, that means Im the second roadie?

K: Yep, you are the second. I was right after all. 

G: I must have forgotten, because I never thought there was someone like that before me. 

J: Do you kinda feel like he's stealing your glory a bit now?

G: Yeah, I always thought I was the first.

J: I see, haha. So, from now, your are Dir's second roadie?

G: Yeah, Ive been exposed by Shinya. Im the second roadie. 

J: Do you feel a bit like Shinya should have kept quiet about this? haha

G: Yes, I really do. 

J: Haha. Yes, well today we are joined by Dir en grey's second roadie, Gara. So, last time you were looking back at Dir en grey's history, from the Indies days, to now, right?

K: Yes. 

J: I was unable to join last time due to my work schedule. 

K: This is the first time for you to be here when we have a guest, right?

J: Yes, thats right. 

K: He always disappears somewhere whenever we've had a guest before. 

J: Oh no, not intentionally though. Its purely by chance!

K: It was as if guests would come because you weren't here. 

J: Yeh, I've heard that. I don't know about that though. Anyway, today we are gonna be looking back at the indies era in detail. There'll be loads of great stuff to hear, so stay tuned. Please send in your comments too, questions, thoughts, messages of support, anythIng is ok. People using twitter can use the tag TFOE. The first part of this show is free for anyone to watch, but the second part is for channel members only. If you become a member, you can watch this live broadcast in the archives for a year, and you will also be able to access members only videos. Please click the blue link at the top of your screen to joIn, and enjoy this broadcast to the end.  Leader was just pointing to it. Dir's second roadie was pointing too, weren't you?

G: Haha, yes...second...I'm quite sad, I tried so hard back then too. 

K: Surely, trying hard has nothing to do with whether or not you were first? 

J: Maybe you are just slightly envious. Ok, well, as for today, we will have another look at photos from back in the day. (*Indies photo of Kaoru appears on screen*) Here we go, since we are looking closely at the indies era today. How do you feel about this, Leader? Do you recognize this photo?

K: Well, we used this photo last time. Only you wouldn't know that. 

J: Oh, I see. I do apologize. Maybe I should stick to the script more.

K: Haha, no no. 

J: But anyway, we'll be digging deeper into the Indies era today, but first we have a quiz. Its time for the "Does Kaoru remember?" quiz!!

*applause*

J: Ok, so Dir's second roadie, Gara... 

K: Haha, you just want to keep saying that, don't you?

J: Yes, haha. 

T: He is the first one in my mind!

J: You are first in your heart, but second in reality. Anyway, Gara has created a quiz for Kaoru about the indies era. So Kaoru, try your best to remember. There are quite a few questions, but we will try to do at least 5. Try to get them all right, Leader. 

G: You'll be able to to tell if i really was first, and whether there really is a bond between us from this. 

T: Haha

J: Right? We need to look out for that. Ok, Gara, I'll hand over to you. 

G: I start from Question 1, right? Ok, Where was the place where I first met the members of Dir en grey? I said last time that the first live show I saw them was at Shinjuku Rock, but this time I'm asking about our first meeting, so its not a live venue. 

J: Ok, so Q1 is asking for the place you first met. Leader, you have a sketchbook in front of you to write your answers. For some reason, myself and Tasai also have sketchbooks, although its not likely that we will know the answers...

T: Yeah, we will just try our best. 

J: Yes we will. So, Gara, is this with no hints, right?

G: Yeah, the meeting place, this was an important moment. 

J: If he doesn't remember this, it could seriously damage your trust in him. 

G: Right. 

J: Haha, but look at Leader's face! He totally looks like he can't remember. Can we get a camera close up on him? This is important! If you'd never met, we wouldn't be here now. 

G: This was earlier than the live.

J: Ah, they want you to get this right in the comments. Gara, you probably spoke about your love towards Dir en grey last time, but this time its all about how far Kaoru's love extends to you. Ok, Tasai, you write something too, make it Tokyo Sportsy if you want. 

T: Ahh, its difficult. 

G: Kaoru is writing something now. 

J: Ah, a comment saying 'Kaoru looks cute when he's thinking'. And 'A forfeit if he gets it wrong!'...'Leader's love is deep!'

G: Its the first meeting, remember. 

J: Yeah, the place. 

T: By the way, how did you feel when your first met?

G: Well, I'd only ever seen them in magazines before then, so I was nervous, but I still remember introducing myself. 

T: Ahh, I wonder where it was...

J: Hmm, ok, Tasai, you show us your answer first. 

T: So this was when you were new in Tokyo, right? Ok, here's my answer. 'A bus stop at Tokyo Tower'. Like maybe they decided to meet up here for some reason. Maybe there were just there for some reason. 

J: Ahh...Ok, I don't quite understand this, so moving on...haha. 

T: Haha 

J: No no, you mean, maybe they had planned to go somewhere, so they met up there first?

T: Yeah. 

J: Well, the real question is whether Leader remembers. The place he first met Gara. Leader, lets have your answer. 

K: The studio in Kōenji. 

J, T, G: Ahh. 

T: That sounds more like it. 

J: Ok, Gara, tell us the answer. 

G: The correct answer is, an in-store event at Like An Edison. 

K: Don't remember that! Hahaha 

J: He doesn't remember!

G: It was an in-store event to coincide with the CD release, so I went and met the members for the first time. Meeting in the studio was after that. 

J: Well, he must have been close with this answer, right? If you met for the second time in the studio?

G: Yeah. I have a tonne of memories from that studio too. I saw them making new songs and and stuff there. I used to always drive the equipment truck too back then, but at the time I didn't have my own parking space. They told me to be responsible for truck, even though I didn't have a parking space, so I had to park it on the street in front of my place for about a month. 

J: Ahh, I bet you got a tonne of parking tickets. 

G: Yes. 

J: Ahh, that sounds painful. And despite this you still might be the second roadie! Leader, why did you think the answer was Kōenji?

K: Well, he was just there a lot. 

J: It seemed likely to be the place?

K: Yeah. 

T: Kaoru, do you remember this in-store event? 

K: No, we did a tonne of events like that back then. 

J: If any of the viewers were at that event in Like An Edison, please tell us in the comments. I wonder if anyone was? Not that we can give them anything if they were, except say, 'Oh wow!'. Haha. Well, that was question 1. A comment there says, 'A shock for Gara!'

G: He was close though, because I was often in the studio at Kōenji. 

