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welcometomy20s · 4 years ago

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February 6, 2021

February 8th is the 3rd anniversary of Nijisanji, and to celebrate I want to give you a quip about every single extant member of Nijisanji... since there are over 130, that’s including ID, IN, and KR... but not VirtuaReal, because they are not on Youtube and also.... China... it’s split into three parts. Part 1 covers everything up to the merger that happened on the beginning of 2019.

First Wave

Tsukino Mito - The iinchou. One of the original seiso gone wrong. Mito is something else, a term I used for Haato, but Mito’s degeneracy feels very different. Mito is much more cynical, definitely likes gore like Korone, and definitely one who calculates things. Haato is just beginning to figure out how to play out her degeneracy, to great effect, but Mito knew the future. In that sense, she fits the Student Representative nature.

Remember that Mito is kind of like Sora in Hololive. This comes as the major source tension, for Hololive, it’s the tension of being an idol and being oneself. Here, it’s more like how to best express oneself within the limitation of the medium. It seems similar, but the feeling is quite different, and that’s what makes Nijisanji so different from Hololive.

Higuchi Kaede - I heard she plays the trumpet. Hmm, that’s all you need to know about this person. If you were in band, you know the instrument determines your personality. Trumpet people are outgoing, brash, but ultimately a nice group of people. The girls, in particular, have a cool side to them, even if they present feminine. They are going to be good friends, with no worries of love blossoming. Usually referred to as Deron, which roughly translates to a slobbering napper... and part of JK Gumi with Mito and Rin.

Shizuka Rin - The functional leader of the group. She’s the competent one, pretty good at gaming, pretty good at hosting, good at being both boke and tsukkomi, also good at drawing apparently. Also good at language as well.

Yuki Chihiro - A soft spoken loli who plays a lot of shooters, and is pretty good at them. Also quite pervy at times. So, just your typical salty gamer, who happens to be a magical girl, apparently... so in another word, a brat.

Elu - Full name, Snow White Paradise El Santo Flow Wasurena Pure Princess Livre Love Heidern Dokodoko Yattaze Valkyria Passion Alfr Noel Chakoboshi Eluaria Frosia Made-in Bloom Elu. Shares the illustrator with Hal Shibuya, Toya, Sister Claire and so on. Started out as a talk streamer, known for her wide range of voice, she shifted to playing Minecraft as you usually do. A bit lacking at top, but tries her best.

Shibuya Hajime - Not to be confused with Shibuya Hal, who was affiliated with upd8. One of the more proficient players in Nijisanji, from his start as pro Getting Over It player, to giving tech advice, and eventually establishing himself as a pro PUBG and Apex player. Apparently did some odd tweets that got him under fire, but he’s better now, apparently. Probably why he did so good at the imagination tournament.

Moira - A goddess, you know with ara ara and everything. Apparently seems to have her head above her clouds... which makes sense considering she’s a goddess.

Suzuya Aki - We have a cross-dresser, everyone. According to TVTropes, he’s affably evil, you know the type. Apparently the most normal of the first wave... and as you have might have guessed Toya really likes this kid. It figures.

Second Wave

Morinaka Kazaki - Another loli character, but has an adult form. Formed a duo with Gibara for some goddamn reason... childhood friends with Emma August, and strangely seen as mother-like, although she looks ten half the time. It’s odd.

Mononobe Alice - Not a loli, despite the appearance... and some of her acts. Has a decent grasp in English, which is really pretty cool. Not much other than that.

Suzuka Utako - The shotacon of the group, and just the most perverted person. Usually has a deep voice, but actually has a pretty wide range, and therefore a really good singer. First Nijisanji member to get banned, apparently.

Fumiko Tamaki - Very much Nijisanji’s own Okayu, including the bad live streaming environment, and having a cat of her own, who is just the most bad of kitties... but even more like a cat in how her schedule is what she feels like... apparently got 250 grand by sleeping. Well, sleeping cat is a staple. Also has a tendency to get her jaw taken out... you know those people. As you might garner, very clueless with technology.

Yuhi Riri - She’s from the future... She has a nice boyish voice, but usually is the butt of the joke due to her lore, so no one comments about it. She seems nice.

Ienaga Mugi - Shares the illustrator with Rin, a shut-in who loves video games and her onii-chan, one of the few who actually grows in age. Pretty good musician, likes to flirt with Riri... which is interesting. Had her identity revealed at school... yikes.

Ushimi Ichigo - She’s a strawberry milk sea slug, which is just the coolest thing. Has a father-daughter relationship with Belmond, and good at drawing. Got some cool advice from Matsuri... which actually, uh, isn’t really a good idea, isn’t it?

Kenmochi Toya - Speaking of not being a good idea to be next to lolis... many people point to the double standard about female vtubers being creepy as kind of a quirk, compared to men, who would go straight to jail... and I point to Kenmochi Toya.

He’s a good host, strangely like Matsuri or Marine, apparently the son of Mito, which Mito likes but Toya doesn’t... go figure. Has that v-line chin that is parodied a lot, and likes to rap... which also feels like a Marine thing. Sorry... he’s pretty good on his own.

Fushimi Gaku - Cheerful man who does a morning show and plays horror games. Kind of plays the father figure for the second wave... but also has a dark side, which makes sense considering the children above. Also fit with the horror games above.

Gilzaren III - Rarely streams, but hangs around in the chat a lot, like he’s some kind of an official lurker of Nijisanji. Also speaks with a pretty high tone, which doesn’t quite fit, although this might be a ruse... it’s unsure.

Nijisanji Gamers

Kanae - Kind of have his head in the clouds, which fits the lore of having amnesia. Kind of the leader of the Gamers, and one of the best at gaming. Does long streams and everything, likes PUBG but venturing to Apex and the likes. Good at Minecraft, too. Usually works with Kuzuha, leading to that famous clip... such a good classic.

Overall, a really solid streamer and personality in general. A real gem for the crew.

Akabane Youko - Rarely streams, but she is good at gaming. Has a wild laugh and so people still like her... huh, in some sense she’s the female Gilzaren.

Himawari Honma - Gamers 2nd Generation is an absolute goldmine. There were three, one of them retired, but you still know her (wink wink), and all three are just fantastic. Probably the best is Hima... one of those empty-head people that is really good at gaming... you know, Aqua, but somehow better, least to me.

Like Aqua, she's a pretty good singer and she likes vocaloids. But Hima-chan is like a sunflower while Aqua is an... onion. I mean onion could be sweet, but it always gives off a bad taste at the end, while a sunflower is a pure delight. Just look at her, her emptiness is a light, while Aqua’s emptiness is dark. (You can tell my bias here.)

I never like the dumb sterotypes, but Hima is so warm and comforting in her emptiness that you cannot help but smile at the airhead. She’s just such a good vtuber.

Sasaki Saku - She’s the hot-headed of the three, well two. She picks fights with everyone, including people like Belmond or Yashiro, and they fight back because she’s just an entertaining fighter. She’s entertaining, period.

Kuzuha - Probably one of more well-known male Nijisanji members. Went on the Suisei route, as in, he was independent before joining Nijisanji. Plays FPS with Kanae as mentioned before. Pretty good player, but better at banter. Kind of a mischievous person who is actually quite shy... a little of Pekora in the person, except Kuzuha is more annoying than truly like a villain that is Pekora.

One of the people who says cannot sing, but can actually sing very well. Just overall, a great talent to have and just fun to watch, especially in collabs.

Shiina Yuika - Likes Nintendo, and also does a radio show on YouTube. Actually did a radio show as well once. One of the brutally honest people, and a trouble-maker.

As you kind of expect, Sasaki Saku was the one who really got her into the groove, and during her what-turned out to be an absence, Shiina did feel a bit down. Likes to sleep, which makes sense in the context. Not the best at gaming, but still a fun player.

Aqua really likes her, which is interesting since she shares the illustrator with Okayu, and therefore the two are close friends... and they would go after the poor onion.

Makaino Ririmu - Supposedly a succubus. Definitely headstrong and kind of a loli, so there’s a pretty wide fanbase for her... but she’s honestly a good-hearted person. Just look at her collabs with Kou or Lize... she did calculus for a stream?

SEED 1st Gen

Ryushen - Real name, Sengawa Midori. Singer of uncertain gender, so I’ll use ‘they’. Known to be the planner, and a good one at that. Friends with Sister Claire, and their junior, Kakeru and Hayato. Is part of the group, ‘Rain Drops’ with five other members. Originally stated to be part of VOIZ, a male pop group, but as stated... ‘they’.

As for personality, they are a cool kid, friendly with others. Not a bad person to watch.

Hanabatake Chaika - Muscular Okama Elf who wears a maid dress. Very cool personality, a rough and tumble kind of person. As with the description earlier, the concept is odd, but the person is odd in a more palatable way. Honestly, one of people I would try to seek to watch in Nijisanji. Apparently the cross-dressing thing was enforced, rather than a personal choice. Got turned into a robot once.

As for an example, his 3D debut was actually months after he has gotten them and actually used them in collabs and TV interviews, so Chaika skipped right to the shenanigans instead. Perhaps this spontaneity is what makes Nijisanji 3D better.

Yashiro Kizuku - Concept is a systems engineer, likes rhythm and retro games. Friendly with a lot of people, especially with Sasaki Saku, which they host a gaming show. It’s really fun! They are a good bickering couple. The show is kind of a good gateway for Nijisanji as a whole, I believe. Oh, right the intellectual test with Hima...

Yeah, the blandest concept, but one of the most likable members in Nijisanji.

Dola - She’s a fire dragon. Act as an elder to the SEED group, kind of an admin at the minecraft server, so she’s treated like a god here. Good singer, great dancer.

She’s in a group with Yashiro, Hima, and Kuzuha, where the concept is that they are a family, with Dola and Yashiro being parents, and Hima and Kuzuha being their children, and they are one of the best groups to come out of Nijisanji. You can’t miss them.

Sister Claire - Usually does really short talk streams, which was reformatted to a radio format. One of the last seiso people, but strangely gets along with many of the members, mostly because she wants to be funny, and honestly... succeeds for me.

Also a great singer... who would have guessed? Sometimes treated as a cult leader.

Todoroki Kyoko - A 19 year old gyaru. Self proclaimed normie, but obviously not the case anymore. Great at drawing, but only in 2D. As with gyarus, really nice!

Suzuki Masaru - A chunni cross-dresser. Wants to be cool, but obviously cute. Actually doesn’t really like cross-dressing, but it does get the views. Honestly, he looks cool.

Uzuki Kou - A rich teenage boy, well liked by other people. Great singer but doesn’t show often... he does have a rap about hot pot ingredients that is well-covered by others. Friends with Ririmu, I believe. He’s a nice person to watch.

Azuchi Momo - A 14-year old illustrator who did her own design, and one of the most dangerous members of Nijisanji. Yep, known for her curses and drinking cocktails... and yes, she’s supposed to be 14. But even she recognizes that she’s an adult woman...

SEED 2nd Gen

Takamiya Rion - A student at a magic school. Supposed to be a lass, but in reality becomes like that sketch where two beautiful women are dubbed by kids? Yeah, she becomes like that. Just the least intelligent person... good for moron-sexuals, I guess.

Apparently this is more a debuff, as she can act smart and lady-like in late night streams. She was the one who hosted the imagination event. Also really likes SAO, and therefore fell into Genshin pretty hard last year, and who can blame her?

Asuka Hina - Is sometimes called a succubus, kind of works a producer and did a special producing session as a result. Can be calm and outgoing at once.

Maimoto Keisuke - Originally a farmer, but got tired of it. Does gaming and sport commentary, usually wrestling or baseball. Became someone who always gets tortured by his female peers... strange but not a bad character. Oh, this harassment leads to a lot of anger and there’s a tradition where they burn people virtually... and he always gets lumped in as a person to be burned. Friends with Subaru and Ui, and forms the Oozora family, believes to be a middle-aged man, but others don’t treat him like that.

Amemori Sayo - Typical high school student, but we’re sure she’s a ghost. Does a lot of special effects, leading to tech problems. Kind of a quiet speaker.

Kanda Shoichi - typical college student, has a buddy relationship with Gundou Mirei. Good at gaming, singing and hosting, which means he got his due even though it was a little late. Doesn’t really like Korea, though, which is a problem.

Rindou Mikoto - An oni queen, likes girls and booze. Can hold down a liquor, and hold down a girl... a quick learner in everything, therefore excellent at everything.

I knew her as Marine’s coach at Mario Kart... and now I know the reason.

Joe Rikiichi - He’s a joker, a real comedian. Good at improv. Pretty poor. Does late-night radio with Maimoto as well. He’s always a fun person to watch.

Debidebi Debiru - Demon koala who dabble in the occult. He’s the kid in the family, with all the stubbornness and gumption included. Likes to make nicknames, good in collabs. And as with kids, ultimately a good person at heart, which is why he does collabs.

Probably one of my favorites... I’m kind of miffed his section is so short, honestly.

Sakura Ritsuki - A fairy from another world. Basically only plays minecraft as the resident builder in the area. Got a new outfit, and suddenly got a ship going on with Kuzuha, which is good for her, I guess. Yeah, she does what she does.

Machita Chima - A great singer and bit of a psychopath. Went dark to study for exams, but soon returned to herself. Kind of a younger Suisei is what I’m getting at.

Belmond Banderas - The Corpse of Nijisanji. Low voice, and very kind to everyone. But he can be funny too. If he’s drunk, he’s just your average guy who agrees on everything. Also incredibly lucky, apparently, enough to make a religion with Lize as worshipper.

Yumeoi Kakeru - Singer-songwriter who got calling as a host. Really likes Ryushen to a psychopathic degree, but they are good friends as well. Seriously, he’s one of those well-adjusted psychopaths. Apparently he was a biochemist before singing. Sara calls him papa... which, okay, I guess. Did some shady stuff like catfishing in the past...

Overall, he’s that person who came from a rough background, and that means there’s some edges and some of his strength. Definitely an important asset.

Kuroi Shiba - She’s a four year old dog, but acts like an old lady and eventually earned the suffering characteristic and works at a shady company. But what’s the most fascinating thing is her deep lore. Seriously, it might be one of the most interesting lore before Haachama/Haato became a thing.

Yaguruma Rine - A eleven-year old girl who says the first thing on her mind. Also went dark during exam season, but returned after the summer exams. Practices English a bit during her streams, so there’s that going for her. Also her phone disappeared for a bit.

Harusaki Air - Air here meaning ‘spring’ in Greek. Kind of interpreted as a cleaner version of Toya. He’s a prince, so he’s usually busy... unlike a certain princess.

Naruse Naru - Remember has a different look! Although now he can switch it back and forth... apparently it was management issues? Whatever, won the current mario kart tournament (Mikoto was second) and that’s pretty much it, honestly.

#nijisanji #vtuber #long post

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neioo · 6 years ago

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Fanfic Rec! ( • ω • )

Rules I’m constraining myself to: I’ve either had to read the fic more than three times and/or have thought about it years in the future. (This means I’ll have to leave out some other fics I really enjoyed reading and thought were well written)

A bunch of different fandoms will be under the cut! (as I expose what I ship across the board too lol)

We’ll Meet Again by George deValier (usuk) (complete)

This is the first fic of george’s that I read, and I’ve read it multiple times, and it’s been integral in my shaping of characterizations within my own hetalia fics. I could include all of his works, but this one stands out the most. I also listen to the vera verse songs and get extremely nostalgic, so there’s that

WW2 AU. London pub owner Arthur Kirkland is driven to distraction by loud, brash American fighter pilot Alfred Jones. Unable to stop it, Arthur finds himself falling for Alfred’s charms… just as the pilot is preparing to leave for war.

Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue… by anonymous (pruaus) (unfinished)

This fic is odd in the sense that I found it while suddenly getting on a pruaus kick, during which I followed a bunch of pruaus people on tumblr. Eventually, I would find out years later that I was going to the same college as one of these people and become friends with them. So not only does this fic have a nostalgic tie to it, I find the story brilliantly written with wonderful characterization, though it is in a weird format.

Inspired by the film 500 Days of Summer, I’d really like to see a couple meet and fall in love, but eventually one (or both) ends the relationship because they realise it’s not working/they can’t imagine spending their whole life with this person/what have you. I’d really love to see how the relationship develops, with the happy times and the eventual bad times as it falls apart, and then the hope of finding love elsewhere.

Redeemer by CocoaCoveredGods (L x Light, Mello x Matt, Mello x Light) (complete)

I can’t tell you how happy I am that I found this fic after 6 or so years. I can’t tell you how nostalgic is makes me for my death note phase, remember when I would read this in my mom’s office, minimizing the fic on a laptop I hope she never checked. The writing is phenomenal. The format on this site is wonky, but doable to read. (I’m even reformatting it myself right now). It’s mostly everything I could have wanted in a death note fic; it even inspired my own very complex death note AU back in the day. In some alternate reality, I wrote that instead of AWH. I plan to maybe make a personal paper copy for myself of this fic I love it so much. It is on the level of George’s stuff on how much it means to me.

The story takes place *after* Death Note ends, although the main characters have not died. Here the Yellowbox Warehouse is essentially the pinnacle of L's 6-year long offensive against Kira, who believes L to be dead, when he really isn't. L faked his death, and proceeded with the case behind the cover of his three top heirs, Mello, Matt and Near. Kira himself doesn't succumb to his defeat, but is instead rescued at the last moment by his nemesis lover who decides that a more apropos end to the God of the New World is not death--but redemption, in the form of a new case and a 5th so-called Kira, that L and Light must bring down together... or risk losing everything. Yes, there is actually a plot LOL Buuuut, this puppy has yaoi and pairing's aplenty. LxLight and MelloxMatt are technically the mains, but when you cut straight down to it, this is a story about Light and Mello and how they go from hate to need, from enemies to lovers, and maybe even something more...

and indeed there will be time --orginally by lawlietismyfavorite, but they have since deleted their account :’( (the fic is still on AO3, though!) (L x Light) (unfinished)

I love death note, okay? After the beautiful live action series came out (the recent japanese one not that fucking netflix shit), I felt the need to read some fanfic of the series again, and I found this. HOLY SHIT. It’s a soulmate AU that goes through the plot line of the manga/show and fuck. Light is Ace?? The writing is so good??

L is the greatest detective of not only this century, but of six centuries. And then there’s Light.

Between the Lines by Klitch (Fushimi Saruhiko/Yata Misaki) (complete)

I’ve read this fic about 5 times and have accepted it as canon for this stupid show

The first time Yata saw him the kid was sitting in the corner of the cafeteria all alone with his bought lunch spread out before him, painstakingly picking out the vegetables and stacking them according to color and size.

Picking up the Pieces by SilverThunder (Fushimi Saruhiko/Yata Misaki) (complete)

I really like K. It’s a weird show, and it has copious faults. Maybe I just really like that the characters have so much potential, and this fic (as well as the one above) truly expands on that potential. This fic is an excellent exploration of these two character’s relationships, there’s just the right amount of angst. I’ve read it multiple times.

A whole year, gone from his head just like that - and how many memories could you fit in that time, anyway? It wasn’t a question Yata thought he’d ever have to ask, but with so many things changed between Saruhiko and himself, he wasn’t about to leave it alone.

It just sucked that the new world they’d built was still so easy to break.

to be first, to be best by kittebasu (chanyeol) (iwaoi) (complete)

haikyuu!! is odd for me because I don’t care about it anymore, but I really like this fic, and I’ve read it about 5 times. The characterization is on point, and the story is extremely well written.

Hajime is apparently something of a masochist, and as he stares down at the tie-dyed AREA51 T-shirt in his hands, he thinks“I’m totally in love with this asshole, aren’t I?”

Cat's Cradle by evocates (Fujioka Haruhi/Ootori Kyouya/Suoh Tamaki) (complete)

every new years eve, since 2011, my brother and I have watched Ouran High School Host Club. for the past 4 years, I have read and re-read this fic without fail in the days after

Kyouya had been able to see the red threads between people’s fingers since the day he was born. A song of fate, and the breaking of. Tamaki was a man who could never be predictable. Vague spoilers up to Chapter 63.

"Relationship Stuff" by arokitty, Ponderess (shinara) (complete)

This fic helped me realize I was asexual. It’s beautifully written.

"Relationship stuff" — that's what Yasutomo kept calling it on the occasions we discussed how things were going between us. He never failed to say it dismissively, as if it was an annoying plague he was forced to put up with. But even when I told him that he could opt out of it at any time, he did not pull back.

[lithromantic asexual Shinkai, aromantic asexual Arakita, quasiplatonic Shinara]

You Really Ought To Know by isengard (midotaka) (complete)

I really like this ship, and out of all the fics I’ve read of it, this is the one I adore the most (obviously enough to read it three times)

The Fates have an important message for Takao Kazunari.

A Gradual Fall by grassandcitrus (originshipping) (complete)

This maybe isn’t the best written fic, but it has a lot of heart, and for a ship that there is little content for, this fic served me well. It’s hard to write a realistic pokemon AU, but this feels grounded. For whatever reason, this ship still means a lot to me, so when I get in the mood for it, I’ll re-read this fic.

Meeting Wallace turned out to be a life changing event for Steven. He realizes that pretty early on. Other things, however, come with time.

The Punchline and the Resulting Silence by youremyqueen (thiefshipping) (complete)

from the author: “so i went ahead and wrote ygotas fic because, hell, if LK can record videos in which he vocally flirts with himself while playing video games, and then write gay porn about it, I sure as hell can write gay porn about it too.” yeah.

In which Marik destroys many household appliances, Bakura naps doggedly, and they sometimes pretend - with very little success - not to be in love. (YGOTAS, thiefshipping. ridiculousness meets poeticism meets more ridiculousness.)

Six Days As Boyfriends by sitabethel (thiefshipping) (complete)

I just really like this ship and I have since I was a 14 don’t @me

In order to avoid talks of arranged marriage, Marik convinces Bakura to trick Ishizu into thinking that they're in love.

The Longest Job & The Smallest Favor by emanthony (hisoillu) (complete)

everyone in like march-ish of 2018: omg in the new update of hxh illumi says that he and hisoka are engaged!

me having watched 10 episodes of hxh 4 years ago and having a faint idea of the series: who?

me: *looks up fanfics of them*

me: *finds these two*

me: *proceeds to read them 15 times and gets obsessed with the ship*

Illumi is forced out of the Zoldyck estate and seeks a living arrangement with an associate. He's not altogether pleased with it.

Hisoka is a floor master at Heaven's Arena and has the unexpected pleasure of spending time with one of his oldest acquaintances. He doesn't share Illumi's frustrations.

///

A sequel to the Longest Job, another HisoIllu fanfiction.

Hisoka and Illumi have been living together for six months now without much trouble. But when Illumi's youngest brother goes missing, Hisoka manages to make the situation just a bit too complicated and much more fun.

Lessons in Etiquette by KnockKnockBadminton (promtis) (complete)

I knew nothing about this video game but for whatever reason decided to look up fanfic for it after seeing some fanart, and then because this one was so well written, I, again knowing absolutely knowing about this video game or the series it’s a part of, binged the entire 164k fic in like two days. I’ve also re-read it and convinced my brother to buy the video game as a result. He refers to them as the “leather boy band” and sends me updates about his play through lmao

Begins in high school. From Prompto's desire to befriend the sullen, bullied prince blooms a relationship even the Astrals themselves could not have foreseen. Basically fills in the gaps from Brotherhood to the fall of Insomnia. Some liberties taken.

say it like you mean it by spaceburgers (takuleo) (complete)

Ever since playing the video game, I loved the dynamic between these two characters, and this fic is a wonderfully crafted and fun to read AU staring both of them.

Wherein Leo is a transfer student, Takumi is overly competitive, and they're doing Romeo and Juliet (but not as the titular roles).

#the hour i spent doing this was fun c:#miscellaneous #the fandoms are uh..#hetalia. death note. k. pokemon. yowyapeda. fe fates. hxh. final fantasy.#ouran high school host club which i know that's spelled wrong #haikyuu.. kurko no basket. and yugioh.#lmao that's a mixed bag #anyway \o/ feel free to check them out but i also made this for my own reference haha

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x0401x · 7 years ago

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Gakuen K Drama CD: Bread Party

Raw version here. Please feel free to message me about possible corrections.

Kuro: Gakuen K ~Wonderful School Days~ V Edition Bonus Drama CD – Bread Party.

Rikio: Right side, fine. Left side, fine. Looks like the Blue Club ain’t here. Okay, on with the trade. Did you bring the goods?

[Rustling sounds]

Rikio: Whoohoho! That’s it, that’s it! *sniff* From the smell, it’s pretty high quality... huhu! I can’t handle it! Didn’t you guys use a pretty neat powder for this? Thought so! Just the change in smell is already making me dizzy. Here, your reward. Take it. Thanks for always. Lots of people are looking forward to this! Hm, then, I’ll be going, but... don’t get caught by the Blue Club. If they ever find out that we, the Red Club, are doing this kind of trading with the Culinary Club in the shadows...

Saruhiko: What you doing there?!

Rikio: Guh?! Fushimi...!

Saruhiko: Deliberate trades involving money are forbidden within the academy’s premises. Show me what you’ve got in your hands.

Rikio: Ooh?! This is... Hehehehe... This is the last thing I can hand over!! *runs*

Saruhiko: Tsk! *dials* Ah, Captain! Please come to the front of the Red Club’s clubroom right now.

Reishi: Did something happen?

Saruhiko: I’ll explain later! Please hurry!

Reishi: To think you of all people would be in such a haste... Rarities really do happen. Understood. I shall go immediately.

Izumo: Yata-chan, how’ve ye been lately?

Misaki: “How”? What do you mean?

Izumo: What I mean? When someone asks a teenage boy ‘bout how he’s doin’, it’s obvious that they’re goin’ fer a lighthearted talk.

Misaki: “Lighthearted talk”? Is it about a kidnapping or something?

T/N: The pun here is that Misaki mistakes the word 薄いた (lighthearted) for 失いた (disappearance) because they’re pronounced the same way.

Izumo: No... that ain’t it...

Rikio: *panting* Yata-san! Kusanagi-san! Bad news!

Misaki: What’s wrong? What happened?!

Rikio: Our trading with the Culinary Club... was found out... by that bastard Fushimi of the Blue Club!

Izumo: What’d ye say?!

Rikio: *gasp*

Reishi: I had been thinking since long ago that your relationship with the Culinary Club was suspicious. You have finally let your tail out, haven’t you?

Misaki: Blue Club... grr...

Izumo: So ye’ve been markin’ us from the start, huh?

Reishi: Now, may we have your explanation?

Izumo: My, my, no need ta rush like that. First, how ‘bout we take it slow and have some tea?

Reishi: So you do not have the will to cooperate? If that is your intention, we must take corresponding measures. Fushimi-kun. Confiscate the proof that he is holding.

Saruhiko: Yes.

Rikio: Aaah! Wait a min—ioaeugisydojogau

Saruhiko: Here you go.

Misaki: Kamamoto...! Saru, you bastard! What’re you doing?!

Saruhiko: You got a problem, Misaki? I don’t mind being your opponent right here and now!

Misaki: Of course I got a problem, you—

Izumo: Theeere! Stop, stop! I’m beggin’, don’t wreak havoc inside the bar! Yata-chan. Ye remember the number of goods ye’ve broken until now?

Misaki: A-Ack...!

Izumo: If ye break anythin’ else, I’ll turn into flames of wrath... in the literal sense.

Rikio: Yata-san... if it’s about me, I’m okay...

Misaki: But...!

Saruhiko: Hmph!

Reishi: Then, let’s confirm what’s inside the bag. *rummages* This is... bread, huh... moreover, just out of the oven.

Izumo: So it’s finally been exposed... that we secretly buy fresh bread from the Culinary Club and serve it as part of the snacks menu?

Reishi: So that really was the case? No matter the reason, money trades between students are forbidden. Let’s put an end to this kind of thing on behalf of what happened today.

Izumo: Don’t say such harsh stuff, Mr. President of the Blue Club! This bread’s one of our hidden best goods, and hotly demanded by part of the costumers. If we lose it, there’ll be a dramatic decrease in our power! The costumers will leave in a flash! It’s already hard for them to come by just ‘cause these grubby fellows keep crammin’ the place. They’re quick to eat all the stuff I buy, too. They’ve broken about 39 of my items. I’m really crossin’ a thin line! Take pity on me somehow, please!

Reishi: You have my empathy, but there is no way I can acknowledge those means. If these are meant as snacks, you can buy them from merchants, right?

Izumo: You can’t buy fresh bread from merchants, and the cost would also be bigger than now. We’ve got no choice but rely on the Culinary Club! I’m seriously implorin’! *clasps hands together* Like this!

Reishi: Regardless of how much you ask, my will shall not change.

Izumo: Kh...! So this is how it goes with fellows that don’t make deals...

Tatara: Ah? It sure is crowded today. The Blue Club is also here; how rare. Are you getting everyone together for a party or something?

Izumo: Does this look like party airs? Uh? Totsuka, what ye got there?

Tatara: Ah, this? An acquaintance of mine who was a baker is closing his shop and going on a journey around the world. And so, since he doesn’t need these anymore, he gave me a lot of stuff! Like bread shapers, tools that I don’t get very well, and flours that I don’t get very well!

Reishi: Hooh? Well, well. Strangely enough, this is wonderful timing. However, I can foresee an outcome with this.

Izumo: “Outcome”, ye say? Ye can’t mean—

Reishi: Yes. How about the Red Club start making its own bread from now on? If you do so, as you wish, fresh ones will be at hand, and there will be no delivery fees, right?

Izumo: No, no, no! Ye say it like it’s simple, but... makin’ bread is extremely hard! Ye talk ‘bout doin’ it so straightforwardly—

Tatara: That’s great! Seems fun!

Izumo: Totsuka?! Listen to my—

Misaki: Kusanagi-san! I’ll do my best!! To make up for the stuff I’ve destroyed up until now, I’ll knead, knead and knead bread!! So rest assured! I’ve made it once during cooking practice in middle school. Back then, the teacher praised me, saying it was a bread out of this world!

Izumo: No good. I’ve only got bad feelings ‘bout this...

Reishi: It seems the opinions have been gathered. Then we shall take our leave. Let’s go, Fushimi-kun.

Izumo: Ye two. Can’t ye wait?

Saruhiko: Tsk! There anything else?

Izumo: Ye fellows don’t get a thing ‘bout the hassle that is makin’ bread. That’s why ye get to say irresponsible stuff like that. I��ll have ye participate in a bread-makin’ contest with us. And then, ye should be able to understand what I’m sayin’.

Saruhiko: Hah? Who’d do that? Unlike you guys, we’re busy.

Reishi: Hm... it is true that I have never made bread before. Fushimi-kun. We will do it.

Saruhiko: Wha... Are you serious?

Reishi: Do you think I would be joking?

Saruhiko: I wished it was a joke...

Izumo: Anyways, we’ve started makin’ the bread, but... Yata-chan. Ye okay there? The dough’s all gooey and yer hands look like a zombie’s.

Misaki: Somehow, this... augh...! Is clingy, and won’t come outta my hands! Ah, damn...! Ah, you... you...!!

Izumo: Wai—don’t flail yer hands! That sticky dough is splatterin’ everywhere!

Rikio: Yata-san, didn’t you add too much moisture? If you increase the flour, it should be just on-point.

Misaki: Oah! Kamamoto! Nice idea!

Rikio: Then, I’ll put in the flour!

Izumo: He’s added too much of one ingredient again...

Misaki: Hey, now I can’t put the dough together at all... Kamamoto! More water!

Rikio: ‘Kay!

Izumo: Ah. Again, so determinedly...

Misaki: Weird... it’s sticky again... Kamamoto!! More flour!

Rikio: Aight!

Tatara: Whenever you add up strong flour, you also have to put in yeast and butter.

Misaki: Got it!

Izumo: That’s some impressive cooking. It’s floodin’ out of the bowl. And ye don’t seem to be measurin’ anythin’ since earlier. Is this okay?

Misaki: What’re you saying, Kusanagi-san? This is a man’s cooking!

Izumo: Ah. Well... do yer best. Totsuka, how ye goin’?

Tatara: Hmm! Though I’m the one saying it, I think I’m doing fine! I put together and thoroughly mixed flour and yeast, sugar and salt, then added butter, and on top of it all, kneaded well.

Izumo: Oooh, as expected, ye know the methods!

Tatara: After letting it rest and ferment for a while, what I had was... this!

Izumo: Hey, how did it turn into udon??

Tatara: Udon-cooking is one of my home hobbies. Once I thought they were generally the same while making it... I ended up with this.

Izumo: “Ended up” my ass! They’re completely different! Ye said ye were doin’ okay just a while ago. What do we do with this thin stuff?

Tatara: It’s fine, it’s fine. It’ll work out somehow.

Izumo: Listenin’ to that line right now... makes me really annoyed.

Misaki: Kamamoto!! More water!!

Rikio: ‘Kay!!

Izumo: Ye guys cut it out!

Reishi: It seems that peculiar breads are being conceived over there. Fushimi-kun. How’s your progress? Mine is about to finish fermenting.

Saruhiko: Nothing much... just normal. I searched the how-to of this thing on my PDA. By following what it says, anyone can do it. Seems like those idiots couldn’t do that much, though.

Reishi: Hoooh... that is a smooth dough. You are going to shape it now? What kind of form will you make it into?

Saruhiko: Just balls is fine, right?

Reishi: That is uninteresting. How about... making it into plants or animals?

Saruhiko: It doesn’t have to be interesting...

Reishi: Fushimi-kun. Please.

Saruhiko: Hnnn...

Reishi: Please.

Saruhiko: Tsk! I get it. I get it already. Please stop pressuring me with a grin.

Reishi: Huhu... I’m really looking forward to what Fushimi-kun will make.

Saruhiko: Hmph... it’s done.

Reishi: This... seems like an ordinary sphere.

Saruhiko: It’s marimo.

Reishi: Hm. Marimo, huh. It is unique in its own way, but how about you attempt making something more varied next?

Saruhiko: It’ll be the same no matter what it is...

Reishi: Fushimi-kun.

Saruhiko: Ugh... it’s done.

Reishi: Again, it looks like just a sphere. What is this?

Saruhiko: A dung beetle.

Reishi: Fushimi-kun. Do you really have any intention of doing this?

Saruhiko: None.

Reishi: All right. Then I will be the one giving suggestions. Next, please make a rabbit.

Saruhiko: Haah? Tsk! Nnngh... hah. Are you... satisfied with this?

Reishi: It is... quite out of this world.

Saruhiko: What? If there’s anything you want to say, just say it.

Reishi: No, as expected of Fushimi-kun.

Saruhiko: You say that but what about you? It seems past the fermentation time.

Reishi: Oh. This is no good of me. Let’s take out the vinyl and examine the situation first.

Saruhiko: Ugh...!

Reishi: This stench... It really... looks like it went too far past the fermentation time.

Izumo: Well, ‘bout time to bake. Everyone, put yer stuff in the oven!

Neko: Uuuh... I’m hungryyy... I can’t move a single step forward!

Kuro: This again? Every time you open your mouth, it’s to say things like, “I’m hungry”, “it’s hot”, “it’s cold”... Don’t you know what patience is?

Neko: I don’t!!

Kuro: Don’t cut me off! You need to train your endurance a little – no, a lot! If you relax your mind and body and elevate yourself, a bit of hunger should become something easy to withstand.

Neko: Ah... hnn... Shiro! Kurosuke sounds like an old man!

Kuro: “Like an old man”, you say!?

Shiro: Now, now. There’s no helping it. Neko is Neko, after all. We’ll buy something at the cafeteria, so put on just a tad more effort.

Kuro: Shiro! Don’t spoil Neko!

Neko: As expected of my Shiro! Unlike the blockhead Kurosuke, he gets what I say! Ugh, but it’s really no good! I really can’t move anymore!

Kuro: You just ate lunch barely three hours ago.

Neko: If I say I can’t move, then I can’t move!

Shiro: Hmm... this is a problem...

Neko: Nnngh... hm? *sniff* Ah! It’s the smell of bread!

Shiro: “Smell of bread”? In a place like this?

Kuro: *sniff* It’s true... it’s certainly the smell of bread baking.

Neko: Bread... bread... It comes from over there! Let’s go, Shiro!

Shiro: U-Uwaaah!

Neko: Bread, bread... bread, bread, bread, bread, breeeaaad~~~!

Shiro: U-U-Uwah!

Kuro: Weren’t you the one that couldn’t “move a single step forward”?!

Shiro: Waaaah!! Lemme go, lemme go!

Kuro: Neko, slow down a little!

Shiro: Aaaaaah!!

Kuro: Shiro is being completely dragged around!!

Neko: Gimme my bread~!

Kuro: Hey, Neko! It’s rude to just abruptly come in! Hey, Shiro! Are you okay?? Hang on!

Shiro: *moans*

Izumo: Members of the Silver Club... That was pretty sudden. What happened?

Kuro: Neko was hungry and sensed the smell of bread coming from here, so she went out of control...

Izumo: I see, so that’s how it is. Well, then. Wanna eat the bread?

Neko: I do!

Kuro: Hey, Neko! Hah, honestly... I’m sorry. If it’s a bother, do say so.

Izumo: Nooo... it’d actually help if she ate it. Right, Mr. President of the Blue Club?

Reishi: That is right... If it is meant to be eaten, then I wish you please do so.

Kuro: What do you mean?

Izumo: Welp, one eye-witness is better than several hearsays. Look at this!

Kuro: This is...

Neko: NYAAAH! These breads are creepy!

Kuro: How unbecoming... This is... bread? One hasn’t gone past the state of dough, another is tremendously packed and with a pale color, and yet another is... as thin as pasta and all coiled for some reason. The only one that can almost be called bread is this rabbit-shaped one, but... ngh... what’s this abnormally hateful face?! It’s almost as if it’s meant to make one lose their appetite with this look that seems to be making fun of people! To be able to make this sort of expression, there’s no mistaking that the person who baked this bread is completely twisted at heart!

Misaki: Heh! Tell him off more, Yatogami!

Saruhiko: Tsk! Yours didn’t even become bread to begin with, Misaki!!

Tatara: Yatogami, if you would, couldn’t you teach us about bread making?

Kuro: Me?

Tatara: Hm. If it’s you, Yatogami, this kind of thing is your specialty, right?

Kuro: Indeed, I did learn how to make bread from Ichigen-sama. I don’t mind the part of teaching, but if you’re going to do this, we’ll do it meticulously. Shiro! How long are you going to be snoozing? Hurry up to wash your hands and put on an apron.

Shiro: Uh... ah... “ap-ron”...?

Kuro: For starters, it’s a mistake to try to make bread just by knowing how. Bread is a living thing! A very delicate living thing at that! Taking in consideration the state of the flour, the heat of the fire and the humidity of the air, the temperature of the added ingredients will change. You must know how to adjust to this, or else making it work becomes impossible, but even so, you guys... kh...! How deplorable!

Izumo: What’s that? It’s like some switch’s been turned on...

Neko: Hey, Kurosuke... where’s my bread?

Kuro: SHUT UUUP!! I’ll be making the best bread ever now! Until then, go eat that disgusting rabbit or something!

Neko: Eeeh, this? Hmph, no helping it...

Saruhiko: Tsk!

Kuro: Well, let’s begin from the part of measuring the flour. Shiro! What are you dilly-dallying for? You’re the assisant. Hurry and get the ingredients.

Shiro: A-Ah, yes!

Kuro: Mix strong flour, yeast, sugar and salt and shape into a sack. The lukewarm water that will be added to it should be... let’s see... today is rather hot out, so let’s make it 30o C (86o F). After adding that, knead it all in the bowl until it becomes a homogeneous sphere. First, let’s do it until that point!

Izumo: We only have one thermometer, so pass it around after using!

Tatara: Yatogami is amazing! I, too, might awaken to bread making today.

Reishi: I’ll take care of the flour, so Fushimi-kun, I leave the yeast and sugar to you. It will be more efficient if we share the load, right?

Saruhiko: Grrr...

Misaki: Heh! As if I’d do things in this fussy manner! It’s better to do this kind of thing in an easygoing way!

Kuro: Yata! Do you think this sort of laidback reasoning is allowed in the conduct of bread making?! That sloppy, huge mysterious ball of earlier was your doing, wasn’t it? Learn a little from your errors!

Rikio: S-Scaryyy...

Misaki: Ah... I get it. I just have to do it, right? Just do it.

Kuro: Honestly... I’ll have no liberty to let my guard down. Well, then, now we’ll get to the part of kneading the dough. Shiro, divide the butter in the amount everyone will use. 10 kg for each.

Shiro: Roger! Neko, you help too.

Neko: Hm! I’ll eat the butter!

Shiro: Hehe. Just a tad, okay?

Kuro: When kneading the dough, it’s important to roll it in a rhythmical fashion. Open your legs like this, and use your entire body, as if you were applying your weight onto the dough. When you do so, the protein of the flour, gluten, comes out. It’s like a stretchy membrane. This gluten will inflate the bread during the fermentation. So, for us to bake a tasty bread, it’s important to enhance this gluten membrane and make a dough that will be very stretchy.

Misaki: Hey, Kamamoto. You got what he said?

Rikio: Nope. But it kinda seems delicious, huh?

Tatara: Hm... hmm... is it like this?

Kuro: Totsuka-senpai!! Lower your back more! It’s almost like you’re putting no strength into it like that.

Tatara: Understood!

Kuro: Fushimi!! Do it more rhythmically! If you just knead aimlessly, the bread will not respond!

Saruhiko: Tsk! What a pain... what’s with this...?

Kuro: Munakata-senpai... hm, that’s the spirit. If I may, I find it better to use the bulge of the hand for kneading the dough.

Reishi: I see. I’m grateful for the advice.

Kuro: All right. Everyone seems to be doing fine, yeah? Shiro, give them the butter.

Shiro: Yes, yes~! Here you go.

Kuro: Return the dough to the bowl and add the butter. Rub well and completely blend the butter into the dough. At that time, while the butter is not yet totally blended, we transfer it onto a wood board. It’s necessary to be careful so that the board doesn’t become sticky. And then, again, same as we were doing until just now...

Kuro: Well, now we’ll finally let it ferment. Put a wrap around it in a radius of about 30 degrees and leave it for 3 to 4 minutes. It takes time for the dough to become twice its size.

Misaki: At last, huh? With this, all left is to bake...!

Kuro: What are you saying? That’s only the first fermentation. From now, there will be gas releasing, partitioning, resting, shaping, and after those, the second fermentation. We’ll put them in the oven after that.

Misaki: Seriously...?!

[Alarm sounds]

Kuro: Hm! It’s done baking.

Neko: Hmmm~! What a nice scent~! Thanks for the food~! Ow, ow! Agh—Hot, hot!

Shiro: Careful! It just finished baking, so you have to properly blow it. *blows and bites* Delicious! This is super delicious!

Neko: No fair! Me too! *blows and bites* HMM~! TASTYYY~! *eats desperately*

Kuro: Then, I guess I’ll have some too. Thanks for the meal. *eats* Hmm! It’s quite satisfactory. This is the figure of a righteous bread. Hm? Won’t you guys eat?

Tatara: Ah, no... we’re just a little tired, you see.

Misaki: I have no energy to eat.

Kuro: Is that so? Then you’d better do it after resting. We’ll take our leave now. I’ve fulfilled my role, after all.

Tatara: Yatogami, thank you! Thanks to you, Yatogami, we’ve made it this far.

Kuro: No need for gratitude. It was a time for learning many things to me as well. Let’s go, Shiro, Neko.

Shiro: Our Kuro flipped on a weird switch... my bad about that. If we’re able to overlook that and do some activity together again, I’d be happy. Well, then... sorry for intruding~!

Neko: Hm?! Hm! Hmnmhnmnmph~!

(T/N: I can tell that she means to say “wait for me” here. XD)

Izumo: They left, huh?

Mikoto: Nice smell coming from here...

Izumo: Mikoto! Where’d ye come from?!

Mikoto: I’d been sleeping at the back of the shop all this time. Bread, huh? *eats* It’s pretty tasty.

Izumo: Mikoto saying “tasty” is a rare feat... Lemme see. I’ll also... *eats* Hm? Hmm. Hmmm~! It’s true! This is really tasty! It won’t lose at all to the Culinary Club’s! Everyone, try it too!

Misaki: If you’re saying that much...

Reishi: Shall we have some?

Rikio: H-Hmm! TASTYYY~!! I’ve eaten a lot of bread in the academy, but one this tasty is a first~~~!!

Reishi: Wonderful...! The softness of the dough, the pleasant smell, the light sweetness... everything is perfect.

Saruhiko: Hm... Well... it’s not like it isn’t edible...

Misaki: UWOOOH?! WHAT IS THIIIIS?? U-Ultimate... IS THIS THE ULTIMATE BREAD!?

Tatara: Hmm~! Bread after labor is the best, huh?

Izumo: But, Mikoto... ye wakin’ up with some marvelous timing, huh? Just now, we were in a pinch!

Mikoto: You made this bread all together?

Izumo: Yeah. Bein’ harshly beaten up by a Spartan instructor.

Mikoto: Heh.

Izumo: Well, Mr. President of the Blue Club. Makin’ bread was a real hassle, huh?

Reishi: Yes. Indeed. I understood that it requires an incredible effort.

Izumo: Right? On top of it, there’s still the cleaning from now. Makin’ bread on our own while handlin’ a bar at the same time is impossible.

Reishi: Seems so. However, no matter the circumstances, buying bread from the Culinary Club with money is...

Mikoto: I don’t really get it, but it’s fine if it’s not money, right?

Izumo: I see! A trade on both sides? How’s that?

Reishi: Suou. I have slight resistance in accepting a suggestion from you, but... this is fine. Let’s leave it as that.

Izumo: Great! Nice one, Mikoto!

Mikoto: So, what’s this talk about?

Izumo: Eh, ye said that without knowin’?!

Reishi: Then, we will take our leave now as well.

Tatara: Ah, if that’s the case... here, take it.

Reishi: This is...

Tatara: This bread is a present! Please share it with everyone from the Blue Club.

Reishi: Fushimi-kun. Do you think my decision regarding the Red Club today was a little too soft?

Saruhiko: I... don’t care anymore. By the last half of it, I couldn’t think about anything else other than wanting to hurry home.

Reishi: Hm. That’s very like you. Still, this bread is truly delicious. Everyone from the Blue Club will be delighted, right? Only... I hadn’t imagined we’d end up making bread with the people from the Red and Silver clubs.

Saruhiko: Wasn’t that because of a whim of yours?

Reishi: No, this is called fate. Reality is stranger than fiction, after all. You never know what will happen in life. Nevertheless... I enjoyed myself. Days like these every once in a while... are not bad.

#k project #gakuen k #fushimi saruhiko #yata misaki #munakata reishi #kusanagi izumo #yatogami kurou #isana yashiro #neko #ameno miyabi #kamamoto rikio #suou mikoto #k #wonderful school days #drama cd #my translation

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brynne-lagaao · 7 years ago

Text

(Fanfic) Set in Stone - Chapter Eight

Title: Set in Stone

Pairing: Sarumi

Chapter: 8/18

Rating: M

Mirrors: AO3 | Website

Summary: Yata wasn’t sure what he was expecting when he performed a summon on his own in a fit of drunken loneliness. It definitely wasn’t some asshole demon with a bad attitude, even if that demon happened to be frustratingly hot. But breaking their contract was going to mean working together, and he wasn’t sure how much of that he could take before he snapped… one way or another.

Note: Thank you to @dropletons for being my beta and to @chromekins for helping with the magic aspect. This fic is not entirely accurate in terms of modern magic and the demon lore was basically made up to suit the story, but I tried to keep somewhat of an authentic feel, so hopefully that succeeded.

He ended up saving the retrieval for last – not only because it was the worst job, but because he didn’t wanna go in with anything of value on him that he’d end up having to replace or pay for. Usually if some punk stole his shit, he could get it back easy enough, but he’d spent enough time around Jungle to know not to underestimate them.

Fucking Jungle. Fucking Hisui Nagare. Fucking… Munakata. That bastard.

The rain had petered off into a little drizzle by the time they walked out of the train station and onto the street that would lead them through the residential area. The sidewalk was narrow in that part of the city, the houses thin and squished in together like they were huddling for warmth. Foot traffic was sparse at that time of day, and the roads were quiet but for a few cars here and there – most of them zipping by above the speed limit. As they turned to head down a different block, there was an impressive piece of graffiti art splayed across the wall that lined a nearby schoolyard – a snake biting a lion’s tail, and ‘bite back’ in large bold spray-painted letters above it. Inside the schoolyard, a group of kids were playing, and the sound of laughter and shouting made for lively background noise.