K: You were following us, haha. 

J: Its like, he was only a little bit wrong. 

G: Ok, shall we move on? The next question is this. 'Where was the first region (outside Tokyo) that Gara travelled to as a roadie? And what was the amazingly delicious restaurant where Kaoru took Gara out to eat for the first time?'

K: This is hard! haha 

J: The restaurant name. 

T: Is this maybe a hint? You told us the region you are from last time, right, Gara?

J: Eh? Where are you from??

T: No no no, don't tell him! haha. 

J: Eh, whhhy? Ok, whatever. But we need the region Gara first travelled to as a roadie, and the name of the delicious restaurant where Kaoru first took him out to eat. 

T: Joe, you write something first. 

J: Its not WHAT you ate, right? Its the name. 

G: Yes. If I say what I ate, I think Kaoru will know where it was. 

T: Kaoru, do you know? 

K: Well, I'm just not sure about the timing as for the region. 

T: Its difficult!

J: The restaurant name is tricky too. 

G: But its something that everyone has heard of. 

J: Oh, so its not lIke an independent, local place, right?

G: Yeah. But back then, it was only...oh, I'll give it away if I say that. 

K: Back then it was only..?

T: Ok, lets write our answers. Some comments saying, 'Gara is causing trouble for Kaoru', 'Leader, think!', 'I think I know it'. If you know it, don't tell us! 

J: Well, I really have no idea, but this is my answer. For the region, Hokkaido. And the restaurant, Dosanko Ramen. This is what I would eat after a concert, so I thought it could be this. 

G: That's a good answer. 

J: Thank you. Ok, Leader, your turn. 

K: Osaka, and Kamakura (ramen).

G: Oh, that's correct!! That makes me so happy! 

*applause*   

G: He told me about this incredible ramen, and took me to try it. So my first time trying Kamakura was with Kaoru. 

J: Ah, great! You got it right. 

G: You remember that?

K: No no, I just used to go there all the time back then! 

T: You don't actually remember going with Gara? 

K: Well, he said the words, 'Back then it was only...', which reminded me that this place became a national chain a little while later. Haha

J: Ahh, I see. 

G: Ahh, I gave it away with the hint. 

J: So it wasn't your memory, it was the hint that got you there. 

G: Kamakura ramen was totally different from any of the ramen I'd had before then. I didn't realise ramen could be like that. 

T: Ahh, yeh, its good, isn't it? 

J: Did you go there to finish a night of drinking or something? 

G: No, I think Kaoru just took me there. 

K: We still couldn't really afford to go out drinking much back then. 

J: Ah, financially, right? Eat loads of ramen instead, right?

K: Yeah. 

J: Ah, well, we got a correct answer! Shall we move on? 

G: Ok, the next question is this. 'What was the first song on which Gara helped during the recording?' 

J: This is quite important, right?

G: Yes. 

J: This is the first question related to the actual job. Hmm, a song from the indies era? 

G: Yes. I was able to see how the recording process worked. 

K: I'm trying to think what the timing would be...haha. 

J: Hmm, when would it be?

K: Yeah, I mean, within our timeline. 

J: Tasai, do you have any idea?

T: Well, hmm, I don't think we talked about this kind of thing last time...I might be wrong. 

J: Hold on a sec..Gara, you want him to get this right, yeh? 

K: Ahh, I dunno.  

J: You just wrote something though!

G: I saw the while process of recording the song with this one.

J: So, you were there watching the whole time?

G: Yeh, from when they started making the song in the Kōenji studio. 

K: Well, in that case I think I've got it right. 

T: Well, this is kinda vague, but my answer is, 'That song you recorded in an old house somewhere'.

G: Oh, that was Jealous. 

T: Yes, Jealous. 

J: Ok, Leader?

K: Haven't you written anything?

J: No, I haven't. Haha. 

K: Ok, my answer is Ash. 

G: Correct!!

*applause*

K: Well, I thought it was likely to be this. 

G: Yep, I was there during the recording. 

K: For that omnibus album?

G: Yes. 

K: Yeah, he said 'which song', so that means it wasn't part of a collection of songs. And if it wasn't a single, then it would have to be this. 

G: I remember I went for Tendon with Die. 

K, J, T: Hahaha. 

J: Is food all you remember?! Haha. So you saw the whole recording process. Do remember making any new discoveries about the secret to Dir en grey's sound?

G: I didn't understand the secret to it at all!

J, T: Haha. 

J: But you remember the Tendon. 

G: Yeah. Well, it was only one day. From the drums, bass, guitars, and even to the vocals, it was all done in one day.

T: Amazing. 

J: Yeah, but with a few hints, Leader got it right. 

G: Impressive!

J: Yes, two out of three correct so far. Ok, do we have time for another one?

G: Ok, next question please. 'There was once a mid-summer outdoor event back then, (which I attended as a roadie), but what did Kaoru say to me in the car on the way home, which to this day, I can never forget?' I can give you a small hint, it was a bit of a shock. 

J: So it wasn't something moving, or meaningful?

G: No

J: He wasn't commending your abilities or anything?

G: Not at all. My response was more like, 'Ehh? Kaoru, did you really say that??!'

J: It was something a bit shocking?

G: Yes. 

K: Did it have some connection with the event?

G: Yeah...this mid-summer outdoor event

K: Ah, I see.

J: That's a hint! Mid-summer, outdoor event. Ahh, there is some interest in the comments too. 'Gara, this quiz is fun' etc. 

G: Thank you. Its been 20 years, but these words of Kaoru's have stayed with me. The main hint is probably that it was shocking. 

T: Well, since you've been talking about food, Gara, I think its about food, so my answer is, 'I just ate shaved ice, but I hid it from you'. 

K: Haha

T: Like in the heat, he ate it all. 

J: Ah, like Gara would resent Kaoru for it?

T: Yeah, he'd be shocked. 

J: Well, since it was summer, my answer is this. 'Your sweat stinks!' It'd be shocking to be told this, right? Ok, Leader? I wonder if you remember. 

K: My answer is this 'What are you doing with us??'

T: Ahh, that would be bad. 

K: Well, it was an event, so there might have been some other bands playing that he liked, you know?

J: Ahh, so it wasn't like a solo event. 

G: Well, one time Kaoru came over to my place, and I had posters of all sorts of other bands up everywhere, so maybe he wondered what I was doing with Dir?

T: Did any of us get it right?

G: Actually, one of you did! Shall I tell you what he said to me? He said, 'You stink of sweat!'

J: Yeahhh!

K: Hahaha 

T: How did you get that??

G: Well Done, Joe. 

J: He really said that to you?

G: Yeah, it was the middle of Summer, and I was moving all the equipment around by myself, I worked so hard. Then at the end I got in the car and sat next to Kaoru, and he said, 'Ugh, you stink of sweat!'

K, J, T: Hahaha 

G: I was like...I've been working hard for you all day! I've never been able to forget it. 

T: Kaoru, do you remember?

K: No..

G: I was pretty young, so it was quite a shock for me. 

K: But I vaguely remember him telling me about how I said that to him once. 

J: Did you tell him about it?

G: Maybe when we when out drinkIng once, I might have mentioned it. But it really was the most shocking thing to hear from him. I mean, that's how a roadie should be, right?

J: It shows that you've worked hard. If you weren't sweaty, you wouldn't have been doing your job properly. 

G: Right? That's how I should be. 

J: Its a sign that you did a good job. 

G: Yes 

T: Someone commented, Kaoru should apologize. 

J: Haha 

K: I'm sorry. 

J: Ahh, an apology from Leader!

G: I feel purified, haha. 

J: Ohh, that's good. Ok, next question.

G: Ok, the next question is, 'Which food which Gara hates did Kaoru force him to eat, all in one?' This was a thing when I used to go for drinks with Kaoru, hated foods or stuff like that. 

J: Well, you DO stuff like that when you are young, don't you?! I mean, if we don't know what foods you don't like, we are never gonna get this, but Leader probably knows. Its just a matter of choosing the right one. 

G: Yeah, this particular food, I still can't even eat it. 

J: You can't eat it?

K: Something that can be eaten in one go?

G: Er, we talked about this last time, but he also made me do 'Pistachio all in one' before too. 

J: Ugh, that's like hell. 

G: I wasn't allowed water, so I just had to keep crunching away until I could swallow.

J: That sounds tough, you cant really swallow it all at once either, can you?

K: Inside your mouth was shredded, wasn't it?

G: Yeah. 

J: Ugh, really? Well, viewers, please write in the comments if you have any ideas about this one. Someone just wrote pizza, but its something you still can't eat, right? If its something even an adult can eat, it must be something with quite a distinct taste?

G: Ah! Yes. 

T: Ahh, I've already written something. 

G: *reading comments* Century egg? Ohh, that would be tough!

J: And expensive!

T: Ok, lets reveal our answers. So, last time Gara said he doesn't like chicken much, and I thought if he's done 'pistachio all in one', maybe he might have done this too, 'Fried chicken cartilage all in one'

J: Ah I see. Well, my answer is this. 'Goya' (bitter melon). A lot of people  hate this, and it tastes very distinct. Ok, Leader?

K: Haha, I don't even remember, but..'Pickles'. 

J: Gara, are any of us correct?

G: One of you is close. 

J: Ohh, ok, tell us the answer. 

G: The correct answer is, Okinawan pickled onions (島らっきょう). So 'pickles' is nearly right. 

K: Goya is kinda there too, haha! (*Goya is an Okinawan vegetable*) Ahh, pickled onions, I think I kinda remember this now. 

T: Like, how did that work?

G: Well, all the onions were in the bowl, and I had to put them all in my mouth at once, and swallow them without a drink. 

J: Ahh, the things you got up too. 

G: I can still remember the disgusting aftertaste. 

K: The taste lingers, right?

G: Yeah. 

J: Ahh, is that the time already? Did we do 4 questions?...5? We did 5. How many did Leader get right? 2?

T: 2.5, right? With 'pickles'

J: Ah, ok, yes. 2 correct answers, and 1 good try. Half correct. What do you think Gara?

G: Yeah, I think he remembers a lot, since he was close with that last one. If this were baseball, he would be (*baseball reference, I dunno*)

J, K, T: Yeah, haha. 

G: It was a good result. 

J: Ok, Leader, 5 questions about the indies era from Gara. What did you think?

K: I don't remember anything.

J, T, G: Hahaha

K: I just worked out the answers from the hints. I don't actually remember. 

G: We were close though, we we working together practically every day. 

K: But it was only one year out of 25, haha. 

J: Well, yeah...

G: Maybe that's the fate of being the second roadie...haha. 

J: Ok, we're going to have to finish the first part of the show, but we'll learn more about Kaoru in the second half. We'll continue talking about Kaoru and Gara's history, so please become a channel member to see that. I'll just let you know how you can do that. The second half of the show is for members only, so you need to be a channel member if you want to see it. If you join, you can watch this broadcast in the archives for a whole year, and we also have members only videos, where we challenge ourselves to all sorts of things, so you can enjoy those too. Ok, how to join. Its very simple. There is a blue link at the top of your screen. Kaoru is pointing now. Click this link, and you will get a screen asking you to choose your payment method. Choose your method and click proceed. Then you can enter your payment details, and you're done. If you haven't yet joined, please do, and enjoy the rest of the show. Ok, now, some news from Gara?

G: Yes, thanks. Uh, on Dec 25th Merry will hold our 'Very Merry Xmas' event at Shinagawa Club eX where we will show the history of Merry (*etc*).

J: Ok, thank you. Leader?

K: Hm, was there something? Ah, well, we are mid-tour now. We still have Sapporo, Sendai, Nagoya, Osaka, Osaka. And then an extra date on Dec 16th at Shinjuku Blaze. Uhh, I think there are quite a few venues with tickets still available, so people can definitely come by on the day and check it out. 

J: I saw you at Zepp Haneda recently, but I'd love to see you in one of the other regions if my schedule allows it. 

K: Please do. 

J: Ok, a quick break here while we change over, but channel members hang tight. Lets continue The Freedom of Expression in the second half!

[olivia-anderson-fanfic]

Yuu can do it!

Part 37

First - Previous - Masterlist - Next

Listen, it was a kind of funny sight, watching Ito speedwalk to the relative safety of their house with Crowley hot on their heels, gesticulating wildly as he spoke. If it did not mean that their lives were about to promptly go downhill, Enma might have actually laughed, but alas. Crowley was their personal harbinger of destruction and chaos and just all-around bad news.

Enma cracked the window. Because it was actually a normal temperature inside their house for once, and this needed to be rectified immediately with a cool breeze.