It was a familiar sort of place – not exactly the neighborhood he’d grown up in, but close. Would’ve been comfortable if not for… those guys.

“There’s a coven headquarters in a place like this?” Fushimi commented blandly.

Yata shot him a narrow look. “What’s weird about that?”

Fushimi shrugged. He seemed to be sizing up the area, in a lazy sort of way. “There’s not a lot of space.”

“What’s that got to do with anything?” He was getting defensive, even though Fushimi hadn’t exactly said anything derisive. Yata reached up to rub at the back of his neck, expelling a sharp sigh. “Doesn’t take a lot of space for rituals – you saw my apartment, right?”

“Mm.” Fushimi’s tone was thoughtful. “True.”

It didn’t seem like he was gonna say more, but something small and restless stirred in Yata’s belly. He couldn’t resist the urge to add, “Y’know, I grew up in a place like this.”

He wasn’t sure what he’d expected in response, but Fushimi turned to regard him with something almost like interest. “Nearby?”

“Huh?” Yata blinked at him, caught off guard. “Uh… no.” He recovered his equilibrium quickly, offering a small awkward shrug in response. “Other side of the city.” Not wanting to leave it hanging like that, he added, “This place just kinda gives off a familiar vibe, y’know? Guess it’s normal, though – I mean, it’s like my home when I was little, so yeah. It’s nice.”

“Is that right?” There was something inscrutable in Fushimi’s expression. He turned his head to regard his surroundings again; when he spoke, it was almost like he was mumbling to himself. “I guess most people would feel that way, huh?”

Something about the way he said it felt off, but Yata shrugged that aside. “Right!”

They had to walk two more blocks and then down another street before reaching the intersection that was sort of a crossroads between the residential area and the more industrial area. There was a construction zone that made the distinction that much more stark – large wooden structures and protective plastic lined the solid brick buildings that dwarfed the houses opposite them. It had been like that for as long as Yata had been coming here, as if the work was in constant limbo. He’d never seen any actual construction workers, either.

Sometimes he wondered if it was just a glamor spell of some sort, but it had never given off any ‘fake’ vibe, and he was usually pretty good about picking that shit out.

Whatever. Not like it mattered.

“I feel like I should’ve waited with my question from before,” Fushimi drawled, dispelling his umbrella illusion as he followed Yata through the opening in the plastic to the cramped temporary walkway. “It’s really hard to imagine a coven operating in a place like this. Is it even safe?”

Yata snorted in response, pulling around the rucksack to stow his own wet umbrella. “Probably not. These guys like it that way, I think.”

The sharp sound of Fushimi’s tongue clicking met his ears in response. “I haven’t even met them and already they seem annoying.”

“Yeah,” Yata offered another huff of agreement, “just wait.”

About halfway down the construction walkway, there was another opening in the plastic that lined the wooden path. It wasn’t too conspicuous, but behind it there was a boarded-up door. Yata reached through the plastic and rapped his knuckles against the wood. “Yatagarasu,” he identified himself, raising his voice to be sure it went through clearly.

There was a long moment of silence, and then loud, rapid footsteps approached from the other side.

The door, which looked like it should’ve opened outward, slid to the side instead. A platinum-haired teenager glowered out from between the boards. “What are you doing here?”

It fucking would be him. Yata resisted the urge to swear, frowning back. At least if it had been Yukari, all they’d get were some vague suggestions and a smug smirk. “Picking up for Munakata.”

“Nagare never said there was a pickup.” The kid sneered back at him. Gojo Sukuna had the biggest attitude problem Yata had ever had the displeasure of coming across. And, unfortunately, a hell of a lot of power to back it up. But right now he looked like the bratty teen he was, ripped jeans and ill-fitting T-shirt completing the picture. “And who’s that guy? Some new shitty member in your shitty coven?”

Yata bit back the immediate, angry response. Not fucking worth it. “Yeah, I’ll tell Anna you said so,” he gritted out, and had the satisfaction of watching Gojo’s face stiffen and grow red. Somehow or another, those two were classmates – and she was the only member of Homra he didn’t bad-mouth. “He’s not a member, just a…” The word ‘friend’ was on the tip of his tongue, but he managed to chew it back in time. “He’s with me.”

“Duh.” Gojo rolled his eyes, fixing Fushimi with a belligerent look. “You – what’s your name?”

Fushimi looked down his nose at Gojo as if studying an insect, then shifted his gaze to Yata slowly. “Do I have to answer this brat?”

When it wasn’t directed at him, somehow that attitude was awesome. Yata couldn’t help his answering grin. “Nah.” He turned back to Gojo, who looked about ready to commit murder. “Hisui’s gotta be waiting for us – sure you wanna leave him hanging?”

Gojo glowered at them, shifting from one to the other for a second or two, and then snapped, “Stay there!” and slid the door shut so fast it banged against the handle.

Yata heaved a sigh, reaching back to ease the tension at the back of his neck. “Pain in the ass,” he muttered.

Fushimi clicked his tongue. “I’d happily strangle this stupid brat.”

That at least got a huff of laughter from Yata. “Least you gave ’im hell – that was pretty cool, by the way.” He tipped his head a bit, feeling hesitant for no real reason as he offered up a genuine smile.

Fushimi blinked at him, raising a hand to adjust his glasses as if to mask his reaction. “You’re easily impressed,” he muttered back, gaze flickering away from Yata as his eyelashes lowered.

It was an oddly endearing reaction. Yata wasn’t sure why but his cheeks warmed all the same. “Yeah, well… ‘enemy of my enemy’, right?” He shrugged and let it drop there, feeling weirdly awkward. “If we’re lucky, Hisui’ll just give him the quartz to pass on to us and we can get the hell outta here without going in.” It wasn��t likely, but still possible if Hisui was busy with something.

“Mm,” Fushimi agreed, and clicked his tongue again. “Are the rest of them as bad as this?”

Yata didn’t even hesitate. “Yup.”

Fushimi’s frown deepened. “Great.”

There was no chance to respond to that, because the same loud footsteps from before approached and the door was flung open once again. Gojo glared at them both, reaching out to rap his knuckles against the wooden planks barring the entrance. They swung open as if they were all attached to a solid door. “Nagare said come in,” he grumbled, stepping back to give them space, “so hurry it up.”

Of course things couldn’t be that easy. Yata let out a soft ‘ch’ under his breath, moving to step forward.

“Is there a protection ward on this place?” Fushimi asked abruptly, halting him in his tracks.

Oh yeah… right.

“’Course there is,” Gojo answered impatiently, shifting irritably from foot to foot as he waited. His gaze narrowed. “Why, you got something to hide?”

Fushimi ignored him, gaze fixed on Yata instead. “Did you want to tell him first, or should I be a surprise?”

The prospect was too good to pass up. Yata grinned back, showing teeth. “Hey, everyone loves surprises, right? Let’s go.”

The corners of Fushimi’s mouth turned up; he let out an amused huff, shutting his eyes briefly. “Just remember this was your idea,” he murmured.

“What are you two blabbing about?” Gojo demanded suspiciously, as Yata moved through the doorway into the dark, empty room beyond. He took a few extra steps to leave space and turned just in time to catch Gojo’s jaw drop as Fushimi followed him, wings flaring out and horns sprouting from his head. “Wha… what… the hell?”

“That’s a good way to put it,” Fushimi drawled. His illusionary clothing shifted back into place, covering the expanse of pale-skinned chest that had automatically revealed itself when he’d stepped in.

A tiny thread of disappointment wormed its way into his thoughts; Yata shelved it firmly. Not now.

Gojo rounded on him, eyes blazing. “You brought a demon here? Are you crazy? Wanna start a war or something?”

Yata shrugged. “Hey, Munakata probably said something to your leader before we got here.” He spread his hands, widening his smirk. “Not my fault Hisui doesn’t pass that shit on to his doorman.”

Another furious flush crept onto Gojo’s cheeks. “Nagare’s gonna kill you,” he growled, and then managed a smirk, eyebrows lowered almost dangerously. “I hope he lets me do it.” Turning sharply, he headed for the back of the room. “C’mon!”

Yata waited while he opened up the trap door in the back corner, dim light from the opening glowing through. “Little shithead,” he muttered under his breath as Gojo climbed down the ladder and out of sight.

“That’s an understatement,” Fushimi murmured in response, and clicked his tongue. “After you, I guess.”

“Yeah, sure.” Might as well get this over with.

The ladder didn’t go down all that far. At the bottom was a short, narrow hallway leading to the main room in this dank, poorly lit basement. It had been designed – for some dumb reason – to look like someone’s bachelor pad. The tiled walls had a greenish tint, the carpet under the sofa and TV was threadbare, and there were boxes piled atop the cabinets and fridge. Gojo was lurking near the back, slouched against a wall near where a tall man in a priest’s robe was diligently hanging laundry from a wire. He paused every so often to lift a can from the counter behind him and take a long swig.

How’d you expect clothes to dry with no airflow in here, huh? It had to be some kinda spell they used, but the point of it wasn’t clear at all. Yata really didn’t get these guys.

Hisui Nagare himself sat on the couch, a tablet in his hands. He was dressed in an oddly formal way, black pants and suit jacket over a white shirt, but his hair was unkempt. When Yata stepped forward through the open door, he looked up from his work with a smile. “Ah,” he said, “Yatagarasu. Good of you to come.”

Yata clenched his teeth, but didn’t bother reminding him not to use the nickname. It wouldn’t make a difference. This guy could be frustratingly oblivious of other people’s preferences and feelings. “Can we just make this quick?”

“Of course. Iwa-san,” Hisui addressed the tall man, “would you be able to find the quartz that Munakata requested?”

“Sure thing.” Giving the shirt he’d hung one more tug, the man – Iwafune Tenkei – stepped back. He offered Yata a shrug and a smile and then turned to examine the drawers behind him. “Now where the heck did I put that…?”

Coulda got it ready when you heard I was here, assholes…

“I appreciate it,” Hisui responded smoothly, and let his gaze slide with obvious interest to where Fushimi had stepped up beside Yata. “What an extraordinary friend you’ve brought. Won’t you introduce us, Yatagarasu?”

Fushimi clicked his tongue before Yata could respond. “I’m fine with being a stranger.”

“Is that so?” Hisui blinked, tilting his head a bit as if trying to get a read on the situation. “I’m afraid I’m not quite familiar with the salient points of demon etiquette. My apologies if the request was impudent.” He set the tablet aside and leaned forward in his seat, bracing his elbows on his knees and creating a bridge with his hands, on which he rested his chin. It was an oddly hunched posture for him. “Perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself. I have a particular interest, you see.” He smiled again. “I’m very curious about the extent to which demonic illusion challenges reality.”

That must have been a pre-arranged signal, because faster than Yata could blink, Iwafune spun from the counter, pointed a gun at Yata’s head with uncanny accuracy and fired.

The instinctive rush of alarm and panic at being shot at struck him in the same instant that the shot itself rang out; Yata flinched back automatically…

… And barely managed to catch sight of a projectile from beside him catching the bullet mid-flight and knocking it aside.

The shock hadn’t quite faded but his body was already tensing for action; Yata whipped his head up just as Fushimi spun up two more throwing knives and slung them with practiced ferocity at Hisui, Iwafune, and Gojo, shifting as he did to place his body between Yata and them.

The reality of that deliberate movement stunned him even more than the sudden attack. Yata felt his breath catch in his throat, so sharply he nearly choked on it, and couldn’t help but stare at Fushimi’s back, tense and poised with his wings at full span. What is he…?

As expected, the knives bounced back harmlessly from their marks, falling to the floor in tandem. Hisui sat up straight in his seat, looking thoroughly pleased with himself as he regarded Fushimi. “It seems as though your demonic rank is quite high, to create an illusion of that caliber.” His eyes gleamed with interest. “As expected of Munakata’s protégé. I’m impressed.”

The tension seemed to ease off of Fushimi all at once; he straightened, letting out a sigh. “A trick, huh?”

“Hey, asshole!” Yata shook aside his own shock, focusing on glaring at first Iwafune and then Hisui. “The hell was that about, huh? Don’t just fucking shoot at people!” He balled his hands into fists. “You wanna start a fight?”

Gojo stepped away from the wall, placing himself between them and Hisui. “Try it, Shittygarasu. I’ll take on you and your pet demon both!”

Yata balled his hands into fists. “What was that!?”

“There’s no need for that, Sukuna.” Hisui settled his hands in his lap with polite diffidence. His eyes were still on Fushimi. “I expect you’ve noticed by now, but this room is warded against physical harm to any living being within its walls. My apologies for not mentioning it. It was necessary.”

Fushimi clicked his tongue, but didn’t answer. When Yata tilted his head to catch a glimpse of his face, he noticed that those grey-blue eyes were narrowed, fixed sharply on Hisui.

What the hell? Yata turned a glare in that direction as well. “Was that s’posed to be some kinda test or what?”

Iwafune chuckled. “I guess you could call it that.” He’d stowed his gun and was reclining against the counter, beer in hand. In his free hand, he hefted the chunk of rose quartz that Munakata had requested. “You wanna hand this off to our guests, Sukuna?”

“Huh? Why should I?” Gojo shot him a petulant look. “Do it yourself!”

Iwafune sighed. “Kids today. No respect for their elders.” He pushed himself away from the counter, crossing the room and even stepping around Fushimi with an apologetic grin to hand the quartz to Yata. “Thanks for your hard work.”

“The results were most enlightening,” Hisui added, pleasantly.

Yata scowled at him and then at Iwafune’s back as he retreated across the room, before letting out an agitated huff and depositing the quartz into his empty rucksack. Finally! “Shoot at me again and I’ll fuck this place up.” With a final glare for the inhabitants of the room, he turned to leave. “C’mon, we’re going.”

“Hah! I’d like to see you try, Shittygarasu!” Gojo taunted.

“That is the lamest insult I’ve ever heard,” Fushimi muttered, just loud enough for his voice to carry as they moved through the door.

Yata snorted. “Right?” He tossed a smirk over his shoulder at Gojo, who glowered back at him. “Like a grade-schooler trying to act tough.”

“What? You got a problem?”

Fushimi clicked his tongue, pausing at the base of the ladder for Yata to go on ahead of him. “What I have is a headache. What a noisy brat.”

“You’re telling me.” Yata let out a soft ‘ch’, climbing deftly toward the opening and hoisting himself out so that Fushimi could pass. “He doesn’t get any better the longer you know him.”

“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.”

Yata made a point of leaving Jungle’s front door wide open when they were through. Gojo was going to come up and close it pretty quick, but it still felt satisfying in a petty way to leave it like that. “Pain in the ass,” he muttered, pushing through the plastic of the construction zone with more force than was really necessary. He pulled his umbrella out of the rucksack, holding it ready to open when they reached the edge of the walkway.

Fushimi was right on his heels. “You weren’t kidding about that.” He clicked his tongue. “I hope you don’t go there often.”

“Not that often.” Thankfully. The interest in Hisui’s eyes kinda bugged him, though. “Hopefully he doesn’t start asking for a bunch of shit just ’cause you’re with me…”

“I doubt it.” Fushimi clicked his tongue again, lips curling. There was a frustrated edge to his voice. “He already got exactly what he wanted.”

“Huh? You mean that shit about your powers and all?” Yata frowned. “I didn’t really get what he was after. That was some kinda test, right? But why’s he so interested in you?”

“It’s not me.” Fushimi shook his head. His frown deepened. “I’m pretty sure that was aimed at the Captain. Nothing to do with me – unless…” He furrowed his brow, and then shook his head again. “No. That can’t be it.”

Yata stared at him, baffled. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Obviously I don’t know the details, but it seems like the Captain has some kind of feud going on with that Hisui guy.” Fushimi shrugged. “Or maybe it’s a one-sided thing on Hisui’s part, but I doubt it. He outmaneuvered me too easily for the Captain to take him lightly.” He clicked his tongue again. “This wasn’t so much a test for me as scoping out what kind of force the Captain has behind him.”

“Seriously?” Yata blinked, surprised, and then narrowed his eyes. Kusanagi would probably wanna know if that wasn’t something he’d already picked up on. “You think he’s planning an attack?”

“Who knows,” Fushimi responded, slipping back into that drawling tone. “Could be just a battle of wits. I wouldn’t put it past the Captain.” He reached up to push his glasses higher on his nose. “Either way, it’s not like I’ll actually have anything to do with it. I can’t manifest on this plane without a contract.”

That was news to Yata. “Huh. Really?”

“Yes, really.” Fushimi’s voice was flat. “Only the elite ranks can – and there’s not all that many of them.”

“Oh.” Speaking of contracts, though… Yata shot him a sideways glance, the question he’d been holding back on asking surfacing immediately now that they were outside. “Hey… about earlier…” It felt awkward to ask, especially when Fushimi’s gaze shifted to him, but he had to know. “That bullet was coming for me, not you. Why’d you – ?”

“Of course it was,” Fushimi interrupted him, and clicked his tongue, turning to face forward again. He’d retracted his wings, tail, and horns again, and with his hunched posture and sour expression, he looked completely human. “I wouldn’t have to do anything if they’d shot at me. Guns are no use against demons.”

“That’s not what I’m asking,” Yata insisted, his eyes still on Fushimi’s face as he did. “Why the hell’d you save me? You didn’t know about the ward, so you thought it’d kill me, right?” He narrowed his eyes. “Wouldn’t that be good for you? No more contract.”

There was a brief second of hesitation – not much of one, but with all of his attention focused on this, Yata definitely felt it. Fushimi dipped his head forward slightly, his frown seeming to deepen again. “That was… instinct. I reacted to your emotions.”

“My emotions?” Right, he had kinda panicked there, hadn’t he? Somehow, that answer was dissatisfying, though… Yata frowned. “So because I got freaked out, you moved without thinking?”

“Something like that.” Fushimi clicked his tongue yet again, looking disgruntled. “Seriously… again…”

“Huh? ��Again’?”

“Never mind.” Fushimi picked up his pace, materializing an umbrella as he reached the end of the walkway and pushed through the plastic. “Like I said, it was just instinct. That’s all.”

That’s all? Something was still nagging at him – some fact or memory that contradicted that last bit – but Yata couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He hurried after Fushimi, passing through the plastic and staring at his back as he brought up his own umbrella.

His back. Right – that was it. The image of Fushimi’s tense back as he placed himself in front of Yata. Even just thinking about it sent chills through him – a kind of gratifying rush that he couldn’t explain. He hadn’t really needed it, but… He protected me. Even after knocking that bullet aside.

Somehow, that thought… gave him kind of a nice feeling.

Fushimi was a few paces ahead of him; Yata jogged to catch up. “Liar,” he said confidently, leaning forward to peer at Fushimi’s face again. “You moved in front of me before throwing knives at those guys – which was awesome, by the way! You’re pretty good!” He smirked when the compliment earned him a glance. “But seriously, you’re gonna call that instinct?”

The expression on Fushimi’s face was nonplussed; this time the hesitation was much more noticeable. He clicked his tongue, turning away again. “I told you, I wasn’t thinking,” he muttered, almost resentfully. “You’re reading too much into this.”

“Heh!” That reluctant attitude felt like a confirmation somehow. He’s not as uncaring as he acts, huh? The thought made him feel like a little of the distance between them had been crossed; Fushimi had saved him, even if it wasn’t really necessary, and Yata couldn’t help but warm up to him a bit. “You should be more honest, y’know. Trust me a little. S’not like I bite or anything.”

“You should learn – maybe then you’ll be quiet.” It seemed to occur to Fushimi what he’d just said, and some of the irritation faded from his expression. He let his eyes grow lidded, offering a twin to Yata’s smirk. “Actually, I could teach you.” When he spoke again, his voice was pitched lower and he drew his words out deliberately. “Unlike you, I do bite.”

The unexpected innuendo brought warmth rushing to Yata’s face; he sputtered for a moment, thrown off track. That’s kinda hot, his traitorous brain supplied – a thought he clamped down on immediately, pushing it to the far back of his mind. “Wait – that’s not what I – ”

“Hm?” Fushimi drew the hum out mockingly. “What did you mean, Misaki?”

“I – wait, hold up a second!” Yata scowled, glaring through the flush he could still feel on his face. “I never said you could call me by my first name!”

“Can’t I?” Fushimi’s gaze was smug. “I thought you said I saved you. Doesn’t that put us on a first-name basis?” Drawing each syllable out with relish, he added, “Misaki.”

“Ugh.” Yata glared at him, thoroughly disgruntled. “I take it back. Nothing about you is awesome.”

“Weren’t you the one talking about honesty just now? Hm, Misaki?”

“That’s totally different! Anyway, stop calling me that! We’re not that close, asshole!”

“Really? Is that the kind of gratitude you show to your savior?”

“Seriously, shut up!”

Even as they bickered on the way back to the train station, Yata still couldn’t shake the memory of Fushimi’s body deliberately moving between him and the perceived danger – or the shiver it sent through his own when he considered what it meant. Something had changed between them for sure this time, although he didn’t really know how much difference it’d make. He couldn’t tell where it would lead in the end either, but…

As surprising as it was, it turned out Fushimi Saruhiko was a guy he could trust with his life.

#k #sarumi #yata misaki #fushimi saruhiko #fanfic #fanfic:mine

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its-love-u-asshole · 8 years ago

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Shaking in My Skull [Final]

Pairing: Fushimi Saruhiko/Yata Misaki

Rating: T

Summary: Stuck on the plane between life and death, Saruhiko makes the decision to risk everything, forced to find faith in himself and the headstrong Yata Misaki as they both face unimaginable demons.

Note: Wow, I can't even believe this is the last chapter. I started this fic 8 months ago, started planning even before that, and this fic means so much to me I just can't believe. The first scene of this chapter is one of the three scenes which started the whole fic, so it's extra unreal lol. Thanks to everyone here reading, enjoy! Big thanks to @emeraldwaves for beta-ing this story from the beginning, and letting me brainstorm ideas and complain about it with her lol!

Also, because some people asked about the backgrounds of Mikoto and Munakata as well as the other deities, I decided to make a little backstories post for them, which you can find the link to below! ^^

Ao3 Version

8tracks

Backstories Post

"Fushimi? Fushimi!"

Saruhiko's eyes snapped open, his breath catching as the smell of city exhaust and fast food assaulted his nostrils. His senses felt overstimulated, the blurs of images and color, coupled with the warm climate making him sweat was enough to leave him not moving and speechless. Where...

But he didn't have to ask, not when his heart was constricting furiously in his chest at the sound of a very familiar voice, his mind reeling from the city bustle which he'd once been so accustomed to. There were cars stuck in traffic on his left hand side, the occasional horn and screech of tires jolting him further out of his stupor.

Saruhiko had no explanation for any of it. It wasn't a dream. It felt too genuine, but maybe it was a hallucination from his trial worn mind, maybe it was another trial entirely, his memories turned against him. It would be cruel sure, but not unexpected, he'd faced worse as a matter of fact. So of course, this was another attempt to remind him of the ever present distance between himself and his life. It had to be.

And yet...

He choked on his own emotions as they blended into his logic. Part of him had to know, had to be able to tell. Each reasoning felt cheap and poor, and he wanted to cry, as unnecessary as it sounded. The hope residing inside him was bubbling up fiercely as he breathed in, his body catching up along with him despite his attempts at denying.

Despite it, Saruhiko felt light, his muscles relaxing in a way that was nearly unfamiliar to him. After so much effort and pain, how could he cope with feeling so brand new all of a sudden?

His hands twitched, and he glanced at them in awe; the skin was uncut and clean, from what he could tell at least, which wasn't much due to his strangely hazy vision. There were no notable scars or detectable shaking, but there was a bow tied neatly around one palm. His pulse raced as he felt the fleece, as if not believing it was there. But it was a fact, wrapped securely over nonexistent wounds. His heart wanted to explode, but the lack of clarity still had him slightly anxious. It reminded him of the hazy image of hell's gate disappearing, alluding him, and he thought maybe this was all a fabrication after all.

It would be the last time he considered such a thing.

Saruhiko could make out his surroundings, but they were blurred, the edges of the cars and the sidewalk too soft, along with the outline of the person in front of him. A person, he told himself, because judging from the sudden scratchiness in his throat as realization closed in, he couldn't handle hoping for the best. But he knew that voice, knew those blonde curls, hazy or not.