A cool breeze that just so happened to carry their voices inside:

“I just managed to organize the library,” Ito was saying, sounding strained. “Don’t do this to me. Do you know how messed up that place is going to get if I leave it alone for two whole weeks?”

“Don’t worry, no one will be reading right now,” Crowley argued. “Not when the tournament is so close!”

“There’s a sports section! Besides, Trein has a quiz next week, and no one pays attention in that class, so everyone is going to be checking out history books, it’s going to be a mess.”

The Headmaster did not seem to know what to say to that. So he simply avoided their points altogether: “If you solve this quickly, that will not be a problem!”

Ito groaned. “If you say so…”

Crowley hesitated just outside the door, his expression strange. “I can maintain the library while you are working on this, if you would like.”

There was a moment of silence. Enma could practically feel their shock and disbelief through the door.

“With all due respect, that would only stress me out more,” they said, eventually, so stunned that their tone didn’t carry any of the usual spite that it had when they spoke to the Headmaster.

“That doesn’t sound like a lot of respect,” Crowley said.

Ito snickered.

“Oh.”

There was a sound that reminded Enma of leaves rustling for just a moment, and Ito laughed.

They slipped in through the door, fixing their hair with one hand, the other thrown up in a wave.

Enma grabbed the nearest thing – a candlestick – and started to examine it closely. It was pretty nice, actually, gold and engraved with swirling flower designs, though the dust caught in the grooves somewhat dulled its shine, other miscellaneous appraising words…

“You’re soooooo unsuspicious,” Ito said, barely even glancing over, kicking the door closed with their foot.

“You care for me anyways.”

“Perhaps even because of it,” they joked. “Being unsuspicious is a virtue, you know.”

“It is a virtue, but is it a word?” Enma asked.

“Who knows!”

Enma sure didn’t! Normally, he’d look it up, but unfortunately that was made far harder when he didn’t have a phone.

Maybe he’d ask Ito to take a dictionary from the library so he could fix this problem.

Not that he condoned stealing, of course. He was just… borrowing. He would return it. Eventually.

Before he could follow through on that idea, though, he caught onto the fact that the house was creaking just slightly more than it usually did.

Within seconds, Kuroki was bustling in through the door, Grim hugged close to his chest. The monster seemed disgruntled by this predicament, but not enough to free himself. Or even enough to try and stay awake, instead going limp in Kuroki’s arms the moment things were somewhat still again, his paws and tail just barely swinging with every gasp for air the boy gave.

“We heard… Crowley… What’s – what’s gone wrong?” Kuroki managed to choke out, leaning heavily in the doorway.

Ito and Enma glanced at each other.

And then Ito sighed. It was more fond than exasperated, but it was still plenty exasperated. “It won’t affect you, don’t worry. He just wants to switch my job to something else for the next two weeks.”

Kuroki groaned just slightly, slumping against the doorframe even more. “Thank fuck.”

They rolled their eyes. “‘Oh no, Ito, how is your mental state?’ Thank you for asking, Kuroki. I am going to kill my boss. It will be glorious.”

He snorted. “C’mon, it can’t be that bad.”

“It’s not good. There’s been a string of ‘accidents’ on campus, lately. People are getting hurt. Like, the falling down the stairs and getting trampled in crowds kind of hurt.”

Enma and Kuroki glanced at each other, exchanging wide-eyed looks, and then quickly avoided eye contact. Ito raised an eyebrow at them.

“He’s not putting you in the infirmary, is he? Because I think you can get out of that if you show him your Alchemy grade,” Enma said quickly.

Ito wasn’t truly distracted by his poor attempt at an insult, judging by the way they rolled their eyes, but they sighed and moved on easily enough: “No. Apparently, all of the people that have gotten injured were going to be star players on their teams, and there are way too many injuries compared to the last few years, so he thinks it’s foul play.”

“Do you think it’s foul play?”

“Oh, yeah, definitely,” they shrugged, unconcerned. “It’s more of a problem of… how do you prove that kind of thing, you know?”

“Witnesses?” Kuroki asked.

“Nope. Everyone that happened to see says that ‘It looked like he was just being careless’.”

“Case closed, then. They were being careless,” Grim mumbled, squirming in Kuroki’s arms to nuzzle more into him. This was probably more because he wanted to try to muffle their conversation, not because of any true care for the boy, but Kuroki cooed nonetheless.

Ito snickered. “Your investigative skills astound me.”

“Than’ ‘u.”

Enma rolled his eyes. “What if you just wait to see which dorm isn’t affected by all the ‘accidents’?”

“It’s immoral to allow people to get hurt without trying to prevent it, unfortunately… and it could open Crowley up to getting sued for negligence, so.” Ito shrugged. “Besides, people could argue that it’s circumstantial. Or ‘sacrifice’ one of their players to ease suspicion.”

“Laaaaame,” said Grim.

Ito nodded their agreement. “Very lame. But he does pay me…” They sighed, running their hand through their hair. “It’s annoying, but I’ll figure it out.”

“We can help,” Enma offered.

“Really?” Ito asked, hesitant.

“Of course! We love you and want to help you,” said Kuroki, smiling innocently.

Ito raised an eyebrow. They looked at Enma.

“I just want to solve a mystery. It sounds fun.”

Ito nodded their understanding, and then looked back at Kuroki.

“I love you and want to help you,” Kuroki said without missing a beat.

They stared at him for just a moment more, before trading yet another confused glance with Enma. “What could be ‘worse’ for him than admitting that he cares about us?”

“Honestly? No clue.”

“I could be telling the truth.”

“Yeah, but you’re not,” Ito said, grinning. They poked Grim’s nose, and the monster opened an eye, if only so he could give them an annoyed look. “You got any ideas, bud?”

Grim thought for a long moment. “Didn’t he talk about how he has more work to do because that other waiter guy got taken out? Maybe he wants revenge.”

Kuroki’s face flushed red.

“... holy shit,” said Ito.

Enma, however, had different concerns: “Does this mean we have to call Grim smart?”

Grim frowned. “Shouldn’t you already do that?”

“We don’t do it aloud,” Ito placated, patting the top of his head. “Maybe we should start.”

“You should.”

~

Ito absently looked over their notebook, scanning over the list of names of recent victims. “I think we should start with the Heartslabyul student, since they owe us after the OB. They’ll probably give us the most information.”

“Sounds good,” Kuroki said, stretching his arms over his head. “After that, let’s do Octavinelle. I know the guy. He’s super nice – and, like, that ‘on the brink of a heart attack’ kind of anxious – so it shouldn’t be that hard to get information out of him.”

“Pot, meet kettle.”

“... I swear, he always acts like I’m going to attack him when I get annoyed.”

“You?” said Ito, incredulous.

Kuroki frowned. “I could attack someone.”

“Odd thing to defend, but okay,” said Ito.

“No, you couldn’t,” Enma said. “Or, at least, you wouldn’t. And probably shouldn’t.”

Kuroki crossed his arms over his chest. “I hate you both.”

“Awwwwww, Kurokiiiiiii,” Ito cooed, wrapping him in a hug, smushing their cheeks together. “But didn’t you say you woooove me?”

“Fuck ooooooooff,” he groaned, pushing at their face. “Enma heeeeeeeelp.”

“I thought you said you could fight? I’m giving you the chance to prove yourself. Fight them.”

~

“You coming, Grim?” Kuroki called.

“I’m not going to help you guys,” Grim said, sticking his nose up.

For a moment, the humans hesitated, unsure what to do. Grim, probably, wouldn’t be of much help… but what would they do without him? Be productive? That sounded terrible.

Kuroki opened his mouth, probably to try and convince Grim in a non-manipulative way, but Ito beat him to the punch: “That’s fine.”

Grim blinked. Apparently, this possibility had not crossed his mind. He looked at them all, eyes wide with betrayal. And then he huffed. “I’m going to solve this faster than you ever could!”

“Okay,” Ito said. “Buuuuut I have the list of victims and authority to ask questions, so you’re probably going to have to tag along with us.”

The monster squinted at them for a moment.

And then huffed and floated over to settle in his usual place on Kuroki’s shoulders. “Fineeeeee. Henchman, carry me.”

“Of course, Grim-sama,” Kuroki intoned, rolling his eyes.

~

Enma fought the sudden urge to curse when his eyes landed on the first person they were to question. He refused to curse. Cursing was impolite, you know.

… he still gave a quiet groan.

After all, he knew this student. Their conversation had been brief, but it hadn’t been particularly pleasant, seeing as Enma had accidentally told him off for the high crime of getting stepped on. Which, had apologized properly, might have been fine… he had not done that. Additionally, it could have been salvaged, if he hadn’t followed that by pestering him for information about the tournament that the boy had just realized he wasn’t going to be a part of, which had probably felt like he was rubbing it in.

Whoops?

Needless to say, Enma shrunk under the glare of the student.

“What do you want?” he asked, his head in his hand. His pen made its way across the homework in front of him on its own accord, his eyes just barely tracing the movements – actually, he was moving ahead of it, so he was probably dictating where it was supposed to go next. “I need to concentrate to do this, you know.”

“You do?” Enma blurted.

(Kuroki slapped a hand over his mouth. Uh oh. Enma was getting the Grim treatment.)

The student shot him another scowl.

The pen slid across the paper in a sharp line, following the path of his eyes, and the student cringed.

He sighed, the pen coming to rest upon the table instead. He turned to look at the Ramshackle residents, tired. “So?”

Ito smiled. “I’m here on a special assignment from the Headmaster, I’d like to ask you a few questions.”

The student blinked. They looked at Kuroki and Enma. “Does he always talk like a robot?”

“They do not, they are just in work mode,” Kuroki said.

“Oh. Shit. Sorry dude – I mean – not dude – uh –” He covered his face as much as he could with his good hand. “... I’m going to shut up now.”

Ito waved him off, laughing. “Don’t shut up, I still need answers!”

“Just ask him. He was there,” he groaned, his pen lifting once again to point at Enma.

Grim frowned. “Does that mean we walked all this way for nothing?”

“You didn’t even walk,” Kuroki muttered, finally removing his hand from Enma’s mouth, sending him a meaningful look that said ‘explain yourself or I will hit you’.

… Enma thought he could handle one of Kuroki’s hits.

Enma cleared his throat awkwardly. “We would like your point of view of the incident.”

“He doesn’t know much about it,” Ito translated.

“He knew enough to ask why I didn’t just get up.”

Enma ran a hand through his hair, avoiding the exasperated looks his friends were giving him. “To be fair, he was on the ground for a while before he was stepped on. He totally could have gotten up in time.”

“... don’t double down on it. Just say sorry,” Ito sighed, pinching the bridge of their nose. Aw. Did they get that from him?

Despite his best efforts, a smile managed to steal its way across his face. If the student didn’t hate him before, he certainly did now, Enma’s role in helping save him from an Overblot be damned.

Oh well. If he couldn’t turn this around, he might as well enjoy himself a little by making light of the situation: “Hey, maybe I was just picking up on a clue. It’s not like we have any leads, we need to keep note of everything weird in case it’s important!”

Kuroki elbowed him in the side. Three times. This was not the promised one hit. Betrayal.

His friend ignored his hurt expression (emotional hurt, Kuroki really couldn’t injure someone if he tried), instead sending a placating smile at the student. “We’ll get out of your hair.”

~

Kuroki sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Well, that could have gone better. Why was I the most personable guy there?”

“You snapped at him for using the wrong pronouns for me,” Ito pointed out.

“You went all robot on him! You can’t go customer-service mode on people you’re getting information out of, it makes you seem like a cop!” Kuroki groaned. Then, as if he had just processed the words themselves rather than just the tone they’d said them in, he sent them a slightly awkward smile. “And… would you like me to stop doing that?”

Ito considered that for just a moment before shaking their head. “It was sweet. Thank you.”

Kuroki’s smile shifted into something a lot more genuine. For a moment. Before he turned back to Enma to send him a half-hearted glare. “Would have been nice to know the guy hated you before we went in, you know.”

Enma could only shrug sheepishly. “I didn’t know the guy’s name – still don’t, to be honest – so I didn’t recognize it.”

“Well, since you were there, do you remember anything about what happened?” Grim asked.

“I’m a busy man! I was doing my job at the time and Ruggie was being difficult and –.”

“So no, then,” Ito mumbled, crossing off the Heartslabyul student’s name on their list.

Enma pouted. “You could have at least let me finish.”

“Go ahead, it’ll take ages to get to Octavinelle.”

He lit up again. He cleared his throat in preparation for the long spiel that he was about to embark on:

“Woe, I –.”

~

Kuroki adjusted the takeout box in his arms so he could knock politely.