But it couldn't be, this couldn't be real...

The burn in his eyes increased.

I failed right? So why...

He recalled the feeling of something slick against his bloody hand, and his breath hitched.

The breeze hit his skin lightly, and he felt something jostle atop his head, and any remaining doubts froze in his mind, permanently destroyed by one voice ringing in his head, for the very last time.

"Well done, Fushimi-kun."

It was there and gone in an instant, but Saruhiko would never let himself forget it.

"Fushimi? Are you even listening to me?" The woman in front of him asked again, and Saruhiko's walls crumbled down. Not waiting a second longer, he slowly reached up, pulling his glasses down to cover his eyes, and watched the world bloom into clarity.

Seri looked annoyed with him, that was for sure, going by her slight pout and narrowed eyes, which did nothing to take away from her overall intimidation. She was as she should've been, rested, well dressed, not a tear or flash of dread in sight. It was how he wanted to remember her, and how he'd hoped for her to remain. There, in front of him, where he now had the courage to reach out. But he stayed frozen, overcome.

She crossed her arms, seeming none too pleased that she was being made to wait for an answer, and Saruhiko would take that any day over her mournful cries.

"Well?" She asked once more, juggling her work bag awkwardly against her shoulder as he continued to stare, too much in shock to do much of anything. So of course, his next words weren't the most refined.

"Um...what?"

Wrong thing to say, apparently.

She all but dropped her bag, which was a big deal, since it was rather new and pricey from what he recalled, and began giving him a surprisingly welcomed piece of her mind.

"I knew it! You weren't listening," she said, barely holding in a groan from the sound of it. He would've apologized, really he would've, considering how much he'd missed her and how he now knew she didn't deserve half the shit he gave her. But well, he had no idea what was going on, or where they'd been going, or what day it even--

"Honestly," she said, softer this time. "I told you this was important. Fu--Saruhiko, I know you think the rehearsal is a waste of time, but I'd really appreciate it if you weren't late alright? It's tomorrow at six, so please, no more complaining okay?"

Oxygen all but left Saruhiko’s body.

Rehearsal. The wedding rehearsal. There was no way…

But well, was there truly any more reason to doubt?

“Seri,” he said, cutting her off sharply, and smarter men would’ve been afraid of the expression she gave in return. Well, or men who hadn’t just supposedly traveled to hell and back. Twice. “What…day is it?”

At the simple question, she seemed caught off guard. It was rather unlike him to forget details like that, especially when his work consisted of dating forms and remembering appointments, but she answered none the less, giving him the final push. “August 14th. Saruhiko…are you feeling alright?”

An understatement, if he’d ever heard one. His limbs finally relaxed, and it took everything for him to not fall to the floor pathetically, to not make a scene right there. He couldn’t comprehend half the emotions running through him, but for once, none were of the purely negative sort.

The one thing he was able to acknowledge was that he was back. Alive. Home.

I made it.

It didn’t feel nearly as unbelievable as before. Slowly, he brought a hand up to cover his mouth, whether to cover the unguarded expression from being shown to the world, or to simply ground himself. It wasn’t important.

Seri was looking at him still, though the annoyance was replaced with a mildly concerned incertitude, waiting for his answer, the bright blue of her eyes holding the same question as before.

Was he alight?

Yeah, he thought, allowing himself a laugh as he stepped forward, never better.

Grabbing her by the wrist, he pulled her into him, crushing her against him with the weight of longing he’d built up over ages. He heard her purse hit the floor from the shock of it, and he squeezed tighter, willing himself not to buckle from the repeating mantra in his head.

You’re back.

She yelped against him, her arms staying tense at her sides, unsure of what was going on. Of course. Saruhiko didn’t give hugs, certainly didn’t reciprocate when others initiated them. It was extremely out of character, and the analysis merely made him cling tighter.

His body quaked a bit as he buried his face into her shoulder, the exhaustion and strife flooding out of him in immense waves, leaving him raw and vulnerable in the best way. People were whispering around them, and yeah, maybe he should’ve waited until they weren’t in the middle of the sidewalk, but honestly, he didn’t care.

Hesitantly, Seri’s hands came up to clutch at his sides, taking another moment to test the waters before she gave in completely, pulling him in without question in the usual strong show of support. Even when she didn’t know what was going on, didn’t know why he was upset, she returned the embrace full force, like the pillar she was.

To think, he once believed he could never need this, could never miss this. Such a coward he’d been. Even now after everything, the urge to push it all away was there, weak in his stomach. The part of him which believed nothing was permanent, everything could be taken away.

But well, he could put that part of him to bed at least for today, because it had lost.

They were all here, he’d kept them waiting, and they would never know. Seri. The guys. Misaki.

Misaki.

His thoughts were in a frenzy as he pulled away, dodging Seri’s concerned hand as it quickly came up to check his temperature. He had no clue where to start, what he was doing, but he let desire pull him for once. Best to start with the people closest to his location. “Where…where are the guys?”

Seri’s voice croaked as she collected herself from the tight hug, picking up her bag hastily as Saruhiko began to read the street signs frantically. “T-the office? B-but—what, Saruhiko…you just—who—”

“Let’s go then, before they clock out,” Saruhiko said sternly, already turning them in the direction of his workplace, when she yanked him back by the arm.

She was afraid for him, he could see it. Having him act crazed, affectionate, it was cause for concern, but she didn’t have to worry. He was fine, better than fine, and it was a miracle he was this coherent, after what he’d just finished accomplishing. She couldn’t have known that though, maybe she would never know, if he decided whether or not to tell her one day. All she understood was something was amiss, and she wanted to help fix it. Somehow, the familiar show of care had him resisting another hug, the memory of her crying over his death a bit too strong in that moment. How had she ever been upset about him being gone? How had any of them? It was Saruhiko who needed them the most.

Slowly, he took a deep breath, fixing her with a calmer gaze, if only to calm her down.

It was unfair of him, to leave her in the dark, he knew it, but while he had all the time in the world now, he felt impatient, because that time would never be satisfactory anymore. Especially when…

When I know the expiration dates.

But well, he would dwell on that another day.

“I forgot to tell them something, I just need to go fill them in,” he replied, less hurried, and her shoulders sagged in slight relief.

Yeah, like how they’re idiots, but they should never change.

Ugh, it sounded stupid even in his head. Maybe he wouldn’t put it that way.

She sighed at him, a million questions probably on her mind, but she took his bait in the end. “Okay, I understand, but we just left the office ten minutes ago, remember? We finished up early, and I told everyone they could head home before the evening rush. If we went back now, there’s no guarantee anyone will be there.” She squinted at him, gauging every reaction, and Saruhiko would’ve found the treatment beyond irritating, had it not been what he needed. Truthfully no, he didn’t remember any of that, but he was starting to.

Right, we started to go home early, earlier than usual…she was wondering if I wanted to help set up for the rehearsal…

The pieces of information gradually began to fit together, but for the life of him, he couldn’t remember what happened next.

Saruhiko clicked his tongue at the inconvenience of both her words and his memory, but Seri knew how to rectify his moods at least, supplying the right words and logic to placate him. “I wouldn’t worry. You’ll see them at the rehearsal tomorrow night, might as well just wait.”

Ah right, she had a point. While a day was a long time to wait, it offered up a solution to his problem, and plus…

Misaki would be there.

As if being pulled, Saruhiko turned in the direction of the Shizume Bridge, where he knew Misaki would be around this time. He died right after me, around this time, so…

If Saruhiko ran, he could probably make it, could intercept the other before the rehearsal, because there was no doubt he couldn’t hide their connection should Misaki see him in the crowded banquet hall. Plus, Misaki didn’t know Saruhiko was alive again, time had been rewritten sure, but all Misaki remembered was Saruhiko failing. Should they meet in public…

Well, the shock and emotion would probably be notable, even if Saruhiko was in control of himself by then.

Annoying.

Regardless, he couldn’t fight the fond smile on his face, the thought of seeing the redhead again too utterly pleasant to resist. Why he hadn’t already booked it towards the other, was because Seri was next to him, and parting from her even for a day wasn’t any simpler, not anymore. Speaking of Seri…

She was gaping at him now, a novel expression for her, and he quickly wiped the smile off his face. Damn, the sudden jump in his character would have to be fixed at some point, or at least more gradual.

“Saruhiko…are you sure you’re not sick? You probably need some sleep. Maybe you shouldn’t come to the—”

“No. I’ll be there. I won’t be late.” Saruhiko made sure to look her in the eyes then, as if he could communicate all he’d learned in those simple statements. Seri just closed her mouth, nodding once, before the softest of smiles bloomed on her face, the trust palpable in the air between them. It was more than he could ask of her, right then. But… “I’m going to head home,” he said, adding a tongue click for good measure. “Maybe sleep isn’t the worst idea you’ve ever had.”

She rolled her eyes at him, but shooed him away regardless, satisfied with the exchange enough to not fret about him. Good. With purpose, he turned on his heel, stepping in the direction of the main street before he was being pulled back by her distressed voice once again.

“Wait! Don’t go that way!” He halted instantly, his reflexes a tad more sharpened now, and raised an eyebrow at her disappointed eyes. “Really? I told you earlier, there’s construction that way, it’s probably dangerous. There’s been a few accidents already.”

Saruhiko would’ve protested, in fact, he was about to. After all, he’d taken that way home many times. It was quicker, more efficient and less likely to waste his time, so naturally it should be worth the slight one in a million risk. He was about to tell her all of this, but he never got to.

Saruhiko felt his body jolt, the memory striking him full force as he froze mid-step on the sidewalk, the familiar smell of fresh pavement invading his senses as it all played back.

“And remember, it’s at six! Don’t forget!”

Seri’s voice grated on his nerves as he made way for the cross walk. The end of the day hadn’t come soon enough, and the last thing he needed was the additional time slot on his calendar being occupied. She’d been reminding him constantly, how could he possibly forget? It was a rehearsal anyhow, why put so much importance on attending? It was pretty useless from his standpoint, he was sure everyone could figure out where they were sitting and what they had to do on the actual day of the wedding. Any extra preparation was severely cutting into his work time. It was a miracle they’d managed to finish early today, and even then, he had more than enough of everyone else’s slack to pick up with the work he was taking home.

Pointless.

Saruhiko clicked his tongue, barely sparing the blonde a glance when she scurried up to him, about to part ways to her own home, which was still in much need of unpacking. He supposed she’d need his help with that too. Great.

“No promises,” he muttered, waiting for the light to signal for him to walk, and ignored the huff she gave in return. He could sense the desire in her to protest, maybe to try and wear him down with some heart felt statement about how much it would mean to her, or whatever it took for him to give her an indication of a futile promise. He wasn’t in the mood, and she should’ve known by then. She was lucky he was involved at all, he’d never seen a point to weddings in the first place, at least beyond the show type aspect of it.

She remained silent however, surprising him, but the silence wasn’t unwelcome. But as he made for the turn to his usual shortcut, where he parted with her on most days, she called out to him. “Wait Fushimi! You shouldn’t go that way, there’s construction remember? There’s been some accidents already…”

Saruhiko scoffed at her, shrugging his backpack further onto his shoulder as he made no move to turn around. “It’s faster, I’ll be fine. I’m not walking all the way around anyways.”

“But—”

“See you tomorrow,” he said, not adding the ‘maybe’ which threatened to leave his mouth. He was irritated, maybe more than what was appropriate, but it had been a long week, and the stress of social occasions on top of it all wasn’t something he was used to. He just wanted to get home so he could start his reports, hopefully Enomoto wouldn’t be there tonight. Saruhiko didn’t trust himself to not snap at anyone right then.

After another block, he’d left Seri behind completely, coming to the intersection which had cement trucks lining the shoulder. Two of the lanes were closed, the cars messily trying to merge together before reaching the broken stoplight, where a lone worker directed the traffic haphazardly. The sounds of horns honking and disgruntled shouts from car windows were abundant, but Saruhiko paid them no mind as he continued to walk.

Soon, he reached the curb, noting how he was the sole pedestrian on that side of the street. It made sense, since most of the large loading trucks were moving in and out from his side, rendering the pedestrian traffic inconvenient at best, but Saruhiko didn’t care enough to move to the other side. The cement truck, whose driver seemed on the verge of a tantrum, could wait. The worker blew the whistle again, motioning for Saruhiko to walk hastily, and he stepped into the road, glaring at the ground as he strode forward.

Apparently, the cement truck driver hadn’t been paying attention though, missing Saruhiko completely, and taking the whistle as his signal to step on the gas. Hard.

Saruhiko barely got a last breath in.

He felt his hands stiffen, his feet stumble as he fell back, crushed by the truck’s force. The nausea came after that, and so did the disassociation. Did he still have legs? He would have to, from the way his femurs snapped. He’d heard it, there was no way he couldn’t. The tremors traveled up, even his eyelids felt the tingles, the harsh stings of force.

His skull shook, and one may have wondered if his brain had survived the hits it took against that fractured mass. The vibrations traveled further still, down his spine, cracking his ribs like twigs in a burning fire.

All this inconceivable, unimaginable pain was felt in just a split second—there for but a moment before it was all gone. Nonexistent, as if it had never happened.

Then, there had been the silence. White walls. The sound of a shoes on a tile floor. Misaki.

Death.

Saruhiko jolted out of the memory, breathing accelerated as if he'd been in the moment again, and his legs froze out of fear, his proximity to the street a bit too unnerving at that moment. It was too much for him, not the reason behind his death, but the moments leading up to it as well.

Stupid. How stupid he'd been. It would've been so easy, so simple to avoid everything. The last thing he'd said to Seri was more of a dismissal, and the only things in his heart had been contempt and displeasure with life as whole. So typical of him.

And what had it gotten him? A journey filled with horror, but also Misaki, and a massive reality check. All the trials and pain, the voices and doubt...

He'd gone through it all, had to push himself and push Misaki, had to depend on the other as well as feel completely alone. The yearning and hopelessness had felt never ending, and now it was over. He had returned, he was alive.

How? How was he worthy of any of it after a death like that?

It's too much.

His knees finally buckled after all his effort to keep steady, to act normal, he couldn't anymore. The weight of reality was finally crashing down, all he'd been through was finally standing out in his mind. He was having the moment, the I can't believe I'm here moment.

Was this how Misaki had felt, after being told he was victorious.

God, it was like a high he never hoped would end, but also a painful remembrance. But really, how had he ever questioned coming back? How had he been so close to dismissing this?

"Saruhiko!" Seri rushed to his side, catching some of his weight before he was able to collapse fully, shouldering him as best she could. She was always strong, but he'd never appreciated it more. He could hug her all over again in that moment, and suddenly he thought it might be worth it, to run back to the office and see who was there. "Ugh, that's it, there's no way I'm letting you go home by yourself." She looked around, eyeing the intersection ahead with skepticism. "Well, if you really think the shortcut is the fastest way, maybe we should--"

"No." His answer was quick, harsh enough to cut, and she startled notably at the tone until he started to backtrack. "I mean, there's no point, with both of us and the construction, it'll take the same amount of time." He sighed as irritably as he could, hoping the nerves and mixed relief didn't shine through. If he could help it, he would never walk that way again, and he sure as hell wouldn't let Seri either.

He thought of Misaki though, of him standing on the bridge alone, alive but without him, and felt the pang of guilt intensify within him. But with Seri being overprotective and his desire to collapse from exhaustion, there was no way he could go searching, no matter how badly he wanted to. Saruhiko had ventured to hell and back to see the redhead again, to kiss him again, and one day seemed far too long. But part of him knew he had no choice, he would have to wait, would have to let Misaki suffer alone for a handful of hours before he spent the rest of his life making it up to him. It was almost amusing, the thought of seeing the other the next night, for the first time in the living world. He guessed the rehearsal truly was where their story was meant to begin, had things not taken a wrong turn.

So be it.

He pulled Seri far away from the curb, not wanting to walk anywhere near the bustling evening traffic, and began the short journey to his apartment with content. Seri quirked an eyebrow in confusion, throwing up her free hand in surrender at his weird behavior. As she shook her head in disbelief, she balanced him better, but refused to let him pull away completely, like he'd surely fall over if she didn't keep some sort of connection to him. He didn't refuse. "Alright, we'll go the long way then."

"Mm, thanks."

She blanched once more at the easy display of appreciation from him, the sincerity of his tone, and he vaguely wondered how long it would be before she became used to it. Part of him also dreaded how the guys would react to it. Ugh.

Though, the annoyance he feigned was barely there at all anymore. He sighed, the familiar walk, one devoid of creatures and ghostly whispers, seeping into his mind, a memory he'd be sure to catalog for many years to come. The walk home.

As they made their way, Seri huffed, shaking her head slightly. "You really must be sick. That's the last time I let Domyoji make the coffee in the morning, I thought it tasted strange, but you just kept drinking it so--"

Saruhiko snorted, letting her prattle on about their friend’s inability to brew decent coffee, vaguely remembering having no choice but to consume the foul liquid on many occasions. He'd let her believe it was only that, at least for now. He'd tell them all someday, before it was too late, about the challenges and beatings he'd endured, the nightmares...

But for now, he enjoyed the lightness of the conversation, and the warmth settling deep in his chest.

"Huh? What's so funny?" Seri looked up at him, hand tightening on his arm, and he thought yeah, this is more than enough for now.

He stared tiredly at her, the smallest of smiles on his face. "You're right. It must've been the coffee."

When Yata woke up on the morning of August 15th, it was as if he'd been pulled under water again, unable to breathe or comprehend anything going on around him, though he was alone in his simple apartment. It was less like how drowning had felt, and more like he had been submerged in a tank, watching as a flurry of memories, events which would now never come into existence, played before his eyes.

In fact, he'd been feeling this way since his return, since the previous evening when he had walked home, debating on the first course of action, while also juggling the grief still heavy in his heart.

Except, it had felt as if it hadn't been the first time he'd done so. Upon seeing the old paintings in his living room, he couldn't help but think, didn't I throw those out? And upon hesitating to dial his mother's phone number, he wondered why he could already feel the ghost of her arms around him, shushing him in comfort.

The weight of longing and sadness when he thought of Saruhiko was there of course, but it felt extra painful, like it was a wound long healed which had been torn open again, left to bleed anew.

But why was that?

Yata raised his hand to his face, eyes squinting as the beginning trickles of sunlight bled into his room, and felt the dried tears on his face, the roughness of his skin. As gently as he could, like one wrong move could disrupt everything around him, he rolled over in his bed and stared at the date on his digital clock.

August 15th. Yeah, that was right, felt right...but also, seemed hugely inaccurate. Surely, it was the result of Yata's mournful state, his confusion, the trauma he was attempting to come to terms with. He'd yet to touch his paints, yet to eat or think about anything worthwhile really.

The fact that he'd officially beaten death, that he'd finally moved on to the next day of his life, was no doubt a shock he hadn't been ready for, and that's why he felt so unstable.

It would get easier...better, part of him knew it, as if he'd already experienced it, but at the end of it all, each new day would be without Saruhiko, and Yata wondered if he'd ever comfortably be able to accept that.

Timidly, he sat up, the bed suddenly a little too lonely, which was funny, since Saruhiko had only ever shared a dirtied surface with Yata for sleep. Regardless, Yata craved the warmth of another person next to him. He groaned as he stretched, feeling gross from the street wear he had slept in--he hadn't bothered to change--and the ghost of grime on his skin. He knew technically all the evidence from the journey had been erased from his flesh, save for the suspicious scar here and there, but he could sense the dirt under his now clean fingernails, the sweat and dried blood. It was all in his head yeah, but muscle memory was a powerful thing too. He kicked aside a box of art supplies, grimacing at the shades of blue which caught his eyes, and chose to slump down onto the floor. He wasn't ready to make the effort of picking out new clothes for the day, and it was better than the cold bed.

Come to think of it, did he have to get ready at all? The rehearsal should've been cancelled, the one which required the fancy suit which Yata had reluctantly hung up in his closet, and which was probably exactly as he'd left it. Of course, the rehearsal was only a set event if things went according to plan, plans involving no deaths in the bride's party...

At the thought of facing Saruhiko's grieving friends, or imagining how they must be feeling right then, Yata's stomach dipped, threatening to expel what little was inside it. He would need to learn to control that, or simply avoid any talk of funerals and wakes all together. Surely the pain was still fresh for those close to Saruhiko, and for Kusanagi, who was left with comforting his fiancé.

Yet, he'd gotten no text from Kusanagi the previous day about the tragedy, no alert about cancelling the rehearsal or being unavailable himself. In confusion, Yata pulled out his phone, watching it light up with two notifications. His breath hitched upon seeing Kusanagi's name, but as he read the text, the world around him seemed less and less secure.

Kusanagi: Yata, I hope you're up already. Don't forget, you promised to come help the boys set up for the dinner today, see you around noon.

Kusanagi: Also, bring your suit. I don't know if you'll have time to head home and change before the dinner starts.

Yata's first reaction after the distraught faded was to panic. What? The rehearsal was still happening? How?

His fingers scratched against the carpet, the frozen appendages barely getting feeling back as his thoughts reeled left and right. The possibilities he came up with were minimal, but none too pleasant. Perhaps no one knew about Saruhiko yet, maybe no one had been expecting to hear from him until the dinner.

When he doesn't show up...

Yata thought he might actually be sick, and he retreated to the bathroom for good measure, head suddenly pounding. The ceramic of the toilet felt too cold against his clammy hands, and it was just one of many sensations which were too much for him at the moment. The texture of the tile floor, the footsteps from the floor above him, the material of his clothes...

His brain was having too much trouble processing it in addition to the crushing realization that he would have to witness Saruhiko's family finding out about his death. That and the realization he too, would finally know how the other perished.

"Fuck..." Yata groaned, debating on whether he should just skip out, call in sick and deal with Kusanagi's wrath. It wasn't like it would last anyhow...soon the older man would have to deal with a postponed wedding, and a mourning fiancé. It would be easy...to avoid the pain for a second time around. After all, the last thing he wanted to hear was that Saruhiko was gone. He knew, but it didn't make the pangs of loneliness any weaker. Yata tended to be an empathetic guy, from what people told him, seeing so much grief over Saruhiko, who to everyone else, was a complete stranger to him, would be utterly impossible to bear.

Hesitantly, he pulled up his messaging app, reading to give Kusanagi some excuse about not being able to attend, but his fingers wouldn't type. Stupid...as if you could get away with this.

No one would understand, and he wasn't the type of person to lie to a friend, he wasn't sure he was capable of it. He had to go. What kind of friend would he be if he didn't stand by Kusanagi in support when the evening fell to shit?

Acting oblivious would be difficult, but any tears he spilled could surely be blamed on atmosphere, on pity.

He scoffed at the word, hating it suddenly, because his cries would forever be of loss.

But well, maybe part of him kind of owed it to Saruhiko too, to offer whatever comfort he could to the taller's loved ones, since Saruhiko could not. With the grounding thought in mind, Yata straightened up and away from the toilet, letting the calm buzz of the bathroom lights fill the air as his breathing rate lowered, and his panic dissolved.

Right, you have to go for Saruhiko. He won't be able to. You have to get it together dammit! Not just then, but for the sake of his life, for his future. Yata would live enough for the both of them.

With shaky movements, Yata stood up from the floor, shedding his t-shirt as he turned on the shower, letting steam seep into the small space. As he left to grab his suit from the closet and lay down new clothes onto his bed, his eyes caught sight of his old paintings, and the dull and superficial colors which had seemed to taunt him yesterday didn't look as bad.

Maybe he might try to sell them, gain some extra money and start new. The stuff he used to paint before weren't as appealing to him now, and he felt his hands itch for different themes, for stories of trials and love, and most of all himself. Of course, he'd throw in some blues here and there too.

Yata actually managed to crack a smile at that, excited for his slowly developing vision of the future, and reorganized the box of paints he had impulsively kicked earlier. Much better.

Not everything was lost, he knew it. Today would be hard, about as hard as any of the trials of the afterlife, but he'd get to see and laugh with his friends for a little while, and things would improve as the weeks went by. More than anything, Yata resigned to see his mom, and apologize to her fully for his absence. Everything else would fall into place, and he could pace himself as much as he needed to.

He walked back towards the bathroom, his entrance into the steam almost refreshing as he looked towards better days. Though life without Saruhiko would never be one hundred percent, Yata would carry the other with him in all he did and created, and the hopeful thought was enough to give him the energy he needed. And while something in his gut told him something was still amiss, he ended up walking out of the shower with more purpose than ever before.

His eyes never stopped searching for the thousand watt grin, for shining amber eyes, for the familiar brightness in the dark he had begun to crave. Or, that’s what he was used to, but maybe the world around him wasn’t so dark anymore.

Saruhiko turned away from the entrance of the room, which he’d been watching like a hawk, and let himself gaze at madness surrounding him. It was a good madness this time though. The reception hall was probably the least extravagant part of Seri’s wedding, but it was no less decorated, the lighting and fixtures catering to the color scheme perfectly. It felt empty as it was now, tables devoid of the off white table cloths and twinkling lights above, giving it the sought after fantasy look. Those things would be absent until the big day though, for now the large room held empty tables with cheap covers, the artificial light from above casting a bright glow as the bride and groom saw to inspecting it, laying out the seating cards and making sure the flower arrangements wouldn’t be too cluttered. Only the immediate family and friends of the two of them were present, barely fifteen people in total. It made the room look twice as barren, but oh well. When it was filled with guests and music, drenched in smells of cakes and food, Saruhiko was sure Seri would be pleased with it, though she constantly complained throughout the rehearsal that things weren’t right or weren’t properly placed. He didn’t get it himself, did all that really matter?

Saruhiko nearly had the nerve to ask, but Kusanagi, ever the stoplight to disaster, had elbowed him sharply, smile wide as he preached about the bride always being right in these cases. Whatever. It wasn’t like Saruhiko was going to argue, he was content enough as it was, just seeing the blonde and her fiancé fretting about, alive and well in their acts of scolding. Things had calmed down anyhow, the food for dinner being brought in and laid out, along with copious amounts of alcohol courtesy of Kusanagi’s bar. Apparently, Kusanagi’s party had showed up in the afternoon to set up, and were now beginning to wind down, but from where Saruhiko sat, there was no sign of Misaki. Initially, he’d been wandering about, paranoid that something had happened, convinced he’d never be allowed to see Misaki again in some cruel twist of fate, but he’d eventually been escorted to a place setting. It was his assigned seat, a spot at a large table, and it would’ve been an anxious wait, being forced to sit and stare at the one way into the room, had it not been for—

“Fushimi-san! You’re not going to drink?” Enomoto happily held up his own glass and another, handing it to Fuse. Seven pairs of eyes were on him instantly, and he shrugged at the full table of his coworkers. It was only natural they’d all been seated together, and he found the proximity strangely comforting.

It had been refreshing all evening, his yearning for Misaki aside, amidst his party’s bickering and griping during set up. Saruhiko had almost forgotten what it was like, being influenced by each and every quirk and personality trait they had to offer. Hidaka complained about the lack of girls in Kusanagi’s party, as if the wedding would be his first step on a road to true love, and Domyoji was more concerned with the DJ and food, pulling out clippings of suggestions (as if Seri hadn’t booked a caterer months in advance). Kamo made sure his daughter wasn’t getting into things, happy as ever that it was his time with her that month, and Akiyama was lost in a conversation with Benzai, sitting a bit too close to not be a bit suspicious to Saruhiko. Though it was hard to ponder too much on it with Gotou talking his ear off for a good portion of the evening. Saruhiko had simply asked him about one of his collections, and the sudden interest in his hobby had lit a fuse of some sort. Saruhiko couldn’t mind too much. As for Enomoto and Fuse well…they were as affectionate as he remembered them, but less sickeningly so.

Saruhiko had initially taken care as to not seem so different around them, but with their smiles and loudness, as well as their need to throw him in the middle of their conversations, he had dropped the act hours ago. Besides, seeing their surprised reactions to his sudden ‘niceness’ was a gift in and of itself.

It didn’t mean he had changed completely though, and the sharp criticisms remained apparent in his speech whenever they got too rowdy. Saruhiko rolled his eyes at them, willing the attention away. “Unlike you all, I like to actually be in control of my actions,” he said, clicking his tongue as he eyed the champagne critically. “Besides, I’d hate to be the one of you who gets too drunk and ruins the dinner.”

Oh how Seri’s punishment would be steep.

“Hey! Why are you implying that it’ll be one of us?” Hidaka jumped in, his own glass sloshing messily, and Saruhiko snorted from the panic in his eyes. Fuse neglected to comment, sipping his drink in amusement while the rest of the table laughed, and Saruhiko bathed in the familiarity of it all. Hidaka’s expression was nothing short of petulant, but he was always quick to recover. “This is hardly a good atmosphere to get drunk anyways! After work tomorrow, you’re totally coming to a bar with us Fushimi-san!”

It was meant more as a distraction, since the invitation had been uttered from the mouths of his coworkers one too many times, and for the most part, they were used to his outright refusal. Even in the last few years, with his less standoffish nature, it would take copious amounts of begging to get him anywhere near a public outing with the lot of them. As for now though… “Sure. Let me know where,” he replied, tone bored as his eyes scanned the crowd, back to their earlier task of locating a particular redhead.

He didn’t bother looking at their gaping expressions, but he felt them, the disbelieving eyes boring into his back irritatingly. Three, two, one…

Rather than a direct verbal assault though, they tag teamed, with Hidaka fearlessly grabbing Saruhiko’s face and jerking it towards him, stupidly inspecting his features while Gotou poked him. In the meantime, Fuse saw his opening at last, the bastard, and promptly let loose his skepticism. “Are you sure you’re Fushimi Saruhiko? You haven’t been replaced with some android, trying to gain our favor in order to steal government secrets?”

“Yeah, you didn’t even threaten to kill me when I spilled coffee on you earlier!” Domyoji jumped in, raising an accusing finger. “You’re an imposter!”

Wrenching away from Hidaka’s grip (who finally had the nerve to look a bit abashed about it), Saruhiko fixed them with a glare, mostly annoyed from being distracted from his watch, but there wasn’t as much animosity as usual, and the idiots began to use it as more concrete evidence as to why he had been replaced (possibly by aliens now).

“I’m surprised you all managed to figure it out, you got me,” he deadpanned, and it fed into the madness.

“He has jokes now!” Domyoji’s shout garnered more than a few stares, and Seri directed a fierce glare at them, the typical ‘I love you but shut up’ traveling across the hall. The ginger had enough sense to quiet down, as much as he could at least, but he was soon smirking again, nudging Akiyama in the side as he spoke. “Pft, I bet Fushimi-san would even let me hug him now, huh?” He snorted at the thought, the rest of the table raising their eyebrows at just the suggestion, joke or not.

However, it gave Saruhiko just what he needed to shut them up. A dangerous smirk made its way onto his face, and the atmosphere at the table might as well have plunged in temperature. Not his fault, they were the ones testing his patience. Blinking slowly, he fixed Domyoji with his challenging expression, enjoying how the older boy notably gulped. “As a matter of fact, I would. Why don’t you try it?”

Benzai paled, Enomoto choked, and the rest of them didn’t seem to know what to make of the situation. Domyoji straightened in his seat, innocent eyes widening as he took in the words. “W-wait…really? You’re not joking?”

“Nope.”

It was easy to see the cogs turning in Domyoji’s head, trying to discern if it was a bluff or not, and really, Saruhiko hardly knew either. Though he was never much for physical contact of any sort, something about traveling to hell twice just to sit at this table full of losers made him a bit more willing.

Domyoji squinted at him, but rose from his seat anyways, inching little by little towards Saruhiko. The rest of the table held their breaths. “O-okay…imma do it…last chance to back out ha…”

“I’m waiting,” Saruhiko said, eyes never leaving the quivering form of Domyoji. Enomoto was biting his nails.

“Y-yeah, prep-prepare to be hugged!”

“Joy.”

Domyoji was about a foot away now, and it had taken him a good two minutes to cross the initial five foot distance from around the table, and Saruhiko could feel the warmth and tension radiating off him now. He inched forward again, the sleeve of his jacket just touching Saruhiko’s shoulder…

“Oh god, never mind!” Domyoji shouted suddenly, flying back into his seat at lightning speed, clutching Akiyama’s arm. “Hell no! It’s like walking into a venus fly trap!”

Saruhiko smirked triumphantly as his friends exhaled, laughing at the ginger’s expense, and soon the topic of his sudden personality change was lost to comforting Domyoji, and trying to not attract more attention. He considered it a success.

The reception hall had filled considerably in the next half hour, the remaining relatives and college peers flooding in to take their seats.

Still no Misaki. Saruhiko had begun to shred napkins in his lap, glaring at the childishness of it as he reached for yet another. The emotion bubbling up inside him was fierce, upset at being caged, and he willed it down. He caught Enomoto staring at him a few times in concern, but Saruhiko prayed the other wouldn’t bring it up in front of everyone else.

The sound of clicking heels distracted him from worrying, if only for a moment. Seri came bounding over in quick strides, and Saruhiko was pretty sure he hadn’t seen her sit down once since the evening began.

“Alright guys, food is out and almost everyone is seated,” Seri announced to them in a hushed whisper as she approached the table, hands smoothing over the front of her embroidered evening dress. “How do I look? I’m going to go meet Kusanagi’s side of the family now.”

Gotou’s eyebrows knitted together as he looked her over. A backless A-line dress, blue in color, with gold beading in the front, and high heels to match. Simple, but regal. “Wait…didn’t you meet them earlier during set up?”

She crossed her arms, the question deemed unacceptable from the simple movement. “I mean yes, I met some of the guys, but no formal introductions, certainly no family or college friends! Proper introductions are in order.” She said the last bit with a frazzled gesture to her person, and wordlessly, they all gave her the thumbs up, which was enough for her to tuck a stray piece of hair back with a pin, and train a smile to her face before walking back into the fray. Saruhiko did not envy her. However, she turned back around halfway, like she’d forgotten something, and grabbed a new glass of champagne quickly before returning to them.

Benzai was about to ask what was the issue, but he never got the chance.

“Thank you all for coming to this,” she started, voice notably softer, a tone saved for them, and she raised her glass. Her crystal blue eyes twinkled with something private as she scanned over each of their faces, and Saruhiko clenched his pile of shredded paper, remembering why he’d tried so hard to make it back to this life, one where he could hear such pointless words. Except, he couldn’t call them that anymore, huh? “I know planning this has been hectic, and it’s probably going to get worse with the wedding in a month, but…having your help, I couldn’t ask for better friends, my pillars of strength. Cheers to all of you.”

Calendar dates and years repeated themselves in his mind as he and everyone else raised a glass, but he paid no mind, knowing it was useless. What was meant to happen would, as much as it angered him, but the things he could control, like this, he’d gladly take advantage of.

Seri wiped her eyes, taking a fast gulp of her champagne before she was off, leaving them in a bubble of stunned silence amongst the chirps of laughter and greetings. Saruhiko’s hands went back to his half shredded napkin, but suddenly he had no energy for that either.

“And with that…it’s time for more alcohol,” Hidaka sniffed, standing with Domyoji and excusing them to the banquet spread. Kamo seemed less than pleased with the example they set, but it didn’t matter, because soon he was being dragged away by his daughter anyhow, eager to get first crack at the desserts being laid out. As for everyone else, they dispersed, Akiyama and Benzai disappearing to somewhere unknown, and Gotou left to greet some of Seri’s in laws, as was appropriate. It left Fuse and Enomoto with him, which he didn’t mind so much, except for the fact they obviously knew something was amiss with him, his head turning continuously towards the entrance, eyes scanning the crowds.

If they exchanged some sort of knowing look, Saruhiko wouldn’t know, but after a few minutes, Fuse was excusing himself none too subtly, touching Enomoto’s shoulder as he made for the banquet table. Great.

It wasn’t helpful that Enomoto sat almost directly in front of him from across the table, the eye contact, although shy, searing as Saruhiko avoided it. He was fairly sure Enomoto was angling himself now, trying to catch Saruhiko’s eye, periphery or otherwise, but upon finally realizing Saruhiko’s resistance, sighed in resignation.

Not ‘I guess I’ll give up’ resignation, no, the ‘guess I’ll talk to him anyways’ resignation. Ugh.

“Fushimi-san…you seem distracted,” Enomoto commented, like it wasn’t obvious to them both. Saruhiko appreciated his attempt to not seem nosy though. “Are you looking for someone?”

Someone. Hm.

To him, Misaki was more than a someone, he was everything. It was as scary as it was pathetic, but it shouldn’t be a surprise. They’d gone through alot together, Saruhiko had done so much to just be able to see the redhead again, to start fresh and build something together. The separation he’d been forced to endure, the pain and desperation, it made it so clear in his head. He wanted to be with Misaki, in whatever way the redhead would permit, though Saruhiko’s selfish desires clouded up the vision quite a bit. Now, the distance between them, which was now minimal, barely there at all, felt agonizing. So yes, he was looking for someone, the one who should’ve been there from the start. There was no use denying part of that, he guessed.

“You could say that,” Saruhiko replied, trying to keep the strain out of his voice. He was watching Kusanagi’s main table, where a band of young men were seated, drinking and laughing away. Saruhiko recognized them from the Return, from the vision Munakata had allowed them to see, but they were happy now. Only one thing was similar: Misaki was missing.

Enomoto beamed after recovering from the initial shock of actually getting an answer out of him, skipping a few seats over until he was almost in front of Saruhiko. “Who? Someone special?”

It was hard to fight the fondness welling up inside him from those words, because really, they were true. He couldn’t let that show though, Misaki was supposed to be a stranger. Saruhiko might be able to get away with calling him an acquaintance, someone he met outside of work by happenstance and who just so happened to be part of Kusanagi’s group. That was even a stretch, openly admitting any deeper involvement was ill advised. He kept it in mind, when choosing his words. “Someone who…doesn’t annoy me I guess.”

Enomoto actually had the nerve to snort at that, fixing him with an uncharacteristic smug smile, and Saruhiko knew the intent he’d tried to get across had failed the moment those olive eyes twinkled in delight. Oh well. Not like it mattered. If he kept all these idiots around, and he’d be sure to, they’d be finding out about Misaki sooner or later, and much to Saruhiko’s chagrin.

“Fushimi-san, that’s basically you for ‘someone I like’ you know?” Enomoto said, rising from his chair before Saruhiko could respond. Not like he’d actually had an answer to such a bold statement though. He guessed his friends really did know his quirks to the smallest detail. He could deal with that, he supposed.

Giving him one last wink over his shoulder, Enomoto sauntered off to his boyfriend, leaving Saruhiko alone at the table, waiting dutifully once again.

The group toasts, the ones which included the whole room were about to begin, the last of the late arrivals grabbing plates of food and taking their seats. Saruhiko could see Kusanagi checking on his own tables, while anyone who had been standing halted their conversations as they waited for the bride to take the mic. Saruhiko was going to tune out the speeches, not needing Seri’s rehearsed words, stress induced, to reach his ears. Besides, the last of his focus had quickly dwindled, eyes drooping in a sudden bout of disappointment. Funny, it was an emotion he had never let himself feel before, too worried about his attachments and the grief they could bring. Now, it overcame him in waves as the room quieted, missing the one voice he so craved and—

“Where’s Yata?”

Jerking his head up, Saruhiko sought the source of the voice, catching Kusanagi talking to another young man wearing glasses, the dark rim of his hat occasionally hiding his eyes. “Oh, I think he’s still in the back unloading the last of the alcohol. Awashima-san was worried we were running out,” the man said, and a brief spark of stress flashed across Kusanagi’s face.

“Damn, we’re about to start. I’ll—”

Saruhiko’s chair scratched against the floor from the force and speed with which he sat up, crossing the several feet to Kusanagi in record time, much to the two’s surprise. Saruhiko didn’t care. “I’ll go get him, things are starting soon Kusanagi-san,” Saruhiko said, looking over to where Seri was beginning to fiddle with the mic. “Awashima won’t appreciate the wait.”

“Ah,” Kusanagi said, a bit startled. “Thank you Fushimi…uh, he should be right out back, just call his name and—”

“Got it.” Saruhiko barely finished before he was turning around, stalking out of the main entrance and veering left, towards the building’s back exit.

The hallway was long, but the door was in plain sight, each footstep beginning to echo louder and louder as he approached. It was déjà vu, but not, seeing as how the first time he had been so nervous approaching a door, it meant terrors of unimaginable proportion were waiting for him. This time, all he’d encounter was a warm embrace, soft skin, a voice which Saruhiko had used to motivate him through fire and dangers of all kinds.

This was it. After all this time…

Who knew how long it had actually been, years maybe, with how long his second journey had felt. He wondered what Misaki had done in that span, before time had been rewritten. All because of Saruhiko, and his stubbornness. He almost felt guilty, stealing away all of the progress Misaki must’ve managed in that time, but the selfishness in his heart was too strong, the relief he felt greater than everything else.

"Saruhiko! Did you hear that? You'll see your friends, it'll all be the same!”

In the end, Misaki had been right. They were picking up right where they left off, and then some. Saruhiko shouldn’t have doubted him, Misaki and his strange, but unyielding faith in the both of them. Surely, Saruhiko would have to pay that back, and he would, in whatever way Misaki wanted. Saruhiko would never be perfect, still shouldered a lot of the same issues as before, but he was willing to try now, and he could only hope Misaki would appreciate it.

Heh, gods know I appreciate him.

And Saruhiko couldn’t help but wonder if they, those beings who had been rooting for him from their gaudy thrones, were watching this moment too, holding their breath as Saruhiko was, heart beats stalling as he pushed the door open…

The cold night air hit him, the alley darker than the nearby street due to its lack of light, illuminated by a lone lamppost as a figure unloaded one last box off the back of a car. Saruhiko froze, the agony of separation and too much effort falling away in an instant when he caught a glimpse of fiery hair and toned arms.

Misaki had his back to him, the occasional curse being muttered as he cut open the last box with a knife, his back muscles flexing from carrying the heavy load and stacking it on top of the others. His suit jacket was lying haphazardly on one of the boxes, his shirt sleeves rolled up and somewhat stained with dirt. The pants he wore needed to be hemmed, from what Saruhiko could tell, and had he not been so taken by the image before him, he might’ve commented.

It wasn’t the time though.

Misaki rested his hands on his hips, looking over his work with a heavy sigh, like he’d never done a harder task. Saruhiko smiled softly, and he thought he saw Misaki laugh, like they’d unknowingly shared the same thought. Misaki had done much harder feats of labor, they both had. Complaining about anything else was ridiculous at that point.

It was the reminder of those shared challenges, the connection between them, and the memory of Misaki’s bone crushing hug as the redhead left him in hell, that had Saruhiko’s fingers slipping from the door, letting it slam shut, tearing through the silence.

Misaki jumped, amber eyes shooting to meet his blue ones, and the revelation was instantaneous. The echo of the door slamming filled the silence, as if the noise was having trouble traveling through the thickness of it. Saruhiko swallowed, because seeing Misaki’s eyes, so vibrant, so alive…it was more than he could handle.

It all seemed to stand still, and Saruhiko wondered if seconds even passed while he watched Misaki’s lip tremble, and felt his own blood rush, his heart beat ringing in his ears. It would make sense, given what he knew, for time to be manipulated, for higher forces to give him this one moment, unaffected by time or whatever was happening in the dining room. After all the universe had taken, it indulged him in this, letting him feel the burst of love he felt for the person only twelve feet away.

It was the connection which had guided him to safety.

Saruhiko was on the ground before he could blink, if he’d even been able to, too taken with the image of Misaki in the flesh and blood before him. Misaki’s arms were around him, nuzzling his face into his neck as Saruhiko toppled back, catching himself right before his back hit the dirt. His jacket was probably ruined, he couldn’t care less. He pulled Misaki farther into his arms, legs squeezing against the redhead’s sides due to the force of the full body hug, warmth unlike anything Saruhiko had ever felt before flooding him.

Searing. Full of life.

“You’re here….” Saruhiko whispered, the feelings which had built up too much to hold back any longer.

Misaki pulled his face away from the taller’s neck, staring with wide, disbelieving eyes as he half cried, half laughed. “I’m here? You dumbass, what about you? What are...” Misaki trailed off as his gaze lowered to Saruhiko’s lips, and Saruhiko’s intentions weren’t far off. They met in the middle, kisses quick and desperate, drinking each other up like they could disappear again in the next minute. But something told him that they’d never let that happen again, they would find a way back to each other, because they were that idiotically stubborn, deep down. Misaki tasted like mint, a flavor which had been absent the first time they’d kissed. It was a small, embarrassing detail, but Saruhiko reveled in it. Misaki’s taste.

Misaki held the last kiss for longer this time, though Saruhiko was hopeful there’d be many more in the future, and his eyes were on Saruhiko again, pupils blown wide and searching. Misaki let his body relax, legs repositioning to sit on either side of Saruhiko’s waist, and shook his head. “How is this…what…how are you here? Munakata said you…”

The words were lost to the noiseless air, too grave to be spoken again, like they were cursed. It was silly, to fear such a thing, but Saruhiko was still in shock if he was being honest, hadn’t fully recovered from returning to that moment on the street on an August evening. Life was so fragile, he was hyperaware of how he could lose it again, from the drive to the rehearsal to walking to work. Even for him, who had beaten the odds and returned, wasn’t guaranteed the next day. No one was.

But this, Misaki staring at him with confusion and unhidden fondness…he’d try to keep it as long as possible.

There was a lot to explain, where should he begin? Was it worth retelling those months of agony, the months spent lying around until the solution had come to him? Would Misaki want to know about each new trial? Would Saruhiko actually be able to tell him? There was so much to share, and yet he had no idea what was appropriate. Something told him the redhead would want to hear it all though, the journey which had brought him back.

Misaki leaned down at the same time Saruhiko pushed himself up farther, their foreheads bumping, like a silent and eternal pact between them. I’m on your side.

Yeah, sounds about right.

Saruhiko sighed, figuring he’d best start at the beginning, and opened his mouth. “I—”

The applause from the adjoining room reminded him of where they were though, what they were supposed to be, versus what they were. Somehow he didn’t mind the interruption, the reminder. Saruhiko stared at the door leading back to the reception hall, back to the world they now both shared, and Misaki laughed from his spot on top of him.

“Eh Saru, maybe you should save it,” Misaki said, smiling as he got up and offered Saruhiko his hand. “I think we’re late.”

Saruhiko managed to crack a smile at Misaki’s poorly concealed amusement, because yeah, time was a thing they actually had to worry about again, passing regularly and all too quickly, unaltered except for those truly worthy.

With a soft nod, Saruhiko grabbed his partner’s hand, the snug fit all too familiar and infinitely perfect, and followed him into the building.

Yata shut off the television, staring with displeasure at the blank screen. “Well, that was shit.” He dropped the remote in defeat, plopping onto his side on the soft couch, one which he never got tired of sinking into. After so many years of his shitty, torn up couch which could barely hold Saruhiko and him at the same time, the new plush couch had been an amazing addition. Of course, they'd had to wait a year or so before they'd gotten it, since they needed a bigger apartment to fit the furniture, but it had been worth the wait.

Yeah...

Lots of things had been worth the wait.

Yata smiled as he looked out across the ample sized living room, which was nearly as big as his old apartment in total size, and basked in the afternoon glow seeping in through the windows. They'd been living there for a few short months, but Yata had gladly associated it with feelings of comfort, as a refuge. Home. Sometimes the fridge buzzed too loud and the lights flickered, the sink would routinely clog and they needed to replace some of the tile in the kitchen...but mostly, he couldn't ask for better.

The sound of typing reached his ears from the table, along with a disinterested hum as the owner of the device addressed Yata. "I told you it looked awful, you shouldn't have wasted your time."

Yata watched as Saruhiko stretched in his lounge wear, looking like the perfect mix of annoyed and relaxed as he shut his laptop, scooting it away from him and jostling Yata's strewn about art supplies, all of which sat on the table. Yata usually yelled at him for not respecting his stuff, but he also knew Saruhiko had told him to get his crap off the table many times in the first place, so there was no use in arguing. The table was always a mess, and it would probably stay that way forever.

Yata's smile grew, the reminder of Saruhiko always being by his side too wonderful to ignore. He knew it like his own name now, but even after two years and all their time in the afterlife together, the thought of Saruhiko beside him made his stomach flip. It proved to be true in any case, especially when he'd wake up at night drenched in sweat, images of barren wastelands and tombs fresh in his mind, to find Saruhiko wide awake beside him, gripping his hand tight. Yata would do the same for the taller in return, when the talk of the future came up, when certain years and dates approached, and the light left Saruhiko’s eyes for brief moments.