There was a murmur of conversation beyond the door before it opened, just a crack, to reveal a boy with a shock of white hair and a slightly confused smile.

“Who…?” the student asked. And then his eyes landed on Enma. “Oh, hey, Enma-san.”

Enma waved, smiling, distinctly not responding because he had no clue who this was. The voice sounded familiar, but lots of voices sound similar, so that wasn’t particularly helpful.

“Do you need help with Bones’s homework or something?”

Ohhhhh, okay, yeah, he knew this guy. This was Rourke-senpai, one of the many tablet participants in his Magical Tech class. He wasn’t great at the subject, but his friends were, so he was a good person to get answers from in a pinch.

“No, actually,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “Uh, Kuroki wanted to talk to your roommate…?”

Kuroki blushed. “Hi! I’m Kuroki – you already know that –...” He coughed uncomfortably. “I know Smee-senpai from work and wanted to check on him? I heard he got hurt…?”

“Are you asking me or telling me?”

“Teeeeelliiiiiing?” Kuroki said, no less unsure.

Rourke looked at him for a moment, before breaking into a wide smile, laughing as he stepped aside for them all to come in.

Another white-haired boy lay stretched out in bed, bringing the count of people with white hair at this school up to even more ludicrous levels. Was white hair this world’s version of black hair? Or was it specifically mages who were prone to ‘special’ hair colors? Where were the people with black hair? Was it really just the three of them and Jamil?

Anyways, white-haired boy, apparently named Smee, was not exactly the kind of guy Enma had been expecting. He was portly, for one thing, with a kind smile despite the fact that his leg was in a cast.

“Hey, Kuroki-san. Is Ashengrotto-san running you ragged?”

Kuroki set the box of takeout (fish, since that was basically all that the Lounge served) down on his bedside table. “You have no idea. Senpai, I’m begging you, you’ve got to get better soon.”

Smee laughed. “I promise you, I’m trying to get better as fast as possible. You know, walking was hard enough when I had two legs, now it’s just torture.”

(Enma opened his mouth to ask what he meant. Ito stepped on his foot. His mouth clicked shut.)

“Yeah, what even happened, dude?”

“I don't really know what happened myself,” he groaned, sinking back against his pillow. “I was walking along, talking to Rourke, y’know, as you do. And the next thing I knew, bam! I was tumbling down the stairs.”

“Yeah. I didn't even see him stumbling or anything.”

“It was like my body just lurched forward by itself. I can't really explain it.”

Grim nodded along. “Hm. Hmmmmmmm! Interesting. Veeery interesting.”

Smee spared the monster an odd look, and then went surprisingly tense for someone that had seemed so genial only seconds prior. “Out of… curiosity, why are they all here?”

Kuroki floundered. In reality, they had decided that it was best for him to try and get information out of Smee, since they had a more or less positive relationship (bonding through shared trauma should be on the advertising pamphlets the school sent out at this point), and it would probably be easier if he played into the ‘worried friend’ stereotype, hence them using their limited funds to buy him a meal. However, they hadn’t trusted the king of bad explanations to not leave anything out if they let him go alone, so they had tagged along.

Not that they could say that aloud. Kind of ruined the aforementioned ‘worried friend’ act.

Ito stepped in immediately, smiling and pressing a hand to their chest. “Sorry, we don’t really go anywhere without each other.”

Smee immediately relaxed again. “Right, yeah, I’ve heard that.”

“Why are you like that?” Rourke said, a strange expression crossing his face for just a moment before it was back to that charming smile of his.

Ito shrugged. “Grim is the only one of us that can do magic, and the people here love to fight people over nothing, so it’s best to stick together, you know?”

… damn. Enma was almost convinced, and he knew better. How had they come up with such a convincing lie on the spot? Should he be worried?

Eh, probably not.

~

“Let’s see…” Ito said, squinting at their list of names. “Next up should be… the guy on the left.”

A pair of Pomefiore students were hunched over a book. Technically, they were in remedial classes for Trein, since there was a quiz coming up and they were apparently destined to fail, but it seemed that they had convinced the man that it was his teaching style – probably true – and they could figure it out if they were given time to read the source material.

Ito glanced at the book they were poring over and made a pained expression. Probably a library book, then.

Grim slowly crawled from Kuroki’s shoulders up onto theirs, and Ito gave a faint smile as the monster curled himself around the back of their neck.

That more or less dealt with, they walked over to the pair. Ito smiled widely.

Kuroki flicked their arm to remind them that, even if this was technically work, they wouldn’t get anything done if they were overly polite.

They blinked and, ever so slightly, gave their poor cheeks a break, their smile falling into something fainter, more casual. “Hey, we work with the school, and we’d like to make sure you’re healing okay.”

The victim raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you all –” He tried to point, but was stopped by the fact that his hands were covered in bandages. He grimaced and set his hand down. “... – work in completely different places? Like, you’re from the library, you work at Sam’s, I swear I’ve seen you heading to Octavinelle, and… okay, admittedly, I’m pretty sure the monster doesn’t work anywhere. But, like. The point is, why are you checking up on my health? That is not your job?”

“Our esteemed Headmaster has decided that we are fit for the job,” Enma said.

“Ohhhhh, you all hate that guy, don’t you?” the victim’s friend said, grinning, his head resting in his hand. “You can tell us.”

Ito took a deep breath. “This isn’t about that.”

“That’s a yes,” the victim stage-whispered to their friend.

Grim nodded his agreement.

Kuroki rolled his eyes. “Just tell us what happened so you can get back to studying.”

“You’ve incentivized me to stall more, I hope you know.”

“Yeaaaaaah, I hear it now. C’mon, man, we’re just trying to do our job.”

“How about we trade? Information for information?” the victim said. “I want gossip, c’mon.”

“Uhhhh,” Ito mumbled. “I don’t think we can really do that…”

The victim’s smile lessened considerably. “Seriously? So, what, I’m just expected to tell you things just because?”

“We just can’t afford to be fired,” Kuroki tried to placate.

It was too late, though, because apparently everyone at this damned school was approximately one minor inconvenience from trying to kill someone. The victim (Enma probably should learn his name but, considering the fact that he was pretty sure a fight was brewing, he didn’t want to give the guy the satisfaction of being known) got to his feet, already drawing his wand. “I was trying to be nice, but now? Now I’m throwing down the gauntlet! Duel me!”