They coped the best they could in those times, and Yata knew those things wouldn't ever go away, yet...he couldn't help but find himself incredibly happy.

Well, except when he was subjected to shitty movies.

"The effects looked cool! It was just...I totally knew everything that was gonna happen, and I wasn't expecting all the hell and heaven scenes..."

Saruhiko snorted, leaning back in his chair before scowling in distaste at his now dull soda. "You knew going in it was a story about angels and demons, you should know better than to watch those anymore," Saruhiko sighed. "They're pathetically unrealistic."

Got that right. It was a tired joke between them, movies about death and the afterlife, or any themes similar. Since having experienced the real thing, the appeal of such plots often fell short. While Saruhiko had given up trying to enjoy films about that stuff, Yata was more stubborn. He continuously searched, eager for an outlet for his own experience, but of course, found none. Saruhiko routinely reminded him that, as far as they knew, no one else had any idea what awaited them in the great beyond, or whatever. It remained annoying regardless, but lately he'd started to ponder a new option, and it grew more and more enticing with each day.

Well, if we're the only ones who know...

The idea poked harder at Yata’s brain, and well, when he actually was inspired it was hard to resist. Standing up with a huff, he walked over to the table, grabbing his tablet and inspecting it with a bit too much focus, like it would give him all the answers rather than him actually doing any work. If only it were so simple. "I should just make my own story, I've been getting better with my digital stuff, I could do a comic..."

Instinctively, his free hand joined Saruhiko's on the table, the touch as natural as breathing, and the taller hummed, raising a brow at him. "About?"

Yata smirked, trying not to laugh as the amusement between them grew. "Not sure, maybe these two people die and they have to go on some journey to be brought back to life. There's also this god who won't shut the fuck up. Oh and a parrot."

"There's a parrot?"

"There's a parrot."

Yata had to look away, determined to not cave first, and he was probably crushing the life out of his boyfriend's hand, but oh well.

Saruhiko stood up, coming up behind Yata and hiding his face in the crook of his neck. "Hm, sounds fake."

Yata bit his lip. "Yeah, totally lame. Imma scrap it."

"Would never happen."

"Two out of five stars."

"I would've given it one."

By the end of their exchange, Yata was dying, leaning on the table for support and trying his best not to drop his tablet. He made good money now, but last thing he wanted to do was go through the pain of getting a new one of those.

Yata leaned back into the touch, reveling in the simple feeling of Saruhiko's steady breaths against his skin, and wondered if he'd actually do it.

A story like theirs would take a lot of time, of planning. The details were important, the imagery. It would mean revisiting some painful memories, opening up to complete strangers about an experience he held near and dear to his heart, but at times wanted to push away with the strongest force. People would hate it, would criticize it, the events which changed his view of life. He knew that of course, as an artist. But this was different yeah?

He turned his head slightly, the impulse to catch Saruhiko's lips in a kiss too strong, and remembered it was different for both of them. The suffering they'd shared, the relief, it was all too much to wrap up easily and cast out into the world.

And then suddenly, the idea he'd been pondering for weeks seemed less and less appealing, all too complex and grand.

Yata didn't need other people to know about his strife to feel validated, he realized, not when Saruhiko was there, not when he woke up every morning, proving of his success.

"You still thinking about actually drawing it?" Saruhiko asked hours later while they were in bed, limbs entangled and eyelids droopy, and Yata smiled at him, more content than he'd ever been. All because of an accident, a journey, and the people in his life. It was a story so personal to him it hurt, and as Saruhiko smiled at Yata's soft shake of the head, Yata knew he felt the same.

And he thought, well, maybe they could keep the story to themselves just a little bit longer.

"Watching again Munakata?" Mikoto's gruff voice broke Munakata out of his pleasant observance, and the deity spun around quickly, as if caught. The water of the pool rippled into nothingness, disturbing the image of the two lovers until they were absent from view. Munakata huffed, not one to deny the allegations, but not particularly happy with how sneaky Mikoto had become. What happened to those barbaric, loud footsteps from before?

Munakata couldn't be severely displeased though, seeing as how the volume change was most likely due to Mikoto's desire to not attract attention when he returned from visiting Totsuka. The thought caused a calm smile to bloom on his face, the one which Mikoto usually dubbed as being creepy, but Munakata was hardly swayed by such insult.

Things are right in the world, living and dead it seems.

"I was simply checking on how they were doing," Munakata said, the relief clear in Mikoto's shoulders when Munakata didn’t ask him of his previous whereabouts. As if he didn't already know. "I am...happy that they're doing so well."

"Been two years," Mikoto muttered, slumping in his seat with a noticeable displeasure in his aura. "You can stop babysittin 'em."

"I wouldn't put it in such a way, it's not babysitting," Munakata sighed, turning back towards the pool. Perhaps Mikoto did have a point though, there was no concrete reason for checking in on them, but well...maybe Munakata just favored them, two souls which he greatly respected, and would be honored to see again. Nothing wrong with it. Also, it was no lie that Munakata had caught Mikoto staring into the pool from time to time as well, smiling at the progress of the two Returners. But, Munakata was not one to point fingers in retaliation. At least, not at that particular moment. "What's got you in a mood?"

A grunt was his reply, and Munakata nodded. "Ah, you know, you can spend as much time with him as you please, Totsu--"

"I know Munakata," Mikoto rolled his eyes, slouching further into his seat. "We got stuff to do though, always..."

Ah, well that is true.

Their jobs of sorting, of dealing with late arrivals, it never ended. Though heaven was Mikoto's domain, he would never be able to be there permanently, with the one he loved, until he and Munakata were relieved from their duties, and allowed to retire to the sanctuary. Time was strange for them, it passed quickly and yet not at all, the centuries bleeding together as they watched the world develop. Perhaps Munakata was a bit envious too, of Yata and Fushimi, for getting to live their lives freely in a way Munakata could not.

However, such thoughts were unbecoming. One day he would get his freedom, and hopefully when he did, he would be satisfied with the work he'd left behind, and those chosen to take his place. Speaking of...

"When's our time up eh? I never remember," Mikoto mumbled from his seat, staring at the baroque ceiling above, the bell of a late arrival reminding them both of the tasks which still needed attending. Oh well, this was Munakata's job anyways.

As he grabbed his cane and made for the door which would lead him to Isana's post, he dipped his hand in the pool, leaving Mikoto with the image of Yata and Fushimi, sleeping soundly in the life they'd created together.

Mikoto peered at the scene with fondness, before dipping his hand in, watching it vanish, and there was a finality in the movement which made Munakata regret not appreciating the scene more. He supposed it was fine though, he would see them both again, in time.

As he made way for the exit, a cunning smile formed easily on his face, his reply easy and certain. "Oh…seventy years or so. That sounds about right."

#sarumi #adri writing #k project

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ridiasfangirlings · 5 years ago

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yata have a family member (not his mom, maybe a mean cousin or aunt) who does not approve his relationship with saruhiko, (maybe homophobia or do not like saru and think he's mean etc) so saru teases this person to make them angry by making innuendo jokes or being touchy feeling on misaki?

Somehow I feel like Fushimi is just enough of a little shit to do this XD Like at first maybe he would be insecure about it, at least when he’s introduced to Yata’s parents as Yata’s boyfriend instead of his best friend, worrying that they might be upset about this and then Yata will start to think twice about whether he wants to be with Fushimi or not. But then Yata’s mom is of course super supportive because she probably knew they’ve had crushes on each other since middle school and Yata’s stepdad congratulates them and Yata’s siblings are already asking if they’re going to get married because then that makes Saruhiko their official brother right (and Yata’s like wait I’m your brother and Minoru and Megumi are like yeah but Saru’s cool). Once they’re over that hurdle Fushimi probably feels better about it, not that he’d admit he was worried anyway – afterward Yata’s nudging him like see told you it wouldn’t be so bad and Fushimi’s all weren’t you the one panicking about it and telling me to be on my best behavior. Fushimi personally would probably have a bit of harder time grasping why it was important to Yata that his mom accept them, since Fushimi couldn’t give a fuck what his mom thinks about this and he never intends to tell her anyway because that would require them to actually talk, but secretly he might admit that he felt a bit of a nervous flutter himself in that pause between when they told Yata’s parents and when Yata’s mom congratulated them.

So then one day they stop by to visit Yata’s family for dinner and it happens that like one of Yata’s aunts on his dad’s side is visiting with her kids, Yata’s kinda like ugh because he never liked them much. He figures at least he’s got Fushimi with him so he won’t have to make small talk with them, but then when Yata’s mom introduces Fushimi as ‘Misaki’s boyfriend’ the aunt gets this look on her face like she just saw a particularly loathsome insect. Yata doesn’t even seem to notice but Fushimi does, a bit later he’s going to get a drink from the kitchen when he overhears Yata’s aunt gossiping with her kids about how disgusting it is that Yata’s turned out to be gay and clearly being raised just by his mom for a while must have warped him. Fushimi doesn’t mind when people say nasty things about him but he does not stand for anyone insulting Misaki (and he’s more annoyed than he expected by overhearing someone badmouthing Yata’s mom too, because she was probably the first adult who ever seemed to give a shit about him too and she’s always been kind to him from the start). Fushimi doesn’t go confront them though, he just goes back to meet with Yata in the living room and acts like nothing happened.

Eventually everyone sits down for dinner and Yata is probably highly confused when Fushimi kisses his cheek before they sit down and then calls him honey and asks if Yata would get him a drink. Yata’s surprised by how affectionate Fushimi’s being all of a sudden (and probably wondering if Fushimi grabbed like the wrong bottle from the fridge when he went to get water earlier). As soon as Yata brings him his drink Fushimi gives him a nice deep kiss on the lips, Yata’s half insensible afterward as Fushimi runs a thumb over Yata’s chin and is like 'thanks.’ Yata coughs and stutters as he tries to sit down, Fushimi leans super close against his shoulder and is like you didn’t put much meat on my plate Misaki, you know I can fit something bigger than that in my mouth. Yata almost chokes on his water and Fushimi wonders if he needs to give Yata mouth to mouth, pressing super close again in a personal space violation that Munakata would be proud of. Meanwhile through all of this Yata’s aunt is staring in open disgust and horror, Yata’s mom notices and she gets this grin because she never liked shitty aunt either and she’s kinda figured out exactly what Fushimi’s doing. The aunt probably only lasts about halfway through dinner before she can’t take it anymore and grabs her kids and storms out, as soon as she’s gone Yata’s parents and siblings all start laughing and telling Fushimi how great that was, like did you see her face, and Yata is totally confused because wait what just happened.

#sarumi #Talking K #I like the idea that part of the reason this annoys Fushimi is he knows how important his family's acceptance is to Yata #and here's this asshole lady who wants to make him feel bad about that #Fushimi knows Yata felt like he didn't belong with his family and Fushimi doesn't want Yata to feel that way ever again #so he pretty much summons all his smug asshole powers and starts flirting shamelessly and it's glorious #Minoru and Megumi nudging each other and trying not to giggle each time Fushimi calls Yata 'sweetie'#sarumi says gay rights no homphobic relatives allowed in this house

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ridiasfangirlings · 2 years ago

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Fushimi, after running away from home, needed a quick source of income that's not just tech stuff so he does tutoring and ended up teaching Yata's siblings. It was just a job at first and he didn't even get along with Yata but slowly they got close and he started crushing on him (Yata crushes on him too and gets excited whenever the kids have a tutoring session lol). Yata's family also found out Fushimi lives alone and tries to make him spend time with them like he's part of their family.

For some reason I find this setup very appealing, teenage runaway Fushimi tutoring some kids and unexpectedly falling hopelessly in love with their big brother. Imagine Fushimi decides he's finally had enough of his terrible parents and decides to run away, maybe Niki's in the hospital and Fushimi figures it will take Kisa months to even notice he's gone. He packs a bag with just his laptop, a couple changes of clothes and whatever money he has saved from his allowance. This lasts him for a while at first, he's able to bounce from hotel room to hotel room without anyone getting too suspicious but eventually it's clear that he's going to need some kind of job. Fushimi had initially intended to just do tech stuff online to get cash but that's proving difficult with his current living situation, going from hotel rooms to internet cafes and trying his best to keep connected online. He's buying some food at a nearby convenience store when he sees they have a bulletin board up that people can post job listings for like local plumbing or construction-type things, out of desperation he posts his own ad offering tutoring services for kids.

He gets a call a few days later from a woman wanted help tutoring her two younger children, she also makes mention of an older boy who might need some assistance with high school entrance exams. Fushimi finds himself feeling a little prickly about the idea of going into this home with like an actual happy family but he needs money so he takes the offer, scheduling himself to go to the woman's house a couple times a week for a few hours at a time for a regular pay amount. The first day he's supposed to be there he rings the doorbell, standing all awkwardly in front of the door, and when it opens there's this red-haired kid standing there. Fushimi looks at the kid and gives this flat 'I'm your new tutor,' the kid's like oh you mean you're here to tutor Minoru and Megumi and Fushimi's like huh so you're not in elementary school then. The kid immediately gets pissed off about that and Fushimi gives this little grin, as he steps inside he hears the kid's mom yelling at him to be polite to the tutor. Fushimi gets introduced to his two new 'students', Minoru and Megumi, and to the oldest kid Misaki (Fushimi's grin gets even wider when Yata's mom says that name and Yata's immediately like 'don't call me that,' naturally Fushimi starts using that name every chance he gets).

Yata's mom has to go do some grocery shopping so she leaves Fushimi and Yata with the kids, Fushimi sits down to start his tutoring session with Minoru first and the whole time Yata's in the corner playing with Megumi and glaring at Fushimi like he thinks Fushimi's suspicious. Yata sees that Fushimi's his age and asks what school he goes to, Fushimi clicks his tongue and says he already graduated elementary school and Yata's like I told you I'm in middle school. Fushimi leaves a couple hours later when his session is done and he has to admit that maybe it wasn't so bad, the kids weren't as annoying as they could be and besides Misaki was fun to tease at least. After that Fushimi goes back to the house several times a week and Yata's always there for him to tease in between tutoring sessions. Minoru and Megumi quickly get attached to him, amazed that he knows everything and maybe at first Yata's a bit jealous too because here he's the big brother and yet his siblings keep praising this stranger for being so smart and all. At one point Yata's mom asks Fushimi to help Yata with entrance exams, Fushimi acts all polite to her but then when it's just him and Yata he starts teasing 'Misaki' for being an idiot. Yata thinks he won't learn anything from a jerk like this but then as Fushimi's teaching him Yata realizes that this guy is actually kinda amazing. Fushimi doesn't know how to take this, he enjoyed teasing Misaki before but now when Yata looks at him with shining eyes and praises him it's like this whole different level of feelings.

After that they slowly become friends, Yata looks forward to Fushimi coming to tutor the kids and even asks if he wants to go to the arcade afterward. The only problem is that he also keeps asking where Fushimi goes to school and where he lives and Fushimi initially keeps blowing that off. Eventually he says Yata can come over to his place one day and Yata's surprised and concerned when he realizes Fushimi's living in a hotel room, especially when Fushimi makes a comment about how this is where he's living 'today.' Yata begins to suspect that Fushimi ran away but he doesn't want to say anything that would make Fushimi get upset and decide to stop coming by to tutor the kids. Maybe at some point Yata's on his way home from school and sees Fushimi, he goes to say hi and then freezes as he sees Fushimi running away from someone – Niki got out of the hospital and has shown up to torment his kid. Yata gets to see how awful Fushimi's dad is and realizes this must be why he ran away, and now Yata's decided to start saving up so that one day maybe they can move somewhere together.

In the meantime Fushimi is still tutoring, maybe he did find a semi-regular coding job that he can do online so he was able to take down his tutoring ad but he still only keeps going to Yata's place. Yata starts making sure he has like snack set up for Saruhiko every time he comes by, pretending like this is just a nice friend thing but really he's worried about how Fushimi's eating living all alone on the streets like this and he wants to like watch over Fushimi the best he can. Even though Yata hasn't said anything to his mom she's also started being really nice to Fushimi as well, telling him to stay for dinner and even agreeing when Yata asks if Saruhiko can spend the night. Fushimi realizes that he's starting to get attached and thinks he should end these sessions but he can't bring himself to do it, finding himself almost looking forward to seeing Misaki every day, even though he's also worried because soon school will be out of session and what will happen once he's not tutoring Misaki's siblings anymore.

#sarumi #Talking K #meanwhile Yata is also worried about what will happen when school is out of session #bc he doesn't want Saruhiko to stop coming #then Yata's mom asks if Saruhiko will still come tutor the kids over break #because she secretly has some idea what's going on here and anyway Misaki has a crush #Yata starts saving all his money so eventually maybe he and Saruhiko can move in together #bc he wants Fushimi to have a home

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ridiasfangirlings · 2 years ago

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Do you think Munakata show his Munakata Reisi side (not as Blue King) to Fushimi, other than that time when he said he's tired after fighting Iwa-san? (I mean sure it's mix of act too, but i think he really meant it when he said he's tired that time) . We all know from the anime he show that side a lot to Mikoto.

It might be biased, but I'd like to think that Fushimi even know the loneliness of a king. It's also the reason why even tho he has respect for Munakata, he never put him in somekind of pedestal.

I do think there are some parts of Munakata as 'King' that Fushimi doesn't understand – that whole 'only Kings can understand other Kings' thing, like while Fushimi may have some idea of that loneliness he can't really know what it's like because he isn't a King himself. That said I do think Fushimi sees Kings in a different light than other people, not just in the sense of Kings as individuals but also just his idea of what a 'King' is. While I think Fushimi admires Munakata (and won't admit it) and while he does clearly have respect for him and is drawn to him at the same time I don't think Fushimi has quite the same sense of awe that other people do when it comes to their Kings. Fushimi is clearly willing to talk back to Munakata when he thinks Munakata's doing something stupid and he doesn't see the need to hold himself back or treat Munakata with deference just because Munakata is a King (and I tend to think that's one of the things that drew Munakata to him, he likes having someone who will treat him in this blunt manner).

And in that sense I think Fushimi does have an ability to look beyond 'The Blue King' and see 'Munakata Reisi' at times too. I think it helps that Munakata often tries to give Fushimi advice and treats him kindly, those moments when Munakata to somewhat more looking after him rather than looking down at him help Munakata to come off more human than King. Fushimi might make comments like 'so even Captain has parents after all' but he still can see Munakata as something besides just his title. I think this helps Fushimi too, because he doesn't care for Kings but he's able to consider Munakata as simply 'annoying superior' and such things, which brings Munakata down to the level of a normal person and lets Fushimi have respect for Munakata the person over the Blue King.

#Fushimi Saruhiko #Munakata Reisi #Talking K #ahhh this is one of those 'hard to vocalize what I'm thinking' asks I hope this made sense #also I think it helps that Munakata is...Munakata #like to Fushimi Munakata isn't unknowable because he's a King #he's unknowable because he's a weird nerd #Fushimi as a fellow weird nerd kinda understands him but there are limits okay #like Munakata is 'annoying boss who I secretly look up to' over 'King'

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ridiasfangirlings · 2 years ago

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1) Fushimi gives Yata a candle. I was surprised, because he doesn't like candles that much, so he said thank you and put the candle on the shelf. This gesture upset Saru for some reason, but he did not say why. Fushimi spent the next week in Scepter 4 because they had a lot to do, although Yata felt that Fushimi was avoiding him for some reason. But I didn't think it was the candle. A week later, Yata saw a candle of the same company at one of the guys in Homra and said that he had the same one.

I feel like Fushimi gets talked into this by the alphabet boys somehow, like he can't vocalize his feelings well so someone suggests he try the candle route. Like say post-ROK Fushimi's obviously starting to accept the fact that he has a crush on Misaki but he also doesn't know how to deal with it, he's not good at putting his emotions into words and besides he can't quite convince himself that Yata would feel the same way and accept Fushimi's feelings after all Fushimi's done to him. At the same time though they've been getting closer since they reconciled and they're always going out on drinking dates and such and it's becoming harder and harder for Fushimi to bury his feelings. This has been putting him in an increasingly bad mood, snapping at the squad even more than usual because he's so preoccupied by all these annoying feelings. Eventually the squad manage to get him to admit it, like Akiyama notices Fushimi being more on edge than usual whenever Yata's mentioned and asks if something happened and Fushimi unintentionally blurts out that he can't find a way to tell Misaki that he loves him. The squad immediately descend on him like a bunch of gossipy old ladies, so excited that Fushimi-san is finally ready to admit his feelings. Fushimi waves them away angrily and mutters that it doesn't matter anyway, even if he tried to say it he would just ruin it. That's when Enomoto mentions the candles, he heard some of the ladies talking about how you can put a message in these special candles that will show up when the candle is lit. If Fushimi can't say the words maybe he can write them, and by giving Yata the candle Fushimi won't have to like stand there face to face while Yata reads it so there's no worry that he'll try to suddenly take the words back or anything.

Fushimi thinks this is a stupid idea but he ends up ordering the candle anyway, feeling like an idiot but at the same time wondering if this might actually work. It takes him a few tries to get himself to give the candle to Yata but finally one day after they've gone out drinking before the part ways to go back home Fushimi hands Yata the candle all 'here, this is for you.' Yata's kinda confused but also maybe a little pleased, because Saruhiko isn't the type to give gifts and isn't this a good sign, that Fushimi's giving him something. A candle is kinda weird as a gift but Yata chalks that up to Fushimi just being awkward, like well maybe Saruhiko couldn't decide what to get me and aren't candles supposed to be good gifts for like coworkers you don't know well and stuff (this suddenly makes him worried though, like but we're closer than that now aren't we). Yata doesn't really use candles but he's definitely not throwing Saruhiko's gift away so he just sticks it on a shelf and mostly forgets about it.

The next time he meets Fushimi for drinks Yata thinks that Fushimi seems weirdly nervous, like he keeps shooting Yata these little glances when he thinks Yata isn't looking. Yata asks if anything's wrong and Fushimi looks away and clicks his tongue as he says 'no,' there's something weird in his tone though. After that Yata notices that Fushimi starts avoiding him a little more, canceling when they were supposed to go out together and not really looking at him when S4 and Homra run into each other on patrol. Yata's confused and kinda upset, he thought things were really going well but now it feels like there's a wall between them again. He doesn't even really think much about the candle – or if he does maybe he starts to worry that it was like a 'coworker you don't know well' gift, like Fushimi's way of telling Yata they're not that close and he needs to back off.

Yata's feeling really bummed about all this when he stops in the bar, depressed and frustrated that things seemed to be going so well with Fushimi and now they're back to Fushimi not telling him anything. That's when he sees all the Homra guys gathering around Chitose, Yata goes over and sees Chitose has a candle with him that looks like the one Yata got from Fushimi. Yata's all what's with the candles all of a sudden and someone asks him what he means, Yata says Saru gave him one too. Chitose asks what Yata's candle said and Yata's like 'said? It doesn't talk.' Chitose explains he got this one from his current girlfriend, if you light the candle there's a message. The candles have basic messages but you can get special customized ones too, everyone starts joking about what kind of message Fushimi would give to Yata while Yata's just slowly realizing what just happened.

He leaves the bar in a hurry and rushes home, all flustered trying to find where he put the stupid candle. Finally he finds it and starts to light it, heart pounding, maybe worried that Fushimi put some kind of 'let's not see each other anymore' message in there. The candle starts to burn and finally the message shows up: 'I love you. Can we be together?'. Yata's face gets all red and he finds himself feeling almost giddy, like here he was worried that Fushimi hated him and instead Fushimi just confessed. Yata finds himself running right to S4, imagine Fushimi's working and Yata just busts into the office. Fushimi looks up and starts to say something cold to him but Yata just storms up to him and grabs him, pulling him close. Fushimi squirms like what the hell Misaki and Yata's like don't what the hell me you idiot, you're the one who didn't tell me to light the candle. Fushimi freezes and Yata's like yeah I finally got it, and anyway the answer is yes.

#sarumi #Talking K #okay but Yata's got a point you need to be clear with the instructions Saru #I can't be the only one who has a bunch of candles given by coworkers for Christmas right #it's one of those gifts people give you all the time but like who really uses candles that much #especially since Yata's a walking torch he doesn't need a candle

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ridiasfangirlings · 4 years ago

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rank your favorite ship in K and the reason why, ridia!!

Are we talking all my ships because I have a lot of ships XD Maybe just the highlights...also I feel this needs to be split into Fushimi ships and non-Fushimi ships because I have a bias okay.

So Fushimi ships:

1. Sarumi - As I once said on Twitter, I have many ships but at the end of the day I'm just a basic bitch who loves Sarumi. For me I think it all comes down to their wonderful dynamic, they have all this history and angst and pain and reconciliation and it's just perfect for me. I love how Yata was the first person to ever show Fushimi affection and how Fushimi just quietly clings to that all through middle school, how the two of them just manage to be on the same wavelength and become so important to each other that the idea of breaking apart feels like it could never happen. And then they join Homra and everything gets dragged down by misunderstanding and miscommunication and Fushimi's deep-seated issues that don't allow him to believe in Yata's honest affection the moment Yata finds someone else intriguing. So Fushimi breaks it himself and styles himself to become Yata's enemy, except he utterly fails at that because even with all the cruel words he speaks the both of them are just so clearly still unable to hate each other – Yata can't delete his phone number even after everything, Fushimi can't cut his ties to Yata completely, and it's all just waiting for these two to finally be honest and accept that their connection is too strong to be broken and I love that (though technically I love Misaru more because bottom Fushimi is my jam).

2. Reisaru – Second favorite pairing, another wonderful dynamic. This one's completely different from Sarumi but wonderful in its own way, how Munakata does really understand Fushimi in a way I think even Fushimi himself doesn't, and how Fushimi respects Munakata even if he won't ever say it out loud. I also love Munakata's doting side, how he gives Fushimi all this praise and makes a position in Scepter 4 just for him and basically is the one who gives Fushimi a place to belong. And Munakata as this pleasant dork who just wants his gloomy boyfriend to be happy is always fun, just imagining their dates with Munakata so eager for Fushimi to enjoy things and Fushimi acting annoyed when really he is in fact enjoying himself is a nice image.

3. Mikosaru, Hisaru, AkiFushi – Okay I'm cheating because honestly I can't rank these, I like them all equally. Mikosaru is tantalizing because they really shouldn't work but that's part of the fun, Fushimi hates Mikoto and is afraid of him but then at the same time it's clear in canon that despite what Fushimi thinks Mikoto does actually care for him. Their dynamic in general is just very full of possibilities and needs more attention.

Hisaru is a cute pairing with eager puppy dog Hidaka who wants to get to know Fushimi more and who won't let his superior's gloomy exterior bring him down. He's a bit like Yata with being all open and honest about his feelings but at the same time I think there's a bit more maturity there and none of the baggage that Sarumi have, instead Hidaka wants so much to learn about Fushimi and what he likes and doesn't like while also being a person who can give Fushimi the kind of open affection that he needs.

Akifushi is a more low key pairing, with Akiyama as the endlessly patient and mature type who worries for Fushimi while also letting Fushimi grow at his own pace. I admit I've kinda moved Akiyama into the positon of the guy who perpetually gives Fushimi drinks but it fits for them I think, in canon I feel like Fushimi treats Akiyama in a friendlier manner (in his own way) than any other member of the alphabet squad and I feel like Akiyama watches over him a bit. Instead of being someone who crashes into Fushimi's life like Yata or Hidaka Akiyama takes his time scaling those walls and he's always ready with a calm smile or soft encouragement that makes it hard for Fushimi to push him away (also secret dom Akiyama works very well with bottom Fushimi :3c).

4. TotsuFushi – You know that scene in LSW, where Mikoto saves Yata and Fushimi during the surprise party and Totsuka hugs Fushimi? Yeah, I like that scene. That's a good TotsuFushi scene. This is another good dynamic too, Totsuka who sees through Fushimi more than Fushimi would like and who seems kind but can also be very pointed and even a little cruel in his own way, and Fushimi who is uncomfortable when Totsuka's kind but would have no qualms pointing out that cruelty or those faults.

5. KurohFushi – It's not really a crack pairing if they have a short story together, right? Blame the tweets book for this and that story where Kuroh makes Fushimi meat with veggies mixed in. I just want to see Kuroh scandalized by Fushimi's terrible everything and attempting to get him to become healthy while also finding himself unexpectedly attracted, is that so wrong?

6. YukariFushi – I don't think they even have an actual pairing name do they XD I have one (1) doujinshi about them and I just want Yukari to call Fushimi 'Saruhiko-chan' all the time and to do his makeup.

7. HisuiFushi – Only in dark, twisted 'going to betray you but you're also currently my King' ways, but still, I ship it.

8. KusaFushi – Honestly this is only so low because I always feel like Kusanagi's 'older' in a way that makes pairing him with Fushimi feel unbalanced? (No shade to anyone who likes it btw, this is solely my personal feelings and I still enjoy this pairing, just not as much as some others.) They get along well and Kusanagi is clearly impressed with him, so it's all good.

Bonus: non-Fushimi ships:

1. Niki’s face/my fist

1. Akiben and AkiHida - I can't choose between these two, I love them both equally. Akiben just have that perfect partner dynamic, while AkiHida have a lovely 'serious mature bunny meets overly enthusiastic puppy dog' vibe (also again, Akiyama as secret savage dom and Hidaka just screams 'tie me up and have your way with me'). 10/10, would ship them both.

2. Mikorei - They are stupid and I respect that. Also gotta love the whole 'this is my boyfriend, I hate him but we can't stop making out' vibe. The tragedy of S1 is just the icing on the cake.

3. Munatotsu – That they barely interacted in canon is a crime, I tell you. Imagine the hobbies. The bonding experiences. The sparkles. They would be the worst best couple.

4. Izuseri – Actual adults? In my K project? It's more likely than you think.

5. Douseri – They never met but they should have. Awesome ladies being awesome together and eating terrible food.

6. IzuTotsu - Is it because of the tragedy? Maybe. Okay, yes, it's the tragedy.

7. MikoTotsu – Weirdly I like them better as unrequited with Totsuka pining, but still it's good.

8. MikoIzuTotsu – Actually you know what just put them all together why do we have to choose.

9. MikoIzu – I like them more as friends but I will 100% buy that they have had drunken sex at least once, I'm just saying.

10. HabariZenjoh – I have a couple doujinshi, okay? I feel they deserve a rank for having doujinshi.

11. KurohShiro – They cute. They'd be higher but I'm mostly indifferent to the Silvers.

#k project #Talking K #disclaimer: the feelings above are solely mine and not intended as unbiased ranking of desirable ships #all ships are created equal it is we the fans who decide our own personal rankings ^^#I could have fit more in there too I have more #but this was getting long #the non-Fushimi ones are in mostly random order after the first couple tbh #you can blame rp almost entirely for my AkiHida love #MunaTotsu should be more of a thing they would be amazing #also yes I'm aware all my Fushimi ships are with guys I just don't see him liking girls at all #but again personal ranking and not intended to be a statement on the worth of anyone's ships

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ridiasfangirlings · 4 years ago

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Sarumi in a Boarding School AU? Haha honestly im not sure why but I like the idea of Fushimi and Yata being roommates who dont get along but, in classic romcom fashion, a series of coincidences and mishaps causes them to see each other in a new way. And of course the best part: the pining after they get through their differences, because their friends now but suddenly they want to be more aaaa yes the kind of quality trash im always thirsting for haha

Fushimi probably gets sent to boarding school so Kisa doesn't have to deal with him, like say this is right after Niki's death but since Fushimi doesn't have a Yata to move in with (yet ;D) he's stuck in the house alone. Kisa doesn't particularly want to have to deal with him so she decides the easiest thing is to send him to a decent boarding school where he'll be out of her hair. Yata meanwhile also gets sent to school maybe to like make some more room in the house but also hopefully to better his education, like Yata's stepdad works with someone who runs the school and offers to take Yata in as a student free of charge. Yata's kinda been struggling in normal school and the apartment his family lives in is pretty cramped so his stepdad figures this would be a good idea, Yata's not super into it because he assumes all boarding school kids are stuck up snobs but he also wants to take some of the burden off his parents so he agrees.

Yata gets to the school and is shown his room, he's all excited to meet his roommate and become bestest best friends. Unfortunately for Yata his roommate is Fushimi, who's probably annoyed that Kisa couldn't even splurge to get him his own room. The minute Yata walks in Fushimi's pretty much like 'don't talk to me,' focusing solely on his computer and his PDA and basically having no interest in making friends whatsoever. Yata's not so easily defeated though and he keeps trying to get Fushimi to open up, which makes Fushimi more annoyed and he starts snapping at Yata and probably calling him by his first name (which is right on the doorplate outside their room). Yata can't believe that a whole school full of kids and he gets the number one asshole as his roommate.

The two of them end up in a bunch of classes together, though maybe Fushimi has like extra classes afterward that are for the accelerated group and he keeps ditching them because Fushimi has no interest in schools or teachers. Yata on the other hand is struggling to keep up, no one really seems to have any interest in making sure he's getting the extra help he needs and he probably doesn't get along well with many of the other kids either, like most of the kids in this school are wealthy and learned all kinds of social etiquette and no one has any interest in loud, wild Yata. Yata doesn't even notice at first that Fushimi's being ostracized too though, like at first a lot of kids want to get close to Fushimi because everyone knows who his mom is but then when they see Fushimi's got no interest in anyone people start to leave him alone or try to bully him.

One day Yata forgets something after class and has to go back and get it, which is when he sees some of the other students picking on Fushimi. Yata thought these guys were Fushimi's friends and he's really confused, which is when maybe one of the kids starts taunting Fushimi about his dead dad. Fushimi immediately reacts violently to that (for reasons entirely opposite of what Yata assumes), like headbutting the guy who said it and that sets off a fight. Yata comes running in to the fray, deciding screw this he's going to help Fushimi even if Fushimi is a jerk (like at least Fushimi is an honest jerk instead of pretending to like people or acting fake-nice just to tease someone). The teachers eventually break the whole thing up and the other kids point fingers at Fushimi and Yata, Yata's like wait you guys started it but the teacher also assumes that Fushimi and Yata are troublemakers and they get detention together.

Yata's pissed at being put in detention for this, like he and Fushimi are left alone together in a room and told to write apology letters or something. Yata wonders out loud what he should write, like he's not sorry and those guys were out of line taunting Fushimi about his parents. Fushimi shrugs as he gets up, saying he doesn't care about his parents anyway and everyone here is worthless. As Yata watches Fushimi moves aside some books and starts to climb out this hidden window that he found a few days ago, Yata follows him and immediately thinks it's super cool that Fushimi found a way to sneak out of detention. At first Fushimi starts to tell Yata not to follow him but Yata's looking at him with shining eyes and finally Fushimi clicks his tongue and is like 'if you want to follow, come on.' The two of them spend the whole afternoon hanging out and dodging teachers before sneaking back into the detention room right before their time is up, afterward they go back to their room and Yata's just bubbling over with excitement and calling Fushimi amazing and Fushimi finds himself feeling suddenly lighter than he ever has before.

So now the two of them have become inseparable and they're probably total troublemakers, Fushimi getting Yata into all sorts of bad habits and Yata doesn't care because Saruhiko is the most amazing guy he's ever met. He knows though that the two of them are different and sometimes it makes him worried, like imagine they go home for summer holidays at one point and Yata thinks about how Fushimi's going back to some rich family while Yata's headed back to this crowded apartment. But then when they return to school Yata can tell that Fushimi's suddenly acting all distant and cold again, like something terrible happened when he was home and it makes Yata wonder what kind of life Fushimi has at home and is there a way Yata can protect him from everything. This then leads to the realization of how important Fushimi is to him and Yata starts becoming more and more aware of how physically close they are all the time. Fushimi meanwhile hates his family and wants nothing more than to stay with Yata but he also thinks that there's no way this can continue, like he knows Kisa can take him out of school at any time to use as like a pawn for his inheritance and such and he can't stand that idea, that he might have to leave and never see Yata again. Fushimi's also starting to feel emotions that he can't even recognize, like he has no idea what this warm feeling is in his cheeks every time Yata gets too close or why his gaze keeps lingering on Yata all the time when Yata's not looking and he's basically just got this huge crush and doesn’t know what to do with it.

#sarumi #Talking K #imagine them being such problem children #Yata doesn't try to be but Fushimi is a bad influence #Yata even has to call him out a couple times like really you skip class that often #but Yata also thinks Fushimi is so cool #also imagine the first time Fushimi gets sick at school #Yata skipping class just to watch over him

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ridiasfangirlings · 5 years ago

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Maybe au where Fushimi was hit by the strain and changed to a girl, he (now she) has long, wavy hair, he is really pretty and his uniform changed to skirt (maybe not the same as Awashimas's) + he has to stay like this for like 1-2 weeks because they can't find the strain. Everybody reaction and maybe how Fushimi is getting used to being a girl. And I wanted to say that I really enjoy reading your blog, it's amazing ^^ thanks for your hard work~

Lately I've been very into the idea of fem!Fushimi with long braids, imagine how pretty she would look *^* So say Fushimi gets hit by a Strain and turns into a girl, when the alphabet boys find her she probably has this really long hair just splayed out everywhere Rapunzel-like and everyone's more amazed by how pretty she is than by the fact that she's turned into a girl. Her uniform is mostly too baggy now except around the chest (it's K, let's face it she'd have a huge rack) and she's just like a model, the pale skin and long dark hair and Fushimi's usual blue piercing eyes make her just as striking as a girl as she was as a guy. Fushimi looks down at her new body and just clicks her tongue, like great what a pain. It doesn't help that Hidaka comes over to offer her a hand up and accidentally brushes her chest before jumping back and apologizing profusely so he doesn't get stabbed.

Fushimi goes back with the squad to Scepter 4 and once it becomes clear that the power won't be wearing off any time soon she has to get a whole new uniform made and everything. I'm sure Fushimi would refuse to wear Awashima's style of uniform, like just imagine her taking one look at that short skirt and being all 'over my dead body' (on the other hand she probably does end up showing some cleavage though, gotta leave the shirt unbuttoned a little so she can dramatically show off her burn scar as necessary). They manage to give her a modified version of the outfit with a longer skirt that's still not too tight to move in and of course she gets to strap some knives to her thighs. Fushimi wants to just chop off her hair because it's annoying having it so long but Munakata notes they don't know how any body modifications done while Fushimi's female could affect her when she goes back to being male and if she cuts her hair she could end up bald when she goes back to normal. Fushimi reluctantly leaves her hair long, though Awashima offers to braid it for her and Fushimi wears it that way while at work. Of course sometimes she gets to dramatically undo the braids too, like imagine her fighting Yata and the blue ribbon holding the braids together breaks and her hair just flies out majestically in the wind.

I think Fushimi would get used to being a girl decently quick, she doesn't really seem the type to get excessively embarrassed by suddenly having a whole new set of parts and if anything sees them as just another thing to tease Misaki with. I wonder if it would be a bit weird looking in the mirror though, like I can imagine her at one point just staring at herself for a long time maybe wondering if she can see any of Kisa in her face now that she's a girl and then shaking her head, even as a girl 'that man's' influence is still clearly there. I think she'd be annoyed at changes in the way people treat her though, like the boys suddenly seem much more solicitous and people are offering to open doors for her and carry papers for her and it makes Fushimi even more determined to do things herself. This would also make her more frustrated if for any reason she couldn't do something herself too, like she forgets that she's shorter than she used to be and not quite as strong and that she needs to adjust things when she's throwing knives or using her sword.

#Fushimi Saruhiko #Talking K #I am here for fem Saru with dramatic hair #flying everywhere and looking so pretty #imagine her as just the most striking girl #like as a guy she's a scrawny nerd #but as a girl she's still a scrawny nerd but with like breasts and stuff :P #she has nice hair though #and can walk in heels and hide knives under her skirt

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ridiasfangirlings · 5 years ago

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After gettinf saved by Munakata in a huge strain ordeal that Yata somehow gets in the middle of, Yata starts to realize that the Blue King isn't so bad, and they start getting along well(maybe even a little TOO well, much to the confusion of Fushimi). Sarumi please and thank you!!

Munakata and Yata getting along well, I imagine Fushimi seeing this and just being like what the hell is happening did they get hit by a Strain. Like maybe there was some huge Strain situation that Homra and Scepter 4 are collaborating on, Fushimi himself ends up getting injured but he's protected by both Yata and Munakata. Fushimi passes out and therefore misses the wacky buddy comedy that ensues as Yata and Munakata attempt to get him to the hospital while warding off all enemies, the two of them discovering that maybe they do have some common ground in the way they feel for Fushimi and Yata realizing that Fushimi's King really isn't all that bad and in fact he's kinda cool in his own dorky way. By the time Fushimi wakes up in the hospital Yata and Munakata have been through the fire and are now on good terms with each other, which probably makes Fushimi wonder if he like got hit by that Strain who sends people to parallel dimensions because it makes more sense than Misaki and Munakata getting along.

The part that really weirds Fushimi out is when Yata starts coming over to Scepter 4 to see Munakata, like Yata walks into the building and someone asks him if he's here to see Fushimi, Yata says he'll say hi to Saruhiko later but he's actually here to visit the Blue King. Fushimi ends up overhearing this shortly afterward, Hidaka's talking to Fuse who says it was the weirdest thing, like who knew Homra's Yatagarasu and Captain got along so well. Fushimi's interest is immediately piqued when he hears Yata's name, changing to total confusion when he hears Yata came to see Munakata. He's probably starting to get even a little suspicious, like what are they doing why the hell would Yata want to see Captain. He decides this is the perfect time to deliver a report to Munakata's office (you know, for work reasons, nothing else) and when he gets to the door Yata's just walking out and thanking Munakata for the good advice. He sees Fushimi and jumps in a slightly guilty manner like 'oh, um, hi Saruhiko' and Fushimi clicks his tongue and gets an annoyed look as he pushes past Yata without another word.

Munakata's no help in explaining why Yata was here, he just says they were doing a puzzle together and that makes even less sense so Fushimi's both annoyed and confused now. I could see him feeling this drop in his stomach too, like he knows it's stupid to think Yata would ever join Scepter 4 but in a way he feels like he's being replaced by a King again, another person who is 'better' than him who he can't ever surpass and who has caught Yata's interest. He wants to ask Yata what's going on but his pride gets in the way and Fushimi just starts being cold to Yata instead, even though he knows this will just destroy what he's been trying so much to rebuild he can't help falling back into old habits and now Yata's confused because he has no idea what he did to piss Fushimi off. (And then they have a fight about it in the end and Yata ends up bursting out that the reason he's been meeting Munakata so much is that Yata's been getting advice on how to confess his feelings to Fushimi and Fushimi's like wait what now.)

#sarumi #Talking K #and amusing misunderstandings ensue #like Fushimi starts to think Yata's interested in Munakata #but really Yata's trying to think of a way to confess to Fushimi #and he figures that Fushimi's King could help him figure out how to approach it #since he and Fushimi have been estranged for a while and Yata feels like maybe Munakata knows Fushimi better than he does #so then they're arguing and Yata just bursts out with I was asking him how I should tell you I love you you moron #and Fushimi just chokes

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ridiasfangirlings · 5 years ago

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Hi Ridia-san! I had a discussion with someone who thought that yata had the tendency to get away with things in canon and didn't have any character depth whatsoever,I'm new in the fandom so I don't have all the material to make an argument,what's your opinion on this topic?(they also think that yata is not good enought for fushimi but i don't know about that)sorry for my engli

….I don't usually answer these out of order but I feel the need to defend my baby whose good name has been besmirched D: Also you’ll see this is why I only did a short answer today, this one took me all evening...long rambly meta under the cut:

To be honest I find it a bit odd to say that Yata 'gets away with things' in canon while also claiming he's not good enough for Fushimi, considering Fushimi arguably gets away with more than nearly anyone else in canon – like, I love him and he has a lot of issues that make his reasoning clear, but it doesn't make the way Fushimi acts okay and one of the unfortunate weaknesses I think in his character arc is that he's never really quite called on it or forced to examine his actions very closely, whereas I would argue that Yata is forced to face the weaknesses in his world view and comes out a better person for it. Same with the argument that Yata has no character depth, his arc is one of the more clearly articulated in the series and I would honestly wonder if someone's been actually paying attention to what's happening in the series if they think Yata has no depth and that the Yata we meet at the beginning of the series is the same as the one that ends the series.

So yeah, Yata. I've got a few more in-depth asks about him here and here that are worth looking at, but just to go over his character beat by beat and why I don't see him as 'getting away' with very much at all. He's definitely a flawed character, but so is everyone in K (as it should be, as they say there's nothing more boring than a perfect hero). The Yata we meet first in LSW is young and probably a bit overbearing for a lot of people, someone who isn't good at reading the emotions of others but who ultimately wants to be a good kid. Like at the beginning of LSW with the Yata Team we can see Yata's good and bad sides: he wants to be part of a group, he wants to go on adventures and do awesome things and maybe be a bit of a delinquent (but, notably, for all Yata wants people to think he's a tough hardcore punk Yata's not the one who was cheating on tests or bullying skinny unhealthy nerds, Yata's form of rebellion actually comes off as a bit more of an outer shell covering the actual inner core of creamy nougat).

At the same time, Yata doesn't realize at all that this isn't what his 'friends' like or what they want to do, he tries to get them to join in with him without seeming to care that they have no interest and he gets annoyed at the school being full of boring stuck up kids. Obviously this is an immature worldview but Yata's immature, he's a kid. And it's worth remembering his back story here, that Yata's a kid who doesn't feel he fits in with his own family, who felt for years that he was the only one who could protect his mom and that he just moved back to Shizume after having lived away in a place where it's pretty clearly implied that he did in fact have his own group of friends – Kamamoto, notably – and where he was popular and looked up to. Now he's in a different school in a different place and he doesn't quite manage to fit in well and it's like here he is again, the only square peg in a place full of round holes.

Even so, Yata still tries to keep strong to his own beliefs. Yata has some notable masculinity issues and I think he has this image in his head of what a 'man' should be, and that image is basically a superhero. Yata just wants to be someone who fights on the side of justice and protects everyone, to the point he takes the fall for his not-friends cheating even though he had nothing to do with it. And as Fushimi somewhat points out to him afterward, some of that may well have been rooted in Yata's own ego – wanting to be acknowledged, to be looked up to as the one who protected his friends – but I think he also sincerely wanted to do what he thought a good leader would do. Then when he sees Fushimi being bullied it's the same – Yata I think wants to be needed and to belong, and just as Fushimi feels outside his family Yata does too, like maybe if he can protect people and maybe if he has someone who needs him then Yata can finally feel like he's found a place where he fits.

Then of course he's blindsided when Fushimi doesn't show any gratitude and it makes him reexamine his own motivations, like did he really want to save Fushimi or did he just want to look good, superficially, be thanked and praised. Yata also realizes what his 'friends' think of him at this point, that they've been mocking him all this time and of course Yata gets mad – as a straightforward kid who wears his heart on his sleeve Yata doesn't get why people would talk behind his back, he wants to be told upfront. But here he's thrown the same words, that he just wanted gratitude and praise, that he made the 'Yata Team' do what he wanted and play the games he wanted, and that they thought he'd get mad if they said anything. The notable thing with Yata here though is when he thinks about it he does get depressed, he feels like a bully and that truly is the last thing he wants. Yata can be overbearing but he's not a bad kid and he's really upset by this. And remember again, we're talking someone whose behavior previously made him popular (in the Unused Tickets comic Yata mentions that at his previous birthday a lot of classmates showed up, so basically Yata went from being part of a huge friend circle to being outside of it, at the same time that he's also started feeling on the outside in his own family). And even though Yata was the one who was badmouthed behind his back, having his 'friends' repeat Fushimi's words about needing gratitude is enough to make him start to examine his own actions at least a little, trying to figure out where he went wrong.

This is the point where he meets Fushimi and everything's great for a while, they become friends and Yata gets clearly attached to this person who he thinks is so amazing. Even with the two of them more in sync at this point though it's clear that there are still things Yata doesn't understand, particularly involving Fushimi's family. He's confused when Fushimi's parents aren't home while Fushimi's sick and he knows that Niki affects Fushimi in bad ways, as he tells Aya, though at the same time he still wonders if Fushimi should visit Niki while he's in the hospital. I think it's clear that Yata knows something is wrong with Fushimi's family – he sees how Fushimi is with Niki and the Mothers short story indicates that Yata did see Niki at least a few other times and that he saw Kisa even less. He also has the whole scene at Fushimi's house when Fushimi's sick, noting how things that everyone should understand, like being taken care of when you're sick, are things that Fushimi doesn't get at all.