And then, out of what seemed to be habit, he grabbed at the edge of his bandages and pulled.

It was deathly silent for a second.

The student screamed.

~

“So, how are you healing?” Enma asked, passive-aggressive even as he carefully rewrapped their hands in new, sterile bandages. To be fair, they had tried to fight him only a few moments prior. He had earned the right to be a little bit petty.

The victim sent him a glare. But he was emotionally drained – and, perhaps more importantly, embarrassed – by that whole ordeal, so he just gave in: “I’ve been better.”

“How did things even get this bad?” Ito asked, frowning in a way that might have seemed much more concerned, if they hadn’t immediately puked at the sight of blood. Kuroki dug a water bottle out of their backpack, and they sent him a wobbly smile.

Kuroki merely bumped his shoulder against theirs in a kind of acknowledgment before smirking at the victim. “Yeah, that was pretty bad. How many times have you done that?”

“You know, I can still duel you,” their friend said.

The victim looked at them with wide eyes that might have been watering for reasons unrelated to his pain. “Really? You’ll avenge my honor?”

“Yeah, obviously.”

To prove his point, his friend (though Enma was no longer sure this was an accurate descriptor) peeled off his own glove, tossing it to the ground.

“Hey, man, you dropped this,” Ito said, kneeling to pick it up and hand it back over.

“Oh, thanks,” the student said, taking it. And then he blinked. His face flushed red. He coughed uncomfortably into his hand. “So, uh, how about the weather?”

“It’s the same as every other day,” Kuroki reminded the friend(if the student and the victim weren’t just friends before this whole ordeal, they certainly were now.).

“... right.”

Enma tied off the victim’s second hand, sighing. “Alright, you should be fine, now. But, seriously, how did you even get your hands that bad?”

“I…” the student hesitated, glancing to the side, embarrassed. “I don’t know. I was stoking the flames of our cauldron, right? And then I just… stuck my hand into the fire.”

“What.”

“Intrusive thoughts,” Grim said, nodding.

Kuroki, Enma, and Ito jolted in surprise. They looked at the monster.

“What? I know things!”

Their shocked gaze lingered on him for just a moment more before finding its way back to the student.

“I don’t know. It wasn’t like I wanted to, there wasn’t even an urge to do it, I just… it’s like my hands were moving on their own. It was weird.”

~

“Maybe they are just really clumsy,” Grim said, shrugging.

Enma shook his head. “These are star athletes, remember? The best in their dorms. The chances of one of them secretly being clumsy are low, but all of them?”

“Stupid, then,” Grim corrected himself.

Based on what they had seen that day, Enma couldn’t really argue that that was untrue.

Still, it didn’t seem right. The Headmaster himself had said that this were more injuries than in previous years, to the point where the tournament was still over a week away and they were already noticing the pace had picked up.

“There’s got to be some sort of magical intervention.”

“This would be more common, then,” Kuroki pointed out. “They’d probably have preventative measures already in place.”

“Then it’s a Unique Magic,” Enma said.

Ito snapped their fingers. “If that’s it, then we can probably ask Crowley for the student records.”

~

Ito flopped on the ground the moment the door to the Headmaster’s office shut behind them. This was probably not for the best, they were in a stone hallway, he was pretty sure that he heard their head crack on the marbled floors…

But they only groaned and tried to meld with the ground. So, they were probably okay physically, at least.

“Let me guess, the records didn’t have people’s Unique Magics listed.”

They groaned. Again. Louder.

Enma knelt beside them, patting their head in a way that he hoped would be comforting.

“He said it would be dangerous for them to list the weaknesses of their powers in an easily stealable file. I said that they didn’t have to list their weaknesses, just a general idea of what they could do. He said ‘Oh’.” They sniffled. “I want to kill someone.”

“As long as it’s not yourself or one of us, take your pick,” Enma said easily.

“What the fuck?” Kuroki mumbled.

Ito pushed themself up to sit, rubbing their eyes. “You really know how to cheer someone up, Enma.”

“I try.”

“What the fuuuuuck?”

“Come on, Kuroki, lighten up, it’s a joke.” He leaned towards Ito, cupping his hand over his mouth. “I vote Ruggie.”

“Noted,” they mumbled.

“I can still hear you, you know.”

~

The Ramshackle residents sat around their kitchen table. Their usual study session with Ace and Deuce was set to begin soon, but they were too busy poring over what the students had told them. Six people in all (which doesn’t seem like a huge number until you remember that there are only 49 players in total, and that is 12% of players injured with almost two weeks to go), and not a single one of them had an explanation beyond ‘I don’t know, it was like my body had a mind of its own for a second there’.

Ito had asked the ghosts about ‘possession’, whatever that was, from context clues it didn’t seem to be the act of simply owning something, but they had only gotten a weird look in return, so possibly-obscure lore from another universe was not going to help them here.

Which meant they were at a loss. It was probably a Unique Magic, but there was no way that the culprit was going to admit to having it if they went around asking, not now.

Ace made his way inside without knocking, as had become standard for the boy, and managed to walk all the way to his usual spot at the table before he realized that they hadn’t greeted him, or even looked up from their papers.

“Uh… you guys good? Are those bills or something?”

He grabbed the nearest piece of paper out of Kuroki’s hand, the boy snapping out of his stupor just so he could scowl at his friend, and scanned it over. Ace only looked more confused with this new information.

“New job from the Headmaster. We’re detectives now,” Enma explained bitterly. He no longer wanted to be a detective. This was infuriating. Sherlock Holmes arc was canceled, let him sleep.

“We’re looking into a bunch of suspicious accidents that have happened on campus.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Grim huffed. “But nothing we heard sounded all that suspicious. It seemed like they all just fucked up and hurt themselves somehow.”

Enma rolled his eyes. “No, Grim, I’m telling you, it’s a Unique Magic, we just have to… narrow down which of the hundred or so students here could actually do that.”

“Sounds fun,” Ace snickered.

“Do me a favor and die in a ditch, please,” Kuroki said.

“Oh, c’mon,  if you’re going to insult me you should at least try and make it original –.”

“Guys!” Deuce rushed in in a panic, the door almost falling off its hinges with how quickly he had opened it. “We’ve got a problem!”

“Oh, shit, is the homework that hard?” Ace asked. “We haven’t even looked at it yet…”

But, before Deuce had even said anything, Enma knew that this wasn’t something as trivial as that. Ace would waltz in like he owned the place, but Deuce was polite.