I can see there being some argument there that Yata should have known Fushimi was being abused and should have done something but remember, Yata's still a middle schooler at this point and besides, what would he have done? Telling his mom to call Child Services probably wouldn't have gone well, particularly considering that Kisa's super rich and that Fushimi I think wouldn't want to admit that anything's happening there, and making a fuss about it could cause Fushimi to push Yata away. With the circumstances being what they are, Yata does the only thing he can think to do: he asks Fushimi to run away with him move in with him, so that Fushimi can have a 'home.' (And speaking of the Mothers story, a note of development: when Yata meets Kisa post-ROK, he decides not to tell Fushimi and not to force on him the idea of seeing his mother again, because Yata's realized that it's up to Fushimi to bridge that gap and if Fushimi doesn't want to see Kisa he shouldn't have to.)

So a couple points about that previous paragraph, and their relationship this far: first, obviously, there's the idea that the two of them are people who feel they don't fit in anywhere who find themselves fitting in together. However, their ideas really aren't as aligned as they think, even at this point when things are going relatively well: Fushimi is happy with just Yata, Yata is happy with Fushimi but as we see eventually he clearly wants to belong to a larger group. Yata doesn't understand Fushimi's worldview, but the same is true for Fushimi, who doesn't realize that Yata doesn't think the same as he does. Also note that Fushimi at this point tends to categorize Yata's words in terms of 0 or 100 points, basically the idea that if Yata pleases Fushimi it's good but if he doesn't it's bad, and allowing no room for anything in between. Fushimi's upbringing being what it is I think that's understandable – I feel like Fushimi at this point in particular is fundamentally selfish, because he's had to be to survive, he's had to focus on himself and protect himself because no one else will. So it's easier for him to put Yata in the box of the person that pleases him, the person who's here to call Fushimi 'amazing' with shining eyes and to prop up Fushimi's own rock bottom sense of self esteem, rather than admitting that Fushimi's really the one who's clinging to Yata all this time as his only good thing, the only one who's ever cared about him. Yata, for his part, is clearly hugely protective of Fushimi and does plenty of things for Fushimi's sake that may not be the best for Yata himself – when Fushimi decides he isn't going to high school Yata does the same, even though he has way less prospects than Fushimi does.

(An aside, here: despite Fushimi's apathy towards school, he still gets good marks on exams and is noted to have some talent, while Yata is called useless by his teacher and later by Aya. Aya even says that Fushimi's 'merit' drops being near Yata. Basically Yata is being told by all corners that he's no good, he's useless, he's stupid, that even if he didn't drop out he wouldn't be able to go any further than he already has. For him, dropping out has more meaning because he won't be able to become anything with just a middle school education. Even so, Yata does it for Fushimi, because Fushimi's his best friend and because Fushimi wants to take on the world, and Yata believes in him – and Fushimi, for all his 0 or 100 points, doesn't think Yata's useless, or stupid, or without merit.)

On Yata's end, there is probably some selfish desire in his closeness with Fushimi: Yata wants to protect people and in a similar way to how Fushimi feels he must be useful somehow or else he's worthless and easy to abandon, Yata needs to have someone to protect or he feels out of place like he did in his house. Once his mother remarried to Yata it's like he lost his place entirely in a variety of ways: he can't be the one who protects his mom, he's not fully blood related to his siblings, he doesn't have a team of friends who look up to him and follow him. But with Fushimi, Yata's got someone who needs him, a guy who can't take care of himself and needs someone to make sure he eats his meals and has a decent bed to sleep in. Of course there's true affection there as well-- Fushimi is Yata's partner, he's Yata's best friend, he's the guy who Yata truly believes can take on the whole world.

And I think Yata has changed by this point too, that even though he wants to have someone to protect he's not doing this just to get gratitude or to feel better about himself. He's doing it because fundamentally Yata wants to protect people he cares about and Fushimi at this point is the number one person for him (and here's already where the cracks start forming too, because for all Yata thinks Fushimi is amazing I think he's always seen them as partners, whereas Fushimi for his own protection tried to think of Yata as beneath him, as someone who followed him, because he can't trust in Yata's sincere affection for him as friend. There has to be a reason, there has to be something he can quantify so he knows Yata won't leave).

Then Homra happens and this is where I feel like Yata gets some undue shit from fandom because I've seen a lot of people claim that 'Yata ignored Fushimi in favor of Mikoto instead, Yata stopped caring about Fushimi and only cared about Homra, Yata made Fushimi leave, etc. etc.' The thing is, I don't think the text entirely bears this out. Side Red and LSW I think make it clear that it's not that Yata ignored Fushimi, it's that the parts of both of them that the other didn't really understand were exacerbated by joining Homra. Like I said above, Fushimi was happy just with Yata (from LSW: “Why do you want me to be understood by everyone when you yourself don’t? … If YOU understand me, I would be content”) and he assumed Yata felt the same. Yata, meanwhile, has always longed to be part of a group and he assumed that Fushimi, being the lonely kid whose walls are always up, must have felt the same (LSW, again: “You don’t want to keep being misunderstood like this, do you?”). Neither one understands the other. When they join Homra, Yata thinks that it's the most amazing place and that Mikoto is the most amazing hero, and he can't understand why anyone would think otherwise. Side Red:

“I wonder if it’s the same for Saru-kun?”

In response to that unexpected question, Yata blinked once or twice.

“Eh?”

“I wonder if Saru-kun, who felt the same way as you, is also letting himself be saved by us?”

It was a question he’d never even thought of. It wasn’t something he had thought of, but he tried thinking about it and came up with a simple answer.

“I dunno, but isn’t he?”

Being beside Suoh, there wasn’t anyone who wouldn’t have their hearts moved and wouldn’t have their blood boil, Yata thought simply. Totsuka didn’t comment on Yata’s answer, just said ‘I see’, and then put on a face like he was looking somewhere distant again.

Clearly, this shows that Yata assumed that Fushimi was also being 'saved' by Homra, because he can't fathom anything else. On the one hand, here's Yata's flaws in glaring obviousness, he's so blinded by his own hero worship of Mikoto and his own needs that he doesn't realize at all what I think Totsuka is trying to hint to him here. On the other, it's not like Fushimi's doing himself any favors. In Side Red it's also noted by Yata that since he joined Homra he hasn't hung out with Fushimi as much anymore, just the two of them – but earlier in the novel when Yata and Kamamoto are watching over Honami and Anna Yata mentions that the orders were originally for himself and Fushimi, and Fushimi bailed. A mission for the two of them, where they could hang out together, and Fushimi was the one who turned away, likely because it was a Homra mission, and so on Homra's terms and not Fushimi's. But Yata doesn't know that because Fushimi never says so and Fushimi's a hard guy to understand, especially for a straightforward person like Yata. So to Yata this seems more like Fushimi blowing him off when they could have hung out than Fushimi being upset because he doesn't want Yata to look at anyone else with shining eyes, and there's really no way Yata could have known what the reason was when Fushimi won't even give him the smallest crumb of a hint.

We also know from LSW that as much as Yata loves Homra, Fushimi is still important to him even then. In LSW it's noted (emphasis mine) “The position as Homra’s vanguard he held together with Fushimi was Yata’s pride.” For Yata, it's not just that he's trusted by Homra, it's that Fushimi is there with him. Seriously, read this and tell me Yata 'stopped caring about Fushimi':

They constantly had disputes with other groups and had a brush with death on countless occasions. In this one and a half year - as long as Fushimi was at his back, Yata was never afraid. He had not even once regretted that they had thrown themselves into this world. He didn’t think that these satisfying days were lacking anything.

He could feel the heat beneath his left collarbone. As if there was a second heart, throb, power was carried through his whole body with one big beat. If Fushimi was close he could even feel the power of the mark he had in the same spot.

Yata's pride isn't just Homra, it's Fushimi. And this is where their misunderstandings continue, because Fushimi assumes, all on his own, that Yata doesn't care about him anymore, because Yata's looking at someone else with shining eyes. Yata is not obligated to be Fushimi's self esteem crutch, he's allowed to be impressed by other people (and as is clear in the interlude I quoted above, Yata still thinks Fushimi's amazing in his own way). Yata wants Fushimi to be part of Homra, to make friends, and Fushimi doesn't like that because I think he assumes that if there are other people around why would Yata ever choose Fushimi – if Fushimi's not the most amazing, if Fushimi's not the one whose plans never fail, then Fushimi has nothing to offer and why would Yata ever choose him over all these other people. And I think in a way Fushimi almost makes this his own self-fulfilling prophecy: he never tells Yata what he's feeling or what's happening with him, so it seems like Yata doesn't care because Yata doesn't know. An example: in LSW when he sees Niki's 'ghost' in the window of his old house he almost tells Yata, and Yata misunderstands thinking Fushimi's talking about something that happened at Homra. Rather than correcting him or qualifying what he meant, Fushimi sinks back into silence and takes this to mean that because Yata didn't push him – when Yata has no way of knowing what was going on – this means Yata didn't care. Yata may not be listening as hard as he could be, but Fushimi isn't speaking loud enough to be heard anyway.

The betrayal is another point between them, when Fushimi actually leaves. First, obviously, Fushimi never 'betrayed' Homra – he is fully within his rights to leave a clan he didn't feel comfortable in, and Mikoto clearly never thinks of him as a traitor. Yata doesn't see this at all, but there are different reasons for it. First – Fushimi clearly frames all this as a betrayal. He doesn't say the real reason he's leaving, he doesn't approach Yata calmly and explain himself. He mocks Homra, mocks Mikoto, mocks all the things that he knows will make Yata angry, and then he burns his tattoo. To Fushimi, Yata's anger and look of betrayal here is all for Homra, that when Yata says 'did you forget this mark is our pride,' Yata means Homra. But the passage I quoted from LSW a bit ago reveals the misunderstanding: to Yata, that mark isn't Homra's pride, it's his and Fushimi's. To Yata, the Homra tattoo in the same place as Fushimi's symbolizes their bond as partners, that second heartbeat he can feel whenever Saruhiko's near.

And Fushimi burns it in front of his eyes.

So for Yata's feelings: yes, he's angry that Fushimi dared to leave Homra and Mikoto. Yata's always had that blindness, the same one Kusanagi notes in the Shrine Visit short story is common in Homra, that everyone tends to assume it's Homra vs the world, that you're one of us or you're an enemy. That blind hero worship is enough to make him think of Fushimi as an enemy just for leaving Homra...except it's pretty clear throughout the series that Yata doesn't actually feel that way (in fact if there's one weakness in Fushimi's arc I feel it's that we get a lot of how Yata feels about Fushimi but precious little concrete moments showing how Fushimi feels about Yata). Shortly after Fushimi leaves we have Yata talking to Totsuka and Yata's angry, he's upset...but:

He regretted it. Grabbing a pillow and pressing his face into it, clenching his teeth so much he cut his own mouth, even then he couldn’t stop regretting.

“I- if he’d say he changed his mind and wants to apologize and come back, then I’m going to apologize together with him to Mikoto-san. He isn’t the type to apologize by himself so I’ll make him apologize and if Mikoto-san’d say things won’t be settled unless he beats Saruhiko up then I’ll get beat up together with him.”

No one's here to give Yata gratitude for that. Fushimi can't hear Yata saying he would be beaten up for Fushimi's sake, because he can't let Fushimi get beaten alone. But Yata still says it, because he still can't abandon Fushimi. And yes, he still doesn't understand – he still thinks of things in terms of Fushimi coming back, not that Fushimi didn't belong in the first place – but Yata doesn't really hate Fushimi either, as much as he wishes he did. Nor does Yata ever stop trying to understand – in the Cellar chapter of Memory of Red he even asks Fushimi straight out why he left Homra. And even with Fushimi still a member of S4 Yata also clearly seems about to ask Fushimi if they can be friends again at the end of chapter, even though Yata still doesn't know why Fushimi's become this way. It's Fushimi who rebuffs him, who won't take anything less than total understanding, and who can't let himself have a 'half-hearted thing' – he can't trust that he has all Yata's affection, so he'll just have all Yata's hate instead.

Jumping ahead then to S1 and after, the first thing I feel should be said on Yata's behalf for anything that happens during the season and the aftermath: Totsuka fucking died in Yata's arms. This is important, because even though the series only lightly touches on Yata's trauma he is still very clearly traumatized by it and I think that informs a lot of Yata's actions in S1. And honestly if we're going to complain about Yata getting away with things in S1 we have to extend that to all of Homra because yes, they do make what from an objective viewpoint would be some rather poor decisions – in seeking revenge, and helping Mikoto seek revenge, they're basically risking a catastrophe that could kill hundreds of thousands of people if Mikoto's Sword falls.

Now whether anyone in Homra aside from Kusanagi and Anna really understands this is debatable, personally I really don't think Yata does. He even says himself in Countdown that he never thought about what Mikoto was thinking and that he never really understood Mikoto. Yata's giving his best in this space though, even as Kamamoto notes that he hasn't been eating or sleeping well, because Yata is determined to avenge the death of a precious friend who died in his arms. That this feeling could have negative consequences isn't really his to think about and that it puts him on opposite sides from Fushimi isn't a consideration either because they're already on opposite sides (and even so, Yata does try to rein in his temper when he meets Fushimi at Ashinaka in episode 5. It's Fushimi who clearly initiates that fight and who goads Yata into it, because he still needs Misaki's eyes on him, he needs Misaki's hate, and he doesn't want to deal with a Yata who puts things like Mikoto's wishes over hating and fighting Fushimi).

Then Mikoto dies and this is another point where I think Yata gets some undeserved flack, for the way he acts in the aftermath. So keep in mind Yata has just lost two people who are very important to him (as have Kusanagi and Anna and all the others, and that's why I personally give them all some leeway in their respective reactions at this point because you can't always control grief). Yata's also lost the place he belongs – to Yata, Homra was the thing he always wished for, a space where he really fits, where he's one of the group and not that kid on the outside. Even when Fushimi is gone, Homra is Yata's rock. When Mikoto dies I think part of Yata knows that Homra's not going to be the same and that it's likely to break apart but he doesn't want to believe it, doesn't want to see his precious place crumble, and so he reacts poorly when Kusanagi says he's closing the bar down.

Obviously Yata's not considering Kusanagi's feelings in this, and he's running a little roughshod over everyone else, trying to keep the mood up by suggesting a trip to the sea even though it's clear that no one is interested. It's like he's regressed a little to the middle school kid with the Yata Team, deciding what they should do for them, but in this case it's not because he wants to be someone looked up to but more that he's trying to hold onto his past because the idea of a future without Homra scares him. Again, Yata's someone who is pretty constantly told he's an idiot and has no other prospects (and he's internalized that too, in Countdown 1 he even says right out “Because I'm stupid I fail even though I give my best”). I think even though Yata hasn't got the same level of issues that Fushimi does he's still someone who feels like maybe he can't belong anywhere – he wants to try, which Fushimi doesn't because Fushimi assumes he'll fail which I think is where their difference lies – and I think for him seeing Homra crack is like suddenly not belonging anywhere at all, like when the Yata Team told him they didn't like him, except this time there's no Fushimi there by his side (and it is notable that while Kamamoto, good guy that he is, tries to cheer Yata up and be there for him Kamamoto's also busy with his own stuff and that really leaves Yata as the only 'main' member of Homra with no partner to help him get through this. The Homra alphabet pairs have each other, Kamamoto's taking care of Anna, but Yata has no one because his 'person' left long ago).

This sends Yata into a pretty long period of depression, which we see in MK and throughout the pre-MK side materials. Obviously Yata's not the only one hurting (Anna and Kusanagi have a lot of pain too, though most of Kusanagi's is offscreen), but I don't think it's fair to fault him for being selfish in his own pain. Yata sits at the bar and stares at old videos of when everyone was happy and for him this is just the lowest point, where he feels like he has nobody who cares and no place to belong. It's indicated that Kamamoto has tried a little to keep an eye on Yata and he does try to call Yata in MK when Anna's in danger (and is ignored), but I think it's understandable that Yata would feel so down and abandoned. He says in Countdown that he hates when people leave him without explaining themselves, the scars of Fushimi's betrayal still strongly there, and I think it's understandable at this point that he feels as if he's been left by everyone.

(Though also worth noting: even though Yata was so angry at Fushimi, in the LSW novel epilogue the one thing that Yata has to cling to, that he doesn't have to regret, is that Fushimi is still alive. “That guy was alive. They would collide again endless times after this, let out anger and questions, and they could try to talk.” Yata can't speak to Totsuka or Mikoto anymore to find out what they were thinking or why they chose the paths they did, but he can still one day reach out to Fushimi and that's important to him.)

And then in MK when he hears that Anna's in trouble Yata does pull himself out of his funk and goes to help her. Even if he doesn't answer his phone for Kamamoto right away due his depression and the general lethargy brought out by it, now that he's needed, now that there's someone who needs protecting, Yata's up and ready. It isn't because he wants gratitude, it's not because he wants to be a hero, it's because Anna's in danger and he cares about her. Yata also swallows his pride and calls Fushimi for help and I think it's clear that this isn't Yata just using Fushimi when it's convenient or anything like that. Yata initially is against calling Fushimi when Kamamoto suggests it because Yata has all this resentment and anger still built up about the betrayal, but even so he knows that Kamamoto's right that Fushimi might be the only person who can help them and so he makes the call. Fushimi of course mocks him for it (I wrote a bit about the call in general here way back), probably feeling like Yata's only calling him because now Fushimi's needed, but that isn't really the case and even if it was, this is still something Fushimi broke himself.

When we get to the back half of MK I think Yata shows a lot of growth actually – even though he does rush in like an idiot, because rushing in is really all Yata knows how to do, he still doesn't completely blow off help from the Silvers, not treating this like a 'you're in Homra or you're against Homra' situation like he might once have. He also clearly tries to thank Fushimi for his help after everything's gone down, which to me shows some definite growth again on Yata's part – Fushimi is still unable to accept that gratitude, but Yata tries. And he keeps trying even into ROK, where his first non-flashback scene with Fushimi is once again Yata trying to thank Fushimi for his help and I think at this point Yata really doesn't want to treat Fushimi like an enemy anymore. Countdown 1 gives us a lot of character growth for Yata, where he really recognizes that he's never quite understood the people he loves and where he makes the decision not to make that mistake again. He wants to support Anna, so he asks her what she wants from him instead of assuming. He wants to understand Fushimi, so he tries to find a way to mend fences (and then Fushimi hits all the buttons he know will hurt in order to make Yata lose his temper again, because Fushimi is nothing if not a master of sabotaging his own happiness).

Continuing from there too, we see a lot of growth in Yata's mindset and his way of dealing with Fushimi and with other clans from this point out. Where Fushimi is clearly displeased about the alliance from the beginning, Yata seems to accept it fairly quickly and he appears to be on pretty good terms with the Silvers, treating them as Anna's friends rather than outsiders who aren't part of Homra – he's graduated from the narrow viewpoint that Kusanagi describes in the Shrine Visit story, he's willing to see people now as more than with us or against us. And even though he may not like Munakata Yata is very clearly trying to understand why Fushimi does – during the Mihashira attack we see him wondering why someone would follow a person like the Blue King and it's blindingly obvious that he's meaning Fushimi here. Yata is trying to understand, because he clearly has decided he wants to fix what's broken between him and Fushimi. Saying Yata 'gets away with a lot' or 'doesn't deserve Fushimi' seems particularly unfair to me in this context, especially seeing as Fushimi shows no real signs of trying to understand Yata at all. Fushimi's still trapped in his own little mess of issues and the closest he lets himself open up is to tell Yata to come and chase him right before the fake betrayal, which is a fairly obtuse way of putting it (and yes you could argue that Munakata understands Fushimi a bit more than Yata does, but I don’t think ‘less perceptive than Munakata Reisi’ is grounds for saying a person doesn’t ‘deserve’ someone else).

Of course for all that Yata does still come to save Fushimi, and I think his reaction to Fushimi's 'second betrayal' shows a lot of how he's grown too. First we do know from the short story 'The Eldest Son and His Mate' that Yata keeps trying to call Fushimi even though he's angry that Fushimi 'betrayed' his clan for a second time. Yata's still a bit immature here, still thinking of it as betrayal, but then when he talks to his mother and she mentions that “My son isn’t somebody who gets wrong what he should do for his best friend” Yata decides to reach out one more time, to search one more place. He's angry, but he also wants to find Fushimi, to ask him why, to understand him. Yata's not looking for Fushimi just to beat him up, he's grown from that.

And even though Yata thinks he's an idiot, even though he gets so many things wrong, in the end Yata comes to a conclusion even Fushimi couldn't manage: “To you, the Blue King was your King all along.” Yata's the one who tells Fushimi that he isn't a traitor, when prior to this Yata was always more than happy to yell that word back at him – because Fushimi wanted him to, because Fushimi wanted to paint himself in those colors. Yata has no way of knowing the real reason why Fushimi broke off their friendship the way he did – Yata doesn't know about the anthill, after all, and there's no way he could – but he tells Fushimi straight out: “Say it in a way I understand. Keep saying it until I do understand.” He's not saying that all the onus is on Fushimi to communicate in their relationship, because Yata himself always communicates everything he feels loudly. What he's saying is that Fushimi can't keep hiding all his emotions and pain and forcing them down into nothing, and then feel upset when Yata doesn't read his mind. It's like with the hallucinations in LSW, when Fushimi finally leaves Homra. He tries to tell Yata only once about anything related to them (the bit I mentioned earlier, where he sees 'Niki' in the house), and clams up as soon as he's misunderstood. Fushimi doesn't say anything and Yata knows it, and he's putting it to Fushimi plain: I want to understand, so don't stop talking until I do. Don't give up on me. Don't carry it all alone.

So basically with all this above, I find it really strange for someone to say that Yata 'gets away with things' or that he 'has no depth.' The after story with him and Fushimi also makes this clear:

'Homra might not be able to exist the way it was now. When Suoh had died Yata was the the only one who couldn’t accept that until the end. He resented his comrades for leaving the bar and labeled them as coldhearted. He had stubbornly persisted to protect Homra and the bar the way it had been when Suoh was around. Now he understood that Homra was changing its form from a ‘street gang’, also for Anna’s sake. They had to change to be able to properly deliver to the future what the now deceased had treasured. And because of that there was no guarantee that all the comrades who respected Suoh wouldn’t walk down a different path now.

When Yata had accepted that, and even though it was strange, the day where he could walk side by side with his once lost best friend had come at the end of the way he had started to move on.'

I don't think you could see that as anything but Yata acknowledging his own faults, acknowledging that he can't hold onto the past forever and that trying to do so was wrong, while also expressing a desire to move forward, and a happiness that he can do so with Fushimi back by his side. Yata worked fucking hard to get Fushimi back. He grew, he changed, he questioned his old outlook on things, he did his best to understand something that he really never would have been able to understand entirely by himself. From the Mothers short story: 'Trying to understand Fushimi based on his own assumption was not the way to go. Because he assumed this way back then, they had missed one another for so many years. Guess that guy would still need some time.'

Yata's been through some shit and he lost a friend, and he matured and worked to win that friend back. He's got plenty of depth to spare for a guy who thinks he's an idiot (yet still can make insightful comments on his own, who still does understand Fushimi a lot more than I think Fushimi himself realized despite what happened between them) and he definitely doesn't 'get away' with anything, especially when by contrast we never see Fushimi so much as apologize for his part in the betrayal (and while Fushimi has all his myriad of issues and mental and emotional struggles that make forgiveness possible, it doesn't give him carte blanche for everything he did to Yata either, that's not how a relationship works. I love Fushimi, but he owes Yata a damn apology). I think the reason the two of them do deserve each other is because they've both gone through the fire together, broken apart, and still found their way back together. They're both reaching for an understanding, even if it's hard to grasp, and there's no shame in a few missteps along the way.

#Yata Misaki #K project #Talking K #K Meta #giant meta post of doom #the second #yeah this got away from me I hope everyone enjoys it #also I should note that again I do love Fushimi and don't think that all of the things between him and Yata were 'his fault'#or that he 'doesn't deserve' Yata #basically Fushimi is an absolute disaster child who has reasons for why he is the way he is #but at the same time I don't think that should mean that Yata has to take on all the blame and heavy lifting in their relationship #honestly if someone told me they didn't think Yata had any depth I'd wonder if we watched the same series #I personally wish the end of Fushimi's arc had gotten more depth myself #but Yata gets plenty he has one of the clearer arcs out of the whole cast

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