No, if Deuce was forgoing taking his shoes off before walking inside or even knocking, something was deeply wrong.

“What? No! Trey is hurt!”

[ofsavior]

What kinks does Chifuyu have? Are they the same regardless of relationship, or do they vary from person to person depending on their bond? (So would BajiFuyu be different than say KazuFuyu or would the kinks be the same with both)

unprompted spicy hours. || anonymous.

Hmmm...

I'll admit, I haven't given it much thought 🤔I imagine he's relatively consistent, but how he expresses them might change from partner to partner.

Putting under readmore just for good measure. I took the kink quiz for him a little while ago, so I'll put that in here.

edit: this larger turned into a description of his partner preferences, so I'm sorry if I didn't answer the question as directly as you'd hoped fjlerkfj.

Number one. I make jokes about Chifuyu's masochism, but it's very real. He has a wicked high pain tolerance. He can, and will, seek negative attention. He's into that sort of thing and likes to be put in his place to some extent or be challenged. For a long time Chifuyu couldn't find someone he considered an equal. A potential partner for him has to be someone who can make him strive to improve, even if it means he's going to be sporting some bruises when he tries to fight them 😅

I think Chifuyu would generally respond better to more verbal partners. He likes tangible evidence that what he's doing is succeeding. Silence would probably leave him wondering if something's wrong with his partners and if they're distracted or disinterested.

He doesn't mind getting marked up. Normally, that's from fighting. But he'd prefer it with his partner.

I made a joke about him having an interest in roleplaying, but honestly... I can kind of see it for him. Especially if it's featuring some kind of game that he finds fun. Not even in a sexual respect, but in a connection that sets the tone for whatever comes nest.

I can see him having a sort of praise kink with Baji. I think this one doesn't extend to others necessarily. He admires Baji and wants Baji's approval, but that's because Baji is his sun. Baji and Chifuyu is the dynamic where I think Chifuyu is more moon trope than sun trope. So everything he can do to please Baji is all the more satisfying to him. I imagine Baji and Chifuyu would be learning a lot more about their preferences together too since I envision them as each other's firsts in most respects.

Whereas Kazutora's a little different. Chifuyu knows himself better and is a lot more self-assured down the line. He's more willing to be forward and more assertive, but Chifuyu's still naturally compliant and submissive. I think they'd have a less defined relationship. Chifuyu would be aware of Kazutora's need to blow off steam and they're probably initially more physical than they are intimate.

I'd have to give it more thought, but I can get back to you if you're interested in more specific dynamics. Just let me know which ones.

As for Chifuyu's inclinations, here's the list:

I don't know about Slave as much as it is worship. This is definitely obvious in his relationship with Baji.

[foppishmuses]

Doing this quiz for some different muses under the cut

John Egbert

Your result: Bard

You’re a storyteller at heart and you may have a bit of a Thing about attention and validation. You’re a natural improviser and you’re great at adapting to situations at a moment’s notice using whatever resources you have at your disposal. You can’t stand being bored. You’re very creative and you probably have a great sense of style. You’re honestly just here for a good time, and you live for drama.

College of Valor

Bards of the College of Valor are daring skalds whose tales keep alive the memory of the great heroes of the past, and thereby inspire a new generation of heroes. These bards gather in mead halls or around great bonfires to sing the deeds of the mighty, both past and present. You think stories can be one of the most powerful things in the world and you’re especially inspired by stories of heroism, adventure, and the conflict of good vs. evil. You’re not just a bookworm, though, because you are also a physically-oriented person who enjoys expressing yourself with your body. You might be into dance, martial arts, sports, or outdoor adventuring. You’re a natural leader who finds meaning in being able to inspire others.

Dwight Fairfield

Your result: same as John because i have exactly one character type

Lena “Tracer” Oxton

Your result: Cleric

You’re dedicated, caring, and probably a sucker for happy endings. You spend so much time helping other people that you might forget to take care of yourself. You’re very idealistic and have a strong sense of faith in your beliefs, which may be actual religious beliefs or just your personal moral code. You like to be prepared for a variety of situations and you may have a bit of a protective side.

Domain of Peace

The gods of peace inspire people of all sorts to resolve conflict and to stand up against those forces that try to prevent peace from flourishing. You really just wish everyone could calm down and get along for once. You’re a gentle person who will do as much as humanly possible to avoid conflict, though others should be careful not to mistake your pacifism for passivity. When conflict does arise, you have a natural knack for guiding people to find compromise. Your calm and non-judgmental energy might draw people to seek advice from you and you’re pretty good at inspiring people when they need a little positivity boost.

Varrick

Your result: Rogue

You’re a practical and unusually resourceful person with big dreams that may or may not involve copious amounts of money or treasure. You’re ambitious, you know what you want, and you’ll do whatever you can to get it. Some people might think you’re selfish, but you know it’s important to take care of yourself first. You thrive under pressure and you might have a bit of a mischievous or chaotic side.

Swashbuckler

You focus your training on the art of the blade, relying on speed, elegance, and charm in equal parts. While some warriors are brutes clad in heavy armor, your method of fighting looks almost like a performance. Duelists and pirates typically belong to this archetype. You’re a confident person with a charming personality. People often find you likeable or easy to get along with and you probably have a distinct sense of style. You know where your strengths lie and you’re not shy about demonstrating your talents. You’re a resilient person with a knack for easily bouncing back from difficult situations.

Rhys

Your result: Warlock

You’re a charming and ambitious person who cares a lot about the people you are close to. Sometimes you might worry that you rely too much on the help of others, as if you’re not good enough on your own, but you have a knack for pulling out unexpected skills or solutions at just the right moment. You may have a bit of a lazy side at times. You have dreams for the future and you want to end up better off than where you began.

Pact of the Genie

You have made a pact with one of the rarest kinds of genie, a noble genie. Noble genies are varied in their motivations, but most are arrogant and wield power that rivals that of lesser deities. They delight in turning the table on mortals, who often bind genies into servitude, and readily enter into pacts that expand their reach. You’re an ambitious and resourceful person with big dreams, and you’re not above taking shortcuts to achieve your goals when needed. You have a certain taste for luxury and comfort. Sometimes you might find yourself running away from your problems instead of facing them head-on. Certain people in your life are really important to you and you might find yourself (consciously or unconsciously) modeling yourself after parts of them over time.